[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Pogue Mahone]

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This.

 

[Notters]

The forecast is dreadful. At least I won't miss any good cycling weather :-/

 

[strings]

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[Rugrat]

Crikey ... cheers!

I'd have said yes ... x hours ago, now I'm quickly being talked out of a Hybrid

Still planning on bike shop tomorrow but I'm wondering if they will regard anything other than an out and out road bike as 2nd rate.

If (lb for lb) the road bike gives me the greatest comfort then that's where I go .... if not then I buy this (if that makes sense) ... or is it (as I suspect) just "playing" with the key components

Need a beer!

Eventually made my purchase and thanks to [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] for advice and the others who talked me out of hybrid

As a 'complete' novice I've no idea if this is the best I could get at the price but I've spent a good 3 weeks on it and I was a) determined not to break my budget and b) getting exhausted with all the chasing around ... anyway job done and thanks again

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Defy-5-Triple-2012-Bike-/181438829365?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=lrVd2gVT1elmbBxtlidF39BuT7c%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

 

[Stat Brother]

Eventually made my purchase and thanks to [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] for advice and the others who talked me out of hybrid

As a 'complete' novice I've no idea if this is the best I could get at the price but I've spent a good 3 weeks on it and I was a) determined not to break my budget and b) getting exhausted with all the chasing around ... anyway job done and thanks again

That's a shame

With myself [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] & [MENTION=22214]banjo[/MENTION] having 4 Bianchi's between us, I thought we had a chance to take the overall lead.

Adding another Giant to the ranks, puts them (I think) on 4 bikes with 4 geeks.


I did see that one, this morning.
But it only had an hour left, I wasn't going to be about, and 'geeks' is usually quiet in the mornings.
So I didn't want to flash it up and then leave a potential newbie buyer high and dry.

 

[seagully]

Any advice on freeing a stuck seatpost? Seems like it was installed without any grease and is now stuck solid.

 

[Stat Brother]

Any advice on freeing a stuck seatpost? Seems like it was installed without any grease and is now stuck solid.

If in doubt ask 'What would Sheldon Brown do'?

http://sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html

 

[banjo]

If in doubt ask 'What would Sheldon Brown do'?

http://sheldonbrown.com/stuck-seatposts.html

Never fit a seat post with a hammer. Good advice.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Any advice on freeing a stuck seatpost? Seems like it was installed without any grease and is now stuck solid.

Never ever ever ever.....ever ever.....ever....use a hammer.

WD40 / GT85 sprayed onto the post, leave overnight, repeat, maybe repeat again, possibly over a few days letting the lubricants penetrate into the tube.

Make sure the saddle is tightly secured to the top of the post and try to twist.

If a steel frame, you can take a flat head screw driver and try to pry the lugs apart where the seat post bolt goes (don't do this on a carbon or ali bike!).

If no luck, you can try heating the seat tube with a hair dryer or paint remover type heater, being careful not to get so hot as to effect the paintwork. Once heated to a reasonable temp. try to twist again (you want the frame heated just enough but not the seat post).

Keep trying with the WD40/GT85, Plusgas from Halfords is also a good bet.

 

[banjo]

Any advice on freeing a stuck seatpost? Seems like it was installed without any grease and is now stuck solid.

There are sprays you can use for tight nuts don't if that would work then get some grips round the post a and try and loosen it that way. Yeah yeah I know I said tight nuts no need to be childish.

 

[seagully]

Never ever ever ever.....ever ever.....ever....use a hammer.

WD40 / GT85 sprayed onto the post, leave overnight, repeat, maybe repeat again, possibly over a few days letting the lubricants penetrate into the tube.

Make sure the saddle is tightly secured to the top of the post and try to twist.

If a steel frame, you can take a flat head screw driver and try to pry the lugs apart where the seat post bolt goes (don't do this on a carbon or ali bike!).

If no luck, you can try heating the seat tube with a hair dryer or paint remover type heater, being careful not to get so hot as to effect the paintwork. Once heated to a reasonable temp. try to twist again (you want the frame heated just enough but not the seat post).

Keep trying with the WD40/GT85, Plusgas from Halfords is also a good bet.

I've tried the WD40 option with no joy so far. May take it down to the LBS and see what they can do even if it means a new seatpost.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I've tried the WD40 option with no joy so far. May take it down to the LBS and see what they can do even if it means a new seatpost.

Have you tried heating the tube?

edit:
The Plusgas stuff is also supposedly better than WD40 and GT85..

 

[seagully]

Have you tried heating the tube?

edit:
The Plusgas stuff is also supposedly better than WD40 and GT85..

Not tried heating it, will give that a go tonight and also look into the Plusgas.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

[MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION] The bib numbers are out for the Etape, so you can find out which pen you will be starting in.
Just go to 'my orders' on the ASO Challenges website.

I dropped all the way back to the final pen last year to start with my brother. We didn't experience too much logjam even though there was a Cat. 3 quite early on to bunch people up. With the flattish start this year it should be even less of a problem wherever you are drawn.

Having said that I'm quite pleased to be much further up the starting list this year!

Just under a month until the big day now... How is all the training going?

Hiya mitbp!

Training has been good - thank God for all the sunny weather. Many miles, many hills...kilos lost.

OK, so I have bib number 2493. How does that tell me which pen I'll be starting from?

Also it says on the website that 'convocation' must be printed and presented to get bibs. What is this, do you know? It also tells me that it is unavailable at the moment...

How are you doing? All ready? Getting close now. Oh God...

 

[1066familyman]

Eventually made my purchase and thanks to [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] for advice and the others who talked me out of hybrid

As a 'complete' novice I've no idea if this is the best I could get at the price but I've spent a good 3 weeks on it and I was a) determined not to break my budget and b) getting exhausted with all the chasing around ... anyway job done and thanks again

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Defy-5-Triple-2012-Bike-/181438829365?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=lrVd2gVT1elmbBxtlidF39BuT7c%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Nice work You won't regret going road bike over hybrid.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Eventually made my purchase and thanks to [MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] for advice and the others who talked me out of hybrid

As a 'complete' novice I've no idea if this is the best I could get at the price but I've spent a good 3 weeks on it and I was a) determined not to break my budget and b) getting exhausted with all the chasing around ... anyway job done and thanks again

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Giant-Defy-5-Triple-2012-Bike-/181438829365?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEWNX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=lrVd2gVT1elmbBxtlidF39BuT7c%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Looks good. Have you picked it up yet? Are you getting shoes and cleats? Let us know how you get on.

 

[manintheblackpajamas]

Hiya mitbp!

Training has been good - thank God for all the sunny weather. Many miles, many hills...kilos lost.

OK, so I have bib number 2493. How does that tell me which pen I'll be starting from?

Also it says on the website that 'convocation' must be printed and presented to get bibs. What is this, do you know? It also tells me that it is unavailable at the moment...

How are you doing? All ready? Getting close now. Oh God...

WOW... Did you tell them you were an ex pro or something?
As first timers last year we were all given bibs over 10000!

That places you in the third pen to leave and will no doubt offer up some pretty speedy wheels to draft.
The four of us have been drawn in pens 4,5,6 and 7 this year. Usually you can drop backwards so may all start from seven

There was paperwork to print and take along to registration last year. Can't remember what at the moment though. Don't forget the medical certificate too. It has to have a specific sentence in it to qualify and they did check last year. Info should all be in their site or the wider web somewhere.

Trainings going pretty well for me. Done more kilometres and climbed more metres than last year anyway.
Finally beat the last of my 2013 PB's on all the local hills last week as well. Fair to say I'm quite pleased with my new Steyning Bostal time!!

Let me know if you have any pre-etape rides planned and I'll see if I'm around...

 

[Rugrat]

That's a shame

With myself [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION] & [MENTION=22214]banjo[/MENTION] having 4 Bianchi's between us, I thought we had a chance to take the overall lead.

Adding another Giant to the ranks, puts them (I think) on 4 bikes with 4 geeks.


I did see that one, this morning.
But it only had an hour left, I wasn't going to be about, and 'geeks' is usually quiet in the mornings.
So I didn't want to flash it up and then leave a potential newbie buyer high and dry.

I'll take that as a positive. Have been tracking eBay for 2/3 weeks now and think this would have fetched maybe another £100 had it finished on a weekend evening. Not planning on threatening the numbers here ... purely recreational (well for the time being!)

Nice work You won't regret going road bike over hybrid.

Sure you're right, looking forward to first outing Sunday ... Mrs says I should ride it back from Edenbridge but defo going in back of car

Looks good. Have you picked it up yet? Are you getting shoes and cleats? Let us know how you get on.

Sunday.

After going mad this month (see threads on Electric Bikes, Soundbars and fancy French garden chairs) all buying has been banned until "stocks" replenished

 

[Stat Brother]

I'll take that as a positive.

Yes it is a positive, albeit an odd one.

Should you decide to upgrade, in the years to come, that'll have to be a Bianchi, to restore the balance.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

WOW... Did you tell them you were an ex pro or something?
As first timers last year we were all given bibs over 10000!

That places you in the third pen to leave and will no doubt offer up some pretty speedy wheels to draft.
The four of us have been drawn in pens 4,5,6 and 7 this year. Usually you can drop backwards so may all start from seven

There was paperwork to print and take along to registration last year. Can't remember what at the moment though. Don't forget the medical certificate too. It has to have a specific sentence in it to qualify and they did check last year. Info should all be in their site or the wider web somewhere.

Trainings going pretty well for me. Done more kilometres and climbed more metres than last year anyway.
Finally beat the last of my 2013 PB's on all the local hills last week as well. Fair to say I'm quite pleased with my new Steyning Bostal time!!

Let me know if you have any pre-etape rides planned and I'll see if I'm around...

Blimey...no, I didn't big myself up. So God knows why they've decided to start me there. How do you get the information about the pens, and the starting times? They probably got me to start early because they don't want to wait for me at the end.

Are you in the NSC Geeks Strava club? Join that, and follow me (Matt) and I'll follow you back - it would be good to get out for a few miles before the event.