Author Topic: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!  (Read 3167 times)

JungYo

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #50 on: February 13, 2024, 06:58:51 AM »
We are almost halfway into February. Hopefully the weather is improving or will soon be improving for some of us.

January was not the best month for outdoor riding here in the Tampa Bay area, but so far February has been much more accommodating. By watching the weather and thanks for job flexibility I have been able to get in several rides of 10-20 miles. I'm feeling a bit behind on my training for a Metric Century, but confident I can get my base fitness where I want it to be by April.

How is riding going for everyone?

Up here in Cackalacky del Norte, same - January wasn't great for riding. I just got my Dr. Dew sorted out w/r/t crankset and chainring, so I am excited to ride it more. I usually alternate: one day on the Turbo Vado, next on the Dr. Dew.

And since my employer has me training my replacement in India (yay retirement as of Mar 29!), I've decided it is perfectly fine to take an hour+ during the workday to get a ride in, starting today!

brandon1827

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #51 on: February 13, 2024, 07:16:51 AM »
Hello everyone! I'm a burgeoning triathlete, so biking is a relatively new discipline for me. Did two olympic distance triathlons in 2023; which consist of 25 mile bike rides sandwiched between a 1 mile swim and 6.2 mile run. Cycling has by far been the hardest part for me so far. In my races, there were multiple times when I felt like I was going all out and pushing hard only to have people cruising by me like I was standing still. There's so much I don't know about cycling and how to generate power, when to shift up/down, etc. so I'm trying to learn. I'm currently training in the garage as the weather is crap. I won some money in a fantasy football league and spent it on a (unmustachian) Zwift Hub One trainer which came with a 'free' one-year membership. I'm experiencing the same thing on my virtual rides where I feel like I'm pushing hard but getting left in the dust! I'm sure it's just an issue with fitness, so I'm working on trying to build a base level of strength now so that I can work my way up to covering more miles more quickly. I can't wait for the weather to turn so that I can get back outside!

Arbitrage

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #52 on: February 13, 2024, 07:35:06 AM »
How is riding going for everyone?

I think I've averaged about a ride a week, still pretty dark to get an evening ride in so mostly relegated to weekends. Need to do some evening trainer rides indoors but just never seems to happen...

January total - 43.5 miles

5th - 11 miles
15th - 10 miles (in the snow)
16th - 10 miles (in more snow!)
27th - 12.5 miles

Feb-

9th - 11 mile ride

So if we're in like the 6th week of the year I guess I'm a ride short of a one per week average, had a bit of melting snow/ice/mud/freeze thaw between my 2 snow rides and the 27th. I've also done 6 runs, 3 walks, and 1 skateboard ride so trying to mix it up a bit...

Last Fridays ride was really fun though as I went to a new trail I hadn't ridden since 2019 vs all 4 January rides being in my local/usual trial system; some fun lake views.

Love the bike!  Bellingham local and Sentinel owner here who frequently goes by the Transition shop for an after-ride hangout and beer.

Arbitrage

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #53 on: February 13, 2024, 07:55:04 AM »
January was mostly a bust, as we had our brief spell of actual winter in the PNW.  Frigid temps for a week and a half, then a dump of snow, then very heavy rain.  Still rode the e-bike, but mostly left the mountain bike in the garage.  However, early February has been outstanding for riding.  80 miles and 9000' vertical in January, most of them on the e-bike.  So far in February, 102 miles and 14,300 vertical, and almost all of it on the mountain bike. 

However, I must acknowledge my wimpiness and accept any facepunches going forward.  I caved and bought myself a new, non-Mustachian toy - an e-mountain bike.  More and more of my rides were becoming me on my regular bike with 2-3 e-bikers.  Earlier this month I rode on 3 consecutive days as the only meat biker with 3 (different) e-bikers.  Being the only person in a social group climbing the mountain without a motor and battery is unpleasant.  I have become quite proficient at climbing, and can outpace almost anyone we see (who's not on a gravel bike or e-bike), but it's just...irritating to chase e-bikes all day.

I've always known I'd get one eventually, as I'm a definite champion of the technology and I'm not getting any younger, but I definitely bought this ~a year earlier than I'd anticipated.  Oh well.  I do plan to keep the meat bike around and ride it at least when doing group rides with other riders who aren't on e-bikes.  Of course, I've met many others who have claimed they'd still ride their regular mountain bike after going electric, and they inevitably collect dust. 

GuitarStv

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #54 on: February 13, 2024, 08:28:13 AM »
Quote from: LifeHappens
The tire wear is a definite downside. A tire that would last 2+ years outdoors gets maybe 6 months on the trainer.
No!  Buy a trainer tire!  Costs $30-$60, but they don’t wear much on the roller, they are much quieter than road tires and I’m on the same one I bought in 2016 with 3-500 miles per year on Trainer Road or Zwift each of those years.  Also, set them up tubed.

Example: (Spoilered for size)
Spoiler: show



Sure . . . if you want to be a pussy about training.  Real cyclists run gigantic mountain bike knobbies on their trainers for additional resistance.  And train with earplugs to deaden the sound of the rubber grinding away with every revolution.

Neuroman

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #55 on: February 13, 2024, 11:47:58 AM »
I biked to work today, it's been kinda cold these past weeks but I ended up wearing one of those big puffy jackets and once I got moving, I warmed up pretty quick. I am trying to remember that when I am reluctant to bike to work.
 

mtnrider

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #56 on: February 13, 2024, 12:12:45 PM »
Quote from: LifeHappens
The tire wear is a definite downside. A tire that would last 2+ years outdoors gets maybe 6 months on the trainer.
No!  Buy a trainer tire!  Costs $30-$60, but they don’t wear much on the roller, they are much quieter than road tires and I’m on the same one I bought in 2016 with 3-500 miles per year on Trainer Road or Zwift each of those years.  Also, set them up tubed.

Example: (Spoilered for size)
Spoiler: show



That's fantastic!  How did I not know about this?

LifeHappens

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #57 on: February 13, 2024, 12:21:42 PM »
Quote from: LifeHappens
The tire wear is a definite downside. A tire that would last 2+ years outdoors gets maybe 6 months on the trainer.
No!  Buy a trainer tire!  Costs $30-$60, but they don’t wear much on the roller, they are much quieter than road tires and I’m on the same one I bought in 2016 with 3-500 miles per year on Trainer Road or Zwift each of those years.  Also, set them up tubed.

Example: (Spoilered for size)
Spoiler: show



That's fantastic!  How did I not know about this?
I also did not know about this.

Longwaytogo

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #58 on: February 13, 2024, 04:52:38 PM »
Love the bike! 

Bellingham local and Sentinel owner here who frequently goes by the Transition shop for an after-ride hangout and beer.

Thanks!

That's awesome, haven't spent much time in that part of the Country but it looks amazing. Having  beer/coffee type shop at the bike store is so cool, nothing like that around here in the Maryland Burbs :/

Kind of fell into Transition last minute. I had planned on ordering a Guerilla Gravity bike from CO but they were having production delays switching from aluminum to Carbon and I got impatient. I'd rented a Patrol in Moab once and liked it so looked into Transition and wound up with the Smuggler!! So far so Good

mizzourah2006

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #59 on: February 15, 2024, 10:20:12 AM »
I finally biked to work yesterday for the first time this year. I just found out my new company gym has free EV charging, so I'm thinking about just parking my car and charging for the day and biking from the gym to work and back ~8 miles roundtrip a few days a week to get free charging for almost all of my weekly and hopefully part of my weekend driving needs.

LifeHappens

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #60 on: February 15, 2024, 10:56:26 AM »
My DH and I got in a nice 18 mile ride yesterday - except for the part where a car almost killed us.

We are fortunate to have a combination of multi-user trail and low traffic roads to ride on in this area. Unfortunately, Florida is still one of the least safe bicycling states around. DH and I were on the trail with lots and lots of other riders, walkers and joggers waiting to cross a very busy intersection. From what I've read it is the busiest pedestrian crossing in my county.

This intersection is complex because there is the main trail, plus a spur trail that cross at different parts of the intersection, plus the two 4-lane roads with additional left turn lanes. When pedestrians have the right of way there is VERY LARGE LIGHTED sign clearing indicating "No Turn on Red." Which is great if drivers used their eyes. Unfortunately, many don't and one of them turned right into us as the whole group was getting ready to cross. We were all able to stop, no one was hurt and I suspect the driver was completely oblivious to the chaos and panic they caused.

Arbitrage

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #61 on: February 15, 2024, 11:06:32 AM »
Well, did my first e-MTB ride yesterday.  Actually got a very good workout, as we had one buddy on a regular bike with us, and I took pity on him and did a lot of the climbs with him with my motor off - resulting in a more difficult climb than on my regular bike (i.e. add about 23 lbs to the bike).  Most of the rest of the time, I kept the bike on the lowest assist setting.  Not necessarily going to always ride that way, but nice to have the option to work as hard as I feel like (some mid-drive motor systems add a lot of resistance when unpowered and aren't really usable without power).

mizzourah2006

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #62 on: February 15, 2024, 11:19:36 AM »
Well, did my first e-MTB ride yesterday.  Actually got a very good workout, as we had one buddy on a regular bike with us, and I took pity on him and did a lot of the climbs with him with my motor off - resulting in a more difficult climb than on my regular bike (i.e. add about 23 lbs to the bike).  Most of the rest of the time, I kept the bike on the lowest assist setting.  Not necessarily going to always ride that way, but nice to have the option to work as hard as I feel like (some mid-drive motor systems add a lot of resistance when unpowered and aren't really usable without power).

I looked into full powered E-MTBs and ended up going with the a light E-MTB. I got a gently used Levo SL a few years back. It's perfect for me IMO. It only weighs about 10 pounds more than my Rocky Mountain and pedals fine with the motor completely off. I find myself using it almost every time I go out now unless I am going on group rides where the majority are using acoustics. Even when I go out with the kids I can pedal with the motor completely off and then turn it on when I'm towing them up big hills. I just got my wife an Orbea Wild and we went riding for the first time Saturday and she absolutely loved it.

rockeTree

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #63 on: February 15, 2024, 12:05:48 PM »
Miles are low because that knee twinge was an IT band strain. E-bike only and not much of it for the last few weeks and probably a couple more before I am back at it slowly. But better to rehab in the off season than the long summer I guess! I am glad to have the e-bike so I can at least get outside on a bike some.

Arbitrage

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #64 on: February 15, 2024, 12:36:02 PM »
Well, did my first e-MTB ride yesterday.  Actually got a very good workout, as we had one buddy on a regular bike with us, and I took pity on him and did a lot of the climbs with him with my motor off - resulting in a more difficult climb than on my regular bike (i.e. add about 23 lbs to the bike).  Most of the rest of the time, I kept the bike on the lowest assist setting.  Not necessarily going to always ride that way, but nice to have the option to work as hard as I feel like (some mid-drive motor systems add a lot of resistance when unpowered and aren't really usable without power).

I looked into full powered E-MTBs and ended up going with the a light E-MTB. I got a gently used Levo SL a few years back. It's perfect for me IMO. It only weighs about 10 pounds more than my Rocky Mountain and pedals fine with the motor completely off. I find myself using it almost every time I go out now unless I am going on group rides where the majority are using acoustics. Even when I go out with the kids I can pedal with the motor completely off and then turn it on when I'm towing them up big hills. I just got my wife an Orbea Wild and we went riding for the first time Saturday and she absolutely loved it.

That's my new bike as well, Orbea Wild.  Got seduced by all of the 'e-MTB of the year' awards, as well as the Bosch motor.  Only one ride down, but it felt amazing going downhill.  It was confidence-inspiring enough for me to hit a couple of features I've never bothered trying before - on my first ride.  Not that I'm a big air sort of rider, but it didn't feel sluggish at all getting it off the ground or carving turns.

Of course, the power going uphill is sort of a given.  Never even went above the second-lowest power level, and will have to get used to even that much assist. 

Anyhow, very pleased both with downhill performance and my ability to pedal it without the motor, despite the hefty weight.  Only downside was a persistent rattle...which I just discovered was merely the loose cap over the fork rebound knob.

use2betrix

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #65 on: February 21, 2024, 07:37:47 PM »
Bought our first home this month which allowed me to fully build out my office/man cave (I work remote 3 days/wk). I bought a Wahoo kickr and a zwift membership. Setting it up was completely seamless and I run zwift on one monitor video and YouTube on the other. I enjoy training indoors about as much as outdoors and this has been a blast. Have a peloton but needed more a$$ time on my actual bike/saddle.

Did my first FTP test last week and managed 3 watts/kg, followed by a 35 mile ride Sunday and 20 miles Tuesday. My goal this year primarily is 3 cycling/3 running/3 lifting sessions per week. Depending on if I have a bike or run race coming up, I may lean more in one direction or the other.

use2betrix

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #66 on: February 21, 2024, 07:55:42 PM »
Looks like I'm going to spend some time on the hamster wheel this week.
I feel like the world's biggest wimp, but even in Florida I am stuck on the hamster wheel for at least another 5 days. I don't have gear to ride in rain or temps below 60F and I'm honestly not motivated to do so. I've been doing okay with training videos from Global Cycling Network on Youtube. Anyone else have (free) videos that keep you pedaling when you are stuck indoors?

The Call of a Lifetime Gravel race series on YouTube are very enjoyable.
BKXC has awesome MTB videos. Great rides, videography, and narration
VC Cyclist also rocks. His “impossible” routes are all fun to watch. He’s entertaining and pushes himself super hard.
Ryan Van Duzer does great adventures. He’s a bit more about the adventure than just the ride, but he’s still always exploring a crazy trail on the bike.

After my hip surgery last year I had 40 minutes/day on the peloton for rehab, so I watched a TON of YouTube.


Open to other suggestions if anyone has any!

Chaplin

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #67 on: February 21, 2024, 10:24:05 PM »
The Call of a Lifetime Gravel race series on YouTube are very enjoyable.
BKXC has awesome MTB videos. Great rides, videography, and narration
VC Cyclist also rocks. His “impossible” routes are all fun to watch. He’s entertaining and pushes himself super hard.
Ryan Van Duzer does great adventures. He’s a bit more about the adventure than just the ride, but he’s still always exploring a crazy trail on the bike.

After my hip surgery last year I had 40 minutes/day on the peloton for rehab, so I watched a TON of YouTube.

Open to other suggestions if anyone has any!

I can second the BKXC and Ryan Van Duzer suggestions. I'm not familiar with the other two, but I'll check them out. I like a niche area of bikes called "trials" or "mountain bike trials." Danny Macaskill is the most broadly known name - his videos are tons of fun. In a similar vein, but more vlog format than slick edits, and extra niche, are Scotty Cranmer (BMX) and Ali Clarkson (Trials). Syd and Mackie are some wholesome MTB goodness too.

LifeHappens

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #68 on: February 22, 2024, 08:58:16 AM »
We did a 15 mile ride in a wilderness area yesterday. It was awesome! Recently paved, very fast asphalt. Gorgeous scenery. Wildlife all around.

Unfortunately today I feel like I have strep or some other plague. Only the easiest of riding until this clears.

weebs

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #69 on: February 26, 2024, 08:27:11 AM »
I got out for my first "real" ride of the year this weekend - a short out-n-back from Evergreen Lake to Bergen Park, including parts of Dedisse and Elk Meadow parks.  It was nice to be out, but the wind was brutal - sustained 10-15 mph out of the west with gusts of 20+ mph.  Of course, I was going into the wind during the entire climb. At least it was sunny and the ride back was FAST.

https://imgur.com/a/pkfcei6
« Last Edit: February 26, 2024, 08:31:52 AM by weebs »

Fru-Gal

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #70 on: February 26, 2024, 06:06:53 PM »
Broke out the road bike for the first time this year (instead of the e-bike) for a 20 mile commute. Felt great, so nice to be on a light & nimble bike! Tomorrow back on the e-bike so I can ascend hills without sweating and enjoy some dirt trails too.

dangbe

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #71 on: February 27, 2024, 09:22:37 AM »
I've really been struggling with motivation this year.  I usually hit the indoor trainer 3x a week and train hard, but I am having a hard time getting on it more than once or twice a week.

Chaplin

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #72 on: February 27, 2024, 09:31:52 AM »
I've really been struggling with motivation this year.  I usually hit the indoor trainer 3x a week and train hard, but I am having a hard time getting on it more than once or twice a week.

What keeps you from getting outside? I recognize that it might be plain impossible, but it's also possible that it might be a lot more fun and enjoyable than you think, with the right clothing, plan, etc. One day per week outside might make two days on the trainer more palatable.

mizzourah2006

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #73 on: February 27, 2024, 10:21:17 AM »
Good weather is starting to hit the area. Had a busy weekend, but I got a good 9 miles in yesterday and I biked to work today, so that'll add another 13 roundtrip.

GuitarStv

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #74 on: February 27, 2024, 11:26:05 AM »
I've really been struggling with motivation this year.  I usually hit the indoor trainer 3x a week and train hard, but I am having a hard time getting on it more than once or twice a week.

What keeps you from getting outside? I recognize that it might be plain impossible, but it's also possible that it might be a lot more fun and enjoyable than you think, with the right clothing, plan, etc. One day per week outside might make two days on the trainer more palatable.

Yeah, riding a bike on an indoor trainer to outdoors is like tethered swimming in a bathtub vs free swimming across a lake.  Outdoors is always fun and good for my mood.  Tethered cycling is much less fun.

dangbe

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #75 on: February 27, 2024, 12:22:40 PM »
I've really been struggling with motivation this year.  I usually hit the indoor trainer 3x a week and train hard, but I am having a hard time getting on it more than once or twice a week.

What keeps you from getting outside? I recognize that it might be plain impossible, but it's also possible that it might be a lot more fun and enjoyable than you think, with the right clothing, plan, etc. One day per week outside might make two days on the trainer more palatable.

Its not impossible but I do not like the cold it really hurts my sinuses. And all the snow on the sides of the road make it dangerous.  I'd honestly rather ride indoors than ride outside sub 45deg.  But I havent felt like either! which is the big problem.  I just jumped on the bike for 1+hours and it felt really good, though.  Just gotta power through the low motivation and make it a habit again.

JungYo

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #76 on: February 27, 2024, 01:09:02 PM »
Yesterday, I was going to go for a ride, but kids were riding their bikes in our cul-de-sac so I joined them instead. 3 kids aged 4-7, we chased one another round and round (and round and round), turned out to be over 4 miles for me. And I was dizzy as I've ever been. They had fun, I had fun, all good!

And of course, rain and high winds today. O well.

Longwaytogo

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #77 on: March 02, 2024, 10:30:56 AM »
January total - 43.5 miles

5th - 11 miles
15th - 10 miles (in the snow)
16th - 10 miles (in more snow!)
27th - 12.5 miles

Feb-

9th - 11 mile ride

Sadly that wound up being my only February ride  ):

Did get a couple skate board rides in on my longboard and 5-6 jogs....but the bike was sad and lonely!  Going to aim for 2-3 outdoor rides and 5-6 trainer rides in March.

use2betrix

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #78 on: March 07, 2024, 08:11:47 PM »
Did my longest ride ever on Sunday at 45 miles. The path I went to wound up being partially closed so it was a bunch of 7-8 mile loop. Averaged about 16.8 mph on my gravel bike. Training for my 55 mile race in April. I figure it’ll take me around 3.5-4ish hours, so working up to that length in the saddle (will be a lot slower than my pavement ride).

Did a lot of dialing of my fueling and hydration. Had 3 water bottles at 50% Gatorade/water. Had 3 snack size pay days and a gu w/ 40mg caffeine over the course of the ride. I also had a pickle juice shot at 1 hour due to previous issues with cramps.

Sitting at 456 miles this year on the bike. Also running and lifting each 3x/wk. Every 4th week I’ll do a cutback week.

GuitarStv

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #79 on: March 08, 2024, 07:31:59 AM »
I have also found that about 50% Gatorade/water is a sweet spot for me on longer rides.

LifeHappens

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #80 on: March 08, 2024, 11:50:16 AM »
I have also found that about 50% Gatorade/water is a sweet spot for me on longer rides.
Agreed. That stuff is magic.

I like the pickle juice shot, but no way I could drink one down if it was warm. I've done marathon aid stations before and we kept the pickle juice on ice.

LifeHappens

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #81 on: March 08, 2024, 11:54:12 AM »
My bike has been having a Spa Week (it's in the shop for a complimentary tune up). I've also been recovering from some sort of non-Covid respiratory crud, so it's been a good time to take a little break in my training. We have a 40 mile ride planned by the end of March with a goal of completing 62 miles by the end of April.

dangbe

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #82 on: March 08, 2024, 12:38:35 PM »
I have also found that about 50% Gatorade/water is a sweet spot for me on longer rides.

Interesting, I've never heard of this.  Are you buying small gatorade bottles and emptying them in to your bike bottles or are you using the gatorade powder?  I typically use Skratch but its not exactly cheap.

GuitarStv

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #83 on: March 08, 2024, 12:44:25 PM »
I always use the powder, it can be had pretty cheap usually.

use2betrix

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #84 on: March 08, 2024, 01:18:56 PM »
I had a 27 oz Gatorade in the fridge and split it between the 3 bottles. I generally keep the small (8-12oz) gatorade zero cal in the fridge and use half in pre workout drinks. For endurance fueling I want the calories, however.

Caffeine is a big performance enhancer when used properly. I have it often but I’m also sensitive to it so I use much less than the recommended dose. Usually around 30-60 mins pre-event I’ll have around 40mg caffeine and then around 20-40mg per hr depending how I’m feeling.

GuitarStv

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #85 on: March 08, 2024, 01:39:57 PM »
For endurance fueling I want the calories, however.

Yep.  That's why I like regular Gatorade - if I'm working hard enough to need electrolytes, I also need the calories.


Caffeine is a big performance enhancer when used properly. I have it often but I’m also sensitive to it so I use much less than the recommended dose. Usually around 30-60 mins pre-event I’ll have around 40mg caffeine and then around 20-40mg per hr depending how I’m feeling.

Double espresso immediately before event, and that tends to carry me through to the end.  Nothing while riding - it tends to upset my tummy.  I will usually throw three large beets in a blender and eat/drink them beforehand as well - nitric oxide is good for your blood flow.  Together the caffeine and beets form a very potent performance enhancer for endurance stuff.




I have once tried buffering my blood acid level by drinking baking soda and water an hour and a half pre-race (0.3g/kg is the recommended dosage if you're interested in trying).  It tastes terrible going down.  And then it feels terrible for about an hour afterwards as it comes out - explosively.  Like . . . think water jet pack levels.  But then as suddenly as it started it stops and you feel fine again.  I think it did help performance wise (at least I was couple lbs lighter for hills after the diarrhea  :P  ) but have never done it again to confirm.

I strongly encourage people to try though, because it is hilariously gross for a solid 45 minutes to an hour.

dangbe

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #86 on: March 08, 2024, 01:58:48 PM »
For endurance fueling I want the calories, however.

Yep.  That's why I like regular Gatorade - if I'm working hard enough to need electrolytes, I also need the calories.


Caffeine is a big performance enhancer when used properly. I have it often but I’m also sensitive to it so I use much less than the recommended dose. Usually around 30-60 mins pre-event I’ll have around 40mg caffeine and then around 20-40mg per hr depending how I’m feeling.

Double espresso immediately before event, and that tends to carry me through to the end.  Nothing while riding - it tends to upset my tummy.  I will usually throw three large beets in a blender and eat/drink them beforehand as well - nitric oxide is good for your blood flow.  Together the caffeine and beets form a very potent performance enhancer for endurance stuff.




I have once tried buffering my blood acid level by drinking baking soda and water an hour and a half pre-race (0.3g/kg is the recommended dosage if you're interested in trying).  It tastes terrible going down.  And then it feels terrible for about an hour afterwards as it comes out - explosively.  Like . . . think water jet pack levels.  But then as suddenly as it started it stops and you feel fine again.  I think it did help performance wise (at least I was couple lbs lighter for hills after the diarrhea  :P  ) but have never done it again to confirm.

I strongly encourage people to try though, because it is hilariously gross for a solid 45 minutes to an hour.

I've done a colonoscopy prep before, I think I'll pass haha

Chaplin

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #87 on: March 08, 2024, 07:38:49 PM »
I haven't done a lot of Strava challenges and goals until this year, but it's been a fun way to get me out regularly in January and February, even when the weather wasn't super motivating. And just today I discovered a local "Strava Group" where they pick two segments per week and email them out on Sunday night and everybody has a week to go do them. It's a fun way to make it a bit more social and it's a way of getting people out to new areas of town that they might not have visited before. Of course, while it's rainy and dark I'm using my "winter bike" which has many virtues, but speed and fun riding experience aren't among them. Fortunately, single-speed weather is just around the corner and as I discovered last year single-speeds force you to crush the roadies on the climbs... Maybe I need to build a winter single-speed, but that sounds vaguely blasphemous (only because the ideal in-town single-speed is a beautiful 30 year-old road frame that doesn't fit fenders).

I also decided this year to ride every street in my municipality. There's nothing original about a ride or run every street challeng/goal - I just really like the idea of knowing the area really well and like silly challenges. I should be done by the end of March so I'll move on to riding every street in some of the other local municipalities. The greater Victoria area includes 13 municipalities so I'll do the four or five closest to me and then see if I can perhaps hit every street in all 13. If I can do that then I'll tackle the additional 3 electoral areas that are also part of the area, but those will require me to have done the 13 municipalities pretty quickly, not because they are huge but because they are further away, including a bunch of islands. Still, it's a really fun challenge and it's forcing me to visit places I would never have founds on my usual routes, even though I probably explore more than average.

Amazingly, while out for a ride a week ago I ran into somebody else doing exactly the same challenge!

For two months of this year I'll be riding the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route with @Experimental_FIRE which is way more interesting than my local rides, but it means I effectively have 10 months for this challenge. It's good training, especially if I use some of the more remote places as test rides for the bikepacking rig. It has no real significance but humans like round numbers so I'm aiming for over 10,000km this year, which should handily beat the car distance we drive this year (a goal I failed at in 2023).

Humans are weird, bikes are fun, car-dependence sucks.

JungYo

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #88 on: March 13, 2024, 08:17:53 AM »
I got out of the mental funk from being told I'm laid off as of Mar 29 (and retiring then!) and have been out on the bikes daily. Since I hadn't been riding a great deal the past couple of months, I've discovered fitness really needs to be rebuilt. So I'm getting ~13-15miles every day here in suburban hell - riding my Specialized ebike most days to rebuild fitness, get the muscles toned a bit; then riding my Kona Dr. Dew once or twice a week. This rotation will revert once fitness returns.

Can't believe I let life interfere with bicycling - huge mistake!

We have what I call "sudden hills." They are not huge climbs, rather there's no way to approach them with any speed or cadence, then the ascent is 200-300ft in .25 to .5 mile. These are probably easy for most seasoned cyclists, but they kick my butt. Even on the ebike, which I ride at the lowest power, I'm having to bump up the assist a bit for these hills.

GuitarStv

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #89 on: March 13, 2024, 08:46:33 AM »
The good thing about fitness on the bike is that it tends to build surprisingly steadily if you're consistent.  Write down what you're doing, and it becomes easier to make slow and steady increases to difficulty, mileage, and speed.  You'll have little ups and downs as you go, but by tracking the stuff over a long time it becomes a lot easier to see the incredible progress that takes place and helps to keep you motivated.

Askel

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #90 on: March 13, 2024, 08:50:17 AM »


I also decided this year to ride every street in my municipality. There's nothing original about a ride or run every street challeng/goal - I just really like the idea of knowing the area really well and like silly challenges. I should be done by the end of March so I'll move on to riding every street in some of the other local municipalities. The greater Victoria area includes 13 municipalities so I'll do the four or five closest to me and then see if I can perhaps hit every street in all 13. If I can do that then I'll tackle the additional 3 electoral areas that are also part of the area, but those will require me to have done the 13 municipalities pretty quickly, not because they are huge but because they are further away, including a bunch of islands. Still, it's a really fun challenge and it's forcing me to visit places I would never have founds on my usual routes, even though I probably explore more than average.

If you haven't seen it yet, check out https://wandrer.earth/ Neat little app for tracking the exploration of streets in your vicinity.  Links with strava. 

Unfortunately, it's based on OSM street level data which kinda sucks when you get off the beaten path around here. Been playing around with a concept that's similar based on how many arbitrary geographic locations you can visit. 

Our 40 acres subdivided into 25ft hexagons and shaded by number of times I've visited them according to strava:


LifeHappens

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #91 on: March 13, 2024, 09:23:54 AM »
I got out of the mental funk from being told I'm laid off as of Mar 29 (and retiring then!) and have been out on the bikes daily. Since I hadn't been riding a great deal the past couple of months, I've discovered fitness really needs to be rebuilt. So I'm getting ~13-15miles every day here in suburban hell - riding my Specialized ebike most days to rebuild fitness, get the muscles toned a bit; then riding my Kona Dr. Dew once or twice a week. This rotation will revert once fitness returns.

Can't believe I let life interfere with bicycling - huge mistake!

We have what I call "sudden hills." They are not huge climbs, rather there's no way to approach them with any speed or cadence, then the ascent is 200-300ft in .25 to .5 mile. These are probably easy for most seasoned cyclists, but they kick my butt. Even on the ebike, which I ride at the lowest power, I'm having to bump up the assist a bit for these hills.
Congratulations on catching FIRE!

Cycling is great for your physical AND mental health, so keep at it.

I hear you on the "sudden hills". I have traveled to a nearby town to ride their awesome trails but they have HILLS. I live in the flatlands of coastal Florida. We don't have hills. There is one right at the end of the ride that starts after crossing a busy street and navigating a tunnel, so you have no momentum at the start and the damn thing seems to go on forever. I have yet to manage to ride it without pushing my bike part of the way.

GuitarStv

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #92 on: March 13, 2024, 09:51:51 AM »
I don't consider it a hill if it takes less than ten minutes to ride up.  :P

cdn5cents

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #93 on: March 17, 2024, 01:41:15 PM »
Spinning away on Zwift .... nice to be getting some fitness back after a long hiatus. 

We're doing RAGBRAI this year and then I hope to do the Pacific Coast Trail solo in the fall.   I hope to rejoin the 10K club...



dangbe

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Re: 2024 Bike for your life thread!!!!
« Reply #94 on: March 17, 2024, 08:13:05 PM »
We're doing RAGBRAI this year and then I hope to do the Pacific Coast Trail solo in the fall.   I hope to rejoin the 10K club...

Great goals, those are huge!  have fun.

I did my first outdoor ride of the season.  It warmed up and I was nervous about the drunks on the road given its St. Paddy's Day but went out anyway.  There were still some ice patches that spanned the forest trail, so there was some dismounting, but what a wonderful first day out.  Cant wait for more!