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

[Leescfc79]

Not posted for a while but been getting out when I can, I've also realised it's not that long until I do the prudential London/Surrey 100 miles so I'd better start upping my game, with that in mind I popped over to Kent for a ride with a friend after work.

My biggest worry about the ride in August is Leith Hill which is a lot steeper than anything you can find in Essex so we headed to Knatts Valley as it has some short, sharp climbs. Glad to say I didn't have to get off and walk (the last 0.4 miles of the climb averages 9%) but I was going so slow my garmin kept auto pausing!!


http://app.strava.com/activities/154803837

 

[inkd]

Well I have done my commute in and out of work last night using Strava for the first time and well.... I did push myself a little and smashed my own best time for the complete commute by nearly 4 minutes and got my highest average speed for the route Is this the "slippery slope" I have been warned about?? http://www.strava.com/activities/154951618 Also what is a "category 4 climb" ??

 

[Goonerobes]

Well I have done my commute in and out of work last night using Strava for the first time and well.... I did push myself a little and smashed my own best time for the complete commute by nearly 4 minutes and got my highest average speed for the route Is this the "slippery slope" I have been warned about?? http://www.strava.com/activities/154951618 Also what is a "category 4 climb" ??

Well done & yes, that is the slippery slope & if you're not careful you'll be trying to beat you time on every ride!

A category 4 climb is easier that a cat 3 but harder than a cat 5 & not something we have to worry about in the New Forest!
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/climb_information/

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well I have done my commute in and out of work last night using Strava for the first time and well.... I did push myself a little and smashed my own best time for the complete commute by nearly 4 minutes and got my highest average speed for the route Is this the "slippery slope" I have been warned about?? http://www.strava.com/activities/154951618 Also what is a "category 4 climb" ??

Yep,
There are various categories of climbs going from 4 to 1 there is another H.C. but I would need to look up the spelling.
cat 4 are the easier ones and cat 1's the hardest, there are various variables that make up each category, but essential if you climb 400ft in 1 mile compared with 400ft in 2 miles one would be in say a cat 4 the other a cat 3, but distance and overall climbing play a part into what climb gets placed in which category, I dont know the actually categories.

Though be careful strava as it does show some false cat'4s motorway bridges are good for this where the segment has been set using a route which has been recorded using something that does not record the elevation via a barometric reading, what happens is between to gps fixes most applications will pick up the elevation for the motorway (this being the main road) if on the bridge, either side the gps plot is for the road the track was on, and we all know that some can be very steep, so you end up with a very short but very steep climb, there are others as well, but they are usually down to a bad gps track and making the segment from such a track.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well done & yes, that is the slippery slope & if you're not careful you'll be trying to beat you time on every ride!

A category 4 climb is easier that a cat 3 but harder than a cat 5 & not something we have to worry about in the New Forest!
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/climb_information/

Only ever seen that on mapmyride, there is a formula for working out how difficult a climb is if you want to its the climbybike formula though it is a little complex at first, I use this to compare how my rides compare with each other, as a simple ft/mile is slightly different.

 

[inkd]

Thanks for that, as @Goonerobes will agree we only have "slopes" in the forest not hills

 

[welsh dragon]

Well the heavens have opened up here, so no cycling today. Glad I got a ride in yesterday. Have a great day everyone and hope you all enjoy your ride, walk, run, fettling.

 

[Goonerobes]

Thanks for that, as @Goonerobes will agree we only have "slopes" in the forest not hills

Yep, although there are plenty of slopes in the forest I'm planning on crossing the border into Wiltshire again this weekend in search of hills. (I must be mad!)

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Well the heavens have opened up here, so no cycling today. Glad I got a ride in yesterday. Have a great day everyone and hope you all enjoy your ride, walk, run, fettling.

don't think it will be for long. tis sunny here btw! But I am not in the mood for cycling at the moment... may possible see if I feel like it later but have to walk up to the dr's, then walk the dog and do a cow check now... such is life! (landlady won 2 * 4th places and 1 * 3rd place with her cattle at the Cheshire show yesterday, so can't let this calf down, mind you it seems entirely content staying put at the moment! )

 

[Kins]

95% cloud cover and quite chilly means I have had to put on some trousers indoors. Back still no better so good excuse to potter with some bike maintenance. +1 arrives today hopefully. Enjoy your rides!

 

[Leescfc79]

Yep, although there are plenty of slopes in the forest I'm planning on crossing the border into Wiltshire again this weekend in search of hills. (I must be mad!)

When I first started I used to plan my routes to avoid hills as much as possible, now I actively search them out (mainly because I'm rubbish and want to practice) but I've found myself cycling 15 miles just to go up a hill and back agin!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

95% cloud cover and quite chilly means I have had to put on some trousers indoors. Back still no better so good excuse to potter with some bike maintenance. +1 arrives today hopefully. Enjoy your rides!

It might also be a idea to get Garmin+1 as well.

 

[Kins]

It might also be a idea to get Garmin+1 as well.

Shut it! Skint this month. Bought far to many shiny things as well as some new lycra! Going to stick all my Mountain Bikes and gear on Evil Bay as not going to use it with my back as it is. If I get enough pennies I'll think about a garmin.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Shut it! Skint this month. Bought far to many shiny things as well as some new lycra! Going to stick all my Mountain Bikes and gear on Evil Bay as not going to use it with my back as it is. If I get enough pennies I'll think about a garmin.

You can get good 705' from about 80-120 800' from the £170 mark, mine was 45, but its took some working out a few niggles., its done three or four longer rides now and hasn't switched off.

 

[Trevor_P]

Or a shiny new 810 with Hrm and Gsc for £290..... And get the silent treatment from Mrs P