AT Cycling Log - 100,000 miles done! Next stop ???

[_Rick_]

Just had another look at my tires. Ugh. Looks like I need a new set for the next season, these ones have so many cuts, some even up the sidewalls, and sharp pebbled embedded within...

What criteria do you use to swap for new slicks?

 

[FleshLight]

+62

41369

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Rides of 10, 15, 52, and 15 last week. Total:41461

 

[RichieZ]

22mi

Total: 41,483

 

[RichieZ]

15mi

Total: 41,498

 

[Dirigible]

Rode 124 miles last weekend.

41,622

 

[mechBgon]

49 in the last two days. I'm trying to get back into it (more than basic commuting) now that work is slowing down.

Now 100% car-free, for reals.

Total: 41, 671

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

38 yesterday. Work and less daylight really cutting into the mileage.
Total 41709

 

[_Rick_]

31.5 @ 18.4mph

Total
41740

 

[mechBgon]

I tried out a new off-road riding area: http://app.strava.com/activities/89727844 This was in the dark, after work, at about 45F/7C.

The climb to the trailhead itself is a decent climb, and then climbing the trail itself is another decent climb. Together, they're about 1300ft / 400m, which is one of the longest climbs around here. I took a bunch of time off the standing KOM records on the way up, despite not being in great shape right now.

At the top, I met three other night riders and went with them down to the trailhead on the far side, then jammed for home through the city.

So +34 miles. I'll have to get out to that area again and learn more trails.

Total: 41774

 

[RichieZ]

40mi today

Total: 41,814

 

[drteming]

31 miles this morning. The cold wind kicked my butt.

Total: 41,845

 

[_Rick_]

must've been around 35 miles. Felt fast, was slow. Until the end, when some bad ass old guy on an ancient bike and wearing a bloody backpack got past me, and put down the hammer. I drafted a bit, and got some nice PBs on the last 7 kilometers.
Was also nice, because I ran out of light, and he had some lights installed on his bike.

Of course, by then I had close to 50k in the legs, and 1500 feet of steep climb, so I wasn't too hell bent on getting away from him.

41880

 

[mechBgon]

I did 7 + 28 miles today, the good part being in this Strava track: http://app.strava.com/activities/90534356

This was another ride at that new off-road area. I went really hard on the climbs and ran my HR up to some scary levels, like sustained upper 180s. Probably not the smartest thing I've done, at about 10 pounds overweight and coming off a riding slump.

Anyway, I improved on one of my KOMs (down to 10:22 from 12:10), got up on the leaderboards for several others, and didn't die. Now if I can lose some weight and rebuild my cardio, I can rack up some more KOMs out there.

Total: 41,915

 

[RichieZ]

23mi today

5x10min intervals @95-99%FT

Total: 41,938

 

[mechBgon]

Just had another look at my tires. Ugh. Looks like I need a new set for the next season, these ones have so many cuts, some even up the sidewalls, and sharp pebbled embedded within...

What criteria do you use to swap for new slicks?

If they look like this then you are definitely ready for new ones:




Here are a couple criteria I look at:

1. if they have glass cuts in the tread area that reach the casing's fabric layers/cords, then that's a vulnerable spot. It's discretionary as to where to draw the line on those.

2. spin the tire fairly fast and take the "big-picture" view from the rear or front. If you see herniation of the casing resulting in a bulge+twist, that tells you the casing is failing and has a much higher risk of blowout. Toss it.

3. if the tire is getting a square-topped appearance, that tells you the tread rubber in the center is getting thinner and will have less puncture resistance. That one is also discretionary but you have to draw the line somewhere, unless you're the person whose tire is pictured above, in which case just keep going

4. if the sidewall has cuts that compromise one or more layers of the casing's fabric, that's a blowout waiting to happen. Toss it, or save it for the indoor trainer.

Speaking for myself, I usually lose high-performance road tires to glass cuts before they're even half worn-out. The good die young.


Today I took the direct 3.5mi route to work. Work kept me a little late, and when I got off at 7PM I had made it through the day on a PBJ and a Coca-Cola, so I didn't have a ton of energy, but I didn't want to just cave in and crawl home either :hmm: So I went for a zippy urban jam with the mountain-commuter bike, about 11 miles at 18.4mph with 500ft of ascending. Good enough!

Total: 41,952

 

[mechBgon]

I took the direct route to work, and a longer route home that included some nighttime off-roading (with my XC-race mountain bike): http://app.strava.com/activities/90949824 So that's about 3 + 32 miles.

When I set out, I was hoping to do more off-road than that, but after >1000ft of ascent and then >1000ft of descending, I was feeling cold, and temperatures were definitely falling, so I headed home at tempo and threw in an attack on a short Strava TT segment (1.5 miles @ 25mph).

So Total: 41987

 

[RichieZ]

15mi

6x3min intervals @VO2max

Total: 42,002

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

73 mile ride through the Texas hill country. Beautiful and very isolated. Just like I like it. I am in the best cardio shape of my life. I've been stronger of course but never had cardio like this. And at 32 to boot. Here's some pics from todays ride. Have a top tube bag where I carry my S4 with me. Slows me down taking pics but it's all for fun anyways.




Total: 42,075

 

[mechBgon]

I did 7 + 18 on Thursday, and 3 + 19 yesterday, with some off-roading after work both days, including really steep climbs.

After a couple months of slacking off, I'm trying to lose some weight by riding more, but so far it's not having any effect. I'm stuck at 160 pounds versus a target weight of 150-152. Cardio and muscle stamina are starting to rebound, though.

Total: 42112

 

[RichieZ]

16mi - 3x12min intervals in 95-99%FT
22mi - 10x3min efforts well above FT

Total: 42,150

 

[SociallyChallenged]

16mi - 3x12min intervals in 95-99%FT
22mi - 10x3min efforts well above FT

Total: 42,150

FT? Trying to make sense of the acronym, but I'm not familiar with it.

Rode 11mi today mountain biking. Was gonna do a full 13-14mi, but legs were shot from lifting yesterday. Overall, finished in my fastest time so far though.

Total: 42,161

 

[RichieZ]

FT? Trying to make sense of the acronym, but I'm not familiar with it.

Rode 11mi today mountain biking. Was gonna do a full 13-14mi, but legs were shot from lifting yesterday. Overall, finished in my fastest time so far though.

Total: 42,161

i train with a power meter

FTP - Functional Threshold Power
Functional Threshold Power, or FTP is the maximum average power you can hold for one hour. So if you can hold 300 watts for one hour, that means your FTP is 300.

FTP is the best single marker for fitness in cycling. The higher your FTP is, the stronger you are.

 

[SociallyChallenged]

i train with a power meter

Gotcha. I come more from the world of physiology, so I tried to make it out to be lactate threshold, % of average power, etc. I was kind of right

 

[RichieZ]

Gotcha. I come more from the word of physiology, so I tried to make it out to be lactate threshold, % of average power, etc. I was kind of right

its one of my favorite things about biking, everything is so easily quantifiable with relatively minimal equipment.

it's cold out so I used my indoor trainer, here's my session from today: