[Percy B]

Just the weather for MTB today - aspirations of going out on the road bike this morning evaporated quicker than the snow did. At least my bikes are still in one piece though - unlike seemingly every bicycle jon currently sits on! An expensive month for fatdoc! When's the legbreaker, by the way. Might be up for it if knees stay together and it falls in a ever decreasing number of gaps on the calendar....

[fatdoc]

mid july i think...

www.legbreaker.co.uk if i remember correctly.. i'm only on the mini course... you'll see why when you see the profile

[Norton Sharley]

2 rides in and my new Pike air forks wont fully adjust out, obviously the *rack* they extend out on has partially misaligned...

haven't Pikes always been of dubious build quality, as in the quality of the put togetherness, not the final product which seem quite plush?

that on the Marin?

[fatdoc]

i've had the coils for 3 years... real damn good..though heavy....

the airs came on the marin (not like other marins I swear... no *on the bike* XC wobbles.... it's a damn good bike on fast XC... i did 4ft drops on the demo to flat no worries)...

we'll see what comes of it... might be seals.... i'm very disappointed i have to say..

[Fatleg]

Must be bike breaking season. I've trashed the front mech on my road bike. Think it may be the bike builders - they attached it using a shimano clamp to campag mech !!!!

[fatdoc]

Must be bike breaking season. I've trashed the front mech on my road bike. Think it may be the bike builders - they attached it using a shimano clamp to campag mech !!!!

how did it get on the bike?????

I thought all campag was total non fit with all of the big S's gear...

[Fatleg]

Who's watching the 'hell of the north' on Sunday (Paris - Roubaix ). Its suppose to be raining - that'll be fun on the cobbles. Apparently its on eurosport.

[fatdoc]

i'm working.... would like to see that...

[fatkid2000]

I've finally got round to using my account.
I'm the fatdoc's fast mate mentioned above. I'm not that quick - its just his new wheelset has not made him climb as fast as he wished!

Anybody get out at the weekend - I got tied up with family stuff, visitors etc etc
Is a 65th birthday - really important!! - My Dad was yesterday, and he wanted a real fuss made. Bearing in mind he retired at 60 and had a huge party then!!

Anyway back to important matters - Bikes.
Who's been out much - I've only done commutes which I extend on the way home, to a max of around 50Ks. Need to get the miles in, I'm in for the medium legbreaker (130Km) the long one is 160Km.
I'm also looking for a waterproof - one I can stick in a jersey pocket any suggestions??

Fatdoc - Are your bikes functioning again or are they all at Stan's getting rebuilt??

[tlr]

I did the Lakeland Loop yesterday, a bit like a Fred Whitton Lite. 115km and some of the passes (including Hardknott and Wrynose). We were under 5 hours, which was a bit better than I expected, and I feel OK today. The thought of Hardknott after 160km of riding on The Whitton is now even more terrifying though. 12-27 cassette has been ordered already!

Waterproofs - Gorebike Countdown will fit in your pocket (mine was in my pocket all yesterday), but only just. For the summer you are probably better off with something like a Montane Velo jacket. Its windproof, showerproof and breathable and is the size of an apple when packed. It isn't a proper waterproof though.

Tim

[fatkid2000]

Thats impressive. The Fred Whitton looks pretty tough by anyone's standard.

Waterproof wise - I want a stuffable fully waterproof jackey but I don't think it is made. Think I may need one of those clear race cape things that make you look like you are wearing one of those hair protectors that blue rinse granny's put their hair in.

I also need some wheels re-trued any suggestions of where to go in Sheffield - I'm allergic to James's - well my bikes are at least. Decathlon also sounds dodgy after they made fatdoc's wilier a death trap.

[tlr]

From what John has said it sounds like you wouldn't have much trouble with either event.

For a packable waterproof look at the Montane Featherlite H20 jacket. £60, 115g, packs to apple size and waterproof. Don't expect it to breath very much though.

Tim

[Obi-Wan is lost...]

I also need some wheels re-trued any suggestions of where to go in Sheffield - I'm allergic to James's - well my bikes are at least. Decathlon also sounds dodgy after they made fatdoc's wilier a death trap.

Not been there yet but Big Phil says there's a new place in Hillsborough just near Butterworths that specialises in wheel building.

[fatkid2000]

Obi - do you know the name of said wheel place. I also may purchase a pair of new wheels for summer. Any suggestions - not carbons though!

[fatdoc]

just phoned stans...

MTB bike still bust... forks not back yet.. if they are on fri I'll take the new toy out sunday


if still bust it's 100km in the peak.... wont confirm till friday...

either way it's early doors sunday for me...

[Yossarian]

i just took delivery of some very fine rapha gear. the sportwool jersey, the gilet and the little peaked cap.

all very nice, if outrageously expensive.

it pissed it down while i was out on saturday, but i didn't get too cold and everything dried out quite fast.

i think i am going to invest in some assos shorts next. some nice black and white ones to continue the colour scheme...

i have been idling some time away today plotting a two week southern tour du france:

From Lyon, a couple of days riding to Villefranche-de-Rouergue, a rest day,  then back across east across to Millau, then across the Cevennes and the Gorge du Tarn to Ales, and then on to Carpentras, for another rest day. That's week one.

Then out of Carpentras and over Mont Ventoux. That'll be quite cheeky... Spend a night in Serres or somewhere near there. Then an easish day to Gap. Then another day to Briancon poss inc the Izoard. Another rest day. Then a day (or two, if staying at Valloire) to Grenoble, again, possibly via the Col du Galibier and the Col du Telegraph, or via Ale d'Huez. And another day back to Lyon. Week two.

I quite fancy a pair of Fulcrum Zeros. They do look very tasty...

[Percy B]

Wheel truing, or some new ones? La Bicicleta on Greystones road will sort you out. Saw a very nice HED Ardennes wheelset in there the other day (around the £450 mark) - nice and light, alloy rims, etc,etc. I have been warned off the new Mavic R-Sys wheels though. They had problems with the first batch and recalled them all. The mark II's look better, but I'd hang fire until they've been well tested. Bicicleta are specialist wheel builders, and have so many nice things to spend money - you have been warned.

[fatdoc]

Wheel truing, or some new ones? La Bicicleta on Greystones road will sort you out. Saw a very nice HED Ardennes wheelset in there the other day (around the £450 mark) - nice and light, alloy rims, etc,etc. I have been warned off the new Mavic R-Sys wheels though. They had problems with the first batch and recalled them all. The mark II's look better, but I'd hang fire until they've been well tested. Bicicleta are specialist wheel builders, and have so many nice things to spend money - you have been warned.

 great place that, getting buzzed in is a bit full on... as the set of scales that they weigh your potential purchases on.... before bringing out a lighter more bling component that just happens to be 3 times more expensive...

if you want new wheels for the wilier dave they simply cannt be french - not on an italian bike... that's just wrong!

[fatkid2000]

La Bicicletta is awesome - I've banned myself until October - Wedding funding, the Mrs wants to stay in some ridiculously priced place in Amalfi for the honeymoon. May have to delay the purchase or hide them and bring them home when the lady is out doing her shopping. Maybe I'll justify it as it will improve my ability going up hill.

Rapha kit is cool if you can splash the cash. I like the look of their Sto-away jacket but £170 ouch!!!!!!

Assos's new top end short are around £150. Obviously not for Jon to buy - he'll rip them on their first outing.

[Percy B]

That's right, Jon. He'll want some crappy Italian shite that will be temperamental and go wrong all the time 
Only kidding, although as you know, I have little love for campag - fuck style and flair....give me efficiency and practicality of Shimano every time. If it wasn't for the japanese we'd still have shifters on the down-tubes of our bikes!

Having alienated myself from everybody else who reads this thread now, anybody out at the end of this week? I'm keen if the weather is good to go for a nice long ride. sorry I dissed campag

[Yossarian]

I was considering spending the next couple of hours writing An Ode to Campagnolo....

Shimano make fishing reels.

Campag make a corkscrew.

Need I say more?

I should venture north to join in one of these Peak based rides, but driving 460 miles round trip to go for a spin is marginally irresponsible...

[Houdini]

Easy now!

Shimano make the finest most advanced fishing reels on Earth.  Shit hot big game kit.

[fatkid2000]

There was an article on this on in Rouleur. I ride Campag ,without the 2 companies there would be no forward development - so we need the two to make groupsets better. Now SRAM are getting in the mix, next year will see electronic sets and FSA are suppose to be bring out a complete groupset. The only way to make something fatdoc proof would be to double its weight and re-enforce with large amounts titanium.

[Yossarian]

Well, Mavic made that electric gear system a while back and it was rubbish...

I have been musing over the fact that the majority of developments in cycling technology over the past 20 years seem to have been based around empowering punters.  For example, being in the market for freewheels for my old Colnago I have discovered that people used to ride impressive 12-21 and 14-19 set-ups, with 52-42 up front. And I've been riding a titanium bike with 13-29 on the back. Pathetic...

[fatkid2000]

Compared to cyclists of old we are all weak. They road fixed over the Alps in the tour and had to swap the wheel round for the descent. The new electronic shimano set is suppose to be in use on the pro-tour.