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.....
Friday, March 27, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
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.
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.
Friday, February 20, 2009
LOVE the bike
Yes, I love my bikes. I haven't done a ride longer than maybe 1 hour 15 mins in quite some time. But, those rides on the 29er hardtail single speed have been fun. Managing momentum vs effort. Sweet talking a bike over technical obstacles that would surely intimidate the average recreational rider. The SS has been sweet.
However, tonight, I got out the Ventana. My sweet, lovely Ventana. Despite not being in shape for it, we logged 30+ miles together tonight. Pure, blissfully, sweet harmony between man, machine, and nature. I am not shitting you. Feeling 100% as one between man, the machine you toil over incessantly to achieve perfection , and the trail.
Despite not being in shape for it, I loved every single second of it...even when I wasn't sure if my legs would fall off or my heart would explode from the effort. It was still pure, blissfull sweet harmony. Everything I asked of that bike, it delivered...and gave it to me with pure joy. Yes, that is right, 5+ inches of the smoothest, most supple travel you will ever feel on a machine....responding to your every input as if it knew what you wanted and where you wanted to go.
If you don't ride a bike passionately, you won't understand. But, man, I love my bikes. Be it the road bike, the Ventana, the SS, the XC bike...I get on one of those, and NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. I love my bikes. And, I love the opportunity to ride them. I'll miss Monterey (when it comes time to leave) and the opportunities I get to connect with my bikes and nature and the feeling the ability to live in that instantaneous moment where success is just as rewarding as playful failure....for the fun is trying something whether you fail or not.
If you don't know what I am talking about, you need to get a bike and remember the freedom that two self propelled wheels in the middle of nowhere can give you. I am serious.
However, tonight, I got out the Ventana. My sweet, lovely Ventana. Despite not being in shape for it, we logged 30+ miles together tonight. Pure, blissfully, sweet harmony between man, machine, and nature. I am not shitting you. Feeling 100% as one between man, the machine you toil over incessantly to achieve perfection , and the trail.
Despite not being in shape for it, I loved every single second of it...even when I wasn't sure if my legs would fall off or my heart would explode from the effort. It was still pure, blissfull sweet harmony. Everything I asked of that bike, it delivered...and gave it to me with pure joy. Yes, that is right, 5+ inches of the smoothest, most supple travel you will ever feel on a machine....responding to your every input as if it knew what you wanted and where you wanted to go.
If you don't ride a bike passionately, you won't understand. But, man, I love my bikes. Be it the road bike, the Ventana, the SS, the XC bike...I get on one of those, and NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. I love my bikes. And, I love the opportunity to ride them. I'll miss Monterey (when it comes time to leave) and the opportunities I get to connect with my bikes and nature and the feeling the ability to live in that instantaneous moment where success is just as rewarding as playful failure....for the fun is trying something whether you fail or not.
If you don't know what I am talking about, you need to get a bike and remember the freedom that two self propelled wheels in the middle of nowhere can give you. I am serious.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Liking the SS
Got in a quick ride today with some of the guys. Peter, Jason, Darius, and Mike. It was chilly out, but sunny. Maybe 48-50F. I had a lot of fun on the SS while riding with H on Sunday and had been itching to get back on it again. So, today was a good day to do it.
I just recently tried putting my old Juicy 7's from the Ventana onto the SS, but the front one seems to have a sticky piston. So, I picked up a BB7 and threw that on the front. The old BB-5's on the SS absolutely sucked. Brake issues solved and riding this year with a suspension vs rigid fork has made the SS a lot more fun. Sometimes it is cool to grunt out a climb, though not too steep and not too long of a climb! If the grade and distance are just right, it is a nice change from having to sit and spin up climbs.
And, with the 29er wheels on the SS, cornering seems a little more fun...at least a different kind of feel than the cushy 26" wheeled Ventana. Neat also is riding over sections and having to think about maintaining flow while letting your arms and legs act as shock absorbers again...for if you ride over it in the same fashion as on a 5+" travel full suspension bike that rides like a cloud, you have a good chance of ending up on the ground, not on the bike. So, that adds another challenge to liven things up on the same old trails. Jumping too. Man, landing a jump smoothly on a hardtail with only 80mm of travel takes a lot more skill than say on the Ventana with 140mm of travel up front and about the same in back.
So, back to today's ride. Fun. Only felt like I was killing myself on a couple of climbs, but we were on the 8th and G side...and didn't really hit any of the climbs that are challenging. Jason was the only one on a geard bike too.
Hopefully, the rain holds off tomorrow (supposed to rain off and on for the next 5 days or so) long enough to permit us to do the normal Wednesday night ride...and I'll be on the SS again.
I just recently tried putting my old Juicy 7's from the Ventana onto the SS, but the front one seems to have a sticky piston. So, I picked up a BB7 and threw that on the front. The old BB-5's on the SS absolutely sucked. Brake issues solved and riding this year with a suspension vs rigid fork has made the SS a lot more fun. Sometimes it is cool to grunt out a climb, though not too steep and not too long of a climb! If the grade and distance are just right, it is a nice change from having to sit and spin up climbs.
And, with the 29er wheels on the SS, cornering seems a little more fun...at least a different kind of feel than the cushy 26" wheeled Ventana. Neat also is riding over sections and having to think about maintaining flow while letting your arms and legs act as shock absorbers again...for if you ride over it in the same fashion as on a 5+" travel full suspension bike that rides like a cloud, you have a good chance of ending up on the ground, not on the bike. So, that adds another challenge to liven things up on the same old trails. Jumping too. Man, landing a jump smoothly on a hardtail with only 80mm of travel takes a lot more skill than say on the Ventana with 140mm of travel up front and about the same in back.
So, back to today's ride. Fun. Only felt like I was killing myself on a couple of climbs, but we were on the 8th and G side...and didn't really hit any of the climbs that are challenging. Jason was the only one on a geard bike too.
Hopefully, the rain holds off tomorrow (supposed to rain off and on for the next 5 days or so) long enough to permit us to do the normal Wednesday night ride...and I'll be on the SS again.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sedona
H and I hit up Sedona before Christmas. Overall, it was a good time. I got schooled hard by some locals. There was wet and sometimes ICY off camber sections of sandstone with huge drop offs on the downward slope. Those sections really made me loose confidence on the bike.
The next day, I took H on a ride. It turned out (from my perspective) to be one of her best rides. She did way better than I thought she would. We ended up doing over 15 miles of Sedona riding at 4000 feet of elevation....probably a lot to ask of someone coming from sea level that isn't a passionate rider.
Anyway, some vids from that ride with H.
The next day, I took H on a ride. It turned out (from my perspective) to be one of her best rides. She did way better than I thought she would. We ended up doing over 15 miles of Sedona riding at 4000 feet of elevation....probably a lot to ask of someone coming from sea level that isn't a passionate rider.
Anyway, some vids from that ride with H.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Trip Update...
Did I really do my last post on Christmas Day?
Anyway, the day after christmas, I hit up National Trail at South Mountain. This time, I took each climb much slower and didn't feel the need to push myself. Oh what a difference that made. I think this was the single most fun ride I have had on National Trail. I still was unable to ride the waterfall. Someday, maybe I will if I get a lot of chances to take runs at it on multiple days. Otherwise, there is just too much to risk while traveling...If I bite it on the waterfall, the riding portion of the trip is over. Not good.
Anyway, some vids from SoMo and National trail:
Anyway, the day after christmas, I hit up National Trail at South Mountain. This time, I took each climb much slower and didn't feel the need to push myself. Oh what a difference that made. I think this was the single most fun ride I have had on National Trail. I still was unable to ride the waterfall. Someday, maybe I will if I get a lot of chances to take runs at it on multiple days. Otherwise, there is just too much to risk while traveling...If I bite it on the waterfall, the riding portion of the trip is over. Not good.
Anyway, some vids from SoMo and National trail:
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Traveling Again
Well, H and I hit the road last week. One night and one day in Yosemite. No heat in the camper that night...had a propane leak and it was too late (1am when we pulled in) to mess with. Did a day hike in the snow. There wasn't anything open yet in Yosemite to rent XC skis or snowshoes, so hike it was.
Next, we went to Bakersfield to stop at H's parent's place. Rode with her Dad the next day and picked up her snow shoes too. Then hit the road for Sedona.Lucked out pretty well with Sedona. TrailDoc from MTBR let us park in front of his house...he was even up at 1 am when we rolled into town. He is 3 months post ACL recontruction, so wasn't riding much with us the next day. And, as it turns out, I happened to ride with TrailDoc and his wife in Moab 5 or so years ago, but didn't realize the connection until we had talked a bit in Sedona. His wife was 52 at the time I rode with them in Moab and I was walking stuff she was riding/rolling. Small, small world...at least the MTB world :)
Since he wasn't riding hard (not supposed to ride at all at this point in the recovery), his neighbor Wes took me around the trails and made me feel like a) I wasn't in shape and b) I didn't have a whole lot of skill either. He was riding a much heavier Turner 6 pack and pedaled away from me on every climb. Regardless of my comparitive ineptitude on the bike, Wes was a super nice guy and it was good to ride with a friendly local (who also seemed to know everyone we came across on the trail).
The next day, I took H on the trail. She did really, really well. Rode lots of stuff. We got some good photos too....
We rode again the next day, this time a shorter ride out of West Sedona. I think H burned the candle at both ends the day before as she was really feeling it. After the ride, a little lunch, then to PV to visit my mom. Then Phoenix once again. I rode Desert Classic at South Mountain Christmas Eve...and am left wondering why it is that even the easy XC trails at south mountain always make me feel out of shape. Tomorrow, I'll probably do Morman and National at South Mountain. Then, I may hit the road to do a couple of rides while enroute to meet back up with H in Austin.
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