Cruzbike Time Trial Challenge 2020

Bill Wightman

Bill Wightman

Well-Known Member
Veinbuster said:
My ace in the whole might be finishing with an early Saturday ride because traffic has proven to be super light.
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I do my best to avoid all traffic. Really messes time up at stop signs and in corners and reduces encounters if I just wait until everyone is asleep. I am a night owl anyway. Love the quiet summer nights. I have attached a plot of power, speed, regression estimates of same based on TT#, wind speed, temperature, and humidity levels. The blue plot is a regression of power if all these were at an average value for the series so far (except TT#). It is obvious that a hard effort generates rising power ability week after week. It is also obvious that the rising summer temperatures and humidity take a toll on ride speed and power level.
TT_2020_power01.jpg
 
Mathew Fy

Mathew Fy

GRU
LarryOz said:
The real goal is to get progressively stronger...
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I'll say this goal is being met. I never thought I'd exceed 22 mph, but now at 2/3 through, I'm there and looking for more.
There is a weekly group that splits into A, Super-B, B, and C groups. I used to do the C, and now the B (16-17 mph.) Last night I had a fun ride with the B group. Near the end the Super-B passed us (they rode 43.5 vs our 37.8 miles.) I took the opportunity to jump on, but had to pass all of them and hammer it back to the parking lot. Here's a short video:
 
LarryOz

LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
Mathew Fy said:
I'll say this goal is being met. I never thought I'd exceed 22 mph, but now at 2/3 through, I'm there and looking for more.
There is a weekly group that splits into A, Super-B, B, and C groups. I used to do the C, and now the B (16-17 mph.) Last night I had a fun ride with the B group. Near the end the Super-B passed us (they rode 43.5 vs our 37.8 miles.) I took the opportunity to jump on, but had to pass all of them and hammer it back to the parking lot. Here's a short video:
Click to expand...
Super cool - don't you love how they ride in the middle to the left of the road - like they are saying "no one's going to pass us, so we can hog the road!" - way to blow by them - especially love the last guy trying to get up to you - haha!
 
Veinbuster

Veinbuster

Member
LarryOz said:
Super cool - don't you love how they ride in the middle to the left of the road - like they are saying "no one's going to pass us, so we can hog the road!" - way to blow by them - especially love the last guy trying to get up to you - haha!
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I’ve seen so many groups riding like that this summer, I’ve found it a bit embarrassing as a long time cyclist.

I don’t pass as many people as most of you, but I often have to go into the oncoming traffic lane to get by a group riding 3 or 4 abreast.

Since the challenge started, I have been making more uphill passes. They have no chance of catching me going down the other side.
 
benphyr

benphyr

Guru-me-not
I think it means that cyclists are using the vehicle lane like they are entitled to (in some parts of the world). It actually makes for a safer ride in general because you are less likely to get brushed off the road by a vehicle trying to pass when there is oncoming traffic (they are less likely to go head on into traffic). Of course, when there is space one should always give courtesy and allow space to be passed. Maybe we are more accustomed to keeping an eye out for traffic behind us on recumbents with mirrors.?
 
E

ElyDave

Guru
Here in the, UK riding two abreast is perfectly normal, and even forms part of the highway code. You'd normally single out through heavily trafficked areas so you don't hold people up. Cycle safety training these days includes the primary position, i.e. in the middle of the lane as if you were a car, in order to prevent overtaking. I use it where it would be dangerous for an overtake, though it doesn't always work
 
Rob Lloyd

Rob Lloyd

Well-Known Member
My week 14 attempt at a ride. I crashed due to a double flat caused by a pothole that was hidden by shadows...


Sorry for the (many) expletives following the slide. I'm missing significant amount of skin on my right side. But, I'll ride again. I hope just off the bike for several days, but we'll see.

Bike is basically OK except for the 2 flat tires.
 
LarryOz

LarryOz

Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
Rob Lloyd said:
Sorry for the (many) expletives following the slide. I'm missing significant amount of skin on my right side. But, I'll ride again. I hope just off the bike for several days, but we'll see.

Bike is basically OK except for the 2 flat tires.
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Glad you are OK man! Ouch - been there and done that - get some Silvadine ointment on it yesterday!
That is one of the very few downsides to recumbents - (you cannot bunny hop over stuff like this) - plus a little harder to see in the reclined position!
 
benphyr

benphyr

Guru-me-not
LarryOz said:
Glad you are OK man! Ouch - been there and done that - get some Silvadine ointment on it yesterday!
That is one of the very few downsides to recumbents - (you cannot bunny hop over stuff like this) - plus a little harder to see in the reclined position!
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@Larry0z are you keeping stats of lost skin for bonus points? It seems like there has been quite a bit.
 
Bill Wightman

Bill Wightman

Well-Known Member
Mathew Fy said:
I'll say this goal is being met. I never thought I'd exceed 22 mph
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It is like the movie "Contact" where the father says to his daughter who is changing frequencies listening for people on HAM radio..."Little steps Ellie, little steps". Your camera is great with that fore and aft configuration.
 
Bill Wightman

Bill Wightman

Well-Known Member
Rob Lloyd said:
I crashed due to a double flat caused by a pothole that was hidden by shadows...
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You went down at 29 mph! My video leg and arms were pulling up and away from that dry grinding road surface and up the bike as you crashed. There is nothing more natural than to express your disgust after a crash like that. Ouch. Glad your bones held out.
 
E

ElyDave

Guru
My first ever 'bent experience, trying half a dozen at a local dealer [luckily one of the UKs most well known is a few miles down the road] I was getting a decent amount of speed up on a 26" wheel Bachhetta when I hit a slippy white line and went down hard on my rhs.

Wearing winter gear, March, drizzly, sliding along the road on right hip, shoulder and ankle. I still have the socks with a perfect round hole corresponding exactly to the scar on my ankle bone.

Shoulder and hip were nothing worse than heavy bruising. I'm fairly sure some naughty words were used. Still didn't diminish my enthusiasm.
 
E

ElyDave

Guru
So this week has been Tuesday/Wednesday gales, yesterday wife's yoga class, today lighter winds but up to 39C (102F) - Guess which day I did my TT Ride

It was better than last week's 36C attempt, but still way off any PB. It's getting really bizarre when the biggest factor in my times is the weather.
 
Mathew Fy

Mathew Fy

GRU
ElyDave said:
So this week has been Tuesday/Wednesday gales, yesterday wife's yoga class, today lighter winds but up to 39C (102F) - Guess which day I did my TT Ride

It was better than last week's 36C attempt, but still way off any PB. It's getting really bizarre when the biggest factor in my times is the weather.
Click to expand...
Be like @DARYLHANGER945 and ride at 4 am. Lower winds, temperatures, and traffic.
 
E

ElyDave

Guru
next week I am off work, so can ride earlier, before lunch

the problem I have is that being a Type 1 diabetic on an insulin pump I need to plan about 4 hours ahead in terms of turning down the pump to avoid a massive exercise induced hypo. In any case we have had really weird swings in weather this year. It's not been helped in the last couple of weeks by having my weekends taken up with car hunting. I sold mine just before lockdown, and have finallly found another
 
Rob Lloyd

Rob Lloyd

Well-Known Member
ccf said:
Tegaderm works great for road rash. You can get it at a drug store like Walgreens. Hope you heal well and quickly.
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I got it. Unfortunately, I’m not quite ready for it yet. Most of my wounds are still too wet. Need to scab over first and dry out, I think.

I think I’m most worried about losing fitness while I’m off the bike. I was at my highest fitness maybe ever up to this point.
 
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