I'm generally dubious on big events but I agree w/you here. I'm doing one this coming Sunday with a few buddies. I'm more looking forward to the pace - by myself, I'm always hyper-competitive with my Strava buddies so I just hammer as much as I can. Going out and averaging 15-16 with a group of socials should make for a great day in the saddle.
Bicycling
- Thread starter latheboy
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Kalaar kururuc
Grumpy old man
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Yeah, I got the 105, and you're right it's a lot of bike for the money. They have a scheme here in the UK where your employer buys the bike and you pay for it over 12 months but it comes off your pre-tax wages so you save around 35%, the aim is to increase bike commuting and get people fit. It's certainly popular at my place, about 30% of us engineers have a commuting bike now through that scheme The cap is ?1000 so there are a fair number of bikes around that price point. I looked at them all and this was the best combination of frame and components for the cash, the Specialized for example had much shittier components for the same price and the frame wasn't as good.
My HiFi isn't all that heavy (for a non-carbon full suspension) but it has heavy and wide tyres and I'm too lazy to swap them out every time I want to commute
Problem with going to the bike shop is I now I have my eye on a Trek Fuel EX8 29er to replace my 5 year old 26" wheel HiFi. Not sure my wife would understand that though
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Yeah, I did my first century as a "unsponsored" ride by a brewery. It was great, but I started having some anterior knee pain around mile 20 and had it hit a high point at mile 98. 7hrs 15 minutes moving time, 9 hours over all. I stopped too long at the rest stops (but no cramping!). Powered through 2 grizzly bars, 3 mini-bagels w/ peanut butter, 4 bananas, and 9 bottles of water. I want to do more but I think I need to fix the knee problem.
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I had the bike fit on the Tuesday before the [Saturday] ride and got 20 miles in to test out the fit and it felt fine. Knee angle, seat height, seat position, seat angle, cleat placement... all of them checked and modified. My LBS did it for free, so I'm hesitant to bother them again about it, but I might do it and just pay them for it.
It's not both knees, so I don't think it was the gearing (though, I ride dumb... accelerate on downhills as fast as I can, slow climbs), but I could be wrong.
Fifey
Trakanon Raider
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Do you have one leg longer than the other leg? I've heard of some people having to get insoles in one side to even out their length. Just throwing out some thoughts.
Pedaling downhill is fine, just as long as you aren't climbing in the big ring and standing mashing up a hill at 30 rpm.
Pedaling downhill is fine, just as long as you aren't climbing in the big ring and standing mashing up a hill at 30 rpm.
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I'm rather consistent about being seated for hill climbing in my granny gears. Maybe it is the legs? I think it might be shoes also, the DZRs are fine for 20 miles, but I just don't think they're decent for longer rides. I was thinking Giro republics, but I might just get a MTB shoe and wear it whenever I ride.
Any thoughts?
A lot of people with knee problems like the Speedplay Frogs. They're knee nirvana, from what I understand. I use the 6* float yellow SPD-SLs right now which I think are decent, but I'm probably going to make the switch to them this season as well.
That... Is fucking awesome. Any idea what the policy is actually called?
Edit: This, apparently.
Tax free bikes for work through the Governments Green Transport Initiative - Cyclescheme, provider of Cycle to Work schemes for UK employers - Cyclescheme
Kalaar kururuc
Grumpy old man
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Yeah the scheme is great. It has some limitations, you cant use the ?1000 as part paymemt for a better bike for example. But you can buy a cheaper bike and then bits of gear like a helmet. I have heard some people pay ?999 from the scheme for a ?2000 bike then pay ?1001 of their own cash for a wheel nut though
have to be friendly with your lbs though
I'm hoping I like them enough to run on my MTBs as well. I have knee issues here and there too, but mine are all from running. I weigh 175lbs and despite logging over 1,000 miles in the last two years, I still have the gait/stride of a fucking caveman. I've worked with the local running shops and trainers and know what I need to work on, but I'm still usually pretty sore after a 10k.
Lesson learned: Running blows, just ride your bike instead. The problem is that it's really the fuckin' fat destroyer, and a necessary evil if you want to have an extra cheat day here and there full of delicious burritos and summer ice cream cones.
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Yeah, I made it a goal to run a marathon within the next 18 months... so time to learn to run properly too.
Fuck I'm an idiot.
Also, anyone who wants to can pm me if you want to add me on strava so I can ogle your routes.
Miguex
The lad himself
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been pretty sick since the start of the month, but got a 35 miler in this week that helped get the gunk out of my lungs. Watching the Amgen ToC happen in my backyard has me seriously hyped to get some serious miles in this summer. Feeling like the road/mtn bike pendulum has definitely swung back to my road bike.
Kalaar kururuc
Grumpy old man
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I am too, because I totally have some, but I got them from some random Chinese seller on Amazon and they don't fit. In their delicate, intricate manufacturing process they forgot to drill them out all the way. They aren't threaded either, lol.