BikeRadar

Pro Tour Pundit - Tour de France

archieboy — Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:23 am

Author: archieboy

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:23 am

Stg5: Thor...

Ta...

XC in kent- Any willing volunteers!!!

deadpool2e — Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:23 am

Author: deadpool2e

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:23 am

I went to Bedgebury last night and it was not to bad , apart from the old gloomy wood bit, however the berms in that part are starting to bed in now and can see it will be a good section once that has happened (better than the old fire road approach). The free ride section was very very sketchy due to the wet wood, but I managed to do the long log for the first time.

On One frame?

ratty2k — Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:22 am

Author: ratty2k

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:22 am

456 is a very good frame, if you are not into huge jumps and more 'normal' thye of riding, consider the ScandAL frames by on-one as well.
Think there is a container coming over the sea full of on-one stuff as we speak, so you may well be able to get one soon.

race across america

HarryB — Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:21 am

Author: HarryB

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:21 am

jimrees wrote:

Yes I am a keynote speaker & executive coach

You mean people pay to listen to you? Based on what I saw of you in the programme I'd personally cross the road ro avoid listening to you. Only my opinion of course.

BTW I've done lts of things that have left a footprint but don't need my ego massaging by mentioning any of them here

Law on mobile phones at the wheel failure?

spen666 — Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:15 am

Author: spen666

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:15 am

Spinner28 wrote:

Ok, is it just me or am I seeing more people than ever driving(or attempting to)whilst chatting on a hand held mobile phone?
It would seem to me that not only is it becoming more common, but drivers are becoming more cocky than ever about using them at the wheel, despite the recent change to the law that promised 3-points on the licence of anyone commiting such an offence!

And WHY do the worst offenders seem to be drivers with the most expensive cars? Or women on the school run in their 4X4's? Who answer everything you say to them when they've nearly knocked you off with "I've got children in the car!!" Well learn to drive properly then!!

The law "promised" 3 points on the licence of anyone CONVICTED of such an offence

This subtle difference is hugely important.

The law has not failed, the ENFORCEMENT of the law has failed

This sort of thing seems to be gettting more common.

andrewjoseph — Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:04 am

Author: andrewjoseph

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 6:04 am

If the rider has got time to shout 'get out of my way, I'm not stopping', (which is guaranteed to antagonise drunk kids in the street), then he has time to take avoiding action.

Sounds to me (without the benefit/hindrance of all the facts), that's it's a mix of drunk kids with attitude and an irresponsible cyclist with attitude.

She possibly moved into his way, he didn't/wouldn't take avoiding action.

He is partly responsible.

Yet another newbie....

beski — Wed Jul 9, 2008 5:09 am

Author: beski

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 5:09 am

Rockshox Tora 318 are a good budget fork, £130 at Merlin...

http://www.merlincycles.co.uk/?fn=product&productId=236&categoryId=18

Silly commuting racing

Gr.uB — Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:51 am

Author: Gr.uB

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:51 am

Unless the Total Fitness team come along I can dispatch most that I meet on bikes.
I am having a duel at present with an electrically assisted bike.
I often come to the base of my big hill on the way home and he is 50 - 100 or so metres in front. I am having trouble catching him - well I haven't yet.

There is also a moped rider that I am desperate to overtake.

Commute racing is ace fun. I don't get enough of it on my rural roads.

Marmotte

Russell in France — Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:46 am

Author: Russell in France

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:46 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kldC4Mv_VeM

Okay, YouTube have finally added the Watch in High Quality link - so it now looks as I wanted it to look. You can see all the detail. Much better.

Cheers, Russell
www.grenoblecycling.com

What are the pros and cons between road bike and hybrid

Gr.uB — Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:46 am

Author: Gr.uB

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:46 am

doyler78 wrote:

I've ridden plenty of rural roads since I started cycling 4 years ago and it took 3 years for me to wear out my crappy Alex Rims that came with the bike. I didn't much care for riding round potholes or lumpy tarmac and this was all done on 23mm tyres.

I think you have an impression of road wheels which isn't necessarily justified. There is a wide range out there with some which are built for smooth tarmac these will be the ones with the low spoke counts however if you steer clear of these you will likely not have any probs and even then if you are a fairly light rider then you will likely get away even with 20/24 spoked wheels or at least I have anyway. Obviously I don't know just how bad your roads are but mine can be pretty bumpy in places - make the fillings jangle

Go for the road bike and use the stock wheels to see how they perform as you will lose nothing anyway as you paid for them anyway. If they don't work out then as others pointed out then get a set of custom wheels and they can be built to meet your needs.

I agree with wot he said
The roads in Wiltshire are rubbish.
The Alexx rims that came on my original Giant OCR4 in 2004 ( ish ) did not like pot holes and nor did Ultragatorskins ( pinch punctures ). They went out of true a couple of times but I never trashed them.
I then changed to Mavic Cosmics and they were great.
I then upgraded bikes and now ride a TCR with Mavic Cosmic Elites on the same roads and a Thorn Brevet on Hope Hoops in the bad weather.
I don't deliberately ride over pot holes or grates as the bike performs better on the better surface. Any road furniture is best to be avoided in my opinion - however I do get forced by cars onto bad surfaces quite often and both bikes / wheels cope well.

Mid Season TT Training Plans

Slim Middleton — Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:09 am

Author: Slim Middleton

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 4:09 am

Hi there

I found this training plan to be pretty useful

http://timetrialtraining.co.uk/

I realise that "one size fits all" is not ideal but there are certainly some useful principles explained and interesting interval sessions to follow. I'm not so sure about the resistance exercises but even the author expresses the fact that there is a bit of divergence of opinion on those.

Simon

tub/clincher mix

rustychisel — Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:56 am

Author: rustychisel

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:56 am

It was a patently stupid comment.

FS; San Marco SKN saddle

bri1965 — Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:13 am

Author: bri1965

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:13 am

The saddle is titanium railed and never been used in pristine condition.

£25 plus a bit for postage

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Selle_San_Marco_SKN_Titanox_Saddle/5360036085/

Increasing hill speed - any gym work?

Alex_Simmons/RST — Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:10 am

Author: Alex_Simmons/RST

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:10 am

BeaconRuth wrote:

Pirahna wrote:

She has an hour of gym time most days so is there anything she can do to give her a bit more ooomph?

There's an awful lot she can do to get a lot more oomph but firstly I would try to get rid of the idea that she's just weak on the hills. She isn't. The issue probably is that she lacks the same sustainable power as you but it's just that the hills are where is shows. (If you were trying to ride into a block headwind I bet she'd struggle just like she does on hills.) So what she needs to work on is improving her general cycling-specific aerobic fitness. That means time on a bike, an exercise bike or a spinning bike. See if she can build up the duration of time on the bike - anything up to an hour would be good and the harder she's working the better. A hills programme might be more interesting than riding at a constant pace, or some kind of intervals such as 5 on, 5 off............ anything really to raise the pulse and create some sweat through pedalling a bike. She needs to stick at it for some weeks and build up the amount and intensity gradually but if she's prepared to work hard I'm sure she could soon be keeping up with you on the hills.

Ruth

FS; Mavic Aksium wheels

bri1965 — Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:08 am

Author: bri1965

Posted: Wed Jul 9, 2008 3:08 am

Mavic aksium wheel set for sale, in black,2006 version, in very good condition.

Looking for £65 plus postage or buyer can collect from Newcastle Upon Tyne.

drop me a P.M

Brian.