BIKE 10,000 miles

[DanD]

Just to prove I'm not a one-post wonder. Sorry, it was a long, cold, winter with a product launch in the middle of it, and I fell down on the riding longer than usual. So this is everything (logged) since my post last August.

15728 + 429 = 16 157

Oh and:

It's not an option for me, I started cycling when I was 33, now if I would have started 10 years (or more) earlier it could have been possible.

Just means you'll be fully trained up for the seniors groupings.

[sirspinach]

I biked with my little sister yesterday!!!!!!1!1

16 157 + 1 = 16 158

[Neil_Boekend]

In the meantime, get on yer bike! Oh, and get a helmet, seriously.

The problems I have with helmets:
1. They are designed for specific crashes. Only head first over the handlebars into the pavement. Over the handlebars is next to impossible on a recumberent.
2. They are designed for up to 20 km/h. They only absorb a small fraction of the impact energy of a 30 km/h crash.
3. They increase the size of the head. This means glancing blows are more common. The twisting of the neck that can cause is more dangerous than a blow to the head.
4. Here in the Netherlands only fast bicyclists use helmets. Common go to the store or work trips are never done with a helmet. Due to 2. the fast bicyclists have no use for them.
5. My quest protects me better than any helmet can. If I tip over and slide a few meters over the pavement my head will most likely not touch the ground. Due to the fact that it has 3 wheels it is also less likely to trip due to a crash. I have only tipped it by going too fast in a tight corner. In the winter I use a hood that protects me even further.

The recumberent club NVHPV has stopped requiring helmets for their races. Due to the reasons 1, 2 and 3. Cyclists are still allowed and some tracks require it.

[EvilDuckie]

4. Here in the Netherlands only fast bicyclists use helmets. Common go to the store or work trips are never done with a helmet. Due to 2. the fast bicyclists have no use for them.

I know, I'm from here too

Obviously on a recumbent or trike things are different and I agree totally that I would never wear a helmet on a city bike (if I'd own one that is), but I'm curious about point #2, there's plenty of cyclists walking away from an accident where their helmet is shattered and they're fine. So even if it does only absorb a portion of the impact, it's a portion that doesn't need to be absorbed by your skull.

Anyway, lots of bike rides lately, should tally up some numbers...

[Envelope Generator]

I only go biking without a helmet if something breaks my morning routine and I forget to put it on. I don't even think about it any more, it's one part of the outfit I commute in.

This morning I rode 21 kilometers, to have breakfast downtown and check out summer sales.

16 158 + 13 = 16 171

[Triple Log]

Just been thinking about getting into biking, but all I have is a basic bike from several years ago. No handbrakes, not mountain bike, just basic old everything.

Does wearing all of the biking apparel really help the average person? Is an investment in shorts and everything really worth it?

[Envelope Generator]

It's worth it for comfort if you're going to do regular rides at a sweaty pace.

[DanD]

Just been thinking about getting into biking, but all I have is a basic bike from several years ago. No handbrakes, not mountain bike, just basic old everything.

Does wearing all of the biking apparel really help the average person? Is an investment in shorts and everything really worth it?

When you're just starting out, if you're only doing rides of a few miles, it's completely unnecessary. I just wore regular shorts or light sweats for almost a year. Sometimes I even wore my work clothes for a five mile (flat) commute. You will wear out the clothes faster than normal, but otherwise no real problem.

Once I started doing longer rides (training up for an 85 mile charity ride), I switched over to bike clothes. If you're going to be doing anything like that, the reduction in chafing and the removal of seams from sensitive areas makes a huge difference. Basically, at the point where you find what's limiting your ability to ride is saddle soreness or rubbing (even after you've gotten used to the saddle) they help.

[Triple Log]

Thanks.

Now what about the bike? At what point should I sit down and consider buying a nice bike?

[Neil_Boekend]

Thanks.

Now what about the bike? At what point should I sit down and consider buying a nice bike?

If you bike faster than, say, 20 km/u old coaster brakes are not sufficient. They won't be sufficient for an emergency stop.
In other cases: When something important (brakes for example) becomes irreparable or when you feel like it.
For maximum speed a nice bike is required. Nice bikes have less losses and a significant placebo effect. For the beginning I would not worry about it.

[EvilDuckie]

Now what about the bike? At what point should I sit down and consider buying a nice bike?

What kind of surfaces would you like to ride on? What's the local road conditions like?

[Giant Speck]

5 May: 23.17 miles
21 June: 8.77 miles
27 June: 7.35 miles + 8.15 miles
1 July: 34.03 miles
7 July: 26.43 miles
9 July: 5.33 miles + 6.22 miles
10 July: 5.12 miles + 5.50 miles
21 July: 5.18 miles + 5.16 miles
22 July: 5.10 miles + 5.12 miles
23 July: 5.73 miles + 5.30 miles
24 July: 5.37 miles + 6.66 miles
25 July: 5.84 miles + 4.94 miles
26 July: 14.69 miles

Total: 199.16 miles

16171 + 200 = 16371

[Envelope Generator]

Mon 18km
Tue 30km
Wed 21km
Thu 21km
Fri 20km
Sat 21km
Sun 74km
=205km~=127mi

16371 + 127 = 16498

I've decided to challenge myself to ride 200km a week, minus 20km for each day of nonstop rain, until we get lasting snow. My commute to our new (from July 1st) office is 9km one way (I've only commuted once by anything but bike, but I only started logging distances a week ago), so the baseline is about 100km which means I'll be having at least one long ride every weekend. On yesterday's trip I rode around both of the airports in the metro area and nearly burned my arms in the blazing heat.

[Envelope Generator]

Mon 27
Tue 24
Wed 30
Thu 23
Fri 28
Sat 3
Sun 124
=259km~=160mi

16498+160=16658

[EvilDuckie]

16658 + 368 (may) + 271 (june) + 535 (july) + 140 (august, up until now) = 17972 miles

Low mileage in june because I was out travelling in North America for 2 weeks (half pleasure, half business), only managed to do 2 serious bike rides. One was a couple of loops in Vancouver's Stanley Park on a rented bike. Nothing spectacular, it was a bit of a grey, gloomy day, but nice to get the legs going.

However, the weekend before that was a very fun ride. I was staying with (cycling) friends in Missoula, MT, and they suggested we'd go to Glacier National Park to ride the Going To The Sun Road. At that time, june 7th, it wasn't completely cleared of snow just yet so they kept it closed for cars quite far down and you could bike almost all the way up to Logan Pass. It was 25 km from Avalance Creek campground (where the road was closed) to the point where the snow blocked the road, a little bit below the actual pass. Rising from 1000 to almost 2000 meters in the process, so a fairly relaxed gradient. My friends lent me a road bike while they took their heavy touring bikes, which meant I was a lot faster going up than them. Spent a while waiting for them halfway up at The Loop (the only hairpin curve on the road) and then waited for them again at the top.


Cycling the "Going To The Sun Road" in Glacier National Park by hans905, on Flickr


Cycling the "Going To The Sun Road" in Glacier National Park by hans905, on Flickr


Cycling the "Going To The Sun Road" in Glacier National Park by hans905, on Flickr

So yeah, very happy I got that opportunity, very pleased to see I was able to do it without too much trouble. Mostly due to the relaxed gradient, and the lack of oxygen didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Mind you, it wasn't easy, but at no point did I get in trouble. Lots of people out and about on bikes, going up I didn't actually get passed by anybody unless I was stopped for a photo. Also saw lots of people who seemed very unprepared for the ride (1 small water bottle, it was quite warm and it took me 2 hours of actual biking to get to the top, plus another hour to get back down...)

[Envelope Generator]

Drat, only 171 km this week. But I did some intervals!

17972 + 106 = 18078

[Envelope Generator]

18078 + 111 = 18189

Total kilometrage for the first four weeks was 813 so on average I haven't quite slipped yet.

[DanD]

Everything since my post July 11.

18 189+254=18 443

And, on a personal note, I just rolled over the odometer on my bike computer at 10k miles (since I bought it in late summer 2008).

Hopefully it'll be less than six years to the next roll over.

[Envelope Generator]

18 443 + 189 = 18632

This month I've learned that the problem with cycling in horrible weather isn't getting drenched but not getting your soaking wet shoes dry for next morning.

I just got back from my first group ride ever, cyclocross basics. I kept up okay most of the time considering I was on a singlespeed but I eventually lost sight of the group because I was so much slower on technical singletrack. I was going to participate in some local races this autumn but it doesn't look like I have what it takes to be anything but a roadblock.

[EvilDuckie]

This month I've learned that the problem with cycling in horrible weather isn't getting drenched but not getting your soaking wet shoes dry for next morning.

I just got back from my first group ride ever, cyclocross basics. I kept up okay most of the time considering I was on a singlespeed but I eventually lost sight of the group because I was so much slower on technical singletrack. I was going to participate in some local races this autumn but it doesn't look like I have what it takes to be anything but a roadblock.

You can dry wet shoes by stuffing balled up newspaper in them. Overshoes (neoprene) do help to keep them dry too, although after a while the water will start to seep in trough your leg.

As for cyclocross, you have to start somewhere. I've never done it myself but I photograph about 17-20 races per season so I kinda know what it's about. It can be a very technical sport, so learn the dismount/run/mount bit and practice on all kinds of surfaces. Also... singlespeed may not be the best choice of material, but that really depends on the surface, if it's a fast course you should be alright, but if you get mud or loose sand in there you're going to need a very low gearing. I've seen a pro lose an almost guaranteed podium spot because she crashed 1/2 a lap before the finish, just after the pit and messed up her rear gears, the chain got stuck on the smallest one and she had a long mud section to plough through. Needless to say she was passed by several others and I think she barely managed to secure top 10.

[Tomlidich the second]

Low mileage in june because I was out travelling in North America for 2 weeks (half pleasure, half business), only managed to do 2 serious bike rides. One was a couple of loops in Vancouver's Stanley Park on a rented bike. Nothing spectacular, it was a bit of a grey, gloomy day, but nice to get the legs going.

However, the weekend before that was a very fun ride. I was staying with (cycling) friends in Missoula, MT, and they suggested we'd go to Glacier National Park to ride the Going To The Sun Road. At that time, june 7th, it wasn't completely cleared of snow just yet so they kept it closed for cars quite far down and you could bike almost all the way up to Logan Pass. It was 25 km from Avalance Creek campground (where the road was closed) to the point where the snow blocked the road, a little bit below the actual pass. Rising from 1000 to almost 2000 meters in the process, so a fairly relaxed gradient. My friends lent me a road bike while they took their heavy touring bikes, which meant I was a lot faster going up than them. Spent a while waiting for them halfway up at The Loop (the only hairpin curve on the road) and then waited for them again at the top.


Cycling the "Going To The Sun Road" in Glacier National Park by hans905, on Flickr


Cycling the "Going To The Sun Road" in Glacier National Park by hans905, on Flickr


Cycling the "Going To The Sun Road" in Glacier National Park by hans905, on Flickr

So yeah, very happy I got that opportunity, very pleased to see I was able to do it without too much trouble. Mostly due to the relaxed gradient, and the lack of oxygen didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. Mind you, it wasn't easy, but at no point did I get in trouble. Lots of people out and about on bikes, going up I didn't actually get passed by anybody unless I was stopped for a photo. Also saw lots of people who seemed very unprepared for the ride (1 small water bottle, it was quite warm and it took me 2 hours of actual biking to get to the top, plus another hour to get back down...)

Beautiful, just amazing pics. thanks for the share!

[EvilDuckie]

Resurrecting this thread to brag about me hitting my goal for the year (7000 km, I've actually managed to reach 7250). Pretty chuffed with that, it's a good 800 km more than last year. I have to admit it's partly due to the recent spell of relatively warm weather we've been having.