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

[Mr_K_Dilkington]

Did a much more chilled out (I.e. All on heart rate zone 2) commute to work today. It's a 10 miler which I usually try and ride as fast as possible (which isn't fast at all mostly due to the traffic), but found a chilled out ride much harder than a fast ride. Turns out I'm one of those knobs who doesn't like being overtaken, even when on an intentionally slow ride, and will struggle to keep my speed down - constantly thinking "I'm faster than them."

Pretty sure this is vey common among cyclists, but on a commute where you are using a bike as a form of transport, surely my thinking is a little sociopathic? Imagine if people did this while walking to work - constantly power walking to try and drop each other or sprinting around to show their speed or get places a little quicker.

We cyclists are a strange bunch

 

[Deleted member 18052]

Commuted into work today since the sun was shining, Garmin got a good test too, also got some shiny new stats to look at.

http://www.strava.com/activities/141332761/overview

 

[Biggler]

I went out last night but I didn't feel quite right, legs didn't feel good at all, so I cut short my planned 15 mile ride and did 8 mile.
I was quite surprised when looking at the ride I got a couple of PRs but that was the first ride around my usual routes with my news pedals/shoes.

http://www.strava.com/activities/141100555

On another note, is there an east way I can compare climbs side by side on strava, veloviewer, ridewithgps, anything... I pretty much would like to just see an elevation graph side by side.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

On another note, is there an east way I can compare climbs side by side on strava, veloviewer, ridewithgps, anything... I pretty much would like to just see an elevation graph side by side.

What is it your trying to compare, of the top of my head, would be just to open the two in separate windows.

 

[Biggler]

I'm trying to compare these two climbs...

I guess what I really need is a way to plot the two elevation gains on the same graph. In this example so both elevations are plotted on a graph that is 2.5mi on the x-axis and 1200ft on the y-axis. I think that would let me compare the two climbs easier.

Bonus points if you recognise the climbs

 

[BrianEvesham]

Didn't feel at my best this morning, I think I'm trying to hard after a testing night shift. Some points I struggled to keep up with my mate.

A bit further than my normal loops
http://www.strava.com/activities/141373441

Still, I did enjoy the ride but I think it will be a rest day tomorrow

 

[Mo1959]

Didn't feel at my best this morning, I think I'm trying to hard after a testing night shift. Some points I struggled to keep up with my mate.

A bit further than my normal loops
http://www.strava.com/activities/141373441

Still, I did enjoy the ride but I think it will be a rest day tomorrow

Probably just the shifts. Hope you're not coming down with something. Feeling pretty heavy legged myself just now. I think us over 50s maybe need to take more rest days

 

[stevey]

It's agony i tell ya bike is out for delivery still not here.....Arghhhh....

Bring me my bike!!!! Wall to wall sunshine no wind it's agony!!!!!!, Even the cats come in it's too warm

 

[Cold]

Good ride today very sunny and a nice warm wind, on the way back about 10 mins from home and I get to the junction and its closed as there is a massive fire happening Police told me I had to go back along the way I had just come so ended up adding about 20k+ to my journey now done my biggest ride so far.

http://www.strava.com/activities/141396442/overview

 

[Mark White]

This is around a minute better than my previous best

A full minute off is excellent progress IMHO!

I got 20 secs off my PB on a 68 minute course the other day, so you're in the zone dude

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I'm trying to compare these two climbs...

I guess what I really need is a way to plot the two elevation gains on the same graph. In this example so both elevations are plotted on a graph that is 2.5mi on the x-axis and 1200ft on the y-axis. I think that would let me compare the two climbs easier.

Bonus points if you recognise the climbs

So your looking for how difficult each is I take it, if you have the stats for each height and distance you can always use the climbbybike formula, this will work out how difficult each climb is. The top one looks more diffcult to do.

 

[Biggler]

So your looking for how difficult each is I take it, if you have the stats for each height and distance you can always use the climbbybike formula, this will work out how difficult each climb is. The top one looks more diffcult to do.

Pretty much, I've done (walked) the first climb and I was having difficulty picturing how difficult the second one is, being able to compare visually would help.

I can see that Strava have opened up their API since closing it off last year. I'm a little bit of a hobbyist programmer so this might be something I can sink my teeth in to.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Pretty much, I've done (walked) the first climb and I was having difficulty picturing how difficult the second one is, being able to compare visually would help.

I can see that Strava have opened up their API since closing it off last year. I'm a little bit of a hobbyist programmer so this might be something I can sink my teeth in to.

I hadn't heard they had, it was shame they had closed there were some good external apps, some hopefully will resurface,
This formula is the climbbybike index

(H*100/D)*2 + H²/D + D/1000 + (T-1000)/100

Whereby: H = difference in height; D = distance in meters; T = top of mountain in meters

I use this to gauge how difficult my rides are, I would need to look at my formula to describe it fully, but basically I take the total height gained (rwgps) for H and the total distance for D can't remember what I did for T
My formula works pretty well as from I can work out how difficult a ride was per mile, how ever some rides even though they are more difficult per mile may be more difficult because of distance
For example

These are my last 4 rides even though I did only 2 miles less than yesterday because of the elevation difference it made it almost 4x easier, but I worked at a higher HR today, this is due to having to cycle more consistently I think, it also shows just because a route has more climbing it doesn't mean you will be slower.

 

[Mr_K_Dilkington]

A full minute off is excellent progress IMHO!

I got 20 secs off my PB on a 68 minute course the other day, so you're in the zone dude

I think partly it's because there are a fair few variables with wind and traffic in Richmond Park, but mainly because I've only been cycling for 3 months or so, which means I'm enjoying that period of newbie gains before the inevitable plateau or slowing down in gains kicks in! Will try and break the hour for three laps over the next few weeks which is the next big milestone for my training in the park (I think 1.06 was the last best time I did for three laps, this was a month and a half ago though).

 

[stevey]

New summer bike fresh out of the box