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Thread: February rides

  1. #31
    Join Date
    May 2013
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    north woods of Wisconsin
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    1,110

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    Okay, you got me. Hey, any miles are good miles, right? Really, though, I'll take riding outside even on the nastiest days, to riding indoors on the trainer. Those trainer miles are a last resort.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Traveling Nomad
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    6,763
    I agree, NWG, 12 miles on snow and with wind gusts are an equivalent or better workout than my 36 miles in favorable, fair conditions!

    Yesterday was chore day, but I'm looking forward to a ride today. It's supposed to be partly cloudy but looks a bit threatening out right now. I'll be checking the radar before I head out. Don't want to get rained on. At least snow is not an issue!
    Emily

    2011 Jamis Dakar XC "Toto" - Selle Italia Ldy Gel Flow
    2007 Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD "Gloria" - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow
    2004 Bike Friday Petite Pocket Crusoe - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow

  3. #33
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
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    1,110
    Good reminder on the radar. I've made it a habit during thunderstorm season to check it, regularly, before heading out. Have been able to avoid some nasty weather that way.

    Speaking of weather, here we go, again. Middle of February and the forecast for the day is some more of the icy stuff, even some possible rain. This has not been a normal north woods winter. Thank heavens for the studded fat bike tires.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    I don't think any part of the US has had a normal winter, except maybe the deep south and even there they had a tornado recently. We have been on the mild side in general, which remains fine by me. Yesterday I saw a map showing no part of the western US being under severe drought conditions, for a the first time in quite a while. On the other hand, something about a dam possibly breaking in California.

    Once again we have a forecast calling for unusually warm temps this weekend, but since similar forecasts have underperformed recently I'm not holding my breath. Since we usually get snow this time of year I am not usually riding at all outdoors this time of year, so I'm okay if it turns out to be cold. However I really need to get past the inertia and get in some indoor cycling time, since I'm totally forced to take a break from weight-bearing cardio until my ankle is better. I guess tonight I should set everything up and program the thermostat for a low temp tomorrow night, so I will have fewer excuses to be lazy about it.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    1,973
    I follow the NWS tabular (hourly) forecast, which is usually pretty reliable. It was supposed to rain Sunday night/Monday but was mainly windy here. It was windy, dark, and potentially raining so I drove to work Monday. This morning, I forgot I had a morning meeting and got 1 block- turned around and had my husband drive me half way. It was a 6% chance of rain but I got sprinkled on! It was cool and breezy coming home- and rain by the mountains but I didn't run into any. It hasn't been as warm a winter as last year, but more rain this year (even with La Nina) than last year with El Nino.

    Anyway- hard to say what's a normal winter anymore..... More rain in the forecast for Saturday.
    2016 Specialized Ruby Comp disc - Ruby Expert ti 155
    2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker - Jett 143

  6. #36
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Got a Jones H bar handlebar and put it on my Pugsley as part of my winter project to turn the Pug into a utility, take everywhere bike. Did a bit of test riding with the new handlebar, yesterday, out on the snow pack, and it's all to the good. Unlike a standard factory bar, the Jones allows for all kinds of hand positions and has extra mounting options for bags and such. Next step is adding some faster, low rolling resistance tires to the Pug. Those are on order.

    My plan is to use the Pugs as a road warrior, mostly on gravel and sand roads, fire roads and so on, but it will also have to do some pavement to reach those roads. The bulk of my summer mountain biking, last year, was with fat bikes, anyway, so figured might as well branch out a bit more with the fatties.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Have a significant thaw headed our way, so got more trail riding on our hard icy snow, today, while things are still frozen. Pretty tricky, but fun, riding. The hard packed width of the trail is only about as wide as my snowshoes, since that was what I used to pack the trail. Even a little off the hard pack and the bike sinks into about a foot of snow and you slam to a halt. Then you have a problem of getting started, again, because your feet sink into the deep stuff on the side of the hard pack. Once rolling, though, lots of fun swerving and fishtailing. Guess you have to be a hardcore mountain biker to call that fun, but so be it.

    Will miss the trail work when the thaw settles in, but I'm a glass half full kind of person, so looking forward to more road work as more road and snow melt on the roads. My goal for this next season is to do more adventure kind of riding on our rural/backcountry/fire roads., mostly with the Pugsley set up as a utility bike. I won't be fast, but I'll always get through. This year, though, absolutely getting a GPS.
    Last edited by north woods gal; 02-16-2017 at 11:43 AM.

  8. #38
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    northern Virginia
    Posts
    5,897
    Significant thaw, indeed. At least you (and I) are not getting soaked with all the rain they have in California. Though on the positive side, their drought is over.

    I'm still feeling the inertia against setting up the bike in my living room. Honestly I'm a bit concerned that I will run into problems switching the pedals. It took a long time to resolve some problems I had a few years ago with knee issues and heels hitting the cranks while I pedaled. IIRC the fitter at the LBS had to add a spacer to the left pedal. I will try to be careful taking the pedals off, noting anything special such as where I find a spacer, and labeling/photographing things so I can put it the Speedplays back on again at some point. But I'm concerned that I'll end up messing things up somehow.

    Anyway I had a brilliant idea to try the stationary bike at the gym, just to confirm that I can pedal a bike without ankle pain. So I tried that last night, but it turned out to be a bust. The geometry of their bike is just not right, and I felt like I wasn't pedaling normally, like the angle from the seat down to the pedals was off. So I gave up and took advantage of the leg extension and leg curl machines just so I could work some leg muscles in a way that wouldn't hurt anything.

    So since the stationary bike at the gym was a fail, I'll have to set up the bike in the living room after all. Oh well. Springlike weather is on its way for the weekend so maybe that will get me going.

    - Gray 2010 carbon WSD road bike, Rivet Independence saddle
    - Red hardtail 26" aluminum mountain bike, Bontrager Evoke WSD saddle
    - Royal blue 2018 aluminum gravel bike, Rivet Pearl saddle

    Gone but not forgotten:
    - Silver 2003 aluminum road bike
    - Two awesome worn out Juliana saddles

  9. #39
    Join Date
    Jul 2003
    Location
    Traveling Nomad
    Posts
    6,763
    A nice 34-mile solo ride today, though I didn't sleep well last night (woke up way too early and could never get back to sleep), so I was feeling a bit sluggish and slow. But it was a gorgeous day in the 60s, not too much bike path traffic, and the sky was just beautifully blue. Florida really is lovely this time of year, and I am so grateful to be here! Also trialed a new pair of PI Quest bike shorts, a bit longer than I am used to (since I am short) and with slightly thinner chamois, but they were quite comfy. I will probably order another pair as I recently ditched my two most uncomfy pairs and need to get rid of one more that is basically falling apart so all the ones I have will work for me. Price was right -- got 'em on Amazon for super cheap, so I wasn't too confident, but they are very good. I think tall gals might like these b/c of the longer inseam.
    Emily

    2011 Jamis Dakar XC "Toto" - Selle Italia Ldy Gel Flow
    2007 Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD "Gloria" - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow
    2004 Bike Friday Petite Pocket Crusoe - Selle Italia Diva Gel Flow

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Tucson, AZ
    Posts
    1,973
    Finished up today with my 4th commute of the week, and had company both ways- one of my friends rode with me and then came back down and rode home with me. So she got in 40 miles to my 20!

    I started to leave work and discovered the screw came out of my cycling shoe. I taped it around my foot with masking tape and went to Ace Hardware on the way home- it's all fixed now.

    No riding this weekend- the weather forecast is wind: up to 40 mph and rain: 100% chance on Saturday through Sunday. Maybe I'll get a lot done around the house.
    2016 Specialized Ruby Comp disc - Ruby Expert ti 155
    2010 Surly Long Haul Trucker - Jett 143

  11. #41
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,151
    We're a little breezy but... SIXTIES. in FEBRUARY. Today I'll ride the bus across town to pick up my Transport. I'm hoping the hub transplant went smoothly. I had a Dutch Gazelle w/ 700cc wheels and a great generator hub w/ Busch-Muller light... but... the frame rusted out. The Transport has 26 inch wheels ... and great disk brakes so I'll need to find it a home (it's hardly been ridden)... so they've plopped the generator hub in the 26 inch wheels. I'll ride home the long way and go for at least 15 miles...

  12. #42
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Two days in a row of 50s. In fact, we broke the record high, today. Mostly just road work with the fat bike and, yes, still using the studded tires. Although the roads I ride are now about 50% clean pavement, that other half is still wet ice and VERY slick. Couple more days and it should all be open, so will be able to switch bikes. Did 15 miles on the fattie, though, so good workout on a spring-like day. Wonderful to be out.

    As for riding the fat on the trails, no go. The hard snow base is collapsing. Will be making good headway, then the base gives way without warning and I sink into a foot plus of snow.

    Spent the rest of the day getting the Warbird ready for gravel season. Changed the 700x35s to 700x40s for a bit better performance in the loose stuff. Almost forgot what a light bike it is, but, then, just about anything is lighter than a fat bike.

  13. #43
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
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    Took the Warbird out on the pavement for a change of pace from the fat bike work. The Warbird is a Salsa gravel specific bike and it now wears 700x40 tires, rather than the stock 700x35s for a bit better bite in the soft stuff. Rode 10 miles of pavement out to the gravel road I like and did one mile on the gravel. Not too bad, no ice or snow, but the gravel/dirt was pretty soft and squishy. Took the long way home for a total of 24 miles on the day. Hit a nasty head wind of 25 mph+ on the way back, but just so happy to be out, didn't mind a bit and temp was in the 50s, anyway. Typical spring ride, but, of course, it's not spring! One of the longest ever February rides for me, up here. Rain moving in, tonight. What's up with this weather?


  14. #44
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    3,151
    More ridiculously nice days here! I picked up my Trek Transport and t he hub transplant seems to have gone well. I mused about it being just harder to ride (fatter tires and ... literally clunkier b/c it's more rigid than the Xtracycle so things bounce harder)... and told myself it was time to get in better shape anyway, so leave 5 minutes earlier and ride harder -- and it worked this morning! Since the generator light on the Xtracycle is busted I end up doing "not so bright" on my battery light... but riding the Transport reminds me how nice a *really good* light is. Got in >100 miles last week... trying for the same this one ... happily the rain in the forecast will arrive between midnight and dawn, because I live in Camelot.

  15. #45
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    north woods of Wisconsin
    Posts
    1,110
    Two days in a row of 20 plus miles on pavement with the Warbird on top of several days in a row of 10 miles plus on pavement with the fat bikes. Still below my summer average, but, gee, this is winter, so I'm in heaven! Got rained out (not snowed out), today, and looks like several days of wintery mix precip ahead, so more road biking looks iffy, right now. Still, it does feel good to be in road bike trim in February. Don't usually bother to even track my miles in February, but this hasn't been a normal February. I think I'm going to be a bit depressed to see my roads covered with snow, again, after this. Oh, well.

 

 

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