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

[Stonechat]

Well I am building up to the Ups and Downs Sportive 80 miler, no 100this early

Not dissatisfied with my form though my gear cables need adjustment or something, I get skipping
Legs achier than usual this morning

 

[sleaver]

Have a little go at this route I created...

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7343210

Let me know how you got on so I can judge if I will need defibrillators.

That's almost the same amount of climbing as RideLondon but 55 miles less

I could ride to the start in Dorking from my house but I think getting home from the top of Box Hill would be in survival mode

Unless I've messed the route up, that would be 72.7 and 5061 feet for me taking pretty much the shortest rout from my house to Dorking and then back from Box Hill.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

@Nomadski - great 'article' and the photo's are very good too.

I know that part of the world well - in another life I had a Regional Office in Wallington and Lovely Mrs Spokey Dokey used to work in Caterham.

Occasionally I would ride home on my bike to Tunbridge Wells (this was a good excuse for Mrs SD to get her hands on the wheel of the rather fast car we had at the time and drive home in it - she used to have some fun on that big bend where the M25 intersects the A21! - naughtygirl!).

Hope you get that RD sorted!

 

[Learnincurve]

Swapped to a different longer stem, may be a bad idea but I won't know until I try it.

 

[Stonechat]

Have a little go at this route I created...

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7343210

Let me know how you got on so I can judge if I will need defibrillators.

.

It's a bit like the Surrey Legs of Steel, which I still reckon I might have a go at this year (Sept)
http://www.fulontri.com/legs-of-steel

Long Route: 81k; 1600m of climbing
Short Route: 46k; 1020m of climbing

 

[Nomadski]

That's almost the same amount of climbing as RideLondon but 55 miles less

I could ride to the start in Dorking from my house but I think getting home from the top of Box Hill would be in survival mode

Unless I've messed the route up, that would be 72.7 and 5061 feet for me taking pretty much the shortest rout from my house to Dorking and then back from Box Hill.

Do it!

There is an "easier" 5 hill course I have routed, following the same hills bar to the one in the west, with a little loop around to a) give legs a little rest and b) to do Leith Hill from the beginning.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/7342448

I plotted both of these because of Velothon Wales. 15 miles less distance, a thousand feet or so more climbing...

 

[sleaver]

Do it!

I would do but for some reason my legs are toast after 60km and only about 500 meters of climbing I'm hoping that when I start getting out in the evenings again, that will change.

Driving to Dorking and then doing it is an option though until my legs get back with it.

 

[Tankengine]

So with the obligatory holiday hacking cough I set out today in the sun, taking In Yorks hill, ide hill, toys hill, groombridge hill and some random up and downs on the way.

yorks hill is......interesting?! The road surface is crap and very narrow. At about 10 metres from the top, seeing the end I decided to give it everything and err...ended up cycling straight into the bank, forgetting that thing called steering/bike handling skills. Damn it! A little pissed I didn't make it all the way but at least I'm still riding with the single speed mentality even on the new geared bike - no hill has beat me until (a) crank doesn't go round and/or (b) I fall off the bike

Total climb apparently 1111 metres and 71km. (Training for Nomadski's delightful romp in Dorking? ....) now where's my lemsip....

 

[Stonechat]

Well did my normal Weds outing to Chertsey, with a few miles beforehand.

22.80 miles @ 16.7 mph
1138 ft climbed

Halfway through I thought it was hard, and I was slow, checked ave speed, and it was ok.

https://www.strava.com/activities/281399419

 

[Nomadski]

So with the obligatory holiday hacking cough I set out today in the sun, taking In Yorks hill, ide hill, toys hill, groombridge hill and some random up and downs on the way.

yorks hill is......interesting?! The road surface is crap and very narrow. At about 10 metres from the top, seeing the end I decided to give it everything and err...ended up cycling straight into the bank, forgetting that thing called steering/bike handling skills. Damn it! A little pissed I didn't make it all the way but at least I'm still riding with the single speed mentality even on the new geared bike - no hill has beat me until (a) crank doesn't go round and/or (b) I fall off the bike

Total climb apparently 1111 metres and 71km. (Training for Nomadski's delightful romp in Dorking? ....) now where's my lemsip....

I reckon your pretty much there already with that ride you have done. Mine is going to be a breeze.

The idea of taking the car is a good one, even though you live fairly close-ish. My route is planned so I will get a train down to Dorking, and be on the train home via Westhumble. I have NO intention of cycling up the few Carshalton / Chipstead hills getting there!

Anyway, I went for a nice drive with the better half yesterday, took her to Fannys Farm (!) to see the array of jams, marmalades, sausages and WW1 bunkers that exists within this treasure trove introduced by my cycling buddy a couple of days ago. Then headed off to Dorking's Denbies Vineyard for her to taste some of Britain's finest wine and spotted more than a fair share of *cheating* cyclists preparing for Box Hill! If they can do that for one hill, we can certainly do it for 5 or 6!

Finished off with tea and cake at the top of Box Hill and had a little walk. Lovely day.

Today was about painting the living room balcony door, preparing the study for painting (next job after writing this), and getting the shifting fixed. Popped the bike up to Evans, and watched as £35 vanished quicker than you can say Halfordssetmy bikegearsuplikeitwasa9speedbikeinsteadofa10speedbike.

All sorted now and while my wallet is a little lighter, I actually used the 30T ring for the first time since fitting the cassette! Didn't use it for very long as the road was flat and my legs kinda went off like Wile E Coyote running off a cliff edge. But it works!

An awesome 4.1 mile combined ride today, with a quite unbelievable 108ft of combined climbing! Boom. Although I DID get a PR going up to Wimbledon, which included a minute wait at South Wimbledon junctions traffic lights.

https://app.strava.com/activities/281481874

https://app.strava.com/activities/281481892

May hit some hills tomorrow, wife permitting, to try out the cassette for real.

Enjoy the everyone (hopefully).

 

[Mo1959]

I seem to be making no progress at the moment. Every ride feels like hard work and I am getting slower and slower. It's a toss up between giving up or resigning myself to forget all about speeds/segments/challenges and try and ride at a much more leisurely pace and just enjoy the exercise and fresh air. Did that today..........leaving it in the small ring for the entire ride and just averaging 12mph over to visit Dad. Getting seriously frustrated with myself seeing folks I follow coming on in leaps and bounds, knocking out big miles and climbing. Used to love climbing myself as it was probably my strong point but no more.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I seem to be making no progress at the moment. Every ride feels like hard work and I am getting slower and slower. It's a toss up between giving up or resigning myself to forget all about speeds/segments/challenges and try and ride at a much more leisurely pace and just enjoy the exercise and fresh air. Did that today..........leaving it in the small ring for the entire ride and just averaging 12mph over to visit Dad. Getting seriously frustrated with myself seeing folks I follow coming on in leaps and bounds, knocking out big miles and climbing. Used to love climbing myself as it was probably my strong point but no more.

The like was because you keep going. Who cares what speed you go at Mo, ride at a leisurely pace and enjoy.

 

[Nomadski]

I seem to be making no progress at the moment. Every ride feels like hard work and I am getting slower and slower. It's a toss up between giving up or resigning myself to forget all about speeds/segments/challenges and try and ride at a much more leisurely pace and just enjoy the exercise and fresh air. Did that today..........leaving it in the small ring for the entire ride and just averaging 12mph over to visit Dad. Getting seriously frustrated with myself seeing folks I follow coming on in leaps and bounds, knocking out big miles and climbing. Used to love climbing myself as it was probably my strong point but no more.

Fact is if your not enjoying it, or feel it's more work than play, then switch it around so you can enjoy it. if that means only using your bike computer to log whatever miles you do for the year etc and not for speed, or distance on the day then so be it. Don't ever be a slave to cycling, it's not why you started it, or why you enjoyed doing it. Do what you say, use it for the wonderful form of exercise it is, to get out in the fresh air and lift your head up to take in the place around you.

You can enjoy cycling, just adjust the parameters somewhat, until you do.

 

[Stonechat]

I seem to be making no progress at the moment. Every ride feels like hard work and I am getting slower and slower. It's a toss up between giving up or resigning myself to forget all about speeds/segments/challenges and try and ride at a much more leisurely pace and just enjoy the exercise and fresh air. Did that today..........leaving it in the small ring for the entire ride and just averaging 12mph over to visit Dad. Getting seriously frustrated with myself seeing folks I follow coming on in leaps and bounds, knocking out big miles and climbing. Used to love climbing myself as it was probably my strong point but no more.

Well doing the January Strava hill challenge has improved my climbing, not necessarily that much faster, but can seem to manage the tougher hills ok

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I seem to be making no progress at the moment. Every ride feels like hard work and I am getting slower and slower. It's a toss up between giving up or resigning myself to forget all about speeds/segments/challenges and try and ride at a much more leisurely pace and just enjoy the exercise and fresh air. Did that today..........leaving it in the small ring for the entire ride and just averaging 12mph over to visit Dad. Getting seriously frustrated with myself seeing folks I follow coming on in leaps and bounds, knocking out big miles and climbing. Used to love climbing myself as it was probably my strong point but no more.

Hey girl, look at my speed. now forget about how slow you feel and remember to take it in and enjoy it. I would be seriously happy with 12mph right now. I'm not holding 7.5mph and I'm trying exceptionally hard. as for climbing, go and find somewhere with some good views on a good day and sit at the top of the climb and take the view in and remember how lucky you are to have a) a view and b) the health to get there. there are a lot of people who can't do it and having spent some time as one of them, I know how they feel and know what it is like to be able to get out and enjoy myself again. So take out a flask and go and enjoy that view at the top of a nice climb, then sail back down it and enjoy yourself!