Hi Leonard, I stumbled across your KZfaq channel recently. Earlier this year I had a neurological issue (probably caused by stress) and consequently lost my driving licence (Medically) as such I was forced to find alternative transport to work and decided on a bike. To start with it was absolutely exhausting and I didn't think I could carry on - however as time went on I got fitter and stronger and then got the cycling bug (bigtime) - but I do carry a bit of weight and always have done and have always been comfortable with it (never caused me any health issues). Anyway long story short I now ride a GravelBike (only on road) and am obsessed (in a healthy way) with watching cycling videos and ALL of your have really inspired me to just be me and not try to be the stereotypical lycra clad Adonis that I thought you had to be - There needs to be more positive people like you in this world! THANK YOU!!

I want a throttle the police would never check

Great film Leonard!I bought a Cervelo aspero a couple of years back with two sets of wheels one for road one for general,I’m an older rider not bothered about speed ,I don’t even bother with any tech now as I felt the stats had started to consume me and ruin my enjoyment,I just wanted a comfy bike and that’s what I’ve got,distance goals are more important to me!

Nope - wrong. I have never ridden an ebike (AKA Motorcycle) and I have been riding real bikes my whole life - unless you are of old age or limited phyiscal capabilites, just get a bike. I will not ride an ebike until my age or capabilities prohibit me from riding a real bike - if I have to reduce my pace, reduce my mileaage and/or reduce my rides, so be it. Just get a bike people. We are getting fatter, lazier, dumber and more entitled - no thanks. (See the scenes in the movie Wall-E - where all the lazy fat earthlings that do nothing but watch their screens and sit on their arses or be moved around by autmated chairs - that is where we as a species are headed and e-bikes are a part of that de-evolution).

Riding on surface streets with vehicular traffic is a no go for me. I can sense and see the hatred from the drivers. No thanks. My life and health are too precious. I will stick to the multi-use trails and paths.

In other words; don't buy this camera because it takes twice as long to edit.

I recently spent a week in Mallorca that peaked with a 50mins Sa Calobra on the last day. 2 days later I was out on my usual route and finding excuses NOT to go up some of the minor hills in NE Fife(talking 100-150m ascent), I had to give myself a real "mental slap" to put them in perspective to what I'd achieved in Mallorca!! Next day I went out was my monthly Strava Gran Fondo so I planned a route that A- did as much in reverse to my usual to shake things up B- took in the hardest climbs (4 of them) resulting in 1050m ascent over the 100km(Most of it was flat though!)... I'm going to Applecross this weekend, and after 19 years of purtting it off I'm doing the Bealach Na Ba....It's "similar" to Sa Calobra in length and ascent but the profile is much tougher- there's a hideous mid section where there's about 700m of 14-17% before the switchbacks even start IIRC and for that I've opted to go with my old rim'n'tubes Boardman that I've made 30/46 by 11-36 as a "hill bike"... I've put on a few KG in the last weeks, and know from my local Cairngorm that me on 34/34 would be a red zone event.... It's funny but I've even considered just taking my scabby "do-it-all" 22/36 by 11-36 26" rigid MTB to do this, I'm finding that even "compact" road gearing is really not friendly to anyone that's overweight to any degree... (You know, when you're watching the HR creeping up and know there's no gears left and it suddenly gets steeper)

Hi Leonard have you had a bike fit? I noticed on many of your videos that your pedal stroke often looks choppy, as if you lose a bit of control at the bottom of the pedal stroke. I’ve moved over to shorter cranks (170 from 175) and found that to really help with being smooth when climbing along with a gradual move to a more rearward cleat position.

From being a skinny rider I used to do Road racing in the north east salon trophy and many more that's in the past I'm a big lad now big gear's no tears 😭 that is my saying 😊

Try switching between tyre sizes and bike weights. Meaning using a heavier bike with wider tyres then switch back to lighter. I'm not the fastest climber nor am i the best sprinter. I DON'T INTEND TO BE😡 What I AM!! I am dedicated to a simple and single goal. DO BETTER. Better than yesterday better than last week, better than last month or last year. IT DOESN'T MATTER what you do or how you do it. just DO BETTER NOW GET ON WITH IT!!! 😊 THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL

Just stumbled across your channel while looking for reviews on the action 3. It is the perfect video! Your testing it in the exact places and use cases as i would use one. In the first cycling shot (on bridge street) I used to live in one of the houses on the left. And I've been to all the places you went to too! So cool. I am so glad i found your channel and you now have another subscriber😁

Thanks Leonard! Knocking on the door of 70-years old myself. Still get out and bike as much as I can. Sill, I must remind that 19-year old inside me to quit writing check that my body is finding harder and harder to pay!

Completely and utterly deluded, you keep kidding yourself, being unhealthy like you is what makes you miserable, not having a healthy diet, stop trying to make obese people feel better by your rubbish. It's just wrong.

BBB, chiseled Adonis 😂 love it. Great Vid, power to us oldies. Still lots of life to live.

Well said, great reminder as I turn 51. Thank you

As the old saying goes: I use to be a people person, but people fcuked that up for me.

0:48 you got me at "riding my bike "👍🏿😄

Hi Leonard, nice video ! Rode 104 km this weekend, thanks for your advices

One of your best videos ever, Leonard ! I'm 70 years old, and I'm all set to hike across the Isle of Skye this summer (as soon as the weather improves) 🌩

These sorts of mounts are always tricky because they seemed to be made for the smallest round handlebar.

Wow, do yourself a favour, get some off before you hurt yourself, you obviously enjoy it .

Upgrading to more modern gearing helped my climbing! I’m nearly 60 but still think I’m 20! So I tend to go to hard, too early up climbs and run out of gears. (39 -25 was my lowest), but my drivetrain finally needed upgrading, so I bought a 50-34 chainset and the biggest range cassette my rear mech could handle. I now see what I’ve been missing! Hills are so more accessible now! Even the ones I used to avoid that have the 30% pitches are now fair game without pushing. I just need to find the racing snake physique I left somewhere in the late 80’s and I’ll be unstoppable 🤣

Talcum Powder makes tire/tube Smell better !

I’ll be pretty happy when on some of my local climbs, I don’t have to walk it. Today a short climb (about 100 ft) but 15.4% grade. Progress for me will be marking the point I have to start walking and hoping it occurs higher and higher on the climb. Right now I don’t make it very far up at all.

A good and important video!

Whats wrong with emmerdale 😂

I'll watch out for you dancing on the pedals a la Contador on a forthcoming video soon no doubt.

If you want to see your competition all you got to do is look in the mirror. Short sharp ramps kill me, I'm happy to be the last guy to the cafe but for the long steady climbs I can outrun the fast muscle twitch guys. Find your niche and improve on that and you'll be faster and fitter in the long run.

Yeap! I had 3 GoPros. So BAD. overheating, short battery life, freezing. I now use DJI. GoPro, Invest in your CPU!!!

Hi Leonard. Science-based training is always a good way forward. The problem is that most people who say they are using a proper training plan don't really stick to it, or follow it to the letter. 10, 20 or 30 years ago, training knowledge and methods were not as detailed as they are now. Follow and allow to have created for you, ( I use Garmin Grand Fondo) a decent plan, one that takes in as much detail about yourself as you can, and look to choose a plan that is realistic enough so that you can actually follow it. Then go out and do the rides, watch what you eat a bit more, recover properly, and watch the personal records tumble, and see what it does to your climbing ability.Above all, have fun with it, the rewards are worth it - take it from me.

Glutes Leonard! The power is in your glutes and my guess is that your similarly sized friend who climbs quicker than you has better activated glutes? Gym and focused glute exercises will ramp up your power values in no time!

I took my back wheel off, my axel split in two and loads of bearings fell out , is this something I can repair myself, before this happened, I took it into a bike shop and they said they need to fix the back wheel and it will cost me about £80.00, the bike is only worth 170.00 but I love my bike., is it wirth fixing myself or get a new bike, ?

I enjoy watching your videos, Leonard. Love the camera shots and your motivational commentary, especially now that it's well over a month that I didn't go on my road bike. Looks like nice weather right now in the UK.

I've just got back into cycling in the past year. Under Doctor's advice I'm on a calorie controlled diet which I've always been sceptical about. However, I use an app to record everything that I eat or drink. Add in regular bike rides, walks and zwifting and I've lost 25Kg in the year with another 25kg to go. The app for me is the key as it keeps me accountable. The bike performance is the reward. Good luck Leonard, love your channel!

Leonard, it's so hard to put this into words as there's so much to it "that's why we don't try making motivational training videos 😁" but to put it simply I have found being patient on a climb and gradually winding up using leg strength, and as you said, a slightly lower cadence works the best. Good luck you'll flying up those hills before you know it.

The Zwift FTP builder plan is worth trying over the winter

That's why I like riding alone, I'm always the fastest person there 🤣

It never gets easier Leonard. All that changes is the speed.

I agree, mental strength and fighting negative thoughts are essential to improve numbers. Curiously I just mentioned week ago. It’s common when you’re surrounded with people younger and fitter, but at the end we’re competing with ourselves 😅

My take is completely different: Don't look at the head unit, or just put it in your pocket. If that's not reasonable, then don't look at the head unit for just the first 30 minutes of the ride. The idea here is to get your body and mind in to the habit of riding by feel and focusing on technique, so that you enjoy the activity. Even a steep climb becomes more enjoyable when you focus on enjoying the moment and just concentrating on weight balance, rhythm or even just slowing down because you pushed hard the previous day. This approach is designed to keep up your consistency and the frequency of rides. If you really would like to keep a log of what you're doing, you can always turn on the strava app and ride with your phone in your pocket and the ride will be recorded.

That's what I tried to tell you a couple years ago. Bigger gears on climbs. Don't overcook it early in the climb. Neuromuscular brawn isn't good for the long haul, but you'll probably be notably faster downhill if you coast in your most aero position.

If you had nobody in the world to compare yourself to, wouldn't cycling be more enjoyable? Enjoy your sandwiches, savor the cake and coffee and be happy. Those skinny guys will all be gone one day, they don't last, you do.

Bon chance Leonard

hey Leonard, nice little video - as you know, I hate climbing on the drop bar bike - it's just something that has to be done to get to the nice view! I do love a good steep technical off road section though with tree roots and lose rocks to add to the fun! You are already pretty strong at climbing on the bike, with this approach though you'll be taking all the local KOMs! Harting hill can be your new local training loop! good luck :)

For me cycling is like golf. You’re playing against yourself.

I do know what you mean I used to weigh 280 got into an accident lost weight wait about 225 separate concussion getting into another accident not too long ago and messed up my clavicle in my shoulder. I was in the hospital for a month, the food was horrible so I didn’t eatliquid now I weigh 195. I’ve changed my diet to keep the 195 only healthy stuff junk food is easier to ride. I guess I haven’t weighed that much since high school anyway I love your blog. I’ve been keeping up with good stuff and best of all the best of luck in all your adventures.

🎉❤

500 cal deficit a day to lose weight

You can Improve pedal stroke pulling up, on climbs I do this push hard for every right pedal for three miss one then three again, and as you climb go up a gear and focus on the crestso on the desent you are already in a bigger gear

Some climbs are so hard you barely make it in low gear - puls is close to max...then you cant use heavier gear - you will not make it. Its not the possible power in the legs that limits the climb - its the O2. Its best trained by interval-training 4 x 4 - combined with longer rides in Zone 2.