The Smallest Change, The Biggest Improvement

The realisation that keeping my heart rate as low as possible in a climb would help me get to the top and get me there quicker. It took some years for the sage words of others to be fully understood by me.

Rapha

The realisation that keeping my heart rate as low as possible in a climb would help me get to the top and get me there quicker. It took some years for the sage words of others to be fully understood by me.

True, but if you let it explode on hills every day instead, when you race for example you can keep it low at first and you will climb much much much faster!

Someone (on here) wrote some sage advice about hill climbing.

It worked.

The realisation that keeping my heart rate as low as possible in a climb would help me get to the top and get me there quicker. It took some years for the sage words of others to be fully understood by me.

The only way to keep away from zones 5 and 6 is to stay away from hills.

Buying a track pump. BIG difference.

Moving to the right side of the river.

Stopping at Green Park on the way home from work, removing the Selle Italia Flite that was causing me agony, and putting on a Brooks Swallow that I had bought on the way.
Instant relief and comfort.

And the second time I had stopped halfway on my commute to replace a Selle Italia because I could stand the pain no more

This is going to sound a bit crawly but who cares... Coming on this forum. I run gears, don't have a fixed and just dismantled my only ss but this site upped my involvement with bikes on every level. I was alienated and bored by places like bikeradar but liked the banter and attitude of this place enough to stick around. I've bought bits, sold bits, read hints, asked questions and now fiddle with and ride bikes a shit load more than before. Finding a point of reference I can identify with (on the whole) is the smallest and most effective improvement I've made.

DAAAAWWWWW I LOVE YOU GUYS!

I love you too!

Agreed, LFGSS is a really encouraging place. The first thing that I experienced was DJ calling me a cunt or something, which made me feel instantly accepted (I find that the forums that are a bit troll-ward inclined are always the warmest and most human).

The best change I made; lubing my chain. definitely.

Buying a track pump. BIG difference.

Fuck yeah. Talk about eureka moments.

Not sure if a track pump can be considered a small change though. I mean, they're *not *are they, inherently. #noemoticon

realising that making changes to me are more likely to make me go fast than making changes to my bike (and other equipment / clothing)

This is going to sound a bit crawly but who cares... Coming on this forum. I run gears, don't have a fixed and just dismantled my only ss but this site upped my involvement with bikes on every level. I was alienated and bored by places like bikeradar but liked the banter and attitude of this place enough to stick around. I've bought bits, sold bits, read hints, asked questions and now fiddle with and ride bikes a shit load more than before. Finding a point of reference I can identify with (on the whole) is the smallest and most effective improvement I've made.

you also met me, which is a definite highlight.

realising that making changes to me are more likely to make me go fast than making changes to my bike (and other equipment / clothing)

Getting your massive head out of the wind probably saves about 100W.

And how much saving for Hippy related to his fat bum?

Moving to the right side of the river.

Which side?

Switching to CX pro 30mm in winter and not worrying about the shitty lanes and surfaces here in the sticks.

Rapha

The small change being what you have left in your bank account

Ha ha, very good.

80mm adjustable stem for longer rides and commuter comfort

you also met me, which is a definite highlight.

werd.

Taking on more fluids.

I set an alarm on the Garmin to sound every 18 miles. Each time it sounds I should have finished a bottle. Not doing this, in warm weather, at distances greater than 50 miles = rapid drop in performance.

At night and at distances below 50 miles, I just ignore the alarm.

Began leaning again

a bottle.

500ml or 750ml?