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Post by tyrednexited on Sept 10, 2018 20:29:52 GMT
I've found Shimano SPD ok; the release procedure has to be learned ( but TBH of necessity this is a quick process ) and as Dubya implies, at least you can walk fairly normally if you buy the appropriate shoes to fix your cleats to.
The clips certainly do allow the application of more power, but the action also needs to be learnt, being rather different to clipless cycling
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Oct 24, 2018 8:41:00 GMT
Quick update from World of Bike. Two new Cube bikes arrived on Friday, one of them several weeks earlier than we'd anticipated. Boy2 now has this: www.cube.eu/en/2019/bikes/mountainbike/hardtail/attention/cube-attention-iridiumnred-2019/ in the 23in frame with the 29er wheels and is delighted with it. He reckons it's as quick on tarmac as his old, rigid Saracen but copes much better in the woods. He did lose most of yesterday (his and mine) turning a minor front mech adjustment into a marathon worthy of Father Ted but it all seems good again now. Boy1 is away this week, in pursuit of a box-tick for his D of E Gold, but he had time for one outing on this: www.cube.eu/en/2019/bikes/road/road-cyclocross/cross-race/cube-cross-race-pro-greynflashyellow-2019/ The bike is impressive; I had to fish it out of its tall travel crate and even from that awkward angle, I found I could lift it easily with one hand. It's a 56cm (being a bit titchy, he was on the size borderline and went smaller for top-tube clearance) and looks tiny next to the Attention. Again, he managed to pick a nit with the front mech adjustment but seems to be coping. He said he felt he was nursing it home up a familiar hill and got back to find Strava crediting him with a personal best for that section. Which just leaves me. Shand in Leamington weren't at home - or at least, didn't have any bikes - when I was up there a couple of weeks ago. Trying a Pelago means a trip over to Islington - although I have some free time in London tomorrow, so that might be possible - and I half-think I might be better off dropping the romantic idea of hand-made steel and finding something mass-market but dependable, like this perhaps: www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/toughroad-gx-slr-1-2019
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Post by Humph on Oct 24, 2018 9:46:49 GMT
All looks good! Enjoy !
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 11, 2019 18:22:30 GMT
WDB - have you sorted any new bikes yet? Yes, at last! I met my new bike today and it’s one of these: whyte.bike/collections/road/products/fristonIt has some unusual features: very wide handlebars (for drops) that actually make it feel very stable and easy to steer around potholes and suchlike; a 1x11 transmission that saves weight and has only one control lever, which shifts up with a tap and down with a bigger shove; a generous frame that works out much bigger than its nominal 58cm suggests; and, perhaps as a nod to my car, different tyres front and rear — although here the rear one is narrower, ‘for speed’ according to the bike elf. As I recall, it was the rear end going faster than the front that got me into trouble last August, but we’ll see. It took a little fettling but it then felt really good — despite the drops it feels to me like a modern reimagining of my 1990s rigid Cannondale. The shop is activating the ‘tubeless ready’ feature of the tyres, and fitting bottle cages and basic pedals while I work out what it really ought to have. I collect it on Saturday.
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Post by Humph on Apr 11, 2019 19:13:37 GMT
Way hey !
Enjoy !
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 13, 2019 9:14:59 GMT
Thank you. It’s home. Even went in the car with both wheels on.
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Post by Humph on Apr 13, 2019 9:32:12 GMT
Is there somewhere near you to give it a try? Canal towpath or something? Pleasant weather here today for a ride. We'll be over in Wales on the bikes tomorrow no doubt.
I have an unticked box, it involves "doing" all the dedicated trail centres in Britain, followed by France, followed by...
Just need to find the time. 🤔
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 13, 2019 9:58:50 GMT
Yes, plenty of quiet roads and woodland bridleways round here, which is really the kind of terrain I chose this for — probably 75 on-road to 25 off. There’s quite a stiff on-road climb early on, which will tell me if the 2kg weight saving over the old bike is enough to offset the bigger wheels and slightly higher gearing. Then a track through the woods where there may already be bluebells — and certainly will be tree roots to bump over. Then some faster roads between villages, and a choice of routes home. Takes less than an hour, which is about right for a try-out run. I won’t be replicating Boy1’s obsession with Strava PBs.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 13, 2019 13:52:12 GMT
Test run went well. It got me up the Woodlands Road climb with at least one gear in hand, which I’ll take as a win as it’s probably a year since I last tried it. The big (700 x 42c) front tyre really helps cushion the vibrations through the woods — it’s as comfortable as my old bike on its 2.1in ATB tyres. I was warned to give the new brakes time to bed in, so I didn’t try anything ambitious on the descents, but I got up some speed along the valley bottom road and still had enough puff for the modest climb towards home.
The one-lever SRAM shifter is just great. No need for mental gymnastics over which way is up with which hand, just tap for up and shove for down. Very pleased with that. And 11 gears is plenty, as it turns out. (Years ago, I used to manage with just five.)
In the last mile I did realize I was sitting too low on the bike and thought I must have been over-conservative with my seat setting at the shop. When I got home and checked it, it had slid right down, so I suspect the bike elves hadn’t tightened the neat internal clamp enough to take my weight. Whyte considerately marks position scales on the seat post and rails (something I wish car makers would do with seat adjusters) and I’d checked the settings at the shop, so it was easy to get it back where I wanted. Of course, if I’d taken a bike tool out with me, I could have fixed it as soon as I noticed.
I have other things to do the rest of today and tomorrow. Pity, because I’m really looking forward to getting out on it again.
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 18, 2019 10:37:23 GMT
First proper run in the woods late afternoon yesterday, with Boy1 on his slightly racier Cube. This time I took a wrench to fix the slippy seat post, which did indeed slip until I threw torque-caution to the wind and just tightened it as hard as I could.
Really impressed with how it copes with woodland bridleways — certainly the equal of my old bike despite the slimmer tyres. As for keeping up on hilly tarmac with a near-road bike piloted by a fit 18-year-old who’s been training hard all winter ... well, I’d have been further behind on my old bike.
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Post by Humph on Apr 18, 2019 12:08:39 GMT
I went up a steep bit of Welsh mountain yesterday with my 19 year old son. Let's put it this way, I can still come down faster than him !
He says it's because I weigh more.
He might have a point.
🤔
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WDB
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Post by WDB on Apr 18, 2019 13:05:09 GMT
Galileo might disagree.
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Post by Humph on Apr 18, 2019 14:00:43 GMT
I shall make that point.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2019 4:05:43 GMT
Unless he looks like a feather and you look like a small cannonball.....
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Post by Humph on Apr 19, 2019 7:15:03 GMT
Heading for the hills right now, may be some time...😎
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