I want to know your opininion on this , i want to change my brake leavers and rear mech . My front mech is ultegra , should i go for full shimano ( tiagra/sora) or should i mix things up with a sram ×3 ? What are your mechanical and aesthetic toughts?
Should I trust a Chinese carbon frame? Only thing I can think of with my budget that would give a decent bang for the buck. My current bike is a heavy aluminum frame with disc brakes and carbon fork.
Regarding endurance riding, I chose the Orbea OMX. (It’s ready to go, but can it get here through the pandemic?) Like many of the latest drop stay bikes, it has discs, has some aero features, is stiff, is lighter and more comfortable than an aero bike, can take 32mm tires, and has a moderate geometry. A true all-arounder. There are a few bikes in this category that could work without going for a full-on, relaxed, endurance bike. Get shallow wheels if you climb, deep wheels for aero, 25mm tires for quickness, and 32mm tires for comfort and light gravel. N+0. Can’t wait for it to arrive!
The question about upgrading Avid mechanical discs. If you use Hope V-Twin discs You can still use the original levers. The master cylinders are V shaped and mount under the stem. You can even choose between the 2 pot X2 and 4 pot X4 calipers.
Or you can go for the TRPs HY/RD which are cables activated with an hydraulic system in the caliper, feel the same as full on hydro brakes, only inconvenients is that they are a little bit heavier.
Corey Allert That would be very useful actually - I would expect the full hydro to be the most consistent over a long period of time but when all well set up I would be surprised if there was a huge difference in everyday performance. Then take into account maintenance - I decided against the part hydraulic on my touring/adventure bike so I knew I could easily fix with a cable when out. Stopping power over the original set of cheap cable disc calipers was huge without having to change shifters as well
Regarding chimneys, not all setups need a spacer on top. Cannondale Si setup on a CAAD12/ last model Supersix state *NO* spacer on top, with steered cut down below the top of the stem. The top cap itself supports the steerer where the top bolt of the stem is clamped, with the lower bolt being supported internally by the expander bung inside the steerer. If you put spacers above the stem it can result in the expander and top cap being in the wrong place. Instead would recommend those with OEM parts to check the manufacturers instructions, and if you use aftermarket bits to use your noggin to work out what's best.
The best budget upgrade for BB5s would be the TRP Hy/Rd. Cable acuated hydraulic brakes. Almost as good as a full hydro setup. For a bit less, the TRP spyre is a good option. Dual piston mechanical brakes.
Regarding disc brake upgrade, Tiagra 4700 series is not compatible with any other 10 speed groupset. So if you want to install Tiagra hydrolic brakes, you have to change the front and rear derailleur also.
I swapped out my road saddle on my Specialized Roubaix which I have on my turbo with an old Brompton saddle I had kicking around. Very padded and much more comfy for those long turbo sessions (which I'll have to get used to again soon with the help of a "Haymen step-ladder"® post-op for my broken collar bone)
Regarding disc brake upgrade: I have cable actuated hydraulic brake calipers (TRP Hy/Rd). They're outstanding! Much easier to maintain than full hyadraulics, works with "regular" shifters and the performance difference is negligable. I've had full hydraulics and high end mechanicals, but the cable actuated hydraulics brake calipers are my absolute favorite. Perfect compromize between ease of maintanance and performace. There are other makes and models. My experince with the TRP Hy/Rd have be falwless
Be aware that the Hy/Rd don't play well with all STI-levers/"brifters". I tried them on my SRAM Rival1 levers and they didn't pull enough cable to fully engage the brakes. You can buy a modification to the Hy/Rd piston mechanism that requires about 30% less cable travel and that would probably have solved my problem. I sold them to a guy who had Shimano controls and they worked perfectly.
@@larsgustav.gudbrandsen I have mine paired with rival 1 shifters too. Initially I thought I had the same issue. But just by pumping the brakes vigorously after dozen times, the pistons selfadjusted and the problem went away. When I was trouble shooting I learned two important lessons: a) use compressionless brake cable housing and b) do not adjust the cable tension so as to "pre-load" the brakes. Just set it up according to the instructions and keep braking and let the hydraulics do their magic self-adjustment.
@@mashkal2006 Yeah, I tried all of those tricks, also including refilling the brake fluid, cleaning and lubing the pistons, and bleeding the internal system, but to no avail. Not sure what the problem was. After faffing about for a few nights in the garage, I went back to the trusty Spyres.
I love this stuff! More home-spun cycling content. You guys (and Manon) are all great presenters. You don't need the studio. It's nice, but you don't need it.
Correct … for example, put 90 psi in a tire at (standard) sea level, the pressure will rise to just over 94.5 psi (a ~4.5 psi increase) at 10k feet (just over 3k meters) in elevation.
This makes no sense to me. Every fiber in my being tells me that the pressure will remain the same. The only thing that changes at altitude is the volume. Can tires expand like balloons?
@@thatsounditmakes9177 The manometer of the pump indicates the difference of the tyre pressure with the atmospheric pressure. The absolute pressure of air inside the tyres remains the same regardless of altitude, but if you pumped them up to 7 bar at sea level and sent them to the vacuum of space, they would be as hard as 8 bar tyres at sea level.
This is really interesting! If you look at it from a physics perspective, assuming that the tire volume doesn’t change, the pressure in the tire does stay exactly the same (as is ideal gas law PV=nRT states). As the pressure stays the same, so does the force that pushes the tire against the tarmac, hence the ride quality is the same too. In a realistic scenario the tire might even expand a little, because there is less force pushing form the outside, so the tire pressure should decrease.
There are 2 measures of pressure going on here, *absolute* pressure and *gauge* pressure. As other replies state, *absolute* pressure stays the same, or will decrease slightly as tyres are flexible and the volume will increase slightly. On the other hand, *gauge* pressure, which is what you measure when you are pumping your tyres, is the difference between absolute and atmospheric pressure and this will increase as atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude. Because it's the absolute pressure which gives the support to the tyre, the ride quality will not change with change of altitude.
I've tried a few saddles, even a 100$ SMP saddle.. BUT, best saddle i have tried for now is a cheap saddle from Biltema (swedish kind of Wallmart or something), it was around 10$ and totaly great!
Giving a like for Albert! Thanks for working at home through all this. We’re also working from home with a kid, and I enjoy these videos as I wind down from the daily chaos.
Always a pleasure to see you, Simon! Nice of the wee one to male an appearance, too👍 Best wishes for you, your family, everyone at GCN, and their families as well during the lockdown. I'm in the US, and the lockdowns are just starting here in any real capacity. Stay safe everyone!👊👍🇬🇧🇺🇸
I think the most compelling reason for many average riders to consider endurance geometry is that you can run a normal 7 deg stem with minimal spacers. It always cringe seeing top-end race bikes with 40mm of spacers or upright stems. It's mostly vanity, but looking good is an important part of cycling!
#askgcntech as I get older (73 now) and my flexibility lessened, I found that going to a flat bar became more comfortable. Why is it Roadies look down on a flat bar bike, when it keeps me riding. Isn't more people riding whatever all want?
Its just road cyclists being old fashioned and being them basically. Its like the question why do cyclists look down on triatheltes riding with short socks, GO out and ride your bike and enjoy!
There's this weird hypocritical quirk in cycling where we all simultaneously want everyone to ride bikes, but only in the same way we do. There's quite a bit of denial around it.
Joel - I upgraded from Avid BB5 to a pair of TRP Spyres. The Spyres are fantastic mechanical disc brakes and a simple transition on a mechanical-setup bike - no need for new shifters etc. Spyres also have modulation on both sides of the pad meaning you can dial each pad in or out independently.
Agreed. The Spyres are far superior to the BB5 and most other "single-sided" mechanical calipers. They are also super easy to maintain and set up. I use Spyre with my Rival1-kitted Kona Sutra, with SwissStop organic (green) pads and TRP 2-piece, slotted rotors. The stopping power is more than adequate.
@@larsgustav.gudbrandsen +1! For the majority of people reading this, TRP Spyres would be a great choice for a budget disc brake upgrade (hydraulic STI levers cost a lot more). Disc brakes are fantastic in wet and horrible winter conditions but Shimano 105 and above rim brakes are great as well and perfect for fine weather riding. Let's face it, most of us will run out of bravery before we run out of brakes...
Cheers Dom! As much as I would love to go to hydraulic brakes that isn't going to happen for a while and when it does a whole new bike will probably come with them. This is the line of thinking I was going down so glad to hear that you haven't had any issues with them. Can I ask if you needed to do anything with how they were mounted to the frame?
Yeah I figured that was your angle :-) No nothing, mine were a straight swap. Just check your planned new ones are flat mount or post mount (this explains it well: cyclingtips.com/2018/05/complete-faq-to-road-disc-brakes/) and it was easy to do.
I've spent a small fortune on saddles looking for one that is comfortable. Or at least not painful. Brooks Cambium c17 has been best by a wide margin. I just bought a c15 all weather , and will soon try it out. I'm not sure which bike I want to put it on.
Si, great Tech update. By the way mate, not sure if it's the lighting, but looks like you've got grey highlights coming through ... "Controversial" as some would say :-)
#AskGCNTech I'm considering a new set of carbon wheels around the 10.000nok mark (1.000£ ish?). On the top of the list (due to great prices as a friend works in a shop) is MAVIC Comete Carbon Pro and the Cosmic Carbon Pro. Both are the same price however the Comete are 64mm deep at 1800g ish and the Cosmic are 45mm deep at 1600g. So my question is which one would I be better of with as an sorth of alround aero wheel? Thanks for any responses and hope you all are doing well!
Stack and Reach are usually measured to the top of the headset not the top of the steerer as the graphic suggested. rideonmagazine.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/BIKESIZE_1.jpg
I’ve tried steel, titanium, forged alloy and cnc alloy chainrings and found forged alloy far superior to cnc for longevity. I also noticed that often the forged alloy have anodised teeth whereas the cnc ones are bare. What is it that gives the better longevity and what brands forge/stamp chainrings other than praxis and Shimano?
On the cable->hydraulic question, TRS makes a hybrid solution that I’ve heard good things about. It’s cable-actuated, but compresses the pads with hydraulics. No need to swap levers or buy/route hoses.
@@antonpeterson1245 those are the better option imho - lighter too. Put some trickstuff pads in them and there isnt much differece to the hydraulic once
I have a question. Maybe other's can answer or not. I took delivery of a new 2020 Trek Domane SL5 disk with full Shimano 105 group set. I haven't had a chance to get out doors with it yet but have had it on the trainer a couple times. He is my question: Has anyone else with a Trek or other Shimano 105 equipped bike had lots of chain noise when riding in the last two small gears (cogs) when in the small chain ring and in the last gear (cog) in the large chain ring? I've up graded to a Ultegra Cassette and it hasn't seemed to help.
Pfff! The atmospheric pressure at 2770 metres above sea level, which is about as high as the roads in the Alps go, is approximately 0.71 bar. So your tyres would be 0.3 bar harder at altitude if you pumped them up to a correct pressure at sea level. Does that warrant an adjustment? Not for me.
#AskGCNTech I would like to combine the Shimano GRX Groupset with a 11spd 10-50 cassette. The problem being the big 50T sprockett is not in the range of the rear derailleur from the GRX Groupset. Do you have any suggestions to make that one fit? Maybe by extending the cage of the rear derailleur? Or are there any better options? By the way, GCN Tech Clinic definitely is the best format for all us amateur home mechanics, thanks a lot! Best regards, Max
Daniel, Si, and Bruno B: Does altitude affect your tire (tyre) pressure? Yes it does. Is it enough to matter? I don't think so. Absolute atmospheric pressure at sea level is 14.7 psi, and at 10,000 ft it is 10.1psi. So if your tire pressure is 85 psi at sea level, it will increase to 89.6 psi as you climb to 10,00 ft. I wouldn't have a problem with that - would you? Here's another interesting question
Sorry, accidentally hit enter... Another question - if the temperature at sea level is 70F, and at 10,000 ft it is 35F, how much does your tire pressure decrease due to the temperature change?
I am recovering from a shoulder injury and am currently restricted to working out on a turbo-trainer that a mate loaned me. I am doing 30 minutes with a reasonable amount of resistance. Will this be sufficient to give me the fitness I need for my 3-4 hour rides that I normally do?
Track and single speed bikes generally come with bolt-on axles. Is there any danger or reason to not use a standard QR wheelset on a single speed bike? #AskGCNTech
Hi I have a crossbike with a 9 speed Shimano Sora drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes. I wanted to install a drop bar but found out that there is no brakelever vor drop bars and hydraulic disc brakes. Is there a solution for this? Best regards from Berlin, Germany P.s. love your videos
Just bought Canyon Endurace with 105 group set. Hoods have a flattened surface where the base of your thumbs/ wrists sit which create edges where this area of the hood transitions into the side of the hood. I find this uncomfortable, is there any way to make this more rounded/ make this more comfortable? Thanks!
#GCN Tech: I love my tubeless Mavic Cosmic wheels and tires (25mm), but removing the tires is almost impossible and I fear that if I puncture and the sealant is insufficient to stop the leak, I will not be able to remove the tire and insert a tube to get home. Any tips about easing tubeless tire removal?
Good question, they are waterproof to an extent, riding in heavy rain shouldn't cause any problems but if you fully submerge your bike in water you have issues...speaking from experience!
#AskGCNTech Ignoring cost, what is the most reliable, longest lasting road bicycle chain (speed respective) you guys have used or heard of? Bonus question: Longest lasting chain lubricant? Given the fear of COVID-19, maybe instead of weight watching, we should be looking for the most durable components for our bikes.
Ok you get a like.. And a question. In the month February we had a lot of storms. One time battling the wind in the North of the Netherlands Hit is always windy here) i toughed what will be the percentage in comparing with climbing? Is windspeed BF 7 for example 8% climbing? Maybe 1 for the nerd section.
I'm not a small guy by cycling standards - 185cm, 88 kg and happy to maintain that weight. I'm in the market for an upgrade to my 7-year-old Cannondale Synapse in the near future. Am I correct in assuming a lightweight bike would be pointless for me and I should prioritize aerodynamics? #AskGCNTech
FWIW, endurance bikes might not just be about a more comfortable fit, but also the "relaxed geometry" such that an endurance bike is not quite as twitchy or quick to turn in (for crits, etc.). My more relaxed bike is more stable on fast downhills, no-handed, etc....possibly would be easier to handle with panniers, if I had them.
#askgcntech. I am running a Shimano R8000 groupset now with a 50/34 chainset with an 11/30 cassette, but in my daily riding, there is very little chance that I will use the 11 even the 12T. I was wondering is there any way I can change the 50T chainring to a 46 or 48T one while keeping the small 34T ring, that way I can further compress the range of gear ratio while setting the chain more straight when I ride. Thanks!
For the individual who wants to upgrade their disk brakes. What I would suggest is the TRP Sprye-C Mechanical caliber. Works well with any Mechanical pull brake lever wether it be flat bar or drop bar or something in between. Duel pivot movement so both pads are coming into contact at the same time and have a great feel and modulation. Oh and they are way lighter than the TRP hy/rd, cheaper too.
One reason sitting on a saddle can be less comfortable indoors is sweat. Even with fans, you still get less wind on your lower parts which makes more difficult on long rides. One thing I had done is put an extra fan behind me. I also build one of those DIY rocker plates (there's a FaceBook group of rocker plate DIYers). They are great. People think they're for simulating rocking your bike when riding out of the saddle. They are more for comfort because your bike keeps moving slightly and it makes a great difference.
One note on zwifting saddles: you don’t care how heavy it is on the trainer. I swapped a Selle Anatomica from my gravel bike to my road bike mounted on the saddle, adding 150gs. It was significantly more comfortable than any other road saddle I’ve tried while riding a trainer. Out on the road, I’ve swapped back to a lighter road saddle. So, looking for a used Selle Anatomica or Brooks leather saddle might help with your sore backside on a trainer for a reasonable cost.
Can I run a 1x 44t with a 11-46 cassette with a Shimano GRX rear derailleur? Would I need a wild tooth comp road link? Would it be easier to use a Shimano MTB rear derailleur? Ideally for gravel Thank you
What are compatibility options for hubs, can I use any freewheel, eg Campy Shimano, on same road bike hub? I just use the same freewheel from original wheel/hub? I have clunky rear wheel, rim and spokes are good, but hub has lots of lateral freemove...
Maybe you can help me. I’ve the SRAM apex 1 cranks on my gravel bike wanting to get a larger chain ring for it. Somehow all the asymmetric 110 BCD ones only seam to almost fit. Is there any solution to fit another chainring besides drilling into them?
For the guy wishing to upgrade mechanical disc brakes he can buy TRP hydraulic caliper which are actuated by cables. My son has them on two bikes and is very pleased with them. About £100.00
For over ten years I rode a stiff-as-hell Pinarello Paris aluminium race bike for training and recreational riding and never had an issue with it. When I hit 60 it began to feel a little less comfortable, probably as my body was aging and becoming less flexible. I bought a Lynskey gravel bike last year (and so even more relaxed than an endurance bike) and stuck some race wheels and tyres on it. It was a revelation in terms of comfort and was really only a smidgen slower. In other words, age matters - what you can ride happily at 30 may leave you limping at 60, at least in my experience.
14.7psi at sea level, 10.7psi at 2500 meter altitude... Unless you control your tire pressure to 3psi, you need to go pretty high to get a significant difference...
Disc brakes on an endurance bike is a big NO-NO! One of the key priorities on any bike but especially on an endurance bike is comfort (reduced suspension loss). The less shock the rider endures, the greater the amount of time one can spend on the bike and that makes for more miles in a given amount of time. The problem with disc brakes is that they torque the left fork blade so the fork has to be made stronger and this lessens the ability of the fork to absorb shock. The fork is the second most shock-absorbing component on a bike. The tires are, of course, the first line of defense against shock. Finally, while the disc brake mantra is faster stops and better modulation, I think these are false arguments. Good riders anticipate the need to stop rather than react to a stopping situation so the shorter stopping distance is very seldom going to be needed. As for modulation, I've found that my hands supply all the modulation that I need. Wide open tubular tires complement endurance riding beautifully. Consequently, a great endurance bike must accept tires that are great for endurance. This means open tubular tires that are in the 35-42 mm width range. The ride is exquisite.
Question about Shimano Ultegra Di2 setup. Is it possible to have the right lever be "full synchro" and use the left lever to just switch chainrings? I would find this useful for starting bug hills or descents. Have not been able to find any info online about this.
Piggy backing on the Altitude question....when transporting a bike via a airline flight should I decrease tire pressure before hand, if so by how much, and will this be an issue with tubeless tires and the sealant?
the ultimate endurance bike - and this also answer the saddle question - is a recumbent. You'll ride longer and farther without sores and aches. Ask Maria Parker and other Cruzbike riders how they won ultra distance races with hours ahead of the competition.
I bought my steel bike for the point of endurance and touring. Steel is heavier, but it is softer to ride. It's a more relaxed position while still a road bike, and it fits a more rugged tyre. If I was to do it again, I'd go gravel bike for endurance
If I want to install a sram force 12 speed groupset on my bike. Is there a 12 speed cassette on the market that would fit on a shimano freehub and wil work with sram 12 speed. Or wil I need to buy a set of New wheels.
Regarding tyre pressure rise with altitude, any rise due to lower air density will be offset by the decrease in temperature (about 2C per 1000 feet) so no need to play around with the pressures on a climb.
Why do some articles I read say not to use a bike rack for carbon frames? It's my only option to transport my new carbon bike. Are there ways to lessen the "damage" they say is being done.
#AskGCNTech Can I combine a big round chainring and a small oval chainring in one crankset? For example, can I use a 52T Shimano R8000 chainring with 36T Rotor Q RINGS oval chainring? How this will affect front shifting?
@@gcntech It is known that the efficiency of the oval chainring is more pronounced during the climbing. I would like to try this, but I do not want to completely change the entire crankset to an oval in view of finances.
I have an older saddle from the parts bin with chromoly rails, and a newer carbon seatpost. How can I tell if my seatpost is able to accommodate a carbon saddle with its differently shaped rails?
#gcntech I just bought a power meter and I keep my bike indoors. I found that the power value seems very high compared to what I perceive on my trainer. I suspect that the calibration is set off when I take my bike out from 16° to outside 0°C and calibrate it when it's not yet aligned to the outside temp. Should I wait a while before calibrating the power meter that the meter has had time to align to the outside temp?
I just went through this on my ride today. Took it from inside 22C to outside 33C, I did a calibration inside and outside after riding a warm up lap and letting the powermeter side crank sit in the sun for a few minutes. Using a garmin head unit and stages left pm, the calibration number that is displayed was different after each calibration. However as I sat there after the 2nd calibration, I saw the number change on it's own. Ambient temperature does make a difference but modern power meters have a thing called "active temperature compensation." If you have a Favero, Garmin, Look, Stages, Powertap or Pioneer power meter, all of these brands use active temperature compensation (at least in newer models). I personally will still do a calibration after letting the bike warm up a bit (there will always be a significant temp difference between inside and outside in Texas), but those models can adjust for variations on their own. If you have a different brand other than what is listed, you will need to let it warm up as close to ambient temp as you can before calibrating. Also, power figures are typically higher outside than inside for a number of other reasons as well. Gravity, the ability to move the bike side to side, the cooling effect of wind etc can all be factors in power differences.
if you have a wheel-on trainer, power is measured at the wheel, this needs calibration too. Depending on the type of power meter you might be measuring power at the pedals, the crank, or at the hub. Because of drive train losses these values are likely to differ from what a wheel-on trainer reports which measures power after drive train losses.
You dont need carbon wheels unless youre racing at a very high level. If you wheels are heavy and holding you back go for some lightweight aluminiums like dt swiss 1800 or mavic ksyrium
if you're in a a hilly area, like to climb, find the lightest most aero wheels within your budget. If climbing isn't your thing, find the most aero wheels in your budget. I'm betting in both cases you will find alloy wheels are the ticket.
Leave room in the budget to for good tyres for your riding style. Can give you pricless confidence and offer less rolling resistsnce. All equalling bigger smiles.
