After last week's embarrassing ride, where I ran out of gas with 20 miles left to go, and had to walk up TWO hills, I decided to eschew the club ride scene and go it solo today. It would have had to be a later ride anyway, as I spent the morning as a bike course volunteer for the Kid's Triathlon at the Bell St Y. Btw, watching kids spin furiously by on trials bikes
, or lumber along on monster truck tired all terrain cycles 
was quite something. I offered to do a little talk next year on how the kids could get the bike they owned as prepared as possible to give them their best time. At least 50% of the bikes needed only a saddle height adjustment and more air in the tires, or gosh, some cheap skinny tires for race day.
Anyway, with the change of regime at Club Lite, the pace is a tad quicker than it used to be. I was in a comfy 13 - 15 (14.1 IS my average) mph groove, but the group stays up near 16 these days. Funny how just 1 or 2 mph matters. In 15 minutes, you've been dropped by 1/2 a mile, and you unconsciously work to get back up, and it tires me more than I care for. Yes, some of this is due to my current low carb diet, but some of it is just due to not having a great engine under the hood. It runs on both sides of my family, so it's just something to be dealt with. What might be best is just to post to see if anyone wants to do a "touring pace" (12 - 15 mph) ride of the same mileage as Club Lite, or even more. Perhaps others wish for something more in common time than the alla breve that the group does now. The promenade from Pictures at an Exhibition, not the Brandenburg Concertos if you know what I mean.
After last Saturday, I started to wonder if I could climb ANYTHING anymore, so today I went and did a longer version of my old standby ride around town. It was also a chance for the first ride on a recently received saddle (Selle An Atomica, laced)
I threw in Deer Trace with its short "wall" as well as some added miles elsewhere along the route. It was good to find that in all cases, I was able to pedal up the climbs and never felt particularly in distress. It was pretty warm out, and I did not charge up the hills at full bore, but never ran out of gas, nor felt any pains in my chest, etc. I least I fell that I rely on my legs to get me there.
The new saddle is pretty comfy for starters, but needs breaking in. It looks nice on the bike, almost a dead match for the color of the handlebar tape. I took off the canvas saddle bag this week and hand washed it in the sink, along with another one, and they came out very well. I have to re wax the cotton though if I want it to be water proof. I'm not sure that I care.
Sunday afternoon relaxer ride tomorrow. Clarence went and upgraded his ride from a rail trail machine to same year Trek 5200 that Becky bought out in Covington. I told him I'd help him dial in his fit, but he looked pretty good on it today at the Y (he was riding with the kids as a volunteer) I'll still be on something that I can pedal in sandals :)
Tailwinds
, or lumber along on monster truck tired all terrain cycles 
was quite something. I offered to do a little talk next year on how the kids could get the bike they owned as prepared as possible to give them their best time. At least 50% of the bikes needed only a saddle height adjustment and more air in the tires, or gosh, some cheap skinny tires for race day.
Anyway, with the change of regime at Club Lite, the pace is a tad quicker than it used to be. I was in a comfy 13 - 15 (14.1 IS my average) mph groove, but the group stays up near 16 these days. Funny how just 1 or 2 mph matters. In 15 minutes, you've been dropped by 1/2 a mile, and you unconsciously work to get back up, and it tires me more than I care for. Yes, some of this is due to my current low carb diet, but some of it is just due to not having a great engine under the hood. It runs on both sides of my family, so it's just something to be dealt with. What might be best is just to post to see if anyone wants to do a "touring pace" (12 - 15 mph) ride of the same mileage as Club Lite, or even more. Perhaps others wish for something more in common time than the alla breve that the group does now. The promenade from Pictures at an Exhibition, not the Brandenburg Concertos if you know what I mean.
After last Saturday, I started to wonder if I could climb ANYTHING anymore, so today I went and did a longer version of my old standby ride around town. It was also a chance for the first ride on a recently received saddle (Selle An Atomica, laced)
I threw in Deer Trace with its short "wall" as well as some added miles elsewhere along the route. It was good to find that in all cases, I was able to pedal up the climbs and never felt particularly in distress. It was pretty warm out, and I did not charge up the hills at full bore, but never ran out of gas, nor felt any pains in my chest, etc. I least I fell that I rely on my legs to get me there.
The new saddle is pretty comfy for starters, but needs breaking in. It looks nice on the bike, almost a dead match for the color of the handlebar tape. I took off the canvas saddle bag this week and hand washed it in the sink, along with another one, and they came out very well. I have to re wax the cotton though if I want it to be water proof. I'm not sure that I care.
Sunday afternoon relaxer ride tomorrow. Clarence went and upgraded his ride from a rail trail machine to same year Trek 5200 that Becky bought out in Covington. I told him I'd help him dial in his fit, but he looked pretty good on it today at the Y (he was riding with the kids as a volunteer) I'll still be on something that I can pedal in sandals :)
Tailwinds
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