Today I did get a road bike

[weasley]

I've been doing MTB for a while, had one or another for years but never owned or even ridden a 'road' bike. Recently I have been thinking about it more and fancied a go at it. Then at work we have a road sportive planned for a few weeks time that I wanted to do but I wanted to do it properly, rather than on a slick-shod MTB.

So today I burst two cherries - my first roadbike and my first Gumtree purchase.

https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8432/28017862634_609d899e01_c.jpg

A 2011 Cannondale Synapse with a mixed bag of components: 105 mechs, Ultegra shifters/levers, Tektro brakes, Mavic Ksyrium Elite wheels. I'm not quite ready for riding it yet - I have no spare tube(s), no pump that can do Presta valves, no garish Lycra and hairy legs - but from a swift ride around the block it all feels very sporty.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[spnorm]

I bought a Cannondale CAAD10 last year on the Ride to Work scheme and love it. It's just so fast and responsive after riding MTB's for years

[Duffman]

That looks very nice indeed. Well done on that purchase.
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MT-09 2015 ABS

[groovylee]

wiggle is good for all the extras you need. also, get a track pump. depending on your weight, you're going to need to bang those tyres up to around 90psi the one i got from there does presta and schraeder valves
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Past - 1988 honda revere 600, 1996 kawasaki gpz500s, 1999 Yamaha R6

Current - 2002 Aprilia RSV1000R & 1999 Kawasaki ZX6R

[weasley]

Yeah, Wiggle is doing regular business with me right now. Although I have also discovered Sigma Sport, who drop in a bag of Jelly Bellies rather than Haribo... this may be the clincher (DYSWIDT?).

So far I have:

Put some 105 5700 brakes on it.
Taken the 105 5700 brakes off of it - it turns out it needs long drop calipers, so it is back on the Tektro R538s.
Tightened the Mavic front wheel bearings.
Bought a bottle cage tool case; filled it with a tube, pump, levers, multitool and puncture repair kit.
Ridden it 20 miles and discovered it is MUCH longer geared than my MTB; am now contemplating replacing the 12-25 cassette with a 12-27, at least until my hill legs get developed.
Taken half a minute off of a 2 minute Strava segment compared to my MTB.

The most pressing thing it needs is a bottom bracket service - it's a bit rough (but no play). It's the Cannondale BB30 so essentially the same setup as motorcycle wheel bearings, pressed into the frame. So far I have been unable to get the cranks out of the BB but I only had a tickle at it - a bit more time and a bigger hammer needed.

I also found myself watching some Olympic road racing. I was watching live as Van Vleuten crashed.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[Pjay]

You cant realistically service the bottom bracket, they are quite cheap to replace, but you will need a removal tool for the crank and the BB.

[weasley]

All you theoretically need to do is undo one crank arm (10mm hex socket) which is self-extracting, then "gently tap" the axle/drive crank out of the BB. This leave two bearings behind which need to be drifted out and new ones pressed in - just like a motorcycle wheel. You can use a special tool or you can use drifts and a hammer.

I have got stuck at the second stage - I got the non-drive crank arm off but my tapping was clearly too gentle as I couldn't release the spindle from inside the bearings. It may be corroded in, it could even be Locktited in - it isn't supposed to be a tight fit though.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[stinkwheel]

Buy a planet x brand track pump.

I just got one. I chose it because it is branded as a "Phaart. Follow-Through."

All their own pumps are phaart brand. Couldn't buy anything else when I saw it.

You can get foam aerosol puncture repair/inflator cans for road bikes now. Like the ones you use in cars. Less weight than a spare tube, tyre levers and a pump and a hell of a lot quicker and easier to do at the side of the road. Straps to the seatpost.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.