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[waypoetic]

In this years Tour de France thread people wanted an OT for road cycling and everything surrounding it, so here it is (!); let's talk about the races (especially the grand tours), the teams, the riders and your own passion for the sport of road cycling!

I'd be cool if we could share photos from our rides, maybe our Strava profiles and/or even answer questions about the sport etc for those who might want to check it out and start riding themselfs.

If you do got questions i'd like to mention the guys over at Global Cycling Network and their awesome YouTube-channel. It's informative AND entertaining! Chapeau to Si, Matt, Tom and Dan.

 

[Linius]

Added this to my subs. Will try to follow cycling more outside of the Tour if I can. It's just a pain that it's usually during work/study. Vive le velo!

I don't cycle myself, I only run. But I'm interested. My dad has an old Bianchi in the shed that I could possibly refurbish. He recently got a baller new bike for himself, you can lift it with one finger. Fucking technology.

 

[Gray Matter]

Don't have a road bike (yet) but I have fallen in love with cycling since I got my bike (a trek 7.2) about 3 months ago, have put about 500 miles so far.

I didn't know I was going to enjoy riding so much, and now I desperately want a road bike. Have a $1000 that I think could spend without breaking the bank, but that would get something fairly simple, so I might just as we'll wait and save thru the winter and buy then.

So far the bikes I have been eyeing are the Trek Emonda ALR and the Trek Domane 2.0.

Anyone have or are familiar with these bikes?

 

[waypoetic]

Don't have a road bike (yet) but I have fallen in love with cycling since I got my bike (a trek 7.2) about 3 months ago, have put about 500 miles so far.

I didn't know I was going to enjoy riding so much, and now I desperately want a road bike. Have a $1000 that I think could spend without breaking the bank, but that would get something fairly simple, so I might just as we'll wait and save thru the winter and buy then.

So far the bikes I have been eyeing are the Trek Emonda ALR and the Trek Domane 2.0.

Anyone have or are familiar with these bikes?

Are you mostly a commuter or are you out and about exploring places? 500 miles on that Trek you've got is pretty good. Regarding Trek's road bikes; i know the Emonda is popular but i can't tell you much more than that. I'm a Specialized kind of guy myself.

 

[Gray Matter]

Are you mostly a commuter or are you out and about exploring places? 500 miles on that Trek you've got is pretty good. Regarding Trek's road bikes; i know the Emonda is popular but i can't tell you much more than that. I'm a Specialized kind of guy myself.

Both. My main use for the bike is to get to work and home, but on the weekends I go out riding 20-30 miles. Most I've done is ~40, I have it on good authority that riding a road bike is much better for doing long rides.

I'm in decent (better than I expected) shape so doing 30 miles has become fairly easy for me at a 12-14 MPH pace.

 

[robox]

Emonda is designed for climbing hills. lightness is emphasized
Domane is designed for comfort, relatively. it'll be a bit smoother over rough roads
Madone is designed for aerodynamics. faster on flat rides


hooray for marginal differentiations!

 

[Gray Matter]

Emonda is designed for climbing hills. lightness is emphasized
Domane is designed for comfort, relatively. it'll be a bit smoother over rough roads
Madone is designed for aerodynamics. faster on flat rides


hooray for marginal differentiations!

Hmm, that helps. Honestly, my main focus is to get a good road bike, everything else is just extra for me.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

Hmm, that helps. Honestly, my main focus is to get a good road bike, everything else is just extra for me.

Focus on the components then. When I got my first road bike I went with the one that had Shimano 105 where it mattered (derailleurs, crank, shifters, brakes) and Tiagra everywhere else (rear cog, chain) over a bike that was all Tiagra.

 

[Gray Matter]

Focus on the components then. When I got my first road bike I went with the one that had Shimano 105 where it mattered (derailleurs, crank, shifters, brakes) and Tiagra everywhere else (rear cog, chain) over a bike that was all Tiagra.

Isn't mix matching parts not recommended?

One of the bikes I'm eyeing (Emonda ALR) has all the same shimano components, I forget which one.

 

[JPKellams]

I'm waiting for SRAM Wireless to come out and then my next bike will probably be a Canyon Ultimate.

 

[waypoetic]

Isn't mix matching parts not recommended?

One of the bikes I'm eyeing (Emonda ALR) has all the same shimano components, I forget which one.

It's not recommended by the manufacturer because they want you to buy the entire series With that said you shouldn't mix Shimano with SRAM or Campagnolo, but Shimano 105 and Tiagra will [mostly] work fine together.

 

[JPKellams]

It's not recommended by the manufacturer because they want you to buy the entire series With that said you shouldn't mix Shimano with SRAM or Campagnolo, but Shimano 105 and Tiagra will [mostly] work fine together.

Actually, you can mix a lot of SRAM with Shimano. A lot of people use Dura-Ace chains on SRAM Red setups. You can also use Shimano cassettes with SRAM. Free hubs are thus also compatible.

Campy is NOT compatible with Shimano/SRAM.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

It's not recommended by the manufacturer because they want you to buy the entire series With that said you shouldn't mix Shimano with SRAM or Campagnolo, but Shimano 105 and Tiagra will [mostly] work fine together.

Yep, this. I wouldn't use Tiagra derailleurs with 105 shifters, but using a Tiagra chain with a 105 crank and Tiagra rear cassette is fine. The cassette and chain are going to be more or less the same across all the lines except for maybe weight.

 

[cdViking]

Tony Martin is my favorite cyclist. It's been a great and terrible Tour. Hopefully he can get a breakaway win in the Vuelta.

 

[waypoetic]

Tony Martin is my favorite cyclist. It's been a great and terrible Tour. Hopefully he can get a breakaway win in the Vuelta.

Yeah it's been a roller coaster ride for anyone who's a fan of Etixx Quick-Step and Tony Martin this Tour.

 

[Gray Matter]

Even other are telling me that I should be riding a road bike. Was going fast as all hell on my hybrid today with the group.

 

[waypoetic]

I'm checking Garmin Connect like two times a day now, checking to see if the newest firmware update is out. I want live segments from Strava Noooooow!

 

[teepo]

i thought the live segments were exclusive to the 520?

 

[waypoetic]

i thought the live segments were exclusive to the 520?

Nope, the 510, 810 and 1000 will have it as well.

 

[jakonovski]

The Vuelta started this weekend, anyone else watching? They seem to be leading off with a giant crash again.

 

[TarpitCarnivore]

The Vuelta started this weekend, anyone else watching? They seem to be leading off with a giant crash again.

I'm hoping to follow it better than last years. The bigger GT like this often have crashes early on due to the size of the field.

 

[someday]

The Vuelta isn't shown on TV where I live so I'm mostly following it via the r/peloton subreddit and cyclinghub videos. Looks like Nibali is disqualified though.

 

[waypoetic]

The Vuelta isn't shown on TV where I live so I'm mostly following it via the r/peloton subreddit and cyclinghub videos. Looks like Nibali is disqualified though.

Check out cyclingfans.com

And yes, he's thrown out of the Vuelta, this is why:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClwG4DD7sbY

 

[Gray Matter]

So today I rode an old cannondale r800 bike, from the mid 90s, and boy did I notice a huge difference from my hybrid. Even though the bike was almost 20 years old, it felt great, one bad thing the frame was a bit small but nothing too bad that I couldn't ride it for long.

I know I wanted a road bike, but now, I need one.

 

[JPKellams]

Can we revive this thread, because I'm sick of seeing Mascot with his tired "jimmy this, jimmy that" every other post in the Bicycling thread.

 

[Gray Matter]

I'm surprised this thread didn't take off first time around.

I didn't do much cycling this year, actually, only rode my bike a handful of times. I'm getting a new bike early next year, a proper road bike so I'm excited. Don't know what to get yet however.

 

[JPKellams]

What kind of budget are you thinking about?

 

[Gray Matter]

What kind of budget are you thinking about?

~$1500

 

[jakonovski]

I'm gonna recommend one of those newfangled all road bikes that have disc brakes and more tyre clearance.

Like the Felt V series.

 

[T8SC]

Road cycling has taken off massively in the last few years, a lot of people saying it's the "new Golf" for middle aged men. Thankfully I don't fall into the middle aged category but I do enjoy road cycling with both a summer & winter bike. Winter is mainly for charity rides & club rides whereas summer covers those plus sportives & races. Thinking of partaking in TT's in 2017 so currently eyeing up a few TT bikes & wheels.

 

[frontieruk]

I'm gonna recommend one of those newfangled all road bikes that have disc brakes and more tyre clearance.

Like the Felt V series.

You mean cyclo-cross?

Im finally getting around to borrowing this https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/anyroad-comax from my lbs, be interesting to see if its versatile enough for me to ditch my MTB

 

[jakonovski]

Allroad bikes have a better aesthetic than cx bikes, a certain je ne sais quoi. Makes me want to upgrade my Kona Jake to something flashier.

 

[frontieruk]

Allroad bikes have a better aesthetic than cx bikes, a certain je ne sais quoi. Makes me want to upgrade my Kona Jake to something flashier.

How is it? I've looked at getting the snake as its in my price range but can't find a dealer with one in stock locally

 

[jakonovski]

The frame has a very straightforward design and there's good tyre clearance (I think I can squeeze in 40c on my 2015, and it's only gotten better). Geometry suits my long legs and short arms. Ridden it in all kinds of places, from icy singletrack to 100km+ road rides, always been reasonably comfy. Also the parts mix is nicely chosen: even my cheap ass model has full Tiagra with a 11-32 wide range cassette and tubeless ready rims that just needed new rim tape to seal flawlessly. Only thing it lacked was a loud freehub.

 

[Gray Matter]

I just want a decent road bike, not a big fan of off road cycling.

 

[JPKellams]

I just want a decent road bike, not a big fan of off road cycling.

For your budget, I'd say something like a Felt F75 series, or a Specialized Allez. If you don't mind a slightly harsher ride, go aluminum with a better groupset. If you want something nicer, go carbon, but don't compromise below a Shimano 105/Sram Force groupset.

 

[Gray Matter]

So, a local bike shop had a few bikes left over and I ended up getting a Madone 3.1

It fits and rides great, and a great price for a full carbon frame too. Very happy with the purchase. Can't to start riding it.

 

[jakonovski]

Grats on the new bike! A new road bike Will feel incredibly fast.

 

[Gray Matter]

Grats on the new bike! A new road bike Will feel incredibly fast.

Thanks!

Maybe now I can move to the other thread lol

 

[JPKellams]

Ninth in my first ever race - a 7 lap criterium. Blazing fast for a beginner's class (second fastest of all the races that day), but it was alot of fun.

 

[Gray Matter]

Finally, after a year of saving, and virtually no riding in 2016, upgraded to a road bike. Can't wait to get this bad boy on the road.

P.S it's a Madone 3.1 for those who are curious.

 

[frontieruk]

Ninth in my first ever race - a 7 lap criterium. Blazing fast for a beginner's class (second fastest of all the races that day), but it was alot of fun.

Congrats on the race, commiserations on the other big news of the week wasn't my type of game but it looked interesting.

Finally, after a year of saving, and virtually no riding in 2016, upgraded to a road bike. Can't wait to get this bad boy on the road.

P.S it's a Madone 3.1 for those who are curious.

Looks lovely, I was hoping to add a proper road bike to my collection this year, not sure I'm going to be able to afford it

 

[frontieruk]

Well after having my bike stolen from work, I went full roadie

With a Defy advanced 2, the LBS gave me £200 in accessories for it including conti 4 seasons tyres as they were gutted for me knowing how much I was looking after the stolen one

 

[Gray Matter]

Well after having my bike stolen from work, I went full roadie

With a Defy advanced 2, the LBS gave me £200 in accessories for it including conti 4 seasons tyres as they were gutted for me knowing how much I was looking after the stolen one

Welcome to the club, friend. Sorry about the stolen bike.

I also got myself a new road bike last month, can't wait to start riding it.

 

[frontieruk]

Welcome to the club, friend. Sorry about the stolen bike.

I also got myself a new road bike last month, can't wait to start riding it.

Shit happens, got a new roadie, and saw a reasonable deal on a CX on an auction site so picked that up as well as my daily commuter as it was dirt cheap.

 

[JPKellams]

Shit happens, got a new roadie, and saw a reasonable deal on a CX on an auction site so picked that up as well as my daily commuter as it was dirt cheap.

Nice bike. Are the discs hydro or cable pull?

I jumped up to a C3 Crit last weekend and got ninth again. Old track racing skills kicked in. I sat in the pack and relaxed then went full gas on the last lap. Climbed 21 places in less than a minute of racing. So much fun.

 

[frontieruk]

Nice bike. Are the discs hydro or cable pull?

I jumped up to a C3 Crit last weekend and got ninth again. Old track racing skills kicked in. I sat in the pack and relaxed then went full gas on the last lap. Climbed 21 places in less than a minute of racing. So much fun.

The specs say hydro, but I'm sure it's a cable system with a Giant hydraulic hub to connect to a hydraulic disc set.

Congrats on position, that was a banzai last lap

 

[frontieruk]

So got to take the Defy on a decent distance ride today, apart from some gearing issues that is back at the shop for and an annoying rattle which is also being investigated, I'm in total love with this bike.

I've never finished a longish ride ever feeling so fresh, it was also a beautiful day so everything just felt great.

On a side note I can't wait for my Elemnt Bolt to arrive