Join in the fun; The Calorie-Count Cycling Club...

Welcome to all who have an interest in anything cycling of any kind.( road, mountain, commuting, stationary, whatever).

This is the place to come to ask that question you have been wanting to ask,

or tell that story about your latest adventure riding your bike,

find out how to use cycling to get in better shape, or anything else you can think of.

So, to start, tell us, what you ride, where you ride and what type of riding you enjoy.

Come back often too check out what's going on and see what's on everyones mind or add your knowledge to the group. 

 

You guys are awesome. I am sucking up all the advice and I will use every single bit of it.

Jane

"i've taken this approach for the last 5+ years and it always seems that if i'm considering pulling out in front of someone, there's actually a better opening behind the car."

That was running through my mind on my attempted commute on the way to work monday.  I got to that really busy road and I wanted an opening after the car coming down the road but then there were cars behind it and cars behind that... and after a few min I decided to go ahead and ride back home.

I may give the commuting thing another try in a month.  I've re-committed myself to running longer distances in the mean time.  I'm upto 4 miles of running non-stop.   It feels good and I know it'll help my bicycling endurance as well.

it definitely works better in a car than on a bike. on a bike, i just wait for the signal or a clear coast forever before venturing across.

At one point, when I am exiting the trails on my way home, I have to merge into a line of automobiles driven by very patient commuters.  There is generally a long line of stop and go traffic.  Someone either intentionally or inadvertently leaves an opening of a car length or two and I pull into it.  But I wouldn't try that if the traffic was moving, even at a slow speed like 25 mph.

My ride week is over. 135 miles this week.  1700 miles for the year.  Rest tomorrow and then, on Saturday, scout a 60 mile route that I am supposed to be ride leader on a week from Saturday.

Jane:
"I saw on the news the other day some guy from Cleveland is going to try for making it across the US in 17 days on a bicycle - geez, can't even imagine doing that."  I wonder if that could be Walt Chapman from Cleveland Heights, OH.  The Race Across America (RAAM -- www.raceacrossamerica.org) is in it's third day.  Typically the solo winner makes it from the California Coast to Atlantic City, NJ in 7 to 10 days.  This year there is a 4 man team, Team Sixty Going Hard, which consists of Walt Chapman, 63, Cleveland Heights, OH; Larry Gitman, 61, La Jolla, CA; Dennis Kasischke, 61, San Diego, CA; and Paul Danhaus, 58, Wassau, WI.

There are a lot of good stories on the website.  I have also read some stories about what happens to people who try to ride 300 miles a day for 10 days with little or no sleep and little or no food (a lot of high sugar liquids).

The current lead woman soloist is a mother of 5.

Joe

i loveeeeeeee biking outside and Spinnningggg is the best class ever! serioulsy i always feel like i get a good workout and its not too hard on my joints like running can be. the only thing is that iget addicted!!! like i want to go everyday someitmes but ihave to pry myself away.. ive been wanting to get spinning shoes for a long time now, any recommendatoins? annie

jc343, yes, I believe that is him. I admire these people so much.

Jane

Yesterday my ride was canceled since my riding friend had a dr's appointment out of town.  It has something to do with getting his permanent work visa or something.  He's chinese.  Anyway i could have rode but when i got home it was thunder and lightning outside so we went to the gym.

This ties in to cycling, just wait...

Tuesday & Thursday night at the gym is the RPM (spinning) class.  I had tried this class months ago when I wasn't in the best of shape and it kicked my butt to the point that after 10min or less I was out of there and back to my usual routine.   My wife begged me to give it another try with her... so since I couldnt' ride I figured what the heck.  My trail ride would have been 2 hours and this class is only about an hour.

I did great.   It took 3 tries to get used to the whole standing up hill climb thing... but I did pretty much everything the instructors pushed us to do.   At the end they had a good stretching routine.  I think I'm going to keep doing this class to get stronger and to memorize that stretching routine for my regular outdoor riding.

Anyway good stuff.  Spinning is pretty cool.

Ok, here comes the christmas tree. I am now sporting 2 15w halogen headlights and 3 flashing red lights on the rear. Now it is my turn to blind the cars (just kidding of course). I also bought one of those speedometer thingies - now I just need to figure out how to work the darn thing (yes, I am 100% blonde and technically challenged). Can't wait for my ride tonight.

Jane

Jane, this will be a long post... forgive me.. but just trying to be helpful :)

Getting a bike computer properly setup can be a big challenge.  Read the instructions.  I realized after tinkering with mine that I was setting the magnet too low.  It looked like it was coming close to the center of the sensor but I was mistaken on what was the actual sensor's middle.

Also be prepared to shim the sensor out some so you can get the magnet and sensor close enough.   Beyond that it should be pretty straight forward.   Expecially if you have normal bars to mount stuff on.  IF you don't have normal bars then you'll probably have to do something fancy to get the computer base part on the bike.  For mine I used velcro and a then twistied the heck out of the part where the screw would normally go.   It works fine... but I had to think outside the box a bit on it's mounting.

Some tips...

Before you secure the sensor make sure you can steer left & right and that you have plenty of slack near the computer base part.  I took up much of my extra cabling by wrapping it around the side of the fork I installed everything on... while being sure to leave enough up near the top for steering.   This also cut back the number of zip ties needed.

Good job on the lighting!  Now to get you a bright orange vest and there wont be a soul out there who won't see you even on the darkest of nights.

THE LAW:

In my state when riding at night I must have a rear reflector even if I have a blinkie.  Also I have to have a front reflector as well and a light at minimum for night riding.   Make sure you check your local laws out.  In many states like mine, a blinkie is not a replacement for a reflector... even if it has reflective properties built in.

Here's a site that might help you!

http://www.massbike.org/bikelaw/bikelaw.htm

Hey thanks for the tips on the cycling computer.  The cadence went out first and now the mph isn't working too, so I am going to recheck everything and see what is going on :). 

nightc1, thank you soo much. I was indeed having all kinds of problems with it. At first I couldn't get the thing to register anything at all. Then I realized that I had the magnet turned the wrong way (lol, yes that is how challenged I am). I may have to tinker some more with it to get it to read correctly. It is a very cool thing to have as long as I remember that paying attention to the road is more important than glaring at the read out on the computer. Thanks for the heads up on the law. I will check out the Ohio law. I still have the rear reflector but I took the front one off so that I could fit the headlights there.

Tonight I graduated in a manner that I could have lived without. I literally got run completely off the road by a big 18-wheeler. Crashed my bike in some bushes (it was either that or get run over by the truck). I just sat there in the bushes for the longest time, shaking all over. As I recovered I decided that from now on when riding at night I will stop and get off my bike if I can see a truck coming from behind (thank the good lord for rearview mirrors). Trying to make it home in good time is not worth getting killed over. I don't think I will ever forget the sound of those big wheels right by my ear. It is not going to stop me from riding but it showed me a thing or two about being careful. Didn't get a chance to get a license plate or anything since I was busy crashing - ugh!

Anyways, the new lights works like a charm so bring on the potholes and critters out there.

I am seriously thinking about organizing a bike fundraiser for the autism organization I am with. Anyone ever done something like that before?

Jane

Jane,

your fund raising idea is very admirable.  There is a bike club in your town called (of all things) the "Medina bike club".  If you go to the Medina bike shop, the owners name is Greg (hope its still there, off Rt. 42 by bowling alley) and ask him to get you in touch with them.  They put on a couple big rides a year and may help you with one like this!

In july they do one called the "Ice Cream Odyssey", July 14th I think is the date this year, and is held at Buckeye Woods park, maybe you could come there and talk with them about your Idea.  It's also a great ride, you might enjoy doing.

Cyclist are some of the most prolific fundraisers I can think of, It's a lot of work but if you are willing, I think it could be very successful.

DAN

I would like to pass along this website: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com./
A newletter that I receive mentioned this site as an amazing collection of bicycle information and adventures.  It seems to be mainly a place for bike enthusiasts to post logs of their touring adventures.  Last night I was reading a blog by a guy who is currently on a "credit card" tour across the country from San Francisco to Boston.  He talks about everything from how he got a new bike (a Bianchi) and outfitted it for the adventure and the preliminary rides he used to get ready for the big adventure.

Jane-

In regards to your fundraiser, I am currently raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society through their Team in Training Program.  It's a great way to raise money and people seem to be VERY responsive.  Dan's right though, it is a lot of work :).

Deanna

Jane, I'm glad you are ok.  Wow that's the type of situation I fear the most.   Is there another road you can take that would be less busy for your ride home?   Even one unlit?

Another tip on the bike computer.  The sensor and magnet have to be super close.  I don't remember what mine recommended but I shimmed up the sensor with the rubber things that came with it enough so it's probably an 1/8th or 1/16th of an inch away.  But it works flawlessly so that helps.

________

Today, after doing a huge number of chores so I can relax all tomorrow (I'm a father of 3 boys :D )... I did my mountain road ride.

It's a huge climb... and today my goal was to get to the top without stopping at all.

Well, I nearly did it.  I had one stop where I was snaking my way up the steepest part of the mountain road ... and I lost my ballance just enough to have to put a foot down.   Thank goodness I don't have my feet strapped in or I would have wrecked several times.   Anyway, I still maked it with just 1 stop.  I feel like I've conquered something huge.   To bad visibility sucked today.  I'm not sure if it's smoke or what but the view just hasn't been the same since the whole South Georgia & Florida fires.  I want my 10 mile + visibility back so I can use my new digital camera to snap some truly breathtaking pics.  Oh and the spinning class helped me on some of the tougher climbs.  I did get out of my seat just like in class and it seemed to help.  Also being clipped in on the bikes at the gym made me realize just how unsafe they would be on this mountain road.  One loss of balance and it's serious road rash and who knows maybe a long tumble downward with a bike strapped to you.  I could see em being good for the bike trail but not the mountain road I ride.

Anyway it was a good ride.  Not a single car.   I kept the speed down on the way down.  I only let the bike get just a hair over 40.   And I was on the brakes, pumping the brakes, and so on the whole way down.  I think I'm going to get some new stuff for my bike next week with the $$$ my inlaws sent.

Here's the list in order of importantce:

#1 Cool Stops brake pads

#2 New rim tape (the rim tape on the denali makes the tubes prone to pop... thankfully I've had pretty good luck but I wish not to tempt fate anymore.

#3 Rearview mirror.   I made some for the bike but I want one for my helmet.

#4 Crank tool.  I know the one I need for my bike.  I'm going to disassemble the crank so I can completely lube everything.  I have a little noise when peddling hard that I think this will help eliminate.

#5... ok I'm not sure yet whatelse... but I've got enough I may get a new video game or some other bike do-dad.


______


For those other Fathers out there...

Happy Father's Day!

Now I am really gung-ho about the fundraising idea.

Dan, the Medina bike shop is still there. As a matter of fact that is where my in-laws got my son's bike (that he never uses). I will hook up with them and see what they have to say. Thanks bunches.

Deanna, tell me more about the Team in Training program. You can email me privately at autismjtm@yahoo.com if you wish. I am used to hard (and very frustrating) work since I deal with politicians on a daily basis through the organization I am part of.

Tonight's ride was very uneventful - just the way I like it.

Anyone done any exciting trips or trails today?

Jane

nightc1 you are amazing! How long is this mountain road exactly? It sounds like quite a challenge. Way to go. Big hi five from me.

By the way, did anyone see this:

http://blumenauer.house.gov/issues/Issue.aspx ?IssueID=15&SubIssueID=25

Jane,  Buckeye Woods Park would be a great place to hold your F. R. for autism.  It has a nice paved path for families with young children to do a short ride and there is lot's of parking.  It's also very easy from there to head out into the country on near by roads.

To make it interesting you will need a short route 10 miles or less medium route of around 25-30 and one long one at 50-60.  This gives interest to a wide variety of cyclists.  I would be willing to put together routes for you if you like.  I'm very familiar with your area as I ride several different club rides there.

You will need to think about rest areas too, usually set up at various parks or churches along the way to use bathrooms and refuel. usually one for the shorter routes and two for the long one.

DAN

Dan, any kind of help you could give would be much appreciated. I have never done anything like this before. Let me talk to the big people in A-CHAMP and then get the ball rolling. Maybe some time in the fall (so that it is not too hot for the kids attending). I am sure my in-laws would help out and I have a bunch of other people too. I am wondering if I need some kind of permit and police involvement. If so then I need to move on that soon - it can take quite a while to get straightened out.

Jane