Cycling

Started by Jimmy, February 18, 2010, 10:20:27 PM

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maddog

Quote from: Randy on June 10, 2019, 03:12:55 PM
Quote from: maddog on June 10, 2019, 03:05:10 PM
Quote from: Randy on June 10, 2019, 02:50:03 PM
If you intend just doing a bit of cycling but not going down the racing route you might want to consider SPD shoes and pedals as the cleats are recessed and means you can walk in the shoes without your toes sticking in the air. They tend to be more for commuters and mountain bikers but perfectly adequate for road use as well. Plenty of shoes on the market will take either type of cleat.You can get perfectly decent shoes for about £50 but obviously the pedals have to be bought as well. Shimano m324 pedals are a good choice if you want to be able to ride in the cleats or with trainers on. (double sided)

Thank you very much for the advice that's great. I intend to cycle just to get healthier not to enter a race. Maybe join a cycling club to go on longer journeys in the future hopefully.

Join a club if you can. It will bring you on loads and you will get all the advice you need from more experienced members. good luck with it.

Eamonnca1

I find that Look pedals are fine for road riding. You spend a very small amount of time walking, so I find it's okay to use a pedal system that's optimized for riding. If the only walking you do is a few steps to and from your bike then it's not worthwhile getting SDP pedals. If you use Looks then make sure and use the red cleats. They have more leeway than the grey ones, and stay away from the black ones that have no float at all. If your plate isn't on exactly straight then you could get a repetitive strain injury in your knees. The red cleats let you rotate your feet by a few degrees before they disengage from the pedal, so you can get them lined up so that your feet are parallel.

Make sure and go to a bike shop and get a bike fit, and make sure you wear the exact same outfit you'll be wearing when you're riding. If you wear jeans during a bike fit instead of your cycling shorts then the difference in height with the missing padding could make a difference to the saddle height. Saddle too high and you'll hurt your lower back with the hip rocking. Saddle too low and you'll hurt your knees with the flicking out to the side on every pedal stroke.

If you're getting into it, keep your gears down and your revs up. Spin those legs and get the speed into them.

Wear a helmet. High vis rain cape is handy to have in a country like Ireland. Make sure you know how to change a tube at the side of the road. Carry a spare tube and the tools you need to change it and pump it up. Carry a Co2 canister as well as a pump. You'll need the Co2 to get a good amount of pressure into your tyres. Road tyres should have about 110 to 120 PSI in them. I usually pump mine to 115. Have a floor pump with a gauge for pumping up at home.

And if you join a club then you'll learn a lot more about the best routes to ride, how to ride in a group, etc.. Plus it's better craic than riding alone.

oakleaflad

Chris Froome is out of the Tour De France due to a broken leg sustained during a high speed crash this afternoon

maddog

Quote from: oakleaflad on June 12, 2019, 02:37:14 PM
Chris Froome is out of the Tour De France due to a broken leg sustained during a high speed crash this afternoon

Yep another time trial recon crash. Have to wait and see how bad it is but likely he would be going to the Vuelta now

gerry

Hopefully this will be make it a more exciting tour as ineos won't have three big GC guys controlling the race.
God bless the hills of Dooish, be they heather-clad or lea,

bennydorano

Simiplifies the leadership issue for Ineos but then again Bernal could come in and blow them all away and create another issue. I don't see Thomas winning again tbh even though he is now 3/1 clear favourite. Hopefully Movistar give it a good rattle as they have the resources & manpower to compete.

markl121

Froome in intensive care. May well be lucky to ride again after this. Gutted for him

bennydorano

Dumoullin out of the TDF now as well.

Backed Thibaut Pinot £10 ew at 16/1 on skybet for an interest, so he's carrying some extra weight now.

markl121

It's mad all these big names crashing. Do you reckon Thomas will ride and be competitive? I reckon Bernal takes it. Good chance for eddie dunbar to put in another strong showing.

bennydorano

Extremely unlikely Dunbar will feature after riding the Giro and he's not at the top of the pecking order yet at INEOS either, La Vuelta maybe.

maddog

Quote from: markl121 on June 21, 2019, 09:42:59 AM
It's mad all these big names crashing. Do you reckon Thomas will ride and be competitive? I reckon Bernal takes it. Good chance for eddie dunbar to put in another strong showing.

Nibali said at the Giro that he would target stage wins in the Tour rather than go for GC. Will he have a rethink now that it is opened up ? Bardet would tempt me EW. Fuglsang is in the best form i've seen him and will go well. Strong team as well. Will quintana actually lead Movistar or will Landa prove strongest in mountains and assume leaders role. Is Carapaz lining up ?
Another puzzle is will Alaphilippe actually be looking at this and thinking GC rather than KOM and breakaway stagewins. If he is ever to make the transition to GC rider then this would be the time. Big longshot.
Bernal is looking very strong in Switzerland at the moment, and if Thomas doesn't appear in the form he was in last year then he will take over. We will know more before the off.

markl121

I would love alaphilipe to make the transition, though I think he would have to attack constantly or get lucky in a break that goes away early in the race and try and hold on. I dont think he has it in him to contend on a long mountain day at the front just yet. Surely nibali will have a rethink. Bernal is also looking imperious.

illdecide

Heading for the Col du Tourmalet tomorrow...can't wait to get away but not looking forward to the pain :'(
I can swim a little but i can't fly an inch

bennydorano

Lovely, enjoy it and look around you, no point chewing the handlebar on a spin like that! Careful on the way down too.

GJL

Any of you done Mizen to Malin? I'm attempting it in September.