LEL 2017 / London - Edinburgh - London Audax

Hot and cold, hot and cold.

Would love to have a strut with them if thats alroght?

New bike consultation (if you're getting a new frame thats what you will want I'd imagine) is less than a ton, and you really get your moneys worth. You won't regret it ;)

Of course: send me a PM with your address (photo swap optional).

Aero cleat poser. Us lot just use kovers. 😚

They know what is what but they don't know what is what they just strut. What the fuck.

Kovers for loverz?

Aero cleats cost about a tenner more than the regular ones, ie the cost of a pair of Kovers.

And one of your aero cleats won't fuck off into a hedge in the middle of nowhere, ie London.

All the cool kids...

#me

I bought all my shit before they existed. Are they one or two sided?

Wasn't there some compatibility issue with aero cleats?

So I've put some small aerobars on (couldn't find anywhere with flip-up ones in stock, so went for small hoping that'll avoid me kneeing them). Going to try them on an audax this weekend... what with the light going below the bars I no longer have much room for a handlebar bag, though, which isn't so great.

Hmmm...

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Double-sided: you use them with regular Zero pedals.

The aero pedals are single-sided.

I can't recall a compatibility problem: in theory, and you were stuck, you could use either pedal with either cleat.

So I've put some small aerobars on ...

Those Profile ones where the pads attach to the bars like that fine on smooth roads. But when you hit a bump, the pad gets forced down onto the base bar. When I've used them on audaxes I've often finished the ride with one elbow an inch lower than the other. I think those are aluminium so you can do the pads really tight which might prevent (mine were carbon and I cracked one by overtighening for this reason!)

I no longer have much room for a handlebar bag, though, which isn't so great.

Topeak Fuel Tank (Large)?

(If you find your knees hit tri-bar pads when climbing then you'll probably find you knees hit a top tube bag when climbing. Whilst some people hate this kind of annoyance I find it a useful companion on long rides as it gives me something minor to be annoyed about and staves off something more major to be annoyed about that might actually hurt.)

Thanks, good knowledge. Hoping they don't turn out to be an expensive mistake...

Yeah, was looking at that or the apidura one... I need something up front to hold a battery pack for recharging the Garmin

If going down that direction, rather get an Alpkit.

I'm looking to panic buy a new waterproof jacket, given that my current one doesn't look to be really waterproof and fits poorly anyway. So it should pack (bonus if in its own pocket), and be really waterproof. Breathability, meh, it's never really breathable anyway.

Looking at the dhb aeron tempo waterproof, or maybe the rapha core rain jacket. Or another option?

I should get myself some arm warmers too. Decisions, decisions.

I got the core rain jacket. It's a little bit boil-in-the-bag but it is pretty waterproof, and the neon chartreuse one feels pretty damned visible.

OK, Topeak Fuel Tank (Large) or similar...

I don't think the alpkit and apidura top tube bags were around when I bought my Fuel Tank (hmm, thought I bought it for PBP'11 but look at a photo it seems not as that's my old tri bag).

Given what's available nowadays I'd probably cover myself in Spray Mount (TM) and thrash around in an apidura store for half an hour and buy whatever sticks.

(None of the stuff would be useful given the longest rides I do now are the odd 3 laps of Richmond Park. sadface.jpg )

dhb Roubaix backed arm warmers have always worked for me.

Maybe I was thinking of the aero pedals. I may have been intoxicated.

Did you use that grip paste stuff? I use that on my Zipps and it's pretty effective.

Grip paste?

Stuff like this: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/gear/category/tools/cycling-tools/grease/product/review-finish-line-fibre-grip-assembly-gel-47580/

aka carbon assembly paste

Thanks!

Yes, I do now but probably didn't when it first happened. They are fine on a normal A road for a TT, but roads like the A40 past Gerrards Cross which is really rough on a downhill bit, has caused them to slip even with paste.
I still use the aerobar despite it being cracked - just gives me something to worry about constantly. They're on an old bike that I've not ridden for about 18 months (and may not ride again) so not a current issue, though.

@h2o any aerobars are bad news if you hit a bump hard. You tend to get an almighty clang and feel like something is going to break. It usually doesn't, but always best to get onto the main bars if you spot a bump! Sometimes you don't make it, though, cause it's hard to spot / dark / you've lost concentration and not looking, etc

After my Rapha one died, I bought a non cycling Rab Atmos which is way better. Breathes (as much as a waterproof can) and has a hood which will go over a helmet. Packs relatively small too.

Burn it.