65 was in the group & the other ten was by my self. Top speed in the group was 33 that day.

Bike porn :)

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...6/IMAG0061.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...6/IMAG0062.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...6/IMAG0063.jpg

That is a HUGE pic above this post..........WOW

Anything new going on with winter approaching hippie?? Oh thats right, there is no winter in Florida. Must be nice, I remember those days.

I know Im not looking forward to "basically" weekends ONLY riding up here. Thats if Im lucky.

Whats going on buddy ?. The only plan i have is to ride my bike as much as possible. As of 10/ 7/10 to 10/7/11 i have 4,700 miles on my bike. I started the new year today with 30.3 miles. My goal is to to get 6,000 miles by this time next year.

Bigboi that is a nice looking fixxie.

Mountain Biker Totally owned. http://www.break.com/index/buck-slam...-biker-2180455

Personal Best
 

I did my personal best today on the group ride, this was with the Traing ride or the A group. We were doing a Rotating Pace line. My ride
was 77.5 miles, & 3hrs & 35 minutes long. My average speed was 21.1 mph, with my max speed being 32.7mph. My max heart rate was
175 bpm, while my while my average was 149 bpm, & my legs feel great. My max cadence( rpm) was 122 rpm, while my average was 86 rpm.
I burned a total of 2,270 calories. I ended up with a total of 217 miles for the week. So i think i will take tomorrow off.

Wasnt that something? That sucker was on a "B-Line" for him.




I'd love to burn those kind of calories. I dont keep up with it though. I have managed to take 285lbs and knock it down to 225lbs. Most of the time on a rigid singlespeed. I'll get 1000 miles + for the year. Average speed in the dirt is about half that if Im lucky. :whistle:

Those are great numbers Hippie! did you managed to get some good miles ahead, in front of the group?

I just returned from a rather intensive 45 miles off road. We didn't push it as hard as last week, but the colder weather is killing me. (last week was about 8-10C hotter) I'm way better in the heat. my heart rate is lower, power output is higher. The cold just isn't my thing. Seems like my body is fighting to reach the right temperature. (i've got small sweetspot, with cold i'm shivering like a Chihuahua, and in the heat i'm like a tropical rainstorm) Still, i'm way stronger in the heat though.

I got a new group set for my cannondale, a nice sram red. I personally favor sram over shimano in terms of shifting precision. I'll get some pics of it online when she's finished.

The season has kind of ended for me; with all the rain coming, i start to run more. It's a tad more intense, but it helped me maintain my condition for riding. The combo works miracles for me. 2 runs a week, in combination with one slow ride for a longer distance.

No i did not get ahead of the group. Most of those miles were with the group, except for the miles i rode too the ride & home from the ride. My Madone has Sram Red as well.

Also i got a Job at the local Bike shop FULL time as a Mechanic & sales.

Another New bike
 

Hi everybody. I just got another new bike. It is a 2011 Trek FX 7.5 http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2011/archive/75fx. I got it to commute back & fourth to work at the Bike shop. I also got it because my van is acting up, & i want to be sure i have Transportation.

Congrats on the job Hippie, must've missed that post :oops: You must've been stoked considering this is your #1 passion.

The weather is coming good here (I don't really ride in the rain), actually has been coming good for a while. Just too f@#ing hard getting out of bed. I called Dad and lined up a ride with him to give me some motivation so I've been twice this week :yipi:

Also, Dad went in the cape to cape mountain bike race. He has had the bike for a while but this is the first time he used it like this. He was totally amped about it during and after the race. Out of 725 registrations he came 439th (not all finished). In the masters (over 45) he came 223rd (out of 361). There were only 14 in the master 3 (over 60's) I think he came 8th or 9th at the end of race.

So I'm thinking my next birthday pressy is gonna be a mountain bike 'cause he keeps sayin' I would love it and we should go together next year :party:

Any recommendations for offroad bikes? do's, don'ts?

Depends on what you mean by "offroad". Are you gonna do extreme downhill true mountain runs? Or do you want something you can take on grass but mostly will run on smooth trails? In my case, offroad means light flat trails, but mostly paved bike paths. I'm a heavy guy, so I wanted a frame that will withstand the weight plus be able to do the occasional thing like go down shallow stairs and off curbs.

If you plan to do a lot of flat/smooth trail riding, I recommend something where you are sitting more upright (handlebars are a bit higher) or you'll get a crick in your neck.

Go to several shops and hunt around. Ask questions and see which place truly seems like they give a crap. Some will say anything other than what they sell is crap, while a good shop will give you good advice. Tell them what you want and how you plan to use it.

Test drive several bikes and see which feels most comfortable - on the terrain you plan to ride if possible.

Other things:

- Disc brakes: I like them. They are more expensive, but worth it IMO. They don't get gummed up with leaves and crap nearly as much and they feel more linear. If you do get them, make sure they're both on front and back.

- Shocks: Me, I'm old school. My first Trek never had any shocks and it lasted many years. I figure they were just another failure point, but all bikes have them now. Some have them only in front, some both front and back. Make sure the front shocks are BOTH adjustable (a Specialized bike I looked at could only adjust one of the forks). I opted for no rear shocks, but my seat has springs so it's fine for me. Again, I run mostly on smooth surfaces, so it works for me. And for those times where I run on rougher stuff, I just stand on the pedals and let my legs act like shocks.

- Shifters: Decide between grip or thumb. I personally like the thumb-style. Try both on your test drive and see which one suits you. Some shops will swap the shifters out for the kind you like if the bike model you're looking at has the wrong kind stock.

I ended up with a Trek 3700 disc model. Had all the features I wanted, and decent price. It's an entry level bike, but my old Trek was too and it lasted well over 10 years (closer to 15 actually).

panda, this is arguably the best forum for Aus MTB, http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/forum.php where members post up everything so you'll be able to see what's working for them, organise rides in local groups etc. They have a good classified section also...I bought both my 24" BMX & dirtjumper from members

Edit; You ride so my only tip would be to approach a dually (if you go that way) with respect, you'll be able to ride downhill (short X country sections included) a lot faster because the dual shocks will dampen the feedback through the bike & your true speed will only become apparent when you need to brake hard & maneuver around something. The rest you'll work out

Hippie; nice ride!

Thanks PBO I'll check out the forum. I'm definitely thinking a dually 'cause 200 odd kilometers on tracks and dirt roads my butt will be sore enough from pushing pedals:whip:

I don't know the names of the frames, Brian, but I was thinking some sort of crosscountry/endurance style. Not keen on a downhill frame as they tend to be heavier. Thumb changers are the way to go IMO. I didn't know some shocks are adjustable, sounds fun to play with. Also, I hadn't considered discs benfits like that.

Thanks for the replies. It'll be some time before I end up with a bike but I'll keep on the lookout now.:intello:


Edit: On the forum you linked, PBO, i found some vids of the race - http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/show...31#post2461431

Yep, I saw those - looked like a fun race!

If you're planning on pushing out 200k days you'll need a good frame & geometry is the bigger issue here. If you look at the geometry of a generic DH bike versus a generic XC bike you'll notice some major angle changes

Even with XC bikes you'll see some decent variation. It could be worth trying a few differnet frames to find the configuration that works best for you

200km a day!?:eyes: No, no, that's the overall race. It'll be about 60km a day for 4 days. I think 220-230km is more accurate.

The level i'm riding at the moment it will feel like 200km a day though:lol:

You fit guys, sheesh. I get winded taking a shower:yes:

Winded!? Really? I might have thought 'out of breathe' when linc gives a g..ood shower but winded! wow.

I'll eat my words...happily:intello:


http://www.rc-monster.com/forum/pict...&pictureid=926

Good choice IMO. People say all the high-end bikes are made in the same factory, but I feel you get more for your money with Trek.

I thought I was going to end up with a 'giant anthem' because I've been told they are value for money. The frame on this is a 'Gary Fisher', high end? yes, made in same factory? not likely but I did find a sticker on the frame 'Made in Taiwan':oh:

I have had more than one bike shop tell me the frames for the Trek, Specialized, Giant, etc were made in the same factory with a different label. Not sure how accurate that is, but it does make sense, especially for the more basic aluminum frames.

The only Trek's made in the USA are. the Trek OCLV carbon fiber models. All other Treks are made in either Taiwan or china. With the better ones being made in Taiwan. The lower end Cf bikes are made in Taiwan. Gaint is the largest Bicycle manufacturer in the world. They make bikes for a lot of the major company's.

Turkey 100
 

I did my first Century on thanksgiving Day. I rode 101 Miles, in a time of 5 1/2 hours, with a average speed of 18.5 MPH, & a Max speed of 35,2. I burned 3051 calories.

Christmas 100
 

I did another 100 mile ride today. My time was 5 1/2 hrs. I averaged 17.9 mph, & i burned 3450 calories. My max heart rate was 172 Bpm.

Hippies new Ride #3
 

I just got another Bike. You Bike aficionados will recognize it. I grew up watching this guy. He is the one that go me into cycling. This is a Classic Italian designed Bike made with Columbus Tubing. http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI...vip=true&rt=nc

Very nice! are you going to restore it or modernise it?

Thanks If it looks as good in person as it does in the pics. All im going to do it wash it. I may put a modern saddle & bars but that is it. Part of the reason for me getting this Bike is it's OLDSCHOOL. The main reason for getting this Bike is it is a Lemond + it's made in Italy with columbus tubing.

I always wanted a Indurain TT special hanging on my wall...art!

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_duzjJ0yJ9S..._Espada_05.jpg

That would be nice as well.:lol: This would be nice as well.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gallery/art...pro-xl-24877/1

It looks like a climbers bike...nice & light. Love the seat! such a shame he's gone

Yes it is a shame he is gone. He still golds the record up alpe d'huez. A small clip of his record can be seen here . http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOyvswnEBTo

Lance Armstrong Responds to USADA Allegation

AUSTIN, TX -- June 13, 2012 -- I have been notified that USADA, an organization largely funded by taxpayer dollars but governed only by self-written rules, intends to again dredge up discredited allegations dating back more than 16 years to prevent me from competing as a triathlete and try and strip me of the seven Tour de France victories I earned. These are the very same charges and the same witnesses that the Justice Department chose not to pursue after a two-year investigation. These charges are baseless, motivated by spite and advanced through testimony bought and paid for by promises of anonymity and immunity. Although USADA alleges a wide-ranging conspiracy extended over more than 16 years, I am the only athlete it has chosen to charge. USADA’s malice, its methods, its star-chamber practices, and its decision to punish first and adjudicate later all are at odds with our ideals of fairness and fair play.
I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one. That USADA ignores this fundamental distinction and charges me instead of the admitted dopers says far more about USADA, its lack of fairness and this vendetta than it does about my guilt or innocence.


http://lancearmstrong.com/news-event...ada-allegation

I heard about this earlier Today. If they are going to go after him again, hopefully they truly have evidence, this time. My personal opinion is i don't know if he Doped or not. That being said, a good portion of his Major competition ( during his Racing years) has been found guilty of doping. So was he Truly that much better than everyone else, that was on Dope to win the TDF 7 years in a Row with out Dope ?. Also worth noting, is at least 3 or 4 former Team mates were found guilty of doping. I know that does not mean the Lance did dope. But i could see were it would make People wonder if he did.

Went for a ride where I sometimes walk the dogs. The start of the vid is a goat track so unused and overgrown it was hard to stay on it.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K0twcSgvZEs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

This is my kind of biking...

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1w1aaQN3oxc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well, IT has started...predictions?!

Unless something happens.

Green Jersey Peter Sagan. That's the only one i am confident in predicting.

I went in a race!
:yipi::party:
:intello::happy:
This one

Here are my results

This particular race is the pinnacle of MTB in australia from what I understand (the recent national titles couldn't draw a 'pro line up' as good as this race). I think there was 1070 registrations. I finished about the 1/3 mark for my catagory and overall results.

I didn't get to train and prepare for the race as much as I liked but that's life. I did better in the technical sections than I was expecting, I think half the other riders hadn't been offroad before:whip: I severely fatigued on the last kilometer on day 3 so, of course, day 4 was a real struggle. Day 4 was also a lot of flat and straight so all the roadbikers that held me up previously left me for dead:cry:

I didn't sleep well, my body ached, I now have a cold (my sinus's are wrecked) and I paid several hundred dollars for the opportunity to do so:surprised: but all in all I had an awesome time.

You know when you have a really fun day that you wish would never end? You don't get that feeling with this race. By the end of day 4 I was glad to be driving home:yes: Mountain biking?? yeh, I've been there done that.... bike for sale:lol:

More road work for me... gotta build up my stamina for next year:diablo:

Oh, I forgot to mention- big thanks to Dad who entered the race for the second time (only because I entered). It'll be the last for him since it really tolled his 64 year old body.

The race pictures should be uploaded in the next few weeks, Travis Dean is the photographers name I think.