Silly commuting racing

cjcp

Greg66 wrote:

Littigator wrote:

BD and snooks are both big girls they need duffing up at breaktime

Anyway on a lighter note...WTF is going on with my form of late? Yesterday coming in I had another fixie giving me gyp until he RLJd to escape the world of hurt I was about to lay down upon him.

Last night I had to extend my ride home by an extra bridge along the river just to make sure the brace of Condors I was sparring with (one geared, one singlie) got the 'don't mess with me message' I was making LOUD and CLEAR!

And the worst of all, this morning, another fixie (sans brakes, does this guy have a deathwish) had me wheezing like a geriatric just trying to hold a decent 25mph form all the way along Embankment

Would someone please send over a big fat cup of toughen the f*** up because I'm getting desparate here.

I think I might go and have a quiet little cry somewhere

Just give me a moment to don white lab coat, grab my clipboard and grow my forehead a foot up into the sky.

Now, where are my thick glasses and stick-on unkempt beard, and is that camera shooting in black & white?

If you ride at threshold week after week you're going to collapse into a heap at some point. Or get a cold. Or both. Three weeks - max 4 - of increasing your personal pain, then a week to recuperate. Basically periodic training techniques. I had a nice spell in July in which every week for 4 in a row I ramped up slightly the average wattage over the previous week's average. Fifth week, the mind was willing but the legs were already in the departure lounge, tapping impatiently and waiting for the flight to be announced. Nothing there. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

I think those in the know call it "active recovery". I used to call it faggy, but now I call it salvation. It's all about a more measured effort in that recovery week. And picking your travel time.

This programme will be repeated at 5.40am on BBC 2 this coming Friday. Thank you.

Whilst I remain of the view that you are a complete girl, the above is true. I don't do any of this because, as far as I'm concerned, it's balls-out all the way day after day*, but it's still true.

*(Actually, I'm exaggarating. I measure my efforts and there's no point racing - in the sense that one is not of course racing - if there's no-one around, so might as well pootle along.)

biondino

Hmph. I hadn't come off my bike in months and then I manage to go and do so before I even got out of the parking garage :oops: I had my D-lock with me and was trying to figure out a way to carry it on the bike without banging against me/the bike or fouling anything. I think I manage it - then 25 yards into my ride WHAM, the bars go 90 degrees left and I shoulder plant. No injury, but I feel a bit of a tool.

And then, when I come out of the garage gates, I see a man lying on his back immediately outside my office door with a pool of blood coming out from the back of his head. I have no idea what happened but thankfully when I got back there was no police tape or chalk outline.

Bassjunkieuk

lost_in_thought wrote:

Obviously I told him to man up and pedal properly. I mean really. What a wuss. I'm going to go round there and steal his lunch money...

I ALMOST spewed Pepsi over my laptop with that comment!!
You'd think after 217 pages of this I would know that any eatting or drinking shouldn't be done whilst reading this thread!

Littigator

Right...that's it, I hate you all and I'm fed up with you all being great big meanies to me

My Dad's gonna beat all of your Dads up, so THERE!

flounces out with pigtails flapping around and arms crossed in HUGE huff

Here's me



And here's a recreation of my Dad duffing up your Dads!

lost_in_thought

You're letting the bowery posse down!

How iz we meant to be hardcore wiv you avin tantrums alll the time innit?

greg66_tri_v2.0

cjcp wrote:

Whilst I remain of the view that you are a complete girl, the above is true. I don't do any of this because, as far as I'm concerned, it's balls-out all the way day after day*, but it's still true.

*(Actually, I'm exaggarating. I measure my efforts and there's no point racing - in the sense that one is not of course racing - if there's no-one around, so might as well pootle along.)

Ref-fer-ree! Where did that come from? Is there anyone left in this thread who isn't a big girl?

I should add that, contrary to my statement above, which might have been read as an admission that I indulge in the practice of not riding like I'm delivering blood to someone with a hole in their carotid, I do, of course, ride "balls-out" (figuratively) at all times.

And as we all know, commuting is not a race ... :shock:

Littigator

pah, stuff em, we've still got enough gear inches between us to cause alarm bells at the UN nuclear arms anti-proliferation council meetings.

They'll be measuring our wattage output in mega-tons soon!

cjcp

Greg66 wrote:

cjcp wrote:

Whilst I remain of the view that you are a complete girl, the above is true. I don't do any of this because, as far as I'm concerned, it's balls-out all the way day after day*, but it's still true.

*(Actually, I'm exaggarating. I measure my efforts and there's no point racing - in the sense that one is not of course racing - if there's no-one around, so might as well pootle along.)

Ref-fer-ree! Where did that come from? Is there anyone left in this thread who isn't a big girl?

I should add that, contrary to my statement above, which might have been read as an admission that I indulge in the practice of not riding like I'm delivering blood to someone with a hole in their carotid, I do, of course, ride "balls-out" (figuratively) at all times.

And as we all know, commuting is not a race ... :shock:

Oh, yes, I see how you might read that as me calling you a big girl, I mean complete girl.

That was of course directed at Littigator, who, fortunately, now has a tail wind for his journey home.

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

pah, stuff em, we've still got enough gear inches between us to cause alarm bells at the UN nuclear arms anti-proliferation council meetings.

They'll be measuring our wattage output in mega-tons soon!

Honestly, I have heavy-leg days too... all these wusses with their gears and GI in the 70's don't know what it's like to push a proper gear...

And I've now stopped doing anything serious on my legs in the gym, especially if I'm deviating from my route on the way home. My reckoning is that unless i'm off snowboarding and need to work on those muscles, cycling is enough!

snooks

cjcp wrote:

That was of course directed at Littigator, who, fortunately, now has a tail wind for his journey home.

And it looks like the rain has booggered off too

Littigator

lost_in_thought wrote:

Honestly, I have heavy-leg days too... all these wusses with their gears and GI in the 70's don't know what it's like to push a proper gear...

And I've now stopped doing anything serious on my legs in the gym, especially if I'm deviating from my route on the way home. My reckoning is that unless i'm off snowboarding and need to work on those muscles, cycling is enough!

I've been trying to leg break more and more recently as well which I think has worsened the problem. It wouldn't be so bad with a lower GI but with mine it feels like I'm really fighting it to brake at any reasonably high level.

OK OK, I'll stop moaning now eveyone.

Clever Pun

Littigator wrote:

Right...that's it, I hate you all and I'm fed up with you all being great big meanies to me

My Dad's gonna beat all of your Dads up, so THERE!

flounces out with pigtails flapping around and arms crossed in HUGE huff

Here's me



And here's a recreation of my Dad duffing up your Dads!

Nah this is a pic of you and your dad

biondino

Littigator wrote:

I've been trying to leg break more and more recently

Littigator, yesterday:

lost_in_thought

Littigator wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Honestly, I have heavy-leg days too... all these wusses with their gears and GI in the 70's don't know what it's like to push a proper gear...

And I've now stopped doing anything serious on my legs in the gym, especially if I'm deviating from my route on the way home. My reckoning is that unless i'm off snowboarding and need to work on those muscles, cycling is enough!

I've been trying to leg break more and more recently as well which I think has worsened the problem. It wouldn't be so bad with a lower GI but with mine it feels like I'm really fighting it to brake at any reasonably high level.

OK OK, I'll stop moaning now eveyone.

DON'T leg brake.

It hurts, it doesn't work well, it causes damage to muscles which repairs much more slowly than normal wear and tear (less of the tear).

Use your normal (extra-stoppy) brakes.

The only time I leg brake is by simply realxing my legs and not pushing. Seriously if you're braking such a big gear with your legs you're going to do yourself some damage. From answers.com:

Training in which eccentric contractions predominate tends to cause significantly greater muscle soreness than other forms of training

cjcp

Littigator wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Honestly, I have heavy-leg days too... all these wusses with their gears and GI in the 70's don't know what it's like to push a proper gear...

And I've now stopped doing anything serious on my legs in the gym, especially if I'm deviating from my route on the way home. My reckoning is that unless i'm off snowboarding and need to work on those muscles, cycling is enough!

I've been trying to leg break more and more recently as well which I think has worsened the problem. It wouldn't be so bad with a lower GI but with mine it feels like I'm really fighting it to brake at any reasonably high level.

OK OK, I'll stop moaning now eveyone.

This is the beauty of riding a bike with more than one gear. You can dish out the pain at will and then, when all is quiet, indulge in some active recovery. Then, if and when someone else wants to have a shot at the title, lead them into the House of Pain too and slam the door shut. :twisted:

Littigator

Littigator wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Honestly, I have heavy-leg days too... all these wusses with their gears and GI in the 70's don't know what it's like to push a proper gear...

And I've now stopped doing anything serious on my legs in the gym, especially if I'm deviating from my route on the way home. My reckoning is that unless i'm off snowboarding and need to work on those muscles, cycling is enough!

I've been trying to leg break more and more recently as well which I think has worsened the problem. It wouldn't be so bad with a lower GI but with mine it feels like I'm really fighting it to brake at any reasonably high level.

OK OK, I'll stop moaning now eveyone.

I meant leg brake of course before the pedants come stalking

biondino

Littigator wrote:

Littigator wrote:

I meant leg brake of course before the pedants come stalking

You realise you're too late, right? Go back 4 or 5 posts...

Clever Pun

lost_in_thought wrote:

DON'T leg brake.

It hurts, it doesn't work well, it causes damage to muscles which repairs much more slowly than normal wear and tear (less of the tear).

Use your normal (extra-stoppy) brakes.

The only time I leg brake is by simply realxing my legs and not pushing. Seriously if you're braking such a big gear with your legs you're going to do yourself some damage. From answers.com:

Training in which eccentric contractions predominate tends to cause significantly greater muscle soreness than other forms of training

boring... use your legs to slow and brakes to stop (if you have them)

that is the proper fixed way... yeah your legs will hurt but the sorness goes when you toughen up... then think of the pure power when back on gears

you could listen to a girl (no offence L-i-t, you push such a massive gear braking would be damn near impossible unless you had tree trunks) given you've shaved your legs and all that.

so Litt you man up or put that make up back on

snooks

cjcp wrote:

This is the beauty of riding a bike with more than one gear. You can dish out the pain at will and then, when all is quiet, indulge in some active recovery. Then, if and when someone else wants to have a shot at the title, lead them into the House of Pain too and slam the door shut. :twisted:

Naaaa, Let them get their fingers round the door frame first....then slam it shut! :twisted:

Bassjunkieuk

Littigator wrote:

Littigator wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

Honestly, I have heavy-leg days too... all these wusses with their gears and GI in the 70's don't know what it's like to push a proper gear...

And I've now stopped doing anything serious on my legs in the gym, especially if I'm deviating from my route on the way home. My reckoning is that unless i'm off snowboarding and need to work on those muscles, cycling is enough!

I've been trying to leg break more and more recently as well which I think has worsened the problem. It wouldn't be so bad with a lower GI but with mine it feels like I'm really fighting it to brake at any reasonably high level.

OK OK, I'll stop moaning now eveyone.

I meant leg brake of course before the pedants come stalking

That's such a shame as the thought of you sprinting up and down embankment trying to BREAK legs is much more amusing then you trying to BRAKE your bike using your legs......

I have this little picture in my head of a madman riding through Blackfriar's underpass whacking other cyclist's in the leg with a big metal bar or even just kicking them.... :twisted:

Coriander

Oh grief, BJUK, that's horrendous. I nearly brought up my lunch.

:shock:

Who is that poor sod. And did his ankle ever mend?

il_principe

Littigator wrote:

Anyway on a lighter note...WTF is going on with my form of late? Yesterday coming in I had another fixie giving me gyp until he RLJd to escape the world of hurt I was about to lay down upon him.

And the worst of all, this morning, another fixie (sans brakes, does this guy have a deathwish) had me wheezing like a geriatric just trying to hold a decent 25mph form all the way along Embankment

Would someone please send over a big fat cup of toughen the f*** up because I'm getting desparate here.

I think I might go and have a quiet little cry somewhere

biondino

That's the Arsenal and Croatia striker Eduardo. He's mending at the moment.

Clever Pun

Coriander wrote:

Oh grief, BJUK, that's horrendous. I nearly brought up my lunch.

:shock:

Who is that poor sod. And did his ankle ever mend?

not yet... hes#' on his way back, but you never know with something like that

lost_in_thought

Clever Pun wrote:

boring... use your legs to slow and brakes to stop (if you have them)

that is the proper fixed way... yeah your legs will hurt but the sorness goes when you toughen up... then think of the pure power when back on gears

you could listen to a girl (no offence L-i-t, you push such a massive gear braking would be damn near impossible unless you had tree trunks) given you've shaved your legs and all that.

so Litt you man up or put that make up back on

But what I said is basically that, you slow by not pushing... well I seem to anyway! I've totally stopped trying to actively leg brake, the resultant pulled muscles put me out of action for any speed for some time. As you say, maybe it's the big gear.

And frankly with both Litts and I pushing gears well above 80, the 'pure power when back on gears' is pretty much taken care of!

Littigator

Yes, as Herr Doktor Doktor Greg66 has suggested a rest period off of my fixie which has gear inches to make a body builder blanch, I suppose I'll be switching over to the roadie and wafting in at +30mph speeds instead :twisted:

Bring it on!!!

itboffin

Although strictly not commuting (school run) I could not resist, on the way to collect my daughter from school this afternoon I spied a lone old skool tourer about 100 yards ahead and push quite hard, game on...

Head down, bit between the teeth and legs spinning I quickly reel him in and slowed just enough for him to see my ride :shock:



Needless to say he was pretty shocked, especially so when I pulled away with considerably more speed, tee hee

LITT for fek sake man up, give the fixie a rest no point killing yourself, don't make me bring my trail-bike + girly shopper + basket into London :twisted:

biondino

ITB that would only count if you'd already collected your daughter...

cjcp

Littigator wrote:

Yes, as Herr Doktor Doktor Greg66 has suggested a rest period off of my fixie which has gear inches to make a body builder blanch, I suppose I'll be switching over to the roadie and wafting in at +30mph speeds instead :twisted:

Bring it on!!!

Take note, everyone. Just so that you recall the above when we read tomorrow's post about how the headwind was brutal and how he was reduced to drafting a 14 year old girl on a full suspension mountain bike running on two flattish tyres. :twisted:

snooks

itboffin wrote:

Needless to say he was pretty shocked, especially so when I pulled away with considerably more speed, tee hee

I'm not surprised the poor fella was shocked...What in the name of satan's right kahuna is that? :shock:

He'd prolly have to take off his shoes to work out it's FCN!