Road Cycling Essentials

#Chri5# · 24 Jan 2014 at 20:56

One More Solo said:
Managed to read The Secret Race at last - very good book.

Have just grabbed that for my Kindle for £3.66

Calpol · 24 Jan 2014 at 20:56

One More Solo said:
Managed to read The Secret Race at last - very good book.

This one quite good too
http://www.velominati.com/book-review/book-review-domestique-by-charly-wegelius/

One More Solo · 24 Jan 2014 at 21:13

Actually got that in my bookcase already - next week's reading sorted.

Phantom Shadow · 24 Jan 2014 at 21:17

What goes through some peoples minds when they create a segment? Just noticed one pop up on one of my old rides when updating veloviewer, a 0.4mile sprint through a 30mph residential area where there is often a family of ducks wandering around the road and also goes through a stop sign after the first 0.1 miles.

Because sprinting through a stop sign is a smart idea...

Wouldn't have been hard to make the segment without the junction included so people could actually sprint it safely.

Berger · 24 Jan 2014 at 23:10

platypus said:
Well, for those wanting a summer training camp near the Alps....

I get a contract to look at next week.

Be a shock to the system going from Cambridge, known for all its mountains!

Just popped over 200km total for the week, going away this w/e so had to get most of it done during the week around work, I had Monday off as raced last Sunday.

Felt OK all week, got to this morning and my legs felt like poop. Had planned to do 50-60km which I have been doing this year on a Saturday, plus racing so another 60km on Sundays so only needed to do 100km in the week.

However I crammed it all in 5 days back to back this week and today I felt bad so I only did 34km. I could ride along just fine, but when it came to digging in and pushing the gear I just couldn't and would drop a gear or two less than normal.

Still, reached my goal, got to take the good days with the bad as I felt pretty good the rest of the week. I should be racing Monday as its a public holiday which will see me do 50-60km and set me up nicely for 200+ again next week. Going to try A grade! :eek:

My Powertap hub should arrive in the week so I can see about having it built into a wheel which is pretty exciting, should help my training too.

SoliD · 25 Jan 2014 at 08:53

Berger said:
Going to try A grade!

My Powertap hub should arrive in the week so I can see about having it built into a wheel which is pretty exciting, should help my training too.

Good luck, you'll have to let me know how you get on with power once you get it!

Vonhelmet · 25 Jan 2014 at 12:40

Good ride this morning, heading into new territory. Very slow, but that's me... I think sometime I'll do that run in reverse, which will turn a 14% descent into a 14% ascent, which would liven things up a bit.

Shadowness · 25 Jan 2014 at 14:30

Stupidly agreed to do a longer ride today rather than the usual 30 miler. Only had a banana so was suffering at the end, 68 miles in total and almost 6k feet of climbing.

No feeling guilty for not going out tomorrow for me!

Calpol · 25 Jan 2014 at 14:49

Shadowness said:
Stupidly agreed to do a longer ride today rather than the usual 30 miler. Only had a banana so was suffering at the end, 68 miles in total and almost 6k feet of climbing.

No feeling guilty for not going out tomorrow for me!

Its all miles in the legs so well done.
57 miles for me today and it was tough better than last weeks 47 but still cooked for the last 10 really.
http://www.strava.com/activities/108795241

davestar_delux · 25 Jan 2014 at 14:54

Hi,

I have some noobie cycling questions. I am thinking of getting a bike on the cycle to work scheme. I primarily want to use the bike to get me from Harrogate where I live to Leeds but I am also tempted by triathlons and maybe even touring eventually.

I know next to nothing about bikes and cycling so would appreciate any advice or what to expect?

I didn't want to spend more than £500 on the bike but each bike shop I went into kept suggesting models just over £500 after I said that, typically. I have two shops, Specialized and BigRedBike and want to get something before the end of January.

topgun06 · 25 Jan 2014 at 14:58

Sideways hail the size of marbles with thunder overhead definitely made me go faster up the final climb today. Scary stuff, but at the same time, so so pro.

http://app.strava.com/activities/108808458

One More Solo · 25 Jan 2014 at 15:04

Been away all week so back to back TrainerRoad sessions today. Surprisingly fun 2 hours.

Thomas. PLease. · 25 Jan 2014 at 15:06

Went to collect the new bike today

Just took some pics with my current race wheels. Still got the power2max to fit, and I'm going to swap the stem for a -17 to get lower. Waiting for a dry quiet day to take it out now though.

Vonhelmet · 25 Jan 2014 at 15:15

davestar_delux said:
Hi,

I have some noobie cycling questions. I am thinking of getting a bike on the cycle to work scheme. I primarily want to use the bike to get me from Harrogate where I live to Leeds but I am also tempted by triathlons and maybe even touring eventually.

I know next to nothing about bikes and cycling so would appreciate any advice or what to expect?

I didn't want to spend more than £500 on the bike but each bike shop I went into kept suggesting models just over £500 after I said that, typically. I have two shops, Specialized and BigRedBike and want to get something before the end of January.

There's a lot more decent bikes costing £600 or so than £500, to be honest.

#Chri5# · 25 Jan 2014 at 15:32

topgun06 said:
Sideways hail the size of marbles with thunder overhead definitely made me go faster up the final climb today. Scary stuff, but at the same time, so so pro.

http://app.strava.com/activities/108808458

I was marvelling at the thunder, lightning and hail from the bedroom window - glad somebody MTFU and was outside

SoliD · 25 Jan 2014 at 15:53

Bloody Exhausted, went out with some friends who I will be doing a charity ride with in May, and we smashed it for the first 25-30 miles, then we came across some flooding..... I left them at about 50 miles and decided as the weather is looking shocking tomorrow to skip the club run and carry on and grab the Gran Fondo badge, as this will be my last road ride before I head to Cyprus on Friday.

Happy with the average speed after what seemed like riding into the wind forever on the way home alone.

http://www.strava.com/activities/108827837

Slobbo · 25 Jan 2014 at 16:30

Slobbo · 25 Jan 2014 at 16:31

davestar_delux said:
Hi,

I have some noobie cycling questions. I am thinking of getting a bike on the cycle to work scheme. I primarily want to use the bike to get me from Harrogate where I live to Leeds but I am also tempted by triathlons and maybe even touring eventually.

I know next to nothing about bikes and cycling so would appreciate any advice or what to expect?

I didn't want to spend more than £500 on the bike but each bike shop I went into kept suggesting models just over £500 after I said that, typically. I have two shops, Specialized and BigRedBike and want to get something before the end of January.

Take a look at the bikes on Wiggle. This one looks to best value - http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti-beli...za-wheelset-1/

£20 over your budget, though it gets you a better groupset than most bikes in your price range.

FrenchTart · 25 Jan 2014 at 16:49

fixed link: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/verenti-belief-2013-4za-wheelset-1/

ShiWarrior · 25 Jan 2014 at 17:02

bahhhhhhhh

#Training now on hold

feeling crap, got man flu etc etc