[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Indurain's Lungs]

As an aside, this is some podium!

 

[Stat Brother]

Mr Barclaycard impulse bought me this, today:-

http://www.vanillabikes.com/products/vermarc-extreme-rain-jacket

Which was jolly nice of him.

It gets a cracking review here
http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/163340-best-winter-cycling-jackets

I figure anything with 'wind, rain, extreme, proof, & made in Belgium' has to be good, esp with an extra 10% off.

 

[1066familyman]

Although they maybe for IL, I'm not too sure about those wheels personally.

I see shimano getting a bit of hate. What do you guys have? Being relatively new to proper bikes shimano's all i know. Should i be pursuaded elsewhere? What are the benefits of Campag or SRAM?

I have a Battaglin with Campag. I particularly like the rabbit ears. It came with Campag, and like SB & IL, I feel all Italian bikes should by rights have Campag really.

I also have a Verenti and that has sram. Sram is very easy to use and takes no time to get used to. Works a treat from my experience and I like it, although trim can be a bit awkward setting up when fettling for the first time.

I switch between bikes and have no trouble instinctively using both systems. If I was pushed to choose then Campag might just win, but I really like both.

I'm probably a bit snobby on the fishing tackle too, but then again I've only ever had it on a mountain bike and that worked absolutely fine to be fair.

Seeing a bike like a de rosa without campag just seems like sacrilege.

 

[banjo]

I sense a theme here. I've got Campag on My Wilier.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm probably a bit snobby on the fishing tackle too

Seeing a bike like a de rosa without campag just seems like sacrilege.

I'm sure it's a snobbery you cultured all on your own, with absolutely no influences from West Sussex or Dorset

I also add Colnago to De Rosa in a sacrilegious-off when it comes to fishing tackle.

I do give Bianchi a little slack in comparison, mainly because I see them more as a Jaguar to the other two as Rolls Royce's.


Oh talking of Bianchi I saw another Mr Bianchi the other day.
He was head to toe in celeste branded clothing riding the most celeste coloured of all bikes. Bless

 

[banjo]

Mr Barclaycard impulse bought me this, today:-

http://www.vanillabikes.com/products/vermarc-extreme-rain-jacket

Which was jolly nice of him.

It gets a cracking review here
http://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/163340-best-winter-cycling-jackets

I figure anything with 'wind, rain, extreme, proof, & made in Belgium' has to be good, esp with an extra 10% off.

Nice jacket Stat, expecting rain.

 

[Stat Brother]

Nice jacket Stat, expecting rain.

It's all part of my 'mind over matter' winter riding strategy.

I now can't afford to not ride in the rain

 

[banjo]

It's all part of my 'mind over matter' winter riding strategy.

I now can't afford to not ride in the rain

Need to get myself one too, although I was going for a brighter colour as to give motorist an easier target.

 

[1066familyman]

I got myself an Odlo hardshell transparent waterproof jacket a while back that rolls up tiny to go in your jersey pocket. Lovely fit and feel, and not too boil in the bag, but I still get some steaming up inside. I just don't think physics allows any item of clothing to be 100% breathable AND fully waterproof.

 

[1066familyman]

I'm sure it's a snobbery you cultured all on your own, with absolutely no influences from West Sussex or Dorset

I also add Colnago to De Rosa in a sacrilegious-off when it comes to fishing tackle.

I do give Bianchi a little slack in comparison, mainly because I see them more as a Jaguar to the other two as Rolls Royce's.


Oh talking of Bianchi I saw another Mr Bianchi the other day.
He was head to toe in celeste branded clothing riding the most celeste coloured of all bikes. Bless

Yep, quite happy to admit that I've been entirely influenced by you two...and glad to have been so

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Yep, quite happy to admit that I've been entirely influenced by you two...and glad to have been so

Glad to know I have some influence in East Sussex, even if I have very little in my corner of Dorset!

 

[Motogull]

Time to wake the punk. If it rides, it rides. Anyone getting poncey over brands with me better not be of a fragile personality.

SB, you are a better man than me for going out in the wet. The rain can do one.

 

[1066familyman]

Time to wake the punk. If it rides, it rides. Anyone getting poncey over brands with me better not be of a fragile personality.

SB, you are a better man than me for going out in the wet. The rain can do one.

To be fair Moto, you've got a triple, so that automatically precludes you from any dicussion on groupsets anyway

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

To be fair Moto, you've got a triple, so that automatically precludes you from any dicussion on groupsets anyway [emoji14]

Touche!

The compact chainset and 11 sprockets means no one should need a triple - 34x27 is enough for anyone.

(cue "in my day....." "42x23 to get up a wall" etc etc.! [emoji3]

 

[1066familyman]

So anyone just watched Vuelta highlights?

I'm not an Aru fan because something about him doesn't quite sit right. Ironically it might have been an against all odds ITT he put in a season or two ago ( at the Giro I think) , because his performance today has really made an exciting race already crank up a notch more, if ever that was possible.

3 seconds!

Stage 20 will be really interesting , but then again so could any one of the four remaining stages now. I'm off to find out if there are any bonification seconds on offer for the intermediate sprints, that's how close it is now! Fantastic racing!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

So anyone just watched Vuelta highlights?

I'm not an Aru fan because something about him doesn't quite sit right. Ironically it might have been an against all odds ITT he put in a season or two ago ( at the Giro I think) , because his performance today has really made an exciting race already crank up a notch more, if ever that was possible.

3 seconds!

Stage 20 will be really interesting , but then again so could any one of the four remaining stages now. I'm off to find out if there are any bonification seconds on offer for the intermediate sprints, that's how close it is now! Fantastic racing!

I haven't warmed to him either, don't know why.

He'll win though as there are some uphill finishes where he can nab a few seconds.

 

[1066familyman]

I knew about the 10,6 and 4 seconds bonus for stage finishes, but not certain on the sprint intermediates. But the man from Del Monte, he say Yes! :

Three, two and one bonus second will be awarded to the first three riders over the line at intermediate sprints.

 

[1066familyman]

I haven't warmed to him either, don't know why.

He'll win though as there are some uphill finishes where he can nab a few seconds.

Oh no there's not, this Vuelta has used up all their summit finishes, and by Jove there's been enough of 'em!

Descending could be key now as much as anything else. So far I haven't been convinced by Dumoulin's descending as he's often dropped off the back a bit on them so far, but I'm hoping that's just him taking it steady and not risk crashing out.

Dream ticket scenario now is Aru to gain 5 seconds on Tom somewhere only for the German porn star and the entire Giant spriunt train to lead big Tom out on an intermediate sprint and bag the red jersey in Madrid by one second. Some dreams do come true you know.

Absolutely loving this race, and even more so now!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Oh no there's not, this Vuelta has used up all their summit finishes, and by Jove there's been enough of 'em! [emoji38]

Descending could be key now as much as anything else. So far I haven't been convinced by Dumoulin's descending as he's often dropped off the back a bit on them so far, but I'm hoping that's just him taking it steady and not risk crashing out.

Dream ticket scenario now is Aru to gain 5 seconds on Tom somewhere only for the German porn star and the entire Giant spriunt train to lead big Tom out on an intermediate sprint and bag the red jersey in Madrid by one second. Some dreams do come true you know.

Absolutely loving this race, and even more so now!

Fair enough, no finishes but Saturday is a brute and are could hold some time over the top of the last climb!

 

[1066familyman]

Fair enough, no finishes but Saturday is a brute and are could hold some time over the top of the last climb!

Exactly what I'm saying - stage 20 has four cat 1 climbs in it and should be where it's won or lost. But there is a flat section at the top of the last climb and then a decent amount of descent to the finish. Astana will need Landa to be in top form and drive a blistering pace to drop Dumoulin and get a big enough gap because we all know how easily even 30 second gaps over climbs can come be reeled back in on the descent as whole GC groups reform.

Best Aru get on the phone to Nibs for some descending tips pretty sharpish I reckon


In theory, all things considered, this should now be Aru's race to lose, but this is the Vuelta and it has a habit of upsetting the normal GC apple cart.