Cycling thread

Furey1878 said:
I've got a Ribble Endurance 725 on the way, mate.

Call me child but I went with that over the Carbon ones because it came in a nice Forrest green.
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I've had a fair few issues with mine mate but now they're sorted and I've started to settle with it, really enjoying riding it.
 

Deulofeumygod said:
This is what I have learned so excellent advice. Will see if I can find you.

Lost my balance at a traffic light and fell which was a bit hairy but hoping I have the hang of it now.

Weather is starting to turn finally. First ride in shorts and short sleeves on monday which was brilliant.
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Yeah mate, best way to do it is, if you know you're coming to a stop, unclip in plenty of time. I still give myself loads of time if I know I'm going to stop. We've all fallen - it's just the way it is haha.

Also, I'm sure you do this, but unclip to your strongest side, or whatever side you unclip to, always unclip to that side if possible. Then it just becomes second nature, and you don't think about doing it.

So for example, I'm right sided, so always unclip to my right side. I lean to my right and when I get started I'm always pushing off with my left. Similarly when I get on the bike, it's left foot in first.

I guess it works differently for everyone and obviously in emergencies, unclip to whichever side you need, but it's definitely better to get into a habit of unclipping to one side so you don't have to think it through beforehand.

Took my mate out on a ride last week and he loved it, so we went again on Thursday. His second ride in, and he gets hit by a bloody car! Totally this woman's fault, she pulled out of a junction despite it being a straight road, high visibility. My mate wasn't going fast as he was still getting used to it, but he went into the side of her passenger door. Somehow come away with nothing but a sore back and a grazed elbow. Bike's survived too - her car was in the worse state but serves her right.

Been thinking this a lot, but in driving tests and things, they should definitely be making learners (not that this woman was a learner, you could just tell she was one of those hesitant, nervous drivers) aware that a lot of cyclists wear cleats. It's so difficult if cars stop abruptly, or stop-start - especially on hills. You get used to it, but if the drivers aren't aware (which unless they cycle, they probably won't be) then it can get a bit scary.
 
Anyway, there's a hill round mine that I hadn't done since September.

Been having a bit of a rest week this week. Pretty similar volume in terms of hours on the bike but a lot lower intensity. Out on rides with my mate and my dad so have been going at a slower pace, and I've been using my hybrid to do a few trail rides now the weather is nicer - did a lovely 22k yesterday morning and kept the avg heart rate capped at 125, for example.

So Friday I decided to do one intense ride for the week. Only 30k, but a steep climb of about 1.5 miles. I hate the hill – with a passion – and I can bloody tell I hadn't done it in over 6 months. Extremely rough. Yet somehow, still managed to get my second best time up it :D
 

BlueToff said:
Yeah mate, best way to do it is, if you know you're coming to a stop, unclip in plenty of time. I still give myself loads of time if I know I'm going to stop. We've all fallen - it's just the way it is haha.

Also, I'm sure you do this, but unclip to your strongest side, or whatever side you unclip to, always unclip to that side if possible. Then it just becomes second nature, and you don't think about doing it.

So for example, I'm right sided, so always unclip to my right side. I lean to my right and when I get started I'm always pushing off with my left. Similarly when I get on the bike, it's left foot in first.

I guess it works differently for everyone and obviously in emergencies, unclip to whichever side you need, but it's definitely better to get into a habit of unclipping to one side so you don't have to think it through beforehand.

Took my mate out on a ride last week and he loved it, so we went again on Thursday. His second ride in, and he gets hit by a bloody car! Totally this woman's fault, she pulled out of a junction despite it being a straight road, high visibility. My mate wasn't going fast as he was still getting used to it, but he went into the side of her passenger door. Somehow come away with nothing but a sore back and a grazed elbow. Bike's survived too - her car was in the worse state but serves her right.

Been thinking this a lot, but in driving tests and things, they should definitely be making learners (not that this woman was a learner, you could just tell she was one of those hesitant, nervous drivers) aware that a lot of cyclists wear cleats. It's so difficult if cars stop abruptly, or stop-start - especially on hills. You get used to it, but if the drivers aren't aware (which unless they cycle, they probably won't be) then it can get a bit scary.
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Glad your friend is ok. My dad cycled in the 70s and was hit by a car. He survived but was in the hospital for a some time. This is my biggest fear; Yank drivers don't like to share the road, and that's if they're looking ahead at all.
 
SerenityNigh said:
Did my first bike event today. Didn’t crash, didn’t get hit by some damn Yank in a diesel truck, finished the race. I need to step up my training but it gives me a good sense of what to expect. If I’m crazy I may try a century later this summer.
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Looking back at the data from yesterday's ride and the hill that crushed me. It doesn't look that long on paper but it looked and felt like a monster hill to my eyes and legs. Just under .9 mi, 200 ft climb, ~4.4%. There aren't many hills locally or they're short, plus this was at mile 51 on the ride. Is it as simple as ride more hills to get better, or is this a general fitness measure (and if I were 20 lbs lighter that might make a difference)? I was spinning the smallest gear and didn't stop to walk, so that was some success, but that was 6:40 of unpleasantness and gave me a new and profound respect for multi-mile climbs in the grand tours.
 
SerenityNigh said:
Looking back at the data from yesterday's ride and the hill that crushed me. It doesn't look that long on paper but it looked and felt like a monster hill to my eyes and legs. Just under .9 mi, 200 ft climb, ~4.4%. There aren't many hills locally or they're short, plus this was at mile 51 on the ride. Is it as simple as ride more hills to get better, or is this a general fitness measure (and if I were 20 lbs lighter that might make a difference)? I was spinning the smallest gear and didn't stop to walk, so that was some success, but that was 6:40 of unpleasantness and gave me a new and profound respect for multi-mile climbs in the grand tours.
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It's always very different doing climbs when you're tired than when you're fresh. While obviously having better power for 6 minute efforts and losing weight will help you for that particular climb, so too will gaining fitness so you're not as tired when you get to it. The general rule is that climbs don't really get easier though, you just go up them faster.
 

Bruce Wayne said:
It's always very different doing climbs when you're tired than when you're fresh. While obviously having better power for 6 minute efforts and losing weight will help you for that particular climb, so too will gaining fitness so you're not as tired when you get to it. The general rule is that climbs don't really get easier though, you just go up them faster.
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this is at the same time discouraging and encouraging but if you’re telling me that in the future I might have the same pain but for less time then I’ll accept that.
 
BlueToff said:
Yeah mate, best way to do it is, if you know you're coming to a stop, unclip in plenty of time. I still give myself loads of time if I know I'm going to stop. We've all fallen - it's just the way it is haha.

Also, I'm sure you do this, but unclip to your strongest side, or whatever side you unclip to, always unclip to that side if possible. Then it just becomes second nature, and you don't think about doing it.

So for example, I'm right sided, so always unclip to my right side. I lean to my right and when I get started I'm always pushing off with my left. Similarly when I get on the bike, it's left foot in first.

I guess it works differently for everyone and obviously in emergencies, unclip to whichever side you need, but it's definitely better to get into a habit of unclipping to one side so you don't have to think it through beforehand.

Took my mate out on a ride last week and he loved it, so we went again on Thursday. His second ride in, and he gets hit by a bloody car! Totally this woman's fault, she pulled out of a junction despite it being a straight road, high visibility. My mate wasn't going fast as he was still getting used to it, but he went into the side of her passenger door. Somehow come away with nothing but a sore back and a grazed elbow. Bike's survived too - her car was in the worse state but serves her right.

Been thinking this a lot, but in driving tests and things, they should definitely be making learners (not that this woman was a learner, you could just tell she was one of those hesitant, nervous drivers) aware that a lot of cyclists wear cleats. It's so difficult if cars stop abruptly, or stop-start - especially on hills. You get used to it, but if the drivers aren't aware (which unless they cycle, they probably won't be) then it can get a bit scary.
Click to expand...
Totally agree. Motorists have no idea how scary/stressful it is to stop suddenly in cleats!

hope your pal is ok?

in good news, did 90k, 1000m climbing and did not fall! Think I’ve got the hang of it!
 
Deulofeumygod said:
Totally agree. Motorists have no idea how scary/stressful it is to stop suddenly in cleats!

hope your pal is ok?

in good news, did 90k, 1000m climbing and did not fall! Think I’ve got the hang of it!
Click to expand...

Bloody nice ride that mate! Been my rest week this week so just been keeping things steady. Hoping to get a 60k in at some point though.

Aye he's fine mate, it's not put him off.

Once you've got used to using the cleats it becomes weird not to use them! Though you can still fall :D
 

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