i think long term bike shops will be like some car garages, you pay a higher labour rate but the prices for parts are almost no mark up.
I’ve seen a move to mobile services now, often run by guys that used to work for ‘traditional’ bike shops that went under. Providing a value orientated local service.
recently fitted alpkit bombers, find I am riding on the hoods 95% of the time now, tops maybe for climbing and drops when I need more control and braking power in rough stuff. I don’t like riding them in the drops on the flat.
If you really want a pure road bike and don’t care about brand snobbery then the btwin ones at decathlon are cracking value and get great reviews. You don’t need to spend anywhere near your budget.
That said, unless I am doing a group road ride or chasing strava then the CX is my go to bike for commuting.
Alu frame, carbon fork, 11sp 105, TRP spyre and 800 notes.
I narrowly avoided hitting a cow once on the Severn bore.
Scariest thing was getting my leash snagged on an under water root when surfing it at night. A very, very scary 30 seconds. Although the actual surfing bit was one of the most exilarating things I’ve ever done
my 5S is slowly dying, battery life is crap and the charging jack only works with one random lead.
I’m at the point where I have to upgrade or spend money on an old phone, but have no real love for the 7, was looking at the 5SE but for the price I may as well just stump for the new model.
For me the LBS customer experience has to now include friendliness & flexibility. If you go in asking for something and the answer is a gruff ‘no’ then it’s no wonder people don’t come back. But if it’s a ‘no, but….’ + some helpful suggestions and options then at least the relationship is there.
I’ve tried to build a relationship with my LBS, even bought a bike from him but you would have thought I’d asked for a go on his wife instead. the surly git.
I have the foul weather gilet. It’s not a generous cut but the sizing is accurate.
Bib shorts and stuff has been the same, I was on the cusp between medium and large, picked large and found them a little roomy so returned and they sent back a medium the same day.
Good point in the post above. The key feature of the six pack isnt the monster output, its the monster battery allowing a good output for a really long time.
On the Evans BF deal the six pack was a no brainer, paying closer to full price a maxxd makes more sense unless doing 24hr races.
Same here, got the six pack simply as it gave more lumens for longer.
Yes it’s huuuuuuggggeee. But you don’t notice it after a while. And it is a very, very good light.
Our middle kids had one, it was….ok had to change the bars and tyres. it was also quite heavy. Think of it as similar to a hotrock rather than an isla bike.
For our youngest we’ve moved on to the Raleigh performance range. Cheaper than an isla bike, and comparable on weight.
Spread it all around your happiness. You might never have got chafing before but on ultra long rides it remarkable how much skin you can lose.
To the OP, my advice is to keep calm on the ride and protect yourself until you are settled into your rhythm. Don’t get pressurised into over exerting and keep your HR down. Nice high cadence and low torque to stave off any fatigue, and eat regularly. If they are friends they should not force you to push on beyond what’s sustainable.
Enjoy yourself and good luck, hope you get that first century
