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Holy cow! I look so fat!!!
Should come down, show us how it's done
😆 I didn't have much luck at it first time round!
.Holy cow! I look so fat!!!
You'll have to swap names with Mr blobby
This picture
is just before Nath's attack!!! 😀
1 lap later 😀
You look less fat at that angle though. And without skinny whippets next to you.
Thanks bro x 😀
I don't normally ride along with one hand on the hoods and one on the drops either- I was mid change I think 😀
This ones a bit less body-shaming 😀
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Lol did you buy that one?
I think it's the proportions, I look fat on this one:
http://www.davehaywardphotos.com/Cycling/Cycling-Circuits-/Imperial-Winter-Series-2101201/i-H5gP8Q3
On a side note I really recommend Torm jerseys, much better than rapha.
52/36 feels good, a lot harder climbing hills on it though with my 12-25, may actually have to use the inner ring now (not for Hillingdon) 😆
Vid is up 🙂 Never realised I sounded so posh!
Nath- I found myself hunting for gears once or twice with 50-11. True I was probably only doing 95rpm but that's fast for me 😉
Yeah the 12-25 is very smooth between gears!
Haha that's a good video, the camera (video in this case) brings the best out in us lol.
What did you think of the build I quickly put together? You use 170mm yeah?
Yes I do but not for any specific reason.
Looked good and would definitely be in budget- thanks for the links.
I will finish the winter series and have a think..... I kind of don't need my CX bike as anything other than a winter trainer but 4 bikes is getting silly....
I don't think there's one picture of you actually in any sort of draft is there 😉
Hmm I did do some drafting...
I think in this pic I was contemplating going for it 😆
http://www.davehaywardphotos.com/Cycling/Cycling-Circuits-/Imperial-Winter-Series-2101201/i-hm5qWrS/A
B'twins hold their value 😉
Yes but I need that for my Zwifting 😉
@crosshair, relax those shoulders and bend the elbows, must be costing yourself 50w of drag in every photo i've seen so far
Very fair point- hence why my Zwift avatar is much faster lol
Nath drafting like a pro:
😀
I don't see himNath drafting like a pro:
<orders widescreen monitor>
In my defence I was working my way up the pack. It's the easiest way haha. If anyone made a move I'd swing back in.
You can tell our mentor was AWOL 😀
Haha if there was pics of my TT off the front you'd all be impressed with how tucked in I was.
At least I now know one thing for certain; the guy who TT'd to victory is an absolute machine!! Or the people at the front weren't massively up for wasting energy chasing that week, this week they were not letting me go (and I've got locker room confirmation - the guy talking to me by the lockers who then went into the changing rooms). So this rules out the TT for victory for me!
Sitting in until the last few laps it is then, I'm not doing it again I promise CH 😆
Maybe you need 1 or 2 to come with you ?
@Weeksy- there's not many that can hang with Nath. That's the problem. To get clear of the bunch you need a kick- Nath hit 1000w. That's going to break most of the field.
He doesn't need people to go with him- if he's going to succeed in a break he needs to bridge to somebody else's and let them think they're in charge.
Trouble is, he's been flashing his Watts all over the circuit now so nobody wants him to get anything for free 😀
Haha which is why I'm in a different jersey next week! The added difficulty is that you need to be a good position to do the bridging - otherwise you just pull the bunch along with you.
It's all too technical so I'm going for the simple sprint finishes 😆
Looks like a beautiful day of racing. Well done to both of you. I was walking in Wales thinking of you all.
Nath you did everything right. Just a shame nobody work with you. CH has now discovered why intervals are the best training. It's survival of the ones who recover fastest. Those burst of effort really hurt and the recovery is what wi get you to the finish in the pack.
Back next week.
Thanks TiRed - was weird without you, almost like stabilisers being removed for the first time haha.
Looking forward to next Saturday already 😆
Wales sounds fun, miss not having proper hills around here to hike...
Yes, odd with no YGA to focus on 😉
Fingers crossed I get a place for next week......
Just a shame nobody work with you.
Nath, I do like to see a break succeed so if I ever make it to one of these I'm happy to put in some work for you 🙂
@MrBlobby- Now that I'd like to see!!!! Give me some warning though 😀
I've entered rd1 of the Tuesday night series. Just trying to highlight my biggest weaknesses to target in the intervening 8 weeks 🙂
Cadence- a couple of weeks of regular speed skills sessions to try and add a few RPM. I'm averaging 82 but need to rely on cadence for increasing power rather than burning matches.
Position- all training other than full on intervals to be done in a better outline- I'm bad at ignoring it on the Turbo.
Top End- some really good quality intervals once or twice a week from 4 weeks out. Some Crit sprints for cornering and some 5/10 min ones for responding to breaks.
Volume- a general increase but with regular R+R weeks.
Stretching- I need to improve my flexibility both for position on the bike and for quicker recovery!
Weight- continue with my small calorie deficit to try and lose a bit more without running myself into the ground or compromising recovery.
Group practice- I need somebody who doesn't live far away and is quite handy on a bike to give me some through and off training. Hmmmm- who can I think of?? 😉
Do all that and get my arse handed to me by the 3/4's instead 😀
Group practice- I need somebody who doesn't live far away and is quite handy on a bike to give me some through and off training. Hmmmm- who can I think of??
Well I'd be happy to help out with that but it is quite hard to plan exactly when I'll be riding. We'll have to try and sort something out.
Thanks @mrblobby but I'm being good now, I'll respond to breaks but I'm looking at sprint finishes only 😆
Sounds good @CH. Good man for not throwing money at it! If there's free weekends at Hillingdon it would be worth getting some time in there - get to know the course like the back of your hand and all that? Like I said to you, The week after IWS finishes I'm going to try and do an FTP around there if it's still free (probably would use the smaller circuit for this so I can pedal the full way around?). The week after I'm not going near a bike other than for commuting.
I need to work on flexibility too - my lower back can't take being in the full aero position for longer than 5-10 mins, need to do some core work. Also practice sprinting while knackered 😆
Are you going to put together a formal 8 week plan then CH?
P.s. Happy to bring some tools too if you'd like to try my bike for a few laps for comparison.
Fond of these too: [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ribble-Black-Full-Carbon-R872-XL-54-5cm-With-Carbon-Forks-/252732030513?hash=item3ad800be31:g:R3gAAOSwux5YTqGW ]Ribble R872[/url]
Group practice- I need somebody who doesn't live far away and is quite handy on a bike to give me some through and off training. Hmmmm- who can I think of??
Disappointed CH oviously wasn't thinking of me 🙁
They say that they are going to alternate the race direction so it would be cool to get some clockwise practice in. That's going to be odd 🙂
Yes- I'll probably fling something together or else I'll struggle to keep properly motivated. You can start racing from the Build 1 phase so I may go right back to Base 1 or 2 in the meantime and do the speed skills workouts, single leg drills etc.
I'll probably keep one or two short Zwift races in the mix each week so as not to lose all my top end (such as it is 😉 )
I may start doing Pilates as they run it at my sons school and it should help with my core strength for keeping those shoulders relaxed and my elbows bent 😉
Exciting stuff!!!!
@Weeksy- you're never off of that bloody Zwift now 😀
@Nath- I would love to try your bike for a spin- thanks 🙂
No worries @CH
I know it's a bit of a trek but Richmond Park has been fundamental in my training. It's relatively safe so one can stick a headphone in, there's plenty of other cyclists to benchmark against, the hill is short and sharp so perfect for sprinting, there's flat bits to practice aero sprints etc etc.
You just have to watch for the occasional idiot in a car who is cutting through the park, deer running in your path and strava weekend warriors who overtake in really lame places...
I know it's a bit of a trek but Richmond Park has been detrimental in my training
Wrong word in there ?
Haha 😳 that'll teach me for walking on icey pavements typing away!
Edited 🙂
Can anyone recommend a good helmet sub £100? It doesn't need to be a crossover type- I'll keep my old one for MTBing so just mainly for Crit racing.
Kask Mojito circa £60: http://www.shopto.net/cycling/top-brands/kask/store
Go aero. Sigmasport doing good deals on a Synthe right now. You can also get Air Attacks pretty cheaply these days.
Doh! Me and my fat head. Sigma only have mediums.
80 quid for a large air attack...
It is white though 😕
That'll be warm in summer?!
[url= http://www.wiggle.co.uk/giro-air-attack-shield-helmet-1/?lang=en&curr=GBP&dest=1&sku=5360787882&kpid=5360787882&utm_source=google&utm_term&utm_campaign=UK_PLA_Accessories&utm_medium=base&utm_content=mkwid%7Cs9lh61gv9_dm%7Cpcrid%7C67090793342%7Cpkw%7C%7Cpmt%7C%7Cprd%7C5360787882uk ]What about this one??[/url]
😯 😯 😯 😯
Robocop !
The visor is thankfully removable 🙂
You'll be looking at skin suits next 😆
The visor is thankfully removable
Maybe so, but he'll still be known as Murphy forever if he gets it !
I like it! Reminds me of my Caberg flip up m/c helmet with built in visor 😀
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😀
So Micky taking aside, is it appropriate or not?
Personally I think it'll be bloody hot under there! I like my mojito, it was great in summer last year. Even if it does cost a few W in the wind tunnel department..
If you've got £100 burning a hole in your pocket some deeper rims may help you more?!
No- it's my birthday soon so thought I'd get somethin I wouldn't normally bother with.
Oh haha.
I hear full length gloves are handy in winter 😆
So Micky taking aside, is it appropriate or not?
I've got an Air Attack (not with a visor!) I like it, it's my day to day helmet. I've never found it too warm, at least not in the UK. Worth a few watts over a vented helmet. And it's not that expensive. TiRed wears one too I believe 😉
Tired wears a Giro with events: http://www.davehaywardphotos.com/Cycling/Cycling-Circuits-/Imperial-Winter-Series-Hilling/i-ffqkf5S/A
I raced an Air Attack for two seasons, well technically I raced two, because I crashed one at the last Winter Series Race through a metal sign, and slammed the second into the road over the bars in a Surrey League Race. Lost consciousness temporarily both times, but no lasting head injuries or even concussion. If you have a Giro-shaped head, they are an excellent helmet and size the same as their other helmets (I'm a medium). Not at all hot in summer, believe it or not. Nicely crash proof, and they are aero, and you do notice the difference head down into the wind. Not as aero as a skin suit, mind.
I haven't replaced the bright yellow one yet. I chose white for kit matching first time around, then yellow for easy spotting in photos 😳 . They are superb, but I'll probably go with a Synth this season, just because a few of our team are now wearing silver/white ones. My head is not Kask shaped.
I don't really feel the cold lol
I normally wear my Sealskinz shooting gloves for Brass Monkeys and endurance rides but 50 adrenaline packed minutes aren't really worth worrying about 😉
Cool, thanks all. I think I'll give it a shot. The Yellow one would match the TFC kit 😀
Not as aero as a skin suit, mind
I don't think STW is quite ready for crosshair in a skinsuit 😛
Zipp wheels @CH? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zipp-Crest-Carbon-Clincher-Wheelset-x/dp/B014UZBRI4/ref=sr_1_2?m=A2OAJ7377F756P&s=warehouse-deals&ie=UTF8&qid=1485181851&sr=1-2
😆
Don't start 😀 Next investment will be a whole new build. Ive just bought a wheel anyway 😉
Yay! In for Saturday now 🙂
Woo see you Saturday then!
You going to go for that build then? Ready for April? 😆
Let's see how the rest of the series goes 😉
CH, was it this guy you were talking to?
I think that's Rupert Graham - the guy who lapped the 4s in the first two races, a legend!
Looks like he upgraded his ride too: http://www.hughesartandphotos.com/Photos/Cycling/Cycling-20162017/IWS-2016-2017/Imperial-Winter-Series-1/IWS-2016-7-1-MenCat4/i-Cq93qT5/A
That guy doesn't look like your typical cat 4 rider!
You won't be cat 4 for long 🙂
Ah yes, of course it was him!! I thought he looked familiar 😀
(I was joking at me looking pro lol)
Quite happy in cat 4s for the IWS! E123 looks scary haha.
If I ever do get to 3s then I know if he can't do it I definitely can't!! 😈
If I do get up to 3s I'm going to add a splash of colour to my bike.. but where? 😆
I doubt it will come as much of a shock to anyone who knows me, but after seeing the recent potential Garmin/Stages/Bkool data, i'm giving this serious consideration for an afternoon out.
Sure, i'm a big lad, as a big lad even on the small hill i'm going to be destroyed by the lightweights...But i'm hoping too that if the power calculations are where they seem to be the on the flat i may just be able to hang a wheel for a lap or 2.... Maybe.... maybe maybe...
I've emailed the race secretary to see what i do or don't need regarding a British Cycling licence, as i don't have one and they're about £40 that i don't really have spare right now after an expensive heating problem at home... but if we can overcome that aspect of things AND when the new Wahoo arrives it shows me in a 45 mins Zwift race that i can put out 300w or more for the total, then what have i actually got to lose by giving it a go? Worst case, i go out, i do 1 lap being able to hang in there on pure power and i get blown out and am never seen at Hillingdon again LOL... at least i'll know... at least i'll have given it a try.
Until this last few days i've been of the logic of "if i can't get anywhere near Crosshairs times on Zwift, then why would it be any different in the real world..." The simple answer is, it wouldn't be... i'd be bombed out the back very quickly.... But if i can see in actual terms when running the Wahoo, i can get closer to him... Then why not.
Last week after E123s CH & jesper got out on the course for a few laps until hunger got the better of them.
But maybe worth bringing your bike down and seeing what you can do a lap in on your own, or even on mine/CH wheel, as a simple benchmark?