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It’s probably obvious but: No alcohol the night before makes a massive amount of difference. Even just the one drink has a noticeable effect.
I think that’s a personal thing, whilst I don’t drink a lot, I can’t say that having a drink or three effects my cycling detrimentally the following day.
Everything in moderation.
I agree too, I can have a couple of beers and maybe a bottle of wine on a Friday night and I don’t FEEL any different on the bike the next day, but I suspect I’m taking longer or working marginally harder.
I often get up early to do a reasonable ride before work, and can do about 2 hours with no food at all. Some days it may be 90 mins some days it may be 150 mins before I feel I have to eat. As others have said different strokes for different folks. I had a phase of consuming a gel every hour (the packet recommends one every 20 mins!) but I find them too sweet now; I carry a gel or two on longer rides for emergency use.
I still have a 26er hardtail
I still have a 26er hardtail for riding in the South Downs, it’s small and agile. I only recently tried a 29er hardtail and it felt big, heavy and slow to change direction in comparison. The only place I thought it was better was downhill, it seemed to blast over loose rocks and bumps that would knock me offline on the 26er. Trouble is, I already go downhill too fast so I don’t want something that is going to make me increase my risk/speed.
Note this is for hardtails, and only my opinion/experience, maybe full sus bikes a 29er would come out better.
…when you get up and your
…when you get up and your legs feel ok, so when you get on the bike you decide to push it, and after 30-40 minutes you realise you needed more recovery time before pushing it…
At this time of year, I’d
At this time of year, I’d prefer shorter shorts. Although obviously not as short as Kylie’s or a 70’s footballer…
Have you considered non-bibs?
Have you considered non-bibs? I have some from Lusso, proper cycling shorts with a good pad, I prefer them to my bibs. As comfy and way more convenient on longer rides. I got shot down last time I suggested non-bib shorts, as apparently “no serious cyclists” would ride without bib shorts…
Re-reading this, I
Re-reading this, I contributed to it 2 years ago when I had a bike with a 53-39 and 12-27. I think changed it to a 12-29, as it helped me stay closer to my mates with compacts on the climbs.
I then got a new bike which came with a mid-compact and 11-28. Within a year I was booked on the Fred Whitton so changed up further to 11-32 (you need a longer cage derailleur too). I wouldn’t go back now, the range of gears is perfect for me – living in the SE of the UK, the toughest hills are Barhatch or Bignor and nothing takes 10 minutes to climb. If I was in hillier country I would go for a proper compact.
I think the main benefit of a mid-compact is you can tailor your gearing without breaking the bank – you can do whatever at the back plus I think you can change the chain rings on a mid because they have the same bcd as compacts?
I’m so obsessed with battery
I’m so obsessed with battery life on all my gadgets, if I had a camera I probably wouldn’t have it on when I got squished anyway! I hate close passing and won’t let any vehicle get away without shouting at them but I think a camera is too muchOne other comment, I had
One other comment, I had Campagnolo Veloce on my old bike. It was great, but… Then the non-drive side crank arm came off, and I lost some little bits in the road. It took me a fortnight to get it sorted out; I doubt you’d have to wait that long for the equivalent Shimano parts. If you have something else to ride in the meantime it isn’t so bad, but if it’s your only bike?
I’ve always felt Bianchi were
I’ve always felt Bianchi were over-priced, so had the opposite reaction when I see one. And comparing Rose who offer amongst the best value of any maufacturer you are always going to have the issue of price.
However, if you really want the Bianchi, get it, and you (probably) won’t regret it. In a few months you’ll have forgotten the extra cost and be planning to upgrade all the bits anyway!
I’d definitely try a Trek
I’d definitely try a Trek Emonda. Maybe a CAAD12 too?
There’s a third German online bike firm, can’t remember the name though.
It sounds like you should be a pretty good climber already, 100km climbing a year and you live at the bottom of the Cat & Fiddle!? Wow!
I did the 45 mile commute
I did the 45 mile commute from Steyning to Sutton a couple of times. Allowed myself 3 hours each way, daunting at first but got a kick out of it (and people’s reactions!) but only once a week, a few week’s apart.
We had to get off the road
We had to get off the road 400m from the finish, but about where the Strava climb ended. There were road closures all around the area we could see the Carabinieri checking reg nos against a list before they let people through. I can’t upload to Strava til I get home but it took me approx 3x as long as Quintana. Also, I don’t think he felt like puking or chucking his bike over the edge…Hi Davey,I cant really help you, but if you take the SP2 Contrada Cetti out of Francavilla, you will ride past my mum’s house. If you know the area, it is just a little way down from the Refugio Di Diana Restaurant (Great Steaks). My late Step-Father loved cycling those hills. Happy cycling.
That’s amazing! I’ll look it up on Google maps before we go, it is such a beautiful and undiscovered/spoiled area.
Apart from pride’s sake, don’t even attempt to ride up the second ramp of hardknott pass. It’s not much quicker than walking and you’re better off having a breather to prepare for the descent and Wrynose.Not sure I agree with that.
Some will have to walk up Hardknott but plenty won’t. There’s time enough down in the valley bottom to recover for Wrynose.
Better to try and fail than not try at all!
I did it last year, and confess I was struggling after about 40 miles. At this point you are trundling along beside a beautiful lake (Buttermere I think) but you’ve only really done Kirkstone, and the climb up out of Grasmere, neither of which are too bad. Honister was tough, especially at the start, the descent was as bad as people are saying, watch out for the bridge half way down, it’s at right angles to the road so you’ll have to be braking well before it. Try to be aware of where people are behind you; if you know no one is there you can use more of the road but chances are even if you are a quick descender there will be someone catching you at a rate of knots.
It was very hot last year, although when we started close to 6 am it was bloody cold, by the time you are on the first climb it’s ok. The temp dropped hugely coming down off Kirkstone, but from there on it warmed up nicely. If anything, too nicely; I ran out of water between the first and second feed stops and should have just found a shop but kept on going.
Hardknott was off the scale hard for me, I made it up past the first wooded part but was walking not soon after, as were many by then. I don’t remember there being much recovery before Wrynose, I actually had a lie down in the heather by a stream before I started the climb/walk! The finish is only about 15 miles after Wrynose, and there is nothing after there to give you grief, but it felt a LONG way to me.
If you are driving to the start, get there early. We left at 6 and the queue of cars going the other way was a couple of miles long.
Good luck! I chose not to do it this year, so I could go to a Giro stage. I’m having second thoughs now but will feel like I made the right decision next week!
I’d definitely look at Ti,
I’d definitely look at Ti, designed in/for Britain if not built here. Reilly bikes got a good write up on here a few days ago.
