Cycling: General Chat

[andyjsg]

I am doing it as an upgrade so didnt need things like cranks or brakes, but because its TT bike I needed a specific brake and bar shifter set so you can shift in 2 positions and a specific junction box to join it all together.. If you just want to upgrade a road bike and keep 10 speed (which I was also doing as like to be able to swap wheels between bikes) you could get something like this http://www.merlincycles.com/shimano-ultegra-6700-di2-gear-kit-battery-charger-59913.html

[Guus]

So, does that mean my 6800 is di2 upgrade compatible?

Apologies if I'm getting the wrong end of the stick?

[andyjsg]

In theory if the frame is di2 compatible it should be relativley simple if not then the frame would need to be drilled etc.

 

Also Im not sure I would want to di2 unless I can run the cables inside the frame as can look messy, fortunately my Shiv is Di2 internal ready although Im still gonna have to fine a home for the big junction box on my stem or frame.

 

This dude here is selling part new/part 2nd hand for under 400 - I was trying to buy the deraillers but he wants to sell as a bulk sale http://www.timetriallingforum.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=90093

Edited May 23, 2014 by andyjsg

[Guus]

My frame is Di2 campatible...........I may wait a year or so.

[PauloBarnesi]

What would be more useful a power meter or an electronic group set? I would take the power meter, but I ve never ridden an electronic group set. I suspect in the next couple of years we will see a 105 electronic group set which will really reduce the price. 

[LondonLax]

Am I the only one who thinks electronic equipment has no place on the mechanics of cycling?

[andyjsg]

Personally I probably wouldn't bother with Di2 on anything but my TT bike. I wouldn't want the added weight for electronic shifting. On TT weight not so much of an issue as aerodynamics trumps all and mid corner shifting is very very useful.

[veloman]

Do you ride time trials in the Midlands andyjsg ?

[andyjsg]

Nope I'm a southern softie. Only actually done about 4 the TT bike is predominately for Ironman. Was meant to do one Thursday but had a work emergency. Hopefully the bike will be Di2'd this week ready for week after.

[veloman]

^^^ Cheers for that - good luck with Ironman.  Now - I don't have such luxuries - still using Campag 10 bar end levers but was in a well known purveyor of class kit in the Midlands and they got a call from customer saying that battery kept running down. There was a conversation about whether the bike had been leaning on a wall with the levers against the wall and thus draining the battery . Does that sound possible in your view ?

[andyjsg]

Campag is what all the cool kids ride :-) I know mentioned above that power meters and Di2 is expensive but super record is in its own league. 350 quid for a cassette - Wowza!!

I'm not sure on the Di2 as I've only been reading up on it this week but I did pick up that firmware version can cause issues so may need firmware update. I guess a button against a wall could cause it or a faulty battery?!?

I have an older zipp disc (circa 2007) that I picked up last year for 400 ish, I removed the stickers today and now it looks like any other new one. Should look good with my de-badged deep section front.

[Ikantcpell]

If your budget is £700 and you ride for distance, there's a bike shop in Leeds selling Cannondale Synapse Tiagra. It's a good bike for distance and retails pretty much everywhere else in the country for £900-£1000. A friend bought one three months ago and she absolutely loves the thing.

After a quick check though, I can't find it. They do have a Synapse 105 for £800 though. The 61cm frame may be a touch too big though. I'm an inch taller than you and I ride a 58cm Cannondale and love it.

http://www.drakescycles.co.uk/m1b0s6p4150/CANNONDALE_Synapse_5_105_C_2013

 

I still havent bought a bike yet..but that site has some very good deals on cannondale racers, a pity they dont ship to sweden

 

The bike shops here in sweden seems to be full of mostly Cresent and Bianchi..so i think i will go for one of these two:

 

 

http://www.jibo.se/bianchi-via-nirone-7-2014-p-2007-c-109.aspx

 

 

 

http://teamsportia.se/produkter/cykel/cyklar/racer/crescent-nano#.U4SV3_l_v0c

[Ikantcpell]

The bianchi cost £800 and the cresent £700..what do you guys say about those bikes ?

[Risso]

Your legs should be doing one full rotation on the pedals at least once every second. If your not doing that you're in too high a gear.

 

I bought one of those Garmin things, with a cadence monitor.  I tend to average about 70rpm, is that about right?

 

I'm absolutely hooked on cycling now, any excuse to get out for a quick blast and I do so.  Looking forward to getting a lot fitter and losing weight.  I've got 103 days until the End to End, so I need to stay focussed.

[andyjsg]

70 is okay but still probably a gear or two over, wanna be hitting 80-90 average ideally. Last year I was circa 75 this year more like 90, it brings the effort on to your cardio rather than just mashing your legs.

[PauloBarnesi]

Yep 90 is a good benchmark.

[Risso]

Great, thanks for the tips lads.  I was wondering if anything over 75 was considered a bit too easy and that you needed to be working harder!

 

So, going up steep hills....is it best to start in a very low gear (even if you're pedalling very rapidly indeed) and then go up the gears as required?

[PauloBarnesi]

The general idea is to stay seated and find a gear that you can turn with a relatively high cadence (70 or so). The problem is when the gradient gets too steep, for you maintain the high cadence. Then you can move down to lower gear and again maintain a relatively high cadence or get out of the saddle, which will use different muscles. Most people can only stay out of the saddle for a relatively short time, so it will only be useful for bursts. Eventually if the gradient becomes too steep you run out of gears and then simply have to try and keep pedalling and try to avoid stalling where you simply can’t go on. The worse thing is to underestimate a hill and try and use a too higher a gear (outer chain ring) and then as you lose speed and cadence, you fear changing gears as you can easily lose the chain, etc. Its better to look a fool and be using a low gear and pedalling like mad, rather than looking a fool in a high gear and coming off your bike. 

[andyjsg]

Been there :-)

[Risso]

The general idea is to stay seated and find a gear that you can turn with a relatively high cadence (70 or so). The problem is when the gradient gets too steep, for you maintain the high cadence. Then you can move down to lower gear and again maintain a relatively high cadence or get out of the saddle, which will use different muscles. Most people can only stay out of the saddle for a relatively short time, so it will only be useful for bursts. Eventually if the gradient becomes too steep you run out of gears and then simply have to try and keep pedalling and try to avoid stalling where you simply can’t go on. The worse thing is to underestimate a hill and try and use a too higher a gear (outer chain ring) and then as you lose speed and cadence, you fear changing gears as you can easily lose the chain, etc. Its better to look a fool and be using a low gear and pedalling like mad, rather than looking a fool in a high gear and coming off your bike. 

 

Cheers Paul, really appreciate that!