Road Cycling Essentials

Status
Not open for further replies.
I've only had some idiot-child shout something incomprehensible at me so far, throwing things really isn't on :S

I cycled today as well, been 12 days since the last time and not strung many consecutive days together yet but hopefully the weather will be a bit nicer over the long term, 5-day forecast looks fairly good :)

Out of interest I thought I'd post the Strava links, can people rate just how bad I am :p (considering I'm 5'8 and ~17 stone so massively overweight, fitness doesn't seem too bad but not exactly stellar either):

To Work:
http://app.strava.com/rides/13617187

And back home again this afternoon:
http://app.strava.com/rides/13645157

Any incline and my speed just plummets, really annoying :p
 
Last edited:
Thomas. PLease. said:
Decent ride to work, the gym and back today. Glad the weather is finally improving. Only thing that slightly ruined it was getting thrown unidentified objects at my behind from a car full of youths. Ridiculous behaviour, felt so uneasy the rest of the way home. Caught me right on my backside, and stung!!
Click to expand...

Get the plate next time and call the fuzz.
 
We arrived in the Pyrenees on Saturday evening. Since then we've been to watch Stage 15, went to the start of Stage 16 and having never climbed for more than 15 mins in a single climb, I thought I'd have a crack at a few big ones. Apologies for the poor photographs, I had to take them myself and I'm obviously no model :(



This is the Cat 1 climb from Stage 15 that all the punctures occurred on. Ascended from Nescus last night. Very steep towards the end - took 1 hr 20 mins. Descent quite hairy, road covered in loose pebbles.

2.jpg




You can all see what this is. A HC climb and the highest point in this year's TdF. Climbed it today - took 2 hrs 10 mins. Would have like to have gone under 2 hours, but the priority was getting to the top. The last kilometre is very hard, and it's mostly 7-9% all the way. The descent was AMAZING. I ******* tanked it down, overtaking cars and other riders and being cheered on by all the spectators. The switchbacks were amazing to whizz around. I was buzzing like a mofo at the bottom :)

3.jpg


We're going to the Alps to watch the Tour next year, so the priority is to lose at least a stone before then - should help the climbs go a little faster.

Quite pleased with myself TBH :)
 
Last edited:
[DOD]Asprilla;22343888 said:
Shorter wheelbase won't help with feeling stretched, you'd need to look at stem and top tube for that. Shorter wheelbase usually means less fork rake (possibility of toe overlap) and shorter chainstays. It does mean the bike will be totally flickable though, handling will be superb.
Click to expand...

Have been comparing the two bikes side by side, it looks to me like GIANT measure their top tube slightly differently to everyone else.

I'm reading the photo as if they include the seat post as it comes out of the frame, which would make the TT length 10-15mm longer than other manufacturers measurements. I'll have to measure my bike roughly tonight to see if this is true. If so then I think a Large Canyon would be a good fit.

bikecompare.jpg
 
Makes sense I guess regarding the frame sizing, just done to increase stiffness and reduce weight for any given size. If there was an advantage of doing so then all bikes would be made that way though..?

I did a quick round after work tonight, 18.5km in, then I had promised the gf I would try a spin class with her.

Wasn't a fan, too much sit down, stand up, increase/decrease resistance on the bike, no way of getting into a rhythm at all or pedalling at a set cadence. It just felt like I was going to end up buggering my knees with the bikes momentum increasing/decreasing due to the constant changing of resistances and pedalling speeds as the trainer saw fit.
 
Berger said:
Wasn't a fan, too much sit down, stand up, increase/decrease resistance on the bike, no way of getting into a rhythm at all or pedalling at a set cadence. It just felt like I was going to end up buggering my knees with the bikes momentum increasing/decreasing due to the constant changing of resistances and pedalling speeds as the trainer saw fit.
Click to expand...

Steady state exercise isn't as effective as those with constant variation; hence HIIT is so effective.

The purpose of the constant changes is to sop you from getting into a rhythm. It won't help with your cycling per se, but it will help with your fitness and fat loss.
 
Berger said:
Wasn't a fan, too much sit down, stand up, increase/decrease resistance on the bike, no way of getting into a rhythm at all or pedalling at a set cadence.
Click to expand...

You're not supposed to get into a rhythm. It's intended to be a form of high intensity interval training (HIIT), not intended to replicate going for a cycle on your bike.
I do spinning over the winter when it's too dark to go out on my road bike. It's a great workout, but it's very hard. Maybe your instructor wasnt very good, or maybe you were a little tired after already riding your bike that day.

I think you should try again sometime. If you're unsure, google 'HIIT' and check out what it's all about and what the spinning classes are trying to achieve. Also, dont go out on your bike beforehand, go along fresh. It might not be your thing, not everybody likes it, but if you can get into it, it's really good.

edit: beaten. and it took me over 10 mins to write 4 lines? wtf? :confused:
 
Last edited:
Berger said:
Wasn't a fan, too much sit down, stand up, increase/decrease resistance on the bike, no way of getting into a rhythm at all or pedalling at a set cadence. It just felt like I was going to end up buggering my knees with the bikes momentum increasing/decreasing due to the constant changing of resistances and pedalling speeds as the trainer saw fit.
Click to expand...

I think you've missed the point of spin :p. If you weren't close to death and begging the trainer the let you turn the resistance down then you were doing it wrong.

I enjoy spin but the gym I was at had rubbish class times - most were at 6.30/7pm which when you finish work at 5pm, 5 minutes away, are very inconvenient. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of air compared to actually cycling. I sweat like a beast but normally it goes unnoticed when cycling due to the constant airflow. Spin was a different story.
 
Don't really have a lot of cash at the min and looking to get a bike for 5-6 mile round trip commute, would the cheap apollos on halfords be rideable or should I at least be looking at the subway they are doing for 229 atm, obv I'll need to get some gear for in the wet etc so am not factoring this cost in as yet
 
A £100 bike is probably not going to last very long due to the quality of construction and components.

The £229 Subway bikes aren't really much better either.
They have cheap Mechanical disc brakes on them. You don't even need disc brakes on a bike for road and commuting use anyway, a decent pair of V-Brakes would be better.
 
VeNT said:
couldn't you just do spin on a turbo?
Click to expand...

You could do. Spin bikes are big, solid things though. You can easily stand up and do a full power sprint on them. A turbo isnt quite as strong/stable for that and most dont have the same range and adjustability of resistance.
You also get an instructor shouting at you and a room full of people who are also suffering at a spin class, which, for me, makes it easier to push myself harder.

There are spinning podcasts you can download to do spinning at home on your turbo. There was a good series that i tried once, i think it was called "sufferfest" but i'm not too sure.
 
Last edited:
Nexus said:
A £100 bike is probably not going to last very long due to the quality of construction and components.

The £229 Subway bikes aren't really much better either.
They have cheap Mechanical disc brakes on them. You don't even need disc brakes on a bike for road and commuting use anyway, a decent pair of V-Brakes would be better.
Click to expand...

Can get a giant roam 4 for 262 quid but that's really stretching my budget, no cash for any other essentials, well for the first month anyway but I understand it would be a much better buy.
 
Russinating said:
I think you've missed the point of spin :p. If you weren't close to death and begging the trainer the let you turn the resistance down then you were doing it wrong.

I enjoy spin but the gym I was at had rubbish class times - most were at 6.30/7pm which when you finish work at 5pm, 5 minutes away, are very inconvenient. The only thing I didn't like was the lack of air compared to actually cycling. I sweat like a beast but normally it goes unnoticed when cycling due to the constant airflow. Spin was a different story.
Click to expand...

I think I did really just miss the point! I might try it again in future, but I prefer being out and about.

I'll just keep riding up hills to improve my power on the bike.

The gym classes aren't that great here, its either 6am (which isn't going to happen), or 5:30 or 6pm, there are no later than that in the week, and only on Saturday mornings at the weekend!

I prefer swimming for overall fitness, it's very easy to control the amount and the pace at which you swim, plus it will be water polo season again soon, so need to get swimming fit for that!
 
Moobert said:
Don't really have a lot of cash at the min and looking to get a bike for 5-6 mile round trip commute, would the cheap apollos on halfords be rideable or should I at least be looking at the subway they are doing for 229 atm, obv I'll need to get some gear for in the wet etc so am not factoring this cost in as yet
Click to expand...

Try second hand, much more for your money.
 
Hi Guys,

Been on the lookout for a decent 2nd hand road bike and this has just come up for sale from someone in work:

Saracen Tourmalet Road Bike
Bike frame is XL (61cm) it would ideally suit somebody 5ft 11” to 6ft 3” tall

Frame: Road Race Series 7005 Aluminium Double Butted Aero tubing

Groupset: Shimano 105

Wheelset: Shimano WH-R550

Tyres: Maxxis Detonator 700x23c

Seat Post: Planet X

Stem: ITM Snyper

Pedals: Shimano PD-M545

I have had this bike since new, bike is in very good condition. It has the usual wear and tear marks for a used bike, but is mechanically sound.

Shimano 105 brake blocks are new, the wheels are only two years old and the bottom bracket was replaced less than 300 miles ago.

£325...


Does this seem like a decent/realistic price for it? Anyone got one?

I'll be using it to commute to work (instead of my current mountian bike) and also for my first Triathlon at the end of the month.

Thoughts?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom