The Cycling Thread

[Skip]

Originally Posted by krhall

Every dude on a bike with skinny tyres seems to fly past me effortlessly.

One thing I have noticed which has really surprised me is that my back hasn't hurt at all since cycling to and from work.

I have decided that if I don't get into the marathon I'm going to apply for the London to brighton bike ride!

Yup I see a couple of those occassionally - but there is so much sand/gravel/mud etc etc on the back roads I use a bike with 700x20 tyres is just not practical!

Good luck with that

[Viney]

Originally Posted by krhall

I've managed 100 miles this week of traffic dodging cycling hell. Got all the way to works car park slowly coming to a halt outside reception and pulled a bit too much front brake then - bye bye straight over the bars with my feet still clipped in - what a prat!

Still 100 miles in a week from minimal cycling is quiate an achievement - but I do need a faster bike or faster legs.

Find the cycle route, or at least part of it. Check out the TFL website. I must admit that i use the cycle route every now and again, but its soooo quiet going down all the back roads. I like to dice with death evey now and again, it keeps you awake.

As for falling over outside work! Muppet!!

[Viney]

Originally Posted by mattSV

Cheers Skip - just ordered some new parts for the bike, treated myself to a carbon bottle cage at the same time

Have also just been to Aldi - spent less than seventy five quid and bought:-

Winter bib leggings - fleece lined and padded - two pairs
SPD shoes
2* winter jerseys
A winter jacket
2 pairs of socks

Bargain - less than I used to spend on just a pair of shorts and a tshirt!

Details here:-

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers...thursday08.htm

Will drop by my local branch on the way home, no hang on, probably tomorrow to pick up one of the jackets. Im still not convinced by the shoes thing.

[Viney]

Not a good friday.

Got on the bike, thought, oo, the front tyre is a bit soft. So get off, pump up[ the tyre. Pull the pump off and snap the top of the presta valve off Had to push the bike from work to the nearest bike shop for a new tube.

Must get a better pump.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by timwilky

1) Why do some idiots insist on riding on the pavement. Get aggressive at pedestrians and refuse to use the marked cycle lane that runs along the side of the road?

2) Why when two or more cyclists (not kids/families, but the lycra clad brigade) ride on the road do they ride alongside each other instead of behind eqach other. Nice on the single lane country roads with a rolling roadblock doing 20-30 and refusing to let you past?

1) Sometimes cycle lanes aren't safe to use, they're often very badly planned or positioned. I use a wide pavement on my commute instead of the cycle lane because I've seen too many cyclists hit while using it, and it's too narrow and has a terrible surface. Also, it deposits you into a left-turning lane and it's almost impossible to safely cross the traffic and stay on the main road.

But, I would never get aggressive at pedestrians, if I'm on the pavement I'm just borrowing it, and I go round them not the other way round.

2) It's defensive riding, often. Cars often try to squeeze past a single cyclist in the same lane, and get far too close, so riding in pairs forces them to give cyclists the space that they should. The highway code says that when you pass a cyclist you should give them the space you would a small car- who does that? Very few people.

Other times, it's just bad riding, but it's not always a wrong thing to do. But if you're doing it you should be aware of what's behind you, just like any other slow traffic.

Originally Posted by northwind

2) It's defensive riding, often. Cars often try to squeeze past a single cyclist in the same lane, so riding in pairs forces them to give cyclists the space that they should. The highway code says that when you pass a cyclist you should give them the space you would a small car- who does that? Very few people.

Other times, it's just bad riding, but it's not always a wrong thing to do

I thought it was a social thing.

After no serious rides since May I put in 35 hilly miles in 2.5 hours on Sat which I was quite pleased with. Also sent off my entry to the Dartmoor Devil today, 100km.

[northwind]

Originally Posted by malks

anyone fancy an org day out to glentress or somewhere like that??

Definately, but not this year, still much too rubbish

[fizzwheel]

Another Sportive completed. Did The Tour of Dartmoor today. Ouch very hard ride. very challenging.

Stats if you're interested

Ride Time : 6hrs 53 minutes
Max Heart Rate : 189
Average Heart Rate : 149
Kcals Burned : 6009
Distance : 83 miles
Avg Speed : 12mph
Max Speed : 44.7mph
Avg Cadence : 74
Max Cadence : 107

Sounds slow, but factor in the ride was not at all flat, and had 10,869 ft of climbing in it.

Well done. What was your total time? I didn't realise that was happening today.

What device do you measure all that on? Seems like a very posh bit of kit!

That calorie burn seems high, I've always assumed about 4/600 calories an hour. But I dont know enough to know whats right or wrong.

I never get my HR that high, goes to about 175 before I need to slow down or get off! My legs go before my lungs though, so maybe I'm not strong enough to push harder.

Are you doing the Dartmoor Devil next month?

[fizzwheel]

Ah my total tiime is not quite as good. We spent a lot of time in the feed stations topping up rolls and stretching so I ended up with a time of 7hrs 40 mins and 7 seconds, which got me a Bronze certificate.

As for the stats. I've got a Polar CS200CAD which its a cycling computer and a HRM monitor so thats why I get the heartrate and calorie stuff to.

I rode alot of the climbs not far off my theorectical max 175 - 180 all the time. Ride was hard much harder than I expected and I havent done any proper training for the last 5 months. TBH I was just pleased to get round !!

I'm the same as you my legs go before my heart / lungs do.

Nope not doing the Dartmoor Devil, me and my mate are talking about doing he Beast of Exmoor in November though.