Pizza Man

I've seen the question "how fast do you ride?" asked numerous times, and we all know that there are so many variables that it is difficult to answer, yet many of us still want some kind of comparison to figure out how we compare to others. So, I decided to try a ride with the most duplicatable conditions - flat, solo, and a loop course to cancel out wind effects. I went to the local 2/3 mile ashpalt track around the soccer fields (formerly polo fields) in Golden Gate park and rode hard for an hour by myself. I used regular road bars, not aero bars. Except for the high school XC runners warming-up, cooling down and stretching on the track, a few dogs off leash, and the occasional soccer players crossing I was able to ride pretty much unimpeded. I rode 23.6 miles in an hour and hit 40K in 1:02:59 and 25 miles in 1:03:27.

So, I have no idea how this compares to people who race, but I would like to start racing next year. I really don't know what I'm doing training wise, I just go out and hammer whenever I can. Can anyone recommend a good training book? Also, my cyclometer doesn't calculate cadence, but I was in the 50-16 gear most of the way, can anyone tell me what cadence that translates to?

Oh, and a ride with Dave Zabriskie was part of my warm-up before my time trial. Through a friend of a friend, I was invited to a group ride with Dave Z today. There were about 30 or so of us there and the ride was a pretty mellow cruise over the GG Bridge to Rodeo Valley in the Marin Headlands and back. I didn't get much of a chance to talk to him, here's how the conversation went:

PM: Hello, Dave, I'm Chris, nice to meet you
DZ: Hi Chris.

After the ride he autographed CSC posters for us. Someone mentioned to him that CSC had signed O'Grady, and he seemed surprised.

I left work early for the ride, so I have to say it was a pretty good day.

1955

So he's even more talkative in person huh?

goldfish

thats awesome man, you got to live one of my dreams !

roadfix

I could ride from my house to the Pacific Ocean in one hour.

squeegy200

I'd say that's pretty darn fast.

I rode a fifty mile loop a couple of weekends back and averaged 20.4mph for the entire ride. That's about as fast(slow) as I go.

ovoleg

wow nice

Chucklehead

that sounds a lot like one of his mini interviews he would have with some random other rider during a race. maybe he'll feature you on his website.

I saw Elvis

It's quite hard to translate 'training miles' to 'racing miles' esp. if you've not raced before. When I started racing (early 80's) the thing I found hardest was the changes in pace as riders attack, get pulled back, the bunch goes to sleep, riders attack etc.
Find people to ride with as the other thing that will hit you is how close the other riders are to you, so you need to build up your confidence in this area. Also you'll be able to compare your improvement with another rider and riding with someone gives you the motivation to actually go and train.
Don't get too hung up on how far you can ride in an hour / 2 hours or whatever, remember race terrain varies , as do the oposition and the conditions, so an hours raceing over a flat course in good conditions with riders in good form will be nothing like an hours racing over hills in the wet when everones suffering.
When you start to race don't get discouraged, set yourself acheivable goals, make that goal and evaluate how you got there and move on. Most importantly enjoy yourself - remember we do this for fun

Bikepacker67

Assuming 700c tires, 25mph in a 50/16 combo translates to about 100rpm.

Phantoj

Seems pretty fast. If this was 1893, you'd be the Hour Record holder.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hour_record

Consider that Merckx, the greatest racer ever, in what he called his greatest effort ever, did 30.7 miles in an hour.

goodall

That sounds like solid effort. In a race you'll be drafting people for 90% of the time, so even if speeds are higher, the effort is less. I think if you can pull 23mph for an hour straight, you have enough base physical conditioning to start racing. As for bike handling and tactics, that's up to you.

merlinextraligh

One hour 40k (essentially 25 mph) would put you around the middle in the Cat 4's in a flat TT, here in Florida. 1:02 for 40K would be competitive in the Cat 5/open, probably top half.
Sounds like you can definitely be competitve racing, with some work and experience.

Other than just hammering whenever you can, you need a structured program, with hard efforts interspersed with rest and recovery. Charmichael Trianing Systems has worked for me, so I tend to reccomend Charmichael's books.

TheKillerPenguin

a race may avg. 23 mph, but that's not a steady pace. The pack slows and speeds up sometimes seemingly randomly in Cat5, accelerates quickly out of corners, sprints, etc. 23mph is fast, but if you can't match the accelerations of the pack then you may still be dropped.

GilmourRacer

If you are looking for a good training book, I'd recommend The Cyclist Training Bible. written by Joe Friel It is very informative and teaches you to self evaluate and set up your own training and racing schedules.

airsoft510

How did you ride with Dave Z.? i would have love to gone, i live in Oakland, i would have love to have gone, btw are you going to the veloswap tomorrow? im going for the first time, dont know what to expect

shokhead

My house to the ocean in 40 minutes.

Pizza Man

Thanks for the replies.
I plan to go to a Basic Skills Clinic held by Alan Atha next month, and will look into the books recommended. I know my biggest weakness right now is sprint speed. On the ride yesterday I was maintaining between 22.5 and 25.0 for the entire ride (depending on wind), but sprinting at the end I was only able to get up to 30.0. My best in a sprint on the same track without being tired out is only 31.0.

When I've done group rides, I always get dusted in a sprint.
My only chance of winning a race is to break away on a long hill.

Pizza Man

Dave Z was here yesterday because a guy he knows through Carmichael Training works at Presidio Sports Medicine, and they were having an open house last night. Anyway, if you have a spare $200 to donate to a charitable cause you can ride with Zabriskie and Levi Leipheimer on a half century ride in Marin this Sunday. Here's the link:

https://www.tourofmarin.org

I am going to the veloswap tomorrow. I'm hoping to find a cheap commute bike (hopefully a ss/fixed gear), a headlight, and a few other things.

EURO

I expect Pizza man could do significantly more miles in a velodrome in Mexico City (7400 feet).

Chucklehead

oh yeah? i can get there in 60 seconds if the light at the bottom of the hill is green!

Pizza Man

I'm trying to attach a photo from the ride yesterday of me (in "Thirsty Bear" kit) with Dave Z. I don't know if this will work though.

DocRay

any leakygas?

airsoft510

do you know what the pace of that ride will be or difficulty of it will be? i am recovering from a cold right now but i would like to make it out there.