Road Cycling Essentials

Dunks · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:29

Strava route mapping is worth a shout, it uses the data they collect on routes to use the most popular segments/routes for planning the route.

PaulStat · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:31

Yeah true. I suppose I need to find someone to do it with really, it could take quite a while if I'm having to navigate as well.

Most I've done so far in one go is just under 20 so I guess I need to work it up a bit, I'm not particularly quick at the moment averaging just under 14mph and the biggest climb I've done is apparently 90m which is a gradual incline over a few miles.

FrenchTart · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:35

Dunks said:
Strava route mapping is worth a shout, it uses the data they collect on routes to use the most popular segments/routes for planning the route.

Ah, I didn't know that. I normally just plan it manually. Good to know, thanks

PaulStat said:
Yeah true. I suppose I need to find someone to do it with really, it could take quite a while if I'm having to navigate as well.

Most I've done so far in one go is just under 20 so I guess I need to work it up a bit, I'm not particularly quick at the moment averaging just under 14mph and the biggest climb I've done is apparently 90m which is a gradual incline over a few miles.

Just keep at it. If you consistently do lots of miles each week you'll get better and better. Try and vary your route as much as you can and get more climbs in when you can. You'll be able to gradually increase your distance and speed as you go.

Just look at Roady - his cycling has improved massively in the past year from what he's said.

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:37

Roady said:
Red and Green?

I'll grab some Green when Wiggle have it in stock, is it worth getting Red now and using it even though the weather might be cold & wet still?

Yes that Red and this Green. The Green you linked to is a wet lube like the Green, but ive never used the Cermic before.

PaulStat · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:38

Is the route mapping a premium member thing?

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:41

Doesn't look like it: https://www.strava.com/athlete/routes

FrenchTart · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:47

Definitely not a premium member thing - I don't have premium.

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:49

I've just been having a play around with it. Its not bad at all!

PaulStat · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:49

topgun06 said:
Doesn't look like it: https://www.strava.com/athlete/routes

Thanks that's pretty cool

How should I step up, I'll do from home to Bath and back again in the morning which is 20ish but what step should I do.

Two 20's on a weekend? Bit clueless?

Vonhelmet · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:50

I use ridewithgps for mapping, then dump it as a tcx file, feed it into bikehike, add 200ft to the waypoints and export it as another tcx then put it on my garmin 500.

106 miles is an endurance exercise. You need lots of food, places to stop for more water, and you have to take your time. Better to do the whole thing at 14mph than to do 50 miles at 17mph and then bonk 80 miles in.

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:54

http://bikeroutetoaster.com/ used to be awesome until they changed it all. Went crap after that.

physichull · 6 Feb 2015 at 14:57

I've used Strava for all my route planning and exporting the gpx to put on my 810. Its been brilliant so far and so clean/helpful/easy to make routes from.

grudas · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:05

topgun06 said:
Yes that Red and this Green. The Green you linked to is a wet lube like the Green, but ive never used the Cermic before.

had green for a while, stays on the bike really well! but goes black in 30seconds lol.

Roady · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:29

PaulStat said:
@FrenchTart sorry for the random follow, I've decided to set myself a goal of at least 100 miles a week (should acheive that by tomorrow morning), which looks to be less than you're averaging!

I'd like to by mid summer be able to cycle from my house in Bristol to my mums in Swansea, which according to Google is about 106miles.

Doable?

Defo doable, but you'll need to work at it as there's quite a lot of elevation. You may find you'd have to route via Gloucester to avoid as I'm unsure about them allowing cyclists over the bridges, certainly 'The New Bridge' is classed as the M4 and I've never seen cyclists on it. 'The Old Bridge' is the M48 so still classed as motorway... Yet it has a walkway along the side (can't remember if I've seen cyclists on it).

Google seems to think you can:

via National Cycle Rte 47 - 8 h 51 min
97.1 miles climb: 2,651 ft descent: 2,621 ft

If you couldn't you'd have to route by Gloucester and I'd then follow the old A48 to avoid the longer route (and probably much of the climbing) of the 47...

Dunks said:
Strava route mapping is worth a shout, it uses the data they collect on routes to use the most popular segments/routes for planning the route.

Agreed - see what others have done and what routes. I have a friend (or two) who live in Bristol and I know 1 of them for sure has cycled South-Wales. I'll catchup with him on Facebook and get an idea what it's like if you wish?

FrenchTart said:
Just look at Roady - his cycling has improved massively in the past year from what he's said.

You'll make me blush!

Last year my commute to work. 25 mins!

This mornings commute to work. 18 mins!

topgun06 said:
Yes that Red and this Green. The Green you linked to is a wet lube like the Green, but ive never used the Cermic before.

Ok thanks!

PaulStat said:
Thanks that's pretty cool

How should I step up, I'll do from home to Bath and back again in the morning which is 20ish but what step should I do.

Two 20's on a weekend? Bit clueless?

That or go up towards 30/40 and more climbing... Of course once you can easily do a 20 miler you shouldn't keep doing it! Depends a lot on your fitness and time - I'm easily doing a 14-16 miler so I'm now looking at 25 with more climbing. I really need to concentrate on climbing rather than distance though...

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:32

grudas said:
had green for a while, stays on the bike really well! but goes black in 30seconds lol.

Yes, that's the only downside I can think of with the Green stuff. It makes everything filthy quickly. So you will need to do regular cleaning. Hell, you should be doing it after every ride anyway

Roady · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:38

Looks like you can ride over the 'Old Bridge' (M48):

https://www.strava.com/activities/203176958

https://www.strava.com/activities/197111296

Rides from the guy I know in Bristol! At least the old bridge means you avoid the toll

PaulStat · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:47

Roady said:
I have a friend (or two) who live in Bristol and I know 1 of them for sure has cycled South-Wales. I'll catchup with him on Facebook and get an idea what it's like if you wish?

Yeah sure the more input the better

touch · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:49

PaulStat said:
How should I step up, I'll do from home to Bath and back again in the morning which is 20ish but what step should I do.

Two 20's on a weekend? Bit clueless?

I'd say one 40 mile ride per weekend would be more beneficial than two 20s.

As Vonhelmet said, it's more about eating+drinking than it is about pedalling. You could probably ride 100 miles now if you ride at a sensible pace and fuel yourself properly. (But, of course, it's better to build up the distance gradually towards your summer ride)

PaulStat · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:52

Ok thanks all, sounds like a plan, guess I'd better start finding some routes to practice on!

Strava profile is https://www.strava.com/athletes/2467918 for anyone wishing to see my progress

Oh also I currently have this as a bike, so maybe I should upgrade at some point

That and I'm a fat git at 219lbs ~ 99kg 5'10"

topgun06 · 6 Feb 2015 at 15:53

http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m48 said:
Unlike the Second Severn Crossing, you can also walk and cycle across here. All that separates a fast moving motorway and a footpath is one line of steel cabling. You could quite easily step across!