[rola643]

After riding a 62 mile ride to day I was curious to see what kind of improvements, if any, I have made over the last couple of years. My First ever century was the Indian Head 100 in La Plate, Md with a skosh over 4,000ft of elevation change. To this day I still do not have another single ride with that kind of elevation change! (Xela does this much just to loosen up his legs before he rides!)

The last century I rode was last October with just short of 2,000 ft of elevation change but skosh faster avg moving time.

All in all I'd say I still have lots of room to improve on my times and speed on century rides.

Part of the reason we rode what we rode today was to see how ready we, ok me , for the first century of the season. For us it will be the Cap2Cap May 12th. It;s coming way to fast and I feel like I have way to few miles under my belt!

I'm hoping for a good ride this early in the year on the Cap2Cap ride!

Indian Head 100

Ride the Dragon

 

[Poolie]

SportTracks is great for that kind of comparison. I like looking at how I was doing this time last year. Sometimes I don't feel like I've gotten that much faster but the numbers don't lie.

 

[rola643]

SportTracks is great for that kind of comparison. I like looking at how I was doing this time last year. Sometimes I don't feel like I've gotten that much faster but the numbers don't lie.

I agree on all accounts. I love me some SportTracks! I haven't been able to see how to do a side by side comparison of rides in the charts, do you know how to pull that kinda data from it?

 

[Hazy]

1 thing you are not comparing that glares out to me is the time spent stopped.
This became something that I will look at when going long distances.

I rarely make a full stop on a ride, but the other day when I rode with a couple of guys, we stopped several times. Not complaining as the ride was fun as was the company, but resting in the middle of a ride really made a big difference in how I felt during the last 10-15 miles of the ride as opposed to not stopping. Of course there were other factors affecting that as well ie. physical effort, mental fatigue, and others, but as I regularly take in longer rides I will be more able to see how that affects me.

 

[rola643]

1 thing you are not comparing that glares out to me is the time spent stopped.
This became something that I will look at when going long distances.

I rarely make a full stop on a ride, but the other day when I rode with a couple of guys, we stopped several times. Not complaining as the ride was fun as was the company, but resting in the middle of a ride really made a big difference in how I felt during the last 10-15 miles of the ride as opposed to not stopping. Of course there were other factors affecting that as well ie. physical effort, mental fatigue, and others, but as I regularly take in longer rides I will be more able to see how that affects me.

Help me out Hazy. What do you mean about the time spent stopped? I'm not sure what you are trying to say

 

[Hazy]

Help me out Hazy. What do you mean about the time spent stopped? I'm not sure what you are trying to say

Saying you got a girlie bladder.

Seriously, depending on the type of ride your on ie ( competitive, recreational etc..) that kind of stat will skew the numbers of your other stats that you are trying to compare.

 

[rola643]

Girlie bladder I only ride recreationally!

 

[Hazy]

Girlie bladder I only ride recreationally!

Uh, yea technically speaking. But I think you get my drift. Some rides are more "spirited" than others for a plethora ( like that big word? ) of reasons, and stop time on a ride can make a world of difference in stats.

 

[rola643]

The Garmin does a good job, as far as avg speed, of differentiating between moving speed and avg overall speed. Usually Andy and I kinda blow off the first rest stop on a century ride. They seem to be about every 20-30 miles and honestly if I stop to long that's an open invitation for cramps /tight muscles. Try to limit the stops to 10 minutes or so.

 

[Hazy]

The Garmin does a good job, as far as avg speed, of differentiating between moving speed and avg overall speed. Usually Andy and I kinda blow off the first rest stop on a century ride. They seem to be about every 20-30 miles and honestly if I stop to long that's an open invitation for cramps /tight muscles. Try to limit the stops to 10 minutes or so.

Think your missin my point. The more time stopped ( for myself anyway ) is more recovery time that will allow my moving time to be statistically superior to a moving time without rest. See what I mean?

 

[rola643]

Think your missin my point. The more time stopped ( for myself anyway ) is more recovery time that will allow my moving time to be statistically superior to a moving time without rest. See what I mean?

I do indeed see! Recovery time is spent sucking someones wheel expending little to no energy!

 

[Hazy]

I do indeed see! Recovery time is spent sucking someones wheel expending little to no energy!

LOL! I unfortunately have not had the good fortune to regularly benefit from group ride experience, as of yet. But... I'm still a newbie and lookin for opportunities to learn everyday.

 

[rola643]

Want some dry boring reading?

http://http://athabascau.academia.edu/HughTrenchard/Papers/542862/Energy_Savings_in_Bicycle_Pelotons_a_General_Evolutionary_Mechanism_and_a_Framework_for_Group_Formation_in_Eusocial_Evolution

 

[Poolie]

Read somewhere that you should limit your rest stops to no more than 10 minutes... for the reasons you mentioned. I am starting to like that 10 rest every 20-30 miles. It does pay off on the last leg of the ride.

The Garmin does a good job, as far as avg speed, of differentiating between moving speed and avg overall speed. Usually Andy and I kinda blow off the first rest stop on a century ride. They seem to be about every 20-30 miles and honestly if I stop to long that's an open invitation for cramps /tight muscles. Try to limit the stops to 10 minutes or so.