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

[Nomadski]

Yea, non dangly bits. Understood. http://totalwomenscycling.com/road-cycling/maintenance/gear-guide-choosing-a-saddle-901/

That looks like a great article, I think that and a bum fit at Specialized will help a lot thanks.

Now just to persuade her to get over her shyness and get up and ask the experts.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well it turned out to be 82 miles at a less than sparkling average of 14.4 mph;
I put the low average down to the following:

• I'm old.
• I'm not as fit as I think I am.
• I'm still to fat.
• I'm still **** at going uphill.
• The wind today was only an apprentice wind, it had passed, with flying colours, the 'How to be a Headwind' part of its training but seemed to be really poor at 'How to be a Tailwind' part

But further along and further up than any other ride so far, just 18 miles short of my next challenge, 100 miles.

http://www.strava.com/activities/154700378

ps.
I have found the most scary noise you can hear on a bike. Twice today cars have locked their brakes behind me when aborting a poorly judged overtake, the sound of screaming rubber is more than a bit unnerving.

What you complaining at, one many your age can't do 82 miles, weight I does matter but not as much as you had believe, I am still naff at hills, we are never as fit as we think, the north wind gets you which ever way your going, it was the same yesterday.
Well done regarding wind, during the update to my database and whilst using sportracks I have seen on many rides whilst riding into wind it is stronger than when its behind, it shows head & tail winds max min direction and the road map shows wind markers strength and direction and any point, and from the ones I have looked at in a little detail the headwinds are generally stronger.

 

[Nomadski]

in that case look at a split saddle, but don't rule out men's saddles as well. If you can take her to a specialised concept store, they can measure her sit bones (she just sits on something that leaves an imprint which gets measured). If she takes her cycling shorts/kit and bike, she will also be able to try the saddle on her bike whilst wearing her kit (get her to take her cycling shoes as well to get the seat height correct - saddles vary in height!). Also at the concept store, you get a 30 day return/exchange option on any saddle you purchase so if she does not get on with it on the road, she can try another one (there are some t&c's).

Thanks to you both, Suj seems happier now she has a bit of guidance.

Great help.

 

[Nomadski]

Had a little pop out to Richmond Park as the sun was shining so much, and not back to work till tomorrow. Also wanted to try something with the Sony action cam loaned to me for France, which I will have to give back tomorrow. Will post photos if I find what I tried, worked.

For some reason the Barrel of Beard segment didnt register on the second lap, which is quite annoying as I reckon it was my fastest lap of Richmond Park from that point. Gave it a good go, and didnt really have a weak point, plus got some help from some other cyclists bombing round.

Hey ho, my wife was quite surprised I had gone out today, so soon after France, maybe a little fitness has been hammered into me accidentally!

http://app.strava.com/activities/154753358

 

[Kins]

We all have dangly and non dangly bits. Nothing to be ashamed of, especially when it comes to comfort.

None of my local shops have a saddle fit bench otherwise I would have used one. Gone through about 10 saddles bought and sold before i found one that fitted nicely. Really is a personal preference thing I think. Charge Spoon gets a lot of rave reviews for being a pretty much good fit for all.

 

[Learnincurve]

I have successfully shaved a whole 5kg off my bike weight I have done this by buying another, much less terrible, second-hand hybrid. It's a black ridgeback speed from something like 2010 with the guards and rack stripped off but it's new old stock so never been used.

I'm taking the other two hybrids to my parents house on the train tomorrow and picking up my project bike so will be without a ridable one until friday or monday, which is probably for my own good because I'm pushing myself far too hard and could do with a enforced rest.

 

[Deleted member 18052]

Went out to conquer 'Nunburnholme Hill' or Londesborough Hill Climb as on strava near my house for the first time - Let me fill you guys in

Its been my challenge since I started cycling, the first time I have cycled it I had to stop a fair few times on the way up and even walk a bit...
http://app.strava.com/activities/128174004/analysis

Next couple of times I just wasn't going to get up I had that feeling so I bombed out a little way up!
http://app.strava.com/activities/135408928/analysis

Today was the day - Or was it?

Fibre grip installed on seatpost to stop it slipping back into the frame (seems to have worked OK), but i'm on evening cover so if phone rings I need to answer it, and it only bloody did! half way up!! Bugger!!!

http://www.strava.com/activities/154797516/analysis

I would have got up that bugger without stopping if the phone didnt ring :-(

Daz

 

[Kins]

Shocking, hope you give em what for when you get to work! Nice looking hill though!

 

[bigmig]

so another 25 miles today, http://www.strava.com/activities/154826619 but had to stop for over 5 mins after the first 2 miles because foolishly I did not check cleats and they needed tightening up. I was given the joyful experience of my right foot coming clean off the pedal at about 22mph down the A507. Initially I though my foot had come out of the shoe !!!! I had a set of allen keys in my saddle bag so wasn't a complete disaster. I guess I forgot the primary rule of check you gear before heading out in my excitement to hit the roads this evening !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Coggy]

Did a 17 mile route today that I have done before.

Had been having some tendon trouble recently behind right knee so last week lowered seat a bit and checked cleat position. No problems with strains or pain after todays ride and felt like I could have gone again.

Interestingly enough, just a five second difference between last time I did this route although it felt much slower in the saddle and I had quite a head wind on 50% of ride.

Shall use this route as my regular midweek ride and it will be a good indicator to how I am improving.

Still getting used to new set up. Feels quite different and not as efficient as before but as I say no pain or strains.

https://www.strava.com/activities/154603934

 

[bigmig]

guess I should also really show you my ride as I haven't actually posted a picture of it yet. Its a Merida cyclocross 4. Will post an actual photo at some point when I dig my camera out. I have got SPD m530 pedals on it, and next week the tires are getting changed over to some 25mm Continental Gator Hardshell 700C Duraskin tyres for the summer and then switch them back to the cyclocross ones around october time

 

[Exile]

So tonight I ventured deep in to the world of "I really hope I know what I'm doing" and have stripped off all of the parts I need to replace. Even took the bottom bracket out briefly (needed to so I could remove the awful plastic chain guard it had fitted). Partly I did this before the new bits arrived so as to save time once they do turn up. Mostly however it's to stop me wanting to ride the thing even though I know it's a jumpy-skippy death trap.

Having got everything off it looks like the rear cassette was well and truly done for. I need to keep on top of my maintenance as I'm sure the lovely black paste covering the chain helped wear things out that bit quicker. I've always been a bit lax in that department, and with neglecting (and abusing) it through the winter I think it's done well to last this long.

Replacements are on order, decided to go with a 48/38/28, 11-34t after playing about with ratios to find something which gives me a similar low end to what I have now. I've picked the cheap and cheerful route to get me back on the road and keep me going for the moment. Even if they're completely pants and wear out in six months they'll have more than paid for themselves in the bus fares I'll have saved. In fact, if they last five weeks they owe me nothing. Don't mind "buy cheap buy twice" at that sort of price.

 

[Kins]

Having got everything off it looks like the rear cassette was well and truly done for. I need to keep on top of my maintenance as I'm sure the lovely black paste covering the chain helped wear things out that bit quicker. I've always been a bit lax in that department, and with neglecting (and abusing) it through the winter I think it's done well to last this long.

GT85 (not for your chain!) and some decent chain oil will help make your equipment last longer. Also look up the Mickle Method on here which will help. http://www.cyclorama.net/blog/advice/51/

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

Set off pretty early on Sunday (3.30am / 1.5 hrs pre MoTime) with Suj with bikes loaded and headed to Dover. After getting parked up, and kitted out we joined the masses getting ready for Wiggles French Revolution.

A fun, escorted trip from the car parks to the ferry gave us our first hill of the day and we hadnt even reached France yet!

We went straight on board the ferry Spirit of France to find we had an entire deck dedicated to just our bikes and the cycling events staff coaches! Suj was particularly pleased...

With nothing to attch the bikes to we were convinced the bikes would end up a mass of metal and carbon, a giant ball stuck together with twisted handlebars, and released High5 gel.
With trepidation we joined the queue for free tea and criossants.

Some slept, some wandered around, everyone got confused trying to find the registration desks!

We were told on the ferry the last ferry was at 4.30pm which caused further confusion as a) it was supposed to be 6pm b) we were already running an hour late by arrival and c) we werent sure if it was Blighty time or Le Time they referred to.

Regardless we arrived, and found our bikes hadnt become a giant ball of bikemould. Rejoice!

And so the brave 700 souls set off for a little cycling adventure.

I had hoped to avoid a repeat of the Huntingdon sportive, where Suj was struggling with the tank she had, now she had a road bike (Sensa Romagna Special) and true enough while we still went much slower than everyone else, we kept a steady pace...

...Until the first hill and we both discovered she had real trouble selecting the right gear. Because she had a few issues with the bike and had to send it back, she had done a sum total of about 80 miles on it, and hadnt quite done the hill training she probably should have done. While she would be close behind on flats, she quickly lost ground up the first, and remaining hills.

The wind was pretty bad, even moreso at the coastline. At times on downhills had to really focus on keeping the bike steady.

The first big hill was a bit of a steamer to be fair, not too bad for sesoned cyclists, but a few already walked up it, Suj, to her credit, made it up, albeit with enough time for me to take a snapshot of one of many JC stauettes located on top of hills...

The number of JC statues felt a little wickerman at times, but despite that the countryside was very nice!

The first big downhill section was the Escalles hill, a sweeping left and right twisty road that I had seen on streetmap and warned Suj about. I took it relatively easy to try and keep Suj from going too fast, but despite this we had a little "bump" at the bottom as Suj found her brakes werent quite as sharp as everyone elses, or she hadnt been using them hard enough! She came off slightly but no harm done after a quick check, though I think it made her even more cautious thoughout the trip.



Sony had loaned me a AVS100 action camera, but hadnt thought how I was going to attach it to my helmet, so had to use a handlebar mount that unfortunately made the built in antishake pretty redundant (the roads were better than UKs but still not great at times).

We cycled down many quiet country roads, as ever the event was organised superbly well, with signposts warning of dangerous corners, and stewards directing us and traffic at intersections. Regular maintenece vehicles went past, and medics on motorbikes were never far away.

The stuff I had read about cycling in France wasnt wrong either, many a time I heard the cry of Allez Allez from people sat outside houses, wandering roads and generally mulling about to see what the wheezing was all about. Even the dogs seemed to want to come out and say hello, at least I think that was what he was wanting to do! Car drivers were incredibly patient, not a single beep nor a massively revved engine as they passed the whole trip. Bliss.

As we came to the first pit stop, 20 miles in, it was clear from our pace and Suj's hill struggles we would never get close to getting back in time if we did the Epic, so we decided to take the split when it came and do the standard. Still a pretty tough 60 miles, with 3,658ft of climbing (thats 60ft per mile @Nigelnaturist!).

The pitstops were an oasis of fig rolls, jaffa cakes, flapjacks and bananas but we couldnt stay for long, so onwards we went and noticeably picked up the pace a little.

When we got to the second pitstop, 40 miles in, Suj was really struggling. Her hayfever had caused an issue where the back of her throat was swollen, and her larynx kept closing. After seeing a medic, she decided she was going to push on, but the next (very) big hill finally stopped her in her tracks and she decided to call for a pickup.

I felt bad leaving her, but had spoken to the emergency guys and was told help was on the way for her and would be safely transported to Dover, where I would meet her. She insisted I carried on to get to the ferry in time, so I pushed on, a little quicker than previously on the trip, and even passed people!



Making it into the Calais port just as Cycling Events were distmantling everything, just enough time to pick up my goodie bottle and medal, and headed to the check in desk, passport in hand. After finding I had missed the 'last' ferry by 5 minutes, along with a bunch of other riders, we had a 50 minute wait for the 'last last' ferry.

To my delight Suj turned up, and we made our way back to Blighty together.

Sitting on the ferry Pride of Canterbury along with a lot of other exhausted cyclists we took time to don our carefully prepared celebration of all things French for a finishers photo.

Suj's was much deserved as although she hadnt quite done the distance she had done remarkably well for someone with only 80 miles under belt on her bike, reaching 47 miles and a LOT of climbing. It was far tougher than the New Forest sportive, and IMO was nearer to RideLondon, albeit less mileage, especially with the wind.

We even spotted the same ferry which had taken us to Calais many hours ago.

We had an escort through an empty Dover Port which was great fun, dropped Suj off at home, and got back home some time shortly after 10pm.....a long day!

Fun times around Dover Port - http://app.strava.com/activities/154510172

Definitely a sportive I would recommend to anyone with some miles under them, its challenging, brilliantly organised, fantastic scenery thoughout but I wouldnt recommend doing it without a bit of prep work first.

Heres my youtube video of the ride, condensed into a few minutes...




Strava is missing a 400 yard part where I had stopped it while waiting for Suj at the top of a hill, and forgetting to start it again until the start of the next one! D'oh.

http://app.strava.com/activities/154555163

Happy everyone!

Fab report, been looking forward to getting this Very well done to you both.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

As far as I can make out this is the rout for Fridays York W.N.B.R @Nomadski not as long as yours, and wont be any pics, good write up.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/5062950