If you race this advice isn´t for you .
Now those of you that just ride for fun can explode a few myths with me .
WEIGHT : this doesn´t matter over much , how many of us out there can´t lose 2-3 kg with a little will power in a manner that will not cost an arm and a leg like a new bike ; if you want a new bike fine but don´t pay through the nose because it´s a couple of kg lighter than your present bike - a lower gear and a diet will help far more AND by reducing your weight rather than the bike you´ll lower your c of g more effectivly .
GROUPSET : what ever you may have read you don´t have to buy the top sets , the Shimano Ultegra and 105 and the Campag Centear ( daytona as was ) + the one a step below it all work very well indeed - with Durace and Record your paying more for swank value than need ( they are better but not so much better as to justify the price ) for people like us .
WHEELS: fancy - and expensive - aero wheels Kysrium etc will be of little benefit to us and may even be a disadvantage as they provide greater lateral cross section in cross winds : they can also , though not always , ride rougher and their high cost and more complicated maintainence compared to a good classic 3-cross wheel - we don´t ride fast enough to need them - and when ( not if ) we crash they are a lot cheaper to replace .
FIT KITS : take these with a pinch of salt ; just ´cause the racers ride with their hands down by their ankles does not mean you have to - above all be comfy , if you want the saddle forward or rearward , fine go with it - what works for LA or Indurain may not work for you - just get the saddle hight right for you ( and that´s real personal - but remember a bit too low is safer than a bit too high never adjust more than 5mm at a time ) but if your back hurts then think about raiseing the handlebar and , possibly , bringing it a bit closer to you .
ps do ONE adjust at a time as 2 or 3 simultainiously will just confuse , what worked what didn´t ? Bike size ? inside leg x 0·65 is a good place to start but consult your dealer ( round up not down : ie 53·5 = 54 cm )
SADDLES : very very personal as what works for me may be agony for you but don´t buy cheap it´s a false economy and don´t buy one of these modern " razor blade " types that the pros use - you won´t like it , not one little bit - a strong rider takes more of their weight on their legs than we do so for them it doesn´t matter but for us ....... but remember a soft saddle is usually not as good as a firmer saddle .
TYRES : always use 23 mm tyres not 20 mm , the rolling resistance is virtually the same but a 23 mm will be more comfy at the same pressure and do remember you get what you pay for too cheap is a bad economy but again the top of the range isn´t often value for money , Continental make ace tyres but they charge like a wounded rhino ; though for a bullet proof tyre you can´t do much better than the Ultra Gator Skin - the Specialized Armadillo is said to good but opinion says it´s not as compliant ie it´s a rougher ride .
CARBON : good material but over priced and VERY easy to crack if overtightened ( seat pins , handlebars , stems etc ) so leave alone if your not rich or mechanically minded - helps to own a torque wrench .
Carbon forks yes but stick to steel or ali steerer tubes rather than full carbon - they´re beautiful but you can crack them by over tightening the stem .
Basicaly go with what feels good but don´t get conned into paying through the nose for a name or a quality you don´t need .
Have fun out there .
I expect there are loads of you out there who will disagree with some or all of the above : it will be good to hear your view of things .
Anybody seen Boudreaux lately ? haven´t seen him much lately , hope he´s well .
Now those of you that just ride for fun can explode a few myths with me .
WEIGHT : this doesn´t matter over much , how many of us out there can´t lose 2-3 kg with a little will power in a manner that will not cost an arm and a leg like a new bike ; if you want a new bike fine but don´t pay through the nose because it´s a couple of kg lighter than your present bike - a lower gear and a diet will help far more AND by reducing your weight rather than the bike you´ll lower your c of g more effectivly .
GROUPSET : what ever you may have read you don´t have to buy the top sets , the Shimano Ultegra and 105 and the Campag Centear ( daytona as was ) + the one a step below it all work very well indeed - with Durace and Record your paying more for swank value than need ( they are better but not so much better as to justify the price ) for people like us .
WHEELS: fancy - and expensive - aero wheels Kysrium etc will be of little benefit to us and may even be a disadvantage as they provide greater lateral cross section in cross winds : they can also , though not always , ride rougher and their high cost and more complicated maintainence compared to a good classic 3-cross wheel - we don´t ride fast enough to need them - and when ( not if ) we crash they are a lot cheaper to replace .
FIT KITS : take these with a pinch of salt ; just ´cause the racers ride with their hands down by their ankles does not mean you have to - above all be comfy , if you want the saddle forward or rearward , fine go with it - what works for LA or Indurain may not work for you - just get the saddle hight right for you ( and that´s real personal - but remember a bit too low is safer than a bit too high never adjust more than 5mm at a time ) but if your back hurts then think about raiseing the handlebar and , possibly , bringing it a bit closer to you .
ps do ONE adjust at a time as 2 or 3 simultainiously will just confuse , what worked what didn´t ? Bike size ? inside leg x 0·65 is a good place to start but consult your dealer ( round up not down : ie 53·5 = 54 cm )
SADDLES : very very personal as what works for me may be agony for you but don´t buy cheap it´s a false economy and don´t buy one of these modern " razor blade " types that the pros use - you won´t like it , not one little bit - a strong rider takes more of their weight on their legs than we do so for them it doesn´t matter but for us ....... but remember a soft saddle is usually not as good as a firmer saddle .
TYRES : always use 23 mm tyres not 20 mm , the rolling resistance is virtually the same but a 23 mm will be more comfy at the same pressure and do remember you get what you pay for too cheap is a bad economy but again the top of the range isn´t often value for money , Continental make ace tyres but they charge like a wounded rhino ; though for a bullet proof tyre you can´t do much better than the Ultra Gator Skin - the Specialized Armadillo is said to good but opinion says it´s not as compliant ie it´s a rougher ride .
CARBON : good material but over priced and VERY easy to crack if overtightened ( seat pins , handlebars , stems etc ) so leave alone if your not rich or mechanically minded - helps to own a torque wrench .
Carbon forks yes but stick to steel or ali steerer tubes rather than full carbon - they´re beautiful but you can crack them by over tightening the stem .
Basicaly go with what feels good but don´t get conned into paying through the nose for a name or a quality you don´t need .
Have fun out there .
I expect there are loads of you out there who will disagree with some or all of the above : it will be good to hear your view of things .
Anybody seen Boudreaux lately ? haven´t seen him much lately , hope he´s well .
