Romain Pellerin's Blog - Bikes

Comment Changer Une Guidoline

Romain Pellerin — Fri, 16 May 2025 11:00:00 +0200

Tips

Commencer par le bas des cocottes, de l'extérieur vers l'intérieur du guidon par le haut (comment montré dans la vidéo).
Attention au sens de la guidoline s'il y a le logo de la marque. Souvent il y a un sens pour que le logo soit visible à chaque tour autour du guidon.

À gauche : mal fait. À droite : bien fait, dans le bon sens, logo visible.

The Headset of Carbon Bikes

Romain Pellerin — Mon, 05 May 2025 23:30:00 +0200

Installing a headset on a carbon road bike can be tricky. Or simply fixing some play and re-aligning the handlebar. So here are some useful tricks that I recently learned while removing play on my own carbon bike.

First things first, pretty much everything is summed up in this video below:

Now, a couple of things to consider:

A steerer tube means pivot de fourche in French (that one is a reminder for my future self)
The headset bearings are preloaded (adjusted) by tightening a top cap bolt that pulls upwards on an anchor inside the steerer tube (either a star nut for metal steerers or an expansion/compression plug for carbon steerers). This is what prevents play.
In addition to helping preload the headset bearings, a compression plug serves to counter the tension from the stem bolts on the steerer tube. In other words, it "reinforces" the carbon steerer tube against the stem's clamping force.
When uninstalling a headset, start by unscrewing the top cap, then the 2 stem bolts, and finally the compression plug, that is hidden inside the steerer tube
When reinstalling everything, start by tightening the compression plug, then the top cap on top of it, and finally the 2 stem bolts.
The max torque to apply to each bolt is usually written on the components themselves. If not, manufacturers usually provide online documentation. For my 2019 Cube Attain GTC Pro, they are not written on the components, but I found this PDF. It does not 100% match my bike but here are the forces I've applied:
- Compression plug: 6 Nm. When asking Gemini, it recommends 5 to 8 Nm. In the PDF above-mentioned, under Others > Aheadset - Conical clamp I see 7-8 Nm.
- Top cap: 6 Nm. In the PDF, there is no mention of that.
- Stem bolts: 5.5 Nm. Gemini recommends 4 to 6 Nm. In the PDF, under Stem > Syntace > Fork I get a few numbers, but 8 Nm is the smallest maximum torque.

That's it!

Tips for Canyon Speedmax Bikes

Romain Pellerin — Mon, 24 Mar 2025 23:00:00 +0100

This article applies to most Speedmax bikes, but is based on the Canyon Speedmax CF 7 Di2.

General tips

The official Canyon cockpit mount for bike computers cannot be mounted on the Speedmax, as it needs to be screwed in two holes. The only hole present in the cockpit is for the hydration system. A bike computer mount is also already present on the hydration system. Therefore, without the hydration system installed, a generic bike computer mount can be installed on the aero bars instead:
- Time Trial/Tri Bar Mount from Garmin
- ZIPP QuickView TT Computer Mount for Garmin Edge
The small plastic part between the two screws for the bottle holder is the cable holder. It prevents the brake line from rattling inside the frame. It should be left as it is, no need to cover it.
To install a bidon holder behind the saddle, there are two options:
- The expensive official one
- The homemade 3D printed one
The wheel tightening lever can be left permanently on one of the wheels (front one is my recommendation, if it falls you'll most likely hear it). Just push hard enough until it clicks.
The bike comes with tubes installed, not tubeless.
The 4 rubber plugs: 3 should go to the back of the seat post. One is spare, it can go underneath the handlebar in the middle, there's the hole for the hydration system that can be filled. The Canyon Support said this hole does not necessarily have to be sealed though. Canyon also suggests to use the plugs for the holes of the bottle cages, if unused.
The Shimano Adjustment Gauge (made of cardboard, see photo below) for RD-D7100/R7150 RX820 is meant to set the correct distance between the rear derailleur's guide pulley and the largest cog on the cassette.
The two wedges that say "Inner Dia. 20.5-22.5" are spart parts of the DURA-ACE Dual Control Lever (ST-R9180), that go between the brakes and the handlebar. They are of no use when assembling the bike. Canyon was not able to tell me what to use them for.
Shimanoo tools TL-EW300 and TL-EW02: they are needed to connect/disconnect Di2 cables (at the cockpit/aero bars, or at the rear derailleur). TL-EW300 for EW-SD300 wires (new generation of cables), TL-EW02 for EW-SD50 wires (old generation of cables).
The T6 Torx screwdriver was not needed during assembly. It might be required to service the bike and change some parts, I don't know. Canyon's support was not more knowledgeable about it, they only mentioned "to tweak some small screws securing Di2 junction boxes or electronic shifting cable covers or other compatible screws".
The chain comes pre-greased with standard grease, no need to degrease+grease again. I asked Canyon's support about this:

Your bike should be ready to ride right out of the box, as Canyon typically preps the bike with the necessary lubricants and greases. However, it’s always a good idea to check the chain and drivetrain.

If the chain feels overly greasy or has excess lubrication on it, you can wipe it down with a clean cloth, but there should be no need to degrease and re-grease unless you want to ensure it's in perfect condition.

As long as you haven’t encountered any issues with shifting or the bike seems properly set up, you're good to go! Always double-check the brakes, tire pressure, and overall setup before riding.
The Di2 battery is located inside the down tube, it's attached to the frame through 2 screws under the down tube that should not be tightened more than 1 Nm. The battery can supposedly (I have not tried myself) but removed/accessed after removing a plastic cover that is under the bike, under the bottom bracket.
If you ever lose an o-ring (rubber seal) and can't find where it came from, it might be the ones that are positioned between the bento box and the top tube, around the two screws that link the two.

Reddit source for some of these questions.

Maximum torque recommendations

Although the max torque values if often written on the components, here is a value that is not:

The maximal torque for the 4 bolts that attach the handlebar to the Profile Design aerobars: 5 Nm max if M5 Diameter, 8 Nm if M6 Diameter (as I was told by the Canyon support)

Training For Triathlons

Romain Pellerin — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 21:33:00 +0100

2025 is the year I'll do my first half Ironman! Big year. Big ambition.

Up until now, the longest triathlon I ever participated in was a sprint-distance one in Berlin, in the last 2 years. Needless to say, I'm still a total noob about triathlon.

So I need to learn fast and train hard!

This article acts as my shopping list but also my diary, as I learn new things about triathlon. This article will serve anyone else with similar intentions. I'll keep updating this article over the next few months.

Tri bike vs road bike with aero bars

I've had aero bars on my road bike since last Summer. I bought them when I signed up for the Ironman. Initially, I was not planning on buying a tri bike. I simply wanted to adapt my road bike to a triathlon bike. Below are 3 of the best videos I found on the topic.

But now, as I am writing these lines, I am leaning towards buying a tri bike. Nothing is decided yet at this point, but I'm seriously considering it.

Gear for training

For this first half Ironman, I need to increase my weekly volume of cycling. Especially in winter, when the days are short and often rainy. I've used that excuse way too many times to remain indoors. So here is my shopping list, to bring my training to the next level:

Wahoo Kickr Core: 489.99 euros.
A tri bike: 3,999 euros. For races. And when not racing, for the home trainer. Still undecided about that...
The same cassette as the one on the tri bike: 49.99 euros. To put on the Wahoo Kickr Core.
A sweat net: 12.99 euros.
A subscription to Swift (paid) or MyWhoosh (free)

Inexpensive things you might already have at home

A yoga mat to put under the home trainer, so as to avoid noise and sweat stains on the floor
A fan
A small towel

DT Swiss wheels: buying guide

Romain Pellerin — Sat, 01 Mar 2025 01:14:00 +0100

I've had my bike for 5 years now, with the same factory wheels: a pair of Mavic Aksium. They are fairly good wheels, but they're entry-level and I've decided it was time for an upgrade.

For some reason, I've set my mind on DT Swiss. Don't ask why 😁. Also, I'm not yet ready for carbon wheels. They're pricey and they do not work well with rim brakes (which I use), especially in the wet.

I want wheels with a rim depth that is both suitable for flat terrain and mountains. In a few years, I might invest in wheels for flat/triathlon/time trial only (50mm+).

So here's my 2025 buying guide for DT Swiss wheels. Spoiler alert: I'm lazy, I've used Google Gemini a LOT, so some information might be incorrect.

Lines of wheels for road bikes

First things first, each model starts with a line name, and then contains a number. Like, "ARC 1100 DICUT".

Lower numbers typically signify higher-end wheels with premium components (like higher end hubs).

[source: Google Gemini]

Now, the lines. They are essentially three of interest to me: Aero, Performance and Endurance. The rest is for gravel, track, cross road or ebikes.

Aero (ARC/AR/A) is out of my league: they're almost all carbon (in ARC, C stands for Carbon), except the AR 1600 SPLINE and the A 1800 SPLINE. But they're both entry-level wheels, and for disc brakes. And even if I was considering the other carbon wheels for rim brakes, they are too expensive for me at this point. I don't want to spend more than 1,000 euros for the pair.

Performance (PRC/PR/P): this is the one that I'm the most interested in. Here, they're all made of aluminum, expect the "PRC 1400 SPLINE" wheelset. The 1600 and 1800 ones are considered entry-level, so all that's left of interest to me are the "PR 1400 DICUT OXiC". They come in 2 variants: 32mm rim height, or 21. I'd go with 32.

Endurance (ERC/ER/E): those are only for disc brakes. Also, they prioritize comfort, stability, and durability on long rides and are compatible with wider tires, unlike the performance line. As a result, they're usually heavier than the performance ones. Not what I'm looking for.

Additional Indicators

"C" indicates a carbon rim (like in "ARC 1100 DICUT")
"OXiC" indicates a ceramic rim braking surface, see below
"DB" indicates disc brake compatibility (like in "ARC 1100 DICUT DB")
DICUT/SPLINE indicates specific wheel technologies and spoke types, see below

OXiC

OXiC is a special ceramic coating that DT Swiss applies to the rims of some of their wheels. It's not just for looks (though it does give a cool matte black finish!) - it has some serious performance benefits:

Super Braking Power: OXiC makes rim brakes work incredibly well, even when the rims are wet. This means you get consistent and reliable stopping power in all kinds of weather.

Tough as Nails: The ceramic coating is really hard, so it resists wear and tear much better than a regular aluminum rim. This makes the wheels last longer.

Think of it like a super-durable, high-performance brake pad for your rims. It's a technology that makes DT Swiss wheels with rim brakes perform better and last longer.

You'll usually see OXiC on their higher-end aluminum wheels, like the PR 1400 DICUT OXiC series.

Do I need special brake pads for OXiC wheels?

Yes, you absolutely need special brake pads for DT Swiss wheels with the OXiC ceramic coating. Standard brake pads designed for regular aluminum rims will wear down the OXiC coating prematurely and won't provide optimal braking performance.

DT Swiss recommends using brake pads specifically designed for ceramic coated rims. These pads are made from a softer compound that's gentler on the OXiC coating while still providing excellent braking power. Using the correct brake pads is crucial for maximizing the lifespan of your OXiC wheels and ensuring safe, reliable braking.

[source: Google Gemini]

Here is some additional information from DT Swiss themselves.

SPLINE/SPLINE

SPLINE:

This refers to a system-wide approach to wheel design. It emphasizes the integration of all wheel components (rims, hubs, spokes) for optimized performance.

SPLINE wheels are designed for a broad range of cycling disciplines, prioritizing a balance of performance, reliability, and durability.

It signifies the use of DT Swiss's engineering principles and technologies across various wheel levels.

It uses standard straight pull spokes.

DICUT:

This designates DT Swiss's high-end, performance-oriented wheel line.

DICUT wheels are specifically engineered for maximum aerodynamic efficiency and performance.

They often incorporate advanced technologies, such as optimized rim profiles and high-quality hub components.

DICUT wheels use custom "Nailhead" spokes.

DICUT is generally found on the highest end wheels.

Key Differences:

Performance Focus: DICUT wheels are more focused on top-tier performance, especially aerodynamics, while SPLINE wheels aim for a broader balance of performance and reliability.

Spoke type: Dicut wheels use a specific "nail head" spoke, where spline uses standard straight pull spokes.

Target Audience: DICUT wheels are typically geared towards competitive cyclists and those seeking the highest performance, whereas SPLINE wheels cater to a wider range of riders.

In essence, you can think of SPLINE as a foundation of quality engineering, and DICUT as a specialized, high-performance subset within that foundation.

[source: Google Gemini]

My choice: PR 1400 DICUT OXiC 32

So this is it. More of a default choice for lack of options, really. I found them at a very good price online: DT Swiss PR 1400 DICUT 32 OXiC - Wheelset - Clincher - RW Double Crossed - QR - black for 799,99 € (discount of 30% - RRP was 1.149,80 €).

"QR" stands for Quick Release. "RW Double Crossed" refers to the spoke lacing pattern on the rear wheel (RW). Double Crossed means that each spoke on the rear wheel crosses over two other spokes before reaching the rim. This is a common and strong lacing pattern for rear wheels, offering a good balance of strength, stiffness, and power transfer. It's particularly useful on the drive side of the rear wheel, where the forces are higher

[source: Google Gemini]

Let's go!! 🚴🚀

Récit d'une course inachevée

Romain Pellerin — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 18:00:00 +0200

Les conditions étaient presque toutes réunies pour une belle course. En ce dimanche 4 août 2024, hier donc, je participais pour la troisième fois à la course sur route VeloCity à Berlin : 100kms dans Berlin, avec une bonne partie en dehors de la ville, sur routes fermées, quelques milliers de participants, départ et arrivée au milieu du Tiergarten. Bref, une belle course en vue.

Au réveil, peu après 8h, il pleut. Peu certes, mais il pleut. Je regarde le radar de pluie, cela devrait bien s'arrêter. Le départ est prévu à 9h30. J'ai bien dormi, étonnemment, presque 8 heures de sommeil, aucun stress, je connais la course, c'est la troisième fois.

Petit déj copieux, pâtes pesto, flocons d'avoine et lait de soja, barres de céréales. Je pars de chez moi juste avant 9h, les poches arrières pleins de gels et barres énergétiques, et je rentre dans mon sas de départ à 9h25, pile à l'heure, sas B. La pluie a cessé mais la route est trempée, tant pis, c'est mieux que de se prendre une saucée. Je me remets juste du COVID (ou autre maladie similaire), le weekend d'avant j'ai eu de la fièvre pendant 3 jours et un maxi rhume, qui aura trainé jusqu'à 2 jours avant la course. Mais tout va bien je suis en forme, mon dernier gros ride test remonte à jeudi (3 jours plus tôt), plus de 60 kilomètres à 31.5 km/h de moyenne en solo.

Top! le départ est donné. Je suis pas encore hyper hyper dans la course mais ça vient. Principalement car j'ai vraiment aucun stress, je sais à quoi m'attendre. Je veux seulement améliorer mon temps de l'année dernière. Les premiers kilomètres passent, on sort de la ville et on rentre dans Grunewald, et moi je rentre dans ma course petit à petit. Je prends des roues, souvent les mêmes. On est nombreux. Je reste avec ceux de mon sas de départ, ça roule plutôt bien, plus de 40 km/h de moyenne sur le compteur, la course est bien lancée. Les jambes sont très bonnes, j'arrive à relancer et me replacer dans le peloton regulièrement, plutôt vers l'avant, c'est jamais bon d'être à l'arrière en cas de chute.

Je me fais la reflexion que je vois beaucoup de gens arrêtés sur le côté, en train de pomper ou démonter une roue. Alors qu'il n'y a qu'un sas qui est parti avant moi, donc pas beaucoup de gens. Je me dis que ça doit vraiment être relou quand même. Ça ne m'est jamais arrivé sur une course.

Km 15, en plein milieu de Grunewald, je suis au milieu de mon bunch. J'avais pour le moment plutôt roulé sur le côté du groupe, pas au milieu. Je me place au milieu, je sais pas trop pourquoi. Au bout de quelques mètres, je me dit que la sensation est étrange, comparé à quand j'étais sur le côté du groupe, une bonne impression de rouler moins vite, sûrement car moins de vent en direct sur moi. Au bout de quelques secondes, je décide quand même de check ma roue arrière, on sait jamais. Alors que je penche la tête, bonne grosse sensation de "déraper" de l'arrière train. Pas manqué, j'ai bien crevé de la roue arrière. S'il fallait un début à tout, voici ma première crevaison sur course.

Je décide donc de m'arrêter sur le côté, je fais signe aux autres et me décale progressivement, en securité, puis m'arrête. Je change la chambre à air en 13 minutes chrono, j'ai pris le soin de compter. J'ai bien vérifié dans mon pneu, rien trouvé de saillant. Je ne trouve pas de bout de verre ou truc piquant. La route étant trempée, tout est dégeulasse, plein d'hydrocarbures et autres saletés. Mes mains sont noires après la réparation, dégeus. Je rage intérieurement, mon entrain bien entamé. Je repars. Pas réussi à remettre plus de 4 bars (je pense), avec ma petite pompe, tant pis. Rapidement, je me fais à l'évidence : mon groupe est à des années lumières de moi, j'ai été rattrapé par le sas D, E voire même F, l'allure n'est pas la même (et l'allure des cyclistes et de leurs vélos non plus 😆). Je passe de suiveur à leader, je suis plus rapide que tout le monde, ça va être dur de prendre des roues, par contre les autres ne se privent pas de mon aspiration, ils auraient tord !

Je ne suis plus du tout dans la course, mais alors plus du tout. Je rage carrément. Je me dit que ça va revenir, je vais bien retrouver un groupe.

Dans la panique, après la réparation, j'ai mal refermé ma sacoche de selle. Au bout de 10 kms, quelqu'un me le fait remarquer. Complétement à l'ouest, j'oublie que je suis dans une course, je commence à freiner sans prévenir et me déporter sur le côté, on me le fait remarquer en me hurlant dessus à plus de 35 km/h, fair enough, c'est ma faute, sorry. Je m'arrête, referme la sacoche, remarque au passage que mon multitool s'est fait la malle, fuck va falloir en racheter un, je l'aimais bien, fait chier...

Ça repart. Là, autant dire que je ne suis plus du tout dans la course. Je subis et surtout je suis hors de moi. Bon allez oublie, les jambes sont hyper bonnes, j'appuie tant que je peux, je remonte beaucoup de gens, derrière moi ça ne suit pas, en même temps je suis avec des gens d'un tout autre niveau.

On sort de Grunewald et retourne dans une agglomération, au sud de Berlin. J'aperçois une poubelle, je jette à son pied ma chambre à air crevée que je me trimballais dans la main depuis tout à l'heure. Enfin ! Je pédale je pédale, à l'arrière c'est pas hyper gonflé je le sens mais ça roule... enfin je croyais. Au km 29, à nouveau une sensation cheloue à l'arrière, ça "bouge". Coup d'oeil, PUTAIN c'est encore crevé !!!

Nom de dieu, fait chier ! Je m'arrête et prends quelques secondes pour évaluer mes options. Rapidement j'arrive à la conclusion que c'est fini pour moi. DNF. Did not finish. Je n'ai plus de chambre à air, et je vais pas commencer à patcher ma chambre à air avec une rustine maintenant, avec l'état de la route, de mon vélo et de mes mains. Sur une course de 2h30, ça n'en vaut pas la peine. Sur un IronMan pourquoi pas mais là clairement... En plus, the fun is gone, j'ai plus aucun plaisir. Je rage de ouf, c'est tout.

Mon vélo, pneu arrière à plat, à côté du Nextbike qui m'emmènera au S-Bahn

Je suis loin du centre de Berlin, rentrer s'annonce compliqué. Je décide de me trouver un Nextbike et d'aller à la station de S-Bahn la plus proche. Alors que je suis sur mon Nextbike, une main sur le guidon, l'autre sur le guidon de mon vélo de route en train de le pousser, le coup de grâce arrive : troisième crevaison, le pneu avant de mon vélo de route est soudain à plat, aucune idée pourquoi. J'étais même pas sur le vélo bordel... 😂

Après avoir tout démonté ensuite à la maison, j'ai crevé à l'avant et à l'arrière à cause de morceaux de verre. Il semblerait qu'à l'arrière les 2 crevaisons étaient dus au même morceau, que je n'ai pas senti au doigt lors de ma rapide inspection sur le bord de la route, avant de remonter la nouvelle chambre. Dommage. Étonnant quand même, du verre dans Grunewald, une forêt...

Leçons tirées

Bon déjà, les pneus. Alors ok, peut-être que j'ai juste eu VRAIMENT pas de chance, peut-être que des nouveaux pneus n'auraient rien changé, mais quand même. Même si les miens étaient encore bons (les témoins d'usure étaient visibles et ok, même si pas tout neufs), les pneus avaient plus de 10,000 kms. J'ai hésité à les changer avant la course, j'ai vraiment failli le faire, puis je me suis dit que ça allait le faire. Oups. En 2022 pour l'Étape du Tour, j'avais changé les pneus. J'aurais du faire pareil là. D'ailleurs, c'est ces mêmes pneus de 2022 avec lesquelles j'ai roulé hier. À l'avenir, je changerai mes pneus avant chaque course. Je garderai les anciens en backup s'ils sont encore bons, on va pas gaspiller non plus.

Deuxième leçon : toujours avoir 2 chambres à air de rechange en course. Pareil, pour l'Étape du Tour j'en avais 2 à chaque fois. Là je sais pas pourquoi, j'y ai même pas pensé, je suis parti qu'avec une.

Ensuite, les cartouches de CO2. J'ai toujours vu ça comme du gaspillage, mais en course c'est quand même intéressant. Déjà car ça t'évite 1 ou 2 minutes de gonflage épuisantes, et ensuite car ça permet de remettre 7 bars ou plus en 3 secondes, ce qui est nettement mieux pour rouler vite. Et là pareil, prévoir 2 cartouches, pas 1... car 2 chambres à air... donc 2 cartouches... On n'oublie pas l'adapteur entre la chambre à air et la cartouche. Et on garde quand même les rustines et la mini pompe en plus pour les longues courses ou même dépanner des gens tout simplement, ça pèse rien.

Enfin, la dernière leçon, pour laquelle je ne suis pas encore 100% convaincu, c'est le sealant (le liquide préventif anti-crevaison). Je roule pas en tubeless car j'ai entendu assez d'histoires cauchemardesques de cyclistes sur route, cependant si j'avais un gravel je serais en tubeless. Bref, sur route, je roule en chambre à air, mais j'ai lu sur Reddit notamment qu'il est possible de mettre du préventif dedans avant une course, qui fonctionnera comme sur du tubeless en cas de petite crevaison, et viendra boucher le trou. Il faut que je creuse le sujet. J'ai aussi vu qu'il existe des bombes de mousse à injecter dans une chambre à air APRÈS une crevaison, qui 1. répare les petites crevaisons et 2. regonfle la chambre à air. Suffisant pour finir une course. Pareil, sujet à creuser, et à tester au moins une fois sur une sortie hors course lors d'une crevaison, pour vérifier que ça fonctionne. Je suis pas encore convaincu pour le moment, surtout parce que la bombe est grosse, je me vois mal me trimballer ça dans le jersey. Par contre, mettre du préventif dans la chambre à air avant course, ça me semble mieux.

Bref, encore plein d'apprentissages, journée riche en émotions. I'll be back.

Cycling and Being Vegetarian

Romain Pellerin — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 20:00:00 +0200

Let's face it: nutrition is not an easy topic. And it gets even harder when you're vegetarian and you like to exercise a little more than the average person.

I've read many articles, some good, some bad, but at the end of the day what I really want and need is a list of recipes for:

My everyday life, to remain fit, healthy, and maximize muscle recovery after my weekend rides.
Races: I'm never so sure what to eat on the days leading up to the race, during the race, and after.

So here goes. This article will cover some basics and give a couple of recipes.

Basics

Any cyclist (or athlete really) needs proteins and nutrients to perform well on the bike but also promote recovery.

First, vocabulary

Grains are the seeds of grasses. Examples include: wheat, corn, oats, and rice
Pulses are the seeds of legumes. Examples include: beans, peas, lentils, soybeans, peanuts, and chickpeas.
Nuts are the seeds of trees. Examples include: walnuts, hazelnuts, and pecans.

Proteins

As a vegetarian, proteins can be found in:

Dairy foods
Eggs
Nuts
Seeds
Beans
Lentils
Soya products (tofu, tempeh)
Wholegrains (such as bread, oats, pasta, rice and millet)
Quinoa

Only chia seeds, soya and quinoa have all 8 essential amino acids. (are there 8 or 9 essential amino acids?)

The solution is to combine different sources of proteins:

grains with pulses (céréales et légumineuses): rice/whole wheat pasta and black beans/kidney beans, rice and lentils
grains with dairy: muesli and milk, porridge (rolled oats (flocons d'avoine) and milk) - apparently (raw overnight oats are healthier than cooked oats)[https://simplyoatmeal.com/benefits-of-overnight-oats-vs-cooked-oats/]
soya with vegetables: tofu and vegetable stir-fry
grains or pulses with nuts
dairy or eggs with vegetables

Iron

The type of iron found in plants is less easy for your body to absorb than is the iron found in meat. However, you can increase the amount absorbed by eating a vitamin C-rich food (i.e. fruit, vegetables) at the same time as iron-rich foods. -- (source)

Good plant sources of iron include:

Wholegrains
Quinoa
Nuts
Seeds
Beans
Lentils
Leafy green vegetables: spinach, broccoli, etc
Dried fruit
Egg yolk

Good sources of vitamin C are:

Cooked broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Kale (chou frisé)
Raw spinach
Kiwis
Oranges
Strawberries
Lemons

Vinegar also helps with iron absorption.

Omega-3

Oomega-3 fats are found in three different forms: DHA, EPA and ALA. ALA is most abundant in plant-based sources, but DHA and EPA are difficult to obtain on a vegetarian diet.

Also, omega-3 rich food is also usually rich in omega-6. It is recommended to preserve a balance omega-6/omega-3 pretty low, around 4:1.

Sources of omega-3 fats are:

Flax seeds (graines de lin) (great omega-6/omega-3 ratio: 1:4)
Chia seeds (omega-6/omega-3 ratio: 1:3) - ground seeds are better than whole seeds when it comes to omega-3 availability
Walnuts (4:1)
Kidney Beans (1:2)
Pumpkin seeds (100:1)

These provide alpha linoleic acid (ALA), which is converted to EPA and DHA in the body, but only at a limited rate. A good way to get more EPA and DHA is through Algal oil. Seaweed, nori, spirulina, and chlorella are different forms of algae containing DHA and EPA.

B12

As a vegetarian, B12 is normally never an issue.

Some ideas of recipes

Everyday life

Very often

1 tablespoon a day of chia seeds or flax seeds for omega-3, in a salad, in a dairy product, or in anything really
Any combination of grains with pulses such as pasta (whole wheat) or rice with lentils or beans
Quinoa
Leafy greens: Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Iceberg lettuce, etc
Nuts: cashews, or walnuts being the best of all. In a salad or yogurt. Nuts are calorically dense, so limit to a small handful per day.

Often

Eggs
Tofu
Dairy products (avoid cheese as there's a lot of fat): yogurts or Skyr, with rolled oats or muesli, and flex seeds
Other pulses: chickpeas, green peas
Tomatoes: vitamin C and antioxidant

Things to eat rarely

White pasta (prefer whole wheat pasta, as it contains less carbs (carbohydrates, glucides) and a lot more nutrients)
Processed protein sources such as seitan: unhealthy fats
Cookings oils (olive oil is mostly ok though and has other advantages)

Races (> 2 hours, or cyclosportive)

Days before (2-3 days)

Carb loading! Porridge, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta. On the night prior to the race, prefer whole wheat pasta as its more nutritious, but in the morning before the race, prefer white pasta, as you'll need more energy and you'll want it available faster.

On the D-Day

For breakfast, my go-to recipe is porridge (overnight soaked rolled oats with cow's milk) or muesli mix served with Skyr and a sliced banana, one or two fried eggs, and some white pasta. Make sure to eat at least 3 hours before the start.

During the race, energy bars, gels, some dried fruits and bananas should do. Do drink clean water but also water with added electrolytes.

Replenish your carbohydrates stocks after the race with pasta, but also protein-rich food.

Good online resources

Common Problems With Bikes

Romain Pellerin — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 15:30:00 +0200

Servicing a bike

Broken derailleur cable

Recently my rear derailleur cable broke in the middle of a ride. Good thing it was on a Saturday morning, and a bike shop was only a few kilometers away.

The symptoms leading up to the moment it actually broken are pretty simple: all of a sudden, I could no longer shift to the 2 rightmost speeds. The explanation must be that the cable was so worn out that it would not slide properly/completely. After the symptoms appeared, it took about 50 gear shifts for the cable to actually break. When it did so, my rear derailleur suddently shifted to the rightmost speed (the hardest). Fun!

Rim cracks at spokes (wheel problem)

This one is pretty hard to identify at first. For me, gradually over some rides I started noticing like a rubbing noise. The noice would be there regardless of me pedaling or not (can be hard to hear when not pedaling because of the freewheel).

Turns out this is a very common problem with wheels. Can't be fixed, all you gotta do is replace the whole wheel (or rim if you like to build wheels).

My wheels are the entry-level ones from Mavic, the Aksium. It looks like the entry-level wheels from DT Swiss (P1800 spline) are better made. Or maybe I should get the mid-level DT Swiss PR 1400 DICUT 21 or 32? In their OXIC version? Supposedly it brakes better, with the right blue pads from DT Swiss.

Tips for buying wheels

"Centerlock" is a disc brake technology
Look for clincher wheels, not tubular
Careful with the freehub compatibility, for me it needs to be compatible with Shimano HG-L (cause I have 11 speeds)

How to true a wheel and fix spoke tension

Don't forget to re-align bladed spokes for best aerodynamics.

As to the tension, this website recommends:

90 to 110 daN (daN = decaNewtons) for a front wheel
90 to 110 daN for a rear wheel right side (cassette side)
the tensions of the spokes on the right side (cassette side) is round about 70% higher than the tension on the left side, (NB: if the spokes are the same)

Mavic Aksium

After asking Mavic directly over the phone (because no information available online), they recommend the following:

Rear wheel right side (cassette side): 90kgs, +/- 10kg
Rear wheel left side, and front wheel: 80kgs, +/- 10kg

State out of the factory for a rear wheel Mavic Aksium

They're not the best wheels out there for sure. Check out the default truness, both the radial trueness (saut in French) and lateral trueness (voilage in French) are off.

The average tension was as follows:

Right side (cassette-side): 46.7, measured with a calibrated Unior 1752/2 tension meter
Left side: 51.05, measured with a calibrated Unior 1752/2 tension meter

Spokes

Front wheel: 283-mm long, 2mm diameter (as measured by me)
Rear wheel right side (cassette side): 283-mm long, 2mm diameter (as measured by me)
Rear wheel left side: 301-mm long, 1.2x3.0mm blades (as measured by me)

DT Swiss PR 1400 DICUT OXiC

Product page
Technical pages: front and rear

State out of the factory for a rear wheel Mavic Aksium

The average tension on the front wheel is as follows:

Both sides: 40.5, measured with a calibrated Unior 1752/2 tension meter

The average tension on the rear wheel is as follows:

Right side (cassette-side): 42.5, measured with a calibrated Unior 1752/2 tension meter
Left side: 32.5, measured with a calibrated Unior 1752/2 tension meter

Adjust front Shimano 105 derailleur

Link to Reddit.

That's it!

FTP, VO2 max, MAP, max HR: what are those?

Romain Pellerin — Sun, 03 Jul 2022 23:20:00 +0200

Yeah, I'm into cycling. Road cycling, to be precise. It's been two years now. I've never felt so good in my life. I've become a sportsman. Me, who used to smoke half a pack a day and do no exercise at all.

So after two years of ramp-up, I have now reached a stage at which I'm into improving my performance through data. Of course I already got myself a bike computer, a heart rate strap and a cadence sensor. The next level is now to measure body metrics, beyond the "simple" heart rate. We're talking FTP, VO2 max, MAP, max HR. BOOM.

FTP

What on Earth is that? Well it stands for Functional Threshold Power. Basically it's the most accurate metric about how fit and how well a person is performing that one can use to establish training zones. It is the maximum mean power (aka MMP) one can sustain for one hour, measured in watts (absolute value or watts per kilogram). Known as CP60, for Critical Power 60. In other words, the best average power that can be held during a full hour.

In running, this is similar to the second ventilatory threshold (SV2 in French).

How to measure it

With a specialized sports doctor in a laboratory or with a power meter (in the pedals for instance).

Instead of a full hour, a 20-min test can be done (CP20). 95% of the results is often considered to be close enough to the FTP.

VO2 max

It refers to how much oxygen one's body can absorb. This is a measure used to determine other metrics, such as the MAP (see below).

How to measure it

As far as I know, only in a laboratory, on a stationary bike or while running.

MAP

It stands for Maximal Aerobic Power (in French "PMA", for Puissance Maximale Aérobie).

It is the minimum power in watts reached when at VO2 max (when the body is consuming the maximum of 02 it can).

In running, this is called MAS (Maximal Aerobic Speed, VMA in French).

How to measure it

Either with an incremental test, with a warm up phase ahead of the test. Otherwise, measure the maximum mean power (MMP) held during 5 or 6 minutes (= CP6 - Critical Power 6).

Like the FTP, it must be measured with a power meter.

Max HR

Well, it's the maximum heart rate one can reach. As simple as that.

There are a few criticized inaccurate but known formulas to calculate the theoretical maximum hear rate of somebody:

214 - (0.8 * age), for men
209 - (0.9 * age), for women
220 - age, for all (the most outdated formula, and of course the most popular)

Oftentimes, a fit person will exceed their theoretical max HR. I'm 29, supposedly my maximum HR should be 190-191. Yet, I reached 194 twice recently.

The best way to find out what your max HR is to go crazy, climbing some hills, or sprinting, repeatedly. Google should be able to help you find ideas or protocols.

What to do with all of that?

Now that you measured some metrics and gained data, you can start establishing training zones, for instance based on your FTP or max HR.

Have fun on the bike :)

Living in Germany: Fahrräder und Deutsche Bahn

Romain Pellerin — Wed, 05 May 2021 23:30:00 +0200

German resources

Official

Return on Experience

Misc

English resources

Official

Cycling Events

Romain Pellerin — Sun, 02 May 2021 23:30:00 +0200

In Berlin

Critical Mass
VELOBerlin
The Nicola Werner Challenge: in Berlin and Paris
RUND UM BERLIN
HÜGELMarathon

Elsewhere

L'Étape du Tour de France: in France and other countries, every year

Bikes And Cycling Gear

Romain Pellerin — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 01:30:00 +0200

Here is a list of good bikes and cycling gear that I am considering buying some day.

First, some vocabulary to know about frames:

AL usually means an Aluminum frame
CF means a Carbon Fiber frame
SL means Super Light
SLX stands for Super Light Extreme
WMN means it meant for women

Bikes

Famous and commong bike brands

Specialized
Trek
Cannondale
Giant
BMC
Cube
Felt
GT Bicycle
Kona
Lapierre
Merida
Pinarello
Ridley
Scott

Here are the bikes on the Tour de France.

Bikes I am considering

Road

How to choose the right frame size.

General rule of thumb: the longer the reach and the shorter the stack, the more aggressive the bike. Likewise, the more the head angle is closer to 90 degrees and the smaller the wheel base is (long wheel base is for increaed stability), the more aggressive it is.

Reference	Price	Weight	Type of brakes	Groupset	Brand
BMC Teammachine ALR	✅ 1,299 euros	✅ 9.16 kg	✅ Rim	❌ Shimano Tiagra	BMC
Cannondale CAAD Optimo	✅ 1,079 euros	✅ 8.9 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Cannonale
Canyon Endurace AL 7.0	✅ 1,099 euros	✅ 8.21 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Canyon
Canyon Endurace CF 7.0	✅ 1,399 euros	✅ 7.96 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Canyon
CUBE ATTAIN GTC Pro 105 - Carbon Roadbike - 2019	✅ 1,249 euros	✅ 8.4 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Cube
Cube Attain	✅ 849 euros	✅ 9.6 kg	✅ Rim	❌ Shimano Claris	Cube
Felt FR30 road bike (2019)	✅ 1,119 euros	✅ 8.3 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Felt
Felt FR40 road bike (2019)	✅ 849 euros	✅ 9.1 kg	✅ Rim	❌ Shimano Tiagra	Felt
Felt FR5 road bike (2019)	✅ 1,199 euros	✅ 8.26 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105 R7000 11-speed	Felt
FOCUS IZALCO RACE 9.7 105 Roadbike	✅ 1,449 euros	✅ 8.1 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Focus
Giant Contend SL 1 2019	✅ 1249 euros	✅ 9.04 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105 (except brakes)	Giant
Giant TCR Advanced 2 (PC) 2019	❌ 1620 euros	✅ 7.95 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Giant
Specialized Allez Elite	✅ 1,299 euros	✅ 8.83 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105 (except brakes)	Specialized
Trek Domane AL 3	✅ 849 euros	✅ 9.75 kg	✅ Rim	❌ Shimano Sora	Trek
Triban RC520 (road version)	✅ 850 euros	❌ 10.8 kg	❌ Disc	✅ Shimano 105	Decathlon
VÉLO DE ROUTE VAN RYSEL ULTRA RCR AF SHIMANO 105 NOIR	✅ 900 euros	✅ 8.9 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Decathlon
VELO ROUTE EDR AF 105 noir	✅ 999 euros	✅ 8.8 kg	✅ Rim	✅ Shimano 105	Decathlon

Short List

Canyon Endurace CF 7.0
https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/canyon-endurace-al-7-2020review/
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/road-bikes/canyon-endurace-al-7-0-disc (2018): good
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/road-bikes/canyon-endurace-al-7-0 (2019): not so good
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/road-bikes/canyon-endurace-disc-7-0 (2020): good
https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-road-bike-under-1000/
https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-road-bike-under-2000/
CUBE ATTAIN GTC Pro 105 - Carbon Roadbike - 2019
Geometry is not as aggressive as the other two
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/road-bikes/cube-attain-gtc-race: review is on a model with disc brakes and Ultegra Shimano, which qualifies it as a comfort-oriented bike
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UCbv6FzJSM (oct 2018): good comfy bike
https://road.cc/content/buyers-guide/your-complete-guide-cubes-road-bike-range-252760
FOCUS IZALCO RACE 9.7 105 Roadbike
On the official Focus website, the wheels are different (though they are the same on this archive page) as well as the weight (8.65, 8.1 on bike24)
https://www.bikeradar.com/advice/buyers-guides/best-road-bike-under-2000/: positive review
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/group-tests/focus-bikes-352805 (oct 2019): The Focus Izalco Race aims to take a speedy, racing chassis to the masses.
https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/bikes/road-bikes/focus-izalco-race-review/ (nov 2018): excellent appart from the wheels but they have changed since 2018
https://road.cc/content/review/235885-focus-izalco-race-carbon-sora (jan 2018): excellent review on a different model

More references

https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/: a classic, worldwide
https://www.bikeradar.com/features/bike-of-the-year/: excellent list!
https://road.cc/: a classic in UK
https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews: a good one
https://99spokes.com/: to compare bike geometries

Where to buy

Gravel

Triban RC520 (gravel version)

Cycling gear

Puncture proof tires

Continental Grand Prix 5000 (folding tires, clincher type) (why, and why) for road bikes
Schwalbe marathon plus (very heavy though) for commute bikes

Bike computers

Ordinateur de vélo GPS ELEMNT BOLT: no turn by turn navigation from a Strava route export, you have to export from Ride with GPS or Komoot. Appart from that, seems like the best one on the market.
Garmin Edge computers (530 is affordable, 830 is very expensive)

Smartphone mount

Quad Lock

Lights

Sigma Buster 700 (front light)

Route planner

Strave
Komoot
Ride with GPS

Cameras

360 degrees

Rylo
Insta360
Garmin VIRB(R) 360

Comment repeindre un vélo ?

Romain Pellerin — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 17:00:00 +0100

J'ai récemment repeint mon vélo moi-même en blanc. Et ce n'était pas une mince affaire !! C'était la première fois et ce fût riche en leçons ! Petit guide home-made sur comment repeindre son vélo...

Matériel

De quoi poncer

Si comme moi vous passer d'une couleur très sombre à très clair, je vous conseille d'enlever le maximum de peinture pour éviter que les futurs accrocs se voient trop. J'ai personnellement acheté (oui carrément) une ponceuse à bande et 3 bandes à grain 80.

Si vous restez dans les mêmes tons de couleur, il suffira seulement de poncer superficiellement à la main pour que la nouvelle peinture accroche.

Dans les deux cas, je recommande quand même de poncer en partant à minima d'un grain 80 et en allant vers du 200+ (3 ou 4 différents types de grain suffiront largement).

Sous-couche

Très importante, notamment pour assurer une bonne attache de la peinture et éviter la rouille, je recommande l'Apprêt anti-corrosion peinture vélo Spray.Bike pour tout métal.

Peinture

Encore une fois, je recommande les produits de chez Spray.Bike. J'ai personnellement acheté la Peinture pour vélo Spray.Bike BLB London Collection 400 ml.

Vernis

Afin de protéger un minimum la peinture des impacts et de lui rendre un ton moins mat, à nouveau je recommande un produit de chez Spray.Bike, le Vernis pour finitions peinture de vélo Spray.Bike 400 ml.

How to: step by step

Assurez-vous d'être dans un endroit sec non humide où l'air circule et bien éclairé (important pour la peinture). Démontez bien toutes les parties du vélo et séparez le cadre de la fourche. On pourra mettre du scotch pour protéger le boitier de pédalier et éviter ainsi de le démonter. Tout le reste doit être démonté. Dans mon cas, ma fourche est rouillée et bloquée, j'ai donc du la laisser avec le cadre...

1. Poncer

Comme je le disais, partir d'un grain 80 et diminuer la taille de grain progressivement. Enlever un maximum de peinture si vous comptez peindre une couleur claire sur une couleur foncée.

2. Essuyer

Passer un chiffon sec sur toutes les parties poncées pour enlever les résidus et poussières. Alternativement, on peut arroser le vélo mais compter ensuite plusieurs heures de séchage et quand même un coup de chiffon final.

3. Appliquer la sous-couche

J'ai mis une seule sous-couche mais j'aurais du en mettre deux. Premièrement car la contenance de la bombe le permet et deuxièmement pour mieux uniformiser partout. Après coup je me suis rendu compte que j'avais mis très peu de sous-couche sur certaines parties du cadre, et une fois la peinture appliquée, ça se voit. La texture est légèrement différement.

À vaporiser de loin (au moins 20cm), en ayant au préalable secoué la bombe et testé sur du carton (à faire avant chaque couche).

Deux couches donc, appliquée avec au moins 6 heures d'intervalle, bien que les instructions disent que 20 minutes suffisent.

4. Appliquer la peinture

Ici rien de sorcier. Deux couches à nouveau, avec 12 heures d'intervalle. À vaporiser de près (5 à 12cm), en ayant au préalable secoué la bombe et testé sur du carton.

5. Appliquer le vernis

Au choix, une, deux ou trois couches (plus de couches = plus de brillance), espacées de 4 heures. À vaporiser de près (5 à 12 cm), en ayant au préalable secoué la bombe et testé sur du carton.

Et voilà, vous devriez avoir un beau vélo !

Living In Paris: Nuit Blanche Parisienne 2019

Romain Pellerin — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 22:00:00 +0200

Hier samedi 5 octobre 2019, à l'occasion de la 18ème édition de la Nuit Blanche à Paris, j'ai pu faire du vélo sur une portion du périphérique entre porte de Pantin et porte de la Vilette, fermée exprès pour l'évènement et ouverte aux piétons et cyclistes.

Portion de périphérique fermée à la circulation

L'évènement a très largement été relayé par les médias en amont, permettant aux gens de s'organiser pour éviter le périphérique, ou mieux ne pas utiliser leur voiture, ainsi que pour faire venir le plus grand nombre.

Voici donc un extrait de cette soirée filmé par mes soins !

Et voici d'autres récits, par d'autres sites :

Comme le dit Isabelle Lesens dans son article cité juste au-dessus, c'est une première expérience en demi-teinte : l'accès y était difficile et le parcours était trop petit. Cela ne m'a tout de même pas empêché de faire plusieurs tours pendant une bonne heure, fasciné par le nombre de personnes et leur enthousiasme. Par ailleurs, une amélioration nette de la qualité de l'air s'est immédiatement faite ressentir et a pu être mesurée par Airparif.

[Carte temps réel] les effets de la fermeture d'une partie du périphérique pour les #NuitBlanche2019 observés en temps réel par @airparif
👉 https://t.co/JbTnsHxNbB pic.twitter.com/URuAinLebU
— Airparif (@Airparif) October 5, 2019

Il ne nous reste plus qu'à espérer que cette expérience se renouvelle et ouvre la réflexion à la transformation du périphérique, voire même sa suppression ?

Living In Paris: La Bible Du Vélotafeur

Romain Pellerin — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 23:30:00 +0200

Ceci est la suite de Riding A Bike In Paris.

Cet article a pour but d'être la bible ultime de référence du vélotafeur bobo écolo radin parisien !!! Les livres qu'il faut avoir lu, les films à avoir vu, les chaînes Youtube à suivre, les comptes Twitter à lire, les podcasts à écouter, comment réparer son vélo, les magasins à connaître, des liens à gogo, tout sur le vélotaf à Paris est ici !

Livres

Films

Une petite sélection de films et documentaires sur le vélo à voir et à revoir :

Chaines Youtube, comptes Twitter et podcasts

La vélosphère est petite à Paris et c'est souvent les mêmes têtes qui ressortent un peu partout. Entre militants de la première heure et étudiants amateurs de vidéos en passant par des élus, on trouve de tout.

Observations Cyclistes : Youtube + Twitter
Cinquante Euros : Youtube + Twitter
CyclObs : Youtube + Twitter
Cycliste Urbain : Twitter
Bilook le cycliste : Twitter
Not Just Bikes : Twitter
Paris en Selle : Twitter
Abel Guggenheim : Twitter
Isabelle Lesens : Twitter
Stein van Oosteren : Twitter
Ailes cyclables : Twitter
Paris sans voiture : Twitter
Christophe Najdovski : Twitter
FUB : Twitter
Ras Le Scoot : Twitter
Le Bon Sens c’est le vélo : Twitter
🚲àParis&alive... : Twitter
CycloTransEurope : Twitter
Vélorution Paris IdF : Twitter
135€ : Twitter
Brice Perrin : Twitter
Rayons Libres, un podcast proposé par Abel Guggenheim avec plein d'invités variés. Très intéressant !
Pause Vélo, un autre podcast très sympa (+ le Twitter qui va bien).
Cyclocast, un podcast qui nous vient de Lyon.
Dans la Tête d'un Cycliste

Customization

Peindre son vélo

Il existe une marque qui commercialise des bombes de peinture spéciales pour vélo : Spray.Bike. Cela ne semble pas très dur, il me reste encore à essayer. D'après cette vidéo il faut :

Démonter entièrement le vélo et enlever toutes les pièces du cadre.
Poncer le cadre en partant d'un gros grain (P60 par exemple) et finir avec un grain fin pour éviter les irrégularités dans le poncage (P320 par exemple).
Appliquer une première couche en portant un masque, laisser sécher quelques heures et appliquer une deuxième couche, voire une troisième.

Je mettrai à jour l'article quand j'essaierai.

Entretien

Nettoyer une chaine de vélo

En résumé :

Passer un coup de chiffon sur toute la chaine pour enlever la cambouis
Asperger de dégraissant (WD40 classique ou WD40 BIKE (Amazon)), soit directement sur la chaine soit sur un chiffon, et faire tourner la chaine, en passant les vitesses plusieurs fois.
Compléter le nettoyage en même temps avec une brosse à dents usagée pour bien passer au centre de la chaine, dans les pignons et le pédalier.
Laisser sécher ou essuyer avec un chiffon. Le WD40 n'a pas besoin d'être rincé à l'eau.
Appliquer du lubrifiant (je recommande le SQUIRT CHAIN LUBE 120ML (Amazon), c'est celui que j'ai et j'ai lu un peu partout que c'était le meilleur) dans l'intérieur de la chaine. Autrement dit, sur le haut de la partie basse de la chaine, de façon à ce que le produit soit le plus possible en contact avec les pignons et le pédalier. Faire tourner la chaine et passer les vitesses plusieurs fois.
Essuyer le trop plein de lubrifiant avec un chiffon.
Il est recommandé de laisser plusieurs heures passer entre la lubrification et un usage du vélo.

Lubrification

Tension de la chaîne

En plus d'avoir une chaîne propre bien lubrifiée, il est important de vérifier la tension de la chaîne en permanence si l'on a un fixie ou single speed. Une chaîne sous tendue aura tendance à dérailler ou craquer, trop tendue elle s'abimera et rendra le pédalage moins efficace.

Liens utiles

Shops

www.beastybike.com/ : ils ont des boutiques physiques à Paris mais sont un peu chers
www.lecyclo.com/ : pièces très peu chères, ils ont un magasin avec pignon sur rue à Marseille
www.probikeshop.fr/ : de qualité et relativement peu cher
Le bon vieux Décathlon pour tout ce qui est chambres à air, rustines, etc

Autres

From a second hand regular black bike to a fully customized singlespeed bike

Romain Pellerin — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 23:50:00 +0200

Ok so I've been owning a bike for almost four months now, and after cycling over 1,000 km (I do 17 km everyday commuting), it's time for me to customize my bike.

As a reminder, that's what my bike looked like when I bought it.

What I'd like to do is to recreate the same bike I had when I was in South Korea, back in 2016.

More photos: here, here, here and there.

So here we go, here's what I need:

[x] A rear white wheel
[x] A pink tire
[x] A front green wheel
[x] A white tire
[ ] A green chain
[ ] A single speed freewheel
[ ] A white frame
[ ] A green saddle
[ ] Pink grips
[ ] A pink shifter cable housing and a white one

Finding the parts

Rear wheel and tire

When it comes to wheel size standards, it's quite messy... but it's getting better. It seems like the European standard ETRTO is becoming the global norm. My bike has the most common wheel size: 28", also referred to as 700C (French size) and officially called 622 by ETRTO. When I bought my bike, it came with 28mm-wide tires but I deciced to go with thiner ones, thus choosing a 26-622 pink rear tire.

One very important thing to take into account when buying a wheel is the rear frame spacing (entraxe in French). Mine is 130mm, like most 8-speed road bikes.

Finally, one last thing to be cautious about is the kind of cogset you want: freewheel (roue libre) or cassette. As a rule of thumb, the freewheel system is the oldest, and can't exceed 7 speed. But it's also cheaper (parts are cheap) and you can easily switch to singlespeed or fixie, as it's the same system. The freewheel system requires a simple wheel and all is needed is screwing the freewheel (one or many sprockets) on the wheel. On the contrary, a cassette is mounted on a freewheel body (corps de roue libre) that's part of the wheel. Cassettes are supposed to last longer.

Eventually, I decided to go with this 15-622 white freewheel rear wheel that has a 40mm internal width rim. Since I'm switching from a 8-speed cassette system to a 7-speed freewheel, I had to buy a new Shimano shifter, as well as a new chain.

Front wheel and tire

My front frame spacing is 100mm so I needed to find an adequate green wheel which I still have not found so far (UPDATE: see below). Here's what I've found up until now:

Roue avant et arrière fixie single-speed 28 pouces Vertes: I could buy just one but the rim internal width is 30mm and not 40mm as I need.
Roue route - fixie 43mm vert avant: 43mm internal width... not 40
M-WAVE R4022 hollow rim: that's exactly the rim that I need!!! But buying a whole wheel would be so much easier...
Roues à rayons fixie PURE FIX 700C 40MM: braking surface has no pain on it...
Roue Fixie Avant Origin 8 Vert: 42mm internal width...
Mango 700 C Roue avant QUANDO – Vert Noir avec rayons (Deep Section): too little detail, it does not say anything about the frame spacing, plus I don't know if the seller is trustworthy.

Regarding the tire, I'll go with that one.

Yet to buy

~~A front green wheel~~ (updated)
~~A white tire~~ (updated)
A green chain: I need to be careful not to buy the wrong kind. There are two major kinds of chains: 1/2" 3/32" for most multiplespeed bikes and 1/2" 1/8" for BMX, fixies and singlespeed bikes. I currently have a 1/2" 3/32". A change of the type of chain requires a change of cogset and crankset. (updated)
~~A single speed freewheel~~ (updated)
~~A white frame~~ (updated)
~~A green saddle~~ (updated)
~~Pink grips~~ (updated)
~~A pink shifter cable housing and a white one~~ (updated)

UPDATE JUNE 29, 2019

I just received a new parcel in my mailbox: a front green wheel and a white tire!!! YAY!

Turning it into a singlespeed bike: not so easy

First, as I wrote above, I'd need to change the type of chain and use a 1/2" 1/8". Why? Because it's pretty much the standard for fixes and singlespeed bikes. Plus the choices in terms of colors are much wider. And there are more singlespeed freewheels that work with this kind of chain. Then, as a consequence, I'd need to change the cogset and crankset, and remove the derailleur. I could just do it myself with the right tools but for now, it's too much work. I'll just wait until my chain or cogset get too old and damaged and only then will I switch to singlespeed.

Also, and that's good to know, the ratio between speed and ease of pedaling must be taken into account. For instance, say you have a 14 teeth freewheel and a 42 teeth chainring, the ratio would be 42/14=3.

That's it for now. This article will likely be updated in the coming months...

UPDATE OCTOBER 20, 2019

Well, that's it. I've bought everything needed to fully transform my bike, including making it singlespeed. To paint my frame, I followed this tutorial and bought these products: before paint, paint, after paint.

Living In Paris: Riding A Bike In Paris

Romain Pellerin — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 22:50:00 +0100

This article is continued here.

I recently purchased a second-hand bike from one of my colleagues. By doing so, I intend to commute with it as often as possible and thus reduce metro-induced stress. It's also a good opportunity to save time: exercice while commuting, how great of a combination is that?!

Anyway, the last time I owned a bike was in 2016 when I was living in South Korea. And riding a bike in Paris is a whole lot different from riding one in University campus. Now let's go through the required gear for a pleasant and safe commute:

A helmet, of course
A bell, for safety
Lighting, front and rear
A U-lock. Any other kind of lock is shit. The best ones on the market are built by Kryptonite. I got the New-U - Evolution Standard (model 2130) and a KryptoFlex 410 Double Loop Cable to lock both wheels.
A fender/mudguard, for rainy days
Waterproof pants, for the same reason
Gloves, they might come in handy in case of fall
Anti-pollution mask
Suitable clothes to reduce perspiration

A very important thing to do is to get one's bike engraved as soon as possible. In case of theft, it increases the likelihood of finding it back. In Paris, BICYCODE takes care of it. You can do it for 10 euros at La Maison du Vélo.

That's it for now.