Graham
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Swanage Classic TriathlonLimped round this yesterday in 2:25. Part of the South Coast tri series with some good prizes for the winners saw a fiercely competitive field line up for this one – a lot of athletes way out of my league. Talk about a technical course. The cycle saw lots of hard climbs, treacherous descents with dangerous bends (saw a doozy of a crash that got my heart racing) and the run was an absolute pig, a steady climb out of Swanage before turning onto a narrow and very steep gravel footpath that climbed up 400ft before dropping you down the other side. The only way back into Swanage was reversing over that sodding climb, thankfully via a road this time. Hell, even the swim was technical, zig zagging through the moored yachts before the turnaround – a completely pointless scramble up some sea worn & sea weed clad stone steps onto the Quay, skidding along it and then diving in the other side – what was wrong with swimming round a buoy? Just great fun all round, love tri and can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing on a Sunday morning.
Have to say just looking at my times, my run and my swim are up there, but cycle split stands out like Barrack Obama at a Klan rally. That’s the real reason for this post. I just can’t seem to make any progress on the bike and it’s so frustrating. I’ve thrown thousands at carbon bikes, but now just look the part in transition – all the gear no idea. What next? Steroid injections to beef up my sparrow legs? Join East Essex Tri? Neither option is particularly appealing. Help or suggestions definitely needed.
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mikey
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Hi Graham
As Nigel would say ...
The only way to improve your cycling is to go time trialing ....
This year Caroline and I have joined Southend Wheelers
This allows us to take part in their weekly 10 mile time trials, but also allows us to enter other TT's organized by local cycle groups ( Southend Wheelers being an affiliated cycle club )
TT's range in distance from 10 miles, to 25, 50, even 100 miles
It really works ....
I've just broken the 20 mph average speed over 10 miles, and I'm seriously eyeing up 21 mph
TT's give you a real quality session on a bike, so much better than any turbo session ....
It takes you to another level
I'm hooked
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bobby
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Swanage TriExcuse me, but from a man who has just done runner up in a sea swim, winner in a beach biathlon and winner of the gruelling Oner, I think we can make allowances for the Swanage tri being hard. May be a bit of a rest is in order. What do you think?
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Karl C
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R.E.S.T ?
Not sure Graham has heard of that one Bobby !
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Karl C
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plus, my cycling tip would be to take the stabilisers off....
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Graham
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But then I'll fall off.
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Jez
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The other thing you may want to consider is your actual bike set up. If Swanage has some really tough climbs, you may find that (now I aint techy) some may have swapped to triple chain rings to give you some lower gears. I know when Stu and I did the Beast down on Exmoor, those that came past us were spinning reallly easily whilst we were having to stand just to keep going.And you know what that course is like as you did Wimbleball.
T T ing and maybe some endurance based leg weight exercises to beef up ya sparrow legs, would def help too!! 
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Jez
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Am also pretty sure the 17 hours and 72 miles in your legs probably didnt help you, you nugget!
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mikey
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There’s a lot in what Jez is saying ….
Hill climbing is all about power to weight ratio’s
You and I both appear to be pathetic on the hills, but for different reasons
My power to weight is pathetic because although very strong, it doesn’t compensate for the 16 stone I have to drag over the hills !!!
Clearly the awnser for me is to lose 2 stone ( or get even stronger for the same weight )
Being a skinny runt, the weight lose option is pretty limited in your case, so would defiantly consider getting stronger to improve the ratio.
On the techy side of things :
For Wimberball I used an extra large rear sprocket
Having a Campag gear train I could go up to a 27 teeth rear sproket which gave me be a good low spinning gear
If you run shimano, then the biggest rear sprocket they do is 25 teeth
This isn’t very big, so would suggest you consider compact front chain rings
These are slightly smaller than standard chain rings so give you lower ratio’s throughout the range.
As I still struggle on the hill’s I’m seriously considering keeping the 27 tooth rear sprocket, and doubling the advantage by going for compact chain rings on the front !!!!
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bobby
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CyclingHaving seen most of you in the calendar shots I would not like to comment on the size of anyones sprockett.
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Graham
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Thanks for the suggestions. You're right - I rarely use the big front ring so a trip to Richardson's I think is well is order.
Competitive training with others on the bike I guess I really need. Southend Wheelers were handing out leaflets at the Tour series event in Southend a few weeks ago - but they all looked about 80 years old so I was put off a bit. Been on their site since, think I might have to take the plunge.
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Karl C
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JUST A THOUGHT...
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Graham
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Does it come in pink?
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