[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Astana & Ineos the latest to cease all racing until Mar 22 at least. Not surprising in Ineos' case with this weeks tragic news on top of the virus outbreak. I saw last night that FDJ have withdrawn from racing as well, but its because they dont have enough staff or riders available to participate - there are loads still stuck in the UAE.

Lotto Soudal & NTT have both said they will be doing all the races they can until told otherwise. Difficult situation to call IMO - keep riding and be as careful as possible while following medical advice, or withdraw completely until further notice?

And how will this affect riders preparation for the GT's in the Summer??

Anyone else even going to bother putting together a Paris Nice Fantasy team on Velogames? I've done mine already...now just keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Stat Brother]

[tweet]1235525881491271680[/tweet]

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

[tweet]1235525881491271680[/tweet]

 

[Jeep]

Having mown the lawn, I have realised it is now springtime. I hadn't noticed due to the recent rainfall landing on my bike hat every time I pop outside.

Anyway, I've got the Parry Nice ITV4 highlightsset up on series record and will enjoy watching Alaphilippe and his buddies pedalling about.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Anyway, I've got the Parry Nice ITV4 highlightsset up on series record and will enjoy watching Alaphilippe and his buddies pedalling about.

Crazy first couple of days in PN....!

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Me and a mate arranged a quick lunchtime spin together for the first time in months today.

Really should've checked what we were wearing before meeting.....

 

[Jeep]

.... Jeep heads off to buy a cap which matches his wheels.

 

[Acker79]

I have an issue with my bike. I'm not great on maintenance and such, which is why I tend to get it serviced regularly. My front wheel is clicking. I've checked the spokes and none of them appear loose. Is it just a 'put a drop of oil in a certain place and that should stop it' or will it take some sort of actual maintenance to stop it? I don't really want to have to take it to the bike shop to deal with it, in part because I was planning on buying a new bike at some point in the first half of this year anyway. I've had it for almost ten years and I'm not sure it has many original parts left, services seem to be more substantial each time (the fork was replaced at its last service in December!)


On the new bike... Any suggestions for a bike that is mainly for commuting to work. It's mostly on roads, but they have a lot of cracks and pot holes. My current bike is a ridgeback momentum a hybrid bike. I am a hefty fella, so liked it's suspension and sturdiness, but I would prefer something a little lighter. I'm not a fan of drop handlebars.

 

[Stat Brother]

I have an issue with my bike. I'm not great on maintenance and such, which is why I tend to get it serviced regularly. My front wheel is clicking. I've checked the spokes and none of them appear loose. Is it just a 'put a drop of oil in a certain place and that should stop it' or will it take some sort of actual maintenance to stop it? I don't really want to have to take it to the bike shop to deal with it, in part because I was planning on buying a new bike at some point in the first half of this year anyway. I've had it for almost ten years and I'm not sure it has many original parts left, services seem to be more substantial each time (the fork was replaced at its last service in December!)


On the new bike... Any suggestions for a bike that is mainly for commuting to work. It's mostly on roads, but they have a lot of cracks and pot holes. My current bike is a ridgeback momentum a hybrid bike. I am a hefty fella, so liked it's suspension and sturdiness, but I would prefer something a little lighter. I'm not a fan of drop handlebars.

Can't really help re the clicking, if it's not a spoke it might be the wheel bearing/spindle but sadly impossible to tell.
All you can really do is take the wheel out, tyre, tube and liner out and get forensic with each spoke.
There's the very really possibility it's not even the front wheel but it just seems like that's where the noise is reverberating out from, unless that is, it's clicking while not under pressure.


Re next bike

Hybrids cover the whole spectrum from flatbarred road bikes to better geared mountain bikes.

A 10 sec search coughed this up:-

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Specialize...oQOU1-ODwB63qTpsNSwbvHkfUN1dq-UaAk9EEALw_wcB#
(not a recommendation)

as a good example of this.

It doesn't matter about being a chunky monkey, that's the con of entry level suspension, our eyes tell us that must be comfortable but it actually isn't because of the added weight with next to no gain.


In all seriousness you might want to look at electric bikes, it would be a good way to future proof yourself as Father Time begins to point at his watch.

Obviously I don't know if The Cycle To Work scheme is available to you, well worth investigating.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

if The Cycle To Work scheme is available to you, well worth investigating.

Absolutely - weve had 4 bikes off this now and saved ourselves a fortune.

As Stat says, sticking with a hybrid is probably the way to go for commuting if you dont like drops....Giant do some lovely machines (see below), plus they do their own version of B2W if your employer doesn't offer it.
The Toughroad is a nice mix of hybrid / gravel / mtb - lovely bike.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/escape-3-disc-2020
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/escape-0-disc
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/toughroad-slr-2

 

[Acker79]

Thanks for the responses. I did spot these earlier, but ended up taking it to my usual bike shop to see what they say

Can't really help re the clicking, if it's not a spoke it might be the wheel bearing/spindle but sadly impossible to tell.
All you can really do is take the wheel out, tyre, tube and liner out and get forensic with each spoke.
There's the very really possibility it's not even the front wheel but it just seems like that's where the noise is reverberating out from, unless that is, it's clicking while not under pressure.

They suspect a broken ball bearing in the bike hub. Options were £15 hub service that might not actually sort it, or £60 wheel (two months before buying a new bike).

It doesn't matter about being a chunky monkey, that's the con of entry level suspension, our eyes tell us that must be comfortable but it actually isn't because of the added weight with next to no gain.

I think that is something I came to realise. Over the almost decade that I've had the bike almost every part of it has been replaced, including the seat/seat bar that had suspension in it, and more recently, the fork that had suspension to it, and I didn't really notice it that much.

In all seriousness you might want to look at electric bikes, it would be a good way to future proof yourself as Father Time begins to point at his watch.

I have made far too much fun of some people at work for not having 'proper bikes' to make that switch just yet. While chunky, I cycle every day and go to the gym a couple of times a week, so I like to think I have a while in me yet before I need assistance cycling.

Obviously I don't know if The Cycle To Work scheme is available to you, well worth investigating.

Absolutely - weve had 4 bikes off this now and saved ourselves a fortune.

As Stat says, sticking with a hybrid is probably the way to go for commuting if you dont like drops....Giant do some lovely machines (see below), plus they do their own version of B2W if your employer doesn't offer it.
The Toughroad is a nice mix of hybrid / gravel / mtb - lovely bike.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/escape-3-disc-2020
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/escape-0-disc
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/gb/toughroad-slr-2

I won't get that last one, it doesn't have pedals!

I did look at the cycle to work scheme, but I'm not a massive fan of paying in instalments (or my employers taking my money), and it seemed like a bit of a faff with applying and getting approval and then getting tickets and needing to know what bike you were getting/price range. Besides, I've been putting money aside each month knowing that I was going to get a new bike this year anyway, so was planning on forgoing the scheme, even though it would be cheaper.


Ultimately I decided to buy a new bike now (well, I'll collect it later this week). Went with one of these: https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/vanteo-2020 (except the one I bought has pedals ). It's supposedly a modern equivalent of the momentum, which I was more than happy with over the years. It was certainly in the same sort of price range.

 

[Stat Brother]

Thanks for the responses. I did spot these earlier, but ended up taking it to my usual bike shop to see what they say



They suspect a broken ball bearing in the bike hub. Options were £15 hub service that might not actually sort it, or £60 wheel (two months before buying a new bike).



I think that is something I came to realise. Over the almost decade that I've had the bike almost every part of it has been replaced, including the seat/seat bar that had suspension in it, and more recently, the fork that had suspension to it, and I didn't really notice it that much.




I have made far too much fun of some people at work for not having 'proper bikes' to make that switch just yet. While chunky, I cycle every day and go to the gym a couple of times a week, so I like to think I have a while in me yet before I need assistance cycling.




I won't get that last one, it doesn't have pedals!

I did look at the cycle to work scheme, but I'm not a massive fan of paying in instalments (or my employers taking my money), and it seemed like a bit of a faff with applying and getting approval and then getting tickets and needing to know what bike you were getting/price range. Besides, I've been putting money aside each month knowing that I was going to get a new bike this year anyway, so was planning on forgoing the scheme, even though it would be cheaper.


Ultimately I decided to buy a new bike now (well, I'll collect it later this week). Went with one of these: https://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/vanteo-2020 (except the one I bought has pedals ). It's supposedly a modern equivalent of the momentum, which I was more than happy with over the years. It was certainly in the same sort of price range.

Good stuff, crack on young warrior.

 

[Jeep]

Is Max Schachmann riding a TT bike with disc brakes??

 

[Stat Brother]

Is Max Schachmann riding a TT bike with disc brakes??

FDJ definitely are.

 

[banjo]

Could we be riding on closed roads soon? When the country self isolates for 2 weeks.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Could we be riding on closed roads soon? When the country self isolates for 2 weeks.

Only if the weather becomes remotely cycleable. It's the end of the ****ing World.

 

[Jeep]

Only if the weather becomes remotely cycleable. It's the end of the ****ing World.

Oh, but my new cycling cap arrived today so I'm going to be unstoppably enthusiastic.

 

[banjo]

Only if the weather becomes remotely cycleable. It's the end of the ****ing World.

You’ve gone soft since your move to France. It’s perfect weather.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Finished my second project bike this morning, & took it for a spin at lunchtime. Needs a few tweaks here and there, but rides really nicely! Will need a new rear mech to cope with the mega-range freewheel, but it still works. (New mech is £10 off ebay) Original bike cost £20....I've spent about £60 to get it back out on the trails & tarmac

 

[Pogue Mahone]

You’ve gone soft since your move to France. It’s perfect weather.

I'm here most of the time...but yes you are right. I struggle to motivate myself unless it is sunny and 15 degrees plus.

1066 would agree with me.