GrooveTime!group - CLOSED!!! (Page 181)

stevebradley - 2010-06-09 8:42 AM ANNE - That's a very impressive pace to ride at on a 23! And you're right, that the differences are pretty significant going form 23 to 25, and then from 25 to 27; to make the jump from a 27 to a 23 is enormous. I know all of this, but tend to forget it. So when I struggled some the other day with the 23 on the really steep part and then bopped into the 25 and was fine.....I was pleasantly surprised, yet shouldn't be. It was a bit humbling to get home and count the teeth and realize I was in a 25-11 instead of a 23-11. I mean, there I was on the ride climbing so well, and feeling great that I was doing so well in what I THOUGHT was a 21 with the 23 as a bail-out......and then discovering that it was really a 23 with the 25 as the bail-out. Hell's bells!! Just curious as to the rim depth of your Zipps. At your size you must get pushed around quite a bit by stiff crosswinds if the Zipps are anything much deeper than what --- 40? Mine are, um, er.......60? And I feel a good blast at times that can grab my attention, and I'm 6'2" and 170 or so! (But maybe part of what I'm feeling is less the wheels than me, myself; I guess I provide more of a wind-target than the wheels!) I just checked -- mine are Hed Jet 60. (See? I knew all along! )

stevebradley - 2010-06-09 8:49 AM ANNE again - My crash last June (Saturday will be the one-year anniversary; how sweet!) was with my training wheels, and even though nothing happened to them, I was VERY gald the race wheels weren't on. That just would've been something else to worry about post-crash, nd in fact it is likley that they would've sustained some damage that might not happen to sturdy, run-of-the-mill training wheels. I can often be very lazy about changing out my race wheels, and historically that happens more commonly as any given season progresses. I used to rationalize/justify it by figuring I was racing so often that why should I bother, but since last June I have tried to use them once just before a race, and then remove them after the race before my next training ride. (Sounding all self-righteous there, I have to admit that even late last season I got a bit slack about removing them promptly. Like I've said before, i'm a slow learner!) Are carbon-fiber wheels more delicate than basic wheels? Well, I'm sure they are --- but how much so?

smarx - 2010-06-09 10:48 AM

SteveB,

Gatineau Park Hills??? As in park at the main south entrance (maybe I should look at a map and confrim this...) and right up to the top? I have driven that many times and I do not see how that could be an 'easy' right by any sense.

Those hills at Gat park or pretty nasty but always full of cyclists in the daylight hours. Beautiful area to ride as well as views if you ride to the top.

augeremt - 2010-06-07 3:28 PM

Apparently Pumpkinman is a popular tri race name since I'm doing one of the same name in October but in Vegas, a far cry from Maine. Hopefully it cools down by then.

LadyNorth - 2010-06-09 10:48 AM

Tracey, Mandy, SteveB,

I am super excited for your races this weekend.

Denise

thall0672 - 2010-06-08 7:06 PM  My saddle's so awesome that I went for a ride today with non-padded shorts and felt fine. Woo hoo!

stevebradley - 2010-06-09 10:36 AM MANDY again - As for eats, I'm not all that fussy. I'm always good for spaghetti and meatballs and a basic tomato sauce, and a meal that has worked well for me before several races is the seasoned chicken breasts and rice pilaf and cole slaw and fresh bread from Denny's, of all places. Whatever works for you is fine for me.....but I guess that depends if it's in Windham or Westbrook, huh? I'm sending mojo to Windham Way for them to pick up the phone when it rings!!

stevebradley - 2010-06-09 6:31 PM MANDY - Different tubes, but same wheel? Check to see if the inside of the wheel has rim tape. This will be either plastic or fabric, and its job is to insulate the tube from the holes and openings that are along the inside of the wheel. Those openings are never sanded and smoothed down perfectly, and if the rim tape is worn or even absent, then problems like what you're describing can occur. Barring that, have a good feel along both the inside of the wheel and the inside of the tire. Go over both a few times, looking for any miniscule object that could be causing you to flat. **Another test is to take each blown tube and submerse (submerge?) them and see where the bubbles come from. Mark the spot, and then see how they each line up. If they are all about, say, five inches from the valve, then you know where to look inside either the wheel or the tire. If the area of deflation is at the stem, then it represents a manufacturing flaw and you should be able to return them for a full refund. Even if the points of deflation are all different, then try to figure out where that might be with respect to the either the wheel or tire. Granted, five inches from the valve can be five inches EITHER DIRECTION from the valve, but usually the culprit is pretty apparent. And check for the presence (and condition) of the rim tape! When I had my bike in fro a tune-up a few weeks ago, i saw the guy repalces the rim tape. I didn't ask, but just figured he thought it was worn enough to be at risk for having the sharper edges of the openings along the inside of the wheel wear through and puncture my tubes. I hope this helps some! ** Do this one!

LadyNorth - 2010-06-09 4:05 PM
Well - I went out for my ride in the wind - but I kinda cheated because I took the trail which is flat and shielded by trees.  At the end, I rode 1/4 mile one-handed and touched the top of my water bottle twice and scratched my nose twice.  It's not so bad once you get over the fear.
Denise

manfarr1974 - 2010-06-09 2:31 PM Hey guys-

I have a question.

I changed my tires over and had no problem with the first tire switch-over (so I am going from old tires to spankin new ones).  I got the second tire on, pumped it up...pssssss - a hole somewhere in the tube.  Ok, so I get another tube, re-do it.  Same thing happens...  I check inside the tire - nothing sharp, this thing is right out of the box, but I check to make sure.  Huh.  The first two tubes I just bought today and thought maybe I got cheap tubes....So I use my third and now last tube on the tire....I blow it up.  It holds.  Cool.  I got for a quick ride.  Get inside, set the bike down....pssssss...not so cool.

So 3 tubes shot (I know I can patch, but geez) and now I am scratching my head as to what the heck the problem is.  I checked for pinches before I pumped up the tire each time.  The second time I had my nephew check for pinches after I did, thinking maybe I missed something (and made him pump it up )  The third time, I almost threw the tire across the road, but then I figured I would just have to go get it.  SO...off goes the rear tire, and I am wondering if that front tire can be relied upon...

The kicker is that it isn't like I can just go run and get another few tubes - the LBS is 75 minutes away.  But I need to get this figured out by say....SUNDAY at least.  Any ideas?? 

SO!! I am taking my rear tire off for yet another time but now can't try anything else until I get into a town with more than a post office.  The upside is I am getting lots of practice fixing flats on my rear tire, I am not 30 miles from home in the rain, and I am currently not in a race.  SO - any ideas as to what to check to figure out what is going on???

Cheers (I am drinking a beer now.  I might even get into the Peach Moonshine our friend from GA smuggled up here after this fiasco!)

Mandy