[darrenleroy]

Mungecrundle wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

Playa Mar in Port Pollenca. Stuart Hall operate out of there. Allow cycles in rooms. Great buffet and near the best routes. Just come back from a week cycling, first time in Mallorca and already saving for next year.

 

I think it has kids. Did you notice kids? I would prefer no kids. 

[darrenleroy]

Thanks for the tips. 

Thanks for the tips. 

[darrenleroy]

zero_trooper wrote:

Sorry to hear about your friend’s accident. 

Do you have a copy of the dashcam? Do the police have a copy? Make sure that the company’s Transport Manager knows to keep it safe.  

I’ve used Slater Gordon before and they were very professional.

Good luck.

 

There is a copy of the dashcam footage.

 

My friend has gone with a company called cyclelegal.

 

The solicitor must have thought he has a good case as he travelled down on the train to Southampton to meet him.

 

Friend’s hip has been operated on and it seems to be a success. Now the rehabilitation begins.

[darrenleroy]

Is she on Strava?

Is she on Strava?

[darrenleroy]

grmtylr wrote:

I’ve been running a 1×11 for the past 18 months or so on my road/gravel bike.

I was originally running a 42t up front with either an 11-28 or 11-32 cassette. It wasn’t too bad but rides with lots of climbing could be hard work. I also tried running the 11-28 with a 50t up front which was good for flat rides but bloody tough on the hills.

Since the start of the year I’ve been running a SRAM Force 1×11 set up with a 42t up front and a 10/42 cassette. It’s been fantastic. Managed a week in The Alps and was never short of gears. I was originally concerned about the gaps between gears but in all honesty it’s not bothered me at all.

I think that a 1×12 set up with the 10/42 gear range and closer ratios would be great. Hopefully SRAM will be moving it across from the MTB groupsets onto the road ones soon. 

I’ve been looking at going back to a double set up with Etap this weekend but decided that it’s probably a waste of time. Etap 12 speed could change my mind though!

 

I think you may have convinced me! I know 10/42 may be as aesthically pleasing to the purist as an 11-26 but if you were in the Alps and didn’t run out of gears that is good to know. eTap 1x 12 speed would be my ultimate set-up. I guess we’ll have to wait…

[darrenleroy]

ianguignet wrote:

i use SRAM cx1 force on road,gravel etc. Brilliant. Wouldnt go back

 

What gearing is it? Do you find you ever need more low gears?

[darrenleroy]

CXR94Di2 wrote:

CXR94Di2 wrote:

I’ve got XTR single setup 36t crank and 11-42 cassette. Works very well, simple to operate. Doesn’t quite have the range for a road use, perfect for MTB

 

Where does it let you down? I’d like to go 1x but worry about the low end gearing for really steep hills. I was up the Stelvio in the summer on a compact 50/34 chain ring and a 11-32 on the back and it was bearable, but I wonder what would be the equivalent set-up on a 1x.

[darrenleroy]

I’m a bit of a part-timer

I’m a bit of a part-timer with the bike, normally getting out once a fortnight for a couple of hours in rolling hills and putting the bike away for winter. My cycling-mad best mate persuaded me to travel to Italy to do the Stelvio last month.

We hired bikes with 50-34 on the front and 11-32 on the rear cassette. The ride started off okay on lovely smooth tarmac and gentle gradients but as the air got thinner – it’s 2757 metres at the top which equates to 25 per cent less oxygen – and the switchbacks got progressively steeper I entered a world of pain. I’m a stone overweight as well which really didn’t help. Nor did the beers and local meat and carb heavy meal the night before. I made it to the top but I had to stop four times and felt a bit delirious and had to lie down in the cafe. We did a couple more rides out there and since being back I’ve felt a lot stronger on the bike and more confident that I can tackle pretty much anything the south west can throw at me. 

 

Incidentally, we moved on to France because my friend wanted to do Alpe d’Huez and shared a guesthouse with a very experienced, middle-aged Belgian who fitted a mountain bike triple to his front and got up the top in 52 minutes which seems very fast to me. 

[darrenleroy]

Nice report.

Nice report.

Did it feel safe at night? No lunatic drivers?

[darrenleroy]

rjfrussell wrote:

Am I being a complete dimwit?  You seem to be implying that a shorter crank arm makes climbing easier.  As it is a shorter lever, surely it makes it harder? 

 

I’m not implying anything. I’m stating that because of the relatively short length of my legs the man who did my bike fit suggested that a shorter crank arm would be more suitable than a longer one. 

[darrenleroy]

Jack Osbourne snr wrote:

Jack Osbourne snr wrote:

Give it a good clean and polish before taking final sale photos. Any old degreaser and a bit of GT85 is good for that. I think you’d need to describe them as having a few scuffs and scratches but generally good condition. I can see you’ve spent a bit of time in the small chainring… It’s not badly worn but it’s seen some use. No need to highlight that though, it’s not bad enough. I take it you’ve replaced this with another 53/39? If so, you may want to consider a bigger cassette to help on hills. You could go up to 29 assuming you have a short cage mech.

 

I replaced it with a compact 50/34 as that’s what they had in the shop on the day and I had never intended the bike to be my dream ride. It’s actually quite hideous being Shimano Sora. Very out of keeping with the Campag Record rear derailleur.  My rear cassette is 10-28 and 10 speed. My LBS mechanic said  an 11 cassette wouldn’t fit on the the hub although I don’t know why. I’m sure the rear derailleur has the short cage mech. I could do with a 32 rather than a 28 though. Rode up the Stelvio two weeks ago on a hired bike which had a 32 on the back and although the crank arm was bigger than my recommended 165mm I did appreciate the extra teeth. Didn’t have an oxygen tank fitted to the frame though. 

 

I’ll give the parts a clean and whack them on the classified pages here and maybe eBay (although I hate that site). Thanks for your advice. 

[darrenleroy]

It’s a 53/39 by the way. 

It’s a 53/39 by the way. 

[darrenleroy]

 

 

Thanks for the info, Jack. Here is a pic of the inside. Surfaces look okay but not immaculate. The arm length is 172.5mm. I was recommended a 165mm arm so I swapped it out. Still struggle up-hill though!

 

 

 

[darrenleroy]

Please excuse my absolute

Please excuse my absolute idiocy but on checking my ‘Campag’ crankset I discovered it is in fact made by Bianchi. 

[darrenleroy]

For fuck’s sake, it’s just

For fuck’s sake, it’s just words. No one dies. 

[Author]

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