Pedal Power Thread

menthel said:
105km and 1300m of climbing from Wimbledon to Camber Sands. Now broken but happy!
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Excellent - nice metric century. I'd sort of promised myself I'd do a proper century again before I hit my half century but as its my birthday tomorrow and I'm posting this from the pub's beer garden it's not looking promising...
 
TheBigYin said:
Excellent - nice metric century. I'd sort of promised myself I'd do a proper century again before I hit my half century but as its my birthday tomorrow and I'm posting this from the pub's beer garden it's not looking promising...
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Don't worry, enjoy the beer garden! I am doing my imperial century next Saturday on the Dunwich Dynamo.
I need a beer actually- a very cold one.
 
DG Phototraining said:
Just bought a road bike, and I must confess... some lycra too :(

Wifey & kids think I look stupid :(

Only done two short rides so far and my arse is killing - but... LOVING IT :)

Dave
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I put touring shorts over my Lycra shorts but I am now thinking that some decent bibs may be in order.

Let the laugh by the way, it makes it so much more comfortable!
 
Bit of a long shot but has anyone got any experience with Wiliners road bikes?

I've been casually looking for a cheapish road bike and the izoard veloce looks kind of nice.

Just after a bit of back ground before I book a test on one.
 
digitalfailure said:
Bit of a long shot but has anyone got any experience with Wiliners road bikes?

I've been casually looking for a cheapish road bike and the izoard veloce looks kind of nice.

Just after a bit of back ground before I book a test on one.
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do you mean Williers road bikes? pretty funky looking.
 
digitalfailure said:
Bit of a long shot but has anyone got any experience with Wiliners road bikes?

I've been casually looking for a cheapish road bike and the izoard veloce looks kind of nice.

Just after a bit of back ground before I book a test on one.
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Lovely bikes, one of the classic Italian marques - certainly worth giving 'em a run - and frankly, anything with Campag. Gruppo's get my vote....

(says the man with 5 Shimano equipped bikes and only one part-built Campag. one:bonk: - but my heart still belongs to Italy, and one day theres a Record EPS equipped De Rosa waiting for me...)
 
I love Campag kit, but TBH It's only recently i've got back under the max. recommended rider weight limit for their kit... hence all the Shimano stuff...
 
TheBigYin said:
I love Campag kit, but TBH It's only recently i've got back under the max. recommended rider weight limit for their kit... hence all the Shimano stuff...
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There is a max weight? I suspect I am under it at 12.5 stone but its interesting to know that they have such suggestions.
 
don't worry Jim - IIRC it was something like 95kg for the groupset, and something like 85kg for the carbon wheels...
 
It certainly looks a nice bit of kit, it's on sale at the mo with a couple of hundred off.

I've always been a fan of specialized, but this feisty Italian has caught my eye.
 
menthel said:
Fork, tyre, front brake and truing the front wheel as well as all the labour. The 2013 version of the bike is £600 so it could have been worse!
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What happened????

Out of nowhere, dressed up and went out on bike today. Went along thames path.
Have to say that it wasnt road bike friendly all the way...

I think i will get up around 7am tomorrow, and cycle to london bridge
 
bastic said:
What happened????

Out of nowhere, dressed up and went out on bike today. Went along thames path.
Have to say that it wasnt road bike friendly all the way...

I think i will get up around 7am tomorrow, and cycle to london bridge
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Guy turned across road right into petrol station, totally ignoring the fact that I was on the other side of the road. I got rid of as much speed as possible but still hit his passenger door.

Agreed on the Thames path, it's not good for road bikes at all. Mind you most of the national cycle routes would seem not to be. I was on ncn 2 and it was just daft in places, way to lumpy!
 
menthel said:
Guy turned across road right into petrol station, totally ignoring the fact that I was on the other side of the road. I got rid of as much speed as possible but still hit his passenger door.

Agreed on the Thames path, it's not good for road bikes at all. Mind you most of the national cycle routes would seem not to be. I was on ncn 2 and it was just daft in places, way to lumpy!
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ouch....




left my flat before 7am so roads were pretty empty
as always missed my turn to tower london but found way anyway;)

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cycled to Eye and decided that was as West as I wanted to go this morning.
Southbank was full of shattered glass after last night - glad that had no puncture

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on my way home some morons, yes I call them morons, overtook me...overtook me on red light...and they haven't stopped on any next ones as well - I was catching up on them but at every single lights where I stopped, they just rode straight..
one of them had even helmet camera...I wonder if he shows others how to cycle on reds....
 
A searing 22 degrees in sunny Edinburgh and I put in a 25 mile road cycle in a PB of 1 hour 48 mins.

Feel good for it!
 
Just back in from a wee xc ride on some local trails, 24 degrees and climbing on loose single track had me wishing for the end :D
 
I'll have to wait till I come back from holiday to get back out on my bike as all my bits haven't arrived.

still trying to choose a read shock - leaning more to a push tuned fox van rc now over a rockshox monarch rc3 plus
 
after my last rides my gears need adjusting...road bikes in London are a nightmare...too many bumps and potholes ;(

few days ago, while pumping fron tire, valve broke..so will need to change it soon and believe you me, I am carp at changing tubes and will swear like a crazy muppet ;)

and one more...how often do you use grease on chain and sprockets ?and what kind of grease ?
is dry lube any good ?
 
bastic said:
after my last rides my gears need adjusting...road bikes in London are a nightmare...too many bumps and potholes ;(
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hardtail (with lockout fork option) with slicks is what you want ;)

few days ago, while pumping fron tire, valve broke..so will need to change it soon and believe you me, I am carp at changing tubes and will swear like a crazy muppet ;)
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some tyres are just a pain to fit/remove. my schwables gave me blisters :LOL:

and one more...how often do you use grease on chain and sprockets ?and what kind of grease ?
is dry lube any good ?
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GT85 after every ride.
 
hardtail (with lockout fork option) - what is this ??

I do have gt85 somewhere ...will spray it on from now on :)
 
bastic said:
and one more...how often do you use grease on chain and sprockets ?and what kind of grease ?
is dry lube any good ?
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for the roadbike, the cassette gets removed and cleaned/degreased once a month (around every 800-1000 miles), the freehub cleaned then wiped over with a little grease just to save rust/seizing. No lube on the actual cassette teeth - it'll pick up enough from the chain. At same time, chain is removed, degreased, cleaned, chainrings cleaned, and chain re-fitted (use one of those "missing link" things rather than riveting/breaking.) Winter, I use finish line wet lube, but from around may-sept I'll be on the dry-lube - recently I've ben quite happy with the Finish Line Ceramic Wax Lube - ideally applied after a ride, so it has chance to "set up" before getting exposed to road dust the following day.

I also try to remember to run the chain-checker over the bike before a ride, and always make sure it gets swapped out at +0.7 (ie while it's still not damaging the cassette or chainrings) - chains are (relatively) cheap - Cassettes less so, Chainrings - not at all.
 
TheBigYin said:
for the roadbike, the cassette gets removed and cleaned/degreased once a month (around every 800-1000 miles), the freehub cleaned then wiped over with a little grease just to save rust/seizing. No lube on the actual cassette teeth - it'll pick up enough from the chain. At same time, chain is removed, degreased, cleaned, chainrings cleaned, and chain re-fitted (use one of those "missing link" things rather than riveting/breaking.) Winter, I use finish line wet lube, but from around may-sept I'll be on the dry-lube - recently I've ben quite happy with the Finish Line Ceramic Wax Lube - ideally applied after a ride, so it has chance to "set up" before getting exposed to road dust the following day.

I also try to remember to run the chain-checker over the bike before a ride, and always make sure it gets swapped out at +0.7 (ie while it's still not damaging the cassette or chainrings) - chains are (relatively) cheap - Cassettes less so, Chainrings - not at all.
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you see for all of that I need bigger flat/house ;D not enough space in where I live to just dismantle the bike and clean it ;(
 
bastic said:
hardtail (with lockout fork option) - what is this ??

I do have gt85 somewhere ...will spray it on from now on :)
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Hardtail mountain bike so no rear suspension but front suspension fork can be locked into a position (essentially reduces the fork travel to a minimal amount)
 
POAH said:
cheaper to buy and run - plus coils have better small bump reaction. no worried about air leaking either. it's 5.5 inch travel too
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cheaper? yeah like a consumer camera is cheaper than a prosumer? ;) service intervals are the same on fox coil and air shocks and TFT service fees are the same so shouldnt be any more expensive to run.

thats why i said get that push tuned RP23 from TFT, sorts out small bump performance. plus theyre lighter, more configurable (you have to change the spring on a coil). airs shouldnt leak air, my old RP2 certainly hasnt lost any. indeed fox say the sag can pretty much be set and forget.

not sure what you mean by its 5.5" travel though.. any shock can be any travel pretty much, its the frame linkages and the shock size that make up the travel.

but yeah coil vs air is a bit of a canon vs nikon argument..
 
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Out for a family cycle round Romney marsh from camber to st Mary on the marsh and back. Currently recovering from my half way lunch including a cider!
 
neil_g said:
cheaper? yeah like a consumer camera is cheaper than a prosumer? ;) service intervals are the same on fox coil and air shocks and TFT service fees are the same so shouldnt be any more expensive to run.

thats why i said get that push tuned RP23 from TFT, sorts out small bump performance. plus theyre lighter, more configurable (you have to change the spring on a coil). airs shouldnt leak air, my old RP2 certainly hasnt lost any. indeed fox say the sag can pretty much be set and forget.

not sure what you mean by its 5.5" travel though.. any shock can be any travel pretty much, its the frame linkages and the shock size that make up the travel.

but yeah coil vs air is a bit of a canon vs nikon argument..
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pushed CTD is £100 more which I don't have. coil shock suits me more than an air shock plus I think a coil looks far more bling than a air shock lol
 
Getting back into cycling and looking for a new bike. I mainly stay on cycle paths with Tarmac or compact gravel, was thinking of a hybrid maybe? What would I get for about £1k or is it worth going more?
 
Laudrup said:
Getting back into cycling and looking for a new bike. I mainly stay on cycle paths with Tarmac or compact gravel, was thinking of a hybrid maybe? What would I get for about £1k or is it worth going more?
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I recently got a Trek 8.4 DS, which I love. It was about £650, 27 speed, 63mm travel front fork with lockout, runs 700c wheels with hydraulic discs, overall a nice ride :)
The top range 8.6 model is closer to £1,000 and has a slightly fancier frame and a few other features!
 
Cyprino said:
I recently got a Trek 8.4 DS, which I love. It was about £650, 27 speed, 63mm travel front fork with lockout, runs 700c wheels with hydraulic discs, overall a nice ride :)
The top range 8.6 model is closer to £1,000 and has a slightly fancier frame and a few other features!
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Cheers that sounds promising I'll look into Trek's offerings.
 
170 miles coast to coast on Monday - big hills here we come


Hoping for slightly cooler weather :)
 
menthel said:
Dunwich Dynamo tomorrow, yay!
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I'm trying really, really, REALLY hard not to be jealous mate...

And failing dismally. I'd love to do that one, but given it's location at the other end of the country, coupled with all the other logistical things, it's nearly as tough for me to sign up for as the Etape du Tour would be...
 
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