Fitness

Welcome to all who have an interest in anything cycling of any kind.( road, mountain, commuting, stationary, whatever).

This is the place to come to ask that question you have been wanting to ask,

or tell that story about your latest adventure riding your bike,

find out how to use cycling to get in better shape, or anything else you can think of.

So, to start, tell us, what you ride, where you ride and what type of riding you enjoy.

Come back often too check out what's going on and see what's on everyones mind or add your knowledge to the group. 

 

Wow! that is a lot to absorb.  The club had a big ride (most classes represented) from La Plata to Cobb Island.  My chain-crank-front derailleur went wacko on the steepest climb going down to Cobb Island.  The chain jumped off of the small ring about 100 feet from the top. I put it back. Got back on my bike and tromped down on my pedal -- nothing.  The chain had jumped off again.  I finally shifted to a higher gear and managed to climb to the rest stop at the top of the hill.  So I had to avoid the really low gears for the rest of the ride.  Other than that it was a pretty good ride.  There is one hill that we agreed to include at lunch (you can go around it and maybe save some climbing).  I remember it from last year as one long climb.  But it turns out to be more like a 3 mile rolling climb on a tar and gravel surface that beats your bike and arms to pieces.  After I got past the one steep section at the very beginning, I was able to maintain a cadence in the 80 to 90 range and 16 to 18 mph.  When I got to the top there were a few people in front of my and nobody in sight behind me.  I felt good so I just kept riding.  I was truly amazed by my pace until that last hill going into La Plata - I was really out of gas.  But I ended up with 15.8 mph average for 56 miles.

Also I convinced one of my friends to sign up for a century on August 11.  So that's my next big target except that I want to do an overnighter at the end of July.

Engergy Drinks:  I have been using gatorade to give me an energy boost and help reduce cramping.  But I got through the whole ride without touching the gatorade bottle today.  I do pretty well with Quaker Oats Granola bars and water with a couple of minutes rest to check the cue sheet.

Jane, it sounds like Christopher might enjoy some field guides, if he doesn't have them already. For me, looking at birds and other animals is an incentive -- a big incentive -- for riding. A good ride is generally one in which I saw cool things. :-) One of the reasons I'm slow on the trail is because I'm looking at everything; I'd miss the turtles sunning themselves on a log, the Belted Kingfisher flying across the swamp, the doe and fawn in the woods if I were going fast!

(The other reason is ... just because I'm slow!)

~~~

My DH and I took a little ride before heading downtown for fireworks, just along the Paint Branch and Indian Spring trails. He also took a quick ride around Lake Artemsia; he likes to ride faster than I do, so uses a spin around the lake as a way to get some of his fast out.

The bonus was that we both burned enough calories to enjoy traditional 4th of July food and still have a deficit for the day. :-)

Good Morning to all!

Jane, Hi, sorry you missed the race, that few extra minutes in bed sure feels good though, LOL, except then you have to rush to get going.  Yes I plan on doing the Akron bike club ride on Sunday (weather permitting), I will roll by Arby's after to say HI! BTW, the Medina bike club has a ride on Sat. 14th called the ICE CREAM ODDESSY, it starts at Buckeye woods park. What time do you start wrk on SAT. you should bring your son down to see all the bikes, plus they have a nice paved trail there.

Gotta go for now, DAN

Can I still join? I'm Nikki

I bought a Fuji Finest back in March and can't stop riding!! Even though I end up going riding by myself most of the time I love every minute, mostly the mini-hill like things here in Cincinnati OH.  I would like to do a half-ironman triathlon, but I have cut way back on running since i bought my bike he he

I do have a question for you all though, can anyone explain why i have gained 7lbs since I started cycling?  I love riding but it kinda stinks I have to buy new pants b/c my old ones don't fit anymore :(

I was able to cycle without any pain yesterday! It must've just been the muscle getting used to the motion again. I rode for 15 minutes. After that, I began to fear for my life as everyone had fireworks and were aiming them around like drunken fools. In fact, from about 5 onward yesterday, the neighborhood sounded like Ft. McHenry being bombarded all over again. And fireworks are illegal in IL!

jc343, way to go! I am amazed that you didn't give up when realizing you couldn't use your lower gears. Did you figure out what happened?

athena_tavener, I am just like you. I have to be able to enjoy all the animals (except for the road kill). That is why I love those back roads with no traffic and lots of wildlife to see. I had my first encounter with a dog today. He didn't go after my legs but rather the wheel. I calmly got off my bike and talked to him. Turned out he was just a curious sweetheart with a big wagging tail. Yes, I will definitely use Christopher's love for animals and bugs to get him out there. I may have to bring some bug catching gear as he wants to bring everything home (my house is full of containers with spiders, fireflies and ants - plus of course the snake and a nasty spider as big as my hand; she is mean too). I am going to get Christopher out there again this afternoon if his darn allergies permits it.

Dan, I don't have to be at work until noon on Sunday so I will ride my bike up to the achievement center and meet you up there. What time does it start? Definitely stop by for some (free) grub after the ride. Saturdays are up in the air. I either start at noon or 5pm. What time does that ride start? I think the schedule for that week has already been posted so I will check.

So, how many bugs do you guys swallow on a normal ride, lol? I managed to chow down on quite a few today. Nothing like a little extra protein, I guess.

aovermy, same thing here yesterday with the fireworks. Glad to hear the muscles are better. It was probably just a wake up call for them.

Nikki, welcome! The weight gain may be because you cut back on your running. Are you riding as much as you used to run?

Jane

Jane, registration starts at 7:00 am and goes till 10:00, but the century riders have to be on the road by 8, so I will roll by the resturant after the ride and say hi, That way you don't have to drag your self down there quite that early.  The Ice cream ride on the 14th starts at 8 with all riders on the road by 9:30, they have a 62 mile 42 mile or 25 mile route. BTW eat bugs all the time, had one on a ride monday that must have been the size of a grape, yuck!!

ilovewater, welcome, yes you can join in the fun!! One of my wife's bikes is a fuji finest, very nice bike! Me(Dan) and autismjtm(jane) live in northern Ohio. Can't help with the weight gain, but are you eating to much to compensate for the riding? I find I do that a lot.

aovermy, good to hear the muscles are getting better. We have the same problem with boom booms here, illegal also but nothing is every done about it.

Looking a bad weather tonite so riding might have to wait till tomorrow, probally need the rest anyway.

DAN

jane, bugs are a special challenge for vegetarians. gnat swarms are the worst problem around here. Oh the guilt!

come heck or (more likely) high water, god as my witness, i will ride my bike tomorrow!! no miles ridden since sunday & i'm about to have a nervous breakdown. tomorrow it happens. 70% chance of rain or not!

Lol, carrihound, you will get soaked. As long as it doesn't start lightening you should be ok. I am that way too; if I don't get to ride I will panic - geez, talk about being hooked on bike riding. At least it is a healthy addiction.

Dan, I will look for you on Sunday.

OMG, I just ruined my whole day. I literally pigged out on a big plate of spaghetti. Now I feel guilty and I will have to go riding - in the rain. Ugh, there should be a little microchip called "willpower" that you could just plug into your brain. Oh well, too late now.

So which bugs are the tastiest. So far it is a toss up for me between a fly and some weird beetle, lol.

Jane

Dan/Jane- I am riding way more than I used to run, and still running every other day.  As far as eating too much, I'm not really sure.  My HRM says I burn about 1500 calories on a two hour ride (three times a week) there is NO WAY I am eating 2700 Calories. 

I went to spinning today, since its gross out, and the clip on the pedal broke, and i went flying off the front of the bike...yes, talk about embarassing...anyways I have a nice battle wound on the back of my calf : )  Let me tell you, it takes someone special to be able to do that!!

ilovewater, that must have been a sight. Are you ok?

Could you be gaining muscle mass? That can tip the scale quite a bit.

Jane

Glad to see that everyone is still here and another new member. I have been riding regular and often. Yesterday I went on another 75 mile group ride. I didn't do as well this time out. I was a little low on power. I think maybe the 150 miles of commuting before this ride caught up to me. I turn 40 tomorrow so I know I will be going on a little 40 miler after some B-day cake. Oh and I try not to chew on the bugs. Breaking their crispy little shell makes them tase bad. When possible I wash them down with a drink of water.

Happy riding 8-)

Happy birthday gmule!!  Ride on baby!!  DAN

Well gang, How's everyone doing?

 I have added our newest members to our little group and now we are up to 40, though to be honest some haven't been heard from in a long time.  I wonder where they go, all excited and enthusiaic and then they are gone? fickle lot aren't we?!

It never did rain tonite must have been the cycling gods way of telling me to take a day off.  We are suppose to have a beautiful weekend, except for the temp in the 90's.  Have about 300 miles of riding to do this weekend.

DAN

Gmule: Happy birthday! Live long and prosper! and may the Force be with you.

And a little Irish:
May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

ilovewater: It's hard to say about the weight gain.  I agree with Dan that the basic principle is your weight is controlled by the balance of calories consumed versus calories expended.  But sudden weight gains are usually due to something else -- water retention or something like that.  Has your diet changed since you have been riding your bike?  Do you know if your calorie expenditure has changed much since you started biking more and  running less? What is your per cent body fat?  Is it possible that you were maintaining a super low %BF and you are now developing a more normal %BF?

Jane: I completed the ride with bad gears mostly out of plain dumb stubborness.  Part of it is habit.  I do most of my riding by myself and my attitude is that I have to make it back somehow -- no matter what happens.  In this case, one of the other riders really wanted to adjust my derailleur cable, which turned out to be the problem.  But I think I had my mind made up -- I was going to complete the ride and fix the  problem when I got home.  Not one of my smarter decisions.

Dan: My chiropracter is very pleased with my progress.  I am too but not as pleased as I could be.  Amazingly, I was in pretty good shape this afternoon considering yesterday's ride.

Carrie: You are an inspiration but just remember that bike you are riding not only attracts gnats -- it makes a great lightening rod.  Of course, I plan to ride tomorrow unless a downpour greets me at 06:00.

Happy birthday gmule. I am right behind you on sep. 5th. I have to remember not to chew on those bugs, lol. Could you imagine chomping down on a stinkbug - ew!

jc343, that stubborn streak is what keeps us going. I do the riding by myself as well and my attitude is: "what am I going to do? Sit in the grass on the side of the road and daydream about my couch. Nope, there is only one way to do it and that is to pedal away". It must have been a tough one though. Hi five to you for doing it.

I countered my spaghetti feast with a ride up to work and back. When I slowed down at a stop light my foot slipped off the pedal and somehow I hurt my knee pretty bad. It is now popping like crazy so I am doing some home remedies so that I can get back out there tomorrow.

Jane

chain jumping: This used to drive me absolutely nuts. I bought an N-GEAR Jump Stop and that's the end of that. I highly recommend it (or any of the similar products) to avoid the inadvertent "suicide shift" that drops your chain onto your bottom bracket.

Hello everyone.  I haven't really posted here much since I joined the group, but I've been reading the posts from time to time.  Let me re-introduce myself.  My name is James and I live in Nebraska.  I ride a bicycle for comuting to work and for fun as well.  I've been riding about 100 miles a week or so.  It's 3 miles to work and I go home for lunch so that makes 12 miles a day comuting.  I try and get a few longer rides in during the week too.  Just this week there was a MS 150 ride that came through my town.  I wish I would have known about it, i might have participated.  There is another one commin up where you can sign up for 13, 35, or 50 miles.  35 or 50 would be just about perfect for me.  I have a fun bike story to share.  I just got a road bike from a friend.  It's a Schwinn World Sport and I think it is a 1989 model.  I put a few parts on it to make it rideable and It has been a nice bike.  It is quite a change from my mountain bike I was used to, but I kind of like changing from the same old thing once in a while.  Anyway, when I went over to his house to get it he asked me if I wanted to take an old late 70's or early 80's huffy 10 speed as well.  I figured why not, I could tinker on it and maybee use it for some parts.  Well, I took all the front derailleur off and just made it into a one speed bike.  I changed the handelbars from a drop style to an upright style I had laying around.  I took the front brake off, and replaced the rear brake cable with a spare one.  There was no saddle but I had an old one laying around so I used it.  When I was all done it looked kind of silly, but I took it for a spin anyway.  It was one of the most comfortable bikes I have ever rode.  I ended up riding it all evening around the neighborhood.  I let my wife ride it and she loves it.  Now maybe she will go riding with me!  Overall I invested $4.00 in it for a set of handelbar grips.  It is the best 4 dollar bike ever!

bubba,  $4 bike, I think you have the record for lowest cost bike so far, nice.

I have my first 10 speed that I ever bought down in my basement, I saved up money from my paper route and bought it, must have been in the late 60's. I have always wanted to rebuild it, but I'm not the most mechanical guy on the planet.  Maybe this winter I will give it a try.  Lots of memories in that bike.

reading all our bug stories, here is one that will make you think.  Two years ago I was riding a trail that was in a town we were visiting, some sections were kinda remote between towns and I was alone.  Well a bee flew into my mouth and stung the back of my throut, the pain was amazing, but all I could think about was what if It starts to swell!!  Luckily I'm not at all allergic to bug bites or stings so I ended up being all right, except for the pain.  I was around 5 miles from the nearest town at the time so all they would have found was me dead on the trail and no idea what happened. so not all bugs are just yuckey some do carry a bit of risk.

DAN

I also have swallowed my share of bugs.  I also use the water wash method, of course I only swallow them when they are stuck in the back of my throat. 

I can't top Dan's story of being stung in the throat but I did have a bug related injury this spring.  I was riding along a flat section of road and a bug of some sort slipped through my helmet onto my head.  I didn't give it much thought until a few minutes passed the bug started stinging/biting my head under my helmet.  I grabbed the brakes to stop as fast as possible and pulled over to the shoulder.  As I came to a stop, I let go of the brake with my right hand to losen my helmet since I was still being bitten/stung.  I wasn't quite completely stopped so when I let go of the rear brake I nearly went over the handle bars, I still had pressure on the front brake.  I caught my balance, got my hemlet off, and got rid of the bug.  However, I had unclipped my right leg and was putting it down to stop when I nearly when over the bars and as it turned out my big ring had hit the back of my leg and puntured my calf in three spots, nicely spaced and all in a row and all of them bleeding.  I've been overly cautious about bugs getting in my helmet ever since.