The Ontario Ride to Conquer Cancer

RobotFood · Newbie

RE: Your wheels for the 2011 RTCC?

Angel One · Member

Anyone want to open a bike shop before next years ride? LOL!

aniakarina · Member

so i'm riding an oryx gemsbok 250, 27 speed mountain bike. i brought it to the bike shop for a tune up this morning. the guy looked at it, looked at me, and said, "you're gonna ride 200K on THAT?"
left me feeling a bit deflated to say the least!!!

he said he'd adjust the shock/suspension so that i wouldn't feel like i'm "riding on a horse." hahahaha.....sigh.

RSinfield · Veteran Member

like others have said, on the 200k you're going to see every style of bike on two wheels. Maybe find others riding a bikes similar to your bike and cruising speed to tag along with.

You can make a long ride on a MTB more tolerable by adding slick tires, bullhorns, and locking out your suspension and front shocks if your bike is equipped with that feature. If you don't have lockouts, try and remain seated as much as possible so most of your power is transferred to your wheel.

gotta hand it to you folks riding MTB's, bents, singlespeeds, etc. Roadies often forget how much more time and effort is needed to get to the finish... You deserve an extra kudos!

Try spinning at as high of RPM in as low of gear as you comfortably can and you'll get there. If you feel you need to, walk up the largest hills, there's no shame in walking and I saw many pushing their MTB's and bents up the hamilton escarpment.

that Felt TT is pretty. I'm kinda partial to felts. :) I didn't see many TT bikes last year but did pace line with a young lady on a older yellow cervelo P2

-- Edited by RSinfield on Thursday 2nd of June 2011 11:49:04 PM

MysteryBee · Senior Member

For MTB riders and rookie riders:

In my first year (2009) I did the event on a MTB.
Such a long ride at a high cadence can really be a strain on your foot.

If you don't already, buy a pair of cycling shoes.
They don't have to be clip shoes like the keeners wear.
Just find a pair of less expensive commuter cycling shoes.
They're easier to walk in and they're reinforced to distribute the pressure of the pedal along the entire foot.

After the Ride in 2009, I suffered from plantar fasciitis for over two months.
It was not fun.
Everyone will tell you that your #1 priority will be cycling shorts.
Well, let me tell you that if you're riding any extended distance, your #2 priority should be shoes.

Something to keep in mind.

aniakarina · Member

i can put a big fat checkmark next to shoes: i have a pair of bontrager cycling shoes, and they definitely top my asics. :)
i have a feeling that after this ride, i'll be seriously putting some mula aside for a road bike for next summer...i salivate just looking at the pics in this thread. some sexy looking bikes on here, that's for sure!

SilverFox · Senior Member

Ditto on some solid footwear. After I started commuting a few years ago I soon found walking painful. After an unproductive trip to the doctor I searched some bike forums and made the switch to cycling shoes. The problem, sesmatoiditis, soon went away. But it was the start of slippery slope. Shoes, then new pedals, then a new bike, then a newer bike....

adiamond · Senior Member

RSinfield, we don't forget how much more work it is on a hybrid or MTB, for many of us that is why we bought road bikes...

Up until this year my daily rider was an old Schwin Moab hard tail mtb that I put a fixed fork into, fenders and slicks. One advantage of training on a heavy bike is when you ride your road bike it is that much easier.

AJDad001 · Veteran Member

Just got my new wheels (on my 3 yr old frame). At least I'll look fast!

J.

Barrierider · Veteran Member

Those wheels look fast without you even moving! I want a set of clinchers for my Argon but cant justify $2000 on a set of rims this year!

RSinfield · Veteran Member

Are those clinchers? I sure hope so, I'd hate to get a flat and have to fight a tire off and re-glue another.

I've got an old set of zipp 404 sewups (non dimpled) that are sitting in the closet collecting dust because I've had rides ruined by tubulars one too many times.

They sure do dress up that giant though. Nice wheels

AJDad001 · Veteran Member

@RSinfield - yes, they're clinchers. I agree - Tubs are nice for racing, but they're way too much of a pain for something like this.

@BarrieRider - I didn't pay that much for them - brand new from www.williamscycling.com, hand built to specifications for $1,000 (and free shipping!).

J.

lilEagle · Member

AJDad001 wrote:
Just got my new wheels (on my 3 yr old frame). At least I'll look fast!

J.

Wow, those are some sweet looking wheels! If you ever get a chance to review them after the ride, I'd love to hear what you think.

AJDad001 · Veteran Member

@LilEagle - I can review them now - no need to wait until the ride. I've ridden about 150km on them now, and I'm ecstatic.

They are not for faint of heart (or weak of arms) in a strong crosswind - but they slice through headwinds beautifully. They roll very true, and very smooth. They're stiff - I'm 180lbs and they flex less than my old Mavic AksiumRace rims even when I'm out of the saddle sprinting or pounding up a hill.

Anecdotally I would say that they have added about 3km/h to my training speeds - same level of effort generates about 3km/h more than it did with the old rims.

Going down hills (especially big ones) the bike accelerates a lot faster than before, and hits higher speeds (all else being equal).

But they definitely take some getting used to because they present a big "sail" to a cross wind. I noticed during today's ride that swirling winds at an intersection or in a valley after a descent were noticeably more "interesting" then they ever did before.

In short - best $1,000 I ever spent on bike parts. I love em! biggrin