Bicycling..

[srd0821]

Anyone use a bike?? I am hopefully getting one today or tomorrow...

[senrides]

YES! There are a few of us lurking around, the type of cycling being optional. We have started a lowcarb cycling group which can be references in member CarbsBeGon's journal -

Good Luck with your Ride-

Allez!

sen

Oh shoot, one other thought - you are in the heart of the best riding country in the US, domestic home to Lance Armstrong and several of the Posties :) If that isn't inspiring, what is? Lots of group rides near you, too!

[loCarbJ]

Northern California has to be the cycling capital of the world. We have so many great sponsored bike rides here every single weekend!! And so many great bicycles are made here, too!

Jeff, a Low Carb Century Rider,

J.

[senrides]

Um, sheesh Jeff, I wasn't trying to tweek your nose there, LOL! I actually come every September, ride into San Fran for the Grand Prix from the hotel I stay with in Burlingame (renamed the T-Mobile Intl last year) and then ride the next day up along the ridge above the bay (can't remember that route name, is it La Flinta or La Canada or something like that?), then one day around the western half of the bay, and one day in Sacramento out the American River Route, and finally drive down to S Cal and ride down the PCH from Carlsbad, so I can't bash California cycling. And since I've ridden an Allez for the last two years, with a Roubaix on Layaway and a Tarmac as my dreambike, I can't knock Cal bikes either ;) Peace! Peace!

sen

[missymagoo]

i have thought about getting a bike. i thought about a mountain bike so i can ride it on the farm and put a thing on the back so my 3 yr old will get to ride too. i have to wait until my doctor says i can do it safely. sue

[loCarbJ]

You're my kind of guy, Sen,

I try to do 20 centuries a year. Often my wife and/or one and/or both of my kids come with me. When one or any combination of them come with me, I usually end up shortening the ride to a quarter-century or half-metric, but it's still great to share the ride with family!

Have you ever done the "America's Most Beautiful Century" around Lake Tahoe? I'll be riding it in June and then again in September. My in-laws have a cabin just a half-mile from the route.

I would love to meet up with you on a ride, sometime.

J

[Karenemt]

I am a fairly new cyclist and LOVING IT! I started riding last year when my track cyclist brother urged me to get back on the bike after a many-year hiatus. I'm going to aim to try a century next year. Right now I'm just working on my fitness and enjoying the fresh air.

I'd love to talk to other low-carb cyclists on here, since I'm fairly new to both cycling and low-carbing.

[Teardrop]

I'm an avid cyclist too. I'm training for Cycle Oregon and just completed Reach the Beach here in Oregon. As my distance has steadily increased I've learned more and more about what's needed to fuel my body and keep me going. There's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment when you get out and ride harder, further, and faster than you ever have before.

[amazonann7]

I live in Waco, TX for school right now and I hear we have one of the best outdoor mountain/trail routes in the country. We just had a large tourn. here a few weeks ago and I was thinking about getting into some form of cycling, however, all I have is an old mountain bike. Is there some kind of bike that I could look into to get a little of both worlds? I am looking for something to ride in the city and country with. I am heading to Chicago this summer as well as to my home in Colorado and I want to get a new bike that would fit in with both terrains. Any ideas? Any help is great, thanks!

[senrides]

Karen and Teardrop - can we lure you over to the dark side? There are a couple of lowcarb cyclists also in eastern PA, Karen, and we're going to get together to ride two weekends or so from now, I believe. And Teardrop, consider doing at least part of our west coast ride with us Sept 2005, as we'll be passing along the coast east of you and it is really going to be a blast :) :) :)

Jeff, I haven't ever had that ride on my radar screen. I do know that when I drove the bikes out to the SFGP last year, I took US 50 from Utah to Reno, and was shocked to find cyclists out there on that incredibly long, lonely and destitute but beautiful stretch of highway. Because that one goes over 100 miles with no place for water or food I gave up a couple of liters of my Desani. I also ride with my daughter, who is training both to race and to do our Six-gaps ride which falls after the SFGP - http://www.porcupinews.com/sixgapcentury.html

so I completely understant riding with your kids. Hopefully, for your sake, your kids can't completely kick your bu++ like mine does :(

Soon I do hope we have a link for us lowcarb cyclists. I'll post it here as soon as we do-

Allez Y'all -

sen

Oh shoot, Ann, I didn't catch your post until I had finished this one, but if I can let me suggest, if your old MTB is a decent, hardtail frame, that instead of spending on a new bike right away, you consider buying some decent, lightweight wheels (maybe along the lines of something like this? - http://www.performancebike.com/shop/cboProfile.cfm?SKU=6234) and put a thinner-than what you would normally run, and smoother, tire on them, and that way you could have both worlds at your disposal? You could do some road riding and some MTB'ing. No matter what any store tells you, hybrids and comfort bikes really don't give you the best of both worlds, too big and chunky for road and too crappy on the suspension for MTB'ing. If you want to do both your best bet is to keep or get ahold of a decent hardtail MTB frame and have an extra set of wheels and tires for road rides. Hope that isn't too confusing and that it gives some help? If not give me a holler in my journal?

[loCarbJ]

Ann,

I have to agree with Sen, that most hybrids are the worst of both worlds. I had an old Royce Union mountain bike when I starting cycling and I went out and bought some light-weight alluminum wheels and thinner road tires. I would switch the wheels around for road rides and mountain rides.

That said, there is one fairly decent hybrid that I bought for my wife. If you are doing mostly road riding and some very mild mountain biking, there is one that is a pretty good bargin at only $399:

The Marin: San Rafael.

Key point here is very light mountain biking, like staying on fire roads. My wife rides centuries with me and does just fine on her San Rafael. She prefers the feel of the mountain bike and the softness of the suspension.

Jeff

[Karenemt]

Of course you can lure me to the darkside :D I love, love, love cycling. I'm afraid you better riders would get bored really fast trying to ride at my snail pace. I just did a 13 MPH ride for an hour yesterday and I felt so great - but most of the group rides around here are at a 15 MPH pace, so I have a long way to go yet. Gosh, I am way slower when towing the trailer.

We have some great local trails near here but one big problem - my son's trailer won't fit through the gates they installed to keep out ATVs, so 99.9% of the time we are riding on the road.

Senrides, that's so neat - you will be in my area? I am right at the foot of the Poconos in eastern PA (about 1 hr from the Lehigh Valley Velodrome). My 9 year old is doing an intro to track cycling class at the velodrome right now and he loves it!

I have no clue what to eat on a longer ride, I'm still pretty new to low-carbing. Any assistance in this regard would be greatly appreciated.

It is really, really great seeing everyone here!!!

[Kaillean]

My DH and I are back into biking after many years. I got a hybrid bike (pics in my gallery or post 813 on page 55 of my journal) and I'm really happy with it. It's very light, has shocks and all that stuff, and it's really comfortable to ride.

I do both street riding and some trail riding. I've been happy with the performance on the trails - granted I'm not doing any super technical mountain biking. Just singletrack and graded gravel, some roots and small drops, etc.

We do that on the weekends, and during the week, hit the bike routes around the city.

My bike is a Norco - can't remember the model name - I will try to find out. When I was biking 10 years ago, I had a Cannondale mb but it was never comfortable for city riding. I'm happy with the compromise.

Biking is great! Feels like fun, instead of exercise. Even better if you can find some trails or old roads out of the city. Though that said, we've also had fun discovering neighbourhoods we didn't know about around town.

I'm really pleased about how it's helping me get these chunky legs in shape and burn off these last few pounds.

Woohoo!

[Kaillean]

Hi Karen,

On most rides around the city, I find I'm good with my regular LC fare. Sometimes I hit the hills and do some high intensity stuff, in which case I've found I perform better with a snack before hand. I find an apple, some melon, or a few tbsp of peanut butter do the trick.

I do this when we go trail riding, too. While a protein type snack in advance was great for endurance - I could long for a long time happily -- I didn't have the get up and go when confronted with hills right off the bat, etc.

Again, I'm still experimenting, but am finding a little bit carbier snack (mostly fruit at this point) of around 20 g helps. Midway through a long ride, I might also eat a few nuts.

I'm no expert, still figuring it all out myself. I'll be interested in everyone's input.

[senrides]

Hey All-

I have to be real careful to make sure when I give an opinion, that I do it in a way that makes clear it is only an opinion :)

That said, I want to explain that in the last two and a half years I have shelled out in excess of $6,000 on bikes and equipment, for my daughter and myself, and it's about to get worse. (As my daughter prepares to get into road racing) Of that amount, I consider I wasted nearly $3,000 or more of it. Almost straight down the drain because of products being 'grown out of' (and not in the child sense, but in the skill sense) too soon, or being deficient. It's because of this that I have strong opinions and voice them, but I also realize they are often mine alone. (Sadly, so Sadly ;) )

So, the reason most anyone on a road bike or good mountain bike cautions against investing in a hybrid is because of weight and comfort for the long haul. The thing about this incredibly addictive sport is that once you are hooked, that's it, you won't go backwards - only forward. So a rider that thinks a hybrid that weighs in at 30 pounds is light and comfortable might not think so when their skill and fitness level improves to the point where they are consistently riding a minimum of 20 miles at a time. Same thing goes for my earlier comments on buying bikes at Walmart and such. Sure, they work for a jaunt around the park or a spin through the neighborhood, but those components are simply not designed to last the way, say, the Shimano 105 components on my current bike went over 4,500 miles of hard riding before the first of them needed to be replaced - that being the shifters.

I have given away first two Sears bikes just a month after buying them (Sears was still selling bikes up until a couple of years ago, which is when we started riding - oh, wait, perhaps there is something strange about their discontinuing selling bikes when we started riding? YIKES!) followed by a Trek 700 and a Trek 7200 from our next round, and even now we have a Specialized Sirrus for sale (too much money into it to give that one away, but even so it's going for $.35 for every dollar we paid for it - more loss!)

I am sharing all of this because cycling clearly represents a lifestyle change of enormity and I hope that just one of my opinions might help some other aspiring rider not to waste as much money as I did. Riding five miles today will quickly turn into your first half or entire century if you ride regularly. Also, one of the real benefits of cycling is that it is VERY social, if you want it to be.

There are group rides in every corner of the country and they DO NOT require an invitation. Karen is right in thinking the socially-paced rides will usually require that a cyclist be able to maintain a 14-15 mph average speed for 20 to 40 miles, but you simply cannot imagine all of the new people that cycling will bring into your life this way or how soon you will be ready to do this. Some stores, even the famous Richardson Bike Mart in Richardson, TX, (largest store in the US and where Lance Armstrong began his career,) host beginner rides to help you get to the point where you are ready for larger, quicker rides. Sure, anyone can get on a bike and ride and get tremendous benefit from it and sometimes just the solitary act of spinning my heart out alone and with no distractions is highly satisfying, but don't brush aside the possibility of social rides as well because of the fun and companionship they will afford you.

Absolutely no one needs to spend as much as I foolishly did. I know cyclists that do every group ride for miles around on bikes that were ten times more affordable than mine, because they were careful and bought used, etc etc. Guess that makes me the biggest fool in the universe and for everyone else's sake, I hope no one feels the need to challenge me on that ! ;)

Allez Y'all - I'll shut up now :) :)

sen

[Teardrop]

It just so happens, senrides, that I'll be on the east coast the weekend of June 3-7 for the "girls' 40th birthday weekend". Where are you planning to ride? I'd like to find out more info on your west coast ride although I hope you'll be passing by on the coast west of me. I grew up on the east coast and the ocean was always on my right when facing north. When I moved to the west coast I kept getting turned around because the ocean is on the "wrong" side. We were able to top off a great ride to the beach last weekend with the sighting of two whales playing right off shore. You're going to love riding out here. It's hilly but beautiful.

I've found that a good protein shake before a ride keeps me going for awhile. Once the glycogen stores are used up I need to refuel. I've been putting Cytomax in my water bottles and snacking occasionally on Sharkies during the ride and it's helped me beat the worn out feeling both during and after the ride. I did a 37 mile paceline ride last week without eating anything for hours before or anytime during the ride. I felt like I was completely hungover the next day. Now I make sure I eat "some" carbs on the ride. I think it varies from person to person so you have to experiment to find out what works for you.

[loCarbJ]

The Trek Hybrids were such a disappointment, my wife rode a 7300 fx in a century ride and hated it.

I second your other comment: Never buy department store bikes if you really want to use the bike.

J

P.S. The Sirrus seems rather expensive, especially considering that you don't even get front suspension.

[Kaillean]

Hi Sen,

You certainly gave me no offense. You make good points and I understand what you are saying.

I, too, am only giving my opinion. I've had two mountain bikes before this hybrid (it's pretty beefy) and for the type of riding I do, it's perfect.

It has very good components and a suspension system similar to most mountain bikes (better than my DH's). I paid just under $700 CDN for it at a local bike shop.

You may be better to go for a straight mtn bike if you're pretty sure you will get serious about it. For me, as much as I love to hit the trails, the reality is I need my bike to work in the city too so that I will use it a lot. I can't afford two bikes.

I don't plan to get heavy into technical mountain biking or really advanced stuff. I like a good single track or old logging road with a few exciting patches and some challenging inclines. My DH and I regularly go on rides of 40 km or so and my regular circuits in the city are 25-30 km. So far, the bike is working out great.

The handlebars are a little more upright which I find really comfortable. And it's got the "girl's style" cross bar -- I suspect this might pose a strength frame problem for advanced mountain biking, but like I said I'm more of an intermediate rider.

To each his own! I'm sure there are a lot of dud hybrids out there, but I'm pretty happy with mine.

[CarbsBeGon]

Wow! All of a sudden, it's cyclists out of the woodwork - I love it! :) Like many of you, I got back into cycling after years away when I purchased a mountain bike (Kona Hoss - made for big guys!) last October. It's been so much fun and my fitness has improved so tremendously that I plunked down for a road bike a little over a month ago (2002 Bianchi Imola)! I can thank senrides, in part, for encouraging my move to the "dark side" and let me tell you - she knows her stuff! Possibly because - by her own admission - she's already made many of the mistakes the rest of us might.

Anyway, I'm now riding at least 20 miles every other day (soon to be every day) in preparation for several rides I've registered for this summer. My longest will be the 50 mile "Tour de Cure" (a benefit for the American Diabetes Assn. - my page: http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=1671&px=1754771) a little less than a month from now! It's been very exciting to see my speed and endurance increase and my body has never felt better! I continue to ride my mountain bike occasionally as well and like the physical change-up and challenge it provides (it still fatigues me faster than road riding).

I'm also one of the cyclists who plans to join senrides, GypsyAngel and possibly some other LC cyclists from these forums on a Seattle to San Francisco ride in the fall of '05.

As far as things I've learned over my 6+ months of riding:

1) I'd first like to agree with the others who suggest buying a good quality bike! Find a good local bike shop (LBS) and spend some time test riding several options. Don't be in a huge hurry and avoid making a mistake you'll have to live with. Remember, a good quality bike doesn't have to cost a fortune and - if you need to start with a lower-cost bike - most components can be upgraded later as your abilities increase.

2) Once you find the bike you want, MAKE SURE to have the bike professionally fit to you - not the other way around! This includes things like stem height, handlebar reach and saddle position/height. They are so important in order to prevent injuries which could prevent you from riding for months!

3) Start slowly! I made the mistake of being a bit overzealous when I began riding again last October. The result? Patellar tendonitis! Fortunately I caught it early enough so it doesn't cause me much pain at all, but my knee now makes a nice crunching sound when I climb steps! :lol: This was completely my fault and I've since adjusted my training schedule to prevent overuse injury. So, while you may be excited to be back on a bike, build the speed and the distance you ride slowly and don't push big gears!

4) Get yourself some proper cycling attire. If you have a fear of lycra - and most of us did when we got into cycling - at least look for a pair of loose-fitting cycling shorts with a chamois pad. They make a HUGE difference in comfort on the saddle. And please note, you wear these COMMANDO (no undies!). The whole idea is that the chamois keeps...ahem...things in place (especially for us guys) and prevents chafing! If you wear them with undies, you've got guaranteed chafing.

5) Have fun! And welcome to Low-Carb Cycling! I'll post some of what I've discovered regarding LC nutrition and other subjects later - for now, I've used up enough space... :D

[Kaillean]

Great tips CBG!

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about defending hybrids. :D I just looked up my bike on the Norco site.

They list their mountain bikes under the "adventure" category.

"Hybrids" have their own category. My bike -- a Carrera -- is in the "Comfort" category.

Here is how they define them:

COMFORT -- Built for the recreational cyclist, our Comfort bikes are inspired by mountain bikes, but given that added "Plush" touch. :D (Me likes!) On all models, you’ll find suspension forks and seat posts, as well as larger, plusher saddles. Compared to mountain bikes, the frames tend to be shorter and the handlebars are set up with a higher rise, which gives a more comfortable and upright riding position. Clear coat paint, stainless steel spokes and simple maintenance free components are the standard for these bicycles, ensuring long lasting good looks and easy enjoyable riding.

HYBRID -- If hitting a bike path on a warm sunny day, or cruising to work in style and comfort is more your speed, then a 2004 Hybrid or Trekking series bike from Norco is geared for you. Oriented towards the city rider who prefers smoother trails or bike paths, or who regularly commutes to work, this line-up offers great features like larger wheels and smoother tread tires for faster rolling. These bikes also include small details like the eyelets needed for installing fenders and racks. Our designers had only two things in mind when working on these bikes: build comfortable rides that offer great value, and that utilize easy-to-use components. Anyone of these bikes will get you to your destination in comfort and style

Here are my bike's specs. (I was wrong about cost-- $590 plus tax). Can anyone suggest any good upgrades?

FRAME: 6061 Aluminum Comfort design. O/S teardrop tubes

FORK: SR NEX 4000 Supension

HEADSET: 1 1/8"threaded

CRANKS: Shimano Nexave 303 triple 48/38/28T

BOTTOM BRK: Shimano UN-25

PEDALS: VP-608 alloy with alnti slip tread

CHAIN: KMC IG-31

FREEWHEEL: Shimano 8 spd hg30 11-32t

FRONT CHANGER: Shimano C1021

REAR CHANGER: Shimano Deore

SHIFTERS: Shimano EF35 8 spd

BAR: H.L. alloy riser

STEM: Kalloy AL812 alloy adjustable rise

FRONT BRAKE: Tektro 832 alloy V brakes

REAR BRAKE: Tektro 832 alloy V brakes

BRAKE LEVERS: Shimano EF-35 8 spd Combo

FRONT HUB: Formula OV-31 qr alloy

REAR HUB: Shimano alloy 8 spd qr

RIMS: DBM-1 double wall alloy

SPOKES: Stainless silver

TIRES: Kenda K-934 26x1.95 anti puncture casing

SADDLE: Velo VL-6025 elas tomer/reflective backing

SEATPOST: Kalloy SP-259 suspension

COLOURS: Dark Blue/Silver

SIZES: 14,16,18,20,22, [15,17,19 ladies]

[GypsyAngel]

Hi y'all!
I thought I'd jump in here after Carbs pointed this thread out to me. I've recently gotten back into riding. Used to mountain bike while living in Colorado in the late 90's but hadn't been on a bike for a while. There's not a whole lot of mtbing in my area now so I thought I'd look into road biking... and thanks to all the advice and encouragement from Sen and Carbs I actually find myself in the saddle at least 4 times a week.
I still ride my old clunky mtb which I had tuned up and put slicks on for the road. Wasn't ready to buy a road bike at that time until I knew if I was going to keep biking. Knowing my history of jumping into things with both feet.... dumping a ton of money..... and then shelving whatever it is I started I decided to put some money into my present bike and eventually will research and invest in a good road bike. I've already accosted Sen for help with that! LOL! :)
So after I tuned up the bike I broke down and invested in lycra!!!!!! Yes I did! I swore I wouldn't. Obviously not a pretty site at my size but I figured I better take the advice and just do it. And I am so glad I did. In the past I used one of those gel seat cover things (stop laughing, Sen) and the shorts make a huge comfort difference. I am much more comfortable with shorts and bare saddle. And if you wear a baggie tee shirt you can't see much of the lycra anyway. ;)
So my next step is to buy a decent road bike and continue pedaling. I will hopefully be part of the Slackers Seattle to SanFrancisco trip. (Even if all I'm doing is driving the SAG car LOL!).

Nice meeting you all!
Gypsy :roll:

[senrides]

This is incredible, truly, because I've only ever caught a few cycling-oriented things going on here :) :) This is Bike to Work week, too, any coincidence?

Jeff - I'd never really thought the Sirrus was overpriced, or at least not comped to things like the 7500fx that were also available at the time. (Haven't followed Trek since, except for an occasional druel over the new 5.9 Madone....) I do know that we've had to switch to a Salsa stem, carbon bars, and upgrade the brakes just to make this one right for us, and then neither of us ever ride it...... (BTW- anyone wanting a flatbar road bike apply within ;) )

I liked the look of the tubing on the Marin frames in 2002 - sort of triangulated, right? The nearest serious dealer was up in Charlotte, though. Unfortunately they sell their stuff only in Galyans around here, and Galyans is the kiss of customer service death...... Irregardless (I always wonder if that is a real word?) my guess is you all are happy out there with Rodriguez winning that Giro stage a couple of days ago......

Kaillean - I've never seen Norco, are they purely Canadian? The specs on your bike are good - we've a friend that races xc on deore while everyone else goes highpriced, but he wins. I am a chicken when it comes to bruising so I never go offroad. and just tend to look at those of you that do with something like trepidatious awe.

Teardrop - I do totally get my coasts turned around for exactly the reason you mentioned! Shameful! I'll be up north the weekend before the 3rd, but if you are hereabouts (Atlanta area) at any time period we have three morning rides that weekend after the 3rd and it'd be a blast to have you ride with.
I'm also seriously thinking about doing the Puget Sound RAPsody ride in August because I am visiting a friend there at that time - http://www.rapsodyride.org/ - and yes, you are correct, it'd be hard for our west coast ride to pass east of you next year, LOL!

For everybody out there that is still battling the bulge - I do have this one link for gals sizes in cycling kit as well as Tri and running gear, in plus sizes - http://www.teamestrogen.com/

Lastly, SRD, I am terribly sorry if I've overexpanded and misdirected your excellent thread here. Please ride! Soon and often, and tell everyone what a blast it is when you have!

Allez Y'all!

sen
I just realized

[Kaillean]

Kaillean - I've never seen Norco, are they purely Canadian? The specs on your bike are good - we've a friend that races xc on deore while everyone else goes highpriced, but he wins. I am a chicken when it comes to bruising so I never go offroad. and just tend to look at those of you that do with something like trepidatious awe.

Hi Sen,

Yep, Norco is Canadian. They were the first to bring BMX bikes to Canada and are a very reputable company here. I'm a chicken, too, and don't do any extreme off roading. Probably what I do would be more aptly described as cross-country than pure mtbing. I don't do a lot of technical stuff (see above mentioned chicken reference) but when you hit the North Shore trails here, you have to be able to at least do some basic moves and deal with the steep inclines.

I'm more interested in the scenery and a challenging ride than trying to leap of 6 foot boulders with my bike. :D

There are lots of road riders here, too, of course. But the proximity of some of the best mtbing in the world means a lot of locals have had at least some exposure to trail riding.

You've probably heard of Whistler, which will host the 2010 winter Olympics along with Vancouver. In the summer, tons of people head there, take their bikes up the lifts and ride down through an amazing network of trails. From beginner level to advanced, there is something for everyone. And the scenery is not to be believed. We're heading that way this weekend -- to the Ashlu Valley near Squamish -- I'll post some pics on Monday.

Happy peddling, everyone!

[Kaillean]

Hi y'all!
So after I tuned up the bike I broke down and invested in lycra!!!!!! Yes I did! I swore I wouldn't. Obviously not a pretty site at my size but I figured I better take the advice and just do it. And I am so glad I did. In the past I used one of those gel seat cover things (stop laughing, Sen) and the shorts make a huge comfort difference. I am much more comfortable with shorts and bare saddle. And if you wear a baggie tee shirt you can't see much of the lycra anyway. ;)
So my next step is to buy a decent road bike and continue pedaling. I will hopefully be part of the Slackers Seattle to SanFrancisco trip. (Even if all I'm doing is driving the SAG car LOL!). :roll:Gypsy - I just tossed my gel saddle pad, too! What a riot. They slip all over the place. THe shorts are much better. I'm stilll thrilled to find ones I can fit into. Used to be a time when nothing in the outdoors stores would fit me properly.

I got my DH into some spandex, too, which is pretty funny. He grew up in redneck central and watching him adjust to the city and such horrors as spandex for men has been a riot. He was happy to discover the padded chamois "undies" that he can wear under his regular clothes. :D

I think he's scared one of his old buddies will pull up behind him at a light in their pickup truck and see his shiny, Lycra butt! LOL!

[CarbsBeGon]

Okay, as promised, I've got a bit more blathering to do! :D As for staying low-carb while cycing, I wanted to highlight that Atkins actually has some decent articles written on the subject.

Here they are:
http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/11/28-742445.html
http://atkins.com/Archive/2003/11/21-571145.html
http://atkins.com/helpatkins/newfaq/answers/AsARunnerIMUsedToCarbLoadingBeforeCompetitive.html

I actually haven't been changing much when I ride moderate distances (around 20 miles) and have yet to bonk. When I know I'll be going further and for longer periods, I do add carbs via granola/Power bars and/or a sports drink. As one of the articles mentions above, Because fat burning does require some carbohydrate metabolism, it is recommended that in events lasting an hour or more, 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrate should be ingested to enhance performance (amount depending upon intensity and duration of exercise).

Following that advice, I tested this almost 2 weeks ago for the first time. Knowing I would be riding for about 3-4 hours and nearly 40 miles, I had a Power Bar about 30 minutes before the ride. It had roughly 20g of carbs. Midway though the ride - and I was feeling a bit fatigued - I purchased a "Trek" energy drink (www.trekenergy.com) that had about 30g of carbs. Both of these together gave me more than enough energy to finish the ride and had no negative effect on my weight (didn't gain - and even lost a pound a day later). I'm not saying this will work for everyone, because I know people's bodies and the way they respond to nutritional changes are very different; but it did work for me. On my upcoming rides, I plan to follow this same strategy - granola bar before the ride and sports drink like Trek mixed with water for during. Hopefully that will continue to keep me well nourished and hydrated...

Oh yeah, Bicycling Magazine had a very interesting article about protein vs. carbs in June's issue as well. I'll either scan it or try to find a link!

You've probably heard of Whistler, which will host the 2010 winter Olympics along with Vancouver. In the summer, tons of people head there, take their bikes up the lifts and ride down through an amazing network of trails. From beginner level to advanced, there is something for everyone. And the scenery is not to be believed. We're heading that way this weekend -- to the Ashlu Valley near Squamish -- I'll post some pics on Monday.
Oh wow, I'll be looking forward to those pics! That's one of those "be all, end all places" I want to go someday. :) I understand the trails are truly amazing!

LOL, your husband's fear of "shiny lycra butt" is not uncommon, but once he truly realizes how comfortable lycra shorts are (and not just for the chamois), he won't care!

[Kaillean]

Thanks for the links. Good refresher!

The second article is interesting. That's where you pulled that quote from. Note in that quote it doesn't say at what point to ingest the carbs. But the inference, from reading the rest is that it should be "during" - did you interpret it that way? Earlier in the same article, it points out that eating carbs prior to exertion might lead to an insulin spike, thereby making less glucose available. Mmmmm.

I must say my experience is that having about 20-30 g of carbs in the form of an apple or something does help me get going, but I did notice last time that I got really hungry mid ride (and had forgotten my nuts!) So maybe there is something to the insulin spike. No problems with endurance, though. And I didn't notice any real bonking after the "hungries" kicked in.

Interesting. More experimenting is in order!

[TwilightZ]

It's nice to see so many cyclists here. I must confess, I'm not as ambitious as most of you, although I certainly admire your enthusiasm. I take my Jamis Dakar mountain bike out on the trails basically to get some fresh air, exercise and stress relief. I think cycling is a terrific activity--I spent much of my childhood on a bike and it feels very natural to me.

[CarbsBeGon]

Note in that quote it doesn't say at what point to ingest the carbs. But the inference, from reading the rest is that it should be "during" - did you interpret it that way?

More experimenting is in order!
That article - while informative - is not terribly well written, is it? :rolleyes: I did not infer that those carbs should be ingested "during," but you are correct, it does clearly state that having carbs right before exercise could have a deleterious effect. Somewhat confusing, but I took that to mean carbo-loading - like over 1,000 grams of carbs. Not sure on that either, though! LOL :daze: Perhaps an e-mail to Atkins is in order.

Another confusing bit about the article is that it talks about ingesting said carbs 3-4 hours before activity. If you're riding an early morning race/training ride, that's mighty tough to do! I suppose you could have them the night before...

Oh well, perhaps in spite of that article, the aforementioned process of having some carbs about 30 minutes - an hour before activity and then during (if it's a long ride), still seems to work for me. I agree though, more experimentation is in order... :)

[Karenemt]

Thanks for the low-carb cycling links. Since I'm usually trailering my 2 year old, I don't normally exceed 15-20 miles total distance but I want to slowly increase this over the summer. I'm still wishing someone had "beginner" group rides, because I'd love the social aspect of it, but it could be a long time til I increase my pace.

I'm going to start experimenting with a few carbs here and there before rides to see where I get the best results.

I couldn't live without my lycra shorts and Terry saddle. And I don't care how stupid I look in the lycra (bulgy bulgy), my comfort is much more important! I also prefer gel gloves because I abuse my wrists typing all day for my job, and they cushion the hand/wrist well.

[senrides]

Hi again!

I'm the one that has the spike and crashes if I take carbs, period, so that part of the article was written just for me. I bonk, and like a dog at noon in August, if I do carbs :( :( Any, even. I'm thinking maybe when I loose more things may be different. At least, that's what I keep telling myself because I really want TWINKIES, my bain, to be my carb snack <evil grin> - http://www.pearlizumi.com/pearlizumi/site/catalog/product.aspx?iProductTypeSubID=10&iProductID=3423&iProductColorsTB=7584

Welcome Twilightz! That is quite a bike to get out on! The guy that I know that rides the deore drivetrain, his dad was 'grassroots sponsored' by Jamis last year on a Dakar! It's a ride of distinction...

Oh, one quicky - gel gloves rock, and now, even better, there is Bar Phat for roadies that can go mtb, too! http://www.specialized.com/SBCEqSection.jsp?sid=04EquipGripsTape (a gal I ride with uses bartape instead of grips on her bars, and wraps two of the pads that come in the package beneath it...

Allez Y'all!

sen

[Kaillean]

It's nice to see so many cyclists here. I must confess, I'm not as ambitious as most of you, although I certainly admire your enthusiasm. I take my Jamis Dakar mountain bike out on the trails basically to get some fresh air, exercise and stress relief. I think cycling is a terrific activity--I spent much of my childhood on a bike and it feels very natural to me.
That's exactly how I started, about 25 lbs ago! Just some very non-ambitious toodles around the neighbourhood. But it's addictive - especially when you get a little stamina and drop some of the weight holding you back!

That's why I like it, too. It feels natural and fun - NOT like exercise. :thup: I spent a lot of time biking as a kid, too. Maybe that's why I'm not as nervous or fearful jumping back on this saddle. My DH keeps tryign to get me riding horses, however, and that is not NATURAL to me. :D Plus I always end up on my arse with my trusty steed two hundred feet ahead. I'll take the bike, thanks.

[Kaillean]

Sens - thanks for the tip on the gloves. I was meaning to ask. Sometimes the heels of my hands get numb or sore if I'm doing a lot of downhill stuff.

I'm treading carefully with the carbs, too. I'm too chicken to try the protein bars or anything too carby. I figure I'm being brave with the fruit.

I'm still new to this. I've just been going along mainly on my lc fare. But if we jumped right into a challenging ride, or an incline, I didn't have the oomph. Endurance, no problem.

The apple or peanut butter seemed to help that the first time I tried. But then last time, like I said, I got a major attack of the hungries mid-ride. Could have been my breakfast too. I didn't have my usual protein intake because I was at the inlaws - a very carby household.

I'm going to try again - maybe CBG's approach of the split snack -- and see what happens. For most burns around the city of under an hour I don't bother. I don't find I need anything for that kind of ride.

Great to chat with you guys about this!

Okay, one last thing, and then I'll shut up. :D Karen - don't worry about your speed. It will come. What kind of bike do you have? Is it heavy or light? Since you already have the weight of the trailer to deal with, a light bike will help.

I can't believe how much lighter my new bike is than my old MB with the chromaly frame. That thing weighed a ton. It was a real drag and I was very slow. Fat, too, though. :rolleyes:

Not that I'm recommending you run out and buy a new bike. Just a thought. Meanwhile - at least you're building up the muscles in your legs!

[Karenemt]

My road bike is a Giant OCR1 and it's great!
But for the bike paths I ride my brother's old basic Marin mountain bike - actually I think what makes it so hard to pull is that I don't have clipless pedals on the mtn bike so I'm not getting the whole pedal stroke. I may just break down and just get the SPD pedals.

Either that or I need to move to a less hilly area :rolleyes: My town is the "Gateway to the Poconos" so everything is pretty much hilly around here and it kicks my butt!

[nowonder]

Hi Everyone! I'm a little late joining this thread, but I also recently took up (road) biking. With a little good advice from Senrides, I purchased a new bike (Specialized Sequoia) in march and am already doing 25miles at a time.

My bit of advice to anyone starting out, get a helmet. The reason I took a decade off from riding (and piled on the pounds) was because I was in two back to back biking accidents, both of which wouldn't have been nearly as bad with a helmet on.

--nw

[Teardrop]

It's National Bike to Work day today. Anyone ride to work? It was raining here but I rode as well as one other person in our office.

Senrides- I was thinking about doing RAPSody also. It falls at a good time in my training for CO.

[senrides]

Teardrop! That is awesome! I would just love to see a friendly face there! (Assuming yours would be friendly ;) )

NoWonder - you are not kidding there, I have cracked two helmets so far :( I want to add just one other caution to yours - us gals, and those guys with long hair - never ride with a hard clip holding your hair back - I did, and when I crashed it went straight into the back of my head. I completely freaked my kid out because I lost my memory for two hours. (It was way different from how I had ever imagined loosing my memory would be, not scary at all, just weird that I could not recall where I was, where I had parked, how to get back, or what I was doing specifically there)

Karen - I ride with a gal on the yellow OCR frame (2002's I think?) and we just finished paying off my daughters TCR, so we like Giants, too!

Allez Y'all!

sen

Anyone watching OLN to catch Petacchi's sixth stage win in the Giro today??

[Karenemt]

Well, I couldn't bike to work (since I work at home LOL) but I did bike to the bank - does that count?? Unfortunately, the girl at the drive-up window was snippy to me and told me not to bike through there again - nice huh?

The task for this weekend - teaching my 9 year old how to use LOOK pedals/cleats. He's used toe clips on the track, but never clipless. I may have white hair until this is done, but he wants to ride with me on the road for longer rides. My brother's cycling friends donated most of the parts for the bike, so I only had to spend $200 and my kid gets a functional road bike read to roll.

Sen, thanks a million for the warning about the hard hair clip!! I have long hair and always have it clipped/tied back with something - guess I'll be sticking with the crunchies for now.

I love Giants! When I was looking for a road bike, the Giant compact road frames fit better than other brands women-specific designs, but the clincher was how nice the guy at our local shop was - totally awesome. The poor fellow had the task of teaching clumsy me to use clipless pedals - I am not very coordinated and there was a huge learning curve.

Lucky daughter of yours - those TCRs are gorgeous (and pricey). My son is just starting to race on the track this year - but luckily our velodrome provides free instruction and track bikes in the beginning, so other than the gas to get there, we've spent very little.

[CarbsBeGon]

Unfortunately, the girl at the drive-up window was snippy to me and told me not to bike through there again - nice huh?
Yeah, that's super! :rolleyes: Oh well, I guess we just have to ignore stuff like that or go crazy! I had my first "Get the hell off the road!" yesterday, but I didn't even acknowledge it.

Sen - the hair clip thing - who would've thought? Glad I don't have long hair! I always wear a helmet though! Similar to the seatbelt in the car, I feel "naked" without it. Speaking of the noggin area, I recently discovered the "Halo" (see Gypsy, I told you I had one!). :D You can see a picture here: http://www.haloheadband.com/sitemap.html It really works to prevent sweat from stinging the eyes and/or dripping onto glasses. I've used skullcaps before, but they felt like they were pulling my hair out - one by one. This band is super comfy, not terribly expensive ($12 - got mine at REI) and not even noticible when it's on. If you have an issue with sweat getting in your eyes, I highly recommend it!

Well, tomorrow I'm planning an early morning ride - hopefully about 30 miles. Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend filled with riding!

Had to do a quick edit here and post this! Nike's new commercial featuring Lance: http://www.nike.com/wearyellow/seelanceride/main.html I thought it was awesome... :)

[CarbsBeGon]

Okay, sorry for taking up so much space here, but I had to post this article! It's in the latest edition of "Bicycling" and it made me laugh. Guess we're not all crazy with our diets after all! :D

EDIT: Thanks for the heads-up, Sen! Let's see if this works now:

http://www.users.qwest.net/~mountainmediapro/Images/Bicycling-article.jpg

[senrides]

Carbs, it doesn't show up :( Now it's time to get a ride in......

[minerva411]

Hello All!

I live in Belgium and as you probably already know since most of you are experts this is bike riding country! We live in the north near Antwerp and there are hundres of miles of trails - usually sand and gravel in the woods or road type conditions beside the street or elsewhere. The great thing is the only hills you run in to are the bridges you have to cross over canals and highways/streets. The bad part is there is a lot of wind and although my DH says hills are way harder, I can attest that riding in a wind tunnel with the wind against you is hard work!

My DH (who is a Belgian and has been biking seriously a lot longer than I have been around) got me in to this since it is more of a culture here than a fun hobby. He took me to his bike shop and got me what the call translated from Dutch as a sport bike which is from what I have been reading a hybrid bike. I love it and it is so much fun when we do our weekend rides - although not at a super fast speed - we will cover anywhere from 40-50km in about 3 hours. That of course is not including the couple of stops for a drink but gives me a great workout without feeling like I am exercising.

I am so glad I stumbled across this thread and got so much information from all the very knowledgable people. You know I can't ask DH or his head would swell and I would be sitting there with a glazed over look while he goes in to unbelievable details :-)

Thanks again and keep on riding!
Minerva

[senrides]

Minerva! Welcome! Belgium, huh? Home of Museeuw and Boonen and Merckx, right? Incredible Cyclocross, too?
Great to see you here!

sen

[loCarbJ]

Went for a century ride today.

Triple-flatted, and broke my left shifter.

Had to ride the last half with the chain on the smallest gear of the crankset (triple-ring).

Still had a great ride!

J

P.S. A bad day cycling is still better than a good day working!

[CarbsBeGon]

Wow J - that's quite the ride! Sorry to hear about the flats, I've been there. Have you tried Slime in your tubes? I'm a believer! What happened with the shifter???

Glad you had a good ride anyway! :) A century is something I'd like to do - someday...

I did a quarter-century today (hey, I have to make it sound more impressive than just "25 miles!" LOL). It was a fun ride on a gorgeous day! The only oddity I expereinced was about 1/2 mile of swarming gnats. Not a pretty picture when they get caught in your sunscreen and cover your arms and legs...

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

[loCarbJ]

Carbs,

The left shifter literally "disintegrated". One minute I was doing a downshift, and the next minute I saw the shifter crumple into pieces. It was on old 'grip-shift' on my training bike. I knew it was going to be time to replace it anyday now. Regarding slime: I don't like the extra weight that the slime adds. I know it works, but the cost of the added weight is tough to live with.

For all you cyclist's out there: Next weekend (Memorial Day Weekend), is the "Great Western Bike Rally" in Paso Robles, California. A three-day cycling event with over a half-a-dozen different sponsored rides. Bike rodeos, mountain bike climb rides, rides through the zoo (for the kids), ride by the antique shops (so you can go antiqueing), and my favorite: a ride through the vineyards with wine-tasting at the wineries (I might not actually finish this one), you can do a different ride each day. There are also conventional century rides and partials. Lots of cycling demonstrations and booths. Cost is only $20 per rider. Rooms are still available in Pismo Beach (which is just 20-30 minutes away) or you might still find camping space at the event!

Come join the fun and bring your bike!

J

[senrides]

Hey Jeff! I wish I had more advance knowledge of these festivities because I just can't imagine any place I'd rather spend the holiday weekend then there! Unless, of course, it's getting to ride with GypsyAngel and NoWonder in Philly! ;)

If we are both still here next year, give me a heads up a few weeks out so I can see if airfare can be snagged cheaply because that sounds awesome! Have fun!

sen

[GypsyAngel]

Sen.... you can admit you'd rather be in California for the "Great Western Bike Rally" this weekend! LOL! I wouldn't blame you for picking that over biking in 90 degree humid, gross air, even with the wonderful company of nowonder and myself. :D

Jeff That does sound like a lot of fun! I pick the zoo ride (so what if I'm an adult! :D I'll try not to run over any rugrats) followed by the wine tasting ride! :cool:

Karenemt I'm also in Eastern PA. On the Chester/Lancaster border. I have relatives up in the Poconos....that would be some hilly riding! Good luck to you!

Cheers,
Gypsy :D

[senrides]

Hey Everyone-

Can anyone tell me what they are using for recovery food? I'm dragging terribly today after yesterday's ride and thinking perhaps I need to rethink recovery foods. Also, a racer friend of my daughter's that's like cat 4 or 3, not even a lowly cat-5, always takes a nap after a training ride. I confess, I often dream about doing exactly that but I deny the impulse for fear it is a left-over from my lazy, inert, couch-potato lifestyle days. Anyone have any ideas on napping post-hard ride, too?

*YAAAAAAAAAWN*

Allez Y'All-

sen

[loCarbJ]

Sen,

I, too, have heard and agree with the napping, post-hard ride. When I am somewhere that napping isn't a option, I try to relax, slowdown, take in some protein (usually in the form of a protein drink) and I often take creatine.

The next day, I try and get back on the bike, as much as possible, and eat sparingly, and slowly wind back down, and maybe do some relaxed reading.

I posted a thread on Muscle Meditation and I think the same concept is at work here. Today, I went out and found some information on a meditation class.

J

[senrides]

Hey J - Does your wife do the creatine, too? I did it when I first got into road and the longer rides, initially the regular stuff that required it be mixed with water or juice as well as needed preloading, and I bloated so terribly I was going to give it up. Then I came across the pricey liquid that needed no preloading, and I both picked up speed and felt better as far as muscle fatigue went, but it would still bloat me. So, can you tell me if you all have encountered this at all?

Nice to hear a nap might not be such a bad thing, though..... as the warm weather keeps crowding in and the mileage picks up increasingly longer rides are on tap, I just get to feeling like I'm not doing anything if it's under 30-

Allez Y'All -

sen

[CarbsBeGon]

Regarding post-ride nutrition, I've had good experience with Power Bar's new "Protein Plus - Carb Select" products (link: http://www.powerbar.com/Products/ProteinPlus/Flavors/main.asp?pt=cs). There's also a "women specific" bar called "Pria:" http://www.powerbar.com/Products/Pria/Flavors/main.asp?pt=cs

Anyway, I find it gives me a little boost of energy after a ride and packs quite a bit of protein - good for muscles. They also taste pretty good - what an idea! ;) If you like them a lot, you can buy in bulk at Costco and save nearly $1/bar.

Another good product is made by Premier Nutrtion: http://www.premiernutrition.com/home.html They're really tasty - like a candy bar! Anyway, either of these have been good options for me after a ride. Regardless, I always try to get protein back into my body; doing so seems to prevent me from feeling so tired. I've gone the nap route too, though! :D

[loCarbJ]

Hey Sen,

My wife is not into the fitness game nearly as much as I am and her strategy is much more hap-hazard. She doesn't take any supplements or plan her workouts in any way. She's very spontaneous.

I've only taken the carb-free, pill-form creatine. I have noticed a rare incidence of bloating, last night was the first-time, and that was followed by some bad diarrhea. So I can't really say that it was the creatine. I almost never get sick, I mean almost never.

I also read today, that a lot of proteins contain vitamin b12, and that b12 is supposed to be very good for recovery.

J

[srd0821]

Still no bike for me :-( Still trying to figure a way though....

[loCarbJ]

srd,

Did you read my other post on "Amazing Bike Technology for Every Level"?

I actually, partially, had you in mind when I posted it!

J

[Kaillean]

Hi everyone,

Great to see this thread is staying active. I thought I'd share some photos from a ride DH and I took on Sunday.

We did a 35km (20 miles) ride up the Ashlu Valley, near Squamish. We were on old logging roads, combo of rough and graded gravel. A few rough patches and a couple of washouts to make things interesting. The elevation gain was 800 metres and the scenery was amazing.

The shots are on my website. Click my name for the link.

Here's one for you, in the meantime!

http://members.shaw.ca/kaillean/images/1%20Here%20we%20go!.jpg

Happy peddling!

[CarbsBeGon]

Wow, that's a gorgeous area - thanks for sharing! :) I'll have to snap some shots during one of my next rides. It's raining here today so I guess it's "cross training" time... :rolleyes:

[Kaillean]

Oh, do post pictures. I love seeing everyone's photos. Unfortunately, it's cloudy here today, too, and I suspect the rain won't be far behind.

Enjoy your workout!

[senrides]

Wow Killean! All I can say is that I had better get some views like yours on the Rapsody ride if I commit the time and money to doing it! Stunning! If I were better with a camera (stop laughing NOW Carbs!) I'd take one of a field I pass almost every day on the bike. Nothing special about it except that it is often full of tiny ponies, and right now there are tiny pony foals! I like to think they heartily approve of me, slogging away and turning my own crank, rather than forcing one of their kinfolk to take me down the road......

Allez Y'All!

sen

[senrides]

Lance Chronicles are on OLN right now, and frankly, it's making me teary and I HATE tears! BUT, if a 13 year old boy that survived his mother being murdered at the age of two, followed by Leukemia at something like 4 (I think that was the age they said) and then testicular cancer at the age of 7 can get out there and ride his bike to go meet Lance, despite having diminished lung capacity due to chemo or other cancer treatments, then by gosh, I can get off my lazy butt every day and get out there on my bike.

Allez Y'All, really

sen

[Karenemt]

Woohoo! I did 20 miles today with my toddler in the trailer. I am so SORE but this is the longest ride we've ever done (and he LIKED IT!!). Thanks for letting me share - I know some of you do way longer rides, but with all the hours I work, a ride like this is a major accomplishment!!!

[Kaillean]

Way to go, Karen. You are going to have some muscular legs, girl! That's great your little guy like the ride - before you know it, he'll be on his own bike.

[senrides]

Welcome to hauling, Karen! In decent weather I pull Sen in a burley double, and I just bought an Adams Trail-a-bike for my nephew :) From everything I hear, it is just SOOOO much safer to trailer kids rather than throw a seat on back. Wait until you get to the point where you are pulling the trailer AND you drop folks, especially men. They HATE that and it is highly enjoyable and satisfying! <evil grin>

Allez Girl!

sen

[CarbsBeGon]

Hello fellow cyclists! :) I'm back from helping a friend move to Idaho and can't wait to get back on my bike - it's been 4 days!!! :eek: Hope everyone else's riding has been going great; it looks from some of the posts that it has been.

For those wanting a bit of a smile, you might get a kick out of this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/31/politics/campaign/31letter.html?ei=5062&en=7c157c05d2f43838&ex=1086580800&partner=GOOGLE&pagewanted=print&position=

[GypsyAngel]

East Coasters... Looks like a fun ride.....

http://www.valleyforge.org/Patriots/index.cfm?action=BtoBHome

[Karenemt]

Hi to all the cyclists! I am on cloud 9 - actually got to ride twice this weekend, with my schedule that isn't always possible.

Hi Sen! I didn't know you used a trailer - thought your daughter was beyond trailer age? :) I have a Burley Cub for my guy. We started a couple of years ago with a cheapie trailer but he ended up pushing the side out last year and making contact with the wheel - it scared me so much that I immediately retired that trailer and invested in the Burley. It is just so hard to climb with my extra weight and also the trailer, but it's so much fun. I just can't believe my rambunctious toddler sat in the trailer for 20 miles without a break.

The whole reason I got a trailer was for safety reasons. Plus, I don't have great balance myself and can't imagine having a 35 lb toddler in the seat behind me flailing around. I don't think I'll be dropping folks anytime soon though, it's tough pulling a trailer against the wind.

[senrides]

Gypsy - I sure wish I could make that Liberty Bell to Valley Forge ride, it sounds great.

Karen, I don't pull a human child and you are right, my daughter is definitely too big for a trailer particularly since she is taller than me, LOL!

I haven't had the time to get any riding in over the last four days due to work and travel and car difficulties, so I am now fully green over everyone else's getting to ride!

Allez Y'All-

sen

[senrides]

Due to recent commuting experiences and another conversation on this forum, I just want to state the following for any non-cyclist that wanders across this thread, for the purpose of education-

In all 50 states cyclists are legally entitled to use the roadways (barring only controlled-access, interstate highways) That means we have a right to be there. We are considered moving vehicles with the rights and responsibilities of any motorist. You can not nudge us off the road, force us on to the sidewalks, or harrass us in any way and think it is justified or legal.

In many cases, we have the right to take the lane if need be to insure our safety. If you see a 'cyclist' doing something stupid, like riding against traffic or cutting an intersection, report them as you would any vehicle. (Although, ime, these are not 'real' cyclists, that behave in this manner)

Too bad if sharing the road makes you what, 20 seconds, maybe, later to work? We use no petroleum resources, we contribute no smog, and WE HAVE A RIGHT TO BE THERE!

My rant for the week-

Allez Y'All

sen

[CheesyPoof]

Sen -- nice rant. I'm a cyclist, and I'm also a driver. And I have to say I see an AWFUL LOT of cyclists with really bad road manners. In fact, these types of riders are definitely predominant in my area. I hate witnessing the stupidity and arrogance of these cyclists -- because it is these riders who give the rest of us a bad name and engender such hate for us when we are on the roads. :(

[CarbsBeGon]

You guys both have great points. I think some motorists are angry at us because of the arrogant cyclists out there; and I think some of the cyclists are arrogant and angry because of the idiot motorists out there. As I see it, what's really needed is a PR/educational advertising campaign by the cycling industry to encourage sharing of the road and good manners. Who knows, it might even work! ;)

BTW, I did my first "official" ride this past weekend! If you're interested, I did a little write-up about it in my journal: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?p=2266432#post2266432 :)

[Karenemt]

Great rant Sen! I actually had to fight with my bank in the last two weeks. I rode through the drive-thru with my son in the trailer (to make a deposit for DH's business). The teller refused to serve me, saying that I was putting my son in danger by riding the bike through there, because people in cars speed around the building!

I was livid and wrote to the bank manager. I also sent him a PA Bicycle Driver's Manual. Luckily, the manager called me and told me I was welcome to drive my bicycle through the drive-thru any time I choose!

I went on my first group ride ever last Thursday (mostly on bike paths). It was a casual 8 miler with free ice cream at the end, and nobody gets dropped! Well, I wasn't the slowest even with towing my not-so-little guy, so that made me very, very happy. And I didn't get lost ;)

My speed-racer 9 year old finished in the first group on the ride. He also qualified for the Bicycle Racing League finals this week and will be racing under the lights at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome: http://www.lvvelo.org/ (thanks for letting me brag)

[dug]

In many cases, we have the right to take the lane if need be to insure our safety.
sen

If you ask me you should always ride about 1-1/2 to 2 feet from the white line on the right side of the road. This means that you will not get squeezed off the road as any car passing you has to go around you or over you. If you ride closr to the edge of the road, many cars just try to squeeze between you and oncoming traffic without slowing down or using any caution what-so-ever. This gets you knocked into a ditch or hit by a rear view mirror.

Also if a driver is angry and yells something obscene or getures in such a manner, just smile and wave. They don't know how to respond to that. if you respond with nastiness you have to remeber they have a far heavier vehicle and could have a gun. You would lose to either of those.

my 2 cents
(from a few thousand miles on the roads)

[senrides]

Hey All-

Totally agreed, Dug, but there are some curves on my new commute to work that make me take the entire lane, just to make clear that this isn't the place to pass me, please Lord!

Cheesy (by the way, I like your lycra tag!) the problems I see in this area are the casual bike-riders, not what I would classify as cyclists. You know, the kind of people that are on a bike because they have to be, not because they've made a conscious choice to ride and ride correctly. They meander through traffic, cut intersections, and infuriate the driving public to the point that they take it out on the easier targets, the real cyclists :(

It's now officially June, anyone beside myself and Teardrop interested in the RAPsody ride around puget sound at the end of August? I'm trying to squeeze it in.......

Allez Y'All-

sen

[senrides]

Hey All-

I went yesterday to the Atlanta Clean Air Campaign website. (For those in Georgia it's www.cleanaircampaign.com) I went because I had just heard yet another commercial encouraging commuting alternatives on the car radio and I wondered why they never mentioned cycling. But sure enough, once I got there cycling was definitely included in the 'eligible' modes of transportation.

I've completed my paperwork and gotten my boss to accept hers. If I understand this correctly, they are going to pay me $180 to ride my bike to work for the next three months..... I'm posting this because it occurs to me that Atlanta is not a 'beacon' of progressive transportation thought - we don't even have many HOV lanes yet, for example, so perhaps other cities have tapped into whatever federal funds must be encouraging this program.

As if I needed encouragement or inducement to ride to work, having rearranged everything from my employer to my commute distance just so I could do it anyway ;)

Allez Y'All

sen

[CarbsBeGon]

Well, I finished my first 50-miler yesterday - the Tour de Cure. I have a report and some pictures here if anyone's interested: http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?p=2287746#post2287746

Sen - that's a great idea - paying people to ride! Denver should certainly have something like that to reduce the dreaded "brown cloud" we get!

[CarbsBeGon]

"The Cyclism is Upon Us"

The countdown has begun - and OLN's new Tour de France site is up and running: http://www.olntv.com/cyclysm/intro.html - check it out! Something tells me I'm not going to get much work done next month... :p

Anyway - how are all the LC Cyclists? I went for quality instead of quantity this morning - only 12 miles, but mostly hill climbing. My legs feel like rubber, but it's worth it. Anyone have some interesting rides to share???

[Kaillean]

Kudos on the ride, CBG! You're doing great!

I haven't been on any good, long rides for about 3 weeks now. Am hoping to go out this weekend.

I've been good about my weekday rides in the city though, but it's just not the same! I envy you.

[CarbsBeGon]

Hi Kaillean! Thanks for the encouragement. Sorry it's taken me over a week to respond. :rolleyes: I hope you've been able to get out for a ride or two in the meantime?

The Tour de France begins this Saturday!!!

Does anyone have any plans for watching the start this weekend? I'm trying to couple it with my 4th of July plans. I just know my friends will roll their eyes when I put it on though. :p Ah well, they just don't understand...

Any good riding stories from anyone else??? I know Gypsy and nowonder did an organized ride this past weekend. Congrats to them! Let's not let this thread die...

[GypsyAngel]

What did you say, Carbs??? I couldn't hear you. :p

[CarbsBeGon]

Very funny, Gypsy. :p

http://www.users.qwest.net/~mountainmediapro/Images/GWhorse.jpg
Picture from 7/5/04 - Graham Watson, photographer

So, has anyone been watching the Tour??? Poor Sen - Mario's been having some issues - we'll have to see if he can pull it together. Lance looks good - playing it safe, as he probably should. There were also some wicked crashes today - ouch!

Aside from the entartainment value of watching, it's inspiring to me to see these guys cranking away at 30+ MPH over 100+ miles - wow! I know I'll never be anywhere near that level, but I can pretend, right? :D

Now, if OLN would just can the idiotic "Cutters" during their "Roadside Tour" show, all would be right with the world...

[dug]

Super Mario was top ten on day 3. He will contest a sprint or two this week.

[Kaillean]

Hi guys,

Finally got in a good ride, out of the city. DH and I headed up to the boonies (Lytton) this weekend to see the inlaws.

Sunday, we had them drive us part way up Botanie Valley and then we rode on from there. The total ride was 33.5 km, 10 km of which was brutal uphill. We climbed about 1000 metres, I'd estimate. Downhill was scary fun.

For those who know the area, we traveled from Botanie Valley (at Laluwissin) over the Murray Creek pass to Spences Bridge.

Here's a couple of pictures:

http://members.shaw.ca/kaillean/images/July 7 026 sm.jpg





http://members.shaw.ca/kaillean/images/July 7 023 sm.jpg

[CarbsBeGon]

Looks like parts of Colorado! :) Very nice shots. Great to hear you got a good ride in - it's fun when you can just go and not care about time constraints...

[CarbsBeGon]

Wow, this thread is in need of life support! Where's Gypsy? :D (Oh yeah, she's Canucking it up in Canada!)

So, where have all the low-carb cyclists gone?

I continue to ride about every other day - either road or mountain - and am still passionate about it. I've got a bunch of new cycling-related pictures I'll work on posting here in the next few days. In the meantime, if you want to hear about my running of the "Muddy Buddy" last month, check out my journal... :)

[loCarbJ]

CarbsBeGon,

I was down, but not out! I was going down the ridge really fast behind my friend when he turned off the trail and went out-of-bounds on a trail that he knew. I, foolishly, followed him. At 30 MPH, I hit the first berm, my weight shifted forward and then I hit the second berm and was catapulted over the handle bars (DUMB!). All the impact was absorbed by my left shoulder (AC Joint) and the collerbone let loose of the shoulder-bone (seperated shoulder gr 3).

It's been 3 1/2 weeks, but I get back on the bike this weekend for the Surf City Century in Santa Cruz, CA. If all goes well with that, I'll be back on my new Kona mountain bike shortly after that. In the down time, I formed a team to ride '24 Hours of Adrenalin" next year in Monterey, CA.

I'm doing the Muddy Buddy on the 24th of Oct, 04, so I would love to hear about your experience!! I'll check your journal.

J.

[CarbsBeGon]

Ouch! That crash doesn't sound like fun. I had one of my own - though not nearly as serious - a few weeks ago. It was really embarrassing too. Out for a ride with some friends newer to cycling, I thought I'd impress them with my mountain biking "skills." :rolleyes: Anyway, there was a very uneven portion of bike path/sidewalk along a busy street that I decided to bunnyhop over. That part went fine (and I'm sure they were oohing and aahing it behind me) when my front tire found a seam just big enough to accomodate it between the two concrete slabs a few feet further down. As you might guess, my front tire rapidly lost speed and - before I could pull it out of the seam - stopped. Over the handlebars I went headed directly for a guard rail (in slow motion, of course). I thought my face was going to smack it hard and be cut open by the sharp aluminum. Somehow I managed to turn at the last millisecond, taking most of the impact forces on my chin and right shoulder. My right foot still clipped in, my friend rushed over and asked if I was ok. "Give me a minute and I'll tell you" was my response and I flailed like a turtle on its back - the handlebar pinning my thigh between it and the top tube. :D

Anyway, it all turned out okay. A few minutes, several raspberries later, I was back on the bike headed for our intended destination - breakfast! LOL. Other than a lot of soreness over the next few days, I'm none the worse for wear.

loCarbJ - the Muddy Buddy is so much fun - you'll love it! The one here in Colorado had the best mix of people. Some people who kicked butt, some who weren't quite as good and some - like me - who were there just to finish. As I mentioned in my journal, I was pretty pleased with my time as I was expecting far worse and running's really not my thing. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year and - instead of being in the bottom 1/4, my goal is to be in the top 1/2 or better.

Good luck and don't forget to post pictures, stories here! If you have any questions about it, I'll be happy to answer them here or you can PM me... :)

[Karenemt]

I was wondering where the low-carb cyclists went? This was my first full summer of cycling. Did some mountain biking (down Killington mountain even - wow that was hard) and lots of road biking.

I guess my biggest achievements were going from below a 10 MPH average and now doing around 13 MPH. I did a fun ride called the "Donut Derby" last Monday - at 35 miles it was the longest ride I've ever done, but it went easily and on those easy rolling hills I averaged 15 MPH.

Would like to try a 1/2 century before the year is out. I'm gathering some second-hand winter cycling garb to see if I can ride outside this winter as much as possible.

Good to see you low-carb cyclists again!

[nowonder]

I forgot about this thread! I've been cycling whenever I can, but it looks like this weekend I'll be biking in the remnants of Ivan.

Anyway, since I posted it everywhere else, here is a pick from a few weekends back, at the halfway point of my longest ride of the summer (42 miles)

http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/data/508/41855IMG_0428-small.jpg

For the full saga of the ride, check my gym log.

--nw

[CarbsBeGon]

Wow - congrats to everyone on their amazing cycling progress - it's so great to hear! :)

Here's a picture of me from an easy 13-mile mountain ride yesterday:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/data/508/35794Chris.jpg

Karenemt - do you have any pictures from your Killington trip? I'd love to see them. Since I've been doing both mountain and road biking this summer, I have to say that mountain biking certainly does require extra effort (depending on the trail). I enjoy both so much though - it's tough to pick a favorite.

nowonder - congrats on the 42-miler - that's awesome! Looks like you got yourself a jersey too (almost looks like an upside-down Atkins logo from far away ;)). Long rides are great, especially if you have someone to ride with. My longest this summer is still 50-miles, but I plan to attempt a century next year. Then, of course, there's the planned ride from Seattle to San Francisco. Don't know if that's still going to happen, though, as I haven't heard from Sen for months! :(

Anyway, let's all keep this thread alive! Keep pedalling everyone... :)

[Karenemt]

I tried to attach a file of my son & I at the top of Killington peak (here goes nothing - hopefully it works).

I think I was the only doofus up there with a no suspension bike - but it was fun just the same!

[WantsMore]

I figure you all would know this better than anyone. I go to a gym where there are bikes. I was told doing the bike thing makes your legs bigger that I should stay away from it since I want to slim them down. Any truth to it?

[CarbsBeGon]

Hi WantsMore. Cycling will definitely build the muscles in your legs if you do it regularly. It's such good exercise, however, that it will also cause you to lose more fat. So, what you're left with are slimmer calves and thighs that are nicely toned - the fat is replaced by muscle.

That said, there may be times where the fat loss slows while muscle tone continues to increase, resulting in your legs looking slightly bigger - but it passes. When I started riding regularly, I had big calves, but mostly fat. They did get slightly bigger after several weeks of riding but - after several more weeks of riding - they slimmed down, became much more muscular and are becoming nicely toned. Same goes for my thighs and butt. :) (Please note that I've been riding for almost a year now.)

For an excellent aerobic workout with little stress to your body, cycling is difficult to beat. One last thing I'm really happy with. Before I began riding, my resting heart rate was up near 80. It's now 51...

[nowonder]

Interesting question WantsMore...

I agree with Carbs, muscle tone is a good thing, and cycling is a good way to get there.

I was wondering if how you ride the bike would effect muscle/leg development? i.e. if you spin more (push a lighter gear, but spin the pedals more) would you burn more fat but build less muscle than if you pedal slow and push a heavy gear?

Generally I spin more just because my knees hurt if I pedal too hard for long... And it's generally considered better form, but it's still an interesting question.

--nw

[WantsMore]

Hm Nowonder that's a good question. I'd love to know that answer. I want slim, toned but NOT muscular legs.

[nowonder]

nowonder - congrats on the 42-miler - that's awesome! Looks like you got yourself a jersey too (almost looks like an upside-down Atkins logo from far away ;)).

It does kinda look like an Atkins logo... It's actually from the Victory Brewing Company. They have a successful cycling team this year ( http://www.victorycycling.com/ ). I also just got an "Arrogant Bastard Ale" jersey. Is it odd that all my bike jerseys are for products I can't enjoy while on this diet?

--nw

[CarbsBeGon]

Is it odd that all my bike jerseys are for products I can't enjoy while on this diet?
Not at all! :D I was actually considering getting the Twinkies one.

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/10_4227.jpg http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/10_4742.jpg

I also like the Jelly Belly jersey. I need to lose some more weight before I feel comfortable wearing any in public though. Well, unless I go with the Jelly Belly one perhaps. Hmmmm... ;)

[Karenemt]

LOL My favorite jersey is my Ben & Jerry's! (at least they make low-carb ice cream now)

[loCarbJ]

Hey all you cycling enthusiasts:

I have had a great time cycling in the organized rides and have just finished my 16 organized ride for this year. I have three more scheduled for this year. I had 20 planned, but I got seriously hurt and had to skip one. This is my first year riding and I choose the short option (20-35 miles) for my first 9 rides. With my next 7 rides, I switched to the 100k (62mi).

My next ride is a fairly flat cruise through the area around Davis, CA; and the 100 mile route only gains 2,800 feet. I think it's time to switch to doing 100 milers. I would like to do the Seattle-to-Portland ride next year (200 miles and 6,000 ft, over 2 days), so I think getting several 100 milers under my belt would be in order.

Anyone have any advice for making the switch from 100k's to 100mi's?

J.

[Dodger]

My next ride is a fairly flat cruise through the area around Davis, CA; and the 100 mile route only gains 2,500 feet. I think it's time to switch to doing 100 milers. I would like to do the Seattle-to-Portland ride next year (200 miles and 6,000 ft, over 2 days), so I think getting several 100 milers under my belt would be in order.

Anyone have any advice for making the switch from 100k's to 100mi's?

J.
You've already done 2/3 of the 100mi. Set a slower than average pace on the first third (30 miles or so) and then ride the remainder at your normal pace. I find that I can average significantly higher speeds on organized rides than solo rides due to drafting faster riders.

Enjoy the ride!

[dug]

the last 20 miles are the hardest. Make sure you eat and drink right from the get go. You need to keep your body fueled and hydrated. I just finished the MS ride breakway to the beach 91 miles Saturday (just around 5 hours) 76 miles Sunday (3.5 hours). Longest traing rides I have done this year were 50-55 miles. Although, I trained for and completed a 1/2 ironman on 9/12/04 so I was used to training for 5-6 hours consecutivly. I would recommend you get a few training rides in at around the 75 mile range. A century is a great milestone. Good luck with it.

dug

[Karenemt]

Good Luck with that century! I hope to try some much longer rides next year.

My brother the elite track cyclist says - as long as your conditioning level is good and you've been riding regularly, you can go longer than you think. Just pace yourself and remember to stay hydrated and eat before you are thirsty/hungry.

Can't wait to hear about your 1st century - you are inspiring to a cycling newbie like me.

[csoar2004]

woohooo!
I'm a 'bent rider. DH and I used to ride uprights and do 5000-6000 bike miles per season. Back before we got sedentary and fat. :(
We've taken up cycling again now that we're skinny but we really prefer recumbent bikes (why? you ask....), because.........

There's no butt/crotch pain, no wrist pain, no neck pain. There's just a lovely quad burn. :thup:
It's true we may be a bit slower on the upgrades but boy howdy! we're rockets on the flats and downhills! :D

DH and I regularly cycle during the week and try to get some centuries in now and then. Our latest find was the Trail of the Couer d'Alene. That's where this pic was taken. Lotsa lovely wildlife including moose and birds of prey. What's not to like??

[CheesyPoof]

Those recumbents sure sound comfortable!

[CarbsBeGon]

Went on a great ride this morning - the weather was perfect - I love Autumn! :) A small group of us went from Littleton to Denver on bike paths, about 35 miles. I actually would've liked to keep going, but sometimes schedules won't allow. I wish I could get paid to ride... :p

Anyway, here's a picture from today:
http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/data/500/35794me_in_pkg_lot.jpg

[nowonder]

I'm with you Carbs... Great weekend for a ride.

Here is a pick from my 35 mile jaunt around the philadelphia suburbs.
(In My Arrogant Bastard Ale jersey)

http://www.justsurviving.com/abbiker.jpg

--nw

[nowonder]

What? No one else do a 35 mile ride this weekend? :)

How about some more pictures?

How about preparing for winter riding? Anyone have experience/tips for riding in near freezing temps?

--nw

[CarbsBeGon]

Hey nowonder - I've been wondering the same thing about riding in winter. I did some last year on my mtb and it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. The key is to layer! Get yourself some good leg/arm warmers or tights and a good breathing but warm jacket. For all of this I highly recommend Pearl Izumi. Their stuff is a bit more costly, but it's very much worth it!

I think I'm also going to invest in a set of rollers with resistence fan. It evidently helps you define your pedal stroke (make it more efficient and "round") and improve your balance. :)

[nowonder]

Time to dust off this old thread...

With winter rapidly approaching, I've been thinking about getting a mountain bike so I don't have to expose my good roadie to the rocksalt of the area. Being able to explore some of the dirt trails may also be fun...

Don't want to spend a ton... I've been keeping an eye on ebay and the local thrift/pawn shops looking for a deal. I'm leaning towards a specialized since I've had a great experience with the roadie.

Any advice will be welcomed.

--nw

[CarbsBeGon]

Hmm, okay here goes for some advice on mtbs:

1) If you're not planning to ride lots of "hard core" trails, forego full suspension. Depending on how well you know your local shop, the bike geek salesperson might try to make you feel like you NEED it but it can actually rob efficiency if you'll be riding mostly gently rolling trails, bike paths, etc. It also costs less to go with a "hardtail." As for the front fork, suspension is a must but you don't need a great deal of travel if you're not going to be going off-road/downhill a lot.

2) Look for a bike with at least Deore components. Anything less will probably suffer problems shifting very quickly and be in need of constant tuning.

3) Be sure you get the right size frame (minimum 2-3" clearance between top tube and crotch) and have it fit to you - just like with a road bike.

4) "V" brakes are fine but disc are awesome! When I first got my Kona Hoss (for big guys) last year, I needed to be sure I could stop and disc brakes were the only way to go. Even without the weight issue, though, the performance gains (stop MUCH better in wet/muddy conditions) are real.

5) Specialized makes great bikes. Other brands I or my friends have (and are happy with) include: Kona, Giant and Fuji.

Good luck! Let me know if I can answer anything else. Let us know what you decide... :)

[loCarbJ]

I swear by my Kona Kikapu, in fact it's featured in this weeks "Bicycling" magazine. Since I switched to full-suspension, I would never go back. That said, I do a lot of mountain biking. A good rule of thumb that I recommend is to take your annual mountain biking mileage and that becomes your bike budget. For example, it you annually ride 1,000 miles on your mountain bike; that would justify spending $1,000 on yourself for a good mountain bike.

If you ride less than 1,000 annual miles, I wouldn't spend the extra for full-suspension. In my opinion, $1,000 is about the least amount of money one can spend and still get a "good" full-suspension bike.

Also important to me, was the way my bike 'looked'. Trek, Specialized, Gary Fisher, Cannondale, Specialized, Giant, Fuji, Santa Cruz, and Kona; all make great mountain bikes and all of them have distinctly different "looks" to them. Buy a bike that you'll want to spend a lot of time on.

J.

P.S. Road biking miles go by much faster and smoother. For road biking I recommend spending a $1 for every 2 miles of annual travel.

[nowonder]

Thanks for the feeback!

I've looked into Kona's a little bit... But the nearest shop that sells them (according to their website) is 45min away. Seems like too much trouble considering there are 4 LBS in the area.

I did bid on a rockhopper on ebay, but got outbid. Bike almost went for list price and it was a 2004... With shipping it was more than MSRP.

Gonna try and visit the LBS's this weekend to see if there are any deals to be had.

--nw

[Dodger]

Gonna try and visit the LBS's this weekend to see if there are any deals to be had.

--nw
Now is a great time to shop for deals at the LBS. The 'season' is over and Xmas is too far away. Business is slow and this years models have to be moved (the differences from year to year are usually trivial).

[loCarbJ]

After countless claims of how nice it was to have tubeless tires, I was brought back to reality last night.

Me and my "24 Hours of Adrenalin" teammates, rode out to the end of Sinbad Canyon from the Golden Eagle Parking Lot, in Pleasanton, CA. (13 miles R/T and 1,700 ft of gain) after work last night.

Just enough time where we would not need lights.

About 1/2 way there, I got a bad "leak" and my rear tire starting gushing air. Apparently the hole was too big to seal or the Slime was too watered down or something. I got ready to insert a tube and then the tire stopped losing air. With the reduced pressure I decided to move on. By the time we reached the end of Sinbad, my tire was almost flat. On the way back, I stopped 3-4 times to re-inflate moving along OK with a rear tire that mushed back and forth.

I stopped to inflate one last time at the top of the last descent (2 miles to go) and instantly snapped off the valve.

We took off the tire, removed the valve stem, inserted a tube and started to pump.

The tire would not inflate.

Starting to get dark.

At this time a cyclist (Tom) stopped by and offered to help.

We took off the tire and it was determined that the tube was bad, and it, too, leaked. (Again!)

My friend supplied a second tube, we installed it and tried to pump it up.

Getting darker.

The pump (we only had mine) wasn't working right but we fixed it after removing debris from the "break off".

Keep in mind that during these 2 tube installations there was SLIME everywhere...

2nd tube installed, inflated and wheel put back on, we tried to continue.

Darker.

Start descent, but now, I had no rear brakes....?

Determined that rear wheel was not seated properly and I had compressed pistons on the rear disk brake, so when we tried to re-install the wheel, closed pistons prevented us from doing so.

In the dark, I was able to (blindly) press pistons back to closed positions (Topeak tool!) I kinda knew (but could not see) how brakes were set up due to replacing pads a few weeks ago, and Tom was able to get the wheel back on and brakes acted normally.

Real Dark.

We followed Tom down. Amazing that, no matter how much you know the trail, in the dark it doesn't matter. (Ruts, Rocks, Dips, Etc.) Goal was to stay away from Left side (cliff). My 2nd descent in total darkness.

It was so dark, on the way down, I noticed a slight lightening of the trail every few seconds at one point. Just a flash. It was an Airliner's strobe light at 20,000' !!.

Back to truck, home by 8:00...

Can't wait to do it again...

J.

[CarbsBeGon]

Cool ride, man! LOL (Only another mtber understands) Just one piece of advice - get yourself a light! ;) Even a cheapie LED light would've helped out. Glad you and your bike made it down in one piece...

[loCarbJ]

My 32 watt, Nite Rider Classic Plus, was sitting on the air-hockey table next to my bike when I took off. I hadn't installed a second bottle cage yet, to hold the battery.

You know that I'll have it on the bike for next week!

J.

[loCarbJ]

Hey all you Century-Rider-Wannabe's:

Just finished my first REAL century! 106 miles from Davis, CA to Fairfield, CA to Lake Berryessa and back to Davis, CA.

I had done 5 metric centuries prior to this ride. This was a particularlly flat century at only 3,600 feet of gain; which is why I picked it for my first.

It wasn't anywhere near as hard as I thought it would be.

If you are riding even 25 miles, now; I believe you could be riding 100 miles next summer.

Jeff

[CarbsBeGon]

Congratulations on the accomplishment, Jeff! :) I'm planning to do a Century next year - my longest this year was a half (50 miler). I've had rides recently where I feel like I could go and go forever - as long as I get good sleep and my legs are fresh.

What low-carb nutritional tips do you offer for centuries? Did you add carbs (I would think some would be necessary - like a sports drink or two)? Do you have any pictures from your ride?

Take care and keep pedaling! :D

[loCarbJ]

I had a Atkins LC bar, a small cup of coffee, a 700mg creatine monohydrate capsule and a synephrine capsule just before starting. At mile 20, I drank a liter of water, ate another Atkins LC bar and another 700mg creatine capsule. At mile 40, another liter of water, another LC bar, another 700mg creatine capsule and a synephrine capsule. At mile 60, they served lunch. I ate 2 thin slices of roast beef, 2 thin slices of roast turkey and 2 thin slices of cheese between 2 leaves of lettuce; and another liter of water with a creatine capsule. At mile 80, another LC bar, liter of water, creatine and 2 synephrine capsules.

After the ride I had a small salad, another liter of water and 1,500mg of l-glutamine.

I'm the guy on the left!

http://photocrazy.com/2004/1016FOX/Fox1/FOX10039.html

J.

[nowonder]

Congratulations! A full century without carbing-up is very impressive.

I too am hoping to do my first century next year. My longest ride to date was 42 miles, I wanted to go for a metric at the end of this season, but work got in the way.


--nw

[GypsyAngel]

Sounds like an awesome ride Jeff. Congrats to you.

Well since NW and Carbs are both planning centuries for next year.... I promise to ride in the sag cars for both rides! Where are we going? :D

Cheers,
Gypsy :wave:

[Karenemt]

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

I am currently getting together the equipment to ride through the winter. I am planning on doing layers and keeping the 'ol head, hands, and toes warm.

I rode Sunday when the temp was around 40 with the wind chill and did fine. I actually did enough hills that I started to get warm near the end.

[dug]

if you figure a way to keep your toes warm let me know. I have never been able to keep my toes from freezing in cooler weather.

[loCarbJ]

Body-Armour makes some great cold weather apparel!

Their "Skull Cap" really keeps my head warm without getting sweatty and fits nicely under my cycling helmut. Their Cold Weather Gear keeps my body warm, whether I wear the Thin Base Layer, Long Sleeve Base Layer, or the Thick Base Layer; they all do a great job in different types of temperatures. They, too, keep me warm without getting sweatty.

Regarding the toes, I picked up a pair of Pearl Izumi All-Weather shoe covers and they help a lot, too, especially when it's wet.

A good cycling rain jacket is helpful, too!

J.

[CarbsBeGon]

Body-Armour makes some great cold weather apparel!
Hey J - do you mean "Under Armour?" If so, I agree - their stuff is excellent. (www.underarmour.com) I wear their "heat gear" (for hot conditions) as a base layer when it's cool but understand their "cold gear" makes for an even better base when temps really drop. The quality of their apparel is top notch and pricing - for it being technical clothing - is reasonable. I also wear their compression shorts for most other sports I do including running, tennis, and racquetball.

I'm going to do some experimentation this winter with clothing to stay warm while riding. I'll let everyone know what does and doesn't work for me. I also just invested in some rollers for when it's too cold and snowy/rainy to ride.

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/40_1667.jpg

Now that should be an interesting thing to learn... :lol:

[dug]

rollers are good for spinning, make sure whatever is in front of the rollers won;t break if you crash. Have fun!

[Karenemt]

Let us know how you make out with the rollers. I have a resistance trainer because I think I'd crash through my window riding the rollers. I know my brother had quite the learning curve while doing them, and I know I can't spin smoothly enough to do it just yet.

I am planning on riding outside as much as I can this winter and have been on several cold weather rides already (around 40 degrees so far). Just got new tires on the mountain bike so maybe we'll try a little riding in the snow too.

For the toes to stay warm, I wear the SockGuy Isowool socks and then neoprene booties over my shoes. If it's super-cold, I have a larger pair of cycling shoes I got free and I wear 2 pairs of the wool socks. You can also get neoprene-type material waterproof socks like my DH uses for skiing.

[loCarbJ]

Muddy Buddy Update:

My friend and I did the San Jose Muddy Buddy a week ago. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but also, a lot more fun! Our event was held on Mount Hamilton, which is one of the bigger mountainous area's around here. The mountain bike climbing was tough. Next time I will use my full-suspension bike, rather then the hardtail that I used this time around. I also need to improve my trail running as my "buddy" finished his legs around a minute or two ahead of me. Still, we finished 9th in our division. Our division was combined-age of 70+. Our combined-age was 88!

The mud-pit really makes this a really fun event!

J.

P.S. Next up for me is the Shooting Star Sprint Adventure Race. Also held in San Jose; it includes a 4 mile trail run, a 7 mile mountain biking loop, a 2 mile kayaking paddle, another 7 mile mountain biking loop and finishes with a final 4 mile trail run. Wish me luck, it's in three weeks!

[CarbsBeGon]

Let us know how you make out with the rollers. I have a resistance trainer because I think I'd crash through my window riding the rollers. I know my brother had quite the learning curve while doing them, and I know I can't spin smoothly enough to do it just yet.
Sorry it's taken me so long to respond - been busy with work lately. As for the rollers, they're a BLAST! :D I've never had so much fun riding inside - it really makes you concentrate and most definitely improves balance, spin and overall technique. As shown in the picture I posted of my rollers, they're a "parabolic" design with raised edges. This makes it nearly impossible to ride off the sides as you spin and boosts confidence. It only took me about 5 minutes to really get used to them the first time. You set them up in a doorway so you can catch yourself if you start to lean too far to one side. It's actually quite easy! Don't get me wrong, I still much prefer riding outside. But if you can't - rollers are great, fun, and easier-to-learn than you might think. Back on the road, I notice the rides I've done on the rollers really have improved my riding abilities.

Speaking of getting outside, I continue to experiment with cold weather gear. What's been working great for me thus far - in temps around 40F - is the following: on my upper body I wear a liner layer (Under Armour heat gear T-shirt) under a Pearl Izumi Kodiak jacket. For lower body, I wear my Pearl Microsensor bib shorts under a pair of their "flash" (reflective for greater visibility) micro fleece tights. It keeps me really warm - but no too much so which you don't want. Now for my toes - I'll have to look into the booties and wool socks.

loCarbJ - that's awesome on the Muddy Buddy! You certainly did better than I did on my first attempt. ;) Do you have any pics? I'm looking forward to doing it again next year and I think I've convinced some friends to join me so we can enter several teams. As for the adventure race you've entered - GOOD LUCK! :D That sounds really, really tough but also like a lot of fun. Make sure you get some pictures!

[loCarbJ]

Unfortunately, my photographer didn't come to the Muddy Buddy, and their photographer didn't get any pictures of me (that I could find).

How is everyone doing with their winter riding?

I find that this is a great time of year for mountain biking. Riding the ridges is usually less windy and the hard climbing warms me up very quickly.

I have also really taken to "night riding". Going up the familiar trails at night turn the whole experience into something completely new. It's almost like exploring caves! I stream through a tunnel of light, surrounded by stark darkness. I also have encountered a lot of wildlife, from geckos and wild turkeys to lots and lots of deer.

Anyone else out there going night riding?

J.

[Dodger]

I just finished a 32 mile road ride. The only memorable animal I saw was an eagle swooping low. The temperature was in the forties, but mostly sunny, so I ened up taking off the helmet cover, ear warmers and jacket. The forecast for the weekend is cold and snowy, so I will be off the bike for a few days.

[nowonder]

I've kept up with the riding into the low 40's here... Though I'm skipping today since I only have an hour of daylight left, and no light on my bike.

Wool socks really help. I'm using a cheap base layer I bought from *mart that is similar material to under Armour. On dry days I ware my Jersey above it then a fleece jacket on top. Works great as long as it's dry.
Need something else for my feet besides the the wool socks, the shoes are too well ventilated.

--nw

[RodeRash]

It's been a while, but I used to train on rollers all the time. It's nice to have a little security close by when you are learning. A door frame or narrow hallway works pretty good. It gives you something to lean on a little when you start and stop.

Speed is important. Your spinning wheels create a gyroscope effect that keeps you upright and balanced. Make sure you start off in a pretty tall gear. Look straight ahead, and that is the direction you will go. It won't take long before you find that is very easy to ride with no hands.

Other tips.
Make sure your wheels are round and true. Tire inflation makes a big difference in how much resistance the rollers will give you. (and how much noise the tires make when they squirm) Because of the small contact patch between tire an roller, low pressures may lead to early tire failure. Mountain bike tires and rollers do not play well together.
Clean and lightly lube your chain to keep noise down. Excess lube will be thrown off, (I used to soak my chain in melted paraffin which seemed to lube well, and did not fling off) You WILL sweat a lot, so if your riding area is carpeted, you better find something to put between the rollers and the rug.

When you are not riding, slip the drive belt off the rollers. They will last much longer if not in constant tension. Buy extra belts.

[CarbsBeGon]

Good suggestions all, RodeRash. :) I rode my rollers yesterday for about a half-hour - it's still so much fun...

[GypsyAngel]

Hey y'all! Hope everyone is getting some winter time in the saddle. Personally I'm a cold weather wimp.... LOL!

Anyway.... don't know if anyone is interested in this but here is the link to Americas Most Beautiful Bike Ride (http://www.bikethewest.com/AMBRR.html) in Lake Tahoe on June 5th. Registration is until May 13th. I'm hoping to be able to do the 72 mile ride by then. :D

:wave: Gypsy

[CarbsBeGon]

I'm going to really try to do that ride, Gypsy! :) Looks like fun and I love the Tahoe area. I have to check scheduling and look into airfare (or mileage) and hotel, etc. But I'm going to say a very firm "probably" as of right now...

[mack3212]

Hello,
I finally found this place. I wrote, CarbsBeGon and he told me about this thread. My name is Mack and I love cycling.

I'm in Nebraska so the snow/ice/salt/sand/single digit & below zero weather has me home bound. I doubt I'll be able to ride until late Feb early March.

My main ride that I'm riding now is a Volae Club recumbent which I love. Faster than my DF road bike but it is slower on steep hills. But I'm hauling a lot of tonage up that hill also. Hopefully I'll rid that.

Well, nice to find all of you and looking forward to some talks.
Cheers,
Mack

[CarbsBeGon]

So, has anyone had any good rides lately? I went last Sunday and it was a truly gorgeous day! Makes me somewhat skeptical that we're still in the midst of winter - but living in Colorado, I know how quickly things can change. ;)

The best part of my ride, though, was that I convinced my girlfriend - who hasn't been on a bike in nearly a decade - to join me. Even better, she LOVED it and is now BUYING A BIKE (2004 Fuji Thrill)! :D What can I say, sometimes life is good...

Here's a picture:

http://www.users.qwest.net/~mountainmediapro/Images/prt%20ride.jpg

[ZenLC]

OMG!! There are other crazy people out there that bike and low-carb like I do? :D

I just found these forums a couple of days ago and saw this thread, so I joined up just to start contributing here :). It has been fantastic to read everyone's experiences -- sometimes I feel pretty alone in the biking community.

By the way, if anyone is looking for a very friendly biking community as well as a place to log miles, I would very highly recommend Bike Journal (http://www.bikejournal.com). It is a completely free site that allows you to track and journal your mileage, set goals and interact with others. We have a Century A Month club in its infancy, a couple of weight-loss challenges and a whole bunch of people that like to ride :).

If there are any Denver/Boulder area LC bicyclists, feel free to e-mail or message me. I'd love to get together for a ride!

[CarbsBeGon]

Hey Zen! That's great you're in the Denver area - I'd love to go for a ride sometime. I hear you about feeling lonely doing LC and cycling at times. I hang out quite a bit at www.bikeforums.net and www.cyclingforums.com and there are many anti-LC threads on there. For awhile I tried to talk sense to people, but most won't listen. Interestingly, there ARE other LC cyclists there as well - they just hide I guess. ;)

Anyway, PM me anytime the weather is good and we'll see if we can't get a ride organized. Do you do road/mountain/both? Describe a "typical" ride for you - where do you like to go/how far?

For me - on the road - it's usually about 25 miles at between 15-18MPH. I do mountain also but it's still too muddy/icy to really enjoy any trails. Otherwise, I mostly ride in the southern end of town and enjoy the Platte River Trail, cruising around Chatfield Res and pretty much anywhere else that motorists don't see us as an opportunity for "points." :D

[ZenLC]

I've actually made a couple of converts on Bike Journal. I'm "coaching" them in a weight-loss competition with 3 others. Can't wait to see how it turns out :).

Right now I'm strictly a roadie. I try to do 20 to 25 miles at lunch in the hills around Boulder during the week and on weekends I like to get in a longer ride, anywhere from 50 to 100 miles. My average speed is in the 17 mph range, depending on distance, training, mood and moon phase ;).

I ride with a couple of other folks that are in the Centennial/Aurora area and as a matter of fact last Saturday we did a century starting at Cherry Creek Reservoir and staying entirely on bike paths.

We have also started a "viritual" or online bike club for Front Range bicyclists who also belong to Bike Journal. We call ourselves Club Hypoxia (http://www.clubhypoxia.com) - The fun stuff is on the Wiki page.

[CarbsBeGon]

Sounds great! I'll be sure to look into all of the information above. I'm going to being training more regularly as the weather (hopefully) stays nice. I'm planning to do "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride" with Gypsy - as posted on page 9. I'd like to do the 100 mile option and that would make it my first century! :)

[mack3212]

Hello LC bikers,

Glad to see some activity on here. I'm in Nebraska and the snow/salt/sand on the roads are making me go wall crazy. Congrats on getting your girlfriend out on a bicycle. There is truly a child in all of us to nuture and bicycles are great

I've looked at the bicycle journal site and will join when I can get out and ride.

I switched from a wonderful titanium road bile to a Volae Club recumbent this year. It is a great ride. I went and did the Hotter N Hell 100 (largest century ride) in Texas this past August and felt great on it.

I'm planning on riding Cycle Zydeco www.cyclezydeo.com in Lousiana at the end of March. The live Zydeco music every night along with cajun food everynight will blow my LC effort. But it is fun time.

Regarding your ride around Lake Tahoe. I've driven that road years ago and always dreamed about riding it. Do you know how steep the grades are? I can handle up to 11% then I truly have hell. Hopefully I'll drop some tonage and can do better.

Cheers to ya all.
Mack

[GypsyAngel]

Hi everyone!
Glad to see some of us are getting some road time. I, being a winter wimp, am not. But I am entertaining the idea of getting rollers. Yes I'm suicidal as well. :rolleyes:

ZenLC.... thanks for the link to BikeJournal. That's a cool website. I registered this afternoon. I'm going to check out the weightloss thread.

mack3212.... I don't know what the grades of the climbs are on the Tahoe ride. I looked throught the website again but all I can find is the elevation. I'll keep looking around and let you know if I find info. It's nice you're enjoying the recumbent... I've never ridden one... did you find it hard to get used to?

Carbs.... Like I said earlier that is a great picture and it is so cool that Amy bought a bike! I look forward to hitting trails with both of you when I get back to CO. (After the steak dinner followed by The Stampede of course ;) )

[ZenLC]

... I am entertaining the idea of getting rollers. Yes I'm suicidal as well. :rolleyes:


I just got a set of rollers and put them in an unused corner cubicle at work (for the view :)). I was pretty scared the first time I used them but I picked it up very fast. Five minutes into it and I had the hang of it.

You'll do fine. There are 4 things you need to ride rollers:]

1) Relax the upper body & take weight off the bars.

2) Look at a point ahead of the bike (hence the windows).

3) Spin the wheels up fast. The faster they spin the more stable you'll be.

4) A good health insurance plan :lol:

[mack3212]

mack3212.... I don't know what the grades of the climbs are on the Tahoe ride. I looked throught the website again but all I can find is the elevation. I'll keep looking around and let you know if I find info. It's nice you're enjoying the recumbent... I've never ridden one... did you find it hard to get used to?



Thanx for trying to find the grades. I guess I could find a cycle shop in that area that would probably know.

The recumbent I bought took me about 200 - 400 miles to really get comfortable on. I'm about 2 mph faster on the flats and roller hills. Steep hills I"m slow because you have to spin the way up. But I can ride so much futher on this bike. Like I said I did a century (102 miles). Then I decided to ride back to the hotel which was another 12 miles.

I researched recumbents for years and when Bachetta and Volae brand came out, I found a recubment that I truly enjoy. Bachetta Florida based and has dealers around the country. Volae is from Hostel Shoppe (www.hostelshoppe.com) in Wisconsin and Waterford cycles makes the frame for them. Waterford is one of the finest custom frame builders in the country. Hostel Shoppe has a great 2 week return policy. I actually did a cross state ride during the first two weeks and they didn't care how far I rode the bike.

I could go on and on about the Volae. I have 4 other bikes gathering dust because I enjoy the Volae so much. I'm the only recumbent rider in my club and I can stay with the strongest riders now. If I drop much of my weight, I'll be leaving them.

When I did the century, I averaged 17.2 mph and that is from a heavy out of shape guy.


Oh well, I'm rambling. I can't wait for the good weather. We are forcasted snow this friday and saturday. Soon the riding weather will be here.

Cheers,
Mack

[GypsyAngel]

ZenLC...LOL! I'll take the above into consideration! :D Especially the health insurance bit!!! I was anticipating a move to a warmer climate but things have come up that will prevent that. It turns out I will be staying in PA for an unknown amount of time. Sooooo..... rollers may be in my future. I really want to get on the bike right now. I think I need it and it's too damn cold and snowy. So it's rollers or a spinning class. Spinning might be safer. LOL.

Mack...interesting info on your recumbent. I've always looked at bents with amazement. I think I would tip over. But they're really cool looking as they drop me. LOL! It seems like they would work a whole different area of your muscles.

So since I am not moving I will be buying my road bike here in PA. I've looked into quite a few brands and have done a lot of research (on line) and need to go shopping. Any brand, style suggestions from anyone? Any advice? I want to try some WSD just because I never have. The mtb I ride is a compact frame. And I would like to try steel just to get the feel of it. There is a LBS that I visited once last year for some parts. They were very into correct sizing and fitting so I think I will start there. (Shirks Bike Shop (http://www.christianacycling.com/ShirksHome.htm)) They're not fancy and not a chain. I liked the feel of them when I was in last year. There are also 2 other LBSs that I have dealt with that I would go back to.
I dread shopping for a bike... I hate the thought of receiving the attitude of "what do you know.... you're a fat chick who wants to buy a bike" that I've heard some bike shop employees tend to have towards people who are obviously not in cyclist condition or at pro level. :lol: Wish me luck.

Lastly as much as I wanted to ride Tahoe that may need to be postponed until next year. I don't know how much training riding I'll get in between now and then since I won't be moving to warmer climates and real life will be getting in the way. I may just stick to local rcreational rides come spring. I do plan on looking into some area biking clubs.

Anyway.... sorry longwinded today... just typing away as I think. LOL! Hope y'all are out putting miles on your bikes!

:wave: Gypsy

[CarbsBeGon]

Hey Gypsy - sorry to hear things haven't worked out the way you'd hoped regarding the move. I'm glad to hear you're planning to proceed with the bike purchase though! :) As you and I have discussed, the only recommendations I'd make are that you stick with a good manufacturer (Bianchi, Specialized, Fuji, etc.) and get a decent component group (no less than Shimano 105). The difference between steel and aluminum will be your call, but whichever you decide, make sure it has a carbon fork - it'll save you from so much jarring!

It's great you've found some good shops to deal with. Any that treat you with attitude should be left far behind - that makes me angry and is the reason I won't deal with a certain chain of shops here.

As for Tahoe, I'm disappointed to hear you don't think you'll make it. I understand completely, however. I probably won't do it if you don't go so I'll be doing more rides around here I guess. ;)

My GF gets her bike on Tuesday of this week and the weather looks like it might just cooperate for us to ride this weekend (I hope)! :D Hope everyone else is getting some rides in...

[niterider]

CarbsBeGon,

I was down, but not out! I was going down the ridge really fast behind my friend when he turned off the trail and went out-of-bounds on a trail that he knew. I, foolishly, followed him. At 30 MPH, I hit the first berm, my weight shifted forward and then I hit the second berm and was catapulted over the handle bars (DUMB!). All the impact was absorbed by my left shoulder (AC Joint) and the collerbone let loose of the shoulder-bone (seperated shoulder gr 3).

It's been 3 1/2 weeks, but I get back on the bike this weekend for the Surf City Century in Santa Cruz, CA. If all goes well with that, I'll be back on my new Kona mountain bike shortly after that. In the down time, I formed a team to ride '24 Hours of Adrenalin" next year in Monterey, CA.

I'm doing the Muddy Buddy on the 24th of Oct, 04, so I would love to hear about your experience!! I'll check your journal.

J.

Just wondering how your recovery went from your ac joint separation - i've just done that to myself avoiding an accident with a car - type III. Any tips for getting over it quickly?

Thx
Nic

[Rob01]

This is my first post here - I was sent over by ZenLC from the bikejournal site. Sure hope to see some of you over there!

I wish I'd have found this site last year. I started riding in Sept/03, and I was losing weight pretty quickly using LC. I was told that my cycling would really suffer if I kept doing LC, and I did think I was losing some finishing power, so I quit. Well, in 2004 I cycled over 5000 miles, some of them pretty tough miles, and I never lost a single pound. Yup, finished 2004 at the same weight I was at the beginning of 2004. (Imagine where I'd be had I not been cycling!)

I've started racing a little this year, and still have over 20lbs to lose. I'm going to do it LC this year, and I'm going to get this last bunch of weight off. (Maybe I'll be able to be a real climber yet!) Sure is great to see that there's some LC cyclists around!!

[GypsyAngel]

Hi Rob01... good luck on the 20 lbs. And good luck on the climbing. :D

So now that it's springtime here in PA and the weather is beautiful for biking I decided it was time to go bike shopping. Last summer I put slicks on my mtb and took it out on the road to see if I liked road cycling. Well it turns out I did. So I put the fat tires back on the mtb for good last fall and made the decision to buy a road bike.
After riding and re-riding and re-re riding a bunch of bikes... here's the one I chose. I picked it up on Thursday.... now the weather needs to get nice again so I can pile on the miles!
It's a CANNONDALE R700 TRIPLE (http://www.cannondale.com/bikes/05/cusa/model-5RR7T.html). The components are Ultegra/105 and I think I'll be really happy with it!


http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos1179/9/77/11/67/73/0/73671177906_0_ALB.jpg

[CarbsBeGon]

Hi Rob01 - welcome! :D As for the whole "your riding will suffer if you do low carb" thing, I think that's true if you're really racing and piling on 50+ miles. Indeed, I usually augment my carb amount by 20-30 carbs when I'm riding longer distances. I do this in the form of Accelerade (www.accelerade.com) mixed into one of my water bottles. It has protein as well as some carbs so it works great for me and I continue to lose when I use it. The best thing to do is just experiment - see how many carbs you need to prevent a bonk and how many you can add in and still stay in ketosis. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Gypsy - as I said in your journal - that's NICE! I look forward to hearing about your rides and you should get somebody (Time? :D) to take some pics of you riding!

[Dodger]

Hi Rob01 - welcome! :D As for the whole "your riding will suffer if you do low carb" thing, I think that's true if you're really racing and piling on 50+ miles. Indeed, I usually augment my carb amount by 20-30 carbs when I'm riding longer distances. I do this in the form of Accelerade (www.accelerade.com (http://www.accelerade.com)) mixed into one of my water bottles. It has protein as well as some carbs so it works great for me and I continue to lose when I use it. The best thing to do is just experiment - see how many carbs you need to prevent a bonk and how many you can add in and still stay in ketosis. Good luck and let us know how it goes!

I've had no problems on longer rides by just snacking on some nuts while I ride. Almonds work best for me as they are easier to handle while riding. I do add electrolytes to my water to make up for what is lost in sweat.

[GypsyAngel]

Gypsy - as I said in your journal - that's NICE! I look forward to hearing about your rides and you should get somebody (Time? :D) to take some pics of you riding!

Why would I want pictures of me riding? Some things remain unnecessary. And don't make me have to break Time's fingers. :D

I did take the bike out after I picked it up for a little ride. Only did about 8 miles to see how it felt. Feels great... way different than my mtb. The only thing that is weird is a specific foot pain I'm having. It's my outer right foot. It doesn't seem uncommon when I researched it on bikeforum (Specific search result HERE (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=50868) ). But I'm using the same pedals and shoes I had on my mtb so that seems weird. Anyway.... I'll figure it out...

So anyone else riding these days?

[DaddioM]

The only thing that is weird is a specific foot pain I'm having. It's my outer right foot. It doesn't seem uncommon when I researched it on bikeforum (Specific search result HERE (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=50868) ). But I'm using the same pedals and shoes I had on my mtb so that seems weird. Anyway.... I'll figure it out...

So anyone else riding these days?Hi Gypsy!!

I have that foot pain after about 60miles now.. I get my feet out of my shoes for a few minutes and I'm fine. I haven't figured it all out yet, but what helps me...

wiggle my toes in my shoes every few miles
loosen up my shoes as my feet swell
make sure I'm pedaling in the round.. I've noticed that the more uphills I have, the quicker the pain comes

....just a few thoughts. Hope they help.

Mike

[DaddioM]

ok... this is a separate post... I just got done riding in my first MS150 bike ride. 180miles from Houston, Texas to Austin, Texas. I chronicled my ride in my journal, but Gypsy told me about this link and thought people might be interested in the story..

It was and AWESOME experience for me...

Getting Ready

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost.php?p=5201758&postcount=3841

The first Day

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost.php?p=5205548&postcount=3842

Lagrange: the pit stop for the first leg of the Amazing Ride

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost.php?p=5210836&postcount=3844

Day 2

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost.php?p=5217017&postcount=3848

The Finish

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showpost.php?p=5221763&postcount=3849

Nice to meet everyone!!

Mike

[GypsyAngel]

Thanks for posting the story Mike. I reread it and still love it. I would love to be able to do a multi day bike ride with camping at night. Don't know if I'll ever be in shape to do it but we'll see.

And thanks for the suggestions on the foot pain. It's weird. And as I said they aren't new shoes or pedals.... I switched them out from my mountain bike. I'm going to another LBS on Monday for a fitting. The shop I bought the bike at gave me decent service and a good deal on the bike but no fitting. I know there are people who swear by expert fittings and people who say they're a waste but I figure what the heck? I'll see what they say about the foot pain and see what adjustments they advise. If I ride the bike and it feels worse or I just don't like what they recommend I'll change things.

[dug]

Bike fit is crucial. There should be no debate about that. An incorrect fit can lead to all kinds of pains and eventually injury.

[GypsyAngel]

Thanks for the advice Dug. I tried to go for a fitting today but the fit guy was leaving at 1 and I couldn't get in before then. I'm going to try Thursday.

[GypsyAngel]

Hi cyclists!
I did finally get an expert fit. It seemed pretty good and included getting on and off the bike a bunch of times while it was on the trainer, pedaling fast, pedaling slow, standing up, sitting down, hands on the hoods and drops, measurements in all different positions, stop with my feet here, stop with my feet there... he used a measuring tape and a weight on a string thing, and finally a road test. He seemed like he knew what he was doing. At least I hope he did.
The changes he made were... lowering the seatpost, moving the saddle back, initially he tilted the handlebars up but ended up switching out the stem for a shorter one that also had a more of an upwards angle.
So we'll see. I haven't been on a lengthy ride since the fitting. I'll post how it feels when I do. I'm getting a little more used to the road bike. I still don't like it near as much as my mountain bike... don't know if I ever will.

[CarbsBeGon]

Glad to hear your fitting went well - and was so thorough. I predict that once you get used to riding your new C'dale you'll like it every bit as much - if not more - than your mtb. I know that's been the case for me, although I still enjoy riding my mtb too... ;)

[GypsyAngel]

Hold onto that thought Carbs... I'll let you know in a couple years. LOL!

[GypsyAngel]

Hi folks! Anyone riding these days?

I wanted to report that since my fitting my bike has been great. I have had no more foot pain and as of today I feel great about the bike. I don't know what exactly happened during today's ride but it all kind of clicked! I felt good in the saddle, felt in control, and everything just felt good. Now that's not saying I won't lay it down hard on some concrete anytime but I feel better!

I also joined a local cycling club so I hope to get some riding time with a group. Still kind of a scary thought but I figured I might as well.

This weekend is the Wachovia Cycling Series (http://www.wachoviacycling.com/race_overview.cfm/race_id/6/more/1) in Philadelphia. I plan on staying with a friend in Philly Saturday night and we're going to watch Sunday's race from a good spot in Manayunk. I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully I'll get some decent photos. :D

[dug]

If you ride long enough you will crash. Usually you just lose a little skin :-). Glad the bike fit helped. It is amazing how much difference that can make.

[GypsyAngel]

If you ride long enough you will crash. Usually you just lose a little skin :-). Glad the bike fit helped. It is amazing how much difference that can make.

LOL! I've lost a good amount of skin from mountain biking... I suppose I should lose some to the road as well.

I really was surprised at how much the fit helped. He didn't make any major changes. But the bunch of little changes he made definitely made a difference! Glad I had it done!

[Karenemt]

Anyone still here?? My 10-year-old son and I just did a 40 mile charity ride today (our longest distance ever) and it was great!

My not-so-little 10 yo has decided that he wants to race bikes more this year, so he is part of a youngster training group and has a coach now. Needless to say, I am going to have to pile on the miles to keep up with him! :)

[Dodger]

That's great!

Forty miles for a 10 year old is fantastic. Now you've got to get him a racing bike.

I haven't been riding much lately as I have started walking again for exercise. I did manage to get in 32 miles today.

Yesterday I did a 10 mile memorial ride for a local cyclist killed by an SUV driver. Three hundred cyclists did the ride. It was the only time I remember riding my bike with tears of sadness in my eyes.

[CarbsBeGon]

I'm still riding and still loving it! :D Below is a picture of me from a recent 50-mile ride - it went great.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~mountainmediapro/Images/Elephant%20Rock/2005/a2j4q7a5e6t9b5r5r3p7.jpg

My goal by the end of this season is to do at least a metric century ride - perhaps a century (we'll see).

Anyway, I still love cycling so much and really miss it when I can't ride - like last week when I was away on business. Time to get back on the bike...

Anyone watching the TdF next month??? I can't wait to see if Lance can get #7!

[GypsyAngel]

Hey Everyone!

How's the cycling? Still loving my C'Dale!

Karen... cool for you and your son! That is awesome!

Carbs... excellent picture! Is that from the Elephant Rock ride? And I think now you need a celeste kit. :D

I don't know if any of you are in the PA area but I thought I'd post a link to The Covered Bridge Metric Century (http://www.lancasterbikeclub.org/cbm.php) . It's in Lancaster County, PA and from what I've heard it's a good ride. I plan on riding it. I will probably do the 50km since the 100km specifically mentions hills. LOL!

[DaddioM]

Hi Everyone!!

I live in Texas, but rented a bike in wisconsin and went riding on a trail converted from an old railroad right of way... went through some small towns in wisconsin.. and stopped at a local brewery too. It was fantastic!

I DID take a spill.. lol... I was going slow through a small town, not thinking of my biking, one hand on the handlebars.. and the wheel when into a small pothole. I went over the handlebars.. but luckily nothing hurt but my pride.

Watching teh 2nd stage of the Tour de France as we speak. Wow.. Lance really did GREAT on the first stage. Did you hear that his AVERAGE heart rate over the time trial was 180 bpm!! YIKES.. I'd be calling Karen at that point..and telling her to bring the paddles!!

Mike

[CarbsBeGon]

Hello all. I'm still riding as well - trying to average about 25 miles each ride, every other day. This doesn't always work out, of course, because of scheduling conflicts, but I try. ;)

As for the Tour de France, it is very inspiring. I know I'll never be anywhere near the level of those guys, but it's fun to watch and see what they're capable of. And then maybe pretend a bit when on the bike at times. :D

Hope everyone is getting some good riding in!

[Karenemt]

I did my first metric century on Sunday - not an organized ride, just rode 31 miles to church and then back again.

This week my mileage will be down - my son is competing in Jr. Track Nationals at T-town - send some good luck vibes his way please!!

[GypsyAngel]

Everyone enjoying the Tour? This weekend stages were great!!! The ability of Lance continues to amaze me!!! He never even looks like he's breathing hard.

The armbands that a lot of the cyclists were wearing today were a nice tribute to Fabio Casartelli.

I was happy for George Hincapie today. He's one of my favorite cyclists (even if he is married to a podium girl :rolleyes: ) It doesn't sound like he did much work up in the front group but it was a good push at the end. And I didn't realize he had never won a Tour de France stage before. YAY for George!

Thanks to Carbs I knew he won before I watched the stage. :p

http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05tdfSt15/$file/12.jpg

[ysabella]

Lance is amazing. You occasionally find people sniffily saying they think he's a jerk, but if you ask me, he's got more good karma than most humans. Look at what he's done with LiveStrong - I know people who got a lot of help from that organization.

Plus, his example is incredible. And he's always got nice things to say about teammates, opponents, everyone.

I remember telling my brother on chat last year, when I saw that Lance had won. My brother replied, "That extra testicle was just slowin' him down!" :D

Go, Lance!

[CarbsBeGon]

Yes, Lance is amazing and anyone who says differently is simply jealous - that's my stand. ;) Also - they've been trying to pin a doping charge on him for years and nothing's ever stuck. It's like they can't believe he actually works that hard to win - it must be something chemical in his system. I think Lance is one of the last true sports-heroes left.

Go Lance! #7 is within sight! :):):)

[dug]

I agree Lance is amazing, but before he got cancer he was extremely arrogant and not well liked by most people in the cycling world. Amazing how much affect cancer can have on your life, for good and bad.

[ysabella]

Lance did it! #7!


:yay: :yay: :yay:

[GypsyAngel]

I agree Lance is amazing, but before he got cancer he was extremely arrogant and not well liked by most people in the cycling world. Amazing how much affect cancer can have on your life, for good and bad.

Unfortunately I think he's still not well liked by a lot of the cycling world. I think a lot of the riders themselves have respect for him but there is a lot of "anti-Lance" behind the scenes. All the doping suspicions.... he'll probably be peeing in a cup for the rest of his life. :D
If you guys haven't read his books I would recommend them. I was surprised that I liked them as much as I did. Both of them were very well written and I learned a lot about professional cycling from reading them. It's been a few years since I read them.... I may have to reread them again now.

But anyway...... HERE'S TO #7!!! THANKS LANCE!!!
http://grahamwatson.com/gw/imagedocs.nsf/images/05tdfSt21/$file/9.jpg

PS... the picture was taken by Graham Watson... great cycling photographer. You can check him out at GRAHAM WATSON (www.grahamwatson.com).

[CarbsBeGon]

What more can be said? He's won arguably the toughest athletic competition in the world 7 times! Seemingly impossible - yet he did it. Congratulations to Lance Armstrong and I wish him good will in his future aspirations. :)

[CarbsBeGon]

Is anyone still riding??? While my average per-week has gone down recently, I'm still riding at least several times each week. Anyone have any good stories? :D

Oh yeah, and it looks like Lance might come back!?

[DaddioM]

I'm biking to work.. but it's only about 3miles. At least it gets my metabolism going! DW and I sometimes head through the woods with our mountain bikes, that's fun.. but not too challenging (she doesn't like it to get too challenging).

It's too darn HOT down here for a long bike ride.. lol. ..but soon.

It stinks that people can't accept that Lance is just that strong!! What an amazing feat!!

[BruceInAla]

Is anyone still riding??? While my average per-week has gone down recently, I'm still riding at least several times each week. Anyone have any good stories? :D

Oh yeah, and it looks like Lance might come back!?
I just joined this forum yesterday. I saw a post about it on BikeJournal.com People who don't do Atkins say you can't ride a bike and do low carbs. People like me do Atkins and ride a bike :) I'm having a good riding year, over 2,500 mi so far. Next weekend I ride in my 3rd MS150. My wife is volunteering at a rest stop as well. Here in Alabama, I have to watch liquids a lot more than I have to watch carbs! Riding is a great way to get out and get air, and get exercise. Our local club rides every Saturday AM, and you should consider joining one if there is one by you. Kudos on your 50 miler!

Bruce

[CarbsBeGon]

Welcome to the forums, Bruce. :) Sounds like you're having a good riding year - excellent! I'd like to try the MS150 but haven't had the time to commit to it as of yet. Looks like fun, though. This year I did the aforementioned 50-mile ride and then, several weeks ago, did a "moonlight ride" with my g/f in downtown Denver; it was a lot of fun.

As for joining a club, I've considered it but right now just enjoy going on my own, with my g/f or some other cycling friends I have. I may still join one for next season, however - will have to see.

So - when you ride - do you add any carbs? I've tried both ways and, on longer rides (50-miles and more), I do think adding some carbs is important. I've bonked twice in two years and it wasn't fun. Now I usually take some Accelerade with me on those rides and have yet to experience any issues. Of course, as you suggested, proper hydration is still of #1 import...

[Dodger]

I've gone 50 miles without anything but water and electrolyes. I've gone 70 miles with only some nuts added as an energy source.

The only times that I have bonked were in my high carb days.

[BruceInAla]

Welcome to the forums, Bruce. :) Sounds like you're having a good riding year - excellent! I'd like to try the MS150 but haven't had the time to commit to it as of yet.

It's really what got me started biking. A guy I was teaching Sunday School with nagged me to do it with him, and finally I did. I thought of doing it for the ride, but that first day out, I met some MS patients who were thanking me for doing nothing more than enjoying a day on a bike! So this is my 3rd year, and I do it to raise funds for cure research and patient care.



[/QUOTE]So - when you ride - do you add any carbs? I've tried both ways and, on longer rides (50-miles and more), I do think adding some carbs is important. I've bonked twice in two years and it wasn't fun. .[/QUOTE]

I try to get by with as few as possible, but while I am out on the road I will eat a Power Bar, or some other complex carb food. I stay away from cookies and snack bars. "Gorp" is good too, a mix of peanuts, raisins and M&Ms. I drink Propel (6 carbs per 1/2 liter), or the new Powerade Options.

[lucabrasi]

I think I'll join in and say hello fellow cyclists. I've been lowish carbing for a couple of years and met my goal weight (about a 30 lb. loss) about a year ago.
I have been cycling for about 5 years now and usually get in between 150 and 200 miles per week (mostly on my roadie).

I have done a couple centuries and to answer a question, I usually bring along a Clif Bar or two for those rides. Generally, anything over 50 miles I'll bring something a bit carby. I have also had a bonk or two and they are certainly no fun at all. I normally only bring water to drink though....thats probably more of a personal preference though.

With winter coming on, I'd be curious to hear what you guys use when it's too cold to ride. I used to go to the Y and use a stationary, but I'm looking at getting some rollers or a trainer or both this year.

[CarbsBeGon]

I use rollers and love them! Not only do you get a decent workout, it really improves your balance, pedal stroke and concentration on the bike. I was amazed at how well this translated to the road - my pedal stroke was much more efficient and I could ride without hands on the handlebars!

Mine came from Performance - these: http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=17569&subcategory_ID=4121 and they work great. The only challenge I've had is with setting them up - they have to be on hard ground (wood floor, tile, concrete, etc.). If you put them on carpet - even low pile - or a rubber mat, the rear roller will most likely sink in and won't move.

I plan to ride my rollers on the deck of my apartment this winter (should give the neighbors a good laugh, anyway) or perhaps my garage. I'm also considering a month-to-month membership at my local 24-Hour Fitness to do some lifting and take a spinning class. That and one of the nice things about living in Colorado is, even during the dead of winter, it's not always snowy and cold; some days it's sunny with temps in the 60s! :)

[Rob01]

I'm just starting back to a low carb diet. I tried just eating "balanced" for the last year - and I've biked 5000 miles and not lost a pound. (I need to lose about 30) When I was lcing a year ago I would rarely eat anything more than a power bar and a bottle of gatorade (lots of water) on a century ride. I'll be getting back to that for the winter.

I live in THE GREAT WHITE NORTH, so we get lots of cold and snow. (Though, like Denver, we have lots of days during the winter with nice weather and clear roads.) I do, however, ride indoors a fair bit. Rollers are great, and I use them alot. You CAN ride them on carpet if you make a little adjustment - I grab 4 of my kids little books and prop them under the feet on each corner. This lifts the rollers high enough that they don't burn your carpet (I did that once... my wife was NOT pleased - I couldn't figure out where the extra resistance was coming from!)

I also will be using a rear wheel trainer more this winter. There are some work-outs that you just can't do on rollers.

BTW, you'll know you've improved your balance when you can ride with no hands on your rollers! This is a feat I learned last winter.

[ZenLC]

BTW, you'll know you've improved your balance when you can ride with no hands on your rollers! This is a feat I learned last winter.

Ooooh, I learned how to do that last winter, too! Now I need to work on standing pedalling on the rollers :eek:

[CarbsBeGon]

Now I need to work on standing pedalling on the rollers :eek:
LOL - yeah, let me know how that goes!

Hey, Zen - you Dodger and I ought to get together someday for a ride - seeing as we're all in the Denver area. Where do you typically ride? What distances, what's your average speed, etc.?

I'm down South in Littleton - typically ride on the C-470 or Platte River Trail. I also ride around Chatfield quite a bit. My usual ride is about 25-30 miles at an average speed of 15-17MPH - depending on the day.

[Dodger]

I live in Longmont. My normal ride is to Lyons, then up Apple Valley and back. It's 32 miles at 15 to 17 MPH average depending upon the weather and how I feel.

[BruceInAla]

I think I'll join in and say hello fellow cyclists. I've been lowish carbing for a couple of years and met my goal weight (about a 30 lb. loss) about a year ago.
I have been cycling for about 5 years now and usually get in between 150 and 200 miles per week (mostly on my roadie).

I'm glad to see other cycle people here! I immediatley throught of Mario Puzo's books when I saw your name :)

With winter coming on, I'd be curious to hear what you guys use when it's too cold to ride. I used to go to the Y and use a stationary, but I'm looking at getting some rollers or a trainer or both this year.

I ride down to about 20 degrees. Below that, the cold air hurts my windpipe when big gulps come in. Cold weather pants have a thin, scuba suit like, front and I layer my torso, NO cotton anywhere. A windproof thin shell, with long sleeve polypro undershirt and maybe a thin wool sweater underneath. Zipper openings provide heat control. A balaclava on the head, and Pearl Izumi mitten-gloves, and shoe covers. Double socks too.

[ZenLC]

Hey, Zen - you Dodger and I ought to get together someday for a ride - seeing as we're all in the Denver area. Where do you typically ride? What distances, what's your average speed, etc.?.

Hi CarbsBeGone & Dodger!

I live in Broomfield and work in Boulder. My typical ride during the week is 20 to 25 miles around the Boulder area and can average from ~12-14mph if I'm doing steep to 16-18mph on the "flats." On weekends I try to do a long ride of 65 to 100 miles.

I'm always looking for riding partners and would especially love to hook up with Low-Carbing riders. Feel free to send me a note at zenlc2000 at gmail.com and we can ride sometime!

[BruceInAla]

OK gang, tomorrow I head down to Perdido Beach, AL for the MS 150. How many extra carbs to eat, etc? Will my glygogen deprived legs carry me into the predicted 17 mph head winds from Lovely Rita, Hurricane Meter Maid? What about the rain showers and the odd T-Storm? Well, please pray, cross your fingers, etc for me. I'm down 7 lbs in the past 8 days, so there's that much less to lug around south Alabama anyway. My new Bike Journal.com jersey came today, which will be worn 1 day of the tour, whiel the official jersey will be worn the other. A Kestral fork came today too (via Ebay, of course) but no time to get it on the bike for this ride.

[CarbsBeGon]

Hey, good luck, Bruce! Be safe and give us a ride report. As for carbs - let us know what you decide on that too - and let us know if you bonk! ;) Just kidding.

ZenLC - I will send you an e-mail in the near future - would love to ride... :)

[BruceInAla]

Hey, good luck, Bruce! Be safe and give us a ride report. As for carbs - let us know what you decide on that too - and let us know if you bonk! ;) Just kidding.

ZenLC - I will send you an e-mail in the near future - would love to ride... :)

I'd very much like that! Let's see what we can coordinate. Thanks for the good vibes. "Gotta keep those love good vibrations a happenin..." (imagine music)

[ZenLC]

ZenLC - I will send you an e-mail in the near future - would love to ride... :)

My little club "Club Hypoxia" is having a social ride this Sunday. 55 miles starting from the REI Flagship store downtown Denver. You're welcome to come and meet the group!

[DaddioM]

Hi everyone!!

Registration just opened for NEXT years MS150 and I'm debating whether to sign up. It was a GREAT experience.. but the training.. well.. I DO like to do things other than bike ride SOMETIMES.. :lol:

Someone asked about biking in the winter.. well in Houston, it's not a heat/cold issue, but when the weather is inclement, I take spinning classes at the YMCA. It REALLY helped me with strength last year (we don't have hills here like you guys in Colorado). The instructors usually push you to your limit too, and with music and other people, it's the next best thing to being outdoors.

Mike

[zesty]

ah you know you want to do it good luck on your decision

[lucabrasi]

I went ahead and pulled the trigger on an Elite Fluid Trainer and a few spinervals DVD's. I'll let you guys know how they are after I've had an opportunity to try them out. I'm also bidding on some rollers from Ebay.

I had to work this weekend, but next weekend is going to be a solo century around the rolling farmland of SW Ohio. It's a great ride that I do at the end of the season, and the foliage should look great. I'll try to remember to take some picks.

[CarbsBeGon]

I'll try to remember to take some picks.
Sounds great - please do! :) I've been riding every other day again - feels great and the weather is incredible. I was hoping to do my mountain ride this past weekend, to see the fall colors, but it unfortunately didn't work out. Guess I'll just have to see the colors in town this year...

[lucabrasi]

Looks like my year end century is gonna have to wait til next weekend. A bit to chilly for my tastes and too much stuff to do around the house. :mad:

[DaddioM]

I'm down south (Houston, TX) so this cooler weather makes it PERFECT for me to bike. I went about 15miles yesterday and it was absolutely beautiful!! My computer seems to have quit working though.. so I'm estimating the mileage.

I wore my heart rate monitor yesterday.. do you guys wear one while you're training??

Mike

[CarbsBeGon]

I went for a 30-miler around Boulder, CO yesterday - couldn't have been a nicer day! I do wear a HRM, it's part of my Vetta cyclocomputer which also features wireless speed/distance and cadence. A nice, all-in-one unit that works great!

Today it's raining hard and Denver has a forecast for SNOW beginning tonight into early this week. Bummer... :(

[Dodger]

I biked to Boulder yesterday, about a 32 mile round trip. I went to the Performance Bike store and got a bike rack and three tires. I haven't figured out how to install the rack yet. Two of the tires are town tires to replace the knobbies on the MTB. I no longer go to the trains, so the bike is now my around town bike and the knobbies were getting irritating. The rear tire on the road bike was getting threadbare and needed replacing.

The weather was fantastic and I got quite a bit of vitamin D inot my body from the sun.

It was interesting biking the 16 miles back home with a bike rack and three tires strapped to my handlebars.

[nedgoudy]

Hello all,

I went on a 28 miler yesterday too and used a bike I hadn't been able to ride (too fat) for a couple of years. I dusted it off, lubed it up and went for it. It was a beautiful fall day in Southern California with NO SMOG and temperatures ~ 75 f.

I actually cut time off my trip 'out' to my destination from the week before by using the lighter bike with a 26" tire in back.

As a result, when I got on the scale this morning I was down
2 lbs for the week. :lol: Just about 10 more lbs to go and I will start
the hard task (for me) of maintenance. :agree:

Bicycling in the Fall and the Spring are the greatest? Yes?

Ned
Easy Racer EZ1-SC http://www.easyracers.com/ez_1_sc.htm
Lightning Thunderbolt http://www.lightningbikes.com/thunderbolt.htm

[DaddioM]

Do you guys have decent shoulders on most of the roads?? There are either no shoulders or tiny shoulders on most of the roads around here.. it makes it hard to just hop on the bike and ride.. except through neighborhoods.

Not the most bike friendly town.

In other news.. I've gotten a couple more emails about the MS150 for next year. Ours filled up last year (they have a cap of 13000 riders).. I wasn't sure I wanted to do the training again.. but there is a certain "pull" I'm feeling..

Have a great week everyone.. sounds like most of you had an excellent weekend for riding!

Mike

[BruceInAla]

Our bike club plans rides on quiet back roads. These normally don't have paved shoulders, but there is little or no traffic to deal with. I got in 32 on Saturday morning with a nice mix of flat and hills on an old Trek Pro 560.

[lucabrasi]

I wear an HRM all the time when I ride. It's seperate from my cyclocomputer, which is handy because I wear it on the rare occasion I go jogging.

As far as shoulders go, our busier roads do have pretty decent and 3ft or so wide shoulders. We have a great rail-trail network out here as I have been able to do a century with only 7 miles on roadways.

[nedgoudy]

Do you guys have decent shoulders on most of the roads??
Mike

Most of the roads around my place in So. California
have BIKE LANES. Those that don't have mostly
decent shoulders BUT, I don't ride on the shoulder!

The way I figure it, the shoulder is for emergencies
only, as in if some lunatic gets too close to me and
I need to GO RIGHT in a hurry.

I tend to ride bold, yet defensively. If I am on
a 4 lane road, (two lanes each side) I tend to
take enough of the RIGHT LANE to make people
go around me with a wide birth even having to
take the LEFT lane to avoid me.

I figure it is safer to ride bold and defensively than
to ride like a mouse and have *ssholes run me into the ditch.

For the record, I broke my hip on a bike 3 years ago
but it was due to a mechanical and a human error.

I tend to be extra careful, especially on left hand turns.

[DaddioM]

Sounds like it's time for Houston to get with teh program.. no WONDER we got dubbed "fatest city in the country".

Mike

[lucabrasi]

Did a century yesterday but the batteries in the camera were dead :mad:

I ended up bonking about 1/2 mile from home just as I passed the 100 mile mark so all was not lost. It was a beautiful day and I'm dreading the "off season".

I did aquire a set of rollers, a trainer and some Spinervals DVD's. I tried out a couple and you can get a great workout with them. I did Muscle Breakdown a couple of times and if you want to do sprint intervals this is a great one. I'll get into the others next week and let you know how they are.

[DaddioM]

Sounds like you're set for winter!! Too bad about the camera.. especially if you had fall colors along your ride!

[Rob01]

Hello all, it's been awhile since I've posted. Here's my summary so far for the year - I've done 11 centuries, ridden 5100+kms total, and done a fair bit of climbing. I drove down to the HHH in Wichita Falls and turned in a 4.5 hr century there (riding time, took half a little over 45 minutes out at the rest stops along the way.)

Yet - I've not lost any weight. I've recently lost weight again as I started back to LC. I've still got 30-40lbs left to lose (I've already lost over 30lbs.)

Rollers are a great work-out, and I use mine alot. Want to see some of the fun stuff we've been up to on them? Check out www.bikejournal.com , go to the forum, and look up the "Canadian Paceline Training" thread and "Kids Don't Do This At Home" thread.

[GypsyAngel]

Hi y'all. I just got back from a 3 week trip to Prince Edward Island, Canada and had some great biking days. I brought my mountain bike and did some relaxing enjoyable rides... The Confederation Trail is an old railroad bed that spans the Island. And also got some more difficult trails in. One I wasn't sure I'd make it out of but returned relatively unscathed. Took a beating but had a helluva lot of fun. Made me realize how much I missed my mtb.... and also realized the nature aspect of mtbing is what makes me like mtbing a lot more than road. The places you can get to!!!

I've been thinking about the winter months and I know I won't be out in the snow. I'm scared of rollers for fear I'll kill myself. What are the pros and cons of using trainers through the winter? I know nothing about them... can you basically turn your bike into a stationary bike? Can you adjust tension or difficulty? Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

[Dodger]

I've been thinking about the winter months and I know I won't be out in the snow. I'm scared of rollers for fear I'll kill myself. What are the pros and cons of using trainers through the winter? I know nothing about them... can you basically turn your bike into a stationary bike? Can you adjust tension or difficulty? Anyone have any thoughts?

Thanks in advance!I have never used rollers, but I do use a trainer occasionally. I can only go 45 minutes max on the trainer before I go insane. They are really boring. I prefer to ride in the cold and snow over a trainer.

Yes, a trainer turns your bike into a stationary bike. Mine is a fluid trainer, so the effort increases as the rear wheel speed increases. If I want a harder ride, I upshift, and downshift for easier.

[CarbsBeGon]

Rollers are great for building balance and an efficient pedal stroke. The negative is that they take a little while to master as there's nothing holding you up - especially tough when getting going.

That said, I still prefer rollers to a trainer because it takes some of the monotony out of riding inside. If you lose too much concentration while riding the rollers, you very well could fall and injure yourself (and/or your house)!

As for me, unless it's truly miserable outside - rain/snow/ice and bitterly cold temps (the teens and under) I also prefer to bundle up and ride through it...

[lucabrasi]

I horsed around on them (rollers) last night for the first time and am getting the hang of it. I did kinda crash a few times while on the rollers but it's pretty easy to not go down. Just don't clip in at first. Also look into the Spinervals DVD's. I've been told Charmichael sells one also, but it kinda turns into a Power Bar commercial. I have a couple Spinervals and they will work you hard!

I set up an area in my basement with an old TV and DVD player, the bike stuff and a BowFlex, so I have my own little gym to use this winter. Normally the weather has started getting cold and blustery around here, but it looks like we still have a few warm sunny days ahead.
I'm getting together with a couple of guys this weekend and might try and talk them into doing another (for me) century. I want to take advantage of the weather as much as possible before it turns.

[BruceInAla]

We finally have a nip in the air once the sun sets. Last night I set a Univega city commuter up in a roller stand out in the driveway and cranked for about 25 minutes. I don't know why, but I really dislike stationary pedaling, it feels so differnt for me. Doing it outside helped considerably.

[Rob01]

Rollers will definitely hold your atttention more - and they're not near as boring because of it. Additionally, you can also get resistance units for them. However, you can't do some work-outs like one-legged pedalling, standing is MUCH harder, etc.

You can find a cheap trainer like a mag trainer or something for under $50Cdn if you look. The better quality you get the more realistic the resistance will be. (With the fluid trainers being the best.)

It's cooling off here in the GREAT WHITE NORTH and my outside riding days are numbered.

Now, if I can just get my diet under control.

[nedgoudy]

I don't know why, but I really dislike stationary pedaling, it feels so differnt for me. Doing it outside helped considerably.

I bit the bullet Monday and went to the gym and
learned how to set the levels of difficulty and gradient
on the Recumbent bicycles they have there.
I bought an FM Stereo radio at Big Lots for
the absurd sum of $1.07 after tax, and used
it to listen to while I spun and pushed against
the tension on the machine.

I must admit that when I got done I had had a
hell of a workout and felt it Tuesday morning.

But yeh, nothing beats riding the bike. As much
as I hate gyms however, I am going to go to the
gym any day it is raining and I feel I can't ride outside.

I don't want to lose what I have so far in the way of
L/C weightloss to stubborness and lazyness this winter.

[Rob01]

Ugh. My diet has been terrible. Need to get back to the basics. (REALLY need my wife to stop making cookies!!)

[CarbsBeGon]

I hear ya, Rob! I'll be celebrating my 1st anniversary next month with the girl I plan to marry. Since she came into my life, it's certainly become better. But it's also been extremely tough to keep LC all the time! Thank goodness for cycling or I might be up 30 lbs. by now... ;)

[lucabrasi]

My wife keeps making pie..... Hot apple pie with vanilla ice cream..... :help: :yum: :nono: :confused: :mad: :yay: :hyper: :hyper: :D

[CarbsBeGon]

So what are we learning here? Our wives/girlfriends are out to kill us with love from the kitchen? :confused:

[ZenLC]

So what are we learning here? Our wives/girlfriends are out to kill us with love from the kitchen? :confused:

Speak for yourself :D My wife actually researches ways to make recipes LC. She's got a killer lasagna that uses sliced firm tofu instead of noodles... :thup:

[CarbsBeGon]

That lasagna recipe sounds good! I shouldn't be so critical of my girlfriend - she's actually quite understanding and supportive. Things get tougher when we go out to a party or dinner with a group of friends.

Anyway, I went on a nice autum ride today - thought I'd share a few pictures. They're from my phone, however, so the quality isn't that great. Still, it was a beautiful day!

http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/files/3/5/7/9/4/bikepath6.jpg http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/files/3/5/7/9/4/bikepath5.jpg
http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/files/3/5/7/9/4/bikepath3.jpg http://forum.lowcarber.org/gallery/files/3/5/7/9/4/bikepath1.jpg

[lucabrasi]

It looks a lot like it does here in Ohio.

Where abouts in Colorado are you? I used to live outside of Denver when I was a kid.

[CarbsBeGon]

I'm in Littleton, not too far from Chatfield Res. - if that helps. ;) Colorado is a great place to ride, no question. I feel very lucky to live here...

[Rob01]

Wow - great pics!! I've only ridden in Colorado once - and that was in Denver (stopped for a quick ride to get the bends out on our way to Wichita Falls for the HHH) We rode just on the trails there and I was amazed at the network of trails. Nice.

My wife is a GREAT cook and baker. It saves tons of money on treats for the kids. Unfortunately, it's a real temptation for me. She does make sure that she always has something for me to LC, though.

Hey, care to share that recipe for lasagna? My wife was making plans to make some, and I'm a real Garfield - lasagna is my favorite food!

[GypsyAngel]

Got a few last outdoor rides in over the past couple weeks while it was still warm. All you winter cyclists enjoy your biking in the snow... it's not for me for sure! Guess I don't have the proper dedication or cycling loyalty but it sounds miserable to me. LOL!
I did get a trainer and actually am surprised I don't hate it. From everything everyone had told me I expected it to be torture. It's definitely boring but no more boring than any other indoor exercise I do. I think it will work well for the winter months and I seem to get a decent workout with sustaining a fat burning heart beat for an extended period of time. I just throw on my mp3 player and spin away.
Ride on...

[DaddioM]

WOW.. GREAT riding trails!! Love the leaves too!

I went on a 55 mile ride this weekend.. a rather interesting ride... it was called...

this is from the flyer for the ride...



http://www.tourdedoughnut.com/images/TDDTopPage.jpg


Yep.. a long bicycle ride.. which everyone does for fitness, right?? ...and you have all you can eat DONUTS????? Even worse... they give you a 5min "time break" for every donut you eat.. so theoretically you could finish BEFORE YOU START!!:lol:

...and yes.. I did have a ...ahem.. "few" donuts..

Top 8 reasons Mike HAD to ride in the "Tour de Doughnut" (it would have been top 10.. but after the ride, I needed a NAP!)

8. Wanted pizza, but the only way to get it without stopping my counter was a bike ride over 40miles

7. anything at a rest stop is fair game

6. I wanted to improve my time in a 60 mile ride so I ate my way to a 30min time bonus (yes .. they WERE gving 5 minutes per donut)

5. Hey.. I only had ONE donut (every 10 miles)

4. Final score: Donuts 6 Daddio 0

3. I had to eat them.. it was for charity!

2. I couldn't do that to the OTHER riders, so I sacrificed MYSELF!!!

and the number one reason

1. THEY WERE FREE!!!!

Sorry Gypsy.. we're just getting INTO prime riding time! ...but I don't ride very much during the heat of the summer.

Have a great day everyone!

Mike

[Dodger]

DaddioM,

You inspired me. I went out and did a 50 mile ride today. The weather cooperated and I did the ride in my summer shorts and jersey. I didn't have any donuts though. As it was a spur of the moment ride, I did it without any food, just water.

[GypsyAngel]

Daddio.... that's hilarious!!!!! :D

[DaddioM]

Hey Dodger.. wish I could try some REAL hills (at least once....then I'd probably want my FLAT back.. lol)

Gypsy.. glad you enjoyed!! ...and actually I lied... If I had one donut every 10 miles... it would mean 5.5 donuts and I actually had 6!! ....but I tried not to enjoy the second half of the last one!:lol: :yum:

Mike

[GypsyAngel]

I'm sure you tried real hard, Daddio! As you wiped the powder from the powdered donut off your mouth.

[DaddioM]

I'm sure you tried real hard, Daddio! As you wiped the powder from the powdered donut off your mouth.exACTLY!! Just to work off the donuts.. I went Salsa dancing for 3 hours friday night.. slept 3.5hrs, then went on a 44mile bike ride saturday. Part of the path was along the same roads I travelled for the MS150 this past year.

Does anyone have anything special they do to train for hills (other than actually DOING hills)??

Mike

[GypsyAngel]

How's everyone doing with winter cycling? You all know I'm a cold weather wimp but I have been using the trainer. It is boring as all hell but it keeps me doing something on the bike since I know I won't be outside. It will definitely do for the winter! I'm considering joining one of the spin classes at the Y but I'm afraid it might kill me. LOL!

[DaddioM]

Hi Angel!

The spinning classes at the Y are GREAT. The instructor WILL try to kill you, but I've found ways to handle that. If your heart rate is getting too high... when she tells me to turn it UP a notch, I turn it DOWN a notch. Actually, after a few spinning classes (and purchase of a heart monitor) I don't even worry about that.. if my heart rate gets up too high, I just take a step back.. no biggie. I think the spinning classes are GREAT though.. they push you, they have music, and other people are suffering WITH you:lol: ...does it get better??

I have NOT been doing much cycling the past few weeks, but I DID sign up for the MS150 again! I'll probably start to go on a few more rides in January.

Hope everyone is having a good December.. Merry Christmas y'all!!

Mike

[CarbsBeGon]

Hello fellow cyclists! :D

Gypsy - I'm actually going to the Y next week to look into that very thing - strange how great (well, okay, twisted) minds think alike... Anyway, I get a discount through my employer and it's less than a mile away, so it seems like a no-brainer to me. Does anyone know if the bikes most of them have can be used with clipless pedals? I have some spare cycling shoes that I could use.

As for winter cycling. I have some Pearl Izumi "Escalation" tights, shoe covers and a balaclava on order and plan start riding again even in the extreme cold - as long as road conditions are safe and it's not actually snowing.

I'll let you know how it goes...

[DaddioM]

CBG... At our YMCA ALL the bikes can use clipless pedals. I can never remember which kind I use.. but it's the ones that can be used with the offroad shoes (SPD??).. the smaller cleat ones.. and I KNOW the bikes work for those. Your YMCA MIGHT be different but it seems teh spinning classes actually target cyclists, so I'd bet you'll be able to use clipless.

Mike

[ZenLC]

The spinning bikes I've been on at 24 Hour Fitness are SPD-compatible.

In Boulder, I ride down to about 30 degrees with tights, toe covers, thermal jersey and undershirt and a thin, neoprene balaclava. I'm sure I could go colder but, truthfully, I don't enjoy riding that cold.

[GypsyAngel]

Hi y'all!
I am starting a spinning class at the Y on Monday with a friend from work. The pedals are one sided SPD one sided platform so I will be able to use my cycling shoes.
Hopefully I will survive. LOL!

[DaddioM]

Sorry for not responding earlier guys.. yeppers.. most spinning classes have clipless on one side (spd) and clips on the other. The spinning classes are KILLER workouts!!! (if you have a good instructor).. but with the music and the company it's not too bad!


Mike

[Peanut16]

Sorry for not responding earlier guys.. yeppers.. most spinning classes have clipless on one side (spd) and clips on the other. The spinning classes are KILLER workouts!!! (if you have a good instructor).. but with the music and the company it's not too bad!


Mike

Hey, guys:

I have a Kettler I purchased last November and I spin at least 2x a week, intermingled with my other cardio activities. I spin alone, but it is a wonderful 60-min. workout. The Kettlers are SPD. I don't know what I'd do without it, really...I bought it to replace my ancient Tunturi, which finally went to exercise-bike heaven in Nov. after a faithful 18 years. :-( It took me a while to sort out the seat-versus-moi gynecological exam, but for combining serious fat-burning with killer cardio, spinning is FABULOUS.

Good luck, Gypsy Angel!! Keep us posted,

[CarbsBeGon]

I've been doing spin classes twice a week for about two months now and LOVE IT! The first few classes are tough while you get used to it - and bike setup took me some time with experimentation - but after that it's been great. I go to 24-Hour Fitness for my classes and it's nice to be able to go to any club nationwide and be able to spin.

The best part about spin classes are how they can make you stronger out on the road. If you really push it in class that is. ;)

[GypsyAngel]

It took me a while to sort out the seat-versus-moi gynecological exam, but for combining serious fat-burning with killer cardio, spinning is FABULOUS.

LOL Peanut!!! Now there is something to look forward to. :lol: That's hilarious!
I'm looking forward to the class, even if it kills me. Carbs, I'm haunting you from the other side if it does. :D

[nedgoudy]

Just got back from a 40 mile bike
ride on my recumbent a few minutes
ago. Had a great time but almost
got dehydrated. I had to stop and
get a 20 oz. diet coke to get me through.
That and three sticks of sugarless gum.

Nice day in LA for a bike ride. No smog,
about 70 degrees and thoroughfares with
bike lanes most of the way.

YeeHah!

Ned Goudy

Lightning Thunderbolt http://www.lightningbikes.com/thunderbolt.htm
Easy Racer EZ1-SC http://www.easyracers.com/ez_1_sc.htm

[GypsyAngel]

I had my first spin class today. Holy crap. And my thighs still feel like jelly. How long will they feel like jelly????? LOL! Stairs (especially down) are kind of sketchy. I'm supposed to go back Wednesday... we'll see. :lol:

[Dodger]

You have the dreaded DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Go easy during the Wednesday class and the soreness will reduce.

[GypsyAngel]

Dodger... Thanks! There is no pain at all right now. Yet. :D I'm sure tomorrow I'll be plenty sore. Today it's just thigh weakness. Just feels strange to me. I'll let you know how Wednesday's class goes!

[CarbsBeGon]

Glad to hear you completed the class! :D See, it wasn't so bad, was it? ;) If you keep going, you'll find the soreness reduces and it's replaced by greater power and endurance - a small price to pay in my opinion... Enjoy! :)