[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[1066familyman]

Sagan was always odds on fav for today I reckon. Considering his disappointment from MSR and E3 he was bound to be fired right up for the win here. That's why I like him, learns quick and has so much fight in him. Comes across as a nice bloke too who's just having fun doing what he does best.

 

[Motogull]

Ebay really does seem to be a sellers market. Ridiculous prices on there by and large, especially for cycling things these days.

I bid on a low-use GE200 that went for £75. Adding in £5 for P&P and £2 for the transaction and its a massive saving of £11 against a brand new one. Crazy.

 

[Stat Brother]

I bid on a low-use GE200 that went for £75. Adding in £5 for P&P and £2 for the transaction and its a massive saving of £11 against a brand new one. Crazy.

BikeRadar.com View topic - Garmin edge 200

BikeRadar.com View topic - Garmin edge 500/205/GSC 10 cadence

I know it's sold now but it's definitely the place to go:-

BikeRadar.com HRM

 

[1066familyman]

I bid on a low-use GE200 that went for £75. Adding in £5 for P&P and £2 for the transaction and its a massive saving of £11 against a brand new one. Crazy.

That sounds about par for the course. Crazy is the right word. I suppose it's the bidding process that entices people into paying way over the odds. There are bargains to be had there I'm sure, but certainly for cycling related stuff these days they seem very few and far between, unless you're buying new anyway.

Gumtree is a better version of Friday AD. Always worth a search as you can find bargains there.

 

[teaboy]

I'm dubious about the use of HRMs, power meters, etc by recreational riders. What's the point? What will the numbers tell you, and what will you do with the data? How will you adjust your training once you have the figures? Expensive toys if you ask me.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm dubious about the use of HRMs, power meters, etc by recreational riders. What's the point? What will the numbers tell you, and what will you do with the data? How will you adjust your training once you have the figures? Expensive toys if you ask me.

Which is exactly what I said until I got one.
Even then it was just a handy way to log my rides and routes.

It's only until I worked out my average cadence and HR, and rode with that knowledge.
My gear selection and work rate markedly improved when I was riding with a template in mind.
I never let it control my riding, I didn't set the alarms etc!!!, but it definitely improved it.

I guess power meters are an extension still further, but I've never used one.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I'm dubious about the use of HRMs, power meters, etc by recreational riders. What's the point? What will the numbers tell you, and what will you do with the data? How will you adjust your training once you have the figures? Expensive toys if you ask me.

Which is exactly what I said until I got one.
Even then it was just a handy way to log my rides and routes.

It's only until I worked out my average cadence and HR, and rode with that knowledge.
My gear selection and work rate markedly improved when I was riding with a template in mind.
I never let it control my riding, I didn't set the alarms etc!!!, but it definitely improved it.

I guess power meters are an extension still further, but I've never used one.

Got to agree with SB on this one, having now used an HR and cadance + speed sensors, I find the information incredibly useful - especially on longer climbs. If my HR starts topping out at around 182, I know I can't sustain that effort, and likewise a lower heart rate coupled with good feeling in my legs and I'm more confident I can sustain a decent kick.

Also I've found glancing at my cadence incredibly helpful for maintaining a good tempo with a sustained pace. I used to try to power through tough undulations with my cadence dropping, however now I'm using the gears much more to sustain a cadence and ultimately a rhythm and speed.

At the moment [MENTION=54]teaboy[/MENTION], the info. is telling me I'm shot at 184 bpm on the heart rate, if I'm hitting that I am well on my threshold. The cadence has been great in actually visually seeing in numbers what my legs are doing. It may seem obvious, but surprising how the cadence can drop without you realising it. I'm finding I'm comfortable at around 80 per minute, and using the sensor try to maintain this through various terrains. I probably naturally push a lower cadence to be honest at much more effort required for the same outcome, so the info. is helping I think.

I would say I'm not looking at it every 5mins, but I find it a useful guide in having a better relationship to what is going on with my body and what I'm doing on the bike.

I don't have a power meter though!

 

[Stat Brother]

We've all done similar for one thing or another.

[tweet]316582939221708801[/tweet]

 

[The Birdman]

Don't forget the Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride April21st 2013. Haywards Heath Bike Ride - April 21st 2013 - Home Choice of 4 routes 11.5 to 75 miles
Check web- site.

 

[Stat Brother]

Don't forget the Greater Haywards Heath Bike Ride April21st 2013. Haywards Heath Bike Ride - April 21st 2013 - Home Choice of 4 routes 11.5 to 75 miles
Check web- site.

I did have every intention of doing the fun ride with jnr.

Sadly, he's screwed up to such an extent a 'fun' ride in a months time, may well be off the calendar.

 

[1066familyman]

Excellent quality picture coverage of today's last 4km from Three days of De Panne:

Last 4 Km of Stage 1 (HD) (2013/driedaagse-de-panne)

There really is no doubt he's a top notch sprinter to boot. Beating Cav & Greipel in a straight sprint in TA was certainly no fluke.

 

[1066familyman]

I did have every intention of doing the fun ride with jnr.

Sadly, he's screwed up to such an extent a 'fun' ride in a months time, may well be off the calendar.

What went wrong?

 

[Stat Brother]

What went wrong?

We've unearthed my lying, deceitful, control freak of an 8 year old adopted sons, kleptomania.

Basically everything he's had a 'no' about he's subsequently stolen, and squirreled away.
This seems to have extended out to stealing from school and hoarding books, he's in with the head tomorrow.
Further investigation has found him taking food and drink, stealing sweets from shops and a set of tick removers from the vets.

Chillingly at no point has he shown any remorse or said sorry.

It's completely knocked the stuffing out of me.
Everything that's happened in the past I've always had some kind of handle on, or at least not been surprised about.
He's a butter wouldn't melt intelligent lad, but inhabits his own world for which he is the king and perceives himself to be untouchable. (if that makes sense).

He lied all the way through the finding out process, and now feels everything is ok again, and he can go back to ruling the roost.

 

[1066familyman]

Oops, sort of wished I hadn't asked now, sorry. Thought it was going to be about road safety or something.

Good luck. I'd probably be no help at all, but if ever you want an ear to bend on here, feel free to PM me.

 

[Pantani]

Excellent quality picture coverage of today's last 4km from Three days of De Panne:

Last 4 Km of Stage 1 (HD) (2013/driedaagse-de-panne)

There really is no doubt he's a top notch sprinter to boot. Beating Cav & Greipel in a straight sprint in TA was certainly no fluke.

Demare would have beaten him there if he had kept his hands on the handlebars. It was a tyre width anyway, the young frenchman needs to grow some balls frankly.

 

[1066familyman]

Demare would have beaten him there if he had kept his hands on the handlebars. It was a tyre width anyway, the young frenchman needs to grow some balls frankly.

Yep, a few moans about the sprint but still very impressive from Sagan, especially considering the pulls he was apparently doing in the break. I was surprised by Kristoff though, I thought he might have taken that as he's got decent form at the moment it seems, but went far too early.

 

[Stat Brother]

Oops, sort of wished I hadn't asked now, sorry. Thought it was going to be about road safety or something.

Good luck. I'd probably be no help at all, but if ever you want an ear to bend on here, feel free to PM me.

That's the problem he hasn't just screwed up, like we all do, and little boys are esp prone to do.
He's done it in style, without giving 2 hoots to anybody else.

Christ knows what we're going to do about it.

Tomorrow after school and the head, he's not going to football as we're off to the vets so he can return the stuff he's stolen from them. They've been forewarned and will be suitably cross with him.

I would be googling myself if I'd been caught by my parents stealing, but we just can't prick his bubble.

 

[Pantani]

Yep, a few moans about the sprint but still very impressive from Sagan, especially considering the pulls he was apparently doing in the break. I was surprised by Kristoff though, I thought he might have taken that as he's got decent form at the moment it seems, but went far too early.

Not sure why he did that either. Sagan is in the break with you, do not lead him out. Seems simple from the sidelines but what can you do. Ciolek nailed it at Milan-San Remo, that is what Kristoff and Demare should have been trying to do. The Frenchman got his tactics right but lacked the intestinal fortitude to get it done, Kristoff seemed to have a rush of blood to the head.

 

[1066familyman]

Not sure why he did that either. Sagan is in the break with you, do not lead him out. Seems simple from the sidelines but what can you do. Ciolek nailed it at Milan-San Remo, that is what Kristoff and Demare should have been trying to do. The Frenchman got his tactics right but lacked the intestinal fortitude to get it done, Kristoff seemed to have a rush of blood to the head.

Exactly!

That's what impressed me about Sagan on Sunday at GV. I think he knew it was likely Bozic would almost (he was taking pulls in the break towards the end unlike Ciolek) do a Ciolek on him and so thought... sod that I'm off! Very impressive I thought. The more I see of Sagan the more I like him.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Exactly!

That's what impressed me about Sagan on Sunday at GV. I think he knew it was likely Bozic would almost (he was taking pulls in the break towards the end unlike Ciolek) do a Ciolek on him and so thought... sod that I'm off! Very impressive I thought. The more I see of Sagan the more I like him.

He is incredibly exciting to watch. Never quite know what he's going to do.