cycling- any of you guys go out cycling

nah too hard, I tried 50 kilometers back and forth, after that my legs were completely useless
my legs were so tired, I coulnd't do much with them

would love to go up some of these climbs myselfs but think i would need a triple to help get me up them
also would luv to get up madaline

Now and again about 70 km.

im pleased to see that le tour will be following in my tyretracks for no less than 4km on thursdays stage!! and about 2km the next day!!!

Try and cycle in the Alps most summers,still find Croix Der Fer hardest climb.

I've completed two x Paris-Brest-Paris and 2 x London-Edinburgh- London, but not done much this year.

yep do quite a few sportives...did L'Etape last year up Ventoux, that was hard as it was so hot.

went to the Pyrenees recently and rode up Tormalet from both sides (not on the same day!!) Aspin, Marie Blanc and Solour. The 'queen' stage this year is an absolute killer as Marie Blanc the first big climb of the day is brutal. the last 4 kms are all 12-14% and a lot of it is straight up, no hairpins. So by the time they hit Tourmalet they have already done some serious climbing

geoff I found the La Mongie side hardest...but the weather wasn't as good that day and it was right at the beginning of the week so maybe I hadn't found my hill legs by then. the bit through the snow tunnels is hard and the bit through La Mongie even harder...its a long straight hill. it took me 1.31 that way and 1.36 the 'classic way' but that way is more picturesque and it was after going up Solour.

i would love to try them tbf, on hill climbing its the satisfaction of getting to top,and hills are good for the legs ,you cant work any harder

Sir Denis Eton-Hogg Joined: 16 Nov 08
Replies: 5632 14 Jul 10 01:02 
any mug can get to the top with a granny ring and a few hours spare
pmsl

Obviously not had a go then S.D.E.H
It gives the amatuer the oppourtunity to play in the proffessionals playground.
The sense of achievement having reached the top without stepping off is difficult to explain.
Ive seen some garbage posted on these forums over the yrs
"any mug can get to the top with a granny ring and a few hours spare" & that must rank pretty high up ther.
But then again you havent had a go so you wont understand, it does look easy i must admit from the armchair watching eurosport.

you didnt state any reasonably fit adult.
you gave the impression anyone could do it.

I've been back on the bike since before Christmas, only doing a couple of 20 milers or so midweek, longer one at the weekend if I can find the time / motivation.

It is amazing how often though I can put off going out on the bike, yet when I actually get myself outside and a mile or so into my ride I find myself loving it.
I'm finding it is great for emptying the mind for a while and just zoning out, even when I am pushing hard.

any reasonably fit adult who had played other sports /not cycled would still struggle to hit the top without bailing out.
AS it would entail using other muscles that alot of other sports dont utilise & end up cramping out.
Not just about the granny ring it all depends on your rear cassette as well.

just got a m8 of mine into cycling,hes 55 and never been on a bike for years, he loves its

Haven't cycled for a while but going to back into it and cycle across the USA next year or the year after

pmsl ,ye nothing to hard joel

is there a reason for this joel,i e charity type ride or just with m8s

a clip of his story
"My difficulties started immediately after I had climbed the Pacific Rim mountain range and dropped into the desert with temperatures well above 120°F in the Algondes sand dunes. This was just a taste of what was to come for the next three days until I reached the Rockies. The thermometer regularly touched 130°F going through the Arizona and Utah desert. Riding through Monument Valley in Utah, it was like a frying pan and my support crew rarely wanted to venture out of their air conditioned support vehicles.

After my 90 minute rest breaks in the motorhome, it was like stepping back into a furnace. At one point my crew handed me an ice cream out of the car window but before it reached my hand it had turned to liquid and fell on the floor-sheer mental torture. There was some respite at night as the temperature usually fell to around 100°F.

After reaching the Rockies and climbing up the first 30 mile ascent – Wolf Creek Pass – there was finally relief from the high temperatures as there was snow on the ground (we were over 2 miles high at this point – more than 11,000 feet).

I struggled with the Rockies both mentally and physically. I have never been great at climbing hills anyway, but it was at this point that I found out that my friend Bob Breedlove had been killed on the road. From somewhere I managed to find the strength to blank that out of my mind and push on through the three mountain passes of Wolf Creek, La Veta and Cuchara. By the time I reached the Great Plains in Kansas I was so tired that I hardly noticed that the temperature had topped 100°F again!

On day six at about 1800 miles my main bike’s frame snapped and I was forced to use my spare bike. From then on my body began to slowly \nfall apart.

First my neck muscles collapsed and I had to wear an orthopedic neck collar to hold my head up in order to ride, this cut into my front and back.

Next to go was my achilles tendon on my right ankle which partially ruptured.

I was constantly being ice-packed over the last few days just to keep the swelling down enough so that I could ride.

Finally after 10 days and 2600 miles on one of my ‘sleep breaks’, I was in the shower when I completely blacked out. The race doctor came and tested my blood, apparently I had no blood glucose left and was slipping into a diabetic coma. They recommended that I stop, but after coming so far there was no way I was going to do that and I told them so. To bring up my blood sugar they pumped 2 gallons of drink mix into me and fed me chocolate doughnuts.

In the last 100 miles I was so tired that I was falling asleep riding and floored quite a few mailboxes on the straight highway into \nAtlantic City."