Road Cycling

[merlin]

First ride for a few weeks... Cold. Dark. Hard.

You'll feel the benefit tomorrow.

New tyres have arrived, wasted no time getting them on but won't get to ride now till Friday or Saturday. I think I've saved 20 grams all in, this has pleased me way more than it should.

 

[FrenchTart]

Started my bike build today. Potato cam pic.

Still missing some fairly major parts to get it all finished but it's nice to have the bits out of boxes at least.

http://imgur.com/a/d8bXD

 

[booyaka]

after a visit to the physio tonight it looks like I have a grade 1 tear of vastus medialis oblique. basically just above the knee in the quad.

On the positive side - best recovery for it - cycling, HIIT training - 40 seconds sitting/20 seconds standing on the turbo.

Fingers crossed back to full strength in about 2 to 4 weeks. No idea how I did it, but last time I was out cycling i could only go 10 miles due to the pain so whether I did it whlist setting off or something else I'm not sure.

At least it's the winter time and the turbo is set up - would be annoyed if it was the summer time!

 

[lordrobs]

Started my bike build today. Potato cam pic.

Still missing some fairly major parts to get it all finished but it's nice to have the bits out of boxes at least.

http://imgur.com/a/d8bXD

Looks great in grey, I thought that frame only came in lary colours!

In my totally biased opinion dark grey is by far the best colour for a bike

 

[Lethal`]

In my totally biased opinion dark grey is by far the best colour for a bike

Road colour?

 

[xdcx]

If I wasn't still recovering from my broken collarbone I'd be up for heading that way. When are you in the area?

Have you crashed also?!? What have you lot been up to in the past 6 weeks? jeeees. Hope collarbone is on the mend FT It's next week I will be down dude. Tues/Weds and then going to some place called Lincolnshire for a night then back to Lancaster.

We can only hope

Pipe down you. I am travelling like 8 hours to get to England and still about 100000 miles from you. You're pretty much French down there.

Unfortunately yes...

From Lancaster, over Jubilee hill and round the Trough of Bowland would be a good ride. Approx 38miles and 3600ft

Or you could do Jubilee, Trough then Cross of Greet. 42miles and 4500ft

How far do you want as there are longer routes with more climbs?

Thanks! Those sound ideal. Anything 40-60 miles is perfect. Those names give me something to search for and look to include so helps big time.

Bacup is a good jumping off point for a lot of places. Forest of Bowland to the West, Pennines/Yorkshire to the East, Peak District to the South East, West Pennine Moors to the South. I've a bad habit of plotting loads of long rides on ridewithgps so I'll look at what I can suggest around there.

Thanks Von, appreciated. It's all the A class roads right around there that put me off planning. I am used to cycling nothing but B roads at most and scabby back roads in the middle of nowhere. Everything on the map is an A road, do you guys just cycle around on them and it's alright? Up here, nobody touches the A roads regularly and it's avoided at all costs when it can be.

 

[xdcx]

Need a bit of advice please guys, can't decide what to do!

So I got a Stages power meter a few months ago; friend brought it from america, quite a bit cheaper than here (~£300).

Experienced drop outs on it and sent it off, I now have a brand new replacement.

Now it's winter time so I'll be mainly training indoors and riding with friends on weekends. I bought it with the primary aim of using it to influence training outdoors but I found that I rarely actually used the data. Most of my rides are with a group/friends so the power data doesn't really influence the effort their either. So I'm considering selling it, potentially making the money back I paid (if not a small profit), and using the money to either buy a second hand winter bike or a cheaper bike to use when I want to start joining some races next year.

My concern is, will I miss it if I get rid? I can use the virtual power calculations on trainer road for indoor training.

I would keep it if you are looking to get into racing.
Why would you buy a cheaper bike to get into racing? You will be racing on your decent bike if you do get into it

Selling it to fund a dedicated winter bike would be a good option, but would hold onto it if you can if getting into racing as racing with a power meter is a much better experience to gauge/control effort.

When you train with group/friends is this just social riding you are doing all the time? Or are you doing any intervals/dedicated training sessions for specifics?

 

[SoliD]

Looks pretty normal to me

You've never ridden chunky tyres in your life!

Pipe down you. I am travelling like 8 hours to get to England and still about 100000 miles from you. You're pretty much French down there.

Yes but you live in Greenland!

 

[randomshenans]

I would keep it if you are looking to get into racing.
Why would you buy a cheaper bike to get into racing? You will be racing on your decent bike if you do get into it

Selling it to fund a dedicated winter bike would be a good option, but would hold onto it if you can if getting into racing as racing with a power meter is a much better experience to gauge/control effort.

When you train with group/friends is this just social riding you are doing all the time? Or are you doing any intervals/dedicated training sessions for specifics?

I suppose it depends on what you'd get more use out of really. The trainer can give you an OK power measurement, will at least keep you consistent through the winter, and if you're not arsed about the power figures on your outdoor rides, but would get more use out of the winter bike, it might not be a bad shout.
I think for me at least it's very much a nice to have. I like to have my days where I am riding to x power etc. other times I'm really not bothered and just ride.

 

[randomshenans]

I'm going to enter a zwift race tonight. See if I can get through this without dying...

http://www.zwiftpower.com/v2/race.php?id=1311

It says tough climbing, but I'm entering the category D, which I think I could do with 1 leg, but figure it's my first and want to see what the format is like etc.

Anyone done many/ any?

 

[Roady]

Jumped on the turbo last night, injuries ok and only the abrasion on my right thigh causing me any issues. Just the movement and shorts over the top catching on rash being an 'annoyance' (usual rash pain spikes). Although after riding it was quite tender so I've recovered it with a dressing for another day or so (had spent most of the day uncovered, no issues with trousers @work).

Easy spin @120W and then an easy KISS/OCZ group ride picked me up so I pushed up to 150W to ride with them for ~15 mins. Did a couple of 250W & 300W efforts before winding down. Very tempted to cover my thigh and do my overdue FTP test later followed by a ~50 mile outside ride on the weekend while the weather is dry to get myself back on track.

I found that I rarely actually used the data. Most of my rides are with a group/friends so the power data doesn't really influence the effort their either.<snip>
My concern is, will I miss it if I get rid? I can use the virtual power calculations on trainer road for indoor training.

Only you can decide! But certainly if you're not using the data it would hint you wouldn't overly miss it... But if you're going to be racing you may find yourself doing more power focused specific training and then using it in races, or missing it for the training...!

Which crankarm is it (5800/6800/9000) and what'll be on your race bike - may help you decide!

£300 is a good price, local pro team were selling off theirs for that from the team bikes a month ago. Second hand, probably a season or two old with questionable warranty. Several club guys bought them and I was tempted... If I've not gone the P1 route next year I'll probably take the plunge!

I've a bad habit of plotting loads of long rides on ridewithgps so I'll look at what I can suggest around there.

Just throw up a link to it!? The routes view on rwgps is pretty good to flick through.

Aye hence the question, I don't recall if you get an estimated power curve from the estimated power on Strava premium or that you only get a power curve if you have a power meter.

No PWM here.

^^^ From last nights trainer session using the virtual power from Zwift.

^^^ From a ride a few weeks back, using estimated power from Strava.
So you get a slightly different 'widget' depending on where the data comes from...

^^^ The 'Best Efforts Power Curve' comes from the Training menu, note the disclaimer. It's judged over 'all rides' but in my 'reality' (without a PWM) you'll find the data it's using is usually turbo based and your FTP tests power levels.

Bought a set of SKS Chromo plastics to go on it simply because they are what I know Was that a stupid enough move to bother sending them back unused and getting another set or are they still a good option? I nearly went for Blumels but some reviews said they weren't as durable.

I ordered Blumels and Chromoplastics when fitting guards to my Diverge and used the Chromo's. The coverage felt better (more side 'wrap around' the tyre), with slightly more clearance and more sturdy feel. I came from SKS Raceblades on my other ride and won't use any other brand now.

Started my bike build today. Potato cam pic.

Still missing some fairly major parts to get it all finished but it's nice to have the bits out of boxes at least.

Spoiler

http://imgur.com/a/d8bXD

It's like an optical illusion - 'How many bikes are in this picture?'! Looks good, gotta agree that the dark grey looks superb! Very classy!

 

[randomshenans]

Get your wattage out Roady!





They're actually interesting to see and compare date ranges and how they're changing. Nice if you're looking to improve. I like.

 

[merlin]

I'm not getting any of those graphs from the training menu - my graphs are all blank, Strava premium.

 

[FrenchTart]

@randomshenans

"Sir David Cartwright" lolz

Guy who brought me the parcel was amused.

 

[platypus]

Has anyone got any Galibier stuff? Would you recommend the shorts pads? I like the look of their kit and want to buy myself a present for when I return to cycling.

 

[Roady]

after a visit to the physio tonight it looks like I have a grade 1 tear of vastus medialis oblique. basically just above the knee in the quad.

Hope it clears up, sounds like 'self physio through cycling'... Perfect!

You're pretty much French down there.<snip>
Up here, nobody touches the A roads regularly and it's avoided at all costs when it can be.

Most areas of England you'll find A roads safe to ride, just the certain trunk roads are best 'avoided' due to traffic volumes, or the speed thereof at certain times of day. Like the A465 around here, as there's no motorways it's a very busy road, yet wide enough and safe enough to ride on during quieter non-work-traffic times of day (to avoid the lorries). I have been known to do 20+ mile rides along it on some sundays. The A49 is just as busy an A road, but isn't as wide so I tend to avoid it.

Obviously without knowing the area you won't know which roads to avoid...!

Forgive me father for I have sinned. Think I may have created a new category of bikes.

Spoiler

Cyclommutenture perhaps?

Just a CX commuter? Love the look of deep rims, discs and knobblies! What tyres, tubeless? Pressures? I'm very tempted by tubeless next as the AXIS rims my Diverge came with are easily converted with some different rim tape. I'm in a 'Diverge Enthusiasts' group on Facebook and getting very jealous of all of the Americans and their fire roads & Gravel King tyres!

So really need to get myself into some semi-off-road, finding some CX style routes I can ride in the dry. There are a couple around me I know of, but they're only short bits which don't lead anywhere...

I'm going to enter a zwift race tonight. See if I can get through this without dying...

http://www.zwiftpower.com/v2/race.php?id=1311

It says tough climbing, but I'm entering the category D, which I think I could do with 1 leg, but figure it's my first and want to see what the format is like etc.

Anyone done many/ any?

Goodluck! Bit optimistic with the category, huh? 0.5w/kg!

 

[Roady]

@randomshenans

"Sir David Cartwright" lolz

Guy who brought me the parcel was amused.

No 'Lord'?!

Has anyone got any Galibier stuff? Would you recommend the shorts pads? I like the look of their kit and want to buy myself a present for when I return to cycling.

Not tried the shorts, but I'm quite particular with shorts. Only Galibier stuff I own are gloves and they are superb, I'd more than happy try other kit from them (with the exception of shorts!).

Welcome back BTW, where have you been?!

I'm not getting any of those graphs from the training menu - my graphs are all blank, Strava premium.

Weird, well worth contacting support.

EDIT: I can see them:

Get your wattage out Roady!

That's all your MTB, PWM and fancy^trainer work paying off!

 

[platypus]

Welcome back BTW, where have you been?!

I'm awaiting knee surgery . Got a date though and if all goes well will be back on the bike in the new year.

 

[randomshenans]

@randomshenans

"Sir David Cartwright" lolz

Guy who brought me the parcel was amused.

I started writing it and was going to go FrenchTart nuts, but then read the rest of the address and thought I'd get you in trouble haha



Glad it got there!

 

[SoliD]

Has anyone got any Galibier stuff? Would you recommend the shorts pads? I like the look of their kit and want to buy myself a present for when I return to cycling.

I had their skinsuit and the pad wasn't too bad.

Just a CX commuter? Love the look of deep rims, discs and knobblies! What tyres, tubeless? Pressures? I'm very tempted by tubeless next as the AXIS rims my Diverge came with are easily converted with some different rim tape.

Yeah it's just a half and half state for Sunday, will rip all the addendum off Saturday. MXP Clement running some slime tubes, but will be moving to Open Tubs when I get some cash, and usually run about 22 psi if it's sloppy for CX. Tubeless on narrower tyres doesn't work as well as it does for MTB unfortunately.