iab

And in no particular order.

But today, w00t, is the official start of my commuter season. Day light savings time allows me to ride during the weekdays. Its about time.

I took my first ride since yesterday. Which was my first ride since early December. It was a particularly cold January and February around these parts. I think I was on the trainer maybe twice this winter. I hate that thing. But then again, I already had some ******* yell at me to follow the rules of the road while he rolled through a stop sign. Idiot.

Anyhow, I have a lot of work to do between now and the Ninth Annual Greater Chicagoland Spring Classic & Vintage ride in April. Then there is the ride out of the farm at the end of May.

Enjoy the road people!

intransit1217

I had to get out and test the value of trainers yesterday. Totally worthwhile in my case. I did residential on the way down and main road taking the lane coming back. I love motorists who yell at us through a half open window as they're passing. As if we can understand a word they're saying.

gomango

I did ride yesterday and I managed just under 500 miles in January.

I did a couple hundred on my neighbor's fatbike last month and I really plan on picking up the pace this week.

It may hit 55 degrees here in the Twin Cities by midweek.

non-fixie 

Me too.

DMC707

I am fat and slow -- but at 43 , not quite old yet but not quite young either --- but DST has got me excited as well ---

I look forward to re-purposing some of the older iron i brought home this winter into a commuter

I am a bit geographically challenged though as i live on an acreage outside of town --- just going to town turns into a serious ride and a bit white knuckle due to narrow, heavilly trafficked roads ---- so a commuter build is useless to me, but i like tinkering with cool stuff.
The combination of i-phone texting women and beered up trailer park dwellers driving dually pickups in my area means i even truck my road bike to a nearby lake to do laps on the lake road in relative safety ---

--- given the land i am sitting on though , i am fleshing out ideas for a pump track in my backyard , as i recently aquired a retro style SE bmx cruiser, -- would be a decent place to give a hardtail mountain bike a workout too i hope (I have also re-aquired an interest in classic BMX stuff too - i may share here if i build something nice -- this forums bmx section is woefully lacking for older guys' who like the vintage iron from the late 70's and early 80's )

But until my pump track dreams come to fruition, i will turn laps occasionally at the local bmx track


Doesnt this look like a fun place to play ride? The riding style popular today in bmx is to wheelie (or manual) over the jumps rather than catching air, -- so it is much more forgiving for guys' like me who dont have a lot of skill in that area

--- Another neat thing is i took along my heart rate monitor , -- 1 lap gets me to 165 heart rate --- so in essence, i am doing intervals while i play ride


The bike is retro styled with 26" wheels --- it still has a V-brake and a threadless stem, but the geometry is very similar to what was used in the 70's --- compared to today's BMX cruisers which are long and low with much steeper head tubes --- and typically alloy frames and in some cases, even carbon fiber boggles my mind to see carbon bmx er's

I want to find a genuine late 70's /early 80's 26" cruiser to do a period correct build on this year while i continue to bash on the new imitator


It may not be for everybody, but i have found it a fun and refreshing way to keep doing what i love -- which is riding bikes of all shapes and sizes

iab

I don't do this.




I also don't do this.

The Golden Boy 

I don't even remember my last ride- I was unpleasantly cold and didn't have fun.

A few years ago I decided that winter cycling was not for me. I was riding along, and suddenly my bike went out from underneath me and I landed in a snowbank. Truth be told, it was fun. 50 meters down the road, it happened again, but I landed on the ice/pavement. That was not fun. After a few more wipeouts like that and it was decided that cycling is a "no snow" hobby. I think I was sore for the next month or so.

horatio 

DST will make evening rides doable for me, and I'm in great need! Hope to be less fat by summer. Faster would be a bonus.

likebike23

You are not alone.

jjames1452 

Me too. I took my "fat boy" ride today. 20 miles with hills and wind. I get the cramp in my side that says "out if shape fat boy!"
I will get a couple of ten mile rides in at lunch this week.
Next week either a 40 or 60 mile slow ride. This will kick me into beginning riding shape.

A month from now the LBS rides start.
Two months from now, the Mighty TOSRV!

RobbieTunes

And there are no longer any openings in the circus......

A guy told me about a month or so ago: "fat men spin"

Yes, they do.

After a Monday in the 30's but with no snow or ice for the first time in a while, I waded through the week, hoping to ride.
Alas, it was not to be, with a work schedule from about 5 am to 6 pm, no daylight, just yet. This weekend should help that.

Tuesday, 30's.
Wednesday 70's.
Thursday 30's.
Friday 30's.

I skipped yesterday to clean the garage (and of course did very little).
The county shredder was in town, so a couple of hundred pounds of files went.
They had electronics shredding, too, so the VCR's, portable cassette decks, and two 33" TV's bit the dust.

Today, 60's, though Garmin thinks it's warmer.
Finally, first ride since Feb 7, and the only down side was the lack of time and distance available.
It would have been nice to have company, but it takes our group a couple of weeks to come out of hibernation.

Still, the end is in sight. Someone shot the groundhog, I think.

Vieux chnoque

I am old(model 1950), but not fat and slow, maybe slower than 20 years ago but I still hold my own at clubrides. This winter more wet than snow, since this morning 1400 k. of riding.
Not having to work helps. My main aim this year is the dolomites marathon July 5th, 148 k and 4500 meters to climb. Last time was in 2007, when I said this is the last time. I am old enough to have forgotten why I said that then, it may come to a harsh surprise in July, we'll see.

iab

oooooooo!!!

This one? Definately on my bucket list. Maybe in retirement someday, but not in the near future. Take pictures. Post them here please.

bibliobob

Pretty cool. Old, fat, and tired here as well. Well, actually, we're about the same age. My brother and I were BMX nuts when we were kids, and we got to meet Scott "Old Man" Breithaupt there and have a nice chat with us. I still might have a photo taken with him somewhere. Via the power of the Google, I see that the OM was only 27 when we met him, and already had the nickname!

I'd love to find a vintage OM Flyer as well....

crank_addict

haha- OK, I know the sorry azz feeling well enough.... excuses, excuses. Not enough X-skiing in for whatever reasons but why did I not take in some running? Never a fan of the spin classes but why didn't I hit the Y for some swimming? FL is looking good for cycling but only going for different reasons. Maybe I'll pick a bike up while there, use and the leave it behind. (Not worth the cost of shipping or airport shenanigans.)

edit: ^^^ Cheer's Bob. Thanks to you, I'm big time motivated on finishing that you know what project

thinktubes 

You would have to post this thread on my first day back on the bike since early November. Put in 15 mile and the answer is yes, yes, and yes.

Actually, I just happy the temp is finally above freezing in Chicago. The average high was 14 degrees for Feb. (New record).

cb400bill

iab, i am older, fatter, and slower than you. I haven't ridden my bike since late November and only got on the trainer once. I hate that thing.

However, I knocked out 22 miles this afternoon. 41 degrees felt not too bad.

bibliobob

I had to stay near the house today, so couldn't get miles in. But I did three reps of the hill that I'm living on, and that kicked my butt enough. 1200 ft total. Will have to work my way up to ten reps!

marius.suiram 

I am 51, but still riding my old Peugeot mountain bike. Every day 3 miles, to work, at 5:30 am. I did this in the last 4 years, I think.

This winter I missed two days, the snow on the road was too big and was windy.

Today it looks like spring is here.

iab

Sandbagging already?



Only 7 weeks until the spring ride.

cb400bill

Fish tacos!!! I can't wait!

poprad

Finally nice weather in DC. I had to work at the shop today, sold 2 bikes. Nice to see people out and buying.

I commuted all winter (20 mi daily), and am very excited about taking the Cross Check tomorrow instead of the '83 Ross Ice Machine. It's gonna feel like a carbon super bike after fighting that 38 lb beast over rutted ice and snow the last 3 weeks.

Chrome Molly

Spring riding is fun. You become "one" with the road...

r0ckh0und 

Is this the line to get a number, or the line for people who already have a number?

aeshultz

Same here x3. Went for a local club's "Single Speed" ride today- four fit guys and me.
It will get better.