/BRT/ - Bike Training and Racing thread

still not too cold and snowy yet, got a great ride in with the cool fall weather

>>1026641
I'm in North America, it's only late Fall here, won't be winter for another month. ;-)

Finally got over a month-long allergy attack from hell (had to get a cortisone shot to stop it) and can start actual Fall training. Rode all last week with no issues, first night back to the gym tonight, feels good, man.

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Me and a bud are training to do the MS150 here in good ol' Texas.

We do weekly rides starting from 35 miles and increasing roughly 8-10 miles per week.

We've made it to 45 and feeling alright, if we keep up this pace, what are the odds we'll die at some point?

>>1026748
>>1026806
Im also in NA, but north of the 49th parallel

>>1026987
I'm sorry. :-(
Born and raised and lived my entire life in Northern California. Wouldn't want to live anywhere else, really.

>>1026641
>Suffering edition
I set the name string in my Joule GPS to 'PAIN METER 2.0'.

*********

Anyways.. just curious, does anyone else here feel like they perform better when they head out on the bike a little hungry? It's totally counter-intuitive, but after I've been out for 15 to 20 minutes, I'm not hungry anymore, and I feel like I'm more energetic. It's the weirdest thing.

>>1027029
I don't perform any better when truly hungry, but my performance is definitely hampered if my stomach/digestive tract is noticeably full.

>>1026946
100%

>>1027028
NorCal is a cyclist mecca for sure. I love the north (north of north america, that is) to go there for any significant time though.

The cold is for me I guess.

>>1027057
**I love the north of NA too much

Rollers are fun. Dat potential energy spinning at like 145 rpm tho

I imagine some of you have exprerience with concussions. Is it okay to ride with one? I have been gently riding my townbike around all day because its one of the only things that does not make my brain hurt, although car lights sometimes fuck me up a bit. I really want to go fast though, is it okay to get on the roadbike again or should I keep it slow?

CX season just ended, so there won't be much racing going on for a few months. I don't have interest in pursuing velodrome racing at the moment, in part because of the distance between my home, and a facility. I'll be training through the winter, and applying for a race license in the spring.
But a few questions;
Do I actively seek sponsorship, or will others reach out, and offer it?
Should I upgrade to Cat 1/2 as soon as I've acquired enough points or should I stay Cat 3/4 to continue gaining experience? The only experience I have in racing are underground/illegal crits, alleycats, and sprints.
Is a steel frame made from higher end Reynolds, Columbus, True Temper, or Dedacciai, retrofit with an 11 speed groupset worth racing, or is carbon absolutely necessary when aiming toward Cat 1/2?
How necessary is a powermeter in a training regimen?
What options are there in insuring myself aside from what's provided by the UCI/ Regional racing body?
Thaaaanks.

>>1027356
Well pal, you seem to be getting a little ahead of yourself. Cat 1/2 is no easy task. Sponsors don't really become offers until you are winning races left and right, and most amateurs seek out their own. Carbon would be very good but not necessary. Power is the same way, but probably more crucial if you want to improve "quickly" and have the most efficient training possible (which it seems you do).

All good questions, but really you're still a cat 5 so you should get a power meter, train all winter, get a license and race. If you live in the US, canada, UK etc you won't need to apply for a cat 5 license.

For insurance, I'm guessing you live in the states. It's just normal health insurance, I'm sure you can get a more expensive plan if you want.

>>1027344
Follow your doctors' orders.

>>1027356
>Has never 'officially' raced
>Thinks he's going to magically and rapidly progress up to Cat-1
LOL, every new racer goes through a phase where they think they're going to dominate everyone else in the field, your 'unofficial' races not withstanding.

Here's what you do:
JUST TRAIN AND RACE. You'll rise to whatever level you rise to. Don't assume that 'alleycat races' mean anything compared to actual road racing with actual road racers. I think you're going to find that it's a much different world out there than you think it is.

>sponsorship
See above: 'Just train and race'. If you do well you'll attract attention of teams. If you don't, then it won't matter if you're on a team or not, and no one wants to invest money sponsoring someone who is bad at racing. Besides which: Being on a team isn't always all that it's cracked up to be. It can be a real shitfest, and you can end up getting 'used' and held back. Race for yourself for a while.

>sandbagging!
If you're intentionally doing things to stay in a specific lower category that's called 'sandbagging' and it's frowned upon. You should race up to the level where you're competitive. Otherwise you're preventing other guys from doing the same. Seriously, I know of guys who do this, intentionally throw a race, so they never quite get the upgrade points needed to progress, because they like winning races. They're despised for it. Whether you sandbag for that reason or some other reason doesn't matter because everyone will eventually notice and assume you're doing it to keep winning races.

As a Cat-5 you're not going to be focusing on winning races anyway, you're going to focus on *learning how to race safely*. Everybody does -- and should. That's why there are no prizes and no upgrade points as a Cat-5.

Overweight Cat 6

How hard is it to become Cat 5, and should I try to do it

>>1027556
You're a cat 5 now. Anyone below a cat 4 is a cat 5, even non racers.

>>1027556
Train all Winter, do some fast group rides so you're not a danger to yourself and others in a pack of 50 other newbies, sign up for a one-day license for a Cat-5 road race (NOT a crit or circuit race!) in March or April, see how you do. If you cut calories during the 12 weeks of Base, you won't be so fat anymore, either.

>>1027410
doctor just told me that im good as long as I feel good

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the memes where dank

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Maybe not the perfect thread for it, but as it is going on the bike I am going to race come February, this is where I am going to ask. Currently my bike has 105 5600 shifters and RD and Ultegra 6600 FD and brakes (crankset is a non-line Shimano unit). I am going to be moving most of these components onto a Cross frame that I am building, so I am in the market for some new Shimano shifters, RD, crankset, and possibly FD and brakes.

My options, as I want to stick with 10-speed, are Ultegra 6600, 6700, or Dura Ace 7800 or 7900. I do slightly prefer the look of the 6700 and 7900 shifters with the hidden shifter cables and carbon levers, but I have been told these do not shift as nicely as the earlier ones (I know the 105 5800 on my current cross bike does not shift as nice as the 5600 on my road bike). Thankfully most, if not all of these groupsets are compatible with one another, so I just want some opinions on where to go Dura Ace and where to go Ultegra, and which generations I should go with. Thanks in advance.

>>1027653
Lol pick a flatter ride pal

Tomorrow:
Fasted ride - 8:30am - 11am hills
Break, eat
11:30 - 1:30/2:30pm sit at 230w avg with 6x 5min efforts.
Sunday: Spin out legs on roller for an hour/active recovery.

>>1027730
rail trails are too good to pass up for uninterrupted training to be QUITE honest

60-80 miles tomorrow with minimal eating
2 hrs of easy spinning on sunday

>>1027659
4700 is better than all of them. Hidden cabling with sane wire pull ratio and reliable shifting over time.

>>1027659
Ultegra is the best bang-for-the-buck.

>>1027659
>5800 on my current cross bike does not shift as nice as the 5600
>I want to stick with 10-speed
>I am going to race

What did he mean by this

>>1027731
Sounds rough but ultimately fun and very useful. 3.5h tomorrow, 2h sunday for me.
>>1027743
Whatever you say flatlet

>>1027840
>5800 on my current cross bike does not shift as nice as the 5600
5800 and 5600 are different editions of Shimano 105 component group, and in his opinion, the newer edition (5800) doesn't perform as well as the older edition (5600).
>I want to stick with 10-speed
Shimano has made different component groups supporting different numbers of cogs in the cassette. Up until recently the most was 10 cogs; lately they've come out with 11 cog groups.
>I am going to race
Self-explanatory.

Just finished my long ride, 3:45 and average w 224 followed by a 15k run. Currently building up my wattage now as it sucks...

>>1027556
Eh. Cat 5 is a bunch of losers man. People show up with cargo shorts and mountain bikes sometimes.

The important thing is consistency. Get your eating and riding habits right now, put in a good base, and you'll do fine in spring races.

I guarantee nobody racing 5s is riding in the cold right now. You'll probably wreck them unless you're a chain smoker.

>>1027950
>People show up with cargo shorts and mountain bikes sometimes.
Uhh, NO, you're talking out of your ass. You have to have a road bike with drop bars for any actual USA Cycling-sanctioned road race. No rules as to what you have to wear -- other than you must have a helmet.

>>1027950
>I guarantee nobody racing 5s is riding in the cold right now.
Again: Talking out of your ass. You don't start training for road racing in the Spring, when Spring starts.

>>1027955
I've seen loads of cat 5 races that have cargo shorts and mountain bikes

>>1028037
I suggest you go read the USAC rulebook.

>>1027868
5800 should shift fine. Not as smooth and light feeling as 6800, but fine. The problem that a lot of people run into with 5800 is clunky shifting due to cabling. Recable with Yokozunas, and avoid tight bends when you route under the hoods.

>>1028119
You're responding to the wrong guy, really.

>>1028119
>Yokozuna
In my experience, you eventually (based on mileage, really) end up replacing cables and housing anyway, so spending lots of money on them just doesn't make sense. If you're racing, twice a year or every other cable replacement (if you have cables break) whichever is more often, is sufficient. Maybe more often if you ride in the wet all the time.

Also here's a general tip: if your shift cables pass under the bottom bracket through a guide, check it often for contamination. Drippings from your bottles, dirt, etc can accumulate there and make shifting sticky.

>>1028079
I have, look at page 13.

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>try taking KOM from a local XC racer
>he never won anything, always getting lapped in MTB marathons, etc
>30 seconds slower than him, get second place...

It was basically all out effort and strava gives me around 280 W for 20 min average output (which checks out with other sources for my weight, gradient, etc). That puts me with a 3.6 W/kg FTP at best which is meh.
Any point entering XC races with those numbers and relatively heavy MTB?

Seeing some of his replays from past races people are dropping him like it's nothing so given the fact that I can't afford super light MTB my only chance of winning the thing is raising my power output. Any suggestions? Should I drop the whole race thing?

PS. Yes, this is out of season, my PR FTP was around 4.0 W/kg for 25 min but that's it.

>>1028258
I'm guessing you're overweight. Lose some weight, race anyway. It's fun.

>>1028258
There's only one winner. Plenty of people who have no chance of winning go and do it anyway and have a lot of fun.

Quit obsessing about your strava metrics.

>>1028306
>I'm guessing you're overweight

Far from it, I'm 187 cm and around 71 - 2 kg (6'1" and 158 lbs). Can't lose any significant weight without basically starving myself out and going full skeleton mode.

>>1028332
Yeah, I understand what you're getting at but still, it would probably suck dicks if I went and realized that I'm not even in contention.

>>1028332
>Plenty of people who have no chance of winning go and do it anyway and have a lot of fun
That's all fine and well, but I've come across more than a few of that type that seem to think since they aren't taking it very seriously, than no one else really should either, and that getting in my way is no big deal. If you're showing up at an officially santioned and ranked race not intending to do your absolute best, then maybe you should just stay home and go do Gran Fondos or somesuch shit instead and not be an obstacle to everyone else. If all someone wants is 'Fantasy Bike Racing' then this really isn't for you.

>>1028358
>it would probably suck dicks if I went and realized that I'm not even in contention
If that's the sort of attitude you're going to have then don't even bother showing up because you've lost before you even start.
You show up and you give at least 100% effort, more if you can manage it. Your chances of winning, at best are 1 in 50, and at worst much less than that. Losing is the crucible in which a real racer is formed; you either accept that there is always, for all intents and purposes, going to be someone better than you out there somewhere, or you walk away and find something else to spend your time doing. On a good day, when you're firing on all cylinders, and maybe the other 49 guys aren't, you come out on top. Maybe you're having a shitty day and you end up DFL. Maybe you're in position to win and some shit happens and you crash. It's all part of the game. The beginnings of 'mental toughness' is enduring all the vagaries inherent in racing, yet still showing up for the next race, bringing everything you got with you, and leaving it all out on the course. Also keep this in mind: the *athleticism* of racing is the *easy* part; learning to *race effectively* is the *hardest* part. All of this is an ongoing process that takes years of consistent effort and experience.

>>1028358
Some other things you need to understand, if you don't already:
I said the 'athleticism' of racing is the easiest part, and I meant what I said; you can get the knowledge of the path to acheive that out of books, then go make it happen first at the gym, then on the bike, mainly riding alone. You might even be able to win ITT's that way.

Athleticism alone won't make you a great road racer. At practically every race I've ever done (even crits and circuit races), there's some guy who thinks he can just attack off the front and stay away for the entire race, winning it solo. "More power to 'em", I always think, knowing That Trick Never Works, except for the one-in-a-million times that it does, because the guy is some genetic freak with the VO2max of an Iditarod sled-dog and unequaled capacity for ultimate suffering. 999,999 times out of 1,000,000 that guy blows up at some point, gets passed by the pack, and is soon off the back and finishing DFL. TL,DR: It doesn't work.

Meanwhile the other 49 guys know that you have to *race smart* if you want a shot at the podium. Sadly, there really aren't any books, videos, games, or whatever, that can teach you to road race effectively. Sure, you can study diagrams of pacelining, echelons, and read books like "Reading the Race" and you'll get a basic idea, but 'practice makes perfect' as they say, and you can only really learn these skills in 'live fire' situations -- i.e., in a road race, or the ersatz.

So of course keep working on your athleticism -- but also plan on showing up at group rides of guys who race, and look for the 'earlybird' road races in your area; these are your 'C-priority' events, that you try to do well at, but that for the greater part exist to teach you the skills of a road racer, and to practice and hone those skills. I see guys all the time who aren't all that strong but still get top 10 finishes regularly because they're smart racers.

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>>1026641
don't train just get a real bike with an engine

>>1028370
And a """real woman""" to go with the """real bike""" ... oh, I see what you did there!

How to make a full year's training plan with spreadsheet and TSS and IF like a coolman?

>>1028370
Nice hog.

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>>1028370
>she thinks she is hot

>>1028386
Download Cyclists Training Bible: http://www.lronman.ru/docs/CyclistBible3.pdf
Read it cover-to-cover at least once.
Write a training plan.

>>1028387
>Nice hog.
I dunno about that, but the bike is halfway decent at least. xD

>>1028370
We ARE the engine.

Any fat weak faggot can sit his fat ass down on a seat and twist a handle.

>>1028456
Like, comment and share this post ! Share to your friends !

>>1028358
Are the any races you need to be lighter than that?
If you live somewhere where the climbs are all longer than 5mins then yes. If not no.

>>1028581
I'm 6'1" as well (not him) and i've won races with 6000 feet of climbing. 68-69 kg.

>>1028564
Stay mad

>>1028581
Power-to-weight ratio, your muscular endurance, and to a certain extent your anaerobic endurance are the metrics that are really important when it comes to hilly road races. On a really short climb you can just power over them above anaerobically, but on long sustained climbs your Threshold power and muscular endurance at Threshold, compared to the other guys, is going to be the main determining factor of who gets the KoM.

Is it true if your training ride lasts under 60 minutes, it is wise to drink your bottle empty as fast as possible in order to make your bike lighter?

>>1028870
>drink your bottle empty as fast as possible in order to make your bike lighter?
The fuck am I reading. Drinking water doesn't make it magically disappear, it's just in your stomach instead of on the bike. The total mass your muscles have to power down the road hasn't changed.

>>1028875
Yeah sounds stupid. But they say your bike is then lighter, which is more important than overall weight of the system.

>>1028882
Aero is more important than weight

>>1028870
Take your low-quality bait where it belongs: >>>/b/

>>1028976
No, Google Jacques Anquetil doing it. It has something to do with exploiting weight while climbing standing.

>>1029024
>some dude in black-and-white pics from the late 50's/early 60's
GTFO

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>>1029024
this is a silly myth, he didn't actually do it

swaying weight only matters if ur a mad cunt doing some crazy special power sprint move

>>1029046
Pretty much everyone in this thread (who isn't here to shitpost retarded trolling, that is) needs to focus on normal training, not any 'one weird trick'-level nonsense.

>>1029143
>he doesn't know the one weird trick cat 1 racers don't want you to know

>>1029024
>>1029046
Anquetil did not do this, it's a myth.

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>>1029191
w-w-what is it!

>>1029211
Doping.

>>1029211
Genetics :)

>>1029191
>the one weird trick cat 1 racers don't want you to know
Training 30 hours a week.
/subject

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Joe Friel is now meme.

>>1029546
the complicated bicycle knowledge man

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>have cycled high IF 178 miles in <72 hours to burn off weeks of residual binging
>tried to avoid Thanksgiving indulgence but got embarrassed by parents at the table
>binged like a fat faggot after succumbing to their accusing me of being anorexic
>estimate that this meal was between 4,000-5,000 calories of binging
>several day's work of clawing out of a hole undone in less than one hours

Legs are burned, have to do another 150 miles by Monday otherwise this stress and my engineering finals will leave me utterly anxious and fucked. How do I stop being a child?

>>1029568
Forgive yourself.

Give yourself permission to indulge with the knowledge that you can and will fuck up and the world won't end.

If your lifestyle is conducive to being /fit/ most of the time occasional fuck ups aren't too much of a set back.

It isn't worth stressing out about it.

>>1029568
contains the words
>binging
>embarrassed
>binged
>fat faggot
>anorexic
>stress
>anxious and fucked

>I'm a male with an eating disorder, the post.

holy shit you fitfags are gay.

>>1029568

You have fucken issues nigga. Seek professional help.

>>1029568
you know its kind of good to bing here and there. if you have been on a calorie deficit for awhile then you know how you can sort of stall on the weight loss and often after a bing you start losing gain. Besides if you really ate 4-5000 kcals in a single meal you probably wont absorb all of them anyways as your body just pushes it through the system.. enjoy having the shits tomorrow....

and yes as a former fatass who dropped from 215 to 160 in 5 months I do know what I am talking about.

>>1029568
What part of..
>Train MODERATELY and train CONSISTENTLY
..did you not understand!?

You're a mess. Fix yourself before you wreck yourself permanently.

>>1029568

If you're already fit, the only stress should be from dropping a way above average log the next day and possibly some extra work when the toilet clogs.

We're deep in the off-season now. Are you guys remembering to do your Speed Skills work?
>single-leg pedaling
>dominant-leg pedaling
>endurance spinning
>high-rpm spinning
>form sprints

>>1029676
people always make a big deal about how olympians fuck like rabbits during the olympics, but what i'd love to know is how much shit by volume and weight they produce

Hi my senpai. I really want to get into racing, but first I want to start training properly. In order to do that, I need some gear, namely a computer, HR and Cadence sensors. Right?

Well, anyway, I've been looking online and I'm pretty sure I'll be getting a Polar M450, used because that's the only thing I can afford.

Would this be a good purchase? Right now, I'm not too hot on power meters, because of the cost they imply. Is HR and cadence enough to start training seriously? Also, any plans you recommend? I'm planning on doing my first race in February.

>>1029823
>Is HR and cadence enough to start training seriously?
It's not the best but it'll do.

Look on Craigslist for used PowerTap wheels.

>>1029823
Please, buy a cheap hr sensor.

>>1029823
>>1029840
He should at least get an Ant+ or Bluetooth compatible HR strap for future compatibility.

>>1029843

Like I said, a cheap BT sensor, and no computer at all. He should use an old phone as the comp.

>>1029907
I don't really like having my phone on my when I ride. I'd rather not depend on Android.

Thanks for the advice, m8s

>>1029907
Ant+ makes more sense because if he gets a dedicated bike computer later it'll be Ant+, Ant+ costs the same as Bluetooth, and smartphones are freakishly large sitting on your handlebars ruining your aerodynamics, and like the first thing to get damaged if you crash.

Should I shave my whole body for extra speeds?

Hey le guys I le averaged le 227W for 4.5 hours but I won't say my weight am I le pro yet?

Sry dont have a strava hheh

>>1030010
nice ebike you've got there

>>1030014
Tbh I actually did, but i'm just memeing about this kid
>>1027653

>>1029945
>>1029907
>>1029843
>>1029830
ended up getting a lightly used Garmin Edge 800 off eBay for $120 shipped. Includes the HRM. All I need now is a cadence sensor. Cheers senpai

>>1030031
Garmin makes Ant+ wheel and cadence sensors that use an accelerometer, so no magnets necessary, and they just strap on with very stretchy rubber, in the case of the cadence sensor, right to the crank arm. Very nice. You can then also easily move them from bike to bike, no tools and only a minute or two to remove and mount them.

>>1030037
Yes, I saw those. Over $50 for the sensors though. I'll check the shape of the Edge and HRM before buying other stuff. Hopefully I won't have to replace any batteries.

Then I'll get those speed/cadence sensors that look sweet.

Also, I found these Ronde speed/cadence sensors. Basically a Garmin knockoff, but they go for $30 instead of the $60 Garmin charges. Anyone got experience with these?

>>1027659
Ultegra best bang for buck

DA if you like to shift under more power

>>1029907
Any cheap bt/ant+ device that you would recommend? I don't really plan on keeping my phone on my handlebars, but I like to check and study all the data once I get back home.

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>>1030015
>>1030010
>227W for 4.5 hours

232W for 4.68 hours 2bqh family

Though I did weigh myself a few days ago and I am in fact 135 lbs and not the aforementioned 129 lbs, so you are in essence not wrong

>>1030514
Wow bro ! 3.7 w/kg for that long !

Climb something. Must I repeat, no one cares until you race?

>>1030524
Again, I reiterate that I fully expect to get humbled come the collegiate road race season starting in February, which is three months from now, and once again, I state that I'm well aware that stats don't mean squat without racing instincts and experience. Now that I've stated so more than once, I suggest you take your frustrations elsewhere unless you want to dwell on nonsense

>>1030526
You're obviously going to win Cs if you have even marginal skill and don't crash, and probably Bs as well. Many pros race A. I think I remember you said you live in GA so you probably won't climb much judging by your rides. To be completely honest family you could do fine on a road race with a kick at the finish but idk if you could survive a race with any significant climbing. If you are from north GA i'd recommend going into the mountains and training since you're small and can probably develop climbing legs fairly quickly

I'm not bantering anymore, I'm giving some real input

>>1030530
>If you are from north GA i'd recommend going into the mountains and training since you're small and can probably develop climbing legs fairly quickly

Correct and yes, this has been my ambition to do as soon as this semester at Tech is over; first and foremost being a 100+ mile Appalachian Trail backpacking trip, and later on (weather-permitting) doing as much mountain climbing as I can reasonably designate (as in, driving 3 1/2 hours round trip to do 2-3 hours of climbing even semi-repeatedly would be pretty silly to me). Admittedly most of my most recent training has been inherently more ITT-oriented than climbing-based, but I have always considered my "climbing ability" to be the one thing I excel at with cycling, as counter-intuitive as that may sound.

>>1030535
>Tech
Sup? Are you a freshman? I'm at GSU. Do you know Aaron H (he rides with Tech too)?

Sorry, I won't do the airport ride or train with you. I stopped racing last year to just fred it up recreationally at my own pace. Maybe I will feel like training and racing again, but not now.

>>1030535
Yeah, I mean you're (i'm guessing short) light, so climbing is sort of natural. But longevity with a climb is key, anyone can do a 10 min climb. ITT would be smart to focus on, as a climber myself (probably top end for a climber weight wise... 68-69 kg race weight, but i'm 6'1") I can't TT super well but I can't say I've ever really trained for TTs.

I'd like to ride in the Apps though. One place I've never really ridden.

Gentlemen,

Now that we're deep in the off-season for road racing and the dialog in this thread has slowed down, I'd like to start compiling items for a Pastebin to head up this thread every time it's created. Contributions (and discussion of them), please? Thanks.

>>1030567
Friel's training memeble

Nah but fr the training bible is a must

>>1030542
I am a senior at Tech, but I'm locked here for another few semesters in the BS/MS program. I unfortunately do not know very many people: though I have been cycling all my life I only learned of GT Cycling this semester for which I joined only in August, and I know only a few people with whom I've gone against in a few Go West rides. Outside of this, 95% of my riding is solo, where the Vinings-West Paces-Northside Drive is my most common training ground (15% gradients!), followed by going out to Marietta and Kenessaw, then the Silver Comet. Though I would very much love to do group rides with other people, and I never am able to get to these group rides nor do I hear about them

>>1030341
Wound up purchasing a lightly used set of Dura-Ace 7900 shifters for $220, only $30 more than similar condition Ultegra 6700 shifters are going for. Hopefully they will work alright with my 6600 brakes for a while, but I will need to buy some 6700 brakes for the correct pull ratio. After this I will look for a set of Ultegra 6700 cranks, and eventually I will probably go for a 7900 RD- buying a 6700 RD would only save 15g over my 5600 RD, so I don't see the point.

>>1030542
My first road races will be collegiate (Atlantic conference), what can I expect? I plan to start out in C, but will likely move to B fairly quickly as I am already winning CX races in B.

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>>1030645
>Ultegra 6800 aka the extremely economical high performance option - $550
>Snowflake outdated retrogouche build projected total cost - ??

Do you have cashflow problems or a bunch of 10 speed race wheels or just retarded?

Been doing some casual CX racing this fall, got my first podiums this past weekend. Was pretty stoked on that. Excited for road racing in the spring. I'm targeting a local stage race in March and collegiate road nationals in May.

>>1030712
Where do you live?

>>1030674
Please be sure to read the whole conversation or reread carefully before embarassing yourself anymore

>>1030674
I totally understand what you are saying, but if you read my earlier post you will see that I am keeping with 10-speed components as I plan on building a CX bike with the parts I am replacing on my road bike. There is nothing really wrong with my current mix of 5600 and 6600, but I did feel like the improved ergonomics of the newer style shifters would be worth getting. This way I can just replace what I feel will improve the bike and keep the stuff that I like.

Is it going to be economical? Honestly, probably not- I am certainly not 100% sure it is going to wind up happening, I may just wind up buying another used CX bike- the main reason I am getting rid of my current CX bike is that it is too small- my road bike is a 54 and the cross bike is a 48, I bought it in a rush because I wanted to start racing.

To get back on topic, does anyone else have a winter bike league where they live? It's definitely a great idea to get motivated to put in some big miles when it's cold out, I know I've enjoyed mine so far.

How stronk will trainerroad make me

I just did my first session and it seems like it'll be worth the 12 money/month, have any of you had success with it?

>>1030844
Strong as you like as long as you put the time in. I use Elite's own brand thing, not bad.


First race of 2017 this weekend (season resets on Dec 1 in Britbongland)
Either nobody racing will be bothered or everyone will be as keen as mustard.
E/1/2 criterium, 1 hour +5 laps, gonna try to get away with 4 laps to go but if I can get a breakaway going earlier on then that'd be just peachy.

>>1030931
Is it freezing in En Gland too? It is over here in the liberated Irish free state

>>1030931
>dec 1
>racing

lol, what? isnt it cold? here in leafland it is

>>1030934
-7 this morning.
Nan was from Kerry, don't get me started on Ingerlund!

>>1030942
Yeah, freezing but I'm gunning for 1st cat so I need to put the effort in.

>>1030943
I lived in Kerry for 10 years growing up!! Ever cycle there? It's friggin amazing

>>1030947
Not yet, but was planning on doing the ring of Kerry in September and visit the cousins

>>1031057
The ring is cool, but the nicest cycling is along the inside of the Iveragh peninsula - a good route (starting in Killarney) would be to do the ring counterclockwise (which is how it's usually ridden anyway), but just before Waterville you's go right, toward Bealach Oisin (a deadly pass) then up through the Glencar valley for a bit, then out to the right over Bealach Beama, which would put you back on the ring again. Then, another day, do that backwards so you get to climb the other sides of the passes and finish off the rest of the ring from Waterville. Other notable climbs are the Conor Pass out by Dingle, the Gap of Dunloe outside Killarney and Coomanaspic, between Ballinskelligs and Portmagee (which leads to Valentia Island, which is also gorgeous)

do you guys ever think

fuck this shit
im buying a touring bike and going on some spirit quests

?

>>1031230
I could get on a bike and within 15 days be in a position to climb a new alp every day until I've done them all

But I don't do it

>>1031230
Why the hell would I want to do that?
>pointless, aimless riding around the middle of nowhere
I started out doing Century events and shit like that. After you do a few of them, they become BORING AS FUCK and you start wondering why you're wasting your time and money. May as well just make your own routes and ride them for FREE. No, fuck all that, I'd much rather road race. Even if you're doing laps on a one-mile course, it's different every race because the mix of riders is different, and anything can happen. Much more fun and challenging than 'just riding'. If that's all I could do anymore is 'just ride', I'd get so bored with it that I'd quit before too long.

>>1031263
Nah bro! If you race you don't really like riding bro! You have to enjoy just piddling around for hours cuz you're just biking bro! It's just biking bro! Supposed to be fun and carefree! Pure freedom! Racing sucks bro!

>>1026946
Don't be a little girl. Even untrained cyclists can do a century. It's not hard.

Also, 35 miles is like a daily ride for a cat 5 racer.

>>1027356
It will be years before you are cat 1. YEARS of consistent 15-20 hr weeks and tens of thousands of dollars worth of travelling and race fees.

Sponsorship shouldn't even be a word in your vocabulary right now. Just focus on your 10 mass starts. Lol

>>1031289
>t. a *little harsh*
New to this thread, freind?

He's at what someone I used to know calls the 'young buck' phase, where he's seeing some successes (at least, from his perspective) and as a result his enthusiasm is overwhelming his logic and reason. It's to be expected. To a limited extent, it's a good thing, it'll potentially carry him through the inevitable wake-up call when Someone Better hands his ass to him -- repeatedly. That's when he'll find out if he's got the mental toughness for this sport.

>>1031288
>Even untrained cyclists can do a century
Sure. In 8 hours. Or maybe they do the last 10 miles in the sag wagon.

>>1031270
LOL, whatever you say, senpai. Guess you and your riding buddies all make sure you cross the City Limits line exactly simultaneously so no one gets accused of being competitive. xD

There is an *epicness* to road racing that transcends any non-competitive riding. I actually feel a little sorry for someone who is an avid rider who will never experience that.

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>>1031367
>get a load of this douchebag

>>1031367
You retarded or just cant understand sarcasm

I was agreeing with you about racing you autist

>>1031082
M9!
Legend, that's really helpful! Like literally the most helpful reply I've ever had on 4chan!

>>1031409
>pot calling the kettle black
Why do you think I put 'xD' at the end? xD

>>1031513
unironically didn't see that (must have learned to block it out), but I think it could have gone either way in terms of me interpreting it

anyway, glad we agree

Big day in the weight room today lads

tons of different types (weighted and non weighted) of one legged squats, did weighted one legged deadlifts, normal squats, hamstring work, core work. Legs are a bit toasty after that

>>1031367
>the 'young buck' phase

You are going through what I call the "bitter old guy who was too much of a pussy to train and and now condescendingly talks to younger/newer athletes about mental toughness" phase

>>1031531
>says the guy who hasn't done shit for real yet

>>1031230
I don't have any interest in bicycle touring. However give me a adventure kitted enduro bike and I could ride around the world.

>>1031529
do u have 1 leg

>>1031760
I suppose the term "alternating" is not in your vocabulary

>>1031699
>I'm not interested in anything without sufficient memes involved

>>1031763
no

>>1031230
camping fucking sucks

like what the fuck is the deal with white people and camping? we built this whole fucking civilization so that we could get away from having to sleep outdoors and risk waking up to a bear nibbling on our guts while nutting on our face, and now everyone wants to "go back to nature" and all that hippie garbage? fuck that shit. i'll go race a bunch of lycraed out faggots while you categorize the effects of anally inserting various mushrooms found in the pacific northwest

>>1031781
>i dont like it, so it fucking sucks

>>1031699
>>1031760
>>1031763
>>1031766
>>1031767
>>1031781
>>1031819
How about you guys take your off-topic pointless arguments somewhere else? Go make a thread on >>>/trash/ or >>>/b/ where nobody cares.

>>1031557
>angry old guy

>>1031907
You're that anti-bike guy that complains about this thread, aren't you?
Here's some lovely train foamer threads, go infest them instead and quit shitposting in this thread.
>>1008054
>>1022006
>>1031839
>>1005566
>>1013659

What Heart-rate should I aim for, doing Sweet-Spot-Training? My Threshold HR is ~176.
Furthermore: Will I be able to hold my (anaerobic) endurance while running in the wintertime?

>>1031910
You have to do testing to determine that, it's entirely individualized and changes according to your level of fitness.

>>1031508

No problem my dude, it's my favourite place to cycle.

Another bonus: the roads on the inside of the peninsula are too wee for tour busses :^)

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>40°F 60 mile ride on wet roads and rain
>mfw carbon wheels
>mfw carbon pads
>mfw freshly-paved 7%+ bendy descents
>mfw "waterproof" gloves weren't waterproof
>mfw "waterproof" overshoes weren't waterproof

Supposed to do 3h of easy enduro today. Snowed 4 fucking inches. Rode the trainer. Made it an hour and a half. If I'm not doing intervals on the trainer, shit is impossibly boring

>>1031982
>waterproof
kek There's no such thing as 'waterproof', get used to it. If you manage to keep the rain out, you'll be drenched in your own sweat anyway.

>bendy descents
Say 'technical descents' instead, it's more impressive-sounding. xD

>>1031910
>Will I be able to hold my (anaerobic) endurance while running in the wintertime?
No, and you shouldn't try to, either. In the off-season you should be concentrating first on recovering from a long race season, then rebuilding your basic strength while minimizing your basic aerobic endurance losses, then on Base training. When you get done with Base training then you'll start working in anaerobic work.

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>>1031991
there is such thing as waterproof, it's just difficult.

On a bike it involves full length fenders.

>>1032000
Yeah, I got strap-on fenders for rainy rides, and rain gear, and neoprene-lined, insulated shoe covers. If it's really pouring the gloves get wet inside regardless, but it's acceptable. There's some types of training I just won't do in the rain, though, like Power intervals, or even Form Sprints, and anaerobic intervals of any type, simply because it's too easy in the wet to lose control.

>>1031929
So I have to spend hundreds of Bucks just to know, what heartrate I should Aim for? I've got the Friel, but I don't think the tempo-zone is equal to Sweetspot, since its just like 6 bpm? And the coggan-zone for SST seems a little too large?! Feelingwise: would it be equal to a "medium-hard" effort? Do I have to hold the effort no matter what, or may I turn down the power on e.g. short descents?

Lads, does anyone have strategies for pre and post riding nutrition for rides over 2 hrs and for intervals. Even general nutrition would be helpful desu.

>>1032052
You don't have to pay a lab.
Google 'CTS field test'. Been using that test protocol for years.
Or do a 30-minute time-trial. Take the average heart rate and average power for the last 20 minutes of the test as a good approximation for your Threshold power, then apply formulas you can find everywhere online to calculate the rest of your Zones.

If you're doing intervals in a particular zone, you do them in that zone the entire time. Also you should not be doing interval training where there's descents, you should do them out on the flat because you need to be able to maintain your effort within the specified range.

Also are you in the Southern Hemisphere? Otherwise why are you already doing intervals in early December?

>>1032101
Okay, thats more or less what I've done. I've followed Friel. ~176 bpm is my Threshold HR as it seems.
And why I do intervalls ? First of all, I adore hard work (most of all short powerfull hillclimb reps), second it's too cold here for just hovering around on the bike -and then, I don't bike like 1000 hrs. per year, so I want to hold or expand my endurance without spending too much time, so I'm getting a bit fitter (aka: I don't think I need a recovery phase, when I'm doing just 1-3 short MTB-races per year).

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Rata best bike ever

>>1032112
[b]KHAREETOON PLS KILL YOURSELF[/b]

As a cat 4, how would i go about obtaining a bike to race on for the season that I could rent for free or little money fron a club?

>>1032127
>As a cat 4
Become close friends with a person close to your same fit that has a spare bike

Last year I had to spend seven months on a 12 mile round commute in a hilly small city daily. Not New-York type city, around 75k people, so there were still large rolling hills, inclines, straights, some curves but most of it was half road half gravel on shoulders.

Bike was a Diamondback Sorrento I think, I replaced the knobbies with road tires, added a large pack system and frame, and rear LED light, plus one high-output front light and a second blinker.

It was a work commute so none of it ever was leisurely, and I never bought any cycling specific gear, usually it was heavy pants, Bates combat boots, a large work hoodie under a full work uniform (button-up long sleeve and pants under a longsleeve underarmor base layer and some nice full-length baselayer leggings). Then knee high socks.

Did I do good? suffering was definitely a thing till a month or two in when my thighs were solidified granite and I stopped feeling my nose and ears.

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>>1032207
You did gud except riding in combat boots & heavy pants, that's craziness.

>>1032209

Too poor to afford anything more, it was a lot of fun though.

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>>1032211
Yeah, if you can find the space in your life, a suffering commute is pretty damn fun.

Cmon, you're not too poor to wear shorts & sneakers.

>>1032212

>dead winter

>35°F at night for the commute, usually with sleet

>shorts and sneakers

I think I'd prefer to suffer with pants and boots, those are warmer.

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>>1032214
thermal leggings & shorts is the way

t. commuted/ worked outside in a mountain range for 8 months. I did basically this but with my boots & gaiters in a bag and clipless shoes.

>>1032207
DUI? Lol

>>1031909
>You're that anti-bike guy that complains about this thread, aren't you?
ahahah no bro. I've been around here since like 2013 lul. I race my bicycle, just don't like angry old pussy ass bitches ahahha you mad>?

>>1032282
considering that u r the one who keeps posting more and more about this id say u r the one whos mad, bro, not him. maybe u better just leave, u r shitting up the thread

>>1032214
35 degrees is a cake walk. Here in wissconsin it gets below -10 often, and usually hangs around the 10 degree mark. I just wear jeans, shoes, long socks, and some layers with a windproof waterproof C9 coat from target. Always toasty.

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do you guys do any training for your breathing? like how to breathe with your balls to get full inhalation of O2 and 3:2 forceful exhalation to lower diastolic pressure and fully evacuate CO2?

I need to work on my breathing form, I lose a lot of oxygen by diverting it to my stomach with bad breathing and I start burping a lot.

>>1030514
uh

If you are really 135lbs and can do 232w for 5 hours you could easily be a domestic pro

>>1032316
lul i can tell u're rageing right now ahahah its axctually kinda funny lmao

>>1032398
cringe

>>1032282
>he thinks his little alleycat races on a fixie with his buddies counts as racing

>>1032398
>ride hard, breathe hard
>ride easy, don't breathe hard
that's all there is to it really
>pro-tip: remember to breathe!

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Will be racing cat 1/2 this season in FL. Got a new bike. Excited to get dropped.

>>1032449
Nice. Like it.

>Cat 1/2
What's your 40k TT like?

>>1032449
SLAMMED
nice bike, sram force chainrings are sexy as fuck. Felt makes some good shit man

>>1032478
But that's all SRAM red except for the crank arms, probably because Quarq.

>>1032398
Just hang your mouth wide open and relax your jaw mate, your lungs will take care of the rest.

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Who /predawn/ here?

>>1032456
To be honest, I haven't done a 40kk this year. As a cat 3 our state TT was only a 30k, I did it in 41:36. FTP is 5.1w/kg but I'm only 61kg and live in a very flat area so it doesn't mean much. Been racing alone all season but now we've got an 8 man squad for next year so I'll be happy to just be part of some successful moves.

>>1032518
>weighted average lower than average

>>1032537
If you lived in a hilly area could could almost be pro if you actually have a w/kg of 5.1
>>1032518
post a picture of a scale with your weight

>>1032518
hi dave

>>1032575
will do

>>1032558
Strava calculates its own estimated power outputs via moving time (which is different than total elapsed time, of course). When I have to unclip and am approaching a full stop due to red lights and traffic, I tend to pause my Garmin head unit, whereas Strava does not diregard the many increments of time coming from a crawl to a complete stop (typically from below 5 mph to 0). The 243 for example here is my headunit readout, whereas the 241 is marginally less as a result of me manually stopping my computer before coming to complete rest.

>>1032599
Dave, you should send your strava numbers to Rally Pro Cycling

>>1032537
>FTP is 5.1w/kg but I'm only 61kg and live in a very flat area so it doesn't mean much
That's kind of why I wanted to know what your TT was like. FTP is only one datapoint, but it doesn't really tell the whole story of what your muscular endurance (and, to a certain extent, your mental toughness). A long sustained climb is not the same as a TT but there are similarities on the 'suffer scale'.

Yeah, having 8 guys who know how to work together effectively as a team means you've got enough to launch attacks like you mean it, and have a few guys left behind to (try to) block.

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>>1032575
as promised, here you go (sorry for shit lighting): this was before my morning dump, so my prestated 61 kg weight (at or marginally less than 135 lb) is correct

>>1032611
that won't do shit my man

>>1032518
>>1032709

How go so slow for so many watts when not very much climb and only 61kg? (31km/h, 1300m, 110km - I'd get that for around 210w and I'm 70kg at the moment)

>>1032793
average speed becomes less for the same reason as: >>1032599, lots of high-volume traffic stops

>>1032802
i'm doubt

>>1032823
>>1032802
Also doubt, as I can do over 20 with stoplights without those watts

>>1032823
>>1032834
do you also live and cycle in megalopolis populations? When you're crossing paths with tens of thousands of motorists driving to work on such a ride you're going to get caught at many lights, particularly ones at the bottom of fast hills. Going from 30+ mph to a full stop takes several seconds- you could be pedaling for one hour without respite, have to stop at the bottom of a swift descent and easily loose 2-5 Watts on your average because of this prolonged slow stoppage.

>>1032848
post map for consultation

>>1032427
>being this mad
cringe

>>1032848
Then why is there such a small difference between watts and weighted watts? If you had to bring yourself up to speed so regularly, you'd have a much higher weighted output. Either your power meter is tricksy, or it is you whom am tricksy

trainers man

>out for my scheduled training ride after work
>route takes me through a tunnel that's about 150 yards long
>30 feet inside the tunnel is a raccoon
>raccoon goes 'Oh, shit!' and starts running into the tunnel
>no room to pass the raccoon, I have to slow WAY down
>start verbally 'encouraging' the raccoon to run faster
>raccoons can't run worth shit
Minor annoyance at the time (had to break pace for the little fucker) but funny in retrospect (because fatass raccoon can't run)

>>1034152
that's actually pretty funny, fuckin coons

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>i'm more of a puncheur

assuming completely dry road conditions with no threat of black ice, how cold is too cold to ride for everyone here?

>>1034212
If it's -10C, I'll think about it. At -20C I probably wouldn't bother.

>>1034212
I've yet to find out what is too cold. The coldest I've commuted on is -36°C. I don't go for training rides outside if there is ice or snow but commute year round no matter the weather. No training rides in snow or ice because you can't really keep into a whatever pace you want to reliably when you gotta keep an eye on the road conditions.

>>1034186
It was another first. Usually it's deer, squirrels, rabbits, turkeys, the occasional coyote, and one time a turtle.

>>1034295
Where do you live? SE US?

>>1034337
I live near a couple rivers with surrounding wild parkland.

Ready for the Rapha 500 a/n/o/n/s? Gotta get dat roundel

>>1034569

Literally ordered raceblade longs yesterday in anticipation

>>1034569
I wish. Got fucked up the ass with a bad cold this week so my endurance will probably still be shit by the time that's supposed to start.

>>1034640
Just stay low z2 on flat roads, do not let us shame you

Why oh why does TrainerRoad not let you manually insert time, TSS and IF of your outdoor rides?? They let you sync all workouts with TrainingPeaks, so they know we have this data. Dumb.

>>1034559
Dave I swear to god

>>1034679
Dave who?

Booked plane ticket to Alicanté today for late February training camp.

>>1034793
Jelly. trainer grinding for me. Makes the warm spring riding worth it though

>>1034793
My team is going to LA in Feb. I'm hype AF

>>1035222
>trips of awesomeness (pun unintended)
Stage race? Training camp? Details?

>>1035705
Training camp. Doing a day riding in SF, a long ride from LA to SD, a day of climbing in LA, a national park ride, and a rest day in there somewhere. Apparently there used to be a Feb race we could've attended held by UCSomething collegiate club (UCSD/SB?) but their county changed their permitting process so no race this year.

Someone redbull me on power meters, I've been looking at getting one and stages seems to be the easiest/cheapest option since I'm already using an ultegra crankset. My main concern is that its left side only...

>>1035733
You'll go fast

>>1035733
I've got to put this in The Sticky I'm compiling for this thread.

Types:
>Rear Hub-based
PowerTap
>Crankset-based
Quarq, SRM, Pioneer
>Crank-arm based
Stages
>Pedal-based
PowerTap, Garmin, etc
>'Other'
{heart rate monitors that 'estimate' power based on heart rate|
{comps that sit on your handlebars and 'estimates' power}

Accuracy/Cost:
>Rear Hub-based
Good to Excellent accuracy; medium cost
>Crankset-based
Good to Excellent accuracy; high cost
>Crank-arm based
Low to Good accuracy (because left leg only!); low to medium cost
>Pedal-based
Good to Excellent accuracy; medium-high to high cost
>'Other'
Shit-tier to Low accuracy; low cost

Pros/Cons:
>Rear Hub-based
Pretty good 'bang for the buck', accuracy/cost
If you want power data from a race you (obviously) have to use this wheel, though, so tradeoff between durability/race-ability on the wheel build
Have to send to manufacturer for any mechanical service (can't do it yourself)
>Crankset-based
Can use ANY rear wheel you want, training or racing
May or may not have to use specific chainrings when rebuilding drivetrain
May or may not have to get power functions recalibrated by the manufacturer when changing chainrings
Upgrading to a better crankset now becomes an expensive proposition
Can be a more expensive option
>Pedal-based
Can use ANY crankset and ANY wheelset
You get separate left/right power data (i.e. detect imbalances in leg strength/power, have a chance to fix it) which is VERY cool
VERY expensive compared to regular road pedals
VERY expensive considering they'll wear out, and may get damaged in a crash (!!!)
??? Unsure if they can be rebuilt, or if they can, if you can do it yourself (or have to send to mfg)
>'Other'
Cheapest option
Can transfer easily from bike to bike
Accuracy is (in my personal opinion) a joke; no direct measurement, makes lots of assumptions
(I personally don't consider these sorts of non-direct-measurement devices to be serious training tools)

>>1035826
..Now *all that* having been said, I'm sure others in this thread are going to have additions to make, and comments about what I've presented, and tbqh I'm perfectly OK with that -- and in fact will compile the conversation about it to be part of The Sticky for this thread, and I'll try to keep it updated as different power meters come on the market.

>>1035733
Oh, hehe, and after all this: >>1035826 >>1035827 I should also say this:

Personal recommendations:
1. If you have the money to spend, go for a crankset-based power meter like Quarq. Then you can use any wheelsets you like, get performance data from racing and still be able to use your race wheelset.

2. It's 'red pill'; Red Bull is what you drink right before starting your warmup for a crit. xD

>>1035826
Crank-arms can be dual-sided like Rotor or InfoCrank and have high accuracy. Also, I wouldn't say pedals have excellent accuracy; their power jumps around the most due to being closest to the rider.

>>1035826
Would also include 4iiii for cranks (slightly cheaper than Stages and I haven't heard bad things) and DCR says PowerPod has pretty good accuracy. It uses accelerometers and wind to calculate power. However, it's $300 so you might as well skip a few nights of drinking and save another $100 for a 4iiii.

>>1035832
>It uses accelerometers and wind to calculate power.
Sorry, but I just can't take something like that seriously as a training tool. The accuracy is going to be way, way worse than anything that directly measures torque. If you're riding in Zones 1 and 2, it might be OK since those zones are so wide, but Zone 3 is narrow, and if you're doing Threshold (Zones 4 and 5a) work, you don't want to waste your time by thinking you're 'in zone' when you're actually above or (worse) below it. That's why I rate devices like PowerPod and heart rate-only-based devices so low.

>>1035831
>Crank-arms can be dual-sided like Rotor or InfoCrank and have high accuracy.
Sure, but I was only referencing the non-drive-side-only type. If it's on both crank-arms then it's closer to the crankset-based type.

I'll add all this to the list though. It's all good information.

>>1035831
>Also, I wouldn't say pedals have excellent accuracy; their power jumps around the most due to being closest to the rider.
Do you actually have a set of power-measuring pedals and have experienced this phenomenon yourself, or is this second-hand information, though? No bully, but I have to take what the source is into consideration as well. Also, even with a direct-measuring power meter the power jumps around, and lag between input (i.e. pedaling) and what shows up on the display can contribute to that in a big way. When I upgraded from the old 'wired' version PowerTap to a Gen3 wireless, with PowerTap's Joule GPS head unit, it drove me crazy for months because there's a slight lag in the readout versus input. If I'm on my TT bike, which has a Quarq crankset, the lag is noticeably less, but they all have lag compared to my old PowerTap hub. I'd imagine that anyones' Ant+ or Bluetooth pedals would have some lag as well. Oh, and before anyone says it, I don't use realtime averaging, so the readout lag isn't from that.

>>1035854
These power jumps are different than the lag you're describing. Yes, almost all wireless PMs have lag like that, but I've never thought of it as a big deal.

Anyway, I know two people who had/have the Garmin Vector pedals, and they tell me they get really erratic jumps and drops all the time. They need to be recalibrated far to often. I can't quite remember the other criticism they had, but I think overall they're just touchier than a crank or hub based PM. Certainly not bad enough to write them off completely (not even close) but just something to think about. I have a friend with the PowerTap pedals and he's been fine with them.

Stop fucking around and get an SRM

>>1035937
>getting the most expensive yet least user friendly power meter in the market

>>1035826
>>Crank-arm based
>Low to Good accuracy (because left leg only!); low to medium cost

Im likely wrong, but even when you dont have 50/50 left/right power balance its still good for training, because you get your own numbers to go after/train with. If your balance is close to constant, then the power should also be pretty constant (while going up of course :^) ).
I hope this makes sense

>>1035950
>a battery whose chemistry means it has to be shipped with a hazmat sticker and means the power meter will last for 4,000 hours of use

>>1035905
>Garmin pedals are flakey, PowerTap pedals are fine
That's a good datapoint. Besides which PowerTap has been doing power meters all along, Garmin is new to it.

READY FOR RAPHA 500 FAGGOTS

>>1036017
>actively memeing

No

>>1036018
>hurr le maymays durr
Just go ride fag

>>1036021
that's my point faggot

>>1036017
Nnnnnnnnnope. I crashed on sunday and sprained my wrist pretty bad, and it's going to be super hot then super wet here. If my wrist heals well enough maybe can bash out 4 125 km days at the end, but that'll hurt.

>>1035826
You should include Power2Max @ Crankset-based

Word to the wise, gentlemen: Pull your cranksets and check your bottom bracket bearing for wear before race season starts. Roughness, clicking, looseness, or anything other than smoothness means you should replace it. Letting to go can rob you of power, especially at your top end (i.e. sprinting).

>>1035826

Or just mention to do a search on DCR for power meter comparisons as he's done all the work.

Decent list nonetheless, always good to have users give experienced feedback on what they have. Especially the stuff that didn't go well for them.

>>1026641
You people are the human garbage of the biking world. These threads aren't /n/ worthy.

I'm new to cycling and started in the spring time. I also just moved to Seattle where it gets dark before 4pm. I was looking for a bike trainer to use in my studio, any suggestions?

>>1037266
Buy lighting and ride outside in the dark. All you're doing on a trainer is turning pedals, it does nothing whatsoever for your bike-handling skills, and if you're planning on racing or you've really only been riding a bike for a few months you need to work on bike handling skills constantly or you'll end up in trouble.

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we did it reddit

>>1037299
>>1037266
He's right but I'd still invest in a trainer. Trainers are a great way to efficiently build fitness over the winter when riding outside can be a tossup, especially in a rainy place like seattle. Get both lighting and a trainer. If you have the cash, get a kinetic fluid trainer or a cycleops trainer

>>1037401
Okay.. buy lighting *and* buy rain gear. Riding outside > trainer

What's the best and cheapest kit I should be shopping for?

>>1037564
Voler makes decent stuff.

>>1030086
Cycling gear is one area where price consistently is indicative of value. If they are half the price of garmins, they are that price for a reason

>>1033095
^^this. Explain yourself strava gypsy

Any of you other guys who race have breathing problems in the winter when it's really cold outside? What do you do about it?

I have mild asthma and really bad allergies and when it's really cold outside my lungs end up feeling like shit after riding in it for several hours. Tends to make me more susceptible to sinusitis and bronchitis.

>inb4 HTFU
I'm already 'hardened up' plenty by the mere fact that I'm riding all winter long to start with.
>inb4 see a doctor
LOL no, they all tell me 'stay inside'; that's a non-starter.

Thanks in advance for relevant replies.

>>1037750
see a sports doctor

>>1037755
What's a sports medicine doctor going to do for me that an allergy/asthma/COPD specialist clinic couldn't have already done, though? They'll just tell me 'stay inside in the wintertime'. Not happening.

>>1037732
Hahaha what shut up nerd

Cycling equipment is the epitome of diminishing returns and 80/20

>>1037810
Not that guy.. but with niche market items like cycling-specific electronics, you do get what you pay for, and you don't serve yourself very well worrying too much about the cost of something you're going to buy one time only, because if you need it, you need it, and you're going to buy it regardless. Buying some cheap-ass no-name Chinese crap is generally a bad idea because if it doesn't last then you're out the money, plus you're out some time that you don't have this thing you need.
>TL, DR: Buy decent stuff to start with and don't over-think it.

>>1033095
>>1037741
It's dave, guys. Classic redditor troll.

>>1037750
>>1037790
Sports doctor won't tell you to stay inside if they know what they're doing. Majority of cross country skiers have asthma and they do it just fine. It's possible that your problem is fixed by changing asthma meds. Or getting one of those masks to wear in front of your mouth.

Also what counts as really cold?

>>1037750
I have bad enough asthma that basically my airways are fucked and I cough pretty bad for an hour or so after the bike and then every once in a while after that.

Only reason I haven't seen a doc is because I don't actually have asthma attacks that often. Like the last time I did was during the summer when there was a random 60F day after a 100F day, was like breathing through a 18 gauge needle at 300 watts and got to like max heart rate. Thought about it then but really if you are'nt having attacks liek that regularly you are fine, especially since you are an athlete who can handle stress like that (I kno a doctor will say you'll die but i dont think so lmao)

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>he's never won money racing his bike

what are the cheapest decent options for a cyclocomputer with pulsemeter? (and cadence ideally)? ill buy online so just throw me some models to investigate, thanks!

PS: dont use a smartphone, thats why im going the cycloomputer way

>>1037952
Do yourself a favor and get Ant+ in a name brand.

>>1037922
>implying that you do anything other than get dropped almost immediately

>>1038009
>Ant+
but i dont have a smartphone bro. (dont like beeing so connected, no need for internet on my mobile. i have an old brick, can call, receive caqlls, sms,thats it.. wake up alarm lol).

any good cyclocomputer that does the trick? cheaper is better, but i want something decent. thonks

>>1038047
Get a cyclocomputer that is Ant+ and an Ant+ heart rate strap, speed/cadence sensor, etc.

>>1038047
>any good cyclocomputer that does the trick? cheaper is better, but i want something decent. thonks
Again: Bike-specific electronics are a niche market, and you get what you pay for.

Get a name-brand Ant+ compatible cyclocomputer. GPS optional. If you're training for racing, get one that can handle a power meter, for later if/when you get a power meter of some sort for your bike.

Then get Ant+ speed/cadence sensors and an Ant+ heart rate strap.

These are one-time purchases for you. Get decent ones and you'll have fewer problems, and better support if you do have problems. Buy cheap no-name Chinese shit and/or non-Ant+ shit, and you'll either have lit your money on fire if something breaks, or be stuck with shit not compatible with anything else.

>>1038244
thanks bro, could you point me to decent brands? of course i know garmin. but are there cheaper but still good options? im totally new to cyclocomputers. but thanks for the reply and time :)
ill go ANT+ of course
>>1038072
you too thanks!

train train train train train!

>>1038310
Lezyne Super GPS is a great budget option. I have one. It connects to Bluetooth and ANT+, has great battery life, and can do preloaded routes + turn-by-turn directions with a Bluetooth connection to an iOS/Android device. At $150 it is a p good deal

What do I do when I notice my form is dropping off? I have been steadily improving since summer 2015, then reached a peak around last september/october and now I am clearly weaker than I was then, and still getting weaker. I am still "training" just as hard because I enjoy riding so much. Its only logical I guess, but what do I do? Do I keep riding like I am? Do I tone it down and then pick it up again later? Does it matter?

>>1039053
Quantify, analyse, adjust, improve, repeat.

>>1037952
As other anon mentioned, ant+ is good to have for future proofing and there are thousands of compatible sensors these days. Lezyne is a plus one for me, but check out bryton as well, go for the cheapest models that have ant+.
HR straps and cadence sensors can be had pretty cheaply and if you get yourself a power meter, the pedal ones are awesome because you can switch them between bikes as you please.

>>1039053
Sounds like it may be dietary. Pre, during and post training nutrition is pretty critical to success over a long period; a lot of cyclists i know either don't eat enough on longer rides or they don't get enough protein in general.
There are other possibilities, but not many of them are nice; assess your diet first anon.

>>1039053
>I am still "training" just as hard because I enjoy riding so much.

Do you EVER take Recovery weeks? Or do you just keep grinding yourself into dust, month after month after month?

You're obviously not using any variant of Periodized training. I'd bet money that your 'form dropping off' and being 'clearly weaker' are due to OVERTRAINING.

You need to take at least 2-3 weeks off the bike completely, doing NO training of any sort, and let your body heal and recover, then see how you feel. If you've fucked yourself bad enough you may not be doing any racing whatsoever in 2017.

Since you also apparently have no plan whatsoever other than the 'time honored ride-as-hard-as-you-can-all-the-time' training plan, go get a copy of The Cyclists Training Bible, read it, and learn how to make a proper training plan, that has realistic amounts of Recovery built into it, and will prevent you from getting into the mess you've got yourself into.

>>1039221
nah ive done overtraining in the spring when it was nice weather, I know how that feels. This is different, its a very gentle loss of form. And I am only riding about 3 days a week now, and usually short rides because cold. I am reading the training bible and it provides some nice insights. Just wondering about this off-peak shit. I see the pros I follow on strava are hard at it all year.

>>1039280
> I see the pros I follow on strava are hard at it all year.

They're hard on the recovery as soon as they come off the bike.

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>>1039306
still hard

also its fucking gorgeous out here in winter. How can you not ride?

>>1039280
>I see the pros I follow on strava are hard at it all year.
Here's a wake-up call for you: You are not a Pro Rider. You're also not Superman, no matter how hard you believe.

EVERYONE is slow in the winter, if you're a road racer. In fact you should not even TRY to be fast in the Wintertime. You should be letting your body rest and recover from a season of racing, then start slowly rebuilding your aerobic Base, then start working in harder and harder training, addressing your weaknesses, working towards Peaking during the part of race season when the races most important to you are happening.

Keep reading the CTB. Make a logical, rational training plan, and for the most part stick to it.

>>1039308
Nobody said "stop riding in the wintertime". "Stop riding HARD", yes. 'Base Training' is not a meme. 'Recovery' is not a meme.

If I'm trading 2 ride days a week during Early Base (i.e. Base 1) to finish my Fall strength training in the gym, am I sabotaging my basic aerobic endurance later on? Due to scheduling that's the only way I can get everything done. This isn't a problem during any other training block during the year, just Early Base. Thanks for your opinions..

I'd like to point out the stats for this thread so far:

>Total posts: 287
>Images: 27
>Unique posters: 110

Can't say this thread isn't popular. :-)

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>>1040462
110 is pretty good, I'd say. This specific thread has been around over a month though... usually /brt/ threads roll over at about a month but I'm guessing since it's the dead of winter it's so slow.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOQflZqzn_U

>>1040465
the silenced singer?

>>1040591
how long is this race?

>>1040604
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005_Tour_de_France,_Stage_1_to_Stage_11#Stage_1

Anything in particular I should expect from my first crit? Raced my first (limited) CX season in Cat 4 and Col. B, and produced a win and some podiums in those. First road race in my area is in two weekends and is a crit style race on a small oval track.

I am quite sure my fitness is beyond Cat 4/5 which is what I will be starting in, but I realize that fitness is not everything. Pacing will definitely be much different than CX where drafting is usually non existant.

>>1040611
Cyclocross is nothing at all like road racing, and certainly not at all like a crit.

Crits are all power on/power off, sprinting out of every corner to maintain position, fighting every second of every lap to try to get to the front, being about the only place in any crit where it's relatively safe -- especially if it's Cat 4/5's. The best crit racers are short guys with huge amounts of Type-II muscle fibers, rediculously high anaerobic endurance, lactate tolerance, a powerful sprint, and a complete lack of fear of crashing, plus exceptional bike handling skills, especially in the area of dealing with getting bumped and your line encroached upon by morons who aren't thinking far enough ahead who suddenly decide they like your line better. Your ability to mentally focus on the race cannot waver for a single moment or you're likely to get spit out the back with little hope of regaining any sort of competitive position, or find yourself bleeding on the pavement wondering how you got there.

I'd ride the course before they close it for the race so you can familiarize yourself with it, any hazards that might be extant, and so you have some sort of idea how to take each corner, and where on the pavement you should be *before* each corner if you want to be able to negotiate them and stay upright. Also you'll want to check out the run from the last corner to the finish line for obvious reasons. Be sure to do a thorough warm-up beforehand (I've taken as long as a crit itself for warmup) including fast-starts and short sprints (since you'll be doing lots of that). Indulge in your caffeine-source-of-choice before your warmup so you have a little bit of and edge and better focus.

Good luck, and keep the shiny side up..

>>1040611
dave fuck off

My new shoes finally arrived yesterday, and when transfering my cleats I noticed that one of them was mounted sideways as fuck on my old shoe. I noticed my foot being a bit sideways when sitting on the bike, but I concluded it must have been because I have flat feet.I am stupid as fuck, happy I didnt injure myself.

I put them nice and straight now on the new shoes, did a little ride and it felt good. How do I know if my cleats are in the right position though? If it feels good it is good?

>>1040859
The centerline of the ball of your foot should be over the centerline of the pedals' axle. You might need a helper to get them adjusted correctly. You might also have to make adjustments to the saddle height and fore/aft positioning afterwards, but if the other cleat was in the correct position already, then probably not. I should also point out that if you have new shoes, then the stack height might also be different enough that saddle adjustment will be necessary.

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>>1040666
wasn't me actually, I've never done CX

also, finally had a good ride I can meme about

>>1040948
Imperial units on a bike ride is a pretty fucking bad meme my son

NORCAL BROS: You getting your rain riding skills practice? Or are you chickening out and riding on a trainer or rollers?

>haven't shaved in ages because it's winter
>third of shin now covered in road rash
>all the pain and suffering cleaning it is when hairs are in the way and sticking to everything

>>1041200
Personally, I use an electric beard trimmer. Aside from being clean and convenient, it also saves you from having to ever explain to anyone why you have a supply of pink-handled disposable razors in your bathroom drawer.

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fugg :D

>>1041251
I use those expensive as fuck women's razors with interchangable heads. Like $13-$15 up front but they last a long fucking time so it ends up being worth it.

Smooth as fuck shave too. Takes hardly any time. Would recommend

>>1041251
>>1041311
Shit niggas how do you deal with stubble? I'd have to shave daily or have permanent stubble on my legs. I get my legs waxed so they actually stay smooth longer than few hours.

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hey guys! i need your help. so 2 weeks ago in a trip i lost all my bike shorts (road bike shorts btw). due to lack of time i made the big mistake to continue training with regular shorts and underwear. im in the southern hemisphere, so its summer and its hot here (over 32C/90F a lot).ong story short, i have feveloped like a grain in one cheek of my butt. (sorry for my bad english its not my main languague, and thats also why im asking here, cause im having problems googlin help as i dont know the correct terms. and also cause veryone talks how to prevent, not how to help cure this things).

so i have this little grain, kinda like a pimple,but with no head. of coure i jut went and bought bike shorts.. but what can i do to make it go away faster and not ruin my training? cream? just leave it there very dry? help please! thanks!

>>1041407
That is called a saddle sore. Get hydrocortisone cream from a pharmacy.

>>1040859
Sit on something up high enough that your feet dont touch the ground when you sit on it. Look down at your feet and notice if they are pointing out or pointing in. Mimic this position with your cleats.
Make sure to let your feet fall naturally when you sit down. The idea is to find their natural orientation and mimic that with the cleats

hi there. need advice on shoes.
i've been riding a mtb for the past years, train not to compete but for myself. usually against the clock climbing hills and stuff. 100k rides on the weekend, etc. bought my first road bike (caad10 105). planning on using it on the weekend for 100-200k trips for the day. during the week ill stick with my mtb cause city has shitty streets and ocasionally i hit big holes and garbage, etc. wanna go clipless on the road bike, maybe using the same pedals on the mtb from time to time.

two questions:

1- any rec on good entry shoes+pedals? thinking on not going spd but road clipless. my budget is tight and everything in my country is expensive. brands models that are cheap but decent would be great to know. as any other advice.

2-if i train durig the week on the mtb with plataform pedals. and just ride on the weekend on the road bike. is that shit? will i never get used to clipless? or the road bike itself? a bike is a bike but your body gets so used to minimal settings that im afraid this method will make me suck on the road bike.

thanks!

>>1041407
What you have is commonly referred to as a 'saddle sore'.
It's what happens when a sweat gland, scent gland (yes, humans have scent glands!) or hair follicle becomes blocked. They become blocked, usually, because of inflammation, which is caused by friction irritating it. Once blocked, sweat or sebum starts to 'back up' in it, causing swelling and pain, and further blocking it.
Because of the bacteria that is always present on your skin, they can become infected.
What caused this is that you wore street clothes to ride your bike, which, instead of helping prevent chafing, and wicking sweat away, *caused* chafing, and held on to sweat.

Here's what you need to do about saddle sores:
Get some topical acne medication containing benzoyl peroxide (no, I'm not kidding you).
Wash and thoroughly dry the affected area.
Apply the medication 2-3 times per day.
In a couple days, it should go away. If after a week it's not gone, is red, swollen, and painful still, then it's likely infected; you'll need to see a doctor for antibiotics (again, I'm not kidding).

The reason acne medication works to treat saddle sores is that they're similar to acne. The active ingredient in the medication acts as both an astringent (to dry out the sore, which is what you want) and also has an antibiotic-like effect on the bacteria that could cause it to become infected.

I used to get massive saddlesores all the time (I had cystic acne as a teenager, which I think is why I'm susceptible). I came across this advice on the internets after years of trying to figure out how to prevent and treat them effectively. It works, is over-the-counter, and if I use it every day I rarely get them anymore.

(continued next comment)

>>1041441
1. If you want a quality clipless setup that's also affordable, it's pretty hard to beat Shimano SPD pedals (the basic SPD, not the SPD-R road kind), they're cheap, reliable, good enough for road use if you have good shoes with rigid soles, the cleats last a long time, and basic shoes designed for the 2-bolt cleat are typically a little less expensive than entry-level road shoes.
2. As for shoes, I would ignore brand names entirely, just find what fits you right. Your first pair of shoes will be your most expensive because you should buy your first from a store in person to try them on - once you've found a shoe brand/size that fits you, you can save money on subsequent pairs by shopping online.

>>1041407
>>1041451
(continued from above)


In the future always wear your kit when you ride, always shower and wash down there thoroughly after riding, and always wash your kit after every use. Also always replace your shorts when they start getting worn out. The fabric stretches out over time, which can cause the padding in the crotch to move around, which can contribute to chafing, and the padding itself can get compressed over time.

By the way don't ever use things like vaseline or Bag Balm as a 'chamois cream'; these will block your pores, actually causing saddle sores! Learned that one the hard way. Only use products sold specifically for cycling use, and only use them sparingly; using too much can actually cause you to slide around in your shorts, causing chafing instead of preventing it. Personally I don't even use anything anymore, and as I said above I rarely get saddle sores anymore. Having properly fitting shorts, replacing them when they start to get worn, washing them after every ride, and keeping myself clean down there and medicated daily, have reduced the number of saddle sores I get by at least 95%.

>>1041438
>hydrocortisone
Hydrocortisone really won't help, and in fact can make the problem worse; most have 'moisturizers' and a host of other things in them that can actually contribute to your pores being blocked, which is what is causing the problem in the first place. Same goes for topical antibiotics like you'd use on a cut; they're typically petrolatum-based and will block your pores, in addition to not penetrating enough to actually kill off the bacteria in the sores.

>>1041452
This is all good advice. With Shimano Spuds, you'll probably never have to replace the cleats, they're small and solid aluminum and last damned near forever.

>>1041441
To your second question: obviously it's going to take you longer to become comfortable and proficient on your road bike if you're not riding it very often. But you need not worry that your body will 'forget' how to ride a given bike once you've initially gotten comfortable with it - If you've been strictly on your mountain bike for two weeks then switch to the road bike for a day, you might feel a little shaky on it for the first 5-10 minutes as you warm up, but as you ride you'll find that your confidence and skill quickly return.

GENTLEMEN:
The Thread is now on auto-sage; it's time to start a new one.

Please post your suggestions for what pic to use for the new /BRT/ thread. Thanks :-)

>>1041451
>>1041453
thanks a lot, you gave me a real clear answer that avoids me getting into useless stuff. after googlin and reading for a while i was on the mupirocin way (kinda like hydrocortisone i think, not sure). but ill take your advice and experiene, just wanted to say, thank you mister. for real.

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>>1041461
how bout this? is it too sexist?

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>>1041452
>>1041454
>>1041455
thanks a lot.
ill add a second question to you guys right away. i have this old pedals, almost shure they are spd. they should be from around year 2000. got them in an old bike. they say "icon" on the side. they look good. used and not cleaned but good. found mostly mediocre reviews about them.
is it a good idea to try them out? or should i just avoid them and go with new ones?
or in other words, do spd's pedals have a lifetime and is this brand model ok? or to the trash? thanks!

>>1041547
>mupirocin
That's an actual antibiotic for topical use, I've tried it before, didn't do a damn thing. If you ever end up with a full-on infected saddle-sore, what you'll want the doctor to prescribe for you is Doxycyline.

>avoids me getting into useless stuff
That's because I spent literally years going through the useless stuff already. xD

>>1041552
Hmm, that'd be more appropriate for a /BQG/ thread.

I have a few pics of hot pro women cyclists maybe I'll use that.

>>1041552
>un-aero bolt-on tits
>/BRT/ OP
fuck off

>>1041556
hah! yeah , but you sharing the collected info is the great thing. would buy you a triple burger beer or something, keep on shinning bright star!

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>>1041562
>>1041552
How about this little collage of women pro cyclists?

>>1041594
Are you trying to tell me the one on bottom right isn't a trifag?

I can hold 1600 W for 5 sec (1200W for 20)and speed up to 180 rpm quite easily, but suck at long flat climbs and everything concering aerobic endurance and things you can't bypass with power...Should I become a track rider?

>>1041553
yay or nay? thanks!

>>1041660
>lacks basic endurance and muscular endurance
Have you tried actually training?
>become a track rider
Cycling is an endurance-based sport. It doesn't matter what your sprint is like if you can't get through the rest of the race leading up to the sprint without dying off and getting dropped. Likewise you'll get laughed at on a track because even there you need aerobic and muscular endurance or you're going to lose constantly.
My recommendation is that you ACTUALLY TRAIN instead of fooling around like you obviously have been doing. Get yourself a copy of CTB and start reading. Meanwhile change your current 'training program' (LOL) from the 'ride as hard as you can as long as you can' philosophy and actually SLOW DOWN and ride increasing distances at a sustainable pace and build some actual endurance. Maybe by March of 2018 you'll be ready for an actual Cat-5 race.

>>1041651
That's Lynn Gaggioli, she's a pro cyclist not a triathlete, and what do you care about that anyway? She's hot as hell. Or are you female and jealous, or gay and her looks don't sway you?

ATTENTION:
=========

This thread is on Auto-Sage.
New thread is here: >>1041744
Please post any new comment threads there instead of here.

>>1037732
ended up getting the garmins. working great. no ragrets