Road Cycling Essentials

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Vonhelmet said:
Was hoping to get out cycling tonight but work was super lame so I got home late. Not been out since Tuesday :/

Gonna head out tomorrow instead. Got the morning off on Monday for a ride as well. Shush, don't tell the mrs.
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Aye, I was going to head out tomorrow morning but am full of cold so I may have to postpone until Sunday :(

Been trying some quad strengthening exercises lately to hopefully build up the strength a bit and take the pressure off my knees.
 
No racing today, have to run the racing once a year in pairs.

Put all the signs out on the road, take money, make sure everyone's got a number etc etc.

More to do than you think, and keeping track of 4 grades at once at the finish isn't easy either.

Had a short go on the rollers this evening and will hopefully get a longer ride in tomorrow to push me over 150km for the week. Missed out a bit Wednesday Thursday as I worked away so didn't get a longer ride in then.
 
Short spin this morning to test my shoulder after the AC ligament tear a couple of weeks ago;

http://www.strava.com/activities/85425025

Went ok, still a bit sore and slightly restricted on the movement (not a lot) plus can be weak doing certain movements but seemed ok considering i was thinking it would be 4 weeks until i could consider being back on the bike when i did it so overall i have to be pleased. :D
 
nice average speed there . shows me how far I still have to go :(

I think the speed I can reach on the flatts without to much difficulty only went up from about 14 > 18mph lol :(

Hopefully a lot of it is because I'm riding a hybrid with tyres like this (700x35)
nBWvvhv.jpg

although I was so unfit when I started I guess I have came along way with my endurance
tempted to stick some 23c tyres on for the lulz probably look uber stupid with my frame though :D

What is supposed to be the peak ages for cyclists before they start declining anyway?
at 32 a few months from 33 I'm probably not far off already?
 
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I have a pair of Marathon Supremes in 700x35c on my CX bike for commuting purposes. I have not had a puncture in the 2000 miles I've ridden that bike. One example of how tough they are sticks in my mind; I rode over one of those remembrance day poppy lapel pins, which embedded itself into the tyre. I was able to pull it out without incident - I'm fairly certain few other road tyres would have remained puncture free. They are quite expensive admittedly, but they also last forever.
 
arknor said:
nice average speed there . shows me how far I still have to go :(

I think the speed I can reach on the flatts without to much difficulty only went up from about 14 > 18mph lol :(

Hopefully a lot of it is because I'm riding a hybrid with tyres like this (700x35)
although I was so unfit when I started I guess I have came along way with my endurance
tempted to stick some 23c tyres on for the lulz probably look uber stupid with my frame though :D

What is supposed to be the peak ages for cyclists before they start declining anyway?
at 32 a few months from 33 I'm probably not far off already?
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Cheers.

A hybrid and those tyres wont help, 25's would be a good size to get (GP4000S i dont think can be beaten for an all round tyre), think i will get them next (currently on 24 rear and 22 front (Conti GP Force/Attack) but they arent really a Autumn/Winter tyre).

You would likely peak at 28-32 ish but it would likely differ for each person (Chris Horner just won the Vuelta at 41, 42 in October!). Peaking doesnt really matter if you start at a lowish (ie normal compared to a lot of the population) fitness level, anywhere is up and you peak at what you can.

I'm 37, been cycling about a year (did have 8-10 months cycling in 2008/2009), this was my first ride a year ago;
http://app.strava.com/activities/21828935

Reasonable natural fitness, slightly overweight when i started (12.5-13 stone) but down to 11st or under now (been down at 10.5st earlier this year).
 
arknor said:
What is supposed to be the peak ages for cyclists before they start declining anyway?
at 32 a few months from 33 I'm probably not far off already?
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As a pro, around 32-33. As an amateur it is highly unlikely you'll ever be at a point where you're held back by your age rather than your fitness - there are guys in my club over 40 riding 20 minute 10s.
 
One More Solo said:
As a pro, around 32-33. As an amateur it is highly unlikely you'll ever be at a point where you're held back by your age rather than your fitness - there are guys in my club over 40 riding 20 minute 10s.
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Yep -my dad is in his 60s and recently got into cycling, now he's riding a lot (being retired) he's averaging around 17mph on the flats and I suspect he'll get better yet.
 
Looking for a bit of advice. I know sizing is a personal thing but i cant try a frame-set out.

Ive not long been into road biking 6 months maybe. currently ride a Ribble R872 and ive been offered a Scott CR1 SL frameset (the one going cheap on westbrook) for the price he paid for it and its boxed brand new.

im 5ft 11 and currently ride a 52.5 R872 with a 100mm stem which is a bit of a stretch GEO:http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/assets/images/R872_Geometry.jpg


The CR1's a 54 its not far off geo wise to the R872
GEO:http://dfp2hfrf3mn0u.cloudfront.net/188/18863_original_1.jpg

From the Geo's above do you think ill get away with the 54? - the R872 ive found with the 100mm stem is a bit of a stretch and it has a setback post which i was considering changing to a straight post.

What do you think guys - Could i make it fit or do you think it'll be too small at my height.
 
looks like top tube horizontal length is 565mm on the ribble and 545mm on the CR1

Not sure on how the different seat tube angle would affect it but you could always fit a longer stem to the CR1 for it to fit if you're getting a good deal. Or if the ribble feels too stretched out maybe the scott would be a good fit for you.
 
oli collett said:
Yep -my dad is in his 60s and recently got into cycling, now he's riding a lot (being retired) he's averaging around 17mph on the flats and I suspect he'll get better yet.
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I know somebody who is 70 years old and has just got back from 2 weeks cycling round the Pyrenees! I don't think any of us have anything to worry about!
 
Yep -my dad is in his 60s and recently got into cycling, now he's riding a lot (being retired) he's averaging around 17mph on the flats and I suspect he'll get better yet.
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WOW he's almost as fast as me so I guess theres hope for me yet



Thought I would get some miles in even though I didn't really have the energy for it so just stuck to a nice slow pace for the most part.

Also my knee kept aching if I went above 80 cadence lol :( usually I try to stay around 90 but must have wrecked my knee carrying stupid flat pack ikea furniture up the stairs as it's never ached from cycling before

Decided to goto wylam even though the only other time I did it wasn't very enjoyable because of all the over grown bushes and to my amazement now the summer is pretty much over the council seem to have chopped them all back making the path twice as wide as when I first went YAY!

http://www.strava.com/activities/85472862

BTW that hill segment I was talking about the other day Thought I would try to attack it so stopped the timer on my garmin , had a small rest and a drink at the bottom.
Started trying to power up the hill going around 12mph then realised at about half way I never started the timer again so got off the bike and walked the rest of the way up it lmfao

nice weather for a ride though not much wind and the sun is out :D

BTW is it just me or is the first mile always the hardest?
 
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J273 said:
Looking for a bit of advice. I know sizing is a personal thing but i cant try a frame-set out.

Ive not long been into road biking 6 months maybe. currently ride a Ribble R872 and ive been offered a Scott CR1 SL frameset (the one going cheap on westbrook) for the price he paid for it and its boxed brand new.

im 5ft 11 and currently ride a 52.5 R872 with a 100mm stem which is a bit of a stretch GEO:http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/assets/images/R872_Geometry.jpg


The CR1's a 54 its not far off geo wise to the R872
GEO:http://dfp2hfrf3mn0u.cloudfront.net/188/18863_original_1.jpg

From the Geo's above do you think ill get away with the 54? - the R872 ive found with the 100mm stem is a bit of a stretch and it has a setback post which i was considering changing to a straight post.

What do you think guys - Could i make it fit or do you think it'll be too small at my height.
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measurement C is the main one that matters (both diagrams)

the Scott is 20mm shorter in the effective top tube length. This may result in you losing the feeling of stretchedness you have, or it may result in you feeling cramped. 20mm can be the difference between stretched and cramped....

as an aside, the scott is also 10mm lower at the front (he4adtube length, B on the scott chart, D on the ribble) but provided the fork steerer is long enough you can fix that with a spacer.

The scott has a much more classic geometry than the ribble which is very sloping.

If the ribble fitted you perfectly, i'd send you straight to the L scott. but it doesn't, so all bets are off there. I'm guessing you're at the bottom of ribble's recommended height range, so 5ft10?
 
what oil do you guys use on your chain? I'm getting sick of finish line dry teflon lube.

only lasts 20-40miles before links start talking to me and my chain usually is nowhere near dirty enough to really need a degrease and reapply at that time.

are all dry lubes the same and barely last any time at all?

I always make sure a big drip goes on the roller of every link as well so it's not like I'm barely applying any or missing links.
 
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