Tell us about your new improved government regulations compliant cycle part II

magicbastarder

Deleted User wrote: »

I had an irrational fear of getting out of the saddle before and was a big gear grinder on the hills

you were seated *and* grinding? at least you were getting good exercise!

Oymyakon

Heard the dreaded click click click sound before the gears started jumping up and down the cassette of their own accord. Had only fixed up the bike this weekend because of a broken rear axle!!

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

you were seated *and* grinding? at least you were getting good exercise!

Yes, it was a bad habit. As I said here before, I didn't see the small ring for a year and did some big hills, all in the saddle. My knees did start to hurt and I feel much better now that I've discovered the small ring and an ability to get out of the saddle.

thesimpsons

Deleted User wrote: »

Have you practiced getting in and out of the saddle? I had an irrational fear of getting out of the saddle before and was a big gear grinder on the hills but based on some research and tips from here I spend plenty of time out of the saddle now and it has transformed my climbing. Maybe something to look into.

I don't ever get out of the saddle, feel I can't pull myself up out of it (mmm I should loose some weight and it might help alot). I don't grind the gears either though, I found the small ring long time ago and just spin my way up them. I don't give up but would really love to get better. One problem with me is I try to stay with the rest of the group, burn myself out and die for the second half of the hill. When I go out on my own for hills it's at my own pace and so much better for me.

Does anyone use heart rate much to train by? Just recently I've noticed training at 80% I'm perfect, speed up pace or throw in a hill I'm up to 90/95% & struggling to breath correctly and I'm sure this can't be good - or is it ok? My HR does come back down quickly once over the hill or after the sprint

Luxman

Decided to trundle across some new roads around Rosnaree on the way towards Slane. Nice bit of climbing, actually more drags than proper hills, 600m over 66k. Cracking day out there. Lovely part of the country too. I was troubled most of the way round as I didn't remember locking the back door of the house , so was wondering did I do it or not. I remember someone telling me when you do something like this , to also make a noise (they gave an example of a dog bark) to yourself, its like a brain placeholder as it would stand out in memory as its not normal behaviour. When I returned I found the back door locked :-). Ruff.

lawrencesummers

First time in about 5 years doing 100km! Happy out
25.8 avg. Minimal elevation.

magicbastarder

Deleted User wrote: »

Yes, it was a bad habit. As I said here before, I didn't see the small ring for a year and did some big hills, all in the saddle. My knees did start to hurt and I feel much better now that I've discovered the small ring and an ability to get out of the saddle.

i couldn't tell you the last time i did a hill in the big ring.

Luxman

Luxman wrote: »

Decided to trundle across some new roads around Rosnaree on the way towards Slane. Nice bit of climbing, actually more drags than proper hills, 600m over 66k. Cracking day out there. Lovely part of the country too. I was troubled most of the way round as I didn't remember locking the back door of the house , so was wondering did I do it or not. I remember someone telling me when you do something like this , to also make a noise (they gave an example of a dog bark) to yourself, its like a brain placeholder as it would stand out in memory as its not normal behaviour. When I returned I found the back door locked :-). Ruff.

Did you go via Duleek towards Rosnaree? If I'm out that way I normally take a right off the R150 just before the GAA grounds after Duleek and head on to Rosnaree that way. I think you cross the train tracks 3 times on the way such is the way of the road. Some nice houses out that way.

Luxman

Deleted User wrote: »

Did you go via Duleek towards Rosnaree? If I'm out that way I normally take a right off the R150 just before the GAA grounds after Duleek and head on to Rosnaree that way. I think you cross the train tracks 3 times on the way such is the way of the road. Some nice houses out that way.

No, I came from Balrath woods directions, across the N2 towards Duleek and then a left all the way up to the Staleen road near the Boyne, then back across the N2 to Fennor and towards Stackallen. Trying to keep off the main roads

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

i couldn't tell you the last time i did a hill in the big ring.

It was a bad habit that I've ended now. My knees were starting to get sore. I'd still go up a long drag of a hill in a big gear as I prefer to maintain momentum

retalivity

magicbastarder wrote: »

i couldn't tell you the last time i did a hill in the big ring.

I was the same, now i find that the high gears in the big ring rub of the front derailleur, so shift into the small ring asap. Find myself climbing much faster now, seated and dancing over the saddle like contador

magicbastarder

thesimpsons wrote: »

I don't ever get out of the saddle, feel I can't pull myself up out of it (mmm I should loose some weight and it might help alot). I don't grind the gears either though, I found the small ring long time ago and just spin my way up them.

i generally find what i try settle into my optimum cadence (while seated) and when i start to slow a little too much, stand up out of the saddle and use my weight and the extra torque to keep going for a while (my natural cadence standing is slower than seated); then drop a gear as i sit down, and pick the cadence up a little again. rinse and repeat.

i'm not saying that's the correct way of doing things in general - it usually works for me - and helps keep slightly different muscle groups used so you're not overtiring one particular set unduly, i guess.

wheelo01

Stop all this talk of hills please, they nearly killed me today LMAO

Very muggy day today, when I came home I saw on Strava that the humidity was 72% - feck me, I sweated buckets.

Did 70 km with about 1100m of climbing - Drimnagh, Tallaght, gunny hill, Rockbrook, Pine forest, right turn at Johnnie Foxes (plenty of weeeeee moments, scuppered by aaaaagh moments when it all got a bit twisty), over to the Sally Gap, down to Kilbride holiday village, and up by Kilbride, Ballinascorney, and home again. Legs really weren't up to it, average speed just over 20kph.

https://strava.app.link/EsYZdQTA19

Mercian Pro

Having tackled the Dublin County border before as two half circuits, today I decided to take on the full clockwise circuit. It was cool enough so the base layer and leg warmers were added to the summer gear and the rain jacket was handy on some of the descents and later on. At 238km plus about 5km more to get to my start point on the East Wall Road, it was my longest cycle since I was a teenaged cycle-tourist and the legs certainly did plenty of talking. Between cramp in Skerries and a lack of power from Howth home, I think I may have reached my limit.

The lack of anywhere suitable for lunch until the Seamus Ennis Centre in the Naul at 140km didn't help although I was able to get a coffee and bun in the carpark of the Blue Gardenia in Brittas. The two stops were handy as well for recharging the Garmin from a power-pack as following a route certainly uses a lot more battery power than just recording one. As often seems to happen on long spins, somehow I managed to pause the Garmin for 11km so my longest recorded ride should be even longer. The route is at https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/35007851 and the Relive video is at https://www.relive.cc/view/v36AeXgJmZ6

Wishbone Ash

Mercian Pro wrote: »

... I was able to get a coffee and bun in the carpark of the Blue Gardenia in Brittas....

She seems to be a bit hit and miss. She was closed on the two previous occasions that I passed through making the Leixlip-Kilternan (and vice versa) section very long without any refreshments.

NamelessPhil

positron wrote: »

I didn't cycle today but I watched Conor Dunne's latest GCN video - of him attempting Donegal 555. Amazing and well worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30ATJwJXSN4

The route looks brutal, and that Innishowen loop in itself is very challenging and that's only a quarter of the overall distance. And to think folks finish that in 17-20 hours.. unreal!!

What I would really love to see on GCN would be an ultra ride with Conor and our own NamelessPhil. Now THAT would be epic!!

He'd eat me for breakfast! The height difference would be comical given that I'm 164cm on a good day.

That's the beauty of cycling, it doesn't matter if you're small and stocky or tall and lanky, you can still cycle the same route under the same conditions.

magicbastarder

back in long sleeves today for the first time since about march i think. still, a lovely day for it, but windier than expected. 75km around NCD.

magicbastarder

magicbastarder wrote: »

back in long sleeves today for the first time since about march i think. still, a lovely day for it, but windier than expected. 75km around NCD.

Same as, touch of grass frost when I left this morning just before 7 too.

secman

Solo into Gorey to meet the club, out to Camolin, Ferns, taking the new road into Enniscorthy . Out towards Oulart and a right turn to Ballaghdreen. Left onto main road to Ballyedmund and into Ballycanew where i turned for home. 85 km (22 solo) avg 29.6kph 686 meters.
First time in a long time with long sleeved body armour, gillet and overshoes but persisted with bib shorts.

rolling boh

Definitely time to add the layers a bit nice dry day out around Dunboyne but a drop in temperature for sure .

Tony EH

Dublin city centre to Slade Valley and back. I do this run often as a quickie. Today was about 14 degrees out and the cycle was fine. I didn't feel cold on the bike. It was quite comfortable.

But...I experienced something I have never experienced ever before.

After finishing the cycle, my temp was up. I wasn't really sweating, but I was hot when I got back home. I drank some cold water to try and bring down my temp a bit. However, my temperature kept going down until I was shivering, like it was freezing. I put on the radiators, and the wife made me a hot water bottle too and I jumped under the bed covers.

For the next two hours, I shivered in the bed, despite the fact that the house was like a sauna.

My temperature is back up now and I feel fine. But for a while there the missus thought I had Covid. :pac:

Anyone here had something like that before? Because I hadn't a clue what was happening.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Same as, touch of grass frost when I left this morning just before 7 too.

I'm heading out at 7am tomorrow. Did you need overshoes or leggings? I'm in two minds as to what to wear.

Wildly Boaring

I had a lovely spin today.

Last few weekends I've gone hill hunting
Today I just headed off on a meander of smaller roads in what id class mid Meath.
Took the worst route possible through this lot
Colpe, Duleek, Yellow Furze, Garlow, Bective, Moynalvey, Dunsany, Tara, Skryne

3 hours tipping along in the sun.

Yep there's a chill about.
No need ovrshoes or toe covers.

Long thermal under jersey. Brought gillet but never used.
Knee warmers on for the first 2 hours.

I was cold and hungry when I stopped though.
Shower and a coffee sorted me.
And I am a very warm blooded individual

triggermortis

I didn't ride to work today as I got up too late (05.00 start is killing me!!) but went out afterwards to make up for it. Sun was shining but was a bit windy in places.
Felt good to be on the good bike instead of the commuter...

https://www.strava.com/activities/4115223292

Seth Brundle

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'm heading out at 7am tomorrow. Did you need overshoes or leggings? I'm in two minds as to what to wear.

I'd recommend overshoes or toe warmers. I went out at 9am today and after a while my toes were freezing to the point of being numb. After about 70km I had to get the group to stop so I could walk around a bit.
I was wearing shorts and whilst my knees felt it a bit it wasn't too bad. I'm reluctant to wear leggings just yet.
The other area I really felt the cold was my head. I had a neck warmer on (Liberté multi scarf thrown free into a recent order from Galibier) and after five minutes out I moved it up onto my head. Was fine after that.

Seth Brundle

Seth Brundle wrote: »

I'd recommend overshoes or toe warmers. I went out at 9am today and after a while my toes were freezing to the point of being numb. After about 70km I had to get the group to stop so I could walk around a bit.
I was wearing shorts and whilst my knees felt it a bit it wasn't too bad. I'm reluctant to wear leggings just yet.
The other area I really felt the cold was my head. I had a neck warmer on (Liberté multi scarf thrown free into a recent order from Galibier) and after five minutes out I moved it up onto my head. Was fine after that.

Thanks. Yeah, was out early last Sunday and my feet got cold and it's significantly colder now. Might go with the unusual combination of overshoes and shorts. Can't bring myself to wear leggings just yet, and if tomorrow is anything like today it'll be warm by the time I get home.

Wishbone Ash

Deleted User wrote: »

Thanks. Yeah, was out early last Sunday and my feet got cold and it's significantly colder now. Might go with the unusual combination of overshoes and shorts. Can't bring myself to wear leggings just yet, and if tomorrow is anything like today it'll be warm by the time I get home.

I suppose we're all different but I'd be in gloves and arm warmers long before I'd need over shoes or leggings. As you say, it will warm up, so if you can manage without the overshoes for an hour or two, i'd leave them out.

Thats it we're all different, I was grand in the short bibs, base and long sleeve but I did have the light jacket on starting out but that was too much for me and ended up in my pocket after 10km. I do tend to run hotter than most but still I was glad my arms were covered. Legs and feet I'd be the same as WA on the covers and leggings

Tomorrow looks to be more or less the same.

magicbastarder

i go from shorts to leggings at around 8 or 10C (depends on length of ride, wind etc) but i have a decent tolerance for cold.
today wasn't bad - i had a light long sleeved top on, but it was 13C so not exactly baltic. reasonably stiff northerly breeze.

Seth Brundle

magicbastarder wrote: »

i go from shorts to leggings at around 8 or 10C (depends on length of ride, wind etc) but i have a decent tolerance for cold.
today wasn't bad - i had a light long sleeved top on, but it was 13C so not exactly baltic. reasonably stiff northerly breeze.

It was 2C when I left home. There was frost on our cars and her windscreen was frozen over.
The lack of a sea breeze makes a difference possibly