Road Cycling

Soldato
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Cold or Damp can make them noisier sure, but if it's like a pig more than likely need replacing and probably just on one side!
Just stripped it down and there's still a good few mm of pad left, and seems to be wearing evenly. Discs were quite grubby though so gave them a scrub with some isopropyl and hopefully it'll be better next time around.

They're normally silent, so it makes it seem even worse when I sound like the whistle from a steam train blaring at 8am through sleepy little villages :o
 
Soldato
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24 Apr 2013
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3,067
My wax arrived! Woohoo!

Started cleaning up chains, factory lube/grease is a nightmare to remove. Even after 3 dips it’s still inside the hollows on the chain and can feel it in your hand when the chain is dry.

Almost worse than cleaning a used chain!

I’ve rub out of white spirit now and it’s freezing cold, so will have to wait a few days.

100% cleaning a factory chain is worse than a dirty chain.
24 hours or more submerged in Morgan Blue and then full ultra sonic is the minimal I get away with for factory lube removal. It's horrible stuff.
 
Soldato
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22 May 2003
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10,855
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Wigan
100% cleaning a factory chain is worse than a dirty chain.
24 hours or more submerged in Morgan Blue and then full ultra sonic is the minimal I get away with for factory lube removal. It's horrible stuff.

I’m referring to this article, I hadn’t considered it but using meths to finish off with.

I have a small bottle, so will white spirit dip repeatedly then meths to complete.

How do you dispose of all the used spirit? Most of the crap settles out over time, but it will need replacing. Not sure if the tip accepts dirty chemical plus it’s a bit of a pita. Would have to store it up and take it with something else. Or find another use for it first

https://zerofrictioncycling.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/waxing-how-to-zen-master-guide-v2.pdf
 
Soldato
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23 Nov 2004
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10,646
Is disc breaks squealing like a pig a common thing when it's cold (freezing or just below), or is it more likely that they're reaching the end of life?

They're Shimano Ultegra R8070 with resin pads and have done approx 5000km (mostly flat) so are probably due a change, but I looked at them a few months back and seemed ok

Usually a sign of contaminants on the rotor.

Shimano calipers like to leak, I've replaced a few this week.

Cable tie the lever making the brake fully on overnight and if it isn't stiff then the fluid is leaking onto the disc.

If the lever is still solid then stick pads on and clean the rotor with degreaser/alcohol.
 
Soldato
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Moving...
Usually a sign of contaminants on the rotor.

Shimano calipers like to leak, I've replaced a few this week.

Cable tie the lever making the brake fully on overnight and if it isn't stiff then the fluid is leaking onto the disc.

If the lever is still solid then stick pads on and clean the rotor with degreaser/alcohol.
Thanks Jonny. I went down the cleaning route yesterday, so will see how it goes and will try the lever trick if it plays up again.
 
Associate
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7 Nov 2011
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1,410
So I think I’ve messed up trying to pair my mudguards with 25mm prime armour tyres. Subsequently read that my bike (Defy 1 2015) can only take guards with 23mm tyres. Going to order some 23s and see how I get on.
 
Associate
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North
Usually a sign of contaminants on the rotor.

Shimano calipers like to leak, I've replaced a few this week.

Cable tie the lever making the brake fully on overnight and if it isn't stiff then the fluid is leaking onto the disc.

If the lever is still solid then stick pads on and clean the rotor with degreaser/alcohol.
I'll try this tonight. Mine have been awful lately. Even after cleaning the rotors so suspect the pads are contaminated.
 
Soldato
Joined
30 Sep 2003
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Norwich
Trying to make the most of getting furloughed by getting a couple of rides in during the week. Cancellation of the events I'd signed up to / planned to do was probably a factor but last year I kind of fell out of love with cycling again.

Still, new year and I've made a few changes which I think will get me riding regularly again. I let my Strava subscription lapse. I was never that bothered about segments but I did like to keep an eye on my veloviewer score and always checked segments against my own times to see if I'd improved. Secondly I haven't put in place a mileage target for this year. I never reach them and the 3'C night time rides to "get some miles in" just kill the enjoyment for me.

This year the target is enjoyment. I do plan to do at least two rides a week all year but if the weather is grim I'll do one of them on Zwift. I've also got a couple of new targets to aim for. The quantifiable one is my Veloviewer explorer score. In short for those who don't know what this is here's a quote from veloviewer;

The explorer score is all based around how many squares you have passed through from all of your activities of whatever type (i.e. Ride, Run etc). The squares themselves are based around the standard OpenStreetMap map tile 256x256px image at a zoom level of 14. If any of your activities cross into a tile then it gets a tick.

Here’s the real challenge: how big a complete square of tiles can you tick off? You’ll see those shown with a blue square on the Activities’ map.

My max square is currently 14 x 14 and obviously at the moment I'm keeping my rides to around an hour but even this is allowing me to tick off some more squares. It's great because it gets me riding different routes and sometimes even has a bit of problem solving here in the countryside. One square for example could only be completed by clipping the very tip of a corner using a bridleway. Some people take this too far by trespassing etc. which obviously isn't something I'll be doing!

The second is much more simple, exploring my local area more. Answering the "I wonder where that road / track goes?" question.

My cheap gravel bike is the perfect companion for these trips, especially with flooded, mud covered country lanes to contend with.

TL/DR version : I've stopped obsessing over numbers and started obsessing over maps and I'm loving it right now! :p
 
Soldato
Joined
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Shropshire
My max square is currently 14 x 14 and obviously at the moment I'm keeping my rides to around an hour but even this is allowing me to tick off some more squares. It's great because it gets me riding different routes and sometimes even has a bit of problem solving here in the countryside. One square for example could only be completed by clipping the very tip of a corner using a bridleway. Some people take this too far by trespassing etc. which obviously isn't something I'll be doing!

The second is much more simple, exploring my local area more. Answering the "I wonder where that road / track goes?" question.

My cheap gravel bike is the perfect companion for these trips, especially with flooded, mud covered country lanes to contend with.

TL/DR version : I've stopped obsessing over numbers and started obsessing over maps and I'm loving it right now! :p

I got into the max square during autumn last year and got it up to 16x16. If I take my MTB out, I can fill in a couple of squares on bridlepaths that are too much for my winter hack but then I hit a few hurdles. One is RAF Shawbury - looking on rideeverytile.com shows one person has visited that square during some sort of bike race in 2018.
 
Soldato
Joined
25 Feb 2004
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Hampshire
My max square is currently 14 x 14 and obviously at the moment I'm keeping my rides to around an hour but even this is allowing me to tick off some more squares. It's great because it gets me riding different routes and sometimes even has a bit of problem solving here in the countryside. One square for example could only be completed by clipping the very tip of a corner using a bridleway. Some people take this too far by trespassing etc. which obviously isn't something I'll be doing!

The second is much more simple, exploring my local area more. Answering the "I wonder where that road / track goes?" question.

My cheap gravel bike is the perfect companion for these trips, especially with flooded, mud covered country lanes to contend with.

TL/DR version : I've stopped obsessing over numbers and started obsessing over maps and I'm loving it right now! :p

These rides are brilliant, I usually like doing a big loop out and back, but actually this time of year lots of twists and turns are good to keep your mind active, and when I head out on the gravel bike I can get some great rides in without ever actually venturing that far from home just in case the worse happens.

I keep thinking to myself of trying a challenge of doing 100KM without ever travelling further than 10miles from my house without ever going on the same piece of track or road. Would need some planning but reckon it's doable and would be tough with the elevation round this way.
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Apr 2011
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Barnet, London
The quantifiable one is my Veloviewer explorer score.

One of my targets this year is to ride new roads. I did a lot in 2020 compared to my first year of riding in 2019.

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In 2021 I'm thinking I might use the car more to start off further afield, to really explore. Otherwise I'm a little limited to routes and most will start and finish with 10-15 miles of the same roads.

I've not used Veloviewers explorer score before. In 2020 I score 619, is that any good?

I like veloviewers Eddington score. In miles, I got 35 last year (35 rides of 35 miles or more) and this year I'm aiming for something over 40.
 
Soldato
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Norwich
I got into the max square during autumn last year and got it up to 16x16. If I take my MTB out, I can fill in a couple of squares on bridlepaths that are too much for my winter hack but then I hit a few hurdles. One is RAF Shawbury - looking on rideeverytile.com shows one person has visited that square during some sort of bike race in 2018.

Yeah I'm sure I'll be scuppered in one direction or another at some point!

These rides are brilliant, I usually like doing a big loop out and back, but actually this time of year lots of twists and turns are good to keep your mind active, and when I head out on the gravel bike I can get some great rides in without ever actually venturing that far from home just in case the worse happens.

I keep thinking to myself of trying a challenge of doing 100KM without ever travelling further than 10miles from my house without ever going on the same piece of track or road. Would need some planning but reckon it's doable and would be tough with the elevation round this way.

I really want to get my MTB out. Normally this means me driving to a dedicated trail either at Thetford or Rendlesham which obviously isn't appropriate right now. Instead I've been looking at the local bridalways and byways. Due to all the rain and frosts I assume these will be a bit sloppy so probably too much for the gravel bike on it's G-Ones so a perfect excuse to get the MTB muddy :)
 
Soldato
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Hereford
@Roady

The conditioning is only part of it. Some issues don't present themselves as the time spent seated isn't enough to create the problem, which is both good and bad. The guy you know will have an issue with one of the above things I mentioned unless he has a skin condition. I'd stick my car on it. With mapping, checking bib line and using the mirror method as above, mine still isn't 50/50 even split pressure but it's very close. In theory, this still means I would eventually have a problem on the left, but it would take huge hours/mileage every week with little to no recovery. To get it perfect, like with many other people, it would probably take a physio and/or a strange very slight none symmetrical bike setup. The bike is never the problem, it's the person as left and right aren't identical. Even if identical measurements, still will be side bias, dominant leg etc
I was agreeing with you, but also saying that there are many other factors, including thing like geometry, saddle, cleats/shoes and shorts. As you say we're all unique and generally quite poor designs for something as symmetrical as pedalling efficiency! I'm sure you'll agree but the conditioning is 'only part of it' is only valid at the lower end of the scale, really someone doing 10k miles and over 500 hours per year in the saddle (the guy in question), when they're doing 20h per week training, will be as 'conditioned' as possible! Certainly to the 1 (or 2) bikes/saddles/positions they're riding! :o

I think same as you. That trying to attain a perfect 50/50 balance is pretty impossible, we just have to get as close as possible to be as efficient as possible with the time/equipment/money we have. I always thought I was quite imbalanced as I've always felt like I had a pronounced stronger right leg, when looking at pedalling with a bike fit the guy had me close to 50/50 which I thought was wrong. Then I got a PWM which 'estimated' L/R and I think the worst I saw was 46/54, the majority of the time being 48-49 left. I had some doubt in the estimation so did 2-3 sessions on a Wattbike to confirm and it was the same. So last time I changed PWM even went for a left crank arm option and see no issue with that. Consistency is key and a couple of % really falls within the realms of variation of measurement.

yes thats prettyy much what i thought re halfords not being able to help ha
They might be pretty good for finding stock online, returns etc, but before then you've gotta decide what saddle & size to get...!

Best advice I can give is to just try a few, ask around friends for any old saddles they have you can try and such. Then you're back to buying cheap ones online just to 'try' the fit. I lucked out with my Specialized Power, finding one S/H with quite a big scuff on one side so got it less than half price. Before then I'd used various saddles with cut-outs with mixed success. But I hadn't started trying saddles with cut outs until one came with my new bike... For several years before then I'd always used fairly flat, narrow and solid saddles like the Arione and thought they where the fit/shape for me. How wrong I was! ;)

Yeah I just go by noise and feel. Can tell pretty easily it needs a wee top up :)
Not used that Finish Line green wet stuff for ages. Black chain within 3 nanoseconds, OCD doesn't cope well with it haha.
My OCD is really kept in check by how filthy my bike is 99% of the time being a UK commuter... Has really beaten it out of me! ;)

Good old Facebook memories popped up this morning. It's been 8 years since I turned to the dark side and got my first road bike! Covered a lot of miles and spent far too much money in the time since but still loving it.
Great to see/hear! I must be near the same amount of time. My Strava starts in 2013 and I must have been riding around a year before logging anything.

Thats some elbow grease going on. I generally give the MTB a hose down if really bad, the road bike gets a quick squirt of GT86 once a month. I know, asking for trouble.
On the chain? GT85 is pretty handy as a chain cleaner if short on time to use a full chain cleaner & usual drying process, especially this time of year. I tend to pair it with quite a bit of rubbing/scrubbing to get the vast majority of 'road gravy' out and then adding some lube after. For me it's a 10 minute chain clean when commuting. During the summer I clean less, but use a proper chain cleaner as the drying process is so much easier/quicker.

But don't treat that as a prime example as I get through at least 3 chains most years. ;) :D

They're normally silent, so it makes it seem even worse when I sound like the whistle from a steam train blaring at 8am through sleepy little villages :o
If you have silent disks you're doing it wrong! All about scaring grannies and small children.

Although mine sound more like a massive fog horn, not a whistle from a steam train! :D

So I think I’ve messed up trying to pair my mudguards with 25mm prime armour tyres. Subsequently read that my bike (Defy 1 2015) can only take guards with 23mm tyres. Going to order some 23s and see how I get on.
On my Defy 1 2015 I ended up using SKS Raceblades's over 25mm. Mitchenlins where ok, Continentals less room but generally ok. Did have a few instances of cut grass getting clogged in the brake bridges and dry leaves getting picked up and rubbing needing manual removal. I couldn't get any more 'fixed' guards to get clearance over 25's.

Really rate the Raceblades XL/Long though, not a solid guard, but wear well, not flimsy, not a quiet guard but certainly loads better than the Giant 'fender' (2 versions) and the Crud Roadracer v1 & v2 I tried. For clearance, parts, quality and think they where even cheaper.
 
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Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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8,420
Location
Hereford
Apologies for the double post, penned the above yesterday and then never submitted it! :D

TL/DR version : I've stopped obsessing over numbers and started obsessing over maps and I'm loving it right now! :p
Awesome and good to hear. Keeping that 'love' alive is a massive thing, especially this time of year and dare I say it... As we get older & slower! ;)

For me it's the most important (as being a commuter this time of year it's in short supply) and exploring my local area more last year when furloughed was a massive part of that. I found roads I'd always meant to ride and climbs I'd heard stories about. Keep it up and tick along, at least until the weather changes and the enjoyment will increase. :D

I keep thinking to myself of trying a challenge of doing 100KM without ever travelling further than 10miles from my house without ever going on the same piece of track or road. Would need some planning but reckon it's doable and would be tough with the elevation round this way.
That's quite an epic and a great challenge to try and plot out - even if not something I'd generally ride. I've done my fair share of 'where does that road go' to end up filthy, wet and having to do a U-turn before... ;)

I like veloviewers Eddington score. In miles, I got 35 last year (35 rides of 35 miles or more) and this year I'm aiming for something over 40.
Don't really understand the Explorer score or the Veloviewer one, but my Veloviewer is here: https://veloviewer.com/athlete/3305124/summary

My Eddington is 50, seems really high, as not many group rides I do tend to go that far, but then a bunch of my Zwift rides are 100km.

My square is a pretty pathetic 8 x 8 but again I think that's my area, there's masses of squares around without roads in them...

I've done quite well riding nearly every road according to my all time Heatmap, mine for 2020 does show how I was largely following the same routes/roads/loops as the vast majority of that was solo during the first Lockdown/Furlough when I focussed on 1 hour loops and average speeds/power, before then venturing on some longer epics, roads I'd never used/exploring and climbs I'd never ridden as my challenges as restrictions eased. Rather than the usual couple of charity rides/sportives I would do other years. :)
 
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Soldato
Joined
28 Apr 2011
Posts
14,763
Location
Barnet, London
Took my bike for a service last week and the guy commented how worn the big ring was (I think about 90-95% of my rides I'm in the big ring) which has made me wonder if I should try and use the smaller ring more...? They changed Di2 mode to... semi automatic(?) So, it will only change front ring when I ask it to, but it will adjust back ring to suit, so in todays ride I tried to use the small ring more (Turns out it was 50% each). How do you guys have your Di2 setup? Mine used to only drop to the small ring when I asked to go down from 2-2, then comes back up when I go up from 1-6 or maybe it was 1-7.

Second question, anyone got tips for a hot coffee drinks bottle, to fit a bottle cage? I took a regular insulated coffee mug out, but when I stopped for coffee, about 1hr 45 mins in, it was pretty cold :(

(Also, while checking gear stats, an interesting one... my usual rides around Herts, average 20 seconds between gear changes. When I rode twice in Cambridge, 40 and 47 seconds... Damn, I need to move to somewhere more flat :) )
 
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