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My overshoes revelation: I stopped wasting money on them and got some winter boots instead.
I tried that but couldn’t find any wide enough to take a winter sock. All the usual suspects tried and failed – Shimano MW, Northwave, Lake. I blame my hobbit feet.
I’m with Mike. I’ve elastic laces on my winter shoes so the overshoes stay on all through winter and i just slide my foot in and fasten the shoe up the back.I cant see how your method works ? You still have to pull the overshoes over ?
Socks on, overshoes on and rolled up my legs, shoes on, pull overshoes down over the shoes, just find it easier because I have chunky ratchets and velcro on my SPD shoes.
Must admit never thought to just leaving them on my shoes but I might try that now I have shoes with speedlaces too. Won’t work on my M088s because of the three velcro straps.
Not sure if this will go
Not sure if this will go large enough for you but another good value option if you’re looking for a full bike
https://www.templecycles.co.uk/pages/adventure-tour
Condor Fratello if you’re in
Condor Fratello if you’re in a hurry to replace, lovely things. My neighbour does 200km audaxes on his. Disc or rim brake options. You’d need to salvage parts from your current bike to get it under budget, but potentially very rewarding to do thatCurrent edition Tiagra is
Current edition Tiagra is functionally identical to 105, just minus a gear. And functionally equivalent to Ultegra, just minus a gear and a bit heavier. Long-term running costs are fractionally cheaper for 10-speed vs 11-speed and it’s slightly easier to maintain yourself as shifting tolerances are a little wider.
I’m guessing that you won’t be racing and if so a compact (50/34 chainrings) will help you get back up to fitness. And likewise you won’t miss the extra gear of 105. You can also spec an 11-34 cassette with Tiagra – giving you a very spinny 34/34 for climbing and take the pressure off your knees. On the Boardman that’s an at most £30 extra cost plus you can sell the old cassette or keep it as a spare. The equivalent job for the Specialized would set you back about £50 as the cassette and possible replacement chain are more expensive.
Go with the bike that makes you smile more, and don’t worry about 10-speed vs 11-speed – in real world terms you won’t notice it. As it is, you’re not even getting full 105 on the Spesh which closes the gap even further to the Boardman.
Sadly or not I don’t wait until winter, have had many cuts and bruises to hands, all well worth it IMO, especially to the Golf drivers bonnet who firstly rear ended me (fortunately at low sped) then as he tried to drive away though his bumper came off worse than my crank arm. I punched a fist sized dent to grab his attention and called plod, who when turned up gave it well you were the one shouting/being agressive. As I said to this young pup, he commited three criminal offences, one careless driving, one of hit and run, or attempted to drive off and thirdly dangerous driving when he drove straight at me to get away. I told him to either do his job or I was going to call his desk sergeant to actually uphold the law and make a formal complaint.he had ‘words’ with the driver and said that he accepted his version of events and would take matters no further and called it knock for knock, Typical plod response but the cretin would have a big bill for the dent. it’s hardly worth bothering chasing these things because the higher ups protect their plebs anyway.
The last incident was 3 weeks ago, doing 28mph on the downhill stretch to work (30 zone), van driver skims my elbow, I catch him 3 seconds later at the roundabout and he gets a hard thump into his door, he tries to give me some biff I swing back and the wet blanket runs back into his van.
Seriously thinking of getting something
stabbyslightly scratchy to affix to the outside of the pannier rack, set so I can lower it to give a good yard or so extension.Hubs with deployable shuriken like Bond’s Aston had in Goldfinger, sorted
Pickenflick is an absolute
Pickenflick is an absolute bargain at the moment. £610 for a titanium frame and fork??
If you can stretch an extra
If you can stretch an extra £30 and have a Decathlon nearby, add the RC500 to your list. Takes wide tyres, has mudguard mounts and disc brakes, high quality components that shouldn’t need replacing any time soon.
Alternatively, you’ll get a huge amount of bike for that sort of money on eBay, just factor it that it might need a service – fine if you can DIY.
Bits of it are in short
Bits of it are in short supply, particularly the levers so it won’t be discounted much yetHorses for courses. I’ve got
Horses for courses. I’ve got the time and I enjoy tinkering with bikes so I’d have junked the frame and done something different with the parts.
Your knees shouldn’t hurt.
Your knees shouldn’t hurt. Isolated quad pain also points to a fit issue because everything should ache, not just one muscle group. What exercise were you doing prior to starting cycling?
If you’re really hammering the training and serious about this investing in a bike fit will get you way more performance than supplements. Go get a basic fit done – a good one will cost you around £80.
As a renter it’s a great idea
As a renter it’s a great idea. As a supplier I’m not convinced. Bikes are just way too nickable and you run into the issue that you’re advertising the fact you’ve got a 10 grand Madone sat in your shed/garage. That’s what put me off using Spinlister a few years back. Given that we know scrotes are already trawling social media and Strava for bikes to nick to order this is going to run into the same issue.
Down to you or HP to offer lodgings !!I don’t think we’ve got the room
Those appear to be squirrels, this is a hamsterjam…
Thanks all – picked up a 2014 Genesis Equilibrium Disc today used. Hoping I can get my legs back and enjoy some wet and windy miles. Cheers for all the input.Picked a hell of a week to take up cycling again!
Should you decide cable discs need upgrading this review is good place to start for info
https://road.cc/content/review/225573-yokozuna-motoko-disc-brake
The all-road/gravel/adventure bike sector has exploded in the last few years, one of these may fit the bill. Boardman ADV and Pinnacle Arkose seem great value but take a glance through the road.cc reviews for an idea of what’s available:https://road.cc/category/product-type/gravel-and-adventure-bikes
Otherwise a road bike with clearance for bigger tyres (min. 28mm, pref. 32mm) with full mudguards. I like Schwalbe Durano and Michelin Endurance v2 tyres.
Clothing hasn’t changed as much. A cycling cap keeps the rain off your head and out of your eyes and a neckwarmer/buff is good for when it’s really cold (I’ve worn one under a helmet to cover my ears and the front of my head on really cold days). Overshoes are a godsend in the wet, though in sub-zero or snowy weather I find walking boots to be the best option.
Front lights have moved on in terms of output and value. I ride country lanes and currently use a Lezyne 800 lumen rechargeable, usually at 250L and it lasts several nights of 40min commutes.
There are loads of decent rear lights but Cateye LD600 or 610 is an absolute bargain (runs off 2 AAAs). Even in midwinter mine will go a week between popping the batteries in the charger. You can spend a good whack on fancy rear lights but they all do near enough the same job. Again, road.cc reviews might help narrow it down a bit.
Great – thanks. I’m eyeing up a Genesis Equilibrium near me from 2014, but has mechanical disc brakes, which looks to be tech that has been and then gone again in my time away. But I like the indestructable in steel. Lights insight is very helpful, thanks.
Don’t let the cable discs put you off. It’s an easy upgrade to hybrids (cable-operated hydros) – around £100.
Giant do a conversion kit (fits any bike) called the Conduct, or you have calipers like the TRP Hy-Rd or JuinTech R1. Neither as good as full hydros but still an improvement.
Equilibrium is a great option – the clue is in the name. Pointy enough to be fun whilst still being practical.
