Velostage - Life as a teenage cyclist

Velostage

Hey, the old thread was getting cluttered up. I thought it'd be better to start a new one and keep all the updates in one place.

Anyway, for those who havn't seen it already, it's basically a blog about two teenagers who are trying to get into racing next season. The blog includes training plans, how people react to us cycling etc. We also try to include ride reports and product reviews.

We would like some feedback on the site.

Site : http://www.velostage.com/
Twitter : http://twitter.com/Velostage
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/pages/Velostage/201718613224671

ooermissus

Just to let you know the Facebook widget blocks some of the main, central column when reading on a mobile (Android)

iAmiAdam

We've had a few people say that, I'll look into it, thanks.

Velostage

ooermissus wrote:

Just to let you know the Facebook widget blocks some of the main, central column when reading on a mobile (Android)

Hopefully that is fixed now, with a new Facebook widget. Thanks for your feedback.

Velostage

Hopefully all the bugs are ironed out now, we had a slight bit of downtime today but we're back now! Sorry for any inconvenience.

Velostage

Theres a picture of Ants face in todays post! Be careful!

Velostage

Some minor changes to the site, and more posts for your viewing! Enjoy.

RowCycle

Updating us on here is a good idea. I read your blog when I'm reminded by a post. Thanks.

Velostage

New post : http://velostage.com/wordpress/?p=579

Velostage

Report from Sundays ride :

http://velostage.com/wordpress/?p=594

Velostage

A coast to coast report from a guest blogger today, enjoy.

http://velostage.com/wordpress/?p=571

Tom Dean

Velostage wrote:

Report from Sundays ride :

http://velostage.com/wordpress/?p=594

I like your enthusiasm, but if you 'attack' off the front of the 16mph social club run all you do is make yourself look like a bellend. On group rides it is generally polite to do what the rest of the group is doing.

Velostage

Tom Dean wrote:

Velostage wrote:

Report from Sundays ride :

http://velostage.com/wordpress/?p=594

I like your enthusiasm, but if you 'attack' off the front of the 16mph social club run all you do is make yourself look like a bellend. On group rides it is generally polite to do what the rest of the group is doing.

It was quite a fast section of road, and we agreed that we'll meet them at the next junction a mile or 2 down the road. We had a few people join us aswell so it wasn't just us two. The other guys all know that Adam has too much testosterone flying about, because he's going through that stage . Nothing wrong with doing it as long as you don't 'attack' without telling everyone, and saying where you'll wait for them.

Tom Dean

How thoughtful to let them know where you'd be waiting!

Still poor etiquette IMO. Some people will always chase - all the more reason not to try to split up the group.

mouth

Tom Dean wrote:

Still poor etiquette IMO.

All said and done, it's quite a regular occurrence at the guys' club runs. Not out of the ordinary, in fact probably to be expected. If the rest of the group are happy with it, then whats the problem. Nobody is forced to ride with the club.

iAmiAdam

I don't see a problem, I needed to stretch my legs and took a mile to do it, no problem there. It wasn't to split the group. As I moved up around the outside, the club sec said something along the lines of "Ooo, there goes the young whipper snappers!" It's a club, you can't be expected to be controlled by it.

Btw mouth, Have you been to a club run for BCC yet?

mouth

iAmiAdam wrote:

I don't see a problem, I needed to stretch my legs and took a mile to do it, no problem there. It wasn't to split the group. As I moved up around the outside, the club sec said something along the lines of "Ooo, there goes the young whipper snappers!" It's a club, you can't be expected to be controlled by it.

Btw mouth, Have you been to a club run for BCC yet?

No but I know a few who have. Just working up my average speed, and waiting till I get my pedals/shoes cos I don't wanna get laughed at. Do I have to be a member before I can join the Bunch.cc page?

Velostage

Mouth wrote:

iAmiAdam wrote:

I don't see a problem, I needed to stretch my legs and took a mile to do it, no problem there. It wasn't to split the group. As I moved up around the outside, the club sec said something along the lines of "Ooo, there goes the young whipper snappers!" It's a club, you can't be expected to be controlled by it.

Btw mouth, Have you been to a club run for BCC yet?

No but I know a few who have. Just working up my average speed, and waiting till I get my pedals/shoes cos I don't wanna get laughed at. Do I have to be a member before I can join the Bunch.cc page?

If I remember correctly, you do have to be a member before you get access to the bunch site. Not sure. You won't get laughed at if you don't have clipless pedals, there are plenty of people who ride with toe clips.

Tom Dean

Mouth wrote:

Nobody is forced to ride with the club.

Ha. Just noticed your sig.

Why even join club rides? So you can behave however you like and the established guys can leave if they don't like it? Nice attitude for someone new to the sport.

iAmiAdam

So two minutes of stretching out of a three hour ride means that I shouldn't join the club ride because i'm disturbing it and giving a bad impression, Yeah, alright then.

Tom Dean

iAmiAdam wrote:

So two minutes of stretching out of a three hour ride means that I shouldn't join the club ride because i'm disturbing it and giving a bad impression, Yeah, alright then.

I just wanted to let you know that it may be considered impolite and shows a lack of respect for the group you are riding with. If you don't care what kind of impression you give then carry on.

okgo

"Adam lead the group for a few miles, and was setting a pace of 18mph. My legs always die after I stop so I was struggling"

:shock: And you are meant to be getting ready for racing?

The blogs are entertaining but underwhelming at the same time.

iAmiAdam

Tom Dean wrote:

I just wanted to let you know that it may be considered impolite and shows a lack of respect for the group you are riding with. If you don't care what kind of impression you give then carry on.

I said I was going to do it, a joke was made as I moved up, the club is friendly and not restrictive, as long as you're not causing mayhem anything goes. If your club is so restrictive that they don't let people go a bit faster for a few minutes, I'd look for another. I've been with my club for over a year, if I wasn't being respectful I'm sure something would of been brought up by now. Besides, as long as you're all out riding, who cares what you do?


Okgo; Can you expand on the underwhelming part? Any feedback is taken on board and we need it. And yeah, Ant is a bit wimpy at times.

Tom Dean

Interesting that you should take the fact that a joke was made as an endorsement.

It's nothing to do with the club being restrictive, I'm sure there is no rule against shooting off the front of the clubrun at 30mph.

iAmiAdam wrote:

as long as you're all out riding, who cares what you do?

I think most people care how they conduct themselves. You'll be saying you go around with hairy legs next

iAmiAdam wrote:

Any feedback is taken on board and we need it.

...

Velostage

okgo wrote:

"Adam lead the group for a few miles, and was setting a pace of 18mph. My legs always die after I stop so I was struggling"

:shock: And you are meant to be getting ready for racing?

The blogs are entertaining but underwhelming at the same time.

To be fair, I had like no sleep. Had nothing to eat for about 20 hours and we had just stopped. I hate stopping since my legs take ages to recover from stopping.

iAmiAdam

Tom Dean wrote:

Interesting that you should take the fact that a joke was made as an endorsement.

It's nothing to do with the club being restrictive, I'm sure there is no rule against shooting off the front of the clubrun at 30mph.

iAmiAdam wrote:

as long as you're all out riding, who cares what you do?

I think most people care how they conduct themselves. You'll be saying you go around with hairy legs next

iAmiAdam wrote:

Any feedback is taken on board and we need it.

...

I do care how I conduct myself, that's why I told them I was going. Honestly there's nothing bad about it.

mouth

Tom Dean wrote:

Mouth wrote:

Nobody is forced to ride with the club.

Ha. Just noticed your sig.

Why even join club rides? So you can behave however you like and the established guys can leave if they don't like it? Nice attitude for someone new to the sport.

This kind of "behaviour" as you put it is openly accepted and encouraged within this particular club. There are plenty of other rides offered by the same club every weekend for all kinds of people. Short, long, flat,hilly, TT's, TTT's, social, brisk etc. In my mind its the best club (local to me) for variety and the 100 or so members will probably testify to that as well. The members know who to ride with if they either want to stick as a bunch or go off on attacks.

In the last 12 months or so the club has also organised cross, hill climbs, free wheeling, MTB and crit races as well as junior actiivities and a challenge ride which I gather will be a full sportive next year. There's also a small but dedicated race team.

Like I said, something for everyone.

There's a good 5 or 6 clubs around our way who all seem to offer something or other. Beeston seems to manage to combine all of them whilst lacking nothing. Even the club kit is nice.

iAmiAdam

Summed the club up in one there, mouth. :P

As our tagline says - "Because cycling should be for all"

Tom Dean

Sounds like a fantastic club.

I refer you to my first comment.

iAmiAdam

It wasn't an attack I was just stretching my legs for a tiny amount of time. I feel like we've been over this a few times now though.

mouth

iAmiAdam wrote:

It wasn't an attack I was just stretching my legs for a tiny amount of time. I feel like we've been over this a few times now though.

Even so, still sounds a bit better than dawdling around at 14mph because Skeggy Dave can't go any faster. Nice to hear of a club that does something other than the Sunday plod around the same 45 mile loop because that's what they've done for the last 7 years.