Zwift Chat

[<Tommy>]

To be honest the only thing that’s going to tell you if a saddle is a good fit is your arse.

Regarding the bike fit. Like kip and joff say, only if you have underlying problems. Especially as you’re new to cycling Peter. Any fit you have now will be redundant if you put a load of miles in as your position will naturally change the more you cycle.

 

[JuhaL]

Latex tubes isn't my cup of tea either. For my experience latex is little bit more slick to install and butyl keep air pressure longer than latex. I was visiting retailers shop today with my Tarmac SL7 concerning about voluntarily recall. Last year someones steerer was cut off because of poorly designed compression ring and little bit too short expander. New parts are now installed and now damage on a steerer so happy days now.

 

[berty bassett]

think a proper bike fit will cost a fair bit of money and imo nothing you can't google/YouTube- if things don't hurt then leave it , if something does, watch a video and adjust a bit at a time - as others say , all depends if you are going for comfort or speed or a mixture ? I enjoy comfort and if I want to go a bit faster - get lower and tuck things in - no elbows and knees like airplane wings !
as for inner tubes - again only my opinion , we will never notice any marginal gains ( even if there are any )in the latex ones
if I was you I would save the money and spend on tyres - there lies a lot of research for you - and I think they can make a huge difference in speed and comfort
if interested , I am a sucker for the continental 5000 28 on back 25 front - maybe all in the head or just fell for the flannel that the marketers spout - but I like them

 

[CXRAndy]

I dont know the riders, but a couple of riders shot off up the champs-elysees with break neck speed compared to our group

 

[berty bassett]

I dont know the riders, but a couple of riders shot off up the champs-elysees with break neck speed compared to our group

sort of makes a farce of taking notice of others , I went up mountain other day and saw someone coming , passing and zooming off at nearly 11wkg - just think what's the point of that !

 

[CXRAndy]

He didn't even win by the way, but he was in the front group to contest the sprint so maybe it was used to prevent being dropped at some point,

I could have done with that, from leading into the Arch, I had a mini blow-up, hit redline HR and plummeted 50 places before the sprint finish line.

 

[<Tommy>]

Latex tubes in tubular tyres are noticeably better than buty for what it’s worth

 

[Spartak]

I could have done with that, from leading into the Arch, I had a mini blow-up, hit redline HR and plummeted 50 places before the sprint finish line.

I blew up on the lead in.... 🤣

 

[Legs]

FWIW your best Zwift position for putting out power is probably considerably different from the position that you’d want in a road-going bike - my Zwift bike is set up with quite a high front end, which probably wouldn’t be very aerodynamic in the real world. My real-world road bike position is pretty low - I get a decently flat back when I’m riding on the drops.

 

[Spartak]

Some people here might be interested in a pair of these if they regularly ride in the rain.
Mine arrived today, I'm going to test them out tomorrow... ☔

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/altura-all-roads-waterproof-shorts

Seem very good quality & fit...

 

[alex_cycles]

Some people here might be interested in a pair of these if they regularly ride in the rain.
Mine arrived today, I'm going to test them out tomorrow... ☔

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/altura-all-roads-waterproof-shorts

Seem very good quality & fit...

Are they for keeping water out or in? (Asking for a friend )

 

[JuhaL]

I prefer lycra, my "manhood" comes justice much better that way

 

[bobinski]

think a proper bike fit will cost a fair bit of money and imo nothing you can't google/YouTube- if things don't hurt then leave it , if something does, watch a video and adjust a bit at a time - as others say , all depends if you are going for comfort or speed or a mixture ? I enjoy comfort and if I want to go a bit faster - get lower and tuck things in - no elbows and knees like airplane wings !
as for inner tubes - again only my opinion , we will never notice any marginal gains ( even if there are any )in the latex ones
if I was you I would save the money and spend on tyres - there lies a lot of research for you - and I think they can make a huge difference in speed and comfort
if interested , I am a sucker for the continental 5000 28 on back 25 front - maybe all in the head or just fell for the flannel that the marketers spout - but I like them

https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/

 

[Peter Salt]

1. Latex tubes, I didn't think they were more puncture resistant than butyl tubes, but are a lot more expensive. I pay about £2-£3 for butyl tubes when I buy a bulk load every couple of years.

2. Bikefit. I've never had one but probably worth it if youre having issues. Think about what you want from the bike fit and then look for someone with lots of experience in that area backed up by whatever tech / method they use. It it's not worth going to someone who focuses on racing and TT if you want endurance.

Latex? Wouldn't bother. Expensive and offer little gains. I thought they were LESS puncture resistant actually! They also leak more than normal tubes so you have to pump up your tyres more.

Bike fit? Unless you are in pain again, I wouldn't bother. Others will have a totally different opinion and really recommend them so it might be just a case of ignoring all advice and make your own mind up.

Sounds like you have really got the cycling bug and are looking for new and exciting ways to reduce your bank balance!

To be honest the only thing that’s going to tell you if a saddle is a good fit is your arse.

Regarding the bike fit. Like kip and joff say, only if you have underlying problems. Especially as you’re new to cycling Peter. Any fit you have now will be redundant if you put a load of miles in as your position will naturally change the more you cycle.

Latex tubes isn't my cup of tea either. For my experience latex is little bit more slick to install and butyl keep air pressure longer than latex. I was visiting retailers shop today with my Tarmac SL7 concerning about voluntarily recall. Last year someones steerer was cut off because of poorly designed compression ring and little bit too short expander. New parts are now installed and now damage on a steerer so happy days now.

think a proper bike fit will cost a fair bit of money and imo nothing you can't google/YouTube- if things don't hurt then leave it , if something does, watch a video and adjust a bit at a time - as others say , all depends if you are going for comfort or speed or a mixture ? I enjoy comfort and if I want to go a bit faster - get lower and tuck things in - no elbows and knees like airplane wings !
as for inner tubes - again only my opinion , we will never notice any marginal gains ( even if there are any )in the latex ones
if I was you I would save the money and spend on tyres - there lies a lot of research for you - and I think they can make a huge difference in speed and comfort
if interested , I am a sucker for the continental 5000 28 on back 25 front - maybe all in the head or just fell for the flannel that the marketers spout - but I like them

FWIW your best Zwift position for putting out power is probably considerably different from the position that you’d want in a road-going bike - my Zwift bike is set up with quite a high front end, which probably wouldn’t be very aerodynamic in the real world. My real-world road bike position is pretty low - I get a decently flat back when I’m riding on the drops.

Thanks for all the opinions. Sounds like latex is overrated so I'll stick with what I've been using (Conti Race28). As for tires I have a 25 mil GP5000 at the front and back so that's all sorted - happy with the quality.

Bike fit - I've been doing exactly what most of you suggested over the last 4 months - trial and error. Actually managed to resolve a lot issues, some of them big - most importantly pain in my foot soft tissue. At this stage, the only thing that slightly hurts after 2h of continuous pedalling and sitting on the exercise bike is my arse (sitting bones). Riding outdoors - too much pressure in the middle resulting in numb manhood (regardless of saddle tilt).

The LBS I mentioned has a full assortment of Selle Italia and are listed on the manufacturer website as an official retailer and fitter. My understanding is they give you a saddle, you test, they give you another one, rinse and repeat until something is comfy. Reading a little I think I'm looking for a narrow saddle with a cut-out - like the SLR Boost Superflow. The issue is that my current saddle is actually quite alright - for about an hour. So how am I supposed to make the choice after 2 minutes of testing in the shop?

 

[Norry1]

Let me take your minds off cheaters for a minute with a few beginner cyclist questions (once again).

Subject one: Latex tubes. I heard they're a bit more puncture resistant as well as lighter and offer a lower rolling resistance. Sounds like a win on all fronts. Did also read that they might be inappropriate for carbon wheels due to some sort of heat transfer magic. Opinions on this? If they're actually good: Anyone willing to recommend a specific brand?

Subject two: Bike fit. I think that through trial-and-error I got myself to a position where I feel more-or-less comfortable on the Wattbike as well as the road bike. Some small issues still outstanding though so figured it's about time to get a proper fit and pair it with a saddle fit. One LBS in my area is a Selle Italia idmatch dealer and there's a chap that offers bike fits there. Again, any thoughts on this? Is a bike fit a good investment? Is Selle Italia considered good? I was thinking of getting a cheap/heavy version of whatever they fit me with and bolt that to the Wattbike, test it for a few weeks and if its good - then get the same shape but a bit lighter for the road bike - does that make sense?

Good to ask questions

As others have said, I think latex tubes are less durable than butyl. Personally, I'd only consider them for racing - in fact I am considering just that at the moment.

Ref bike fit - again I agree with what has been said. Its worth getting more outdoor riding done and then getting a clear idea of your cycling goals before you get a fit. At that point I think they can be a good investment.