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

[boybiker]

I'm planning on using one of the British Cycling training schedules (from their member's forum)They look easy enough to follow for a beginner like me. My biggest woe is finding the time to have 2 rest days a week...as I work 6 days, commuting in by bike and don't want to give up Sunday rides! It's why I'm trying to make my commutes as low effort as possible!

I have the same problem just make commutes recovery rides and get early nights. Easier said than done I know!

 

[RWright]

I went out today and tried to stay in Zone 2 for an hour (lunch break) and it was incredily easy, if annoyingly slow at times but much more sustainable. Speed was in the low 11mph but I guess part of that was due to knobby tyres and using footpaths and pavements instead of roads.

Interesting to notice was that the start was slow and then the pace increased with time spent in saddle with end of ride being significanty faster than beginning. I tried to stay in the HR zone, regardless of how slow I had to cycle in order to maintain the target HR. It gets to show the effect of warming up and how the body gets more efficient at deliveryng oxigen and nutrients to the muscles as times passes.

Effort was minimal compared to how I normaly ride and felt like I could go on for hours. At the end of the 11mile stint i felt no fatigue at all and if anything, a bit more energized. This is the oposite of what I normally experience after only 1/2 hour or free cycling where it would appear that I push a bit too much for my fitness level.

I had the headphones playing music and I was receiving notificatios when to increase or decrease the heart rate to stay in the zone 122-142bpm. It was a fun experience and I'm looking further into the science of interval training.

That sounds great to me. I will definitely be looking into it more myself. We have tornado warnings in my area so I might not get to ride today. I just got home from a visit to my Cardiologist, he took me off two of my blood pressure medications. He told me I will probably start feeling much better but he wants me to monitor my heart rate and come back in two weeks, unless my heart rate is above certain levels he gave me. I told him I have a heart rate monitor for my bike and would stay on top of it, he wants me to call and let him know in a few days anyway but that is fine. I am going to keep my rides very tame for at least the next week, tame even for me. I do not want to alarm my Dr. and have to go back on these meds unless absolutely necessary. So ride or no ride I will have a good day...unless I get hit by a tornado, that might put a damper on things.

I am liking this cycling stuff more and more.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I've found that the first 10 minutes or so are quite hard but then it seems to get easier and I get a bit more power in my legs. I wondered why this was and I think you've just explained it. Mind you, I was pretty damn tired near the end of my ride tonight. I did try and push it a little just to see if I could beat my last time.

It usually takes me about 10miles, but I can do a bit of a sprint for 1/2 at 17mph or soat the end of a 30 mile ride, mind there is a right T-junction in which slows you down a bit, the first section is up hill.
Pesky Fairy called tonight.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I've worked out how to get my time up on the fi'zi:k Strave challenge.

http://app.strava.com/activities/59575435

17.8 miles at 6.3mph! I went and helped with our local scout groups annual ride. Poor kids were walking up some of the hills. The two cat 4 climbs are bogus, but there was a 5.5% gradient climb, the scout leader who planned the route must hate kids!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I only managed one p.b. even though the avg speed was quicker than earlier.
http://app.strava.com/activities/59579615#1109482464
12.6 miles @ 16mph 84r.p.m. avg H.R. 140b.p.m. max 158b.p.m. 421ft elevation.
http://app.strava.com/activities/59579615

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I've worked out how to get my time up on the fi'zi:k Strave challenge.

http://app.strava.com/activities/59575435

17.8 miles at 6.3mph! I went and helped with our local scout groups annual ride. Poor kids were walking up some of the hills. The two cat 4 climbs are bogus, but there was a 5.5% gradient climb, the scout leader who planned the route must hate kids!

Heres another way, set auto speed detect to zero and set the garmin going, not tried but it might work.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Just trying it,
Ok 1min15's distance 7ft avg sp 0.1mph

 

[Nigelnaturist]

One other point to note about my ride this evening, whilst replacing the tube, three cyclist passed and not one said anything, not even evening.

 

[SWSteve]

One other point to note about my ride this evening, whilst replacing the tube, three cyclist passed and not one said anything, not even evening.

What do you do with tubes with holes. Do puncture repair patches actually work when they're going up to 100PSI+ o do they just get detached

 

[Nigelnaturist]

What do you do with tubes with holes. Do puncture repair patches actually work when they're going up to 100PSI+ o do they just get detached

I repair them, most of the time there fine, had one or two give way after a time., more due to my repair than anything I guess.
New Bars and stem.
I would have loved to replace the tape, but costs ect....

 

[AndyPeace]

I try not to get too bogged down with figures and don't particularly want to start using a HRM but I am definitely going to start building easy days in. The body doesn't recover quite so quickly the older you get I don't think. Quite enjoyed my gentle run this morning.

The guide I am using suggests that you use a rating of perceived exertion, which they gauge by your conversational ability, going from full conversation building up threw having enough breath for a couple of sentences at a time,short sentences, single words, grunting and incapable of talking. so not only am I riding really slowly, I'm now talking to myself out loud I'm using a heart rate monitor to supplement this, mostly because of a childish love of electronic gadgets but also to give myself a target. It's better cycling to be practising doing things by feel, like maintaining cadence or restraining or maintaining effort...and far better (and enjoyable) to be looking ahead rather than checking statistics on a 2 inch screen.

 

[AndyPeace]

One other point to note about my ride this evening, whilst replacing the tube, three cyclist passed and not one said anything, not even evening.

They were people on bikes not cyclists

 

[BrianEvesham]

What do you do with tubes with holes. Do puncture repair patches actually work when they're going up to 100PSI+ o do they just get detached

I was wondering that as well.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

They were people on bikes not cyclists

Not getting into that one Andy.

 

[AndyPeace]

What do you do with tubes with holes. Do puncture repair patches actually work when they're going up to 100PSI+ o do they just get detached

I use park tools self adhesive patches. Never had an issue with them. simple to use ( sand area then press patch on, keep under pressure for a minute, then inflate)...great for roadside repairs and part of my essentials when out for a long ride. I run around 90-100psi but have had them a bit higher. The only time my tires go down, is when a new hole is made!