[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

Ok - so I need to snap up the shoes, the pedals and the cleats as three items. I'll give it a whirl and report back, cheers.

Here's the entry level deal I've used before:-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exustar-...489690?hash=item1a45b2b65a:g:mV8AAOxyzHxRQRHE

The pedals are great (for the money) they're still going strong x years later.
You'll get red cleats with them, which is ok for starters, but not ideal.
You'd be much better off switching to grey as soon as possible.
The difference centres are the required 'twist' needed to free the cleat (your foot) from the pedal.

Red is too much twist, whereas as black's are locked in, grey porridge is just right!

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Cheers folks - I'm thinking I should probably venture into a proper store and get the professionals to get me set up. I accept the inevitable fall, but I need to be careful with my knees - my ride position for the initial Norwich venture was all wrong and I have bad knees as it is. I need to get it right from the start, and I'm totally hopeless with maintenance of the bike in general, let alone getting the pedals and cleats set up properly.

 

[Stat Brother]

Cheers folks - I'm thinking I should probably venture into a proper store and get the professionals to get me set up. I accept the inevitable fall, but I need to be careful with my knees - my ride position for the initial Norwich venture was all wrong and I have bad knees as it is. I need to get it right from the start, and I'm totally hopeless with maintenance of the bike in general, let alone getting the pedals and cleats set up properly.

I wouldn't, not straight away.
The GCN and Road cc guides are very good and easy to follow.

It would help if you can rope in another pair of eyes to just to take a step back and look at your positioning but it's pretty simple when explained.

The general rules of thumb are

- The boney bit of your foot needs to be along the pedal axle.
- Sitting on a table looking down at your relaxed feet will tell you any specific angles you might need to take into account.
- When riding 'normally' you shouldn't be able to see your front wheel spindle due to the handlebars.
- A plumb line from the inside of your knee cap should drop down onto the pedal axle.
- Level saddle.

Honestly following a few GCN videos will have you set up pretty well.
It'll certainly give you a start off point to then fine tune.

If it's still not working out for you then sure seek professional help.
But seeking it first really isn't the cyclist way.

 

[1066familyman]

I wouldn't, not straight away.
The GCN and Road cc guides are very good and easy to follow.

It would help if you can rope in another pair of eyes to just to take a step back and look at your positioning but it's pretty simple when explained.

The general rules of thumb are

- The boney bit of your foot needs to be along the pedal axle.
- Sitting on a table looking down at your relaxed feet will tell you any specific angles you might need to take into account.
- When riding 'normally' you shouldn't be able to see your front wheel spindle due to the handlebars.
- A plumb line from the inside of your knee cap should drop down onto the pedal axle.
- Level saddle.

Honestly following a few GCN videos will have you set up pretty well.
It'll certainly give you a start off point to then fine tune.

If it's still not working out for you then sure seek professional help.
But seeking it first really isn't the cyclist way.

Just get a video of yourself riding stationary will be the best reference for tweaking postion (it's probably all the bike fit 'experts' do anyway ). This is as simple as leaning one hand against a wall to keep upright whilst the other hand is on the hoods and you just pedal a few revolutions of the pedals.

 

[1066familyman]

Oh, another thing to think about before you rush out to buy new pedals and cleats.

Are you likely to still want to ride the bike in trainers for little trips around town etc?

If so, then maybe consider double sided pedals. This way you'll get the best of both worlds. SPD cleats for long and 'proper' rides. Flat pedal for trainers when you know you want to walk around a bit.

No need to be put off about stories that SPD cleats will be uncomfortable over long distances either. By and large that's not the case. Loads of Audaxers use SPD cleats with no issues at all.

These are the reversible pedals I have on my commuter/winter bike and they've been brilliant. I've ridden plenty of long rides cleated on those with no issues at all. Cleats are included too (Halfords isn't all bad).

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/pedals-pegs/boardman-hybrid-team-pedal

If you do decide to go full on cleat route, then another recommendation for Look Keo grey here. As SB says, best avoiding red or black.

 

[Bold Seagull]

So I have owned my MTB for a while now but mainly just go up the Downs through Benfield Valley. However Saturday saw me venture out with the Brighton Excelsior Jubilee MTB ride into Stanmer Park and, well, can only be described as an eye opener.

As far as I am concerned, road biking and mountain biking may both involve bikes, but the similarities are such that you may as well say football and rugby are similar because they both involve balls.

Traction control on the rear wheel is some kind of dark art in getting the bite point right. It's like learning to drive again and using a clutch. As is resisting using the front brake when death seems imminent on a single track trail.

I was off the bike twice, and probably soiled myself a couple more times too.

That said, it was a lot of fun!

 

[1066familyman]

So I have owned my MTB for a while now but mainly just go up the Downs through Benfield Valley. However Saturday saw me venture out with the Brighton Excelsior Jubilee MTB ride into Stanmer Park and, well, can only be described as an eye opener.

As far as I am concerned, road biking and mountain biking may both involve bikes, but the similarities are such that you may as well say football and rugby are similar because they both involve balls.

Traction control on the rear wheel is some kind of dark art in getting the bite point right. It's like learning to drive again and using a clutch. As is resisting using the front brake when death seems imminent on a single track trail.

I was off the bike twice, and probably soiled myself a couple more times too.

That said, it was a lot of fun!

How did your pointing into the middle distance technique go?

 

[Bold Seagull]

How did your pointing into the middle distance technique go?

There was only panic, no middle distance.

 

[MattBackHome]

Right, so following Brighton to Paris in '18, and Brussels/Ghent/Antwerp in '19 we're all booked up for this summer's velojaunt to PUGLIA.

We're flying in and out of Bari, aiming to get past Lecce down to the bottom but haven't looked properly at a route yet. Obviously we're happy to take the train wherever it makes sense to. Has anyone had any experience of cycling the heel of Italy? Any tips or recommendations. I cannot bloody WAIT.

 

[spongy]

So I have owned my MTB for a while now but mainly just go up the Downs through Benfield Valley. However Saturday saw me venture out with the Brighton Excelsior Jubilee MTB ride into Stanmer Park and, well, can only be described as an eye opener.

As far as I am concerned, road biking and mountain biking may both involve bikes, but the similarities are such that you may as well say football and rugby are similar because they both involve balls.

Traction control on the rear wheel is some kind of dark art in getting the bite point right. It's like learning to drive again and using a clutch. As is resisting using the front brake when death seems imminent on a single track trail.

I was off the bike twice, and probably soiled myself a couple more times too.

That said, it was a lot of fun!

Good to see another member of the "dark side" on here.

I've been off mine for 6 weeks with a persistent and permanent lower back ache which is causing me grief.

But I've decided to jump back on anyway and start again. Any fitness I had built up is long gone so am basically starting again.

I commute every day through the woods around Burgess Hill, currently up to 5 miles every a.m. through a mix of tracks and bridle ways, there is a LOT of mud involved but it makes it more interesting and also a better cardio workout, it's amazing how much resistance and drag mud creates, in the summer I was substantially quicker on the route I do than I am now.

If you have a bike rack for the car there is a great especially made mtb track at Bedgebury Forest the other side of Burwash. I went back in sept/Oct and really enjoyed it although I struggled compared to my superfit mate. Its 8ish miles to do a lap, lots of flowey singletrack downhill and then the inevitable climb back up. Thoroughly recommend it!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Good to see another member of the "dark side" on here.

I've been off mine for 6 weeks with a persistent and permanent lower back ache which is causing me grief.

But I've decided to jump back on anyway and start again. Any fitness I had built up is long gone so am basically starting again.

I commute every day through the woods around Burgess Hill, currently up to 5 miles every a.m. through a mix of tracks and bridle ways, there is a LOT of mud involved but it makes it more interesting and also a better cardio workout, it's amazing how much resistance and drag mud creates, in the summer I was substantially quicker on the route I do than I am now.

If you have a bike rack for the car there is a great especially made mtb track at Bedgebury Forest the other side of Burwash. I went back in sept/Oct and really enjoyed it although I struggled compared to my superfit mate. Its 8ish miles to do a lap, lots of flowey singletrack downhill and then the inevitable climb back up. Thoroughly recommend it!

The dark side is where it's at, and most of my riding these days is on the MTB.

As [MENTION=16159]Bold Seagull[/MENTION]l says, Stanmer Park is fun, but a piece of piss in comparison to the absolute adrenaline fest that I enjoyed several times last summer. There is nothing better than taking your bike (which MUST be full suspension) to a ski resort that has sculpted MTB trails - colour coded for difficulty. The green runs were hair-raising, the blue ones nearly made me soil myself...only a madman would try red or black.

 

[spongy]

Does anyone use or can recommend a smart watch/fitness watch type thing?

I have strava on my phone and have been using it but it's a faff to start it, get it in the backpack, bag on, gloves on etc and the reverse the other end. So GPS and linking to strava would be ideal. Pretty sure I missed a PB on total time today by about 20 seconds due to faffing about before I set off!

I also think it's just set for road cycling and not mtb so the figures are out.

Just something so I keep the phone in my pack, click a button on my wrist and set off.

Dont mind buying second hand either as long as the battery isn't knackered.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

First proper ride of 2020 done today...albeit a short 15 miler during my lunch break. Legs felt surprisingly OK after 3 months of nagging illness, & barely any riding - so looking forward to Sundays planned 38 miler.
3000 miles is the target this year, only another 2985 to go!

 

[Motogull]

I did my first ride of 2020 yesterday. I've been cleaned out with man'flu since before crimbo but decided to go for a leisurely flat 30. It ended up just under 38. Any little ramp felt 5% higher and the breezes in the face felt like gales but I was generally pleased that I could tick over okay. Lots of coughing and nasal expulsions so at least a few pipes got cleaned out.

 

[1066familyman]

Anyone up for Velogames fantasy Tour Down Under then?

Or are we all going to be a miserable bunch of ***** for another year?

 

[Motogull]

Anyone up for Velogames fantasy Tour Down Under then?

Or are we all going to be a miserable bunch of ***** for another year?

I'm game.

 

[strings]

I'm in

Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk

 

[1066familyman]

I'm game.

I'm in

Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk

Marvellous scenes

League code is 74619369

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Im in!

If anyone doesn't know, the TDU is being shown live - and then stages re-run - on the GCN Racing channel on YouTube.

 

[1066familyman]

Im in!

If anyone doesn't know, the TDU is being shown live - and then stages re-run - on the GCN Racing channel on YouTube.

Late entry to the League, then smashing it and miles in front!

Where's VAR when you need it!?


And it gets worse. Because Stat isn't playing, someone else has to be bottom of the league, and currently that's me