The CycleChat Monthly and Annual Challenges

[Shaun]

I've created this sub-forum so that everyone participating in the monthly challenges can edit their thread posts indefinitely.

It'll save me having to adjust individual user accounts (to grant the editing permission) and you can create additional chat threads and challenges if you need them without worrying about overwhelimg the informal rides forum.

Chapeau to all of you who participate and may the god of cycling winds always be at your back.

Oh, and well done to all those who've racked-up a few of these in previous years!

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Katherine]

I've created this sub-forum so that everyone participating in the monthly challenges can edit their thread posts indefinitely.

It'll save me having to adjust individual user accounts (to grant the editing permission) and you can create additional chat threads and challenges if you need them without worrying about overwhelimg the informal rides forum.

Chapeau to all of you who participate and may the god of cycling winds always be at your back.

Oh, and well done to all those who've racked-up a few of these in previous years!

Cheers,
Shaun

Thank you.
We still need the colours of the stars sorting out. The metric century people should be given something.

 

[Brandane]

The metric century people should be given something.

I should hope so too, given that a metric century is 62.2 miles .

 

[Sbudge]

Firstly, a big 'thank you' for these challenges. They're great fun and a real motivator for those weeks when the spirit is weak.

Secondly, how about an equivalent climbing challenge for those of us daft enough to feel the 'pull' of the hills? You could have kilo (1000m in a ride), imperial (1 mile of ascent), double kilo etc? Just a thought.

 

[ianrauk]

Firstly, a big 'thank you' for these challenges. They're great fun and a real motivator for those weeks when the spirit is weak.

Secondly, how about an equivalent climbing challenge for those of us daft enough to feel the 'pull' of the hills? You could have kilo (1000m in a ride), imperial (1 mile of ascent), double kilo etc? Just a thought.

Well start a thread then.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Firstly, a big 'thank you' for these challenges. They're great fun and a real motivator for those weeks when the spirit is weak.

Secondly, how about an equivalent climbing challenge for those of us daft enough to feel the 'pull' of the hills? You could have kilo (1000m in a ride), imperial (1 mile of ascent), double kilo etc? Just a thought.

That's a good idea.

I have to admit that the imperial century a month challenge this year has made me become a bit of an expert in seeking out flat routes. When I was doing the metric version last year I was much more hilly-minded.

 

[ColinJ]

The problem with climbing is how to measure it. If you plot a route on 3 different websites and then get 3 riders with different GPS devices to ride it, you would probably end up with 6 different figures, with differences of 25% or more.

I think we would have to agree that one particular website must be used to measure the amount of climbing e.g. RideWithGPS or Strava. It would have to be one that is free to use.

An awful lot of my rides have over 1,000 metres of climbing, many a mile (1,609 metres), several every year have 2,000 metres and the odd one has more than 2,500 metres so I would knock up quite a few climbing points!

 

[ianrauk]

RideWithGPS or Strava

Thing to consider is although a lot of people use Strava, a lot of others don't, myself included. Same with RWGPS, of which I do use. So to enter the challenge then everyone will have to agree to just the one site (which won't happen) or to sign up to both.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I think we would have to agree that one particular website must be used to measure the amount of climbing e.g. RideWithGPS or Strava. It would have to be one that is free to use.

I don't know if we'd need to be so anal as to have one reference means of measurement. As these challenges are a bit of fun, I'd imagine that if you have a bona-fide measuring device, be it a garmin whatever then that will do. You'd only be cheating yourself otherwise.

Personally I wouldn't log every ride but - like the imperial century a month challenge - if I had a climbing target that I had to match at least once a month (2,000m springs to mind) then I'd happily log one qualifying ride. It could add a bit of spice to my "big ride" plans.

 

[ianrauk]

In fact I have just realised. I don't log all my rides on RWGPS either. I only use it for route mapping.

What I suggest is seeing as the majority of people use Garmin, then take the elevations from Garmin Connect.

 

[Dogtrousers]

This is where it would get difficult. I've been using Garmins of various descriptions since 2002, yet I don't have a clue what Garmin Connect even is! (Yeah, I know it's a website, but I don't think I've ever visited it).

The imperial and metric century challenges don't insist on web-based proof that you've ridden that distance. I often keep my rides private, so I wouldn't be entering if they did.

I'd be perfectly happy with an "honour" system. But that's just one opinion..

 

[ianrauk]

I'd be perfectly happy with an "honour" system. But that's just one opinion..

Me too

 

[ColinJ]

In fact I have just realised. I don't log all my rides on RWGPS either. I only use it for route mapping.

What I suggest is seeing as the majority of people use Garmin, then take the elevations from Garmin Connect.

I not only don't use Strava or RWGPS, but I don't use Garmin Connect either. In fact, I have just discovered that since I upgraded my laptop to Win 7, my Garmin won't connect anyway ...

I'm not really that bothered about accuracy, but imagine doing the distance challenges where every km that you claimed could actually be anywhere between (say) 750 metres and 1,300 metres.

If you were to keep changing the method then you might as well guess the numbers. If you stick to one method then you can keep track of your own progress, which is what the challenges are all about really. I know damn well that my metric centuries are much harder than those in Cheshire or Lincolnshire but that doesn't bother me because I am not trying to 'beat' anybody from those areas, I am just trying to get a certain amount of riding done.

Here's my suggestion - before you start doing a personal climbing challenge, specify how you will be measuring the climbs and then stick with that method.

 

[ColinJ]

Are you sure? I bet that secretly, deep down inside mild-mannered @ColinJ , lurks ... dum-dum-dummmm Mr Competitive!

If my body would take the punishment then I probably would have a go at a time trial, but I think that window of opportunity has closed!

It doesn't stop me trying to go further, more often, and with more hills, but getting faster seems to be pretty difficult now.

 

[Sbudge]

I certainly agree there's an issue with variation (about 5% across the people I've ridden the same routes with so far) but ultimately these challenges are pretty personal. Sometimes I *know* I could get a greater elevation using one site over another but then I couldn't validly compare one of my rides to the next.

For me the best route would be an honour system where people are consistent with measurement methods across their own rides. I'd caution against 'smoothing' or post-ride 'elevation correction' unless you're using a barometric measurement (as used by a variety of devices) and it's clear there's been a significant pressure shift during the ride. I can usually spot that on a loop/out-and-back ride when my height gained and height lost don't closely match.

I'd propose 1 point for 1km, 2 for 1 mile, 3 for 2km and 4 for 2 miles. That seems broadly analogous to how I feel about the distance challenges I've been doing. I'm sure we could discuss ad nauseam about whether 15 short/steep climbs are tougher that 3 long gentle ones but that would be like arguing how fast we're doing the distance runs.

So, if we're going to start a new challenge, should it take into account completed rides (last week, month, year so far?), start from 1st June or 1st July for the half year? I'm not a good person to have an unbiased opinion on this as I did my 'highest' ride to date on Sunday on the one hand but missed a kilo-climb ride in January by just a few meters!