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They are indeed a bit more
They are indeed a bit more than is usually seen. I was very disturbed by the neighbour that said it’s a bit harsh, anyone can make a mistake…

A mistake is looking away for a second or two. Eighteen is just stupidity.

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Hmmm, I’d be thinking the
Hmmm, I’d be thinking the mech, hanger, chain, and touching up of paintwork. I suspect you might get the parts ok but the scratch wouldn’t be sorted. Ultimately, you are entitled to have the situation put right so that the bike looks and feels as new as it did before the incident.

How did it happen without injuring you?

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Have you/she tried British
Have you/she tried British Cycling’s ‘Social Cycling’ thingy to hook her up with others?

Also, with miles like that in her legs, keeping up with a club run probably won’t be an issue – any local clubs with females?

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I’ve had the hard sell in
I’ve had the hard sell in Evans; trying to sell me all kinds of crazy sh*t that I don’t need.

Cycle Surgery in Manchester I have few complaints with though. There was one fella who thought fit to change my use of pedal spacers without telling me (oh, so after seeing me in the shop for 5 mins, you know my biomechanics intimately already?!) but the other two guys I usually speak to know what they’re doing.

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I find it unbelievable – one
I find it unbelievable – one of the great benefits of cycling is seeing the countryside, what moron would then harm it like this?

Also worth noting that you’d get serious abuse if you did that while out with our club- I do hope other clubs are as diligent.

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I would suggest picking one
I would suggest picking one that is listed on trainerroad.com – take a look yourself, but basically it uses the claibration of known turbos to simulate training with a power meter. This is worth having so that you can add variety when you get bored. There are plenty listed, so you shouldn’t have too much of a problem. I think mine is the Elite Chronomag gel, which I believe is currently in the region of £160, and seems decent.

Oh, and budget a few quid extra for a couple of sufferfest videos. They’re mental.

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alisonmwill wrote:I’d like to

alisonmwill wrote:

I’d like to think my masters dissertation will be a bit more complex ;).

That is one aspect I am assessing, peoples *perceptions* of safety. But there’s a fairly strong focus on privacy and social elements which I am actually more curious about!

There’s an interesting point here – I didn’t feel that strongly about sharing (or otherwise) my rides, BUT that’s solely because I use the exclusion zones feature, so worry less about it. Perhaps I should have chosen ‘very concerned’…

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The club has, but not me
The club has, but not me personally. I do fancy trying it, although the ride I just described is possibly my favorite route.

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Bedfordshire Clanger

Bedfordshire Clanger wrote:

Excellent news, I recommend Snake Pass either as an out and back flying down to Ladybower or as a loop returning via Edale. The climb out of Edale (Mam Nick) is brutal in the middle but mercifully short. Long Hill from Whaley Bridge towards Buxton is another good long drag. If you take the right at Sandy Lane down into Goyt Valley there’s a nice descent and then your choice of climb, following the valley up to the Cat and Fiddle or up the side and over the tops to Macclesfield.

I hate that arrow-straight section into the goyt valley. It’s worth it though, to go up long hill first, and follow the stream along the valley and up to the Cat and Fiddle. Then right, down, left and absolutely kick the shit out of it on the fast section to Wildboarclough!

[notfastenough]

@Billyman, agreed, I did add
@Billyman, agreed, I did add something in the freetext bit re the difference between people who create daft, unsafe segments and race them, and those who use it to set times on longer, safer sections.

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Souns painful – hope you’re
Souns painful – hope you’re recovering. Nothing to add other than what others have said really.

However, this has made me think that it would be a good idea to carry a little card with ‘things to do in event of accident’, probably along lines of:

call Police
Take photographs – location, directions of travel, road markings/hazards etc, damage
Obtain other party’s details (name, address, reg no, ins co.)
Obtain witnesses & contact details
Record my version of events while fresh in my mind
Record injuries/damage

I’ll try & think of others…

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Sounds an odd excuse for the
Sounds an odd excuse for the Cube if it’s a new bike.

As regards the Allez, it seems like everyone that’s ridden one loves them.

If you feel that the Focus left you cold, ditch it from the shortlist, no question.

Can you get to an LBS that stocks Cannondale? I test rode a CAAD (same market segment as the Allez I think) and that was fun. Possibly leave you feeling beat up after a long ride though.

[notfastenough]

Looking forward to my
Looking forward to my intervals complete with rucksack, rack & pannier tomorrow morning, best get my head down!

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@Bikeboy76, I think it might
@Bikeboy76, I think it might have been in this month’s issue of ‘Cyclist’ magazine that I read about frame repairs the other day. One of the things mentioned was a carbon fibre engineer who repairs frames, stated that the minimum weight for a properly viable frame was 850g (I think – you should probably check). That’s probably assuming a 65kg whippet or some such in the saddle. I think for 100kg, an ultralight frame might not be viable anyway.

That said, check this out:
http://road.cc/content/review/85070-canyon-ultimate-cf-slx-90-sl
£3.7k, 6kg, 120kg weight limit. Purely race-focused in handling though, probably a bit twitchy unless you plan to race.

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Hi dunnoh, our club regularly
Hi dunnoh, our club regularly passes people at speeds such as you describe, but honestly, the bulk of that is momentum built up by the group. I sometimes feel a little sorry to see a guy plugging away on his own then hear ‘passing on your right!’, only to be overtaken as if he was going backwards… I certainly don’t ride at those speeds on my own!

16mph avg is fine to join most clubs, and is in fact what I’d probably achieve on my own. The social groups will go slower, the racing groups will go quicker, and somewhere in the middle you’ll find what you’re after. It takes a few weeks to get used to the pace and holding wheels etc, but all good fun.

I’ve started commuting recently. Only 2 days a week at the moment, as I can work from home for the other 3. This is how I do it:

Wed morning: Rucksack & pannier, pretty quick for the 7 mile run, focusing on a powerful pedal stroke with all the additional weight I carry.
Wed evening: Leave the rucksack (laptop) in work so pannier only, extend the commute to 18 mile loop (may extend further), make big efforts on hills.
Thur morning: Extend the commute to 18 mile loop.
Thur evening: Rucksack and pannier, focus on powerful pedal stroke again but absolutely give it the beans on the sections of road where safe to do so.

Sunday: Long steady ride, currently building back up to rejoin club runs after an injury.

Other days, core strength, gym or whatever else I can fit in.

[Author]

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