The area around Lancaster is a great place to live. Fantastic uni (I’m told, never went there, I’m to thick 😂) great access to rail and motorway networks and brilliant riding. For roadriding you have the choice of the hills of the Bowland fells or the flatlands of the Fylde coast both from your doorstep. Then there’s the fantastic Lake District for mtbing less than 45mins away by car.

Forecast looked iffy this morning (frost and chance of snow) so jumped on the SZR endurance ride this morning, taking in the PRL London course. Managed to tick it off in 5.5hrs, riding it fasted. Only got the Über Pretzel to do and that’s all the courses done for me.

Everyone is different, I’m generally 10-15w down on what I can achieve on the TT bike compared to the road bike. I also know of people that have no difference between road and TT. Although I always use the TT bike on Zwift it’s not that often I’m in position (although I know I should) it’s only when I fancy a change/remember, I find it to boring. I do however train a lot outside in summer in position (it’s far more dynamic which helps me while away the hours) which certainly helps. Basically what I’m rambling on about is if you want to improve your watts in position, train in position.

Great going Nick and Janboss !
Did my first virtual Ton today. Signed up for the ZSUN Base builder, two laps of Tire-Bouchon this morning. Finished the event (79miles) and thought I might as well carry on. Didn’t find it to bad actually, the four and a half hours went by pretty quickly.

The team I ride for (WKG) have confirmed it’s a two lapper. Gutted I can’t race it (I’ll be at work) a flat race suits me. Our team managed to get a slot in the Platinum League last night for the first time, we did 39:36, coming 17th in the platinum league (out of 81) and 31st overall out of 873 teams. Considering we don’t have many lightweight riders (5 of us are 75kg + ) it was a good result. Thankfully we didn’t have any draft issues with other teams (we thought we’d be cannon fodder for the big guns and get swamped 😂)

Came across a motorcycle top box half way up Keppel cove, Helvellyn once.

Cons
– Due to recovering from my broken shoulder blade at the back end of last year I was off the bike outside until mid February.
– Covid wreaking havoc on a lot the TT’s I had in mind.
– Not being able to ride with my club due to the social distancing rules.
Pros
– Although I have worked throughout the year I’ve done no overtime because of Covid so it’s meant I’ve had a lot more time to ride and train on my bike. Smashed all my previous yearly achievements by quite a margin.
– Of the few TT’s I did I did ok. PBing in the 100mile and 12hr.The 12hr I entered was the National 12hr championship in which I came 5th. The VTTA(Veteran Time Trial Association)national championship was also run alongside it. Over the moon to come first in this so being called a National Champion is certainly a very proud moment for me.

Stats
12503miles
646284ft climbing
604 activities
629hrs
283 days riding
31 100 plus mile rides
19.9mph av. for year

Managed to box it off yesterday. Bloody good job, woke up to a dusting of snow that has now melted then froze so no chance of riding today. Done the challenge a few times now and this was definitely the coldest. All three rides this year I’ve set off in sub zero temps and the mercury never really raised much.
First ride
104 miles 167km 19.8mph coldest -1 av. 1
Second ride
123mile 197km 18.8mph coldest 0 av. 1.5
Third ride
105mile 170km 19.4mph coldest -4 av. -2

197km today in grim conditions. Over 7hrs of Wind, rain, hail and minus windchill. Then again it wouldn’t be the Rapha500 if the elements didn’t throw a curveball in. Around the 100k mark I had the unfortunate incident of my speedplay peddle detaching itself from its spindle 😩 Managed to cobble it back together but was peddling on eggshells on weather it’d get me back but get me back it did.
366km in two rides, hoping to get the challenge ticked of Tuesday or Wednesday with another big ride.

I don’t show, but my bitch is the daughter of the most awarded and well known dog of the breed and her mother is also very well known. I had offers when she was younger to get a stud to mate with her, I just didn’t see what it would bring to the breed, so didn’t take up any offer.

Futureboy77. Sounds like we are cut from the same cloth. As in we’ve got our respective breeds welfare in our hearts. Chapeau !

Futureboy77 An excellent post, I agree with everything you said. We titre test our boy and up to now has never needed extra jabs since he was a puppy.
I’m also a big advocate of raw feeding. The old adage of fit as a butcher’s dog is a very true statement. I know a lot of dogs that had skin conditions were solved by moving over from kibble to raw.
As for breeding due to our boy being quite successful in the show world (and his father being from the Ukrain so widening the gene pool in this country) we’ve been approached several times to use him as stud. Of the 12 enquiries (and that’s not including the idiots who wanted to cross breed) we’ve agreed to just two. We’ll only agree to a mating if both us and our breeder who we got our boy off agree that it’d improve the breed and make healthy pups with good temperaments.
Edit
All the health tests we’ve carried out and entering him in the championship shows to get him to the standard he’s at has cost us several thousand pounds. We’ve certainly not made any money out of it but for us it’s not about the money, we do it for the love of the breed.

Well after missing out last year due to recovering from a broken shoulder blade I threw my hat into the ring with a 167 km ride today on the TT bike. Sub zero temps first thing so kept to the main roads that were gritted well. Hoping to complete the challenge in 3 rides, last time I did it in 2018 I did it in two massive rides but this year due to COVID it won’t be possible ( 160miles plus would mean I’d have to go well into Cumbria, a tier 2 area so I don’t feel comfortable doing it) hopefully do another Ton on Sunday then another 100miler next week should see me right.

Although I’ve done loads of miles on Zwift I personally don’t feel it’s right doing the Rapha500 on it. To me the challenge is going out in all weathers, having the grit and determination to complete the challenge in horrible conditions.

What breed of dog is it ? Reason I ask is if it’s a pedigree dog your first port of call should be the breed club. They will be able to guide you to a list of accredited breeders and what to look for health test wise. Note that I said health test and NOT health check. Some breeders try and fob people off saying that both parents have been health checked. All that means is a vet has checked that they have four legs and two ears. A reputable breeder tests for any genetic faults in the bloodlines of both parents that could be passed on into the puppies, causing problems as they get older. Hip (and sometimes elbows and eyes) should also be assessed and scored accordingly. The breed co efficient should also have been carried out by the breeder. Basically this means how close the bloodlines are, the lower the score the less interbreeding has gone on. (Which can cause no end of problems health and temperament wise)
Although I know of no reputable breeders using pets4home to sell their litters it wouldn’t surprise me if some do. I would however be very suspicious of anyone selling litters on there. This is why I’d recommend getting in contact with a breed club, they will have a puppy co-ordinator who will point you to breeders with good ethics

Looking back at my old rides I managed 425W for 5min back in 2017. This year my best is 405W. Interesting though due to my weight loss this year my W/KG for 5min is better in 2020. 5.3 as opposed to 4.94. So I’m guessing I’d be quicker uphill with the new me compared to the old fatty bum bum me. I really need to train more doing V02 efforts more though, being a Diesel engined long distance TT’r I don’t do enough short, sharp intervals.

weeksy
Full Member

that’s proper numbers ! Wow… impressed.

Cheers. Tbh it was more effort than I wanted to do. Looking at the events last night this ride said it was going to be 3.5-4W/kg av. Great I thought, should be a decent high tempo ride that I can do on an empty stomach (which I’ve done numerous times when I need to loose a bit of podge) I’ll sign up. They lied lol. We were often pushing 4.2 per lap (we did quite a few at 4.4 then going down to 3.8 for a lap to recover) not to mention 5.8 on a couple of rises. The last 8 miles I was really starting struggle staying with the front group. In fact for the last lap I backed off and just rolled through to the finish.

During my time on Zwift I’ve been slowly ticking off the route and achievement badges. When I saw that Evo where doing a 100k group ride round the volcano circuit I thought I’d give it a bash and get the 25 lap badge. Completed it but chuff me it was hard. 2 and a half hours at nearly 280w. Also doing it fasted probably wasn’t my best idea either 😩

Been running tubeless for several years now, both on my posh summer bike, winter bike and TT bike. Here’s my thoughts :
Pro ones (original) :
ran these for a couple of summers (basically because there wasn’t much else out there at the time) relatively fast rolling, and half decent puncture protection. Had a few times where a puncture occurred and all but one resealed. The flies in the ointment for me though were after 1500miles the rear had squared off and the carcass was starting to show. Also the grip in the wet was absolutely shocking,had a few rear end slides so lost all confidence in them. The MK11 versions might of improved on this though. They came up large on my LB rims (17.9mm internal, 25 outside dia) 23mm tyres came out at 25

IRC Formula Pro RBCC TL
Tried these after giving up on the pro ones. Very good tyre, lasted much longer 2500-3000miles on the rear) with excellent grip wet or dry. Not quite as fast rolling but not that noticeable. Ever so slightly heavier than the pros but could put up with that for the better grip. True to size also.

IRC Formula Pro X Guard TL
After really liking the Formula pros I gave these a try on my winter bike. Very, very happy with them. Hard wearing (into
My second winter with them) excellent puncture protection due to the mesh guard running around the tyre. Yes you take a hit on rolling resistance and weight but I’ll take that in winter if it means I keep on rolling. Fixing a puncture that doesn’t seal isn’t fun when you’re cold and wet.
*note* if you haven’t heard of IRC tyres don’t worry, I’m lead to believe that they make the tyres that Specialized sell.

Vittoria Corsa Speed G+ Tubeless Ready Tyre
These are the old MK 1 versions that I use on the TT bike. Super light, super fast but very fragile. A race day only tyre. I believe the MK11 version is a little tougher but I still wouldn’t trust them as an everyday tyre.
Last but not least, the

Continental Grand Prix 5000 TL
Put one of these on the rear of my TT bike for a 12hr TT I did last year (last thing I wanted was to be 11hrs into the race then have to abandon due to the corsa speed having a slashed sidewall) I was so impressed with it I got a pair for the summer roadbike. Excellent tyre, even more longer lasting than the IRC’s with the same grip. Also true to size. It’s also slightly cheaper (you can pick them up for around £40, the IRC’s are £55) so these are my favourite summer tyre atm.

Team I ride for (WKG Torture) did well tonight. Currently placed 24th overall in Espresso with a time of 38:55. We lost a rider within 10 mins due to internet drop outs so happy with our time. We’ve been racing the TTT for a good 8-9 months now so we’re quite a well drilled team. We try to do a big effort for 30secs on the front then drop to the back of the line to recover whilst everyone else moves up one. Using discord has made a massive difference, if someone needs to miss a turn to recover more they shout up. Better doing this than blowing up to early and getting spat out of the back. A bigger group equals bigger rests for everyone and consequently a faster time.

Had that myself on the TTT. One minute everything’s going swimmingly then bang, I’m three seconds off the back and have to work really hard to get back on. Really annoying!

Competed in the today’s race of the WKG winter race league today. 12 laps of the Hilly route reverse so 68 miles (that included going up the Zwift island climb 12 times 🤮)The first 3-4 laps were insane, I was on the limit all the time. I don’t really do group races, only the TTT on a Thursday and the odd individual TT so got caught out a few times with splits occurring then having to pull my tripe out to get back on again. Going up the Zwift climb on the 5th lap I lost the wheel and I was spat out of the back along with three other A’s. We tried to get back on again but failed. Then we noticed a big group of B riders (must’ve been 10 +) coming up behind us so we all joined forces and managed to catch the A riders again. On the last lap I got dropped again on the climb (my legs were shot by now 😩) so rolled in to the finish. Managed to come 10th (out of 21 A’s) so happy with my result. Especially as I averaged 4W/kg (305W) for just over two and a half hours, haven’t put that amount of power out since this my long distance TT’s I did this summer.

Like TiRed up there ^ I also use the bladder down the front of my skin suit for 12hr and 100 mile TT’s. Works well (although it does make you look like a right fat knacker)

Early days but good to see Hugh Carthy up there. Heard on the local grapevine that
EF pro are pushing him for GC in this race.

Three times up the leg snapper, oh the joys….😬

Agreed on everything above, it’s been a cracking season. Only fly in the ointment for me personally was not being able to go to Silverstone this year to watch them. We camped last year and it was fantastic (admittedly the unbelievable weather we had might’ve helped 😉) This year though, just wow. It’s been brilliant so many different riders and manufacturers winning. Just wish the Goat can get his 200th win 🙏

Tips for whacking a fencing spike in straight

Does it really matter ? As long as you’ve gone through a major organ or a main artery who gives a monkeys if it’s straight or not ?

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Garry_Lager
Full Member

Due to the TT season finishing for me outside this was my first race on my own in Zwift for ages (I’ve still been doing the TTT with my team WKG) Happy with how it went considering I had next to no warm up for it (3mins 😂) Paced it well, set off fairly steady then slowly ramped it up as I chased down and passed others.

@bjj.andy.w
Did you do the 12 hr or is that another Andy W? V impressive result (in bad weather too?)
Yes that was me. I was over the moon with my distance and finishing position. Becoming the VTTA 12hr champion was icing on the cake !

Foo Fighters at Lancashire cricket ground was probably the best, well oiled gig I’ve been to. Honorable Mentions to the Verve at Haigh Hall Wigan for there homecoming gig (more for what it meant than the actual quality of the music) Royal Blood at the Empress Ballroom, Blackpool was also a great night.

Due to the TT season finishing for me outside this was my first race on my own in Zwift for ages (I’ve still been doing the TTT with my team WKG) Happy with how it went considering I had next to no warm up for it (3mins 😂) Paced it well, set off fairly steady then slowly ramped it up as I chased down and passed others.
https://zwiftpower.com/events.php?zid=1107500

@kelvishuffle Even with a 20w loss of a new trainer I’d never of caught you on Monday up the Alpe. Dam you weightweenies *shakes fist across the internet* 😂

Was hoping to get outside for a long ride today but with the weather forecast being pants from midday onwards I thought I’d cut the ride short and enter the TT that was on at 2pm. Now I normally ride the TTT for WKG so riding on my own was a bit strange. Did my usual schoolboy error that I do when riding 10mile TT’s outside and set off to fast and paying the price for the last 2miles. Anyway nearly got a 20min power PB, averaged 4.4w/kg for the 23 minutes. To my surprise I came 3rd on Zwift, 2nd on ZP.

We had a great result for the team I ride for. Rolled over the line with 38:52. We’re a mixture of A’s and B’s and had a full compliment of riders at the start (8) that makes a big difference. A couple dropped off near the end but it wasn’t a problem, they’d buried themselves and done their job to make sure enough of us crossed the line to make a time. That course suits our team well with its rolling roads. We have a couple of lightweight climbers for the hills and some big old Diesel engines (like me 😜) to drag everyone along on the flats. Put a good shift in, averaged 334w, 346NP.

Similar thing happened to me this week but with my routes on RWGS. Plotted a route the other day and although I synced all routes on my bolt it didn’t show up. De authorised then authorised RWGPS and all was good again.

Cycling buddy of mine broke the record for National Three Peaks Challenge Cycle Solo (Male, without drafting) three years ago. Basically ran up Snowdon, Skafell and Ben Nevis with just the small matter of linking them all up with a bike ride of 430miles. Managed it in 37hr 33min. He did a good write up of the challenge:
https://medium.com/@rmalpass/national-3-peaks-challenge-cycling-record-874211c1e200

Thanks for the invite but can’t make it unfortunately, working 2-10 this week 😩 Should be able to do a meet up next week hopefully!

Well done on the TTT result guys. I’ve been doing them (shifts allowing)for the virtual team I ride for, WKG, since January. It’s taken us a few races to get it dialled so it’s nice and smooth. We generally set off at a half decent pace (but not to much to put yourself into the red straight away) then we take 30s turns on the front before dropping back for a breather. If one of us is struggling they shout up and miss a turn or two to recover(ish 😁) changing your first name on Zwift to have a number on it (1-8, depending how many are in your team) helps you know when it’s your turn on the front.

Cheers for organising Weeksy, t’was a great work out ! Was all set to have a steady one then the second lap started and it all got a bit fruity 😁

Just signed up, I’ll be doing a training session beforehand. (Getting the excuses in early 😉)

I’m on 2-10 all week so can’t make the meet up, sorry. 6am-2pm next week so I’ll be up for a ride 👍

Yes a great ride that on a good course. Cheers fo organising @weeksy ! Can’t make Sunday’s ride unfortunately, I’m already signed up for a different group ride.

Signed up ! I’ll be coming off working nights so will be dog tired (getting the excuses in early 😉)