HC Bike/Cycling Thread

[raffy]

I'm not familiar with Steel/Ti bike pricing and what's good or not but found this Seven on Paceline. Looks like it might be a good deal for a complete bike.

 

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=138222

[aerius]

The Odonata is a carbon & titanium bike, $1600 is a fucking killer price for one.  The frames alone were about $3000 brand new.

[Emooze]

Finally stopped raining around 5, went for a short ride with the remaining daylight. I need more thermal gear...

 

http://www.strava.com/activities/90094746

[parris]

1600 for the Seven is a screaming deal.  

[Dreadhead]

[VPI]

Had another great, but cold, ride with Chris this morning.  Over 1k feet of climbing in around 17 miles.  I have not been on the bike in a couple of weeks and drank most of my calories last week so I was happy.

 

I definitely need to invest in some new winter riding gear as the long sleeve Road Holland worked well but I think when it gets colder I will need base layers.

[cetoole]

Mountain bike hike today.

 

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/393371605

[nikongod]

Does anyone out there in TV land have any advice on how to train using the following tools:

HRM

Cadence

Speed

 

I want to loose some more weight (yaay!) 

Improve endurance

and Improve strength. 

 

I looked around, but there is quite a lot of info to filter through and absorb. 

[VPI]

I would think the HR monitor would play the largest part as you need to be in the proper zone to improve upon cardio / fast twitch / slow twitch muscle / burn fat.  I am always high HR but there are proper zones that focus on the various improvement that you would want to remain in on those days you are trying to improve them.

 

I am sure someone will come along that actually knows what they are and how to use them.

[Dreadhead]

Your first two sound like you want to be in zone 2 a lot. It's boring for most people (I actually like it) but it does increase endurance and burn fat more effectively (i.e. more of your energy comes from fat than at more strenous levels and you can keep it up longer. Full on sprints do burn more fat than zone 2 but you can't keep them up). I use Joe Friel's definitions for the zones but basically any of them will get you in the ball park for zone 2.

[n_maher]

I had 99% of a great MTB ride last Friday.  Crashed relatively hard with about 200yds to go (stupidly) but didn't do major damage.  May have bent the rear d hanger but need a trip to the shop to confirm.  Definitely tore the cleats on my shoes, put a nice little puncture into my right leg and sracped my right forearm.  But such in the nature of the beast riding on dirt/rocks/roots on a good day not to mention after early morning showers in the fall with wet leaves everywhere.  It was actually quite the fun and challenging ride what with basically only being able to use my rear brake most the time in order to avoid immediately tucking the front wheel.  Some drugs and ice mostly cured the leg and the arm is fine so I rode to work today.  It was a chilly morning; 32F when I left the house but has warmed considerably throughout the day and should be a gorgeous ride home as long as the wind doesn't kick up too much.  I fear this might be my last commute as I was in near 100% darkness when I left at 6am and will be racing daylight on the way home.  Once we roll the clocks back it's going to get really hard to ride in the afternoon...   But I felt good even if I was on the slower side.  I blame it on the fact that I couldn't see my computer for the first 30 min or so of the ride as it was too dark and my fingers were too cold to punch the backlight button. 

[n_maher]

Does anyone out there in TV land have any advice on how to train using the following tools:

HRM

Cadence

Speed

 

I want to loose some more weight (yaay!) 

Improve endurance

and Improve strength. 

 

I looked around, but there is quite a lot of info to filter through and absorb. 

 

Simple solution - ride more.  Most of us here are so far off the actual curve of fitness that any level of activity is likely to be pretty productive in burning fat and improving the other areas you're looking at.  I tend to simply ride however fast it feels comfortable to do so on any given day.  This morning that was ~18mph, other days on this same ride I've very comfortably cruised at 20mph.  So bascially, until you get to the point where you feel like your level of fitness has plateaued you probably don't need to worry much about zones IMO. 

[Pars]

^ I'm in the same boat as Nate; I don't ride enough though.

 

Nate: sorry about the crash, glad your damage to you was minimal.

 

A trick you can use on the derailleur hanger is to pull the skewer of a rear wheel, remove the derailleur, and screw the wheel into the hanger (should be the same M10x1 thread on a rear axle, at least vintage is). The wheel will help you gauge whether the dropout is aligned with the actual rear wheel in the bike.

[Nebby]

Yikes Nate, glad you got out of that crash alright!

[nikongod]

Your first two sound like you want to be in zone 2 a lot. It's boring for most people (I actually like it) but it does increase endurance and burn fat more effectively (i.e. more of your energy comes from fat than at more strenous levels and you can keep it up longer. Full on sprints do burn more fat than zone 2 but you can't keep them up). I use Joe Friel's definitions for the zones but basically any of them will get you in the ball park for zone 2.

 

Thanks! 

 

I do agree with Nate's sentiments WRT to fitness, but its fun to try to improve. 

 

 I fear this might be my last commute as I was in near 100% darkness when I left at 6am and will be racing daylight on the way home.  Once we roll the clocks back it's going to get really hard to ride in the afternoon...   

 

Dynolights? 

I am crazy about mine. 

 

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/index.html

[n_maher]

I run a headlight and tail light I just don't like riding in the dark all that much.  In the morning it's not so bad as by the time I get to roads with more traffic the sun is up.  But leaving work in the dark and riding the whole way home that way, eh, just kind of leaves me nonplussed.  It's also getting to the point where leaves and stuff on the roads are near hazardous, especially at the shoulder so the next few weeks will be tricky anyway. 

 

If work doesn't get in the way I'll get a commute in next week but I may have to travel the first few days which would squash all potential.

[Dreadhead]

So we just missed it this year but I think the DC/VA/MD crew should aim at maybe doing this event next year http://mocoepic.com/ It's even on mountain bikes and looks like fun.

 

Yes I am aware I'm talking about a mountain bike ride

Edited October 22, 2013 by Dreadhead

[grawk]

Jeff and I talked about that a ccouple of weeks ago.  That's my training goal for next year is to do the metric century.

[Dreadhead]

Awesome Dan!

 

My goal is to do it without major injury

 

Maybe we'll get the HC Jerseys a few weeks before

[Nebby]

Yeah, count me in on the metric century goal. Same for the road bike too! After the fit, I find the bike is much more comfortable and really didn't feel uncomfortable even after 30miles. I did have a bit of numbness in my toes, so I'll check with the fitter to see what's up with that (or it might just be me tightening the straps on my shoes too much).

[n_maher]

Pencil me in.  100km on the MTB sounds brutal, but fun.

 

[edit] I'm wondering if a gravel bike wouldn't be sufficient for this?  I can't find much (yet) in the way of description of the trails other than "singletrack". 

[Nebby]

The ridewithgps route is here: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3489941

[n_maher]

I've read some more, sounds like there's enough terrain to justify use of an MTB.  Just not sure full squish would be the way to go...

[grawk]

my current thinking is my 20 year old nishiki rigid with drop bars...

[Nebby]

It's a shame the 65 doesn't hit up Seneca Ridge Trail, I've read good things about that run.