More advice for another bemused newbie???

talltree007

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

I am much bigger than you average cyclist - at 6'7" and 20 stones, give or take an ounce or two. I have recently taken to cycling again after many years. The problem was that due to getting punctures all the time because of my size was so infuriating, I couldn't be bothered any more.

Anyway...jump 15 years on, going to London for the TDF made me dream, wish and long for cycling again. By chance, I popped into my LBS, and to my surprise they told me that technology had advanced so much tat getting a bike to take my weight should not be a problem.

Anyway....jump a few months later, and I am now riding my new bike (Specialized Roubaix), and after six months (of fair weather cycling only) without a puncture, I am ecstatic and getting the bug again to do a lot more.

When I bought the bike, I bought Armadillo tyres (Kevlar reinforced to help against punctures). I have seen many times threads about how fast people need to be to keep up with club rides etc, I get a little concerned. I am very competitive, and would now like to head towards attempting my first TT, and eventually get nto road racing. I know that I will never be a top cyclist, but that doesn't stop me wanting to try. I do a 10 mile burst at approximately 17mph (takes me approx 35 minutes).

Not fast, I know, but is my speed being hampered by the fact that I have armadillo tyres? If so, by approx how much? I don't fancy changing tyres every time I enter an event, so I have got an idea of two sets of wheels and tyres, the current set up for training, and then a proper set of racing tyres for events. Does this seem like a stupid idea?

Any hints and tips would be appreciated. Any suggestions of road clubs in the Derbys/Staffs area would be nice too, but a sociable club (for now) as well as being competitive (for when I improve).

milese

I've no experience of Armadilo tyres, , but how annoying would it be to puncture during a race?!

talltree007

Very annoying, I would guess. But would a puncture here or there be more annoying than using all my energy simply trying to keep up - being knackered and finishing last every time!

huggy

Have you tried out some strong tubular tires? I'm not sure if they would help but someone else on here may know something about them.

Anonymous

From what people have said to me on various forums the speed depends on your stamina and general fitness, I too wonder why my speed is so slow if its to do with my bicycle or what not, but I bike to college which is 10 miles, have 1 or 2 quick rests and it takes me between 45 and 55 mins and I have some quick bursts up to 20-25mph but my average is problerbly more like 13-15mph and I get tired out.

But then again maybe it would be harder for you? You are 6ft 7" so your going to be pretty big so there must be more wind resistance for you?

Richie G

You sound like you're in a similar position to me about 18 months ago. I wouldn't get too hung up about your tyres - i use Bontrager Hardcases for their puncture resistance, which may even be a slower tyre than your Armadillos. This is gonna be my first proper season and i've no plans to upgrade anything until i've a few times under my belt. I'd suggest getting along to a club 10 TT and have a go - you'll probably surprise yourself how much faster you can go when someone else is timing you! I did my first TT last August and was hoping just break 30 mins - ended up beating that by 2 and half mins!

There's a list of clubs in your area on here http://www.cyclingtimetrials.co.uk/ - don't know any Derby/Staffs clubs personally but hope this gives you a starting point.

Rich

Bronzie

The choice of tyres might make a difference to your speed, but it will be fractions of an mph, not a handful! I've ridden 25c Armadillos and they don't roll too badly. Their grip (lack of in wet) is another matter.

I suspect most of your punctures were pinch punctures (2 holes in the tube like a snakebite) due to your weight? Some tyre sections are more prone to this than others. Tubulars are almost pinch-puncture proof, but not too practical for day-to-day use. 25c section tyres like the Vittoria Pave are very good in my experience and a great compromise between low-rolling resistance and punture resistance.

Another thing to check - tyre pressures - do you use a track pump with pressure gauge to inflate your tyres? If not, get one - the most essential bit of kit any cyclists tool kit IMHO. Pump your tyres up to the pressure recommended on the tyre casing and check at least once a week.

Ultimately, the best way to improve speed is to improve you, not the bike. The engine is the most crucial bit of a bicycle. Tune it properly and someone of your size should be able to fly in flat TT's (although you are always going to struggle on the hills unless you can shed some weight). Have a look in the Training forum for a wealth of information on how to get quicker especially the "2 x 20" thread.

talltree007

Thanks for the help. I was just trying to find a flimsy excuse for not winning everything on the first day that I joined a club. I should know better!

I do have a considerable wind resistance, I must admit. I would like to try a team race as a 'domestique' type. I would surely be great as a lead off man for a sprinter, or even just be easy to draft behind!!!

I also have a track pump. I learnt the hard way! I pretty much need to pump my tyres up every time I do a single ride of 20 miles or more. My GF kept running into the garage thinking I was having a heart attack, just from making noises pumping the tires before a ride. Getting a track pump quickly was bit of a no-brainer for me.

My other biggest problem is that I have a fascination with climbing hills/mountains. Even when I just do a quick 10 miles, I HAVE to find as many hills as I can. I am not fat (believe it or not), but I know that I need to lose some weight which would make the climbing easier. I am also guessing if I find more hills, the better the chance of shedding weight, the easier I find the climbs, the more hills I can do, the more weight I shed, the easier....................etc.etc. etc.

Thanks again.[/quote]

heavymental

Good luck talltree! Being 5'8 and 10 stone I don't envy your size when it comes to cycling up mountains but hell, at least you can stop a speeding train!

Anonymous

talltree007 wrote:

My other biggest problem is that I have a fascination with climbing hills/mountains. Even when I just do a quick 10 miles, I HAVE to find as many hills as I can. I am not fat (believe it or not), but I know that I need to lose some weight which would make the climbing easier. I am also guessing if I find more hills, the better the chance of shedding weight, the easier I find the climbs, the more hills I can do, the more weight I shed, the easier....................etc.etc. etc.

Thanks again.

[/quote]
I wish I shared that same fascination , I hate coming to hills, its the worst thing for me.

azzerb

I love hill climbing too!

If you're from the Derby area, there is Derby Mercury (someone above said you're from derby area?), i keep intending to join, but my current excuse is that i've got majorly unfit since summer, so I WILL join once i've got fit again! lol

Have you tried normal tyres since 15 years ago? They might not be as bad now.

Nuggs

As a 6'5" 15 stone chap who's going to order a Roubaix at the weekend, it's great to hear that you're getting on well with yours

The performance difference in terms of outright speed between different types of premium tyres is going to be negligible at amateur level, IMHO. Obviously different if the conditions change (e.g. tyres with poor wet grip are going to slow you down in the rain).

geoff_ss

azzerb wrote:

I love hill climbing too!

If you're from the Derby area, there is Derby Mercury (someone above said you're from derby area?), i keep intending to join, but my current excuse is that i've got majorly unfit since summer, so I WILL join once i've got fit again! lol

Have you tried normal tyres since 15 years ago? They might not be as bad now.

If you do want to join the Mercury I'm sure my wife will be pleased to receive your application form and take your money How else are we to pay for our month's cycling in France and Spain this year?

One of the most successful riders in the Merc was 6'5" tall, though less than 12 stone when truly fit. So being tall is no bar. Moreover Sean Yates isn't exactly tiny and is hardly sylph like in build either yet he is a very fast time triallist with a few competition records to his name in the past. I don't know how big/heavy he is - perhaps someone does?

The only time when size is a disadvantage is when hill climbing. Better equipment only helps when you're looking to improve by relatively small amounts. It has to hurt all the time in short events like a 'ten'. Getting inside 30 minutes (20mph) is difficult at first - particularly in poor conditions.

Geoff

Ste_S

talltree007 wrote:

Thanks for the help. I was just trying to find a flimsy excuse for not winning everything on the first day that I joined a club. I should know better!

I do have a considerable wind resistance, I must admit. I would like to try a team race as a 'domestique' type. I would surely be great as a lead off man for a sprinter, or even just be easy to draft behind!!!

I also have a track pump. I learnt the hard way! I pretty much need to pump my tyres up every time I do a single ride of 20 miles or more. My GF kept running into the garage thinking I was having a heart attack, just from making noises pumping the tires before a ride. Getting a track pump quickly was bit of a no-brainer for me.

My other biggest problem is that I have a fascination with climbing hills/mountains. Even when I just do a quick 10 miles, I HAVE to find as many hills as I can. I am not fat (believe it or not), but I know that I need to lose some weight which would make the climbing easier. I am also guessing if I find more hills, the better the chance of shedding weight, the easier I find the climbs, the more hills I can do, the more weight I shed, the easier....................etc.etc. etc.

Thanks again.

[/quote]

if you join a club, get someone to look at your position on the bike. Ideally you want to be as stretched out as possible, without making it uncomfortable. The lower you are, the less wind resistance you make.

Have you ever though about riding on the track ? With your build you'd be able to whup all the weedy climber types

steve palmer

ste_s, I am also 6'7" and now weigh a little over 16st, but having been cycling for 2 years now my power is quite good however, hills still hurt. On a cycle event recently someone pointed out that I would be well suited to a track but I'm unsure how to get involved. I think my nearest velodrome is Herne Hill but I don't know whether you can just turn up without a track bike or what the score is for newcomers. Any advice is welcome.

Bronzie

steve palmer wrote:

I think my nearest velodrome is Herne Hill but I don't know whether you can just turn up without a track bike or what the score is for newcomers. Any advice is welcome.

There's also an outdoor velodrome at Welwyn Garden City and another at Reading if either of those are any nearer. Herne Hill training is organised by VC Londres I think.

Most tracks run a training evening (April - September) on fixed wheel bikes - some also run training through the winter on geared bikes. There are also track leagues (race meetings) once a week through the summer plus other "open" events at weekends. You need to do a few training sessions before trying to tackle a race.

You can usually hire a bike from the velodrome although maybe best to check in advance to see if one in your size is available.

talltree007

Nuggs, can't say enough good stuff about the Roubaix, I think that it's an amazing piece of machinery for the price. Please bear in mind, however, that I have no particular point of reference. I haven't ridden bikes for a number of years, and I din't get the chance of a test ride as no shops had anything near my size. I was also told by my LBS when I bought it, that although it was a fast bike, it was also built for comfort too. Therefore it suited me to the ground. I did 20 miles the first ride I had it. Ouch, by all the pain was from lack of fitness, the bike was excellent. The longest I have done since is about 45 miles, still didn't get any problems. I did upgrade to the BG Toupe (or whatever was the top of the range) saddle, because I believed the brochure about the amount of blood that gets to certain areas (or gets cut off by cheaper saddles!!!!!!!).

Geoff, I will send my application shortly. Please let me know exactly where you travel for your cycling holiday, if my subscription gets you to both France and Spain then I am clearly going wrong on my own travels. I have always paid for a plane ticket, hotel, food etc. etc. Where am I going wrong? :shock:

Ste, Thanks for the suggestion about the track. I will think about it, but having been from Leicester born and bred, I spent many hours in my youth (before my mum would let me go out cycling on my own) watching the championships at the Saffron Lane cycle track in Leicester. Most of what I remember was crash, bang and wallop and more crash, bang and wallop!!! Say what you want about climbing, but when you go off it's only at about 5/7mph . When I saw those cats crash into each other, into the ground, into the advertising hoardings it was amazing to watch - but I couldn't help think that they were all absolute nutters, every single one of them. Technology may have improved so much that I can go out on a bike that takes my weight, have no punctures - but I don't think that they have invented a wood that can go all soft and fluffy just when you need it. Hmmmm, always looking for a get rich quick idea, Dragons Den, here I come.............

Ste_S

talltree007 wrote:

Ste, Thanks for the suggestion about the track. I will think about it, but having been from Leicester born and bred, I spent many hours in my youth (before my mum would let me go out cycling on my own) watching the championships at the Saffron Lane cycle track in Leicester. Most of what I remember was crash, bang and wallop and more crash, bang and wallop!!! Say what you want about climbing, but when you go off it's only at about 5/7mph . When I saw those cats crash into each other, into the ground, into the advertising hoardings it was amazing to watch - but I couldn't help think that they were all absolute nutters, every single one of them. Technology may have improved so much that I can go out on a bike that takes my weight, have no punctures - but I don't think that they have invented a wood that can go all soft and fluffy just when you need it. Hmmmm, always looking for a get rich quick idea, Dragons Den, here I come.............

The track is probably the safest place to race - no potholes or ice to worry about and no cars or road furniture to bounce off if you do crash.

While track bikes seem more dangerous without a freewheel or brake, they're actually safer. No one can sit up and freewheel or slam the brakes on while at the head of the bunch.

If you get a set of rollers they'll improve your stability on the bike - couple this with your build and you'll find people will just bounce off you if there's a touch of wheels.

On the subject of Leicester have you seen this on you tube ?

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OY78yS0sjbQ

and this thread with pics of the track as it is now ?

http://www.28dayslater.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=26695

Steve Palmer - as Bronzie as posted, the easiest way is to get in contact with the club who looks after the nearest track to you. They'll have beginner sessions - either on road bikes or on track bikes - which they should have some available to hire.