Team BKool CycleChat

[bobinski]

Hi Adam, good to see you back on the bike and Bkool.

Even riding over the past 12 months hasn't made Bkool rides any easier, .

Wasn't it Greg Lemond who said of training;

" it never gets easier you just get faster" ?

Sounds about right. Some of the time anyway

I have been thinking about the Velothon but having to dismount on the hills only because others have really puts me off.

 

[kipster]

Wasn't it Greg Lemond who said of training;

" it never gets easier you just get faster" ?

Sounds about right. Some of the time anyway

I have been thinking about the Velothon but having to dismount on the hills only because others have really puts me off.

I really enjoyed Velothon, much preferred it to pru ride 100. I was unlucky with having to dismount, poor forward planning, but I was trying to keep out of the way of faster climbers.
Go for it, you won't regret it, then you might feel the need to do the series (Berlin, Stockholm etc..).

 

[one_legged_rider]

I only started cycling recently, and I'm very much the wrong side of 40, and at first I struggled. Really the only way around it is keeping at it. The first few rides I tried I couldn't finish. I must have tried Alpe d'huez 3 or 4 times before I finally finished it. Very painful! But doing that climb was one of my first targets when I got the Bkool. Now, I can ride climbs (like current Goat #2) that are twice as far as Alpe, and I'm twice as long in the saddle. Still very hard and painful, but staying with it over the weeks (and the encouragement from the guys on here) really helps. At first don't kick yourself if you don't finish a ride ... be proud that you got on the bike in the first place

Its really encouraging to hear that with a bit of motivation real improvements are possible
I think i will be giving the goat rides a miss for now, but you have given me the motivation to try the moose rides.

 

[gbrown]

Based on the fact that you can't buy a decent power meter for a bike for under £500 650 euro then I doubt if the Vortex has anything in it that directly measures power.

agree

 

[theboxers]

If you want to work on your cadence here's a cadence drill from a programme I'm following...
First do the bkool FTP test to set your power zones. (Not the same day as you plan this cadence set)

10 min Warm up Z1 to Z2
5 mins 100rpm, max. of Z3
2 mins 90rpm, max. of Z3
5 mins 100rpm, max of Z3
5 mins 110rpm, max of Z3
2 mins 100rpm, max of Z3
5 mins 110rpm, max of Z3
3 mins 125rpm, max of Z3
Cool down 10 mins recovery, Z2 into Z1.

The 110 and 125rpm section are difficult to hold your form but do your best. Imagine wiping your feet on a mat when your pedal at the bottom of its stroke rather than just powering down on the down stroke. Once your stamina is built up the you can repeat the whole set but for now once will be enough.

It's best to do this on a steady gradient of say 2% so you have some resistance to push into - ive set this up...http://www.bkool.com/profile/detail/924153?durationType=DISTANCE&lapCount=1

I hope that you can vary the times of each section to allow yourself to build up to this. I will be using this as a guide. Instead of 5 minutes stints initially I will be trying 2 minutes. Then I will work my way up as fitness allows.

I have gone from a, struggling to do 60 rpm on the flats, rider. To someone who is now getting 70 rpm at max resistance, on my bkool classic. All be it in my lowest gear, 34/32. With 85-90 on the flats in any gear. My warm ups can be 95-100 rpm, working from z1 to z4. Well at least that was what I was doing before Christmas . Now not so much

 

[IrishAl]

I hope that you can vary the times of each section to allow yourself to build up to this. I will be using this as a guide. Instead of 5 minutes stints initially I will be trying 2 minutes. Then I will work my way up as fitness allows.

I have gone from a, struggling to do 60 rpm on the flats, rider. To someone who is now getting 70 rpm at max resistance, on my bkool classic. All be it in my lowest gear, 34/32. With 85-90 on the flats in any gear. My warm ups can be 95-100 rpm, working from z1 to z4. Well at least that was what I was doing before Christmas . Now not so much

Sure vary the times and reduce the cadence if you like. I really struggle to hold anything above 100 without a lot of concentration. The important thing is that it isnt jyst about throwing your pedals round as fast as possible but try to focus on a speed and hold it. Youll need to focus on your core muscles to keep your form. Good luck.

 

[IrishAl]

Sorry to hear that!

Dont be too disappointed. Theres still 2 week to go for another try.

 

[Goldwolfie]

Well don't feel like you need to challenge me lol. Don't think I could do it again!

Well done Gail, it looks like there is going to be a good competition at the back of the group this time around..

I couldn't get near your time when I did CG Stage 2 earlier this morning - keep up the good work and looking forward to next week's 'battle'

 

[theboxers]

Well don't feel like you need to challenge me lol. Don't think I could do it again!

Well done Gail, it looks like there is going to be a good competition at the back of the group this time around..

I couldn't get near your time when I did CG Stage 2 earlier this morning - keep up the good work and looking forward to next week's 'battle'

I am in need of some guidance on this stage so I will be challenging one of you and adding the other as a ghost. The way I am at the moment you'll both beat me

 

[kipster]

Puerto de san Glorio is just about the toughest thing I've done on the turbo, two bottles of drink, a banana and 5 jelly babies got me to the top. My time needs approving in the league please, as the jelly babies were out of arms reach and I had to stop to get them!

Please don't make me do it again

 

[theboxers]

That was unexpected. Did a hell of a lot better than anticipated

Now I just need a rest and refuel

 

[rob01792]

and I thought u weren't well. well done

 

[theboxers]

and I thought u weren't well. well done

I on my last 2 pills today

I think that that type of stage, low rolling style with short, sharp steeper sections are kind to me, relatively speaking. I can just about power over the short steeper sections and then use my in built momentum generation to aid acceleration on the downslopes .

My hr was higher, avg and max, than that style of session normally causes. But I think it's a bit of lack of riding over the last 4 weeks and illness that has caused the increase.

Still I need to get back on the rivet in the various leagues

 

[theboxers]

Puerto de san Glorio is just about the toughest thing I've done on the turbo, two bottles of drink, a banana and 5 jelly babies got me to the top. My time needs approving in the league please, as the jelly babies were out of arms reach and I had to stop to get them!

Please don't make me do it again

I have just looked at that stage. . If I was to attempt that I think I'd be looking a 3- 3 1/2 hours

 

[RickB]

Chaingang Rerun tonight 5pm

Course: Salford CC Lymm Ride
http://www.bkool.com/classification/showIndividualStageClassification/4874

32km - bit uphill at the start then drops to the flats for the remainder - any riders close together when coming to the flats should aim to work together if possible!

Warm-up begins at 7pm for 10 minutes - look for it under the 'Live' tab between 5 and 5:10pm - if you cant see it use the advanced search at the bottom of the screen and search for 'Rickb'. Do not start a session from the League tab - you must join it from the Live tab if you want to race against each other. Remember to stop pedaling well before the end of the warm up.