[censored], [censored], [censored]...

gravelmuncher <[email hidden]> wrote:
: I hate it when it's windy whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride. I hate
: it when it rains whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride. I hate it when
: it's really cold whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride. I hate it when
: it's really hot whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride.

Hmmm, just be grateful to be able to ride in any conditions, in fact if you race, make yourself love
adverse conditions because if you can, you will beat anyone who is a whiner/whinger.

Me, even though I'm not fond of cold or wet riding I still acknowledge every turn of the cranks.
Cycling is heaven!

Cheerz, Lynzz

Quoted message said:

Me, even though I'm not fond of cold or wet riding I still acknowledge every turn of the cranks.
Cycling is heaven!

I prefer atrocious conditions to just mildly annoying. You can always ride an exercise bike in the
loungeroom. No wind.

Basically yup, agree pretty much with every one's comments so far. But [censored] is what that makes it all sweet. 🙂

Just imagine after your ride in adverse conditions, you arrive at the destination, and someone asks how was it. Which of the following replies does taste sweeter?

reply 1: Ah, the weather was really unfriendly, but I made it through. Can't complain, it's winter after all. Well, I made a concious decision to ride because of my belief and I accept whatever that comes with it.

reply 2: Oh it was a [censored], soaking in cold rain and the freezing cold wind sweeping me from side to side. I could barely see what was ahead. It was so damn hard. Magpies were swooping all over me and bugs were getting in basically in every exposed orifice. But wait, bonehead drivers were all trying to run me over and inconsiderate pedestrians were a pain in the bum. But I was the best and I knew it. I beat them all and here I am.

🙂 🙂 🙂

I love it when its cold, raining, windy not so good, hate the heat. I love it when its dark too....
it can be dark and hot and i dont care 😄

gravelmuncher said:

I hate it when it's windy whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride. I hate it
when it rains whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride. I hate it when it's
really cold whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride. I hate it when it's
really hot whilst I'm training, and even more so when I just want to ride.

On Sunday I rode the Sydney to the Gong ride, and on one of the climbs I came across a man riding
with a trailer attatched to his bike. In this trailer was a girl who looked liked she wished that
she could ride with him...but could not. I felt humbled by the sight of the man pulling the
trailer - and ashamed of myself at the sight of the girl in the trailer. I [censored] too much about
many petty things - whilst someone else can only dream about some of the things that I most
ignorantly take for granted.

To all of the whinging, able bodied cyclists like myself... ...enjoy every moment of it.

~J~

"Arpit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

I love it when its cold, raining, windy not so good, hate the heat. I love it when its dark
too.... it can be dark and hot and i dont care

I have no, um.. what are they called? brains, yeah, them.. but: Hot is great! More sweat the better!
Wind is a pain but Mildura boyz are used to heat and wind. Cold is okay.. I do suffer but it's
usually my own stupid choice, i.e. "nah, couldn't possibly need warmers, temp is above zero!". One
of my mates suggested that this problem is a result of growing up in a hot climate. He reasons that
I was/am so used to just going out and the temp being warm that I forget I am in Melbourne and it
actually gets really cold! I really DO NOT LIKE rain... the only exception to this rule is if it is
in the middle of summer and I'm just cruuuzin... preferably in a park, preferably intoxicated ;-)
Dark is fine - It's almost like a protective cocoon. With cars they don't seem to see you as a
target unlike in daylight - maybe the flashing lights scare them away? The worst condition of all
though is sitting on your butt injured, etc. wondering when you will ride next!!

hippy

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Hippy
brains, yeah, them.. but: Hot is great! More sweat the better!
Wind is a pain but Mildura boyz are used to heat and wind. Cold is okay.. I do suffer but it's
usually my own stupid choice, hippy

no like heat, heat bad, we from deep south, cold there.
woke up in hospital on a drip courtesy of heat several years back. one moment pedalling along hoddle in 40C+, next moment looking at white curtains & lights, wondering where the hell my bike & clothes had disappeared to. these days, catch PT in hot weather.😠

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Arpit" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

...... He reasons that I was/am so used to just going out and the temp being warm that I forget I
am in Melbourne and it actually gets really cold!

Cold? In Melbourne? I moved to Melbourne at the start of this year and I have only had the lid on my
water bottle freeze over once on the way to work (I usually leave home at about 6am for my 23km
Yarra Trail commute). I spent the previous 4 years in Canberra and I lost count of the amount of
times the water bottle froze there. I think the coldest morning was minus nine degrees......had a
shocking "ice cream headache" for the first 10 minutes or so (head/ear warmers are for wimps).

The worst part for me in Canberra though was the 6 weeks that my left leg was in plaster from just
below the knee. I had one of the gucci fibreglass casts with a Gore-tex liner that was fully
waterproof and so I could swim, shower, etc. I replaced the left SPD pedal on my mountain bike with
a flat pedal, put a big sock over the bottom of the cast to keep my toes warm and then rode to work
as per usual. Toes used to be bloody numb by the time I got to work.

Used to get some funny looks (especially when overtaking roadies) and I once got overtaken by a dude
with only one leg (in my defence, he was wearing Aussie knicks and jersey).

I am also with the guys/girls who love riding in the rain (heavier the better). Once you get over
the first minute or so you are wet through and so it doesn't matter anymore. One storm that I rode
in on the way home in Canberra was huge....lightning, thunder, strong winds, rain bucketing down,
just starting to get dark.....I swear that I was the only cyclist out and I was pretty well laughing
like a maniac for most of the way home.

Gags

"cfsmtb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

no like heat, heat bad, we from deep south, cold there. woke up in hospital on a drip courtesy of
heat several years back. one moment pedalling along hoddle in 40C+, next moment looking at white
curtains

&

Quoted message said:

lights, wondering where the hell my bike & clothes had disappeared to. these days, catch PT in hot
weather.😠

Damn.. not nice!

The worst I've been was in Mildura. I think it was low 40degs and I decided to hammer into town to
return some videos. It was only 5k but when I got to the video store I got off the bike and nearly
fell over. I walked into the store and my vision went from normal colours to sort of whiting out -
like a fade to white instead of black. I actually had to sit down in the store until I regained my
vision and balance. Not fun, but interesting. I think I took it a little easier riding home ;-)

hippy

"Gags" <drgagnon@nospam_ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The worst part for me in Canberra though was the 6 weeks that my left

leg

Quoted message said:

was in plaster from just below the knee. I had one of the gucci

fibreglass

Quoted message said:

casts with a Gore-tex liner that was fully waterproof and so I could

swim,

Quoted message said:

shower, etc. I replaced the left SPD pedal on my mountain bike with a

flat

Quoted message said:

pedal, put a big sock over the bottom of the cast to keep my toes warm

and

Quoted message said:

then rode to work as per usual. Toes used to be bloody numb by the

time I

Quoted message said:

got to work.

There's dedication for ya! :-) It didn't slow healing or anything riding with a busted leg? Actually
unless you shock the area, it's probably better for it to get some blood flowing I guess...

Quoted message said:

I swear that I was the only cyclist out and I was pretty well laughing like a maniac for most of
the way home.

That's the coolest.. when you are sure there ain't another rider out! I still hate the grinding
noise my rims make when braking in the wet.

hippy

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Gags" <drgagnon@nospam_ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The worst part for me in Canberra though was the 6 weeks that my left

leg

Quoted message said:

was in plaster from just below the knee. I had one of the gucci

fibreglass

Quoted message said:

casts with a Gore-tex liner that was fully waterproof and so I could

swim,

Quoted message said:

shower, etc. I replaced the left SPD pedal on my mountain bike with a

flat

Quoted message said:

pedal, put a big sock over the bottom of the cast to keep my toes warm

and

Quoted message said:

then rode to work as per usual. Toes used to be bloody numb by the

time I

Quoted message said:

got to work.

There's dedication for ya! :-) It didn't slow healing or anything riding with a busted leg?
Actually unless you shock the area, it's probably better for it to get some blood flowing I
guess...

The doctor advised that cycling would be OK as the cast kept my foot at a set 90 degree angle and as
it was a walking cast it was strong enough to handle cycling (I threw away the daggy "ugg boot
looking" shoe that they provided and managed to fit a reef sandal over it.....it was right on the
end of the velcro).

I kept the cycling up to try to keep fit for my return to footy (injury was in first quarter of
first game of the season) and when the doc took off the cast he said it was the best looking leg
he had seen come out of a cast. It was the first time he had used the Gore-Tex liner allowing me
to shower and swim and because I was able to constantly have water flowing through, I didn't get
any itching and my leg wasn't manky when it came out. I had some minor muscle atrophy on my calf
but I was back to playing footy three weeks after the cast came off. The doc reckoned that he
would now use the gore-tex liners more often and recommend them to future patients (it costs about
$50 a roll though).

Moral of the story.....if you ever need a cast, go for the waterproof version.

Gags

Add to this that terrible conditions vary your training and can make you better. The cyclist that has trained in all conditions always has the advantage over the cyclist who's only trained in fine weather.