Road Cycling

[Maccapacca]

Treated the crux to new bottle cages and two new bottles. Snapped a cage and broke a bottle last week and can't have an odd pair

 

[xdcx]

So many passing things around, I see xdcx is still ill too. Good on you putting something back though, need guys like you to have these events. Get out this weekend in the epic heat we should be getting

It's children. Always children! Keep away from them and do not have any.
If you have them sneezing next to you. Breathing next to you. If they are looking at you! Get outa there as they are sending germs at you.

My wee man was sick all last week. I was cleaning up sick 20mins before heading down the road to race on Saturday. No symptoms the entire week and right in the middle of going really well in the race I had to bin it because of insane stomach cramping.... fine again on Sunday and then on my day off on Monday/Tuesday from work. BAM, full on dying and could barely get out of bed.

More illness this past year than in the last 15 years of my life! and that is not exaggerating at all! Folk at work keep saying it's because I train so much. NO. It's because I have an 18 month old germ factory.

 

[UTmaniac]

I've had a few people tell me I've been ill to one extent or another for more than half of 2019 so far because of overtraining, but I have to disagree, it's simply there have been a number of different lurgy bugs at work where everyone now comes in regardless through fear of stage warnings plus a family member we see regularly has been working in a primary school since around Xmas.

It's been damn frustrating having the worst lurgy arrive just before this lovely Easter weather, all I've felt up to doing was a modest power ~30min turbo ride the past two days, been so fatigued since Tuesday (having done a surprisingly decent ramp test on Monday considering the lack of FTP-improving power intervals for over a month https://www.strava.com/activities/2292012233/analysis )and there are symptoms from the neck down that comes and go... Trying to convince myself to go for a very gentle outdoor ride around Butser Hill area in a little while.

 

[MM-Seat]

So...

My bike is finally serviced and bank together since July 2018!!! Just needs some indexing but, now I've been stuck down by the flu myself. Couldn't make it up!

 

[Berger]

Seems like everyone is sick!

I splashed out and won a BNIB Corima 58mm S+ front tub wheel on eBay to go with my disc. At the price I got it for it would have been rude not to!

I still have the Enve 65s with DT240 that I can either keep and use as backup/training wheels or sell. They have a Vit Rally and a Conti Giro glued so should be durable training wheels.

The problem being my clinchers are too wide to fit the P3 frame on the back or I would sell them and just swap wheels all the time.

 

[Jonny ///M]

I'm not sick!

Probably will be come Thursday as I'm racing next Sunday

Those are nice wheels to have for training I'll make do with half worn racing quattro wheels like accelerating a 3x2 slab.

 

[Drollic]

My testing was pretty inaccurate, but gp5000 do feel smoother on the road compared to 4000 s2 for anyone interested.

 

[Berger]

Tracked my noise down. It is definitely the rear wheel, under power it clicks and tinks.

Maybe the nipples are seized, not sure. It still runs true.

The only other thing could be slight difference in low/high RD adjustment between wheels? Grasping at straws a bit.

Not sure if OK to ride it a bit or if I’ll risk breaking spokes. I guess LBS will check they are all free and retension.

Update: re-index front and rear derailleurs. Rear sounds like it needs a new cable, obviously the cheap BBB ones and internal cabling has led to some corrosion, you can hear a slight creak as it stretches when you shift.

 

[Roady]

Even battling the various illnesses I managed to get out twice over the bank hol weekend. Saturday and Sunday. Got my PWM back from repair (they completely replaced it under warranty as ANT ID & serial number have changed).

Saturday afternoon I went out on my setup without the power meter doing a rough loop which takes just over an hour and quite a good sample of the sorta things I generally ride. I used it as a bit of a form finder with some usual rolling terrain in there and 1 big climb. So with the afternoon sun/heat and no power I paced by avg mph and HR. I did stretch of my legs and push myself a little - https://www.strava.com/activities/2305278417 . That ride is with my original 50/34 rings (have been riding 52/36 the last 2 years). I held the toughest part of the golf course climb in 34*28 to try and compare it.

Sunday around the same sort of time and conditions (if anything a little more gusty winds). Fitted the PWM and did the same loop again. These replacement rings are 53/39 so quite a step up from the previous day! Tried to ride it as hard as the previous, but using power for pacing. It's obvious I'm more used to this as I found the ride much easier, not really getting close to blowing like the previous day (I find fatigue helps with that) although I came close to overheating as it was really warm! https://www.strava.com/activities/2308252117 . This is with the new 53/39 rings. So good to see I'm able to hit the same 15% slope in 39*32 with little difference (my cadence was actually higher and I was 10s quicker!).

I really wanted to do another ride yesterday but the little guy got struck down with something and disrupted our sleep, then was HORRENDOUS for 7 hours solid (4.30am wake up) until he went for an early nap. 2 hours nap and refusing food (he's hardly eaten a complete meal the night before - strange for him to be off his food) so we went out for a nice walk. We where fully prepared to be 'those' parents you see with a screaming toddler (we've not had more than 1 or 2 isolated incidents before). Thankfully the complete distraction for an hour walking around some local woods ('Gruffalo hunt') and he was a different boy. Back to normal. Christ knows what it is/was but he seems loads better this morning so bundled him off to nursery. Could very well be a 8h-12h sickness bug (he's not been sick but couple of 'not-nice' nappies), or a bout of sickness due to the huge temperature shift and spending lots of time outside. Could even be a touch of sun stroke I guess. I've probably not had more than 7h unbroken sleep now for a month or so. Combinations of catching up on watching TV (spring classics season) so going to bed later, then lil man waking up no later than 6am. Sucks.

TLDR; don't have kids if you value health, sleep and time!

EDIT: Oh and committed an bought a ticket to a local sportive next weekend. £31.08 for a 53 mile sportive is crazily over priced but does mean I'll be riding it regardless of the conditions. Which are now forecast to be biblical rain, cold and wind. Standard

Came down sick on Monday and been feeling crap all week, no improvement.

So much of it going around! Hope you feel better soon mate.

Ended up having a steak bake, cheese and chutney toasty, some sort of oval bite and 4 boiled eggs for breakfast so maybe not the right sort of food

What kinda pro nutrition plan are you following?

Treated the crux to new bottle cages and two new bottles. Snapped a cage and broke a bottle last week and can't have an odd pair

Looks ace but fair play those are MASSIVE bottles. Glad you're riding a 56/58cm to fit them within the frame lol

What chainrings are you using? Look totally different to the rings which came on my Praxis Zayante.

More illness this past year than in the last 15 years of my life! and that is not exaggerating at all! Folk at work keep saying it's because I train so much. NO. It's because I have an 18 month old germ factory.

Totally! There myself too but more illness than in the last 38 years!

But they're so cute messing around and then want to share their cheerios with you. Oh look. Cheerios. They're good, oh you want me to share? Thanks buddy! Oh you want to feed me them? Yum yum yum. Where the flip has that been and why is the dog looking smug. Look at the state of your hands, you only ate breakfast and those fingers HAVE BEEN IN MY MOUTH! :lol:

having done a surprisingly decent ramp test on Monday considering the lack of FTP-improving power intervals for over a month https://www.strava.com/activities/2292012233/analysis )and there are symptoms from the neck down that comes and go... Trying to convince myself to go for a very gentle outdoor ride around Butser Hill area in a little while.

Great test mate. That the Zwift one? How did you find it and how accurate do you think it's result?

My testing was pretty inaccurate, but gp5000 do feel smoother on the road compared to 4000 s2 for anyone interested.

Tubeless too, or standard with tubes?

 

[UTmaniac]

Great test mate. That the Zwift one? How did you find it and how accurate do you think it's result?

Thanks, yeah, it was my second Zwift one (did one the month previous again on using part of the 25Km free trial per month).

I'm still not convinced on the Zwift ramp test's methodology, because after https://www.strava.com/activities/2292012233/analysis on 15th April, Zwift decided after I just about completed the 400W minute interval (albeit slightly under 400W average, my Direto's ERG was not very good at holding steady power that day for some reason) that my estimated FTP was 295W because I averaged ~393W for that final interval.

I set a new PB 20min MAP back on 2nd March https://www.strava.com/activities/2186515593/analysis , despite the Zwift ramp test itself messing up, partially due to me doing some serious grinding cadence after ~20mins which must have gone way below the ERG functioning range for the gear I was using (eg. 34/18 has an ERG power range of ~84-384W in the cadence ballpark of approx 75-95rpm IIRC)! However, despite ERG not functioning correctly at that grinding cadence, I completed all the ramp test intervals (with one interval @ 30mins where ERG turned off until resuming @31mins) and I averaged 314.2W for 20mins https://www.strava.com/activities/2186515593/analysis/782/1982 to set a new estimated FTP of 298W.

That effort from 2nd March was by accident much more in line with the tests I was doing all winter, where I was trying to hold ~300W+ for 20mins, such as https://www.strava.com/activities/2064599849/analysis/141/1327 from 8th Jan, but for that 15th April result I would have had to average 310.4W for 20mins using the same "95%" methodology and I honestly don't believe I could have done that due to the lurgy I had at the time.

So for now, my feeling is the Zwift ramp test is liable to inflate estimated FTP numbers a bit, but it's a good workout to do weekly if you are feeling healthy.

 

[#Chri5#]

EDIT: Oh and committed an bought a ticket to a local sportive next weekend. £31.08 for a 53 mile sportive is crazily over priced but does mean I'll be riding it regardless of the conditions. Which are now forecast to be biblical rain, cold and wind. Standard

I've signed up for a 99 miler on Saturday. Large portion of MTFU needed, especially I ride to the start which means leaving home about 7am! Still, could be a good road test for the "new" waterproof...

 

[Berger]

I still have a nasty cough but the rest of me is OK.

Did 45k Saturday, 75k Sunday and then 75 mins on Zwift tonight on the new Fuego Flats course.

 

[Jonny ///M]

Steadier Bundy tonight as no big guns for the way out so me and a 'team mate' did a fair share of work on the way out.

I marked a guy that jumps around a lot every move and the two of us got a gap on a 2m30s 4% drag, kept it tempo to the 9% hill and decided I'd big chainring it in my 53-25 all the way up for a bit of strength training.

Got another gap on a technical section which got wiped out when a tractor pulled out on me and kept it steady until the next junction where https://www.strava.com/activities/2313586138#58449467678 this guy decided to turn up.

Bunch were quite negative for the next section due to the wind so come the turn to start that segment ^ I attacked and sat at 35ish then Martin came up to me and sat about 40mph. Sat with him all the way to the finish.

Was quite spectacular display of power, 350w for 8:50. 55 second gap on the bunch come the finish.

 

[Drollic]

@Roady

Both tyres with tubes although different tubes and different carbon wheels. The 4000s had about 1500 miles of wear on them. Same pressures both f&r. Tyre width the same on both rims pretty much.

 

[Roady]

Spoiler

Thanks, yeah, it was my second Zwift one (did one the month previous again on using part of the 25Km free trial per month).

I'm still not convinced on the Zwift ramp test's methodology, because after https://www.strava.com/activities/2292012233/analysis on 15th April, Zwift decided after I just about completed the 400W minute interval (albeit slightly under 400W average, my Direto's ERG was not very good at holding steady power that day for some reason) that my estimated FTP was 295W because I averaged ~393W for that final interval.

I set a new PB 20min MAP back on 2nd March https://www.strava.com/activities/2186515593/analysis , despite the Zwift ramp test itself messing up, partially due to me doing some serious grinding cadence after ~20mins which must have gone way below the ERG functioning range for the gear I was using (eg. 34/18 has an ERG power range of ~84-384W in the cadence ballpark of approx 75-95rpm IIRC)! However, despite ERG not functioning correctly at that grinding cadence, I completed all the ramp test intervals (with one interval @ 30mins where ERG turned off until resuming @31mins) and I averaged 314.2W for 20mins https://www.strava.com/activities/2186515593/analysis/782/1982 to set a new estimated FTP of 298W.

That effort from 2nd March was by accident much more in line with the tests I was doing all winter, where I was trying to hold ~300W+ for 20mins, such as https://www.strava.com/activities/2064599849/analysis/141/1327 from 8th Jan, but for that 15th April result I would have had to average 310.4W for 20mins using the same "95%" methodology and I honestly don't believe I could have done that due to the lurgy I had at the time.

So for now, my feeling is the Zwift ramp test is liable to inflate estimated FTP numbers a bit, but it's a good workout to do weekly if you are feeling healthy.

Interesting you should say that, but equally very interesting to see how accurate you found the numbers too. Would really like to see someone do the Zwift ramp and then a day or two later do a 20 minute test to directly compare... Maybe that's something I'll do in the rainy weather one week/weekend!

I certainly think the ramp test carries so little fatigue you could do it weekly, but also not sure how good 'training' it actually is to be used like that. It's not much volume, it's not much zone work, it's not much tempo/threshold as you basically burst through each power/HR zone until you pop, rather than sitting in them. But for those short on time and wanting a 'quick' test of current FTP levels it so far sounds really good. Although as mentioned it's not as accurate as a 20 minute (or 1 hour) test.

I've signed up for a 99 miler on Saturday. Large portion of MTFU needed, especially I ride to the start which means leaving home about 7am! Still, could be a good road test for the "new" waterproof...

Nice! Weather here now looks less biblical on the sunday, with the saturday now wet. But that's obviously certainly subject to lots of change! Where/What ride is yours?

I saw from that 'letgovelo' website (I booked the Hops and Glory through) it has a bunch of other sportives, some linked to local breweries around here - Chase (vodka), Westons (cider) etc. Hadn't really heard of those running sportives before and they're all quite local to me so may check them out. There's a bunch of others in there - Dartmoor, north of Scotland and stuff too. Most of them are under 60 miles and <1500m so really 'easy' sportives.

https://www.letsgovelo.co.uk/sportives

I still have a nasty cough but the rest of me is OK.

Did 45k Saturday, 75k Sunday and then 75 mins on Zwift tonight on the new Fuego Flats course.

Good stuff, that's some good volume even when ill! I seem to have picked up a tickly cough again so trying to dose up for a few days. The wet & cooler weather returning and this sportive probably means I'll get ill anyway so just need to hold this off for 3 days until then!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2313586138#58449467678 this guy decided to turn up.

Bunch were quite negative for the next section due to the wind so come the turn to start that segment ^ I attacked and sat at 35ish then Martin came up to me and sat about 40mph. Sat with him all the way to the finish.

Was quite spectacular display of power, 350w for 8:50. 55 second gap on the bunch come the finish.

That is ****in insane lol

Although does nicely point out how inaccurate Stravas Estimated power is... Him with PWM on the front 353W avg, then you on his wheel estimated power of 426W

@Roady

Both tyres with tubes although different tubes and different carbon wheels. The 4000s had about 1500 miles of wear on them. Same pressures both f&r. Tyre width the same on both rims pretty much.

Good stuff. For the price of the tubeless I'm still hesitant for this summer. The fact I have some 28mm GP4000sii with only last summer on them means I'll be going back to tubes when I get around to covering my garage with sealant changing them.

Truth is I've not found the 32mm Specialized Roubaix Pro tubeless slow at all. They seem for a £30 tubeless tyre to be incredible value. They feel and roll faster than the older 28mm tubed Roubaix Pro I have, just as tough and incredibly comfortable. 40psi front and 50psi rear, on such a wide tyre without feeling slow! You don't know how good that is until you've tried it!

Maybe I'm just getting old... Whatever I do bike/wheel/tyre wise in future is not going to be as comfortable as this lol

 

[#Chri5#]

Nice! Weather here now looks less biblical on the sunday, with the saturday now wet. But that's obviously certainly subject to lots of change! Where/What ride is yours?

I saw from that 'letgovelo' website (I booked the Hops and Glory through) it has a bunch of other sportives, some linked to local breweries around here - Chase (vodka), Westons (cider) etc. Hadn't really heard of those running sportives before and they're all quite local to me so may check them out. There's a bunch of others in there - Dartmoor, north of Scotland and stuff too. Most of them are under 60 miles and <1500m so really 'easy' sportives.

https://www.letsgovelo.co.uk/sportives

I'll have a look at them, cheers. Saturday's sportive is run by Nova Raiders : https://www.novaraiders.org.uk/route-66

 

[Jonny ///M]

Interesting you should say that, but equally very interesting to see how accurate you found the numbers too. Would really like to see someone do the Zwift ramp and then a day or two later do a 20 minute test to directly compare... Maybe that's something I'll do in the rainy weather one week/weekend!

I certainly think the ramp test carries so little fatigue you could do it weekly, but also not sure how good 'training' it actually is to be used like that. It's not much volume, it's not much zone work, it's not much tempo/threshold as you basically burst through each power/HR zone until you pop, rather than sitting in them. But for those short on time and wanting a 'quick' test of current FTP levels it so far sounds really good. Although as mentioned it's not as accurate as a 20 minute (or 1 hour) test.

Nice! Weather here now looks less biblical on the sunday, with the saturday now wet. But that's obviously certainly subject to lots of change! Where/What ride is yours?

I saw from that 'letgovelo' website (I booked the Hops and Glory through) it has a bunch of other sportives, some linked to local breweries around here - Chase (vodka), Westons (cider) etc. Hadn't really heard of those running sportives before and they're all quite local to me so may check them out. There's a bunch of others in there - Dartmoor, north of Scotland and stuff too. Most of them are under 60 miles and <1500m so really 'easy' sportives.

https://www.letsgovelo.co.uk/sportives

Good stuff, that's some good volume even when ill! I seem to have picked up a tickly cough again so trying to dose up for a few days. The wet & cooler weather returning and this sportive probably means I'll get ill anyway so just need to hold this off for 3 days until then!

That is ****in insane lol

Although does nicely point out how inaccurate Stravas Estimated power is... Him with PWM on the front 353W avg, then you on his wheel estimated power of 426W

Good stuff. For the price of the tubeless I'm still hesitant for this summer. The fact I have some 28mm GP4000sii with only last summer on them means I'll be going back to tubes when I get around to covering my garage with sealant changing them.

Truth is I've not found the 32mm Specialized Roubaix Pro tubeless slow at all. They seem for a £30 tubeless tyre to be incredible value. They feel and roll faster than the older 28mm tubed Roubaix Pro I have, just as tough and incredibly comfortable. 40psi front and 50psi rear, on such a wide tyre without feeling slow! You don't know how good that is until you've tried it!

Maybe I'm just getting old... Whatever I do bike/wheel/tyre wise in future is not going to be as comfortable as this lol

Yeah strava estimates are always way too high.

Got a TLI race on Sunday and there are 5 ribble riders, a wheelbase rider and zeb kyffin in the group I'm in

 

[Roady]

I'll have a look at them, cheers. Saturday's sportive is run by Nova Raiders : https://www.novaraiders.org.uk/route-66

Ahh nice, probably why I've not heard of them as quite a bit north from me in Hereford - just riding down to hit the mortimers climbs. From here we only cross paths occasionally with LBRT here (Ludlow Brewery Race Team) but not really any other clubs or organisations from further north.

The routes and things I've looked at/planned have never gone much further north than Ludlow (Clee hill) or Church Stretton at a push (The Burway/Long Mynd). So much good riding around there (and south of Hereford for that matter) have no need to look much further!

Yeah strava estimates are always way too high.

Got a TLI race on Sunday and there are 5 ribble riders, a wheelbase rider and zeb kyffin in the group I'm in

So you won't just ride them all off your wheel...?

 

[Jonny ///M]

Will do my best

 

[#Chri5#]

Ahh nice, probably why I've not heard of them as quite a bit north from me in Hereford - just riding down to hit the mortimers climbs. From here we only cross paths occasionally with LBRT here (Ludlow Brewery Race Team) but not really any other clubs or organisations from further north.

The routes and things I've looked at/planned have never gone much further north than Ludlow (Clee hill) or Church Stretton at a push (The Burway/Long Mynd). So much good riding around there (and south of Hereford for that matter) have no need to look much further!

Took the B-i-L down to Church Stretton last Saturday to warm up for the Tour de Yorkshire sportive (couple of weeks time). Lovely spin cross country... then we went up The Burway and Stiperstones for some quality suffering Was much nicer on the Mynd as the last time I rode up there the rain was horizontal. Felt pretty good on the toughest bits of the climbs - finally some benefit from dropping 6kgs in weight (which you don't appreciate on the turbo!). Clocked up 150k in the glorious Easter sunshine