Road bike upgrade advice needed

[SteveK]

46 minutes ago, Ventenio said:

 I can average ALMOST 40 kph for AN HOUR  

I'm 100% certain I can do the same, but just haven't found a big enough hill yet.

[BritManToo]

8 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Mine was 7k, beat that!

5k for my Giant Cross .........

 

11K for the Giant Anyroad ........

[moe666]

I had friends back in the states years ago who where national champion bike racers, their commit to all the new stuff to make it lighter was, FITNESS

[WaveHunter]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

He got reported to the police for talking about the tolerances on a female rider's orifices and calling a self-proclaimed industry expert a "vajweena head".

Yeah, he does have a knack for pushing the envelope LOL!  One "wild and crazy guy", but he is one of the most knowledgeable people I've ever heard when it comes to the science of bike design...really pretty amazing actually.

 

Here's one of my favorite rants of his...truly over the top, and it is the one that helped me finally solve my bottom bracket problem! :

 

[WaveHunter]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

Bear in mind I am on 8-speed Sora, the derailleur probably can't handle a big range cassette. Then if I need a new r/d I would need new shifters etc.....  

 

Will just have to have a very strong coffee and try harder.

For bike frames / rear derailleurs where fitting a larger cassette is a problem, you can get a little thing called a road link which is very easy to attach to most road bikes and extends the derailleurs away just enough to accommodate the larger cassette, but you could be right that perhaps a Sora groupset may not allow increased range of gears...I don't know; I have Shimano 105 groupset.

 

If I were going to make any upgrade it would be to change over to a Shimano 105 group set.  They revised it last year and it is closer to an Ultegra now...really nice!

 

Compared to a Sora groupset, that would be a noticeable improvement and well worth the money.  What's more, I've seen some used ones (the older version) listed on Facebook Marketplace at bargain prices, and it's almost as good as the newer version.

 

Also, the way 105 and above groupsets shift is so silky smooth and clean compared to a Sora, you would love it ????

[rvaviator]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

Mine was 7k, beat that!

Well there is a saying ... 'its all in your legs .. not in your bike' ???? .... and another ... 'all the gear and no idea' ... 555

[BritManToo]

42 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

Compared to a Sora groupset, that would be a noticeable improvement and well worth the money.  What's more, I've seen some used ones (the older version) listed on Facebook Marketplace at bargain prices, and it's almost as good as the newer version.

Absolutely not worth the money at all.

Shimano 105 is a much older design than Sora, and Sora takes a 11-36 easy..

 

All you do by changing shifters is chuck money down the drain.

8x, 9x, 10x all gimmicks unless you're a world class racing champion.

(and the more gears you have, the less well they change)

[kekalot]

k so I know next to nothing about bikes and was considering getting a bike from a tour shop around in hua hin, they have those Marin Gestalt 2 ex-rentals bikes I believe starting at 13,000+

 

good idea? bad? I don't mind spending a bit more but definitely not 100,000 haha

again, total amateur and will never do races but for fitness and .. transportation

 

oh and also, what size of bike for someone 191cm?

guy seemed to want to give me a short bike when i called em last time (i think they didn't have tall ones)

 

[scubascuba3]

7 minutes ago, kekalot said:

k so I know next to nothing about bikes and was considering getting a bike from a tour shop around in hua hin, they have those Marin Gestalt 2 ex-rentals bikes I believe starting at 13,000+

 

good idea? bad? I don't mind spending a bit more but definitely not 100,000 haha

again, total amateur and will never do races but for fitness and .. transportation

 

oh and also, what size of bike for someone 191cm?

guy seemed to want to give me a short bike when i called em last time (i think they didn't have tall ones)

 

They will try and sell you a smaller bike as many shops don't have farang size so take your time and get the correct size otherwise it's wasted money. Look at the size guide online for the model of bike.

 

If you ride on your own in most cases it doesn't matter if your bike isn't the fastest as it's only you. If in a group that's different

[SteveK]

24 minutes ago, kekalot said:

oh and also, what size of bike for someone 191cm?

 

For that model and your height, Marin recommend a size 60cm frame.

 

I doubt few, if any bike shops in Thailand have a bike of that size in stock. 

[rvaviator]

1 hour ago, moe666 said:

I had friends back in the states years ago who where national champion bike racers, their commit to all the new stuff to make it lighter was, FITNESS

But a lot more fun to buy bits for your bike ???? ...

[SteveK]

For me, cycling is just about getting out of the house for an hour or two a day, and slowing trying to drop some of the weight I have accumulated from being inactive due to the incessant Isaan heat and lack of things to do.

 

The idea of uploading, downloading, sideways-loading or whatever Strava data so that Lance Armstrong wannabees can laugh at how slow and fat I am is ridiculous, I am not doing this to be competitive and if you ever see me riding a 100k bicycle wearing lycra, you have my permission to run me off the road or shoot me.

 

The best way to make sure I stick to a routine is if it's fun. having owned very light bikes in the past, I know they are great fun to ride; responsive and quick, hence my plan to shed a couple of kgs off my cheap second hand bike to liven it up a bit and keep me plodding on, rather than just quitting.

 

I don't want to ride the Tour de France (or look like someone who does), I don't want to spend loads of money and I will never use Strava. I might graduate to a stopwatch and a pencil one day, but that's a long way off.

[BritManToo]

20 minutes ago, SteveK said:

The best way to make sure I stick to a routine is if it's fun. having owned very light bikes in the past, I know they are great fun to ride; responsive and quick, hence my plan to shed a couple of kgs off my cheap second hand bike to liven it up a bit and keep me plodding on, rather than just quitting.

It's a lot cheaper to shed a couple of kilos (or 10) off you, that'll liven your cheap bike up a bit.

 

As for Strava it's great, start the app when you get the bike out, stop it when you park up.

[SteveK]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

It's a lot cheaper to shed a couple of kilos (or 10) off you, that'll liven your cheap bike up a bit.

Already on it, lost quite a bit the last few months, still some way to go though.

[BritManToo]

please delete

[kekalot]

yep but 191 is more like 6'3. seen 58-60cm on sites too.

not sure if i'll find that, the dude is a westerner but as soon as i asked for taller he stopped replying to emails

[SteveK]

Bikes don't come as taller or shorter, the size is determined by the frame size.

 

This can be a number like 56cm, or a letter like S/M/L etc.

 

Different manufacturer's frame sizes can feel markedly different, just like with t-shirt sizes.  

[kekalot]

17 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Bikes don't come as taller or shorter, the size is determined by the frame size.

 

This can be a number like 56cm, or a letter like S/M/L etc.

 

Different manufacturer's frame sizes can feel markedly different, just like with t-shirt sizes.  

yeah i knew that part, just using wrong word for it I guess

they were trying to sell me a ±56cm telling me it "should be fine" but I wanted 58cm or even 60cm

[SteveK]

5 minutes ago, kekalot said:

yeah i knew that part, just using wrong word for it I guess

they were trying to sell me a ±56cm telling me it "should be fine" but I wanted 58cm or even 60cm

Yeah they just want to make the sale without worrying about whether it's suitable or not. See that a lot here.

[StreetCowboy]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

For me, cycling is just about getting out of the house for an hour or two a day, and slowing trying to drop some of the weight I have accumulated from being inactive due to the incessant Isaan heat and lack of things to do.

 

The idea of uploading, downloading, sideways-loading or whatever Strava data so that Lance Armstrong wannabees can laugh at how slow and fat I am is ridiculous, I am not doing this to be competitive and if you ever see me riding a 100k bicycle wearing lycra, you have my permission to run me off the road or shoot me.

 

The best way to make sure I stick to a routine is if it's fun. having owned very light bikes in the past, I know they are great fun to ride; responsive and quick, hence my plan to shed a couple of kgs off my cheap second hand bike to liven it up a bit and keep me plodding on, rather than just quitting.

 

I don't want to ride the Tour de France (or look like someone who does), I don't want to spend loads of money and I will never use Strava. I might graduate to a stopwatch and a pencil one day, but that's a long way off.

I think Strava is great, and you wouldn't mistake me for someone that rode Le Tour de France.

My buddy and I derive a perverse pleasure from not wearing lycra, and persisting with flat pedals.  
I wear a belt-bag to carry my phone and wallet, and I have to say that it accentuates and flatters my beer gut something tremendous.

Strava is great because you can review your rides, enjoy them over again in the comfort of your armchair in front of a roaring fire, and also browse and enjoy your mates' exploits and pictures.
 

[rvaviator]

1 hour ago, SteveK said:

For me, cycling is just about getting out of the house for an hour or two a day, and slowing trying to drop some of the weight I have accumulated from being inactive due to the incessant Isaan heat and lack of things to do.

 

The idea of uploading, downloading, sideways-loading or whatever Strava data so that Lance Armstrong wannabees can laugh at how slow and fat I am is ridiculous, I am not doing this to be competitive and if you ever see me riding a 100k bicycle wearing lycra, you have my permission to run me off the road or shoot me.

 

The best way to make sure I stick to a routine is if it's fun. having owned very light bikes in the past, I know they are great fun to ride; responsive and quick, hence my plan to shed a couple of kgs off my cheap second hand bike to liven it up a bit and keep me plodding on, rather than just quitting.

 

I don't want to ride the Tour de France (or look like someone who does), I don't want to spend loads of money and I will never use Strava. I might graduate to a stopwatch and a pencil one day, but that's a long way off.

????

In my book the great thing about cycling is that it can be all things to all people. Some enjoy a few km a day and watch the landscape as it slowly roll past. Or as Hemingway said

 “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.”

Other like to race along – head down arms forward on TT bars wanting to shave off a few seconds. Fast and short rides of just one or two hours. Racing for the joy of speed. Speed generated by your own muscle power is a great feeling.   Some like group riding. Going at great  speed and eat up the miles 10% to 20% faster than you ever would have done on your own. Taking turn rotating to the front every 5 minutes. Like a perfect arrow taking every aerodynamic advantage of the tight group riding experience. 

Then you have long distance cycling .. 100km is just a warm up. Speed is not the key but mental strength to keep going nonstop as you  go on for hours after hours .. 500km or more …..

Nothing wrong with Lycra ????  … and nothing wrong with cargo shorts as well … It all has its place as long as you enjoy the cycling you do and always raise your hand to a fellow cyclist and stop to help out if you see a guy with a wheel in his hand waving at you.  "Oh <deleted> I have a puncture and forgot the spare inner tube" ….

Stay strong. Cycle hard and watch them cars and motorbikes … But most of all … enjoy the type of cycling you do and keep doing it …. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

[StreetCowboy]

3 minutes ago, rvaviator said:

...and always raise your hand to a fellow cyclist and stop to help out if you see a guy with a wheel in his hand waving at you.  "Oh <deleted> I have a puncture and forgot the spare inner tube" ….

...

What a joy!  When you're fanging along hard to get a good time, and you see a bloke with a mechanical, and one voice says "Strava Personal Best", and the other voice says "He might need help", and you say "Thank goodness for an excuse to stop!"

[StreetCowboy]

25 minutes ago, kekalot said:

yeah i knew that part, just using wrong word for it I guess

they were trying to sell me a ±56cm telling me it "should be fine" but I wanted 58cm or even 60cm

56 would probably be OK for you; 58 or 60 probably better, but life is about making the best of your compromises.

 

The first bike I bought here was far too small for me; I rode it about 12,000 km over three years, before switching to a road bike.  Amongst the problems of riding a bike that is too small for you:
1) The seat post is way over-extended, and at risk of cracking the seat post or the frame (seat post tube or seat post mounting) (neither happened to me, but it was a mountain bike that I rode on roads and paths only)

2) The handlebars are a bit close so you are not aerodynamically stretched out - but it was a mountain bike, so that's not going to happen anyway

3) The saddle is probably going to be a lot higher than the bars, so that doubles you over and mitigates 2) above.  Unfortunately, your beer gut is going to get in the way of your thighs as you pedal.  You would need to be a stouter fellow than I for this to be a problem.

 

It will be easier to get a small bike into your car.  Bear in mind that you could wait until a bike your size became available, but buying a car with a boot 2 cm bigger won't be accomodated within your cycling budget.

 

SC  

[ChouDoufu]

3 hours ago, SteveK said:

For me, cycling is just about getting out of the house for an hour or two a day, and slowing trying to drop some of the weight I have accumulated from being inactive due to the incessant Isaan heat and lack of things to do.

 

The idea of uploading, downloading, sideways-loading or whatever Strava data so that Lance Armstrong wannabees can laugh at how slow and fat I am is ridiculous, I am not doing this to be competitive and if you ever see me riding a 100k bicycle wearing lycra, you have my permission to run me off the road or shoot me.

 

The best way to make sure I stick to a routine is if it's fun. having owned very light bikes in the past, I know they are great fun to ride; responsive and quick, hence my plan to shed a couple of kgs off my cheap second hand bike to liven it up a bit and keep me plodding on, rather than just quitting.

 

I don't want to ride the Tour de France (or look like someone who does), I don't want to spend loads of money and I will never use Strava. I might graduate to a stopwatch and a pencil one day, but that's a long way off.

 

if that's the case (paragraph one), then don't waste your money on trying to trim grams.  invest in whatever items (comfy seat!!) that make your bike fit you rather than you fitting your bike, and lets you put more time in the saddle.  not for everyone but a brooks leather saddle is a great investment, or a gyes clone from alibaba/lazada for half the price.

 

weight?  i pushed a 4-bagger tour bike with trailer around australia and new zealand for 18 months, about 20k km.  fully loaded, the bike weighed about 175 pounds.  that's 10 pounds less than me, when carrying 5 gallons water through the desert.

[scubascuba3]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

 

 

As for Strava it's great, start the app when you get the bike out, stop it when you park up.

Strava definitely makes riding more fun and pushes you if you try for PRs or even KOMs. Also in a group it's good to see how you fair with others

[rvaviator]

1 hour ago, scubascuba3 said:

Strava definitely makes riding more fun and pushes you if you try for PRs or even KOMs. Also in a group it's good to see how you fair with others

Strava is also  good way to see possible cycle routes that others have done

[scubascuba3]

5 minutes ago, rvaviator said:

Strava is also  good way to see possible cycle routes that others have done

Yes although I've not looked recently. Is it easy enough to download the routes to other apps\computers?

[WaveHunter]

16 hours ago, SteveK said:

For me, cycling is just about getting out of the house for an hour or two a day, and slowing trying to drop some of the weight I have accumulated from being inactive due to the incessant Isaan heat and lack of things to do.

 

The idea of uploading, downloading, sideways-loading or whatever Strava data so that Lance Armstrong wannabees can laugh at how slow and fat I am is ridiculous, I am not doing this to be competitive and if you ever see me riding a 100k bicycle wearing lycra, you have my permission to run me off the road or shoot me.

 

The best way to make sure I stick to a routine is if it's fun. having owned very light bikes in the past, I know they are great fun to ride; responsive and quick, hence my plan to shed a couple of kgs off my cheap second hand bike to liven it up a bit and keep me plodding on, rather than just quitting.

 

I don't want to ride the Tour de France (or look like someone who does), I don't want to spend loads of money and I will never use Strava. I might graduate to a stopwatch and a pencil one day, but that's a long way off.

I think you underestimate the value (and fun) of Strava.  If your goal is to get in shape, Strava is a great tool for that.  I use it on every ride (just using my iphone). 

 

The "Live Segments" feature allows you to sort of race against yourself on particular stretches of road and records your results for each ride so that you can compare your times.  It is highly motivating, making you push yourself harder, especially when you achieve a "personal record" and it awards you a little medal icon LOL!  I love it!  It makes any ride much more fun than if I were just aimlessly pedalling along.

 

It also is a highly social app since other riders can "like" your rides the same way Instagram or Facebook works, and you can compare your rides with other riders to see how well you are doing. 

 

I've made a lot of friends through Strava!  You should give it a try.  All over Thailand there are literally thousands of riders using it regularly.  it's not just for competitive riders at all.

 

The app is free and works right off your phone...just start it up, put it in your pocket and forget it until the end of your ride, if you don;t want to go to the trouble of mounting your phone on your bike

[kekalot]

38 minutes ago, WaveHunter said:

mounting your phone on your bike

 

lot of people wrecked their phone cameras by doing that because the vibration screws around with very small mechanical parts for camera (mostly), rest of phone works well but zoom, focus and whatnot starts acting up or straight up don't work anymore

 

it's not 100% and might not have happened to you or anyone you know obviously (or maybe they wouldn't know it was the cause?) but that's what I read about when I was looking for a phone mount for my Scoopy for GPS and then I decided against it..

 

if it's a cheap or secondary phone that you don't care about camera then sure, but I'd certainly not put a flagship phone on a bike mount

 

btw, love Strava, ex gf used it all the time and keeps sending me her records even two years later

[WaveHunter]

13 minutes ago, kekalot said:

 

lot of people wrecked their phone cameras by doing that because the vibration screws around with very small mechanical parts for camera (mostly), rest of phone works well but zoom, focus and whatnot starts acting up or straight up don't work anymore

 

it's not 100% and might not have happened to you or anyone you know obviously (or maybe they wouldn't know it was the cause?) but that's what I read about when I was looking for a phone mount for my Scoopy for GPS and then I decided against it..

 

if it's a cheap or secondary phone that you don't care about camera then sure, but I'd certainly not put a flagship phone on a bike mount

 

btw, love Strava, ex gf used it all the time and keeps sending me her records even two years later

I never had a problem and I used it not only on road bike but on mountain bike.  Granted, I wouldn't use my newer iPhone on downhill dirt trails, but I use my old 5s on all rides, and that phone has stood up to all sorts of abuse including numerous falls on downhill trails.  Still works like a charm...including the camera.  On a road bike...no worries at all IMHO.

 

I have heard stories like you described but my own experience is that iphones are built like a tank.  I can't count the number of times I've dropped my 5s, or had it mounted on my mountain bike when I dumped it on a rocky trail, and, just like the old Timex watch ads, "it takes a lickin, and just keeps on tickin" ????