Bikes Bikes Bikes (the kind you pedal)

Lindberg said:
It's the sprocket and chainrings that came on the bike. A low-end Giant. What benefit do expensive alloy sprockets provide?
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Candidly, not much. Just lighter. I never ran high end stuff when I was racing, but not the heaviest either. I like wax because it works and it's clean. Each to his own.
 
Lindberg said:
It's the sprocket and chainrings that came on the bike. A low-end Giant. What benefit do expensive alloy sprockets provide?
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Depends, but weight reduction on a spinning mass is a great one. Again, for 99+% of cyclists, the performance gain is minimal. For most, it’s just what they want to run. For example, I don’t need Ultegra, but 105 didn’t have e-shifting when I outfitted my latest bike. I’m not throwing a microShift cassette back there when it’s time to change cogs for whatever reason be it hills vs flats or I got fatter or stronger.
 
Here's how folks who make their income from bike racing think about chains. No matter how much you geek out, there's someone geeking out more.
 
Hang 4 said:
Here's how folks who make their income from bike racing think about chains.
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Coincidentally, I watched that very video yesterday!

On a different topic, “short-nosed” saddles have become quite a thing. Has anyone tried one on a road bike, and if so, what’s your opinion.
 
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I switched to wax several months ago. I've been using Silca and am really happy with it.

Also got a new toy last week. Been riding my old Giant TCR for like 12 years. Figured since I own a bike shop, I should probably ride something a bit newer. Super happy with the bike and the company.

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MonkeyClaw said:
I switched to wax several months ago. I've been using Silca and am really happy with it.

Also got a new toy last week. Been riding my old Giant TCR for like 12 years. Figured since I own a bike shop, I should probably ride something a bit newer. Super happy with the bike and the company.

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Looks sharp! A gave up mountain bikes a while back when I developed an allergy to broken bones.
 
On the TDF: a VPN and a free login to SBS will get you done. Or so I've heard ;)
On chains: waxing doesn't take very long, is almost free (paraffin and and an old coffee tin)
On components: lighter, faster/more accurate shifting and bragging rights. The lowest end stuff is still better than what LeMond won the Tour with ;)
 
Hengelo said:
On the TDF: a VPN and a free login to SBS will get you done. Or so I've heard ;)
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If you just want the highlights, Lanterne Rouge on youtube does an excellent review. It's usually out by 3 - 4 PM EST. Guy puts some time into articulating the race strategy and what's happening at different key points. He is limited by the highlights that the TDF puts out, so some stuff gets missed.
 
Bill said:
Anyone going to be at Ragbrai next week?
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Did 8-13 when I was a young lad. Now that my son is a young lad, I'd love to do it with him! Maybe next year. What ever happened to the knock-off ride that was going to be put on by the Register staff that were all removed from the Ragbrai planning? Or am I misremembering?
 
Ragbrai I is on my to do list, but the logistics planning seems a lot like securing a hard billet at Oshkosh if you’re past the point of enjoying camping.
 
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Well there’s a first time for everything, I guess. One block from home and on the cool down, I ran into/got hit by a car backing out if their driveway. I remember looking down at a bottle cage and next thing I know I went flying.

Luckily just some road rash, but that sucked.
 
That sucks, but glad you made it out relatively unscathed. How’s the bike?
 
I think I’ve mention that the Canyon gravel e-bike I bought a year ago came with a remarkably comfortable saddle, a fizik:

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Remarkable in that I’d have thought bikes in this class would come with a “throw-away” saddle, knowing that most cyclists will replace it almost immediately with one of their own choice.

I’ve heard a lot about the new “3-d printed” saddles, and just treated myself to one for my birthday:

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Got it mounted today. Plan on trying it out tomorrow and I’ll let you know if it seems to be an improvement.

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I'm curious to hear your review of the saddle. I need a new one for my TT bike (which basically lives on my trainer...), and was considering one from Fizik.
 
MonkeyClaw said:
I'm curious to hear your review of the saddle…
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So far, not overly impressed.

Did 17 miles in just under an hour and a half yesterday. The shape of the saddle is nearly identical to the fizik I replaced it with, so that’s fine. I think I noticed a little more pressure on my “sit bones”, and the pressure relief channel is shallower. The surface is a tad “grippier”, but it’s still easy enough to shift around as needed.

So, mildly disappointed but not ready to give up. I think it’s more a reflection on how good the Canyon-supplied fizik was, not any major shortcomings of the new saddle.
 
FastEddieB said:
So far, not overly impressed.

Did 17 miles in just under an hour and a half yesterday. The shape of the saddle is nearly identical to the fizik I replaced it with, so that’s fine. I think I noticed a little more pressure on my “sit bones”, and the pressure relief channel is shallower. The surface is a tad “grippier”, but it’s still easy enough to shift around as needed.

So, mildly disappointed but not ready to give up. I think it’s more a reflection on how good the Canyon-supplied fizik was, not any major shortcomings of the new saddle.
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What is the stated purpose of the honeycomb saddle, other than weight savings? With less surface area, there will be higher pressure on your butt, which I'd expect to decrease comfort over an otherwise identical solid saddle.
 
Lindberg said:
What is the stated purpose of the honeycomb saddle, other than weight savings?
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The stated goal is to engineer varying levels of support over different portions of the saddle, in a way that supposedly is more effective than varying foam densities.

From Gemini:

The primary advantage of a 3D-printed bicycle saddle is its ability to offer zoned pressure relief and targeted cushioning that traditional foam saddles cannot match.

Instead of using uniform foam padding, 3D-printed saddles use a liquid polymer matrix printed into an open lattice structure.

Zoned Mechanical Tuning: The lattice density can be varied millimeter by millimeter. This allows soft, compliant support under sensitive soft tissue and firm, stable support directly beneath your sit bones (ischial tuberosities) on a single continuous surface.

Superior Pressure Relief: Traditional foam packs down over long rides, shifting pressure to soft tissues. The hollow TPU or liquid resin lattice maintains its spring-back, eliminating hot spots and numbness.

Enhanced Ventilation & Temperature Control: The open web design allows airflow directly through the saddle structure, reducing heat and moisture buildup that causes chafing.

Vibration Damping: The elastomeric lattice acts like hundreds of micro-springs, dampening high-frequency road buzz and trail chatter before it hits your spine.

Customization Potential: Brands can tailor the lattice structure based on individual pressure-mapping data, body weight, or specific riding styles (e.g., road vs. gravel vs. mountain biking).
 
The best saddle in the world won't feel good if it doesn't fit.
 
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