Could you guys make a used/budget-y suggestion for a bike? So I could get a feel for it before going all XIDA on one?

Being in the gym is boring as hell.

 

Buy a cheap used bike, ride it to the ground.
See if you like it that way.

Should be able to find something for 2-300 that you won't need to replace parts on to ride.

 

lol @ the triathlete work crew trolling the newb cyclists in the office, trying to convince the news to get tri-bikes instead of road bikes. lol

 

Cheap **** on Craigslist until you have ~$1500 for a CAAD10 or something more expensive.

 

+1

 

Damn. I thought I had this sexy beast sold. Guy came and rode it last night and said he'd be back with cash tonight. He didn't show, I texted him, he responded that he found some other shitty bike that he liked better.

WTF.

 

took the carbon bike for a ride with the levers on... though it was really dark and i dont have a light/reflectors.

two observations:
1. holy hell carbon is smooth. unbelievably smooth. I cant imagine how much the frame twists. it feels stiff with inputs, both turning and power but the bumps are soooo smooth.

2. clipless shoes are unreal. first experience with them ever... so much more power to be had even compared to a toe clip.

This is going to be a fast bike, nothing to blame but myself now.

 

1) Yes. The ability to lay up the carbon for flex vs stiffness and fewer limits to tube shapes and wall thickness, coupled with CAD software; carbon fiber frames are amazing.

2) Let us know when you take your first parking lot / stop sign fall. Maybe coming from clips (if with straps) it won't happen to you, but it has happened to about everyone I know. Fortunately, rolling over from a dead stop usually results in no damage.

Coming from toe clips, at least you know why it is we "clip" into "clipless" pedals.

 

I haven't ever met anybody who has successfully adopted clipless pedals without falling over at least once.

I'm hoping the rain this weekend ends winter enough here so I can get out and ride. It's been cold and gross, with salt water from melting snowbanks running across the roads everywhere, and frost heaves that would probably eat my entire bike. I'm itching to get out, but it's not worth breaking my bike for.

 

I adopted clipless without falling over. I am apparently the only person to ever do it, though. I just focused on that and only that at stoplights until it was a habit.

 

You don't own a mountain bike.

 

I only fell once but it was classic MTB first-time on clipless.

Was grinding up a steep incline, hit some obstacle that brought me to basically a standstill, and hit that moment when I realized I need to bail and put a foot down....and then I couldn't. No forward momentum at all, just flopped over on my side.

 

would have fallen, but I was looking at the pedals clip in while I was standing beside my wifes car. just put a shoulder into it while I tipped about 5 degrees over that side. (no real weight into the car... no damage)

I didn't want to kick my foot out because I would have kicked the car. LOL


first time clipping in I couldn't find the second foot, so I was riding around for a minute with 1 leg.

 

Planned ride for tonight. Dropping wife off at work @ 630, home and presumably ready to ride at 7.... gotta smash out the ride I planned or I will be riding home in the dark. Sunset 745 tonight, ride is ~38min long.

 

It appears that I'm riding in a thunderstorm tonight, lol.

 

So cold.
Looks like I need to invest in some ear protection.

Bike Ride Profile | Evening Ride. Strava y u stop recording mid ride? near Kingston | Times and Records | Strava

First ride outside since about October; first ride on the new superbike.







Strava stopped recording... presumably while i was waiting at a light. Can I modify the ride to include the milage? Its only like 1.5k, but still.

 

So I work with 2 avid cyclists (one road, one MTB) and I have mentioned several times that I have bikes and used to ride a lot and would like to start riding again. They still won't invite me on their regular rides. What am I doing wrong? Should I wear a jersey into the office? Leave a water bottle or Camelback in an obvious spot on my desk? Spritz myself with some Tri-Flow in the morning?

#ForeverAlone

 

As someone who was the biker in the office, it can be difficult to balance time on the bike with time in the office and each ride becomes a balancing act. Doing a beginner ride can seem like a hassle, especially in race season.

I wouldn't take it personally. I would start riding again and then expect an invitation.

Also, some people like to **** on others in the cycling world. It is amazing how someone who would be a social outcast in the normal world can build a huge following on the bike. You don't want to ride with those people anyways.

 

Energy gels show you mean buisness.

Lol.

Make the first move man. Ask them if they want to ride at a certain time. Do it when your all together in person. Emails are too Lame and easily avoidable.

It's mostly personal skills to get into a group unless they are elitist dicks or ashamed because they talk it up but ride the small chainring all day.

 

Those types of riders usually ride with their race club/team, and unless you are a proven commodity will treat you like they are beneath them.

The mountain biker probably thinks you will slow him down on his "sick lines"

In reality both are probably slow as **** but are douche bag MTBR.com RoadBikeReview keyboard warriors.

One way to do it is to invite them on a ride with you, kick their ***, gain their stupid respect, and laud in it. Or just ask nicely and directly to go on a ride with them as you are trying to get more serious about the sport and would like to start riding with those who know a lot about the sport(read: stroking their bike egos). Say you are not the fastest rider but would appreciate them taking you on a ride.

Or say **** that, find a local tuesday/thursday group ride at the bike shop, and ask which is the, "no drop ride" and make friends with people who love biking to bike and don't mind riding with someone who is slower.

I never complain going on a bike ride with a girlfriend or friend who is getting into biking. Why? Because I know that it is going to be an easy fun ride with people who are wanting to ride. If I want to have a threshold ride I'll go by myself.

Sorry about the word vomit, elitism in biking(especially road bikers) righteously pisses me off. Especially since most of them aren't nearly as good as they believe themselves to be.