# New R3 - From the couch to doing a century...



## AythanNyah09 (Jul 14, 2012)

I might as well make this my little blog and my overall goal is to get into a healthier body and mind! My first challenge to myself is to lose the weight by training for that first Century!

Im 40+ years old, 2 kids, and some pounds that need to come off! I purchased the Cervelo R3 (blue and white) with Rival group set. Overall, I would like to reward myself for little goals and upgrade the components slowly. (Since, I purchased the bike and went past my hard limit on my budget.)

I have purchased a fit and will be getting the fit done on the 20th of this month. I have also purchased the following:

Look Keo Carbon Pedals
Specialized Propera II helmet
Specialized Expert shoes
Garmin 500 

Overall, since receiving the bike 6 days ago... I have ridden 4 times. 3x morning rides 10-15 miles and 1xSunday ride (was supposed to be 25 but turned into 37 miles.) Im currently getting used to the bike seat (it doesnt hurt as much) but there are a few things Im finding with the bike.

1. I feel like im stretching way too much. I was hoping for a more 'upright' ride but Im leaning forward quite a bit. Curious if I can temporarily fix that and work my way to a more aggressive style in the months to come? Just not now.
2. My cadence. I read that 90 is the number im supposed to reach but i find that once i get into the mid-80s... I feel my legs are going faster than the pedals. Another way to say it is that I feel like Im "gapping" my pedal stroke. I dont know what the term is called. Either way... Im focusing on 80 cadence instead of 90s for now.
3. Im hearing a clicking during my pedal stroke. Im 100% sure that nothing is touching, bumping, scraping but during that pedal stroke... the crank is "clicking". I tested it by just cruising and the click will go away but once i start pedaling again... the click is there. It sounds like its missing a ball bearing or something. Any clues?

I plan to reward myself after every 20-25lbs I lose. Yes, I can stand to lose 50+ lbs but thats why I bought the bike... to get into better health! Wheels is the most common upgrade ive seen posted (but OMG those ZIPP101s are expensive)... other than the rotor 3d+ cranks. But when I look at the cranks... a lot of people have Ultegra or SRAM red on their bikes while I have the stock SRAM rival. So, Im asking what is that must need first upgrade?

In summary, I just need to get in the saddle and ride! and so far... Im doing it! Just looking to learn more on the way from you more knowledgeable people.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Happy to hear you are out and about!!! Wheels make a big difference in my opinion, but you don't need to get Zipp 101s or anything in that price range. Look at Williams Cycling, Rolf, Boyd and smaller brands like that. You can get a nice set of wheels and save some significant cash (my favorite of that group is Williams becaus they have some light alloy options). I ride a Sram Rival and Force mix and I selected the parts based on saving weight and increasing performance where it matters most (shiters are Force for example, while my brake calipers are Rival, etc.). My point is you don't need a whole new set of components, you could simply go on ebay and get a set of 2011 Red or Force shifters, etc. when you are ready. The 2012 Red is sweet though. I LOVE my Rotor 3D+ crank with Q rings (52-36 in the front & a 11-26 Sram cassette in the back). They are pricey, but might make a fun "big" reward. The new Sram Red Cassette might be a more cost effective big reward. More important than any of this is just enjoy riding man and find some more experienced cyclists to ride with so that you can improve. Centuries are a great first goal, but don't be ashamed to start with a 1/2 or 3/4 century first. You are on the right track, so no need to worry and no rush to add anything new.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

I forgot to add that Mavic Ksyrium elites are another propular wheel upgrade choice at a pretty good price point.


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## xjbaylor (Dec 28, 2006)

AythanNyah09 said:


> 1. I feel like im stretching way too much. I was hoping for a more 'upright' ride but Im leaning forward quite a bit. Curious if I can temporarily fix that and work my way to a more aggressive style in the months to come? Just not now.


Depending on how the bike is currently setup, this could be a very viable and simple option. Things like saddle placement will be set in their "permanent" place during the fitting, but the position of the bar can be changed with little overall consequence. 


> 2. My cadence. I read that 90 is the number im supposed to reach but i find that once i get into the mid-80s... I feel my legs are going faster than the pedals. Another way to say it is that I feel like Im "gapping" my pedal stroke. I dont know what the term is called. Either way... Im focusing on 80 cadence instead of 90s for now.


90 is a good goal to work towards, but not a requirement. As you increase power output you will be well served by a slightly higher cadence, but as a beginner just do what you are comfortable with. On your weekday rides just make a point of practicing pedaling at a higher cadence for a few miles each ride. Over time your practice, and time on the bike in general, will lead to a smoother pedal stoke and, in turn, a naturally higher cadence.


> 3. Im hearing a clicking during my pedal stroke. Im 100% sure that nothing is touching, bumping, scraping but during that pedal stroke... the crank is "clicking". I tested it by just cruising and the click will go away but once i start pedaling again... the click is there. It sounds like its missing a ball bearing or something. Any clues?


The most likely culprit is an inadequately tightened rear skewer. Carbon frames transmit sound so well it can be hard to trace odd sounds like that. Tighten the rear skewer and test that. If that doesn't do it for you pull the pedals off and grease (re-grease) the pedal spindle threads. Also, check the seatpost/frame interface and make sure the saddle is clamped tight and that the rails are clean. These are all very simple solutions that can be done and tested in a few minutes.


> I plan to reward myself after every 20-25lbs I lose. Yes, I can stand to lose 50+ lbs but thats why I bought the bike... to get into better health! Wheels is the most common upgrade ive seen posted (but OMG those ZIPP101s are expensive)... other than the rotor 3d+ cranks. But when I look at the cranks... a lot of people have Ultegra or SRAM red on their bikes while I have the stock SRAM rival. So, Im asking what is that must need first upgrade?


There is absolutely no reason to upgrade beyond Rival except for bragging rights and minor amounts of weight loss. Just a few months ago I owned a Rival, Red and Super Record 11 bike at the same time. All functioned flawlessly, the Red and Rival bikes were almost indistinguishable in their operation, and I personally think the Rival levers are the best looking levers made. Perfect shape, no graphics, matte clearcoat, etc. If they were UD carbon they would be perfect.

As for wheels, they do make a difference, though not as much as people like to think. Regardless of what people claim in the internet, you will NOT see a 1-2mph increase in your average by switching wheels (or bikes for that matter.) If you get wheels that are 1-1.5 pounds lighter your bike will feel lighter and quicker, but in actuality the differences will be slightly more than theoretical, even if you spend a lot of time climbing. If you ride mostly in the flats worry about aerodynamics, not weight. 
Going from my training wheels to Zipp 404's on a stretch of road I often ride showed an increase of around .2 mph over a number of rides. Real, but not real big.

In summary, don't waste money upgrading your drivetrain, it is flawless as is and will not increase your riding enjoyment. Wheels on the other hand could. You would be better off doubling what you spend on wheels than changing anything on your drivetrain.


> In summary, I just need to get in the saddle and ride! and so far... Im doing it! Just looking to learn more on the way from you more knowledgeable people.


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## Tupelo (Apr 29, 2012)

Let me guess, your clicking only happens under load during climbing. That clicking may be from your bottom bracket. They are notorious for being out of adjustment from the factory. I had the same thing and the mechanics where I bought my bike fixed that by placing new grease and getting it tightened properly. No clicks since. Easy fix.


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## SteveV0983 (Dec 9, 2008)

Rashadabd said:


> I forgot to add that Mavic Ksyrium elites are another propular wheel upgrade choice at a pretty good price point.


Before getting all excited about upgrading wheels, I would make sure you can try them before you own them. I have used Mavic OpenPro rims with Ultegra hubs for 10 years and they ride great, but they are much heavier than any new stock wheel you would buy today. Personally, I tried the Mavic Ksyrium Elites for a week on a demo bike and hated them. They were the harshest riding wheels I ever rode, and they use proprietary spokes which can only be serviced by Mavic. The biggest wheel difference you can make is to switch to a wider 23mm rim like the Boyds mentioned above (or Velocity A23s) and put on 25mm tires. They will give you a little bit smoother ride, much more comfort, and they use typical spokes that you can pick up at any bike shop.
Congratulations on your goals. It sounds like you will be riding for health and enjoyment (not racing) so be careful not to get caught up in what the market wants to sell you. If you need a 90mm stem with 40mm of spacers below it because that is what fits and feels good, then that's what you should have. If you like your current wheels and they are heavier than Zipps, who cares.
When you go for your fit, be sure to tell them that you want to ride more upright and you feel too stretched out. You're paying for it and you want to make sure you end up fit how you feel comfortable, not how a pro would feel comfortable.


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## tangerineowl (Sep 1, 2012)

I've been reading up on the Cervelo bottom brackets recently. 
Hope your issue is just as Tupelo mentioned.

That frame/colour looks great.


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## nismoduc (Apr 19, 2012)

I'm getting a R3 myself....will be riding soon


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