La Flamme Rouge off topic discussion

mfceiling · 11-07-2025 12:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123623855#Comment_123623855

Thanks!!

One more question. How close are the pro's bikes to a really top end expensive bike you or I could buy in a shop or online?

Mefistofelino · 11-07-2025 09:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123624160#Comment_123624160

In a lot of cases they are nearly the same as the €10k plus bikes on sale. Sometimes the pros may be using prototype components not yet on sake to the general public.

One of the biggest differences will be sizing - pro bikes will be set up with longer stems and very cut-down fork steerers to give a super aggressive position. If the position doesn't suit you, it can be an expensive job to swap out the components for a more normal position

magicbastarder · 11-07-2025 10:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123622449#Comment_123622449

how long is the commute?

Quiet Achiever · 12-07-2025 10:43AM

10k

CramCycle · 12-07-2025 09:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123626871#Comment_123626871

While either will do, I'd go for the Gravel one as you will have more hand positions without any work, It does of course matter which one but in general that would be my preference. Depending on the route, that could be an hour a day.

Quiet Achiever · 13-07-2025 07:53AM

Thanks!

smacl · 13-07-2025 08:15AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123622449#Comment_123622449

If you're going for a gravel bike for commuting, I'd tend towards an all-road varient, see https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/all-road-bikes-explained

For commuting, I think more flared drop bars on some gravel bikes could be a bit of a distadvantage when filtering through traffic, narrower road bars are a bit more nimble here. Drops can be nice on a windy day to get the head down a bit.

I started on a hybrid as my main bike many moons ago, moved to a road bike and then to a cross bike which I setup with lower gearing (gravel bikes weren't really a thing back then). I still use the same bike and still love it for long days in the country and simple commutes. I added higher end wheels as an upgrade and just swap out other bits as needs be.

Hybrid still gets used if I know I'm going to be leaving the bike locked outdoors, still very functional but not really worth someones time to steal.

Quiet Achiever · 13-07-2025 10:16AM

Interesting, thank you for that

Large bottle small glass · 14-07-2025 12:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123623029#Comment_123623029

One of my cycling group has an ex pro's bike, which he bought directly from the rider.

It was used for virtual group rides during covid and never ridden outside and stem wasn't slammed.

It had an easy time and he has been using it trouble free with routine maintence for nearly 5 years.

I never get the impression he gets any more from his spins than the rest of us on some very normal bikes.

magicbastarder · 14-07-2025 04:32PM

i've a colleague who lives near dusseldorf; one of his local bike shops was broken into, i think yesterday, and bar three Wiliers, the only bikes they took were colnagos. they ignored high end bianchis (several priced at eight or nine grand in the shop).

the wiliers and higher end colnagos were five figures each.

Paddigol · 21-07-2025 06:07PM

Long Shot, but does anyone remember the clip of - I think he was French - a cyclist on one of the GTs - think it was the Tour - who got off his bike on the way up a climb and starting bouncing and singing with his fan club?? Last few years IIRC. It’s doing my head in and I’d love to re-watch the clip

CramCycle · 21-07-2025 10:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123657375#Comment_123657375

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2dq1zkHljXU

There are loads though, not just this one

MojoMaker · 22-07-2025 08:25AM

Was gonna guess it had to be an AG2R rider 😅

Paddigol · 22-07-2025 09:57AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123657925#Comment_123657925

Yeessssss! That's the incident I was remembering! Mercy bucket mon sewer!!!

JMcL · 24-07-2025 06:41PM

Just noticed road.cc has introduced a paywall for anything over 3 days old and, bizarrely, buyers guides full stop, effectively rendering all links useless. It's not monthly, but some hybrid per article/daily scheme.

I get they have to make a living, but it's a wee bit ironic given they've been quite pious about the TNT/Discovery money grab over the past year. I can't imagine it'll do wonders for their traffic levels.

wheelo01 · 26-07-2025 01:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123666951#Comment_123666951

go to archive.ph enter the url in the red space, click save, and hey presto ~ paywall no more.

Can be used for newspaper articles too.

magicbastarder · 26-07-2025 06:59PM

my father was talking to a security guard he knows to say hello to, at the blanchardstown centre recently - my dad was asking where'd be the safest place to lock a bike.

the security guard was telling him he had recently chased off two lads trying to steal two decent enough looking e-bikes; and the two owners (they were together) came out while he was still checking to see if they'd managed to break the locks.

he said to them - politely - that given the bikes looked expensive, they should invest in better locks than the cheap ones they had. the owners were unusually sanguine about it and then said 'but we don't really have to worry about them being stolen'

'why not?'

'well, because if they're stolen from an official bike rack, the shopping centre will have to pay for the replacement'.

CramCycle · 26-07-2025 09:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123672682#Comment_123672682

LOL people are stupid, I mean really , really stupid.

tomasrojo · 26-07-2025 10:01PM

Pretty good demonstration of the (poorly named) economic concept of moral hazard

jebidiah · 05-08-2025 12:07PM

Looking for help identifying the source of this creaking?

It was present during a long spin on the Western Greenway this weekend. Was consistend when not pedaling or out of the saddle. So I am assuming its not cranks or seat post?

Any thoughts? Bike was recently serviced.

https://imgur.com/a/FEYU5nu

cletus · 05-08-2025 12:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123698121#Comment_123698121

Seems to be coming from the speaker on my phone 🤔.

Messing aside, it's hard on a video to tell where a noise might be coming from. Put it in a stand, and seen can you recreate it. Put weight/pressure on the saddle, handlebars etc. Spin anything that can be spun.

Check for play in the headset

Have you done any work on it recently? Never trust the work that went before you (especially if it's your own).

Edit, I just saw that it was serviced recently. If you can't chase down the noise quickly, I'd be bringing it back, especially if the service involved removing or changing the headset

CramCycle · 05-08-2025 10:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123698121#Comment_123698121

I'd remove the bags and everything else as well, could just be something loose/tapping., could also be wheels not tightened correctly,

Wishbone Ash · 06-08-2025 05:29AM

I'd start with greasing the dropouts.

De Bhál · 06-08-2025 11:22AM

not in anyway cycling related, this grey bar used to be visible when I would scroll down through the topics, making it easy to go back to main cycling page, now it stays put. Is this just on my browser or is it happening everyone?

JMcL · 06-08-2025 11:57AM

It scrolls off the top of my page as soon as I start scrolling - i.e., only available at the very top

De Bhál · 06-08-2025 01:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123700765#Comment_123700765

yeah exactly that. Wonder is there anything that can be done to get it back sticking to the top header

cletus · 06-08-2025 05:14PM

I was trying to find some up to date info on the Designated Cycle Cafe programme (particularly for Kildare), but any of the links or sites I can find are from 4 or 5 years ago. Anyone have a more current list etc.?

MojoMaker · 06-08-2025 06:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123698121#Comment_123698121

That rather sounds like a clicking than a creaking? The pitch is constant to my ear at least. Are the nuts on the bottle cages nice and tight? That one did me for ages 😂

Is the chain freshly lubed?

smacl · 07-08-2025 12:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123702078#Comment_123702078

Or if, like me, you're getting to that stage in life, it could be the knee or hip joints, in which case a bit of evening primrose oil is in order 😉

jebidiah · 07-08-2025 07:59AM

Thanks for the suggestions lads. I don't have acess stand where I am currently. But I had a bit of a look at the bike putting weight on it etc. I dont think its the bottom bracket, or headset and think it might be coming from the rear axle.

The bike was sitting in my appartment for a few months and I just got it back out a couple of weeks ago. I had it serviced and the mechanic said there was some play in the rear axle cones so those were tightened.

On my touring ride on the weekend I had puncture in the rear wheel and when I was putting it back on I did notice the quick release mechanism was very stiff. The weather was awful at the time and I just wanted to get back on the road.

It could be that I didnt tighten the quick release enough, or the axle is under a bit of stress from over tightening.

Ill get a better look at it this weekend!

La Flamme Rouge **off topic discussion**

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La Flamme Rouge off topic discussion