Bicycling On-the-Road

Levi · « **Reply #1280 on:** 5 Jun 2014, 02:35 am »

Quote from: J Fallows on 4 Jun 2014, 04:20 pm

Thanks Levi,

Where did you finish in the race?

Thanks! I finished 87th out of 500 riders in my category.

charmerci · « **Reply #1281 on:** 5 Jun 2014, 03:45 am »

Quote from: jackman on 5 Jun 2014, 02:00 am

Cool bike! You need to get some derailers on that puppy! I have a friend who rides a modest aluminum Giant that is probably ten years old with thousands of miles, on original wheels and at least 20 lbs and he crushes people every week. It's got gears and is set up perfectly for him but it doesn't stop him from being a fast guy. Glad to see more people riding.

Tragic weekend for my group, my friend Mike, who is a leader of our bike group, was hit by a car during a ride. A young man blew a red light with a car and hit my friend. He's in bad shape with broken ribs, punctured lung, three cracked vertebrae and torn knee MCL but he expects a full recovery. It's going to take a while but at least he's alive. His Specialized S-Works Roubaix didn't fair as well but the SRAM Red is probably salvageable. I feel bad for him because he was in the shape of his life and was one of the fastest riders in the group this year.

Be careful out there!

J

Having ridden motorcycles in the past, when I ride I assume every vehicle doesn't see me. Having ridden Paris streets for years, every pedestrian is going to step right in front of me. This is always how I ride.

Hope your friend heals quickly and well.

J Fallows · « **Reply #1282 on:** 5 Jun 2014, 02:20 pm »

Really sorry to hear about your friend Jackman. Thoughts and prayers.
I do have other bikes with shifters on them. I'll take a picture.
Saved the Schwinn from the scrap yard. Nice old iron. Favorite bike at the moment.

Charmerci, I'm going to put riding a bicycle in Paris on my list. I'm envious.

Levi, way to go. That's a lot of racers that finished behind you.

Could you tell us something about how you train.

Levi · « **Reply #1283 on:** 6 Jun 2014, 04:15 pm »

Sorry to hear about your friend Jack. We all need good luck riding out there.

As far as training goes, you need to have a plan or racing goal. Then once you have that, simply do the mileage and train to where you will be racing "train the terrain". My take is train hard, race easy.

jackman · « **Reply #1284 on:** 6 Jun 2014, 08:51 pm »

Quote from: Levi on 6 Jun 2014, 04:15 pm

Sorry to hear about your friend Jack. We all need good luck riding out there.

As far as training goes, you need to have a plan or racing goal. Then once you have that, simply do the mileage and train to where you will be racing "train the terrain". My take is train hard, race easy.

Thanks Levi, and congratulations on your impressive finish. You are a strong rider and you have a really cool bike!

My friend is doing better but he's got a long recovery ahead of him. Hopefully he will not need back surgery or knee surgery. His ribs will heal along with his lung. He's a very fast cyclist who has finished several sub-5 centuries along with 100 mile hill climb rides. More impressively, he's the leader of our group and he always goes out of his way to help out new riders. Not being on a bike is much more torturous to Mike than any crash related pain.

Take care!

J

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #1285 on:** 6 Jun 2014, 09:03 pm »

This is the ride I have using as a commuter since last week.....after a taller Nitto quill replacement and custom wheelset with Velocity Dyad rims.

Levi · « **Reply #1286 on:** 6 Jun 2014, 11:00 pm »

Good to know you are riding Paul.

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #1287 on:** 8 Jun 2014, 02:13 pm »

Quote from: Levi on 6 Jun 2014, 11:00 pm

Good to know you are riding Paul.

Thanks Levi. The only bummer about using this Bianchi with skinny 25c tires are the flats. I got 2 flats in the same day. The first in the back wheel....it was a pinch flat which I confirmed at work....and thanks to a spare tube, I was delayed only 15 minutes to get to work but on the way back, after I parked my bicycle, I returned hours later to see that the front was also flat. I also suspect it was a pinch flat. I guess I need to make sure that the pressure on both tires need to be 100 PSI all the time. Not that I am heavy but I do take cargo on a pannier.

I never had a flat on my Santa Cruz Stigmata when I used it to commute....of course much lighter bicycle, also the tires were 35cs.

I wonder how people who ride on 25c make sure that their rides NEVER pinch flat. Do they all have a track pump at home?

Paul

Levi · « **Reply #1288 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 02:43 pm »

This will fix your flat problems. http://www.bike24.com/p230630.html $6000 for a set of clinchers. It is still cheaper than audio.

charmerci · « **Reply #1289 on:** 13 Jun 2014, 03:13 pm »

It's kind of weird that way. I've gone over a year without flats and then bam! - a couple of flats within a few days.

AB · « **Reply #1290 on:** 14 Jun 2014, 09:47 am »

Hi Levi,
I got your wheels right here.....

Levi · « **Reply #1291 on:** 14 Jun 2014, 10:24 am »

That's it! Can I borrow them?

Quote from: AB on 14 Jun 2014, 09:47 am

Hi Levi,
I got your wheels right here.....

AB · « **Reply #1292 on:** 15 Jun 2014, 09:10 am »

Quote from: Levi on 14 Jun 2014, 10:24 am

That's it! Can I borrow them?

Sure. But first I need to buy them, then second you need to come to Hong Kong to try them.

And don't forget to bring your check book when you come too...

Bemopti123 · « **Reply #1293 on:** 15 Jun 2014, 12:43 pm »

Quote from: Levi on 13 Jun 2014, 02:43 pm

This will fix your flat problems. http://www.bike24.com/p230630.html $6000 for a set of clinchers. It is still cheaper than audio.

jajajaja.

I was going crazy attempting to identify what was the problem....then I fixed the front flat.....I pumped to 100+ pSI.....left it to ride next morning. Then, I wake up, go there and I feel the tire....a little mushy. Pump more to 100 Psi again....then I hear more air leakage. Hell, I ditch the bike and with a bicycle jersey, helmet on, I ditch the bike and drive to work.

I was obsessing about tube quality the whole day and then, I get home, check the fixed tube and I notice that there is another place where the leak is occurring. I swapped the tube with a new, cyclocross tube, with thicker wall, something I got 8 for $5.99 closeout when HucknRoll was closing them out. The tube holds the pressure much better, but then I still wonder why some tubes are better than other in holding these insane pressures. My other ride, I rode 2 weekends ago and still keeping pressure well.

Oh well. The puzzle of riding skinny tires in shi--y roads in NYC. I noticed it not too much when riding thicker tires.

Perhaps I will need to take out my Santa Cruz High Ball and shocks, to ride without all these hassle.

Paul

Levi · « **Reply #1294 on:** 15 Jun 2014, 12:55 pm »

It is all good!

Happy Father's Day guys!

Doublej · « **Reply #1295 on:** 15 Jun 2014, 02:12 pm »

Quote from: Bemopti123 on 15 Jun 2014, 12:43 pm

jajajaja.

I was going crazy attempting to identify what was the problem....then I fixed the front flat.....I pumped to 100+ pSI.....left it to ride next morning. Then, I wake up, go there and I feel the tire....a little mushy. Pump more to 100 Psi again....then I hear more air leakage. Hell, I ditch the bike and with a bicycle jersey, helmet on, I ditch the bike and drive to work.

I was obsessing about tube quality the whole day and then, I get home, check the fixed tube and I notice that there is another place where the leak is occurring. I swapped the tube with a new, cyclocross tube, with thicker wall, something I got 8 for $5.99 closeout when HucknRoll was closing them out. The tube holds the pressure much better, but then I still wonder why some tubes are better than other in holding these insane pressures. My other ride, I rode 2 weekends ago and still keeping pressure well.

Oh well. The puzzle of riding skinny tires in shi--y roads in NYC. I noticed it not too much when riding thicker tires.

Perhaps I will need to take out my Santa Cruz High Ball and shocks, to ride without all these hassle.

Paul

There's always inner tube sealer. I don't know how well it works with road bikes but on my mountain bike it's been great. A couple of times I didn't even know I had punctured a tube until a week later when I wanted to ride again. The only downside from my perspective is that the sealant tends to gum up the valve.

AB · « **Reply #1296 on:** 29 Jun 2014, 01:59 pm »

New Frame. 2014 SLR01

It'll be a while before I get it built up. I have all the parts, they're just in different places where I'm not.

And yes, that's an Ikea couch.

LadyDog · « **Reply #1297 on:** 29 Jun 2014, 04:24 pm »

Sweet. Not had the pleasure if riding a SLR yet. Hear great things from those that own.

Levi · « **Reply #1298 on:** 29 Jun 2014, 06:58 pm »

Congrats on the new bike AB! I am a fan of the subtle color scheme.

How much does it weigh?

Cheers!

AB · « **Reply #1299 on:** 30 Jun 2014, 11:25 am »

Thanks.
It should be a good bike. I'm looking forward to getting it built and on the road.
The weight? I haven't weighed it but from what I have read the frame should be under 800 grams and with seat post, fork and headset it's supposed to be under 1400 grams.
As for the color, I'm glad you like it, Levi. For me it's a bit dull - it's really very matte and the grey just about disappears. But once it's built up, it should be cool. I do like the funky raw look of the CF - it already looks like it's been dropped.