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Campagnolo Spare Parts
Somehow I managed to lose a tiny little part of my rear brake and it has taken me months and I am still no closer to finding the spare part. There are plenty of comments on the web about Campagnolo spares – it really is a nightmare trying to get anything done. The Hong Kong LBS’ don’t care, they want me to buy new. Thanks. Here’s what I need:
BR-RE027 and BR-RE029
Normally, I would use Branford Bikes, in Seattle but they don’t have what I need (I fully recommend their service and outlook on life). I’ve been trying to use campagservice.co.uk and having emailed Martin, the prognosis was good – yes, they had the parts but subsequent follow up to pay and get the parts shipped has failed as he’s busy with a backlog of other issues and ‘will get back to me’. I’d love to hear from anyone that has recommendations on sources for Campagnolo spares. This type of business is what the web was invented for, there must be someone out there?
I should mention that I also need 4 x BR-RE223, a result of early servicing without a torque wrench.
Trek Domane
I have a new frame – red and white. It’s the first time since my Pinarello Prince that I feel like I have high technology at my disposal. I’m going to build up with my 2008 Campagnolo Record groupset over the next couple of weeks (I’d do it tomorrow but I’m commuting to Shanghai during each week). I’d love to hear from anyone that has installed a Record chain set into BB90. Sticking shims in with Loctite sounds pretty permanent. Who has used the 407383 kit from Trek?
Shimano vs. Campagnolo
I’ve just spent an hour reading up on the new DuraAce 9000 and it looks like Campagnolo is going to be under pressure. I can really see defection to Shimano on the cards. Southwest Airlines philosophy dictates that just one brand of kit is kept in the shed so this setting itself up to be an all or nothing thought process.
What’s more important, frame or wheels?
Assuming that the ‘fit’ is correct, I’m interested to hear opinions on what is more important a good frame or a good set of wheels?
Mid Life Crisis? Whatever it is, rejoice.
There seems to be a theme in the media recently where long suffering cyclist’s wives share stories of sad husbands with sudden closet lusting for all things lycra and carbon and how these afflictions are symptoms of a mid life crisis. It got me thinking about what a mid life crisis is all about and I’ve come to the conclusion that, IF it’s real, it’s to be celebrated. The teens and twenties are all a blur of ‘don’t think, just do’. The thirties are a time to be serious (or pretend to be serious). It seems only logical therefore that most men reach a point sooner or later when they realize everything has become overly serious; that too many compromises have been made and that an error correction is necessary. Mortality comes into this, because it gets blindingly obvious that no-one’s getting younger and, after all, you only live once. So does affluence. Let’s simply celebrate that men are from Mars and rejoice in the realization that it’s time to claw back some of the fun. The reality should be that if you’re happy, those around you will be happy too (now you know what to think of the authors of the recent articles). However, a word of warning gentlemen, spending some hard earned cash and having fun are no excuse for bad taste, no matter how expensive it is.
In need of a new Look
I have a KG 76 “Hinault’. I have had it since 1990 and did not really start to appreciate it until 2006, when I started using almost every day for training.
Basal Metabolic Rate + Calorific Burn > Turkey + Trimmings
I can’t help myself looking for these numbers at the moment – it’s the thought of the turkey, or rather, what comes before and after AND what it’s washed down with. Anyway, I was looking for a rough formula to estimate how far I’d need to ride the week after Christmas. Credit goes to David Palese for this: Take your weight in kilograms and multiply by 10.2, then add 880. For women, multiply weight by 7.18 and add 795. I don’t recommend getting small scales out over Christmas lunch so just figure on doing double the usual on your Boxing Day ride. Enjoy!
205.8 – (age x 0.685)
I’m sure you all remember the 220-age for HRmax. Well, it’s not really that scientific (duh). Ultimately, you need testing and then need to realize that resting HR changes every day so those training zones should also change. Neither Garmin or Polar offer anything that will recalculate on the fly so meanwhile credit to Robert ROBERGS and Roberto LANDWEHR for the above formula. Read more at bikeradar.com. It’s a relief to know my correct guesstimated HRmax is 175.66.