Author Topic: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition  (Read 40575 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline DPMOmaha

  • Posts: 22875
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #425: April 23, 2012, 10:08:09 PM »
56 is pretty much what my size is and I'm not overly handy, but I could probably learn.

Offline MarquisDeSade

  • Posts: 15101
  • Captain Sadness
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #426: April 23, 2012, 10:20:57 PM »
56 is pretty much what my size is and I'm not overly handy, but I could probably learn.

Yeah, I'm fairly tall 6'2.5" but ride a 56cm. It's too bad my legs aren't longer - there have been some really nice 60 and 62cm bikes on eBay lately.

Offline DPMOmaha

  • Posts: 22875
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #427: April 23, 2012, 10:24:03 PM »
I've got a really nice mountain bike that I'd like to sell to help supplement the cost, but even still I don't have the cash for it right now.  I'll have to stick with the mtn bike with commuter tires on it for now.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #428: April 24, 2012, 09:24:18 AM »
I'm doing a 50  :?  miler Saturday with my son, to help him get a requirement he needs for the cycling merit badge (Eagle required). 

To say I'm not in bicycling shape is a bit of an understatement, but maybe that 20 minutes I put in this morning on the stationery bike will pay big dividends.

Purcellville to Falls Church, back out to Herndon and south on the Fairfax County Parkway to home.  At least most of it is a slight downhill grade.

Offline LostYudite

  • Posts: 758
  • Naaaa'aah-titude
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #429: April 25, 2012, 01:43:35 PM »
Did my first ride in this morning.  Pwned by the Custis trail.  That was the bad news.  Worse still, I was pwned going the easy way.  This afternoon's going to suck mightily.

The good news, though was that it took basically 30 minutes from the time I hopped on the bike till the time I was standing in my office.  That's basically exactly how long it takes to drive.  I don't dare start to actually measure average speed yet.  Some lessons: if I'm going to do this regularly, I'm going to need a new bike.  The good ole Trek hybrid is not going to like the longer haul and I'm going to want something that is less forgiving on bumps, but translates more pedal pushing into forward motion, especially uphill.

Most rewarding part:  Zipping past needledicks like me who were stuck in traffic on the TR bridge.  The route, by the way was good.  Custis Trail -> GW Parkway Trail -> TR bridge -> Kennedy Center -> VA Ave and downtown.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #430: April 25, 2012, 02:29:47 PM »
Did my first ride in this morning.  Pwned by the Custis trail.  That was the bad news.  Worse still, I was pwned going the easy way. 

I never found the downhill to be terribly difficult, just pedal like crazy going down, get up to max speed at the bottom and you can drive up to the top fueled by momentum and the downhill speed you gained.  It would be a lot more difficult however if there was heavy traffic and one were unable to get a lot of speed going.

Offline MarquisDeSade

  • Posts: 15101
  • Captain Sadness
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #431: April 25, 2012, 03:28:02 PM »
The good ole Trek hybrid is not going to like the longer haul and I'm going to want something that is less forgiving on bumps, but translates more pedal pushing into forward motion, especially uphill.

Depending on your budget (and size), I'd look at a steel touring bike to take the daily punishment DC commuting is going to dish out.  Check out any of the following if you've got around $1,000 to spend:

- Surly CrossCheck
- Surly Long Haul Trucker :az:
- Specialized Tricross
- Bianchi Volpe
- Salsa Casseroll
- Trek 520 :az:

I'm biased towards the CrossCheck because I own one and love it, but any of those bikes I listed would work great if you're buying new.  Just for size reference - I'm 6'2" ish and weight well over 350lbs and have had minimal problems commuting with about 20lbs of extra weight in laptops and clothes each day.

If you're going to the used route, get any old '80s steel road bike and just get it thorough inspected and tuned up.  If you get one that needs a total rebuild so be it, but DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES go cheap on your bike or repairs if you're going to be commuting on it daily.  I did that earlier this year and regretted it.

Most rewarding part:  Zipping past needledicks like me who were stuck in traffic on the TR bridge.

That's me every morning on the 14th Street bridge.  I sometimes wonder what's more pathetic - that you paid upwards of $70K for a S-Class Mercedes to sit in traffic for 10+ hours a week to commute to your McMansion or that a total fatass blew past you on the bridge at 25mph.

Offline LostYudite

  • Posts: 758
  • Naaaa'aah-titude
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #432: April 25, 2012, 05:40:21 PM »
I never found the downhill to be terribly difficult, just pedal like crazy going down, get up to max speed at the bottom and you can drive up to the top fueled by momentum and the downhill speed you gained.  It would be a lot more difficult however if there was heavy traffic and one were unable to get a lot of speed going.

Right, but now I've got the uphill direction.  And the switchback right at the Lee Highway/66 exchange is unfriendly.

We'll see - part of it is that I don't do it enough (yet.)

MDS - thanks for the recommendation.  I'm a bit smaller in all three dimensions - 5'8"/180, so I don't know how much that changes things.  I think for a while I'm going to struggle with the Trek and see how much I do it.  If it grows into a regular thing, I'm going to reward myself and get a new bike and keep the trek to haul the little one on the bike seat.

Ah well - no more delaying.  Up the hill I go.

Offline MarquisDeSade

  • Posts: 15101
  • Captain Sadness
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #433: April 25, 2012, 06:18:00 PM »
MDS - thanks for the recommendation.  I'm a bit smaller in all three dimensions - 5'8"/180, so I don't know how much that changes things.

I'm pretty sure all of those come in 52cm framesets, some might even come in 50 and 48cms as well. 

Ah well - no more delaying.  Up the hill I go.

Just take it one 15 spin at a time if you have to, that's what I do on the way home every day.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #434: April 26, 2012, 09:41:58 AM »
Right, but now I've got the uphill direction.  And the switchback right at the Lee Highway/66 exchange is unfriendly.

We'll see - part of it is that I don't do it enough (yet.)

MDS - thanks for the recommendation.  I'm a bit smaller in all three dimensions - 5'8"/180, so I don't know how much that changes things.  I think for a while I'm going to struggle with the Trek and see how much I do it.  If it grows into a regular thing, I'm going to reward myself and get a new bike and keep the trek to haul the little one on the bike seat.

Ah well - no more delaying.  Up the hill I go.

Love that switchback, get's the heart pumping.  No fun going downhill on it though.

How'd the ride home go, get a little perspiration going?

Offline MarquisDeSade

  • Posts: 15101
  • Captain Sadness
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #435: April 26, 2012, 11:15:01 AM »
Looks like it's time to get a truing station and learn the mastery of the wheel truing.

Offline LostYudite

  • Posts: 758
  • Naaaa'aah-titude
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #436: April 26, 2012, 05:10:44 PM »
Love that switchback, get's the heart pumping.  No fun going downhill on it though.

How'd the ride home go, get a little perspiration going?

Definitely.  Had to stop and catch my breath at the top of the switchback and have NEVER been so happy to see a red light at the top of Rosslyn.  But I made it.   8)

I actually like going downhill on the switch, so long as I have it to myself and can swing out wide where I need to. 

MDS- steel frame over carbon fiber for strength?  I was actually thinking today about going really light - the idea being the less weight I'm pushing on the bike, the more power I can devote to pushing my fatass up that switchback.

Offline MarquisDeSade

  • Posts: 15101
  • Captain Sadness
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #437: April 27, 2012, 03:27:02 PM »
Now $100 poorer I think it might be time to bite the bullet and have some 40 spoke wheels made.  Definitely need t get a truing stand.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #438: April 27, 2012, 04:58:42 PM »
$100 repair?
Now $100 poorer I think it might be time to bite the bullet and have some 40 spoke wheels made.  Definitely need t get a truing stand.


Offline MarquisDeSade

  • Posts: 15101
  • Captain Sadness
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #439: April 27, 2012, 05:15:38 PM »
$100 repair?

New stock wheel. Probably time to get a 40 count wheel made.

Online blue911

  • Posts: 18482
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #440: April 27, 2012, 05:49:29 PM »
Now $100 poorer I think it might be time to bite the bullet and have some 40 spoke wheels made.  Definitely need t get a truing stand.

Buy an eightball?

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #441: April 28, 2012, 06:39:07 PM »
Finished our ride successfully today - Purcellville to Vienna, lunch at Caffe Amouri and then back out to Reston and south on the Fairfax County Parkway trail to home - 50.05 miles (my son had to achieve 50 for his merit badge).  He walked the last .05.    :lol:

My right knee started aching around mile 22.    :?  The two Alleve didn't do much, so I'm trying two ryes now. 

Offline mitlen

  • Posts: 66171
  • We had 'em all the way.
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #442: April 28, 2012, 06:40:09 PM »
Finished our ride successfully today - Purcellville to Vienna, lunch at Caffe Amouri and then back out to Reston and south on the Fairfax County Parkway trail to home - 50.05 miles (my son had to achieve 50 for his merit badge).  He walked the last .05.    :lol:

My right knee started aching around mile 22.    :?  The two Alleve didn't do much, so I'm trying two ryes now. 

Are you the group I almost hit at Sterling BLVD (LOL)?   Kidding   ...

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #443: April 28, 2012, 06:43:03 PM »
Are you the group I almost hit at Sterling BLVD (LOL)?   Kidding   ...

We were a group of 2, many near misses so I guess we could be.   :lol:

My son's troop did a ride today, about 20 in all.  They started at Loudoun County HS in Leesburg, rode to Reston then north to Lake Fairfax to camp for the night.  My son's working on his Eagle, no need to hang out with the newbs today.

Offline mitlen

  • Posts: 66171
  • We had 'em all the way.
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #444: April 28, 2012, 06:45:05 PM »
That crossing at the BLVD is as bad as it gets.   Waiting on them to put in a tunnel like they did in Reston and at Church RD in Sterling.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #445: April 28, 2012, 06:48:08 PM »
That crossing at the BLVD is as bad as it gets.   Waiting on them to put in a tunnel like they did in Reston and at Church RD in Sterling.

Hunter Mill Road is pretty bad.  Only two lanes but very limited sight lines for both bikers and motorists, so cars fly through rarely stopping, while bikers make hard stops.

Offline mitlen

  • Posts: 66171
  • We had 'em all the way.
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #446: April 28, 2012, 06:50:02 PM »
Hunter Mill Road is pretty bad.  Only two lanes but very limited sight lines for both bikers and motorists, so cars fly through rarely stopping, while bikers make hard stops.

I try to ride west on both bikes (pedal and motor).

Offline MarquisDeSade

  • Posts: 15101
  • Captain Sadness
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #447: April 28, 2012, 07:33:58 PM »
Excellent ride. Congrats on not bonking. How long did it take.

Offline tomterp

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 33783
  • Hell yes!
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #448: April 28, 2012, 10:13:10 PM »
Excellent ride. Congrats on not bonking. How long did it take.

left 9:30, home at 3, took a half hour for lunch, so 5 hours to cover 50 miles.  There are lots of at-grade crossings that slow one down.  I think we hit 20 MPH as our top cruising speed on a downhill grade headed into Leesburg.

Offline Kevrock

  • Posts: 13788
  • That’s gonna be a no from me, doge.
Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #449: April 28, 2012, 10:36:32 PM »
Hunter Mill Road is pretty bad.  Only two lanes but very limited sight lines for both bikers and motorists, so cars fly through rarely stopping, while bikers make hard stops.

As an Oaktonian, I'm thoroughly disgusted by how motorists act at that crossing. Few slow down, and I regularly get cars riding up my ass when I do slow down approaching the crossing. Screw 'em.

Of course, just crossing the road to check my mail is dangerous with the way idiots drive around here. Oh, pedestrian crossing a "country" road? I'll continue doing 45 mph holding my cell phone.

Sounds like a nice ride, though.