The bicycle thread

[Guest]

15 minutes ago, YellowJersey said:

I don't do much maintenance on my bike. I can take apart the drive train to clean it and put it back together, replace a tube, but that's about it. Trying to true a wheel is space magic as far as I'm concerned. I just take my bike into the shop every other year for maintenance.

its fair enough you need the right equipment. Its simply not feasible for me to get the equipment to true a wheel etc. I just do basic stuff like the crankset / gearset install / indexing and whatnot, as well as replacing chains. For my main bike its all under warranty so I dont touch it lol. 

[YellowJersey]

34 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

its fair enough you need the right equipment. Its simply not feasible for me to get the equipment to true a wheel etc. I just do basic stuff like the crankset / gearset install / indexing and whatnot, as well as replacing chains. For my main bike its all under warranty so I dont touch it lol. 

I once totalled a wheel in a way that really confused the guys at the bike shop. Somehow, the spoke got pulled right through the rim; it looked like a bullet had passed through it. Thankfully, I was only a couple of km away from the bike shop when the wheel exploded.

[Guest]

25 minutes ago, YellowJersey said:

I once totalled a wheel in a way that really confused the guys at the bike shop. Somehow, the spoke got pulled right through the rim; it looked like a bullet had passed through it. Thankfully, I was only a couple of km away from the bike shop when the wheel exploded.

Oh wow that would take some force. I have a habit of crashing so lots of practice fixing my bike and making sure it’s always the fastest it can be. 
 

I think the worst one had a cheap chromoly seat post that bent as I biked. Fairly interesting ride back, but never cheap out on components haha.

[YellowJersey]

12 hours ago, RorzNZ said:

Oh wow that would take some force. I have a habit of crashing so lots of practice fixing my bike and making sure it’s always the fastest it can be. 
 

I think the worst one had a cheap chromoly seat post that bent as I biked. Fairly interesting ride back, but never cheap out on components haha.

 The guys at the bike shop were certainly scratching their heads as they asked me, "How did you even do this?"
 

[kelvinhall05]

So I've had my BB7s for a while now. Very happy with them. Had some trouble (still do) with the front brake squealing when I brake hard, but I seem to mostly have fixed it and at this point I think it's dirty discs or pads.

 

Either way, highly recommended lol. They look pretty badass, too.

[Deli]

7 minutes ago, kelvinhall05 said:

So I've had my BB7s for a while now. Very happy with them. Had some trouble (still do) with the front brake squealing when I brake hard, but I seem to mostly have fixed it and at this point I think it's dirty discs or pads.

 

Either way, highly recommended lol. They look pretty badass, too.

I believe the kit comes with the sintered pads. It squeals real bad especially when wet. The organic one is more quiet and has better modulation too.

[YellowJersey]

On 6/27/2020 at 12:15 AM, RorzNZ said:

Starting off the holiday with a light cycle of the day. Waiting on the RMA for the cassette so not fast (top speed of the day 43 ) 

From Te Anau? Nice. I've been there many times. I've done the Milford and Kepler tracks. It was hilarious when I was waiting for the boat to take me across the lake to start the Kepler. I was decked out in my hiking gear (huge pack, gaiters, poles, hat, huge beard) and, as if from out of nowhere, all these Asian tourists descended upon me all wanting pictures with this rugged mountain man. I wonder if they thought I was a tourist attraction?

[sub68]

4 minutes ago, YellowJersey said:

all these Asian tourists descended upon me all wanting pictures with this rugged mountain man.

maybe they thought you where someone from lord of the rings

[YellowJersey]

6 minutes ago, sub68 said:

maybe they thought you where someone from lord of the rings

I did have three months worth of beard on me. I'm almost two metres tall, though, so I'd hardly have passed for a dwarf. Maybe they thought I was an ent?

 

[kelvinhall05]

16 minutes ago, Deli said:

I believe the kit comes with the sintered pads. It squeals real bad especially when wet. The organic one is more quiet and has better modulation too.

It's pretty dry outside. I believe it's either slightly misaligned or something, or pads/disc is dirty.

 

Oh well, not a huge deal. Tinkered with it a bit and seemed to have gotten the noise to go away.

[YellowJersey]

This was my usual route at my last place; about 42km one-way (of course, I'd turn around in the northwest and come all the way back, so round-trip was about 84km). I'm living in a different part of the city now, but the route is about 90% the same. .

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, YellowJersey said:

From Te Anau? Nice. I've been there many times. I've done the Milford and Kepler tracks. It was hilarious when I was waiting for the boat to take me across the lake to start the Kepler. I was decked out in my hiking gear (huge pack, gaiters, poles, hat, huge beard) and, as if from out of nowhere, all these Asian tourists descended upon me all wanting pictures with this rugged mountain man. I wonder if they thought I was a tourist attraction?

Haha, I think most people don’t take all that gear. I usually just carry food, clothes etc and an EPIRB, but I’ve done it lots because it’s local for me.

 

45 minutes ago, kelvinhall05 said:

So I've had my BB7s for a while now. Very happy with them. Had some trouble (still do) with the front brake squealing when I brake hard, but I seem to mostly have fixed it and at this point I think it's dirty discs or pads.

 

Either way, highly recommended lol. They look pretty badass, too.

I wouldn’t really worry about squealing unless you lose braking as well, which just means it’s worn or your mineral oil is low. 

[YellowJersey]

21 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

Haha, I think most people don’t take all that gear. I usually just carry food, clothes etc and an EPIRB, but I’ve done it lots because it’s local for me.

 

I wouldn’t really worry about squealing unless you lose braking as well, which just means it’s worn or your mineral oil is low. 

I like to be prepared. Plus, I had all my camera equipment with me, and that takes up a lot of space. Plus plus, I was travelling pretty light that trip, so I was carrying everything I had brought with me to NZ (I was living in Australia at the time and was only over for two weeks).

 My time on the Rees-Dart track was a bit more of a slog, though. It's a good thing I had all my hiking gear as, on day two, it was just pouring rain and the hut warden at hut two said I should go on to the third hut if I didn't have a few days' worth of extra food. So I ended up doing two days' pulling a long day in the rain. I got to the third hut well after dark. In fact, I only found the third hut because I saw the lights from the headlamps of people inside.

[Guest]

7 hours ago, YellowJersey said:

I like to be prepared. Plus, I had all my camera equipment with me, and that takes up a lot of space. Plus plus, I was travelling pretty light that trip, so I was carrying everything I had brought with me to NZ (I was living in Australia at the time and was only over for two weeks).

 My time on the Rees-Dart track was a bit more of a slog, though. It's a good thing I had all my hiking gear as, on day two, it was just pouring rain and the hut warden at hut two said I should go on to the third hut if I didn't have a few days' worth of extra food. So I ended up doing two days' pulling a long day in the rain. I got to the third hut well after dark. In fact, I only found the third hut because I saw the lights from the headlamps of people inside.

Love stories like these. Always be prepared. 

[Shahnewaz]

Time to follow this thread.

[YellowJersey]

13 hours ago, RorzNZ said:

Love stories like these. Always be prepared. 

Yeah, the Rees-Dart was a slog. A lovely track, though. My last time venturing up to Welcome Flats wasn't so pleasant. I neglected to bring a change of clothes and spent the whole day in the rain. I spent a good two hours trying to get the coal stove to light with the damp kindling and camp coal just to dry my clothes out. I even forgot my headlamp! My previous time doing Welcome Flats was awesome; was with some mates from uni, and to top it off, a German hippiechick tried to seduce one of my mates in the hot spring that night.

[YellowJersey]

111km today in 5 hours 20 minutes. I hit the wall around 90km and just had to dig deep for the last 21km. I was riding with someone for a few minutes and said, "I'm just trying to get home before my legs turn into spaghetti noodles.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, YellowJersey said:

111km today in 5 hours 20 minutes. I hit the wall around 90km and just had to dig deep for the last 21km. I was riding with someone for a few minutes and said, "I'm just trying to get home before my legs turn into spaghetti noodles.

Speaking of spaghetti noodles, I’m having trouble with recovery. One day doesn’t seem like enough and I don’t really want to ride, but once I get out I’m fine. I don’t feel like I can ride to my fullest though. I usually do one day for my gym work and it’s fine, but my legs are getting hammered now haha. 
 

Do you or anyone else on the thread have any recovery tips? Open to any advice

[YellowJersey]

56 minutes ago, RorzNZ said:

Speaking of spaghetti noodles, I’m having trouble with recovery. One day doesn’t seem like enough and I don’t really want to ride, but once I get out I’m fine. I don’t feel like I can ride to my fullest though. I usually do one day for my gym work and it’s fine, but my legs are getting hammered now haha. 
 

Do you or anyone else on the thread have any recovery tips? Open to any advice

Nope, I got nothing, sorry. I usually don't go out two days in a row. I'm not riding on the weekends this year due to covidiots.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, YellowJersey said:

Nope, I got nothing, sorry. I usually don't go out two days in a row. I'm not riding on the weekends this year due to covidiots.

Fair enough. I’m pretty lucky in New Zealand. Heard it’s all turning to custard in the UK and US right now, but that’s all the news.

 

on the bright side though, on my way to a metric century. Felt good today. I’m sure more to come.

 

[Deli]

 

10 hours ago, RorzNZ said:

Speaking of spaghetti noodles, I’m having trouble with recovery. One day doesn’t seem like enough and I don’t really want to ride, but once I get out I’m fine. I don’t feel like I can ride to my fullest though. I usually do one day for my gym work and it’s fine, but my legs are getting hammered now haha. 
 

Do you or anyone else on the thread have any recovery tips? Open to any advice

Massage, foam-rolling and protein drink.

[Guest]

5 hours ago, Deli said:

 

Massage, foam-rolling and protein drink.

Little bit extreme for recovery for me maybe? I’m not a competitor or anything. Mainly rest days I’m interested in, but thank you. (Also - protein shakes give me gas so I stay clear and eat more haha)

[YellowJersey]

3 hours ago, RorzNZ said:

Little bit extreme for recovery for me maybe? I’m not a competitor or anything. Mainly rest days I’m interested in, but thank you. (Also - protein shakes give me gas so I stay clear and eat more haha)

Increasing your food intake is actually a good idea. I keep forgetting that when I first start up riding for the year.

 On my Vancouver-Inuvik trip, it came as a bit of a surprise to the first-timers that you need to significantly up your kj intake since you burn so much while on the bike. Once they got their diet sorted out, they were fine.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, YellowJersey said:

Increasing your food intake is actually a good idea. I keep forgetting that when I first start up riding for the year.

 On my Vancouver-Inuvik trip, it came as a bit of a surprise to the first-timers that you need to significantly up your kj intake since you burn so much while on the bike. Once they got their diet sorted out, they were fine.

Oh trust me there is no problem there. I do a bit of gym work so I track my calories. My diet is usually 60% protein, 20% fats and 20% carbohydrates, but I try and decrease fats when I can. On rest days its more fats than carbs. I also eat way too much. More motivation I suppose! 

[YellowJersey]

120km today in 5 hours and 41 minutes. Almost 700m of climbing. I'm sore.