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This is one where bunging
This is one where bunging your LBS a tenner would seem to be the best option. Get them to whack the star fangled nut in whilst you’re there. Some might baulk at installing parts you’ve bought off eBay but this stuff is bread and butter to most. Cake often helps 🙂
Thank you all for your comments, they’re really appreciated!I understand that the most important position will be on the hoods and tops. If this is the case, it looks like the most comfortable one will be a smaller size since I won’t be stretching as much.
However, this leaves me with one last question: how do I know if a frame is too small for me? are there any giveaways other than feel? Lastly, I forgot to mention that the bike in question is an Orbea Orca M30 (which Orbea says it’s got a racier geometry than their Avant models). In addition to this, when using Orbea’s size guide they suggest getting a 51 cm, however just adding 1 cm to my inseam suggests a 53 cm which leaves me thinking that I’m bang on the middle!
When I step over a bike that’s too small I feel bunched up and cramped, like I’m perched on top of it rather than sitting into it. Too big (long) and I’ll feel unstable and stretched. Interestingly for me I feel it most through my hands – both extremes result in too much pressure on my wrists. I think this is because I’m either not supporting my weight using my core (short frame) or over-stretching beyond the point my core can support me (too long).
Take a look at the video on this page – it will give you an idea on how body proportions can affect ride position and comfort https://fairlightcycles.com/why-fairlight/fit-function-form/?v=79cba1185463
As you’ve never ridden a road bike it will take a while to get used to the position but your comfort can be affected by very small changes. For example, I had lower back pain which was resolved entirely by just switching from a 100mm stem to a 110mm one. I was getting crippling spasms after 10 mile rides before, two weeks later with Ride London under my belt and I had zero issues on the 46 mile route.
Just checking – have you measured your inseam accurately? Must be done barefoot and it will be longer than your trouser inside leg – often up to a couple of inches longer.
Your leg length mostly defines your saddle height and your body length defines the distance (reach) from tip of saddle to centre of bars. There’s no hard and fast rule for reach as it will depend on flexibility and body shape. Good thing is that you’ve got plenty of adjustment available through different stem lengths and rises. Whilst stem length can affect handling at extremes you’ll be fine +/- 20mm from whatever stock stem the bike is supplied with. Cheap enough to experiment with, a decent LBS might even swap a stem for you for little or no cost.
I think the last two comments
I think the last two comments are a reminder that we’re often dealing with very small-scale operations, its easy to appear big through marketing, positive reviews of a good product, and a shiny website. That’s not to diss Hunt at all but if you look at their business model its very much cash upfront, delivery in weeks rather than days. Really a Kickstarter model but it enables them to keep quality high and prices/overheads relatively low. Knowing you can definitely sell 100% of a run at £450 a pop is far easier from a cashflow perspective then ending up discounting to shift unsold inventory. I’ve always found them to be very responsive on forums and responding to pre-sales questions but it can be harder to get good Customer Service operation running.
Unfortunately no disc brakes
Unfortunately no disc brakes on the Decathlon road bikes – yet. They are coming in the Autumn I believe. They really are amazing value for money and reliable – and will be cheaper in Germany than in the UK.
If you absolutely must have disc brakes with that budget then your best option is to look at secondhand bikes. You’ll get a 1 year old bike from a recognised brand (Specialized, Canyon, Giant, Merida, Cannondale, etc.) for your budget.
Some things to consider: Double or Triple chainset? You mention that you live near the mountains – a triple can be good for climbing, or go for a double with a compact chainset and large rear casette. Look for 50/34 chainrings and an 11-32 cassette.
At your price range you will be getting mechanical disc brakes. Look for Avid BB5 or 7 or Tektro Spyre (Spyre easier to maintain and adjust)
520 is a good practical frame
520 is a good practical frame – space for mudguards and rack I believe. Just check its the whole Sora group from your store – often the manufacturers mix and match. For example, Decathlon often use their own brakes rather than Shimano one. Not necessarily a bad thing but useful if you want to compare the relative value of two bikes.
Spesh have a reputation for supplying heavy wheels that don’t match the quality of the frame. If mudguards are important check that the frame will take them.
Canyon.
Canyon.
If they’ve sorted out their customer service woes and delivery delays.
However, FWIW I upgraded my Triban 3 to a carbon bike with SRAM Force group, hated it, and went back to the Triban after 3 months. They only reason I’m not still on the Triban is that my commute is now partly offroad and it doesn’t have the clearance for big tyres and mudguards. Cracking bike period, let alone for the money, consider doing a groupset upgrade on it (I went to 105, although the latest Tiagra would do the job too).
Just swallow it, its not
Just swallow it, its not poisonous and means you recycle some fluid/protein. Do it enough and you’ll get by with one less gel per ride 😉
Buy some decent wheels, I haven’t dropped below 100kg (ex league forward) for donkeys and can’t remember the last time I broke a spoke. I’ve had over 180kg quite a few times over short journeys, this with a back wheel with a 32 hole Ultegra on open pro and a 36 hole 90s Sansin/Mavic Ma2 front, on top of the usual 100kg +loads daily for several years.poorly built wheels is the problem not the number of spokes, I’d say forget replacing the spokes and just stump the money to get some decent factory wheels or handbuilt, my option would be the latter. You get to choose what spec you want, sure it costs more but a decent builder will have the tensions done correctly and use the right spokes for the job, you then shouldn’t have spoke breakages except for extreme impacts.
As for the BB, this was one of the reasons I bought a CF frame with BSC threading, just cuts all the aggro out. There are some spendy ones out there but I don’t have experience of such so can’t make any recommendations.
I’d tend to agree – I rode RS11s (20 rear, 16 front I think) for over a thousand miles on 25mm tyres without breaking a spoke. I’m probably north of 120kg and ride on seriously shitty rural roads.
Currently on Atomlab Suprelites and boggo OEM AlexRims Comp Pros and riding on gravel tracks/offroad a lot more, still no issues. Got me paranoid now! The only wheel I’ve ever had let go was a Raleigh factory built from Halfords that went within 20 miles, clearly a QC issue as several spokes went.
Praxis do a 48/32 chainset
Praxis do a 48/32 chainset and FSA have something similar in 46/30. Straight swap for your 50/34 and will let you use a close ratio cassette if you’re not worried about sprinter gear combos. Praxis review here http://off-road.cc/content/review/chainsets-and-chainrings/praxis-works-alba-m30-4832-chainset-669
Thanks for the thoughts so far.Her feeling was that she was squeezing the brakes as hard as she physically could, and she wasn’t slowing down enough to feel in control – she also described pain in her hands at the bottom of the hill.
I do think fear played a part, as she hasn’t done a huge amount of descending, but moving forward, it’s really important she feels safe on the bike, so I’d like to change some things physically to help her get back on and feeling safe and in control
That was exactly my experience with those levers and why I ended up fitting crosstops. I have a couple of fast descents near me with dreadful road surfaces added for good measure. In the wet I’d actually get off and walk down! Should add that at the time I was 20st+ and so I’m sure inertia played a role.
The important thing about the crosstops is that they rotate the hands 90 degrees compared to the shifters and you can really haul on them hard with less effort than when you’re in the drops. You’ll also naturally be more upright on the bike which will mean you’ll feel more in control.
Its a cheap option – probably the cheapest – and something you or an LBS can fit in an hour.
I had the earlier iteration of that bike with microshift levers and ended up fitting crosstops so I could use the tops as a braking position on descents. I just didn’t feel secure on the bike descending on the drops (relatively small hands for a bloke) as there was a lot of travel and slack before getting a decent bite. Also the pivot position on those levers meant that two-finger braking from the hoods needed a lot of finger strength. I felt much more secure with my hands on the top of the bars using the crosstops to slow down. They take a bit of feel away but its a small price to pay for reliable braking IMO. Installation is easy enough – undo cable from caliper, wind back a few turns of bar tape (from stem end), cut brake outer where the cable goes through the crosstop, and reconnect cables. Crosstops come with barrel adjusters so you can play with lever travel etc.
Pads will probably help too, or you could upgrade the calipers for around £30 for used 105s
If frame colour is important
If frame colour is important the ’16 model CdF & CdA both had gorgeous white paint jobs (white with black for the CdF, white with red for the CdA).
Sequoia didn’t get great reviews, the usually Spesh problem of low quality wheels and finishing kit.
Get down to Decathlon if you
Get down to Decathlon if you have one nearby and try a few of their bikes out. Cracking bikes for the money with good kit levels and perfect for commuting. Save £100 of your budget for accessories (most of the Decathlon stuff is good). Their in-store mechanics are well-trained and should be better than the guys in Halfords if you’re looking at the Boardman.
Triban 520 Flat-bar will take mudguards and panniers, is very well-specced and is a triple so will get you up the hills on the way home.
The lower spec 500SE is very good value at £299 but I can’t remember if takes rack and guards.
The other option is to buy secondhand from eBay – but you do need to know what you’re looking for and also be able to assess the bike mechanically (i.e. what will need replacing and when – worn drivetrain, brake pads, pedals, tyres, bar tape (in order of cost)
You say you have eliminated the wheelset, but did that include the rear QR?This was such a common cause of random creaking under power for so many of my customers. They also rarely believed me when I told them; I had to actually demonstrate it, which was odd, as I usually didn’t charge them for the repair. If it were me, I would have said “thanks very much” and toddled off, whether I believed the diagnosis or not, as long as I got a free repair!
If you haven’t, it’s worth trying a different QR, greasing the pivots on it and doing it up a bit tighter.
Thanks. Punctured on the way home last night and QR was bone dry so it may be that. Will test once the replacement tyre has arrived (long walk of shame back due to not having a tyre boot (or a fiver)
Ta – frame is aluminium and
Ta – frame is aluminium and is disc braked. Will have a check for cracks – hope not as its only 9 months old
