[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

Well that's gotta be chalked up as one of the more bizarre rides, I've ever done.

How is it possible to do a 33.2 mile circular ride, 90% of it with a tail wind?

I've smashed just about every Strava record I have.
Upped the average by 2 mph.
I'm 6th on the leader board of a record I have my eye on, which was at the end of this ride.

All without really pedaling.

Goring to Lancing, along the seafront, massive tailwind.
An obvious head wind going through Coombes and Annington.
Then a tailwind from Storrington, through Washington down the A24, and back along the coast, going east.

It just didn't make any sense.

Added to that I had a base layer on I didn't need, so I was sweating like DLT in a magistrates court.
And I somehow managed to numb my 'gentleman's excuse-me'.
To such an extent as I was 'sorting myself out' I didn't realise it was in between my fingers, and I seem to have pulled at it so much I've bruised it.
All appears to be ship shape now!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

And I somehow managed to numb my 'gentleman's excuse-me'.
To such an extent as I was 'sorting myself out' I didn't realise it was in between my fingers, and I seem to have pulled at it so much I've bruised it.
All appears to be ship shape now!

"Honestly officer, I was cleaning it and it went off! "

 

[Pogue Mahone]

"Honestly officer, I was cleaning it and it went off! "

And I was just about to have my dinner.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Well that's gotta be chalked up as one of the more bizarre rides, I've ever done.

How is it possible to do a 33.2 mile circular ride, 90% of it with a tail wind?

I've smashed just about every Strava record I have.
Upped the average by 2 mph.
I'm 6th on the leader board of a record I have my eye on, which was at the end of this ride.

All without really pedaling.

Goring to Lancing, along the seafront, massive tailwind.
An obvious head wind going through Coombes and Annington.
Then a tailwind from Storrington, through Washington down the A24, and back along the coast, going east.

It just didn't make any sense.

Added to that I had a base layer on I didn't need, so I was sweating like DLT in a magistrates court.
And I somehow managed to numb my 'gentleman's excuse-me'.
To such an extent as I was 'sorting myself out' I didn't realise it was in between my fingers, and I seem to have pulled at it so much I've bruised it.
All appears to be ship shape now!

I went for a ride today - 35 miles. There was no wind to speak of over here in the beautiful part of Sussex. What's going on out West?

 

[Stat Brother]

"Honestly officer, I was cleaning it and it went off! "

I thought I was pulling at my chamois, it turns out I had a little more in my hand, than anticipated!

I went for a ride today - 35 miles. There was no wind to speak of over here in the beautiful part of Sussex. What's going on out West?

I was all set for a north wind, with a bit of easterly for good measure.
Ideal for my 10 mile TT route and a crack at the Strava record, although I felt like doing some miles instead.
But along the coast was as westerly as it could be, I was cruising along at 25+mph, all very bizarre.

 

[Bad Ash]

Which is the tougher event? Flanders or PR? Cadence today looked mad all race.

One of 'us' had a big ride today. 3 x my distance and much better average mph. Massive respect.

I guess that could have been me, I did the White Horse Challenge sportive yesterday clocking up a cool 90 miles. I've been a bit of a fair weather cyclist the last few months and have only clocked up a handful of rides up to 45 miles. Was going fine until 60 miles when I really started to feel it. It was only my second ride with my new saddle (a cheap Charge Spoon) which replaced my Brooks (which there was nothing wrong with, but I thought I'd go for something lighter and less tour looking). I was feeling that change big time from 50 miles onwards. Never has the term if it isn't broken then don't try to fix it been so apt!

I did it an hour and 20 minute quicker than last year, and unlike last year didn't get off and walk any of the climbs, so all in all I'm pretty chuffed with my progress. I just wish I had my shiny new bike to do it with, a Rose CRS-4400 which supposedly weighs in at 6.7kg, but it's currently awaiting assembly before they dispatch it to me towards the end of next month.

 

[Motogull]

That's brilliant BA. Some very impressive other rides today.

I've got my pedals and shoes, but a need for a long handle pedal spanner. Hoping that will help my pace when I get it all in place.

Good news that SB's tally-whacker is okay. Dr Christian Jessen is on stand by though.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Which is the tougher event? Flanders or PR? Cadence today looked mad all race.

One of 'us' had a big ride today. 3 x my distance and much better average mph. Massive respect.

How do you know this? I've looked, but can't find our Cycling Geeks Club on Strava - I know I was in it once. Is it still there?

 

[Stat Brother]

Not long now then Moto before you can tell us your first comedy fall story.

I can't believe I do a mental ride and Strava is grumpy with me, and won't show me the results.
I found my 6th overall looking the long way round.

Just a doable 11 secs off 4th, but a scarier 22 secs, over 2+ miles, from the top spot. (I averaged 26.2mph today)
Sadly though it's got the attention of my mate Colin, who's become a machine, and is sure to push me down a place when he attempts it.

 

[Bad Ash]

How do you know this? I've looked, but can't find our Cycling Geeks Club on Strava - I know I was in it once. Is it still there?

http://www.strava.com/clubs/north-stand-geeks

 

[Bad Ash]

I've got my pedals and shoes, but a need for a long handle pedal spanner. Hoping that will help my pace when I get it all in place.

That reminds me of my mini-sportive (45 miles) last month. My decent shoes are tight fitting and when worn with thick winter socks have resulted in painful feet, so I bought myself some larger shoes for winter. My decent shoes have speedplay cleats on which I didn't want to swap to my other shoes, so thought it'd be better to stick my old spd-sl on them and just swap the pedals over on the bike. Of course I tried to do this on the morning of the ride, and after getting one pedal of with my small spanner I could get then other one to budge so gave up and put my speedplay pedal back on and used my decent shoes with some thin socks.

Less than a mile into the ride I realise that I didn't put the pedal back on tight enough, the thing bloody came out of the crank still attached to my shoe. So using my one legged training on the spinning bike to good use I got back to the start. They provided me with a large Allen key to tighten the pedal, which I hadn't realised I could use. So I now carry a large Allen key in my saddle bag, because I don't fancy one legged cycling for much more than a mile!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

http://www.strava.com/clubs/north-stand-geeks

Cheers Bad Ash. I'll keep a close eye on this now.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

That reminds me of my mini-sportive (45 miles) last month. My decent shoes are tight fitting and when worn with thick winter socks have resulted in painful feet, so I bought myself some larger shoes for winter. My decent shoes have speedplay cleats on which I didn't want to swap to my other shoes, so thought it'd be better to stick my old spd-sl on them and just swap the pedals over on the bike. Of course I tried to do this on the morning of the ride, and after getting one pedal of with my small spanner I could get then other one to budge so gave up and put my speedplay pedal back on and used my decent shoes with some thin socks.

Less than a mile into the ride I realise that I didn't put the pedal back on tight enough, the thing bloody came out of the crank still attached to my shoe. So using my one legged training on the spinning bike to good use I got back to the start. They provided me with a large Allen key to tighten the pedal, which I hadn't realised I could use. So I now carry a large Allen key in my saddle bag, because I don't fancy one legged cycling for much more than a mile!

Yeah, it's all about the large Allen Key these days. Which is good, as I never could work out which way I needed to turn the pedal spanner...

 

[Stat Brother]

That reminds me of my mini-sportive (45 miles) last month. My decent shoes are tight fitting and when worn with thick winter socks have resulted in painful feet, so I bought myself some larger shoes for winter. My decent shoes have speedplay cleats on which I didn't want to swap to my other shoes, so thought it'd be better to stick my old spd-sl on them and just swap the pedals over on the bike. Of course I tried to do this on the morning of the ride, and after getting one pedal of with my small spanner I could get then other one to budge so gave up and put my speedplay pedal back on and used my decent shoes with some thin socks.

Less than a mile into the ride I realise that I didn't put the pedal back on tight enough, the thing bloody came out of the crank still attached to my shoe. So using my one legged training on the spinning bike to good use I got back to the start. They provided me with a large Allen key to tighten the pedal, which I hadn't realised I could use. So I now carry a large Allen key in my saddle bag, because I don't fancy one legged cycling for much more than a mile!

Brilliant.

Perfectly sums up just about every job I've ever done.
Start late, easily get halfway through, then can't get finished, and finally 'make do' in a half arsed fashion.

Top top work BA.

 

[strings]

http://www.strava.com/clubs/north-stand-geeks

Thanks, I've joined now too.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Garmin - just a basic 200, they were on sale at Wiggle, and it was my birthday.

I used it alongside my phone/Strava yesterday, and it was great. However, the elevation gain for the Garmin is half of that recorded on Strava. Is this normal? Is there something I can do about it?

If I use my Garmin for Strava, I don't want it to look as if I've suddenly stopped climbing!

 

[Bad Ash]

I finally bit the bullet and bought a Garmin - just a basic 200, they were on sale at Wiggle, and it was my birthday.

I used it alongside my phone/Strava yesterday, and it was great. However, the elevation gain for the Garmin is half of that recorded on Strava. Is this normal? Is there something I can do about it?

If I use my Garmin for Strava, I don't want it to look as if I've suddenly stopped climbing!

After uploading a ride you can see 'Elevation (?)' under the elevation figure. If you click on this there is then a box that says 'Correct Elevation', Strava then goes and works some magic.

I've never really tried it out though.

 

[Motogull]

Yeah, it's all about the large Allen Key these days. Which is good, as I never could work out which way I needed to turn the pedal spanner...

Oh I tried that. All I got was a couple of grazed knuckles. The new spanner sorted it though. New shoes have a little movement on the pedal which is pleasing (not in need of tightening). Just done a shakedown round the block and it was like changing up from the MTB again. Felt looser generally. Was not expecting that.

Anyone noticed that there are no jerseys at the Amex? Sold out? Surely not.

I'm well chuffed with my garminge2 [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION]. Oddly, last ride out Strava underdid the elevation. I put the ride into bikehut, which was much closer to the Garmin Connect figure.

Stepping up to 40 miles on Monday. Rehab going well.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Need to pick the geeks' brains about the London 2 Brighton.

We're coming from Dorset so easy enough to get the train to Clapham in the morning (no bike ban on South West trains), however the return of proving difficult. Any tips?

If we had to leave a car near Brighton the day before, any suggestions?

Anyone know how keenly they enforce the bike ban?

I know most of you will be local anyway but thought I'd ask.

P.s crank bolt located. Bike port photos to follow soon.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Need to pick the geeks' brains about the London 2 Brighton.

We're coming from Dorset so easy enough to get the train to Clapham in the morning (no bike ban on South West trains), however the return of proving difficult. Any tips?

If we had to leave a car near Brighton the day before, any suggestions?

Anyone know how keenly they enforce the bike ban?

I know most of you will be local anyway but thought I'd ask.

P.s crank bolt located. Bike port photos to follow soon.

The parking restrictions in Hove reach along Portland Road as far as Bolsover Road/Woodhouse Road - about 4 flat miles from the pier. Leaving your car there will be relatively painless, and Aldrington and Portslade stations are five minutes walk away.