Cycling

[Samdy Gray]

As a beginner, focus on getting the right frame size and the right gearing.

Wiggle have a good guide for frame sizing here: http://guides.wiggle.co.uk/wiggle-bike-size-guide

For gearing, your main options will be 'compact' or 'triple'. Compact has two front chainrings, a triple has three as the name implies. A triple has more lower gears so can help beginners get up hills a bit easier, especially if you're used to mountain bike gearing. A compact is a kind of compromise between a triple and standard double chainring. Most people will be fine starting with a compact, those that start with a triple will probably find they have no need for the smallest chainring after a while.

Once you've got those two things sorted, then you can start to worry about choice of frame manufacturer and components.

[fuzzy]

Choose the best frame you can at your budget. A great frame with mediocre components can be improved by upgrading wheels, drive train etc. over time. A bike with the dogs bollocks kit on a poor frame is not going to improve.

[Nomoreheroes]

It depends upon:
- What's your budget?
- What are you going to use it for?
- Are you going to use it year round?
- Are you going off road with it too?

If your budget is low and you are sticking to the road and may want to add mudguards for some part of the year at least then you'd be hard pressed to beat a B'Twin Triban. Which model in the range (500, 520 or 540) would be dicated by your budget. Check here:

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/C-359113-road-bikes

[Boy About Town]

Just bought a voodoo canzo for some trail riding.

[Bennett]

I'd be tempted too, if it's not too serious like.

We have no idea of numbers really. A lot of people I know are away/planning to be hungover all weekend, and a few of the Hub's regulars have registered an interest.
Pace - we're going to ride as fast as the slowest person.

The route takes into account that others might not be so confident on the road, so will look to go on cycle paths until out of Swindon.

[jayohaitchenn]

I'm up for it in principle. Selling my house this week so I'm super busy but I reckon I can fit this in.

[Jimmy Glass is an Alien]

Right TEF, I may have found a potential bargain, but inevitably if it looks too good it usually is!

As a ball park figure, what would I be looking at to replace/repair rear mek, bottom bracket and a hub service?

[Samdy Gray]

Not much. Rear mech and bottom bracket can be had for less than £50 all together, depending on spec.

Hub service is just a bit of grease.

Can do it all yourself if you're handy. You'll need a chain tool, a bottom bracket socket and a decent set of spanners. The trickiest part will be indexing the new rear mech, but it's not too difficult if you have patience.

[Bennett]

As Samdy says, not that much (but you might want to check what groupset it is you're going to get a new RD for, as some are niche and can get steep)

[Bennett]

We have no idea of numbers really. A lot of people I know are away/planning to be hungover all weekend, and a few of the Hub's regulars have registered an interest.
Pace - we're going to ride as fast as the slowest person.

The route takes into account that others might not be so confident on the road, so will look to go on cycle paths until out of Swindon.

We had one person who turned up who wasn't a mate.
We're doing the same route again Saturday, feel free to come along and wear lycra, it's very liberating

[fuzzy]

This is a damn good resource for repair help-

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/

Park Tools are awesome.

[jayohaitchenn]

We had one person who turned up who wasn't a mate.
We're doing the same route again Saturday, feel free to come along and wear lycra, it's very liberating

Not surprised, the weather was fucking wank. Will definitely have a go at some point. How long does it take to do the route?

[Bennett]

Not surprised, the weather was fucking wank. Will definitely have a go at some point. How long does it take to do the route?

It was definitely a struggle.
It took about 1hour 45mins at a nice steady pace

[Samdy Gray]

Sagan is God.

[horlock07]

Sagan is God.

Just got back from 4 days in Belgium at the Ronde and setting aside the fact that I am still half cut and bloody shattered, what a great weekend.

Watched the race on the Oude Kwaremont and it was absolutely insane, race passed three times (and the women twice) and on the last pass Sagan was attacking and very obviously dragging Sep Vanmarcke who was blowing out of his arse at the time, then Cancellara was trying to bridge and seeing them doing that up a steep hill on cobbles was incredible.

We were staying in Oudenaarde and so had two nights on the piss as the Sportive was on the Saturday and town was full of finishers and the bars full of pissed blokes in Lycra trying to carry rounds of beer across shiny wet floors in cleats (didn't tend to end well), plus on Sunday it was party night and like Magaluf with drunken Belgians.

Assuming I stay healthy we are planning to go over next year for the Sportive and then stay for the race again - I would recommend to anyone although at 40 its nearly killed me and getting up for the train in the morning at 6 isn't going to be nice.

The Belgians really do have the right idea!