EB Cycling Club

[FLBuff PE]

ok that's good to know, I think the wife ordered some lights when she signed us up - So do I need a "front light" for the tunnel?

And we promise we are doing some bike rides with yall this summer - last summer I think having  a kid graduate and family stay for a month really wrecked our summer! - This year even though middle kid graduates I think the family is not staying as long (crossed fingers)

Do people ride crazy fast or will there be an old people section? 

I rode with both a front and rear light that I got off the Amazon. Yes, there will be the riders who see themselves as semi-pro, and there will be an "old people" group. The nice thing about these organized rides is that there are groups of all rider abilities, and you can find a group of people who ride the same level as you. I really enjoyed my ride at Tour of the Moon. Just remember it is a RIDE, not a RACE, even though some will treat it that way. Don't worry if people are passing you...ride YOUR ride and climb, and, most important, HAVE FUN!

 

[Road Guy]

I hope to drift towards the lower 2/3 of the ride, I defin just want to finish and have no desire for time - its just this state has so many crazy bike riders here I just hope its not entirely full of boulder assholes who want to try and do 55 MPH..

thanks for all the intel!

We are starting to see the schedule open up for us with only 1 kid in High School next year so looking forward to do more stuff like this before our bodies fall apart.

 

[FLBuff PE]

I can't remember the top speed I hit on the way down...maybe 50...I went to CU Boulder...does that make me an asshole?

 

[csb]

I went to CU Boulder...does that make me an asshole?

We didn't want to say anything. 

 

[Road Guy]

Would you ride 3- wide on SH 119 on a weekend and act like the cars are the problem?

 

[Master slacker]

 

[FLBuff PE]

Would you ride 3- wide on SH 119 on a weekend and act like the cars are the problem?

No, because I prefer to ride solo, most times. See discussion in the Fitness thread about getting away.

Better that you know now. 

 

[Road Guy]

you may have been away a while but I am sure you know the types I am referring to - I realize they call the "trail" on US 35 a bikeway, but there are several tools on there always tryin to do time trials for the Tour De France that need a good kick in the nuts!

 

[FLBuff PE]

We have those over here, too. And I have definitely seen the racer wanna-bes in the metro area.

 

[FLBuff PE]

Well, I've been limping my mountain bike along for many years now. Last year, my chain snapped while climbing up Mary's Loop in Fruits. A couple of good guys on the trail gave me a quick link to fix my chain. Then, on a different climb, it snapped again. That was a long walk back to the trail head. I had the bike tuned, but it still was shifting weird. Then, last weekend while riding it to the store, it shifted the chain between the front drive and the frame, and jammed. It's a ~20 year old Kona full suspension, so nothing super special. I looked into upgrading components, and it would cost about as much as a newer bike. So, long story short, I'm in the market for a new mountain bike. Anyone have experience with the 1x drives vs. 2x?

 

[csb]

Would you ride 3- wide on SH 119 on a weekend and act like the cars are the problem?

I feel like those groups are the ones that get me buzzed by vehicles when I'm riding solo, way over on the right. Like the driver has built up rage from cyclists who don't share the road. 

 

[FLBuff PE]

@Road Guy I rode the Colorado National Monument this weekend, in the same direction that you will. The loop starts out rolling, then when you get to the west entrance of the Monument, the climbing starts. 1,100 feet of climbing in the first 4 miles to the visitor's center. Take it easy, and ride your climb. Make sure you and Mrs. RG have both front and rear lights...there are two tunnels that you ride through on the way up. After that initial beating over the head, the grade flattens out, and is a more gradual climb. There are a few "You thought you were done climbing? Take this!" grades, but nothing like the initial climb. After you hit the high point (6,400 feet), it is a gradual decent until Cold shivers (or something like that), and then the decent becomes fast and winding (and fun). The best piece of advice I can offer, other than what I have previously, is make sure that you are used to being on your bike for 3 to 4 hours.

 

[Road Guy]

good intel thank you!  - Weather was shitty here yesterday (windy as F) but we did another15 miles- trying to get my butt cheeks used to the ride. But its very little elevation gain, but I am hoping to be able to add 5 miles a week or something.

I just need to find a place to get some hill climb work in.

 

[Road Guy]

And there are too many gadgets available for bike riding!

I've got a Garmin fenix watch which is great - it tells me speed and distance, and that's about all I really need. Probably not NASA rated but close enough for government work

The wife has a similar watch, but ordered some sensors that connect to the watch for counting cadence? and some other stuff. She spent the first half of our ride pulling over and bitching that it wasn't connecting and then when it would connect it would disconnect the blue tooth for her music, i tried not to laugh cause she gets some gadget and then gets upset when it doesn't work, or until she figures it out, I was like, cant we just ride? we have done this route 100 X so you should know about how far we have gone and such..

 

[FLBuff PE]

^Too true on the gadgets. I broke down and got a Garmin bike computer (not the ultra fancy ones), and got the cadence and speed sensors for it, as well as the heart rate monitor. I find that I like to know where I'm comfortable riding (HR and cadence), as well as how hard I'm working (HR).

 

[FLBuff PE]

On Saturday we had a bike swap near my house. Took my wife's and my old mountain bikes to the swap (they were pretty worn out), and they sold! We were shocked. More importantly, I found a mountain bike for myself. Breezer Repack Expert with a dropper post the former owner put on. 27.5" wheels. I ready to get out on some trails and get back into mountain biking. I'm not giving up road riding, just expanding my horizons. The pic below is not my bike, but a pic of what I picked up.

 

[kevo_55]

Good news.

Mrs Kevo gave the OK for me to ride my bike to work during the summer.

Granted it's only 3.5 miles one way, but it will be a good thing to do!

 

[P-E]

First ride of the year today.  My legs feel like jello, my arse is sore, and my neck is sore.   I need a nap and a beer.   Need to get out there more often and get in shape. 

 

[Road Guy]

So I picked this up Friday, one of the REI brand bikes, I am told these come of the Giant Assembly Line... I was going back and forth with a similar specialized bike at another shop for a little more, but I had almost $400 in REI $$$ (dividends and gift cards we get through our wellness program) plus the 15% off memorial day sale...

https://www.rei.com/product/106343/co-op-cycles-ard-12-bike

Honestly have to say I never thought I would join this club, but "hory shit" was this thing fast (on the test drive)

I am going to start with just some of those extra spikey mountain bike pedals- I am not really looking forward to learning the whole clip in pedal saga, after watching my wife fall down almost every time she goes out with hers (even when we are not drunk biking)

 

[Supe]

Really considering having a cheap solid front fork put on my Diamondback so I can actually use it again.  Too fat for the fork that's on it, and junior no longer as a mountain bike, so...