Road Cycling

Soldato
Joined
29 Dec 2004
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16,984
Location
Shepley
My TraceR never seems to get anything like the claimed battery life, not sure what I'm doing wrong. Good light though.

One of my eTap batteries went AWOL a few miles from home yesterday which was annoying. Luckily I was in a sensible gear. :/ Still £30 down the drain.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,420
Location
Hereford
My TraceR never seems to get anything like the claimed battery life, not sure what I'm doing wrong. Good light though.

One of my eTap batteries went AWOL a few miles from home yesterday which was annoying. Luckily I was in a sensible gear. :/ Still £30 down the drain.
I run my TraceR's on mode 2 and then the pulse/flash. Then when I'm towing junior I have it on solid, so around 1.5-2 hours flash & 90 minutes solid, per week. I easily get 2 weeks commuting between charges (so 3-4 hours flash, 1.5 solid) and can do a group ride (another 2.5-3 hours flash) usually without running out of juice. Think mode 2 is quoted as 12h flash and 6h solid, so I'm getting roughly 80% of the quoted burntime on a 3 year old light. Happy with that! :cool:

Gutting to lose an eTap battery like that! Worth looking for? Had thought the clips on them looked pretty good when I saw some in store but hadn't unclipped to see. :(
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Oct 2006
Posts
5,386
Explosure TraceR. I have 3 of them now, oldest is 3 years old and used 5+ times per week, day and night, all year round - as I always run a flashing rear even in the summer day times. Incredible lights for the money (well worth even the £40-45 RRP for the latest model with 'Daybright' but if you're after budget then find an older model one without).

Do you find it still lasts a long time? I used mine for a year or so on and off... one day it suddenly died mid ride. Decided to charge up and check the battery life in a warm room, it still lasted 8 hours but nowhere near the 24 hours claimed.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
Posts
18,139
Location
Hampshire
Roady - Exposure Trace + TraceR here, 4fourth Scorpion is very popular in TTing due to the mounting under the saddle being very aero and the fact they're very very visible in daylight!

I'm the same with the TraceR rear - Doesn't seem to last anywhere near as long as expected, but then it is plenty long enough for any ride I go on, never really run it down so it may just be reporting inaccurately.

Funnily enough got a new mount for my Race Mk12 made up for my Canyon yesterday!

Obviously with the aero bars you've got no hope of running any sort of light on it, not even a band! But this will allow me to get out and do some riding during the night on it and practise some skills!

H1OXD4m.jpg

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Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,420
Location
Hereford
Do you find it still lasts a long time? I used mine for a year or so on and off... one day it suddenly died mid ride. Decided to charge up and check the battery life in a warm room, it still lasted 8 hours but nowhere near the 24 hours claimed.
Yup, still great even after it's (so far) long life. I have a front Trace which doesn't have near the same burntime as the rears, but figured it was possibly a brighter LED and technically a different light. It does last a week of commuting on pulse, but regularly needs charging half way through the next - so around the 8h life you're seeing with your rear. Well worth contacting Exposure! They've sent me a spare rubber ring FOC before and don't remember any issue so should be good to deal with.

The newer TraceR 'Daybright V2' I bought (black friday deal) does last longer but it's hardly been used enough to compare - I'm carrying that with me as a back up and intending to swap them over every month or two. For now that's only done a couple of group rides last year and 4 days commuting so far this year (fresh charge at new year).

Roady - Exposure Trace + TraceR here, 4fourth Scorpion is very popular in TTing due to the mounting under the saddle being very aero and the fact they're very very visible in daylight!
I've got a Trace too, the front one doesn't see the battery life of the rear (see above) so don't really rate them as much as I do the rears. Exposure do a saddle rail bracket mount for the TraceR, I've actually got one somewhere just not used it. Would mount similar position to that Scorpion.

4fourth Scorpion looks great, very tidy design but quite a price tag! Not sure if it needs to be so rugged/CNC machined aluminium for the quite protected area it mounts in, but doesn't add much to the quoted weight. Plastic would only be slightly lighter! :)

RACE mount looks awesome! Just be sure where it mounts to your bars is solid enough for the weight. My Race is quite 'chunky'! I'm still running my VIRB in that position. Would love a centre mounted main light but camera is more important. Have my Race mounted on the left side (I'm using it on the road) so I get as much light as possible towards the hedgerows while also avoiding blinding oncoming cars. Then the pulsing Trace is 'traffic side' for maximum visibility. Still not 100% happy I'm visible enough on roundabouts to joining traffic (but the roundabouts I negotiate in darkness are when commuting & street lighted so my high viz is more visible).

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-road-pedal-cleats-look-keo-compatible/

Anyone tried these Lifeline 'keo compatible' cleats? Ordered a set alongside some grey Keo's and will report back.
 
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Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
Posts
18,139
Location
Hampshire
TraceR /4fourth Stuff

RACE mount looks awesome! Just be sure where it mounts to your bars is solid enough for the weight. My Race is quite 'chunky'! I'm still running my VIRB in that position. Would love a centre mounted main light but camera is more important. Have my Race mounted on the left side (I'm using it on the road) so I get as much light as possible towards the hedgerows while also avoiding blinding oncoming cars. Then the pulsing Trace is 'traffic side' for maximum visibility. Still not 100% happy I'm visible enough on roundabouts to joining traffic (but the roundabouts I negotiate in darkness are when commuting & street lighted so my high viz is more visible).

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/lifeline-road-pedal-cleats-look-keo-compatible/

Anyone tried these Lifeline 'keo compatible' cleats? Ordered a set alongside some grey Keo's and will report back.

Yeah mine are the same, but I only ever have the Trace as a side light during the winter with either the Race or the Sirius as main light.

The mount is brilliant, friend worked it up out of solid bit of alu so nice and light and secure. The weight should be fine I reckon. It's got a couple of screws under the bar and the mount is fairly substantial for a garmin mount.

Not tried them but had the exustar ones which are probably exactly the same and had no issues.
 
Soldato
Joined
22 May 2003
Posts
10,855
Location
Wigan
Roadie : thread about hubs.

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=113&t=154886

My experience backs up what is stated in the thread. I changed my WI front hub bearings in March when I got the rear wheel built.

They were Enduro bearings and had gone a little rumbly so I swapped them for SKF rather than leave them to go bad. I think the good design and tolerances made it a doddle to do, all came apart and went back together very simple.
 
Caporegime
Joined
25 Jul 2003
Posts
40,098
Location
FR+UK
In case anyone is around Provence in July/August, or wants to be, I'm 90% cleared to take a weekend there for another crack at Ventoux if anyone wants to meet up for a crack. @oli collett fancy pulling me up the hill again?
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Sep 2009
Posts
13,911
Location
France, Alsace
6sa2DsV.jpg

We have progress. Chinese bars arrived, as did my saddle and seat post but clearly I'm an idiot and ordered the wrong diameter post. Good job it cost bugger all from the China land. Also got my BB 386 tool to put that in. Now I should technically be able to fit any BB in the damn world.
Need a crankset and chain and cables and should really be OK.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,420
Location
Hereford
The mount is brilliant, friend worked it up out of solid bit of alu so nice and light and secure. The weight should be fine I reckon. It's got a couple of screws under the bar and the mount is fairly substantial for a garmin mount.

Not tried them but had the exustar ones which are probably exactly the same and had no issues.
The whole mount was made? Looks real quality, I had assumed it was the legit Canyon as looks so similar to the one they have for the Ultimate (I think it is). Or just the lower camera mount part was fabricated? The light fits much more snug to the mount than my VIRB does to the bottom of my K Edge (but the VIRB is quite a chubby beast).

Good to hear the exustar are ok. Will give them a try after these. Seem to be knocking the rubber bits off the Keo's far too easily (done it 3 times in the last 6 months, usually within a few weeks of fitting a new cleat). The plastic then wears down quite quickly. Annoying as for £10 they're an expensive bit of plastic... :(

Had my Tracer rebuilt after battery wasn’t holding charge a few years ago.

Cost about £25, some new internals and body.
Interesting, will have to bear in mind. Probably no worth it on a Tracer (when a new one with the new functionality is only £5-10 more), but if pricing is similar for more expensive lights (Blaze/Race/Strada etc) then certainly worth it.

Talking of rear lights, along comes the new TraceR, Peloton feature is very cool, think I will get another pair when bike to work comes back around!

https://road.cc/content/review/254272-exposure-tracer-mk2-reakt-and-peloton
Haha how apt we where talking about them! Had heard the Reakt works well but Peloton maybe not ideal for group rides as invariably not everyone will be running a front light. The usual trick in group rides of angling your front down also means the Peloton doesn't always pick it up - it seems to need direct light into its sensor from a light source to adjust. We'll soon see I'm sure - I'm glad them adding the new functions doesn't seem to have impacted the general great quality of the light. Will await feedback on how much the extra features impact battery life...! ;)

Roadie : thread about hubs.

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=113&t=154886

My experience backs up what is stated in the thread. I changed my WI front hub bearings in March when I got the rear wheel built.

They were Enduro bearings and had gone a little rumbly so I swapped them for SKF rather than leave them to go bad. I think the good design and tolerances made it a doddle to do, all came apart and went back together very simple.
Good info and feedback on various types of hubs and setups, but just highlights how much of a minefield it can be - different wheelbuilders preferring different things over their individual (and dare I say it - geographical) areas/cross section of riders/customers. If one of them in is quite a sandy area without much heavy rain while dealing with lots of MTB and CX riders their opinions are biased towards hubs with low ingress, possibly little moisture protection and not too many concerns over weight/rolling resistance. Compared to a more general road wheel builder who's experienced in wet winters with road salt etc, so ingress becomes biggest priority. Horses for courses.

Although NovemberDave is from RI, USA. His website seems to hint most of his customers are MTB. With bm0p700f being UK (Suffolk) based but primarily a Campagnolo builder. NovemberDave sounds like a wheelbuilder by trade, bm0p sounds just like a guy who owns a bike shop and likes to build wheels. ;)
 
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Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
Posts
18,139
Location
Hampshire
The whole mount was made? Looks real quality, I had assumed it was the legit Canyon as looks so similar to the one they have for the Ultimate (I think it is). Or just the lower camera mount part was fabricated? The light fits much more snug to the mount than my VIRB does to the bottom of my K Edge (but the VIRB is quite a chubby beast).

Sorry no just the bottom bit, will be taking it off later in the week, but it just bolts into two of the holes on the canyon mount. bit harder to get on and off but probably bit more secure as the garmin twist turn holder holds the screw down as well.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,420
Location
Hereford
Sorry no just the bottom bit, will be taking it off later in the week, but it just bolts into two of the holes on the canyon mount. bit harder to get on and off but probably bit more secure as the garmin twist turn holder holds the screw down as well.
It looks quality and being solid alu should be pretty much indestructible in that position! Good job! :D

Finished a new blog post today about a long ride we done over to the West coast after Xmas -
https://dcun.co.uk/big-day/
Really enjoyed that one mate, good reading and a great balance of madness, brave riding and objective writing.

Clear and positive minds. Lets focus on what can be and not what once was.
That tagline at the end is utter quality after such a mixed year for you. You've rebound in full force with your riding and fitness - huge kudos!

Little Rory is now a master at dishing out High Fives. He gives proper hugs on demand and has also taken three/four steps multiple times now. The Little Legend is growing so fast and taking so much in. I’ve started him on Green Day as his entry to music, he’s not ready for Slayer quite yet, but we will get there.
Love this! Hate to digress away from cycling (others may wanna skip this #gush) - think Rory is a similar age to my Harry (or a little bit younger)?

Harry's 15.5 months old now. Walking (running/charging!) everywhere. Clattering into things & rugby tackling the dog (Westie!). Such carnage at home now, but it's utterly amazing some of the things he's figured out. Everything with wheels (or round objects) is a 'car', dogs are 'wow-wows' and he gets excited about going in the baby chariot behind the bike to Nursery (good lad). We get 2 handed high fives but he doesn't quite know what to do when offered a single hand haha. Music is amazing, we nearly always have the radio on so he'll regularly hear a tune he likes, stand up and stamp his feet/wiggle his bottom. He gets his dance moves from me obviously (pro dad dancing). We've not really had time to watch TV with Harry so he is really not that bothered by it - gets bored of just sitting still - which is exactly how it should be (in my opinion). He'll go get a toy and play with it in front of the fire/TV on the few times we'll have it on in the daytime. Can't wait for the weather to warm up as he's figuring out how to throw a ball and even to kick one (not that I'm any way a footballer). Amazing times! :cool: :D
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,420
Location
Hereford
£3 returns otherwise. Not too bad when you consider the cost of postage of most things. Still damn annoying, the collect+ was so handy! The last year they had several pre-paid options didn't they? Even a Royal Mail IIRC? Now just 1 awkward supermarket one left.

Bit annoying as my local shop is now MyHermes and not collect+ (like the previous place), but do lots of other parcel drop off (Next etc), yet my local Asda is 6 miles away and awkward to get to (crossing the bridge/traffic/gridlocked/busiest roads)

Rear pads getting worn, Lifeline 'shimano deore m515'. ~1400 miles which is very poor, but only paid £4.50 for them as an experiment. Same mileage as the 'Uberbike Race' at triple the price. Shimano J04C (metal) on the rear at just over 2000 miles and quite a bit of wear left, so at £17 a pop they're the pads for me... Just typical I ordered some other stuff with Wiggle days ago and not got spare pads on my shelf! FFS! :rolleyes:
 
Soldato
Joined
14 Apr 2007
Posts
3,388
I need some urgent advice if possible. Long story short, I posted a few months back about looking for my first bike. I was very close to pulling the trigger on a new Triban 500 or Rivelin 2.0, both of which are around £350. That was until I discovered the value in the second market, specifically the Planet X RT58.

Two RT58's are about to end on eBay and I need some thoughts on which is the better bike:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Planet-X-Road-RT58-Alloy-Road-Bike-54cm-Frame/143079509380?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

I contacted the seller a few days ago and she said it was purchased off a friend in her cycling club last year. Serviced on 17/10/2018 with new continental tyres (she even sent me the receipt). No cracks, dent or damage to the frame or forks apart from some minor scratches. No rust either. I could probably offer around £190-200.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Planet-X-Custom-RT58-Road-Bike/273602942403?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

Still waiting for a response, but this bike is also up for sale on Pinkbike. £220-235 would probably win it.

Buy one of the above or wait until something better pops up?
 
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