The "Show off your bike" thread!
Discussion
Rocksteadyeddie said:
True that. To get maximum benefit from the Turbo you have to push yourself to the point where you vommit/can't walk/are crying for your mama.
Fair enough, must guides HIIT guides I've read online suggested 85% so that's what I went for. Where would you guys aim for?I'm planning on doing a few TTs next year and I'm struggling to pick up the pace for short rides.
Circa 15 mile rides I average just below 20mph at the moment.
Last day of being a slacker today to took my latest steed to my local trails, Most of the trails were still closed due to winter damage so it was a minor visit and didn't get to open the taps on the bike. Still, weather was nice enough and it was pretty quiet which is always a bonus.
Comfortably Dumb said:
Fair enough, must guides HIIT guides I've read online suggested 85% so that's what I went for. Where would you guys aim for?
I'm planning on doing a few TTs next year and I'm struggling to pick up the pace for short rides.
Circa 15 mile rides I average just below 20mph at the moment.
When really pushing myself for a 5 minute effort I'm at 96/97% of max HR.I'm planning on doing a few TTs next year and I'm struggling to pick up the pace for short rides.
Circa 15 mile rides I average just below 20mph at the moment.
I've sustained 91% max HR for a single all out 1.5 hour ride, and managed to hold 93% for an hour the other day, so I would say 85% is not going to ever feel hard!
Comfortably Dumb said:
Rocksteadyeddie said:
True that. To get maximum benefit from the Turbo you have to push yourself to the point where you vommit/can't walk/are crying for your mama.
Fair enough, must guides HIIT guides I've read online suggested 85% so that's what I went for. Where would you guys aim for?I know the vommit feeling, done that at the end of my last two cross races, I wasn't going to lose that place.
This is my 2011 Specialized Allez. As standard it came with a Sora groupset and Mavic CXP-22 rims. All pretty decent kit when I bought it given it was my first road bike. However the inevitable upgrades started after about 6 months ownership.
First thing I did was replace the stock Specialized tyres with some Conti GP4000s ones. Expensive for tyres but I did notice an improvement in how they rode over the stock tyres. Next was to replace the frankly horrid stock brake pads. These were replaced with some SwissStop ones; again quite expensive for some blocks of rubber but they were massively better and gave me a lot more braking power.
These two minor upgrades saw me through another few months riding and I took part in my first sportive - the Fred Whitton. I was starting to ride more and more so decided to treat myself to some new wheels, having heard they were the best way to upgrade a bike. I didn't want to go crazy so set myself a modest budget of £200. After reading many reviews and seeking advice on forums I picked up a pair of Fulcrum Racing 5's from Wiggle on sale. They were noticeably better than the stock wheels - they just seemed to pick up speed so much quicker and felt like they just rolled better.
After owning the bike for around 15 months I was starting to get more and more frustrated with the Sora shifters. The stupid thumb down-shifter was impossible to reach from the drops - such a stupid design. I started looking for options to fit different shifters but in the end I treated myself to a new 105 Groupset (50-34 chain set and 12-27 cassette) - this included brake calipers and bottom bracket also.
My technical know-how was limited but I decided to fit everything myself. Once I had purchased the relevant tools I made a start. I somehow managed to over-tighten the cable pinch bolt on the rear derailleur which resulted in the bolt shearing off and being rendered useless. Costly mistake that!
I also fitted a KMC x10 Superlight chain and some shallow drop bars (FSA Pro Wing Compact). The bars are much more comfortable than the original bars where I found it impossible to ride for prolonged periods. I feel much more stable on fast twisting descents too.
I got a bit carried away then and decided I wanted the saddle and bar tape to colour match the groupset, so I bought a new Specialized Riva saddle (same as my previous one which was white) and some Lizard Skin 2.5mm bar tape.
Anyway enough waffle, here is the obligatory pic. Please excuse the uninspiring backdrop, I was having too much fun (read pain) during my ride and only remembered to take a photo towards the end.
First thing I did was replace the stock Specialized tyres with some Conti GP4000s ones. Expensive for tyres but I did notice an improvement in how they rode over the stock tyres. Next was to replace the frankly horrid stock brake pads. These were replaced with some SwissStop ones; again quite expensive for some blocks of rubber but they were massively better and gave me a lot more braking power.
These two minor upgrades saw me through another few months riding and I took part in my first sportive - the Fred Whitton. I was starting to ride more and more so decided to treat myself to some new wheels, having heard they were the best way to upgrade a bike. I didn't want to go crazy so set myself a modest budget of £200. After reading many reviews and seeking advice on forums I picked up a pair of Fulcrum Racing 5's from Wiggle on sale. They were noticeably better than the stock wheels - they just seemed to pick up speed so much quicker and felt like they just rolled better.
After owning the bike for around 15 months I was starting to get more and more frustrated with the Sora shifters. The stupid thumb down-shifter was impossible to reach from the drops - such a stupid design. I started looking for options to fit different shifters but in the end I treated myself to a new 105 Groupset (50-34 chain set and 12-27 cassette) - this included brake calipers and bottom bracket also.
My technical know-how was limited but I decided to fit everything myself. Once I had purchased the relevant tools I made a start. I somehow managed to over-tighten the cable pinch bolt on the rear derailleur which resulted in the bolt shearing off and being rendered useless. Costly mistake that!
I also fitted a KMC x10 Superlight chain and some shallow drop bars (FSA Pro Wing Compact). The bars are much more comfortable than the original bars where I found it impossible to ride for prolonged periods. I feel much more stable on fast twisting descents too.
I got a bit carried away then and decided I wanted the saddle and bar tape to colour match the groupset, so I bought a new Specialized Riva saddle (same as my previous one which was white) and some Lizard Skin 2.5mm bar tape.
Anyway enough waffle, here is the obligatory pic. Please excuse the uninspiring backdrop, I was having too much fun (read pain) during my ride and only remembered to take a photo towards the end.
Edited by nammynake on Sunday 7th October 19:57
AyBee said:
0.1kg lighter than mine
That weights not too bad for an aero bike, and you could easily drop a bit with the right wheel choice.Some de-stickered 50mm carbon rims would suit it a treat - maybe something from Wheelsmith hand built with Chris King hubs, they would be light, fast and subtley bling.
Raoul Duke said:
AyBee said:
0.1kg lighter than mine
That weights not too bad for an aero bike, and you could easily drop a bit with the right wheel choice.Some de-stickered 50mm carbon rims would suit it a treat - maybe something from Wheelsmith hand built with Chris King hubs, they would be light, fast and subtley bling.
nammynake said:
Anyway enough waffle, here is the obligatory pic. Please excuse the uninspiring backdrop, I was having too much fun (read pain) during my ride and only remembered to take a photo towards the end.
Well as much as the pain the bike is inflicting on you, I see you are returning the favour - the rear mech I can hear screaming from here. Your chain is a bit short for that gear combo Nice bike though, had a soft spot for the Allez since growing up with American Flyers...enjoy.
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