Cycling

[reverendj1]

I looked at liners but most don't have the chamois.

Those ones do.

Get a little pack to hang under the seat - they're great for keys, phone, spare inner tube, etc.

Unsolicited advice alert: Get it big enough to hold your stuff AND SWMBO's because she will make you hold her keys and phone too, and if you put a spare tube in there, get one of those ripstop Tyvek mailing envelopes and cut off a corner big enough to hold your tube and wrap the tube up in that. It keeps the keys from poking holes in your tube.

+1 I really can't stand having anything in my pockets while I'm riding. I'm not sure why, but it just bugs me. Of course, I have a handlebar bag and panniers on my bike at all times, but I use it for fun, transportation, grocery getting, etc and I don't really care about speed.

 

[RiverViking]

I've a friend who's currently peddling across the country to raise money for a charity. She dreamed of doing this since she was a little girl and is finally making it happen. Her insights and stories are great, especially for any young woman/girls who are getting into the sport and have big dreams. Check out her journey:
Roadtorhode.com

 

[iceemone]

...Then my wife can ride the Cannondale.

You sir, are a true gentleman.

I also love to ride. I used to ride BMX and mountain. Now, I'm a card carrying spandex roadie.

 

[jglazer]

Big cyclist here, was a spinning instructor in college lol, lemme tell you those indoor spinning seat make your ass more sore than any century ride I've ever done, padded riding shorts/spandex help so much

 

[Beernik]

You sir, are a true gentleman.

I don't know how gentalmanly. The Cannondale is 1994 vintage and has to weigh 6 times more than the Bianchi.

I finally got a not 102F day and took the bike out with the new saddle and new shorts. I completely blew away my previous best on the road. 19.25 miles in 1.75 hours. My previous best was 13 miles in 1.25 hours. I also increased my accent to 1500 feet from 1000 feet.

I feel bowlegged.

I saw a couple of those under the saddle bags. They look really handy. But I don't think I could put my phone in it and listen to music. I've tried the bicept holders and while I'm no body builder, those things are too tight on me.

 

[exhumedatbirth]

I've managed to scrape a bit of extra money together and I've worked my rides up to a minimum of an hour. I'm thinking that I need to improve my seating arrangements if I'm going to move up to two hour rides.

Right now I have an old gel seat and I'm wearing regular running shorts to ride. Would my best option be to spend $100 on a nicer seat or $100 on padded biker shorts? The guy at the shop wanted to sell me both, but I think one will have to wait for next year.

Get a new saddle for sure...you can get Pearl Izumi shorts on Amazon for like 40 bucks a pair...they may not be the best but I have done week long cycling trips, and centuries in them with no issues.

 

[exhumedatbirth]

For those of us who live at or below sea level this ride is coming up...Sugarloaf may seem like nothing to anybody who does not live in Florida..but 80 miles in it's going to be a doozy...
http://www.horrible-hundred.com/

 

[Beernik]

That's cool. I'm nowhere near being able to do 80 miles yet.

Are there central Florida mountains or is that sarcasm?

 

[beaksnbeer]

Well, not exactly mountains, I grew up and biked in WI,MI,MN and later CO,ID,WY, those are mountains but they do make for some steep climbs for here in the flats+ the 99% humidity you have no problem working up a sweat.

 

[exhumedatbirth]

That's cool. I'm nowhere near being able to do 80 miles yet.

Are there central Florida mountains or is that sarcasm?

Well...mountains may be pushing it...but when you are used to riding nothing but flats they sure seem like mountains..we rode Sugarloaf back in March as part of the Bike Florida tour. It was my first climb in years and I could certainly feel it..the ride down was a blast though! One day I'll take a trip up to the Blue Ridge and ride some real climbs...
We did a quick 14 miles yesterday...first time in the saddle in about two/three weeks....I am out of shape, and had a nice gash in my tire...on the plus side I did want to replace my stock tires...

 

[hunter_le five]

Cycling... sounds suspiciously like work to me.

I'm currently in the market for a motorcycle specifically so I DON'T have to pedal...

 

[jglazer]

Haha homebrewing sounds like work to me as well, I could always go to a homebrewing friends house to get some homemade beer, but I still homebrew...

 

[beaksnbeer]

Biking helps keep the 30 inch waistline and still drink and eat as I want to.

 

[JonM]

They say a 50-mile hard ride burns about 2,000 calories - that's a lot of homebrew and BBQ.

 

[RoadKing]

I ride 25-40 miles a day, 5 days a week to offset my drinking habits. (I drink a lot)

 

[Beernik]

30" waist? I haven't seen that since 9th grade. It might be nice to see a 34" one again.

 

[beaksnbeer]

I ride 25-40 miles a day, 5 days a week to offset my drinking habits. (I drink a lot)

Really I only use 1 glass per day (free refills)

 

[psubrewer]

I ride 25-40 miles a day, 5 days a week to offset my drinking habits. (I drink a lot)

Yep, me too. Strava is a pretty strong motivator for me if your into that sort of thing.

 

[julioardz]

Biking helps keep the 30 inch waistline and still drink and eat as I want to.

That's was me, before I had a child. Since he enjoys biking as much as I do, he's been riding with me since he turned 1, so my pace is a lot slower and my distances are a lot shorter. It was nice when I needed a daily diet of 3,500 calories to maintain my weight. I ate and drank what I wanted. I still ate healthy and drank in moderation, but it was nice not having to worry about overindulging and a waistline. The good thing is, as he grows, so does our riding and activity level.

 

[exhumedatbirth]

Really I only use 1 glass per day (free refills)

View attachment 137372

Off topic, but did you build that Keezer? I've been toying with a coffin box for the past year...The SWMBO is trying to get me to move into her place, and well a coffin box may be allowed in the house..a beat up keezer with a half assed collar, covered in stickers...welllllllll love and homebrew will only get me so far.

 

[exhumedatbirth]

Picked up a button down "jersey" at REI today, along with a pair of liners...nothing says "look at this idiot" than riding downtown for a bite to eat and a beer than being in full kit.

 

[RoadKing]

Yep, me too. Strava is a pretty strong motivator for me if your into that sort of thing.

I use Strava too. Here's a link to todays ride.. I'm drinking home brew right now putting those calories back in.

http://app.strava.com/activities/69937251

 

[beaksnbeer]

Off topic, but did you build that Keezer? I've been toying with a coffin box for the past year...The SWMBO is trying to get me to move into her place, and well a coffin box may be allowed in the house..a beat up keezer with a half assed collar, covered in stickers...welllllllll love and homebrew will only get me so far.

Yep, when my six tap failed after 11 years, I was going to just replace it and the wife says "Maybe we should go bigger,what do you think?" The original plan was 10 taps but MicroMatic just north of here had a closeout on some shanks when we got there they made a better deal then I could pass up if I'd take all 12. So the Fates cast the die on how many and a 20 cu.ft. chest freezer later, she holds 14 five gallon kegs and 2 three gallon kegs on the hump ready for travel or emergencies

 

[psubrewer]

I use Strava too. Here's a link to todays ride.. I'm drinking home brew right now putting those calories back in.

That's a fast ride man. Good job!

I'm off for a 85mi 8k elevation ride tomorrow at 5AM. Only a couple homebrews for me tonight!

 

[Greyhound]

I use Strava too. Here's a link to todays ride.. I'm drinking home brew right now putting those calories back in.

http://app.strava.com/activities/69937251

I started using Strava recently. I didn't think I'd like it at first because I figured it was more for the younger, faster riders (I'm 52), but I'm loving it. Here's my ride from yesterday. Not as fast as you, but much faster than I was a year ago.

http://app.strava.com/activities/70165418

 

[Beernik]

I've been using Cyclemeter to track my rides. My brother recommended Strava to me a year ago and I forgot about it. Back then I was just doing small 3 mile rides to work from the end of the light rail line. Now light rail has extended to my office and I'm doing longer recreational rides.

I may make the switch if for no other reason than the iPhone app requires half the memory space of Cyclemeter.

 

[RoadKing]

I started using Strava recently. I didn't think I'd like it at first because I figured it was more for the younger, faster riders (I'm 52), but I'm loving it. Here's my ride from yesterday. Not as fast as you, but much faster than I was a year ago.

http://app.strava.com/activities/70165418

That looks like a nice loop and seems pretty fast to me, especially with your elevation. I live at sea level with some hills but A LOT of wind especially by the bay.
You hit 40 mph? that had to suck getting up that hill..

 

[Greyhound]

That looks like a nice loop and seems pretty fast to me, especially with your elevation. I live at sea level with some hills but A LOT of wind especially by the bay.
You hit 40 mph? that had to suck getting up that hill..

That's one of my favorite loops. We have a lot of rolling hills around here, but nothing too steep or long. I'm not sure if I actually hit 40 mph on yesterday's ride; I thought I maxed out somewhere around 38 mph according to my Cateye. I question some of Strava's numbers, especially its peak power estimates, but overall I think it's pretty accurate.

 

[psubrewer]

That's one of my favorite loops. We have a lot of rolling hills around here, but nothing too steep or long. I'm not sure if I actually hit 40 mph on yesterday's ride; I thought I maxed out somewhere around 38 mph according to my Cateye. I question some of Strava's numbers, especially its peak power estimates, but overall I think it's pretty accurate.

Greyhound, you are in my neck of the woods more or less. You're right about strava's power numbers. they only take into consideration grade, weight and speed. wind speed/direction, drag coefficient and group riding throw off these numbers big time.

Here is my ride from yesterday:

http://app.strava.com/activities/70167954

 

[Greyhound]

Greyhound, you are in my neck of the woods more or less. You're right about strava's power numbers. they only take into consideration grade, weight and speed. wind speed/direction, drag coefficient and group riding throw off these numbers big time.

Here is my ride from yesterday:

http://app.strava.com/activities/70167954

That's impressive. I occasionally (OK, rarely) do a 40 mile ride up Wachusett Mountain, but not 86 miles and definitely not at that pace. Nice ride!