The Cycling Thread

[Luckypants]

I have Wiggle's DHB Earley shorts that were just under £50 iirc, comfortable for up to 8 hours (not ridden for longer) but I see these are no longer available and have been replaced by the Aeron Race shorts at just over £50. I'd be willing to give them a try.

Friends who have spent more money and gone for Assos and Sugoi and they swear by them saying they are much more comfortable than DHB, but I find it hard to justify the cost when my DHbs work for me.

EDIT: Always go for bib-shorts for road riding IMHO

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

I have Wiggle's DHB Earley shorts that were just under £50 iirc, comfortable for up to 8 hours (not ridden for longer) but I see these are no longer available and have been replaced by the Aeron Race shorts at just over £50. I'd be willing to give them a try.

Friends who have spent more money and gone for Assos and Sugoi and they swear by them saying they are much more comfortable than DHB, but I find it hard to justify the cost when my DHbs work for me.

EDIT: Always go for bib-shorts for road riding IMHO

+1 on the Dhb stuff

Although having worn Assos in the past I can vouch for the comfort, but as LP says its difficult to justify the extra cost.

[Luckypants]

These look a bargain http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-pace-rou...ed-bib-shorts/

Might be a little warm though as the Roubaix fabric is thick and 'fleecy' on the inside. I have the Roubaix tights and they are very comfy on the 'arris but do seem to be wearing quite quickly on the saddle area.

Maestros and Maestrettes of cycling! I plan to buy a cycle in the near future, and don't really know where to start looking, so I thought I'd ask the pros!

I'm looking for a road bike, maybe slightly racing, but with suspension so I can do kerbs. I am looking to spend up to £300, but am willing to spend more if given a good reason. I'll use it daily for going to uni etc, but not through forests. My only other criteria is that I'm 6'6" or taller... Any brands/specific models or styles of bike I should be looking at? Best places to buy from?

Guys,

Got back last night from Rhyl-to-Cardiff charity bike ride with 20-odd blokes of a certain age (and all sorts of sizes!). We went here:

Day 1: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93751363
Day 2: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93751448
Day 3: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93751597
Day 4: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/93751886

Some big hills, inc the one before the Horseshoe Pass and the the Pass itself in the pouring rain (but I now know where the Ponderosa is!), some big flippin' git of a thing past/through a forest beginning with "C" (see day 2), the Gospel Pass between Hay-on-Wye and Crickhowell (day 3) and Llangynidr Hill (day 4) which was a complete bastid with false summits.

What have I learned? Need to get fitter (and younger if poss!) and need to down-gear the bike for Lon Las next year (34-25 is too high for me on a long route with whopping hills.

Shameless plug:
If anyone has a couple of spare quid and wants to donate to the Noah's Ark Appeal (Wales Children's Hopsital here in Cardiff) then you can do so online here:
http://www.justgiving.co.uk/whitchurch-dads/

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Jabba

What have I learned? Need to get fitter (and younger if poss!) and need to down-gear the bike for Lon Las next year (34-25 is too high for me on a long route with whopping hills.

You wont get much lower on the front unless you go triple. Might be cheaper if your rear mech will take it, to look at a MTB rear cassette, i.e. something in the 11-32 kind of area. Or failing that you'll get away depending on your rear mech with a 28 tooth on the back.

Kudos for finishing that ride though. Respect !

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Jabba

Some big hills, inc the one before the Horseshoe Pass and the the Pass itself in the pouring rain (but I now know where the Ponderosa is!)

That road is known as The Shelf, not a bad climb but a bit mean for the first of the ride!

Originally Posted by Jabba

What have I learned? Need to get fitter (and younger if poss!) and need to down-gear the bike for Lon Las next year (34-25 is too high for me on a long route with whopping hills.

Yep 34-25 is quite hard on steep hills I'm finding. It's easy enough to get 27-11 cassette and shimano short cage dérailleurs will handle it fine. Most of the lads I ride with are on 27-11 (some on 29s!) and we ride steeper hills than that most weekends. I'm still on an 11-25 and do need to put in a hard effort on some steep sections.

Chapeau Jabba, that was big ride.

One of the lads is on 34-28 with a short-cage deraileur - that's 10% lower than me and the difference was obvious when climbing behind him.

Tough weekend, but good fun

Helloooo

Only a few days left until i start my epic End to End cycle trip! (Arhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

Any last minute tips from you lot?

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by Rai86

Any last minute tips from you lot?

Yes

1. Dont Panic.
2. Go through your kit list now as you have time to pick up anything you have forgotten.
3. Check your bike over, if you havent already make sure everything is in working order.

What I do before a big ride. OK not in the same league as you is to. I walk around the house, go through my bike box / tools etc and pickup everything I need and put it all into one plastic container, Including shoes, helmet, gloves etc. That way when I walk out the door in the morning to get in the car to go to the sportive or big ride. I only have to pick up 1 thing and I know I have everything I need.

Start off each day slowly and get warmed up and dont go hammering off at the start, you'll pay for it later. Same at the end of each days ride, ride the last bit slowly at a decent cadence and spin the pedals round and warm down / stretch.

A cold bath / shower will help reduce soreness the next day in your legs. The cold water encourages the blood to flow around your muscles which helps deal with the lactic acid build up.

Apart from that, just enjoy the experience and when it gets hard and you feel like getting off, keep going as the days its difficult or are a challenge are the things you'll remember afterwards / stories you take away with you.