Roadies - Where Did You Ride Today?

Joel · *by **Joel** on Sat 19/Dec/09 11:19pm*

Gordio wrote:Waterfront TT, followed by the GMC Coaching Saturday pain Train.. 100km in the Waitakes.. 17 riders today with most of Aucklands A grade in attendance=Smashfest!

that sounds like fun! :cool:

fatwombat · *by **fatwombat** on Sat 19/Dec/09 11:23pm*

Took the womblings to the Y-rapa for the Rice Mountain Classic - some great riding! Photos at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclohana/sets/72157622904599641/

cooper770 · *by **cooper770** on Sun 20/Dec/09 9:29am*

nzmatto wrote:The weather outperformed the forecast today, so I set off north expecting to make it only about 35km prior to meeting Cooper770 coming the other way, however it turned out to be really pleasant out there. Headed via Waikanae where the clouds made the ride seem ominous:
clouds 001.JPG

continued on up the road about 15 minutes where my Father was out waiting for the paper, so stopped for a quick natter, then it was out onto SH1 where I caught up to another guy who was heading from Wellington to Fielding. He's out training for an 1100km race road and off road around the top of the South Island, so was on a Santa Cruz with Tri-bars. Since we were heading the same way we rode together till I saw Cooper770 coming the other way.
A quick U-Turn and catch up with him and off we were heading south. A brief comfort stop in Otaki and a couple of punctures (not for me ) and soon enough I was back home having clocked up a respectable and enjoyable 87km. It's my longest ride since Taupo and marks the start of my build up to Taranaki.

Happy days out there. Traffic was pretty well behaved, and I am so pleased to have been able to get out. Riding with others is always more pleasurable too.

Thanks for the ride Matt!
I swung past Avanti Plus and got a new tube and a couple of new tires they had on sale and carried on. Lis joined me in Paraparaumu (in the cooper) and I gave her the tires and carried on to Pukerua bay where Lis wanted to stop to visit the second hand and collectors book store, so I thought Ive got this far and knowing how 10 minutes in a book shop for Lis is in reallity an hour carried on taking advantage of the big hill to Paramata. Didn't get another puncture, which is weird as I think we both agreed there must be some issue with the tire given 2 flats in the same spot....all up 134km and with the 2 flats, 1 comfort, 1 coffee and 1 shopping stop took me 5 hours 15. That traffic from parapara was shocking! bumper to bumper and many stressed out tin tops so was happy to reach the end!

nzmatto · *by **nzmatto** on Sun 20/Dec/09 2:02pm*

Glad to hear you didn't get any more flats. That was weird, must have been a co-incidence, or perhaps the first replacement tube was a bit dodgy. I think we chose the right day to be out there. Today seems all sunny, burny and windy. The param bunch today said it was pretty windy out. I chose to stay home today. Had to get some cleaning up done ready for visitors coming for a BBQ tonight.

I even had to relegate my bike back to the garage from the lounge where it has been living. Family heads away tomorrow, so bike will be back in the lounge again.....although it needs a bit of a service at the moment. I noticed yesterday it is not as stealthily quiet as I like. Time to clean out the chain, cluster and rings. actually, I may go do that now.

happybaboon · *by **happybaboon** on Sun 20/Dec/09 2:47pm*

I just cleaned mine. Shiney chain. And stuck some dry lube on for the warmer months (eh, why not).

That bike really needs a good and proper service :huh:

cauld · *by **cauld** on Sun 20/Dec/09 2:58pm*

happybaboon wrote:I just cleaned mine. Shiney chain. And stuck some dry lube on for the warmer months (eh, why not).

That bike really needs a good and proper service

So what's the best way to pull a Shimano chain off for a good clean and lub. Indeed, what's the best way to clean a chain off the bike.

Mine are all pretty grimey. Can I use a SRAM powerlink with a Shimano chain?

wgtngrl · *by **wgtngrl** on Sun 20/Dec/09 3:20pm*

Yep, power links will work. When I clean a chain off the bike I put it in a bucket, tilt it, and cover the chain with degreaser and leave it to soak for a while. If it's really bad might want a soak, swirl around, rinse, soak etc til clean. Make sure you relube it well so it gets right back in there.

Then don't let it get so bad again!

SlackBoy · *by **SlackBoy** on Sun 20/Dec/09 3:59pm*

cauld wrote:
happybaboon wrote:I just cleaned mine. Shiney chain. And stuck some dry lube on for the warmer months (eh, why not).

That bike really needs a good and proper service

So what's the best way to pull a Shimano chain off for a good clean and lub. Indeed, what's the best way to clean a chain off the bike.

Mine are all pretty grimey. Can I use a SRAM powerlink with a Shimano chain?

10spd ones are one use only

ThingOne · *by **ThingOne** on Sun 20/Dec/09 4:53pm*

SlackBoy wrote:
cauld wrote:
happybaboon wrote:I just cleaned mine. Shiney chain. And stuck some dry lube on for the warmer months (eh, why not).

That bike really needs a good and proper service

So what's the best way to pull a Shimano chain off for a good clean and lub. Indeed, what's the best way to clean a chain off the bike.

Mine are all pretty grimey. Can I use a SRAM powerlink with a Shimano chain?
10spd ones are one use only

You can buy a 10speed resuable one, cant remember the brand though.

I have also reused non-reusable chain links no worries in the past as well.

happybaboon · *by **happybaboon** on Sun 20/Dec/09 5:12pm*

cauld wrote:
happybaboon wrote:I just cleaned mine. Shiney chain. And stuck some dry lube on for the warmer months (eh, why not).

That bike really needs a good and proper service

So what's the best way to pull a Shimano chain off for a good clean and lub. Indeed, what's the best way to clean a chain off the bike.

Mine are all pretty grimey. Can I use a SRAM powerlink with a Shimano chain?

I think people in here could wank on for hours about the "best" way to clean a chain...
I've always been able to get mine almost totally cleanish without having to take them off, which I figure is good because I have found that removing chains (even at the proper link) leaves them a bit weaker than they were before (but that's just my experience).

Today I gave mine a good drench with citrus degreaser, then a solid scrubbydubdub with a stiff brush, then a thorough rinse off, then a generous drying, then a copious amount of new lube and spinning, then a rub down. And then it was mostly all sparkly and shiney.

brispuss · *by **brispuss** on Sun 20/Dec/09 6:04pm*

No riding for a week due to strong/gusty winds!

Regarding cleaning chains. I clean the chain without removing it from the bike, because I don't have the chain pin extractor tool. I've found the chain to be reasonably but not thoroughly cleaned when cleaning with chain still on the bike.

I'm looking at using a reusable chain link such as Craig's (Forster's) Super Link III to allow easy removal and replacement of chain on bike. I think the chain is best cleaned when removed off the bike.

Conners · *by **Conners** on Sun 20/Dec/09 7:32pm*

Decided it was time to man up and ride the 90 km half ironman course in preparation for early Jan. First ride of more than 60 km in, well, shit, longer than I can remember....

Pretty happy with sub 2:50 for a first hit out in such shithouse wind.

nzmatto · *by **nzmatto** on Sun 20/Dec/09 7:58pm*

Oh Wow I steered this thread in another direction just by saying I needed to clean my chain. I use a chain cleaner and a while back purchased some citrus degreaser. At the time I thought I was probably being ripped off, but it is brilliant stuff.

I gave the chain, rings and cluster a really good going over and for the first time ever poured a little (very little) degreaser directly onto the cluster, then gave it a thorough clean using the edge of an old towel to get in between all the gears on the cluster. The result....well....this cluster has about 8,000km on it....