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<Tommy>

Illegitimi non carborundum
Location
Camden, London
At the moment on the tarmac I have 52-36, 11-28. I have a campag as well as a shimano free hub for the zipp wheels so I could go up to 29 cog using campag. I'm not sure if I can go higher using shimano/sram. It seems it's frame dependent with regards the etap rear mech. The zipps are also tubs which raises other questions but that's a side issue really. The bike weighs a bit under 7kg.

My other bike is a canonadale and has a standard crankset so I'd want to change that. But it would be easier to muck about with the rear mech if I felt I needed too. It has clincher wheel set (zondas), so probably easier to deal with punctures than the tubs. The bike weighs just over 8kg.

I don't dread hills in fact in a sick way I think we all love them! I just need to set a good tempo that suits me. I'm not sure for me that means spinning too fast. I think for me I want to put in lots of miles so I know where I stand before I get there if that makes sense?
 

Daddy Pig

Veteran
Evening all,
Any tips on bib shorts for long rides
After a 2.5 hour Trainerroad session this morning my rear is still aching.
Been recommended castelli free aero race and Lusso Aero 50 by two friends. Also seen rapha core bib shorts for £50 in the sale (wiggo branding)
I have some decent Pearl Izumi bibs and they are great. Really soft material. If you want to send more cash a friend loves his Assos gear but you may need to ask for a loan as the costs are astronomic. Have a look at Sports Pursuit (you need to sign up before you can see the gear) as there are quite a lot of discounted high end clothing.
 

<Tommy>

Illegitimi non carborundum
Location
Camden, London
Evening all,
Any tips on bib shorts for long rides
After a 2.5 hour Trainerroad session this morning my rear is still aching.
Been recommended castelli free aero race and Lusso Aero 50 by two friends. Also seen rapha core bib shorts for £50 in the sale (wiggo branding)

Rapha are good, I prefer Assos but for £50 go for the Rapha as I've never seen Assos that cheap. My son uses Castelli but he is a skinny sod, all 55kg and 6 foot of him.

Hi perky

It's a good time to buy Rapha with the sale but I can't comment on the core stuff. I have a feeling it's not great. The thing I like about their gear is the pad and I'm not sure if it's the same as the more expensive bibs. What's your max budget?

Also 2 1/2 hours is a long time and it could be you'd find chamois cream helpful to stop chaffing. I've only used the assoss cream but I'd highly recommend it. You just have to get your head round the application process.
 

Perky77

Senior Member
Location
Hertfordshire
Hi perky

It's a good time to buy Rapha with the sale but I can't comment on the core stuff. I have a feeling it's not great. The thing I like about their gear is the pad and I'm not sure if it's the same as the more expensive bibs. What's your max budget?

Also 2 1/2 hours is a long time and it could be you'd find chamois cream helpful to stop chaffing. I've only used the assoss cream but I'd highly recommend it. You just have to get your head round the application process.

Max budget being honest is up to an absolute max of £100
I used chamois cream today for first time with my Planet X bib shorts
 

<Tommy>

Illegitimi non carborundum
Location
Camden, London
Max budget being honest is up to an absolute max of £100
I used chamois cream today for first time with my Planet X bib shorts

If you want to try rapha this is the best time to test the water. You can get the classics for £105 or the pro's for £95 (with pink lettering or the wiggins lettering). The lightweight version is £77 and use same pad but not sure how durable they are. The only real difference between the classics and pros is the pad is slightly further forward in the pros so they lend themselves to a more aggressive position.

Dhb get good reviews, castelli too. I have santini bibs I like too. Sport full, the list goes on. I think it's trial and error really. As kip says assos are directly comparable to Rapha. Personally Rapha pros in large (I'm 6'3, 87kg) fit me very well so I stick with them.
 

theboxers

TheBoxers on Cycle Sim sw
Does anyone have any idea when they will release details of the 60 mile route for the DD? I was wondering whether I could manage it with my heart rate limit, but it mainly depends on how steep the steep bits are. Anything above 10% and my heart rate gets too high and I have to slow to a crawl. I guess I could walk up anything too steep, but that's just embarrassing...
I know how you feel. I will struggle up anything above 6% unless I get my weight down. I will have to resort to shanks' pony at some point, probably many points. I've done it before and will have to do it again and also suffer the indignity :blush:. But I can't blame anyone but myself :banghead:.
 

Whorty

Gets free watts from the Atom ;)
Location
Wiltshire
I know how you feel. I will struggle up anything above 6% unless I get my weight down. I will have to resort to shanks' pony at some point, probably many points. I've done it before and will have to do it again and also suffer the indignity :blush:. But I can't blame anyone but myself :banghead:.
My aim is a stone off before the DD but as I lose weight I won't be changing bkool. I'll stick to the bkool hills on the heavier weight then hopefully my legs will find it easier when they have to haul me up the Welsh mountains :tongue: in full DD mode from now on :laugh: (whatever that means!!!)
 

CXRAndy

Guru
Location
Lincs
This DD talk is starting to scare me. That extra stone will be a lot less of a hindrance than my woeful lack of preparation. I am already researching shortcuts, and hiring 'gate openers'.

My distance work will begin at the end of February following on from Tenerife. This will be a weekend club run 50-80miles, one hill climb and one power workout, several shorts trips to the shops to replenish food crap for doing poorly on other workouts:laugh:
 

kipster

Guru
Location
Hampshire
My distance work never stops, although I haven't been out the last two weekends because of snow and ice, but generally I'll be hoping to do 90 - 110 miles per weekend. Hills are being catered for by the club trip to Majorca in March, although there are plenty of 10 - 12% locally and a couple of top 100 hills not too far away. I just need to find enough time during the week for TrainerRoad.
 

gbrown

Geoff on Bkool
Location
South Somerset
I know how you feel. I will struggle up anything above 6% unless I get my weight down. I will have to resort to shanks' pony at some point, probably many points. I've done it before and will have to do it again and also suffer the indignity :blush:. But I can't blame anyone but myself :banghead:.

I reckon 60 miles is long enough for a cycle ride, and leaves more time for cake and socialising! I don't think my carbon saddle would let me do any more, and after 4 hours I start to get bored...
 
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