Bicyclist thread

[dinny_g]

Better than the Specislized you linked to for two reasons...

Hydraulic Breaks - mechanical discs aren’t really that great

Lock out forks are a Godsend on the road, lighter trials etc.

Make him a offer he can’t refuse..

(And I’m a Specialized fanboy)

[drcarlos]

Been trying to convert my cube 29er to tubeless and as it’s not gone to plan I’ve been on the kona dawg. On the flat fire roads I’m really missing the cube, even my ride buddies have commented how it’s slowed me and bloody hell do I feel it. I should have the replacement tyre and new valves next week so hopefully I’ll be back on the cube and save the dawg for the trails next spring.
I’m also building up a full sus voodoo for my eldest as part of his present. He loves the trail riding so hopefully it should encourage him to get out more next year with us (also need to get it on decent fast rolling tyres too).

Carl

[Gwaredd]

Maxxis Tyres & Orange endurance sealant for the tubeless win IME.

[dinny_g]

I took my Rockhopper Pro out last week for the first time in months.

Since I last used it, I got a full Ultrasonic Clean. Full strip down and clean, fluids and Cables replaced . It comes out like a Brand New Bike. Good as the day I bought it.

I’ve had it done a few times and it’s well worth the money on a 12 year old bike.

[drcarlos]

Maxxis Tyres & Orange endurance sealant for the tubeless win IME.

Sealant hasn’t really been the problem, me try to use the ghetto method with recycled valves from old presta tubes is more of an issue as they’ve leaked. also the cores aren’t removable so I’ve had major issues setting the beads as I haven’t been able to get enough airflow fast enough. Tyres are schwalbe as I use the racing Ralph/nobby nic on most of my bikes they are just the tlr versions. New valves with removable cores will be here next week I hope.

Carl

[Gwaredd]

I used Maxxis on the rear & Schwable on the front on Stans rims & they inflated with a track pump no issues. I guess it's down to the rim type as others have massive issues.

[drcarlos]

I used Maxxis on the rear & Schwable on the front on Stans rims & they inflated with a track pump no issues. I guess it's down to the rim type as others have massive issues.

These are on dt Swiss rims and the old tyres which were also schwalbe went straight away with just a track pump. I’ll have another go when the valves get here, cold weather and the fact that I appear to need to pump faster means i lose enthusiasm until I go out and nearly kill myself on the 26er! Then I think I must sort it . I know they work they are just being annoying and it seems the first rule is using removable core valves, which I’ve now ordered.

Carl

[KiwiDave]

Any opinions on trainers?

I've been doing 30mins a day on a shitty old roller trainer that's about to explode and is slowly but surely shredding the rear 26" tire of my naff old Kona hardtail. Currently eyeing up the move to a decent trainer and a bike to keep on it, preferably quiet without the need for a rear wheel/need for a trainer tire.

Any tips welcome.

[ste]

How much do you want to spend?

Do you want a dumb or smart trainer?

Newer / better ones have a cassette and you just fit to the rear dropouts, essentially replacing the rear wheel with the trainer, so no need to wear your tyre out.


FWIW, I'd love to get on Zwift and use a Wahoo Kickr, but have a spending freeze and havn't let myself buy one. I'm still on an old dumb Tacx Satori and use it with CCX videos on YouTube for interval stuff. It's not ideal, but still gets the job done. I can do 60 / 90 mins on there in an evening and the time flies by and I'm utterly fucked when I get off it.

[KiwiDave]

I think it's more like what do I need to spend to do the job properly and not wish I'd bought something else 12 months later...

[ste]

If you don't want to get online and do Zwift etc than a normal dumb trainer from one of the big makes will do just fine. Some of the cheaper ones are very noisy and some can't cope with that much power, so if you're strong consider that. Also they can be really loud, so if you're near neighbours, consider that too. Mine uses magnets for the resistance and has quite a good sized flywheel which evens things out and stops it feeling jerky. It's also quite quiet. The ones that use fans or fluid seem noisier.

eBay is often full of hardly used ones as people like the idea of them, then try them once of twice and give it up as a bad idea. Pretty much anything from Tacx or a similar quality brand should do you fine.

[mik]

So i set up the Tacx Satori today. All good (although the trainer tyre kept gunging up the load-cell flywheel initially. Its stopped now).

Calibrated it with the Tacx app.

Downloaded Zwift, and decided to go for a 15min spin, which turned into a 25km ride as thats what came up.... and I wasnt going to give up....

It was pretty cool seeing a 3D landscape, but constantly passing / being passed by other users didnt add much to tbe experience as there were about 8 billion of them.

So do I want to pay for a zwift sub, or run something else? Zwift isnt exactly cheap. I dont have any plans to cycle with friends (cos no friends ) do virtual races, or do virtual TDF stages, but it would be cool to be able to re-run a few courses with a ghost version of me to track my progress. Does it (or somethinb else) do that?

[mik]

Anyone?

[ste]

No idea I'm afraid. As I said before I still run a dumb trainer following CTXC videos on YouTube and just doing high intensity interval stuff. If I want to ride and see scenery I still just go outside.

[ste]

I'd been thinking of getting rid of my trail hardtail and swapping it for 2 bikes. A full-sus trail bike and a lighter, faster carbon XC bike. I kept looking about and decided that what i wanted was too expensive and it'd have to wait. I thought I'd managed to resist buying a 5010 to fulfil the trail bike element, and then Jack, the mechanic at Pedal & Spoke put his own bike up for sale at a price that just made it too tempting.

It's last year's model, but it's a 5010 CC in black, in the correct size (L). He'd also fitted quite a lot of parts I liked and would have fitted, including Bergtec stem and pedals, Bergtec carbon bar, Hope headset and BB and it'd been invisiframed from new. in fact he even re-did some of the Invisiframe for me as part of the deal and swapped quite a few bolts and things for black ones and put stealth black stickers on the Pikes for me.



I'm really pleased with it and the service from Jack when buying was absolutely fantastic. I've ridden it about locally but haven't had a 'proper' ride yet. I'm at Swinley this Saturday though; can't wait.

[ZedLeg]

That looks ace Ste , I like a Santa Cruz.

[evostick]

That does look ace

[Carlos]

Nice, they ain't £450 in Halfords are they ?

[ste]

Close TBH.

[V8Granite]

I like that!

I gave my 2001/2 Trek 4300 a clean a while back and oiled and lubed everything. The horrible Suntour forksnarebrusty and broken and as I’m a land whale are not up to the task. I really need new ones but don’t know what size to buy or what is any good yet. I’m very attached to it as I’ve done at least 10,000 miles on it as I commuted on it for 2 years plus lots of cycling for fun.

I also want a single chainring and new wheels as my current wheels are kaput apparently, it’s had about 10 sets of brake pads so it’s no surprise.

I did fit DMV12 pedals though as I hate my shins and love to bleed

I really should lube up my Specialized Camber and get it out, it had an annoying freak I need to find but it’s a lovely thing to ride as it’s so comfy, it’s just rather heavy.

Dave!