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

[Mo1959]

@Mo1959 flipping heck Mo you were quick, hardly had it posted.
I wouldnt take to much notice of the avg speed the Rider 20 does seem to show it a little slower, but still no great shakes.
http://app.strava.com/activities/122945716

If you're anything like me, you are probably going to be more relaxed around your cycling this year. I might have the odd day like today when I work extra hard just to see what I can do, but by and large, I intend this year to be more relaxed and not particularly bothering about distances, speeds, etc. It'll be interesting to see how the Carlton turns out too and see some pics of it when you get it on the road.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

If you're anything like me, you are probably going to be more relaxed around your cycling this year. I might have the odd day like today when I work extra hard just to see what I can do, but by and large, I intend this year to be more relaxed and not particularly bothering about distances, speeds, etc. It'll be interesting to see how the Carlton turns out too and see some pics of it when you get it on the road.

Dont start on that at the min Mo, its got two left hand threads (or is right would have to check) so I cant at the moment fit a modern B.B. I have been trying to find out about this but not much joy yet apart from (Italian or French used to be like that), so thats shelved for the time being, I saw this yesterday http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CBPXRT58ALUTIA/planet-x-rt-58-alloy-shimano-tiagra-road-bike 8.8Kg's, just quite how I get £600 I dont know,
Probably be like you Mo re. cycling, so long as I stay reasonable fit I can live with that, and to say how little I have done 30 miles with 800ft in the weather today (not that it was bad, just the odd bit of wind and rain) @ 14.4mph I wasn't to disappointed.
I did have a word with a cyclist that jumped a red light, he seemed to think it was ok if he took it easy through the junction, at this junction I nearly got took out by a car jumping the lights and I have seen others almost come to grief, I wouldn't mind be he was sensible enough to have a rear light on in the murk (unlike yours truly)

Edit, not to mention the bad name it gives us.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

RWGPS has the elevation at 1150ft http://ridewithgps.com/trips/2374580

 

[BAtoo]

Well done how did you feel when you got back?

Didn't feel too bad, bit sore in the legs so I tried the cold bath technique which wasn't too bad! Now about 5 hours after I finished I have a little ache in my legs and the evening wine will surely help that...

Nigel - thanks for the advice, today many of the hills were into the wind so there wasn't a lot of options but I need to do hills anyway. I decided to ride out into the wind and then have it behind me on the loop home - but it shifted a bit so still found some headwinds on the way back

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Didn't feel too bad, bit sore in the legs so I tried the cold bath technique which wasn't too bad! Now about 5 hours after I finished I have a little ache in my legs and the evening wine will surely help that...

Nigel - thanks for the advice, today many of the hills were into the wind so there wasn't a lot of options but I need to do hills anyway. I decided to ride out into the wind and then have it behind me on the loop home - but it shifted a bit so still found some headwinds on the way back

Its difficult regarding wind direction as local topography and micro climates can effect it, but as you gain more experience you will begin to know the general weather and where the winds are likely to be given the general wind direction.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well that took a little sorting so garmin connect could import the ride http://connect.garmin.com/activity/465605429 almost every method I did just showed the elevation at 8000+ft, so had to export from bryton site, and all seems well even though is shows less elevation, I didn't realise the winds were quite that strong (17mph, SW), I have never felt a SW wind as cold as that one before.

 

[Exile]

Bike's in the shop, not costing me a penny but will be middle of the week before I get it back at the earliest. Not ideal, but seeing as how the previous broken spokes weren't fixed by Decathlon they have to treat it like it's the first issue I've had and such they can only fix the wheel rather than replace it. Unless, I was told, they find something which is clearly defective, in which case it will be replaced.

On the plus side, the weather today was pants so I don't feel like I missed out on any real riding

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Bike's in the shop, not costing me a penny but will be middle of the week before I get it back at the earliest. Not ideal, but seeing as how the previous broken spokes weren't fixed by Decathlon they have to treat it like it's the first issue I've had and such they can only fix the wheel rather than replace it. Unless, I was told, they find something which is clearly defective, in which case it will be replaced.

On the plus side, the weather today was pants so I don't feel like I missed out on any real riding

From what I understand spokes themselves are not covered under warranty, least ways thats what planet-x told me the other week which fair enough after nearly a year, its a bummer though that I got a new spoke at a cost of £9 just to get new wheels a week later, these wheels have cost me two hospital appointments in recent weeks

 

[Exile]

From what I understand spokes themselves are not covered under warranty, least ways thats what planet-x told me the other week which fair enough after nearly a year, its a bummer though that I got a new spoke at a cost of £9 just to get new wheels a week later, these wheels have cost me two hospital appointments in recent weeks

The guy was pretty good about the whole thing, understood my frustration and seemed to know his stuff. I'll see how it goes once I get it back. If any more spokes break after this though I think I'll be looking to get a set of bomb-proof hand built wheels, cost be damned!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

The guy was pretty good about the whole thing, understood my frustration and seemed to know his stuff. I'll see how it goes once I get it back. If any more spokes break after this though I think I'll be looking to get a set of bomb-proof hand built wheels, cost be damned!

I need to get another stronger set for when I carry stuff, it might have contributed to the problem.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I wondered why I have been so slow this last month (apart from not being out) using the climbbybike formula for the rides i have done these last 30 days and taking the total and dividing that by the days I have ridden, giving a difficult rating per mile it comes out at 16.28, the last time I did that sort of figure was 24/09-23/10 2013 at 16.01 so given the time I have been off the bike, i think thats sort of ok. Avg sp then for the 818 miles was 15.6mph the last 30 days I have done 118 @ 14.51mph, but I have had problems with wheels. Not to mention a lot of my recent riding has been in traffic, and the lack of auto pause i think is bringing the avg down a little.

 

[Stonechat]

I wondered why I have been so slow this last month (apart from not being out) using the climbbybike formula for the rides i have done these last 30 days and taking the total and dividing that by the days I have ridden, giving a difficult rating per mile it comes out at 16.28, the last time I did that sort of figure was 24/09-23/10 2013 at 16.01 so given the time I have been off the bike, i think thats sort of ok. Avg sp then for the 818 miles was 15.6mph the last 30 days I have done 118 @ 14.51mph, but I have had problems with wheels. Not to mention a lot of my recent riding has been in traffic, and the lack of auto pause i think is bringing the avg down a little.

Must admit I had never heard of this - found the website = not sure what the formula is
Only done one good hill yet - Boxhill - though Tite Hill at Egham is good with steep part at the top

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

Away visiting the folks in Blackpool this weekend so not getting my rides in . Mind you, that said, Royal Mail have had my new saddle with them for about a week and it hasn't arrived yet, so if I had have been going out, it'd've been on my trusty Pinnacle to protect my body! Maybe there'll be one of those 'parcel awaiting collection' cards through my door when we get home so I can be at the sorting office at the crack of dawn tomorrow.

Having said all that (got my excuses in), we took a walk to and along the very windy Prom yesterday and just as we turned round to head back, the heavens opened and we got cold, wet and attacked by hailstones.
Cue a hasty visit to a cafe for cake and coffee! We saw a few folks out on their bikes, including one poor chap who said he had put the white flag out (and I assume called for a lift home) as he was getting nowhere battling the wind (and was wearing shorts!).

Happy Sunday folks and Happy "unofficial mothers' day"' as we have brought our celebrations forward a week whilst the appropriate generations are gathered

 

[BrianEvesham]

My first day off in ages and looking forward to a ride...........doh, it's hammering down out there

Maybe later then .

 

[Mo1959]

My first day off in ages and looking forward to a ride...........doh, it's hammering down out there

Maybe later then .

Awwww.......bummer. It's chilly but lovely and sunny here. Wish I could send it down. Lol.
Just back from about 38 very peaceful miles. Love an early Sunday morning. Hardly any cars around. Off a dog walk with my neighbour now then spending most of the afternoon/evening over at my Dads.