Road Cycling
- Thread starter FrenchTart
- Start date
Chaps - whats the protocol with cycle lanes in central London? I assume its frowned upon/bad practice/death wish to not use them?
Haven't ever cycled in central before, but I'm working near Tower Bridge Weds/Thurs, and as I won't have time to fit other training in, thought I'd cycle home (back to Guildford) both evenings (and get very wet in the process by the looks of it
Planning on staying close to the river until Fulham, so along lower thames street/A3211/Millbank/Grosvenor Road/Chelsea Embankment
Normally I ignore most cycle lanes, but I'm assuming the super highways are alright to use?
Ta
Haven't ever cycled in central before, but I'm working near Tower Bridge Weds/Thurs, and as I won't have time to fit other training in, thought I'd cycle home (back to Guildford) both evenings (and get very wet in the process by the looks of it
Planning on staying close to the river until Fulham, so along lower thames street/A3211/Millbank/Grosvenor Road/Chelsea Embankment
Normally I ignore most cycle lanes, but I'm assuming the super highways are alright to use?
Ta
The super highways and especially the segregated bits are generally fine. Obviously have all sensors ready for idiots turning across the lane, stepping out etc.
No real issue with riding in the road itself too but might ignore the odd black cabbie.
That's a fair old trek to Guildford in the wet and dark!
No real issue with riding in the road itself too but might ignore the odd black cabbie.
That's a fair old trek to Guildford in the wet and dark!
Well I tried to reply to this but the forum is being weird... keep having to log in 
Great, hopefully it won't be too busy! Finishing at 4 tomorrow so hopefully won't be too dark, but the headwind is going to be a ***** though!
Quick thought I've had - does anyone know if the "can't take a non foldable bike on commuter trains" is being enforced at the moment? Seeing as all the trains are empty I'd like to think not, but all it takes is someone at the station in a bad mood...
Or maybe I'll just take the wheels off and claim I'm taking for a repair somewhere
Great, hopefully it won't be too busy! Finishing at 4 tomorrow so hopefully won't be too dark, but the headwind is going to be a ***** though!
Quick thought I've had - does anyone know if the "can't take a non foldable bike on commuter trains" is being enforced at the moment? Seeing as all the trains are empty I'd like to think not, but all it takes is someone at the station in a bad mood...
Or maybe I'll just take the wheels off and claim I'm taking for a repair somewhere
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It’s not enforced at Marylebone for trains arriving at 7-8am, so don’t think it is being enforced at all.
Wear body armour and carry a firearm?!
No issues getting on the train or on it, but the guy at Waterloo said he could and was going to fine me but I was already through the barrier so just walked off and then cycled away
Savage headwind the whole way home, didn't realise how mentally taxing cycling in central would be, and cycling through Richmond Park in the pitch black was fairly terrifying...
Still, excited for the 30mph tailwind on the way up tomorrow!
but I was already through the barrier so just walked off and then cycled away Savage headwind the whole way home, didn't realise how mentally taxing cycling in central would be, and cycling through Richmond Park in the pitch black was fairly terrifying...
Still, excited for the 30mph tailwind on the way up tomorrow!
I did laps there a few times when I first started cycling. Even with an 800 lumen light there isn't really enough light to go at normal pace... especially in the summer as the deer like the warmth of the road and just sit there. You see their eyes at the last minute
So to say there was a tailwind today would be an understatement...
https://strava.app.link/5U8Ou12Bxeb
Was averaging about 37/8kph until the traffic started building up
https://strava.app.link/5U8Ou12Bxeb
Was averaging about 37/8kph until the traffic started building up
Proper windy out there again today. I aimed for a nice bakery that I went a few years back... that's the only thing that kept me going into the wind. I'd have turned round otherwise!
Soldato
First time out yesterday in about two weeks, with the training showing effect, strings of PR's achieved in the 50 mile ride. Headwind was horrible on the first half of the ride, but helped coming home. Rode with a friend, so we always push each other a little, but planning to head out again this morning (40 miles, first return to Spokes in about 2 months) and give the new AmpHuman lotion its first test, to see how it helps with the tired legs!
Soldato
Putting the feelers out for what training aids you have for getting back to fitness (I am aware the weathers improving 
). I have young family now so putting the leg over the steed and riding out for 4+ hours is not so simple these days. I also got on with other things since covid and now I need to recoup months of neglect (which is all my fault).
In the past, I have used TrainerRoad, RGT+trainingpeaks and they are good - so will likely go back to a paid subscription sometime soon. What I was going to do was spend a ten week block gradually building up some endurance and will get outside on the better weather days. As tech and apps move really fast I would be interested in what people use for their training-cave, indoor regime's. I can use a laptop, have a couple of spare smart phones and have power meter. Obviously there are your peleton/swift but im not into competing for a while, are there any gems out there that aren't your commercial advertised bloat that requires subbing?
). I have young family now so putting the leg over the steed and riding out for 4+ hours is not so simple these days. I also got on with other things since covid and now I need to recoup months of neglect (which is all my fault).In the past, I have used TrainerRoad, RGT+trainingpeaks and they are good - so will likely go back to a paid subscription sometime soon. What I was going to do was spend a ten week block gradually building up some endurance and will get outside on the better weather days. As tech and apps move really fast I would be interested in what people use for their training-cave, indoor regime's. I can use a laptop, have a couple of spare smart phones and have power meter. Obviously there are your peleton/swift but im not into competing for a while, are there any gems out there that aren't your commercial advertised bloat that requires subbing?
Soldato
ok power data geeks, here's one for you...
I decided to put my Assioma pedal PWM on my Tarmac, which has a Quarq DZero.
After a short ride (I did a quick ride first to 'bed the pedals in') I found my data looking like this.....
Interestingly, I found that the Assiomas under-read by about 6% when compared to my Wattbike, here they seem to be about 5%.
I then went back out, after adjusting the power offset on the Assiomas by +4.5%......and got this:
Pretty encouraging, albeit only on a 20 min or so ride.
And I noticed that the NP on my Wahoo head unit and Garmin Fenix were tracking each other within a couple of watts. However, the average was out by almost 20-30W at times.
For that second (adjusted) ride, the Garmin report gives an average of 243W (so not sure how ZwiftPower comes to 232W?), but the Wahoo report gives an average of 219W. (but 309W vs 308W for NP)
What's causing this difference for the average? Both devices are set to record zeroes in the average. So I can't think why there's a difference in the head units, especially when the 'raw data' is almost exactly the same (within 1%)
Also, is it reasonable to 'fudge' the Assioma's power? Between 3 power results, it was under reading by about the same.
I decided to put my Assioma pedal PWM on my Tarmac, which has a Quarq DZero.
After a short ride (I did a quick ride first to 'bed the pedals in') I found my data looking like this.....
Interestingly, I found that the Assiomas under-read by about 6% when compared to my Wattbike, here they seem to be about 5%.
I then went back out, after adjusting the power offset on the Assiomas by +4.5%......and got this:
Pretty encouraging, albeit only on a 20 min or so ride.
And I noticed that the NP on my Wahoo head unit and Garmin Fenix were tracking each other within a couple of watts. However, the average was out by almost 20-30W at times.
For that second (adjusted) ride, the Garmin report gives an average of 243W (so not sure how ZwiftPower comes to 232W?), but the Wahoo report gives an average of 219W. (but 309W vs 308W for NP)
What's causing this difference for the average? Both devices are set to record zeroes in the average. So I can't think why there's a difference in the head units, especially when the 'raw data' is almost exactly the same (within 1%)
Also, is it reasonable to 'fudge' the Assioma's power? Between 3 power results, it was under reading by about the same.
Soldato
The plot thickens a little more, apparently this is a Wahoo 'issue' (potentially).
I uploaded the Wahoo Roam fit file into TP and get this (note the average watts):
219W, exactly as my head unit said.
BUT.....if you simply click and drag to select the whole ride, TP re-calculates the average, and low and behold it comes out as......
So why are Wahoo calculating the average differently so Garmin/TP etc?
I uploaded the Wahoo Roam fit file into TP and get this (note the average watts):
219W, exactly as my head unit said.
BUT.....if you simply click and drag to select the whole ride, TP re-calculates the average, and low and behold it comes out as......
So why are Wahoo calculating the average differently so Garmin/TP etc?
Soldato
I know I have an option in one peice of software (I think Wahoo) to include in the average the zero Watts or not. Could it be to do with that?
I'm quite liking Sufferfest. I got 2 months free with my Kickr. Brutal as the 4DP test was, it's really interesting to see the results and then pick out workouts based on my weakness. My figures have increased over the last month and then when I've been out on the road, PR's have been getting crushed in some cases.
I'm quite liking Sufferfest. I got 2 months free with my Kickr. Brutal as the 4DP test was, it's really interesting to see the results and then pick out workouts based on my weakness. My figures have increased over the last month and then when I've been out on the road, PR's have been getting crushed in some cases.
Soldato
Thanks for responding Andy. I installed the sufferfest app last year after my RGT ended I think this is what I will go with once I get to be 'unfit' but able to knock out 30 mile rides in off-season condition. Basically I have done zero training for 8 months so it will take a few weeks to get the base legs ready before starting an amateur/serious programme. I can get this period by following a screen showing stats like HR, cadence, Power while listening to music - maybe Gamin's Connect or similar will be able to do so?
The guys over here start training in October ready for racing in March, so when they go out for an 'easy' ride I have been pummelled too many times to fall for that one nowadays. When I get some conditioning done I can meet up with the club guys, no rush this year will hopefully get an April like last year which was an awesome month.
Soldato
Obviously I'm no expert, but that seems very odd to me. You want to do 'non structured training' to raise you fitness, so you can then do structured training? Workouts are tailored exactly to your current ability and can be increased/adjusted as you go. I would have thought the ideal time to use structured workouts would be now?
Soldato
Yeah, your assuming I have some legs already, I have been off the bike over 8 months (no riding indoor or outdoor). It will take a few weeks to even think about putting in targets of 200w ftp etc. When I embark on any training plans in the past its because I wanted to improve on my already established base fitness. When I started road cycling around 2008 I have always been out on the bike once/twice week over winter so I never got completely unfit.
When you done your 4DP test was it straight after no activity for many months or were you already comfortable riding at reasonable pace for twenty to thirty miles?