I don't have kids but I can understand how having them changes the risk calculation. I have to think though, that having a father that is happy, active, and does what he genuinely enjoys would benefit them a lot as they grow up. There's gotta be a way to make it all work.
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Originally Posted by TheKillerPenguin
(Post 19535257)
I don't have kids but I can understand how having them changes the risk calculation. I have to think though, that having a father that is happy, active, and does what he genuinely enjoys would benefit them a lot as they grow up. There's gotta be a way to make it all work.
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There's a pretty pronounced genetic disposition towards heart disease and chemical dependence on my dad's side of the family. It's funny how many of my cousins of my generation are pretty hardcore active. A couple of cousins do several IM's a year, another is through-hiking the Appalachian Trail, another does open water swim races, I race bikes.
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Y, replicating the type of fitness you have now after a few years off is not going to happen. Fat jokes and shots about your emotional state are all in good fun, but probably worthless attempts to penetrate your current state. What appears to need to happen is somehow making it work until the kids get a little bit older, repeatedly.
That means really listening to that nagging little voice in your head without fully giving yourself over to it. Chances are you'll come back with a fresher perspective on racing or enjoy talking to the people on group rides more. Sneak out now and then to keep sane. Otherwise doing max cadence burping intervals on Zwift for the next few months will do more for you long term than weak attempts to fully enjoy a new hobby. Which by no means rules out a new hobby in whatever limited time you have. From my perspective your biggest hurdle is holding a kid in each arm makes relaxing with a beer into not relaxing with a beer, ever. Pre-pre selection is so ridiculous it can't even qualify as an acceptable human endeavor. |
Originally Posted by Ygduf
(Post 19535227)
this is one of the times I wish you'd write like a normal person with understandable phrasing.
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But fairly and quite obviously for the purpose of pointing out numerous other people have survived being a new parent and riding a bike. Unless you thought he was being serious about separating the twins at birth and hiding one under the stairs with nothing to wear but a potato sack and grocery bags. My intent was not to be injurious to either party here.
Originally Posted by globecanvas
(Post 18263333)
Those of us who already have twins, plus other kids too, would like you to stop complaining about the twins you don't even have yet.
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Originally Posted by furiousferret
(Post 19535219)
Last year, we lost 4 local riders in a 2 month span, that got me thinking. I also don't think my wife wants me riding anymore after so many close calls. I really do enjoy cycling though, so its hard to just walk away.
It seems like it's not bike racing that's dangerous; it's the training is where people get really really hurt. |
Originally Posted by furiousferret
(Post 19535219)
Last year, we lost 4 local riders in a 2 month span, that got me thinking. I also don't think my wife wants me riding anymore after so many close calls. I really do enjoy cycling though, so its hard to just walk away.
He is the one that talked me out of road riding. I kind of miss it, though. |
Originally Posted by Flatballer
(Post 19535237)
I think my odds of dying by fat and of shape if I don't start riding again are higher than dying by car if I do start riding again, but maybe I'm just justifying.
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Here in Houston, traffic has gotten noticeably worse since I started riding. With the city's sprawl, you have to ride further and longer to get to the decent roads. I'm not worried so much about the cars as the inconvenience.
So I just ride the trainer now. |
Originally Posted by mattm
(Post 19535495)
This has probably already been covered, and doesn't really change much but..
It seems like it's not bike racing that's dangerous; it's the training is where people get really really hurt. Racing is mostly scrapes, broken bones, etc. Although evaluating an array of hobbies, bike racing is more dangerous than badminton, knitting, football, and hockey. |
Originally Posted by Ygduf
(Post 19535227)
this is one of the times I wish you'd write like a normal person with understandable phrasing.
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Originally Posted by furiousferret
(Post 19535758)
Although evaluating an array of hobbies, bike racing is more dangerous than badminton, knitting, football, and hockey.
But yeah, bike racing is definitely risky - there's no way around it. Road riding/commuting is even riskier. Hockey though.. I thought it was kind of a joke that hockey players have missing teeth, then saw a game on TV recently and realized it's not a joke at all. What if someone was in to recreational/weekend hockey and came in to worth with missing teeth?! |
Originally Posted by Ygduf
(Post 19534949)
Scarponi with his kids in his final tweet basically put into image the concerns I've had for some time.
The world would be a far better place without automobiles. Would be nice if the governments around the world realized that. I ride in India where people drive crazy. A ride without close calls is a rarity. And yet, I have to ride to be sane. |
Originally Posted by johnybutts
(Post 19535671)
Here in Houston, traffic has gotten noticeably worse since I started riding. With the city's sprawl, you have to ride further and longer to get to the decent roads. I'm not worried so much about the cars as the inconvenience.
So I just ride the trainer now.
Originally Posted by topflightpro
(Post 19535175)
I've started giving track a go this year. It's a three hour drive there, but it's different. And the lack of cars is definitely a plus.
That said, Monday through Friday, I'm on the rollers or trainer. I don't bother trying to ride among the cars during the workweek. I've gotten very caution about my riding lately, spending hours on google maps to make sure that roads have shoulders (though that alone is no guarantee of anything). Perhaps eventually i'll do M-F riding on rollers as well, and if it's summer, i'll probably have to use ice vests |
I have a little portable AC unit (12,000BTU), it can turn a small room into a refrigerator (it cools my whole condo no problem if I leave the bedroom door open).
Some of the best money I have ever spent. |
Originally Posted by hack
(Post 19535268)
Agreed, but wonder if other hobbies would offer up the same happiness with a reduced chance of getting smashed.
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Originally Posted by echappist
(Post 19535838)
Even in the summer of the South? how do you guys have the trainer set up? How many fans blowing, and any portable AC units? I remember @topflightpro mentioning that the AC doesn't do much anyway, so that may be a moot point.
I've gotten very caution about my riding lately, spending hours on google maps to make sure that roads have shoulders (though that alone is no guarantee of anything). Perhaps eventually i'll do M-F riding on rollers as well, and if it's summer, i'll probably have to use ice vests |
Originally Posted by echappist
(Post 19535838)
Even in the summer of the South? how do you guys have the trainer set up? How many fans blowing, and any portable AC units? I remember @topflightpro mentioning that the AC doesn't do much anyway, so that may be a moot point.
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Chappy, I ride in the garage with two fans. On really hot days, I often put an ice pack on my back.
I tried a portable A/C unit. It took too long to get the garage cool, plus I didn't have good ventilation, so it was giving off heat as it was trying to cool. |
Hm, just occurred to me I could technically ride to race at Lime Rock Sunday... 54 miles / 3600 feet each way.
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Originally Posted by TheKillerPenguin
(Post 19535257)
I don't have kids but I can understand how having them changes the risk calculation. I have to think though, that having a father that is happy, active, and does what he genuinely enjoys would benefit them a lot as they grow up. There's gotta be a way to make it all work.
Anyway, I lifted yesterday and am sore af despite using what I thought should be like 60% weight. When I opened the app I had been using to track lifting it said "621 days since last workout"... I guess that explains it. |
Originally Posted by mattm
(Post 19535495)
This has probably already been covered, and doesn't really change much but..
It seems like it's not bike racing that's dangerous; it's the training is where people get really really hurt. |
This doesn't really contribute to the conversation, but I watched a couple of those vegan cyclist group ride videos and was amazed at the high speed traffic throughout. Maybe the videos make it look worse than it is but it seemed like the whole ride was on the shoulder of 55mph roads full of trucks. Don't you have any quiet 30mph roads out there?
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Most of those roads look like county roads. If they're unposted, it's the default highway speed limit of 55. The big rides in the Sacramento area are all on roads like that (Garden Highway, South River Road, Auburn-Folsom, Putah Creek): 2 lanes, 55mph, maybe a shoulder, maybe not.
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Originally Posted by globecanvas
(Post 19537132)
This doesn't really contribute to the conversation, but I watched a couple of those vegan cyclist group ride videos and was amazed at the high speed traffic throughout. Maybe the videos make it look worse than it is but it seemed like the whole ride was on the shoulder of 55mph roads full of trucks. Don't you have any quiet 30mph roads out there?
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Since I've come back I've stuck to residential roads. Sunset is a good loop and cars are a rarity which don't go over 30. Our area has a lot of climbs that are empty, the problem is the traffic getting to them. Any flat road is a death trap. If its flat and empty, cars will go over 100 on it. Either to race, or shorten a commute.
I'm also not allowed to do any group rides until June, its more or less the compromise I have with my wife. I really don't mind it. I enjoy it as a solo activity just as much. |
I think the riding out here is much less stressful than riding out east in the new york metro area (I felt drivers were more aggressive in the east coast). There are bike lanes on most roads here, and a lot of signs on the roads say "riders can use the full lane" or "give 3 feet when passing." I think the cars are used to seeing lots of bikes in silicon valley.
Even the roads where people may be driving fast in the mountains, the shoulders are wide and the roads are relatively wide. I ride about 12 miles a day with my kid on a gravel bike (and he's in a seat behind me) and love riding in the bike lanes. The suburbs here are pretty and the roads are very smooth. Riding through Atherton is like riding in Greenwich, CT but with nicer weather. That said, I always feel more comfortable early in the morning when there are less cars on the road. |
As far as road safety goes, about 75 percent of all car-bike crashes occur in urban and suburban areas, with most happening when the motor vehicle is turning.
However, about half of all fatal crashes occur on rural roads, where speed is greater. (This is all based on North Carolina data, as NC is one of the few states to study this regularly, but it is likely a fair representation of what is going on throughout the rest of the country.) |
The vehicles that scare me the most are lifted pickup trucks with elephant ear side mirrors. I very nearly got whacked in the back of the head by one this winter, I don't think their owners realize how far out those things stick.
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