£6,000 budget, recommendations welcome

[djw1]

Apologies for not replying sooner. I've not been checking back since I bought the bike thinking the thread would've died off.

Many thanks for the positive comments. Appreciated.

It's exactly 3 weeks since I picked it up and I've covered just under 300 miles on it now. It's still very comfortable and I'm really pleased with it. And when I'm not riding it I'm happy looking at it sat against a wall in the living room.

I know I'll never get the best out of it or match its capability but that was never the point in buying it.

Anyhow, after a 4 year absence of any exercise whatsoever, I'm a couple of months in to training and averaging 100 miles a week. The fitness is coming on - my heart rate is lower over the same route at the same speed, no aches or pains and my arse is no longer too sore to sit on.

Probably more important since it's health related are the numbers below and the progress since mid/late July. BMI was almost officially obese which was a real wake up call, especially with the increased susceptability to Covid. I could do better if I was more careful with the diet but drink is pretty much cut out now other than a few small bottles of beer of a weekend but I'm not a pro and the numbers are heading the right way. My confidence is definitely up now that I'm looking physically better too.

Thanks again

.

 

[straas]

What are you using to track your weight?

 

[Johnno260]

That looks a beauty enjoy it!

I keep looking at Ti bikes at the moment, I don't have the cash yet, but it's something I'm looking to save for.

 

[DCLane]

Not really! As said before, I didn't buy it with any expectation that it'd increase my average. I was a bit nervous it'd be a punishing ride given everything I'd read about its stiffness and aggressive setup. It's actually a fair bit more comfortable than my Neil Pryde which is really surprising. When I hit bumps and bad surfaces on the Neil Pryde you really feel the hit, the shake, a bang, almost like a shockwave which travels through the bike and isn't absorbed, and instead travels through you. The chain slaps with the impact and it's generally unpleasant. Perhaps my tyre pressures haven't helped and I've often come away feeling fatigued, with numb/ringning hands and fingers. I can only put it down to the bike as I know the fit is spot on.

Well done on progress. I've recently sold my NeilPryde Nazare on the grounds it was a small when I ride a medium. I'd agree about the stiffness and numb fingers. But then it was almost a copy of the Cervelo S3 and very race-oriented. I'd still have another though ...

The S5 looks lovely

 

[Pale Rider]

What are you using to track your weight?

I dunno, but I want one as well if it produces results like that.

 

[si_c]

https://www.trekbikes.com/gb/en_GB/...er-aeolus-pro-37-tlr-disc-road-wheel/p/31547/

Picking this up a bit late, but I've got the 50mm version of the same wheel - really happy with them so far and the profile fits a 28mm tire perfectly. What made you go for the shallower depth wheel? I'd have thought the deeper wheel would have been a better option for an Ironman.

 

[MrGrumpy]

What are you using to track your weight?

Guessing its one of those smart weigh scales made by Garmin or Withings ? Quite fancied a set of I was too see them on offer.

 

[djw1]

The Neil Pryde is a proper boneshaker compared to the Cervelo, I'm glad of no more pains/pins and needles in my hands, or the shock of hitting a pot hole. Considering the S5 is the most aggressive bike they do it's surprisingly comfortable.

I didn't want deeper rims as 99% of the time it'll be used for leisure and training, so having deep section wheels would probably be too compromised for what the bike will be used for mostly. I also ride around east Cheshire where there's often not a lot of shelter from the wind. And the Ironman I'm doing next year has almost 8,000 ft of climbing in it so not sure anything much deeper than I've got would help too much.

The scales are Garmin and I bought them back in 2015. It's still sold now - £120 I think - and it looks completely unchanged. There are cheaper alternatives which do the same thing, possibly even better. The reason I like the Garmin is its integration with the rest of my Garmin devices. The calorie usage my 810 GPS calculates is based on whatever the scales record. Plus I can view all my activities/weight etc in one single place on the Garmin Connect website or app.

The screengrab was taken from Connect and whatever the scale records uploads via wi-fi automatically as soon as I step off.