Vics bike thoughts
#26
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^ Forget about the hill that you go up just starting out for now. Your legs aren't warmed up, so any incline won't feel good until you get the muscles warmed up and the blood pumping.
As for maintaining speed up other grades, here's what I do in the spring when I'm getting my legs in better shape after winter trainer sessions. I will designate a few of my weekly rides to concentrating on the long gradual grades that are on my commute route - I have about six or seven of them in my 14 mile ride.
So the first thing I do on those rides is try to back off my pace just a little bit on the flat parts - not go real easy, just down a notch from normal, to save my legs for working the rises. As I approach one of the upgrades I'll pick a spot - a mailbox or a roadsign - at the bottom and tell myself that whatever speed I'm going there, I will try to maintain that speed up the entire grade. With experience and time you'll find you will be at a speed that will be easy to maintain the first 1/3 of the grade, a bit harder the next third, then require some real concentration and effort to get that final 1/3.
Some days you'll make it, some days you won't. It works for me, and is pretty simple to incorporate into your regular riding.
As for maintaining speed up other grades, here's what I do in the spring when I'm getting my legs in better shape after winter trainer sessions. I will designate a few of my weekly rides to concentrating on the long gradual grades that are on my commute route - I have about six or seven of them in my 14 mile ride.
So the first thing I do on those rides is try to back off my pace just a little bit on the flat parts - not go real easy, just down a notch from normal, to save my legs for working the rises. As I approach one of the upgrades I'll pick a spot - a mailbox or a roadsign - at the bottom and tell myself that whatever speed I'm going there, I will try to maintain that speed up the entire grade. With experience and time you'll find you will be at a speed that will be easy to maintain the first 1/3 of the grade, a bit harder the next third, then require some real concentration and effort to get that final 1/3.
Some days you'll make it, some days you won't. It works for me, and is pretty simple to incorporate into your regular riding.
#27
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GH
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Those are nothing, you should see the one I just picked up. @bassjones is right, make sure they see you. It's safer
#30
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15C,11m/s,19m/sGusts
Do you ever have those days where you say "ahhhh I think ill pass and just stay in" ...but with a guilty conscience?
Do you ever have those days where you say "ahhhh I think ill pass and just stay in" ...but with a guilty conscience?
Last edited by VCSL2015; 07-26-15 at 07:04 AM.
#31
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Downhill is the best place to start using #2 . You'll see the biggest increase in speed and handling. Try it on low grade hills first though. At first just try it while not pedaling and watch what happens with your speed on your computer.
#32
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Thank you @bassjones! I did fumble my way down to the No.3 yesterday on some moderate inclines and i was amazed at the wrist relief it provided. Not able to look down and switch hand positions, i fumbled my way back up to safety when I saw a car coming towards me.
"At first just try it while not pedaling and watch what happens with your speed on your computer." no computer this early in the game yet =)
"At first just try it while not pedaling and watch what happens with your speed on your computer." no computer this early in the game yet =)
Last edited by VCSL2015; 07-31-15 at 12:06 AM. Reason: cant spell
#33
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Use your smartphone. Get one of the myriad of cases that mount to your handlebars and hold your phone securely. Or just get a cheap wireless unit get one you can add a cadence sensor to down the line though. Should be able to pick one up for $30-$40
#34
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I dont mind eating the bugs, just prefer the chocolate ones.
#35
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So, yesterday I tried a new route and hit a 9.7% grade. It's wise to find your limitations and stick with them for awhile. The 6.2% grades kill me already. I can take them warmed up but really struggle cold.
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Go to the small chain ring up front and big cog on the back and spin up them. You'll get there.
#37
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If your referring to spinning like hell, ive tried that I wouldnt be able to climb 6.3ers a couple weeks ago. But when I got home I had Leg Lock. (lots of water before during and after) Anything to prevent or aid in that?
#39
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Meet the grade
So, it occurred to me while looking deeper into my Strava info that I could look at the grade of the road. I was wondering why I was struggling at certain specific areas. For example, not warmed up, I meet a grade that is 6.6 up the street (i live in a small valley and climb out of it to get to my route) and im whining about that. I look more, and find out another incline i take all the time in the middle of my route with moderate huffing and puffing an 8.1 grade i zoom up no problem. I look farther and see that another road on the way home when Im wasted (tired lol) is also by chance a 6.6er. (shocker). WTH. Why are these hills killing me. Im wondering if there is anything I can do to make it easier on myself to get up these hills without killing myself or stopping underways panting because i was spinning just to get up to the top, had to stop and drink some water.
So, it occurred to me while looking deeper into my Strava info that I could look at the grade of the road. I was wondering why I was struggling at certain specific areas. For example, not warmed up, I meet a grade that is 6.6 up the street (i live in a small valley and climb out of it to get to my route) and im whining about that. I look more, and find out another incline i take all the time in the middle of my route with moderate huffing and puffing an 8.1 grade i zoom up no problem. I look farther and see that another road on the way home when Im wasted (tired lol) is also by chance a 6.6er. (shocker). WTH. Why are these hills killing me. Im wondering if there is anything I can do to make it easier on myself to get up these hills without killing myself or stopping underways panting because i was spinning just to get up to the top, had to stop and drink some water.
I find that my climbing strategy is not particularly too good, sometimes I suffer like mad on a hill and other times that very hill is much less of a pain...
Can you include a strava link?
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@Null66 - She's in the Clydes/Athena group on Strava, so you can follow her, and see the hill.
I've got one hill in Cary that I can barely do that maxes out at about 13%, but the whole hill is only 6%. (Hump 2)
GH
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#43
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That's a nasty hill. 151' gain in only .6 miles. But it looks like you didn't have to try the hill to continue on your route. You need to put a segment on that hill, so Strava can figure out the average grade on it. It looks like the 9.7% was the max grade on the hill, but it's still a nasty hill.
@Null66 - She's in the Clydes/Athena group on Strava, so you can follow her, and see the hill.
I've got one hill in Cary that I can barely do that maxes out at about 13%, but the whole hill is only 6%. (Hump 2)
GH
@Null66 - She's in the Clydes/Athena group on Strava, so you can follow her, and see the hill.
I've got one hill in Cary that I can barely do that maxes out at about 13%, but the whole hill is only 6%. (Hump 2)
GH
#44
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That's a nasty hill. 151' gain in only .6 miles. But it looks like you didn't have to try the hill to continue on your route. You need to put a segment on that hill, so Strava can figure out the average grade on it. It looks like the 9.7% was the max grade on the hill, but it's still a nasty hill.
@Null66 - She's in the Clydes/Athena group on Strava, so you can follow her, and see the hill.
I've got one hill in Cary that I can barely do that maxes out at about 13%, but the whole hill is only 6%. (Hump 2)
GH
@Null66 - She's in the Clydes/Athena group on Strava, so you can follow her, and see the hill.
I've got one hill in Cary that I can barely do that maxes out at about 13%, but the whole hill is only 6%. (Hump 2)
GH
My nemesis is 115ft over .7 miles.
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I also just found this one at High House and Davis. It's 74' over .4 miles.
Where is your nemesis at?
GH
Last edited by ColaJacket; 08-11-15 at 02:15 PM.
#46
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@Null66, come over to Cary and try this hill (Hump 2) on Dynasty Dr. It's 45' in .1 mile. It's a road part of the Black Creek Greenway near Lake Crabtree down to Cary's Bond Park.
I also just found this one at High House and Davis. It's 74' over .4 miles.
Where is your nemesis at?
GH
I also just found this one at High House and Davis. It's 74' over .4 miles.
Where is your nemesis at?
GH
This is my nemesis...
https://www.strava.com/segments/6615143
It's the last real hill of my commute that when health, weather, and single full time parenting allow I try once a week...
Here is inbound on the commute:
https://www.strava.com/activities/356263224
way home:
https://www.strava.com/activities/355868225
Last edited by Null66; 08-11-15 at 05:44 PM.
#47
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GTFOOTW or Get the F* out of the way!
Hello bike buddies..
1. how do you get the attention of people facing the wrong direction when you are passing them? Do you realllllly have a bell still on your bike? Also what about birds, and cats? Roadkill? jk.
2. does newly mowed lawn grass, horse S* (really people?) gravel from driveways, unsuspected cracks in the road cast over the bike path and broken pavement in the bike lane freak you out like it does me? How do you deal?
Hello bike buddies..
1. how do you get the attention of people facing the wrong direction when you are passing them? Do you realllllly have a bell still on your bike? Also what about birds, and cats? Roadkill? jk.
2. does newly mowed lawn grass, horse S* (really people?) gravel from driveways, unsuspected cracks in the road cast over the bike path and broken pavement in the bike lane freak you out like it does me? How do you deal?
#48
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Do you realllllly have a bell still on your bike?
Also what about birds, and cats? Roadkill? jk.
2. does newly mowed lawn grass, horse S* (really people?) gravel from driveways, unsuspected cracks in the road cast over the bike path and broken pavement in the bike lane freak you out like it does me? How do you deal?
#49
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GTFOOTW or Get the F* out of the way!
Hello bike buddies..
1. how do you get the attention of people facing the wrong direction when you are passing them? Do you realllllly have a bell still on your bike? Also what about birds, and cats? Roadkill? jk.
2. does newly mowed lawn grass, horse S* (really people?) gravel from driveways, unsuspected cracks in the road cast over the bike path and broken pavement in the bike lane freak you out like it does me? How do you deal?
Hello bike buddies..
1. how do you get the attention of people facing the wrong direction when you are passing them? Do you realllllly have a bell still on your bike? Also what about birds, and cats? Roadkill? jk.
2. does newly mowed lawn grass, horse S* (really people?) gravel from driveways, unsuspected cracks in the road cast over the bike path and broken pavement in the bike lane freak you out like it does me? How do you deal?
But some people are so oblivious that they might as well be moving roadkill...
Mowed grass is slippery, But lawn mowers scare me as a lot of people defeat their deflector shields so they are fantastic stone launchers...
For detris?
Well good tires help (one reason I retired the Gatorskins with like 300-400 km's is that they sucked on gravel, or other detris, and were down right lethal on the metal expansion joints on the bridges on the Neuse Greenway when wet!
But also, no change in direction and I don't use the front brake much on detris...
#50
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I once killed a bird. Three of them were eating berries off the surface of a paved MUP. As I approached, two of them, using the flight tool and sense they had been hatched with, flew to safety in the air. One of them flew in front of me. I overtook him (because I was that fast) and one of his wings hit my front spokes. He was thrown to the surface of the trail. Poor guy let out a peep just before his neck exploded under the weight of my front tire. Used my pump to push his lifeless body into the grass and finished my ride.