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

[Phoenix Lincs]

Despite the nice weather too jaded from late return from Straford Velo Park yesterday
I had to leave early and still got home well after midnight

So no ride today - will get out tomorrow morning but weather will be less warm

Did you enjoy the Velodrome?

 

[Triban5riderGD]

Just back from a 33 mile ride with Bromley cyclists. The day didn't start to well as by the time I had ridden to the start point I had picked up a slow puncture on my hybrid. Although I did have a replacement tube it would have meant completing the ride with no backup. So it was a quick cycle back home to change bikes, then straight back out on my Triban5. A great day was had by all. The sunshine certainly brings out the cyclists, some of the tiny single track country lanes in Kent looked like Piccadilly Circus during rush hour.
Running total for this year now stands at 350 miles. My son and I continue to make steady progress (but I think his progress is faster than mine).

 

[young Ed]

Just got back from a 56.2 mile ride to Box Hill and back. Really enjoyable ride, although, as ever, I wish it didn't take me so long to get out of London.

Box Hill was great (that road surface!), although a little, anticlimactic? I was hoping for something a little longer, a little steeper and a little more challenging. Felt I could have kept climbing hard for a long time after I reached the top. Next time I think I need to take a train out to Surrey and just do a long loop entirely around the hills, rather than spending nearly 20 miles on the relative flat getting out of London to get to hills to ride on.

Strava link here: http://www.strava.com/activities/121248535

Also, I seriously need a Garmin with turn by turn navigation. I suck so hard at it when on the bike (plus heart rate and cadence monitors would be sweet to have).

as for garmins you have a few choices-
garmin edge touring- turn by turn navigation and the usual stuff like speed elevation etc
garmin edge touring PLUS-turn by turn navigation and the usual stuff like elevation etc +HRM compatibility
Garmin edge 800-turn by turn and the usual +cadence and HRM compatibility
garmin edge 810-turn by turn and the usual +cadence and HRM compatibility + some networking/sharing stuff i don't understand!

that is pretty much ity for you as the 500 and 510 do HRM and cadence and a bread crumb trail but no maps
FWIW i have the edge touring standard version and love it!
Cheers Ed

 

[Nomadski]

Cheers Mo, just noticed the avg speed, it didn't feel quick (by my standards), must have been a combination of new Altura bib shorts and faster rolling tyres
Folding Continental Ultra Sport tyres because they were on a good deal, seem more than ok.
At the bottom of Saintbury Hill.

Great photos @BrianEvesham, we had similar blue skies today. What a difference it makes for cycling. Am in the market for some good quality tyres myself something riding the line between puncture resistance and rolling speed. My Michelins have brilliant rolling speed it seems but one has torn up badly after just over 2,000 miles.

Despite the nice weather too jaded from late return from Straford Velo Park yesterday
I had to leave early and still got home well after midnight

So no ride today - will get out tomorrow morning but weather will be less warm

Velodrome....is on my things to do list, friends in Manchester say they will arrange something so hopefully it will happen. Did you enjoy it?

@Phoenix Lincs - A belated congrats on your new steed! Loved the pics.

Things I discovered on today's ride:

1. Another cyclist passing you and saying 'Good afternoon' is really nice but can cause you to have a wobble if you are not expecting it.
2. There is great joy to be had shouting at errant motorists in convertible cars with their lids down, a sports car pulled out of a T junction and nearly squished me but was left in no doubt that I was unhappy
3. It would seem I'm really photogenic. Another cyclist took my picture when he passed me?? Maybe he thought that I should be on the bike path like he was, or that I should be wearing a helmet, which I don't, or that I should not be listening to a podcast, which I was.?? Expecting the photo to turn up as a 'don't do this' somewhere on the net.

Its the bike. It's always the bike. That is, unless you caused a major road incident and didn't realise...

Well I went out with @themosquitoking and his mates young lad, and had a brilliant fun ride. Much more fun than my puncture strewn "Epic" in the cold. This time it was puncture free, had blue skies that came straight out of a picture (@BrianEvesham's picture it would seem), and while not incident free (had issues with the HR monitor randomly stopping recording - or my heart is on its way out, plus speed sensor was flakey mid ride until adjusted, and the young ones mudguards decided they would stop the front wheel from turning, until taken off and put in a very awkward configuration down @themosquitoking's back), all the same was a lovely ride in warm weather, with lots of cyclists about and being smiley and friendly!

Wasn't super fast, but quite pleased considering the lack of riding Ive had, my general fitness, and we were with a young one on his dads bike. Has certainly been the most fun I've had since last August.

http://app.strava.com/activities/121273901/overview

 

[morrisman]

Its the bike. It's always the bike.

Unlikely, it's a 10+ year old Dawes Kalahari, well I suppose it may be the rarity value

 

[DavidD]

Yes they do

If I click on them all I get I get is distance and time no mention of speeds average or top

 

[Exile]

So 15 miles ended up being 6.5. Not what I was after but more than I'd have if I stayed in. http://www.strava.com/activities/121177501

It wasn't the best of weather when I set of, chilly, windy and a bit of rain blowing in the air. Total opposite of what some of you seem to have had, and even my OH who was down in Stafford for the weekend had clear blue skies. So, having decided it might clear up whilst I was out I started riding. By the time I hit the 2 mile mark the rain had started properly, but I had warmed up, the wind was bearable, and I was looking forwards to the tailwind along the main road so I kept on going. I really should have at least glanced at the forecast before coming out...

3 miles in I turn west, into what feels like the strongest headwind I've ever ridden in. It felt like I was crawling along, even after shifting gears and spinning rather than fighting it and it turns out I only lost a couple of mph off my average down that stretch compared to a run a few days ago with no wind (thanks go to @Nigelnaturist for the tip about spinning rather than fighting into a headwind, it's definitely a lot less painful.)

Turn off and thankfully find a bit of shelter from the winds. Thread my way back through the estate, doing some small loops to build up the miles a bit before finally pulling up at home, more mentally exhausted than physically, although my left knee is once again a little sore. Thinking now it's something to do with my new cycling shorts as that's all I've changed lately. They do seem a little tight too as they're leaving distinct imprints around my leg, and the pain only started when I began wearing them to ride. I think they're relegated to the drawer for now. At least when I shift some weight I know I've got a couple of pairs of shorts ready and waiting (gotta have a positive outlook and all that )

 

[Stonechat]

Yes the Revolution series was fun, not old style but music and razmatazz.

Grassman was good in the points race, lapped the field, and when a group including main rival Ed Clancy tried to do the same, Grassman managed to catch them, they all got the lap, but Grassman won that event.

Olympic park is largely fenced off, and it was a very long walk from the station, but overall worth going

 

[Stonechat]

If I click on them all I get I get is distance and time no mention of speeds average or top

You need a login ( not paid)

 

[morrisman]

So I've now done two 75 mile rides in the last 8 days, and The Sainted Mrs Morrisman has lovingly prepared a large meal on my return to make me feel better. The odd thing, to my way of thinking, is both times I have had little or no appetite. I only have porridge before going, some fig rolls and a coffee cake stop?? Is this normal?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

So I've now done two 75 mile rides in the last 8 days, and The Sainted Mrs Morrisman has lovingly prepared a large meal on my return to make me feel better. The odd thing, to my way of thinking, is both times I have had little or no appetite. I only have porridge before going, some fig rolls and a coffee cake stop?? Is this normal?

So long as you have eaten well the day before, and dont run out of energy ( fig rolls ect...) I am much the same, dont do many longer distances, but i found the same when I have.

@Exile I have been into headwinds where I have lost over 6mph from what I should get on a stretch of road, it was that bad once (and this is on a pretty much flat road), I struggled to maintain 11mph

 

[BrianEvesham]

Don't like to go out too far when I'm on nights, so a quick "piddly" run as it's not raining yet.

http://www.strava.com/activities/121467206

 

[Mo1959]

Don't like to go out too far when I'm on nights, so a quick "piddly" run as it's not raining yet.

http://www.strava.com/activities/121467206

...........as opposed to a quick "puddly" rain if the rain had come on.

It's just coming on here for my doggy walk soon.

 

[BrianEvesham]

"Piddly" was reference to @Supersuperleeds taking the Mickey of my proposed short commute

Which hasn't happened yet

 

[Stonechat]

So long as you have eaten well the day before, and dont run out of energy ( fig rolls ect...) I am much the same, dont do many longer distances, but i found the same when I have.

@Exile I have been into headwinds where I have lost over 6mph from what I should get on a stretch of road, it was that bad once (and this is on a pretty much flat road), I struggled to maintain 11mph

I used to eat fig rolls occasionally, but not sure why cyclist have them , probably not touched one for 15 years