Reply to: Question for lady cyclists

[mudskipper]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[b0redom]

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

[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.

[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?

[mudskipper]

OK, so when I was a permie I got my last bike through the cycle to work scheme. All very painless.

Looking at contractor equivalent, the advice seems to be to buy the cycle as a company asset. But there seem to be various hassles doing it this way - such as the fact that you don't automatically own the bike at the end of the year - you've got to get to 6 years before you don't have to worry about it.

Also, I can't hand on heart say most of my journeys will be to and from work - I do cycle to work a lot in the summer (if I'm still with current client) but wouldn't be using my shiny new road bike for lugging panniers with clothes and laptop through the woods.

More hassle than it's worth? Anyone done this?

Advice from NW here

http://www.nixonwilliams.com/images/...y%20Cycles.pdf

[mudskipper]

really? then I'd walk and find a supplier who will - all bike shops near me - independents and chains will allow you 'round the block' or in a car park, they should fit you to it as well - take your shoes and pedals?

do your research on weight diffs and fit-for-purpose diffs in the frames - wiggle have a specialist who has helped me in the past (as long as items are in stock) loads of bike forums etc .... please do not buy anything without having a go 1st

would you spend 2k on diamond earrings without trying them 1st

when i bought my TT i wanted the Look frame - looked really impressive, i got on it and it was ok. Then they put me on a white and lime green felt - ugliest thing in the shop, I barely needed to pedal and he flew and is now Priscilla - the gayest bike have ever seen on my turbo in front of me...

Maybe wiggle will let you have a go - it just seems complicated because they don't have a high street presence. I'm not really interested in 'racing', just want a bit of oomph to get me round the 100 miles in 9 hours. I'll see if my local shop can get the 54 frame and give it a go.

[mudskipper]

If you fancy a warm up for the 100 the London Classic is open for entries now. 35 miles or so around London including Pave sections and the steepest hills they could find.

The London Classic

Trying to work out if I can get in shape enough to do it on the Single Speed or just take the standard road bike.

Ta - might look at that. Looking at the IOW Randonee, which looks nice. Might make a weekend of it - never been to IOW

[DaveB]

If you fancy a warm up for the 100 the London Classic is open for entries now. 35 miles or so around London including Pave sections and the steepest hills they could find.

The London Classic

Trying to work out if I can get in shape enough to do it on the Single Speed or just take the standard road bike.

[Dallas]

but I can't try it before I buy. .

really? then I'd walk and find a supplier who will - all bike shops near me - independents and chains will allow you 'round the block' or in a car park, they should fit you to it as well - take your shoes and pedals?

do your research on weight diffs and fit-for-purpose diffs in the frames - wiggle have a specialist who has helped me in the past (as long as items are in stock) loads of bike forums etc .... please do not buy anything without having a go 1st

would you spend 2k on diamond earrings without trying them 1st

when i bought my TT i wanted the Look frame - looked really impressive, i got on it and it was ok. Then they put me on a white and lime green felt - ugliest thing in the shop, I barely needed to pedal and he flew and is now Priscilla - the gayest bike have ever seen on my turbo in front of me...

[DaveB]

Oh wow, excellent. I'll give them a ring and check that, and I might just go for it

Sorry, see the edit above. Doesn't apply to bikes discounted by more than 15% which I didn't realise till I actually read it.

[mudskipper]

Wiggle do a 30 day trial ride on their bikes. Ride it for a month and if you don't like it they will collect it and give a full refund. Wiggle Customer Services

Plus I now have new bike envy.

Oh wow, excellent. I'll give them a ring and check that, and I might just go for it