Anyone Interested in Bike training program?

[pranavnegandhi]

Hey Pranav, why don't you try and describe this same scene in your style? By the way, is Gautam away? He seems to be not posting for some time??

Sure. Here goes.

I saw a slope with a 16% from afar. So I hitched a ride to the top on a passing truck. Once at the top, I gave the trucker a 50 for his help and took a good look around at the breathtaking views. Gusts of air stirred my scanty hair to life as I mounted the bike. But I quickly put a stop to that my donning my helmet and set off for a white-knuckled, screaming descent downhill. I think I dropped my intestines somewhere along the way and my ears are still ringing from the sound of the wind in my ear. I don't think I'll be doing it ever again.

.p

[RNair]

About how the guy behind you was frothing as you broke away. About how the water splashed onto your glasses as you tried to drink while steering one handed on a descent going at 90 kmph.

Just things that make things sound more achy and discomforty.

I could never write such things, yesterday it was me leading the pace, tomorrow it could be me getting dropped! It is pain for all on a climb. There is always payback time in cycling. Make friends if you are a cyclist otherwise it could be a lonely life out there.

[uhk]

Pranav, dude, I had to pick myself off the floor to type this. LOL!

About how the guy behind you was frothing as you broke away. About how the water splashed onto your glasses as you tried to drink while steering one handed on a descent going at 90 kmph.

Just things that make things sound more achy and discomforty.

Heh heh, add heart-stoppy and gut-wrenchy to the list.

There is always payback time in cycling. Make friends if you are a cyclist otherwise it could be a lonely life out there.

True that!

[prabuddhadg]

So? When you get dropped, you write about how you frothed and grimaced and nearly lost consciousness trying to catch up with the hot rod up ahead.

[RNair]

Tell me more about this Khopoli trip instead!! Where do you start, where do you finish and some idea about the ride?

[prabuddhadg]

Kaushik and I were speaking to Prabodh the other day, and he mentioned the Khopoli route. Its part of the old Bombay Poona NH4 route. The King of the ghats crown would be won here.
He was pretty vague about it. Even the distance. But there are others either here or on cyclists.in who have ridden to Poona. They will be able to give more info.

[RNair]

I was looking on an online map creator and I created a route profile on NH4 from Panvel to Khopoli. Some 500m to climb as you reach Khopoli. I will look into more details tomorrow.

[prabuddhadg]

Actually, the climb starts from Khopoli, as per the people here who have done this ride.

[sumitpal]

Are you referring to the Bhor ghat climb? The first two kilometers are steep but it flattens out a bit once the road merges with the expressway. Two wheelers are allowed in that section of the expressway.

[kk27]

I guess it is. but I doubt it merges with the express way & twowheelers are allowed. Anyway if it is then soon we'll be burning some rubber there. But the Old Poona road is where the fun is with climbing.

We were discussing this on our Sunday ride that although we ride about 60kms or so but the climbs at godhbunder & aarey though steep are very short. it's no where close to some real climbing. Thats why we both are in search of terrains with good climbs near Bombay, we both agree to the fact that the best climbing in Bombay is at Tungareshwar-Vasai, but its a climb on muddy & dusty trail.

[anindya_911]

Kaushik,

The old highway and the expressway does mearge for some distance. You can check it on google earth.

The luckier folks at Navi Mumbai have the privilage of CBD Belapur hill road or Phanaswadi climb. It is a 5 km climb and the road is not used for normal traffic. Only occasional love-stuck couples on two-wheelers and smoochers on car parked by side of the road. The road provides good stimulation for climbing practise and one can do as many laps as they wish.

But during the monsoon months the road is closed for public due to the risk of landslides, only the residant of village up on the road are allowed

Cheers

[prabuddhadg]

Anindya gives us good news and bad new and ends with a cheers. How nice.

A 5 km climb is nice compared to what we guys get to do. Kaushik, we really must do the Yeoor climb regularly now. After the monsoon, we might ride up to CBD Belapur and do the 5 km.

[kk27]

Ya I like his style. But then nothing stops us doing that climb now!!! we'll be able to do it, it's still time before the monsoons hits in it full glory & any roads closed for public means paradise for us...we are cyclists not public ;P so no road is closed for us. I'm yet to experience that kind of climbing on the Sar, we can try this week???? or may the next one. Lets see, this week I guess I should be able to manage upto Yeeor... but then I'm yet to get the outters for my break cables, should be able to get it today, so the handle bar is still naked. this reminds me that I owe some to Jo so I can pay him back after our ride.

[anindya_911]

Thanks, Guys!
I am trying to confirm whether the hill road is still open. Usually CIDCO closes it by 10th of June, the official day of monsoon arrival over Mumbai.
I will update before this weekend.

Kaushik: Sadly the CIDCO has a checkpost with barrier at the entrance of the gate, manned by two guards 24/7, they don't even allow morning walkers, let alone a cyclist in tights
In case, if you are thinking of sneaking past, let me tell you that they also have a 180 Pulser. If you can pull over at 80kmph at the gradient you might give it a try. Atleast, you would have finish your ride to the top before they catch up to you.
...and NO, any amount of cajoling, begging, threatening or bribing didn't worked when I tried!

The good and bad things keep happening throughout ones life, but the life itself is worth of celebrating
Cheers

[RNair]

With a few days left for the TT race, I am basically in a taper zone. A hard 103 km ride on Sunday was followed by a 50km recovery ride and today I went out to ride another 45k with a 10k TT effort. I will rest now till race day and get a small ride in on Friday.

There is a 9.3km loop, mostly traffic free but is interrupted by 2 lights. The first half 5km of the ride has a constant 2-3% grade and is followed by a long descent but interrupted by a light on the way back to the start line. I did this last week on the wheel of a triathlete who worked most of the time and I clocked 16.30 @ 33.7km/hr with my average HR at 166bpm.

I honestly thought that was tough to beat on my own. I am still getting my foot inside the TT world and I am finding it difficult to judge my effort without a carrot to follow. I thought today that instead of speed I will monitor my HR and try to keep in the higher 160's for the duration of the effort. So I set off at the beginning of the loop and quickly worked my HR to 165 and try to keep it there. I had to stop at the light so I lost atleast 8-10 seconds there. End result still beat the previous time by 9 secs and that too on my own so I think it was a good effort.
9.3k in 16.21 @ 34km/hr with avg HR 164. Was there room to still go harder? I feel I am not going hard enough on descents. I was around the 41-42 range while I have done 50 plus in group situations on the same location.

I think I will use the same technique on race day that is keeping an eye on HR to get an optimum performance.

What do you guys think?

[kk27]

Were you on the BMC??? I guess descents on it may not be as good on the Pinarello. just a thought!!!!

[RNair]

When I say descents, they are not like hill like descents, just a -2% back to the start of the loop. I am riding the Pinarello, BMC would have been great but I have not spent any time training on it so now its too late. I just heard from someone who did the race last year that almost everyone will be on TT bikes with aerodynamic skin suits! I will be happy if I can roll out a good ride. I expect most people to finish 40k inside a hour!

[prabuddhadg]

I think HR is a good way to monitor performance, rather than just speed, which might result in over-exertion on certain terrain instead of even effort.
I have one question. At the descents where you have done 50 in group rides, has your HR remained at the same 165 levels?
Also, since it will be a longer ride on race day, have you considered if you want to maintain this same HR or lower? At your present fitness level, you probably can sustain this HR for hours.

[RNair]

I have one question. At the descents where you have done 50 in group rides, has your HR remained at the same 165 levels?
Also, since it will be a longer ride on race day, have you considered if you want to maintain this same HR or lower? At your present fitness level, you probably can sustain this HR for hours.

I rode at 50 last autumn on those same descents but I was drafting and I had just got back from Italy where I was riding 64 on flats! I have to learn to push myself on descents, it is like giving it all on climbs and then losing it on descents! My HR drops on descents, I need to keep it up which should translate into more speed.

It is a very good question Prabuddha, this is where I find myself in unchartered territory! If this was a road race, I could have easily come back with a 40km/hr average. In group rides we never stay at the front of the line for more than 5 mins, so there is constant recovery even at high speeds. I don't even now if I can sustain 165bpm for 60 mins. It is only in the last few weeks since we started talking about TT on the forum that I have started doing it for longer efforts. I have done many climbs sustaining HR in the late 150's like Mt Ventoux or the Skyline or Ooty but never for a long time in the 160's. My LT threshold is 168 and today's approx 10k effort my avg HR was 164. The game plan now is to keep it around 160 with few bursts of 5 mins at 168-170 bpm. On a flat track If successful (?) the speed should turn out to be 38-40km/hr.

Will be a interesting Saturday!

[sumitpal]

I just heard from someone who did the race last year that almost everyone will be on TT bikes with aerodynamic skin suits! I will be happy if I can roll out a good ride. I expect most people to finish 40k inside a hour!

40k inside an hour! I read those magic words again. All the best for the race.

[prabuddhadg]

These rides don't really qualify for a place here, but I have been posting all my rides here. So here goes. This week end I did two nice rides. On Saturday, Kaushik and I started off with a ride in Aarey colony. The roads are deteriorating which made Kaushik slow down to save his hand. But Aarey is nice in the morning.
Once the climbs were done, Kaushik suggested a ride to Utan, which involves a ferry ride from the Marve beach. Once we had crossed the creek, we seemed to be in rural Goa. In most places, the road was smooth tarmac. Traffic was an occasional motorcycle or an auto rickshaw. The road was lined with cottages, some protected by just palm leaf fences. I almost forgot to pedal. Even the weather was cloudy and cool.
There is a killer climb somewhere off the main road, but we missed it. Still, we were quite content with the rides we did. Smooth tarmac with some gentle curves and climbs. Tree lined avenues, with cottages and resorts adding to the tranquility of the place.
All in all, this was a great ride. We covered 65 km in all. But at some cost. While we did carry our bikes over the sand at Marve beach, the sand still got into our bike chains. At home I got down and dirty with soap water and a toothbrush. Once things were clean and shiny once again, I was ready for the next day's ride.
Kaushik was tired from his bike cleaning and fish tank cleaning projects. Prakrit had had a small nose operation. So I set off on my own.
I took the Western Highway just as I do for my Bandra ride, but I continued up Mahim and into town. Once one is past the highway flyovers, its all flat except for a small flyover at Worli and then at Pedder Road.
I reached Nariman Point in an hour and 26 min. Marine Drive was full of joggers and loiterers. I sat enjoying the breeze and watching all the people.
There were some kids on bicycles. I saw a 4300. But most common were the modern Indian wierd geometry models.
I drank a lot of the Enerzal water. Was not feeling hungry. Still I ate one energy bar. Then, after 15 min spent there, I was off. I had covered 44 km at an average of 28+ kmph and a cadence of 94.
I was never pushing myself too much, rather enjoying the ride. I was surprised I did not need to drink much water or to eat. Still, at Mahim I bought a bottle of water and poured in some Electral. But most of that I actually drank at home.
I got home by 9:20 a ride of some 84 km and am average of 28 kmph and a cadence of 92.
Climbing is strenuous and exciting, but this day I reminded myself that just riding at a steady pace and cadence too can be so peaceful and satisfying.

[RNair]

but this day I reminded myself that just riding at a steady pace and cadence too can be so peaceful and satisfying.

Very cool ride! I plan to ride out tomorrow morning with a similar objective.

BTW my wife finished her road race today. Finished with the main group. No breakaway. Avg speed 34.2km/hr over 70kms!!!

[sumitpal]

[quote="prabuddhadg"Climbing is strenuous and exciting, but this day I reminded myself that just riding at a steady pace and cadence too can be so peaceful and satisfying.[/quote]
+1 The weather is going to be perfect for such rides soon.

[anindya_911]

[quote="prabuddhadg"Climbing is strenuous and exciting, but this day I reminded myself that just riding at a steady pace and cadence too can be so peaceful and satisfying.

+1 The weather is going to be perfect for such rides soon.[/quote]
Amen!

Prabuddha

Your training ride qualifies to be a fine ride story, would have missed it, if was not following this thread regularly.

A bad news: CBD hill road is closed!

Cheers

[prabuddhadg]

Thanks Anindya. Actually, the training has got me so focussed on timing and cadence and average speed, that I tend to keep looking at all that instead of feeling the enjoyment of being on the bike. Of course, achieving a high speed or negotiating a turn at a certain speed does feel great, but these quiet rides serve as a reminder that one needs so little to enjoy a ride.

By the way, I realised that I do not feel the need to eat when I am riding. I ate a nutri bar, but more as a kind of duty, since every one else eats with discipline. As long as I am drinking my electral, I am fine.

Do you guys eat on these rides (50-70 km) or do you only eat on long rides, say 100-150 km?