The Bike

For the next week I wont be going on the bike as much as I would like due to being on call outs for work (social housing sparky), I thought id put a post up about the bike ill be using to race.

Kuota Kharma 2015


I brought this bike second hand without any wheels for £450. The wife spotted it through facebook and I said that's a bargain, the wife said why don't you buy it then. When a opportunity drops on you like that then you gotta grab the bull by his horns and go for it. I Messaged the chap selling it and offered a bit less than what he wanted and in the end settled for what I had offered. The same day me, wife and little one went a trip over to telford to pick it up. I couldn't believe how light the bike was and chuffed to bits to be taking it back home with me. Having a top wife helps to as she reminds me.

Next Task was to get some wheels for it, I didn't really want to spend big as A. I didn't have a massive budget B. I didn't want to see an expensive set of carbon wheels fold in half on my first road race. Searching the net I had an email off superstar components with a discount code for there wheelsets!. Quick flick through on there site and I seen the elite 30 zeal, trawled through a few reviews and posted on a forum (cyclechat) I decided these would be my choice. For £180 they was an absolute steal, ive taken them out on a few rides and they have responded brilliantly. If your looking for a wheelset on a budget then do have a look at superstar even better when you have a voucher code.

Wheels fitted! Bike Ready! NOOOOOOOOOO!
The bike came with dura ace gearing and the 10 speed shifter was buggered. Me and my dad took a look inside it but the mechanism was knackered, gutting. So I decided to shop round and drop down to ultegra shifters, but one thing led to another so I ended up swapping the rear derailleur for ultegra too and rear cassette. I found a set of ultegra 10 speed shifters brand new on ebay for £100 and my mom and dad brought me the rear derilleur for crimbo. Top wife told santa I needed a cassette and chain, and the fat man with the long white beard duly obliged. My dad and the chap from the lbs put the bike back together and ive been trying to get out as much as I can on it. For under £900 notes I couldn't of wished for better.


It Goes like the Clappers!!
Ive taken the bike out a few times now and I didn't realise the difference It would make. Rides where I was averaging 17m/hr on my scott speedster, are now averaging 19m/hr. Now I carnt be sure if this is all down to the bike or if I'm just getting a bit fitter but I'm enjoying riding the bike and that's the main thing. The saddle needs changing as its not quiet to my butt cheeks tastebuds so I'm shopping round for one, any advise drop it in the comments or drop me a message on twitter @simonparry105.

I probably wont update the blog the weekend as I'm on call outs at work and just carnt get my brain with it when I'm on. I'm doing an hour on zwift tonight and one session the weekend if all is well. Next Tuesday is my second week at the turbo session with the lbs so ill probably update on that and on what sort of workout we are doing. If your out on your bike this weekend then do enjoy yourself ill be jealous.

If you haven't already please add me on twitter @simonparry105!
Also you can see the rides of done on strava!  https://www.strava.com/athletes/776768







Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction

Image
Firstly id better introduce myself, my name is Simon. Ive been cycling around 3 years and it all started due to me becoming a couch potatoe after many failed years trying to be a footballer. Im 29 (30 feb) but at the age of 20 I gave up football and all forms of exercise apart from walking to the local and back. My weight shot up to 17stone and my fitness was non existant. Along came cycling and my first outing was on a halfords special full mtb machine, little did I realise the bike weighed more than me and the first hill I went up (cannock chase) I nearly passed out and thought id be getting a lift back on a air ambulance. Ive come a long way since then, ive taken up road cycling helped by my local club (shire oak leisure riders) and im now training for a season of road racing. My weight has dropped to 81kg and my fitness is good (I think). Mid 2017 I had a go at a british cycling go-race at my local circuit curborough. I came a respectable 2nd......... out of 5 guys. It was a good e
Read more

2018 summary!

Image
Long time no speak!  Sorry for the lack of updates, I seem to have lost my mojo after one of my races to do a blog about it, the list the mojo to do any throughout. I think it's only fair I do an update on how my 2018 went so here goes.  I got my 3rd cat licence finding my local crit (Curborough) very fruitfull for points. I believe I managed a 4th and a couple of top tens. I also raced at mallory with my best result being 11th and a no finish due to rear quick realase becoming loose and causing me to buckeroo off course. There was a front flat on a race a Curborough that also caused me to crash out. I managed around 18 points for the season so not to shabby. Things I've taken from this year, well I know I haven't got the mentality to take me any further. I'm a nervous wreck before the race and within the race I'm far too cautious. Other races was much more bullish than I can be, In which proved to be my downfall. Bullied to the back of the peloton when mak
Read more

Woolly Mamil series round 1

Image
Woolly Mamil Round 1 (cat4) Pre-Race I set myself up on the turbo to warm up a bit but it was made impossible by the weather! It was freezing cold and pissing it down, this is when I felt it was going to be a tough race. Ive never raced before and my first race would be a in a sleet shower. I kept looking at the facebook page to see if it had been cancelled but they updated saying it was still on. We set off and the drive down was snow ridden, "how can we possible race in this"!. As we got closer the snow turned to rain and I felt a bit better. When I arrived I went to sign on and seen the juniors who had just finished the race shivering with the cold. I got back to the car set the turbo up and began warming up. The Race I started on the front row but throughout the first lap I was mid pack then towards the back. I managed to hold onto the back of the group but I was having to put so much effort after the bends and on the uphills to get back on it cost m
Read more