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Official CL weekend Lycra warriors thread (cycling)

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  • McBobbin
    McBobbin Posts: 12,051
    Got my bike from a second hand dealer who is mainly on Facebook, tends to do mainly kids bikes... But if he sells a bike worth more than £100 he wants full proof of purchase from the seller at the very least. Sounds absolutely fair, wondered if that was normal?
  • Fumbluff
    Fumbluff Posts: 10,122
    It’s all about provenance, don’t you watch the Antiques Roadshow?
  • barstool
    barstool Posts: 1,351
    I’ve just bought a secondhand BMC alpen challenger for the winter rides to work. Nice bit of kit and very good riding position, not the cheapest even secondhand but made by the Swiss so great simple engineering and therefore well made. Would recommend this as a great all rounder 
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,036
    Strava kudos. They baffle me, I go for a 3 mile trip to the supermarket and someone I’ve never heard of in Indonesia gives me kudos. Then on a longer, but still short (and slow) ride I get kudos from an unknown someone in Holland.
    What’s that all about?
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    iainment said:
    Strava kudos. They baffle me, I go for a 3 mile trip to the supermarket and someone I’ve never heard of in Indonesia gives me kudos. Then on a longer, but still short (and slow) ride I get kudos from an unknown someone in Holland.
    What’s that all about?
    Are you a member of any Strava clubs/groups or signed up for any challenges? 
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,036
    Leroy Ambrose said:
    iainment said:
    Strava kudos. They baffle me, I go for a 3 mile trip to the supermarket and someone I’ve never heard of in Indonesia gives me kudos. Then on a longer, but still short (and slow) ride I get kudos from an unknown someone in Holland.
    What’s that all about?
    Are you a member of any Strava clubs/groups or signed up for any challenges? 
    Yes to both. In the CL and Shimano clubs and a few challenges. But there’s no reference to these in the kudos.
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    iainment said:
    Leroy Ambrose said:
    iainment said:
    Strava kudos. They baffle me, I go for a 3 mile trip to the supermarket and someone I’ve never heard of in Indonesia gives me kudos. Then on a longer, but still short (and slow) ride I get kudos from an unknown someone in Holland.
    What’s that all about?
    Are you a member of any Strava clubs/groups or signed up for any challenges? 
    Yes to both. In the CL and Shimano clubs and a few challenges. But there’s no reference to these in the kudos.
    Doesn't matter. If you're in a club, other people in that club can see your rides on the club fees and some people just like to give kudos
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,036
    Leroy Ambrose said:
    iainment said:
    Leroy Ambrose said:
    iainment said:
    Strava kudos. They baffle me, I go for a 3 mile trip to the supermarket and someone I’ve never heard of in Indonesia gives me kudos. Then on a longer, but still short (and slow) ride I get kudos from an unknown someone in Holland.
    What’s that all about?
    Are you a member of any Strava clubs/groups or signed up for any challenges? 
    Yes to both. In the CL and Shimano clubs and a few challenges. But there’s no reference to these in the kudos.
    Doesn't matter. If you're in a club, other people in that club can see your rides on the club fees and some people just like to give kudos
    Thanks.
  • jamescafc
    jamescafc Posts: 1,831
    A few questions:

    what are people thoughts on tubeless tyres. Having a bit of a bad run with punctures but may just be shit roads in VN. Currently using gatorskins.

    what do most people run on their road bikes - 23mm or 25mm. I see lots of debate on bike forums so a bit unsure which is best way to go
  • colthe3rd
    colthe3rd Posts: 8,486
    I use gator skins (Leroy's favourite tyre iirc), haven't had a puncture in over a year now. They may be shite for grip but they are pretty much bomb proof. Have you checked you're not getting pinch flats?

    I think the general consensus now is wider is better in terms of more comfort and lower rolling resistance. There's different theories on which is best for avoiding punctures. Mine are 25.
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  • GlenPonder
    GlenPonder Posts: 20
    Should be watching the match, but this discussion is more interesting. I run 28s on both my road bikes, Continental Grand Prix GTs. Happy with those. 23s have fallen out of favour, as mentioned above wider tyres offer more comfort and lower rolling resistance. No experience of tubeless, I have watched some YouTube videos on how to fit them, looks tricky to me! 
  • Red_in_SE8
    Red_in_SE8 Posts: 5,961
    Got tubeless on my one year old Trek mountain bike. My new road bike comes in March. Upgrading wheels to carbon with tubeless 28 tyres. Wouldn’t dream of ever not using tubeless tyres now. 
  • Fumbluff
    Fumbluff Posts: 10,122
    Red_in_SE8 said:
    Got tubeless on my one year old Trek mountain bike. My new road bike comes in March. Upgrading wheels to carbon with tubeless 28 tyres. Wouldn’t dream of ever not using tubeless tyres now. 
    Because?
  • Red_in_SE8
    Red_in_SE8 Posts: 5,961
    edited February 2021
    No need to carry pump, repair kit or spare tube.   But, most of all, don’t have to worry about getting a puncture. Not had a puncture incident on my mountain bike in the year I have had it. I have had several incidents where I have noticed the white sealant spotted on the tyres after I have arrived home. It should be noted that I am not a club rider so not really able to comment on performance issues with tubeless tyres.
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,036
    .
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    Road Tubeless is a typical bike industry solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

    I ride around 16-18000km a year, at least 5000km of that in shite weather, and at least 12000km on awful Lancashire and Cheshire roads. I get about 6 punctures a year - mainly thorns, the occasional flint and (memorably) a couple of nails. Takes about 5 minutes to change a tube (less if you bother with co2 - personally I don't) 

    If you're getting more punctures than that, it's for one of three reasons 

    1 - Your tyres are fucked. Change them. I like to ride Corsas because nothing feels like a Corsa on grippy descents or fanging it round corners on crits - but they cut up like buggery so I change than about every 4000km (quicker in winter). I won't touch skaterskins with a bargepole, but Schwalbe Durano and Specialized Armadillo are absolutely bombproof winter/heavy duty tyres that don't make every grid/manhole feel like black ice in the wet, so might be worth investing in them. 
    2 - You're using race tubes (lighter) instead of regular tubes (heavier). Don't do this for anything other than racing. Even then, the difference is minimal and I'd never use them for anything other than a crit. 
    3 - (By far the most likely) You're either not locating the source of the puncture and getting rid of it properly, or have multiple flints/thorns in your sidewall waiting to work their way in deep enough to give you a flat

    For MTB, cross and gravel riding tubeless makes perfect sense and is worth the hassle. For road riding, it's just not - and was invented by the bike industry to sell you more shit. 
  • Huskaris
    Huskaris Posts: 9,844
    Leroy Ambrose said:
    Road Tubeless is a typical bike industry solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

    I ride around 16-18000km a year, at least 5000km of that in shite weather, and at least 12000km on awful Lancashire and Cheshire roads. I get about 6 punctures a year - mainly thorns, the occasional flint and (memorably) a couple of nails. Takes about 5 minutes to change a tube (less if you bother with co2 - personally I don't) 

    If you're getting more punctures than that, it's for one of three reasons 

    1 - Your tyres are fucked. Change them. I like to ride Corsas because nothing feels like a Corsa on grippy descents or fanging it round corners on crits - but they cut up like buggery so I change than about every 4000km (quicker in winter). I won't touch skaterskins with a bargepole, but Schwalbe Durano and Specialized Armadillo are absolutely bombproof winter/heavy duty tyres that don't make every grid/manhole feel like black ice in the wet, so might be worth investing in them. 
    2 - You're using race tubes (lighter) instead of regular tubes (heavier). Don't do this for anything other than racing. Even then, the difference is minimal and I'd never use them for anything other than a crit. 
    3 - (By far the most likely) You're either not locating the source of the puncture and getting rid of it properly, or have multiple flints/thorns in your sidewall waiting to work their way in deep enough to give you a flat

    For MTB, cross and gravel riding tubeless makes perfect sense and is worth the hassle. For road riding, it's just not - and was invented by the bike industry to sell you more shit. 
    Got so many flats on my last bike, was getting to the point of once every couple of weeks and I changed my tyres (GP4000S) but still it kept happening. 

    Hasn't happened on my new bike and I'm sure it's because of the wheel pinching the tubes. I came off once and I think there was a bit of a splinter in the wheel. Infuriating.
  • EastStand
    EastStand Posts: 4,109
    edited February 2021
    Always buy continentals and the bigger the better. Got cyclocross kings in 35mm - only diamond will puncture that :joy:
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    EastStand said:
    Always buy continentals and the bigger the better. Got cyclocross kings in 35mm - only diamond will puncture that :joy:
    I had those in my Aspero. One trip down a lane where the farmer had been trimming hedges and I double punctured, and got three in the rear. 
  • jamescafc
    jamescafc Posts: 1,831
    Just bought some Vittoria rubino pro graphene. Not sure if they are any good but not a great deal of choice. Didn’t plan on ever using my road bike in Vietnam but just joined a local club and surprised by how popular it is. Regularly getting 40 guys out during week and at weekends. 5am starts aren’t much fun though 
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  • jamescafc
    jamescafc Posts: 1,831
    @Leroy Ambrose I’ve been doing a bit of reading to find out best ways to improve my avg speed. 

    When out alone I’ll avg 26-28 over 30-50km and in a group around 30ish but for the club here, the B guys avg 33 and A’s around 35-38.

    Any tips on how best to close the gap, or is it just a case of building mileage in legs and giving it some time?
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    jamescafc said:
    @Leroy Ambrose I’ve been doing a bit of reading to find out best ways to improve my avg speed. 

    When out alone I’ll avg 26-28 over 30-50km and in a group around 30ish but for the club here, the B guys avg 33 and A’s around 35-38.

    Any tips on how best to close the gap, or is it just a case of building mileage in legs and giving it some time?
    Short of following a specific plan (which I can help you with, but it ain't free :D) then basically you need more miles in your legs and you need to go harder on your rides (ooer). That doesn't mean go out and kill yourself every time you ride, but it does mean working in intervals of quite a bit more intensity than you're used to on a regular basis, and repeating those intervals in sessions. Gradually up the intensity and distance (generally your longer distance rides should be at a pace you could ride all day at).

    The best advice I could give for someone wanting to get better is to ride with better riders. I've lost count of the number of people I've ridden and raced with who never improve because they're out with the same people all the time. Get out of your comfort zone - once lockdown is over, ride with the group above you. provided you're OK with being able to find your way home if you get dropped, nobody should mind you riding with a group of the ability level above you (although it sounds like you're already a 'C' level rider, and generally in most clubs its the B group that has the most dick-swinging (a bunch of people with something to prove to each other despite not being fast enough for the As)) so don't be surprised if it's really hard to begin with. Hang in there as long as you can, and just keep going back for more abuse every week :) Sounds horrendous, but you will not find a better way to improve as a rider than riding with people who are stringer than you.

    If you're serious about improving, I can do you a three month plan - but I generally find most riders need to be comfortably riding with the B or A group before they're ready to commit to that.
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,036
    When I change up a gear the lever sometimes just doesn’t catch anything. Is this anything to worry about?
  • EastStand
    EastStand Posts: 4,109

  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    #baller


  • GlenPonder
    GlenPonder Posts: 20
    ^Great pic^ @Leroy Ambrose What are your thoughts on the Freeman verdict earlier today?
  • Bournemouth Addick
    Bournemouth Addick Posts: 16,283
    Roglic winning the stage with an uphill sprint finish in the Paris-Nice today was taking the mickey. Guy's in the shape of his life. 
  • Leroy Ambrose
    Leroy Ambrose Posts: 14,435
    GlenPonder said:
    ^Great pic^ @Leroy Ambrose What are your thoughts on the Freeman verdict earlier today?
    Meh. Testosterone is such a low-fi drug that there's no chance it was a Sky rider. That's all anyone seems to give a shit about. It's more likely to have been a female rider, tbh. 
  • EastStand
    EastStand Posts: 4,109
    Leroy Ambrose said:
    GlenPonder said:
    ^Great pic^ @Leroy Ambrose What are your thoughts on the Freeman verdict earlier today?
    Meh. Testosterone is such a low-fi drug that there's no chance it was a Sky rider. That's all anyone seems to give a shit about. It's more likely to have been a female rider, tbh. 
    Makes sense. I’d love to be able to build muscle as easily as a man - I’d be the fucking hulk in a week :joy:
  • ColinTat
    ColinTat Posts: 2,794
    What about if you have a low Testosterone count like Chris Boardman did?  All the Russian atheletes were abusing synthetic testosterone, both male and female.  People like to forget Ferrari's regime for Lance included testosterone right up close to the Tour.  That's why with EPO he could climb at 74-75 kg, and ride a flat ITT like a top Classics big man.

    Granted post EPO era it's all about power and low weight, so it seems strange.  The Medical Council seem to operate on the balance of probabilities, but it seems to be a huge jump between any fact and to claim it was for PEDs.  Having said that the individuals and setup should be questioned and journalist's pressure applied.  You'd have to be a fool to believe the richest part of the professional cycling industry didn't learn how to cheat the biological passport within a short time of it's introduction.

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