Newbie road bike

[superstacker]

Well after a month of trying to commute 13 miles each way (a few days a week) on a mountain bike, I bit the bullet last Friday and bought myself one of these:
https://www.all-about-the-bike.co.uk/ekmps/shops/mrsquealypig/images/dawes-giro-300-2013-road-bike-fully-assembled-6040-p.jpg


The difference in speed is phenomenal, although I did make a mistake of going into a corner at mountain bike speeds on a greasy possibly diesel spilled road surface and put a scratch on it!

Now Im a lot more careful on bends until I get used to it.

Also had to go out for the first time and buy all my spare innertubes, frame pump etc..just hoping that the money I'm saving pays off eventually

[Minty]

A scratch?

After nearly 4 years of riding mine a few days a week, well, lets just say there is a scratch or 2.

Get yourself some Gatorskin/Armadillo tyres.
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[UnknownStuntm...]

My cornering technique for iffy surfaces is unclip my inside foot, stand up with a bent knee of the clipped in foot, lean forward keeping the front of the bike upright and be prepared for the back to step out.

There's a tight 90 degree bend on one of my rides everyone calls cowshit corner, I can repeatedly drift it like a boss. Makes me feel damn great ... until I clean the bike...

[superstacker]

New tyres might well be on the cards after that cornering incident, also got my first puncture yesterday.

Thank god for quick release wheels

[D O G]

[JonB]

[JonB]

BTW I'm disappointed this wasn't a bike recommendation thread, i'm still sulking about my missed wiggle referee bonus for a bargain on there at the moment...
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[haroman666]

I find those Dawes quite heavy.
But it's gonna be good for the job you need it for!

When the wheels inevitably go out of true beyond repair; invest in some decent lightweight wheels. As that is where a lot of the weight is on these.

Can't really comment on tyres as I don't ride road bikes often enough to base judgement. My stepdad's Trek has some Dual compound michelins but they're nearly 10 years old so have probably been superseded by something more up-to-date.
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[D O G]

[JonB]

[D O G]

Interesting. Similar price as the Contis anyway.

I will consider them.

[ithyphallic]

I concur...Gatorskins are pretty damn slippy, that being said I don't do a lot of riding in the wet/winter on the roads. I move back to mountain biking in winter.

[lihp]

Personally have no issues with slick tyres on wet roads here.

The tyres are that narrow that running a decent pressure will prevent aquaplaning as they will simply push the water away.
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[handbasket]

I use Continental Grand Prix 4 seasons. Can’t remember the last time I had any grip issues.

[D O G]

But what about punctures?

Even if the Hardshells might be slippier (maybe, dunno), they are awesome at resisting punctures. The little bits of flint which abound down here on the lanes of the South Downs are very adept at slicing reet through tyres.

From recent use Hardshells>Normal Gatorskins>Armadillos.

If the Schwalbe's can equal the Hardshells' resistance and provde better grip, I would make a permanent change. If they can't, it'll be an experiment.

[handbasket]

[JonB]

I have had one puncture in 2,000 miles on my current pair of Durano Plus. To be fair a stick got wedged between my mudguard and tyre, of which a large thorn penetrated both the rubber and Kevlar belt which is unsurprising.

Yeah, the tyres are a bit heavier than Gatorskins, but you just get fitter to compensate.

handbasket, I see you rode LEL, do you usually ride audax events or was this a one off?
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[handbasket]

LEL wasn’t a one-off, no. I’m 2xPBP and 2xLEL, once each on gears and once on fixed. Still a relative newcomer, really! Currently deciding whether to do the Mille Cymru again next year, and if so, whether to attempt it on fixed.

[JonB]

Chapeau.

Longest I've done is a 300km event earlier this year. Tend to just do 200km rides mainly though.

There is a glut of 1000km+ rides next year all over the UK.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[D O G]

[JonB]

[handbasket]

[D O G]

Well you both have certainly made sure I maintain my non relaxed attitude about it!!

I'll be pacing myself for sure - fairly certain I'll be riding solo so won't have to compromise. I've done a fair few 100milers, and will be doing 110miles in a day in Feb as a sort of warm up (though that is a much flatter route), pretty confident I'll be OK.

If I get round in under 9 hours riding time I'll be content. I'll be happy if I do it in under 8. We shall see.

[lihp]

[MinhDinh]

How are you finding the bike? I have a giro 400 and find that my knees get wrecked. I have adjusted the seat etc... But no joy. A cheap Tenman hybrid seemed to be better!
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