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Caroline and I took delivery of our lovely new carbon framed, Ultegra groupset, bikes yesterday courtesy of DHR. They look the business. I went into Delamere at lunchtime to see what all the fuss was about with all these gears. Conclusion was that the bike feels great as it is light, stiff and lively but comfortable to ride and I checked every gear and they all mesh nicely so Howard did a good job as usual.
It felt strange and a little too easy twiddling an easy gear up the hills and freewheeling down them, so I soon got bored with that and used the big ring for the last couple of climbs and the 11 sprocket on the down-hills so I could give it some welly. This felt much better as I actually felt like I was doing something other than mobile sunbathing. However the little ring will come in handy when I'm going for an easy potter and it will help to share the tooth wear across 11 sprockets and 2 rings (it's a pity Shimano don't do an 11 speed 1/8" fixed drive with maybe 10 or so fewer gears on the block then wear wouldn't be an issue). 😉 So I'll just randomly change gear ever so often to justify buying them and lugging the weight of them around everywhere! I think this bike will come into its element in proper hills with a bit of length or with a stupid gradient and that is what I bought it for ... not to get up them easier but to get up them faster. 😈
So I haven't gone over to the dark side, I'll get this bike out for special occasions like the Buxton Mountain Time-trial on Good Friday and Majorca 1 week later. Who said you can't teach on old dog new tricks! 😮
Get yourself a TLI or LVRC license and road race again 😀 You'd smash them!!!
I don't want to smash them, I only just got them!
I didn't think you needed a license for TLI or LVRC, you never used to. Only BCF used to insist on a license. I need to do some homework. 🙄
Welcome to the club, pity you didn't go full hog and get di2. As jules said, it would be great to see how you get on road racing, with all that power, you would be great in a break. If you ride TLI you need a license / membership card, but you can get day memberships. Not sure about LVRC.
TLI day license is £15. Cheaper to get a license as Lower Withington series is £25 for 5 races.
£35!, entries close on 27th
Yes as long as you get you license in time to enter
pity you didn't go full hog and get di2
I'm waiting for the automatic gearbox version as pressing buttons is such old news. Caroline has got a bike that is even more space age as it has a motor fitted to the back wheel so you don't even have to pedal! 😯
Dave, what you should have said was....
"So I haven't gone over to the dark side, YET" ! 😆
as usual you've added to the 'bloke' myth of trying things out and getting them to work without reading the manual! 😆
Nice Dave, sounds like a nice bike! Look forward to seeing you racing!
So I haven't gone over to the dark side,
Road cycling is the dark side. You just did it the right way.
