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Rainx windscreen spray?
Rainx windscreen spray?
Or possibly even WD-40?
Thin smear of vaseline might work, particularly at low temps. It will soften focus slightly but should still be able to discern plates.Mepore is also good for
Mepore is also good for oozing wounds and comes in large sizes.+1 for Tegaderm (or as it’s
+1 for Tegaderm (or as it’s called in our house Tigger Derm)
Sticks, stays stuck, comes off easily when done, no issues with ripping hair out if that applies to you – find an edge and roll it off slowly.
In the first day or so when it’s wet go with something like a Xupad under either a conforming bandage or tubular bandage (referred to as yellow line or blue line in the trade) – assuming you’re dressing a limb. The Xupad won’t stick to the scabs and provides a layer of protection.
In an emergency a heavy flow sanitary towel can work as a dressing, as can a disposable nappy.I’m a fan of/convert to PF
I’m a fan of/convert to PF having had three Giant bikes all of which have done big miles in all weathers. Nary a squeak or rattle.
Electronic shifting is less susceptible to road grime and cold weather, same goes for hydro brakes. But yes more work when they do eventually go wrong.Increasingly capable I think.
Increasingly capable I think. Most bikes in that category will feature some or all of the following:Fully integrated cabling
Wireless or Di2 shifting
T47 BBs
Hidden mudguard mounts
Space for big tyresProbably the only thing missing is dyno light routing and mounting. Stick some grip tape on the exposed tops of your swanky aero bars and you’re good to go.
The only risk is cost of fixing it if you stack it on field run off, ice, or from sidewinds hitting the aero wheels.
Agreed, they work well. Given
Agreed, they work well. Given its an aluminium frame I’d go with that and P-clips on the seat stays to support the rack legs.Couple of general things to
Couple of general things to add if this thread pops up more regularly in search:
1. Check the tyres for cracking. If the bike has been stood for a while, possibly with a slow puncture, you might get cracking on the sidewalls. I’ve had this with a couple of sets of used wheels with Vittoria tyres but it’s not specific to that brand.
2. If it’s a rim brake bike check the brake track for wear. There are usually wear indicators (a dimple) on the track or you can just hold a straight edge against it (bank card will do) and eyeball it.
If you’re buying in person though the main thing is to ask questions of the seller. This also works online to a certain extent. How much do they know about the bike, what sort of riding do they do, etc. In my experience cycling enthusiasts take care of bikes and love to talk about it. It’s not a guarantee of a good bike but it goes a long way.
Assuming it’s got a mahoosive
Assuming it’s got a mahoosive bottom bracket area like most carbon frames that’s the best place to clamp it but I still wouldn’t do it. Tubes are thin and not designed to be squished by a clamp. If you must do it, do it up very loosly, although bear in mind that it will move around a little and likely scuff the paintwork.
Yakima Frontloader is the answer, and a small price to pay given how much a carbon frame costs – about £130 from Roofbox.
If you look at the team cars in the TdF they often use Thule racks but the jaws of the clamp are placed as close as possible to the BB – between the bottle cage and the seat post.
Have a look at Kinesis. Built
Have a look at Kinesis. Built with UK roads in mind, all current models have the clearance you need.
R2 – all rounder
RTD – race bike
Some are available as full builds If you want something even more versatile then they have a range of gravel bikes too – G2, Tripster, and GX Race.
I don’t think so, Vel have DT
I don’t think so, Vel have DT Swiss hubs, Hunt don’t use those.I’ve got a used set of Vel
I’ve got a used set of Vel 38s. DT Swiss ratchet hub, look good, working well tubeless, with relatively easy setup, easy to service. Mine arrived with good tension and are putting up with the twin challenges of awful roads and a heavy rider. Base your decision on whether you like the ultra-buzzy DT Swiss hub noise. Not sure about latest models but mine are only a 20.8mm internal width so best suited to 25 or maybe 28mm tyres.Also, if you buy direct from
Also, if you buy direct from Giant you get a no-hassle 30 day ride and return guarantee. And you can easily check if your size/colour is available. Either direct sales or deliver to your local Giant dealer who will build it up for you.
I had a Faran for a couple of
I had a Faran for a couple of years (actually a prototype model) which morphed into the Secan when the 650B/massive clearance/1x trend happened. Fairlight build consistently great bikes which really do live up to their Fit. Function. Form ethos. You’re not just buying the thing for the bling, there’s performance there too. Plus the team are consistently awesome customer service wise. Obvs they’re not actually welding the frame but they do feel like a very British success story.
Having moved away from road for a while and riding a hardtail MTB I sold my Faran. I’m now back on the road and riding a Giant Revolt (2021 model). The Revolt is a Toyota. Brilliant, easy to live with, well engineered, but a bit dull. For me, unless you’re actually racing, it’s an N=1 bike. Loads of clearance for gravel duties, lightweight frame, and proper road geometry (the ’21 model is identical to the Defy in terms of stack and reach). That means if you so wish you can chuck a set of 28s on it with a nice set of carbon rims and have a very capable road bike. Depending on tyres it should then build into something around 8kgs. Two wheelsets, one frame to do it all. All the D-Fuse stuff (seatpost and bars) really does work. I smash around forest lanes on 28mm tyres and it doesn’t beat me up, I can feel the seatpost flex over potholes and cattle grids. Means I can ride further, faster. I can’t say I love it but I certainly appreciate it and am happy with it – it will do me until I get a bit older and need an e-bike.
Just a note on the current models (which is somewhat moot as there are still ’21 models available) – there is some concern about seat tube failures which Giant haven’t done a brilliant job at addressing. They changed the longstanding D-Fuse design to accommodate a dropper (because that’s where gravel is going these days) and a few buyers have reported cracks which have been fixed under warranty. If you’re buying a newer Revolt definitely get it from an official Giant dealer (or direct from Giant).
I haven’t ridden the current Secan so can’t comment on stiffness/snappiness but the Revolt certainly has no issues in that regard. The BB is massively overbuilt. I’m a heavy rider and nothing budges, even under a standing sprint. I run carbon aero wheels on mine and it gets up to speed nicely and stays there. I’ve also had steel bikes in the past (Bowman Layhams) which were also plenty stiff enough for me, even built around a standard BSA threaded BB shell.
In summary: I think a Revolt is a safe bet. It might not make your heart skip a beat like the Secan but it will do the job and probably be faster.
That’s the main thing – also
That’s the main thing – also have enough slack so you don’t rip the end out of the shifter in a crash (although that depends somewhat on how slammed your bars are and whether the bar end passes through the front triangle)
The order of cables also matters in terms of how and where they cross each other. On road bikes with external routing I always used to cross the cables because it made for a nice radius and therefore cable run. So rear shift cable would go to the cable stop on the non drive side of the head tube. You then uncross them under the downtube (can also do this for internal routing).
If you want a 10sp specific
If you want a 10sp specific chainset then Tiagra 4700 will work but so will any 11sp chainset. No need to buy an 11sp chain. All that differs between 10 and 11sp Shimano chains is the thickness of the outer plates, the pitch of the chain and the roller thickness is identical.
