Road Cycling Essentials

[FrenchTart]

I need to get a turbo, not managed to commute this week at all and next isn't looking too likely either. Might try and get out for a couple of hours this afternoon if the kids allow it!

Having a turbo does make a huge difference in this weather/time of year. I'm really glad I picked one up.

Haha! True, I grasped my opportunity this morning, just got back and it didn't rain! Just a fat, slow, wheezy 22 miles.

I'm still ill so I imagine I'd be ridiculously slow. Yesterday just walking to Sainsburys and back left me feeling like I'd ran a marathon I'll probably stick to recovery power if I get on the turbo. Either that or something ridiculous like <70% FTP Sufferfest (purely so I won't be so bored).

First "proper" ride for me today, very chilly!

http://www.strava.com/activities/229193832

Not bad. How did you find the climb?

How quick is Wiggle's free delivery service, ordinarily? I go down to Cornwall on Friday so would want stuff by the end of play on Thursday... odds of that happening if I order today?

Pretty high (though not guaranteed). I'd expect stuff within three days normally.

 

[Maxeh]

The climb was a bit of a shock

 

[Jonny69]

Same here! Bar a few deployments while on call on the 31st(urhg) and 2 Jan I'll be off! I live near crystal palace, seem the crystal palace crit races on YouTube... I wonder if its a good training ground? Any of you rode it?

Do you mean the Tuesday evening racing in the park? I never actually managed to get up to it because of my ridiculous commute. I'd heard it was completely insane and the paths are treacherous when it's even slightly damp

I miss that area. There was a lot to do, but not enough time to do any of it.

 

[ShiWarrior]

Haha! True, I grasped my opportunity this morning, just got back and it didn't rain! Just a fat, slow, wheezy 22 miles.

I did about that today too

very windy, headwind all the way !

 

[Womble]

I need to get a turbo, not managed to commute this week at all and next isn't looking too likely either. Might try and get out for a couple of hours this afternoon if the kids allow it!

Its an effort to get on the turbo but its always satisfying once you've done it (think thats mainly because its more focused then heading out on the road)

Turns out I've put on a kg, but thats a good thing if anything and more then made up for it with my FTP going up by 9 - now at 237 FTP

Been focusing a bit more on shorter/faster long rides and 20-1hr intervals on the wattbikes at work (whenever I get time to actually use them) so something is clearly paying off

 

[SoliD]

Bloody hell that was chilly this morning, only went out at 10, but still a few lingering bits of ice, what is it with sudden areas of cold, like a good 5-6c colder. Glad I got out though, managed to put together 60 miles this weekend which considering my hangover yesterday and the weather pretty pleased with.

Nanoflex leg warmers are great though, easily enough heat in this weather and kept the brief showers off this morning.

 

[Roady]

Tomorrow looks good here, dry and bright, although not very warm. Daylight hours look best between 10am - 2pm (kinda expected). Winds are very low (~10mph), temps not going much over 4 degrees only for a short period, but above freezing the rest of the time.

Sunday looks worse - stronger winds are back (although temps higher) because rain is forecast 10am-10pm with the heaviest around 4pm-6pm. They might be fairly localised so you might be lucky and miss them, temps good around 7/8 degrees most of the daylight hours.

Saturday here did look fantastic, LBS had a charity ride that I totally missed as would have been a good run for my on the new wheels... But typical we'd planned to do loads of things in the day before my girlfriends work xmas party in the evening... I only managed to get out for 4 minutes on my new bike (and made myself stupidly late picking the mrs up from her hair appointment, oops!)

I'd totally written off today, forecast wasn't good but got better - but I made it out on the new bike for a few miles, nothing major as it's my first ride since being knocked off last Monday. Bike felt good, I felt good but my stamina seems to have suffered by taking a week off from riding to recover? Although that could be the end of the hangover and the long day I had yesterday.

I'm glad I ordered the Giant mudguards (should arrive tomorrow) as even though we've had no heavy rain today I got a really soggy arse!

my legs started to go around 30 miles this time, still felt fairy good at this point, but at 35 I was almost wasted
end of the whole ride I felt better than before
my average speed has increased slightly too

Good work, progress is progress no matter how small/marginal!

Another little benefit of my Sky prize http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showpost.php?p=27343480&postcount=26549

Went out this afternoon about 3, was lovely in the sun, but omg when it started going down, it was absolutely baltic, down to 1c. Base layer, short sleeve jersey over the top with arm warmers and Gilet was not enough, was frozen when IO got home.

Yeah as soon as the sun seems to dip the temp plummets 2-3 degrees, it almost feels like it gets cold at dusk, then warmer when dark... Unless there's wind involved!

Totally jealous of your weekend toy, I hope you get more surprises like that and extras they throw in! You should write a blog about your experiences/rides/days when you're away with the team - hardly anyone ever gets an experience like you're going to be getting!

Pretty high (though not guaranteed). I'd expect stuff within three days normally.

Yeah wiggle delivery normally 3 days, occasionally 4. Usually 4-5 when you *need* something and then other random non-priority things you get in 2!

And now for some pics!

Old bike with everything removed (will be converted to turbo bike in the new year):

New bike before I added pedals/cages etc:

And my bruising this morning, the worst of it has come out, the rash has gone and now it's stopped spreading and beginning to fade:

Spoiler

My sprained wrists and other cuts and scratches are also pretty much healed, not bad for less than 7 days really!

 

[ShiWarrior]

nvm

 

[Jonny69]

Anyone know anything about Easton frames? A friend has an ally one which is a few years old now and it seems to be exceptionally good quality for what he paid for it.

 

[ShiWarrior]

nope, only there Wheels

 

[Saytan]

Anyone know anything about Easton frames? A friend has an ally one which is a few years old now and it seems to be exceptionally good quality for what he paid for it.

Easton produce a lot of the best aluminium tubing for frames. it isn't difficult to imagine that any reasonable competent welder could make a good frame from it.

 

[DIABLO]

Saturday here did look fantastic, LBS had a charity ride that I totally missed as would have been a good run for my on the new wheels... But typical we'd planned to do loads of things in the day before my girlfriends work xmas party in the evening... I only managed to get out for 4 minutes on my new bike (and made myself stupidly late picking the mrs up from her hair appointment, oops!)

I'd totally written off today, forecast wasn't good but got better - but I made it out on the new bike for a few miles, nothing major as it's my first ride since being knocked off last Monday. Bike felt good, I felt good but my stamina seems to have suffered by taking a week off from riding to recover? Although that could be the end of the hangover and the long day I had yesterday.


I'm glad I ordered the Giant mudguards (should arrive tomorrow) as even though we've had no heavy rain today I got a really soggy arse!



Good work, progress is progress no matter how small/marginal!



Yeah as soon as the sun seems to dip the temp plummets 2-3 degrees, it almost feels like it gets cold at dusk, then warmer when dark... Unless there's wind involved!

Totally jealous of your weekend toy, I hope you get more surprises like that and extras they throw in! You should write a blog about your experiences/rides/days when you're away with the team - hardly anyone ever gets an experience like you're going to be getting!



Yeah wiggle delivery normally 3 days, occasionally 4. Usually 4-5 when you *need* something and then other random non-priority things you get in 2!

And now for some pics!

Old bike with everything removed (will be converted to turbo bike in the new year):
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/66653574/Cycling/20141213_114901.jpg[/G]

New bike before I added pedals/cages etc:
[IMG]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/66653574/Cycling/20141213_115229.jpg

And my bruising this morning, the worst of it has come out, the rash has gone and now it's stopped spreading and beginning to fade:

Spoiler

My sprained wrists and other cuts and scratches are also pretty much healed, not bad for less than 7 days really!

Shoulda got the shop to get the plastic disc off from behind the cassette. Nice bike though.

 

[FrenchTart]

Complete fail weekend. Still feel really ill too :/

Failed at doing any riding, failed at beefcake, failed at resisting eating all the food in the world.

Next week I'll have to work hard to make up for it...

 

[rogan]

Got the first issue of the procycling magazine,

bloody hope the free light turns up sharp so I can cancel

what absolute trash.

 

[daveski]

Had a pretty rubbish week too really.

My bike was making one hell of a noise earlier so bailed on my ride. Have just replaced a bottom bracket for the first time so hopefully be much quieter tomorrow.

 

[touch]

Complete fail weekend. Still feel really ill too :/

Failed at doing any riding, failed at beefcake, failed at resisting eating all the food in the world.

Next week I'll have to work hard to make up for it...

Complete fail week for me.
got a cold (probably from racing in the cold wearing just bibshorts and ss jersey last weekend). Recovering now, managed a couple of hours today and that's all I've done all week

 

[ShiWarrior]

John O'Keeffe's Strava Annual Summary. Great alternative to Veloviewer now that they've started charging.

still getting an error when I try to load the activities, oh well Thanks for he help though

 

[Dunks]

Also off for the same time so if you fancy a ride out give me a shout.

I wussed out of riding this morning and did some house/car bits instead. Now I'm glad I did so many miles in November, I should still hit 10k (9,710 now)

Down in London for all of it unfortunately!

Will definitely have to take your offer up in the early new year though.

 

[FrenchTart]

Had a pretty rubbish week too really.

My bike was making one hell of a noise earlier so bailed on my ride. Have just replaced a bottom bracket for the first time so hopefully be much quieter tomorrow.

Complete fail week for me.
got a cold (probably from racing in the cold wearing just bibshorts and ss jersey last weekend). Recovering now, managed a couple of hours today and that's all I've done all week

I guess it's that time of year :/ At least the weather has also been naff...

Still pretty ill this morning but going to force myself to do some easy miles at the very least.

 

[janp]

I guess it's that time of year :/ At least the weather has also been naff...

Still pretty ill this morning but going to force myself to do some easy miles at the very least.

Felt very sorry for myself this weekend. I managed 15mins on the turbo on Saturday, but that was it. Going to take things easy this week I think, and then plough on again next week.
No plans for Christmas, so was planning on riding quite a bit. Hoping the roads will be nice and clear for a Christmas day ride