GRcade

Was checking my stats and in my full week commute I apparently climb over 3000ft

strawberry floating hell there were some dog bastards on the path this morning. Had this bloody woman with her dog off the lead that decided to just walk in front of me meaning I had to stop and put my feet down and she thought it was hilarious. No apology, no effort to move it out of the way. Also had one of those little black hen things by the canal run in front of me and I locked up trying to avoid it.

Morning Ad.

Do you mean a coot?

Apparently it was a moorhen.

Managed the ride home without stopping this evening

Ahh, a moorhen. Not as popular as they once were.

I've broken my target of a 20min return journey with a 19:59.

Dat second

That's a full 5 min improvement in 2 weeks. Next target is to get to 20 mins consistently.

Ad7 wrote:I've broken my target of a 20min return journey with a 19:59.

Dat second

That's a full 5 min improvement in 2 weeks. Next target is to get to 20 mins consistently.

Nice work.

Nice! I'm planning to start cycling Monday. Need to get back into it as am happier now so have the inclination and my season train ticket runs out in July so need to get the habit rocking for then.

Had this about a month now and as the weather is better need to get out more.

Great work you guys. Easy to see how much fitter you get in such a short space of time.

Errkal wrote:Nice! I'm planning to start cycling Monday. Need to get back into it as am happier now so have the inclination and my season train ticket runs out in July so need to get the habit rocking for then.

I'm sure you would anyway, but if you're going anywhere near a road then PLEASE hi vis to the extreme, no matter how much of a twonk you feel. I only have to do the last couple of minutes on a road, but strawberry float me is it scary, people just don't give a gooseberry fool about you (had a lorry pull out in front of me today), so the more tennis ball like you are the better.

darksideby182 wrote:https://imgur.com/lF6Gveh
Had this about a month now and as the weather is better need to get out more.

I do have a soft spot for mountain bikes.

I'm finding I can go up a big chunk of the steeper bits in 3rd or 4th where I used to have to use 1st or fall off. I guess I'm getting some of my leg strength back (I used to ride every day until my mid twenties so I've got really muscley legs anyway. Annoyingly I find I'm not so much out of energy or puff, but my legs are burning so much that I just can't put any more in, even if I stand up.

Ad7 I blame that on age but nice to see you're enjoying it.
Is the height of your seat correct?

The burning thing? Is there a good way to get used to it or train it out so to speak? I don't get anything like it when I run, so it must be linked to the amount of power going though them.

if you did more strength training youd probably feel the burning less over time

Ad7 wrote:The burning thing? Is there a good way to get used to it or train it out so to speak? I don't get anything like it when I run, so it must be linked to the amount of power going though them.

Training is generally the only way I did edit my other post about seat height being correct that will helps load and just making sure you hit the hills with the correct speed so you then can go down the gears when needed without losing to much momentum.

I can put my tip toes on the ground so I beleive the saddle is at the right height. It's a hybrid bike so the riding position is probably a bit too upright for what I'm using it for.

Ad7 wrote:I can put my tip toes on the ground so I beleive the saddle is at the right height. It's a hybrid bike so the riding position is probably a bit too upright for what I'm using it for.

Sounds about right and being a hybrid should help I presume you have no front suspension? Keep grinding and it will only get easier.
If you do have suspension and can lock it out that will help.

The tip toes on the ground thing is nonsense for children. Raise it until your knee has a very slight bend when fully extended on the peddle. What I do to get it just right is raise it half a centimetre at a time and ride it for a bit, it'll keep feeling better and better until it suddenly feels awful, then stick it down the previous notch.

I also like to take a hack saw and make a quick mark at the right height, so if it ever slips or you have to lower it for some reason you can put it back in a pinch.

quote="smurphy"]Raise it until your knee has a very slight bend when fully extended on the peddle.[/quote]
Thats how it is now. I must just not be used to it.

It's got front suspension and I've got it with as much pre load as it will allow. The ride down is stupidly bumpy so I really can't lock it as it'll throw me off.

Thisis the last bit of it coming up, bumpy bits everywhere.

Ad7 wrote:

Errkal wrote:Nice! I'm planning to start cycling Monday. Need to get back into it as am happier now so have the inclination and my season train ticket runs out in July so need to get the habit rocking for then.

I'm sure you would anyway, but if you're going anywhere near a road then PLEASE hi vis to the extreme, no matter how much of a twonk you feel. I only have to do the last couple of minutes on a road, but strawberry float me is it scary, people just don't give a gooseberry fool about you (had a lorry pull out in front of me today), so the more tennis ball like you are the better.

Yeah I have florescent t-shirts and highvis stuff on my helmet, gloves and bag.

My whole ride is road riding as I dislike greatly people riding on the pavement and for my ride it just isn't practical to use the pavement as I'd be bumping kerbs and stopping.

I'm probably going to use a new cycle route some of the time but in on a hybrid and the surface is looseish so it isn't ideal and is much longer than the road routes I can take so I imagine I'll end up on the roads 95% of the time.

Only lock out the forks for flat and inclines.