Road Cycling

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Roady said:
Are the Sportful the 2nd Skin X-Lite? Need to get me some more but the sizing on Wiggle seems to have changed. I previously bought 'Large/XLarge' and now the only size they have in stock is XXL! :confused::(

Where else have you spotted them in stock?
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Nah thermodynamic one, the 2nd skin seems like the 2013 version, the thermodynamic one seems like the 2015 version.
 
SoliD said:
Nah thermodynamic one, the 2nd skin seems like the 2013 version, the thermodynamic one seems like the 2015 version.
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Ah, I do have 2 of those as well! :D Have found them slightly too warm in these 25+ degrees afternoons but fine for mornings and the spring riding. The wicking is incredible with them - many times I've felt dry (& dry skin) yet my jersey is damp. You can put the ® stamp of approval on them (for what it's worth) ;)
 
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Roady said:
He sounds like a genuine nice guy, to be fair to him he took the Strava criticism thrown better than most people would! :)

I dropped a comment on regarding questions about the 510/810.

You guys will have quite an awesome rider if you can get him into the bundy/club riding. Group/bunch riding will come with experience, he's got the right attitude for a club rider, but maybe not a racer? Although the KOM/scalp hunting he's done does indicate he's competitive enough! ;)
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Ha, just seen the discussion on that ride - none of that was there when i looked at it!

I can kind of understand where some folk are coming from if he's out there taking KOMs off elite level riders having never even done a bunch ride before. But his rides always seemed legit to me anyway and there are folk in the real world to vouch for him. Need to get him out on a Bundy though definitely now though lol.

I also think it's a bit off that folk are saying on the one hand he doesn't prove anything with strava as it's not racing whilst on the other hand whinging about their pretend virtual gold crown getting taken off them.

Folk should save their worries til he actually rocks up at a race and rips everybody a new one! :D
 
Should be participating in my first sportive this Sunday in Watlington and quite looking forward to it. I did just read something that sounds like they want/prefer you to have previously ridden in a group which now has me a little unsure...I've never even ridden in a pair.

Anything I should know other than don't run into people/give space/keep an eye around me.
 
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Keep an eye out around you. Point out pot holes and dodgy surfaces. Keep riding steady - don't wobble about all over the place. Give warning when you brake and don't brake too hard. Watch how closely the group sticks to each other's wheels and try to emulate that (whilst staying safe).
 
Exactly! Get him out on a bundy on a hybrid and wearing jeans just to see their faces! ;)

Spotted this near me: http://www.strava.com/segments/8083049

Don't know if I'm brave or stupid for wanting to give it a try... :p:eek::rolleyes:

topgun06 said:
What on earth is a Bundy?
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From what I gather it's like a chaingang, but their particular one always follows the same route and there are 'shortcuts' for the slower riders to avoid the biggest hills and to jump ahead of the gang to get picked back up again.

Itchytrigg said:
Should be participating in my first sportive this Sunday in Watlington and quite looking forward to it. I did just read something that sounds like they want/prefer you to have previously ridden in a group which now has me a little unsure...I've never even ridden in a pair.

Anything I should know other than don't run into people/give space/keep an eye around me.
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As FT has said, although I'm not sure how much of the group riding calls are really valid as the majority of the riders will not have ridden together before, calling out potholes/parked cars etc yes, but probably not braking (unless you're intending on stopping) as your first sportive isn't going to exactly be at tempo. Try and chat to some of the guys in your group and tell them you've not group ridden before - more than likely you'll get pointers and an experienced rider at your side pointing things out.

Probably incorrectly, my first few group rides I hung at the back so I didn't need to worry about signalling behind me, or about braking/slowing. I would yo-yo off the back constantly as I struggling to keep up - not ideal but at least I didn't have to worry about anyone else. I happily ride mid-group now although invariably I end up at the back on most hills! ;)

The hardest thing I found was holding a wheel, I got paranoid about the rider infront of me slowing and me hitting wheels. If you concentrate too hard on 'the gap' you will struggle as you get oblivious to other things like pot holes and group calls. I found it easier to not directly follow the wheel infront, staying slightly offset enabled me to get confident riding in close proximity. I could then judge distance to the group and rider infront as well as keeping pace easier (and not missing calls, hitting pot holes etc).
 
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Roady said:
Spotted this near me: http://www.strava.com/segments/8083049

Don't know if I'm brave or stupid for wanting to give it a try... :p:eek::rolleyes:
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Definitely not stupid. Its a climb, so all good! :) Get it ticked off!


Roady said:
From what I gather it's like a chaingang, but their particular one always follows the same route and there are 'shortcuts' for the slower riders to avoid the biggest hills and to jump ahead of the gang to get picked back up again.
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Arrr makes sense. A nice way to incorporate everyone.
 
topgun06 said:
What on earth is a Bundy?
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Just the name of the local chaingang training ride - hilly and generally pretty fast. Most of the local folk that race tend to be out on it. Like a lot of the faster chaingangs round here they don't wait around - if you're dropped you're dropped.

I believe it's been running for around 50 years or something.
 
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topgun06 said:
Or, sod that climb and get yourself over to these!

http://www.strava.com/segments/2009893
http://www.strava.com/segments/3529140

Less steep but longer :)
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Yeah Gospel will get done, but I'll be heading to this one first: http://www.strava.com/segments/1122256

Most riders from Hereford tend to go south to Abergavenny and do The Tumble: http://www.strava.com/segments/6665321

Not sure why but not many go over to Gospel/Hay, even though it's closer & steeper! Maybe it's the thought of riding into Wales! ;)
 
Thanks for the tips FT and Roady. I aiming for the long at 90 miles, chances are I'll be dropped on quite a few occasions! There's a cross over for the medium so can always bailout for 60 if it's killing me.
 
Seems like both my legs and various bits of my bike are absolutely broken. Really suffered again on a fairly sedate 50 miler after work. I'm going to take this weekend as a proper two days of rest (no walking for 10 miles carrying heavy stuff just because I'm not on the bike).

I also weighed myself properly this morning and I am 5kg heavier than I was in January. ***** :/ As some of it is down to weight training it is not quite as bad as it sounds but still...not ideal. Taking it easy for two days and then geting serious again from Monday sounds like a plan.
 
Roady said:
He sounds like a genuine nice guy, to be fair to him he took the Strava criticism thrown better than most people would! :)

I dropped a comment on regarding questions about the 510/810.

You guys will have quite an awesome rider if you can get him into the bundy/club riding. Group/bunch riding will come with experience, he's got the right attitude for a club rider, but maybe not a racer? Although the KOM/scalp hunting he's done does indicate he's competitive enough! ;)
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tedmaul said:
Ha, just seen the discussion on that ride - none of that was there when i looked at it!

I can kind of understand where some folk are coming from if he's out there taking KOMs off elite level riders having never even done a bunch ride before. But his rides always seemed legit to me anyway and there are folk in the real world to vouch for him. Need to get him out on a Bundy though definitely now though lol.

I also think it's a bit off that folk are saying on the one hand he doesn't prove anything with strava as it's not racing whilst on the other hand whinging about their pretend virtual gold crown getting taken off them.

Folk should save their worries til he actually rocks up at a race and rips everybody a new one! :D
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I felt I had to defend him as some of it stank of bitterness. One of the guys has a son that races and does quite well so obviously for some unknown to take KOMs he isn't amused. I believe he took a KOM off an ex TDF rider whilst in France but nobody questioned that.


I hope he does come out and learn some bunch riding skills, his version of sitting on my wheel was sitting two metres back lol.
 
Strava isn't worth getting in a tizz over, either way. It's not racing, sure, but it is something. You just have to take it for what it is, which is asynchronous racing in wildly varying weather, conditions, situations. It's not like this guy is one of the idiots warming up on rollers at the bottom of a hill as had been seen on occasion, so if he's just doing his thing and riding fast it's a bit pathetic to whinge about it.
 
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