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

[Nigelnaturist]

Nearly came a cropper on this one, http://app.strava.com/activities/27801093#499677046 more a mud road than tarmac, two days in a row I have had a wheel slip on mud.
Pleased with this for a p.b. only 2nd time I have ridden it. http://app.strava.com/activities/27801093#499677049
I am now officially as slow as I was in August.

 

[Andy Smith]

Keep going Nigel, with the effort you put in your average speed must pick up sooner rather than later. Could it be down to the gearing you've put on and using, have you altered what gear your climbing in or something? Not that I know what I'm talking about but just wondered?
Andy

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Keep going Nigel, with the effort you put in your average speed must pick up sooner rather than later. Could it be down to the gearing you've put on and using, have you altered what gear your climbing in or something? Not that I know what I'm talking about but just wondered?
Andy

Thanks, the gearing is much the same as its always been, apart from dropping from a low 34 to 28 on the rear, though I can still spin that on most of the hills around here, should I need to go that low, I try and keep above 80rpm, though I have noticed I am using a higher gear at a lower cadence when on the flat, but I think the two maybe three factors are the extra climbing I am doing (which is actually getting a little faster, I think) the wind we have had recently, and this last week riding in the dark. I am climbing 20ft a mile more than when I averaged 14+mph and about 10 miles further a ride.

 

[number3]

How do you know if you're in the correct gear? Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm making things too easy and other times too difficult.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

How do you know if you're in the correct gear? Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm making things too easy and other times too difficult.

I am sure others will tell you whats the correct way, but I try and maintain a cadence of 85-90 on the flat, if I have a headwind it will mean I am in a lower gear to achieve that therefore I will be slower, the same on a hill, though I tend to spin faster in a lower gear as thats easier for me, maybe I am using higher gears than i was as my avg cadence is down, but not sure if thats the extra climbing I am doing or the higher gears.

 

[number3]

I am sure others will tell you whats the correct way, but I try and maintain a cadence of 85-90 on the flat, if I have a headwind it will mean I am in a lower gear to achieve that therefore I will be slower, the same on a hill, though I tend to spin faster in a lower gear as thats easier for me, maybe I am using higher gears than i was as my avg cadence is down, but not sure if thats the extra climbing I am doing or the higher gears.

Does this mean I need to get something that tells me what my cadence is? I already have a Garmin running watch and a smart phone both of which track my rides but only speed, distance, time etc.

 

[jifdave]

Does this mean I need to get something that tells me what my cadence is? I already have a Garmin running watch and a smart phone both of which track my rides but only speed, distance, time etc.

I have found trying to keep a high cadence is good, no matter what speed im doing i try to pedal at the same rate, that is only possible by being in a gear that allows it.

I find no problem clicking up or down a gear to make sure sometimes.

I have a triple chainset and barely come off the middle ring, unless on a long hill up or down. so i pretty much 90% only use 6/7 gears.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Does this mean I need to get something that tells me what my cadence is? I already have a Garmin running watch and a smart phone both of which track my rides but only speed, distance, time etc.

I have a cheapish bike computer that gives me the rides end average and max cadence, you can count how many rpm you do in 15 sec's and x that by 4 (or any number of combination i.e. 10's mltiply by 6, 6 sec's multiply by 10) check the features on the watch it may do cadence via Ant+ (wireless signals to the gps unit from a sender), its on my list of to gets if the money is ever available.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I have found trying to keep a high cadence is good, no matter what speed im doing i try to pedal at the same rate, that is only possible by being in a gear that allows it.

I find no problem clicking up or down a gear to make sure sometimes.

I have a triple chainset and barely come off the middle ring, unless on a long hill up or down. so i pretty much 90% only use 6/7 gears.

I have a triple, and like you I dont use the inner much, though if I am doing hills I will drop into it and drop down to gear 4 as this gives me the same gear ratio as my middle and 2nd, in other words 38 th on the front and 28th on the rear gives me pretty much the same as 26th on the front and 19th on the rear, with the option to change down as needed. Which is a lot smoother than droping from your middle front ring to your inner front ring when you find you are struggling in your front middle and rear low or 1st gear.

 

[DeepBurn]

I have found trying to keep a high cadence is good, no matter what speed im doing i try to pedal at the same rate, that is only possible by being in a gear that allows it.

I find no problem clicking up or down a gear to make sure sometimes.

I have a triple chainset and barely come off the middle ring, unless on a long hill up or down. so i pretty much 90% only use 6/7 gears.

I do exactly the same. If my cadence slows I click down a gear or two. I wasn't doing that when I first started and I believe it's a key reason why my times are improving each time I go out.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well I finally got round to doing a 100km ride, nothing amazing about the time as I took a few breaks, 63.11 miles in 4:53:26 avg 12.9 elev gained 2567ft.
Strava is a little different. 100km ride 3 p.b's too. Quite pleased with this Levithagg hairpin for a first time on it, though I doubt I will do it again, and if I do I dont think I will be any quicker.
I have just seen this, I am a little chuffed as this was at 47 miles into the ride. Gravelhill Lane
and the first thing her in doors said was can you do some beans on toast.
Just one more thing, less than 350 miles to go for my set target of 3000 miles since the end of June to the end of Dec.

 

[Reece]

Well I finally got round to doing a 100km ride, nothing amazing about the time as I took a few breaks, 63.11 mm=iles in 4:53:26 avg 12.9 elev gained 2567ft.
Strava is a little different. 100km ride 3 p.b's too. Quite pleased with this Levithagg hairpin for a first time on it, though I doubt I will do it again, and if I do I dont think I will be any quicker.
I have just seen this, I am a little chuffed as this was at 47 miles into the ride. Gravelhill Lane
and the first thing her in doors said was can you do some beans on toast.
Just one more thing, less than 350 miles to go for my set target of 3000 miles since the end of June to the end of Dec.

Nice one Nigel and great news on nearly hitting the target mileage, you'll easily manage it.

I've still yet to do my 1st 100km, keep meaning to do it by following on from my club ride on a Sunday but struggle to make time as pushed for time last few weeks.

 

[BrianEvesham]

I've still yet to do my 1st 100km, keep meaning to do it by following on from my club ride on a Sunday but struggle to make time as pushed for time last few weeks.

I know the feeling, 100k still seems a long way off.

Well done Nigel, I look forward to being able to knock out 100k runs.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Nice one Nigel and great news on nearly hitting the target mileage, you'll easily manage it.

I've still yet to do my 1st 100km, keep meaning to do it by following on from my club ride on a Sunday but struggle to make time as pushed for time last few weeks.

I can understand that, the last 5 miles I just wanted to give up and go home.

I know the feeling, 100k still seems a long way off.

Just keep at it Brian and Reece, I have done a quite a few 40+ rides and 2 50+ (both them two separate rides same day), I must manage my fluids a little better, calories were fine, I think, a tad hungry the last 2-3 miles though.

 

[BrianEvesham]

Cheers Nigel.
I am settling in to drop bars again for the first time in twenty years and its sort of stalled me, I've also been very busy at work this week, but I will get there!