Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
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https://www.strava.com/activities/1031324170
Went out on sunday as I missed the group rides on saturday (chores!). Decided to revisit a hilly loop (long segment) from near where I used to live, I'd tried to ride it a couple of times before and never quite got it right (wrong route & punctures/mechanicals). I paced it quite well although the climbs where quite labourous - ideally what I needed as I'm quite low on elevation recently. Happy with my time (smashed my goal), without the headwinds and a little better climbing stamina/technique I can probably bag the KOM.
Think I dug a bit hard on some of the climbs as I'm really struggling today with my right hamstring (semitendinosus?). Some of it could be caused by some of the manual work I did on saturday. It hurts even sat on my chair at work... I hope a couple of easy days and it should clear, I've had similar before - it feels like a strain rather than a tired muscle. None of my foam rolling really covers it and I can't quite figure how I'd roll it to release some of the tension without sitting/squatting on my roller (and probably flattening it
)!? Any ideas?
Know a couple of guys who did the Dragon Ride over the weekend. Joe & Dan did the 2 day (155 miles & 11,000ft elevation over 2 days) while a larger group did the brutal Dragon 140 yesterday (138 miles & 12,000ft elevation). Sound like the weather was horrific for it, gale force winds, rain & hail. It was so hard it pretty much broke Matt (a CAT 2 rider who's previously done an Ironman up Ventoux) and they had to take turns towing him... Ouch!
Went out on sunday as I missed the group rides on saturday (chores!). Decided to revisit a hilly loop (long segment) from near where I used to live, I'd tried to ride it a couple of times before and never quite got it right (wrong route & punctures/mechanicals). I paced it quite well although the climbs where quite labourous - ideally what I needed as I'm quite low on elevation recently. Happy with my time (smashed my goal), without the headwinds and a little better climbing stamina/technique I can probably bag the KOM.
Think I dug a bit hard on some of the climbs as I'm really struggling today with my right hamstring (semitendinosus?). Some of it could be caused by some of the manual work I did on saturday. It hurts even sat on my chair at work... I hope a couple of easy days and it should clear, I've had similar before - it feels like a strain rather than a tired muscle. None of my foam rolling really covers it and I can't quite figure how I'd roll it to release some of the tension without sitting/squatting on my roller (and probably flattening it
)!? Any ideas?Know a couple of guys who did the Dragon Ride over the weekend. Joe & Dan did the 2 day (155 miles & 11,000ft elevation over 2 days) while a larger group did the brutal Dragon 140 yesterday (138 miles & 12,000ft elevation). Sound like the weather was horrific for it, gale force winds, rain & hail. It was so hard it pretty much broke Matt (a CAT 2 rider who's previously done an Ironman up Ventoux) and they had to take turns towing him... Ouch!
Hills. Not mountains!I've been looking at that ride for a few minutes now, still trying to find the hills in it?
How you finding Zwift? See you clocking up some regular riding! Done any plans or 'just ride'?
Can I get some clip on aero bars even if I have an upright kinda sportive geometry bike?
My legs are really short, so my seat isn't very high - kinda level with the bars actually... so Can I even GET more aero with bars?
Going onto the drops kinda helps but it's not very comfortable.
My legs are really short, so my seat isn't very high - kinda level with the bars actually... so Can I even GET more aero with bars?
Going onto the drops kinda helps but it's not very comfortable.
Yep you can but you may find you need to drop your bars to get 'over' them enough to settle into the aerobars. It's worth dropping a spacer (start with smallest) to figure out how the lower front position feels and to at least help you start to adopt to the position. Is your stem already flipped? If it's quite 'upright' already you may need a new stem to drop you down rather than flipping it (as it'll go into a huge negative angle & be extremely different).
It hard to advise without seeing a side profile of your bike, or your position really (you'd probably get better results from a fitter than us!). You can get to quite an aero position without clip on bars, equally - if you struggle to ride/hold in the drops you'll struggle with aerobars. Much of the position change will be using your core strength to hold it.
Just grabbing some pics from a few weeks ago to demonstrate what I mean.
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I've done a few workouts, one failed miserably though that was probably down to the turbo and as advised in the other post I'll try it whilst not in Erg mode again. Did a just ride last night around Wallopia(??) and enjoyed it an awful lot more than London, so I'm going to try fixing that in the preferences.Hills. Not mountains!
How you finding Zwift? See you clocking up some regular riding! Done any plans or 'just ride'?
It just...meh. Needs a lot of work on its workout integration and interface. I suspect its something that in a few years time will be very polished, but then so will Sufferfest and I liked that even in its infancy.
if you can't comfortably use your drops, your bike is set up wrong
but in response to your initial question, you'll get some benefit from aero bars by being narrower.
Something like this would be better then http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-venon-vr-disc-ultegra-2017-road-bike/
I've made many noob errors over the years but this one is a cracker. I own two Shimano 105 11 sp cassettes - so in changing between OE wheels and my best wheels I don't need to change the cassettes - saves time, just hot swap the wheels as required.
Start having difficulties in two highest gears at the back (but only while on big front ring) - can't fathom why it refuses to select the two largest cogs - go to bike shop - they can't fathom it either - they ask if I've shortened the chain (which I haven't), they take photos and a video of it jamming and say they will talk to Trek Monday and call me back. Then driving in to work today it dawns on me - the Shimano 105 cassette on my best wheels is 32T, the Shimano 105 cassette on the Trek is 28T. Trek short cage RD means it can't live with the dinner plate cogs of the 32T.
****'in idiot.
Start having difficulties in two highest gears at the back (but only while on big front ring) - can't fathom why it refuses to select the two largest cogs - go to bike shop - they can't fathom it either - they ask if I've shortened the chain (which I haven't), they take photos and a video of it jamming and say they will talk to Trek Monday and call me back. Then driving in to work today it dawns on me - the Shimano 105 cassette on my best wheels is 32T, the Shimano 105 cassette on the Trek is 28T. Trek short cage RD means it can't live with the dinner plate cogs of the 32T.
****'in idiot.
I think it's more I kinda flap my elbows out to the side on the drops more, losing any aero advantage I may have had. I just want to give it a go. Might order some cheapo ones from Ali Express. I've been doing some Sagan-esque just wresting my elbows on the bars but obviously it's not the safest thing to be doing.
I'm probably slightly more 'dropped' in the first pic here as I was using it for comparative purposes.
Excuse the background 'mess' of my garage and my serious face, these pics were not intended for public consumption! inb4 BELLY (it's my gilet, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)
Just realised I was wearing a black/red/blue mixture of kit that day too! Terrible!
On the hoods:
On the hoods 2 (check hand & forearm position):
In the drops:
Ideally need those images taken with a blank background, with the camera straight (I've tried to straighten them by eye since) and legs in same position. Could also draw skeleton lines to determine joint positions etc. But do your own, I'm only showing for comparison!
Wattopia. that's the 'starting' map, London & Richmond came afterwards so are not as developed. I get bored of London as it's on frequently, Richmond isn't on enough but is an equally boring landscape. For short intervals/sprints you ideally need a direct drive trainer and not ERG mode. Will take trainer conversation into the other thread!
Yup, much more for your money - full Ultegra & R505 Hydra. Frame isn't as 'pretty' as the De Rosa but the Vision wheels are well regarded (so are the Fulcrums on the De Rosa). I'd be prepared to swap the saddle as it's a bit of an unknown being Vitus. There doesn't appear to be mudguard mounts (if required) and I'd do a bit more research about tyre clearances if you were looking at running wider than 25mm's.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-zenium-sl-pro-disc-ultegra-2017-road-bike/
Similar setup, alu frame, a few grams heavier and ~£200 cheaper.
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Works for me on my sportive/touring bike. I added them for an extra position to rest my wrists.
I know. I'm someway short of persuading my revenue protection officer to let me get a dd trainer.Wattopia. that's the 'starting' map, London & Richmond came afterwards so are not as developed. I get bored of London as it's on frequently, Richmond isn't on enough but is an equally boring landscape. For short intervals/sprints you ideally need a direct drive trainer and not ERG mode. Will take trainer conversation into the other thread!
I spent several hours trying to work out why an 8 speed setup wouldn't shift properly. It was because I had a 9 speed cassette.
I need one of thoseThey do refirb KICKR's for a bit over £600 on the Wahoo site...