Hi Andy, I’m 70 y/o and have osteo arthritis. I enjoy Ultras. I’m a member of the Randonneurs for the last 3 years. I have done 2 x 200 + km; 3x 321 km; 1 x 404 km. Most of them solo, no drafting and self sufficient. I liked that you describing what’s on your bike. It helped me reflect on my own set up. I might have an idea for you. Cyclite has a aero, waterproof bag for aero bar. The bag is a 5 liters. I, now, put a 2 L water bladder in the bag with a tube for extra water for the night or when the temperature is hot. I used Tailfin top tube where I put the power bank that supply the cell phone on 1 aero bridge, and a light on the third bridge. I have also another bridge in the center with the computer.
After watching your videos and Josh Ibbett, I now have a Mason Definition on order. Loving your content. Learning plenty. Cannot wait to build up my new Mason when it arrives.
the bike is super cool Andy, and you can see you've got it dialled to just how it should be for you. I'm really excited for your racing, can't wait to follow long!
A really insightful video Andy, love your explanation and reasoning on why you chosen differing brands. Not a boring video at all, I found it informative indeed.
That was interesting Andy, seeing how you have set up the bike - given me a few ideas about things that I could change. As for nutrition - chocolate every 30 minutes...understood.
Really good overview and great bike choice. My wife and daughters all have Mason Definitions. Great bikes. They’ve cycled from Bath to our French home in the Dordogne. My youngest daughter at 17 also did the Mallorca 312 on hers. I’ve often debated about Di2 for endurance events. I love it and it’s good to hear your thoughts. I’ve got an old 11 speed Di2 set but mixed with a GRX rear mech to give me the range. Works a treat that it’s good for the TCR. I have the same Ergon seat post so my battery is in my head set with a charger in the bar end. Anyway, nice overview and now off to order aero bars. 👍
Love the set up. I have the same seatpost on my gravel bike I really like it as well. I also have a bag similar to the stem cell that I use and really like it as well
I have bar tape on my areo bars on my Triathalon bike. If I was doing the miles you are I would get the silica super thick bar tape one for the aero bars and a second set for the main bars. Im going to try it for mine when I replace it as well.
Love the setup video - always great to see what the pro’s ride ☺ Wife has Definition the same colour as yours which is beautiful. Purchased a Bokeh frame to build up for bike backing … looking at a Definition now I’m getting more into Ultra’s. I’m with you mean re electric gears, currently on ekar (sram axs on order) my right hand get shot after a week of changing gear.
Aero bars! YES YES YES. They make a HUGE difference. Risers as well for comfort... add weight to your bike, gain comfort and 10% increase in speed... win win! If the bars are alloy, wrap some bar tape around them - stops hands getting too cold.
Interesting stuff Andy... Lights are amazing these days but most regular lights seem to come with 1.5 - 2hrs on full power, not quite a night time gravel ride so they're also frustrating. Looking forward to the next video 👍
I think bib-shorts are crucial for comfort too - chamois leathers are very different for all brands - I personally prefer Castelli. As for shoes I have eventually found my perfect shoes after trying out many - these are amazing as you can get them in a wide fit [Shimanos wide fit are still too narrow for my feet] - highly recommend fizik TEMPO's. The four things you must get right are tyres, saddle, shoes and frame size.
Hi Andy loved the video really informative. A problem I always get when doing multi day runs and camping is that when my shoes or boots get wet they are a nightmare to get dry. Paper towels, kitchen roll, newspaper, taking them into your sleeping bag etc etc. I also ride spd pedal which the water always seems to get in the holes. If you or anyone who reads this has any tips I’d thank you forever!
@andycultracycling yeah and it works brilliant. Picked up from another ultra cyclist, Robbie at bikepackist. So far (at least) it has survived PCR and I just got back from GranGuanche Gravel and it remained firmly attached - same can't be said for other stuff that rattled about/off 😅
Your bike will almost certainly take a bigger cassette without a road link or similar. Generally shimano derailleurs can take up to 2 cassette sizes larger than they say in the spec. I’ve done this on loads of bikes and always works perfectly. I expect an 11-32 will go straight on with just a longer chain and b-screw adjustment
The other thing I’d suggest considering is some bottle cage relocation brackets to drop your bottles down lower in the frame. Will allow you to use bigger bottles and/or a bigger frame bag if wanted
My FS260-Pro bibs arrived today. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm looking forward to testing them out on a sixty miler tomorrow. However, I'm not looking forward to the windy weather, but at least the sun will be shining with only a slim chance of rain. Can't have it all! 😂
Enjoy that mate! hopefully the bibs are OK, I love them, this weekend I have my 40th birthday celebration (4 months early) as I'll be on the TCR for my actual birthday
Bit keen with the summer kit lol! I found sram a better fit if you wish to swap gearing around and carry extra batteries. All of sram stuff talks to each other so you can get better range, so MTB mechs with road shifters. But it by the by if you have system you like, but worth considering in the future when you might need to upgrade
If i could afford it tailfin rear bag with carbon fibre bars, i think is must. I use aftershocks head phones brilliant, but curve ball would decathlon waterproof trousers with all one shoe protection for rain. You may laugh but cycle to and from work and keep me dry this winter. I seen videos of all points north raining all day long and wet through. So its a thought, it may not suit you.
Nice run through of your bike setup Andy, and what you’ve found works well etc, appreciate you spending the time to do this 👍. Interesting how the slight change in aero bars made a difference to long ride comfort. Out of interest how stable do you find riding on the aero bars or does it take a little time to get used to them?
Thought I'd give you my own experience with clip on aero bars. First got mine a couple of years ago, and I was terrified for the first few rides. It feels really twitchy to begin with and you do have to be really careful. Once you get used to them they are brilliant. I have them on all the time, and use them on long stretches. Last year I did 120 miles and was on the aero bars the whole time, feels so natural now. They allowed me to average 19mph for that ride.
Thankyou for this, very helpful . I get numb fingers on my right hand and altho I don't use aero bars normally ,I'm thinking of getting the Deda bars because I will be riding for many hours/many days. Also I seem to get tired after 6 hours of riding. How do you get to ride for 15 hours/day without completely falling apart? I managed 11 hours the other day ,but my garmin said i was running on empty after about 6 hours.
Hey, might be a bad idea for your PCR but will only know if you try I guess 🤷🏻♂️ stamina wise, for me it is mostly fuel discipline and effort management. Other than that, your body can improve at fat metabolism which is really handy when riding at endurance pace. So you can’t really bonk too hard. But to be honest my preference is just to be more disciplined in forcing enough nutrition down me
Thank you for all the info! Unless I missed it, I didn't hear you say whether you use a dynamo charging system. What's your opinion on using battery packs vs. a dynamo?
Hey, thanks :) I’ve always used battery packs but I have a dynamo hub being fitted this week so will see how that goes. I expect it’ll stop the recharge stress on long trips
Hi Andy, I’m 70 y/o and have osteo arthritis. I enjoy Ultras. I’m a member of the Randonneurs for the last 3 years.
I have done 2 x 200 + km; 3x 321 km; 1 x 404 km. Most of them solo, no drafting and self sufficient.
I liked that you describing what’s on your bike. It helped me reflect on my own set up.
I might have an idea for you.
Cyclite has a aero, waterproof bag for aero bar. The bag is a 5 liters. I, now, put a 2 L water bladder in the bag with a tube for extra water for the night or when the temperature is hot.
I used Tailfin top tube where I put the power bank that supply the cell phone on 1 aero bridge, and a light on the third bridge. I have also another bridge in the center with the computer.
Hey, sounds like a good setup, since I made this video I have a bag on the aero bars actually, good idea 😁
After watching your videos and Josh Ibbett, I now have a Mason Definition on order. Loving your content. Learning plenty. Cannot wait to build up my new Mason when it arrives.
That's really cool to hear! I love mine! tell them I sent you, maybe one day they will support me haha :) let me know how the build goes too
Thanks Andy really good info, much appreciated.
the bike is super cool Andy, and you can see you've got it dialled to just how it should be for you. I'm really excited for your racing, can't wait to follow long!
Thanks mate! 7 or so weeks now!
Enjoyed the walk through of the bike and reasoning in this video. Random advert for Bentley cars appears during it…wonder if it leads to many sales😂?
Thanks mate, I haven’t received any commission just yet 😬
A really insightful video Andy, love your explanation and reasoning on why you chosen differing brands. Not a boring video at all, I found it informative indeed.
Thanks mate appreciate you watching 😁
That was interesting Andy, seeing how you have set up the bike - given me a few ideas about things that I could change. As for nutrition - chocolate every 30 minutes...understood.
Cool hopefully it helped bud, just my own learnings :) I don’t really eat chocolate though, I would if it didn’t just melt 🤣
Really good overview and great bike choice. My wife and daughters all have Mason Definitions. Great bikes. They’ve cycled from Bath to our French home in the Dordogne. My youngest daughter at 17 also did the Mallorca 312 on hers. I’ve often debated about Di2 for endurance events. I love it and it’s good to hear your thoughts. I’ve got an old 11 speed Di2 set but mixed with a GRX rear mech to give me the range. Works a treat that it’s good for the TCR. I have the same Ergon seat post so my battery is in my head set with a charger in the bar end. Anyway, nice overview and now off to order aero bars. 👍
Nice, sounds like a good set up, is your grx derailer basically long cage then for bigger cassettes?
Love the set up. I have the same seatpost on my gravel bike I really like it as well. I also have a bag similar to the stem cell that I use and really like it as well
Thanks this works really well for me 😁
I have bar tape on my areo bars on my Triathalon bike. If I was doing the miles you are I would get the silica super thick bar tape one for the aero bars and a second set for the main bars. Im going to try it for mine when I replace it as well.
I do need to wrap mine for sure
Love the setup video - always great to see what the pro’s ride ☺
Wife has Definition the same colour as yours which is beautiful. Purchased a Bokeh frame to build up for bike backing … looking at a Definition now I’m getting more into Ultra’s.
I’m with you mean re electric gears, currently on ekar (sram axs on order) my right hand get shot after a week of changing gear.
Nice, thanks but I am very much amateur haha, if you buy a definition tell them I sent you, maybe they will support me one day :)
I once hit a pothole outside Tesco almost knee deep lol so sometimes I think we need suspension.
I could get on board with that!
nice one Andy, I might have to look at getting some of those aero bars for longer rides, cheers
Works for me but I guess you can only know if you try 🤷🏻♂️
Great vid as always Andy 😊 lovely bike.. Pete 🚴🏻👍
Thankyou mate :)
Aero bars! YES YES YES. They make a HUGE difference. Risers as well for comfort... add weight to your bike, gain comfort and 10% increase in speed... win win! If the bars are alloy, wrap some bar tape around them - stops hands getting too cold.
I need to wrap mine to be honest, it’s surprising how bruised your hands can get from just a little vibration over several days
Thanks for the bike walk through.
no worries thanks for watching it :)
....just to win the "first-comment-competition": that is a nice bike!
Aw, you beat me to it!
winner winner!
I just made the switch to MTB pedals on my road bike after walking 8km home wearing SPD clears. Never going back to SPD now I’m on MTB pedals.
They make so much more sense unless you’re going for max sprints etc
Interesting stuff Andy... Lights are amazing these days but most regular lights seem to come with 1.5 - 2hrs on full power, not quite a night time gravel ride so they're also frustrating. Looking forward to the next video 👍
Thankyou buddy :)
Short sleeve jersey, yet red bib shorts with black leg warmers... ANDY! The cycling fashion gods will not be happy with you 😂
🤣 it’s called fashion mate, look it up
I think bib-shorts are crucial for comfort too - chamois leathers are very different for all brands - I personally prefer Castelli.
As for shoes I have eventually found my perfect shoes after trying out many - these are amazing as you can get them in a wide fit [Shimanos wide fit are still too narrow for my feet] - highly recommend fizik TEMPO's.
The four things you must get right are tyres, saddle, shoes and frame size.
Hey, I really like endurance bibs, they're just a bit looser and more comfy for me
Hi Andy loved the video really informative. A problem I always get when doing multi day runs and camping is that when my shoes or boots get wet they are a nightmare to get dry. Paper towels, kitchen roll, newspaper, taking them into your sleeping bag etc etc. I also ride spd pedal which the water always seems to get in the holes. If you or anyone who reads this has any tips I’d thank you forever!
I think that is a tough one, I have the same issue, if you find a reliable solution then let me know 😂
I made my aerobridge from an old hydration tablet tube then black electrical tape to hold it in place
That’s the one of cheapskatery I like mate 😁
@andycultracycling yeah and it works brilliant. Picked up from another ultra cyclist, Robbie at bikepackist. So far (at least) it has survived PCR and I just got back from GranGuanche Gravel and it remained firmly attached - same can't be said for other stuff that rattled about/off 😅
Your bike will almost certainly take a bigger cassette without a road link or similar. Generally shimano derailleurs can take up to 2 cassette sizes larger than they say in the spec. I’ve done this on loads of bikes and always works perfectly. I expect an 11-32 will go straight on with just a longer chain and b-screw adjustment
Hey thanks a lot for that, I don't really want more than 32 so Ill try that and let you know :)
The other thing I’d suggest considering is some bottle cage relocation brackets to drop your bottles down lower in the frame. Will allow you to use bigger bottles and/or a bigger frame bag if wanted
Well you were right on the cassette, now rocking 11-32 👍 I’ll have a look at the brackets too you are a useful contact! 😁
Ha, I do a lot of messing about with bike setups!
Thanks for the info, that's really useful, Andy. Where are you headed this weekend?
My FS260-Pro bibs arrived today. Thanks for the recommendation. I'm looking forward to testing them out on a sixty miler tomorrow. However, I'm not looking forward to the windy weather, but at least the sun will be shining with only a slim chance of rain. Can't have it all! 😂
Enjoy that mate! hopefully the bibs are OK, I love them, this weekend I have my 40th birthday celebration (4 months early) as I'll be on the TCR for my actual birthday
Have a great time! @@andycultracycling
Bit keen with the summer kit lol! I found sram a better fit if you wish to swap gearing around and carry extra batteries. All of sram stuff talks to each other so you can get better range, so MTB mechs with road shifters. But it by the by if you have system you like, but worth considering in the future when you might need to upgrade
just a tad keen yeah haha and now we have a storm coming this weekend too...
@@andycultracycling them arms mate towed the storm clouds in!
If i could afford it tailfin rear bag with carbon fibre bars, i think is must. I use aftershocks head phones brilliant, but curve ball would decathlon waterproof trousers with all one shoe protection for rain. You may laugh but cycle to and from work and keep me dry this winter. I seen videos of all points north raining all day long and wet through. So its a thought, it may not suit you.
I won’t laugh at all mate, I am expecting at some point to have to deal with heavy rain all day and I would wear anything that keeps me moving forward
Nice run through of your bike setup Andy, and what you’ve found works well etc, appreciate you spending the time to do this 👍. Interesting how the slight change in aero bars made a difference to long ride comfort. Out of interest how stable do you find riding on the aero bars or does it take a little time to get used to them?
Thought I'd give you my own experience with clip on aero bars. First got mine a couple of years ago, and I was terrified for the first few rides. It feels really twitchy to begin with and you do have to be really careful. Once you get used to them they are brilliant. I have them on all the time, and use them on long stretches. Last year I did 120 miles and was on the aero bars the whole time, feels so natural now. They allowed me to average 19mph for that ride.
@@Markhypnosis1 thanks for this, much appreciated, which bars are you using?
totally agree with Mark, they take getting used to and only really use them solo and on long straights etc, quite often they get a lot of use
@@andycultracycling thanks Andy, this might be my solution for getting more comfort on longer rides so worth some more investigation 👍
Of course, SPD pedals give you the option of ... SPD sandals.
you are talking my language, I wonder if I can get SPD crocs...
@@andycultracycling Valcko Spd Crocks they exist
Thankyou for this, very helpful . I get numb fingers on my right hand and altho I don't use aero bars normally ,I'm thinking of getting the Deda bars because I will be riding for many hours/many days.
Also I seem to get tired after 6 hours of riding. How do you get to ride for 15 hours/day without completely falling apart?
I managed 11 hours the other day ,but my garmin said i was running on empty after about 6 hours.
Hey, might be a bad idea for your PCR but will only know if you try I guess 🤷🏻♂️ stamina wise, for me it is mostly fuel discipline and effort management. Other than that, your body can improve at fat metabolism which is really handy when riding at endurance pace. So you can’t really bonk too hard. But to be honest my preference is just to be more disciplined in forcing enough nutrition down me
I think I missed how wide of tires he runs, did anyone catch that?
28 here, 32 winter, about to go 30 for the tcr 👍
Thank you for all the info! Unless I missed it, I didn't hear you say whether you use a dynamo charging system. What's your opinion on using battery packs vs. a dynamo?
Hey, thanks :) I’ve always used battery packs but I have a dynamo hub being fitted this week so will see how that goes. I expect it’ll stop the recharge stress on long trips
Andy - what size frame did you drop down to - I personally would fit a 56 but my two road bikes are 54 and 55 and if anything the 54 fits me better.
Hey, I went 54 from 56, its odd, still feels long but then I have a seat post set back too so that could be why
I thought the cambium saddles wore through lycra?
Not in my experience bud
good enough then.
Hi Andy, do you wax or oil your chain? And why? Ta 😊
Hey! I just use Mac off wet lube, and why? because I'm a simpleton and it works haha
Dont underestimate the need for easy gears.
It is definitely on my mind right now
Please lose the background music when doing bits like going through the bike... it is distracting and makes it hard to listen.
I'm getting better with that, this is still relatively new to me, I started this year
😞 'promosm'
Come again?