Mogsi

Pinarello Opera with Full Chorus = Stupidly expensive.......

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

The only criticsm I have heard about the cat-eye is that the mount is a bit flimsy - so be careful if you do any off-road cycling

dpb

Pinarello - one of the best fame makers out there ridden by the best road- man ever ( Indurain)
Opera was very nice steel/carbon mix frame(all the teams would have been on something ali of course) and Chorus is the best real world bike components without the fragilty/expense of record (campagnolo).

If you see one around ill pay 2k

Mr Bat

Has anyone got a compact chain-set for a road bike?

They just look wrong !

Mogsi

I ride a compact ( 50/34 ) on my summer bike.

How do they look wrong ? My Time Trial bike runs a 53/39 and hardly looks any different

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Well that was a fun ride this morning.

It was raining but I thought that I might as well get wet, and to be honest its fine, quite like it, bear in mind this entire journey was spent with last nights "Garlic Chicken Chilli" threatening to make a hot and explosive escape, I was looking for suitable secluded places just in case......

Got to bike, front tyre flat so nearly bailed but though, no fix it and see how the tool kit copes, took 5 minutes so off I went.

Ignorant **** in a five series decides to reverse out into my path, making me stop whilst he did his maneuver, he saw me, he just decided not to wait, some dog **** on his door handles at some point I think, loosing me valuable hill momentum, I just shrugged my shoulders at him, cheers mate.

Hit a bump, my front light (which has done this before) jumped off and skidded across the road, I had duct taped it to its holder but it still fell off, I stopped, two cars coming, first on epassed and the second I swear went out of its way to run my light over, it wasnt even in the place where the tyre generally run, it skidded over to the other side of the road, still intact amazingly and I picked it up, bit scratched but still working, bunged it in my bag.

Got another mile or so, another puncture, so fixed that and carried on.

Three miles later, ANOTHER F*CKING PUNCTURE, ARGHHHHHHH

Now, three puncture in one morning, why, I checked the tyre very throughly each time to find the cause, first time it was a thorn, second I didnt find anything, third I just carried on as I had run out of tubes, sod it, tyre is getting binned for a more puncture resistant one, noticed when it was defalted its quite perished, cracking, looks alright when inflated, shame as it has plenty of tread.

So, its in the bike rack, and I am wonering about getting home, might need to cadge a lift.

Its weird, I now enjoy it more than driving, I spent so much time as a kid wanting a car and now I prefer to cycle.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

Those punctures are:

a) why i carry a puncture repair outfit with me
b) want a new bike with thicker tread tyres

I have the 700x25c tyres - you know: razor blades, and going down bridle ways is asking for trouble.

I'm on a course in London this week and am really missing the bike at the moment... but I have to say, the sheer number of people cycling here is astonishing. You have to look twice every time you step out, and I saw one woman yesterday just walk out into the road and was almost ploughed down by two cyclists.... screeching tyres and huge amounts of abuse followed!

SiPie

If you are getting too many punctures I suggest either of the following:

my 1st choice
Specialized Nimbus Armadillo Road Tyre for £19.99 | Specialized Tyres - Road City | Cycle | Wiggle

my 2nd choice
Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tyre for £21.99 | Schwalbe Tyres - Road City | Cycle | Wiggle

both do the job partcularly well although i did find the schwalbe's to be slightly quicker

Pricey, but you'll find that if it avoids just one puncture in the dark freezing mid-winter, then it's a price well worth paying

moneys

iTrader: (5)

if thats the case then i will make myself a new holder, i have the facilities in work, if i do make one and anyone else needs one making then i can also knock one up for them too

PG

Not much luck on the puncture front there!
I always carry 2 spare tubes and a repair kit just to be sure. I use Continental Grand Prix Supersonics on my Ribble which are stupidly light and I always fear a puncture with them. On my Spesh however I run the Spesh Armadillo tires. I've gone a whole year on them (on that bike I'd imagine 2k miles?) with not a single puncture!.......I fear I may have tempted fate there.
If people pull out on me I think nothing of making contact with their vehicle! A knee can make a nice dent in a Merc! I refer to a Merc as I was making decent progress (prob. 25mph) along a wide stretch of road when all I heard from behind me was repetitive blasting of a horn. I make a point of riding a decent distance out from the side of the road (somewhere between the primary and secondary position) This guy decided to pass me despite the HGV coming in the opposite direction, his wing mirror brushing me and then cut back in narrowly missing my front wheel!
The car and plate were easily remembered so the following week when he tried to squeeze me in to the side of the road in town I took great delight in squeezing a dent in his nearside front door and doing the 'footballer dive.' I then told him exactlly what I thought of him! I pointed out that the CCTV was pointing our way and I'd be reporting him to the police and he could expect a bill for any damage to my bike.
Since then I have seen him a couple of times and he seems a little more courteous.

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

PG I used to have metal pedals with a short stud on the outside to keep the foot central. I bent this out slightly on the off-side and when I got severely cut up by a Merc, I got my revenge when he got stuck in traffic just ahead.

He had deliberately cut me up and almost took me out while laughing to his horse-faced bint of a wife, so I saw red and scraped the pedal all the way down the near side of his car - both wings, both doors all the way to the bare metal..

I took off down the line of traffic and turned left at the traffic lights ahead and made like a tree. I could hear the abuse as I got to the lights but he never saw me again

Mr Bat

Just think it makes it look a bit....

Not questioning your manhood or anything !

ScoobyWon't

I thought £250 was expensive enough £2k? Does it pedal itself or something? I've had cheaper cars!

Mogsi

You sure you know what a compact is cos you lost me...

Mr Bat

Number of teeth on the chain-ring, unless I’m very much mistaken.

A recent phenomenon designed for people who weren’t quite up to “the mans” chain-set.

Joking aside, I just think both the compact and triple chain-set ruin the lines of road bikes, maybe I’m just an old traditionalist.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Just got a Bontrager Hard Case Race Lite £16.49, it wider than before at 28mm, I didnt want to spend much on my old racer but I can put it on the Cannondale when I need a tyre.

Bonehead

I've got the cat-eye 530 (I think) and the mount is rubbish. It's a screw on device that loosens itself whilst you ride. Used it a few times at night at had to readjust it and tighten the clamp whilst rideing

Have read they sell some other clamps that work well. Bit of a con that methinks - good light though

TopBanana

I'm looking at getting a new bike. Has anyone had a cyclocross bike? Do you lose anything compared to a dedicated road machine?

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Different geometry and frame clearances, knobbly tires, no reason why you couldnt I dont think but I would go for a Hybrid or a dedicated road bike.

New tyre on now, fixed the punctures with these really cool little stick on patches, no p1ssing about with glue. Have integrated a spare light into the right hand side of my rucksack for additional high up visibility.

SiPie

Get a couple of small LED blinkies on your helmet (ooh err!!) for the dark also

Makes a big difference for higher up visibility

GrantyBoy

The Specialized Tricross has been getting good write ups from press and public alike.
Quite fancy one myself.

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

I am going to look like a Council House at Christmas at this rate

SiPie

The brighter the better

(obvioulsy cycling wise and not re the chaved up council houses!)

TopBanana

Had a look at a few bikes today. My eye was drawn to one in particular... £6199... typical

Bonehead

I got a Claud Butler Urban 200. Perfect for my needs.
Dunno what the write up on them is but had a Claud Butler mountain bike since school and it was built like a tank and never had a problem with it.
Also they're made nearby and I wanted something British.

Traded the old CB in for the new one and haven't looked back since.
It's due a bit of monthly service now so I'll no doubt be lighting the wallet with cleaning/servicing stuff - unless anyone's got any recomendations
Have heard I can use my Meguiars car polish and wax on the frame

NeilT

I've joined the league of cycling cummuters also, just finished my first week. Treated myself to a Focus Cayo carbon, and totally enjoyed the first weeks worth of trips of approx 12 -13 miles a day, good way to unwind after a days work thats for sure

Neil

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Went in the car today, it feel luxurious but dull and I feel like I have spare energy to burn, the missus looks worried......

I am eating like a bleeding horse at the moment, I don't get bloated no matter how much I eat, I haven't had to use my Asthma inhaler for weeks, my legs are getting bigger and I sleep better. I have half a tank of petrol left in the car after a month. I must say a big thanks to the oil speculators and Gordon Brown for giving me some additional motivation.

Going to try to do five days next week, it isn't the flesh that fails its needing to go somewhere after work like it was speech day at the kids school today.

jjones

12 miles last night, and a rest today and a trip to the pub tonight

SiPie

Really great to see so many getting the benefits out of this....

A serious 'well done' to all those that have made the switch

I'll admit to feeling pretty apprehensive about cycling through the traffic a few years ago when I started the commute, so I'm under no illusions that it's a big first step to take to drag yourself out the car

Well done

NeilT

well, besides the rain, wind and potholes, the worst thing is the bloody arseache from the rock hard saddle - even with lycra padded cycling shorts I can see another visit to Wiggles website coming up with the search term ' massively padded saddle'

My motivation is less to do with petrol prices and more to do with building my stamina up as much as possible - got my black belt grading in 3 months and need to be fit as possible to get through. Plus I'm enjoying the fresh air, and the certain 'silence' of just the chainring clicking round when theres no cars around.

Neil