September rides, bringing in the fall.

[north woods gal]

Guess it's my turn to start the monthly ride thing, so here goes.

Took time from my packing to do a little riding, today. Did 14 miles of pavement on the Log Lady - again, between showers in very sticky, warm air - then followed it up with 3 miles of trail work with the Krampus. Yeah, single speed riding, as usual. As much as I ride single speed, now, you can pretty much assume my riding is single speed unless I indicate, otherwise.

Not crazy about leaving home for a week and putting up with the hassles of all the crowds in Florida, but these conferences are very important to my husband, so I support him and do so without any complaint. For sure, he supports me in all my interests without any hesitation, so we've got a good thing going.

[Crankin]

You'd never know it was September here; today it's 91 with a dew point of 74. We had 2 typical, beautiful late summer days on Friday and Saturday and I did not ride on either. My granddaughter was here on Friday, and since DH had to work from home for about half the day, we ended up just taking a 2 mile walk with her, and then later going to the playground. Both DH and I have been fighting allergy related stuff, mine is just not going away, very frustrating. Anyway, on Saturday we had to leave at about 3:45 to go to our friends' who bought a music store and moved to Worcester, about 30 miles west of here. So, after lying around watching the McCain funeral all morning, we decided to do a quick 4 mile walk/hike, partially on the road, dirt roads, and an out and back on a trail. Yesterday, I felt terrible, but headed out alone at around 1. It was hot and I ended up doing one of my short rides I usually do at 5 AM. That was a mistake! Around 4, our friends from western MA arrived and we had a lovely evening. Got up today, knowing we would be riding, despite both of us feeling meh. The forecast looked frightful, too. We didn't leave until 10, but were ok with shady roads until right at the end. We did a slightly shorter version of our club rally ride, from our house. Despite my sinuses not feeling well, I felt pretty strong. There's a significant climb in this ride, and it seems it is always hotter than hell when we do it! We ended up doing 27 miles and I was very glad to be done, as I was definitely feeling heat exhaustion setting in in the last 3 miles. Eating Shot Blocks and drinking Scratch helped a lot, but I do not think I could have ridden more.
Feeling revived after showering and going out for a sandwich. Debating if I will ride to work tomorrow.

[emily_in_nc]

We debated going out today as it was predicted to be quite stormy, but from the radar, we thought we'd be okay and could cut our usual loop short if it started looking bad. Ended up turning around a little early and getting in 27.5 vs the usual 35 miles. No biggie. It actually didn't rain until we'd been home long enough that we could have done our full ride, but better safe than sorry, especially since DH had just lubed his chain and didn't want to get it wet. Very hot and humid still, and with a stiff east breeze, which gave us an excellent tailwind on the way back. Tropical Storm Gordon is well south of us but is bringing in some very unsettled weather even up here in the Orlando area.

[north woods gal]

Well, here I am in the Clearwater Beach area in Florida, which is actually a narrow key island. The tropical storm missed us, but the weather is the usual rain after 2pm every day. I rented the usual comfort/hybrid, this morning and managed only 6 miles before I could fell the heat and humidity and the heavy, dense tropical air getting the best of me. Will try to do more, tommorow and ride, earlier, but this isn't my first Florida visit, so no surprise about needing to go slow and acclimate to this very different climate.

All paved riding and pretty featureless and bland. Everything is in a nice straight line and the only hills are the big steep bridges over the waterways. Nice to have the ocean on both sides, though. That's pretty cool.

[emily_in_nc]

NWG, enjoy your time in Florida. As you know, where I am, we have more lovely large trees and actual hills to boot, so the cycling is a little more interesting, though I wouldn't mind an ocean view! We have lakes, but no oceans. Same heat and humidity, though. I'm acclimated to it, but it takes awhile to get your body used to it, so take it easy and don't overdo.

Really glad TS Gordon didn't prove to be a problem on the west coast of Florida and hope all other storms will stay away from our state. This is my least favorite time of year here, as you have to be on your toes, always watching for that next approaching storm.

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. I managed 12 miles, today, in the 87 degree heat and crazy humidity, but was extra careful to drink as much water as I could stand. I think that helped. I was goings nuts, though to climb a hill, so I rode over the nearest tall bridge and back. We have no hills so long or steep in our area, so a really nice workout. The old clunker 21 speed hybrid I'm renting was bottomed out, but we made it. Had to be extra careful going downhill, though. That old bike started to shimmy at about 28 mph and those old rim brakes didn't inspire confidence, so backed off the speed and worked the brakes, carefully. Beautiful view from the top of the bridge, though.

All kinds of bikes and bikers, here. Not happy to see so many without helmets, though. The good news is that all the main roads have nice and wide marked bike lanes.

[Crankin]

Personally, I have found that the further south you go, the less you see helmets, especially in areas with a large "retirement" population.
I rode 21.5 miles this morning. It is just slightly less humid and hot than yesterday, probably about 80-83 while I rode. I was delayed a bit by having to deal with one of my young adult clients who has fallen apart. Oy, always on my day off.
I rode 5 miles, up a street that's a series of hills, which are not steep, but keep coming, with some nice breaks, across the highway, and down a hill to the bike trail. It is really shady and was a good choice for today. It was quiet, too. Probably rode about 9 miles on the trail; I didn't go as far as I usually do, as I didn't want to do an out and back, as I am a little sick of riding home on the road I climbed to get to the trail. I stopped at the point where the new part of the trail ends and turned onto a lovely super shady road in the town of Carlisle. From there, I accessed the main road into Concord Center, which is pretty flat. Made it through the center, despite some ugly road construction and then scooted around West Concord center, by doing the reroute I do when I commute. The last 4 miles were not so shady, but it didn't feel half as bad as Monday's ride.
Tomorrow is the peak of our heatwave, with a real feel of 105 predicted. Although I may ride early AM (like 5), I will be safely inside my office. After that, looks like beautiful, typical New England, crisp, cooler (50's-70's) for a long stretch. And, my horrible allergy thing is finally gone, after 2 weeks.

[emily_in_nc]

Yeah, re. helmets, we see a lot of folks without them (even younger guys wearing fancy kits and riding road bikes much higher-end than mine) here, and of course lots of casual cyclists on hybrids and various other comfort bikes with unprotected heads, even occasionally a kid without one, which I hate and always feel like calling the parents out on (but don't). Riding on the paved trail, I guess they feel invincible, but I'd still rather be protected, as there are plenty of road crossings, and occasional close calls with other cyclists coming around curves.

Did our usual 35-miler today and felt better than I have in awhile. Favorable wind direction, so I actually averaged 14, rare for me, given the number of stops and starts and in-town riding at the beginning an end of each ride. Even though it was in the 80s with humidity, the sunshine was a bit hazier, and the sun angle is noticeably more acute than even a month ago, so it doesn't feel quite as bad. Not that I'm not completely drenched during the ride, as I am, but I just don't feel so horrible!

[north woods gal]

I'm with you, Emily, on not pushing others to do the smart thing and wear a helmet, though when it's with people I know, I do stop and try to convince them. Have even offered to give a helmet, free of charge, to a couple of neighbors, but to no avail. Go figure.

Did better in the 90 degree heat and humidity, today, with 17 miles. I really could have done more with a better fitting bike. The junker I rented has a horrible, skinny guy saddle with only room for one cheek at a time for full support. Yuk! The handlebars are high rise bars that make me feel like I'm riding a Harley chopper. :) The old 21 speed gearing and twist shift are fine, though. After all, I ride single speeds a lot. Oh, well. That's par for the course renting a bike in a tourist area.

While taking a water break on a local park bench, I met a wonderful senior. He asked if he could join me on the bench, because it was his regular rest stop on his daily 3 mile walk. The guy looked in great shape. He then told me had just celebrated his 89th birthday. Couldn't believe it. Wow! Made my day.

I really think I could adapt to this and climate, given enough time. Lovely area, for sure, though I'm sure living here would be way out of our budget.

[Crankin]

You might get sick of endless summer, NWG!

I did not ride this morning. Woke with the sinuses pounding again, but I don't feel sick, like achy and all the other stuff I've had. The front finally came through around 5, pouring rain and thunder. It's still lightly raining. Thank God. This weather is so depressing to me. We broke a record for heat today.
Just went and put the GPS and "big" light on the Ariel, put air in the tires, to ride to the gym at 5:15 am. It will be my first attempt with the flat side of the campus pedals. It's only 1.3 miles, so I probably won't have to put my foot down!
If I feel OK, I will then ride to work at 8:15. I am working all day tomorrow, because of Labor Day this week. Won't be able to use the dirt path, though, after this rain.
I've had so many client crises this week I am fried. People mouthing off to the medical prescribers, one on the way to the hospital now, another had to leave college before classes even started.
I need to ride.

[north woods gal]

Yeah, I'm definitely a four seasons type of gal, but, as always, I can adapt when need be, Florida, included. Today was my best day, yet, on my Florida visit. Made it a point to get out, earlier, and that did help with the heat. Did 21 miles on the rental clunker and, once again, could have done more with a better fitting bike. That, and I had to be back in time for one of the conference meetings at the motel.

Tomorrow, the bike goes back and on Sunday, so do we, back to our north woods home and 70 degree high temps. Can't wait.

[Crankin]

Sheila, hope the hurricane stays far away from both of us!

I rode to the gym with the flat pedal side of my campus pedals. Ugh. The left one flipped over and I was riding on top of the cleat. I felt like if I kicked it, my other foot would fly off, so I just pedaled like that for 1.3 miles. Going home it was better, as it was light out, but at one point it did the same thing, but I was almost home. My legs felt fried from the class and riding.
Then, of course, I rode to work. I didn't have too much in the Topeak bag, as I wore the clothes I rode in all day and I bought lunch. So, just shoes, my mini flat iron and snacks. I still felt like the gears were either too hard or easy, in a way I don't when the bag is not on. But, it was nice and cloudy and cool. On the way home, I took the dirt road, where I did fine avoiding the mud from yesterday's rain. However, the next little path, a combo of dirt, gravel and grass has lots of roots. I got off of my bike right before my street, but taking these 2 paths really eliminates all traffic headaches.
I hope to ride both days this weekend, but we have an early dinner with friends tomorrow and preparing for Rosh Hashanah Sunday night. I suspect they won't be as long as I would like. Getting ready to go to the grocery store, now, so I won't have to do it tomorrow.

[north woods gal]

I've never had good performance with 50/50 style pedals. Really a pain in the butt. You always end up wasting time trying to get the correct side up when you want it and the clip in side tends to be awkward to use when you use cleats. They're also heavier than need be. I use flats, exclusively, now, and have been for three years. I wouldn't go back to SPD if you held a gun to my head. Do yourself a favor with flats and get a good set with replaceable metal pins. They can be had for a reasonable price and are the only fair test to see if flats are right for you. A good set of flats can be used with any type of shoe - don'get conned into thinking you need special shoes. This time of year, I use Wal-mart sneakers and have never had a foot slip on a good flat with pins and I'm talking aggressive trail riding, here, not just road biking.

Lastly, keep an open mind when testing flat pedals and give them a fair test, using a good set. Yes, they may feel different at first, but you may actually find, the way I did, after a summer of careful testing, that there was NO difference, NADA, as far as your average speed. As far as SPD being more "efficient"' that has been repeated so often as to be a gospel with many, but the fact is that it has NOT been strongly supported with scientific testing. Not trying to convert anyone, here. Just saying that your choice of pedal type should be based on what you, yourself, have tested and not what someone else tells you is best for you, same as with any other part of your bike and biking.

[Crankin]

NWG, don't get me wrong, but I don't want to switch to flat pedals. I am not such a speedy rider that I care about any differences in speed, etc, but at this point, I feel safer being clipped in. I cannot remember the brand of these pedals, but they *are* much better than the first ones I had on my Jamis, about 10 years ago. They are weighted to be on the side with the cleat, which is what I preferred. They don't swing and flip the way the other ones do, but I think that the fact it was dark out when I rode to the gym, and my light, obviously was not pointed near the pedal, had me starting out on the wrong side. If I had attempted to flip it, it would have stayed. The point is, this is my own lack of coordination and ability. I've mentioned before that I have a lot of difficulty going back and forth between my bikes. Once I get something in my muscle memory, it is hard to switch, even if I am switching to something I was good at before! My cure for this is to make myself switch more than I want. I am comfortable on the Ariel and I am having no issues going between my Speedplays on my Trek and the SPDs. That has been an issue in the past. Given that I will probably never ride on the flat side, except for going to the gym (I used my bike shoes when I went to work), I just need to work on this a little more. I may take some rides around town on the flat side, but I can't imagine riding in traffic that way... my one attempt to do that a few years ago, almost got me killed when trying to make a left! I almost froze with fear when we did the bike tour of Chicago! It was only the specter of extreme embarrassment in front of people who could barely ride and teens on the tour (along with the fact the leader made me the sweep because I was "experienced") that made me not quit and turn around. It was definitely more the flat pedals than the traffic.
So, it's my own anxiety and klutziness, which pisses me off!

[Crankin]

Actually, those look like the new Spd pedals I have on my Guru. But, they are double sided. The big platform eliminated any and all hot spots I was getting from less float.

[north woods gal]

No pressure from me on switching to flat pedals. As always, use what works for you and the way you like to ride. I fully respect everyone's choice to do things their own way.

Last ride, today, of 12 miles, then dropped the rental bike back at the bike shop, then took the trolley back to the motel. Can't say I'll miss the bike, but I will say that I enjoyed this visit to Florida. I especially liked the open horizons on both sides of me via the bay and the ocean. Really helped to comfort me and my love of the open spaces, something I don't get a lot up in our ever dense north woods.

Emily, now I understand why you avoid riding on the weekends. Wow! Haven't so many bicyclists out at one time since my Chicago days. Bikes, everywhere, today, compared to only a few, yesterday, on Friday. They all come pouring out on Saturday, apparently. The narrow bike lanes on the streets can't begin to fit them all.

Early morning flight out, tomorrow. Can't wait to get home. Nice visit, though.

[Crankin]

So glad you had fun NW. Yeah, bike paths on Saturdays=not so much fun. But, it's always so nice to be outside in a different environment.

Sheila, my pedals are Shimano. I showed DH your link. Right now, neither of us want to spend that $ for pedals on a bike that is not my main bike. When I retire, I think I will be riding it more for errands, and that time is not so far away, 2-2.5 years.

Today was a fun ride that had a purpose. I always enjoy myself way more on these kinds of rides. We needed to get a bunch of things at a gourmet farm market in the next town. It's really only 5+ miles away, but we took the long way, 9 miles, there. I rode my Ariel and DH rode the Guru, with 2 panniers. I volunteered to take stuff in my Topeak trunk bag, but he wanted to carry it all, and I didn't complain. I have a bunch of more casual cycling clothes acquired over the past 10 years, so I enjoy that part, too. It's partly cloudy and breezy, but was predicted to go up to 71. It was 66 when we left and it's 66 now! We bought sandwiches at the market and ate outside, and I think I got a bit chilled. What a change from the past 2 weeks. Then, when we took off, it was spritzing. I thought, oh no, now I will really get sick, but that stopped and eventually, we had a climb, where I stopped feeling chilled. A total of 15 miles, we got everything we needed, and I feel a bit less congested.
Tomorrow is supposed to be a high of 61, and in the 40s overnight. I can't wait to ride!

[emily_in_nc]

Hey Emily, there are people who are cancelling their trips to Hunting Island this week because of the storm. They want recommendations for campgrounds on the Gulf Coast. Any ideas?

And where are you approximately? Will you have to leave?

I have my reservations made for a hotel near a state park just outside of Atlanta. Easier to avoid the traffic when I arrive. But near enough that I can go into town if I desire. When I stay in Atlanta, it seems like the entire trip is spent negotiating freeways. And I don't know where anything is. I want to just be able to wander and find a lot to do.

Hi Sheila,

The only place we've camped on the gulf coast is Grayton Beach State Park, which is east of Destin. We absolutely loved it there and would highly recommend it. There are other state parks (Topsail Hill, I think is the name) along there as well as commercial parks. I am sure anywhere along the gulf coast would be nice if your friends can get a spot.

We should be fine here. We are just west of Orlando. We had to evacuate a year ago when Hurricane Irma was forecast to come up right through Florida, so we headed far enough west (Mississippi) to be out of the storm's path.

This time around I'm super worried about my brother, who lives in Wilmington, NC. He is really good about hurricane preparation and can head to the western part of the state to my mother's if needed, but I just heard on the Weather Channel that even far inland SC and NC could be iffy. With memories of other hurricanes that caused major damage far inland (Hugo that made it all the way to western NC and Fran in central NC, where we lived at the time), even just getting off the coast isn't always enough.

Glad you have a safe place to go. I am really hoping Florida is quiet this season, but I don't want anyone else to suffer either.

[emily_in_nc]

Last ride, today, of 12 miles, then dropped the rental bike back at the bike shop, then took the trolley back to the motel. Can't say I'll miss the bike, but I will say that I enjoyed this visit to Florida. I especially liked the open horizons on both sides of me via the bay and the ocean. Really helped to comfort me and my love of the open spaces, something I don't get a lot up in our ever dense north woods.

Emily, now I understand why you avoid riding on the weekends. Wow! Haven't so many bicyclists out at one time since my Chicago days. Bikes, everywhere, today, compared to only a few, yesterday, on Friday. They all come pouring out on Saturday, apparently. The narrow bike lanes on the streets can't begin to fit them all.

Yes, Saturdays are crazy here. All the folks who work during the week are out, and many with kids. We just won't do it. We have occasionally ridden on a Sunday morning, during church time, which isn't quite as bad, but there are several large churches along our route, and if you hit the cross road right when one of the services are letting out, woah. Prepare to wait. So normally we just ride on weekdays.

I'm really glad you enjoyed your riding here. I think that the novelty of riding in a new place always makes it more fun and interesting, as you can appreciate the different vistas, sights, and scenery. That was one of the things we have loved most about traveling around the country and riding in different states. So much diversity, and all have something to offer.

You'll have to let us know if you have any trouble adapting to the weather back in northern Wisconsin after being in hot and humid Florida for a week! I've been here so long now that I get chilled in the slightest breeze, it seems. We're heading to NC for a family visit next month, and even though I love NC in October, I am sure I'm gonna freeze!

[emily_in_nc]

Tomorrow is supposed to be a high of 61, and in the 40s overnight. I can't wait to ride!

LOL...brrrrrr...that is hiking weather for me! :D

[Crankin]

Emily, I find I can acclimate, in just a short amount of time. It feels cool this morning (51), but it is also cloudy, which makes it feel, well, cool.
This is my favorite temperature to ride in. No need for the full onslaught of winter gear, but can wear my regular LS jerseys with a vest or base layer and knickers or leg/knee warmers. I really wish we had a longer time with these temperatures. When I first started riding, we did, and any 85-95 degree spells were never more than 3 days, usually once or twice a summer.
So, as usual for the Jewish New Year season, I cannot shake this allergy/sinus thing. I went to the Minute Clinic this morning, no wait, and I now should be feeling better soon, as I met their stringent criteria for a sinus infection. Got my flu shot, too.
Since my chest is clear, I may go out for a short flat ride, or at least a walk later. DS and granddaughter are coming over for a holiday dinner tonight.My DIL has to work, and since she took the last 2 Sundays off, I told her not to feel bad about skipping the dinner tonight.
Hoping you avoid the storm, Sheila.

[north woods gal]

I'm back home, safe and sound and oh, so, content. As for acclimating, highs in the 60s for our late afternoon bike ride and, no, no problem adapting at all and, in fact, I was amazed at just how much more energy I had compared to riding in the Florida. My average speed and acceleration was MUCH higher, this afternoon, than anything I could manage in Florida. Now, part of that was undoubtedly due to riding a better bike, but I think part of it was also the climate. I think that dense, sticky, hot Florida air is slower to ride in that our cool, thinner north woods air. Emily, that impresses me all the more with those miles you pull, down there in Florida. Good for you, girl.

Sheila, best I can find is that those Mary bars have 40 degrees of back sweep, compared to about 45 degrees of back sweep on the Jones H bars I was using. I did not like the Jones with its radical back sweep, so I suspect that Mary bar would be similar. I can do the Surly Moloku at 34 degrees for trail work, but 40 degrees? I'd have to try one. Still prefer a standard MTB bar for the really techy stuff, though.

[emily_in_nc]

Glad you're back home safely, NWG! And that the weather is pleasing. Doesn't sound too chilly. Yet. Thank you for your compliment. :o I do agree that riding in this "thicker" air here in Florida feels slower, but not sure if it really is, given equal equipment. Some days it can be quite windy, though, and that certainly affects speed.

Hope you feel much better soon, Crankin. I'm kind of surprised that they advised getting a flu shot when you were ill at all, but hope you have no adverse reactions. Enjoy your holiday!

Getting more and more worried about Hurricane Florence, not for me, but for my brother in Wilmington. He's been posting tons of stuff on Facebook about it, so he is well aware and getting ready, but I fear he won't evacuate. His house is sturdy, but I will still worry. He may have an extended power outage if nothing else. I have numerous friends and other family members scattered all over NC, since I spent most of my life there, so I am definitely feeling unsettled about this one... :( It would be great if you didn't have to evacuate after all, Sheila, but sometimes these storms take last minute bumps one way or the other, so I am sure you'll stay well-informed as it approaches.

[Crankin]

Emily, the NP said that as long as you do not have a fever, you can get the flu shot. She said almost everyone questions this, but there's been tons of studies done about the safety of it. They found that tons of people go to the dr for an illness and refuse to get their flu shot, and never come back. So far, I have nothing but the usual sore arm! I am already feeling 80% better. It's the same every time, within 2 hours of taking an antibiotic, I feel better. I went to boot camp this morning after a long and good night's sleep with no issue. It is going to start raining around noon, we are going for a short ride before then. We both took the day off, even though we do not belong to the synagogue anymore. I will pray on my bike!
Both my son and granddaughter are getting over a viral thing, too. It sounded like a hospital here at dinner, but we had fun.
That hurricane looks horrible. It is going to miss my son, in Columbus, GA, but he just bought a house outside of Fayetteville, NC and will be moving there Dec. 1. Hoping there's no damage.

[north woods gal]

My prayers for all who might be in the path of this next storm. Hurricanes wouldn't stop me from living in an area any more than blizzards or tornadoes would stop me from living where I've lived all of my life, but, as always, I have a very healthy respect for the power of all these storms. Hope no one suffers from this next one. Have cousins and a sister-in-law that may be affected, so we're keeping an eye on it, too.

Hang in there, Crankin. My hopes for a speedy recovery.

Will say one thing in favor of that hot Florida weather, though. It's good for keeping my weight in check. I actually lost a few pounds, even though we ate out, all week, and even though I cheated and had some desserts. Not surprised, though. My appetite always goes into hibernation in hot weather, only to reappear with cold weather. Going to have to be careful, now that I'm back home. Was fun eating anything I wanted on vacation, though. :)

Whoa! Talk about an adjustment. Upper 30s when we woke up, this morning. Back to wearing leggings and a sweatshirt when I ride in the mornings, at least. 70s, though, by mid day for the rest of the week, so great weather for riding, once we take care of errands and yard work that needs to be done after a week's absence. Be raking leaves, soon.

Speaking of errands, will stop by the bike shop and see how my new Log Lady custom build single speed is going. Yeah, I've become a real single speed junkie. All my riding, yesterday, was single speed, with both the Krampus SS (on the trails) and the old Log Lady (road and trails) and will be all single speed, probably, until the snow falls and I start riding the fat bikes, regularly. Did see a few fat bikes down in Florida, by the way. Folks use fatties to ride the beaches, there. May try that, next time.

[Crankin]

We ended up hiking, as the radar showed it might rain before noon. It was a wise choice, as a rain jacket with a hood protects you on a hike and I just hate riding in rain. We did 3.6 miles in some conservation land in an adjacent town, on trails new to us, although I have been here, on other trails. It did start raining at the end of the hike and is now full blown rain.
Time for a cozy afternoon.

[emily_in_nc]

We ended up hiking, as the radar showed it might rain before noon. It was a wise choice, as a rain jacket with a hood protects you on a hike and I just hate riding in rain. We did 3.6 miles in some conservation land in an adjacent town, on trails new to us, although I have been here, on other trails. It did start raining at the end of the hike and is now full blown rain.
Time for a cozy afternoon.

That sounds like a great choice!

Re. the flu shot, I refuse to get one after the last one I got (back in 2009 or so, at work, given for free to employees). I ended up in bed with chills and body aches and had to take the next day off from work. I know it wasn't the flu but was certainly flu-like symptoms. Symptoms lasted around 24 hours. I am rarely around children and haven't had the flu in a couple of decades, so I'd rather take the risk than get the shot. My doctor doesn't like it, but so be it.

NWG, 30s! Wowza. I would not be ready for that in September. I guess that is why I'll never again live anywhere in the north. I can handle that in January, but not Sept. 10th. It is 90 degrees at the moment here, by the way.

I didn't ride today due to an orthodontist appt., but DH came back with mud spots all over the back of his jersey. We had a lot of rain the previous two days in the late afternoon, and the trail was a mess this morning, he said. Interesting that it was so much worse than usual, as afternoon rainstorms are pretty typical here. I'm planning on doing our usual ride tomorrow, Wed., and Friday. One really nice thing about this time of year in Fla. is that morning rain is very unusual. We usually wake up to beautiful clear weather, making morning rides just fine. Only rarely have had to cut one short because clouds were building up early. Normally we're done, enjoyed a short cool down in the pool, and done with lunch before any rain comes our way.

[north woods gal]

Emily, I noticed that about the Florida weather, too. Was very nice in the morning, with thunderstorms every afternoon. Made for a nice, predictable pattern for bicycling or other outdoor activities.

30s at night is perfectly normal for us in September, so I'm actually relieved to see it. This has been such a strange weather year for us. Was beautiful, this afternoon, right at 70 degrees, so did more riding. Finished with 21.4 miles for the day with all but 2.5 miles being trail miles. Was just warm enough for shorts and a tank top, since there was only a little breeze. Won't be able to ride like that for much longer. Will soon be saying good-bye to my nice tan. Oh, well.

[Crankin]

Emily, mild, flu like symptoms like you described are listed as possible side effects. I'd take 24 hours of that any time over the real flu. You don't need to be around kids to worry about catching it. I've had the flu twice, both in March. The first time was the cause of my first child, a little girl, being born at 8 months, without any kidneys. High fevers cause that. The second time, in 1993, I suddenly got a fever at work, on Monday after lunch and it didn't break until Friday night. In addition to the fever of 104, I had all of the other stuff, which went into my chest and I ended up with pneumonia, on antibiotics for 4 weeks. I had to take a leave from teaching fitness classes for 2 months, I was so weak. I was only 40 years old, in great shape and it sucked! I didn't get the shot until the swine flu thing in 2009 and I've had it every year since. So, I am kind of adamant about immunization.

[emily_in_nc]

I get that, Crankin, but the other objection that I have to the flu shot is that it so often only covers a small % of strains of the flu. I think last year they said it would only be effective on about 15% of the strains! Not worth it to me to possible feel like a dog for a day, given the small risk of getting the flu. Yes, I'm playing the odds, but given my lifestyle, they are usually on my side. It's a personal decision that everyone has to make.

My mother, who is nearly 84 now, used to get the flu with some frequency when she was a schoolteacher. She has the same kind of reaction to the shot as I do. She stopped getting shots after she retired, and has never gotten the flu since. I know, that's anecdotal, but I understand and support her decision.

[Crankin]

Yeah, they need to do a better job of predicting the strains and developing a universal vaccine. I think that will take awhile. But, with my risk factors (asthma and a tendency toward bronchitis) I will take the risk. This year, I am going to get the pneumonia vaccine, too, but that's only once. I never want that again!
We had rain all day until 2 pm. I needed a rest day, so I did a 30 minute yoga dvd before work. My dvds are so old (2004) they are starting not to work so well. So despite some sun late in the afternoon, we will be having another rainy morning tomorrow. I already signed up for spin/core and that is probably OK, since the antibiotic I am taking has that sunburn side effect. I had that happen last time, for the first time ever. I will be riding Friday and Saturday, so I hope I can wear long sleeves and perhaps use my granddaughter's 50 spf sunblock that I have here.

[north woods gal]

We're getting a last delicious taste of summer for the rest of the week with temps right at 80 for a high and lots of sunshine. I'm enjoying it while I can. time to also catch up on some yard work and trail work, while I can. September is a fall month for us and snow is possible.

Mixed a short 6 mile ride with trail work, yesterday, then off to town for some errands.

Emily, I know you have family in N.C., so I hope they will be safe from this approaching storm. Does sound awful.

[Crankin]

Oy, my son just bought a home outside Fayetteville... right in the predicted torrential rain zone. They won't be moving until 12/1, but I hope the house is not damaged.

It is raining here. Had a good spin/core class, where so many people asked me how to set up their bikes, I felt like I should have been paid. I may skip boot camp on Friday, to do a 30 mile ride with fresh legs, since I already have my 2x a week weights, etc.

[north woods gal]

Hoping for the best for all those folks in the Carolinas. Not looking good, though.

Beautiful ride for me, today. Sunshine and 80 degrees with a bit of wind, but not too much. Just a great day to be out and riding. Did 22.1 miles on the Log Lady single speed. Even added a mile of rough gravel and sand road for a little variety along the way. This LL is geared a bit too low for pavement work, but it's still doable. Was just a matter of me choosing a very hilly and challenging route to take advantage of this bike's rabbit-like ability to accelerate and climb. Flying down one hill at nearly 30 mph at times and then scurrying up the next hill as fast as I could spin, one hill after another. Talk about fun! :)

Riding the Log Lady and my other fast single speed, the Gunnar, has changed my riding, radically. It's not just the single speed thing, though that's an important part of the equation. It's also very much the pure joy that comes from riding a very quick, agile, easy rolling, oh so easy to pedal, light weight steel bike. Really makes me dread taking the fat bikes with their big heavy wheels for any long rides, now. They really are collecting dust, especially now that I have the Krampus set up for single speed trail work. Will still need the fatties for my winter riding, of course. You do need those fat tires for snow riding. For warm weather riding, though? Why ride a lumber truck when I can ride a sports car? These two racing single speed MTBs have really put the joy back into my road riding. Definitely one of my best ever biking decisions to try.

[emily_in_nc]

Thanks for the well wishes re. my NC family. I have family all over the state, from west to east, including my brother in Wilmington, which looks like ground zero for this awful storm. Fortunately, he's lived there for decades and knows how to prepare. He and his friends have helped each other board up and eat up the food in their freezers! They are as ready as they'll ever be, and are in the highest elevation in town, not near any water, so should be okay re. flooding, though they may have to deal with an extended power outage.

We also have family on my husband's side in SC, mostly in Columbia. They may get some high wind and lots of rain but should be okay that far inland, we hope.

This is gonna be a doozy, and although I feel super thankful that Flo is not coming to Flo-rida, I am super worried about people in the Carolinas, since I know so many of them!

Back in our neck of the woods, we did our usual ride yesterday and today, and it remains hot and humid. Nothing new there, but we'll take boring over hurricanes!

[north woods gal]

Keep us updated, Emily and anyone else affected by the storm.

Back home, our lawn rake is getting a good workout on our trails, now that the leaves have started to fall. My main problem with the leaves is that they make the trail, ahead, hard to see and distinguish and that can be dangerous when doing a downhill run. Wet leaves are also notorious for causing wheels to slip, though this really doesn't affect fat bikes or plus bikes with their wider tires. Have been working hard, though, to make most of the trails safe and enjoyable to ride with standard MTB wide tires, now that I ride a couple of the single speed MTBs with standard 2.25" wide tires. Again, running these standard wheel MTBs on the trails is a very different experience than running the big heavy fat bikes. Nice to have the option to ride any of these bikes on the trail when I feel like one or the other.

Have definitely reverted back into more of a roadie, though, wether it's pavement, gravel, sand or smooth trails. In our low traffic area with decently wide roads, road biking is about as safe as road biking gets. Our MTB trails, though, can be very challenging.

A friend of my hubby is coming for a visit, today, and then my in-laws, next week, so lots of housework to do. Will get out and ride when I can.

[Crankin]

You are busy, NWG...

So, I did ride today, but only did 23/30 miles. It is still partly cloudy, a bit humid, but not too hot, about 75. I slathered myself with #50 SPF for babies, which is very thick, and #70 on my face, so as not to get the sunburn side effect from doxycycline. I also wore my LS Terry jersey that is UPF. It's very thin, and people say they wear it riding in the desert or FL, but I was sweating like crazy. Did not want a repeat of what happened last time. As usual, it was just Jack and I. He knows my capabilities and I generally have been feeling great riding, but not today. I think it was the meds and some Brussel sprouts making my tummy very unhappy! After just a couple of miles, I felt like my breakfast was coming up, and I did not eat anything unusual. This ride has climbing, but by the time we got to the super climb (steep, like 12% in one spot), I said no way, so we rerouted a nice way to long crazy downhill and then on to what used to be one of the worst pot holed roads in the area. It's all paved, yay! But, I knew after the climb at the end, again steep, but shorter, I was going to head back on the main road. The part of the ride that comes after this is kind of ugly, anyway (business park and bad roads).
My average never went below 14, was close to 15 for the first half, which is good for me, but I don't want to pay the price. Hope to do a longer ride with DH tomorrow and hope the sunblock works then. It's my last day on the meds.

[emily_in_nc]

Ugh, Crankin. I feel ya on med side effects. You were smart to detour away from the big, bad hill, if your tummy was feeling off. Can't blame you a bit!

NWG, I slipped and fell once in wet leaves on a MTB trail, so I know of what you speak! It was a very low-speed fall, so I didn't really hurt myself, but it happened so fast it kinda freaked me out. I normally don't ride if it's wet out, so it was a surprise.

Got in our normal quota of three 35-mile rides this week. Today's was the fastest and best. Conditions were good, with light winds, so in spots I felt like we had a tailwind -- turns out it was just absence of wind. What a concept! I still only averaged 13.8, but there is a lot of urban riding in this route, plus many road crossings, so I was happy with that. Most of the time, I'm riding at 14-16, but the urban stuff really impacts the overall speed. Not complaining, though. Just happy to be able to ride in shorts and short-sleeve jerseys. It felt just a tiny bit less humid this week, though still plenty warm. Today's high was 95, but that was well after we were done riding. And it certainly beats a hurricane. :D

I ticked over to 3500 miles on the cyclocomputer today, another plus!

[north woods gal]

Emily, those are great numbers! Congrats. Pretty hard for me to gauge my average speed with everyone else's because almost all our roads are gently rolling with some pretty steep hills thrown in. Very little in the way of actual flat country. Our daily neighborhood ride, for instance, has no flat sections at all. For me, I'm really happy of I can make 11 mph for an average speed.

Did 15 miles, today, all on the Log Lady. 12 miles of that was an early morning pavement ride, then followed it up with 3 miles of laps on my trails. Love that bike. Got it geared too low for long distance road work, but love the way it climbs those hills. I do have it geared for the trails, though, and it really flies. Yup, one gear really can do it all, as the old single speed saying goes.

[north woods gal]

Got a new (and long overdue) shorter stem for the Krampus. It's been wearing the too long 70mm factory stem since I got it. Should have changed it to a shorter stem, long ago, but never got around to it. Why I waited so long, I don't know, since changing to a shorter stem on these unisex sized bikes is standard procedure for me with my long legs and short torso. The new stem is a 55mm stem and I can't believe what a difference it makes, not only in the fit, but the way the bike handles, now. Finally, finally, have the the Krampus I always thought the Krampus should be. Going single speed on the Krampus also helped renew an interest in it, so now I have the Krampus setup just the way I want it.

[Crankin]

We rescheduled our dinner from last week, so given we have to be there at 5:30, decided to go out around 11:30 for a shortish ride. It was foggy earlier in the AM, and blessedly still cloudy and about 70 when we left. No wind, either. As we were leaving, we decided to switch our plan and did our favorite "flat ride," which is 20 miles. I really like this ride, because it makes me feel like I can ride fast, although there is one short hill at the end. I also like this ride in the spring and fall, because a good part of it is not shaded.
Nothing crazy, although I can tell I am finally at the time in the cycling season where I do not need to use my small ring for certain small hills like the one on this ride. There is a road at the turn around part of this ride that is a U, and is really lovely, going by some conservation land, teeny rollers, and shade. When it's really cold out, this road is freezing!
Tons of riders out today. We did one variation at the end, so we didn't have to stop at a light, and went across the highway by my office and through a parking lot of an office park to get back to West Concord.
Done with my antibiotics today, so no more worry about the sun. Thankfully, it was cloudy and rainy this week!
Tomorrow, I am going to visit an old friend from when I lived in AZ. She is from here, and still has her family home on the beach, south of Boston. We worked together at one point, and car pooled. Although we remained friends when we no longer worked together, we lost touch a couple of years after I moved. We recently reconnected on Facebook, so it will be cool to see someone I haven't seen for almost 30 years.

[north woods gal]

Sheila, got a Salsa Gide Trail (https://www.jensonusa.com/Salsa-Guide-Trail-Stem) stem in 50mm, not 55 as I posted, above. Got it from Jensen where I get a lot of parts.

Crankin, glad you're reconnecting with an old friend. That's always something worthwhile. Have fun.

We're still at summertime hot, today. 86 for a temp while riding my Gunnar single speed for 20.6 miles of pavement. Wonderful ride, though. The sun is at more of an angle this far north in September, so didn't feel as hot as it might in July. I really see this heat as a gift, since I know just how cold it will be getting, real soon. Beats having to bundle up when riding, that's for sure.

[Crankin]

We did have a great time yesterday. Her house here is right on the water. Hard to believe that on 9/16, I was wading in the ocean, and it was 80 degrees on the coast. Had some splendid fried scallops (serious guilt), too. Should have done that short ride before we went, because when we got back, we were beat.
Today I went to the gym and then came home, showered, ate, did some stuff, and rode to work.I almost didn't make it... I could not get my trunk bag on the rack the right way, to click in. After calling DH, I figured out you had to sort of tilt it up and then slide it. By this time, I had 30 minutes until my client would arrive in my office. Thankfully, I actually had casual type cycling clothes on, because I rode those 3 miles so quickly, I was totally sweat through, as it was humid as hell. One of those times I could not cool down and I didn't have time to cool off before I cleaned up and changed to my work clothes. But, I had a little reprieve as my client was late, so I actually looked like a human.
The way home was nice and not hot, but the dirt road was full of water in the middle and lots of mud in other spots. I had to get off and walk for a little bit. The neighborhood ride part is nice, but then the next path, by my house had lots of slippery grass and roots. The gravel was OK, but by that time, when I got near the end, I kind of scooted over some final roots. I would have preferred the busy road tonight!
Florence is going to be hitting us tomorrow. While not the same as in the Carolinas, we could have 5-6 inches of rain. I am not sure I will be riding on Wednesday. Of course, this is my punishment for thinking I will ride on Yom Kippur, and not going to services.

[north woods gal]

Had company over the weekend and will be getting more, tomorrow, so just getting in what I can for rides. Our weekend guest was an old friend of my hubby's and it was great having her for a visit. She's no bicyclist, but was game to try riding on our Specialized Roll step-thu frame bike that I got as a trainer bike after my accident. She did very well on it for our daily ride around the neighborhood. We'll see how our next guests do on it. Getting a lot of use for that bike, considering we only paid $450 for it. Does make a great beginner's bike, though.

My wonderful lingering taste taste of summer is gone, now, but it was great while it lasted. Highs in the 60s for the next week and barely in the 60s on some days. Back to wearing leggings and a sweatshirt for my riding. Oh, well, this cooler weather really is the norm for September, not the 80 degree stuff.

Did ride the new Pugs out on the trails, yesterday, experimenting with the gearing. Yup, you guessed it, I'm thinking of yet another single speed conversion. :)

[ny biker]

Hello ladies, sorry to be AWOL so long. Too much going on lately.

Hoping those in the path of the storm are ok. The flooding in NC has been nuts. Then a tornado with one death in Richmond. I have been in NY almost a week, had to delay returning to VA last night due to storms.

I have gotten in some good bike rides, have missed a lot due to traveling for family reasons as well as some fun events. And like everyone else on this coast I have had plenty of rained out rides.

Currently my bike is in the shop, having the rear wheel hub replaced. I might have a chance to get a new hybrid bike for free, which is a long story. I don't actually need a hybrid bike, though.

[Crankin]

NY, I thought I didn't need one, either, but I am really enjoying it. I feel like a kid when I ride it.

[north woods gal]

You've been missed, N.Y. Nice to have you back.

I really can't imagine all that rain and flooding. Have never experienced anything like it. My heart goes out to anyone who has to deal with this flooding and rain.

I never thought I'd ever buy a comfort/hybrid type bike, again. Then I had my accident and then guests and they got to ride my Specialized Roll. One of them even bought one for herself. My bike shop says they are selling the heck out of them. They sell the LIV versions and the brand has been very popular.

Short 11 mile road ride on the Log Lady, then a good brisk 3 miles of trail riding on the Krampus, which is now also a single speed. Getting to the point where all I want to ride is single speed. Kind of locked myself into that style of riding, so just assume that when I post about riding, it's single speed riding. That way I won't have to keep yammering about it. :)

[Crankin]

Heard from my son that the house they have under contract in Fayetteville is fine, but he is very glad they are not living there now.
We had about 5 hours of torrential rain, with a flash flood warning (nothing like everyone's phones going off with emergency alerts during a therapy session), but none of the flooding seems to be around my area. I will be able to do a ride today, in cloudy 65 degree temperatures. Heaven to me!

ETA:
I did ride today, and although my speed was in a nice range for me, none of it felt wonderful! It was cool and cloudy when we went out, so I wore a LS jersey, with a sleeveless base layer underneath. I decided my knees should be covered, since it was 62 and windy. That was a mistake. We also left at 11:30, and I was hungry, even though I ate a late and decent breakfast. At mile 8.5, I took my knee warmers off, which required standing on the side of the road and getting my shoes off, too. I forgot to replace my Lara Bar from my last ride, so I ate a Shot Block to quell the hunger. By this time, it was misting, with intermittent spritzing/drizzle. I t wasn't bad, but sort of a clammy feeling, especially after getting overheated. Saw quite a few riders out, including families, as the schools are closed for Yom Kippur (making me feel more guilty I was out on a ride and not fasting!). When we were at the turning point of the loop, one of the roads was down to dirt, for some power company work. That was OK, though, just had to slow. So, all in all, glad I went, I worked hard, but conditions not so great. Just under 20 miles.

[emily_in_nc]

My brother, who lives in Wilmington, NC (ground zero for H. Florence) finally got his power on yesterday -- it went out in the wee hours Friday morning. He is fine, as is his house, just a few branches down. He is in the highest part of Wilmington, not near the river or beach, so no flooding. Thank goodness for that! I am sure he was bored without power on for four days, but it sure beats the alternative. He is such a Luddite he doesn't even have a cell phone, and his landline requires electricity, so we didn't even know if he was okay until his power came back on. Needless to day, I (and my poor mom) had been quite worried. He doesn't realize how the media coverage really hyped this up, even in places that were not badly affected. Of course, some spots got hit much harder. Many of the places that suffered the most are in low-lying areas near rivers so have had flooding problems before.

Crankin, glad your son's house in Fayetteville is okay!

Back to our usual rides this week. I've been having to go to the orthodontist every Monday as we're getting close to the end of braces now, so my riding days have shifted to Tu, We, Fr. I do short rides around the campground (to the pool, dumpster, office, and sometimes just around) on my cruiser bike on most days, but the long rides are on those three days, which is working well. It's still very hot, low 90s for highs with heat index over 100 every day, humid, and we've been sunnier than usual as we're getting closer to the end of rainy season. Plus Florence sucked up a lot of the moisture. I actually miss the rain, as it helps cool things off -- and waters my plants. Time to go check the radar and figure out if I need to go out and water plants!

[north woods gal]

Glad everyone survived the rains and flooding.

Speaking of rain, rode in the rain, yesterday and it was by choice. Didn't get caught out in the rain; it was raining when I started riding. Very light rain, though, and as much drizzle as anything. Did 14 miles of pavement on the Gunnar, then switched to a fat bike for 5 more miles of laps on my trails. The woods are quite lovely in a light rain and peaceful, too, with the rain dripping from the leaves. Wonderful north woods aroma, to boot. On the road, ride saw a lot of deer and a hen turkey with young ones. Wildlife tend to come out of the woods and hang out at the road edges when it's raining, so have to be extra careful when riding or driving.

The fat bike was my Norco Sasquatch, which is a fully geared bike, not a single speed. The Sasquatch is my top performing fat bike with its carbon fork. Handles more like a standard trail bike than a fat bike. Have to admit, after so much single speed riding on the trails, it was a nice luxury to do my climbing with all those low gears. Forgot how easy it makes the climbing. :)

Heavier rain, today, plus we have company. Not sure how much riding I'll be able to do. Possible frost, tomorrow night. Yeah, summer is gone. Sigh.

[north woods gal]

Sheila, since I'm constantly mixing and matching stems and handlebars, I keep a variety of stem spacers on hand. I do prefer a taller handlebar height setup with more spacers under the stem, typically 4 or 5. Remember, though, you can place the stem between spacers, with spacers on top of the stem, if you want to go lower. No law that says the stem has to always be in the topmost position. Bottom line is not to cut the steerer tube height to short/low. Once you cut it, you're stuck with that height. Totally a personal preference, though, so see what works for you.

On my new Log Lady build, I'm going carbon on the handlebar and it will be a conventional MTB bar. Frightfully expensive, but I have a carbon handlebar on my Gunnar that the former owner had used for his build and I love the carbon. Makes for very responsive handling and, best of all, carbon will absorb some of the road/trail chatter. Also going carbon on the seat post on the new LL for same reasons. This new LL is my first ever custom build, so I want to take my time and do it right. Never would have considered carbon if I hadn't' gotten carbon on the Gunnar.

[north woods gal]

6 miles of trail riding in a bit heavier rain, this morning, but this time on my Pugsley, 2nd edition fat bike. The heavier rain moved in, just a bit later, so my only ride of the day. Good workout, though, so no complaints, other than I'm ready for a bit of sunshine. :)

[ny biker]

Glad everyone's families in NC made it though ok.

Well I rode 37 miles today. Did I mention I have been furloughed at work? End of client's fiscal year and funding has run short, as it has for the past several years at this time. The good news is no layoffs this year. Anyway I have to take 6 days off this month, using sick and vacation time. So today instead of going to work I did a bike club ride with friends. Temperature was right around 80, it wasn't as sunny as the forecast led us to believe it would be but no rain, and if it had been less cloudy it would have seemed hotter. So actually the weather was pretty darn nice.

I am still having problems with my wheel, which I will post about separately because I'm looking for suggestions.

As for the possible free bike -- recently I was pleasantly surprised to learn about a new program from my employer to recognize people who have worked there a long time. I've been at my job for 18 years. Of these 15 count as having been with my current employer (the first three were under a contract with a different company, and in the past 15 years I have been through numerous mergers, but they still count my tenure back to the first company in the line of acquisitions). So I can choose a free gift from a list that they sent me. Many of the options are not useful to someone who lives in a small apartment like me -- huge TV sets, lawn mowers, a sound bar with heavy bass for a home theater. There are numerous jewelry choices, gold and diamonds, which I would never wear. Also a kayak (no storage room for that), a stove (don't need one), golf clubs (don't play golf) and a gun safe (don't own any guns). And... a Trek hybrid bike designed for commuting. It's actually a 2018 model that is sold out on the Trek website. I am going to see if I can get a Trek gift card for the value of the bike instead, and then will use it toward a different bike. If they say no, we will send you a different bike, I will hope to be able to trade it in at the LBS for full price. (If they say they have decided not to offer any more bikes, well then I have no idea what I'll do.)

Now, I don't really need another bike, nor do I have room for one, and I really should not spend any money on another bike. I ride my road bike a lot and my mountain bike sits neglected collecting dust. But with all the rain we've had lately, it occurred to me that it would be nice to have a road bike with full fenders. I can put a clip-on rear fender on my Madone but there's no room for a front fender. Disc brakes and the ability to attach racks would also come in handy sometimes.

IF I am able to apply the cost of free hybrid to a new Trek bike, I am looking at this gravel bike:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/road-bikes/checkpoint/checkpoint-alr-4-womens/p/22629/?colorCode=blue

Of course, it will probably cost me $1000 out of pocket, plus saddle and pedals. And maybe shoes, depending on the pedals I get.

Another option is a lower-end aluminum Domane that would only cost me a couple hundred, but that wouldn't come with disc brakes. I might look at their touring bike, too, though there's no WSD version.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/bikes/adventure-touring-bikes/520/520/p/24000/?colorCode=red

Any of these options involves Shimano Tiagra or Sora components, which I hope will be good enough. I had a Tiagra front derailleur on my old road bike and it was constantly in need of adjustment.

Anyway, the first step is to find out what the option is since the bike currently being offered as a free gift is no longer available.

p.s. Any new bike I get would have to spend a lot of time out on the balcony. It would be covered with a tarp, but still out in the elements. But I think that's okay for something that would be my first choice when there's a likelihood of rain, or during the winter when there's salt on the roads.

[Crankin]

I thought about a gravel bike, but basically I ended up with a hybrid (Specialized Ariel) that is more like a hard tail mountain bike. I don't want another drop bar bike. It has disc brakes and a front suspension fork. I put a rack on it, too. The only thing is, it doesn't have fenders, but I could add them. Basically, I don't ride in the rain on purpose, but I will ride this in the winter. It's lighter than the mountain bike I had.
I've commuted a few times with it and rode it on the bike path, as well as a 15 mile ride to a farm market. The gearing feels weird (it's a compact with 11-42 gearing) and I'm no speed demon on it, but it is very fun to ride.

[ny biker]

I am open to the idea of a hybrid similar to what you have, Crankin, but definitely would want to be able to ride about the same speed as I do on my Madone. I'm already pretty slow, and wouldn't want long rides in terms of miles to take any longer in terms of hours than they do now.

If I put less knobby tires on my mountain bike (an old 26" hardtail), I can ride a couple of mph slower on pavement then I can on the road bike. And I slow down a lot going uphill, due to the bike's weight.

[Crankin]

NY, my speed is just about the same as yours, maybe marginally faster at this time of the year (14-15 mph av, unless it's hilly, then who knows). Remember, I'm riding with a loaded trunk bag to work. When I rode to the market, DH volunteered to take 2 panniers, so I had nothing to carry, as well as on the bike path, where we were only limited by it being crowded and DH had my granddaughter in the trailer. Both of those times, I averaged about 13.8. I also have a serious hill on the way home from work. I just need to get used to the gearing. When I get on my Silque, after riding the Ariel, I feel like a speed demon. My average has definitely gone up on the Silque in the last month, since my vacation, riding the Guru with a packed Arkel bag at a very slow speed, and riding the Ariel. I wouldn't take this bike on a group ride, unless it was an AMC slow level ride, or with my friends who ride at an average of <13, or on a ride longer than 20 miles, unless it was more touring or mixed terrain. It definitely would have been appropriate for my vacation by Lake Ontario. There was a huge long trail that was gravel and I tried it on the Guru, but I couldn't handle it. We also had some gravel on trails through a provincial park. There was no need to go fast, we were day touring.

[pinsonp2]

I got a Checkpoint SL5 WSD in July and I love it. Took it on a bike trip with friends to the Ohio Erie Canal Tow Path trail and it performed flawlessly.

P2 (Penny)

[north woods gal]

That Checkpoint looks like a great bike, Penny. If I still rode drop bar bikes, I'd have to take a serious look at it.

N.Y., the new version of Tiagra is really pretty good, comparable to the old 105. I had a 2016 Salsa Warbird that came stock with Tiagra. Did about a thousand miles on it, then upgraded to 105, simply because I've always trusted 105. Honestly, though, could not tell a difference between the two. Would have no problem going Tiagra on a new bike if money is an issue.

As per bike speed, keep in mind that overall wheel diameter is a factor in bike speed. A taller wheel like a 700x35 covers a greater distance with each cycle of the pedals than a smaller wheel like a 650B/27.5x35 or even a 26x2.25" wheel setup. Have used a 700x35 and a 26x2.25 for commuting and, yes, I could tell a difference in my ride time with the faster 700x35. Smaller wheels do have advantages, too, but if you're really concerned with maintaining an average speed on your road bike, be sure to consider wheel diameter.

[emily_in_nc]

Did our usual ride today and managed to take a little tumble doing a u-turn on a side road we ride for a little extra mileage (right off the bike path we ride). I hit a patch of sand and went down on my left side, super slowly. I made sure to keep my head up so that I wouldn't bang my mouth/braces...lol! :D I have a scrape on my knee, a sore spot on the heel of my hand, and a growing bruise/contusion on my left butt cheek. Nothing too bad, but it did shake me up to fall, especially since it happened at the farthest point of our ride, so I still had to ride all the way home. Fortunately, the first hour was the worst, feeling some aches and pains, and I've barely even noticed it since then. I have three days off the bike (other than my cruiser bike for short rides around the RV park) coming up for our usual weekend routine and an orthodontist appointment on Monday morning, so I am sure I'll be all good when I ride again on Tuesday.

Happy weekend and first day of fall tomorrow, all!

[north woods gal]

Sorry to her about your spill, Emily, but relieved it wasn't too bad.

High winds all night and most of the day, today, meant that my trail riding was more stopping and removing tree limbs - some quite large - and not much actual ride time. The leaves have been falling for a few days, now, but the worst is yet to come. I could just ride a fat bike - they will ride almost over anything - but want a trail safe to ride with one of the standard MTBs. Frost, tonight, so fall is here.

[Crankin]

Sorry both of you had crashes, Emily and Sheila. Both sound like stuff I would do! Sheila, yours reminds me of when my DH fell backwards off the stability ball while we were working out at home, into my bike on the trainer and got gauged by the chainrings on my bike. I hope you don't have a tattoo from those pins, like he did from the chainring. I admit I couldn't stop laughing at him when it happened. It was so slow, he could have stopped it.
We are having a real fall like weekend, so today we will do a shorter ride and then tomorrow, a long one. We have to avoid some of our favorite spots, as apple picking season has begun and the hordes are crowding the roads, as well as parking alongside many of the narrow country roads we ride on. Yesterday, I didn't ride, but went to boot camp and then took a 4 mile walk with a friend. My legs are feeling it; we walked on the bike trail and my calves are tight from that. Next time, we will hike.

[north woods gal]

Love my flat pedals on all my bikes, but, yeah, you have to respect those pins in the pedals. I've been "bitten" many times with them as I walk my bikes up and down the steps of our deck getting the bikes in and out of the house.

We did a nice neighborhood ride with one of my husband's sisters, yesterday, even though the wind was howling and we were getting hit with light rain and mist. She did very well on the Specialized Roll comfort bike. Not to surprised, since this modern breed of comfort bike is designed for people who haven't done a lot of biking, but she really did manage to get up the hills in very good form.

As for the rest of my daily ride, spent more time getting on and off the fat bike, clearing tree limbs and debris off the trails from the high winds. Definitely more cleaning than riding. I could, of course, just ride the fat bikes over everything - they can roll over just about anything in their path - but I still want to ride some my standard MTB bikes on the trail before winter sets in. Standard 2.25" MTB tires are susceptible to trail debris and wet leaves, so taking no chances when I ride these bikes. Clean trails, only, for these bikes.

I may still get to wear shorts now and then for the next month if we get a nice warm day, but those days will now be few and far between. Leggings and a sweatshirt/jacket are now pretty much standard when I ride. Even gloves on some days. Missing summer, already, though fall, up here, really is a gorgeous time of year.

[Crankin]

We accomplished our goal of a short ride, 18.5 miles, with an average above 14, despite starting out going quite slowly. The humidity is gone and it's windy and partly cloudy. It felt quite cool for the first mile or two, but then we climbed, so it was fine wearing shorts and a regular LS jersey. The temperature was between 62 and 66. Basically went south, into the next town of Sudbury and it took quite awhile for the traffic to quiet down, when we were riding through a wildlife area. It's disturbing to see how busy it's become around where I live; but then again, normally in the fall, we are riding in the afternoon on Saturdays, and today we went out at 11 or so. People driving their kids to soccer or doing shopping. In the summer, everyone is at the beach or in the mountains and it is significantly quieter. We stopped at a farm market to grab a sandwich to share, about 4 miles from home. So busy there... this is fairly easy for people from the city to get to, as opposed to where we usually go and it's also a meeting place for cyclists. I don't go here much, despite it being close. When we first moved to MA, took my kids there to get a pumpkin. We got up to the register and it was 26.00! We left it right at the register, with 2 crying little boys. The food and produce at the other place is just as expensive, but I like the vibe better.
Getting ready to meet my son and granddaughter in Somerville for the Fluff festival, as in Fluffernutter. Yes, it was invented here; should be interesting.

[emily_in_nc]

I'm sorry you got hurt, too, Emily.

But I think I can one-up you on that spill. I get the sheer idiocy award.

Yesterday I took a short ride around my block on the Karate Monkey after lowering the stem. When I was in front of my yard, I got off the bike and walked it a few feet while looking at the dying oak tree in my neighbor's yard. I somehow managed to trip on the bike, and the bike and I both fell. Slowly. The pedal and pins made a 4 inch swatch of scratches above my ankle. I too made certain not to hit my head.

Duh.

Oh man, that must have hurt (bodily and mentally!) So sorry. Sounds like something I would do. I have banged into things while being too busy looking off at birds or some such, and that is no fun. This is one reason I think I need to ride a recumbent trike! Hope you heal up quickly.

My boo-boos are much better today, hardly even noticeable. But I still don't think I'll be telling my mom on our Skype call. She already thinks cycling is accident-prone enough, and at times like these I really can't argue with her!

[emily_in_nc]

Crankin, I love fluffernutter! Have not had it in years but it was a childhood fave. Of course, anything with peanut butter is pretty much okay with me. $26 for a pumpkin...I would have walked away too! :eek:

[north woods gal]

Accidents? Me? What accidents? :) Really, though, bicycling is pretty safe as sports go, depending at what level you bicycle and where you bicycle, basically how much risk you're willing to take. When I look back at all my spills, the lion's share of them could have been avoided, even this last nasty one.

Nice second ride of the day, today, out on the road with Bill and his sister. I rode the Gunnar, today, and had no trouble keeping up, given it's more road friendly gear ratio. Will probably go to an even smaller rear cog at some point to up my level road speed a bit.

[ny biker]

Looked at the geometry, and was surprised how long the top tube and reach are. The stacks are fairly high, though. Then I compared to the men's version, and the numbers were the same. So, more choice. Jeeze. The men's are available in some larger sizes. Not sure if there are smaller in the women's not available in men's. But in general. They are no different.

Wow, you are right. I don't think Trek makes different frames for women anymore. They just change the color and put on a women's saddle. Even the handlebars are the same.

When I went from a men's road bike frame to a wsd frame it made a huge difference in comfort for my neck and shoulders. I no longer had to stretch to reach the handlebars. I don't understand why they would go back to offering only men's frames unless they just think women are too dumb to notice.

I will ask about this at the LBS.

[Crankin]

I cannot believe this would be true. My Silque (basically a WSD Madone) is not that old and there were definite differences in the geometry. I get a lot of online stuff from Trek and much of it is for women, about the desirability of their bikes for women. It would be pretty awful if they thought we were stupid enough to believe that changing the saddle and bars makes a bike WSD. I, for one, have never fit right on a unisex bike, even if it was the right "height." My Kutoa was wrong in so many ways, but yes, I could stand over it.
We ended up not going to the Fluffernutter festival, because there is no place to park in Union Square. We usually use Spot Hero for situations like this, and there was nothing. The other choice was to drive and park in Harvard Square for a price and then walk 25 minutes, or worse, drive, park at the train, and either do the walk or take a bus. This is an area being revitalized; eventually they will have a trolley stop, but on a line we can't easily access.
So, we went to our son's house and visited/had dinner. This must be the week for dumb accidents, because I walked in the house and didn't really look, and walked right into a trunk/coffee table in a place where there was nothing before. I kind of fell halfway over on my left side and gauged my left shin. There's a minor scrape, but I got ice and Arnica on it right away, so while it hurts to the touch, I am not in pain there. However, my whole side is kind of aching, like when you turn around and run into a wall. Oy... my son was laughing at me, because this is something he would do.

[Crankin]

Cross bikes are notoriously not women specific, in that by nature, there is long reach and geometry to help go through sand, etc. Gravel bikes are a bit better, but after I did my research, the Specialized gravel bike for women seemed to be the only one I would even consider to try. In the end, that's what made my decision.

[Crankin]

I just decided, in the end, I didn't want another drop bar bike. Maybe a silly reason, but I wanted a bike that was substantially different from the 2 I already had.

[ny biker]

Last night I compared the Checkpoints and one of the Domane carbon models -- men's and women's in frame size 54 (which is what my current bike is). They were identical. Paging through the road bike listings, all I saw were "women's" bikes, nothing labeled as a WSD bikes. Their "women's specific design" page says this:

"Every Trek road, mountain, or city bike with one or more WSD parts can be found in our Women’s collection. What differentiates a Women’s bike from a bike from our mainline collection varies by model. All Women’s models have WSD touchpoints, like saddles and handlebar width. Some Women’s models also have WSD frame geometry, wheel size, crank length, and stem length."

I don't see any easy way to find a frame with different geometry for women vs men. The bikes just say "women's" and that can just mean that the saddle is different. It looks like they are intentionally making it hard to find actual women's frames, so they must not have very many anymore, and they are trying to hide the fact that they are no longer offering them. And calling the men's bikes "mainline" is just an insult.

The bike that is offered through the program at my job is a Trek, a 2018 men's commuter for which there is no comparable women's model. It is sold out according to the Trek website. I was going to ask the company that handles the rewards program to issue a Trek credit to me for the cost of that bike, and then use the credit at the LBS toward a new Trek bike that fits me and would be useful. (So far I've sent the rewards company a message through their "contact us" page but haven't heard any response yet.) My current Trek road bike fits me well enough and I've been content with it, and it is the primary brand at the LBS, so I saw no reason not to get another Trek bike. I was assuming that bikes listed on their website as "women's" meant the frames were WSD, but that is clearly not the case.

The LBS handles other brands too (though I rarely ever seen any other brands in stock there). Instead of asking for a Trek credit, I could try to get a different Trek bike through the rewards program and then trade it in for something else. I would expect that to be a 2019 hybrid at the same price point as the one they show on their website. However I don't know if I could trade it in for full value. I hope I could, since I would be trading in a brand new bike, but I would have to talk to the shop owner about it. And if I want to try a different brand bike that's not in stock, I don't know how easy that would be since I have no idea what their policy is about ordering a bike that I might not want to buy once I have a chance to test it.

[ny biker]

How does the checkpoint compare to your trek that fits well?

I don't know. I don't know how to measure to get an accurate comparison.

I am doing a live chat with Trek now. This is what they say: "We found that the majority of women would rather have WSD touch points than a WSD frame."

He says I should just get a shorter stem.

I tried that with the old men's road bike, used the shortest stem possible and it wasn't short enough. When I tried the WSD Madone that I have now, it fit right off the rack, no messing around with stems or anything else.

He also claimed that the women's bikes have different handlebars and stems than the men's but that was not the case for the bikes I compared. When I pointed that out he "apologized for the inconvenience."

===
Looking at my bike shop's web site, they also carry All-City, Surly and Felt. However when I look at the list of bikes available for special order (none are currently in stock at the shop), not all models are shown -- for example for Surly the Vaya is not shown. Most of the All-City bikes are for 2018 or earlier.

This is turning into quite a project. I don't even really know what I'm looking for.

[north woods gal]

NY, I remember discovering the same thing as far as the men's and women's frames having the same frame specs on my old WSD Domane. Thinking it was way back in 2013 or so. Kind of surprised me. All I got for my Domane being a WSD, then, was a narrower handlebar, shorter stem and WSD saddle. That was enough, though, to make it the first and just about the, only, bike I've bought that needed no mods to make it fit me. Since, then, I've gone more and more to brands that don't really offer any WSD options, so I always have to change something on the bike to get a proper fit. Always need to change the saddle and go to a shorter stem, no exceptions. Same for cutting the handlebars on the MTBs to get a proper width. I'm okay with this, because I know what a proper fit is and how to do the mods needed to get it. A lot of gals do not and just go by the manufactures generic instructions about bike size and call it good. That's a shame.

[Crankin]

This is most disturbing and sleazy... trying the shorter stem on my 48 cm men's bike made it squirrelly as hell. This was with the same handlebars I have now and even shorter reach brakes they no longer make for Ultegra. Oh well, I don't think I'll be buying another road bike (I mean, 5 years down the road, would I at 70, really need one?), but if I do, I'm on to Specialized. And, btw, NY, I have an acquaintance who had a Felt WSD road bike. She is my height and really needed it. She sold it recently and bought a flat bar road bike/hybrid, but I am not sure if that's a Felt, too. But, I remember when she got the road bike and it was *really* nice.
So, as happens more and more lately, DH and I need motivation to get out there, 2 days in a row. I could have been convinced for a long ride, even though I really wanted to hike. However, my calves are still sore from walking Friday, on the bike trail. So, since we both seem to do better with destination rides, we decided since the only thing we needed to do was go to CVS, we could combine that with lunch at a café next door. Mind you, this is not the closest CVS, but it is the one we usually go to. We had thought we'd do some miles on the bike trail after riding there the longer way, but as we got going, we realized the café closes at 2, and we didn't want to rush. So, we ended up doing shorter, but considerably hillier, which was fine. I rode my Guru, first time since our trip. I didn't feel as weird with the change, and the truth is, I love the feel of this bike. It is cool and cloudy today, so I wore commuting knickers and a Terry Soleil hoodie with a SS base layer, and my vest. It was appropriate until we did the climb up Strawberry Hill, but then we were almost there. We both stuffed our vests in DH's trunk bag, thinking we would not need them after lunch. However, when we came out of CVS, it was colder, windier, and then when we started off in the shortest way back home, rain drops were spritzing! However, they did stop, once we crossed the highway.
Could have done more, but, who cares. Not sure I'll get any riding done until after I come back from visiting my son, unless I ride to work tomorrow. Tuesday is rainy and cool and Wed. still chance of rain and thunderstorms. I really want to go on the group ride Wed., as it's an 80th birthday party for a man I like, but I suspect it will be cancelled.

[north woods gal]

I love the All City bikes for their frames. Very, very traditional, strong, but not overbuilt. Really bring out the best in the ride quality of steel. Love my Surly bikes, too, but Surly builds their steel bike frames heavy enough to withstand a nuclear blast. My factory complete Log Lady, for instance, compares, nicely, in ride quality and handling to my MUCH more expensive, fully custom Gunnar Ruffian. My next bike will be another All City and it will be used for pavement work. Probably go with a Macho Man flatbar or a Nature Boy single speed and then convert it to flat bar. After riding my light, fast, super easy rolling steel single speeds all summer, it's really, really hard for me to go back to riding big heavy bikes for road work. No point in it. I'm not packing heavy loads, after all. Just making daily rides on pavement for the sheer joy of riding.

But even in my trail riding, I'm now thinking lighter and faster. My Log lady, though geared a bit higher than my Krampus single speed conversion, nevertheless pedals easier than the Krampus. Those big heavy 29x3 tires/wheels on the Krampus are harder to pedal single speed, no doubt about it. You can do the calculations in gear inches to determine what gear ratio you need for a particular type of riding, but wheel/tire weight is also a big factor in how easy a bike pedals and how easily it rolls. That's one part of the equation that is not easy to calculate.

[north woods gal]

Speaking of single speeds, did 23.3 miles of pavement on a beautiful fall morning, this morning. Almost seemed effortless to pedal those miles on such a day. My conditioning is paying off, to be sure, but those miles just seemed to fly by, all the same.

Got home and wanted more, so I switched bikes to the Log Lady and then Star and I did 2.5 miles on the trails. The Log Lady is a racing bike, as in XC MTB racing, and it handles like it. Very fast, agile and nimble, yet stable. Delightful trail bike to ride on a fall day.

[ny biker]

Thanks all for your input.

This is my current road bike: 2010/trek/madone47wsd (https://archive.trekbikes.com/us/en/2010/trek/madone47wsd). This is the men's bike I had before it: 2003/trek/2000 (https://archive.trekbikes.com/us/en/2003/trek/2000#/us/en/2003/trek/2000/details).

I am 5'7". The above bikes were both 54.

I went to the LBS today. They didn't have a Checkpoint in a 54 for comparison. They offered to let me try a 54 Domane but I declined for now because it was raining. The reason they wanted me to try it was to show me that the frame geometry of the current bikes is way different than it was 7-8 years ago. (Apparently my 2010 bike is retro, not "modern." Go figure.)

I am really not happy with Trek right now, because I think their website is intentionally misleading instead of being straightforward about a big change in their products. However I am happy with the bike shop, and have a long history with them. And I think they are really mostly a Trek dealer. I think I am willing to try out a Trek because of my relationship with the bike shop. If I can't work with their fitter to make a Trek work, I will ask about the other brands. Of course I still haven't heard from the company that handles the free hybrid bike to find out what they will substitute for the 2018 sold-out bike on their website. Until I get that information, I will not move ahead with test rides, etc., since the whole point here is to save a chunk of cash on a new bike.


The main reason I went to the bike shop today was because my Madone's rear wheel squeal (or Mavic moo, as my friend calls it) is worse now than it was before. I rode 58 miles yesterday and it mooed a lot from almost the first mile. Other than that, it was a great ride. I was the leader and I posted it on two bike club schedules. I ended up with 19 people total. And for the first time in a long time I ran out of cue sheets at a ride -- usually most people use a Garmin or Ride with GPS on their phones, so they don't take paper cue sheets, but yesterday most of the riders were old-school low-tech (as I am). Fortunately I knew the route well enough that I could give my cue sheet to someone else.

There was rain early in the morning but the roads were mostly dry by the time we started the ride. Most of the other riders were faster than me (I ride at the low end of the ride category pace) and I think most of them skipped the first rest stop. So I didn't see more than half of them after the ride start. Which is not ideal, but doesn't really bother me. I still had a couple of people to ride with and the weather turned out to be great, with temps in the 70s, partial sun and humidity lowering as the day went on. We had a brisk NE sea breeze when we were near the Chesapeake Bay but that was only for a few miles. Overall it was a great day and I'm glad we had nice weather for a change.

Now it's raining again, and will continue to rain for a few days. So it was a good time to take the bike to the shop to try to resolve the Mavic moo once and for all. I started a different thread on that, and will update it.

[ny biker]

I am impressed that you found those numbers! And your understanding of frame geometry is also impressive, Sheila.

I agree that it would make sense to try the Checkpoint in a 52. When I go back to the LBS to pick up the Madone with the new rear wheel, I will see if they have one in stock.

I don't actually have a Domane, I was just looking at one as an example of current frame geometry being very different from older bikes, and had thought about getting one when I first started looking into the current Trek offerings.

Thanks!

[ny biker]

Ok, looks like the size 52 is comparable to your 2010 bike..

Trek checkpoint size 52
Stack: 549
Reach: 379
HTA: 71.6 deg
STA: 74 deg
HT: 10.7
ETT: 536

Stack and reach, the most important numbers, are very close. This Head tube is a bit more slack, which is expected for a bike that may be taken off road. Sounds like it’s actually very like your Domane. Do you know what step length is on the Domame? Is it the stock stem?

I found the numbers for the old Trek 2000 men's bike from 2003, on page 42 of this (http://www.vintage-trek.com/Trek-Fisher-Klein-Lemond/2003trek.pdf). No stack or reach numbers, but there is this:
HTA: 73.0
STA: 74.0
ETT: 54.4

Standover comparisons:
CP 54: 78.9
CP 52: 77
Madone 4.7: 74.0
2000: 77.2

EFF for the Checkpoint 54 is longer than for the old Trek 2000.

It's really interesting to compare the details for the different bike frames in different sizes. A 54 for one is quite different from a 54 for another bike.

[north woods gal]

N.Y., good luck on the Mavic moo thing. Like everyone else, I'd just be guessing as to the cause, but please do let us know if you discover what's causing that weird noise. Hope the new wheel is the solution. Shimano wheels are a pretty safe bet. That's what will be going on my new Log Lady build.

At 5'7", a 54cm bike would be the right place for you to start for a good fit. I'm 5'9" and I go to a 56cm or, better yet, a 55cm, if they make it. I then factor in the usual mods needed when I test ride. As I've said, that's usually a new saddle, shorter stem and, sometimes, a narrower handlebar, even on a drop bar bike. Always a pain in the butt, but that's life for me when buying a unisex or men's bike.

The other factor that complicates predicting how a bike fits is our riding style. Mine, for instance, has changed since my accident. I was more or less forced into riding in a more upright position after my accident, but I now find that I greatly prefer it and tune my bikes, accordingly. If nothing else, pedaling more upright gives me a better view of our wonderful north woods scenery. :) At one time, though, I was pretty heavily into a down and aggressive riding position, but no more. That kind of position, though, is a whole different matter as to bike fit and bike choice. Good luck on your quest.

PS. Just a note of caution when comparing manufacturer's stack and reach numbers. Those are typically frame stack and reach numbers, not handlebar stack and reach numbers that you get when the bike is assembled. The final numbers as far as actual, effective stack and reach to the handlebars will change with the number of fork spacers you use under the stem when you put it on the fork, the length and angle of the stem and, of course the style of handlebar. Even moving your saddle forward or back can change these actual handlebar numbers, not to mention changing your seat height.

This is what I do when shopping for a new bike. I first check the frame stack and reach numbers on one of my current bikes that I like. I then compare those numbers to the frame stack and reach numbers on the new bike I want to buy. The numbers don't have to be a perfect match, though. They can be off 10mm (still less than half an inch) or so, even a bit more, because I can always adjust my final handlebar stack and reach as needed with changing out the right parts.

[north woods gal]

Mist, drizzle mixed with intermittent rain, yesterday. In other words, a trail riding day and my bike of choice was the Krampus single speed conversion with its big 29x3" tires for safety. Lots of wet leaves on the ground and other debris, but the bigger plus tires on the Krampus handled it all without a problem. Did 5.5 miles of laps and went out if my way to do a lot of climbs, so it was a good workout.

So was removing one last stump at the bottom of a downhill run. Not a big stump, mind you. Only about 4" high and three or four inches in diameter, but that makes it all the harder to see and is plenty big enough to cause a serious fall if hit. Was already there when I started building trails, so I just went around it, but it's still only about a foot off to the side of the trail. No problem for me, because I know exactly where it is, but it could be an issue for someone new to my trails or even for me if it got buried with leaves or snow and I got careless. Anyway, a full hour of whacking it with an ax and digging it out. Whew! I really am getting too old for this kind of stuff, but it's gone, now, so all is well.

Thinking of selling the old Pugsley. It was mostly used for road work, which I now do exclusively with the much faster bikes. Plus, it was a large and took a lot of mods to fit me and even then was a bit awkward. Figured I'd let someone else get some good use out of it. We'll see.

[Crankin]

We had torrential, cold rain yesterday and overnight. There was some concern about today's group ride, as there is a prediction of showers possible and definitely later in the afternoon. Given the wet roads and the fact I am traveling tomorrow, I erred on the side of being cautious and superstitious about crashing, and went to the gym for spin/core. They did end up cancelling the longer ride, but not the one I was going to do. It's sooo humid almost 75 degrees now. In preparation last night, though I went to download the route to my Garmin and discovered all of the mapping software was gone! DH spent 1.5 hours trying to fix it, which he did, but this is not a good sign. I usually get his hand me downs and he is not getting a new one soon, as there's no new model.
Anyway, it's DH's birthday today and I have not bought him a present yet, so I am off to do that, before he gets home early today! I will not be riding in Columbus, GA, although there is a cool bike shop there where we could rent something. I plan to concentrate on my granddaughter, but there's a riverwalk that I can walk on, with her in the stroller.

[emily_in_nc]

Have a safe and fun trip, Crankin, and happy b-day to your DH!

Did our usual road & trail ride yesterday and the day before for 70 miles total. Today is a day off the bike (although I will ride the cruiser bike to the vet later for some dog food - 2 miles each way). I will work out in the gym this morning.

Friday will be my last ride for awhile unless I have time to ride in NC. We are traveling north for a couple of reasons. One, my DH has a small squamous cell carcinoma in his sideburn area, which he'll have removed at his dermatologist on Oct. 5th. I'll have my regular mammogram that day too, since we'll be in Chapel Hill. Then we'll spend a little over a week visiting my parents in western NC. Several of those days, I'll be with them and my brother in the mountains. The days we're not in the mountains, my mother always has a list of small chores she needs help with, so not sure how much we'll be able to ride, if any. Don't particularly care for riding there anyway, as I've mentioned before, as the area where she lives just isn't very cycling friendly (no shoulders on roads, traffic, etc.)

We are leaving all our bikes (except for my cruiser bike) in their garage in NC because we're heading (flying) to Mexico on November 1 for six months or more. I'm giving my cruiser bike to a friend here in the RV park when we leave. We're trying a small beach town along the Yucatan gulf coast this time, in hopes that it will be much quieter than Playa del Carmen centro, where we spent two separate six-month periods before. We have an Airbnb house so won't have any shared walls or floors with neighbors, which we think will be better than when we were in Playa in apartments. We won't have bikes at first as we don't want to schlep the Bike Fridays down (we have enough to take as it is, including our dog). There are bike shops around, though, so once we scope out the area, there's a good chance we will buy bikes -- inexpensive beach cruisers or, if we think we'll stay there longer, we might spring for "real" bikes in Merida, where there are nice bike shops, not just cruiser bikes. We'll see. It's going to be fun to have another adventure once I finally get these braces off my teeth (Oct. 22nd - two months behind schedule). We are overdue for a change from Florida!

[north woods gal]

Emily, hope all turns out well with the health issues and, wow!, that is quite the change of scenery. Does sound like an adventure. Knowing you, I'll bet you'll end up doing some riding, down there, on a "real" bike, as you say. When in a new area, biking is always my preferred way to explore and get a feel for the area. Might be able to get a new bike cheaper down there, too, since this tariff war of Trump's might affect bike prices, up here, at some point. The dollar tends to buy more in Mexico, anyway. As far as bikes, I'd have no problem buying a new Tiagra equipped bike. Pretty solid group, now, at a very reasonable price.

Raim, rain and then, more rain and more drizzle for me. Yuk! Give me a break. Still riding, though, but mostly back in the woods where I stay a bit drier under all the trees and leaves. The color is starting to come on, strong, now, and the leaves are beginning to fall, so I'll soon be getting as wet on the trails as the roads. pretty, though, back in the woods, as always. That, and I always have some company when I ride the trails with Star, our Border Collie. She loves running the trails as much as I do. :)

Well, looks like I'll be getting another steel single speed in the All City Nature Boy (https://allcitycycles.com/bikes/nature_boy). Worked out a trade in with my old Pugsley at my favorite shop. Still have my new 2nd edition Pugsley and like it better than the original, which was a large, and not a great fit for me, anyway. The new Nature Boy will be geared exclusively for road work and I'm going to be running 700x38 tires on it to negotiate some gravel road riding. Will try it with the factory drop bar setup, first, but it can be easily switched to a flat bar if that doesn't work for me. Hope to get a lot of road riding in with the new bike, yet this fall, before winter shuts me down to riding fat bikes, only. Yup, trading one green bike for another green bike. Fun!

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Sheila. No, wanted to stay single speed on this one, so the Nature Boy was really the only option. The race version is not available, so no go on that one. I can convert the Nature Boy to flat bar pretty easily, since All City uses the same frame for their drop bar and flat bar single speed bikes. We'll see. Stopped at the shop, today, and the new Nature Boy had just arrived, but still in the box. Be a couple days before it is ready.

Rode the trails in the rain, again, this morning and they were pretty soggy. Used my Norco Sasquatch fat bike with its big tires and aluminum frame, so no damage to either the trails or the bike with all the water. Rain left, late afternoon, so hubby and I did a short neighborhood ride on the pavement, me riding the Log Lady, rather than the fat bike. Going fat on dry pavement is just more pedaling effort than I want to expend, anymore. I'll be using the fat bikes for road riding soon enough when the snow falls. It's really going to hurt not being able to ride my fast single speeds, this winter. Depresses me a bit thinking about it. Not sure how I'll handle it. Could be a very long winter for me. ):

[north woods gal]

Yes, I agree on the All City geometry. Their bikes are very traditional in their geometry. The Log Lady, for instance has XC MTN geometry for a fast ride with relatively steep head tube and seat tube angles, instead of the slack head tube and seat tube trail geometry that is so popular on trail bikes, now. That popular slack trail geometry is legit for handling obstacles in the trail, better, but since I'm no longer climbing boulders or log hopping, I don't really need it. XC MTB geometry is fast and very nimble and fun to ride for trails. Just need to keep off the trick stuff and keep both wheels firmly planted in the dirt. Happy to report that I still love trail riding without doing any of the trick stuff. My accident cured me of that for good.

Going to do some trail work, today, to clear leaves and trail litter. This is a safety thing for riding my standard MTB bikes like the Log lady with its 2.25" tires. Not needed so much for the fat bikes, but still a good idea for them, too.

As much as I am enjoying the trail riding, though, I'm still doing more road riding and enjoying it, more. Will even be doing more road riding this winter, than trail riding. Not going to kill myself to groom and keep my trails open with the snow. That nearly wiped me out, last winter. Will let the county plow the snow off our roads, first, then I'll be riding them with the fat bikes.

[emily_in_nc]

Sounds like good plans for future riding, nwg. Glad you are still enjoying trail riding in a safer way since your accident. And road riding as well! It's nice to have a variety of different kinds of rides, I think, as it keeps things fresh.

Congrats on the bike trade. I have never known anyone to have or trade more bikes than you. What fun, though! I am kinda stodgy and keep my bikes forever these days (used to trade them much more frequently), but that's one reason I am excited about the possibilities in Mexico, since I'll surely end up with some kind of new bike, whatever it ends up being. I am really attracted to the idea of a recumbent these days, to see if it helps the pain I have from my roadie in my lower back on the right side - this is where I fractured my pelvis back in 2005, and it still gives me problems in a roadie position. More upright is better, but harder to do longer rides really upright since so much weight is on the saddle area. Plus, since I have fallen a few times, I like the idea of being closer to the ground. I would really like a recumbent trike, I think. I know they are slow on hills, but we will be in a flat area...unfortunately, there is wind, which is like a virtual hill. So, we'll see. I don't even know if they sell recumbents there or if we'll find roads where we can do longer rides, so we may end up with beach cruisers. I'll certainly keep y'all updated!

My last ride on the West Orange Trail today was pretty good. It had rained cats and dogs last night, so the trail was very wet, with lots of tree debris down. The day was nice, though hot and humid, of course, but with the brilliant blue sky, and believe it or not, a slight amount of fall color here and there, it was still a very pleasant ride. Hard to believe I may never ride this trail that I've ridden 100s of times over the past few years again -- but never say never. I've learned that!

[Crankin]

Excited to hear about your plans, Emily. My first real international trip was to Merida, when I was a senior in high school. I loved that city and now I realize it was more like Spain, than other parts of Mexico.
We are having a good visit with my som amd family. They are dealing with a bit of hassle with buying their house in Fayetville, with just a little damage from Florence. We will not see them or the new baby, until later December, when they visit in Philadelphia with her family, so we will go down there. The baby is due in the beginning of November, then they will move.

[north woods gal]

Emily, I've considered going recumbent a time or two, myself, and I have done test rides on a two wheel version and enjoyed it. This was back when my riding was almost exclusively on a drop bar road bike and I was developing a pinched nerve in my back from riding in the same position, hour after hour. Had a friend that rode a recumbent and he swore by it. I could usually beat him up hills, but he would usually beat me down the hills. On the level sections, it was a draw. Those things are a lot faster than they look when you ride side by side with one.

The only reason I didn't go recumbent was that I was living in Chicago, at the time, with its horrible traffic. Just couldn't bring myself to get down that low and lose visibility, though I probably could have adapted. For me the cure for the pinched nerve was to switch to a standard 26" MTB in a more upright position, but, yeah, it was slower. A recumbent would not work for my trail riding, but I am keeping it as an option for my road riding if my back starts to act up, again. After all, the idea is to keep riding and any type of bike that keeps us riding is a good thing. Recumbents are pricey, though, since most recumbents are made by small shop operations, especially the trike versions. The trike versions, though, could make great utility bikes for hauling stuff. Hope you find one that works for you.

Crankin, glad you got to see you're having a good visit with family. My two sisters-in-law just left from a visit with us, up here, and hated to see them go.They really are sisters to me, not sisters-in-law.

Miserable day, yesterday, as far as the weather and riding. Headed out three times after the rain stopped, only to have to head right back indoors due to sudden, quick, heavy downpours. Made 5 miles out of three attempts and called it good. Hate to say it, but it did prompt me to put the comfort bike back on the trainer, though I still couldn't bring myself to ride it. That'll be coming soon, enough, and, yes, I will break down and ride, indoors, if need be, this winter. Not going to beat myself up like I did last winter. Maybe that knock to my head knocked some sense into me. :)

P.S. Seeing a lot of birds migrating though our area, now, so fall is definitely, here. Trees are turning color and got below freezing, last night. Good-by to summer. It will be mossed.

[Crankin]

The climate here is killing me! Really, how anyone can be outdoors in 80-85 degrees and 90% humidity is beyond me. Woke up with a sore throat I know is from the weather and I did not walk today. We went to Calloway Gardens, so some slow walking for about 1.5 miles. Great butterfly house, the birds of prey show, eh. Getting ready for an early dinner a fairly nice place right across the street. Hope my granddaughter does ok. Anyway, we are going to go to the Atlanta zoo tomorrow, so more heat and walking. Our flight doesn’t leave until 7 pm, so it will be a full day.
I am very glad we came, but I can’t wait to get back to fall!

[emily_in_nc]

Excited to hear about your plans, Emily. My first real international trip was to Merida, when I was a senior in high school. I loved that city and now I realize it was more like Spain, than other parts of Mexico.
We are having a good visit with my som amd family. They are dealing with a bit of hassle with buying their house in Fayetville, with just a little damage from Florence. We will not see them or the new baby, until later December, when they visit in Philadelphia with her family, so we will go down there. The baby is due in the beginning of November, then they will move.

I haven't been to Spain, but I can imagine that. Merida is a very international city, quite cultured and upscale, with some lovely restaurants and many cultural events. Lots of expats from the US, Canada, and beyond are choosing it as a place to settle, because it is quite safe and the cost of living is so much less than where they are from. It's very hot, though, being inland, and there's little green space, which led us to choose living much closer to the beach, at least for now. A large part of that is because the Airbnb house we found has a private, fully walled courtyard with grass, packed sand, foliage, and shade trees, perfect for our dog. Many of the houses in Merida have courtyards, but they are usually concrete ground only, not good for a dog to do her business, so we'd have to walk her on the hot sidewalks. With her heart condition, that wouldn't be ideal. However, once it's just the two of us, I can see the possibility of moving to Merida since there is a lot more going on there and better shopping, restaurants, etc.

Glad you're enjoying your family visit!

[emily_in_nc]

The climate here is killing me! Really, how anyone can be outdoors in 80-85 degrees and 90% humidity is beyond me. Woke up with a sore throat I know is from the weather and I did not walk today. We went to Calloway Gardens, so some slow walking for about 1.5 miles. Great butterfly house, the birds of prey show, eh. Getting ready for an early dinner a fairly nice place right across the street. Hope my granddaughter does ok. Anyway, we are going to go to the Atlanta zoo tomorrow, so more heat and walking. Our flight doesn’t leave until 7 pm, so it will be a full day.
I am very glad we came, but I can’t wait to get back to fall!

LOL...what is fall? :D After nearly 14 months in Florida, I've gotten used to the heat and humidity, but it does get to be draining, I will certainly admit that. We try to get everything done in the morning and stay inside in the A/C in the afternoons. Then we venture out again to walk our dog after dinner. I am looking forward to a taste of fall when we visit NC next month, but I know I'm going to be a real wimp -- haven't experienced temps below 70 in months and months.

[emily_in_nc]

Emily, I've considered going recumbent a time or two, myself, and I have done test rides on a two wheel version and enjoyed it. This was back when my riding was almost exclusively on a drop bar road bike and I was developing a pinched nerve in my back from riding in the same position, hour after hour. Had a friend that rode a recumbent and he swore by it. I could usually beat him up hills, but he would usually beat me down the hills. On the level sections, it was a draw. Those things are a lot faster than they look when you ride side by side with one.

Yeah, I've actually owned a recumbent before, many years ago, a heavy long-wheelbase one, which was killer to ride up the hills in NC (though screaming fast downhill). It wasn't suitable for riding with a bike club because of that characteristic, which we were doing a lot of in those years, so I traded it in. This was long before I fractured my pelvis, I just thought having a recumbent would be fun -- and it was, in some ways. Like you say, there are pros and cons for sure -- cost, storage and transportability, visibility, and certainly availability in a place like Mexico. Chances are, it won't end up happening anyway, but it's something I keep thinking of. It may be another 10 years before I pull the trigger on one -- and who knows where we'll be then! :D

[north woods gal]

Crankin, I do get it about that heat and humidity. Check my posts about our recent Florida visit back over labor Day week. You really, really have to go slow and give yourself time to acclimate to that heat. It can be a killer - literally - for us northerners who push too hard. My first ride, this year, was a whopping 6 miles and it wiped me out. By the end of the week, though, I could manage 20 miles, but ONLY if I drank water, a lot of water. As Emily says, everyone did the outdoor thing early in the morning, down there.

Have to say, though, that I wouldn't complain if we had some of that heat up here, today. Highs in the 40s at ride time. We actually cut our ride short because we didn't dress, right. Hubby had no gloves and was very uncomfortable. Called it quits after only a couple miles, then I spent the rest of the day doing trail work, removing rocks, debris, roots and anything that could trip up a standard MTB. Three hours of that and I was really pooped.

[Crankin]

I did live in FL for almost 5 yrs, so I know how you can acclimate. My DIL said she doesn’t go out after 11 am, but I give her a pass, since she is 8 months pregnant. Fayetteville won’t be any better, so we will plan our visits accordingly. She goes to see her family a lot, in Philly, and it is easier for us to just drive there to visit. I guess what I like about New England is that the weather is so changeable. Even the winter cold has varaiations, and it is not as long of a winter as in the Midwest. The months of relentless heat is what I hated about AZ, too. Same every day.
My sore throat is gone, now just a head cold, but I am not sneezing or achy.

[north woods gal]

Hard to believe that this is the last day of September, but I guess it really shouldn't surprise me. The weather sure feels like it. Cloudy, today, but the clouds thinned enough for me to almost see some sunshine. Cold, though. Had to go leggings, scarf, gloves and a cap under the helmet. Brrr! Figured I better ride while I could, because rain, again, tomorrow.

Finished the month strong with 24 miles on the Log Lady. 22 miles were pavement and two, just for a little variety, were on my trails. Will get around to changing the gearing on this Log Lady to more optimal road gearing, once the other Log Lady is complete. Way too slow on the flats, but love the way it climbs so easily. Does make for a nice relaxing neighborhood ride bike, since it's all gentle hills and no flats in our immediate neighborhood. :)

Overall, September was a good month for me. Got back into my bicycling groove, compared to August, which was a rebuilding month after the accident. On to October. Hope it warms a little, though. My body is still in summer mode.

[ny biker]

Hello everyone!

I've gotten in a couple more rides of late. After way too many rainy days, we finally got a break last week. I rode on a rail trail with friends on Friday, about 26 miles in all. It was the shakedown ride with the new rear wheel. Everything went well, the weather was fine, and we went out to lunch afterwards.

Sunday was a century ride organized by a bike club in the area, and I planned to do the metric (which was really 67 miles). It was another beautiful day. I rode with someone who has not ridden for much of the summer due to health problems, and we started kinda fast and then slowed down in the second half. I was actually feeling pretty tired near the end. With about 3 miles to go, I tried to shift to a larger cog while going up a short steep hill, but the chain overshifted and got stuck between the cassette and the spokes of the new wheel. So I ended up calling SAG for a ride back to the start. The next day I took the bike to the shop, where they took enough things part to get the chain unstuck, reassembled everything and adjusted the derailleur. Fortunately the spokes on the new wheel were not damaged by the chain. My next ride will be tomorrow night. I am hoping to move on from all this rear-wheel related drama!

As for the possible new bike, from the rewards program at work... I am undecided. The trade-in value on the new hybrid is less than I had hoped, under $400, even though it is brand new and never ridden. If I trade it in for the gravel bike, it will be a significant out-of-pocket cost for me. And then there would be the necessary accessories, like pedals, a better saddle, water bottle cages, etc. Yes I would get good use from the gravel bike (in addition to fenders and rack mounts for wet or cold weather, it can hold FOUR water bottles, which would be great on summer rides in areas where convenience stores are few and afar between). Yes I have the money. But I really was not planning to spend that much money on a new bike right now. I will probably go ahead and get it, but need to think about it some more, to become comfortable with it.

[ny biker]

Could you sell it on Craigslist for more?

What type of hybrid is it?

Actually, what year, make, and model is it? I'll look it up.

2018 Trek Zektor 3. The Kelly's Blue Book value is $365.

After a crap day at work today, I am going to order it and use it toward a new gravel bike. Life is short, might as well have fun on weekends.

I will delay some of the accessory purchases until next year, maybe ask for some for Christmas, to minimize the immediate expense. Right away I will need pedals, 2 bottle cages and a saddle. I can use seat and handlebar bags that I already have, though I expect to want to get larger ones later. I can also delay the fender purchase; in the short term I should be able to use the easy on/off Race Blades that I already have. I can also use the existing Garmin and lights, and I have an old frame pump or two lying around. Not sure if I will want different tires right away -- I don't know if the ones that come on the bike (Schwalbe G-One Allround 700x35c) will slow me down too much on pavement.

Tire question: if you switched to a wider version of the same tire brand and model, would you expect to ride slower? For example, a Gatorskin 32 vs 28 or 25?

[Crankin]

I switched from Gatorskin 23s to 25s with no difference. However, my Ariel has 38s, so that with the added weight of the bike, does slow me down. I think if I rode the bike all of the time, it would improve.

[north woods gal]

N.Y., it's mostly a matter of the added weight on the wider tires that becomes a factor, but the difference between a 25 and a 28 or 32 is pretty minimal and you can easily compensate for this by choosing a lighter model of tire. Better yet, if you go tubeless, you can actually reduce weight with a 32 if you are now running tubes in the narrower tires. I go tubeless on all my bikes, now.

Assuming equal weight and roughly similar rolling resistance, a wider tire can actually increase your speed, since going wider also means going taller on your wheel diameter. If you're looking at gravel bikes with those 700x35 class tires, tread design is going to be a big factor. If you plan to ride a lot of pavement, don't get too aggressive on the tread.

Back when I was riding drop bar road bikes, my average speed riding on pavement did not change much, if at all, between my carbon Domane with 700x28s and my Salsa Warbird (great gravel bike) aluminum with 700x35s. Can't remember the exact tires I had on the Warbird, but they were fairly smooth in the center with a row of knobs on the sides that didn't touch the pavement unless I went into a low turn. When I went into sand, though, those side lugs made a huge difference. I could ride the Warbird in sand and loose stuff whereas I absolutely could not ride the Domane with its usual road slicks in loose stuff. What I loved about the Warbird, most, though, was that it was noticeably more comfortable to ride on rough pavement and probably safer, too, with those wider tires. Don't miss the Domane at all, but I do miss that Warbird. It was a very capable bike.