[fatdoc]

Planet X = nice guys. I have one of their Ultegra build SL pro carbon bikes and it is a lovely thing - by far the best value road bike you can get for the money anywhere in my opinion. As for the factory in Donny, its well worth paying a visit. Its a huge place thats desperate to find, tucked away in a delapidated industrial estate with no identification outside its tiny, shabby door to let you know what happens within.... Once inside though its like a tardis - loads of people beavering away building wheels, bikes, you name it, and more exotic bike parts on huge racks than you've ever seen! Defo worth arranging a tour, but don't forget you're credit card....its hard to escape without making a purchase as theres too many nice things to tempt you (you have been warned)! As mentioned before, Planet X bikes are often rebranded versions of other companies stuff. My bike has a frame made by Ridley (a very good Belgian brand) and I heard a rumour that the new Planet X Ti frames are rebranded Lynskey's (no bullshit!). Just don't tell Fatdoc this last fact - he'll be down there like a shot, plastic in hand....

On a different note, Alex and Joe at la Bicicleta spent a morning tweaking my position on my bike for me in an attempt to sort out my knee issues. Its a very un-nerving experience riding your bike clad in lycra on a turbo trainer in a darkened room , whilst 2 men lurk and mutter behind you..... It seems to have been worth it though as I already feel much more comfortable on the bike and have a much better position that allows me to spin the pedals at a much faster cadence instead of my previous 'grinders' position that was further over the back wheel. Fingers crossed my knees will start getting a bit better too.

[fatdoc]

oh my God....

which one do I have to be more scared of??

[fatkid2000]

Did Joe and Alex let your Planet-X in their shop with all the bling it contains?

[Percy B]

No, the Planet X stayed in my garage - the boys did the bike fit thing to my Lightspeed. Once the position on this bike is perfect for me, they pop it onto their copying jig and measure all the key points, and then they can put the P X and my track bike on the same jig and copy the dimensions from my Lightspeed exactly. Its all clever stuff, and possibly the best £30 i've spent in a good while.

Due to the tweaks to my Lightspeed, I have swapped onto a much longer stem, but also took the oportunity to swap my bars from some horrible 'ergonomic' Ritchey things to a lovely set of Zipp bars.....

[fatkid2000]

Due to the tweaks to my Lightspeed, I have swapped onto a much longer stem, but also took the oportunity to swap my bars from some horrible 'ergonomic' Ritchey things to a lovely set of Zipp bars.....

Sounds like you have caught fatdoc's credit card using infection!!! Zipp bars - did they weigh them and make you feel obliged to buy the lightest ones they stocked.

[Percy B]

yes

[fatdoc]

yes

b'tards....

you lot ridden this weekend?

I've been out on mtb, keeping to the cover of the woods to keep out of the wind 

Also been on paternal belaying duties at burb north, was a full on gale out there!! Just the weather to be learning to lead in 

[tlr]

I had good intentions of doing a long road ride, but never seemed to get round to it. Beat my pb for the round trip to work on Thursday though.

Mountain biked round Chatsworth/youlgreave/Bakewell on Saturday and just got back from Wharncliffe for a couple hours. Wharncliffe was bone dry, totally sheltered and pretty quiet. Shame I'm such a big girls blouse at downhill/jumps. And pushing back up hill is such a pain in the arse.

[Percy B]

A few short hour long spins at the end of last week, and riding to work. Trying to keep rides short to help knees get better - seems to be working. It has been upsettingly windy this w/end though - took me 10 minutes to ride to work last night (6kms, downhill all the way) into the wind, and only 9 mins to ride home (6kms, all uphill, turbo tailwind of justice!)

Legbreaker soon, fatdoc. You ready to start getting some miles in on the road bike again, or are you still pursuing the dark arts? (mtb)

[Bubba]

Crazed aussie driver takes out 50 cyclists

[fatkid2000]

I've not ridden since last week - been on F***ing nights again , propping up the lack of gassers on my rota at the Northern. Oh and the next time the Medical Reg asks me to sort out a venous access problem, aaarrrrggghhhhh. Fatdoc will know what I mean.

So how much were the Zipp bars then Percy?? Are you eyeing up the Wheel Set and cranks to match???? Go on you know you want to

[Percy B]

Quite happy with my current set-up thank you very much. No need for any further expenditure, I think you'll find. My missus reads these threads, you know...

[fatkid2000]

Legbreaker soon, fatdoc. You ready to start getting some miles in on the road bike again, or are you still pursuing the dark arts? (mtb)

Fatdoc is training by indulging in the dark art - he reckons by riding his Marin up hill it will improve his hill climbing.

[Percy B]

Is there a 'pissing in the wind' smilie?




 

[fatdoc]

Is there a 'pissing in the wind' smilie?




 

no, there's not a smilie for hauling 33lb of bike up over a rock garden in too high a gear smilie either.....

[fatkid2000]

My new training plan involves riding in the rain and through a pond - sorry I mean Sheffield roads then it rains.

Does anyone else think Sheffield will flood again as the drains don't seem any better then last year?

[Percy B]

Rain and flooding are all pretty likely I think this summer. Less likely would be Sheffield city council spending any of the £63 million they got a few months back to fix the horrendous state of most of the roads in the city - particularly in the southern areas (where there are more liberal and tory voters, so the labour council traditionally has let the infrastructure fall apart as a punishment...so legend has it, anyway...)

I'm so pissed off with riding on some of the shitty roads around Sheffield. Particularly good examples would be Long Line, the road from Owler Bar to Fox House, the list is endless. I don't think you can ride down Long Line from the Peak anymore on a road bike and have round wheels or no punctures by the time you hit the bottom. This has been exacerbated this morning when I rode up the hill from Hathersage which they have just 're-surfaced'  with the tar and gravel method (sprayed tar everywhere, then dumped a load of chippings on it and buggered off), thus ensuring maximum puncturing qualities, whilst retaining all the bumps and potholes - 

Why can't they resurface roads properly in this country?

[fatkid2000]

Why can't they resurface roads properly in this country?

The council will claim that we don't pay enough tax to fund repairs.

The roads are generally awful and I've got to agree the further south / west you get the worse the roads. The drains certainly haven't been improved since last year - loads blocked with road debris and trees.

Oh and that cheap way of re-surfacing roads really pisses me off bloody cheapskate council.

[Houdini]

Why can't they resurface roads properly in this country?

Because we're paying to wage two wars in Asia?   

[JR]

Why can't they resurface roads properly in this country?

I'm feeling that.

Just come back from a 4 hour ride in the peak on new wheels.  They don't seem so new anymore.

[Bubba]

You shavers need one of these for Peak roads:

[squeek]

Out of interest have all you folks complaining about the state of the roads complained to the council about it?

[fatkid2000]

Oh yes  - i've written to the council about the state of the roads (I was bored & pissed off one day) and got a really snotty reply, that the roads I was complaining about were not important etc

Why can't they resurface roads properly in this country?

Because we're paying to wage two wars in Asia?  

Oh yes - that's where all my cash is going.

[fatkid2000]

This is quite a good website for those planning to ride the Alps etc. Its route gradients, maps etc

http://www.grenoblecycling.com/index.htm

[Jaspersharpe]

Don't know if you've seen this.......

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Sheffield39s-660m-for-road-repairs.3909348.jp

.....but if you believe what they're saying then the Sheffield road situation should all be sorted soon. Er, well in ten years time anyway.