First time here, a few questions!

[Paulie]

Hello everyone,

Im new to this group and have just been reading through some of the
posts. Seems like a nice group!

I wonder if any of you could help me, I have not been into cyclying for
long, one of my friends convinced me to get into it. To be honest at
first I hated it, I couldnt keep up and the whole thing just hurt!

I have started to get a lot stronger and fitter now and really using my
bicycle as a realistic alternative to my car where possible. We have
even booked a cycling holiday through the Pyrenees which we are all
really looking forward to.

Anyway, my real question is that I am just about to get through my frist
set of tyres, I currently have the slicks that came on my bike, which is:

http://www.richmondcycles.co.uk/html/ridgeback_tempest.html

As you might be able to see from the page posted my bike came with
Maxxis Xenith 26 x 1.5x

Now I realise I may be asking an awfully basic question but I have been
looking online for replacement tyres and am having trouble finding any
with those exact dimensions. Would I be right in assuming that
26xanything wiill fit on my wheels?

Also, my tyres although slick are much fatter than those fitted to my
friends bike and I am wondering if this will affect my potential speed
very much.

I ride the same 18 mile course between 2-4 times a week. Its quite
hilly and the best I have yet to achieve is 16.5mph average(first
attempt managed 9mph and had to stop 3 times to be sick!).

So will skinnier tyres make any difference to speed, any recommendations?

Wow my post is long and boring! I had so much more to say but I think I
will post in seperate threads over the coming weeks so you dont all fall
asleep.

Thanks for your help!

 

[James Annan]

Paulie wrote:

> Anyway, my real question is that I am just about to get through my
frist
> set of tyres, I currently have the slicks that came on my bike, which
is:
>
> http://www.richmondcycles.co.uk/html/ridgeback_tempest.html
>
> As you might be able to see from the page posted my bike came with
> Maxxis Xenith 26 x 1.5x
>
> Now I realise I may be asking an awfully basic question but I have
been
> looking online for replacement tyres and am having trouble finding
any
> with those exact dimensions. Would I be right in assuming that
> 26xanything wiill fit on my wheels?

Just about, although it has to be the (most common) MTB version of 26",
which you can check by the tyre also having 559-XX marked on it (where
XX is the width in mm, your tyres are probably something like 559-38).
559mm is actually the diameter of the rim. There is a rarer 571mm size
which is also called 26" and is used on some road bikes, especially
triathlon and time trial bikes.

TBH I think you will not do much better than those tyres. Make sure
they are pumped up good and hard though (get a good pump and a pressure
gauge, if you haven't already). Some very narrow tyres are available
for the 559 size, but if they are too narrow they may not sit very
happily on your wheel rims (which are not specified on the web page -
do they have anything written on them?).


> Also, my tyres although slick are much fatter than those fitted to my

> friends bike and I am wondering if this will affect my potential
speed
> very much.

Not a great deal, given that those tyres already look pretty good. But
make sure they are pumped up.

James

 

[Graham Bowers]

Paulie wrote:
> Hello everyone,
snip
> As you might be able to see from the page posted my bike came with
> Maxxis Xenith 26 x 1.5x
more snip>
> So will skinnier tyres make any difference to speed, any recommendations?
>
> Wow my post is long and boring! I had so much more to say but I think I
> will post in seperate threads over the coming weeks so you dont all fall
> asleep.
>
> Thanks for your help!
As James has indicated, your tyres are probably as good as it gets.
http://www.maxxis.com/products/bicycle/product_detail.asp?id=79
Ideally you want a Track Pump and a pressure gauge (some TP's come with
a gauge installed) and pump your tyres up to the maximum indicated on
the sidewall of the tyre. A track pump is the type, not the make. You
stand on one end and pump the other with both hands so you can get a lot
of energy in. http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=4995
A regular mountainbike pump will be murder to get up to the pressure you
need.
PS I think James is posting from Japan, hence the "middle of the night"
posting.
Cheers
Graham

 

[Tony Raven]

Paulie wrote:
>
> Also, my tyres although slick are much fatter than those fitted to my
> friends bike and I am wondering if this will affect my potential speed
> very much.
>

Not a lot. In fact at the same pressure, fatter tyres are faster. It
used to be that skinny tyres could be pumped up much harder and it was
that that made them faster but the difference has largely gone, I think
the tyres you have are just fine.

> I ride the same 18 mile course between 2-4 times a week. Its quite
> hilly and the best I have yet to achieve is 16.5mph average(first
> attempt managed 9mph and had to stop 3 times to be sick!).

There's a few regulars here who would be very happy with 16.5mph average
on a hilly course. The other thing is its not supposed to be an
endurance event unless you want it to be. You talk of hating it for
having to keep up, and being sick. I would suggest slowing down to your
comfort zone - any good group of friends would adjust their speed to the
slowest, not the fastest - and keep it pleasurable

Tony

 

[Jeremy Collins]

Paulie wrote:

> I ride the same 18 mile course between 2-4 times a week. Its quite
> hilly and the best I have yet to achieve is 16.5mph average(first
> attempt managed 9mph and had to stop 3 times to be sick!).

Well done. It might be time to try a longer distance - say 30 miles -
without worrying about the speed.

The others are right about your tyres, but you can search the archives
of the group for brand recommendations, the same tyres seem to come
up time & again for quality vs value (e.g. Schwalbe). If you haven't
been cycling for long and you've worn out a set already, then I'd say
avoid that brand in future...! My Michelin Transword City's are a tenner
each and still look like new after 1100 miles...

If you haven't got a track pump that's a good way to spend a few quid,
these are far better than hand pumps for getting good pressure.

And if you're logging your rides for training purposes (it sounds like
you are), then don't forget to re-do the roll-out wheel measurement
for your computer after changing tyres so that it stays accurate.


--
jc

Remove the -not from email

 

[Paulie]

Thanks for the advice James....

> Just about, although it has to be the (most common) MTB version of 26",
> which you can check by the tyre also having 559-XX marked on it (where
> XX is the width in mm, your tyres are probably something like 559-38).

The tyres do not have this marking. The closest match said "270mm fit
h/e rim 40-559"

>
> TBH I think you will not do much better than those tyres. Make sure
> they are pumped up good and hard though (get a good pump and a pressure
> gauge, if you haven't already). Some very narrow tyres are available
> for the 559 size, but if they are too narrow they may not sit very
> happily on your wheel rims (which are not specified on the web page -
> do they have anything written on them?).
>

The rims are marked 559-17


> Not a great deal, given that those tyres already look pretty good. But
> make sure they are pumped up.

Yep, pump them to 80psi, have both a track pump and a topeak hand pump.

Thanks again

Paul

 

[Paulie]

>
> The OP did list "fitness" as a reason for cycling; in order to get
> stronger and / or fitter you have to push yourself sometimes. From
> what he says he's definitely improved in fitness, so if it's working
> for him why stop?
>
> Your point about enjoyment vs. endurance is a good one, though. I find
> an equal balance of hard rides and gentle "comfort" rides works well.
>

It is working! I love it. I realise I might be a little weird, but
anyone feel a bit like a train when you and your bike feel like you are
performing well, I feel like an old fashioned steam train blasting along :|

 

[Paulie]

>
> And if you're logging your rides for training purposes (it sounds like
> you are), then don't forget to re-do the roll-out wheel measurement
> for your computer after changing tyres so that it stays accurate.
>
Yes, logging the rides on my trip computer and recently managed to take
the GPS kit that I use in my car and get some software for my mobile
phone that also logs other interesting data which can be quite fun to
feed into your computer when you get home.

I find that messing around with logging and data is good for
motivational purposes.

 

[Tony Raven]

Paulie wrote:
>
> I took the wrong approach when I first started riding, my friends did
> slow down but there is an extent to which you can slow before you become
> stationary. I dont think I would have ever got beyond that point
> without them dragging me along(was smoking at the time I started cylying
> and hadnt excersized for a few years....maybe 5)

Your friends have clearly never cycled with young children. If you are
happy that is fine but so many new cyclists get put off by the bad
experience of being pushed too hard at the start. Also its not good for
you to overdo it if you are new back to exercise; your body needs time
to adapt especially if you are overweight, a smoker or older.

If I was out with a new cyclist and they were sick three times through
trying to keep up I would feel very bad about it

Tony

 

[James Annan]

Paulie wrote:
> Thanks for the advice James....
>
>> Just about, although it has to be the (most common) MTB version of 26",
>> which you can check by the tyre also having 559-XX marked on it (where
>> XX is the width in mm, your tyres are probably something like 559-38).
>
>
> The tyres do not have this marking. The closest match said "270mm fit
> h/e rim 40-559"

Seems a bit odd, but anyway those numbers make sense.


> The rims are marked 559-17

I think you could get away with narrower tyres if you really wanted,
there used to be a Tioga City Slicker in 559-23 (also called 1") and
Conti make a similar-sized tyre in the GP range. They can be a little
hard to find (may not still be made). But like I said, they probably
won't make a big difference and will be harsher abd more vulnerable to
pot-holes. The one disadvantage of the 559mm rim size is that it gives a
noticeably bumpier ride than the 700C size (622mm) if you try to use
narrow tyres.

Overall, it looks like a pretty nice bike. Hope you have a lot of fun
with it. At some point, you may wish to consider a drop-handlebarred
road bike and/or proper MTB, as they each have some advantages in their
preferred terrain. But that bike has plenty more miles in it first!

James

 

[Dave Larrington]

James Annan wrote:

> I think you could get away with narrower tyres if you really wanted,
> there used to be a Tioga City Slicker in 559-23 (also called 1") and
> Conti make a similar-sized tyre in the GP range. They can be a little
> hard to find (may not still be made). But like I said, they probably
> won't make a big difference and will be harsher abd more vulnerable to
> pot-holes. The one disadvantage of the 559mm rim size is that it
> gives a noticeably bumpier ride than the 700C size (622mm) if you try
> to use narrow tyres.

Skinny (25-28 mm section) 559 road tyres also include:

o Schwalbe Stelvio
o Panaracer Pasela
o Continental Grand Prix
o Primo Racer
o Hutchinson Top Slick
o that Specialized one that I can't remember the model name of but I've got
one in my shed.

See <URL: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html#width> for info about
rim / tyre width compatibility

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

 

[Paulie]

> Your friends have clearly never cycled with young children. If you are
> happy that is fine but so many new cyclists get put off by the bad
> experience of being pushed too hard at the start. Also its not good for
> you to overdo it if you are new back to exercise; your body needs time
> to adapt especially if you are overweight, a smoker or older.

To be honest(I really wasnt going to admit it), but the reason they went
hard on me is that I was telling them for about a year before I ever
rode with them on a near weekley basis that if i WERE to go out on a
ride with them that I would show them up.

Boy was I wrong :|

 

[Tony Raven]

Paulie wrote:
>
>> Your friends have clearly never cycled with young children. If you
>> are happy that is fine but so many new cyclists get put off by the bad
>> experience of being pushed too hard at the start. Also its not good
>> for you to overdo it if you are new back to exercise; your body needs
>> time to adapt especially if you are overweight, a smoker or older.
>
>
> To be honest(I really wasnt going to admit it), but the reason they went
> hard on me is that I was telling them for about a year before I ever
> rode with them on a near weekley basis that if i WERE to go out on a
> ride with them that I would show them up.
>
> Boy was I wrong :|

My sympathy has just evaporated!

Tony

 

[Peter B]

"Paulie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I ride the same 18 mile course between 2-4 times a week. Its quite
> hilly and the best I have yet to achieve is 16.5mph average(first
> attempt managed 9mph and had to stop 3 times to be sick!).

16.5 mph is very respectable, especially if you've built up to it from a
poor fitness base over a short period of time.
Upchucking is generally a sign that something's amiss (like you're pushing
harder than is good for you) but can also just be the result of pushing too
hard too soon after eating too much. On a longer ride you need all the
energy you can take in, best to eat light and often rather than gorge and
vomit

Pete

 

[dkahn400]

Dave Larrington wrote:

> o that Specialized one that I can't remember the model name of
> but I've got one in my shed.

Nimbus?

--
Dave...

 

[Zog The Undeniable]

Paulie wrote:
> Hello everyone,
>
> Im new to this group and have just been reading through some of the
> posts. Seems like a nice group!
>
> I wonder if any of you could help me, I have not been into cyclying for
> long, one of my friends convinced me to get into it. To be honest at
> first I hated it, I couldnt keep up and the whole thing just hurt!
>
> I have started to get a lot stronger and fitter now and really using my
> bicycle as a realistic alternative to my car where possible. We have
> even booked a cycling holiday through the Pyrenees which we are all
> really looking forward to.
>
> Anyway, my real question is that I am just about to get through my frist
> set of tyres, I currently have the slicks that came on my bike, which is:
>
> http://www.richmondcycles.co.uk/html/ridgeback_tempest.html
>
> As you might be able to see from the page posted my bike came with
> Maxxis Xenith 26 x 1.5x
>
> Now I realise I may be asking an awfully basic question but I have been
> looking online for replacement tyres and am having trouble finding any
> with those exact dimensions. Would I be right in assuming that
> 26xanything wiill fit on my wheels?

If the number after the x is a decimal, yes. If it's a fraction, then
it's the old roadster size for sit-up-and-beg bikes, which is a
different "26 inches". To be sure, look for the ETRTO code, which MUST
have 559 in it (e.g. 35-559).

> Also, my tyres although slick are much fatter than those fitted to my
> friends bike and I am wondering if this will affect my potential speed
> very much.
>
> I ride the same 18 mile course between 2-4 times a week. Its quite
> hilly and the best I have yet to achieve is 16.5mph average(first
> attempt managed 9mph and had to stop 3 times to be sick!).
>
> So will skinnier tyres make any difference to speed, any recommendations?

If you're travelling at over 15mph on smooth roads, possibly. I
recommend Vredestein S-Licks (26 x 1.3), which you can get for about £16
each by shopping around. Be warned - they are very tight when fitted
for the first time, so coat the inner tube with talc to help.

 

[Naqerj]

Paulie wrote:
<snip>
> Anyway, my real question is that I am just about to get through my frist
> set of tyres, I currently have the slicks that came on my bike, which is:
>
> http://www.richmondcycles.co.uk/html/ridgeback_tempest.html
>
> As you might be able to see from the page posted my bike came with
> Maxxis Xenith 26 x 1.5x
>
> Now I realise I may be asking an awfully basic question but I have been
> looking online for replacement tyres and am having trouble finding any
> with those exact dimensions. Would I be right in assuming that
> 26xanything wiill fit on my wheels?
>

26 x anything with decimals in it will fit, avoid tyres with fractional
sizes. In particular, don't fall into the trap of thing 26 x 1.5 and 26
x 1-1/2 are the same, 'cos they're not.


--
Andrew

 

[Dave Larrington]

dkahn400 wrote:
> Dave Larrington wrote:
>
>> o that Specialized one that I can't remember the model name of
>> but I've got one in my shed.
>
> Nimbus?

No, it's a skinny (25-559) folding one.

--

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
World Domination?
Just find a world that's into that kind of thing, then chain to the
floor and walk up and down on it in high heels. (Mr. Sunshine)

 

[Peter B]

"Paulie" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> To be honest(I really wasnt going to admit it), but the reason they went
> hard on me is that I was telling them for about a year before I ever
> rode with them on a near weekley basis that if i WERE to go out on a
> ride with them that I would show them up.

Zillions of years ago I had a schoolfriend who thought riding a "ten" would
be easy after I told him about time trials. So, bless him, he turned up for
an event on a bike made of scaffold tubes and had a go.
I can't remember what time he achieved but he became hooked and within a
couple of years was Leicestershire Junior Track Champion.

I think something the uninitiated fail to understand is that due to wind
resistance incremental increases in speed become increasingly more
difficult.

Pete