Safe Speed Forums

As with driving one of the factors in a bicycle crash is fatigue - so for the cyclists on board - this little quiz appeared in last week's copy of CW


It relates more to racing events but even so on a long commute you really need to have the stamina to ride safely.

1. I usually pass mor people on climbs than pass me

2. I follow a wheel wiith a relaxed concentration

3. I enjoy riding on courses with a lot of steep hills {i] Only if the hills fo downwards when I can speed! [/i]

4. I can hammer up steep hills gulp

5. I recover quickly afer a hard effort ( depends on how perpendicular that hill was and if I rode up some steps


6. I usually pass more people at the end of a race than pass me reserve the strength

7. I can usually maintina my intensity during short steep climbs

8. I can go hard after my last hard effort It's what it says in the book Will not go into the comments certain wimmin I know made on this one

9. I drop more people than drop me of short steep climbs

10. I pass more people than pass me during the repeat steep climbs I reserve my strength

11. I am confident riding close to other riders I keep to me tow second rules - ta!

12. I prefer long events to short.. wast of gears to go on a short

13. I corner fast and confidently

14 . I do not "blow up" late in a race.

15. I can outsprint most of my peers

16. I am confident I will make it to the finishing post!

17. I accelerate at the crest of a hill

18. I accelerate rapidly

19. I do not fall off very often

20. I can remain strong during repeated hard efforts.

Score one to 5 where 5 = "strongly agree"

A Climbing

Tot up your scores for 1/ 3/. 7/17

B Endurance

Tot up your scores for 6/12/14/16

C Lactate Tolerance

Tot up your scores for 5/ 8/10 /20

D technical skill

Tot up your scores for 2/11/13/19

E Power

Tot up your scores for 4/9/15/18


Scores in each area:



Scores 1-9 = weak and you need to work this area

Scores 10-15 = needs some work but OK

Scores 15-20 = strong in this area.

There - post for our cyclists to play with

By the way - came out with climbing needing some work and strong in endurance, skill and power

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

Meaning you can go hard after your last hard effort?

No complaints from Mrs In Gear

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

Sorry IG, I can't answer most of the questions on your quiz. I rarely do any kind of competitive cycling (I've never done any road racing), except 24 hour Mountain Bike races, and when I do them I'm in no state to judge how I'm performing!

I guess it's aimed at more competitive people, I think I'm probably too passive.

keep meaning to do one of them.... although it'd take me 6months of radically different training to normal to prepare for!

True - requires a different kind of training. Mad Doc, Kriss and Mike have done these in the past and I seem to recall they all slept for a week afterwards

_________________
Take with a chuckle or a grain of salt
Drive without COAST and it's all your own fault!

A SMILE is a curve that sets everything straight (P Diller).

A Smiley Per post
FINES USfor our COAST!

Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon - but driving with a smile and a COAST calm mind.

i meant different from 24hr running races.....

....which it just so happens i did last weekend

Reading through all of the cycling related threads, we seem to have a genuine following of (sadly) ex-cyclists who were fairly serious about the sport & not just for commuting. Good to know we're in good company!

Cycles were my mode of transport for many years before sucumbing to the gods of petrol & diesel. I've personally noticed it made me a better driver from the get-go as I'm more aware of other road users, conditions & gearing requirements and approach/intercept speed judgement than the average 'joe' who's first experience of road use is in a 1988 Nova sliding into a tree. (Must be a good dozen fatalities within 5 miles of where I live in last 5 years - newly passed test, no clue of handling in wet, a different kind of 'tree hugger' on the NSL country roads).

Definately a good idea to keep heresay & opinions to a minimum to stop the spread of malcontent, and as with the motoring side, stick to known facts & personal experience. We don't want a 'roadie' v 'mtb' v 'car' war!

As an ex-bike mechanic I've seen some god awful things turn up for repair. A month after xmas is the worst time when all the mummies & daddies bring in the f'd montrosities called catalogue bkes that they've had a go at assembling & the kids are half way to destroying. Forks back to front (really common), brakes set to use tyres for stopping, wheels literally falling off if frame picked up.... and to top it all off the little darlings helmet is strapped to the back of the head offering zero frontal protection for face & forehead. Spend £20 more and get a bike shop to BUILD the bike, not "toys b' them" or whoever to put on pedals & straighten the bars!

I'm sure many of the members would be willing to offer practical & professional advice in the fields of maintenance, road safety, handling & how to achieve the best from the days when we leave the car at home.