Friday night lights

Man, I enjoy the bike. But, if you are reading this, you already know that. I think I enjoy even more so when I am in shape and the bike seems easy to pedal.

Headed out for the Friday night ride. But, I dusted off the Giant for this ride. My XC ride. I just got my new Schwalbe 26x2.10 tires via UPS today. Figguring that is the tire combo I'll run for the Sea Otter Classic XC race in a couple of weeks, I needed a chance to see if the bike was still okay. I also plan on using the Gaint for an inevtibably painful but epic ride on Suday at Henry Coe state park. Too much painful climbing there for me and the Ventana...though, I know, it is mostly mental.

Anyway, I took the lighter weight wheel set that I orginally had on the Giant but had been running on the Ventana for about 6 months or so, and put the new tires on it. Threw the combo on the Giant. As such, the Giant is weighing in at about 26.5 lbs. Putting the heavy duty wheelset back on the Ventana upped her weight just sub 29lbs to 30.5 lbs. That is going to suck at some point.

So, taking the Giant out for the Friday night ride...it felt real good and responsive. That thing accelerates so much quicker than the Ventana in terms of responsiveness to pedal input. Not nearly as smooth or confidence inspring as my trusty Ventana, but man that thing responds to the pedal input. I felt real froggy with that ride underneath my legs. Darius and I kept playing cat and mouse, sprinting ahead of each other. Until we got to 82 of course. Trying to climb that thing...I hate it. Every time I climb 82, I think "why am I paying money to enter a race to try and kill myself going up this damn thing." Even with 2 pounds less of a bike, much more efficient pedaling and being in better shape...82 will still be my weakness come race time.

I still felt good overall, despite 82. I finally feel like my fitness is improving. Like I could be satisfied with how I will do come race time. I still dont' think I am competitive with the 150 lb, every day lycra wearing dude on a 21 lb bike....but I think I am happy with my level of fitness and think I am on the right path.....

Pedal like the wind

NOT! Steady winds over 20mph today. Gusting at 40 to 50 mph. Usually, I'd stay off the bike on a day like today. But, I have some work to do. My first real race will be the Sea Otter Classic in mid April. I pre-rode the course with Darius and Darren last week. They are both racing it as well.

One thing I learned from the pre-ride...I have some work to do! I also managed to let myself slip up to 190+ lbs. That pre-ride hurt. And, I wasn't even going race pace. I'll be up against a bunch of every day lycra wearing dudes on 20 lb bikes while my "XC" light bike is at leasat 27lbs. Man do I have some work to do.

So, today I wanted to get out and just go at my own pace for about 2 hours and get in some good climbing. It turned out just short of 2 hours and about 2300 feet of climbing. Not bad. But, man, that wind was nuts! Most of the time while on top of ridges and what not, it was a cross wind...probably near that 40mph mean speed. I've never had to lean a bike that far over to go straight.

But, all in all, a decent ride. Didn't feel like crap. Felt like I got in some work, and just enjoyed being out there on the bike.