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

[SpokeyDokey]

Interesting ride yesterday

https://www.strava.com/activities/268490004

I was using a demo saddle which started out more comfortable than usual but that didn't last. I tried to take it easier than usual the first half of the ride (as I often do the first nine miles or so just as a route by itself and push myself). I then stopped at Hedley on the Hill to eat an oat bar thing, thinking it would have about twenty minutes to kick in before the big climb I knew was coming. Said big climb proved too big, though I think I maybe could do it usually.. I hadn't had a proper dinner Saturday night and didn't have a huge breakfast before I set off (muesli and some fresh fruit). I had to walk the steep bit of that hill, then was just exhausted with no more food to see me through (I didn't think I should need it for twenty miles). I made it up the short steep climb on to the A694, but then had to dismount for a breather. My legs were shaking as I peddled along that road, wondering how the hell I was going to get up the hill to Chopwell! I made it, though did stop for a breather about two thirds of the way up and was very slow.

Lesson: eat more always carry something (I'm veggie so no jelly babies buy maybe a Mars bar?).

The front of my thighs are sore today.

My sister wants me to do forty miles on Good Friday, I was planning to increase my distance to thirty next weekend but am now a bit worried about running out of energy.

Oh, the good news... I unclipped on a hill three times! No topples

Good effort there - some chunky climbs on that route. Similar to what I do round here.

Not sure about the food thing though - shouldn't be an issue for 20 miles of riding.

Are you maybe pushing it a bit too hard at the moment? The shaking leg thing's not a good sign.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Cold and damp this afternoon - didn't feel like going out but glad I did.

29.11 miles / 14.33 mph av' / 2512' ascent.

Bike is now a mess as I rode half a mile along a bridleway to avoid what looked like a million cows coming down a lane headed straight for me. Usual gloopy combination of horse crap and mud all over my bike, shoes and legging thingies.

Rode over a big dirty white bone on the bridleway! Possibly one of the aforementioned cows forbears?

Bike has been hosed, clothes in the washer. Not sure what to do about the shoes at the moment. I think they need sanitizing.

Happy riding all.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@axwj29 not to mention the cups you got, let alone the p.b's

I have to do some 40 miles to even get close to that elevation, well I could do it in less, but hate reps.

 

[nobbyp]

No time at the weekend but managed to slip my quick hour loop in - which I managed in less than 50 mins - over 10 mins off the 1st time I did it in the summer after getting back into this bike lark.

It's a gnarly little loop with no chance to get your breath back so really pleased to get round at 15mph and a major PB on my least fav hill - some 3.5 mins quicker than the 1st effort in the summer.

1 stone gone since start of 2015 and boy does it help going uphill!!!

https://www.strava.com/activities/267806793

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Good weight loss!

That's a nasty little hill 2 miles after the start! I find any hill in double figures a bit of a hack and tbh if they went on for any great distance I don't think I would be up for it.

There's a (up to)17% hill not too far from me and it is about 2.5K long and it is beyond my capability - maybe one day!

There's also a fairly long 25% jobbie between Grasmere & Langdale and that looks hideous - saw a really old grizzled chap on a heavily laden tourer chugging up it last year - every credit to him and I was dead impressed. Couldn't even contemplate trying it!

 

[nobbyp]

Yep - that's my progress monitor hill - took me almost 3.5 mins longer to crawl up it 7 months ago when I started back riding - managed the first section out of the saddle on Saturday - everything was screaming at me and if I had ridden after breakfast instead of before I am pretty sure I'd have seen it again. I've got a couple of local hills I've not tried yet at 20% plus which I am working up to as they are both in the 2nd half of the RTB sportive in July which I am working up to - god help me as riding down them feels terrifying !!!!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Yep - that's my progress monitor hill - took me almost 3.5 mins longer to crawl up it 7 months ago when I started back riding - managed the first section out of the saddle on Saturday - everything was screaming at me and if I had ridden after breakfast instead of before I am pretty sure I'd have seen it again. I've got a couple of local hills I've not tried yet at 20% plus which I am working up to as they are both in the 2nd half of the RTB sportive in July which I am working up to - god help me as riding down them feels terrifying !!!!

Put some Koolstops on, you will feel much safer.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@nobbyp I was up that way last Aug, though straight up the A58 from Leeds to Wetherby.

https://www.strava.com/activities/181840481

I have never done any of the segments, but a few good riders I know have, and your times are very favourable against them

 

[Stonechat]

Having cleaned the chain. And adjusted rear derailleur yesterday, did a two hill ride to Crocknorth and Box Hill.

https://www.strava.com/activities/269595125

49.2 mi @ 15.1 mph

2290 ft climbed
Feels good to do decent ride again

 

[Nomadski]

Having cleaned the chain. And adjusted rear derailleur yesterday, did s two hill rife to Crocknorth and Box Hill.

https://www.strava.com/activities/269595125

49.2 mi @ 15.1 mph

2290 ft climbed
Feels good to do decent ride again

That's one hell of a ride Bob, so many PRs broken. Must have felt magic.

I so wanted to go out today, being so sunny, but had to decorate instead.

Also really need to change chain as it failed the 75% test about a month ago (!) so not too eager to go too far afield.

On that note, have just received the last bits I wanted (FS1 degreaser) to have a proper go at cleaning the cassette when I replace the chain. Is there any tips from anyone who has dismantled their cassette before? Am a bit nervous about it tbh.

One worry I really need to ease is the order when I put them back on - do the cogs only go on one way? I know they have a groove to slide on, but will it slide either way or are they made to only slide facing the right way? I'm guessing I will need to write down the order of cog and washer as I take them off.

Will I need to adjust gearing or derailleur or anything afterwards?

After replacing chain and dismantling cassette, if time and weather permits, will head out for a ride.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Stonechat great ride Bob, closest I can find, is from two years ago https://www.strava.com/activities/55510153

 

[Stonechat]

That's one hell of a ride Bob, so many PRs broken. Must have felt magic.

I am well pleased with the improved hill segment times, especially Crocknorth. It is much tougher than Box hill. It has sections averaging 11%. I pushed a little too hard and teeth gritting was needed.

I am not so pleased with overall speed, I was a bit faster last year, and it was some effort to keep up that pace.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Nomadski regarding the cogs, they only go on one way, and to help easy your worries, the number of teeth is stamped on the facing side, different speeds vary a little but the principles are the same, make note of spacers spoke side of the cassette, and towards the lock nut, my 12-27 105 has the two small cogs with in built spacers, the rest bar the three low cogs have individual spacers, the three low gears are on a spider, tiagra I believe ( but I would need to look this up) have 5 or 6 on a fixed spider, making cleaning a little more tricky, not sure towards the lock nut, Ultegra as far as I know is the same as 105, there are plenty of docs showing the order and what is on the spider, 9sp and below, if you remove the pins can be assembled as individual cogs (though 9sp spacers are a little prone to breaking).
Make sure you seat the threads of the lock nut correctly before tightening.
You shouldn't need to touch the gears, though as with everything, just check everything runs smooth after assembly, I have had to tweak things going from the RS11's to the R501's, mainly due to the Rd catching a spoke or two, I also think I need to check the lock nut.
Trust me once you've had it off a couple of times you will wonder what the fuss is all about, a bit like sex really.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Today's ride made it to the dizzying average of double figures.


10.0kph!

I may have to renamed the slowbies club!

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Today's ride made it to the dizzying average of double figures.


10.0kph!

I may have to renamed the slowbies club!

Switch to metres per hour - will sound better still!