This one I started early – and I mean REALLY early (05:00). Winter is closing in and I thought that it is bad enough to ride one side of it in the dark – I don’t Fancy riding BOTH sides. So I decided to make the ‘dark one’ – the morning. At least there was no fog – I wouldn’t want to repeat that experience. It was cold though. Very cold.
I learned from my experience and I have taken my ‘overshoes’ with me. It was a very wise decision. They create another layer of protection around my shoes, a bit like a diving suit. It has the disadvantage of being absolutely NON breathable, but it does keep the warmth in to a large degree.
I have also tried for the first time to ride with long trousers and a cycling specific nicely padded under garment. It was the most comfortable arrangement so far for my private parts as well as my behind – I’ll buy more of the kind. Finally on the clothing side I have used BOTH the leg warmers and the arm warmers – and did not take them off throughout – which just proves that they were just what the weather ordered.
At some stage during the ride I was thinking to myself that this ride is so uneventful that I will have nothing to write about in my blog. I was proven very wrong (don’t expect any fireworks), but sometime later I noticed that I am riding the distance at a much greater comfort and ease than ever before. It was then that I thought that maybe, just maybe, I WILL be able to do the LEL in July next year. It was only when I arrived at Bishops Staford and turned South (literally), I realised that I may have had some assistance from a friendly wind direction, and it was NOT all about me and my increased fitness level. Having said that, despite battling fairly strong winds on the way back for about a quarter of the way, my overall average speed worked out to be virtually identical to last time (18.5 Km/h). Thus, I do believe that I am getting ever so fitter with any ride I do!
I am obviously unable to do a scientific experiment, but I have in mind two contributing factors. The first being a ‘recovery drink’ from Torq. This is a relatively expensive drink that is supposed to restore muscles to a good form quickly. I have been using it every day when returning from my commuting ride and while the taste leaves a lot to be desired, the effects seem to be quite astonishing. Yes, yes I also know of the placebo effect but what can I say? My body does feel much better after drinking it. Case in point is that ride. I came home VERY tired, and immediately (there is a 15 minutes ‘golden window’ for the recovery drink to be most effective right after exercise) prepared a full portion (8 scoops of powder and 600ml of cold water) of the recovery drink. I gulped it down fairly rapidly, being both hungry and thirsty) and amazingly – within minutes a lot of my soreness and tiredness was gone. I just couldn’t believe it. I was climbing the stairs to go and have a shower with very little effort and discomfort. I am going to stick to it and use it consistently.
The second explanation is my new found fascination with single speed bike. I didn’t buy one (yet – still researching and looking for the ‘perfect’ one), but it occurred to me that while I cannot simulate riding a ‘fixed’ gear with my Road bike, I can certainly simulate ‘single speed’. It is quite easy – just NEVER change gear!
And so I decided to ‘fix’ my bike for commuting distances at gear no 5. As my large front Gear has 50 teeth and gear number 5 has 17, I have a ratio of 2.94. This is more towards the ‘high end’ of the scale. That means that while I can go fast on a flat road it is quite hard to climb. I could change to Gear no. 6 which has 19t, with the ratio of 2.63. That seems to be the ‘golden ratio’ that many fixed and single speed bikes opt for although in reality people just choose something that ‘works’ for them or whatever the supplier has decided would be best.
Back to my ride then. So the bottom line is that I am NOT changing gears. I just ‘tough it out’ whatever comes my way. I think that this has increased my effort level (makes sense – right?) and thus contributed to increase my fitness. Once I get my REAL fixed bike I am hoping that my cadence will improve too (there is no choice but to pedal ALL the time!). Taken together I’ll be a champion 🙂
To finish this posting I must tell you about my first direct encounter with a car passenger. I was riding on a fairly busy road with cars gliding by my side all the time. Suddenly one of them slowed down and the passenger yelled something at me (I did not catch what he was saying) and… pinched my bottom!!! I am not SURE that this is what he did – but that is the closest I can describe how it felt. The car than sped off and I sadly was unable to ask him if I am really so irresistible…
I guess he may have meant to intimidate or frighten me (it was quite sudden), but it only left me smiling. People.
The certificate: