Pedal Power Thread

TriggerHappy said:
A word of advice for those using strava, be sure to go into the privacy settings and enable the option to hide your location for the first 500m if you leave from your driveway. There have been several bike thefts that have happened because the thieves could see exactly where someone lived from their strava rides.
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Cheers for the heads up on that. I've now changed my privacy settings.
 
MG TF 135 said:
I agree with logging your rides being great feedback and encouragement. I went from being new to road cycling June 2012 to now regularly doing 80+ mile rides.

Strava is a great tool. Once you been logged riding a road you can create a segment and track your progress on it. Make the segment private and only your efforts will show on it. So you could create a small looped lap or complete training ride and measure times and average speed as you progress.

A word of warning with Strava though, it can get competitive! I'm a member of a cycle club and its not unusual for a couple of breakaway races to develop for well known Strava segments. It all settles down to back to the group ride after where the bragging or excuses are shared.
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I know what you mean about the competitiveness, we've only just started but there has already been bragging about who reached the fastest top speed :0)
 
Ahh yes the top speed game. I tend to stay away from that one as i'm more of a climber. My preferred tease is sitting on someones wheel up a climb until they struggle and then dropping down the cassette a couple of gears to accelerate past them.

Having said that i'm proud of my top speed this year of 47mph, really want to break the 50 but will wait for the summer for dry & clean roads. I might also need to order some more bravery!
 
MG TF 135 said:
Ahh yes the top speed game. I tend to stay away from that one as i'm more of a climber. My preferred tease is sitting on someones wheel up a climb until they struggle and then dropping down the cassette a couple of gears to accelerate past them.

Having said that i'm proud of my top speed this year of 47mph, really want to break the 50 but will wait for the summer for dry & clean roads. I might also need to order some more bravery!
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47 mph? Blimey, I thought I was going quick at 31.7 mph.... long way to go I guess :0)
 
Well done Nick on getting going!!! Remember dont try and do too much too soon....the weight will start to drop off....i've lost over a stone since May last year and still going. I'm currently at 4/5 rides a week including recovery rides! I also drink recovery shakes after the long ones.

Strava's awesome, its really improved my riding!

I wouldnt bust a gut trying to prepare for the 100km ride...just get out there, ride and gradually increase your ride times.

I'm currently using myfitnesspal app to track my calories daily and its great!! (remember simply weight loss = calories in vs calories out).

Finally if you really want to improve join a local club!

Keep us posted on your progress - whats your starva name???
 
:thumbs:
danmon_81 said:
Well done Nick on getting going!!! Remember dont try and do too much too soon....the weight will start to drop off....i've lost over a stone since May last year and still going. I'm currently at 4/5 rides a week including recovery rides! I also drink recovery shakes after the long ones.

Strava's awesome, its really improved my riding!

I wouldnt bust a gut trying to prepare for the 100km ride...just get out there, ride and gradually increase your ride times.

I'm currently using myfitnesspal app to track my calories daily and its great!! (remember simply weight loss = calories in vs calories out).

Finally if you really want to improve join a local club!

Keep us posted on your progress - whats your starva name???
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Cheers :thumbs:

I was planning another ride this morning, but when I got up at 5am, it was foggy and frosty.

Im getting a bit more equipment this weekend (like padded shorts etc) so my week days rides will start properly next week. We are planning another training ride for this Sunday though.

My Strava name is just Nick Patchcott :thumbs:
 
added all three of you :) Just signed up to it as other friends use it. wish more people would use garmin connect :( lol
 
Well today was supposed to be a rest day but the weather was too good to miss so I went out for a brief 20km ride. I felt really good as I was going around and when I got back and stopped my GPS I found I'd knocked over 15 minutes from the time I'd ridden the same route 12 days ago. To say I'm chuffed is an understatement! I finally feel I'm recovering some of the fitness I'd lost with 3 months of laziness :D
 
Ok, I need to ask a question...

For those of you that use chamois cream or sudocreme or any other type of creams, do you apply it to the pad in your shorts, to yourself (notice how polite I was there), or to both?

Apologies if that is a silly question, but its all new to me, and I HAVE to know :0)

Cheers

Nick
 
Nikon_Nick said:
Ok, I need to ask a question...

For those of you that use chamois cream or sudocreme or any other type of creams, do you apply it to the pad in your shorts, to yourself (notice how polite I was there), or to both?

Apologies if that is a silly question, but its all new to me, and I HAVE to know :0)

Cheers

Nick
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Yourself. Lather those bad boys up like you're going to jump arse first onto a slip-and-slide!
 
TriggerHappy said:
Yourself. Lather those bad boys up like you're going to jump arse first onto a slip-and-slide!
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Haha ok, good to know!

Ok, another question then, which one works best for you chaps, and why?
 
Bums. I have now cycled to work twice. Why does something that makes me sweaty, dirty and having to dress like a clown give me such a buzz? Gah!
 
a nice 40 miler for me today, it wasn't as sunny as yesterday so was a little gutted. I do however have a sore arse! Lots of short steep hills kept me on my toes, and a little ferry ride and some time with my family to break it up.
 
Did my second training ride this morning; 21.4 miles and I'm done for the day!!
 
Having adjusted my seat and brakes (discs but not hydraulic!) my cycle has become easier. However, I think we could do more maintainence at home- espeically after the wife paid out a pretty penny for a service and chain replacement that I could have done.

So what tool kit and bike stand do people recommend? ;)
 
this is a decent enough workstand, as for tools - buy good quality (park tools is a good brand) ones - but rather than a kit, buy the specific ones you need for your bike... most "kits" will have tools you'll never use or need.

A good starting point is a proper set of good Allen Keys, A track pump, Tyre Levers and Puncture repair kit, Chain splitter, Bottom Bracket Tool, Pedal wrench and then whenever a job comes up, spend the £30 a hour mechanics fee on the special tool needed for the job.

Just remember, buy quality tools - only a rich man can afford cheap tools!
 
Thanks all.


That site had some great prices Mark, better than wiggle etc on some of those bits. I wonder if one if those park tools starter sets might be worth it. The guy at my lbs (getting the lingo you see!) swears by park tools.
 
TopBanana said:
:cool: That's deep man.
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It's right though - you spend £365 on a Dura Ace Rear mech, then fasten it onto the bike with a £3 multi-tool made of monkey metal ?? Its not just that the cheap tools wear out in no time, it's the damage they do to the expensive kit while in use...
 
Mark, I just noticed that you recommended park in your post- that will teach me to read these things on my phone, sorry!
 
for a bike repair stand, I bought one of these about 8 years ago and it is still going strong.

Agree with Park Tools, some of the best available. when looking at Allen Keys get some that have a long handle as it makes things easier, and also look at getting a mini torque wrench
 
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My goodness, this really could be a boy's toys hobby like photography if you let it get away from you! I will have to resist and just get what I need for good, basic maintainence!
 
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