Team BKool CycleChat

[gbrown]

I guess I have it easy in Hampshire, my roadie is a 50-34 with a 12-25. I like to spin on hills and only get out of the saddle on the steep stuff (15%+). The only hill I have failed on with it was 25%

I'm questioning my setup for Velothon Wales which has a couple of proper hills, The Tumble and Caerphilly Mountain.

The club are doing a ride on good Friday, taking in cheddar gorge so I'll see how my gears and legs cope with that.

The Synapse is a great looking bike, I really like that colour.

I'm not surprised you had trouble at 25% on an 34/25. I'm rubbish at standing, can only manage a minute or two at the most, but I've managed to struggle up 20% sat down with 34/28. Would have been a bit less stressful with a 32 tooth rear, as the torque through the pedals was starting to lift the front wheel and a higher cadence would have reduce this.

What a coincidence, this weeks Chain Gang is the ride up Cheddar Gorge (along with the Velodrome). I've not done it yet, apart from on several different motorbikes, but I gather it's only really steep towards the bottom, and my friends tell me it's not too bad.

Isn't Cheddar quite a way from your home grounds?

Geoff

 

[gbrown]

I'm in Basingstoke, been here for an eternity. It's pretty decent for cycling though with flats, hills and rolling countryside in different directions. My parents live in Dunkeswell to not far from you in Exeter.

So you can stop with your parents for the Devon and Somerset CycleChat ride!

 

[gbrown]

I just noticed that there are no active stages in the Mountain Goat league 3

This is strange because:
Alpe d'Huez closed 06/03/2015 12/03/2015

Colle della Fauniera closed 12/03/2015 18/03/2015

Mt. Washington Hill Climb scheduled 18/03/2015 24/03/2015

(Is this a bkool glitch?)
Mortirolo Alpes Dolomitas scheduled 24/03/2015 30/03/2015

Any ideas Geoff?

Possibly making up for the fact that the Chain Gang has two stages active at the moment, even though last weeks was supposed to finish days ago ... the date handling is a bit hopeless I'm afraid.

 

[gbrown]

I just noticed that there are no active stages in the Mountain Goat league 3

This is strange because:
Alpe d'Huez closed 06/03/2015 12/03/2015

Colle della Fauniera closed 12/03/2015 18/03/2015

Mt. Washington Hill Climb scheduled 18/03/2015 24/03/2015

(Is this a bkool glitch?)
Mortirolo Alpes Dolomitas scheduled 24/03/2015 30/03/2015

Any ideas Geoff?

I've just tried going into the Stage 3 page and clicked on Copy on the session and it appears in my scheduled sessions with the League tag, but isn't yet in the Leagues tab in the Sim, so can't ride it for the league yet.

Geoff

 

[gbrown]

My next bike will be semi compact (52-36) with a 12-27 on the back. I like my cadence at about 80-85 on the bkool and on the road. If it drops below 65 if feels like a grind and I cant spin much more than about 110 anyway.

Why no 11 tooth? Are you into the tighter spacing of the cassettes start at 12? I thought that was only really needed when time trialling or riding in a fast bunch?

I took the opportunity of going to 11-32 when I moved to 11 speed, so I didn't loose a gear. Quite often would like a bit more than 50/11 on a descent, so had thought of a 52/36 (don't really need 34/32 very much and 36/32 is quite close enough) as 52/11 would give a bit more top end. Don't suppose I'll bother, as the cost of a new chain ring is not really justified for 4% more top end. I'll just tuck and free wheel ...

 

[gbrown]

5 bikes....I think you have to much money Geoff.

HAD too much!

 

[Runexeter]

Why no 11 tooth? Are you into the tighter spacing of the cassettes start at 12? I thought that was only really needed when time trialling or riding in a fast bunch?

I took the opportunity of going to 11-32 when I moved to 11 speed, so I didn't loose a gear. Quite often would like a bit more than 50/11 on a descent, so had thought of a 52/36 (don't really need 34/32 very much and 36/32 is quite close enough) as 52/11 would give a bit more top end. Don't suppose I'll bother, as the cost of a new chain ring is not really justified for 4% more top end. I'll just tuck and free wheel ...

Blimey all them numbers, totally confuses me

 

[gbrown]

I not looked at the route in detail, I'm a bit disappointed its not going up Salcombe hill tbh, if you watch the video for the ride you will see riders walking up a big hill under trees and that's the only hill I can think of that they would walk up at about 2.16 on video.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tQE0sNBvng

I'm doing the Epic Geoff i,e the Tour of Britain

Sounded like a nice ride, even nicer with a cake stop.

Yes, I would say that looks like Salcombe hill. I'm a bit shocked at how many are walking to be honest, but it is a bitch of a hill and I guess they are already many miles into a very long ride. When I did it it was half way round a 12 mile loop and it still nearly killed me! I must go back and try it again with Bkool power ...

Good luck with the Epic, that really is a long ride. I keep meaning to get my first century in, but my London 100 ballot failed, and 4 hours is usually enough to leave me a bit saddle sore. Maybe if I could average 25 mph? No, perhaps not.

Geoff

 

[BILL S]

I've just tried going into the Stage 3 page and clicked on Copy on the session and it appears in my scheduled sessions with the League tag, but isn't yet in the Leagues tab in the Sim, so can't ride it for the league yet.

View attachment 83186

Geoff

Thanks for trying that Geoff. Maybe it'll come good on its own or maybe we'll all get the week off from it. If so I'll include it in a future race as its an interesting one.

 

[kipster]

I'm not surprised you had trouble at 25% on an 34/25. I'm rubbish at standing, can only manage a minute or two at the most, but I've managed to struggle up 20% sat down with 34/28. Would have been a bit less stressful with a 32 tooth rear, as the torque through the pedals was starting to lift the front wheel and a higher cadence would have reduce this.

What a coincidence, this weeks Chain Gang is the ride up Cheddar Gorge (along with the Velodrome). I've not done it yet, apart from on several different motorbikes, but I gather it's only really steep towards the bottom, and my friends tell me it's not too bad.

Isn't Cheddar quite a way from your home grounds?

Geoff

About an hour and a half drive, but we do away days every so often. 20 are over in Majorca at the moment.

 

[kipster]

So you can stop with your parents for the Devon and Somerset CycleChat ride!

I'm not sure the wife would be pleased if I dropped her off at my parents and then went on a ride, although if I left her at home I could probably get away with it.

 

[kipster]

Why no 11 tooth? Are you into the tighter spacing of the cassettes start at 12? I thought that was only really needed when time trialling or riding in a fast bunch?

I took the opportunity of going to 11-32 when I moved to 11 speed, so I didn't loose a gear. Quite often would like a bit more than 50/11 on a descent, so had thought of a 52/36 (don't really need 34/32 very much and 36/32 is quite close enough) as 52/11 would give a bit more top end. Don't suppose I'll bother, as the cost of a new chain ring is not really justified for 4% more top end. I'll just tuck and free wheel ...

I've got 52-11 on the commute / turbo bike but hardly ever use it on the road, although it gets used a lot on the turbo.

I do like tight spacing on the cassette, I don't time trial (yet), but like fast group riding.

 

[LBHIFI]

The Chain Gang have a group ride on a Saturday at 5pm, the same stage as on the Thursday night before.

If you request to join the CycleChat Chain Gang group just post here what your Bkool name is (in case it's not obvious) so I can link it with your CycleChat name.

Geoff

Thanks Geoff, I just requested to join. My Bkool name is LB HIFI.

Lars

 

[Monte]

I'm not surprised you had trouble at 25% on an 34/25. I'm rubbish at standing, can only manage a minute or two at the most, but I've managed to struggle up 20% sat down with 34/28. Would have been a bit less stressful with a 32 tooth rear, as the torque through the pedals was starting to lift the front wheel and a higher cadence would have reduce this.

What a coincidence, this weeks Chain Gang is the ride up Cheddar Gorge (along with the Velodrome). I've not done it yet, apart from on several different motorbikes, but I gather it's only really steep towards the bottom, and my friends tell me it's not too bad.

Isn't Cheddar quite a way from your home grounds?

Geoff

Cheddar is my home town, doesn't mean I will be any quicker up the gorge. #fatladattheback

 

[bobinski]

Off to Bletchley park en famile today and I wont be back in London in time for tonight's ride. Enjoy!