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

[Nigelnaturist]

Today is not a good day to be on my bike. Not here anyway. About a gazillion cars, and caravans and motorhomes all coming down formthe holidays, and most of them from brimingham, so a day to avoid the roads.

You saying drivers from Birmingham are bad drivers then

 

[welsh dragon]

You saying drivers from Birmingham are bad drivers then

A lot of them yes. I used to live in brum for about 35 years.

 

[Cold]

There is no shame in having to walk, even by just walking, you're getting more exercise than a lot of people, so don't worry about it. Well done for having a go.

Makes my 8/9% big hills look a bit weedy, you are brave to even try in my estimation.

Dont worry keep at it, I think I might struggle on that as well.

I think I might have been a bit to ambitious with the hill but i'm going to keep trying it though as it's a nice place to go for a ride.

 

[welsh dragon]

I think I might have been a bit to ambitious with the hill but i'm going to keep trying it though as it's a nice place to go for a ride.

Good for you, but dont worry about it. You have made a great effort

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I think I might have been a bit to ambitious with the hill but i'm going to keep trying it though as it's a nice place to go for a ride.

And each time you will get futhur (usually except on an off day) till you conquer it. I have a couple approaching the steepness at points but nothing as long as that.

 

[stevey]

A lot of them yes. I used to live in brum for about 35 years.

I would agree and i still live here!!! (Dump)

 

[welsh dragon]

I would agree and i still live here!!! (Dump)

Comiserations to you.

 

[stevey]

Comiserations to you.

Thanks....

 

[stevey]

Anyway Mrs wanted to go out this morning very nice day as well so just a tootle along very enjoyable it was too.
http://www.strava.com/activities/131441048

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

@SatNavSaysStraightOn can I ask why the gearing suites you better these are the two tables for the gears in inches
View attachment 42636
Dawes on the left and Triban 5 on the right, the three figures on the right of each table top the number of teeth the F.D. needs to cope with, the middle the number of teeth between max an min gears on the cassette.and the bottom the over all teeth the R.D. needs to be able to cope with, I belive the 2013 Sora can cope with at least a 27th rear cassette so if you need lower than 31.56" the 27th will give you 29.22" the CS-HG50 12-13-14-15-17-19-21-24-27 ( £12 at chainreactions) though I did find the 21-24 a big jump yesterday, apart from that 1.21" on the the low, the Triban has better stepping and a greater range, and if its a standard 74B.C.D. you could opt for a 28th inner ring giving this

View attachment 42639
A Stronglight 74BCD can be had for about a tenner, just my thoughts though.
So you could for about £25 extra have this gearing on the T5
View attachment 42644


Sorry to hear the T3 died though.

sorry may not have been clear. My T3 is a 11-28 cassette (bike I like in link does not meet my gearing requirements). I need that lower gearing - partially paralysed and with a medical condition that prevents me from putting muscle on, but also causes muscle wastage very easily. I can eventually put muscle on, but it is really difficult, so what I have now is all I will probably have. I was looking at gear inches etc... the 30 front 28 combination I have now gives me a 28.1... a compact of 34 with a 32 rear cassette would give me 27.9, so I can't sensibly have a compact with anything smaller than a 32 rear cassette and there I have run into problems with bikes such as the T3 whose RD is only designed to take 26 (though I am running it on a 28 but it won't manage anything else.)

So I have to look at combinations very carefully. if the bike is a compact or double and comes with a 25 or 26 rear cassette there is a pretty good chance that the RD will only take a 26 max...

I would also prefer not to have to promptly change most things on a new bike. I will undoubtable have to change the stem, bars, saddle and pedals at the very minimum plus fit cross levers and change the brake pads to something more grippy and it will also be getting my old wheels... already sounds like a lot of switching and I hate indexing!

 

[fivepence]

After my well deserved lie in this morning a wee blast to get the blood flowing http://www.strava.com/activities/131454230
On a day like today something tells me there will be a blast part 2 later

 

[MattMM]

Mo time then. I ride a triple road bike and my gearing is not very much different to a compact double 12-28 just 1/3 of an inch lower on the 30x25 31.56" compared with 31.94" on a 34x28.

@Stonechat I was a bit tired last night, your right 11-32 range capacity 37th, though you couldn't use that range on a triple set up as a 30-39-50 and 11-32 is its 41th (these are Shimano figures you can usually tease a few teeth extra)

Yup I'm a standard Shimano 11-32 rear cassette with triple 48/38/28 chain set. Today I was very much in the 32x28 kinda end, however on my earlier epic 24PR ride on Wednesday, was mashing the 48 front ring on the smallest 11 cog on the flat for pretty much the first time. Probably why I hit the PRs and my legs are still recovering today...

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

After a discussion with lovely hubby about abandoning him on our day off together, he stamped my pass for a ride out. Decided I need to work on some weaknesses so went off to a local (little) hill and did a few reps. Not really analysed it yet so no idea if it's a decent ride, but after a bath and bacon and egg butties (yum) I'm starting to feel a little less pooped. Off to the garden centre soon to buy a voucher for a friend's birthday gift, and I'm pleased to report the sun is trying to make a repeat appearance so we might walk there

Happy Easter everybody, enjoy any rides you get done

 

[BrianEvesham]

Tried to do my first big hill today and failed miserably 1/2 of the way up and couldn't do anymore.
I was too ashamed to look at the old lady walking up it on the way back down.

Here is the hill
http://www.strava.com/segments/3851135

Don't worry there's no shame. Keep plugging away and you WILL breeze up there one day.

Made it out for a short loop this morning

http://www.strava.com/activities/131458506

 

[Mr_K_Dilkington]

Two and a bit months into cycling, having not done any exercise for years before - this morning I did 20 miles in under an hour at Hillingdon circuit with quite a strong headwind on the slight uphill northern drag. Feel like I could have gone harder also (having cycled for such a short amount of time, I still haven't found my limits, so pacing can be a little off at times), maybe to 21 or 22mph over the course of the hour, especially if there was less of a wind up.

Strava link here: http://www.strava.com/activities/131457606/overview

Feeling really good about my progress