Bicycle thread

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by Ridge

My teammates and "friends" will be taking the pics of the race. I'm just documenting for... posterity yeah, that's it... posterity. No need for evidence pics of my impending face plants.

Real friends will hand you up a beer.

Get ready for the heckling.

M

[Aurelius]

Originally Posted by Gummee!

Great news! Remember you WILL fall. Typically at a stop sign/light as you unclip the wrong foot.

NO WAY dude! I rode Santos last week and nearly dumped the bike three times: once because someone fell right in front of me, a second time because my front tire slid on a wet root, and a third time when someone nearly collided with me in a blind turn. In every case, I was able to unclip instantly and put my feet down. Those Crank Brother pedals rock! Getting in and out of them is almost as easy as using flats, and climbing hills with them was like having booster rockets on my feet. I like them so much that I've even put a set on my road bike.

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by Aurelius

NO WAY dude! I rode Santos last week and nearly dumped the bike three times: once because someone fell right in front of me, a second time because my front tire slid on a wet root, and a third time when someone nearly collided with me in a blind turn. In every case, I was able to unclip instantly and put my feet down. Those Crank Brother pedals rock! Getting in and out of them is almost as easy as using flats, and climbing hills with them was like having booster rockets on my feet. I like them so much that I've even put a set on my road bike.

Listen to me now. Hear me later.

You do get to where its second nature. I've bailed over the top of my handlebars, off the side, off the back, etc over the years. Amaze and astound your friends as you vault your handlebars...

M

[somecallmetim]

I've been having a good year racing the OMBC, been winning my class, Novice Clydesdale, getting my pick at the prize table every race. I'm enjoing it now, next year racing Sport I'll be lucky to see the podium. I've carried home a couple of tires and a saddle, but this weekend I managed to snag a 70% discount voucher for Velocity Wheels good for up to $700. Wow.

So looking at their 29er wheelsets...

http://store.velocityusa.com/product...3064.79421.0.0

I'm thinking that the Blunt SL Comp make the most sense for me. I weigh 220 & tend to plow through things... The pro builds use Sapim bladed spokes in a 2x lacing vs the double butted dt's on the comp build, laced 3x. Assuming I upgrade to alloy nipples the pro wheelset is only 170 grams lighter. Should I conisider the wider P35 rims?

[pierce]

Originally Posted by somecallmetim

I've been having a good year racing the OMBC, been winning my class, Novice Clydesdale, getting my pick at the prize table every race. I'm enjoing it now, next year racing Sport I'll be lucky to see the podium. I've carried home a couple of tires and a saddle, but this weekend I managed to snag a 70% discount voucher for Velocity Wheels good for up to $700. Wow.

So looking at their 29er wheelsets...

http://store.velocityusa.com/product...3064.79421.0.0

I'm thinking that the Blunt SL Comp make the most sense for me. I weigh 220 & tend to plow through things... The pro builds use Sapim bladed spokes in a 2x lacing vs the double butted dt's on the comp build, laced 3x. Assuming I upgrade to alloy nipples the pro wheelset is only 170 grams lighter. Should I conisider the wider P35 rims?

based on the weight and 'plough through things' comment I'd go for the highest spoke count you can get, and 3 cross. screw the weight savings, 170 grams is 1/3rd of a beer.

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by somecallmetim

I've been having a good year racing the OMBC, been winning my class, Novice Clydesdale, getting my pick at the prize table every race. I'm enjoing it now, next year racing Sport I'll be lucky to see the podium. I've carried home a couple of tires and a saddle, but this weekend I managed to snag a 70% discount voucher for Velocity Wheels good for up to $700. Wow.

So looking at their 29er wheelsets...

http://store.velocityusa.com/product...3064.79421.0.0

I'm thinking that the Blunt SL Comp make the most sense for me. I weigh 220 & tend to plow through things... The pro builds use Sapim bladed spokes in a 2x lacing vs the double butted dt's on the comp build, laced 3x. Assuming I upgrade to alloy nipples the pro wheelset is only 170 grams lighter. Should I conisider the wider P35 rims?

As Pierce stated, if you plow through stuff and are racing Clydesdale, I'd stay with 3 cross, brass nipples and DT spokes. FWIW, I run Sapim CX-ray bladed spokes on my road race bike and they took quite a while to get bedded in with an Amer. Classic hub on Stan's Alpha Pro rims. Actually just had the rim replaced under warranty since it started stress cracking on all the drive side spokes after only 6 months of racing, and I'm just 170#.

[Lewy]

Originally Posted by somecallmetim

I've been having a good year racing the OMBC, been winning my class, Novice Clydesdale, getting my pick at the prize table every race. I'm enjoing it now, next year racing Sport I'll be lucky to see the podium. I've carried home a couple of tires and a saddle, but this weekend I managed to snag a 70% discount voucher for Velocity Wheels good for up to $700. Wow.

So looking at their 29er wheelsets...

http://store.velocityusa.com/product...3064.79421.0.0

I'm thinking that the Blunt SL Comp make the most sense for me. I weigh 220 & tend to plow through things... The pro builds use Sapim bladed spokes in a 2x lacing vs the double butted dt's on the comp build, laced 3x. Assuming I upgrade to alloy nipples the pro wheelset is only 170 grams lighter. Should I conisider the wider P35 rims?

I wouldn't go the Blunt SL I broke one in 2000kms of road riding on my CX bike. When my LBS shop rang Velocity they said the max weight should be 85kgs. Currently have the P35 and it's still going strong after 2500kms.

[somecallmetim]

Originally Posted by Lewy

I wouldn't go the Blunt SL I broke one in 2000kms of road riding on my CX bike. When my LBS shop rang Velocity they said the max weight should be 85kgs. Currently have the P35 and it's still going strong after 2500kms.

Do you like the feel of the wider rims? From what I can gather they tend to flatten the profile of the tire, making the bike more stable & slower turning. FWIW they will be going on my 2010 Redline D660.

[Lewy]

Originally Posted by somecallmetim

Do you like the feel of the wider rims? From what I can gather they tend to flatten the profile of the tire, making the bike more stable & slower turning. FWIW they will be going on my 2010 Redline D660.

I haven't taken it off road to test it out but it feels good on the road with a 38mm Continental Contact pumped up to 85psi.

They look pretty good being so wide.

[pierce]

further adventures of my handlebar tuning on my new hybrid... having drop the stem 3 10mm spacers from its original position, AND flipping the stem over so its horizontal instead of 45 degrees up, I then swapped on the almost-straight bar from my last hybrid (about the only part that didn't get mangled in the car wreck), and whoa, had to raise it back up 1cm.... so 2cm spacers below and 2 cm spacers above, for now. I'm gonna ride it like this for awhile before i shorten the tube. felt good doing laps around the driveway, and by tape measure, the grips are exactly the same height off the ground as the seat, which, IMHO, is perfect. this almost straight bar also has less angle backwards than the original riser bar, and that suits my build better (I ride the adjustable grips on my R1100RS at their wider/straighter setting, too).

oh, and the 25.0 to 27.2mm seatpost shim arrived, so I could install the Moxey Suspension Seatpost on my wife's stepthrough. what a cool seat post. its firmer than I expected, you can hardly tell you're on a shock while riding on pavement, til you hit a bump or drop (potholes in the case of my test), and then it very subtly absorbs it without any drama. bloody shame Thudbuster/Cane Creek sued them out of existence, its a great design, very well engineered.

[TheNedster]

Originally Posted by ErrinV

Yep! We did it Gerry! I say we because there is no way, NO WAY, I could've done this alone. In the end every single vote counted and I really appreciate everyone that took the time to vote. There was only a difference of 5 votes! That's insane!

I may not be riding the moto much but the spirt of ADVrider is strong in me. Between brevets, riding the Great Divide and soon to be Alaska, the feeling I get on the bike is the same I get riding with you guys. Thanks for everything.

Errin

If'n you ever come through Redding, you owe me a ride on the handlebars.

[zippy]

During the Giro this year they did a little review on the speedsuit. I thought it was a pretty neat idea . I saw the price ($350) and forgot about it. While perusing chainlove.com I come across the suit at 51% off ($169) . That's easier to swallow as I have paid more for bibs and jersey in the past. I jumped and now have half a dozen rides with it. It is certainly warm weather kit , perfect for floriduh.
Extremely comfortable . I like the fact that if I need to travel by vehicle to pedal shorts/jersey are packed easily. Sizing is a little funky.
I am 5'10" and 165lbs and normally wear mediums for most brands. I saw a review from someone my size who went with an XL so I did the same. The suit is designed for someone with a cyclists build (thin upper body). The jersey is tight but not so much as to be a bother or irritant while pedaling. As many reviews I read stated - once pedaling you forget you're wearing anything.

[Ridge]

Originally Posted by zippy

During the Giro this year they did a little review on the speedsuit. I thought it was a pretty neat idea . I saw the price ($350) and forgot about it. While perusing chainlove.com I come across the suit at 51% off ($169) . That's easier to swallow as I have paid more for bibs and jersey in the past. I jumped and now have half a dozen rides with it. It is certainly warm weather kit , perfect for floriduh.
Extremely comfortable . I like the fact that if I need to travel by vehicle to pedal shorts/jersey are packed easily. Sizing is a little funky.
I am 5'10" and 165lbs and normally wear mediums for most brands. I saw a review from someone my size who went with an XL so I did the same. The suit is designed for someone with a cyclists build (thin upper body). The jersey is tight but not so much as to be a bother or irritant while pedaling. As many reviews I read stated - once pedaling you forget you're wearing anything.

But are you faster with it on?

[Gummee!]

The FTB in full-on poseur mode.

My ride started last nite with C saying 'we're going moderate....' That's what I need! That lasted till The Plains. Then the speed went up. I sat on and had a great tow till we hit the 'S bend road.' C got on the front and turned the screw. I went around him and turned it even more and ended up pulling most of the way up the road. I got to the point where my legs were on fire, backed off just a hair, then kept it up as long as I could. C finally came by again right before the crest of the rise. I briefly gave up 'cause my legs were burning and didn't want to turn the pedals any more. That lasted about 10m then I rode back up to him telling the legs to 'shut up and pedal!'

Turned the corner and waited for em to catch back up then ramped it back up on another little rise. Pulled off the front for a bit to catch my breath again.

Rode like that for a bit, people rotating thru the line smoothly. Then we turned right on Rt 55 and right again onto another road that takes us around and dumps us back off on Rt 55. Got to the top of the second hill and lit 'er up again. I knew that 'the sprint' was coming up so I wanted to get into a spot in the line (of 4 of us!) where I wasn't on the front coming into the sprint but yet looked like I was working.

It almost worked too! ...but I'd burned so many matches that when C came around and started sprinting I got in a few hard pedal strokes and my legs waved the white flag.

So the last hill of the ride... I was sitting 3rd wheel. 1st guy pulls for a bit. 2nd guy pulls for a bit and as the road ramps up, he keeps slowing down. Too slow for me (...and that's saying something from a dedicated non-climber!) and I went around him and 'led out' for the last km or so to the top of the hill. I was fully expecting someone to come around me. That didn't happen till my legs completely shut down 50m from the top of the last rise.

Somehow I managed to stay away on the downhill run to Antioch Rd. I was sorta-kinda trying to stay away and sorta-kinda waiting for em at this point. I went around the corner on Antioch with a gap and decided to see how long I could hold off C. I had no doubt he was going to catch me, I just wanted to see how long it would take.

Not as long as I thought. C is 6'4"-6'5" and STRONG. The guy pulls like a freight train. I was hoping to hold em off till Silver Lake Park, but they caught me a few km from there. Oh well. I let the two of em rotate thru till I caught my breath again then worked in.

C ended up pulling from before the Boy Scout camp to just about the sprint line. He started the sprint...

I jumped in the biggest gear I had (46x12) and I managed to come around him and 'take the win.' I strongly suspect if he hadn't been pulling, it woulda been lots closer. Did I mention C is strong?! The sprint line is up and over the top of a freeway overpass. Its a hill, but not a particularly big or steep one. Still hurts like a mofo at full trot.

Now its a few days of easy riding and/or playing UW Hockey till Sunday's race out in Winchester, VA (Applecross)

M

[zippy]

Originally Posted by Ridge

But are you faster with it on?

funny you ask. Yes, on my usual rides I am averaging .5 - 1 mph faster. Is it the suit ? Maybe I just feel the need to pedal harder because of it . ?