Thread to tell everyone what bargains you've spotted!

willy b

Merlin MaltR Tiagra tripple. I don't need a new bike but this is outstanding value!
http://www.merlincycles.com/bike-shop/b ... -2012.html

meanredspider

DrLex wrote:

FWIW, mine resides in a bidon, together with spare tube, multi-tool, 2x AAA cells, tyre lever & puncture kit.
Concerned by warnings of incidents on charging, lid removed when recharging.

What incidents are they? Do they get hot and will removing the lid really help?

finknottle

jomoj wrote:

Chain Reaction have the Garmin Edge 500 for £119 in the 'private' sale, which I'm guessing anyone who has bought from them previously got an email link to.

Also the excellent Evoc bike bag for £210.

DrLex

Being a Magicshine clone from DX, I’d seen a few stories of battery fires from cheap chargers and cells (LiPO?), so thought with the lid off, I could feel for it getting over hot and allow any fumes/smoke to set off the smoke detector a little faster. Paranoid? Perhaps.
 

Wrath Rob

DrLex wrote:

Being a Magicshine clone from DX, I’d seen a few stories of battery fires from cheap chargers and cells (LiPO?), so thought with the lid off, I could feel for it getting over hot and allow any fumes/smoke to set off the smoke detector a little faster. Paranoid? Perhaps.
 

:shock: And this is exactly why I bought my Ayups

keyser__soze

bunter wrote:

I bought one of these for £20 as plugged in this thread.

How quickly did yours arrive? Still waiting on mine (already got one but wanted a spare) despite ordering last Monday

UndercoverElephant

Anyone in need of an accountant?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cycleops-powert ... n=cycleops

£512.00 for a CycleOps PowerTap SL.

daniel_b

UndercoverElephant wrote:

Anyone in need of an accountant?

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/cycleops-powert ... n=cycleops

£512.00 for a CycleOps PowerTap SL.

Wowsas, I hesitate to say that is a bargain, but that isn't too bad a price is it?
And then you would need to get a wheel/your existing wheel built up with that hub, is that how it works?

sketchley

Wrath Rob wrote:

Sketchley wrote:

Kieran_Burns wrote:

.....

Cheap here as well:

Inner Tubes

10 inner tubes for £20!

Done! Thanks...

Done also. I now have 10 32mm valve tubes from the JE James offer and another 10 60mm valve tubes from this one. That should keep me happy for a while.

Arrived today, 60mm turned out to be specialized tubes!

keyser__soze

Daniel B wrote:

Wowsas, I hesitate to say that is a bargain, but that isn't too bad a price is it?
And then you would need to get a wheel/your existing wheel built up with that hub, is that how it works?

Great price. That's exactly how it works. Missus recently bought a Pro from Wiggle and got Wheelsmith to build it up on a 50mm Gigantex rim, highly recommended.

dodgy

Shame that Powertap isn't compatible with Garmin as a head unit, great price.

meanredspider

Keyser__Soze wrote:

Daniel B wrote:

Wowsas, I hesitate to say that is a bargain, but that isn't too bad a price is it?
And then you would need to get a wheel/your existing wheel built up with that hub, is that how it works?

Great price. That's exactly how it works. Missus recently bought a Pro from Wiggle and got Wheelsmith to build it up on a 50mm Gigantex rim, highly recommended.

I'd love one but I have no idea what it would really do for me. The other problem, of course, is that the Volagi is disc-braked so I could only use this on the Cayo. And then the Cayo's wheel is a 20-hole RS80 so I'd need another wheel.

keyser__soze

dodgy wrote:

Shame that Powertap isn't compatible with Garmin as a head unit, great price.

It is compatible :?: Only pre-2009 weren't.

Wrath Rob

dodgy wrote:

Shame that Powertap isn't compatible with Garmin as a head unit, great price.

Erm, yes it is. I'm running a PT that's quite happily talking to my Garmin 800. I've also got it talking to Trainerroad via a nice ANT+ USB stick.

@Keyzer, that's the same as my PT build. Do her brakes squeal if the pads aren't aligned perfectly?

sketchley

Oops duplicate....

keyser__soze

Wrath Rob wrote:

@Keyzer, that's the same as my PT build. Do her brakes squeal if the pads aren't aligned perfectly?

Haven't ridden with her while she's had it (damned scaphoid) but no complaints of squealing so I guess I must've aligned the pads perfectly when installing them Thinking of getting one plus an additional turbo so we can do turbo sessions together.

Wrath Rob

I'm going to sell mine at some point. Not because I don't like them but because I want the Brim Bros. system instead. Power on the commute, the turbo and the Sunday bike? Simples! I'm not really fussed about left/right leg power, its the fact that you can switch between bikes so easily. Plus it will make me finally move to Speedplay pedals.

keyser__soze

Wrath Rob wrote:

I want the Brim Bros. system instead.

Yeah, we were holding out for those at first but thought there was more chance of the second coming or Liverpool winning the league before they arrive.

Wrath Rob

Keyser__Soze wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

I want the Brim Bros. system instead.

Yeah, we were holding out for those at first but thought there was more chance of the second coming or Liverpool winning the league before they arrive.

I suppose I'm lucky that I've got the PT already. Its only taken me a year to start working out how to use it properly. I'm going to have a go at writing my own Excel based CTL tracker tonight. Its not going to be perfect as I'll still be doing some rides without power so some of them will be estimates, but hopefully it will be better than using TRIMP.

spasypaddy

Wrath Rob wrote:

Keyser__Soze wrote:

Wrath Rob wrote:

I want the Brim Bros. system instead.

Yeah, we were holding out for those at first but thought there was more chance of the second coming or Liverpool winning the league before they arrive.

I suppose I'm lucky that I've got the PT already. Its only taken me a year to start working out how to use it properly. I'm going to have a go at writing my own Excel based CTL tracker tonight. Its not going to be perfect as I'll still be doing some rides without power so some of them will be estimates, but hopefully it will be better than using TRIMP.

im still going to hold out for the brim brothers system. too many bikes, all with different cranksets and different wheelsets, 3 running the same pedals and one being an off road bike

meanredspider

How do power meters help you, though? What changes have you made as a result?

Wrath Rob

First up, there's no point having one just for giggles. If you just want to get fit or train for a sportive then they're overkill.

If you want to train hard, maximising your time on the bike, identify weaknesses and measure improvements, and spot over training they're great. 2 examples. The weekend's race was hard and unsuccessful, by looking at my power output after the race I can see where I need to focus my training and tailor my workout to eliminate the weak spots. 2nd example, I ride time trials in the summer and they are great for pacing over the course, especially if it's a rolling one.

I also like the numbers side and love seeing them improve.

meanredspider

I love numbers too. But I guess a PT is overkill. I'm still not clear on the best training for me in any case

bunter

tc345 wrote:

bunter wrote:

I bought one of these for £20 as plugged in this thread.

Cree XML XM-L T6 1600LM LED Bicycle Bike Front Torch Head Cycle Lights Headlight
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cree-XML-XM-L-T6-1600LM-LED-Bicycle-Bike-Front-Torch-Head-Cycle-Lights-Headlight-/200855315142?_trksid=p5197.m1992&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14%26meid%3D5145876266729512483%26pid%3D100015%26prg%3D1006%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D200855315142%26

I haven't mounted it on the bike yet. The light itself looks pretty well sealed but what about the battery pack? I can see a couple of places where water could get in. Anyone have any issues with these? Is it worth trying to improve the sealing or put in a plastic bag?

I would recommend further waterproofing. I was a chump and had two lights whose batteries corroded due to a lack of waterproofing! Oops.

thanks for that! I stuffed the battery into a sandwich bag and sealed around the cable with tape and a couple of cable ties - I reckon it'll work for the moment but I need to find a more elegant solution...

bunter

Keyser__Soze wrote:

bunter wrote:

I bought one of these for £20 as plugged in this thread.

How quickly did yours arrive? Still waiting on mine (already got one but wanted a spare) despite ordering last Monday

I got the shipping confirmation on Monday and the light arrived on the Friday of the same week. I used it for the first time today - wow it is really bright! I think I may have dazzled a Range Rover driver on an unlit lane tonight on the way home - they just kind of stopped and flashed their lights at me, I wonder if it took them a while to figure out what I was... I will try angling it down more tomorrow.

I have been using 18650 torches and various mounts up until now but this is way better. I just hope it is reasonably reliable.

with regards charging, I have taken to putting the charger in a metal baking tray in case it overheats or ignites. I am hoping there would be less chance of the flames spreading this way.

itboffin

Get yourself an old bidon remove the rubber nozzle and push the cables through from the underside, I have two batteries in mine for really dark or as a backup. I also used a small piece of inner tube around the screw top and nozzle as added water protection.

Anonymous

Anyone got any experience of these?

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/campagnolo- ... duct/45926

35 down from 60. Match the bike too! I looked at the ones IP recommended in commuting chat, but they were sold out of the one I wanted to try in my size till march.

lastant

bunter wrote:

...with regards charging, I have taken to putting the charger in a metal baking tray in case it overheats or ignites. I am hoping there would be less chance of the flames spreading this way.

:shock: ...this sort of thing really discourages me from picking up these lights!

meanredspider

bunter wrote:

I got the shipping confirmation on Monday and the light arrived on the Friday of the same week. I used it for the first time today - wow it is really bright! I think I may have dazzled a Range Rover driver on an unlit lane tonight on the way home - they just kind of stopped and flashed their lights at me, I wonder if it took them a while to figure out what I was... I will try angling it down more tomorrow.

There's a guy I pass occasionally who has a light like this - I can't see a bloody thing as he comes towards me. I've shouted at him a few times but it seems to do no good. I think next time I'm just going to ride right at him :evil:

bigmat

meanredspider wrote:

I love numbers too. But I guess a PT is overkill. I'm still not clear on the best training for me in any case

The things that have put me off getting a powertap are the fact that I still haven't got to grips with my HRM, and if I did get one and figured out how to use it I'm guessing it would just confirm that I need to do some training other than the commute to see real improvements! I didn't even have a speedo for my last race which is perhaps taking "old school" a step too far.