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

[RWright]

Nigel, glad to hear the new tweaks to the bike are working well for you. Bummer about the people not even asking you if you could use any assistance.. I don't know what it is these days but around here things have changed dramatically in the past 30 years or so, and not for the better.. There are still lots of fine people out there but there are so many now that just seem lost, shallow, self centered and scared that it makes me worried about where the world is heading.

I only got in 7 miles at a blazing 11.5 mph today. I was trying to ride between storms, got started around dark, forgot my glasses, came back to get them, then after I left the second time I discovered I forgot to take a tail light so I just cut things short and came back home.

I did go by the gym today to check things out. The pool was nicer than I remembered and the gym was worse than I remembered. I also suddenly remembered I am not really a gym person anyway. All those machines other people have been sweating all over. (I hope that doesn't sound too shallow and self centered ) I can use my own weights at home. The guy said there would be no initiation fee and it would be ok if I parked my bike inside the foyer entryway thing. I just have to decide now if the pool by itself is worth it to me. Cycling and walking/running seem even more appealing than ever after my gym visit.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Nigel, glad to hear the new tweaks to the bike are working well for you. Bummer about the people not even asking you if you could use any assistance.. I don't know what it is these days but around here things have changed dramatically in the past 30 years or so, and not for the better.. There are still lots of fine people out there but there are so many now that just seem lost, shallow, self centered and scared that it makes me worried about where the world is heading.

I only got in 7 miles at a blazing 11.5 mph today. I was trying to ride between storms, got started around dark, forgot my glasses, came back to get them, then after I left the second time I discovered I forgot to take a tail light so I just cut things short and came back home.

I did go by the gym today to check things out. The pool was nicer than I remembered and the gym was worse than I remembered. I also suddenly remembered I am not really a gym person anyway. All those machines other people have been sweating all over. (I hope that doesn't sound too shallow and self centered ) I can use my own weights at home. The guy said there would be no initiation fee and it would be ok if I parked my bike inside the foyer entryway thing. I just have to decide now if the pool by itself is worth it to me. Cycling and walking/running seem even more appealing than ever after my gym visit.

It's good to hear the reduction in meds Rocky, and you did say you were going to take it easier for a few days.
It's the same over here with people a lot more shallow people but as you say still a lot of goods out there.
Another things that happened, just after setting of after the visit, (I was only about 2 1/2 miles from home) there is a set of lights where I turn right, I am sure I heard some one in 4x4 behind shout get out of the way, this junction has a cycle box at it, and I am positioned toward the centre of the road. I did think about make it an issue but really couldn't be bothered. I was turning from Estcourt Rd onto Marlpit Ln

 

[MaxInc]

What do you do with tubes with holes. Do puncture repair patches actually work when they're going up to 100PSI+ o do they just get detached

The patches are sqeezed between tube and tyre at 100psi+ They are not going anywhere.

'm using a heart rate monitor to supplement this, mostly because of a childish love of electronic gadgets

Nothing childish about gadgets I read a quote somewhere that said something like men never grow up, they just forget how to play. I just love my gadgets so much I can't imagine being happy without them. I don't think them as gadgets but cybernetic upgrades for all sorts of thing that humans just lack naturally, things like memmory, computation, access to information, biometrics etc. and resolve to some extent the most flawed system in the human brain which is when it comes to evaluating things.

I proved myself that I don't have the capability to estimate effort and certainly not enough disciple to take it easy without external input. Reading precise numbers for things like cadence and HR is actually very helpful in teaching my subconatious refferences.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

The patches are sqeezed between tube and tyre at 100psi+ They are not going anywhere.



Nothing childish about gadgets I read a quote somewhere that said something like men never grow up, they just forget how to play. I just love my gadgets so much I can't imagine being happy without them. I don't think them as gadgets but cybernetic upgrades for all sorts of thing that humans just lack naturally, things like memmory, computation, access to information, biometrics etc. and resolve to some extent the most flawed system in the human brain which is when it comes to evaluating things.

I proved myself that I don't have the capability to estimate effort and certainly not enough disciple to take it easy without external input. Reading precise numbers for things like cadence and HR is actually very helpful in teaching my subconatious refferences.

Just listen to your body, I know when I grunt "That f***ing hurts" or some such I know I am working, I also know when a ride is easy.
For example this climb yesterday I did @ 11.9mph with a h.r 147bpm, it still hurt, previous hr recording was 158bpm @ 10.5mph.
http://app.strava.com/activities/59508191#1108183353
I do have one between but forgot the hr monitor.
The other thing I have noticed that on a lot of segments at my speeds, and those around about the same speed who have h.r. data I seem in a lot of cases to have much lower h.r. I know too many factors to draw any conclusions. It did peak at 159bpm, not the highest on the ride that was 165bpm

 

[Mo1959]

Well, not sure my easy day yesterday did much good. Had one of these days where you feel like the brakes are sticking on and you are wearing lead boots.

Mind you, I pushed quite hard on a couple of segments early in the ride so that probably sapped my energy a bit for the remainder of the ride. Actually pinched a QOM which I was quite surprised about so that's some consolation for feeling like every mile was hard work. Even got on the first page of the riders that have done that segment

http://app.strava.com/activities/59653406#1111310904

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well, not sure my easy day yesterday did much good. Had one of these days where you feel like the brakes are sticking on and you are wearing lead boots.

Mind you, I pushed quite hard on a couple of segments early in the ride so that probably sapped my energy a bit for the remainder of the ride. Actually pinched a QOM which I was quite surprised about so that's some consolation for feeling like every mile was hard work. Even got on the first page of the riders that have done that segment

http://app.strava.com/activities/59653406#1111310904

Well done on both counts Mo.
I knew these recovery rides were a fallacy, ( I think , but then I know very little) , mind I get days like that usually first thing in the morning, early afternoon, and evening, seriously usually when I haven't had a few days rest for a while like every day for 2 weeks, as you pointed out once about the difference, and it usually is the case, each time I have a few days up to a bout a week, there is some significant improvement some where, be it a reduction in H.R. or increase in speed, or even an increase in gear length for the same cadence, my data isn't really scientific
I ride pretty much the same amount of climbing about 47ft/mile.
Sundays Ride compared with yesterday.
Miles Avg Sp Eleva Ft/mile Cad Gear" Avg H.R Max H.R.
31.2 16.15 1420 45.47 82.5 66.19 137 158
44 15.63 2131 48.5 82.5 63.67 135 165

The biggest difference I have noticed recently is the actual amount of time I am actually cycling when I am out this used to be 85-89% of the time, many reasons for this traffic seeing people and forgot to turn the unit off or rest it if a lengthy stay and record it as two rides ect, this month its up at 92% the visit last night didn't help, but the biggest reason for the increase, I am not stopping as much for a cig, this as for the most part been the reasons for the higher percentage and maybe the increase in avg speed. I have also for the most part of June not been in so much traffic either which helps.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

A couple of charts, the first is my avg sp, but remember the early stuff was almost on flat routes.
Two trend lines.

This is H.R. since 4th of Jan, ignore the spike I do, a couple of days missing but it shows the trend.

 

[Longshot]

Big week for me this week. I went up Box Hill for the first time on the bike, mid way through a 30 mile trip. I managed to get up the zig zags in one hit. I appreciate that's small beer compared to many but I was pleased.

This morning, I did my first cycle commute into London - 25 miles, averaging 14 mph. Again, nothing outstanding but a big step up from where I started. I'll cycle back out again on Thursday night.

 

[mfc1876]

One other point to note about my ride this evening, whilst replacing the tube, three cyclist passed and not one said anything, not even evening.

I never know whether to say anything to other cyclists when passing. I think it's because I don't feel like a 'proper cyclist' lol or I think I might interrupt their ride if they're timing themselves etc. On the other hand I do try to make eye contact and give a little nod and a smile and most of the time it's returned. If I saw someone on their own though at the side of the road fixing a puncture or something I definitely would stop and offer help. I guess that's the ex commercial tyre fitter in me.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I never know whether to say anything to other cyclists when passing. I think it's because I don't feel like a 'proper cyclist' lol or I think I might interrupt their ride if they're timing themselves etc. On the other hand I do try to make eye contact and give a little nod and a smile and most of the time it's returned. If I saw someone on their own though at the side of the road fixing a puncture or something I definitely would stop and offer help. I guess that's the ex commercial tyre fitter in me.

You ride a bike your cyclist, mind I stop for car drivers in trouble. I cant always do anything, but it is a way of making sure at that point things are in hand and people are ok, and I am the one with mental issues regarding people, I sometimes think people that shout abuse at you for no reason are the ones that have.
I try not to get to hi rite with others that get things wrong unless its very dangerous.

 

[sleaver]

Did you get your gears sorted?

Sorry, only just seen this. I used the trimming function and that stopped the noise. I'll probably still look at re-indexing them though.

That said, I could do with a few extra lower gears for the hills

 

[mfc1876]

You ride a bike your cyclist, mind I stop for car drivers in trouble. I cant always do anything, but it is a way of making sure at that point things are in hand and people are ok, and I am the one with mental issues regarding people, I sometimes think people that shout abuse at you for no reason are the ones that have.
I try not to get to hi rite with others that get things wrong unless its very dangerous.

I've never got this cyclist v driver thing anyway. I have a car as well as a bike so when you hear people say "bloody cyclists, they don't even pay road tax!" it's a load of crap cos I do lol! Even before I got on the bike I've always been of the mindset that cyclists have just as much right to the road as much as I (as a driver) do. I guess it's the same in all walks of life, there's normal people and there's a**eholes.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I've never got this cyclist v driver thing anyway. I have a car as well as a bike so when you hear people say "bloody cyclists, they don't even pay road tax!" it's a load of crap cos I do lol! Even before I got on the bike I've always been of the mindset that cyclists have just as much right to the road as much as I (as a driver) do. I guess it's the same in all walks of life, there's normal people and there's a**eholes.

When in the car hate cyclists, when on the bike hate drivers.

 

[mfc1876]

When in the car hate cyclists, when on the bike hate drivers.

I suppose that's the easiest way.

 

[Nomadski]

Big week for me this week. I went up Box Hill for the first time on the bike, mid way through a 30 mile trip. I managed to get up the zig zags in one hit. I appreciate that's small beer compared to many but I was pleased.

This morning, I did my first cycle commute into London - 25 miles, averaging 14 mph. Again, nothing outstanding but a big step up from where I started. I'll cycle back out again on Thursday night.

Well done. It's a fun hill climb I think, but definitely more fun after 30 miles!

An average of 14mph is also very good considering London traffic and lights etc. good job.