The biking thread

TB
A 15.8 mile ride last night followed by a 21.6 mile ride this morning. My legs aren't used to this yet! :lol:
Click to expand...

I find that when my legs are sore from a ride, a gentle spin around the neighbourhood really helps loosen up the muscles.
Also, if you have a cold beer can in the fridge, roll it with some pressure across the aching muscles and it relieves tension. Then drink the beer for added effect.
Alternatively, if you know you’re going to exert yourself, drop a paracetamol (Tylenol) before hand and it aids with recovery. Not sure whether this is considered doping or not but it works.
 
My girlfriend hasn't ridden a bike since she was a pretty young kid - she got into an accident when she was a kid and stopped riding after that. So I've spent the last 2 Sundays teaching her to ride. It was slow progress at first, but she got the hang of it pretty quickly. We rode a combined ~5 miles today, though most of it just kind of looping around one part of a local park. She's riding my 54cm Giant Roam hybrid bike, which is too big for her (she's about 5'-7" with shorter legs than me) so it's a bit of a challenge. But she's enjoying it enough to want her own bike! Great fun, I recommend riding with your partner if you don't already!
 
CTznOfTime
Once they got us hooked, now they are reeling us in....

Not going to fall for it...

Enough is enough, I bike because I enjoy it...
I don't bike because of Strava...
Click to expand...

It's almost breathtaking how much of the free version of Strava has just been kneecapped. I did a ride today...I can't even compare against my own previous times, let alone see any useful information. It's basically down to "this is where I cycled". Real smooth Strava, real smooth.
 
Oh dear. Sounds like they are taking the piss. I stopped using Strava years ago as A I don't like taking my smart phone on rides & B I found that I was concentrating so much on the segment leaderboards that I just wasn't enjoying my rides & also not riding consistently as I was always thinking about what segment was where, what's coming up next etc. I use Map my Ride, leave my phone at home & just add the workout when I get home, far less stress.
 
I use Strava almost exclusively as an odometer and speedometer and never look at any segments until after I'm home. I guess there won't be much change for me but that's still pretty weak to effectively remove something that's been free for so long.
 
To be honest, the free features are really nice to have...

I wish they left it free... I do use them and it's fun to compare...



But it is a distraction for sure...
The type of rider that I am, I really do not need it...
I ride for pleasure and for my health primarily, not to compete with anyone and a stopwatch is really what you need if you want to improve....

Marginal gains is not what I am after if I completely honest with myself.... Based on my observation, there is so much variations between my rides and most of it is beyond my control or just because I am not feeling well that day....

I never asked for these features when I first started riding...
Like I said before, I ride for me and my health, not for numbers...

Too bad Strava... So long...
Let the competitive people have their fun with the paid features.... It's all for claims...

I am not loosing much.
 
CTznOfTime
To be honest, the free features are really nice to have...

I wish they left it free... I do use them and it's fun to compare...



But it is a distraction for sure...
The type of rider that I am, I really do not need it...
I ride for pleasure and for my health primarily, not to compete with anyone and a stopwatch is really what you need if you want to improve....

Marginal gains is not what I am after if I completely honest with myself.... Based on my observation, there is so much variations between my rides and most of it is beyond my control or just because I am not feeling well that day....

I never asked for these features when I first started riding...
Like I said before, I ride for me and my health, not for numbers...

Too bad Strava... So long...
Let the competitive people have their fun with the paid features.... It's all for claims...

I am not loosing much.
Click to expand...

I mean it sounds like you could still use the free version of Strava totally happily.

I have friends/coworkers that are probably at least category 2 level and I do enjoy trying to "catch up" to them - however fruitless that may be. I wouldn't push myself hard to become a better cyclist if I didn't sense at least a little competition. When I first started riding again at the beginning of last year, I weighed about 180lbs and probably couldn't push more than 150 watts for 20 minutes. Now I'm 160lbs and could probably do ~250 watts. In the very least, I'm a lot healthier. I think the segment times have been pretty valuable in tracking my own fitness, even if the comparisons are never perfect. I even got a KOM on a local hill! (Ok, so only 20 people have ridden it, but still!) I'm not ruling out subscribing...but its left me with a bad taste in my mouth...
 
@CTznOfTime That was another reason why I ditched Strava as the segments made me become so competitive & I was just constantly pushing to get myself up the leaderboards all the time, but I soon realised it's a game I cannot win as I'm just too old. I don't stand a chance against fit riders in their 20's so why was I bothering ? I know you can filter by age but if I'm going to compete all I want to do is try & win. I stopped enjoying my riding & one day I questioned myself, why am I riding, what's it for ? I went full circle, these days I ride to keep fit & healthy & to keep a calm state of mind. Where I live the countryside is just 5 minutes away & I feel it's a privilege to be able to get out & see & experience it via the bike, something that mostly everyone else around me misses out on. I feel there's a certain type of pleasure to be had riding down a single track lane on a sunny day with nothing but the sound & sight of nature all around you, it's not something to be missed or taken for granted.

Edit: I'm still competitive but just against myself.
 
Last edited:
MrCrynox
these days I ride to keep fit & healthy & to keep a calm state of mind. Where I live the countryside is just 5 minutes away & I feel it's a privilege to be able to get out & see & experience it via the bike, something that mostly everyone else misses out on.
Click to expand...
I think you would have like my ride from last Saturday:

Screenshot_20200520-192328_Strava.jpg


I love all those nice long straight runs down the highway, no stop signs, lights, nothing. For that entire hour and a half ride, I stopped for 3 minutes to drink a protein shake I brought with me and at ONE light for 15 seconds. Other than that, the ride was non-stop pedaling. It was fantastic.

I do need to up my watts, apparently. :lol:
 
I haven't done enough proper riding to warrent the use of Strava for a while now. My commute isn't worth it and any longer rides are at a casual pace so I don't care about the stats. It did come in handy when I was attacking the mountain every weekend but those days are in the past.

Come to think of it, I don't think my current phone even has Strava installed.
 
MrCrynox
@CTznOfTime That was another reason why I ditched Strava as the segments made me became so competitive & I was just constantly pushing to get myself up the leaderboards all the time, but I soon realised it's a game I cannot win as I'm just too old. I don't stand a chance against riders in their 20's so why was I bothering ? I know you can filter by age but if I'm going to compete all I want to do is try & win. I stopped enjoying my riding & one day I questioned myself, why am I riding, what's it for ? I went full circle, these days I ride to keep fit & healthy & to keep a calm state of mind. Where I live the countryside is just 5 minutes away & I feel it's a privilege to be able to get out & see & experience it via the bike, something that mostly everyone else misses out on. I feel there's a certain type of pleasure to be had riding down a single track lane on a Sunny day with nothing but the sound & sight of nature all around you, it's not something to be missed or taken for granted.

Edit: I'm still competitive but just against myself.
Click to expand...


You stole the words right out of my mind !! I am with you ... Exact same here.
 
I started my 2 month free trial on strava, Then made sure I cancelled it to avoid getting charged £48. It's a nice feature to be able to see how I did but in all honesty I don't have a chance at getting up the leader boards. My best place is a joint 10th place on a pretty short segment where I just go flat out since it's close to home so if I blow up after it doesn't matter.

I went out today and did a nice 34 mile ride and was amazed to see so many riders out, I have noticed more out this year but today it was crazy busy.
 
full


Just did 20 miles this afternoon... Finally got out of the house after thinking about for weeks...

I have been only averaging 1 ride per month since March, but at the same time I got more seat time with GTS and PC2 and F1 2019...

Gotta somehow balance all those activities evenly right...

I really like the new font used by Strava.

Anyone knows which it is...
 
Last edited:
CTznOfTime
full


Just did 20 miles this afternoon... Finally got out of the house after thinking about for weeks...

I have been only averaging 1 ride per month since March, but at the same time I got more seat time with GTS and PC2 and F1 2019...

Gotta somehow balance all those activities evenly right...

I really like the new font used by Strava.

Anyone knows which it is...
Click to expand...

Reminds me I didn't post a picture from my memorial day ride! Similar scenery...just the NorCal variant. My phone did some weird things to the photo...30 miler around the Tiburon peninsula.

BMmlyva.jpg


Man my saddle bag is ugly. Thinking about getting a bottle cage storage container for shorter rides to hold my extra tubes and tools and phone and such. I've got my big handlebar bag for longer rides, but it's cumbersome to use on anything less than <30 miles.
 
Last edited:
Eunos_Cosmo
Man my saddle bag is ugly. Thinking about getting a bottle cage storage container for shorter rides to hold my extra tubes and tools and phone and such. I've got my big handlebar bag for longer rides, but it's cumbersome to use on anything less than <30 miles.
Click to expand...

If you're just spinning for a short distance stick your tube, levers & pump in the jersey pocket and do away with the saddle bag if it isn't to your liking. Even better if you ride with others as you can split the load and barely carry anthing at all.

Alternatively, go old school and throw a tube over your shoulder, install a frame pump, save the jersey pockets for a few bottles of beer and stick a sirloin in your shorts for good measure. ;) Ah, the good ol' days.
 
W3HS
If you're just spinning for a short distance stick your tube, levers & pump in the jersey pocket and do away with the saddle bag if it isn't to your liking. Even better if you ride with others as you can split the load and barely carry anthing at all.

Alternatively, go old school and throw a tube over your shoulder, install a frame pump, save the jersey pockets for a few bottles of beer and stick a sirloin in your shorts for good measure. ;) Ah, the good ol' days.
Click to expand...

I've got a frame mounted pump. I suppose I could try tube'n'levers in the jersey pockets. Sirloin sounds like a top tip indeed!
 
Slap a piece of raw salmon, it's much healthier...
Then you can call it a sushi ride...

Eat it at the end of your ride ;P



EDIT: For long distance, this is my setup, two giant bottles in the center, my spare tubes and tools in the bag that fits in the third bottle holder by the saddle, and everything else (phone, key, food, trash) in the back pockets.

IMG_20191027_113147-XL.jpg


IMG_20191027_112930-XL.jpg


This was taken in Oct last year:
IMG_20191027_113902-XL.jpg
 
Last edited:
Does/has anyone had an issue where your perceived effort is not balanced between your legs? I often feel like my left leg is doing more work...and (though I allow I might just be crazy) I feel like my left leg actually has larger muscles than my right, visually. I don't feel like I have an obvious/large discrepancy between the lengths of my legs, but I haven't really attempted to measure it. Though my cleat positions are the same (my shoes are a bit too large, and my cleats are slammed back as far as they can go...I need new shoes) on both feet, my right foot always feels like I'm pedaling on my toes. Any thoughts? I guess the answer is that I need a proper fitting...but it's frustratingly expensive and I'm not sure I can even get one right now due to covid. I've put ~2000 miles on my bike with these issues and haven't had pain, so I'm not too worried I'm hurting myself, but I feel like I'm definitely giving up some efficiency....

Edit: Found this article suggesting that people with large feet (45/11.5+ - like me) may have difficulty getting their cleats far back enough with most standard roadbike pedals. I might try speedplay pedals at some point.
 
Last edited:
Eunos_Cosmo
Does/has anyone had an issue where your perceived effort is not balanced between your legs? I often feel like my left leg is doing more work...and (though I allow I might just be crazy) I feel like my left leg actually has larger muscles than my right, visually. I don't feel like I have an obvious/large discrepancy between the lengths of my legs, but I haven't really attempted to measure it. Though my cleat positions are the same (my shoes are a bit too large, and my cleats are slammed back as far as they can go...I need new shoes) on both feet, my right foot always feels like I'm pedaling on my toes. Any thoughts? I guess the answer is that I need a proper fitting...but it's frustratingly expensive and I'm not sure I can even get one right now due to covid. I've put ~2000 miles on my bike with these issues and haven't had pain, so I'm not too worried I'm hurting myself, but I feel like I'm definitely giving up some efficiency....
Click to expand...

1) Yes. My strong leg is the right one. It would seem my right leg is the one doing most if not all of the work...
2) i dont think either of my legs/muscles/thighs are bigger than the other, they both look to be the same, but then again i dont ride enough for them to be affected.
3) I could be that your legs are ever so slight just different, you might have to see a specialist about it just to check, when you get the chance.
4) you should just have a fellow bicyclist do a visual check on your position first before going to the fitting, or even you might not need it...

Good luck Buddy
 
Quick question about gears. My mountain bike has three on the left and 7 on the right. What should I keep the left side on and when should I change it?
 
DesertPenguin
Quick question about gears. My mountain bike has three on the left and 7 on the right. What should I keep the left side on and when should I change it?
Click to expand...
It all depends on the situation... Can you describe where you are at and what type of effort you are providing...
Which gear are you in right now ?

Edit:. In normal situation, flat smooth surface, you want to keep your left (front) gear in the middle, that way, you can move up and down in the right (rear)...

If speed is what you are looking for, then move your front gear (left) to the biggest gear (I suppose the lowest number?) The gear with the largest diameter...

You would dial it (front gear) up and down (in term of the chosen diameter) if you want to reduce or increase your effort respectively.
 
Last edited:
Sidewalks and mostly flat terrain. I have the left on 2 and the right on 6 or 7. As I get up speed I lower the right side one by one. Is that the right way to do it?
 
DesertPenguin
Sidewalks and mostly flat terrain. I have the left on 2 and the right on 6 or 7. As I get up speed I lower the right side one by one. Is that the right way to do it?
Click to expand...

Yes, that's a good start, I edited my post above.

Change the right gear for incremental change in effort, but change the left for more relatively drastic change in effort.
 
Well guys due to lockdown Ive been home for 2.5 months but like all good things its come to an end, tomorrow I go back to work :(

In this past couple of months Ive managed to ride more than ever, after a period of non riding I started back on the bike back in late March & have managed to rack up 1023 miles since, worked myself up to a 103 mile ride during which I beat my time from 6 years ago :) Im dead happy about this, Im feeling great & my fitness is back to where it should be, Im even thinking about buying a mountain bike to spice it up a little. Has anyone else`s riding improved during this strange period ?
 
Last edited:

Latest Posts

Back