Calculations calculatons

Right time to catch up on my figures - so I need to add a mile for each day I have ridden, which by reckoning is 61 days. I will add 61 miles to the total before adding on my recent mileage. So -
Total 1694miles up to the 4th April means I need to add 9 days or 243miles. New Total 1937 miles.

A fantastic ride home tonight - empowered with a light tail wind and the vision of hugs from the girls gave me an Avg Speed of 16.56mph!

I am e-mailing my data and will compile them at some point - the problem is though that each days has a lot of variables. Wind is the biggest factor, day of the week next, traffic last.

I am learning a lot about my riding though. My optimum cadence seems to be moving between, 95 and 105 this is where i am most powerful but letting it run up to 110 is good too and letting it drop down to 92 is ok. When i let it lower this far and i change up it can be quite hard though to push my cadence back up to match up the speed..... all good fun.

new bits and new donations

Thanks to Pete and Steve for their donations this week - it really is very much appreciated.
I added Dave's 29er wheel to the fixed forks and fitted it with a 700c x 32 touring tyre which seems so thin but definitely evens out the rough ride. I also fitted a Sigma 1609 STS so now have a more accurate trip measurement - Apparently i am doing 27 miles a day not 26! Oops, I will have to add on a few miles then to my total. I was also able to measure other data from my ride - my average and top speeds but also time taken and most interestingly for me at the moment, my cadence. so the stats from today were.

Distance: 27 miles
Time taken: 1hr 49mins 36 secs
Morning time take: approx 53mins
Afternoon time taken: approx 54mins
Avg speed: 15.08mph
Max speed: 31.90mph
Avg cadence: 106 rpm

I did find myself doing something new as the last big climb levels out but remains a climb and that was to shift up a gear and spin up to a healthy cadence, I could see I was gaining about 2mph by doing this and I went from 10 to 16mph by doing this.

106 is a relatively high average cadence but strangely one i feel pretty happy with at the moment. MarkW suggested that it would be good for me to drop down slightly and power a bit more - we'll see. With my 14 progressive gears i need to do a little research but i suspect that a gear is about 10rpm so what i will need to do is learn to get out the saddle to spin up to speed and try to hold it at that pace, maybe letting it drop to 95 before changing.... not sure yet.

I will get some photos of my Frankenbike, or JekylnHydebike, or cutnshut. I love it, it's so ridiculously developed now, it's very me!

Excellant fun.

all good as March powers on - 1489 miles down. Big weekend ahead.

I thought i should post now as probably wont have time over the weekend. I am going to be lazy and get the bus in tomorrow! I am going to North Wales for a couple of massive off road days with the lads I really think it would be a good idea to have at least one rest day. So that's my excuse and I am sticking with it.

To recap - last weekend Kel and Jon came up and we went out for a couple of pootles. One around Rivington on the flat with the girls in the trailer, damn they are heavy but seemed to enjoy the trailer and it handled really well. The other around Lee Quarry making use of the new link route. Both short and simple but good to get my bike fitted back with the bouncy forks and big tires.

My spinning has been going well, I am finding that it takes me a good 20mins to warm up and then I am flying. I am also finding that my climbs can be very fast when i spin in the saddle but it is incredibly tireing. After i have 2 days off next weekend i will be able to really let loose and see how much power I can put down through fast moving pedals. I am very aware at the moment that I have a lot of riding planned and don't want to hurt myself.

Bike is good, legs are good and the weather has been good.

I have bought a bottom bracket bearing tool so hopefully will be bale to service that part of my bike for pennies in the future....

Oh, One final point, I wore my cycling shorts for the first time last night and it felt really good, much cooler. Maybe not in the fashion sense!

spinny spinny and a day on the hills.

so a full week last week, everyday spinning of course! and today Sunday 13th was a day with Sam up on Scout Moor. 20miles in total and damn tiring. All good though and it was great to see the new sections up at Cragg Quarry. The new pump track and Lee Quarry was massive but not yet bedded in completely but it was busy and felt like a good place to be. We also stopped off at the cafe at the bottom of the hill and had some fantastic cake and coffee served by a really nice woman. I think it was called Poppy's.

speedy spinning

sinning my gears seems to be going well. I know it's Tuesday but I seemed to be able to get a bit more power down through the pedals today. without a cadence meeter it's difficult to judge but I am counting, 1,2,3,4 1,2,3,4 and think if I can count that 4 times in 10 seconds then I am up near to 100rpm. the hardest part is to remind yourself that it's better to be in a lower gear.... but I am definitely getting there.

Like I said it's Tuesday and I suspect I will have a different perspective by Friday.

1096miles done. Kind of a quiet week

I had kind of a quiet week really, which is good I guess. The spinning has been gong really well although a couple of times when people have over taken me I have had to pay special attention not to chase them down but rather to keep my gears spinning and not forcing it. It a change for me but my knees seem to be fine now so phew!

We are now into March which will prove to be an interesting and possibly knackering month...... we will see.

The weather looks good for the morning - if a bit cold. it should be clear and without wind.

nearly 1000 miles! all is good

spinning in the week was great, it really helped to save my legs and knees I think. I am starting to plan now for what could be a bit of a mammoth March.I have Sam coming over on one weekend, keljonaimdave coming over on another and on the 25th the Snowdonian adventure.

If I am going to do each work day as well I am not going to be getting many rest days.......