Forehead Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 I'm trying to ramp up quickly. I went from six miles on Friday to 14 today. Seven out and back on the W&OD/Custis trails. My legs don't feel too bad, I run and do weight training, so I'm not too sore there, but my ass is killing me, and my hands. I may have to break down and buy those padded shorts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted April 6, 2016 Author Share Posted April 6, 2016 the padded shorts don;t do much.... Early on it really is your hands, ass, back, neck... etc... that get sore from biking. You are sitting in a really odd position for a long time.... For me, it is the hands, and between the shoulderblades that is the worst at first. ... but it passes. In years past i would always cheat in the spring, and drive into arlington to cut my ride in half until i felt up to going all the way. you can park on 20th Street N, right next to bike-trail entry point, and cut your ride about in half (but you will still have the monster ass-breaking hill in Roslyn to go up on your way home). https://www.google.com/maps/@38.895032,-77.1014179,18z Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 Are you talking about the switchback near the original Italian Store, which I went through last weekend, or the ridiculous hill near the bridge, Lynn street or whatever it is, that just goes straight up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSilverMaC Posted April 7, 2016 Share Posted April 7, 2016 How big is this hill you guys are talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted April 7, 2016 Author Share Posted April 7, 2016 its not that big.... just big for the area, and for commuters. once you cross the potamac into Virginia you have to get over a hill to go west. If you go across roosevelt, memorial or Key bridge, you climb the hill in Roslyn, and its about 1 mile and about 300 feet, i think. if you cross chain bridge, its the same 300 foot gain, but in about 1/3 mile. Are you talking about the switchback near the original Italian Store, which I went through last weekend, or the ridiculous hill near the bridge, Lynn street or whatever it is, that just goes straight up? both. you do the roslyn hill and then you do the switchback after Lyon Village (the italian store), and then right after you cross over lee hwy you are at 20th st. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted April 20, 2016 Author Share Posted April 20, 2016 I'm a bicycle commuter, I just started doing it in June of 2013. I wanted to try and drop a few pounds so I figured this would be a good way to do it. I initially planned on riding just 2 or 3 days a week but I enjoyed it so much that I started riding everyday I could. I started using the MapMyRide app in July 2013 and since that time I have traveled just over 1400 miles. I ride to work in the winter time as long as there is no snow and ice, I just make sure to bundle up real good. My bike is an old 1969 Schwinn Typhoon beach cruiser that I put a banana seat and apehangers on, so its not the quickest bike but I have tried to make it be. I used to ride as fast as I could into work and set a new personal best time, which I accomplished back in June. I covered 3.5 miles in 12:01, unfortunately for me a clipped my pedal on the ground during that ride but didn't really think much of it. The next day, my crank broke at the pedal eye causing my to face plant the asphalt and bust up some teeth. It took me about 3 weeks to get some parts together and fix my bike, but I've been back on it ever since, albeit at a much slower pace. i did the "ridewithgps" which I think basically is exactly the same as "Mapmyride". do you have a "Garmin"? (or whatever it is called) to automatically log your rides? i mapped out my several routes, and at teh end of the week, i just manually add them (and guestimate on the time). this is my totals for this year, to date... but since i am going to hang it up for the winter over the weekend, this is basically THE final tally 10 days, 6 hours total riding 2,375 miles 112,392 feet climbed 65,701 calories burned the calorie estimate seems to be ALL over the damned place... i'm not sure how they guestimate it I would be interested in Garmin or something like Nike+ myself. Currently I just use a "computer" on my bike that is like an odometer. It can tell me how fast I am going, current trip miles/length on time, total miles and max speed. I have the mapmyride app, but fail at turning it on. Mcsluggo, where do you get that type of elevation? I would love some decent hills here. I mainly get wind, and lots of it from Lake Michigan. Strava for the win!! you can load an app on your phone (iphone at least) that tracks you with out a garmin or anyhting... then, it looks at your route and breaks it down into segments .... and tells you how much you suck relative to everyone else that has biked that segment (keeps records --- and tells you that 400 people have done that segment faster than you, or whatever) and then... if you go to the website, it tells you everyone you crossed paths with (or almost crrossed paths with) on your route that also has strave, and you can do an animation that shows where you were relative to everyone else as you were biking it is cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchogs Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I graduated from mapmyride to strava last summer. Way better. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 much better indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yohan Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 I downloaded Strava on Friday to test this out over the weekend. To rides in, I'm digging it. I was getting ready to drop $300 for a Garmin 810. Glad I checked this thread first . Thanks Mcsluggo for the suggestion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dchogs Posted April 24, 2016 Share Posted April 24, 2016 Working my way into shape... 32 miles last weekend that hurt, did a much better 20 this morning with another 15 coming in the morning. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 Anyone else do bike to work day today? I did, despite the fact that I had never ridden my new bike more than 14 miles, and it's 12.5 or 13 one way to work. I am sitting at work now somewhat regretting this decision, as my ass, neck, and shoulders hurt, and the way home is far more uphill than the way down. On the plus side, Bike Arlington was having a giant block party in Rosslyn to celebrate Bike to Work day, so I got water and a free breakfast burrito out of it. Also, I hate my building management. Bikes are a prohibited item, along with guns, power saws, flammable liquids, etc. I had to argue and fight with them until someone scrounged up an old bike lock. I didn't bring one with me; I had every intention of putting the bike in my office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 i didn't realize it was bike to work day until i got to a greeting tent under the whitehurst (near Wisconsin) they wouldn;t give me a T-shirt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 i didn't realize it was bike to work day until i got to a greeting tent under the whitehurst (near Wisconsin) they wouldn;t give me a T-shirt I wonder why not? I didn't take a T-shirt, but the vendors at Bike Arlington could wait to give stuff away. Protip, cold V8 veggie/fruit blends suck. Who the hell thought putting carrot and mango together was a good idea? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan T. Posted May 20, 2016 Share Posted May 20, 2016 (edited) Biked the last bit into work on a Capital Bikeshare... but I do that almost every day anyway if the weather cooperates. With the announced plans for Metro's extended rolling shutdowns this summer, I wonder if there will be an uptick in Capital Bikeshare use. It's a really good, convenient alternative to Metro in DC. Edited May 20, 2016 by Dan T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted May 20, 2016 Author Share Posted May 20, 2016 i got a cookie, some coffee, and a bike water-squirt-bottle... but the bright eyed and and bushy tailed 22 year old with the T-shirts had a note saying "give T-shirts to people who have registered to ride in , and are on the list in your left hand." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Voice_of_Reason Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Every time I see this thread I think it says bikini. Though I like biking. It's always somewhat disappointing... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 I hurt..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yohan Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 About a year and a half ago, my local bike shop (Trek Dealer) closed down. I was saddened by this news, as they had been in business for over 50 years, and I had purchased many of bikes and bike related products, and countless repairs done at this shop. This past Friday, Trek opened up a new shop in the area, this made me very happy. All weekend at the shop, was like a party. They had food, beer, soda, giving away free swag. I decided to go there last night. I was there for a mere 15 minutes was given a bottle of water, checking out the feel for the place...and this guy walks up to me and says "Go grab a beer, that water is bad for you." I laughed, and he goes "Fish have sex in water...think about what you're drinking." I look a little closer...it's 17 time Tour de France rider (Team Trek), former 1 hour distance record holder...Jens Voigt. I know, not your household cycling name, but check him out on youtube, he has had some spectacular crashes. He had just done the Trek 100 on Saturday with the likes of Brett Favre and Bo Jackson, and was in the area checking out local Trek shops. Dude was awesome, talking to everyone in the store, sharing stories, and he got me a beer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrSilverMaC Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 rode to work yesterday. It was my first ride in a while and probably not overly wise in retrospect. 10 miles with a steep 300ft climb vs a headwind in 97 degree weather. Had to dismount at the top of the hill, but I made it to the top first, so I guess that's a win. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted June 14, 2016 Share Posted June 14, 2016 City of Knoxville recently won a pretty big grant from Bell helmets to construct several mountain bike trails in their urban wilderness They're ****ing awesome. Riding again this weekend. They have trails for all skill levels. Love how under the radar they've been so far, too. Hopefully it atays that way for a while Check out videos http://www.bellhelmets.com/bell-built/urban-wilderness-gravity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yohan Posted June 15, 2016 Share Posted June 15, 2016 Nice, I will be in Knoxville first week of August visiting my brother. Going to check that out Zoony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 rode to work yesterday. It was my first ride in a while and probably not overly wise in retrospect. 10 miles with a steep 300ft climb vs a headwind in 97 degree weather. Had to dismount at the top of the hill, but I made it to the top first, so I guess that's a win. this week has sucked donkey nuts! it is hot as hell, and the air is just dripping with so much moisture that you can't breathe even if you aren't exerting... bleh. its amazing how much more tiring it is to bike in this sort of weather, and much more sore your muscles are, even though you don't push hard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forehead Posted July 13, 2016 Share Posted July 13, 2016 I just have to say, you sold me a bill of goods. When I got my bike, I upgraded to those gatorskin tires you told me about. I managed to get a flat on my second ride. In fairness, the guy at the shop said he had a pair on one of his bikes that had lasted thousands of miles, so it was bad luck, but I'm in blame mode! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcsluggo Posted July 13, 2016 Author Share Posted July 13, 2016 when i eventually got flats when using the gator skins, it ended up being from the rim-side (inside) of the tube. For the most part, the Gaotorskin Hardbacks have been spectacular for me! of course i went from whatever cheap thing you could buy at Target to them --- from like $10 to like $75 --- but i went from getting flats REGULARLY (3 or 4 a month) down to not getting flats for whole years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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