Blimey! That gave me a start

I got home today, after a cycle with my good lady, and discovered my rear Schwalbe Ultremo R.1 tyre was rather the worse for wear.

I know tyres have to wear at some point in their career but there was absolutely no warning until I got home, went to clean my tyres (which I do after practically every ride) and discovered a kind of wobbly bulge and an area, about half a centimetre by a centimetre and a half, with absolutely no rubber on it.

According to my bike computer, I have done 1921.84 miles on the Schwalbes. Is it normal for a tyre to go kaput around that point? Shouldn't there be some sort of warning it's going to happen? I feel very lucky they didn't cause an accident.

I've ordered a pair of Continental GP4000Ss. Are they likely to last me any longer than the Schwalbes did? I thought the Schwalbes seemed to roll reasonably well (in as much as any tyre does when I'm pedalling) and didn't have a problem with them on that front. I'd simply have liked a safer signal when it came to changing them. If the wear indicator on the Continentals is worth anything, that will be good.

Anyway, the moral of the story is to check your tyres almost constantly and don't get complacent.

P is for...

P is for Panda but, in this case, it isn't actually for panda. I merely liked the image of the panda and nabbed it from a Google Images search. P is for Plagiarism. I wish I had a superb panda/cycling related anecdote to share but I don't. If you'd like to write such a tale yourself and share it with me, please do so in the comments section (below). The best answer wins absolutely nothing (as does the worst and all the non-answers).

My P this time is for Purchasing. Yes, I've done that one before but sure this whole blog is nothing but repeated rambling witters about vaguely cycling related bits and bobs. Don't start complaining now. If you weren't moaning right at the start, you're too late.

Being the exciting chap I am, I've recently bought some stuff. Please excuse my technical terminology. I have (as already noted) bought a new bike (albeit for my beloved/other half/'er indoors etc. etc.) and some wheels recently but I'll write about other stuff rather than cover them again.

I decided I'd share my first impressions on some of the stuff I've bought. To call these reviews would be very flattering; they're more gibbering thoughts than anything. Maybe they'll be useful, maybe they won't. Either way, they fill space, give me something to do and prove I'm still alive.

Time I-CLIC Carbon pedals
(NB that link goes to information on this year's version of the pedals. They're not terribly different from the pedals I bought)
 

I'd been using Look A5.1 pedals for the past while and, although they were fine at the time, they're a tad antiquated and heavy by today's standards. That being the case, I decided to change to something more modern. Would I stay with Look pedals and go Keo, choose Shimano SPD SL, maybe Speedplay  and their zany pedal clips into the cleat craziness (obviously I didn't do any of those and the questions were rhetorical) or possibly the likes of Time? The world was my oxter. 

So, off I popped to some local bike shops (that could be the start of an awful rhyme) to see what each pedal had to offer. It appears they primarily offered something very similar; a large triangular plastic cleat. Speedplay, of course, was different but we'll mention their twisted perversions no longer. Ultimately my choice of Time hinged on three points:

a) Absolutely lovely guy in shop (and his equally charming brother in their other shop) said he'd been using Time because he suffered knee problems in the past and found Time pedals good for alleviating that. That led me to think "Hmmm. I've had a bit of knee bother myself..." (who hasn't?) "...they might be a suitable choice for me too".

b) I'd tried Look (albeit not Keo) and my good lady has Shimano SPD SL on her bicycle. I wanted to try out a make I had no experience with.

c) This is probably the most important point; I thought they looked good. They're black, pointy and sleek looking. I wanted to see them on my bike. Even if I can't pedal to any level, I want my bike to look as good as I can on the budget I have. It spends the vast majority of its time sitting around hoping I don't get back on it or pleading to be cleaned. Why not let it look as good as it can during those times?

Time it was then. £134GBP later (I know I could have got them for cheaper online but the shop I bought them from was absolutely excellent and I wanted to give them my business) and I was the proud owner of a pair of Time I-CLIC Carbon pedals and their associated cleats. 

This is all leads to the important question; Are they any good? 

So far, I've done four journeys on them for a total of slightly over 170 miles (275 Km if you're a bit more advanced than me and my imperial ways). Of course that's not enough to fully judge any pedals on but, so far, I've noticed them being a bit easier to push than the heavy old Looks were. I'd like to think modern Look (and other brands) pedals would also compare favourable against a close to ten years old pair of Looks with Delta cleats (not to be confused with Delta Goodrem who, it appears, doesn't click into any type of pedal).

Clipping in and out seems very easy. I'd say it's more natural than I've found it to be with the Look Deltas. There's less of an almighty click. As is to be expected, it takes me a little while to acclimatise myself with the slightly different pedal position when clipping in but I think I've got used to already. Despite the lack of thunderclap click (I'm getting carried away now), my feet don't seem like they might unclip of their own accord. I'm pretty sure they're solidly held in place when clipped in. Like any new pedal, some cleat microadjustments had to be made to get me comfortable but I'd imagine that's going to be the case with every pedal on the market. The only particular nuance one might wish to be aware of with Times is their more shallow cleat. They clip in about half a centimetre lower than other cleats. I had to lower my saddle a tiny amount to allow for this. Prior to that, I'd experienced a little pain in my right (which is my weaker side) hamstring and think that may have been due to the change in position. Since microadjusting the cleats and the seatpost, I've found them very comfortable.

Without meaning to make a terrible pun, time will tell how the new pedals and I fare as a couple. So far so good. They're light, comfortable (once adjusted, as with any pedal), easy to clip and out of while secure and (most importantly) they look great. They're the Venger of the pedal world. One downside some people might be wary of is Time only makes one type of cleat for their I-CLIC pedals. If you'd like the choice of different amounts of float in your cleat, Time might not be for you. Thankfully it seems (to date) to be for me. I found all the standard adjustments (cleat positioning on the shoe, saddle height etc.) catered for my needs.

Rather than witter on (and I certainly did) about another item I've recently bought, I'll stop here and do that at a later point. That will give you something to look forward to; a reason for living.

Just before I go, I've been out cycling with (the slow group of) a club recently. I've enjoyed it but noticed something which slightly baffles me. A few times, people have said something along the lines of "When you get into cycling you'll find..." or something in a similar vein. There seems to be an assumption a person can't be into cycling without going out cycling with a club. In actual fact, they're one of at least six clubs I've been out cycling with over the course of about the last eight or nine years. I just find it kind of funny and maybe a little patronising the way some people speak to one when s/he is a new member of their club. Mustn't grumble really. Other than that microscopically tiny niggle, they're an excellent bunch and I'm thoroughly enjoying my time cycling with them. I can definitely see many advantages to cycling in a group.

Addendum

As a tedious (the 'bores' bit of RantingCycleBores isn't there just for looks) update to my earlier post, I eventually decided which wheelset I would buy.

The picture on the left may have slightly given the game away; I chose a pair of Fulcrum Racing 1 wheels.

Initially, my interest in the Fulcrums was piqued by the arrival of a 'buy our stuff' e-mail from Ribble. They were selling Fulcrum Racing 1 wheelsets for £520GBP (delivered) and that seemed like a good deal. Most other stockists appear to be looking for around £675GBP for them, which doesn't necessarily include delivery. So, off I went to investigate them (and another three wheelsets) further and find out if they'd be suitable for me. Thanks to the customary Google Shopping search, I discovered a German shop called H&S Bike-Discount selling them for 539.90€. After a quick currency conversion, that turned out to be (even adding 2€ for DHL/Deutsche Post delivery instead of DPD) around £450GBP.

As a tightwad, I couldn't let an offer like that pass me up and ordered the wheelset on Tuesday morning. On Thursday afternoon, the wheels were on my bike. That's a splendid delivery time. I'm impressed. Plenty of companies within the UK don't deliver as quickly.

Although I'm tempted, I haven't been out on the bike to try the wheels yet. I'd been for cycles the two days prior to receiving the wheels and don't want to risk fatiguing my dodgy knee. It hasn't given me any real bother yet this year but I'm not going to push my luck with it. I'll keep on with the ice pack compression, Biofreeze, stretching, light resistance work etc. and hope to turn it into a beast of a knee.

Fingers crossed (that'll make braking difficult) the wheels will be everything I hope for and more.

Wheels damn wheels

Forgive the nabbed stock photo (left) please.

I'm in the market for a new set of wheels. For most, that might not be a big deal but, for me, it's cause for concern. If I pick the wrong set, I'll be raging with myself. I hate spending money on something only to find out it's no better/worse than the item(s) I'm already using.

Annoyingly, with wheels, it's not as if I can buy them, try them out for a couple of weeks and then return them to the shop. Without trying them, my severe lack of knowledge on the subject (and many other subjects) means I don't really know how the pros and cons of each might affect me personally.

I know there's no point in my spending huge amounts on an all-carbon fancy pants wheelset. I'm not racing or even time-trialling. It's all going to be for recreational usage. That written, like most cyclists, I'd like to be able to positively affect my cycling through technology.

'Would deep section wheels be good?' 'Are they bad on the hills because of additional weight in the rims?' 'What about cycling in crosswinds?'. All these questions mill about in my head and I don't have any proper answers to them. Quite simply, I don't know. Not knowing anything about the subject makes it very difficult for me to choose the correct wheels.

I'm not sure the people working in the bike shops necessarily give sound advice on this subject. They're bound to be slightly affected by what makes more money for the shop, which wheels would suit their personal cycling style etc. All I can do is have a look at a few wheelsets in the flesh and try to ascertain what might suit my needs best and give good value. On that front, having Chain Reaction reasonably nearby is a huge bonus. Buying blind online would be even more likely to yield random and potentially disappointing results.

At present, I think I've narrowed my selection down to one of three or four wheelsets made by Fulcrum, Mavic and Shimano. They (all but the Mavics) seem to be available with pretty good offers (particularly from Planet X) at present. I don't like to miss out on a good deal. It gets more tempting and more confusing.

I keep thinking I've ruled out a certain wheelset with thoughts like 'There's too much potential of crosswinds affecting those rims' but then find myself countering with '...but they look great and I'm shallow'.

In summary, buying wheels is a confusing process for an idiot.

Twat?

Am I a money wasting twat? I broke a spoke in the rear wheel of my Xero Tarmac XBR-1 wheels, took it to be fixed (After not being able to get a 'proper' replacement spoke, but I'll get to that later) and got it back all nicely trued. I went out a couple of times on the bike, noticed a clicking noise and a loose spoke, thought 'I'll tighten that a little. Not much but just enough so it isn't quite so loose', discovered doing so puts a wheel completely out of true and then had the very lovely wheel building man point out a crack in the rim to me. Aaargh!

When I got home from collecting the wheel, I rushed into buying a pair of Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels (Last year's version, on offer at Chain Reaction) and have since ordered a replacement Xero Tarmac XBR-1 rim from Parker International. I've switched the sprockets over from the Xero wheel to the new Mavic one and put the new wheels on my bicycle but this means I'll have a spare wheelset once I get the Xero rear wheel rebuilt. Rather than spending the £240 odd it was for the Mavics, I could have been patient and waited for the £56 (Including shipping) Xero rim to arrive, have the wheel built and stuck it on. Have I done something a bit stupid?

I don't have another bike I could use a ten speed Campagnolo wheel on, so it's not like I can upgrade a different bike by putting the wheels on it. What it does give me, I guess, is a spare wheelset if anything happens to the Mavics and likewise for my good laydee (Whose bicycle currently has Xero Tarmac XBR-1s on it anyway). I thought that maybe I should put different gearing on each wheel and that might be of use but, realistically, it wouldn't advantage me greatly. I like having the gears I already did, find the spacing between gears fine and would miss the lowest gears if I didn't have them.

Getting onto the spoke annoyance; It took ages for me to get a replacement spoke for the broken one on my Xero rear wheel. Even when I did get a replacement, it was only because the guy in the bike shop I got it from cut down a longer spoke and threaded it himself. They're round cross-section straight-pull spokes (ie. They're not bladed and they don't have a 90 degree bend in them at the hubs) in anodised black. The replacement, alas, is silver as it appears DT Swiss isn't too forthcoming in getting such replacement spokes out to people. I'm not moaning about them. I can understand there are so many variables in the world of spokes, it's exceptionally difficult to try to get every variety of spoke available to everyone. All I wish is that I can get a 'proper' replacement spoke for my Xero wheel. If you know of any spare black, round cross-section, 276mm, straight pull, 14/15g gauge, DT Competition spokes knocking about, please don't be backward in letting me share your knowledge.

From putting the Ksyriums on today, I've got to say they seem quite impressive. They appear to be very true and I thought moved more freely than other wheels I've owned. Hopefully this will continue to be the case when my fat arse is on the saddle and they have to suffer the applicable stresses and strains. I hope they're strong wheels and can take some ropey surfaces and possibly the odd light bit of 'pannierage' (No camping for me if I get away, just B&Bs and the like). The Xeros did well and the spoke only broke because I was forgetful, let the hook at one side of the fold down mini-panniers on my rack pack get into the spokes and then cycled a few yards causing it to pull at the spokes. I think that might be what damaged the rim too but I could be wrong.

Hmmm, I wonder if I should use the Xeros as touring wheels and the Mavics for general usage? At least I might get some use from both wheelsets? Then again, the Mavics seem as if they're probably better and I would like to use them when I can.

When I was changing over the wheelset today, I obviously had to put the sprockets on the new Mavic rear wheel. It was astounding quite how minging the cassette had got. What was good about it being a Campagnolo (I just can't bring myself to write 'Campag'. To me, it's like someone who owns a BMW talking about a 'Beamer' or a Cannondale rider referring to their 'Dale'. There's something distasteful about it which sticks in my craw) cassette is that all the sprockets are indeed individual sprockets as opposed to a block made up of numerous sprockets. It let me wipe each of the sprockets and their spacers clean and put a shiny (New looking but old and soon to be replaced) cassette on my new wheel. The sprockets had been completely black with filth. I'm sure that can't be good for the bike either. It then led to my taking the chain off to stick in a tub of petrol (I'll oil it well afterwards, don't worry) and disassembling the right crank and chainrings to give them a thorough clean too. Oh, and I used a bit of cloth to 'floss' the jockey arm and wheels. The muck they gather up is incredible. My bicycle should be lovely and clean for its next journey. I'll have to take a photo.

Going off a bit, I've been using MapMyRide quite a bit since the last babble I did and it's great. About the only problems I've noticed with it are:

• It shows some roads which don't really exist. They may be 'rights of way' but there's no means of cycling along them and it's best to check with an Ordnance Survey map whilst putting the route in. Most roads it has a name on should be okay but it's still worth checking as it claimed one 'named' road existed when it didn't with me.
  
• Make sure you don't go too far ahead when clicking the 'next point'. I've done that, assuming the route will automatically follow the road it's already on, but it can backtrack and then go along a main road or the like because it's a bit shorter. It also has a tendency to go along 'make believe' roads when one gets too far ahead so that's one to keep an eye on.

It really is a marvellous piece of free software and I can't recommend it highly enough. On the off-chance the people involved with it ever read this (They would need to be patient and not easily bored) thank you very much.

On that note, I've realised quite how much I've been going on and should stop. Thanks for reading this and hopefully you'll have been remotely interested in some ramblings, although I doubt it.