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

[SWSteve]

My tyres were more or less ablaze when I got home tonight

http://app.strava.com/rides/58166203#kudos

 

[Mo1959]

My tyres were more or less ablaze when I got home tonight

http://app.strava.com/rides/58166203#kudos

Great ride Steve. It's brilliant to see everyone making such amazing progress on here now. The current spell of great weather is helping of course.

 

[SWSteve]

Great ride Steve. It's brilliant to see everyone making such amazing progress on here now. The current spell of great weather is helping of course.

Of course, I was hacked off as my lovely Maglia Rossa turned up today...a large is not a large so it's getting sent back

 

[Mo1959]

Of course, I was hacked off as my lovely Maglia Rossa turned up today...a large is not a large so it's getting sent back

That's a pity. Cycling clothing seems to be really weird with sizing. It's not until you buy certain brands a few times that you can be sure what size to get.

 

[SWSteve]

That's a pity. Cycling clothing seems to be really weird with sizing. It's not until you buy certain brands a few times that you can be sure what size to get.

Yeah, I know. I guess because it's a fancy make - santini - they make it for skinny italians

 

[AndyPeace]

Provided Strava's data is accurate which is questionable at best. Not sure how their algorithm works but on a set 10 mile route I can have variations in elevation as high as 30% in different days while the GPS based elevation gathered by the phone is more consistent but almost double in value. Strava also ignores inclines that fall under a certain threshold from the total climb computation.

That is odd. My Garmin 800 gives inconsistent results, sometimes claiming ridiculous grades were it's flat,etc but if I correct the data using strava, it always come to the same elevation as previous corrections. I always assumed they use gps map references to figure out elevation. I wonder if we are talking about the same thing. By Strava correcting data, I mean when I upload data then select correct data, like this:

 

[monkeylc]

My tyres were more or less ablaze when I got home tonight

http://app.strava.com/rides/58166203#kudos

Flying along!

 

[MaxInc]

I always assumed they use gps map references to figure out elevation. I wonder if we are talking about the same thing.

A proper explanation on Strava's Help Desk here: https://strava.zendesk.com/entries/20965883-Elevation-for-Your-Activity

 

[philinmerthyr]

Another great evening for a ride. I didn't have much time so only did 15 mies including a section of the Taff Trail. This is a route that I regularly rode in the winter.

My average has always been around 12.5 mph for the ride. The longer and hillier rides must be paying off. Tonight I rode it at 14.3 mph even with dodging many more dog walkers and kids drinking cider.

It's good to see the progress - http://app.strava.com/activities/58207566

I'm off for a bike fit tomorrow afternoon so I hope that will lead to further improvement.

 

[AndyPeace]

A proper explanation on Strava's Help Desk here: https://strava.zendesk.com/entries/20965883-Elevation-for-Your-Activity

Yeah, as they say they use elevation database infomation matched to gps location, so it should be consistent. I'm not saying it counts every foot, but it's a fair mark.

 

[boybiker]

Well I picked up my new winter hack/shopping bike today. It's a tired looking frame but the running gear has been converted to a single speed. I wanted something cheap and not too flash to stop it attracting thieves. I just couldn't leave my defy locked up in town and go and do my shopping I would be worrying about the bike too much!

I only paid £65 for the bike. I would have said the seat ,lights, luggage rack and spd pedals were worth that alone. I'm now part of the single speed club all be it on a conversion kitted bike.

 

[stevey]

I'm off for a bike fit tomorrow afternoon so I hope that will lead to further improvement.

Let us know how you get on with this as i am thinking of having a look into it, when i get my bike.

 

[paulw1969]

Went out for what was supposed to be a flatish 30 to 40 miler (which would have about equalled my longest solo ride to date) on Sunday morning with a friend(much better cyclist)......he fibbed.....62 miles and total climb of over 700 metres later and I am about to fall off the bike...I averaged 15.4mph...big bonus was when I uploaded it to strava it gave me an unexpected 100.1 KM so my first metric ton .Wouldn't have been if we hadn't taken a wrong turning for a mile or so...so lucky really.

Had gone out on nothing but two cups of coffee as i knew I would be alright on a lower mileage without fuel....... .took a couple of biscuits but didn't eat them stopped for a cafe break at about 40 plus.....was fit for nothing when I got home. Still suffering a little so taking the commute a little easier. hopefully out for another longer than commuting distance ride this week.

Lessons learnt;-
1) ensure I fuel up properly.
2) Need more hill practice (felt like I was going backwards on some of the hills...so got to thank my friend for being patient) as its these that really do me in.
3) My bike IS a torture instrument.
4) Don't believe the distances or lack of hills my friend says

 

[Reece]

Well I've just lost another armchair KOM. Notification telling me my KOM on GCW glen parva sprint has been beat by 1sec, never realised it was mine to lose lol.

 

[boybiker]

Went out for what was supposed to be a flatish 30 to 40 miler (which would have about equalled my longest solo ride to date) on Sunday morning with a friend(much better cyclist)......he fibbed.....62 miles and total climb of over 700 metres later and I am about to fall off the bike...I averaged 15.4mph...big bonus was when I uploaded it to strava it gave me an unexpected 100.1 KM so my first metric ton .Wouldn't have been if we hadn't taken a wrong turning for a mile or so...so lucky really.

Had gone out on nothing but two cups of coffee as i knew I would be alright on a lower mileage without fuel....... .took a couple of biscuits but didn't eat them stopped for a cafe break at about 40 plus.....was fit for nothing when I got home. Still suffering a little so taking the commute a little easier. hopefully out for another longer than commuting distance ride this week.

Lessons learnt;-
1) ensure I fuel up properly.
2) Need more hill practice (felt like I was going backwards on some of the hills...so got to thank my friend for being patient) as its these that really do me in.
3) My bike IS a torture instrument.
4) Don't believe the distances or lack of hills my friend says

Well done its a great achievement doing a metric ton. It's also good to go out with stronger cyclists as you work harder to keep up than what you would on your own. If you keep going out together before you know it you will be at the same standard .

In terms of food I always try and carry a bit of food in case I decide to go on a longer ride than planned. A few 'emergency gels' can be a good thing to pack in your saddle bag in case you ever really do need a boost in fuel quickly for what ever reason.