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Original post by alexs2602
Which one? I'm looking at the endurance AL 6.0 but I'm not sure if I want disc brakes or not. I get the feeling you can't get hydraulic without spending some serious wedge and there is bit of a weight penalty. Disappointing but might have to go with rim brakes.


Lol exactly the same, AL 6.0. I am considering driving to Koblenz for a day to test.

And lol again, I am also debating if I want disc brakes or not. For me it's currently a yes, since my city bike has them, and they are super convenient, and even with them in contrast to my current bike, the new one even with disc brakes would still be probably at least 3kg lighter.
Original post by brainhuman
Lol exactly the same, AL 6.0. I am considering driving to Koblenz for a day to test.

And lol again, I am also debating if I want disc brakes or not. For me it's currently a yes, since my city bike has them, and they are super convenient, and even with them in contrast to my current bike, the new one even with disc brakes would still be probably at least 3kg lighter.

Jealous. Wish I could do that. Not sure when I'm going to get the bike so if it makes sense I may visit too. I'm planning to visit the Netherlands so it will depend on timing and money.

Well, yeah, AL 6.0 would be 5kg lighter than my current bike. I looked at the Inflite AL 8.0 and that would still be 4kg lighter. Huge difference either way but I'm thinking once you get used to it that kilo would probably be very significant. Also £300 more expensive and mechanical disc brakes so not ideal imo. Disc brakes are great. I do love them and hydraulic ones too but they're also in the early days with road bikes, still developing and this would be my first road bike so maybe something to get started on might be a good idea. Sure, I'd probably own it for a few years before I even started to think about replacing it but it'd give me time to get used to what I do and don't like and in that time disc brakes may become better suited and more widespread on road bikes and I can get one where they're implemented properly. I mean, sure, ideally I want to work out what I do and don't like as much as I can before I decide on a bike but to a certain degree I think you just need to own one. Spend some time with it.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by alexs2602
Jealous. Wish I could do that. Not sure when I'm going to get the bike so if it makes sense I may visit too. I'm planning to visit the Netherlands so it will depend on timing and money.

Well, yeah, AL 6.0 would be 5kg lighter than my current bike. I looked at the Inflite AL 8.0 and that would still be 4kg lighter. Huge difference either way but I'm thinking once you get used to it that kilo would probably be very significant. Also £300 more expensive and mechanical disc brakes so not ideal imo. Disc brakes are great. I do love them and hydraulic ones too but they're also in the early days with road bikes, still developing and this would be my first road bike so maybe something to get started on might be a good idea. Sure, I'd probably own it for a few years before I even started to think about replacing it but it'd give me time to get used to what I do and don't like and in that time disc brakes may become better suited and more widespread on road bikes and I can get one where they're implemented properly. I mean, sure, ideally I want to work out what I do and don't like as much as I can before I decide on a bike but to a certain degree I think you just need to own one. Spend some time with it.


That is exactly why I am probably going to get a road bike in the first place. It's not like my current one is trash, for what it is, it's pretty decent, I and just completed a 93km ride with it last Thursday. But I feel for a hobby, which it has become for me, you should do it properly.

Well, I am hoping to go either this weekend of the one after (might not, I mean it is an entire day trip and I don't own a car, would have to borrow from my parents so not 100% sure) so I can let you know what it's like and what they say themselves about choosing disc.
Reply 103
Original post by alexs2602
Which one? I'm looking at the endurance AL 6.0 but I'm not sure if I want disc brakes or not. I get the feeling you can't get hydraulic without spending some serious wedge and there is bit of a weight penalty. Disappointing but might have to go with rim brakes.


Rim brakes are perfectly fine, disc brakes seem like a lot of faff and extra hassle and points to go wrong. Plus you have a poorer choice of wheels, and frames are comparatively heavier.
Original post by BaronK
Rim brakes are perfectly fine, disc brakes seem like a lot of faff and extra hassle and points to go wrong. Plus you have a poorer choice of wheels, and frames are comparatively heavier.


What does "perfectly fine" mean?

You cannot break the same way as with disc brakes. You must be aware of that else you might run into trouble. And then there are situations where disc brakes are just superior. I once was in a situation where without them I am sure I would have hit a car / been hit.
Reply 105
Original post by brainhuman
What does "perfectly fine" mean?

You cannot break the same way as with disc brakes. You must be aware of that else you might run into trouble. And then there are situations where disc brakes are just superior. I once was in a situation where without them I am sure I would have hit a car / been hit.


Perfectly fine as in they stop you perfectly fine. You have superior wet braking with discs, but that just encourages you to brake later on less traction anyway.
Original post by alexs2602
Which one? I'm looking at the endurance AL 6.0 but I'm not sure if I want disc brakes or not. I get the feeling you can't get hydraulic without spending some serious wedge and there is bit of a weight penalty. Disappointing but might have to go with rim brakes.


I can 100% guarantee that weight penalty will mean absolutely nothing to someone of your level (and I don't mean that in a derogatory sense). Disc brakes add a level of confidence that rims brakes just don't in the wet.

Original post by BaronK
Rim brakes are perfectly fine, disc brakes seem like a lot of faff and extra hassle and points to go wrong. Plus you have a poorer choice of wheels, and frames are comparatively heavier.


Don't write them off if you've never ridden with them. All 3 of my disc brake bikes have never had issues. "A poorer choice of wheels" is woefully inaccurate these days. You have less choice sure but there are far, far more crappier wheelsets for rim brakes than there are disc wheelsets.
Reply 107
Original post by Roobsa
I can 100% guarantee that weight penalty will mean absolutely nothing to someone of your level (and I don't mean that in a derogatory sense). Disc brakes add a level of confidence that rims brakes just don't in the wet.



Don't write them off if you've never ridden with them. All 3 of my disc brake bikes have never had issues. "A poorer choice of wheels" is woefully inaccurate these days. You have less choice sure but there are far, far more crappier wheelsets for rim brakes than there are disc wheelsets.


You do have a poorer choice of wheels, the variety just isn't there as you have with rim brakes. Even a simple look on Wiggle shows you have 5x choice. The crappier wheelsets come at the bottom end for training/commute bashing, you don't have that option really on discs I see.
I will reply to all these comments properly in a bit but first i just remembered this video about the difference in stopping distance with rim and disc brakes. https://youtu.be/uHFSSXOSnxs
Original post by BaronK
Rim brakes are perfectly fine, disc brakes seem like a lot of faff and extra hassle and points to go wrong. Plus you have a poorer choice of wheels, and frames are comparatively heavier.


Well, I have disc brakes and they're really not [a lot of faff etc]. They're really useful and worth it. I've fixed the normal things that go wrong with it quite easily. There's centering the caliper, bleeding and resetting the pistons. It's not that bad. I've shortened the hoses too. The only real thing I haven't fixed is probably a seal failing. Granted there's less chance of something failing with rim brakes. I really don't care about wheels. By the time I will there'll be better stuff out.


Original post by Roobsa
I can 100% guarantee that weight penalty will mean absolutely nothing to someone of your level (and I don't mean that in a derogatory sense). Disc brakes add a level of confidence that rims brakes just don't in the wet.



No offence taken, that's completely fair. I guess that's the entire point I'm looking at an endurance bike. I want to be comfortable while still having the benefit of a road bike. I don't want an aero bike because I'm not looking to race. I'm not sure about cyclocross, adventure, gravel etc bikes. I don't know what the real differences are. And honestly I really think disc brakes suit my style of cycling.

The price and brakes available(hydraulic or mechanical) are an issue though. I may need to look again but they look considerable more expensive for what they are.
(edited 7 years ago)
Hi guys
Is having a higher HR bad when cycling? cycled back home to test it and my HR was 175. My friends HR who is much older than me never exceed an avg of 145 BPM and he probably does the same effort?
(edited 7 years ago)
Reply 111
HR doesn't matter, all bout dose WattZ.
Original post by exhaled page
Hi guys
Is having a higher HR bad when cycling? cycled back home to test it and my HR was 175. My friends HR who is much older than me never exceed an avg of 145 BPM and he probably does the same effort?


Well if he is 30 years older than by conventional rule of thumb you have the "same", although his % would actually be higher.

Depending on how old you are, it is relatively high, do you feel you are working hard? But nothing to be concerned about.
Original post by exhaled page
Hi guys
Is having a higher HR bad when cycling? cycled back home to test it and my HR was 175. My friends HR who is much older than me never exceed an avg of 145 BPM and he probably does the same effort?


Comparing your heart rate to someone else is pointless as there are so many factors involved.
Reply 114
Another insurance post. Looking for one to cover the bike if I get mugged while riding it and its taken from me, theft from a garage attached to the house where the garage is locked (bike preferably won't be locked up in the garage due to multiple people needing to potentially move it), theft from inside my car if it were left for a few minutes at say a motorway service station or overnight at a campsite. Any ideas? If I were in a hotel or B&B etc I would pick one that allows me to take it into my room.
Reply 115
Just rang my car insurance about seeing if they would increase the contents value to cover my bike while its in the car;
Me: "Can I increase the value of my insured contents to cover my mountain bike?"
Idiot at Admiral: "What is a mountain bike, is it a type of modification?"
Me: ... ...
Looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

What do they think it is? A James Bond like modification that turns your car into a motorbike in mountainous terrain?
Anyone own garmin vectors?

Is it necessary to wear cleats with them or can you ride with normal shoes and it'll record power accurately
Original post by exhaled page
Anyone own garmin vectors?

Is it necessary to wear cleats with them or can you ride with normal shoes and it'll record power accurately


More info on the Vectors here - https://youtu.be/Eik97sjOpuM?t=6m31s

They should be able to record power since the strain gauge is in the spindle. In what situation would you need power but not be wearing road shoes?
Reply 119
Original post by Roobsa
More info on the Vectors here - https://youtu.be/Eik97sjOpuM?t=6m31s

They should be able to record power since the strain gauge is in the spindle. In what situation would you need power but not be wearing road shoes?


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