How important is the bike?

[Wowbagger]

I just keep turning the pedals and let other people worry about all that sort of stuff which looks suspiciously like sports science which is dangerously close to PE.

I've happily done a number of long-ish rides, in the 60 to 100 miles sort of range, on a perfectly ordinary albeit Very Lovely hybrid.  Slow down, enjoy the scenery, maybe ride with someone else for the banter, enjoy the journey and it's astonishing how quickly and easily the miles go by.  Cake works too.

You've also done about 130 miles on the back of some slow bugger's tandem, who would have been a fair bit slower without your input!

[CrinklyLion]

I just keep turning the pedals and let other people worry about all that sort of stuff which looks suspiciously like sports science which is dangerously close to PE.

I've happily done a number of long-ish rides, in the 60 to 100 miles sort of range, on a perfectly ordinary albeit Very Lovely hybrid.  Slow down, enjoy the scenery, maybe ride with someone else for the banter, enjoy the journey and it's astonishing how quickly and easily the miles go by.  Cake works too.

You've also done about 130 miles on the back of some slow bugger's tandem, who would have been a fair bit slower without your input!

Ah, but we had lots of cake on that one.  And stops for brewing tea (or something resembling it).

I haven't yet found the distance that's defeated me - but that 130miles is the furthest I've attempted.  I like to just keep plodging along.  What I can't do is fast!

[Alouicious]

When you've built your FTP to over 250 W for 60 minutes

Raw power figures are meaningless. You need to quote it in terms of W/kg and reference this chart:-

http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/powerprofiling.jpg

Or P:SA (Power:frontal surface area) for speed on a flat course.

Do you mean this formula?

Pf = ( Crr x (lb/375) x V ) + ( CdA x (V^2/391) * (V/375) )

[zigzag]

Raw power figures are meaningless. You need to quote it in terms of W/kg and reference this chart:-
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/powerprofiling.jpg

interesting chart, but i don't think it's very precise. it puts me in 'world class' category, which i'm nowhere near to!!! flattering, nonetheless.

[Greenbank]

Raw power figures are meaningless. You need to quote it in terms of W/kg and reference this chart:-
http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/powerprofiling.jpg

interesting chart, but i don't think it's very precise. it puts me in 'world class' category, which i'm nowhere near to!!! flattering, nonetheless.

Based on what (no pun intented) figures?

[DrMekon]

When I was a pro skateboarder

 

[simonp]

When you've built your FTP to over 250 W for 60 minutes

Raw power figures are meaningless. You need to quote it in terms of W/kg and reference this chart:-

http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/powerprofiling.jpg

Or P:SA (Power:frontal surface area) for speed on a flat course.

Do you mean this formula?

Pf = ( Crr x (lb/375) x V ) + ( CdA x (V^2/391) * (V/375) )

I mean that power metrics can also be measured as power-to-surface-area ratios as well as power-to-weight ratios.

Power to weight is good for acceleration and climbing ability, probably less so for speed on the flat.

[Doosh]

I just keep turning the pedals and let other people worry about all that sort of stuff which looks suspiciously like sports science which is dangerously close to PE.

This.

I'm going to take a picture of the bike for some critique, because another reason for wanting to get it over with as quick as possible is to try and avoid neck, shoulder and wrist pain. How folks go all day for hundreds of KMs is beyond me at the minute.

[mrcharly-YHT]

Comfortable saddle.

Comfortable position (you are using straight bars 2-3" below saddle - most long-distance riders have their bars level or above saddle height).

Knowing when and what to eat.

The bike doesn't have to be special.

[zigzag]

Based on what (no pun intented) figures?

last year on a skyride there was a wattbike stand, where anyone could go for a 200m sprint. can't remember the exact time (about a second behind C.Hoy's time ), but the peak power was 1530w, while average for best few seconds over 1400w. i was lean and mean at 65kg.
never tested myself for any longer distance, but i reckon i could push out 350w for 5mins, so around cat3 according to the chart.

[Greenbank]

(you are using straight bars 2-3" below saddle - most long-distance riders have their bars level or above saddle height).

The majority of long-distance riders I've seen on Audaxes have their bars slightly below saddle height. The ones with bars level or above saddle height are definitely in the minority.

[Greenbank]

Based on what (no pun intented) figures?

last year on a skyride there was a wattbike stand, where anyone could go for a 200m sprint. can't remember the exact time (about a second behind C.Hoy's time ), but the peak power was 1530w, while average for best few seconds over 1400w. i was lean and mean at 65kg.
never tested myself for any longer distance, but i reckon i could push out 350w for 5mins, so around cat3 according to the chart.

There's a big difference between 1400W for a few seconds and 1400W for 5 seconds, the power/time graph drops off very quickly: http://www.greenbank.org/misc/gc_may5.jpg

(Note that mine doesn't have much of a drop-off. Being able to push out 1200W for 5 seconds means I should be able to push out ~1800W for two seconds, which I've never done. I'm 80kg so that 1200W for 5 seconds is 15W/kg, or mid Cat-4. It all goes to pot after that though with me somewhere between Cat-5 and untrained ).

[Jaded]

I'm not going to take my skateboard on an Audax again.

The drag slowed me down on descents like an air brake, when stowed on my rack it kept being hit by White vans and the short display I put on in the pedestrianised centre of Daventry cost me 40 minutes on to my time after I'd accepted all the applause!

[Andyf]

Comfortable saddle.

Comfortable position (you are using straight bars 2-3" below saddle - most long-distance riders have their bars level or above saddle height).

Knowing when and what to eat.

The bike doesn't have to be special.

First event i did was 54miles on an old (maybe 18 years old) 'raleigh mountain bike team' Bike with knoby tyres, what made it comfy was the new 'Gel' Saddle (£30) and the Gore cycling shorts(£40) I did the event in 3.5 hours which I was well chuffed with at the time

[simonp]

My peak power in a 6-second power test, when relatively untrained (it was December and I'd not been riding much) was about 1350W iirc.  I think I'd beat that now.  Elite cyclists would achieve 1700W+.

For 5-minute power my peak was on the Elenith last year, already 80 miles in, 303W NP.  If I was fresh and not reduced to as low as 40rpm I ought to be able to exceed that.

I probably weighed around 70kg at the time, so that'd be cat 4.

[jogler]

(you are using straight bars 2-3" below saddle - most long-distance riders have their bars level or above saddle height).

The majority of long-distance riders I've seen on Audaxes have their bars slightly below saddle height. The ones with bars level or above saddle height are definitely in the minority.

Bars/saddle height.
For my E2E,several hours a day on the bike for consecutive days,I had my bars slightly higher than my saddle for a more upright position
Normally,for day rides,I have my bars slightly lower than saddle to give a slightly less mybodyisanairdam effect.

[Doosh]

If it's of any interest this is the jalopy in question, just this minute finished fitting a new headset so I thought I'd snap it before putting it away.

[Doosh]

If it's of any interest this is the jalopy in question, just this minute finished fitting a new headset so I thought I'd snap it before putting it away.

[Wowbagger]

Are those tyres 26*1.75? And you've been averaging 15mph on those?

I reckon that weighs more than my Thorn.

May I call you Sir Chris?

[mrcharly-YHT]

Nothing really wrong with the bike.

I think you're original problem is getting the 'bonk'; basically running out of glycogen. The solution is eating during the ride.

If you were getting significant neck shoulder pain, I still think that the bars maybe too low. You should be riding with your arms slightly bent and I think with wide flat bars you'll end up with quite a low position, putting more strain on your neck, shoulders and arms.

[Doosh]

Wowbagger- nearly, 26x1.5 

They roll fairly well all things considered, I tried them with the max rated pressure (80psi from memory) but the ride was far too harsh for me so I dropped them to 65 front and 75 rear.

I've never ridden anything with drop bars, does the design automatically reduce neck/shoulder/wrist strain by default? or are they just as bad if set too low?

I did have a Hybrid last year but it was a 54cm frame and there was way too much weight on my wrists, 20 miles left me with quite bad wrist pain for a couple of days after.

[mrcharly-YHT]

drop bars don't suit some people.

Stand up, let your arms drop by your sides. Relax. Now, are the palms of your hands parallel to your thighs or at right angles?

If parallel, you'll like drop bars.  However they can be just as bad as straight if they are too low. Switching to drops will mean new brake levers, a new stem (so your reach isn't altered too much) and new gear levers.

A halfway house would be to get some butterfly bars. You can keep all your levers and your stem, and you'll gain a higher position plus a few others. Being able to switch around helps.

[Alouicious]

Are those Bar-ends?

In which case, you're laughing.

[mattc]

drop bars don't suit some people.

Stand up, let your arms drop by your sides. Relax. Now, are the palms of your hands parallel to your thighs or at right angles?

If parallel, you'll like drop bars. 

With respect, I'm sceptical of this theory. It's a bit like people with bad posture - just because they're in the habit of sitting/standing a particular way, it may not be any good for them. I reckon drop bars are ergonomically best except for very outlying physiques/anatomies/health problems.

But I do like this point:

If you were getting significant neck shoulder pain, I still think that the bars maybe too low. You should be riding with your arms slightly bent and I think with wide flat bars you'll end up with quite a low position, putting more strain on your neck, shoulders and arms.

(in fact I suspect most flat bars are too wide for most people).

[YahudaMoon]

drop bars don't suit some people.

Stand up, let your arms drop by your sides. Relax. Now, are the palms of your hands parallel to your thighs or at right angles?

If parallel, you'll like drop bars. 

I stood up and did the arm drop relax test to see if I like drops on me bike.
Result is, one palm parallel, one not parallel.

What kind of bars do I get ?