(upbeat holiday music)
- Welcome to another edition of Ask GC Anything.
But as it's Christmas, this is gonna be
a very special edition of Ask GC Anything.
It's gonna be a rapid fire round only.
25 questions, yes, 25 questions,
all rattled off as quickly as I can,
inspired a couple of weeks ago by Jon Cannings
when he wore that aero helmet.
And we're gonna dispense with the aero helmet.
Go old school, but here we go.
One, two, three, or is it three, two, one, here we go.
Stephen Lennon, that has to be the fastest
rapid quick fire round ever.
Some lungs on Jon.
I don't think he had to breathe.
I agree.
Next up is this from toasty bear.
Should socks be inside or outside big tights?
I spent a lot of money on both,
and don't know which one to flaunt fashionably.
If you're a cross rider, outside.
If you're a road rider, inside.
Next up is this from Kevin Martin.
I tried to cycle up a steep hill.
Out of the saddle my rear wheel lost traction.
In the saddle, my front wheel kept bouncing
and I couldn't steer properly.
Is there a technique I could use to help?
Distribute your weight as evenly
as you can Kevin on the bike.
The steeper the gradient,
the more evenly you need to distribute your weight,
to make sure you've got traction
on both back and the front wheel.
The steeper the climb, you'd have to put your weight
further back on the bike,
and that way you should balance things.
Trial and error, but think about
where your body weight is on the bike.
Thomas Hawley, how do you feel about Embrocations,
use them or not?
If yes, what do you like?
I've got no specific brand of choice.
I don't use Embrocation anymore,
but I used to back in the day.
Try them, see if it works for you.
No rules at all on that one, personal choice.
Justin C, I've been training with a power metre
for a few months now,
and I'm starting a VO2 max training block.
From someone who used to train primarily with heart rate,
is it normal that my heart rate doesn't go above threshold
for the first couple of intervals
of say a five times five session?
Should it only be focused on the wattage?
It seems like I'd be spending less time at high heart rate,
but focusing more on repeating say
110 percent threshold power.
Justin, it's completely normal.
That's why it's very, very important to do a warmup.
But if you go straight out,
and try and ride at threshold,
there will be a little bit of a lag,
especially in colder conditions,
before your heart rate catches up
to your perceived effort.
So don't worry about that at all.
Just make sure you do a good warmup.
Next up is this from James Blackler.
How often should I replace my cleats and shoes?
How long do they last?
Well James, it just depends on how much riding you're doing.
If you regularly ride, and your cleats are worn,
you will find that you get increasing play in the pedals.
And lots of cleats have markers on them
to show when they're particularly worn.
So just change them when needs be.
And a good pair of cycling shoes can last years.
Just clean them regularly and look after them,
and you'll know when you need to change them.
Next up is this from Gary Hems.
Call me old fashioned, but I hat the use
of the word hack.
Why not say tips, or advice.
A hack is an old winter bike,
or something someone does to your computer.
You are right Gary, but that is the modern world we live in.
Next up is this from Rick Snyder.
Why are so many of the 2018 pro kits white?
How will we tell the teams apart?
Rick, you're white.
No your not, you're right.
With a little bit of difficulty.
There is a prevalence of white,
but I guess it's better than black,
that we've seen so much in recent years.
Next up we have a double question from Stanislav Lazarev,
who asks, hi there GCN.
Two questions: one, I really struggle
when riding climbs out of the saddle.
Any tips to improve on a trainer during the winter months?
Definitely.
Put it in a big gear on your home trainer.
Tilt the bike upwards using some books, or a riser.
Get out the saddle on a big gear,
and just get used to that rhythm of riding out the saddle.
That should definitely help.
And question two, in your opinion,
is it best to have two shorter trainer workouts
in the morning and the evening,
or make a single long one?
It depends what your aims and ambitions are, Stanislav.
But, I quite often used to do two sessions.
A short one in the morning,
and a short one in the afternoon.
They were both very, very high quality,
and that certainly worked for me.
But no harm in trying.
Right.
Dave Chaplin asks, at this time in the northern hemisphere,
we are beginning to use indoor training methods.
Do you count the indoor trainer miles
towards the year end data?
I have seen two camps, yes and no.
I will be nearly shy of 10,000 miles on the road
by less than only 300 miles,
unless I use the indoor trainer,
which would take me to 10,200,
which is quite impressive.
A snowy January is to blame.
Well Dave, I used to count my indoor training miles
on the turbo trainer, or a home trainer,
and add them all together with my road miles as well.
I think that's absolutely valid.
But, if you're riding the rollers,
because the resistance is far more different than the road,
I wouldn't count them quite as much.
But yeah, turbo training miles, definitely count,
in my opinion.
Charles Rush asks, why do you guys always refer
to the pros about everything cycling?
Washing bikes, who cares how the pros do it, it's wrong.
You never use a pressure washer to wash your bike.
The pros can afford bearings,
and they get new bikes way more often than we do.
If want to clean and regrease your bearings every day,
then go ahead and blast away.
Well, Si did a test on this.
You have to get pretty close to actually take the grease
from your bearings.
I've used a pressure washer on numerous occasions.
I'm no longer a pro.
I used to do it before I was a professional rider,
and I found it helped.
But, more often than not, I use a simple bucket and sponge.
If you are using a pressure washer,
just don't get too close to the moving parts.
And in my opinion, you'll be absolutely fine.
Next up we have this question from EspaceVectorial.
Hi GCN, I love what you do.
Thank you very much.
Next June, in my job as an organiser for a race,
I'll have to transport 20 bikes
from one place to another using a utility vehicle.
How can I stack the bikes?
Do you think I'll need to buy 20 bike cases?
Do you have a less expensive alternative?
Well, certainly don't buy a load of bike boxes.
That will take way too much time.
What you need to do is just get some old bike boxes,
flatten down the cardboard,
and put them in between each bike.
Another piece of advice, to maximise space,
is basically to alternate
the way you put the bikes in the vehicle.
So, put one bike with the handlebars facing one way.
The next bike, put the handlebars facing the other way,
and so on and so forth.
Also you could use old duvets, and old cloths as well.
Towels, blankets, that sort of thing,
to stack in between the bikes.
And use a bungee to strap them all together
to keep them nice and tight.
So cheap and recycled materials.
So towels and cardboard should definitely do the trick
to stop the frames from chafing.
Next up is this from ham3775.
Who do you all reckon is the best climber
out of the GCN presenters?
Simon definitely is, but Lasty is the best at suffering.
Next up is this form Rick Snyder.
What is the proper way to fold arm warmers
when having them pulled down near to the wrist?
Just do that with them basically.
There's no etiquette there.
Just pull them down.
It's not really aero, but it looks super pro.
Captain Jisung Harkness asks,
I want a bigger cassette on my cross bike,
which now has a Sora 11 to 28 tooth cassette.
Can I put on a Shimano 34 tooth cassette?
That just depends on what rear mech you've got.
Because of course, if you have
a particularly large cassette at the back,
you're gonna need a longer cage on your rear mech,
so it has the capacity to take it.
Otherwise, if you put a big cassette on the back,
and you're running a smaller derailleur,
you do risk damaging,
or it actually tearing off the derailleur.
So, I've done a little bit of digging
on the world wide web, and come up with these stats for you.
So, if you're using Shimano,
and you wanna use a 28 teeth, you're okay
with a short cage on your rear mech.
You're gonna need a medium cage on Shimano
if you go up to 33 teeth, and you're gonna need
a long cage if you're gonna go massive,
and go up to 45 teeth.
SRAM, short cage will take up to 30 teeth.
A medium cage up to 37.
And if you're going up to 45,
you're gonna need a long cage.
There are your answers.
Matt Taylor, it's winter now,
so time to build up my endurance before the race season.
How can I do this when I have little time
throughout the winter to get in big rides every week?
Especially when the roads are icy in the mornings.
That is, Matt, the perennial question.
I think we've all faced it,
especially those of us living in colder climes
in the northern hemisphere.
Get on the indoor trainer is my answer.
Don't risk going out in the icy conditions,
and actually setting yourself back even more.
I used to do lots and lots of miles on the indoor trainer.
And as we just alluded to before in another question,
no harm in doing double sessions.
So get in the garage.
Set up the indoor trainer.
Get some music.
Even try and go on Zwift.
No harm at all.
Get those miles in, and think about doing double sessions
to break up that monotony.
KingJoe asks, is there anything I should do
for my bike after riding in the rain?
Dry it off, and lubricate it.
Next up is this from Sam and Leo ride.
I've got the national championship cyclocross in January,
but I don't know what kind of training to do.
Have you got any tips, thanks.
Sam and Leo ride, my advice would be,
not just to panic, because I'd be panicking.
Just get out on your cyclocross bike,
and ride as much as you can in between now and January.
There's not a lot of time
to do anything particularly structured.
It sounds like you're gonna have a lot of fun,
and I think this is gonna be a big learning curve for you,
but get out on your cross bike.
Ride in the muddy conditions.
Get confident in your bike.
And good luck in the championships.
Or you could watch our cyclocross videos as well.
Seven questions to go, and mrpunchy100 asks,
Hello GCN.
I recently bought a disc brake road bike
with a through axle.
I'm looking to buy a turbo trainer.
Are there any specific disc brake compatible trainers?
Well there aren't any specific
disc brake compatible trainers,
but most brands of home trainer,
so Wahoo, Elite, and Cyclops,
all of those will have adapter kits,
so it can fit your through axle bike on.
So there shouldn't be a problem there.
Just make sure you do your research before you buy.
NinjaNightwing, you do you film your videos,
and what cameras do you use?
We film our videos on motorbikes most of the time.
Patrick, what cameras do we use?
- [Patrick] Sony FS5, and a GH5.
- There is your answer.
Thanks very much, Patrick,
for your involvement in this video.
Cy Gearing asks, what are the advantages
of a carbon soled road shoe?
Is it just weight saving, or is the stiffer sole
actually reducing power transfer loss?
Is there science to back it up
that isn't sponsored by a manufacturer?
Well I've not seen the hard science,
so I can't say there is any science,
but what I can say from my own experience
is that a stiff, carbon-soled road shoe
is far better, and to answer your question,
yeah, they actually do reduce power transfer loss.
Especially compared to a plastic-soled shoe.
And I've used those shoes in the past,
and even before that, a leather-soled shoe.
So, basically it does make a lot of sense.
But also, they are far lighter as well.
So both of those points are right.
Test them yourself.
It isn't just marketing spiel, I can tell you that.
MX Void, I'm a 15 year old rider,
and have an FTP of around 330 watts,
and weigh 47 kilogrammes.
What, that's amazing.
I tend to find that I'm better at flat roads than climbing,
which is one of my specialties.
That's no surprise.
Is it psychological, or am I just better at that?
I also tend to put 120 PSI in my 23 millimetre tyres
which feel a lot faster.
Basically, you're only 15.
330 watts, 47 kilogrammes.
A little bit of quick maths means your putting out
about seven watts per kilogramme,
which is pretty incredible.
You're doing nothing wrong at all.
You're gonna be strong on the flat,
and you're gonna be very strong going uphill.
Just keep cycling.
And I'm gonna keep my eyes out for you MX Void.
That is for sure.
KG's, I keep confusing with kilometres for some reason.
Yeah, my mind is mush.
So is my body.
Okay.
Coming towards the end now.
Callum Poole asks, hi, I've recently started riding,
about four months ago, and my goal is to ride
a 12 kilometre 10 percent gradient.
But after two Ks of the ride, I have to stop and vomit.
Ouch.
And need a good 10 minutes to cool down.
Do you have any recommendations
on how to train for my dream ride?
I'm a big guy, 208 centimetres tall,
98 kilogrammes in weight.
Will this have any effect on my power
and my endurance, thanks.
Well Callum, that's a pretty good challenge.
But considering you're only four months into riding,
getting 2 Ks up a climb that steep,
given the weight that you are,
I think you're doing really well.
Just persevere.
The biggest bit of advice I've got, is to pace yourself.
Ride within yourself.
And make sure, and this is vitally important
because of your weight, and because
of the gradient on the climb, get the correct gearing.
Get a compact cassette on there.
Get a 34 tooth at the front.
Get a 36, 38 at the back.
And you should be absolutely fine.
And just pace yourself.
Turn a nice low gear.
Try not to get into the red.
And you sir will definitely make it.
Persevere, low gears.
(sighs)
Two more questions to go now,
and I must admit, I am in the red,
but I am gonna try my hardest.
This is from Stephen Skaff, who's got two questions.
Question one: I find my local shop's B-group rides
aren't quite challenging enough physically,
but I'm not quite yet up to A-group ability.
Are there any exercises or drills
I can incorporate into the B-group ride,
to improve my form or fitness,
even when the ride is not pushing me too far physically?
A good tip Stephen, is to spend longer on the front.
And when it is your turn to go to the back,
drop off so you're in the wind a little bit more.
And alternatively what you could do as well,
if it's safe to do so,
do a little bit of a U-turn.
Ride the other way, and then chase to get back on again.
That is a really, really cool drill
that I used to do when I was riding
with a slightly slower group.
Question two: can I have the Fizik saddle hanging
on the wall behind the presenter's desk?
It seems like a good waste of gear.
It's Ask GC Anything, right?
That's just a little bit cheeky.
Well there's the saddle that you're talking about.
But I'm afraid, it's a good question,
but I can't give you that saddle.
And finally, finally, this question from Michael Richards.
What is the big deal with coffee stops
not being advisable in the winter?
Now Michael, I think you might have got
a little bit mixed up here.
I'd always advise coffee stops in the winter.
All through the year, in fact.
But what we're advising caution upon,
is if you're wet, and soaking, and cold,
stopping at a coffee shop and then starting again,
and going back into those wet and cold conditions,
can be a recipe for disaster.
So, a tip is to carry a spare under jersey,
or even a spare jersey in your back pocket
to get changed, to make sure you're warm and dry.
But otherwise, if it's safe to do so
in terms of weather conditions, stop by all means.
But, just approach with a little bit of caution.
(sighs)
Well I am absolutely exhausted.
Carrying an injury as well.
Only just got through those 25 questions.
But, thank you as ever
for sending in all your torqueback questions.
Please do keep them coming into 2018,
and we'll try and get round to
answering as many as we can.
Now, if you haven't already subscribed
to the Global Cycling Network,
you can do so for free by clicking on the globe.
And for two more videos I think you might like,
how about clicking just down here,
for our eight winter commuting hacks.
And if you just wanna click down here,
you'll find four more toughest riders ever.