Great Road Biking weather

[Big Game]

Yeah, except when its raining. But wow, have I really put the base miles on. I just hope the lack of winter keeps up so I can continue to pedal aimlessly over the same sandy roads instead of floating through stacks of powder in glades of white and green.

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

true, got out on Sunday morning for a nice 30 mi ride...felt good to be back in the saddle...what bike you riding on???

 

[Marc]

Damnit, I like riding as much as the next guy, but this time of year, it just ain't right.

I need to buy myself a trainer though. I falling far out of cardio shape.



I refrain from riding now though, not because it just isn't right, even though it isn't, but it will be painful and this weather won't last long enough for me to get anything accomplished.



Man, I'm just a raving excuse monkey.

 

[Phildozer]

Raving Excuse Monkey.

I like that. Do you mind if I borrow liberally?

 

[SKIQUATTRO]

since we all know what each other skis on, what do you all ride??

Road Cannondale R3000 full Durace
Mtn Giant Warp II Full Suspension

 

[Phildozer]

1987 Trek 1200

1999 Giant ATX 860

 

[Marc]

Borrow away Phildozer. I'll send you a bill for the royalties.


My three bikes have been put together by me.

Mountain bike:
2001-ish GT Marathon I-drive frame (only sold in Europe?)
XTR derailleurs
XT Shifters/levers
Avid mech. disc breaks
Mavic X221 disc rims/XT hubs/DT double butted spokes built by me
Race Face Exodus crank
Shimano M797 pedals
Marzocchi Marathon S Air/Coil fork
Fox Float RL air rear shock

Road bike:
2003 Lemond Victoire Ti frame
Spinergy Rev X Superstiff wheels
Ritchey road pedals
Full 2003 9 spd Dura Ace
Double crank, 12-27 cassette

and I still have my old GT mtn bike which was a solid ride, the Rebound
Stock wheels, sold my Mavics
Acera X shifters, crank, front der., brakes
XT rear der.
Marzocchi Z4 Fly-light air sprung fork

And of course, as on all my mountain bikes, WTB Velociraptor tires, the best as far as I've found.

 

[Marc]

Also a question about the title of this thread.


Why isn't it also great mountian biking weather? Mud is fun.

 

[skibum1321]

Also a question about the title of this thread.


Why isn't it also great mountian biking weather? Mud is fun.

Because riding in mud erodes trails and you shouldn't be riding muddy trails. Besides, I don't have fun riding in mud because my tires end up spinning out on big uphills and I have to walk my bike.

 

[skibum1321]

As for what I ride:

I have a Raleigh M80 hardtail right now. I'm looking to upgrade to an Iron Horse Azure Comp this spring. This will be my first full suspension bike and I've heard nothing but good things about the DW-Link suspension.

I'm looking to pick up a road bike this spring at a bike swap or something. Nothing fancy - just something to do when the trails are too wet for the mtn bike. If anyone is selling, I'm lookin...

 

[andyzee]

93 Trek 5200 Carbon Fiber, great bike, love it. Don't get to ride anywhere near as much as I used to.

 

[Npage148]

2002 Specilazed allez pro frame with C3 fork
mostly ultegra with some random replacment parts. Its a triple for those big adirondack hills
cosmos wheels.

The sad part is, i hardly have the time to go for rides so i mosly use it to commute 12 miles to classes. I love my road bike. Its great. rides over 100miles are wonderful. Its like a mini vacation with lots of senery.


Oh, my mtb is an old school trek Y3 with manatou triples clamps and mixed and matched parts. Its mostly a bomb around bike with some mild MTB when i get the motivation to meet up with my friend and ride

 

[Marc]

Also a question about the title of this thread.


Why isn't it also great mountian biking weather? Mud is fun.

Because riding in mud erodes trails and you shouldn't be riding muddy trails. Besides, I don't have fun riding in mud because my tires end up spinning out on big uphills and I have to walk my bike.

Apparently our trails get much less traffic around here. If anything erodes the trails, it's the ATV aholes. My fav rides I couldn't physically ride them enough to erode them. But perhaps we have different 'mud' conditions in mind.

But then again, down here in the Shetucket watershed, things don't even dry out in the summer.

 

[skibum1321]

I'm talking about when the whole trail is mud and your tires actually leave marks on the trail behind you. Some mud puddles here and there are fine and don't really contribute to trail erosion.

Totally agree with you about the ATV thing. I ride at Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsborough state park a lot and there are signs all over saying that ATVs aren't allowed but they ride there all the time anyway. They're extremely obnoxious and tear the trails up really bad.

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

...I like riding as much as the next guy, but this time of year, it just ain't right...I need to buy myself a trainer though. I falling far out of cardio shape...

I took my mountain bike for a 5-minute ride the other day and thought it was still too cold....where I'm skiing 2-4 days a week, I'm content this time of year to spin on a trainer watching the news...

Speaking of trainers, I've been using a Travel Trac Century Fluid Trainer for a few years now and am very pleased with it. I can use it with any of my bicycles and Performance Bike has it on sale for $149.99 and front wheel block for $5.99 see http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=20981&item=40-2317
specific details.

I've been to spin sessions where they have Cycle Ops trainers set up, much nicer product but for around $100 more it seemed a bit expensive...

 

[Marc]

Thanks for the inside Charlie, like I told you at the AZ Outing, I'm in the market.


I've seen the Cycle Ops Fluid 2 on eBay for like 150 used, varying levels of "used."


But there aren't many features to a fluid trainer when you get right down to it, just the build quality. And you you're happy with yours Charlie, I'll be sure to investigate.

 

[skibum1321]

Is anyone up for an AZ team at this century?

http://crw.org/SpringCentury.htm

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

A Century Ride in May...I could be ready for it...anyone else interested?

 

[Charlie Schuessler]

I looked into the Riding Club website, it appears for $12-$15 you can sign up fully supported 25, 50, 62.5 or 100-mile rides...

That is what I call a bargin!

Anyone else interested? :idea:

 

[skibum1321]

Let's go Marc...who needs a trainer when you can get out and ride 100 miles?