Official P&b Cycling Thread

[paisleysaints]

haha Ride solo Chimneyman

We'll we've ditched the thought of the PFS and just going to head over and do Arran instead.

[The Master]

1 hour ago, flyingscot said:

Yeah I have thought of something similar since relegation has taken away huge trips to highlands. Dundee United is our longest trip now, but would mean leaving Paisley probably near 4am to make sure you get there for a 3pm game! 

Pfft...that would be cheating. The whole point is to do it for a reaaalllyyyy long trip

Obviously it doesn't have to be done in a single day. Being able to stop and start again is part of the endurance, I think.

 

[Silvio Tattiescone]

1 hour ago, The Master said:

 Being able to stop and start again is part of the endurance, I think.

 

That's what I tell the wife anyway 

[printer]

Anyone else do the Tour o the Borders today?  Very windy, which meant some hellish sections of grinding away at 10mph, but also zipped up a 3% climb at 18mph with a tailwind.  Overall a very enjoyable 75 miles and would like to do it again.

Friend of mine has done it a few times. Pretty tough route, is it not?

[chimneyman]

I wouldn't wish to cycle astride a Cumbernauld man with poor chat and fitness levels.    

I go to Cumbernauld to practice my roundabouts, in a fucking car.   

I occasionally drive from our brand spanking new house in one of our 3 cars and have a drive out of Cumbernauld. Sometimes I'll strap my £3K bike to one of the cars

Why do you need to practice roundabouts? You fucking idiot!

How's things going at your mum's?

[tarapoa]

Did Glen Strathfarrar at the weekend as we were up at Belladrum.

The attraction - a 14 mile paved road that is closed to cars.

Nondescript entrance by Struy in Strathglass, pop your bike through the gate, then a few miles through a forest and then opens out into a perfect Highland glen with a steep ending up to a dam.

Perfect spot, and if you have more time Glen Cannich (another bonnie glen) is just ten miles down the road.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Anyone entering the Etape Loch Ness next April?

I'm slowly getting into cycling now, which started as a useful exercise to build up leg strength following a hillwalking knee injury, but I found I quite enjoyed. As I say, early days yet, I've got a Kona 29er MTB which is fine for tanking about the back roads around Forfar, but will invest in a road bike in a couple of months, and a turbo-trainer over winter. I'm also trying to do 80k a week on spin bikes in the local gym (not exactly a realistic simulation)

So my question is, given the above, how realistic is a 66 miler around Loch Ness. Is it achievable, or do i need a few months longer to train?

[lionel hutz]

Does anyone on here do Road Racing or Time Trials at all?

[Gnash]

4 hours ago, printer said:

 

Friend of mine has done it a few times. Pretty tough route, is it not?

 

There's one really tough climb with 20% sections where quite a few people were pushing their bikes.  Other than that there's nothing too challenging, although there is a lot of climbing (1300m).

 

25 minutes ago, jupe1407 said:

Anyone entering the Etape Loch Ness next April?

I'm slowly getting into cycling now, which started as a useful exercise to build up leg strength following a hillwalking knee injury, but I found I quite enjoyed. As I say, early days yet, I've got a Kona 29er MTB which is fine for tanking about the back roads around Forfar, but will invest in a road bike in a couple of months, and a turbo-trainer over winter. I'm also trying to do 80k a week on spin bikes in the local gym (not exactly a realistic simulation)

So my question is, given the above, how realistic is a 66 miler around Loch Ness. Is it achievable, or do i need a few months longer to train?

It's absolutely achievable if you put the training in, which it sounds like you have covered.  You will definitely need the trainer as the opportunities for riding outside are limited pre-April.

[lionel hutz]

8 hours ago, Gnash said:

There's one really tough climb with 20% sections where quite a few people were pushing their bikes.  Other than that there's nothing too challenging, although there is a lot of climbing (1300m).

Was it Redstone Rig? Which was a Cat 2. climb on the Tour of Britain last year

[Sherrif John Bunnell]

12 hours ago, tarapoa said:

Did Glen Strathfarrar at the weekend as we were up at Belladrum.

The attraction - a 14 mile paved road that is closed to cars.

Nondescript entrance by Struy in Strathglass, pop your bike through the gate, then a few miles through a forest and then opens out into a perfect Highland glen with a steep ending up to a dam.

I didn't even know this place existed. I might get the train out to Beauly one day and attempt this route before winter hits.

I really need to try and expand my horizons when it comes to getting out on the bike. I rarely stray further than cycling from the firth to Loch Ness along the canal path. I forget that there are hundreds of miles of empty roads that are accessible via a short train journey from Inverness.

[dorlomin]

22 hours ago, jupe1407 said:

Anyone entering the Etape Loch Ness next April?

I'm slowly getting into cycling now, which started as a useful exercise to build up leg strength following a hillwalking knee injury, but I found I quite enjoyed. As I say, early days yet, I've got a Kona 29er MTB which is fine for tanking about the back roads around Forfar, but will invest in a road bike in a couple of months, and a turbo-trainer over winter. I'm also trying to do 80k a week on spin bikes in the local gym (not exactly a realistic simulation)

So my question is, given the above, how realistic is a 66 miler around Loch Ness. Is it achievable, or do i need a few months longer to train?

In terms of anyone who is planning a big group ride for the first time, the first thing is not to panic and dont get discouraged. Most people can do much further than they expect if they put a minimum amount of effort into training. Just go slow and take breaks. Also it is a lot easier to ride in groups, sitting in a group cuts the energy you have to put into moving forward by about 30% (it varies and you get more out of it the faster you go) so going 60 odd miles with a group or flitting between groups is psychically much easier than doing it on your own and you will likely get a big psychological boost from being with people who will be like you, struggling to achieve something. 

In terms of gym training this will give two big advantages, great for the cardio and that is the *cough* beating heart of endurance cycling. And perhaps more importantly it will help cut down your weight. Weight matters a lot in cycling, especially on up hills and anything that can cut the weight is going to save you effort. 

Its still high summer so a lot of people on thread will still have events lined up so a couple of tips. 

Eating, "carbo-loading"

Quote

Carbohydrate ingestion within 2 hours before aerobic exercise triggers elevated levels of insulin in the blood which may dramatically decrease serum glucose levels. This can limit aerobic performance, especially in events lasting longer than 60 minutes. This is known as transient or reactive hypoglycemia, and can be a limiting factor in elite athletes. Individuals susceptible to hypoglycemia are especially at risk for elevated insulin responses and thus will likely suffer from performance-limiting transient hypoglycemia if they do not follow the correct regimen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate_loading

 

Dont pig out before an event thinking you are carbo-loading. You are going to actually make yourself worse. Dont consume more than your usual calories the night before an event, carbo loading means eating a higher % of your calories as carbs, not 2 13" pizzas. What goes in must come out and you really dont want it knocking on the back door 3 hours into a ride. 

Keep your blood glycogen levels topped up. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen

That means eating little snacks through the event. Start early, dont wait till you are hungry. Something like 200 calories per hour should do it. Glycogen is how you get energy from recently eaten food. So the theory is rather than a mega meal before you start, something light with a load of carbs and small snacks as you keep going. When your body gets depleted of glycogen you "bonk". Most inexperienced people confuse this with hitting some limit on their fitness, its not its just a bad nutrition strategy. At its worst, on the bonk, you are near enough hallucinating and in tunnel vision. But in most its just crippling fatigue. Then when your body has restored its glycogen levels people talk about a "second wind". 

Caffeine works, firstly its a mental stimulant and that helps on a long ride. But it is widely reported as having an effect on the ability of the body to burn fat as energy. It is widely believed by many coaches and nutritionists that this helps turn you body fat into energy. Its not nailed to the walls solid yet, but its pretty widely agreed. Downside its a diuretic, it makes you piss. Balance. But have something with a big caffeine hit for mid event (or two or three). 

 

Take as much and as little of this advice as people want, others will disagree with it and that is their right. 

 

But if your in a group, always take your share of time with your nose into the wind. 

[Gnash]

14 hours ago, Marr1 said:

Was it Redstone Rig? Which was a Cat 2. climb on the Tour of Britain last year

No, it was the Talla wall: https://www.strava.com/segments/4339510.  Only 1.7km, but the first half is brutally steep, with a 13% average.

Edited August 9, 2016 by Gnash

[Benjamin_Nevis]

10 hours ago, dorlomin said:

In terms of anyone who is planning a big group ride for the first time, the first thing is not to panic and dont get discouraged. Most people can do much further than they expect if they put a minimum amount of effort into training. Just go slow and take breaks. Also it is a lot easier to ride in groups, sitting in a group cuts the energy you have to put into moving forward by about 30% (it varies and you get more out of it the faster you go) so going 60 odd miles with a group or flitting between groups is psychically much easier than doing it on your own and you will likely get a big psychological boost from being with people who will be like you, struggling to achieve something. 

In terms of gym training this will give two big advantages, great for the cardio and that is the *cough* beating heart of endurance cycling. And perhaps more importantly it will help cut down your weight. Weight matters a lot in cycling, especially on up hills and anything that can cut the weight is going to save you effort. 

Its still high summer so a lot of people on thread will still have events lined up so a couple of tips. 

Eating, "carbo-loading"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate_loading

 

Dont pig out before an event thinking you are carbo-loading. You are going to actually make yourself worse. Dont consume more than your usual calories the night before an event, carbo loading means eating a higher % of your calories as carbs, not 2 13" pizzas. What goes in must come out and you really dont want it knocking on the back door 3 hours into a ride. 

Keep your blood glycogen levels topped up. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycogen

That means eating little snacks through the event. Start early, dont wait till you are hungry. Something like 200 calories per hour should do it. Glycogen is how you get energy from recently eaten food. So the theory is rather than a mega meal before you start, something light with a load of carbs and small snacks as you keep going. When your body gets depleted of glycogen you "bonk". Most inexperienced people confuse this with hitting some limit on their fitness, its not its just a bad nutrition strategy. At its worst, on the bonk, you are near enough hallucinating and in tunnel vision. But in most its just crippling fatigue. Then when your body has restored its glycogen levels people talk about a "second wind". 

Caffeine works, firstly its a mental stimulant and that helps on a long ride. But it is widely reported as having an effect on the ability of the body to burn fat as energy. It is widely believed by many coaches and nutritionists that this helps turn you body fat into energy. Its not nailed to the walls solid yet, but its pretty widely agreed. Downside its a diuretic, it makes you piss. Balance. But have something with a big caffeine hit for mid event (or two or three). 

 

Take as much and as little of this advice as people want, others will disagree with it and that is their right. 

 

But if your in a group, always take your share of time with your nose into the wind. 

Excellent. Very useful and comprehensive info, cheers

[tarapoa]

On ‎08‎/‎08‎/‎2016 at 23:49, Gnash said:

There's one really tough climb with 20% sections where quite a few people were pushing their bikes.  Other than that there's nothing too challenging, although there is a lot of climbing (1300m).

 

That'll be the road out of Fort Augustus that goes north-east towards Foyers and Dores.

Over 1,000ft climb in 5 miles or so - other than that section, the road round Loch Ness is slightly undulating at worst - but that section alone would be worth the investment in a turbo-trainer to keep things going over the winter months.

 

[statts1976uk]

On 8 August 2016 at 23:19, jupe1407 said:

Anyone entering the Etape Loch Ness next April?

I'm slowly getting into cycling now, which started as a useful exercise to build up leg strength following a hillwalking knee injury, but I found I quite enjoyed. As I say, early days yet, I've got a Kona 29er MTB which is fine for tanking about the back roads around Forfar, but will invest in a road bike in a couple of months, and a turbo-trainer over winter. I'm also trying to do 80k a week on spin bikes in the local gym (not exactly a realistic simulation)

So my question is, given the above, how realistic is a 66 miler around Loch Ness. Is it achievable, or do i need a few months longer to train?

Prepare for the King of the Mountain stage as it can be tough for the uninitiated but completely worth it! The long descend and views are fantastic.

It's a great event and well organised compared to things like the Edinburgh Night Ride. The closed roads and roadside support makes it very enjoyable. Get pre-registered as soon as possible!

[Gnash]

3 minutes ago, tarapoa said:

 

That'll be the road out of Fort Augustus that goes north-east towards Foyers and Dores.

Over 1,000ft climb in 5 miles or so - other than that section, the road round Loch Ness is slightly undulating at worst - but that section alone would be worth the investment in a turbo-trainer to keep things going over the winter months.

 

I'm talking about the Tour o the Borders.  Never done the Loch Ness Etape.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

12 hours ago, statts1976uk said:

Prepare for the King of the Mountain stage as it can be tough for the uninitiated but completely worth it! The long descend and views are fantastic.

It's a great event and well organised compared to things like the Edinburgh Night Ride. The closed roads and roadside support makes it very enjoyable. Get pre-registered as soon as possible!

Already done

I'm (probably stupidly) looking forward to the climb. I've done a lot of hillwalking over the last 3-4 years so I've got fairly strong legs. An autumn/winter of training should hopefully sort me out.

[printer]

Training going OK for the NC500. Rides of 70+ miles the last two weekends and a handful of 20 - 30 milers.

Just hope the wind and rain aren't too bad.

[paisleysaints]

Got my Velodrome accreditation level 1 this weekend couldn't have timed it better with the Olympics track racing has got me really looking forward to it