Damon Salter

Lightspeed has made a point not enter the weight war by not publishing any weight figures. The top end C1 frame is 1200 grams and uses slightly lighter carbon so I deduct the C2 frame is around 1200 grams also.

The Small size has a 52.5cm virtual top tube measurement and a 71cm seat tube length at 74 degrees. If you take you current measurements from BB to the end of your saddle post you have a estimate on how much will need to come off.

1. Fill to line with fluid.
2. Using a trainer, repair stand, or something else position bike so the lower portion of the chain is roughly level.
3. Place tool through the lower half of the tool.
4. Place top half over the chain and clip it on.
5. Rotate cranks to scrub and clean.

While the UltraAero material is great and seems to handle temperature changes better than most summer short materials it is not insulating and provides no protection from the cold wind either. This is the type of short you wear on cool morning that warm out as the day goes on. You don't need to pack knee or leg warmers. Considering you asked for something to use under 45F, try a full tight or insulated knicker.

My favorites are

- Pearl Izumi P.R.O. Softshell or Pearl Izumi Amfib Tight (For 50 degrees and under, both have windstopper for open road rides, can be purchased without chamois for layering over a short or knicker)

- Sugoi MidZero RC Pro Tight (These are so cozy and comfortable and don't get too hot even as the day warms a bit)

I don't think any shoe should make your foot go dead in 24 miles. There are so many factors to your problem and the shoe is only one of them and likely the least of your worries. Do you loosen the straps after the first 5 or 10 miles, your foot will bloat. Read up on cleat position for bike fitting first. Considering an ironman is a hella long ride you might want a professional bike and cleat fit. People may suggest different shoes that may help you but do your best to setup your fit with the current shoe first; you might end up with two pairs of shoe with the same problem.

There is one on geartrade.com. Think it is a return form realcyclist.com but I have bought items there and am always happy.

http://www.geartrade.com/browse/115/801/805/item/136167

You got it man, Front and Rear.

You probably have the 7700 dura-ace line. To find replacement shifters either go to your local bike shop that is a Shimano retailer or search online for new or used 'Shimano Dura-Ace ST-7700 9 Speed STI Lever'.

The Keo cleats work with Keo pedals only, same with the Delta. If your pedals are more than a few years old, and when viewed from the side they look bulky and fat it's probably a Delta pedal. If the pedal is flat and thin (low stack) it's probably Keo. Almost all Keo's are also imprinted with the work Keo somewhere. I really wish there was a better way to tell.

This saddle is 142mm wide so it should fit just fine.

Also, when I was looking for Fizik saddles I used there spine concent tool. Even though it is a little cheesy with the "Find the animal within you" tagline, it will put you on the best saddle for your body type.

http://www.fizik.it/spineconcept/

John, There is no stiching or notable seems in the chamois on this short. On the subject of saddle sores. Unless you are new to cycling, are currently overweight, or have recently and significantly upped your milage saddle sores shouldn't be part of your life. Try a google search for saddle sores and you will find alot of great advice on where to start.

Well, one this is for certain, you will want to shop for a cross bike. A cross bike can be riden on the road very easily but a road ride will not have the clearance for cross tires and brake calipers that support a wider tire. Also, most road bikes I wouldn't consider hardy enough for cross use.

On a cyclo-corss bike you just need to swap the tires or wheelset and go. A different wheelset is most desirable because you will probably want to run different gearing on the road but its not required. Also, as you train more on the road you may need to want to consider different gearing in the front also. There are other factors in play such as bottom bracket height and geometry that lead people to buy one cross bike and one road bike but all things considered you want a cross bike if you plan on riding both terrain on one bike.

Some retailer that specialize in rack sell replacement keys. Do a web search for "thule replacement key" and you will find them.

Maybe. Many calipers will support a 32c tire but you can't inflate the tire until its fitted past the caliper. I can't even fit a 25c past my SRAM calipers. Also something to consider is if there is clearance on the frame and fork for a 32c tire.

I got a freebie and no it doesn't leak from the bottom. It is designed like a baby bottle and I didn't have those leak either so I guess it is fair to say it's good to go. I still prefer the CamelBak Podium bottle because they don't leak on either end but the clean bottle can't be beat especially if you use a protein blend for inride nutrition.

If your commuting the Keen Austin pedal shoe can't be beat.

Yes, it folds flat for storage.

The term "Better" is a subjective term. The fluid trainers use different technology to generate the resistance that is much more expensive to manufacturer therefore is costs more.

The question to ask is should I be looking for a magnetic or fluid resistance trainer.

There are a bunch of factors here but the fact is if your focus is building high-end power for competitive riding and anaerobic training you will want a fluid resistance trainer. The fluid resistance offers a progressive resistance curve that help the trainer respond better when doing power intervals without manual adjustments. You can't really ride any faster using fluid resistance that you can on the road. With a fluid trainer you can't just sit up and spin the pedals at low resistance, the higher the speed the higher the resistance.

Now if you are using the trainer for general fitness or for long steady tempo training with various cadence levels the magnetic trainer is probably right for your needs. As magnetic trainers become more expensive they generally include more manual resistance options to simulate climbs and power efforts. Fluid resistance does this automatically.

No, cleats are specific to the pedals you use so they are included with a pedal or available separately.

No, the Castelli Brillante Spaghetti Top does though. Also look at the Giordana line, it has several tops with integrated bra.

http://www.realcyclist.com/roadbike/search.html?mv_session_id=9XtuVMH2&aff=1&q=Brillante+Spaghetti+Top&x=0&y=0

Even though the compact frame measurments look funky Look sized them to reflect traditional frame geometry. So you probably want the same size as you are comfortable on now. If you don't know most likely the 53cm (Medium) frame will be a good fit for you. I highly reccommend calling Real Cyclist at (866) 995-7623 or using Live Chat to make sure you get the size you need. They do a good job with that.

No ICS on the carbon Antares.

The standard SRAM cassette body works. Not this one it only fits SRAM Red 10 speed cassettes.

Stans No Tubes Freeride Tubeless System is the only option I am aware of.

It certainly can be used for a motorcycle tire; but it is not ideal because this pump doesn't move much air and you would have to pump it hundreds of times to do the job.

It is a pair left and right, kind of a rip if you only have one arm.

No this derailleur is compatible with 10-speed Shimano cassettes and chains. If for a road bike you are going to want to look for Shimano Tourney FD-C050 'top pull' or FD-C051 'bottom pull or Shimano Altus derailleur, they are about $30. In this case I would recommend contacting your local bike shop.

FSA compact bars are measured from the center of the bar ends. So the bar would be 44cm from the center to center of the bar ends but compact bars are flare outward so the measurement at the bends (traditional measurement) will be shorter than the bar’s advertised size.

http://www.fullspeedahead.com/downloadfly.aspx?download=downloads/Tech_CompactBar.pdf

Yes, from the show it is drilled and tapped for standard rear rack or panniers.

No Gil, the SRAM cassettes only fit standard 10-speed hubs.

Look 3-hole mounting

Not technically. Eggbeater clips use two-hole spd mounting. There is a workaround though. If you can find the egg beater quattro cleat with 3-hole Look style mounting you can run your eggbeaters with a road shoe. I used this setup for awhile and it worked good.

This top cap is a compression system so it fits virtually any 1 1/8'' carbon steerer other materials too. Just insert it and screw down to compress, Wah-Lah.

The Continental Grand Prix 4000 tire is only available with a Kevlar folding bead. It looks like the spec now have been corrected to reflect that. This is the best tire I have ever used bar-none.

It's a 6 inch inseam. I have seen alot of women wearing these shorts this year with the pink waist rolled down for the low rise look.

Elise, Thank for defining what American fit meant, read belly.

While Pearl Izumi fits American sizes better in the chest and shoulders, their P.R.O. and Elite lines carried here on RealCyclist.com are not wait you want either. They are just as slim as an Italian maker you just would order a Large instead or XL.

You need a jersey that indicates a relaxed fit. Jerseys marketed as mountain bike jersey are typically looser in the torso. Try finding something from Twin Six, they are awesome for both road and mountain. Some better selection of jerseys for you can be found on the sister site HucknRoll.com.

This shoe is compatible with 3-hole road cleats only. These are found on Look, Time, Shimano SPD-sl and other standard road bike specific pedals. The cleats you probably bought that do not work are 2-hole (spd) cleats that are typically used on commuter bikes and mountain bikes.

To use this shoe you may have to buy different pedals such as the Look Keo or Shimano SPD-SL.

If you bought the shoes for spin class and they only have SPD “2-hole cleat” pedals you are going to want a different shoe such as the Sidi Vigo Spin Shoe.

In my opinion brand isn't really important anymore, even though the marketers would like you to think so. Get the bike you love and you won't be looking for replacement near as soon. Some brands such as Trek focus on ultra stiff bikes but are void of any personality on the road. Other like this Look 566 and Specialized Roubaix focus on smooth riding and which have a lot of character. Others focus on aerodynamics which are often stiffer and heavier but make up for it at speed. Then others focus on light weight such as Jamis and Scott. To be the happiest pick your price range and decide which level of components you like. Find 3 or 4 bikes in your range that you love; compare them and choose the one you like best. If you are anything like me avoid buying the bike that is the most bang for the buck if you’re already in love with it you probably won’t be. You'll just end up looking for a new bike sooner.

To answer the first question, the crank bros smart cleat is compatible with this shoe.

Whether it's blasphemy to use the smarty pedal on a road bike depends. If you use the bike for commuting then no way, but in that case you wouldn't want these shoes, you'd want something you could walk around in.

On the other hand using the Smarty on a performance road bike for fast training and/or group rides will get you instantly marked as a Fred by fellow cyclists.

Yes, but since you don't have a Shimano crankset now you will need replace the bottom bracket with the BB-6700 as well.

It certainly sounds like you need a new chain. The PC-48 is an 8-speed SRAM Chain. If you need a new one the best bet for this is your local bike shop. If you want a chain that last a bit longer you can also use the PC 58 or PC 68 chains too.

Clew, I have been using this on cool road rides, wet commutes, and off road. It suits off-road riding well in my opinion because the material is durable unlike thin nylon-ish rain coats. It doesn't get snagged with burrs and thorns which is a big deal riding in the mid-west and best of all you can wash the mud off without worrying about damaging the jacket. Other jackets I have had were not the same after a muddy ride this jacket comes out the wash just like new.

No visor is available for the Stylus. The weight is 9.5 oz; 275 grams.

It seems current trend for inseam is about 9.5 inches. Pearl Izumi uses 9 inches for the most part. These Descente shorts are 9.5 inches which makes them technically a little longer than Pearl but not much. If you like the longer shorts I recommend Louis Garneau, they have shorts with 11 inch inseams with cuffs that have excellent compression characteristics.

These to will play together even though Shimano chart shows otherwise. My local mechanics says there are minor changes in the 7900 chain and shifters, so shifting may not be as good as with the entire 7900 group. But most people seem to believe the 7800 is smoother shifting than 7900, so why not just find and buy a 7800 series crankset. Not to mention the 7800 cranks are dead sexy.

Ralph, the first quetion you want to ask yourself is how do I use my bike? If you use it for commuting or getting around town and need a shoe you can walk in off the bike you want a 2-hole cleat shoe and some spd pedals. If you are all about performance, go with a 3-hole spd-sl, look style cleat. Some shoes support both 2 and 3-hole cleats but usually they are not good commuter shoes.

That Trek's BB90 bottom bracket bearings. You will need to contact your Trek dealer to buy and install (they are press fit) the SRAM compatible bearings. I don't think they offer ceramic, but if it is a must I know the pros use BB90 ceramic bearing available from Enduro (http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id284.html), F1ceramic.com, and vcrcbike.com.

Bell North America has pretty good customer service, you can call them and request replacement pads if something were to happen during the warranty period.

You can also by replacement pads through a local Bell dealer or online, search Bell Replacement Pads.

I am 6' with 34'' inseam and have the XL size (57cm). After having my fit setup I swapped to a 110mm stem from 120 and nudged up the seat about 1cm, effectively shortening up by 2cms total. While both will work you would best fit the 55cm. If you end up with the 566 you will be happy. This bike has more character and soul than you would believe, something brands like Trek have lost sight of.

Well... I would just get a new set of cleats, if yours are over a year old you probably want new cleats anyways. I always keep the cleat screws after replacing my cleats because I have lost one or two before, and I keep a spare in the bag. Ask a few of your friends they probably have an old one.

Terry, I am a huge fan of Pearl Izumi active wear because the sizing is consistent with American sizing. So if wear a medium shirt you probably wear a medium jersey. I also like Pearl because the garments are accurate to their sizing chart and fit similarly across the line. If you are unsure in the size to order use the sizing chart, you can be confident in that.

No problem, this CS-6700 cassette and any (except 7800) Shimano 10 speed cassette and even SRAM 10 speed cassettes will work great.

Don't buy a Shimano Dura Ace 7800 cassette because it won't fit your wheels, it has an entirely worthless Dura-ace proprietary hub design.

SRAM makes a 42t chainring to fit 130bcd cranksets.

Your best bet is your local bike shop. According the Shimano tech spec (linked below) the part number for just the shoe fixing bolt is Y-8A0 98030. But it is probably easier to buy a new set of shoes that included the holders and fixing bolts.

http://techdocs.shimano.com/media/techdocs/content/cycle/EV/bikecomponents/BR/EV-BR-7800-2249A_v1_m56577569830609052.pdf

To build on what Cory sent, I have found the Hincapie clothing is accurate to the sizing chart and consistant across the product lines which is good.

No, these will not fit you Diadora's. Only some Diadora's have removable heel pads and those that do are screwed on from the sole side of the shoe. You will need to find a Diadora replacement.

This tubes have 48mm stems, so not they will be too short for your wheels unless you use an extender. In fact, I am not aware of any tubes that have a stem long enough for a 60mm deep section wheel without using valve extenders.

This is an good option for entry level racing because it is strong and light. They can be used daily too if needed so if your racing progresses and you decide to make the leap to some aero carbons or lightweight wheels you have an excellant everyday wheel. The Easton's are built just perfect and will be reliable day after day. Clinchers are the best choice when using the same wheel for training and racing. Easton doesn't use a proprietary spoke or nipple so if you were ever to have a problem it can be fixed by just about anyone. If the budget is tight and you aren't a slave to labels the Williams Cycling System 19 and 30 are also good options.

These are the 2009 model which is a tubular only rim.

Yes, most Sidi's come in the Regular and the Mega (Wide), and also Narrow width options. The mega has about 3mm of extra width and a roomier toe box supporting a high-volume foot better, but also has a wider heel cup. Also with sidi's the half sizes are the same lenth and width as the whole size so if you have a higher volume than average you may want to step up to the half size.

If you know what size you are in a Pearl Izumi womans glove simply size on down in the mens and you will have the exact same fit.

I have the older model of the same pump. I have had the same problem especially after I pump a shrader valve. I am usually able to restore function of the presta side by shoving a presta valve as deep as is will go and flipping the lever. I do this two or three times and it all of a sudden starts working again. Sometimes I have to us an older tube off the bike to really get it in there. If that doesn't work you may have to replace the head. I don't think pedros offers replacements, but Planet Bike has generic heads for $6 that are fairly universal and better than what came on your pump.

http://ecom1.planetbike.com/smallparts.html#pump%20parts

I can't venture to see the rational behind the design but I believe it will negatively affect the life of the shifters especially if you ride cross. According to shimano not much dirt gets up to the shifters and the mechanics are protected by the brake lever, but in real life when I do a group ride in drizzle or rain I get water, grime, sand, and dirt everywhere.

I tried these on at my LBS. The Slice was my primary short so I wanted to see how it's replacement faired. I have to say the fit is true to the slice. I noticed slight difference in the cut at the top of the short where the belly seems about 1/4 inch lower that my Slices and the back seemed about 1/4 inch taller. Overall I believe this is an improvement for an in the sadle fit. Chamois seemed the same and new gripper was nice.

No wheelbag is included. A set of SwissStop Carbon pads and a set of quick releases is included.

Generic skewer sets can be considered interchangeable between mountain and road setups. While most MTB rear hubs are 135mm and Road hubs are 130mm, there is enough extra thread length in the skewer for the 5mm difference.

I understand the Look has rectified this issue but a recall wouldn't be issued because it poses no safety concern. All new pedal sets are shipping with a modified rubber seal but many dealers still have inventory of some with stiff seals.

In my experience, Realcyclist is great with returns and exchanges and has sent me exchanges with no cost to me. So if you find yourself with a stiff pedal you won't be stuck with it like you are with ebay or other online retailers.

Brushed fleece arm-warmers such as these are perfect for spring and fall rides. They are also great for mornings because you can roll them down and then take them off easily as the day warms up.

The copy for this product needs updated. The Limited Edition Roubaix arm warmer uses the same Super Roubaix insulated material and then adds a water and wind resistant Element4 fabric on the top. Here are the material description form Capo.

Element4: Multi-layer fabric combining 100% breathability, all-way stretch, minimal weight and both wind and water protection

Super Roubaix: The standard in lightweight, form-fitting, insulating fabrics

There is not a lot of slope in this frameset. The effective (virtual) top tube on the 58cm Avant is 58.7cm. Combine that with the 60.5cm effective seat tube and you could expect this bike to fit more like a traditional 59cm than a 58cm with just a bit more stand over clearance.

For all intents and purposes the 1070 and the 6700 cassettes are very similar. I run SRAM shifters and have a variety of 1070 cassettes. Last fall I bought a Shimano 6700 cassette in 11-28 for hilly rides. In the end I ended up just buying another OG-1070 in 11-28 this year. Things I noticed
a) I change out cassettes often, if I swap a 1070 for another 1070 everything works fine. When I swapped to a 6700 I had to change my derailleur high and low stops, which made this much more time consuming.
b) The 11-28 OG-1070 actually weighed a few grams less than the 6700.
c) Both seemed to shift equally as well. The 6700 actually made my drive train a bit quieter.

Yes, the arms fold down when not in use and the entire unit tilts away from vehicle for trunk, hatch or tailgate access.

These are truely Fred worthy wheels. Can't wait to see the dentist's and doctor's rolling on the bike path with these babies mated to their (-20) degree carbon stem mounted upside down.