Team-BHP (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)

-   Bicycles (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/bicycles/)

-   -   The Bicycles thread (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/bicycles/20785-bicycles-thread-282.html)

Welcome to the fascinating world of roadies :)
Spend just a little over your current budget and go for 105. What a smooth groupset. Trust me you will love it.

Check out BTwin Ultra 700AF. I have done 800km on it and it's F A S T . "It's a cracker out of the box" as mentioned in one of the reviews.

I have been following this thread for long now. Lots of information for a newbie like me. Been born and brought up in hills so never got the opportunity to learn how to ride a bicycle. I know it sounds silly but that is how it was for me.

After coming to Delhi, have been working from home for almost a decade now. It nice to have some spare time by myself but it also meant all day sitting around with no physical exercise. I gained almost 15 Kg but still was too lazy to work out.

Four years back we move to Noida and got introduced to a running group. I have not heard of such groups before and just like that, picked up running. Initially I only wanted to lose some weight but then I started enjoying my runs. Mostly with group which included weekend long runs at Jahanpanah forest, Okhla Bird Sanctuary and Sanjay van. Soon enough, other runners started recommending some cross training like bicycling but problem was I didn't know how to ride one. I wanted to learn but was also scared of injuries due to fall.

Running in summers in NCR is gets difficult and monotonous too. Took the plunge and got myself Montra Trance D 2018. Was not sure if I would enjoy or how often I will go cycling so didn't go for a very expensive one though I had my eyes set on Merida which was much lighter. Learning was not that hard but I did have a very bad fall. Thankfully, nothing major.

Attaching the picture from India Gate ride last weekend! Was fun but my back side is getting very sore. Is it always going to be like this or will get better with time? I am using padded shorts but I don't see them helping much over long runs. Any tips are welcome! :)

Running is also my first love, cycling is 2nd. Now that you have taken up cycling as cross-training for your primary sport of running :), you can take up stretching and strength training to survive the abnormal strain cycling puts on the lower back :)

Here are a few:
- Naukasan (superman) wherein you sleep on your belly with chest, arms, thighs and legs all stretched out and up - is one very good one.
- Taadasan (standing stretch where you lift yourself from your waist keep feet flat on the ground)
- Single leg bridge
- Planks
- Swimming

Try a bike fit, in the meantime try these..

1. Check saddle height
2. Check saddle set back
3. Furnish your height and bike size details for better advise
4. I think I posted something on the same lines for bike fit in this thread, have a looksee at it
5. Build core strength
6. For more pointers please reach out

Was at BOTS (Bums On The Saddle) to pick up a 20 inch Kenda tube and spotted this Specialized Diverge (Rs.1.5 Lakhs) ready for delivery. It's a road version of your modern trail bike. Suspension travel is in the head tube, so you can cruise the well-beaten road and explore one that's less traveled as well.

Thinking on the same lines. Was in Delhi yesterday and checked out both at Decathlon Pacific mall. Personally I felt that both these are very tempting with the specifications and the corresponding cost against each. Will most probably finalise one if I succeed in warding off the pressure of going for a Bergamont or Scott (as my first seller keeps egging me on for either of these since he's the dealer in my near vicinity!).
Thanks.

Bergamont is having few complaints as per a source at BOTS. Of the two, I'd choose Scott.

Taking all the inputs into consideration, my search is prodding along at a slow pace. Need an input on which bike carrier is reasonable and reliable. I need a carrier for a lone bike that can be mounted on the tailgate. Mine is a Renault Lodgy.
Secondly, I have sent a request for joining the Team Bhp Strava Club. I was out of Strava for a while and am making a comeback. Request the admin to do the needful.
Thanks and Cheers.

When it comes to bike carriers, Thule is the best. The carriers are designed in such a way that fitting and removing the bike is a breeze. They are a little expensive, but totally worth the cost. For Lodgy, you can check out the following models.

Thule Freeway 968

Thule Clipon 9104

Done. Welcome to the club. Looking forward to seeing your rides :)

There are many options on the market, Thule has been mentioned, other to consider is Saris Bone.
While these two options are in the premium section, I would seriously consider the Decathlon product, comes a three bike capacity, slightly fiddly to mount and unmount but offers great VFM.

That's the bike I have.
There was a recall issued by Specialized for that steering tube collar. Make sure that has been taken care of before putting any money down on the bike!

You can try the Saris tail mounted single bike carrier. I have been using it for a few years now.

Here is a link to my review of the same:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techn...ml#post3120780

Yes, the Saris 1-bike carrier is a nice, cheap, carrier.
I have the very same one (I think there's a picture of my road-bike on the Saris carrier in my Team-BHP Garage).

However, there are a couple of issues you might have to thing about:

A) The Saris 1-bike carrier is built for bikes with horizontal top tubes (or mostly horizontal), if you have an MTB with an angled top tube, it might get awkward mounting it on the Saris 1-bike. I have a Scott Spark MTB & I was not able to use the Saris 1-bike for it, I had to get a separate accessory called a "bike beam" (also available from Saris) for it to work. That said, I wasn't comfortable using the bike beam because it transfers the load on to the steerer head, I felt safer by simply moving the bike within my car after removing both wheels.

B) If your car had a trunk (like in a sedan) or an angled hatch (like in a small hatch), it's easier & safer to use the Saris 1-bike because you can "perch" the carrier on to something firm. On a Renault Lodgy, with its large, vertical rear hatch, the carrier would mostly be situated using the straps (which are vertical, there are none for horizontal stability). When cornering, with a heavy bike, the carrier will tend to sway sidewards. You could try to attempt to stabilize the carrier by situating it on the rear bumper though, but it's best to get a carrier that's suited to the vehicle you have.

I had purchased a Btwin Riverside 900 hybrid bicycle about 3 months back. I have given the bike to Decathlon as the brakes (hydraulic) are low on pressure (complaint of poor brakes since I bought). I understand from them they will be replacing the brakes with Tektro, once they receive the package from France on recall basis. I have been using this bike for upto 70kms ride. I also have an option to change bike of my choosing due to my dissatisfaction on component quality of various items like brakes, crank, high speed stability, etc. I am thinking of moving to Triban RC 520 considering it to be a Gravel bicycle. The roads I ride on are village roads with poor road quality and potholes. Will the move to RC520 be good or should I stick to the existing hybrid?

The RC520 with 105 7000 and hydro mechay discs with touring geometry and clearance for tyres up to as fat as 35c like a hybrid is a great buy at 75k.

The RC500 is the same, looks better in my opinion, and comes with Sora and mechanical discs for 55k. Not as good bang for buck.

The RC120 is sweet. 8 speeder, MicroShift admittedly, normal caliper brakes, for a staggering 35k. That bike is amazing value.

Tribans of this latest generation have definitely upped the game in terms of geometry, build quality, features versus price, compared to the pretty insipid offerings if the past couple of years.

Bike Radar has glowing reviews for the first two.

All are a planet apart from your hybrid. Any hybrid.

Cheers, Doc