Tips/critique for a new rider

[WhisperingWasp]

Wasn’t really feeling it tonight. Went out right after dinner and felt a bit rough most the way round. Decent enough time though.

[WhisperingWasp]

deeen said:

Well, i enjoy my cycling more since I joined the club! For context, they offer 4 levels of weekend social ride, from 20 miles/12mph to 60+ miles/18+mph, I just keep to the lower end social rides, I never race etc.

I've found new roads and new cafes, I've been encouraged to push myself a bit more, and enjoyed the results. My biggest ride this year was last week with the Club, day out around the isle of Wight, 65 miles and 4700 ft climbing, ferry there and back, coffee stop, lunch stop, 19 of us in 2 groups, best day out of the year! It's given a social side to my cycling, and a couple of new cycling buddies to go out with in 2s and 3s when we don't go with the group. Mutual advice, mechanical help, training tips, etc.

I still enjoy cycling on my own, probably 1 in 3 of my rides is still solo, and I find for me doing both group riding and solo riding is great, they enhance each other!

Interesting. I'd certainly be more than comfortable at that lower end sort of pace. Trouble is I imagine this sort of thing is Facebook-based? PH is about the closest I get to social media!

I'm quite happy doing my own thing for the next 5 weeks or so until the wedding. After that I'll see how much I keep it up then will consider this sort of thing to inject the variety I need.

[WhisperingWasp]

Oh definitely not discounting it. Although I did see a lot of cyclists in a short space of time (so probably a club?) and they all had them aero helmets with the integrated visors… don’t think that will be for me tbh. Certainly would consider a more casual set up.

[WhisperingWasp]

Felt great tonight and recorded a PB of 17.5mph. Could definitely go faster at points but my gears get to the stage where pedalling doesn’t do much (if you know what I mean).

[WhisperingWasp]

okgo said:

Could be anything, one of the clubs near me all go out at 5am and all wear skinsuits and such just for their training rides! They do end up going quite quickly usually, a good 10mph AVG faster than we're seeing here

Oi I thought I was fast. Like, Tour de France-fast…? Am I mistaken?

[WhisperingWasp]

okgo said:

Getting that long ride in this weekend OP?

Edited by okgo on Friday 8th July 12:11

I'll think about it! I'll have to plan a suitable route as I don't really fancy doing two laps of an existing route. Also, in this heat, I go through a bottle of water on my way round and I only have one bottle/one holder thingy. Might require more planning (and procrastination ).

[WhisperingWasp]

Mark83 said:

Sounds like a time trial. My club runs them on Tuesday evenings with riders set off at one minute intervals. Participants range from semi pros on TT bikes, wearing skin suits and aero helmets to people on their regular road bikes, wearing regular cycling attire.

Sunday mornings are more casual and relaxed. Steady, medium, medium fast and fast groups leave the town square at 9am, back at lunchtime. All but the fast group normally ride to a cafe.

Do your club operate out of your home town Mark? I think Ampthill have a club, I saw some guys wearing tops that had something along them lines. I whizzed past them though!

[WhisperingWasp]

Pre-curry ride.

[WhisperingWasp]

With okgo’s advice ringing in my ears I went out and did my longest yet. Tbh I could have done more but I only had one bottle of water and in this heat I didn’t want to push it.

Not sure if you know Woburn but I rode up the hill through the deer park and my god it just goes on and on and gets steeper at the top! First ride where I was wishing my little gear at the front worked!!

[WhisperingWasp]

Oh and who was it that said I should measure my rides in km? I’m glad I haven’t started doing that yet!!

[WhisperingWasp]

Fellas are Planet X bikes any good?

[WhisperingWasp]

Thanks Chris.

Would you mind casting your eye over this?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185490024705?mkcid=16&a...

I really like the look of it and the wheels look like upgrades don’t they?

I would tend to lean toward second hand for the VFM but my C2W scheme gives me 10% discount and then with the c40% saving on tax I’m wondering if I could get a new one effectively cheaper…?!

[WhisperingWasp]

I do like the look of Canyon too as it happens. Particularly these:
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road-bikes/endurance-...
https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road-bikes/endurance-...

[WhisperingWasp]

Mark83 said:

Yes. Sundays at 9am in the town square. Club kit is yellow and blue. Holiday/racing season so only 20ish spread across two groups on Sunday; medium group was 28km/h / 17mph and 100km / 60 miles, and medium/fast was 32km/h / 20mph and 110km/ 65 miles.

Edited by Mark83 on Monday 11th July 22:05

Edited by Mark83 on Monday 11th July 22:07

I'm guessing your club is quite advanced if 17mph and 60 miles is the entry-level! Plus there being people that race. I'd be a bit daunted by that I think. 17mph I can do but for 60 miles I'm not so sure.

[WhisperingWasp]

Mark83 said:

Nice bikes. Keep an eye on the geometry and sizing. I'm usually a M but I'm a S in Canyon. The delivery times are frustrating. I'm waiting to be able to order a Grizl for a gravel/winter bike.

Can I ask how tall? I am 5'11" and currently ride a 54. Think a 56 would be perfect. That Planet X linked above is a medium and by looks of their site is a 53...

[WhisperingWasp]

Mark83 said:

It was a fairly flat one so a little faster than usual, and longest route we do. They're normally 40-50 miles / 70-80km (unless you're in the fast group) and you'll be surprised at the speed and distance you can cover in a group. If you're not feeling it, shelter in the pack, use 30% less effort and get pulled along, if you're feeling strong, do a longer turn on the front. The group stays together and no one gets dropped.

okgo said:

As with every terrain/distance in cycling, it is far easier when there are other people to sit behind.

Never more true than when you see one of the big events happen and you have people averaging 22/23mph over the whole Ride 100 course that never broke 19mph solo. Drafting effect even in a small group on a club run is huge.

Interesting you both saying this. Obviously I am aware of the effect but I suppose I didn't really think it was that much of a thing at the amateur end of things. +3-4mph seems an incredible speed gain just by being in a group. I just can't picture how that works but then I've never tried it.

[WhisperingWasp]

Mark83 said:

WhisperingWasp said:

Can I ask how tall? I am 5'11" and currently ride a 54. Think a 56 would be perfect. That Planet X linked above is a medium and by looks of their site is a 53...

I'm 5'10 / 178cm. If you put your height and inseam in on their website, it should tell you.

My Parlee's geometry is almost the same as a Specialized Tarmac 56cm and a small Canyon Aeroad so it definitely varies by brand and model.

Guy selling the 53 Planet X is 6' apparently so might be ok but 53 just "sounds" small.

I'm not familiar with Parlee - is that the brand name or the model? (I notice it is listed in your Strava too)

[WhisperingWasp]

z4RRSchris said:

they are £300 chinese wheels with novatec hubs. they look like the CSC ones but all the same stuff.

I would use C2W, better to get a new one. my choice around that cash is:

Canyon Ultimate CF SL 7 £1,649. New 105 kit. 7.7kg.

or maybe a condor italia RC for a bit left field choice

Cheers Chris. Can I ask why that model as opposed to, say, the CF SL 8, the CF 8 or the CF 7 eTap? Presume you are just talking from a VFM standpoint?

Can I also ask about these (sorry I know you're not my bike personal shopper!):
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Tifosi-Auriga-Disc-Ultegr...
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Orro-Venturi-Evo-105-R800...
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Cube-Attain-GTC-SL-2022-R...
https://www.rutlandcycling.com/bikes/road-bikes/bi...

Edit: sorry, forgot to ask, is the comment around the wheels a warning-off them? Are Chinese wheels/the hubs no good or was it just an observation? Cheers.

Edited by WhisperingWasp on Tuesday 12th July 21:30

[WhisperingWasp]

z4RRSchris said:

just didn’t think you wanted to spend more than 1500! if you can go up the canyon spec they get better and better, electronic shifting etc.

the comment on the wheels was mainly don’t be impressed / buy something because it’s got some £300 (new) wheels on it,

Ha! The budget is absolutely limited (though not sure where!) but the C2W scheme does seem to open up c2.5k bikes. Would I be right in saying that a £2,500 bike - with 10% off via my employer scheme - would cost me c£110 in net pay?

Just spent the past half hour on the Canyon site. Struggling to tell where some of the extra cost goes on some but then I am not very knowledgable on the details. What does strike me is that disc brakes seem to add a good 4-500 quid to the price (although the wheels might also be better on the disc versions). My brakes are poor so I would want to upgrade in this area but I'm sure any of these options would be an improvement.

I think I like the Endurace CF 8 (in "light lobster"!) as a good balance between cost and spec. Although, tbh, I have no idea whether I need an endurance bike (for my 20 mile rides ) or a race bike (for my 17mph pace ).

[WhisperingWasp]

tertius said:

z4RRSchris said:

better to use c2w.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/275354393688?hash=item4...

thats a 10 grand bike, you get 43.6% or 48.5%, or 63.5% if you are in tax trap, discount using c2w, so you could pay as low as £3650 for it, and you can flog it after a year for 7 grand and get another!

so you get paid 3.5k a year for having a nice new bike.

Can you use the C2W scheme for an eBay purchase?

Chris's point is that C2W works out even better than this second-hand bike due to the tax savings.

However, a) I think my scheme has a max of 3-something and b) I'm not yet in the market for that level of bike!