[Ronin]

Hi Everyone!

Eight days into 2009 and I've hit the century mark already! Despite the really lousy weather here in NJ the Tour-de-Garage is coming along well. I added 30 more roller miles today in 1:02:14.

Now I need one of the math/science people to help me determine my caloric output during my hour of T-d-G time. I manage to raise the temperature in the garage by six degrees farenheight every time I do the 30 miles. So, how many calories does it take to raise a volume of air by one-degree F (or the metric equivalent) I can calculte the volume of the garage. Any math/science gurus out there have an answer?

[type2rider]

I've had a few rides since the new year.

1/1 - 50 miles and ~4000' of climbing in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

1/4 - 10 miles of rock gardens at my favorite mountain biking destination.

1/5 - 32 mile round trip commute to work/back

1/7 - 32 mile RT commute

Probably another commute tomorrow backed up with a 50 mile hammerfest on Saturday. I am training for my first road bike race, a criterium, on 1/31/08.

I'm hitting the bike(s) hard in 2009!

[Ronin]

Hi Everyone!

Ah, the joys of having fenders! The temperatures finally relented and rose to the high 30's (F). Between the drivers and the plows the roads are just wide enough for safety and our old tandem has fenders! So, we got outside today for some time playing in traffic.

As Linda noted at the end of the ride, it is a lot more pleasant to ride outside, even if it is cold, than to pedal in the garage.

Of course the forecast for tomorrow is for a steep drop in temperatures so there will not be any outdoor riding tomorrow -- back to another stage of the T-d-G.

[Russell A.]

Well I do not keep track of miles either. I have my bike on a trainer in the Garage or what we refer to as the "Redneck Room", 32" t.v. on the washer, carpet, old couch, xmas lights dangling from the ceiling.

I ride for about 30 minutes 3 times a week. What a rush and I feel great afterward.

I do look forward to getting back out on the road when the weather permits.

Now I just need to devise a system so I can rollerblade in the "Redneck Room"

[Ronin]

Hi Russell!

Sometimes I wish I had a television in the garage where I could watch DVD's of pro-cycing races. Of course, since I do ride rollers that might be dangerous as I'd probably want to carve out that turn along with the pro's -- never do that on rollers!

I try to make sure that I do at least an hour and I've tried to get the time up to a full 90 minutes but my brain cannot handle that amount of staring straight ahead listening to music. Even in the mag-resistance trainer it gets unbearable at about the one-hour mark. Oh well, it is more than a lot of my age peers do.

[Russell A.]

Ronin:

I hit that “brick wall” of boredom right at 30 minutes. I commend you for being able to make it for an hour. I find the best way to pass the time is read a good book or magazine. Although, no matter what, it gets boring! I did log another 30 minutes last night and continue to feel great exercising on a regular basis.

Keep up the good work everyone!

Russell

[Gordonm]

About an hour is all the Tour de Basement I can handle. Reading a book or magazine you have got to be kidding. I am usually in a huge sweat at 15 minutes even with the fan on full force. The motion, I could never keep focused on a book. At 1 hour there is a puddle under me anything near me is wet. I have the TV in front of me and usually have the History or Discover Chanel on.

[Caravaggio]

My bottom hurts after a while. What do you guys do to avoid having a sore bum? Sit on a folded towel? pillow?

[Russell A.]

I have a gel-filled seat designed for men. Also, try lowering your seat so your legs do not "hang" so much. It is a different position than regular riding.

Russell

[Ronin]

Hi Caravaggio!

This is all counter-intuitive, but it works.

First of all your positon on the bicycle needs to be such that the saddle height allows you to put your heel on the pedal at the bottom of the stroke with knee straight. Your actual pedaling is done with the ball of the foot over the spindle of the pedal. In addition your saddle should be far enough back so that when the pedals are level with the floor/ground your knee is directly over the ball of your foot.

Next, your handle bars should be even with, or slightly below, the top of the saddle (one to two inches max) allowing your arms to support part of your body weight.

Finally, the saddle should be wide enough that your sit-bones (those little bumps on your pelvis) are supported by the saddle itself but not so wide as to impeed your pedaling action. The saddle should also be firm to hard as excess padding will only get pushed up into areas where it can cut off blood flow or create pressure on parts of your body that you don't want overly pressured.

Yes, it is counter intuitive and it takes a while for your sit-bones area to become accustomed to the pressure but in the long run it it the most comfortable position.

All of that being said, it is important to note that Caravaggio lives in Japan where the most common form of bicycle is the "shopping bicycle" which is totally upright placing all of ones upper body weight on the sit bones with no relief from the arms. This is a very uncomfortable position for extended rides and these bicycles are usually outfit with soft cushy saddles but are not sat on for long periods of time during normal use. (FWIW: The shopping bicycle also weighs a lot by comparison to most other bicycles of the recreational/sport variety.)

[A_Darling]

1/10 did the Tour de Felasco in g-ville FL, 50 mile offroad ride. Mostly singletrack, rest is horse trail or jeep road. good times.

Next one is the Croom 50 mile ride on Feb 14. After that I'm gonna go for hte L.O.S.T. (lake okeechobee scenic trail - 115 mile circumnavigation, mostly paved, some dirt road) while the weather is still cool.

[Caravaggio]

I do have a bright red bike with a shopping basket! It was a birthday present from my husband. He thought that I should learn how to ride on a cheaper shopping bike, get used to it, then move on to a decent road bike when I'm ready to join a cycling club.

Thanks for the advice Ronin. I'll print out the instructions and try to adjust my bike to the extent possible (or wait until I can get a proper bike).

I've suspended my outdoor cycling practice due to the chilly and sometimes windy night weather - I'm too embarrassed to practice in daylight so I practice at night, well late at night, after the kids are safely in bed and most of my neighbors have come home from work. The local patrolmen have gotten used to see me practice in the middle of the night that they no longer stop me to check if I'm DUI cycling.

So now I'm gym cycling - not much I can do about moving the seats!

[A_Darling]

Originally Posted by Caravaggio

I do have a bright red bike with a shopping basket! It was a birthday present from my husband. He thought that I should learn how to ride on a cheaper shopping bike, get used to it, then move on to a decent road bike when I'm ready to join a cycling club.

Thanks for the advice Ronin. I'll print out the instructions and try to adjust my bike to the extent possible (or wait until I can get a proper bike).

I've suspended my outdoor cycling practice due to the chilly and sometimes windy night weather - I'm too embarrassed to practice in daylight so I practice at night, well late at night, after the kids are safely in bed and most of my neighbors have come home from work. The local patrolmen have gotten used to see me practice in the middle of the night that they no longer stop me to check if I'm DUI cycling.

So now I'm gym cycling - not much I can do about moving the seats!

one thing about cyclists that you will hopefully encounter is that we're a pretty easy-going group. I don't think I've run into more than a handfull of bike-riders that have negative attitudes or make fun of a newbie rider. If it does happen that that person/group just doesn't get it, I don't consider them cyclists/roadies/mtnbikers.

If you're making an effort, other cyclists will pick up on that and encourage you. There's a serious zen thing to pedaling a bike.

[Caravaggio]

Thanks. It's not the other cyclists that I'm worried about, but the KIDS! Kids can be cruel to an adult trying to handle a shopping bicycle! ME

My bike report: 30 minutes on a gym bike last week. Unfortunately, I forgot to note down the distance!

[Ronin]

Hi Everyone!

Team Wells is getting serious - actually the scale woke Linda up earlier this week so she pledged "no more excuses" to avoid the tandem stages of the Tour-de-Garage for the rest of the winter season.

It was painful, literally painful because she had fallen out of cycling fitness and the 16 miles against the mag trainer really hurt at the end. But we're back to making progress and planning for Spring.

I've been doing the indoor miles but I've missed my partner. The good news is that we always get back in shape every winter but it is never easy. The Tour-Down-Under on television also helps as a motivator.