Quote:
Originally Posted by UFO
A couple of starter questions for you guys:
1. Standard or compact cranksets? I don't think Vancouver in general is considered too hilly or mountainous to require compact, I may be wrong though
2. Do the make of brakes make huge a difference? I see Tektro spec'd on a lot of the low-mid range bikes, and I know that Tiagra/105 is the general quality entry level range.
3. Where is best to look for used/preowned components? I browse Pinkbike and CL quite regularly.
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1. I ride a compact: 50/34 with a 12/27 rear cassette. You probably will hardly use 53-12 anyway unless you're planning on pulling a 35+mph sprint in the near future. Also, downhill speed can be achieved with a good tuck instead of pedalling on your biggest rings. I hardly use even the 50-12 on my compact. I have, however, used the 34-27 for steep hills in Vancouver (18% grade for 140m near my house) and elsewhere. But really, it's up to you. If you foresee yourself not ever needing the small ring, then by all means get a standard double.
Here's a nice little webpage that calculates achievable speeds at certain cadences and gear ratios.
2. Tektro has served me well so far. I hear the pads make a big difference, though, so I plan to upgrade to Kool Stop pads once the Tektro once wear siginificatly.
3. PB and CL are the big ones. MEC Online Gear Swap may also be worth a look.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcrdukes
Question for woob / LiquidTurbo / pK-diU- and all you roadies who go on 234141km rides.
When you go on 1hr+ rides, what do you pack in forms of food or fuel to keep you going? And when do you start to feel like you're hitting the wall?
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For 25-30km rides: 1 bottle of water
For ~50km rides: 1 bottle of water and a few Clif Shot Blocks (essentially candy that's easy to grab out of a jersey pocket)
For >70km: 2 bottles of water, a bunch of Shot Blocks, and around one cup of salted roasted almonds (I never eat all of them, though). The protein from the almonds is nice to have because
BCAAs increase resistance to fatigue in glycogen-depleted subjects. Specifically, leucine (one such BCAA) is found in moderate quantities in almonds.
The thing to remember for long rides is to stay hydrated and keep topping yourself up with energy. This means drinking before you feel thirsty and eating before you feel hungry. Otherwise, you'll bonk. I don't usually "hit the wall" if I eat and drink enough before and during the ride.
I haven't hit a serious wall since around a month ago at a 50km R2CC training ride that I hadn't prepared for (see: hadn't ridden in a month). On that ride, once past the 30km mark, whenever the road went uphill I just said "fuck it" and spun my lowest gear all the way up. That's usually my plan if I bonk. Also, if you're riding with a group, just sit in their slipstream until you've recovered. Try to hold their wheel as long as possible, because once you've been dropped, you're done. Drafting makes a huge difference.