Cycling

Add 10k every month and the sportive will be easy, its starting to warm up now so training will be become fun. Its not till April, so in your position I would train as if doing the 50mi, then there will be no nerves for the 30mi.
 
Only just spotted this thread, I am a keen cyclist too, good to see there are others! I was off the bike over Xmas, but have been hitting the road over the last few weeks. Biggest thing recently has been the blooming wind.
 
I am getting a park and ride MUCH closer to my house. Currently traveling 6 miles to park and ride ( and 300 feet elevation ) is a bit sweaty for spending the rest of the day in the office which is why I take the car.
But this year a park n 'choose' (WTF) is opening less than a mile from me and I want to cycle to it.
I currently have a bike made from lead (I assume as its so heavy) that I would like to replace with a much lighter one.
I see carbon fiber bikes for around £900 is it worth the money or should I go for an aluminium bike for a bit less.
Advice would be cool cycling not really my thing (yet). It will be getting regular use so I am concerned if carbon fiber is fragile.:thumbsup:
 
Carbon is more comfortable than aluminium.
It's not really more fragile, unles you land on an electric fence. A teammate had that once, his frame was cut cleanly in two pieces.
But maybe the same would have happened with aluminium, I don't know.

I have a carbon bike since 2003. It endured several crashes (because I used to do races) and it's still fine.
 
I would avoid a cheap CF bike, as I have had a couple of friends with issues, also worth keeping to the known brands, as CF, whilst fine when properly constructed, can be invisibly fragile if it has not been properly put together.

Modern Aluminium bikes are usually really good, with hydroforming technology improving, and making them cheaper to make.

The other thing to bear in mind is where the bike will be left. I would be nervous leaving £900 of bike at my local station all day.
 
Only just spotted this thread, I am a keen cyclist too, good to see there are others! I was off the bike over Xmas, but have been hitting the road over the last few weeks. Biggest thing recently has been the blooming wind.

I know what you mean, anything but a perfect tailwind is just so demoralising as all your effort is wasted battling air.
 
I like to think I am a reasonable level, I can manage a solo average speed of 16-17 mph most of the time, for 50 miles+. Recently however, it seems that I cant get over 16 without struggling. I do not know how much is because of my winter layoff and how much is the wind.

I seem to get the tailwinds when they are least useful too, big sidewinds on descents and ascents, or straight in your face on the flats where you can usually press on a bit.

Hopefully when it warms up a bit, the air will be a little thinner, and easier to push through, I am looking to clock a reasonable time on the L2B this year, I have some mates coming with me who I need to show up, as they are a lot younger than me!!
 
The Pits in the winter the air is thicker (lower temperature means more molecules per cubic metre) and also the lower temperature means that your body has to put more energy in heating itself, which lowers your performance. When the temperatures go up again, you'll see that your average speed will go up also. So nothing to worry about.
 
Have any of you tried the Strada iPhone app? Really cool if there is a racer inside you.

Anyone want to challenge 30m at average 20mph in two split urban commuter stints?
 
Back
Top Bottom