• This topic has 2,850 replies, 64 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by TiRed.
Viewing 40 posts - 441 through 480 (of 2,851 total)
  • So I want to try road racing + build a bike specifically for this
  • nathb
    Free Member

    Thanks @tired – yeah I went with Ultegra in the end. Ah gutted, who’s going to egg me on to attack?! 😆

    @mrblobby – yeah that bit is obvious, it’s the numbers that are the interesting bit. 🙂

    fifeandy
    Free Member

    Bit of a non-article in that i thought everyone knew that already.
    Weirdly, i find position 3 more comfortable than position 4.

    nathb
    Free Member

    My back is weak as ****, due to damaging it rowing poorly, I need to work on strengthening it! I’ll do that and work on my cda between Imperial winter series and the Tuesday night races.

    What is it with people and my decking haha: http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40044&t=13073491

    Fresh Goods Friday 696: The Middling Edition

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    crosshair
    Free Member

    It’s definitely better when I’m moving it so hopefully it will be ok.
    The new wheel makes the front GP rub too! So I need to try a gatorskin later.
    I tried to buy some 25mm GP’s today but Banjo Cycles wouldn’t budge on their £49.99 asking price- last time I try and support my local Bikeshop!!!!!!!!

    Fingers crossed you keep the cold at bay. Winter racing certainly challenges the immune system!

    nathb
    Free Member

    Is that £49.99 each!?!

    Try halfords/evans if you have a local store (Halfords BC discount + have a go at getting them to price match before the BC discount is mentioned lol)

    crosshair
    Free Member

    Yes!!! I just complained on their FB. No effort to try and get close. I didn’t have time to risk Halfords traffic. Hopefully a Gator will fit anyhow…

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Crosshair, if you can’t find anything in time let me know, it’s likely I’ve got something in the shed you can borrow.

    crosshair
    Free Member

    Thank you! Weeksy has offered too but I’m more than happy on Gatorskins if it goes on. Might help avoid all these punctures 😀

    nathb
    Free Member

    Evans? I’ve got one of my way home but that’s not really any use to you as I’d only see you an hour before the race, unless you want to risk it?

    weeksy
    Full Member

    CH, just drive here mate

    crosshair
    Free Member

    Ok so the 28mm Gator goes on with no clearance issues! I’ve ended up with Gators on the Triban and GP’s on my CX bike which is fine by me 🙂

    I skipped tonight’s intervals. A day spent leaping around in the woods was more than enough stress on the hip. So a quick recovery spin tomorrow with a sprint or two should see me right enough….
    I’m getting butterflies already 😉

    nathb
    Free Member

    Me too!

    Although that’s because the crank arm has rubbed ever so slightly so I’ve moved up to the next washer size, just hope the arm doesn’t fall off!! 😆

    crosshair
    Free Member

    With your #Wattagebazooka, they ought to be reinforced 😀

    nathb
    Free Member

    Haha doubtful @CH!

    This morning on my commute I got a p**ct**e, guarantee I get one tomorrow now – it’s exactly what happened last time haha.

    nathb
    Free Member

    Just ordered a pair of these: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NZ59Q7A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&th=1&psc=1

    £50 delivered using the code: BIGTHANKS

    crosshair
    Free Member

    Shhhhhh! Don’t mention the weather this week 😀

    The bike has been spoilt with a new wheel, cassette and chain!! Fresh cables await for next week (fingers crossed I get a place) too 🙂

    nathb
    Free Member

    Not doing it this week haha.

    Very nice! My new chainset is turning up this morning, must resist the temptation to fit before the race 😆

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Best of luck this weekend chaps.

    nathb
    Free Member

    Thanks @mrblobby going to need it – not feeling that great….

    crosshair
    Free Member

    Thoroughly enjoyable day at Hillingdon! Awesome weather, fantastic company and some great racing.

    Lapped once and dropped once more but felt really happy in the bunch today.

    I think I was riding around my stiff hip a little bit as I’m getting really bad cramps in my right thigh but no excuse…..

    I only got dropped mind you because someone launched a huge solo attack………. 😀 😀

    fifeandy
    Free Member

    Excellent, can’t wait to hear his report on it 🙂

    crosshair
    Free Member

    I came whistling down the start/finish straight and literally went from the back of the bunch to the front by not braking. I rocked up behind Nath and settled in to the pack next to him.
    Then past the clubhouse into the wind, he suddenly whooshes off at 600w (?) or so and vanishes up the hill.

    With hindsight, I should have gone too- not to atttack but to pre-empt the bunch acceleration. But no, I went with them instead. Up the hill and through the S bends and that was me shelled out the back!!!

    The bunch split too for a while. I didn’t just sit up and wait today- my friend was there watching/vlogging so I pressed on for a bit to show willing, which meant I wasn’t lapped for several laps.

    I got back on and felt really comfy. Communicating, moving freely around and hanging quite well. I think it was 6 to go that the pace ramped up and I pinged out once more but I didn’t try too hard as I didn’t want to mess up anyone’s chances.

    I TT’d for a bit and worked with a couple of guys but dropped both of them eventually.

    nathb
    Free Member

    So today…the circuit was very windy on a couple of sections.

    We started with a sighting lap, because of cones marking ice on the circuit, this meant a rolling start. Somehow I found myself at the back of this. Anyway for the first couple of laps it was being controlled and slowed down by the leaders, or more the lack of people wanting to lead. I had slowly worked my way up the pack on the right hand side. When I was just out of the leaders peripheral vision I lost my patience and went for a TT, sticking to the right with the majority on the left. I think this caught a lot of folk of guard. I was out on my own for a lap or two before the inevitable happened, I was caught by the bunch. Specifically I found out at the lockers that the guy leading the chase for me didn’t want me to have an easy day. 😆 I think my attack caused everyone to split into 2 large groups, those that had chased and those that hadn’t. Apparently a lot of people quit?! I spent the rest of the race in the wind as punishment – people weren’t massively up for letting me in (or so it felt like that). I pushed again with 3 laps to go and found myself on the front again, controlling the bunch at a lower pace – I was keeping an eye on the people behind. No one launched an attack but eventually I was swallowed up. Going into the final corners I was about 15-18th? and a little boxed in. I managed to get some good space after the last corner but it wasn’t enough. I think I ended up 11th/12th just outside of the points.

    It was good fun though, particularly as it was my first race in the dry!

    Next race I’m holding my nerve and using energy only to get into a good position on the final laps and going for the sprint finish.

    I’m sorry CH 😆

    Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/839245246/analysis
    HR at 210 is rubbish I think, I top out at 198…

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    Good work CH and NB; must’ve been freezing – no icy patches ? (edit: ah, yeah)

    Just had a look on the flyby thing. As well as nath, there was some rider kept smashing off the front of the pack, seems was his 1st race. I’d suggest he’s one to watch out for as must have watts coming out of his ears and when he calms down a bit, … 😯

    nathb
    Free Member

    Thanks scaredypants – it’s all a bit mental so can’t really keep an eye on anyone apart from the leader 😆

    Apparently there was crashes today @crosshair, I didn’t see any apart from a guy cutting the grass in front of the clubhouse!?

    I thought everyone was well behaved today.

    crosshair
    Free Member

    I heard some guys chatting about it and looking at a smashed up carbon frame and another’s guys wheel. I got the impression that somebody was just riding into people on the last couple of laps!!

    nathb
    Free Member

    How bizarre, I didn’t hear a thing 😆

    I just fitted 25mm GP 4 seasons to the commuter, yeah I should have gone for 28s! 25s look tiny, even compared to GP4000s!?

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    Nice work both.

    Really interesting reading progress nathb. Even if you’re the strongest rider in the bunch it can still take a fair few frustrating races to figure out the best way of picking up points.

    TBH in cat 4 I reckon working on your sprint then sitting in and consistently grabbing a few points is the rather boring way to go. Then things get more interesting once you’re out of the 4’s.

    crosshair
    Free Member

    Some guy was about 10 seconds off of the front in the E1,2,3 race on a monster solo effort. The bunch reeled him back and swamped him right on the last lap poor guy! He was proper cooked when I spoke to him- made me feel bad for not trying hard enough 😀

    I love how rock steady their group is through the corners too although I did hear one guy screaming at another on their cool down that “we’ve all got to go to work on Monday mate!!!!!!”

    crosshair
    Free Member

    Thanks to TiRed too for last week’s line advice. I felt much happier going up the hill on the left although I didn’t always make it back to the inside for Brian’s/ outside of the final left.

    I had stopped and had a look at the ice that they coned off before the race and it wasn’t really that slippery so I was happy on the inside of the final bend to use the extra space everyone was leaving around the cones to make up a place or two although one lap a guy clipped a cone which luckily just missed me 😉

    nathb
    Free Member

    @mrblobby I can sprint, I can sprint better when I haven’t done a solo effort though haha. But yeah I just need to sit in and be boring for 45 mins then liven up at the end!

    Here’s some sprint data: https://www.strava.com/activities/839245106/analysis

    @crosshair I had to go through the cones at one point as the person behind refused to move over and was half wheeling me… I also had someone’s handlebar dig into my leg, forgot about that lol.

    crosshair
    Free Member

    That’s because you’re a marked man 😀

    You need a camouflage jersey 😉

    nathb
    Free Member

    @crosshair – I am, I think!? I’m going to switch up my jersey choice for next week if weather permits 😆

    @mrblobby – when are you coming down to have a go? 🙂

    Hillingdon ain’t the same without TiRed 😆

    nathb
    Free Member

    @CH
    Frameset/seatpost/clamp/headset/bb – £400 – http://www.workswellbikes.com/web/view/142.html
    Shimano 105 5800 11 Speed 50/34 170,00 – 11/28 – £225 – http://www.shopto.net/cycling/shimano/GS58005034170112-shimano-105-5800-11-speed-5034-17000-1128-pressfit
    Deda Zero stem – £12 – http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/catalog/product/view/id/27486/#pid=28045
    Deda Zero bars – £14 – http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/deda-zero-bars/#pid=26956
    Jagwire road pro kit – £23 – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jagwire-Road-Pro-Break-Gear/dp/B001C4NJME/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485075656&sr=8-1&keywords=Jagwire+road+kit
    Then obviously saddle, pedals, bar tape, carbon paste – £50?
    Wheels – Cosine 23mm for £62, or fulcrum racing sport for £150?

    Total build £724 + wheels £62 = £786

    Told you it was well under 1k lol

    P.s photos are up: http://www.davehaywardphotos.com/Cycling/Cycling-Circuits-/Imperial-Winter-Series-2101201/

    mrblobby
    Free Member

    @mrblobby – when are you coming down to have a go?

    I am tempted despite it not really fitting in with what I’m trying to do at the moment. I’d like to have another go at it. Might do Abingdon in Feb or Thruxton and Castle Coombe later in the year. Though you’ll probably have moved up a cat by then!

    Edit… rest of the series full up?

    nathb
    Free Member

    It’s really good fun, rather addicted to it to be honest. I’m not actually sure I want to move up – the E123s look scary at Hillingdon haha.

    Should come down, show us how it’s done 8)

    Got us both in this one: http://www.davehaywardphotos.com/Cycling/Cycling-Circuits-/Imperial-Winter-Series-2101201/i-dXCCVRb/A

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    nath, did you actually buy from shopto.net ?

    I’ve had them pop up on searches once or twice I think, but I’m too suspicious for my own good of sites that seem to have bike stuff almost as an afterthought

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    Got us both in this one

    is CH the hard man with the track mitts on ? 😯
    if so, let us know when the feeling returns, hey ?

    weeksy
    Full Member

    Lol you’re lucky CH has a long sleeve Jersey on!

    nathb
    Free Member

    @scaredypants – no I didn’t buy my groupset from them, I built up my Ultegra group from various sites as I already had some stuff. However I’ve been ordering continental inner tubes off them fine (2x orders of 4 tubes), in fact the delivery from them has been next day!

    Yeah and as Weeksy says – he’s normally wearing shorts haha

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