Psychotext
Member
Awesome.
Nice. Looks really good. I've started looking for jobs in the sticks so I can ride outside of London lol.
Finally did FTP test... I almost cried. Also I am 100% certain I can maintain a lot more watts on the road, just feels really odd indoors and finding it really hard to not overheat. Have two big fans, taking in fluids, just doesn't seem to feel even close to being outside.
You probably can, but only in bursts. It's the sustained power of an FTP test that's the hardest part.
Unless you're on a track, in the real world you'll always get slight breaks here and there. Traffic lights, a gate, a slight descent etc. Your body will also back off naturally to recover without you even realising it.
When it's you vs the numbers on your screen, there's no-where to hide.
Something like a Giant Anyroad? I've never been on one though.Is there such thing as a true hybrid bike that is truly great on the road and off?
Something like a Giant Anyroad? I've never been on one though.
Allroad/gravel/adventure/whatever bikes are pretty versatile, but there are times when it's highly beneficial to have suspension and MTB posture/handling.Something like a Giant Anyroad? I've never been on one though.
Were you bottoming out your gearing and had to hammer to keep the cranks turning, or would it have been possible to lower both gearing and power?Even the smallest hills were killing me at that point.
That's what you want.Also took a really stupid spill just turning my bike around when I hit some soft sand on the side of the road. Didn't realize until I got going again that my brake hood was pointing 45 degrees inward. Luckily I was able to twist it back in place.
You probably can, but only in bursts. It's the sustained power of an FTP test that's the hardest part.
Unless you're on a track, in the real world you'll always get slight breaks here and there. Traffic lights, a gate, a slight descent etc. Your body will also back off naturally to recover without you even realising it.
When it's you vs the numbers on your screen, there's no-where to hide.
Were you bottoming out your gearing and had to hammer to keep the cranks turning, or would it have been possible to lower both gearing and power?
People just about always bump up their wattage on the hills, even when they're not trying to. It's usually a good idea in a race, but when exploding and trying to just get through distance, it's not a bad idea to force yourself to minimize this.
I knew it would be hard doing it, but damn was it hard. When the stupid thing says you have 5mins left why not push a bit more (i did it on zwift). I just wanted to go tell it to fuck itself, give more. what do you think i am. superman. The last 3 minutes felt so incredibly hard once it hit zero thought I would throw up, I did not. while cooling down i was barely managing 50rpm and after few minutes, unclipped and went plop onto my bed. I'll see again in a month or so. Kinda fun.
Just bought a Thule helium tow hitch rack. Found out I can install a tow hitch on my new car without visible cuts on the fairing. Was nervous about the weight of my old steel one so I bit the bullet. Seems well reviewed but has anyone here used it? I'm confused about the weird frame extension bars I saw on a video.
Yeah, I actually did throw up once, it was particularly unpleasant.
I've also ended two FTP tests with massive cramp in my calves and another time in my foot. They're really, really hard to get right. A lot of people flat out avoid doing them, and it's not hard to see why (many people also don't give anywhere near what they're capable of).
I have one of these... it's basically bomb proof.
Can't speak for the helium though.
Four total (with a special extension arm), but to be honest I wouldn't want to risk four mountain bikes on it...
...and yeah, those lights hook up to the car.
They do a number of versions, including a two bike one.
https://www.thule.com/en-gb/gb/bike-rack/towbar-bike-racks?q=BW3B75Jbw
I'm going to go out on a limb and say the US market is more interested in form than function. I'm not sure I'd trust any of those.
Just bought a Thule helium tow hitch rack. Found out I can install a tow hitch on my new car without visible cuts on the fairing. Was nervous about the weight of my old steel one so I bit the bullet. Seems well reviewed but has anyone here used it? I'm confused about the weird frame extension bars I saw on a video.
You know I'm glad the U.K. and the U.S. can at least agree on the name "bicycle". Instead of calling them velocipedes or something.
You mean pushbikes?
True, even a slight descend gives a small break. Didn't think of that.
I knew it would be hard doing it, but damn was it hard. When the stupid thing says you have 5mins left why not push a bit more (i did it on zwift). I just wanted to go tell it to fuck itself, give more. what do you think i am. superman. The last 3 minutes felt so incredibly hard once it hit zero thought I would throw up, I did not. while cooling down i was barely managing 50rpm and after few minutes, unclipped and went plop onto my bed. I'll see again in a month or so. Kinda fun.
Totally agree, though it can be extremely challenging to find an outdoor piece of road that is sufficiently predictable such that you can keep consistent gearing throughout, which is important for a numbers freak like myself who can adjust his power output by a watt or two with ease but lacks the attention span to optimize pedaling economy.I did one on Zwift about a month ago. I do not like FTP tests.
I've done 3 time trials since then. 9.2mi (about 26 to 27 minutes for me so far). I have a power meter, too. For some reason, when riding out on the road, putting down the same average power, it just doesn't feel as bad. I mean, it still hurts, but there's something about racing the clock and chasing the guy in front of you that helps. In fact, on the last one I did, I passed 7 people and ended up in the lead, unfortunately. I lost a bit of time compared to my last one. I need someone to chase! I did use Strava live segments on my Garmin Edge 1000 to help pace myself, but they are a little "off".
I think that no amount of indoor airflow is going to cool you like a 22mph wind over your skin, either. And the bike doesn't move on the trainer, so your ass hurts more. It all just sucks!
I've sold a lot of them. Are you using it for a full suspension mtn bike? By frame extension bar I take it you mean the top tube/frame adapter to give the bike a top tube to be held by the rack? I'm not a fan of the top tube adapters but I've never seen one fail. Just double check your stem and seat post bolts.
Part of the reason for the US/UK difference is that Thule makes the US hitch racks in the US. The other factor is that since we have state instead of federal laws people just ignore them. That's freedom.
Totally agree, though it can be extremely challenging to find an outdoor piece of road that is sufficiently predictable such that you can keep consistent gearing throughout, which is important for a numbers freak like myself who can adjust his power output by a watt or two with ease but lacks the attention span to optimize pedaling economy.
Did a 20 minute Zwift power test a week ago and went as fast as I have in a year and a half (though slower by a fair chunk than my 20min test from 18 months ago). Did a Zwift race a week later and topped that by a couple of watts (despite the 45min ebb and flow of trying to hang with the front pack before getting mercilessly dropped with 5 miles to go and softpedaling home), so I'm pretty sure I'm gaining fitness quickly again.
Anybody here Zwift frequently? With my work schedule and a significant other I find I'm never able to ride outdoors during the week, and it's been the best thing to happen to my motivation. I used to just watch vid of whatever cycling race was happening, but I find that I'm way more in tune with my rides with Zwift. It was a slog to get 5-6 hours in each week, and now I'm having to limit myself to 8-9 so I can let my body adapt to the volume.
Just bought a Thule helium tow hitch rack. Found out I can install a tow hitch on my new car without visible cuts on the fairing. Was nervous about the weight of my old steel one so I bit the bullet. Seems well reviewed but has anyone here used it? I'm confused about the weird frame extension bars I saw on a video.
I'm finding Zwift to not be an accurate representation. i think it's 2-3 mph higher than your average output. If you're really planning to train with Power I'd highly recommend trying TrainerRoad over zwift.
TR programs are highly structured and designed for people want to train around power. Zwift to me is more about just riding a course
and if you're pushing higher than 4.0w/kg, zwift requires you to verify your power output and they will dig through your strava/garmin records. i think you also need a smart trainer?
Are there any deceent youtube channels/vids or even books about proper bike maintenance and repair? I don't mind bringing my bike to the local place I tend to frequent for a tune up once a year but it can get pricey and I'd like to be able to deal with small things like changing out break cables and the like. That and it'd be cheaper for me to just buy replacement parts and do it all myself.
Edit: I should add most of the lingo in this thread goes way over my head so something for a newcomer/casual person would be best.
Are there any deceent youtube channels/vids or even books about proper bike maintenance and repair? I don't mind bringing my bike to the local place I tend to frequent for a tune up once a year but it can get pricey and I'd like to be able to deal with small things like changing out break cables and the like. That and it'd be cheaper for me to just buy replacement parts and do it all myself.
Edit: I should add most of the lingo in this thread goes way over my head so something for a newcomer/casual person would be best.
Just google it and watch a few videos and read a few tutorials. I haven't seen any one series that gets every detail covered perfectly. None of this stuff is hard. I'd say that derailleur adjustment is the trickiest bit, and it is something that everyone should know.
Brake cables are dead simple. Even replacing derailleur cables is simple.
If you have Shimano components, you can read their docs, but OMG they are bad. I'd say read them just to make sure you understand the specs.
Lots of jobs require special tools (like a cable housing cutter to keep from crushing the cable, although a dremel might work too), but they usually aren't expensive. Your local bike shop probably carries them if you find you need a tool that day. Amazon carries all the stuff too.
Just dive in. If you get in over your head, there's always the bike shop.