Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[Nigelnaturist]

I am in two minds whether to drop the middle ring to a 40th instead of the 42th it currently has, it would mean a gear lower between 13-17 and 1/2 a gear from 17-25 for example, my 42x17 is 64.98" a little higher than my avg, a 40x17 becomes 61.88" and a 40x16=65.75" which is a closer ratio than from my 42x17 to 19, as i am finding at the moment I spin mainly on the 17 and if I want to go down, to the 19 its a bit of a jump, so my thinking is spin on 40x16 so I can drop to 40x17 and it be closer, after that 40x19-25 I am starting to climb anyway so is less noticable, but I do hate that 17-19 gap. 90rpm on 65" is about 17.5mph.

 

[Stonechat]

Did a bit of a workout this morning on some loops near Colnbrook
http://www.strava.com/activities/135396621
26.5 miles @ 16.4 mph only 217 feet - and that average speed included some slower recovery periods
Edit - includes a 10 mile section in 37 min 44, so getting faster

 

[Stonechat]

I am in two minds whether to drop the middle ring to a 40th instead of the 42th it currently has, it would mean a gear lower between 13-17 and 1/2 a gear from 17-25 for example, my 42x17 is 64.98" a little higher than my avg, a 40x17 becomes 61.88" and a 40x16=65.75" which is a closer ratio than from my 42x17 to 19, as i am finding at the moment I spin mainly on the 17 and if I want to go down, to the 19 its a bit of a jump, so my thinking is spin on 40x16 so I can drop to 40x17 and it be closer, after that 40x19-25 I am starting to climb anyway so is less noticable, but I do hate that 17-19 gap. 90rpm on 65" is about 17.5mph.

I find since I have had this road bike, I often am not really sure what gear I am in!!

 

[puffinbilly]

Glorious sunny day in Newcastle - got a really busy work day, working from home - I think a quick 20 mile spin for lunch might help - not that I'm addicted you understand.

 

[Goonerobes]

I am considering entering the New Forest Autumn Sportive
Choice would be to enter the Standard 69 mile or the 102 mile Epic

I have only done 56 to date but I feel 69 may not be enough of a challenge by then

As @Supersuperleeds says, with your current progress the 102 miles should be achievable by October. The highest point in the forest is only 422ft so although it is undulating in places there are no killer hills to climb & the only real obstacle is the wind as it can be quite exposed & is quite coastal.
I'll hopefully be doing the 102 miles by then too & will be taking part on one day or the other depending on the football fixtures!

 

[Exile]

If you haven't ordered them yet, Wiggle and Chain Reactions are normally the cheapest and fairly quick on the delivery. You may find one at Halfords but expect to pay a bit more.

Have gone with Chain Reactions, cheap as anywhere else I've seen but they had them in stock. Phoned round every Halfords locally and none had any on hand. Hopefully I'll be back on the bike by the end of the week

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I find since I have had this road bike, I often am not really sure what gear I am in!!

I can't remember if you said it was a compact double or a triple, I have been looking at gearing on compacts I could gear a 52x36 with 13-30 on the rear (providing I can get on or make one)) the same range 31.56" to 105.2" as my set up, if a 50x34 with 12-28 on the rear making it slightly higher geared than the 36x52 13-30 combination.
My current setup

A 50x34 with a possible cassette of 12-28

A 52x36 with 13-30

As you can see the 52x36 would be slightly better for me than a 50x34, also keeping that one tooth, but even so I would be working toward the high end of the cassette, and likewise on the 50 ring though better its still bigger gaps.
the numbers in purple are the gear " difference between the higher and lower gear, the % is the change in gears and the numbers on the right are the front teeth difference between small and large ring (top) the difference between low and high on the cassette (middle) and the bottom is the range the R.D. has to manage.

If you exclude the outer two cogs opposites depending high or low on the front a double compact really isn't suitable for how I ride. I would be for ever changing the front, where as I have a really usable range on the 42th middle from 44.18" to 84.97" covering almost everything I need bar the stepper climbs and descents, I spin out on the 52x13 above about 33mph but thats only down hill.

So to me a triple is a far better option, it just it doesn't come in many options on a ten sp as a new bike.

EDIT
The puncture was a pinch puncture, so the tyres haven't been breached yet.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Have gone with Chain Reactions, cheap as anywhere else I've seen but they had them in stock. Phoned round every Halfords locally and none had any on hand. Hopefully I'll be back on the bike by the end of the week

Two days normally.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Glorious sunny day in Newcastle - got a really busy work day, working from home - I think a quick 20 mile spin for lunch might help - not that I'm addicted you understand.

Not sure even @Mo1959 is that bad.

 

[Deleted member 18052]

Been for a spin out at lunch.
Now going bloody shopping with the OH

17.5 miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/135408928

 

[morrisman]

Yet another Chiltern mountain crushed beneath my mighty Defy 2

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/489574477

 

[GreigM]

You do retain some fitness, its not like start from scratch again. I didn't do much over the winter other than keep the wheels turning from time to time, my first 50Km this year 22/03/14 I avg 14.43mph since then I have done 740 miles, with two weeks off at the start of April, avg of 15.15 but a couple of mid 16mph rides, in that time I have ridden 23 days averaging just over two hrs a day

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised that I had not lost it all, done 17 miles today and it's only my bum that is really suffering from the lack of being in the saddle but I know that will get better

Lovely day up here for cycling, even got to try out my new bib shorts, first time ever wearing bibs, seemed pretty good.

 

[Stonechat]

Yet another Chiltern mountain crushed beneath my mighty Defy 2

http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/489574477

Just wondering what would be a good tough hill , I could easily drive over and do a hilly ride over there

 

[Stonechat]

Yeah I was pleasantly surprised that I had not lost it all, done 17 miles today and it's only my bum that is really suffering from the lack of being in the saddle but I know that will get better

Lovely day up here for cycling, even got to try out my new bib shorts, first time ever wearing bibs, seemed pretty good.

Yes I like bibs, My newish ones have nice comfortable chamois pad, my other shorts don't get a look in now

 

[morrisman]

Just wondering what would be a good tough hill , I could easily drive over and do a hilly ride over there

Here you go 20 miles 1700 ft with some 12%+, it would definitely kill me, but does include the Cafe in the Woods at about half way at the highest point on the Chilterns.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4578424