BIKE!

manaheim · Mar 29, 2013

Well I finally got off my arse and got back on the bike. I'm so excited, but man that was brutal. 7.75 miles and I feel like I got hit by a truck... and this from a guy who could pull of 21 miles last summer pretty much with total ease.

Still, very psyched to be back on it... also pleased to report that 48 degrees was EASY, so I can probably handle down to about 40 no problem.

I've got a personal goal of 1000 miles for the summer, which is about 30 miles a week assuming an 11/1 end date, so that's pretty doable. I'm tempted to bump it up to 1200, but I figure either it might get colder than I like (esp since I bike mostly after dark), so I'll start with 1000 and see how I do. Maybe 1200 next year.

Anyone else doing the biking thing?

49medic · Mar 30, 2013

Yeah, I'll be coming back from a winter hiatus as well. Its amazing how quickly you lose your legs and how much of a suffer fest it is trying to get back into shape. Needless to say, there won't be any racing this year..

1k miles is totally doable, especially if you can knock out a few extra miles on the weekends. I guess that I should sit down and hash out some goals for this year as well...

I'm assuming that you're on a road bike?

manaheim · Mar 30, 2013

heh, yeah, I woke up this morning going "ooo, hey, wow... I'm kinda beat still."

It's a hybrid bike with road tires, basically. It's a Specialized Sirrus Elite 2012. I can't do the full roadie thing as it absolutely kills my back. (my spine, oddly, does not bend) So this is a good compromise. It's a bit heavy, but other than that it's great.

49medic · Mar 30, 2013

I'm a Specialized rider as well. I started with a Giant, but bought a Specialized Carve comp while I was in Korea and haven't looked back. I did a race there, and after all of us slow people were launched, the factory support vehicle stopped to pull me out of a ditch and fix my wheel because "it was one of their bikes". Not bad customer service

The Sirrus looks like a really nice bike. I was looking to get a second bike for long-distance/road rides, but I was really hesitant to make the switch to a full road setup. I guess that I'll wait to see how tired I get of the flat dirt trails here in Kansas.

manaheim · Mar 30, 2013

49medic said:
I'm a Specialized rider as well. I started with a Giant, but bought a Specialized Carve comp while I was in Korea and haven't looked back. I did a race there, and after all of us slow people were launched, the factory support vehicle stopped to pull me out of a ditch and fix my wheel because "it was one of their bikes". Not bad customer service

The Sirrus looks like a really nice bike. I was looking to get a second bike for long-distance/road rides, but I was really hesitant to make the switch to a full road setup. I guess that I'll wait to see how tired I get of the flat dirt trails here in Kansas.

Wow that's amazing that Specialized helped you out. Too cool.

Yeah, I'm very happy with the bike. I reeeeeeeeeeally wanted to blow the $2k and get the top-end one (all carbon fiber, etc.) but my wife was already howling over the $800 I spent, so I figured for my "first new bike in 20 years" I could behave myself a little.

I can't do the off-road thing. I just don't have the stuff. I used to have a nice Canondale off-roader, but it just wasn't me.

JClishe · Mar 30, 2013

Congrats, that's awesome! I race triathlons, I ride about 4000-5000 miles per year.

manaheim · Mar 30, 2013

JClishe said:
Congrats, that's awesome! I race triathlons, I ride about 4000-5000 miles per year.

Wow that's amazing!

Mully · Mar 30, 2013

I ride a Specialized Hard Rock..... Have not been on it since last fall...... I know I will hurt, I have RA so anything is painful.

49medic · Mar 30, 2013

JClishe said:
Congrats, that's awesome! I race triathlons, I ride about 4000-5000 miles per year.

Hmm..so my training plan just became insignificant

That's impressive, though.

I once thought about going wallet-crazy and treating myself to an S-works carbon frame, but then I woke up and realized that I am WAY too clumsy for such an investment. With as much as I seem to wreck, I'd have that thing in pieces within a month.

Is your Hard Rock the 26" or 29"?

terri · Mar 30, 2013

I went from years on a basic Trek mountain bike to this. When we moved to FLAT Texas, closer to stores, etc., this comfort/cruiser style made more sense. Plus, I fell for the retro look. :love: This is an Electra Amsterdam - it's a 3 speed, but I have the 8 speed, and I cannot believe how I fly in this thing! The tires are oversized, and you seriously have to get used to the more "upright" position. But the tires are nice and wide, the saddle is comfy, and it's one sturdy ride.

I won't go 5000 miles a year on it, though. :lol:

But for around here it's perfect.

sidigirl · Mar 30, 2013

I didn't know there were so many riders here. I have no idea howNy miles I put in because I never bother to count laps on the track. However, I started using Strava a few months ago so I'll have a better idea soon.

Specialized had GREAT customer service. They just don't fit me.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

manaheim · Mar 30, 2013

terri said:
I went from years on a basic Trek mountain bike to this. When we moved to FLAT Texas, closer to stores, etc., this comfort/cruiser style made more sense. Plus, I fell for the retro look. :love: This is an Electra Amsterdam - it's a 3 speed, but I have the 8 speed, and I cannot believe how I fly in this thing! The tires are oversized, and you seriously have to get used to the more "upright" position. But the tires are nice and wide, the saddle is comfy, and it's one sturdy ride.

I won't go 5000 miles a year on it, though. But for around here it's perfect.

A cruiser where I live would be a death sentence.

That's really cool, though. I do love the look!

sidigirl said:
I didn't know there were so many riders here. I have no idea howNy miles I put in because I never bother to count laps on the track. However, I started using Strava a few months ago so I'll have a better idea soon.

Specialized had GREAT customer service. They just don't fit me.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

What the heck is a Strava?

Steve5D · Mar 30, 2013

manaheim said:
7.75 miles and I feel like I got hit by a truck...

I don't even like driving that far...

sidigirl · Mar 31, 2013

Strava is a website and app that will track rides, routes, shows all kinds of data you never knew you needed to know. It uses the GPS in your phone, heart rate monitor, cyclometer or other GPS device you carry on your person or bike. There are challenges and bragging right. You can follow friends and the famous. It's fun, but totally unnecessary for riding.

manaheim · Mar 31, 2013

sidigirl said:
Strava is a website and app that will track rides, routes, shows all kinds of data you never knew you needed to know. It uses the GPS in your phone, heart rate monitor, cyclometer or other GPS device you carry on your person or bike. There are challenges and bragging right. You can follow friends and the famous. It's fun, but totally unnecessary for riding.

Neat. I'll have to check it out.