Carl
Member
Registered: 9th May 04
Location: Jimmy Bennett's la la land.
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by C2RL R
you're kidding? 
Nope. Some guy in payroll is dead against it so won't set it up. I work for NHS Barnsley, the hospital over the road that is obviously part of the NHS but payroll is set up different have it, the council are bringing it in, but some prick that controls mine isn't. So an organisation that is set up to try and get people to take the healthier option, making the healthy option the easiest and all that , and I can't get a bike to cycle to work on!
I'm in the middle of constructing a long letter to him citing about 6 different journals, policies and review papers around health and employee health. It angers me it's that bloody moronic. You should see his response, full of lame excuses about safety and how most studies were carried out in flat places and how they have put amenities for cyclists in places and nobody is using them etc, what the bloody hell does he expect if no-one has a bike!
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Dr Pepper
Member
Registered: 21st Sep 02
Location: oxford Drives Renault Clio RS200
User status: Offline
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Mate has just bought that specialised bike you recommended.....gonna let me have ago on it at the weekend so if I really like it I might go for one next month.
This one
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mark_gsi
Member
Registered: 1st Nov 03
Location: Peterlee/darlington
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr Pepper
this looks nice
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/cannondale/super-six-hi-mod-ultimate-2010-road-bike-ec020251
fcuking 9grand  id rather buy a car.
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jacko198
Member
Registered: 1st Mar 07
Location: Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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^ Theres more expencive bikes out there!
And i would definatly look at the allez, for the £ they are spot on!
Maybe even look at getting a fixie!?
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dannymccann
Member
Registered: 9th Aug 06
Location: Doddington, Lincolnshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by dannymccann
How much better (in say for example % terms) or faster is a road bike than a mountain bike on the road
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antnee
Member
Registered: 30th Dec 07
Location: Cov Drives: Clio 197
User status: Offline
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Before I could drive and I used to cycle to rowing (7mile round trip), which was all on road, so I changed for some hybrid tyres, fairly slick along the middle, with some knobbly bits on the edges, made a huge difference!
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jacko198
Member
Registered: 1st Mar 07
Location: Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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I would say, a mountain bike with standard 26 x 2.10 tyres compared to that allez up there, probably way over 50% faster
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
User status: Offline
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I bought a Specialized Allez Sport '09. So much better than using a mountain bike on the road. My mountain bike on the road is a real chore in comparison
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Dr Pepper
Member
Registered: 21st Sep 02
Location: oxford Drives Renault Clio RS200
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by mwg
I bought a Specialized Allez Sport '09. So much better than using a mountain bike on the road. My mountain bike on the road is a real chore in comparison
Cant seem to find a bad review on one of these things....need to start saving I think.
See you have an Allez Sport...is that sa different model from the normal Allez? Or is that just what the 2009 model was called?
[Edited on 14-10-2009 by Dr Pepper]
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
User status: Offline
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You will get significantly fitter on a road bike, the gearing is much harder as you find out the 1st time you go up a hill. SPD cleats and pedals make a lot of difference to speed and your leg muscles. It works the leg muscles differently which can be a shock the 1st few rides till your muscles get used to it but its far more efficient.
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
User status: Offline
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The Sport is the next spec up from the normal Allez. Better components, looks slightly nicer too 
I basically spent very very close to £1,000 on my companies bike to work scheme. That included the bike, road helmet, road shoes, cleats, saddle bag, multi-tool, 2xspare inner tubes, hand held pump, water bottle and bottle holder.
Then spent another couple hundred of my own on LED lights front and rear, Jersey top, bib tights, cycling socks, speedo and clear patches to stick on the frame where the cables rub against it.
[Edited on 14-10-2009 by mwg]
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Dr Pepper
Member
Registered: 21st Sep 02
Location: oxford Drives Renault Clio RS200
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by mwg
You will get significantly fitter on a road bike, the gearing is much harder as you find out the 1st time you go up a hill. SPD cleats and pedals make a lot of difference to speed and your leg muscles. It works the leg muscles differently which can be a shock the 1st few rides till your muscles get used to it but its far more efficient.
How does the gearing work compared to a normal MTB then....for exmple on mine I have three gear range settings...of which I only ever use one....then I have 7 gears within that range...which are pretty much all I ever use.
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
User status: Offline
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Mines got a compact double chainset on the front and think its 9 speed on the rear. The compact chainset is good for me with living in the lakes, makes it slightly easier for hill climbing as the smaller of the front rings is smaller than you normally get on a road bike. You can get some road bikes with triple chainsets like a mountain bike but then it makes it too easy to be lazy...
The easiest gear on the front and rear of mine is probably equivalent to the middle ring on the front of a mountain bike and maybe 2-3 gears down on the back. So reasonably hard work when you get to a hill
[Edited on 14-10-2009 by mwg]
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jacko198
Member
Registered: 1st Mar 07
Location: Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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Compact gearing just saves weight to be honest. Arround here its very flat, so we seem to sell alot of compacts in our shop as no one really needs the bottom ring.
Oh and dont forget, you dont normally get pedals with a road bike, so add on atleast £40 to you're budget for them!
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Dr Pepper
Member
Registered: 21st Sep 02
Location: oxford Drives Renault Clio RS200
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by mwg
Mines got a compact double chainset on the front and think its 9 speed on the rear. The compact chainset is good for me with living in the lakes, makes it slightly easier for hill climbing as the smaller of the front rings is smaller than you normally get on a road bike. You can get some road bikes with triple chainsets like a mountain bike but then it makes it too easy to be lazy...
The easiest gear on the front and rear of mine is probably equivalent to the middle ring on the front of a mountain bike and maybe 2-3 gears down on the back. So reasonably hard work when you get to a hill
[Edited on 14-10-2009 by mwg]
cheers...thinking I might be better off getting one with a triple chainset...know it might sound lazy but I have to go up a couple of big hills and I dont yet have a natural cyclists body(ie im still a bit of a fat badger:lol Would it be a good idea to go for the elize sport with a triple chainset - use that for a few years then change up to a double chainset or maybe even a fixie if I get fit enough?
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mwg
Member
Registered: 19th Feb 04
Location: South Lakes
User status: Offline
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yeah you can always change to a double or just not use the smaller cogs as you get fitter
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antnee
Member
Registered: 30th Dec 07
Location: Cov Drives: Clio 197
User status: Offline
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While we are talking about bikes, my bike needs a new cable for the front derailleur, are they easy to set up? I was going to take it to a mates who owns a bike shop, but I've never got round to putting the bike in my car and taking it 
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C2RL R
Member
Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
User status: Offline
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they are fairly easy once you've done it a few times. if your mate works at a bike shop i'd take it to him.
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