Road Cycling Essentials

touch · 27 Jun 2012 at 16:40

[DOD]Asprilla;22227362 said:
I also like over lapping segments as it can help compare different approaches to a segment; is it quicker to attack this hill at the bottom or to take it easy and save energy at the top?

I find the compare function is good for this. For any segment you can compare your like-for-like times with anybody else to see where you make/lose the time.

[DOD]Asprilla · 27 Jun 2012 at 16:40

Shamrock said:
Well, after getting my hybrid bike stolen earlier this year (gutted) I've finally saved up to buy a new bike. Hoping to order this in the next week or so:

Rose Xeon CRS-5000
Campag Chorus 11 groupset
Mavic Cosmic Carbone SL wheelset
Conti GP4000s tyres
Selle Italia SLR XC seat
3T ARX Team stem
3T Ergonova Team carbon handlebars
fi'z:ik Microtex bar tape

Nearly missed this; if it rides half as good as it looks then you'll be a happy man.

Very sweet.

[DOD]Asprilla · 27 Jun 2012 at 16:51

touch said:
I find the compare function is good for this. For any segment you can compare your like-for-like times with anybody else to see where you make/lose the time.

Every time I've done that its just compared me to the segment leader. Can you compare your own previous efforts?

touch · 27 Jun 2012 at 16:56

you can compare each of your efforts against your PB. I dont think you can just choose any 2 of your efforts to compare tho.

uniQ · 27 Jun 2012 at 17:14

Russinating said:
For example Park Street in Bristol is a segment which is 0.2m long, but that kind of makes sense because they do a Red Bull hill race up there etc.

Ah one of my cycling buddies is 1st on that segment, apparently I'm around 100th lol, need to up my game.

Vonhelmet · 27 Jun 2012 at 17:45

touch said:
the idea of it was to compare times up climbs. I think it started in USA somewhere, probably somewhere with long climbs.

San Francisco, I'd guess, given that's the location it defaults to.

SexyGreyFox · 27 Jun 2012 at 18:53

Vonhelmet said:
I'm going to have to get in on this Strava thing. It looks quite smart. There's a few segments round my way, so maybe I can find something to keep me occupied, though I can't imagine I'll be remotely competitive given my aforementioned rubbish bike.

I've been told off for cheating but I pointed out that in all the Descriptions I had wrote "This is a test done in a car".
Somebody had noticed that I had done an impossible time on a certain segment, then looked at all my other routes and reported me.
Apparently if you pay a bit more it tracks if other riders have beat you over certain segments and informs you.
They have apologised but I've had to make them Private.
It's a cracking free programme.

InsomniaCalls · 27 Jun 2012 at 18:56

I get an email if I lose a KOM to anyone and I'm only on the free level. Spurs me into immediately getting my bike out to reclaim it!

Gimli · 27 Jun 2012 at 19:38

I still need to learn how to use my gears properly. I think I'm leaving it too hard when going up hills, sometimes even on flat roads. Anybody got any advice? Reasons for cycling is commuting AND fitness.

Russinating · 27 Jun 2012 at 19:39

I don't know what anyone else does but I still track my ride on Endomondo then just download it from there and upload to Strava. Just find it more accurate/a better mobile app.

Russinating · 27 Jun 2012 at 19:39

DrewSecrets said:
I still need to learn how to use my gears properly. I think I'm leaving it too hard when going up hills, sometimes even on flat roads. Anybody got any advice? Reasons for cycling is commuting AND fitness.

You want a high RPM generally. Past that I can't offer much advice other than you should be working but not struggling (unless you're in bottom gear!).

Gimli · 27 Jun 2012 at 19:55

Russinating said:
You want a high RPM generally. Past that I can't offer much advice other than you should be working but not struggling (unless you're in bottom gear!).

Higher RPM would mean using a higher gear, which would mean dropping to a smaller cog? I've never rode a road bike with a partner so I've never been able to ask others for advice with gears, setting the bike up or cycling in general! I'm still even working out/trying to get used to which bit change which gear and how. :confused:

[DOD]Asprilla · 27 Jun 2012 at 20:04

Higher pedalling RPM; easier gear so your legs spin more for the same speed.

Pushing too high a gear means you run out of steam quicker.

Shamrock · 27 Jun 2012 at 20:13

[DOD]Asprilla;22227391 said:
Nearly missed this; if it rides half as good as it looks then you'll be a happy man.

Very sweet.

Thanks, I'm really looking forward to hitting the BUY button!

I'm pretty happy with the spec I've chosen except for one last detail - the age old question of tyre width.

25mm vs 23mm is such a heavily debated topic, but I wonder if as a light rider (60kg) will I be fine on the 23mm and not really notice any decreased ride comfort? However, will I be more prone to punctures on the thinner tyres?

The GP4000s is a highly regarded tyre though so as long as I'm careful, I'm leaning towards the 23mm.

Hamster · 27 Jun 2012 at 20:28

DrewSecrets said:
Higher RPM would mean using a higher gear, which would mean dropping to a smaller cog? I've never rode a road bike with a partner so I've never been able to ask others for advice with gears, setting the bike up or cycling in general! I'm still even working out/trying to get used to which bit change which gear and how.

As Asprilla has said, easier (lower) gear for easier pedalling.

At the back (cassette/freewheel), the smallest cog is your highest gear (hardest to pedal)
At the front (chainrings), the largest cog is your highest gear (hardest to pedal).

One thing to avoid is your chain being at too much of an angle. You'll notice that at the back the smallest cogs are on the outside and at the front, the smallest cog is on the inside. You don't want to be in the smallest cogs at the back and the smallest at the front at the same time. Same goes for the largest cogs.

[DOD]Asprilla · 27 Jun 2012 at 20:32

I'm not as light as you but I ride 25mm tyres on 19mm rims on my commuter and I notice a big difference in comfort. For you though I reckon you won't notice a massive difference as you'll be able to run 23mm tyres at 90psi.

memphisto · 27 Jun 2012 at 20:42

hey guys as said previously doing the virign money cyclone 104 miles and 8000ft of climbs on saturday.

I rode from my house in crook to the lake distict over hartside and whinlatter passes which house to house crook to lakes was 93miles

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/101416441

My brother came with me and consumed roughly 2-3 times as many gels etc as myself which was noticeable as he destroyed me going up whinlatter pass which was around 80 miles in. He advised me i wasn't eating enough during the ride.

So if you were doing that type of ride how many gels / sweets would you consume ?

uniQ · 27 Jun 2012 at 21:33

DrewSecrets said:
I still need to learn how to use my gears properly. I think I'm leaving it too hard when going up hills, sometimes even on flat roads. Anybody got any advice? Reasons for cycling is commuting AND fitness.

Have a read about cadence:
http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/article/technique-cadence-matters-16394/

I met my first real match in a while recently and after taking it in turns leading I noticed he used a lower gear most of the time whilst I would be in the highest gear, and when I mimicked I found it made a big difference. A proper cadence meter with a decent GPS could be worth looking into for you.

Sheldon has some great info too:
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears.html

Russinating said:
I don't know what anyone else does but I still track my ride on Endomondo then just download it from there and upload to Strava. Just find it more accurate/a better mobile app.

On iPhone I use the Strava app.

Shamrock said:
25mm vs 23mm

25mm all day. I have a set of 23mm Conti GP4000s on my Canyon atm as they didn't have 25mm when I needed them. Have a replacement set of 25mm 4000s ready to go back on as soon as they need replacing now though.

One More Solo · 27 Jun 2012 at 21:38

memphisto said:
hey guys as said previously doing the virign money cyclone 104 miles and 8000ft of climbs on saturday.

I rode from my house in crook to the lake distict over hartside and whinlatter passes which house to house crook to lakes was 93miles

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/101416441

My brother came with me and consumed roughly 2-3 times as many gels etc as myself which was noticeable as he destroyed me going up whinlatter pass which was around 80 miles in. He advised me i wasn't eating enough during the ride.

So if you were doing that type of ride how many gels / sweets would you consume ?

I go for one gel per hour and keep my bottle topped up with isotonic drink, aiming to consume about 3-400 cals per hour.

Vonhelmet · 27 Jun 2012 at 22:02

Going back to gears... I've read that we pedal best at about 90-120 rpm. If you're in too high a gear going up a hill then your cadence is going to be well down and you'll tire yourself out trying to force the pedals round. Likewise if you're in too low a gear on the flat then your cadence will be way up and you'll be pedalling like a maniac and doing about 3mph, and again you'll get tired.

And yes - watch the angle of the chain. On my 15 gear bike I'm trying to discipline myself to use the top 3 on the cassette when I'm on the top chainring, the middle 3 on the middle one, and the bottom 3 on the bottom one. If I'm going to have to change the cassette outside that range then I'll change the chainring up or down one and go the other way with the cassette. I've no idea if that is anything like a sensible way of doing things, but I know it's bad to have the chain at a silly angle, so it's got to be worth something.