am i any good?

simboride

Hi, I have been riding a bike for 9 months, mainly 8 mile commute. recently entered 50-mile great notts bike ride. Have only done a couple of recreational rides of 20 miles (quite a few hills but no longer than 3 mins at about 1in10) and average speed of 19.7mph. How should I pace myself in the 50?

Also, I have never ridden in company, and have heard GNBR is quite popular / busy. Any tips to keep me out of trouble?

I await your wisdom!

bobtbuilder

Ideally try and ride a couple of 40 mile rides to get used to the additional time in the saddle required for the GNBR.

If this is not an option, ride at about 80% of the effort you are putting in on your short rides. You can always increase the speed / intensity in the last 10 miles if you're still feeling good.

Any ride like the GNBR will have a variety of rider abilities and inexperienced riders can cause a lot of damage (see the L2B thread in cake stop for example). Don't overlap wheels with the person in front, keep your eyes peeled in all directions, and assume that the people around you will do the worst thing possible and be prepared for it.

simboride

forgot to tell you what I ride. It's a cheap one...

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... o-09-34691

simboride

thanks for the advice bobtbuilder; planning to get out for a couple of hours this weekend, weather permitting. hoping to get out with firends too to get used to riding in a group - Not sure I'm ready to join a club yet??

I've also been told to watch hydration on the ride, I'll be taking 2 bottles of homemade electrolyte drink (OJ, water and a few grains of salt), plus there will be opportunity to top up en route.

Thanks all for reading my post!

bobtbuilder

simboride wrote:

thanks for the advice bobtbuilder; planning to get out for a couple of hours this weekend, weather permitting. hoping to get out with firends too to get used to riding in a group - Not sure I'm ready to join a club yet??

I've also been told to watch hydration on the ride, I'll be taking 2 bottles of homemade electrolyte drink (OJ, water and a few grains of salt), plus there will be opportunity to top up en route.

Thanks all for reading my post!

Your speed is easily good enough for a club ride. However, most clubs that I know will ride 40-50 miles (they have a variety of speed groups), so once you can do the distance there's nothing to stop you going on a club run.

Bobbinogs

Hello Simon, my advice would echo that of Bobtbuilder's in that you need to start upping your mileage in the run up to the ride. Have a look at the diary and see if you can add 5-10% each week for your main ride (if not then c'est la vie, don't be tempted to go from 20 miles to 40 in one step). Also, make sure you have time to recover before the main event so that you enjoy it (that is, don't be tempted to go out on a last minute 30 miler the day before). You should wake up on the day feeling as fresh as a daisy and keen to hop on the saddle.

If you have the prep right then you will know your target speed, but the hard part will be sticking to it and not getting sucked into spinning along with the competent riders aiming for a fast time.

simboride

Thanks Bobbinogs, I will squeeze in suitable and progressiely longer rides in in the next couple of weeks, and tail off giving myself 3 days off the bike before the 20th. I hope I'm not being naive, but given how fresh I feel after a 20-miler @ 19mph, I'm confident I could manage 30 at about the same speed tomorow, and still be able to walk afterwards!? 19mph average seems quite a comfortable cruising pace :? I would think anything further than that, getting energy on board will play a major part.

My carrera virtuoso is very comfy, and well set up, so have never had any aches or pains, although I'd expect to be sore after the 50, but not during.

Looking forward to the ride. I'll try not to get carried away, always half an eye on the computer

Dave-M

19mph ave?

You should have a go at time trials too!

Tom Butcher

Whereabouts are you Simbo ?

simboride

Tom, I'm in Nottingham. Sorry not updated my profile yet, only joined today!

nakita222

19mph average and you've been riding for nine months,plus that's cruising pace, bloody hell superman, you are either superhuman, you're computer is set up wrong, or you're blatently lying.

amaferanga

nakita222 wrote:

19mph average and you've been riding for nine months,plus that's cruising pace, bloody hell superman, you are either superhuman, you're computer is set up wrong, or you're blatently lying.

Or its fairly flat where he rides....

simboride

not superhuman, not lying, computer set up properly, fairly flat in Nottingham. Did I mention my 20 years of middle distance / cross country running? Some of those years at international level...

joosed

Cycling and running are 2 totally different exercises. My local running club which has some good runners go out cycling every Monday night. I usually join them. The best cyclist among them is an old guy of 62 who did a bit of bike racing in his younger days.

The two fastest runners in the group are the two slowest cyclists - particularly on the hills.

None of the younger runners are able to keep up pace with the exclusive cyclists

danowat

joosed wrote:

Cycling and running are 2 totally different exercises. My local running club which has some good runners go out cycling every Monday night. I usually join them. The best cyclist among them is an old guy of 62 who did a bit of bike racing in his younger days.

The two fastest runners in the group are the two slowest cyclists - particularly on the hills.

None of the younger runners are able to keep up pace with the exclusive cyclists

Agreed, I was never a very fast runner (2:15 Half marathon PB, 58min 10k PB), but I am a much faster cyclist.

That said, aerobic fitness does translate between the two.

matt-sport

Think that your 19 mph average is high for crusing pace, you must be fit!!!. Just like to say make sure you get the time in the saddle. It will make the day far more enjoyable. good luck with it!

Brommers76

Running prowess doesn't translate directly in all cases IME but most of the better runners I ride with are pretty handy on the bike. Personally I come from a decent running background and find it easy to average over 20mph on flat rides.

Cross country runners seem to translate their fitness better as far as I can see as well.

simboride

Thanks Matt, I will / do try to get out on the bike as much as poss, but difficult with 2 young kids.

Not sure what is being implied in above post (running ability inversely proportional to cycling ability?) I know runners that have successfully crossed from feet to wheels - can be good at both.

I would say I'm quite fit - still only 31 (yes was a runner from age 11 first england vest at age 12). Still run 3 times per week on top of 60miles cycling to and from work.

I'll keep the thread updated with how I get on in GNBR. Will be happy with 3hr30min.[/quote]

simboride

joosed wrote:

Cycling and running are 2 totally different exercises. My local running club which has some good runners go out cycling every Monday night. I usually join them. The best cyclist among them is an old guy of 62 who did a bit of bike racing in his younger days.

The two fastest runners in the group are the two slowest cyclists - particularly on the hills.

None of the younger runners are able to keep up pace with the exclusive cyclists

...when i say above post.

Was typing while brummers was replying. Kind of said what I meant to say!

sub55

Riding for 9 months and cruising at 19 mph ! i dont care how flat it is .

i strongly suggest you get yourself to a coach with some power measuring equipment, coz you`d be riding in the olympics in 2012.

i have competed at the highest level, this country can offer and never managed an average speed like that in a training ride, thats more than an hour in length.

simboride

I'll take that as a back-handed compliment sub55, although I expect you don't believe me.

Coffey01

I dont normally say much on the topics as most make a very good read without, however is 19mph ave really so unbeleivable?? I cycled when I was 15/16 and just 3 months ago got myself a decent bike and have got back into the training for TT and hopefully some road races. I am 25 now.

I oftens average 19mph . . . . I had a ride a few weeks ago with an average of 19.9mph over a 40mile ride on my own with a hill or 3 thrown in.

And yes my computer is right . . . .

Cheers

cjw

+1

I'm 46 and averaged 20 mph on a club run of 40 miles on Sunday (although this was excluding the cake stop). Did 100 miles on Monday and averaged 17mph - including the two 5 minute stops. Normally on a 25 mile route I can now average easily 19mph. Admittedly 9 months ago when I first got my road bike (after MTBs) I would have thought 19 was fast too.

sub55

it must be me then :oops:

gandhi

19mph for 20 miles is good but far from unbelievable. When people start out they quite often do a short route as hard as they can and race them selves each time - it's a good way to stay motivated. I'm pretty sure I could have done that after 9 months of riding, and I'm definitely not going to the Olympics as a cyclist (I'm waiting for the introduction of endurance jam doughnut eating).

@simboride - join a club; you're easily fast enough and you'll learn a lot, you might even find you get in to racing (bunch or TT).

simboride

Thanks for that Coffey, nice to hear from a fellow "superhuman". Having said that - Hills in Lincolnshire?? Only kidding mate! :P

My 19.7 mph on my solo 20 miler was relatively flat, but on the few hills I encountered I just get out of the saddle and "feel the burn". I tend to recover on the downhills (who wouldn't?). I tend to have quite a high cadence not measured but probably around 100 - 110 - So more aerobic capacity than leg power.

Tom Butcher

I did Derby to Bakewell and back on the A6 at over 21mph ave earlier this year - 50 miles - measured on a Garmin (set to turn off when I dropped below 5mph as there are several sets of lights) and I'm a pretty average 3rd cat.

I would normally average 17-18ish on a solo training ride so 19mph is high for just cruising round but you do get talented individuals.

Simbo - we're a bit of a ride out for you but if you can ever make 6.45 at the LIttle Chef at Little Eaton on Thursdays we've got a pretty fast chaingang you could try out. We average around 25mph for 22 miles (easier in a group) so that would give you a good measure of your fitness compared to some typical amateur racers. Or if you can make Saturday mornings 9am at the M1 bridge in Breaston. There are some other good group rides from Nottm which I'm sure others can fill you in on if you were interested.

Ben6899

Just found this thread. I'd like to be another poster to suggest that 19mph average on a 20 flat mile route isn't representative of superhuman powers or Elite cyclists. Push it on to 30, 40 or 50 miles and okay one will probably see see that average drop...

But on a 20 mile route? Very achievable IME.

nmcgann

Ben6899 wrote:

Just found this thread. I'd like to be another poster to suggest that 19mph average on a 20 flat mile route isn't representative of superhuman powers or Elite cyclists. Push it on to 30, 40 or 50 miles and okay one will probably see see that average drop...

But on a 20 mile route? Very achievable IME.

No, 19.2mph avg takes me 235W average on my 36mile training loop (which is mostly flat). That's on a "summer" spec road bike on an averagely windy day (last Sunday).

That's very definitely NOT elite power output! (more like a fairly feeble cat4)

simboride

Tom Butcher wrote:

Simbo - we're a bit of a ride out for you but if you can ever make 6.45 at the LIttle Chef at Little Eaton on Thursdays we've got a pretty fast chaingang you could try out. We average around 25mph for 22 miles (easier in a group) so that would give you a good measure of your fitness compared to some typical amateur racers. Or if you can make Saturday mornings 9am at the M1 bridge in Breaston. There are some other good group rides from Nottm which I'm sure others can fill you in on if you were interested.

Tom, Sounds tempting, would be nice to join a little group. I'll see how I get on in the 50, then I'll perhaps join you for a ride.

kettrinboy

in answer to the original question simbo i,d say yes you are pretty good after just a few months riding to do 19 mph rides,but then being a good runner youve already got the cardiovascular fitness that us non runners need to build up after starting cycling, it took me a year to do those sort of speeds and at times i thought i,d never do it but now 4 yrs on i can do it pretty easily on flat rides even up to 40-50 mile loops in good conditions but throw some hills and headwinds in and i,m back down in the 17,s and 18,s again