Advice needed on a BiiiiiiiiiiG ride for a fat man......

[thefett]

You might find these two sites useful in setting your bike up: one, two.

Did you get some Proofide/dubbin for your saddle? The oft quoted advice about applying your chosen saddle treatment is "once a day for a week; once a week for a month; once a month for a year; once a year for life."

Only a small amount should be applied, too much will cause a soft, saggy saddle: a generous finger-dab on a soft cloth.

For what are you being charged £150? I might be missing something, but at most I'd have thought you'd need two chainrings and a front derailleur plus no more than an hour's labour.

Veloce front chainset 50/34

I looked on fleabay and the cheapest was £110 so thought bugger it, I'll get it fitted for £150 and I'll have someone to shout at if there are any issues.

Need the brakes looking at too, getting noticeably harder to stop at the bottom of steep hills

Bought the proofide, didn't realise I need to add that much to start with, I'll give it another rub when I get home.

Great links btw, thank you!

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

Are cranks for a compact chainset different to a regular double? I thought it was just the chainrings, but I'm still on the learning curve.

As well as keeping the braking surface of your rims clean, you could upgrade your brake pads. Koolstop are frequently recommended on here. The different compounds come in different colours: black on the back and salmon up front is a common set-up.

You could also try slicker cables, Jagwire Racer for example.

Just to be clear with the Proofide: don't put too much on, less is more. If you mean more frequently, then "yes" (as per my earlier post).

As for the links: you're welcome, glad you found them useful; half an inch can make all the difference (as the actress said to the Bishop)!

 

[thefett]

On that curve too my friend. I thought a compact was a double?

I may well have been able to buy just the rings, I just assumed they came as one piece after some googling!

I suppose it makes it easier for me to sell my old one.

Understood on the proofide, and I'll look into those pads tonight. At least if I'm not ready by June I know my bike will be

 

[tyred]

The "slippyness" of a new Brooks saddle soon wears off in my experience.

Good luck with the ride.

 

[Scilly Suffolk]

On that curve too my friend. I thought a compact was a double?

I may well have been able to buy just the rings, I just assumed they came as one piece after some googling!

You're right and I'm wrong!

In short, compact and standard set-ups have different BCD (bolt circle diameter), so you do need to change the cranks.

 

[thefett]

Loving that saddle!

Blew away my best previous time to work by 15 mins and no sore behind! 20 miles in 1hr15mins with a few big hills too, well chuffed I'm putting the time down to the tron soundtrack on my iPod

50 miler on Sunday will be the first real test!

 

[thefett]

Well I completed the ride guys!
Could not have had worse conditions. Not a single dry mile! When we got to Ireland we had 60mph head/side winds the whole way and you have probably seen on the news what we had to contend with heading from holyhead to Aberystwyth on Saturday!

So to all you fellow fatties taking on a big challenge, get your training in, eat right and you will be fine.

Thanks to everyone on here who have given me terrific advice, it all made a difference. Now, on to the next challenge!!!

 

[S_t_e_v_e]

Well done!

 

[postman]

Well done from me also.

 

[Norm]

Thanks to everyone on here who have given me terrific advice, it all made a difference. Now, on to the next challenge!!!

Excellent, most excellent.

 

[defy-one]

Well done sir! An inspirational tale

Sent from my GT-I9100

 

[thefett]

Thanks guys,

Without this forum I would have been eating wrong, have a blistered bum and be riding a bike that was too small for me!!! I may be £3000 poorer but I'm a lot happier, thanks again guys!!!

 

[Kiwiavenger]

Well done!

Sent from my LT15i using Tapatalk 2

 

[gb155]

Well done !!!