Road Cycling

[BennyC]

So I tried sitting at 100 RPM on the turbo this morning: quite an interesting experience. Seemed to feel pretty good though. BennyC, that ride from the weekend, are you doing all your climbing seated?

Describe 'interesting' When I first started out I think 70-80 was what came naturally and 90 felt ridiculous but now 90 feels on the slow side.

Yeah largely. Short stint standing on the first, as I find it less muscularly taxing even if it is less efficient energy expenditure wise, had a reasonable distance to cover so don't want to go to deep seated which I find it easier to do than when stood. Climbs 2, 3 and 4 were seated from memory. Some days it's not a struggle and others it can be.

Standing can feel easier but is usually slower where as seated is harder but quicker. Pick your poison...

 

[madindehead]

Describe 'interesting' When I first started out I think 70-80 was what came naturally and 90 felt ridiculous but now 90 feels on the slow side.

Yeah largely. Short stint standing on the first, as I find it less muscularly taxing even if it is less efficient energy expenditure wise, had a reasonable distance to cover so don't want to go to deep seated which I find it easier to do than when stood. Climbs 2, 3 and 4 were seated from memory. Some days it's not a struggle and others it can be.

Standing can feel easier but is usually slower where as seated is harder but quicker. Pick your poison...

It felt a bit weird. But pretty good too! I felt like 95 felt more natural, if I slowed down, I was tending to that more.

But I'm going to do a harder session tomorrow morning, and try and keep at 100 RPM as much as possible.

 

[BennyC]

It felt a bit weird. But pretty good too! I felt like 95 felt more natural, if I slowed down, I was tending to that more.

But I'm going to do a harder session tomorrow morning, and try and keep at 100 RPM as much as possible.

On the turbo I find it harder to avoid hip-rock and bouncing than I do when out on the road and like you lean more towards 95 but out on the road 100-105 is more the usual when making good progress.

You can always use intervals to target cadence in place of speed or power, holding it for 5 minutes at a time with some lower cadence recovery. Increasing/decreasing interval lengths the more natural it begins to feel. Would probably make good for passing time on recovery workouts.

Rollers would help force you in to a higher cadence relatively quickly

 

[Roady]

Afan Forest. Looks pretty nice but at the same time quite tricky - just hoping I don't break anything! They're far better than me

Ah nice! I've heard of it but a little too far for me to venture to - we take the dog to The Gower (west of Swansea) and it takes a good 3+ hours in the car!

Standing can feel easier but is usually slower where as seated is harder but quicker. Pick your poison...

This.

Much of it depends on the climb, how your legs are feeling and how you 'cope' better with the elevation (your endurance when climbing, technique?).

I tend to power up most short (<3-4mins) steep (6%+) sections stood, if it's longer or I'm fatigued I'll then sit (when my legs start to tire) and recover with fairly easy cadence before standing again (if required) to finish it. The golf course climb linked below is a prime example of this. If it's longer, I'm more tired or a climb I've not ridden I'll usually seat it and spin up as easily as I can, only standing once I can see the top to power over it. I always try to power over a crest to then carry speed to aid some active recovery before flat/downhill as I'm generally still powering when descending until I spin out. No 'easy' riding for me, if you're coasting you're not going fast enough!

Got several 'choices' for my commute 'home' later... I'm probably going to ride them all at some point over the next few weeks!
23 miles, +1633ft, A road with bad/rough road surface & a long climb (2.5 miles @ 4% avg very gradual).
24 miles, +1678ft, faster but busy main A road with same long climb.
26 miles, +1581ft, quieter A road and slow back roads.
25.7 miles, +2000ft, quieter A roads, golf course climb (1.8 miles @ 3% avg, but kicks).
23.9 miles, +1847, quiet A roads and slowest back roads.

Think I'm going for option 2 later as I'm feeling lazy but equally know the route well (as that's the route we drive). The long climb will be good training for me before my hilly 40 mile sportive on sunday after the grand total of 22 miles I've covered the last 9 days.

My parents live at 'Beggars Bush' which was a ToB KOM in 2015. It's hilly from both directions! Don't think I'm gonna get the KOM's but going to put some big efforts into it while I'm there!

 

[madindehead]

At least it'll be good climbing practice to get home Personally I'd choose the one with the golf course climb. Again: more climbing practice XD Although it is what I suck most at, but then also have the most gains to make. Haha!

Where will you be finally moving to? And will it be closer or further from your work?

@ Benny

Yeah, I definitely noticed the hip rocking and bouncing at 100 RPM.

 

[Lethal`]

Only used a turbo once or twice but I found I rock a lot on the saddle at 90+ while on the road I'm fine up until about 115rpm. Most efficient for me seems to be about 100-105 but I'm pretty sure my pedal stroke isn't that great.

 

[One More Solo]

I'm just going to sign up for next years etape! Always worried about others to do it with, but figured enough people sign up someone will definitely be doing it that I know.

Yeah seems like that kind of event. One guy I know did the Marmotte in under 7 hours this year so I'll probably pass on riding with him. Out in France from next weekend so looking forward to getting some longer rides in. Only downside is it's nearly impossible to do a flat ride where we are but can probably hack it for a week.

I'm entering the ECCA 12 hour on 14th August so need plenty of saddle time!

 

[Vonhelmet]

Only used a turbo once or twice but I found I rock a lot on the saddle at 90+ while on the road I'm fine up until about 115rpm. Most efficient for me seems to be about 100-105 but I'm pretty sure my pedal stroke isn't that great.

You can rock the whole bike on the road, which you can't on a turbo.

 

[Robzere31]

Just invested in a pair of Castelli Velocissimo bib shorts from my friendy local LBS
Haven't tried them on yet, but hoping they are as comfortable as everyone says they are.

 

[Lethal`]

You can rock the whole bike on the road, which you can't on a turbo.

Good point! I think that's part of what I didn't really like. Maybe I need to get one of these: http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/bitelli-virtual-reality-bike-trainer-47257/

Just invested in a pair of Castelli Velocissimo bib shorts from my friendy local LBS
Haven't tried them on yet, but hoping they are as comfortable as everyone says they are.

Wore some this morning. Pretty comfortable but not the best. The logo started to disintegrate on each side pretty quickly so wash carefully.

 

[Robzere31]

Wore some this morning. Pretty comfortable but not the best. The logo started to disintegrate on each side pretty quickly so wash carefully.

Can't be any worse than the Hoy Vulpine I tried recently.
The pad is in totally the wrong place, halfway up my back with no lower protection/padding.

What Castelli bibs would you recommend as an alternative?

 

[One More Solo]

Try the Sportful Bodyfit Pros - seen them in a few sales recently and they're great. Made by the same people as Castelli but slightly less brand tax.

 

[Robzere31]

Try the Sportful Bodyfit Pros - seen them in a few sales recently and they're great. Made by the same people as Castelli but slightly less brand tax.

Thanks, my old DHB bibs are due to be replaced soon so I'll look into them.

 

[Roady]

Where will you be finally moving to? And will it be closer or further from your work?

Credenhill, on the west just outside Hereford. Less than 2 miles to work, door to door!

Also won't have to cross the river (bridge is a huge traffic bottleneck) unless we need to head south, we had to cross it for 90% of all journeys before!

https://www.strava.com/routes/5627340 - my mileage is really going to suffer lol

 

[Lethal`]

Can't be any worse than the Hoy Vulpine I tried recently.
The pad is in totally the wrong place, halfway up my back with no lower protection/padding.

What Castelli bibs would you recommend as an alternative?

Honestly they are fairly nice and I normally choose them or some Pearl Izumi In-R-Cool bibs for my longer rides. The Pearl Izumi ones win for me though

They're my only Castelli bibs so couldn't recommend any others.

Credenhill, on the west just outside Hereford. Less than 2 miles to work, door to door!

Also won't have to cross the river (bridge is a huge traffic bottleneck) unless we need to head south, we had to cross it for 90% of all journeys before!

https://www.strava.com/routes/5627340 - my mileage is really going to suffer lol

Surely you're going to spend more time getting ready and getting on/off bike? I'd extend that at least a couple of miles.

Part of the reason I don't cycle to work is that it's just too close. 2.5 - 3 miles total and no viable short extension options. Last week when I cycled to work for the first time I did 14 miles on the way out through some partially nice roads and 17 back on a route I kinda like but overall didn't really enjoy it.

 

[Roady]

Try the Sportful Bodyfit Pros - seen them in a few sales recently and they're great. Made by the same people as Castelli but slightly less brand tax.

I picked up a pair of the Gruppetto's a couple of weeks ago (same pad as the above). Amazing shorts! Especially for £61 and I'll probably pickup another pair.

Pad feels slightly firmer than my other Sportfuls (Fiandre NoRain) but is the same wider style which suits my undercarriage better than the much firmer but slightly less narrow one in my Castelli's (Evoluzione with KISS pad).

Surely you're going to spend more time getting ready and getting on/off bike? I'd extend that at least a couple of miles.

Part of the reason I don't cycle to work is that it's just too close. 2.5 - 3 miles total and no viable short extension options. Last week when I cycled to work for the first time I did 14 miles on the way out through some partially nice roads and 17 back on a route I kinda like but overall didn't really enjoy it.

Haha! Probably! I'll be cycling home for lunch too... So 4 journeys a day! I'm going to get quite good at getting changed quickly...!

The 4.4 (each way) commute I did from the south just made sense to me - most direct route possible & quicker than the car & saved money/fuel. ~15 mins each way! An 'easy' +40 miles a week!

 

[Bear]

Only problem with Sportful bibs I've found is that they seem to be made for short Italians. I'm only 5'10 and in XL I find the straps dig in a bit as they come up a bit short. Like the quality of them otherwise.

 

[SDK^]

Only problem with Sportful bibs I've found is that they seem to be made for short Italians. I'm only 5'10 and in XL I find the straps dig in a bit as they come up a bit short. Like the quality of them otherwise.

I found the same with Castelli bibs - straps too short.

 

[xdcx]

5ft 8in, small Sportful Grupetto's, they are too big in both leg length and strap length.

They're never going to fit all shape and sizes but I love my Grupetto's as so comfy but they don't fit amazingly. Castellia Free Aero things are much better in every regard I find.

 

[Jonny69]

Take it easy mate, no point rushing it! I'm sure if you pop some stitches on the way to the docs, you'll get told off and banned from cycling! Glad you're feeling mobile enough to even give it a try though!

I went for a quick roll round the block this afternoon to see how it felt. It's a bit uncomfortable but mainly because the joint is still uncomfortable if I bend it too far - so it's the top of the pedal stroke. Light exercise bike is on the rehab exercises list so I have a valid* reason, but SWMBO has banned me from riding to the docs tomorrow. I think it would be OK if I go on a freewheeling bike because I'll only actually be pedalling a small proportion of that ride. But whatever, I can just go for another gentle roll round the block.