The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Man, that sucked 

Blew the race wide open...

Frankly, if you have 3 team leaders stuck behind a crash like that, you have to call off the dogs and soft pedal.  Even the break away. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

One would have thought so.  Like back in the day when Ullrich and Armstrong would wait for the other after a spill. 

Frankly, if you have 3 team leaders stuck behind a crash like that, you have to call off the dogs and soft pedal.  Even the break away. 

[MarquisDeSade]

FedEx needs to hurry up with my jersey and Stinger waffles. I'm bouncing off the walls waiting to start my ride.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

jasus, man, just grab a dirty t-shirt off the floor and get your ass out there while it's nice...you can parade your sartorial splendor another time.

FedEx needs to hurry up with my jersey and Stinger waffles. I'm bouncing off the walls waiting to start my ride.

[MarquisDeSade]

jasus, man, just grab a dirty t-shirt off the floor and get your ass out there while it's nice...you can parade your sartorial splendor another time.

I've bought into the powers of the jersey dude. It's either a jersey with two extra water bottles (for a total of four bottles) or riding with my bag ().  I'm watching some of the Tour while I drain my ear one last time so if FedEx gets here in the next hour I'll get in a nice two hour ride before the total neat wave starts melting me.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I probably should have gone for a ride this morning (first time I've gotten up at 7:00 on a weekend in years where skiing or a flight wasn't on the line), but after the last few days of sweating my brains out, sitting inside watching the Tour in A/C with a cup of tea is pretty nice.

[MarquisDeSade]

Yeah, I've been on the DL for almost two weeks so I'm going to do something I'm usually bad at - taking it easy and actually preparing for a ride instead of just jumping on the bike and going for it. I bought the most douchebag jersey available (not that there is much available in the 4xl arena) but if it keeps me from riding with a bag all the better.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I'd say of the TDF team jerseys, FDJ is one of the best.  Rabobank and Lotto, too (but I'm partial to Dutch & Belgian teams). 

[MarquisDeSade]

By the way, this is my motivation (Look 566) for getting my eating and exercise back on track:



I figure if I can get back to shedding 2-3lbs a week I should be down to a good weight to actual start doing some serious riding (read: mountains, racing).  My new rule is that for every pound that I lose I put $20 into a savings account for a total Fred bike.  Better start shredding hardcore since that bad boy is about $3,000 without the PowerTap wheels I want. 

[GburgNatsFan]

Is the raked top tube configuration becoming standard for road bikes? is there a purpose behind it? It can't be for reduced standover height, could it? That seems too obvious, not esoteric enough.

BTW, that is a beautiful machine.

By the way, this is my motivation (Look 566) for getting my eating and exercise back on track:

(Image removed from quote.)

I figure if I can get back to shedding 2-3lbs a week I should be down to a good weight to actual start doing some serious riding (read: mountains, racing).  My new rule is that for every pound that I lose I put $2 into a savings account for a total Fred bike.  Better start shredding hardcore since that bad boy is about $3,000 without the PowerTap wheels I want. 

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I'm guessing that it's for a stiffer seat tube (hence less bottom bracket flex)...probably a little lighter as well, since there is less material.  These new monocoque carbon frames are so stiff in the first place I can't imagine it matters all that much, but they do look pretty cool. 

Is the raked top tube configuration becoming standard for road bikes? is there a purpose behind it? It can't be for reduced standover height, could it? That seems too obvious, not esoteric enough.

BTW, that is a beautiful machine.

[MarquisDeSade]

Is the raked top tube configuration becoming standard for road bikes? is there a purpose behind it? It can't be for reduced standover height, could it? That seems too obvious, not esoteric enough.

You know, I test road a Specialized Tricross the other day (a cyclocross bike like my Cross Check) and it had a raised top tube, which I thought was odd.  My guess would be that it's so your bike actually fits you better since most of the bikes with this type of geometry have few if any headset spacers.  One thing I've noticed, from the one carbon fiber road bike I've test rode, is that the raised top tube leads to a little bit of a better fit when you're in the drops. 

BTW, that is a beautiful machine.

Oh definitely.  I left off a 0 in my savings plan (it should have said $20 for each pound, not $2) but I'm confident I'll lose the weight needed to justify buying it.  I have no delusions of making any kind of run at doing anything in cycling other than having fun and losing weight, but since 1998 (when I originally got into cycling) I've always wanted to have a super nice road bike and take it to Boone, NC for some serious climbs.  Hopefully I'll get there before my time is up.

[MarquisDeSade]

I'm guessing that it's for a stiffer seat tube (hence less bottom bracket flex)...probably a little lighter as well, since there is less material.

I could see that too.  Just curious - what's the advantage of a high end bottom bracket?

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Like anything else with bearings, the good ones have less friction and are "stiffer" (i.e. little or no energy loss due to flexing)...the high-end recreational BBs are the best in my opinion, since they are fully sealed cartridge bearings that require zero maintenance and last for years.  The top-shelf Campy and Dura Ace racing BBs pretty much assume you have a team mechanic repacking your ceramic bearings every time it rains. 

I could see that too.  Just curious - what's the advantage of a high end bottom bracket?

[tomterp]

Is the raked top tube configuration becoming standard for road bikes? is there a purpose behind it? It can't be for reduced standover height, could it? That seems too obvious, not esoteric enough.

BTW, that is a beautiful machine.

From my brief exploration of bikes recently, whereas back in the day (like, when I bought my road bike in mid 1980') nearly all road bikes came with full racing configuration, meaning the handlebars were low to force the rider into an extremely crouched position to minimize wind resistance.  Riding in such a posture for long periods of time however is difficult if not impossible for anyone not a trained athlete, ie 99% of bike riders.

So today there are a lot more configurations available, it is no longer presumed you'd be going for the aggressive style.  Part of the Look bike style is supporting the higher handlebar placement, it would appear to me. 

[MarquisDeSade]

Got the jersey and, while it is really nice, it looks like I'm a good 50lbs away from wearing it. Turns out that the sizing on the Nashbar site was wrong and that a 4xl is really the equivalent of a 2xl. Time to order a 6xl, too bad i didn't know this before today, looks like I'll be riding in my black wicking shirt tomorrow instead.

[GburgNatsFan]

Damn European sizes. None of those bastards are any bigger than me.

Got the jersey and, while it is really nice, it looks like I'm a good 50lbs away from wearing it. Turns out that the sizing on the Nashbar site was wrong and that a 4xl is really the equivalent of a 2xl. Time to order a 6xl, too bad i didn't know this before today, looks like I'll be riding in my black wicking shirt tomorrow instead.

[MarquisDeSade]

Damn European sizes. None of those bastards are any bigger than me.

I can actually put the thing on but it is SKIN tight.  Like, could probably stop a bullet, skin tight.  I'm going to order a 6xl in American sizes today, but it looks like I'll be rocking my all black kit today.  At least I've got some real ass rock tunes for the Tour de DC:

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Ima gonna have to download "500,000 scovilles"...that sounds right up my alley 

[MarquisDeSade]

Only managed 15 miles today due to the heat. Well, for once I listened to my body and called it a day once I ran out of Stinger waffles and water money.  Still, not too shabby for a guy pushing four bills after talking two weeks off due to injuries. Peep this map:

[DPMOmaha]

So, I'm looking at this bike on ebay that should fit me and I can afford, but it doesn't have drive train, shifters, crankset, brakes or cabling.  How much should I expect it to cost if I were to install them (or have them installed)?

[MarquisDeSade]

A lot, loke around $500  Sounds like they're selling the frame and the wheels. The shifters alone will be around $200 and getting it put together (not including the cranks and derailers) will be another $150.

[DPMOmaha]

Mmmm.  Ok.  that might be a little much.  Dang it.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

On the FDJ jersey - They get negative points for having "Big Mat" on it and on the butts of their pants.  I kind of like Omega Pharma's jersey.  Also, its is so much fun in a Beavis and Butthead sense to wear something that says "Liquigas."

[MarquisDeSade]

Mmmm.  Ok.  that might be a little much.  Dang it.

Do you have the listing available?