Just to add, smallest big ring would be 52T
On a previous bike, with a similar old 10sp setup, I swapped to a 11sp 105 compact (50/34). Running 11sp cranks on a 10sp worked, but shifting wasn't ideal. So try to stick with 10sp compact (Tiagra, Claris, GRX-400)
This brings to mind international visa questions..
How does a privateer athlete on a SA passport get a Schengen visa for a long enough duration to cover a season of racing. Not sure if Luke travels on a SA passport?
@J Wakefield how does it work for athletes contracted to a team? Assuming the team is registered in Europe does that enable the athlete to be eligible for a sponsored work visa? I'm assuming it's additional complexity that might see a team select a European citizen over a non-european..
Thanks for all the responses.
I went to the CT store on Sat, tried on a few styles, then got upsold by the sales guy. Spent a little more than intended on a pair but was promised it was a great buy..
Did a 3hr ride on Sunday and they were great 👍
Fit is a little different to what I'm used to. The fabric of the pair I bought (Pro Speeda) has a very different feel, weirdly quite stiff. The leg grippers don't seem to operate very well on hairy legs but the shorts still didn't ride up so I guess it's working as planned. Potentially better than my Vye bibs leg grippers which snag on every hair, starting at my feet, when trying to get them on 😆
If you don't interact with a seller via a message on the platform then you can't rate them afterwards.
But I agreed 100% that the interaction should be cordial including signing off with your actual name.
Interested to hear feedback from anyone who has tried Monton bib shorts.
I need to replace some Enjoy bibs that have reached end of days. I would've gone with Vye as their shorts are working well for me, but it seems I'm no longer their target market given how they've discontinued pretty much their whole line.
Just looking for Monton reviews please, don't need to be told how wonderful Assos are or how cool I'll look in Ciovita (my mates say there's no hope...). Thanks
Oh, I've given up on Enjoy bibs, love the fit but there's a mesh insert in the front of the pad that tears into holes after fairly minimal time - had 4 pairs do the same & feedback from @Enjoy Fitness when I pointed it out wasn't overly helpful 😕
FYI @Vye Cycle Kit
Looks like you might've been referring to Evil Knievel on his lightweight bicycle like e-motorbike....trust me, it's better that he's off the front out of the way than anywhere near other cyclists..
I don't leave home without lights front and back. As it gets darker again in the mornings I'll have two front lights, one small flasher on my fork (to be seen) and a more serious (to see) light on or beneath my bars. I also try ensure I never wear dark tops unless I'm starting mid-morning.
However having said that, the times I've been hit by motorists have generally seen them coming from behind and turning through me.
I feel better with loads of lights & definitely feel it's the right thing to do, but like others have said I'm not convinced how effective it is again the inattentive, couldn't give a toss attitude of the common SA motorist.
When I commuted daily by motorbike I had an orange lens cover & low mounted spots, again whether it made a difference is debatable but at least it made me feel I was doing everything I could to mitigate some risk.
Honestly Chris, you have no idea what you're talking about.
I ride through this section multiple times a week. It's got nothing to do with slowing down and everything to do with the fact that people just don't give a toss about anyone else nowadays. It's really not hard to check before you open your car door. It's really not hard to not tailgate a cyclist (or other motorist).
In actual fact, I purposely speed up when riding north from Kalk Bay. The less cars that feel the need to pass me, the safer it it.
Agree 100%, at this price range I definitely wouldn't buy sight unseen.
I've got a number of bikes I ride on the road (rim & disc brake) and although I really enjoy taking my rim brake Sakae Litage for a loop around the Peninsula there's no denying the fact that I feel more confident & in control when riding one of my disc brake bikes.
I've been tagged as a Luddite by my cycling mates for sticking to mechanical shifting, but I wouldn't go back to rim brakes for my primary road bike.
Hi Graham
As mentioned, at your height M(54), depending on brand might be more suitable. Note that sizing has changed, old school 58 would now be an XL - frame designs switched to be more compact about 25yrs ago.
As an example I'm 1.85 and ride a 56 (L)
Personally I wouldn't invest too much money in a rim brake road bike nowadays and hydraulic disc brake bikes would start around R18-20k. So I'd suggest looking at bikes in the R7-9k range which will be perfectly serviceable. Potentially needing a new cassette & chain but perhaps not. Plus leave budget to spend on decent accessories.
You don't say where you're based, but here are some random examples of bikes that could be options (less 10-15%). Ignore the sizes..
https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/road-bikes/778725/merida-scultura-904-lite-road-bike
https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/road-bikes/779269/titan-stryker-comp-neg
https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/road-bikes/782416/cannondale-caad-si
If you're able to up your overall budget this could also be a good option, getting you a dual purpose road/gravel bike with hydraulic discs. However it's not a great gravel option given that the tyre size is limited to max 35mm (I think) rather than 45mm or so (major comfort & handling benefits going bigger on gravel):
https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/gravel-bikes/774597/scott-speedster-gravel-bike
