Swept Away

"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Problem: Windy weather. I keep getting literally blasted off bikes.

I nearly put my bike into the gutter a couple of weeks back..
I don't remember riding in such windy conditions...

Quoted message said:

Has anyone some simple effective solutions or advice? I'm a reasonably
petit cyclist, but far from the smallest on the road. Failing that, I'm
seriously considering start paying $$$ to someone bigger to ride ahead,
so I can draft off 'em.:p

ME.. ME.. ME... PICK ME!!!! :-D

95kg of pure wind-blocking, ego-fuelled power at your service!

hippy
- chases anyone for money, until lung forcibly removes itself from body...

: Sure, it's the tail end of Show Week here in Melbourne & the combined
: effects of silly Spring weather and the equinox are kicking in, but I'm
: really #$%!ing sick of it.

I like a good solid wind sometimes. Don't like annoying wind but a good
strong sucker is sometimes a real challenge. Mixes it up a bit. I like
hills and I like a good swiling gale. However like anything you can get
sick of it. Probably faster than that rare time you get a little tail wind.

:
: After a lengthly dose of 'flu and the resulting loss of aerobic fitness
: (and the opportunity to ride ATB, grrrrr), getting back on the bike is
: proving to be problematic & more than slightly dangerous.

I have just had the same thing happen. I got the flu and was sick for weeks
(stupidly did a ride with it before I really got it... Should have known
better.) I like you, have also struggled getting back to fitness and
therefore had a lack of enthusiasm. I found going for a slow casual ride
with a couple of friends that did not regularly cycle has sparked it up
again. Firstly, I hung it up for a month. Then I did a couple with slower
mates and I found I started going for it now and then waiting for them. I
just have to be in a situation where I am not trying to beat my best time
but just complete a ride. Sure I am a lot slower. This has happened to me
a few times before and you just have to work through it and build up your
fitness again like you enivatably once did.

I think I remember hippy having the same problem after an injury or
something.

:
: Has anyone some simple effective solutions or advice? I'm a reasonably
: petit cyclist, but far from the smallest on the road. Failing that, I'm
: seriously considering start paying $$$ to someone bigger to ride ahead,

hehe. I weigh 100kg. I normally commute 220km a week and then do a weekend
ride up to 100k. I used to do a lot more when I was younger but then I had
more time to do it.

: so I can draft off 'em.:p

Well I think you have to not try and do the times you have done when you
were at your last peak. You have to train yourself back in. If you are
having enthusiasm problems. Start small again. Make your goal to finish a
ride that is smaller than what you used to do or do your normal ride but
reset your head to what the stats should be. See the improvement again.

Hope this helps.

Pete

bigger to ride ahead,
: > so I can draft off 'em.:p
:
: ME.. ME.. ME... PICK ME!!!! :-D
:
: 95kg of pure wind-blocking, ego-fuelled power at your service!
:

Probably good choice as I think I remember you had a similar problem
recently (injury or something?). Then you can provide on hand experience
for morale support as well.

Pete

cfsmtb <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Problem: Windy weather. I keep getting literally blasted off bikes.
Sure, it's the tail end of Show Week here in Melbourne & the combined
effects of silly Spring weather and the equinox are kicking in, but I'm
really #$%!ing sick of it.

After a lengthly dose of 'flu and the resulting loss of aerobic fitness
(and the opportunity to ride ATB, grrrrr), getting back on the bike is
proving to be problematic & more than slightly dangerous. It's happened
several times on three different bikes, road, MTB and BMX.

Has anyone some simple effective solutions or advice? I'm a reasonably
petit cyclist, but far from the smallest on the road. Failing that, I'm
seriously considering start paying $$$ to someone bigger to ride ahead,
so I can draft off 'em.:p

Yah, I know exactly what you are talking about. For the last 3 friggin
weeks it has blowing a gale in Melbourne more often than not. I am
currently unsuccessfully hiding out in Tassie waiting for it all to
pass, coz the wind drives me COMPLETE BLOODY MAD!!!!@!@!!!!

Unfortunately it looks like we have a few more weeks worth at least.
We've gotta move that city somewhere better...
---
DFM

"John Doe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:iExdb.127350$bo1.89865@news-

Quoted message said:

I have just had the same thing happen. I got the flu and was sick for

weeks

Quoted message said:

(stupidly did a ride with it before I really got it... Should have known
better.) I like you, have also struggled getting back to fitness and
therefore had a lack of enthusiasm. I found going for a slow casual ride
with a couple of friends that did not regularly cycle has sparked it up

I think I remember hippy having the same problem after an injury or
something.

Yep. Broken collarbone in Feb as well as recent cold/flu/illness thing...

Hippy's recovery tips:

I would say to you... "Don't sweat it". Ride when you feel up to it.
(should be 24 hours a day.. unless you're not a nutcase like moi ;-))

It's hard to get back on the bike when you are not as fast as you
were or when small hills feels painful when you used to fly over them.
I found that I just had to tell myself to get on the bike and ride. It
was easier to do that with the collarbone broken than the cold/virus
thing because a sore arm doesn't make you feel as [censored] as a severe
cold.
Take it easy. Don't rush to get back to your previous level. At
the same time.. don't lock your bike in the shed scared that you will
make yourself worse. Test yourself. If you feel worse after a ride,
take a break for a day or whatever.. If you feel better, ride more.

Buy something. Yep. People treat themselves to new bikes/parts
when they are doing well and it tends to make you want to ride
more. Why can't you do this when you are not riding much?
You can! New bits might give you that little bit of motivation
you need. For me, I finally built up my singlespeed as well
as scoring a track bike. The SS especially got me back riding
hard. It forced me to work harder just riding my normal
commute and so long as I wasn't getting sicker ue to a virus,
I was improving quite a bit.

Race everyone. If someone passes you on the road - chase them!
I don't care if I'm on a BMX, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, not even
able to pedal a full circle because the bike is too small and they are
riding a $10k De Rosa in full kit. Give it all you can.. scare them! :-)
Make them think that you are Robbie McEwan secretly training
on your kid's bike...

Forget riding, watch a video. If you are tired have a rest and watch
a video. Specifically I'm talking about a motivating vid. For me,
watching people throw down some crazy moves on mountain bikes
generally pumps me up enough so that I want to ride asap!
Some people might find similar inspiration from watching Museuw
win a Paris-Roubaix or Lance win another TdF.. whatever floats
your boat! It could even be Home and Away.. when you're done
throwing up you will do anything to get away from the cursed TV! 😉

Quoted message said:

hehe. I weigh 100kg. I normally commute 220km a week and then do a

weekend

Quoted message said:

ride up to 100k. I used to do a lot more when I was younger but then I

had

Quoted message said:

more time to do it.

Time.. oh sweet time.. I wish I was in school again...

HTH
hippy
- should race more, but enjoying being a "bike bum" ;-)

"John Doe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:EGxdb.127354$bo1.23919@news-

Quoted message said:

: 95kg of pure wind-blocking, ego-fuelled power at your service!

Probably good choice as I think I remember you had a similar problem
recently (injury or something?). Then you can provide on hand experience
for morale support as well.

Yep. Well I hope my post is useful. It took time but worked for me.
I've given some of the faster guys in our small bunch a run for their
money a couple of times lately. Nothing is said, but I'm grinning
ear-to-ear on the inside and I'm sure they are telling themselves to
train harder so they can "get 'im" next time.. ;-)

While we are on the mental pep talks.. does anyone have a simple
cure for work stress? (Sorry, not "beer".. I've prescribed that for
myself too often already!)

hippy
- Hey! $160 per keg is cheaper than pre-mix Gatorade. :-P

: While we are on the mental pep talks.. does anyone have a simple
: cure for work stress? (Sorry, not "beer".. I've prescribed that for
: myself too often already!)

Unfortunately I too suffer from this. It causes me to lose sleep. I find
the commute ride is a help but I still have it. I do a lot of very long
days. I was thinking of trying yoga.

Pete

"John Doe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately I too suffer from this. It causes me to lose sleep. I

find

Quoted message said:

the commute ride is a help but I still have it. I do a lot of very

long

Quoted message said:

days. I was thinking of trying yoga.

Full of protein, that stuff. I like vanilla-strawberry.

hippy
;-)

cfsmtb said:

Problem: Windy weather. ..
Has anyone some simple effective solutions or advice? I'm a reasonably
petit cyclist, but far from the smallest on the road.

The problem you're dealing with isn't the wind as such, it's the
gustiness of it. A steady headwind just makes the trip slower, the
gustiness just is a pain in the butt.

One solution is to ride a slightly smaller gear so that when you lose
10kph of speed in a matter of seconds you're not stuck in a 53x12.

The wind makes for a good strength workout though....

And don't worry, once the wind goes the heat will come....

--

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"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

<...>

Quoted message said:

Yep. Broken collarbone in Feb as well as recent cold/flu/illness thing...

A friend's father in law (soon to be) had an accident and broke his arm and
jaw. He continued cycling (with his jaw wired and arm in cast) doing his
daily 20km comute each day, and road from Gisbon to Sydney with this getup.

That's what I call commitment! ;-)

(some would say madness!)

Tim

Much thanks for the response lads. I feel inspired now. Gonna buy new
bike stuff, watch TdF vids, get my other half to either draft or make me
practice drills/climb hills etc. Last fridays CM saw the ride being
pelted by cats & dogs, and as a result, one large Hello Kitty stuck to
my helmet. Don't mind rain, but the sheer force of it, like the recent
gale-like conditions, was bloody disconcerting.

Putting myself in training for the Single Speed Worlds, but going to be
practical about it. ie: think about event for a few months, build SS a
fortnight out from SSW, do a couple of half-hearted boglaps of Yarra
Boulavarde as training, do ONE lap of single track circuit at
Castlemaine, then retire to the gun club for a coupla quiet little
drinks. Have fun, participate & level out the gender inbalance.😉

--
it's all a creeping beige conspiracy

Quoted message said:

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"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Putting myself in training for the Single Speed Worlds, but going to be
practical about it. ie: think about event for a few months, build SS a
fortnight out from SSW, do a couple of half-hearted boglaps of Yarra
Boulavarde as training, do ONE lap of single track circuit at
Castlemaine, then retire to the gun club for a coupla quiet little
drinks. Have fun, participate & level out the gender inbalance.😉

Hey I was thinking of doing that! Idea thief! :-P

Gender imbalance? M or F or U(ndecided)? :-P

With the recent consstruction of my GTSS and the apparent
lack of sserioussnessss of the SSW eventss, it ssounded perfect,
just sso long ass(hehe) I could sstay on the bike and not have
another OTB vissit to Wesstern General! ;-)

I'm really quite happy riding my SS but I'm sstill yet to take it
off road. 32/15 iss a bit high methinkss.

Have you got a bike for the converssion?

I work near the Yarra Bool. I've got ssome cassssettess too if
you need rear ssprocketss...

hippy

On 29 Sep 2003 11:03:13 +0950, Shabby <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

The problem you're dealing with isn't the wind as such, it's the
gustiness of it. A steady headwind just makes the trip slower, the
gustiness just is a pain in the butt.

One solution is to ride a slightly smaller gear so that when you lose
10kph of speed in a matter of seconds you're not stuck in a 53x12.

53x12? Wuss :-)

Quoted message said:

The wind makes for a good strength workout though....

If you're going round a velodrome, it's like interval training.

Quoted message said:

And don't worry, once the wind goes the heat will come....

Soon. I hope.

A friend has a temporary solution. He's going to Surfers for a couple
of weeks.

You could try this. Say the forecast for Saturday is fine with 40 km/h
northerlies. Take the early train to Ballarat. Brekkie in Ballarat.
Ride to Geelong down the Midland Hwy. Lunch. Take the train back to
Melbourne. Simple :-)

Regards,
Richard.

Richard Sherrat said:

53x12? Wuss :-)

I took off the 11 tooth cog because I'm teaching myself to spin
over winter.

--

Quoted message said:

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On 30 Sep 2003 10:03:15 +0950, Shabby <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Richard Sherrat said:

53x12? Wuss :-)

Quoted message said:

I took off the 11 tooth cog because I'm teaching myself to spin
over winter.

I'm only running my 11-23 casette because I haven't got around to
cleaning my 13-26.

Regards,
Richard.

"Lost For Life" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

cfsmtb <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Problem: Windy weather. I keep getting literally blasted off bikes.
Sure, it's the tail end of Show Week here in Melbourne & the combined
effects of silly Spring weather and the equinox are kicking in, but I'm
really #$%!ing sick of it.

After a lengthly dose of 'flu and the resulting loss of aerobic fitness
(and the opportunity to ride ATB, grrrrr), getting back on the bike is
proving to be problematic & more than slightly dangerous. It's happened
several times on three different bikes, road, MTB and BMX.

Has anyone some simple effective solutions or advice? I'm a reasonably
petit cyclist, but far from the smallest on the road. Failing that, I'm
seriously considering start paying $$$ to someone bigger to ride ahead,
so I can draft off 'em.:p

Yah, I know exactly what you are talking about. For the last 3 friggin
weeks it has blowing a gale in Melbourne more often than not. I am
currently unsuccessfully hiding out in Tassie waiting for it all to
pass, coz the wind drives me COMPLETE BLOODY MAD!!!!@!@!!!!

Unfortunately it looks like we have a few more weeks worth at least.
We've gotta move that city somewhere better...

Just heard on 3AW this morning that September is apparently the windiest
month for quite some time - missed the timeframe. They had some BOM guy on
talking about what the causes were.

Tim

Tim Jones said:

[Just heard on 3AW this morning that September is apparently the
windiest month for quite some time - missed the timeframe. They had some
BOM guy on talking about what the causes were.Tim

sheesh, that was the problem, not my mightly 53kg girly frame! hey,
hippy, will get back to you about the sprockets.

still attempting to track down a smallish frame (17"?) & do this SS
on the xtra cheap. I'm big on concept, short on expensive
components(and height) Saving beer money for the SSW wk/end is more
important. Nice day today in Melbourne, just luv those bluestone
pitchers on Bridge Road.....

--
it's all a creeping beige conspiracy

Quoted message said:

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"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

sheesh, that was the problem, not my mightly 53kg girly frame! hey,

You need to get off that bike and start chowing down on
some nice healthy pizza's, donuts, chocolate and beer.
Hey... sounds like my training diet!

Quoted message said:

hippy, will get back to you about the sprockets.

No sweat. They are just LBS chuckouts, ie. free, but
I'm using one on mine and its been fine.

Quoted message said:

still attempting to track down a smallish frame (17"?) & do this SS
on the xtra cheap. I'm big on concept, short on expensive
components(and height) Saving beer money for the SSW wk/end is more
important. Nice day today in Melbourne, just luv those bluestone
pitchers on Bridge Road.....

Hmm... try trading post, fat tyre flyers forum (ftf.com.au),
local bike shops, garage sales, Cash Converters, other bike
sites, etc.

My LBSG insisted that a SS should not have money
spent on it so I used a bike I already had (sort of) and
binned parts. Their powers combined = SS. 😉
Of course, I've seen some custom-built, titanium, full
XTR, total bike-[censored] machines too...

Yeah, nice day to be sitting in an office (not).
Whatcha mean bluestone pitchers?

hippy

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Whatcha mean bluestone pitchers?

You know, pitchers. Big lumps of bluestone, they pitcher of her bike :-)
Actually another name for cobblestones, the curse of Melbournes tram routes.
I didn't know they still had them on Bridge Rd though.

Cheers
Peter