Cycling Nerds

[LadyMonk]

I like endomondo.... mostly because my bf uses it and I can share it with him.

[Sloth the Enduring]

I use Strava too. I don't know if it's the best, but I like being able to compare myself to others.

Biking is part of my challenge, but for another month a lot of the miles will be on the trainer.

[Styx]

Been using Strava as well, really addictive when you're being compared to others. lol

 

 

After years of hesitation, I finally gave in to the cycling shoe. I'm looking forward to crashes lol

[Butternut]

On 9/8/2015 at 4:31 PM, FlyNavy said:

This is my baby. Trek Domane 2.0. I love clippy shoes. Much more efficient pedaling. Except when I have to walk in them. Then, I waddle like a penguin. On another note, it is WAY to hot here in the northeast this week to ride for any real distance. Hope it gets nicer soon.

 

Just popping in

 

I have the same bike (in Red though)! and yes, clips are awesome. 

 

On 9/15/2015 at 4:34 AM, awesomesue said:

And that is why I eat so many bugs...

 

I can not stop smiling and belting out a "wwwwwhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" on a good hill.  It is so fun when riding you get a good clip going on any surface.  I am to the point I actually like climbing hills.

 

Love it! 

 

I've never been big into wearing sunglasses, but last year, after having to pull over every few miles to get a bug out of my eyes, I've been wearing sunglasses when I ride. 

 

This year I've been doing more commuting.  To the grocery store to pick up a few things, to my coffee shop to get coffee, to work, etc.  Its been awesome!  

 

Also teaching my second dog how to ride with my bike.  My Border collie/lab rides really well with me, but my plot hound will run really well, but she will veer off when she smells something.  She is getting better, but I feel so bad having to pull her.  But she is getting alot better. The last few times I didn't have to pull at all, and I stopped enough through out our ride for her to sniff. 

 

Damn, I wasn't going to ride today, but now that I've been reading these post, I'm riding (after I plant my tomatoes!)

[Steaky]

4 minutes ago, Butternut said:

Just popping in

 

I have the same bike (in Red though)! and yes, clips are awesome. 

 

 

Love it! 

 

I've never been big into wearing sunglasses, but last year, after having to pull over every few miles to get a bug out of my eyes, I've been wearing sunglasses when I ride. 

 

This year I've been doing more commuting.  To the grocery store to pick up a few things, to my coffee shop to get coffee, to work, etc.  Its been awesome!  

 

Also teaching my second dog how to ride with my bike.  My Border collie/lab rides really well with me, but my plot hound will run really well, but she will veer off when she smells something.  She is getting better, but I feel so bad having to pull her.  But she is getting alot better. The last few times I didn't have to pull at all, and I stopped enough through out our ride for her to sniff. 

 

Damn, I wasn't going to ride today, but now that I've been reading these post, I'm riding (after I plant my tomatoes!)

I've been wearing glasses while riding for years. I have interchangeable lenses with mine, mirror/tint for sun, clear for dark/night and yellow for dull/overcast.  I find it makes a massive difference. 

 

I've moved over to SPD's and still not that used to them yet. 

[Butternut]

1 minute ago, Steaky said:

I've been wearing glasses while riding for years. I have interchangeable lenses with mine, mirror/tint for sun, clear for dark/night and yellow for dull/overcast.  I find it makes a massive difference. 

 

I've moved over to SPD's and still not that used to them yet. 

 

hmmm, interesting.... Do you have a link to the kind you have/used to have?

[Steaky]

I used to just get cheap sets from a local bike store. Will check what my current ones are & find a link though. 

[Steaky]

I'm pretty sure these are the ones I currently have: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-triple-lens-sunglasses/

 

i don't know if they ship outside the UK or not. But shouldn't be hard to find a local reseller of them.  I don't tend to like paying much more than that due to how easy they can get damaged. 

[QueerMetalDevil]

Hey bikers! I just recently started riding again and hope to start commuting to work soon. It's only 2.5 miles, so it's almost silly to drive. I'm just worried about traffic, but I've ridden on roads before. Eventually I hope to work up to a multi-day camping tour on the Virginia Capital Trail (about 40 of the 50 miles). Right now I'm just using a bare bones Diamondback mountain bike, but it works pretty well.

[Butternut]

On May 26, 2016 at 6:39 PM, QueerMetalDevil said:

Hey bikers! I just recently started riding again and hope to start commuting to work soon. It's only 2.5 miles, so it's almost silly to drive. I'm just worried about traffic, but I've ridden on roads before. Eventually I hope to work up to a multi-day camping tour on the Virginia Capital Trail (about 40 of the 50 miles). Right now I'm just using a bare bones Diamondback mountain bike, but it works pretty well.

 

Right on! Good luck on the commute thing!

 

Steaky, thank you!  Going to my favorite bike shop in the next couple of weeks to fix my computer. I've just been using my aviators but bugs seem to just find there way into my eyes with those. Before I rode bike I never understood why bikers wore glasses like those until I got on a discovered they are the common sense approach.. 

 

Upto 50 miles this week. The weather is finally allowing me to ride. Yay!! 

[Styx]

On 5/26/2016 at 5:20 AM, RandMart said:

 

That's not a Century ... that's a METRIC Century

 oh yeah, forgot that USA uses imperial units. lol

[Butternut]

Does anyone have a goal for their riding this year?  

[Steaky]

On 13 June 2016 at 3:48 PM, Butternut said:

Does anyone have a goal for their riding this year?  

Ride more? I'm just getting back into working out. So haven't set any riding goals yet as I don't want to do too much too quickly

[Kucki68]

On 13.6.2016 at 4:48 PM, Butternut said:

Does anyone have a goal for their riding this year?  

Not this year, but next year I want to make a start at biking along the Danube. The start is not too far from where I live, but as I am currently only commuting 5km each way I do not think I am up for that yet. Besides I would love to have hubby go with me and that is simply not happening this year.

[Butternut]

15 hours ago, Kucki68 said:

Not this year, but next year I want to make a start at biking along the Danube. The start is not too far from where I live, but as I am currently only commuting 5km each way I do not think I am up for that yet. Besides I would love to have hubby go with me and that is simply not happening this year.

That is Beautiful!  

 

There is so much corn fields around me, its getting a little boring riding.  I would love to have something like that to ride with everyday!  

[Kucki68]

7 hours ago, Butternut said:

There is so much corn fields around me, its getting a little boring riding.  I would love to have something like that to ride with everyday!  

I am looking forward to that. But until then I live where people go on vacation (Lake Constance) and am happy to have a bit of trees, a bit of fields, some shopping center/commercial area etc to look at each day.

[Lycansbane]

Ok all.  I've been browsing the cycling fourms for a while and i was hoping a few of you could give me some advice.  I've got a bike that needs maintainence.  I could pay 75 bucks at one of the local shops to get a tune up but i've got 5 bikes (Mine, my wife's and 3 kids).  Is there a websie (or collection of sites) to give me a good understanding of basic thing i need to do for my bikes and how to do proper maintainence on them?  I know there are some tools that would need to be purchased and that kind of thing, but just looking for some feedback.  Thanks in advance.

[Sloth the Enduring]

The first place I look is www.parktool.com. They're the big bicycle tool company and have some nice online resources. The second place I look is YouTube.

If you have a set of metric Allen wrenches you can do most of the basic servicing on a bike.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lycansbane]

Awesome.  Thanks for the info.  I'll check out the website.  I was going to look on Youtube last night but my daughter had her TKD belt promotion ceremony so i was busy all night.

[Nater]

Get the book Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike or the Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair. 

 

The Park Tool website is fantastic, but I like having a book open for reference if I have my bike on the stand in the garage.

[Muir]

I got a bike a couple of months ago and have worked my way up to cycling from my house into Leeds city centre and back a couple times a week. It's an 8 mile round trip and takes me about 45 minutes each way. I'm only cycling that far a couple times a week because it takes up the vast majority of my day. I tend to have a small lunch in town and it takes about half an hour to recuperate when I get back home (it's uphill most of the way back).  I'm hoping to get a job in the next year or so and will be cycling to and from work every day, so this is good practice.

[Steaky]

For doing basic maintenance on a bike, I would recommend getting the Haynes manual for bicycles. Haynes do a range of manuals for maintenance on cars and have been going since the 60's or 70's. About 10-15 years ago, they branched out into other subjects like bikes, husbands, sheds, wives etc (most for humour) and are well worth looking into. 

[Scatterbunn]

Another Cyclist here, Im new to the forum, but have been riding regularly for 2 years. My longest ride so far has been 75 miles last year at the Hotter'n Hell Hundred. I had hoped to do the full 100 this year, but several injuries prevented it so I only did 50, oh well, always next year. Right now I am decreasing mileage to focus on strength training and beginning running, but I am looking at an aggressive schedule next year if fitness and finances workout.

[Jack Ryan- Rebel Recruit]

Ranger here-

As a level 1 I am simply trying to get active- But have been spending more time fixing flats then riding.

 I am mostly riding roads and paved trailed. most punctures are Goat head thorns. I think my last flat was a pinch flat at the transition of the valve step (thick circle meets main tube)

 

How many Patch tube vs replace to resolve flats

[Sloth the Enduring]

Ugh, goat head thorns. You can buy thicker tubes that are more puncture resistance, you can also buy tires that have an extra belt. Specialized tires with "armadillo" added to their model name work well, but they're pricey. Your local bike shop might suggest a better cheaper option.

A lot of flats can be prevented by keeping your tire pressure up. That will get rid of pinch flats for sure.

When I have to change a flat I always put in a fresh tube; it's a lot of peace of mind for $6. I'll patch the tube in case I have another flat.

http://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/tire-and-tube-removal-and-installation