The wedding was fantastic. No wonder I've not been updating this blog with any frequency at all.
Things have changed mightily in the past season. I built a new road bike (a Look 585 Origin), rebuilt my cross bike with SRAM components (now the Origin 8 Foxtrot sports Force levers and Rival derailleurs), spent a bunch of time riding my mountain bike (right before the wedding) and have committed to racing cyclocross this fall. And yes, my wife was less than thrilled about it, but I finally dove in and pulled off the leg shaving thing, especially since I spent some time tending to wounds garnered on our mountain bike trips.
So there's been trail riding, there's been cross bike riding, there's been road riding, and there's been all kinds of partying and joy.
It's been a great summer so far, and we've got an entire month to go before its over.
Showing posts with label mountain bike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mountain bike. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Happy holidays, I think...
Almost two months since an update. Sad indeed, but there is a good reason for it.
Insert real life here:
I posted about my road bike crash that had taken me out of commission for a while. Fortunately, the wounds have healed, except for the obvious scars that will be with me for a while. Unfortunately, I did not post about the slip and fall that I experienced while walking on the rocky beach in La Jolla California the weekend before the crash. Well, as of today, I am STILL having problems with my right wrist, and finally got the news that it had indeed been fractured in that fall and was still not healing well.
Subsequently, I am STILL off the mountain bike (road riding is tolerable with a wrist brace/support) and it looks like I may be for a while until it is pain free.
End insertion of real life:
In the meantime, the hurried arrival of winter's snow and ice has driven me inside and insane (the two seem to go hand in hand quite often) and forced me to begin building up a cyclocross bike. Twisted, I know. But it will pave the way to a good solid ride option for the poor weather.
In any case, keep the rubber side down, have a safe and healthy holiday, and welcome 2010 with a bang. Ok?
Insert real life here:
I posted about my road bike crash that had taken me out of commission for a while. Fortunately, the wounds have healed, except for the obvious scars that will be with me for a while. Unfortunately, I did not post about the slip and fall that I experienced while walking on the rocky beach in La Jolla California the weekend before the crash. Well, as of today, I am STILL having problems with my right wrist, and finally got the news that it had indeed been fractured in that fall and was still not healing well.
Subsequently, I am STILL off the mountain bike (road riding is tolerable with a wrist brace/support) and it looks like I may be for a while until it is pain free.
End insertion of real life:
In the meantime, the hurried arrival of winter's snow and ice has driven me inside and insane (the two seem to go hand in hand quite often) and forced me to begin building up a cyclocross bike. Twisted, I know. But it will pave the way to a good solid ride option for the poor weather.
In any case, keep the rubber side down, have a safe and healthy holiday, and welcome 2010 with a bang. Ok?
Monday, October 5, 2009
And a month later...
Here I am again.
Forget updating ever couple of days, I can't even remember to check my bank balance that often. No, I'm kidding. Actually, the real difficulty in updating very often lies in the fact that life (which includes cycling, imagine that!?) has been interfering with...well, life.
Here in the northeast we've become mired in that awful beast known as "fall" in which the sun drops below the horizon early in the evening and leaves us stuck on stationary trainers or bundling up and donning lights to stick out a few miles in the chill of the evening air. It's an ever-present dilemma that anyone in a New England state will have to come to grips with early in their cycling experience. Gone are the long lazy evenings of tooling along trails and less traveled back roads. Those carefree summer days are replaced by worries of darkness, fallen leaves hiding slippery roots or potholes in the road, and the creeping chill of the coming winter.
Not to fret: the weekends are prime time to spend with the rubber side down. Knobby or skinny, mud or tarmac, spinning or mashing, climbing or descending, it is all good. It's just the exhilaration of the ride that makes the week's troubles melt away. It is worth all the time spent in the office, in meetings or on the phone. And it's one of the only escapes from reality that allows us to focus on the next obstacle in front of us without any thought of the consequences lying down the trail.
Wouldn't it be nice if life was just as easy?
Forget updating ever couple of days, I can't even remember to check my bank balance that often. No, I'm kidding. Actually, the real difficulty in updating very often lies in the fact that life (which includes cycling, imagine that!?) has been interfering with...well, life.
Here in the northeast we've become mired in that awful beast known as "fall" in which the sun drops below the horizon early in the evening and leaves us stuck on stationary trainers or bundling up and donning lights to stick out a few miles in the chill of the evening air. It's an ever-present dilemma that anyone in a New England state will have to come to grips with early in their cycling experience. Gone are the long lazy evenings of tooling along trails and less traveled back roads. Those carefree summer days are replaced by worries of darkness, fallen leaves hiding slippery roots or potholes in the road, and the creeping chill of the coming winter.
Not to fret: the weekends are prime time to spend with the rubber side down. Knobby or skinny, mud or tarmac, spinning or mashing, climbing or descending, it is all good. It's just the exhilaration of the ride that makes the week's troubles melt away. It is worth all the time spent in the office, in meetings or on the phone. And it's one of the only escapes from reality that allows us to focus on the next obstacle in front of us without any thought of the consequences lying down the trail.
Wouldn't it be nice if life was just as easy?
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Yet more rain...
It has been utterly disgusting how much water has condensed and fallen from the skies in the past few weeks. It seems like we've actually had maybe 2 sunny days per week here in the north east, and that seems to put a damper on the amount of riding one can do. Although the road miles are racking up pretty quickly (what with all the long training rides while waiting for the trails to dry out) and the fitness is good, that's no substitute for getting out and getting dirty.
In fact, this season has been something of a renaissance for fat tire riding for me. Since we've been training ourselves nuts for the Livestrong Challenge and the Harlem Valley Metric Century, riding a mountain bike has been less about training and getting faster than it has been about goofing off, having fun and kicking it old school, with not a care in the world.
Oh yes, and since I have an iPhizzle, I should be able to update from any place, at any time. Maybe even in the no-man's land of Vermont when I go and hit Kingdom Trails again this year.
Yup. That's about the half of it. A new appreciation for mountain bikes, some thrills on the road, no crashes yet this year and a couple of lofty goals...it's a good season so far.
In fact, this season has been something of a renaissance for fat tire riding for me. Since we've been training ourselves nuts for the Livestrong Challenge and the Harlem Valley Metric Century, riding a mountain bike has been less about training and getting faster than it has been about goofing off, having fun and kicking it old school, with not a care in the world.
Oh yes, and since I have an iPhizzle, I should be able to update from any place, at any time. Maybe even in the no-man's land of Vermont when I go and hit Kingdom Trails again this year.
Yup. That's about the half of it. A new appreciation for mountain bikes, some thrills on the road, no crashes yet this year and a couple of lofty goals...it's a good season so far.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle...bollocks.
Snow. Snow snow snow SNOW! I'm sick of the snow.
12 inches of the white powdery stuff makes it nigh on impossible to plan for a new year's ride (although my typical schtick of crashing and hurting myself would be significantly damped by a mantle of white padding) and pretty much restricts life to the trainer. Blargh. Although, there are some reasons to consider the trainer at this point in the year:
1: I've GOT to get rid of some excess holiday inches. I'd like to really cut the fat this year, so to speak. Since I'll be starting my job somewhere in the middle of January, I'll have to really make the most of the little bit of training time I'll have.
2: I need to relieve some stress, and that's a pretty solid way to do it.
3: May marks the return of the William's Lake mountain bike race. Not that I'm even expecting to come close to winning it, but I'd love to at least be in somewhat good shape at that point in the year.
4: What the hell else will I do with all this time off?
So that's about the half of it. Work, moving (we did finally find a house to move into, and it's a beauty) and the eternal struggle to pedal. What a life, eh?
Oh, and yes. The photos on the best of the year post are awful. Next time, I'll make sure to hunt for .jpgs instead of .gifs. Pieces of junk...
12 inches of the white powdery stuff makes it nigh on impossible to plan for a new year's ride (although my typical schtick of crashing and hurting myself would be significantly damped by a mantle of white padding) and pretty much restricts life to the trainer. Blargh. Although, there are some reasons to consider the trainer at this point in the year:
1: I've GOT to get rid of some excess holiday inches. I'd like to really cut the fat this year, so to speak. Since I'll be starting my job somewhere in the middle of January, I'll have to really make the most of the little bit of training time I'll have.
2: I need to relieve some stress, and that's a pretty solid way to do it.
3: May marks the return of the William's Lake mountain bike race. Not that I'm even expecting to come close to winning it, but I'd love to at least be in somewhat good shape at that point in the year.
4: What the hell else will I do with all this time off?
So that's about the half of it. Work, moving (we did finally find a house to move into, and it's a beauty) and the eternal struggle to pedal. What a life, eh?
Oh, and yes. The photos on the best of the year post are awful. Next time, I'll make sure to hunt for .jpgs instead of .gifs. Pieces of junk...
Monday, December 8, 2008
The best gear of the year...
(or, what to stick in your bike lover's stocking?)
So, as an editor of Mountain Bike Tales (mountainbiketales.com) I get a lot of opportunity to see the best and the worst of products out there. So, being the holidays, it's time to come up with a couple things that I would classify as standout performers in 2008. Without further ado:
Best of season, 2008:
SRAM X.0 Drivetrain (Front and rear shifters, rear derailleur - ~$450)
Again, it comes down to the most important parts of the bike to fill in my best of the season slot. I'll be accused of being a fan boy, and that may be. I've been there with Shimano's drivetrain parts, but the simple fact remains that they are more labor intensive than SRAM's gear. Shimano even copied the SRAM design when they introduced the Shadow derailleur, so that has to say something, right?
Why do I perennially pick SRAM drivetrain parts as my best of the season? Because they just don't fail me. I've racked up a lot of miles on those parts this season, and they've taken a load of abuse (crashes are a way of life for me, and all these east coast hazards don't help any) through they year and still just keep on ticking. There's something grossly satisfying about not having to replace parts every season, and never having shifting problems. Best...of...season. Period.
Most underappreciated item of 2008:
Jagwire RipCord derailleur cable kit (multiple colours ~$30)
Me. No, really. Me. Or cables. Yeah, that's it. Nobody thinks cables are such a big deal, but when something comes along that keeps your shifting smooth for a full year without being touched, then it's something worth mentioning. Sure, cables do need replacing, but only just. Dirt, grime and crap just DON'T get into the Jagwire sealed systems, which is awesome for us east coast riders. For the $30 spent, not only does my bike look kick-ass, it now shifts perfect in every condition I can imagine.
Most frivolous but cool bike part in general for 2008:
Spank Lock On Grips (Chocolate, White or Black, ~$25)
Yeah, there's only so much to say about something like a pair of grips. (In this case) they're mocha/chocolate in colour, they have gold clamps, and they stay locked down on the bar through the most gruesome conditions. What more can you ask, except for a pair in your stocking?
Best "technogeek approved" item of 2008:
Garmin Edge 305 with Heart Rate Monitor and Cadence Sensor (~$275)
Who doesn't like to know their heart rate, cadence, average grade, current speed, lap speed, and even sunset time with a glance at their handlebars? Well, the old coots that rode with toe clips and straps may not approve, but those of us who know where the 'on' button is on the front of a PC will love this. Pair this gizmo with Sport Tracks training software and you're set to get a wealth of very usable information that will keep your training right on track throughout the season. It's amazingly handy to have a breadcrumb trail map (for full GPS navigation, consider the 705, but double the price, at least) should you get lost and need to return to square one. It's probably one of the most expensive bike computers out there, but to the right person, it's worth it's weight in gold.
Best "My Ass Doesn't Hurt" gear of 2008:
Tossup: AssMaster Chamois Cream and Gore Bike Wear Contest Shorts (~$10 and ~$85)
The AssMaster goes on your ass, and the Contest shorts pad that oiled rear end. Gore's shorts come in the bib and shorts variety (I prefer the bibs) and have an amazingly non-intrusive chamois. It doesn't feel like you're wearing a diaper and it provides cushioning in just the right places to keep you comfy over multiple hours in the saddle. And with a price under $100, you can't really go wrong. Unless of course, you prefer the baggy look to the roadie-weenie lycra look. In that case, buy them anyway and put baggies over them. You'll love me for it.
Best Safety Gear of 2008:
Uvex XP100 helmet (~$95)
With so many vents, it's cooler than a lot of road helmets and has the full coverage of a skate helmet. It's stupidly light and has a nifty-as-all-hell buckle/release system that I just love. Thankfully, I've not had to test its crash durability, but I can say for a fact that this baby is comfy and reassuring like an young lady's bed on a cold night. If you're a drunk college kid anyway...
"Most confusing parts catalog on the planet" of 2008:
Mavic
Really...what the hell? How many axle assemblies can you really HAVE? And how many times do you have to send me the wrong one before I find the correct model? Really...what the hell...
Well, that's it for another year. What can I say? It's been fun, it's been a wonderful ride, and now it's a ride that goes nowhere with the emergence of the trainer (who wants to ride in snow?) That being said, keep the rubber side down, and we'll see how these things shape up for 2009.
So, as an editor of Mountain Bike Tales (mountainbiketales.com) I get a lot of opportunity to see the best and the worst of products out there. So, being the holidays, it's time to come up with a couple things that I would classify as standout performers in 2008. Without further ado:
Best of season, 2008:
SRAM X.0 Drivetrain (Front and rear shifters, rear derailleur - ~$450)
Again, it comes down to the most important parts of the bike to fill in my best of the season slot. I'll be accused of being a fan boy, and that may be. I've been there with Shimano's drivetrain parts, but the simple fact remains that they are more labor intensive than SRAM's gear. Shimano even copied the SRAM design when they introduced the Shadow derailleur, so that has to say something, right?
Why do I perennially pick SRAM drivetrain parts as my best of the season? Because they just don't fail me. I've racked up a lot of miles on those parts this season, and they've taken a load of abuse (crashes are a way of life for me, and all these east coast hazards don't help any) through they year and still just keep on ticking. There's something grossly satisfying about not having to replace parts every season, and never having shifting problems. Best...of...season. Period.
Most underappreciated item of 2008:
Jagwire RipCord derailleur cable kit (multiple colours ~$30)
Me. No, really. Me. Or cables. Yeah, that's it. Nobody thinks cables are such a big deal, but when something comes along that keeps your shifting smooth for a full year without being touched, then it's something worth mentioning. Sure, cables do need replacing, but only just. Dirt, grime and crap just DON'T get into the Jagwire sealed systems, which is awesome for us east coast riders. For the $30 spent, not only does my bike look kick-ass, it now shifts perfect in every condition I can imagine.
Most frivolous but cool bike part in general for 2008:
Spank Lock On Grips (Chocolate, White or Black, ~$25)
Yeah, there's only so much to say about something like a pair of grips. (In this case) they're mocha/chocolate in colour, they have gold clamps, and they stay locked down on the bar through the most gruesome conditions. What more can you ask, except for a pair in your stocking?
Best "technogeek approved" item of 2008:
Garmin Edge 305 with Heart Rate Monitor and Cadence Sensor (~$275)
Who doesn't like to know their heart rate, cadence, average grade, current speed, lap speed, and even sunset time with a glance at their handlebars? Well, the old coots that rode with toe clips and straps may not approve, but those of us who know where the 'on' button is on the front of a PC will love this. Pair this gizmo with Sport Tracks training software and you're set to get a wealth of very usable information that will keep your training right on track throughout the season. It's amazingly handy to have a breadcrumb trail map (for full GPS navigation, consider the 705, but double the price, at least) should you get lost and need to return to square one. It's probably one of the most expensive bike computers out there, but to the right person, it's worth it's weight in gold.
Best "My Ass Doesn't Hurt" gear of 2008:
Tossup: AssMaster Chamois Cream and Gore Bike Wear Contest Shorts (~$10 and ~$85)
The AssMaster goes on your ass, and the Contest shorts pad that oiled rear end. Gore's shorts come in the bib and shorts variety (I prefer the bibs) and have an amazingly non-intrusive chamois. It doesn't feel like you're wearing a diaper and it provides cushioning in just the right places to keep you comfy over multiple hours in the saddle. And with a price under $100, you can't really go wrong. Unless of course, you prefer the baggy look to the roadie-weenie lycra look. In that case, buy them anyway and put baggies over them. You'll love me for it.
Best Safety Gear of 2008:
Uvex XP100 helmet (~$95)
With so many vents, it's cooler than a lot of road helmets and has the full coverage of a skate helmet. It's stupidly light and has a nifty-as-all-hell buckle/release system that I just love. Thankfully, I've not had to test its crash durability, but I can say for a fact that this baby is comfy and reassuring like an young lady's bed on a cold night. If you're a drunk college kid anyway...
"Most confusing parts catalog on the planet" of 2008:
Mavic
Really...what the hell? How many axle assemblies can you really HAVE? And how many times do you have to send me the wrong one before I find the correct model? Really...what the hell...
Well, that's it for another year. What can I say? It's been fun, it's been a wonderful ride, and now it's a ride that goes nowhere with the emergence of the trainer (who wants to ride in snow?) That being said, keep the rubber side down, and we'll see how these things shape up for 2009.
It was the best of the year, it was the worst of the year...
Well, it's almost that time again...
The worst of the year? Well, it has to be the significant down-turn in the economy that has put the squeeze on the wallet and everyone's spirits. 10-20% increases in all things bike related are definitely a killer, but what can you do? Luckily, there hasn't been any major breakages of anything horribly expensive since the downturn. Thankfully.
The best of the year? I've finally managed to get myself out of school and have my doctorate hanging on my wall. How nice is that?
Ok, so what does this post have to do with cycling of any kind? Nothing really, but I'll say that after treating a number of cyclists through my clinic experiences, it's definitely changed my view of things. It's so nice to be able to be relatively pain free and able to ride when I get the itch. There's so many of us out there that jsut have so much trouble doing what we love, riding a bike, that it makes me glad I'm able to put cleats to pedals and move forward. Cheers to that.
Coming soon, my picks of best gear of the year.
The worst of the year? Well, it has to be the significant down-turn in the economy that has put the squeeze on the wallet and everyone's spirits. 10-20% increases in all things bike related are definitely a killer, but what can you do? Luckily, there hasn't been any major breakages of anything horribly expensive since the downturn. Thankfully.
The best of the year? I've finally managed to get myself out of school and have my doctorate hanging on my wall. How nice is that?
Ok, so what does this post have to do with cycling of any kind? Nothing really, but I'll say that after treating a number of cyclists through my clinic experiences, it's definitely changed my view of things. It's so nice to be able to be relatively pain free and able to ride when I get the itch. There's so many of us out there that jsut have so much trouble doing what we love, riding a bike, that it makes me glad I'm able to put cleats to pedals and move forward. Cheers to that.
Coming soon, my picks of best gear of the year.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Welcome to December...
So it's been more than a month since my last update. Let me explain why...
I don't usually talk much about my personal life here, but this time I think it's relevant. I've spent the last 3.3333 (ad nauseum) years in a frozen wasteland known as Seneca Falls, NY. I've been spending most of my time attending New York Chiropractic College, working towards a doctorate degree. As of 11/24, I officially finished up and graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic. All the final things I needed to do, job interviews, resume work, etc etc are all behind me. Now I need to seal the deal on a position and then I'll be set to move and start a new phase in life.
That being said, I've been doing little riding lately. I seem to have some kind of cold induced asthma (which can only be diagnosed after a ride in the cold, which it WON'T go down below 30 degrees here for me to do that) that has limited me outside. I've been riding the trainer while watching Giro d'Italia reels on cycling.tv, but that can only do so much.
Maybe some cross training. Yeah, that's it.
I'll be back later with my thoughts on the best gizmos of the year, for all you Mountain Bike Tales readers.
Peace.
I don't usually talk much about my personal life here, but this time I think it's relevant. I've spent the last 3.3333 (ad nauseum) years in a frozen wasteland known as Seneca Falls, NY. I've been spending most of my time attending New York Chiropractic College, working towards a doctorate degree. As of 11/24, I officially finished up and graduated as a Doctor of Chiropractic. All the final things I needed to do, job interviews, resume work, etc etc are all behind me. Now I need to seal the deal on a position and then I'll be set to move and start a new phase in life.
That being said, I've been doing little riding lately. I seem to have some kind of cold induced asthma (which can only be diagnosed after a ride in the cold, which it WON'T go down below 30 degrees here for me to do that) that has limited me outside. I've been riding the trainer while watching Giro d'Italia reels on cycling.tv, but that can only do so much.
Maybe some cross training. Yeah, that's it.
I'll be back later with my thoughts on the best gizmos of the year, for all you Mountain Bike Tales readers.
Peace.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
And so it goes...
No, it's not just the title of a great Billy Joel song, one that extols the sadness of never letting yourself be heard (although sometimes mother nature forces that situation upon you), but it's also a simile for the march of time.
The past few weeks here in the northeast have been ultra-prime. Riding has been fantastic to say the least. With the fall leaf season, the soil has dried enough to become tacky and sticky, but not tire cloggingly thick, trails have been worn through piles of fallen leaves which now hide insidious roots, and a chill in the air forces the use of base layers, arm warmers, thermal gloves and long sleeved jerseys. Of course, the top of the first grinding climb is the place where everyone stops, strips and packs away their heavy layers before they start sweating too hard.
Yes indeed, fall is my favorite time to ride in these parts. While there is a hankering to get back to your favorite spots in the spring and see if you can still hit that kicker, ride that skinny or clear that rock garden, there's something absolutely magical about riding in the fall. The crunch of fallen leaves under the knobs of thick rubber, the brisk chill in the air that burns your lungs, stings your face and forces you to hammer just to keep warm, and the wonderful feeling of a season winding down, with no races or cares in the world is a nearly indescribable pleasure that's all too often unrealized until the fall ends.
In the northeast, we've suffered our first "nor'easter" of the season. Yes, that damnable word that brings chills to my very soul, the harbinger of winter, has slashed it's mark upon the fall season. Torrential rains, sticky, heavy, wet snow and gusting winds will quickly damp even the most dedicated fat-tired spirits. True, the snow won't linger and sunny skies follow a day behind, but there is a certain doom and gloom that follows the first storm of the year. Is it time to pull out the trainer? Is it time to send the bikes to their winter homes in the garage? That may well be the case, it may well not. Riding in the snow is great fun, if a little bit taxing on the body, and the easy access to studded tires makes light years of difference.
There is one positive thing about the winter's imminent arrival, though. Time to tear down the trusty steed, clean out the muck, lube everything up and shine it to a mirror finish, all in preparation of its next outing. When will that be? Who knows, but at least it'll be ready. And so...it goes...
The past few weeks here in the northeast have been ultra-prime. Riding has been fantastic to say the least. With the fall leaf season, the soil has dried enough to become tacky and sticky, but not tire cloggingly thick, trails have been worn through piles of fallen leaves which now hide insidious roots, and a chill in the air forces the use of base layers, arm warmers, thermal gloves and long sleeved jerseys. Of course, the top of the first grinding climb is the place where everyone stops, strips and packs away their heavy layers before they start sweating too hard.
Yes indeed, fall is my favorite time to ride in these parts. While there is a hankering to get back to your favorite spots in the spring and see if you can still hit that kicker, ride that skinny or clear that rock garden, there's something absolutely magical about riding in the fall. The crunch of fallen leaves under the knobs of thick rubber, the brisk chill in the air that burns your lungs, stings your face and forces you to hammer just to keep warm, and the wonderful feeling of a season winding down, with no races or cares in the world is a nearly indescribable pleasure that's all too often unrealized until the fall ends.
In the northeast, we've suffered our first "nor'easter" of the season. Yes, that damnable word that brings chills to my very soul, the harbinger of winter, has slashed it's mark upon the fall season. Torrential rains, sticky, heavy, wet snow and gusting winds will quickly damp even the most dedicated fat-tired spirits. True, the snow won't linger and sunny skies follow a day behind, but there is a certain doom and gloom that follows the first storm of the year. Is it time to pull out the trainer? Is it time to send the bikes to their winter homes in the garage? That may well be the case, it may well not. Riding in the snow is great fun, if a little bit taxing on the body, and the easy access to studded tires makes light years of difference.
There is one positive thing about the winter's imminent arrival, though. Time to tear down the trusty steed, clean out the muck, lube everything up and shine it to a mirror finish, all in preparation of its next outing. When will that be? Who knows, but at least it'll be ready. And so...it goes...
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Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Countdown to vacation:
Awesome. Only 2 days and counting until vacation in Vermont. It'll be a much needed rest and some very necessary downtime.
Planning to get away for a vacation is the hardest part of going on vacation. Trying to figure out what to bring, what to leave at home, what spare parts to throw in the toolbox and what to leave home, and all the nagging little things. Add to the mix having to take bikes with you, worry about maintenance while you're there and away from your comfy workstand and workbench. Ah well, such is vacation, which is supposed to be relaxing.
Riding wise, things are going good. I'm inching closer to a 25 minute 10 mile TT pace and my average power is going up slowly but surely.
I think I've decided that instead of replacing that $240 Dura Ace front shifter, I'll treat myself to a drivetrain makeover, move to 10 speed and move to SRAM. Good stuff. Now to price it all out...
Anyway, with the long rest of the week ahead, I may not be posting until home from vacation, but that will be fun and photo filled. I hope.
Planning to get away for a vacation is the hardest part of going on vacation. Trying to figure out what to bring, what to leave at home, what spare parts to throw in the toolbox and what to leave home, and all the nagging little things. Add to the mix having to take bikes with you, worry about maintenance while you're there and away from your comfy workstand and workbench. Ah well, such is vacation, which is supposed to be relaxing.
Riding wise, things are going good. I'm inching closer to a 25 minute 10 mile TT pace and my average power is going up slowly but surely.
I think I've decided that instead of replacing that $240 Dura Ace front shifter, I'll treat myself to a drivetrain makeover, move to 10 speed and move to SRAM. Good stuff. Now to price it all out...
Anyway, with the long rest of the week ahead, I may not be posting until home from vacation, but that will be fun and photo filled. I hope.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Ugh...
So in the past two weeks, I've been an expensive annihilator of all things, bike related or not.
Broken tooth - $280 (including gas to drive to have it fixed)
Destroyed front Dura Ace Shifter - $240 (Forget it, not for 9 speed. SRAM anyone?)
Sticking piston on my Formula K24 front disc brake on my trail bike ($46 for parts, plus about 4 hours of sheer agony of trying to rebuild it. Or pay a shop to do it for about $150)
Good. Now that that's out of the way...
Riding has been good lately. My endurance at this point in the season is very good, which I'm extremely happy about. I feel like I can hack pretty much anything out on my radar at this point in the season, so that's good.
Now if I could only get rid of the awful tan lines...
Next weekend I'm off to Vermont for a couple days to do some riding. Nothing beats a vacation I don't think. I'm certainly looking forward to it.
Broken tooth - $280 (including gas to drive to have it fixed)
Destroyed front Dura Ace Shifter - $240 (Forget it, not for 9 speed. SRAM anyone?)
Sticking piston on my Formula K24 front disc brake on my trail bike ($46 for parts, plus about 4 hours of sheer agony of trying to rebuild it. Or pay a shop to do it for about $150)
Good. Now that that's out of the way...
Riding has been good lately. My endurance at this point in the season is very good, which I'm extremely happy about. I feel like I can hack pretty much anything out on my radar at this point in the season, so that's good.
Now if I could only get rid of the awful tan lines...
Next weekend I'm off to Vermont for a couple days to do some riding. Nothing beats a vacation I don't think. I'm certainly looking forward to it.
Monday, June 2, 2008
A long weekend
50 miles over and done with. It was excellent to say the least. 3 hours and 21 minutes to finish the 50 mile route with 3072 vertical feet of climbing. I took off on an early break as soon as we hit the hills to wake up the legs and see how I was feeling. I put in about 3 minutes on the group, but they hauled me back in in short order (since I had no interest in staying away, it really wasn't that big of a challenge for them.) When we hit the big hills (about 1800 feet in 3.5 miles, averaging about 8-10% over the distance with some 12-13% spikes) I decided to go and see what I could do. I put 4 minutes into the group and dropped the stragglers from the fast group on the way up. The catch occurred on the way down, and we rode most of the rest of the way as a group. I went again 2.5 miles from the end on the 6% average hills back to the finish and stayed away. I put in about 3 minutes on the group by the end.
It was a good hard challenge and it felt really good to complete it. My descending is getting better, and I just love to climb. I love the pain and suffering of it. I must be sick.
We also went for an 11 mile 1000 vertical foot mountain bike ride over the weekend. My god, after not really riding a lot of mountain bikes the past couple months, it's amazing how much stronger I feel on the mountain bike after spending 2 months hammering out climbs and sprints.
Maybe this means there's a mountain bike race in the cards in two weeks? Hmm....
It was a good hard challenge and it felt really good to complete it. My descending is getting better, and I just love to climb. I love the pain and suffering of it. I must be sick.
We also went for an 11 mile 1000 vertical foot mountain bike ride over the weekend. My god, after not really riding a lot of mountain bikes the past couple months, it's amazing how much stronger I feel on the mountain bike after spending 2 months hammering out climbs and sprints.
Maybe this means there's a mountain bike race in the cards in two weeks? Hmm....
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