Road Cycling Essentials

Status
Not open for further replies.
Shamrock said:
Cool, I'm going all out too for this sprint relay. Not too fussed how we do as a team (our swimmer is a wheelchair user so transition from the water to me will be interesting) but I'm keen to get high on the cycle standings for the 20km sprint!

Got TT bike, aero helmet, speedsuit, shoe covers and I'll be shaving my legs again.:D

The definition of all the gear...no idea.:p
Click to expand...

Target time? I do the Nantwich Tri in a team and had the 3rd best bike time for the relay this year - 38:10 (over 20km)
 
#Chri5# said:
Target time? I do the Nantwich Tri in a team and had the 3rd best bike time for the relay this year - 38:10 (over 20km)
Click to expand...

I've not really done an effort like this before. I guess under 40mins would be a start and under 35 would be awesome.

My best sustained effort at Richmond Park so far is 20.1mi in 55:11. With the Tri course being only 12.4mi and a lot flatter (I think) I'm hoping I can break a 22mph average.
 
Shamrock said:
Cool, I'm going all out too for this sprint relay. Not too fussed how we do as a team (our swimmer is a wheelchair user so transition from the water to me will be interesting) but I'm keen to get high on the cycle standings for the 20km sprint!

Got TT bike, aero helmet, speedsuit, shoe covers and I'll be shaving my legs again.:D

The definition of all the gear...no idea.:p
Click to expand...

Its all about the look! I have most of that too, just need a skinsuit. And to sort my position out so this doesn't happen....Note the aero windbreak



Since I smashed up my nice bike racing I'm now doing all my riding on the one bike I have left. Need to sort another one out asap!

iguanoid said:
UPS handed over my new wheel set this afternoon. Built them up, stuck them on and here we go...
Click to expand...

Absolutely stunning. Great wheels.
 
Shamrock said:
I've not really done an effort like this before. I guess under 40mins would be a start and under 35 would be awesome.

My best sustained effort at Richmond Park so far is 20.1mi in 55:11. With the Tri course being only 12.4mi and a lot flatter (I think) I'm hoping I can break a 22mph average.
Click to expand...

I'm doing the Olympic distance, so that's 40km or 25 miles, though I think it's a bit closer to 22 miles in reality, if I've plotted it out right on ridewithgps. I'm on a plain road bike with a £20 helmet, so I'm not exactly super aero, nor am I super fit, so I'm aiming to finish in under an hour and a half, which would be about 16.7mph if it is really 25 miles. I'll be over the moon if I manage it in under an hour and a quarter, which would be 20mph average. Obviously there's no cars or lights and it's good and straight and flat, but I'm more worried about my fellow competitors than anything else. I imagine it's going to be chocka with slow people with no bike handling skills on piece of junk bikes veering all over the show.

My workplace has entered about 270 teams, but I gather loads of the swimmers have bailed out, so various teams are sharing swimmers. Ours wimped out claiming he'd got a bad knee, but it must have miraculously healed since he pulled out because he's back in the gym... We're now sharing a girl with another team, so she'll be wearing two chips for the swim and then me and the cyclist on the other team will each take one. She's taking the swim more seriously than our original lad was, inasmuch as she's actually got a wetsuit, can swim the distance (1500m) and has done some open water swimming, none of which our lad had managed!

I'm not worried about beating their cyclist - she's going to be on a mountain bike, and I gather she recently did the Manchester 26 mile closed road event in a whopping 2 hours and 6 minutes, so at least I'll beat someone!
 
Vonhelmet said:
I'm doing the Olympic distance, so that's 40km or 25 miles, though I think it's a bit closer to 22 miles in reality, if I've plotted it out right on ridewithgps. I'm on a plain road bike with a £20 helmet, so I'm not exactly super aero, nor am I super fit, so I'm aiming to finish in under an hour and a half, which would be about 16.7mph if it is really 25 miles. I'll be over the moon if I manage it in under an hour and a quarter, which would be 20mph average. Obviously there's no cars or lights and it's good and straight and flat, but I'm more worried about my fellow competitors than anything else. I imagine it's going to be chocka with slow people with no bike handling skills on piece of junk bikes veering all over the show.
Click to expand...
Olympic here too. My commuting speed is about 21-22mph at the moment, but I'm aiming to keep it down at a knee-friendly 18mph. No aero here, I'll be on my 1992 Raleigh Strada complete with original 12-speed Biopace, except I'm packing 13-18 gears at the back instead of 13-24. Stealth :D

Haven't decided if I'm going to ride with cleats yet, but it probably makes sense considering the distance. Got plain black tri shorts for the ride and run and I could do with some kind of retro running top to complete the look but I haven't found anything suitable yet.
 
Vonhelmet said:
I'm not worried about beating their cyclist - she's going to be on a mountain bike, and I gather she recently did the Manchester 26 mile closed road event in a whopping 2 hours and 6 minutes, so at least I'll beat someone!
Click to expand...

Nah, its all mind games! I bet she has a TT bike and completed the 26 mile route in an hour! :p
 
Been away for ages ... no real rides since the dragon ride other then commutes but as I was feeling good today I thought I'd have a go at one of the segments on my way home- managed 2nd overall (up from 11th or so) so pretty chuffed with that. The KOM there went out specifically to target it which I think is a bit too much effort (a 4km ride, really?!) so may have another go if I can get through the lights at the start

http://www.strava.com/activities/169953933
 
Last edited:
Popped out tonight and did this http://www.strava.com/activities/169989277 not much scope on the PB front but happy enough with the time and pushed my furthest run by 1/2 a mile (no punctures this time!) Got a 30 mile run worked out for the weekend which involves a brief crossing of the Dundee - Aberdeen dual carriageway! Hope I can get out to do that one as my weekends will be restricted now that the football season starts on Saturday.

EDIT

got a new waterbottle to replace the cracked on and a joe blow pump with a pressure gauge which arrives tomorrow. On that note what sort of pressures should my tyres be at? I saw an online calculator which if i remember suggested by front tyre should be 78psi with my rear at 102 psi or it could have been the other way around! http://www.dorkypantsr.us/bike-tire-pressure-calculator.html any truth in that?
 
Last edited:
Missed out on a KOM on an 8km hill today because I slowed down for a rest at where I thought it finished. I was about 400m premature and I'm really not sure I can repeat that level of effort/traffic light fortune.

*kills self*
 
J273 said:
From a few posts back^^

Jeez you guys must be thin?? Im 5ft 11 @ 73kg and im stick thin with a 30" waist and tiny legs. I don't like wearing bibs because im that thin:D

Out of interest what bibs do you guys wear at similer weight and height to me? thats the only thing i struggle with my thin legs and baggy bottoms.

Ta
Click to expand...

Tubby mofo.

28" waist with stick thin arms, a paunch and a fat back. The joys of pushing 40.

Move your saddle forward and build those quads. At the moment I'm wearing Extondo bibs in a small. I'm looking at some Castelli Bodypaint or Infernos in a medium.

K13LCC said:
What do people use to keep the sweat from running down into their eyes (if you have had this problem anyway)?

Been looking at this - designed to go under your helmet but not sure how thick it's going to be... http://www.wiggle.co.uk/gore-bike-wear-universal-headband/
Click to expand...

Also the cotton cap. And massive eyebrows.

I never leave home without either.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom