Show us your.......newbie progress!

[SpokeyDokey]

Second ride of the year - think I overdid the climbing on my first ride post lay-off day before yesterday; was just trying my new cassette out on the hills!

Legs felt 'dead' - 8lbs of Xmas lard not helping either!

So a 'shorty' today; 10.48 miles @ 13.24 mph with 735' climbing.

I am amazed at how much of a workout your body gets even over a short distance after being off the bike for a while (7 weeks). I feel 'worked out' all over.

Nice ride, blooming cold on cheeks and ear-tips plus lots of slithery mud patches on the roads by the farms. Lots of cylists out today.

Stay safe all.

 

[Leescfc79]

Planned a ride this morning, was aiming for 20 road miles but was taking mtb as it forecast temps at 1 degree and feel safer on nobbles. Woke up to thick freezing fog so decided turbo was safer, need a ride soon as its been nearly 3 weeks since a decent one.

 

[Stonechat]

Finally got out after lunch for delayed and reduced ride

Even then planned 33 miles but missed a turn, so it was about 29
Included a couple of good moderate hills
Still v cold and speed still slow

29.26 miles at 14.2 mph on garmin, 1152 feet climbed

http://www.strava.com/activities/236638103

At least I got out

 

[stevey]

Mrs wanted to get out the house so just got back from this
http://app.strava.com/activities/236648894
Blimey my hands were froze
Freezing fog is beginning to fall on this part of the Midlands, Just waiting for lamb dinner to cook now .... Mmmm

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Cope

@Leescfc79 no amount of tread will stop you slipping on ice, it will help with snow though.

 

[Big_Dave]

Had my first ride out of the year on Friday, wind was more than a bit rough and did 52.7miles including the infamous Beeley moor climb, still small patches of snow on the tops of Beeley Moor, it was my second ride in 20 days what with man flu and then snow, so thought I'd chuck myself in at the deep end and burn off some over stocked energy (although didn't put any lard on over xmas but I have plenty in reserves lol) bit of a tough ride but thoroughly enjoyed it.

Today's 39.4 mile ride was cold but sunny, barely hit the + figures all day, in the shade it was -1.5c, even the main A6 Derby to Matlock Rd had Ice on it all day, had a Diabetic moment after 15 miles and my blood sugars level dropped thru the floor and couldn't turn the pedals so had to have an emergency mars and wispa bars, was ok after that, and managed to get to a service station for some 'proper' grub and a large bottle of lucazade sport. Lesson learned, cheese on toast is not cycling breakfast fodder. Other than that it was a cracking ride, had hoped to get another 50 today but the roads were badly freezing over so had to cut the ride a bit short for safety.

Total for year so far 92.1 miles lol

Edit: Lots of cyclists out today most i've seen since summer

 

[Justinslow]

Had my first ride out of the year on Friday, wind was more than a bit rough and did 52.7miles including the infamous Beeley moor climb, still small patches of snow on the tops of Beeley Moor, it was my second ride in 20 days what with man flu and then snow, so thought I'd chuck myself in at the deep end and burn off some over stocked energy (although didn't put any lard on over xmas but I have plenty in reserves lol) bit of a tough ride but thoroughly enjoyed it.

Today's 39.4 mile ride was cold but sunny, barely hit the + figures all day, in the shade it was -1.5c, even the main A6 Derby to Matlock Rd had Ice on it all day, had a Diabetic moment after 15 miles and my blood sugars level dropped thru the floor and couldn't turn the pedals so had to have an emergency mars and wispa bars, was ok after that, and managed to get to a service station for some 'proper' grub and a large bottle of lucazade sport. Lesson learned, cheese on toast is not cycling breakfast fodder. Other than that it was a cracking ride, had hoped to get another 50 today but the roads were badly freezing over so had to cut the ride a bit short for safety.

Total for year so far 92.1 miles lol

Edit: Lots of cyclists out today most i've seen since summer

Blimey, lots of rides and miles! If I haven't ridden in a while it hurts a lot when I do a "biggie", did you suffer at all? Signed up for a 60 mile sportive for April so that's something for me to aim at, I've ridden a 60+ and a 70+ and a 104 mile sportive so should be ok, just got to make sure I keep getting out every now and then to keep "on it" this cold snap doesn't give me much enthusiasm though! Had the old MTB out the other day and loved that so going to get it serviced as it hasn't been done since I bought it some 15 years ago! It was never a top MTB but I think it's worth spending up to £100 if need be, rather than buying a new one which I wouldn't really do justice to (and would cost a whole load more than £100). There's a local LBS started up near me mainly specialising in custom bike building but is offering free labour on workshop stuff for January just to get the word out- rocketboycycles.co.uk so will give them a go!

 

[Big_Dave]

Blimey, lots of rides and miles! If I haven't ridden in a while it hurts a lot when I do a "biggie", did you suffer at all? Signed up for a 60 mile sportive for April so that's something for me to aim at, I've ridden a 60+ and a 70+ and a 104 mile sportive so should be ok, just got to make sure I keep getting out every now and then to keep "on it" this cold snap doesn't give me much enthusiasm though! Had the old MTB out the other day and loved that so going to get it serviced as it hasn't been done since I bought it some 15 years ago! It was never a top MTB but I think it's worth spending up to £100 if need be, rather than buying a new one which I wouldn't really do justice to (and would cost a whole load more than £100). There's a local LBS started up near me mainly specialising in custom bike building but is offering free labour on workshop stuff for January just to get the word out- rocketboycycles.co.uk so will give them a go!

To be Honest I used to suffer but not so often these days, although now I work on just getting out and enjoying the ride, nice and steady, my average speed is a few mph slower but I feel all the better for it, and I've also geared the bike down which has also made a vast difference too, that works for me.

 

[Leescfc79]

@Leescfc79 no amount of tread will stop you slipping on ice, it will help with snow though.

To be honest it just makes me feel safer!

 

[Justinslow]

To be Honest I used to suffer but not so often these days, although now I work on just getting out and enjoying the ride, nice and steady, my average speed is a few mph slower but I feel all the better for it, and I've also geared the bike down which has also made a vast difference too, that works for me.

I think because I only really started in August I'm still in the "strava" must go faster thing, trying to set respectable times, pr's etc etc, it really bugs me, I don't want to ride like that but every time I go out that's how it ends up! Riding like that really isn't very good for my body particularly when I haven't ridden in a while, I'll get it out of my system soon I'm sure.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I think because I only really started in August I'm still in the "strava" must go faster thing, trying to set respectable times, pr's etc etc, it really bugs me, I don't want to ride like that but every time I go out that's how it ends up! Riding like that really isn't very good for my body particularly when I haven't ridden in a while, I'll get it out of my system soon I'm sure.

Not sure it ever goes, but strava might, I keep very detailed records of my rides, I am more bothered about overall average speed, though not worried about it any more, for some reason the 383 miles I did last month were down at 14.66mph cadence was down, todays ride even with the icy conditions, was just over 15mph though one road i refused to go down and went a different way, and the ride on paper was more difficult than my average for Dec (though not very difficult compared with what @Big_Dave would have to do in the same distance) even climbing quicker though its only been one day.

Forecast for 2015 projected mileage 3842 miles with a projection of riding 120 days.

 

[monkeylc]

Alot of my PR's have come from just not bothering and just riding. It's not until later you realise you've beat it.

 

[Stonechat]

Not sure it ever goes, but strava might, I keep very detailed records of my rides, I am more bothered about overall average speed, though not worried about it any more, for some reason the 383 miles I did last month were down at 14.66mph cadence was down, todays ride even with the icy conditions, was just over 15mph though one road i refused to go down and went a different way, and the ride on paper was more difficult than my average for Dec (though not very difficult compared with what @Big_Dave would have to do in the same distance) even climbing quicker though its only been one day.

Forecast for 2015 projected mileage 3842 miles with a projection of riding 120 days.

I have been trying hard not to have goals or targets

As I did 4500 or so last year, I should be able to comfortably do 5000 or more, but more climbing is a primary aim
Dependent on the weather I may be able to do the Strava climbing challenge - doesn't really matter if I don't, but with two proper rides and a couple of short hops have done 1378 metres already this year and the challenge is 6142 metres (20,150 feet)
I need the weather because I don't like to do the likes of my New Years Day ride (52 miles and 3300 feet of climbing) in weather like yesterday's

 

[Big_Dave]

Alot of my PR's have come from just not bothering and just riding. It's not until later you realise you've beat it.

This is very true, We go out on our rides, usually no set route, no set mileage, and definitely no times to get anywhere, we just ride, sometimes it's 20 miles 30,40 or 50 miles, we do what we feel like doing at a speed we are comfortable with although I do set the pace being the slowest, some days the PB's come thick and fast, other days nothing, don't really care.

I have messed around with several gear ratio combinations, I have a very wide 3x10 range of gears for the terrain I ride (peak district) and with a big thanks to @Nigelnaturist who pointed me in the right direction to purchase 26t and 28t inner chainrings I now have my "perfect" gearing to what suits my riding, Also took Nigel's lead in running a 24t front capacity with 26/39/50 and run 11-32 cassette and yes it does work perfectly with no issues at all, I run a wider spec 68x118mm square taper bottom bracket this gives me the clearance on the chainrings and a lot straighter chain line on the lower end of the cassette and 105 dérailleurs.

 

[BrianEvesham]

Finally got out for a short loop.

http://app.strava.com/activities/237018092

Time to burn that 7lb Christmas fat off.