[fatkid2000]

So, who's going to be the first to get these?? Fatdoc? Come on you know you want them.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/eyewear/sunglasses/product/rokr-pro-glasses-31948

[chappers]

so...where do people go for good news about the tour? their own website is a bit crap. i want rider profiles, teams, whats going on stage by stage. hit me up!

things just got serious for me, put some aero bars on my kuota for time trials. ooof.

[squeek]

I find the official website fine for live text coverage.  However I think I look mainly at http://www.velonews.com which seem to be updated a little quicker.  Velonews might be better for team news/details, but might not.

The bbc one is always quite slow to be updated, and is not updated as frequently.

[Percy B]

http://www.cyclingfans.com/

I use this one if there are any big races on that I want to watch - they normally have a good choice of different sources of media. The combinations work well - I watched some of the giro using italian tv for the video and eurosport for the audio. It works pretty well most of the time

[Cookie]

My short finger gloves are dying after 4 loyal years of use, so I'm shopping for new ones.
I can understand people flaming me for even thinking this... but... Rapha leather gloves: worth £80 a pop or just a trendy gimmick?

[webbo]

your answer might be here.
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6007&status=True

[tlr]

your answer might be here.
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=6007&status=True

Now that is something that I can aspire to: looking good whilst getting dropped off the back of the group.

[fatkid2000]

Well I'm Euro cool. Is there some way of looking cool when you can't stand up at the end of a ride?

[Joepicalli]

Down in Norfolk two rides averaging 30kmh in two days both inthe 60k range hurrah for flatness (and the illusion of competence it gives).

[Percy B]

Norfolking way thats going to do you any good for what I have planned, Joe.

Annot - good bouldering and the Col de St Michel Pyresq (16km at 5% average) straight out of the campsite
Tralenta - good bouldering and the Col D'Iseran straight out of the campsite (16km at 6%)
Ailefroide - good bouldering, and blah, blah, blah

You see where I'm going with this?

Now I just need to find the nearest boulders to Alp d'Huez (14.5 kms at 8%), the Galibier (18 kms at 7%) and Mont Ventoux (21 kms at 7.6%).............

I can relate to the feel good flavour of a trip to the flat-lands too, mind!

[Palomides]

For a western flavour, how about combining;

Cauterets and the Col du Tourmalet ?
Orlu and the Plateau du Bielle (16km at 8%) ?
Eus and Mont Tauch (6km up to 22%) ?

[fatkid2000]

That sounds a fun little trip Percy. Don't forget the gradients are average, there are sections on those around 20%. Apparently the first ramp on Alp d'Heuz puts the fear of god in your stomach, not to mention the 21 hair-pins.

Norfolk - what's the point of riding on the flat. Hills = pain = fun.

[tlr]

Norfolk - what's the point of riding on the flat. Hills = pain = fun.

Absolutely, hills are great.

New PB on Froggatt last night - 14.23. Still a minute behind Fatkid though, and the breeze was pretty favourable.

I'd love to do some of the Alpine Passes, they look fantastic. Not so keen on the descents though.

[Percy B]

The descents are the only reason to ride up alpine cols in my opinion! An hour or more grinding away up unrelenting gradient can only truly be rewarded by a nice view followed by a 80kph descent down a vertiginous set of hairpins, overtaking motorists as you go... one of the few times a push-bike is by far and away a more rapid mode of transport than a car!

[tlr]

I think that I've got too much imagination to enjoy the descents - I get rather nervous over about 65kph. Punctures, sheep, potholes, stem bolts, carbon steerers, road/hip interface all go through my mind!

Saw the aftermath of a few nasty incidents on the Whitton which didn't help either.

Tim

[slackline]

one of the few times a push-bike is by far and away a more rapid mode of transport than a car!

Most cyclists have a distinct advantage in gridlocked cities these days, although I doubt many people hit 80kph on bikes.

[Percy B]

That's the beauty of many alpine descents though - wide sweeping bends with good visibility and good road surfaces where you can really let the bike run, coupled with sections of hairpins where a degree of careful planning, braking and bike control should see you right. Combine this with riding on tubs (which should see you stay upright in the event of a blowout) and getting some new brakepads before the trip normally makes descending a little less spicy. Riding slightly lower tyre pressures is a good banker too. The rims heat up due to all the braking whilst descending, causing tyres that already have high pressures in them to go pop - not a good idea!

[fatkid2000]

Never ridden in the Alps, but I'm sure the roads are an awful lot better for quick descents rather than the bone shaking pot-holes of Derbyshire and Sheffield.

[fatdoc]

the snake with no traffic last winter was the best road descent of my life
 

[tlr]

Anybody on for a Sunday morning spin again? Weather dependant of course.

Tim

[fatkid2000]

I should be able to get out for a Sunday ride, just need to sort my bottom bracket out - it / the crankset started creaking real bad yesterday on the way home. Has anybody got the tools - campag I'm afraid.

[fatdoc]

i dont.... but will the big s xternal tool not fit?? what you doing.... removing and greasing?? give me a txt mate...

[fatkid2000]

Not got round to sorting my BB but have just read a review of the new Super Record groupset - yet another way for me to spend cash, and buy another bike. 

Think I may be taking over fatdoc's crown as the gear freak. 

[Joepicalli]

That sounds a fun little trip Percy. Don't forget the gradients are average, there are sections on those around 20%. Apparently the first ramp on Alp d'Heuz puts the fear of god in your stomach, not to mention the 21 hair-pins.

Norfolk - what's the point of riding on the flat. Hills = pain = fun.

I'm working down here at the mo so no choice I'm afraid.
Perce Its got to be the Madonne as well at 17K & 7.5% + the opportunity to be Lance (only slower and with more testicles).

[Percy B]

OK - Madone on the  list too!

On a technical note, does anybody have any experience with tubeless tyres? Was chatting to the boys in Butterworths today on how to reduce the weight of your wheels and reduce the chance of nasty blow-outs on alpine descents and they produced a set of Hutchinson tubeless tyres and said they would sort both problems. Wheels will be lighter as they no longer will have an inner tube in them, and tubeless tyres puncture like tubular tyres - a slow, gradual release of pressure and can be ridden flat, as well as being fixable with latex sealer or just by popping an inner tube in them temporarily. Seem to kill a number of birds with one stone. Anybody tried them?

I think that you need compatible wheels for tubeless tyres, although Mavic Ksyriums and R-Sys seem compatible I don't know about other brands of wheels.... Could be a good way of avoiding spending a lot of money on some new light wheels that use tubs, although Joe at Bicicleta showed me the wheels he has on his bike the other day - a pair of these would also fit my requirements, although they seem a little pricey. Whilst they weigh in at an unbelievable 870 grams for the pair, the price tag nudging £2K was off-putting to say the least. Check them out - http://www.poshbikes.com/product.php?id=366

Without doubt, some of the most beautiful cycling equipment I have ever laid hands on! Oh, for bottomless pockets.......