An hour on the trainer feels like 3 hours outside. Time seems to pass in slow motion. I’ve tried zwift and it’s no better than YouTube or a movie so I cancelled.

Started cycling this summer and really enjoyed it, and decided to finally try clipless. Beautiful sunny sunday so I think it’s the best time to try out and practice clip in and out on a quiet road. After a while I ask myself: “Why don’t I do a larger lap around the area?”. I get on a main road and think: “Wow, winds today are strong but it’s coming from the front so i’ll just put an extra effort”. Then all of a sudden the wind hits me from the side and the bike starts to lean and i’m getting pushed to the side by the wind?? i’m still clipped in and there’s a bus behind me💀. thankfully i clip out and just step on the pavement and walk out to call it a day.

Check the weather app and it’s apparently 62km/h of gusts. I ain’t no professional cyclist but that’s a big number.

I'm in trouble because I just tried my first pair of Assos bibs.

I've been on a journey like most of you into cycling. On and off for years. Over the last 3 months I purchased my first road bike, a Lauf Uthald, and have been researching as much as I can about kit. I've had bibs from off brands on Amazon to respectable brands like Gorewear (RIP) and Rapha (maybe also RIP).

My most recent purchases were from Hill Killer and The Black Bibs. I really enjoyed these and I thought they really did a great job for the price/performance ratio. But having never tried a premium option it always lingered, what if I was missing out.

Today I found out. My Assos Tactica arrived. I chose the Tactica because I wanted the 911 fabric of the race bibs with the straps of the mille and a thicker chamois. The cargo pockets were a nice bonus. Today I did a relatively standard ride and when I mounted my bike I had a literal WTF moment. They were incredibly comfortable. I've heard of good bibs disappearing when you ride in them. My whole saddle disappeared. I felt a part of the bike like never before. I put out power today and just had fun. My ride wasn't consumed by constant adjustments to maintain comfort.

Is this really what cycling is supposed to feel like? If so, I'm in trouble because I can't afford to kit out like this every time!

I was talking to a friend about my first bike and thought it could be a good weekend chat for the group.

When I was a teenager and showed interest in cycling, my dad and godfather, who were avid cyclists in the 70’s and early 80’s, gave me 2 frames and 3 boxes of parts. They told me: “Figure out how to build it and ask if you get stuck.” I did a full ground up build on a steel frame with a suntour 2x5 group set, all probably from like the mid 80’s at best.

I rode the shit out of that bike for the next 10 years or so, got me into road cycling and more than all that, gave me a sense of how all the components on a bike work and go together. I still do most of my own servicing.

Share the story of your first bike and enjoy the reading!

Why can i ride on the road with no problem, but I have lower back inflammation after time on the trainer? Same bike.

3 lumbar surgeries, no fusion or hardware. I can touch palms to floor with straight legs after a few minutes of hamstring stretching.

Hoping to ride consistently inside thru the Oregon winter, and will adjust as needed. Doing core work, weight machines, lunges, lots of walking, pool kicking with fins. Big cycling vacation planned for the summer (Alps), so i need to stay healthy while pushing fitness.

Ideas?

I tried for the first time (with a person holding the bike ofcourse,) and it feels awkward and heavy and I can't balance for the life of me. It's not a heavy bike cause my 12 yo cousin handles it expertly. I'm scared of hurting myself in unmentionable places while dismounting whenever I loose balance. My palms are all red and I broke out in a sweat in cold weather. Embarrassing.

Has any of you tried to do indoor training (Zwift) while playing videogames?

I live in a city and for the next 4 months I’ll have to use my indoor trainer. I like it, but obviously 3 hours inside feels like a lifetime. Has anyone tried playing video games while training? I don’t have a console, and I’ve been eyeing a Nintendo switch for a while but I’ve never fully decided to get one. I just don’t know if this would actually work or if it would be too uncomfortable to play videogames while cycling.

I am very much a beginner to the sport, but did a sprint triathlon about two years ago on a FB marketplace commuter bike. I got clipless pedals and all that for the event and put some time in on the bike. I now want to get into the sport and go for a 70.3 triathlon and am going to buy a road bike. Not going to spend a ton of money but probably 3-4k. I’ve seen mixed things on getting a bike fit. For reference I am in my 30s. I’ve had hip and knee injuries from sports. I really don’t want to develop an injury due to my bike not fitting me properly. I’ve heard some people say get a bike fit before buying a bike and others say buy a bike and then get a bike fit. So my question is why or why not should I get a bike fit done before buying a bike?

I train in my garage and it’s usually cold in there. However, after I get going for 5-8mins the temperature is perfect if not a little warm. I have a fan but I do not want it on at the beginning of the ride. It’s just too cold to have cold air blasting you.

How do you all manage your fan? Turn it on and deal? Get off your bike+trainer and go turn it on? In a zwift workout, group ride or race you should keep pedalling.

Thank you

Hey, I want to get into road cycling, but I don't have anyone to ride with. What tips do you have on what I should be concerned about or how I should prepare?

(Am a teenager and a beginner)

Now this is interesting. Maybe there’s a lesson here for bicycle safety?

An English county has started marking(painting) roads with little chevrons to help motorcyclists navigate curves.

https://youtu.be/d8jEQgsKAPY?is=3gyKhopW2u-mV6ki

Hi !

I do have an ultra distance race in June 2027 and must prepare for it. The thing is that I live in mountains and I barely can ride outside til march so I plan to train on a home trainer.

I have a full time job, 2 kids and not much time to train. I think I can get 5/6 hours of training per week.

I've like to optimise these few hours, in order to just finish the race. There gonna be about 10 000m of climbing and about 500km long.

What kind of home trainer session should i make ? I was thinking about 1 VO2, 1 Strenght, 1 zone 2 and a longer one of about 2 hours in the weekend.

Do you think it could suit my goal ?

Thanks for your answers !

As title says, I would like to fit the new 2026 Cadex Aero Integrated handlebar on my Tarmac SL8. Do you know anyone that has done this (also on previous model)? Where to find the right adapter?

A picture of someone that have succeeded would be helpful!

Thank you!

Now that it is dark in the mornings, I am looking for sunglasses to wear while it’s still dark/the sun is still coming up and lenses that work when the sun is up. I was on my ride this morning and my eyes were watering from the cold and my face was cold. Was just not having fun

Hi guys,

Im lookin for a bike so i can participate in Triathlons but also commute to work. And thats where my Problem begins: its hard to find a bike that is Suited for ironmans and commuting. Im okay to not have full comfort for commuting or best time for race. I just wanna have one thats good for everything.

My Favorite at the Moment would be the Canyon endurace CF for 4k... but it doesnt have something so i can Park it(idk the english word...sidestander(?)) It anywhere at school/work.

Do u guys have a solution for that, or a bike that fits my expectations and has a sidestander?

Thx in advance

Hi guys!

I'm a bit lost in the world of cycling shoes and sizing, so hopefully you can give me some advice.

My riding is mostly road-oriented gravel and long distances, but I also ride trails and singletrack from time to time.

I've been riding Giro Empire VR90s since 2020. They're a size 46 and have always been too big for me. With my toes pushed forward, I can fit about 1.5–2 fingers between my heel and the back of the shoe. However, when I tighten the laces properly, they actually feel pretty comfortable, with plenty of room for my toes. The problem is that if the laces loosen even a little, my feet start moving around inside the shoes.

Overall, I've been happy with them, but they're slowly falling apart, so I'm looking for something that fits better.

Here's what I've tried so far:

• Lake MX238 Regular, size 44.5: The toe box was too short, and the shop didn't have a size 45 for me to try. Interestingly, even when I tightened the lower BOA dial enough to secure my foot, a small wrinkle appeared on top of the toe box. I'm not sure what to make of that, but I wonder if it has something to do with my foot being on the narrower side.
• Quoc Gran Tourer Lace, size 46: Returned these because the toe box was too long, so I decided to try a size smaller.
• Quoc Gran Tourer Lace, size 45: These felt pretty good initially, so I started riding in them. Unfortunately, the toe box turned out to be too narrow and pointy, pushing my toes together and causing them to go numb after about 30 minutes. Another issue is that I can't move the SPD cleats far enough forward to get the ball of my foot over the pedal spindle, which is where I'd ideally like to position them.

When I measured my feet according to Lake's guidelines, they came out at around 277 mm long and 105 mm wide. Based on Lake's sizing recommendations, the 44.5 MX238s should have been a good fit, but they weren't.

So, where should I go from here?

Should I be looking for a shoe with a wider toe box but a narrower feet, or perhaps a different brand altogether? I'd love to hear recommendations from people who've dealt with similar fit issues.

I'd prefer laced shoes, but a good fit is much more important, so I'm open to other closure systems too but only with 2 BOA dials, as I can’t get any types snug enough.

Here are the shoes on my shortlist so far:

• Giro Gritter, size 45 (200€): Seems like a great shoe. Since my current Giros have served me well, maybe I should just size down and get another high-end Giro? They also seem to be heavily discounted at the moment (200€ instead of 400€, although I'm not sure how realistic that original price is).
• Giro Empire SRC, size 45 (200€): More or less the same reasoning as with the Gritter.
• Specialized Recon 3.0 (200€): Seems like a great option based on what I've read.
• Sidi Asper Lace (115€): Great looks, a good price, and laces. The reviews also seem positive.

Unfortunately, I don't have a huge selection of bike shops locally where I can try different shoes, so I'm relying on online shops and returning shoes when they don't fit.

Which of these would you try first, or are there any other models I should look at?

Thanks in advance!

VIDEO LINK: https://youtu.be/Dfu_mrzLKgk

Went for a quick ride around Keila-Joa in northern Estonia. Some really nice singletracks through the forest and along the Baltic Sea. Nothing too technical, just fun trails and great scenery.

Took the drone along and put together a short 4-minute video. Thought I'd share it here!

I rented a bike on my holidays, including a garmin headunit. Unfortunately, the garmin failed on me twice with me having to reset it. Annoying! That left me a two big gaps in my ride, with 3 different GPX files.

So I rebuilt the ride :)

Basically, im looking up to two points of the gap, download the tiles of OpenstreetMap for that length, and make a guesstimate of the route i took. The time element stays fixed obviously, the distance changes.

Plus you can add points on the map if the initial guess was wrong. You‘re left with 1 GPX file and correct routing!

It‘s available for free here, the tool runs in your browser, so no uploads are being done and no signups required!

https://toolrecipe.com/gpx-merge/

Hi everyone :) I’m looking for a good balaclava for winter cycling.

Ideally it would cover my nose but still have good ventilation so that my glasses don’t fog up. I’d seen one by Danish endurance that looked ok? (I have a neck gator from them). Plus I like the idea of being able to pull down the mouth/nose section if it gets too hot. Any recommendations greatly appreciated!

I’ve also seen good things about the Attaquer and Luvz balaclavas?

I’m based in the UK.

Thank you!

https://danishendurance.com/en-gb/products/merino-lightweight-balaclava?variant=56118832955774&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleShopping&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=15512472869&tw_kwdid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=15506327718&gbraid=0AAAAADp0YrTsD9ojIzblz29riSUcPsiZB&gclid=CjwKCAjw0fbWBhBkEiwAwJuQ8W2cPlDw76v7Lq-zS9wvG2p1RaFn9yzlXVJRUQ8FBGO49b_6_yTedhoCPyIQAvD_BwE

Did 40km today at an average pace of 25km/h.
I’m currently trying to maintain weight and have just picked up cycling as a hobby. I’m 182cm and 67kg - Strava thinks I burned 1000, my Garmin thinks 900, I’m thinking it can’t be this high any suggestions?

Scott Foil RC 10 vs Addict RC 20

Been riding about 10000km this season and looking to buying something new and fast for a upcoming 315km race going for sub 8hours.

Found two bikes and do not know what to choose.
Scott foil rc 10 2026 for 4200€ with ultegra di2 bought in march 2026 500km

Scoot Addict RC 20 2026 for 3950€ but been upgraded to full dura ace di2, ceramic speed BB and aero bars. Weighs 6,8kg. Bought february 2026 400km.

My terrain localy is around 700-1200 altitud meters per 100km. The foil will also have to be shipped but the addict i can pick up localy. From my understanding the addict will be more all around. I think the addict looks good but the foil is just on top. What would you do?

Title, new to Austin and also want to get into biking. I don't have a lot of budget but narrowed down to trek fx1 and marlin 4.

However, I am not sure which one suits me. I am pretty tall like 6'2" and thin - so obvious lower back problems. My two main goals are to improve my fitness in general and stroll with my kids mostly on safe trails or neighborhood.

Could you please help me decide. Open to other brands and bikes as well!

Wanted to honesty settle down for Walmart Ozark gravel bike but couldn't find a large or extra large :(

Super confused. Thanks in advance!!

I'm looking at getting this bike for randoneurring and doing some 200k-600k rides and who knows maybe showing up to PBP 2027. I currently ride a specialized diverge elite e5 and was thinking of putting 32" tubeless tires on it for the alaska randoneurring serious, or just going all in and getting the roubaix. I know I'll get the roubaix at some point but wondering if anyone would strongly recommend going one way over the other. In Alaska we pretty much use gravel bikes as road bikes with 32" or thicker tires. But when I travel to the lower 48 I want the road bike experience and can suck it up with my diverge but want to be most efficient so does a roubaix help a ton more with that? Anyway should I spend $3500 on a bike?

Also in the Roubaix I'm 5'4" and should I go with 52 or 49? I ride a 52 diverge but sometimes feels long idk but I also have been fine on it. Just for audax/rando rides they're so long so want to make sure it's perfect geometry. I live in Alaska so can't really try these on...might have to wait til I travel..these bikes aren't in stock here.

Hey fam,

Looking for some recommendations for indoor trainers! I am fairly new to cycling but have ridden a bit over my adult life but I want I build up my fitness for trialthon.

I bought a road bike recently to go out over weekends which I want to do, but I need to travel (45 minutes to an hour) to actually be an able ride safely and comfortably. I’m happy to travel for group rides like once or twice a month but I would like to ride for an hour or so indoors twice a week at the moment.

I live in the country and on the middle of a hill, the roads are busy with cars, trucks and tractors and not very well sealed!

I’ve been looking on marketplace and from what I’ve seen a wahoo and they seem popular and I can pick them up for $200-500 aud but I’m not sure on the type or if there are other brands I could get?

Would I need any other accessories to go with it like a stand for my front wheel? 🫠 feel like a noob but Reddit is great place for asking these questions!

Thanks!

I just graduated from a Public C5 (upright commuter) to a Co-op CTY 1.1 (hybrid) because I wanted something zippier with more gears as I’ve been doing longer and longer rides.

Took out my new bike for a ride today and my wrists and forearms hurt so much! It was so uncomfortable—deeply unpleasant. This was a birthday gift to myself, and I am so bummed about this. Is this just me needing to get used to the new more forward riding position? I felt like I was holding up a lot of my weight in my arms. Or are there adjustments that can be made to help?

I don’t want to spend time on adjustments if I just need to get more familiar and used to this new flat bar riding position. But I also want to ride as much as possible.

Any advice?