The biking thread

[W3H5]

Glad to see Mavics on it instead of a Fulcrum wheelset

From stock my Giant had a set of Vuelta Aerolite wheels and hubs and I though that the abuse of rough terrain would kill them. 8 years later they’re still going strong.

I’m rather sad that my current “nice” bike didn’t come with the original Bontranger rims, but a swapped out set of Shimano 35’s... in white.

It did fit the theme of the Trek Factory Racing scheme but with white bar tape and white rims, it felt a bit flashy.

A guy at the pub tells me a decent pair of DT Swiss rims and hubs are only 5000b ($160) so if I’m tempted I could probably swing for that and get an overhaul.

But other than my commute I’ve lacked any inspiration/ motivation to get back on the Emonda and actually chew up some mountains.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I'm afraid photo sharing is one social media convention I don't partake in.


That's a very good looking bike. Glad to see Mavics on it instead of a Fulcrum wheelset; you'll want the strength if the bay area roads you ride are as bad as I remember them from the last time I was there.

Up in Marin, the roads are actually not too bad. The City and East Bay is where things get gnarly.

 

[TexRex]

From stock my Giant had a set of Vuelta Aerolite wheels and hubs and I though that the abuse of rough terrain would kill them. 8 years later they’re still going strong.

I’m rather sad that my current “nice” bike didn’t come with the original Bontranger rims, but a swapped out set of Shimano 35’s... in white.

It did fit the theme of the Trek Factory Racing scheme but with white bar tape and white rims, it felt a bit flashy.

A guy at the pub tells me a decent pair of DT Swiss rims and hubs are only 5000b ($160) so if I’m tempted I could probably swing for that and get an overhaul.

But other than my commute I’ve lacked any inspiration/ motivation to get back on the Emonda and actually chew up some mountains.

A friend has a set of Vuelta Corsas that he absolutely swears by and he keeps urging me to consider them. He rides the same roads as me so I know they can take a beating.

I'm not a flashy person as a rule, but I don't hold back when I'm out on the road because being seen is a matter of life and death.

 

[Shaun]

I'm afraid photo sharing is one social media convention I don't partake in.

No problems 👍

Did you have the Guru custom made for you?

 

[TexRex]

No problems 👍

Did you have the Guru custom made for you?

Sure did; saddle included.

 

[Shaun]

Sure did; saddle included.

Nice, since having my bike custom made last year I'm a huge advocate of it if you can afford it.

It blew my mind the first time I sat on it and my hands instantly fell onto the hoods like they were an extension of the bike, sure it cost what a small car costs but the frame will be with me for life and I get a grin on my face every time I ride it. The fact every tube is to the millimetre to fit me shines through when stepping off after 4 or more hours in the saddle without as much as an ache, for a 45 year old that is pretty impressive.

 

[TexRex]

Nice, since having my bike custom made last year I'm a huge advocate of it if you can afford it.

It blew my mind the first time I sat on it and my hands instantly fell onto the hoods like they were an extension of the bike, sure it cost what a small car costs but the frame will be with me for life and I get a grin on my face every time I ride it. The fact every tube is to the millimetre to fit me shines through when stepping off after 4 or more hours in the saddle without as much as an ache, for a 45 year old that is pretty impressive.

It's the first bike I've had that was built from the ground up for me, rather than merely adjusted, and while the others fit me well, there's really no comparison. It's the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden.

The price wasn't that bad either, not when guys I know have bikes that cost twice as much and weren't as personalized. Sure, the modest components helped keep the expenditure relatively painless.

 

[Shaun]

The price wasn't that bad either, not when guys I know have bikes that cost twice as much and weren't as personalized.

This is the bit that makes me scratch my head, a fully specced top end off the shelf bike is of similar cost to mine but is a compromise in fit.
Each to their own on how you spend your money but the guys I know that ride those are looking for a new bike in a couple of years because it's not the latest and greatest anymore.

 

[TexRex]

This is the bit that makes me scratch my head, a fully specced top end off the shelf bike is of similar cost to mine but is a compromise in fit.
Each to their own on how you spend your money but the guys I know that ride those are looking for a new bike in a couple of years because it's not the latest and greatest anymore.

Theres a bit of peacockery involved, and that's fine. As you say, it's their money and they get to choose how they spend it.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Anyone on here use Strava? I initially installed it as a way to 'synchronize' my biking hobby with my brother (east coast vs west coast) but its analytics are addicting! It seems to be a very useful training tool, and I like seeing where I stack up against local Stravaists. The numbers between my rides on my Cannondale and my Giant are pretty jarring. I'm between 20% and 50% faster, consistently, on the same segments with similar effort. This is the first modern road bike I've ever owned. I'm pretty chuffed with it.

 

[Shaun]

@Eunos_Cosmo I use it all the time and find it very useful for tracking how many km's my gear has done.
Comparing your own efforts are useful but I take comparisons to others a bit hit and miss especially if you compare speed. There are too many variables, wind, weather riding in groups etc.
Power comparisons are much more useful.

I don't however subscribe to the if it's not on Strava it didn't happen mantra and personally keep alot of my rides private, especially specific training rides.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

@Eunos_Cosmo I use it all the time and find it very useful for tracking how many km's my gear has done.
Comparing your own efforts are useful but I take comparisons to others a bit hit and miss especially if you compare speed. There are too many variables, wind, weather riding in groups etc.
Power comparisons are much more useful.

I don't however subscribe to the if it's not on Strava it didn't happen mantra and personally keep alot of my rides private, especially specific training rides.

I think I've succumbed to this mantra.

However, I'm still new to cycling really, so maybe I will stop caring about Strava down the road.

 

[Andrew R]

I have Strava, used it for a little while mainly to track KMs but I found I enjoyed just pedaling more than going for PB's. Just seems more fun rolling the legs over enjoying the day for me but I'm slow and lazy.

Sounds like Froome has had a very nasty crash and will miss the TDF.

 

[Shaun]

Sounds like Froome has had a very nasty crash and will miss the TDF.

Yeah, he's in intensive care with multiple injuries.

 

[Moglet]

I had my first ride on my new Zero AM at the weekend. It was a mixed experience; the bike itself rides well and once I had got out of my old riding style and into "just attack the corners, the bike will deal with it" mode I got fairly quick on it. It climbs so much better than my old bike, being a hardtail, and having a dropper post is useful for obvious reasons. Having a tubeless setup means I get more feeling through the tyres and can run them at lower pressures for extra grip and should hopefully mean fewer punctures. The bars are wiiiiiide too which means more control but I definitely notice it riding through tight gaps in the trees

However the chain is catching on the jockey wheel closest to the cassette in 6th gear which is really frustrating, so I tried indexing the gears which fixed the problem but when climbing this caused the chain to skip off the big ring and into my wheel. Luckily I stopped before any damage could be done and tweaked the gears back to their factory settings to continue the ride. Apparently the Eagle groupset is a bit sensitive to the derailleur setup so I'm going to grab myself some calibration tools and adjust it a bit. Hopefully that'll fix it.

Anyway here it is "in the wild":

 

[Shaun]

However the chain is catching on the jockey wheel closest to the cassette in 6th gear which is really frustrating, so I tried indexing the gears which fixed the problem but when climbing this caused the chain to skip off the big ring and into my wheel.

The chain rubbing on both the jockey wheel and cassette do you mean? If so that's the B screw adjustment not the indexing. The chain going past the biggest cog and into the wheel is the limit screw adjustment.

Have you adjusted derailleurs before? If not don't fear it's really simple once you know how.

This video is pretty clear.

 

[Moglet]

The chain rubbing on both the jockey wheel and cassette do you mean? If so that's the B screw adjustment not the indexing. The chain going past the biggest cog and into the wheel is the limit screw adjustment.

Have you adjusted derailleurs before? If not don't fear it's really simple once you know how.

This video is pretty clear.

It's just rubbing on the jockey wheel as it leaves the teeth, it goes onto the cassette without a problem and the gear changes themselves are solid. I'm going to take the time to properly adjust everything on the bike stand at the weekend, along with checking the hanger. 👍 Seems bizarre that this one gear would be out of alignment while the rest are perfect but I'm sure I'll be able to fix it with a few minor tweaks.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Shaved 40 minutes off my commute yesterday with the new bike. Average speed up to 15mph, pretty good considering all the stop signs and the hellacious 20mph headwind I had to contend with. I find that I'm actually pretty good at the shorter, steeper climbs. It's the long slogs that really slow me down. I think my strength is much better than my cardio...maybe I just need to pick a taller gear and hammer down? Any tips on getting better at hills other than...you know...just doing a lot of hills. Also, I think my seat needs to be raised, I was starting to feel a kind of binding feeling in my ankles towards the end of my trip yesterday. I've already done more than 100 miles this month and it's not even halfway through! Personal record by a huge margin.

Top tip: If you ever find yourself biking on a windy day in San Francisco, do not attempt crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. It's sketchy AF.

 

[Shaun]

Shaved 40 minutes off my commute yesterday with the new bike. Average speed up to 15mph, pretty good considering all the stop signs and the hellacious 20mph headwind I had to contend with. I find that I'm actually pretty good at the shorter, steeper climbs. It's the long slogs that really slow me down. I think my strength is much better than my cardio...maybe I just need to pick a taller gear and hammer down? Any tips on getting better at hills other than...you know...just doing a lot of hills. Also, I think my seat needs to be raised, I was starting to feel a kind of binding feeling in my ankles towards the end of my trip yesterday. I've already done more than 100 miles this month and it's not even halfway through! Personal record by a huge margin.

Top tip: If you ever find yourself biking on a windy day in San Francisco, do not attempt crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. It's sketchy AF.

Shaved is a bit of an understatement. 👍
You answered your own question in regards to hills, only way to get better at them is ride them to improve your fitness.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Did a 35 mile ride yesterday morning all around southern Marin county (start point obfuscated) with the new bike. It was awesome! It's such a joy to toss this thing through the corners, especially the northern side of the Tiburon peninsula. It might be one of the most expensive places to live in the world, but if you're a cyclist, it's kinda worth it!

Took a short Coffee break in the town of Tiburon and snapped this photo. Shame it was gloomy. NorCal summers...Tiburon harbor to the right with Belvedere behind, Angel Island just peaking into the frame on the left, and San Francisco + Alcatraz barely visible in the distance.

 

[Bigbazz]

Anyone on here use Strava? I initially installed it as a way to 'synchronize' my biking hobby with my brother (east coast vs west coast) but its analytics are addicting! It seems to be a very useful training tool, and I like seeing where I stack up against local Stravaists. The numbers between my rides on my Cannondale and my Giant are pretty jarring. I'm between 20% and 50% faster, consistently, on the same segments with similar effort. This is the first modern road bike I've ever owned. I'm pretty chuffed with it.

I installed Strava at the start of April, first time having that kind of analysis data and it's definitely really interesting. I quickly got some fast times for my regular downhill sectors and I've kinda become addicted to trying to go faster now, which isn't surprising given my past obsession with hotlapping in simracing games.

I'm a mountain biker though, I live in a MTB hotspot. We have a lot of cross country riders around here though that do a bit of road and offroad, they are in an entirely different league to me on the climbs, but they don't tend to run fast on the downhill sections.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I installed Strava at the start of April, first time having that kind of analysis data and it's definitely really interesting. I quickly got some fast times for my regular downhill sectors and I've kinda become addicted to trying to go faster now, which isn't surprising given my past obsession with hotlapping in simracing games.

I'm a mountain biker though, I live in a MTB hotspot. We have a lot of cross country riders around here though that do a bit of road and offroad, they are in an entirely different league to me on the climbs, but they don't tend to run fast on the downhill sections.

I'm the opposite. I'm fast on the uphills (at least the short ones) but get blown out of the water on downhills. I guess I need to trust the bike and just send it.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Shaved is a bit of an understatement. 👍
You answered your own question in regards to hills, only way to get better at them is ride them to improve your fitness.

This climb has been the bear of my commute. I'm trying to get in the habit of doing the full ride at least once a week, compared to once a month before. It doesn't look like much, but there's almost always a strong headwind in addition to the climb. Pushed on it today. Times from this year:

1/22: 12:28
-big gap due to unrelenting rain-
4/29: 12:10
5/24: 12:52
6/13: 11:00
6/19: 9:36

Getting a lot better!

Also: Saved $20.75 on commuting fares thus far with this bike. Just $919 to go and the bike will have payed for itself.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

My Cannondale (which I call "Sir Colin", after Colin Chapman) had a flat tire, so I took the Giant today. Haven't ridden it in about 2 weeks. It feels like an SUV compared to the road bike! (I call the Giant "Halo-Heavy" after the Mi-26 heavy-transport helicopter). It also felt very, very slow...pretty much 5mph slower (or more!) on every section of my commute But it so comfy and easy to navigate urban conditions with the flat bar, relaxed riding position, and standard pedals.

Here it is in full commuter regalia. Looks kinda tacticool.

I recently picked up the handlebar bag (an Ornot item, expensive as hell but its a local shop, so eh) and I love it. You can fit so much stuff in there and its so much more accessible than a saddle bag or other bag types. It's easy to take off and swap to the other bike too. There are definitely cheaper options than Ornot, but I highly recommend this type of bag in general.

 

[Andrew R]

The Giant looks like a great commuter @Eunos_Cosmo! At least you have options now if you just feel like a comfy commute or the Cannondale if you've slept in.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Did my biggest ride to date over the weekend. Bolinas-Ridgecrest-Tam. (The actual ride was about triple this, just getting there and getting home). This is a must-ride for anyone visiting Northern California. Stunning, stunning views from ridgecrest.

You can see San Francisco in the distance here, and the ubiquitous bank of summer fog sweeping through the golden gate. Tiburon Peninsula and Angel island to the left. Sutro tower just to the right of center in the far distance.

 

[Shaun]

I meant to post this the other day mainly because @Eunos_Cosmo has done a a good job of keeping the thread going recently and I don't want him to feel lonely. It did however slip my mind and well to be honest isn't really important.

Anyway I managed to sneak out on Monday afternoon for a quick 50km. No big deal but as winter is here I put the winter wheels on last week (thankfully as I got wet and filthy on both Saturday and Sunday). Monday turned out to be a glorious winter day, not a cloud in the sky just very cold in the morning. Anyway couple of pics.

Look not a cloud and with the winter boots on.

 

[Shaun]

Interesting article about the test mule (bike) that Darren Baum made for testing before putting his new frames into production. Alot more involved than some would realise just for a bike.
I've see The Darren close up and even though it's just a test mule the finishing on it is impeccable just like any of the bikes coming out his workshop.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Been having trouble getting comfortable on my new bike. When I first started riding, it felt pretty good, but it felt like my ankles were binding. So I raised the seat some (I think with a mistaken assumption about geometry ) which made things feel all sort of wrong - back pain & numbness in the nether-regions. Then I used the Lemond .883 inseam calculator thing to arrive at a seat height I thought must be right. But now the saddle feels too low and my legs are not reaching full extension and it feels like my quads are doing almost all the work (and I feel like I don't have near as much power as I did before). I am going to try the "heel" method as it seems to be the one that automatically accounts for your body's geometry as well as the crank lengths, rather than some arbitrary multiplier.

 

[Shaun]

There's no harm in trying @Eunos_Cosmo, you'll know pretty quick if it's out and makes you uncomfortable. For years I rode with the measurements I had come up with via trial and error and was comfortable.

When getting my bike built part of the process was a bit fit, pretty obvious when each tube is cut to the mm to match you. Anyway the start position on the jig was a copy of the current position on my bike of the time and sure enough it was comfortable and familiar. After around two hours of adjusting this and that I felt completely different on the jig, yet still comfortable but putting out more power for the perceived same effort. Once we were happy with the new position the fitter put the jig back to my original position and I felt all cramped up.

Ultimately what I'm saying is if you can afford a professional bike fit do it and you'll never look back. They are however expensive so there is nothing wrong with playing around with the position yourself until you are comfortable, that is the goal mostly. It may not be your most efficient position but comfort is very very important.

Good luck.