chaadster

My club opened up the summer season last Wednesday, and we knocked out another ride that Saturday, and man, it feels so good to be back to speed!

During the cold Michigan winter, though I mostly ride gravel, the road rides, too, are just slower and more often solo, so none of the go-fast dynamics are there for me 5 months of the year for me. The weather is now pushing 60ºF, so the thick, thermal layers are gone, the fast road bike is dusted and tuned up, and the gang is gettin’ after it…it’s just the dream for me!

While I envy those who live in nice climates all year round, I think those folks miss out on the unique, deep-down, full body joy of spring re-emergence. That’s what we Northerners tell ourselves, anyway, and the past few days, I’ve been believing it whole-heartedly! Sunny, bright blue skies, warming air, spring buds and blooms, adrenaline pumping…I’ve got a feeling it’s going to be a great summer of riding!

Anyone else absolutely stoked by their first rides of the season?

mcours2006

Amen to that! Still waring long tights, or at least 3/4 length tights, but maybe this weekend could be shorts.

We are in training mode for a double century at the end of June. So pretty much every weekend is a long road ride. We've done two centuries already, and have a 220-km ride this coming weekend. Then 250 two weeks later, and perhaps another 250 the week after that.

I'm hoping the heat and humidity staves off for the big ride this year. Last year's double century was brutal with humidex 40*C and windy.

Troul 

I've been riding out on the road bicycle for a few months already, but as of recent, I've been able to shake away the use of multilayered clothing. Once the layers are no longer needed, I feel like a road hungry biking animal!
So, as another Michigander, I can relate that "warm" weather feeling!

msu2001la

Yes!
I'm very happy to be out riding on dry roads with no arm or leg warmers. This spring has been very cool and wet in Chicago, but the last few days and upcoming week seem to be trending in the right direction. I'm hoping the last few weeks of spring continue like this.

chaadster

A double century is impressive; that’s an imcomprehensibly big ride in my world! Kudos!

I did summer bibs down here on Saturday, which was a little marginal, and I’d probably have been happier had I added knee warmers, particularly because we had 14mph wind blowing kinda chilly. But yeah, I’ll be in heaven when I’m sweating buckets in just summerweight jersey and bibs!

chaadster

I’ve not had the fitness the past several winters to emerge in spring a road hungry animal, but this season I’m right there with you feeling that, and it’s awesome! We were sprinting to the Chelsea village limit sign on Dexter-Chelsea road last Wednesday, and although I was hurting, I was practically giggling the whole time!

Troul 

This past weekend enabled for a clean (dry) ride, rolling thru Oakland, Macomb, & Wayne counties. If it werent for the lack of available time, I'd went much further since the conditions were pretty great!

WhyFi

It's been a miserable spring in MN - I've only had a few rides with just bibs and jersey - but it looks like we'll be jumping headlong in to summer this week. While I look forward to the warmer weather, it'll probably be a slog the next couple of weeks - my weekend ride in 70° and sun tells me that I'm approximately 0.13% acclimated to riding in hot weather at this point.

EGBigelo

Living in Buffalo, NY I know that exact feeling! Starting my lunch rides today and I'm so excited. Got the road bike in washed and tuned up this weekend, and I'm good to go.

indyfabz

Rain, 50 mph gusts and temperatures down into the 40s in Philly was our weekend. Of course, it gets nice for the work week.

mstateglfr 

Well you are about double my acclimation right now!
I did 46mi on Saturday morning in 70deg sun with wind and was useless for a few hours after. Today is 88 and wind, but a much shorter ride.

Bob Ross

LOL! I've been very fortunate to have spent the last two winters in the high desert of Arizona, so been riding year-round. Then again, when I wintered in New York I rode year-round also, it's just that there were a lot more days when I didn't ride.

But I just got back to New York this past week and have done two rides so far, and I will admit there is something invigorating about kitting up in the weather-appropriate attire for a damp, cloudy, 50°F day and knocking out a 50 mile ride, something that just doesn't resemble the Oh Look, It's Another Beautiful Day approach to riding in AZ.

For those of you who literally did not ride all winter, I sympathize.

chaadster

Haha…yeah, and there’s that! I think it bothers me more at home, though; when it hits 75ºF in the house, I start getting ornery. I’m philosophically opposed to turning on the A/C in April or May, though! Well, maybe by late May…

chaadster

Hey, if you’re ever riding out by Gasport, stop in, try the wine and say hi to my buddy Patrick at Liten Buffel Winery!

aliasfox

I spend winter with a bike on an old Minoura Mag Trainer in the basement watching old TV shows on an iPad... so yes, not only happy that the first few weekends with 60F weather are starting to appear, but also weekdays where it's still above 60F after 5:30pm AND there's still enough sun to get a good 90mins-2hrs on a bike.

That said, having spent all of October and part of November in California last year, winter wasn't quite as long as it typically is in the NE, but still eager to get back out there!

prj71

The spring in the midwest has definitely sucked this year. But owning a fat bike to ride in the winter helps.

LarrySellerz

Im so lucky to be riding in California, we don't really have an off season it just rains more

aliasfox

One thing I learned while riding in The Bay Area last fall is that 55-60F weather isn't all the same. Cloudy, dreary, or blustery 55F on the east coast is for some reason much less pleasant than sunny and dry 55F in CA.

DonkeyShow

I only ride between 60-75f, tis the best time of year!

rumrunn6

yeah, getting the light road bike, out of the basement, is way easier that the heavier MTB, that I mostly use during the winter months

NoWhammies

Miserable spring in my part of the PacNorthWest too. Lots of and lots of rain. My only hope is that all this rain now means for a) very few forest forest lowering air quality and b) a summer of great days for riding.

SoSmellyAir

Not down here n the southern half. I think I got sunburnt for the first time in my life riding on Friday afternoon.

chaadster

OMG, right…forest fires have huge impacts on so many things. It’s easy to forget that even if your house isn’t threatened, you could still face weeks of ruined riding.

Best luck to you!

robbyville

I’m one of those that gets to ride year round, there are a few months where if riding at 6:30 like I mostly do I have to wear a light jacket and tights or knee warmers (this year I had to break out the toe warmers a bunch but never the boots).

We’re starting to hit our hot season, 72 deg low today so need to be done riding before it gets to 100.

Although I’m happy to have sold all my indoor riding equipment when we moved here almost 7 years ago, this thread made me smile intensely. I absolutely remember the joy I would feel getting out for my first “real” ride of the season. Where I could go out for over 25 miles in clear and crisp air without freezing my tush off and only freezing the grin on my face.

Great to hear that so many still let themselves feel that most wonderful feeling!