Road Cycling Essentials

[Damien] · 22 May 2013 at 10:38

Personally I cruise at about 85-90rpm on the flats. It feels too spinny above that and I have to change up a gear. On steep climbs it can be as low as 60-70.

I'm definitely a grinder. Higher is generally always better though.

ShiWarrior · 22 May 2013 at 10:43

[Damien];24321389 said:
Personally I cruise at about 85-90rpm on the flats. It feels too spinny above that and I have to change up a gear. On steep climbs it can be as low as 60-70.

I'm definitely a grinder. Higher is generally always better though.

I do about the same as you

I ain for 90+ on the flats, over a 100 rpm seems to spin too fast for me that I have to change gear

hills, again try and keep it up as high as poss , but aim for a minimum of 75
today I was in 1st and I was doing about 60-70 :/

rogan · 22 May 2013 at 10:44

I try and keep a cadence avg above 90, i generally hit 100-110 uphill though

granny gear >>>>

[Damien] · 22 May 2013 at 10:54

What hills do you have in london you need a granny gear for?

grudas · 22 May 2013 at 10:57

[Damien];24321504 said:
What hills do you have in london you need a granny gear for?

touch · 22 May 2013 at 11:14

helpimcrap said:
I'm thinking to maintain 15mph for 40mile stints for 24hrs I should be hitting 80-90 RPM to keep the load/stress less?

Try not to have a fixed speed in mind when you're doing this.
At the start, when you're fresh, if there is a slight climb or small headwind it can slow you down without you realising it, so you might try to push too hard to maintain your pace.
Also, you'll naturally tire out and get slower as you go so if you're dropping below your target pace after several hours and you try to push a bit to maintain the pace, you'll probably blow up.

Manage your cadence and heart rate and if you're going faster than expected, that's great, but if you're going slower, dont panic about it.

Breaking into 40 mile chunks is good but be careful with eating/drinking. If you're 35 miles into your 40 mile chunk and you start to feel hungry, it would be easy to ignore and just wait 5 miles to stop and eat. It's not a good idea to do that though. You dont have to stop and eat loads, just a banana or something to get you to the next stop.

Let me know if you have any other questions. I'm no expert, but i'v done a couple of 24 hour races so i know a little bit about what to expect.

When is your ride?

rogan · 22 May 2013 at 11:30

[Damien];24321504 said:
What hills do you have in london you need a granny gear for?

swains

grudas · 22 May 2013 at 11:39

rogan said:
swains

looks like a nice climb tbh.. not far of my house too! might go there on the weekend!

[Damien] · 22 May 2013 at 11:39

rogan said:
swains

Fair enough

Edit:

Canyon Bikes said:
Your order is currently being processed and will be handed over to UPS within
the next 48 hours. You will then receive a confirmation of dispatch from us by e-mail together
with the tracking number of the consignment. The tracking number allows you to
constantly monitor the status of the consignment via Internet.

'currently being processed'?!?! WTF have you been doing for the last 3 weeks?!

grudas · 22 May 2013 at 11:57

so my new seat/stem position is quite good! i feel like i can PUMP the bike harder and push harder? its like i've got more power in my legs.. good feeling.

no pain in my back yet, but then again i only have it once or twice/week

[Damien] · 22 May 2013 at 12:11

Mr Jones said:
Won't you rather lube up your thighs and take her out for a long hard ride?

grudas said:
i feel like i can PUMP the bike harder and push harder

And grudas thinks we're the weird ones for wearing lycra...

chanjy · 22 May 2013 at 12:12

grudas said:
looks like a nice climb tbh.. not far of my house too! might go there on the weekend!

Don't bother. Go through Alexandra Palace then climb up the road to Muswell Hill, you'll knacker yourself out just as much.

chanjy · 22 May 2013 at 12:13

This is ridiculous (although it doesn't come out in photos so well)

http://goo.gl/maps/ZJ9bS

[Damien] · 22 May 2013 at 12:24

chanjy said:
This is ridiculous (although it doesn't come out in photos so well)

http://goo.gl/maps/ZJ9bS

A road, and especially a hill, with a smooth, potholeless surface!?

Oh check these londoners out! "Our roads are all lovely and smooth, look at us. We never have to slalom around holes that make the bottomless chasm from 300 look like a road chip"

Bloody southerners... :mad:

grudas · 22 May 2013 at 12:27

[Damien];24322036 said:
And grudas thinks we're the weird ones for wearing lycra...

lol

chanjy said:
Don't bother. Go through Alexandra Palace then climb up the road to Muswell Hill, you'll knacker yourself out just as much.

chanjy said:
This is ridiculous (although it doesn't come out in photos so well)

http://goo.gl/maps/ZJ9bS

i know that road.. i've looked up it a few times but im scared lol.. ill give it a shot! its like a mile from me!

[Damien] · 22 May 2013 at 12:34

Just do it!

The hill me and Pete climbed last night was fun, even though while doing it it completely and utterly sucked. I had sweat dripping off the inside of my glasses and snot trailing out of my nose. I couldn't take my hands off the handlebars to sort either of them though because I was pulling on the bars with all my might just to have something to anchor myself against to keep the momentum up.

grudas · 22 May 2013 at 12:41

[Damien];24322196 said:
Just do it!

The hill me and Pete climbed last night was fun, even though while doing it it completely and utterly sucked. I had sweat dripping off the inside of my glasses and snot trailing out of my nose. I couldn't take my hands off the handlebars to sort either of them though because I was pulling on the bars with all my might just to have something to anchor myself against to keep the momentum up.

http://goo.gl/maps/nKxN7

i rode down this soo many times.. never bothered climbing back through this road, looks just as steep but with less traffic.

http://goo.gl/maps/nKxN7

Shamrock · 22 May 2013 at 12:46

Why do online bike retailers keep screwing up my orders? :mad:

First Wiggle, now PBK. Ordered a jersey and paid for next day delivery. They currently have an offer on where you get some free dried mangos with your order.

Today I receive a pack of dried mangos delivered by express next day delivery and no jersey! :rolleyes:

grudas · 22 May 2013 at 12:48

Shamrock said:
Why do online bike retailers keep screwing up my orders?

First Wiggle, now PBK. Ordered a jersey and paid for next day delivery. They currently have an offer on where you get some free dried mangos with your order.

Today I receive a pack of dried mangos delivered by express next day delivery and no jersey!

lmao.. shut up and eat your mangos

Vonhelmet · 22 May 2013 at 12:49

[Damien];24322196 said:
I had sweat dripping off the inside of my glasses and snot trailing out of my nose.

No wonder my bike was skidding around the road :eek: