Very nice. Here, I drive to work and back to the hotel in he dark. I think more people have cell phones stuck to their heads and in their laps here than in Southern California! :eek1 Only here they don't even bother to fake paying attention to what's outside the car/truck/beaterwagon.:huh I have to carry two cell phones now, thanks to work. And I ignore them in the car, even with bluetooth connections. I'm acquiring this sort of dank phosphor pallor. You know that sexy gray, clammy look of the dead guy in the haunted house? When I run it seems to always be cold so I'm wrapped up like the kid from "Christmas Story". At least I have avoided licking any flag poles. ... so far.
Uh oh, This is not going to end well..... Here the fat bikes don't really share very many trails with skiers. Good thing I guess. We also have not gotten enough snow lately to ski anyway.:huh
Only 407 miles... they really did cut out that pesky riding stuff. :huh Was debating on whether to go or not this year. Think I'll probably stay home and race instead.
@Ridge: it ain't so bad once you convince yourself to get out the door. Getting out the door is the hard part. DAMHIK I got in 3hrs today. Luckily, the massive headwind that I fought to get to the meeting spot was on the 'I'm going to ride Zone 1-2' section of my ride. Met my buddy and toodled around SW of Warrenton. Dropped him off at the top of Bealeton Rd and headed home. Got to the corner of Rogues Rd and Ritchie Rd I put the hammer down and did an effort all the way to the bridge on Courthouse Rd. (I haven't DL-ed the Garmin, so don't quite know how long I went) Kept the HR in the zone I was looking for and was FLYING! That tailwind pushed me right along! Looked down at one point and was doing mid-50s kph. Gotta love hammering with a tailwind! Makes you feel fast. I know better, but I can dream. Now its threatening rain and I'm gonna bet that the Wed night ride is gonna get cancelled. To top off feeling good it was over 60 deg again today. One lightweight wool base layer and I was overdressed! M
Very hard to get out the door as you say but I did today - I overdressed also. 2nd bloody puncture in 2 rides, one of them on the bloody rollers - how the hell do you get a puncture on rollers Felt good to get out but damn it was wet and windy...
Very easy to do. I practically always overdress and I'm down to a mesh base, then a thin wool layer, then a Gore Phantom. STILL get too farging hot. I had to sell my Assos jacket 'cause I just couldn't wear it without getting too hot. Too bad 'cause that was a fantastic bit of kit. I'm not saying nuthing. Nope not a darn thing about excess tonnage. Nope. I wouldn't do that. No wet, but LOTS of wind around here. M
What is the temp when you wear that? If it is over 60-65 I wear a pair of board shorts, and a MTB specific Alpinestar jersey I picked up cheap from Huck 'n Roll before they were bought out. In only that I still work up a sweat. Granted, on the MTB I am likely going slower so less windchill to contend with.
From a local police report website: WOODSIDE Canada and Woodside roads, 10:35 a.m. Saturday A group of cyclists, about 50 altogether, caught up with a driver who had passed them earlier, surrounded his vehicle, then punched and kicked his window and mirror.
Ride bikes with your friends. Good to see you FFs out there in it! Here's how we start the new year around here: Sadly, that's the most snow we've had in almost 2 years.
Riders, I have a couple 54s for sale over in the FM: CAAD7/Record S-Works Tricross CX brand new full carbon F/F/HS with S-works carbon crankset/post Ane now, back to your off-season riding season!
That'd be what I'll wear when its in the mid-40s. Add a thicker wool layer when its 30-ish. Delete the Phantom and substitute a piece of plastic under my jersey when it gets 50-ish. M
Cheeky bastid...actually, the valve stem gave way - first puncture I've had on the rollers in about 2K miles... Sadly, not much chanced to get out today - it's certainly warm enough but it's windy as all hell.
Love you too mang! Going to be in the mid-40s here today. Normal for this area, but effing COLD after the last few days of 60s. D'ya know how much easier it is to get motivated to go riding when its 60deg vs 40deg? Do you?! M
Normal broadcasting will be resumed asap.... Some time in the past, the world seemed to switch from mass produced steel alloy frames to aluminum alloy for the now ubiquitous "mountain bicycle". What was the main reason for this? Are aluminum alloy bikes much lighter and/or stronger than steel, was it to do with lower manufacturing costs or other factors?? Been away from bikes for decades so am playing catch up. Interested in all your thoughts, thanks. (Srry if 205)
AL is cheaper/easier to work with than steel for one. Its also seen as more 'modern' for another. ...but most of the 'good' mtn bikes are migrating to carbon fiber (aka plastic) these days. That's vastly oversimplifying things, but you get the point M
The raw material in aluminum is easier/cheaper to source, for Asian manufacturers. Aluminum is much stiffer, pound for pound. However, there are still a lot of steel hardtails available, because steel is so compliant. In addition, to what "Gummee!" said.
Not really interested in production costs per se. So one would assume that aluminum frames would be lighter then steel for the same ultimate strength? Do people know of many fractured Al or Fe frames??
