Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[simmi]

I can't decide if the gearing is helping or not, I have some big jumps between, 18/21/24/28 certainly the 18/21 is a hindrance, but the 21/24/28 is quite nice, if a little low some times, I think the 8sp shifter if I can ever afford one will cure that.

I think to get a good average speed you need to keep your gear ratios as tight as possible, I have changed mine from 11,12,13,14,15,17,19,21,24,28 to 12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21,23,25.
I don't miss the 11 at all and the added 16 helps cadence also the gaps are never more than 2 teeth, the only possible down side is the loss of the 28, I haven't tried a hill I need it on yet and with my resent improved climbing it may not be a problem around here.

 

[SamC]

Did 41 miles yesterday, my longest ride yet. It was mostly on trails and country roads. Although I don’t think I’ll ever be a quick cyclist, distance wise it was surprisingly easy and I managed to keep up my quickest pace yet. Since changing Strava to view women only, I got a few QOMs too, although that has more to do with other women on Strava being rather slow than me being particularly quick .

Also, when they (women's magazines, anyway) that you can get sunburn even when it's cloudy, they weren't lying. I generally wouldn't go out in the sun without wearing an SPF because I am pale, but I didn't expect neon pink arms (with white bits where my sleeves and gloves were, naturally) when it was 16 degrees and cloudy. Another cycling lesson learned the hard way!

 

[boybiker]

Have you tried emailing the coach/someone who organises their events to see what would be a good starting mark, so you have something to aim for and then you can build around that?

Looking at results depending on the course they average 25mph ish. It sounds a lot but ridding in a pack will be easier I think plus I'm going to start training with a purpose rather than just putting miles in like I do now.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I think to get a good average speed you need to keep your gear ratios as tight as possible, I have changed mine from 11,12,13,14,15,17,19,21,24,28 to 12,13,14,15,16,17,19,21,23,25.
I don't miss the 11 at all and the added 16 helps cadence also the gaps are never more than 2 teeth, the only possible down side is the loss of the 28, I haven't tried a hill I need it on yet and with my resent improved climbing it may not be a problem around here.

I haven't really used the 30/28 combo, I have used it but more due to laziness than need, I didn't use it all yesterday on purpose as I wanted to see want gearing I could get away with.
It's easy when you have 9/10 gears on the rear to play with your ratios.
Your 34x28 would be about the same as a 30x25 (1/2" longer)
Your 34x25 is the same as 30x22 (give or take), I did use the 30x24 I think, and bear in mind the weight of the bike.
I also believe it is (or seems) better for any given ratio to be on bigger cogs, i.e. 34x25 would seem easier than 30x22 (i know it is slightly in pure terms 1/10" in favour of the 34x25 combo), my current gearing seems to bear this out, mind when I look at them the 40th chain is actually easier than the 38th was, but I had the same range but closer grouping, but the 30th certainly seems a better set up, even though the 30x24/28 is much the same as the 26x24/24.

The ratios are pretty evenly spaced apart from that 18/21, mind there is nothing I can do about it just yet.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Did 41 miles yesterday, my longest ride yet. It was mostly on trails and country roads. Although I don’t think I’ll ever be a quick cyclist, distance wise it was surprisingly easy and I managed to keep up my quickest pace yet. Since changing Strava to view women only, I got a few QOMs too, although that has more to do with other women on Strava being rather slow than me being particularly quick .

Also, when they (women's magazines, anyway) that you can get sunburn even when it's cloudy, they weren't lying. I generally wouldn't go out in the sun without wearing an SPF because I am pale, but I didn't expect neon pink arms (with white bits where my sleeves and gloves were, naturally) when it was 16 degrees and cloudy. Another cycling lesson learned the hard way!

Mo keeps saying this but look at her speeds increasing.

 

[SamC]

Mo keeps saying this but look at her speeds increasing.

Well, they do say that it doesn't get any easier, you just get faster!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well, they do say that it doesn't get any easier, you just get faster!

It gets easier too, because your recovery gets better, I can recover whilst still climbing, albeit not as steep, I couldn't do that a year ago.
You do get faster, but I think a lot of that comes from taking bends and junctions better (not slowing as much, and not as much wasted energy getting back up to speed), endurance you can keep the same work rate going longer, ect..

Well done on your ride, I dont tend to ride much further than 40-50 miles.

 

[Mo1959]

Well, they do say that it doesn't get any easier, you just get faster!

I find you have peaks and troughs. Some days your ride can feel almost effortless and others you feel like you are cycling through treacle or your brakes are jammed on! I think we all keep going in anticipation of the good days.

I felt for ages that I wasn't making much progress but just this last couple of weeks my speeds have crept up and I am tackling more hills too. However, I have no aspirations to do huge distances and can't see my average speed going up an awful lot more now. I basically cycle for fun, fresh air and fitness. The Strava challenges and segments can be fun if you don't take them too seriously.

 

[SWSteve]

Looking at results depending on the course they average 25mph ish. It sounds a lot but ridding in a pack will be easier I think plus I'm going to start training with a purpose rather than just putting miles in like I do now.

25mph averaging. What are you doing now?

 

[SWSteve]

As I've got this week off I thought I'd try to get some good miles in over the 8 days until I get back to work. Today I thought I'd have a pootle around the route me and my mate sometimes do on a Sunday. It started like this...
http://app.strava.com/activities/55288313
...and then I had my first puncture in ~1125 miles since buying my bike. This was the second half...
http://app.strava.com/activities/55288316

 

[simmi]

I haven't really used the 30/28 combo, I have used it but more due to laziness than need, I didn't use it all yesterday on purpose as I wanted to see want gearing I could get away with.
It's easy when you have 9/10 gears on the rear to play with your ratios.
Your 34x28 would be about the same as a 30x25 (1/2" longer)
Your 34x25 is the same as 30x22 (give or take), I did use the 30x24 I think, and bear in mind the weight of the bike.
I also believe it is (or seems) better for any given ratio to be on bigger cogs, i.e. 34x25 would seem easier than 30x22 (i know it is slightly in pure terms 1/10" in favour of the 34x25 combo), my current gearing seems to bear this out, mind when I look at them the 40th chain is actually easier than the 38th was, but I had the same range but closer grouping, but the 30th certainly seems a better set up, even though the 30x24/28 is much the same as the 26x24/24.
View attachment 23526
The ratios are pretty evenly spaced apart from that 18/21, mind there is nothing I can do about it just yet.

I think when you have a 30T granny ring and only 7 cogs on the cassette the 28T is perhaps a luxury you can do without.
I don't like your 12-14 jump either, thats the same as a 4 tooth jump in the twenties (24-28)
I don't know if you can start with a 13, but for me something like 13,14,15, 17,19,21,24 would feel better or if 12 is your lowest option 12,13,14,16,18,21,24.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I think when you have a 30T granny ring and only 7 cogs on the cassette the 28T is perhaps a luxury you can do without.
I don't like your 12-14 jump either, thats the same as a 4 tooth jump in the twenties (24-28)
I don't know if you can start with a 13, but for me something like 13,14,15, 17,19,21,24 would feel better or if 12 is your lowest option 12,13,14,16,18,21,24.

The problem at the minute is I have no spare 19,21 cogs, the bottom 3 12,14,16 are form a cheap a cheerful cassette I got early last year, they work but not the best metal. I can do any combo from 11 to 16 but till I get a new cassette I am limited in 17 -28 group to 18,21,24,26,28 got a 32 as well but thats never been used.
they do a 13-23, 13-26 and a 13-28 HG50 cassette, though in fairness it's not the bottom I notice it it is that 18-24 area, i do need something in the middle that is smoother in transition.
I will see what I can do when i get my money tomorrow, I still need a front mech I think that is the priority at the mo. I will just need to spin a bit quicker or work harder, both will help I guess.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Or I could get an 8sp 12-25 (12-13-15-17-19-21-23-25) replace the 12-13 with a locking13 I have, or drop the 23-25 and replace with the 24.

 

[boybiker]

25mph averaging. What are you doing now?

19.3 MPH is my best on the way home from across a 12.5 mile route. I think a lighter set of wheels, warming up, better tyres and eating gels etc before a race could get me up to 25 MPH ridding in a pack. The first few races would be more for the practise I dont expect to turn up and win straight away.

I just need to train with more focus rather than going out and giving it everything I've got on that day. I'm going to look at buying a few books which cover training plans and nutrition etc.

 

[RWright]

Yes, I know what you mean. I tried a new route this morning and I was blowing hard on the climbs as usual but once I am over the summit I think I do get my breath back quicker. Apart from one hill. Being new to me, it caught me out a bit and I stopped for a minute for a quick breather and a drink. Got going again ok though. If I did it again I would be ready for it and get the gearing sorted out before almost coming to a halt.

It's a shame the descent didn't really justify the climbs as it was twisty and potholed so spent most of the time on the brakes coming down it. Still, it's another decent route to add to the ones I do now.

Going somewhere I am not familiar with and a ways out I am more likely to rest or walk, not knowing what hills are coming up next makes me try not to burn out my energy as fast. I went after one of the steeper hills around my area a couple of days ago. It is out away from hardly any traffic. I blast into it ready to attack, right before the steepest grade at the start of the hill (10 % or so, which is steep to me ). Of all days for cars to be coming in both directions with me at that critical part of the hill, it happened. I ended up braking,sitting back down and coasting into the steepest section, gearing down and having to spin up it. The odds of all that happening at that particular place are almost off the charts. Just wasn't my day. I did better my previous time there, but not by much.

As far as descending, if I am not tired I try to get my money's worth. I think I use more energy pedaling down the steep descents than I do to climb them.

Not looking very promising on getting a ride in here today. If I do it will probably be in the immediate area on the Townie, I don't like getting my good bikes wet and I have my rain bikes taken apart....still.