Cycling Thread

[ovid9]

itchyfingers- Awesome on taking the wife bike shopping!

If your wife is 5'5 or taller don't let her feel like she HAS to choose a women's specific bike. She might anyway, but she'll actually have more options.

If she's short (my wife is 5'2) she's going to be more limited in her choices but don't let her rush into one. Even if it requires some driving about, I'd really suggest trying a bunch of different brands unless she finds something right away that seems to be "the one."

My wife was just too excited to get a real road bike and got the first one and its....eh. She's happy with it, I'm not as for the price it was spec'd pretty crappily IMO.

Now if she'd just let me ride with her.

I keep telling her she won't hold me back at this point, but does she listen? Nooooo.

[Loop Bizkit]

MTB'd 20 miles (19.8) in the dirt today. Rain. 40mph winds. Wind chill temp of 35F. Rooty climbs, crossed a few creeks, and rollercoastered a few ravines.

Tonight? I'm gonna sit in my jet tub with some Scotch. Then I'm gonna sit by the fireplace with some Scotch. Then I might take a Scotch to bed.

Midwest Autumns just rule.

[ovid9]

Midwest autumns do rule! I just wish they lasted 3x as long!

[SuperFlyinMonke]

It's been an interesting autumn so far. It was 18c when I rode last evening and it got firm to 5 that night. It doesn't sound far off what hit you guys, but you're nowhere near here. Going fast kind of hurts in that cold. I guess I'll get used to it.

[Loop Bizkit]

It's been an interesting autumn so far. It was 18c when I rode last evening and it got firm to 5 that night. It doesn't sound far off what hit you guys, but you're nowhere near here. Going fast kind of hurts in that cold. I guess I'll get used to it.

I showed up to the park in a tee, and cargos, with my bibshorts underneath, and cutoff gloves. I was cold to the bone, and shaking, before we took off. 5 miles in, felt great.

Ride buddy shows up in jacket, full length bibs, cap, full gloves....warm. We take off. 5 miles in, he's dying overheating.


Clothing choices can be tough when it gets cold.


Our Brown county trip in November will likely have temperatures in the teens/low 20s, and a few thousand feet of elevation gain. Woohoo!!!

[SuperFlyinMonke]

That sounds fun. I would love to go on a cycling trip. Maybe early next year.

I was dressed in my cycling kit with running tights and a long sleeve workout shirt and I was fine after I set off. I could have used some long finger gloves though. The wind really starts to cut into you below 15 or so.

[Loop Bizkit]

That sounds fun. I would love to go on a cycling trip. Maybe early next year.

I was dressed in my cycling kit with running tights and a long sleeve workout shirt and I was fine after I set off. I could have used some long finger gloves though. The wind really starts to cut into you below 15 or so.

Yeah, the wind on the knuckles gets brutal when its cold.

This is the MTB we're doing next month:

[itchyfingers]

Ovid - thanks for the tips on the wife's bike. I had her get fitted on the same Guru at the Trek Superstore that I was fitted on. We went to a couple of shops once we had her measurements, even looked at some of the smaller men's frames, but in the end we went back to Trek and she got their entry level women's road bike. I liked it because it has the same components as my bike, but is much less expensive, and it fits her well. She likes it because it is purple. We'll pick it up this week and plan to loop around Coronado Island this weekend.

SFM - I added you and thanks for the follow on Strava. I admit I was a little disappointed that the beautiful bouncing boobies don't follow you everywhere though, lol.

Loop - Did you make that map? That is really cool and that second photo looks absolutely beautiful, especially with all of those fall colors.

I can't believe it is already getting so cold by you guys! We had some solid rain in the last 48 hours, but my boss and I still made it out for a lunch ride today. My first attempt at Mount Soledad - kicked its ass and made it all the way to the top without stopping. Had the GoPro on and will probably cut up a quick youtube video of it this evening. Super stoked on this milestone, I honestly didn't know I had it in me...

[itchyfingers]

If you have a few minutes to kill. Sorry for making you seasick, lol.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzG07hqmXbg&feature=em-upload_owner[/video]

[Loop Bizkit]

Great job, dude!!!

[ovid9]

itchyfingeres- Glad you got your wife fitted to a bike she likes. Purple is important! Congrats on your milestone man! I haven't had a chance to watch the video, but I'll try to remember to check it out.

Loop, that looks like a pretty cool ride! Nifty little map!

[Loop Bizkit]

itchyfingeres- Glad you got your wife fitted to a bike she likes. Purple is important! Congrats on your milestone man! I haven't had a chance to watch the video, but I'll try to remember to check it out.

Loop, that looks like a pretty cool ride! Nifty little map!

I just pulled that map off a google image search for Brown County.


BTW... got that :45 on the Franke MTB hillclimb finally. at :43 right now. wootwoot

[itchyfingers]

itchyfingeres- Glad you got your wife fitted to a bike she likes. Purple is important! Congrats on your milestone man! I haven't had a chance to watch the video, but I'll try to remember to check it out.

Loop, that looks like a pretty cool ride! Nifty little map!

I just pulled that map off a google image search for Brown County.


BTW... got that :45 on the Franke MTB hillclimb finally. at :43 right now. wootwoot

Thanks guys. Got the wife dialed in and brought home her new bike this weekend, but it was over 100 degrees every day, so we held off on her first ride.

Smoked it by 4 seconds??? And you were pissed you hadn't hit :47 just a couple weeks ago - awesome job, Loop!!!

[Loop Bizkit]

itchyfingeres- Glad you got your wife fitted to a bike she likes. Purple is important! Congrats on your milestone man! I haven't had a chance to watch the video, but I'll try to remember to check it out.

Loop, that looks like a pretty cool ride! Nifty little map!

I just pulled that map off a google image search for Brown County.


BTW... got that :45 on the Franke MTB hillclimb finally. at :43 right now. wootwoot

Thanks guys. Got the wife dialed in and brought home her new bike this weekend, but it was over 100 degrees every day, so we held off on her first ride.

Smoked it by 4 seconds??? And you were pissed you hadn't hit :47 just a couple weeks ago - awesome job, Loop!!!

Thanks man. Our whole ride group all hit the :45 mark finally...and one of our guys KOM'd it at :29.

Jesus.


Actually getting the road bike back out for a ride next week too. We're doing a 20/20 on wed. I've been in the dirt on the MTB since the Apple Cider Century.

Missed the Hilly Hundred this year too. Wife was out of town, so I stayed home with the kids.

[Ruiner]

So stoked yesterday to find out that there is a mountain biking trail riding distance from my new house that also feeds off into a river into a lake where you can swim afterwards as well. I was REALLY into Mountain biking about a year ago and stopped due to life but now ready to dive back into it. Here's the trail:

[video]https://youtu.be/0W3jZShkUKY[/video]

Also, the hill country roads over at my new house are some of the best road biking in Austin too so i'll be getting back into that as well. Really excited about all this!

[itchyfingers]

^ Now that looks like some fun - get on it Ruiner!

[Loop Bizkit]

I love my job.

I just had an old school note dropped on my desk, folded like a highschool note.

Inside was a GarminConnect link, and an invite.

I'm doing a 78 mile GPS Doodle ride, and we're drawing a Space Invaders character. Awesome.


Edit. Here's a pic of it from Strava...I just dropped it into my routes. 78 miles. Space invaders came out in 78. 78 is my birth year!

[SuperFlyinMonke]

Holy shit that's awesome! That makes me incredibly happy... How very cool.

As for me, I need to get a different rear skewer for riding the cycleops trainer. I used a generic one and it wore it away a bit and let it walk around a bit. No real stability.

[Loop Bizkit]

Bailed from the office a little early, and hit some MTB. 12-13 miles-ish in perfect weather. Had to snap a bike pic.


Off to the left of this pic, there's a 32 foot rooty, steep drop into a section we call Bloody Gorge. Super fun. It's another section I'm trying to improve my time on.

[Sasquatch]

I love my job.

I just had an old school note dropped on my desk, folded like a highschool note.

Inside was a GarminConnect link, and an invite.

I'm doing a 78 mile GPS Doodle ride, and we're drawing a Space Invaders character. Awesome.


Edit. Here's a pic of it from Strava...I just dropped it into my routes. 78 miles. Space invaders came out in 78. 78 is my birth year!

there is hope in humanity still.

i gotta wait until december before i can ride again (neck surgery). wait is killing me. nothing, and i mean nothing, compares to the exercise + outdoor + convenience of biking. hiking in the mountains is still my favorite but for everyday, biking is bast.

[ovid9]

OMG, that space invaders route is awesome!!!!

Gah, all this mountain biking in here makes me want to get one and I know I'd never use it.

[itchyfingers]

SPACE INVADERS route, so epic!!!

I'm with ovid on this one, I just don't think I'd ever go mountain biking. Maybe I'd hit the trails in the canyon behind my house, but that's usually where I'll take my dogs to run off some energy. I'd honestly feel bad about not taking them with, lol. Maybe I'll keep an eye on craigslist and see if a deal pops up that's too good to pass on.

Two lunch rides for me this week. One around an "island" in Mission Bay, about a 10 mile loop and one up to the UCSD campus, about 15 miles. Tough to say which has the better scenery! I realized about halfway through today's ride that both of my tires were low on air, but still managed to get 9 PR's.

I just ordered my first set of clipless pedals, cleats, and shoes. They should arrive in the middle of next week. Going to find a trainer on craigslist this weekend so I can practice getting in and out in my living room before falling over on the road. This will also be good for binging on the Walking Dead reruns at nights while not just chilling in my recliner. It is so on...

[andvari7]

Well, I think I can safely say that my next bike purchase, and I'm in no hurry to do so, is a 29er. Although my 2002 Trek Fuel (26, IIRC) works perfectly fine, and, thanks to a refill of the suspension, doesn't bottom out because of my fat ass bouncing up and down on it, I want disc brakes, bigger wheels, and a better range of the crankset. This was proven true at Cam-Rock this past weekend. However, due to rainy conditions today, singletrack may be out of the question this weekend. Oh, well; that just means that I *have* to do a road ride.

As I finish this post, it becomes apparent that I am not so certain about the next purchase: those Rolfs are calling my name something fierce.

[itchyfingers]

It's on now...

[Loop Bizkit]

Nice!!!

I have Bontrager Informs...

Get ready to notice a difference when you clip in. The increase in power from pulling up is immediate and obvious, but try to imagine scraping mud off your shoe at the bottom of the stroke. It'll help maximize pedal power in the "dead zones" of your circle.

Your times are gonna immediately improve.