Official P&b Cycling Thread

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

Just now, Bairnardo said:

1 minute ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

Is that a typo? Can you measure RPM or not? 

Sorry lol. It's a typo. No I do not. I think I have read before that generally you aim for a target rpm but I cant do that now.

When I started cycling half seriously the best tip I got was to keep the RPM about 100. I bought a really cheapo cycling computer that fitted on the handlebars that picked up. a signal from a magnet fitted to one of the cranks. It measured rpm exactly and made such a huge difference.

100 rpm sounds a lot, it actually uses a lot less energy and ensures you're always in the correct gear. 

Obviously you'll be doing less rpm going uphill, but on the level, or going into the wind it ensures that the gears are doing the work, rather than yourself. 

Once you get used to 100 rpm, you won't need to fit a computer to any new bike, you'll just KNOW when you're doing it right. 

[Bairnardo]

When I started cycling half seriously the best tip I got was to keep the RPM about 100. I bought a really cheapo cycling computer that fitted on the handlebars that picked up. a signal from a magnet fitted to one of the cranks. It measured rpm exactly and made such a huge difference.
100 rpm sounds a lot, it actually uses a lot less energy and ensures you're always in the correct gear. 
Obviously you'll be doing less rpm going uphill, but on the level, or going into the wind it ensures that the gears are doing the work, rather than yourself. 
Once you get used to 100 rpm, you won't need to fit a computer to any new bike, you'll just KNOW when you're doing it right. 

Ok. That's kinda what I thought the drill was. I might invest in one of those then. Not that il ever be serious but I'd like to get up to say being able to knock out 100km in a day or so.

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

1 minute ago, Bairnardo said:

5 minutes ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

When I started cycling half seriously the best tip I got was to keep the RPM about 100. I bought a really cheapo cycling computer that fitted on the handlebars that picked up. a signal from a magnet fitted to one of the cranks. It measured rpm exactly and made such a huge difference.
100 rpm sounds a lot, it actually uses a lot less energy and ensures you're always in the correct gear. 
Obviously you'll be doing less rpm going uphill, but on the level, or going into the wind it ensures that the gears are doing the work, rather than yourself. 
Once you get used to 100 rpm, you won't need to fit a computer to any new bike, you'll just KNOW when you're doing it right. 

Ok. That's kinda what I thought the drill was. I might invest in one of those then. Not that il ever be serious but I'd like to get up to say being able to knock out 100km in a day or so.

The most important thing is that you enjoy it, and that means starting with the absolute basics, like having the saddle at the correct hight (and angle), the tyres at the right pressure. the gears working smoothly etc. Sounds kind of boring, but the difference these things make is incredible. Having the bike poorly set up to start with will kill off any enthusiasm. 

Good Luck.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

14 minutes ago, NewBornBairn said:

I just do what I feel comfortable with but the racing snakes are all about the cadence - keeping a regular rhythm so using the gears extensively to keep the pedals turning at the same rate.  IMO better to set up a Strava account and compare your times on sections - you'll see yourself getting fitter. Think there's a few from here on Strava.

Aye I find Strava is quite good motivation to beat my own times for certain segments. In terms of cadence, on the flat, or gentler climbs i stick to generally accepted theory of 70-90rpm, however on anything beyond 4-5% I'll generally climb out of the saddle. I've been told repeatedly that it's not ideal and you get knackered quicker, but i'm kind of used to it now. Sitting spinning away in 34-28 or whatever just feels utterly boring and that i'm going nowhere, even though it probably is quite effective. 

In general, this lockdown has benefitted my cycling considerably. I've racked up about 216 miles between "permitted exercise" and Zwift. Working from home definitely makes it easier when you don't have to factor in getting showered and properly dressed for the office. The roads are obviously way quieter, and safer although my chain slipped off the big ring yesterday when I was coming down Redford hill at 43mph which was a minor shite-yourself moment. 

[Bairnardo]

1 minute ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

The most important thing is that you enjoy it, and that means starting with the absolute basics, like having the saddle at the correct hight (and angle), the tyres at the right pressure. the gears working smoothly etc. Sounds kind of boring, but the difference these things make is incredible. Having the bike poorly set up to start with will kill off any enthusiasm. 

Good Luck.

Yeah as in the few posts above the gears are fucking killing me just now. Might have to fire it in for a service actually because it's only the past few weeks iv put proper miles on it since new

[Benjamin_Nevis]

3 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Yeah as in the few posts above the gears are fucking killing me just now. Might have to fire it in for a service actually because it's only the past few weeks iv put proper miles on it since new

When i started out i really had no concept of gearing and thought big efforts in high gears were the way to go. Once you get used to gearing comfortably, you'll enjoy cycling a hell of a lot more. 

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

4 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Yeah as in the few posts above the gears are fucking killing me just now. Might have to fire it in for a service actually because it's only the past few weeks iv put proper miles on it since new

It'll be money well spent. You'll enjoy cycling a lot more and be more confident out on the road  knowing everything's as it should be. 

[Bairnardo]

Will take recommendations for a cheap cadence meter with a display.... Dont need a balls out cycle computer, happy enough to let strava fill that gap. 

[Gnash]

Cadence is personal choice to large extent.  Also, the harder you are riding, the higher your cadence should be, and the higher will feel comfortable. 

I generally ride about 100 rpm when I'm pushing hard, but happy at more like 80 when I'm taking it easy.  I've spoken to pros who ride at a lower cadence than I do, so it doesn't necessarily follow that racing types ride at a higher cadence.

When going uphill, ideally your cadence should be the same as it would be for a given effort on the flat, although with steep hills that clearly isn't feasible.  Getting out of the saddle is fine for a short burst to accelerate, get you over the brow of the hill or just to change position, but it's really inefficient for riding more than a couple of minutes.

[Newbornbairn]

3 hours ago, Johnny-Boi said:

Does anybody else ride an e-bike, with the battery switched off (but attached to the bicycle) for increased resistance training due to the additional weight coming from the battery and other attached electrical components?

 

 

 

 

Naw

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

On 06/04/2020 at 19:25, Gnash said:

Cadence is personal choice to large extent.  Also, the harder you are riding, the higher your cadence should be, and the higher will feel comfortable. 

I generally ride about 100 rpm when I'm pushing hard, but happy at more like 80 when I'm taking it easy.  I've spoken to pros who ride at a lower cadence than I do, so it doesn't necessarily follow that racing types ride at a higher cadence.

When going uphill, ideally your cadence should be the same as it would be for a given effort on the flat, although with steep hills that clearly isn't feasible.  Getting out of the saddle is fine for a short burst to accelerate, get you over the brow of the hill or just to change position, but it's really inefficient for riding more than a couple of minutes.

Yeah, but cadence isn't really down to personal choice. Is It? 

I mean, 80 - 120, that's the accepted rate. Just for power efficiency  and energy efficiency?

And I understand the 'getting out of the saddle' thing, and how pros would have a lower cadence (if they're fitter/stronger) but for the  average cyclist trying to make improvements in their distance/times/enjoyment,.  .  .  .surely saving energy and savouring the moment as they glide through the countryside matters more?

Which is where a regular cadence should be square one. 

Edited April 10, 2020 by oldbitterandgrumpy

[Gnash]

12 hours ago, oldbitterandgrumpy said:

Yeah, but cadence isn't really down to personal choice. Is It? 

I mean, 80 - 120, that's the accepted rate. Just for power efficiency  and energy efficiency?

And I understand the 'getting out of the saddle' thing, and how pros would have a lower cadence (if they're fitter/stronger) but for the  average cyclist trying to make improvements in their distance/times/enjoyment,.  .  .  .surely saving energy and savouring the moment as they glide through the countryside matters more?

Which is where a regular cadence should be square one. 

The accepted rate is more like 70-110, but within that range, it's down to personal choice, hence it's largely down to personal choice.

Not sure the point you're making about getting out of the saddle.  Sounds like you're saying regular cyclists are better off not getting of the saddle to keep their cadence consistent.  If so, I agree, except for brief spells as I mentioned above.

[bennett]

 Nearly fell off today, fermers leaving a mixture of mud and dung on the roads.

 

 

 

[oldbitterandgrumpy]

On 11/04/2020 at 12:24, Gnash said:

The accepted rate is more like 70-110, but within that range, it's down to personal choice, hence it's largely down to personal choice.

Not sure the point you're making about getting out of the saddle.  Sounds like you're saying regular cyclists are better off not getting of the saddle to keep their cadence consistent.  If so, I agree, except for brief spells as I mentioned above.

Aye, that's pretty much what I'm saying. Cadence is the magical key to enjoyable cycling.

You have to (whether you want to or not) get out of the saddle for brief spells, but cadence is the square one of cycling. 

You slowly  (if you have the drive and the patience) graduate by going out, establishing your cadence, and then maintain that cadence  in a progressively higher gear,  therefore improving your speed and extending your distance.

Getting out of the saddle becomes just a minor inconvenience  (or a minor challenge for a mile or so) but if you're enjoying it, well, it's still rewarding in the end.

Not sure where you got the 70-110 figure.  80-120 were always my parameters. Settled for 100-105 in the end. 

i'm out most days having fun at 100, well, at least I think I am, it's been so long since I measured my cadence.

When you get the right cadence, and you're gliding along effortlessly, enjoying the countryside, appreciating the freedom, taking  in the sights and the smell of fresh pine (and the cowshit as you're cycling past farms) but at the same time appreciate that you're not out of breath, not seconds away from cardiac arrest, then you just KNOW you've got your cadence sorted. 

Edited April 12, 2020 by oldbitterandgrumpy

[thisGRAEME]

On 12/11/2019 at 19:19, LondonHMFC said:

It might be worth waiting till Black Friday, sure there will be some decent deals about.

I had the same issue, save so much time with it being inside as well. Takes a bit of getting use to, some good videos by GCN on YouTube which are helpful.

At first I went without one, but was sweating an unnatural amount. Could barely see the screen with the amount of sweat in my eyes.

See FWIW, I ended up getting a refurbished Wahoo Kickr Snap, which came in at a little more than the ones i'd been looking at after I ended up with a bit more cash than I thought and it is absolutely brilliant, even more so that we've all been told to stay in the house. Nipping out in the morning for 60-90 minutes during the week massively improves my mood. 

And yeah, a fan out of Argos was also a great shout, cheers!

[philpy]

Good grief. Got a bike the other day. I'll go for a wee cycle I said to Myself

[Hank Scorpio]

I did 40 miles today, which I was quite pleased with. I’ve been building the distance up over the last wee while and today was the longest I’ve done, about 2 hours 50 mins. I’ve got a hybrid rather than an all out road bike as the slightly bigger tyres are good for city centre riding, up and down pavements etc. I go to work and back every day which can be anything from 1 mile to 5 miles there and back.

The biggest benefit, however, is the mental cleansing it offers. Just you, the road and the wind in your hair. Great now more than ever.

[philpy]

Another 8.9 miles today. Having a rest tommorow though!!

[thisGRAEME]

Just as an FYI, if anyone is looking for some cheap(er) good fucking gear, bike breaks in girona are emptying their warehouse;

https://shop.gironacyclecentre.com/

All half price and they're the loveliest of people, so worth a look.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

12 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said:

I did 40 miles today, which I was quite pleased with. I’ve been building the distance up over the last wee while and today was the longest I’ve done, about 2 hours 50 mins. I’ve got a hybrid rather than an all out road bike as the slightly bigger tyres are good for city centre riding, up and down pavements etc. I go to work and back every day which can be anything from 1 mile to 5 miles there and back.

The biggest benefit, however, is the mental cleansing it offers. Just you, the road and the wind in your hair. Great now more than ever.

Aye, one of the few bright spots about lockdown is being able to bike along previously dodgy roads without having to deal with many cars. I've racked out about 450 miles since it started now and it's been great for both my mental and physical state. Having a more comfortable bike now obviously helps.