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Old 07-24-15, 10:02 AM
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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.
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Old 07-24-15, 10:50 AM
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Originally Posted by bassjones
Showy is good on the road. My main jersey is bright orange and white. I'm quite sure I look ridiculous, but if they're laughing at me, at least they saw me. I'm getting two fluorescent/safety yellows too (one long sleeve, one short).
Agreed. While I don't actually have jerseys, I have 3 wicking shirts that I use on my rides. All are flourescent colors, orange, green, and yellow. Think about the color of safety vests, and you know what colors that I'm talking about. I also have matching wicking socks. I got all of these at TJ Maxx. I call them my Obnoxiously Loud Biking gear. I wanted to make sure that people could see me on the road. And with these colors, if they don't see me, they're blind or not paying attention, and there's nothing I could do. I actually had my wife see how far across the store she could see me with my choices.

GH
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Old 07-24-15, 12:00 PM
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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
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Old 07-25-15, 12:07 PM
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thanks guys! =)
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Old 07-26-15, 06:40 AM
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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?

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Old 07-30-15, 05:59 AM
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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.
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Old 07-31-15, 12:04 AM
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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 =)

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Old 07-31-15, 05:38 AM
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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
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Old 08-10-15, 06:12 AM
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I dont mind eating the bugs, just prefer the chocolate ones.
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Old 08-11-15, 01:18 AM
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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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Old 08-11-15, 05:43 AM
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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.
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Old 08-11-15, 06:38 AM
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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?
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Old 08-11-15, 08:20 AM
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Ride more
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Old 08-11-15, 09:26 AM
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Originally Posted by VCSL2015
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.
Uhm, because 6.6 and 8.1 are pretty nasty hills...

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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Old 08-11-15, 09:30 AM
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Originally Posted by bassjones
Ride more

Potassium can help, as can epsom salt baths...

depends upon cause...
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Old 08-11-15, 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by VCSL2015
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.
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
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Old 08-11-15, 11:02 AM
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Originally Posted by Null66
Uhm, because 6.6 and 8.1 are pretty nasty hills...

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?

LOVE TO! I need all the help i can get!

https://www.strava.com/dashboard?feed_type=my_activity
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Old 08-11-15, 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by ColaJacket
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
Didnt try the hill.... exactly I gave in to the hill and turned around. 1 cuz i didnt know my bearings 2. i lost a spoke and noticed it there. 3. more excuses im sure. LOL your so right I will do that today. (create a segment)! I was wondering if Strava was smart like that =) Also I thought about it later.. perhaps i was just at the peak of the hill.. Ill have to try to find out =) There are alot of hills, but when complaining i got alot of HTFU comments, because I didnt know if it was my body telling me to stop or what... combine that with learning what a headwind, sidewind were. I figured that out pretty fast. Its daunting as a newbie.
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Old 08-11-15, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by ColaJacket
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
I'm gonna second this, it's a nasty hill...
My nemesis is 115ft over .7 miles.
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Old 08-11-15, 02:11 PM
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Originally Posted by Null66
I'm gonna second this, it's a nasty hill...
My nemesis is 115ft over .7 miles.
@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

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Old 08-11-15, 05:38 PM
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Originally Posted by ColaJacket
@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
Congrats on the KOM!

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.
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Old 08-17-15, 05:01 AM
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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?
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Old 08-17-15, 08:13 AM
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Originally Posted by VCSL2015
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?
For bikes I shout "passing". For people I usually shout "on your left" or something. I avoid bike paths because people are unreliable and tend to step into my path when I shout at them.
Do you realllllly have a bell still on your bike?
Nope.
Also what about birds, and cats? Roadkill? jk.
I usually shout the name of the animal at it, and it gets out of the way. Around my way that means shouting "Groundhog!" and "Deer!" a lot.


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?
Horse**** is a necessary evil on long rides because I get into Amish country. I try to avoid it, but remember to clean my bike afterwards. Grass clippings are annoying.
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Old 08-17-15, 08:14 AM
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Originally Posted by VCSL2015
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?
I usually say on your left in a command voice. Sometimes a loud "Good Morning" or whatever. Bells seem to work for people with the least confusion...

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...
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Old 08-17-15, 11:37 AM
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Originally Posted by dr_lha
I usually shout the name of the animal at it, and it gets out of the way. Around my way that means shouting "Groundhog!" and "Deer!" a lot.
Does that work on road kill?

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.
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