Road Cycling

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One of my goals this year was to ride a metric every month, and I finished it today (there were a few metrics on the last day of the month...)!

Summary of rides:

January: flat ride out around the Cheshire plains https://www.strava.com/activities/245871769

February: hungover ride over the Cat and back to work to pick up the car https://www.strava.com/activities/260996504

March: Polocini Winter Sprinter in the peeing rain https://www.strava.com/activities/264943542

April: very hilly ride in the Peaks to prepare for the Fred Whitton, still amazed I went up Swiss Hill by choice at the end https://www.strava.com/activities/287718684

May: Fred Whitton 2015, felt a lot stronger than last year but the weather was very tough including a block headwind over Cold Fell https://www.strava.com/activities/301888763

June: sick of hills so a nice metric around the plains after work https://www.strava.com/activities/336426328

July: ride down to Mow Cop after work, grim climb but lovely evening for it https://www.strava.com/activities/358181491

August: another Polocini sportive, plenty of hills this time around and it was dry at least https://www.strava.com/activities/370306649

September: first ride in a while over to Mam Nick, really like this climb but burns with a few miles in the legs https://www.strava.com/activities/389116062 & a quick flat club ride with the Wheelers https://www.strava.com/activities/401203897

October: quick out and back before jumping on a train to London for the Rugby World Cup final, bloody early start for a Saturday but just relieved not to puncture and miss the game!https://www.strava.com/activities/424014805

November: following the route of the Manchester 100, flat as a pancake https://www.strava.com/activities/440749301

December: very similar to July, short of inspiration and keen to get back before the rain came https://www.strava.com/activities/460116065
 
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It's a shame that your freehub broke at the start of what was going to be that after-work metric we attempted :) Good work on the metric every month anyhow.
 
FrenchTart said:
It's a shame that your freehub broke at the start of what was going to be that after-work metric we attempted :) Good work on the metric every month anyhow.
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Yeah, major PITA that was! I quite enjoyed the post work metrics on the long summer evenings so up for a few more next year. Happy to head out for a ride at some point soon when you're feeling up to it, bit bored of riding by myself.
 
So just ordered my new groupset minus a crank as CRC didn't have any in stock! Along with a new pump as I kept forgetting to take mine out when I switch to my CX bike!

Onto goals for 2015

me said:
Sub 22 Minute 10 mile TT (stretch target of 21:30) = Failed - got a 22:15 late in the year, and would have beaten on a quicker night.
FTP of 275W (226 today albeit with a cold) = Failed - Running at about 260 towards the end of August, so slowly getting there.
Sub 1 Hour 25 Mile TT = Completed! 58:34 in the middle of August.

Rides (More wants than Targets)

South Downs in a day 3 times - Didn't even complete once, attempted on my CX bike, but the tyres let me down, renewed vigour to get my MTB fixed and get this done.
50 mile TT - Completed and got round in under 2 hours! Very happy with that!
Ride outside of England 3 times (Majorca in 2 weeks, would like to do France in the summer, not sure where else) - Failed - Managed Majorca and some running in India :P!
London Ride100 - Had a place, but it clashed with a TT, hope to get in next year.
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So overall not a great year, but I was happy with my riding considering the first part of the year involved 3 stag dos in 3 months as well as the weddings and a bit of illness I could have done without. Standout for me was obviously Team Sky ride! I can't find the thread/post so here is my copy and paste on PH for anyone that didn't read/see first time out.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1477749
 
Let me just get this out of the way - hope you all have a great New Year whatever you're all up to! Thanks for being so active here - this thread is one of a few things which has really inspired me and got me hooked on cycling this year and i'd like to think i've progressed well! My review to follow from a proper keyboard...!

PermaBanned said:
His new one, The Racer, is supposedly pretty good as well. Need to give those two a go. You read G's autobiography?
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I've got 'The Racer' to read but probably won't get through it until holiday at the end of Jan... Have got Froome's 'The Climb' and Cav's to read too and will track down G's - just hope it's half as funny as he is! ;)

Lethal` said:
After a little clean and closer inspection it looks like the chainstay metal plate protector is bent and punctured next to the smaller chainring. Hopefully there's no damage underneath!
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Good to hear this, fingers crossed for ya! Next time try and bunnyhop the bloody cat! ;)

Vonhelmet said:
ELOeTIa.png
.
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Which heat map did you use for that mate? The Strava one isn't as good colour wise if I recall?

Got my bike back today with a fresh pair of bearings in the rear wheel and another 2 (different size) which I guess are in the freehub as they were changed too... Depending how my hangover is tomorrow I really want a spin/turbo! May help clear some of these pounds i've picked up (scales this morning said 81.25kg! :o)
 
2016 can do one. Worst year ever.
There is snow all over the shop and I think turbo is going to be the only option today :( Good start!
 
It's about 2 degrees here, but I think I'm going to man up and head out, as it's probably worth it for the quiet roads.

I also need to clean and fix up my commuter, as it's a right mess.
 
Vonhelmet said:
It's about 2 degrees here, but I think I'm going to man up and head out, as it's probably worth it for the quiet roads.

I also need to clean and fix up my commuter, as it's a right mess.
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Absolutely get out and enjoy how quiet the roads are :cool:
2 degree's is great, I'd happily take even -2 as long as there is no ice/snow to slip and die on.

I was out in -4.5 yesterday morning, that temp is fine and roads weren't as slippy as they are out there right now. Annoying! I'll go lift weights as gym is actually open today and then see what happens with the temp increase forecast for late morning to mid afternoon.
 
One More Solo said:
Yeah, major PITA that was! I quite enjoyed the post work metrics on the long summer evenings so up for a few more next year. Happy to head out for a ride at some point soon when you're feeling up to it, bit bored of riding by myself.
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I dropped you a trust message :)

SoliD said:
So just ordered my new groupset minus a crank as CRC didn't have any in stock! Along with a new pump as I kept forgetting to take mine out when I switch to my CX bike!
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Nice. What did you go for again? Mostly 105 stuff?

Vonhelmet said:
Search for "strava multiple ride mapper".
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That's pretty awesome, cheers for that. Much nicer to look at than the Strava heatmap.

YrxfzTn.jpg
 
I planned to get a proper road bike in 2015 and do a 50 mile sportive. I managed the first but I was working overseas when the two sportives I wanted to do happened so I didn't manage that.

2016 goals:
At least match my 2015 road miles
Do that Sportive I planned last year
and (fingers in ears for this bit) do a lot more off road riding
 
FT - Ultegra brakes, crank, bb, cassette. 105 shifter, derailleurs, sram chain.

Tidied up the cx bike this morning, new chain went on and took off the cranks to give it a proper clean,then went out and got it filthy again. This wind can do one I've decided!
 
Ah, good stuff :)

Less god was my bit of bike maintenance just now. Noticed a split in the side wall on my rear tyre. Swapped that out and also swapped out my SRAM Garmin mount as I assumed it was a bit knackered. Noticed the Garmin was still wobbling on the new one so I took it off and then noticed this:

http://imgur.com/9lAIPIW

:/

Still mounts kind of okay so will carry on using it. I've had it for just over a year so I've emailed Garmin to see what they say. I think they should fix it personally - I've not done anything weird with it and it hasn't had any knocks so I'd expect more than 14 months of life out of it.
 
FrenchTart said:
Ah, good stuff :)

Less god was my bit of bike maintenance just now. Noticed a split in the side wall on my rear tyre. Swapped that out and also swapped out my SRAM Garmin mount as I assumed it was a bit knackered. Noticed the Garmin was still wobbling on the new one so I took it off and then noticed this:

http://imgur.com/9lAIPIW

:/

Still mounts kind of okay so will carry on using it. I've had it for just over a year so I've emailed Garmin to see what they say. I think they should fix it personally - I've not done anything weird with it and it hasn't had any knocks so I'd expect more than 14 months of life out of it.
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That's wierd, never seen anything like that. Probably count even see any wear on mine. And that swapped between 3 bikes almost daily!
 
Yeah. The bit that broke off didn't even look loose until today when it fell off. Quite irritating.

I don't take it on or off the mount that often either - in work the bike goes behind my desk and I only use the Garmin on the one bike so most of the time it simply sits there.
 
I've done some fixing on my commuter. I gave it a much needed clean to start with. Cleaned the chain with my new chain cleaner which was fairly successful. I loosened off the headset which was a bit tight. I replaced the brake pads with proper cartridge shoes. And I replaced the reflector on my mudguard. The old reflector had broken off and left a bit of plastic behind which rattled like you would not believe, so I'm hoping things will be a bit quieter now that's fixed...
 
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