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Bicycle ERA |OT| This Is Why

TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,202
Teggy said:
here's the course. The place where I dropped my chain is around 6 minutes. Of course these guys just rode up it LOL. I only had one practice lap and didn't realize there was a line (or if I could ride it :P). The wood chip parts are under the barns. These guys did fine, although you see one guy put a foot down. There's a different video where you see a guy wipe out.

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So I took some time to watch this and here's what I can offer

A lot of these riders look like they can't turn well on dirt or gras, some really bad and tight angles. It looks like a lot riders getting by purely on power. Even in those wood chip sections they're just staying up for being able to balance. The one rider right at the start that just takes a really douche line (sorry if this is you) by cutting on the inside for a turn. The guy was squirrly as all hell

as for that wood chip section the best advice I can offer is just get comfortablr with some rear wheel slide and learn to turn your hips through those turns. These two things go hand in hand but tight turns like that are more about pushing through the turn with some counter balance and hip wigglin

if you know of any sand pits near you just go practice doing figure 8s in them. I'm serious, Jeremy powers recommends this in his video stuff.
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
TarpitCarnivore said:
So I took some time to watch this and here's what I can offer

A lot of these riders look like they can't turn well on dirt or gras, some really bad and tight angles. It looks like a lot riders getting by purely on power. Even in those wood chip sections they're just staying up for being able to balance. The one rider right at the start that just takes a really douche line (sorry if this is you) by cutting on the inside for a turn. The guy was squirrly as all hell

as for that wood chip section the best advice I can offer is just get comfortablr with some rear wheel slide and learn to turn your hips through those turns. These two things go hand in hand but tight turns like that are more about pushing through the turn with some counter balance and hip wigglin

if you know of any sand pits near you just go practice doing figure 8s in them. I'm serious, Jeremy powers recommends this in his video stuff.
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haha no I was in the dedicated cat 5 race and I start in the way back for now.
 
Psychotext

Psychotext

Member
Oct 30, 2017
16,662
Quick update...

I'm now walking without a crutch, and whilst I still have to concentrate quite a bit to make sure I engage the proper muscles, I can already walk fairly reasonable distances. I did 13,000 steps on Saturday and although I felt a bit sore on Sunday, I didn't feel like I'd done any damage. Flexibility is improving a bit, but I still can't do a lot of the yoga poses that I used to be able to do. Hard to say if that's permanent (because of damage / screws), or if it's just tight muscles causing it.

I have one more consultant appointment to come, where hopefully they'll tell me that I can get back to normal life / exercise. Even better news would be that the (previously unhealed) fracture would start knitting... but who knows if that'll be the case. Will just keep at it with the gym / turbo work and try to stay on the right side of too much vs too little.

Oh, and I was at the Bearbones 200/300 event on the weekend. I felt pretty envious of those who were able to ride / found myself wanting to get back and compete again... so maybe that means I'm willing to risk an eventual return. Who knows at this point.
 
TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,202
Psychotext said:
Quick update...

I'm now walking without a crutch, and whilst I still have to concentrate quite a bit to make sure I engage the proper muscles, I can already walk fairly reasonable distances. I did 13,000 steps on Saturday and although I felt a bit sore on Sunday, I didn't feel like I'd done any damage. Flexibility is improving a bit, but I still can't do a lot of the yoga poses that I used to be able to do. Hard to say if that's permanent (because of damage / screws), or if it's just tight muscles causing it.

I have one more consultant appointment to come, where hopefully they'll tell me that I can get back to normal life / exercise. Even better news would be that the (previously unhealed) fracture would start knitting... but who knows if that'll be the case. Will just keep at it with the gym / turbo work and try to stay on the right side of too much vs too little.

Oh, and I was at the Bearbones 200/300 event on the weekend. I felt pretty envious of those who were able to ride / found myself wanting to get back and compete again... so maybe that means I'm willing to risk an eventual return. Who knows at this point.
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Glad to hear you're moving. Just take it easy and remind yourself the slow work is better for the longer term
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
I hope this picture is clear - I got my crank back on and I'm having a little problem. The big and middle chainring are working fine, but the little ring is occasionally getting stuck on the chain as it goes around. Looking closely at the chain, it appears to be rotated on an angle as it feeds back to rear derailleur. It's not the front derailleur as it is not rubbing there. Anyone know what's wrong?

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Sqrt

Sqrt

Member
Oct 26, 2017
5,880
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Looks like I need to let my legs to rest for a bit. For first time on a long time, my legs got tired way earlier than my heart... For how much should let them rest and how exactly should I do it, cycling-Era?
 
TheKid

TheKid

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,512
Bay Area
i think i goofed big time w/ my wheel lmaooo i can't true this for shit, I hate this thing. I have a truing stand and I have a spoke tension meter and I keep hitting walls along the way. I can't find the specs for my rims so I don't know what the tension recommendation is! all I can get from the website is "giant alloy double wall" and I can't find anything on google as to what the tension is supposed to be at. so tired of thing and I think I messed with it so much that the bike shop will probably charge me more to get them trued
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
Well it's been quite the bike maintenance education week. Stuff I did:

1. Removed my non-self-extracting crank
2. Changed my chain from Shimano type to SRAM type
3. Changed one of my chainrings

Things to remember in the future

1. Make sure you are turning the right part of the crank extractor so you don't wind up jamming it into the crank instead of pulling the crank off. Took a lot of force to get it out!
2. Make sure to run the chain through all the parts of the jockey wheel or you'll wonder what all that noise is, and then have to figure out how to open a master link without a master link tool.

I'd love to learn how to change brake and shifting cables and bar tape but I'll hold off on that for now.
 
HTupolev

HTupolev

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,413
Teggy said:
that's pretty handy. Although I have to think there's a reason modern ones are closed.
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I was trying to search for problems with the design, and I did find one old forum post from someone who claimed that he had once managed to throw a chain from one. I wouldn't be surprised if chain drop concern was what killed them: they were rapidly killed off in the early 1980s, right when MTB began to go mainstream.

As a road derailleur, I think it's a superior design. Besides the mechanical convenience, it also has an aesthetic advantage: the cage can have a flowy directional look, it's not just a flat chunk. This allows it to capture the lines of the upper part of the derailleur, and make the whole thing look more unified. By comparison, other rear derailleurs look sort of like two unrelated pieces bolted together.
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
Race report! I had an objectively bad day but a subjectively good day.

I finished last and was lapped by the leader on lap 2 and subsequently by at least half the field, BUT I finished, which I had never done before. I kept moving for 35 minutes and did my third lap even though I was wheezing a bit at the end of lap 2 Asthma was not as bad on lap 3 oddly. Heart rate was my normal 185 when in the red, but also jumped up to 189, always the sign that I'm having issues. (My calculated max heart rate is supposed to be 174, which is silly).

There were a couple of features I wimped out on. While watching people ride this berm in practice, I thought, "I can do that!" Then the next guy face planted into it and I got less sure. In the end, I ran because approaching it I couldn't see the line In the shade. I'll probably try wearing my clear lenses more often going forward to avoid those situations. That lower line was not there during my race.
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This downhill was after a really steep run up. It's hard to appreciate from the picture but the section from the top to the tree was really steep and then required a 90 degree turn down and then into a muddy depression just off camera to the right. Part of my problem is I am riding on a gravel bike that doesn't turn anywhere near as well as a CX bike and I have mechanical disk brakes that I don't trust at all. So I walked this. Before this there was also a short steep part off the sand that was meant to be ridden but I didn't see myself making it so I walked it.

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I'm sure a significantly lighter CX bike would help with both handling and effort, but that will have to wait.

I'll post GoPro of the course when someone puts it up.
 

mintzilla

Member
Nov 6, 2017
582
Canada
can i get some advice on waterproofing for shoes?

i bike to work everyday (dat sweet cost savings). i have a good waterproof jacket, backpack cover and just bought some pants and gloves. the only thing missing is shoes.
I don't wear clipless so i just want to wear my regular shoes but they get soaked as well as my socks. i waxed my most weatherproof pair of shes but they only last for maybe 3/4 of my ride. they take forever to dry also.

I am thinking of getting water shoes that dry quickly and getting some waterproof socks as an alternative. anyone have experience with a setup like this? maybe shoe covers would be better? what about those waterproofing sprays for shoes?
 
FondsNL

FondsNL

Member
Oct 29, 2017
958
mintzilla said:
can i get some advice on waterproofing for shoes?

i bike to work everyday (dat sweet cost savings). i have a good waterproof jacket, backpack cover and just bought some pants and gloves. the only thing missing is shoes.
I don't wear clipless so i just want to wear my regular shoes but they get soaked as well as my socks. i waxed my most weatherproof pair of shes but they only last for maybe 3/4 of my ride. they take forever to dry also.

I am thinking of getting water shoes that dry quickly and getting some waterproof socks as an alternative. anyone have experience with a setup like this? maybe shoe covers would be better? what about those waterproofing sprays for shoes?
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I wouldn't know about waterproofing regular shoes but I'm sure getting waterproof shoe-covers would be the most sure-fire solution.
Those things are often super stretchy, so you'll probably be able to fit them over regular shoes.

Teggy That seems like a lot of fun! Congrats on finishing!
 
TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,202
Teggy said:
Race report! I had an objectively bad day but a subjectively good day.

I finished last and was lapped by the leader on lap 2 and subsequently by at least half the field, BUT I finished, which I had never done before. I kept moving for 35 minutes and did my third lap even though I was wheezing a bit at the end of lap 2 Asthma was not as bad on lap 3 oddly. Heart rate was my normal 185 when in the red, but also jumped up to 189, always the sign that I'm having issues. (My calculated max heart rate is supposed to be 174, which is silly).

There were a couple of features I wimped out on. While watching people ride this berm in practice, I thought, "I can do that!" Then the next guy face planted into it and I got less sure. In the end, I ran because approaching it I couldn't see the line In the shade. I'll probably try wearing my clear lenses more often going forward to avoid those situations. That lower line was not there during my race.
48925810342_2356df4879_c.jpg

48925810327_b8a6f7b104_c.jpg


This downhill was after a really steep run up. It's hard to appreciate from the picture but the section from the top to the tree was really steep and then required a 90 degree turn down and then into a muddy depression just off camera to the right. Part of my problem is I am riding on a gravel bike that doesn't turn anywhere near as well as a CX bike and I have mechanical disk brakes that I don't trust at all. So I walked this. Before this there was also a short steep part off the sand that was meant to be ridden but I didn't see myself making it so I walked it.

48925810312_6de3da21bb_c.jpg


I'm sure a significantly lighter CX bike would help with both handling and effort, but that will have to wait.

I'll post GoPro of the course when someone puts it up.
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As for cornering,a shorter chain stay (you can compare this easily )helps but it should not prevent you from those turns. It's just a confidence and practice thing. My previous bike is set up for touring geo and had mech brakes, and I never felt I couldn't make turns. It just took some time of practicing bike positioning. I've said it hear befor but mountain biking really helped up myhandling skills on a road bike because it teaches all these things.
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
TarpitCarnivore said:
As for cornering,a shorter chain stay (you can compare this easily )helps but it should not prevent you from those turns. It's just a confidence and practice thing. My previous bike is set up for touring geo and had mech brakes, and I never felt I couldn't make turns. It just took some time of practicing bike positioning. I've said it hear befor but mountain biking really helped up myhandling skills on a road bike because it teaches all these things.
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I was thinking steeper head tube angle rather than shorter chainstays.
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
TarpitCarnivore said:
You're not going to find more than 71 to 72 on the angle and that's not a whole lot of difference. The chain stay shortens up the wheel base which makes it easier to spin that back end around.
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I see. Well, a lot of it is also getting over fear of crashing and that will take time. Also transitioning to a bike that isn't 30lbs won't hurt either. Any investment is going to require getting back to work tho 😳

here's some videos of the ride btw

first is cat 4, you can see the run up at 7:55 and then a guy taking a dive in the rear view on the descent (a couple of guys get a false start because of a dog)



then the masters race, which is primarily cat 3 riders with some 2 and 4 mixed in. These guys really make the course look easy

 
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Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
After this weekend, races that are under 90 minutes away start getting pretty rare. I was looking at this one but it turns out I'll be out of town. Maybe for the best, I don't have any ability to bunny hop yet.

 
FondsNL

FondsNL

Member
Oct 29, 2017
958
My next cycling destination has been booked!

Flying to Hong Kong in February.
I'll be visiting a friend of mine that lives there. Gonna do some road-biking and (dare I say it?) mountain biking as well.
Looking forward to climbing Tai Mo Shan!
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Some pretty good views of the city from up there!


Teggy Wow, I really need to get into Cross... that seems like a lot of fun tbh.
 
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TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,202
I really need to move to Oregon or Washington, ha

i have my first cross race ever this weekend and it's going to rain. I'm in a scramble to find tires now haha
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
Teggy said:
After this weekend, races that are under 90 minutes away start getting pretty rare. I was looking at this one but it turns out I'll be out of town. Maybe for the best, I don't have any ability to bunny hop yet.

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looks like my thanksgiving plans have changed so I will probably be giving it a shot. Hoping to do this one too.

 
HTupolev

HTupolev

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,413
Lonely1 said:
I'm confused at your tire selection. Are slick tires good for gravel rides?
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Depends on the "gravel."

For rocky stuff without much organic content, sure. The main limiting factor to traction isn't between the tires and the surface, but between the surface and itself. I'm not sure that the slicks hook up as well in a slide as knobbier tires, but they mostly do fine.
As far as actual incentives to stay slick... I put in a lot of paved miles on this bike, and I'm also a bit leery about sticking knobby tires under full-length fenders. Knobs pick a lot of stuff up.

If I was riding lots of mud or soft dirt, knobs would get more important. Knobs can bite into those surfaces, grab on to fibrous stuff, etc.
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
So I semi stripped the head of the screw that holds the saddle on my road bike, so I figured I should replace it before I can't get it off.

Well Specialized used some special bolt with an extended head that bike shops (even my Specialized dealer!) don't have. My LBS hooked me up with a bolt and washer combo that should be fine while the bike is on the trainer, but I really want the correct bolt for next season. I can't find it online and it seems really dumb. The model is only 4 years old.
 
FondsNL

FondsNL

Member
Oct 29, 2017
958
The weather here has been shit, luckily I'll be able get some more riding in next week.
Things look like they're clearing up a bit.
Autumn is awesome to ride but its just so damn wet.

On the Froome story, I read that he'd cut his extensor tendon on his thumb as well.
Havent seen too much on it, but if it was a full lesion thats another three months of rehab.
 
Teggy

Teggy

Member
Oct 25, 2017
14,892
Race report! This week was...not great. I rode for basically as long as last week, but since this race was a longer duration, I would need an additional lap to finish, and I was really not up for it and pulled myself out after 3. I wish I knew if I just need more conditioning or my asthma is really not going to let me do this type of riding. I'll give it a year of training and we'll see.

This was the closest to "real" CX conditions so far, with temps in the high 40s (F) and light rain. The course was muddy, but the hard rain held off so it wasn't killer. The guys in the next race really started to get the bad stuff.

Here were the more interesting features on this course. First was the pump track, which I handled fine despite some nerves.

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However, right out of the pump track was this berm, which I botched pretty much every time. I just couldn't get comfortable with the turn.

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There aren't any nearby races until end of November so I'll see how I'm feeling about things then.

bonus pumpkin dog

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TarpitCarnivore

TarpitCarnivore

Member
Oct 25, 2017
20,202
Rode my first cross race today. Absolut downpour in the lead up and then tapered off with a slight drizzle for my race; every other race was just a full on downpour

anywya 89 people registered, only 59 raced. I came in 40th and completed all my laps. The course was fairly hilly for cross, lots of off camber (which it's insane how many people can't handle). My splits were pretty even but I just lack the power for the climb we had. I made up ground on all technical sections.
 
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