Weather

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
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cycleruk
Posts: 6065
Joined: 17 Jan 2009, 9:30pm
Location: Lancashire

Re: Weather

Post by cycleruk »

The best I ever managed was on an exercise machine. I put a board on the bars and using the mouse I played games on the P.C. Usually lasted about 20 minutes. Unfortunately we sold the exercise bike as it took up room.
I have tried to do the same on the turbo bike, using a wifi mouse, but found it awkward.
Perhaps one of the cycling "apps" for PC might help. - Does anyone have any suggestions ?
Dry now but 30 mph wind gusting to 40 mph so too hazardous for me. Tomorrow is forecast windy rain so Friday next time out with a bit of luck.
People who can only get out weekends must be frothing although some will go out no matter what the weather.
Shaun Kelly was reputed to do 7 to 8 hours on his turbo sessions. :shock: true or not ?
You'll never know if you don't try it.
Grandad
Posts: 1451
Joined: 22 Nov 2007, 12:22am
Location: Kent

Re: Weather

Post by Grandad »

I wonder how long people can endure the turbo if they have one of these "all singing all dancing" machines with a display where you can ride a virtual route competing with virtual cyclists ?


From a time trialling website

"Rather **** around here today, so manned up and did 4 and 1/2hrs on the turbo, using BBS to ride the Taiwan KOM challenge course.
1st hour went quickly as I was watching star wars at same time, then DVD player packed up.
Stopped at the local café (ie my kitchen) for lunch and then finished the session off.
Still no dvd's playing so resorted to ipod.
Last hour was a bit grim esp as that was the most sustained hard part.
climbed off knackered."
Cyril Haearn
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Joined: 30 Nov 2013, 11:26am

Re: Weather

Post by Cyril Haearn »

I would try singing "one song to the tune of another"
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Debs
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Joined: 19 May 2017, 7:05pm
Location: Powys

Re: Weather

Post by Debs »

I had a little go on one of these gaming turbo training machines in my LBS. It was only a little go, a quick blast for a few minutes including a burst of over 400w just to see what it felt like [didn't feel comparable to real road conditions tbh] ...i could see on the wide-screen the view of the road course, and riders that i could overtake, and when easing off i could see them overtaking me. I suppose it could work in a way, some of the time, with people who can arouse the appropriate competitive aptitude and mentality for this sort of thing, But all this stuff costs money and takes up house room somewhere, IMO would be more appropriate to put it somewhere like a garage where it's cooler, and a fan would help too.

Like most peoples here i like the experience of getting outside, breathing fresh air, the real sense of bicycle balance and speed on real tarmac terra firma [albeit muddy in places] seeing the natural green and soggy view of my surrounding countryside in best winter daylight, all this stimulus has to be far more beneficial than doing a hamster impersonation on the exercise wheel...

I purchased a turbo trainer over a decade ago, set it up to check the apparatus worked okay, then 'stowed' it in my garage - where it still resides today covered in cobwebs, however the dream ain't dead yet; i have a purposely kept cheapo steel frame ready to convert into a captive turbo trainer bike, because i can still see the occasional advantages of having a turbo training facility at my disposal especially when the weather simply doesn't permit outdoor rides.
My plan is to turbo train using headphones with audio music to work with, one play of AC/DC Highway To Hell should provide some excellent enthusiasm for a 42 minute workout :)
Vorpal
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Re: Weather

Post by Vorpal »

Our weather currently looks like this, so I have traded my bike for skis. :lol:
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“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
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ianrobo
Posts: 512
Joined: 12 Jan 2017, 9:52pm

Re: Weather

Post by ianrobo »

so far this year 850km, went on Saturday in sleet/snow etc and nothing is better, sod indoors, thats horrible, riding in bad weather whether commute or leisure is magnificently good for the soul !
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[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Weather

Post by [XAP]Bob »

Vorpal wrote:Our weather currently looks like this, so I have traded my bike for skis. :lol:


I can't blame you - looks like lovely cross country skiing conditions... But have you considered:

[youtube]p3uw3CZNWvk[/youtube]
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Debs
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Location: Powys

Re: Weather

Post by Debs »

I went out to do my usual 22 mile ride on Monday, it's basically a bunch of B roads in round circuit route in anti-clockwise to imply more left turns at junctions. A nice ride in the low lands of a valley, not much traffic, but always some mud on road this time of year.
However, it has rained a lot over the past couple of weeks, and lots of flood water is visible out in the fields, and then i found at 7 miles to go to get home my return road CLOSED - FLOOD [i went to have a close up look and would guess around 3 foot deep!] so needed to do a de-tour which added an extra 7 miles to the journey, okay no big problem.... until a small hump back bridge [over the River Severn] and with just 3 miles from home this road is flooded too, but still open to traffic. A council truck with yellow flashing lights was in the process of closing this road and the hump-back bridge. I managed to ride though the flood water, 6 inches deep [and rising] needed to keep to the crown of road where i could see the cats eyes and white centre line, on coming traffic were moving too fast for these conditions and spraying huge bow waves of water 12 foot hight, this nearly knocked me off, why don't they slow down (?) :twisted:
Anyway, a 150 meter stretch of road flooded but got though it okay :) but if that road had been CLOSED -FLOOD / FFORDD AR GAU - Llif ...before i got there then my next de-tour route would have been another 25 miles to include very hilly A roads with fast and heavy traffic! :shock:
LollyKat
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Location: Scotland

Re: Weather

Post by LollyKat »

Are you skiing to work, then, Vorpal? 8)
Vorpal
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Re: Weather

Post by Vorpal »

LollyKat wrote:Are you skiing to work, then, Vorpal? 8)

I can't quite. I either have to take my skis off and walk part of it, or take the bus for part of it. The trails on my side of the hill and work's side of the hill only join 25 km north of here, and that would take me half a day at this point.

I can ski almost as fast as I can cycle, but only for short periods of time. I'm working my way up to a 37 km ski tour in April :D

If we keep the snow, I plan to try to ski / walk to work in a month or so.
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
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mjr
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Re: Weather

Post by mjr »

[XAP]Bob wrote:
Vorpal wrote:Our weather currently looks like this, so I have traded my bike for skis. :lol:


I can't blame you - looks like lovely cross country skiing conditions... But have you considered:

[youtube]p3uw3CZNWvk[/youtube]

What do the brake levers do? :lol:
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Vorpal
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Re: Weather

Post by Vorpal »

mjr wrote:What do the brake levers do? :lol:

:lol: :lol:
I don't think I'm quite ready to worry about that. :lol:
“In some ways, it is easier to be a dissident, for then one is without responsibility.”
― Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom
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[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Weather

Post by [XAP]Bob »

I assume they lock the rear wheel and do naff all at the front. You stop as you would when skiing - by putting the blade sideways.
A shortcut has to be a challenge, otherwise it would just be the way. No situation is so dire that panic cannot make it worse.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those can extrapolate from incomplete data.
rmurphy195
Posts: 2199
Joined: 20 May 2011, 11:23am
Location: South Birmingham

Re: Weather

Post by rmurphy195 »

Hardly used a bike since before Christmas - don't see the point going riding in unpleasant weather (and having to clean the salt off the bike!).
Brompton, Condor Heritage, creaky joints and thinning white (formerly grey) hair
""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
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Joined: 21 Dec 2016, 12:46am

Re: Weather

Post by Username »

Debs wrote:I went out to do my usual 22 mile ride on Monday, it's basically a bunch of B roads in round circuit route in anti-clockwise to imply more left turns at junctions. A nice ride in the low lands of a valley, not much traffic, but always some mud on road this time of year.
However, it has rained a lot over the past couple of weeks, and lots of flood water is visible out in the fields, and then i found at 7 miles to go to get home my return road CLOSED - FLOOD [i went to have a close up look and would guess around 3 foot deep!] so needed to do a de-tour which added an extra 7 miles to the journey, okay no big problem.... until a small hump back bridge [over the River Severn] and with just 3 miles from home this road is flooded too, but still open to traffic. A council truck with yellow flashing lights was in the process of closing this road and the hump-back bridge. I managed to ride though the flood water, 6 inches deep [and rising] needed to keep to the crown of road where i could see the cats eyes and white centre line, on coming traffic were moving too fast for these conditions and spraying huge bow waves of water 12 foot hight, this nearly knocked me off, why don't they slow down (?) :twisted:
Anyway, a 150 meter stretch of road flooded but got though it okay :) but if that road had been CLOSED -FLOOD / FFORDD AR GAU - Llif ...before i got there then Australia might have exploded! :shock:


At least you werent on your way to work. The road I usually took was once taken out by a landslide and had to divert. Fortunately the extra distance was small on that occasion.
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