The Cycling Chat Thread

[a_chap]

Steve Abraham, going for the world annual distance record, has made it past 5000 miles now:

https://www.strava.com/athletes/1419435

That's 5,000 miles in... 28 days

 

[ChrisFilter]

In January.

Just ordered some of dhb's Aeron Pro bib-shorts. Fingers crossed - I've had expensive bib-shorts before that just weren't right but this only becomes apparent after 50 miles and you can't exactly return them.

 

[Ted Striker]

Didn't get in the RideLondon ballot. Charidee place it is (again!)

https://regonline.activeeurope.com/register/login.aspx?EventId=1589802

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

In January.

Just ordered some of dhb's Aeron Pro bib-shorts. Fingers crossed - I've had expensive bib-shorts before that just weren't right but this only becomes apparent after 50 miles and you can't exactly return them.

Just buy Assos, even the cheapest ones you can find. The S5 pad is unmatched.

 

[Boycey]

Sadly not sir, an due to the post thatcherite death of our manufacturing base I am struggling to find an engineering shop who could do this for reasonable money or indeed do this at all. Oak Cycles - the framebuilder in Honour Oak (Ryan) - has a drill bit and jig that can drill a whole BB out, but he classes this as a small job and he has 2 years of framebuilding work already backed up.

I have quit the bike trade to fart around in a wood workshop but ryan is our mechanic and we have recip on site if you can brave the buggies of north London I'd trust him with any of my bikes, in fact he put a new 853 chain stay on my blizzard a few years ago.

My good bye present to myself was to build up a CX/audax machine on an all city macho man, full centaur group set, DT hubs... It's fucking beautiful. Being goaded into an overnight ride to littlehampton in march, if I don't die I might take on the dynamo again.

 

[steeeve]

That's the one I use. You need to connect to a PC/laptop or an iPhone/iPad. To do so you need an ant+ adapter. This is a USB thing for a computer or either a Wahoo fitness key or Wahoo fitness case for an idevice. I use the latter with my wife's old iPhone.

It's worth pointing out that the Wahoo fitness case is c. £75 on UK amazon and £22 with postage from US amazon. It only took ten days to arrive as well.

It's also worth pointing out that you'll need ant+ speed/cadence/heart rate sensors as well. If you have a Garmin Edge of some description, you probably have these already.

Total outlay from scratch is fairly high unless you've got most of the kit anyway, it must be said. I had everything but the Wahoo case so it wasn't too much of a stretch for me.

Even with the outlay it's still a fuck load less than a Wattbike and a personal trainer.

Cheers, looks like they don't do the case for iphone 6 yet but I can get a suunto dongle for £23. I already have an edge 800 with performance pack although the heart rate sensor hasn't yet left the box! May give it a go on payday

 

[Boycey]

Re: naughty chemicals- there's a world of difference between an occupational hazard you want to minimise/be very fucking wary of and getting a bit giddy while cleaning your own bike.

Solvent highs are amusing on day one, day two less funny. Day three I masked up.

 

[steeeve]

Last question, how noisy are these things? I live in a top floor flat, am I likely to piss off the neighbours below?

 

[Ted Striker]

Depends how trigger happy you are with the bell (got to recreate the 'on road' feeling as much as possible!)

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

I have quit the bike trade to fart around in a wood workshop but ryan is our mechanic and we have recip on site if you can brave the buggies of north London I'd trust him with any of my bikes, in fact he put a new 853 chain stay on my blizzard a few years ago.

.

Ryan is your mechanic...small world. Thanks for the offer...does the saw take 300mm blades or is it one of those big fuckers?

 

[Boycey]

does the saw take 300mm blades or is it one of those big fuckers?

it takes the big fuckers but personally i'd have a go with jigsaw first, with these- low speed, no pendulum. wherever you take it i'd let the mechanic come their own decision, ryan is very good at removing with very little destruction- he's slapped my wrists on a few occasions for brute forcing my own bikes.

 

[braindancer]

That's 5,000 miles in... 28 days

Jesus - I was feeling pretty chuffed that I've managed to knock up almost 500 miles in January - 5000! Utterly bonkers.

 

[DownwardDog]

That's 5,000 miles in... 28 days

I wonder what part of his body will give in first. My money's on lower back.

 

[Dogsauce]

Jesus - I was feeling pretty chuffed that I've managed to knock up almost 500 miles in January - 5000! Utterly bonkers.

I've managed 115. The weather and a week of sickness hasn't been helpful.

Taking 1hr 52 to travel the eight and a half miles to work on two buses this morning might motivate me back into the saddle tomorrow.

I did see quite a few people riding in it this morning including a brave soul proceeding tentatively on a Brompton on the main road near my house, which hadn't been adequately gritted and was slippery slush everywhere. Lower down in the city centre was fine. I could have pushed my bike half a mile down to the A road then ridden on gritted roads all the way up to the turning into the business park.

 

[Lord Hugh]

I wonder what part of his body will give in first. My money's on lower back.

Lower back or knees, is my bet. That's crazy. 200 miles nearly every day. I'm stuck between jealousy and straight-up nonbelief at that level of fitness and time-commitment.

Also 80000 miles is more than 3 times AROUND THE EARTH.

 

[Rebelda]

(((his arse)))

 

[ChrisFilter]

No reason for anything to go if his bike fits him properly.

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Indeed - the guy is an audax mile junkie, this is not like someone taking on an impossible challenge, he has had a long term body and mind training in the bag.

 

[Rebelda]

Bought a new water bottle today and it had a mini tube of electrolyte energy drink tablets in it. Anyone want them? Happy to stick them in the post

 

[Lord Hugh]

Bought a new water bottle today and it had a mini tube of electrolyte energy drink tablets in it. Anyone want them? Happy to stick them in the post

I find those things are great! Better than water, or at least tastier. I do sweat a whole lot though... (Not asking for them, postage would be more than it's worth)

 

[Rebelda]

I find those things are great! Better than water, or at least tastier. I do sweat a whole lot though... (Not asking for them, postage would be more than it's worth)

Aye, I'll use em if no takers but I'm a berocca woman usually.

 

[a_chap]

(((his arse)))

Brooks leather saddle. Therefore no arse problems.

Although he has form on the arse front...

https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=52836.0 -- not for the faint-hearted

 

[DownwardDog]

No reason for anything to go if his bike fits him properly.

He has no recovery time though - it's 200 miles day after day, every day. That's a literal and figurative long way from doing Audaxes. I once saw a documentary about some dude who rode around the edge of the Chinese border constantly for a year or two. The discs in his neck went and whenever he turned his head it sounded like a pepper grinder.

 

[ChrisFilter]

The body adapts very quickly.

 

[contadino]

Aye, I'll use em if no takers but I'm a berocca woman usually.

What? You bung a berrocca in your water bottle on a ride? I was thinking of trying that but wasn't sure if it would help.

 

[Rebelda]

What? You bung a berrocca in your water bottle on a ride? I was thinking of trying that but wasn't sure if it would help.

Only if I'm getting on and out first thing. You have to let it do its thing with the bottle lid off first though, or it all comes squirting out. I learnt that the hard way (fnar) I don't usually do the first leg of my commute until 5pm. I don't think I'd rely on Berocca for a full day on the road or anything (but I'd want one before I set off!).

 

[contadino]

I picked up something similar to beroca a while back, but the tube is green and it claims to be 'energising'. Not given it a shot yet. Might do this Sunday and see if it works.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Berocca won't benefit your cycling at all. It's doubtful whether it's in any way beneficial at all, just like any packaged vitamins.

 

[Lord Hugh]

I picked up something similar to beroca a while back, but the tube is green and it claims to be 'energising'. Not given it a shot yet. Might do this Sunday and see if it works.

I use the electrolyte ones - your green ones are High 5 lemon and lime? They do seem to pick me up more than pure water, but still not totally convinced it's not placebo. They do taste good (some of them - I like the berry ones, the green ones are so-so).

 

[sleaterkinney]

I do take cod liver oil though, for my joints.