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

[Typhon]

Just climbed off the scales with a smile on my face, I am just over 18st

I know I am still a Lardy Arse, but I am nearly 2 1/2 stone down since I started cycling at the end of last summer and not a diet in sight.

Well done mate.

Do you think a road bike will add much to my speed? It's likely I'll ride my Kona Dew Hybrid in the Shakespeare 100km.

I think it would a bit, the lower seating position is more aerodynamic, the 23C tyres would have less rolling resistance and a road bike would probably weigh less. Not sure how much difference it would make, maybe 1-2mph depending on your current tyres and bike weight. It's not like you need the extra speed anyway though so I'm sure you'll be fine on the hybrid!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

16.6 mph average on a hybrid. I saw you completed the giro challenge with that ride - it's no wonder you're that fit I suppose!

I keep meaning to head out towards Croome Court way but never have. Must try and do that soon.

Worcestershire is not flat though, take it back! Sometimes I see people's rides come up on my timeline and they've climbed about 300 feet in 40 miles and I think back to the 1000ft I just did in 20 miles, the flattest route I could have taken, and sigh. It could be worse I admit, it's not like it's Yorkshire or anything. Sometimes I wish it was more like Suffolk though!

Some flat bits around these here parts, though it's not often I do less than 1000ft unless it's less than 20 miles. Usually between 450-550ft per 10 miles. Fri/Sat I did 570ft per 10 miles over the two days, today it was 454ft/10miles. I was doing rides last summer of 280-400ft/10 miles.
The most I have done over a 30+mile ride was 685 ft/10 miles avg sp 13.14mph total climb 2123ft. 31 miles.
http://app.strava.com/activities/39655470

 

[Typhon]

Some flat bits around these here parts, though it's not often I do less than 1000ft unless it's less than 20 miles. Usually between 450-550ft per 10 miles. Fri/Sat I did 570ft per 10 miles over the two days, today it was 454ft/10miles. I was doing rides last summer of 280-400ft/10 miles.

That's true - I just looked at our Strava data for the year side by side and your average ft/mile is 42 while mine is 40 so it is pretty similar. Though with the MTB now mine should be going up a fair bit soon.

 

[Billy Adam]

Just climbed off the scales with a smile on my face, I am just over 18st

I know I am still a Lardy Arse, but I am nearly 2 1/2 stone down since I started cycling at the end of last summer and not a diet in sight.

Well done Brian. That's good going.

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

Just climbed off the scales with a smile on my face, I am just over 18st

I know I am still a Lardy Arse, but I am nearly 2 1/2 stone down since I started cycling at the end of last summer and not a diet in sight.

What a superstar! Well done

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

Looking forward to be photos on sportive photo too lol.

I'm looking forward to seeing how crap I look - why do they always sit at the top of a hill - don't they know I'm based in Lincolnshire and can't do hills?

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

Yeah I saw the times last night, it had me down for 3hrs 40 minutes but we did stop for 10 minutes for food and my friend who did it with me had a flat (4 miles from the finish) and being so cold it took 20 minutes to fix!!

I don't understand the 'Bronze' 'Silver' and 'Gold' categories, are they based on age as well as times? I'm guessing Bronze was "finished at all, no matter how long it took" as that what I got. Not that I'm complaining because I did (finish )

 

[AndyPeace]

That's true - I just looked at our Strava data for the year side by side and your average ft/mile is 42 while mine is 40 so it is pretty similar. Though with the MTB now mine should be going up a fair bit soon.

Some flat bits around these here parts, though it's not often I do less than 1000ft unless it's less than 20 miles. Usually between 450-550ft per 10 miles. Fri/Sat I did 570ft per 10 miles over the two days, today it was 454ft/10miles. I was doing rides last summer of 280-400ft/10 miles.
The most I have done over a 30+mile ride was 685 ft/10 miles avg sp 13.14mph total climb 2123ft. 31 miles.
http://app.strava.com/activities/39655470

mine is only 35! but I think this is largely due to my commute rides, which make up around 70miles of my weekly achievement. They are around 30ft/mi. No wonder I believe Worcestershire is flat Today's ride was 37ft/mi, though I wasn't looking for hills. On this months big climb rides ( to 'little' Malvern and to Saintbury) the stats say 50ft/mi.

 

[RWright]

Just climbed off the scales with a smile on my face, I am just over 18st

I know I am still a Lardy Arse, but I am nearly 2 1/2 stone down since I started cycling at the end of last summer and not a diet in sight.

Nice work. The scales put a smile on my face this morning as well. I saw sub 230 lbs. I was 272 in early august, 228 this morning. I am still only about half way where I want to go but I think I will get there. I don't want to drop the weight too fast. I still have some bad eating habits (I like the sugar) but I am working on that as well. Riding gives me the edge I need. I look at the weight I started with and think how in the hell did I let myself do that, but it was easy once it starts getting out of control. Something that I intend to never happen again.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

That's true - I just looked at our Strava data for the year side by side and your average ft/mile is 42 while mine is 40 so it is pretty similar. Though with the MTB now mine should be going up a fair bit soon.

I shouldn't pay to much attention to strava's elevation data, if you have corrected it ( as I have on a few) as it always nicks some of mine, as close as I can make it it's about 48.59ft/mile this year last year it was 39.84ft/mile, first three months I was cycling last year (July-Sept) it was below 35ft/mile on avg. This year it been above 45ft/mile on avg, and that really has been where my improvements have been, also in gear length as well from 54" in Nov to 63" this month again averages.

mine is only 35! but I think this is largely due to my commute rides, which make up around 70miles of my weekly achievement. They are around 30ft/mi. No wonder I believe Worcestershire is flat Today's ride was 37ft/mi, though I wasn't looking for hills. On this months big climb rides ( to 'little' Malvern and to Saintbury) the stats say 50ft/mi.

I was 50ft/mile avg last month and this so far is 49ft/mile.

 

[RWright]

Heading out now for a ride with my HRM I got a good deal on at the curb store. I hope I don't run into anything while I am experimenting. With the Garmin, my wristwatch/HRM and my MP3 player I feel like I could be in a luxury car. Not to start any controversy or debates but MP3 players are legal in my state, even in both ears. The ear buds also keep the wind out of my ears, and it is windy again today.

 

[Reece]

I don't understand the 'Bronze' 'Silver' and 'Gold' categories, are they based on age as well as times? I'm guessing Bronze was "finished at all, no matter how long it took" as that what I got. Not that I'm complaining because I did (finish )

Upto 2hr34 is gold, 2hr34 to 2hr45(I think) is silver. And anything over that is bronze as long as you finished.

 

[SWSteve]

Upto 2hr34 is gold, 2hr34 to 2hr45(I think) is silver. And anything over that is bronze as long as you finished.

FOR AN 80 MILE RIDE?!?!?!?!?!?!?

 

[RWright]

I got my heart rate up to 115 today, could have been a little higher but this monitor sometimes takes a couple of tries and I am not sure I trust the readings yet either. I could not get it to work at first but I think it was because I was wearing gloves. I am not positive but I believe the button you have to press and hold may also complete the circuit (this is coming from a complete electrical novice taking a wild ass guess). I could get it to work without gloves but not with my full finger gloves on.

I happen to have an appointment with my blood pressure Dr. on Tuesday and I am sure I will have a ton of questions for him. I will be gauging my HRM with his too. He will be earning his pay on my next visit. I may consider the Garmin strap thing later on, to do complete monitoring with alarms but I do like this watch thing even if it is manual check (if it monitors continuously, I haven't figured out how to do it yet). I think it isn't a higher end model but I haven't taken it off since I found it, brought it home and figured out what it was, except to sleep.

Oh how this newbie stuff progresses.

 

[Reece]

FOR AN 80 MILE RIDE?!?!?!?!?!?!?

No that would be crazy. The epic 80mile was cancelled do everyone had to do the standard 40mile route. Supposedly severe weather conditions disrupted parts of the epic route.