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

[AndyPeace]

Very nice Andy.

Are Treks the "in" thing at the minute? 3 of my friends now have Madone's, one being a £6.5k full carbon and Dura Ace Di2. But they really are good looking bikes. Bike porn in fact

I bought the bike on looks and the qualities revealed in a carpark test, that I am unable to articulate without the aid of beer. At it's sale price it was the top end of my budget and also seemed the best investment. It's my first road bike (or rather drop bar) so I can't really compare it's qualities. I am enjoying the transition and the bike feels easy to command and very stable. Within an hours practice I was comfortable with looking back, signalling from the drops,etc. Due to the bikes good looks, it's hard not to put in a decent effort...for fear of being scalped by someone on a tourer with full panniers Really enjoying it, next stop will be a bike fit but thought I'd get used to road bike positions first.

 

[Reece]

I bought the bike on looks and the qualities revealed in a carpark test, that I am unable to articulate without the aid of beer. At it's sale price it was the top end of my budget and also seemed the best investment. It's my first road bike (or rather drop bar) so I can't really compare it's qualities. I am enjoying the transition and the bike feels easy to command and very stable. Within an hours practice I was comfortable with looking back, signalling from the drops,etc. Due to the bikes good looks, it's hard not to put in a decent effort...for fear of being scalped by someone on a tourer with full panniers Really enjoying it, next stop will be a bike fit but thought I'd get used to road bike positions first.

it's definitely a bike on my hot list when I finally upgrade to a carbon bike. Me and my friends will all end up on a fleet of treks lol

 

[Biggler]

First ride in nearly a week and I must have had some stored up energy - http://www.strava.com/activities/74411512# .

I'm particularly happy with 13mph average which is the quickest I've achieved. I'm sure I could go quicker if I stuck to roads and not cycle paths

 

[RWright]

I went out early today even though it was hot because a cold front is moving in and bringing rain later this evening. I wanted to ride my highly cleaned, detailed and precision fettled Blue meteor with it's shinny new chain. I even checked the weather radar and the coast was clear. Needless to say, on the way back in I got drenched. It was one of those clouds that just came up out of nowhere and it was very cool big drops that would sting a little. It actually felt good besides the stinging but I had to slow down because my glasses got fogged and were covered with rain. It was raining so hard that even slowed down the cars didn't seem to be going by me much faster. Less than a mile later the sun was out, roads were dry and it looked like a completely different world.

I got home and loaded my ride to Strava and was noticing some weird climbs listed on the ride and me as KOM. The heat and the quick temperature changes along with the different pressure from the quick storm sent Strava over the edge I think. It listed two of the climbs as CAT 4. One of them as a 1 mile 7.3 average grade and the other one...now here is the good part...as a four tenths of a mile with an average grade of 24.8. I was thinking, damn I'm good. Actually I think I would have noticed a half mile 24.8 grade climb. I would probably still be out on the road walking up it.

 

[Mo1959]

Another nice morning here so set out with around 30ish miles in mind. For once my speed seemed to be a bit better and was feeling reasonably strong so ended up making it a 50 mile ride. Longest I've done for about 2 weeks I think. The Edge 200 and Garmin Connect both said 16mph but, as usual, Strava called it 15.9 Still, much better than I have been doing lately.

Slight niggle from my back towards the end but nothing too bad. Diagnosis on the MRI is that L4 and L5 discs are herniated/bulging. There are surgical options but both the doc and myself don't think that's advisable at this stage. He suggested giving a few sessions of physio a try which I probably will. Not sure how long I will have to wait for that.

Forecast isn't looking great for the next few days so I have a feeling more rest days or short runs will be on the cards.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Mo1959
As I said over on strava, I think strava either takes a slightly different time or only rounds to the first decimal place, because I take the time and distance from GTC the time is accurate to 1/100 of a second, so I have my speed to 2 decimal places, and can usually tell which will show a lower speed on strava.
Great run Mo, I remember you saying you were destined to plod around at 13-14mph, and see what rest days do for you.

 

[madferret]

@Mo1959
As I said over on strava, I think strava either takes a slightly different time or only rounds to the first decimal place, because I take the time and distance from GTC the time is accurate to 1/100 of a second, so I have my speed to 2 decimal places, and can usually tell which will show a lower speed on strava.
Great run Mo, I remember you saying you were destined to plod around at 13-14mph, and see what rest days do for you.

I am destined for the same I feel. Not been getting out enough of late, which I am trying to change but life gets in the way at times. Find it hard to get motivated if I have too long off, which is what I have done. After last nights pootle, I resolved to remind myself just how good I felt once out and particularly afterwards! But the memory fades too quickly.

Also think that whilst on occasion I enjoy the solitary aspect of riding alone, sometimes it would be nice just to do it with someone else for a change, not a big group or anything. A couple of things happened like the chain offing and falling off myself that scared me into wondering what would happen should I be 20 miles from home, which is why last night I just did lots of loops of my locality. Bloody anxiety!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I am destined for the same I feel. Not been getting out enough of late, which I am trying to change but life gets in the way at times. Find it hard to get motivated if I have too long off, which is what I have done. After last nights pootle, I resolved to remind myself just how good I felt once out and particularly afterwards! But the memory fades too quickly.

Also think that whilst on occasion I enjoy the solitary aspect of riding alone, sometimes it would be nice just to do it with someone else for a change, not a big group or anything. A couple of things happened like the chain offing and falling off myself that scared me into wondering what would happen should I be 20 miles from home, which is why last night I just did lots of loops of my locality. Bloody anxiety!

I get anxious when I am out more than 2 1/2-3 hrs, more due to mental health issues. I still lack motivation to actually get out the door but once out I am fine. Just keep at it, improvements do come but you do need to work at it.

 

[madferret]

I get anxious when I am out more than 2 1/2-3 hrs, more due to mental health issues. I still lack motivation to actually get out the door but once out I am fine. Just keep at it, improvements do come but you do need to work at it.

Getting out the door is definitely the hardest bit! Wonder if it would help to set an alarm and try and do it in "@Mo1959 time". I like the idea of not much traffic, since I got the new(er) bike, found I prefer roads to tow paths etc and with the dark nights drawing in (sorry, but its noticeable).

I know I have improved, hills (to me, lumps to many) that I used to fear I can now cruise up, others I still fear! I need to be a little less hard on myself I guess, 4 months ago I was a couch potato who smoked 20 a day, now, I don't smoke (e-cig though ) and have done over 400 miles since starting in June. That's not a lot to some, but it is to me and something I would never have felt possible! I still remember that first 4 mile ride where I thought I was going to die!

 

[sleaver]

Two new lessons learnt in the sleaver school of self taught cycling last night.

1) Rain makes you go quicker. I got home a bit late but still went out and it soon started to rain. So, trying to get home quicker and before it started to get dark, I averaged 26.8 km/h over 25km.
2) Road bike brakes are a whole different beast in the rain.

a) Mine squeaked really loudly.​

b) They are rubbish in the wet. They were that good, I wondered if they were just adding weight ​

 

[Leescfc79]

I've had a really bad 3 weeks cyling wise, I felt I was really getting somewhere with my average speed creeping up and found myself climbing a lot better too then I had a severe dose of laziness for a week where I just really didn't feel like going out, then I had back pain for a week which put a stop to me going out, followed by a few days of feeling under the weather. Nothing serious just tired and lacking in energy, anyway I went out and really struggled. I did 9 miles and I really don't know how I got home, even my first ride wasn't that hard.

I've had a couple of short and slow rides since with the family to try and get back into the groove but I am really struggling, not sure if its lack of fitness or I'm still not feeling 100% but its really frustrating, I seem to have lost 3mph off my average speed and I am pushing myself harder!

I'm going to head out for a few short rides over the next couple to days trying to build up for a decent weekend ride and see how it goes.

 

[Pieface]

Had a week and a half off with laziness and went out again today and did 22 miles and broke a few PBs which I'm happy with. Too bad I'm away tomorrow for the weekend doing training for my new job!

Got annoyed at some cyclist who pushed hard to get in front of me just to slow me down and weave about while on his phone then when he gives me space to overtake then turns right nearly into me without indicating.

http://app.strava.com/activities/74595570

 

[Mo1959]

Also think that whilst on occasion I enjoy the solitary aspect of riding alone, sometimes it would be nice just to do it with someone else for a change, not a big group or anything. A couple of things happened like the chain offing and falling off myself that scared me into wondering what would happen should I be 20 miles from home, which is why last night I just did lots of loops of my locality. Bloody anxiety!

I know what you mean. I occasionally get thoughts like that too. I am always on my own too and don't even usually carry any ID or a phone so would be a bit stuck if I had an accident or mechanical problem on some of the more isolated roads I use. I try not to think about it too much.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@madferret
400 miles in your first two months is very good going, finding motivation to get out when you have a busy life is difficult.
@Leescfc79
Dont fret about it, jsut do what you can when you can, when feeling better work harder on some shorter rides, then increase those, and do some longer more gentle rides.
@Mo1959
Ditto, though the roads here arn't as deserted for the same length of time as yours.
P.S. Mo I think I did it sub 59mins. It wasn't the best wind wise either, nothing to strong just enough to take the edge off.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Two new lessons learnt in the sleaver school of self taught cycling last night.

1) Rain makes you go quicker. I got home a bit late but still went out and it soon started to rain. So, trying to get home quicker and before it started to get dark, I averaged 26.8 km/h over 25km.
2) Road bike brakes are a whole different beast in the rain.

a) Mine squeaked really loudly.​

b) They are rubbish in the wet. They were that good, I wondered if they were just adding weight ​

You need to pump the brakes in the wet to remove the water from the rim, this will make them work better and reduce the squeaking.