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The "Where did you ride your bike today?" Thread...

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Re:

JackRabbitSlims said:
you're a lucky man

to have all that
right there

belle-ends everywhere.....road cycling seems to be a magnet for them
reads like a hard day out
but a great experience

nice work
well done

I've been meaning

to ask jrs

why do you
type in random

lines like I
am doing now is it

something to do with

the
device


you're typing on
 
Re: Re:

winkybiker said:
JackRabbitSlims said:
you're a lucky man

to have all that
right there

belle-ends everywhere.....road cycling seems to be a magnet for them
reads like a hard day out
but a great experience

nice work
well done

I've been meaning

to ask jrs

why do you
type in random

lines like I
am doing now is it

something to do with

the
device


you're typing on

yes

it is

please be
tolerant

and
understanding

i'm doing
the best
i can

l0RQekO.jpg
 
So today me and my family went to Canton Avenue! It's one of the steepest roads in the world. You can read about it on wikipedia. Some websites say 33%. Wiki says 37% for 6.5 meters of the hill....the point is it's VERY steep! I'm ashamed to admit that I wasn't able to get up the hill in it's entirety. For the love of money, I could NOT keep my front wheel on the road! Perhaps my technique was off...I'd rather admit that then to say I wasn't strong enough. :p Anyways....here's a few pics. When I'm back in town I'll post a video. It's kinda funny to watch all my failed attempts. All the people you see around are my family and I'm the dude in the bike clothes with the bike. :)

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:D


DSC_0289.JPG



The pictures don't do it justice - as far as showing just how steep it is. If you're in the Pittsburgh area, ya just have to try it!
 
Re:

ray j willings said:
Brilliant photos Jspear. Looks tough .You would have made it with some different gears. what you riding 39 x 23?
Cobbled as well , that's tough

No, I had a 3rd "granny" gear in the front (smaller than 39...haven't actually looked to see how many teeth.) That's why I said I was "ashamed to admit I couldn't climb it." IMO my gear ratio was plenty. I think it was a combination of - lack of strength and technique. Also thinking about it now, one of my big issues was keeping my front tire on the road - I completely forgot to deflate my tires some....I dunno...perhaps that was a small part of the problem. Whatever the case, I didn't quite make it. :) I would love to come up with an excuse that's sounds good though. :)

The roads surrounding Canton avenue were all around 20-25% gradients and I was able to climb those fine. Maybe my excellent excuse will be the cobbles!
 
Aug 4, 2011
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Re: Re:

Jspear said:
ray j willings said:
Brilliant photos Jspear. Looks tough .You would have made it with some different gears. what you riding 39 x 23?
Cobbled as well , that's tough

No, I had a 3rd "granny" gear in the front (smaller than 39...haven't actually looked to see how many teeth.) That's why I said I was "ashamed to admit I couldn't climb it." IMO my gear ratio was plenty. I think it was a combination of - lack of strength and technique. Also thinking about it now, one of my big issues was keeping my front tire on the road - I completely forgot to deflate my tires some....I dunno...perhaps that was a small part of the problem. Whatever the case, I didn't quite make it. :) I would love to come up with an excuse that's sounds good though. :)

The roads surrounding Canton avenue were all around 20-25% gradients and I was able to climb those fine. Maybe my excellent excuse will be the cobbles!

You should have another go. I reckon you will make it. When its that steep technique can make a huge difference. I remember when I used to go mountain biking " I was rubbish" I used to go at it thinking my fitness would get me through. I crashed so many times :D One of the guys who I used to go with was incredible. He was a tiny fellow but his skill ,,,wow I learnt a lot from him but I still crashed all over the place. I gave up in the end it hurt to much.
 
King Boonen said:
postmanhat said:
Just thinking about it makes my stomach churn. Hope it's on the mend. Any time off work to watch the Tour?

Thanks for posting the photos. Caught an interview with Gee Atherton who said North Wales was the only place you get continental style climbs here. They look spectacular!

Re the epic Chester to Nottingham, the only advice I could offer is from Bakewell for the last 45-50 miles. Very flat if you follow the main roads, and some nice riding as A roads go, particularly the Bakewell-Derby section

Finger chewed up on the Monday at 11pm, surgery at 11am on Tuesday, out of hospital be 6:30pm Tuesday, back in work Friday. Offered time off so going to take a day here and there over the next couple of weeks as I'm in and out of the hospital to get stitches removed, the k wire removed, check-ups etc.

It's a great place to ride. You don't get the height or metres gain of the continent but you can get the views. If you mountain bike around there you can bump into the Athertons quite a bit! Belach Na Ba in North West Scotland is the closest to an alpine climb in the UK. I've not tackled it yet but want to this year:

bealach-na-ba-simon-li-640x426.jpg


http://cyclinguphill.com/100-climbs/bealach-na-ba/


Would be looking for a bit of climbing on the way there, flat on the way back a couple of days later so will give you a shout.


I cycled the Bealach Na Ba at the weekend as part of the Bealach Mor sportive....what a climb, stunning, i mean really fcking stunning.... the head wind up it was stupid crazy and it had everybody cycling it really grinding it out to the top..the whole route i done at the weekend was amazing, amazing views, amazing roads.

what i will say is that when you drop down into Applcross from the climb the coast road you have to cycle is mega tough, a lot tougher than the big climb, but the coast road you have amazing views over to Skye.
 
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CWG0mnNl.jpg


This was last Sunday,it was a non ride day for me but I nipped down my local park where they start up a Victorian beam engine once a month. The guys who look after the engine, do it for love.
 
Ray, your bike is so 'undressed' it's almost NSFW. Very nice.

@Jspear some carbon saddles are actually very confortable. I had tried one once but it was very poor quality and gave me a bad impression, tried a decent one later. I still wouldn't use one but a weight weenie such as Ray Jay wouldn't care. :D
 
Re: Re:

Jspear said:
ray j willings said:
CWG0mnNl.jpg


This was last Sunday,it was a non ride day for me but I nipped down my local park where they start up a Victorian beam engine once a month. The guys who look after the engine, do it for love.

Sweet bike....the only thing I'm not sure if I could get used to is that seat! Crazy thin!
If the shape of the saddle is suited to your sit bones and your bike fit is good, then a carbon saddle can be great, especially if you ride on good roads.
 
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42x16ss said:
ray j willings said:
Here's my bike Trek in full. https://www.flickr.com/photos/131970499@N02/

Here's the beam engine http://www.mbeam.org/
Nice, you've really gone to town on that. Surprised to see that you are running mid depth alloy Kinlin rims though. I had you pegged as an Enve kind of guy.


I see where your coming from. They are the xr200 's with Sapim super spokes and Dati ultra light hubs.
They come in at 1182grms the pair, which is a pretty light weight for clinchers. Obviously I could go lighter wheel wise with tubs but IMO clinchers are less hassle and I only have to carry a 50grm spare conti inner tube.
I am trying to get hold of some AC magnesium rims. With a set of these rims,extralite hubs and the sapim super spokes I could get a pair of clinchers down to the 1000 grams a pair area.
I do have another set of clinchers that I will put the sapim super spokes on and these will weigh 1130 grms.
Fred Johnson are the crazy lightweight clinchers they are the holy grail. 700 to 800grm's for a set of clinchers.

I did start a weight weenie thread so perhaps we should chat about bike stuff there and not hog this thread.
I always happy to chat about anything Bike related

cheers Ray J
 
Club ride tonight, it's getting dark and it showed. Lots of nervousness, too many people braking and a few close calls confounded by guys who usually ride in the faster groups dropping into the 16-18 mph group and upping the pace. This route has one big climb and then a general downhill, my gear was spinning out constantly as people pushed the pace on the descent then dropped back on climbs. Too many people sprinting through in the pace line then not knocking off in the inside line, it was a mess. Such a mess that I actually attacked on a short climb just before the main downhill section to the first stop knowing it would split up the group, those with gears would go past me and I could ride sensibly after that.

The worst part, one lad was blowing off the back (he'd been off for a couple of weeks due to a crash and decided it was a good idea to fit bigger chainrings on his first ride back...) so I dropped back to give him a tow. After about 20 seconds he decided he wanted to take a pull, sprinted past me without a word, blew up and cut straight in front of me, smacking into my front wheel and almost knocking me off at 45kph. I literally had to jump the bike in the air to stop myself hitting the deck. Crashes on a club run are not acceptable, ever. someone almost knocking me off because their ego won't let them do the sensible thing and sit on my wheel... Infuriating.
 
Re:

King Boonen said:
Club ride tonight, it's getting dark and it showed. Lots of nervousness, too many people braking and a few close calls confounded by guys who usually ride in the faster groups dropping into the 16-18 mph group and upping the pace. This route has one big climb and then a general downhill, my gear was spinning out constantly as people pushed the pace on the descent then dropped back on climbs. Too many people sprinting through in the pace line then not knocking off in the inside line, it was a mess. Such a mess that I actually attacked on a short climb just before the main downhill section to the first stop knowing it would split up the group, those with gears would go past me and I could ride sensibly after that.

The worst part, one lad was blowing off the back (he'd been off for a couple of weeks due to a crash and decided it was a good idea to fit bigger chainrings on his first ride back...) so I dropped back to give him a tow. After about 20 seconds he decided he wanted to take a pull, sprinted past me without a word, blew up and cut straight in front of me, smacking into my front wheel and almost knocking me off at 45kph. I literally had to jump the bike in the air to stop myself hitting the deck. Crashes on a club run are not acceptable, ever. someone almost knocking me off because their ego won't let them do the sensible thing and sit on my wheel... Infuriating.

sounds like some of the lads in your club ride need a straightener
 
Re: Re:

JackRabbitSlims said:
King Boonen said:
Club ride tonight, it's getting dark and it showed. Lots of nervousness, too many people braking and a few close calls confounded by guys who usually ride in the faster groups dropping into the 16-18 mph group and upping the pace. This route has one big climb and then a general downhill, my gear was spinning out constantly as people pushed the pace on the descent then dropped back on climbs. Too many people sprinting through in the pace line then not knocking off in the inside line, it was a mess. Such a mess that I actually attacked on a short climb just before the main downhill section to the first stop knowing it would split up the group, those with gears would go past me and I could ride sensibly after that.

The worst part, one lad was blowing off the back (he'd been off for a couple of weeks due to a crash and decided it was a good idea to fit bigger chainrings on his first ride back...) so I dropped back to give him a tow. After about 20 seconds he decided he wanted to take a pull, sprinted past me without a word, blew up and cut straight in front of me, smacking into my front wheel and almost knocking me off at 45kph. I literally had to jump the bike in the air to stop myself hitting the deck. Crashes on a club run are not acceptable, ever. someone almost knocking me off because their ego won't let them do the sensible thing and sit on my wheel... Infuriating.

sounds like some of the lads in your club ride need a straightener

Yes and unfortunately a lot of the problem is senior members who think they know best. I was a little dis-heartened last week when a guy crashed in the fast group (at slow speed) and no one from that group waited with him. Me and the guy who I was doing a 2-up with came and found him with a few pedestrians checking him over. He was fine but obviously shaken and someone should have noticed and stopped. I've asked to be forwarded membership details (long story, I ride with several clubs and need affiliate membership) so I can pay my dues as at the moment I don't feel like I can say much. When I'm paid up I'll be taking a more active role in leading the groups and controlling the pace. 20 people, some who usually ride race pace (20+mph) was just too much for a group that is meant to average 16-18, especially in the dark.
 

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