LabRatt
Senior Member
- Location
- Sarf lundin
I'm still contemplating the new bike, so what if it's mainly window shopping at the moment?
After my previous "What bike?" thread and a little research of my own I've been thinking something in the Specialized Tricross range is what I want, but today my attention's been caught by another - the Fuji Cross 3.0 - there's no carbon on it which doesn't bother me much (in fact, there's presumably a good reason the 2012 Tricross has lost the carbon), it's a 105 rear dérailleur/cassette, supports mudguards and a rack, and generally looks pretty good. The question - is it? I'm a bit confused over the gears - the Evans page says it's got 20, and there are two chainwheels (36 and 46), but also says the cassette and chain are 9 speed. Wassupwithat?
Evans seems to be the cheapest for new, probably because of their current sale. Should I expect the price to drop much when they get the 2012 in stock? I won't go for the new model myself as I think it looks as if someone sneezed on the sketches, but I'd hope last year's model would be cheaper once the new one's out.
On to gears. I've been reading up now I'm heading towards more serious cycling, and it does look complicated. I think I've always approached gears as sequential, understandable as my first bike was a 3-gear sturmey hub and my getting-to-school bike only had five, but Sheldon's explaining all the crossover in ratios and so on. It looks like a lot to remember at first, though I'm sure it'd become second nature before long. It's cadence that's getting me though.
Sheldon tells me (I've been reading his stuff to that site since a friend referred to it) "Every cyclist has an ideal cadence, and an ideal amount of resistance from the pedals." Forgive my naivety, but is this something I need to take into account at this stage, or is it just something I'll learn on whatever bike I get? I know that until now I've probably been using too high a gear, and I hope adjusting won't be too difficult.
My suspicion is that this "idea" cadence should be about half to two thirds through the gear ratios so (on the Fuji thing) about 46/16 or 36/13. How does that sound?
Or am I just getting bogged down in something I don't need to worry about until I join the Olympic team?
After my previous "What bike?" thread and a little research of my own I've been thinking something in the Specialized Tricross range is what I want, but today my attention's been caught by another - the Fuji Cross 3.0 - there's no carbon on it which doesn't bother me much (in fact, there's presumably a good reason the 2012 Tricross has lost the carbon), it's a 105 rear dérailleur/cassette, supports mudguards and a rack, and generally looks pretty good. The question - is it? I'm a bit confused over the gears - the Evans page says it's got 20, and there are two chainwheels (36 and 46), but also says the cassette and chain are 9 speed. Wassupwithat?
Evans seems to be the cheapest for new, probably because of their current sale. Should I expect the price to drop much when they get the 2012 in stock? I won't go for the new model myself as I think it looks as if someone sneezed on the sketches, but I'd hope last year's model would be cheaper once the new one's out.
On to gears. I've been reading up now I'm heading towards more serious cycling, and it does look complicated. I think I've always approached gears as sequential, understandable as my first bike was a 3-gear sturmey hub and my getting-to-school bike only had five, but Sheldon's explaining all the crossover in ratios and so on. It looks like a lot to remember at first, though I'm sure it'd become second nature before long. It's cadence that's getting me though.
Sheldon tells me (I've been reading his stuff to that site since a friend referred to it) "Every cyclist has an ideal cadence, and an ideal amount of resistance from the pedals." Forgive my naivety, but is this something I need to take into account at this stage, or is it just something I'll learn on whatever bike I get? I know that until now I've probably been using too high a gear, and I hope adjusting won't be too difficult.
My suspicion is that this "idea" cadence should be about half to two thirds through the gear ratios so (on the Fuji thing) about 46/16 or 36/13. How does that sound?
Or am I just getting bogged down in something I don't need to worry about until I join the Olympic team?
