Adventures in Bicycling

No doubt that a better saddle makes all the difference. I've got a Terry on mine that's way better than the stock Trek one, but I'm still thinking there's something better.

 

I started out on an old leather saddle..That thing was comfy.

but I also have a stock Trek on my Trek and it is not bad.. I still think I liked the leather a bit better.

 

I just started today with cycling. I bought a lemond -alpeduez or somethin............anyway its a freakin torture device. I went out for the test run about an hour ago. I avg 13.5 for an hour and 15 minutes and was feelin it....

Hopefully I'll get a little better.....racin a 600 at 230lbs isn't workin.....lol

I guess I need to get some pedals. I have the strap pedals. Im tryin everthing I can to recover from a huge 19 bone crash back in feb.

 

Been watching this thread for a while. Back in the '90's, I used to ride all of the time, (200+ miles per week) but haven't been riding for the past 12 years. 2 years ago, I bought a Specialized Enduro pro MTB and started riding a little here and there. Mostly riding on the greenways 10-15 mi with some friends, maybe once a week. 3 months ago, I started riding more frequently, putting 2-3 rides per week at first, and then more. As I started riding longer distances (20-30) I started having issues with tendonitis in my elbows and lower back pain. I decided it was time to get a "real" bike and went shopping.
At first I was looking for an entry level road bike, but I knew I was going to be putting a lot of miles on and wanted something good. I finally settled on an '05 Trek 5000 with Ultegra components and Bontrager running gear. I've had it for 2 weeks now and am absolutely in love with it! To save $$$, I use the shoes/pedals from my mtb. (specialized body geometry and ??? for pedals) I do suffer a little bit of numbness at the end of long rides, but it's not to bad. Keeping good form helps (CIRCLES!!!!!!!!) but is hard to do when I get tired. After reading all of the comments here, I suppose I'll have to suck it up and go buy some new pedals and shoes. For now, I'm just riding it the way it is.
I've got some aero bars coming next week from Performance. I had them on my bikes back in the day and always enjoyed them. I'm not too concerned about the extra 1-2 mph I'll probably net, but am looking forward to resting my hands, wich have a tedancy to go numb. (Yes, I have gloves. I even have "good" gloves that claim to reduce numbness. I seem to suffer just as much, regardless of wich pair I'm wearing.) Any tips for reducing numbness in hands would be great.....
I can't tell you how psyched I am to be back on a bike!! I'm keeping a log to track my improvements. I haven't lost too juch weight, but a lot of that is diet. What I AM doing is changing fat into muscle and seeing a HUGE improvement in my endurance. Thurs night, I rode with the Spin Cycle "B" group and managed 35 miles with an 18.2 average. I got dropped in the middle, but so did several others and one of the leaders stopped and gathered us all back together. There were a few big hills in the last 5 miles and we started stringing out again, but I was the only one able to finish strong and hang onto the leaders rear wheel. Next week I AM going to stay with the B group for the entire ride!!!!!
I'll

 

Sean-the computer is KEY to improving. I was lost with cadence and gearing til Lee gave me a computer. Buy it. Also, power bars in your jersey pocket is nice when you decide you can add extra miles. And if you dont mind consuming chemicals, a lot of people like Cytomax for one water bottle. (Mount two bottle holders for long rides.)

I don't have the oppurtunity to ride as much as I would like but when I get with it, I have a blast. It is an awesome way to get a release from stress.

Good for ya Sean. Hook up with someone to ride with to learn from. I typically like to ride by myself but my best rides are when I can ride with Lee and learn from him. Experiencing a fast riders draft is FUN!!!:up:

 

Next question - I find myself scrunching my shoulders a lot while riding, and it makes my lower neck/shoulders a bit tight afterwards. When I notice myself doing it, I relax, but down the road I find myself doing it again.

Is this something I just need to work on NOT doing, or does this indicate the necessity of changing my bike setup?

Oh yeah - got some time to do a longer ride yesterday. Did 25 miles. The first 1/2 I averaged 14mph, but at the end my average dropped to 12.9mph. I was a bit tired, but I think the 3 miles of rain at the end is what slowed me down the most! Climbing the steep hill into my neighborhood, I decided to stand up in the pegs. About 1/2 a stroke later, the rear wheel spun up, stepped out a bit, and I got thrown forward out of the seat as I lost balance. I kept it up, but came to a complete stop and barely clipped-out in time to avoid a less-than-graceful 0mph crash. I now have some idea as to available traction on the stock tires! :P

 

Some adventures are better than others...

 

Some changes can be made to bike setup but the free cure is to change your hand position more often. I very rarely touch the drops on my bike. I make better power for longer with my hands on the brake hoods. But I move my hands every few minutes to a new position.

Laurie Acree has the cutest bicycle ever!

 

Here's a link to the Cervelo Dual I have for sale

http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=118111

If anyone would like larger pics, please post requests in the ad (not here).

 

Photo?

 

I just installed Aero Bars on my Trek 1500 and I really like the riding position ... I alternate between my hands on the brake shrouds and the aero bars and it really helps ... I only do about 50-60 miles per week so I'm no "Die Hard" but this has worked for me ...

Wu

 

aero bars on a road bike...the bain of my bike shop existence.

 

Great Article I just found on another forum....


How to Deal With Bad Dogs
By Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka of www.RoadBikeRider.com

Dog attacks are high on the list of cycling fears. Maybe you can't stop Fang from giving chase, but you can outsmart him if you know how dogs think - assuming that stinkin' mutt even has a brain!

Know dog psychology. The majority of dogs who chase cyclists are merely defending their territory. When you pedal off the section of road that they consider their turf, you no longer pose a threat to their ancestral instincts and they lose interest. Incidentally, this is why you'll rarely be chased by a dog you encounter way out in the boonies. He's not on his turf so he couldn't care less about you.

Know dog tactics. Dogs want to attack from the rear, coming up from the hindquarter. Even one who sits up in his yard ahead of you may wait till you pass before giving chase. You can use this to your advantage in the next tip because it gives you a head start.

Sprint! You often can outsprint Fido when he's more interested in fooling around than in actually attacking. You can tell his intent by how hard he's running and his expression. An easy gait with woofing and ears and tail up, no problem. A full-out sprint with ears back, tail down and teeth out, problem. Still, the territorial gene can save you. If the road is flat or downhill, stand up and sprint to get past the dog's invisible boundary.

Guard your front wheel. When a dog sees you coming, he might make a beeline for your bike, then attempt to turn up beside you. The danger here is that his poor little paws will skid on the pavement and he'll plow into your wheels. If he hits the front one, you'll crash. Sprint so that you move forward faster than he expects, and give him a margin for error by steering farther into the road - if traffic permits!

SCREAM! Most dogs know what happens when a human is angry with them. A sudden shout of "No!" or "Git!" or "Stay!" will surprise Fluffy and probably make him hesitate for just the second you need to take the advantage. If he's hard of hearing, raise your hand threateningly as if it contains a rock. Outlaw mutts usually have had experience with bad things flying at them when a human makes a throwing gesture.

Play douse the Doberman. If you see big, fast Prince up ahead and know that he sees you, sprinting might not work. Especially if the road is tilting up. Take out your water bottle. Just having it in your hand may make him stay away. If he does come near you, give him a faceful and a loud yell. This distraction will slow him down, though he may come back for more. Just don't distract yourself and ride off the road.

Some riders swear by Halt pepper spray that they clip to their handlebar. This stuff works great - if you hit your target. That's a big if when you and Spot are going different speeds, the air is moving, and you're trying to stay on the road. Pepper spray stings a dog's eyes, nose and mouth, but it doesn't cause lasting damage. It also works on human attackers, but that's a different story.

Give up and get off. If nothing works and Toodles has the upper hand, dismount quickly and hold your bike between you and those sharp teeth. Swing it like a weapon if necessary, and start calling for help. Someone may eventually come out of a house and yell, "Oh, he won't hurt you!"

Call the cops. If you are attacked and bitten, report it to the county sheriff or other authority immediately. Include the location, a description of the dog and the owner's name and address if you know them. Get medical attention without delay. If the dog was rabid, you are at risk of serious illness or even death. Demand proof of rabies vaccination or insist to authorities that the dog be quarantined.

If the same dog accosts you every time you ride the road, report this to the authorities, too. You have a right to use public roadways free from fear for your life, liberty and pursuit of cycling happiness. Keep following up with calls to make sure steps are taken to put PupPup on a rope.

 

But if its a big German Shepherd that justs wants to play, instead of turning to run/attack along side (like 99% of them do), he stops right in front of you causing you and your bike to flip on top of him.....at least the bike had a soft landing.

 

I just got my a$$ handed to me at the Individual Time Trial in Charlotte by a bunch of folks with those. Maybe compact gearing and this event didn't mix!? As a consolation I think I turned the fastest time of anyone with hair on their legs and hands on the hoods. Yesterday was one of those days that I shoulda stayed in bed.

26:16 time @ 22.4 mph average while trying not to

 

Next time you go to one in my neck of the woods...let me know so I can come along to bug you...angry folk make better times

I'm actually wanting to get into cycle racing next season, and using the remainder of this one to prepare...doubt it will do much good...but who knows...

Seriously, next time ya go to one, shoot me a pm, cause I'd like to see what they are all about...

Was that the one at lowes that you did the 22.4 at?

 

Yeah, it's the series at Lowes. They have atleast one more event this season. I rarely feel fat except at bicycle races.

Cat5 is like 600 Novice class Jeff complete with pile up's in Turn 1 and Cherry Pickers. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

 

On a flat surface, I could probably do 19-20mph. IT's the hills drop me to 16-17...you got a website that lists the event info? And I suppose I'd be in the cat5 class - where's the listing of the different categories of riders just as a reference anyways, and what are you?

Need some more questions?

 

I dont race. Cat5 is where everyone starts. Time and points move you up.

Here's the link: http://carolinatt.org/

I just raced in my age bracket which you can do without a license. I don't think this style is my thing but it was neat to try. The series would be cool to use for progress checks on my training if I could stay dedicated that long.

 

If i can get off work...I'm gonna do the one on the 6th...what about you?