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Bicycle age

Every single rider I know use different saddles.

By swear by I meant they'll have 3 - 5 for you to start on to help figure out shape. But yeah, i think in the group I ride with no one has the same saddle. Two of us rode Aliante's at one point but even the one was on a R3 and the other a Gamma.

I've been quite happy with my two Fabric Scoops. I have a Radius on my mountain bike and a Shallow on my road.
 
By swear by I meant they'll have 3 - 5 for you to start on to help figure out shape. But yeah, i think in the group I ride with no one has the same saddle. Two of us rode Aliante's at one point but even the one was on a R3 and the other a Gamma.

I've been quite happy with my two Fabric Scoops. I have a Radius on my mountain bike and a Shallow on my road.

Well yea, as a retailer we have 1-2 brands that we stock and try to recommend.

That said, I am a Brooks Cambium guy myself. Have them on all of my bikes and love them. :)
 
My saddle started creaking. I was planning to clean and grease the following:

* Seat post
* Seat rail mount
* Saddle rails

Am I missing anything? I noticed it creaks as I even tighten a bolt so I'm thinking it's just the rail mount.
 

T8SC

Member
My saddle started creaking. I was planning to clean and grease the following:

* Seat post
* Seat rail mount
* Saddle rails

Am I missing anything? I noticed it creaks as I even tighten a bolt so I'm thinking it's just the rail mount.

Is it torque'd to the correct amount?
 
I don't have a torque wrench, I need to get one. I don't think it's over torqued because it happens before I even get to the point of the bolt feeling tight. It's why I'm thinking it's a grease/clean thing in the rail
 

T8SC

Member
I don't have a torque wrench, I need to get one. I don't think it's over torqued because it happens before I even get to the point of the bolt feeling tight. It's why I'm thinking it's a grease/clean thing in the rail

Possibly, slap some grease everywhere. Creaks are annoying but when u have a BB30/PF30 u have to just get used to them. :-(
 
Possibly, slap some grease everywhere. Creaks are annoying but when u have a BB30/PF30 u have to just get used to them. :-(

It ended up being super simple: the washer between the bolt head and clamp was reversed. So the washer wasn't sitting flush to either side and causing the creak.
 

Gray Matter

Member
Because the internet is mean and spoon feeds you whatever it is that you're craving, I've been seeing lots of ads/videos for my dream bike, a Trek Madone. If money was no problem I'd go for the race shop limited, but since money is the problem I could probably get a Madone 9.0 or 9.2 in 2-4 years, if I restrain myself.

Curious, what's your dream bike, if money wasn't a problem?
 
Because the internet is mean and spoon feeds you whatever it is that you're craving, I've been seeing lots of ads/videos for my dream bike, a Trek Madone. If money was no problem I'd go for the race shop limited, but since money is the problem I could probably get a Madone 9.0 or 9.2 in 2-4 years, if I restrain myself.

Curious, what's your dream bike, if money wasn't a problem?

Richard Sachs, no doubt. Knowing it would never happen then either 44 Bikes or Firefly. I really like Speedvagen bikes but the paint schemes can be eh for me.
 

xzoowy

Member
Did a FTP test ride (20min effort) this morning and got a new PB.

ZBmU0dK.png
 

teepo

Member
that some serious power. if i could push that kind of wattage, i'd be at 4.6 ftp/kg


and i just realized i don't really have a dream bike. i probably spend way more time fantasizing about wheelset since i'm fairly content with my ridley noah frameset. them zipp nsw wheels
 

xzoowy

Member
that some serious power. if i could push that kind of wattage, i'd be at 4.6 ftp/kg


and i just realized i don't really have a dream bike. i probably spend way more time fantasizing about wheelset since i'm fairly content with my ridley noah frameset. them zipp nsw wheels


I ride FLO wheels, its about 1200 USD for a pair of carbon clinchers (http://www.flocycling.com/). The downside is that they are not UCI certified, so you can not use them in UCI sanctioned road races. But they are quite popular among triathletes.I'm just a weekend warrior roadie, so they are just fine for me. But be aware that carbon clinchers are not that great for breaking in wet conditions, can make squeaking noise when breaking hard and is not recommended for long steep downhill riding where you use the breaks alot(carbon does not dissipate heat well). Its better to have disk breaks rather that rim breaks with carbon clincher wheels.
 
I finally fixed my cx bike for the coming season. Turns out it was a bent hanger fucking up my shifting. That part was fast, but then I had to put in a new shifter cable and that's always a bit of a bother. At least Kona makes their internal routings such that you don't have to hunt the cable end, it just falls through.
 

ThisGuy

Member
Just bought a road bike for fitness. About to take it out for the first time in five.

What are some essentials I need to pick up? I know I need a saddle bag for keys and wallet.

I haven't been on a bicycle in over 10 years.
 
  • Helmet for safety
  • Gloves so you don't lose all the skin on your palms if you fall
  • Glasses for wind and bug protection
  • Padded shorts or undershorts for keeping your nether regions chafe free
  • Bottle cage and bottle because dehydration really sucks
 

ThisGuy

Member
  • Helmet for safety
  • Gloves so you don't lose all the skin on your palms if you fall
  • Glasses for wind and bug protection
  • Padded shorts or undershorts for keeping your nether regions chafe free
  • Bottle cage and bottle because dehydration really sucks
Got the helmet and bottle for water.

But, why didnt my bike come with a kickstand? I didn't realize this at the store. Is that normal?
 

HTupolev

Member
why didnt my bike come with a kickstand? I didn't realize this at the store. Is that normal?
It's normal.

Kickstands add weight, look ugly, are annoying and clunky, and rarely serve any functional purpose.

Ways to position a bike:
-Lean it against on object such as a wall, with the saddle or rear tire.
-Stand it with an object such as a curb under a pedal.
-In extreme desperation, you can lay it on the ground with the drive side up.

What are some essentials I need to pick up? I know I need a saddle bag for keys and wallet.
Tools, especially for fixing a flat. I generally carry at least one spare inner tube, a multi-tool, and tire levers in my saddle bags; usually also some glueless patches, which kind of suck but are cheap and light and don't take up much space.
 

ThisGuy

Member
Yeah I ended up leaning it against a bench and pole for breaks.

I plan on picking up the saddle bag, multi tool, spare tube thursday. Oh, and bike shorts. That seat is fucking murder.

Is there a mounting backing for 5.5" inch cell phones on handle bars? It'd be great to roughly track my distance/speed with an app.

Guy at the bike shop recommended co2 cartridges. But I think a tiny hand pump would be cheaper in the long run for me. Got an opinion, or recommendation?

First ride gassed me quick. I hit the gym every other day, had way to high expectations of myself because of that.
 

frontieruk

Member
Yeah I ended up leaning it against a bench and pole for breaks.

I plan on picking up the saddle bag, multi tool, spare tube thursday. Oh, and bike shorts. That seat is fucking murder.

Is there a mounting backing for 5.5" inch cell phones on handle bars? It'd be great to roughly track my distance/speed with an app.

Guy at the bike shop recommended co2 cartridges. But I think a tiny hand pump would be cheaper in the long run for me. Got an opinion, or recommendation?

First ride gassed me quick. I hit the gym every other day, had way to high expectations of myself because of that.

Quad lock is gold standard for iPhone, android with it's various sized handsets is a bit more awkward. Though unless you really want live data or map routing putting it in a pocket will be fine for tracking.
 
Get Strava for your phone, it's the best (and worst) bike app since sliced bread.

CO2 cartridges are really good for quickly fixing a puncture, but they do cost a few bucks a pop. I'd get two cartridges and one of those combo pumps that can also take a cartridge (using the other cartridge to practice). You probably also want a cheap floor pump with a pressure gauge to use at home. Bottom line is, hand pumps are torturous to use.
 

Teggy

Member
I did a very leisurely 40 miles today, my first ride of any decent length in quite a while.

Now all I need to do is resist the urge to order a pizza for dinner.

And I still can't find a pair of shorts/bibs that I like. I've found that the PI bib that seemed pretty good slides down off of my sitbones. The XL Castellis do the same and the L Castellis feel too small. The LG shorts that actually fit have the issue of soaking up too much water.

Edit: maybe I should try the shorts versions of those bibs because the problem is there isn't enough tension in the straps to keep them up.

At least my Specialized Avatar is feeling pretty good when my shorts are in place.

And my FTP is like 155 lol.
 

Laekon

Member
I plan on picking up the saddle bag, multi tool, spare tube thursday. Oh, and bike shorts. That seat is fucking murder.

Is there a mounting backing for 5.5" inch cell phones on handle bars? It'd be great to roughly track my distance/speed with an app.

Guy at the bike shop recommended co2 cartridges. But I think a tiny hand pump would be cheaper in the long run for me. Got an opinion, or recommendation?

Give the seat a few rides but after 4 to 5 start trying something else. Most shops will sell you a seat and let you return it after 3 rides if you keep the receipt and packaging. They might even have demo saddles. This case has been popular at my shop.

https://deltacycle.com/bike-phone-tablet-holders/smartphone-xl-bicycle-holder-black

CO2 makes fixing a flat a lot easier but it does cost more. Each cartridge will only fill 1 flat cause the air will escape in a day or 2 after it's punctured no matter what device you are using. Mini pumps are an arm workout no matter if it is a high pressure road tire or high volume mtn bike tire. If you do get a pump, its better if you get one with some type of hose.
 

ShapeGSX

Member
I only carry CO2. Those mini pumps are useless (try getting up to 110psi with one), weigh a lot, and take up space. I have a big pump at home that I use to pump up the tires. Tires lose pressure slowly, so you have to pump them up every few days when you ride. Get a big floor pump for that, and carry CO2 for emergencies.

Flat fixing is a relatively rare thing for me. I don't think I've gotten one this year in 3000mi. So even though CO2 might be more expensive than a mini pump in the long run, you aren't talking about a ton of outlay. In 4 years, I don't think I've used enough CO2 to add up to one mini pump.

This is the CO2 inflator I use. It is metal. The seal is very good on it, and lets you inflate slowly.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003M2PNGY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

They sell one with a cartridge, too, but it's like $10 more. Cartridges at my local bike shop are far more reasonable.
 
Tubeless roadside repair is not worth it. We had a guy puncture on a screw and lost all the sealant. We tried to re-seat with a CO02 and it was just not worth the hassle. Threw a tube in and went on our way.
 

ShapeGSX

Member
Tubeless roadside repair is not worth it. We had a guy puncture on a screw and lost all the sealant. We tried to re-seat with a CO02 and it was just not worth the hassle. Threw a tube in and went on our way.

I just realized what I said didn't really make sense. :) I had trouble getting a tubeless rim to seat with a standard tire and tube until I pumped it up to 125psi or so. Tubeless rim bead profiles are larger than a standard rim, so they take a bit more pressure to get seated.
 
Tubeless roadside repair is not worth it. We had a guy puncture on a screw and lost all the sealant. We tried to re-seat with a CO02 and it was just not worth the hassle. Threw a tube in and went on our way.

Disagree completely. Once you know how to do it, it's trivial, and most of the time putting a tube in a previously tubeless tyre just results in the tube getting burst unless you're really careful (the tyre is usually full of thorns / spiky things that you had no idea were there).

...and if you're losing the seating, you've got shit tyres or shit rims.
 

frontieruk

Member
Disagree completely. Once you know how to do it, it's trivial, and most of the time putting a tube in a previously tubeless tyre just results in the tube getting burst unless you're really careful (the tyre is usually full of thorns / spiky things that you had no idea were there).

...and if you're losing the seating, you've got shit tyres or shit rims.

Welcome to the roadie tubeless...

Has anyone had their hands on the new mavic road tubeless rims?
 

T8SC

Member
Welcome to the roadie tubeless...

Has anyone had their hands on the new mavic road tubeless rims?

Not yet, they looked impressive on the GCN video. Problem is that if it only works with Mavic tyres then I'm out. Mavic make good wheels but not so good tyres.
 

frontieruk

Member
Not yet, they looked impressive on the GCN video. Problem is that if it only works with Mavic tyres then I'm out. Mavic make good wheels but not so good tyres.

I Imagine the tolerances for the tyres will make them awkward, I imagine Mavic once the have the standard ratified will make a UST compatible logo or something.
 
Disagree completely. Once you know how to do it, it's trivial, and most of the time putting a tube in a previously tubeless tyre just results in the tube getting burst unless you're really careful (the tyre is usually full of thorns / spiky things that you had no idea were there).

...and if you're losing the seating, you've got shit tyres or shit rims.

Unfortunately road tubeless is not as nice as mountain. We currently have different specs for bead offerings. Depending on the combo it could be a pain.
 
I have a pretty good combo right now with Schwalbe TR and Stans Grail rims, but I'm hoping by time I upgrade these rims there will be better standards out there for road tubeless
 

Laekon

Member
This is the CO2 inflator I use. It is metal. The seal is very good on it, and lets you inflate slowly.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003M2PNGY/?tag=neogaf0e-20

I personally like ones that are spring activated instead of dials or triggers. They are easy to control with one hand.

I had really good luck with Hutchinson Sector 28mm tubeless tires. When I switched to them I thought I would lose some speed but I didn't. I noticed a huge difference in control over broken pavement though. I was using one of the DT rims with spoke inserts instead of spoke holes drilled through the rim so that had a lot to do with how well they sealed up.
 

HTupolev

Member
weigh a lot, and take up space.
If space is an issue, the brackets for mounting next to a bottle cage are very unobtrusive. And pumps with a hose and narrow threaded chuck can be made very compact, since everything is inline.

Mini-pumps do tend to be heavier than a minimal CO2 setup, but "weigh a lot" seems unfair; my RaceRocket HP is ~80g.
 

cebri.one

Member
Hi MTB gaf.

So i decided a few days ago to rescue my old bike from the storage room.


Orbea Sate 2009. I did some basic maintenance: changed tires, greased the bearings, realigned the rear derailleur, etc. The chain is in bad shape but it's doing its job. Hopefully i'll be more active in this thread from now on.
 

Teggy

Member
I saw a tandem mountain bike during my ride on Sunday. I'd like to see those guys navigating some technical trails.

I also saw my first Canyon in the US the other day on the back of someone's car.
 
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