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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

does it matter how fast your bike is

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Old 07-30-08, 03:41 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by McTufferton
Originally Posted by SKYLAB I don't think I've ever done a "recovery" ride in my life. If I'm worn out then I stay off the bike for a day and stretch, eat, scratch. Next day? Back on it working it as hard as I am capable.


umd says: You should try them. It is better to ride easy for an hour or so than it is do no nothing.


In theory, yes, it is better to ride for an hour then do nothing. In reality, my 'recovery' rides go something like this... I get out, pedal, relax, ride, enjoy the view, etc. Then I get warmed up and get loose. Then I start speeding up. Then I start mashing and going all out. By the end, I have replaced my 'recovery' efforts with another daily ride.

I have found it better to stay off the bike all-together on 'recovery' days.
yes this seems to be the way it works for me as well.
I seem to be getting faster. At least the computer indicates such. Perhaps if I had easy access to some flat or even rolling terrain I could get out and cruise. But everything here is all climbing and descending.

As for going over 50 mph.....maybe I should start a thread on that. I become uncomfortable in the cockpit. Way too conscious of how thin my tires are and how much it will tear me up if I have a failure.
The noise bother me as well, and my eyes begin tearing up, even through my Rudy Projects.
I took a fall earlier this year (@24 mph) and perhaps that affected me. Dunno. This is only my third year of full time roading (with only the occassional mtb ride) and so far I've gotten stronger every year. Maybe my descending will improve as well.
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Old 07-30-08, 04:08 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by McTufferton
In theory, yes, it is better to ride for an hour then do nothing. In reality, my 'recovery' rides go something like this... I get out, pedal, relax, ride, enjoy the view, etc. Then I get warmed up and get loose. Then I start speeding up. Then I start mashing and going all out. By the end, I have replaced my 'recovery' efforts with another daily ride.
Originally Posted by SKYLAB
yes this seems to be the way it works for me as well.
I seem to be getting faster. At least the computer indicates such. Perhaps if I had easy access to some flat or even rolling terrain I could get out and cruise. But everything here is all climbing and descending.
This is just a discipline problem. I had the same problem, but I've since been able to go out and do truly easy days. I always do a recovery day on Monday, and this week it was about 2 hours (two separate rides) at 115bpm average. It was mostly rollers, but there were several hills with sections over 10%. It is possible to take them easy as long as that is your mentality. I've also found it helps with the discipline to go out for the recovery ride in "normal clothes", as you are less inclined to get all sweaty, and it is a constant reminder that it is a different kind of ride. I'll also go easy on Friday if I feel the slightest bit fatigued on Thursday, so that I am rested and strong going into races or weekend rides.

Originally Posted by SKYLAB
As for going over 50 mph.....maybe I should start a thread on that. I become uncomfortable in the cockpit. Way too conscious of how thin my tires are and how much it will tear me up if I have a failure.

The noise bother me as well, and my eyes begin tearing up, even through my Rudy Projects.
I took a fall earlier this year (@24 mph) and perhaps that affected me. Dunno. This is only my third year of full time roading (with only the occassional mtb ride) and so far I've gotten stronger every year. Maybe my descending will improve as well.
I would say that the fall very likely affected you. I had several accidents (mostly with cars) last year and ironically, although I wasn't affected by them in traffic, it made me very aware of the dangers descending. I would picture myself sliding out or riding off the edge in nearly every corner and it took me a while to get over it.
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Old 07-30-08, 04:39 PM
  #28  
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so that I am rested and strong going into races or weekend rides.
....I've thought about racing, but again, there's nothing available up here and with a full time job and boulder 40 minutes away, its just been too much to get involved. UMD, I imagine you're much more finely tuned athlete/rider than I am. I played competetive sports at a high leve in high school and college, but since then my attitude has been more that I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, rather than be actively training.

As for the descending - I've always been a little conservative. But yes, I get these visions of me going down hard (sliding out etc) when I get a little too fast. I was better late last year in laying off the brakes. I know HOW to descend - outside leg at 6pm etc - and I can feel that using the brakes makes the bike LESS stable in turns....I just have to allow myself to get the feel back. That, and put some faith in this Record equipped CF beauty.
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Old 07-30-08, 04:40 PM
  #29  
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6pm - ok wiseguys - that should have been 6 O'clock.....
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Old 07-30-08, 04:43 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by SKYLAB
I played competetive sports at a high leve in high school and college, but since then my attitude has been more that I want to maintain a healthy lifestyle, rather than be actively training.
Fair enough. I was pretty much sedentary through school except for some bike commuting around campus, so I'm still trying to see how far I can improve my performance.
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Old 07-30-08, 05:26 PM
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No. It only matters ow mch your bike cost.
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Old 07-30-08, 06:09 PM
  #32  
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My bike is as fast as I want it to be.
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Originally Posted by Wordbiker

What's frightening is how coherent Hickey was in posting that.
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Old 07-30-08, 07:56 PM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
When is fast too fast?
299,792,458 meters per second
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Old 07-30-08, 08:18 PM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
I went really fast this morning. At one pint I took over the lane. It seemed this car wanted to pass me even if I was going faster that he would normally go. I did move over a little and he crossed the double yellow and floored it going well above the speed limit for that area. I think I was going over 40. Anyway, in hind sight I felt I should just calm my ass down and not do what I did today ...


Do not attempt
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Old 07-30-08, 10:52 PM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by rumrunn6
I went really fast this morning. At one pint I took over the lane. It seemed this car wanted to pass me even if I was going faster that he would normally go. I did move over a little and he crossed the double yellow and floored it going well above the speed limit for that area. I think I was going over 40. Anyway, in hind sight I felt I should just calm my ass down and not do what I did today ...
Isn't it interesting how cars just have to pass us, even if we are already going the speed of traffic, the speed limit, or even speeding? There are several places in town where through a low speed limit and/or a slight downhill grade, I can easily go the limit and/or the speed of traffic, but there are still moron drivers that just have to get around me... Anyway, its also fun drafting off cras in traffic, although I get a little nervous following too closely.
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Old 05-31-10, 09:01 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by uke
Spend some time reading this blog: https://www.cope nhagencyclechic.com/

Specifically, this post: https://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/2...gy -folly.html

Or alternatively, this picture page: https://www.ski-epic.com/amsterdam_bicycles/

In many countries, bikes are primarily used for transportation. Speed isn't of the essence; practicality is. People ride to work, to buy food, to socialize--all in their day-to-day clothes. I've flirted with this mindset, and I've found it to be just as enjoyable (more?) as barreling about at top speed.
bump.
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Old 05-31-10, 09:03 AM
  #37  
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Originally Posted by botto
bump.
Oh come on. Let it go.
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Originally Posted by rjones28
Are they talking about spectators feeding the cyclists? You know, like don't feed the bears?
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Old 05-31-10, 09:29 AM
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If you think that every ride should be a hammerfest for a new PR, you haven't been training hard enough. Try riding 7 days per week, 250+ miles per week, and see how you feel hammering every one of those rides.
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