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

[Reece]

A slow and steady ride out to the cafe. I wanted to go quicker but my friends went out on a very hilly 50mile route yesterday so they were using it as a recovery ride today. Managed to miss the showers and seemed to chase the rain clouds home rather than the other way round lol. Was testing the new winter kit I've bought. All Altura stuff and love the soft shell wind jacket and windproof gloves. The new tights however I'm not so impressed with. One use and the seem on my ass started to split open. Luckily not bad enough to expose my derriere lol! Also had on the new Team jersey I got for a local bike shop/team I use called "Naked Bikes" (I see you've joined their club page on Strava @Supersuperleeds)

http://www.strava.com/activities/92943289

 

[morrisman]

Looked at the damage, something, either the derailleur hanger or the derailleur itself is bent out of shape, and no amount of adjusting will give me the full range of gears. Guess it's time for a visit to the LBS. As the bike is ~10 years old and has never been properly serviced I will put it in for repair and the fully monty service as I owe the bike a lot as its been a good friend through the years.

 

[spooks]

Thought it was going to be a quick 20 miler today having only just managed to drag myself out into the wind and rain but the rain disappeared for a few hours and it was really nice and sunny so i ended up doing 34. It was still really windy though and I was blown all over the shop out on the forest. Went quicker than I thought I would considering the wind. I definitely need some new shoes for winter though, because my thick winter socks leave no room for toe wiggle or blood circulation.
http://www.strava.com/activities/92911847

 

[50000tears]

Very windy yesterday but was determined to keep my training going and up my max distance to 55 miles. Ended up getting very wet and sweated hard inside my rain jacket which also served as a very effective wind break whilst fighting for 25 miles+ into a 20mh+ wind with bigger gusts. Was left cold, miserable and completely wrecked! 55 in the bag though and I know this will get easier as I get fitter. Bring it on.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

A slow and steady ride out to the cafe. I wanted to go quicker but my friends went out on a very hilly 50mile route yesterday so they were using it as a recovery ride today. Managed to miss the showers and seemed to chase the rain clouds home rather than the other way round lol. Was testing the new winter kit I've bought. All Altura stuff and love the soft shell wind jacket and windproof gloves. The new tights however I'm not so impressed with. One use and the seem on my ass started to split open. Luckily not bad enough to expose my derriere lol! Also had on the new Team jersey I got for a local bike shop/team I use called "Naked Bikes" (I see you've joined their club page on Strava @Supersuperleeds)

http://www.strava.com/activities/92943289

I joined it as I saw you had, another bike shop for me to go look at, I go pretty close to it to and from work. I got caught in the rain this morning, very slow and cold ride with our lass.

 

[Reece]

I joined it as I saw you had, another bike shop for me to go look at, I go pretty close to it to and from work. I got caught in the rain this morning, very slow and cold ride with our lass.

Paul who runs it is a sound bloke. Currently restocking at the minute with lappierre and Raleigh bikes. Shop is small as is in its early days. Focuses mainly on mtb as that is what they race but repairs any bike etc.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Even garmins have off days.
http://app.strava.com/activities/93025841
Still with the speed sensor speed and distance is right.

 

[Stonechat]

Even garmins have off days.
http://app.strava.com/activities/93025841
Still with the speed sensor speed and distance is right.

Whixh Garnin do you have?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Whixh Garnin do you have?

a 500, its normally much better than that track.

 

[Blert596]

Put the bike on the new Thule carrier today and drove down to Kilmarnock to do the 44m Braveheart Sportive Route. The actual event was a couple of weeks ago but I couldn't make it then so thought I'd give it a go today. I think this is the way forward for me now. I can look at other peoples routes and Sportives and pop out and have a go at them. I'd initially set out thinking of just doing the 20 mile part of the Sportive but it was a nice day (if a bit windy) so thought sod it.

Not the fastest, and I found some bits quite hard but never had to get off which at one stage I thought I wouldnt have much choice about. Going up a series of false brow hills into the wind was hard enough, but having to pedal quite hard on the descents because the wind was almost stopping me was a bit soul destroying.

Overall the weather was great apart from the last 4 of 5 miles. It went from lovely and sunny, although a bit windy/cold, to a dark cloud coming out of nowhere. There was a stunning rainbow that actually looked like I had to cycle directly underneath it. It was a really great sight.

Then the rain started and I thought sod it I can hack a couple of miles of rain without putting on my waterproof. It went from light rain to torrential rain in about a minute. I cycled through it and it went off quick enough. Then believe it or not it started hailstoning. I had to pull over and get under a tree as it was actually pretty sore on the head (did i mention that I left my helmet on the car Doh!!) and the legs. And I couldn't see anything either which didnt help.

I had no feeling in my toes for most of the ride as well. Not sure if I'm overtightening or whether its just the cold on them. The latter I think. I might need to invest in some overboots I think as I'll need them for commuting anyway.

Overall it was quite hard in bits, lots of other riders out who all seemed to be going the opposite way. Billy no mates me.

Oh, and some drivers are complete f**kin bellends. Twice today on empty two lane country roads with visibility for ages, cars flashed past me with only a tiny bit of space between me and them. Why do these people do that?

Anyway Strava is here: http://www.strava.com/activities/92977114

Billy

Oh, and the good news was that my helmet was still attached to the car when I got back

 

[Stonechat]

Now the rain's stoppped nice here if cool, sun shining. Got to take the car in for a recall, and out this afternoon, so no chance of a cycle today

 

[Stonechat]

Ended up doing 43 miles at an average of 13.8 which I rate as not too shabby as it is a heavy old hybris and mostly single speed for 20 odd miles. In fact not sure what the other 26 gears are for really

Don't think my legs will manage using only one gear -

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I hit 98mph top speed this morning! Okay I didn't. I forgot to stop recording when I got to work and for some reason when I walked into the building it threw an extra half a mile on the distance without adding any extra time, I had converted the ride to gpx before this so my strava data doesn't show it. Very fresh ride this morning.

http://www.strava.com/activities/93132777

 

[Mo1959]

@Supersuperleeds Hmmm, bit more than fresh I jest. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It was certainly only just above freezing here and there were some icy patches here and there. Just had to watch what I was doing but the actual air didn't feel too cold so it was reasonably pleasant. Wouldn't have minded going a bit further but dog is always desperate for her walk after visiting my Dad and Stepmum on a Sunday. She gets fed so many titbits she poos for Scotland the next day so don't like to make her wait too long.

I have done well resisting putting any heating on but have finally given in this morning and turned the first storage heater on. It was only 54 degrees in the house this morning. I'm hoping I might get a little rebate off the electric........not that I would spend it on the bikes of course

 

[Supersuperleeds]

@Supersuperleeds Hmmm, bit more than fresh I jest. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. It was certainly only just above freezing here and there were some icy patches here and there. Just had to watch what I was doing but the actual air didn't feel too cold so it was reasonably pleasant. Wouldn't have minded going a bit further but dog is always desperate for her walk after visiting my Dad and Stepmum on a Sunday. She gets fed so many titbits she poos for Scotland the next day so don't like to make her wait too long.

I have done well resisting putting any heating on but have finally given in this morning and turned the first storage heater on. It was only 54 degrees in the house this morning. I'm hoping I might get a little rebate off the electric........not that I would spend it on the bikes of course

Definitely wasn't as cold as you've got it but still enough for me to realise the gloves I had on weren't the correct choice