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.

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.

New shoes?

Many years ago (when I was young and at school) if someone wore new shoes it was a great jape to shout 'New shoes!' and stamp on and kick the shoes (and therefore feet contained within) to scuff them up. How our parents must have laughed when we came home with bruised feet and shoes barely fit for wear after one day of use. My own parents got their revenge on such actions by making me wear shoes with a little metal strip on the heel 'to stop them wearing out'. I would clickety clack down the corridors of the school like some kind of reverse tap dancer. In a way, I suppose it's not that different from the noise cleated cycle shoes make. The more things change etc. etc.

Why mention all this? Erm, I'm not sure. I kind of know. Bear with me while I witter please. There's a link in my head somewhere.

The other day, my beloved Kirby Girl purchased some new cycle shoes. Despite temptation, I didn't jump all over them and scuff them up. So, new shoes for the woman; what's the big deal about that? It's because KG has also got a new bike to go with her new shoes. Actually, that's not entirely true; the bike was ordered before the shoes.

Anyway, the Moser (with Shimano 105 groupset)arrived this morning and, after a couple of hours (no, I don't know why it took me that long either) to set it up, out we went for a spin. I don't know if it was the new bicycle or a new lease of life in the woman herself but KG was tough to keep up with today, particularly as I tired and she seemed to become stronger. My ego may not be able to tolerate this. To add to the me being easily surpassed concern, this was only about the second time KG has tried clipless pedals. I fear I shall soon be completely obsolete; a millstone round the neck of a speedy woman.

Well, I would fear all that but for my secret weapon; KG relies on me to fix any punctures (which she had one of today due to, I think, a dodgy tube). Once she does that for herself, I'll be melted down and made into glue and soap.

EDIT: I meant to mention but forgot; When KG had her puncture, I used a Topeak 'RaceRocket' mini-pump to inflate the tyre. Normally I find mini-pumps a bit awkward and can only get tyres to a bare minimum inflation but the RaceRocket did a good job and got the tyre pressure up to around 100 PSI (according to our track pump when we got home).

The combination of being able to securely thread the pump onto the valve and having a pliable hose (allowing me to put a bit of welly behind it without fearing damage to the valve/rim) seems to be a good one. As you'd expect, it takes a fair bit of effort to get up to 100 PSI or so but it's way more than I've managed with other mini-pumps. Normally I can't seem to get them above about 75 PSI, despite their manufacturer's claims.

Unfortunately, Topeak pays me nothing for this glowing endorsement.

EDIT 2: Yeah, I realise I should have put the crank in line with the chainstay and the chain into the big ring in the photo above. Quit yer griping! If I'd been doing it properly, I shouldn't have had a dirty wall with a copper pipe in the photo either and probably should have used a camera with higher definition than my antiquated phone.

Today's pointless cycling thoughts

I picked a particularly attractive photograph of that young charmer Mark Cavendish. Looking at it (and being bitchy) you can see why he had a bit of dental work done a year or two back.

I'm being cheeky but, if rumours are to be believed, I was quite impressed by something Cavendish did. Apparently (according to hearsay) he will be doing as everybody thought and heading to Sky this coming season. He's (according to the same hearsay) being signed to a £2.5 million contract (very nice indeed). What I hadn't heard before, however, is that he was allegedly (same source) offered £4 million by Quick Step and turned it down.

My thinking 'That's good' isn't anything anti-Quick Step or pro-Sky. In fact, if anything, I probably like Quick Step a little more than Sky. My reasoning is that Cavendish has chosen to make a decision based upon what he wants to do rather than purely for financial gain. I think that's quite good of him, not to be a greedy money grabber. He can be a real tit at times (although can't we all) but he seems to absolutely love cycling and do it for the right reasons. At some point in the future (when things take a downturn he gets beaten into a bit of modesty) he may even come across as being likable.

Something else the rumour (if correct) shows is that Quick Step has a lot of financial backing. Of course, it may turn out the rumours are completely unfounded. Maybe he'll actually join BMC like everyone else? Hmm, maybe not.

In unrelated non-news, my good lady and I were out for a (sometimes wet but never unbearably so) cycle today. It was the first time this year I did a cycle of over fifty miles. I know some of you probably haven't done a cycle under fifty miles this year but it was a bit of a landmark for me. Without meaning to go on and on and on ad infinitum about it, my ropey knee (and lack of fitness) was keeping me from doing the cycles I might like to have. It was good to do 56.1 miles today and, I'm pleased to say, my knee feels as okay as it ever does. I nearly did fifty a few weeks ago but discovered it was 49.29 miles when I got home. I could have gone out to do 0.71 miles then but even I'm not that pathetic.

Really, mileage means nothing other than to the person doing it but it did feel like an achievement for me today to cycle the route I did without suffering knee problems. I feel my knee pain has been such an, er, pain? It's great to be able to get out cycling. Here's hoping my forthcoming physio can help clear it up completely. I'll stop repeating myself about my knee pain obsession now.

I was wittering recently about ordering one of those Foska Kwik-E-Mart jerseys. Well, I had it on today and the bloody hem unravelled part of the way round. I had a big length of thread hanging down from me. I'm lucky it didn't get caught in the drivetrain. I'll have to e-mail Evans and see if they've got a replacement. I don't believe jerseys are supposed to unravel the first time one wears them.

Yesterday I did something very long overdue and replaced the front brake cable on my Madigan bicycle. It was, as the made up word goes, an embuggerance. It should simply be a matter of loosing the part of the brakes which holds the cabling, pulling the right brake lever and feeding the cable back through its housing. Yep, that's what it should have been. As you will have ascertained, that's not what actually happened. The cable simply would not budge. Some sleuthing (ie. asking other people what might be wrong) has unearthed, what I believe to be, the answer: some stinker had used Shimano brake cabling.

I know that doesn't sound terrible but it isn't so good to use Shimano cabling with Campagnolo levers. The cabling itself is fine but the wee stoppers at the end aren't interchangeable. It would appear Shimano's cable stops are a bit larger than Campagnolo's and, if you try to use them with Campagnolo levers, they get stuck and are an embuggerance to get out. After much grumbling and pliers trying, I eventually got the cabling out with some long nosed pliers which look rather like this. I almost danced for joy when the bugger popped out. I imagine I'll have similar fun when it comes to doing the back brake and the gearing.

I know that's not interesting but it might be useful so you can avoid a similar problem yourself.

I'll bore off now.

New bike hurrahs!

Okay, I haven't got it yet but...

Today I ordered a new bicycle. In an attempt to give me something a little different to my usual trusty vehicle I went for a Sab Alicudi with Shimano 105 groupset.

I ordered it from Merlin Cycles. I have never ordered anything from Merlin Cycles before and hope they turn out to be real and not some internet scamsters. Oh the fool I am!

After having a look around various online shops at fairly similar bikes I thought this seemed to be the best value. Sure I've never heard of Sab and haven't shopped at Merlin Cycles before. What could possibly go wrong?

Assuming everything is 'above board' (which I believe it to be) I should receive my new Sab (for some reason bicycles always seem to be referred to by their frame manufacturer) early next week. Woo hoo! Now all I need is my wonky knee to stop giving me gyp.

I'll have to suffer the awful shame of my new bicycle having last year's version of 105 on it but I think I can live with that. The quality of the wheels (Shimano RS10s) is completely unknown to me. I guess I'll find out what I think of them once I've tried the bike. I looked at them on a couple of random internet forums there; one said "They're rubbish!" and the other said "They're quite decent". Personal experience will let me know. Some people suggested they aren't great for cyclists over about 170 lbs. As I'm under that, I hope they'll be fine for me. Time will tell.

Now, onto that knee. Where can I buy a new one?