Question for lady cyclists

[mudskipper]

It looks like you can use the official cycle to work scheme

https://www.cyclescheme.co.uk/employ...out-the-scheme

I guess it would rely on the accountant's willingness to work out salary sacrifice etc?

[b0redom]

I just bought mine and expensed it as per any other company asset.

Regarding where to buy. I have no idea where you are, but it's definitely worth buying from a local bike shop rather than online. That way if there are ever any problems you can rock up and have them fix it.

When you do try and tighten your brake cables and inadvertantly pull the end off your brake cable, you might find they fix it for free too etc. I've had lots of little jobs like that done by my local bike shop.

Evans and Cyclesurgery will price match any price - even online if you can show them that the supplier has them in stock.

Not sure where you're based, but the Giant concept shop in Twickenham was awesome when I went in there. They measured me up, ordered a bike in my size in, fitted some tribars, put me on a watt bike to get the setup right, and then let me take it out for an hour around Richmond park before I'd paid anything!

I found changing the wheels made a bigger difference over changing the frame. I bought a pair of carbon deep section wheels and sliced a huge chunk of time off my 40k triathlon split. It does make cycling in the wind fun though.

[b0redom]

Oh, one more thing. Specialized are generally regarded to be overpriced compared with the rest of the market.

[Dallas]

I found changing the wheels made a bigger difference over changing the frame. I bought a pair of carbon deep section wheels and sliced a huge chunk of time off my 40k triathlon split. It does make cycling in the wind fun though.

this!

[DaveB]

I found changing the wheels made a bigger difference over changing the frame. I bought a pair of carbon deep section wheels and sliced a huge chunk of time off my 40k triathlon split. It does make cycling in the wind fun though.

this!

WHb&DS

But, superlight deep section carbon rims are probably not really what you want on general purpose road bike. You can still save some weight and improve performance by going for some normal good quality lightweight wheels. Carbon may be sexy but it's not doing you any good when you are stopped at the lights or crawling through traffic.

Carbon rims also need matching brake pads as well, so you'll end up swapping them out as well as the wheels.

On top of that the proper aero carbon jobs are generally tubeless, which is far less practical when you are commuting or riding for fun as punctures are pretty much terminal unless you are willing to carry spare tyres and tape/adhesive with you all the time. The tyres themseles also tend to be much less hardweaing and more prone to punctures than regular road tyres. Great for weight weenie racing types but not so good for your average commuter/weekend rider.

[b0redom]

These are the ones I bought:

Shimano RS80 50mm Carbon Clincher Wheelset

Pair them up with some GP4000s and it feels like you're on a rocket, plus there's a vroom vroom sound as you motor along!

Couldn't be bothered with tubs. If you're doing lots of hills though, something lighter and not deep section might be worth looking at.

[b0redom]

If you're still looking for wheels, Planet-X just spammed me with this:

FSA RD888 K-Force Road Wheelset

Looks like a really good deal if you can live with tubs.

[mudskipper]

Still deliberating - but if I get one, it will be a whole bike.