March In Like a Lion Rides

[north woods gal]

Plus one on that beautiful country. I think that would be the prefect road for the ECR.

[rebeccaC]

Yeah the road isn’t all that perfect but for my bikes being paved is more perfect than other isolated farm roads in the area. I’ve also known where the rougher sections are for quite a while now and can see any changes on the ascent to consider on the descent back down. My 26/1.5 tires help too. The times of year they harvest the lemons are the only days when I wouldn't ride it because of traffic. I very seldom see any cars/trucks. It’s kinda the perfect shorter ride to do after the days i work up there and before the 45+ minute drive home on pacific coast highway.

[Crankin]

First commute of the year today. As I was getting ready, DH commented it takes me longer to get ready than to ride there. Probably true, but I always feel better. I had a short day, so less traffic on both ends. There was a section of the street my office is on that had gigantic crater pot holes. The holes are not new, but since our storms in the past month, they grew. I was nervous, as avoiding them would mean not just getting in the lane, but going into the opposite side of the road!. As I turned the corner, I was thrilled to see the pot holes had been filled yesterday, when I don't work. Otherwise, I was seriously considering going through some parking lots, risking getting hit by a 90 year old, going to the doctor, but that will be avoided.
It was only 40 when I left, so I thought the clothes I had brought in to wear were not warm enough, so I wore my merino cycling dress and a base layer with winter commuting tights, exchanging them for regular tights when I got there. I also wore a Terry commuting jacket that is very cool, but too warm for temperatures over 50 or so. Thankfully, it was cloudy on the way home, so I ditched the head cover and it was fine. I know it's only 5.6 miles round trip, but it's worth it for my good mood. And, I have to walk about 1/2 a mile rt to a corporate cafeteria, across the street when I ride, so that's more activity.

[north woods gal]

I agree, those 26x1.5 tires will do just fine. What bike are you using?

Back in the day when all MTBs were 26" wheels and tires, I used the 1.5s on my 26" MTBs for pavement work and rough roads. Still have a set of 1.5s on my vintage steel Kona 26" MTB (which I will never sell). Rode all kinds of pavement with that bike, back in the day, gravel and dirt roads, too. 1.5", after all, works out to a 38mm on a road bike for width and that's a common width on gravel bikes.

Okay, old retro me, here I go, again. I think it's sad that the bike industry, overall, has been so quick to ditch the 26" wheels for the newer 27.5", which, by the way is only slightly larger than the 26" wheels, despite the 27.5" label. Fact is, the 27.5 is nowhere near halfway between a 26" and a 29", not even close. It's much closer to the 26" than the 29". To illustrate, if you went with a 26x2.75 wheel/tire setup on your 26" bike, you'd actually have the same overall wheel diameter as the standard 27.5x2.2 and, yes, there are now a few companies making a 26 plus bike with a 26x3" wheel/tire setup that is even slightly larger in wheel height than a standard 27.5. Of course, if you can convince everyone that the 27.5 wheel is much better than the old 26", you can get a lot more people to buy a new bike. Okay, rant over.

Barely broke the freezing point, today. Made it 1o yards in on my icy trails and know I was beat. Everything that had been slusg=h, tow days, ago, was now sold ice.

Took the Krampus, instead, for a road ride. It now wears the original 29x3 Dirt Wizard tires that came with the bike. Switched out the Dirt Wizards, right away, after buying the tire, so today was my first ride out on the road with them. For those who don't know, the Dirt Wizards are heavy and heavy-lugged serious dirt tires. As road tires, though, all I can say is "Bow wow! They really are a slow moving, slow responding dog.

To get a better comparison, took my Trek Stashe, also a 29x3 bike and also with a trail tire, but a less aggressive lugged tire and a much lighter tire. No comparison. The Trek 29x3 Chupacabra tires made a huge difference. The Dirt Wizards I will now sell. Not happy with them.

We now have a winter storm watch for Friday night. Not good for my riding, but not unusual for this the of year. Have to expect it, but can't help wishing the storm misses us.