Road bike recommendations

Interesting. I have the A600s and I must admit I was surprised at how quickly that steely grey gets the shit kicked out of it.

Look good with my 80s Tricolour 600 group though.

just noticed play in the forks, which would explain how twitchy the bike was descending, something I initially attributed to a nasty cross wind it means a trip to the lbs for some advice and the appropriate tools. I've never adjusted a threaded headset before, should be fun

Don't quite understand...

sorry, was being sardonic...

It's not sad at all!

I like the fact they've actually been designed for cycling.

as opposed to pedals that aren't designed for cycling?

just noticed play in the forks, which would explain how twitchy the bike was descending, something I initially attributed to a nasty cross wind it means a trip to the lbs for some advice and the appropriate tools. I've never adjusted a threaded headset before, should be fun

It's a very simple job and worth buying a pair of headset spanners so you can do it yourself.

I'd recommend a good maintenance book, such as Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, as it'll save you a fortune in the longer term.

+1, a pair of headset spanners will cost roughly the same as getting Evans to adjust the headset.

Also, they are a useful size for UK plumbing.

The free online Park Tool guides are also very useful for that sort of how-to knowledge. Adjusting a threaded headset is very quick and easy with a pair of suitable spanners.

well four visits to four different LBS produced no spanners, so it ended up costing me £6 to get them to do it, will have to pick some up online. Cost me £6 but also provoked a long discussion and plenty of admiring comments

Bit of a disaster on the next climb tho, as on a steep section the QR popped and the wheel slipped the dropouts, and left a crime scene-looking spread of chips of the lovely orange paint on the road behind me. Fortunately the damage is mainly to the dropouts and the inside of the stays, but still really annoyed at myself, schoolboy error.

And here is it, although a shit picture, it looks more orange than this. Its got a saddle and pedals from another bike at the mo, still have to decide on a saddle. Once I do I'll wrap the bars in leather tape, and I also have to decide on pedals. The stem and bar (Noodle) I put on, as the stock ones weren't silver (criminal IMO)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36442538@N05/6776657907/lightbox/

as opposed to pedals that aren't designed for cycling?

.. as opposed to most clipless pedals which are adaptations of ski bindings.

I still prefer my SPD-SL. I don't give a damn if they're the bastard child of some ski bunny..

it also has a sexy bum:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36442538@N05/6776662167/lightbox/

Jimmy that looks lovely.

But is this the bike your worried about putting clipless pedals on? It has ergo leavers and stickered rim, surely these look more out of place than a pair of Looks?

You can't actually see the pedals when you're riding.

Problem solved.

Nice, but their cheaper cousin, the A520, is much better value, doesn't immediately scratch and for all intents and purposes is the same peddle.

The same?

The 600 is black and 330g
The 520 is silver and 286g

Jimmy that looks lovely.

But is this the bike your worried about putting clipless pedals on? It has ergo leavers and stickered rim, surely these look more out of place than a pair of Looks?

Its not a vintage frame, just looks like one. I'm planning to de-sticker the rims, and put brown leather on the saddle and bar. And the decision on the pedals is as much if not more a personal one than an aesthetic one. I've never ridden clipless

For me that bike suits clips and straps. Clipless is infinitely better, but I still prefer to ride clips and straps on my road-bike.

I had a messy accident involving clips, straps, and a 6 pack of glass beer bottles. Looked like a patch work doll when the hospital was finished with me. Thus I always had a phobia about being clipped in, and when I went for it. It took a long time to be convinced. Now I cant stand cycling without being clipped in.

You really should give it a few weeks trial.

The same?

The 600 is black and 330g
The 520 is silver and 286g

You must have missed the bit where I wrote 'for all intents and purposes'. It's the same design.

Iirc the differences are limited to the 600's finish (that scratches off) and the XT style, slightly more easy to service, spindle.

And I think you mixed the weights up.

My bad should be

600s 286g
520s 330g

I have the 520s and might put 600s on my new bike. I think there is enough of a difference

I think there is enough of a difference

Balls.

They have the same part number all the way up to XTR:
Y41N98030 Steel Ball (3/32") 62 pcs.

If you just want to ride, the improvement above PD-A520/PD-M520 is nowhere near enough to justify the price. You might want posh pedals for aesthetic or weight weenie reasons, but functionally you'd be better off replacing cheap pedals more often.

A520 is a great pedal, more foot support from the platform and being single sided isn't really an issue

as opposed to pedals that aren't designed for cycling?

Well, the speedplay is the only one that doesn't look like a ski bind (I'm sure there are other that doesn't also look it), which is why I thought it was designed from ground up as oppose to taking a current design from a different sport.

I'd recommend a good maintenance book, such as Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance, as it'll save you a fortune in the longer term.

Zinn's a great book, I'm surprised Jimmy got charged as it sound like a five minutes job that my shop won't even bothered charging for in the first place.

Who fucking cares. You need to ride more, and nurture your vélo-empiricism, instead of talking hypothetical shit on here. It's embarrassing.

^ speedplay i think you'll find..