Ask the experts

[mall walker]

How old is your shift cable?

oem, so it’s from june of this year and it has 76 days, ~1100 miles, ~125k’ and some amateur level shifting on it...

[mall walker]

top of my head answer...
b screw limit needs to be increased

when dumping multiple gears there is enough gap between der and cassette to not bind
when shifting a single gear the b screw is placing the der arm too close to the cassette and binding as it tries to shift over

increase the distance from the der to the cassette with the b screw until you have a few mm clearance in all gears

no refunds if wrong...

hmmmmmm ok cool thank you, will try this tonight or tomorrow

[radam]

Question:

Would anyone be interested in a physiology / training / biomechanics Zoom session?
If the group decided on a topic(s) I'd be happy to put together a lil presentation and Question / Answer session for the group.

Yeah I'd be interested. I don't have a ton of time to train and also try to stay fairly well rounded for everyday activities, so it'd be great having a little more info about how to maximize the effectiveness of time spent on the bike (and also maximize time off the bike to the benefit of my riding).

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[mall walker]

Question:

Would anyone be interested in a physiology / training / biomechanics Zoom session?
If the group decided on a topic(s) I'd be happy to put together a lil presentation and Question / Answer session for the group.

also yes, I’d definitely tune in

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

I've conducted ~5,000+ Physiology tests and completed 30+ on my myself.

Ultimately for enduro racing a high VO2 max is helpful. Knowing your baseline VO2 max can help establish if training has elicited a change (assuming your test again after training). However, knowing your VO2max does not necessarily aid in improving your performance.

1. Who / where are you having it done?
2. What exactly is being done?
3a. Are you working with them for coaching?
3b. How will they utilize the information to improve your training?

1. Lone Peak Performance here in Bozangeles
2. I guess a full workup with VO2, thresholds, etc.
3. Haven't figured out the exact setup yet....really depends on cost honestly.
4. To start just figuring out some basic training routines using correct HR zones to prep for races.

If I had the money I would go all in. Full bore coaching, full body strength training, etc.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Toe - does it hurt when you are not cycling? When did it start? Toe problems that result from cycling are unusual, but usually are result of foot tension due to your foot not being in the right position relative to the pedal spindle. More often they are not from cycling, but rather happen somewhere else and then show up cycling. Bunions, turf toe (like you mention), sprains for example act like that. Did you hurt it off the bike? Did you smash your foot into something while on the bike?

I may have kicked a rock really hard when riding over the summer. Both big toes hurt during early hunting season when my feet weren't use to 10 mile days hiking off trail.

I worked all day today and never thought about my toe until I got home and took my boots off. It's like the first joint of the big toe is "seized up". IDK. Even with my nice cork insoles put into my road shoes (that I only use on the trainer) it hurts and for some reason hurts the most then.

[Falcon3]

Somebody rec me an offset headset. I don't have the coin to upgrade to a full new bike, especially when my 2017 Trance 2 (upgraded carbon wheels/DT hubs, upgraded shifters and cassette) is still going strong.

I love the Trance but I'd like a little more stability at high speeds, anybody have experience adding a degree or two to the fork rake?

[meepmoop24]

Somebody rec me an offset headset. I don't have the coin to upgrade to a full new bike, especially when my 2017 Trance 2 (upgraded carbon wheels/DT hubs, upgraded shifters and cassette) is still going strong.

I love the Trance but I'd like a little more stability at high speeds, anybody have experience adding a degree or two to the fork rake?

I've had good luck with my -1 headset from Works Components. Been running it for about 1.5 years now and it's still going strong.

[Falcon3]

I may have kicked a rock really hard when riding over the summer. Both big toes hurt during early hunting season when my feet weren't use to 10 mile days hiking off trail.

I worked all day today and never thought about my toe until I got home and took my boots off. It's like the first joint of the big toe is "seized up". IDK. Even with my nice cork insoles put into my road shoes (that I only use on the trainer) it hurts and for some reason hurts the most then.

Be careful and ice/rest up those toes, try some stiff insoles or mountaineering boots for a while to keep the flexing off your toe and let it heal up.

What you may have going is the beginning stages of hallux rigidus, it's an arthritic degeneration of the cartilage space between the big toe and your foot. The mechanism you described (stubbing toe) is pretty common, and it's especially prevalent is folks with flat feet (I have it). I'm also guessing you have a long second toe, likely as long or longer than the big toe? (Morton's toe). This structure of foot often has first metatarsal issues.

I tried everything for about 3 years (in denial about having arthritis) and ended up going the route the first podiatrist recommended- custom insoles to take the stress off the big toe, plus lots of lower leg chain strengthening (think one-leg squats and one-leg balance routines while flexing your foot into the ground for balance. See a PT that knows foot stuff.

Or maybe you'll get lucky and it'll pass and not show up again.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Be careful and ice/rest up those toes, try some stiff insoles or mountaineering boots for a while to keep the flexing off your toe and let it heal up.

What you may have going is the beginning stages of hallux rigidus, it's an arthritic degeneration of the cartilage space between the big toe and your foot. The mechanism you described (stubbing toe) is pretty common, and it's especially prevalent is folks with flat feet (I have it). I'm also guessing you have a long second toe, likely as long or longer than the big toe? (Morton's toe). This structure of foot often has first metatarsal issues.

I tried everything for about 3 years (in denial about having arthritis) and ended up going the route the first podiatrist recommended- custom insoles to take the stress off the big toe, plus lots of lower leg chain strengthening (think one-leg squats and one-leg balance routines while flexing your foot into the ground for balance. See a PT that knows foot stuff.

Or maybe you'll get lucky and it'll pass and not show up again.

It hurts in the PIP (?) very first joint of the big toe. I always run pretty stiff Superfeet insoles in my regular shoes and daily boots. My hunting boots are very stiff and in those I run the same cork Sole brand insoles that I run in my road bike shoes.

Been working a lot recently on my feet for like 10-12 hours a day, so maybe that's it. Weird it flared up on my bike though.

[EWG]

It hurts in the PIP (?) very first joint of the big toe. I always run pretty stiff Superfeet insoles in my regular shoes and daily boots. My hunting boots are very stiff and in those I run the same cork Sole brand insoles that I run in my road bike shoes.

Been working a lot recently on my feet for like 10-12 hours a day, so maybe that's it. Weird it flared up on my bike though.

Stuff flairs up on the bike all the time that actually was injured somewhere else. You are in a confined position for a long period of time with high muscle tension. Injuries can yell pretty loud for attention in that situation. Your toe sounds like it is likely to be an inflamed joint due to trauma. Very little blood flow there. Will take a while to heal.

People can get very tight feet cycling. Your toes want to do something even though they can’t due to the stiff bike shoe soles, and that tension can translate into a carpal tunnel kind of pain on your already injured joint.

Concentrate on keeping your toes loose even during hard efforts. My guess is you’ll find you have a tendency to curl them when working really hard and that you never noticed that until you started looking for it.

Also I do not recommend icing. No studies have shown that helps except for calming things down for a short term performance boost. Otherwise it actually hinder healing long term. Maybe light massage and make sure it’s not being bent or constricted while you sleep.

Good luck. May take a while.

[radam]

I've had good luck with my -1 headset from Works Components. Been running it for about 1.5 years now and it's still going strong.

Another vote for Works. A little fiddly to install, but otherwise great.

[NuMexJoe]

I've had good luck with my -1 headset from Works Components. Been running it for about 1.5 years now and it's still going strong.

Same. Put one of their -2* headsets on a 2011 Giant Anthem and it transformed the bike. No creaks or noises, unlike the needy Cane Creek I have on my Balance. FWIW, Wolf Tooth just introduced their version, but I'd use Works Components again since it's treated me well and the price was right.

[sethschmautz]

Question:

Would anyone be interested in a physiology / training / biomechanics Zoom session?
If the group decided on a topic(s) I'd be happy to put together a lil presentation and Question / Answer session for the group.

Late to the party but yes - I feel like a complete noob when it comes to strategically training. Some book recommendations would be great also.

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[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Stuff flairs up on the bike all the time that actually was injured somewhere else. You are in a confined position for a long period of time with high muscle tension. Injuries can yell pretty loud for attention in that situation. Your toe sounds like it is likely to be an inflamed joint due to trauma. Very little blood flow there. Will take a while to heal.

People can get very tight feet cycling. Your toes want to do something even though they can’t due to the stiff bike shoe soles, and that tension can translate into a carpal tunnel kind of pain on your already injured joint.

Concentrate on keeping your toes loose even during hard efforts. My guess is you’ll find you have a tendency to curl them when working really hard and that you never noticed that until you started looking for it.

Also I do not recommend icing. No studies have shown that helps except for calming things down for a short term performance boost. Otherwise it actually hinder healing long term. Maybe light massage and make sure it’s not being bent or constricted while you sleep.

Good luck. May take a while.

Could barely walk last night after 10 hours of work. Gonna wear the super stiff hunting boots today and see if that helps. Been wanting true custom orthotics for a while and this may be the catalyst to get that done ASAP. Thanks for the help.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Also yes to XtraP Zoom presentation

[ticketchecker]

I'd be in for the XtraP zoom too, doing Zwift workout programs has been my first experience with any structured endurance training.

[Boissal]

Carbon wheels question. Been considering getting a set for a while, not because I need them but because I want them (this has been mentioned upthread already).
I fell down the rabbit hole of specs recently and one thing I spotted which I can't find much info on is the concept of shallow rims. One of the well-reviewed chinese carbon wheel maker (BTLOS) has rims with a depth < 20 mm and claim that they provide a "better ability to distribute local impact loads". This is compared to their regular-depth rims (25-30 mm).
The shallow rims end up being a couple mm wider for the same ID as the regular rim and a touch lighter.

I'm not set on buying el-cheapo CN wheels, just curious as it seems like most of the well known brands that make carbon wheels don't offer shallow rims. Anyone have any experience with such things? I guarantee I won't be able to tell the difference either way, I'm too much of a hack. I doubt I'll even notice the alu to carbon switch but, as someone who routinely gets bogged down into researching every minute aspect of any product I consider buying even if it has absolutely no bearing on performance, I am compelled to ask.

[skaredshtles]

<snip> I doubt I'll even notice the alu to carbon switch

I think you might be surprised. I, too, am generally a pretty oblivious rider, but the thing I noticed *immediately* when I went to carbon rims (cheap Chinese) was the improved tracking of the front of the bike in nasty chunder.

Oh, and I really like that you can break multiple spokes, and the wheel will stay true, and you can just keep riding it like that until you get some replacement spokes.

[rideit]

Late to the party but yes - I feel like a complete noob when it comes to strategically training. Some book recommendations would be great also.

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I too would be interested in a “bike training for dummies” type of thing.
With suggested weekly schedules.

[54-46]

I too would be interested in a “bike training for dummies” type of thing.
With suggested weekly schedules.

Joe Friel has a few books that worked for me years ago when I was doing centuries, etc. discusses building foundation and leads up to some race oriented stuff. Build, ramping up, rest, cross-training, designing season for 1 or 2 peaks, etc.

[ticketchecker]

Back to 'Ask The Experts' for a minute, Am I the only one that doesn't even consider wrapping a frame in clear shit?

[HAB]

Back to 'Ask The Experts' for a minute, Am I the only one that doesn't even consider wrapping a frame in clear shit?

No. Spending a bunch of extra money to save weight on a carbon frame and then put all the weight back in tape is hilarious.

[Iowagriz]

2nd for the Joe Freil books. But, I'll add that the first time I read them I was lost. Then I bought a training plan and it lined up with his theories. I followed that plan to a T and it all came together that year. After that, I could modify and create my own plans with success.

If you want to get fast, you need to ride a lot. And a lot of that was at easier pace. But hard intervals were much harder then I had been going. You need to be consistent and trust the process.

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[rideit]

Joe Friel has a few books that worked for me years ago when I was doing centuries, etc. discusses building foundation and leads up to some race oriented stuff. Build, ramping up, rest, cross-training, designing season for 1 or 2 peaks, etc.

Just ordered friel’s ‘training bible’ and ‘fast after 50’.
Thanks.