The Cycling Thread

[fizzwheel]

I cycle regularly with a work colleague who is a 3rd cat in the local Yeovil Cycling Club, so I wont be going on my own if I do decide to go.

I've also met another Yeovil Cycling Club rider when I've been out on a ride on my own and chatted to him a bit.

I figured I could just do a 10 Mile TT on the look as it is and then get some tri bars if I decide I like it, if I get laughed at well then it wont be the club for me. but they seem welcoming to new members.

I've got enough bits to build another bike, just not all on one bike, I'm thinking I could buy a frameset and swap my spare stuff onto it and build up a race bike cheaply and them maybe try a race on that rather than risking my LOOK.

The local club also have race training nights on tuesdays where they teach the beginners about riding in a group and practise chain gangs as well so I could also go along to that and get a feel for it all.

First step is trying the club run I think though and getting over the fact that I can be painfully shy when I meet new people.

Chap I work with says my fitness is enough for the inters club run so I wont need to go in the slow group and he's happy to come round with me in that group so I'm not on my own.

[maviczap]

Sounds like that club is well organised and forward looking.

Yep, just get a decent 2nd hand frame and build it up.

I've only ever bought 2 brand new quality road bikes, does that make me a cheapskate or just careful with my money

Although I've always bought lots of new components

Having a mate who knows the score is invaluable.

Being shy, well that's just you, nowt we can do

Mine isnt racing, its just training with the local racing team and a bunch of other guys who are just dipping their toe into 4th Cat riding. I'm some way off their level yet. My initial power is pretty good as I can spring away from a 20mph pack but its keeping it up. We ran a little test where 2 packs were riding around at a similar pace on the track, about 200-300 metres apart. You then had to break from the back pack and meet the front before taking part in through & off. I managed to break the first 100 metres, but then started to blow up. This was after about 10 miles at zone 4 on my HRM!

I need to get the base endurance stuff in so that I can ride a higher pace at a lower heart rate. Id like to target around 2000 miles between now and April.

There may be a window for me to go training in Spain sometime in March which would give me a real boost and a lot of miles under the belt.

I'm not focusing on climbing, or high intervals on the road, purely just putting the miles in at a low heart rate and hoping the rest follows.

The advice is probably to walk before you can run, but I'm enjoying pushing the limits on these sessions and then taking it easy on the long runs.

[maviczap]

Yep, thats what the early season training camps are all about. In fact you get told off if you up the pace!


Piano, Piano! is the cry, meaning slowly slowly

The relability trials here are designed with this in mind

Well I'm hoping to do 40 miles tomorrow with the local club tomorrow, if I don't feel like **** again tomorrow. Followed by mostly hiding from the news cameras as they are following the ride so I hear. I do turbo training during the week. I will hopefully go to the cyclo cross next week, missed it through work this week.

Question for you lot. When I'm sprinting out of the seat, when I put the power down, I'll either get a bit of rear wheel slip or i'll get the back skipping about (I think this might be down to too much pulling on the upstroke?). Is it poor pedalling technique or positioning which is causing this?

[Dipper]

Originally Posted by maviczap

Although I've always bought lots of new components

Found this place last night while looking for a close ratio 7 speed cassette, like rocking horse poo in the uk but this lot stock 'em. Very good prices on components, German based but even with postage seems better value than Wiggle Reaction etc. with none of the gimmicky offers.

http://www.rosebikes.co.uk/products

[fizzwheel]

Popped into one of the local bike shops in Portsmouth today, oh god a Colagno Master in the shop, was getting itchy credit card finger so had to leave, it was bl**dy gorgeous.

Did 40 miles today which went pretty good, however I feel really quite tried. Is there anyway I help myself so I have more energy after a ride and don't want to fall asleep?

Had a chilled 1 1/2hr ride round the Chilterns today, nice warm and sunny, with a few hills.

About to head off to Wales for a spot of surf tomorrow