Road Cycling

Soldato
Joined
25 Oct 2006
Posts
5,386
Longest ride so far this morning - 102km!

https://www.strava.com/activities/4235694329

Was worried about bonking, but managed to get food just right I think. Legs were pretty binned when I was about 2/3 miles from home.

Still - pretty happy with that

Nice. Though I have to say I'm surprised you went to Richmond Park for it unless maybe group ride? Plenty of good hills out your way. I used to live nearer Richmond Park and would go there a lot but over time traffic has just increased and while I only live 15 miles away now that means riding into traffic for a good chunk of the ride.
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Mar 2008
Posts
2,561
Location
Guildford
Great average for your first 100km, onwards and upwards!

Cheers! Pretty happy with it considering the wind too!

Nice. Though I have to say I'm surprised you went to Richmond Park for it unless maybe group ride? Plenty of good hills out your way. I used to live nearer Richmond Park and would go there a lot but over time traffic has just increased and while I only live 15 miles away now that means riding into traffic for a good chunk of the ride.

Tbh it wasn't really planned. I train for rowing at Molesey usually Saturday mornings, but wasn't out on the water today so thought I'd do my usual cycle up to the club and then go and do a number of loops of Richmond park depending on how I was feeling
 
Soldato
Joined
22 Oct 2005
Posts
2,799
Location
Moving...
I have a pair of bib tights, but the pad on them isn't great. I'm not sure whether to buy a more expensive pair, OR just buy some leg warmers to go with my nicer bib shorts which I know have a more comfortable pad. Thoughts?

I don't ride in the cold that often, so thought the money saved would be better off going towards another pair of nice bib shorts.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
10,646
Was planning a small group ride tomorrow but looks like I'll be riding alone. I had been avoiding larger groups and thought I'd be fine with a small group.

Mrs is working with basically a full unit of covid and another has 7/11 positive.

She isn't showing symptoms but just being cautious, most people are the opposite and not giving a single ****. Folks are done with the virus even though it's kicking off properly in this area. Local hospital is 90% capacity at the moment.
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Jun 2004
Posts
19,437
Location
On the Amiga500
Was planning a small group ride tomorrow but looks like I'll be riding alone. I had been avoiding larger groups and thought I'd be fine with a small group.

Mrs is working with basically a full unit of covid and another has 7/11 positive.

She isn't showing symptoms but just being cautious, most people are the opposite and not giving a single ****. Folks are done with the virus even though it's kicking off properly in this area. Local hospital is 90% capacity at the moment.
Sad isn't it? We've been particularly careful and rode at distance and when stopped for a coffee still exercised sense. There's no point in being complacent. It'll be all tears if one of us comes down severely ill due to our negligence.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
10,646
I spoke to a local good guy, Sunday group ride a guy ended up positive a few days later. He told the group but none of them isolated....

My mates wife works in a cancer ward/hospital and is isolating due to working with a nurse who tested positive. He's out with the group tomorrow and not isolating. Don't know of he has to until she shows symptoms??

Also know a few folk flying to and from Gibraltar to avoid quarantine but they've revelling onto mainland Spain on holiday.
 
Soldato
Joined
19 Jun 2004
Posts
19,437
Location
On the Amiga500
I spoke to a local good guy, Sunday group ride a guy ended up positive a few days later. He told the group but none of them isolated....

My mates wife works in a cancer ward/hospital and is isolating due to working with a nurse who tested positive. He's out with the group tomorrow and not isolating. Don't know of he has to until she shows symptoms??

Also know a few folk flying to and from Gibraltar to avoid quarantine but they've revelling onto mainland Spain on holiday.
Again, it's all fun and games until one of them or someone they know is hospitalised. The gravity of their actions won't be felt until that happens. My mates wife works in a covid ward. Last week she had to phone a family to tell them their 19yr old daughter had died. Brings it home.
 
Associate
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Posts
115
Location
Cheshire
Again, it's all fun and games until one of them or someone they know is hospitalised. The gravity of their actions won't be felt until that happens. My mates wife works in a covid ward. Last week she had to phone a family to tell them their 19yr old daughter had died. Brings it home.

Unfortunately being personally impacted is the only way some folks will learn. Definitely going to get worse I’m afraid.
 
Associate
Joined
9 Jul 2019
Posts
115
Location
Cheshire
I have a pair of bib tights, but the pad on them isn't great. I'm not sure whether to buy a more expensive pair, OR just buy some leg warmers to go with my nicer bib shorts which I know have a more comfortable pad. Thoughts?

I don't ride in the cold that often, so thought the money saved would be better off going towards another pair of nice bib shorts.

I think some leg warmers are a must to help extend your existing kit. That said if you aren’t getting on with the pad then invest in some new shorts. I’ve got a few pairs of assos which I got in various sales from wiggle, not cheap but very comfy. Also got there leg/arm warmers (evo7) which are excellent.
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Apr 2011
Posts
14,761
Location
Barnet, London
My mates wife works in a cancer ward/hospital and is isolating due to working with a nurse who tested positive. He's out with the group tomorrow and not isolating. Don't know of he has to until she shows symptoms??

On advice, he doesn't isolate. He's one step away from it, if you know what I mean? So Person A works with Person B. Person B is married to Person C. If A is positive, B isolates, C doesn't unless it turns out that B has it.
 
Soldato
Joined
23 Nov 2004
Posts
10,646
On advice, he doesn't isolate. He's one step away from it, if you know what I mean? So Person A works with Person B. Person B is married to Person C. If A is positive, B isolates, C doesn't unless it turns out that B has it.

So he's fine then. Good to know as I didn't know the specifics.

Mrs works with it daily at the moment so only a matter of time until she gets it. 5 staff have it so far :cool::o
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Sep 2006
Posts
4,121
Location
Gloucestershire
ok last toy for the TT bike

TC3AcNP.jpg

My trusty Vector 2S is still going strong, but I'll be using that on the winter bike. So I needed a new PWM for the TT bike, and I've read amazing things about these. Nearly bought the Vector 3s, but these seem to come out on top.
Hoping to go out this afternoon if it drys up (and stays that way!). Interested to see what the pedal dynamics will be like on each side.......
 
Soldato
Joined
28 Apr 2011
Posts
14,761
Location
Barnet, London
Pressure monitor came in really handy today. I have been a little sus of my front tyre, occasionally it's a little flat as I get the bike out, but seems to hold when I pump it up. This morning, 7 miles in to a 50 mile ride, I didn't feel anything from the bike, but noticed the monitor showing I'd dropped 30psi and dropping 2psi every few seconds. I got myself to the front of the group, to let them know I was going to need to stop and we all pulled in while I changed the inner tube. It was also quite handy to watch the psi go up as I pumped, with a nice accurate measure :). (Yes, I know not essential, but was handy)

Also, I'm sure it's an experience thing, but squeezing by hand, I couldn't tell the difference, 98psi to 70psi! Neither could a couple of others and it was even suggested my gadget was faulty. When they dropped another 10-20 and I put weight on the front wheel, then you could really see the tyre bulge.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,420
Location
Hereford
I have a pair of bib tights, but the pad on them isn't great. I'm not sure whether to buy a more expensive pair, OR just buy some leg warmers to go with my nicer bib shorts which I know have a more comfortable pad. Thoughts?

I don't ride in the cold that often, so thought the money saved would be better off going towards another pair of nice bib shorts.
If you're not going to use them very much then one option (I've done the last few years) is take the pad out of tights and then wear them over shorts. Get the comfort of your good shorts, but an additional layer for warmth. Admittedly I've done it with old tights which are a size above my shorts, but they stretch well. DHB used to do their winter tights with a padless option and they're my go to for winter as they're quite fleecy and a higher cut front & back than some others. Good for warmth!

She isn't showing symptoms but just being cautious, most people are the opposite and not giving a single ****. Folks are done with the virus even though it's kicking off properly in this area. Local hospital is 90% capacity at the moment.
Good on you buddy, caution is key and that we isolate ourselves whenever reasonably able to do so. If you've got a choice then choosing to sacrifice your freedoms/pleasure/training is a great example of a sacrifice you're prepared to make to help lower the risk to others. Big respect!

So many people just don't seem to give 2 s*ts about it, mixing happily and not caring. Drives me bonkers as we're so careful here, but in a very low area, so are our immediate older family, thankfully easy to keep themselves isolated again in very low quiet areas. Then you have 'other' family members who live in high hit areas (Birmingham) or working around it (NHS/care home/school) seemingly not caring/being complacent and happily mixing with the older family members. I've actually fallen out quite a bit with my sister over it (Birmingham and her other half is front line NHS) and she's not spoken to me since June/July lol... Seems our opinions differed about us going on holiday to Greece being a big 'no-no' (before second wave), yet her dragging my parents out to help her (from Wales when it was on lockdown & she's in a tier 2) is somehow OK... :mad::confused::o

I've not seen my parents since April and we've only seen my other half's twice. 'Normally' we'd see one or the other every couple of weeks. Bring on the vaccine they seem to be on the horizon of.

On advice, he doesn't isolate. He's one step away from it, if you know what I mean? So Person A works with Person B. Person B is married to Person C. If A is positive, B isolates, C doesn't unless it turns out that B has it.
This. His other half has to isolate and any symptoms he then has to.

But it spreads so damn easily any common sense would say that he should be too (as much as possible)... Like @Jonny ///M is doing.

Also, I'm sure it's an experience thing, but squeezing by hand, I couldn't tell the difference, 98psi to 70psi! Neither could a couple of others and it was even suggested my gadget was faulty. When they dropped another 10-20 and I put weight on the front wheel, then you could really see the tyre bulge.
Good to hear and good you got a practical example of it working so soon after fitting them! :D

Still some rubbish luck! :o
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Mar 2008
Posts
2,561
Location
Guildford
What the **** is wrong with some people.

On my cycle back from training today, some van behind me leans on his horn from probably 20m back, then comes flying past me leaving about 6 inches because there are bollards in the road. So I raised my hand slightly in an irritated way (honestly it wasn't in an angry way, and certainly no gestures).

He then takes issue with this, slows down and starts weaving all over the place in front of me at about 10mph. I come up alongside his window and start to say "just leave some more room next time, or wait until after the bollards" and he immediately starts f'ing and blinding, calling me all sorts of things and saying I should be right next to the curb cycling and not "two feet away from the pavement" and threatening to knock me off. Eventually he speeds off, but then seems to change his mind and starts driving about 10/15mph, so I hang back. Unfortunately the lights ahead go red, so he stops and I stop a good 10m back from him. He then jumps out of his van and comes right up in my face, threatening to knock my teeth out and "put something in me". Foolishly (which I'm going to blame on the adrenaline - according to my watch my HR jumped to about 170bpm while this was all going on, as opposed to low 140s whilst I was cycling normally) I started saying stuff back about leaving more room and that I have every right to be in the middle of the lane if I wanted to be etc. He was getting more and more aggressive, so eventually common sense prevailed and I stopped answering back and he eventually backed off (although I said "alright mate" which he really didn't like... "say that again and I'll knock your teeth out") got in his van and drove off through the red light.

Honestly didn't do anything to deserve that kind of reaction. Don't understand what is wrong with some drivers and why they get so angry. In hindsight, probably should have swallowed my pride sooner as it was a pretty scary situation, but as I say the adrenaline flying through me decided not to back down for a bit. Definitely remember thinking I was actually going to get punched, and looking around in the hope there was a police car somewhere nearby.

Thankfully didn't end badly. Rant over.

Silver linings though, PB'd on the 4 segments immediately after as I was clearly so pumped up lol
 
Soldato
Joined
17 Sep 2006
Posts
4,121
Location
Gloucestershire
Some people just think the roads are just for cars. Everyone/thing else is inferior and shouldn't be there.

I do my best to ignore them. I'll never forget last year we have an idiot in a RR (typically 4x4 are the worst, as cliched as it is), behind our group of 8 or so (riding double file). He was on his horn for about a minute or two straight, as the road was a bit twisty and hard to get past us. Not one of us looked back or reacted. He just carried on with his horn, and we carried on cycling.

I'd love to get in the mind of people like that for a moment. I'll never understand.
 
Back
Top Bottom