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Cycling log - random events in the day of a cyclist II

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S-Man said:
Question: Why are some road bike drive trains so noisy?
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I have SRAM 10 spd on my tri bike, an old road bike with 8 spd campag, a newer road bike with 9 speed Shimano (sora - the cheap one). None are noisy unless they are out of adjustment, though the 8 spd campag makes a bit of a clunk when shifting, and the freewheel is very noisy.

I've only had noise problems if the rear mech is out of adjustment, or if I ride with a very crossed chainline.
 
But if it's kit that is out of adjustment, there are an awful lot of riders who don't know how to adjust their kit!

Makes me think of the old "all the gear..." adage, because it often seems to be the riders with coordinating lycra. I did wonder if it was some sort of badge of honour in a 'listen to the power I'm generating" sort of way.
 
S-Man said:
But if it's kit that is out of adjustment, there are an awful lot of riders who don't know how to adjust their kit!
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I think that may be true. I know a surprising number of folks who go to the bike shop when the gears need adjusting - some quite serious cyclists. I guess not all cyclists are mechanically inclined. I'm useless with cars, but bikes are not bad at all - that said they get more complicated for the home mechanic every year. Another conspiracy, no doubt due to the illuminati/Soros/Gates.
 
Amazing how many are unaware of sympathy for the drive train as well, riding around in big/big completely oblivious. Same sort of folk who drive their car until a warning light comes on then moan when it needs twelve things replacing.
 
Yes it makes sense now.
It's easy to assume everyone thinks like us (just read the discussions on knife sharpening etc.!). But of course there are aesthetes out there who appreciate things in a very different way (and wear coordinating lycra :)).
Makes me think of the BMW owner in 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance'.

I was chatting with a bike mechanic recently who told me that due to lockdown they are swamped with people bringing in their few year old bikes that need loads of parts replacing. "But I've only ridden it a few times" they say.
 
matt j said:
Yeah that looks doable, obviously nothing in stock and no potential stock date either though.

At 178cm I am bang on the line for both small and medium, which is annoying.
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Yes, bikes are in demand generally. Wheelbase usually have a decent stock of Cannondale. Giant TCR is another cracking bike, I like the way they look.
 
matt j said:
Yeah that looks doable, obviously nothing in stock and no potential stock date either though.

At 178cm I am bang on the line for both small and medium, which is annoying.
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That seems strange, are you sure? That's 5'10 which is hardly small. I'd have thought M or L. I'm smaller than you at 5'6 (168cm) and I haven't tried a modern road frame but on mtbs I am S or M. Old roadys are 19 or 21 for me.
 
stevec67 said:
That seems strange, are you sure? That's 5'10 which is hardly small. I'd have thought M or L. I'm smaller than you at 5'6 (168cm) and I haven't tried a modern road frame but on mtbs I am S or M. Old roadys are 19 or 21 for me.
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Canyon's sizing is very much their own, Steve. It doesn't really stack up against other makers.

 
Wow, it's amazing how close a 30+ year old steel bike is in set up to a modern bike, given how different they look side by side. These are the full measurements for my Gazelle and Canyon's small.

Gazelle - Canyon

Seat Height - 725mm - 685-785
Top Tube - 545 - 543
Wheelbase - 985 - 993
Stack - 545 - 546
Reach - 390 - 385

Which seems dead on for a small I reckon.

Woodface said:
Easiest thing to do is measure the stack & reach of your current bike & go from that.

Apologies if this is stating the obvious.
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I'd assumed that the measurements weren't comparable given the differences in design etc.
 
matt j said:
Canyon's sizing is very much their own, Steve. It doesn't really stack up against other makers.

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Well, that makes no sense but there you go. So the average British woman is a 2xs, the smallest size, and anyone smaller is stuck? Bizarre. Bikes from Land Of The Giants.
 
S-Man said:
Question: Why are some road bike drive trains so noisy?
Click to expand...

Is that a thing? It's not something I've particularly noticed, even in groups on club rides.

If anything I'd expect it might be poor trimming of the front mech causing some rub depending on what part of the back sprocket was being used. Or maybe folks staying in the big ring on the front, when they've had been better dropping to the small ring and using a different part of the cassette.
 
matt j said:
Wow, it's amazing how close a 30+ year old steel bike is in set up to a modern bike, given how different they look side by side. These are the full measurements for my Gazelle and Canyon's small.

Gazelle - Canyon

Seat Height - 725mm - 685-785
Top Tube - 545 - 543
Wheelbase - 985 - 993
Stack - 545 - 546
Reach - 390 - 385

Which seems dead on for a small I reckon.



I'd assumed that the measurements weren't comparable given the differences in design etc.
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Stack & reach are pretty universal, top tube length is calculated in different ways by manufacturers. Once you have stack & reach you can easily work out which bike fits. I am at the lower end of large but it works, could just as easily gone for a medium.
 
Woodface said:
Stack & reach are pretty universal, top tube length is calculated in different ways by manufacturers. Once you have stack & reach you can easily work out which bike fits. I am at the lower end of large but it works, could just as easily gone for a medium.
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Cheers.

I'd read that Shimano are struggling with demand, which might explain why companies who spec with SRAM have stock of bikes. The Canyon I'm eyeing up doesn't even have a suggested re-stock time frame where as others they are quoting August.

In other strange news, I set four new Strava PBs yesterday on only my third ride out this year having done zero exercise over the whole winter, which doesn't make much sense.
 
matt j said:
Cheers.

I'd read that Shimano are struggling with demand, which might explain why companies who spec with SRAM have stock of bikes. The Canyon I'm eyeing up doesn't even have a suggested re-stock time frame where as others they are quoting August.

In other strange news, I set four new Strava PBs yesterday on only my third ride out this year having done zero exercise over the whole winter, which doesn't make much sense.
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Your PB’s were not very fast? ;)

I am currently ‘trending faster’ according to Strava which only really applies to my post op times; certainly faster in 2016.

A friend of mine works for Focus on the supply side & they are sold out of 2021 bikes, retailers will have them, but all manufactured bikes have been snapped up!

Shimano is the go to group set now, they just offer the best bang for buck.

He does get the odd bike to sell, often 54cms so will PM you if anything comes up. He’s just sold an Izalco Disc ex demo bike in a rather fetching matt grey.
 
Woodface said:
Your PB’s were not very fast?
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Against proper cyclists? Undoubtedly. But they were from back when I was much fitter and faster over a year ago.

I'm not desperate for a bike, probably a good idea to wait first anyway in case I decide to Jack it in again.
 
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