Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[boybiker]

Wheels make a difference. Did I mention I got some new ones.
The Challenge well with 7 days to go I have 382Km left to do just 53Km behind target really, but like Mo I am tired, I have to do 53Km a day for the next week. i am going to knock 10km off it shortly as I have to go out pick up some stuff.

I think I saw something about new wheels . I'm glad they are all good and working well.

I'm still on my stock giant tyres that come with my defy one. I read a post on here the other day from someone with a defy one saying how much taking the stock tyres off and putting something different on makes speed wise. I'm definitely looking for a faster tyre next time but not getting one p visit with these tyres is a record I would like to keep . I've read so many conflicting reviews and opinions I think its going to be a case of trying different tyres and see how I get on.

 

[Typhon]

Just did a quick evening ride on the Triban, 0.2 mph slower than my fairly gentle ride on the focus earlier. Once difference was I absolutely flogged myself I got in a race with another cyclist so naturally I just had to win.

I get so much vibration through the handlebars on the Triban. Is that normal? It doesn't seem to do it on smooth tarmac but there's few and far between here. I'm starting to think there's actually something wrong with the Triban, it's almost like it rattles. But when I pick the bike up and spin the wheels it's completely silent and seems to spin for an eternity. I've just checked that everything is tight so I'm not sure what else to do really? Wish I had more experience of more bikes to know whether that is just normal on a cheap Aluminium bike or not.

 

[DaveyM]

Yeah I think there's a lot to be said for just getting used to the saddle.

There is a young lad at work who has owned a bike now for nearly a week and has a 100km ride this weekend, he says he'll be fit enough coz of all the football and running. I can only imagine how sore he is going to feel in the saddle department

well done to all you guys I really am looking forward to a half day tomorrow and getting out for a couple of hours

 

[Typhon]

There is a young lad at work who has owned a bike now for nearly a week and has a 100km ride this weekend, he says he'll be fit enough coz of all the football and running. I can only imagine how sore he is going to feel in the saddle department

well done to all you guys I really am looking forward to a half day tomorrow and getting out for a couple of hours

Wow, that is ambitious! He'll probably have the fitness but as you say he will be very sore. I hope the bike is adjusted for him properly and he has the saddle up high enough or he's going to have a lot of aches and pains.

I've seen quite a few stories of cyclists on here who have done the reverse - taken up running or a similar sport and knackered their knees because they have the fitness but their bodies aren't used to that kind of exercise. At least cyclist is low impact though.

 

[Mo1959]

There is a young lad at work who has owned a bike now for nearly a week and has a 100km ride this weekend, he says he'll be fit enough coz of all the football and running. I can only imagine how sore he is going to feel in the saddle department

well done to all you guys I really am looking forward to a half day tomorrow and getting out for a couple of hours

Oh my goodness. Wonder if he'll make it. Not sure that football and running fitness will equate to all that time in the saddle. Be interested to hear how he gets on.

 

[Billy Adam]

Oh my goodness. Wonder if he'll make it. Not sure that football and running fitness will equate to all that time in the saddle. Be interested to hear how he gets on.

Or off more to the point Mo

 

[AndyPeace]

Just did a quick evening ride on the Triban, 0.2 mph slower than my fairly gentle ride on the focus earlier. Once difference was I absolutely flogged myself I got in a race with another cyclist so naturally I just had to win.

I get so much vibration through the handlebars on the Triban. Is that normal? It doesn't seem to do it on smooth tarmac but there's few and far between here. I'm starting to think there's actually something wrong with the Triban, it's almost like it rattles. But when I pick the bike up and spin the wheels it's completely silent and seems to spin for an eternity. I've just checked that everything is tight so I'm not sure what else to do really? Wish I had more experience of more bikes to know whether that is just normal on a cheap Aluminium bike or not.

Have you checked the headset? You can do this by holding the front brake and rocking the bike forward. It should feel solid, if you feel it move or hear it click then it is loose and needs tightening. A loose headset would certainly add vibrations.
There is quite a bit of sound advice on bike maintenance on the web... and this guy is a good starting point. http://www.sheldonbrown.com/headsets.html

 

[Mo1959]

Yes, I'm not very mechanically minded either and had a similar rattle and it was the headset. I think when I fitted a new stem, I got things back to front and tightened the clamp bolts before the top one which tightens everything down. Once I realised and watched a you tube clip I slackened everything off again and tightened down the top bolt first then retightened the stem bolts. All quiet now.

 

[RWright]

I tightened in the wrong order once too.

 

[Typhon]

I just checked the headset using that test you mentioned Andy and it doesn't feel solid at all on the Triban, whereas it absolutely does on the Focus. I loosened the headset and tightened it all up again but it's no better. I'm pretty sure I tightened it in the wrong order before as Mo and Rocky did but I just did it in the right order and it hasn't helped.

Reading the Sheldon Brown article now. There's just so much to take in though!

 

[Typhon]

I just loosened and tightened it again. It's better than it was originally but there's still a little bit of ply in it when I rock it back and forth. One big difference is that the spacers were loose before and now they can't be moved at all. I'm not sure what else to do really. Is a certain amount of ply expected on a bike with a pretty cheap finishing kit? The Focus has no ply at all but cost more than 6x as much.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I will read back through the post's later as i want to reply, but I need to go paint a wall.
just to say though managed another 10miles and p.b to boot.
http://app.strava.com/activities/50336631#892887698
One that has stood since Aug last year, and may be subject to errors it being a phone that recorded it.

 

[Typhon]

Reading around on the internet it seems like if you've tightened it up as far as possible but there's still ply when doing that test, the thing to do is to add another spacer and then try then.

 

[AndyPeace]

I just loosened and tightened it again. It's better than it was originally but there's still a little bit of ply in it when I rock it back and forth. One big difference is that the spacers were loose before and now they can't be moved at all. I'm not sure what else to do really. Is a certain amount of ply expected on a bike with a pretty cheap finishing kit? The Focus has no ply at all but cost more than 6x as much.

At a guess I'd say my Kona is of a pretty similar build quality (though obviously different styles of bike) and it is 6 or 7 years old. It has a Basic Cane Creek Headset. On the brake test, it is solid...the only movement is flex in the tire and fork... I have replaced the bearings in the headset, which maybe what your Tribian needs. If the headset has been loose a while, it's possible they may be prematurely worn, or need re-greasing. It's not a difficult task, but neither is it a 5 minute job... worth doing though even if you just check the bearings and re grease them.
You'll get a serious amount of Jealousy from me talking about your Focus! Very nice!

 

[Typhon]

At a guess I'd say my Kona is of a pretty similar build quality (though obviously different styles of bike) and it is 6 or 7 years old. It has a Basic Cane Creek Headset. On the brake test, it is solid...the only movement is flex in the tire and fork... I have replaced the bearings in the headset, which maybe what your Tribian needs. If the headset has been loose a while, it's possible they may be prematurely worn, or need re-greasing. It's not a difficult task, but neither is it a 5 minute job... worth doing though even if you just check the bearings and re grease them.
You'll get a serious amount of Jealousy from me talking about your Focus! Very nice!

Ah ok, I guess it definitely shouldn't be that way! I'm not sure how long it's been loose. Probably forever to be honest. It was put together dreadfully by Decathlon. I'll have to read up on how to check/grease/replace the bearings. I've never really done anything mechanical so it's all pretty new to me so but I guess I need to learn......I'll get there in the end!

Haha, thank you. If only I was fast enough to justify it! Mind you I did see another one out on the road the other day and scalped the owner - on my rattly Triban.