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

[Creakyknee]

Beautiful sunny day here, chickened out of hills today and did a flattish loop, got my best average speed to date
http://app.strava.com/activities/43250633
I also would fancy going out again but the missus wants me to mess around unblocking the drains : (

 

[Typhon]

I found my metric 100 quite easy, did it on the hybrid, I think the most I had done before it was 30 or 35 miles.

All this talk about 100 miles, looks like I have another challenge to do! It can wait until the summer mind, and I think there may be a good hours lunch break half way through somehow.

That's good to know! I do 20-30 miles so regularly and do 30s every now and then and have done 40s in the past so hopefully I won't be too exhausted.

Yeah sunny weather here today.
Did a large loop of 26 miles in 1 hr 50 mins, avg down at 14. Did manage to top out at 32mph though. At one point my legs were quite painfull (thighs) no idea why, also had some pins and needles in my hands for the first time in ages

After a light lunch and tea I feel I could go out again.

I am doing the shakespeare100 on the 7th April and I still haven't done more than 30 miles in one go

Nice one Brian. I'm sure you won't have any problems with the distance. Besides, we still have over a month left to go!

Just been out for the first time in.....shorts, bib shorts too and it felt liberating!

Had a mixed sort of day though, my new wheels arrived this morning so fitted new cassette and brand new gatorskins, sun was shining so thought as I am working from home I'd take a hour lunch break and pop out.

Did 2 miles, felt great - new wheels humming along, gear changes felt so much crisper, sun on my legs then 'bang' I hit a massive pothole and popped my rear tube! By the time I'd fixed it I had to head home so only 4 miles on this stunning day :-(

Don't have any spare tubes so won't have chance to go out later either.

Ouch, that must have been a massive pothole. The roads round here are so bad they don't deserve to be called roads but that's never happened to me. Any chance you can get out later? It'll probably be light till 6.

 

[Typhon]

Well I was glad I wore my shorts. WIth my big heavy jersey I was actually quite warm. It was a lovely day out there and I was having a great ride. Unfortunately I forgot the law of the sod....so naturally today was the perfect time for my first clipless moment! I was approaching a junction with the A46, one I have to turn right onto and then turn left about 50 yards later. I unclipped early to avoid any stupid mistakes on a busy road (hah) and freewheeled up to the junction, as I got to it I put the brakes on and put my unclipped foot down..and it just dangled there. Panic ensued and I tried to throw my weight to the left but it was no good, I was going down. I braced myself and hit the deck. Then sheepishly picked up my bike and moved to the side of the road and crossed as a pedestrian.

The bike seems ok. The garmin sensor at the back got lodged in the spokes but I fixed that straight away and it works fine. I have about a million bruises but they will heal. Thinking about it on the way home was actually the scary part. I fell to my right into what could have been the path of an oncoming car. If there had been a car there I could have been run over! I've never liked the SPDs or how high I have the saddle up. I can barely touch the ground even on tiptoes. But it is the correct position according to all the guides (leg straight when heel on the pedal at 6 o' clock) and it's only since I gradually moved the saddle up 1mm at a time to that height that my knees stopped hurting on every ride. So I guess I have no choice but to persevere.

http://app.strava.com/activities/43252014

 

[Leescfc79]

Ouch, that must have been a massive pothole. The roads round here are so bad they don't deserve to be called roads but that's never happened to me. Any chance you can get out later? It'll probably be light till 6.

It was huge, I saw it coming but couldn't get out the way as a taxi was overtaking me a touch too close, tried to bunny hop it so missed my front but count do anything about the back!

Not going to get chance to get any spare tubes today but have the brother in laws specalized crosstrail in the garage so might take it for a test drive!

 

[Boon 51]

No problem for you at all.

Hope your right Matt..

 

[Boon 51]

My target was 100k this year but after a few drinks on New Years Eve I was convinced to sign up for a sportive in July which is 95 miles, I'm going to cycle 5 miles to the start as I'd kick myself if I did 95 but not the 100!

Lots of training ahead for me!

Will this be all in one go or are there a stop or two..

 

[Boon 51]

I found my metric 100 quite easy, did it on the hybrid, I think the most I had done before it was 30 or 35 miles.

All this talk about 100 miles, looks like I have another challenge to do! It can wait until the summer mind, and I think there may be a good hours lunch break half way through somehow.

Slight slant... How have you got on with a hybrid as I might have to get one?

 

[Boon 51]

Well I was glad I wore my shorts. WIth my big heavy jersey I was actually quite warm. It was a lovely day out there and I was having a great ride. Unfortunately I forgot the law of the sod....so naturally today was the perfect time for my first clipless moment! I was approaching a junction with the A46, one I have to turn right onto and then turn left about 50 yards later. I unclipped early to avoid any stupid mistakes on a busy road (hah) and freewheeled up to the junction, as I got to it I put the brakes on and put my unclipped foot down..and it just dangled there. Panic ensued and I tried to throw my weight to the left but it was no good, I was going down. I braced myself and hit the deck. Then sheepishly picked up my bike and moved to the side of the road and crossed as a pedestrian.

The bike seems ok. The garmin sensor at the back got lodged in the spokes but I fixed that straight away and it works fine. I have about a million bruises but they will heal. Thinking about it on the way home was actually the scary part. I fell to my right into what could have been the path of an oncoming car. If there had been a car there I could have been run over! I've never liked the SPDs or how high I have the saddle up. I can barely touch the ground even on tiptoes. But it is the correct position according to all the guides (leg straight when heel on the pedal at 6 o' clock) and it's only since I gradually moved the saddle up 1mm at a time to that height that my knees stopped hurting on every ride. So I guess I have no choice but to persevere.

http://app.strava.com/activities/43252014

Thats a tadd unlucky but glad your not seriously injured .. clipless takes a bit of time to get right, I'm still getting used to it.

 

[Leescfc79]

Will this be all in one go or are there a stop or two..

It's 15 miles to the port, a ferry journey across to the Isle of Wight, 65 miles there and then ferry back for 15 miles return to the start so quite a few rest periods....I think I'll need them!

 

[Typhon]

Thats a tadd unlucky but glad your not seriously injured .. clipless takes a bit of time to get right, I'm still getting used to it.

Thanks, I'm thinking of getting some new pedals. They are the cheapest ones Shimano do and I don't get on with them at all. Even on the loosest setting it's quite difficult to clip out. I have to keep spraying them with WD-40 every few days otherwise it's impossible to get my foot out.

 

[Billy Adam]

First time out in the bib shorts tonight. Must be more stream lined. Made a nice change not to take longer to get ready than it takes to do a ride. Can't wait for the lighter evenings.
https://www.strava.com/rides/43261372

 

[Boon 51]

It's 15 miles to the port, a ferry journey across to the Isle of Wight, 65 miles there and then ferry back for 15 miles return to the start so quite a few rest periods....I think I'll need them!

Cool..

 

[Boon 51]

Thanks, I'm thinking of getting some new pedals. They are the cheapest ones Shimano do and I don't get on with them at all. Even on the loosest setting it's quite difficult to clip out. I have to keep spraying them with WD-40 every few days otherwise it's impossible to get my foot out.

I've tried both the road SPD SL's and mtb SPD's and found the mtb one's better thats just my thoughts mind...

 

[Boon 51]

First time out in the bib shorts tonight. Must be more stream lined. Made a nice change not to take longer to get ready than it takes to do a ride. Can't wait for the lighter evenings.
https://www.strava.com/rides/43261372

Must be getting warmer then..

 

[kerndog]

yeah I got out for another 20 miler toda and it was lovely, almost too hot for a jacket. Still a bugger of a headwind all the way home though. nearly spring though!