Road Cycling

[L19red]

Travelling around Europe with my wife so I mostly ride alone. Today I did a couple of kms with a felka on one of those hand powered bikes. He was a bit slow on the steep bits though.

[Champ]

Travelling around Europe with my wife so I mostly ride alone. Today I did a couple of kms with a felka on one of those hand powered bikes. He was a bit slow on the steep bits though.

 

Good effort doing that on your own.

 

Er....what does she do all day?

[L19red]

Col de jau yesterday. 30 kms mostly in the mist then it started pissing down just in time for the descent. Give me the alps every day over the pyrenees.

[Champ]

Col de jau yesterday. 30 kms mostly in the mist then it started pissing down just in time for the descent. Give me the alps every day over the pyrenees.

 

Isnt that the downside of mountains everywhere?

 

Still, that's maybe all the motivation I need to get out as the weather here is 'just a bit dull' when what I really want is blue skies

[Champ]

Which reminds me....who else is on Strava?

 

Well, I love it for tracking my own rides and my progress etc but, boy, am I developing an irrational hatred of this woman who keeps taking my QOMs. She has this really arsey name which just makes me want her to come a cropper. That's not very nice, is it?

[L19red]

Isnt that the downside of mountains everywhere?

 

Still, that's maybe all the motivation I need to get out as the weather here is 'just a bit dull' when what I really want is blue skies

 

It is but the alps are generally drier than the pyrenees. Weather is supposed to improve next week so I should be ok for mont ventoux.

[rondeco]

A cyclist was descending out of the dublin mountains on sunday afternoon when he lost control of his bike crashing into a barrier and had his arm severed from just above the elbow

[Champ]

Not nice to read and there's no getting away from the fact that cycling is potentially a very dangerous activity, whether due to the risk from other road users or simply due to he speeds attained. I still love it, though

[Champ]

If you have 2 minutes please take a look at this request from the CTC to appeal the sentence of an Edinburgh driver who has killed a second cyclist and been given community service because the CPS went for the easy option of careless driving.

The national cycling charity | CTC

 

BBC News - Cyclist killer Gary McCourt: Crown to appeal against 'lenient' sentence

[L19red]

Good

[L19red]

Word reaches the pyrenees that wiggins is out of the tour. That'll please the kenyan.

[Champ]

Word reaches the pyrenees that wiggins is out of the tour. That'll please the kenyan.

 

You beat me to it!

 

Well, that was convenient

 

I detect no great love, L19?

[L19red]

Nah I like froome but im not sure that sky (the sponsor not the cycling team) do. They would much rather have wiggo every time. Froome has had to sacrifice a certain win in the vuelta and at least one stage and possibly the overall in the tour last year on team orders. I hope they back him fully now.

[Champ]

Nah I like froome but im not sure that sky (the sponsor not the cycling team) do. They would much rather have wiggo every time. Froome has had to sacrifice a certain win in the vuelta and at least one stage and possibly the overall in the tour last year on team orders. I hope they back him fully now.

 

Not the poster boy like Wiggins, you reckon?

[L19red]

Not the poster boy like Wiggins, you reckon?

 

Exactly. Its all about the publicity and unfortunately for froome he doesnt cross over from being well known by cycling geeks to nationwide recognition.

 

In other news the mistral has descended on provence and its going to be here for a few more days so it will be mid week before I get to ride the ventoux.

[Champ]

 

In other news the mistral has descended on provence and its going to be here for a few more days so it will be mid week before I get to ride the ventoux.

 

Was this part of the plan?

[L19red]

Was this part of the plan?

 

Riding the ventoux was planned. 50 mph winds were not. On the plus side they were 65 mph winds yesterday so its getting better.

[Champ]

Riding the ventoux was planned. 50 mph winds were not. On the plus side they were 65 mph winds yesterday so its getting better.

 

That's rough. I thought the Mistral came much later in the summer?

Hope the wind drops for you soon

[Chocoholic]

Jaysus, me taint!

 

First time out this year (Yeah, I know) and to mark the occasion, it's a new bike, too! I've only previously had a hybrid on which I did my intervals for fat loss, but at 15 years, it was due an upgrade. Not wanting to spend a whole lot, I discovered the Triban T3, sold at Decathlon sports for £300.

 

At that price, it's an ideal first road bike and has received great reviews, highlighting the carbon fork and a triple crankset for a bike at this pricepoint. The bike weighs 10.5Kg and the groupset is Shimano 2300, but having come from a heavy hybrid weighing around 17Kg, with gripshift gears, it's like getting out of a battered old Escort into a brand new Focus. A far cry from the 'hot hatches' and even the odd Ferrari among the crowd here. But it's all relative, and compared to what I'm used to, it's a huge upgrade for not a lot of cash. It was actually cheaper to buy this than buy a better set of wheels and a new MTB groupset for the hybrid. Not to mention the fitting of same, plus, it would all still be on a rather heavy frame.

 

And it's RED!

 

I intend to customise it a little and make it 'mine'. It's not up to the spec of most here, but it's a world of difference for me and may make me start lusting for something with a bit more pedigree when I get to know a bit more about proper road riding.

 

First plan is to get myself back into cycling mode and gradual fitness (including taint readjustment) and , then progressively work the distances I cycle and next year, hopefully into the world of Sportives.

[Champ]

Well, I 'm amazed, Doh'Nuts, I had you down in the Ferrari set!

 

Enjoy your new bike. Look forward to hearing a progress check.

 

How's your butt today?

[Chocoholic]

Thank you! Not nearly as bad as I thought, but the biggest discomfort is from some broken skin from chafing from the also new padded shorts. I must get me some chamois cream or something like that. What do the GF cyclists recommend?

 

Saw this in Amazon with good reviews Udderly Smooth Chamois Anti-Chaffing

 

 

Now, I'm intrigued as to how you had the notion I'd be slumming it with the Ferrari set.

[Champ]

Thank you! Not nearly as bad as I thought' date=' but the biggest discomfort is from[b'] some broken skin from chafing[/b] from the also new padded shorts. I must get me some chamois cream or something like that. What do the GF cyclists recommend?

 

Saw this in Amazon with good reviews Udderly Smooth Chamois Anti-Chaffing

 

 

Now, I'm intrigued as to how you had the notion I'd be slumming it with the Ferrari set.

 

For obvious reasons I have been somewhat circumspect about my own experiences in this regard. I was ok up to about 30k and after that I ran into problems. Serious problems. I used Vaseline and then got so me of that Udder cream but with limited, if any, success, I have to say.

 

I then changed my saddle (its all about your the size of your 'sit bones' apparently) which made a significant difference but what really seems to have made the difference is getting the clothing right. I had been wearing my regular 'underwear', then padded undershorts and then my outer shorts.

 

I had been recommended from the beginning to go 'commando' but I just didnt fancy it but running out of alternatives I gave it a whir, just undershorts and my outer shorts....and havent looked back.

[lifetime fan]

Thank you! Not nearly as bad as I thought' date=' but the biggest discomfort is from some broken skin from chafing from the also new padded shorts. I must get me some chamois cream or something like that. [b']What do the GF cyclists recommend[/b]?

 

Saw this in Amazon with good reviews Udderly Smooth Chamois Anti-Chaffing

 

 

Now, I'm intrigued as to how you had the notion I'd be slumming it with the Ferrari set.

 

 

Cetavlex.

 

 

Awaits abuse from Champ.

[Champ]

Cetavlex.

 

 

Awaits abuse from Champ.

 

Rightly so. He's (you are a he, arent you, D?) looking for a preventative...not something to treat the damage afterwards.

 

Yeah. And since when were you a cyclist!!!!!!

 

My apologies, though, I forgot to name check the Cetavlex as a treatment for the chafing. It does work. I know

 

Edit. Just heading out now

[lifetime fan]

Rightly so. He's (you are a he, arent you, D?) looking for a preventative...not something to treat the damage afterwards.

 

Yeah. And since when were you a cyclist!!!!!!

 

My apologies, though, I forgot to name check the Cetavlex as a treatment for the chafing. It does work. I know

 

Edit. Just heading out now

 

 

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