Sorry for 3 weeks of silence, the Vuelta has started too, and i have made no comment as yet...
So my excuse for radio (and all other comms) silence? - Holiday!
Had a great 2 weeks in France, and although the Cayo came along, only managed 100 miles or so for the duration, which makes August perversely the lowest mileage month for the year so far - checking the report card - could do better! Just completed 6 x approx 17mile loops, but did improve from 55mins down to just over 52 over the 6 attempts - 3 x clockwise and 3 x anticlockwise (2 of which saw Simon and myself racing blind goinf in opposite directions - great fun!)
Cayo had its first taste of commuting today, based on the settled forecast for this week, may repeat the experience a few more times? Certainly slower with a bag on the back, but still very responsive - loving riding it - need a big ride...see below.
Club ride this weekend (first time out with NABC for nearly a year) and maybe even an attempt at circumnavigating Norfolk in a day too before end of month?
Cav wins but then loses, and Team Sky smitten by mystery bug - its all happening at the Vuelta!
Silly Season continues, Schlecks continue to build team, but what about spartacus? Garmin-Cervelo will be a team for 2011 - hmm Hushovd and Farrar in the same team? - Watch this space.
More next time
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Once, twice, three times a Focus!
3rd ride yesterday - I know that all good things come to an end but 3 rides and 3 levels of marked improvement, can't be bad can they? - see update to personal bests below
Personal Bests for 2010 (update):
One hour 20.43 miles (was 20.34miles)
10 miles 26m:08s (No Change)
20 km 35m:14s (was 35m:20s)
50 km 1h:32m:37s (No Change)
50 miles 2h:37m:42s (No Change)
100 km 3h:22m:06s (No Change)
Ergo sum just need a real ride out to make inroads into the other PB's
Personal Bests for 2010 (update):
One hour 20.43 miles (was 20.34miles)
10 miles 26m:08s (No Change)
20 km 35m:14s (was 35m:20s)
50 km 1h:32m:37s (No Change)
50 miles 2h:37m:42s (No Change)
100 km 3h:22m:06s (No Change)
Ergo sum just need a real ride out to make inroads into the other PB's
Monday, 9 August 2010
Update - August Week 1
Zoom!
Loving the Carbon Fibre in action! - Had 2nd go out on my new Focus - just an out and back ride to Aylsham, 17.72 miles in 53m34s - 19.9mph ave. Out in 28.5mins, back in 25 - flying literally! Still need to adjust position, handlebars seem ok now, but saddle is next for twiddling treatment.
The stats this week:
Mileage 198, for the week smashing through the 6000 mile barrier, totalling 6175 for the year.
Weight around 11st 3 or 4 and Wii fit age still sub 30.
Frantically collecting the last remnants of sponsorship in - looking like hitting £2200 all told so a good effort by the Roaring Forties.
Still awaiting Bontrager bottle Cages for new bike, on backorder with reseller, won a mini pump on eBay and am still in the market for a wedge saddle bag and some aero bars.
Off on holiday a week today, taking the bike so hoping to get some decent early morning rides in - report to follow...
In other news Mark Renshaw wins a race, plus Dan Martin takes the Tour of Poland, Levi and Lance sign uo for Leadville 100
Loving the Carbon Fibre in action! - Had 2nd go out on my new Focus - just an out and back ride to Aylsham, 17.72 miles in 53m34s - 19.9mph ave. Out in 28.5mins, back in 25 - flying literally! Still need to adjust position, handlebars seem ok now, but saddle is next for twiddling treatment.
The stats this week:
Mileage 198, for the week smashing through the 6000 mile barrier, totalling 6175 for the year.
Weight around 11st 3 or 4 and Wii fit age still sub 30.
Frantically collecting the last remnants of sponsorship in - looking like hitting £2200 all told so a good effort by the Roaring Forties.
Still awaiting Bontrager bottle Cages for new bike, on backorder with reseller, won a mini pump on eBay and am still in the market for a wedge saddle bag and some aero bars.
Off on holiday a week today, taking the bike so hoping to get some decent early morning rides in - report to follow...
In other news Mark Renshaw wins a race, plus Dan Martin takes the Tour of Poland, Levi and Lance sign uo for Leadville 100
Friday, 6 August 2010
First Ride Report
Technically the 3rd ride, but as the first two were brief spins around the block, not sure they count!
So with the threat of rain nullified, and the wind speed lessening, and without the usual rucksack on back (for commuting), at a little after 7.30pm yesterday evening I set off for my inaugural ride on the Cayo.
First impressions were good - nice and smooth, faintest of clicks as gears are changed, nice whirr of wheels/tyres on tarmac, loving the freewheeling souind of the Fulcrum's too. Still undecided about the ride position - seem too upright for the hoods, but very comfortable on teh drops, although this is a new position for my brain / body to adjust too - plenty of time though...
My cunning plan was to follow 3/4's of my route to work, thereby giving me an indication of how the Cayo matches against the Trek. This I duly did, comfort on uneven road surfaces was markedly better, as was straightline average speed, climbing (well pointing bike slightly uphill) felt better, and the bike was more responsive to changes of speed too. As intimated above I spent the majority of the time on the drops and also on the large chainwheel.
Stas were 19miles in just under 1hr 1min - 18.7mph average (was higher earlier in the ride but got caught in traffic for the last 1.5-2 miles).
Not sure if it was a case of road rage or whether the driving instructor whose car I undertook at speed (on a 1.5/2 lane stretch of road) just liked my bike, because he felt the need to firstly aim his car at my back wheel, then come alongside me and gestciulate / mouth some unidentifiable words in my direction before screeching off (breaking the speedlimit) then pulling onto a garage forecourt, stopping to (presumably) pursue the conversation further, although at this he was foiled as I maintained speed to glide past him. he then overtook me again further down the road and disappeared into the dusk that was then falling. - On reflection I should have taken his phone number that was liberally splattered all over his car, as I am not sure his driving technique was worthy to be passed on to others, but hindsight as ever is a wonderful thing.
Might go for an early one Saturday morning...
So with the threat of rain nullified, and the wind speed lessening, and without the usual rucksack on back (for commuting), at a little after 7.30pm yesterday evening I set off for my inaugural ride on the Cayo.
First impressions were good - nice and smooth, faintest of clicks as gears are changed, nice whirr of wheels/tyres on tarmac, loving the freewheeling souind of the Fulcrum's too. Still undecided about the ride position - seem too upright for the hoods, but very comfortable on teh drops, although this is a new position for my brain / body to adjust too - plenty of time though...
My cunning plan was to follow 3/4's of my route to work, thereby giving me an indication of how the Cayo matches against the Trek. This I duly did, comfort on uneven road surfaces was markedly better, as was straightline average speed, climbing (well pointing bike slightly uphill) felt better, and the bike was more responsive to changes of speed too. As intimated above I spent the majority of the time on the drops and also on the large chainwheel.
Stas were 19miles in just under 1hr 1min - 18.7mph average (was higher earlier in the ride but got caught in traffic for the last 1.5-2 miles).
Not sure if it was a case of road rage or whether the driving instructor whose car I undertook at speed (on a 1.5/2 lane stretch of road) just liked my bike, because he felt the need to firstly aim his car at my back wheel, then come alongside me and gestciulate / mouth some unidentifiable words in my direction before screeching off (breaking the speedlimit) then pulling onto a garage forecourt, stopping to (presumably) pursue the conversation further, although at this he was foiled as I maintained speed to glide past him. he then overtook me again further down the road and disappeared into the dusk that was then falling. - On reflection I should have taken his phone number that was liberally splattered all over his car, as I am not sure his driving technique was worthy to be passed on to others, but hindsight as ever is a wonderful thing.
Might go for an early one Saturday morning...
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
You beauty!
After what feels like a lifetime, I finally took reciept of my new bike yesterday. - The Focus Cayo 105 Triple 2010.
Aren't Wiggle just brilliant? - Bike arrived fully assembled, just had to fit handlebars to stem and affix pedals (which I had sourced seperately but arrived in perfect sequential timing!) and Wiggle supplied the multi tool and pedal wrench with which to do it all too!
Fiddled with the set-up and went for a spin around the block - silent gear changes, lovely click/whirr when freewheeling. Got back amended the handlebar position and repeated the procedure. - Strangely on my Trek I favour the hoods as my riding position and with the aero bars fitted, hardly ever use the drops. With the Cayo, the drops feel really comfortable albeit for the short amount of time that I spent riding yesterday.
Still awaiting some Bontrager Race Lite Bottle Cages due next week and in the market for a pump, saddle wedge bag and aero bars.
Full initial ride report to follow....
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
End of July Update
Yeah I know, I missed a posting last week, but guess that was all the post L2P24 excitement?
w/e 1st Aug 134.20miles (recovery week?!?)
Total for year now a smidge under 6000 at 5,977.56!
Weight - no idea, have not weighed myself for a fortnight, must bite that particular bullet soon?
10 miles 26m:08s (No Change)
20 km 35m:20s (No Change)
50 km 1h:32m:37s (No Change)
50 miles 2h:37m:42s (Was 2h:42m:38s)
100 km 3h:22m:06s (No Change)
In the TDF, predictions were not bad, got Yellow and White Jersey Competition winners right and my man came 2nd in Green. Roll on the Tour of Britain and the Vuelta...
So 2 weeks stats in one:
w/e 25th Jul 239.41miles (incl L2P24)w/e 1st Aug 134.20miles (recovery week?!?)
Total for year now a smidge under 6000 at 5,977.56!
Weight - no idea, have not weighed myself for a fortnight, must bite that particular bullet soon?
Personal Bests for 2010 (Post L2P24 update):
One hour 20.34 miles (was 19.75miles)10 miles 26m:08s (No Change)
20 km 35m:20s (No Change)
50 km 1h:32m:37s (No Change)
50 miles 2h:37m:42s (Was 2h:42m:38s)
100 km 3h:22m:06s (No Change)
Next challenge (and we have options) is either/or maybe both to resurrect the idea of "The Fat One" Coast to coast but the long route or alternatively cycling arund Norfolk - watch this space...
On the new bike front I plumped for none of the options in the posting below but went for the Focus Cayo 105 Triple 2010 as seen here:
Specification Information:
Colour White
Frame New Focus Cayo carbon fibre- Fork Focus carbon
- Rear Derailleur Shimano 105
- Shifters/Triggers Shimano 105
- Gearing Front 50/39/30, rear 12-27
- Chainset Shimano FC-R553
- Brakes Shimano 105
- Brake Levers Shimano 105
- Bars FSA Vero Comp
- Stem FSA OS19, A-head
- Wheelset Fulcrum Racing 7
- Tyres Continental Ultra Sport
- Saddle Concept SL
- Seat Post FSA SL-280
In the TDF, predictions were not bad, got Yellow and White Jersey Competition winners right and my man came 2nd in Green. Roll on the Tour of Britain and the Vuelta...
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