Rough Night

[Melalvai]

If that's your first training ride I can't wait to hear about the century.

[snyderd25]

Hi ladies! I considered a date with my couch instead of the team ride... but I felt guilty... so off I went. We did somewhere between 45-50 miles today... no trail riding, all roads and a whole lot of hills. I had two flat tires and some major shifting problems resulting in lost and jammed chains. I can't lie... there were some laughs, but some tears too. And a few walked hills. I don't know the last time I've asked so much of my body and been so exhausted. I got through... wish I did better, but I guess I should be glad I made it...

Whew... this is hard work! The TNT coaches and mentors really came through today... I even got some pushes up some hills. Real pushes... physically pushed. How are they so strong?

[snyderd25]

This is the link to my web site/blog/fundraising page where I tell all of my adventures if you want to peak.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/epa/ambbr12/dsnyderklo

[Trek420]

I had two flat tires and some major shifting problems resulting in lost and jammed chains ....

I'm wondering about the flats. Flats happen, a lot but you should not get that many. In my 5 California AIDS Lifecycle rides (7 days, 545 miles) I had 3 (three ) including all the training.

So there's something going on.

Everyone feel free to chime in with more tips. Let's keep you on the road.

Feel free to ignore us if any/all of this you already know:

Check your tire pressure often, at least before each ride. Under inflated tires are more prone to flats.

Don't hug that curb. Ride as far to the right as is safe to do so of course but not so far that you're in the debris. The rough road debris like broken glass etc is way on the right. Find a good line that's safe but outa that mess.

Speaking of debris if you ride over some stop safely and brush off the tires front and back. I can do this in motion for the front. Haven't got the hang of clearing the back . But just pull over, use your gloved hand, spin the wheels and brush it off.

You're getting repeat flats so if/when you fix a flat make sure to check all around the inside of the rim for bits of metal, rough spots on the rim, debris that will put you right back on the side of the road.

More tips, anyone else?

[marni]

I check my tires and wipe them down at the end of the every ride looking for cuts, nicks, miscellaneous stuff stuck in it, thorns etc. On longer rides, I will do this every time I stop.

marni.

[snyderd25]

Thank Marni and Trek 420. The coach says I have crappy tires. My bike is 5 years and I don't remember having them replaced. He also thinks I need something adjusted on chain/gear. I wonder if the second flat was bc I was going downhill and riding the break. Either way, 3 in one week is too many.

I've been reading up on the gear issue... I have a triple but it's shimano tiagra, so maybe I need to upgrade?

This is a very expensive sport.

Two days after the ride and I am still so sleepy and sound like an old lady who's smoked for 40 years. What is that about?

[Trek420]

I've been reading up on the gear issue... I have a triple but it's shimano tiagra, so maybe I need to upgrade?

Tiagra is fine. Ride it till you need to replace parts. Shimano "ages together" If one part needs replacing like the front der I'd replace the whole power train then. Time for the upgrade.

By then you've trained for and done the first century and many many more. You're stronger and may want to consider different gearing. Higher cluster because you're doing more climbs and in a higher gear, maybe you get to the top and are spinning out on the downhill, or lower cluster because you want to do even more challenging hills.

I'd wait for that. Tiagra is a fine group.

Later if you go to 105 or even Ultegra you'll notice the crank set and I think it's called spline drive, thingie bopper that goes in the bottom bracket feels like a whole new bike! It's much stiffer, crisper and much cheaper than actually GETTING a new bike. But that can wait. You're fine.

[missjean]

I was wondering about the number of flats too, but Trek420 & Muirenn covered that pretty well.
The whole switching gear thing gets better with practice. Before you put more money into your bike, take it to a well respected bike shop and ask if there is a mechanical reason you are having trouble with shifting, ie: worn chain & rings, gunked up cables & housing, etc.
If that's not what is causing the shifting problem, try to take some time and find a safe place to ride, best with some hills, and don't worry about anything (speed, distance) except practicing shifting - going up hill, down hill, fast, slow, stopping, starting. You'll get it soon enough!

[Sky King]

I had two flat tires and some major shifting problems resulting in lost and jammed chains.

Are you waiting to downshift until you are really mashing the gear? Downshift before the hill and keep spinning. The chain has a hard time moving to the lower gear when it has a great deal of tension on it. I suggest practicing on some small hills. Yes your bike may need some adjusting as well but I know if I wait to long to downshift as I am climbing I will end up dropping my chain.

[Trek420]

Downshift before the hill and keep spinning.

^ that.

I learned here from the wise women on TE that cyclists "shift with their eyes". This might take a while to know "I can do this in the big chain ring or I'll need the middle gear. I'll just have to adjust the back" or "OMG, I'll need the granny for this ".

You have more leeway with the back der. Your bike does not like to shift even that under pressure. MWBR here as we share tips and tricks on that. In other words it can be done but it's an experience, feel, knowing what you and your bike will do on what hill where kinda thang.

Mostly I'd look as you approach the climb, make you're best choice on the front der, pick the right gear for the approach of the hill and shift down as needed but not under load/pressure.

Does that make sense?

[wackyjacky1]

I did a ride in Corpus Christi, TX, a number of years ago and got three flats. It was super frustrating; I think I finished a couple hours after the rest of the group. Ugh. There was a ton of debris on the road, plus back then I wasn't as vigilant about making sure my tires were properly inflated. (A bonus: while repairing the last flat on that ride, I laid my gloves down on the ground -- in a fire ant hill! I didn't realize it until I pulled them back on and the ants started biting me. Yeah, probably the least fun I've ever had on a ride....)

Now I check my tire pressure before every long ride, and at least a couple times a week for my regular commute. That, along with the kevlar bead in my tires, has solved any flat problems for me.

Your sleepiness and breathing problems say "allergies" to me. The same thing happens to me after I exert myself especially hard. Plus a whopper headache. However, I recently went to an ear, nose and throat doctor and he prescribed Flo-nase and azelastine. Since I began using them, I am amazed at how much better I feel -- I have tons more energy, and feel like I can breathe so much better. I'm kicking myself for not seeing a doctor sooner; I had no idea I could feel this good! So I would suggest seeing a doctor about allergies.

[snyderd25]

Hi ladies! I stopped at the bike shop and my doctor today. Bike shop made some adjustments on my gears, tightened the breaks, and replaced the tires. As for the doctor, since I am no longer wheezing, she wasn't sure if it is an asthma issue or an allergy issue... so we are treating both... I have allergy meds and an inhaler for the big rides.

Thanks for all of your help and advice!

My next adventure will be this evening: got a dog seat for my hybrid and am going to see how Baxter likes riding around on my bike in the parking lot across the street!

[snyderd25]

Oh! And although sometimes I was mashing the pedals and the shifting issues were definitely user error, things were also changing on their own. I do need a low traffic hill to practice on.