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

[Nigelnaturist]

I should think 30/28 would be fine for anything unless you are off to the dales of pennines.

Well I did this http://app.strava.com/activities/39655470#650992160 and the rest of it http://app.strava.com/activities/39655470#650538069 in 38/26 and as 40/28 is a tad lower I should be ok till I am more used to it, I am really enjoying what cycling i am doing at the mo.

 

[RWright]

I just got in another normal 10 miler today on the Townie. I have my drop bar bike on the work stand getting cleaned and fitted with its new spring attire (tires, bar tape, saddle). I have been doing some saddle experimenting on all my bikes and the drop bar bike is the only one at the moment that I would want to do any real miles on. Since it is in dry dock I am just doing the short daily rides.

I am going to upgrade the saddles on all my bikes. Time to get rid of the big cushy seat on the Townie. It sits too upright to simply put on one of the race style saddles I have laying around collecting dust (but I have been trying ). The old vinyl Brooks sprung saddle I have on my Raleigh is well past its prime too.

I am seeing some nice long rides on here, making me want to get some longer rides in too.

 

[simmi]

Well I did this http://app.strava.com/activities/39655470#650992160 and the rest of it http://app.strava.com/activities/39655470#650538069 in 38/26 and as 48/28 is a tad lower I should be ok till I am more used to it, I am really enjoying what cycling i am doing at the mo.

Thats a decent gradient 9.7 average only short I know but don't think you will find much steeper in our part of the world.

Its not all about the gradient though coming back from your area the other day I cycled up this hill, not that steep but it was exposed and I had a 20mph right at me and honest to God only just made it up.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Thats a decent gradient 9.7 average only short I know but don't think you will find much steeper in our part of the world.

Its not all about the gradient though coming back from your area the other day I cycled up this hill, not that steep but it was exposed and I had a 20mph right at me and honest to God only just made it up.

I know where you mean, I haven't been up or down that section but the village you went through just after it Hooton Pagnell, I went right travelling North on N Field Road, but I was going down.
North out of Wentbridge is I think one of the longest, and there is a section between Knottingley and Cas, thats a fair slog, and Queens Drive in Cas, but I am finding the more I do these steeper ones, I am now recovering on minor gradients, rather than flat or down hill. Thats what I did yesterday, on the way back from the shop, tried to do the short climbs we have around here but as many as I could, but the weather was really sh**** and I could hardly see, also if the figures are right, the two short rides with a combined distance of 12Km in terms of difficult was more difficult than the 52Km I did last Thursday using this formula CLIMBBYBIKE-INDEX (H*100/D)*2 + H²/D + D/1000 + (T-1000)/100

 

[Mo1959]

More snow again here

Fitted my new Durano Plus tyres though so accomplished something. Bit nervous doing it as I have to thank the p******e fairy for not visiting me yet so have never had to remove a tyre.

Bit sore on the thumbs getting the last bit on but made it eventually. Not sure I would like to have to do it at the side of the road when your hands are cold and wet though. Maybe once they have been on a while they fit easier next time??

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Certain tyres are easier to fit as well Mo, the Continental and Bontrager are easier then the Kenda I had on before, side walls arn't as thick.

 

[Billy Adam]

Certain tyres are easier to fit as well Mo, the Continental and Bontrager are easier then the Kenda I had on before, side walls arn't as thick.

I had bontragers on my old bike and you could take them off and put them back on without levers.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

You should try putting marathon winters on a hybrid. After a good hour on the one tyre I gave up and went to the LBS

 

[BrianEvesham]

Snow flurries here this morning and very strong cold biting wind but made it out for the 12 mile circuit in a slower 50 mins.
Very cold when I got back, so cold infact that I thought I had lost the family jewels I was also reminded of my pre-pubescent days.

I really needed a shower and cuppa soup to warm up.

Never thought I would ride out on a snowy day!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Snow flurries here this morning and very strong cold biting wind but made it out for the 12 mile circuit in a slower 50 mins.
Very cold when I got back, so cold infact that I thought I had lost the family jewels I was also reminded of my pre-pubescent days.

I really needed a shower and cuppa soup to warm up.

Got to agree with that, my run to the photo group was very slow, coming back wasn't so bad, but the winds had died down some what. 14+mins longer than last week, last week sub 40 mins this week 54min's just short of 10 miles.

 

[Kins]

Tried snowing here for 5 minutes just before I left but turned into lovely sunshine for a couple of hours. Nice ride to work. Home was into the wind and struggled breathing properly, feels like a crab apple stuck in my neck.

Didn't rain on the ride back though it looks like it wants to. Looks like some places taking another snow battering, long range for round here for the next week looks fine except for Saturday which will just be abit cold.

We'll see....... Michael Fish anyone?

 

[BrianEvesham]

We'll see....... Michael Fish anyone?

 

[simmi]

Good ride today cold and windy with snow on the back roads so speed was down again.

40.2 miles in 2:58:00 at 13.5mph.

http://app.strava.com/activities/39864633

Made sure I was wrapped up nice and warm, more layers than normal but I'm glad I did on the tops of the hills with the snow on the ground it was only just above zero and with the windchill it was definitely weather more suited to polar bears.

Other than my feet for the last half hour I kept surprisingly warm.
With a strong westerly I decided to head into it, my thinking being that when I got tired I could turn round and have an easy run back.
It was a bit treacherous in places so had to slow right down on some of the descents and bends my route was sometime dictated by which way had the least snow, I also made one wrong turn that I had to doubled back on.
I used the ride to work on my technique I would say I spent a good third on the drops which for me is a lot, I am finding climbing good on the drops with my weight well back and a high cadence I seen to get to the top quicker and in better shape.
Felt really fresh when I got back a combination of improved cycling fitness and the enforced slower pace.
I had just got out of a nice hot shower when my youngest reminded me I had promised to take him round the local woods on his MTB.
A promise is a promise so finished off the day with a 4 mile off road ride.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

As naff as the weather was going out, it improved a little coming back, so avg sp improved from 10.8mph to 13.6mph but overall quite poor even by my standeds.
However on the positive I got 5 p.b's and 2 2nds, though one was only a matter of continuing along a section instead of stopping for I cig where I normally do.
This is probably the best Aberford Road Short Climb
http://app.strava.com/activities/39867831

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Good ride today cold and windy with snow on the back roads so speed was down again.

40.2 miles in 2:58:00 at 13.5mph.

.

You were still quicker, than me lol.