2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!

[use2betrix]

Had the bike fit last week, it went GREAT! We left the next day for a 5 day camping trip and I brought my mountain bike instead of gravel bike, so haven’t had a chance to ride it yet. I did do a 24 mile group MTB ride at some way harder trails than I’ve ever done, and had an absolute blast.

The bike fit was very eye opening. I was there for about 2.5 hrs. It included custom insoles molded for my shoes, he aligned the clips or my pedals to straighten my legs a bit, moved saddle forward, longer stem, adjusted seat height and angle, etc. Everything he did just felt better and better. I’ll have a couple 20-25 mile rides this week on the trainer, and then shoot for a long-long ride this weekend. 40-50 if I head out for some gravel or 60-70 miles if I stick to the pavement. Have my 55 mile gravel race at the end of the month and determined to not get a DNF like my last one!

[weebs]

The bike fit was very eye opening. I was there for about 2.5 hrs. It included custom insoles molded for my shoes, he aligned the clips or my pedals to straighten my legs a bit, moved saddle forward, longer stem, adjusted seat height and angle, etc. Everything he did just felt better and better. I’ll have a couple 20-25 mile rides this week on the trainer, and then shoot for a long-long ride this weekend. 40-50 if I head out for some gravel or 60-70 miles if I stick to the pavement. Have my 55 mile gravel race at the end of the month and determined to not get a DNF like my last one!

Excellent.  A 2.5 hr fit is the real deal.  The shop I bought my mountain bike from threw in a free fit, but it was nowhere close to what you got.  My hip has been bugging me lately, so it may be time to revist the fit.

[weebs]

I loaded up the bike, cranked up the Eric Johnson and cruised down to the flats yesterday for ride before the next storm moves in. Attached is a view of Red Rocks from the top of Mt. Carbon in Bear Lake Park.

[Longwaytogo]

Had the bike fit last week, it went GREAT! We left the next day for a 5 day camping trip and I brought my mountain bike instead of gravel bike, so haven’t had a chance to ride it yet. I did do a 24 mile group MTB ride at some way harder trails than I’ve ever done, and had an absolute blast.

The bike fit was very eye opening. I was there for about 2.5 hrs. It included custom insoles molded for my shoes, he aligned the clips or my pedals to straighten my legs a bit, moved saddle forward, longer stem, adjusted seat height and angle, etc. Everything he did just felt better and better. I’ll have a couple 20-25 mile rides this week on the trainer, and then shoot for a long-long ride this weekend. 40-50 if I head out for some gravel or 60-70 miles if I stick to the pavement. Have my 55 mile gravel race at the end of the month and determined to not get a DNF like my last one!

Sounds awesome!! I've never done that, sounds like a great experience and idea for long rides.

[LifeHappens]

What I did yesterday:

A Metric Century!!!!

Copied from my journal:
A small trip report. It was awesome! And hard! And beautiful! And hot!

All in all a very big day.

Moonpie, my faithful husband, trainer and partner in all things in life rode with me and we kept each other motivated when things got tough. This was my longest ride by over 20 miles and the longest Moonpie has done since he started his PhD (which was a few minutes ago).

We didn't do a ton of prep. I looked at the weather Saturday, asked if he was up for an attempt at 100km on Tuesday and made a plan. We are very fortunate to live in a place where we can be on a bike trail a short ride from our house and complete a metric century all on trails. There are 5 harrowing road crossings along the way, meaning we feared for our lives 10 times in 62 miles, but that is pretty good for the US :D

We saw a good amount of wildlife: gopher tortoise, 2 itty bitty gators, herons, osprey, sandhill cranes, roseate spoonbill and the Sherman's fox squirrel https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/shermans-fox-squirrel

Bicycle traffic was pretty light. The morning started off great, but the heat increased and by early afternoon it was pretty toasty on the unshaded bits of asphalt. We rode the first half without any real break, but took 4 breaks on the way back to hydrate, eat and stretch. We stopped once for smoothies and a second time for sandwiches. Tragically, the place we really wanted to stop had closed at 2pm and we were too late. It may have been the biggest disappointment of the day!

The ride took all day. We left the house at about 9:30am (this is early for Moonpie) and made it home a bit after 4pm. After a cold shower and a short nap we had enough energy to eat, tend to cats and plants, and watch a baseball game.

I don't know if I ever want to do this again, but I feel very accomplished and proud of us.

[GuitarStv]

Nice Job!

Sounds like you were better prepared that I was for your first 100k (I was a little underdressed on a chilly fall day).
 I'm always surprised how much wildlife I see while out on my bike - and I usually ride solely on the road.  I also prefer to eat on the bike for a 100k and only do a single short pee break somewhere near the last third (stopping and getting warmed down makes me really not want to start back up again).

Be proud of your achievement!

[use2betrix]

Great work @LifeHappens doing the 100k is such an accomplishment! I’ve only peaked at 60 miles but have done several near that length since then and the confidence from the first made the rest much more reasonable.

Last weekend I did a 50 mile gravel ride with about 1800’ climbing. I pushed a decent pace and finished just shy of 3 hrs 10 mins.

@GuitarStv - I’m like you with the breaks. If I were to get off the bike too long, I realllly cool down and tense up pretty quick. I think I’m drinking too much fluids right now though because my pee breaks have been excessive. Probably peed 4x on Saturdays ride.

I’ve been torn between focusing on biking vs running this year (doing each 3x/wk) and I think biking has pulled into the lead. This week I’m changing to biking 4x and running 2x and that’s the tentative plan for a while. I love the ability to push myself so hard that I can get tired and exhausted but also don’t have the general body soreness from the impact from running.

[Chaplin]

What I did yesterday:

A Metric Century!!!!
...
I don't know if I ever want to do this again, but I feel very accomplished and proud of us.

Nice! It's a great accomplishment.

Arbitrary motivation and goals are surprisingly powerful. Strava has various goals/challenges you can sign up for. One is a "Gran Fondo" challenge (100km). At the beginning of each month I sign up for that month's challenge and it does the trick to make me find a way to squeeze one in. Whether you want to do more probably depends on how comfortable to riding environment is - I hear that Florida isn't exactly cyclist-friendly.

'Hoping to see you both in Moab again some time in the next year or two...

[Fru-Gal]

That is so awesome, @LifeHappens !

[Arbitrage]

Alas, I've been forced to get back into shape.  Bought an eMTB, but a freaky thing happened with the shock during a ride, and now I've been without it for the past 5+ weeks while they work out replacement/warranty.  Taking a ridiculously long time, but at least I've still got my regular MTB to ride, and have gotten back into reasonable shape after 2 spates of winter weather battered my fitness in January and late February/early March. 

280 miles and 42k vertical over the past couple of months on the MTB, plus another 260 mi and 36k vertical on ebikes.  Could be better, but at least now there shouldn't be any significant weather-forced stoppages until November (except perhaps for wildfire smoke).

[LifeHappens]

Last weekend I did a 50 mile gravel ride with about 1800’ climbing. I pushed a decent pace and finished just shy of 3 hrs 10 mins.

That is an awesome time. Did the bike fit make the process more comfortable?

I have pretty much switched from running to biking. I still run with a group 1x per week, but I find biking so much easier on my back and knees.

[LifeHappens]

Arbitrary motivation and goals are surprisingly powerful. Strava has various goals/challenges you can sign up for. One is a "Gran Fondo" challenge (100km). At the beginning of each month I sign up for that month's challenge and it does the trick to make me find a way to squeeze one in. Whether you want to do more probably depends on how comfortable to riding environment is - I hear that Florida isn't exactly cyclist-friendly.

'Hoping to see you both in Moab again some time in the next year or two...

Yeah, Florida is consistently in the top 5 for cyclist deaths in the states. Our local politicians love their stroads. I am very fortunate where I live to have access to some really good cycling infrastructure, but there are still some very scary road crossings.

The 100km is probably my peak until the fall. We'll have cool mornings for another month, but the heat is already starting to build.

[LifeHappens]

That is so awesome, @LifeHappens !

Thank you!

[LifeHappens]

Happy National Bike Month to all who celebrate:

[Askel]

Happy National Bike Month to all who celebrate:

As part of that, sign up for this!  If you use strava, it's easy to just link your account. 

https://www.lovetoride.net/

[use2betrix]

Had a 55 mile gravel race recently and crushed my 3:30 goal with a fair chunk under 3:10! It went fantastic. Very very hard, but overall went smooth. Crossed the finish line with nothing left in the tank, which is my ultimate goal for any race.

I’ve jumped in with both feet to my training now, preparing for a 90 mile race later this summer. I live at sea level and this will start around 7k feet with a total of 8k feet in climbing. We’ll see how that goes lol.

I’m now running twice and biking 4 times a week. Around 2 hours running and around 7-10 on the bike. I started a polarized training program with trainer road and it is put together very well. To nerd out a bit I’ve increased my FTP from 3 watts/kg to 3.33 watts/kg. My goal is 4 watts/kg by the end of the year.

[LifeHappens]

I’ve jumped in with both feet to my training now, preparing for a 90 mile race later this summer. I live at sea level and this will start around 7k feet with a total of 8k feet in climbing. We’ll see how that goes lol.

Awesome result! Sounds like you nailed the bike fit and your training and nutrition.

As for the quote... damn. You like a challenge.

[use2betrix]

I’ve jumped in with both feet to my training now, preparing for a 90 mile race later this summer. I live at sea level and this will start around 7k feet with a total of 8k feet in climbing. We’ll see how that goes lol.

Awesome result! Sounds like you nailed the bike fit and your training and nutrition.

As for the quote... damn. You like a challenge.

I’ve been postponing races for years and years. In 2019 I did a 5k, 10k, and half marathon, after starting running in mid 2018. I made very solid PR’s in each. Since then I’ve ran thousands of miles, but haven’t done another race. I enjoy racing, but have also been hampered by intermittent injuries and generally postponing the races for “a later time.” When we finally settled down and bought a home this year in a location that isn’t my ideal/long term plan, but know it’s the best for the 5-10 year timeline, I also made a commitment to myself that I would pick the training up a notch and also get back into races. I couldn’t keep putting them off. Since my hip surgery last year, I’ve really enjoyed the biking and how hard I can push myself in intensity and miles with still feeling refreshed after. I do a 12 mile run and my body just “hurts.” I do a hard 50 mile bike ride or 90 minute interval session and while I’m beat, I don’t hurt, and by later in the day I feel like I could do another bike ride (of less distance and intensity) with minimal discomfort.

Barring injuries, I think my 5k PR is most easily beatable (22:43) this year, and likely my 10k (45:49). My half PR (1:41:09), is likely unattainable unless I’m willing to cut back a fair amount on the biking to really up the mileage on my running, and I’m not interested in that right now. In addition to that, I plan for at least a couple bike races. Looking at the calendar, most the gravel races in my region are around February-May timeframe, so I’ll be training hard for early next year.

[Longwaytogo]

Had a 55 mile gravel race recently and crushed my 3:30 goal with a fair chunk under 3:10! It went fantastic. Very very hard, but overall went smooth. Crossed the finish line with nothing left in the tank, which is my ultimate goal for any race.

I’ve jumped in with both feet to my training now, preparing for a 90 mile race later this summer. I live at sea level and this will start around 7k feet with a total of 8k feet in climbing. We’ll see how that goes lol.

I’m now running twice and biking 4 times a week. Around 2 hours running and around 7-10 on the bike. I started a polarized training program with trainer road and it is put together very well. To nerd out a bit I’ve increased my FTP from 3 watts/kg to 3.33 watts/kg. My goal is 4 watts/kg by the end of the year.

Nice work!! Awesome time and accomplishment.

That next race sounds intense!!

Wow!! That's a lot of time commitment. Are you still working full time? I struggle to find time (and admittedly motivation) to get much training in around work/ parenting duties.

[use2betrix]

@Longwaytogo - still working “full-time.” I put it in quotes because most my career has been 55-60 hr weeks, but last year I downshifted to 40 hr weeks with 3 days a week remote.

I get up around 5:15 M-F and am done with my cardio sessions by around 7-7:30. I lift over my lunch (at home) during two of my remote workdays. I do one long ride in the mornings on the weekend. We do get to bed early so I’m still able to get around 7 1/2 hrs of sleep most nights.

Between my remote work and my wife being a SAHM for our two year old, I feel good about the time I’m able to spend with them, especially compared to earlier in my career. The only time it pulls from them at all is one weekend morning. I’m usually done with work by 4 most days.

I’m only ok with the time spent exercising because of the work/life balance we’ve been able to downshift to. If I went in the office 5 days a week I could still justify the early morning workouts but aside from that, it’d be hard to justify any more time away.

We have another baby on the way, so we’ll see how that changes things!

[Longwaytogo]

@Longwaytogo - still working “full-time.” I put it in quotes because most my career has been 55-60 hr weeks, but last year I downshifted to 40 hr weeks with 3 days a week remote.

I get up around 5:15 M-F and am done with my cardio sessions by around 7-7:30. I lift over my lunch (at home) during two of my remote workdays. I do one long ride in the mornings on the weekend. We do get to bed early so I’m still able to get around 7 1/2 hrs of sleep most nights.

Between my remote work and my wife being a SAHM for our two year old, I feel good about the time I’m able to spend with them, especially compared to earlier in my career. The only time it pulls from them at all is one weekend morning. I’m usually done with work by 4 most days.

I’m only ok with the time spent exercising because of the work/life balance we’ve been able to downshift to. If I went in the office 5 days a week I could still justify the early morning workouts but aside from that, it’d be hard to justify any more time away.

We have another baby on the way, so we’ll see how that changes things!

Nice. The SAHM and work form home def help but that's still some great discipline on you part man. Awesome job.

Between work, commute, dinner, dishes, softball coaching, etc. life seems busy. But just need to restructure and prioritize a bit. mY wife works full time as a teacher so her schedule doesn't allow for much help with kids since she's going to school herself same times.

I think the going to bed early is key. Part of our struggle as kids get older and stay up later it's tough for us to get any time together without staying up even later ourselves.

I do get up at 6-6:15 but I have to wake my middle schoolers up by 6:45 and cook them breakfast so to get a workout in first I'd have to do like 5-6:30 plus then shower/prepare for work...

Anyway, nice job. I gotta get on it!!!

[Retire-Canada]

Good to see all the bike stoke. My bikes are one of my best FIRE weapons. They keep me fit, move me around town and to nearby towns, help me make new friends, give me an excuse to hang out with old friends, etc...

I enjoy building new bikes and maintaining/modifying my old bikes. Sometimes I feel like I spend a ton of money on bikes, but they are so cheap compared to anything with a motor that at the end of the year it doesn't end up being all that much in the big picture for a hobby that returns so much positivity to my life.

My 2023 goal was not to get hurt and that worked so well last year it's my goal for 2024! Mostly that means I need to not get carried away mountain biking. So far so good!

[LifeHappens]

My 2023 goal was not to get hurt and that worked so well last year it's my goal for 2024!

This is a great goal, but so hard to achieve! I hear you on bikes being the perfect FIRE machine. Part of my reason for ramping up my biking distance the last two years was to get to the point where a 10 mile bike trip for errands feels like nothing.

[Longwaytogo]

Speaking of bikes, what's the difference between a well dressed guy on a bicycle and a poorly dressed guy on a unicycle?

Attire

I'll see myself out 🤪🚵🤣

[Retire-Canada]

My worst injury in a long while happened in 2022 while cooking a pizza in my kitchen [broken toe]. So playing outside in the forest is actually safer for me...anecdotally speaking! I've never broken a bone riding a bicycle.

[use2betrix]

@Longwaytogo - still working “full-time.” I put it in quotes because most my career has been 55-60 hr weeks, but last year I downshifted to 40 hr weeks with 3 days a week remote.

I get up around 5:15 M-F and am done with my cardio sessions by around 7-7:30. I lift over my lunch (at home) during two of my remote workdays. I do one long ride in the mornings on the weekend. We do get to bed early so I’m still able to get around 7 1/2 hrs of sleep most nights.

Between my remote work and my wife being a SAHM for our two year old, I feel good about the time I’m able to spend with them, especially compared to earlier in my career. The only time it pulls from them at all is one weekend morning. I’m usually done with work by 4 most days.

I’m only ok with the time spent exercising because of the work/life balance we’ve been able to downshift to. If I went in the office 5 days a week I could still justify the early morning workouts but aside from that, it’d be hard to justify any more time away.

We have another baby on the way, so we’ll see how that changes things!

Nice. The SAHM and work form home def help but that's still some great discipline on you part man. Awesome job.

Between work, commute, dinner, dishes, softball coaching, etc. life seems busy. But just need to restructure and prioritize a bit. mY wife works full time as a teacher so her schedule doesn't allow for much help with kids since she's going to school herself same times.

I think the going to bed early is key. Part of our struggle as kids get older and stay up later it's tough for us to get any time together without staying up even later ourselves.

I do get up at 6-6:15 but I have to wake my middle schoolers up by 6:45 and cook them breakfast so to get a workout in first I'd have to do like 5-6:30 plus then shower/prepare for work...

Anyway, nice job. I gotta get on it!!!

A lot of my friends have kids closer to the age range of yours and wow they all seem so busy. Sports are crazy - softball/volleyball/baseball/cheerleading/etc. I’m fortunate where I’m at now but we’ll see how my energy and time is maintained in 6-8 years lol.

You are spot on with your terminology. It’s 100% discipline and not motivation. While hate is a strong word, I pretty much hate waking up early to run/bike. Usually about halfway through the activity I’m hopefully like “ok, this is good/fine.” Lol. That being said. I LOVE how I feel the rest of the day. I’m relaxed and most importantly, accomplished. If I were to cut a workout short or skip one, I’d beat myself up pretty hard. Maybe some people love the actual early getting out of bed part? I dunno. I know how I’ll feel the rest of the day whether I work out, or not, and that makes it worth it every time.