Monthly Archives: September 2024

#myzen

100% listening to music helps when riding solo. Obsessed with bikes (again!), the fitness is just a bonus!

Music whilst riding is a revelation!

No issues with the Galfer rotors and the Berk saddle felt instantly comfortable. It’s noticeably harder than the S-WORKS saddle, but it’s definitely comfortable enough!

I’ve been struggling with riding solo as I just get bored 2 laps in so I thought I’d look into an MP3 player, seems like Apple don’t make them anymore (lol). I found plenty of cheap China ones on eBay but then I came across these “Bone Conduction Headphones” which allow you to hear music and the outside world at the same time, making them a pretty safe candidate for cycling! They don’t actually go in your ears which is awesome (I am an over ear headphone guy for sure and have always hated ear buds), and they’re advertised as having good bass, but yeah I fucking doubted that but I thought I’d give them a go.

Pairing them up to my phone was easy as, and today’s ride with Spotify randomly selecting Daft Punk, Basement Jaxx and Groove Armada definitely helped push me to do one more lap. The sound, as expected, is super tinny. If you turn the volume up too much the bass ends up vibrating on your skin, but hey I’m just happy to have music for my solo rides now. 100% will put together a cycling specific playlist ASAP!

My Berk Lupina Short 132mm came in the mail today. Great packaging, quality and so light in the hands.

Came in under the advertised weight of 95g.

Galfer rotors.

160mm front (advertised weight 98g).

140mm rear (advertised weight 76g).

I’ve been wanting to try out a Berk Lupina Short saddle for a while. They get rave reviews for being super comfortable despite being so silly light in weight. I’m really happy with my S-WORKS Power saddle as is, but when I spotted the Berk saddle on sale at Creative Cycles Workshop in Victoria I had to pull the trigger.

Packaging was super sexy (came in a nice box and Berk pouch too), the saddle is SO light in the hands and quality is amazing. I test fitted it on the Allez just to see what it would look like (still waiting for a zero offset Hylix seatpost to come in the mail from China). If I’m being honest I think the S-WORKS Power saddle (visually) suits the bike much more than the dainty looking Berk saddle. Looking forward to trying it out when my seatpost arrives in any case.

Also picked up a pair of Galfer rotors. Nothing at all wrong with the Shimano rotors I have on the bike (again I think the existing rotors look better), but they’re lighter and they were on the Creative Cycles Workshop online shop so I thought I’d try them out as I’ve read many great reviews on them (some people even suggesting they’re better than Shimano and SRAM rotors).

UPDATED SPECS: 2022 Specialized Allez Sprint Comp Size 49 in Tarmac Black/Brushed Foil

GROUPSET: SRAM RED AXS E1 rear derailleur, shifters and calipers, SRAM DUB BB, SRAM Red AXS E1 chain, SRAM RED AXS E1 cassette 10-36, SRAM RED 1 AXS crankset 165mm, 50t SRAM X-SYNC chainring.

WHEELS & TYRES: ENVE 65 Foundation wheelset, ENVE SES 27mm tyres, Galfer rotors (160mm front 140mm rear).

COMPONENTS: S-Works Tarmac SL7 stem 110mm -12 degree, Tarmac SL7 stem cable bat and stem cover kit, RaceWare 3D printed spacer, Specialized Roval Rapide handlebars 380mm, Burgh Lightning Bar Tape, Berk Lupina Short 132mm, Specialized carbon rail clamp, S-Works Tarmac FACT Carbon seatpost 20mm offset, Xpedo Thrust SL titanium pedals, Specialized front derailleur mount cover, S-WORKS bottle cage bolts.

WEIGHT: 7.52kg.

This morning’s ride.

Legit parking the Allez in the lounge room so I can stare at it whilst on the couch lol.