Cycling Thread

[ovid9]

I've been out for a whole 12 miles so far.

Its going to be gorgeous tomorrow. And I"m working.

I dunno about Saturday.

But I'm working.

Only til 1 though, so we'll see.

We're going up to Minnesota in June for a mini family reunion. There's a 100 mile long bike trail within a few miles of where we're staying. Can't do the whole thing, but hope to get a good portion of it in.

[andvari7]

My dad helped me with the computer setup, as well as readjusting my saddle, last week. I may be old enough to do it myself, but having a second set of hands really helped.

New set of gloves, too, but I haven't worn them.

[Loop Bizkit]

Signed up for ODRAM today. It's in August...so....training goal!

Also, My ride group now has an instagram and FB page full of silly pictures from rides, etc. You should like/follow. Fun stuff.

https://www.instagram.com/grapesmugglersunion/
https://www.facebook.com/GrapeSmugglersUnion/?fref=ts

[andvari7]

My dad helped me with the computer setup, as well as readjusting my saddle, last week. I may be old enough to do it myself, but having a second set of hands really helped.

New set of gloves, too, but I haven't worn them.

Well, thanks to some drivetrain noise, I had to gut my computer. It'll take two people three hours to properly reinstall it, and the magnetic sensor will knock into everything. Those are not designed for road bikes, yet the road cyclists are the riders most likely to use them. It's as frustrating as it is ironic. Anyway, said noise cut my last attempt at a ride short. And on my one day off, waiting around a hospital all morning delayed me just enough to kill my ride befrore it even began. At this rate, I won't be ready for 120 miles in October, much less in three weeks.

Oh, and the drivetrain noise issue may or may not be fixed. I don't know - the guy at my preferred wrencher didn't tell me what he did. Normally, the owner is the guy who does my bike, but he winters in places that aren't southern Wisconsin, and had his lackeys do the work. I never get the same quality service from them.

Mountain riding is a bit better, even if I could barely do an hour, before losing it. Oh, and my mountain bike is failing. Have to get a new one, and it'll either be a 29er, a 27.5+, or a 29+. I haven't decided, although the salesman at Trek made a compelling argument for the latter.

Of course, having just taken a new, slightly lower-paying job, I cannot buy a new bike, now or in the foreseeable future.

Oh, the new gloves are okay, nothing special (which is a good thing, I suppose), and it's raining, so mountain bike trails are out of the question for at least the remainder of the week.

[Zozobra]

I really need to get my CAAD8 back in service again. Another job for this week I suppose!

[SuperFlyinMonke]

I did a full drivetrain re-adjustment last night. I'm hoping it's not windy when I'm off work. I really need to de-grease my chain. Maybe I'll do that when I get back from my ride.

[itchyfingers]

I was doing well, getting in 30 miles a week. Then I had to travel internationally for work, and it threw me off my game! Hoping to get back to it this weekend.

[Sasquatch]

am also making my way back. cycling a bit but mostly adjusting to meds, or more specifically, lack thereof. cycling helps the stress. was pounding 24 pretty hilly miles every morning before work but i can't quite do that now. gotta get it back.

[SuperFlyinMonke]

Went for a 12k lunch ride up and down a set of switchbacks. Lots of work and lactic acid, that's for sure.

I still need to clean my drive-train and my overall bike. It's super dusty.

[Loop Bizkit]

Been riding here and there when I get the chance, but I'm at or below 50mi/week lately because of how crazy busy I've been. June will hopefully stay closer to 80-100mi/week. Went mountain biking in Kentucky last weekend. That was fun.

I have a Tri-Adventure race tomorrow morning.

50mi total...so not too crazy.

36 mi road bike
6 mile kayak
8 mile hike with 20% of your bodyweight (PLUS water) in your pack.

Excited, but not really feeling strong today, so we'll see how it goes.

http://maumeetriadventurerace.net/

Also, got a new Garmin 520. Love it.



here's a pic I snapped of my buddy in front of me last weekend, just because.

[ovid9]

That race sounds like a ton of fun Loop! Good luck!

I haven't been doing jack and tomorrow we're doing a pub bike thingy to raise money for the a local bike group. I think I'm donating my old MB cause it COULD be fixed up but I'm at peace with the fact its not going to be me that does it.

[itchyfingers]

Leave it to Loop to a) find and b) run a Tri-Adventure! That sounds awesome man, regardless of where you finish, sounds like a great event.

After getting flats my last 3 consecutive rides, I got some new self-sealing tubes and new tires OFD, hoping to get the bike all dialed in this weekend.

[Sasquatch]

Been riding here and there when I get the chance, but I'm at or below 50mi/week lately because of how crazy busy I've been. June will hopefully stay closer to 80-100mi/week. Went mountain biking in Kentucky last weekend. That was fun.

I have a Tri-Adventure race tomorrow morning.

50mi total...so not too crazy.

36 mi road bike
6 mile kayak
8 mile hike with 20% of your bodyweight (PLUS water) in your pack.

Excited, but not really feeling strong today, so we'll see how it goes.

http://maumeetriadventurerace.net/

Also, got a new Garmin 520. Love it.



here's a pic I snapped of my buddy in front of me last weekend, just because.

Looks, sounds great.

[ovid9]

The pub ride was awesome. After the initial stop we decided to go to the end and work backwards because there were about 200 ppl on the ride and none of the places (barring the last) were very big. It worked out well.

Had a number of good beers as well as a schlitz which, while not good, surprisingly wasn't as bad as expected.

[Loop Bizkit]

Saturday's Tri was so fun. I'm incredibly sore.

There were about 400ish people there. I did it with two friends. I was ten minutes behind my teammates at the end of the 35 mi race. I fell off the back of my paceline about halfway in at 23mph (doing 1/2 mile pull rotations)....and ended up alone in a headwind for a few miles.

...But I crushed the kayak segment, and caught my team. The transition SUCKED. had to drop bike, change shoes, don vest, grab kayak, and trek it about 1/4 mile to the river. Pain.

The hike was brutal. Way harder than I'd expected after the bike race and kayak race. Packs were required to be 20% of your body weight PLUS your water and nutrition. So my pack was 29+6. ouch. Eight miles of walk and jog with that on the back.

Two of us finished under 6 hours, and our best teammate did it in under 5:30. He was on fire. Definitely doing this again.

[ovid9]

Great job Loop!

That sounds like a ton of fun.

[Loop Bizkit]

Great job Loop!

That sounds like a ton of fun.

No, your pub ride sounds like fun. Beer makes everything better.

I'm taking this weekend off with Mrs Loop for our anniversary, and then next weekend is Tour de Cure. Cool fundraiser Century ride in Indianapolis. Part of it's on the Indy 500 track. Did it last year and had a blast. It'll be my first 100mi ride this season, so looking forward to much beer afterwards.

[Sasquatch]

Saturday's Tri was so fun. I'm incredibly sore.

There were about 400ish people there. I did it with two friends. I was ten minutes behind my teammates at the end of the 35 mi race. I fell off the back of my paceline about halfway in at 23mph (doing 1/2 mile pull rotations)....and ended up alone in a headwind for a few miles.

...But I crushed the kayak segment, and caught my team. The transition SUCKED. had to drop bike, change shoes, don vest, grab kayak, and trek it about 1/4 mile to the river. Pain.

The hike was brutal. Way harder than I'd expected after the bike race and kayak race. Packs were required to be 20% of your body weight PLUS your water and nutrition. So my pack was 29+6. ouch. Eight miles of walk and jog with that on the back.

Two of us finished under 6 hours, and our best teammate did it in under 5:30. He was on fire. Definitely doing this again.

[Loop Bizkit]

Saturday's Tri was so fun. I'm incredibly sore.

There were about 400ish people there. I did it with two friends. I was ten minutes behind my teammates at the end of the 35 mi race. I fell off the back of my paceline about halfway in at 23mph (doing 1/2 mile pull rotations)....and ended up alone in a headwind for a few miles.

...But I crushed the kayak segment, and caught my team. The transition SUCKED. had to drop bike, change shoes, don vest, grab kayak, and trek it about 1/4 mile to the river. Pain.

The hike was brutal. Way harder than I'd expected after the bike race and kayak race. Packs were required to be 20% of your body weight PLUS your water and nutrition. So my pack was 29+6. ouch. Eight miles of walk and jog with that on the back.

Two of us finished under 6 hours, and our best teammate did it in under 5:30. He was on fire. Definitely doing this again.

yeah, I think you would've loved this one.


PS... mad. Remember above post where I said I was taking next weekend off for anniversary? Wife signed us up to do a half marathon together. Recap: 3 weekends in a row- Tri/.5marathon/century.

[ovid9]

Saturday's Tri was so fun. I'm incredibly sore.

There were about 400ish people there. I did it with two friends. I was ten minutes behind my teammates at the end of the 35 mi race. I fell off the back of my paceline about halfway in at 23mph (doing 1/2 mile pull rotations)....and ended up alone in a headwind for a few miles.

...But I crushed the kayak segment, and caught my team. The transition SUCKED. had to drop bike, change shoes, don vest, grab kayak, and trek it about 1/4 mile to the river. Pain.

The hike was brutal. Way harder than I'd expected after the bike race and kayak race. Packs were required to be 20% of your body weight PLUS your water and nutrition. So my pack was 29+6. ouch. Eight miles of walk and jog with that on the back.

Two of us finished under 6 hours, and our best teammate did it in under 5:30. He was on fire. Definitely doing this again.

yeah, I think you would've loved this one.


PS... mad. Remember above post where I said I was taking next weekend off for anniversary? Wife signed us up to do a half marathon together. Recap: 3 weekends in a row- Tri/.5marathon/century.

PFFFFFFFFFFTTTTT, screw that!

[Loop Bizkit]

Saturday's Tri was so fun. I'm incredibly sore.

There were about 400ish people there. I did it with two friends. I was ten minutes behind my teammates at the end of the 35 mi race. I fell off the back of my paceline about halfway in at 23mph (doing 1/2 mile pull rotations)....and ended up alone in a headwind for a few miles.

...But I crushed the kayak segment, and caught my team. The transition SUCKED. had to drop bike, change shoes, don vest, grab kayak, and trek it about 1/4 mile to the river. Pain.

The hike was brutal. Way harder than I'd expected after the bike race and kayak race. Packs were required to be 20% of your body weight PLUS your water and nutrition. So my pack was 29+6. ouch. Eight miles of walk and jog with that on the back.

Two of us finished under 6 hours, and our best teammate did it in under 5:30. He was on fire. Definitely doing this again.

yeah, I think you would've loved this one.


PS... mad. Remember above post where I said I was taking next weekend off for anniversary? Wife signed us up to do a half marathon together. Recap: 3 weekends in a row- Tri/.5marathon/century.

PFFFFFFFFFFTTTTT, screw that!

Yup. I hate running. Hate it. But she loves it, and it'll be good time together. I'm so mad.

Anyway... back to bikes.

[itchyfingers]

Way to go, Arend! That sounds like a great time, and you finished with what I imagine is a pretty great time too - under 6 hours! Sounds like your wife is almost as crazy as you, I bet you guys are a great fit - happy anniversary, man.

[Sasquatch]

Anyway... back to bikes.

i love/hate running myself. i mean, it is practical to save your life and all but not exciting enough. still, whatever means one chooses to get the stress out and the goods in is a good thing.

with it warming up, i am back in bike mode. trek domane 4 carbon. loves my bike. went yesterday for a bit and man, even though my legs are in pretty decent run shape, they are out of bike shape. i gotta do more spinning and less grinding but i love grinding. so there's that.

then i felt pretty guilty. took my neighbor's harley for a ride yesterday. felt so guilty going so fast without effort but cruising on a motorcycle is more calming to me than xanax. i know some people that get excited or scared but for me, it is like riding on a boat. i even start yawning a few mins in, every time.

so, running... i'd like to do a marathon just to check that off the list. maybe even an ultra at some point.

...aaaaaand back to biking. i think i need my seat and/or handle bars moved just a bit further away from each other. i have to ride with my low back hunched a bit and once i hit more than 15 or 20 miles, my low back hurts. i got it fitted a while back but i don't think they compensated for my longer torso. in order to keep my back straight i have to ride with my body fully supported by my taint.

[SuperFlyinMonke]

For bike positioning I tend to position my saddle where my pedal strokes feel right. I've read a lot of guides that have the saddle positioned where your kneecap is over the center of your pedal spindle at 90/270 degrees (horizontal) using a plumb bob. Then you adjust your reach with either a bar tilt or a longer stem. Longer stems tend to have better stability during sprinting anyway. I find I'm a little twitchy on my bike, since it's got about a 80-90mm stem, stock.

I haven't ridden a motorcycle in about 4 years and I am happy every time I ride my bike, glad that I'm out exercising instead of cruising. I really thought I'd miss it. I hung onto my riding gear for a long time and ended up selling it because cycling makes me so happy that I don't see myself owning a motorcycle again.

[SuperFlyinMonke]

I don't envy your CNS, Arend.

I got out for a quick ride last night. It was monsterous for my Strava though. 11 segments, 9 PRs. I'm still struggling to get that 30 km/h average, but I might have to pick something flatter to do that. The biggest killer is encountering people on my downhill sections on the paths, but it was excellent last night.