[Closed] So I want to try road racing + build a bike specifically for this

Ok- I'm in. So you and Nath? Sounds like a lovely relaxed affair 😀

Sounds like Nath may well be in the 3's by then!

I'm just coming along for a bit of fun 🙂

I'm just coming along to be your super domestique 🙂

How kind!!! 😀

I'm sure we could come up with a plan CH 🙂

Sounds expensive 😀 Can I still pay you with game out of the freezer? 😉

Mrs B is a vegan, I'm sure she'd be delighted to find some game in our freezer 😉

Team STW on the 4th then.

Still need to figure out my timetable for getting up & there on Saturday (also pump up the car tyres, check for oil and water etc - it's been a while since I used it 😆 )

I'll still be the in 4s don't worry Myblobby 🙂

Two quick questions about Abingdon:
- Is there changing facilities/toilets?
- Is there somewhere the missus can go off for a run?

Yes Nath, simple but adequate changing facilities and a whole airfield to run around 🙂

Ah I see MrBlobby! Well cash it is then, get me first place and I'll give you my prize money 😀

It seemed silly not to take the Triban so I've swapped the PM and back wheel over and just given it a wash 🙂

I'm excited about starting my training plan tomorrow.
I wrote it using the MTB Training Bible so I thought I would cross reference against the original version which I have as an ebook.
I had noticed that the way I had dipped into Base 2 to begin, I seemed to have rather a lot of Speed Skills sessions.
Now, this isn't a bad thing anyway- economy and technique are just as important as outright fitness but less rewarding and obvious to train I guess.

Luckily, the more road biased original version has a good diagram illustrating which elements are important as decided by discipline.

This is the one for Short Criteriums
[img] [/img]

And luckily, it seems these Speed drills are the most important of all!

Fluke 🙂

Oo speed drills!
Is that just sprinting?

No not just...
All the stuff I'm doing tomorrow- High Cadence drills, cornering practice, group riding skills and form sprints (i.e. practicing technique without going full gas because it's 'Base' time 😉 )

As well as single leg drills which I'll do on Friday and full on sprints which come later in the schedule 🙂

Joe Friel on Twitter this weekend-
Poor technique means wasted energy and an increased risk of injury. Base period is a good time to refine your skills.

He must have read my mind 🙂

Haha be interesting to have a single leg race.

It's wet!! I've just cleaned the bikes 🙁

Think it's now generally accepted that single leg drills are not beneficial.

Can't see any point in single leg drills...specificity is key and I can count the number of races where I've single leg pedaled one one...erm...foot!

Similarly I don't really see the benefit of high cadence drills. Incorporating surges into regularly rides seems more beneficial. Doesn't really matter what cadence is if you can surge quickly.

Then again, 85 is high cadence for me, so maybe it's all relative!

Ironically, in 2014 when I trained for the Gorrick spring series, I couldn't get my left cleat clipped in at the start. I was actually in the lead for about 50y with my right leg only 😀 I guess you could argue that clipping-in drills would have been better though 😉

As for high cadence drills- it's an important ingredient for sprinting, bridging and generally putting the hurt on without looking like you're trying. As well as arguably being a better use of your power.
My cadence is generally low 80's average with around 125/130 max. If I can add 5rpm to my average and have an extra 10rpm up my sleeve for sprinting then that seems good to me?

Even if I don't add that much to my figures- working on form and technique is something I wouldn't normally do- so should be beneficial regardless.

(It's also why I'm making the effort to go to Hillingdon for the session- so that the drills are more specific than blindly sat spinning on the Turbo 😉 )

I'm bringing a torque wrench & some spacers later 😆

Still up for trying my bike @CH?

Setting off from work at 3, it's 25 mins to home. A quick change of clothes & bike and another 25 mins to Hillingdon. I should be there just after 4pm.

Yes sounds good.
I'm leaving home at 14:00 now Weeksy isn't coming and will be nicely warmed up by the time you arrive 🙂

He's bailed!?

Yeah sorry Nath. Can't make it after all, that was why i trained/rode last night instead of taking the night off.

It was my aero positioning really wasn't it, too much for you to handle 😆

Is it wrong I've been researching gold chains & decals? 😈

I need a job asap, my wish list is getting longer and longer...

That was good fun, cheers @CH!

2nd: https://www.strava.com/segments/12163312?filter=overall
Happy with that considering the wind!

I like my new position, no back or knee ache yay! Still tempted to try a 120mm stem though 😆

Cheers Nath! Good clean fun 🙂

Funny that the Triban was more slammed than the super mega aero race bike 😉

Not funny that yours accelerates like a cat on a hot tin roof though 🙁

Well done on your segment! You were very speedy 😀

...very speedy indeed!

😆 nice vid - Quite happy with 2nd given the wind.

It's your bars slopping down towards the levers, like I said last night it's like they're designed to get you into and keep you in the drops. I had to work a lot harder to keep up with you on your bike, the gears are smoother than mine though 😆 .

Even switching from the commuter which currently weighs around 9.85kg with full mudguards (1kg less without) there's a noticeable difference between bikes, in the acceleration department. Still can't wait to take the mudguards off!!

I'll do some structured training stuff next time, the temptation to do TT laps of the 1k circuit is too much sometimes though 🙂

2nd overall is bloody awesome mate. You gapped him by a crazy amount i have to say.... It can't be long until you're thrown up into the next Cat now .... Will be interesting to see how that goes for sure.

I'm hoping CH sticks with the slow bike though 🙂

I'm not entirely sure I want to go play with the 3s yet 😆 If TiRed is struggling to get into the top 10s I've got no chance! I'm just a little fearful that I'll lose the competitiveness and dare I say it arrogance that I can carry off in the 4s haha.

Well CH has tried mine now so we'll have to watch this space. Can't say I could have built a better crit machine for 1.5x the money I put into mine though? [url= http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=113717 ]Don't just take my word for it though lol[/url]

@CH, what camera are you using to record and overlay data? Is it a Garmin Virb?

Fifeandy... 😉

[img] [/img]

Which model of Virb is that? I like the way it can give you the power data as well as the GPS driver stuff so might ask SWMBO for one for my upcoming birthday.

Fifeandy...

Doh 😳

Didn't watch it yet, video consumption tends to draw the attention of the IT police

It's not that great a movie.... it's just CH trying to stay with Nath and being blown away...

Same as his video from chasing me on the flat the other day 😉

Saving it for the real race 😉

It's an old style VIRB elite. About £115 I think.

You can use the software to do the same with any camera + Garmin data I think.....

You can use the software to do the same with any camera + Garmin data I think.....

Oh right, didn't realise it was post processed. I just assumed the Virb picked up an ANT+ feed or something like that and the video came off with the data on it. I guess maybe it does for sync'ing the data.

No sorry- I mean, it does have Ant+ and it does capture its own data BUT you can use the software with 3rd party cameras and a Garmin data set to achieve the same effect.

weeksy - Member
It's not that great a movie.... it's just CH trying to stay with Nath and being blown away...

Same as his video from chasing me on the flat the other day

Helped me determine I've got my saddle at the right height! 🙂

I thought CH was right on my tail to be honest lol. Going to have another go at it next Tuesday night - less wind should help!

Going to join @weeksy? 🙂

Going to join @weeksy?

NOt sure what day my boys football stuff is yet... I've just found out we have a tournament tonight to attend... i'm not very good at this planning lark.

Fair enough.

I'm not in the racing mindset this week, seems ages away until we're lining up on the start line at Abingdon!

Back on Zwift tonight (sweet spot) and tomorrow night (Z2), resting Friday.

Similar to me. 1hr tempo tonight and 2hrs Z2 on Thursday. Then speed drills on Friday.

Speed drills on Friday - bit risky??

Not want to save those legs.

Just rewatched that video. Christ 730W and I was pulling away. Must be the 15mm drop of my handlebars aeroi'ing me 😆

Nah- I'm not meant to be racing this early so I have to train through. Saturday is only a "C" race 🙂

Does that mean you're not going to try? 😆

No, it means I have the perfect excuse regardless of the result 🙂

"Could have hung with the bunch, but I'm training-through this week"
"Could have sprinted harder but I'm training-through this week"
"Could have bridged to that move if I wasn't training-through"
"We'd have probably lapped the field twice if I wasn't training-through"
"I let Nath have more points as after all, I'm training through"
Etc etc 😀

Haha CH's big book of excusss chapter 1...

Gents - Should I swap my GP4000s for 4seasons for a little more puncture protection at Abingdon?

Just swapped from Open Paves to GP 4 Seasons. Not as supple nor as fast, but a nice tyre. Will try latex tubes to try and improve the feel and reduce rolling resistance.

I'd certainly have no hesitation racing them, but have not ridded GP4000's. My first foray into Continental tyres, having run Schwalbe and Vittoria for a long time.

And nathb, that 1km route isn't a real one 😉 Declan is a second cat I race against all the time. That was Kingston Wheelers race training day after the cut through had opened.

Haha TiRed what that video doesn't show is how windy it was on the main straight! 🙂

I've been racing on GP4000s but due to the issues at Hillingdon I've taken the 4seasons off the commuter for Saturday.

@CH on my wheels both 25mm tyres:
GP4000s = 27mm
4seasons = 26mm

Uh oh! A segment war has started 😆
The smart money says TiRed will have the second spot if not the KOM by the end of next week 😀

Nath- have you considered lowering your pressure to avoid punctures too?

I had a nice crisp 60min Tempo session. Bang in the upper-middle of Z3 HR and Power.
I used the Sub3.0 group ride which was absolutely perfect for the job!

No war, I've already declared victory on the STW leaderboard 8)

What are you new to cycling or something CH, that word must never be spelt correctly or uttered, particularly before a race!?

I thought you increased psi to avoid them though?

I thought it was like a balloon- far easier to pierce when highly inflated than otherwise......

Google can probably provide definitive answers either way 😆

BC website-
An under-inflated tyre will be far more prone to pinch flats and thorn punctures but an over-inflated tyre is more likely to be damaged by sharp flints as it won’t deform around them.

Mrs Nath should bring a clipboard and pen and do a survey of anybody leaving the race with a problem that shall no longer be named and ask them what PSI they started with 😀

(I'll let you suggest it to her 😉 )

Yeah I can't repeat her answer to that 😆

I'll drop psi to 80/90 instead of 90/100?

I've put an idea out there- I now accept zero responsibility for the outcome of it and offer precisely NO more specific details 😀

In a nutshell-
You run 80/90 and get no p****s = I told you so 🙂
You run 90/100 and get a p**** = I told you so 🙂
You run 90/100 and don't = fluke!
You run 80/90 and DO = wrong tyre selection 😆

I see what you did there 😆

Your Zwift bike has a longer stem 😆 You had a great position on there..... 😉

Whilst we're on the subject of bike set up, need to put the race bike back together and got a most important decision to make...

Black or camo? 🙂

[img] ?1[/img]

Head says black, heart says camo 🙂

ooo that camo would look good on my bike!

It'll be going on my TCR, I think it might look ok...

[img] [/img]

I think it'll look awesome. Really nice bike by the way (just stating the obvious).

And there's me thinking you've been pedalling to post all these super fast Strava times 😆

Another tick for Cammo here 🙂

CH, no pedals and cranks just makes it so much more aero 🙂

Rawka, thanks, it's a few years old but does the job. I think the black and white camo would suit and surely make me faster.

I'll drop psi to 80/90 instead of 90/100?

85/95 psi. Simple.

I'd run it 5 lower than normal as the runway is bumpy with expansion joints.

Faster for sure and nobody will see your stealth attacks coming 😉

Just need a stealthy black skinsuit 🙂

85/95 psi. Simple.

At around 70kg I'd do the same. Bit more if sure smooth. Bit less if rough.

At around 70kg...

Not something I'll ever have to consider! 😛

It's not the smoothness I'm dropping the psi for, it's the flints 😆

85/95 it is then 🙂

@mrblobby - camo tape!

Good luck for tomorrow gents.... Keep me posted on the results.

Yes, best of luck tomorrow to all those racing. Looking forwards to joining in for a bit of fun next weekend.

And camo it is 🙂

Thanks guys! Weeksy coming to the final round to make a full team STW?

You'll have to remind me CH, what's the date for that one ? Also entry website etc please.

I've got an XC race with Southern XC series on i think the 12th March... but other than that i've got a kids party thing on the 4th... That's it though...

The final round is on the 4th. 9am.

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/157126/OTRT-Winter-Crit-Series---Round-4

Anyone thinking of doing the next series of races at Hillingdon or the ones coming up in spring at Castle Coombe or Thruxton?

CH & I (TiRed every other) are doing the Tuesday evening races starting from 11/04

There's also one on 22/04/17

https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/events/details/154659/Westerley-Spring-Crits

I could be tempted to try a couple of Thruxton rounds as they can be Cat4 only..... Possibly alternate?

I might come and watch one of the Hillingdon ones. I go home from Hillingdon most days, but have never been to the bike circuit!

Gray, get signed up and come give the Aeroad a good thrashing 🙂

There's also one on 22/04/17

Tempting but same day as Farnborough & Camberly CC 25.

Do it!

I've not booked any of the Tuesday nights ones yet as I'm not sure what job I'll have yet 😆