riding partner in south fla?

Hey everyone! I'm new here and juuust put down a deposit for a road bike. I'm athletic and have been playing basketball since i was a child all the way through high school...always loving to ride my bike though! During college I've started running but my knees are not so great due to bball so in order to stay in shape I'm picking up cycling...for real this time. I would love to see if any ladies here in the Miami or Ft. Lauderdale area would like to ride with me and teach me everything I need to know. I'd like to train for charity events and just meeting new people. :D

Hi SUPlove,
Welcome to TE. I live in Miami and am usually found at Key Biscayne on the weekends. It is a very cycling friendly area. Take a look at the Everglades Bike club site and Broward Wheelers. They are two great cycling clubs. EBC is hosting a century ride on March 28, 2010, in the redlands, south dade. It is a great supported ride and will get about 2,000 riders. Let me know when you get your new steed.

If you ever find your way north the Orlando area give me a shout! Enjoy your new bike. It has been my greatest enjoyment since I purchased mine in August. :) it sounds like Kermit has got your started on the right foot in finding some new riding buddies.

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Originally Posted by kermit

Hi SUPlove,
Welcome to TE. I live in Miami and am usually found at Key Biscayne on the weekends. It is a very cycling friendly area. Take a look at the Everglades Bike club site and Broward Wheelers. They are two great cycling clubs. EBC is hosting a century ride on March 28, 2010, in the redlands, south dade. It is a great supported ride and will get about 2,000 riders. Let me know when you get your new steed.

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Hi Kermit. I'm from the snowy north (VA) and plan on taking a weeklong vacation in FL with my cousin in March. We've got a place in Weston, FL, and I'll be bringing my bike. Today I was looking for cycling routes in that area and came across the EBC ride on 3/28. That'd be doable for me. Is there a link you could direct me to which shows the route of the 41 miler or Metric Century ride? Thanks.

If you can't find the routes on EBC's site, try going through active.com. They may not be posted yet but I can tell you that the ride is clearly marked and you gets maps at check-in. It goes west from the base into the redlands, farm area. Nice ride.

Thanks Kermit. I'm seriously considering registering for the ride.

Let me know if you make it, we can hook up!

My BF lives in S. Miami,and our regular ride is down to Homestead Marina, Speedway, and then over to the National Park. The rides are so nice - rural, farms, and FLAT! Make sure you stand up every once in a while to get the blood moving.

The biggest problem I had on the last EBC ride was dodging rogue vegetables in the road!

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Originally Posted by kermit

The biggest problem I had on the last EBC ride was dodging rogue vegetables in the road!

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Ha!!! There's a road we call String Bean Highway! It's the road that the winery is on - the next main north/south road after Robert Is Here. (Okay, the last N/S road after RIH!) The first time we rode it, I saw an obstacle in the road - called it out, "String bean!" Twenty feet later - "string bean!" They were all over the place in the road. So, it's been String Bean Highway ever since. Although, sometimes, we're avoiding squash. And tomatoes. But mostly, string beans!

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Originally Posted by kermit

Let me know if you make it, we can hook up!

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I will let you know. It'd be nice to meet other TE users throughout the country.

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Originally Posted by Pedal Wench

My BF lives in S. Miami,and our regular ride is down to Homestead Marina, Speedway, and then over to the National Park. The rides are so nice - rural, farms, and FLAT! Make sure you stand up every once in a while to get the blood moving.

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The ride sounds lovely. A couple times a year I participate in rides along the DelMarVa Peninsula which has flat, rural farmland. If the winds are kicking up, though, they can be worse than any hill I have near me in No. VA. Will you be participating in the Snowbird Century, Pedal Wench?

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Originally Posted by kmehrzad

The ride sounds lovely. A couple times a year I participate in rides along the DelMarVa Peninsula which has flat, rural farmland. If the winds are kicking up, though, they can be worse than any hill I have near me in No. VA. Will you be participating in the Snowbird Century, Pedal Wench?

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Nope - we'll both be in ATL that weekend. You're so right about the winds, though. Last time I was down there - right at String Bean Highway, to be exact, we were heading straight into a 18-22 mph headwind coming out of Everglades NP. It was brutal - I was going 10mph on a pancake flat road.

Definitely true about the wind (and the veggies, I recall zuchini) I had planned on the 62 last year, but riding alone and the wind did the 41. There's nowhere to hid in those open fields. Hope you can make it.

Hey Kermit! Thanks for all your info :) I'll be getting my bike in May. The reason is that I will be gone for the month of April on an internship so they're holding it for me at the shop until I get back. I'm excited to get fitted for my new bike! If you have any tips as to what I should be aware of (in case they don't mention it) when I get fitted I'd really appreciate it. I'm reading a bunch of articles to know what I need but I can't wait! Oh! and my bike is a Trek 1.5. What do you think?

Sorry for the delayed reply. I couldn't find where I posted this! lol

Great bike. I have a Trek Mountain bike that I love. Where did you get the bike? If it's Cycle world on Bird road, see Rob, the dude with the long beard for your fit, he's really good. You can research this site for fit tips. Be honest about what feels good or bad. If you need it, they may need to swap a stem, saddle, etc. Get a good pair of cycling shorts for your fit. Wear (at least below the waist) what you will ride in. Holler when you get back from your internship, we'll hit Key Biscayne.

Yup..I got it at Cycle World. Ramiro helped me out..really nice people there. I just got my bike rack. I'll be in Sanibel where the main form of commuting is by bike! So I'm going to take my mountain bike to get around and see the island on my days off and save on gas. GO GREEN! haha... We'll def. be in contact when I get back. Thanks for all your help. Take care n be safe :)