I know its me, but...



J

John Hearns

Guest
I know its me, and I should look first to my legs
and not blame the bike, but on my last few rides
I've sometimes felt that I've been riding through treacle.

To explain, I didn;t do too well on a ridein Hertfordshire
last week. The hills were a bit much for me, probably
because my Claud Butler has a double chainring and is,
IMHO, quite highly geared.
Last night I went out on a pootle to Hyde Park.
Great to see all those cyclists!

The bike runs well enough on a downhill, but just doesn't
have that 'oomph' in acceleration. As I say, at some times
I think its like riding through treacle.
Checked that brakes weren't binding on etc.
Rear tyre pressure is OK, though I have recently changed to
a Specialized Armadillo.

Yes, I know its my legs. But has anyone else felt like this?
Maybe bearings need adjusting?
 
"John Hearns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> I know its me, and I should look first to my legs
> and not blame the bike, but on my last few rides
> I've sometimes felt that I've been riding through treacle.
>
> To explain, I didn;t do too well on a ridein Hertfordshire
> last week. The hills were a bit much for me, probably
> because my Claud Butler has a double chainring and is,
> IMHO, quite highly geared.
> Last night I went out on a pootle to Hyde Park.
> Great to see all those cyclists!
>
> The bike runs well enough on a downhill, but just doesn't
> have that 'oomph' in acceleration. As I say, at some times
> I think its like riding through treacle.
> Checked that brakes weren't binding on etc.
> Rear tyre pressure is OK, though I have recently changed to
> a Specialized Armadillo.
>
> Yes, I know its my legs. But has anyone else felt like this?
> Maybe bearings need adjusting?


Thankyou.
I feel the same on a Claude Butler road bike, mine is in perfect working
order, and it's not my legs.
I can't afford anything flash, but I certainly get the impression it would
help.
I know a flashy name isn't going to help, but just something a whole pile
better than the clanky 11kg thing I've got. I've been looking at the
much-lauded Fort frame with the carbon wishbone. I reckon that built around
Ultegra or (decent campag not familiar with particular groupsets) would
produce a great affordable bike.

--
Mike W
 
John Hearns wrote:

> Yes, I know its my legs. But has anyone else felt like this?
> Maybe bearings need adjusting?


Often. I have yet to find a way of adjusting the bearings in my legs ;-/

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
VisionSet wrote:

> I've been looking
> at the much-lauded Fort frame with the carbon wishbone. I reckon that
> built around Ultegra or (decent campag not familiar with particular
> groupsets) would produce a great affordable bike.


This is exactly what I'm in the process of doing at the moment. I'm going
for the Fort Aluthron frame, though, not the carbon wishbone one. Going for
a mix of Ultegra and 105 (BB, thanks MSeries) -- also Veloce brakes (new
ones, cheap on eBay).

Let you know how it goes -- getting frame in 2 weeks.
 
John Hearns <[email protected]> wrote:

: Yes, I know its my legs. But has anyone else felt like this?
: Maybe bearings need adjusting?

Things to check:

Wheels are true and brakes release properly and don't rub?

Tyres properly inflated and slick?

Wheels spin nicely? Given a very gently prod, a wheel should spin
round a least of couple of times if the bearings are ok.

Chain clean?

Bike clean and not covered in clag?

Jockey wheel clean? (take off to clean properly)

Headset properly adjusted?

Spin crank backwards by hand - they should move easily. If not, BB
may be stiff if everything above is clean.

Gears adjusted properly?

After that, it's your legs :(

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org
"Technolibertarians make a philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook
 
"John Hearns" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:p[email protected]...
> I know its me, and I should look first to my legs
> and not blame the bike, but on my last few rides
> I've sometimes felt that I've been riding through treacle.
>
> [...]
>
> The bike runs well enough on a downhill, but just doesn't
> have that 'oomph' in acceleration. As I say, at some times
> I think its like riding through treacle.
> Checked that brakes weren't binding on etc.
> Rear tyre pressure is OK, though I have recently changed to
> a Specialized Armadillo.
>
> Yes, I know its my legs. But has anyone else felt like this?
>

Often. I'm one of those sad people that has a record of every journey I've
made on my bike since I got it (only 2.5 years - a recent convert 20 years
after my last chilodhood bike), including route, distance, time. So I notice
when my journey times aren't what I expect.

Sometimes I've been pushing really hard and the time is disappointing.
Sometimes
I have an easy ride but the time is respectable. There are times when the
wind is to
blame (no, really:) but often I can't explain it. It does indeed feel like
cycling through
treacle.

So, no explanation but at least you know you aren't alone.

> Maybe bearings need adjusting?
>

A spot of oil on the hip and knee joints, perhaps.

Steve.
 
"Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> VisionSet wrote:
>
> > I've been looking
> > at the much-lauded Fort frame with the carbon wishbone. I reckon that
> > built around Ultegra or (decent campag not familiar with particular
> > groupsets) would produce a great affordable bike.

>
> This is exactly what I'm in the process of doing at the moment. I'm going
> for the Fort Aluthron frame, though, not the carbon wishbone one. Going

for
> a mix of Ultegra and 105 (BB, thanks MSeries) -- also Veloce brakes (new
> ones, cheap on eBay).
>
> Let you know how it goes -- getting frame in 2 weeks.


What does the total bill come to, if you don't mind me asking?

The problem is I just don't think this custom build buisness can beat value
for money wise the right deal on e-bay or in the small ads.

--
Mike W
 
VisionSet wrote:
> What does the total bill come to, if you don't mind me asking?


£844.54 (not bad actually). Ultegra hubs, derailleurs, cassette, chainset,
shifters, seatpost, chain; 105 BB; Campag Veloce brakes; Mavic Open Pro
rims, Fort Aluthron frame; ITM Spider fork; Vittoria Diamante tyres; FSA
headset. I've been building up the bits for about 2 months -- sort of HP.

> The problem is I just don't think this custom build buisness can beat
> value for money wise the right deal on e-bay or in the small ads.


It's not just about value: I'm enjoying the process of finding all the bits
and putting them all together. Even more enjoyable will be riding it!
 
> I know its me, and I should look first to my legs
> and not blame the bike, but on my last few rides
> I've sometimes felt that I've been riding through treacle.


I went on a "purpose built" cycle track last summer that felt that you were
riding through treacle. It was surfaced with some gravel-like stuff and even
with quite wide MTB tyres - I was sinking slightly into the surface - and as
I was travelling along - it felt like I had a big snowplough on the front. I
could tell exactly where I'd been on the track - as I'd left a wide-visible
trail. Later on the track - it suddenly turned from this standard in to a 4m
wide asphalt surfaced track - with double-height armco barriers where we had
a bit of a valley.
 
"Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> VisionSet wrote:
> > What does the total bill come to, if you don't mind me asking?

>
> £844.54 (not bad actually). Ultegra hubs, derailleurs, cassette, chainset,
> shifters, seatpost, chain; 105 BB; Campag Veloce brakes; Mavic Open Pro
> rims, Fort Aluthron frame; ITM Spider fork; Vittoria Diamante tyres; FSA
> headset. I've been building up the bits for about 2 months -- sort of HP.
>
> > The problem is I just don't think this custom build buisness can beat
> > value for money wise the right deal on e-bay or in the small ads.

>
> It's not just about value: I'm enjoying the process of finding all the

bits
> and putting them all together. Even more enjoyable will be riding it!


Yes a very enjoyable process! I built a c*r the same way.
Sounds the business btw. Links to photos when done please!

--
Mike W
 
"Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> VisionSet wrote:
> > What does the total bill come to, if you don't mind me asking?

>
> £844.54 (not bad actually). Ultegra hubs, derailleurs, cassette, chainset,
> shifters, seatpost, chain; 105 BB; Campag Veloce brakes; Mavic Open Pro
> rims, Fort Aluthron frame; ITM Spider fork; Vittoria Diamante tyres; FSA
> headset. I've been building up the bits for about 2 months -- sort of HP.


Hmm. Shimano shifters and Campag calipers. So you have shifters with no quick
release, brakes with no quick release, and therefore no easy way to get the
wheels in and out of the frame? Or do you plan to run only 19mm tyres?

Please do tell how you are solving this one?

> > The problem is I just don't think this custom build buisness can beat
> > value for money wise the right deal on e-bay or in the small ads.

>
> It's not just about value: I'm enjoying the process of finding all the bits
> and putting them all together. Even more enjoyable will be riding it!


Here's hoping.
--
Mark South
Citizen of the World, Denizen of the Net
<<Tiens! Ce poulet a une grenade!>>
 
Steve Rumsby:
> Often. I'm one of those sad people that has a record of every journey I've
> made on my bike since I got it


I've taken to recording all my rides in an Excel spreadsheet. Only been
doing it for about three months though. I record route, weather, distance,
time, average speed, and RPE (rate of perceived effort) and 'workload' (the
overall amount of exercise done, calculated as time*RPE - using a heart rate
monitor and properly defined training 'zones' is the more scientific way of
doing this).

It's mainly a philosophical exercise, rather than a practical one, but it's
quite pleasing to have concrete evidence of my gradually improving fitness.

> Sometimes I've been pushing really hard and the time is disappointing.


Yes, but your workload will be higher, so really you're not comparing like
with like, even if it's the same route and the same weather conditions. You
would need a heart rate monitor to prove this empirically, but you can
easily work out for yourself how hard it *feels*.

> Sometimes
> I have an easy ride but the time is respectable.


....and in this case your workload will be lower, so you would have to cycle
for much longer to do the same amount of work as your slower time.

Of course, none of this explains *why* you feel so bad on some days and so
good on others - I think it's just One Of Those Things.

d.
 
me:
> It's mainly a philosophical exercise, rather than a practical one


....though it's just occurred to me that I could put it on the web and call
it a blog.

d.
 
in message <[email protected]>, Simonb
('[email protected]') wrote:

> VisionSet wrote:
>> What does the total bill come to, if you don't mind me asking?

>
> £844.54 (not bad actually). Ultegra hubs, derailleurs, cassette,
> chainset, shifters, seatpost, chain; 105 BB; Campag Veloce brakes;
> Mavic Open Pro rims, Fort Aluthron frame; ITM Spider fork; Vittoria
> Diamante tyres; FSA headset. I've been building up the bits for about
> 2 months -- sort of HP.
>
> It's not just about value: I'm enjoying the process of finding all the
> bits and putting them all together. Even more enjoyable will be riding
> it!


My Mantra's been like that. It still needs its forks serviced but apart
from that it is now finished (at least stage 1) and ridable. I paid
£310 for the frame, forks, rear shock, stem, cranks, mechs and brakes
on ebay. The saddle is the one that came on my Cannondale, and one of
these days will probably get changed for a Brooks. The front wheel
comes off my old Scott. The rear wheel, cluster, chain, chainrings,
jockey-wheels, shifters, brake levers, grips, handlebar, cables and
seatpost are all new. Total cost so far about £600.

The forks aren't great, and in the long run the theory is I'll fit a USE
SUB (when I win the lottery - slightly complicated by the fact I don't
actually _do_ the lottery). I also want to experiment with a Rohloff
(that is, after all, why I wanted a Mantra in the first place) but that
too will have to wait for my long lost second cousin three times
removed in South Americs to die without issue.

It's interestingly different to my Cannondale, and the question arises
does one person really need two full suspension cross-country bikes...
but considering what it is it hasn't been at all expensive to build and
it's a really nice bike to ride I think the answer has to be 'yes'. And
it's great fun having a bike on which I can experiment with stuff.

--
[email protected] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

'graveyards are full of indispensable people'
 
"Steve Rumsby" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> Often. I'm one of those sad people that has a record of every journey
> I've made on my bike since I got it (only 2.5 years - a recent convert
> 20 years after my last chilodhood bike), including route, distance,
> time. So I notice when my journey times aren't what I expect.


I keep a basic log of my rides on an Excel spreadsheet as well - just the
bare facts - distance, time taken, speed, weather, route. I find it
interesting to look back on my old rides, eg. how I've improved in the last
year, how much further and faster I'm going, how I'm coping with the hills,
etc. I wouldn't call it sad.

>
> Sometimes I've been pushing really hard and the time is disappointing.
> Sometimes
> I have an easy ride but the time is respectable. There are times when
> the wind is to
> blame (no, really:) but often I can't explain it. It does indeed feel
> like cycling through
> treacle.


I suppose it happens to everyone, me included. Some days I can go for hours
and hours and only stop cos I can't think of anywhere else to go. Some days
I struggle to keep the pedals turning at a respectable speed.

> A spot of oil on the hip and knee joints, perhaps.


I even tried Cod Liver Oil ;-)
 
Following on from Arthur Clune's message. . .
>John Hearns <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>: Yes, I know its my legs. But has anyone else felt like this?
>: Maybe bearings need adjusting?
>
>Things to check:
>
>Wheels are true and brakes release properly and don't rub?
>
>Tyres properly inflated and slick?
>
>Wheels spin nicely? Given a very gently prod, a wheel should spin
>round a least of couple of times if the bearings are ok.
>
>Chain clean?
>
>Bike clean and not covered in clag?
>
>Jockey wheel clean? (take off to clean properly)
>
>Headset properly adjusted?
>
>Spin crank backwards by hand - they should move easily. If not, BB
>may be stiff if everything above is clean.
>
>Gears adjusted properly?
>
>After that, it's your legs :(
>

Following on from this sensible checklist. (Especially the clag in the
drive train); are you sure you have the carbs ready to use in your body?
Today I didn't bother with breakfast and soon found out that to really
get going I'd have to be in teethgrittingly angry mode. - Something to
do with harassing your body enough so that it realises there is nothing
for it - it'll just have to unwrap some fat it had been saving up for a
rainy day. (Don't know what the fuss is about - It isn't like there is a
shortage in my case!)

Also there are some ba****ds who put really rough chippings down. They
don't do that on motorways but apparently it is essential for country
lanes. - I wonder why? [Answer - 'cos Surface dressing it's a nice
little earner for the contractors.]


--
PETER FOX Not the same since the statuette business went bust
[email protected]
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides
 
Mark South wrote:
> "Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> VisionSet wrote:
>>> What does the total bill come to, if you don't mind me asking?

>>
>> £844.54 (not bad actually). Ultegra hubs, derailleurs, cassette,
>> chainset, shifters, seatpost, chain; 105 BB; Campag Veloce brakes;
>> Mavic Open Pro rims, Fort Aluthron frame; ITM Spider fork; Vittoria
>> Diamante tyres; FSA headset. I've been building up the bits for
>> about 2 months -- sort of HP.

>
> Hmm. Shimano shifters and Campag calipers. So you have shifters
> with no quick release, brakes with no quick release, and therefore no
> easy way to get the wheels in and out of the frame? Or do you plan
> to run only 19mm tyres?
>
> Please do tell how you are solving this one?


I am aware of this (Campaag has QR on the levers and Shimano on the
caliper) -- I'll just have to either loosen the brake or let some air out of
the tyre -- the only time I'll be taking the wheel off is for punctures
(tyre will be flat anyhow) or maintenance (I have a track pump at home and
so letting some air out is not really a problem).
 
On 19/5/04 11:44 pm, in article [email protected],
"Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I am aware of this (Campaag has QR on the levers and Shimano on the
> caliper)


My Shimano levers have QR on them.. as do the callipers.

Levers are Sante (there is a blast from the past in a fetching cream colour)
and the callipers are RX100 (replaced the Sante ones with dual pivot
brakes.. so much better).

...d
 
In article <BCD22924.1573A%[email protected]>, David Martin wrote:
>On 19/5/04 11:44 pm, in article [email protected],
>"Simonb" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> I am aware of this (Campaag has QR on the levers and Shimano on the
>> caliper)

>
>My Shimano levers have QR on them.. as do the callipers.


I just recently found mine do to - my calipers don't (both Exage 300,
so yes, I've had them a long time without noticing). Like Simon, I
just let air out of the tires whenever I took the wheels out (or had
a flat anyway). I'm replacing the levers, and as I was taking the bar
tape off, thought "what's that knob hidden under there for?".
 
On Wed, 19 May 2004 17:02:23 +0000 (UTC), "davek"
<[email protected]> wrote (more or less):

>Steve Rumsby:
>> Often. I'm one of those sad people that has a record of every journey I've
>> made on my bike since I got it

>
>I've taken to recording all my rides in an Excel spreadsheet. Only been
>doing it for about three months though


Same here - although I use the excel-like spreadsheet on my Psion
handheld, and I've done it for going on 12 months now.

> I record route, weather, distance,time, average speed,


same here (apart frm the weather), an dI often take part-route
measurements e.g 2 or 4 rows of stuff on a single journey.

>and RPE (rate of perceived effort)


Oh - that's an interesting one. I'm assuming that that's a 'took it
easy' or 'sprinted hard into headwind' sort of a measure?

>and 'workload' (the
>overall amount of exercise done, calculated as time*RPE - using a heart rate
>monitor and properly defined training 'zones' is the more scientific way of
>doing this).


Oh, perhaps RPE is more than just perception of effort then - maybe
it's a measurement of cardio workload from the pulse meter?

>It's mainly a philosophical exercise, rather than a practical one, but it's
>quite pleasing to have concrete evidence of my gradually improving fitness.


Yep.

Or sometimes a concrete demo of the fact I don't get out as much as I
think I do!

>> Sometimes I've been pushing really hard and the time is disappointing.

>
>Yes, but your workload will be higher, so really you're not comparing like
>with like, even if it's the same route and the same weather conditions. You
>would need a heart rate monitor to prove this empirically, but you can
>easily work out for yourself how hard it *feels*.



>> Sometimes
>> I have an easy ride but the time is respectable.

>
>...and in this case your workload will be lower, so you would have to cycle
>for much longer to do the same amount of work as your slower time.
>

Yep.


--
Cheers,
Euan
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