The biking thread
- Thread starter Bram Turismo
- 4,870 comments
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- 38,915
- Application hell
- MP-Omnis
Thank god for barrel adjusters. Was able to re-dial my rear derailleur into better alignment. I really should put a bit more cable tension on the rear mech though since the barrel adjuster seems to be at the far end of its adjustment range. A wipedown of the waxed chain with a damp cloth also smoothed things out a bit. Dirt just wipes right off... nothing gunky or grimey.
I got invited to a really nice 40mi ride by the friend with the youtube channel and a bunch of his other people that he's known for years. Buncha the cool jamaican guys (team Dutty Ridas
) also came out. Those guys are fast AF and usually do the hammer rides at like 28mph with 40mph sprints. We weren't supposed to surge but I dumped 700W to get up to 27mph once or twice after a stop light. It was a great day.
I got invited to a really nice 40mi ride by the friend with the youtube channel and a bunch of his other people that he's known for years. Buncha the cool jamaican guys (team Dutty Ridas
) also came out. Those guys are fast AF and usually do the hammer rides at like 28mph with 40mph sprints. We weren't supposed to surge but I dumped 700W to get up to 27mph once or twice after a stop light. It was a great day.
- 11,805
- Marin County
Some might have seen the Strava post, but I've finished my first ever race! The Lost & Found 60 mile gravel race. The scenery was absolutely spectacular...I had no idea this region of CA even existed, but I'm glad I had an excuse to explore it. It's basically around this highland valley near Portola CA. The landscape reminded me of something like Montana with a big open valley surrounded by snow-capped peaks. Wildflowers were peaking, temperatures were perfect, wind was mellow, people were friendly - a great day for a bike race.
Even while lined up in the staging area, I had no idea how I would ride the race but I ended up pushing pretty hard. Probably the best 2-hr power I've ever done. While I was feeling pretty good, I think I was asking too much from my legs and by mile 40 I was getting severe cramps in both legs...in a very annoying way - my hamstring was cramping on the upstroke on my left leg, and my quad was cramping on the downstroke on my right leg. I had to just fully stop and lay down several time. I managed to keep cramming electrolytes and fuel and eventually it got sort-of better, but I honestly had to limp home the rest of the race. While the first 3-hours were around 200-250w, the last 2 hours (of rolling time, anyways) was like an average of 120w. The only way I could manage to pedal without pain was to pedal out of the saddle...so I did that for pretty much the final 15 miles. But I finished.
Summary of the route:
1. 8ish mile road climb at around 6% (I must have passed 100 people in this first section)
2. 3ish mile dirt climb (steepest part of the race, around 12%, still kept passing people) followed by a dirt descent, slightly rugged and rutted, but nothing like what was to come later.
3. Brief downhill road section, around 3 miles. Passed a bunch of people on hardtails here...there time would come
4. Absolutely amazing gravel downhill & rollers. Easily my favorite part of the course and maybe the finest gravel I've ridden, as it came down off the mountain to the edge of the valley and then into this surreal burned forest (The start point of the segment is here, turning left onto the gravel road). This wound around for quite a wall before hitting tarmac again. I was with a group of pretty fast guys here and we were hauling ass...easily 25mph through a lot of it.
5. Tarmac false flat climb from mile 33 to 36. This was really the only wind on the day and it wasn't too bad. I ended up getting into a paceline with these two fast women, pulling turns to get through the wind. It worked out pretty well, but this is where my legs started to feel...funny.
6. Turning off the tarmac and into this beautifully loamy foresty area. This would have been one of my favorite sectors, but after the aide station is when my problems really started. It was a pretty mild climb, peaking at around 6%, but all I could manage to do was stick it in my 46t and just very gingerly make my way up.
7. Absolute hellish descent from mile 44 to mile 47. Not the steepest climb I've ever faced, but good god was it a punishing surface. So rocky, so brutal. This is where it would have been GREAT to have a mountain bike.
8. Asphalt and some dirt sections, mostly downhill to the finish. Ordinarily this would have been a fun finale, but I was hurting so bad, I just was focusing on keeping my legs happy.
My finishing rolling time was a pretty respectable 4:24, but my actual time was 5:04...so yeah, I spent about 45 minutes stopped, just trying to get my legs working. My recorded time put me 41st out of 68 in my category. For a first time out, I'm pretty happy with that. My rolling time would have put me in the top 30, and I think I would have been around there without the cramps.
One of the people I was with actually won the non-pro 100 mile race, and 2 others got podiums in their respective categories. The guy who did my bike fit finished 5th in the pro class, and actually passed me towards the end of the race...even though I was doing 40 less miles.
Overall, it was amazing. I need to improve my fitness for the next one, and probably fuel better, but there is definitely going to be next one.
Even while lined up in the staging area, I had no idea how I would ride the race but I ended up pushing pretty hard. Probably the best 2-hr power I've ever done. While I was feeling pretty good, I think I was asking too much from my legs and by mile 40 I was getting severe cramps in both legs...in a very annoying way - my hamstring was cramping on the upstroke on my left leg, and my quad was cramping on the downstroke on my right leg. I had to just fully stop and lay down several time. I managed to keep cramming electrolytes and fuel and eventually it got sort-of better, but I honestly had to limp home the rest of the race. While the first 3-hours were around 200-250w, the last 2 hours (of rolling time, anyways) was like an average of 120w. The only way I could manage to pedal without pain was to pedal out of the saddle...so I did that for pretty much the final 15 miles. But I finished.
Summary of the route:
1. 8ish mile road climb at around 6% (I must have passed 100 people in this first section)
2. 3ish mile dirt climb (steepest part of the race, around 12%, still kept passing people) followed by a dirt descent, slightly rugged and rutted, but nothing like what was to come later.
3. Brief downhill road section, around 3 miles. Passed a bunch of people on hardtails here...there time would come
4. Absolutely amazing gravel downhill & rollers. Easily my favorite part of the course and maybe the finest gravel I've ridden, as it came down off the mountain to the edge of the valley and then into this surreal burned forest (The start point of the segment is here, turning left onto the gravel road). This wound around for quite a wall before hitting tarmac again. I was with a group of pretty fast guys here and we were hauling ass...easily 25mph through a lot of it.
5. Tarmac false flat climb from mile 33 to 36. This was really the only wind on the day and it wasn't too bad. I ended up getting into a paceline with these two fast women, pulling turns to get through the wind. It worked out pretty well, but this is where my legs started to feel...funny.
6. Turning off the tarmac and into this beautifully loamy foresty area. This would have been one of my favorite sectors, but after the aide station is when my problems really started. It was a pretty mild climb, peaking at around 6%, but all I could manage to do was stick it in my 46t and just very gingerly make my way up.
7. Absolute hellish descent from mile 44 to mile 47. Not the steepest climb I've ever faced, but good god was it a punishing surface. So rocky, so brutal. This is where it would have been GREAT to have a mountain bike.
8. Asphalt and some dirt sections, mostly downhill to the finish. Ordinarily this would have been a fun finale, but I was hurting so bad, I just was focusing on keeping my legs happy.
My finishing rolling time was a pretty respectable 4:24, but my actual time was 5:04...so yeah, I spent about 45 minutes stopped, just trying to get my legs working. My recorded time put me 41st out of 68 in my category. For a first time out, I'm pretty happy with that. My rolling time would have put me in the top 30, and I think I would have been around there without the cramps.
One of the people I was with actually won the non-pro 100 mile race, and 2 others got podiums in their respective categories. The guy who did my bike fit finished 5th in the pro class, and actually passed me towards the end of the race...even though I was doing 40 less miles.
Overall, it was amazing. I need to improve my fitness for the next one, and probably fuel better, but there is definitely going to be next one.
- 5,480
- Vic, Australia
- gundalini
Sounds like a great day out.
Well done 👍.
- 11,805
- Marin County
My steed, post ride:
Drivetrain was complaining towards the end with making a lot of noise, but it all held together. Tires did great...can't recommend them enough.
Drivetrain was complaining towards the end with making a lot of noise, but it all held together. Tires did great...can't recommend them enough.
- 11,805
- Marin County
- 3,573
- Connecticut
- SPhilli
- SPhilli911
With the addition of a dedicated gravel bike to my life, a Trek Checkpoint ALR 5, rather than using an old mountain bike with gravel tires like I had been, I am now able to get out and do more intense rides and enjoy it. After a 10 mile mountain bike ride that kinda hurt, I took the Checkpoint on a 20 mile spin on a lovely local gravel path the next day. It was extremely relaxing! My friends and I are planning some longer routes, but I am very happy with this bike.
- 11,805
- Marin County
That Trek is look rad.
- 4,498
- Indiana
- DolphDrago
The Yates twins go 1-2 in Stage 1 of the Tour de France. That's pretty wild.
- 11,805
- Marin County
Talk about a fairy tale stage 1. I've never cared one way or another about the Yates brothers but I was cheering and willing them on in the last KM.
- 38,915
- Application hell
- MP-Omnis
How much did UAE pay Jayco Alula for that one?
So the bike broker I bought my bike from has an Argon 18 Dark Matter in stock in my frame size. It has a paint chip by the bottom bracket but otherwise looks pretty good. Would be nice to have something that could fit 45s. Wish I had the money for it.
So the bike broker I bought my bike from has an Argon 18 Dark Matter in stock in my frame size. It has a paint chip by the bottom bracket but otherwise looks pretty good. Would be nice to have something that could fit 45s. Wish I had the money for it.
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- 5,210
- Essex, UK
Maratona 2023 complete (roughly 85 miles and 14,000 feet for those working in imperial measurements) . Brutal again but 10 minutes faster than last year despite hideous leg cramps for the last 100km or so. I didn’t manage my fluid intake well enough through the first two climbs and didn’t have enough salt/electrolyte mix in my bottles which lead to the suffering.
Made it up the Passo Giau without stopping and 20 minutes faster than last year though so it wasn’t all bad news. Had to stop 4 times last year. Setting a 200w avg power target and just sticking to that massively helped. The investment I made in power meter pedals paid off for that climb alone.
Made it up the Passo Giau without stopping and 20 minutes faster than last year though so it wasn’t all bad news. Had to stop 4 times last year. Setting a 200w avg power target and just sticking to that massively helped. The investment I made in power meter pedals paid off for that climb alone.
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- 966
Something a little goofy. A couple weeks ago I put a camera on my bike and set it to a 30X time warp for my standard rail trail ride.
Anyway, I got back on a bike in early 2020, shortly before many got the same idea. I'd wanted to for a long time, but had gotten far too heavy post-accident, spending each night at a desk job, and generally being dumb and depressed. But I finally got it together, lost weight, and got back on a bike, and have ridden it a lot since. Rail Trails like the one below were a very nice surprise, as I figured I'd stick to mountain biking to avoid roads with motor vehicles, but having the option of long, smooth trails away from cars is fantastic.
Anyway, I got back on a bike in early 2020, shortly before many got the same idea. I'd wanted to for a long time, but had gotten far too heavy post-accident, spending each night at a desk job, and generally being dumb and depressed. But I finally got it together, lost weight, and got back on a bike, and have ridden it a lot since. Rail Trails like the one below were a very nice surprise, as I figured I'd stick to mountain biking to avoid roads with motor vehicles, but having the option of long, smooth trails away from cars is fantastic.
- 966
Thanks, and yes. I'm about a 10 minute drive away from that one. I feel silly driving for 10 minutes to bike for 90, but I'd need to go on rural US state highways to get there (or anywhere), and had some bad experiences when riding them decades ago.
You may want to look up the Rail Trail conservancy and see if any are planned near you.
At some point I hope to bike the Great Allegheny Passage / C&O which runs from Pittsburgh to DC.
- 35,261
- Downtown North Dakota
- Cy-Fi
There is one in town and, like yours, is about a 10 minute drive but is only 5 miles long so when I've done it, I ride through town which kind of sucks as there's no good way to get there.
There's another trail that is 56 miles long (one way), is a 45 minute drive away and is gravel so the road bike wouldn't be very happy.
Knock on wood I've not had any problems where I usually ride. The worst was being attacked by a Grackle. Bastard kept pecking at my helmet for about a half a mile.
- 966
That's fantastic you haven't had any problems. I was attacked while riding decades ago but just ran off the road. And I know two killed in separate incidents while riding. All by people in pickups.There is one in town and, like yours, is about a 10 minute drive but is only 5 miles long so when I've done it, I ride through town which kind of sucks as there's no good way to get there.
There's another trail that is 56 miles long (one way), is a 45 minute drive away and is gravel so the road bike wouldn't be very happy.
Knock on wood I've not had any problems where I usually ride. The worst was being attacked by a Grackle. Bastard kept pecking at my helmet for about a half a mile.
Fortunately no Grackle attacks. That doesn't sound fun.
I did have a close call with deer a few weeks ago, on that trail in the video. Fortunately I saw one cross ahead and slowed, then a second, then I rang the bell in case there were more. I'm not sure if the third reacted to the bell or seeing me, but it turned just before leaping on the trail and was uncomfortably close.
- 38,915
- Application hell
- MP-Omnis
Some old guy had a cervical fusion and is selling his 2021 Trek Emonda for only $1500 because he can't ride anymore after surgery. It's not exactly the gravel bike I had in mind, but at that price for what is essentially a brand new bike, can I afford to pass up on it? Geometry looks like it would be like riding my TCR now, except it's got discs and can fit 32mm tires for my heavy ass. Wish I could just find some reasonable steel thing for cheap that fit massive tires.
- 966
- 11,805
- Marin County
If you are looking for a bike for riding gravel specifically, I'm not sure that's the right choice. I would look for something a little more relaxed and with clearance for at least 40mm tires. I'm not sure what the gravel scene is like in Florida, but being able to run big tires at low pressure is really nice off road. You may end up with two bikes that feel basically the same.
Speaking of new bikes...I have my eye on the relatively new model from Surly, the Preamble. Currently, I don't have a "whatever" bike, something I can just hop on and go, lock up at the store, put racks on, ride in casual clothes & flat pedals etc. They are currently on sale for $799...just seems like such a great bike for that price. All mechanical, all simple. I thought about building an older rigid MTB into this role, but I think the 26" tires would get annoying and most of them have severely outdated drivetrains. Most hybrid bikes tend to come with a suspended fork and low quality 3x drivetrains and are just too heavy. I even put together a parts list to convert my Giant Roam into this type of bike and it ended up looking like it would cost at least $1,000 in parts...
edit: @Omnis If you want a cheap steel bike with big clearance, you might check out State 4130 series: https://www.statebicycle.com/collections/gravel-all-road-cross-off-road
They won't be light at this price point, but they are reasonably good quality I believe, with lower end but still enthusiast grade components. I would not worry about getting hydraulic disc brakes for your situation, being as that you won't have any significant descents to worry about. If you can stretch your budget up to just over 2k, the Surly Midnight Special might be a good choice. Other suggestions:
Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross
Marin Nicasio+
Surly Straggler
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- 38,915
- Application hell
- MP-Omnis
Just to clarify, I have been looking at bikes only because I was interested in gravel. But this popped up, so I'm like, well, do I just get another road bike with almost exactly the same geometry but will be much more comfortable for me on bigger tires? Still wondering what I'm doing riding these climbing bikes at 300 lbs lol. If the discs don't rub when I'm sprinting, I might have to drive up for it.
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- 11,805
- Marin County
Jumbo Visma is in another league to everyone else in this tour. The combo of Sepp Kuss and Wout Van Aert, both of whom seem to have no fatigue limits, and the tactics employed basically means that Jonas is never exposed, he's just shepherded all around the tour to select ~2km climbs where he can launch his 7w/kg attack. Take today - Wout went up the road in the breakaway and crushed the Tourmalet just so that when JV came over the top, he could lead him down the descent - and of course, Jonas had Sepp (+others) on the way up the Tourmalet. Jumbo Visma just seems to be everywhere all at once and literally all the other teams are just trying to react and hold on. Remember when Ineos/Sky used to be unbeatable? They might as well not even be in this race. UAE exists on the strength of Pogacar alone.*
*Edit: And sometimes that's enough. You can crack him on a climb occasionally, but you cannot get Pog down for long, a truly indefatigable spirit even when he is beaten.
*Edit: And sometimes that's enough. You can crack him on a climb occasionally, but you cannot get Pog down for long, a truly indefatigable spirit even when he is beaten.
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- 966
The last two stages of the Tour have been epic. I'm not sure how the rest of it will hold up, but at least there looks to be a good battle for all the jerseys for a while yet.
And seeing how much the sprinters struggled in the mountains makes me feel that they're not in an entirely different species than I. Although for a while Van Aert's epic lead today did, but he was pretty spent at the end. Wonder how he'll be the next couple days, although he may leave the Tour to be there for the birth of his child.
And seeing how much the sprinters struggled in the mountains makes me feel that they're not in an entirely different species than I. Although for a while Van Aert's epic lead today did, but he was pretty spent at the end. Wonder how he'll be the next couple days, although he may leave the Tour to be there for the birth of his child.
- 966
I've been looking to get a gravel or endurance bike. I've been doing everything with a hardtail mountain bike since starting to ride again in 2020. Maybe more gravel than endurance, as I don't intend to get all aero-tucked and clipped in, as I'm getting older.
And the dropper post on my hardtail has spoiled me and kept me from tilting over a few times, especially at the beginning. (I could quickly get my feet down). And the 1x setup.
So I'm thinking a steel gravel bike with a dropper, 1x, and flat pedals. Or if I'm going to go that far just stick with my mountain bike? I would like more storage options (especially mounts for a second water bottle) and more top end. I keep replacing the 11 tooth ring on my cassette, as I'm in it nearly all the time.
And the dropper post on my hardtail has spoiled me and kept me from tilting over a few times, especially at the beginning. (I could quickly get my feet down). And the 1x setup.
So I'm thinking a steel gravel bike with a dropper, 1x, and flat pedals. Or if I'm going to go that far just stick with my mountain bike? I would like more storage options (especially mounts for a second water bottle) and more top end. I keep replacing the 11 tooth ring on my cassette, as I'm in it nearly all the time.
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