http://www.bikeforums.net/ en Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:37:04 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.bikeforums.net/images/misc/rss.png http://www.bikeforums.net/ http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604833-rotor-size-for-clydesdale&goto=newpost Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:18:01 GMT I am putting together a surly km rigid and trying to decide on rotor size. Me 6'5" 300lb so i was thinking a little bigger 185mm . My mtb know is a 96 trek 930 that i changed into a 69er. ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) bigpaul652002 http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604833-rotor-size-for-clydesdale http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604827-A-Ride-In-The-Woods&goto=newpost Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:42:17 GMT This past Saturday, I spent a couple hours riding my favorite local mountain bike park. Only saw one other rider on the trail. i like it that way. I have a hard enough time getting along with myself. I love this time of year. Snakes are gone. Frost has gotten the poison ivy, and the air is... This past Saturday, I spent a couple hours riding my favorite local mountain bike park. Only saw one other rider on the trail. i like it that way. I have a hard enough time getting along with myself.

I love this time of year. Snakes are gone. Frost has gotten the poison ivy, and the air is crisp and dry.









]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) jboyd http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604827-A-Ride-In-The-Woods http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604761-Pics-from-the-early-morning-beach-ride&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:53:08 GMT Image: http://lh5.ggpht.com/_tNR3zcyU0UA/Swr2j_i70DI/AAAAAAAAAdM/1rXD6g7ZvCw/s800/IMG00541.jpg Image: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_tNR3zcyU0UA/Swr2j-elcSI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/LvYkp66fVAE/s800/IMG00543.jpg Image: http://lh5.ggpht.com/_tNR3zcyU0UA/Swr2j6_PiJI/AAAAAAAAAdU/tFHLo9qWrdk/s800/IMG00544.jpg Ponte...



Ponte Vedra Beach, FL ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Big Lug http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604761-Pics-from-the-early-morning-beach-ride http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604759-My-Saturday-ride-a-climbfest-with-pics&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:50:49 GMT So Saturday I set out to do a big ride. Well, a big ride for me. Too many times during the week because of lack of time, I am craving a long ride that really wears you out. I planned out my ride, and honestly it was probably a bit much, but each time I have done a ride like this it is a great sense... So Saturday I set out to do a big ride. Well, a big ride for me. Too many times during the week because of lack of time, I am craving a long ride that really wears you out. I planned out my ride, and honestly it was probably a bit much, but each time I have done a ride like this it is a great sense of accomplishment, and I can't wait to try something even more challenging.

I left my house at 7AM, it was pretty chilly for this area, high 40's. I put on a long sleeve base layer, jersey, arm warmers, full fingered gloves, and an ear band. It was a beautiful morning, a little foggy in the morning but cleared up to be bright and sunny.

This is just outside my neighborhood, cruising up Twin Oaks Valley Road. It goes through a golf course, is lined with trees and a nice smooth ride. I followed this a few miles to get out of town.



After about 4 miles, I turned to continue on Twin Oaks. This sign means this is going to be a nice curvy road, and that is usually because it is hilly. I can't believe I have been biking almost a year now and never took this road. There was little to no traffic at all, there were some rough spots but the scenery, turns and hills more than made up for it.





I continued on mostly back roads making my way to Palomar Mountain. A couple of the roads had heavy traffic, but I was only on them for a short distance. I got to Valley Center Road, and could see Palomar Mountain, my big goal off in the distance.
This was on a heavy traffic road, but there is a bike lane, and 2 lanes for traffic, so most cars take the left lane and don't pass too close. It's a crummy cell phone pic, but you can see the mountain off in the distance.



This was my route to get to Palomar Mountain. I rode about 2 miles from my house to my "starting point", so I had about 31 miles in the books when I got to where the official climb begins.



Next was the climb up Palomar Mountain on Rt 76, then South Grade Road. Rt 76 is nothing special, although it is a serious climb it looks like a normal back country road. Once you get on South Grade Road, you have about 7 miles of hill climbing paradise. This is looking back down the road after a turn.


This one is from the same spot, looking back down on the road already travelled.


Almost to the top!
]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) MrClyde http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604759-My-Saturday-ride-a-climbfest-with-pics http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604750-Doesn-t-anyone-ride-anyomore&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:04:34 GMT My riding partner and I went for a ride yesterday. It was a BEAUTIFUL day for it. No wind, cool temps, sun and shade. Perfect. Did a 77 mile loop from Ventura to Simi Valley via Moorpark and then through Camarillo/Oxnard on the way back. The whole time we only saw 6 other cyclists. I mean... My riding partner and I went for a ride yesterday. It was a BEAUTIFUL day for it. No wind, cool temps, sun and shade. Perfect.

Did a 77 mile loop from Ventura to Simi Valley via Moorpark and then through Camarillo/Oxnard on the way back. The whole time we only saw 6 other cyclists. I mean what up with that? Gorgeous day and only 6 other riders on a route that connects 7 cities on roads that are cycling mecca?

And this isn't unusual. We normally see only a few other riders (less than 5) when we are out. And our rides last 5-7 hours.

Where is everyone? ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Rob P. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604750-Doesn-t-anyone-ride-anyomore http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604748-Giganto-stem-and-handlebars-inquiry-for-6-8-guy&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:51:28 GMT Hello again, all--

I recently got my hands on a nice 63cm Cannondale CAAD8. I went this route because I'm down over 100 pounds to about 330-ish, and thought it would be fun to use my newfound bike fitness on something slightly faster than what I had; it's time to leave the trusty ol' Rans Stratus in the garage for a while. The CAAD8 is all fine and dandy, except I suspect the stem and the handlebars could be changed to better fit my body.

You see, I'm 6'8", but only have a 93cm (36.6") inseam, i.e., I'm mostly torso. My arms are about 38" long; not monkey long, but still pretty long. So, I suspect I'll probably want to use a 150mm stem (stock on this is 110mm, I think). Do they even make those anywhere anymore? Also, I have very wide shoulders (31" straight along my back from humeral head to humeral head), so the 42cm handlebars that come with it could stand to be much, much wider, right? What are the widest handlebars out there?

Any help is welcome. Thanks so much! ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) boss_hogg01 http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604748-Giganto-stem-and-handlebars-inquiry-for-6-8-guy http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604732-A-Bad-News-Good-News-report&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:01:33 GMT Bad News: I am out of holes on my belt, I can't tighten it any further.

Good news: I am out of holes on my belt, I can't tighten it any further!

Bad News: I'm stuck between 212-215. I wanted to be south of 210 for the Thanksgiving trip to Phoenix.

Good News: All my current clothes at baggy and make me look even more "Svelt."

Bad News: All this riding made my hamstring complain.

Good News: When I grabbed the back of my leg, I thought I was grabbing someone else's leg.

Bad News: I'm still a Clyde's!

Good News: I'm still a Clyde's. It is a great encouraging crowd of wheel spinners. Happy Thanksgiving! ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Daspydyr http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604732-A-Bad-News-Good-News-report http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604728-Sumtimes-You-Gotta-Put-a-Rider-in-His-Place-not-4-testosterone-sensitive-readers&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:47:06 GMT Sometimes you meet another rider that just needs some punishment. I've encounter this other guy so many times onthe trail. Cool, I have nothing against anyone's style of riding till they aggressively attack me verbally during conversation. I've encounter this dude for bearly a year at rest stops, on the bike. What gts me is EVERYTIME I see the rider, he is sure to change course and take our wheel, Gina's included. If we are headed into the wind towards the coast, he jumps on. Sometimes he's 5 miles out at a park on the phone but when he sees us, he's sure to jump on. Chatting with buds at the beach stop, the conversation always gets directed towards the rider stating "everybody I meet drafts me caue I'm a stronger rider". I listen and laugh as the rider only does 10-15 miles max! Again, no big deal with the style but the rider is constantly challenging me and others to a 5 mile timetrial. Several times I've alaughed and asked "why would I want to race you in a time trial when I have done 40 miles so far today, plus put in 5000-70000, maybe even 10,000 ft of climbing the previous day knowing that you are only riding 10 miles?". So he goes on and on about how he dropped some other rider the day before. So I tell him,"I'll tell you what, let me know ahead of time, I will bring my stiffer more responsive bike with the race tires rather than this big fat Armadillo 25 that I use on this bike, and I'll do a 5 mile timetrial with you into the wind". Then I remind him that never have I seen the guy push hard against the wind, always with a taill wind making claims of pushing 25 mph. So as always we head back inland and the rider jumps our wheels for his retrun 5 mile trip. As we approach a 30 yard descent (somewhat of a ramp) he says "lets see how fast you can get going down this hill!" I say,"you've got to be kidding, this isn't a hill, why woud I waste my time?". Then I expalin to him, it;s not a hill, it's a bump. "If you want hills and climbs, ride with me in the mountains, youwill get more of a thrill out of descending those hills at 45 mph rather than this bump at 25". So afer we drop down the hill the guy returns to take our wheels. Not long after he sprints around on his aerobars and shouts, "C'mon, let's go!". WTF! I don;t even bother as my day is out setting a good 50 mile pace with Gina. Week after week, samething with this rider.

So Sunday, after 35 miles, we ride by the park and sure enough, he's there on the phone. Throws the phone down and races up to take our wheels. 5 miles to the end of the trail where we stop to rest a the beach andmeet up with friends. So like always he sucks our wheels for a couple miles but this day is a little different. He actually sprinted around on his aerobars and headed off into the wind. With a chuckle, I ask Gina how she feels ans she rplies with "fine". I pick up the pace just a little, maybe 19 mph knowing we have 3 miles to the end of the trail. SO I watch the guy work his arse of and he's doing rpetty good but still , not good enough!:D. I keep the same pace and watch the guy crumble into the wind. As we close the gap, without trying too hard, I back off in an attempt to avoid taking the front. I stay about 20 yards behind him but he sees us there and signals that he's puling over. WTF! I know what he's doing. Sure enough we roll by and he takes our wheels. He stays there the entire time but with about one mile to go, I know his plan, he's going to wait till we near the end then sprint around. Well the guy had a hard time maintaining 18 into the wind on his aerobars so I ask Gina if she's still ok. She says yes so I lift the pace to 20 for the final mile. 20 doesn't sound like much but into the coastal headwind, many riders are doing 15 on this section of the trail. Pushing pretty good so I keep my eye on Gina making sure she stays on. Well that and watching the other rider from the corner of my eye hahaha! Sure enough he moves to the side an begins to make his move. I gotcha! SO I look back at him with a smile then lift the pace. I tell Gina "let's go!" knowing the guy is out in the wind. I lift the pace to 26 mph (into the wind). I know Gina's going all out and prolly dying but she knows how I feel about the rider's weekly rants so she gives it her all! Sure enough the guy gives it his all but gets dropped. Yeah Baby!

We pull up to the rest stop and the guy doubles over his bike sweating like a muthah and panting like a dog. My heart is racing but I play it of and I don't sweat much so I walk over to the guy and asked "what happened?". The guy can't respond, bwahahaha! Finally he somewhat catches his breath and says "wow, I couldn't keep up". So I asked the guy how many miles he has put in for the day and he says, as usual 5. I asked for the sole purpose of getting the story straight. So I tell the guy he was doing pretty good there for a bit when he headed off alone into he wind. Then I said, "wow, after having 40 miles in our legs, I didn't think we would catch you, you were doign so good". SO the guy is still doubled over and leaking like a water faucet but manages a few more words, "I just did it as a workout, I wasn't trying to race you". So I tell the guy that he did good but asked why he would draft us then attack from the back. He said he was just getting ina good workout so I said,"well a better workout would have beentaking the lead then attacking from the front" as I giggled some just to let the guy know I was feleing fine and refreshed.

SO as the guy stood there doubled over his bike dripping like a leaky water faucet, I said to him, "but still, let me know when you want me to put aside a day for you so we can race the 5 mile timetrial".

I've asked the guy to join us on 40-50 milers and/or moutnain climbs but he says his physical muscular genetic makeup is for short hard all out sprints and not for long endurance type rides. I always say to the guy,"oh, and my 235 lbs is?". Well the guy changed the subject to his need for a new seat, a new timetrial style seat. So I told the guy I'd send him the links to some of the timetrial seats offered online. I told him that maybe he'd pick up one or two mile increase in speed wih a new timetrial saddle. He thought I was serious!:D

I rarely try to embarrass riders but sometimes you gotta let them know why you dont waste your time accepting their "wanna race me?" offers!:p ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Mr. Beanz http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604728-Sumtimes-You-Gotta-Put-a-Rider-in-His-Place-not-4-testosterone-sensitive-readers http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604727-You-re-favorite-thing-to-do-on-a-bike&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:44:22 GMT With the diverse group here, I though it would be interesting to know what your're favorite riding style is. Out their do you like to:

Spin.

Roll a big gear seated.

Climb seated.

Climb standing.

??

Just curious, there are a lot of different folks out their.

Me, I'll go with climbing while standing. Whats you're favorite. ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Go dog Go http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604727-You-re-favorite-thing-to-do-on-a-bike http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604674-need-help-with-rear-wheel&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:26:16 GMT So I've broken 2 spokes in the last 115-130 miles or so both were rear drive side.

I'm around 250# the wheel is a formula 24 spoke with about 1500 miles, these are the stock wheels on the bike

So I take it to the shop to get it fixed and ask if there is any thing that can be done to help prevent this from happening again. He said that the wheel might be on its last leg. I would think that I could get more miles out of this set before replacing. The first 1400 miles I didn't have any problems other than having it trued after the first 500 miles. Do you guys think that there is anything that can be done to get some more miles out of the wheel?

Thanks,

Matt ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) divecon2k4 http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604674-need-help-with-rear-wheel http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604619-Ride-pics&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:16:46 GMT These are from my 86 mile ride. I started at the Arkansas/Oklahoma border and rode back home. 5am a friend dropped me off. Image: http://i236.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/cyclearkansas/bike/Ft%20smith/100_1730.jpg Fort Chaffee. Elvis went to boot camp here. We had the cuban rufugees in 1980,... These are from my 86 mile ride. I started at the Arkansas/Oklahoma border and rode back home.
5am a friend dropped me off.

Fort Chaffee. Elvis went to boot camp here. We had the cuban rufugees in 1980, and Biloxi Blues was filmed here.
You can tell it started out foggy. The traffic around chaffee was bad as well. No shoulder, fog and road construction.:twitchy:


Bombing range at the back of Chaffee. The red flag means the range is hot, but I didn't get to see any jets.

My bike finally feels at home. I have a Roubaix.:D
]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) b_young http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604619-Ride-pics http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604615-Sunday-recovery-ride-tour-of-DC-with-my-best-girl&goto=newpost Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:57:48 GMT Had a nice work out with the guys on Saturday and decided to take it easy and enjoy the scenery today. Really nice day in DC on the Mt. Vernon trail and ridin around downtown. Good to slow down and enjoy the ride sometimes I thinks. At the WWII memorial -- photo by a friendly German tourist... Had a nice work out with the guys on Saturday and decided to take it easy and enjoy the scenery today. Really nice day in DC on the Mt. Vernon trail and ridin around downtown. Good to slow down and enjoy the ride sometimes I thinks.

At the WWII memorial -- photo by a friendly German tourist (just realized the beauty of that)


My normal sized wife


Me, a GIANT, poised to bring down the Washington monument
]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Herbie53 http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604615-Sunday-recovery-ride-tour-of-DC-with-my-best-girl http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604572-Yoga-and-the-clyde&goto=newpost Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:01:14 GMT This past Wednesday after numerous invites from a friend I tried yoga. WOW I have no core!!!!! The whole experience was intimidating at first, but great once I got going. It was very relaxing and refreshing. The worst part though were poses exercises what ever you want to call them that took a lot... This past Wednesday after numerous invites from a friend I tried yoga. WOW I have no core!!!!! The whole experience was intimidating at first, but great once I got going. It was very relaxing and refreshing. The worst part though were poses exercises what ever you want to call them that took a lot of my core muscles. Broke a real sweat on those. After all was said and done I felt like jello but really good. The next morning I still felt good until I streched in my stomach OUCH!!!!!! pain but I guess what you would call a good pain.

In all I am going back this coming Wednesday. I highly recommend anyone try yoga atleast one time. It is different fromanything I have ever done and I like it!!!!

Chris ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) cdry http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604572-Yoga-and-the-clyde http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604520-On-Location&goto=newpost Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:04:56 GMT Anyone ever ride on the filming 'location' for a movie? I have two films I need to see this winter because I've ridden my bike over places that appear in the film:

The Road - this end of civilization film uses abandoned tunnels on a former route of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I, Bautieri, Neilfein, JAGraham, and other posters rode through them in May.



Film trailer:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/...id=23762108001

Lovely Bones - a December release, this film was shot in nearby Royersford, on Main Street. The town was chosen because it still looks very much as it did in the 1970s. For some reason I don't have a single photo of Main Street in Rofo, but I have the same road in Spring City across the river.



Anyone else ride through a site where they shot a film? ]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) The Historian http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604520-On-Location http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604483-Fall-Comes-to-French-Creek&goto=newpost Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:07:24 GMT Image: http://lh3.ggpht.com/_l92fsIHYK-s/Swkeofu8tsI/AAAAAAAAB9c/QDarco_qnQA/s800/100_6713.jpg Fall came early to French Creek this year. The leaves began to turn back in mid-September, about a week earlier than past years. All along the 22 mile course of the creek the trees were aglow with...

Fall came early to French Creek this year. The leaves began to turn back in mid-September, about a week earlier than past years. All along the 22 mile course of the creek the trees were aglow with yellow, red, green, and brown.





The peak of the color is mid-October. However, the French Creek valley is ablaze for a couple of weeks on either side, so folks can enjoy a month of color. By early November, however, the greens are replaced with yellow and brown on the few leaves remaining.







The masses of brown still look attractive on the hillsides around the creek.







But two weeks later, the pageant of fall is gone. "When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang/ Upon those boughs which shake against the cold,/Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang."

And Fall leaves French Creek.

]]> Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) The Historian http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?604483-Fall-Comes-to-French-Creek