Official P&b Cycling Thread

[buddie06smfc]

I have been doing the Tour de Zwift - completed all the routes on stage 1 and only the short one on stage 2. I have attempted the shorter Alpe du Zwift map twice, its name escapes me, in the ordinary Zwift environment and turned back twice half-way up (in order to get the distance up, and quickly at that). 

The equivalent of this years stage 3 was my least favourite last time, mainly due to being lapped countless times. Although they seem to at least be using flatter maps. 

Edit: I seem to be noticing a hell of a lot more Scots on the routes these days, all the encouragement needed along the way. More effective than ride ons IMO

Edited January 17, 2022 by buddie06smfc

[Gnash]

1 hour ago, Caledonian1 said:

I did the Standard Ride Stage 1 but cannot get the enthusiasm to do the long rides.  However, I went out for an hour and a half on my mountain bike yesterday and definitely feeling the benefit of my 5/6 weeks relatively intense training on wattbike/zwift.

Cant see me doing Alpe Du Zwift..  I am sure it replicates Alpe Du Huez and there is no way at my current weight (98kg...was 102kg before christmas) that I will be slogging my way up there any time soon.  I have done the real thing and it is torture (especially after 4 other NC climbs earlier in the day - Marmotte)

I continue to do Cat D races (as recommended on here) However, I often get a warning before the start that I am racing out of category - yet I still cant get close to winning any.  Did a short race on Friday and I had the highest wattage of all competitors and still came 9th - stayed with leaders until last of 6 laps though.

I have absolutely no chance of winning a race on Zwift and have accepted that.  My aim is to stay with the front group, then beat at least one person in the sprint.

An alternative type of race is the chase race, where the cat Ds go off first, then C etc.  Much better for getting riders to work together, at least until the catch is made.  I think they're great, just wish there were more of them.

[Unleash The Nade]

Had kinda lost my mojo for the road bike over the last 12 months and found myself more out on the Mtb doing wee runs of 20-30 miles .

Also cycled round Arran on the mtb,which was fucking brutal compared to the road bike 

Aiming to get my enthusiasm back for road biking this year and get back to somewhere near the level of fitness I had before .

It’ll be like going to the dentist, I know there’ll be pain, just don’t know when ! 

[Caledonian1]

I just canna win.

Took advice from this forum and entered Cat D races on Zwift (rather than Cat C)  Today I was effectively thrown off a sprint race - did 1.5 out of 6 laps and a message appeared "you are too powerful for this race and we are reducing your power" So despite putting out around 280W just to keep pace with the leaders my avatar just dropped back and made it a pointless exercise.  I enjoyed the same race on Friday as I kept with the leaders until the last lap then fell about 10 secs back - a great workout though.

I will from now on enter Cat C races but inevitably fall way behind.  Seeing real progress over the past month though.

[The_Craig]

On 16/01/2022 at 21:59, Day of the Lords said:

Outside cycling for the first time in what seems like months ... Sluggish, shite roads and bike caked in gloop. Pish

Nice bike. I've got the same but it's tucked up in the shed, waiting on the nicer weather while the winter hack takes all the punishment.

23 hours ago, Unleash The Nade said:

Had kinda lost my mojo for the road bike over the last 12 months and found myself more out on the Mtb doing wee runs of 20-30 miles .

Also cycled round Arran on the mtb,which was fucking brutal compared to the road bike 

Aiming to get my enthusiasm back for road biking this year and get back to somewhere near the level of fitness I had before .

It’ll be like going to the dentist, I know there’ll be pain, just don’t know when ! 

I've been struggling for form over the past year. A lack of motivation and injury meant that 2021 was a complete write off. My friend booked me a place in l'etape Caledonia in May and that certainly got me sorted. Maybe having something to look forward to could do for you.

[Gnash]

7 hours ago, Caledonian1 said:

I just canna win.

Took advice from this forum and entered Cat D races on Zwift (rather than Cat C)  Today I was effectively thrown off a sprint race - did 1.5 out of 6 laps and a message appeared "you are too powerful for this race and we are reducing your power" So despite putting out around 280W just to keep pace with the leaders my avatar just dropped back and made it a pointless exercise.  I enjoyed the same race on Friday as I kept with the leaders until the last lap then fell about 10 secs back - a great workout though.

I will from now on enter Cat C races but inevitably fall way behind.  Seeing real progress over the past month though.

Do you know what your FTP is?  You said earlier that you are sustaining 220w and your weight is 98kg, so that would make your FTP/kg 2.25 and therefore clearly a cat D (for most races, some have odd bands).  But if you can sustain 280w that puts you firmly in cat C.  Just establish you FTP, work out your FTP/kg and put yourself in the right category for each race.

[Caledonian1]

10 hours ago, Gnash said:

Do you know what your FTP is?  You said earlier that you are sustaining 220w and your weight is 98kg, so that would make your FTP/kg 2.25 and therefore clearly a cat D (for most races, some have odd bands).  But if you can sustain 280w that puts you firmly in cat C.  Just establish you FTP, work out your FTP/kg and put yourself in the right category for each race.

Good point not actually got round to doing an FTP (probably conciously avoiding it)  My fitness has improved and I sustained 250w for a 40 min race the other day  so it has definitely increased.  I think my main issue was that I possibly was a genuine CatD a few weeks ago and frustrated that I have not stayed with the leaders to the finish in one single race.  I will be Cat C from now on again (and might even pluck up the enthusiasm for an FTP)

[Gnash]

5 hours ago, Caledonian1 said:

Good point not actually got round to doing an FTP (probably conciously avoiding it)  My fitness has improved and I sustained 250w for a 40 min race the other day  so it has definitely increased.  I think my main issue was that I possibly was a genuine CatD a few weeks ago and frustrated that I have not stayed with the leaders to the finish in one single race.  I will be Cat C from now on again (and might even pluck up the enthusiasm for an FTP)

Well done on the improvement.  If you can stick with the front group in a flat cat C race, I would think with your raw power you would do well in a sprint.

[broon-loon]

Out and about rural Angus on the old road bike earlier today. 25 miles (not quick) but it's 1400 odd calories burned aff the beer belly according to Garmin. 

As mentioned earlier, the condition of the roads are piss poor.

[Caledonian1]

22 hours ago, Gnash said:

Do you know what your FTP is?  You said earlier that you are sustaining 220w and your weight is 98kg, so that would make your FTP/kg 2.25 and therefore clearly a cat D (for most races, some have odd bands).  But if you can sustain 280w that puts you firmly in cat C.  Just establish you FTP, work out your FTP/kg and put yourself in the right category for each race.

Well tonight I bit the bullet and took and FTP test.  Wow that was tough....actually some of the warm up on the Zwift 45 min test - 20 mins full on - was quite tough and I really didnt have enough in the tank for the twenty mins.  I averaged 265w so my FTP is now 252W.  A little diapponted with that as I know I would have been a fair bit better than that a 4 or 5 years ago (but I was really fit then and training up to 15 hours per week - not all on the bike) 57 now and have put on a lot of weight and let myself go a bit last couple of years. However, it was still a great session and gives me a target for another FTP say end of Feb - maybe aim to get and average of 275w and around 260w FTP.

[RiG]

Someone who locked their bike on Leith Walk was fortunate when a few passers by caught some of the local pondlife trying to steal their bike. As stated in the tweet this was in broad daylight as well. Absolutely no fear with some of these guys.

 

[bennett]

43 minutes ago, RiG said:

Someone who locked their bike on Leith Walk was fortunate when a few passers by caught some of the local pondlife trying to steal their bike. As stated in the tweet this was in broad daylight as well. Absolutely no fear with some of these guys.

 

They're on the wrong side of the fence to steal the bike.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Treated myself to a Giant TCR Advanced 2 today. Delivery in a week's time. Yassss. Still have to sell my old bike. Anyone have an idea of the value of a good condition Defy Advanced 2 (2020)? Gumtree doesn't seem particularly reliable [emoji23]

[die hard doonhamer]

3 hours ago, Day of the Lords said:

Treated myself to a Giant TCR Advanced 2 today. Delivery in a week's time. Yassss. Still have to sell my old bike. Anyone have an idea of the value of a good condition Defy Advanced 2 (2020)? Gumtree doesn't seem particularly reliable

There’s one listed on pinkbike at £1400

[broon-loon]

I cycled to the Moon and back today..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

I cycled to the Moon and back today..
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

My home town [emoji41]

In other news, collected my new bike today and spent the afternoon seething that I had to work in what would have been glorious cycling weather.

[broon-loon]

1 hour ago, Day of the Lords said:

My home town

In other news, collected my new bike today and spent the afternoon seething that I had to work in what would have been glorious cycling weather.

For sure it was a nice day for a wee outing on the bike. Was gonna go for a walk but the light breeze sealed the deal for the bike. At my age I'm no keen on cycling in stiff/strong winds..

I'm sure a trip to the Moon will be on your horizon on the new wheels? 

Enjoy. 

 

[Benjamin_Nevis]

1 hour ago, broon-loon said:

For sure it was a nice day for a wee outing on the bike. Was gonna go for a walk but the light breeze sealed the deal for the bike. At my age I'm no keen on cycling in stiff/strong winds..

I'm sure a trip to the Moon will be on your horizon on the new wheels? 

Enjoy. 

 

I live in Forfar now, so Kirrie is often part of my route!

[RiG]

I saw another tweet of poor cycling infrastructure going viral again (see below). Normally I am all for sticking the boot into the CEC but chumps like this trying to point score over a cycle lane that isn't finished let alone open to the public really do my head in. 

ETA: The recent return to work has seen me pick up the bike again to trek out to Heriot Watt from Easter Road which I am now managing in a little over 42 minutes. Blowing out my arse by the end of it but cycling along the canal is really quite an enjoyable way to start the day

Edited March 22, 2022 by RiG

[Ginaro]

3 minutes ago, RiG said:

I saw another tweet of poor cycling infrastructure going viral again (see below). Normally I am all for sticking the boot into the CEC but chumps like this trying to point score over a cycle lane that isn't finished let alone open to the public really do my head in. 

Yeah, once the lamp posts are moved to the middle of the road that'll probably be the "best" section of Leith Walk. People should be criticising the other bits where the pavement is too narrow (seen pics of cafes putting out tables and chairs to narrow it further!), junctions are shared, sharply angled turns to go around bins, and tram tracks right next to the cycle track so you can't even jump off and safely use the road instead. Plus the slabs will probably be broken by the time it opens with vans and lorries parking on them...