What kind of cyclist are you?

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Comments

  • indjke
    indjke Posts: 85
    5'9" and 65 kg
    After the lab test last year I was seriously advised to concentrate on TT. :roll:
    Boardman Team C / 105 / Fulcrum Racing 3
  • ianspeare
    ianspeare Posts: 110
    Well after 2 months, I can say I'm starting to enjoy climbing a lot more. At first, I dreaded the smallest of hills. I wouldn't even call them hills, more like inclines.

    My last ride took me up 400ft along the base of Mow Cop (plan to make the ascent to the top soon), and the one before that I got into the top 10 on a flat 5 min segment.

    I'm going to build up the base miles and fitness this year with a view to starting racing next year. Basically, I'm loving being out on the bike at the moment and that's the most important thing!!! :D
    www.saddlesaw101.com
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    ianspeare wrote:
    Well after 2 months, I can say I'm starting to enjoy climbing a lot more. At first, I dreaded the smallest of hills. I wouldn't even call them hills, more like inclines.

    My last ride took me up 400ft along the base of Mow Cop (plan to make the ascent to the top soon), and the one before that I got into the top 10 on a flat 5 min segment.

    I'm going to build up the base miles and fitness this year with a view to starting racing next year. Basically, I'm loving being out on the bike at the moment and that's the most important thing!!! :D
    The best sort of cyclist to be: an improving one.
  • SBezza
    SBezza Posts: 2,173
    I am a TTer, and a long distance TTer at that. Part of that is mentally it is what I prefer, I have the outlook that the best rider should win, rather than the luckiest etc and generally this happens in a TT. Could probably do alright in road racing but it isn't something that I desire to do really.

    I am better at sustaining a high effort relative to FTP for a long duration, so that suits a long distance TTer as well.

    I think any amateur can train to almost any cycle disicpline, I am sure if I trained my sprinting I would get better at it, but as it is I don't do any specific training under 5 mins, so low duration power is hopeless.
  • ianspeare
    ianspeare Posts: 110
    Well I made my first assault on Mow Cop this afternoon. Made it about a third of the way up. I shouldn't have been racing the 4x4 with a sheep trailer on on my way there. Reminded me of when I was kid & I'd race the school bus home

    End of June is a realistic target for me to reach the summit
    www.saddlesaw101.com
  • JamesFree
    JamesFree Posts: 703
    A sprinter/finisher as my power profile tails off pretty quickly, something with an uphill finish suits me, though defiantly lack long term power 10 minutes + so sometimes have to try and dig in to hang around until the end.

    5ft 11 & 67kg
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    JamesFree wrote:
    A sprinter/finisher as my power profile tails off pretty quickly, something with an uphill finish suits me, though defiantly lack long term power 10 minutes + so sometimes have to try and dig in to hang around until the end.

    5ft 11 & 67kg

    Did you post that so you can come back and say "told you so" when you win tonight?! ;)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/41991871@N ... otostream/
  • JamesFree
    JamesFree Posts: 703
    BigMat wrote:
    JamesFree wrote:
    A sprinter/finisher as my power profile tails off pretty quickly, something with an uphill finish suits me, though defiantly lack long term power 10 minutes + so sometimes have to try and dig in to hang around until the end.

    5ft 11 & 67kg

    Did you post that so you can come back and say "told you so" when you win tonight?! ;)

    lol managed a 2nd, though someone was away on their own and almost caught them!
  • patchy
    patchy Posts: 779
    When I'm in shape, i tend to be a bit climby (in shape is anything less than 67kg - am 5'8"), especially on longer steady-state climbs.

    After a year-long layoff due to a knee injury, I'm about 4-5kg over that and am in no way climby. Instead, i seem to have discovered my inner TTer, presumably because both depend on holding high threshold. Will be interesting to see what happens as the body readapts to training loads and the weight drops again...
    point your handlebars towards the heavens and sweat like you're in hell
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    An inexperienced/naive racer - in two of my four races I've been binned and dropped because I was complacent and didn't follow the wheel I should have, when I should have! Riding for 50+ mins on your own can be demoralising if not, 'character building'. In the last race I maintained the gap to the group too so could have done so much better if I stayed on, I just couldn't bridge the gap. I didn't really sleep that night as I knew I stupid. Lesson learned! Another race on Thursday so hopefully, I'll do better.

    I've been bitten by the road race bug and really want to do well. I'm working on the engine and trying to improve my top end and learn how much more I can hurt and suffer. I think I'm a bit scared of being in the red for too long and don't yet know how much I can hurt and for how long before I completely break.

    I can't TT for my life. It's odd that a few blokes I can easily drop on a chain gang/long ride can take 5 mins off me in a 10. I think this goes back to not knowing how to suffer and hit that top end.

    On the plus side, I'm pretty handy on a climb despite not exactly being a svelte racing snake. I love sprinting too, it's probably the strongest aspect of my riding.

    Regardless of the above - I just love riding my bike.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • outcastjack
    outcastjack Posts: 237
    182cm and 69kg, passable climber can sort of TT and a bit poo at everything else, I am very keen though.
  • Fatamorgana
    Fatamorgana Posts: 257
    168 (5ft 10:5) and 73kg
    Will drop 2-3kg and hope to race cat4 next year when I have worked on both speed and distance.
    Need a far better winter training schedule this year.
    Doing some 50 and 75 sportives solo to work on both these aspects of my riding plus chain gangs (starting this week) plus club rides. 100+ milers once a month too.
    Hate TT's and may do one or two, but they hurt so!
    Turns out I am better than I thought I was, but just not ready to race this season.

    I turn 50 next year and only bought a road bike 12 months ago.

    I find the Strava segments hard graft but play to my ability to go hard and just keep it pinned; I just need to be quicker!
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    Fatamorgana wrote:
    168 (5ft 10:5) and 73kg
    Will drop 2-3kg and hope to race cat4 next year when I have worked on both speed and distance.
    Need a far better winter training schedule this year.
    Doing some 50 and 75 sportives solo to work on both these aspects of my riding plus chain gangs (starting this week) plus club rides. 100+ milers once a month too.
    Hate TT's and may do one or two, but they hurt so!
    Turns out I am better than I thought I was, but just not ready to race this season.

    I turn 50 next year and only bought a road bike 12 months ago.

    I find the Strava segments hard graft but play to my ability to go hard and just keep it pinned; I just need to be quicker!

    You can do the BC races but I'd be looking at the TLI and LVRC calendar for age related racing.
    Not that they are easier but the fact that they exist to address the pesky question of us old uns who still want to race.
  • ianspeare
    ianspeare Posts: 110
    Had another Mow Cop attempt. Tried a different route and made it a bit further. Strava analysis said that I only had 1 more steep corner to go. So frustrating but I'll keep trying!
    www.saddlesaw101.com
  • jgsi
    jgsi Posts: 5,062
    ianspeare wrote:
    Had another Mow Cop attempt. Tried a different route and made it a bit further. Strava analysis said that I only had 1 more steep corner to go. So frustrating but I'll keep trying!


    Not sure why this is in Amateur racing, afaik there is only a running race up Mow each May.
    However, do remember that it is either Killer Mile or nothing! :wink:

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