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

[Nomadski]

Most of the roads around here now are asphalt. My state, according to reports and from what I have observed in other states, does have nice roads. Some of the roads are still concrete with the seams, but most of them are being repaved with the smooth asphalt. We also still have some roads with potholes but those are mainly older ones that were poorly designed and constructed to begin with. The roads I dislike most are the country roads that they pour down the tar, spread gravel on them then run over it with a steam roller, I try to avoid them but once in a while I have to ride one for a few miles.

The area around the lake I am going to be riding more has the smooth nice asphalt. A lot of people are pulling boats to the boat ramps to go fishing and water skiing (not a good thing for cyclist IMO ) and the lake is owned by the US Army Corp of Engineers. It got some nice federal funding when it was designed and built and still even now for maintenance. It has been just a little out of my range to get to, ride around and come back home. It is about 10 miles for me to get there and it is about 16 miles long, there are not a lot of roads around it, so about any ride I would make around even some of it would be 40 miles plus. There are only one or two roads that actually cross over it with bridges. It is set up with camp grounds and a buffer zone all the way around it, no one can buy or build a house on it but there are several camp grounds all around it and even more man made beaches and boat ramps. All ran by the state.
Anyone can use it, camping is cheap, but you better book well in advance for major holidays during summer. There is a small fee to use the beaches but the boat ramps are free.(great entertainment to watch the inexperienced new boat owners try to back down and use the ramps during early part of the boating season ) .

I am pretty happy with the roads in my area, I think weather conditions here help them, but there are some that are still rough. Your roads may be rougher but we have basically zero mass transit. You can not catch a train from my town, you have to ride about 30 miles to get on one, then they only stop at big towns along the east coast of the US mostly. Many of the larger cities have buses but the majority of places here don't. You have to call a cab. We are still very reliant on the automobile in my area as in most parts of my state. They have been talking about a rail system around the central part of NC for YEARS. I think all the politicians have done is take the money to research doing it and stuff their friends pockets with it so they can tell them it is going to be very expensive to do it.

I'm pretty sure that counts as the majority of road surfaces in Surrey! It gets so bad sometimes I find myself doing little noises and letting the vibrations of the road wobble my voice! Probably seem like a nutter if someone heard me, but I find it quite fun.

 

[Scotty1991]

Managed to get out today for a short ride. Wind was a bit fierce but my legs are getting stronger so the wind is slowly not become much of a problem.

http://app.strava.com/activities/49260527

Other day I was cycling up to a blind corner, started to go round then an idiot over took me but to be visited by a police car half way around the bend! I believe he got pulled . Deserved it!
Made my day a bit better

 

[Mo1959]

You could be typing my thoughts, but you are six/seven months ahead of me. I enjoy cycling on my own and much rather do 25 miles at a steady pace than say 10 at a cracking pace - not that I can do cracking pace mind.

Sounds a bit like me too. Mileage is increasing but speed resolutely stuck at a pretty sedate pace.

Currently listening to the wind howling and rain battering off the windows so I think another day off tomorrow. Friday looking a bit better though.

 

[SWSteve]

You make it sound very easy.

It was a suggestion, if I had a target of 4,000 miles I would try to break it down into smaller chunks which are easily manageable. Averaging 3 miles a day is a target you can see, and make up for if you fall behind.

 

[themosquitoking]

It was a suggestion, if I had a target of 4,000 miles I would try to break it down into smaller chunks which are easily manageable. Averaging 3 miles a day is a target you can see, and make up for if you fall behind.

I'm not setting any targets but you're right when you break it up into smaller chunks it sounds easier, problems arise when you haven't got out for two weeks and all of a sudden you have to ride 40 miles a day two days in a row.

 

[RWright]

Sounds a bit like me too. Mileage is increasing but speed resolutely stuck at a pretty sedate pace.

Currently listening to the wind howling and rain battering off the windows so I think another day off tomorrow. Friday looking a bit better though.

I hope it gets warm over there soon. My sister in law flew into Manchester yesterday and is staying in Chester for a couple of weeks I think it is. She considers the weather here cold. If anyone in that area sees someone dressed like they are going on an expedition to the north pole, it might be her.

I just did a little riding on my close to home tracks and a quick run to get something to eat. Nothing fun happened today. I spent the first hour trying to figure out what a funny ticking sound coming from my bike was. It was the speed magnet on the spoke touching my speed/cadence sensor. I checked it first thing but it didn't do it while I was trouble shooting it off the bike. I am trying to figure out what do I need that magnet for anyway, since I have GPS speed. I think I am going to get rid of the spoke magnet.

 

[Mo1959]

In anticipation of the wind picking up I just went out and went round one of my short loops as fast as I could go before it got any stronger. Don't use a heart rate monitor but I reckon I was close to threshold pace all the way round. 15.3mph average which is unheard of for me. Wind was behind me going out so took the chance of picking up several places on a segment. Bit of push through the wind on the way home.

I really don't know how some of you guys can put in averages like that or higher day after day. Much respect.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I don't know about weight as I don't have a weight loss aim/target other than getting rid of thee moobs/handles...but why not try to have 1000 miles done by August. You need to do less than 3 miles a day as there's over 3 months. With it getting warmer you will hopefully do this with ease.

Glad I didn't go to your school Steve. 3 months approximately 90 days 1000/90 = 11.1miles.

You make it sound very easy.

Commitments aside, just get out and do as much as you feel able, the onl way to improve is to go out regularly distance isn't that important. The distance you can do will improve, but you have to do it, come rain or shine, otherwise you wont improve. I am like Mo, I can tackle anything around here but I am not very fast, my speed has increased over time but it has been a slow progress, weight wise I have lost about 4oz everyday since June according to figures (a little over optimistic), but I havent really changed my diet I used to be about 13 1/2 - 14 st I weighed early Feb and I was 12 1/2st and I do an avg of about 26 miles a day (well not this week, still waiting for new wheels ).

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I hope it gets warm over there soon. My sister in law flew into Manchester yesterday and is staying in Chester for a couple of weeks I think it is. She considers the weather here cold. If anyone in that area sees someone dressed like they are going on an expedition to the north pole, it might be her.

I just did a little riding on my close to home tracks and a quick run to get something to eat. Nothing fun happened today. I spent the first hour trying to figure out what a funny ticking sound coming from my bike was. It was the speed magnet on the spoke touching my speed/cadence sensor. I checked it first thing but it didn't do it while I was trouble shooting it off the bike. I am trying to figure out what do I need that magnet for anyway, since I have GPS speed. I think I am going to get rid of the spoke magnet.

I wouldn't the speed data is more accurate, gps can be a bit wayward when you are stationary at junctions ect.. the sensor once stopped helps the unit to know you are stationary and has a better auto pause.

In anticipation of the wind picking up I just went out and went round one of my short loops as fast as I could go before it got any stronger. Don't use a heart rate monitor but I reckon I was close to threshold pace all the way round. 15.3mph average which is unheard of for me. Wind was behind me going out so took the chance of picking up several places on a segment. Bit of push through the wind on the way home.

I really don't know how some of you guys can put in averages like that or higher day after day. Much respect.

Nice one Mo, thats how they do it, start off doing a shorter route at higher speeds, do that a few times, and then increase distance, like when starting to cycle. Well thats what I was trying to do. (dam where are those wheels)

 

[RWright]

Glad I didn't go to your school Steve. 3 months approximately 90 days 1000/90 = 11.1miles.

.

Had me thinking that I sure seemed to have to do a lot more than that to get my 1000 miles in the first quarter but I wasn't going to say anything.

Thanks for the advice on the speed sensor. I will keep the magnet on.

 

[Mo1959]

Nice one Mo, thats how they do it, start off doing a shorter route at higher speeds, do that a few times, and then increase distance, like when starting to cycle. Well thats what I was trying to do. (dam where are those wheels)

Hope they arrive today Nigel and you can get back out. I am fed up of the wind and there is quite a bit more forecast for us in the coming week or so. It will be a struggle to put many miles in I think. Off to get my hair cut now. Maybe if I get it really short I will be more streamlined in the wind!

 

[RWright]

I think you both can do it! I am pulling for you!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Hope they arrive today Nigel and you can get back out. I am fed up of the wind and there is quite a bit more forecast for us in the coming week or so. It will be a struggle to put many miles in I think. Off to get my hair cut now. Maybe if I get it really short I will be more streamlined in the wind!

Maybe thats what slows me down. Hope so Mo, ordered before the cut off for same day dispatch on Tuesday, as I mentioned I ordered a spacer too, but I was looking on Sheldon's site and a 7p sprocket and spacer is 5mm an 8mm sprocket and spacer is 4.8 mm, I am sure that if the spacer doesn't arrive at the same time I can jury rig something. As a 10 speed cassette is 37.2mm wide and a 7sp cassette is 31.9mm a differance of 5.3mm.

I think you both can do it! I am pulling for you!

To be honest Rocky, what we've had over night into this morning, really aren't the sort you want to go out in, the word dangerous springs to mind.

 

[Mo1959]

Maybe thats what slows me down. Hope so Mo, ordered before the cut off for same day dispatch on Tuesday, as I mentioned I ordered a spacer too, but I was looking on Sheldon's site and a 7p sprocket and spacer is 5mm an 8mm sprocket and spacer is 4.8 mm, I am sure that if the spacer doesn't arrive at the same time I can jury rig something. As a 10 speed cassette is 37.2mm wide and a 7sp cassette is 31.9mm a differance of 5.3mm.

To be honest Rocky, what we've had over night into this morning, really aren't the sort you want to go out in, the word dangerous springs to mind.

That's how I feel Nigel. Most of my roads are out in the country and can be pretty exposed. Headwinds are bad enough but the sideways gusts when you pass field entrances, etc can really push you over a good couple of feet.There was an idiot driver yesterday must have passed me close on 80mph and reasonably close. I hate to think what would have happened if I had got caught in a gust of wind at that point. What possesses these people to drive at that speed on country roads?

 

[SWSteve]

Glad I didn't go to your school Steve. 3 months approximately 90 days 1000/90 = 11.1miles.

My maths has let me down massively