Bicycle thread

[aposaric]

Lewy, what gear ratio were you sporting on the Giant? It looks like 40x18 or something simmilar. Were you able to climb hills with such a high ratio? It took me a while to learn to relax my arms, so my wrists don't take much beating when I convertet to rigid setup.

[DoctorIt]

Originally Posted by Lewy

I couldn't wait to ride it so I went out in the heat and did 38kms.

Gave it a test on the road and the dirt including about 8kms of Singletrack.

Very happy with how it went, not so happy with how i went

That's a good looking bike! Amazing to see dry trails too - all my mates in Brisbane have nothing but water and mud to chat about this past week. Crazy stuff up there.

[Lewy]

Originally Posted by aposaric

Lewy, what gear ratio were you sporting on the Giant? It looks like 40x18 or something simmilar. Were you able to climb hills with such a high ratio? It took me a while to learn to relax my arms, so my wrists don't take much beating when I convertet to rigid setup.

It was 36-16 and I could ride most hills around here on it. I couldn't now as I am no where near as fit as I was when I owned it.

I sold it and bought a rigid SS 29er with a steel frame and it was far better. Then I sold that and a bought 6inch travel dually:-)

My wrists took a beating on the CX bike yesterday so I suppose I have to get used to it again.

[Lewy]

Originally Posted by DoctorIt

That's a good looking bike! Amazing to see dry trails too - all my mates in Brisbane have nothing but water and mud to chat about this past week. Crazy stuff up there.

We have been lucky and haven't copped as much rain as other parts of the country.

We did get 2 inches in 2 hours last Sunday though. The tracks dry out pretty fast when it warms on the following days.

Would have you been flooded if you were still living in Brisbane?

[Mr Head]

Managed 28 miles today. I had to stop at the LBS and get the rear wheel trued up. I didn't have the special tool required for the Roval wheels. Now, I do.
Rock N Road Rocks!

Hot here though. 82 on the patio, in the shade as I type this.

We had these big Santa Ana winds that pushed me down the river to the Pond upwards of 30 mph in places. Coming back? There was a good deal of 15 mph work to be done. But, I got back to a respectable speed. Then decided I hadn't done anything too stupid for a while, so I rode the face of my hill.

I had to stop twice. Ended in a pool of sweat on the floor of my bedroom.

After a shower and some rest, I'm beginning to feel human again. Good ride though.

[GP640]

I'll be out in the garage doing an hour on the trainer.

-22c here and I don't see riding far until it warms up and I get some studded tires.

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by GP640

I'll be out in the garage doing an hour on the trainer.

-22c here and I don't see riding far until it warms up and I get some studded tires.

HTFU ya wuss! That's only -10F!



Seriously. I think trainer miles are harder to do than being outside no matter how cold it is! Its a motivation thing. I always say 'ride with friends' it make suffering more tolerable somehow sharing it with friends.

M

[GP640]

-22 with a 15km/hr breeze plus forward motion= a bit too much windchill.
I have always ridden alone. I guess I'm a bit anti-social.

I decided to get back in shape this winter and an hour on the trainer
seems to be a good fit. It's like riding up hill or into a stiff breeze.

My wife can't figure out how I can do it with only a radio to keep me company.
She rides to work when the weather is above -20.
-20 in the morning easily becomes -10 for the up hill ride home.

I just can't afford good studded tires at this point and without them
it's just not fun.

[Cigar]

Yesterday 49 and sunny a nice 38 mile ride.
Same in store for today.
I can't get the ideal of a surly cross check out of my mind.

[DoctorIt]

Originally Posted by Lewy

We have been lucky and haven't copped as much rain as other parts of the country.

We did get 2 inches in 2 hours last Sunday though. The tracks dry out pretty fast when it warms on the following days.

Would have you been flooded if you were still living in Brisbane?

Our apartment would have been dry (2nd floor) but the car and motorbike would have been drowned, our local shopping center was underwater, and my building at the Uni needed sandbags at the entrance to keep the electron microscopes from becoming a total loss.

But like my mate said "whaddya expect when you build on a flood plain?"

[Gummee!]

There's a heat wave! Its darn near 40!! (36 according to the weather icon in the corner of my monitor...)

Just got in from about an hour's toodle. Was gonna go 90min, but ended up 1 road premature and caught a case of the screw-its when I figgered out I wasn't where I thought I was.

I have a decision: stick with SPD-Sls or migrate over to Keos? I have a road bike with each on it and would like to standardize on one or the other. They both basically do the same thing. Just slightly different executions.



M

[TheNedster]

It's going on two weeks now without my bike. Apparently, QBP is moving to another facility in Utah and shipments have been disrupted (so says my LBS). I need to get out; I've even considered going for...gasp...a jog. God help me.

[Gummee!]

Originally Posted by TheNedster

It's going on two weeks now without my bike. Apparently, QBP is moving to another facility in Utah and shipments have been disrupted (so says my LBS). I need to get out; I've even considered going for...gasp...a jog. God help me.

Bummer.

...but that's why I always have 2 of everything. 1 goes down for something, you have another as backup.

...and it spreads wear and tear over both things (or 3, or 4, or...) so they last longer.

...course that leads to 2 road bikes, a cross bike, and a mtn bike. If I rode more mtn, I'd have another mtn bike too, but I don't, so I'm OK with 1. Ditto with the cross bike. If I was racing more, I'd have 2. In fact, this fall/winter, you may very well see another post sayin 'I've got a secret!' from me.

M

[Jim Moore]

Fellas,

I rode about 40 miles with the local riding group yesterday. It was a workout, but not painfully hard by any means. A few of the folks were talking about a 100 mile ride. That started to sound pretty reasonable at the end of 40 miles.

I've done a bunch of marathons. They're a pita. They require specialized training, and they mess up your body for a week for so afterwards. Otoh, anyone with reasonable fitness can push through a half-marathon without too much difficulty.

Is a 100 mile ride like a half, or more like a marathon?

Thanks,

[Gummee!]

I have lust:




M