The Cycling Thread

[pookie]

Aldi Roadie cycling offers this sunday
https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuy...eRadar-600x400

anyone got a specialized roubaix?

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[maviczap]

No, but why do you ask.

Had one as a frame, but never built it up.

Good bike

i currently riding a caad8 n looking to upgrade to the roubaix. just wondering what people thought of it.

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[maviczap]

Well there's not enough of us in this section for the chance of owning one.

However your Caad8 is an alloy frame with carbon forks. From my experience of similar frames ive had and own, they are fine, but a harsh old ride on anything less than smooth roads.

The roubaix being full carbon, will be stiff and light, and being carbon you'll immediately notice the lack of road 'buzz' coming through the frame. More so with the Zertz inserts in the roubaix frame.

what i find is that when i ride my carbon framed bikes is that i don't hurt in places that hurt when i ride one of my other non carbon bike. I still feel tired, but not sore.

i did 4 hours yesterday and i didnt feel as sore as i did when i rode my Ti frame for the same time.

Carbon is my favourite frame material and there are plenty of us here who have carbon bikes from various makes, including Look, Ribble, Canyon and Wilier from memory.

You won't be disappointed by upgrading to any good carbon frame, the Ribbles and Canyons get good reviews and you get more for your money with them.

The only thing that puts me off the Specialized and from my experience of my Roubaix frame, is that they use weird headtube sizes. Industry standards are useally 1 1/8 or the later 1 1/8 top and 1 1/2 bottom bearings, for a stiffer front end.

Specialized use 1 3/8 for the bottom bearing, unless they've changed it. Which means that getting headset bearings is a PITA as not many make them, and they are expensive. Same goes for the forks, you're stuck with Specialized.

[7755matt]

I love my carbon Scott cr1 pro. I also quite like my very old ally Scott speedster always prefer riding the carbon bike, frame feels more comfortable, climbing is easier and descents just feel planted.

Back out on it for a little ride today. The only two wheels I've got currently

Originally Posted by maviczap

Carbon is my favourite frame material and there are plenty of us here who have carbon bikes from various makes, including Look, Ribble, Canyon and Wilier from memory.

You won't be disappointed by upgrading to any good carbon frame, the Ribbles and Canyons get good reviews and you get more for your money with them.

Don't forget Dolan (in Ormskirk), too:
http://www.dolan-bikes.com

Love my Tuono SL

[maviczap]

Lets not forget that most if not all carbon frames are made in Taiwan, as they are the experts, so whether its a Ribble, Dolan, Wilier, Colnago, Specialized etc etc, it'll be made in the far east

Interestingly I have a Chinese carbon disc frame which I bought on a whim for a holiday bike. This is it mid ride yesterday. For the money, I'm really happy with it, its got the latest fork standards, handles really well and is very comfortable. The only thing that was carp, was the seatpost, and its got a specialized one now.

Built up from spare parts, except for the wheels & disc brakes

IMAG0029 by maviczap, on Flickr

[Luckypants]

Does anyone use a power meter? If so, please relate your reasons for getting one, if it helps and how you use it. What benefits did you see, especially if you are non-competitive?

[maviczap]

Not yet, but I'm on the list to get one of these

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/l...r-meter#/story

Why? As usual the inner geek in me said get one, even though do I really need one?

It was half price when I put my money down & much much cheaper than any other system. I wouldn't buy any of the others, they're far too expensive, but for the money I paid for this one, it'll be worth a punt.

As to the reasons why, there's the new online training simulators such as Zwift which use power metering to track what you're doing, so I want to give those a go.It'll make turbo sessions a bit more fun in the winter.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/...release-171798

Once I've got it, then I'll work out how to train with it, it'll be produced too late for this years riding.