Vuelta (cycling)

Chester Perry · Post by **Chester Perry** » Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:55 pm

Chapeau Alberto

Chapeau Chris

Sky what a team - Poels was outstanding today

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:51 pm

Pstotto wrote:Have you tried cycling out of Hebden Bridge up to the Tod road (the lane near the turning circle, not the one to Heptonstall?) It's 33% and yes I got off the bike and no I only had 10 gears.

I rode up that road today. I didn't think it was possible to cycle so slowly and stay upright.

The worst bit - being overtaken by some swines on electric bikes. I felt like pushing them off.

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 7:55 pm

Brilliant - did they smirk as they did you ?

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 8:56 pm

Unbelievably they had to stop twice for breathers!

Which means the bastards passed me twice.

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 8:59 pm

Cruel.

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:06 pm

So... Electric bikes have their limits.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:14 pm

At least I have the satisfaction of knowing I got up there under my own steam, and some EPO (extra porridge oats)

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:25 pm

Respect! What kind of bike have you got? I tried it on an 80's Peugeot 12-speed Reynolds 501 frame racer about 20 years ago. It's not really all that lightweight and I'm a bit of a lightweight when it comes to cycling, certainly not a club rider.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:32 pm

I have a Genesis cyclocross. Steel frame so not the lightest but robust. I mainly ride on roads with 28" tyres but it's handy to have the option to use it on rougher tracks with the CX tyres on.

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:41 pm

I would have liked to have had a go at cyclocross, but it was one of those things on TV that other people did elsewhere. I wouldn't have been good enough to compete, though. My bike was advertised as a triathlon bike for some reason but I would never have liked to have done a triathlon. I once came second at Read Gala cross country and the prize was handed out by a young Burnley player that never quite made it. Marshall Burke? I think it was.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:49 pm

I have no intention of entering a cyclocross race.

I think CX bikes have been rebranded as adventure road bikes to appeal to the likes of me.

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Sun Sep 24, 2017 9:54 pm

Looks OK from the internet pics... I've never ridden a new bike like that so I wouldn't know. The bike I use at the moment is an old Clements 531 racer, but again, it's not all that lightweight. Still, for £65 secondhand in mint condition, it was a bargain (15 years ago.)

Malvern claret · Post by **Malvern claret** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 3:43 pm

We went to see Ernie Clements at his bike shop about 25 years ago, my wife commented that at five foot nothing she had great difficulty getting a bike she could ride. Two weeks later he turned up at our house with a newly built bike in the back of his car and said she could have it for what he had spent on parts! It was brilliant.

She will be out of favour with family cat as she has now gone 'electric', but that was a 70th birthday present so, I think, she is allowed! Pstotto asks if there are limits to electric bikes, we may be about to find out. We are currently in northern Spain following some of the Vuelta route and Alto Angliru awaits. It could be too much although Alpe d' Huez and Ventoux were ok. I ride an 'Oxford bikes' with VERY low gears.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 5:42 pm

Malvern claret wrote:We went to see Ernie Clements at his bike shop about 25 years ago, my wife commented that at five foot nothing she had great difficulty getting a bike she could ride. Two weeks later he turned up at our house with a newly built bike in the back of his car and said she could have it for what he had spent on parts! It was brilliant.

She will be out of favour with family cat as she has now gone 'electric', but that was a 70th birthday present so, I think, she is allowed! Pstotto asks if there are limits to electric bikes, we may be about to find out. We are currently in northern Spain following some of the Vuelta route and Alto Angliru awaits. It could be too much although Alpe d' Huez and Ventoux were ok. I ride an 'Oxford bikes' with VERY low gears.

I think am electric bike at 70 is acceptable. The couple I saw were half that age!

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 6:06 pm

Nice story, Malvern. I wrote to 'Clements' and got a letter back from his son, who said my bike was probably made in South Wales, although it's got a 'Made in England' sticker proudly on the front.

If you can get up Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux on an electric bike, then that's good enough for me. I met a bloke the other week who is importing electric bikes from Germany now, but I don't have the brand name handy. I checked the website, he's into stepthrough bikes with Bosch engines. Definitely going to get one eventually so I might miss out on getting the new-fangled type bikes like Familycats (I'm already middle aged.)

Pstotto · Post by **Pstotto** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:34 pm

By the way, I checked out Oxford Bikes and they didn't seem to do an electric one. Out of my price league, anyway.

evensteadiereddie · Post by **evensteadiereddie** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 7:36 pm

I'm after a bit of advice here. I've got a Cannondale Supersix Evo, a great, light climbing bike with no problems. I've had it eighteen months and am wondering about changing the Sram 11 - 28 cassette to maybe one in the 30s. Cost is not an issue.
a) Is there much point - and, if so, what are the advantages ?
b) Would I have to make any other changes to accommodate the new set ?
Cheers.

TheFamilyCat · Post by **TheFamilyCat** » Tue Oct 03, 2017 9:02 pm

I'm not a huge expert, but I put a bigger cassette (36) on my wife's bike.

You should be able to put an 11-32 cassette on without making any other changes as long as you have the same number of sprockets. It will equate to approx an extra 1 - 2 gears lower.

If you go any bigger than 32, you'll probably need a long cage dérailleur and a longer chain.

(I'm assuming you have a standard 34/50 crank set?)

This forum is helpful, if a bit techy and the links on it are good as well.

http://road.cc/content/forum/218595-11- ... ain-length" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Malvern claret · Post by **Malvern claret** » Thu Oct 05, 2017 12:35 pm

Obviously did not make it clear. My wife went e bike for her 70th, my oxford bike is a pedal cycle with amazing gears 36 on back, 18 on front and yesterday I got up Alto del Angliru on it. A truly amazing ride with the last 5km being in brilliant sunshine above the cloud layer. Lots of high fives with Spaniards 40 to 50 years younger than me at the top! Hardest I have ever done and won't be repeated until I have got the electric bike I am promised for my 80th!

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