After participating in the 300 KM brevet had not been on the saddle. So decided to do a Nandi ride with my friend Guru on 29 Dec, Woke up at 5 AM and left home at 6:00 AM, was to catch up with Guru at 6:30
Reached his place around 6:40 and we were ready to hop on the saddle, both of us were on our RR 5.1
We took the interior roads parallel to chord road, Dhobi Ghat, Palace road, Hebbal flyover. We had breakfast at the Swastik Gardenia on Bellary Road. The weather was fine, sparse traffic, nice roads. We pedaled leisurely. We passed Devanahalli and around 52 KM just before the turn off to Nandi hills, I tried to take the service lane from the main road and suddenly felt I am putting more effort to pedal, checked the rear wheel and saw a thorn piercing causing it to go flat. I thought this is the end of the ride for me as I have never been able to fix a puncture successfully ( Last time I had tried to fix a flat at home and was not successful and had to go to the LBS). I had a spare tube, but that was ideally meant for my front wheel just in case. Encouraged by my friend, I did what i had tried back home. I identified the puncture spot, took out my puncture kit and patched it up, it did not stick successfully and then again tried for the 2nd time, felt quiet satisfied at the job done.
Fixing the flat nearly took us 45 min. It was almost 10 : 45 we had another 23 Kms to cover. Funny thing is, there was a puncture shop just 300 - 400 meters ahead of us. ( This would have saved us time, but the experience I got is invaluable).
We reached the base of Nandi and there was 8 KM climb left for us to do. We took a 15 min break and decided to do the climb non stop without break and within an hour. Saw a runner and then a cyclist returning back from the top.
The climb was quite tough at the bends but otherwise ok. I felt I should take a little break in between, but reaching to the top non stop was a feeling that thrilled me up and really made it. If there were more climbs, maybe I would have given up. I think we made it to the top within 1 hour and were quiet elated at the achievement :)
We spent an hour on the top and started down again. The ride down hill was exciting, I attained a top speed of 53 Kms ( my 2nd highest) and cyclocomp showed an average of 44 kms throughout the down hill. My thumb was on the bell at the corners to alert any oncoming traffic. I was cruising through and suddenly a group of monkeys came in my path, I had to screech halt and my rear wheel skid and left a feet long mark on the road ( Looks like I made my mark). We had a lunch at base of Nandi. The curd and Jeera rice + Buttermilk was refreshing. It was almost 3 when we left from there, we had little pain in the thighs but apart from that everything was ok, checked my rear wheel again and the pressure was fine, was happy with the fixing I had done. The rest of the ride was uneventful except for breaks in between. We reached Mekhri Circle around 5:45 PM and I decided to split from here and went to my home via Yeshwantput, Gurgunte palya, Nagarbhavi Ring road. My friend reached around 6:00 and there was huge traffic from Gurgunte palya to Rajkumar Samadhi, I waded through the traffic using the footpath. :) . I reached home around 6:45 PM. Tired but happy
I have few queries, need some clarifications
1) I saw one mark on the road on the last kilometer climb to Nandi - HTUF! - What does this mean.? - This is after - Off the saddle marking
2) I am getting pain/ muscle tightening at the front part of the thigh ( May be quadreps if I am not wrong) after 60 - 80 Kms, Why is that and how to avoid that. I did not experience this sort of pain / discomfort when I did the 200 KM in 2011( Blr- Sira_Blr and Huliurdurga) . Also I felt the same way in the recent 300 KM brevet. I have altered my saddle assuming this was the cause, but if I lower the height I get knee pain and if I heighten the saddle, I feel the pain near the thighs. Guys,,,help me..?
And Statistics
Start time: 6:00 AM
End time: 6:45 PM
Total Distance - 150 Kms
Total time on the saddle - 9 :15 Hrs Approx
Total time taken : 13:00 Hrs Approx
For more photos, click the link below
https://plus.google.com/photos/114060384230700403729/albums/5828549980983483409
My Garmin Data - 1 Way
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/255314505
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| The morning sky at 6:00 Am - en route to Guru's residence |
Reached his place around 6:40 and we were ready to hop on the saddle, both of us were on our RR 5.1
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| Guru - starting off from Vijayanagar |
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| Hands on work shop - fixing a flat |
Fixing the flat nearly took us 45 min. It was almost 10 : 45 we had another 23 Kms to cover. Funny thing is, there was a puncture shop just 300 - 400 meters ahead of us. ( This would have saved us time, but the experience I got is invaluable).
 |
| Guru leading & Nandi Hills in vicinity |
We reached the base of Nandi and there was 8 KM climb left for us to do. We took a 15 min break and decided to do the climb non stop without break and within an hour. Saw a runner and then a cyclist returning back from the top.
 |
| The Nandi Climb |
The climb was quite tough at the bends but otherwise ok. I felt I should take a little break in between, but reaching to the top non stop was a feeling that thrilled me up and really made it. If there were more climbs, maybe I would have given up. I think we made it to the top within 1 hour and were quiet elated at the achievement :)
 |
| At the Top |
We spent an hour on the top and started down again. The ride down hill was exciting, I attained a top speed of 53 Kms ( my 2nd highest) and cyclocomp showed an average of 44 kms throughout the down hill. My thumb was on the bell at the corners to alert any oncoming traffic. I was cruising through and suddenly a group of monkeys came in my path, I had to screech halt and my rear wheel skid and left a feet long mark on the road ( Looks like I made my mark). We had a lunch at base of Nandi. The curd and Jeera rice + Buttermilk was refreshing. It was almost 3 when we left from there, we had little pain in the thighs but apart from that everything was ok, checked my rear wheel again and the pressure was fine, was happy with the fixing I had done. The rest of the ride was uneventful except for breaks in between. We reached Mekhri Circle around 5:45 PM and I decided to split from here and went to my home via Yeshwantput, Gurgunte palya, Nagarbhavi Ring road. My friend reached around 6:00 and there was huge traffic from Gurgunte palya to Rajkumar Samadhi, I waded through the traffic using the footpath. :) . I reached home around 6:45 PM. Tired but happy
I have few queries, need some clarifications
1) I saw one mark on the road on the last kilometer climb to Nandi - HTUF! - What does this mean.? - This is after - Off the saddle marking
2) I am getting pain/ muscle tightening at the front part of the thigh ( May be quadreps if I am not wrong) after 60 - 80 Kms, Why is that and how to avoid that. I did not experience this sort of pain / discomfort when I did the 200 KM in 2011( Blr- Sira_Blr and Huliurdurga) . Also I felt the same way in the recent 300 KM brevet. I have altered my saddle assuming this was the cause, but if I lower the height I get knee pain and if I heighten the saddle, I feel the pain near the thighs. Guys,,,help me..?
And Statistics
Start time: 6:00 AM
End time: 6:45 PM
Total Distance - 150 Kms
Total time on the saddle - 9 :15 Hrs Approx
Total time taken : 13:00 Hrs Approx
For more photos, click the link below
https://plus.google.com/photos/114060384230700403729/albums/5828549980983483409
My Garmin Data - 1 Way
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/255314505
Just curious, why was the spare tube reserved for the front wheel only?
ReplyDeleteAnd about those markings, they were made for the BBCh Nandi race in November to motivate the riders. (the last marking was HTFU - google will help you expand that :))
The front wheel is a quick release system and easy to change, the back wheel has the rear deurailer, and I was afraid of the alignment problems after replacing the tubes,
Deleteand thanks, I came to know what is HTFU :)
Congrats. Ideally when you sit on the saddle, your toe should just touch the ground as this would be perfect position for safe cycling. If the saddle is too low, you would get pain in your leg as you will bend more than required while pedaling. Equally, if the saddle is on a higher position, you would get pain in your waist ass your body will be tilting while pedaling.
ReplyDeleteDo visit my blog: http://rgbcycling.blogspot.in/