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OK so im not new to road riding but up till now its been on an ancient 700c hybrid with nice thick tyres which weighs about the same as my Volvo 😀
I've now bought a 'proper' road bike with skinny tyres that's fairly light, so what differences in handling can I expect/do I need to ride it differently?
Any tips most appreciated
just go steadyish on steep hills, bends etc 'til you work it out
's only a bike
No real changes. Top tip when cornering at speed is to push away (slightly! and practice on a clear road!) with your inside hand (eg so that you're steering away from the corner) and amazingly you'll actually steer better into the bend.
Other than that, learn to spin - cadence of 80-90rpm at least is much more efficient over any distance once you learn to do it properly. It will almost certainly slow you down to start with though.
Dodge potholes
Top tip when cornering at speed is to push away (slightly! and practice on a clear road!) with your inside hand (eg so that you're steering away from the corner) and amazingly you'll actually steer better into the bend.
Everyone counter steers naturally anyway
It's the way you make a bike or motorcycle change direction at anything other than very low speed, you make it start to 'fall over' and then correct it
It's purely intuitive
Of course, however if you do it consciously, you can actually steer much more into a corner than you think. It's got me out of a couple of tight scrapes...
don't 😈your road riding tips please
I love how responsive the bike is, you just have to 'think' about turning left and off it goes (ie the body movement required is tiny)
everything else you need is here:
[url] http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/ [/url]
I found the most difficult thing going into corners at speed, then finding the corner gets tighter and you have to lean the bike further over mid-corner.
Just takes a bit of practive - but make sure you do it before you're heading down a steep hill at 30mph and start drifting onto the wrong side of the road!
Keep it smooth, especially if you're riding in a group. No sudden swerves or braking (unless your life depends on it obviously!) No jumping around out of the saddle, keep it nice and relaxed, you'll go faster and look more pro, all at the same time. 😉
HoratioHufnagel - Member
I found the most difficult thing going into corners at speed, then finding the corner gets tighter and you have to lean the bike further over mid-corner.
Which is exactly where consciously countersteering will help.
Join a club or at the very least find a friend who'll ride with you. This works on 4 levels.
1) Safety, cars seem to give me a lot more space when there's 2 of you and you're easier to spot.
2) Speed, if I look at my Garmins results after a solo ride it's all over the place, random sprins up hills, miles where I was clearly daydreaming, gettign up a hill quickly ony to take it easy over the top, etc. I get twice as much from a ride in a group as I do on my own.
3) Company, occasionaly a solo century can be a nice bit of me time, other days it can be skull crushingly boring. Even if the other guy/girl has nothing to talk about appart from how he saved 2g by filing down the ends of his QR's or insists that his ceramic bearings are worth another 5watts in a sprint as they can be lubed with kangaroo jism rather than grease, it's still company.
4) Cafe stops, groups only brake for cake, it's a fact and however much you think you look like something straight out the Rapha catalogue sitting there on your own in cycling gear drinking cappuchino at the garden center, people are in fact avoiding you, freak. At least doing this in a group means you're not alone.
Other tips:
In all but the hottest weather, put a good baselayer on under your jersey, it'll keep you warm on decents and prevent us seeing your moobs on climbs.
Baggies are not cool, ditto peaked helmets, you're on a road bike, be comfortable with and embrce a new world of chaffe free comfort.
You can fit all you need in your jersey pockets, if you can't then a small saddle bag is acceptable. Tri-bags are not, and camelpacks make you look like a mountainbiker trying desperately not to identify with other roadies.
Wave to other cyclists, one day you might need to borrow a tube/pump/gell off them, if they dont wave back don't take it personaly and go on forums to rant about it, they probably just didn't see you or were too tired, either that or you were wearing a peak/camelpack/baggies.
Group riding has been the one for me, joining the local club has improved my fitness tenfold but on the other hand it has also drained my wallet. After a winter on the road with the local club me and a mate headed out to CYB a couple of weekends ago and I was flying up the climbs.
A good computer is helpful, sad I know but for me watching the averages has been another big motivation.
😆Even if the other guy/girl has nothing to talk about appart from how he saved 2g by filing down the ends of his QR's
Don't be surprised if you enjoy it more than mountain biking 😉
Crashes at corners in 4th cats explained in one thread.
Just take it steady, relax and learn on the go. Don't start cornering fast thinking something you've learnt on the web is going to get you out of trouble because it wont.
You'll know when you are ready .
I'd hook up with a club, regardless of what people say road clubs are very social.
You'll learn some of the hand signals, not that there's many. That'll be useful if you hook up with strangers whilst out riding.
Personally I don't go in for them. I don't like to rely on someone and TBH my bike doesn't fall apart if I go down potholes.
(Try riding in Belgium, potholes are your problem no one elses)
End of the day it's riding a bike, it's not rocket science.
If you are riding in a group for gods sake keep pedalling as you stand up out of the saddle and as you sit down again!
^
Pretty much this.
It can get addictive as the speed/distance you cover becomes the 'thrill', as opposed to the 'terrain' of MTBing!
Also, take lots of performance enhancing drugs. Even if it's just to make the commute a bit quicker!
DrP
oldgit - Member
Crashes at corners in 4th cats explained in one thread.
He asked for difference in handling techniques 🙄
4th Cats crash because they're not used to bunch riding/racing.
You might be surprised that your new fancy road bike is not actually that much faster then the hybrid. but no doubt its nice to sit on. You may find the hills a bit harder with longer gearing.
Baggies are not cool, ditto peaked helmets, you're on a road bike, be comfortable with and embrce a new world of chaffe free comfort.You can fit all you need in your jersey pockets, if you can't then a small saddle bag is acceptable. Tri-bags are not, and camelpacks make you look like a mountainbiker trying desperately not to identify with other roadies.
Busted!
Baggies and camelbak on this'afternoon...
Lycra on its way! 😮
Roadies have 23 different words for tarmac. Learn them and it will help with conversation on group rides.
When cornering on the downhills get your weight over the front, don't hang off the back like you would on an MTB.
[i]Wave to other cyclists, one day you might need to borrow a tube/pump/gell off them, if they dont wave back don't take it personaly and go on forums to rant about it, they probably just didn't see you or were too tired, either that or you were wearing a peak/camelpack/baggies. [/i]
or, they didn't know you and don't tend to habitually go around waving to strangers.
choose riding times carefully to avoid traffic.
IME Friday 3.30pm onwards and Saturday afternoons are some of the worst times to road ride.
or, they didn't know you and don't tend to habitually go around waving to strangers.
Hmmm, I say hello to everyone, maybe it's just a northern thing, even my missus find it strange when she comes up here and strangers say hello.
[i]I say hello to everyone, maybe it's just a northern thing[/i]
It's definitely not a northern thing. It's an odd thing.
Do you ever get anything done?
When you're on a bike, do you wave at cars, motorbikes, maybe cows too?
How many posts and not one tip on shaving legs, tut tut, STW you are slacking 😉
stilltortoise - MemberDon't be surprised if you enjoy it more than mountain biking
+1
It's definitely not a northern thing. It's an odd thing.
I am an odd thing ,I say hello/wave to everyone when I am on two wheels 🙂
You are Basil Fotherington-Thomas and I claim my £5 😉
Damn! it's in the post 😉
How many posts and not one tip on shaving legs, tut tut, STW you are slacking
It's in the rules..
Don't wash out both wheels fall off in a freak accident & break your leg. It hurts. A lot.
Been shaving the legs for 37 years and could still do with some tips.
Now I do like you RealMan, but I ****ing hate that site. I hate the fact that a slammed stem somehow seems like something we should all be aiming to, rather than actually adjust it to fit perfectly.
I like my stem slammed, but my bars shallow.....hipsters.
The grump is kicking in
Wear lycra.
Be boring.
Shave legs.
Walk like a mincer when not on the bike.
If you have a wife/girlfriend, dump her now to save her the hassle later.
Find a different forum full of like-minded idiots.
Ignore every mountain-biker you pass.
your road riding tips please
Get a Triumph/Ducati/Yamaha or something like that.
And a mountain bike.
choose riding times carefully to avoid traffic.IME Friday 3.30pm onwards and Saturday afternoons are some of the worst times to road ride.
^^^Good advise this. Get out early on a weekend morning before the numptys get out and about. If you can get up and out and then back home before 10 am, you'll get a nice quiet ride in, and then you've got the rest of the day to spend with family, etc.
Get out early on a weekend morning before the numptys get out and about. If you can get up and out and then back home before 10 am, you'll get a nice quite ride in, and then you've got the rest of the day to spend with family, etc.
really looking forward to some of this now the frosty mornings are passing. My road rides from the house are all back roads and winter mornings are usually a nono for riding, combination of hedges, low sun, farmers slurry and slippiness make for much falling off....
I rarely ride my road bike but really enjoy it when I do. A solo night ride away from traffic on a clear night can be a magical experience. I did a quick circuit of Leith Hill last night and didn't see a soul.
I definitely struggle with being smooth and I know I stand up and mash more than I should. Guess it comes with practice.
I just got a web site block (work server) due to ‘adult content’ on the slam that stem link. I am now hoping the site is indeed road bike related as I may be explaining this to my boss soon?
Could someone confirm and put my mind at rest.
Slam that stem is perfectly work safe. It's just a site for muppets who prefer to make their bikes look a certain way than actually ride right 🙂
Ignore the roads you'd drive in your car & go seek out the lesser travelled winding back lanes.
Immac is a lot less painful than waxing.
And..
If you must wax, don't ever let your Mrs do the waxing.
Slam that stem is perfectly work safe. It's just a site for [s]muppets who prefer to make their bikes look a certain way than actually ride right[/s] people flexible enough to get a decent position on their road bike
Corrected that for you 😉
Figured. I'm plenty flexible enough thanks to a different sport for many years. Anyone who thinks that lower is fundamentally better is [s]stupid[/s] misguided.
Assuming you can maintain power output and comfort, lower = more aero = better.
[b]ASSUMING[/b]
Oh and lower isn't better. Only up to the point of the best aero position. Some people are quite capable of getting too low at the front...
Chris Boardman was known for being very flexible. Why didn't he have a flatter stem here?
[img] 
[/img]
put a bmx wheel on the front. Makes you properly aero. Better yet, a mag wheel.
Mag wheels are sweeeet...
Chris Boardman was known for being very flexible. Why didn't he have a flatter stem here
Thing is, most people don't ride custom-made time trial bikes. Pick any modern off-the-shelf road frame and chances are you can't get that nice flat-backed aero position with a positive rise stem and a stack of spacers.
When you're on a bike, do you wave at cars...?
I do when they show courtesy, such as holding back until safe to pass. Don't other people do this?
Of course I shake my fist and gesticulate wildly when they try and sideswipe me, just for balance, of course. 😆
[i]I do when they show courtesy, such as holding back until safe to pass. Don't other people do this?[/i]
Oh, absolutely. But not *all* cars.
+1 for lower not being better, who's got that pic of Contador sprinting on the hoods becasue his stem's 'slammed'?
It's not a flexibility thing, I'm quite comfy with my knees knocking into my ribs and can put my palms flat on the flor without bending my knees, but if I 'slam' my stem even with compact bars the drops are uncomfortably low, raised my bars 15mm and I can now sit in the drops all day.
If there's even a slight side wind and you're riding in a rural area, be ready for a 4 foot sideways movement everytime you go past a gateway 😯
but I ****ing hate that site. I hate the fact that a slammed stem somehow seems like something we should all be aiming to, rather than actually adjust it to fit perfectly.
I think you might be missing the point slightly. The way I see the site is a celebration of slammed stems. Slammed stems look better. If you can slam, you will be more aero. Thus if you can slam, and still be comfortable, and get enough power down, you will look awesome, and go 38.2% faster. And also no one will want to sit on your wheel.
Although TBH I'll slam any road bike then fit myself to the bike, rather then fitting the bike to me. The flesh is weak. Weak I tell you.
who's got that pic of Contador sprinting on the hoods becasue his stem's 'slammed'?
When he was gunning for the line against Evans? I'd say he was on the hoods cause he doesn't know anything about sprinting and wasn't ready for the attack.
Also, OG, riders shave their legs because the pros do it. The (good) pros also slam.. 🙂
No different to this site, http://www.bigringriding.com/
Obviously it's not suggesting you storm up every climb in the big ring. It's just celebrating it if you do. "IT'S NOT JUST A CHAINRING, IT'S A STATE OF MIND."
To be fair, anyone using the word 'slam' when referring to a stem should be taken outside and slammed with a big metal bar.
To be fair, anyone using the word 'slam' when referring to a stem should be taken outside and slammed with a big metal bar.
I second that.
Cervelo did research on bar height and performance and their finding was that saddle height and position was what determined back position rather than the bar height. Riders have a 'natural' back position and whether the stem is slammed or has a couple of spacers does not really have much impact on the natural position because the rider bends or straightens their arms to get to it.
My tip - Anyone who in any seriousness refers to those 'Rules' from velominati probably has a borderline personality disorder and should be avoided.
Although TBH I'll slam any road bike then fit myself to the bike, rather then fitting the bike to me. The flesh is weak. Weak I tell you.
Yes, but all you're doing is riding arround with straight arms almost verticaly downwards, think about it for a moment, is that more aero than running a much taller steerer and having your forearms hoisontal like a TT bike? Your back will be in the same position regardless of where you've put the bars*. Secondly, do you ride an MTB with rigid elbows? Bending them gives more shock absorbtion and controll.
The flat back on a TT bike is as more a result of the steep seat angle than anything else.
*Check out obre's upside down bars for evidence, he got his arms right up out of the way and tucked in.
Honestly... Can someone buy something else off realman and make a fuss about it so we can stop all this slamming nonsense?
Can someone buy something else off realman
Not sure you will get many volunteers for that! Was the original 'issue' ever sorted?
But on the main issue, do people actually get upset by a website that is clearly just a bit of fun, bonkers.
Yes, but all you're doing is riding arround with straight arms almost verticaly downwards, think about it for a moment, is that more aero than running a much taller steerer and having your forearms hoisontal like a TT bike? Your back will be in the same position regardless of where you've put the bars*. Secondly, do you ride an MTB with rigid elbows? Bending them gives more shock absorbtion and controll.
You seen me ride? I haven't, but I've got loads of pictures with my elbows pretty much at 90 degrees.
Get out and ride and you will figure it out. Also if your local road club is friendly join them for ride. Riding in group is so much more fun.
To be fair, anyone using the word 'slam' when referring to a stem should be taken outside and slammed with a big metal bar.
PMSL!
But on the main issue, do people actually get upset by a website that is clearly just a bit of fun, bonkers
Not really, I just think it won't be long before folk think that being a Rapha clad, stem slammed, Velominati'ist is the only way to be if you want to become a cyclist.
That said the style over substance boys have been providing me with great cheap secondhand kit for a good while now 😀
I just think it won't be long before folk think that being a Rapha clad, stem slammed, Velominati'ist is the only way to be if you want to become a cyclist.
I work in an office with two such people, and in the last few months they have both got into cx, although neither seem to do that much riding. One of them is certainly carrying too much spare to make me want to see him in lycra. As someone who has club raced since being a junior, it would be easy to scoff but they are really not doing any harm and their cycling is as valid as mine, and I don't mind spaffing a bit on decent kit.
If I'm riding on my own I'll almost always use at least a rear light. A roadie dressed in dark clothing is really not very visible at all, especially if it's dappled light or grey weather. Less of a problem on lonely country lanes but on roads with more/faster traffic, a light is essential IMO.
Anyway, back to arguing about slammed stems and the correct amount of Rapha to wear...
When he was gunning for the line against Evans? I'd say he was on the hoods cause he doesn't know anything about sprinting and wasn't ready for the attack.
You are joking, right? A bloke that has 'won' the TDF doesn't know the basics of riding a bike?
The way I see the site is a celebration of slammed stems.
You are joking, right? A 'celebration'?? Seriously, get out more, get a girlfriend or just stay in and have a w@nk. Do something but stop posting such utter toss.
slammed stems look better. If you can slam, you will be more aero.
You are joking, right?
Seriously, I've never heard such utter b0ll0cks. So your stem height is based around fashion? So you make yourself ride something unnatural just because its written by some cock-jockeys on the internerd that having your stem on top of the head tube is 'cool'?
Ride a position that's comfortable, enjoy riding your bike and don't give a sh1t about what other people think.
And don't buy brakes off Realman...
[i]A bloke that has 'won' the TDF doesn't know the basics of riding a bike?[/i]
To be fair, Andy Schleck has 'won' the Tour without being able to descend well or to change gear..;)
I think the picture was Cancellara against Greppel(?) Cancellara being a solo effort specialist sets his bike up to be areo for long sustained efforts on the hoods, Greppel is a sprinter so saves himself in the bunch and can be a bit more relaxed about being aero until he sprints for line at the end when he gets down on the drops.
Both probably set up lower than I do.