Did You Ride Today?

[Mr. Beanz]

Heck, Gina was off the bike for 11 months. First ride back she did an 11 miler around the hood with stops and all at 15.2. Even 13 for her would be really slow after a year off.

She's very often underestimated on the bike. Not a tiny petite chick but she is very strong. Several local male forum members make it a point to try staying ahead of her when we do rides with them, small groups and forum rides.

BTW, first ride back after 11 months, she took the QOM on this ride!

Yeah, we only have high averages cause we do easy rides!

 

[Mr. Beanz]

11.6 EASY miles to warm up and loosen the legs. Easy peasy ride at 15.5 average speed, stops signs and all!

 

[cyclintom]

16.5 is a low average for a 30 miler. I've done 100 at 17.5 solo. I did Palm Springs solo in 5:45. Solvang Century in 5:30

I did Ride Around the Bear in 7:10. Timed race climbing 10,000 ft over 100 miles at 13.8 average. Not bad for a Clydesdale. Streets, stops and all. I finished [HASHTAG]#123[/HASHTAG] out of 400 entries. Not bad for a 220 pound rider.

So 12 MPH for me on the streets would be really really slow.

On the trail is faster so I've averaged 19.2 over 43 miles with a couple of buddies. It is flat and non stop and the only obstacle is the wind.

But heck, I don't know man, I do short mid week night rides with stops and all at 17.2. That's taking selfies and all on the bike!

These are warm up cool down the legs type rides. Not pushing myself.

We recently moved from the foothills where my midweek rides were 11 miles with 1100 ft of gain averaging 12 or so. With stops and all but that is straight up the hills.

What is funny is that I have had a few forum members say I do nothing but easy rides. My hills are smaller, my wind is lesser, my course is easier but I have had them all come down, or I go there to ride with them only to kick their asses!

One guy came from AZ to ride with us. He said bring Gina and if needed, he would wait for her. She ended up kicking the snot out of him. She's strong and we have done 70 milers with forum groups where men have actually made it a deal to TRY not to get beat by Gina.

I dunno man, we ride hard when we ride hard and it pays off.

But the 16.5 is low for Gina. Her best on the 44 is 18.1.

100 miles on trail and road, she finished in 6:40. Stops and all!

This is a little faster for us. As you can see all the guys in the video that hopped on, were dropped other than 1 guy and the 3 riders we started with.

So on level playing ground, you can see we aren't slugs. ;-)

Oh, btw, none of the guys we picked up would take the front other than that 1 guy who only did about 5 miles with us. About 7 or 8 others who were cheeseballs trying to hang on.

This is a higher average on the flat non stop trail.

Ride starts at 1:20


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Also, I do 17.2 MPH averages at night just cruising around in the dark on local streets, stops signs and all midweek rides taking selfies.

Funny though, everyone says we do easy rides and that is why we have fast averages. Never that we are strong riders till they get their asses kicked!

17.2 midweek night ride cruising taking selfies. Not pushing myself. Though I do find riding on the streets faster than fighting wind on the trail or climbing Mt Baldy (21 mile 6% grade, almost 5,000 ft gain)

17.2 in the dark, stop involved. 12-13 would be really slow for me.

View attachment 3325 View attachment 3326

Let's just say I wouldn't want to race you. And I'm 35 lbs lighter than you.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

Let's just say I wouldn't want to race you. And I'm 35 lbs lighter than you.

Ha ha ha that is funny because I was really active on cycling forums. A local guy, maybe 5 years older, this was 10 years ago, saw me on a forum ride up to Mt. Baldy via GMR (21 miles, 5000 ft gain). Gina is a slow steady climber doesn't like to climb. For one thing, I was one of the organizers so I was somewhat riding sweep knowing Gina would be near the back of the group of 30 or so. So we just climbed up the mtn.

This guy told me on the forum that he saw me climbing and wasn't impressed. He said he wanted to race me up the 5,000 ft climb as a challenge. OK, I was 230 lbs and he was 185. I was riding my $1000 Cannondale and he was riding a $4,000 Madone.

We met, started the ride and after 3 miles couldn't keep up. I hadn't even started to push the pace yet as I am a slow starter. 8 miles up I waited about 5 minutes for him. Restarted, then 15 miles up at the highest steepest point, I waited about 20 minutes. I cruised in with him the last 4 or 5 as it was not as steep and somewhat level.

He made 100 excuses. Said he didn't have his blueberry pancakes, his ritual breakfast and felt he was not working on all 8 cylinders. He said he wanted a rematch, OK!

He showed up the next week on a Brand New Improved Lighter Madone.

The ass whippin' was even worse that day!

After that he said he wanted me one on one flat ride thinking he would get me on long distance. 72 miler on the San Gabriel trail. Eegads!

I never claim to be fast but labeled by others as a strong rider. I don't sprint, I just keep a steady even pace that wears others out.

Gina is very strong. Started riding at a low rate but figure after 20 years of holding my wheel, she adapted. Other riders are shocked by her performance. A few members have said that I ought to get her into racing. Nah, she doesn't have the motivation and drive. She likes to ride but if others pass or get passed, she doesn't care. She just rides.

I remember a member on the forums telling me that I should get a fixie, it would really develop my spin and strength. Um OK! He asked me to do a ride with him. Can I bring Gina? I dunno, if she can keep up, if not we can wait for her at certain points of the ride. OK, I'll bring Gina on the 40 miler.

He rode a geared bike on the ride, started out really fast. Doing about 19-20 for the first couple miles. That's fast for us as a warm up but Gina held on till he slowed. I got in front and slowed it down to 17-18 so Gina could recover. He did well then at mile 20, he got up front pushing real hard. We held on then he tired.

Mile 30, he faded big time and could no longer keep up. We were doing 17 and he could not keep up at all. We stopped and waited, then repeated the process about 3 times. He could not keep up at all.

Soon we were doing about 15 holding back so he could keep up bu the couldn't.

He said he was bonking so I actually sent Gina up the road to a convenience store to get him a performance bar and gatorade.

I think that dude was surprised with her performance. And he never ever again told me that I should get a fixie to improve my cycling.

Heck, people look at us and think we ride beach cruisers, but we do pretty well.

Even our cruising speed selfies speak for themselves!

 

[cyclintom]

A really good friend was an NCIS agent. He and his wife and I would ride with a group. One time we went out and climbed a road up to the overpass over the high point of the Altamont Pass. None of the rest of the group wanted to ride up May Road that goes up to it. At that time I was still recovering from my concussion and getting used to the permanent meds I have to take for it. So it was a difficult climb though I don't think it more than 8%.

We came down into Livermore and had coffee with the group. Then we started back I forget the name of the road but it goes west out of Livermore towards Pleasanton. A REALLY strong wind had come up - probably 25 or 30 mph and Mike took the lead and then he rotated behind his wife we weren't going very fast into that wind but as Louise took the lead she kicked the pace up to 18 mph and the only thing that anyone including Mike could do was stay in her draft. I tried to pull out and give her some relief but the wind was so damn hard that I was blown right back into the paceline.

They moved back to Phoenix after Mike retired. Recently Louise took a minor fall that has really been giving her neck problems for the last 6 months and Mike just had to have his hip joint replaced. Remember - life will get its revenge!

 

[Mr. Beanz]

Ah AZ, great cycling state. I did the tour back in 98 (?) Didn't know squat from squat back then. I cruised on the ride, stopped on the side of the road and chatted with Gina who drove the course for entertainment. Ended up doing an official time of 6:20 in tennis shoes and a t shirt. Had I known now what I know then, I would have skipped some of the festivities and shaved off the 20 minutes for a gold medal. Hey, I didn't know!

I got into another scuffle with a dude on the forums. An AZ rider. He said I did nothing but sissy rides and that I should go out to AZ to ride on his turf. His averages on Strava were 17-18 MPH on 20 mile rides.

I ended up going out to Casa Grande to do an organized metric century. It was really cool, AZ has their act together when it comes to rides. Better supported than any California ride I have done.

Anyway, I do most riding myself as I like to know my efforts and don't rely on a group. I started this ride solo and did so for the first 40 miles. Till some dude lost his ride partner to a mechanical and asked me to ride with him. No thanks, but he kept insisting saying he could tell I was very strong and he noticed me earlier in the ride. Now his partner dropping out, he begged me to ride with him as a duo.

Dammit well OK! We worked well together and ended up passing and dropping big pacelines. Only one other guy kept up with us out of about 40 riders.

It was a cool experience and I was able to go back and tell that forum dude he was the sissy. I did his turf, 2/3 of the ride solo and completed the 62 miles in 3:05. That is almost a 20 MPH average!

Dude said I was fat and slow but after the ride, he shut his mouth!

Yes I am heavy but even at 230 I feel skinny. This was the day of the ride, medals to the first 100 riders and I wanted one.

I was 230 in the pic but at 6'1. Some people think I look taller in person, often guessed at 6'3.

The guy next to me is the average cyclist 165 pounds. Another forum member I met that day. So yeah I am heavy but plenty of riders underestimate heavy guys so I have lots of fun with it!

 

[cyclintom]

I did a 47 mile ride that has about 2200 feet of climbing. None of it is real steep but it is all steep enough to be called climbing. Third ride after five weeks off and did the ride in five hours with a little over an hour stop for brunch. The course I ride now is the reverse of the way it used to be and this ride has 500 more feet of climbing. I'm not sure why that would be but what the heck. I've measured it both ways many times. Last Sundays ride with less but a lot steeper climbing left me a mess. But I'm not overtired today despite 20% more climbing and 30% more mileage.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

36 miles with Gina today, 16.2 average speed. She suffered today, said it was the wind and having a hard time finding a good draft.



Today's jersey, Old Fart Cycling Club ha ha!

 

[cyclintom]

36 miles with Gina today, 16.2 average speed. She suffered today, said it was the wind and having a hard time finding a good draft.



Today's jersey, Old Fart Cycling Club ha ha! View attachment 3346

The hell you say! A Mack Truck could find a draft behind you.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

The hell you say! A Mack Truck could find a draft behind you.

.....I do get after her at times when she tells me she is tired or beat not being able to find the draft behind me. I tell her to quit crying unless she wants me to put her at the front. That usually shuts her up!

 

[Mr. Beanz]

Another 11.7 miles today cruising around the hood. Boy, the tandem felt like a rocket ship ready for take off ha ha! All the electronics on it. Not to mention the 2 red lights as well.

 

[limerickman]

I like that "Old Fart" jersey, Mr.B

Fair play to you and your fair lady for all the pedalling that you're doing.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

I like that "Old Fart" jersey, Mr.B

Fair play to you and your fair lady for all the pedalling that you're doing.

Thanks! The jersey was a bargain at $24, having a $5 discount code from previous purchases, only paid $19 for the old fart jersey.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

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[Mr. Beanz]

Another 11.6 tonight cruising the hood alone. 16.1 average a little better not having Gina on the tandem. You'd be surprise at how much extra energy the tandem takes. Felt like a free little bird tonight just spinning away on the pedals.

The Ole "FROM BEHIND & OVER THE SHOULDER TO GET THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN THE SHOT" trick! Hope you appreciate it!

 

[zipp2001]

Well for me as far as work goes Christmas season is over and work will be back to normal now. 33 straight days of work and just no time or energy to ride. So had a bunch of shopping to do on my first day off (Saturday) and now if off to the woods to go play today. Just couldn't stop smiling and it was GREAT to be back out on the bike. Merry Christmas everyone.

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[Mr. Beanz]

Today, an 8 mile climb 2300+ ft gain. 16 miles total, downhill is too easy.

Glendora Mtn Rd (GMR) to the Shack with my buddy Mike.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

Well for me as far as work goes Christmas season is over and work will be back to normal now. 33 straight days of work and just no time or energy to ride. So had a bunch of shopping to do on my first day off (Saturday) and now if off to the woods to go play today. Just couldn't stop smiling and it was GREAT to be back out on the bike. Merry Christmas everyone.dc

Ha ha ha Man, I was thinking C'mon, a little water never hurt nobody! But then I forget how cold it is out there and your comment about trying it if it weren't so cold, so we cool!

 

[ncyclopedia1]

Quote by Mr. B.:
"The thing about the time change is that it has cut down on the pressure trying to get home and ride before it gets dark. A bit more relaxing now knowing that it's going to be dark no matter what!"


I hear that.

Some days it's a mad rush to get out of the office or back from a meeting in time to change and get a leg over. I keep tail lights on the bikes despite their fugliness, but I don't like pushing my luck too far if I can avoid it. There's a few local routes I can do in fair safety out here in the countryside, but nothing beats the safety of well lit urban neighborhoods IMO. I remember doing great training in industrial parks with near perfect pavement and great overhead lighting. The security guards thought we were nuts when it was near freezing or below, but they kept an eye out for us...probably took bets on which one of us would biff it first.

 

[Mr. Beanz]

35 miles with Gina on the tandem. First tandem ride on the trail in maybe a year and a half. I would say it is different, forgotten the feeling. Well didn't help that it has been crazy windy here. Weather alert wind speeds.

Today was windy but no 60 mph gusts thank goodness. But a constant headwind made it tough.

35 miles at 16.0 average speed. The nice thing about the wind is that we pretty much have the trail to ourselves as the wind makes sure most stay home cleaning their bikes waiting for good weather!

Ha ha, wind = nearly empty trail as you can see in the pic. That and/or a 10% chance of rain.

Well at least my little rocks are coming back now that I have been regular on the bike. Well they had to come out today to help fight this wind!