Any Roadies Out There

[greenchile]

I ride a Fuji carbon Gran Fondo, which has been a good bike. Would love to upgrade the wheels but have had no issues with the bike. Have ridden several centuries with it and ridden across the Continental Divide.

 

[JustPlinking]

Full carbon Carrera

Been a couple years since I was able to ride though. Position doesn't feel good on my shoulder since my surgeries.


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[Ol Rob]

Somebody has got to say it. I ride a TREK. There, are you happy. I ride aTrek Madone 5.2. I try to get in about 2000 per year. I can't make myself even want to ride in the cold weather. And in So. Ga. anything under 50 is cold. We ride 2-3 times a week usually 30-40 each time when the days are long. Once time changes it is weekends only.
Rob

 

[WB300]

Ol Rob,

If you wanna upgrade the Trek to an AeroCat ACR500, mine is going up for sale. Kidding about the upgrade part, nothing wrong with Trek. I didn't ride at all last year and my old bones much prefer shooting to riding. Spread the word in the Tifton area. I can send you info about the bike and some pics too. Not a big market here in Albany to sell to.

Bill

 

[Flying Goose]

I worked in the industry off and on for years at higher end road and tri shops as well as racing cat I/II during the lance era. There is no disputing how many people started riding because of him... But they all wanted Trek! I don't ride very much anymore and when I do it's hardly ever on a road bike with spandex, it's usually slow and steady on a fat bike. Mostly because of the roads where I live the other part is no time when the wether is nice so I deal with the snow and cold.

 

[JustPlinking]

I feel you pain with the road issue. I'm in Pa and its horrible here. My Carrera should be sold as I ride a p24 dirt jump bike mostly. I still see a lot of Trek bikes out there.


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[rjacobs]

This will be my 4th, maybe 5th season riding. I keep wanting to get a new bike with all the new whiz bang stuff(who am I kidding, ultegra would be a HUGE advance for me), but every year I ride my old Specialized Allez with the shitty shifters and what not against guys riding $5-8k bikes and hang with them and beat them, I always think, hey, maybe this piece of shit bike isnt so bad after all. Ive gotten to the point though when climbing out of the saddle my rear dropouts are torquing and my rear de-railer ends up shifting on its own. My buddies say carbon will fix that as they lay it to resist torquing. I just have much more stuff to spend 3k on than a new bike.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Living in Southern NM we are fortunate enough to ride year round although this time of year it is not uncommon for it ti be in low 30's at the beginning of the ride. Lot's of nice bikes out there but as they say "it's not the machine but the motor". In the 20th year of riding my Merlin frame. Funny thing all my buds who we're riding high end carbon frames are now looking at Ti frames.

 

[TrapperT]

Been road riding for 15+ years. Started mtn biking 20+ years ago. Went through a few mtn bikes (e.g. ProFlex then eventually to Ventana Marble Peak) to road bikes. Ended up staying with road bikes and currently have a Pinarello Prince with Campy Record Carbon. Tons of miles on that frame. For anyone who is interested, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a bike fit using the Retul fitting. I ride around 5,000 miles a year (not including my indoor training during the winter) and thought that my position was good (used the old fit methods). I decided to have my fit checked and I cannot tell you how great it is using the Retul fitting system. It may be expensive (approximately $250 or so) but it provides a fit so good that your comfort level on your bike will increase and in my case, my power output increased also.

 

[Nik H]

I rode road for the 14 years I lived in Southern CA. Raced at Cat III for 3 years but had a bad fall during a crit that left a lot of skin on the pavement so I stopped racing.

I now live in RI and road riding is WAY more difficult due to the narrow roads, lack of riding clubs and less than sympathetic drivers. Stick with MTB these days although I prefer road.

Here is one of my road bikes…my pride and joy actually. Cervelo SLC with Campy Super Record. Built it myself from the frame on up.



BR,

 

[3sport]

Been road riding for 15+ years. Started mtn biking 20+ years ago. Went through a few mtn bikes (e.g. ProFlex then eventually to Ventana Marble Peak) to road bikes. Ended up staying with road bikes and currently have a Pinarello Prince with Campy Record Carbon. Tons of miles on that frame. For anyone who is interested, I would HIGHLY recommend getting a bike fit using the Retul fitting. I ride around 5,000 miles a year (not including my indoor training during the winter) and thought that my position was good (used the old fit methods). I decided to have my fit checked and I cannot tell you how great it is using the Retul fitting system. It may be expensive (approximately $250 or so) but it provides a fit so good that your comfort level on your bike will increase and in my case, my power output increased also.

I agree with getting a fit, but there are so many fit systems now that work really good, it's more of which LBS preference to me. With new systems like the GURU, & F.I.S.T it's hard to say which one is better. I'm not necessarily a 'roadie', but I put in a lot of miles on the road while training for triathlons. I do everything from small sprints to Ironman. Here is a pic of my Specialized Transition i did a custom paint job on.

 

[avmech]

Running two rides: Trek 5200 dated 2003 and Trek 7500 dated 2012. Both great rides. Will be looking for N+1 soon, in the flavor of a mountain bike. No mountains around here but lots of trails in the woods/swamp.

 

[sawhornsoff]

 

[2ndSecuresTheRest]

First road bike in 30 years...

Been a mountain bike rider for 15 years, I just got my first road bike in 30 years after moving to Austin TX where the roads are pretty nice. I tried a couple hi-end bikes at the LBS, but the one that jumped out at me was a weird mix of old & new tech; a steel-framed Salsa Colossal with ENVY carbon fork and disc brakes. It has a 2x10 power train, and the ride quality is amazing! I built my last few mountain bikes, current one is a Turner 5 Spot frame with CrossMax ST wheels and XTR power train, so I'm used to pedaling 28 lb bikes. The carbon road bikes were silly light, but for whatever reason the steel frame really felt more solid. I think the Salsa weighs around 21-22 lbs but feels really light and responsive soon as you click in. Of course I'm using what I know for pedals- Eggbeaters! And I'm still using baggy mtb shorts and a Camelbak; somehow I like to have a good amount of tools and water with me....I'm clearly not a real Roadie yet LOL. Here's the beast at the park I ride to where I use the pullup bars and ab bench:
<a href="http://s181.photobucket.com/user/Thermionicon/media/mountain%20biking/Salsa_trail2_zpscf777c37.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x29/Thermionicon/mountain%20biking/Salsa_trail2_zpscf777c37.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo Salsa_trail2_zpscf777c37.jpg"/></a>
Certainly no race bike but I am entering a fun 50 miler that begins and ends at Real Ale Brewery in Blanco TX this May. Local mountain biking is fun but no big climbs like the west or northeast have. Only 'mod' I'm tempted to do is go to a 180mm front disc for better stopping power- the 160's are kind of weak.

Semper Fi
~A~

 

[2ndSecuresTheRest]

I just got my first road bike in 30 years- been a long time mtb guy- but the LBS spent 3 hours setting up the Salsa to fit me- what a huge difference! I ended up going back and applying the basic geometry adjustments to my mtb- now that bike feels like a new bike too! +100 on proper fitments of any sort!

Semper Fi,
~A~

 

[jbell]

Hey guys I just came across these pedals and they look pretty slick. They are not in production yet but I am hoping they get there as I want to try some. I am not connected with this product in any way, except that I like the out of the box thinking and design. I am also not a roadie by any means (harry legged mountain biker since '91), but I support all forms of cycling so check this out:

Möbius - Superior Pedal Design

 

[2ndSecuresTheRest]

Thanks for the link Mr Bell! pretty cool idea, looks as simple as the Eggbeater and then some!

Hope it thaws out for you soon- I relocated to Austin TX last fall, the tradeoff was less elevation/climbing but year 'round riding either on or off road!

Semper Fi,
A

 

[bobke]

Now, this is an appropriate motivational thread! Never picked up this thread till drinking coffee this morning, but am relating to so much of what's been said here, going drop the phone and get on my aging, but still competent, 2000 Colnago CT1 I'd "rewarded" myself with after both melanoma and fistula surgeries back to back in early 2000, and go ride. Thanks for the kick in the ass, hell to get spanked before even getting on the bike.

 

[EasyGravy]

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[DarnYankeeUSMC]

What is your preferred drink while riding? Plain water? Sports drinks?

 

[Chiller]

water.....other stuff is a mess.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Over the years tried many different drinks including Cytomax, Accelerade and HEED. All good quality drinks for electrolyte replacement and energy. Also have used the recovery products like R4 and Recoverite. If you are riding for over an hour you need more than just plain water for electrolyte replacement. Mostly using HEED these days along with their gel products. Iron Horse Classic in two weeks

 

[Pester]

Now, this is an appropriate motivational thread! Never picked up this thread till drinking coffee this morning, but am relating to so much of what's been said here, going drop the phone and get on my aging, but still competent, 2000 Colnago CT1 I'd "rewarded" myself with after both melanoma and fistula surgeries back to back in early 2000, and go ride. Thanks for the kick in the ass, hell to get spanked before even getting on the bike.

And I need to do the same....

Seeing your SH name reminds me of the great Bob Roll.

First time I saw him was when he won a mountain stage in a CA Bay area race in the mid/late 80's. It also reminded me of a comment he was supposed to have made to Laurent Fignon in a race after his 8 second TDF loss. As heard the story they were both deep in the peloton and Bobke took a pull to bring up a team mate. Fignon latched on and when he pulled side by side to Bobke, Bobke was report to have looked at him said '8 seconds Larry...8 seconds'. I had heard that Fignon had great respect for Bobkes domestique efforts, were friends and that this was all in good humor.

Perhaps you are Bobke the pro cyclist?

 

[bobke]

I only wish I had half his skills, but do share the same nickname. Mine is almost 62 years old, his a bit younger. May be the only finish line I'll ever cross in front of him. A character he is.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Met him in Durango a number of years ago and what a character. Love his commentary during the TDF broadcasts and adds a lot of color to the race. Some good pictures of him in the Durango Diner on Main.

 

[PowderMeasure]

one bottle of Rehydrate and one bottle of water. The Rehydrate is awesome stuff for electrolyte replacement and amino acids!

 

[PowderMeasure]

Anyone in here from Middle Tennessee(Nashville) or closer to the Smyrna or Nolensville area? We have some great rides down here if you'd like to join us sometime!

 

[djarecke]

Depends on the length of ride and other factors such as effort and temperature. Most of the time, you can get away with around 200 calories per hour, but a lot of us over 160# get along better with a little extra especially if there's a run following your ride. As far as sodium - it's often overrated. 99% of us probably get enough in our diets to fuel an Ironman and don't need to supplement for a short ride unless the effort and temperature are extreme. Sodium, potassium and magnesium are a few of the electrolytes you won't need to supplement unless you find yourself on the edge of the bell curve for duration, intensity, or environment.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

I usually do 30 to 35 miles at 16 mph + or - and during cooler weather usually only water. When it gets into the upper 80's plus I have been doing half water and half sport drink of one kind or another. Last summer it was ok at 98 degrees but not great. I was looking for something that may do better. I have looked at a lot of things but wanted to cut thru the BS propaganda and get the real deal.

 

[ChemE1975]

The search for a sports drink, as long as you are using one that is an endurance focused drink, is mostly about what you personally like and your stomach can tolerate. Most cyclists try a few before they find one they like and can drink/process under exertion. Certainly as your level of exertion goes up, your stomach gets more "picky" about what it will tolerate.

Cutting through all the BS propaganda as you put it, get a mainstream drink (Powerbar endurance, Cytomax, Hammer nutrition, etc) and experiment. They all are going to work about the same so long as you can stomach them. Remember that trying these out at home is a lot different than on the road working hard.

 

[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Here's Chris Carmichael's take on fueling during rides.

The skeletal muscles store their own glycogen, for their own exclusive use, separate from what's stored in the liver (but they also filch from the liver's store). If you completely exhaust the leg muscles' glycogen stores, it takes near as makes no difference a day for them to refill it. So if you're riding hard enough, long enough, you need to look into fueling as you ride, not only for performance on that ride, but for recovery, and performance on the next ride as well.

But I also always carry plain water, too. Too many times I've staved off a heat injury by pouring spare water over my head. So if it's a one-bottle ride, water's all there is (except there's an 'emergency' packet of Goo gel stashed somewhere, too). If more than one bottle, all except the last bottle have a couple of scoops (180 calories total) of Cytomax in them.

And I usually have something sugary at ride's end. Yoohoo or a barley pop. The skeletal muscles have to compete with the liver for refuel rights, but the muscles are especially greedy right after a work-out. Depending on the source cited, this "glycogen window" stays open for from somewhere between 30 minutes to two hours. Which gives your muscles a head-start on the next day's fuel.
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EDIT:
I also came across one study indicating the effectiveness of the recovery drink increased by 30% if it contained caffeine.
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Especially this time of year, I find one of these handy as a cooling aid. It's a high-tech wet bandana. Fully hydrated, it holds about 8 ounces of water, which takes days to evaporate. So the cooling isn't so instantaneous as a conventional wet bandana, but it's much longer lasting. WalMart sells a $3 discount version. I've been using it long enough to know it gives me a wider margin of safety to heat injury.

 

[jbell]

Had somewhat of a warm day for Maine after a lot of rain that cleared a lot of snow, so my wife and I decided to take advantage of it. We took the bikes up to Acadia National Park yesterday for a ride. It was beautiful and with the roads closed to cars we had a rare opportunity to ride without traffic.

I rode my mountain bike, because why not...

This is a carriage house that used to service the carriage road there. There is some remarkable work put into these old houses.

 

[Trophy Case]

Had somewhat of a warm day for Maine after a lot of rain that cleared a lot of snow, so my wife and I decided to take advantage of it. We took the bikes up to Acadia National Park yesterday for a ride. It was beautiful and with the roads closed to cars we had a rare opportunity to ride without traffic.
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I rode my mountain bike, because why not...View attachment 8035109
This is a carriage house that used to service the carriage road there. There is some remarkable work put into these old houses.

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Good for you two!!
I miss riding with my wife (before kids) on the road bikes...that was one thing we could always agree on and had a lot of fun doing.
One of my most memorable was a late summer ride just out of Aspen up to Maroon Bells enjoying all the wildflowers especially the sunflowers. Great day!!!