Cycling UK Forum

looking for some new shoes, to be worn on and off the bike.
i cycle everyday, and tour, so these will kind of be my daily shoes.
i dont really want SPD shoes, because walking in them i not comfy for me, and i want something a bit more hard wearing than a trainer.

any ideas or suggestions greatly appreciated.

when i said need, i forgot to add,my present stuff is pretty well worn. so the new stuff would be a welcome purchase.

@tatanab and MrsHJ thanks for your input.

got a 3 week tour planned in France, taking in the massif central.
and i need to change my gearing to suit the terrain.
running 9 speed at present. 26-36-50 with a 12-34 block, was just looking at merlin. 22-32-44 sq taper set on offer, with a 12-36 block. all on off.
worth a punt ?

thanks for all the input so far.

TrevA, just plotted your route on ridewithgps. some route that, but it looks fantastic, with lots of place to stop along the route.

MrsHJ, your route suggestion that goes south to the french coast also looks fantastic.
good options to get back to the starting points.

re the gearing, i run mtb gears on my tourer, 22/32/42 with a 11/36 cassette, and my wife has a 22/32 with a 12/42 cassette.

i have ridden in the alps in the past on the mtb.
rode from Brides les bain up to the altiport above Courcheval, on a 2.5 tyred mtb. managed it ok but slowly.
600m up to 2000m.

looking for some advice regarding planning and completing a Alps tour.

we tour regularly both home and abroad. been to norway, portugal, france a few times, belgium, holland, and all or the scottish islands and highlands.
but we now fancy the french alps. i have been on the mtb a couple of times but never on the road.

we will be travelling lightly, no camping gear. staying in hotels or hostels or what is available. we dont do big miles. 50 mile a day is the max. like to explore, quieter roads the better.
we want do some big climbs. so looking for a circuit for a couple or 3 weeks starting in the annecy area.

and advice greatly appreciated.

looking to run my surly without guards and with a bigger tyre.
a 47c conti fits in no problem. question is, will a 2'' schwalbe big apple fit in the frame.

anyone know please?

I don't mind getting off to push up steep stuff. it stretches the legs, and gets cold feet warmed up.
I f I were in such a rush that I worried about pushing up a hill, I would pack cycling in. I cycle to take in views and fresh air, a short walk is good for this.

going for a weeks tour to Belgium in april.
going to catch the end of the Paris-Roubaix bike race, but what else to see/do

anywhere worth a visit.

thanks for the info.
I am going to have to do some homework re the routes.
just a quick question, when you use the cycling option on google maps, does it plot route using minor roads, or the quickest cycling route?

we are hopefully heading to france for a 2 week moving on tour, in june/july.
the idea was to take the European bike express down to lyon, then spend 2 weeks heading back to one of the atlantic pick up points, probably poitiers or Bordeaux.
it will be me, my wife and 16yr old daughter, carrying light luggage.
any ideas for a nice quiet route, or indeed is there a good route to either destination.

thanks

and that reminds me......I always get my wheels built by Spa.
4 sets for various bike....never a broken spoke.

just finishing building a surly disc trucker up at present.
had a surly lht in the past when I weighed over 20 stone, and it was fantastic. I ran vee brakes on it.
running avid bb5 on the disc trucker, with some very unfashionable curved back for comfort bars, set pretty high.
I want to sit up and see things has I saunter past, so bugger the fashionable low fronted drop bar craze of present for me.
running it with a 22/32/42 chainset and a 12/36 cassette......spinning saves your knees when you weigh a bit.........

very nice choice too the sirrus.
i had a flat bar version when they 1st came out, i managed to ride my furthest distance in a day on it, a 300km audax from huddersfield to bridlington and back.
i ride a flat bar tourer and a flat bar offroad tourer nowadays. far comfier i find, and that it what it is all about.
comfort on the bike, which allows me to ride longer/further/faster (choose the one that suits) i cant used spd's either, but that does not hinder my cycling or rather, my joy of cycling either.
ride what you enjoy/are comfy on.....dont fall into the fashion led frenzy of dropped bars and lycra. it is not suitable for most folk that cycle.

depending on the size you need, there is a nearly new revolution tourer on the classifieds

something like this? came with drops and sti's but i changed to flats


09.04.13 humdrum 003 by 20ston, on Flickr