But, but, but, road tax... I like being stuck in traffic jams... Can't buy a bike because I don't know which one is equivalent to the BMW as a status symbol that marks me out as a bellend... Etc
2014 Cycling thread - part I
- Thread starter Oswald Ballbag
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But, but, but, road tax... I like being stuck in traffic jams... Can't buy a bike because I don't know which one is equivalent to the BMW as a status symbol that marks me out as a bellend... Etc
Al
Striker
Or maybe it was 50m - I forget 
Anyway, interestingly Merckx was riding on 52x14 which at 97.7" is a smaller gear than Jens's but even with his slower average speed he would have been using a higher average cadence of 106.
Friday facts!
Anyway, interestingly Merckx was riding on 52x14 which at 97.7" is a smaller gear than Jens's but even with his slower average speed he would have been using a higher average cadence of 106.
Friday facts!
Chris Boardman's "Athlete's Hour" bike is up on the wall at Manchester Velodrome. It's nice too but Merckx's was better - looks nearly as cool as my own fixie.
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monkeytassle
Striker
the difference in bikes between the 70's to 2000 then 2000 to 2014 is amazingOr maybe it was 50m - I forget
Anyway, interestingly Merckx was riding on 52x14 which at 97.7" is a smaller gear than Jens's but even with his slower average speed he would have been using a higher average cadence of 106.
Friday facts!
Chris Boardman's "Athlete's Hour" bike is up on the wall at Manchester Velodrome. It's nice too but Merckx's was better - looks nearly as cool as my own fixie.
Logon or register to see this image
hoy up a photo of your fixie....
Cee Jay
Striker
Or maybe it was 50m - I forget
Anyway, interestingly Merckx was riding on 52x14 which at 97.7" is a smaller gear than Jens's but even with his slower average speed he would have been using a higher average cadence of 106.
Friday facts!
Chris Boardman's "Athlete's Hour" bike is up on the wall at Manchester Velodrome. It's nice too but Merckx's was better - looks nearly as cool as my own fixie.
Logon or register to see this image
weird but watching some of Jens' ride the cadence didn't look anywhere near that...
Wonder how much a proper lid would have saved( he might have melted mind)
Also looked like the skinsuit had "in built" gloves, though could just be my eyes ?
Al
Striker
[photo="large"]2244[/photo]
Walter Ego
Striker
monkeytassle
Striker
I followed a fixie across London bridge and along tooley st. the only way he was braking was skidding the back wheel. I dread to think how many tyres he goes throuugh
Walter Ego
Striker
Nah, not a hipster fixie, I'd still have brake or two on there.
Just read Eileen Sheridan's autobiography (Wonder Wheels). Absolutely in awe. She rode LEJOG with a bottom gear of 73 inches
Al
Striker
36 each. It's intended as a bombproof all year round ride anywhere bike. I built the back wheel myself but the front one is the original one that came with the frame - it's a bit knackered now so I'm just about to build a new one to match the rear - not sure whether to use 32 or 36 - what do you think?
Room is work in progress
I have an app that calculates the number of skid patches you will get for any gearing combination
Anyone who rides without brakes on the road is an arse. I find that with fixed gear you hardly ever need to use the brakes - it's not unusual to ride for a couple of hours without touching them, but when you do need them you are f***ing glad to have them. Doing a bunny-hop and skidding the back wheel at 30mph downhill when a car pulls out on you isn't going to cut it really.Nowt to be scared about - actually it feels really secure once you get used to it. I think you need one.
Nah, not a hipster fixie, I'd still have brake or two on there.
Just read Eileen Sheridan's autobiography (Wonder Wheels). Absolutely in awe. She rode LEJOG with a bottom gear of 73 inches
Shouldn't be a problem - I usually use 86" or 80" fixed depending on how undulating the terrain is. I prefer the 86. When I first built it I was using a 71" but found that too low. You should be able to get up anything but steep hills on a 73 I would think - it's character building
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Cee Jay
Striker
36 each. It's intended as a bombproof all year round ride anywhere bike. I built the back wheel myself but the front one is the original one that came with the frame - it's a bit knackered now so I'm just about to build a new one to match the rear - not sure whether to use 32 or 36 - what do you think?
Room is work in progress
I have an app that calculates the number of skid patches you will get for any gearing combination
Nowt to be scared about - actually it feels really secure once you get used to it. I think you need one.
Shouldn't be a problem - I usually use 86" or 80" fixed depending on how undulating the terrain is. I prefer the 86. When I first built it I was using a 71" but found that too low. You should be able to get up anything but steep hills on a 73 I would think - it's character building
Depends if you're carrying any excess timber... probably go for the 36 regardless.
See Bob Tobin ( Botterills coach) is adamant he'd have done 52.8K in the hour !!
Easy to say that of course, but his predictions on Botty's times have been within a second or two of his actual results.
If that's the case imagine what Wiggo/Martin/Dowsett/Spartacus would do ?
Not trying to take owt away from Jens mind
ivanthereasonable
Striker
Just been out for a nice ride in the sun with mrs. R. Wild life encountered = 4 seals in the Wear between that place with all the cranes and SOL.Nice to see that.Also had a too close encounter with a Bee or a Wasp.Got stung just below my nads.I'm quessing it was a wasp.
Also sometimes see seals in the Tyne.
Also sometimes see seals in the Tyne.
Al
Striker
I'm just sitting here trying to understand which bit of your anatomy is below your nads!?!?
A couple of years ago I got a wasp trapped behind my glasses & before I could rip them off the little fucker had stung me on my eyelid. I was on the front of a tandem at the time anarl, but managed to stay upright. The next day I had to travel to Belfast with the eye closed & the whole side of my face balooned out. That night I walked into a pub in Belfast & there was a bit of a silence - I suppose it must have looked like I'd just had a punishment beating
ivanthereasonable
Striker
Sounds nasty.Just about the last place i'd want to be stung.I'm just sitting here trying to understand which bit of your anatomy is below your nads!?!?
A couple of years ago I got a wasp trapped behind my glasses & before I could rip them off the little fucker had stung me on my eyelid. I was on the front of a tandem at the time anarl, but managed to stay upright. The next day I had to travel to Belfast with the eye closed & the whole side of my face balooned out. That night I walked into a pub in Belfast & there was a bit of a silence - I suppose it must have looked like I'd just had a punishment beating
The little bastard must have settled on my top tube,and when my inner thigh touched tube,it must have thought it was being attacked.I did'nt even see it.I'm guessing a wasp.Can still feel it now,but pain has gone.
monkeytassle
Striker
I had a wasp trapped in my motorbike helmet once when I lifted the visor. not a pleasant experience.I'm just sitting here trying to understand which bit of your anatomy is below your nads!?!?
A couple of years ago I got a wasp trapped behind my glasses & before I could rip them off the little fucker had stung me on my eyelid. I was on the front of a tandem at the time anarl, but managed to stay upright. The next day I had to travel to Belfast with the eye closed & the whole side of my face balooned out. That night I walked into a pub in Belfast & there was a bit of a silence - I suppose it must have looked like I'd just had a punishment beating
Hitchin Exile
Winger
Spent a couple of days at the weekend in the Peak District, doing some beautiful climbs. Winnats Pass, Peasbodys, Monsal Head and in particular Riber Castle were all tough but fantastic. The climb up to Riber Castle is definitely one to seek out if you're ever down Matlock way - probably the nicest, most challenging climb I've done in England (it's Simon Warren's favourite too from his 100 Great British Cycling Climbs book).
Al
Striker
You had fantastic weather for it - wish I could have been out there too. Due to intense work situation I have spent the last month getting myself really unfit - hardly had any time on the bike at all :-(
I love Winnatts Pass. Just the right side of stupid. The bit where half way up it just gets steeper & keeps on going like that :0
Never heard of Peasbodys - do you mean Peaslows? One of the local clubs does a hill climb up that. I never bother entering.
Cee Jay
Striker
sounds like you've certainly got your climbing legs at the minute...all sounds class
anth
Winger
I got a loan of my bosses cycleops super magneto pro to give use give turbo training a try over the winter. My god is it loud when doing intervals, literally sounds like a jet engine about to take off. It's fine when doing below 20mph but any higher and it gets exponentially louder. Has anyone had first had experience with one in comparison to other (specifically fluid) trainers to whether there is quieter out there?
Started doing sufferfest a very dark place this afternoon and nearly collapsed after about 20mins. Has anyone used sufferfest, which are the best ones for getting started?
Started doing sufferfest a very dark place this afternoon and nearly collapsed after about 20mins. Has anyone used sufferfest, which are the best ones for getting started?
Hitchin Exile
Winger
Yep, Peaslows not Peasbodys
. That's only a 3/10 in Simon Warren's book but just goes on and on at a steady gradient of @ 11%. You're right, Winnats is just so spectacular and dramatic. Have you done the climb to Riber? Strongly recommended but maybe get your legs back first as there are 5 hairpins with a constant gradient of between 20-25%. Not sure about that - I thought I was going to die up Riber!!
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