New to cycling - Page 17

TZENU · 28-02-2012, 10:41 AM

F6 very nice Merida.... Cyclocross has recently taken off over the last 5 or so years and its great to see it moving along nicely! ...
Would love to get in on some of the racing they do around the state!

blueoval · 28-02-2012, 11:54 AM

you would think the CX's would be harder to push around the rodes and some non sealed paths with those chunkier tires. Is this still the case and would you notice a considerable difference in performance of the CX compared to an outright road bike.

F6_Ute · 28-02-2012, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueoval

you would think the CX's would be harder to push around the rodes and some non sealed paths with those chunkier tires. Is this still the case and would you notice a considerable difference in performance of the CX compared to an outright road bike.

this is true, which is why I swapped out the standard CX tyres & strapped on a pair of 700x23 Conti Hardshells, and other than a slightly smaller chainset (which I'll probably upgrade sometime in the next 6-9 months as I do find I'm frequently pushing top gear down the M4) it's every bit as good as a roadie, and it'll take a beating up & down a few gutters if/when required and so-forth without skipping a beat (which I could not imagine a genuine $3K+ roadie would be keen on doing too often)

as for the upgrades, I'm a bit of a tinkerer - don't mind having a play & installing new bits on the bike - so I'm quite happy to buy-in now & upgrade later as needed

as for weight I'm not that fussed with the weight of any of my bikes - I've always said it's easier to take a kilo off my own body than it is off the bike

blueoval · 29-02-2012, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by F6_Ute

this is true, which is why I swapped out the standard CX tyres & strapped on a pair of 700x23 Conti Hardshells, and other than a slightly smaller chainset (which I'll probably upgrade sometime in the next 6-9 months as I do find I'm frequently pushing top gear down the M4) it's every bit as good as a roadie, and it'll take a beating up & down a few gutters if/when required and so-forth without skipping a beat (which I could not imagine a genuine $3K+ roadie would be keen on doing too often)

as for the upgrades, I'm a bit of a tinkerer - don't mind having a play & installing new bits on the bike - so I'm quite happy to buy-in now & upgrade later as needed

as for weight I'm not that fussed with the weight of any of my bikes - I've always said it's easier to take a kilo off my own body than it is off the bike

And a hell of a lot cheaper

Good to hear you are able to change your tire set and wheels over. That is handy. It's a bit of an all rounder then. Nice one.

For me, I don't mind doing the usual basic maintenance on bikes, but when it comes to adjusting derailleur settings etc. I leave that to my LBS. Everyone is different I guess.

HLC · 14-03-2012, 01:50 PM

Thought i'd give you guys an update on my Hillman Roadie Build.

This is how it stands currently:

I have all the parts at home ready to build, just waiting on another set of bars to turn up, and a shim for the front derailleur clamp, and then need Bartape and a seat pin.

Frame - 1985 Gordon Hill built Hillman in Reynolds 531c Steel
Paint - Original Hillman Team Colours
Group - Campagnolo Veloce 10 spd Black (not Pictured)
Wheelset - Campagnolo Khamsin 2011/12 de-stickered with Bontrager Tyres/Conti Tubes
Headset - Tange Levin Black
Stem - Thomson Elite 1 1/8 threadless (with quill adapter)
Bars - Either Cinelli Eubois 40cm Ergo, or Nuclear 42cm Ergo
Seatpost - Thomson
Saddle - Fizik Tundra
Pedals - Look Keo Max 2's

Sprint · 28-02-2012, 07:34 PM

Im into cycling ,i do about 200kms a week and sometimes a 110km ride, its all about cadence.

Basically learn to rev and keep the revs up(above 90 cadance atleast) but closer to 100 is better.

Dont deisel the gears for that will wear you out later on in the ride.Use those gears smartly.

Mountain bikes are terrable on the road and hard to push.

The differance between sitting on 30kmh and lifting it to 40kmh is amazing and you find yourself "rolling"over one hill and over the next.

I also sit on a spin bike for a hour at 100rpm and thats great for building up cardio.

Sadly ive been abused and spat on by driver though who think its fun or a laugh, but when you can keep up with cars people get a scare lol.

blueoval · 14-03-2012, 01:56 PM

That looks pretty cool Henri.

Campag's are the beez kneez as well mate. Great choice. You have chosen some really good specc'd gear there, including the Look Keo's!!! Noice

That should be a really nice ride once its finished.

HLC · 14-03-2012, 10:56 PM

Cheers Shav,

i got a bit keen and put most of the bits on tonight. I need to swap the bars, and am waiting for my front mech shim then cable it all up, but here's how it sits now!

XYGTHO · 15-03-2012, 03:38 PM

Just got myself a Fuji Nevada 1.0 (Hardtail XC) the other week. Alot more fun riding through parks, and dirt trails on the way to work than my flat bar roady but harder work and not so quick. The gearing difference between the two bikes is amazing.
This is it here:
http://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/nevada-10-usa2

Mines last years model though and came with full SRAM components which seem better than the Shimano Altus, Alivio some bikes in the range come with. Think its equivalent or somesay better than the deodore stuff. Taking it down the local mt this weekend weather permiting, not sure of track length but its just over 600m high. Rd up is about 7km.
2011 Nevada 1.0
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SPECIFICATION DESCRIPTION
SIZES XS (15"), S (17"), M (19"), L (21"), XL (23")
COLOR(S) Matte Black
MAIN FRAME Fuji A1-SL Aluminum with PowerCurve down tube, Tri shaped top tube, Oversized seat tube and integrated head tube, double water bottle mounts
REAR TRIANGLE Fuji A1-SL aluminum with S-bend stay, Cold forged dropout and disc mount w/replaceable hanger
FORK SR Suntour XCM, 100mm Travel w/Mechanical LO
REAR SHOCK Nil
CRANKSET Shimano Alivio 22/32/44T
BOTTOM BRACKET Sealed Cartridge Bearing ST
PEDALS Wellgo ATB w/steel cage
FRONT DERAILLEUR Shimano Alivio, 34.9mm
REAR DERAILLEUR Shimano Alivio SGS Top Normal, 9sp
SHIFTERS Shimano Alivio Rapid Fire, 27-speed
CASSETTE Shimano Cassette, 11-34T 9sp
CHAIN Shimano HG-53
WHEELSET Fuji Custom Disc, IS 32H hubs, Fuji Double Wall Al Disc rims
TIRES Kenda K-837F/K-848R ATB, 26 x 2.1" Wire Bead
BRAKE SET Tektro Draco Hydraulic Disc, 180/160mm rotor
BRAKE LEVERS Tektro Draco Hydraulic Disc Brake Lever
HEADSET Fuji Custom 1 1/8" Press Fit Integrated, 30mm spacers
HANDLEBAR Fuji Riser 20 Alloy Riser Bar
STEM Fuji Forged Alloy w/removable faceplate
TAPE/GRIP Fuji Dual Density Kraton rubber
SADDLE Fuji Sport MTB w/ steel rail
SEAT POST Fuji Alloy micro-adjust, 350x31.6mm

blueoval · 15-03-2012, 09:41 PM

XYGTHO - Nice pick up mate. The Alivio gearset I have heard is equiv to Deore too. But not sure if this is the case.

I have the Deore quickshifters, f&r derailleur as well as they are very good in shift quality for what they are. Having the Hydro disc brakes is handy too.

Your bike looks built to handle the terrain a lot better than Hybrids, so it should serve your purpose well.

I like the Fuji brand too. They look decent. Been keeping my eye on a Fuji SST 2.0 road bike at the moment and the frames look killer. Again, good choice.

XYGTHO · 16-03-2012, 10:47 AM

Yer apparently known for their road bikes. But pretty happy. Didnt take long to get used to the SRAM shifters both below the grips. The rd bike has shimano shifters. Its certainly good fun.

HLC · 18-03-2012, 09:32 PM

Rode in the RAC freeway bike hike today here in Perth.

Basically they close the freeway and let us go nuts for 70km.

Did the ride in 1hr 48m, avg speed of 37.xxkph! That's Fixed Gear / Brakeless with a 10knot headwind!

Was awesome except for all the Fred's half-wheeling and doing a host of other stupid crap. The surging in groups was also pathetic and just dangerous. Had a few near misses myself, saw a couple of crashes and a mate of mine got wiped out as well.

Oh well, still had fun munching roadies like it was a game of pacman!

TZENU · 22-03-2012, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HLC

Rode in the RAC freeway bike hike today here in Perth.

Basically they close the freeway and let us go nuts for 70km.

Did the ride in 1hr 48m, avg speed of 37.xxkph! That's Fixed Gear / Brakeless with a 10knot headwind!

Was awesome except for all the Fred's half-wheeling and doing a host of other stupid crap. The surging in groups was also pathetic and just dangerous. Had a few near misses myself, saw a couple of crashes and a mate of mine got wiped out as well.

Oh well, still had fun munching roadies like it was a game of pacman!

Good work!
That's the problem with half of these events, you tend to get a fair amount of people who are not familar with bunch riding and cause havoc....

trippytaka · 22-03-2012, 01:56 PM

Blrug!

Not as relevant to current conversation, but i haven't ridden in 2 weeks. Put on a few kilos because of it too - and because i at and drank too much.

Bulging disc in my back is playing up and my chain slipping massively too. Getting the gears "tuned" today. Hopefully back on the bike to work again soon. It's been killing me :(

ratter · 22-03-2012, 02:10 PM

I have a couple of bulged disc in my lower back with a little arthritis, I know what you mean, Mine normally plays up after a little while in the saddle and affects my power, comfort etc, good luck

blueoval · 22-03-2012, 03:45 PM

2 weeks out of the saddle feels like 2 months. You put fat on and start losing muscle I noticed. I don't go without riding for longer than this. It's too hard to swing back into it otherwise. Hope your doing ok Trippy.

HLC · 22-03-2012, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueoval

2 weeks out of the saddle feels like 2 months. You put fat on and start losing muscle I noticed. I don't go without riding for longer than this. It's too hard to swing back into it otherwise. Hope your doing ok Trippy.

pretty much why I dont go on holidays! have to work too damn hard on the bike/at the office when I get back HA HA

In other news, finished my roadie

I am going to swap the bars to narrower Cinelli ergo drops and will cut the cables/housings at the same time once they are all stretched good and proper.

Rides damn well. Just need to learn how to ride it quickly!! ie, with proper technique. I could go nuts and smash out the big gears, but that will teach me nothing!

More detailed shots later when i get my hands on my gf's camera. And the sadde/post has gone up about an inch so it looks nicer too!

Parts List:

Frame - 1985 Gordon Hill 'Hillman' in Reynolds 531
Groupset - 2012 Campag Veloce
Wheelset / Tyres - 2012 Campag Khamsin / Bontrager
Headset / Stem / Bars - Tange / Thomson Elite 90mm / Nuclear 42cm Ergo's / Fizik Tape
Post / Saddle - Thomson Elite / Fizik Tundra
Pedals - Look Keo Max 2

trippytaka · 22-03-2012, 03:49 PM

Thanks

yeah it's much better.

It would seem that the riding helps and hinders it. Helps with core and hip mobility, but tightens back muscles, hamstrings etc if you don't stretch - which is where I blew out, so to speak.

Back on the saddle next week though

blueoval · 22-03-2012, 05:01 PM

Love it Henri. looks old school yet with brand new up to date running gear. Other riders will be doing double takes when they see u riding this.

The bars look like a decent width. Unless you are looking for the best aero package I don't see why you would want to change the bars.

Pity you didn't have time to respray the frame and make the thing look like new.

HLC · 22-03-2012, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueoval

Love it Henri. looks old school yet with brand new up to date running gear. Other riders will be doing double takes when they see u riding this.

The bars look like a decent width. Unless you are looking for the best aero package I don't see why you would want to change the bars.

Pity you didn't have time to respray the frame and make the thing look like new.

I'm not the biggest build ha ha 5'10/1 and 73kg ha ha! I like having my arms directly in front of my shoulders so 40cm Center-to-centre bars will acheive this! Plus the Cinelli's are a nicer bar than the cheapo's on there now!

I was going to repaint it but decided not too! Original paint/decals is king! If i painted it, it wouldnt be as special!

HLC · 22-03-2012, 07:30 PM

And if any of you have Strava, post up your links!! I love looking at them!

blueoval · 23-03-2012, 12:16 AM

I have it but never use it. I should give it a go. I use my tracks. There isn't much to show as my rides are mainly sportive.

HLC · 23-03-2012, 01:46 PM

I track my rides with cyclemeter, til i buy a garmin, but with cyclemeter you can export a file to upload to Strava.

It turns every ride into a race ha ha! Funnily enough I have some awesome segment times set of my track bike lol although i did score a KOM on a segment (fastest person) on the first ride on the Hillman! hilarious!

Hell Cat · 26-03-2012, 01:27 AM

Here's my ride

blueoval · 26-03-2012, 12:12 PM

Very NICE ride there Hell Cat. Care to give a run down of the current specs?

Those Zipp wheels are spose to be the beez neez. Are they the carbon versions?

HLC · 26-03-2012, 01:49 PM

I'm gonna say its a BMC Racemachine in a M/54 with SRAM Red Gruppo and Zipp 404's!

I'd have gone for traditional (black/white) zipp decals but that's me. Still a nice bike, I like BMC's. Looking at a Time Machine Frame ATM actually!

Hell Cat · 26-03-2012, 02:28 PM

Hi. Yes, its the bmc rm01 with sram red/black, 3T team bar & stem, ultegra carbon pedals.
The wheels fitted are 404 firecrest carbons, the firecrest is a new model rim which is wider than normal, once you get the bike upto speed you can really notice the difference over regular shallow alloy rims.

The wheels are demo wheels from the shop I work at, if you look closely on the sticker is says "high performance demo", the shop has 303-404-808-101 etc and also a brand called lightweight (which Rrp for $6000 a set) demo wheels for people to try before they buy.

Id like to sell my groupset to purchase the new release sram gear.
I need to start riding again, I've been slack & have been putting most of my spare time into my xp at the moment.

..... I also race Bmx

ratter · 26-03-2012, 05:22 PM

what speed do you start to notice the difference in the wheels, are they tubulars or clinchers?

HLC · 26-03-2012, 07:47 PM

I have 23mm wide clinchers on my track bike, and I definately notice better handling with that over the 17mm wide campag wheels on my roadie.

The wider tyre stretches the tyre over more so you dont get any sidewall flex when cornering etc.

I've also ridden (and owned) a variety of Deep profile rims and you notice that once up to speed (any speed really) they roll and roll and roll and roll and....... because of the extra rotating weight/momentum.

"Lightweight" brand wheels are amazing. But for that sort of coin, like Madfiber wheels, i'd like to be able to true them or replace a spoke if I ever need to!

**Captain Stubing** · 27-03-2012, 07:04 PM

Well, I've reached a milestone in my cycling life... I now ride the 22km trip to work and back on my trusty Merida! There's a few hills to get over on the way, but I do the trip in about 50 minutes. I've turned over 800kms on the odometer this afternoon (isn't a lot compared to some, I know)and I feel like I have a spring in my step now

I do get passed a bit by more seasoned riders. I've been tracking my progress using Sports Tracker on the iPhone, and I'm averaging about 23-24km/hr. Still have to build up the quads, I guess.

Having fun, though!