| luvmycritters
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Let's Ride!
This thread is for newbie cyclers, experienced ones, and everyone in between. Let's share our miles, training schedules, goals, accomplishments, and bloopers. I know there are some experienced cylclers here that I'm hoping will share their wisdom. We could even put together a cycling challenge if there's interest.
As for me, I've always loved to ride but have never done it seriously. Thanks to a neighbor, beautiful scenery, and nice weather I have the bug to do a century! Yikes! I started my training yesterday and have chosen a ride. It's actually a metric century (62ish miles) on June 23rd. Yesterday I rode 6 miles at a slow pace.
Anyone want to join me?
Lora |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:40 pm |
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| oldpjams
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| It's cool that you're doing this. 8) |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:03 pm |
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| OldGreyBob
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| Will 'Spinners' be welcomed or just pure cyclers? My gym maybe adding Les Mill's RPM soon, (Mega-Spinning.) |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:26 pm |
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| oldpjams
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| All that spinnin' and you never get anywhere! :D :D :D |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:30 pm |
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| A-Rod
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oldpjams wrote: All that spinnin' and you never get anywhere! :D :D :D
yeah but at least you don't fall over ...
i watched a hilarious interchange between "strange woman on banana-seat bike" and "rude driver with car in crosswalk" this morning on my way to work. much shouting and finger-wagging. |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:09 pm |
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| luvmycritters
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Of course spinners are welcome! I took a spinning class once. Kicked my rear but I made it through the class. I think it was called Power Pace and used a bunch of different speeds, positions, and resistances (umm is that a word?). Not a class for wimps.
I'm going to try a tandem bike today. LOL! Neighbor has a tandem and triple that they've used on rides before. He thinks it would be great for my training to use the tandem and put my 5yo son on the back. I'm a little nervous but we'll see how it goes. Should be interesting but it will be great if I can do it. Then I can go on rides with my daughter and son instead of asking her to watch him while I'm gone.
Anyone have tandem advice?
Lora |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:40 pm |
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| oldpjams
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I screamed at a car last weekend. Always fun.
Anysway. I rode twice today. Got up early to do a workout that was mostly tempo with some speed work thrown in and then a second ride at lunch just to finish up the tempo stuff. I don't organize my workouts by miles.
I don't have an event for several months -- back to back centuries the first weekend in Aug and racing starts at the end of the month. So it's mostly Base training and lots of long easy miles for me these days. |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:44 pm |
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| A-Rod
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jams, you should add the words "results not typical" in your sig ... you are a machine.
i was spinning a lot last year, had back and respiratory problems, and am now spinning again and loving it. eventually when i am not poor and/or scared of cars and spills, i might aspire to buy a real person bike. my cycling goals at the moment are to steadily increase my resistance and endurance. |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:49 pm |
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| oldpjams
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A-Rod wrote: jams, you should add the words "results not typical" in your sig ... you are a machine.
That's not true. When I started riding again as an adult 12mi seemed epic. I've worked hard and I've been fortunate to have received good advice.
I'm very motivated this year. I have a kid at home with a bookcase full of trophies and he's very quick to point out that he races = he wins. Nice. If I have to sweat blood this year then that's fine, but somewhere sometime I'm going to stand on a podium for him to see if it's within my ability. |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:58 pm |
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| A-Rod
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oldpjams wrote: A-Rod wrote: jams, you should add the words "results not typical" in your sig ... you are a machine.
That's not true. When I started riding again as an adult 12mi seemed epic. I've worked hard and I've been fortunate to have received good advice.
I'm very motivated this year. I have a kid at home with a bookcase full of trophies and he's very quick to point out that he races = he wins. Nice. If I have to sweat blood this year then that's fine, but somewhere sometime I'm going to stand on a podium for him to see if it's within my ability.
stop, or you'll make me start tearing up! ;)
i think the lil' guy has champ potential. he's got the disease early. |
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Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:03 pm |
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| WGirl
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Hi, me too.
riding 5 days a week plus or minus. Plan on doing a metric in a couple of weeks (or is it 3). |
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Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:03 pm |
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| oldpjams
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WGirl wrote: Hi, me too.
riding 5 days a week plus or minus. Plan on doing a metric in a couple of weeks (or is it 3).
Think of all the free bars you'll be able to stuff in your pockets at rest stops! |
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Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:40 pm |
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| luvmycritters
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I did 10 miles yesterday at a fairly good clip. I kinda wanted to push myself a little just to see what kind of shape I'm in. Not too bad but I'm not sure I can picture myself doing the metric century in 12 weeks! I guess I'll just keep at in and see if I can stay on track with the training chart I chose. I found one that is a 12 week plan and starts out a little slower. I'm not sure I am up to the one posted on the other thread.
I spoke to my other neighbor who is interested in doing tours. I thought she was a newbie too, NOT! She's very excited to have someone to ride with but I think she's gonna kick my butt. :shock: She pulled out a map of the trails here and says we can go here, hit this road, over to this trail, loop around here, etc. I'm listening and thinking I'm tired after 10 miles and she wants to do 50?! We'll see how that goes. LOL
Lora |
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Wed Apr 04, 2007 3:47 pm |
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| cyclechic
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A-Rod wrote: oldpjams wrote: All that spinnin' and you never get anywhere! :D :D :D
yeah but at least you don't fall over ...
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Best of all YOU NEVER GET DROPPED ! ! ! |
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Thu Apr 05, 2007 4:39 pm |
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| cyclechic
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luvmycritters wrote:
I spoke to my other neighbor who is interested in doing tours. I thought she was a newbie too, NOT! She's very excited to have someone to ride with but I think she's gonna kick my butt. :shock: She pulled out a map of the trails here and says we can go here, hit this road, over to this trail, loop around here, etc. I'm listening and thinking I'm tired after 10 miles and she wants to do 50?! We'll see how that goes. LOL
Lora
Thanks for starting this thread - it should be fun - but then anytime the word bicycle is mentioned my ears perk up and I get excited :)
It is still cold here :( I know the hard cores go out riding in below freezing temps but I am just a weenie I like it at leas 50 F (it is currently 20F here right now) I was riding outside at this time last year :(
Luv- they way I got started riding w/ stronger riders was to plan our routes so there were bailout points. Plan a route that has turns where you can just head on home. We still do it if some have time constraints and can't go the whole route. Most of our routes are loops rather than out and backs so we never get too far from civilization. (We have routes around here where we can go 40 miles and never pass through or by a town)
The biggest problem I have found in riding with stronger riders is it is hard for them to slow down.
One way I have solved this is to ride different bikes. DBF is a stong rider and so he rides a hybrid when we go out, I have to ride a road bike to keep up w/ him. When I go out w/ one of my GF's she is on a leisure bike so I ride my mountain bike when I go w/ her.
It sounds like your neighbor has a good arsenal of bikes so perhaps she would be willing to ride a slower bike.
Another dilemma when I have ridden w/ riders slower than me (which are far and few between :P )I find I am ok staying w/ them on the flats but I always end up dropping them on the hills (and that is where I get dropped by stronger riders) If it isn't a real hilly ride that isn't a problem because a person can just soft pedal at the top until the other rider catches up but if it is a hilly route it can get very frustrating for both riders.
Hopefully some of this will help you. Be brave and go for it. Unless you have bike shorts now my guess is your butt will give out before anything else :lol:
BTW - How did the tandem ride go???? I have never ridden a tandem but I think they would be a blast. Once again the person in the rear would never get dropped ! |
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Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:02 pm |
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