TREK! 1.2 Triple WSD!

[Kano]

Speaking of road debris -- if you live where road debris is trendy, y'know, EVERYWHERE, get some tires like the Specialized Armadillos! I was repairing flats with just about every ride until I got a pair for my road bike. On the beast, they were just as important, and now DH uses them. (took my wheels right after I got the road bike, now I've got the heavy, knobby ones again...)

There are folks who say they're heavier, but not a racer, and the enjoyment I get from flat-free riding beats the heck out of a few ounces!

Karen in Boise

[letsride89]

i did it.

i road over twenty miles today. my first time on a road bike and BAM!

I can't believe what i just did, i feel so stinkin good.

Alright girls so i told you i would keep you updated so there you have it! Dang, i feel good. I just ate too so now i feel even better..now i just gotta get outa this spandex...

i learned today:
I HATE WIND.
Two waterbottles isn't enough
Bring chapstick.
move around A LOT on the saddle.
Runners on trails tend to talk smack ab riders.
Point to things in the road that could be hazardous to riders behind you.

i can't wait to go again.

zencentury: your so right, it does only take one to operate my bike! i would have totally gone without Aaron, but my mom won't let me. hahahahha. its sad but true. i just turned 19 and still live with my parents while i'm in college...i guess she's allowed to tell me i can't go ride by myself. even though it sucks!

[crazycanuck]

Ummm...it's what you put in the waterbottles dear..Think about doing a search in regards to hydration & you may find the info you need There's also a nutrition/hydration section on TE

There's nothing wrong with riding alone.
Why do you have to point to things behind you when you're riding on your own?

There are tons of threads out there on this loverly board to help you..

[letsride89]

crazycanuck!

hey! your so right about the whole hydration thing! i'll for sure do some research on that! good point!

i think you may have read the "what i learned today" part wrong...

i learned to point to potholes as i pass them to warn my sister *riding behind*. Pointing it out will make sure she's sees the pothole and she wont get hurt!! thats what i meant by that..

as far as riding alone...i know its safe. my MOM doesn't know its safe. she never will. ahhaha!

thanks for all your advice!!!

[Zen]

Last summer I would ride to my Mom's house. She told me she thought the road was dangerous.
It's the same road I used when I was 14 and had my first Raleigh.
Last summer I was 49 and she was 78.
It never ends.

[letsride89]

i really thought her fear would end when I moved out of my house. thanks for the hope-killer zen. LOL!

I guess that's what moms are for, right?!

[KatyLady]

Don't know how many others do this, but when we ride together DH and I hook earbuds in our cell phones, one calls the other, and we keep an open phone connection throughout the ride. That makes it easy to communicate things like "look out for the kids in the path", "I like the landscaping at that house", or "we went that way yesterday lets go left today instead." We experimented a bit until we found ear buds with little/no wind noise. Have gotten so accustomed to being able to talk that it is really frustrating if a phone battery runs down.

[redrhodie]

20 miles is great! Good for you! I thought of a couple more tips you might want to know:

You should pump up your tires before every ride, and it's a good idea to clean and lube your chain after every ride. Learn how to change a tire. Change out of your shorts right away after a ride to prevent UTIs or yeast infections. A good quality chamois creme will help prevent irritation from an uncomfortable saddle. Wear gloves to protect your hands if you fall. Carry a cell phone and ID (I put my name and home phone # on a sticker inside my helmet).

Enjoy being 19! 40 is better