Bicycle Bits! - What’s your latest acquisition?

Looks good Rod. Pink is fine for cycling. Especially with the Giro just started!

I was just given a merino Rapha jersey as a gift. Seems nice (not worn it yet) but must confess not a brand I'd choose because, frankly, the company seems well up its posterior...... Some of the pricing is a hoot.

Howies merino kit very good, sensible price, nice friendly company too; have bought a fair bit of their clothing for myself and wife over the years without any issues at all.

Brompton's are such a good design for mixed-mode travelling. George will be along shortly to talk Brooks no doubt.

I'm sure they are. Likely to get better with time too. But I always ponder the logic of equipping a utility bike (commuter, tourer etc)with a saddle that you can't get wet.

(Hard plastic and carbon fibre for me - that's what I like in a saddle)

No new bicycle bits lately for me other than a Lezyne Road Drive HP hand pump for my road bike and some cycling clothes.

At the end of this month I will tackle a century when I ride for the American Diabetes Assoc.'s St. Louis "Tour de Cure." I have already pedaled 1400 miles this year, so I should be in good shape for this.

Why is it you cannot get those saddles wet? Surely you could treat them with water repellant. I have leather jackets I have worn in the rain and they are fine.

What about a Selle Italia leather saddle with titanium rails? Can treat the leather if a worry.

Bruce

I too was/am very snooty about Rapha. However I bought a summer base layer after a friend insisted and took me along to the shop and told me how good they were. He was right it is. Very Good. And at £35 with the above mentioned discount a very good buy. I am assured that their rain jacket is also second to none. However I cannot bring myself to spend either the money or it with them. I may relent! It will be all about the fit in the end. Still, the Mavic one is much much cheaper.

james

Well my comment was obviously tongue in cheek to some extent. They need maintenance - application of a chemical/oily goo to the underside, and occassionally to the top as well, much more so when it is wet. The longitudinal tension also needs periodic adjustment - and they sag when wet, and tighten again once dry. A plastic saddle needs no maintenance and adjustment - wet or dry.

Your leather jacket may well be OK for skipping to and from the car in the occassional shower (and look good in the process), but I'll take my Gore-tex shell for hiking and other long periods out in real rain, thanks.

Solved my longitudianal tension issues nicely:

Rapha stuff is expensive but excellent. I have three jerseys that I've had for 9 years and still going strong. My wife has some 3/4 heavyweight bibs that are her favourite piece of kit.

Rapha are indeed suffering from an "ironic" backlash to their black-and-white, instagrammed, vignetted, hipster-fixie-epic-suffer-chic style of marketing that is perhaps costing them sales.

The sponsorship association with Sky is also two-way. Many appear to feel that Sky are doping and hold that against Rapha.

Point taken.

I prefer my saddle anyway, a Fizik Alliante Gamma Kium.

James

Good kit always worth good money for me. Patagonia walking kit-consistently brilliant. Sidi shoes-worth every considerable penny for example for comfort and durability. Goodness knows what my Parlee bike would cost now. I just have a probably irrational problem with the Rapha image! I think the £300 formal lapelled cycling jacket would cause some considerable hilarity if I wore it for a ride one weekend.

Not unique amongst cyling brands of course. I have two very well worn pairs of Assos shorts that have been excellent but would not pay silly money for a non technical item of theirs. Some Castelli stuff is very good in my experience and a bit more sensibly priced, I have a superb softshell of theirs that gets lots of winter use.

Bruce

Bruce

I too have arrived at Assos in recent years and wear their 3/4 shorts on all my rides. I like my knees warm! As you say you pays your monies....... I used to wear others and I had a pair of dhbs until very recently which were very comfortable but they finally became unridable. The pad hardened from all the washing!  None of their subsequent 'models' were as comfortable or fitted as well. My ventures into other brands also ended in disappointment. Assos is is and bought in the sales almost affordable!

I was going to try Castelli as it has been recommended but I am wary of £80 only to find it isn't comfortable. I recently did a charity ride across France and you found out very quickly what was worth it or not. As I said I found fit is all and therefore I am reluctant to change brands too quickly. Mavic does fit me well were as several of my cycling buddies find it too short or tight or....Again some Gore is a perfect fit and others terrible! 

Like you I struggle wearing something that just shouts 'look how much my cycling gear cost' but obviously some bits might actually be worth it. But probably not their soap!

james.

I have a couple of pairs of Assos bibs that have been going strong for 8 or 9 years. The Assos and Rapha gear I have has been the best VFM of all my gear purchases.

Here are a couple of shots of my assembled bits and pieces.  Having a bike fit from a proper team fitter was quite an education and brought about significant change to saddle height (mine was far too high!).

The red highlights have proved tricky to capture - the indoor shot is more representative of how it looks.

Stem is too short otherwise I've been very impressed.

Peter

Regarding the Rapha and Assos points, I have found Rapha to make superb merino base layers.  Their jerseys are fantastic for UK weather however, I suspect the material would be a bit too heavy for warmer climates - they do make lightweight jerseys which I haven't yet tried.  Assos make fab bib shorts and winter longs.  Their new S7 range sets new levels of madness for pricing albeit I've read great reviews from some folks who took the plunge and bought them.  Castelli I haven't tried being put off by some comments that they can be lacking in longevity.

Peter

Here are a couple of shots of my assembled bits and pieces.  Having a bike fit from a proper team fitter was quite an education and brought about significant change to saddle height (mine was far too high!).

The red highlights have proved tricky to capture - the indoor shot is more representative of how it looks.


Stem is too short otherwise I've been very impressed.

Peter

Snap

Guys - are those Colnagos with the sloping or traditional geometry? That seems like a lot of seat post to me - my back just doesn't bend that much. Hopefully will have some pics of my Extreme Power soon, am supposed to be doing the ride around London next weekend.

Peter - my local Colnago dealer said that Colnagos are designed to work best with a 130 mm stem. I have just switched mine out for 120 mm as it makes things less aggressive, and more comfy for longer rides > 100 km. I have to be honest, with the 130 mm stem cornering was just a matter of pointing and I haven't really had to corner at speed with the new set up, so am reserving judgment.

Mine's a sloping frame. I'll admit it doesn't look like it in that shot, though.

120mm stem for me. I'm comfortably stretched out (although a few mm less than my BMC). Generally,  I think anything between 100mm and 140mm would be fine for handling. But the handling also depends a bit on the weight distribution which is also influenced by how much "drop" you are running.

If I'd gone down a frame size and used a 130mm stem, I would possibly have to use a few mm of spacers to compensate for the slightly shorter head-tube. I'd also have even more seatpost showing! I think I have the right size.

Dear Winki,

Can you explain the handling thing a little please?

I have only had three bikes that handled badly, the Dawes Hybrid, the Peugeot Triathlon and the dreadfull black painted Elswick three speed.

The Carlton handled effortlessly with its original drop bars, a flat bar, the two variants of the semi-drop North Road Bar, and now with the second NRB in its natural upright setting.

The frame is [as you have often observed] too large for me, but the handling has always been intuitive. No conscious thought required to aim with safe precision. 

With the upright stance it is a supremely relaxed cycle that has a turn of speed when wanted, and a generally quick average speed, and handling that is entirely neutral. 

ATB from George

What didn't you like about the bikes that handled "badly"?

The Elwick understeered alarmingly at speed. The Dawes Hybrid also understeered to a some extent. And the Peugeot would oscillate violently and not in line when a bump was hit.

I used to work hard to keep the Peugeot going where I wanted. Though it leant in curves fair enough, it more often than not wanted to steer wide - understeer.

The Carlton - in contrast - seems to be a mind reader about curves. It can turn in very sharp if needed, without loss of composure ...

ATB from George

http://calfeedesign.com/tech-p...ry-of-bike-handling/

http://cyclingtips.com.au/2011...ry-of-bike-handling/

Have a look at these two sites.