Pedal Power Thread

Can anyone recommend some clipless pedals which are flat pedals on one side so that I can still ride in trainers? And any recommendations for shoes/cleats that I'd still be able to walk a bit in?
 
Well that was the first properly miserable cycle home. Strong headwind, with even stronger gusts and cold, icy driving rain. Didn't put me off though, just a different challenge. Even more glad to be home in the warm as well!
 
neil_g said:
mines just - neil gates - havent actually used it yet though :shake:
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thought I'd start using strava some more to motivate me, and follow people in this thread. Neil, you must be the only person on Strava with less recorded history than me :)

I'm down as Alistair Milne for anyone worried about random followers appearing!
 
neil_g said:
Talking of strava, does anyone have any experience of the wahoo sensors?
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Someone at work got a wahoo heart rate monitor recently but I'm not sure how much he's used it yet. He seemed to think it was good quality and the iphone app was alright.
 
good quality sounds reassuring. was thinking of the cadance/speed sensor but a little worried its going to die pretty quickly exposed out on the chainstay of a mountain bike..
 
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I think you'd need to be fairly confident in a cadence sensor on a mountain bike as its in an area that will get a fair amount of muddy abuse!
 
well - i've had the Garmin GSC10 on my MTB's chainstay for about 2 years now and it's been fine... collects a bit of mud, I'll admit, but haven't sent it into the wheel or spinning skywards in over 1000 miles of muddy slithering about (I only go out on the MTB when it's wet and horrible, because I'm too much of a tart to get my roadbike crapped up! - takes way too long to clean the roadie, whereas the mtb just gets a blow over with the hosepipe and a squirt of lube here and there)
 
Well that was puncture fun. Got a puncture, fixed puncture, went to re-inflate tyre and valve tore in half. Nice one cheap inners supplied with bike! Walked to lbs as I had a spare that was too small so got some decent fitting schwalbe inners. However, the stone that caused the problem was silly, an insult to stones. I think the conti contacts supplied with the bike may also be a bit rubbish. Off to buy better, thinner, slicker tyres.

Still, made my cycle faster on quite a few segments!

These suitable replacements in 700x28?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre-and-tube-set/
 
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tell you what kids, dont ever try and replace a headset without a workstand.. its a complete arse, even with the right tools. more than once it all nearly went out the window in a rage..

on the plus side, from brown and crunchy:


IMG_0255 by neilgates, on Flickr

to shiny and sealed:


IMG_0253 by neilgates, on Flickr

back together, except im on call next weekend :|
 
So....

Conti gatorskins (as above £50 all in) or Schwalbe Durano pluses £70 all in?
 
menthel said:
Well that was puncture fun. Got a puncture, fixed puncture, went to re-inflate tyre and valve tore in half. Nice one cheap inners supplied with bike! Walked to lbs as I had a spare that was too small so got some decent fitting schwalbe inners. However, the stone that caused the problem was silly, an insult to stones. I think the conti contacts supplied with the bike may also be a bit rubbish. Off to buy better, thinner, slicker tyres.

Still, made my cycle faster on quite a few segments!

These suitable replacements in 700x28?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre-and-tube-set/
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I left this morning and realised my spare inner tubes are too big, this has re-emphasized the need to get some new ones.

No idea on the tires, but Gatorskins do have appear to have a good reputation on the forums I have seen.
 
akr said:
I left this morning and realised my spare inner tubes are too big, this has re-emphasized the need to get some new ones.

No idea on the tires, but Gatorskins do have appear to have a good reputation on the forums I have seen.
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On some they do. Have seen others complaining over a lack of grip, especially in the wet. They are 200g a tyre lighter than the durano pluses though.
 
menthel said:
On some they do. Have seen others complaining over a lack of grip, especially in the wet. They are 200g a tyre lighter than the durano pluses though.
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Hopefully someone with some actual experience will be along shortly!

I've not changed a tire since I was about 15, I think I better get some practice in. How did you get on, not really a warm day to have it happen...
 
akr said:
Hopefully someone with some actual experience will be along shortly!

I've not changed a tire since I was about 15, I think I better get some practice in. How did you get on, not really a warm day to have it happen...
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Fine. Actually changes the bloody thing twice- first time when I repaired the puncture (can recommend the park ready to apply patches- really nice) and then the second time when I fitted the new inner. Didn't take long at all. And I have never changed a tire before!
 
I'm a big fan of the continental brand and would pick them by default.

I also can't recommend enough carrying a couple of tyre levers to those who don't already. They turn an almost impossible task for some tyre-rim combinations into an easy 5 minute job, weigh next to nothing and cost just a couple of pounds.
 
The tyres that came on my new bike are so tight that I snapped a tyre lever (plastic one) trying to get the tyre off. Might have to get some metal ones now!
 
I have tyre levers coming out of my ears and the ones I used today were fine.

So anyone else with a compelling arguement for the duranos before I just go gator? ;)
 
I had a pair of the Gatorskins on the bike 2 winters ago - 25mm ones as it was the max. that'd fit on the bike - did about 3000 miles on 'em without even the trace of a puncture, even when the back one was down to the canvas.

Only problem I had was they were ferociously difficult to get on in the first place - I ended up sitting them on the radiator for a hour or two to warm up and still needed a tyre-jack to get them on the rim. Fortunately, once on, I only took 'em off when they wore out.

They were a bit heavy/dead feeling compared to what I'm running at the moment (Vittoria open pave evo cg's) but if I was building a commuting rig, I wouldn't hesitate to use 'em...
 
I'm running Gatorskin hard cases and they are awesome. Puncture free for miles and miles.
 
Thanks all.

The only real concern from all of this is the getting them on and off. If I do get a puncture then I don't want to be faffing! And london's streets are not exactly clean and without sharp pointy bits to stick in a tyre!
 
menthel said:
Thanks all.

The only real concern from all of this is the getting them on and off. If I do get a puncture then I don't want to be faffing! And london's streets are not exactly clean and without sharp pointy bits to stick in a tyre!
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Once they've been on and you've ridden them a while, they'll be easy enough to deal with - I found that it was just the initial fitting that they were tough with...
 
TheBigYin said:
Once they've been on and you've ridden them a while, they'll be easy enough to deal with - I found that it was just the initial fitting that they were tough with...
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Thanks Mark. I think I may just have to bite the bullet and order. For London commuting tougher tyres are required!
 
neil_g said:
just ordered some rollers, should help when im on call at weekends and evenings rather than sitting in front of the tv/computer eating crap.

will report back.
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Remember to video your first effort for us, I hear they're tricky initially :D
 
I might start cycling only under tram lines so I can be permanently secured with one of those. I seem to have made a habit of falling off on the road!
 
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