Thanks Andy, great video!! For me, the bike fit is above everything else for comfort, the best equipment in the world will never compensate for a bad fit and the impact of a bad fit only gets magnified as the distances grow! For me, one of the most significant changes leading to more comfort was shorter cranks, I went from 172.5 to 165. I had a hip replacement about 15 years ago and while that went great, I would still get some residual soreness, especially after longer rides. I have now been on the shorter cranks for about 2 seasons. Not only did the shorter cranks completely fix the hip pain, they have also resulted in a better (smoother) pedaling motion with my right knee (side with the hip replacement) tracking much more inline vs. flaring out to the right when I pedal.
Yeah that's true to be honest, I'd say that's is most important yeah, I kinda skipped that as was talking parts but I know what you mean. Ive always used the standard 172.5's probably wrong but thats what everyone gets on new bikes eh
I bought a Trek Domane al2 a year ago now after around 12 months on an electric decathlon est100 helped get me back into cycling after too many years away from it. I'd originally set my heart on a carbon bike from Ribble. But opted to support my local bike shop which sold Trek predominantly. I also liked the lifetime frame warranty over the two years from Ribble. But knew full well the difference between carbon and alloy. So tyre pressure was at the forefront of my mind... correct tyre pressure And yes within a short amount of time I'd purchased both the redshift stem and seat post. Road buzz..... What road buzz? Extra weight I offset with a tpu/tyre change over the stock to keep the original weight. Highly recommend Beautiful bike to ride now
Another quiet masterpiece, Andy! ... When New Bike Time rolls around, I am definitely looking to put a Brooks C17 Carved on it. And I'm sold on the Castelli Arenberg gloves.
That was interesting, Andy. Thanks for that. I'll be checking out a few of the things you recommended. Enjoy your holiday - looking forward to the "theory videos".
Great video Andy. I like the short straight to the point format. Not every video needs to include a ride. I can also recommend the Redshift stems. I'm also a fan of the Ergon and Cane Creek seat posts (I've not tried the Redshift). For anyone in the market, make sure you have enough exposed seatpost for the one you have in mind. The Ergon needs the most.
Great video Andy. Thanks. I also ride the same tyres but 32mm at around 45 - 550psi. I found them great when I rode the PCR this year - even over very rough gravel. Keep up the great content!
I've got the Redshift seatpost, and tuned it with pretty high preload. I got used to it quickly, although when I'm pushing hard at low cadence, I do notice it bobbing. It lets me plow through small bumps that I'd need to unweight the saddle for otherwise, and when I'm exhausted, that makes a surprisingly big difference.
There's a few things that you left out for comfort upgrades. If using cable actuated brakes (rim or disc) compressionless housing helps. If you're using disc brakes increasing the size of the rotors from 140mm to 160 or even better still 180mm the force needed to stop will decrease. Any cables should have misdleburn cable oilers as cable friction adds up to increased effort. Shorter cranks are your friend as they're going to reduce the likelihood of knee strain. Lower gearing is also a good idea (chainring and/or cassette works) but gear the bike so that it works for me power output that you can sustain. It's also worth considering that the bike is geared to be able keep you in a sustainable zone 2 effort on steep climbs. If buying a new seat titanium rails are going to have a bit more flex than steel - it's not just weight saving. For road a suspension stem is a great idea but for gravel consider getting a bike with a suspension fork. There's a reason why virtually all MTB's have at least a suspension fork. Once upon a time 60mm was considered "long travel" for mountain bike forks - xc racers now use 100mm+ because it's faster and more comfortable while offering greater control. If selecting a new frame for road or gravel a longer wheelbase and slacker angles is going to ride smoother. The slacker the head tube angle and the greater the fork rake the greater the deflection regarding bumps. Wider tires are definitely worth considering and recommended for ultra endurance stuff. The speed cost between a skinnier and wider tire is less than most realize. Just going off of rolling friction (ignoring aero) the speed cost between a 23mm and a 51mm tire (assuming fast smooth tread and similar construction) over 25mi/40km is 40 seconds. For xc mountain biking the fastest rolling tires are about 2.3-2.4". The speed penalty of a fast rolling wide tire is minor. As for shoes - as someone with narrow feet i strongly disagree with you. Shoes can absolutely be too wide. My "narrow" sidis are barely passable as they're too wide for my feet. Custom bike shoes are available but $$$. If youve tried a bunch of different shoes and you're struggling to find anything that will work properly for you consider paying the $.
Some great points I had the redshift stem on my gravel bike I sold the bike but I did love the stemI just bought a steel all road bike. I’m excited to get it, they are setting me up with a brooks B17 leather saddle so I will have to brake it in. Also I can’t wait to get it and throw my GP 5000 all seasons on it in 35 c that should be comfy. From what I’ve seen the rolling resistance doesn’t start to drop tell 32 and above so I think you are still damn near optimal form that plus you will gain a ton in freshness from the squish and save stoppage time and discomfort ❤
@@theroadprovides I hope so Andy, can’t wait to get her the builder ordered the crankset today, that should be the last piece of the puzzle, I kinda lucked into it, it’s a custom frame he built for a bike expo and it fit me, so great working with the builder, I got to swap out the crank to get cranklength and chainring size I wanted, swap the cassette, he used the measurements he grabbed for me to pick the right stem, and then let me swap out the saddle, not only did I get a discount but I also don’t have to wait for the build
@@theroadprovides it’s painted ai didn’t get to pick it but is a really nice blue with pink flowers on the head tube I will make a video on the bike when it get here probably be in two weeks
I've got the C17 but without padded shorts it's too uncomfortable. I do have one B17 broken in but still need to toughen up my butt to be able to ride without chamois. I bought some triathlon shorts which has a thin chamois and was used by a guy who did the tour divide with an infinity saddle on his hardtail bike and had no problems with saddle sores. I'm a tall guy at 203lbs and ride an XL surly steel bike so not very light weight.
Ah I see, I’m planning to start doing that actually just haven’t worked out exactly how to do it well, is zoom decent enough for TH-cam? I’d like to do a kinda podcast series
@@theroadprovides Check out the one I did with the CEO of Lauf cycles a while back. Zoom records the video in fine quality and changes the picture to whoever is talking. And you can upload it right to youtube. Super easy. I'm doing one tomorrow with a guy that is going to race Worlds UCI gravel, talking about his bike setup and team tactics.
One thing I always wondered about your setup... the Mason is Aluminium, do you ever wish you were on a carbon bike for these rides? Liking the theory videos and super interesting to learn about the finer points, so keen for more of these.
I have considered it yeah but mostly for weight, I'd love to be lighter... but then the definition is so comfy it's hard to know where to go next mate but I think I'd like a new frame for next year somehow
@@theroadprovides I really like the look of the Time ADHX - it’s absolutely gorgeous and seems perfect for the job. Have been heavily considering building one next year to start to get into longer rides.
Hey Andy, loving the content, one question: do you use prescription glasses when riding? Do they cause you any neck pain after a long ride? (When trying to look forwards) Any advice on that? Cheers and enjoy your time off!
For me the optical inserts from Ekoi worked. It's nice you send them your prescription and they make them together with the glasses, no need to find your own optician for the inserts. They were cheap as well - 125EUR for both sunglasses and inserts.
Sved Optical make prescription inserts for a huge variety of glasses. I've got a weird prescription that most first-party manufacturers won't make, but I have these inserts for my Sutros that fit onto the nosepiece. The field of view of the insert isn't as wide as the whole lens, but great for getting prescription into any glasses
If you spend a lot of time on the tops + bottom of the drops, have you looked at redshift's cruise control grips? I'm quite interested in the drop grips, I like the drops position but I find my hands get tired quickly. Also how do you find the suspension stem when in the aero bars? I heard that the one pivot point of the redshift stem meant that the feel of the suspension changed significantly depending on whether you're in the drops/hoods/aero bars? Have a great holiday!
Hey, I have a 54 and I'm just over 6ft. If you're interested in Mason, I'd go to the barn as they will give you a bike to test, I had a 56 on order so very glad I went to test a 54
@@theroadprovides Thanks, Andy. Lots of great info on your channel. I’m 64 and hopeful to do my 1st century on or around my 65th birthday. Need all the pointers I can get.
Riding/running/swimming all day long is not comfortable. You will suffer, but strangly for some people, after a while it doesn't get much worse. So they can put down some crazy performances.
Bikes setups for ultra distance are converging! Nice video and comfy rig.
Love my Cambium C17 and Redshift stem. Both game changers on my touring bike for long distances
We are in agreement then 😁
Should look at the infinity saddles as they are the saddle of choice for the race across America race and is also used on the tour divide race.
Thanks, I think they’re crazy expensive though?
Thanks Andy, great video!! For me, the bike fit is above everything else for comfort, the best equipment in the world will never compensate for a bad fit and the impact of a bad fit only gets magnified as the distances grow!
For me, one of the most significant changes leading to more comfort was shorter cranks, I went from 172.5 to 165. I had a hip replacement about 15 years ago and while that went great, I would still get some residual soreness, especially after longer rides. I have now been on the shorter cranks for about 2 seasons. Not only did the shorter cranks completely fix the hip pain, they have also resulted in a better (smoother) pedaling motion with my right knee (side with the hip replacement) tracking much more inline vs. flaring out to the right when I pedal.
Yeah that's true to be honest, I'd say that's is most important yeah, I kinda skipped that as was talking parts but I know what you mean. Ive always used the standard 172.5's probably wrong but thats what everyone gets on new bikes eh
I bought a Trek Domane al2 a year ago now after around 12 months on an electric decathlon est100 helped get me back into cycling after too many years away from it.
I'd originally set my heart on a carbon bike from Ribble. But opted to support my local bike shop which sold Trek predominantly.
I also liked the lifetime frame warranty over the two years from Ribble. But knew full well the difference between carbon and alloy.
So tyre pressure was at the forefront of my mind... correct tyre pressure
And yes within a short amount of time I'd purchased both the redshift stem and seat post. Road buzz..... What road buzz?
Extra weight I offset with a tpu/tyre change over the stock to keep the original weight.
Highly recommend
Beautiful bike to ride now
That does sound pretty comfy, and the redshift is a no brainer now
Another quiet masterpiece, Andy! ... When New Bike Time rolls around, I am definitely looking to put a Brooks C17 Carved on it. And I'm sold on the Castelli Arenberg gloves.
Hopefully they work out comfy for you mate 😁
That was interesting, Andy. Thanks for that. I'll be checking out a few of the things you recommended.
Enjoy your holiday - looking forward to the "theory videos".
Cheers buddy :) hope you’re all good
Great video Andy. I like the short straight to the point format. Not every video needs to include a ride.
I can also recommend the Redshift stems. I'm also a fan of the Ergon and Cane Creek seat posts (I've not tried the Redshift). For anyone in the market, make sure you have enough exposed seatpost for the one you have in mind. The Ergon needs the most.
Thanks, usually while I'm riding is when I have the time to film, 2 birds 1 stone etc
Great video Andy. Thanks. I also ride the same tyres but 32mm at around 45 - 550psi. I found them great when I rode the PCR this year - even over very rough gravel. Keep up the great content!
Cheers buddy 😁
I've got the Redshift seatpost, and tuned it with pretty high preload. I got used to it quickly, although when I'm pushing hard at low cadence, I do notice it bobbing. It lets me plow through small bumps that I'd need to unweight the saddle for otherwise, and when I'm exhausted, that makes a surprisingly big difference.
Maybe I should try tweak it more then in case there’s room for more firmness. It’s a great product though, I’ll be using it more for off-road I expect
There's a few things that you left out for comfort upgrades. If using cable actuated brakes (rim or disc) compressionless housing helps. If you're using disc brakes increasing the size of the rotors from 140mm to 160 or even better still 180mm the force needed to stop will decrease. Any cables should have misdleburn cable oilers as cable friction adds up to increased effort. Shorter cranks are your friend as they're going to reduce the likelihood of knee strain. Lower gearing is also a good idea (chainring and/or cassette works) but gear the bike so that it works for me power output that you can sustain. It's also worth considering that the bike is geared to be able keep you in a sustainable zone 2 effort on steep climbs. If buying a new seat titanium rails are going to have a bit more flex than steel - it's not just weight saving. For road a suspension stem is a great idea but for gravel consider getting a bike with a suspension fork. There's a reason why virtually all MTB's have at least a suspension fork. Once upon a time 60mm was considered "long travel" for mountain bike forks - xc racers now use 100mm+ because it's faster and more comfortable while offering greater control. If selecting a new frame for road or gravel a longer wheelbase and slacker angles is going to ride smoother. The slacker the head tube angle and the greater the fork rake the greater the deflection regarding bumps. Wider tires are definitely worth considering and recommended for ultra endurance stuff. The speed cost between a skinnier and wider tire is less than most realize. Just going off of rolling friction (ignoring aero) the speed cost between a 23mm and a 51mm tire (assuming fast smooth tread and similar construction) over 25mi/40km is 40 seconds. For xc mountain biking the fastest rolling tires are about 2.3-2.4". The speed penalty of a fast rolling wide tire is minor. As for shoes - as someone with narrow feet i strongly disagree with you. Shoes can absolutely be too wide. My "narrow" sidis are barely passable as they're too wide for my feet. Custom bike shoes are available but $$$. If youve tried a bunch of different shoes and you're struggling to find anything that will work properly for you consider paying the $.
Thanks for chipping in mate 😁
cheers Andy..it's always all about the comfort! enjoy the break, format works fine for me :)
cheers buddy
Perfect timing Andy, thank you.
Great info, Andy. Thanks so much.
Some great points I had the redshift stem on my gravel bike I sold the bike but I did love the stemI just bought a steel all road bike. I’m excited to get it, they are setting me up with a brooks B17 leather saddle so I will have to brake it in. Also I can’t wait to get it and throw my GP 5000 all seasons on it in 35 c that should be comfy. From what I’ve seen the rolling resistance doesn’t start to drop tell 32 and above so I think you are still damn near optimal form that plus you will gain a ton in freshness from the squish and save stoppage time and discomfort ❤
Cheers buddy sounds like your new bike will be comfy as hell too
@@theroadprovides I hope so Andy, can’t wait to get her the builder ordered the crankset today, that should be the last piece of the puzzle, I kinda lucked into it, it’s a custom frame he built for a bike expo and it fit me, so great working with the builder, I got to swap out the crank to get cranklength and chainring size I wanted, swap the cassette, he used the measurements he grabbed for me to pick the right stem, and then let me swap out the saddle, not only did I get a discount but I also don’t have to wait for the build
That’s really cool mate, will it be painted or left steel??
@@theroadprovides it’s painted ai didn’t get to pick it but is a really nice blue with pink flowers on the head tube I will make a video on the bike when it get here probably be in two weeks
Sounds really nice mate I’ll keep my eyes peeled for that then
Cleat type can be important too
Great video. Thanks for the tips and tricks. 👍
No problem 👍
Enjoy your holiday 🙂
Great insights, Andy, thanks for sharing.
thanks for watching bud
Great video. Enjoy your time off!
thanks buddy
Nice one Andy 👊
Great stuff as always Andy 👍🏼
Great video, Heard about red shift but probably need to invest in one. Happy holidays mate😊
I'd defo recommend them mate, cheers :)
Many gravel riders who also do lot of tarmac use much wider tires. Some have very low rolling resistance.
I've got the C17 but without padded shorts it's too uncomfortable. I do have one B17 broken in but still need to toughen up my butt to be able to ride without chamois. I bought some triathlon shorts which has a thin chamois and was used by a guy who did the tour divide with an infinity saddle on his hardtail bike and had no problems with saddle sores. I'm a tall guy at 203lbs and ride an XL surly steel bike so not very light weight.
I just always use padded bibs
You and I should do a collab video. Differences biking in Texas vs U.K. or something like that. 😊
Ive never done a slab, how does it work??
@@theroadprovides Zoom call where we interview each other and talk about our history, goals, and gear. People love that stuff.
Ah I see, I’m planning to start doing that actually just haven’t worked out exactly how to do it well, is zoom decent enough for TH-cam? I’d like to do a kinda podcast series
@@theroadprovides Check out the one I did with the CEO of Lauf cycles a while back. Zoom records the video in fine quality and changes the picture to whoever is talking. And you can upload it right to youtube. Super easy. I'm doing one tomorrow with a guy that is going to race Worlds UCI gravel, talking about his bike setup and team tactics.
Awesome I’ll give one a watch while I’m away to get ready 😁
One thing I always wondered about your setup... the Mason is Aluminium, do you ever wish you were on a carbon bike for these rides? Liking the theory videos and super interesting to learn about the finer points, so keen for more of these.
I have considered it yeah but mostly for weight, I'd love to be lighter... but then the definition is so comfy it's hard to know where to go next mate but I think I'd like a new frame for next year somehow
@@theroadprovides I really like the look of the Time ADHX - it’s absolutely gorgeous and seems perfect for the job. Have been heavily considering building one next year to start to get into longer rides.
It does look really nice actually
Thanks Andy, picked up some interesting ideas there. What are your thoughts on carbon rims for more comfortable endurance road cycling?
Hey, my thoughts are; I want some but can't afford them right now haha
Hey Andy, loving the content, one question: do you use prescription glasses when riding? Do they cause you any neck pain after a long ride? (When trying to look forwards) Any advice on that?
Cheers and enjoy your time off!
For me the optical inserts from Ekoi worked. It's nice you send them your prescription and they make them together with the glasses, no need to find your own optician for the inserts. They were cheap as well - 125EUR for both sunglasses and inserts.
@@janstrecha6442 I'm gonna look into it, thanks!
Hey, I use prescription glasses and just use my regular glasses at night. I'm used to that and works for me
Sved Optical make prescription inserts for a huge variety of glasses. I've got a weird prescription that most first-party manufacturers won't make, but I have these inserts for my Sutros that fit onto the nosepiece. The field of view of the insert isn't as wide as the whole lens, but great for getting prescription into any glasses
If you spend a lot of time on the tops + bottom of the drops, have you looked at redshift's cruise control grips? I'm quite interested in the drop grips, I like the drops position but I find my hands get tired quickly. Also how do you find the suspension stem when in the aero bars? I heard that the one pivot point of the redshift stem meant that the feel of the suspension changed significantly depending on whether you're in the drops/hoods/aero bars?
Have a great holiday!
Hey, I haven't seen those grips actually I'll check them out :) the stem on the aero bars works well for me mate, I've been using it a while now
@@theroadprovides Good to know, I thought the stem might be a bit bouncy with aero bars.
Not in my case mate 😁
Redshift stem ✅ Ergon post ✅ Brooks saddle ✅ 30mm + tyres ✅ style and ability ❌ 😩😂 Have a great holiday. 👍
What bag are you using between your aerobars?
Hey, that’s from redshift, it’s for their kitchen sink bars
Hi Andy, Interested in the choice of frame size and was wondering how tall you are and how this factors in to your choice of size.
Hey, I have a 54 and I'm just over 6ft. If you're interested in Mason, I'd go to the barn as they will give you a bike to test, I had a 56 on order so very glad I went to test a 54
@@theroadprovides Thanks, reason I asked was that I am 6ft 1"and have a short torso. Unfortunately I live in Scotland
Ah I see, I’d just do extra checking then, I was surprised how long the 56 felt
Is your wheelset carbon and are you tubeless?
Hey, no and no, I'd love carbon but have to prioritise cost sadly. I chose against tubeless after testing that for a while.
@@theroadprovides Thanks, Andy. Lots of great info on your channel. I’m 64 and hopeful to do my 1st century on or around my 65th birthday. Need all the pointers I can get.
Ah you’ll be fine bud, did you see my how to ride a century video?
@@theroadprovides Yes. Great information. Keep those videos coming. Grace & Peace
Did you experience any burning sensation in feet espichaly Metatarsalgia hurt?
Hey, no burning myself no
What height are you please, Andy? For that 54 frame.
Hey, a tad over 6ft, like 6ft 0.5in
@@theroadprovides That's interesting . I am 5ft 10 & ride a 56 Trek which feels more comfortable than my 54 Bianchi.
I think the size can be misleading from brand to brand which is confusing
Riding/running/swimming all day long is not comfortable. You will suffer, but strangly for some people, after a while it doesn't get much worse. So they can put down some crazy performances.