Turbo Club - Meet Ups / Events

[Whorty]

riding a 42*16 .you get a minimum speed of 6mph at 30rpm cadence. Knee surgery will be coming your way after the DD

But a nice cruising speed of 14mph at a cadence of 70 I may just be walking up some of those very steep sections like I did last year

May have to build up my quad muscles a bit more - LOL

 

[Whorty]

I rode a fairly quick ton an a fixed bike a couple of years ago. It was in Rutland so was rather hilly. Gave me a rather smug sense of satisfaction

See everyone .... not as bonkers as it sounds ...... (excepting the fact, that Andy points out, the @Norry1 is a smidge lighter than me ). Just means I'll be going faster on the downs

Was you full Fixed @Norry1 ? I'll only contemplate it SS, so way I'd want to pedal the whole way of 100 miles ... that is some feat!!!

 

[bobinski]

I went to Rimini 6y back and rode the hills and mountains Pantani had trained on. There was a young guy riding too on a fixed gear, triathlete who had one half iron man under his belt. Clearly fitter and stronger and riding away from me at the start of the week he was , pretty much, a broken man at the end walking like John Wayne but with none of the swagger.

 

[bobinski]

It has been known, yes


I genuinely have no idea what these are. Are these components to help build a SS? I guess not as there is an 11 speed shifter?

Hub gear, 11 speed.

 

[Breedon]

Maybe this is Carl’s way of justifying a new bike. Something we can all get on board with! When my missus asked why I needed a new bike. pretty much exactly the same as the last one I bought, I didn’t have anything to give her apart from a goofy smile... Carl if you want a singlespeed then dammit you deserve one!! But maybe on the weekend of the DD it needs a new part that is going to take a while to get delivered.

I use the argument that's the same with shoes hand bags and clothes watch them say anything then

 

[Del C]

Cotty takes a trip up the Iseran this week. I rode it from bourg st Maurice but he Ian right about the road to val D’isere. This the one where I saw a woman riding up the summit pulling a child buggy with a young kid in the back That put in perspective what the rest of us were doing
http://thecolcollective.com/

I wondered where Mike Cotty had gone to.

He used to rush off each year, as soon as the stage for next years Etape was announced, ride the route and shoot a video. I bought it one year! I was always amazed at how much he climbed out of the saddle and he doesn't seem to have changed.

They were quite useful, although he added some extra bits, including an hilarious one where he told you how to lay out and prepare your kit the night before the Etape. He had so little material as he laid his kit, energy bars and gels out on his bed, that he went through it all twice just to pad out the section.

I must admit I did follow one of his bits of advice, to open up your energy bars before you ride so that you don't have to wrestle with them as you're riding.

 

[kipster]

@Whorty all well and good quoting averages for the DD hills, it's the max gradients that'll do you in. You've also mentioned single speed and fixes, I do hope it will be a single and not a fixed wheel?

I've kinda finished my DD training, Sa Calobra and Puig Major, not the gradients available on the DD, but long days in the saddle. The Sa Calobra ride was 75 miles and 7000+ ft of climbing, the next day Puig Major was done across the island so 85 miles and 9000+ ft of climbing. The hire bike was a cannondale synapse with 11-32 on the back, compact on the front. just didn't like the bike or the gearing, so I'll be taking 52/36 x 12-29 to the DD.

I still have some steep hill training to do, but there are a couple local to me I shall try (local is within 25 miles), both are top 100 climbs, Combe Gibbet and Streatly Hill. But just about ready for the DD now.

 

[bobinski]

@Del C i tend to prefer the rides he does with others, especially former pros. It’s the only time he looks like he might just be labouring a little bit. I am enjoying the fact he has recently done rides I have either done or will be doing over the next 12 months.

 

[Del C]

having never been up a mountain i am a bit worried about gearing - as far as i know , the max i can do is 34 29 although i did hear of a 33 inner ring but that might be myth - do the more seasoned mountain goats think this will be ok ?
if i am pushing the bike up i will be jabbing a stick in the spokes of people coming past
usually i am on 38 27 max and dont struggle too much on a normal hill

You should be ok running 34x29.

I've ridden in the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and Mallorca and I've done all those with 34x28 max and I mistakenly used a 34x25 on one trip!

There's a key difference to riding mountain passes in Europe compared to riding hills or passes in the UK. Most of the European mountain passes rarely get above 10% gradient.

There are some notable exceptions, such as the Zoncolan and some climbs such as the Ventoux, Marie Blanque and Portet d'Aspet have sections above 10%, but many big climbs max out at 10% and most average around 7% over the length of the climb.

I was told this is because most of them were built as tracks and the gradient was to allow horses to haul carts over the passes. So, they didn't tend to build roads up stupid. short steep routes like we do in the UK.

The most important thing to do on a mountain climb is to get into a steady rhythm that you're comfortable with and can sustain. If you're going to climb 19km up the Tourmalet (which I'm guessing you will do as you're off to the Pyrenees) then you've got to accept you'll be climbing for around 1h 45m, maybe more. For that you need a gear that isn't too big, but neither do you don't want to spin at too high cadence as you won't be able to sustain it.

34x29 should allow you to keep enough steady even pressure on the cranks to get you to the top. Remember to ride at the pace you feel comfortable with. Don't chase others, but don't slow down to let others stay with you, as that can be just as difficult as going too hard. You can always regroup at the top or anywhere on the way up.

If you get the pace and gearing right, that helps you get over the fact that riding uphill at 8 to 10% for 1h 45 minutes takes a fair bit of mental effort as well......... but when you get to the summit, it will all be worthwhile! And you get the descent to make up for your efforts........... although it took me a while to get the hang of descending!

Oh and the Pyrenees is great. Weather can be more changeable than the Alps, but I prefer it. Very green, pretty and some nice small towns, bars and cafes. Where are you guys staying?

 

[Del C]

@Del C i tend to prefer the rides he does with others, especially former pros. It’s the only time he looks like he might just be labouring a little bit. I am enjoying the fact he has recently done rides I have either done or will be doing over the next 12 months.

I haven't seen any of those rides.

I'll need to check them out. He was always bouncing up the climbs when I watched them and holding a full on conversation, so watching him puff a bit would be interesting!

 

[bobinski]

You should be ok running 34x29.

I've ridden in the Alps, Pyrenees, Dolomites and Mallorca and I've done all those with 34x28 max and I mistakenly used a 34x25 on one trip!

There's a key difference to riding mountain passes in Europe compared to riding hills or passes in the UK. Most of the European mountain passes rarely get above 10% gradient.

There are some notable exceptions, such as the Zoncolan and some climbs such as the Ventoux, Marie Blanque and Portet d'Aspet have sections above 10%, but many big climbs max out at 10% and most average around 7% over the length of the climb.

I was told this is because most of them were built as tracks and the gradient was to allow horses to haul carts over the passes. So, they didn't tend to build roads up stupid. short steep routes like we do in the UK.

The most important thing to do on a mountain climb is to get into a steady rhythm that you're comfortable with and can sustain. If you're going to climb 19km up the Tourmalet (which I'm guessing you will do as you're off to the Pyrenees) then you've got to accept you'll be climbing for around 1h 45m, maybe more. For that you need a gear that isn't too big, but neither do you don't want to spin at too high cadence as you won't be able to sustain it.

34x29 should allow you to keep enough steady even pressure on the cranks to get you to the top. Remember to ride at the pace you feel comfortable with. Don't chase others, but don't slow down to let others stay with you, as that can be just as difficult as going too hard. You can always regroup at the top or anywhere on the way up.

If you get the pace and gearing right, that helps you get over the fact that riding uphill at 8 to 10% for 1h 45 minutes takes a fair bit of mental effort as well......... but when you get to the summit, it will all be worthwhile! And you get the descent to make up for your efforts........... although it took me a while to get the hang of descending!

Oh and the Pyrenees is great. Weather can be more changeable than the Alps, but I prefer it. Very green, pretty and some nice small towns, bars and cafes. Where are you guys staying?

You have ridden much more in the mountains than me but with my limited experience I agree with everything you say.
Bagneres de louchon
You are welcome to join us.

 

[Del C]

You have ridden much more in the mountains than me but with my limited experience I agree with everything you say.
Bagneres de louchon
You are welcome to join us.

That's a kind offer, but I don't think I can do it this year.

I can't remember the dates you guys are going, but I'm sure I have seen it and I thought it clashed with an earlier commitment I made.

But mainly, I've already got 2 trips booked this year to Mallorca in May and Annecy in August. Wife is very good about stuff like this, but asking for a third week in one year may be a step too far!

I am hoping to fit in a weekend somewhere.

 

[bobinski]

That's a kind offer, but I don't think I can do it this year.

I can't remember the dates you guys are going, but I'm sure I have seen it and I thought it clashed with an earlier commitment I made.

But mainly, I've already got 2 trips booked this year to Mallorca in May and Annecy in August. Wife is very good about stuff like this, but asking for a third week in one year may be a step too far!

I am hoping to fit in a weekend somewhere.

End of June for us. I hope to fit a weekend elsewhere too, perhaps D’huez or Ventoux x3. I reckon a few on here might bite especially say in September.

 

[Norry1]

See everyone .... not as bonkers as it sounds ...... (excepting the fact, that Andy points out, the @Norry1 is a smidge lighter than me ). Just means I'll be going faster on the downs

Was you full Fixed @Norry1 ? I'll only contemplate it SS, so way I'd want to pedal the whole way of 100 miles ... that is some feat!!!

I'm about 80kg if that helps.

Yep this was full fixed, so the descents were just as hard if not harder. I've found the Strava link just to prove it happened Having checked back, it wasn't that fast - but good fun.

https://www.strava.com/activities/302221762

 

[Whorty]

I'm about 80kg if that helps.

Yep this was full fixed, so the descents were just as hard if not harder. I've found the Strava link just to prove it happened Having checked back, it wasn't that fast - but good fun.

https://www.strava.com/activities/302221762

Similar weight to me then .... give or take a few kg .... so very do able so long as I don't go too fast too soon and don't burn up on the hills. And who needs 2 working knees anyway

What gears did you ride?