Winter training

[jimboalee]

Started commuting on the heavy bike yesterday.

Weighed it when I got home for interest's sake. A smidgen under 38lb with the batteries in the lamps.

There are 10% hills on both to and from trips. The bike has a 67" top ( Sturmey 3 speed ) and I rode the entire day on that gear.
Up the hills was a challenge. 30 rpm cadence at around 6 mph. A small amount of sensation in my quads.

This morning, my legs feel like they have doubled in size and getting up the Chesterton Bank 10% was a breeze.

This is 'old school' and I don't prescribe anyone do it if they are new to cycling. You know, 'bad for the knees' and all that.

On my Dawes, I usually go up those gradients at 40 rpm in a 70" gear. I'm a bit beyond the 'newbie' situation of 50 rpm in a 42" gear.

 

[I am Spartacus]

This is 'old school' and I don't prescribe anyone do it if they are new to cycling. You know, 'bad for the knees' and all that.

Not so 'old school'.. knee warning of course applies as you mention
but
a high load , goodish hill or high resistance level i.e. "big hill big gear" is a perfectly valid base training sub phase in a cycling specific training programme

 

[lukesdad]

How far is the commute jimbo and out of interest how long does it take you?

 

[SimonC]

Not so 'old school'.. knee warning of course applies as you mention
but
a high load , goodish hill or high resistance level i.e. "big hill big gear" is a perfectly valid base training sub phase in a cycling specific training programme

Do the same myself 2 nights a week on commute home, have got a 20 mile extended route home which is basically thru Sheffields hilly suburbs so all street lights, which has 7 decent hills, each one takes about 4 mins, biggish gear, absolutely hammer each one, sprint last bit to top, get home, legs knackered (still knackered this morning!), job done.

Old skool.

 

[jimboalee]

How far is the commute jimbo and out of interest how long does it take you?

23 miles. 1 hour 50 ish depending on the wind direction.

I attempted to average 12.5 mph.
On a 38lb bike

1 hour 30 on the Dawes.
14lb lighter and a lot more aerodynamic.

 

[zacklaws]

>>>>and I rode the entire day on that gear<<<<

So if the commute is only 1 hour 50 ish how come you rode all day, or are you a delivery boy, post man or did you just mean "I rode the whole journey in that gear"

 

[jimboalee]

Remember the NASA Curve? The Mumbo Jumbo??

My 12.5 mph average on that bike is about 110 Watts.
If you plot that on the chart, it is as close as dammit in RATIO with Whitt's curve from my 375 Watts for 1 minute test sprint in the summer.

I'm happy with that, as earlier in the year, this bike did not have Schwalbe M+ tyres and was 2lb lighter.
I did a 105 km AUK DIY pop in 325 minutes, which was a very well executed 12 mph. On this bike that was 95 Watts average. That is in RATIO with Whitt's curve.

If anyone's interested, the 375 Watts test sprint ( on the flat ) was 21.3 mph. 110 cadence in the 67" gear.


And Lukesdad, if it wasn't for good keeping of records, this info would not be so easliy found, and this would not have been posted so soon.

 

[jimboalee]

>>>>and I rode the entire day on that gear<<<<

So if the commute is only 1 hour 50 ish how come you rode all day, or are you a delivery boy, post man or did you just mean "I rode the whole journey in that gear"

I lied.

My commute started at 00:00:00.0001 and finished at 23:59:59.9999; with only a 3 nanosecond rest break at 12:00:00.0000

 

[lukesdad]

Can t see myself going this way on my commute tough enough allready.Do my base training at weekend,on a 5 mile loop lowest point is 270ft highest 830ft stiffest part being 3/4 mile at 11% average. Do multiple laps & try to sprint over top,not on a 30LB bike mind, as Ive allready said I have it tough enough without loading it even more.

Do you ride this way 5days a week thru the winter.

 

[jimboalee]

Can t see myself going this way on my commute tough enough allready.Do my base training at weekend,on a 5 mile loop lowest point is 270ft highest 830ft stiffest part being 3/4 mile at 11% average. Do multiple laps & try to sprint over top,not on a 30LB bike mind, as Ive allready said I have it tough enough without loading it even more.

Do you ride this way 5days a week thru the winter.

Nah.

I work 06:30 - 15:15 except for Weds when I have a 16:30 meeting which lasts an hour.
Wednesdays is a long day. I use this to carry laundry and clean clothes ( and have a sleep in the car at lunch time ).

Tuesdays and Thursdays are gym nights on the treadmill and weights.

Fridays is early out at 12:00. I go straight to the gym from home for a couple of hours to give my legs a workout on the gym bike.

Sat and Sun - recovery, if I'm not on a 100 or 200 Audax.

 

[lukesdad]

Spot on about the records by the way.