The Fretboard Cycling Club

MagicPigDetective

Last year I bought a Specialized Power saddle and cheap Altura bib shorts .. they were fine initially but I started to get saddle sores. I splashed out on Assos bib shorts, which are expensive but are excellent with a very comfy pad, and as I'm not near many cycle shops, took a gamble on ordering an untested saddle - an Ergon SR Comp.... I got lucky as the saddle seems perfect for me (having measured sit bones to get the correct size), and I'm now doing 100km rides pain free. So, I think there is a bit of trial and error, plus getting the saddle width size and correct height of course.  

TTBZ

Specialized saddles always seem to work for me, sit on a bit of memory foam or other compressible material on a hard surface so your sit bones make indents in it, measure the distance between the centres of the divots and get the appropriately sized saddle. I've had the first one I got after being measured for probably 15+ years now and it's been on every MTB I've owned! 

Redneck

I'm fortunate in that the topography of my behind suits inexpensive Selle Italia saddles and more expensive stuff feels like sitting on the business end of a pitchfork.

Have wound back my cycling with age.  I'm a quali'd  professional MTB and road skills trainer with international level tickets, taught folk from private customers and racers through to police, ambo and SAR teams.

The last year I've binned that off as it wasn't very profitable and now I'm retired I have other things to be getting up to.  With a recent house move and loss of storage space I moved on a load or bikes and I'm now down to 4, a road, a gravel, a folder and an ebike.

BigMonka

Thanks for the saddle advice guys, I've bought some decent new bibs and will stick with those for the longer trips this summer then maybe try a new saddle or two over winter on shorter rides.

@Redneck your job as a skills trainer sounds amazing! Any interesting stories from your years doing that?

Redneck

BigMonka said:

Thanks for the saddle advice guys, I've bought some decent new bibs and will stick with those for the longer trips this summer then maybe try a new saddle or two over winter on shorter rides.

@Redneck your job as a skills trainer sounds amazing! Any interesting stories from your years doing that?

Nothing that exciting really.

That said, one student was a BMX champion when he was a nipper. When it came to teaching descending steps he pretty much leaped down, and he had me aced by a mile when it came to teaching the track stand. There was little I could teach him, other than the tactical and UDT stuff, but he needed the course to be able to ride at work 

IPMBA annual conference in Arkansas was good fun, and wearing British SAR uniform kit garnered me a lot of positive attention.

Haych

Soooooooooo.........

Pulled the trigger on this, this afternoon.  Just Brought it home.  Crack 'n' Fail Super Six Evo.

Just need to equip myself with a bit of gear and will soon be out holding up traffic in my local area.

littlegreenman

Haych said:

Soooooooooo.........

Pulled the trigger on this, this afternoon.  Just Brought it home.  Crack 'n' Fail Super Six Evo.

Just need to equip myself with a bit of gear and will soon be out holding up traffic in my local area.

Noice, love 'Dales. I have a CAAD8 and a carbon Synapse 2.

Haych

Is anyone here able to give advice on cycling shoes please?

Unfortunately I am nowhere near anywhere that stocks a decent selection of shoes so I'm probably looking at buying blind online.

I recall from my previous cycling life that it can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to sizing and various brands seem to have entirely their own sizing system which relate neither to any other manufacturers sizes or ordinary shoe sizes in general.

I used to have a paid of Sidi shoes which were a size larger than I normally wear.  Doing some research online it seems that Shimano also size small and others seem to be on point.

Fortunately I don't have anything weird going on with my feet, they aren't especially wide or narrow and they seem to be quite well formed in most other respects.

So, for someone with quite large feet (size 11 normally, in old money) are there any rules of thumb, so to speak when buying various brands of cycling shoes?

Thanks in advance.

Jaycee

I have wide (ish) feet. Giro, specialized and Northwave were all good for me.  Fizik were very narrow

I would say get a pair that has "Boa" ratchet type system, I find they are more comfortable than vecro straps.

Lovely bike, my mate has a couple he loves them 

MagicPigDetective

I had Fizik shoes. I suspected they were a bit too large. I had a bike fit a couple of months ago, and he told me the Fizik’s were too long and  narrow for my feet.

 He measured my feet and got me to try a pair of Lake’s. My Initial reaction were they were too small as there wes hardly any room in front of the toes, but he said this was fine. I bought them and I can say they are just a perfect fit, there’s no movement at all within the shoe, they are light and comfy… I feel ‘as one’ with the bike. Without a bike fit I wouldn’t have ended up with these. 

thermionic

I decided to buy a new pair of shoes a couple of weeks ago as my Sidis must be about 8 years old and are starting to show signs of the uppers cracking. Geraint Thomas has been using Quoc shoes so I thought I'd try those (not the Geraint Thomas model though). I haven't had a chance to try them out properly due to a) having to swap them for the next size up, b) a weekend doing other things, and c) finally getting covid. I get an email from them today telling me the model I'd bought was "being moved to the archive" (or something) and that I could buy them now for HALF PRICE. Nice shoes, poor timing.

TTBZ

Quick evening golden hour ride tonight! Actually thinking of selling the Langster already though if anyone here is interested? Not enjoying road riding as much as I used to as drivers have got noticeably worse and it doesn't feel that safe. Only been out on this a few times and had loads of close passes, overtakes round corners etc. Not as bad when you get to quieter lanes but people still drive like idiots on those too.

ewal

Sorry to hear that. Where abouts are you? I think it has a lot to do with volume of traffic. Round here there's only one or two roads to avoid, otherwise most people seem give you sufficient room.

ewal

Another brilliant gravel ride last Sunday. This is one of General Wade's Military Roads, which I'm sure I was taught about at school... Gravel riding has been everything I'd hoped it would be this summer. And everyone saying it's not been a great summer weather-wise. That's not been my experience on the bike - the ground is firm and can't remember another year where I've had a good three months solid, where I've gone out in short sleeve top and shorts and stayed dry and warm. Bliss.

https://imgur.com/a/V4qSzdE.jpg

mrkb

^ Same here - I bought a Specialized Creo Turbo last month to explore the trails a bit further from my house, and have loved exploring the OS map and finding all the farm tracks and backroads. 

TTBZ

ewal said:

Sorry to hear that. Where abouts are you? I think it has a lot to do with volume of traffic. Round here there's only one or two roads to avoid, otherwise most people seem give you sufficient room.

I'm in West Northamptonshire, so not exactly bustling, but I've noticed a difference compared to a few years ago. Mind you it could be down to the time of day as well - used to be able to get out in the daytime but now it's more like 7-8pm by the time I can get out so maybe people are more impatient driving home etc.

Do wish I'd saved a bit more and got a gravel bike to get off the roads more, but might just lower my pressures a bit and see how I get on with this now I've got the 28c Roubaix tyres on it. It was cheap enough (£150 all in with new tyres and SPD pedals) that I don't mind trashing it a bit haha. It does look like I have a bit more clearance for some skinny gravel tyres with a bit more tread, 30c might squeeze in so long as I don't ride in the mud. 

MagicPigDetective

Roads are ok around Snowdonia though traffic is much busier now in the tourist season… I try to stay off main roads… the garmin varia has helped me to no longer be surprised by vehicles appearing nowhere from behind, brilliant piece of kit. 

I can’t get my head around single speed bikes. What is the appeal/advantages? Round here I need to use every cog I have to get up and down, it’d be impossible in one gear. Perhaps that’s not such a problem in flatter areas. 

TTBZ

MagicPigDetective said:

I can’t get my head around single speed bikes. What is the appeal/advantages? Round here I need to use every cog I have to get up and down, it’d be impossible in one gear. Perhaps that’s not such a problem in flatter areas. 

Simplicity and budget mostly! Got the bike off eBay for £100, apart from the tyres it came with the rest of it was in great condition. Northants is pretty flat and everything I've ridden so far can be powered up rather than sitting and spinning, which was the other reason - road rides for me are mostly just for exercise rather than fun so I thought it'd stop be from being lazy. My average speed is only 1-2mph lower than previously on a geared bike and I'm not exactly at peak fitness at the minute, so I guess it's working! 

Haych

Well I got most of the stuff I need to resume cycling but my helmet is lost in transit so need to order another. 

Was hoping to get out for the first time today but have come down with the fuggin lurgi overnight so feel like death. 

Got some rough routes planned though and there’s a bunch of quiet back lanes in the villages on the moors of the Severn estuary - nice and flat and not much traffic, perfect to start off with. Got about four miles of busy B-Road to get there but will see how that goes. 

Hoping that I can still remember how to work a bike and that it all comes back to me like, er, riding a bicycle!

MagicPigDetective

I’m preparing today for a 120km sportive in Anglesey tomorrow … a step up from my previous 100km longest distance, with more climbing.  

Had not been on my bike for two weeks due to holiday… was worried I’d lose fitness but had a little spin yesterday and felt fine. Feeling confident yet slightly nervous. At least the weather promises to be good.