Road Cycling

[Junglist]

I'm totally going to end up with both. It just depends which I get first. I do like the idea of seeing numbers on my wahoo but then I also like the idea of seeing some fancy wheels on my bike!

this cycling habit feels like I could check endless money at it and still not have all the things I want!

 

[AndyCr15]

this cycling habit feels like I could check endless money at it and still not have all the things I want!

Yeah, tbf I think I've moved past the point of spending finally. It took two years but I've bought pretty much everything now... (power meter, radar rear light, TPMS for wheels... you name it, I bought it) and I even have all the cold weather gear to the point I didn't really need to buy anything this winter. IF I don't get made redundant in two months I might buy a new 'summer' bike though

 

[VeNT]

I'm totally going to end up with both. It just depends which I get first. I do like the idea of seeing numbers on my wahoo but then I also like the idea of seeing some fancy wheels on my bike!

this cycling habit feels like I could check endless money at it and still not have all the things I want!

Make a list, keep it updated with all the things you want.

Mine went along the lines of
Bike
new wheels
clip pedals
new bike (keeping the wheels and pedals)
GPS
bikepacking stuff
merino
merino
merino
merino
merino
merino
merino
merino
merino
merino
merino
new bike (arriving *soon*)

 

[Junglist]

I don't really want all that much more - but it's just the bits I do want are expensive.

New Wheels - Probably this year
Power Meter
Upgrade to Di2
find something I want
find something I want
find something I want
New bike*

I agreed with my partner I wont get a new bike until we buy our new house so that's at least 4 years away but that's definitely more of a want than a need.

Until I get a power meter I'm tempted to get the wahoo speed and cadence sensors, just because.

 

[SoliD]

Don't bother with a speed sensor. You're outside the GPS does it.

 

[Junglist]

I find sometimes the speed is a bit weird when I ride, especially on the cycle path where there are a lot of tunnels and tall trees perhaps interfering. But I'll skip it for now as it's not *that* important to me. Neither is cadence really but it's another thing I can have on my bolt

 

[AndyCr15]

Nice morning for a ride...

Although still rather windy.

I have a fuelling question. I know we've talked about maybe you have a gel/fuel at the hour marker, what do people have before they set out though? This morning's ride I felt terrible until I'd had some millionaire's shortbread at the coffee stop. But... that could just be the headwind -



All the way out into the wind, coming home with the wind I felt great and was 3mph ave faster. Was it just the wind, or could it be I only had a bowl of porridge half an hour before riding, which is slow release energy? I think it's most likely the wind, but did make me wonder as my legs just didn't feel good for the first half to the point I even wondered about turning back about 10 miles in.

 

[SoliD]

Just porridge for breakfast pretty much every day. Generally don't do long rides any other time of the day. Usually try to eat at least an hour before leaving. You could have just been tired. So many variables.

 

[Junglist]

How did you get that route with your wind?

I'm obviously less in the know than you but for my morning rides if I'm setting off at 8 I'll get up for 7, make a big bowl of Jumbo oats porridge and have that with full fat milk and make myself a double espresso flat white. Some form of juice apple or orange then just before I'll set off I have a slice of toast with some raspberry conserve.

If I'm honest I may be eating too much and too late but I rarely get hungry on the bike or feel bloated

 

[AndyCr15]

If I'm honest I may be eating too much and too late but I rarely get hungry on the bike or feel bloated

I'm not surprised! Wow. I'm trying to drop a little weight, so I'm aiming around 2,200cals a day (maybe up to 3k on a cycling day) but that's perhaps 900 cals for breakfast!

**EDIT** Maybe if it's only one slice it's not so bad, 7-800 maybe?

 

[Junglist]

I'm not surprised! Wow. I'm trying to drop a little weight, so I'm aiming around 2,200cals a day (maybe up to 3k on a cycling day) but that's perhaps 900 cals for breakfast!

**EDIT** Maybe if it's only one slice it's not so bad, 7-800 maybe?

Usually it's only one slice of sourdough or tiger loaf, so not huge slices. The toast isn't always a thing as often I'm running late but I'd say it's always a bowl of porridge and coffee at the very least.
I don't think it's that many calories for breakfast though! 40g of Quaker Jumbo rolled oats has 150 calories, I probably have 60g of oats in my serving. I probably have about another 130 calories with my coffee. I'd be surprised if it's over 500 all in.

 

[AndyCr15]

So 225 cals of oats, how much whole milk? I think that's about 70 cals per 100ml. Toast and jam is likely 200 cals. Coffee it depends on the milk again I guess, maybe only 40-80 cals. OJ would be around 100-120 cals for a medium glass. 650 maybe? It's not crazy, I think the big long list just made it sound even more I sometimes end up around that when cycling as I'll always have a flat white and cake half way through the ride, but then I'm burning 2-3000 cals cycling

I forgot to answer your question about wind. I use MyWindsock.

 

[Junglist]

I definitely think it sounds more than it actually is . The glass I have orange juice out of only fits 450ml and I probably have half of it full so maybe 200ml of orange juice. The raspberry conserve isn't that bad, it's 240 calories per 100g and I'd be surprised if I even had 5 grams of that on my toast. Most of my damage is probably done due to the fact that I use full fat milk for my coffee and porridge... But I have to actually want to enjoy eating my breakfast

 

[Lethal`]

I find sometimes the speed is a bit weird when I ride, especially on the cycle path where there are a lot of tunnels and tall trees perhaps interfering. But I'll skip it for now as it's not *that* important to me. Neither is cadence really but it's another thing I can have on my bolt

It'll occasionally happen but it's really not that common and typically one survives not knowing their speed. After some time you can just guesstimate it pretty easily. I find GoPro's tend to interfere with Garmins at times - in that case a speed sensor could be useful.

My speed sensor stopped working many years ago. Haven't really missed it.

 

[SoliD]

I definitely think it sounds more than it actually is . The glass I have orange juice out of only fits 450ml and I probably have half of it full so maybe 200ml of orange juice. The raspberry conserve isn't that bad, it's 240 calories per 100g and I'd be surprised if I even had 5 grams of that on my toast. Most of my damage is probably done due to the fact that I use full fat milk for my coffee and porridge... But I have to actually want to enjoy eating my breakfast

5g of jam on toast you won't even taste. If you're aiming to lose weight you'll need to weigh everything. Amazing how many calories you actually consume.

 

[AndyCr15]

5g of jam on toast you won't even taste.

Yeah, I did think that, but tbh we're probably going rather off topic... there is a weight loss thread if that's what he's after

 

[Junglist]

I'm not actively aiming to lose weight I probably have weight to lose but I'm not trying to become a feather. I just don't think I'm eating 900 calories for breakfast.
I'm far too lazy to weigh everything. I eat less these days since I've stopped smoking and I excercise substantially more. If I lose weight through that, I will lose weight. It's not something I'm actively trying to do though.

 

[Martynt74]

That makes sense, i think it's quite alarming when you do start tracking how many calories it's easy to eat is though. As Andy says, i'd have thought ~400 for porridge, 200 for the toast and then 100 each for coffee/juice, so ~800 fairly easily. I tend to track meals, but then not bother with small things like milk from coffee, mayo as a dip etc as that's a real hassle!

Obviously if you're then riding afterwards it's easy to burn through all that so i wouldn't be particularly worried about it


@AndyCr15 for me, and i know i tend to bring stuff back to running as i don't really do long 3hr+ bike rides, but i'll either make overnight oats or (more often) have something like 2 slices of peanut butter on toast/bagel before i head out. That gives me around 400-500 calories.

I did try having a Huel type shake, but found it always sat really heavy in my stomach for ages after consumption.

 

[roadie]

On the subject of food I found the article in the link below a good read.

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/long-reads/eating-disorders-pro-cycling/

 

[Drollic]

The pro tour weights, in particular the climbers, are borderline disgusting. I got to under 70kg last year (in bibs, jersey, socks, hr monitor) at 6ft 1 without calorie control and eating 'reasonably'. Ribs showing, generally feeling very skinny and you feel the cold so much more than your 'normal' weight. Your body actually starts to look almost teenager/child like. They take the meaning of skin and bones to a new level when they're on it. Even under 70kg I'd still probably be classed as 3kg over, maybe more.