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May 2016
8:15pm, 14 May 2016
4,480 posts
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Dai Bank
I had the same issues when I started MM, managed to solve them on lefthanders but not so much on righthanders.
A group of us got together on an industrial estate after everyone had gone home and traffic was nonexistent, on a roughly rectangular section. The corners were brushed as clean as we could get them, with both rough bristle brush and soft bristle brush on each corner to try and avoid punctures and slips. We warmed up properly, warmed the tyres too, and then ride progressively faster until we felt good and then tried following our best racer on a two up, three up, four up selection till we could hold a wheel easily. It took a good two hours at a time over a few weeks to get more and more comfortable. As I say I never got too good on right handers but I was far better for the practice. For me it was getting my nose on the stem that was the kicker as I was too upright and kept hitting too much air resistance. I am 6ft tall and was racing at 12.75 stone as a vet.
Might be useful to try and get a group together and see if you can try something similar.
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May 2016
9:11pm, 14 May 2016
1,696 posts
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MudMeanderer
That sounds a good idea DB. There are a couple of closed circuits around here, so may need to do similar on them. There was an attempt to get some adult race coaching in the club a year or so ago but it came to nothing. Some of our juniors are very good so maybe I should try and persuade them.
I'm 165cm (5ft5) and built like a sapling, so maybe I need to try and be like Caleb Ewen and just get very aero! I'm probably not built for crits and would possibly cope better in road races, but as most seem to be cat2/3/4, I expect may be even more out of my depth
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May 2016
8:52pm, 15 May 2016
4,107 posts
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Winded
Chatting to a bike mechanic at a sportive today [when he was failing to fix the nephew's bike] he told me a story.
Earlier in the day a man on a top end bike said "can you oil the chain it is a bit noisy" so he oiled the chain and turned the pedals and it remained a bit noisy. He had been to a well known bike shop/repair place/maker of bespoke steeds in London to have his bike serviced. £270 later. Yes, £270 later and the proud possessor of a new chain and cassette and serviced bike he set off for the sportive with a bike in his boot. The new Dura Ace chain had been passed through the Dura Ace derailleur but threaded the wrong side of the cage bit by the jockey wheels - so it made a noise. The feed station was at mile 36 and by then the chain was knackered and had nearly sawed through part of the Dura Ace derailleur. The mechanic took photos so he could complain and have it fixed. I imagine the shop will put it right but am surprised a place like that would do a thing *like that*
In my back garden I have done the same thing with a new chain but immediately realised and fixed it, I imagine most of us have. I wasn't being paid though I was avoiding doing the paying. £270, did I mention he paid £270? I wonder if he got new cables too or would that have been £370?
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May 2016
10:11pm, 15 May 2016
9,811 posts
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richmac
FFS, when a bike service costs more than your car service. They saw him coming
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May 2016
11:41am, 16 May 2016
58,308 posts
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Gobi
Easy spend 270 quid having work on an mtb .
If he was riding dura ace then 270 including parts is a good deal except their mechanic was shit
Oops
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May 2016
1:15pm, 16 May 2016
4,111 posts
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Winded
Probably it just seems a lot to me because I do almost all of mine myself.
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May 2016
2:18pm, 16 May 2016
58,309 posts
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Gobi
Not everyone can
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May 2016
5:15pm, 17 May 2016
9,819 posts
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richmac
I guess my method of prowling the usual sites for sale bin bargains really does payoff!
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May 2016
5:22pm, 17 May 2016
58,331 posts
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Gobi
The Internet can't fix my bike
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May 2016
10:03pm, 17 May 2016
9,822 posts
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richmac
I have an lbs that is happy to fit my parts and doesn't charge ' saw you coming ' prices
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TriSport Fetch: The smell of 220
Nov 2024
