[tomtom]

Do it! I bet even just being around the crowds and picking up on the buzz is worth it...

[fatkid2000]

Eurostar have doubled there prices.

The pct wankers will continue to send me moaning emails about watching le tour, but it'll be on in my place of work. I never thought I'd see a Brit with a chance of winning.

Contador used mtb cassettes in the past. High cadence is the way in my book, rather than cranking it out.

Andy - you'll need to be there early.

[fatdoc]

Ye, get in with the crowds I'm afraid. Hope t see u on the TV mate.

[lagerstarfish]

this evening I found out what 400W output feels like (on a static bike) 

they were pushing out somewhat more than this for quite a lot of minutes today 

[Palomides]

Big day today.

Mr Twiggo and FroomeFroome need to hold it together for 142km:



Last-ditch massive attacks from Spaghetti Man Mr Nibbles, Cuddles and VDB?

(yes, I have been reading TweeterSagan)

[slackline]

Surely a winning strategy by virtue of the reduced friction with only one tyre in contact

[mrconners]

Did anyone see Wiggins out of the saddle for more than an instant? Top man.

using a Shimano XT MTB cassette apparently, coz he doesn't like getting out of the saddle

http://bicycling.com/blogs/thisjustin/2012/07/16/tour-tech-wiggos-di2-derailleur-hack/

Yeah, saw that. Having same dilemma with my own set up at the minute as changing the cassette from 11-26 means changing dérailleur and chain as well, unless anyone knows of a replacement cage (medium or long) which will fit a 2012 Sram Red rear dérailleur??

My wife runs an MTB rear mech. Cant remember what it is off hand but it enables her to get up all the stuff round the peak without having the indignity if running a triple.
That sounds really bad.


My wife runs an MTB rear mech. Cant remember what it is off hand but as her riding style is more of the "diesel engine" than "punchy turbo" it suits her down to the ground.

Better.
I will let you know what it is when I get home, but I think most will fit.

[stevej]

Yeah, saw that. Having same dilemma with my own set up at the minute as changing the cassette from 11-26 means changing dérailleur and chain as well, unless anyone knows of a replacement cage (medium or long) which will fit a 2012 Sram Red rear dérailleur??

As far as I know it's possible to get away with short cage + mtb cassette provided you are very very strict with avoiding dodgy front/back combinations, i.e. don't shift to bigger than half way on the big ring or to a less dangerous but more retarded-looking extent, smaller than half way on the small ring. If you get it wrong then the consequences can be of the completely horrendous, everything stops, explodes, and you inevitably end up tits-over-arse type stuff.

I don't know how true/practical that actually is. It is dependent on cassette size so for example moving up to a 12-28 is obviously less dodgy than sticking a 12-36 on the back.

Are you running a compact? What size cassette are you thinking of changing to? 26 is already a pretty big road cassette. You can get long cage apex rear mechs (that's what Contador was using, alongside a 11-32(?) cassette on a compact chainset in the hills a couple of years back) and as of this season (or possibly next) sram have made longer derailers in rival and red too.

Will presumably still need a bigger chain.

I ride a triple

[north_country_boy]

Yeah, saw that. Having same dilemma with my own set up at the minute as changing the cassette from 11-26 means changing dérailleur and chain as well, unless anyone knows of a replacement cage (medium or long) which will fit a 2012 Sram Red rear dérailleur??

Cheers, very useful to hear others thoughts on this.
As far as I know it's possible to get away with short cage + mtb cassette provided you are very very strict with avoiding dodgy front/back combinations, i.e. don't shift to bigger than half way on the big ring or to a less dangerous but more retarded-looking extent, smaller than half way on the small ring. If you get it wrong then the consequences can be of the completely horrendous, everything stops, explodes, and you inevitably end up tits-over-arse type stuff.

I don't know how true/practical that actually is. It is dependent on cassette size so for example moving up to a 12-28 is obviously less dodgy than sticking a 12-36 on the back.

Are you running a compact? What size cassette are you thinking of changing to? 26 is already a pretty big road cassette. You can get long cage apex rear mechs (that's what Contador was using, alongside a 11-32(?) cassette on a compact chainset in the hills a couple of years back) and as of this season (or possibly next) sram have made longer derailers in rival and red too.

Will presumably still need a bigger chain.

I ride a triple

Not sure it is possible, as you end up with ridiculous tension (low or high) through the dérailleur when in either extreme of the range on the cassette, especially as a longer chain is required in any case. The intention is to go to 11-32, I am currently running 53-39 on the front, so the option of going to a compact is also a possibility. You are right in saying that SRAM now produce a new medium length red dérailleur, however these are the best part of £300. Eek.

The SRAM rival option is the most feasible at the minute, as at £120 for a climber kit (dérailleur/chain/11-32 cassette) it makes most sense money wise...especially as its only likely to be a temporary set up for some short term goals. Likely to couple it with a replacement 36 tooth chain ring too which should give me plenty of range, to maintain some relatively high cadence. £140 is certainly less than £350 plus...

I was hoping there was a replacement cage which would feet the SRAM Red which would remove the need to swap dérailleurs...oh well

[Stubbs]

Would it be possible to buy the long cage parts and change your own derailleur?  I found this spare parts catalogue http://www.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/2012_sram_extdt_wheel_hub_spc_rev_a.pdf  which would let you know which serial number parts you needed, could perhaps order from LBS?

[north_country_boy]

Would it be possible to buy the long cage parts and change your own derailleur?  I found this spare parts catalogue http://www.sram.com/sites/default/files/techdocs/2012_sram_extdt_wheel_hub_spc_rev_a.pdf  which would let you know which serial number parts you needed, could perhaps order from LBS?

That's what I was hoping may be the case, unfortunately they have only just started making the medium length Red, so would have to be a spare part from the 2012-2013 medium length mech, so not in that catalogue you linked unfortunately. Although I guess a Rival rear mech cage may fit...?

Mmm, so many uncertainties...

[Moo]

Is it safe to say that wiggins deserves to be in the yellow jersey now?

[north_country_boy]

Is it safe to say that wiggins deserves to be in the yellow jersey now?

Even Brailsford conceded it was all but sewn up today, only a crash or major mechanical issue could scupper him now. Wiggins' reaction as he crossed the line said it all...

Expect the Sky train to go all out to lead out the Manx Missile tomorrow and let him hopefully cap a  fantastic finale of British Domination in this years tour! Wish I was going to be there!

[Falling Down]

I got really lucky in 2002 having booked a weekend away for the Mrs' 30th and used all my Marriott points on a suite at the Hilton on the Élysées booked about six months in advance.  By coincidence it was on the final day of the tour and we had a balcony overlooking the finish and the UPS team were all staying in the hotel.

[cofe]

Incredible show of might from Wiggins today. He really did blow the rest of them away. Post race interview with ITV4 he was starting to get a bit emotional, I guess it's sinking in. His run of wins this year is quite phenomenal. He's just got to keep his shit together for another couple of weeks to help Cav next Sat and for the jubilympics TT.

And when he led out Cav yesterday...... well that was special.

[Palomides]

Bloody hell. He's only gone qnd done it.

What a day for British cycling : first Brit to win the tour, Cav continues to own the Champs Elysee, and becomes the most successful sprinter in the TdF, surpassing Darrigade (and Armstrong), and I get back alive from a 150km mtb epic.

Poor buggers can't celebrate properly until after next sunday though, and if Cav doesn't win it'll be a pretty shit party.

Good potted bio of Wiggins on the Inner Ring : http://inrng.com/2012/07/bradley-wiggins-photo-career/

[north_country_boy]

What a fantastic day for cycling, British Cycling, Team Sky, Cav, Froome and not least, Bradley Wiggins!!
Amazing lead out from Wiggins and Boasson-Hagen to release Cav, who probably surprised even Edvald by going so early.

A crowning of a great champion in Wiggins, forever humble and grounded in his acceptance

Very jealous of anyone who managed to get to Paris to witness it, marred only by what was truly the worst rendition of the national anthem ever, by Leslie Garrett! Brad's face says it all!...

[cofe]

The whole thing is incredible.

[The Aaronator]

Just to sum up the thoughts of the [cycling] nation...



not forgetting....

[SamT]

 

[Falling Down]

The whole thing is incredible.

Most definitely.  I never thought in a million years that we would have a British cyclist win the tour.  It feels like a sea change in the sport. No doping, no dodgy individual breakaways, team effort and sports science applied in spades.  An amazing effort.

[lagerstarfish]

marred only by what was truly the worst rendition of the national anthem ever, by Leslie Garrett!

that really was awful

made worse by her waving her Union Jack skirt about to add emphasis

I do hope she won't be doing a repeat performance at the Jubilympics ever again

The lad who sits next to me at work (@martinbob79) is a Team Sky (and Paul Smith) fanatic. He even got hold of some Sky Pro Cycling skin transfers. He bought a pair of the limited edition Cavendish socks. He's been watching Le Tour live on his iFern whenever possible (which I have also enjoyed). The poor chap is currently injured and bikeless due to some driver not looking. He has been living his life through Wiggins and Cav. I wish I'd been round his house to see him watching the last stage

Anyway, his compo looks like being enough to get him a kilo of Chinese carbon and some electronic gears.

If the Olympics go well, we'll be living off his CYCHE! for weeks

[Duma]

nice little interview from 18 months ago on 6 music

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00wfv44

[Duma]

Get the fuck in

[north_country_boy]

Get the fuck in

What a fantastic achievement! Knighthood and SPOTY to follow....