Road Cycling Essentials

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*Ignoring the rules about kit/setup for the purposes of this post*

Saundie said:
As for cycling itself, while I appreciate and enjoy the challenge, I'm not under any illusion of being anything more than a rank amateur
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That's the beauty of the rules, they can apply to anybody, regardless of how fit you are.

Saundie said:
I'm aware of my limitations.
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Dont be!
Thats the point of Rule 6. Dont think about it - free your mind. The more you think about how hard the next hill is and how much you're going to fail at cycling up it makes it much easier to give up. Just enjoy the challenge of it and try your best.

Saundie said:
There's only so much "manning up" will achieve; sometimes you're just not fit and/or strong enough to make it up a challenging climb.
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The point is not to think to yourself "man up" and then go out and beat Andy Schleck up the Tourmalet. The point is to think "man up" and push yourself a bit further than last time. It doesnt matter if you have to get off and walk halfway up the hill, what matters is that you pushed yourself and got a few meters further up the hill than last time.
 
touch said:
That's the beauty of the rules, they can apply to anybody, regardless of how fit you are.
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Perhaps, but now we're talking about them in a general sense, rather than applying them to a specific context.

touch said:
Dont be!
Thats the point of Rule 6. Dont think about it - free your mind. The more you think about how hard the next hill is and how much you're going to fail at cycling up it makes it much easier to give up. Just enjoy the challenge of it and try your best.
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Again, we're now talking generally rather than spefically. The "rules" were posted in response to me stating that I couldn't complete the KK. Given how badly I struggled with my last ride of just over half the distance with a fraction of the elevation change, I don't think what I said was unreasonable. It's not as though I'm saying I refuse to try it; in fact I plan to attempt the route at some point. My point is, it's not always good advice to tell somebody to ignore their concerns and just get on with it. That's how fat, middle aged men end up attempting a marathon and end up having a heart attack.

touch said:
*Ignoring the rules about kit/setup for the purposes of this post*
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Wouldn't it be even better to ignore the "rules" about kit/setup entirely? Who gives a **** if your saddle is level with your handlebar if it works for you, or if your shorts are baggy? I don't see what that sort of thing achieves, other than attempt to exclude those who have no desire to be in the "roadie clique".
 
You'll be surprised what you can do; you'll just do it slowly. I completed the Exmoor Beast last year in 6 hours and that was my first sportive and I hadn't trained at all or cycled more than 5 miles in the 4 months prior.

And whilst that may sound stupid that was my aim - I wanted to see what I could do with a blank canvas. Now when I ride it next year I'll have a time to beat, and with training and better nutrition etc I'll hope to smash it.
 
Saundie said:
Again, we're now talking generally rather than spefically. The "rules" were posted in response to me stating that I couldn't complete the KK.
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Yes, the rules were (rightfully) quoted because you stated that you couldn't complete the KK. You could complete the KK. It might take all day and you might have to walk up most of the hills, but you could still do it. I've done a lot of sportifs and there's always people there who are out of shape and turn up on old mountain bikes, but the determined ones do get round and they complete it.

We're not saying that you should go and sign up for the KK and do it next weekend. We're just saying that you have to get out of your comfort zone sometimes (in everything, not just cycling) if you want to improve. You cant avoid everything that you think you cant do, you have to push yourself (preferably a little bit at a time) to improve.


Saundie said:
Wouldn't it be even better to ignore the "rules" about kit/setup entirely? Who gives a **** if your saddle is level with your handlebar
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It's just a bit of observational humour.
There are reasons why all of the "rules" exist. The same way that people wear football tops when having a kickabout in the park - everybody wants to be the same as the pros.
If you're a pro, the UCI gives a **** if your saddle is level with your handlebar and (as somebody mentioned above) your sunglasses sponsor will tell you that the legs need to go over your helmet straps, so amatuer cyclists also want to follow these "rules".
 
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Is this an OK thing to ask in here or should it be in the price check forum?

I've seen a 2006/7 LOOK 555 on the bay with full Ultegra but asking seems a bit high at just under 1K, how much do you think a 555 is worth these days? I think they were discontinued 2008/9 with the 556?
 
uniQ said:
Is this an OK thing to ask in here or should it be in the price check forum?

I've seen a 2006/7 LOOK 555 on the bay with full Ultegra but asking seems a bit high at just under 1K, how much do you think a 555 is worth these days? I think they were discontinued 2008/9 with the 556?
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Could be worth 900 I suppose....you'd not get that spec new. I would collect the bike though. Make an offer.
 
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touch said:
Yes, the rules were (rightfully) quoted because you stated that you couldn't complete the KK. You could complete the KK. It might take all day and you might have to walk up most of the hills, but you could still do it.

You cant avoid everything that you think you cant do, you have to push yourself (preferably a little bit at a time) to improve.
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Perhaps I should have been more precise. What I meant was, while I may be able to gradually get around the course, walking up every hill, that is not the manner in which I would like to do my first sportive. As I have a choice of when to attempt it, I would prefer to do so when I feel there's a good chance of me completing it properly i.e. entirely on the bike. The fact that some people are prepared to drag themselves around on 40lb of scrap metal, in varying states of misery, has no bearing on my feelings on the matter. I'm entirely prepared to endure a certain level of suffering in order to improve, but you've got to draw the line somewhere, and as it's my bike and my body, I get to decide where that line is. I don't get paid to cycle, after all!

Your final point is essentially what I was alluding to anyway. I am working my way up, gradually increasing the distances and hills as I go.

touch said:
It's just a bit of observational humour.
There are reasons why all of the rules exist. The same way that people wear football tops when having a kickabout in the park - everybody wants to be like the pros. And for the pros, the rules are a lot more important. For example, The UCI gives a **** if your saddle is level with your handlebar and (as somebody mentioned above) your sunglasses sponsor will tell you that the legs need to go over your helmet straps.
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The UCI governs professional cycling, and so it stands to reason that they care about the rules, in the same way CORGI care about the rules applied to installing gas appliances. Anyway, I'm not a professional cyclist and therefore I don't have to concern myself with any rules (official or otherwise). I'm just going to keep on riding my bikes in the way that suits me, and when I'm ready I'll have a crack at a sportive or two :)
 
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burtie said:
Could be worth 900 I suppose....you'd not get that spec new. I would collect the bike though. Make an offer.
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Its local to me so I was going to go and take a look this afternoon just wanted to gauge what would be a fair offer considering its age.

I believe a new 566 similar spec would probably be around £2.2k new so I thought 50% of retail for a 6 year old bike seemed quite high?

Edit: A 2012 566 with 105 groupset is around 2.2k but I expect a 2012 105 groupset would be on par if not above a 2006 Ultegra groupset now anyway so still a good comparison?
 
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Saundie said:
Anyway, I'm not a professional cyclist and therefore I don't have to concern myself with any rules (official or otherwise).
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The 2 rules that were suggested were, i'm sure, only quoted to help you improve your cycling.
Nobody is going to force you to follow the rules and nobody will bother if you dont.
 
touch said:
The 2 rules that were suggested were, i'm sure, only quoted to help you improve your cycling.
Nobody is going to force you to follow the rules and nobody will bother if you dont.
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Perhaps my tone has made it seem that I was deeply offended or upset, but I can assure you that I'm not in the slightest. It's all good :)

Anyway, why have you abandoned fitocracy? :P
 
"You don't know you're limit until you've passed it." That's what was going through my head the whole of my first long distance ride, 26 miles is long for me! I felt like I had to stop at certain points but kept pushing through and surprsingly I didn't feel bad at all the next day, legs were still feeling good despite only cycling 4 miles a day normally.

I really can't wait to get down to around 15st so I can treat myself to a proper road bike, the hybrid I've got at the moment is brilliant for me at the moment and it carted me round at 23 stone no problems so I can't give the bike praise enough, but it will be nice though to get rid of the gut which will allow me to ride on a drop bars easily.
 
I'm just saying the moto I ran through my head, you can shove the KK where the sun doesn't shine as far as I'm concerned - no way would I attempt it at my current level!
 
I had a look at the LOOK 555 and have to say it was a great ride especially full Ultegra, huge difference to my current road bike but it was clearly well ridden and showed its age.

I think I would prefer to spend the extra and go new or nearly new and get something like a Cannondale Supersix.

Also mulling over the idea of building one from scratch full Ultegra. Decisions! Going to spec one up up and think it through :D
 
Overshoes and gloves arrived today and they fit as snug as a bug in a rug.
Hopefully I shall be nice and toasty this weekend. :D Three cheers to Evans Cycles..



On another note, I'd like to share a video from the Tube of you about how much my proverbial **** is boiling over due to the fact that NewZealand police think there was "no further action" required in the **** poor bit of driving the following video portrays.
I think if it was me who had received that letter I'd have gone somewhat spare!

Open it up in youtube to read the full transcript

 
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