Hi m8
Swampy was talking about clip on aerobars, not a full on TT/TRI bike setup. You can get a decent set of aluminum clip-ons for around $50. When set up correctly, you get a huge aero advantage for long solo stretches. Clip-ons also offer an additional riding position which takes some weight off your seat and back.
Again, consider Campagnolo's electronic components for the fore mentioned reason (i.e., tactile feedback)...
Most bike stores are notoriously bad for good information. My local bike shop tell me that leading research shows that 25mm tires are faster but they forget to mention that this is on the newer 25 to 27mm rims - with a standard 19mm it'd be an aero windsock. HED actually say that 22mm Conti tires are fastest on their Jet + rims that are 25mm wide. I'm sure there are some well informed bike shops out there but sadly I haven't found one yet. You seem to have a nice bike already so personally I wouldn't go after another bike just because of any exceedingly small advantage that Di2 might offer. One thing that I've been interested in is the remote Di2 shifters and the thought of putting a set on the bar tops for really long climbs. Aerodynamics is always a factor, more so that weight. The minimal weight increase in a modern frame is massively offset by aero advantages unless you just happen to live in an area that has big climbs (many miles) at 8+%. England doesn't have climbs like that. Clip on aero bars and an helmet like the Specialized Evade would offer more advantage at a way lower cost. Any ANT+ powermeter would work with your Edge 800. I have a PowerTap but the Quarq based cranks seem to be good. I'm not too well up on SRM but they are the "gold standard" Regular poster Alex Simmons has a really informative blog that probably has some good info on different powermeters. He's a wealth of knowledge and a good lad. http://alex-cycle.blogspot.com/?m=1 That's the mobile site, remove the bit on the end for the regular. Another regular on here, feltrider, has a garmin edge 800 with a couple of different powermeters. He has a blog with some good stuff on it. The type of powermeter basically comes down to personal preference. If you have more than one bike then a PowerTap equiped wheel may be the way to go. It's easy to swap the wheels between bikes. If you just have one bike then a crank based system would allow you to use different wheel sets for training and racing... Something like a PowerTap in a HED Jet 6+ with stallion build if you're over 170lbs would make a great training and racing wheel. The extra few spokes will give a minimal increase in aero drag but will offer some extra strength as well as being better able to handle spoke breakage. More spokes mean that the wheel doesn't distort as much if a spoke does break. With it being on the back of the bike I wouldn't worry too much. They normally say that the stallion build is for riders in the 200lb or heavier range but the few extra spokes will be worth it on long rides where equipment failure is not an option. I'd opt for something like a Hed 6 over a Zipp or enve wheel just because of the aluminum braking surface. Rural roads, rain, farmer Giles dragging his muck spreader, rain and carbon rims - screw that combination for a game of soldiers... That combo is bad enough on regular rims let alone carbon.Cube1959 said:
Brill info again m8 , the bike i have is a great bike , and has the super light frame on it after it went back twice for cracks , need to update my avatar photo , 2 frames and i would still get another cube , just i want a second bike , and if im getting one want something a little better and different if poss , but one that will get me to lands end and back LOL .. I am lucky to have a nice enough buget to get a decent bike , but don't want to feel it was money wasted , and find i am still out on my Cube ..
HMmmmm ....
Lol , i wish i knew what to do , still reading bits on the net , every bike i read about has some problem , yet shops talk like they are selling the dogs b**locks .. What none have done is said they can provide me with a bike as good as the Boardman for £2449 .. they all come back with , well for your budget of 4k we can give you this one discounted to 3.5 k .. Meaning it's the price the boardman was .. But a bike at 3.5k will stay as it was brought .. As i say i could put another 1.6k into the boardman if i wanted .. Now off to get some answers to your very valid questions ... I will report back when i know some more .. LOL .. Cheers for the input , much apreciated .. Rog
That said, you already have a really nice road bike that's more than capable of doing Lands end to John o Groats. Especially with you having to live with colitis, I'd look at ways to make your cycling more productive and possibly less stressful. It's bad enough without wonky guts to go too hard and end up smashed out your brains after a hard day - and apart from the odd race many years ago where I hard to race with dodgy guts, I can't imagine doing that all the time. Just for that reason alone I'd opt for the powermeter - it allows you to be frugal yet effective with your efforts when riding. But I guess I've said that already... Alf, why are you prattling on about "feel" for Di2 - it's electronic, all you feel is a slight click. Click, change... Pretty straight forward. There's always the other benefit of a narrower brake lever body that feels like an old school pre-brifter.
Wow, alfeng is talking about obsolescence. I must be in an alternate universe.
Originally Posted by swampy1970
As a general rule, complete bikes are normally way cheaper than the individual components bought separately. Financially, it makes more sense to buy the bike with most of the parts that you want on it already installed.
If you're looking for another bike "just because" then I'd take a look at a Cannondale EVO. I have the slightly older Cannondale HiMod and it's an awesome bike. Confidence inspiring beyond belief and despite having tree trunk sized tubes that seemingly transmit every ounce of power you put into the bike, it rides very smoothly indeed. The EVO is said to be even better... I have never ridden a Boardman bike - I have ridden a road version of the Lotus Bike though similar to the one that Boardman smashed everyone enroute to the fastest Tour prologue in history...
That said, you already have a really nice road bike that's more than capable of doing Lands end to John o Groats.
Especially with you having to live with colitis, I'd look at ways to make your cycling more productive and possibly less stressful. It's bad enough without wonky guts to go too hard and end up smashed out your brains after a hard day - and apart from the odd race many years ago where I hard to race with dodgy guts, I can't imagine doing that all the time. Just for that reason alone I'd opt for the powermeter - it allows you to be frugal yet effective with your efforts when riding. But I guess I've said that already...
Alf, why are you prattling on about "feel" for Di2 - it's electronic, all you feel is a slight click. Click, change... Pretty straight forward. There's always the other benefit of a narrower brake lever body that feels like an old school pre-brifter.
Cheers again guys , great advice and input , I guess what is holding me back at the moment is a local shop , she used to race bikes , so you would think they know what they are talking about , But they also sell bikes , and it's a tough market .. They stock certain makes so will push them cause at the end of the day it's there wages . They also said no one stocks boardman elite , But some of the bikes they have shown me i jave never heard of and don't like the look , also they all start at just below bI know i am over thinking it , B. This guy at Boardman has been really helpful .. This is his latest reply
Originally Posted by swampy1970
As a general rule, complete bikes are normally way cheaper than the individual components bought separately. Financially, it makes more sense to buy the bike with most of the parts that you want on it already installed.
If you're looking for another bike "just because" then I'd take a look at a Cannondale EVO. I have the slightly older Cannondale HiMod and it's an awesome bike. Confidence inspiring beyond belief and despite having tree trunk sized tubes that seemingly transmit every ounce of power you put into the bike, it rides very smoothly indeed. The EVO is said to be even better... I have never ridden a Boardman bike - I have ridden a road version of the Lotus Bike though similar to the one that Boardman smashed everyone enroute to the fastest Tour prologue in history...
That said, you already have a really nice road bike that's more than capable of doing Lands end to John o Groats.
Especially with you having to live with colitis, I'd look at ways to make your cycling more productive and possibly less stressful. It's bad enough without wonky guts to go too hard and end up smashed out your brains after a hard day - and apart from the odd race many years ago where I hard to race with dodgy guts, I can't imagine doing that all the time. Just for that reason alone I'd opt for the powermeter - it allows you to be frugal yet effective with your efforts when riding. But I guess I've said that already...
Alf, why are you prattling on about "feel" for Di2 - it's electronic, all you feel is a slight click. Click, change... Pretty straight forward. There's always the other benefit of a narrower brake lever body that feels like an old school pre-brifter.
Cheers again guys , great advice and input , I guess what is holding me back at the moment is a local shop , she used to race bikes , so you would think they know what they are talking about , But they also sell bikes , and it's a tough market .. They stock certain makes so will push them cause at the end of the day it's there wages . They also said no one stocks boardman elite , So then you start thinking and thinking , They said don't buy a bike without sitting on it , i brought my cube that way and it's been fine . I am not going for an Olympic gold here .. I know i am over thinking it , This guy at Boardman has been really helpful .. This is his latest reply Roger
Too true!Originally Posted by swampy1970
As a general rule, complete bikes are normally way cheaper than the individual components bought separately. Financially, it makes more sense to buy the bike with most of the parts that you want on it already installed.
If you're looking for another bike "just because" then I'd take a look at a Cannondale EVO. I have the slightly older Cannondale HiMod and it's an awesome bike. Confidence inspiring beyond belief and despite having tree trunk sized tubes that seemingly transmit every ounce of power you put into the bike, it rides very smoothly indeed. The EVO is said to be even better... I have never ridden a Boardman bike - I have ridden a road version of the Lotus Bike though similar to the one that Boardman smashed everyone enroute to the fastest Tour prologue in history...
That said, you already have a really nice road bike that's more than capable of doing Lands end to John o Groats.
Especially with you having to live with colitis, I'd look at ways to make your cycling more productive and possibly less stressful. It's bad enough without wonky guts to go too hard and end up smashed out your brains after a hard day - and apart from the odd race many years ago where I hard to race with dodgy guts, I can't imagine doing that all the time. Just for that reason alone I'd opt for the powermeter - it allows you to be frugal yet effective with your efforts when riding. But I guess I've said that already...
HMMMmmm ...
