[Other Sport] Cycling geeks

[Stat Brother]

Which you should really...

Left at the Vogue Gyratory just past the bus garage, if you miss it you could always wait until Southover Street or Albion Hill, sounds like you want to punish yourself.

Thanks I'll be on the look out as soon as I see a lot of buses.

Yeah there's a bit of punishment involved.
I noticed my usual riders are between 30-50 miles and under 2000ft of climbing.

So I'm trying to up the anti a little, even though I missed 2000ft today by 88ft.


From me to Ditchling and back ticks all the boxes, 58 miles & 2,500ft of climbing, but in the spirit of going the extra mile I figure why not.

Although time is tight tomorrow, hopefully I can still give it a go.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Thanks I'll be on the look out as soon as I see a lot of buses.

Yeah there's a bit of punishment involved.
I noticed my usual riders are between 30-50 miles and under 2000ft of climbing.

So I'm trying to up the anti a little, even though I missed 2000ft today by 88ft.


From me to Ditchling and back ticks all the boxes, 58 miles & 2,500ft of climbing, but in the spirit of going the extra mile I figure why not.

Although time is tight tomorrow, hopefully I can still give it a go.

Bear Road is, officially, a no left turn from Lewes Road, which I assume you will be on having descended Coldean Lane and turned right.

If you see a bright yellow pub called The Gladstone, you've gone too far. The Bear is the pub on the corner of Bear Road, and as well as the bus garage, you will have passed Halfords and B and Q (on the other side of the road).

Bear Road is fun.

 

[Stat Brother]

Bear Road is, officially, a no left turn from Lewes Road, which I assume you will be on having descended Coldean Lane and turned right.

If you see a bright yellow pub called The Gladstone, you've gone too far. The Bear is the pub on the corner of Bear Road, and as well as the bus garage, you will have passed Halfords and B and Q (on the other side of the road).

Bear Road is fun.

I have no recollection of a bright yellow pub!!
Although I think I can place Halfords and B&Q.

I take it the 'no left turn' doesn't really apply to lil old me, on my velocipede.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I have no recollection of a bright yellow pub!!
Although I think I can place Halfords and B&Q.

I take it the 'no left turn' doesn't really apply to lil old me, on my velocipede.

Not really...but you'll be BREAKING THE LAW, and proving that all cyclists are scumbags who must be crushed.

 

[Stat Brother]

I don't mind admitting it fellow geeks, but I had a bit of a 'moment' today.

The road from Small Dole to Poynings (Edburton-Fulking-Devils Dyke) was absolutely stunning.
It was bloody near heaven on earth.

The sun casting big blooming shadows off the Downs.
The autumn trees looked resplendent.
Every field was full of livestock.
Barely a car on the road.
My bike was purring, I was the perfect temperature.
I even remembered the little climb t'other side of The Shepard & Dog bend.

If there was a tattoo artist on the Poynings roundabout I'd have made him ink the Sussex flag onto my face.

 

[Stat Brother]

Ditchling and Bear Road done.
BR is fun almost as I expected except for the sting in the tail.
I was going well enough up the first section, to the point of thinking about pushing on.
Then the traffic cleared and I saw that wouldn't be a good idea.

That last bit is a killer.
Its not often, if at all, that I just think 'sod it, close your eyes!!, grit you teeth, get out of the saddle and hope for the best'.

I spent most of my toil up DB still amazed Jnr managed it.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I don't mind admitting it fellow geeks, but I had a bit of a 'moment' today.

The road from Small Dole to Poynings (Edburton-Fulking-Devils Dyke) was absolutely stunning.
It was bloody near heaven on earth.

The sun casting big blooming shadows off the Downs.
The autumn trees looked resplendent.
Every field was full of livestock.
Barely a car on the road.
My bike was purring, I was the perfect temperature.
I even remembered the little climb t'other side of The Shepard & Dog bend.

If there was a tattoo artist on the Poynings roundabout I'd have made him ink the Sussex flag onto my face.

That's a regular route for me. There are a couple of spots, like the old timber barn framed with the Downs behind that are pretty jaw dropping. Some punchy little climbs to burst over too.

 

[Stat Brother]

That's a regular route for me. There are a couple of spots, like the old timber barn framed with the Downs behind that are pretty jaw dropping. Some punchy little climbs to burst over too.

i wouldn't call my ride punchy.

I didn't even catch tourettes when I rode over a small crater, because I was too busy looking around me, instead of the road.

 

[Motogull]

That might be the last great ride of 2014.

Take those memories with you on the up and coming mingier rides.

 

[Stat Brother]

Hey [MENTION=19321]Pogue Mahone[/MENTION] I'd love to be first name on the list of 'International Break/Away NSC Group Sportive' sadly work rather gets in the way.

Recently I've had 2 opportunities to see who was about, this Saturday and Rotherham Saturday.

I'm ashamed to say I was more than a little bit gutted that my involvement in potential I-BANGS was ruined by having to go to the Albion.
Bad, bad, fan

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Thibaut Pinot has published is entire training history since he was a Junior! Power outputs, training loads etc.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02640414.2014.969296#.VFzH6pCsVVk

If anyone is as geeky as me, I can try and share the pdf of the full paper. Impressive power outputs even since he was 18, amazing that he can now do 5w/kg for 4 hours!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Just tried on my Morvelo bib shorts and I'm really disappointed. The fit feels perfect except for one thing, the leg gripper at the bottom is really loose, almost the complete opposite to any other bib short where if anything it feels tight compared to the rest of the thigh.

I thought perhaps it was a fault, and maybe a fatty had previous tried them on and broken the elastic, but of the 6 reviews on wiggle (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/morvelo-the-unity-bib-short/) 2 of them make reference to this.

I went for the large (as mentioned previously, I'm 5'11", about 12st6lbs and 33" waist), according to the size guide 32" waist is medium and 34" is large, so I guess technically I fall between sizes. Unfortunately Wiggle are out of the medium, but I really don't think I would be a medium and suspect they would feel too tight on my thighs.

For those of you who have them, have you noticed this with yours?

I have never had this problem - I am 36" waist, 6'3", about 15 stone, and wear XXL. They fit really well, and are in no way loose. They are incredibly comfortable, and the pad is second to none.

Sorry if you have not found this, but it does sound like you are a medium from what you say. Email them - you'll find them friendly and helpful!

 

[Pogue Mahone]

From David James' bankruptcy auction:-

View attachment 59912

https://www.hilcoind.com/sale-details?view=detailview&pid=490735c4-a3ff-2551-d402-54579bd48161

View attachment 59913

https://www.hilcoind.com/sale-details?view=detailview&pid=490735c4-a3ff-2551-d402-54579bd48161

One of the best things I saw on this year's etape was a guy from Leeds who cycled the entire route on a Chopper. It had 8 gears, and the saddle was 'upgraded', but you should have seen how circumspect he had to be on the descents.

The tutting and head shaking of the locals was magnificent.

 

[Indurain's Lungs]

Just tried on my Morvelo bib shorts and I'm really disappointed. The fit feels perfect except for one thing, the leg gripper at the bottom is really loose, almost the complete opposite to any other bib short where if anything it feels tight compared to the rest of the thigh.

I thought perhaps it was a fault, and maybe a fatty had previous tried them on and broken the elastic, but of the 6 reviews on wiggle (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/morvelo-the-unity-bib-short/) 2 of them make reference to this.

I went for the large (as mentioned previously, I'm 5'11", about 12st6lbs and 33" waist), according to the size guide 32" waist is medium and 34" is large, so I guess technically I fall between sizes. Unfortunately Wiggle are out of the medium, but I really don't think I would be a medium and suspect they would feel too tight on my thighs.

For those of you who have them, have you noticed this with yours?

A lot of shorts are doing away with the leg gripper in favour of mild compression throughout. Maybe that's the issue?

 

[Stat Brother]

In fairness cycle clothing sizing has always been a bit of a dark art.

Medium for one company could be xl for another.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news...esponds-criticism-decision-wear-helmet-142639

So what do the geeks think?

Everyone I cycle with wears a helmet, and I almost always do too. But in the summer months I often 'free my mind' and go helmetless - it's more comfortable and cooler too.

I think that loads more people would ride if we were not such a helmet-centric country. Apparently 0.5% of cyclists in the Netherlands wear helmets, a country that has a far higher amount of cyclists than here. The figures are similar in Scandinavia, Germany and elsewhere in Europe.

It's the infrastructure that needs to be improved, along with the attitudes towards cyclists of other road users.

In the meantime, I will continue to wear my helmet in winter - it helps with warmth as much as anything!

 

[Stat Brother]

I always wear mine when wearing Lycra, I never wear one when in civvies.

Simply put, I don't feel safe when travelling at speed, or have enough trust in the road and other road users.

I don't think helmets are the tie-breaker when it comes to riding in the UK.
Although I think they would be if they became compulsory.

 

[banjo]

Always cover your helmet don't want any nasty little rashes........ Oops! Wrong thread

 

[Stat Brother]

I was so pleased with my ride in the week, I drove us to the Amex over the same route, aqnd Ditchling Beacon.
It was the first time Lil Miss Stat had been up there.

Chances are when we finally got to the top of the Beacon they actually shared their first ever genuine moment of respect.


Anyway The Cycling Podcast had their annual interview with Tao G Hart.
The under 23 rider who face planted the final bend of the Brighton stage.

It's a very good listen.

He talks a lot about that day in particular, the highlight being, 'Bear Road was considerably tougher than any of the peloton thought'.

 

[Bold Seagull]

[MENTION=435]Stat Brother[/MENTION] - I thought of you yesterday admiring B'Burn's away kit...