New to cycling

[vk3hjq]

Combining HAM Radio & Bike Riding, Mobile (Cell) Phone/Bluetooth ear piece + the EchoLink App for comms, I talk around the world while doing my 30km bike ride every day on the High Country Rail Trail.

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[roKWiz]

I was used to riding the "Murray to the Mountains" trail for so long that we haven't ridden the "High Country" trail yet even though we have friends who live in Cudgewa.

The other great Rail Trail is the "Great Victorian" trail from Tallarook on the Hume to Mansfield but have only ridden a small section so far through Bonnie Doon.

[vk3hjq]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

I was used to riding the "Murray to the Mountains" trail for so long that we haven't ridden the "High Country" trail yet even though we have friends who live in Cudgewa.

The other great Rail Trail is the "Great Victorian" trail from Tallarook on the Hume to Mansfield but have only ridden a small section so far through Bonnie Doon.

I have ridden from Ozzy Flats to Yack & back last August 2024 for something different to do, I could not get over how much money they spent on all those flashy looking bridges that cross the creek there.

I do like all this new signage they have put in everywhere as well, I now look out for them, seen another at Chiltern in the park there while driving around.

John vk3hjq

Bike YACK 2.jpg

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by vk3hjq

I have ridden for Ozzy Flats to Yack & back last August 2024 for something different to do, I could not get over how much money they spent on all those flashy looking bridges that cross the creek there.

John vk3hjq

Attachment 107791

They had to due to all the wash outs which happened in Yack and couple of years ago now.
It's great they will eventually link the 2 major trails together using that route via Osborne Flats, and hopefully through Keiwa and onto Huon.

[vk3hjq]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

They had to due to all the wash outs which happened in Yack and couple of years ago now.
It's great they will eventually link the 2 major trails together using that route via Osborne Flats, and hopefully through Keiwa and onto Huon.

I have been working up on getting from Tallangatta to Wodonga on the rail trail.
Made it as far as Ludlows Reserve at Ebden on the 1st attempt, the problem is you then have to ride back as well ...
John vk3hjq

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by vk3hjq

I have been working up on getting from Tallangatta to Wodonga on the rail trail.
Made it as far as Ludlows Reserve at Ebden on the 1st attempt, the problem is you then have to ride back as well ...
John vk3hjq

Some of those trails are hard yakka when the wind changes direction.

We would ride from Everton to Mytleford (56km return) on a regular basis for brekky. (60km if you turned around at Happy Valley)

Most times on the way there it would be a gentle tail wind from the west, if you hadn't finished eating by 11am and started heading back you would be confronted by strong Westerly once you reached the top of the Taylors Gap climb.
Certainly made you work off the effort of pedalling home.

[vk3hjq]

Originally Posted by roKWiz

Some of those trails are hard yakka when the wind changes direction.

We would ride from Everton to Mytleford (56km return) on a regular basis for brekky. (60km if you turned around at Happy Valley)

Most times on the way there it would be a gentle tail wind from the west, if you hadn't finished eating by 11am and started heading back you would be confronted by strong Westerly once you reached the top of the Taylors Gap climb.
Certainly made you work off the effort of pedalling home.

At least now they have put all these unused Rail Lines to good use, & its a boost for local tourism, we have heaps of riders every day stopping here at the local bakery for a feed, they have even put in a Bike Repair Station with drinking fountain. (1st Pic I posted with the Tallangatta sign)



John vk3hjq

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by vk3hjq

At least now they have put all these unused Rail Lines to good use, & its a boost for local tourism, we have heaps of riders every day stopping here at the local bakery.

John vk3hjq

Yes, has been great for tourism. Money well spent.

[prydey]

My folks live south of Brisbane and I travel up every year. A goal of mine is to ride the Brisbane Valley rail trail.

Agree, it's good that old rail trails are being repurposed.

[DJM83]

Had me new bike about a month.
Brakes that came on it were bloody horrible (Shimano SLX 4 Piston)
I grabbed a set of brakes from a bike we had at work (Shimano XT 4 piston)
Now these were no better than the SLX it came with, and turned out i also cracked a piston on the rear.
So i gave up with them.
Fitted some SRAM Code RSC, one of SRAM's best brakes IMHO. I have them on my 4 year old Norco, they've not been bled once have amazing feel still.
Coupled the brakes with the same SRAM HS2 220/200 rotor combo on my Norco.
I dont think ive had a bike that ive been happy with Shimano brakes.
The newer 4 piston brakes have a well known issue also where they have a wandering bite point. That coupled with the poor lever feel, they had to come off this bike also.
Much better now.



Id love to put a better fork and rear shock on it as both are pretty basic with no high or low speed compression adjustment.
Theres a few races coming up soon, the usual 2 i enter. Both have ebike categories.
But i dont think ill use me ebike.
The enduro race here, i dont think my ebike is aggressive enough. (if i do ill take the bigger fork out of my Norco and fit to it).
Then theres the issue if the battery will go the distance.
When i take it out i usually only use the lowest 2 power modes, dont need any more than that.
But in race mode i dunno, probably dont need it in full power mode also. We'll see. But im looking forward to it

[roKWiz]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Had me new bike about a month.
Brakes that came on it were bloody horrible (Shimano SLX 4 Piston)
I grabbed a set of brakes from a bike we had at work (Shimano XT 4 piston)
Now these were no better than the SLX it came with, and turned out i also cracked a piston on the rear.
So i gave up with them.
Fitted some SRAM Code RSC, one of SRAM's best brakes IMHO. I have them on my 4 year old Norco, they've not been bled once have amazing feel still.
Coupled the brakes with the same SRAM HS2 220/200 rotor combo on my Norco.
I dont think ive had a bike that ive been happy with Shimano brakes.
The newer 4 piston brakes have a well known issue also where they have a wandering bite point. That coupled with the poor lever feel, they had to come off this bike also.
Much better now.
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Id love to put a better fork and rear shock on it as both are pretty basic with no high or low speed compression adjustment.
Theres a few races coming up soon, the usual 2 i enter. Both have ebike categories.
But i dont think ill use me ebike.
The enduro race here, i dont think my ebike is aggressive enough. (if i do ill take the bigger fork out of my Norco and fit to it).
Then theres the issue if the battery will go the distance.
When i take it out i usually only use the lowest 2 power modes, dont need any more than that.
But in race mode i dunno, probably dont need it in full power mode also. We'll see. But im looking forward to it

Have never really liked Shimano and their planned obsolescence been that way for as long as I can remember.
I think I have 1 97' Super V using XT but that's it.

Probably before you were born........SRAM merger, came about with SACH's bicycle components years ago and have always made good brakeset's be it mechanical disc (like I use) hydraulic or old style canti's.

Years ago I bough as much SACH's road "New Success" and "Plasma" MTB group sets as I could afford and have run it ever since. It being totally rebuildable.
Along with SDG, Roffoff chains, Avid and Blackspire.
Their stuff was based on Campagnolo from earlier than that and was super reliable so lasted years.

Back in the day Campag was king, followed by Huret SACH's, Mavic, then Suntour and Shimano.
Both the road grouppo's of Campag and SACH's made mountain bike groupsets.

[DJM83]

Pedal bike day today, its been a while!

Managed to drop the chain and then proceed to snap the chain guide off, not sure how!

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by DJM83

Pedal bike day today, its been a while!
image
Managed to drop the chain and then proceed to snap the chain guide off, not sure how!

too much torque :P

[Syndrome]

Yesterday while I was grinding 40 kilometers around the Edithvale velodrome a young blonde woman arrived and lapped me every three to four laps. I averaged 25.6 km/hr but she was doing at least 35 km/hr. She glided past me effortlessly and was clearly a hardcore cyclist.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

Yesterday while I was grinding 40 kilometers around the Edithvale velodrome a young blonde woman arrived and lapped me every three to four laps. I averaged 25.6 km/hr but she was doing at least 35 km/hr. She glided past me effortlessly and was clearly a hardcore cyclist.

They say, in cycling the effort never feels easier, you just get faster.

View it as inspiration to improve yourself.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by blueoval

They say, in cycling the effort never feels easier, you just get faster. View it as inspiration to improve yourself.

I can improve myself but at 55 will never reach her level.

[blueoval]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

I can improve myself but at 55 will never reach her level.

Comparison is the thief of joy.

That's where you will end up finding cycling to be a chore rather than a place of enjoyment. Forget about what everyone else is doing and just be a better version of yourself every day. That goes not for just cycling but in life.

[Syndrome]

@GetFitwithNatasha

[prydey]

Originally Posted by blueoval

Comparison is the thief of joy.
.

Ooh, I like that. Hadn't heard that before but so true.

[Syndrome]

I don't understand.

Garmin Edge 530, vivosmart 4, cadence and wheel speed senors. Only missing the power meter pedals.

This afternoon I rode the same circuit as six weeks ago. Only difference is today I spent much more time off the seat during the climbs. And the Garmin data shows this:

Aerobic 5.0 versus 3.9 last time
Anaerobic 2.6 versus 1.3
Average HR : 150 bpm versus 139
Maximum HR : 173 bpm versus 161
Total time in zone 4 and 5 : 79% versus 31%

But time today was almost identical to last time. Why did all this additional effort not reduce the time taken to complete the identical circuit?

[prydey]

Originally Posted by Syndrome

I don't understand.

Garmin Edge 530, vivosmart 4, cadence and wheel speed senors. Only missing the power meter pedals.

This afternoon I rode the same circuit as six weeks ago. Only difference is today I spent much more time off the seat during the climbs. And the Garmin data shows this:

Aerobic 5.0 versus 3.9 last time
Anaerobic 2.6 versus 1.3
Average HR : 150 bpm versus 139
Maximum HR : 173 bpm versus 161
Total time in zone 4 and 5 : 79% versus 31%

But time today was almost identical to last time. Why did all this additional effort not reduce the time taken to complete the identical circuit?

There are many factors, not least of which could be environmental. Possibly more windy today, different humidity etc

Also, garmin and smart watches only really measure the metrics that the sensors are for, eg speed, distance, time, heart rate, cadence etc. The rest are all 'calculated' using algorithms based on the data the sensors provide. It's a rough guide at best.

Do you use an app like strava to upload your data to? This can allow you to compare segments of the ride rather than just overall.

Sometimes you're just having an off day. Sometimes your body could be fighting a virus that you aren't even aware of.

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by prydey

There are many factors, not least of which could be environmental. Possibly more windy today, different humidity etcAlso, garmin and smart watches only really measure the metrics that the sensors are for, eg speed, distance, time, heart rate, cadence etc. The rest are all 'calculated' using algorithms based on the data the sensors provide. It's a rough guide at best.Do you use an app like strava to upload your data to? This can allow you to compare segments of the ride rather than just overall. Sometimes you're just having an off day. Sometimes your body could be fighting a virus that you aren't even aware of.

I am very disappointed with Garmin. Examples:

- I do walk and connect the vivosmart 4 to the phone for the GPS signal. Sometimes it loses GPS signal so gives a ridiculous number for total kilometer walked. Yet I have enter the average distance for one of my steps into Garmin but it never crosses checks the total number of steps times average distance for one step to see if the final figure is correct

- if I forget to select send heart data from vivosmart 4 to Edge 530 the two devices will operate independently during the ride. However when I download the data into Garmin Connect it is not "smart enough" to see the time stamps of the vivosmart 5 and Edge 530 are the same so combine the data.

- Edge 530 will not allow me to select a regular course where I can see how I am performing compared to my best time for that course.

- you can ride a course and save it. But you can't create a new course and ride it.

- Edge 530 menu and buttons are frustrating and not initiative

Just to name a few things