The Cycling Thread

[fizzwheel]

Originally Posted by krhall

Would a fixie be better, less stuff for me to muller!

Possibly, but you'll still need to keep the drive chain clean. I found with my fixie that you need to pay careful attention to the chain tension otherwise you get alot of backlash through the drive chain / pedals which doesn't give a nice feeling.

Then theres also the thing with the fixie of picking the right gear ratio for it, and it can be a PIA in a hilly area. Also I dont like riding mine through traffic / town and on cycle paths as you cant stop quickly and alot of momentum builds up in the back wheel as it acts like a flywheel, so you can just suddenly stop pedalling and jam the brakes on. It can take a while to stop...

Mine has a flip flop hub on it so one side is fixed and the other side is still single speed but it has a freewheel and I ride it more like that than I do fixed.

With your rear mech if you have only had it a few months, I'd give your entire bike and the mech a good clean and then take it back to the shop and ask them if they would expect it to break like that.

For what its worth, my 105 rear mech on my Van Nich gave 4 years of flawless service, until it met with a car.

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Jeez! Totally knackerd after a 30 miler in the wind yesterday... That's what I find fascinating (in a masochistic kind of way) about cycling, sometimes you are flying along feeling great and the next time out you feel like a wet dishcloth! However, I've been waiting for a good day for a while now

Similar here, did 32 miles today, but a damn strong headwind home.

Legs are a little sore after pushing the big ring all the way home, no pain no gain

Still better to get some miles in, as the rest of the week looks carp weather wise

[Luckypants]

Did another 50 miles Saturday, pace was pretty sedate as our mate Dave was on his come back ride after breaking his hip in our big crash in December... Poor bugger has to lay the bike down to mount and can hardly walk, but did the 50 miles and 2600ft of climbing - fair play! Dave is determined he is still coming to the Alps!

My legs felt ok apart from the steep part of the Racecourse hill in Oswestry. Need to keep at it then ride myself into form on Alp D'Huez.....

[maviczap]

Broken hips is a common theme around here, one of my veteran cyclist mates fell off on oil in Spain, luckily the surgeon treating him in Spain was a cyclist, so he got the right treatment straight away.

He was discharged very quickly from hospital too & when I saw him, he was just using a walking stick. But that's his TT season down the pan.

My neighbour also fell off and he's still on crutches, but he's got osteoporosis, so his recovery is going to take a few months. But he is 80, so fairly fit

This getting old lark isn't all its cracked up to be

[Dipper]

From what was going to be a 5 day trip cycling in the Loire circumstance meant this had to be reduced to a two day, one night trip just over the channel. To be honest we weren't expecting much being as it's the bit you just drive through to get to better places but we were really surprised how scenic the area is just South of Calais with plenty of rolling hills, smooth roads and considerate drivers, 110 miles of bliss, the wall to wall sunshine helped too

[maviczap]

Yep, that's what we found in France last year, plenty of considerate drivers, oh and wall to wall sunshine too

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by maviczap

oh and wall to wall sunshine too

Conveniently forgetting the day when Col d'Aubisque was covered in cloud and we had to turn back for lack of visibility? (and the thunderstorms.. )

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by maviczap

plenty of considerate drivers

LOL except for the old boy in the clapped out Fiat Uno Rob chased down that side road!

(oh and the German motorhome driver that nearly ran me off the road on the scary bit at the top of the Tourmalet)

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Conveniently forgetting the day when Col d'Aubisque was covered in cloud and we had to turn back for lack of visibility? (and the thunderstorms.. )

Ah yes, but that was our rest day, can't have it always

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

LOL except for the old boy in the clapped out Fiat Uno Rob chased down that side road!

(oh and the German motorhome driver that nearly ran me off the road on the scary bit at the top of the Tourmalet)

One local and one panzerwagen isn't bad for a whole week