Why didn't someone start a new one edition
Tell about how your training is going, races are going, how you're feeling, anything related to the thread title.
>>937649
training to get faster, only one I compete against is myself I guess.
Did 60 miles today, round a 18.5 pace.
Got smoked by a guy on a Specialized 20 miles in, he was going around 22 mph. He drove to the bike trail, no fucks given.
Legs are sore as fuck, gonna ride 2mrw.
>>937649
In the first week of mid Base (I'm behind almost 2 months due to illnesses). This year I'm doing long Tempo rides twice weekly. Already did 60 minutes at Tempo on my road bike Tuesday, today was 60 minutes at Tempon on my TT bike. Not so great a job as on my road bike because I'm still getting used to the aero position on the TT bike again, but I got it done. By the end of this training block I should be at 90 minutes of Tempo twice a week.
Still in winter mtb commuter mode. Got on the road bike twice and had major back pains. I started way earlier last year, but I have final year of university obligations to tend to. Can't wait until everything is over.
>>937691
>>>/autism/
>>>/trains/
???
I had influenza almost three weeks ago and I still feel like my lungs aren't back to full capacity. I had a lot of shit in there. I hit my thresholds much quicker now still. No fast group rides for me because most fast kiddos out there in my city are CAT 3-1 and climb 4,000ft on their lunch breaks.
I'm going to help lead a suhphortheef ride tomorrow with some local club riders and a few new scrublords so that should be fun.
If I start doing intense intervals will that get my lungs back in shape or will it just make it take longer to fully recover?
Just finished my second base training month. Put in 400+ km this week and started hill training. Legs are cooked. Gonna have a week off and then hit it again next month.
>>937694
Don't do intervals right off the bat if you're already straining your lungs. Wait until you feel completely healed and just build up some training volume before you try something really intense.
>>937694
>If I start doing intense intervals will that get my lungs back in shape or will it just make it take longer to fully recover?
If you do that you're running a big risk of having a relapse. Ride easy for a week or two to allow yourself to fully recover.
>>937743
This. I just had a sinus infection but I didn't know it and I made the mistake of riding hard a couple times thinking I was fine. Made my sickness last super long and messed with some of my training.
You guys sound like pussies desu
>>937875
clearly doesn't know how hard this shit is
>>937901
Typically people don't. Chances are that if non-racers see bike racers, they see pros on TV, and pros make it look easy. Couple that with the typical persons' experience with riding a bike, and they would tend to think it's easy. Although in this case I'd say it's at least 75% trolling and 25% ignorance. Here in the U.S., cyclists are generally treated like paraiahs, and anyone who appears to be 'serious' about it, even more so. Sad, really. Almost makes me wish I lived in Europe.
>>937699
>Just finished my second base training month.
Curious: How many days a week were you doing Tempo rides, and what length (in minutes)?
>>937938
You're very right. Though, some regions of the US are pretty good to cyclists. Colorado is good (in some parts, other parts are Alabama tier), Minnesota is very good, SoCal is surprisingly good, NorCal is good I think, central florida might be good.
I'm not sure about other regions, but I'm sure the PNW is generally nice. The deep south is legitimately scary, I would not want to be a cyclist in Louisiana to South Carolina. I'd wager Texas (at least Austin) is bearable.
Anyway, you're right for the most part, definitely about the perspective people have on cycling. It's really a badass sport, it's too bad most Americans won't get that.
>>937954
Having lived in Davis, California for a year, I can say that's a pretty good place overall to be a cyclist.
>>937939
It's hard to get that kind of steady effort in the city. I don't really focus on it specifically, but when I do I usually do a slow warm-up (30-40 minutes) generally just to ride to somewhere where I can ride with no stopping, followed by an hour of tempo riding or as long as I can muster, and then I just dick around until I complete the route.
>>937980
I've found that long Tempo rides are a real game-changer. When I first started racing, I paid a coach, and he'd have me do several Tempo intervals that were relatively short (less than 20 minutes), but when I started using Friel's methods, it changed everything. Once you've proven to yourself that you can do 90 minutes at Tempo, up to 40 minutes at Threshold or several minutes anaerobic seem easy.
>>937901
>>937938
Seriously? Wipe your baby tears.
>>938056
Dude, just leave this thread if you're just gonna be a jerk. This is one of the last pretty civil threads on 4chan and I'd like it to stay that way. Thanks.
how does bicycle racing compare to running? you guys make it sound just as hardcore
>>938181
Let's just say with cycling the limiting factor to how much you can train isn't your joints and bones
Not ragging on running or anything though lol
With both longer distance running and cycling the training is similar but you can push yourself a lot further on cycling in intensity and duration without hurting you body
>>938184
>lot further on cycling in intensity and duration without hurting you body
my /n/igga perfectly said
on my bike I can burn up 2000-4000 calories and come home sore and exhausted not injured. I run on treadmill on occasion, 5K at the most. Its easier on the joints then concrete.
>>938184
>Let's just say with cycling the limiting factor to how much you can train isn't your joints and bones
That's not really true though, you can fuck up your knees especially if you're (pick one or more)
a) Older
b) Have bad technique
c) Have had an injury at some point, possibly but not necessarily caused by (b)
d) Once had a fixie and tried to climb too many hills, and caused (b) leading to (c)
And one only need to look at the so-called "fred tube" to see that once you get old enough, it's no longer limited to just the knees
Now cue 99% of /n/ jumping down my throat and saying b-b-bubububut
Yes, I get it, you're 22 and your cartilage will regenerate. It's ok, you don't have to believe me.
>>938190
>I get it, you're 22
HA HA HA
I'm 18, try again, FOOL.
>>938190
>you can fuck up your knees
bike fit is crucial
when you get older, its better to strengthen your knees riding. Im 32 and my ligaments are fucked from atv and motorcycles. the bicycle helps.
Also in previous post people mentioned bad places to cycle, Chicago has great woods paved trails with light traffic, Lakeshore path is fucked, streets are fucked with gang bangers and assholes.
>>938198
Yeah I kind of consider "fit" as a subset of "technique" but I suppose one could argue about that
>>938181
Lower impact, higher intensity at longer distances.
The two parallel each other (track cycling and track running are very similar, most distance stuff is somewhat similar) but cycling can get a bit crazier IMO. We have cross country, which combines technical skill, leg power and aerobic endurance for an hour and a half (or much longer, like marathon MTB) or we have grand tours and stage races which take up from 3 to 21 days and are (in my opinion) some of the hardest things a human being can do.
While running is similar in that leg power and endurance are needed, in the case of an 80 mile pro/1/2 road race and marathon, I'd say the road race would require more training (especially being able to win, and if it has significant climbing) than the marathon but I could be wrong. It's hard to really know the differences primarily being a cyclist.
Though, runners can pick up cycling fairly easily and vice versa - I think.
>tfw fucked my knees riding a poor self fit for 4 months and getting by with occasional minor knee pain then ignoring proper knee pain on a 100km hills ride. I haven't been able to ride for nearly 2 months. Doctor said nothing is majorly wrong, gave me some anti inflammatory pills and said not to ride. They do feel better, but very slowly.
is this... forever? Is there anything else i can do? Used to do 200-300km a week, most days. This shit is fucking ruining me.
>>938206
>poor self fit
Saddle height is very important.
once I self fit and got dialed in, I marked everything with a razor by notching seat post.
I was very worried about fucking up my knees. I took dozens of measurements and even recorded myself on trainer.
I hope your knees get better anon
>>938206
I was in your shoes about three years ago, it took me 6 months to gradually get back to the point where I could ride as I wanted, and I'm still vulnerable to irritating the tendons on the outside of my knees if I strain them or squat crookedly - but all my knee function is back and all the pain issues have been gone for almost two years now.
>>938218
How did you do it?
>>938190
>a) Older
The whole 'aging' thing is mainly a myth, given that you're willing to keep training and willing to train at the intensity necessary to get to where you want to be.
Also cross-training in the off-season with some weight-bearing exercise, and strength training in the gym, will keep your joints in good working order.
>b) Have bad technique
Easily fixed with regular pedaling-efficiency drills.
>c) Have had an injury at some point, possibly but not necessarily caused by (b)
..well, that's just part of the game sometimes.
>d) Once had a fixie and tried to climb too many hills, and caused (b) leading to (c)
Climbing hills all the time at Threshold or above and really low cadence, especially when you're not used to it? Sure.
>>938198
>bike fit is crucial
Concur.
>when you get older, its better to strengthen your knees riding. Im 32
That's why it's important to spend some weeks in the gym in the off-season.
Lots of guys think that they can just climb hills and it's good enough, but I'm a big proponent of spending time in the gym during the off-season.
>>938181
>how does bicycle racing compare to running? you guys make it sound just as hardcore
It's both harder and easier at the same time.
You're using your entire body more when running, and it's a fully weight-bearing activity, so it's tough on your body.
With cycling however you can go longer. How many runners do you know who regularly run 4-5 hours on one of the 7 days a week they run?
>>938218
>6 months
That's around what I was guessing. Fuckkkkk.
PSA everyone go and get a pro fit and don't take cycling for granted
1 month in and I need to work on everything.
Gave up on riding last year because I did landscaping. So far I am up to ~50 miles/week riding on the 2 nice days a week we have right now.
Goals
>ride 2000-2500 miles this season
>do a few metric centuries
>ride in this event: http://www.dannychew.com/dd.html#anchor003
>justify spending some money on gear to ride when it is cold and dry out over the winter.
>>938206
>is this... forever?
Listen, guy.. and no bullshit from the rest of you, OK? I'm outing myself here..
I'm over 50.
>inb4 elder abuse, OK? I'm trying to help this guy out.
I'm in my 8th year of racing. I once was over 300lbs and ruined the cartlege in my knees. Had to have surgery on one, the other fixed itself over time. I have ZERO knee problems now, and can crank away at low cadence on hills with NO problems.
Here's what you do:
o Get a proper bike fit from someone who knows what they're doing.
o In the off-season, do a strength training program in the gym specific for cycling (see Cyclists Training Bible or Base Building for Cyclists for this). I'd actually recommend avoiding freebar squats if they give you ANY problems at all.
In the meantime:
o Until the initial injury(s) have healed, ride EASY on the flat, emphasizing good pedaling technique. NO mashing! Work towards 90-100rpm being natural and easy, nice smooth circles. If there are ANY signs of discomfort, BACK OFF. Don't feel guilty about taking days off if you need them. NO HILLS!
(NOTE: You may not be ready for anything serious until NEXT season. Don't stress about it though)
o Walking is good for you, if you can do it without any pain. Moving is better than not moving.
Note that I'm being VERY conservative here. Better to be conservative than to delay healing or re-injure something.
>>938225
>tfw I'm already almost at 1900 miles
keep pushing buddy, You can squeeze more miles in than you think.
>>938230
I did 7980 miles last year. Sounds like a lot, but you build up your capacity (for suffering!) over time.
you haven't injured your tendons in your knee much
all these fucking retards
OWWWEEE MY KNEEE I HAD 2 spend 200 dollars for some 'expert' to move my saddle 2mm to the rear and IT WAS WORTH IT
its inflexible hamstrings.
thats it. its not bike fit. its not cleat float. its not some stupid meme fix.
stretch your hamstrings. and glutes. 2x a day for 2 weeks.
I guarantee you will be able to ride as much as you want, with your seat in a very general location after that.
no stupid exact saddle placement
no stupid exact cleat placement
just stretch, its free. and it will fix your knee problems.
>>938282
>mister know-it-all
If you're training to race then your bike being adjusted correctly isn't a rediculous thing to do -- even if you get a buddy to help you and use instructions from the internet to do it yourself for free. It's not a 'meme fix', it's 'being smart' instead of getting a repetitive motion injury.
Stretching to improve range of motion? Yes. But it's just not smart to ignore how the bike is set up for you, either. This isn't something open for debate, it's proven, conventional wisdom, and it works.
>>938198
can you even own a bicycle in chicago without being violently murdered?
>>937988
Yea, this is my first year training with Friel's plan. It's just base 2 right now so no intense sessions for me. I had a chat with my "coach" today (literally a LBS owner who used to race cat1 and tells me stories) and I think I'm going to try 3x20min threshold intervals on the trainer. Literally a pain cave but it's the best training apparently. And on the trainer so that I can completely dig myself a grave without having to worry about traffic.
>>938227
>>938206
Listen to the extremely old man on his deathbed.. also depending on what the knee injury is just get surgery lol
CHange doctors.Did 12.5 months of PT, saw a doctor to ask about surgery, he was a dick and said I was doing my PT wrong and recommendd 5 months of PT with his PT. I walked out, changed docs and got surgery. Now only 4 months after the last surgery I'm able to ride as much as I could possibly want
>>938282
nikolasv pls go
Raced my hometown crit two weekends ago, it poured and I crashed in the rain. Got to the wheel pit, was put back in the chase group incorrectly. Got back to lead group, and caught in another crash after about 15 minutes. Eventually pulled due to safety. 50+ rider start, less than 20 finished. Major bummer, crits aren't really my thing but I was hoping to do well in my own city. Raced the next day with lots of road rash, couldn't respond well to attacks and found myself floating mid pack even while expending lots of energy. Come to find out my rear hub had a bent axle and was causing me to have to work even harder to keep the pace up. Bummer, but lessons learned! State time trial is this Sunday and I feel really good about it.
whats more aero -- tight gloves or no gloves? I tore my shoe covers in the crash but have some pretty snug giro water resistant covers -- think those are more aero than no covers? thnx internet
>>938190
>a) Older
>b) Have bad technique
>c) Have had an injury at some point, possibly but not necessarily caused by (b)
yep, none of those would ever effect a runner, just cyclists
I don't think you do get it, as much as you want to proclaim that you do
>>938519
what part of that post made you think it's anti-running? it's not like you have to choose one or the other you fucking sperg
>>938524
>someone says cycling is easier on your joints
>you point out that it can still injure you if you do it wrong, or are already injured
you could say that shit about anything
>treading isn't safer than cycling if you
a)are old
b)cant swim
c)have had an injury at some point that makes you cramp up and sink for no reason
wow what a good argument
>>938528
you seem really defensive about something
the other guy (maybe >You) said the limiting factor isn't your joints
I pointed out that this isn't correct
many other posters gave advice on how to avoid joint trouble, confirming that it is a real issue
you got fanny flustered and ranted that runners get injuries too
except no one suggested otherwise
so, what's actually bugging you, anon?
>>938541
>you make broad statement about injuries that affect cyclists, runners, tennis players, basketball players, really anyone who does anything
>I call you out on it
>"wow you're so defensive, whats really bugging you?"
Think of any sport that you wont be worse at if your'e old, have shit technique, or have an injury that gets aggravated by a core element of the sport you thought of.
You cant, so why mention that those things like its specific to cycling and/or running?
its like people comparing being a hair stylist to a tattoo artist and someone mentions that artistic ability is a big limiting factor in being a tattoo artist, but not being a hair stylist, so you chime in with "thats not really true, if you had no hands you couldn't be a good hair stylist"
no shit, you couldn't be a good tattoo artist either.
alright enough with this silly arguing
Since my first power test I increased my threshold by 4 watts AND over 30 min instead of 20 min. Really stoked tbqh. The test wasn't that long ago.
>>938542
so you're a failed tattoo artist? sorry I guess
the point (that everyone got except you) is that many cyclists are in fact limited by joint problems. just because the mileage is higher than running doesn't change that fact. the post I replied to was in turn responding to a post asking about differences between running and cycling. there are differences; being hobbled by knee problems, or lack thereof, isn't one of the differences that would come to mind for anyone who has done a lot of both.
you're trying to start a fight over nothing, i suggest you go for a ride and clear your head
>>937649
I don't train anymore like i used to. I find it hard to train on your own in such a place where there are so many bad drivers, and don't respect you.
I live in Miami.
I was thinking of joining a group ride, but even then i don't think ill be that "safe". I'll try it out, just to see how it goes.
>>938313
>It's just base 2 right now so no intense sessions for me.
>I'm going to try 3x20min threshold intervals on the trainer.
Wait, what? If you're in mid-Base you shouldn't be doing Threshold work yet. You're going to end up shorting yourself on basic endurance that way.
>>938545
bro, nice bro.
>>938613
seriously. 3x20 is pretty intense threshold too, I've only done 3x10 so far this season. >>938313
>>938220
>Easily fixed with regular pedaling-efficiency drills.
Nice meme
>>938850
'Pedaling efficiency drills are a meme', is a meme.
Any book on cycling trainign recommends them. Cycling coaches recommend them. Everyone from rank amateurs to pro riders do them in one form or another.
>>938695
I'm sticking with Friel because I've had the best improvements and the best results overall by doing that.
>>939007
That's fine, but you said it was your first time trying it - just be careful with it!
>>939102
That was me, not him. There's another Friel follower ITT.
I know 3x20 is mega intensity. I'll probably try 4x12 or something first and work up to it, both in terms of length and power. Still, I'm coming up to base 3 and getting antsy to do some real cycling. It was also specified that it has to be at least 300 watts the whole time if I ever want to get past cat 3.
>if you dont go faster you dont get faster
>>939106
whats the difference between 3x20@90-100 and 1x60@90-100
>>939163
3x20 you take breaks between the 20s.
1x60 would be a 1h time trial. Extremely difficult to focus that hard for that long.
>>938542
it's actually more like if someone says having no hands doesn't limit you from being a hairstylist like it limits you from being a tattoo artist, and then anon chimes in with "thats not really true, if you had no hands you couldn't be a good hair stylist".
>>939106
I feel you. Gotta get in the pain cave. 3x20 is just kinda scary ha, considering 3x10 at around 310W for each was pretty painful for me
>>939231
310W sounds like a numbered circle of hell. I'm going to try your 3x10 at that power when I pick up my trainer later this week, and if I live then I'll report back.
First road race/crit this weekends lads. I'm coming from cat 1 mtb.
pray for me
>>939415
If you're racing cat 4/5, just don't let anyone crash into you and that'll be enough.
>>939424
2bh this is what I'm afraid of. I don't want some tard crashing into me because he thinks halfwheeling is the cool thing to do. It'll be collegiate C so basically 4/5.
>>939415
In crit races, the main things are to remain at the front of the pack, not necessarily at the very front, but at the front where you won't get fucked over by a crash in front of you or get fucked by the accordion effect if you stayed at the back. The second thing to watch out for is taking corners at high speeds.
>>939429
mostly this
take the inside line in corners when possible, not because it may be the fastest, but because riders tend to fall outward when their tires slip or take a corner wrong.
What the fuck is wrong with USA Cycling? One of our local riders was pro as fuck masters in Germany and they put him in CAT 5 down here in CA.
I was helping one of our local clubs run a Crit and I watched this dude lap the field 1.5 times. When he came around he didn't even sit behind anyone. He just kept going like a boss.
Will USA Cycling double upgrade you if you start raping that hard?
>>939428
protect your front wheel, don't blame your wheel rub on the guy in fronht of your swerving or braking.
Also if someone crashes into you, just lean back on them. if u rub a wheel, just dont panic. as a good mtber you should be fine with a little bit of jostling
Basically always be moving up in the pack.dont worry about wasting some energy, crits are supposed to be hard
>>939445
>What the fuck is wrong with USA Cycling?
You have much to learn, son
>>939445
Lapping cat 5s or even 4s doesn't show that you're a good rider. If they upgrade a ridiculously fit guy and he happens to suck at riding in packs, when he is in a cat 2 or 1 field, where they won't just let him ride away, he could cause serious crashes
>>939519
There was a guy in the Collegiate A field at one of the first crits of the year here in Colorado that lapped the field. The A field. Like, 1/2 level. It was crazy
I'm looking into getting into racing this summer, obviously starting out at Cat 5... what are some things that I should avoid as a Cat5 racer and what are some tips and tricks to use in my first upcoming races? I'm already a pretty decent roadie (so I'd like to think so I can put some decent power down).
Cheers
>>939696
Ride smoothly, safely, and therefore predictably. Staying upright and don't be the retard who can't hold a smooth line on the straights or the turns
avoid sitting in the wind. It is easy to avoid on group rides, but you have to be a bit more aware of it in a race because the field isn't as organized or willing to just sit on one persons wheel the entire time. It is also easy to get caught sitting off to the side when the field is just "cruising" during a short lull, but you are still spending small amounts of extra energy by not getting fully in the draft
If your fitness is good and you rode efficiently throughout the race, you may be feeling energetic and strong when the race is startivto wrap up. If you have a really fast sprint, you may try that, but there is also a good amount to be learned about attacking a bit before it gets to a sprint if you think you can make it so you don't get caught.
for most riders though, especially for the first races, you may be so drained from just keeping up with the field, you don't have what it takes to sprint for the line, so focus on holding on to the front group during the surge in speed at the end
For those of you who have TT bikes:
What is your cadence when in the aero position?
Is it a different cadence range than when on your road bike?
>>939790
Last time I did a 40km TT I averaged like 110rpm. Much higher than I do during a road race or group ride..
I was on a road bike but I imagine I'd do the same on a TT bike. Anyway, I'd say you should average a good5-10% faster rpm during a TT than regular hard riding. Most of it is just pacing though
>>939415
Last weekend at a 4/5 RR there was a pro mtb racing as a 5 who dropped the field on the first climb and stayed away the whole race. Main group was 2 minutes behind, I think you'll be alright.
>>939231
Just did a 900m climb doing 20 minute intervals. Averaged 293W the first interval, 285W the second. Woulda done a third one but I ran out of hill. Next time I'll descend a bit in-between efforts so I can get a full 3x20 in.
Still, ouch!
>>939816
Interesting. On a regular road bike, my cadence has evolved to normally be 90-95rpm. On the TT bike, it's not as comfortable in that range, it wants to be lower. Any insight as to why that might be?
Of course I'm also finding everything to be more difficult on the TT bike. I can easily do 90 minutes at Tempo @ 70-75rpm, and 40 minutes at Threshold @ 70-75rpm, but it's more difficult on the TT bike, I tend to fatigue quicker and drop below zone more often, leading to an overall lower average power. TT bike fit, maybe?
>>939959
Yeah, probably just not used to the position, I know early in the year after a winter of barely riding I want to do 80rpm all the time as well.
When stalking some of my teammates power on their TT bikes it seems to be up to 30 watts lower than their regular ftp
Did a "semi-structured" 90 min ride today with a buncha 1:30 efforts with a lot left after each one. Also finally broke 1500 watts, looking like I'm coming in hot to 1600 .. Pumped for my first race in like 15 months on the 16th.
>>940134
mirin watts
>>940170
>wat?
>>940134
That sounds like bad data. 1500 watts even for short bursts put you up there with the pros...
For someone who doesn't have a strict training regime, it sounds a bit wrong.
>>940267
haha well it is on strava. pro sprinters will hit over 2000 watts. even 150 pound cavendish says he hits 1500 lol. also my ftp is not 400 watts like pros. so no. it wouldnt put me right up there with them.lol
>>940267
Peak is not sustained or even 5s. I could see a big guy doing 1500w peak for you.
>>940290
yeah, i did 1500 average for 3 seconds, average for 5 was only like 1200, on a good day I hit 1350 for 5. Which is still pretty shit, seeing as im 170lbs
well lads, I'm hooked on the old road racing
Crit was a ton of fun, established the break and 3 of us duked it out til the end (we were really really far ahead)
RR was stupid but would have been fun. Chumps grabbing brakes on a false flat and got rammed, bending my derailleur and pushing my pads out of alignment so my rear brake was basically on for the rest of the race. Didn't notice because I was too deep trying to pass people and catch back up. But the winning break went as I was chasing and that was that. I wondered why I was LOSING time on the downhills and not going up very fast, then I saw my brake after the race....... I'm gonna need a new pad
In any case, fun
>>940134
>1500 watts
For clarity's sake, please express power in watts per kilogram (W/kg), wattage by itself really doesn't tell anyone anything.
>>940387
1500 W / 170 lbs (77 kg) = 19.5 W/kg
That's 3s power, though. 1350W for 5s gives ya 17.5W/kg. Make no mistake, that's Cat 1 power.
>>940412 here
Just to be clear I'm not that guy.
>>940413
>>940412
Yeah may seem good on paper, but in real life my sprint isn't really going to win me a sprint finish, I just got enough to get a jump up a short incline.
Probably going to lose a fair bit of my watts on my sprint because I wanna drop down to 70kg or a little lower before nationals in late june
Any of you race in the RMCCC? Can anyone give me the lowdown on the "boulder roubaix"? I know it's a circuit race with dirt and tarmac but not much else. And that it's rolling
>>940515
Which nationals?
If that's too un-anonymous I'm just curious if USA or non-USA.
>>940589
USA, it be in Louisville Kentucky I think. I'm doing both the crit and the road race I think. Not 100% sure on how the categories work for nationals, but I'll be racing in a junior league probably. Racing age is 18 so I'm fucked with 50x14 max gear until my racing age is 19 lol
What do you all eat before hard training rides (like fast group rides) that ISN'T breakfast? I can't always ride right after breakfast (which would be optimal). I usually eat some peanut butter sandwiches and an apple but that made me cramp REALLY BAD last time I went on a super hard ride after eating that and now I'm scared to try again.
>>940657
Just try it again, pussy. You were probably having an off day. Peanut butter sandwiches are rank pretty low on the digestion difficulty scale.
>>938160
GIT GUD AND IT WON'T BE A PROBLEM LITTLE BOY
>>938181
As someone who used to do mid distance running, I'd say it's both harder and easier.
Cycling is easier on your joints and your anaerobic capacity but at the same time, it requires more technique and higher lactate tolerance as you are going to be at threshold level for much longer periods of time.
>>938204
>While running is similar in that leg power and endurance are needed, in the case of an 80 mile pro/1/2 road race and marathon, I'd say the road race would require more training (especially being able to win, and if it has significant climbing) than the marathon but I could be wrong. It's hard to really know the differences primarily being a cyclist.
The marathon is probably harder to train for because of the toll on the entire body. A lot more weight training is needed for the runner and training the aerobic power is much easier on a bicycle than running. However, cyclists do have to think a lot more than a runner, especially if they want to win.
>Though, runners can pick up cycling fairly easily and vice versa - I think.
It's probably much easier for a runner to pick up cycling than vice versa due to the muscles involved for both. However, cycling did make me a much better runner by increasing my anaerobic threshold much higher than it was.
>>940657
>What do you all eat before hard training rides
literally food.
>>940657
Whatever you eat, eat it at least one hour before you start riding. And prefer easily digestible food, like bananas. Also coffee.
Well guys, I foresee riding in the rain over the next 10 days or so, seeing as the weather website shows rain 6/10 days...with a temp average of like 45F. ANYYWAYY... how the fuck do I avoid destroying my bottom bracket again? Is the only thing I can do take it apart and re-grease the bearings? I would do that shit myself, but I have literally no tools to do that shit. Is it even necessary? I mean my other bike lasted 25,000 miles before that shit caught up to me...
.....HELP :(
>>940793
>Is it even necessary?
No. Bottom brackets are sealed like all other bearings on your bike.
>>940793
Is your bb cup and cone?
>>940794
>>940795
I dunno what my bottom bracket type is or whatever, the frame is basically the same as my madone 5.2 was. On that after riding in the rain the bearings got all crunchy and bottom bracket was loose as fuck, I would take it to the shop after I noticed this and have them replace them (which was like once a month).
The guys at the bike shop said I ruined my frame because I didn't replace them frequently enough though ... I got my first frame right here and the bottom bracket place doesn't seem like it was 'ground away' by seized bearings like they described it but I have no idea what it's supposed to be like in the first place
>>940796
Any bb in a Madone shouldn't be ruined by rain, you should get it replaced with a different brand.
You might also want to look in to replacing your bike shop.
>>940796
>'ground away' by seized bearings
More like damage from someone not being able to handle a press and forcing the bearings in at an angle. That's also how you damage the bearings so they fill up with grit within a months use.
Find another mechanic.
>>940801
You're starting to see the light, anon.
Self-sufficiency is pretty nice.
>>940803
Anywhere I can find a list of tools I'll need to buy? I'm good at working on mechanical shit and following guides but I have no idea what tools I'll need kek
>>940806
You need to know exacty what type of bottom bracket you have first. There are tons incompatible pressfit standards. Exact model and model year of bike will help. Might not be the same as purchase year.
Pictures also help.
>>940815
This be the frame
http://www.trekbicyclesuperstore.com/product/trek-madone-4-series-frameset-13055.htm
I've got a ultegra 6700 crankset
>>940822
BB90 then. See bottom of http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/bottom-bracket-service-bb90-bb86-bb92-gxp-press-fit
You can get suitable tools from any of the big bike mailorder firms. Probably even Amazon. ParkTool is good, but expensive. My Cyclus press cost me about 35€ I believe.
I bet the clowns tried to punch out the bearing cups like you do on most systems, but on TREKTREKTREKTREKTREK frames they're molded in the frame.
>>940825
sweet.. shit actually seems simple as fuck now
>>938443
not sure about aero, but I'm willing to bet the added comfort from wearing the gloves is more than worth the miniscule aero penalty. If you don't need them don't wear them.
On the schedule tonight: ~45 minute warmup followed by 90 minutes at Tempo. Should be 'fun'.
>>940913
Indoor or outdoor?
Fast and hard group ride tonight lads. felt great
>>940966
>Indoor or outdoor?
What, are you joking? The only thing the trainer gets used for is warmups at race venues where there's literally nowhere to warm up otherwise.
32 miles in 90 minutes.
>>941012
no need to be rube t.bh
some people still are on the trainer in April, it was a valid question. And who rides a 45 minute warmup outside for 90 min tempo anyway? just seemed like a trainer ride
>>941110
*rude
>>941012
>>941110
>doing a warmup at all
fuck that shit bro.
crit I am finna do got rescheduled to the 23rd instead of 16th. Guess that's an extra week to prepare... Probably need it since I'm going to race the 3/4 and 1-2-3 and have only been back to riding for about 70 days after my 16+ month recovery stint
>>941121
If you don't warm up first then you're not riding as hard as you could be. You're tiring yourself out before you get warmed up. You're also more likely to injure yourself.
Cycling to the race is the only acceptable warm up.
Half dirt half paved circuit race this weekend lads
>>941150
>only attending local races
>>941201
>doing a multi-day stage race thousands of miles from home
feels SO good familia
>>941110
Why would you assume I'm being rude? I just don't care for stationary trainers and aren't going to mince words about it on a Mongolian sheep herders' wool-shearing forum.
>some people still are on the trainer in April
Move to California where the weather isn't shit 9 months out of the year, then.
>And who rides a 45 minute warmup outside for 90 min tempo anyway?
Who rides a 45 minute warmup for a 45 minute crit? Smart people, that's who.
To be honest, 20 minutes of that 45 is riding to where I *do* my warmup process, and the last 5 is riding *from* that area to where I start my main set. So it's only really 20 minutes.
>>941121
>>941150
Found the people who don't actually train.
Here's my third ride using a power meter -- first two rides I essentially did 2 x 20-minute intervals. This time I did my hardest 20-minute power yet, but when I started my second effort I fizzled for a few minutes before calling it quits. Anybody want to tell me what I should have done?
>>942050
You'd have to post your training log for the last few months, and what your training schedule is, to have any clue at all, but offhand I'd say that you're just not ready for whatever it was you were trying to do. How are you even determining what your training zones are?
>>942073
>training zones
Yea, have not done this yet.
I'm pretty much just going as hard as I can go evenly for 20 minutes straight. Is it really necessary to do a 30 minute time trial to determine FTP? I feel like 20 minute power should tell me enough.
For context, I'm in late base period training in a 4-week cycle.
>>942084
A power meter is basically useless unless you know what at least your Threshold power range is.
You can use the Chris Carmichael field power test to determine your training zones: http://trainright.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/trainrightguidedescriptions.pdf
For use with most power analysis software you'll have to split the difference on the percentages for the training zone calculations, so there aren't any overlaps or gaps between one zone and the next.
What you've been doing is essentially a 20-minute all-out time trial, so I'm not at all surprised that you couldn't turn around a few minutes later and do it again.
>in late base
I'm going to assume that you've been using heart rate all this time because the power meter hasn't been telling you anything useful.
If I were you, I'd finish the current training block, and at the end of your Recovery week (Saturday or Sunday, that is) do the field power test I linked you to. Re-test again at the end of Recovery week of every other training block.
>>942091
Thanks for the link, I'll take a look at it. Base periods are soooo long and I just want to smash. I'm pretty new to structured training though so I have much to learn.
>>942105
>Base periods are soooo long and I just want to smash.
Tell me about it. I'm 2 months behind due to illness (pneumonia), and are just finishing Base 2. For that and various other reasons I'm *not* racing tomorrow morning.
Don't hurry through Base blocks, or start doing fast group rides or hard intervals sooner than you're supposed to, you'll pay for it later when you blow up during a road race because you don't have a big enough aerobic base. What you want is to be able to go at Threshold for 40 to 45 minutes and have it be do-able, if tough. Trying to rush things won't get you there.
>tfw going to finish off 5 days hard with hill repeats tomorrow
>probably going to be raining at 44F
just kill me now
>>942282
That's not that bad. You'll get to crush it in the rain like a badass and not have to worry about getting heat exhaustion. I'd take hill intervals in 44F rain any day over hot and sunny
>>942291
Yeah I'm just bein a bitch. Guess the real test of me being a bitch is if I'll average 310-330 watts up all 5 reps like I should, though
>>942315
how long is each rep senpai
>>942349
Only abut 5-6min, 330 should be pretty doable for that long... The hard part about it is keepin the power up on the 2 short downhills and short bit where it levels off to like 3% for a hot minute
>>942350
That's good practice for cadence work. Holding those watts on the a descent might suck but if they're short you can just sprint them.
My team swept the podium *nearly
Today, I've been with them for two months and I stayed on longer than I ever have today
Does anyone else just love shooting up heroin after a hard ride?
Essentially took a 4 year break from cycling when I went to uni.
Started again 4 weeks ago.
So far 301km.
Gradually increasing distance each week. Riding 3 or 4 days a week with rest days.
And I'm back spending money on the bike to get it running nicely. New tyres first, new cassette and chain to come.
Upgrades are next when I feel I 'deserve' them.
>>941150
My best result in a RR was because I had to bust my ass to get to the starting line. Took a wrong turn from the carpark and ended up 20 mins away. I managed to get to the line just as my group was lining up. 100k later and I was in the sprint finish.
>I don't normally warm up. Ever.
Guys... does anyone here who rides track have any tips on how to sprint at 140+ rpm while standing? I got dem dere junior gear restriction for the next year(even though I have done only 1 junior race in my life). Getting from 34-40mph is hard as shit to (with any kind of jump) do because 34mph=125 rpm and 40=150rpm with these retarded arse gears. Guessin it's just a matter of actually training my sprint :(
Raced a really fun crit course with a cobble climb. Missed the break that went on the first lap, chased all day but didn't come close. Got 2nd in the group sprint and 6th overall.
Next day, fun road race with finish line at the bottom of a descent (48mph across the line) Because of lower numbers, my cat (3) was combined with the p/1/2 and we had a field of about 45 total. Was my first time racing with the 1/2's outside of some U23 racing last year. Was really smooth and fast, made me a lot more comfortable about eventually moving up. I stayed at the front, making moves to close gaps and went off with a few breaks that didn't stick. One group of 7 managed to get away with about 3 miles to go and then the blocking started. One guy from my cat made that break, and I got 3rd in the group sprint. Ended up 12th overall (1/2/3 combined) which is pretty cool I guess. Got $25 payout and then rode around eating cold pizza and talking about bike stuff.
now I get to leave my bike at home and go to China for a week, r.i.p. fitness
>>942903
Why don't you sit? And yes it's all training. Focus on pedal smoothness and roundness if you want to have a fast cadence.
>>942927
I need get a jump on them if I want to win the sprint.. most of my breaks in 2014 were from seated surges away from the field, but I dunno if I can get the kind of power needed to win a field sprint seated, spinning like a speed demon.. Guess we will cross the sprint-finish bridge when we get to it
>get flat
>no biggie just change the tube
>get everything ready for inflating new tube
>the 60 mm valve is only threaded halfway
>thread ends inside the rim
>can't properly fill with CO because tube isn't held in place by anything
WHAT THE FUCK SPECIALIZED?
>>942988
Cont.
>phone is dead
>no one on the road, can't ask for help
>no businesses or houses nearby
>decide my only choice is to ride home
>tire and tube on over my carbon wheels for some protection
>cruising home at 5mph
>notice the tire has slipped off
>stop and put it back on at least 5 times
>give up
>still 25 miles from home
>1/2 mile without putting tire back on the rim
>carbon starts to flake off
>fuck me
>>942988
You pinch the tyre+rim between index and thumb to hold the valve firm when attaching the pump?
I only ever use the nuts on tubeless valves, and my latex tubes don't even have threads at all.
>>942988
>riding super deep aero rims tootin around
>>942995
You're incapable of carrying a bike?
>>942988
Just push on the valve from its other end, i.e. the outside of the tyre. I can't really feel sorry for you if you can't figure this out.
>>942737
>I don't normally warm up. Ever.
Oh, you warmed up, just in the worst way possible. Don't be stupid, EVERYBODY warms up in some way or another. You warm up longer and more intensely for a crit than you do a RR because nobody goes hard off the line in a RR (usually). I somehow am thinking you're inexperienced.
>>942903
I don't ride track or have a track bike (I'd like to TRY track, though, I think I'm more built for it), but it seems obvious to me you need to do some speedwork to raise your pedaling efficiency, so you can spin at 150rpm in a sprint without fighting yourself. I'm thinking hard how you do that on a track bike though? On rollers, maybe? Can you put a smaller chainring and a larger cog on the bike for some of your training rides, so you can ride around spinning at >100rpm for extended periods and still stay in Zones 1 and 2? I dunno, I'm grasping at straws here, but it's obvious to me that if you want to raise your cadence you need to do speedwork. Can you ride a geared bike 1-2 days a week so you can do endurance spinning (maintain road speed, but in a lower gear so your cadence goes up)? That's pretty effective at improving your pedal stroke..
>>943109
As someone who rides both track and road I have to say that doing cadence work with a freehub is not going to work. You have to do cadence work fixed.
That said, I think there's some merit to doing form sprints, i.e. practising your sprints at below max power and focusing on your form. Then gradually increase the effort level until you're doing full-on sprints. (The key word: gradually.) If you do those and also do spin-up drills you'll absolutely improve.
>>942903
Have you considered shorter cranks?
>>943109
>>943119
yo..I don't actually ride track, the reason I asked for a track rider specifically was cause I think they'd be best at spinning ultra fast. I have actually quite good cadence for endurance purposes, like being able to do 100rpm for 1+ hours straight, it's just that because of the gear restriction I have I will not be able to just click down a gear in a sprint and maintain 105rpm at 37mph.. and I honestly don't see myself seated sprinting past even greatly inferior sprinters who can just grab another gear and power by me.
I can hit high watts at 140rpm, but only for a couple seconds and not at the end of a tough effort (read: not blown up 68 minutes into a crit)
>>943120
Would that make a diff? I'm on 172.5mm, either way that is pretty much out of the question because i am a lifeloser beta with no job
>>943122
Shorter cranks should help with cadence if your problem is cadence as it has a much smaller deadzone and the shorter travel distance should help with your standing cadence too as your legs spin in a much smaller circle, making you bob up and down less.
It's something to keep in mind when you have the money to experiment.
>>943125
Well I only got this racing season left before I can slap on a cassette with a 11 or 12 on there and just keep my rpm nailed at 93.22222 constantly. Having a 50-14 shits all over me in many situations other than sprinting.. like spinning 110rpm while completely blown up, not to complain or anything but yeayh....
Probably my best bet to go off the front with a teammate and not let it get to a sprint, even if I had no gear restriction lol
>>942903
Ultegra 165 mm cranks 36-52 chainring with ultegra 14-28 cassette
You can get both for less than $200
>>943131
I recommend ultegra because my 105 cranks flex like a bitch and rub on the fd
>>943133
Yeah, no, unless you've actually ridden Ultegra on the same frame.
lads, I love me some road but I'm looking forward to burying myself for an hour and a half on the mountain bike
>>943166
I did the same thing a couple days ago. It's good to change it up. Mentally refreshing, improves handling, and works more muscles.
>>943133
post pix of your thighs brah, wanna see some inspiration
>>943133
Current generation 105 is stiff as fuck. I can't see how this could be an issue.
>>943133
I doubt that's true m8, either your fd limit screws need adjusting or your chainrings are out of true.
Possibly both.
>>943196
I started racing MTB first and still identify as primarily a mountain biker even though my hours on the mountain bike this year compared to the road are infinitesimal - maybe 6-7 hours on the mtb tops so far compared to 120ish on the road.
When school's over it'll be primarily MTB though. Really looking forward to it.
About to go on this double, going to do a pre-loop of a bunch ride route and then do the bunch ride and ride home, should get me to 130 miles for the day.. or something around there, either way I'm gonna tell them I haven't ridden in the past 2 weeks when I show up.
Home sick from work today. Daily reminder that hard training is tough on your immune system. Wash your hands and stop picking your damn nose if you don't want to have to take a break.
>>943369
>having a nose
shiggy diggy bro
>>943106
It was that obvious? Haha.
Yeah, I started riding a bike in Sept 2014 and did my first race in June 2015. I was 39 y/o and 200 pounds at 5'7".
I used to play professional soccer and retired in 2005 at 150 pounds. Last time I rode a bike I was 8.
Anyway, needed something to do to lose weight and get back into a shape that wasn't round.
My competitive spirit got the best of me and I decided to try racing. Did 4 races in 2014 and finished last or close to last in all of them.2 crits and 2 road races.
2015 I did 11 races and manged to finish in a couple of sprint finishes and decided to go ahead and Cat up to 4 for 2016.
3 road races into the year and i've finished 65 / 67, 41 / 54 and 33 / 67.
I have a TT this weekend.
I "warm up", but probably nothing close to what I should be doing.
>>943448
What weight are you down to now?
>>943462
I was down to 170 at the end of last season (Aug).
I gained 10 back over the winter...and kinda stuck at 180 right now.
>>943464
Nice. One of my training buddies is around your weight (I'm 135). Love drafting off him downhill, lol. Keep training (especially long rides) and it'll melt like butter.
>>943466
Ha!
Yeah, downhill is my friend. Gravity loves me.
And, thanks! I'm hoping to hit 160 by the end of Aug. I eat like shit, and I think if I actually got that in check, it would be easy to do.
>>942050
That cadence while climbing is too low to be efficient for anyone, if you were in your lightest gear during that climb you might want to get some larger sprockets. if you were not in your lightest gear, why on earth would you not shift down.
Should I be following a vegan diet as a cyclist? I mean, what kind of cyclist thinks that way psychologically, not eating a freaking carnivore? Eating vegan powder and shit all day?? Will it make me faster to eat that stupid tofu shit and almonds and shit? Help guys.
Video related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCiDR38w_0s
Anyone bake their own food here?
I make granola bars but they are not compact enough, especially for rides over 4 hours. I have to make them flat or else it won't cook/hold together which makes them really difficult to take with me. I ain't buying $2 gels for training rides. What do? Get a top tube bag? My rides are in the prairies, so stores are scarce.
Tldr: i need ideas for a dense fuel source
>>943645
Increase the sugar content. Granola is not a calorie dense food. For an energy bay, it is only for texture.
>>943645
Invest in a bottle of medium chained triglycerides and put a little in your bottle every time you ride.
They are much more energy dense than carbs and can be processed very quickly if you are low on energy.
>>943648
>not just filling your bottles with heavy whipping cream
>>943645
Get the skratch labs cookbook or the skratch labs portables cookbook. Both have great recipes for portables that are calorie dense and tasty.
My favorite is the rice cakes with brown sugar, scrambled eggs, bacon and soy sauce. they stay together really well and taste godly on rides.
>>943651
It would work if whipped cream is comprised of medium chained fats as they can go into the mitochondria for energy without the need for carnintine transport, making them must faster to metabolize. You still need water though.
>>943647
I thought the broteins from nuts would help and the fibre from oats for the poops.
>>943648
Not sure what that is, but its oil? I only have a couple grams of oil in my bars but you mentioned drinking it? Can't imagine it being pleasant
>>943663
I tried making it once and it was a disaster, I'll try again. I always thought oats were superior to rice in terms of calories but googling it tells me im wrong.
>>943676
>Not sure what that is, but its oil? I only have a couple grams of oil in my bars but you mentioned drinking it? Can't imagine it being pleasant
It is indeed oil. You are supposed to mix a small amount (about 1tsp) into a bottle. The idea is that it is much easier and much faster to metabolize because it doesn't need carnitine to be transported to be metabolized. This would be able to save you some precious glycogen during cycling. Alternatively, I've seen people use MCT powder as the source of fat when baking which would probably also work.
>>943543
I've always had a slow cadence, especially on hills. Believe it or not that's an improvement from a couple years ago when I was around 60 rpm on hills. It feels quite natural and smooth to me.
>>943645
I usually have a full fat pepsi/coke/redbull in one bottle, and mix 1/2 pepsi 1/2 water in the other and just take 1 or 2 of the cheapest candy/powerbars you find at the store in my jersey. good for 75-100 miles if I can fill my bottles somewhere along the way (and maybe pick up some more energy drink but not always gonna happen)
>>943676
>I tried making it once and it was a disaster, I'll try again. I always thought oats were superior to rice in terms of calories but googling it tells me im wrong.
Nah, rice is great. Let them really cool and solidify overnight and you'll be golden.
>>943676
>I thought the broteins from nuts would help and the fibre from oats for the poops.
But neither of those give you energy. Those are for recovery and general health.
>>943786
Is it pokemon donuts with weird filling or is it mochi with weird filling?
>>943788
Your body does use proteins as a source of energy though, especially when energy demands are high like during exercise.
>>943795
News to me. Where can I read more about this?
>>943795
Not really, no.
>>943812
paleocowpies.com
>>943624
Eating meat is not going to assure that your body has all the nutrition it needs for fuel and recovery.
I'm doing 15 hour weeks now on mostly oats, bananas, nuts, a shitload of avocados, rice, different types of pastas, etc. The only meat I eat is fish that I fry the fuck out of in coconut oil. I take a single B12 supplement a week and use BCAA supplements during long rides and as a recovery supplement. I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life and am working my way out of CAT 3 currently.
I cut most meat out of my diet and I actually feel like I have more energy throughout the day, feel more hydrated, and have less digestive problems.
Stay away from soy or you will turn into a beta nu-male pajama boy faggot and will start to think about wearing dresses. I cut most sources of xenoestrogen completely out of my diet.
If you are worried that eating vegan is expensive you probably don't know how to cook basic meals and are most likely mentally retarded.
If you think that you wont get enough protein or iron you probably have no idea what type of nutrition you need as someone who wants peak performance during race season and have no idea how to use supplements properly.
Not enough amino acids will slowly fuck you over time and will make recovery much slower. If you are training hard on a vegan diet, you will need to supplement protein or just don't be a fag and eat fish.
>>943795
Bruh...
Sugars
Fats
then Proteins
>>943817
DroppedOnTheFirstClimb.com
: ^ )
This WHOLE thread makes me giggle like a little girl bros.
>>938223
or just learn how to do your own bike fit.
>>943790
neither, don't be a faggot and just make them
...aaaaaaand I'm getting a head cold. That wants to crawl down into my chest. Again. At the end of a recovery week, no less. Fuck my life, just fuck my life sideways with a rusty chainsaw.
>>938206
>>938198
bike fits are a meme
learn to stretch
99.99% of knee pain is tight hamstrings, glutes, or IT band
you are not that retarded that you can't figure out how to move your saddle 2mm to the rear and pay some guy who knows less than what works than you do (its your body) for 200 bucks
stretch 2x a day for two weeks
your knee pain will be gone.
ive been eating nothing but whipped cream (with no sugar) for the past 4 days
I went out on a ride and bonked like I have never bonked before after 17 miles
I thought I was going to die in the last mile
close to passing out
I'm producing a retarded amount of mitochondria now
it'll be worth it
>>944662
Been riding since 2007
Right knee
>knee cap floats around a bit
>burning sensation in my upper calf
>feels stiff
>weather makes it act up
>started having issues in 2011
Left knee
>
I need to get the right one looked at.
>>944666
that's not how it works you dunce
you should have taken more carnitine so your mitochondria can use the whipped cream as energy
>>944662
>bike fits are a meme
Here's a tip for you: You can get used to almost anything, even if it's bad, if you don't know any better. You might not get injured, but you may not be as comfortable as you could be, which affects your endurance, and you might be wasting energy, which definitely affects endurance and performance. Oh, and if you have a TT bike? You'd better have it fitted right unless you like to do poorly in the ITT, because at the top end of your ability to perform is where you'll see problems in your bike fit.
Can you do your own bike fitting? Sure, I've done it, but there are some gymnastics you end up doing because you can't be on the bike and have your eyes where you need them at the same time, and unless you're experienced in bike fitting, you won't do as good a job as someone who has been doing it for years. You'll get the basics down, but probably not the fine-tuning. Mistakes can cost you.
>>944662
Nope
Bike fits are borderline true voodoo
Get a physiotherapist to do it, shit's so cash
My physio took pressure off my choad I didn't even realize was there
It never, never works the way you expect it to work.
Don't try to do it yourself. the price of making the wrong change can be months of injury.
>>944730
>Bike fits are borderline true voodoo
I know a lot of people swear by them... but the guy I went to was recommended by like 15 local people I talked to, and all he did was set up cameras and talk shit about my knees being slightly valgus, raised my handlebars, fucked with my shifter orientation and added wedges in my shoes which moved my foot angle by 1/10th MM. It did nothing but makeme uncomfortable. and he said "If you are really riding as much as you claim to be, you should stop. It is pointless and does nothing for fitness," basically he was an asshole. Anyway, if u have had an injury for more than a few months, go to a PT. If it doesn't get significantly better in a month or so of doing the PT shit a lot, get surgery lol Most surgeries have a recovery time of a few months unless it's a severe tear in a tendon or ligament, and even then it's only about 5-6 months.
>>944749
Was your guy's name Dimitri
>>944749
Not all fitters are equal, and not all fitters specialize in the same kinds of clients. Some are more preoccupied with comfort, some try to go for aero or power. Some are just doing voodoo bullshit which is still better than most people trying to fit themselves, but not good.
>>944730
physiotherapists are mostly memes for sport injuries
they will do the same thing, they'll come up with a bunch of stretches and 'medical movements' that anyone could come up with
what happens when your body changes in a couple months? are you going to go and plop down another 200 dollars to have some guy at a bike shop move your saddle another 2mm?
bike fits are a cash cow for bike shops in this down economy, they are complete bullshit
99% of fit problems are caused by an inflexibility issue, you should not have to have precise locations of your saddle, bars, cleats, etc.
If you have good flexibility, these things can be in a very general vicinity with no problem and it opens up ways to setting your saddle to improve power or lower your bars for more aerodynamics rather than place them according to if you're in pain or not
stretch
don't waste 200 dollars on a bullshit fit
>>944793
If you're tall, get big frame
If you're small, get small frame
Change stem as needed for desired racing position
>>944701
the only stuff I can find with that is that its taken in conjunction with high carbohydrates to lower glycogen use.
I'm eating nothing but fat, no carbs (to more or less try and do the same thing...kinda).
The study I read with carnitine to support that it lowers glycogen use was a piece of crap.
The study was a group performing at 50% of VO2Max for 50 minutes, 50% of VO2Max is your low Z2. After 24 weeks of training, the group showed less use of glycogen.
24 fucking weeks of base training...of course you're going to be using less glycogen at that effort after spending half a year doing base.
Smells like a meme.
>>944793
>medical practice is a meme
Calling everything a meme is a meme. A fucking awful meme imo.
A physio did my bike fit. Not some hack at a bike shop.
"Good enough" is good enough for casual cyclists but not if you're trying to win races and go on 5+ hour training rides.
Gtfo /brt/
>>944793
>it didn't work for me so it couldn't possibly work for anyone else
>my personal experience trumps anything anyone can say and you'll never change my mind
That's what you sound like. You're giving the worst of the worst advice: Ignore conventional wisdom based on the opinion of some random dude on the Internet who no one will ever meet therefore you'll never be accountable for your bad advice steering someone totally wrong.
Look: Just because YOU had some physiological problem that caused YOU to have problems riding your bike and YOU didn't get any of them solved by a bike fit, then YOU did some stretching for a while and/or saw a physical therapist and then YOU saw an improvement in your problems, means NOTHING other than how it affected YOU and isn't necessarily going to apply to anyone else.
>>944842
Hear, hear!
If we had a moderation system on 4chan, I'd say 'mod this comment up', 100% on the money.
>Captcha: Select all BICYCLES.
lads, I raced today
>>944922
And? What was the result?
>>944842
congrats on wasting a couple hundred dollars and now having to justify your stupidity
>>944941
Since you're just another random shmuck on the Internet posting on 4chan, and therefore have zero credibility for anything you say, post your official race results for the past 12 month to back up how pointless bike fitting is. You'll also have to show some proof that they're your race results and not someone else's, so post a pic of your 2016 USAC license with timestamp.
..oh, you don't want to dox yourself on 4chan? Then STFU. Having your bike fitted properly to you is part of Race Training 101 and everyone but you, apparently, knows that. So you can either 'put up' or 'shut up'. Either way, argument over.
What should I know about buying heart rate monitors? I am new to road biking, converting from commuting, and have never seriously trained before.
What type of riding in the sense of miles and intensity should I be doing the day before a 20K Time Trial?
>>944922
I also raced today, it sucked but at least I wasn't the kid who took a nap on the road because my $5000 bike didn't carry me to victory (or even finish)
>>944971
Get one that's Ant+ compatible so it'll work with your Ant+ handlebar computer, and get a handlebar computer that will work with a power meter (like PowerTap, or Quarq, or similar) in case you decide to get really serious about training later on. Alternately get one that's Bluetooth compatible so it'll work with your smartphone.
Avoid any that are just some random cheap wireless type that only works with the wristwatch/bike computer they sell with it.
>>945012
Nothing, really; if you aren't ready by then, then you screwed up your training. At most you'd do a 1 hour recovery spin followed by a set of stretches.
When is your TT, and what does your training schedule look like for that week?
>>945015
The TT is tomorrow, the week has been filled with a lot of V02 stuff and intervals...ranging from easy to stupid hard. I'm obviously a beginner, and my FTP is only 245 w/kg...some of the stuff I did this past week was pushing me to 2x10's at 400 w/kg.
My legs feel good right now...but, just wondering what the fuck I should be doing before tomorrow.
>>945017
You've actually maybe done a little too much, but there's nothing to be done about that now, so don't stress about it. Just rest today. Sometime between now and when you go to bed, do something low-intensity to warm your muscles up (even soaking in a tub is good) and do a full set of stretches. Don't eat too much for dinner tonight, you don't need to carb load for a 12 mile TT, just eat normal. Get yourself to bed at a decent hour, plan on getting up in plenty of time to have a decent breakfast (nothing that's going to slow you down, though) and have it well on the way to digesting before you'll have to start your warmup at the venue. Whatever you do, don't eat or drink anything you haven't eaten or drank on the morning of a race or TT before. Plan on getting to the venue about 2 hours before your start time so you won't have to hurry to do anything to get ready. Do your normal warmup. Plan things so you don't find yourself hurrying to the lineup to start. When you start, don't go too hard too quickly (common mistake). Ramp yourself up over the first few minutes. Once you're at the halfway point, start opening up the throttle, but don't go anaerobic. When you're in the last couple hundred meters, go ahead and go wide-open throttle and burn through whatever you've got left in the tank. Best of luck to you! Let us know how you place.
>>945019
Great stuff! Thanks. And, yeah...i'll let you know how it goes!
>>945017
So new in fact you clearly have no idea what a watt per kg is.
Take your wattage, divide by your weight.
>>944800
The rate limiting step of fatty acid oxidation is the transport of the fatty acids into the mitochondria. Increasing carnitine increases the rate of transport into the mitochondria. Which is why MCTs are suggested for endurance athletes; they can diffuse across the mitochondrial membranes without needing carnitine to shuttle them across.
>>945044
Haha. Yeah, I don't know why I used w/kg when I meant just watts. I'm an idiot.
>>944941
Actually, I have a job with benefits. It was free to me. Stay NEET, compadre.
>>945014
Inb4 underage b&
>>942050
>>942073
I still haven't set my FTP the "proper" way, but I think I nailed it this time.
But, being able to do 3 sets of 20, and struggling a bit at the end, I think I've hit my sweet spot. I'll test my numbers for real after I finish this base period.
>Course: 7.9% avg grade
>1st set: 279W, 4.55 W/kg, 73rpm
>2nd set: 278W, 4.54 W/kg, 70rpm
>3rd set: 284W, 4.63 W/kg, 72rpm
>>945098
>Not noticing the 3 18 year olds
Faggot
>>945107
Doing 17-18 Jr. road nationals bro?
p.s. follow me on strava please it is my life
>>945101
u climbin the pyramids of giza m8
>>944923
It went well tbqh. Group of ten of us finally broke on the final climb after a race of general homogeneity - no breaks that lasted over a minute. Finished in that 10. Cat 3
>>945101
Nice numbers lad
>>945118
That's the way it always works in the lower categories, especially if not too much teamwork is going on. Did you time your sprint correctly?
>>945111
Arg
I wish. Let's say I'm close to the bottom
>>945125
It was my first real road race and it finished on a pretty long climb. it had two identical curves and the second was the "finishing" curve. I attacked on the first forgetting there was a second so I burned too many matches.
>>945101
Well, if you can sustain that for that many intervals then it's probably your FTP or close enough, yeah.
>~4.5W/kg at FTP
That's competitive. If your racing skills are good you'll do well enough.
Wish I was 135lbs. ;-)
>>945176
>tfw im at 4.25w/kg instead of 5.2w/kg because i still got 22lbs to lose from the 16 months of no riding
Anyone else do races basically just for a decent training ride? Its hard to find any good training groups in NYC that arent a bunch of dork riding 10k bikes at 15mph. Drives me nuts that all the good cyclists in the city seem to be lone wolfs.
>>945034
Drove 45 mins to the venue. Made sure I was there an hour early to pick up my packet, etc.
Got my numbers pinned on, and started getting changed...LEFT MY MOTHER FUCKING SHOES AT HOME!
There was no way to get home and back before my start time. So, that was a complete waste of a day.
I have a routine where I place all my shit for the next day on my table. Helmet, kit, nutrition etc. Usually shoes go up there too. Not sure why I didn't put them there last night...and, at 8am, on autopilot, I wasn't even thinking...just took everything on the table and left.
Goddamnit.
>>945237
Sometimes. Especially on a route/area I haven't been before. It's nice to have a closed road to ride.
>>945240
>oh, shit
Hard lesson learned.
What I do, is I have a 'Race-day checklist'. I'll go through it the night before and stage everything that I can stage by the door, then go over it a couple times the next morning before heading out the door, to be sure I didn't forget anything vital (like shoes). It's easy to forget things when your head is already at at the race venue.
You could have asked around if anyone had a spare pair of shoes; probably no one did, but you never know.
>>945237
Your 'B' and 'C'-priority races definitely count as training. Really, though, any race counts in a way as training, you should always be trying to learn to race better.
