The Cycling Thread

Originally Posted by EssexDave

The wheels yes very nice, lovely whoosing sound at good pace too! Mine are the 58mm clinchers rather than the 30s on that picture.

Cycling Plus included the 420 Aero 3 wheels in a recent review and gave them 9/10

As for pedals, I started with SPDs and MTB-type shoes but found I was getting pressure-numbness in my toes. Changed to Shimano PD-R670 pedals with stiff-soled shoes and all is now well. The pedals are £80 now but I snapped them up for £45 in a sale

[Viney]

I went for a cycle ride yesterday. Downloaded Endomondo app for my phone adn according to that i did 9.4 miles in 40 mins. Not bad for someone who is out of shape...well, round is a shape i suppose.

Originally Posted by Jabba

Cycling Plus included the 420 Aero 3 wheels in a recent review and gave them 9/10

As for pedals, I started with SPDs and MTB-type shoes but found I was getting pressure-numbness in my toes. Changed to Shimano PD-R670 pedals with stiff-soled shoes and all is now well. The pedals are £80 now but I snapped them up for £45 in a sale

The wheels on mine aren't the 420 Aero 3 - It's...
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/34012/...et---2011.html

They are very pretty, but I was concerned at first after my mate said they look like tubs, further investigation (online for an hour followed by 2 seconds looking at the wheel itself) have confirmed they are clinchers. (Phew) - Whilst tubs sound awesome, I don't fancy not being able to recover from a puncture without a complete spare tyre around.

Viney - Practice practice practice. The first time I road a bike (since I was a kid) was September last year and that was a mountain I rented, I think I did 13 miles in about 2 and a half hours (included lots of stops and fag breaks)

Now I'm doing about 100-150 miles a week, sometimes more and loving it!

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Rode the Wild Wales sportive this weekend, 75 miles up the nastiest hills the gits could find in my area! I so wish I had fitted my 27-11 cassette before this ride, I was walking some of the 20% hills. Fitted it yesterday, ready for France, but really needed it on this ride. Link to my mate's Garmin readout...

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/110090675

'Gulp' proper hard ride there LP

[maviczap]

Few useful bits and bobs at Lidl on Monday

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//...d&ar=2&nf=True

Originally Posted by maviczap

Few useful bits and bobs at Lidl on Monday

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg//...d&ar=2&nf=True

Good find.

Nice bike!

Can anyone suggest a good set of lights for winter commuting?

Originally Posted by krhall

Nice bike!

Can anyone suggest a good set of lights for winter commuting?

I can, they are from China but cheap as chips, I've thrown mine on the road at 25mph and they still work, really bright - gotta be careful not to dazzle other road users...

They do do a wired set which are very good (which I have just ordered for my touring bike as Dipper has them and they are truely astonishing for the cost)

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/ultrafi...-x-18650-57007

That above is a 1200 lumen light - it's a flashlight like all the rest I will like and you need batteries/charger separate.

The 1200 lumen has a very strong beam but quite focused so not a huge spread.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/fandyfi...-x-18650-57985

The 900 lumen enough is what I was using to see where I was going - supeerb coverage and if you want a 1200 - get one of the 900s too for the spread. 2x 900s would see you fine on the road (and you will be mistaken for a motorbike at times) If you're offroad you may want to consider a 1200 too.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/18650-r...k-1350mah-1879

They are the battiers - universal to all the torches. Never had any issues but at that price, I always order more than I need.

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/oem-2-1...-240v-ac-13820

The battery charger

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/univers...cle-mount-8274
Mount for the torches. If you have big handlebars they may not fit but they do another velcro mount which will fit fine.


I just did an order for 2 friends, one purchase a cycling computer, 2x 900 lumen lights, 2 batteries, charger, adapter (as plug on charger is 2 pin) 2 mounts and it came to about £40.


There is ONE issue we've found with the torches which is the soldering is not excellent and we think 2/6 torches have had this issue. Easily fixable and have had no issues since.

OK, my friend has started up a business dealing in all things two-wheeled but engineless.....

I fancy a road bike, not a super duper fancy pants road bike like a lot of you lot have and he has suggest this:

http://www.formebikes.co.uk/bikes/road/preen.php

Firstly, is this a decent bike for the £599 he wants for it? If not, is this:

http://www.raleigh.co.uk/ProductType...1&pt=14&pg=331.

Answers on a post card please!

[fizzwheel]

Neither of those are road bikes, to qualify as a road bike it must have dropped bars, which neither of those dont, yes I know I am being pedantic, but there you go. Those are hybrids with flat bars on them like that.

Both are entry level and have entry level kit on them, Shimano Sora gears are OK as long as they are setup correctly, but that goes for any groupset.

I'd go to another bike shop and have a look around and compare the bikes they have with what you friend is suggesting. I've never heard of the first manufacturer, but Raleigh are a well known brand...

Mind you I'd reckon you'd get more for your money if you looked at one of the Boardmans from Halfords...