The biking thread

[Cowboys965]

Argh! I can't find the bike I'm looking for anywhere. Walmart and Target don't have it, and the Walmart doesn't have it online in-stock, and my store doesn't carry it, so no in-store pickup, I can't order the color I want online since its sold out in Yellow/Black. Target will charge $30.00 to ship it, and the place that carry it are quite far from where I live.

 

[funkyDucks]

Argh! I can't find the bike I'm looking for anywhere. Walmart and Target don't have it, and the Walmart doesn't have it online in-stock, and my store doesn't carry it, so no in-store pickup, I can't order the color I want online since its sold out in Yellow/Black. Target will charge $30.00 to ship it, and the place that carry it are quite far from where I live.

Hopefully you eventually get the bike you want, no point in getting an inferior bike just because its available.

In other news, I may be competing in a Charity Cycle (Read competitive workout) partially because it is fund raising, but mostly because I want to see just how fit/unfit I am compared to other people. So I want to know a few things first.
What should I take with me in terms of nutrition?
What else should I pack, just in case?
Thanks,

 

[boiltheocean]

I'm pretty pleased with todays Vuelta result for Froome, the team looked well organised and I hope they can build on that performance knowing last year it was what let them down. Should be a good three weeks.

 

[ExigeEvan]

What should I take with me in terms of nutrition?
What else should I pack, just in case?
Thanks,

Depends on the distance. Gel sachets if you're serious, but careful, some taste foul and they can pop. I also like biscuits, scotch fingers are great!

 

[funkyDucks]

Depends on the distance. Gel sachets if you're serious, but careful, some taste foul and they can pop. I also like biscuits, scotch fingers are great!

I plan on either the short or medium distance, so 20/30K approx.

 

[Neal]

I'm pretty pleased with todays Vuelta result for Froome, the team looked well organised and I hope they can build on that performance knowing last year it was what let them down. Should be a good three weeks.

I had to google Vuelta, hadn't even heard of it before. Is ITV or Eurosport the best coverage?

I plan on either the short or medium distance, so 20/30K approx.

What terrain is the ride? I did a 42km ride yesterday half on road and half off road up a hill with just one 750ml bottle of water although I had just had breakfast. I was out for nearly 2 hours but much longer and I would have been getting thirsty.

Per hour aim to drink about 750ml and eat one energy gel/power bar or normal food equivalent like Evan suggested. If the ride is supported with feed stations you can travel light.

 

[boiltheocean]

I had to google Vuelta, hadn't even heard of it before. Is ITV or Eurosport the best coverage?

ITV4 are showing day-by-day roundups like the did with the Tour de France this year.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Per hour aim to drink about 750ml and eat one energy gel/power bar or normal food equivalent like Evan suggested. If the ride is supported with feed stations you can travel light.

Energy bars are unnecessary when you won't be out for longer than 2 hours. If you are aiming for 3-4 hour rides, you definitely want something to eat. If you ride for an hour or two, you can take two 750ml bottles and mix-fill them with water and coca-cola. Coke gives plenty of calories that are immediately available when you're not out longer than 2 hours. I mix my bottles so that every time I drink there's always an amount of calories I'm getting in.

 

[funkyDucks]

Thanks for the advice. It will defiantly help me if I choose to pursue this sport competitively.
Turns out todays cycle was more hype than anything. I ended up on the 20k short loop, so I stayed with my little sister and helped her along instead of pushing hard. My proudest moment was in completing it without breaking a sweat.

 

[Neal]

ITV4 are showing day-by-day roundups like the did with the Tour de France this year.

Cheers 👍


funkyDucks - good work doing the 20km without breaking a sweat, I'm dripping before I've even got on the bike but then I do sweat like a *insert inappropriate analogy*. As Bram has said you only need to worry about fuelling your body if you'll be riding for a couple of hours, staying hydrated is still important though. As long as you're enjoying your rides, getting out regularly and pushing yourself your performance will improve...not that having fun makes you fitter but what would be the point otherwise.

 

[Bram Turismo]

Today's ride:

Trip dist.: 101.17km
Trip time: 3:40:53
Avg. speed: 27.48 km/h
Max. speed: 54.36 km/h
Total distance: 303km
Total time: 10:53
Nutrition used: 2X750ml water bottles, 1X750ml coke bottle, some pasta leftover from yesterday.

I was personally targeting 3:52 for this ride. As long as I'd stay under 4 hours I'd be satisfied. But to stay 12 minutes under my targeted time is something I did not expect.

 

[funkyDucks]

Looking good bram. Them stats are very impressive.

 

[F1GTR]

So I bought my first bike in about 6 years of not riding at all, an old-ish Bianchi (aluminium/alloy frame, CF forks, full Campagnolo Centaur groupset):

I need to clean it all up a bit and stick some new rubber on there (oh and find a sweet spot for my riding position), but it's so much more fun to ride on roads than my old dual suspension MTB.

 

[Aldo]

Cheers 👍


funkyDucks - good work doing the 20km without breaking a sweat, I'm dripping before I've even got on the bike but then I do sweat like a *insert inappropriate analogy*. As Bram has said you only need to worry about fuelling your body if you'll be riding for a couple of hours, staying hydrated is still important though. As long as you're enjoying your rides, getting out regularly and pushing yourself your performance will improve...not that having fun makes you fitter but what would be the point otherwise.

Went to a spin class on Tuesday for the first time in a few months.... Did 26km... Died. I sweated like ummm lots.

 

[Neal]

Nice looking bike F1GTR 👍 You're one of them now...budgie smugglers ahoy!

Went to a spin class on Tuesday for the first time in a few months.... Did 26km... Died. I sweated like ummm lots.

26km of spinning, are you mad?!!11!!! It would have been pissing out of my face!

I've just done 21km on local roads and cheeky trails (stupid English right of way laws!) with one of my mates at a veeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrry slow pace as he's a lazy arse and never rides his bike plus we had to stop twice to fix his bike because his idea of maintenance is making sure I'm about when stuff breaks so in turn I didn't break a sweat. It was still a good laugh getting out on a nice evening with a mate and mucking about on bikes.

 

[Aldo]

It's not like I chose to do that much! I just worked hard. I was nearly sicking out my face

 

[F1GTR]

Nice looking bike F1GTR 👍 You're one of them now...budgie smugglers ahoy!

EDIT: Derp.

 

[F1GTR]

Nice looking bike F1GTR 👍 You're one of them now...budgie smugglers ahoy!

Nah, I'm going to convert it into a fixie. And wear skinny jeans, actually that isn't too far from being lycra clad really.

Might head out to Epping Forest or Richmond Park this weekend to get some real distance done.

 

[Yrkshrpudding]

Update on my bike woes:

I found a badly described front mech online for peanuts so took a chance on it. Typically it was for a 2 x 8 drivetrain and not a 3 x 8 so it is sitting on a bookshelf now. As it happens, without me touching anything for a week, the old front derailleur has now started working better than ever. I think I scared it into submission

New problem:
I now have a knocking noise that develops only sometimes on trail when going up a steep or long hill. Sounds like the bottom bracket area. It knocks once every rotation of the cranks. Sometimes it's quiet, sometimes it's loud. Sometimes it goes away quickly, and other times it hangs around for ages.

I plan to just ride it until the noise is too much to bear or something falls off/stops moving.


In happier news, I rode the entire trail for the first time this weekend (used to quit at the half way point). Apparently all the best bits are on the second half! Can't wait to get back out there (even if my body is barely capable of making it round).

 

[kenny355]

So this is my mountain bike. Well, it's my Dad's but he has only used it a handful of times since he bought it a few years ago and I use it a lot so essentially it's mine The dark green BMX in the background is mine too, I use it at the local forests/dirt jumps. Anyway I just got back from a ride from my house in Corby through Kettering up to Barton Seagrave and back again, according to google maps the entire route is about 31 kilometres, so not a bad couple of hours worth of riding. I'm looking at getting a road bike once I get a job/apprenticeship, any suggestions? Ideally no more than £500.

 

[mp10]

So this is my mountain bike. Well, it's my Dad's but he has only used it a handful of times since he bought it a few years ago and I use it a lot so essentially it's mine The dark green BMX in the background is mine too, I use it at the local forests/dirt jumps. Anyway I just got back from a ride from my house in Corby through Kettering up to Barton Seagrave and back again, according to google maps the entire route is about 31 kilometres, so not a bad couple of hours worth of riding. I'm looking at getting a road bike once I get a job/apprenticeship, any suggestions? Ideally no more than £500.

Nice bike mate, i've been getting into mountain biking too, good luck. don't know much about road bikes, but i'm sure the others will help you out.

Also anyone heading to the Cycleshow in Birmingham this year? not sure if i might be going, but will try.

http://www.cycleshow.co.uk/

 

[Emptyone]

I'm looking at getting a road bike once I get a job/apprenticeship, any suggestions? Ideally no more than £500.

I thought this bike was pretty decent, it's a Scott Speedster S55 and ok I'm biased as it's the same as mine, but it has served me pretty well, and isn't a bad entry level ish bike.

 

[ExigeEvan]

I'm looking at getting a road bike once I get a job/apprenticeship, any suggestions? Ideally no more than £500.

My friend got a pretty good B'Twin from Decathlon for that sort of money. I'd suggest that over a Halfords bike from my experience.

 

[kenny355]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm hoping to get an apprenticeship by November so hopefully I should have a road bike before next year, even if I end up getting one for christmas. Halfords are useless, the BMX needed a new rear sprocket so my dad went to have a look at prices at our local store, he said I could get a new wheel too (the old one is slightly buckled), but they couldn't even figure out how to get the sprocket on the wheel In the end I bought a complete used set of savage wheels, which are worth about £100 brand new, for £30. Only problem is I now need some new front forks in order to fit the front wheel, as both have 14mm axles but the forks only have 10mm dropouts

 

[F1GTR]

I put some Conti Gatorskins on my bike today, what a difference compared to the worn ones that came with my bike, cornering/braking is so much better and the ride is a lot more comfy (for 700x23's anyway).

 

[hellnback]

2.5 months since last ride. Determined to do a challenging distance first up...

Started within limits as I didn't want to self-implode after 30km...

End up being 38.5km in 1h 58mins for about 19.5 avg... HAD NOTHING left in the legs, still had energy, but damn legs were screaming to quit.

Oh well, it's only late Winter...

 

[boiltheocean]

Thought I'd share this pretty sweet 2-part web edit. Dustin Gilding has built all of this in his own back yard. Videos by Harrison Mendel.

 

[Neal]

Big back yard!! Cool vids 👍 How is your dad finding the carbon 456? I've just ordered a new drivetrain which will mean only the frame and seat post are still original so I'm seriously considering getting a new frame instead of holding out for a full sus that will prob be years away.

Anyone seen anything they like from Eurobike? New Thompson uppy downy post looks pretty swish.

 

[boiltheocean]

Big back yard!! Cool vids 👍 How is your dad finding the carbon 456? I've just ordered a new drivetrain which will mean only the frame and seat post are still original so I'm seriously considering getting a new frame instead of holding out for a full sus that will prob be years away.

He loves it. Snappy in the corners and so quick to accelerate. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a hardtail, it's a steal considering the history the 456 line has.

 

[Dragonistic]

Payday cometh, just ordered my bike and feeling very pleased with myself. Money well spent... assuming it gets here in a reasonable time. Settled on the Felt Q520 in the end for £375 from J E James Cycles after the price jumped up on Tweeks before I could order, but ended up exactly the same anyway. I am rather excited to get back on a bike that doesn't have a motor to do all the work for me .