Pedal Power Thread

that's a cracker Jim - I spotted it on the Condor Instagram feed myself, then noticed you'd commented and claimed the bike ;)

When you get a chance to put some distance on it, I may be picking your brains over the HyRd brakes and the Strade Bianche tyres - the current stoppers on my CaadX are a real P.O.S. to be honest, and an upgrade has been on the cards since I bought it - plus some decent road (with excursions to gravel occasionally) tyres wouldn't come amiss if I'm actually allowed outside to ride in the near future...
 
TheBigYin said:
that's a cracker Jim - I spotted it on the Condor Instagram feed myself, then noticed you'd commented and claimed the bike ;)

When you get a chance to put some distance on it, I may be picking your brains over the HyRd brakes and the Strade Bianche tyres - the current stoppers on my CaadX are a real P.O.S. to be honest, and an upgrade has been on the cards since I bought it - plus some decent road (with excursions to gravel occasionally) tyres wouldn't come amiss if I'm actually allowed outside to ride in the near future...
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Thanks Mark- I walked into the shop to collect it and they asked if it was me on Instagram- I had to confirm. Only ridden home so far but the tyres are superb over the crappy London roads. The brakes may take me longer to form an opinion on!

Even if I do say so myself, it looks rather striking and even better in the flesh!
 
I might go out tomorrow for a cycle ;) anyone from London fancies a small meet in central ?
 
OK folks Mrs Clause is letting me get a set of wheels for my Christmas so I have been window shopping.
Currently I like the look of the following -

Campagnolo Scirocco
Campagnolo Zonda
Mavic Cosmic

What are peoples thoughts on the above and is there anything else I should consider?

I like the idea of a slight aero rim. To be honest if money was no object I would get a pair of Mavic Cosmic SLS but I think she who must be obeyed won't like the concept of wheels that cost more than the bike ha ha
 
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My personal recommendation, after maybe 15,000 miles or more on them without ever needing to tweak a spoke to straighten them (which, for a "big lad" like me is something of an achievement) would be the Shimano Ultegra Clinchers - i've got the 6700 series, but the 6800 is pretty much identical apart from being slightly re-dished to cope with the 11 speed cassettes etc. Same bladed spokes, asymetric rear rims and road-tubeless compatibility - which when coupled with a pair of Schwalbe One Tubeless tyres in 25mm is absolutely stunning - handling and comfort on a par with riding on tubular tyres, rolling resistance noticeably better than the same Schwalbe One's in a inner-tube version, and probably the best grip in the wet I've known from any of the schwalbe tyres, getting close to my beloved Vittoria Open Pave CG's.

Only problem is, afaik, they're shimano freehub only, so if you need to match them with a campag groupset there may be issues.
 
Can anyone recommend any folding handlebars? I've seen (online) a pair made by Humpert which look just the job but they are quite expensive, is there anything better?
 
A question about bike sizes if you don't mind folks as I'm confused...

I'm about 5'6" and have Boardman bikes mainly due to cycle2work and my 650b Team Hardtail is a medium as is my hybrid pro. They don't feel particularly big for me but recently I rode my lads small mountain bike and found it was easier to manouver round corners just more chuckable.

Also, I see many mountain bikers with the seatposts really high up and this just scares me if I do it.

I've never had a bike fitting done as they cost a lot but I'm intrigued to see what people prefer for bike sizes as I'm wondering if I should downsize to a small (the shop assistants have always pointed me towards a medium whether it is the specialized concept store or LBS or Halfords).
 
@Gsrai

The fit of the bike will be in two parts as you describe it. The first is actually the style of riding - some are "sit up and beg"; some are more race orientated and lots are somewhere in the middle. Each bike manufacturer will produce a range of frames and set ups that meet various needs but, importantly, you cannot compare like with like very easily. For example, I'm 5'7" and I ride a Cube road bike with a 56 frame. If I were to get the same size frame in say a Trek or Canondale, I dare say I wouldn't be able to touch the pedals at the bottom of the rotation !!

The second and real fit of the bike is once you have the correct size frame is to set up the handlebars and saddle to make sure the bike fits you in terms of reach, height etc.

My recommendation would be to go to your local bike shop and sit on a couple of bikes and importantly, try different sizes in the same frame / make rather than flitting from one brand to another otherwise you're not going to get much clarity with it all.

There's lots more technical stuff to talk about but I'll leave that for the guys that know more than me.

PS search bike fit on you tube - there are some interesting/informative videos out there.
 
Mountain bike sizing is different to road bike sizing as you need to allow for more stand over height on a mountain bike.
In the event of an unplanned stop where you need to get a foot down on uneven ground you need the extra room to avoid hitting sensitive parts on the top tube of the frame
I'm 5'9" with 29" inside leg and have a small giant trance FS mountain bike but do find it a bit short on cockpit space on the climbs and feel ok on a friends medium size salsa. I've changed the handlebar stem and seat post to give me a bit more stretch.
My road bike is a 54 frame and I find it spot on with a 100mm stem.
 
stupar said:
OK folks Mrs Clause is letting me get a set of wheels for my Christmas so I have been window shopping.
Currently I like the look of the following -

Campagnolo Scirocco
Campagnolo Zonda
Mavic Cosmic

What are peoples thoughts on the above and is there anything else I should consider?

I like the idea of a slight aero rim. To be honest if money was no object I would get a pair of Mavic Cosmic SLS but I think she who must be obeyed won't like the concept of wheels that cost more than the bike ha ha
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I've had a pair of Fulcrum Racing 3s for some time, from memory they were equivalent to the Zondas at the time (Fulcrum and Campag Wheels are often very similar as they're linked) I noticed a big difference compared to the original DT Swiss wheels on my old Cube Agree GTC so they were well worth the upgrade. They actually took some getting used to at first when climbing, as they were so responsive and I had to smooth my pedal stroke out a bit. At the time they seemed to give the best improvement for the price. The higher up you went the performance gains seemed to taper off almost as quickly as the price went up.

I recently looked at getting some Mavic Cosmic SLSs with my new bike, I'll admit largely because they looked nice. The bike shop owner told me not to bother. He didn't seem to rate them and thought I could get better for less, he made some suggestions (sorry can't remember what) but didn't push me to buy anything else so I don't think it was a sales pitch.. To be honest I wouldn't have considered them if I hadn't had the Fulcrum R3s already, for the price you can get lighter low profile rims and not sure I'd fancy those deep rims in a cross wind if they were my only option.
 
Yelkrub said:
Mountain bike sizing is different to road bike sizing as you need to allow for more stand over height on a mountain bike.
In the event of an unplanned stop where you need to get a foot down on uneven ground you need the extra room to avoid hitting sensitive parts on the top tube of the frame
I'm 5'9" with 29" inside leg and have a small giant trance FS mountain bike but do find it a bit short on cockpit space on the climbs and feel ok on a friends medium size salsa. I've changed the handlebar stem and seat post to give me a bit more stretch.
My road bike is a 54 frame and I find it spot on with a 100mm stem.
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I know what you mean about stopping and hitting sensitive parts - perhaps I should have gone for a small ??? - I trusted the sellers advice which might have been an error, oh well!
 
dan_yorkshire said:
Not as drastic as that thankfully.

It's ulnar nerve compression in my elbow (funny bone nerve) fairly simple procedure I'm led to believe, should be out the same day.

Just don't google the images like I did.

Since June I've not been able to ride the bike or play golf which is gutting.

Op will allow nerve to heal at around 1mm a day, so hopefully pain free by Xmas
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Hi just looking at this thread. So sorry to worry you but ulnar nerve operation for me has been tried three times de compression ie release and relocation and four years later no pins and needles but horrible elbow pain and ulnar claw hand. I do wish you luck mate
 
I'm still getting problems with pins and needles in my right foot. I'm using shimano spd set up and wondering if going to look or spd-sl might help with the bigger "footprint"?
 
neil_g said:
You sure it doesn't come from an issue higher up? Sounds more like a lower back problem to me (have we talked about this before?).
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we haven't but about 10 years ago I had a problem with a herniated disk. What's the link between lower back and foot. Is it something to do with pedallling action?
 
Is your saddle too high?

If it is it could be causing you to over extend your leg and also prevents a good/flat contact with the pedal?

Also, are your cleats too far forward?

Edit: your shoes aren't too tight / too thick socks?
 
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First commute since the accident today, yay! My goodness that Fratello rides beautifully.

As for the pins and needles it can be due to "hot foot" which can be an issue with the small footprint and can be sorted with either stiffer shoes or road pedals with a larger platform. It can also be because of doing up your shoes too tight. Or it could be back related. I would exclude the simple things first.
 
Buck said:
Is your saddle too high?

If it is it could be causing you to over extend your leg and also prevents a good/flat contact with the pedal?

Also, are your cleats too far forward?

Edit: your shoes aren't too tight / too thick socks?
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Saddle: don't think so, if anything I've been thinking it could do with going up slightly.
cleats: maybe, I read that somewhere else and have shifted them to try at the weekend.
shoes/socks: again, don't think so but.......

neil_g said:
just nerve related really. lower back issues can travel down the leg.

in other news.. new major bike upgrades inbound :D
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Gotcha, it took some time before the sciatica wore off. I haven't had any complications recently and am reasonably confident that it's not a throwback to that but you never know.

And the bike is? :D

menthel said:
First commute since the accident today, yay! My goodness that Fratello rides beautifully.

As for the pins and needles it can be due to "hot foot" which can be an issue with the small footprint and can be sorted with either stiffer shoes or road pedals with a larger platform. It can also be because of doing up your shoes too tight. Or it could be back related. I would exclude the simple things first.
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OKay, another suggestion on the set up of the shoes effectively, I'll experiment, thanks guys :)
 
Dod, get a pro bike fit.

The difference in my set up now compared to my initial riding position is massive since getting fitter through the summer.
My bike had a basic fit at purchase which fitted how I was then, but as weight came down and I got fitter and more flexible I started getting right knee pains after about 30 miles. I went for a pro fit which used lasers and slo mo video to capture how I actually ride and ended up in a totally different and more powerful position.

good quality insoles in the shoes will help with tingles though as it can take the pressure away from the nerves which get pressed against the pedal axle.
 
digitalfailure said:
Dod, get a pro bike fit.

The difference in my set up now compared to my initial riding position is massive since getting fitter through the summer.
My bike had a basic fit at purchase which fitted how I was then, but as weight came down and I got fitter and more flexible I started getting right knee pains after about 30 miles. I went for a pro fit which used lasers and slo mo video to capture how I actually ride and ended up in a totally different and more powerful position.

good quality insoles in the shoes will help with tingles though as it can take the pressure away from the nerves which get pressed against the pedal axle.
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^^^ this - Had the "Retul" session (well - i've had 1 and 2 extra "refining" sessions, as I lost weight over the past few years) and the difference it made was amazing... it's surprising what they can pick up on too... In my case a discrepancy between my leg-lengths was causing knee tracking problems, plus saddle sores, lower back problems and pain in my shoulders. Took orthotics, 6 months of physio and gradual moving around of the saddle height and around half a mile of Kinesio strapping on my knee before they got me properly functioning, BUT it fixed me... Not only for the bike, but the back and knee pain I had when standing for long periods - and made walking much easier too...
 
Hehehe I have odd leg lengths too ! my right is 6mm shorter than the left. I'm going to give it a few more rides to settle the knee down and if the pain doesn't go completely the next step is a shim between the shoe and cleat. I tried it during the fitting session but didn't feel natural clipping in....as they were new shoes and pedals I decided it wasn't worth the safety risk :D
 
mine was nearer 3cm... hardly surprising as the shorter one had smashed the Femur when I was knocked off the time-trial bike and demolished a temporary trafic light with my hip and thigh. 3 plates holding the pelvis together and a 17" pin down the centre of the femur, with one of those Ilzarov cages on the outside. 9 months of repeatedly letting the bone knit, then surgically breaking it again, stretching it another 10mm and re-knitting... got the legs within 3cm of matching, but by then they were getting worried about my tolerance to the morphine drips so basically had to discontinue treatment at the point of leaving me with a slight limp...
 
The things we do to ride a bike eh !

I need to get fitter and stronger and totally free of pains over the winter, I'm signed / paid up for a trip with the bike to Majorca in May. Not looking fwd to the ride up Sa Colabra quite as much as the trip down it !
 
:geek:

DSC_0239_zps9ftyjd4j.jpg
 
digitalfailure said:
Dod, get a pro bike fit.

.
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I've booked one. The other issue I get is stiff elbows and I'm guessing that's got to be a setup thing. Will be interesting to see what gets recommended :)
 
I thought the stiff elbows was a Scottish thing, it stops you lot from putting your hands in your pockets when it's your round :D
 
dod said:
I've booked one. The other issue I get is stiff elbows and I'm guessing that's got to be a setup thing. Will be interesting to see what gets recommended :)
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Stiff elbows can be over reach and 'locking' the arms - I had a bit of this before I fitted a shorter stem - all sorted now! :)
 
Do any of you guys use a turbo trainer for the darker/wetter months?

I'm looking at one to help keep the fitness up over the coming months as I'm finding it harder and harder to find the time on a weekend and weekday evenings are a no-no now it is dark so early.

I've seen the Tacx Satori Smart trainer and it can be linked up to Zwift or BKool to get interactive training. (Not sure how this works in reality as I need to do more research) I don't want to spend a fortune on one so looking around the £150-170 price range.

I think @TheBigYin uses one but not sure about @digitalfailure or @stupar etc.?

Any help/advice greatly appreciated.
 
digitalfailure said:
I thought the stiff elbows was a Scottish thing, it stops you lot from putting your hands in your pockets when it's your round :D
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I've got arms like T.Rex :D
 
Buck said:
Do any of you guys use a turbo trainer for the darker/wetter months?

I'm looking at one to help keep the fitness up over the coming months as I'm finding it harder and harder to find the time on a weekend and weekday evenings are a no-no now it is dark so early.

I've seen the Tacx Satori Smart trainer and it can be linked up to Zwift or BKool to get interactive training. (Not sure how this works in reality as I need to do more research) I don't want to spend a fortune on one so looking around the £150-170 price range.

I think @TheBigYin uses one but not sure about @digitalfailure or @stupar etc.?

Any help/advice greatly appreciated.
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No room in our house for a new trainer TBH otherwise I would have one.
I just try and find time on the bike out with my commuting.
 
No turbo for me, I did about 40 mins on one during a bike fit and went out of my mind [emoji33]
 
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