New Senior Roadies

[SeniorBabe]

A Brooks, huh! I'm impressed. I've heard lots of stories about the hardness of those things. Yet lots of people absolutely love them. Seems like from what I can tell the rides who love Brooks saddles are the good old fashioned kind of people who ride because they love classic riding. Can you tell me what differences you find between the Butterfly and your Brooks? And how long did it take to break the thing in?

Thanks!

[SeniorBabe]

Veronica, that is one gorgeous bike: my kind of bike person's bike. Beautiful color too!

I have a custom touring bike too, and was just thinking it's time to put the back rack on and attach the trunk, since I seem to like to be supplied for all possible emergencies whenever I go out on the road. (old girl scouts never die....)

Thanks for the info on the two saddles. I think I'll revisit the saddle itself again. I do not need this kind of pain. Anybody behind me must die laughing watching this slightly bib-beamed broad squirming around on a bike saddle as I go pedalling along. I don't mind lightening people's day, but not at the cost of very personal unnecessary pain.

I haven't been on a tandem. That'll be a new adventure sometime. My friend has one, and when he thinks I'm ready (and won't panic, thereby dumping us both on the side of the road) I'll get to try that too.

If I'd known life could be so much fun I'd have turned 62 and retired ten years earlier!

[Veronica]

Thanks for the compliment. What kind of bike do you have? That big bag usually only goes to work. But if I'm feeling lazy or running late, I leave it on for my afternoon rides. It's real easy to get my jacket into.

We really enjoy riding the tandem. Generally if we're going out together, it's what we ride. You'd be surprised how easy it is - for the stoker anyway. When we first started riding I would actively think going into corners, "Don't lean, don'tl lean." Now it's just second nature I guess. Although apparently when I've done A LOT of riding on my own, I sometimes try to steer. It's great because you can take pictures, wave to people, open food wrappers, take long drinks. I've even mastered getting Thom's jacket off. But I can't seem to be able to zip it up from behind when he wants it back on. Give it a try soon.

Good luck with the saddle.

Veronica

[oldbikah]

I have been using a Terry Liberator saddle on my mountain bike and also on my road bike until I replaced my road bike recently--now have a Selle San Marco Atola on new bike. The Liberator has always been fine. I took it to New Zealand with me, and had a little irritation the 3rd day of riding, but after using a little Gold Bond medicated powder it was fine the next day and thereafter. I use that powder often in the summer as it helps on the really warm days.

[SeniorBabe]

I have an Independent Fabrication club racer, which is their light touring model. It's a custom version to accommodate various arthritis problems, especially in my hands. I don't have to put as much weight as usual on the hands this way. And it's ruby red/black forks. It's a wonderful bike.

Okay: I'll go back to saddle research and try medicated powder too. I was browsing and saw the Atola saddle. It looked like a possible before.

Thanks!

[oldbikah]

Interesting that you should mention arthritis in your hands. When my son set up my new road bike for me (he is a summer bike mechanic) he put some specially made thin foam pads on top of the handlebars between the stem and the outside curve, and than the handlepar tape over that, to help alleviate pain from a torn ligament in one of my hands. It really helped.
My new bike is a Litespeed Capella (with triple chainring to help on our Maine hills!) and I love the smooth ride and light weight. Anything to make it easier and more pleasant. I also had the Shimano short-reach shift/brake lever set up put on. Big help!

[Veronica]

Where are you in Maine? I grew up in Hollis Center, about 40 miles SW of Portland. Most of my family is still in that area.

Veronica

[oldbikah]

Veronica:
Yes, I know where Hollis is! I grew up in Topsham, have lived in Seattle, Denver, western Mass, Conn, and have worked my way back to Maine--now living in Carrabassett Valley (base of Sugarloaf). I ski 4 or 5 weekdays every week. There is plenty of good mountain bike riding around here, but road riding with the logging trucks presents quite a challenge! Bonnie

[Veronica]

Wow, what a small world! I learned to ski at Sugarloaf (naturally.) I was never into biking when I lived there, other then what I had to do to get from point A to B on an old hand me down 3 speed with a pink basket. We lived at the top of this HUGE hill. When I go visit my mom now I swear they have cut off part of the hill, because it just doesn't look that steep. It's about 3 miles long, but the grade isn't nearly as bad as I remember it.

We'd like to bring the tandem back sometime and do the century at Acadia. But this year I couldn't really find any info on it.

Veronica

[oldbikah]

There are a growing number of sponsored rides in Maine (or at least I am noticing them now!). The century you refer to at Acadia might be the Tour de Cure (might be a metric century). Also another ride big in numbers and miles is the Trek across Maine in June every year. It is a 3-day, 150 mile event from Farmington to Belfast, with 2200 riders, always subscribed well in advance. Website for that one is www.alam.org
The Bike Coalition of Maine has a very user-friendly calendar which is put together every winter. www.bcm.org
Hope that helps. Come do a ride with the senior roadies here, Veronica!! May see you there!