First ride on the new bike........

redddraggon
redddraggon Posts: 10,862
edited March 2008 in Workshop
....by god do decent brake calipers make a hell of a difference. I nearly went over the handlebars when I first grabbed hold. Makes it pretty obvious to me, how much of a waste of space Tektro brakes are.

Very comfortable bike on the whole. Bit disappointed with the polar HRM though. Forgot to take the HR sensor out with me, and couldn't see the speed I was going at, it was just dead weight on the bike.

Only did 6 miles this morning, just to make sure I'd got everything set up right. Hopefully get a longer ride in tomorrow.
I like bikes...

Twitter
Flickr

Comments

  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Sounds good - bike's looking tip-top now - good build 8)
  • aracer
    aracer Posts: 1,649
    redddraggon wrote:
    ....by god do decent brake calipers make a hell of a difference.
    I suspect you probably mean decent brake blocks.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    aracer wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    ....by god do decent brake calipers make a hell of a difference.
    I suspect you probably mean decent brake blocks.

    Not really. I've changed the blocks on my Tektros, and they are still awful.
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    HRM monitor is rubbish. As I pulled out of my garage it seemed to be working, but 5 mins later the computer wasn't displaying my HR. I managed to get my speed displaying nicely though.

    No matter what I did to the positioning of the HR sensor on my chest I couldn't get the bugger to read anything.

    I guess I'll just have to have another play tomorrow.
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • musto_skiff
    musto_skiff Posts: 394
    Get your HRM strap nice and wet on the sensor pads before you put it on; that make a big difference.
  • Johnpwr
    Johnpwr Posts: 47
    Your HRM won't work when the sensor dries out !

    I use saliva to wet mine, so I tend to find that I need to put it on as late as possible before I ride, otherwise it gets dried out before I start to sweat onto it.

    If you use the HR gel stuff then this shouldn't be a problem, but it's something to consider.

    If it does dry out, then you'll need to ride long enough to get properly warm so that you sweat, which could take a long time with our current cold snap.

    Cheers
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    I guess I should have read the manual, then I probably wouldn't have had so much difficulty with the speed and the HRM functions.
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • jefferee
    jefferee Posts: 80
    You're sure your heart's going OK?
    That's always the first thing to check, IME.
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Johnpwr wrote:
    Your HRM won't work when the sensor dries out !

    The HRM worked today after a liberal amount of saliva before the ride. Although I'm suprised the HRM didn't start working on Sunday, as I sweat more than a little after very little exercise.

    Got a nice 60+Km ride planned for tomorrow to Llandegla......hopefully the bike will pass my further tests.
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • heavymental
    heavymental Posts: 2,091
    jefferee wrote:
    You're sure your heart's going OK?
    That's always the first thing to check, IME.

    :lol:
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Any body know if the polar can work in miles rather than Km/H?

    After cycling through the winter with mudguards the roads have been pretty clean, now I've decided to take my new bike out why are the roads caked with liquid mud and shyte?
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • pedylan
    pedylan Posts: 768
    redddraggon wrote:
    Any body know if the polar can work in miles rather than Km/H?

    After cycling through the winter with mudguards the roads have been pretty clean, now I've decided to take my new bike out why are the roads caked with liquid mud and shyte?

    Almost certainly. Which model Polar have you got? Mine is the S520 and distance and speed units are interchangeable as are personal data stuff like height and weight, kgs or lbs.

    I'd need to be at home to check the menu options but monitor setup then options and units is the place to start if IIRC.
    Where the neon madmen climb
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    pedylan wrote:
    Almost certainly.

    Aye I've just had a play. The setting was to change units from metric to imperial, which I didn't necessarily want. I only wanted the speed in imperial and everything else metric - but I guess I'll have to live with it.
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr
  • simbil1
    simbil1 Posts: 620
    What's wrong with Tektro brakes? I run mine with green swiss stops and they have all the power (and more) and modulation I need, even this morning in the sleet...
    http://picasaweb.google.com/thefirstsimbil/Bikes
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    I've got a HR monitor that doesn't work much at all around areas with lots of electrical
    wires. I have to get out in the country a bit before it kicks in. Sigma Sport.

    Dennis Noward
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    simbil1 wrote:
    What's wrong with Tektro brakes? I run mine with green swiss stops and they have all the power (and more) and modulation I need, even this morning in the sleet...

    Compared to the Centaur skeletons I've got they are rubbish. Both have got Centaur pads in them. (I've got a set of non-skeleton Centaur Calipers - but I can't use them without fitting my soon to be bought veloce shifters as I can't get the wheels out otherwise - no quick release thingy on the calipers themselves.)
    I like bikes...

    Twitter
    Flickr

Categories