March 6 Rides

[KnottedYet]

A little 7 mile jaunt on my beloved Flosshilde. Haven't ridden my Waterford since November, been riding the commutermobile since then.

A few things of note:

I luuuuuuuuve Flosshilde! Wild passionate love!

The worn-out headset is very noticable. Must get it replaced soon.

A Nitto stem with shorter reach and higher rise could definitely improve my posture and ease up on my arms and neck.

Campy shifters and deraileurs.... blissful sigh. Luuuve 'em.

A compact double or a triple would make the hills much more fun. I feel like I need 3 or 4 more low gears.

:D riding my bikes :D

First order of business will be replacing the headset and stem.

[mimitabby]

A little 7 mile jaunt on my beloved Flosshilde. Haven't ridden my Waterford since November, been riding the commutermobile since then.

A few things of note:

I luuuuuuuuve Flosshilde! Wild passionate love!

The worn-out headset is very noticable. Must get it replaced soon.

A Nitto stem with shorter reach and higher rise could definitely improve my posture and ease up on my arms and neck.

Campy shifters and deraileurs.... blissful sigh. Luuuve 'em.

A compact double or a triple would make the hills much more fun. I feel like I need 3 or 4 more low gears.

:D riding my bikes :D

First order of business will be replacing the headset and stem.

KNot,what do you have? not a double OR a triple?

[KnottedYet]

Got a cyclocross double: like 48/38 (I haven't counted it, the LBS told me what it is) (oops, the little ring says 39 on it, so I guess it's a 48/39)

A Campy Veloce compact double 50/30 would fit Flossie fine, and be compatible with her Campy Athena brifters (according to my guys at Recycled Cycles)

If I went for a triple I'd also have to get a long cage derailleur in the rear to adjust for all the extra chain, and a few other things, which would get awfully expensive.

I think the compact double is my best bet. but first the headset and stem!
(of course, stronger legs could make up for the 8-tooth chainring difference.... what's the quote? "don't ride upgrades, ride up grades"? :p )

[limewave]

KNOT--I'm so happy Flosshilde is getting ridden! I'm sure she's happy to be with you.

Meanwhile, I have a 60 minute date with the trainer tonight. It's about 12 degrees outside which means its 40 degrees in our basement. It's going to be a cold ride. At least I have the Xterra 2006 World Championship on DVD to keep me motivated tonight.

I can't wait for warmer weather.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Knotted and Limewave,
It does my heart good to see how much joy Limewave's old bike now brings to Knot. :p :p :p Ain't bike love grand?? :D

[Eden]

If I went for a triple I'd also have to get a long cage derailleur in the rear to adjust for all the extra chain, and a few other things, which would get awfully expensive.

I think the compact double is my best bet. but first the headset and stem!
(of course, stronger legs could make up for the 8-tooth chainring difference.... what's the quote? "don't ride upgrades, ride up grades"? :p )

yeah - go for the compact double. A triple wouldn't get you too many more usable gears and you'd have to get a lot of stuff (I looked at going the other way triple to double) I would have had to replace the bottom bracket, rear and front derailleurs, cranks - would've cost nearly as much as I bought the bike for in the first place and wouldn't have even necessarily worked that well with my shifters.

I took my Ruby out for just the second time this year this morning. I almost forget what a sweet ride it really is.

[makbike]

I promptly walked out the front doors of my school and out to my car where I pulled my beloved "little blue bike" out from the back. I climbed upon her and off we went for a ride outside! It was a bit on the chilly side (upper 30's) with a slight wind blowing from the east. I fought the wind the first half of the ride but one I made the turn for home I had a gentle wind pushing me forward. It was a quick 19 miles as I now must get myself cleaned up so that I can journey into Louisville to help BF celebrate his birthday. It was great to be outside on the bike and I'm thinking I shall repeat today tomorrow after my meeting ends at 4:45.

[Kano]

11.7 miles today -- it's a beautiful, sunny 50-something afternoon here in Boise, so I decided to ride out to "the hill" and see where I'm starting this spring. Getting to the hill was a rolling ride into the wind. Climbing the hill -- half a dozen stops at least: being a sloth for five months isn't good for hill climbing skills! Still, with a bottom speed of about 3 miles per hour, I made it up the hill, and it only took 15-20 minutes, even with the stops to let my heart rate drop a bit and my breathing catch up to me.

THE hill is a road that goes up to the Birds of Prey thing here in the Boise area. I don't remember how long or high the climb is, but it ends in a parking lot where the research facilities, etc. are. They do tours too -- it's a neat facility. Anyhow, a "victory lap" around the lot was important! A gentleman in the parking lot commented on the challenge of the climb, and I told him, yeah, it was a bear today, but by the end of the summer....

Coming back home? over 27mph on a nice straight downhill run -- WEEEEEEE!!!! (and back to the big ring too!)

What a GREAT feeling to be riding again!

[BeeLady]

Not too much of a ride today but a first for me -- I used the bike rack on the front of the city bus!

I rode my bike to and from yoga class this morning, rode to lunch and then rode downtown (about 6 or 7 miles) to see a relative. Then a short jaunt to the bus stop, put my bike on the bus rack, and went across town to my not-so-local bike shop to buy a new rack and Ortlieb panniers for my other bike.

I had planned on a bus transfer and taking a second bus to the LBS but I was within five miles or so of the LBS so just rode the highway access road. Got my goodies and then took the bus back to within a couple of miles from my house.

I took the bus not so much because of distance, the bike shop being only 12 or so miles, but because of having to cross major highways, road construction, etc. I had looked for a somewhat safe route for some time and never came up with one. So this combo ride worked just fine.

Probably got close to 12 to 15 miles on my bike and now have a new strategy to get about anywhere in the city.:D

[Geonz]

Reg'lar commute plus side trip to teh bike shop for my New Wheel. The wheel with drum brake is installed; the light he didn't have time for on the lunch hour, which is fine because as a proper groupie it just means I get to go back again! (very nice that it's 2 miles from work and on my way home on days when I get of at five and it closes at six).
Sunday I drove to springfield (90 miles one way) and came back an ddecided that yes, I really did want to ride to Savoy (4 miles) even though I could have rationalized that heck, I was already in the car and it was to a friend's house for dinner and I wanted to look reasonably nice as opposed to showing up in sweats and fifty layers. Welp, I managed to only have three layers and the outer ones were reasonably nice, so even though I looked 20 pounds heavier than I am, I "passed" as a driver :) I just parked the Xtra in the back yard, got the bottle of wine out of the bags, left helmet & backpack out there, and went in the (closest) back door, which is where everybody was already. (I know I "passed" because when I went to exit the back door, I was told "the side door's open and that's closer" )
The ride home was exquisite - nearly full moon, crystal clear night, and a sweeet tailwind across the prairie.

[oxysback]

Rode 45 minutes on the trainer tonight. Probably could have ridden outside...it was beautiful today, but I had a hair appointment that went longer than I thought it would. I have enough hair for 3 people, so it got thinned out really well. Probably lost some 'hair weight'! I'll see tomorrow when I step on the scale. It only took me 15 minutes to dry instead of the usual 25. :)

[Fredwina]

I did my usual climbing route (minus the under repair section), I surprised myself by coming iwth a 1/2 MPH faster average:cool: Granted , the "new" route is a little flatter, and a lot smoother, so maybe it isn't all Baldy Road

[KnottedYet]

It was in the high 60's here today!
Flossie is just fabulous, FABULOUS I tell ya!


KNOT--I'm so happy Flosshilde is getting ridden! I'm sure she's happy to be with you.

Meanwhile, I have a 60 minute date with the trainer tonight. It's about 12 degrees outside which means its 40 degrees in our basement. It's going to be a cold ride. At least I have the Xterra 2006 World Championship on DVD to keep me motivated tonight.

I can't wait for warmer weather.

[Susan126]

GORGEOUS TODAY! My daugther and I did a beautiful 15 mile ride after work on the Orting Trail. Mount Rainier was out and all dressed up in brilliant new white snow. The Carbon River was high and the air coming off the rushing water was cold! We had an awsome ride!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/orting.jpg
My daughter at the start of the trail in the city of Orting.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/orting5.jpg
Almost finished with our ride. The sun is going down and the afternoon shadows have come out. My daughter.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/orting7.jpg
Me and my bike.

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d167/Howler247/orting3.jpg
My daughter and me. I took this with my arm outstretched and holding the camera! LOL

[withm]

Those things under your jersies.... I forget what they are called.

ohhh bare arms, that's it. Sheesh and it was 21o when I got up this morning, and about 30MPH north winds. I forgot what my arms looked like under so many layers of clothers all the time.

Will spring ever come? They have forecast our first measurable snow for tomorrow. That's the first snow for winter 2006-2007 that is. This is MARCH! We are supposed to get flowers not snow!

Sigh. Rant off now.

[Susan126]

Withm . . . you deserve to rant and rave! I would too! It's March and warmer weather should be here for everyone! My friend in Philadelphia was crying to me in an email this morning about how cold it is there. She said it is in the teens and maybe even snow tomorrow! Then she went on to say something not very nice about Pauxatawny Phil and her four wheel drive :eek: But then she calmed down and tried to be optimistic and said perhaps March is coming in like a lion but will go out like a lamb! I sure hope so for her sake because my friend may not last beyond March without nicer weather. I'm concerned! I did not tell her that it reached 70 degrees here today. I'm sure it would have pushed her over the edge! Hang in there withm!