And They Say Wiggle Can Damage Your Credit Card!!
Discipline: Cycling
Distance: 19.7 miles
Time: 1:19
Okay - it wasn't a serious ride - some of it was spent in the bike shop where Lindi's boyfriend Bike Ponce works, getting fitted to make sure my position was okay and everything. Still - it was about nine or ten miles each way, with not too much extra done on the turbo. Some of the roads out that way are bliddy appalling!
Anyway - the fittig went well! I did need some adjustments to the saddle position, and Stuart suggested some longer cranks as I have powerful thighs (wonder if he used that line on Lindi? ;o).
The current saddle was basically a bit carp, and he brought out a brand spanking new Fizik Arione saddle, which I'd been dribbling over on Wiggle. "Ah well", thought I, "if a serious bike ponce thinks I should have one, then it would be rude not to spend the money, wouldn't it?". So I did. It's a lot harder, and a completely different shape, which means I can sit further back in the saddle. I did have a bit of a sore bum after the jurney home - I hope that it isn't the new saddle causing that. It did apparently make me stable in the saddle - as the cushioned ones allow you to rock - which presumably loses power and I would imagined pouts more stress on the lower back. All interesting stuff.
Stuart also suggested some new handlebars as the Shimano kit doesn't blend nicely into the bars, which emans I could be putting a lot of weight on a small area of my hand. This is something that has been bugging me on a lot of my rides, and definitely something I'll be considering doing at a later stage. Just got to work out whether to get a racing bike as well now - the kit in that shop was seriously pornographic!!
Stuart gave the bike a once over, and noticed that my chain was pretty bolloxed! I must have done about 500 miles on it, so I was a bit disappointed, but it turns out I haven't been maintaining it well - Stuart explained how to keep it in better nick, and then replaced my manky old chain with a bright shiny new one, and cleaned the cogs and stuff in the process. This time I'm going to take good care of it - it's a lot cheaper than the potential new chain and new cogs etc. (The theory is that the dirt on the chain can work into a paste and grind the cogs etc). The chain was also quite stretched, which can also do damaged, but I'm not sure why it had stretched.
Plenty more kit left to buy then! Today I spent over £150 - on the saddle, cleaning kit, new chain, and of course for Stuart's time. Slightly worrying how it all mounted up so quickly, but it is something that I'm sure will pay dividends over time. Well worth doing :o)
Distance: 19.7 miles
Time: 1:19
Okay - it wasn't a serious ride - some of it was spent in the bike shop where Lindi's boyfriend Bike Ponce works, getting fitted to make sure my position was okay and everything. Still - it was about nine or ten miles each way, with not too much extra done on the turbo. Some of the roads out that way are bliddy appalling!
Anyway - the fittig went well! I did need some adjustments to the saddle position, and Stuart suggested some longer cranks as I have powerful thighs (wonder if he used that line on Lindi? ;o).The current saddle was basically a bit carp, and he brought out a brand spanking new Fizik Arione saddle, which I'd been dribbling over on Wiggle. "Ah well", thought I, "if a serious bike ponce thinks I should have one, then it would be rude not to spend the money, wouldn't it?". So I did. It's a lot harder, and a completely different shape, which means I can sit further back in the saddle. I did have a bit of a sore bum after the jurney home - I hope that it isn't the new saddle causing that. It did apparently make me stable in the saddle - as the cushioned ones allow you to rock - which presumably loses power and I would imagined pouts more stress on the lower back. All interesting stuff.
Stuart also suggested some new handlebars as the Shimano kit doesn't blend nicely into the bars, which emans I could be putting a lot of weight on a small area of my hand. This is something that has been bugging me on a lot of my rides, and definitely something I'll be considering doing at a later stage. Just got to work out whether to get a racing bike as well now - the kit in that shop was seriously pornographic!!
Stuart gave the bike a once over, and noticed that my chain was pretty bolloxed! I must have done about 500 miles on it, so I was a bit disappointed, but it turns out I haven't been maintaining it well - Stuart explained how to keep it in better nick, and then replaced my manky old chain with a bright shiny new one, and cleaned the cogs and stuff in the process. This time I'm going to take good care of it - it's a lot cheaper than the potential new chain and new cogs etc. (The theory is that the dirt on the chain can work into a paste and grind the cogs etc). The chain was also quite stretched, which can also do damaged, but I'm not sure why it had stretched.
Plenty more kit left to buy then! Today I spent over £150 - on the saddle, cleaning kit, new chain, and of course for Stuart's time. Slightly worrying how it all mounted up so quickly, but it is something that I'm sure will pay dividends over time. Well worth doing :o)
posted by XFR Bear @ 12:07 pm
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