B E N D E R's non sweary review site, roubaixcycling.cc (and general kit discussion)

bendertherobot

Pinno wrote:

That was a long review and I even perused that web site on the rolling resistance link.

You'll have to wax lyrical if you're going to wean me off Victoria's for winter and the nice big fat Michelin's 25's (that actually sit bigger than the Vittoria 27's) for summer.

But be totally honest (and pretending to forget the contents of Schwalbe brown envelope ), if you took one of each of the top Conti's, Schwalbe's, Michelin's etc,, pumped up to the optimum pressure, would you really notice a difference?
There were no figures for clincher with latex tubes and i'm not going tubeless. Until I have worn out the current stock of wheels - then i'll probably go tubular anyway.

Difference? No. A lot of it is about brand loyalty and experience of issues. Once you get something that works, doesn't let you down, you tend to stick with it. And that's fine and as it should be.

pinno

The only thing that vexes me is when you stick to something that works and then they go and change it or stop doing it.
Like the Vittoria Open Pave's for example. Touch wood, never once had a puncture with them. I say 'touch wood' as I have a new pair waiting knowing that they are no longer available.

daniel_b

MrB123 wrote:

For anyone interested, the Rapha 25% discount code for doing their survey works against the currently discounted bundles meaning you end up with a decent discount. I'd recently bought a pro team midweight jersey using one of the classics 20% off codes but as I've not yet worn it I'll send it back and get the bundle with the pro team shorts instead for about £85 quid more than I paid for the jersey (the RRP of the shorts is £195!).

So it is your fault I have ordered a pro and a core set!

bendertherobot

Lots of stuff to get through but a shout out to the Chapeau Club jersey and Rivelo Pembridge jersey. Both superb.

arthur_scrimshaw

bendertherobot wrote:

Lots of stuff to get through but a shout out to the Chapeau Club jersey and Rivelo Pembridge jersey. Both superb.

I almost bought the Pembridge a few weeks ago as it reminded me of my Rapha summer jersey - same colour. It's now £90 so I will wait until the price drops again. I'm blaming you for the price going back up!

bendertherobot

get the black one! its 38 quid

mrb123

Daniel B wrote:

MrB123 wrote:

For anyone interested, the Rapha 25% discount code for doing their survey works against the currently discounted bundles meaning you end up with a decent discount. I'd recently bought a pro team midweight jersey using one of the classics 20% off codes but as I've not yet worn it I'll send it back and get the bundle with the pro team shorts instead for about £85 quid more than I paid for the jersey (the RRP of the shorts is £195!).

So it is your fault I have ordered a pro and a core set!

The Pro Team Midweight jersey is absolutely superb.

The fit is snug but not restrictive. It's quite short at the front but that means it sits perfectly when on the bike.

Best pockets I've tried on a jersey. Capacious and well supported, and there's a zipped valuables pocket which is always nice to have for house key and cash.

The weight of the fabric is also just about perfect for the typical British summer day which can start off pretty chilly but end up fairly warm. Probably not one for the hottest days though.

matt_n-2

Anyone else getting re-directed to the Canadian Rapha site?

Using explorer, Chrome and Safari and it keeps coming back to CAD?

pinno

Matt_N wrote:

Anyone else getting re-directed to the Canadian Rapha site?

Using explorer, Chrome and Safari and it keeps coming back to CAD?

For some reason when I click on a Wiggle link, I get all the prices in Norwegian Kronor.

dazz_ni45

bendertherobot wrote:

get the black one! its 38 quid

Looks great. How does it size up?

arthur_scrimshaw

bendertherobot wrote:

get the black one! its 38 quid

Hmm that green is really nice though!

luv2ride

Arthur Scrimshaw wrote:

bendertherobot wrote:

get the black one! its 38 quid

Hmm that green is really nice though!

I thought the same about the grey one, but back up to £90 on SP - swizz. Ironically the shorts with grey hints is reduced but the full black shorts are also back to full rrp on SP too, so can't get the matching set (though back top and back shorts, with grey hints, probably wouldn't look so bad?)

bendertherobot

I have to say, the green is very nice. It's a shade somewhere between sportive and cafe stop, if that makes sense.

daniel_b

Matt_N wrote:

Anyone else getting re-directed to the Canadian Rapha site?

Using explorer, Chrome and Safari and it keeps coming back to CAD?

I had AUS this morning, but it's reverted now.

dazz_ni45

What size did you go for in the Rivelo jersey BTR considering we are similarly proportioned! I was thinking medium as I want a nice race fit. Similarly in the Chapeau jersey

bendertherobot

dazz_ni45 wrote:

What size did you go for in the Rivelo jersey BTR considering we are similarly proportioned! I was thinking medium as I want a nice race fit. Similarly in the Chapeau jersey

I had the Chapeau in M originally but a L now. The issue wasn't the stretch, it was that if you stretch it too much it changes colour, that will be in the review. So, for me, the L is correct (and still very aero).

The Rivelo stretches much more and doesn't change colour. It really is super stretchy but I still went L.

dazz_ni45

Thanks

bendertherobot

https://roubaixcycling.cc/2017/02/08/ap ... ro-slayer/

Apeman good for the price, though I'm still not all that sold on its ability to pick out reg plates. It's not alone in that mind.

pinno

Spesh Green+++ insoles update.

They helped alleviate the hot spot a little but... Moving the cleat backwards! helped even more. Now I took the approach of placing it directly under the Sesamoid, as with the other shoes. I have moved it back so the Sesamoid is just slightly in front of the centre of the cleat. No hotspot. It's a funny old world.

bendertherobot

It is. Mine were too far back, moved them, stopped tweaking my calf when running as soon as I did it. Weird.

bendertherobot

Chaps.

Narrow(er) but plush chamois pads. For Rick.

Rick found the Assos pad a little wide, likes the La Passione and Rapha. Anyone know of any narrower pads before I have a trawl through my database!

pinno

Narrow pads are for super skinny asses. So I wouldn't know.

rick_chasey

bendertherobot wrote:

Chaps.

Narrow(er) but plush chamois pads. For Rick.

Rick found the Assos pad a little wide, likes the La Passione and Rapha. Anyone know of any narrower pads before I have a trawl through my database!

Specifically, it forced the non-padding middle part right into my crack, resulting in a significant amount of chaffing in my actual crack.

Grim.

pinno

Too much detail.

Duct tape the crack up before putting shorts one.

rick_chasey

Pinno wrote:

Too much detail.

Duct tape the crack up before putting shorts one.

AKA the public schoolboy approach.

step83

FS260 with the narrow pad?

daniel_b

Step83 wrote:

FS260 with the narrow pad?

That works very nicely for me with an Arione, but I'm not sure it's as plush a pad as an LP or Rapha - maybe 70% as plush imho.

I'm amazed more manufacturers have not cottoned onto this idea - makes a huge amount of sense surely.
Although I think Rapha pro team shorts now alter the pad size accordingly to the short size IIRC, but not as flexible as the Endura approach.

rick_chasey

Out of interest, what's the usual way of returning items which have been worn once?

I presume it's a ballache, because why would a company make it easy to return shorts that destroy your arse, but you only find that out after using them...

bendertherobot

Don't tell them

rick_chasey

Yeah, not sure they're gonna fall for that...