Team BKool CycleChat

[Del C]

I've been out and about in trw now that the weather has turned rather nice. I expect my appearances on BKool will be sporadic over spring/summer.

But it is good to see that @keithaitch appears to be getting back to form/fitness.

Same here and it was hot out there in trw yesterday!

Hardly rode outside at all over the winter, which is unusual for me. I think I had around 3 rides in trw in 3 months, spending all my time on Bkool.

Slightly odd going back out on the road. Legs feel strong after a winter on Bkool, but the stamina is less than I expected. It was a bit breezy the first couple of times I went out. Average speed ok, but I tired much quicker than I expected to.

Anyone else experience anything like this when they transition back into trw?

 

[CXRAndy]

Anyone else experience anything like this when they transition back into trw?

Your endurance will of suffered a little without multi hour rides. I started after Xmas with 2 then 3 to 4 hour group rides on Zwift at tempo pace . Zwift rides normally have 50 to 150 riders on each of these sessions.

 

[peterob]

Same here and it was hot out there in trw yesterday!

Hardly rode outside at all over the winter, which is unusual for me. I think I had around 3 rides in trw in 3 months, spending all my time on Bkool.

Slightly odd going back out on the road. Legs feel strong after a winter on Bkool, but the stamina is less than I expected. It was a bit breezy the first couple of times I went out. Average speed ok, but I tired much quicker than I expected to.

Anyone else experience anything like this when they transition back into trw?

After a winter on Bkool (almost all full-on half hour or so efforts that we tend to do on the CG/handicap races) I've noticed an increase in power in trw that helps me power up short inclines. I don't think my endurance will have improved, though I'm sure I'd see an improvement in 10-mile TT efforts - if I ever did them!

I've got a couple of longer rides coming up - an 85-miler tomorrow and a hilly 75-miler next weekend that will test the endurance. Then I'll need to work towards the Chester-Paris trip.

I took the new bike out in trw this morning for the first time. I think I got a PB for my commute (no Strava segment PBs) without really going for it and a with a fairly heavy bag on my back. It's all about the bike!

 

[<Tommy>]

Same here and it was hot out there in trw yesterday!

Hardly rode outside at all over the winter, which is unusual for me. I think I had around 3 rides in trw in 3 months, spending all my time on Bkool.

Slightly odd going back out on the road. Legs feel strong after a winter on Bkool, but the stamina is less than I expected. It was a bit breezy the first couple of times I went out. Average speed ok, but I tired much quicker than I expected to.

Anyone else experience anything like this when they transition back into trw?

I know what you mean Del. I’ve befriended / cyber stalked you on Strava (I’m Thomas Burton ) so I’ve seen you’ve been putting in a few real world miles. The fact you’re happy with your speed but were cycling into wind may say something. You obviously don’t get changeable weather on the turbo so it’s much easier to judge speed relative to effort. The real world is the truth basically I think. More to manage. Having a ftp at a certain value on the turbo isn’t directly transferable to the real world performance on its own I don’t think. In the real world your changing pace much more, you’ve got less than perfect road surfaces and you have to deal with loads more.

For me when I venture outside again the rest of my body takes a while to catch up with my legs. My shoulders and back feel sore on longer rides for the first few weeks. And my power numbers are much lower than on the turbo. But it soon all comes back though I reckon

 

[Del C]

I know what you mean Del. I’ve befriended / cyber stalked you on Strava (I’m Thomas Burton ) so I’ve seen you’ve been putting in a few real world miles. The fact you’re happy with your speed but were cycling into wind may say something. You obviously don’t get changeable weather on the turbo so it’s much easier to judge speed relative to effort. The real world is the truth basically I think. More to manage. Having a ftp at a certain value on the turbo isn’t directly transferable to the real world performance on its own I don’t think. In the real world your changing pace much more, you’ve got less than perfect road surfaces and you have to deal with loads more.

For me when I venture outside again the rest of my body takes a while to catch up with my legs. My shoulders and back feel sore on longer rides for the first few weeks. And my power numbers are much lower than on the turbo. But it soon all comes back though I reckon

I was thinking last night "Who is Thomas Burton?"

All good points. I certainly had a sore back the first two rides out. I averaged about 17.4mph on a windy Saturday, got to 28 miles and thought that's enough of that! Rode around 35 miles on the Sunday, average in the 16s this time, but backache again.

Did a 50 miler in yesterday's sun. Felt better. Average down to round to 15.4, but this one had lots of hills as we rode through the Ashdown Forest. Back good this time, but got back with a sore shoulder instead.

Like you say, you soon remember that bike position, wind and trying to avoid the finest pot holes that Surrey, Sussex and Kent can serve up is quite a different experience from Bkool.

 

[Del C]

Your endurance will of suffered a little without multi hour rides. I started after Xmas with 2 then 3 to 4 hour group rides on Zwift at tempo pace . Zwift rides normally have 50 to 150 riders on each of these sessions.

I'm going to have to try out Zwift. It's clear that I need to put in a few longer sessions than I do when riding Chain Gang or Bkool cup rides.

I did ride an @Aleman ride earlier this week....... which would have been good, except my Broadband was playing up, so I had to switch from video to 3D to avoid the endless video freezing!

 

[Del C]

I know what you mean Del. I’ve befriended / cyber stalked you on Strava (I’m Thomas Burton ) so I’ve seen you’ve been putting in a few real world miles.

Followed back....... with an instant kudos for this morning's ride!

 

[<Tommy>]

I was thinking last night "Who is Thomas Burton?"

All good points. I certainly had a sore back the first two rides out. I averaged about 17.4mph on a windy Saturday, got to 28 miles and thought that's enough of that! Rode around 35 miles on the Sunday, average in the 16s this time, but backache again.

Did a 50 miler in yesterday's sun. Felt better. Average down to round to 15.4, but this one had lots of hills as we rode through the Ashdown Forest. Back good this time, but got back with a sore shoulder instead.

Like you say, you soon remember that bike position, wind and trying to avoid the finest pot holes that Surrey, Sussex and Kent can serve up is quite a different experience from Bkool.

Stretching is the other thing. I’m trying to stretch out my back and shoulders for a good few minutes pre ride. My bike position is on the aggressive side and I’ve got a shoulder niggle so my body needs a bit of gentle persuasion! Then I just spin high cadence for the first few minutes to get the legs going. Talk about beautiful cycling weather though!

 

[bobinski]

I have got some copy trx resistance straps and have been doing some exercises with them to stretch, loosen and strengthen this last week, all in anticipation of going out on the road. Apart from waking yesterday with a back that didn’t want to rotate they seem to help. I certainly wouldn’t be able to do deep squats without them. Highly recommended

https://greatist.com/fitness/effective-TRX-exercises

 

[Del C]

Stretching is the other thing. I’m trying to stretch out my back and shoulders for a good few minutes pre ride. My bike position is on the aggressive side and I’ve got a shoulder niggle so my body needs a bit of gentle persuasion! Then I just spin high cadence for the first few minutes to get the legs going. Talk about beautiful cycling weather though!

Pilates is good for stretching and core strength

 

[peterob]

I know what you mean Del. I’ve befriended / cyber stalked you on Strava (I’m Thomas Burton )

I've been looking at your rides too Tommy. I reckon you must be getting giddy with all those laps of Regents Park you're doing!

 

[<Tommy>]

I've been looking at your rides too Tommy. I reckon you must be getting giddy with all those laps of Regents Park you're doing!

It’s funny you say that peter. I was having a conversation with someone this morning while doing laps about the same thing. It must look a bit mad on strava doing the same loop again and again. It’s a bit of a cycling Mecca though to be honest. It’s probably one of the most ridden segments in the uk if not the world on strava. Because there’s lots of amateur and the odd pro who train around there it can be quite a buzz if you get into a good group. Some mornings it’s like riding in the peloton! It’s such a nice part of London. Smooth road and very little traffic at that time. It attracts all sorts. I saw wiggins there a couple of times in the build up to his hour attempt. I road a few laps with Cipollini a couple of years back when he was in town. Well me and about 50 other blokes all bunking off work on a Tuesday! And this morning the pace was slow because I got into a conversation with an older chap about French tapestry’s amongst other things. Very random...

 

[Randyberlin]

It’s funny you say that peter. I was having a conversation with someone this morning while doing laps about the same thing. It must look a bit mad on strava doing the same loop again and again. It’s a bit of a cycling Mecca though to be honest. It’s probably one of the most ridden segments in the uk if not the world on strava. Because there’s lots of amateur and the odd pro who train around there it can be quite a buzz if you get into a good group. Some mornings it’s like riding in the peloton! It’s such a nice part of London. Smooth road and very little traffic at that time. It attracts all sorts. I saw wiggins there a couple of times in the build up to his hour attempt. I road a few laps with Cipollini a couple of years back when he was in town. Well me and about 50 other blokes all bunking off work on a Tuesday! And this morning the pace was slow because I got into a conversation with an older chap about French tapestry’s amongst other things. Very random...

Like Zwift

 

[<Tommy>]

Like Zwift

Closer to the truth than you think Randy! You don’t get the Mario kart style power ups around Regent’s Park. But you do get the guy who created Zwift occasionally.

 

[theboxers]

I'm going to have to try out Zwift. It's clear that I need to put in a few longer sessions than I do when riding Chain Gang or Bkool cup rides.

I did ride an @Aleman ride earlier this week....... which would have been good, except my Broadband was playing up, so I had to switch from video to 3D to avoid the endless video freezing!

There are quite a few long video routes on bkool. @Aleman has been very generous to bkool in that respect. If you want to do 2 or more hours indoors you had better get used to a sore posterior . The lack of a need to change position on the bike indors means you tend to end up locked in one position for long periods, not comfortable .