Cycling: fitness, racing or leisure rides..

[mickey]

After the hype of King Cadel's epic feats in France, its come to light there are more than a handful of us bike lovers on the site

So here is a thread to discuss any cycling news, views, training tips or local rides etc.

[mickey]

From Greenedgecycling.com

O’Grady brings experience to GreenEDGE

Having ridden the Tour de France 15 times, with stints in the yellow jersey and two stage
wins, plus having competed at five Olympic Games, including a gold medal in 2004, Stuart
O’Grady is bringing his immense experience to the GreenEDGE Cycling team.

GreenEDGE is aiming to become Australia’s first UCI World Tour licensed team in 2012 and for the
38-year-old O’Grady it is a dream come true.

“To ride for an Australian team has been a dream of mine since I turned pro way back in 1995. I
wasn’t sure such a team would come around before I retired but I’m glad it has,” O’Grady said.
“I’ve been racing for a long time and seen the evolution of Australian cycling from guys like Phil
Anderson, Neil Stephens and Patrick Jonker to myself as part of the generation that followed and
now we’ve got an impressive group of young riders coming through.

“For a country where cycling is a relatively small sport the progress in such a short period of time
has been incredible.”

But for O’Grady joining GreenEDGE wasn’t an easy decision.

“I’ve spent quite a few years supporting the Schleck brothers (Frank and Andy) at the Tour de
France and Fabian (Cancellara) in the classics and doing that job alongside Jens Voigt we’ve been
like a family. It’s been a privilege racing with those guys and leaving Leopard-Trek to join
GreenEDGE has been the hardest decision of my career,” the South Australian said.

Last week the team announced that multiple track world champions Cameron Meyer and Jack
Bobridge, along with 2010 Australian road champion Travis Meyer, will form part of the team and
the guidance of O’Grady will serve the younger riders on the team well.

According to GreenEDGE Cycling General Manager, Shayne Bannan, having O’Grady on the team
will play a critical role in guiding the younger members of the team and building a squad for the big
one-day races.

“He can teach our guys stuff on the road that simply can’t be communicated from the team car
sitting behind the peloton,” Bannan said.

“And you don’t stay at the top end of any sport for as long as Stuart has without doing something
right. He won a silver medal at the Olympics in 1992 when Travis Meyer and Jack Bobridge were
only three-years-old so there’s a lot he can teach our younger guys.”

O’Grady also sees his experience as his major contribution to the team.

“There’ll be a lot of young guys on the squad and Shayne (Bannan) understands the need to have
someone to guide them,” O’Grady said who has played the role of captain on the road for the past
few seasons for his previous teams at the Tour de France, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

“There’s no point having the biggest and shiniest ship in the ocean if you don’t have a captain to
steer it and I’ve think I bring plenty of experience at steering the ship.”

Despite openly taking on the role of guiding the younger members of the team O’Grady hasn’t lost
his ambition to win.

“I’ve still got ambitions in the big one-day classics, particularly Paris-Roubaix. I know the notebook
Fabian Cancellara uses in Roubaix because we came up with it together. There’ll be plenty of races
the younger guys can go for but that’s my major personal goal,” he said.

O’Grady is the only Australian to have won Paris-Roubaix, the world’s most famous one-day race
across the cobblestones of northern France, which he took out in 2007.

[brod]

Doing all the right things at the moment at GreenEDGE

[NFC]

Rode a tick over 30km's today. Going into the city was pretty difficult with the wind in the face, coming back was good due to being aided by the strong tailwind.

[mickey]

At the moment work is only 5km each way. Head wind on the way home wasn't as bad expected, and I actually enjoyed the work out. Doesn't help having the biggest heap of sh!t bike going at the moment.

Can't wait til I can get my new road bike so I can really do some kms

[pig_skin]

if you are just starting out and looking for some good fitness/training program rides..
jump on over to https://www.polarpersonaltrainer.com/

its free and lets you set up a diary with differnent cycling training programs etc and can track your progress.. i use it and find it very beneficial.
works even better if you have a polar heart rate/cycling comp and can upload all your info.

[mickey]

Just starting out again after 6 or so years off the bike.. forgot how relaxing a good bike ride can be.

[Dutchy]

What do we all ride? Here is mine -

[dedja]

A 2008 Trek 1.9 which is currently not receiving much love ...

[Dutchy]

My first cycling event is getting pretty close on 28/8, 75 kms, here is the route - http://www.bikemap.net/route/1093612

[pig_skin]

Dutchy ill be doing that too.. but im doing both loops 150km..

My first cycling event is getting pretty close on 28/8, 75 kms, here is the route - http://www.bikemap.net/route/1093612

nice bike too dutchy what model specialized is it i ride a tarmac comp...

[mickey]

Very nice dutchy.. full carbon frame? What components does it have??

[pig_skin]

[quote="Dutchy"]What do we all ride? Here is mine -

my bike

[Dutchy]

Dutchy ill be doing that too.. but im doing both loops 150km..

My first cycling event is getting pretty close on 28/8, 75 kms, here is the route - http://www.bikemap.net/route/1093612

nice bike too dutchy what model specialized is it i ride a tarmac comp...

The second loop looks a nightmare, all downhill early then a nasty climb at the end, not my cup of tea, rather climb first and then descend!

Mine is a Allez Sport, composite with carbon forks, dont know much else TBH, my cousin sold it to me when he upgraded to carbon.

Yours looks nice, presume full carbon?

[pig_skin]

Dutchy ill be doing that too.. but im doing both loops 150km..

My first cycling event is getting pretty close on 28/8, 75 kms, here is the route - http://www.bikemap.net/route/1093612

nice bike too dutchy what model specialized is it i ride a tarmac comp...

The second loop looks a nightmare, all downhill early then a nasty climb at the end, not my cup of tea, rather climb first and then descend!

Mine is a Allez Sport, composite with carbon forks, dont know much else TBH, my cousin sold it to me when he upgraded to carbon.

Yours looks nice, presume full carbon?

just had a look at the course now your right that last 15km is gonna be a nice finish.. cant wait

and yep full carbon, running 105's at the moment but in the process of putting Dura Ace on it as i will be racing next year... and i just put the mavic cosmic wheels on it.. first set of carbon wheels and they are great.. but dont think ill keep them on in the hills, the wind caught me coming down the other day and i nearly ended up on the bitumen (the wind caught the wide carbon on the wheel)... have to get used to it real quickly..

[mickey]

Any reason you chose specialized frame pig skin? Have looked at Avanti and Scott and leaning slightly to the Avanti Cadent 1.0 with shimano 105 components.

[pig_skin]

Any reason you chose specialized frame pig skin? Have looked at Avanti and Scott and leaning slightly to the Avanti Cadent 1.0 with shimano 105 components.

i used to have a specialized BMX when i was younger so always knew of the brand.. and too be honest when i first test rode the specialized it was the bike that felt the best for me when i was riding it.. i tried out a few bikes, trek, biannchi, and the specialized just felt the best.. i have a feeling that there is not too much difference in the low/mid range bikes anyway

[dedja]

2008 Trek 1.9 ... nice bike, but the colour is sh!te.

Frameset
Sizes 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm
Frame Alpha Black Aluminum
Fork Bontrager Race, carbon

Wheels
Wheels Bontrager Race
Tires Bontrager Race Lite, 700x23c

Drivetrain
Shifters Shimano Ultegra STI, 10 speed
Front Derailleur Shimano Ultegra
Rear Derailleur Shimano Ultegra
Crank Shimano Ultegra 50/34
Cassette Shimano 105 11-25, 10 speed
Pedals n/a

Components
Saddle Bontrager Race
Seat Post Bontrager Carbon
Handlebars Bontrager Select VR, 31.8mm
Stem Bontrager Select, 7 degree, 31.8mm
Headset Aheadset w/cartridge bearings, integrated, sealed, alloy
Brakeset Shimano Ultegra w/Shimano Ultegra STI levers

[NFC]

Went for another ride today, about 35k's. Pretty good average speed today, especially going back.

Wanted to go for the big 60k ride, but wasn't feeling at my best and was a bit rushed for time. Funny thing was going back home I felt really good, got back and wasn't feeling at all fatigued. Probably could've pushed myself after all.

[Booney]

After realising I carry about 30kg too much ( yes, Im a fat bastard and yes I knew it but was too lazy to do anything about it) I went to get back on the circa 1990 Ricardo road bike. Not for me any more. During the early-mid 90's I was covering 200+k's per week. 15k's to work, 15 home. 30 a day ( 150 a week ) plus at least one decent ride on the weekend.

Family, work requirements etc.

Long story short, just purchased an entry level Apollo "commuter". Still rides well and it is giving me reason ( with comfort ) to get on the bike again. Doing about 10-15k's twice a week at the moment with the goal of building up to 30 three times a week as the weather improves. Once I have a bit of a fitness base I'll start doing the 15k's to work once or twice a week too. I need my car most days so this will be up and down a bit.

If and when the bug really bites I'll upgrade to something a little more refined.