Getting 'up to speed' as a new roadie

expatbore

Hi. I'm a newbie - both to the forum and to the activity. I used to roadie a bit years ago but have been MTBing recently. Inspired by the L2B (which I did VERY slowly on my MTB with slicks) I've decided to dive back in. Now...

Problem 1 - I live v.close to Richmond Park, and have been going round it (albeit on a very old Ridgeback steel road bike) in a pathetic 50minutes for 2 laps! Any advice on what sort of training pattern to get to the 3 lap sub 60 min times listed elsewhere on the forum?

Problem 2 - bike - I have just bought a Giant Carbon Cadex CFR 3 with Shimano 105, as a starter bike, from ebay. Bit of an impulse purchase - any advice as to whether this was a good place to start? (I can always sell it again) Any advice on upgrade options to make it any faster/lighter in pursuit of those Richmond Park lap times?

I'm 5'9.5" and 83kg, OK basic fitness from running and walking, but definitely under parr!

Thanks in advance
[:)]

IsledeBlanc

hi, welcome to the forum. Some pointers;

Problem 1: Richmond Park is a great place to ride, but don't get stuck in a rut. Vary your riding, get some long rides in, but also find a decent hill and do some hill sessions / speed work. For longer rides from Richmond go Kingston -> Esher -> Chobham and out into the Surrey hills. Build up to 2-3 hour rides.

Problem 2: Spending money blinging your bike at this stage is probably not the way to go, any performance differences will be small. How does the bike fit you? Fit and comfort are more important than lightness and stiffness. Could be worth going to a decent bike shop and book a cycle fitting (œ75 ish, for a good one) they'll at least tell you if the bike is the correct size, and will be able to help with your riding position. Sigma Sport are in Kingston and have a good rep.


finally, 83kg is not heavy for for your height, and without knowing your build it's hard to comment, but 83kg is heavyish for a 5' 9.5" active cyclist, and from experience, losing 5-7 kgs can make a significant performance difference.

hope some of that helps, most importantly, enjoy your riding.

monty_dogcp

Richmond Park is a great place to ride in the week or when time is tight - I used to work in Roehampton many years ago and lunchtime blasts were a way of keeping sane. Look to vary the route - ride both directions or try doing some 'repeats' on the hills. However, if you want to improve your overall fitness and strngth, then varied and longer rides are a way to go. Joining a club is also a good way to find new routes and ride with like-minded people - particularly if you're looking to venture a little further into the Surrey Hills, for example. Maybe worth getting someone with a little knowledge to look over your bike, advise on position and general condition of components - you don't want to suffer any unexpected breakdowns when venturing onto longer rides. Maybe just a new pair of good quality tyres might help improve the feel and handling of the bike - someimes people fit 20mm tyres in the mistaken belief they do faster when if fact there are just harsher and puncture more.

sylvanus

Join a club is the single best advice either:

http://www.londondynamo.co.uk/

or

http://www.kingstonwheelers.com/

If you go with Dynamo then start with the Saturday 9am ride in the park and take the slowest group - you'll struggle at first but be fine after a few weeks. Also have a go at the 9am Surrey Hills ride when you feel up to it - the other rides are probably a bit ambitious yet but you'll get there!

expatbore

Thanks all - exceptionally helpful advice.

IsledeBlanc - yes you're right Richmond Park is getting boring already - with the variety in mind I've just entered my first Audax. You're also dead right about weight - I'm on a diet (I was 87kg three weeks ago) but it is making me very tired for cycling...think I'll up the training and allow a few more carbs too! Monty Dog - yes the Surrey Hills sound like a great training run - I'll try the route in the June C+. Finally, Sylvanus - thanks for the club tips - that is absolutely what I need and I'll check them out.

Thanks again...onwards and upwards[:)]

Greenbank

Spooky, you're me.

5'9" and 83kg, lapping Richmond park in about 25 minute laps (23:18 Wednesday night) and trying to get a bit faster.

However I'm not that worried about speed at the moment, about 3 years ago I got down to 76kg and I was able to do sub 20 minute laps of RP (and 3 laps in under an hour with seconds to spare!). I'm just getting the miles in to shift the weight (I was 94kg 7 months ago) but I'm slowly getting there.

Which Audax are you doing? The Muswell Hills 200 on Sunday?

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

expatbore

That is plain wierd. I did 23.5 mins last night!

So being 76kg is the key to getting round fast...mmm, need to cut down (further) on the sauce methinks. If you see me, feel free to ride my whell and we can swap - I am always in a red jersey, plain, on a ghastly old Ridgeback steel silver thing until the giant (blue) arrives on monday.

Am doing the midweek Hampton Hill Audax on 4th July - it's called the London sightseer (100k) and has a very attractive min and max speed (10-20kph!) Good if you're up for it too.

best

Greenbank

I'm usually on this:-

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2007/fe ... enbank.htm

although it is now sporting Tri-bars so I can pretend I can go quicker.

I saw the Midweek Sightseer but I don't have a spare day's holiday otherwise I'd be up for it.

Currently booked up for:-

24-JUN: Muswell Hills 200 (on gears)
15-JUL: Two Counties 100 (on fixed) possibly the Four Counties 150 (if friend cries off his Audax debut)
22-JUL: Flattest Possible 300 (on fixed, hmm!)
29-JUL: DIY 200: Putney -> Broxbourne -> Cambridge -> Broxbourne -> Putney (on fixed)

[EDIT] Hmm. Now I've written that down I can now see why my wife was giving me a bit of gyp about my cycling.

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.

Fab Foodie

<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by Greenbank</i>

I'm usually on this:-

http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2007/fe ... enbank.htm

--
If I had a baby elephant signature, I'd use that.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

WILL YOU STOP SHOWING THAT...[:D]

I am definitely in lust[:p][:p]

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The pessimists of this world are rarely disappointed....
Fab's TCR1

peejay78

i don't like it.

it slopes too much.

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winter: http://tinyurl.com/2xkbbs
summer: http://tinyurl.com/2hsagv

onehipwonder

Hi expatbore, I would definately look to join a club and get some good long weekend rides in. I did just that last October and struggled on my first club run but wasn't left behind to fend for myself due to friendliness of club members who really encouraged and helped me.
As luck has it the club - Kingston Wheelers is local to you, take a look at the website and feel free to attend this Sundays club run. Cycling in a group is much easier than churning out the miles on your own so Richmond Park with a partner would be more fun - I work shifts so generally have to do my midweek riding in RP alone so motivation can also be an issue.

I also bought my first road bike from e-bay last year and used it for a few months before selling it and getting measured properly for a new one which fits better. A word of warning - biking is seriously addictive and can severly damage your bank balance[:0]

Good luck

expatbore

Thanks OHW - will definitely come along to Kingston's sunday ride, thanks for suggestion. will have to wait 'till next w/e as am now off to amsterdam to cycle much heavier beasts!
Best

onehipwonder

No problem. Next Sunday, about 16 of us are doing the London etape but there will still be a club run so hope you can make it and if you do enjoy[:)]