Did you ride today? (1 Viewer)

[ravewoofer]

After losing my hard tail to theft in Canada I bought a Specialized Stump jumper,
my first experience with a full suspension bike. Took it up Perseverance this AM, my favorite backyard route. It’s about 8 miles RT from home with approximately 1,000 ft elevation gain. Gravel and boardwalk access to the trail head is flat. The bridge under construction all summer has finally been finished, more or less.
New bike is definitely an upgrade, noticeably superior both uphill and down.
I thought the bigger 29” wheels would be less nimble but at my low skill level this hasn’t been perceptible.

View attachment 3714493View attachment 3714497

Actually, I think the bigger wheels are more nimble. The larger diameter/circumference lower the angle of attack on the trail, permitting the tires to just rollover rocks and roots with ease. I found the 26" wheels forced you to find a line to keep you from being jounced off the bike. 29" tubeless with lowish pressure makes one just fly over the terrain. IMO, way more nimble.

I weigh 195 before the pack is on, and ride 25psi in front and 29 psi rear. I have never pinched the tire or bottomed and damaged a (carbon) rim since I've had the bike the last 8 years,.

 

[jembourbe]

You have a way with words.

Mom: You should follow your dreams.

Me: My dream is to write rebuttals for J. Peterman product descriptions.

Mom: Then I think you should learn to code.


I got 30 uneventful dirt miles with a massive 744 feet of elevation gain this morning before my bowl of raisin bran stopped fueling my legs. Then I limped the last 4 miles on concrete and made a massive omelette served over a pre-warmed bed of picante sauce. That part was spectacular.

 

[OGBeno]

Bacon egg and cheese here I come!

 

[SmoothLC]

Beautiful fall day yesterday. We started out in the low 60s and by the time we were done the temps were in the upper 70s.

The ride was called the Syracuse 66 - I think I've ridden dozens of variations on this route for over 20 years. Lots of new construction over that time - homes, buildings, new roads, etc.

We had about 40+ riders and as usual the young guns, racers went out fast, 26 mph for a stretch before my group decided to take it down a couple notches since one of our guys spent too much time golfing this summer (even though he was on an e-bike). No complaints from me though, we all averaged 19+.

 

[OGBeno]

Big ride!

 

[Paddler Ed]

Ramping up here for my next big ride; looking at 110km solo ride in the local area (I'll get wife to meet me part way for a water drop) in about 2 weeks time:

New England Regional Art Museum to New England Regional Art Museum

maps.app.goo.gl

Standard 1% gradient average for around here - it's funny how nearly every ride here averages to that!

After that, I get three rides with about 6 weeks between each before Easter in 2025:

1. I've started planning a mid January ride (my birthday treat to myself), which for a top of the range to the coast is remarkably climb-y:
   
   

   Nambucca Heads 2

   87.9 km, +1807 m. Bike ride in Armidale Dumaresq, New South Wales

   ridewithgps.com
   (that'll be a mountain bike ride, when I get my wheels sorted out)
2. That then gives me to the 1st March before Gravel 'n' Granite: The Saddlers Mountain Bike Club Tenterfield - https://thesaddlersmtbclub.com.au/gravel-n-granite (I've done this time, and it's a great ride - hopefully this year I'm coming in a bit fitter than I did last time) Gravel bike for this one, but I may see if I can drop to a 30 for the front for some more climbing ability
3. And 6 weeks after that, I get to do Goodness Gravel at Glen Innes: Glen Innes - https://www.goodnessgravel.com/glen-innes on the gravel bike again.

 

[ravewoofer]

Heck yeah, I rode today! Did my 8.2 miler loop at the fastest pace this year, and I bet if I check my records, the fastest over the last 5 seasons since I found this loop.

Trail is fast now that the ground is firm. Not quite Fall, but some leaves are down, some are turning color and acorns are littering the trail.

Best month or two to ride in New England is coming up!

 

[little_joe]

False Fall #2 hit central Cackalacky del Norte last night, so this morning's ride started with temps in the low-mid 60's, wisps of clouds littering the Carolina blue sky, sustained winds 10-15mph. Set out with no route, did 17mi around our suburban hellscape. The ride was easy, my avg heart rate was 123bpm which is easily 20bpm less than when it's 85-90* and humid. It's riding season again!

 

[little_joe]

Another beautiful day here, so I did 21miles on the American Tobacco Trail on my Kona Dr. Dew. It's a flat rail trail, very peaceful - I really enjoy it as I can ride w/o stopping, and during the week the trail is practically empty. There's an old tobacco barn behind my bike in this pic, even from the trail it's hard to view it.

During yesterday's ride, the chorus from "Love Yer Brain" by the Flaming Lips was on endless repeat in my brain ("You can love yer brain / Even if it slips down the drain / Man, I'm not no drug addict / But a person's gotta have something / To keep him from going insane"); today it was Bon Jovi's "Dead or Alive," specifically "on a steel horse I ride." WTF.

 

[jembourbe]

Beautiful fall day yesterday. We started out in the low 60s and by the time we were done the temps were in the upper 70s.

The ride was called the Syracuse 66 - I think I've ridden dozens of variations on this route for over 20 years. Lots of new construction over that time - homes, buildings, new roads, etc.

We had about 40+ riders and as usual the young guns, racers went out fast, 26 mph for a stretch before my group decided to take it down a couple notches since one of our guys spent too much time golfing this summer (even though he was on an e-bike). No complaints from me though, we all averaged 19+.

View attachment 3716459

Ebike over 20 is hard!

 

[JoeW]

Hardtail Party!
I took my newly built Chromag Stylus for it's first proper ride the other day. This thing freaking RIPS! (I know I need to cut the stem a few MMs)

 

[ravewoofer]

Hot Dang! Fastest ride of the season. Solid 14 miler with nearly 900 feet of climbing. Cool, fall morning. Ground is hard and legs felt good.

One small mechanical in the woods. Left cycle shoe cleat came loose. Couldn’t twist out of the pedal. Had to take foot out of shoe while attached to the pedal.

Had a 4mm Allen to tighten and off I went to finish the ride.

Great morning!

 

[OGBeno]

Hardtail Party!
I took my newly built Chromag Stylus for it's first proper ride the other day. This thing freaking RIPS! (I know I need to cut the stem a few MMs)

View attachment 3719093

That bike fūcks….

 

[OGBeno]

I’ve still been nursing my back and this past weekend I did 3 rides in a row. Bad call. Spent all of Sunday afternoon horizontal and then stretching. This getting old shĩt is getting old.

Anyway, my friend Blaire wanted to do a sunset ride tonight. Sunset rides are always a good call. Especially when you bring a bomber with.

 

[Brentbba]

New personal best today. 67 mile ride from San Juan Capistrano down the coast to Del Mar, back up to Oceanside and Metrolink back to San Juan. Hot hot ride, even along the coast.

 

[OGBeno]

Strong Brent.

 

[OGBeno]

Sunset ride with Chelsea.

 

[Paddler Ed]

Ended up getting out a bit later than I wanted to, but got a 50km road ride knocked out - the wind conspired against me for a good chunk of it, looked at my speed and I was on 22km/hr when going into the headwind, when I got the tailwind back upto 28km/h with similar gradients.

I'm over these winds we've had for the last ~2 months now, hopefully as we move into Spring they disappear, but we are unseasonably warm at the moment so the systems are not quite behaving right.

 

[Brentbba]

Two things I hate cycling, hills and headwinds!!!

 

[Specialeyes]

Two things I hate cycling, hills and headwinds!!!

So do you just never ride your bike or what?