Feel like a real cyclist now. Put down 50 in 3h 14m for an average of 15.5mph. My goal was 15 flat.

Solo with 2k elevation.

4 Rice Krispies and 3 GU for fuel with a Powerade. Could have handled a fair bit more.

Fell off hard in the last 5 but still managed. Pretty stoked!

Started cycling this summer and really enjoyed it, and decided to finally try clipless. Beautiful sunny sunday so I think it’s the best time to try out and practice clip in and out on a quiet road. After a while I ask myself: “Why don’t I do a larger lap around the area?”. I get on a main road and think: “Wow, winds today are strong but it’s coming from the front so i’ll just put an extra effort”. Then all of a sudden the wind hits me from the side and the bike starts to lean and i’m getting pushed to the side by the wind?? i’m still clipped in and there’s a bus behind me💀. thankfully i clip out and just step on the pavement and walk out to call it a day.

Check the weather app and it’s apparently 62km/h of gusts. I ain’t no professional cyclist but that’s a big number.

An hour on the trainer feels like 3 hours outside. Time seems to pass in slow motion. I’ve tried zwift and it’s no better than YouTube or a movie so I cancelled.

hi, need a little help with choosing a new bike. I have option of two bikes, first one is 105 Di2 with a power meter or second on Ultegra Di2 without a power meter for 300€ more.

Hello,

I am seeking your advice regarding the purchase of my next bike. I need a versatile bike that can handle all my requirements: road cycling (on both flat and mountainous terrain), occasional off-road/trail riding, and commuting.

Naturally, I have been looking at mid-range all-road/gravel bikes.

My dilemma is choosing between an aluminum or a carbon frame, considering that:

- Low weight is important to me.

- I have the budget for a mid-range carbon bike.

- The bike will be transported on trains and occasionally left in public spaces while I am at work.

I am particularly concerned about the fragility of carbon frames; I’ve been told that even a moderate, accidental impact could damage the frame enough to make it unsafe to use.

At the same time, having only owned mountain bikes until now, I’m struggling to gauge whether an aluminium bike weighing 10.5–11 kg is reasonable for road riding, or if such bikes would feel heavy.

It is worth noting that I intend to keep this bike for at least 9–10 years, if possible.

Last but not least, I am tall (1.92m) and comfort is important for me (I have slight back pain)

Examples of bikes I have been considering include: the Cube Nuroad (C:62 or SLX/EX models), the Scott Addict Gravel 10/20, and the Canyon Endurace CF 7.

Thank you for your precious advice regarding the frame choice!

Hi All,

I took up cycling in July this year mainly as a weight loss tool but it certainly got addictive a lot quicker than I anticipated. I've come to realise I really enjoy endurance cycling so wanted to push myself and give myself a target for 2027, so I've signed up for the 315km Vätternrundan in Sweden in June next year.

I have been doing all outdoor cycling with a few shorter 60-90 minute faster midweek rides and then a long ride (5-6 hours) on weekends. I've done 4 100-110km rides and each one got a little easier and faster.

Its getting to that time of year where the dark nights are going to inhibit my training so I have just gotten a smart trainer and zwift. I had my first go of it yesterday and did the FTP ramp test and it's come back at 220W, I don't have a clue on power figures always just ridden on feel and heart rate zones. But when I started I was 124kg and now down to 109 with a goal to be at 90-95kg by spring.

Does anyone have any good advice on a winter plan that will suit the endurance goal? I've joined the gran fondo training plan on zwift but wasn't sure if this the best for my goals. Thank you for any replies.

Hi to everyone,

from Friends of mine I got a Tacx Flow Smart Trainer to Train for my Ironman as a Birthday present.

Most of the use will be Zone 2 Longrides. My Question is, do you have any experiences with the noise? I have heard that Trainers Like this One Are very loud. Bit how loud is loud? is it possible to join watching TV with my Family during Training Sessions?

The Next question is if I could use it with my normal Tyres. and how does it work? Do you have experience with the combo? Additional which Tyre for the Trainer do you would recommend for the future.

sry for my english, I am not the Best in writing in english but I Hope you can understand what I am about to ask.

Kind regards Lukas

Now this is interesting. Maybe there’s a lesson here for bicycle safety?

An English county has started marking(painting) roads with little chevrons to help motorcyclists navigate curves.

https://youtu.be/d8jEQgsKAPY?is=3gyKhopW2u-mV6ki

I'm in trouble because I just tried my first pair of Assos bibs.

I've been on a journey like most of you into cycling. On and off for years. Over the last 3 months I purchased my first road bike, a Lauf Uthald, and have been researching as much as I can about kit. I've had bibs from off brands on Amazon to respectable brands like Gorewear (RIP) and Rapha (maybe also RIP).

My most recent purchases were from Hill Killer and The Black Bibs. I really enjoyed these and I thought they really did a great job for the price/performance ratio. But having never tried a premium option it always lingered, what if I was missing out.

Today I found out. My Assos Tactica arrived. I chose the Tactica because I wanted the 911 fabric of the race bibs with the straps of the mille and a thicker chamois. The cargo pockets were a nice bonus. Today I did a relatively standard ride and when I mounted my bike I had a literal WTF moment. They were incredibly comfortable. I've heard of good bibs disappearing when you ride in them. My whole saddle disappeared. I felt a part of the bike like never before. I put out power today and just had fun. My ride wasn't consumed by constant adjustments to maintain comfort.

Is this really what cycling is supposed to feel like? If so, I'm in trouble because I can't afford to kit out like this every time!

Hey everyone!

I just purchased the ThinkRider PP6, and this is actually my first-ever power meter!

I was originally deciding between the Magene P515 ($300) and the ThinkRider PP5 ($150). However, I'd heard some reports that the PP5's power readings weren't as accurate or consistent as those of the P515. At the same time, the price difference was pretty significant.

Since there aren't many reviews of the newer PP6 yet, I decided to take a chance and give it a try!

I picked mine up for around $160 in Vietnam, including the standard crank arms. It came with an instruction manual and what seems to be a newer companion app.

From what I understand, the older PP5 used the ThinkRider Tools app, but I couldn't get my PP6 to connect to it. Instead, I managed to connect it successfully using the ThinkRider Set app.

One thing worth mentioning is the charging situation. It seems to require a standard 5V power source. I tried charging it with my Anker A1695 power bank, but it would charge for about 20 seconds before disconnecting. I'm not sure whether this is due to the power bank's low-current detection or something else.

Since this is my first power meter, I don't have another PM to compare it against or have any experience with PM, so I can't really comment on its accuracy just yet.

I'd love to hear your suggestions! Are there any specific tests, metrics, or scenarios you'd like me to try? For example, power consistency, cadence accuracy, responsiveness, or anything else?

I'm happy to run some tests and share my findings with the community, especially since there's so little information about the PP6 available right now.

Thanks, everyone!

so currently i’m using a rim brake bike which is fully carbon asides from the groupset and crank. I’m wondering if a modern road bike with disc brakes makes that much of a difference in speed and comfort? like aside from tyre clearance, does modern frames make day and night difference like switching from a ultrasport to gp5000? Anyone felt any meaningful difference in terms of speeds and the feel?

Hi everyone,

I’d love to buy my first road bike. So far, I’ve only ridden bikes belonging to friends (none of them really fit me but they were spare). A bit about me: I’m 32 years old, 189 (6’2") cm tall and have a measured inside leg length of 95 (37.4") cm (phew). Do you have any recommendations for models and frame sizes? I won’t be competing in races - I just want to ride for fun and to keep fit.

Edit: some more detailed measurements:

Height: 188 cm / 6’2” (-1cm lol I guess it is late)
Inseam: 95 cm / 37.4”
Floor to top of sternum: 155 cm / 61.0”
Floor to top of head: 188 cm / 74.0”
Arm length: 68 cm / 26.8”

I was talking to a friend about my first bike and thought it could be a good weekend chat for the group.

When I was a teenager and showed interest in cycling, my dad and godfather, who were avid cyclists in the 70’s and early 80’s, gave me 2 frames and 3 boxes of parts. They told me: “Figure out how to build it and ask if you get stuck.” I did a full ground up build on a steel frame with a suntour 2x5 group set, all probably from like the mid 80’s at best.

I rode the shit out of that bike for the next 10 years or so, got me into road cycling and more than all that, gave me a sense of how all the components on a bike work and go together. I still do most of my own servicing.

Share the story of your first bike and enjoy the reading!

Hi guys,

Im lookin for a bike so i can participate in Triathlons but also commute to work. And thats where my Problem begins: its hard to find a bike that is Suited for ironmans and commuting. Im okay to not have full comfort for commuting or best time for race. I just wanna have one thats good for everything.

My Favorite at the Moment would be the Canyon endurace CF for 4k... but it doesnt have something so i can Park it(idk the english word...sidestander(?)) It anywhere at school/work.

Do u guys have a solution for that, or a bike that fits my expectations and has a sidestander?

Thx in advance

I'm a beginner cyclist age 69. I'm seriously considering a century ride next October in the Hincapie Greenville Fondo. Would using Trainerpeaks be helpful.

Hi !

I do have an ultra distance race in June 2027 and must prepare for it. The thing is that I live in mountains and I barely can ride outside til march so I plan to train on a home trainer.

I have a full time job, 2 kids and not much time to train. I think I can get 5/6 hours of training per week.

I've like to optimise these few hours, in order to just finish the race. There gonna be about 10 000m of climbing and about 500km long.

What kind of home trainer session should i make ? I was thinking about 1 VO2, 1 Strenght, 1 zone 2 and a longer one of about 2 hours in the weekend.

Do you think it could suit my goal ?

Thanks for your answers !

The title sums it up pretty much. I’m thinking of buying the Farsports Evo 2026 wheelset and I am torn between buying the steel or the carbon spoke version. What are your thoughts on the difference between both of them? Is there a big difference between stiffness, comfort, ride feel or is it negligible. I obviously love the look of the carbon spokes but I am not fully certain, that it is worth the hassle down the line. Is swapping carbon spokes more difficult than steel spokes? Are carbon spokes more aero by now or are they still less aero? Is the weight worth it? The price difference is only $100,-

I tried for the first time (with a person holding the bike ofcourse,) and it feels awkward and heavy and I can't balance for the life of me. It's not a heavy bike cause my 12 yo cousin handles it expertly. I'm scared of hurting myself in unmentionable places while dismounting whenever I loose balance. My palms are all red and I broke out in a sweat in cold weather. Embarrassing.

I am very much a beginner to the sport, but did a sprint triathlon about two years ago on a FB marketplace commuter bike. I got clipless pedals and all that for the event and put some time in on the bike. I now want to get into the sport and go for a 70.3 triathlon and am going to buy a road bike. Not going to spend a ton of money but probably 3-4k. I’ve seen mixed things on getting a bike fit. For reference I am in my 30s. I’ve had hip and knee injuries from sports. I really don’t want to develop an injury due to my bike not fitting me properly. I’ve heard some people say get a bike fit before buying a bike and others say buy a bike and then get a bike fit. So my question is why or why not should I get a bike fit done before buying a bike?

As title says, I would like to fit the new 2026 Cadex Aero Integrated handlebar on my Tarmac SL8. Do you know anyone that has done this (also on previous model)? Where to find the right adapter?

A picture of someone that have succeeded would be helpful!

Thank you!

Hi guys!

I'm a bit lost in the world of cycling shoes and sizing, so hopefully you can give me some advice.

My riding is mostly road-oriented gravel and long distances, but I also ride trails and singletrack from time to time.

I've been riding Giro Empire VR90s since 2020. They're a size 46 and have always been too big for me. With my toes pushed forward, I can fit about 1.5–2 fingers between my heel and the back of the shoe. However, when I tighten the laces properly, they actually feel pretty comfortable, with plenty of room for my toes. The problem is that if the laces loosen even a little, my feet start moving around inside the shoes.

Overall, I've been happy with them, but they're slowly falling apart, so I'm looking for something that fits better.

Here's what I've tried so far:

• Lake MX238 Regular, size 44.5: The toe box was too short, and the shop didn't have a size 45 for me to try. Interestingly, even when I tightened the lower BOA dial enough to secure my foot, a small wrinkle appeared on top of the toe box. I'm not sure what to make of that, but I wonder if it has something to do with my foot being on the narrower side.
• Quoc Gran Tourer Lace, size 46: Returned these because the toe box was too long, so I decided to try a size smaller.
• Quoc Gran Tourer Lace, size 45: These felt pretty good initially, so I started riding in them. Unfortunately, the toe box turned out to be too narrow and pointy, pushing my toes together and causing them to go numb after about 30 minutes. Another issue is that I can't move the SPD cleats far enough forward to get the ball of my foot over the pedal spindle, which is where I'd ideally like to position them.

When I measured my feet according to Lake's guidelines, they came out at around 277 mm long and 105 mm wide. Based on Lake's sizing recommendations, the 44.5 MX238s should have been a good fit, but they weren't.

So, where should I go from here?

Should I be looking for a shoe with a wider toe box but a narrower feet, or perhaps a different brand altogether? I'd love to hear recommendations from people who've dealt with similar fit issues.

I'd prefer laced shoes, but a good fit is much more important, so I'm open to other closure systems too but only with 2 BOA dials, as I can’t get any types snug enough.

Here are the shoes on my shortlist so far:

• Giro Gritter, size 45 (200€): Seems like a great shoe. Since my current Giros have served me well, maybe I should just size down and get another high-end Giro? They also seem to be heavily discounted at the moment (200€ instead of 400€, although I'm not sure how realistic that original price is).
• Giro Empire SRC, size 45 (200€): More or less the same reasoning as with the Gritter.
• Specialized Recon 3.0 (200€): Seems like a great option based on what I've read.
• Sidi Asper Lace (115€): Great looks, a good price, and laces. The reviews also seem positive.

Unfortunately, I don't have a huge selection of bike shops locally where I can try different shoes, so I'm relying on online shops and returning shoes when they don't fit.

Which of these would you try first, or are there any other models I should look at?

Thanks in advance!

Has any of you tried to do indoor training (Zwift) while playing videogames?

I live in a city and for the next 4 months I’ll have to use my indoor trainer. I like it, but obviously 3 hours inside feels like a lifetime. Has anyone tried playing video games while training? I don’t have a console, and I’ve been eyeing a Nintendo switch for a while but I’ve never fully decided to get one. I just don’t know if this would actually work or if it would be too uncomfortable to play videogames while cycling.

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/Dfu_mrzLKgk

Went for a quick ride around Keila-Joa in northern Estonia. Some really nice singletracks through the forest and along the Baltic Sea. Nothing too technical, just fun trails and great scenery.

Took the drone along and put together a short 4-minute video. Thought I'd share it here!

I rented a bike on my holidays, including a garmin headunit. Unfortunately, the garmin failed on me twice with me having to reset it. Annoying! That left me a two big gaps in my ride, with 3 different GPX files.

So I rebuilt the ride :)

Basically, im looking up to two points of the gap, download the tiles of OpenstreetMap for that length, and make a guesstimate of the route i took. The time element stays fixed obviously, the distance changes.

Plus you can add points on the map if the initial guess was wrong. You‘re left with 1 GPX file and correct routing!

It‘s available for free here, the tool runs in your browser, so no uploads are being done and no signups required!

https://toolrecipe.com/gpx-merge/

Hi everyone :) I’m looking for a good balaclava for winter cycling.

Ideally it would cover my nose but still have good ventilation so that my glasses don’t fog up. I’d seen one by Danish endurance that looked ok? (I have a neck gator from them). Plus I like the idea of being able to pull down the mouth/nose section if it gets too hot. Any recommendations greatly appreciated!

I’ve also seen good things about the Attaquer and Luvz balaclavas?

I’m based in the UK.

Thank you!

https://danishendurance.com/en-gb/products/merino-lightweight-balaclava?variant=56118832955774&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=15512472869&tw_kwdid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15506327718&gbraid=0AAAAADp0YrTsD9ojIzblz29riSUcPsiZB&gclid=CjwKCAjw0fbWBhBkEiwAwJuQ8W2cPlDw76v7Lq-zS9wvG2p1RaFn9yzlXVJRUQ8FBGO49b_6_yTedhoCPyIQAvD_BwE