[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

Mr Barclaycard has decided to treat Carbon Stat to a 10 year anniversary make-over, as my new winter hack never arrived.

Hunt's wheels have been ordered.
As has an 11-speed semi-compact Athena groupset.

I'm fed up with toiling up the big hills so I hope dropping my small ring down to 36, from 39, will give me the gears to attack decent gradients, without losing too much speed up the other end.

 

[Motogull]

Morning SB. Ain't it effing typical? No rain for ages, then an overnight soaking. I decided against going out this morning mainly for domestic reasons though. Deep down I wanted to ride every morning this break.

Can't wait to get out on a bike with a higher saddle again. Now need to prove the lowness was preventing better performance. I've got a new front mech, chain etc and am raring to go.

Yesterdays Catalunya stage took my back to my little ride last summer. Happy days.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

I'm a temporary refugee from the NSC Running Thread. I had a go a my first duathlon yesterday. It was a v. short one (2 x 5K runs; 1 x 15k ride) in Southsea. I was OK on the runs but struggled a bit on the cycling - 31:40 on a flat, virtually traffic-free course with a bit of an easterly wind.

Am an old git (61), with hardly any cycling background and bought an entry level (Halford's TDF) road bike (with clips) about 3 weeks ago when I realised my Trek hybrid would be somewhat outclassed.

Have any of you cycling geeks, maybe with duathlon experience, any advice as to how to improve please? I'm thinking of having another go in a few weeks. It's no fun being overtaken by a procession of guys with tri-bars on expensive looking bikes - but I'm too tight to invest in anything like that.

I won my old git category (there were only 5 of us) so wasn't a total disaster - but would like to up my average speed of 17.6mph by another 1-2 mph. The next event has a bike leg of around 20K which probably doesn't break a sweat with you guys.

Anyway - fraternal greetings from the running thread and any tips gratefully received by a bike novice.

That's great work, 17.6 average on a standard Road bike first time out is fantastic.

Having made the leap from a heavy cycling background to triathlon, I suppose I can offer a bit of advice though it's pretty much the same as anyone doing a time trial on a bike.

1) get a tri suit, if you haven't yet, they look ridiculous with their no sleeves but are aero and great for the run/bike switch.

2) get tri-bars. They save a huge amount of time and are pretty straight forward to use/fit. Obviously practice before the event! They are also fairly cheap, I got a couple of sets off ebay to get the ones I liked.

3) alongside this, change your position to have the front end as low as possible. You may need to put the saddle forward and up to accommodate for this.

4) despite 2 and 3, you still need a degree of comfort so it's always a balance.

5) get you transitions slick, I lost at least a minute first time with faffing. If you can have the cycling shows in the pedals and jump on from running through transition that is quickest but it takes a bit of practice. You'll also need rubber bands to keep the shoes level (you can Google the setup).

6) don't worry too much about the kit, it's saves a bit of time but gets very expensive. After tri suit and tri bars, an aero helmet is probably the next best upgrade but then we're talking less than a minute gain over 20k.

7) the training is obviously important and there is a wealth of resources out there for suggested sessions. Basically, you want to improve your threshold power.

8) brick sessions, bike-run together etc. I found these great to prevent jelly kegs after transition. Even if it's just 5 minutes after a ride.

Hope that helps. I'm jealous as a hamstring injury has completely derailed my tri ambitions.

 

[Stat Brother]

Morning SB. Ain't it effing typical? No rain for ages, then an overnight soaking. I decided against going out this morning mainly for domestic reasons though. Deep down I wanted to ride every morning this break.

Can't wait to get out on a bike with a higher saddle again. Now need to prove the lowness was preventing better performance. I've got a new front mech, chain etc and am raring to go.

Yesterdays Catalunya stage took my back to my little ride last summer. Happy days.

I hope to be riding most of next week, in the wind and rain .
But off the bike the week after, when I can get the new groupset on.

Like you I can't wait to see how much of a performance difference there is between the 2 gear ratios.
I'm going to be heart broken if it's negligible.

 

[1066familyman]

E3 Harelbeke is supposed to be wet today... Stan will be happy!

Looks like I've been caught out by doing fantasy transfers the night before again, rather than wait until the morning for late withdrawals. GVA pulled out this morning sick, which is a real shame as he would definitely have animated the race. I transferred him out quickly when I found out but looks like I've missed the deadline, even though the transfer has gone through. I'll have no transfers left come Paris Roubaix at this rate!

 

[Pantani]

Anyone watching this? Incredible chase from Cancellara.

 

[Stat Brother]

Anyone watching this? Incredible chase from Cancellara.

***bad dad***

I had it on 'in the background' while we did stuff.
But that's been shelved while the kids entertained themselves and I watch Cancellara.

At least I'm stood in front of the TV to make it look like I'm not sitting around doing nothing

 

[1066familyman]

Fantastic race! Absolutely love the Classics.

Gutted for Sagan, but then again I'm a big Kwia fan too. Epic chase back on from Cancellara, helped by the fact that Stuyven was up front too. Just doesn't seem right that he will be retiring at the end of this season when he's this strong!

Btw, Stan winning the reduced sprint behind I think everyone was cooked there.

 

[Pantani]

Fantastic race! Absolutely love the Classics.

Gutted for Sagan, but then again I'm a big Kwia fan too. Epic chase back on from Cancellara, helped by the fact that Stuyven was up front too. Just doesn't seem right that he will be retiring at the end of this season when he's this strong!

Btw, Stan winning the reduced sprint behind I think everyone was cooked there.

I think he jumped about 600 out and no one bothered to chase him. Surely he did not actually out sprint someone...

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

That's great work, 17.6 average on a standard Road bike first time out is fantastic.

Having made the leap from a heavy cycling background to triathlon, I suppose I can offer a bit of advice though it's pretty much the same as anyone doing a time trial on a bike.

1) get a tri suit, if you haven't yet, they look ridiculous with their no sleeves but are aero and great for the run/bike switch.

2) get tri-bars. They save a huge amount of time and are pretty straight forward to use/fit. Obviously practice before the event! They are also fairly cheap, I got a couple of sets off ebay to get the ones I liked.

3) alongside this, change your position to have the front end as low as possible. You may need to put the saddle forward and up to accommodate for this.

4) despite 2 and 3, you still need a degree of comfort so it's always a balance.

5) get you transitions slick, I lost at least a minute first time with faffing. If you can have the cycling shows in the pedals and jump on from running through transition that is quickest but it takes a bit of practice. You'll also need rubber bands to keep the shoes level (you can Google the setup).

6) don't worry too much about the kit, it's saves a bit of time but gets very expensive. After tri suit and tri bars, an aero helmet is probably the next best upgrade but then we're talking less than a minute gain over 20k.

7) the training is obviously important and there is a wealth of resources out there for suggested sessions. Basically, you want to improve your threshold power.

8) brick sessions, bike-run together etc. I found these great to prevent jelly kegs after transition. Even if it's just 5 minutes after a ride.

Hope that helps. I'm jealous as a hamstring injury has completely derailed my tri ambitions.

That's great stuff; thanks for taking the time for providing all the advice. I'm 'stepping up' to a 4k/24k/4k event next week (still a sprint event but the bike bit is more heavily weighted). Looking at previous times in the event, the age-category competition looks a bit (lot) better: indeed the entire event was won last year by a 60+ year old. Frightening as there were some bloody good young 'uns as well. It's on the Goodwood (motor) racing circuit so I'm hoping for a good track - although I'm told it gets very windy. But as a Worthing resident, I'm no stranger to strong winds.....
There are some really good veteran runners around these parts (and I'm not quite one of them) but I suspect that cyclists hang on even longer (?). Hope you get back to competing in tris - I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the duathlon and there were a lot of tri club guys present.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

That's great stuff; thanks for taking the time for providing all the advice. I'm 'stepping up' to a 4k/24k/4k event next week (still a sprint event but the bike bit is more heavily weighted). Looking at previous times in the event, the age-category competition looks a bit (lot) better: indeed the entire event was won last year by a 60+ year old. Frightening as there were some bloody good young 'uns as well. It's on the Goodwood (motor) racing circuit so I'm hoping for a good track - although I'm told it gets very windy. But as a Worthing resident, I'm no stranger to strong winds.....
There are some really good veteran runners around these parts (and I'm not quite one of them) but I suspect that cyclists hang on even longer (?). Hope you get back to competing in tris - I really enjoyed the atmosphere at the duathlon and there were a lot of tri club guys present.

No problem. I quite enjoyed having something different to aim for having done the cycling and running things separately in the past.

Cyclists can go on longer as you just don't get injured like you do with running so the training load can stay high and intense. This means if the running is in the bank, then the cycling can come on leaps and bounds.

I've raced at good wood (they used to do an evening race series in the 90s).it is flat but very exposed so wind is definitely an issue! All the more reason to get aero.

 

[The Birdman]

Don't forget the Great Haywards a Heath Bike Ride Four Routes on The 10th April entrance money goes to PRH HH

 

[Motogull]

Crikey. What a difference an extra couple of inches makes!

Felt so much better with my harris further from the ground. Even managed to to PR a hill because I didn't need to drop a cog.

Gears were really crunchy but settled down. I'll pop it back in for a tweak next time I commute in.

First puncture on the 'gators. Goes without saying it was the funking rear.

 

[Stat Brother]

As the guys have already said yesterdays E3 was the mutts.
Plenty going on, loads of strategies, along with the punishing course.

I then caught the last 20kms of Catalunya.

That should have been nearly as exciting, but it just didn't hold a candle to E3.

Give me 500 metres of 10% climbing any day of the week.

 

[1066familyman]

As the guys have already said yesterdays E3 was the mutts.
Plenty going on, loads of strategies, along with the punishing course.

I then caught the last 20kms of Catalunya.

That should have been nearly as exciting, but it just didn't hold a candle to E3.

Give me 500 metres of 10% climbing any day of the week.

Nail on head!

Stage races and Grand Tours are all very nice, but for sheer excitement and 'animation' nothing beats the classics.

Edit: Sky will only potentially make the gap in excitement bigger too. On the one hand, sky train up mountains often equals boredom for the most part. On the other hand, the better they get at the classics the less it allows traditional classics teams to dominate and so even more excitement - although the Steppers' dominance still somehow manages to consistently snatch defeat from the jaws of victory anyway, giving plenty to be excited about

 

[Stat Brother]

Nail on head!

Stage races and Grand Tours are all very nice, but for sheer excitement and 'animation' nothing beats the classics.

Edit: Sky will only potentially make the gap in excitement bigger too. On the one hand, sky train up mountains often equals boredom for the most part. On the other hand, the better they get at the classics the less it allows traditional classics teams to dominate and so even more excitement - although the Steppers' dominance still somehow manages to consistently snatch defeat from the jaws of victory anyway, giving plenty to be excited about

Woulter was doing my head in yesterday.

I was almost shouting at the telly

'stop looking behind you, and ride the bloody bike'!!

 

[Stat Brother]

Debesay gets lost during his Flemish debut at E3 Harelbeke

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/debesay-gets-lost-during-his-flemish-debut-at-e3-harelbeke/

According to a report in the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, the 24-year-old Eritrean rider got into trouble after pulling out of the race with 20km to go, as Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) prepared their decisive attack. He became lost as he tried to ride to the finish and was helped by a friendly Flemish cycling fan, who invited him to his home, allowed him to shower, gave him some food and eventually called the team’s hotel on Roeselare. Debesay eventually got back to the team hotel at 9pm, four hours after the finish of the race.

 

[1066familyman]

Debesay gets lost during his Flemish debut at E3 Harelbeke

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/debesay-gets-lost-during-his-flemish-debut-at-e3-harelbeke/

According to a report in the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, the 24-year-old Eritrean rider got into trouble after pulling out of the race with 20km to go, as Michal Kwiatkowski (Team Sky) and Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) prepared their decisive attack. He became lost as he tried to ride to the finish and was helped by a friendly Flemish cycling fan, who invited him to his home, allowed him to shower, gave him some food and eventually called the team’s hotel on Roeselare. Debesay eventually got back to the team hotel at 9pm, four hours after the finish of the race.

Quality story!

Let's hope there's more kind Flandrian folk like that around if me and armchairclubber get lost down there in few weeks time

 

[1066familyman]

Quality live HD stream of Gent Wevelgem here: http://cyclinghub.tv/livestream

Loving the Flemish commentary too.

I added some extra interest today with a handful of 50p e/w bets -

Terpstra 16/1
Theuns 33/1
Debusherre 12/1
Benoot 25/1

Also put £1 e/w on Boonen @ 20/1

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Quality live HD stream of Gent Wevelgem here: http://cyclinghub.tv/livestream

Loving the Flemish commentary too.

I added some extra interest today with a handful of 50p e/w bets -

Terpstra 16/1
Theuns 33/1
Debusherre 12/1
Benoot 25/1

Also put £1 e/w on Boonen @ 20/1

How do you keep up with all this? I know about Terpstra and Boonen, obviously, but the other three? It's all a bit of a mystery to me...