A little investment from yourself and you could upgrade that delight to a full fortnight. No brainer
Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
A little investment from yourself and you could upgrade that delight to a full fortnight. No brainer
Uk property, french property, money on both sides of the ocean but now only earned in the UK so I'm losing money on a daily basis basically as paying for stuff in France is getting more expensive on an almost daily basis. Obviously with the pound going down the toilet its effectively eroding what we own.
Soldato
100% She needs a wake up call! She’s been with me to club social nights but despite being asked to she so far hasn’t been out with us, they even do a ladies only breeze ride but nope. She seems to have the uncanny ability to pull excuses out of thin air! My club is only riding Sunday’s at the moment (50 mile loops with cafe stop) and we usually split into two groups 1st group is faster paced 16+ mph with the 2nd group being a none drop and therefore can be as low as 13/14 mph depending mainly if we have youngsters joining us. Now no way on earth my wife is going to keep up with the faster group but slower group would be no problem and she’d gain valuable experience and bike skills but boy am I struggling to get her to see this! I can see it now I’ll have to choose between wife and club mates in Mallorca, it’s a real shame as there’s some brilliant ladies that would take her under their wing in my club and she’d learn and enjoy it far more than doing the very occasional ride with me where she basically won’t listen to anything I say lol and a couple of short sessions on the Turbo using FulGaz as again she won’t pay for a Zwift Sub!
Soldato
Progressing with the build on my winter hack/commuter which will have a rear rack.
I want to put a central rear light on the rack (an Axiom Journey) but it only has a full bolt + "half bolt" fixing...
All the rear lights I have expect a (near) vertical tube like a seat post or seat stay for mounting. The best idea I've had so far to make a mounting is to get a length of steel or alloy bar and then drill it to get a bolt through the rack. One downside is that as it's a single bolt it would need to be tight to stop the bar rotating though rear lights aren't exactly heavy.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bright-M...m-75mm-100mm-Dia-turning-milling/223329564063
If I swap lights around, I could possibly use this Smart fixing
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Smart-Re...ght-Bracket-BH-650-for-403-rear/262714901399?
Anyone got a better idea?
Quoting myself I know but I grabbed one of the the Smart fixing for £4 (different seller I think: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142236388876)
Had a quick test fitting last night - the two central bolts are pretty much spot on for the hole + half hole on the tab.
Anyone after some Castelli Nanoflex+ knee warmers gimmie a shout on trust.
Great to hear your experience with SRAM has been good. American service at it's finest I guess! My disjointed and very limited experience is pretty biased, I've only used Shimano shifting/drivechains and the price difference between DI2 and eTap is probably clouding my judgement quite a bit. Then again, I'm riding Specialized, Zipp wheels and using SRAM chains. Maybe I should be looking at eTap more!
When we moved house in 2017 our mortgage was in a fixed term so a lump of my savings remained in the bank. I managed to release some of them for the Diverge. Weirdly when we renegotiated our fixed term last year there was no benefit to paying a lump off - so my savings are still there...! I've been hitting the mortgage monthly over-payments (avoiding early payment fees) and my savings are still (marginally) growing, even with the other half only working part time and the 'expense' of having a mini^me. A nice feeling, being frugal/tight pays off! But if I'm that well behaved then surely I can be allowed to 'release' some?
When we moved into our place, the boiler was 18 years old. We budgeted to change it and it did 1 winter so changed it when the weather warmed up. It worked out perfectly - brand new worcester boiler installed on a BG deal in spring 2018, cost about £1200 installed. Saved a bunch as I'd budgeted for over 2k and 1 less thing to worry about! I've even changed a couple of the worst (rusting!) radiators myself and happy to do the rest if needed (when she complains!).
My other half working as an insurance broker has it's benefits - the boiler cover/home emergency type policies are dirt cheap! Just annoying any car & specific bike insurance she doesn't get a discount on...
Haha, amazing that you found it, but yeah totally baffling!? You looked when riding and it wasn't there? There's really not many places it could've fallen and got 'snagged' until you got home, so that's a pretty miraculous save!
Great to hear your experience with SRAM has been good. American service at it's finest I guess! My disjointed and very limited experience is pretty biased, I've only used Shimano shifting/drivechains and the price difference between DI2 and eTap is probably clouding my judgement quite a bit. Then again, I'm riding Specialized, Zipp wheels and using SRAM chains. Maybe I should be looking at eTap more!
Haha, good policy. We number 6 bikes between us, basically 2 each! (well little man has 2 bikes and 1 scooter - I'm not counting, he can't ride any of them yet...)My wife is quite understanding of my bike addiction. We had an arrangement that once we'd paid off our wedding debt I could buy my Bianchi as she knew I'd been lusting after one for years. I think it's only fair to discuss big purchases like that with her as realistically, that's £4k I could have put towards paying off the mortgage. The flip-side is that she's going on holiday without me this Summer with one of her girl pals. Fine with me as it gives me a week of solid riding time!
We also have a 'one in, one out' policy on bikes at the moment, but only because there's not really room in the house for any more than the 4 I currently have.
When we moved house in 2017 our mortgage was in a fixed term so a lump of my savings remained in the bank. I managed to release some of them for the Diverge. Weirdly when we renegotiated our fixed term last year there was no benefit to paying a lump off - so my savings are still there...! I've been hitting the mortgage monthly over-payments (avoiding early payment fees) and my savings are still (marginally) growing, even with the other half only working part time and the 'expense' of having a mini^me. A nice feeling, being frugal/tight pays off! But if I'm that well behaved then surely I can be allowed to 'release' some?
Haha tell me about it! We've been quite good, went from 1 medium and 1 small car down to 1 medium car. That then got changed for a small car, so we're a 1 small car family. It's only stuff like this (and collecting the yearly Xmas tree) where the fiesta struggles size wise... Can probably get cheap/free delivery anyway.
When we moved into our place, the boiler was 18 years old. We budgeted to change it and it did 1 winter so changed it when the weather warmed up. It worked out perfectly - brand new worcester boiler installed on a BG deal in spring 2018, cost about £1200 installed. Saved a bunch as I'd budgeted for over 2k and 1 less thing to worry about! I've even changed a couple of the worst (rusting!) radiators myself and happy to do the rest if needed (when she complains!).
My other half working as an insurance broker has it's benefits - the boiler cover/home emergency type policies are dirt cheap! Just annoying any car & specific bike insurance she doesn't get a discount on...
Last edited:
Soldato
My wife is quite understanding of my bike addiction. We had an arrangement that once we'd paid off our wedding debt I could buy my Bianchi as she knew I'd been lusting after one for years. I think it's only fair to discuss big purchases like that with her as realistically, that's £4k I could have put towards paying off the mortgage. The flip-side is that she's going on holiday without me this Summer with one of her girl pals. Fine with me as it gives me a week of solid riding time!
We also have a 'one in, one out' policy on bikes at the moment, but only because there's not really room in the house for any more than the 4 I currently have.
I'm not limited by space in the garage, though somehow all the bike hangers (Steadyracks) are full. I should really sell one of my MTBs given I've not ridden them for ages but it's the agro of selling and getting messed around.
Haha, best comment of the day so far!A little investment from yourself and you could upgrade that delight to a full fortnight. No brainer
Damn, that has to sting... Able to hold off much of your spending/funds transferring until this whole mess is over? Although to be fair things might get quite a bit worse... Company I work for we have multiple Euro accounts (as we trade with Dutch growers) and the Finance director 'filled them up' in 2016 and the rates have never climbed since! I always blame him when I get rubbish rates for holiday spends...
Tough decision! Maybe she won't want to ride every day? Could always ride with her, but do climb/segment efforts and just wait at the top?
I may have got a 'canaries' holiday on the cards, maybe even Majorca. We've done Gran Canaria before and loved it. Our other favourite (Cyprus) is a bit long of a flight (4h) for my little boy so looking at shorter for this year. He really enjoyed Spain last year (9 months old at the time) on a <2h flight. He's mobile now so getting him to sit still is going to be a real test regardless!
At least your other half will sit on a turbo trainer, mine won't! I joked about setting up her bike on the turbo trainer when she went back to work (we're bike commuters) after maternity leave, never quite got to it as she refused!
Good to hear and I appreciate the update!
If they're medium and you seriously want to then I might be interested, have always meant to pick one up as enjoyed riding some trails with a friend last year, but can't justify the expense of brand new. Just send me a trust with details/spec etc when you get to it. Not a million miles away (we're regularly in Ludlow seeing family).
Last edited:
A little investment from yourself and you could upgrade that delight to a full fortnight. No brainer
Haha, damn. You're right
Soldato
Sounds like new 12 speed SRAM road groupo stuff will be announced Wednesday.
I think I'm happy with what I'm planning for my build sticking with 11, as I'm sure the premium for the new stuff will be huge.
I think I'm happy with what I'm planning for my build sticking with 11, as I'm sure the premium for the new stuff will be huge.
extra speeds are so irrelevant that I'd forgotten Campag had even launched a 12 speed setup.
10 with a compact meant you could have a nice spread without too many awkward gaps. all 11 and 12 have done is reduced the size of the gaps, and unless you're running a dinner plate in your cassette they aren't that big anyway
10 with a compact meant you could have a nice spread without too many awkward gaps. all 11 and 12 have done is reduced the size of the gaps, and unless you're running a dinner plate in your cassette they aren't that big anyway
I'm noticing the gaps more now running sub-compact and a 32t and not really sure why. I don't notice any on the 28t on my turbo.
Got an older stretched cable and getting a mis-shift right in the middle somewhere so probably that's it (will fix on the weekend). Always seems to get bad after they get happy salting the roads, even after a clean a day or two afterwards. Quite happy mucky & barely cleaned before it for months, then a bit of salt obviously causes some dryness/damage.
Have started getting some mudguard movement now too, really at the limit of my stays with these 32mm as I had to cut the stays when previously fitting them to 28mm tyres. Gah! Expensive Specialized PnP guards and they use different grade stays to general/standard so doubt anything else will be the right shape and thickness. Don't want to spend £40 just to buy another set of stays!
Got an older stretched cable and getting a mis-shift right in the middle somewhere so probably that's it (will fix on the weekend). Always seems to get bad after they get happy salting the roads, even after a clean a day or two afterwards. Quite happy mucky & barely cleaned before it for months, then a bit of salt obviously causes some dryness/damage.
Have started getting some mudguard movement now too, really at the limit of my stays with these 32mm as I had to cut the stays when previously fitting them to 28mm tyres. Gah! Expensive Specialized PnP guards and they use different grade stays to general/standard so doubt anything else will be the right shape and thickness. Don't want to spend £40 just to buy another set of stays!
Haha thank you captain obvious!Because the gaps are there whereas with the 28 there are only a couple of gaps? Simple!
No, I actually meant I'm noticing them more now than previously - when I was riding exactly the same setup. I've always ran a 32t outdoors and probably always will!
Soldato
I'm noticing the gaps more now running sub-compact and a 32t and not really sure why. I don't notice any on the 28t on my turbo.
Got an older stretched cable and getting a mis-shift right in the middle somewhere so probably that's it (will fix on the weekend). Always seems to get bad after they get happy salting the roads, even after a clean a day or two afterwards. Quite happy mucky & barely cleaned before it for months, then a bit of salt obviously causes some dryness/damage.
Have started getting some mudguard movement now too, really at the limit of my stays with these 32mm as I had to cut the stays when previously fitting them to 28mm tyres. Gah! Expensive Specialized PnP guards and they use different grade stays to general/standard so doubt anything else will be the right shape and thickness. Don't want to spend £40 just to buy another set of stays!
I was looking at some Bontrager mudguards for the winter hack - they have adjustable stays so no cutting
https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/...e-mudguards/bontrager-ncs-fender-set/p/09150/
Yeah a friend has them, they're quite clattery & noisy as the stays are quite thin, good coverage though (I think) as he rides all weathers - but that might be more willpower!
My stays fit straight into mounting holes, not mudguard mounts. They're also black and look smart - rather than those ugly silver monstrosities!
Slightly sarcastic there I know, but you can't really compare the two 'extremes' of different cassettes with differing chainrings. Then of course you could argue that's why they do 12 speed in those cassettes - as a marketing ploy to 'beat' 11 speed. The actual is more interesting - using the upper ranges of the cassette more - less teeth for spreading the wear - get through more cassettes? Pure speculating!
I quite like SRAM's gall at doing it - really making the establishment think and 'breaking the mould'. Campag didn't, which is why it can be forgotten they even do 12 speed. Then again - maybe it shouldn't be that amazing to refine manufacturing tolerances tight enough to just put another cog into the cassette spacing... Could always do away with indexing and have some kinda electronic friction shift to align things at a button press so you could run ALL THE GEARS or only SOME OF THE GEARS. lol
My stays fit straight into mounting holes, not mudguard mounts. They're also black and look smart - rather than those ugly silver monstrosities!
Hardly surprising that a 10t and a dinnerplate gives you a wider 'range' than traditional setups, even with smaller chainrings!The new system looks to offer a wide range of gearing
SRAM RED eTap AXS – 12-speed
Slightly sarcastic there I know, but you can't really compare the two 'extremes' of different cassettes with differing chainrings. Then of course you could argue that's why they do 12 speed in those cassettes - as a marketing ploy to 'beat' 11 speed. The actual is more interesting - using the upper ranges of the cassette more - less teeth for spreading the wear - get through more cassettes? Pure speculating!
I quite like SRAM's gall at doing it - really making the establishment think and 'breaking the mould'. Campag didn't, which is why it can be forgotten they even do 12 speed. Then again - maybe it shouldn't be that amazing to refine manufacturing tolerances tight enough to just put another cog into the cassette spacing... Could always do away with indexing and have some kinda electronic friction shift to align things at a button press so you could run ALL THE GEARS or only SOME OF THE GEARS. lol
Soldato
Anyone doing the Pru Ride London 100 in August?
I just got the YES magazine delivered totally forgot I'd even entered the ballot.
Will be a good year, this and the Fred Whitton
I just got the YES magazine delivered
totally forgot I'd even entered the ballot. Will be a good year, this and the Fred Whitton
Soldato
Anyone doing the Pru Ride London 100 in August?
I just got the YES magazine delivered
Will be a good year, this and the Fred Whitton
Didn't get into Ride 100 but will doing the Fred.
Soldato
I've been SO lucky this year.
London Marathon in April
Dyfi Enduro 2 weeks later
Fred Whitton 2 weeks later
Ride London August
Snowdonia Marathon in October
Pretty much every event I've wanted to do in one year!?