20 or 23

[roadiewill]

@gf3

yeah cheers mate, pedals on and handlbar height and seat angle adjusted. My plan is to slowly lower the handlebar height to get used to the more 'racer' style.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

?

I think he means you have to give 'em a bit of a tug, even with the quick release undone, especially if like me you keep your blocks very close to the braking surface.

 

[yenrod]

Nope - I'm right

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=2005/features/conti_tech

Not to mention that a wider contact patch gives better control over rough tarmac, and in corners.

If you think you ride fast enough for the wind resistance to become a factor - why aren't you in the pro tour?

I once done a 21" 10 TT on 19mm..I really dont think it would have been that with 23"s...

 

[Smokin Joe]

I think he means you have to give 'em a bit of a tug, even with the quick release undone, especially if like me you keep your blocks very close to the braking surface.

I've got a 25 on the back of one of my bikes and there is no problem getting the wheel in and out. The calipers open quite a bit with the QR operating.

 

[RedBike]

yeah cheers mate, pedals on and handlbar height and seat angle adjusted. My plan is to slowly lower the handlebar height to get used to the more 'racer' style.

I would suggest you put your bars in the RIGHT position to start with. This isn't necessarily as low as possible but if you're racing you probably don't want all those spacers and cone thingymagic under them. Presently, you will just be getting used to them in wrong position; then any changes (even if they are right) will naturally feel strange and therefore wrong.

 

[Mortiroloboy]

I've got a 25 on the back of one of my bikes and there is no problem getting the wheel in and out. The calipers open quite a bit with the QR operating.

I had 25's on my SCR 4, and the brake calipers (cheap no name things) maybe basic tektro's? never opened far enough on the quick release lever, to let the wheel drop clean out, I had to give the wheel a good tug to get the extra rubber on the 25's past the pads, or loosen off the cable (which is a pain) so I went to 23's.

 

[roadiewill]

Ok, so to confirm, how many spacers should I have under the bars? I thought it was more of a personal thing, or is there set amounts for different styles of riding?

 

[RedBike]

It is a personal thing; but you'll probably want to set the bike up quite differently for time trials than you would lesuire riding.

For time trials you basically want the bars as low as you can get them without comprimising your power output. For lesuire rides comfort is much more of a priority.

However you have the bike setup you don't want to be making big changes the day before a race / time trial.

 

[roadiewill]

OK so I whacked some nice and red contnental ultrasports 23's on my bike. Only problem Ive had is getting them to the right pressure. My pump is saying that I have inflated them to 120psi, whcih is the recomended pressure, yet when I bounce hard on the saddle I can feel the rim touch the ground. Is this right/normal on 23's because of the smaller surface area or something. My 26's werent this 'squishy'.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Sounds like something is not right. Just checked, I have 23c PR3's on my bike at 110 psi and my 13 stone cant get the rim on the ground without jumping so hard as to damage my bike...

 

[roadiewill]

Hmm, perhaps I need to add even more air. Could be that my pump, which has a digital gauge, is not working rigt.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Hmm, perhaps I need to add even more air. Could be that my pump, which has a digital gauge, is not working rigt.

At 120psi should feel rock hard...well almost.

 

[RedBike]

OK so I whacked some nice and red contnental ultrasports 23's on my bike. Only problem Ive had is getting them to the right pressure. My pump is saying that I have inflated them to 120psi, whcih is the recomended pressure, yet when I bounce hard on the saddle I can feel the rim touch the ground. Is this right/normal on 23's because of the smaller surface area or something. My 26's werent this 'squishy'.

Errrm no. At 120psi they should feel rock hard.
btw 120psi is very approximately 8bar if this helps.

 

[roadiewill]

Another query... You know theres that little bolt thing at the bottom of the valve that you screw up to the rim of the wheel, how tight should this be? Should it just be finger tight? I was thinking that if I tightened it too hard it could pull the inner tube too tightly, but on the other had, if its not tightly on it could rattle off.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Another query... You know theres that little bolt thing at the bottom of the valve that you screw up to the rim of the wheel, how tight should this be? Should it just be finger tight? I was thinking that if I tightened it too hard it could pull the inner tube too tightly, but on the other had, if its not tightly on it could rattle off.

Un-nescessary bits of junk, sling them in the bin as they do nothing.