New to cycling - Page 100

blueoval · 02-12-2016, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Batmobile

In Warburton last weekend at the end of the ride we stopped for a drink and something to eat at the Bakery and a non riding patron asked what his bike cost? . He said $1500?. We replied Nar - closer to $17,000.
We nearly had to call an ambulance as he nearly drowned on his latte. Hahaha

Im amazed at the shocked responses I get when people say "That much??? For a bike???" Yet they will happily spend 80k+ for a luxury euro vehicle and cut sick about the service costs. Or the girls spend 50k on a wedding and do not see what the fuss is about etc.

The way I see it is, if you can afford it, love doing your hobby, then its not a waste of money.

DBourne · 02-12-2016, 12:44 PM

Nice bike, Adam! And nice upgrades.

I did for a while lust after a power metre, then realised I don't need ANOTHER metric telling me that I'm rubbish

Would loooooooooove SRAM e-tap though.

prydey · 02-12-2016, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBourne

I did for a while lust after a power metre, then realised I don't need ANOTHER metric telling me that I'm rubbish

.

I have always felt the same, but yesterday I went for a ride with a mate, who let me ride his power meter equipped canyon up a local hill. It was quite interesting watching the numbers. I would like to have one, but the cost of them makes it an easy decision for me.

Batmobile · 02-12-2016, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBourne

Nice bike, Adam! And nice upgrades.

I did for a while lust after a power metre, then realised I don't need ANOTHER metric telling me that I'm rubbish

Would loooooooooove SRAM e-tap though.

Its a bit like that. I keep waiting for my Garmin to display a rolling message confirming what it thinks of me - not pretty
It hasnt yet , but if it doesnt already know it i at least am telling it to record it and keep quiet.

blackf6 · 02-12-2016, 11:12 PM

Well N+1 for me today. Funny how non cyclists just don't understand, why I need another bike. New steed is a 2017 Giant Cross City 2 equip. For riding to work again. I have waterproof ortileb panniers from my old commuter. Should go good. I used to love riding to work. But shifts just got in the way. 14hrs work. 1hr travel time on the bike. 7 hrs sleep. Leaves 2hrs a day to have dinner, shower and relax before bed. 10 hr break between shifts.

Batmobile · 18-12-2016, 09:28 PM

Recently I demo a Wahoo KickR and completed a known hill climb completing the session in under 20mins . Sweat pouring and out of breath with a smile from ear to ear. Given the expense , I hadn't given too much thought as to whether I would or wouldn't get one , given I had a power crankset on my wish list for some time
It's not uncommon now at the mandatory coffee stop someone is talking about either a session they have completed on a smart trainer or taking about how they are seeing results with their power meter
What has been your experience with either a smart trainer or power meter?
Note . Now that I demo the Wahoo KickR I couldn't go back to my CycleOps Mag trainer .

blueoval · 19-12-2016, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Batmobile

Recently I demo a Wahoo KickR and completed a known hill climb completing the session in under 20mins . Sweat pouring and out of breath with a smile from ear to ear. Given the expense , I hadn't given too much thought as to whether I would or wouldn't get one , given I had a power crankset on my wish list for some time
It's not uncommon now at the mandatory coffee stop someone is talking about either a session they have completed on a smart trainer or taking about how they are seeing results with their power meter
What has been your experience with either a smart trainer or power meter?
Note . Now that I demo the Wahoo KickR I couldn't go back to my CycleOps Mag trainer .

I dont have either of those. I have to CycleOps fluid trainers at home and use them for exercise purposes only with my hybrids bikes. Comes in handy on wet days.

But a power meter has always intrigued me. Something about knowing your FTP and riding to a number allowing yourself to know your are at max and not blow up half way on a climb has its benefits. On the other hand, it makes riding too analytical. Takes away the organic nature of riding and enjoying the landscape you are riding through.

DBourne · 30-12-2016, 11:32 AM

So I've just come in from my final ride for the year.

Ultimately this year wasn't too bad, cycling wise, for me. I didn't do as many K's as I wanted, but I made some new mates, and rode new routes, so overall it was a positive year.

How was it for all you guys?

Do you have any cycling goals you want to achieve next year?

I just want to rack up more K's, in particular on the Propel, and to work some more hills in to my riding life (lol I say that now in the comfort of my chair with a coffee in hand).

prydey · 30-12-2016, 03:55 PM

i always planned to do less km's this year than the previous few. was up over 6500 last year and i thought i'd back it off to around 6000. this is basically just part of the balancing act of being a parent and spending time on the bike. my kids are getting older and circumstances change and it gets harder to justify disappearing for long periods. towards the end of the year i've started riding in the evening/night more, which i actually really like.

as the year got toward the halfway point, i started to drop behind where i needed to be each month but thought i'd be able to claw it back once the weather improved. it just didn't happen. i do shift work and have been finding it increasingly difficult to get out on the bike. just really lacking motivation. i still enjoy riding but its hard to force yourself out sometimes esp when its solo rides.

i'd like to get at least a couple more rides in this year. not sure it will happen.

also i still enjoy the odd smash on a strava segment, but i try to enjoy my riding a lot more, which often means just backing the pace off a touch. i'm right on the edge of suburbia so get to ride in some fantastic countryside and its very good for clearing the head if you just get out, and don't worry about times etc. easier said than done sometimes. Strava has a lot to answer for!

GUTLES · 30-12-2016, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

this is basically just part of the balancing act of being a parent and spending time on the bike. my kids are getting older and circumstances change and it gets harder to justify disappearing for long periods. towards the end of the year i've started riding in the evening/night more, which i actually really like.

For myself, I find I enjoy evening / night rides the most. Good on you!

Off the bike for a bit due to pneumonia :(

**DJM83** · 30-12-2016, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBourne

So I've just come in from my final ride for the year.

Ultimately this year wasn't too bad, cycling wise, for me. I didn't do as many K's as I wanted, but I made some new mates, and rode new routes, so overall it was a positive year.

How was it for all you guys?

Do you have any cycling goals you want to achieve next year?

I just want to rack up more K's, in particular on the Propel, and to work some more hills in to my riding life (lol I say that now in the comfort of my chair with a coffee in hand).

Didnt even count the kms although its a bit different. Didnt ride enough but had a blast on the new whip. Hopefully if im nice a new bike will come next year.
Did McKayos at Falls Creek that was a blast, but yeah loving it really.

Whitey-AMG · 30-12-2016, 08:27 PM

Well
In 2017 I'd like to stay as healthy as I can and try to keep to @ 100 Kim a week during the summer months. 2016 I saw over 1800 Klm on my trusty steed If I can beat that and get over 2000 klm by end of 2017 I'd be real happy.

Batmobile · 30-12-2016, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluey-GT

Well
In 2017 I'd like to stay as healthy as I can and try to keep to @ 100 Kim a week during the summer months. 2016 I saw over 1800 Klm on my trusty steed If I can beat that and get over 2000 klm by end of 2017 I'd be real happy.

I know we are all different , all with different wants and priorities. I just clicked over 500ks @ 5000m and the still have Saturday and Sunday to come. The point being, you will find if you are able to commit to more quality k's on a regular base , you will experience something better on the bike . What I mean is , with limited k's you will find you are always reconnecting with the bike and body on each outing , where as with say 250ks per week, you will seem to find your groove and you start to create challenges instead of just doing the numbers . Before you know it , you start going faster , weight no longer becomes a issue and riding becomes much more fun
Now, i just got to practice what I am selling and adopt that rule with the garage queen . Haha

Batmobile · 30-12-2016, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJM83

Didnt even count the kms although its a bit different. Didnt ride enough but had a blast on the new whip. Hopefully if im nice a new bike will come next year.
Did McKayos at Falls Creek that was a blast, but yeah loving it really.

Do I have any cycling goals for 2017 ? -Yeah!!! Smash my mates!

**Captain Stubing** · 30-12-2016, 09:21 PM

I might clock up 3500 km for the year... as long as I ride to work tomorrow! I was hoping for more than that, but life gets in the way sometimes, and most of my riding is done solo, which makes it harder to make time. I'm moving houses in about 4 weeks to a rural-type property, so I'm going to have to learn different roads and routes.

There's also a Strava segment that starts at the beginning of my new street, but it might end past my driveway... a 4% climb to get home from each ride!

prydey · 31-12-2016, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanny

There's also a Strava segment that starts at the beginning of my new street, but it might end past my driveway... a 4% climb to get home from each ride!

bit of a trick to be able to register times in segments that are near your house, and still have a privacy zone.... instead of using your own address, choose an address that is far enough away so that your house falls just inside the privacy zone for that address, ie, if you have a 100m radius privacy zone, if you put in an address roughly 100m away (in a direction where there are no segments you are keen on) then the radius of that address should just capture your property.

roKWiz · 03-02-2019, 01:59 PM

Hope no one minds me posting these here.... a couple of Super V's I rebuilt a couple of years ago.

Pearly as I call it was a $150 ebay bargain. typical left in the garage bike due to stuffed cabling and punctures.
98 Cannondale SuperV700, I only buy the older Handmade in the USA stuff.

As bought

6061T6 Frame, paint was in excellent condition but stripped and polished the swingarm, cranks, etc. upgraded and rebuilt the Headshok suspension

reassembly time using original simple spring rebound Fox Vanilla rear shock

Finished and ready for a ride.

And the Gen 1 Super V Raven. Frameset I scored from Indiana for $450 AU
Gen 1 Ravens were 6061 T6 skeleton draped in a carbon skin.
99 handmade in the USA Bedford PA
Gen II Raven were magnesium skeleton frame set in a thermoplastic skin (this is the one Clydesdale riders were breaking the BB on. Still would like to find one as they're becoming rare now.

How it arrived.

Setting up a new Super Fatty Headshok suspension fork

New Black Spire chainrings, retro Sachs Plasma front derailleur, stripped and polished CODA crankset.

NOS 9 speed Sachs cassette and chain, SRAM X9 rear derailleur, Avid single digit brake set, new Michelin Country ROCK (R) Conti Speed King (F) tyres, rebuilt Fox Alps 5R rear shock

Sorted

Love my old Super V's

**DJM83** · 04-02-2019, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Hope no one minds me posting these here.... a couple of Super V's I rebuilt a couple of years ago.

Pearly as I call it was a $150 ebay bargain. typical left in the garage bike due to stuffed cabling and punctures.
98 Cannondale SuperV700, I only buy the older Handmade in the USA stuff.

As bought
image

6061T6 Frame, paint was in excellent condition but stripped and polished the swingarm, cranks, etc. upgraded and rebuilt the Headshok suspension
image

reassembly time using original simple spring rebound Fox Vanilla rear shock
image

image

Finished and ready for a ride.
image

And the Gen 1 Super V Raven. Frameset I scored from Indiana for $450 AU
Gen 1 Ravens were 6061 T6 skeleton draped in a carbon skin.
99 handmade in the USA Bedford PA
Gen II Raven were magnesium skeleton frame set in a thermoplastic skin (this is the one Clydesdale riders were breaking the BB on. Still would like to find one as they're becoming rare now.

How it arrived.
image

Setting up a new Super Fatty Headshok suspension fork
image

New Black Spire chainrings, retro Sachs Plasma front derailleur, stripped and polished CODA crankset.
image

NOS 9 speed Sachs cassette and chain, SRAM X9 rear derailleur, Avid single digit brake set, new Michelin Country ROCK (R) Conti Speed King (F) tyres, rebuilt Fox Alps 5R rear shock
image

Sorted
image

Love my old Super V's

Id always drool over super v cannondales as a kid growing up. They dont do much for me now though.
Love your work mate.

Syndrome · 12-02-2019, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Hope no one minds me posting these here.... a couple of Super V's I rebuilt a couple of years ago.

Pearly as I call it was a $150 ebay bargain. typical left in the garage bike due to stuffed cabling and punctures.
98 Cannondale SuperV700, I only buy the older Handmade in the USA stuff.

As bought
image

6061T6 Frame, paint was in excellent condition but stripped and polished the swingarm, cranks, etc. upgraded and rebuilt the Headshok suspension
image

reassembly time using original simple spring rebound Fox Vanilla rear shock
image

image

Finished and ready for a ride.
image

And the Gen 1 Super V Raven. Frameset I scored from Indiana for $450 AU
Gen 1 Ravens were 6061 T6 skeleton draped in a carbon skin.
99 handmade in the USA Bedford PA
Gen II Raven were magnesium skeleton frame set in a thermoplastic skin (this is the one Clydesdale riders were breaking the BB on. Still would like to find one as they're becoming rare now.

How it arrived.
image

Setting up a new Super Fatty Headshok suspension fork
image

New Black Spire chainrings, retro Sachs Plasma front derailleur, stripped and polished CODA crankset.
image

NOS 9 speed Sachs cassette and chain, SRAM X9 rear derailleur, Avid single digit brake set, new Michelin Country ROCK (R) Conti Speed King (F) tyres, rebuilt Fox Alps 5R rear shock
image

Sorted
image

Love my old Super V's

You'd love this place

https://www.cycloretro.com/

roKWiz · 14-02-2019, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Syndrome

You'd love this place

https://www.cycloretro.com/

Thank you, Bling, Bling, groupsets.

I do spend some time here...

http://vintagecannondale.com/

**Captain Stubing** · 30-12-2016, 09:35 PM

Something I did a few months ago is fit a Garmin Vector S Power Meter to the Merckx. Having spent the money, I've found it's not something I need, but it's a handy guide to tell me I can put more into that hill.

prydey · 31-12-2016, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swanny

Something I did a few months ago is fit a Garmin Vector S Power Meter to the Merckx. Having spent the money, I've found it's not something I need, but it's a handy guide to tell me I can put more into that hill.

i would love a power meter. just can't afford one at the moment. in general riding they probably won't make a lot of difference, but on a tempo ride (riding at a sustained pace/wattage for a set time) or a long ride or a long climb they are invaluable in making sure you finish strong, or ride consistent.

**Captain Stubing** · 31-12-2016, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

bit of a trick to be able to register times in segments that are near your house, and still have a privacy zone.... instead of using your own address, choose an address that is far enough away so that your house falls just inside the privacy zone for that address, ie, if you have a 100m radius privacy zone, if you put in an address roughly 100m away (in a direction where there are no segments you are keen on) then the radius of that address should just capture your property.

I can also list my bike as a cheap-as brand... the Reid Osprey?

Quote:

Originally Posted by prydey

i would love a power meter. just can't afford one at the moment. in general riding they probably won't make a lot of difference, but on a tempo ride (riding at a sustained pace/wattage for a set time) or a long ride or a long climb they are invaluable in making sure you finish strong, or ride consistent.

It is good for maintaining constant power on straights, a guide for gear shifting, and I think my riding has improved an infinitesimal amount since I bought it.

I haven't been fitted up properly to the Merckx, and I'll be trying a new seat position in the morning to see if it stops my right knee from hurting. A few dollars spent months ago would have saved a lot of pain over the months!

**DJM83** · 06-01-2017, 04:22 PM

Been debating upgrading my reign lately. But I need to save for a house. So instead of a new bike im upgrading the drive train to a 1x11 set up compared to the 2x10 it has.
Shimano XT rear mech
Shimano XT shifter.
Shimano SLX 11sp 11-42 rear cassette.
Raceface narrow wide 34T chain ring in purple of course.

SM1DY · 02-02-2017, 10:43 PM

New top speed PB, 80.3kph

DBourne · 03-02-2017, 10:45 AM

Got in to the 70's on a descent once.. I became extremely aware that I was just wearing lycra, then I admit it didn't seem overly wise haha.

prydey · 03-02-2017, 10:53 AM

been in the 90's a few times. same hill the tour down under guys get over 100.

its rural, so no roads entering or exiting, its reasonable steep with no sharp bends and has a long run off at the end of the steep part, to slow down.

GTpilot · 03-02-2017, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DBourne

Got in to the 70's on a descent once.. I became extremely aware that I was just wearing lycra, then I admit it didn't seem overly wise haha.

Yep, that thought occasionally crosses my mind sometimes too.
The irony is we see a motorcyclist going down the road in shorts and t-shirt and think - F..ing 1d10t Then we go barrelling down hills all tucked up with pretty much nothing on but 1mm on lycra, a pair of sunnies and an esky lid on our heads.

But it is FUN!!

blueoval · 03-02-2017, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTpilot

Yep, that thought occasionally crosses my mind sometimes too.
The irony is we see a motorcyclist going down the road in shorts and t-shirt and think - F..ing 1d10t Then we go barrelling down hills all tucked up with pretty much nothing on but 1mm on lycra, a pair of sunnies and an esky lid on our heads.

But it is FUN!!

When you put it that way, we are pretty insane to hit speeds like that in what my mate calls 'glad wrap' for cyclists.

blueoval · 03-02-2017, 11:52 AM

80kph down a few roads Im familiar with is not uncommon. The issue is Im more afraid of wildlife or cars popping out from the side at that speed. It just depends on how big my balls are on the day!