Tarmac Gets A French Compact Upgrade

I've been on holiday in Norfolk this week, not cycling but walking on this occasion. Norfolk is a great location for for doing both, its expansive never ending horizons provide for long days even in winter. This is because it is generally flat, devoid of the hills and hillocks I've become so familiar with on my cycling tours of Devon. In Norfolk, I could probably pedal forever. Here in Devon, my treasured Specialized Tarmac has been beaten on some hills, its semi pro 52/36 crank just simply runs out of steam on some of the more severe climbs. You may remember that in the summer, I chose to take my older Roubaix with its 50/34 compact chainring to climb Mont Ventoux. So, while I've not done any cycling this week, I have taken the opportunity to Devonise the Tarmac. Yes, I've upgraded the chainrings to the hill climbing 50/34 compact configuration.

This is a change I've been pondering for some months. I originally added the Tarmac to my stable to give me greater speed on the straights. My feeling being that the Roubaix was soaking up power through its gel suspension system and that the Tarmac's rigidity and better gear ratio would give me the increased speed I was seeking. In the stats below, the Tarmac (semi-pro) is shown above the Roubaix (compact). The left figure shows the gear ratio for the big ring / small socket - flat riding and right the small ring / big socket - climbing configuration ..

In moving to the compact chainring, I assessed - using a handy iPhone app - that over 10 miles, I'd be just 43 seconds slower and have to spin my legs an additional 65 rotations .. this assumed the impossible that I'd find a 10 mile level piece of road and was physically able to maintain 90 rotations a minute and a speed of 33 miles per hour! This settled it, until I move to Norfolk, being able to actually make it to the top of hills was going to be more important than any 'marginal gains' over the non existent flats! 

The next job, was tracking down the parts and fitting them. I had some really good advice from Chain Reaction, Wiggle and a new find, Tweeks Cycles. Both Wiggle and Tweeks recommended a French manufacturer's chainrings, TA Zephyr. Chain Reaction and Tweeks provided the most useful advice, so I sourced the rings from Tweeks and the tools from Chain Reaction, it seemed only fair .. particularly as Wiggle get most of my other business.

Fitting them was surprisingly easy. The 5 screws came free after initially breaking them free and then it was just a simple case of swapping one for the other. I think the new black TA Zephyrs look much smarter than the standard FSA fittings, and perhaps even a little lighter - may be I will find 'marginal gains' after all!

I was not sure if I would need to shorten the chain. The forums did not seem to agree on this. My plan was to compare chain lengths with my Roubaix, now of the same configuration, but could not believe it when they were an identical 54 links! I found, however, that the chain clunked a little when leaving it unchanged, so removed a link and found it to run much smoother. This was most odd, considering the bikes are the same size. The other change was to the height of the front derailer. This was, however, another inexact science. I think the final position chosen is OK as in the test ride gear changing was smooth enough, naturally time will tell!

I'm now hoping for a dry weekend sometime soon to take it on a hillclimb test .. may be even another trip to Mont Ventoux in the summer?!

The Portland Century

With my wife away for the weekend, I had a day to myself today so persuaded 3 fellow cyclists, Rex, Andy and Wes (Andy's cousin) to join me on a 100 mile ride to Portland and back. As many will know, I am not a natural 100 miler, normally drawing the line at 100 km or less (the one exception being our annual 'gentle' AVP 100 miler) but this has been a challenge, I've been keen to undertake for some time. I had hoped for clear blue sky and no wind, nature however had other plans.

We headed out at 07:00 from Seaton, to Lyme Regis, on to Charmouth, Wootton Fitzpaine and Chideock arriving at 09:00 in West Bay for breakfast of poached eggs, toast and black coffee. So far so good. 

Then taking the coast road we continued west through Abbotsbury, Portesham and across the causeway into Portland. From above Abbotsbury we should have had excellent views of Chesil Beach, but the theme of whole ride was that from the top of any hill all we saw was mist .. the cloud cover was exceptionally low. 

Above Chesil Beach

Then crossing the causeway, we were hit with extreme cross winds requiring an aggressive lean into the wind to prevent being blown over. Then when climbing up to Portland Bill, needle like rain was driven into our faces and the temperature plummeted. Having come this far, we agreed to push on to the lighthouse and am so glad we did, it is such an iconic structure.

Team Portland 100

Lunch was had at a Cycleccino's Coffee Shop, a friendly relaxed establishment in the centre of Portland ver pro cycling. They even topped up our bottles and supplied SIS energy drinks and gels .. one to remember if ever repeating this ride.

Lunch stop at Cycleccino's Coffee Shop

Our route back took us first north, through Weymouth and up to Nottington and Goulds Hill .. one long stretch reminded us of the Dartmoor Classic route from Princetown .. very lumpy. Again once we'd climbed, visibility was close to non existent, we could have been riding at night for all we could see. Once back on familiar AVP territory, around Marshwood, the fog had cleared, but Rex and I had lost Andy and Wes way out front .. I don't think this was just the fog, our legs had started to give up in those last 20 miles and we were happy to roll home. It was, however, a shame that the quicker guys did not work as a team to get us all home together. There is an art to group cycling which not all appreciate .. enough said.

Completing the ride in just under 8 hours, considering over 8k ft of climb, was pleasing. Rex and I were certainly tiring towards the end, but at 60-70 miles, the 100 km mark, I was still moving OK. This was also key reason for pushing ahead with the ride, in spite of the weather forecast, as I needed miles in my legs ahead of the Loch Ness Etape an the end of April; a ride of 60% of today's distance and well over less than 50% of the climbing.

Festive Family Tour

With the acquisition of the Yeti back in April, I've been able to carry my bike with me on many an adventure and this year's festive family tour was no exception.

After celebrating Christmas in Milton Keynes, my sister and I decided to take a late Boxing Day spin just as the heavens opened! Sticking to the Red Way cycle paths, my sister on her mountain bike and I on my Roubaix, rode 5 miles out to Melbourne. The plan was then to cross over to Loughton and complete a circuit via a northern loop of the lakes, however, with the route unclear, darkness rapidly falling and only one of us having lights, we had little option other than to make our return along the outward path. Icy sleet and rain drove into our faces and froze my fingers numb, I've not been so cold in some time!



From Milton Keynes, we headed over to Norwich. By the Sunday, the weather had remarkably cleared following my earlier wintery ride out with my sister, such that I was able to head out on a longer ride with my brother-in-law.

It felt a little bit unfair, however, with my brother-in-law both unaccustomed to cycling and having to ride his classic Sun GT10 Tourer while I was on my tried and tested carbon Roubaix! We, however, took our time and completed a very respectable 20 miles, 2x our last ride together back in 2013 and enjoyed both fabulous weather and scenery. The Roubaix even coped well on the muddy "cycle path" following the old railway line, although it had picked up so much mud and debris that shifting between cogs became a little troublesome and a worrying grating noise from the running gear accompanied us on our return journey .. a deep clean will be required on our return to Seaton!

Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100

Déjà vu, the alarm clock rings out at 05:00 am for the second day running. One glance out of our 6th floor window shows what a difference a day can make. Dark clouds fill the sky, cars splash noisily  along the rain soaked streets and shimmering light dances off wet pavements .. hurricane Bertha has arrived on cue.

We jostle for breakfast amongst lycra clad cyclists, topping up with protein, carbs and caffeine ahead of what is likely to be the cycle ride of a lifetime. The Pru organisers have wrestled through the night with decisions on route changes and whether the course can even be safety run in such conditions. Their final decision, having consulted with the Met Office, is that Box and Leith Hills must be cancelled, being just too dangerous for the volume of riders to traverse over such slippery and steep terrain. The course is shortened to 86 miles. Jason is disappointed that this cheats him out of his first 100 miler, while I'm disappointed that my only edge over Jason - hill climbing - is removed from the ride!

Our two jerseys ready for the ride

It is important, however, to remember why we're here at all and this is to raise money for our chosen charities. It is not to race for personal gratification but to show endurance and personal sacrifice, undertaking an activity that one has trained long and hard over, for the benefit of others. For Jason, this is for Help the Hospices, and for me, Diabetes UK. Our two jerseys hung ready for the ride say it all.

Our start times are 10 minutes apart and the distance between our Yellow and Blue starting pens around 15 minutes cycling. We've heard that the marshals may turn a blind eye to us leaving together, so I risk joining Jason for his earlier start time, in that I could make a mad dash back to the Blue sector before they leave. At dead on 07:45 the gun goes for the start of the Yellow group of riders with celebrities: Amy Williams and Dominic Littlewood and a gate crashing Blue rider, your's truly! Coincidentally,  Dominic Littlewood was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes almost 40 years ago and today is riding with Amy and other celebrities in support of Bliss, the charity for premature babies. 

At the time of the start, the rain is spotting lightly and all hopes are that the main force of the storm blew over during  the night and we'll be lucky. I'm even wondering whether the two hills would be reopened, but as riders had been leaving their pens since 06:00 am this morning, this would be unlikely as they would already be too far around the course. Shortly after leaving the Olympic Park, taking up both lanes of the A12, we see the first of many falls, a sobering thought that one must take extra care in these conditions, as from the sight of one lady's bloodied face, her ride is over before it really began. I've also never seen so many punctures, something Jason and I take care not to talk about until we are safety home again, the 'P' word to cyclists being as the 'Scottish play' is to actors!

Head down through the driving rain

It is not long before Bertha puts in another appearance and I echo Chris Boardman's comments following his ride, the rain fall was truly biblical! At least, I thought, my 2013 AVP 100 miler gave me some experience of riding in such conditions and ensured the bike had mud guards and I was wearing overshoes, a good waterproof race cape and a peaked cycling cap under my helmet - the latter being the best decision of the lot as the mix of salty sweat and rain in the eyes is a painful and debilitating experience!  

I could go on waxing long and lyrically over the professionalism of the feed and drink stations, the marshals lining all 86 miles of the route, of the few brave and hardy souls, charity cheerers and public alike who stood for hours in the pouring rain. Of the sorry open and empty parks and fields with lonely and slightly deflated bouncy castles, empty roped off squares and tightly closed marquees that no one would be visiting today. As we pedalled on leaving the villages behind, it was hard not to spare a thought for all those who had put so much effort into preparing for this day and how if the sun had shone, what an amazing carnival atmosphere they would have created. 

At the 40 mile Ripley Drinks Station, we are invited into a club house to partake in the various and delicious cake offerings that had been intended for the supporting masses that were expected to be attending. Hot coffee and carrot cake is food of the gods to most cyclists and this is one who certainly appreciated the opportunity that the rain had delivered.

A surprise offering at Ripley Drinks Station

After the coffee and cake stop we have to venture back out into the rain for the remaining 40 mile loop through Surrey, omitting Leith and Box Hills. Prior to moving on, I have one mechanical task to attend to. Having originally selected this stop primarily to change my GoPro camera battery, there was one factor regarding the elements that I had not accounted for. While being able to extract the camera unit from its waterproof case to complete the change in the warmth and dry of the building, high humidity + rapid drop in temperature = fog and this is just what happened as I resealed my GoPro .. it fogged up badly! So, as we ride on I am unable to shoot any film between Ripley and Newlands Corner hub, which is where I'm finally able to source paper towels to remove the misting. 

We now make no further scheduled stops, pressing on through Dorking, Leatherhead, Oxshott, Esher and crossing back into London at Kingston upon Thames. Newlands Corner marks a steady improvement in the weather as the rain starts easing and as we start our northerly return to London shadows appear and the sun starts to burn through. About 15 miles out Jason gets a new wind, and storms up Wimbledon Hill as if he's on his way to a fire. I'm now overheating in my rain cape and have to stop to stow it away. Jason by now is a dot on the horizon and so I sit back and take a short "Hamlet moment" ...  happiness is a banana flavoured gel under a warm sun - am I showing my age here? 

Passing the Houses of Parliament 

My final 15 miles are perhaps the best.  Reflecting on the ride, the purpose, my mum, the support I've had to get here and the generosity of my sponsors. The sun has also brought more people out onto the streets and ear to ear grins are now being seen not just on the riders. 

Entering the final straight on The Mall

Crossing the line at 13:55, 6h:10m after setting off that morning is an incredible feeling such that the only suitable reaction is to thrust my arms into the air in celebration .. only then to have to bring them swiftly back onto the bars to make the double hop over the cable trunking, containing the timing sensors, spanning the road and avoid an embarrassing crash into the crowd. I'm sure the pros don't have that issue!

A proud moment outside Buckingham Palace

Awaiting us, as we feed our way further along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace is a line of greeters with an endless supply of medals. It is their job to place the medal over the completing riders' heads just as you imagine grass skirted Hawaiians would greet you with a garland of flowers. What a great way to end a ride.

Roubaix Rides Again

For one reason and another, I've missed the last three evening rides with the AVP, so tonight, with the sun shining, it was great to meet up with everyone again for what was to be one of our quickest and longest evening rides of the season.

I've managed to get in a number of solo rides on my Roubaix over the past few weeks, so thought I'd give the Crosstrail a run out; the ability to switch to off road mode has often given me the edge on some more recent evening routes! Meeting at the Kings Arms, however, I soon realised that amongst the other 13 riders, I was seemingly the odd one out. It was like turning up at a party in causal wear and seeing everyone else in black tie. Andy persuaded me to make a hasty retreat to switch bikes, he was right, I needed to be riding the Roubaix tonight.

Our route took us out to Axmouth, up to Boshill and along Trinity Hill Road, where a breakaway group made up of at least Rex, Andy, Nelly and Richard .. I only saw them disappear into the distance .. raced on ahead. I saw later that Andy and Rex got 7th & 8th positions respectively on that Strava segment, running at an average speed of a few points shy of 20mph!

We crossed the A35 together on to Crewkerne Road, to Hawkchurch and Wadbrook. Returning via Smallridge, Weycroft, Axminster, back across the A35 to Kilmington, Whitford and Musbury, we clocked up a good 28 miles in under 2 hours. No punctures, only 1,900 ft of climbing and some quick pedalling! At one point, moving rapidly up Combe Road out of Axmouth, I thought 'goodness I'm feeling unfit', that was however, until I realised it was Rex and Nelly, out front setting the pace! That said, we all did well keeping up a good cadence and were very ready for our beer and chips back at the Kings Arms.

Freewheeling

On the day the Froomie has to settle for 6th on the Volta a Catalunya, the BikeShed return my freewheel duly repaired and I have one of my best rides of the season.

Freewheel looking good

The BikeShed should have really fixed my wheel last month when they had it in for a service .. a stitch in time and all that, but they recovered well with a rapid fix enabling me to get in a weekend ride on my Roubaix.

What views!

With the majority of the Pedallers, including my buddy, Andy, having had a ride out yesterday, I was left to do a solo cycle this afternoon. I had a plan to do a re-run of Thursday's quick loop out to Farway Common and this I did with a slight detour into Farway having turned off a little early. This resulted in one of the steepest climbs of my 'cycling career' up Ball Lane .. one to miss in future. I even passed an old guy getting out of his car and was showered with admiration from him, little then did I know what was in store.

Old petrol pumps in Farway on the turn to Seaton

In spite of the detour, the climbs and solo ride (I normally do better with company), it was a quick ride. I got a new PB of 16.13 miles for 1 hr and a 43.54s for 20 km last set back in September 2013! I also achieved 5 Strava segment PBs, even beating Andy on the Golf Club to A35 segment :)

Feeling a lot better this week!

Bike Shed Deja Vu

Do you remember April 2013, when after a BikeShed service my Crosstrail had to be returned for a warranty fix on the front shocks? Can lightening strike twice? I didn't think so, when I took my Specialised Roubaix in for its first service.

Along with a request for them to replace the white handle bar tape which was by now very grubby, I asked them to check out a noise in the hub or gear environment - I'm no expert - which had developed and had got increasingly worse over the last few months.  When I collected it on 26-Feb, they confirmed it was a "Noisy Freehub" which should be OK. 

A couple of rides later .. check back on my blog entries you'll see just 3 on the Roubaix ... the fee hub expired today and I had to walk home! Deja vu and poor show BikeShed! and Specialized really, as these are not cheap rides.

Determined to get a cycle in while the weather remained clear, I switched to the Crosstrail and who should I bump into while heading out of Colyton but Andy returning from his King of the Brother's ride! It's been a couple of weeks since Andy and I have been out on a ride, so it was fortuitous and a real coincidence that we should meet up in such a way. If I'd been able to get out on the Roubaix, chances are our paths would not have crossed.

I, thus, joined Andy on his return ride and completed what was a reasonable 10 mile circuit, shorter than planned but just what I needed - although I could have done without the Roubaix problem. So, it's back to the BikeShed next Saturday and another weekend without a long ride.

Day 327 - Saddle Sore

When cycling it should be no surprise that you spend a good deal of time sat in the saddle and as such this is a key piece of bike furniture which should, I feel receive more attention than I've given it to date.

In the 11 months that I have owned my Specialized Crosstrail Sport Disc, I have spent 4 saddle sore days rolling over 1100 miles of potholed Devon lanes. In that time, I've just assumed that bikes are naturally uncomfortable and one just has to get on with it. The Crosstrail comes with a Specialized BodyGeometry Targa Sport 155mm saddle .. this is the larger of the two versions available and retails for around £35. More recently, now averaging 20 miles a ride, I've been finding it to be far from comfortable and when I saw one of my favoured eBay sellers with a new Prologo Nago Evo X10 Pro T 2.0 for sale, I wondered whether this would be a suitable replacement. This saddle was said to have come Christmas Day on a Felt F5x cyclo cross bike and was removed and replaced with his own saddle before the bike left the house.

Prologo Nago Evo X10 Pro T 2.0 Saddle

After a bit of on-line research, I learned that this saddle is very versatile, being recommended for both MTB and road bikes. It thus seemed the perfect match for my hybrid. Also, at a retail price of £135, I felt, I would certainly notice an improvement in quality and comfort over Specialized's standard offering. Yes, it was a bit of a punt but with a low maximum bid placed, it seemed a safe bet and if I won the auction, it would be a low cost option to test out how a quality seat performs. I am now the proud owner of a new X10 Pro for less than the price of a Targa Sport! Don't you just love eBay ;)

My Crosstrail was in need of a service, its gears were missing badly, so I thought I'd get it serviced before fitting the new saddle. Monday this week the service was completed and Tuesday was the day I set about fitting the saddle. Our first real outing was on this Thursday's AVP evening ride. The X10 is a little narrower than the Targa and so I initially thought it would take a bit of getting used to, but no, I found it surprisingly comfortable. It provided cushioning support where needed and a reduced friction surface resulting in a smother ride and less effort required when moving out of the saddle to make steep climbs. So far, I am very impressed and pleased with my punt of a purchase.

I'm now keen to have a look at my Roubaix, as I've never found that very comfortable either. I don't think, in this instance, that it is the quality of saddle which is at fault, but rather its positioning. The Roubaix has a BG Toupe RBX Sport saddle retailing for around £90 and looks very similar to the X10 in design. What I feel is needed, however, is for me to move it forward a few cms so that I connect better with the padded area.

So, as I get more familiar with my bikes, I'm starting to understand what works and what does not and what needs to be changed. I am even considering a professional bike fix for me on the Roubaix, before that is, I embark on my year of sportifs, as I feel I'm still not getting the best performance I can from it. I will keep you posted on whether I go ahead with this and on any results of me making those fine saddle adjustments.

Day 314 - A Quick One Before Sunset

Following a relaxing day strolling through Bridport, I felt the need on my return to make best use of the final hour of the rare sunlight we had been enjoying since first light. I decided on a ride out to my new hill climb training ground, Stepps Lane.

With the weather being so perfect, I took the Roubaix, giving the Crosstrail a rest for the day. I've been surprised at how well the Crosstrail has been performing against the Roubaix, which having clocked up 2nd and 3rd fasted climbs on my last outings, the Roubaix had something to prove!

There are 2 main Strava segments on Stepps Lane .. the 3 mile stretch to the A3052 and the steep 10% initial climb. The first I was pleased to achieve my 2nd best time, I had to pull over to let a car pass, but for the second, the main climb, I knocked 40 seconds of my September time to give me a new PR. 40 seconds may not sound much but over a 2/3 mile 10% climb it seems like hours! I also, and surprisingly, achieved another PR on the 2.2 mile Bosshill descent. Surprisingly, because on the fast -9% section, I was on the brakes trying to avoid the shingle which had been deposited in the recent flooding and which was threatening to slide me off the road and into the hedgerow!

From Boshill, I rode through Colyford and returned to Seaton via Harepath Lane. With still some daylight remaining, I decided on a ride down to the beach where the light over the sea and the sight of the sun beginning to set, was truly wonderful. It is hard to believe that tomorrow will bring rain.

Day 210 - Back to the Routine

It's been a bit of an anticlimax since the 100 miler. Autumn has descended with a bump, shortening the days and bringing with it unpredictable non-cycling weather. I did manage a 20 mile evening ride, between the showers, to Axminster and back with Andy mid week, but it was lucky that we maintained a level of speed which was not only to earn me a new 20 km PB but also get us back before darkness descended. Had it been a Thursday AVP night ride, I'd never have made it back on my low powered commuting lights. As I said back in August, it's time to buy some lights!

The past few weeks have been a real downer, as far as getting out on the bike, after such a great summer building to the high of the 100 mile ride. I have, however, during this spell of bad weather, had both a birthday and a visit to the Cycle Show to raise my spirits. My birthday brought me a quality set of winter cycling gloves and a cap to wear under my helmet. No more frozen fingers or ice cream sandwich headaches for me! 

At the Cycle Show at the NEC Birmingham, it was great to see all the new 2014 models, particularly Specialized's new colour ways for my Crosstrail and Roubaix. Had there been more stalls and less exhibition, I could have broken the bank!

Beema AS-2000

As it was, I found it hard to buy the road shoes I'm desperate to get hold of for my Roubaix but I did lay my hands on a Beema AS-2000 front light set from Bike Lights UK. It cost more than I was planning to spend but I think I've got a really good looking light with amazing performance and being able to talk through my requirements with a human being, rather than buy something wrong on-line made a pleasant change!

While at the exhibition, I came across the Tour of Britain podium as used on the final stage in London. This was set out with a life size cardboard cutout of Wiggo in his winners gold jersey and the Tour's hostess .. in the flesh .. to have your photo taken with. I didn't.

Back home and now with no excuse not to get out on the bike, having winterized my Crosstrail, fitting mudguards and installing my new 2000 lumen light set, and headed out for an evening circuit to Colyford via my three hills. I have to say that the lights are awesome; with three power settings they illuminates the roadsigns even on the lowest from quite some distance away. An inconsiderate motorist who passed unnecessarily close and at speed got a pulsating maximum lumen blast which lit up the evening sky, I think he got the message! I repeated the circuit again this morning .. I'm gradually easing myself back into the routine and hope to join up with the AVP on Thursday for a night ride although the weather forecast needs to greatly improve if this is to be a reality as I've already proven lycra to be far from waterproof!

Day 178 - Presta Valves

Thursday, AVP night. The day started with another series of early morning business calls and the arrival of the carpet fitters whose cacophony of noises and smells, hammering and gluing, challenged my senses through to lunchtime. My afternoon, while quieter and less fragrant, was no less busy and I feared greatly that I would not make the evening ride. 6:15 pm, a quarter of an hour before bike check in time, I powered down the laptop, slipped into my Lycra and made my way to the bike shed. I've now worked out that I can do the short ride to our club meeting point in around 2 minutes, so was happy I would not miss the off.

Before heading off, I also wanted to ensure I had sufficient air in my tyres. Yesterday, I received delivery of a new set of tyre pumps. Something I had not realised when making my Roubaix purchase, was that it has a totally different tyre valves to those of my Crosstrial. The Roubaix uses the Presta valve, which being much thinner than the Crosstrail's Schrader valves, which are more like those found on a car tyre, did not fit my current set of bike pumps. The differences don't stop there. Inflating the tyre with the Presta valve is far from straight forward for the novice. Luckily a visit to YouTube and terrybyclicles.com got me sorted, you have to fully unscrew the valve stop first! So in the 15 minutes from powering off, not only did I have to slip into my kit, fill my water bottle and power on the Garmin, I also had the challenge of inflating the tyres .. which I'm pleased to report, worked a treat.

Arriving at the meeting point, the Roubaix attracted a great deal of attention. The pressure was now on to perform and this the Roubaix did. I had a much better ride out than the previous Sunday, may be because I was able to ride with the peloton and take part in a few of the sprints, while if you recall, while out with the SVCC, I lost the peloton very early on. I also think I'm getting more familiar with the gearing. We cycled out to Wilmington and Honiton and 21 mile circuit, although in my hast to leave the house, I did forget to power on the Garmin, so had covered a mile or so before I realised. Most unusually on an AVP ride, we lost 3 of our number and although two went back to seek them out, fearing a puncture or a crash, they were nowhere to be found. With the delay we cut short the intended circuit and using the power of the peloton, 3-4 of us made rapid progress down the last 9 miles of lanes and main roads, at times we were powering along at just short of 30 mph on the straights, something I would never have been able to do on the Crosstrail. I also achieved a new fastest speed of 41.2 mph and brought my 10 mile time down from 37 to 35 minutes.  I'm loving my Roubaix!

Stats: 21.38 mi, 1h:31m, Avg 14.0 mph, Max 41.2 mph, 1195 kcal

Day 176 - New Average Speed PB

Back on the Roubaix feeling especially good this morning, that was until I hit the first of my 3 hills on my climbing circuit out to Colyford. The Roubaix definitely takes less energy to move forward but I think I've underestimated the gearing quality of the Crosstrail which makes climbing so easy and down hill rides so quick.

The Crosstrail has 3 chain rings to the Roubaix's 2, which means that while there is potentially less gear changing to do on the Roubaix, the Crosstrail is more forgiving if you select the wrong gear .. yes I'm still getting used to the Roubaix's gear ratios as I'm tending to go too far through one chain ring before moving up to the next, leaving me either spinning on the pedals or juddering to a halt!

Setting off in such good spirits, I had expected to beat my Seafront Sprint2 Strava record of 21.8 mph .. this is the one that Andy took from me a month or so ago, putting in an impressive 24.4 mph .. but I could only reach an average of 21.5 mph over the half mile run, a difference of just 1 second over the distance. What is more frustrating, is that my quickest time was on the Crosstrail, I think this may be because as there is a down hill start to this segment, its increased weight adding greater forward momentum to launch me into the level straight .. that's my excuse anyway! 

Seafront Sprint2

What was pleasing on this ride was beating my previous average speed for any circuit (over 5 miles) of 13.5 mph set on Day134 - 16th July, by 0.6 mph. This stat's relevance over such different circuits is probably questionable but when compared to the last time I ran on this exact route, Day 141 - 23rd July, I can see that my average speed is up 2 mph, taking over 4 minutes of the 7 mile circuit. So while a small improvement, it is certainly a move in the right direction!

Stats: 6.95 mi, 29m 29s, Avg 14.1 mph, Max 32.8, 391 kcal

Day 167 - Moving to the Next Level

It had to happen. I've been thinking long and hard recently about moving to the next level in my cycling and perhaps next year buying a road bike to both achieve the speeds of my fellow pedallers on the Thursday evening rides and to increase my distances. I have also been mulling over the AVP 100 Mile Ride scheduled for Sunday 15 September and whether I wouldn't be better acquiring a new set of wheels now rather than waiting for next year ..  as a) I'm already at the stage of needing to make the move and b) I'm not getting any younger so why delay! So, yes, it had to happen, a trip to the Bike Shed saw me striking a great deal on a 2013 Specialized Roubiux Sport Compact model 90E3-6152 in carbon, charcoal and white. I'm still pinching myself!

A new stable mate for my steed, the new Roubiux

The weekend started, however, with a quick 9.5 mile ride over my three hils and a circuit of Colyton. I've remarked before on how this is a perfect mix of flat and hills and all this can be done in less than an hour.  I need to record it on my Garmin as a lap so that I can track my performance from one day to the next while actually on my ride, I am sure I can do this, I'll have to dig out the manual again. Having completed this Saturday circuit on my hybrid in a reasonable 45 minutes, I had wondered what the same would be on my new road bike, so a re-run was on the cards for Sunday afternoon.

My steed, my trusted hybrid Crosstrail

Two things were however against me on the Sunday, not even counting the unfamiliarity of my new racer - yes you can see I'm managing your expectations here - an afternoon in a seaside town in holiday season meant the roads were crowded with lost tourists and my legs were still killing me after my over ambitious attack on the Thursday hills. So, first impressions. I was very impressed with its initial pickup, carrying considerably less weight that the hybrid and it made the first rise up Seaton Down Hill with ease. I found that in the high speed down hill sections, I had less confidence than on my steed, the racer being lighter and more skittish, than my seemingly invincible hybrid, is going to take time getting used to. I was, however, amazed with how it soaked up the bumps in the road. I guess this is a combination of the flexing built into the frame, its lightness and the extra padding in the handle bars; it is really designed for our Devon roads!

Overall, the racer covered the same distance in 42 minutes, a 3 minute improvement. Many of my split times were not as good and the top speed was slightly down, but the average speed was an extra mph quicker overall. So I can see great potential, I just need clear roads and a return to fitness.

Stats:
Sat:  9.5 mi, 45m :24s, Avg 12.6 mph, Max 36.9, 503 kcalSun: 9.5 mi, 42m :01s, Avg 13.6 mph, Max 32.7, 504 kcal