SWSteve
Guru
- Location
- Bristol...ish
great ride! Use this warm weather to spur you on
Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]
- Thread starter Typhon
- Start date
- Status
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great ride! Use this warm weather to spur you on
Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
Ditto.
If I can Mo am sure you will.
I did warn you about the heat.Sorry for the late reply, it's been a crazy week! I guess in a way America's car culture benefits you as a cyclist, no wonder they are spending so much on the roads when everyone is so dependent on cars. I live in a rural area so the public transport isn't great but there are two train stations within 7 miles and regular bus services. They're not well used though - I see buses all the time driving around with only 2 or 3 of the 50 seats occupied.
I have a similar problem with having to go a long way to get to the best roads. I'd have to do at least 40 miles as well. I just can't seem to find the motivation to go out for that long these days. Perhaps if we get more days like today (warm and sunny) I will. I just went and did my usual route and it was hard work though, not used to cycling in the heat and sunshine
My ride today.
I was late off. I didn't have any 5Km splits under 14Km (sorry for using both, I work my routes usually to around Km distance), first ride 40.2 miles @ 15.07mph with 2085ft elevation ((51ft per mile over the course) 2nd ride ( a local 10 mile loop) 10.5miles @ 15.4mph with 418ft (39.77ft per mile), the light worked tonight.
I am still 79.3 miles behind on the challenge.
New wheels, I posted a one mile run on strava last night and Chris commented if it was a wheel test, unfortunately it wasn't long enough to test them, well what a revelation having round wheels is, that and a combination of how much better they spun, it was almost like working two gears lower for the same output. Hills are much easier, and the roads well, combination of the extra speed and the wheels seemed to smooth out the roads some what, braking is more positive as its not snatching on buckled rims, the only problem now is there is a clicking when the left pedal is at the 6 o'clock position, it certainly seems to be chainset/bracket, but could be pedals (though they are new).
Ride 1
evening rd
Well done everyone that's been out, in what was a pleasant day for a change.
Edit, it's also the first time this year I have done over 50 miles in a day.
i might have been faster due to the lack of wind.
RWright
Guru
- Location
- North Carolina
I have been doing exactly that lately. My speeds are suffering but that is not what I am out to work on right now. I am sure I will probably work on speed a little more this summer. Today I went on a route out by the lake again, this time near where my Grandmother used to live, I spent a lot of my childhood in the area. I know the area very well. I managed to get a last place out of 52 riders on a segment out there.
In my defense (and to try and salvage any street cred I have left) I was taking a lot of pictures and would see something, stop, turn around go back. I was doing a lot of stopping at the bottom of the biggest hills to get pictures of the water. I would then have to climb with no momentum to start with. Some of the hills were pretty steep compared to what I normally ride too. I almost, note I said ALMOST got off once to push up one but I didn't. Compact gearing would have been nice but I was on my bike with regular gearing.I was far enough away from home that the area is also a spot where fast roadies from 3 metro areas with 3 major universities do some riding. I will never touch some of the times they have on the segment but you can believe I will be back there before long and climb the ladder enough to get off the bottom.
I know it is there now. It will be a fun segment to try and improve my time on.I actually saw another rider today! A real one too.
He was going the opposite direction and gave a big wave and a smile. He wasn't a roadie but you could tell he could ride just by watching and seeing his bike set up, plus the area we were riding in you are not very likely to see many inexperienced riders.I also went to a small boat ramp in that area and got a few smiles watching a newbie boat owner trying to back his boat down the boat ramp and launch it. I did give him a couple of tips to help him. Having been through the initiation of it via trial by fire myself I know it is a lot harder than it looks at first, especially with people watching. It is still one of those things that sickos like my buddies and myself find hilarious to watch. A small video camera to record some of it would have been fun today. (almost as fun as watching me climb the hill that came close to making me walk) I didn't have the heart to crank up the video on my cell phone and record this guy today. That would have been too much added pressure for him.
He did finally get it in the water but when I left he was still trying to get the engine cranked, another classic problem at boat ramps. 
Newbie boat guy in the Red truck, a little crossed up on the ramp:
My bike catching a few rays on the floating dock (try walking on a floating dock in SPD-SL's sometime):
Newbie boat guy trying to start his engine when I left (I do hope they got going and had fun on the lake
)
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
This mornings ride had two aims 1) Do 31 miles and 2) Do over 1,000 feet of climbing.
Left the house just after 7am, was a bit chilly but sunny and little wind
I ended up doing 44.1 miles - the furthest I have done on the road bike, over 1,400 feet of climbing and smashed my best average time, even Strava has it at 16.6mph (My GPS had it at a massive 16.7mph)
http://app.strava.com/activities/49844802
Some nice pictures there RWright
Left the house just after 7am, was a bit chilly but sunny and little wind
I ended up doing 44.1 miles - the furthest I have done on the road bike, over 1,400 feet of climbing and smashed my best average time, even Strava has it at 16.6mph (My GPS had it at a massive 16.7mph)
http://app.strava.com/activities/49844802
Some nice pictures there RWright
Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
Nice one. Your high mileage seems to be making you stronger. Think mine is just making me tired and slower!
Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
Remember Mo he's a spring chicken yet. It does maker you stronger, but to see the benefits, you need to take a little time off.Nice one. Your high mileage seems to be making you stronger. Think mine is just making me tired and slower!
Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
Yeah, could do with being twenty odd years younger!
Will definitely treat myself to some time off at the end of this daft challenge.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Spring chicken, I wish!
Sunny Portrush
Guru
- Location
- Musselburgh
I got a "racer" at the start of the week and I thought i`d give it a try around the biggest course I do - previously on my MTB, the 32miles took me 2hrs 17 mins at 13.9mph - yesterday I was well chuffed as I flew along, clocking miles in the two minute range, thinking i was a pure speed machine, then I reached the point where I turn back and wham, hit the head wind. Speed dropped to about 14mph lol. In the end, I did the course about 5 mins quicker on the racer than the MTB but the head-wind was monstrous, I couldn`t pedalled the big gears at all unless I was going downhill!
Nice one Chris. I've just got home from a 75mile ride. Weather is glorious out there although was a tad cold at 7am when I left.
BrianEvesham
Mask is gone!
- Location
- South Littleton, Evesham.
A nice gentle 10 miles round the lanes with my son this morning on the mountain bike. Very nice and warm.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Well done on the distance, felt really good out today, saw very few riders out.
IanA
Well-Known Member
- Location
- North Staffs
Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
The wind certainly knocks the stuffing out of you doesn't it. I find it really hard going and get frustrated at having to work so hard for so little progress. I suppose it is all good training though she says trying to sound positive!
Hope it calms down and you get to appreciate your new bike better.
Billy Adam
Senior Member
- Location
- Aldershot
Well first metric ton done and half the challenge. Happy with that 
https://www.strava.com/activities/49876271
https://www.strava.com/activities/49876271
- Status
