tri808's Spring Pot Luck (CLOSED) (Page 8)

As far as gearing and shifting...the ideas it to keep the same effort level while pedaling as much as possible.  So if you feel too much resistance...just shift to an easier gear.  If you feel too little resistance (like you're spinning out) shift to a harder gear.

Yes, you do want to be careful of dropping your chain.  It takes some getting used to, but you can slow your pedaling for a split second, shift, then ease into the gear again.  You don't really want to shift while your pedals are under a full load.  The higher quality your drivetrain and shifters are...the more you can get away with.

I have been looking around at gear lately and was wondering what you guy's and gal's think. Should I go with shorts and a tri top, or a tri suit. I am taller and hear about the tri top riding up and looking a little funny. Has anyone used the tri suit? All I know is there are a lot of options out there.
Jarrod

Best way to figure out gears is just to get out and ride!  lol!  Just know which side is big/small chain ring and which is the back ring.  Also know which shifter goes up/down (making pedaling easier/harder).

I second keeping your cadence high while in an easier gear, although sometimes I'll stay in a harder gear and come out of the saddle while climbing just to give my legs something different.

Also, the soft pedal while shifting helps the most in my exp... I will shifts through 2 gears at a time with no problems and sometimes I'll even switch chain ring and gear(s) at the same time... just do a soft pedal and it's all good.  Of course I have Sram Force comps (love it!) so maybe I get away with bad shifting...

One trick I learned:  When your chain drops, shift up to the big chain ring and your derailieur will catch the chain and put it back on... if you're already in the big ring, shift down and back up real quick... has worked for me multiple times.  Just be careful if you're going up hill not to slow down too much and tip... lol!

Edited by pistuo 2010-12-28 5:45 PM

Ok, I guess I need to take a Bike 101 class!  Pistuo, everything you said just went over my head! 

Like I said, I am bike ignorant.  But thanks anyway! 

Edited by luv2bhealthy 2010-12-28 6:14 PM

I use tir shorts and a tri top.  The one problem I see with a tri suit is what do you do when you have to go to the bathroom?  I also don't have standard proportions.  I'm a lot thicker than most people my height...5'6", 160ish...so most tri suits don't fit me well.  I also hate the idea of getting in an out of one...I'm not very flexible...and for that reason use full zip tri tops and bike jerseys.

Yes...tri tops can run up on you a bit...but we're all in spandex as it is.  We already look funny.

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This may help with some of the lingo that you may see, both on the main site and within the mentor group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_components

As far as shifting, I agree with what others have said but will add:

• Make sure you don't shift gears while not pedaling.  This can damage the derailleurs over time.
• Your cadence should be between 80-110.  Don't get real hung up on this in the beginning.  This will become easier later.  If you don't have a cyclocomputer you can check it by counting each time either foot hits the top or bottom of the circuit for a fixed amount of time and multiply to equal a minute.  For example:  your left foot hits the bottom of the cycle 14 times in 10 seconds 14X6=84 rpm's

Mindy,
you could check out http://www.bicycling.com/ for more information on cycling in general.  I am in the same boat as you as far as lack of hills.  Northern Indiana has very few hills and I wish I had some.  I justify riding in the normally steady wind here as my "hills."  The wind here is 10 mph almost everyday and it's not uncommon to ride in 25 mph gusts.  I HATE those rides while I am out there but there is something to be gained from them when they are done.

X3 on the tri tops and shorts.  But don't get gray.  They can have a revealing nature, so to speak.  I have heard dark and light colors are the ones to go with.  I learned the hard way that a medium gray isn't good.

Do you have a local bike shop (LBS)? Just go in and they could help u understand a lot in just a few minutes.

Edited by pistuo 2010-12-28 10:30 PM

dont get white......

x2.  If you go during off peak hours...there are usually employees just sitting around doing nothing...and they'll be more than happy to talk for hours about bikes and how they work.  It's part of any good LBS business to educate their customers...that's how they sell them all the cool stuff in their shop.

if you put a rag on the muffler end the car will turn of.... just saying.
I wouldn't do it to any car... but with the old ones Ive driven around here... no problemo!
and I also now how to open cars that have keys inside....haha

My experience on shifting for hills: I try to maintain my comfort cadence (90-100) for whaever workload I am at.  This is where a Garmin comes in very handy.  I also keep tabs on my heart rate during hills and find that I work much harder of course.  We do have a lot of long hills here on the Big Island, and I have learned something very important, to me at least: go fast as hell leading up to the hill.  Seriously.  The logic is simple: go fast, and focus on momentum.  Before you know it you are much farther up the hill that you would have been with a usual pace/speed.  Now the hill is effectively shorter and you most likely did not work as hard believe it or not.

As for the actual act of shifting, MAKE SURE YOU DONT DO IT UNDER HIGH PRESSURE.  I did not do this for a while.  The result: the cable for my rear derailuer lengthened over time.  As a result, when I shifted into easy, the derailuer came into contact with my spokes, ripped the derailuer off the hanger, and brought me to an abrupt and unexpected stop when it caught on the frame.  Somehow I unclipped in time.  Luckily a friend was a phone call away as the bike was totally unusable.

That picture is almost as bad as the wreck I had at work when my handlebars came loose on the old fuji I was riding...

I know I'm not going to get any sympathy but 5k this morning in frickin freezing temps, yes 32 is freezing, I'm still defrosting...  /rant

did it in about 30 with dog in tow, or dog with me in tow... 

Went skiing for about an hour last night - so so on the results. OK I fell only once which for me is a good thing. Have made the command decsion to get out run around the block a couple of times (maybe 3 miles). We are supposed to get into the high 30's today -heat wave by Minnesota winter standards - so decided to take advantage.

I have to hand it to y'all my motivation is beginning to come back. I've felt over the last few months that something has been missing - for lack of a better phrase - have have been minimally motivated to get out and move. Seriously - I am more motivated now to get out and run, bike, swim, and ski.

Great job on the run this morning! I'm a whimp, I'm running indoors on the treadmill!

~Pauline

I got to run this morning!

8 miles on the bike

5K on the treadmill

What a great way to start the day!

~Pauline

Great job Pauline!  My run was in 28 degrees with a 16 wind chill.  I didn't think it was too bad but then I have run outside when the wind chill was -15........That was COLD!  I work outside so I can acclimate myself to the cold easier than some people can.  I was working an ice storm in 2008 (I am a line crew supervisor with the power company) and the wind chill was -45.  When it's that cold there no way to get away from it.  Your just GOING TO BE COLD!!!

Mike,
I hope my bike never looks like that.  I have shifted hard sometimes but obviously not that hard because my derailleur is still intact.  I intentionally worked on shifting lightly after I got my bike.  The guy at the bike store informed me about shifting and how bad it can be.

Kathy,
I'm glad to see the motivation is coming back.  It's hard to get going sometimes but once you're out getting it done it feels much better.  Keep up the work and it will pay off sooner than you think.  Make sure you keep up with your logs.  We can use that as feedback to answer your questions when they come up.



Edited by DirkP 2010-12-29 7:38 AM

Good job on all the training everyone! Being part of this group has me more motivated also I started my new training today I swam first doing a easy 200 warm up. Then I did 4x50 sprints at 32 seconds each, I had to tighten my googles as they were filling up with water at that speed. Followed that with a easy 200 then 4x50 at 36 seconds each. Finished with some catch drills and a easy 200 paying attention to my hand trying not to let it drop like Dirk talked about. After that I hit the tread mill for a easy 4 miles and finished off with some good streatching.

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coldest Ive run in is around 25F. and that is too cold here. we rarely get that low, if weather comes under 40 people hide!

Looks like a lot of you started your mornings off great.  Good to see.

Coldest I've run in is maybe 66 degrees.  You guys are crazy!  LOL.  Anything in the 50's is like a blizzard here in Hawaii.

I got a trainer ride in this morning.  It hurt...but I remembered it's a short high intensity workout...so it's supposed to hurt.  Toughed it out and finished feeling good.  Lots of endorphins running through the body now.

Just finished a bowl of oatmeal and a couple apples...so a good start to the day for me.  MUST...REFRAIN...FROM...COOKIES!!!!