What a load of utter shite!!!
Anyway, I’m just fettling my ride…
52/36 with a 25-11…
50/34 with a 30-12…
PX82/101 rolling on Vittoria Corsa Speeds
Zipp 404FCs rolling on Veloflex Carbon?
Got all of the crap on there too…
2 Likes
11/25 won’t give you enough will it?
Ahh memories
It won’t let me post links here but if you search for the ‘bitten by fish’. You can read all about my own experience of being eaten by by a pike last year in semer water. I’m still having nightmares about it.
Actually-I’ll bump that thread myself
4 Likes
I was running a 50/34 with an 11/28 on a proper hill yesterday & I was going a bit more into the red than I was happy with. I may be putting the roadlink on my dropout to use my 11/32.
Hopefully this works for you…
…I did this segment with a 42-25, sweet baby jesus, that stung a little.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3438020437/segments/2695205999215176257
I’ve slung on the 52/36 with a 25-11 and the PX combo for a test run tomorrow (I’m only going flat, as only second outdoor TT ride since lockdown)
I was okay around the Bolton course with a 30-12 and 52/36, but Struggle looks a bit harder?
The 50/34 and 30-12 is probably the best option.
2 Likes
That doesn’t look like a bad little loop in prep.
Presume it’s a bit of a schlep for you though
2 laps of that is roughly the same distance and elevation gain. That Birdy brow climb looks tasty too
1 Like
Yeah, it’s great!
Nice and close for @Chriswim like 
If I was doing a schlep, I’d just go do the route.
Downhills on that route were super simple and there was also a massive flat part which was rapid.
Anyway…
…like you said on the “How far do you plan your training” thread; I’ve got my plan in place now, so need this race to go ahead.
Swimming once per week in prep.
Got some Maurten to trial (it’s a very odd taste and consistency - I might put some cordial in it)
Also been doing hills, which ain’t my favourite thing to be doing.
Still need to buy me a foil blanket
2 Likes
Pretty similar position as me really.
I quite like the taste of Maurten. The gels are a weird consistency though not quite liquid and not quite solid. I plan on taking 4 packs of 320 and 4 gels. Should see me through ok. Unless by some miracle it’s a hot day and I’ll take more for the run.
Still need a whistle and a foil blanket. Gearing wise 39/28 will be my smallest. No doubt The Struggle will be a grind. The last time I did the Fred in 2016 I suffered through on a 36/25 and an injured ankle. Just about made it through the day
HELL! I was thinking of 4 packs of 160 and that’s it.
Maybe some jelly babies for the lolz.
I rang David Lloyd to enquire about a 3 month membership today (my pool isn’t yet open) 
My Inov8 bag has a whistle on it, so sorted there.
39-28 is a bit high for 20%!!
Mind you…that was the lowest gear but a decade ago (compacts were for cyclocross back then!)
1 Like
Agreed but I can’t be arsed to faff around with another chain set for effectively one ride
Also agree with the 320 mix - I do sweat like a bugger on long days though. Probably overkill for this race.
Thought I would go along the lines of
-
Sipping a bottle of 320 after breakfast pre race.
-
Gel pre race
-
Gel t1
-
Two bottles of 320 on the bike - would have to be a hot day to finish both - I drank one 750ml bottle on a recent 117km training ride - thirsty boy once home though. Also got through a 60km training ride with one 500 ml bottle.
-
Gel t2
-
Last bottle of 320 for the run last gel and maybe some water
I’m going to have to start thinking about nutrition soon I suppose 
I do tend to neglect this when riding hard, I think I’ll have to set some annoying alarm going every15/20mins. I can also imagine it’s difficult to take on stuff when climbing hard or on dodgy descents.
I sent an 11-32 cassette off to that fella on the Time Trialling forum this evening to be milled down so I can potentially use my venerable HED tri-spoke. It’ll be great to hear that whop-whop-whop bouncing off the stone walls.
2 Likes
Wow, I usually go with about 1 bottle on the bike, then one on the run and maybe a gel.
Probably why I do rubbish.
Ideally need to see if I can get up on the propel as it is. It’s going to be hard work on a semi compact.
1 Like
Weather pending, I’ve pencilled next Wednesday in for a bike/run recce.
1 Like
The guy in East Yorkshire?
£40 posted?
Works solidly every time 
That’s the fella, but it’s £30 now & I told him he could have the Haribo if there were any.
1 Like
Ha ha ha - I did that as well.
Came back in it’s original packaging all super duper and ready to roll.
I had a quote of ~£340 for a new 11sp hub and spokes (that was for front and rear, as I’d need them to match)
For that, that’s ~8 years of getting cassettes milled out.
Or…you do know you can remove the 14/15T sprocket and spacer, then whack the sprocket spacer at the rear of the block.
This gives you a 10 speed cassette, on a 10 speed hub, but with PERFECT indexing on an 11 speed bike.
You just need to adjust the top limit screw, to make sure the chain doesn’t go between the sprocket and spokes.
1 Like
Tried that on todays 80km TT ride (on Cheshire’s most potholed lanes, as I tried to catch the club ride who left 65 minutes before me…caught them with 1km to go)
Utter bilge - tastes faintly like seaweed.
Also, I only managed 700ml of the stuff as it does not quench your thirst AT ALL.
1 Like
Agree with that. Great for energy, but I’d always have it on rotation with some high 5 zero or similar. Remember it has no electrolytes.
But it has salt.
Glad I only got a trial pack and didn’t go balls deep on the stuff.
I guess the proof will be in the race?
Providing I don’t lose my BTA bottle this time, then drop my water, too.
Leaving me with 90km to do off just 600ml and one gel - mwah ha ha!
I enjoy High5 zero and often drink the sale stuff to top up before warmer training sessions.
My tastebuds must be a special breed. 