Road Cycling

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Quick question.. .if I replace my chain and its say. . . one link shorter.. . will this have any serious consequence?

It depends on how long there original chain was - i.e. if it was over-long or not.

Try lifting the bike up and putting it in the big ring at the front and changing down to the biggest sprocket at the back. As long as it goes ok you'll be fine, as you'll never be using this big/big combination out on the road anyway.
 
Gonna get the MTB out tomorrow and get it ready for 60-80 miles to Rochdale and back on the canal on Monday whilst the Mrs is at work.

I go from here down to the bottom of Halifax and join the canal there and it leads all the way to Rochdale.

Quite excited to be honest!
 
LOL does anyone else polish there bike with GT85 after cleaning or am I weird?

Nope... But i'll start doing it now! ;)
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Try http://cyclinghub.tv/livestream - he shows pretty much anything that is live and in HD if eurosport.

Failing that, download Mobdro if you have an android device. All sports channels are on there! :)

Thanks guys, steephill looks good so i've some catching up to do! If only there was an easy way to stream to TV :(

I'm looking to aim for around about the 40 mile mark for tomorrow but the weather is putting me off slightly combined with I've just marked out a 50 mile ride on virtually the same route but with a few climbs near the end! Bearing in mind my furthest run was 36 miles I'm 'scaring' myself with the prospect of either route :(

You'll manage 40 miles fine, let yourself be daunted as that'll help you to 'hold back' slightly. Your body will cope with it fine!

I went from 14-15mph solo rides of 20-25 miles straight into a club/shop run of 32 miles at 17/18mph! Kept in touch until around the 26 mile mark even with the huge increase in pace! Now I know 'I can do it' I try and do a 30+ mile ride every weekend, after a handful you'll find you can increase the distance (36!) And add more climbing (1800ft) without a huge impact on your recoveries or other riding :)
 
I was wrong! https://www.strava.com/activities/283058548 Snuck in a quick one as the predicted rain hasn't arrived yet.

Looks like my average speed of 18mph over a short ride is here to stay as I've managed to sustain it for the last 4 rides, happy with that TBH!

A guy pulled out in front of me and was a bit slow but I didn't pass them for a bit as I was intrigued by the bike he was riding. It looked like some kind of ghetto single speed conversion. It was hard to tell exactly but it looked like a regular sized cassette with spacers either side of a single sprocket with the rear mech held rigidly in place by a framework of threaded bar and wing nuts!

Yeah, that's one way of converting a bike to single speed. It means you can use any old frame and wheel combo and then it's just a case of getting the chainline right with the spacers and cutting the chain to the right length.
 
I'm not so sure, quite like going at a higher pace to push myself but know I'd have to reduce it to make the run. Here's the route I planned this morning.

https://www.strava.com/routes/2112865

The 2500 ft elevation gain is a little daunting as well as its about 1000ft more than I've previously done! :eek:

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. - T. S. Eliot
 
I'm looking to aim for around about the 40 mile mark for tomorrow but the weather is putting me off slightly combined with I've just marked out a 50 mile ride on virtually the same route but with a few climbs near the end! Bearing in mind my furthest run was 36 miles I'm 'scaring' myself with the prospect of either route :(


Go for it :D
 
I'm looking to aim for around about the 40 mile mark for tomorrow but the weather is putting me off slightly combined with I've just marked out a 50 mile ride on virtually the same route but with a few climbs near the end! Bearing in mind my furthest run was 36 miles I'm 'scaring' myself with the prospect of either route :(

Just pace yourself and take plenty of liquids or plan a shop stop for some water and take some electrolyte tablets with you.

Just make sure you do not start to slouch on the bike if you get tired, stop and have a 10 minute rest at the side of the road if you start to notice your self doing it.

last summer I went from doing 2-3x 20 mile rides a week to 2x 40-50 mile rides and then did a 64mile ride for the metric century a few days later.

Doesn't really feel much harder than a 40mile ride as long as you are prepared


looking at strava I wasn't really doing huge miles each week
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My longest ride before these was probably about 25-30 miles
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Felt invincible
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Clearly wasn't as that last Ride finished me off and I ended up with
http://chirocentre.co.uk/piriformis-syndrome-real-pain-bum/
Finished my riding for months :|
Tried to ride again in august when I thought I had recovered, it came straight back... then again in September by then It was crap weather anyway so I just gave up...

physio couldn't really do anything to speed up the recovery
Weird thing is I felt completely fine until near the end of that 32.9mile ride then on every pedal stroke in my right leg I kept getting a shooting pain, got off the bike at home and could barely lift my right leg


Probably would have been perfectly fine with a few more days rest between rides but it got addictive pushing my self
 
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I think its more a mental block at the moment for the increase in distance. Last time i did the 36 miles i was dead on my feet because i was pushing myself. Did take a 15 minute break to take on a snack half way. Noticed that the only place that will be open on a sunday will be the Glenesk Retreat so will probably take some cash and stop off there for a short while.

On a side note i did text a mate to see if he wanted to go out for a cycle and linked the 50 mile route. He said aye why not but i don't think he realised what he's in for if he does join me! Think I've seen him do a few 10 mile routes at most :D
 
I think its more a mental block at the moment for the increase in distance. Last time i did the 36 miles i was dead on my feet because i was pushing myself. Did take a 15 minute break to take on a snack half way. Noticed that the only place that will be open on a sunday will be the Glenesk Retreat so will probably take some cash and stop off there for a short while.

On a side note i did text a mate to see if he wanted to go out for a cycle and linked the 50 mile route. He said aye why not but i don't think he realised what he's in for if he does join me! Think I've seen him do a few 10 mile routes at most :D

Looks a great route. I think you will be fine. Its really not that much elevation and what gradient there is looks like its on the way out when you will be strong, then you can have a break, eat and have the largely downhill run home. Wish I was doing it too!
 
Finally done (minus a mud guard bolt but I'm off to B&Q to fix that). Woot :)

Weight is 8.7kg, with another 100g to be lost once I get my new bling pedals. Spec is full Ultegra, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and 50mm deep section rims.

Xhf5cYn.jpg
 
Ronde Van Ayrlaanderen - Ayr Burners Ride

Great fun social ride with 8 climb segment thrown in - 25 people out on the ride.

https://www.strava.com/activities/283156536

Only bad thing is - I spent a fair bit of the ride chatting to a bloke on a Cube with Di2. He said he has done 3000 miles with Di2 - charged the battery 4 times, and never had a missed gear change or anything. Had it out in all weathers and honestly can't fault it.

That could end up being costly for me looking for a new bike!
 
Do any of the electronic shifters just automatically change gear for you yet?

all the computer would really need to know is what cadence you ideally want to maintain?
 
Do any of the electronic shifters just automatically change gear for you yet?

all the computer would really need to know is what cadence you ideally want to maintain?

It would also need a power meter to know how much pressure you're putting on the pedals. Otherwise every time you slowed pedaling for junctions, lights or even just a short rest it would think you were struggling to maintain cadence and give you an easier gear.
 
I saw a brief mention of automatic gears for bikes in an article somewhere. I assume you'd do it with some sort of fancy hub gear set up like a car's automatic gearbox, but I'm no engineer so who knows.
 
Finally done (minus a mud guard bolt but I'm off to B&Q to fix that). Woot :)

Weight is 8.7kg, with another 100g to be lost once I get my new bling pedals. Spec is full Ultegra, Shimano hydraulic disc brakes and 50mm deep section rims.

Xhf5cYn.jpg

Looks fab, really nice but for one thing. Mudguards - seriously? A bike that good looking is worth a wet arse.
 
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