One thing I find interesting about indoor cycling is how different the experience can be depending on your setup.

Do you prefer virtual shifting on a dedicated indoor setup, or do you want the same gearing and controls as your outdoor bike?

For those who've tried both, which feels more convenient during workouts and races?

I've been road cycling for many years, but this was a new one. I was in a rural area on a quiet road. There was little to no shoulder. A few cars were around but I was mostly alone. Suddenly a full-sized school bus roared past me and then came to abrupt halt to let kids off. I had to slam on the brakes. I was a foot from his bumper when I stopped. The whole thing felt really rude and weird. Why pass me to stop in front of me? Why not just wait four more seconds for me to pass your drop off spot? Obviously, I give buses a wide berth whenever I am near them, but in this case it felt like I had no choice in the matter.

For talking sake, I live in a rural Midwest area with a lot of extinct rail lines and we've got a group that's wanting to take a stab at some "rail to trail" infrastructure. There is interest from the state and we'll need to get private investment as well. I'm wondering what sort of challenges you have and anything else that might be a talking point at our meeting next weekend. TIA.

One of the front caster wheels on my KICKR desk v2 is broken - wahoo say they don't sell replacements.

Has anyone had to replace theirs and can recommend what to get?

Between the Soloist and a SuperSix Evo 3 (both w/ SRAM Force). The Cannondale is $1,500 cheaper but I would need to buy power meters after the fact. Tried both and I liked the Soloist's ride slightly more, though the stock tires are significantly nicer on the Soloist so guessing that played a large part.

This bike would not be for racing. I do fast group rides and long rides on the weekend. Want something faster and more lively than my current endurance bike.

Which would you pick?

Hello there,

I am just starting my biking journey and slowly building up my set of bike-stuff.

I am considering getting a bike computer soon. I have no preference of Garmin or Wahoo (or other?). At one point I would also like to buy a power meter. I already have an apple watch which I use to track all my workouts and other health data.

I am sure there are lots of people out there having a similar setup with apple watch, bike computer and a power meter. (And the make things even harder, I am also considering buying a home trainer, so if you have experience with, please tell me. )

How do you make all these sync well?

Can you connect your power meter to both the bike computer and your watch? but then do you have to start 2 workouts (watch + bike computer)? Or can you start a workout on your apple watch and somehow connect your computer?

I am so confused how it can work well, please let me know what works for you. I would like to hear what you think is "best practices".

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to mount my Orbea Orca Aero M35iLTD onto an older Tacx Flux S (Type 1) trainer—the version with the very narrow axle hole that requires the Tacx Quick Release adapter kit.
I bought the official Garmin/Tacx axle adapter kit, but none of the three threaded inserts included in the box fit the drive-side thread on my Orbea frame. I know the Orbea uses the Mavic Speed Release standard (M12x2 P1 / Double Lead), and it seems Tacx only provides standard pitches (1.0, 1.5, 1.75).
Has anyone with a Type 1 Tacx trainer found a workaround for this specific Orbea thread compatibility issue, other than buying a whole new trainer?
Thanks for any help!

Bike manufacturers say measure your inseam and your height to get the right fit. Because of that guideline I chose a bike that is about an inch lower than my crotch when I’m wearing cycling shoes. However I see pro cyclists who tower over their top tube. Their bikes look too small for them yet they all seem to ride that way. Anyone know why that is?

hi I was going to ride today, and then I try to pedal forward my derailer came up, so when I try to reverse back it my chain wouldn’t budge to mov.

Sold my carbon bike with carbon wheels and axs. Bought a steel bike. Now I ride in jeans, carry parcels and descend stairs. My FTP has dropped to zero, but my happiness is at an all-time high.

currently the longest ride i have ever done is 60k. the dream route is pretty flat until the 50km where the climb starts then it has a climb for 16 km with an avg gradient of about 5-6%. i dont know how to train for it. where can i get a structured training plan to train for this ride.

Thnx in advance

I am currenly searching for a road bike Computer that I can use for long rides and that will last long so I don't have to upgrade to another model soon.

It shouldn't be to big and should be easy to handle with gloves in winter or without them in summer.

I also want to participate in races soon.

Which Bike Computer is the best according to your expirience?

Thanks

My husband has to travel to Florida for work in November and I am hoping to go with him. I want to bring my bike and would like to go on some lob bike rides outside to take advantage of the warm weather. Are there any recommendations for some 40-50 mile routes that are potentially safe (not too crowded with cars?) any tips would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello, sir! I'm planning to buy my very first road bike, and I've been considering the JAVA J-AIR VOLATA.

I know that JAVA is a Chinese bicycle brand, but I feel like the components it offers for around $1,300 are really good value for money.

I'd love to hear your honest opinion about this bike. Do you think it's a good choice for a first road bike? Would you recommend buying it, or do you think there are better alternatives in this price range?

Here are the bike's specifications:

Frame: T1000 Carbon Fiber with Fully Hidden Cable Routing (UCI Certified)

Fork: T1000 Carbon Fiber

Handlebar: DECAF Carbon Integrated Handlebar

Seatpost: DECAF Carbon

Drivetrain: Shimano 105 Di2 R7170, 24-Speed (Full Electronic Groupset)

Shifters: Shimano 105 R7170

Front Derailleur: Shimano 105 R7150

Rear Derailleur: Shimano 105 R7150

Crankset: Shimano 105 R7100, 36/52T (170mm Crank Arms)

Cassette: Shimano 105 R7100, 11–34T (12-Speed)

Chain: Shimano CN-M6100 (112 Links)

Brakes: Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Tires: Kenda 700 × 28c

Weight: 9.1 kg (based on size 53)

Considering these specifications and the price of around $1,300, do you think the JAVA J-AIR VOLATA is worth buying? I'd really appreciate your honest advice, especially since this will be my first road bike.

Thank you!

I am on a 2023 Giant TCR running PR2 wheels. Have been a cyclist my whole life but really coming into my element this past few months and being v consistent so want to take the next step (I also think carbon wheels make a bike look so so good). Any suggestions welcome - thanks!

A little anecdote about air pressure.

So I was REAL sleepy the other day and it was barely sunrise and I wanted to ride. I was kind of out of it I guess. I pumped up my tires...did not notice that the little indicator arrow on the pump pressure gauge had moved. The ride was weird...bike seemed slow, kind of bouncing around on bumps. Spongy is the description I would use. When I finished, I checked the air pressure with the pump...about 75 lbs pressure. I replaced the indicator arrow to where it belongs at about 100 lbs pressure and pumped up the tires. Rode yesterday and instantly said "my bike is back". Of course these are 25's.

I bought a new bike in April. Coincidentally my 14 year old 105 Rim Brake Ribble had a small issue with the crank that I didn't get around to fixing (mainly because I had a new bike I wanted to ride). After riding many thousands of kilometers on my new 105 Di2 Disc brake bike, I finally got around to riding my old bike again. I posted something similar right after I got my new bike, but I thought it's worth updating with more experience on the new bike.

OMG, the old Ribble is a good bike. To be fair, I spent the last 14 years learning how to set up the brakes and shifting correctly :-). The bike is also in very good shape. It has nice tires (only 25 mm, but running at 75 PSI, which works well on the roads around here).

Rim brakes on aluminium brake tracks in the dry are awesome. Yes, they require a bit more force than Shimano 105 disc brakes, but the braking power is sufficient and they feel nice. The force requirement is most obvious braking from the hoods, but in the drops they are so buttery smooth. You can even 1 finger brake from the drops very easily. Simano 105 disc brakes are very binary and a bit grabby. 105 rim brakes with standard Ultegra cartridges/pads have much more modulation. It's very surprising. In the wet... Yeah, disc brakes any day of the week. The old bike is going to be for nice weather :-)

Shifting on the old bike is great. Really positive feel. I find Di2 a bit "dead" in that you click an electronic button and it shifts. You aren't really connected to the shifting. With mechanical shifting, you can feel all of the tension in the system. I love the feel of the bike as the gear engages.

However, there are issues. The old 10 speed 105 gears can drop the chain pretty easily on the way down because the spring tension is very high. You learn how to do it over time, but with new Di2 (and I suspect even new mechanical) it's not something you really need to think about at all. You also need to trim the gears. That's baked into my brain by now, though.

The main "problem" is that it's just not nearly as fast as the Di2. With Di2 you can shift down 3-4 gears in a single pedal stroke. I just can't do that with my 10 speed 105. I also got into the habit of downshifting the front derailleur coming into a stop. You just need a half a pedal stroke to have it all get settled. This is not a good strategy on the 10 speed. The lack of gears is also surprisingly an issue between 25-30 km/h on a compact chainset with a 11-28 in the rear. There just aren't a lot of good options and it's awkward deciding whether or not you want ot be in the big ring. With 12 speed, you can easily just get into the big rin at 25 km/h and not even think about it. Then obviously, 28 on the back is a pretty hard gear for your granny gear :-)

Tire clearance is obviously an issue as well. Reaslistically for most bikes you are stuck at 25 or 28 mm. I think my bike could actually fit 30s (just), but you would need a pretty wide rim to make it perform well, IMHO. My new bike has 32s and they are cushy, but... at slower speeds on relatively good roads 25 is not nearly as bad as I remembered it being. I still really enjoyed my ride.

Basically, I just want to encourage people who don't have the money for the latest and greatest to think hard about picking up a good quality used road bike. If you send it to the shop and get it in very good working condition I think you will be really surprised at just how good these bikes can be. In some places in the world, rim brake bikes are going for astonishingly low prices. This is a great time to pick up a bargain. I do like my new bike and will still be riding it more than the old bike, but I'm currently thinking about some upgrades to the old bike because it's got a lot of good years left in it.

I ride regularly on a Giant escape for general fitness. I was looking to get into road cycling with the intention of eventually racing and was wondering what a good starter would be. Also any recs on other gear (suits, clip-ins, and stuff such as that)? I am a college student so I haven’t got the room to drop 1k+ on a bike, I’ve mainly been looking a lot on marketplace and other 2nd hand options. Any older models that could make good starters and reasonable price ranges for said bikes? Also not 100% on sizing but I am 5’10” if that helps. Not looking for anything crazy, any old aluminum frame will do for me.

I recently purchased the RS5 and been loving the rides. I've done couple small rides and a nice 25 mile ride so far this month.

I've read that carbon wheels are one of the best upgrades to get, and I looked at chinese carbon wheels.

Given that the RS5 is 1400 before tax, and the RS7 is 2100 before tax, is it worth just getting the RS7 instead of a wheel upgrade? The bike shop also sold me on better rotors, the same ones on the RS7. The upgrade was 100, so 1500 total before tax.

I know I'm fairly new as this is my first road bike (used a cheap hybrid before) but I want this to last a while, so I'd like some opinions on this before the return window closes. I'm not even committed to getting carbon wheels at the moment, but I'm just trying to think what would make sense for the future. Are other chinese carbon wheels better than RS7 carbon wheels?

Hello everyone, I’m getting my first road bike soon and I’m planning to get a computer bike. I do have an Apple Watch that I’m planning to use for HR and segments, along with Strava. What I need is a clear display for navigation, which shows me also HR and other useful info. What do you suggest?
Thank you everyone

Hi, Bigfoot here! I just got into gravel biking and I want to put down watts but as my name implies, I've got these big honkin feet! Every clip in shoe ive found online falls woefully short of containing these massive doggies!

I'm desperate people! Help my keep my ginormous clodstomppin ground grippers contained!

Also I have a buddy who's feet are big for a human. Any advice for him?

His are 360mm heel to toe by 140mm wide.

Hi 👋

After years of thinking about getting into the cycling.. I finally did!

I’ve only got 100 miles under my belt so far this month but have a goal to ride the whole state around this time next year. I’ve been reading forums, talking to individuals at bike shops… etc.. but see the real pro’s are here.. So I have some questions for you all.

1) Everyone is saying to get Strava. Why or why not? Has it been beneficial to you

2) Where and how is a good place to meet other road bikers and build a community to find people to ride with?

3) How do you go about planning out what routes you’re going to do? Do you plan it weekly, monthly or just whatever you feel like?

4) What are some exercises you’ve found beneficial to get you into the best shape?

5) What watch do you recommend for biking?

Any other feedback would be great.

Thank you so much!

Hello, I started cycling this year, and with Fall around the corner, I need to buy warmer gear. I live in the Houston area, so "cold" means starting a ride with temperatures in the mid 30s and ending in the upper 40s.

I'm not looking for top of the line, just something reasonably priced and with good quality.

I'm assuming I'll need some sort of windbreaker I can wear over my jerseys, long legged bibs (or would I be OK with regular ones at those temperatures?), padded gloves (my hands get really cold) and socks. Bibs, I don't mind spending a bit more to get something comfortable.

Thanks!

What is the protocol after muddy/wet rides or when the roads get salty?

Is a boiling water rinse/clean still sufficient enough before rewaxing?