Cruzbike Time Trial Challenge 2020
- Thread starter LarryOz
- Start date
Bill Wightman
Well-Known Member
You have unofficially been awarded the Monty Python One-Arm-Off award:
Black Knight: 'Tis but a scratch.
King Arthur: A scratch!? Your arm's off!
Black Knight: No, it isn't.
King Arthur: Well, what's that then?!
Black Knight: I've had worse.
New category for next year.
Bill Wightman
Well-Known Member
I love those nails because it is almost comical how perfect they are for getting a flat. Years ago I remember pulling one of those out of my "bullet proof" Gatorskin rear tire. It was laughing at me as I changed the tube.
LarryOz
Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
I don't know how smooth I am, but I think I have gotten better. I have actually been riding a lot with one arm anyway to try and get more aero. So one hand on the brake lever, and the other one still on the handle-bar but right next to the stem. If I needed to turn or if trucks or big wind come up I could quickly go to "both hand mode". I have probably been riding 70% of my TT that way for 4 or 5 weeks now, so that has probably helped me get used to it a lot. I also rode my sub-4 Century (https://www.strava.com/activities/3949816247) back on Aug 22 that way too, alternating left and right arms every 1.1 mile lap - so that was really good practice and probably helped me develop some arm strength and balance feel although the power was only in the 180-210 avg range - (not the 200-500 range for the TT!). However even with all that "practice", I'll have to say it was pretty hard to do it for the entire 12-miles with no letup at all - My left arm was quivering when I was done!
I don't even know yet about the extent of the injury - My shoulder was dislocated initially, but I had my brave "good Samaritan" yank it back in the socket for me. That was funny in a "I want to cry sort of way". Man and his wife come out of their car "complete" with masks and gloves to help me. I still crack up at the sight of him standing over me - pulling my arm as hard as he could saying: "are you sure you want me to do this??"
Urgent care confirmed not dislocated any longer, and nothing broken.
Went to Orthopedic on Mon - They said right rotator-cuff "probable" ruptured or tear - and scheduled me for MRI w/ anthrogram (where they inject die into your shoulder for contrast) - Bad news is they could not schedule that until Sept 16th! Gosh - hate to wait that long!
I am currently looking for some other place to do it quicker, but have not found anything yet.
Wow Larry you don't go easy do you?
Dislocated shoulder is no fun - I did mine playing rugby 30 years ago, it's still misaligned vs the other one and gives out earlier on OH presses etc.
My limitation at the moment is the back. Lumbar spine from my pelvis fracture nearly two years ago. It's the only back issue I've had that I can say is NOT made better by a CB vs upright. There must be soemthing about the way I'm putting the power through the lower back, but I can only go hard at it once a week right now and I don't think I'm at 100%. I'm waitig for an MRI here as well, we can compare pictures!
Dislocated shoulder is no fun - I did mine playing rugby 30 years ago, it's still misaligned vs the other one and gives out earlier on OH presses etc.
My limitation at the moment is the back. Lumbar spine from my pelvis fracture nearly two years ago. It's the only back issue I've had that I can say is NOT made better by a CB vs upright. There must be soemthing about the way I'm putting the power through the lower back, but I can only go hard at it once a week right now and I don't think I'm at 100%. I'm waitig for an MRI here as well, we can compare pictures!
Bill Wightman
Well-Known Member
I know it is your body, but please go easy on yourself. I am starting to think of Evil Knievel and all the pain he suffered from his motorcycle jumps. Give yourself time to heal right. Also laying off carbohydrates will reduce internal swelling/inflammation. Sleep, sleep, sleep.
JoeV
Member
I hate my Wahoo's "Strava live segments". Last week, it told me I was going to beat my PB by 32 seconds! I thought about backing off to save some for future PB attempts, but kept pushing. My previous PB had a 24.6 mph average. I hoped with this fantastic time I could reach my stretch, stretch, stretch goal of 25.0 mph average. Then came the upload and official Strava time...... Surprise! I was 9 seconds SLOWER than my PB. WTF?!? I hate that. It took me awhile but I figured out how to turn that "feature" off. Sometimes it seems right on, other times, not so much.
Grrrrrr!
I am really beginning to hate may Wahoo Element Bolt. It started glitching a few weeks back during training rides by failing to upload to my phone. So I have been using my iPhone as the recording device. Yesterday was a perfect TT day, and a total flub. It took everything I had not to throw the computer into the river. On my way out to the course, I got a "Poor GPS" warning. There was nothing I could do about that, so I kept going. At the S/F line, I got off to a great flying start, above my goal speed, and kept that speed for a couple of miles. The next time I looked down, I was going 10.2 mph. Not unusual for the speed to bounce around a little, but never have I seen 10 mph difference. I kept going, because I figured it would straighten itself out, as it always has done when the speed bounces around. I didn't this time. I kept going, because Larry uses time, not the speed Strava presents. I figured I could use the stop watch to manage my speed, but I only have quarter splits, so finally decided it was time to quit.
Went back to the start, and kludged up a mount for my iPhone. It only gives average speed, not instantaneous speed, but that was better than nothing, until a couple miles into the course when the phone wound up in my front wheel spokes.
Back to the start. Tried hand holding the phone. After all, if Larry can ride one handed, so can I, especially since I have been practicing. Nope.
Back to the start. Switched the Wahoo from auto to the actual wheel diameter. Oops. My wheel size is not in the Wahoo data base, which is why I used auto mode to begin with. Chose the closest. Could not get above 15 mph. Realized I input the wrong wheel size.
Back to the start. Chose the closest wheel size, but once again I needed 599x28 but the closest was 599x32. The speed just did not seem right.
Back to the start. Did a long slow ride while holding the iPhone for comparison. The average speed was consistently 0.4 mph off. Which one is right?
Went home.
Needless to say, I am a little annoyed. (OK, that is not really true, I am seriously pissed.) I am using the speed sensor, but have the computer in auto mode. In auto mode, it compares the info from the speed sensor to the Gps info to calculate the wheel size, then if the Gps drops out, it uses the speed sensor with the calculated wheel size. Apparently, that did not work.
Did the TT today, with the computer in auto mode. Worked fine, except once again, it did not upload to my phone. And the wind came up, as predicted, which is why I rode yesterday. Grrr! No PR for me.
I am really beginning to hate may Wahoo Element Bolt. It started glitching a few weeks back during training rides by failing to upload to my phone. So I have been using my iPhone as the recording device. Yesterday was a perfect TT day, and a total flub. It took everything I had not to throw the computer into the river. On my way out to the course, I got a "Poor GPS" warning. There was nothing I could do about that, so I kept going. At the S/F line, I got off to a great flying start, above my goal speed, and kept that speed for a couple of miles. The next time I looked down, I was going 10.2 mph. Not unusual for the speed to bounce around a little, but never have I seen 10 mph difference. I kept going, because I figured it would straighten itself out, as it always has done when the speed bounces around. I didn't this time. I kept going, because Larry uses time, not the speed Strava presents. I figured I could use the stop watch to manage my speed, but I only have quarter splits, so finally decided it was time to quit.
Went back to the start, and kludged up a mount for my iPhone. It only gives average speed, not instantaneous speed, but that was better than nothing, until a couple miles into the course when the phone wound up in my front wheel spokes.
Back to the start. Tried hand holding the phone. After all, if Larry can ride one handed, so can I, especially since I have been practicing. Nope.
Back to the start. Switched the Wahoo from auto to the actual wheel diameter. Oops. My wheel size is not in the Wahoo data base, which is why I used auto mode to begin with. Chose the closest. Could not get above 15 mph. Realized I input the wrong wheel size.
Back to the start. Chose the closest wheel size, but once again I needed 599x28 but the closest was 599x32. The speed just did not seem right.
Back to the start. Did a long slow ride while holding the iPhone for comparison. The average speed was consistently 0.4 mph off. Which one is right?
Went home.
Needless to say, I am a little annoyed. (OK, that is not really true, I am seriously pissed.) I am using the speed sensor, but have the computer in auto mode. In auto mode, it compares the info from the speed sensor to the Gps info to calculate the wheel size, then if the Gps drops out, it uses the speed sensor with the calculated wheel size. Apparently, that did not work.
Did the TT today, with the computer in auto mode. Worked fine, except once again, it did not upload to my phone. And the wind came up, as predicted, which is why I rode yesterday. Grrr! No PR for me.
Bill Wightman
Well-Known Member
I have a Wahoo Elmnt Bolt and only upload to my home wifi. I have never had a glitch in the upload that way. Be sure you don't turn off the Bolt before it gets in the house or it won't upload.
I thought my Strava data was screwed up last week, but it was me who forgot to ride a second lap after being stopped by a train. I think I got all relaxed and the horse just wanted to go home. Oops.
I just took two links out of my chain because it has been popping off the chainring on bumps. It barely fits now on the largest cassette. Might be a bit too tight but runs smoothly. I was getting tired of stopping and fixing it as I don't use a front derailleur.
LarryOz
Cruzeum Curator & Sigma Wrangler
Wow Kerry - You win the "most frustrated" award for the week #18!
JoeV
Member
Do you keep your Elmnt updated? Whenever I have problems uploading to my iPhone, I check the settings on the iPhone app. Usually there is an update. So I turn on the Wahoo, and open the app while I'm at home on the wifi, and it seems to make them happier to talk to each other. Still, I've had many more problems with previous Garmins.
I'm paranoid about losing my hard earned ride data though. I always do a backup record, usually on my Apple watch. I can export that data to Strava if I need to, with an app called HealthFit. It has come in handy a few times. Usually I've done something to screw up the Wahoo ride.
I'm paranoid about losing my hard earned ride data though. I always do a backup record, usually on my Apple watch. I can export that data to Strava if I need to, with an app called HealthFit. It has come in handy a few times. Usually I've done something to screw up the Wahoo ride.
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benphyr
Guru-me-not
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. It makes me feel better when I have a bad day to know that others have them too. Especially with such persistence to try six times before gibing up.
Another backup plan that could work is the app with a heart monitor or even the strava app can record under “Record”. It's GPS, heart rate, altitude, etc. are only as good as the info it can get from your phone but it does work for recording your segments.
Veinbuster
Member
I had a good week 19 this afternoon. The week is forecast to be wet and windy, so I opted to go out dry and mostly succeeded.
My daughter and her western track racers (at least three of them have won national championships) got interested in these TTs and put me on their pre race protocol for the last 3 weeks. I think it yielded most of this week’s gain.
I had to park in a different place with school back in and this let me test what my finishing wind would be. I knew I was going to have to work hard for my pace on the return, so targeted an outbound power level that would leave me some reserve for the return - about 10 watts lower than my previous average. I pushed up 30 watts at the turn and needed all of it for the third quarter. A wind shift made the finish a bit easier.
So maybe I’ve figured out how to manage the effort for a headwind finish and not be afraid of it anymore.
My daughter and her western track racers (at least three of them have won national championships) got interested in these TTs and put me on their pre race protocol for the last 3 weeks. I think it yielded most of this week’s gain.
I had to park in a different place with school back in and this let me test what my finishing wind would be. I knew I was going to have to work hard for my pace on the return, so targeted an outbound power level that would leave me some reserve for the return - about 10 watts lower than my previous average. I pushed up 30 watts at the turn and needed all of it for the third quarter. A wind shift made the finish a bit easier.
So maybe I’ve figured out how to manage the effort for a headwind finish and not be afraid of it anymore.
I woke up this morning to find everything outside bathed in an orange glow. The smoke keeps getting worse. I think we are safe from the fires where we live. I have only ridden once this week due to the smoke, and probably will pass on the TT this week. Just not worth it for me, unless the smoke clears.
Stay safe, I watch it on the news over here and cannot imagine how scary it must be.
Bill Wightman
Well-Known Member
Please be overly cautious. My daughter has had lung distress (the doctor said she had developed bronchitis) all the way over near Denver because of the drifting California smoke.
Week 19 has been kind to me as well. Thursday was probably the best day being warm and calm, but I had a day trip to London to meet a client and have lunch and was too late back. I've been working with him since March, but only just met face to face, what an interesting new world we live in!
Yesterday was a steady SW wind, dry and overcast, not quite perfect but good enough it seems. I have a short 4-mile loop first, which is always slower into a westerly as it was today. Today it was not helped by my concentration drifting about 2 miles in and finding myself enjoying the ride, that's NOT the TT experience I've come to know!
First loop was 11 secs slower than the previous PB run, 29 secs slower than the best I've ever done it, so something to catch up. By the next turn which is just short of half way I was 10s ahead of the previous PB and 1 sec slower than my best time to that point, so looking good. This section had the only low point of the ride for me where a very close pass by a tractor amost had me bailing out into the verge for safety as the trailer passed within a foot of me. I also managed to screw up the turn here, going into it too fast and having to brake mid way through it rather than control the speed in. But the Garmin kept scrolling round to show me faster than the PB average speed and the average for this run ticking up nicely.
The next section has a couple of fast 90-deg corners which I took well enough and a fast run to the next tricky section of short sharp hills and a twisty section through a village where I got held up last week. The fast corner out of the village was much better this week and I was now 14 secs ahead of the previous PB at that point. Now it was just a case of not losing focus for the next 6km/4miles, with a couple more short inclines to scrup off speed. Hills were duly attacked and effort expended on the flats to the point that I contemplated throwing up as I crossed the line.
New highest HR for the season at 176, new average HR of 168 and a PB by 15 seconds.
This has been a tough year for PBs, yesterday's run was just 34 secs better than my set-up run when I changed to this course back in week 4. Last year by comparison I had 7 PBs bringing my initial time down by over 7 minutes.
Yesterday was a steady SW wind, dry and overcast, not quite perfect but good enough it seems. I have a short 4-mile loop first, which is always slower into a westerly as it was today. Today it was not helped by my concentration drifting about 2 miles in and finding myself enjoying the ride, that's NOT the TT experience I've come to know!
First loop was 11 secs slower than the previous PB run, 29 secs slower than the best I've ever done it, so something to catch up. By the next turn which is just short of half way I was 10s ahead of the previous PB and 1 sec slower than my best time to that point, so looking good. This section had the only low point of the ride for me where a very close pass by a tractor amost had me bailing out into the verge for safety as the trailer passed within a foot of me. I also managed to screw up the turn here, going into it too fast and having to brake mid way through it rather than control the speed in. But the Garmin kept scrolling round to show me faster than the PB average speed and the average for this run ticking up nicely.
The next section has a couple of fast 90-deg corners which I took well enough and a fast run to the next tricky section of short sharp hills and a twisty section through a village where I got held up last week. The fast corner out of the village was much better this week and I was now 14 secs ahead of the previous PB at that point. Now it was just a case of not losing focus for the next 6km/4miles, with a couple more short inclines to scrup off speed. Hills were duly attacked and effort expended on the flats to the point that I contemplated throwing up as I crossed the line.
New highest HR for the season at 176, new average HR of 168 and a PB by 15 seconds.
This has been a tough year for PBs, yesterday's run was just 34 secs better than my set-up run when I changed to this course back in week 4. Last year by comparison I had 7 PBs bringing my initial time down by over 7 minutes.
