Power Output vs. Bikes
Likes For rubiksoval:
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,645 Times
in
6,054 Posts
I also want an aero bike, but for different reasons. Many of the nicer climbs are a ways out from where I live. Most of my riding time is just getting there on uninteresting, flattish roads that I've taken many times. I literally had to ride more than a metric century the other weekend just to include one Cat-1 that I'd never done. The way there and back on a windy day was tiresome, even when trying to get as low as possible (crosswinds making going IAB too twitchy). So a modern aero bike is appealing to me because it would reduce the time riding that I don't care about, at a slight - if any - slowdown to the riding I enjoy. The time saved with more aero actually increases the slower I ride (and I would be going slow to save energy for my destination hills), so the argument for aero being useless under racing speeds doesn't hold water. I don't know that it's worth the $5k minimum it costs to get a good aero bike, but I know my next road bike will be more aero for sure.
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
#30
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,949
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix, Canyon Inflite AL SLX, Ibis Ripley AF, Priority Continuum Onyx, Santana Vision, Kent Dual-Drive Tandem
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 871 Post(s)
Liked 725 Times
in
436 Posts
Def don't need to spend that much, unless you want new of course. There are some used Felt ARs out there pretty reasonably priced, it's at the top of the list for aero bikes, only 2w behind the SystemSix, which is the "fastest" at 203w (and disc, Cannondale def nailed it). The Felt is rim brake, but for where I want to ride fast, that's not a concern.
Agreed, my next bike with be aero and focused on speed. I have the gravel bike for all around use.
Agreed, my next bike with be aero and focused on speed. I have the gravel bike for all around use.
If I'm riding solo, yes. I loathe driving; the only time I do is when a group ride starts on the Eastside at 8am and I sure as heck won't get up at 6am on a weekend. I'd much rather complain about 3 hours of crosswinds than drive through the city for an hour. That's why my street-parked car has moss growing on it. I'd be happy LCF if I didn't have a dog (R.I.P.) and a partner who thinks we ought to own a car, even though she hates driving in the city even more than I do and makes me the DD on all trips. Sometimes I think it'd be nice relocating to the burbs where the nicer hills and roads are, but then I'd have to drive instead of being able to walk everywhere, so nah.
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,645 Times
in
6,054 Posts
@surak I feel the same way about driving to, say, Tiger Mountain. It's real worth driving to Rainier or Washington Pass to ride though.
Likes For Seattle Forrest:
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,949
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix, Canyon Inflite AL SLX, Ibis Ripley AF, Priority Continuum Onyx, Santana Vision, Kent Dual-Drive Tandem
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 871 Post(s)
Liked 725 Times
in
436 Posts
@surak I feel the same way about driving to, say, Tiger Mountain. It's real worth driving to Rainier or Washington Pass to ride though.
Won the lottery to ride RAMROD this year and I would've found a place to stay the night before, but anything over 1 hr drive to is something I'd lean towards doing once, ever. In fact, picking up road cycling has gotten me to way more places within a day's riding than I'd ever visited by motor vehicle in the 15 years I had lived here pre-bike.
Likes For surak:
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,645 Times
in
6,054 Posts
@surak Do you have a bike you can ride on hard packed dirt roads? And do Garmin Connect routes work for you? I'm going to try to peer pressure you into a once ever ride.
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Seattle
Posts: 1,949
Bikes: Specialized Roubaix, Canyon Inflite AL SLX, Ibis Ripley AF, Priority Continuum Onyx, Santana Vision, Kent Dual-Drive Tandem
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 871 Post(s)
Liked 725 Times
in
436 Posts
@surak Do you have a bike you can ride on hard packed dirt roads? And do Garmin Connect routes work for you? I'm going to try to peer pressure you into a once ever ride.
The best off-road bike in my stable is my Santana 26" tandem, which I'm running with 1.75" Marathon Plus Tour tires, but it comes with a stoker who isn't fond of hills.
Likes For surak:
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,645 Times
in
6,054 Posts
I'm sure you have an excellent suggestion that I will have to ride. Whether I have the means to ride it depends on the tires and gearing that I'd need. The max clearance on any of my single bikes is 35mm and came with 33mm nubbed Schwalbe X-Ones that I've never used, with CX gearing, 40-36 lowest gear. I'm fine riding it up Tiger, as a point of reference. And I have survived a misadventure riding single-track in the hills above Snoqualmie on my Roubaix with 25mm Corsa G 2.0s, which was a bit beyond what that bike could handle without losing traction and falling a couple times.
The best off-road bike in my stable is my Santana 26" tandem, which I'm running with 1.75" Marathon Plus Tour tires, but it comes with a stoker who isn't fond of hills.
The best off-road bike in my stable is my Santana 26" tandem, which I'm running with 1.75" Marathon Plus Tour tires, but it comes with a stoker who isn't fond of hills.
I've only got one bike, and I use tires that measure out to 33 mm. I'm not about to recommend you anything I haven't been able to ride like this, so you're golden. Sounds like I have my work cut out for me, though. I won't be offended if you have better sense than I do and don't want to spend half your day driving.
We have this breathtaking fall color on the eastern slope, trees that look like evergreens, but the needles turn a brilliant gold in October, and then fall. On a nice day, when the sun shines through those golden needles, it's pretty special. They only grow at higher elevations, so they tend to come with nice views. The more accessible ones should peak around the 3rd weekend in October. It's impressive enough that I spend pretty much all my free time every October hiking and riding with them.
Here's an all pavement route that will get you two mountain passes and a lot of larches. 97 is a fairly busy highway, with wide shoulders.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/43037660
Here's a similar loop with some hard packed dirt, and less 97. This one has better views. Also two passes, more climbing this way.
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/43038043
It's about 2 hours drive, each way, from downtown.
This is from the gravel version, just off the road, the road itself is much better than the ground in this pic, but I needed something to hold the bike up for a pic.
Likes For Seattle Forrest: