Road Cycling Essentials
- Thread starter Matutu
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26 miles this evening going to Heaton Park and back. I made it up to the Temple:
It's the highest point in Manchester City, apparently, though it's only at 435ft above sea level, so that's not exactly super high!
I'd been using the virtual partner thingy on my Garmin, and what with bimbling around the park on narrow paths and avoiding people I was way behind, so I pushed hard on the way back and got an assload of achievements, so that's pretty good.
I nearly ran into the back of a caravan, that was a bit scary. I was following a fair distance behind, but all of a sudden I noticed I was getting closer to this caravan at an alarming rate. The brake lights on the back of the caravan didn't seem to be working though, just the regular rear red lights, so it wasn't at all obvious that it had been slowing down. Of course, I'd picked that moment to take a drink, so my left hand was full of bottle right when I needed to be braking quite hard with my right hand. I managed to somehow steady the bars with my left hand while still holding the bottle, in the course of which I squirted juice all over the place, and fortunately managed to stop behind the caravan. I let him build up quite a gap after that, just to be on the safe side. His indicators seemed to be working, but I saw his rear lights flickering a lot, and no brake lights at all, so I'm guessing he had a dodgy connection somewhere.
It's the highest point in Manchester City, apparently, though it's only at 435ft above sea level, so that's not exactly super high!
I'd been using the virtual partner thingy on my Garmin, and what with bimbling around the park on narrow paths and avoiding people I was way behind, so I pushed hard on the way back and got an assload of achievements, so that's pretty good.
I nearly ran into the back of a caravan, that was a bit scary. I was following a fair distance behind, but all of a sudden I noticed I was getting closer to this caravan at an alarming rate. The brake lights on the back of the caravan didn't seem to be working though, just the regular rear red lights, so it wasn't at all obvious that it had been slowing down. Of course, I'd picked that moment to take a drink, so my left hand was full of bottle right when I needed to be braking quite hard with my right hand. I managed to somehow steady the bars with my left hand while still holding the bottle, in the course of which I squirted juice all over the place, and fortunately managed to stop behind the caravan. I let him build up quite a gap after that, just to be on the safe side. His indicators seemed to be working, but I saw his rear lights flickering a lot, and no brake lights at all, so I'm guessing he had a dodgy connection somewhere.
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I was thinking about getting an SMP Dynamic or Forma saddle, not fully happy with my Arione still after trying different positions. Ii have been reading about them here; http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/bikefit/2011/09/all-about-smps/
Can be problematic with my 3T seat post, but I'd try thread lock first before buying a new one.
I have to nose down too much with my current saddle or it cuts blood flow, and going nose down too much transfers too much weight onto my arms.
Would you go black to match bar tape, or green to match the green stripes on the bike and to stand out!
Can be problematic with my 3T seat post, but I'd try thread lock first before buying a new one.
I have to nose down too much with my current saddle or it cuts blood flow, and going nose down too much transfers too much weight onto my arms.
Would you go black to match bar tape, or green to match the green stripes on the bike and to stand out!
Hah, love it.
I tried to measure my sit bones, they seem to be quite narrow, about 100mm maybe little narrower.
I do like the narrow saddles, my boardman MTB has one and I've always got on with it.
Looking for minimal padding and a cut out Selle SMP have a huge range, but big price tag!
Not sure on the V shapes which Fizik offer, its hard to get a loan saddle as the LBS are pretty small.
Guy at racing today has a new Pinarello with Campy EPS, the EPS grenaded this morning so he was on his old Giant. His Pinarello set him back $17k!
I do like the narrow saddles, my boardman MTB has one and I've always got on with it.
Looking for minimal padding and a cut out Selle SMP have a huge range, but big price tag!
Not sure on the V shapes which Fizik offer, its hard to get a loan saddle as the LBS are pretty small.
Guy at racing today has a new Pinarello with Campy EPS, the EPS grenaded this morning so he was on his old Giant. His Pinarello set him back $17k!
Here's the specialised chart from there measuring thing that tells you what saddle width people need
okay my leg is now better but my ankle managed to twist itself last night walking down some stairs.....
no pops or cracks but doubt I can hardly walk on it never mind ride a bike
okay my leg is now better but my ankle managed to twist itself last night walking down some stairs.....
no pops or cracks but doubt I can hardly walk on it never mind ride a bike
Don
- Joined
- 20 Oct 2002
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- 34,934
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- Oxfordshire / Bucks
I bought a saddle based on what the fitter told me to get, and the saddle I bought was good for me, or so it seems to be 
I tried to measure my sit bones, they seem to be quite narrow, about 100mm maybe little narrower.
I do like the narrow saddles, my boardman MTB has one and I've always got on with it.
Looking for minimal padding and a cut out Selle SMP have a huge range, but big price tag!
Not sure on the V shapes which Fizik offer, its hard to get a loan saddle as the LBS are pretty small.
Guy at racing today has a new Pinarello with Campy EPS, the EPS grenaded this morning so he was on his old Giant. His Pinarello set him back $17k!
I never got on with my Boardman MTB saddle, but love my charge scoop saddles, have one on both the road and MTB, can't fault them. Nothing was brought up in my bike fit regarding saddle, get the occasional saddle sore, but never get any problems on the saddle.
I'm using a charge scoop on my main bike at the moment and I like it. I get a bit sore on longer rides but I think that's more to do with my £25 decathlon bib shorts... I'm gonna buy a more expensive pair soon and see how I get on. I think I'm going to pick up a charge spoon for my second bike sometime, as it's been crashed on so is a bit torn up and crooked. The spoon only costs like £20 anyway, so it's worth a punt.
Can anyone suggest a training plan or some targets to aim for? I've signed up for C2C in a day next June (2015) so plenty of time to train.
Cycling and fitness wise right now not great I'm not out consistently but can happily do 40-50miles when I am out. I've joined the local cycling group but wondered if anyone could point out any online training plans or just some general targets to aim for?
Thanks in advance!
Cycling and fitness wise right now not great I'm not out consistently but can happily do 40-50miles when I am out. I've joined the local cycling group but wondered if anyone could point out any online training plans or just some general targets to aim for?
Thanks in advance!
Soldato
- Joined
- 22 Sep 2008
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- 10,142
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- Burscough
Don't worry about speed or distance.
Just increase time in the saddle, the rest will come.
Just increase time in the saddle, the rest will come.
C2C in a day is more an exercise in endurance than speed. There's also likely to be a good chunk of climbing in the middle, depending on what route you're taking. I'd be working on building up my endurance and working on climbing.
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Jan 2004
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- 12,803
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- Leicestershire
I did 200 miles in a day a couple of weeks ago. Do a couple of hundred mile rides on the flat. Keep yourself hydrated and fed. Makes it easier. Something i was told - if you don't wee you're not drinking enough. I might be doing C2C in November.
As said - time in the saddle.
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