So this Saturday I'm doing my first century ride. I'm tackling the ring of kerry an undulating loop of 110 miles starting and finishing in Killarney. Some questions for those who have done this type of ride; Is it better to ride in a low gear with high cadence all the time? Food and drink, how much and how often? Are jelly babies really a good thing for energy boosts?
Anyone know a decent club near bexleyheath and what standard you have to be to join
Not a member of either but have heard Sidcup Cycles and Bexleyheath Cricket Club both have cycling clubs.
Yeah, have ridden with Sidcup Cycles too a few times.
Not aware that Bexleyheath Cricket Club have a cycling section. I run with Plumstead Runners and we're based at Bexleyheath Cricket Club. The cyclists amongst the Plums tend to ride with Sidcup Cycles AFAIK. Will investigate when I'm down there on Wed night and find out for you.
Good luck - first 100 mile ride is always a good achievement. Regarding cadence, I'm the worst ever at heeding this advice, because I'm in the big ring 98% of the time, but it helps to ride at a higher cadence in a smaller gear. You save your legs that way and are able to keep turning much more efficiently when you get fatigued.
Re: fuelling, make sure you drink enough - take two bidons and fill one with water and the other with an electrolyte replacement fluid (hi 5 or similar). Jelly babies or something like them are good for getting carbs inside you - a couple every fifteen minutes are good, if you can't use gels. Aim to eat 'real' food at each stop - you should be on a three stop schedule for that distance if it's your first 100 miler - flapjacks, bananas etc
Dont use gels until you've practiced with them. If you're not used to them, they have a habit of going right through you and you'll end up coming unstuck. Flapjacks and bananas all the way. Chocolate milkshake at the end to aid recovery.
Re: cadence, don't get too caught up in the optimum cadence of 90rpm. If you can then great, but dont force your body into it. Do what comes naturally. It took me hundreds of hours on a turbo and being on the road to be able to turn over an average of 85-90 rpm consistently over a 2-3 hr ride, let alone longer. For me now, I run a lot and I'm used to my HR being higher for longer, so now it does come naturally.
Do replacing wheels really make much difference to ride?
Just bought a forme, hadn't planned to but was reduced from £1500 to £750 and allowed me to get the carbon frame. Bloke in shop said only thing he'd upgrade were the wheels.
Absolutely. Wheels are the best upgrade you can buy. If you saved c 700 quid on the frame, spend 400 on a pair of Mavic Ksyriums. The most bombproof lightweight wheels you can get. You literally will not be able to believe the difference.
Absolutely. Wheels are the best upgrade you can buy. If you saved c 700 quid on the frame, spend 400 on a pair of Mavic Ksyriums. The most bombproof lightweight wheels you can get. You literally will not be able to believe the difference.
Agreed. Without doubt the best upgrade. The difference between my Cube on Fulcrum 5s and Mavic Ksyriums was like the difference between night and day in terms of speed, comfort. Would ride on anything less now.
(I say that, I really do need to start riding again and not just talk about maybe start riding! I did clean up the bike a few weeks ago. Just need to find my Edge 800 now in amongst all my crap and I'll be good to go. Apart from a new pair of GP4000s on the Mavics!)
If you want to get out, we should set up a ride with charlton_charlie - do some hills out in Kent or a run out to Hastings or something.
I hear you on Dura Ace. I don't really see the point - 105 does everything I need, is reliable and doesn't cost the earth to replace things. Only thing I would maybe use it for is crit racing - and then it would only be worth it wuth di2
Do replacing wheels really make much difference to ride?
Just bought a forme, hadn't planned to but was reduced from £1500 to £750 and allowed me to get the carbon frame. Bloke in shop said only thing he'd upgrade were the wheels.
Assume you got that from Sidcup Cycles? I did the same 2 years ago. Is is a Reflex? If so the wheels are terrible. I switched them to Mavic Aksium (not the best but good for commuting) and they are 1000 times better than the junk that comes with the bike.
I wouldnt be surprised when I power it up tonight it'll be dead. I've swapped my Forerunner 620 for a Fenix 3 as its multisport so I can track my swimming and other stuff and that records full cycle metrics so if the 800 does fall over, I do have something to fall back on before deciding whether to replace it or not. Whether the cadence sensor is still working is another matter entirely!
Do replacing wheels really make much difference to ride?
Just bought a forme, hadn't planned to but was reduced from £1500 to £750 and allowed me to get the carbon frame. Bloke in shop said only thing he'd upgrade were the wheels.
Assume you got that from Sidcup Cycles? I did the same 2 years ago. Is is a Reflex? If so the wheels are terrible. I switched them to Mavic Aksium (not the best but good for commuting) and they are 1000 times better than the junk that comes with the bike.
I'll have a look although compared to the basic road bike I was riding before from decathlon, the new bike feels amazing.
Will have a look at the Mavics, presumably wiggle is the best place to buy?
Out of interest what avg speeds do you guys ride at?
When I was riding regularly doing 150+ miles a week, I was riding anything between 15-19mph over 50 miles.
A recovery ride (based on my HR) was around 15mph with minimal effort and average HR zone 1, 16-17mph medium low effort and around HR zone 2, 18-19mph HR zone 3, beyond that you're talking into TT pacing. I spent many hours training doing reps on the North Cray Road between Bexley Village and Ruxley Corner and I'd be averaging over 20mph (see here) and my HR would still be in the middle of Zone 3.
It really depends on so many factors. Headwind, climbing, whether you're in a chain gang and sitting in someone's tow.
My favourite training loop took me out to Gravesend and Higham and back. Check out this loop. Just enough climbing to keep it interesting but depending on what day you ride, the headwind along the Thames at Higham can be brutal.
Do replacing wheels really make much difference to ride?
Just bought a forme, hadn't planned to but was reduced from £1500 to £750 and allowed me to get the carbon frame. Bloke in shop said only thing he'd upgrade were the wheels.
Assume you got that from Sidcup Cycles? I did the same 2 years ago. Is is a Reflex? If so the wheels are terrible. I switched them to Mavic Aksium (not the best but good for commuting) and they are 1000 times better than the junk that comes with the bike.
I'll have a look although compared to the basic road bike I was riding before from decathlon, the new bike feels amazing.
Will have a look at the Mavics, presumably wiggle is the best place to buy?
Out of interest what avg speeds do you guys ride at?
I was probably being a bit harsh, but the wheels that came on mine had to be "trued" every couple of months and were very heavy.
I got my Aksium's from Decathlon - they were very cheap at the time. Chain Reaction Cycles.com is another good place to look.
Do replacing wheels really make much difference to ride?
Just bought a forme, hadn't planned to but was reduced from £1500 to £750 and allowed me to get the carbon frame. Bloke in shop said only thing he'd upgrade were the wheels.
Assume you got that from Sidcup Cycles? I did the same 2 years ago. Is is a Reflex? If so the wheels are terrible. I switched them to Mavic Aksium (not the best but good for commuting) and they are 1000 times better than the junk that comes with the bike.
I'll have a look although compared to the basic road bike I was riding before from decathlon, the new bike feels amazing.
Will have a look at the Mavics, presumably wiggle is the best place to buy?
Out of interest what avg speeds do you guys ride at?
You should run a price search - Google has a great tool for that. Take a look at what you want to buy then use Google Shopping - I've found plenty of things 20% cheaper than Wiggle/Merlin/Chain Reaction etc from individual shops. For instance, I got my Synapse 5 from Hargroves Cycles £280 cheaper than anywhere else, and they also had a deal on for £195 worth of accessories free with purchase so got a nice pair of Shimano road shoes to replace the old ones I had
Decathlon are great - I've no idea why anyone buys a cheap starter bike from anywhere else, but yeah, when you get a 'real' bike the difference is like night and day Beware though, once you realise how much of a difference it makes, you'll want to get another bike to take advantage. Good news is that the 'sweet spot' for bikes seems to be around £2400-£3000. For that you can get a good frame, decent groupset and some quality wheels. Beyond that point, the gains you'll make are minimal at best, and everything is much more expensive.
Like JohnBoy says, riding speeds are all relative. If I'm out on my own training at or near threshold I can comfortably hold 24mph for an hour - it would be about 28 in a group. Longer rides I'll probably average around 20mph if there are climbs involved, but could probably push on now (don't do a lot of long rides as most of my training is getting ready for crit racing and TTs) - again, group riding makes a massive difference. One thing I aimed for when I started riding a bit more seriously was holding a 30km/h average on my rides. If you use kilometres rather than miles it's much easier to work stuff out - 30km/h average = 2 min kms.
Just back from 5 days in the Alps and Dolomites...am shattered and ready to give the bike a rest for a bit...second time out there and it is stunning...if there is anyway that you can make the visit, then do.
Couple of highlights: the 'wrong' way up the Gavia was the hardest climb I have ever done...brutal. Descending the Forzelonga (sp?) into Cortina in a thunderstorm with carbon rims (I use Zipp 303s) was 'interesting' to say the least, the Giau is a beast and climbing the Stelvio with a load of blokes on Bromptons will live in the memory...few pics on my f/book for those who know me or Instagram @mattowense10 Will upload to strava as and when my bike and Garmin make it back on Euro Tunnel...
Comments
Well organised if not a tad eerie, but a beautifully observed minute silence.
First four outings are freebies, and then they like you to join if you like it.
http://www.cyclesurgery.com/cube-agree-gtc-race-2015/cube-road-bikes/bikes-components-bikewear/fcp-product/59718?listing=true
Some questions for those who have done this type of ride;
Is it better to ride in a low gear with high cadence all the time?
Food and drink, how much and how often? Are jelly babies really a good thing for energy boosts?
Thanks.
Not aware that Bexleyheath Cricket Club have a cycling section. I run with Plumstead Runners and we're based at Bexleyheath Cricket Club. The cyclists amongst the Plums tend to ride with Sidcup Cycles AFAIK. Will investigate when I'm down there on Wed night and find out for you.
Re: fuelling, make sure you drink enough - take two bidons and fill one with water and the other with an electrolyte replacement fluid (hi 5 or similar). Jelly babies or something like them are good for getting carbs inside you - a couple every fifteen minutes are good, if you can't use gels. Aim to eat 'real' food at each stop - you should be on a three stop schedule for that distance if it's your first 100 miler - flapjacks, bananas etc
Good luck!
Dont use gels until you've practiced with them. If you're not used to them, they have a habit of going right through you and you'll end up coming unstuck. Flapjacks and bananas all the way. Chocolate milkshake at the end to aid recovery.
Re: cadence, don't get too caught up in the optimum cadence of 90rpm. If you can then great, but dont force your body into it. Do what comes naturally. It took me hundreds of hours on a turbo and being on the road to be able to turn over an average of 85-90 rpm consistently over a 2-3 hr ride, let alone longer. For me now, I run a lot and I'm used to my HR being higher for longer, so now it does come naturally.
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/nutrition/recipes
I've got the 2011 version...
Although I've replaced the wheels to Mavic Kysrium SLs, pedals and bar tape since.
Havent been out on 'Hayley' for over 12 months now. Really should sell her if I'm not going to ride again.
Just bought a forme, hadn't planned to but was reduced from £1500 to £750 and allowed me to get the carbon frame. Bloke in shop said only thing he'd upgrade were the wheels.
(I say that, I really do need to start riding again and not just talk about maybe start riding! I did clean up the bike a few weeks ago. Just need to find my Edge 800 now in amongst all my crap and I'll be good to go. Apart from a new pair of GP4000s on the Mavics!)
I hear you on Dura Ace. I don't really see the point - 105 does everything I need, is reliable and doesn't cost the earth to replace things. Only thing I would maybe use it for is crit racing - and then it would only be worth it wuth di2
I wouldnt be surprised when I power it up tonight it'll be dead. I've swapped my Forerunner 620 for a Fenix 3 as its multisport so I can track my swimming and other stuff and that records full cycle metrics so if the 800 does fall over, I do have something to fall back on before deciding whether to replace it or not. Whether the cadence sensor is still working is another matter entirely!
Will have a look at the Mavics, presumably wiggle is the best place to buy?
Out of interest what avg speeds do you guys ride at?
When I was riding regularly doing 150+ miles a week, I was riding anything between 15-19mph over 50 miles.
A recovery ride (based on my HR) was around 15mph with minimal effort and average HR zone 1, 16-17mph medium low effort and around HR zone 2, 18-19mph HR zone 3, beyond that you're talking into TT pacing. I spent many hours training doing reps on the North Cray Road between Bexley Village and Ruxley Corner and I'd be averaging over 20mph (see here) and my HR would still be in the middle of Zone 3.
It really depends on so many factors. Headwind, climbing, whether you're in a chain gang and sitting in someone's tow.
My favourite training loop took me out to Gravesend and Higham and back. Check out this loop. Just enough climbing to keep it interesting but depending on what day you ride, the headwind along the Thames at Higham can be brutal.
I got my Aksium's from Decathlon - they were very cheap at the time. Chain Reaction Cycles.com is another good place to look.
Decathlon are great - I've no idea why anyone buys a cheap starter bike from anywhere else, but yeah, when you get a 'real' bike the difference is like night and day
Like JohnBoy says, riding speeds are all relative. If I'm out on my own training at or near threshold I can comfortably hold 24mph for an hour - it would be about 28 in a group. Longer rides I'll probably average around 20mph if there are climbs involved, but could probably push on now (don't do a lot of long rides as most of my training is getting ready for crit racing and TTs) - again, group riding makes a massive difference. One thing I aimed for when I started riding a bit more seriously was holding a 30km/h average on my rides. If you use kilometres rather than miles it's much easier to work stuff out - 30km/h average = 2 min kms.
Couple of highlights: the 'wrong' way up the Gavia was the hardest climb I have ever done...brutal. Descending the Forzelonga (sp?) into Cortina in a thunderstorm with carbon rims (I use Zipp 303s) was 'interesting' to say the least, the Giau is a beast and climbing the Stelvio with a load of blokes on Bromptons will live in the memory...few pics on my f/book for those who know me or Instagram @mattowense10 Will upload to strava as and when my bike and Garmin make it back on Euro Tunnel...