Did you ride today?

[John Dorlon]

There is a forum (www.rbentonline.org) that I participate in for recumbent riders of North Texas (where I live).

They've got a 'did you ride today' thread that is pretty popular. I thought I'd try to start up something similar here.

So, yes, I rode today. It is CRAZY windy outside - sustained 20-25 mph winds from the south..gusting up to a lot! Usually on the downhills of my ride, I'll max out around 30. Today I made it to 43mph going down one hill (wind at my back!) and 40 down another. My riding buddy has a power meter....when we had to turn around and come up those hills into the wind, he said he was cranking out 350 watts and moving only 7mph!

It was a lot of fun though. Maybe I am crazy but I enjoyed all that wind....except when it was a crosswind! I did NOT like the feeling of being shoved out into the road. I ride mostly on country roads with not much traffic, so cars aren't much of a concern (although I do keep a close watch my mirror - have a Zifal spy mirror and it's the best mirror I've ever had).

Anyway, my ride data is here:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/ac33/f44f/4d28/b19a/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20121110-0748.kml

Hopefully the link will be valid for a while.

This is from Cyclemeter (an iPhone app). This is a great app.

I hope to see the rides of others.

-John
(Riding a Silvio)

 

[kenhardwick]

Twice....most single day on my Silvio...

Great ride John....

Woke up early as usual...it was warm (62) and windy (same wind here in Oklahoma as John had in Texas).
So, got out and cruz'd around Norman on my Silvio for 16 miles...
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/241996562

Then put on some dry clothes...drove 35 miles to ride with Saturday morning group...due to the strong south wind...we decided to take a mostly E-W route...another 23 miles..
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/241996550

Time to watch some SOONER football....

 

[MrSteve]

Usual Route,

-quicker than usual ride!
My usual average speed is between 16 and 17 miles per hour.

Perfect riding conditions, for me:
70 degrees F. with no wind.

21.5 miles of rolling country roads at an average speed
of 18.4 miles per hour.

Passed two single D.F. riders on a flat, level section of road.
They were not trying very hard.
I was.



-Steve

 

[Charles.Plager]

(I don't know if that is

http://connect.garmin.com:80/activity/embed/242080509


(I don't know if that is going to show up or not. I got out for a nice 22 miler today while the kids were taking a nap. Tomorrow, they come with me.

 

[John Dorlon]

thanks!

Thanks for sharing! Keep 'em coming!

Steve - Man, I LOVE to chase down DF's. They're targets for me - the more expensive, the better. I don't always catch them but it's fun when I do. I flew by a guy on a Cervelo today, that was great. He caught up with me a little later and the first words out of his mouth were "fast bike". Yes it is, Cervelo rider, yes it is.

Ken - were your clothes wet with sweat or did you get rained on? We had some clouds swirling around here in Texas today, but they never let loose.

Ken and Charles - Those Garmins sure do make nice presentations of ride data.

-John

 

[kenhardwick]

Wet Clothes


"Ken - were your clothes wet with sweat or did you get rained on? We had some clouds swirling around here in Texas today, but they never let loose."

Just from sweat...had wore two long sleave shirts plus have been wearing padded bib shorts underneath my recumbent shorts...so was a little on warm side since it was 60+ F

Clouds were of a similar nature here in Oklahoma yesterday.

Unfortunately, currently raining this morning...otherwise would have been out getting in a early moring ride..

 

[NeilJ]

Sunday ride

First Sunday ride this morning in a fortnight, a 26 miler. 2 C but the sunniest, calmest day in weeks over here in the UK.

It was my first ride with new Q rings on my Silvio. I don't know if it was because of these rings or my first ride in a couple of weeks or because I was on my own, probably a combination of the three, I found it hard going but enjoyable.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/152760313

 

[BobD]

Ride #2 on my V2/K

Just got back from my second ride on my V2/K. I took John's advice and placed some restraints on my expectations for riding. Instead of going to the resevoir path, I headed back to the U of CT School of Social Work parking lot....a short walk from my home. Took along my Garmin, and was shocked to have discovered that I rode 7 miles of training.

Learning how to ride this bike is fascinating.....and enjoyable.

Amazing how much one can forget in a day....body memories can be slow to evolve. I went back to basics...turns, glides....riding with one hand for awhile.....stuff like that. Slowly but surely all that I knew seemed to return. Without thinking about it, after about 30 minutes.....my comfort level returned as well.

However, I continued to have trouble starting by pedaling. I discovered that by using one hand on the handlebar to start, it seemed easier to maintain a straight line of travel.

I rode about an hour, and look forward to heading out tomorrow. Between my enthusiasm for wanting to integrate these skills into my unconscious AND the Spring weather we are experiencing this weekend in CT (very rare).....tis hard to hold myself back.

Enjoy...
Bob

 

[randyspann]

Yes, WE did - the Wife and I

- Karen, my wife's first ride! I took her to a large parking lot and unloaded the bikes. I had forgotten to take off her seat cushions, and the back cushion had blown off. So off I went back-tracing til I found the cushion. I was back in maybe five minutes and to my surprise, She was riding the softrider for the first time! And she was riding well (much better than my first couple of hours on the Silvio). The parking lot is quite large and loops around a high school, so we rode around for a couple of hours. There's a truck loading area with an incline and she could even climb up that. The best part, smiles all around, she's hooked.

Now we have "His and Hers"

 

[Kim Tolhurst_2]

how exciting

way to go,

Kim

 

[kenhardwick]

Great news from Bob and Randy

Sounds like we have two new converts with sucessfull "first" rides this weekend.

 

[Eric Winn]

OK not on a Cruzbike (yet)

OK not on a Cruzbike (yet) but I'm trying to baseline enough data to be able to get a good comparison of me on an ancient Diamondback vs me on a Vendetta. I've also recently added Wahoo Blue HR and SC sensors.

Very windy today but tried a new ride partly around the GM Proving Grounds (test track) into Milford MUPs and then back through the MUPs in Kensington Metro Park around the east and south side of Kent Lake. About 27 miles.

@John - I use Cyclemeter too and really love it. It is easy to upload to RWGPS and I like how it displays with the additional sensor data:

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1014690

-Eric

 

[Charles.Plager]

Hi,
@Randy: Fantastic.
I got

Hi,

@Randy: Fantastic.

I got out again today. This time I was pulling my big monkey on her trail-a-bike while my friend was pulling my little monkey in the trailer. We went just over 8 miles, but as it was my friends first time pulling a trailer, we did quite well.

The weather here in Connecticut (as Bob has pointed out) has been nuts. This week, we had Fall, Winter, and Spring (which made a nice title for this blog entry ).

Cheers,
Charles

 

[Charles.Plager]

@Bob: Nice going.
Two things

@Bob: Nice going.

Two things that I think help:

1) If you feel like things are going south, take your feet off of the pedals. This makes a big difference very quickly and allows you to regain control.

2) Once your past the point where you don't need to do (1) anymore, clipping in to the pedals gives you a lot more control over the bike.

@Ken: Are you clipping into the Silvio? If not, when you are ready to, you will find that this helps a lot for the decents. In my experience, this made a huge difference as far as what I was comfortable doing. I barely broke 25 mph before and I've hit 42 mph while being clipped in (it was a brilliant long straight wide empty down hill).

Cheers,
Charles

 

[kenhardwick]

Clipping into the Silvio?

Hi Charles...
Yes, I began using my SPD shoes fairly quickly after beginning to ride the Silvio. And, for sure, would agree that being "clipped" one would have more control of the bike.

 

[John Dorlon]

Eric -  Thanks for the RWGPS

Eric - Thanks for the RWGPS tip. As I was zooming out on your route map, I realized that you were in Michigan. Brrr!!! Ancient Diamondback to a Vendetta? That's like going from a Jeep to a Ferrari! Apples and Oranges.

Randy - Congrats on getting the wife out for a ride. I've been unsuccessful in that regard.

-John

 

[John Dorlon]

Eric -  Thanks for the RWGPS

Eric - Thanks for the RWGPS tip. As I was zooming out on your route map, I realized that you were in Michigan. Brrr!!! Ancient Diamondback to a Vendetta? That's like going from a Jeep to a Ferrari! Apples and Oranges.

Randy - Congrats on getting the wife out for a ride. I've been unsuccessful in that regard.

-John

 

[psychling]

DF v Vendetta

" Ancient Diamondback to a Vendetta? That's like going from a Jeep to a Ferrari! Apples and Oranges."

Couldn't agree more.

 

[BobD]

Congrats Randy...

John- great idea having a daily ride Post. btw: Have enjoyed your rBent Forum. It is amazing how many bents you have in TX. They are scarce in CT

Randy- that is great.....enjoy together!!
I got an ER LWB for my wife about 6 wks ago....took about a year of suggesting how much more comfortable riding can be on a recumbent.

Charles- appreciate the tips. Yup....taking the feet off of the pedals works every time. I can sense how clipping in will help loads to get a smoother rotation. Although my eggbeaters are easy to exit from....will wait a bit.

Bob

 

[Eric Winn]

Patiently waiting to go from apples to oranges

@John and Dan,

Yeah, it is a big change but after test riding a Silvio and pondering briefly about being slightly more than 1/2 way to 100 I decided I liked the Vendetta better and didn't feel like taking the time do the "follow the less expensive and then upgrade to more expensive route later if I really like it" scenario so I ordered one.

So for now I am patiently suffering on my old DF (or my Mobiky) until John is happy with the new V and mine finally ships.

BTW, I am contemplating trying either the Feb 2013 Bike Sebring 12hr or perhaps the Mar 2013 Texas Cycling Challenge 200 in Austin. I will definitely be signing up for the 2013 Michigan National 24 hour challenge in June. Anyone else considering any of these? Dan?


-Eric