The Cyclist's Thread!

[Photoho]

I must have been watching golf I meant folks

[OzzyBuckeyeBluechip]

High temps of 58 and 63 degrees this weekend. Looks like I'll be starting my rides around noon! Mornings look brisk!

When I lived in Ohio, I would have a temperature limit of 20 degrees for training in winter. Anything lower and your lungs pay the price! (and toes...)

[MountainNut]

I'm not quite ready to ride in 20F temps just yet, but have been riding alot at NIGHT in 50-60F conditions. Alot colder when you factor in the extreme cooling with the (initial) sweaty shirt and cycling shorts, and the 20-25 mph (bikespeed) wind on your body as you're riding. Even colder, like tonite, when it's blowing 10-20 mph (from the north) when you're actually riding INTO that wind! Feels like a still temp of 30F in Mammoth to me.

But man, does it (the cold) ever speed up your metabolism. Unlike the Summer heat, which suppresses it for me..

My tires have really been put to the test lately, with all the crap I hear getting shot out from under the rubber as I roll over it. Crunching sounds of sharp rocks and glass and pieces of metal & wire. Gatorskins are holding up well with the 70g liners also. Front tire has 350g rubber/liner and rear has 370g rubber/& liner. Feels alot slower (esp uphill), but that's the price I guess I have to pay for not flatting like before..

(52.1 windy miles tonite, starting from 2:30 PM onward. Wonder when my batteries will quit..)

[MountainNut]

Doggone potholes...

Hit a good-sized one tonite when I turned my head-lamp to look at some corralled horses and hit that hole just then. Thought for sure it was a pinch-flat scenario, but must have gotten real lucky as I rode for another half-hour before pulling into the driveway. Tire pressure felt normal right before I went inside. Must have been saved by the 110 psi upon impact? Or so I have heard from others with similar results..

Am I the only one here who rides at night (willingly, as a non-commuter, that is)? Just seems so much less traffic, alot quieter, relaxed, and the whole conparative sensation of speed feels higher at night. Can't override the headlight and helmet light, if safety (or flat tires) is a genuine concern. It was about 60F out there and wearing only a cycling shirt I was comfortable, but could feel an increasing windchill around 8 PM. At least it isn't damp and/or humid just yet..

(My most-ever tonite in darkness-riding, at 31.4 miles)

I plan to ride 60 miles one night in the next month or so. Your eyes have to be pretty attentive to the road and the hazards that are alot harder to see in the dark (non-moonlit) night.

[Biker395]

I ride a LOT at night. Mostly commuting, but those double centuries and other ultra rides pretty much require doing some riding in the dark.

Statistically, it's more dangerous than riding in the day time. But I think those statistics are skewed by people who aren't properly illuminated or reflectorized (and there are many of them). You might remember that while training for the 508 back in 2009, I came upon a father and son hit by a drunk driver on PCH at about 2AM.

People who don't know better lambasted them for being so foolish as to be riding their bikes at that time of night. But the truth is, at that time of night, there are almost no cars whatsoever, and the ones that are out there can be watched pretty closely, one by one, if you have a rear view mirror (and you should).

And there is nothing like riding along PCH late at night. You can hear the waves breaking. See the constellations in the southern sky. It's really kind of sublime.

The one danger I might warn you of is to take great care if you are riding with someone else who also has a strong light. If they are behind you, chances are you CAN'T see behind you very well at all. I had a good friend killed on a bike (again, by a probable drunk) and I think that is why he couldn't take evasive action ... he couldn't see behind him because there were other cyclists with headlights behind him.

What are you using for a headlight? There are some great ones out there and pretty doggone cheap!

[MountainNut]

Right now I'm using some nameless little click-on gadget-light that has a wrap-around rubber attachment, but doesn't provide all that many lumens of lighting. So I also use a dual-battery headlamp on my helmet, which is alot brighter (up to a 12'-14' forward shine-area). Between the 2 of them shining back-to-back to each other, I've been getting by. I want to get something brighter tho with AA batteries. I also use a AA flashlight with a few tiewraps for night riding on the mt bike. Works great and cost $5! Fortunately, there are streetlights on my normal route so it isn't seriously dark for long stretches of riding. But road debris is always a concern of course.

Any cycling light recommendations?

I plan on doing alot more riding at nite, even if it means full gloves, and 2 long-sleeves and a windbreaker (or heavier) on. With full-length cycling tights..

Maybe alternate a few nights with running. Rode only 22 mi tonite and took it real easy!

I'm impressed that you would go out as late as you do. Riding at 2 AM??? I think my preference-limit is prolly around 10 PM. When I was in HS I would often ride from 2-5 AM tho, if I had just gotten off work and was still all wound up from the caffeine..

[MountainNut]

69 mph down Tioga on Hwy 120 toward Mo-Mart, no pedals and no engine

[Biker395]

69 mph down Tioga on Hwy 120 toward Mo-Mart, no pedals and no engine

Whoa! As crazy as that sounds, that's almost typical for people on tandems. They regularly go 60+ MPH on extended downhills. Me? I don't have the guts to do that on a vehicle with contact patches the size of a dime. Here's a shot of me on a typical descent:



It's really getting kinda ridiculous. I am seriously almost always the last one to the bottom of a descent.

I don't have any particular light recommendations, but there are a lot of good ones cheap. A couple of years ago, a company called MagicShine sold a 700 lumen light that cost only about $80. It was a widely-sold Chinese knockoff of a rather expensive light by another manufacturer. They seemed too good to be true, and for many, they were. There were charger/battery issues that involved the risk of fire. I bought one and had no problems, though.

Payback being what it is, the knockoff-er later became the knockoff-ee, and other started selling the same light for even less ... about $40, including a head mount, bike mount and even a rear light. Here is one example:

http://www.amazon.com/1600l-Ultrabright ... ycle+light

I can't vouch for the serviceability of the light, but for $40, it may be worth a try.

I also have an older version of this light:

http://www.exposurelights.com/product/0 ... Ly-t_Vs6WY

As you can see, much more expensive. But 100% reliable and durable (necessary when you're out there on your own at 2AM). A friend of mine actually had her light run over by a car, and it barely left a mark. Mine will go over 24 hours on the low setting (which is more than enough to see at normal speeds), which is pretty sweet.

I also ride with this on my helmet:

http://www.princetontec.com/eos-bike

There are brighter LED lights out there than this one, but it's very durable and does the trick. It is bright enough to be a reasonable backup, and takes AAA batteries, so you can carry or purchase extra batteries if need be.

[MountainNut]

Thanks for all that info, biker. I will compare the different lights with their illuminating-capabilities before I buy a new light.

Hey, I'm a chicken too when it comes to high-speed descents, that is. Too many bad experiences for me on 250cc dirt bikes, crotch-rocket RZ350 YPVS 2 stokes, and even mt bikes to get me to overcome some valid concerns about high-speed wobbles and the like. I know what it's like to high-side at over 50 mph (and go on 6 mos of disability). Very very scary moment and consequence..

Better to be last down the mountain than to not come down to meet the gang on yer own 2 wheels at all.

[Biker395]

You've got that right.

Unfortunately, that point was driven home last Xgiving.

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2012/nov/26/ ... ter-crash/

Skyler is one of my cousin's grandkids.

[suzychapstick]

Dinotte. Buy nothing but this for the back of your bike. Nothing even compares to Dinotte rear lights. Front light best I have seen Baja Designs-both rechargeable and STRONG. The Dinotte are required for RAAM. If they use them then you know they are the best. Trust me during the day that rear light will blind you!!!

[Biker395]

^ True dat. Dinotte lights are not cheap, but they are very bright and very well made ... especially that rear light. Real popular in the double century circuit.

My stock answer when people ask me why I have no problem spending $300 or more on bicycle lights:

"Because it's cheaper than physical therapy."

[M2M]

hey biker - did baldy yesterday - up the frondside and out and back on eastfork -
8 segments pr's on strava - now,, I'm half as fast as you !

[Biker395]

You gotta be kidding. I'm s-l-o-w!

BTW, I call BS without pix. Hehe.

[M2M]

I know,, you don't keep tract but - 3 more PR's and 12+ 2nd's yesterday - fun day on baldy !!!