The Fretboard Cycling Club

pt22

Just back from a family holiday to Wales where I was able to bring the bike. Got out for two days of nice hilly loops, the second of which finished at a great local farm cafe for a celebratory bacon and egg butty with the fam in the gorgeous Welsh sunshine. 

First time bringing the bike with me, and now that I’ve got the roof rack I hope it’s many more. 

I’m currently training for a September London-Brighton, so I’ll need more hill time to tackle the Ditchling Beacon. 

MagicPigDetective

Where in Wales @pt22 ? 

pt22

@MagicPigDetective ;

We were stationed in a friend's place in Manorbier, and I was cycling around Tenby, Pembroke, St. Florence, etc... Lovely, dramatic natural scenes. Off the bike, I was pleasantly surprised by the beaches! 

BigMonka

My wife and I have just booked a couple of nights accommodation to do the Coast&Castles cycle route whilst our kids are away on a scout camp in August. It looks like a lovely route from Edinburgh to Newcastle across the borders, northumberland, and then down the coast.
Rough split should be: Day 1 35miles, Day 2 70miles, Day 3 60miles.
Can't wait to get away on the bike for a few days!

ewal

I was back on the gravel bike this weekend, this time doing a 70 km loop from Comrie to Callander via some lovely estate tracks, and back via Braes of Doune windfarm. Quite something seeing a large wind turbine going full pelt up close! I instinctively felt like ducking and wondering what would happen if one of those massive blades broke off 

Haych

I am thinking about getting back into road cycling again. Thought I’d dip in here for some advice. 

I’d like another Cannondale but the brand name gives them a premium price tag. Even the old ones like mine (I had a Six13). 

Back when I was riding the Focus Cayo was a very popular bike. I’ve seen one for a good price but means a trip up t’north. 105 groupset and DT Swiss wheels. 

Worth it or is there a reason to avoid?

TIA

TTBZ

First quick ride went well despite my lack of fitness. Managed to get up the steepest climb on my usual loop, haven't tried the long gradual one yet which might be a struggle! Definitely need some new SPD-SL pedals asap, keep lifting my feet off these cheap plastic flats especially when climbing. Great to be back on the road though, so much better for local rides than the MTB. Even took it on some gravel tracks which felt a bit sketchy on the 23c fully slick tyres, but still fun!

May try and fit some 28c tyres as the roads here aren't in the best shape - looks like I should have plenty of clearance. Not sure if the stock rims would be wide enough to get a good tyre profile though.

Jaycee

Haych said:

I am thinking about getting back into road cycling again. Thought I’d dip in here for some advice. 

I’d like another Cannondale but the brand name gives them a premium price tag. Even the old ones like mine (I had a Six13). 

Back when I was riding the Focus Cayo was a very popular bike. I’ve seen one for a good price but means a trip up t’north. 105 groupset and DT Swiss wheels. 

Worth it or is there a reason to avoid?

TIA

I don't think there is much between different makes these days, just find a nice carbon frame you like with 105 minimum.

I got my Giant Propel off facebook marketplace from a seller in newport. There is a nice looking Giant TCR Ultegra in Bridgend for £850

Pjon

pt22 said:

@MagicPigDetective ;

We were stationed in a friend's place in Manorbier, and I was cycling around Tenby, Pembroke, St. Florence, etc... Lovely, dramatic natural scenes. Off the bike, I was pleasantly surprised by the beaches! 

That part of the country is pretty famous for the beaches.   

It's not far from here, so I've often done day rides to places in Pembs and my wife, who was working down there at the time, would bring me home. Last time, last April iirc, was 70-odd miles from Swansea to Newcastle Emlyn, and then on to a theatre in Cardigan to see Whispering Bob Harris and Martyn Joseph in conversation. It's a nice ride. The first thirty miles or so were almost dead flat along the coast but the climbing ramps up after Kidwelly. 

ewal

Jaycee said:

Haych said:

I am thinking about getting back into road cycling again. Thought I’d dip in here for some advice. 

I’d like another Cannondale but the brand name gives them a premium price tag. Even the old ones like mine (I had a Six13). 

Back when I was riding the Focus Cayo was a very popular bike. I’ve seen one for a good price but means a trip up t’north. 105 groupset and DT Swiss wheels. 

Worth it or is there a reason to avoid?

TIA

I don't think there is much between different makes these days, just find a nice carbon frame you like with 105 minimum.

I got my Giant Propel off facebook marketplace from a seller in newport. There is a nice looking Giant TCR Ultegra in Bridgend for £850

I don't even think the groupset choice is that important. I've had Ultegra, 105 and Tiagra on my Roubaix over the years, and all do much the same job as long as they're well adjusted and not worn out.

I'd focus on frame quality and possibly most important bike fit.

Pjon

ewal said:

Jaycee said:

Haych said:

I am thinking about getting back into road cycling again. Thought I’d dip in here for some advice. 

I’d like another Cannondale but the brand name gives them a premium price tag. Even the old ones like mine (I had a Six13). 

Back when I was riding the Focus Cayo was a very popular bike. I’ve seen one for a good price but means a trip up t’north. 105 groupset and DT Swiss wheels. 

Worth it or is there a reason to avoid?

TIA

I don't think there is much between different makes these days, just find a nice carbon frame you like with 105 minimum.

I got my Giant Propel off facebook marketplace from a seller in newport. There is a nice looking Giant TCR Ultegra in Bridgend for £850

I don't even think the groupset choice is that important. I've had Ultegra, 105 and Tiagra on my Roubaix over the years, and all do much the same job as long as they're well adjusted and not worn out.

I'd focus on frame quality and possibly most important bike fit.

Cannondale make road bikes down to less than £1k, so they aren't any more premium than any other mainstream brand, although your Six13 was quite spendy. Focus are a decent brand, and maybe quite a bit less mainstream than C'dale - they have less retail presence, anyway. They all come from the Far East though, and all make the same claims about their bikes, so I've always advised going with whichever fits you and is in the colour/spec you like.

I've owned quite a few C'dales over the years, some have been beautiful things, others were just bikes. My CAAD4, 20+ years ago, was a lovely thing, and I've always fancied a top end carbon C'dale, but that's simply because of the ancient link to Cipollini and his Saeco team, and little to do with how good they actually are these days. Although they do get good reviews, but then so does everything else!  

TTBZ

Nice evening ride on the Langster! This time made it round my full old route, slow up the hills but still made it without having to stop and didn't seem that far off my geared bike average speed overall. Kinda wishing I'd got a gravel bike but may just see what tyres I can get away with squeezing into this frame/fork, it seems like 28c with small shoulder knobs should fit. 

littlegreenman

Quite a few years ago, as a subsciber to Sebastian Keep's YT channel, I saw a young Geordie chap do a few nice tricks. Thought he'd do OK as a BMX-er, and seemed like a good lad.

Kieran Reilly had 10 subs on his channel when I subscribed.

European and World Champion, and hopefully tomorrow, Olympic Champion!

As they say oop North, Howay the Lad!!!

mrkb

TTBZ said:

Nice evening ride on the Langster! This time made it round my full old route, slow up the hills but still made it without having to stop and didn't seem that far off my geared bike average speed overall. Kinda wishing I'd got a gravel bike but may just see what tyres I can get away with squeezing into this frame/fork, it seems like 28c with small shoulder knobs should fit. 

Might be an easier ride if you used the road

GuyBoden

Cycling A roads in the 1970's was very pleasant. A bit like traffic free sunny covid lock down days .

Jaycee

littlegreenman said:

Quite a few years ago, as a subsciber to Sebastian Keep's YT channel, I saw a young Geordie chap do a few nice tricks. Thought he'd do OK as a BMX-er, and seemed like a good lad.

Kieran Reilly had 10 subs on his channel when I subscribed.

European and World Champion, and hopefully tomorrow, Olympic Champion!

As they say oop North, Howay the Lad!!!

What a cracking ride  for his medal. 

I was suprised by the difference in levels between the men and women, much more noticable in the bmx than other sports.

Having said that I would be happy having half th skill of the ladies

BigMonka

Does anyone have any top tips on saddle choice? I’m looking for a new one for my road bike suitable for 100km type days. I’ve always just used the one that came on the bike (and done 100mile days on it) but it’s not all that comfy even on shorter rides.
Not really sure on where to look though as it seems quite a personal thing.

ewal

That's the thing with saddles - it's very much an individual thing. And you can pay a lot and still get a sore arse... I'm currently mulling over investing in better bib shorts - I've got quite old basic dhb's and starting to feel uncomfortable on longer rides...

drofluf

It is, as you say, a personal choice. My most comfortable saddle is a Brooks B17 and I have them on all my bikes but some people view them as instruments of torture. 

drofluf

Coincidentally I’ve just read an article on bike fit in road.cc and one of their points was that saddle position is more important than the saddle itself.