Each week I try to review and reflect on my previous week on the bike. This allows me to see how my fitness and ability is progressing on a wider timescale than day to day. For previous weekly reviews please click here.
This week’s rides were as follows:
- Monday – What A Difference A Day Makes (Outdoor)
- Tuesday – 6 Places None The Greener (Indoor / Zwift)
- Wednesday – A Day Late For Pancakes (Outdoor)
- Saturday – Forced Indoors (Indoor / Zwift)
- Sunday – Ride With Pride 2021 (D) (Indoor / Zwift)
The big news this week was I got my first puncture. Such are the hazards of riding outdoors, I suppose.
I found this super frustrating – not related to the puncture itself, but in having to wait more than a week for replacement tyres.
Having looked at the state of the rubber, it turned out the front wasn’t so bad, but the back tyre was almost square / flat in places. Definitely time for new rubber.
What’s most frustrating is that as I sit here writing this, the weather outside is lovely. Certainly light enough to ride, and warm enough too. And this is after work. The nights are slowly but surely getting lighter.
Anyway, worse case, my new tyres get here on Sunday. Best case, I figure out some more suitable replacements and get on the road even sooner. But between now and then, I can at least ride indoors.
On the indoor front, my favourite ride of this last week was the Pride Ride. Always good fun, nice people, laid back pace, and generally all round enjoyable.
That said, I do miss pushing myself hard like I had to do during the Tour de Zwift. I was aware this was going to be the case, and of course my laziness has already kicked in and I’m finding excuses each ride to go easy on myself. Maybe my body does need a rest, a bit of recovery… hey, that’s what I keep telling myself.
Last week I planned to get The Sufferfest or RGT Cycling installed, and get back on one (or both) of these different platforms.
That didn’t happen.
It might have stood a better chance, had I not punctured. After Wednesday afternoon, my motivation kinda took a dip.
I’m in a real bind, however, at this point. As this morning my desktop PC kinda died on me. It hangs at the BIOS screen, which as best I can determine means the motherboard is gone. No POST beeps, for those who are interested.
Anyway, that means I’m limited to my laptop for the next 10 days at least. I’ve ordered some new kit (and you thought cycling was expensive!), but due to brexit delivery messes, and Chinese New Year, I’m going to be without one critical part (the heat sink) until 28th Feb, so … yeah, same day as my new tyres. Like Christmas. Only more expensive.
Plans for the week ahead?
Not rightly sure.
Again, I’ll say get on The Sufferfest. If I take today as a rest day, then go in with an open mind tomorrow, I might be OK. Part of me is put off by feeling like I need to do a big review for this blog. And I’m not sure how / if I can take pictures. Excuses, excuses.
There is also RGT Cycling which I keep seeing people posting on Strava.
Looks like there are some new routes to try on there. I’ve set it downloading to my Mac, and I’ve done the same with The Sufferfest. If I remove the barriers to entry, I’m more likely to actually do what I say I will.
Anyway, here’s to a better week ahead. It’s not started well, but I hold out hope.
My Zwift computer is on it’s way out too. It used to be my HTPC before I got a NAS and started running my media server on Docker. BIOS died the other week and it recovered to the 2nd BIOS, and all these years I thought dual BIOS was a BS gimmick! I shouldn’t complain too much as it’s done me well for 11 years, but then its money I’m not spending on cycling.. first world problems right!?
I’ve never even heard of dual BIOS – that’s a new one on me. I got absolutely scammed with pricing on all my components. I bagged up a new build early November last year when AMD released their new Ryzen CPUs, but at the day of launch, the pricing was £400 or whatever for the CPU I wanted, and given I had a fully working (albeit crappy) rig, I decided to skip it.
I ended up paying more than launch day prices yesterday, got skanked on the RAM too. The mobo is out of stock so is on back order, and the damn CPU arrived today, doesn’t include a fan (for £430!) and so now I’m waiting till 6th March for a Noctua heat sink to come in stock. One thing after another.
And forget about graphics cards. They’ve been hoovered up by bitcoin miners (afaik) and the prices are astronomical even if you find one that will take your back order. £600 for a RTX 3070. Bonkers. I only play Zwift and some games that run on my crappo GTX 970 from yesteryear. So I’m just gunna stick that graphics card in the new build and go from there. Lambo engine with a Lada chassis.
First world problems indeed.