The Cycling Thread

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So the tour of France is starting soon. Any ideas how this year will go?

We'll be bored to death by Ineos?

The loss of a couple of key players (Froome, Dumoulin) makes it a little more open I guess. I find the TdF one of the less interesting races in general. At least the opening week parcours looks a bit more interesting than the usual fare.

I heard that Frome was out. I'm a little more excited that there might be a more wide open race. I love watching the country side in France.  Really beautiful.  I am concerned  about the heat wave out there and how that will effect the racers.

[lonely moa]

I did my own favourite "tour" today, Staveley Store return, 58km; the lamb burrito and flat white did not disappoint. 

I did have to rug up for the ride, brrr.

[Friendly Angel]

While LeTour is still in the boring stages... the Women's Giro has been very fun to watch.

[Fast Eddie B]

As a belated birthday gift, Karen treated me to some new cycling shoes:



Pearl Izumi MTB shoes. Normally $95 at REI, luckily went on sale for 25% off the day before we went in.

Though virtually all my riding is on pavement, I decided to stay with MTB pedals and shoes, in my case base model SPD pedals and cleats. I’m accustomed to them, and they’re much easier to walk in than the Look road pedals/cleats I’ve used in the past.

Anyway, done one ride in them so far, and like them.

[Friendly Angel]

in my case base model SPD pedals and cleats

SPDs are probably the best for all around do everything cleats - just about everything except serious road riding - they let go just a little too easy for my fearsome attacks.  I have them on my winter road bike, but I have road pedals for my summer road bike.

Last Friday, a guy was almost killed (still in a coma) at an intersection I go through all the time.  Wasn't his fault (car ran the red) but an experienced safety-forward rider could probably have avoided it.

And Saturday, I witnessed a guy crashing into the ditch right next to me - I didn't know him but stopped to offer help, he was in bad shape, ambulance came to get him.

And Wednesday I broke my chain!  It was my own install about a month ago, and I probably buggered it up, leading to breakage.  I had the LBS put a new one on this morning - they did in 10 minutes what would've taken me 90, so I saved time and frustration, and I have more confidence in it now.



I'm probably about due for new rims too.

[Swagomatic]

I took my first ride in over a year? I think. I rode my MTB for about an hour. I've been having an ongoing issue with my spine (or what's left of it) but, I am happy to report no difficulties.     

[Alex Simmons]

I took my first ride in over a year? I think. I rode my MTB for about an hour. I've been having an ongoing issue with my spine (or what's left of it) but, I am happy to report no difficulties.     

Cool!

I was going OK with my "comeback", got myself up to 2.5 hour rides until a bit over a month ago when I got a bit of a head cold virus, which eventually went away but then so did I on travels, during which I then developed a chest cold, cough, phlegm etc etc. Still on the back end of that and it's giving me the shits. Feel fatigued.

I did a light rehab gym session yesterday, and even with very light work I'd sweat. Debating whether to try 15-min on the bike trainer today and see how I feel. Still have a cough

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I need to get back into riding. It's been 2 years

[Fast Eddie B]

SPDs are probably the best for all around do everything cleats - just about everything except serious road riding - they let go just a little too easy for my fearsome attacks. 

I’m a bit paranoid about my feet getting trapped, so I keep my SPD’s set quite loose.

Road riding up a hill a couple years ago I missed a shift into granny gear at very low speed, could not unclip my right foot in time, and toppled at very low speed head first into a guardrail and scraped up my right forearm. Even with the helmet I saw stars and was slightly befuddled for the rest of the ride home. Without a helmet I have no doubt a more serious concussion would have been likely.

On that point, having just turned 70, I cannot deny my balance and coordination are not what they were a decade or more ago. My endurance is coming back nicely, however. It appears my maximum attainable heart rate is down about 10 bpm, from 180 to 170, but I think that’s to be expected with age. Anyway, it’s like Dirty Harry said, “Sometimes a man’s got to know his limitations!”

[lonely moa]

I’m a bit paranoid about my feet getting trapped, so I keep my SPD’s set quite loose.

I have never found myself embarrassingly off my mountain bike still attached to me.  Those spd's seem to magically detach sometime between the mistake and the ground.

[lonely moa]

I was a bit underdressed for my 60km coffee loop yesterday, but the midway stop was well worth it.  A new issue at the Staveley Store, a pork belly pie, and of course a table in the sun out of the cold winter breeze, made for a lovely refreshment break. 

[Friendly Angel]

It was sunny today!


I ate oatmeal and ClifBars.

[lonely moa]

The Park is dry again .  A nice couple of loops and a big strava calorie burn .

[lonely moa]

The Timber Trail.  Two days of riding and partying.  Labour weekend (and Te Ika-a-Māui) its best.

Thanks Huey for two fine days.