Author Topic: October Cycling Challenge 2015  (Read 16857 times)

grantmeaname

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #50 on: October 19, 2015, 03:57:06 PM »
that's the tiny-ass sheet sorter I was referring to.

TrMama

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #51 on: October 19, 2015, 04:00:36 PM »
Apparently regular commuting on a light bike doesn't translate into fitness for hauling groceries using a heavy bike. Or, maybe I shouldn't have added that pumpkin to my grocery cart . . .

Jakejake

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #52 on: October 19, 2015, 08:51:10 PM »
Can you hyperlink within documents in google drive? It'd be nice to be able to click on my name to go to my sheet rather than scroll for ages through the tiny-ass sheet sorter included in the spreadsheet software.
I made you a little gift in your row, column F of the summary sheet. (Jordanread - I hope that doesn't mess up anything you're doing. I also did a test one in my own row - in case it does mess things up and you need to delete mine, too).

GreenPen

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #53 on: October 19, 2015, 09:21:38 PM »
Oh shit, it's a magpie. I'm not sure how unique to Australia these things are, but magpies are aggressive birds that swoop down on anyone who gets into their territory. Fortunately, they tend to go for my helmet instead of my face. I pedal like mad and look to my left to see the magpie's position by the shadows. It's RIGHT FREAKING NEXT TO MY FACE, so I keep pedalling, ignoring the whining noise coming from the bag, until one of the bottles falls out of the now shredded plastic bag. There's no time to go back for my fallen comrade; I'd be a terrible soldier.

Here in the US, we have magpies, but holy crap they aren't nearly that aggressive. I now kind of feel like I'm missing out on a super exciting section of ride.

This is a crazy story! I've heard of these aggressive Magpies, and hope to one day see them!

I can't help but geek out for a moment. We have two species of "Magpies" in North America: Yellow-billed and Black-billed. They are both awesome. And not at all aggressive. The only times I've been able to get a cooperative Magpie (for photography) have been at rest-areas. Otherwise, they tend to fly pretty quickly, especially when approached from a bike.

But our "Magpies" are genetically quite different from the Australian Magpies. Our "Magpies" -- the ones in North America -- are part of the Corvid family (along with Crows and Ravens). As far as I can tell, the "Magpies" in Australia don't share much in common with North American Magpies, despite outward appearance. Sometimes birds get their English names in ways that are misleading.

Salivanth

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #54 on: October 20, 2015, 05:08:11 AM »
I'm getting so much faster!

It's been less than two months since I started riding, and I've already improved in leaps and bounds. My first ride into town took me over an hour to ride 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Yesterday and today I rode the same route in 37 and 40 minutes respectively without much trouble. It's mostly downhill, but when I decided to really push on the gas on today's trip back, I managed to do the harder, mostly uphill section in 40 minutes as well! That, on the other hand, WAS hard; my legs aren't happy with me, but to hell with them, I'm not riding again for another 3 or 4 days anyway.

It didn't really feel like I've been going that much faster, but I've definitely gotten a lot more skilled, and probably a fair bit fitter as well. One more ride and I'll get my 200 km (125 mile) goal for the month too. I've been budgeting an hour each way for each 25 km (15.6 mile) round trip, but now I can probably budget 45 minutes for it.

Next step is to get road tires on the bike, probably next week, and I should be able to shave another few minutes off each way with that addition. As I've said before; being a beginner at something is great, because you improve so ridiculously quickly. Life is good :)

Jack

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #55 on: October 20, 2015, 07:54:04 AM »
My bike broke on my way home yesterday, but luckily I was able to (temporarily) cannibalize one of my other bikes and keep riding today. I have plans to go to the co-op this evening and see if I can get it fixed.

TrMama

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #56 on: October 20, 2015, 09:45:23 AM »
Rode right past a red tailed hawk eating some small animal yesterday. It was totally surreal. I was riding on the shoulder of a 4 lane highway with cars whizzing past. I look over the cement barrier into the ditch and he (she?) was right next to me. I've never seen one so close before.

I'd never have seen it from a car.

jordanread

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #57 on: October 20, 2015, 09:58:31 AM »
Can you hyperlink within documents in google drive? It'd be nice to be able to click on my name to go to my sheet rather than scroll for ages through the tiny-ass sheet sorter included in the spreadsheet software.
I made you a little gift in your row, column F of the summary sheet. (Jordanread - I hope that doesn't mess up anything you're doing. I also did a test one in my own row - in case it does mess things up and you need to delete mine, too).
It didn't mess anything up. I almost went that route originally, but I wasn't a fan of actually doing them as a link, since it then opens them in a new tab. It was previously (and may still be) difficult to find the information programmatically.  I'll poke around a bit further for next month. If I can find a way to do it, I'll probably make it a look like the way I have mine setup now. That method won't mess anything up either.

On the summary sheet, the only important thing is to make sure that the sheet references on the mile column stay correct (even if you are tracking things in kilometers).

Jakejake

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #58 on: October 21, 2015, 05:36:58 PM »
My first ride into town took me over an hour to ride 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Yesterday and today I rode the same route in 37 and 40 minutes respectively without much trouble.
Wow, that's great!

Hey, is anyone else wondering how Kmp2 carried 10 pounds of pregnancy weight in a front basket?

TrMama

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #59 on: October 22, 2015, 12:30:01 PM »
My first ride into town took me over an hour to ride 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Yesterday and today I rode the same route in 37 and 40 minutes respectively without much trouble.
Wow, that's great!

Hey, is anyone else wondering how Kmp2 carried 10 pounds of pregnancy weight in a front basket?

Absolutely, but it's really rude to mention the size of a pregnant woman's belly . . .

ohyonghao

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #60 on: October 22, 2015, 05:07:18 PM »
They say while riding a bike it's not if you'll get into an accident, it's when.  I'd gone 22 months of cycling every day and finally had a little run in with a stopped cars mirror.  Came up on an intersection with 3 cars in the bike lane lining up to make a right turn.  I thought I'd go between the cars going straight and the cars in the bike lane but my handlebar snagged one of their mirrors causing me to crash into the side of the car.  Their mirror fell off, and I handed it back to them.  We exchanged information, we both apologized, and within a couple lights we were both back on our way.

My left foot is a little sore today, and my right thigh that ran into my handle bars, but overall I'm okay.  Makes me rethink how I should approach these kinds of situations.  On the one hand it's annoying that cars just don't care about the bike lane when they want to turn right, on the other perhaps I just get in line with them and wait for my lane to clear?  Number one objective is getting home safe.

A friend shared this video with me from YouTube.

Jack

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #61 on: October 22, 2015, 07:46:34 PM »
I got a new wheel from the co-op this evening. It only ended up costing me a $10 donation! But the best part is that I was able to strap the extra wheel to the side of my rack basket so I didn't have to use a car to get it home.

They say while riding a bike it's not if you'll get into an accident, it's when.  I'd gone 22 months of cycling every day and finally had a little run in with a stopped cars mirror.  Came up on an intersection with 3 cars in the bike lane lining up to make a right turn.  I thought I'd go between the cars going straight and the cars in the bike lane but my handlebar snagged one of their mirrors causing me to crash into the side of the car.  Their mirror fell off, and I handed it back to them.  We exchanged information, we both apologized, and within a couple lights we were both back on our way.

My left foot is a little sore today, and my right thigh that ran into my handle bars, but overall I'm okay.  Makes me rethink how I should approach these kinds of situations.  On the one hand it's annoying that cars just don't care about the bike lane when they want to turn right, on the other perhaps I just get in line with them and wait for my lane to clear?  Number one objective is getting home safe.

A friend shared this video with me from YouTube.

You should call up your city councilperson or county commissioner or whatever and ask them to put up some delineator posts marking the bike lane edge.

ohyonghao

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #62 on: October 22, 2015, 11:53:07 PM »
You should call up your city councilperson or county commissioner or whatever and ask them to put up some delineator posts marking the bike lane edge.

I didn't know that is what they were called, but I did write our Planning Department for transportation and recommended the same barrier which is located at another street that I ride down, which happens to be delineator posts.  May try writing the city councilperson.  I like taking this road home because it has a bike lane the entire way and is an extra 3-4 miles.

TrMama

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #63 on: October 23, 2015, 11:02:02 AM »
You should call up your city councilperson or county commissioner or whatever and ask them to put up some delineator posts marking the bike lane edge.

I didn't know that is what they were called, but I did write our Planning Department for transportation and recommended the same barrier which is located at another street that I ride down, which happens to be delineator posts.  May try writing the city councilperson.  I like taking this road home because it has a bike lane the entire way and is an extra 3-4 miles.

In the meantime, I've had good luck with aiming my blinking front lights into their rearview mirrors.

Jack

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #64 on: October 23, 2015, 11:50:52 AM »
You should call up your city councilperson or county commissioner or whatever and ask them to put up some delineator posts marking the bike lane edge.

I didn't know that is what they were called...

To be honest, neither did I until I looked it up (I think I googled something like "road lane barrier")... which is embarrassing since I used to be a traffic engineer.

Eric222

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #65 on: October 23, 2015, 01:02:59 PM »
Will there be a November Cycling Challenge?  :)

jordanread

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #66 on: October 23, 2015, 01:09:05 PM »
Will there be a November Cycling Challenge?  :)

There is a challenge every month. I even have a section in my will (which is odd that I even have one, considering I'm 30) to hand off the challenges to someone else. Yes, there will be a challenge next month. The last post every month is a link to the new month. And the forum post always lives in the Gauntlet section.

Eric222

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #67 on: October 23, 2015, 03:47:10 PM »
I even have a section in my will (which is odd that I even have one, considering I'm 30) to hand off the challenges to someone else.

That is incredibly awesome.

Salivanth

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #68 on: October 24, 2015, 10:53:13 PM »
Will there be a November Cycling Challenge?  :)

There is a challenge every month. I even have a section in my will (which is odd that I even have one, considering I'm 30) to hand off the challenges to someone else. Yes, there will be a challenge next month. The last post every month is a link to the new month. And the forum post always lives in the Gauntlet section.

Now THAT is dedication. All hail jordanread!

In other news, I've completed one of my cycling goals for October; riding 200 km (125 miles) for the month. I sit at 211 km (132 miles) as of today, and may hit 250 by the end of the month, depending on whether I need to go into town after tomorrow or not.

My other goal is to use the car 5 times or less. I'm sitting at 3 so far, I have a trip I need to take on Tuesday, making 4, so unless I make two unexpected trips in the next week, I'll succeed in that one too.

Next month will probably be 250 or 300 km, and using the car 4 times or less.

Kmp2

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #69 on: October 25, 2015, 03:49:33 PM »
My first ride into town took me over an hour to ride 12.5 km (7.8 miles). Yesterday and today I rode the same route in 37 and 40 minutes respectively without much trouble.
Wow, that's great!

Hey, is anyone else wondering how Kmp2 carried 10 pounds of pregnancy weight in a front basket?

Absolutely, but it's really rude to mention the size of a pregnant woman's belly . . .


Ha! That it is... And yet I am getting to that 'you must be due any day now... Thanks but I still have three months left!' stage. Ok so it just feels like my belly reaches all the way to the front basket now. And I am way over ten pounds heavier now... That's what next summers biking season is for.

Hoping for one more bike before it starts to snow, by old upright beater is showing signs of rear tire wobble, so I won't be going far in case I have to walk home.


Mrs. PoP

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #70 on: October 25, 2015, 07:50:09 PM »
Okay, so once again I have updated my numbers super late in the month.  (Sorry if this is a huge faux pas!) 

But I have 2 questions:

1 - Since transitioning to using mostly my iPad at home, I wondered if there's a way to update the communal google spreadsheet on my iPad since so far I seem to be able to open it but not make changes.  (This would likely make it easier for me to update my numbers...)

2 -  I keep losing taillights!  The vibrations of the ride seem to loosen the attachment and they drop off unnoticed until I get to my destination.  With the time change around the corner and nightfall due to happen earlier, I need a new one - any recommendations for a nice bright flashing red LED that won't get lost?  Preferably one that can attach to my pannier rack and/or helmet?

ohyonghao

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #71 on: October 25, 2015, 11:28:27 PM »
Okay, so once again I have updated my numbers super late in the month.  (Sorry if this is a huge faux pas!) 

But I have 2 questions:

1 - Since transitioning to using mostly my iPad at home, I wondered if there's a way to update the communal google spreadsheet on my iPad since so far I seem to be able to open it but not make changes.  (This would likely make it easier for me to update my numbers...)


I edit it with my iPhone all the time.  Are you using the Google Sheets app for opening it?

Mrs. PoP

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #72 on: October 26, 2015, 04:46:27 AM »
I didn't know there was a Google sheets app!  Sounds like you solved my first problem.  Any ideas on a light? =)


Jack

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #73 on: October 26, 2015, 07:47:20 AM »
I keep losing taillights!  The vibrations of the ride seem to loosen the attachment and they drop off unnoticed until I get to my destination.  With the time change around the corner and nightfall due to happen earlier, I need a new one - any recommendations for a nice bright flashing red LED that won't get lost?  Preferably one that can attach to my pannier rack and/or helmet?

You could get this kind. It's not a super-awesome light, but at least it wouldn't fall off. I suggest getting two, and wrapping them around your seat post in opposite directions (so that they both shine off to opposite sides a little).


Mrs. PoP

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #74 on: October 26, 2015, 11:00:37 AM »
I keep losing taillights!  The vibrations of the ride seem to loosen the attachment and they drop off unnoticed until I get to my destination.  With the time change around the corner and nightfall due to happen earlier, I need a new one - any recommendations for a nice bright flashing red LED that won't get lost?  Preferably one that can attach to my pannier rack and/or helmet?

You could get this kind. It's not a super-awesome light, but at least it wouldn't fall off. I suggest getting two, and wrapping them around your seat post in opposite directions (so that they both shine off to opposite sides a little).



The problem is that I can't attach anything to my seat post.  Between my fenders and pannier rack (and the fact that I'm so short my seat post is in the lowest position), there's no space on the seat post that would be visible while I ride.  So I'm pretty much left with attaching something to my pannier rack or to my helmet...  And the last bracket we used to attach it to the pannier rack fell off!  (The whole bracket!) 



jordanread

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #75 on: October 26, 2015, 12:05:23 PM »
The problem is that I can't attach anything to my seat post.  Between my fenders and pannier rack (and the fact that I'm so short my seat post is in the lowest position), there's no space on the seat post that would be visible while I ride.  So I'm pretty much left with attaching something to my pannier rack or to my helmet...  And the last bracket we used to attach it to the pannier rack fell off!  (The whole bracket!) 

I've had good luck with Velcro. Any light (including the ones I mentioned above - which come with velcro straps...and I use them on my helmet too) that has spots for a strap can hold on with decent cable ties (zip ties or velcro).

TrMama

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #76 on: October 26, 2015, 12:07:08 PM »
The problem is that I can't attach anything to my seat post.  Between my fenders and pannier rack (and the fact that I'm so short my seat post is in the lowest position), there's no space on the seat post that would be visible while I ride.  So I'm pretty much left with attaching something to my pannier rack or to my helmet...  And the last bracket we used to attach it to the pannier rack fell off!  (The whole bracket!)

I like the type of lights that attach using an integrated rubber strap for this reason.  The last rear light I had that used the plastic mounting hardware fell off and was run over by a car before I could stop to pick it up. I have a couple of these http://www.mec.ca/product/5025-535/mec-plasma-usb-red-led-rear-light/?h=10+50002+50037&f=10+50002+50037+50960. I jam one onto the frame just below my seatpost (I also have stumpy legs and no exposed seatpost) and one onto the left chainstay. I also have a small light that's integrated into the back of my helmet.

Could you tape some foam onto the back of your rack to make it thick enough to strap a light to?

jordanread

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #77 on: November 01, 2015, 09:23:56 PM »
Didn't realize that it's November already. I'll have the new challenge up about 45 minutes after I wake up.

ohyonghao

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #78 on: November 02, 2015, 09:40:09 AM »
I've been having a pretty good time recently with getting a training schedule worked up.  My mentor suggests I need to be doing more miles than I have been this season, and mentioned that he follows my progress on Strava.  I've started working out at our HOA gym, trying to keep up the progress I've made this year and stay fit during the off season.

Had a wonderful ride on Saturday, got out to the turn around with nare a sprinkle, then downpour for about 30 minutes coming back before lightening up a bit.  Rain gear seems to be working well.

jordanread

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #79 on: November 02, 2015, 11:00:04 AM »
I'm awake!! And the new challenge is up and located here. Ohyanghao, I'm going to quote your post in the new challenge since this one is about done.

grantmeaname

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #80 on: November 02, 2015, 03:48:07 PM »
Is that the right link?

jordanread

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #81 on: November 02, 2015, 04:21:45 PM »

grantmeaname

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Re: October Cycling Challenge 2015
« Reply #82 on: November 03, 2015, 12:39:55 AM »
Must be a tapatalk bug because it looks fine in the browser but it was taking me to the middle of a totally unrelated thread in TT. I'm getting more and more unhappy with that app.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!