[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

There is no way BW could win or at least be uber competitive, in the Giro and still have enough in his locker to get round that tour route and over Contador.

 

[Woodchip]

There is no way BW could win or at least be uber competitive, in the Giro and still have enough in his locker to get round that tour route and over Contador.

Unless Contador has had a dodgy doctor... I still have my suspicions about Peter Sagan.

I agree with your statement though.

 

[Stat Brother]

You'll all be pleased to know I didn't get an old 1970's knackered Bianchi.
By virtue of the fact I wasn't prepared to go into 3 figures

So, so far at least, now winter restoration project to bore you with.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

More than all the Contador talk for Le Tour, what interests me most is where Nicholas Roche fits into all this. He's used to being team leader at AG2r so what will his plans be for 2012 and Le Tour in particular I wonder. Will he be targeting the Vuelta perhaps?, seeing as there's likely to be a lot less TT and more climbing than the Giro next season.

I assume he'll ride Le Tour as say a Daniel Moreno to J Rod type role? Assuming Majka is still signed for next season along with the likes of Paulinho that's some pretty serious dom help Contador will have. With Roche riding then Contador won't be as isolated as he has been in the high mountains. Roche as some sort of Super Dom will be interesting... or shall we get all conspiratorial and see Roche as a back up plan for team leader should the shit hit the fan with Spanish cycling

Edit: I've also heard that Le Tour will have 8 rider teams rather than 9 next year too. Still 22 teams though. Not sure if this has been confirmed officially though.

Roche will be better off as a domestique. He's barely won a professional race and will get more success in the support role.

 

[Horton's halftime iceberg]

Roche will be better off as a domestique. He's barely won a professional race and will get more success in the support role.

Super Domestique

 

[1066familyman]

The Park cable cutters and new handle bar tape arrived today. Blimey, what a tool that is!, cut my new outers like a knife through butter! Anyway, all new gear cable & outers fully installed and everything running pretty sweet.

So now the moment of truth arrives as I prepare to put on the new handle bar tape. Cup of tea first to prepare, then I'm going in!...I may be sometime

 

[Stat Brother]

Good luck, [MENTION=12656]Pantani[/MENTION]'s your man, certainly not me.

Once again youtube has plenty of tips.

 

[1066familyman]

Thanks.

Yep, already watched plenty of youtube videos to familiarise myself. So far I've ascertained that's it's always correct to go from bottom to top rather than top to bottom, despite what some may say.

I'm undecided whether to do a figure of 8 round the levers though or cut off a small strip for coverage there instead. I'd prefer to go figure of 8 but I'm worried I might come up short of tape that way. I'll see how it pans out as I do it.

 

[Stat Brother]

Thanks.

Yep, already watched plenty of youtube videos to familiarise myself. So far I've ascertained that's it's always correct to go from bottom to top rather than top to bottom, despite what some may say.

I'm undecided whether to do a figure of 8 round the levers though or cut off a small strip for coverage there instead. I'd prefer to go figure of 8 but I'm worried I might come up short of tape that way. I'll see how it pans out as I do it.

You won't come up short, not unless you've fitted 'cow horn' bars as well
It has to be figure of 8, which is easy for me to say, but ...

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Thanks.

Yep, already watched plenty of youtube videos to familiarise myself. So far I've ascertained that's it's always correct to go from bottom to top rather than top to bottom, despite what some may say.

I'm undecided whether to do a figure of 8 round the levers though or cut off a small strip for coverage there instead. I'd prefer to go figure of 8 but I'm worried I might come up short of tape that way. I'll see how it pans out as I do it.

I've had a few goes at putting bar tape on, and have discovered the best, most efficient way. You ask your LBS to do it for you.

 

[1066familyman]

That's reassuring figure of 8 news, thanks. I'll be stopping a bit short as it is to leave room to put the cateye and front light bracket back on.

Cowhorn bars takes me back. I did once have a bike that I put a pair of those on when I was a lad. Metallic green it was and I was still young enough to be putting a peg on the seat stays with playing cards clipping the spokes so it sounded like a motorbike. We all did on our estate and motorbike sounding bikes and games of chicken as we ran each other into the curbs to see who would be first to put their foot down was one of the highlights of my youth.

 

[Stat Brother]

I had a set so wide I couldn't go down any alleyways.

 

[1066familyman]

I've had a few goes at putting bar tape on, and have discovered the best, most efficient way. You ask your LBS to do it for you.

That last sentence is pretty much my wife's answer to everything I do on the bike I'm determined to learn everything myself though, even if it's the hard way. More satisfaction that way and you can't beat a bit of independence, especially as there's the kids bikes to maintain too.

 

[Stat Brother]

That last sentence is pretty much my wife's answer to everything I do on the bike I'm determined to learn everything myself though, even if it's the hard way. More satisfaction that way and you can't beat a bit of independence, especially as there's the kids bikes to maintain too.

I bet if you can't do the tape, she can.

 

[1066familyman]

I had a set so wide I couldn't go down any alleyways.

I hope they had some fancy rubbery plasticy hand grips on the end of them too. Nice bright colours that wouldn't look out of place in a sex shop Now you wouldn't want to be scuffing those on walls as you debated whether they'd fit down an alley or not.

 

[1066familyman]

I bet if you can't do the tape, she can.

In between washing up and ironing, probably, yes.

 

[Stat Brother]

I hope they had some fancy rubbery plasticy hand grips on the end of them too. Nice bright colours that wouldn't look out of place in a sex shop Now you wouldn't want to be scuffing those on walls as you debated whether they'd fit down an alley or not.

Black.

It was an old skool racer I 'modified'.

There used to be a really old man in the village that made bikes in a tiny shop front.
I can't remember much, other than the smell of the shop.
But sadly because it wasn't a shiny new Grifter I was really disappointed.
The fact is now I would kill for that bike, and desperately want to be that old man.

I sprayed the bike black, I should have cleaned it first instead of painting over the mud.

 

[1066familyman]

Oh the impatience of youth, wanting everything now now! A bit of mud won't do any harm and it's a pain in the arse having to clean it before getting the spray out and listening to that can rattle...ah, I can smell it now

Funny thing is I could almost still be like that. I'm actually quite proud of myself and how mature I've been in holding back with this bike. I mean, 3 weeks in now and I still haven't been on a proper ride on it yet despite itching to get out there. Loads of brand new Aldi clothes to wear too and not forgetting the cleats. I'm really praying for some decent weather this weekend.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Tomorrow is meant to be nice, Sunday a bit rainy I think...

I said about going for a ride tomorrow, and my wife said "that could be nice, we could all go and let the kids take their bikes out". Not sure at first she realised why my face resembled someone who had just been told that they need to have a testicle removed without any anaesthetic with a pair of garden secertears and a knitting needle....

I love my kids dearly, but I also love Bia (my bike....what, you don't have a name for yours and don't refer to it as a 'her'!!?), and Bia loves me and I know she wants me to ride her hard for a good couple of hours tomorrow. I may have to get up early and get out before anyone else is properly up to have my bit of fun!

p.s. I've been pleased with my Aldi gear, especially the base layers - lovely. May have to use my overshoes tomorrow - I say overshoes when I really mean my old football socks with a hole cut in the bottom for the cleats!!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Thanks.

Yep, already watched plenty of youtube videos to familiarise myself. So far I've ascertained that's it's always correct to go from bottom to top rather than top to bottom, despite what some may say.

I'm undecided whether to do a figure of 8 round the levers though or cut off a small strip for coverage there instead. I'd prefer to go figure of 8 but I'm worried I might come up short of tape that way. I'll see how it pans out as I do it.

Always bottom to top so you don't slide down and fray it.

Most bar tape comes with a strip for behind the levers. No need for a figure of 8 if you want a nice smooth finish.