The biking thread

Had a little bit of an experience today, doing my first functiontional threshold power test (FTP). First time on a turbo too, which was amusing, as I managed to move the unit 2m forward during the 20 minute test, which you aren't supposed to do :lol: super low efficiency.

Basically, the idea is to go as hard as you can sustain for 20 minutes, trying to keep a constant wattage and heart rate. First time I moved the front wheel too much, so we reset it, then I moved it again, so finally we moved to a different turbo trainer. Had a Garmin in front of me (not mine :dunce:), so I could see my power, HR, and time. Accidentally did the first five minutes at 350W, then quickly realised that was a mistake, so moved down a gear and just kept it going for the last 15. There was a slight dripping of sweat during activity, from all over the body :sly:

Ended up averaging 308W at 172bpm, giving an FTP of 293W and about 3.9W/kg. Makes you realise how crazy the pros are, when they can average 6W/kg for an hour up a climb! Nice to know anyway.
 
Finishing a ride by riding the last 10km into a 50kmh headwind in 38C heat is not fun.
That is all.











Freakin wind never seems to pick up and turn direction in your favour. :grumpy:
 
I feel sorry for all those poor bastards without drop. At least a road bike has so aero advantage.

Can't say I've even been through those exact conditions but I did see some poor chap trying to get through DaBanCheng, the windiest place on earth, that's about 130 degrees on an average day.

I barely got through alive on a motorcycle, no idea if he even had a chamce of survival on a push iron.

I was just thinking, this must be one of my favorite threads yet has been so inactive for the last 6 months.

In truth I did less than 20km in total over xmas while at home and that was mostly errands. :(
 
W3HS
I feel sorry for all those poor bastards without drop. At least a road bike has so aero advantage.
Click to expand...

There was at least that and I took full advantage of it.
No need move from that position to take in water as it was more of the temperature of tea by that stage as I unfortunately didn't have any ice to pop in it before heading off.

I was just thinking, this must be one of my favorite threads yet has been so inactive for the last 6 months.
Click to expand...

Your little jaunt around China may have something to do with that ;) along with the fact that @Neal doesn't come to GTP very often anymore, come to think of it I haven't seen @MarinaDiamandis around for a while either.
I have have sent @Emptyone a message via Strava though prodding him to get some photos of his new bike and post them up here. Hopefully that should be enough to give this thread a bit of a kick in the pants.
 
Shaun
I have have sent @Emptyone a message via Strava though prodding him to get some photos of his new bike and post them up here. Hopefully that should be enough to give this thread a bit of a kick in the pants.
Click to expand...

Ask and I shall deliver :sly:


So, coming home from University, I was painfully aware I needed somewhat more of a summer bike than my current Scott S55, which whilst being a nice entry level bike, was an entry level bike. Headed into the local bike shop to have a browse, and was offered a Madone 6.5 that had been sitting around for months with no one buying it.

Bicycle_zpsf0b97332.jpg


It had never been ridden, mere slight scratches from being in the shop for so long. I didn't really consider saying no, as it was less than half the full retail price, which is a hefty chunk of money.

Waited till yesterday to pick it up, due to atrocius weather in the run up to Christmas. Needless to say jumping on it was quite the joy inducing experience.

Happywithbike_zpseb69f845.jpg


Went for a little test ride, just over half an hour, using a hill I've done many times, and managed to cut 30s off my previous PB. That is a combination of both being fitter and the bike, but it makes spinning up an 9% climb a doddle comparitively!

Since Shaun wanted a couple more pics, here are some!

P1000356_zpsdf5f4ae4.jpg


Weighed in at 7.5kg in the shop without pedals, Carbon frame, Ultegra group set with Bonty Hard Race Lite's front and rear, as well as Bonty RXL wheels.
P1000357_zps3eb4fabd.jpg


Cool thing with the rear wheel is the hub spokes are crossed, whilst the other side has radial spokes.

P1000358_zpsfc1f999a.jpg


Best purchase of my life, can't wait for better conditions to give it the riding it deserves :)
 
Great looking bike.

The road bike will be getting a lot of riding in 2014. Plans are coming together for a Skegness-Aberystwyth ride. Need to get cycle-fit quickly, and lose about 7lbs!
 
I've been thinking of nodding my bike in the future.

Once I get to Chiang Mai I have no need for gearing and have been looking at converting from my current 16 speed drive train to a single speed (not fixed) and buying a proper race bike (the Dogma frame has been on my mind, or a TCR Advanced) for the weekend rides.

I'm wonder what size (teeth wise) to stick on the rear. I've seen an SRAM fixie crank of 48 which looks promising but as for the rear I've had little time to experiment. I will be using it on flat roads but also don't want anything too tiring/fast.

@Emptyone, can't see your pics because I'm on my phone but look forward to seeing them when I'm on a pc.
 
@Emptyone bike looks great mate and it sounds like you got a great deal.
The in-frame cabling really finishes it of well, just be aware of some of the methods required to replace to cables when the time comes if you plan on doing that yourself.

What gear ratios are on it? 50/39 upfront with 11/25 at the back?
Looks like you better start saving for those pedals :sly:, you could always go for the non carbon version to cut the price way back.

By the looks of it with what you are wearing in the second pick the weather it the complete opposite (as expected) to what we're going through. I've been wearing the absolute minimum of late.

Congrats again mate I'm sure the bike will give you many miles of enjoyment. :cheers:
 
:cheers: @ExigeEvan

I will take less than half price most times :D
Yep the maintenance is going to be a tad different with the in house cabling, so I'll have to read up on that before it becomes an issue! I much prefer attempting myself before handing cash over.

53/39 and 11/28, so slightly hill inclined ratios. Those pedals look delicious, but I may have to cash in on a cheaper non carbon version as you said, black would make it look that much better.

It's thoroughly disgusting riding at the moment, 6/7 degrees but rain with wind most days, enough to need warmth. Still rocking the sunnies though :sly:

I hope so, I do worry about the preponderance of potholes in town though causing issues with my carbon :eek:
 
Didn't check the link (on my phone currently) but if it's the front brake issue that recall is on all of those brakes world wide from what ive read recently. They will send a mechanical to replace the hydrolic for the time being.
 
Mike Rotch
@Emptyone I randomly stumbled onto this product recall here in Aus for your Trek Madone:

http://www.recalls.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1054502

it is also on the Trek website:

http://www.trekbikes.com/au/en/support/safety_and_recalls

Has to do with a front brake component that can fail.
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Thanks for that, had me worried for a bit!

I checked, mine is a 2012 bike, and technically only a Madone 6.5 frameset according to the trek registration, the rest of the bike was built from the ground up in the bike shop, so thankfully that doesn't apply ... I think :nervous:
 
Well that was a comedy of errors!

I got prepped for a ride this arvo, only to find the front tyre flat when I did the usual pre-ride checks :indiff:. Luckily it was the front...so, off with the wheel and tyre and tube to find the leak....looking, looking, looking. Can't find it...finally it's there in the usual spot for me; at the base of the value :dunce:.

Ok, on with the new, tyre back on, wheel and brakes back on....hmm, wheel is catching on the pads. Fiddle fiddle, I don't know, so clean up and head off. About 2km in it dawn on me; I was careful to ensure the tread was directionally right, but I must have switched the wheel around, so now the brakes are trying to bed in on the wrong side - hence the catching :grumpy:.

So back home, off with the wheel and tyre and all is back to where it was. Stuff the ride today, I am sweating it up enough as is.
 
Emptyone
Thanks for that, had me worried for a bit!

I checked, mine is a 2012 bike, and technically only a Madone 6.5 frameset according to the trek registration, the rest of the bike was built from the ground up in the bike shop, so thankfully that doesn't apply ... I think :nervous:
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Yep I'm 99.9% sure your fine. Can't quite tell in the pics but they are Ultegra brake calipers aren't they? If so you have nothing to worry about and the fact the LBS built the bike from parts they had.
Going by the specs here your model the 2012 has Sram brakes from the factory. The 2013 (affected models) come with Bontrager brakes so your in the clear.
Keep pedaling and forget about it. 👍


@Mike Rotch :lol:
Oh well at least you got a few km's in.
Props for doing a pre-ride check though, mine consists of getting on the bike and looking down to see the tyres aren't flat. :dopey:
 
I do quite a thorough check before I ride usually: pressures, brakes, lights, quick release wheel locks and crank, to make sure nothing goes wrong when I'm hurtling down a mountain at 60kph. That would end in tears if aheel was to fall off. :scared:
 
In reality I should check at least the quick release locks but I don't.
Pretty much everything else can be done in the first few hundred meters gently rolling down my street.

I will say though once a week it's gets a good clean and going over, remove and swap out to pre-cleaned chain, quick once over with the torque wrench and pressure checks of tyres etc. Just on the rides in between I don't bother but I may at least make the effort the quick releases from now on.
 
My biggest concern is the quick release on the wheels. I always give them a squeeze after I've grabbed a bit of brake.

My chain has never come off for cleaning, but once every 500km i get out the toothbrush and old socks wire brush and some fFinish Line wet lube and spend an hour going over the whole drive train.

I haven't used my bike much recently and it's kept inside and isn't ridden by anyone else.
 
W3HS
My chain has never come off for cleaning, but once every 500km i get out the toothbrush and old socks wire brush and some fFinish Line wet lube and spend an hour going over the whole drive train.
Click to expand...

I was the same up until a couple of months ago when I bought a spare chain. Cleaning the chain itself on the bike is easy, spray some crc/wd40 onto a rag and spin the chain backwards through the wet rag. Repeat a couple of times and then finish off spinning through a dry part of the rag, drop oil on each link and your done.
I do however find cleaning the rest of the drive-train much easier without the chain on in particular the rear derailleur jockey wheels and inside of the front derailleur. With me being my pedantic self I do like the the drive-train to be very clean to help keep it quiet so much so that I swapped out the Shimano jockey wheels with these Tacx ceramic bearing jockey wheels. Way quieter than the standard Shimano ones especially when the chain is on the big ring up front for some reason.
Call me odd but I like the sound of my tyres rolling on the ground more so than listening to the chain running through the drive-train. :embarrassed:


Also why oh why can't this frame be one size smaller, actually that's probably a good thing because if it goes for a good price I probably would have bought it, not that I need a new frame though but do want. :drool:
I'll be watching to see what it does go for though.
 
@Mike Rotch

Um,ah,well yes that's the plan.
While looking through all my bike bits the other day searching for a tube I realised that I nearly had enough parts to build another bike, incidently the sale of my previous frame fell through so that will be the basis of it. While the frame is a bit big in a stretched out position riding it upright was never an issue, besides it seems unfair for it to be sitting in the corner of the garage wrapped in bubble wrap.

So the parts needed are wheels which have been duly ordered for the road bike and the project gets the current ones. Only other bits needed are some flat bars and brake leavers/shifters. The plan is to scrounge around our local tip recycle center and op shops for an old bike that has some decent bars and required ancillaries on it. If that fails it will be watching and waiting on ebay for the parts at a good price. After throwing some cheapish 25mm tyres with some sort of tread on them I figure I should be able to do it for somewhere between $100-$200. (Not including the new wheels obviously)

I have read that it can be done no problems but sometimes the front derailleur from a road bike can be an issue with flat bar shifters. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it, worst case I don't run the front double ring setup as really it won't be needed tootling around town anyway. If you could do me a favour have a look at your bike and if it is Shimano gear (which I think it is) let me know the model numbers of shifters/brake levers and perhaps the front derailleur. Actually even better a link to the actual bike on the Trek website would be even better.

Why another bike you ask?
Well save getting in the car to just nip up the shop for say bread or milk as it's only a few km's away, besides anyone in the supermarket wearing some clipless shoes with jeans or whatever clothing is going to look like a complete wanker. ;)
I do also like to tinker with things in the garage also though.
But most importantly it will be a lot more suited for going on short rides with my kids as the road bike is a complete PITA for that and I mean that literally as no one want to see a man riding with kids in padded lycra.


Edit: Just realised the Bay Cycling Classic is running pretty much the same course as the Aus Masters did tomorrow. Might ride down there and enter that one also. :dopey:
 
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Shaun
@
Edit: Just realised the [URL='http://www.vic.cycling.org.au/Events-Results/Events-Calendar/Event-Details/ArtMID/3534/ArticleID/2850/2014-Mitchelton-Bay-Cycling-Classic']Bay Cycling Classic[/URL] is running pretty much the same course as the Aus Masters did tomorrow. Might ride down there and [I]enter[/I] that one also. :dopey:
Click to expand...
Pff, do it in style, like last time ;)

Here is the link to my bike on the Trek website:

http://www.trekbikes.com/au/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/2013_7_1_fx/

Your endeavours to create a daily bike are well timed.....I liked your idea of having a second chain, but that begs the question...how do I know what chain I need to buy. Are you able to work it out from the gearsets listed?

I also want to change the brake pads as they have been in there for since I got the bike and upon examination, have seen better days. So I spent lunch at work today watching youtube vids and stuff and then I get home and find one cannot replace the pads as they are essentially one with the shoes that attaches the the caliper. Learn something new everyday!
 
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Mike Rotch
Here is the link to my bike on the Trek website:
Click to expand...

Thanks for that confirmed what I thought about the parts I would need. 👍

I liked your idea of having a second chain, but that begs the question...how do I know what chain I need to buy. Are you able to work it out from the gearsets listed?
Click to expand...

Simples, any 7 speed chain.
A chain is dependent on the rear cassette spacing, ie how many gears. The more gears the smaller the space which requires a thinner chain.
A few things to note though.

1: I'll assume it's a Shimano chain currently on your bike which means that there will be no joining link as Shimano persist by joining their chains with joining pins. Technically it's the strongest way but a total PITA if you want to swap the chain regularly using pins to rejoin it. So firstly you'll need one of these, a chain breaker. Don't spend too much as you will use it once or twice. I think that one I listed is the one I bought and it worked, wouldn't have it for a workshop though as the quality isn't great. Use it to break (split) your current chain.

2: Only other thing to note when buying a chain is the length in links. There are lots of technical ways to work out what you need but a sure fire way to know is count the links on your current chain. Once you know this just make sure you buy one with enough links. If its too long use your chain splitter again and remove the amount of links not needed.

3. No matter what chain brand you buy don't rejoin with pins as in the Shimano PITA method. Buy something like this chain joining link. Some are re-usable and tool free and some require a tool to remove. I'll be honest I tried most on the market and the only one I found not to make any noise at all is the Sram Powerlock which technically is supposed to be single use and requires a tool to remove. I bent and ground down an old pair of long nose pliers to make a tool and I've had the link on and off countless times with no issues at all. Depends on how fussy you are with a little bit of noise though, the KMC re-usable one I linked was pretty good also just not totally quiet. You'll probably be fine with 7 speed stuff as there is more space in between the rear cogs where the noise I assumed was coming from as the link ever so slightly rubbed on the next cog especially if I was guilty of cross chaining a bit.

A bit of reading.
Also you tube is your friend here or alternatively just yell out and I'll help as much as possible. 👍


Edit: The links posted are examples and not necessarily the cheapest, if you decide to go ahead with the spare chain make sure you shop around.
Also if you're can't work out which pads to get let me know and I'll have a look also. 👍
 
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Ok, so after sweating up a storm in the garage I've got the new wheels fitted.
A few pics.

DSC_5660_zps11d6b619.jpg


DSC_5665_zpsc8b4c086.jpg


DSC_5669_zps2745695b.jpg


A little bit after ordering them I had a bit of a oh god moment they might not look good on my bike. Anyway now their on it I'm quite happy about how they look.
From spinning them in the bike stand and holding up the front wheel they spin true and very well. The proof will be in the first ride.
I'll be up early tomorrow before it gets too hot and providing it's not blowing a gale I'll be heading off to test them out. Can't wait. :D

Since I'm running a 10 speed setup and these can take 11 speed a spacer is provided to use for the ten speed. Worked very well and just by spinning it up in the stand it seems I'll not even have to make an adjustment to the rear derailleur.

Make a nice noise when free-wheeling too. Not as loud as a lot on the market which I like.


Now a little bit of waiting to put Frankenstein together. ;)
 
The bike looks cleaner than when it arrived from the bike shop :lol:. The wheels compliment the colour scheme of the rest of it (incl colour co-ordinated bottle cages), so don't worry about that. A little bit of white lettering also adds some 'high end' look factor, as if it need it :P.

No reflectors though....tsk tsk.
 
Mike Rotch
The bike looks cleaner than when it arrived from the bike shop :lol:.
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:embarrassed: Yeah it does tend to be well looked after.

The wheels compliment the colour scheme of the rest of it (incl colour co-ordinated bottle cages), so don't worry about that.
Click to expand...

Good because cycling is more about how you look than perform. ;)

No reflectors though....tsk tsk.
Click to expand...

Pfft, see above.
Besides pretty much all of my clothing have some sort of reflective strips on them so I light up like a resident of Chernobyl.


I also very rarely ride in low light conditions.
 

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