madferret
Über Member
- Location
- Manchester
You wouldn't want to be 38 if you had to sit on this ward I am on lol.
Planning my escape
Planning my escape
Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]
- Thread starter Typhon
- Start date
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Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
Yes, hope they give you some good news that there is nothing to worry about and let you out today.You wouldn't want to be 38 if you had to sit on this ward I am on lol.
Planning my escape
madferret
Über Member
- Location
- Manchester
CT scan clear. Carotid artery ultrasound clear. So far so good........
Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
Look at your speed this morning, enough said.Although I do worry that I am getting too old to make much more improvement.Should have taken this up years ago. Might have been quite good at it.
Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
The difference is that you seem to be finding your increase in speed coming naturally without working much harder, whereas I have to bust a gut to do it
Never mind, they say if it doesn't kill you it makes you stronger so hope that's the case.
Stonechat
Guru
- Location
- Staines, Middlesex
I retired early Last end of October (age 61)
Bought a Hybrid bike which was then stolen
Did not realise that you need better locks than when I used to cycle 20-30 years ago
Got another Hybrid (Claud Butler legend) on a good offer
Took me a while to get really going (the bad winter did not help)
Finally over the last couple of months making some progress
(Don't laugh I know you are all cycling much further than me)
I have now done a few 20 + mile rides.
These include a few hills - the steep Tite Hill
I have done one ride with Skyrides and doing another at the weekend (the ride is 9 miles but the journey there and back will add about 20-21 miles)
Fell off yesterday on some greasy paving after some rain, at a slowish speed. No damage apart from scraped elbow and wrist is aching.
I know it's not much but ten miles does not dent me now and 20 is easier.
I can manage 12 mph average for some distance unless there are really adverse gradients
Local clubs are unfortunately too keen for me
However if I build up to 40 mile rides I will feel I am getting better
Recent purchase of a Cateye Velo wireless and use of Strava has added to my enthhusasm and knowledge of how I am doing.
I know I have more enthusiasm than ability!
Not sure why I am rabbiting on , perhaps I hope for some encouragement
Years ago I used toe clips , been thinking about clipless - MTB type so I can walk in them a bit
Not being in a club or knowing other cyclists Cycle chat is one of my main links with other cyclists
Bought a Hybrid bike which was then stolen
Did not realise that you need better locks than when I used to cycle 20-30 years ago
Got another Hybrid (Claud Butler legend) on a good offer
Took me a while to get really going (the bad winter did not help)
Finally over the last couple of months making some progress
(Don't laugh I know you are all cycling much further than me)
I have now done a few 20 + mile rides.
These include a few hills - the steep Tite Hill
I have done one ride with Skyrides and doing another at the weekend (the ride is 9 miles but the journey there and back will add about 20-21 miles)
Fell off yesterday on some greasy paving after some rain, at a slowish speed. No damage apart from scraped elbow and wrist is aching.
I know it's not much but ten miles does not dent me now and 20 is easier.
I can manage 12 mph average for some distance unless there are really adverse gradients
Local clubs are unfortunately too keen for me
However if I build up to 40 mile rides I will feel I am getting better
Recent purchase of a Cateye Velo wireless and use of Strava has added to my enthhusasm and knowledge of how I am doing.
I know I have more enthusiasm than ability!
Not sure why I am rabbiting on , perhaps I hope for some encouragement
Years ago I used toe clips , been thinking about clipless - MTB type so I can walk in them a bit
Not being in a club or knowing other cyclists Cycle chat is one of my main links with other cyclists
sleaver
Veteran
I wasn't going to go for a ride yesterday to give myself a rest but that soon changed and I carried out a bit of an experiment.
I did the same route as I did on Tuesday but in reverse. So rather than having a long steady incline and then a steep drop, I had a steep climb and then a long steady drop for the main part of the rise. The plan was to see what happened to my average speed.
Tuesday - average of 26.7 km/h - http://www.strava.com/activities/74691822
Thursday - average of 27.5 km/h - http://www.strava.com/activities/74976180
Although I did almost give up and take it easy because the hind suddenly decided to pick up. Also, this is going to sound really weird, but I just had this feeling of being really raised up above the ground while riding.
Anyway, pretty please with 27.5 km/h, however, it did mean I had to put in some effort getting up this: http://veloviewer.com/segments/4229343/
I did the same route as I did on Tuesday but in reverse. So rather than having a long steady incline and then a steep drop, I had a steep climb and then a long steady drop for the main part of the rise. The plan was to see what happened to my average speed.
Tuesday - average of 26.7 km/h - http://www.strava.com/activities/74691822
Thursday - average of 27.5 km/h - http://www.strava.com/activities/74976180
Although I did almost give up and take it easy because the hind suddenly decided to pick up. Also, this is going to sound really weird, but I just had this feeling of being really raised up above the ground while riding.
Anyway, pretty please with 27.5 km/h, however, it did mean I had to put in some effort getting up this: http://veloviewer.com/segments/4229343/
Goonerobes
Its okay to be white
- Location
- Wiltshire
It looks like you're doing ok to me @Stonechat & its good that having your bike stolen & falling off hasn't dampened your enthusiasm. 
If you want to increase your mileage just do as I was advised to do on here & increase by 5 or a couple of miles a week & you'll be surprised how it adds up. A long ride to me a couple of months ago was 15 miles & now its 35-40.
The main thing is just enjoy it.
If you want to increase your mileage just do as I was advised to do on here & increase by 5 or a couple of miles a week & you'll be surprised how it adds up. A long ride to me a couple of months ago was 15 miles & now its 35-40.
The main thing is just enjoy it.
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Decided to go knock off the last few miles for the Strava Getaway challenge. Was wet and windy so took the hybrid. Very hard work as it didn't matter which way I went I seemed to be riding into the wind. so was very pleased to average over 17mph, even scalped a roadie going up a hill, and when I mean scalped, I mean left him standing. 
http://www.strava.com/activities/75105198
Might do one of those graphs that @Nigelnaturist has done showing my average speed changes, I bet it isn't anyway as impressive as his.
http://www.strava.com/activities/75105198
Might do one of those graphs that @Nigelnaturist has done showing my average speed changes, I bet it isn't anyway as impressive as his.
Tcr4x4
Veteran
- Location
- Gloucester
Did my first 20 miler today.. well 21 to be exact. Would have done more, but my gears are messing around. I cant get from middle ring to big ring without a fight.
I stopped off at my local LBS on the way back, and booked it in for tomorrow morning to be adjusted.
Quite pleased overall, got my cadence meter connected now too, so can see what my legs are doing. No idea what sort of rpm Im aiming for though. I was hovering around the 60-70rpm mark most of the ride.
http://www.strava.com/activities/75115455
I stopped off at my local LBS on the way back, and booked it in for tomorrow morning to be adjusted.
Quite pleased overall, got my cadence meter connected now too, so can see what my legs are doing. No idea what sort of rpm Im aiming for though. I was hovering around the 60-70rpm mark most of the ride.
http://www.strava.com/activities/75115455
Supersuperleeds
Legendary Member
- Location
- Leicester
Well done on the 20 miles, won't be long before you see 20 miles as a little pootle. Next step 31.1 miles (50km)?
Most experts reckon 80-90 cadence, personally I don't monitor mine and have no idea what it is, I ride at a pace I feel comfortable with.
Stonechat
Guru
- Location
- Staines, Middlesex
When buying a cycle computer I considered gettting one with cadence but I find speed handy- sometimes I realise that being in a lower gear is better - I always thought I tended to use too high a gear
Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
Drop a gear or two and spin a little faster, takes some getting use to but it does help.
Nigelnaturist
Guru
- Location
- Pontefract
@Stonechat
I keep saying this most of use who frequent this thread, started where you are, just keep doing the miles the distances will increase as will your speed, it will take time but it does happen even though sometimes it doesn't feel like you are making any gains, great start.
The muscles that are aching these days are the front groin area, not sure if this due to the increased cadence or not.
I am trying to keep high 80's even up hill, so I sometimes go really low or the gearing.
Anyway my new seat post is here off to fit it. you watch I bet it still creaks.
I keep saying this most of use who frequent this thread, started where you are, just keep doing the miles the distances will increase as will your speed, it will take time but it does happen even though sometimes it doesn't feel like you are making any gains, great start.Mo I work at it, dam hard sometimes like yesterday with the wind that was hard work, and I know I did climb is nothing compared with what you usually do, it was tough sometimes yesterday.The difference is that you seem to be finding your increase in speed coming naturally without working much harder, whereas I have to bust a gut to do it
The muscles that are aching these days are the front groin area, not sure if this due to the increased cadence or not.
I am trying to keep high 80's even up hill, so I sometimes go really low or the gearing.
Anyway my new seat post is here off to fit it.
you watch I bet it still creaks.
Tcr4x4
Veteran
- Location
- Gloucester
My max cadence was 160 rpm!! Perhaps a little too fast.
I think the issue was because I couldn't change gears, I was stuck in either middle or high on the front, but couldn't easily swap between them, so I tended to stay in high. Was a struggle up the hills, but fun on the way down!
Hopefully the LBS should sort it out tomorrow and I'll try again with a full range of gears.
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