Calling Daz and other bike nerds - Triathlon

Monique

pirate

03/10/2003 at 23:25

OK maybe need is too strong a word, but I realise that mine are a little on the heavy side, also with deep rims the tyres are almost impossible to get off, and I need to be able to do that in a race, also after crashing in the wet a few months ago I would like some decent tyres, don't want to spend more than 200 squid and they mustn't be too sensitive to bumps, also don't tell my dad he'd go mad if he knew how much I am spending.

Ultra Hamster

04/10/2003 at 09:34

Actually Monique I've still got my old racing wheels which have been unused for nearly ten years.
That's the catch-they're rather old and they're sprint rims and a non-cassette hub!
The front's a Campag Super Record hub and the first rim Campag did, Record Strada I think.
They've still got a pair of Vittoria CX tubs on them.
Any takers?

Ironman

04/10/2003 at 09:55

Mavic Cosmic Elite if you want a light weight racing wheel.

Shimano 105 if you want a great looking, incredibly strong training/racing wheel. I've done 2000 miles on a pair and they are still as good as new.

Decent tyres will set you back around £40 a pair. Grand Prix Continentals have been good for me.

LSD

04/10/2003 at 10:00

A good set of wheels ideal for training AND racing would be Mavic Open Pro rims built onto Ultegra hubs. Ribble do them for £118. These are a cracking set of wheels...
Here's Ribble link with info about them...

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/products.php?category=rim&action=viewdetails&id=4&id2=10

Regards

George

Monique

pirate

04/10/2003 at 12:19

Thanks for the advice but I have campag wheels at the moment and think I need to stick with something that is compatable to the campag cassette (9 gears), would these wheels be ok with it. Derek is telling me that I have Mavic cosmos ones at the moment.
I intend to keep the Fondriest purely for racing- but knowing the state of the roads they shouldn't be too flimsy.

Monique

pirate

04/10/2003 at 12:20

By the way do you you know Derek has lopped a third of his brake block length off to save weight.

Daz

04/10/2003 at 18:03

Monique,

hehe, im not a bike nerd at all. i just ride/race them.....dont know mechanics at all - i always take to get checked out at shop!. I still don't know the gear system correctly!

but saying that i recommend getting a decent pair of wheels. if you can manage to sort yourself out with two bikes for next season (one for training and one for racing) then get some top notch wheels for the racer. those spinergyx on ebay are great. ive speeded up quite a bit using them i think, they cut like a knife (and sound good too :O/)
if you kept the same bike, you could put a spinergy-x on the back and cosmos on the front for training (replacing the cosmos with spinergy for racing).

cant comment on best clinchers really. use axiel pro's for my trainer but my racing bike takes verstappen tubulars. £30, but go up to 300psi and more or less puncture proof.

Daz

04/10/2003 at 18:05

slowpoke rodrigues has a decent pair of wheels too, light as a feather, carbon (i think) and a low/strong/aero spoke count.

the jammy git even has a carbon dark-chrome/grey frame! <jealous>

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

04/10/2003 at 18:06

OOoo! i hate tubs

Daz

04/10/2003 at 18:09

WW, are you a local no-tail?

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

04/10/2003 at 18:17

Confused by Daz's Q?????

My second worst crash was through a tub -

I got a punvture on a big ride so pot the spare on which ripped off on a tight corner - very nasty spill

Plus - I'm sh!t at gluing them on

Daz

04/10/2003 at 18:28

league of gents mate, you obv dont watch it....

think it's best not to glue them back on. ive been told to carry a spare one that was prev glued to a wheel.

then when you get a puncture you remove the tubular, and just put the spare one straight on. the glue residue left on the wheel frame and the spare is enough to hold the tyre in place. any excess glue will mean risk of slide beloki-stylee!

but you can get good tubulars now that are pretty much puncture proof. my rear had a drawing-pin in it two races ago, right up to the neck. but didnt puncture due to strong latex lining inside. guess you get what you pay for.

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

04/10/2003 at 18:30

I'll stick to my michelen Pro clinchers I think

Ultra Hamster

04/10/2003 at 18:36

Which sort was that Daz? I always rode on tubs, right through the winter. Hardly ever punctured.

Daz

04/10/2003 at 18:40

something like 'verstappen' tubs i think tim. bought them from climb-on-bikes in hereford where they race with them, so slowpoke will prob know. £30 each.
what are yours?

Ultra Hamster

04/10/2003 at 18:51

Not Vredestein? I only ride the bike to work now so I'm on wire ons-Hutchinson's at the mo but I'm quite fond of the Conti Grad Prix's.
I used to use Vittoria CX to race and trained on whatever their cheaper version was (so long ago I can't remember) hardly ever had a puncture from a CX, but I'd probably use Conti's now.

Monique

pirate

05/10/2003 at 00:23

Blimey heck chaps the only bit of that I understood was the League of Gents reference. I knew when I asked the question I wouldn't be able to majke sense of the answer.

So you are saying Daz that tubs which I imagine are different from normal inner tube and (get me with my jargon) clincher tyres are more puncture resistant. How can this be? Also I can mend a puncture on a normal inner tube but what do you do with those glue on things- it sounds really difficult.

Also tyres that grip in the wet (round tight corners) can be of a different rubber compound but smooth tread, not like buying off road shoes the deeper the knobbles the better the grip yes ?

WildWill..... pirate

pirate

05/10/2003 at 01:09

some people are luky when it come to punnchers som arnt

Im in the arnt group

cougie

pirate

05/10/2003 at 01:18

Cosmos were rated the best wheels in a recent Cyclimg Weekly test. Beat the Ksyriums, and that surprised me.

Mon - you might want to use tubs in a Race situation 'cos if you puncture there, your tiem will suffer loads anyway. And your high pressures for training. Cosmos aren't that heavy.

You send tubs away typically when they get punctured and people open them up fix them, stitch them and send them back. But punctures are pretty rare in racing.

Advantage of tubs over hi pressures are that if you puncture and they are glued on well, then they'll stay on the rim, and you might avoid a crash. Hig pressures will easily roll off if you puncture in a corner.

And cutting brake blocks down ? The man is a basket case. How many milliseconds of time does he think that's worth ? And ask him the same question when he tries braking on a wet junction. Brakes are not to be messed with.

popsider

05/10/2003 at 11:33

My experience of tubs is that they are no more puncture resistant than any other tyre -maybe I've been unlucky - but for racing that doesn't really matter. For training it is a pain carrying a spare tub round with you. If you do use tubs you are best to lay them up in your loft for 12 months to cure them (I'm not making this up!) according to all the veterans in my club. Cheap tubs last 5 minutes although you can pick used ones up from cycle fairs and just live with chucking them when they puncture.

You can fix tubs but it takes an evening - or it takes me an evening anyway - or you can send them off to the guy that advertises in Cycling Weekly and pay him six pounds to do it - worth it if you are paying 30 pounds plus. If you are worried about them slipping off the rim when you fit a spare on a ride you can always carry some tub tape with you - or use a previously glued tub - although if you ride carefully they will get you home with neither. The advantage of tubs is lighter rim, higher pressures (if that is an advantage) and some people reckon they are rounder. They are also less likely to come off the rim in a puncture so are a bit safer(some say anyway).

Just read Cougies post - basically everything he says.

If you are looking for high end second hand stuff the British Cycling website classifieds has stuff.