Numpty IM Bike Thread - Page 592 - Triathlon

cougie

pirate

01/02/2013 at 19:49

Nice bikes. If youre after ultimate performance though you need a tt bike and a road bike. For the budget you can get a decent tt and road bike.

cougie

pirate

01/02/2013 at 22:14

To elaborate... What's the price of those bikes - around 4k ?

A 4k bike won't be any faster than a 3k bike. You have race wheels you say - so get a TT frame and group set for a grand or so. It'll give you 1 or even 2 mph over a road bike just due to the more aero position on the tri bars.

You could use it for a year and not lose much value on it at all if you look after it.

Other than that - buy the one you like the most. Not many people on here will have ridden bikes as expensive as that - so I doubt you'll get much first hand advice.
Trust yourself - you can't go wrong unless it doesn't fit.

Blue Peter

03/02/2013 at 09:16

I'm relegating my current bike to 'winter/training' bike as I'm getting a new one in a few weeks. Had the current bike for a couple of years - second hand purchase from eBay. Steel frame, mavic rims shimano 105 etc. it's a decent solid bike. I've been learning all about gear ratios the last few weeks and having checked my bike I have a strange set up or so I think. I have 7 speed cassette ranging 13t to 23t and on the front 52/48, so as I now know his is not going to assist in any hill work...how easy is it for me to change the cassette for a 10 speed and the smaller cog on the from to say a 39 or 34? And what other adjustments do I need to make?

Rocco.

03/02/2013 at 10:44

It depends on how old the frame is and whether it can take a 10 speed cassette. Newer frames have wider frames at the back to accommodate 9 and 10 speed where as some older frames aren't as wide so you are limited. If the frame can take it then you will need a new shifter, cassette and rear mech. You may be better just to look for a better ratio 7 speed with a larger lower gear, something like a 25 or 27.

The front is a little easier to change. Again depending on what chain set it is you may be just able to change the ring to 39 or the other option is to change to a compact chain set which will be something like 50/34. This will help with the hills.

Blue Peter

03/02/2013 at 10:49

Cheers Rocco.,Sounds good. Initially I'm thinking just change the front. The chainset is shimano 105 but only the big ring the small(er) ring is a specialized.so it appears it is a bit of a hybrid anyway. So do I need to make any other adjustments or can I just buy a new front small ring say a 39 and replace it?

Rocco.

03/02/2013 at 11:00

This for the rear would help

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/shimano/alivio-hg20-7-speed-cassette-ec042969

For the front you should be ale to just change the small ring, as long as you get a ring with the right bolt diameter. Standard double is 130mm and compact is 110mm. This is a standard double inner ring

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/shimano/105-fc-5700-double-chainring-ec028833#features

They are just the first 2 I found, other shops are available!

Blue Peter

03/02/2013 at 11:06

Rocco., cheers for this. I had been looking on wiggle etc, I think I will replace like for like ie 7 speed on the rear and get a smaller inner ring for the front. Nice one cheers.

popsider

14/02/2013 at 18:03

If anyone is interested we are running a coaching day this Sunday at Darley Moor motor racing circuit (near Ashbourne - between Derby and Stoke on Trent) - 10.30 start through til 1pm - £5 to cover cost of circuit hire.

Aimed at total novices to riding in groups through to people looking to get into bunch racing (we'll split into two groups based on experience/ability) doing stuff to improve group riding skills. So right from simple stuff like being comfortable riding next to someone through to drills working on moving up through a bunch or holding a line in a bunch through a corner.

Anyone interested bring road bike (ie not TT, mountain, bmx or other sort of bike), food/drink/warm kit. It's pretty low key - we don't have shane sutton or Dave Brailsford turning up to help coach but should be fun and useful.

Britrisky

25/02/2013 at 23:29

I'm getting some new wheels, because I have a bit of spending money. Currently my bike is on the turbo with a turbo tyre.

Do I - leave the new wheels for outdoor riding, and leave the turbo tyre on the existing wheel for indoor?

or leave the new wheels for races, leave the turbo wheel for indoor, and have a spare cheaper rear wheel for training outdoors? (I know I'll need gears on the new wheel)

or leave the new wheels on for outside, and just have different tyres - grippy ones for training, and slicks for racing?

I really am a numpty on these matters

cougie

pirate

26/02/2013 at 00:04

Don't use a turbo tyre on the road.

What wheels are you getting ? I wouldn't use very flash wheels through a crappy muddy winter. They will wear faster.

I'd happily use conti gp4000s all year. Bikes don't need tread for their tyres.

fat buddha

26/02/2013 at 09:04

get a new biike, add the race wheels and keep that for the nice days and races

get a cheap rear wheel and cassette and stick the turbo tyre on that and use when turboing on the current bike

swap wheels from turbo to road when using what is now your training bike on the road

sorted

you have won, your bank balance has lost

7755matt

pirate

26/02/2013 at 12:40

So then get another bike for the turbo to save swapping wheels over all together.

Britrisky

26/02/2013 at 21:27

Just out of interest, what's the worst that would happen if I didn't keep my new wheels 'for best'?

popsider

27/02/2013 at 00:04

They should be fine for Summer use anyway. They aren't tubulars or all carbon rims are they - if they were I'd say maybe save them for best - but otherwise I'd use them say from April through to October certainly on dry days anyway.

The wet and road salt in Winter will wear wheels a lot faster, damp can get into the bearings and salt and muck wears the rims when you brake and most people try and use something a bit cheaper, but even then the occasional ride in the wet isn't something to worry about.

You might be unlucky and damage one in a crash or pot hole but it doesn't happen often.

Scuba Trooper

06/04/2013 at 13:59

I return with another numpty question.

Just got back from a long ride and on the last hill only 500m from home i changed gear heard a crunch and spinning peddles. Once I'd unclipped in a panic not ot fall off and looked round I could see my chain on the floor behind me.

I have a power link thing and a couple of replacement pins but I was wondering whether I should consider replacing the chain rather than a repair. It’s an YBN brand chain but the bike is second hand so I have no idea how many miles the chain has done. I have Shimano group set, mainly 105. I'm training for Challange Henely so will be clocking a fair few miles in the next 4 months.

Not sure if this is relevant or a different problem, I have notice when on the small chain ring and smaller sprockets on the cassette the chain rubs a little on the inside of the large chain ring.

Thanks in advance for you assistance.

jamie tardi

06/04/2013 at 14:31

Alright ST replace the chain and the cassette, a 105 chain should only be about 15-20quid and a cassette is about 30-40 quid, the chain may also run on the inside the large ring in the extremes for example small ring at the front a d the small rings at the rear. I would advise against getting a super aggressive cassette like a 11-21 and get like a 12-23 or something along those lines.... If you need any other help mate just message

fat buddha

08/04/2013 at 09:34

+1 with JT

out of curiosity, was it the powerlink that failed or a standard chain link? I've used powerlinks on my road and mountain bikes for years - saves a lot of faffing around if you need to get a chain off - and only had one of them fail on me in all that time.

as for the rubbing - yes it can happen - and the simple answer is to avoid using the combination you used (or vice versa with large chainring and large cassette ring) as it means your chain is at full cross over. it's more efficient if you can try to keep the chain as much in a straight line as possible.

Scuba Trooper

08/04/2013 at 17:26

Thanks for the replies chaps.

I've had a look at and count of my current cassette and it is a 12-25 and its 50-34 at the front with a 175 crank. Would a straight replacement make sense? Its my first year riding, I am doing ok and have managed to get up to 60 miles and am ring 3 time a week ever week ( come from a marathon running background. I have been using the 25 at the end of longish climbs but I have been staying in the seat. I only get out of the seat if I find I'm on the big ring at the end of a smaller hill and can't be bothered to change.

Is it worth me spending £10-15 for the specialist tools and trying to do it myself this means I can probably save £20-30 on the cost of the components and maybe the same on labour compared to the LBS. I'm new to bike maintenance but generally reasonable capable with DIY etc.

The other thing I've been looking at is upgrading to Ulterga which would only be £18 more for chain and cassette than 105 is it worth it?

Edited: 08/04/2013 at 17:30

jamie tardi

08/04/2013 at 17:38

ST - the chains don't make a hell of a difference from dura ace through too 105 a very VERY slight weight save so the chain is meh, but the cassette might be worth it as its only a few quid more.

Next point doing it yourself requires a few tools.. Which I will list for you... 1. Chain whip. 2. Cassette spline remover (a 19 mm bolt or something along those lines) 3. Chain pin remover... I would say do it yourself it's easy, follow these steps, remove old chain (do NOT discard) then remove cassette. Next place old chain near new one and split too correct length(-1 link if using a power link obviously)... Replace new cassette noting how you took the old one off.... Replace chain use small rings at front and rear for easy mode fitting and clip together, test and enjoy.... The main reason for doing this yourself is because if your chain snapped in a race you won't panic and will get on with it... Good luck mate

fat buddha

08/04/2013 at 18:05

doing it yourself is very straightforward when you've done it a few times.

to expand on jt's post, you will also need a cassette lockring removal tool - I think jt is calling this a spline remover - Shimano specific of course but many companies make them. getting used to using a chainwhip is the hardest part but once you know how it works, it's easy (loads of YouTube vids around or go to the Park Tools website for info).

you are also supposed to refit the lockring at the correct torque (around 40nM - should be marked on the lockring) so a torque wrench could be useful as well but again with experience, you tend to get a feel for what 40nM feels like. but you can use a torque wrench for all sorts of tightening so it's a worthwhile tool to have in your armoury (mine came from Lidl for about £12 I think)

and one other thing when putting a chain back on - get a piece of wire (an old coat hanger is good) about 10cm long and bend the ends down so they fit inside a link at either end and use that to hold the chain together while you're rejoining it, otherwise you'll frustrate yourself fighting against the deraileur spring tension! make sure you leave enough links free so you can fiddle about with the rejoining. believe me that bit of wire will be your chain friend for life for zero cost!!!