Road Bike Info & Discussion -*ASK ROAD QUESTIONS HERE*-

PB Forum :: Road Cycling and Touring
Road Bike Info & Discussion -*ASK ROAD QUESTIONS HERE*-
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flag badbadleroybrown
Posted: Jun 18, 2011 at 13:14 Quote
This is the Road Bike Info & Discussion Thread. READ THE FOLLOWING ON THE 1st POST FOR ALL YOUR INFO.

WEIGHT WEENIES PARTS INFO ADDED TOO

-If you want advice on buying a road bike, this is the place.

-If you want to post your bike, feel free to!

-If you seek advice on road bikes, feel free to ask.

-Please take note of the information on the 1st post too.

-It can be single speed (NOT FIXIES) or geared as long as it's a road bike
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

- Index of the following information -

-> Bike Companies

-> Wheel Makers

-> Groupsets

-> Clipless Pedals FAQ (by a member on CycleChat.net)

-> Useful LInks

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

-BIKE COMPANIES-

Alan Bikes

Argon 18

Basso

BeOne

Bianchi

Blue

BMC

Boardman

Bottecchia

Cannondale

Canyon

Carrera Bikes (Italy)

Casati

Cervelo

Charge

Chas Roberts

Cinelli

Ciocc

Claud Butler

Colnago

Comtat

Condor

Cooper

Corratec

Cotic

Cube

Cyfac

Dave Yates

De Rosa

Devinci

Dolan

Eddy Merckx

Ellsworth

Endorfin

Enigma

Felt

Focus

Forme

Fondriest

Fuji

Genesis Bikes

Ghost

Giant

GT

Guerciotti

Hewitt

Ibis

Independant Fabrications

Jamis

KHS

Kinesis

Koga Miyata

Kona

Lapierre

Look

Lynkskey

Massi

Marin

Merida

Moda

Moots

Moulton

Nicolai

Neil Pryde

Orbea

Pantani

Parlee

Pearson

Pegoretti

Pinarello

Pistidda

Planet X

Principa

Qoroz

Ragely

Raleigh

Revolution

Ribble

Ridgeback

Ridley

Ritte

Rose

Rotwild

Sabbath

Salsa

Scapin

Scott

Serotta

Seven

Somec

Specialzed

Storck

Surly

Time

Trek

Van Nicholas

Verenti

Vitus

Wilier

Zullo
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-WHEEL MAKERS-

American Classic

Campagnolo

Controltech

Corima

DT Swiss

Easton

FFWD

FSA

Fulcrum

Lightweight

Mavic

Miche

Pro Lite

P Z Racing

Reynolds

Shimano

SRAM

Token

Vision

Zipp

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-GROUPSETS- (Best groupset in order from top)

Campagnolo

Super Record EPS

Super Record

Record

Chorus

Athena

Centaur

Veloce

Microshift

Arsis

White

Bona

Centos

Want to know more on Microshift? Click here for my findings.

Shimano

Dura-Ace Di2

Dura-Ace

Ultegra Ui2

Ultegra

105

Tiagra

Sora

2200

SRAM

SRAM Red

SRAM Force

SRAM Rival

SRAM Apex
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- CLIPLESS PEDALS FAQ -


What are Clipless Pedals?

Despite the name, clipless pedals are pedals which you clip into…. the pedal has a mechanism which binds to a specially designed shoe and "locks" your feet in place. The "Clipless" bit actually means you don’t need to use the traditional toe-cage and leather strap arrangement to hold your feet in place.

The clipless mechanism works much like ski boot bindings. To release the clip, you twist your heel outwards, and the bind releases. This ensures that in the case of an accident the shoes release automatically, and means you can
(with a little practice) unclip easily rather than having to bend down and release a buckle (as on the traditional toe-clip).

Should I Go Clipless?

It's a personal decision. There are Pro's and Cons on both sides of the issue.

Clipless pedals offer a more connected feeling to the bike, the shoes are generally stiffer soled than normal shoes, and this can help with efficiency and comfort on longer rides. Arguably clipless offer some power advantages over flats/clips and most, but certainly not all people who try a clipless pedal never go back to toe-clips or flats.

The drawbacks include the expense of the shoes/pedals and in most cases the loss of flexibility. The fact you're limited to a particular pair of shoes may not help. The pedals also need to be set up correctly, incorrect positioning can cause knee and/or ankle pain, some people seem to be more susceptible to this and never get on with clipless systems.

What Are the Different Types of Pedals/Shoes?

There are two "families" of shoes/pedals. Various different manufactures produce pedals/shoes but they almost all fall into one of two types, Road pedals (such as SPD-SL, Time, Keo) or Mountain Bike style (SPD, Crank Bros). The two styles both use a metal or plastic cleat fastened to the sole of the shoe. Most shoes will be designed to accept only 1 of the two types of cleat although there are a limited number of shoes which will take either.

Mountain Bike (Mtb) pedals and shoes - usually referred to as SPD shoes use a 2 bolt system to fasten the cleat to the shoe. The cleat itself is a small triangular metal wedge. The cleat is generally recessed into the sole and the shoes often have a treaded sole suitable for walking in.

Road Bike (SPD-SL/Look) pedals and shoes use 3 bolts to hold the cleat on the shoe. The cleats themselves are much larger than SPD cleats, and made of plastic. They stand proud of the sole and are very difficult to walk in. The shoes are usually light weight, with completely rigid, smooth soles.

Which Pedal system is Best?

Each type has pros and cons. There is no "best" system - simply one which works best for you.

SPD systems are traditionally thought of as the mountain bike solution, although many riders choose to use these on road bikes. The cleats are designed to be recessed into the shoe. This enables the shoes to shed mud better, and also to allow you to walk almost normally.

The pedals come in many designs. Many are double sided, meaning you can clip the shoe into either side of the pedal with minimal fuss. Some have a clip on one side and a traditional flat pedal on the other allowing normal shoes to be used if required.

The shoes themselves also run the full range from SPD compatible sandals through to incredibly stiff "race style" shoes. In most cases however the shoes will be stiffer than normal walking shoes (although not as stiff as a full road shoe).

SPD's tend to be easier to clip into than Look pedals, especially the double sided designs. The smaller cleat and pedal can give less support to the sole of the foot, and some riders complain of "hot foot", an unpleasant burning sensation on longer rides.

Look/SPD-SL (road pedals) are single sided, and have a large flat pedal surface and an equally large protruding cleat design. The pedals can be rather hard to clip into, but offer a very firm connection and substantial support. The shoes are almost always lightweight race style shoes with reinforced nylon or carbon fibre soles with no flexibility at all. Walking in these shoes is difficult at best, and also causes significant wear to the cleats, so is not recommended.

As a general rule, SPD shoes are more likely to suit if
(a) You need to unclip regularly - i.e. a commute with multiple lights/junctions.
(b) Want to walk about off the bike to any degree
(c) Want to wear "normal" looking shoes or have the option of a flat pedal in addition to the clips.


LOOK/SPD-SL will probably suit you if

(a) You're doing long distance rides with few stops.
(b) Want the the lightest/stiffest shoes and pedals available
(c) Suffer from hot foot with SPD shoes.
(d) Really don’t want to put MTB pedals on a road bike.

Adjustment/Float and Positioning.

Both types of pedals offer some form of adjustments, usually to the force required to clip in/out of the pedal itself. This is usually a screw/Allen key adjustment that tightens the spring force on each pedal. If you're just starting out down the clipless route it's suggested that you start with the loosest setting that will hold your foot on the pedal. As you perfect the art of clipping in/out the tension can be increased to grip the foot firmer if required.

Both SPD and LOOK/SPD-SL cleats are unclipped by twisting the heel outwards in a flat plane, SPD pedals have an optional cleat design that also allows the user to twist out in any direction (other than straight up). These multi-directional cleats make unclipping easier, but can pull free of the pedal if the tension is not fairly high.

Each pedal will allow a certain degree of "float" i.e. how much lateral foot movement is allowed. SPD types typically allow the most float. SPD-SL float is controlled by using different cleat designs. Cleats are available with anything from 0 degrees (no movement) to 9 degrees of float. The amount of float required is a personal choice, but I'd suggest that anyone new to clipless shoes should probably start with at least some float, until a suitable position can be found.

The position of the cleat on the sole of the shoe will control the riding position. Each cleat system has a limited amount of movement on the sole, and it’s important to get this correct. Trial and error is probably the best procedure, but a decent starting position can be obtained by sitting on the bike and allowing your feet to hang free. Note the angle at which they point in relation to the pedal and try and ensure that this angle is maintained when the shoe is clipped into the pedal. Also bear in mind that the new stack height of the pedal may affect the required seat height.

Clipless Moments.

The majority of people who switch to clipless pedals will probably have experienced the dreaded "Clipless Moment". Approaching the lights or a junction you coast to a halt, forgetting that your feet are now locked to the pedals. As you stop, you frantically try to pull your feet free as you slowly topple sideways to the floor. It's almost guaranteed that this will happen at the most embarrassing time possible, probably when there is a particularly attractive member of the opposite sex waiting to cross the road.

After a while, unclipping will become natural (trust me - it will). But at least initially I'd strongly suggest practicing starting and stopping several times on a nice soft grassy surface; and quite possible repeating the unclip….unclip…unclip mantra as you approach a stop sign for the first few days.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Useful Links

Unisex Bike Fit Calculator HERE

Womens bike sizing - HERE

Autumn/Winter road cycling clothing guide - HERE


Road Biking Weight Saving Info - HERE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Other road bike related threads which may interest you:

Rate My Ride Road/Commuter/Fixie

Post your Road Race Bike!

Sexiest Road Bike Thread

Post Your Single Speed Road Bikes

Post Your Road Bike

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

#BANS , #BANS
flag anthonysjb
Posted: Jun 18, 2011 at 14:51 Quote
Gah went for too much, £1420, more than I wanna pay.
flag anthonysjb
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 8:37 Quote
Right, got a solid deal on a TCR Advanced. Need help deciding frame sizing. I am 5"10, 178cm.
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://archive.giant-bicycles.com/images/_upload_uv/general/_TechInfo/TCRChart2006.jpg
That's the sizing guide on the Giant site, I tested a 50cm model and it felt pretty decent, should I go for that or get the 53.5? I can always get a larger stem and side saddle back if the 50cm is too small.
flag road-psyclist
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 9:10 Quote
I was gonna get the 50cm T2 but was told it was too small for me, so I got a 54, so you should go for the 53 in my opinion.
flag anthonysjb
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 9:12 Quote
they don't use standard frame sizing though as it's compact.
flag road-psyclist
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 9:16 Quote
Kinesis don't exactly have normal frame sizies either. I mean I'm just going by what I was advised to do, but I'm 5'10" too and I was told 54 to be my correct size.
flag anthonysjb
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 9:34 Quote
ah right, I mean the 50cm TCR is the equivalent of a 55-59cm normal frame, which is what I think I am. I've also always had pretty small bikes, hence why I think it'll be ok to get the medium.
flag singlespeedtoday
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 9:45 Quote
Top tube length is more important than seat tube height.
flag anthonysjb
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 10:46 Quote
yes, I mean I can slide the seat rails back by, say 10mm, and lengthen stem by 10mm to virtually lengthen the top tube.
flag andrewgrant
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 13:28 Quote
anthonysjb wrote:
yes, I mean I can slide the seat rails back by, say 10mm, and lengthen stem by 10mm to virtually lengthen the top tube.

If you are 5' 10" then you will definitely want a top tube length of 55-56 cm. center-to-center
flag anthonysjb
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 14:19 Quote
andrewgrant wrote:
anthonysjb wrote:
yes, I mean I can slide the seat rails back by, say 10mm, and lengthen stem by 10mm to virtually lengthen the top tube.

If you are 5' 10" then you will definitely want a top tube length of 55-56 cm. center-to-center
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/_upload_uk/bikes/models/geometry/2010/TCRADVALL.jpg
That's the geo. Medium should be good.
flag andrewgrant
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 14:22 Quote
anthonysjb wrote:
andrewgrant wrote:
anthonysjb wrote:
yes, I mean I can slide the seat rails back by, say 10mm, and lengthen stem by 10mm to virtually lengthen the top tube.

If you are 5' 10" then you will definitely want a top tube length of 55-56 cm. center-to-center
Unsecure image, only https images allowed: http://www.giant-bicycles.com/_upload_uk/bikes/models/geometry/2010/TCRADVALL.jpg
That's the geo. Medium should be good.

Wow that's weird geo...why would they call it a 50 cm there's nothing on it that measures anywhere near 50! yeah a medium should be good
flag andrewgrant
Posted: Jun 22, 2011 at 14:28 Quote
anthonysjb wrote:
it's a compact frame.

http://archive.giant-bicycles.com/us/050.000.000/050.600.100.asp

more info there if you're interested.

Thanks! I'll check that out
flag anthonysjb
Posted: Jun 23, 2011 at 10:06 Quote
Bike is ordered!

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-giant-tcr-advanced-3-10-38575/

RRP £1950. Got one for £1399 via Pauls Cycles. Medium size. Picz coming as soon as I get it!
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