Road Cycling Essentials

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:D:D:D

Nom nom nom.

Powertap SL+ built onto my Fulcrum 7 rim with DT spokes. I figured a training wheel is never going to be very light, this added approximately 50g at the hub, but then the spokes may be a few g lighter. Neither here nor there really, and I want some fancy wheels to race on but big $$$. This wheel cost me fully built including the hub <$500. The Garmin Vector pedals are $1250 new and a new Powertap wheel similar, a Quarq/SRM is $2k+.

I tested it and it works which is good since it was second hand! Removed my Garmin speed/cadence sensors as the Powertap should do that as well, but if it proves to not be as accurate I may put them back on.

Had a quick spin round the block, but forgot to connect the Garmin to satellites as I had been using it in the garage. Power figures look about as expected, averaged 235w for a 10 minute run about town inc some small hills.

Wondering if there is a quick method to calibrate the Powertap before each use, as it takes quite a long time to go through all the menus to get to the calibration screen.

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Some Cervelo pr0n too. I know I need an out front Garmin mount!

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Worryingly I noticed this while putting the wheel back on the bike... sidewall is fatigued/aged it looks like! :confused:

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Berger said:
Worryingly I noticed this while putting the wheel back on the bike... sidewall is fatigued/aged it looks like! :confused:
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looks fine, I've had that on my front schwalbe tyre since I got the bike, done several 1000km since then and it's fine.
 
Does anyone here use any kind of supplements or nutrition powders/tablets etc?

Basically I am starting to increase my mileage a bit at a time and did a 50 mile ride out yesterday. I am still trying to gain fitness and still need to lose about 1.5 stone in weight. However, I am really struggling by the end of the week. I do one ride out for leisure/fitness and 3 rides to work and back, so about 128 miles in total in the week at the moment.

A couple of people at work use creatine when they ride, but I always thought this was more for really building muscle (like weight lifting etc).
 
davejh666 said:
Does anyone here use any kind of supplements or nutrition powders/tablets etc?

Basically I am starting to increase my mileage a bit at a time and did a 50 mile ride out yesterday. I am still trying to gain fitness and still need to lose about 1.5 stone in weight. However, I am really struggling by the end of the week. I do one ride out for leisure/fitness and 3 rides to work and back, so about 128 miles in total in the week at the moment.

A couple of people at work use creatine when they ride, but I always thought this was more for really building muscle (like weight lifting etc).
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well I do but then again I do power lifting too so it is normal for me to be on tosh load of random stuff..

but I do consume 4k+ cals a day..

this includes commuting to work ~100ish miles/week and lifting 3 days/week

the only way to not run out of poof is eat more.. :) don't worry you wont gain fat as long as you stay active and don't over eat too much/at all if you still want to lose weight.
 
Yeah, see at the moment I am having, usually, about 1500 calories per day plus drinks (mostly water or squash with about 2/3 cups of coffee), due to trying to lose weight. It might be that with doing the biking etc that it just isn't enough.

All of the food that I am eating is 'good', no crap thrown in, so could probably do with upping it a little I guess.
 
davejh666 said:
Yeah, see at the moment I am having, usually, about 1500 calories per day plus drinks (mostly water or squash with about 2/3 cups of coffee), due to trying to lose weight. It might be that with doing the biking etc that it just isn't enough.

All of the food that I am eating is 'good', no crap thrown in, so could probably do with upping it a little I guess.
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Sounds like you're not eating enough for the amount of miles you're riding, even with weight loss as a goal. Probably up it 2000 cals a day if I was you and see how it goes.
 
Planet X have said they won't be shipping my bib tights and have refunded my order :(

This morning's ride in was murder. I rode the Dolan for the first time but it was a strong head wind all the way and I didn't drop the gearing down. Just feel completely smashed and the weather says the wind is switching directions by hometime :D

Other than that it's a very smooth ride. It's a bit twitchy at low speed because it's got almost no castor, but fine once at speed. I'm not entirely sure how that is an advantage, but I guess I don't design bikes. The bottom bracket is very high, so the saddle has to be up a long way. It means I can only just get the point of my shoe to touch the ground if clipped in the other side, so I have to dismount every stop unless there's a kerb - not too much of an issue because I can *almost* track stand. Modern handlebars feel very fat and it's a big handful to pull the brake compared to skinny bars on older bikes. Way less toe overlap than the Russian bike which is generally a bonus. Generally quite pleased with it but I don't know how long I'll keep the bike for.
 
I'd take some snacks for a 50 mile ride personally, or at least an energy drink. People can boast about doing imperial centuries with only a bottle of their own urine for energy but it is better to keep fuelled up than spectacularly bonk.
 
To be honest I feel fine now, and felt fine at the end of the ride. It is by the end of the week I feel really tired, legs ache etc. I only work 3 days per week, this week Thurs/Fri & Sat, so by Saturday evening I will be knackered.

I don't think I'd want to do anymore than 50 miles without eating/drinking though. Will try to alter my diet a little as well I think. Cheers.
 
davejh666 said:
Yeah, see at the moment I am having, usually, about 1500 calories per day plus drinks (mostly water or squash with about 2/3 cups of coffee), due to trying to lose weight. It might be that with doing the biking etc that it just isn't enough.

All of the food that I am eating is 'good', no crap thrown in, so could probably do with upping it a little I guess.
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1500 calories a day looooooool.

Eat more. You'll burn it off if you're doing 128 miles a week. And yeah, definitely drink while you're riding. I usually drink 500ml or so of electrolyte drink on a 20 mile ride, and I'd be dead if I tried to do 50 miles without drinking anything. Get a carb drink. High 5 Energy Source is a good bet, or buy some maltodextrin and fructose in bulk and mix it up. Caffeine and electrolyte powder optional at that point.
 
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Get a foam roller too. Less than a tenner from Sports Direct.

Rolling out your quads is agony but it does seem to loosen them up ready for more pedal powered punishment.:D
 
davejh666 said:
Yeah, see at the moment I am having, usually, about 1500 calories per day plus drinks (mostly water or squash with about 2/3 cups of coffee), due to trying to lose weight. It might be that with doing the biking etc that it just isn't enough.

All of the food that I am eating is 'good', no crap thrown in, so could probably do with upping it a little I guess.
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How are you even alive? Unless you're like 4 feet tall or something.

edit: I really recommend using something like MyFitnessPal and logging both your food intake and your exercise (though keep in mind MFP's estimates for kcal burned cycling are laughably high). 1500 kcal a day plus enough food to cover the kcal you've burned cycling would still lead to massive weight loss.
 
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