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Official CL weekend Lycra warriors thread (cycling)

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  • Cloudworm said:
    Road shoe advice please....

    I'm unfortunately restricted to having to buy shoes online. It's a nightmare because I live in Asia and can't get my size. I want to avoid a protracted to-ing and fro-ing of returns and having to pay the international shipping costs on a dozen pairs of shoes until I get the right pair. The only website I've found with a comprehensive fitting guide is Lake, but their shoes are way outside my budget. Any advice would be very much appreciated.

    Cheers.
    Sport pursuit sell some Lake models as a reasonable discount in case they have the right size and fit?
    This was helpful. I didn't know this website Thanks. Unfortunately they don't do half sizes.
  • Absolute nightmare today. Hit by a lorry in Lewisham (which drove off). 3rd hit and run in 18 months. Bike survived the last 2 but not today. Di2 rear derailleur snapped off, rear Mavic Carbon Wheel trashed, mudguard destroyed and a snapped chain. No witnesses and no number plate either......
  • no doubt you'll replace those parts but it could have been a LOT worse.

  • Been quiet on this thread for a while. By way of a bump, I am selling my second bike if anyone is interested.

    Dolan ADX Titanium 2023 Large (suits 5ft 10 to 6ft 1)

    Original price £1800, has over £1200 worth of upgrades.

    Spec:

    Full Shimano Di2 11 speed. Upgraded from 105 mechanical.
    Prime Orra Terra Carbon Handle Bars
    DT Swiss P16000 32 spline wheels
    Fizik Aliante R3 Open Saddle
    Carbon seatpost

    No pedals.

    This is the bike that I had the accident on, however, the damage was caused by a snapped gear hanger. Bike was fully inspected by Dolan and the warranty on the frame remains in place (4 years of the 5 years left) No marks or other damage.

    All damaged parts have been replaced.

    Looking for £1000



  • After a bit of saving, a bit of wheeling and dealing and shedloads or indecision I finally ordered my new steed today. 4-6 weeks for delivery. Can't wait.
  • Not heard of this brand before but looks like a lovely bike. How did you find out about it and what spec did you go for?
  • edited May 11
    jamescafc said:
    Not heard of this brand before but looks like a lovely bike. How did you find out about it and what spec did you go for?
    About 3 months ago I saw a young lady ride past me on one. Googled them and discovered they are British based and one of very few smaller brands who own their own carbon frame molds.

    I bought the frame set, integrated bars, out front GPS mount and Parcours Strade wheel set. They gave me £250 off the wheels as I bought them with the frame.

    Finishing kit will all be swapped over from my current bike - Ultegra/Dura Ace/Black Inc mix. 12 speed Di2.
  • jamescafc said:
    Not heard of this brand before but looks like a lovely bike. How did you find out about it and what spec did you go for?
    About 3 months ago I saw a young lady ride past me on one. Googled them and discovered they are British based and one of very few smaller brands who own their own carbon frame molds.

    I bought the frame set, integrated bars, out front GPS mount and Parcours Strade wheel set. They gave me £250 off the wheels as I bought them with the frame.

    Finishing kit will all be swapped over from my current bike - Ultegra/Dura Ace/Back Inc mix. 12 speed Di2.

    Yes but how much? :p
  • jamescafc said:
    Not heard of this brand before but looks like a lovely bike. How did you find out about it and what spec did you go for?
    One of my mates rides for the women's team sponsored by them. Moved to Switzerland this year, but for some reason is still on the team - despite not racing 🤣

    Don't think she was too impressed with the bike tbh - she rode her own all last year. 

    Decent enough brand though - similar to Orro in that they've not really got any market penetration, but have that 'niche' appeal (like Bowman had a few years back).

    Guessing the paint job is khaki, @Clem_Snide?

    I'm blue green colourblind but pretty sure I've seen that colourway before - looks like 'putty' colour to me, which is actually pretty cool looking. 
  • jamescafc said:
    Not heard of this brand before but looks like a lovely bike. How did you find out about it and what spec did you go for?
    One of my mates rides for the women's team sponsored by them. Moved to Switzerland this year, but for some reason is still on the team - despite not racing 🤣

    Don't think she was too impressed with the bike tbh - she rode her own all last year. 

    Decent enough brand though - similar to Orro in that they've not really got any market penetration, but have that 'niche' appeal (like Bowman had a few years back).

    Guessing the paint job is khaki, @Clem_Snide?

    I'm blue green colourblind but pretty sure I've seen that colourway before - looks like 'putty' colour to me, which is actually pretty cool looking. 
    Paint is officially titled Tarnished Gold. Sounds a bit wanky, I've seen a couple of YouTube vids of bikes they have done in that colour and it looks lovely in sunlight.

    I went with them after reading how good their pre and post sales service is. So far they have more than matched expectations. As I am 50 this year it's all about fit for me (fancy style helps as well) and the customisation service they offer is brilliant. Frame also takes 32mm tyres which is a big plus for me.
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  • Anyone have issues with their Di2 battery life? 

    Having to charge every couple of weeks now and from reading online, not clear on how to diagnose the issue. 
  • You have probably seen this article already, but worth a read of you haven't. If you have the updated charging unit then e-Tube should have an error check function.

    https://bettershifting.com/how-to-troubleshoot-di2-battery-drain-issues/
  • edited August 30
    So after owning my pride and joy for pricesly two months, this evening it was stolen. Locked on a gold standard d lock for 5/6 mins outside the local coop and that was enough time for it to be taken. Gutted.
  • So after owning my pride and joy for pricesly two months, this evening it was stolen. Locked on a gold standard d lock for 5/6 mins outside the local coop and that was enough time for it to be taken. Gutted.
    So sorry to hear this. Can you claim on insurance? I’ve just moved to SG and get laughed at when I lock up my bike. Sign of the times!
  • So after owning my pride and joy for pricesly two months, this evening it was stolen. Locked on a gold standard d lock for 5/6 mins outside the local coop and that was enough time for it to be taken. Gutted.
    Keep an eye on Gumtree for the bike, it's unlikely the thieving shitbag stole it to ride.
  • Any fellow cyclists looking for a specialist bike insurer, I can whole heartedly recommend Laka. 

    Bike stolen last Friday, whole claims process completed by Monday afternoon and order placed for new bike today.

    Was a 12 week wait for a like for like replacement so they gave me a list of shops they partner with and let me choose what I wanted.

    Have owned numerous road bikes over the years but never a Trek. Visited Sigma Sports on Sunday with the express intention of getting sized up for a Pinarello X5. As soon as I saw the new Trek Madone Gen 8 SL7 I knew what I wanted! 

    Brand new release and their amalgamation of the Madone and Emonda.

    Suffice to say this one will not be left anywhere!
    That is a seriously nice looking bike.

    In the last week I have had to take my two bikes off my home insurance. It saved me about £400 per year on the renewal premium. Can I ask what premium you were paying with Laka?
  • Any fellow cyclists looking for a specialist bike insurer, I can whole heartedly recommend Laka. 

    Bike stolen last Friday, whole claims process completed by Monday afternoon and order placed for new bike today.

    Was a 12 week wait for a like for like replacement so they gave me a list of shops they partner with and let me choose what I wanted.

    Have owned numerous road bikes over the years but never a Trek. Visited Sigma Sports on Sunday with the express intention of getting sized up for a Pinarello X5. As soon as I saw the new Trek Madone Gen 8 SL7 I knew what I wanted! 

    Brand new release and their amalgamation of the Madone and Emonda.

    Suffice to say this one will not be left anywhere!
    That is a seriously nice looking bike.

    In the last week I have had to take my two bikes off my home insurance. It saved me about £400 per year on the renewal premium. Can I ask what premium you were paying with Laka?
    I've got my race bike and my 'best' bike insured with Laka - which obviously includes race insurance for one of them. It's crowd funded, so the premium isn't the same every month - but I pay between 35 and 50 quid a month for 8k worth of bikes
  • Any fellow cyclists looking for a specialist bike insurer, I can whole heartedly recommend Laka. 

    Bike stolen last Friday, whole claims process completed by Monday afternoon and order placed for new bike today.

    Was a 12 week wait for a like for like replacement so they gave me a list of shops they partner with and let me choose what I wanted.

    Have owned numerous road bikes over the years but never a Trek. Visited Sigma Sports on Sunday with the express intention of getting sized up for a Pinarello X5. As soon as I saw the new Trek Madone Gen 8 SL7 I knew what I wanted! 

    Brand new release and their amalgamation of the Madone and Emonda.

    Suffice to say this one will not be left anywhere!
    Couldn't agree more - Laka are superb. Never had a bike nicked, but written a couple off in crashes and damaged others, they've always paid out quickly with no fuss. 

    Lovely bike - shame some arsehole robbed the last one off you 😡
  • Any fellow cyclists looking for a specialist bike insurer, I can whole heartedly recommend Laka. 

    Bike stolen last Friday, whole claims process completed by Monday afternoon and order placed for new bike today.

    Was a 12 week wait for a like for like replacement so they gave me a list of shops they partner with and let me choose what I wanted.

    Have owned numerous road bikes over the years but never a Trek. Visited Sigma Sports on Sunday with the express intention of getting sized up for a Pinarello X5. As soon as I saw the new Trek Madone Gen 8 SL7 I knew what I wanted! 

    Brand new release and their amalgamation of the Madone and Emonda.

    Suffice to say this one will not be left anywhere!
    That is a seriously nice looking bike.

    In the last week I have had to take my two bikes off my home insurance. It saved me about £400 per year on the renewal premium. Can I ask what premium you were paying with Laka?
    I've got my race bike and my 'best' bike insured with Laka - which obviously includes race insurance for one of them. It's crowd funded, so the premium isn't the same every month - but I pay between 35 and 50 quid a month for 8k worth of bikes
    You are up north aren't you? Think there is probably a "London" tax. I pay between £45 and £50 a month for £6k bike and £500 accessories cover. Also have the 3rd party element.

    TBH I have claimed from them twice and they have been brilliant both times. There is also zero excess and the option to top up if you find something a bit more expensive than your cover.

    Bike was stolen last Friday and I am collecting the replacement on Saturday morning. I really don't mind paying for a service like that.

    The new bike was £200 over my insured amount and I offered to pay the extra. The claims handler basically said "give me a couple of hours and I will see if one of our partners will do it for £5800" half hour later he'd sorted it.


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  • Yeah - and that price includes the race insurance (which they started separating out this year because, tbf, it's ridiculous to crowd fund insurance for all when only a tiny percentage of idiots (like me) account for a huge amount of the total monthly claims cos of race crashes. 

    BIkes get nicked up here too, but it's not like London, where if you leave anything decent chained up outside it's likely to be gone in 5 minutes. Most bikes up here are robbed out of sheds & garages. We did have a bunch of little scrotes start trying the same tactics the doastheylikeys use up Layhams Road a while back, but the old Bill recognised one of them from cam footage one of the riders had when they tried running them off the road and they all got nicked 🤣

    Laka have been brilliant for me. 
  • Cloudworm said:
    Did my most challenging ride this week. 168km with 4,700m of gain. Takayama - Norikura - Takayama. Was quite apprehensive about it but it was great. 
    Very impressive!!!
  • edited September 7
    Just moved jobs, and they have showers/bike racks so getting back into the commute cycling again a few days a week when I'm in (Chislehurst to London Bridge). 

    Moved from Greenwich to Bromley a few years back and Bromley is filled with shit drivers and roads littered with potholes. My route currently takes me through Camberwell and Peckham as well, where the fog of cannabis coming out of white vans (I still don't understand why it's always white vans) doesn't give me much confidence in the drivers either. 

    I'm switching the tires on my roadie from 25mm Conti GP 4000s to 32mm Conti Four Seasons, as well as reducing the air pressure a bit, but to be honest I still feel a bit nervous getting back into it. Purely due to the road and driver quality on the journey which is a massive shame as I loved it so much a few years back. Any other tips on here would be greatly appreciated!

    One more observation on commuting cycling if I may, Friday evenings. The most dangerous time on earth to be a cyclist. The drivers are pedal to the metal flying round to get to the pub!
  • Just gone from 28 to 32. Makes a huge difference in terms of comfort on longer rides. If I was in your shoes, I'd go as big as possible!
  • Any fellow cyclists looking for a specialist bike insurer, I can whole heartedly recommend Laka. 

    Bike stolen last Friday, whole claims process completed by Monday afternoon and order placed for new bike today.

    Was a 12 week wait for a like for like replacement so they gave me a list of shops they partner with and let me choose what I wanted.

    Have owned numerous road bikes over the years but never a Trek. Visited Sigma Sports on Sunday with the express intention of getting sized up for a Pinarello X5. As soon as I saw the new Trek Madone Gen 8 SL7 I knew what I wanted! 

    Brand new release and their amalgamation of the Madone and Emonda.

    Suffice to say this one will not be left anywhere!
    That is a seriously nice looking bike.

    In the last week I have had to take my two bikes off my home insurance. It saved me about £400 per year on the renewal premium. Can I ask what premium you were paying with Laka?
    I've got my race bike and my 'best' bike insured with Laka - which obviously includes race insurance for one of them. It's crowd funded, so the premium isn't the same every month - but I pay between 35 and 50 quid a month for 8k worth of bikes
    You are up north aren't you? Think there is probably a "London" tax. I pay between £45 and £50 a month for £6k bike and £500 accessories cover. Also have the 3rd party element.

    TBH I have claimed from them twice and they have been brilliant both times. There is also zero excess and the option to top up if you find something a bit more expensive than your cover.

    Bike was stolen last Friday and I am collecting the replacement on Saturday morning. I really don't mind paying for a service like that.

    The new bike was £200 over my insured amount and I offered to pay the extra. The claims handler basically said "give me a couple of hours and I will see if one of our partners will do it for £5800" half hour later he'd sorted it.


     
    Have you taken it out yet? Bet it rides a dream
  • edited September 8
    jamescafc said:
    Any fellow cyclists looking for a specialist bike insurer, I can whole heartedly recommend Laka. 

    Bike stolen last Friday, whole claims process completed by Monday afternoon and order placed for new bike today.

    Was a 12 week wait for a like for like replacement so they gave me a list of shops they partner with and let me choose what I wanted.

    Have owned numerous road bikes over the years but never a Trek. Visited Sigma Sports on Sunday with the express intention of getting sized up for a Pinarello X5. As soon as I saw the new Trek Madone Gen 8 SL7 I knew what I wanted! 

    Brand new release and their amalgamation of the Madone and Emonda.

    Suffice to say this one will not be left anywhere!
    That is a seriously nice looking bike.

    In the last week I have had to take my two bikes off my home insurance. It saved me about £400 per year on the renewal premium. Can I ask what premium you were paying with Laka?
    I've got my race bike and my 'best' bike insured with Laka - which obviously includes race insurance for one of them. It's crowd funded, so the premium isn't the same every month - but I pay between 35 and 50 quid a month for 8k worth of bikes
    You are up north aren't you? Think there is probably a "London" tax. I pay between £45 and £50 a month for £6k bike and £500 accessories cover. Also have the 3rd party element.

    TBH I have claimed from them twice and they have been brilliant both times. There is also zero excess and the option to top up if you find something a bit more expensive than your cover.

    Bike was stolen last Friday and I am collecting the replacement on Saturday morning. I really don't mind paying for a service like that.

    The new bike was £200 over my insured amount and I offered to pay the extra. The claims handler basically said "give me a couple of hours and I will see if one of our partners will do it for £5800" half hour later he'd sorted it.


     
    Have you taken it out yet? Bet it rides a dream

    I only picked it up yesterday and have only had a short ride so far. 7 miles from Chelmsford to Ingatestone where I picked up the train as I wanted to get home for the game.

    First observations are good. It's ridiculously light. I will be swapping out the stock tyres for some Vittoria Corsa Pro Graphene 32mm and have already switched the saddle.

    The only issue I have is when I got it home l went to fit bottle cages and one of the bloody bolts on the down tube is rounded off 😡🙄.

    Going to get my local mechanic to look at it tomorrow to see if he can get it off without drilling it, but if not I'll have to speak to Trek and see what they will do. Am worried it will be my word against theirs and they might accuse me of damaging the bolt 👎
  • Cloudworm said:
    Just gone from 28 to 32. Makes a huge difference in terms of comfort on longer rides. If I was in your shoes, I'd go as big as possible!

    Yep, this all day long. Just put 35s on my road bike and have a mighty 45 on my commuter (gravel bike).. Bigger the better for me from now on ;-)
  • Huskaris said:
    Just moved jobs, and they have showers/bike racks so getting back into the commute cycling again a few days a week when I'm in (Chislehurst to London Bridge). 

    Moved from Greenwich to Bromley a few years back and Bromley is filled with shit drivers and roads littered with potholes. My route currently takes me through Camberwell and Peckham as well, where the fog of cannabis coming out of white vans (I still don't understand why it's always white vans) doesn't give me much confidence in the drivers either. 

    I'm switching the tires on my roadie from 25mm Conti GP 4000s to 32mm Conti Four Seasons, as well as reducing the air pressure a bit, but to be honest I still feel a bit nervous getting back into it. Purely due to the road and driver quality on the journey which is a massive shame as I loved it so much a few years back. Any other tips on here would be greatly appreciated!

    One more observation on commuting cycling if I may, Friday evenings. The most dangerous time on earth to be a cyclist. The drivers are pedal to the metal flying round to get to the pub!
    Took me a while to get used to commuting, but I think the biggest advice would be just go full send. Don't f*ck around trying to be careful or you'll never get anywhere. Obviously don't do stupid shit like squeezing up the inside or artics or running red lights, but assertiveness and confidence are absolute prerequisites. Not sure what the cycle lane provisioning is like now, but I used to hate the majority of them - the ptfe paint on most of them is like an oil slick in the wet - generally much safer to stick to the road. One major piece of advice - filter on the outside. Much, much safer than up the inside. Also remember must drivers are not homicidal c*nts, but plenty are either shite at driving, or staring at their phones. 
  • I cannot believe that Trek have the cheek to put such an appalling set of tyres on a £6k bike! Having ridden them twice I removed them last night. Will stick them on eBay as no doubt someone will buy them, but jesus they are shockers. Bontrager R3. Avoid at all costs!
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