[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

I'll probably aim for the fifty next time I have a few days off.

I'll sort the Strava thing today if you promise not to laugh at my times

You still don't quite get the geek ethos, do you?

When you finally do look at Strava, all you have to do is copy [MENTION=23986]Glanders[/MENTION] (Mr Glandfield) and you'll be fine

 

[Stat Brother]

I happened to notice the symmetry of our 'views' number, before work this morning, I'm weird like that with numbers.

232,303.

Now at break time it's 232,333.

30 views in a couple of hours and no posts.

Assuming none of those views are geeks, surely any one of us would have popped in and said something.
What were the 30 viewers expecting to find, and why don't they say hello?

 

[Bedsex]

Ok, I'll say "hello". I've been lurking in here for a couple of weeks as I currently have my first ever road bike on order. As soon as I take delivery and get out on it I'll post some stories telling of my glorious rides. Until then I'll carry on lurking!

 

[sten_super]

I happened to notice the symmetry of our 'views' number, before work this morning, I'm weird like that with numbers.

232,303.

Now at break time it's 232,333.

30 views in a couple of hours and no posts.

Assuming none of those views are geeks, surely any one of us would have popped in and said something.
What were the 30 viewers expecting to find, and why don't they say hello?

I'm forever checking the thread when there's new posts and not posting!

My Mio Cyclo GPS arrived earlier (Post #11021). Last week I had an email from Sport Pursuit saying that Mio has miscalculated, and didn't have the 305 (old generation) that I'd ordered available, and instead they'd give me a 315 (new generation) as the nearest substitute, which was a nice surprise! Having a few teething problems with the cadence meter (it worked first time out but I noticed when uploading yesterdays rides that it hadn't worked for those) but I'm sure they'll be ironed out. I'm finding the unit really useful - being able to see my current and average speed is making me push myself if just doing the standard commute, and I used the 'surprise me' feature yesterday to turn my 45 minute, 13.4 mile commute home into a longer 23 mile route by just telling the unit where I wanted to end up, how long I wanted to be out on the bike for and my estimated average speed. I've also uploaded GPX files from various websites (used a combination of CycleStreets, Bikemap and MioShare) to collect some decent loops and other routes nearby that I can access easily when out and about.

Next organised event is London-Cambridge in a months time but I don't think the added distance (it's 60 miles whereas top distance so far is about 45) will be a problem, especially if I throw in a few more longer rides between now and then.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm forever checking the thread when there's new posts and not posting!

I used the 'surprise me' feature yesterday to turn my 45 minute, 13.4 mile commute home into a longer 23 mile route by just telling the unit where I wanted to end up, how long I wanted to be out on the bike for and my estimated average speed.

Without even a hello

That's a nice feature, pretty impressed with that.

 

[sten_super]

Without even a hello

That's a nice feature, pretty impressed with that.

Sorry I shall try to be more friendly in future! On the plus side I've learnt a lot about professional cycling from this thread (admittedly starting from a very low base), all part of my conversion to a cycling geek. I bought my first cycling cap this morning and everything.

Yes it was a big selling feature for me when I was looking at the various GPS options. It even does it's best to stick to cycle paths where they exist, although given how badly planned most of those are around here that seems to be more of a curse than a blessing!

 

[Stat Brother]

Sorry I shall try to be more friendly in future! On the plus side I've learnt a lot about professional cycling from this thread (admittedly starting from a very low base), all part of my conversion to a cycling geek. I bought my first cycling cap this morning and everything.

Yes it was a big selling feature for me when I was looking at the various GPS options. It even does it's best to stick to cycle paths where they exist, although given how badly planned most of those are around here that seems to be more of a curse than a blessing!

Blimey you're being hard work today

'Oh look I've bought something new but I'm not going to tell you what'.

What cap did you go for, and how are the pins and needles?

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Ok, I'll say "hello". I've been lurking in here for a couple of weeks as I currently have my first ever road bike on order. As soon as I take delivery and get out on it I'll post some stories telling of my glorious rides. Until then I'll carry on lurking!

What bike are you waiting on? What are the roads like in Flitwick, wherever that is (I'm guessing Lancashire, without googling)? Have you converted from MTBs?

Welcome, Bedsex!

 

[Bedsex]

What bike are you waiting on? What are the roads like in Flitwick, wherever that is (I'm guessing Lancashire, without googling)? Have you converted from MTBs?

Welcome, Bedsex!

Thanks for the welcome Pogue Mahone. Flitwick isn't that far north, it's in Bedfordshire (hence my user name - an amalgamation of Bedfordshire and Sussex). There are some fairly nice rides, a few rolling hills but nothing too severe. Plenty of potholes to avoid, but I guess that's the same everywhere these days.

I have been using a MTB, but a load of my friends have been getting road bikes and I'm struggling to keep up with them.

I'm waiting on a Planet X Pro Carbon. It seemed remarkably good value at £1,000 for full Ultegra group set and a carbon frame, even better when it's only costing me £600 on the cycle to work scheme. I was just a bit concerned about buying without trying, so I drove up to Planet X in Rotherham a couple of weeks ago to have a sit on one. It seemed ok so I pressed the 'go' button. Just want it to arrive now!

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Thanks for the welcome Pogue Mahone. Flitwick isn't that far north, it's in Bedfordshire (hence my user name - an amalgamation of Bedfordshire and Sussex). There are some fairly nice rides, a few rolling hills but nothing too severe. Plenty of potholes to avoid, but I guess that's the same everywhere these days.

I have been using a MTB, but a load of my friends have been getting road bikes and I'm struggling to keep up with them.

I'm waiting on a Planet X Pro Carbon. It seemed remarkably good value at £1,000 for full Ultegra group set and a carbon frame, even better when it's only costing me £600 on the cycle to work scheme. I was just a bit concerned about buying without trying, so I drove up to Planet X in Rotherham a couple of weeks ago to have a sit on one. It seemed ok so I pressed the 'go' button. Just want it to arrive now!

That's a cracking price, they're very good bikes.

 

[Bold Seagull]

42 miles for me today, and I stopped off at the Giant store en route. They fixed my noisy gears in ten minutes & I was off again. Can't believe what a difference it's made, very happy indeed with it now

I accidentally turned up Woodland Drive in Hove on my ride, now it's not the longest hill in the world but boy did my legs have to work hard

I know, spot the novice

Woodland Drive is a decent climb in my book, not far off a mile of climbing from Hove Park, nearly 300ft in total, ramping up at the end. Now if you got up there without getting off, I'd say you can tick the 'novice' off your list now!

 

[Stat Brother]

I'm well gutted as I've had to back out of my planned ride this afternoon, I was going to steal a bit from you Bold, and cross the A24 at Ashington.

Having spent the day schvitzing like Jan Ullrich in a pie shop (if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor) I obviously wasn't hydrating enough.
Headache, stars in front of my eyes, the works, I really feel rough.
5 pints of water and still no pee is telling me to stay put tonight.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

What are the roads like in Flitwick, wherever that is (I'm guessing Lancashire, without googling

Have you never got a First Crapital Connect train from Brighton? The ones that go via London Bridge?

Flitwick is one of those places you'd never, ever have heard of if it wasn't a stop on a mainline train service (similarly Earlswood, Southbourne, Salfords and Ore). For that reason, and vaguely memorising the station announcements, I reckon it's somewhere near Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington and Bedford

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Woodland Drive is a decent climb in my book, not far off a mile of climbing from Hove Park, nearly 300ft in total, ramping up at the end. Now if you got up there without getting off, I'd say you can tick the 'novice' off your list now!

I didn't get off, but I did come to a halt at one stage near the top when my left shoe slipped in the pedal through sheer effort. I was, it's fair to say, blowing smoke out of my backside.

The bit that was worrying me was joining Ditchling Beacon road from the west side of Coldean Lane, short though it is. That uphill left turn can be a first gear job in a car at times, & it's far from the ideal spot to discover you don't have the legs to get up and round that steep corner. I just about kept it together and made it on to the Beacon Road without mishap

 

[sten_super]

Blimey you're being hard work today

'Oh look I've bought something new but I'm not going to tell you what'.

What cap did you go for, and how are the pins and needles?

Sorry SB, it's replica kit (and cheap replica kit at that) so wasn't sure whether I should 'fess up to it!

It's a Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise cycling cap - link

I also bought a Tinkoff Saxo baseball cap (link) and a cheap second bottle cage and bottle - £24 all in.

I wouldn't say I don't care what stuff looks like, but I'm definitely looking for 'value' from my purchases rather than all-out aesthetics! The years of the Mrs saying "I've saved this much (by spending this much)" have well and truly come back to bite her on the arse!

The cycle paths round here are generally okay quality-wise, it's just the wacky layouts that get me. Great example yesterday where I was going along happily on a decent A road, there's a left fork and rather than take the left fork bikes are supposed to pull onto the cycle path just after the fork, then cross over the other side of the fork road and join a separate shared-use cycle path on the wrong side of the road. Just seems completely wrong-headed to me.

 

[Stat Brother]

Sorry SB, it's replica kit (and cheap replica kit at that) so wasn't sure whether I should 'fess up to it!

It's a Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise cycling cap - link

I also bought a Tinkoff Saxo baseball cap (link) and a cheap second bottle cage and bottle - £24 all in.

I wouldn't say I don't care what stuff looks like, but I'm definitely looking for 'value' from my purchases rather than all-out aesthetics! The years of the Mrs saying "I've saved this much (by spending this much)" have well and truly come back to bite her on the arse!

It's ok, you're with friends.
I'm sure [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION] and [MENTION=225]Hamilton[/MENTION] have a soft spot for Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise what with their Flanderian credentials.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Have you never got a First Crapital Connect train from Brighton? The ones that go via London Bridge?

Flitwick is one of those places you'd never, ever have heard of if it wasn't a stop on a mainline train service (similarly Earlswood, Southbourne, Salfords and Ore). For that reason, and vaguely memorising the station announcements, I reckon it's somewhere near Harpenden, Luton Airport Parkway, Luton, Leagrave, Harlington and Bedford

I don't use trains much beyond London. I get off at London Bridge when the train goes through London Bridge. I LOVE it around London Bridge.

Don't you think that Flitwick sounds like it should be in Lancashire? Near Blackpool somewhere?

And [MENTION=12917]Bedsex[/MENTION], that's a great reason for a quite superb username.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I'm well gutted as I've had to back out of my planned ride this afternoon, I was going to steal a bit from you Bold, and cross the A24 at Ashington.

Having spent the day schvitzing like Jan Ullrich in a pie shop (if you'll forgive the mixed metaphor) I obviously wasn't hydrating enough.
Headache, stars in front of my eyes, the works, I really feel rough.
5 pints of water and still no pee is telling me to stay put tonight.

I prescribe copious amounts of beer. The type of beer is your choice.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Sorry SB, it's replica kit (and cheap replica kit at that) so wasn't sure whether I should 'fess up to it!

It's a Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise cycling cap - link

I also bought a Tinkoff Saxo baseball cap (link) and a cheap second bottle cage and bottle - £24 all in.

I wouldn't say I don't care what stuff looks like, but I'm definitely looking for 'value' from my purchases rather than all-out aesthetics! The years of the Mrs saying "I've saved this much (by spending this much)" have well and truly come back to bite her on the arse!

The cycle paths round here are generally okay quality-wise, it's just the wacky layouts that get me. Great example yesterday where I was going along happily on a decent A road, there's a left fork and rather than take the left fork bikes are supposed to pull onto the cycle path just after the fork, then cross over the other side of the fork road and join a separate shared-use cycle path on the wrong side of the road. Just seems completely wrong-headed to me.

Southampton are fond of just sticking a picture of a bike next to a pavement and calling it a bike path. Means pedestrians amble all over the path and get the hump with you.

Some of them are really crappy and covered in rubbish so you can't ride a road bike on it and get abuse from the car drivers!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Thanks for the welcome Pogue Mahone. Flitwick isn't that far north, it's in Bedfordshire (hence my user name - an amalgamation of Bedfordshire and Sussex). There are some fairly nice rides, a few rolling hills but nothing too severe. Plenty of potholes to avoid, but I guess that's the same everywhere these days.

I have been using a MTB, but a load of my friends have been getting road bikes and I'm struggling to keep up with them.

I'm waiting on a Planet X Pro Carbon. It seemed remarkably good value at £1,000 for full Ultegra group set and a carbon frame, even better when it's only costing me £600 on the cycle to work scheme. I was just a bit concerned about buying without trying, so I drove up to Planet X in Rotherham a couple of weeks ago to have a sit on one. It seemed ok so I pressed the 'go' button. Just want it to arrive now!

Wow. £600 for that? Maybe it's time I bought another bike. I'll have a word with the wife...

But seriously, that sounds excellent. And I love the fact that you've gone for a carbon frame without doing what most newbies do - buy aluminium, and then upgrade to carbon within 6 months.

You'll be using it as your winter bike within a year!