Cycle to work, quicker

After cycling on the turbo yesterday, time to use the bike on an actual road! So a cycle to work.

The bike is so responsive on the road, it accelerates very quickly, it really pulls up hills, and it’s such fun to ride.

Cycle to work

And, I managed to knock about a minute off my best ever previous time to cycle to work, without really trying. The tri bars are a bit loose, though. I must get them tightened – need to speak to LBS.

It rained all day, so I waited a wee while at work until it stopped raining, and then went the long way round to cycle home. Great ride home, and I’m sure I’ll be working out longer routes home in the future.

Cycle home from work

And once I got home, I had a spare half hour, so I managed to fit in another short weights session – chest and back.

Finally, a “ride” on the new Bike.

I’ve had the new bike for a week, and today, I finally managed to actually turn the cranks. Not an actual ride out in the real world – weather crap – but at least I sat on it, on the turbo.

First impressions are that it’s quick. Pick up is noticeably quicker than the Aeron, it spins far more smoothly, it’s a lot quieter. And the top speed in the top gear is ridiculous.

Here’s the Garmin data for it. Obviously I pushed it at the end to see what kind of speed I could ramp it up to – turns out that I can practically hit 40 MPH and still not be spinning out in top gear. Bodes well! Just need more fitness.

And my ankle held out fine. The new Tri specific cycle shoes are snug, without socks on, so a winner.

Monikie Duathlon on Wednesday. I’ve not run for 2 weeks, and this has been my only cycle. I’ll cycle to work tomorrow. Run between clinics on Tuesday, and then I’ll see what I can do.

Hawick Tri on Sunday. Same again, I suspect. It’s a pool swim, but I think the cycle is a bit on the hilly side. Well, it’ll just be great to be out racing again.

Can’t wait to get the Kuota out on the open road!

New Bike Arrives!

I picked up the new bike today. I turned up at 11:30, as instructed, to find them still building the bike! So, for an hour and a bit I was able to chat to the guys in the shop about bikes, kit, servicing, bits and bobs, toys. Great way to spend an hour.

Eventually I walked away with the bike. I had planned on putting it on the roof rack, but the boys in the shop persuaded me to put it in the boot.

Plan for today was to take the bike to Edinburgh, go for a ride with Jedg. But time ran away from me, P-Dub came along with Tiny-Dub and by the time I got to Edinburgh it was pretty much too late to go for a ride. And my ankle is still stuffed, despite the industrial ankle support thing.

Loads of pasta for tea, and off to Windermere tomorrow for the Great North Swim.

New Bike

Over the weekend I spent much time trying to decide which new bike to buy. The forumites were keen on the Felt due to its frame, but there were equally as many folk singing about how fantastic their Kuota is, and how they swear by them.

Enough swithering, I put in the order for the Kuota. Kebel, Ultegra throughout, Mavic Aksiums, Continental tyres of some sort. I should be able to pick it up next Monday! I have a week off next week, with the plan to cycle every day, if the ankle holds up. And there’s the Great North Swim to do too…