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The Cycling Chat Thread

My "blends into the foliage" ride.
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You know when you're on the canal taking in the beautiful scenery, miles from anywhere, and this happens
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It don't half send you into a fury.:mad::mad::mad:
 
What cassette would people recommend for TdF stage 2? Currently got a 12-25 but thinking about going 28 or 30. Chain ring is 34. I’ve done a few centuries but not with anything like that many climbs.
 
What cassette would people recommend for TdF stage 2? Currently got a 12-25 but thinking about going 28 or 30. Chain ring is 34. I’ve done a few centuries but not with anything like that many climbs.

I assume your rear arm can manage a 30?
But I am sure you only need a 28 on the back, maybe worth going 11-28 to give a little more at each end!
You may also need to adjust your limit screw on the rear arm to take the larger sprocket whichever you decide.
 
I assume your rear arm can manage a 30?
But I am sure you only need a 28 on the back, maybe worth going 11-28 to give a little more at each end!
You may also need to adjust your limit screw on the rear arm to take the larger sprocket whichever you decide.

Dunno it's shimano 105? I was thinking 11-28 too
 
Dunno it's shimano 105? I was thinking 11-28 too

Shimano 105 is a ten speed, I have read somewhere that if you have the standard GS rear mech arm (not the short SS arm) it should take the larger gear.
Just check the upper jockey wheel is no less than 13mm from the 26T sprocket you have at the moment. You need 2mm more of clearance for each tooth increase on your bigger gear.
It can handle up to a 32T but you will need to think about replacing your current chain with a longer one.
Hope this makes sense?
 
Shimano 105 is a ten speed, I have read somewhere that if you have the standard GS rear mech arm (not the short SS arm) it should take the larger gear.
Just check the upper jockey wheel is no less than 13mm from the 26T sprocket you have at the moment. You need 2mm more of clearance for each tooth increase on your bigger gear.
It can handle up to a 32T but you will need to think about replacing your current chain with a longer one.
Hope this makes sense?

Yep just about, thanks for your help! I assume it's the standard one and yes it is 10 speed
 
This could potentially go in any of Commute, Strava or here...

Did L2B yesterday for the first time with a proper rider number and all the way from Clapham (I've done bits of it in the past, joining/leaving the route to meet friends and tag along). First few miles, until Carshalton-ish, were *such* a tedious slog. Car + bike congestion, traffic lights, lane changes, roadworks, buses ... is it always that bad?! Such a breeze in comparison, on previous occasions, bombing down the A23 and slipping out "the back way" over Farthing Downs. Still, great vibe as always out in Sussex. Shout-out to the Palace chariot!

An excellent day for me, ride-wise... I've been adding climbs like College Road to my homeward commute for months now and the hills all felt manageable, even Ditchling... although 3/4 of the way up, when I fancied I'd earned the "granny cog", it refused to shift :mad: so I was forced to do it all on the middle cog (24-speed hybrid). Followed a couple of roadies most the way up, calling out "on your right!", so it was a smooth path. However, my mate had a bit of a 'mare. He's a proper gym-freak, unlike me, but doesn't do much cycling... I repeatedly left him behind on the climbs, and unfortunately only a short way up Ditchling he got cramp and had to get off and push, poor guy. Still, he'll learn his lesson and leave me for dust next year I dare say.

As we're halfway through the year, I totted up my miles (on Strava) and make it 700 almost exactly. 1500 for the year sounds like a go-er, but I have young kids and only currently do 2 x 20 mile commutes (i.e. 4 x 10 mile journeys) a week, so I'd need to up that to 3 and/or do a few major weekend jaunts if I'm going to make it...
 
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I was in Brighton over the weekend and did see the riders coming in, surprised how early they must start (think the first riders leave at 5am). I think it also explains why the hotel (about 200m from the finish) was so ridiculously expensive, but the gf picked up that bill as it was my belated birthday treat.

I did the nightride myself a couple of years back which was great fun, much less congestion from the start and fewer pootlers (according to my riding companion who'd done the day ride before). Night ride goes over Devil's Dyke instead, which just keeps giving, but nowhere near as bad as Ditchling. You can tell when a sharp hill is coming up as you can hear the clacking noise of people unclipping to stop and walk it. I got up all of them by virtue of the low gearing on the Pashley coupled with a bit of bloody mindedness. The depressing bit is when you're half way in and meet the hardcore riders going back the other way, riding home having already finished (partly explained by staggered finish times).
 
Wow, you picked a good weekend for it! We wondered ourselves when they start putting the banners up and whether some uber-keen rider had ever beaten them to it. I think the earliest start time was 6am, so Wiggo could easily make it by 8:30. In previous years we've overtaken a few returnees on the drive back home, but I don't think we saw any this year, although tbf we did leave much later. Seeing returning riders coming towards you on the course itself... now that's a different matter! :eek:

Night ride sounds awesome; after the state of London this year it's something we talked about doing as an alternative. Dunwich is made out to be the queen of night rides but L2B would make more sense seeing as none of us live anywhere near Essex! I like your description of the ghostly sound of clacking clippy feet on the hillsides :D
 
Brake caliper upgrade question.

I have the stock brakes that my road bike came with, they're Alhonga dual pull calipers branded as La Pierre. They're pretty shit, I upgraded the pad to Swiss Stop green which improved matters, but on any tricky descents things still get a bit hairy. I've got Avid BB7S disc brakes on my cross/gravel bike and boy do I miss them when I get on the road bike.

I bought some Planet X Forged calipers, but I've never put them on the bike as I don't like the quick release mechanism on them. Unlike the cam quick release you get on the Alhonga's which still gives you some braking even if they're 'undone', on the Planet X ones you have to disconnect the cable entirely.

Anyone got any brake recommendations? Is there any point upgrading? Will it make any difference?

I'd been looking at the older 6700 Ultegra ones as they're reasonably priced at the moment.

I weigh well over 120kg by the way.
 
Yes, there isn't that much wear in them. I've two sets of wheels, both seem OK wear-wise.

Assuming everything is good condition (pivots, levers, cables) I don't think you'd see a tremendous difference in performance from changing the calipers. Magura RT7 hydraulics would be the nuclear option but they are a bit pricey (to say the least).
 
Yeah, I reckon they could do with an overhaul. The cables have been done recently so they should be ok, but the calipers haven't been off the bike in three years.
 
What cassette would people recommend for TdF stage 2? Currently got a 12-25 but thinking about going 28 or 30. Chain ring is 34. I’ve done a few centuries but not with anything like that many climbs.

stage 2 climbs? All the climbs come late this year.
stage 2 looks a bit like this
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Stage 2 last year - ie york to sheffield - not exactly the Alps but I'm not very fit!

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You will be fine, not the Alps as you say but every metre up counts.
It's like this years stage two around here. I have to go twenty miles west before any nice climbs!
 
Went to get on my bike and needed to pump the tyre up this morning...... The valve which has been iffy popped out, and just all the air down, meaning I have to buy a new inner tube I guess.

Now having never changed an inner tube, if I go into the bike shop and tell them the tyre on my bike has 700-28C written on it, is that enough info for them to sell me the right inner tube?
 
Went to get on my bike and needed to pump the tyre up this morning...... The valve which has been iffy popped out, and just all the air down, meaning I have to buy a new inner tube I guess.

Now having never changed an inner tube, if I go into the bike shop and tell them the tyre on my bike has 700-28C written on it, is that enough info for them to sell me the right inner tube?

That's all you need mate.
 
Went to get on my bike and needed to pump the tyre up this morning...... The valve which has been iffy popped out, and just all the air down, meaning I have to buy a new inner tube I guess.

Now having never changed an inner tube, if I go into the bike shop and tell them the tyre on my bike has 700-28C written on it, is that enough info for them to sell me the right inner tube?

You might also need the valve type, though pretty sure 700 wheels only come with the standard presta valves (as opposed to the Shradar car-type valves you get on mountain bikes).

presta_vs_schrader.jpg



If you have aero-type wheels with deep rims you might need a long stem valve, but I suspect you'll have standard wheels.

I had to put a new tube in this morning because my tyre had gone down overnight (turned out to be an old repair giving out rather than a puncture). It did have a long-valve tube in it (put in by the previous owner), I replaced with a standard valve tube, which will make my bike even more lightweight :D
 
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