Biking: Catch-all

It's truly a personal thing. You (meaning she) have to find your sit bone width and what works for you. I think Specialized dealers are the best suited for sizing your pelvic girth. WTB has a saddle rental program though.

First, get the bike fit. Usually shops will include some level of fitting with the purchase of a bike, but in some cases (I'd imagine Performance is in this group), you won't get that service and will have to find it elsewhere. A lot of saddle pains can be attributed to poor saddle adjustment-- too hi, too far forward, too far back, angled wrong, even the handlebars being too far forward (or too close) can force the rider to sit uncomfortably on the saddle, always shifting around trying to find that sweet spot. The thing is, as you ride your body naturally shifts into the most optimal angles, so if your bike isn't fitted to accommodate said angles, you're going to be uncomfortable.

All that said, saddles are subjective-- I've said it before and I'll say it again: No two asses are the same. What works for me won't necessarily work for you. So yeah: try out as many saddles as possible. Some shops might have testers & demo saddles for you to check out for a trial period, so go for those if you can. If you can afford it, though: try a Brooks or a Selle Anatomica. These classic leather saddles eventually stretch to your form and, while stiff and mildly uncomfortable at first, will break in and be super comfy. As long, of course, as your bike is fitted well.

Yeah, I think the fitting will be key. Thank you for reminding me. She's mentioned she feels she's too far forward, which would--among other things--perhaps place too much pressure on her parts.

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

LiquidMantis wrote:

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

ugh, I hate headwinds... just kills all the power you have. Especially when it's gusting.

AP Erebus wrote:
LiquidMantis wrote:

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

ugh, I hate headwinds... just kills all the power you have. Especially when it's gusting.

I know I'll be facing this scenario in the near future. The good news is that I don't have to climb any hills on my way home from work.

AP Erebus wrote:
LiquidMantis wrote:

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

ugh, I hate headwinds... just kills all the power you have. Especially when it's gusting.

I just treat it like incline you can't see. Helps me deal with it better psychologically.

In my mind, crosswind is worse since it is like a headwind in both directions.

Wheeee rainy, swirling winds on the Queensboro Bridge... good thing there's a railing!

AP Erebus wrote:
LiquidMantis wrote:

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

ugh, I hate headwinds... just kills all the power you have. Especially when it's gusting.

This is when you need a recumbent

Paleocon wrote:

I just treat it like incline you can't see. Helps me deal with it better psychologically.

In my mind, crosswind is worse since it is like a headwind in both directions.

Less effective when you can already see inclines.

IMAGE(http://i42.tinypic.com/2h3vbkk.png)

Putting the wind at your back makes you feel like a superman though. There were sections I usually have to pedal just to maintain that I was accelerating with no effort. I ended up cutting my loop short and grabbing the dog to give her a run through the neighborhood since yesterday was supposed to be a lighter ride anyway. My legs definitely feel the added exertion today.

gore wrote:
AP Erebus wrote:
LiquidMantis wrote:

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

ugh, I hate headwinds... just kills all the power you have. Especially when it's gusting.

This is when you need a recumbent :)

But then you wouldn't be riding a bike...

WipEout wrote:
gore wrote:
AP Erebus wrote:
LiquidMantis wrote:

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

ugh, I hate headwinds... just kills all the power you have. Especially when it's gusting.

This is when you need a recumbent :)

But then you wouldn't be riding a bike...

Why is it that everytime I picture a recumbent rider, I think of some bearded weirdo that looks like he could have come off an episode of "My Strange Addiction" or "Hoarders: Buried Alive"?

Paleocon wrote:
WipEout wrote:
gore wrote:
AP Erebus wrote:
LiquidMantis wrote:

Have I mentioned how much I love 25+ MPH headwinds? Yeah, I didn't think so.

ugh, I hate headwinds... just kills all the power you have. Especially when it's gusting.

This is when you need a recumbent :)

But then you wouldn't be riding a bike...

Why is it that everytime I picture a recumbent rider, I think of some bearded weirdo that looks like he could have come off an episode of "My Strange Addiction" or "Hoarders: Buried Alive"?

Because that is who they are

So I've been talked into doing the Death Ride next July by a few of my buddies. I rode the Canadian Rockies on a loaded touring bike, so California on a stick bike should be a breeze, right? Damn, that elevation chart is scary looking! There's a 12% grade in there at one point!!

IMAGE(http://www.deathride.com/images/photos/elemaplg.jpg)

Oh, MAN that looks like a great day!!!

I don't know how anyone would do that. Going up the small hills around here is a killer. I don't know how it is even mechanically possible because once a slope becomes great enough I can walk faster than I can bicycle upwards.

Serengeti, I know you have very strong legs but how does an Iowan train for 8500-ft elevation? That's a whole other world of hurt, if you aren't used to that thin air.

That is an excellent question. We managed 7000 ft just fine back in August in Canada, but that's a far cry from 8730 ft. I'll let you know if I survive

Serengeti wrote:

I'll let you know if I survive :-)

Or you won't. We'll have an answer either way!

Got a heart rate monitor hooked up to my Garmin this weekend. Really helpful.

I took my steel touring bike out for a ride with the HRM on to see how I fared, and I guess my instincts about how hard I should be pushing have been pretty good. I just went as hard as I usually do, and average HR was 75% of maximum, peak was about 95% of maximum. Guess I can push a bit harder, but that's pretty close to target

Serengeti wrote:

So I've been talked into doing the Death Ride next July by a few of my buddies. I rode the Canadian Rockies on a loaded touring bike, so California on a stick bike should be a breeze, right? Damn, that elevation chart is scary looking! There's a 12% grade in there at one point!!

IMAGE(http://www.deathride.com/images/photos/elemaplg.jpg)

Wow, just....wow. You better have an oxygen tank at the end! Here's this year's stats from that link:

Info Header
Here are some interesting statistics about people who participated in the Death Ride®. The Alpine County Chamber of Commerce takes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information listed.

Girl Riding in Death Ride2013 DEATH RIDE®:

TOTAL RIDERS: 3,500

DAY OF EVENT RIDERS: 2,783

MALE RIDERS: 2,316

FEMALE RIDERS: 467

TANDEM RIDERS: 9 teams

RIDER TIMES: Click here to see how long the Death Ride® took you (sorted by bib number.) *NOTE: Finishing times are from the bib scan at the top of Carson Pass. Time does not reflect the riders start time at Turtle Rock Park.

OUT OF COUNTRY RIDERS: 23 representing: Australia, Canada, Findland, Japan, South Korea & United Kingdom

DAY OF EVENT CALIFORNIA RIDERS: 2,059

DAY OF EVENT OLDEST RIDER: 84 years male, 68 years female

DAY OF EVENT YOUNGEST RIDER: 14 years male, 21 years female

RIDERS TO COMPLETE ALL 5 PASSES: 1,960 finishers (1,704 male, 256 female)

5 PASS FINISHERS BY AGE GROUP:
12-21: 9 finishers
22-31: 119 finishers
32-41: 383 finishers
42-51: 681 finishers
52-61: 624 finishers
62-71: 136 finishers
72-81: 8 finishers

brouhaha wrote:
Serengeti wrote:

So I've been talked into doing the Death Ride next July by a few of my buddies. I rode the Canadian Rockies on a loaded touring bike, so California on a stick bike should be a breeze, right? Damn, that elevation chart is scary looking! There's a 12% grade in there at one point!!

Wow, just....wow. You better have an oxygen tank at the end!

Yeah um, that looks nuts to me. Most people who registered actually managed to finish though - nice.

Oh dude, I forgot about the Death Ride! I was supposed to ride it once with workmates, actually, but I had to flake because I was so poor (and scared) at the time. You might want to find a hypobaric chamber or altitude tent to train in a bit if you're concerned about the altitude/atmosphere. Although you obviously have a good idea of what a high elevation ride feels like at 7000ft, so you may not need to worry about it. But then, Death Ride gets almost 2000 ft higher...

Either way, good luck! That ride looks so fun/scary!!

All right, you gear heads. I spent too much money on a mountain bike last year (mid-life crisis purchase?), and it's way past time that I learn how to take care of it. Is there a generally accepted set of core maintenance items I need to be doing, or should I just turn in my man-card and throw money at my local bike shop once or twice a year?

For background, my previous steed was a '97 Bontrager hardtail. It withstood all the abuse I threw at it without much complaining for attention.

IMAGE(http://crev.vo.llnwd.net/o42/mtbreview/images/products/product_349327.jpg)

Now all of a sudden I have disc brakes, full suspension, a dropper seat, and tubeless tires to take care of. Up until last week I got away with ignoring all of those moving parts. Then the Stan's in my tires dried up and both front and rear went flat within days of each other. I was totally unprepared (didn't even know I was supposed to put goop in the tires, I just let the LBS set it up). It took two trips to the store and several hours of experimentation in my garage to make things copacetic.

So...are there any basic things I should be doing to stay ahead of the maintenance game that are low risk for botching?

How about a bike tune-up, beer drinking, Rocksmith, meat grilling day, at my house in the near future?

You should definitely pick up a copy of Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. I have a very dog-eared, grease stained copy of the road bike version and it's a great maintenance manual covering pretty much everything you need to know.

LiquidMantis wrote:

How about a bike tune-up, beer drinking, Rocksmith, meat grilling day, at my house in the near future?

I'll supply beer in exchange for knowledge and a working ride.

Serengeti wrote:

You should definitely pick up a copy of Zinn & the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. I have a very dog-eared, grease stained copy of the road bike version and it's a great maintenance manual covering pretty much everything you need to know.

Ordered. Thanks.

I actually went and test rode a couple of Linus bikes at a local shop (found it kind of exceptional that we actually have a Linus dealer here...) and they're really neat. I really love the looks of the Mixte 3:

IMAGE(http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0049/9332/products/MIXTE_Cream_1024x1024.jpg?v=1379613902)

And I also tried a Roadster Sport, which I liked but don't think looks quite as nice:

IMAGE(http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0049/9332/products/RoadsterSPORT_RACK_Black_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1379613698)

The sticker price on these things gives me a bit of pause though. Also they're hi-ten instead of cromoly; is that a big deal?

I was looking at bikesdirect clones; they have a cromoly clone called the "Windsor Oxford" for under half the cost. Thing is the mixte frame seems to be too small for me. The "men's" frame geometry looks a bit different from the Linus Roadster but I'm assuming it would be pretty similar.

IMAGE(http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/images/oxford_xi_cream_2100.jpg)

IMAGE(http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/windsor/images/oxford_char_xi_2100.jpg)

Guess I'm just curious about the value on the Linus bikes. As a package they're neat but seem overpriced. Is there anything in them to justify it? The look a little nicer in photos, but I think that may be due to the chainguard (which I don't like on the clones) and perhaps Linus uses a better photographer.

Mother Nature totally c*ck teased me today. I have the day off for Veteran's Day, was taking a leisurely morning, when I see that it's up to 67º, which is practically unheard of at this point in the year. So I grab some food, start gathering my gear, and get dressed when I notice that the wind has picked up. Check the weather again and see that it's now down to 50º. Still sunny and clear though so it was still a great ride. Saw a lot of deer, bucks are showing some big racks, but the battery in my camera was dead.

Bah.
IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/QMg3FHb.png)

Gearing up for (a) winter and (b) impending birth of my firstborn, by investing in a trainer. Kurt Kinetic Road Machine fluid trainer is in the mail!

Any other necessary bits of kit for happy trainer funtimes?

Got a trainer-compatible skewer coming with it, already have a little sweat-catcher thingy (like this), and can improvise a riser for the front wheel. Have a couple of old tires that have been retired from road riding to put back on the bike so that I can finish the job of killing them.