Road Cycling Essentials

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^As above. I'm moving 45 minutes from the Alps.
robjf said:
I've done the same, contracts signed, but I have to wait until May 12th which is pretty rubbish. Currently thinking along the lines of a Cube Peloton, I've requested £750 as didn't want to commit the full £1k!
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I'm not changing steed, I'm changing country :).

Though, a new steed might be on the cards to celebrate...or at least Ultegra Di2. I'm trying to talk the missus into it because I'll need to change gears more often, and my left wrist doesn't work properly after my accident (broke my wrist and damaged nerves a long time ago), but it hurts to change the big ring regularly...
 
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I did 25 miles a few days ago and my knee was aching after 20 miles lol...
another 28 miles yesterday and perfectly fine apart from my legs being dead after 20 miles :D

I think my longest ride last year was only 30miles so I can't have lost to much fitness from not riding for the last 5-6 months, I beat a few of my own personal bests as well :O

I hate riding at this time of year though there must have been about a million flies hovering at face height under almost every tree
 
Just got back from my bike fit at Pedal Precision in Manchester Velodrome.

Spent a while discussing what issues I've had, mostly my right foot not sitting flat on the pedals, a few back ache issues but that was pretty much it. He then went on to explore the extents of movement of my legs, how I walk and how my feet-ankles-knees-hips-back interact in the "chain" as it were. Then spent the next hour on the turbo and made quite a few adjustments to my setup.

He raised the saddle a bit and moved it forwards, lowered the bars and tilted them a bit back towards me. My main problems were that my core is not properly supporting my body and my glutes were highly imbalanced which was causing all the issues on my right hand side. My left bumcheek (for want of a better term) stays pretty still whilst cycling and my left leg in turn pistons quite well and smoothly. My right however moves up and down because there is little strength in the muscles that bind the pelvis to the spines which was causing this extreme "wobbling" of my right cheek (so to speak). He made various cleat tweaks, removed my insoles that had padding on them, made his own with some tape, along with the other bike changes and has given me a list of exercises that I can do to help redress this imbalance.

All in all a satisfactory visit, if a little on the pricey side, but the proof will be in the pedalling and with a 70km ride over the lumps and bumps of north Wales planned on Friday, I may have a clearer knowledge as to whether they have done any good in the short term. In the longer term, more improvement to my "ass stability" by undertaking the exercises will hopefully prove telling.

On another note, there were loads of young teens with VERY expensive looking bikes, all in matching tracksuits at the velodrome. It really is an encouraging sign that British Cycling is taking this popularity in cycling by the scruff of the neck and are supporting these potential stars (even if I was mightily jealous of some of them!).
 
What's the calendar looking like for the main tour races this year? Annoyed that I didn't get to see Paris-Roubaix because it was on Eurosport. Are ITV4 covering any of them this year?

Edit: Giro is next from 9th May to 1st June but I can't see who's covering it. Internet skills... so... weak...
 
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I heard that ITV4 will have a lot of the Tour of Britain on live this year.

I expect they'll have the usual from the grand tours as well.
 
physichull said:
All in all a satisfactory visit, if a little on the pricey side, but the proof will be in the pedalling and with a 70km ride over the lumps and bumps of north Wales planned on Friday, I may have a clearer knowledge as to whether they have done any good in the short term. In the longer term, more improvement to my "ass stability" by undertaking the exercises will hopefully prove telling.
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I felt the difference pretty much immediately, and it really helped me for the rest of the year, particularly the imperial century I did last year, which I'd never have managed with the gyp my right knee was giving me. You're right that it's expensive, but I found it really helpful. I could have spent the £110 it cost me on a Garmin or some clothes or whatever, but I'd still be riding with a sore knee...
 
Vonhelmet said:
I felt the difference pretty much immediately, and it really helped me for the rest of the year
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I also felt a difference immediately when i had a bike fit.
They lowered my seat and i felt like i had much less power and my quads hurt more.
It took about 2 weeks to get used to it but once i did, i was much faster and more comfortable.
 
Jonny69 said:
What's the calendar looking like for the main tour races this year? Annoyed that I didn't get to see Paris-Roubaix because it was on Eurosport. Are ITV4 covering any of them this year?

Edit: Giro is next from 9th May to 1st June but I can't see who's covering it. Internet skills... so... weak...
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The tours will be on national TV.

For me :p.
 
Wikipedia - Sports Broadcasting in the UK;

· Tour de France: Live daily coverage on ITV4 until 2019[48] and British Eurosport
· Giro d'Italia: Live on British Eurosport to 2016;[49] highlights on Sky Sports
· Vuelta a España: Live on British Eurosport; highlights on ITV4
· UCI Spring Classics: Live on British Eurosport; highlights on ITV4
· UCI Road World Championships: Live on BBC and British Eurosport
· World Track Championships: Live on BBC
· UCI Track Cycling World Cup: Live on BBC (UK event only)
· European Track Championships: Live on British Eurosport
· Tour of Britain: No announcement about 2014 onwards.
· Ride London: Live on BBC and British Eurosport
· Revolution: Highlights on BT Sport
· Halfords Tour Series: Highlights on ITV4

Pearl Izumi Tour Series is also on ITV4; chap I used to work with rides for one of the competing teams.

Edit; it appears the Halfords series and Pearl Izumi series are the same thing.
 
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Spring is here! Moved home to Perth at the weekend and the good weather has coincided beautifully. Love cycling here compared to Glasgow. Much quicker access to hills, more climbing, barely any traffic, better quality roads, just bloomin beautiful cycling countryside. Working from home means lunchtime rides too!

http://www.strava.com/activities/130481006

Got out yesterday and just in from this one today. I'll be so sad when I finish thesis writing and get a job :p
 
Vonhelmet said:
I felt the difference pretty much immediately, and it really helped me for the rest of the year, particularly the imperial century I did last year, which I'd never have managed with the gyp my right knee was giving me. You're right that it's expensive, but I found it really helpful. I could have spent the £110 it cost me on a Garmin or some clothes or whatever, but I'd still be riding with a sore knee...
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Just been out for an hour long spin and you are right, I did feel the difference immediately. It wasn't immediately apparent on the turbo trainer but I felt like I had loads more power when kicking off, my legs felt like they were extending just the right amount and I could definitely put more power down on the flat.

Got a bit of neckache from the new position now, but that will go no doubt, once I get used to it.
 
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