Cycling

The Pits that's an excellent result!

Thanks, not quite the Paris Roubaix! Hoping that I can use this as a benchmark for some other organised events through the year.

Movie of me on the cobbles of Wallers (I'm the one with the red shoecovers):
http://prod.chronorace.be/PRC/Video...timesplit2_1&hash=JKL6gy6wXIHxRmaqDixukHMxeLU

This isn't me

https://www.strava.com/activities/131451494
My longest ride to date, including The Tumble, which is on this year's Tour Of Brotain.

Amazing the difference a new bike can make!!

That looks like a really good ride, and a good time too, well done chap, you have deffo earned yourself a huge pie.

Now if only I knew where the Tour of Brotain was going to start and end.

I had TWO pork pies to celebrate The Pits.

I second The Pits, well done gethinceri

Wombcat said:

Movie of me on the cobbles of Wallers (I'm the one with the red shoecovers):
http://prod.chronorace.be/PRC/Video...timesplit2_1&hash=JKL6gy6wXIHxRmaqDixukHMxeLU

Click to expand

That is EPIC Wombcat, I would've called the guy sucking your wheel all kinds of things, though.

Tnx.
I'm not really bothered with guys sucking my wheel in an event like this. Actually I tend to do it a lot myself as well If it was a race it'd be different though.

A question for you guys.

My 60 last weekend left me a little short on fluids, as I only have 2 bottles, how do you gents keep stocked for longer rides? I was looking at a backpack thingy, but I cannot bring myself to carry anything on my back.

I have a bag under the saddle for spare tubes etc, and a bento box on the crossbar with gels and energy bars, so not sure where else I could put anythin.

Any help or advice would be very gratefully received.

Stop at a gasstation. Usually you can tap some water there. Or else buy a bottle of water.
And get 750 cl bottles.

And drink a lot of water before you go on your ride. (in the hour before you leave at least half a litre)

Ok, so today was 85 miles, for which I took a 750ml bottle and a 500ml bottle with 1.5 "Nectar" tabs between them (buy from Wiggle). I drank just under a litre but had a nice cup of sweet tea about 30 miles in. I ate a banana 5 minutes into the ride. I also took 2 Zipvit gels with me, used one of them, they have 50gms of carbs (buy from Wiggle) and took 3 Nature Valley "Chewy" bars with me of which I ate 2 (buy from Tesco).
85 miles over 5 hours at just under 17mph with some tough climbing in little wind and pleasant temperatures.
Rode in (for part of ride skull-cap, gilet, neck-warmer and sleeves) merino base layer and long sleeved jersey, bib-shorts and tights, I weigh around 78 kilos and ride a carbon bike weighing around 7.5 kilos.
All my food goes in one jersey pocket, phone and cash and stuff in brackets above goes in another, tube and pump and patches and multi-tool and surgical gloves in the third. My bike is far too beautiful to be sullied by anything other than two bottle cages.
My fluid intake is random, sometimes I drink all that fluid in a 2 hour ride! I recommend that, if you don't already have them, you buy a jersey with 3 pockets, two bottle cages and 2 bottles of 750ml. Learn what you need to consume, it's your body after all; the worst feeling I ever had was to "bonk" 35 miles into a 50 mile ride, http://cliptheapex.com/threads/cycling.5990/page-11#post-208427 I had to literally lie down by the side of the road for ten minutes before grinding my way through the agonising last 15.

I know that feeling. First time I did La Marmotte I was already pretty much exhausted when I arrived at the feet of Alpe d"Huez. Since I had a hotelroom on the Alpe, I had to get there. Took me 2 hours and 20 minutes (a few days earlier I did it in an hour and 6 minutes). Had to get off my bike at least 6 times, because I couldn't get on. With 5km to go I seriously thought I wouldn't make it.

And at La Claude Criquielion in 2009 I got a bonk after 120 km. First 120 km I did an average of 30 km/h. Last 50 an average of 19 km/h.

Oh, and i had a Welshcake with my cup of tea.

Take a look here, also, The Pits:
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/cycling-weekly/guide-nutrition-event-2-119105

Thanks for all that guys. I am looking for bigger bottles now.

The main issue for me is that I use a fair amount of fluids, and over a longer ride, I need more than my bike can carry, but I don't like stopping!!

Fortunately, on the last ride, I got a big box of high 5 stuff. I have been using their drinks for a while now, and sis energy bars, the pack had a variety of drinks, including a post ride shake, but also gels which I had.t tried before. I will use these again, as the main feature was that I could open the pack with one hand. Energy bars require significant wrestling and a selection of swear words, and the occasional leap in to the undergrowth to open.

I open the bars before the ride, but I find solids difficult to manage while riding as I struggle to breathe. Small bites with a swig of water seems to help.

Please, please can "bonk" be added to the swear list so that it is asterisked out. Just seeing it pains me.