What bike? Commute includes Ditchling Beacon.

[HundredthIdiot]

Wiggle were supposed to be shipping Boardmans from July, but they don't appear to be on the site yet.

[OneDs]

HundredthIdiot said:

Wiggle were supposed to be shipping Boardmans from July, but they don't appear to be on the site yet.

I just did a search and they show up for Japan on wiggle but if you change the location and currency to UK & GBP then they don't, maybe it's a non-UK specific countries only deal?

[okgo]

OneDs said:

Yes perhaps I have some pretty bad TdF withdrawal symptoms as well.

Edited by OneDs on Wednesday 27th July 15:34

My reference was purely in regards to the gradiants which are as I have said three times the same!

Yes I know its not 10 miles long etc. Just saying that is was quite a turn up that is shared the same steepness and what not as a famous climb.

:P

[neilski]

okgo said:

fk me there are some pedntatic people on here.

I merely meant it had almost exactly the same average and max gradiants albeit only a mile long.

I'll give you pedantic....



170m height gain in 2.5km with an average gradient of 6.6% and only the last 1.5km having any meaningful gradient.



1100m height gain in 14km with an average gradient of 7.7%.


The point I was trying to get across (albeit badly) is that the two just aren't comparable. One is a small hill in SE England that you can power up in a relatively large gear without once touching the saddle and the other is a farking great alp where unless you dined on the flesh of an asthmatic cow the night before you ain't gonna make it without adjusting your climbing style and gearing to suit!

[okgo]

I found other numbers.

I'd be impressed if you could power up a mile long hill that peaked at over 15% without touching the saddle once

[neilski]

The first time I did it the bottom gear on my bike was 42 x 21 so I didn't have much choice!

[mk1fan]

There's usually a huge difference between what a person is capable of and how they choose to perform.

Hence my comment about not getting a triple. You ride the gear you have so you'll soon get used to riding it in what ever the easiest gear you have is.

[anonymous-user]

OneDs said:

HundredthIdiot said:

Wiggle were supposed to be shipping Boardmans from July, but they don't appear to be on the site yet.

I just did a search and they show up for Japan on wiggle but if you change the location and currency to UK & GBP then they don't, maybe it's a non-UK specific countries only deal?

for some reason, not all the boardman range is available in the UK, seems very odd but there are some nice looking models in the SLR and AiR range which are not destined for the UK
eg http://www.boardmanbikes.com/road/air90.html

[DJC]

Thanks for the info so far... I have to admit I'm confused by some of the phrases/acronyms mind.

Being ignorant of such matters, why would a 'road bike' (presumably one like I posted?) not be as good as a MTB on road tyres? Is it purely down to gearing or is there more to it than that.

I'm a biking novice, please go easy on the technical acronyms

[OneDs]

The MTB will be £ for £ much heavier and built too robustly for road work, bit like taking a land rover defender when the caterham r500 will do just fine. Also the wheels on an mtb are normally 26", heavier and have discs this means more rotating mass which is bad (very bad), the 700c road bike wheels although larger circumference will be lighter so spin easier and be able to take higher pressure tires giving less rolling resistance.

As well as the actual weight penalty, there is an proved benefit to having larger wheels owing to less resistance & more momentum but I can't remember exactly what it was.

MTB = mountain bike
26" are the general wheel sizes for MTB's and 700c for road bikes/hybrids are larger

Edited by OneDs on Wednesday 27th July 20:43

[Roman]

A roadbike with either a triple or compact (50/34) chainset will be perfect for you.

Increasing your budget just a little to £500 will give you a much better machine though.

I think this Cannondale CAAD8 with Sora is unbeatable for £500 from here:
http://www.paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m7b...

Very high quality frame & carbon fork + triple chainset from a great brand.

[okgo]

Actually I hears that lots of MTB rims are lighter than road, something to do with the thicker sidewalls maybe?

[OneDs]

okgo said:

Actually I hears that lots of MTB rims are lighter than road, something to do with the thicker sidewalls maybe?

I can imagine cross country race type rims being lighter than comparable road rims because they have less circumference and have no braking surface, but once you add in a disc, a disc hub and bolts, then heavier and more spokes, the whole wheel package will be more than road wheels.

[okgo]

swerni said:

Don't listen to this man card crap.
2 options
1. Get a triple
2. Get a bike with a SRAM apex group set they do an 11-32 that will actually give you the same Span of ratios as a triple.

I know, due to the fact I'm not built for climbing therefor have both;)
On either one I can quite happily sit and spin of Ditchling and have several times.
On a compact double I used to grind to a halt

If he does go road bike a compact would be do able though? Low cadence in the easiest gear on my compact 12-25 I think is slower than walking pace (I know as that was the pace the people in front of me were going up ditching) I think you are being hard on yourself, as I think compact has low enough gearing for anything down south even for bigger riders (I may not be tall like you but I'm heavy enough)!

[IroningMan]

Assuming that you're going on into Brighton, you'll need a triple in order to have a sufficiently high top gear to enjoy the run down the other side.

[okgo]

Really? Just getting into a good position without peddaling assuming no headwind would see you to 45 at least I think.

[anonymous-user]

i have to be honest, this is getting silly. just look at the number of pasty faced riders climbing it here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70WDw4TJjXA&fea... some in trainers on bikes with woefully poor riding positions, some with rucksacks on, and all having ridden from london to this point already... check this video at about 5:10, he seems happy enough, he isnt suffering and he is just nicely pushing a good gear, out of the saddle, hands on the hoods. the guy in red on the mountain bike is weaving around all over the place, not good on a busy road but spinning a very low gear is another way of getting to the top. if you watch part one as well, that guy took about 15 minutes for what i could see as the climb proper, and that was with the road full of people walking on one side and other riders on the other side...

[mk1fan]

I repeat, you ride the gear you've got. You'll soon get used to a double chainset - be it compact or normal.

[mk1fan]

DJC said:

why would a 'road bike' (presumably one like I posted?) not be as good as a MTB on road tyres?

You've got that back to front. A road bike would be a lot better than an mtb on slicks.

Thin, high pressure, 'slick' tyres on a mountain bike wheel (26-inch) drastically reduce the radius of the wheel (compared to it if a 'knobbly' off road tyre were fitted) which messes around with the centre of gravity and handling of the bike. It is quite a dramatic change.

If you're going to be riding it on the road then get a road bike or a hybrid with 700c wheels. It'll be easier to ride and faster - for the effort put in.

[Fume troll]

swerni said:

or upgrade

Or, since he hasn't bought a bike yet, you choose the gear for the job.

Cheers,

FT.