HC Bike/Cycling Thread

[justin]

instead of the smallest frame possible with 12" of drop

 

 

if drop is the height difference between the saddle and bars, im looking at more like 3" on the bikes i've tried. could be 4-4.5" if the spacers are removed. to get 12" id probably have to ride a kid's bike and i could lean over and lick the pavement

[Pars]

Well, the 12" of drop was a joke... I think.

 

I run around 2-2.5" of drop, but I'm an old guy. More than that and I find it tiring on my neck to look up to see where I am going. Since you are young and probably much more fit than I am, once you start riding a lot, you may find that you want more drop or reach than what you are initially set up for.

[raffy]

I'm thinking Justin is more of a 52-54 max size guy than 56. That way he can run decent drop + a realistic (ie non-shorty) stem. 

[raffy]

I'm with Dan, you should go have a real fitting done.

 

Not a sarcastic question but how does one get a detailed/real fitting with no bike?

[justin]

[Nebby]

Not a sarcastic question but how does one get a detailed/real fitting with no bike?

Retul fitting bike, probably.

[MexicanDragon]

Yeah... A lot of shops can either do a fitting on YOUR bike, or they have a "fitting bike" which is rather adjustable in height and reach, among other variables.

Retul fit is 250 here, 150 if you buy a bike from them. BG (Body Geometry) Fit from Specialized is 200. There are other fit systems, ideas, but these are both well respected. Trek has one that is less involved (those take 2-4 hours) and should be 75-100, iirc.

As others have said, as you ride more, you will probably change position a little... So you may adjust a little more down the road, but these are great places to start. I don't know what the shop you were at yesterday offers, but they can at least do a basic fit/sizing.

**BRENT**

[Nebby]

What shoes are you folks using? I've currently got MTB Sidi's but I'm open to suggestions. I'll be using Speedplay Zero's for pedals.

 

I did give a few specialized shoes a try today and they were nice, maybe even nicer than my current Sidi's.

[justin]

measurements are not perfect but this is what the competitivecyclist website gives me:

 

 

[Dreadhead]

Power meter is officially for sale for $900. You guys know that you want it. Wish I had more posts on Paceline. Can't sell shit there.

Edited September 6, 2013 by Dreadhead

[Dreadhead]

Did 50+ miles this morning. I have forgotten that I need to drink in the first hour for the third hour not to suck. Still felt great to be out and about

[raffy]

Right up there with you Chris, I need to actually drink water during the day which I forget to do more often than not.

Lost 2 lbs (weighing myself before breakfast so the loss is actually more) just riding 21 miles and I already drank around 32 ounces during the ride.

[CD44hi]

Got a call last night at 7:30 PM from a co-worker asking is I wanted to take an available spot for "The Civil War

Century." I said yes. After checking the route I thought I'll be lucky if I made it to the first rest stop of the century ride.

Indeed that is what I ended up accomplishing: 29 miles with lots of climbing. After that I took the SAG wagon ha!

It was fun! As I write I am sure they are still going. 1600 riders.

I want to do it next year. Hopefully I can train better. And for sure I will have at least a 27 cassette. Given the short notice I didn't get a chance to change the 25 that I have now that was very challenging he he he

http://www.civilwarcentury.com/

Check out that profile!! LOL

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/cwc-civil-war-century

[MexicanDragon]

Mountain bike loaded up on bike rack to go to it's new home. So sad

 

Oh well, at least he's a friend of friends, and it'll be going to a new home, free of thorn bushes, I hope.

**BRENT**

[boomana]

Brent, it's better that way.  Maybe you could focus on just general balance and getting back in shape since your back surgery.  Yoga?  Some cardio stuff?

 

So, I rode with the group John introduced me to a few weeks ago.  Quite a few people showed up, so the plan was to have a B+ group (20-23 mph), a B group (18-20) and a C group (16-18).  We all headed out slowly, but after about five miles, it became apparent that there would be no B group.  I ended up with the B+ people, which really pushed me.  I was fine for the first 35 miles, but was horrible when it came for my turn to pull (I lasted only a couple miles, and almost got dropped after because I was still too winded), but I struggled the last twenty, and I'm not sure how I got through the last five miles, though I managed to stay with them.  Anyway, considering we had a few slow sections in Delray and Palm Beach, including getting pulled over by the police for riding two abreast and "impeding traffic,"  we were going at a decent clip the rest of the time, and I'm pretty proud of myself for keeping up.

 

 

 

 

Justin, come to Florida and try my Calfee.  I bet it would fit you perfectly.

[MexicanDragon]

Nice ride, Vicki, and sadly you're probably right re: the mtn biking. The guy posted pictures of some amazing views from his ride today, and I think he's going to love it.

 

Justin, you should definitely check out Vicki's Calfee down there. Maybe you could let him borrow it for the Sebring ride in December, V?

**BRENT**

[justin]

Vicki -- i may be in orlando this month. and i may be driving. i'm going on a road trip that potentially involves visiting several companies as well as dropping off/picking up parts in the carolinas and florida

[CD44hi]

More detail in yesterday's CWC ride:

 

This is the whole century course. I rode to the blue dot on the map and to the indicated 29 miles on the profile

There is a 65 mile-bail out point in which you ride 9 miles downhill to the start. That was the original plan for me. I just didn't have the legs after that hill at 27 miles. There were guys and gals passing me on the steep hills like there were riding on flat terrain.

 

All and all, 3000 feet of climbing in 2.5 hrs,

 

 

 

The stats:

[boomana]

Juan, I would have had to bail before that.  One of my cycling goals for this year was to learn to ride hills.  I need to drop 20 pounds and get a lot stronger if I'm going to make that happen beyond the run roller kind.  

 

Justin, cool.  Try to get here on a weekend.  Better yet, try and get here on a Friday.  You can ride my Calfee, but we'd need to get you a longer stem, and probably a short fitting.  Do you have shoes yet?  

[n_maher]

Did my first century yesterday which was my longest single ride by about 35 miles.  Total mileage was 101 (almost on the nose) and time was 5:41:53 of actual moving time.  We stopped a lot so our ET was nearly 3hrs longer.  We had a three guys in our group that hadn't ride more than 300 miles or so all year so there was a group of about 5 that would get out in front, hit it for about 20 miles or so and then wait for the other 4 to catch up.  It was huge fun and I felt really good for the entire ride with no real bonking or times when I wondered if I'd make it.

 

Ride Data (note the max speed)

 

Team Big Guy

 

A bit more about the top speed.  The last rest stop is at a place called the Crawford Notch Depot.  Its about 30 miles from the finish and is at the start of a huge decent which starts out at over 13%.  My friend Marc and I (the two biggest guys) decided to just let it rip and see how fast we could go.  I managed about 53mph and Marc's indicated top speed was just shy of 56.  We all agreed that after the decent we'd just meet up at the bar at mile 97 for a "we're not quite done" beer as we did last year.  So after the decent into madness the group of 5 stronger riders hit it pretty hard and managed 21.5mph for 25 miles or so including a few small hills.  It was huge fun to ride in a paceline like that where on the flats you were cruising at 25mph.  I'll definitely be doing the ride again next year and may try to do a metric with some of these guys at the end of October.

[justin]

Justin, cool.  Try to get here on a weekend.  Better yet, try and get here on a Friday.  You can ride my Calfee, but we'd need to get you a longer stem, and probably a short fitting.  Do you have shoes yet?  

 

i could try to do that. i do have shoes...they'd look silly on a road bike but thats ok

[grawk]

My bike is at the shop getting the compact ultegra crankset put on

[Dreadhead]

At the end of my ride yesterday the rear tubular on my bike was losing air so I tried treatments with two bottles of Hutchinson Fast'Air which was very messy and not very effective. It did seem to be stopped so I gave it a try this afternoon and it basically covered my bike in latex. Fucking awesome. Replacement tire is well over $100 and the glue is extra. Yay.

 

Edit: For the record: First world problems for sure. Not really a big deal.

Edited September 9, 2013 by Dreadhead

[MexicanDragon]

Got in 12.06 miles in 53:50.05, averaging 13.44 with a max of 28.53. 603.7ft ascended. New pair of shorts, adjusting the saddle up a little bit, and that part of things felt better. Back hurt a bit earlier on, but wasn't too bad.

About 2.5 of the last 3 miles were in some hard rain, so I didn't tempt fate and just headed to the car. I got about 3/4 of a mile down the road and the bottom dropped out. Visibility in the car was 100 ft tops.

Temps were in the high 80s, but a little breeze and riding through a Civil War battleground with tons of trees made for a great feeling ride.

**BRENT**

[Emooze]

Damn Nate, that does sound fun.

 

I did around 40 miles today without the foresight to set up something on my phone to track at least our path. I learned that I should bring food next time...