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Bicycle age

Yeah, it's got more to do with how much control over various muscles your brain can exhibit, and it worked out to be that it was better to have a smooth powerful downstroke with an un-weighting on the up, than try to actively pull up (this ended up just being more tiring and less effective, even in trained riders).

Can't really speak for super low cadences, but I don't imagine it being different (most people tend to stand by that point).
 
Unrelated to all this pedal madness... I've set myself a new long term goal.

In the next three years I want to increase my FTP by 30% (or my FTP per KG by a similar amount). If I was just starting out, that probably wouldn't be that hard to do... but as I've got a few years of training under my belt, it's not going to come easily.

Sadly I'm of the age where my theoretical max FTP will be reducing year on year; but as I don't know what my theoretical max is, I'm not going to get too upset about that (yet).
 
I think it's what I need to be competitive (in my age range) for the endurance events I do. I think it would also get me a sub 10 hour time at Leadville... which is another long term goal.

Would also be fun to not just pass average riders like they're going backwards on hills... but whippets too. ;)
 
It is fun. Hills don't just have to be something you get past to get at the downs. There are a ton of good trails with excellent technical climbs. Stuff like White's Level, the top of Cwm Rhaeadyr, parts of Gorlech, a lot of Follow the Dog, Big Dug at Coed Y Brenin... and many more.
 
About done with my Amazon spree as I'm now loaded down with clothing and tools. All that's really left is cold weather/rainy gear and shoes. Well, and my bike which will hopefully come in by this weekend.

I joined a local riding club so hopefully I'll get to do some weekend rides and meet some new people. I bought a quick release skewer that can be bolted/screwed into a piece of wood and will use that to carry my bike upright in my Honda Fit so I can get to rides.
 
Sup Bike-GAF, I just upgraded from a hybrid to road, Specialized Allez Sport. Only had a chance to take it out once but I increased my average time by 3 mph!

DHqOQ0k.jpg
 
Very shiny. I really must take mine out at least once this year, poor neglected thing.

I just bought a bunch of new liner shorts... EXCITING!

(I can't get on with bibs when doing anything other than trainer rides, they're a passive pain in the ass when you need to take a leak etc)
 
Fafnir said:
Sup Bike-GAF, I just upgraded from a hybrid to road, Specialized Allez Sport. Only had a chance to take it out once but I increased my average time by 3 mph!
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Great first road bike. Time to take off the reflectors, especially the wheel ones. Did you get all the stuff to fix a flat and some bike shorts?
 
Laekon said:
Great first road bike. Time to take off the reflectors, especially the wheel ones. Did you get all the stuff to fix a flat and some bike shorts?
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Hhmm I'll take the wheel reflectors off, probably will get some new pedals. I have bike shorts but nothing to fix flats. My lbs is close to the trail I ride so at most a 5-10 mile walk.

Yaboosh said:
I have the same bike! But mine is green so it is way faster.
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gSD9QIS.gif
 
Fafnir said:
I have bike shorts but nothing to fix flats. My lbs is close to the trail I ride so at most a 5-10 mile walk.
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Are you planning on always staying within 5-10 miles of a bike shop?

Even if you are, 10 miles isn't exactly a short walk, especially if you go with road clipless pedals and the corresponding shoes. Even if you ignore taking the bike along for the walk!

A basic servicing kit isn't super pricey. My LBS carries a Bontrager package that includes a mini-pump and mount, a saddle bag, a multi-tool including screwdrivers and hex wrenches, tire levers, glueless patches, and a coupon for a spare inner tube; the pieces aren't fancy, but they do the job and the whole thing is about $50.

It's not cumbersome, either. On my Fuji America I carry a fairy decent-sized (by road standards) saddle bag with a pair of spare tubes plus patches and multi-tool and levers, and my pump is an enormous vintage-style full-size frame pump, and all that combined weighs less than 2lbs.

And that $50 will allow you to avoid the most un-stylish situation that any cyclist can ever get involved in: being on a group ride and actually requiring materials from other cyclists to fix a flat.
 
HTupolev said:
Are you planning on always staying within 5-10 miles of a bike shop?

Even if you are, 10 miles isn't exactly a short walk, especially if you go with road clipless pedals and the corresponding shoes. Even if you ignore taking the bike along for the walk!

A basic servicing kit isn't super pricey. My LBS carries a Bontrager package that includes a mini-pump and mount, a saddle bag, a multi-tool including screwdrivers and hex wrenches, tire levers, glueless patches, and a coupon for a spare inner tube; the pieces aren't fancy, but they do the job and the whole thing is about $50.

It's not cumbersome, either. On my Fuji America I carry a fairy decent-sized (by road standards) saddle bag with a pair of spare tubes plus patches and multi-tool and levers, and my pump is an enormous vintage-style full-size frame pump, and all that combined weighs less than 2lbs.

And that $50 will allow you to avoid the most un-stylish situation that any cyclist can ever get involved in: being on a group ride and actually requiring materials from other cyclists to fix a flat.
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Once I start going on longer adventure rides I'll definitely get a patch kit. I was looking at the co2 pumps but a mini hand pump will probably do the job.
 
Some mini-pumps are actually smaller and lighter than CO2 setups, and thanks to being pumps it's one less consumable to think about. It's also not problematic if you get multiple flats on one ride (everyone thinks this isn't a thing until it is, heheh).

The downsides are that it takes longer to refill, and depending on the pump and your arms it can be challenging to get to very high pressures. (But, realistically, being at 60PSI for half a ride on road slicks isn't actually that big of a problem.)

Larger pumps are generally awesome with refilling the tires, but are obviously, well, larger. There are folding floor pumps that function incredibly well, but they're aesthetic nightmares if your bike doesn't look fairly industrial. Large rigid frame pumps work well too, but fit best (and look best) on bikes with narrow tubing and horizontal top tubes, like the classic steel bikes they were designed for.
 
Psychotext said:
(I can't get on with bibs when doing anything other than trainer rides, they're a passive pain in the ass when you need to take a leak etc)
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Yeah, bibs with an overlap fly for those of us (ie MTBers) that wear baggy shorts over our spandex would be an excellent idea. They'd be no good for roadies as you might pop out at inopportune moments, like while riding past a school or something. Try explaining that to the judge.

Speaking of shorts, if you want a supercheap pair of decent MTB baggies then these are £6 delivered (choose recorded delivery for a quid) from eBay at the moment. They're listed as 'seconds' but there's fuck-all wrong with them except the 'Large' I ordered are more like XXL. I've ordered a Small and Medium set now to find the best fit, but go at least one size smaller than normal. They come nicely below the knee and have a similar fit to Troy Lee Motos, but in a more pliable fabric (my Motos can literally stand up by themselves).

4biwsiq03ru.jpg


ncnkltkgio3.jpg
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Select the black/orange or blue/red. Don't forget to go down a size or two:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tenn-Mens-Breeze-MTB-Off-Road-3-4-Length-Ventilated-Baggy-Cycle-Shorts-/261001849204?var=&hash=item3cc4ec2974:m:mA7m204gbB2CIyyanUG3HLw

Not much of a gamble for £6.
 
Psychotext said:
They look like they might be fairly water resistant. Are they?
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I think so, from memory. I don't have the new order yet and my neighbour now has the original big pair, but the material seemed pretty hardwearing. They're well designed and made, just big. They've got the Troy Lee-style stretch top-of-the-arse panel and adjustable waist tabs.

For the price of a couple of pints it's deffo worth a punt.

Edit: no mention of water resistance on the official Tenn site :http://tenn-outdoors.co.uk/products/mens-breeze-mtb-off-road-3-4-length-shorts
 
teepo said:
you can't go wrong with a budget that size. i'd look into buying a ridley and gt frame if you're focusing on gravel bikes, but don't shy away from buying a pure road bike. though gravel bikes are kinda the hot shit right now and they can do most everything, though you won't get much else but asphalt in new york city and riding on country roads is an amazing experience.

also, you're not planning on commuting with the gravel bike? can you park it in the office because if not, you might want to trim your budget a bit and get an additional beat up looking bike that you wouldn't mind getting banged up and possibly stolen.
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Thanks for this! I'm still in research mode. I'm thinking of cutting my budget by a few hundred and purchasing a fun little cruiser for my SO while getting a solid bike for myself.

Honestly, I doubt it would be a daily commuter, me living in fantasy land. My office has really great bike storage, outside of grub runs it'll rarely be left in public. It's really for weekend excursions and time up in the country (not offroading but riding on old gravel/dirt roads).

I test rode a Giant AnyRoad 1 and sorta fell in love with it. I didn't feel like I was going to slip and fall into traffic on the city's shitty segments of streets. It's under budget, sexy, and would look cool stored on our empty foyer wall.
 
The Argus said:
Thanks for this! I'm still in research mode. I'm thinking of cutting my budget by a few hundred and purchasing a fun little cruiser for my SO while getting a solid bike for myself.

Honestly, I doubt it would be a daily commuter, me living in fantasy land. My office has really great bike storage, outside of grub runs it'll rarely be left in public. It's really for weekend excursions and time up in the country (not offroading but riding on old gravel/dirt roads).

I test rode a Giant AnyRoad 1 and sorta fell in love with it. I didn't feel like I was going to slip and fall into traffic on the city's shitty segments of streets. It's under budget, sexy, and would look cool stored on our empty foyer wall.
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here's something for you:

https://www.strava.com/local/us/new-york-city/cycling/routes?hl=en-US
 
I honestly don't know how you roadies cope with inconsiderate drivers on your typical rides. Do you just get used to vehicles trying to run you off the road? I normally do everything I can to avoid busy roads but the other day I was heading back from the woods and had to take a shortcut along ~2 miles of A-road to avoid my normal ~7-mile offroad route in order to get home by a certain time. On that short stretch of road two vans pretty much brushed up against my handlebar while squeezing past me at speed rather than wait for a break in the traffic. It totally amazes me that more cyclists aren't killed on the roads due to the total and utter fuckwittery of idiotic motorists.
 
Mascot said:
I honestly don't know how you roadies cope with inconsiderate drivers on your typical rides. Do you just get used to vehicles trying to run you off the road? I normally do everything I can to avoid busy roads but the other day I was heading back from the woods and had to take a shortcut along ~2 miles of A-road to avoid my normal ~7-mile offroad route in order to get home by a certain time. On that short stretch of road two vans pretty much brushed up against my handlebar while squeezing past me at speed rather than wait for a break in the traffic. It totally amazes me that more cyclists aren't killed on the roads due to the total and utter fuckwittery of idiotic motorists.
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The main thing is planning rides to avoid being in nasty traffic. You learn what the small roads between cities with only light traffic are, you learn which roads have useful shoulders, you pay attention to the existence of MUPs with remote low-traffic sections, you plan how to enter towns so that you spend a minimal amount of time on busy high-speed streets, etc. Whether a road is pleasant also depends on timing, 5:00AM on Saturday can offer cool experiences on roads that would normally be obnoxious on 3:00PM on Wednesday.
 
HTupolev said:
The main thing is planning rides to avoid being in nasty traffic. You learn what the small roads between cities with only light traffic are, you learn which roads have useful shoulders, you pay attention to the existence of MUPs with remote low-traffic sections, you plan how to enter towns so that you spend a minimal amount of time on busy high-speed streets, etc. Whether a road is pleasant also depends on timing, 5:00AM on Saturday can offer cool experiences on roads that would normally be obnoxious on 3:00PM on Wednesday.
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Is this normal though? I think all of the roadies I know can't easily plan rides with this kind of precision. They are at the mercy of work, wives, kids, domestic chores etc. One of my neighbours heads out as soon as he gets in from work because it's the only time he'll have, before dinner/kids/darkness, to get out on his bike. And he's heading out into rush-hour traffic pretty much every single time.
 
Mascot said:
Is this normal though? I think all of the roadies I know can't easily plan rides with this kind of precision. They are at the mercy of work, wives, kids, domestic chores etc. One of my neighbours heads out as soon as he gets in from work because it's the only time he'll have, before dinner/kids/darkness, to get out on his bike. And he's heading out into rush-hour traffic pretty much every single time.
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I'm not saying that we meticulously plan our rides, just that we're not aimlessly drifting about the traffic grid.

I know that the end of the Highway 2 Trestle in Lake Stevens has a marked bike route through pleasant roads past some farms, nine miles long, that'll take you to Snohomish. I also know that Highway 204 has a decent shoulder that'll get me to the Trestle with just one crossing over a busy offramp. So if I'm in Lake Stevens and I want to get to Snohomish, but don't feel like taking the Centennial Trail, that's a nice alternative. That's not anything that requires puzzling over a map before each ride, it's just something I'm aware of because I do road rides in the area, and it's a 5-second decision.

And yeah, you do still deal with some bullshit; the point is, it's usually not 50 miles of constant narrow passes, unless you're pretty ambitious with the route.
 
HTupolev said:
I'm not saying that we meticulously plan our rides, just that we're not aimlessly drifting about the traffic grid.

I know that the end of the Highway 2 Trestle in Lake Stevens has a marked bike route through pleasant roads past some farms, nine miles long, that'll take you to Snohomish. I also know that Highway 204 has a decent shoulder that'll get me to the Trestle with just one crossing over a busy offramp. So if I'm in Lake Stevens and I want to get to Snohomish, but don't feel like taking the Centennial Trail, that's a nice alternative. That's not anything that requires puzzling over a map before each ride, it's just something I'm aware of because I do road rides in the area, and it's a 5-second decision.

And yeah, you do still deal with some bullshit; the point is, it's usually not 50 miles of constant narrow passes, unless you're pretty ambitious with the route.
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I live in a little coastal village adjoining a small town, twenty miles from the nearest city. Traffic is pretty light by most standards but I feel threatened whenever I have to venture on to roads, mainly I think due to a combination of ignorance and impatience by motorists. I'm lucky in that there are a network of excellent off-road trails just a few miles away, and a lot of local roads are very quiet wide open lanes (and actually part of the designated National Cycle Route), but a lot of the B-roads are narrow and winding so you'll always get assholes who think as long as they don't actually hit you then everything is cool. It makes me nervous.
 
Mascot said:
so you'll always get assholes who think as long as they don't actually hit you then everything is cool. It makes me nervous.
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One way to try and deal with these people is to take the full lane in places with poor visibility and no shoulder, although that's a controversial tactic.
 
On most of our single lane sized B roads I take the entire road up. I do tend to move over when there's an obvious place to pass though. Fuck any motherfucker getting annoyed about it. My life is worth more than their time.
 
Mascot said:
I honestly don't know how you roadies cope with inconsiderate drivers on your typical rides. Do you just get used to vehicles trying to run you off the road? I normally do everything I can to avoid busy roads but the other day I was heading back from the woods and had to take a shortcut along ~2 miles of A-road to avoid my normal ~7-mile offroad route in order to get home by a certain time. On that short stretch of road two vans pretty much brushed up against my handlebar while squeezing past me at speed rather than wait for a break in the traffic. It totally amazes me that more cyclists aren't killed on the roads due to the total and utter fuckwittery of idiotic motorists.
Click to expand...

Where I am in the US there are in most roads a decent shoulder. Something you can ride in with enough space that a car doesn't need to move. In instances where it's not like that I just don't think about it. It's awful to say that, but it helps me to stay relaxed.
 
Most of our roads are barely wide enough for two cars at the best of times. Supposedly you overtake a bike like a car (so you go fully on to the other side of the road, just like you would a car)... but yeah, good luck with most people actually doing that.

OvertakeYN.bmp
 
This is kind of related, but do any of you dedicated roadies ever think about taking up mountain biking? A lot of my MTB friends have subsequently bought road bikes (with maybe half of them regretting it as the bikes simply don't get used) but I rarely hear of a shift in the other direction. Personally I've never really seen the attraction of road cycling (please don't be offended :P) but then again I've always lived close to good off-road trails. Apart from the fear of dicing with traffic on a road bike, road biking just seems a bit ... boring to me (seriously, please - do not be offended) compared to the variety, excitement and technical challenge of mountain biking. And to be honest, I'd much rather be in the middle of the trees, trails and rockery rather than looking at it over a hedge, and I'd much rather share my space with squirrels and birds than vans and trucks.

Do any of you roadies live in good MTB territory but have simply never been tempted? Or is road biking simply the most appropriate option for you because of where you live?

Edit: Christ, I hope this doesn't come across as inflammatory. BikeGAF is probably 80/20 road/mtb so I hope nobody gets offended as that is not the intention.
 
I actually know a lot of people who have gone the other way.

One said they preferred the group rides roadies have (you get this in MTB, but it's hard to organise). Another prefers the races / strava aspect of it all. Another said that it's just too much hassle getting to trails, and they have limited time.

I can see all of their points. There's something to be said to being able to leave your front door and just start your ride, meeting up with a group at the local Starbucks (or whatever) then heading out for some Strava attacking fun before pootling back to where you live. Probably not even having to clean your bike (because you didn't go out in the rain... perish the thought!).

Whereas I have to get all my shit together, stick the bike on the car, drive half an hour (minimum) do a trail that likely beats the absolute shit out of me physically (not just legs, but whole body... and that's before crashes)... another half hour back and then almost certainly have to get the bike cleaned and lubed ready for the next ride.
 
Psychotext said:
I actually know a lot of people who have gone the other way.

One said they preferred the group rides roadies have (you get this in MTB, but it's hard to organise). Another prefers the races / strava aspect of it all. Another said that it's just too much hassle getting to trails, and they have limited time.

I can see all of their points. There's something to be said to being able to leave your front door and just start your ride, meeting up with a group at the local Starbucks (or whatever) then heading out for some Strava attacking fun before pootling back to where you live. Probably not even having to clean your bike (because you didn't go out in the rain... perish the thought!).

Whereas I have to get all my shit together, stick the bike on the car, drive half an hour (minimum) do a trail that likely beats the absolute shit out of me physically (not just legs, but whole body... and that's before crashes)... another half hour back and then almost certainly have to get the bike cleaned and lubed ready for the next ride.
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Yeah, I guess I'm lucky in that I can cycle from my front door and be in the quarry or woods in 10 minutes, with a huge amount of variety to choose from depending on my mood (singletrack, technical descents, jumps, lung climbs, bermed rollercoasting etc. I do like to mix it up with trips to the FoD or Cwm Carn etc but they involve a lot more faff.
 
Mascot said:
This is kind of related, but do any of you dedicated roadies ever think about taking up mountain biking? A lot of my MTB friends have subsequently bought road bikes (with maybe half of them regretting it as the bikes simply don't get used) but I rarely hear of a shift in the other direction. Personally I've never really seen the attraction of road cycling (please don't be offended :P) but then again I've always lived close to good off-road trails. Apart from the fear of dicing with traffic on a road bike, road biking just seems a bit ... boring to me (seriously, please - do not be offended) compared to the variety, excitement and technical challenge of mountain biking. And to be honest, I'd much rather be in the middle of the trees, trails and rockery rather than looking at it over a hedge, and I'd much rather share my space with squirrels and birds than vans and trucks.

Do any of you roadies live in good MTB territory but have simply never been tempted? Or is road biking simply the most appropriate option for you because of where you live?

Edit: Christ, I hope this doesn't come across as inflammatory. BikeGAF is probably 80/20 road/mtb so I hope nobody gets offended as that is not the intention.
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I would if it was more convenient for me. There's two trail systems near me, but each take 20-30ish minutes to drive to. I like how I can just dress and leave from my house on my road bike. The guys I ride with (LBS shop owner) are heavy into gravel / road style riding so when we do rides we'll often seek out some gravel paths to make it more fun. They're also big mountain bike people too which is good because they know the trail system well, but also makes it super friggin hard to keep up. The one we mainly ride is tight so handling has to be on point or else you're spending so much time pedaling to keep up. Upside of riding with a shop owner is I get to ride pretty sweet bikes like the Salsa Beargrease http://salsacycles.com/bikes/beargrease

A more simple version: I like it, but road is easier for me to get up and go. When I do go, I enjoy it but keeping up with more seasoned riders is rough.
 
I have good trails and good road cycling routes straight from my doorstep, so I happily ride both disciplines. Road does requre less preparation.

As far as the fun factor goes, in general terms: mtb is for challenging yourself mentally and physically, road is for expending a lot of energy in a pleasant fashion (unless going for more than 100km, then it becomes a challenge for me).
 
Somebody please recommend me a good non-bulky Camelbak, 1-1.5 litre bladder, with enough space pockets for a pump, spare tubes and pocket toolkit. Not for expeditions, just for 3-4hr rides.

Ta!
 
Charge 10 LR. Done. (it's got a higher litre capacity than you said, but you don't have to fill it)

That or one of their bumbags... but you're far too manly for that.
 
No, not at all. I mean I guess it could get bulky if you cram it full of shit, but I've done 150 mile rides and not even noticed it on my back after the first 10 minutes.

...though I have noticed myself running out of water. :D

I believe they stock them in Evans, so you could try one there. Sans water reservoir of course (it's about a couple of inches thick when brimmed).
 
New bike is ready to be picked up! But I think I'll need to wait a day or two because I need time to spend there to get fitted for shoes and tonight is a gym night.
 
TarpitCarnivore said:
grouchiest rider in bike gaf for sure

I didn't expect the fat bike to be as quick as it was but damn it rolls nicely
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Ha... Salsa have a bit of a bad rep in bikepacking circles. They've really latched onto the hipster / fashionable bikepacking stereotype and run with it.

Good bikes, horrible marketing.
 
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