How to ride 30 kph (or even faster)

Wheels of Happiness

1.  Ride with the wind

2.  Select flat route or downhill

3.  Ride with a group (suck a wheel)

4.  Make your bike aero 

5.  Make yourself smaller

6.  Improve fitness  hiit, attack a climb

7.  Fuel/nutrition

8.  Pacing

9.  Less braking

Controlling impulse buying of parts - upgraditis

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines

4.05,2021

                                                              Aspiration

Sometimes we get the sudden urge to buy a part because we read that this is good, this will up the performance of the bike by that much.   

And so uncontrolled, this urge makes have a stable of bikes that we can we dont use daily or that is beyond the level of our own physical fitness.   We have Pinarellos, Specialized Bianchi bike, and we can hardly pedal 20kph on them

Lately I had the urge to buy a 4 piston MTB brake.  It is cheap albeit from an unknown brand.  However reviews suggest that this does not work well;  there are complaints that the  brake power is lost (due to a failed piston O ring) to one that totally does not work -  ie failing to stop forcefully and on time.   So I changed my mind, although I told the vendor of this defect, he did not come back with a  good answer. 

There are literature that says that a quad piston brakes gain is very marginal -  only 10 to 15%

I will settle with my XT which has worked well for several years.

It is better to upgrade the brake disc to to 180 to 203 mm size (7 to 8 inches)  However, ,there no adapters available.   But the gains from this upgrade is awesome up to 30 - 40%...!!!

However conversing with some MTB riders, I got the idea that unless you do hard downhill or FR, (free ride) there is no reason to spend more on brakes.  If you just ride on the road;   think more on how you can ride faster higher.   Those who brake often, a bike champ said, never win races.  

However there is the other side that says, with a stronger brake, you dont have to bike often.  You can brake later or not all knowing fully well that you are equipped with a strong brake.   

Descending on steep slopes using MTB; my weakness at last Saturdays ride at Ambuklao

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
May 18, 2016

I rode with expert downhill kings last Saturday at Ambuklao.  They had to wait 3 or 5 minutes for me, about 5 times.   I braked a lot because I did not do much of cross country biking before. I am only on my 5th month of MTB.  I had to brake a lot and tread carefully lest I crash or worse, fall into steep ravines.   I rode conservatively.

Our bike companion said that to erase the vibrations and the uneven undulations of the road:  you have to have bigger tire circumference/diameter, and you have to ride with greater speed, softer tires and suspension.  (I had tires inflated to 65 psi, and I mistakenly had set my suspension to locked. Tsk tsk mistakes!)

Also a DH rider told me:  do not wear cleats if you are doing hard core extreme downhill, esp rocky downhill.    This could cost you a broken leg or what ever if you can not uncleat at once.  Also, if you are doing a downhill near a ravine, bank or make sure you will fall, just in case  away from the cliff, or ravine.  I see.

Here is a video tip from You Tube on how to negotiate downhills:

The SAVA MTB is faster at the downhill

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
January 3, 2016

If you are a roadie, riding MTB can really improve your riding in many ways:

1.  you develop faster cadence in pedalling and nabibilog ang pagpedal rather than padyak

2.  you tend to finish your climb sitting

3.  since the bike is heavier to pedal, you tend to develop stronger legs and thighs to power your road bike ride; and thus you can pedal harder at the sprints or climb;

4.  you tend to be more consistent and patient as you pedal up long climbs.

One of the greatest advantage is think is going downhill.   As I descended Antipolo yesterday, from the first downhill right hand curve at the one way portion,  3 roadies overtook me.  Approaching last Brisa I gave a chase and decreased the gap by about 30 meters.  I  passed the 3 near Palmera and I must be doing about 50+ kph.   Another successful MTB performance.  I hope you do not mind the bragging.

There are endless ways in biking to be better

Real Cyclists

One reason why we love biking is that there is an infiinite number of ways that you can be better.

l. Speed  on flat, on curves, going uphill, going downhill
   
2.  Endurance  - how far can your ride without taking a rest; when the sun is hot, when it is windy?

3.  Climbing hills:  on high gear, or low gear;  standing up, or sitting down

4.  Riding with peloton with headwind, with sidewind.

5.  Braking

6.  Handling crash

7.  Hand signals in peloton

8. Riding in a traffic, counter flow

9  Road safety

10. Handling pains post ride

11. Diet and nutrition

12.  Time trialling

I for instance, I have to learn to how catch up with peloton, or as they attack hills.  So I have to practice interval and learn to bike without gasping for breath and having heavy thighs when going gets hard.

I must practice time trial

I am sure, you will not get tired nor bored learning to do this things