Your ride today.... (part 1)

[gbb]

Hi all, I think this may be my first proper post?! Did 25k (15.5m) before work this morning, was going OK until I got into a small hill with a headwind, it was hard work, but felt good when I'd done it. Just under an hour.

That means you're averaging over 15mph which is respectable Michael, you're not a slowcoach at that average, so nice one

For me, no real mileage for the last 5 weeks. I always worry (if thats the right word) that my fitness will have dropped off in that time but the reality is (i think) that you are well rested and raring to go. 38 miles today, light breeze, flat course from Peterborough to Whittlesea, ontowards Ramsey, cut off towards Benwick etc, back to Peterborough.
Just over 17mph average although i did have a cuppa with a friend 20 miles in. Saw two mice
at the roadside darting out of a roadside drain then back in again, small, chestnut coloured, maybe 2 inches long. Lovely looking things.

Practicing 'ankling' if thats the right term. I don't generally use my ankles, don't use that 'scraping dog muck off the soles' technique, but when you do it certainly takes the pressure off the thighs (i think). Feels weird at the moment, i keep forgetting and revert back to my old 'stiff ankled' style.

For some reason i'm mixing it up a bit, i only usually use the 40t on the front, but today using a 50/16 combo i was rolling along at 21 mph with a cadence of 90 into a slight breeze. Sustained it quite well for mile after mile...usually my knees start playing up if i use the 50 too much

 

[coffeejo]

Did my first "proper" fifty miler today, since it did not involve a lengthy break at a coffee shop. Not my choice - the one I cycled to was shut, as were all the pubs between there and home

 

[Aperitif]

Did my first "proper" fifty miler today, since it did not involve a lengthy break at a coffee shop. Not my choice - the one I cycled to was shut, as were all the pubs between there and home

Well done cj. 100 next...cycling to London?

 

[coffeejo]

Well done cj. 100 next...cycling to London?

Thanks! I'm aiming for a metric century next week: my cycling group is organising a ride to Glastonbury back

 

[Michaelt]

Thank you, its good to know what I should be aiming for, I'm trying to use it as training as I used to spin 3 nights a week but don't any more.
It is great what you see in the mornings, I didn't see any mice but I did see a fair few squirrels.

You mention different cogs; do you change them on a daily basis or do you have different bikes? Mine is a 34/50T, would a 40T be harder or easier

That means you're averaging over 15mph which is respectable Michael, you're not a slowcoach at that average, so nice one

For me, no real mileage for the last 5 weeks. I always worry (if thats the right word) that my fitness will have dropped off in that time but the reality is (i think) that you are well rested and raring to go. 38 miles today, light breeze, flat course from Peterborough to Whittlesea, ontowards Ramsey, cut off towards Benwick etc, back to Peterborough.
Just over 17mph average although i did have a cuppa with a friend 20 miles in. Saw two mice
at the roadside darting out of a roadside drain then back in again, small, chestnut coloured, maybe 2 inches long. Lovely looking things.

Practicing 'ankling' if thats the right term. I don't generally use my ankles, don't use that 'scraping dog muck off the soles' technique, but when you do it certainly takes the pressure off the thighs (i think). Feels weird at the moment, i keep forgetting and revert back to my old 'stiff ankled' style.

For some reason i'm mixing it up a bit, i only usually use the 40t on the front, but today using a 50/16 combo i was rolling along at 21 mph with a cadence of 90 into a slight breeze. Sustained it quite well for mile after mile...usually my knees start playing up if i use the 50 too much

 

[gbb]

Thank you, its good to know what I should be aiming for, I'm trying to use it as training as I used to spin 3 nights a week but don't any more.
It is great what you see in the mornings, I didn't see any mice but I did see a fair few squirrels.

You mention different cogs; do you change them on a daily basis or do you have different bikes? Mine is a 34/50T, would a 40T be harder or easier

When i got my Bianchi, i wanted campag on it but it was only available in a compact. I soon found the 34 completely useless with my terrain in Cambridgeshire/Northants, just rolling hills.
Its easy to remedy, just get a 38/39 or 40 inner, 10 minutes work, less than £20...jobs a goodun.

I suppose we're all used to seeing 53/39 or 50/34s...a 50/40 isnt standard but works well for me.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

When i got my Bianchi, i wanted campag on it but it was only available in a compact. I soon found the 34 completely useless with my terrain in Cambridgeshire/Northants, just rolling hills.
Its easy to remedy, just get a 38/39 or 40 inner, 10 minutes work, less than £20...jobs a goodun.

I suppose we're all used to seeing 53/39 or 50/34s...a 50/40 isnt standard but works well for me.

+1 on that, chain rings are easy to change, I changed the chain rings on my Kilmeston from 50/34 to 48/42 within a couple of week of getting the bike.

 

[Michaelt]

Stupid question here: Why would I change to 48/42? Would it give me and closer range of gears?

 

[gbb]

Stupid question here: Why would I change to 48/42? Would it give me and closer range of gears?

For instance, if your local terrain isnt hilly and you're reasonably fit, i'd be using a 42 inner most of the time. I use a 40, but could cope with a 42. Basically the stronger you are, the larger inner ring you can cope with, depending on terrain of course.
Personally i find a 53 standard outer a bit too big, my knees dont like it, so i run a 50, but a 48 would be a little easier still although you'd sacrifice some top speed once you start spinning out on downhills or flats.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

+1 on that, chain rings are easy to change, I changed the chain rings on my Kilmeston from 50/34 to 48/42 within a couple of week of getting the bike.

Stupid question here: Why would I change to 48/42? Would it give me and closer range of gears?

It was gearing that I knew from experience suited me. Before we had cassettes and we were all on 5 or 6 speed blocks a common chain ring combination was 42/52, in those days I preferred to change the big ring and run 50/42, I found the 52 a bit to big. When I got the Kilmeston it quickly became apparent that the 50/34 didn't suit me, the range was to wide, if I dropped to the 34 tooth ring I went straight off the back, I also found that I wasn't comfortable on the 50 tooth ring as I had been when I was younger. That brought the decision to change the chain rings to 42/48.

 

[HLaB]

My main ride today involved my first TT event the 1.5 miles up Nivingstone Craigs.
After 15miles it almost never started, I hadn't realised there was an entrance fee, so I had to borrow that
Anyhow, I was officially first ............. for the whole of 56seconds with 7:40 (I was number 1 btw ), then the wee lad in the club came along with an excellent 7:36 (apparently that was nearly 2mins faster than last year for him ).
I think his dad done an even more incredible 7:17.
Another bloke in the club done an even better 7:02; apparently he is only 30secs slower when he runs up the hill
However, karma paid of big time for the bloke who lent me the money; he came in 1st with an incredible 6:06
After all that I was running out of light and the fastest way home was straight over the hill again!

 

[PatrickPending]

110km round the lanes of leicestershire taking in ashby pava foxton walton grumley and other wonderfully named places. That and 136Km yesterday making a grand total of 542KM for the week, and about 160km short of 1610Km (or 1000 miles) for the month. My legs hurt....

 

[chillyuk]

Because of illness (mine) then a family bereavement (mother in law) I have just not been able to get out on the bike for about 6 weeks. I did 10 miles on Friday then set out around my usual 30 mile route this morning. I hadn't allowed for the faster loss of condition as you age. I was OK to 20 miles then just blew out. I was eating and drinking, it was just that I tried too much too soon. The last 10 miles were murder, not helped by a head wind. I will keep my mileage down for a week then I will soon get back into the groove!

 

[Timmo]

Just finished a hard 15 miles around the Forest of Dean. Was an awesome ride:

http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/g1e8HXo5rbA

 

[HLaB]

I'm not long back from a great ride with the club, the winds just about killed me on the way back though, it had nothing to do with the wee crawl up Purin Hill (Lap 4 on the Garmin) honest apparently the better folk do it in sub 10minutes

Edit: it looks like we were actually pretty lucky with the winds they dropped to 17-19mph (30-33mph gust) on the way home.