can I convert to SS only? I have 6 bikes…

Boardman team carbon road bike – gears
Genesis Flyer steel – SS
Alan Cross converted to SS (currently off the road)
97 Kona steel cindercone SS conversion (currently chain tensioner problems)
07 Kona steel unit 29er SS (might sell)
Klein Attitude alu geared with front suspension

I find myself doing more road than MTB increasingly…

Problem with MTB SS is the low gearing and when you hit a road section you are left spinning like a mad man and left for dead by mates.

The book is £30! So it is a lot of money but well worth the read. Alternatively wait to it hits your local library but this may take 6 months or so. I am not giving mine up as I refer to it all the time (even though I have read it).

The thing I liked is his simplistic training of three basic rides…

Turbo session full on 20 – 30mins
Glycogen starvation ride 1h30 – 2h30 full on after warm up
recovery ride with low intensity and low HR (as much as possible in between other two).

He does make good points about ‘real life’ and compromises required. For instance why waste cycling time if you are not in one of these ‘modes’ and do training or riding for a purpose rather than just get out and ride. Debunks therefore complex training regimes with intervals such 5 mins at zone 2 and then 10 mins at zone 3 and three with 10 mins recovery at zone 2 etc…etc..

Less social in the respect of losing touch with faster geared bikes on the flat and downhill and having to attack hills or even walking up!

I agree with the comment about almost impossible to stay in zones with SS. Tried traning regimes with them and it just does not work.

thanks guys…signing off now to go for a ride 🙂
but will catch up on posts later…

specific questions…
No I have not set up my zones properly just used the age calculation.

My area is hilly with little flat. i live on a ridge so very difficult to stay on this ridge and not go down then ultimately back up at some point.

Routes, reasons to ride, destinations are all problems for me.

thx pedalhead…

yes it is very slow!

whether I am unfit or my HR is just too high but struggle to keep below zone 3 almost all the time…

I am not doing it wrong, I am relatively experienced biker. I read on the genesis web site this can be a problem.

I think an extra link maybe a good idea…

I was wondering from SSers whether QR skewers is a good idea on chain tension rear wheels? Can you get it tight or secure enough to keep tension for example?

I started on gears (like most) then had a cheap conversion on a old crosser frame and an old kona cinder cone. Both I enjoyed immensely so I bought a brand new kona unit 29er.

I did really embrace road riding however when I got my boardman team carbon (geared of course) – a super bike…and this threw me into a real problem. Gears or SS?

When I went out on a ride with mates from work I had to ask all sorts of questions of the ride organizer like is the route hilly? off road or on road?

Then if I used my SS then at times struggled to keep up with the others depending on terrain.

If you do any sort of event like a sportive for us mere mortals SS is a non starter!

I have bought my Genesis flyer so lets see how it feels…

when I said polarised….

I use a forerunner 305 and keep all the ride info at Garmin connect web site.
My weakness is definitely cadence as I am a bit of a power grinder being an ex SS er.
My problem is time so using my commute to train is useful. I can extent it both ‘in’ and ‘out’ but weekend riding of any length is a bit difficult to commit to due to other things in my life (kids, girlfriend, allotment, etc).

I do agree focus on your goals and use those to decide what you need to do to get there…

which do people prefer?

yes they do keep on about ‘base miles’ especially this time of year in prep for next season…

the mags are seductive and do keep me thinking there might be something in the training ‘con’

I did read an article a while back; profile of a SS champ who said ‘just go out and ride’. It worked for her and she got to the top that way, mind you for SS it is difficult to stick to a training plan!

Klein Attitude…what about mine pictured here

Thanks for all the comments and help…I went for the genesis flyer in the end but the Langster, Paddy wagon, Fujian feather and cooper classic were all on the shortlist!

I paid £699 so was able to get a lot of extra kit with the spare £300

I cannot wait for it to be delivered 🙂

so steel is real…

sorry has to be Evans …I have fancied the Pompino for some time 🙂

The Swiss air bike looks immense!

Wallop – the Genesis Equilibrium looks brill but I was looking at SS so would prefer the flyer!

Thanks for the suggestions thus far!

yes proper Evans vouchers 🙁

I like the look of the classic Coopers as seen on the Evans web site…what do others think?

Probably leaning towards steel rather than Alu…

I used to have a SE Lager…nice bikes!

well I applied for the vouchers BEFORE I knew what bike to have so…

The commute is 5 miles in and 10 miles back avioding hills. I use currently a mixture of boardman team carbon road bike and singlespeed converted crosser (alu frame). The singlspeed definetly needs the flatter divert home 🙂

[£100 a month is hardly noticeable? Wow.

]£100 a month is hardly noticeable? Wow.

Well less painful than £1000 in one go!

Ok what is the best £1000 commuter or should i start a new thread?

I have an old alan cross framed single speed (converted with chain tensioner) which I love. The frame is sweet and I do generally enjoy SS but not exclusively so (3 bikes out 5 are SS).

So yes a new crosser would be cool…maybe a geared one?

The 12 payments are spread out over 12 monthly pay checks so hardly noticeable 🙂

Thanks David but I have already got the vouchers so am committed…might as well as much as I can out of it…

I have not got a hybrid so may be a good commuter…I have been using my alan cross singlespeed but it has no mudguard mounts so can be wet in winter. The commute is 5 miles in and 10 miles home (avoiding a steep hill).

can you do training on a single speed?

I saw a cool hybrid/road bike carbon frame with drops today…Oreo or something like that?

Only started this week although I was using my singlespeed as my commuter but that is impossible for interval training!

The other thing that occurs to me is it is really difficult to stay in the zones (Z2 and Z3) when I am used to hammering the commute as quick as possible. soon as I reach a hill I am dropping down to a low gear just to stay in the right HR zone!

I concur about the forerunner…can swap between bikes, download GPS route, full stats including calorie burn etc, can be used with HRM, etc, etc, etc!

Thanks guys … looks like GP4000 are highly recommended!

Best place to pick these up is?

Thanks ampthill and DrP really useful advice…thanks for taking the time to type long reply that I think I can take some good tips from. I concur with the ‘life’ rules approach and I need to re-establish some of mine.

I weigh myself every week too which helps keep me focused on the goals…

Thanks guys…looks like I am giving Garmin a call!

I do like the 305 and cannot afford anything more expensive really.

not sure of your point Jambon…are you suggesting they are over priced crap?

ok I am not quite in that category more ‘medium’

I was wondering if I have to replace it whether its best to stick to the forerunner or is there something better around these days?

I am on garmin connect and so pretty much set up for Garmins

Thanks Drp…

yes I know its a calories number game but techniques to fool your body are vital also. Its not having the hunger pangs and knowing things like protein makes you feel more full than you actually are for instance.

I know crash diets dont work because the body will not let fat burn because it thinks it needs to preserve it. So gradual weight loss is always best.

Kids can be a minefield especially someone in my predicament going through a divorce and being a one parent set up with 3 of them.

vortexracing how tall and what inside leg are you?

I fancy the builders tea colour but they only have that in a small 🙁

Nice pics chaps…

How would rate my Attitude V (white below) … I think it is about 2005?

It rides well enough and seems light probably lacks the ‘buzz’ of my cindercone fully rigid steel ride

nice ken!

I think I am a medium? 5 10 tall with 31 inch inside leg. I am about 18 inch MTB frame.

I think I prefer the drops as the flats might make it feel too much like a MTB.

I think he does as well!

does it ride well? compared to other mounts?