Next FRR Stage race (Tour International) starts this weekend. Got 12 Stages to ride from this sunday 13th until the 27th...!
So far so good... But I wasn't wrong about it being brutal!
https://www.strava.com/activities/6815769667 Stage 1 iTT - 4th in Class
https://www.strava.com/activities/6816338572 Stage 2 Race - 7th in Class
https://www.strava.com/activities/6829663064 Stage 3 Race - 12th in Class
https://www.strava.com/activities/6834800959 Stage 4 TTT - 8th
Stage 5 skipped
https://www.strava.com/activities/6848792308 Stage 6 Race - 1st in Class
https://www.strava.com/activities/6852349983 Stage 7 Race - 6th in Class
https://www.strava.com/activities/6866117336 Stage 8 TTT - 3rd
Just 4 stages left. I'm not riding todays (Yorkshire) then Fridays is an iTT twice up Bologna. Always enjoy that one and going to likely skip Thursday nights WTRL TTT to be a bit fresher for it! Saturdays is going to be brutal
The Pretzel but Sundays is around
Champs-Élysées and have heard/seen rumours will be ridden like the final of the TdF. So in my mind that is an 'easy' roll around for a few laps, then sprints the final couple - but we'll see!
Need a bike for my tacx now the weather is better for short training sessions in the morning. Do you reckon this’ll cut the mustard with a decent seat and of course pedals.
I have a crux but I’ve just had it serviced and repaired. I don’t want to be taking it on off on off etc it costs me more in repairs.
Looked at s/h but I need an xl frame and by the time I’ve been through the junk there’s nothing suitable.
https://www.evanscycles.com/brand/ceres/rd-2-2021-road-bike-934561#colcode=93456102
I'd keep looking at S/H mate or some 'end of line' sales. In your XL size you might find more deals, or bikes available in places for longer.
I've never heard of Ceres (except maybe doing wheels?) so it's a complete unknown for me. I'd be avoiding it due to the microshift setup - normally garbage and to be avoided, but at that price for a bike just for zwifting, then it might be ok. Even better if you're saving so much cash or have the parts to change the groupset at some point when/if it causes any issue.
Might need a bit of Tacx Neo DIY repair. Getting a noise which I thought could be chain or BB, not constant so I’m ruling out a small bearing, I waxed the chain and rode the bike outside on Sunday and didn’t notice it.
Mine isn’t as bad as this video but I think it’s the same fault. Will change bikes over on the trainer to eliminate that completely which should point at the trainer.
Mine is a fairly early Neo 1, with a later freehub fitted (the Tacx hub not the Edco).
https://tacxfaqx.com/knowledge-base/grunting-whump-whump-sound/
Hi mate, I had that noise, or a similar which was the inner race moving on the 'axle'. It wasn't as much of a 'whump whump' as that - more a constant 'groaning' almost like a bearing noise. But I could get mine to whump like that by cranking it hard (when already spinning it easy) then easing/stopping (like a sprint and sudden freewheel). With my hand on the frame/cranks doing it could 'feel' it coming through like a vibration. Less noticeable when sat on it.
Although I diagnosed mine and changed mine to the ReAxle and it made some difference, in doing so found mine was missing any rubber 'o-rings' which sit behind that inner race against the Neo and aid to stop it spinning. I bought some (couple of quid for a packet of them) and fitted 2, it made a massive difference. You'll need a Neo disk removal tool to do this, I can find links to where I got my o-rings if you want?
ReAxle is recommended if you have any 'knocking' or movement of your Neo axle on the OG, they're prone to it. I was able to get my magnets (in the disc) to rub the inner coils (in the Neo) when sprinting hard, or just rocking harder side to side. BE VERY CAREFUL testing this. As without my ReAxle fitted, this is how I knocked magnets off inside my disk and pretty much killed my Neo. It's on it's way back to me now after several months, can't recall if I've shared what I've been through with it on here? Happy to share if needs be - but basically killed the thing and it's needed new disk, board and stator to fix it from another Neo. It was very close to being a 20kg door stop.
I'm getting creaking on my bike when I'm on the turbo trainer that I don't get when I'm out on the road. I can't work out if it's the bike or the trainer but it being a carbon bike has me a bit worried.
anything I should be checking? I've made sure that the thru axle isn't tightened too much or too loose. It almost sounds like it's the bottom bracket but I only have started hearing it when on the turbo trainer. It could potentially be the feet of the trainer but I'm unsure. I've seated and reseated the bike many times through sheer paranoia that I've cracked the frame but there is nothing visible and it only makes that noise on the trainer.
it's on carpet so I can't tell if it's because the trainer isn't on firm ground but unsure what the noise could be coming from
Check everything! There is much more 'pressure' through focal points on the bike/frame/components with it fixed in place on a stationary trainer (as Andy said). Far more 'movement' to take that pressure out when out on the road.
I had what I thought and sounded like grit in my BB. Changed it. Nope. Thought it was the bars, stripped and regreased/carbon grip. Nope. After all that doing a full strip and clean of the drivechain outside in the sunlight noticed a fracture/split in the alu frame around the seatpost/headtube. A known 'pressure point' and weakness on the frame I was using (Giant Defy) as there's so much flex built into the seatpost and we all know Aluminium fatigues with flexing.
This is what I thought tbh. When on road, any movements you make, any movement by the frame isn't really being opposed by anything, it just moves... on a trainer it's anchored to something, so when the frame is being pressured somewhere, there is going to be force/torque applied through it and possible creaks and groans. This is also the reason it could all go wrong, of course.
All spot on and exactly why many brands didn't originally warranty frames when on trainers. Thankfully that's changed now. But that's not saying bike frame design has improved to stop it - just backlash from consumers I guess! Also frames on trainers are exposed to far less 'outside' forces they likely have similar lifetimes even with the increased wear from trainers.
I think it's H for hud? I know it's G for the graph at the bottom of the screen.
Yup H for hud on/off. Think there's an option tucked away somewhere too.
The 'Oh my Crit' series went to no-hud (as there's an event toggle for it) at one point and people loved it. Try it out/hunt some events down mate - you'll likely really enjoy it as I know you enjoy Crits anyway. When it's an event like that EVERYONE has it turned off!
I "won" the bling-bling Lightweight wheels at the top of the Alpe on Sunday morning
I also got the new Zwift home screen update which is a big improvement as you can now get into your garage without needing to be riding:
https://zwiftinsider.com/sneak-peek-homescreen/
Congrats on the wheels! Really need to get them myself, have not ridden the Alpe enough times. Think I've done it 6 or 7 times and most people seem to get them in a dozen or less ascents.
I'd not seen the homescreen, cool, just hope it makes things as quick/quicker and not any slower.
It now looks almost exactly how RGT have done it all along
just got to muck about with seat position. 