Great ride last evening...LOVE my Roubaix!

berettafan · 07:30 AM

The more I ride the more I get out of it. SO happy to see the gains, however modest they may be!

Average speed continues to climb by small but measurable amounts (up about 1mph in the past month) and average HR is actually going down (partly due to temps i'm sure).

Attacked a small local climb and managed to get in the top 25% of my weight class on Strava. Found a new max HR in the process! Hit 173 on the climb and theoretical max would be 177. I've set my zones at 177.

Felt sooooo friggin good when I got home. Even carried into this morning. Such a great sensation to feel some pain and know you are doing something good for your body!!! I have a long ways to go but putting real time and effort into cycling has produced seriously satisfying results.

I think in about 10lbs i'll be able to go to a lower rise stem or swap a spacer. getting the gut out of the way so my knees aren't beating the crap out of it in the drops is helping!

dafischer · 10-04-2016, 07:57 AM

^^The bridge over to Assateague?

VincentVega · 10-04-2016, 08:01 AM

I buddy lives on kent island and the first time I went to his place he told me he's at the top of the hill. Kent Island is board flat. I bet his house is 2' higher than the main road.

Nice work berettafan. Nothing like getting in the groove and seeing the results. Keep it up.

creaturecat · 10-04-2016, 08:10 AM

nice bike.
177 max. what is your age?
do you usually try to run at 80% of your max?

winders · 10-04-2016, 08:31 AM

Great bike! I am looking at this one in black:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/roubaix-expert-udi2/115184

I love the more relaxed endurance riding position!

HardDrive · 10-04-2016, 08:34 AM

I've got one too. Love it. A comfortable cruise missile.

berettafan · 10-04-2016, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creaturecat

nice bike.
177 max. what is your age?
do you usually try to run at 80% of your max?

43 which gives me 177 using the 220 minus age. I know it's agreed that this number can be off but i'm not comfortable actually doing the test to find it. and i'm sure it's pretty close.

I try to be in the 130-150 range for all but the beginning few miles of a ride. on a very hot day i'll be over 150 for a good amount of time but not by too much. 130-140 is kind of a take it easy for a bit zone and 140-150 is normal operating.

berettafan · 10-04-2016, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dafischer

^^The bridge over to Assateague?

Yep! Mount St. Verrazano

Quote:

Originally Posted by winders

Great bike! I am looking at this one in black:

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/road/roubaix-expert-udi2/115184

I love the more relaxed endurance riding position!

I test rode a UDi2 model but couldn't get one in the color I wanted. Wasn't the newer style with the head shock though. UDi2 is NIIIIIICE. mine is 105 which I am perfectly content with.

berettafan · 10-04-2016, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VincentVega

I buddy lives on kent island and the first time I went to his place he told me he's at the top of the hill. Kent Island is board flat. I bet his house is 2' higher than the main road.

Nice work berettafan. Nothing like getting in the groove and seeing the results. Keep it up.

I did a metric out of Chesapeake College recently (Ride for Clean Rivers). Strava on the cue sheet said 1200', my Garmin said just under 600'. either way it was a learning experience and caused me to drop plans to do the Bicycling Fall Classic last weekend which has 3 or 4 times that I think. I did greatly enjoy the downhills though. hit 30 mph and enjoyed it greatly. getting up the hill....not so much fun.

VincentVega · 10-04-2016, 09:53 AM

good times

come west a bit and spice it up. I did the 50 a few years ago and it was great, check it out for next year. Firefighter 50 Bicycle Ride • www.firefighter50.com

dafischer · 10-04-2016, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berettafan

Yep! Mount St. Verrazano

That always strikes me as a tough climb on a bike.

berettafan · 10-04-2016, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VincentVega

good times

come west a bit and spice it up. I did the 50 a few years ago and it was great, check it out for next year. Firefighter 50 Bicycle Ride • www.firefighter50.com

that looks awesome! put it on my calendar for next year! the 50 would be quite a challenge for me given the climbing. roads look absolutely beautiful. wouldn't be upset if they spaced the rests a bit better though (say 18 and 36 on the 50).

David · David's Garage

Living in Houston, I don't see, much less ride, many hills.

A couple weeks ago I road the Fort Davis Cyclefest loop and hillclimb and got my hills for the year!

It's a great ride (except for the chip-seal) if any of you are in the area.

VincentVega · 10-04-2016, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berettafan

that looks awesome! put it on my calendar for next year! the 50 would be quite a challenge for me given the climbing. roads look absolutely beautiful. wouldn't be upset if they spaced the rests a bit better though (say 18 and 36 on the 50).

You can do it, not bad at all really. Like you said, there are some great views and enough up/down to keep it interesting. I missed a turn towards the end and did and extra 5 or so. That was the worst. I was/am out of shape and convinced myself to push it for a while. Something psychological about going over per the computer and I ran out of gas the last couple.