The Fretboard Cycling Club

mrkb

Great ride this morning exploring more trails (and a new cafe) - why do horse riders spoil it for the rest of us

BigMonka

MagicPigDetective said:

I’m preparing today for a 120km sportive in Anglesey tomorrow … a step up from my previous 100km longest distance, with more climbing.  

Had not been on my bike for two weeks due to holiday… was worried I’d lose fitness but had a little spin yesterday and felt fine. Feeling confident yet slightly nervous. At least the weather promises to be good.

How did your sportive go @MagicPigDetective ? That's a great distance and bet I fair amount of climbing on Anglesey too!

MagicPigDetective

BigMonka said:

MagicPigDetective said:

I’m preparing today for a 120km sportive in Anglesey tomorrow … a step up from my previous 100km longest distance, with more climbing.  

Had not been on my bike for two weeks due to holiday… was worried I’d lose fitness but had a little spin yesterday and felt fine. Feeling confident yet slightly nervous. At least the weather promises to be good.

How did your sportive go @MagicPigDetective ? That's a great distance and bet I fair amount of climbing on Anglesey too!

Well, I did it! First half went great… second half was hard, getting into brutal, with a series of long climbs, and a headwind, plus some saddle soreness. Last 14 miles was tougher than anything I’ve done, had to dig deep to get up the final climb, but I got over the line in just under 7 hours. A tough but thoroughly good experience, warm and dry, beautiful scenery and a very well run event. 

Now I need a good few days rest from the bike..  

BigMonka

That's amazing, great job dude! At this point everyone seems to ask "so what have you got planned next?" but I think revelling in the feeling of achievement and success is way more important.

Jaycee

BigMonka said:

That's amazing, great job dude! At this point everyone seems to ask "so what have you got planned next?" but I think revelling in the feeling of achievement and success is way more important.

My thoghts as well

ewal

Although to counter that - I think it's best not to leave it too long. I have been known to train for a big ride, then once said ride is done, do nothing for months.

There's a guy at work I admire because he never stops - he's a marathon and ultra-runner and I've never known him not to be training for something.

MagicPigDetective

Whilst it feels like a big achievement and the culmination of two summers worth of cycling, and I need a few days off… I certainly want to continue, though probably shorter rides for the remainder of this year. Over winter is a struggle though..I tried a turbo trainer, Zwift etc.. I just don’t enjoy it. 

Over winter I might focus on swimming and the gym, I’d like try to strengthen my legs with exercises etc… as whilst I’ve increased my stamina, I’m very slow at climbing… just need to strengthen overall I feel.  Then next year.. perhaps the target will be the same event again, but done better, we’ll see.

Jaycee

Having said that, I would recommend that you get a ride in this week (if possible) which I found helps with recovery.

I haven't been out since January because of an old condition returning, but I have been swimming regularly. 

 I can't climb either, If I were a pro I would be Mark Cavendish lol

MagicPigDetective

As soon as the bloody saddle sore is better I’ll go for a ride. As I hadn’t been cycling for two weeks due to hols, last Friday I rode for an hour. Then, 5.30am Sunday morning, putting the bibs on, found I had a bloody saddle sore.. my rear carriage must’ve gotten soft due to the break. So, I had to ride the whole 120km ‘managing’ it…including applying more cream behind a hedge! It wasn’t too bad but it didn’t help at all! 

Haych

Went for my first cycle in about 13 years this evening, finally. 

After a bout of the lurgi and then bad weather and other stuff happening I kitted myself up and hit the asphalt!

It wasn’t half as difficult as I feared it would be. Initially I thought I’d just end up doing a couple of miles round the block but making progress was surprisingly rapid, even for a fat old duffer like me!

I didn’t do big miles but reckon I’ve done between 12 and 15, which I don’t think is too bad after so long off the bike. 

All my contact points hurt now! I’m sure they’ll get used to it in time but comfortable it was not. 

Hopefully shedding some weight will also help. 

The guy I bought the bike from was like a piece of string and had fitted a longer stem, think I’ll find a standard length stem and that ought to help a bit too. 

Anyone wanna do swapsies? My 120mm FSA stem for your 100mm stem?

Anyway, glad I finally got the opportunity to get on the bike, it felt good!

BigMonka

Good for you getting back out there on the bike @Haych ;
Get yourself some decent lights and mudguards and get ready for a winter of fun!

Haych

BigMonka said:

Good for you getting back out there on the bike @Haych ;
Get yourself some decent lights and mudguards and get ready for a winter of fun!

Thanks @BigMonka, first I think I need either a new saddle or some better shorts.  By jingo does my arse hurt this morning!

BigMonka

Haych said:

BigMonka said:

Good for you getting back out there on the bike @Haych ;
Get yourself some decent lights and mudguards and get ready for a winter of fun!

Thanks @BigMonka, first I think I need either a new saddle or some better shorts.  By jingo does my arse hurt this morning!

You did a decent distance on your first ride so I'm not surprised you're a bit sore, but I wouldn't jump too quickly into buying new stuff. My commute to work is ~9miles each way and after a couple of weeks off it can be pretty uncomfortable getting back on the bike for the first couple of days but then you adjust, and I don't wear padded shorts on a commute.

mrkb

Out training hard this morning - rode 15 mile to get to the cafe

Haych

Did half hour this morning, a 7.6 mile loop with some steady, but not brutal, climbs. 

Arse isn’t hurting as much but I really do need a shorter stem as I can’t get comfortable on the bars. 

Need to sort out my left shoe as well, there’s a pressure point on the outer edge of my foot which doesn’t hurt but isn’t comfortable and sort of goes numb. 

Maybe it’s just me, I recall it being the same when I was last cycling a lot many years ago. I’ll try repositioning the cleats a bit but it almost feels like the left side of the shoe needs raising a bit. 

Is that possible? Maybe a shim on that side under the cleat?

mrkb

Haych said:

Did half hour this morning, a 7.6 mile loop with some steady, but not brutal, climbs. 

Arse isn’t hurting as much but I really do need a shorter stem as I can’t get comfortable on the bars. 

Need to sort out my left shoe as well, there’s a pressure point on the outer edge of my foot which doesn’t hurt but isn’t comfortable and sort of goes numb. 

Maybe it’s just me, I recall it being the same when I was last cycling a lot many years ago. I’ll try repositioning the cleats a bit but it almost feels like the left side of the shoe needs raising a bit. 

Is that possible? Maybe a shim on that side under the cleat?

yes - specialized do them , they fit under the footbed - look for varus and vagus wedges 

Haych

@mrkb, thanks will look that up.

Things are beginning to feel slowly and slightly easier each time I go out, though.  Did the same loop today and things felt better than yesterday.

Bike feels great, I hate the colour but I can definitely feel that it's much stiffer than my old Six13 - but that Six13 looked so good.

TTBZ

Got a set of Elite rollers with switchable resistance for £20 on eBay. Had forgotten how scary they are when you first get on, especially as the drums on this are pretty much flat compared to my old Tacx set! 20 minutes and I'm a sweaty mess. This will be my winter evenings setup for a while! 

BigMonka

TTBZ said:

Got a set of Elite rollers with switchable resistance for £20 on eBay. Had forgotten how scary they are when you first get on, especially as the drums on this are pretty much flat compared to my old Tacx set! 20 minutes and I'm a sweaty mess. This will be my winter evenings setup for a while! 

I quite like the idea of rollers but I'm not brave enough now that I've watched so many clips of people dramatically falling off them!

Haych

Used to have a set of Tacx rollers.  They were alright but if you wanted a good workout they weren't especially brilliant and the turbo trainer was better all round for breaking into a sweat.

Initially it was dodgy AF getting going on them but after a few tries and once the knack was acquired they aren't too difficult.

I found I couldn't move around on them very much, couldn't stand out of the saddle, for instance, so everything went numb quite quick.  I was thinking of getting some more but I think a turbo trainer for the winter is probably a more pragmatic idea, and much harder to fall off, although don't challenge me - I'm sure I can rise to it!