What annoys you about cycling.
Discussion
tobinen said:
The amount of choice for a road bike. Sometimes too much can be a bad thing IMO
In fact, the vast, and often bewildering array of choice in most 'genre' of cycling. Not helped by the constant invention (by marketing departments) of "New Science" which proves beyond doubt (according to their tests at any rate
) that the fancy new axle standard, or upside-down fork, or adjustable seatpost, or slightly larger wheel size is going to 'revolutionise' the world of bike riding.Meanwhile, back in the real world, when I push the pedals on my 6 year old 26" wheel GT Avalanche 3.0 (£305 new), the roller chain driving the rear wheel causes the bike to move forward. Yes, it's an old, 'entry level' bike, yes, at 14.5kg it's a heavy beast, and yes, I've spent more than the bike cost me keeping it maintained over the years, but no, it's "not dead yet". I really want a new bike, mainly a lighter one, but I'm not that desperate for one. The sales guff hasn't turned my mind to mush just yet
"What annoys you about cycling?"
My contribution for today is the bloody laundry and cleaning it generates!
All the decent kit I own is labelled as needing to be washed at 30°C. I've tried that, and the crap (road grime or off-road mud) never fully washes out. I've tried 'technical sports wash' detergents. I've tried washing at 40°C with slightly more success, but I'm loath to wash stuff at 60°C in case that does have a detrimental effect on the gear. I don't fancy ruining my PH jerseys, or my 'best' Craft bibshorts, after all.
Allied to this is the housework it generates. I take my shoes off outside, but have to go indoors to strip off the bib longs and outer jersey, thus leaving mud all over the tiny side 'hallway' between the kitchen and the back (side) door. More often than not, I have to traipse upstairs to disrobe, to avoid offending the eyes of the remainder of the household by standing naked in the kitchen clutching a pile of muddy Lycra. So now my post ride admin goes like this...
Post ride stretching outside in the cold. Shoes off. Upstairs to get out of muddy kit. Shower and dress. Dash downstairs with dirty kit, into the washing machine, then grab a drink and a bite to eat. Now to the cupboard under the stairs for the Dyson. Back up to the bedroom. Start at the top and work down, vacuuming up all the grit and mud as I follow my 'trail' to the back door. Then realise that I've not washed the bike, so head back out into the cold, and often the dark and wet, to sort that out.
It's such a palaver, and sometimes puts me off the idea of riding. Not because it's too cold, or too wet, or "I'm tired and can't be bothered", but solely because I'm hacked off with the amount of extra faff cleaning up afterwards generates.
My lottery win priority? A luxury bike stable, with bike washing facilities, a washing machine, drying room, and shower, all tacked onto the garage, so that I'd never have to drag dirty kit through the house again.
I know I b
hed about my LBS but this takes this piss.
Dropped my bike in to have the Shock and Fork serviced along with my dropper post.
I was told it was going to take a week and cost about £160 - but they would get back to me with the actual price.
Numerous phone calls chasing them - a litany of excuses around suppliers/SRAM/Fishers/tuners.
Anyway I get a phone call this morning - my bike will be ready tomorrow a mere 5 weeks after I dropped it in and the price for servicing 3 items a bargain at £375.
There will be an 'interesting' discussion with them tomorrow about this.
hed about my LBS but this takes this piss.Dropped my bike in to have the Shock and Fork serviced along with my dropper post.
I was told it was going to take a week and cost about £160 - but they would get back to me with the actual price.
Numerous phone calls chasing them - a litany of excuses around suppliers/SRAM/Fishers/tuners.
Anyway I get a phone call this morning - my bike will be ready tomorrow a mere 5 weeks after I dropped it in and the price for servicing 3 items a bargain at £375.
There will be an 'interesting' discussion with them tomorrow about this.
LBS can be good but I always seek out a recommendation for suspension....
http://www.plushsuspensiontuning.co.uk/
Bit late now but that guy is very good.
http://www.plushsuspensiontuning.co.uk/
Bit late now but that guy is very good.
Mr Gearchange said:
I know I bhed about my LBS but this takes this piss.
Dropped my bike in to have the Shock and Fork serviced along with my dropper post.
I was told it was going to take a week and cost about £160 - but they would get back to me with the actual price.
Numerous phone calls chasing them - a litany of excuses around suppliers/SRAM/Fishers/tuners.
Anyway I get a phone call this morning - my bike will be ready tomorrow a mere 5 weeks after I dropped it in and the price for servicing 3 items a bargain at £375.
There will be an 'interesting' discussion with them tomorrow about this.
That would make me sick. It's why I do my own maintenance. Not because I can't pay - I just don't like to think I've been bent over.hed about my LBS but this takes this piss.Dropped my bike in to have the Shock and Fork serviced along with my dropper post.
I was told it was going to take a week and cost about £160 - but they would get back to me with the actual price.
Numerous phone calls chasing them - a litany of excuses around suppliers/SRAM/Fishers/tuners.
Anyway I get a phone call this morning - my bike will be ready tomorrow a mere 5 weeks after I dropped it in and the price for servicing 3 items a bargain at £375.
There will be an 'interesting' discussion with them tomorrow about this.
yonex said:
LBS can be good but I always seek out a recommendation for suspension....
http://www.plushsuspensiontuning.co.uk/
Bit late now but that guy is very good.
To be fair having looked at that it's not too bad as I believe they subbied the work out to a 3rd partyhttp://www.plushsuspensiontuning.co.uk/
Bit late now but that guy is very good.
Basic servicing with those guys would be £290 odd quid - plus my shock needed a load of new internals as I'd given it a fair beasting.
Add in the postage and the labour costs and it's not that far away. I feel better about paying what I am having seen that.
But still - to quote one week and £160 and have it take 5 weeks and cost £375 is pretty poor in terms of managing my expectations.
Bike should be f
king awesome once I pick it up but damn, riding MTB is expensive.yonex said:
stongle said:
The zealots whom give mythical status to Italian bike brands (and the need to don it in "campagnolo"). Worse than the rules.
Lol. 'Campy Tax'
You don't see many of them out in the cold
Bike/cycling/cyclist snobs.
The sort of person who snickers smugly at the FPKW facebook thing, or makes a smug comment about someone's weight if they are anything other than a beanpole.
It's like they are really pissed off that they liked cycling first, and since Bradley Wiggins came along, every other person who wants to enjoy it is a sheep and they resent that people don't revere them as trend-setters or, more likely, experienced sages of the road.
Someone is proud that they have just done x miles and an average of x mph. It was an earnest effort to improve themselves in a modest way - and it is met with derision and 'is that all' for, if you were to complement or encourage them, they might feel like they are part of your 'club' - and that just won't fking do - bloody newbie.
ETA: I have thought of an analogy.
Snobby cyclists are like teenage girls.
- Shave legs
- Spend £hundreds more than necessary on clothing and insisting it is all necessary/of a quality that makes the COLOSSAL premium worth it
- Sneer with ill concealed glee at any outsiders they judge to be not 'one of them' for one of many reasons
- Obsessed with their weight - urgh, their BMI is above the mid-point in the 'healthy weight' range, the fat arse.
The sort of person who snickers smugly at the FPKW facebook thing, or makes a smug comment about someone's weight if they are anything other than a beanpole.
It's like they are really pissed off that they liked cycling first, and since Bradley Wiggins came along, every other person who wants to enjoy it is a sheep and they resent that people don't revere them as trend-setters or, more likely, experienced sages of the road.
Someone is proud that they have just done x miles and an average of x mph. It was an earnest effort to improve themselves in a modest way - and it is met with derision and 'is that all' for, if you were to complement or encourage them, they might feel like they are part of your 'club' - and that just won't f
king do - bloody newbie.ETA: I have thought of an analogy.
Snobby cyclists are like teenage girls.
- Shave legs
- Spend £hundreds more than necessary on clothing and insisting it is all necessary/of a quality that makes the COLOSSAL premium worth it
- Sneer with ill concealed glee at any outsiders they judge to be not 'one of them' for one of many reasons
- Obsessed with their weight - urgh, their BMI is above the mid-point in the 'healthy weight' range, the fat arse.
- and before anyone makes any comment, yes I am a bit of a fatty - doing my best to shed it - (and I dress as close to flattering as I can so as not to look like melted lard poured into a condom) - I just don't get the snippy judgmental comments you get, especially round these parts. Its not like they are sitting on the sofa wallowing in their own behemoth-ness.
Edited by Vocal Minority on Thursday 11th December 11:49
Edited by Vocal Minority on Thursday 11th December 11:50
People do make themselves an easy target for the snobs though, if you are a newbie you dont have to dress like a pro and ride a £5k superbike in order to feel like you belong. We've all seen trackdays where the crappy 205 GTI catches up with the 911 Turbo or something and humbles the driver. The reason I love cycling so much is because you can only buy a certain amount of speed, once you have the aero frame and the carbon wheelset, the rest comes from your own athleticism....
Cycling Snobs - 'over biked' 'trail yuppies' 'Audi' 'All the gear' etc etc etc I've got no time for it.
Equally
Bike Snobs - "oh, it that LAST years frame" "those forks are st mate"
Otherwise: Winter, because it's cold and dark. Colds - because they're crap, Crashing - because it hurts and rip-off st kit that breaks without provocation all too quickly.
Equally
Bike Snobs - "oh, it that LAST years frame" "those forks are s
t mate" Otherwise: Winter, because it's cold and dark. Colds - because they're crap, Crashing - because it hurts and rip-off s
t kit that breaks without provocation all too quickly. 47p2 said:
When I first became aware of them, I quoted them in posts on Pedal Powered. I found them amusing, in an over the top, silly way. But now I realise my error, and I've no time for any of that bilge. In fact, I go out of my way to ensure I break as many of them as possible. Retaining my bell, wheel reflectors, and 'dork disc' are among the things I do to ensure any 'velominatus' I meet on the road will be left foaming at the mouth...
yellowjack said:
When I first became aware of them, I quoted them in posts on Pedal Powered. I found them amusing, in an over the top, silly way. But now I realise my error, and I've no time for any of that bilge. In fact, I go out of my way to ensure I break as many of them as possible. Retaining my bell, wheel reflectors, and 'dork disc' are among the things I do to ensure any 'velominatus' I meet on the road will be left foaming at the mouth...
yonex said:
yellowjack said:
When I first became aware of them, I quoted them in posts on Pedal Powered. I found them amusing, in an over the top, silly way. But now I realise my error, and I've no time for any of that bilge. In fact, I go out of my way to ensure I break as many of them as possible. Retaining my bell, wheel reflectors, and 'dork disc' are among the things I do to ensure any 'velominatus' I meet on the road will be left foaming at the mouth...
There's a reason to pull the wheel reflectors for example - Imagine one of those getting caught in a fork or a chainstay? just has to come loose.
The dork disc, I'll give you that one, there's actually a good reason to keep it to prevent a misadjusted or knocked rear mech from shifting over the cassette and dropping the chain into the spokes (Done that, wasn't a good day).
There's some other nuggets of good advice in there too. No food on ride of rides up to 2 hours (you shouldn't need it), If using one bottle always use the front cage (using the rear is an aerodynamic fail unless you need it)
Rules 5, 6, 9 and 10, 11 are purely motivational for example.
Rules 13, 15, 16, 17 are traditional
Etc Etc
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