Road Cycling

Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2013
Posts
3,022
Location
Lincolnshire
Nice to get them so soon with the long delay mentioned on their site! Congrats!

Yeah really would say to abuse the old wheels over winter, those Hunts are nothing special but will feel worlds apart to your stock wheels! :D

But switching cassette each time you want to switch wheels will rapidly turn into a ballache. By all means switch it and ride your new wheels for a week or so, but then be prepared to put them away and just ride the old for a few months. It's looking like it's going to be a proper winter this year and we've had a bunch of rain already. I'm crossing my fingers we get a cold/crisp one and not a cold&wet one... :o

They should've arrived today between 1517 and 1617, but apparently the driver decided at 1600 that it was home time when he was a literal minute down the road, and on the delivery before mine. Weather looks great for tomorrow, the cassette is off my old wheel, chain removed and all been cleaned, so I'm a bit ****** at the minute.

If they don't arrive before half 3 tomorrow I won't be able to get them until Monday :mad:
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Apr 2011
Posts
14,763
Location
Barnet, London
Really enjoyed my first ride on the cyclo-cross...

cApCjpo.jpg

4OSGkMi.jpg

I got Strava to plot me an off road route and I bit off a little more than I could chew though. It was just too soft, the wheels just span up. Had to walk about half a mile to a road :)

Felt good though. Gearing is a little low, but still, I topped out at 33mph a couple of times, which is plenty fast enough really. I even got a PR on one bit, although I'd only ridden it twice before.

So, a few questions. The crank is SRAM Apex 175mm, I'm not sure I can find a power meter for it?

Also, if I actually wanted to ride at night, I would want a better front light. One that actually illuminates the road/way ahead, not just showing people I'm there. Any suggestions? (**EDIT** I'm assuming something like this?)

Finally, any thoughts on more gravel like tyres? I might just leave the knobblies on, but maybe a slightly more road/gravel option would be good?
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2013
Posts
3,022
Location
Lincolnshire
Well,the new wheels arrived from Hunts. They look great, and they're light AF, but jesus christ am I having issues.

All went swimmingly moving the cassette over and re-indexing gears. It was difficult to get the tyres(Michelin pro Endurance 4's) on to the wheels initially so I used a tyre lever as a bit of help. Turns out in both cases I'd pinched the inner tube when I did this and had to replace both inner tubes. Nice one!

So, on to inner tube 3, I managed to do the same, so I was like right, ok, no tyre levers. (this is 3 hours in to it, now)

At some point in the day I'd noticed my (almost brand new) track pump from decathlon isn't registering any pressure until about 30 psi, then it was registering ok, so i assumed it was working fine once above 30psi.

4th and 5th inner tubes we're at now. I've got a blister on my thumb from struggling so much to get the tyres on to the wheels, I'm ****** off already, I just want it done so I can actually ride them before winter.

So we go again, no tyre levers, get the tyres on and tentatively pump them up. Success! They're holding air!

So, on to the bike we go, and start pumping up. Nothing until about 30 psi on the pump, then it registers ok. Right, shall i go 90 psi? Nah i normally go 100 on my others, so we'll go 100. 100 on each, lovely. Put the cap on the rear *BANG* and an unmistakable rush of air. fark off.

I don't know exactly what happened, but it sounds as if the valve gave way.

Now i'm beyond ****** off, just completely fed up. I'm venting to a friend about how I cannot be farked, fed up etc. *BANG*, Another unmistakable rush of air. The front had decided it didn't want air in it either.

Cheers, Nice one.

5 inner tubes punctured so far and I still don't have a set of usable wheels. I wanted to see what had happened in the front but I can't even get the tyre off now so this shoot will wait until another day. Probably farking April when the weather picks up.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
Posts
18,141
Location
Hampshire
@AndyCr15 light wise get whatever exposure you can afford. I've been through numerous but nothing beats them. If you want a more gravel tyre and yet you walked half a mile today it'll only get worse. If you can fit some chunkier tyres I like vittoria terreno mix 38s.

@NooBish AbbZ if you want someone to have a look you're welcome to pop over to Waterlooville and I can try to help.
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Apr 2008
Posts
24,070
Location
Lorville - Hurston
Really enjoyed my first ride on the cyclo-cross...

cApCjpo.jpg

4OSGkMi.jpg

I got Strava to plot me an off road route and I bit off a little more than I could chew though. It was just too soft, the wheels just span up. Had to walk about half a mile to a road :)

Felt good though. Gearing is a little low, but still, I topped out at 33mph a couple of times, which is plenty fast enough really. I even got a PR on one bit, although I'd only ridden it twice before.

So, a few questions. The crank is SRAM Apex 175mm, I'm not sure I can find a power meter for it?

Also, if I actually wanted to ride at night, I would want a better front light. One that actually illuminates the road/way ahead, not just showing people I'm there. Any suggestions? (**EDIT** I'm assuming something like this?)

Finally, any thoughts on more gravel like tyres? I might just leave the knobblies on, but maybe a slightly more road/gravel option would be good?
very nice. good in the forest? not much vibration?
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
10,646
Well,the new wheels arrived from Hunts. They look great, and they're light AF, but jesus christ am I having issues.

All went swimmingly moving the cassette over and re-indexing gears. It was difficult to get the tyres(Michelin pro Endurance 4's) on to the wheels initially so I used a tyre lever as a bit of help. Turns out in both cases I'd pinched the inner tube when I did this and had to replace both inner tubes. Nice one!

So, on to inner tube 3, I managed to do the same, so I was like right, ok, no tyre levers. (this is 3 hours in to it, now)

At some point in the day I'd noticed my (almost brand new) track pump from decathlon isn't registering any pressure until about 30 psi, then it was registering ok, so i assumed it was working fine once above 30psi.

4th and 5th inner tubes we're at now. I've got a blister on my thumb from struggling so much to get the tyres on to the wheels, I'm ****** off already, I just want it done so I can actually ride them before winter.

So we go again, no tyre levers, get the tyres on and tentatively pump them up. Success! They're holding air!

So, on to the bike we go, and start pumping up. Nothing until about 30 psi on the pump, then it registers ok. Right, shall i go 90 psi? Nah i normally go 100 on my others, so we'll go 100. 100 on each, lovely. Put the cap on the rear *BANG* and an unmistakable rush of air. fark off.

I don't know exactly what happened, but it sounds as if the valve gave way.

Now i'm beyond ****** off, just completely fed up. I'm venting to a friend about how I cannot be farked, fed up etc. *BANG*, Another unmistakable rush of air. The front had decided it didn't want air in it either.

Cheers, Nice one.

5 inner tubes punctured so far and I still don't have a set of usable wheels. I wanted to see what had happened in the front but I can't even get the tyre off now so this shoot will wait until another day. Probably farking April when the weather picks up.

Once you get both beads on pinch them together and make sure all you can see when you look top down is tyre and rim tape.

If you can see any tube it'll eventually push the tyre up and over the rim which let's the tube expand out and pop.

If you see tube under a section pushing the tyre forward(from side on now) and letting it go quickly can wiggle ithe tube back inside the tyre where you want it.
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Apr 2011
Posts
14,763
Location
Barnet, London
Whats the bike for I'd not to ride it through mud.

The 33s are OK but I'd go wider unless you're racing.

Commuting and some gravel riding, hence asking what a good road/gravel option is :) Well, tbf, I might do all sorts, but I don't mind swapping on more off road tyres if I was going to rise off road. As said, I'm reasonably happy with what's on there. It's nice knowing if things do get a little muddy, they would cope as best as any would...
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
Posts
18,141
Location
Hampshire
I like the mix in the chunkier for that purpose. They do well everywhere. I have multiple tyres for cx and wouldn't ever consider the dry even though it woild roll better on the road itd be hopeless anywhere offorad this time of year in the UK.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,420
Location
Hereford
I assume it both rides your bike for you and then washes it when you're finished as well for that price.
Assos always going to try and out do everyone with price seemingly the most important over actual performance. :rolleyes:

Really enjoyed my first ride on the cyclo-cross...

cApCjpo.jpg

4OSGkMi.jpg
Looks great, fantastic choice of colour too! ;)

Also props for finding/riding some actual mud and filth with it on the maiden voyage! :D

So, a few questions. The crank is SRAM Apex 175mm, I'm not sure I can find a power meter for it?

Also, if I actually wanted to ride at night, I would want a better front light. One that actually illuminates the road/way ahead, not just showing people I'm there. Any suggestions? (**EDIT** I'm assuming something like this?)
I've not seen anything about Stages/4iii on an Apex crankset so think crank arm is out unless you also changed cranks/BB. The Halfords website lists the BB as a 'SRAM PF30'. So probably Quarq or Rotor (Inpower?) are the way to go. Quarq certainly have lots of SRAM crank spiders (they're owned by SRAM after all), although SRAM tend to be moving everything over to DUB. There would be a DUB BB option for it (one of the main things about the SRAM DUB BB standard is compatibility).

Pedals probably off the cards due to riding flats/SPD on off-road, rather than SPD-SL/Keo road pedals/cleats...

Well,the new wheels arrived from Hunts. They look great, and they're light AF, but jesus christ am I having issues.<snip>

5 inner tubes punctured so far and I still don't have a set of usable wheels. I wanted to see what had happened in the front but I can't even get the tyre off now so this shoot will wait until another day. Probably farking April when the weather picks up.
Brutal what you've been through, but really is a rite of passage for many of us. So many 'tubeless ready' type rims are a really really REALLY tight fit. Some tyres will be better/easier than others to fit. Continental are quite generous, I do recall Mitchelin being tight but it's been a couple of years since I used them (and certainly not on TL rims).

The Hutchingson I've got where SO tight on my Zipp 30 course rims I'd have to use levers just to get them on/off with the beads in the centre channel of the rim to stand any chance of getting them on. Then I've been able to mount them on my Fulcrum wheels by hand (without levers) and fairly easily even though they're tubeless.

Pinching tubes is easy/common when you've got tight tyres and have to use levers. There's quite a technique to it - getting the tyre on without 'catching' the tube is key as many times you'll probably have pinched it with the lever before even putting any pressure in. Having a little air in the tube does help, it's less likely to 'sag' out of the tyre as you fit. Put enough in that it holds it's shape, then slacken it a bit as you get the tyre on, ideally finding a 'sweet spot' of enough pressure in the tube for it to want to stay within the tyre, keeping away from the rim/bead, while also being low enough pressure to have enough slack to the darn bead over the rim.

The tip about getting the tyre bead in the 'middle' of the rim channel is a good one - it'll give you a little more give/slack in the bead, so will require less work with a lever to get it all over, so less chance of catching the tube.

Also the tip from @Jonny ///M about getting it on, then checking around the tyre bead/rim interface before you put any air in, giving the tyre a little squeeze all the way looking around the gap (both sides) and teasing any tube you notice into the tyre out of the gap. Then add some air, maybe to 10/20PSI so it starts to take up the slack, started to take shape and repeating the squeeze to be absolutely sure there's no tube stuck - before you add enough pressure to pinch/damage it.

It blowing the tubes after you've got it up to pressure, is 90% likely the tube stuck between the tyre and rim. The pressure there puts such a strain on the tube it either blows/bulges the tyre out until it can 'escape' through the gap, or the bit of tube there being caught than rips a hole as the pressure tightens the tyre against the rim and 'nips' it.

I found tubeless ready road wheels are a pain to get the tyres on. I got this tool https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00A855QRY/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_QHgPFbVN3QVBB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 and they went on without any issue.
I've got one of those and it does work well, although I found with my hutchingsons it put so much pressure on the tyre it would just 'pull' off to the sides as I mounted the middle. I had to get the tyre much further on the rim with levers before the tool would 'work'. Tyres with a bit more slack it mounts well. It's quite a handy tool as you can hold the pressure and tyre one handed with it, while rolling/teasing the bead on with the other hand.

It's really a tool for tubeless, as very easy to catch a tube with it, then the pressure the tool puts on it will tear it very easily! :o
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
9 Nov 2005
Posts
8,618
Location
Southampton
Having popped to the shops a while ago, I wish I'd been more with it and checked the weather forecast this morning, it's lovely and sunny after the once again cool start!

Popping to the South Downs hadn't even crossed my mind for this weekend, I even started up Zwift subs again last night, to try and ease myself back into some form of cycling routine after a month of doing more than commutes and popping to shops.

The ~1630 sunset now is just so restrictive and it would take me 20-odd minutes to get ready, leaving me ~1.75 hours where I can see decently without my glasses and it's ~40mins each way at current fitness to get to any worthwhile hills.
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Mar 2013
Posts
3,022
Location
Lincolnshire
Thanks for the tips, gentlemen; I'm working for the next few days so I think Tuesday will be my next opportunity to try and sort them out; I did manage to repair a couple of the punctures I caused yesterday so at least all is not lost.

I'll be sure to give your advice a go :)
 
Soldato
Joined
10 Oct 2006
Posts
3,563
I wouldn’t use the helmet light on the road as it will dazzle cars. I pass a cyclist most mornings with one coming the other way and it even dazzles me when cycling !

I’ve been flashed a few times just for the bar light which I’ve set as low as possible to still see the road ahead.
 
Back
Top Bottom