ride was nice albeit the weather. cold. frozen snot on my face.
― cutty, Sunday, 25 January 2009 14:00 (fifteen years ago) link
im fat and lazy and unmotivated. its almost a desperate cry for help. *sips coffee, considers worth of riding in 20 deg fog outside*
― Booker van Permalink (Hunt3r), Sunday, 25 January 2009 16:27 (fifteen years ago) link
Fog would be a pisser, at least it is relatively bright and occasionally sunny here with the cold. (snow later)
― Ed, Sunday, 25 January 2009 16:31 (fifteen years ago) link
yay i did 30 miles.
― Booker van Permalink (Hunt3r), Sunday, 25 January 2009 18:52 (fifteen years ago) link
man i have been SLACKIN lately. ruined uninterrupted 3 year streak of commuting every day in favor of the bus, mostly because i've been too lazy to get up an extra 20 minutes early
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Sunday, 25 January 2009 18:53 (fifteen years ago) link
also because -18F is some bullshit~~
cycling gods forgive because to ride at minus 18-- do you study mental health at that school of yours?
― Booker van Permalink (Hunt3r), Sunday, 25 January 2009 18:59 (fifteen years ago) link
not yet :-/
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Sunday, 25 January 2009 18:59 (fifteen years ago) link
Good to know I'm not alone. Did 20 miles this morning though.
― krakow, Sunday, 25 January 2009 23:20 (fifteen years ago) link
8 deg and 2 inches of fresh and light falling snow. Refreshing with hot latte in thermos bottle.
― Booker van Permalink (Hunt3r), Monday, 26 January 2009 15:45 (fifteen years ago) link
friend is doing the nz ironman in about a month and had a fundraiser at a discount sporting good store. scored a bunch of stuff: capo bib ($40), dimarchi jersey ($25), pearl izumi neon green jacket ($40).
it got me wondering: at what age do you start wearing the neon green jacket?
― (*゚ー゚)θ L(。・_・) °~ヾ(・ε・ *) (Steve Shasta), Monday, 26 January 2009 16:05 (fifteen years ago) link
cuz i'm at that age apparently.
― (*゚ー゚)θ L(。・_・) °~ヾ(・ε・ *) (Steve Shasta), Monday, 26 January 2009 16:06 (fifteen years ago) link
gross
― cutty, Monday, 26 January 2009 16:24 (fifteen years ago) link
optic yellow is not an age, its a state of mind.
HOWEVER, i do have a giordana optic yellow fullzip jersey/ultralight jacket thing that i bought in 1989. it was v. lightly used between 1989 and 1992. i don't know why i still have this thing in my closet.
― Booker van Permalink (Hunt3r), Monday, 26 January 2009 16:39 (fifteen years ago) link
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp
― Ed, Monday, 26 January 2009 16:43 (fifteen years ago) link
i found the peter white site useful while a i considered studs. fwiw i decided that for the amount that i will use studs, which im guessing is less than 10 days/year, with generally light mileage-- the cheap innovas were a good place to start. they've been fine. i've ridden on days and in conditions that otherwise id simply never even attempt to do. ive put maybe 75 miles on them, including quite a bit of asphalt. They have some apparent wear, but the studs still protrude 2mm or so above the tread.
if i were to need them for stretches of weeks at a time, i'd do nokians, but i've got no beef with the innovas yet beyond being extraordinarly tough to mount.
― Booker van Permalink (Hunt3r), Monday, 26 January 2009 17:57 (fifteen years ago) link
last night i realized that the crackling sound that the studs make when they're getting traction is now one of my favorite things, very reassuring. i hope not falsely reassuring
― Booker van Permalink (Hunt3r), Tuesday, 27 January 2009 15:44 (fifteen years ago) link
E suggested we cycle to a bar last night which is great because to date she has not been keen on cycling at night. I guess Pittsburgh is easier going, drivers may not be bike as bike aware as elsewhere but in general they are more relaxed, slower and more rule obeying.
― Ed, Saturday, 7 February 2009 11:59 (fifteen years ago) link
my fucking ride today:
upper inner thigh flab:http://images.chron.com/blogs/askacat/hatcat.JPG
the 25mph northerly wind:http://images.chron.com/blogs/askacat/hatcat.JPG
straight up fat guys on scott addicts:http://images.chron.com/blogs/askacat/hatcat.JPG
― iro with brown bag (Hunt3r), Sunday, 8 February 2009 03:38 (fifteen years ago) link
(w/ apologies to ilnfl)
― iro with brown bag (Hunt3r), Sunday, 8 February 2009 03:39 (fifteen years ago) link
went for first geared road ride in many, many moons on new bike.
tried to get feel of bike in city traffic, flats, climbs, rolling hills, sharp and long descents, around the track (did a mile around 80-85% max in 1:42).
total distance was probably 40-45 miles. felt really good. i have a lot of work to do but surprisingly wasn't as sluggish and crap as i was fearing. i'm a little chaffed/rashy (i <3 tmi) but heading to drug store to get some zinc oxide.
― (*゚ー゚)θ L(。・_・) °~ヾ(・ε・ *) (Steve Shasta), Sunday, 8 February 2009 04:45 (fifteen years ago) link
desitin is good if you've got from some shit down there, but you should maybe use some chamois cream as a preventative measure
― cutty, Sunday, 8 February 2009 05:13 (fifteen years ago) link
Back on my bike for the first time in six months, following an op last year. Boy oh boy oh boy does it feel good. The commute is about 15 miles, and diametrically across London, but being up and out at 5.30 this morning was amazing. Very cold and clear, with a wonderful moon, silent streets.
Also, having been converted by my brother over Christmas, I've now got a fixed wheel, which is silent as the grave as well. The cycling was just a delight.
Through Marylebone and across Hyde Park was the best bit. Shouldn't have started fannying around with my bag strap at the lights in the middle lane of the Hammersmith gyratory though - two things happened simultaneously - the bag dropped a foot lower than it had been and the lights went green.
Wobbly wobbly. Toot toot.
Feel like a million bucks though, it's great to be back on a bike again.
Rush hour commute home might not be such a gas I'm thinking.
― Abbe Black Tentacle (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 08:34 (fifteen years ago) link
rush hour is the best!
congrats!
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 13:27 (fifteen years ago) link
That sounds nice. This morning was a combo 1/4 inch ice with hard frozen granular and black ice. Everywhere, like riding on a snow cone. Got lots of o_O at the light rail- I cut the ride short for fear of traffic.
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 14:01 (fifteen years ago) link
today i left work early to partake in the 60 degree weather. 3 hours, 55 miles.
putting out some large numbers for february in my intervals.
― cutty, Thursday, 12 February 2009 02:02 (fifteen years ago) link
my back is KILLING me
a couple days of hauling 35lb loads (books + computer) has given me an incapacitating spasm....seriously distracting
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Thursday, 12 February 2009 02:03 (fifteen years ago) link
Diclofenac but you probably already know that.
― Ed, Thursday, 12 February 2009 02:38 (fifteen years ago) link
pharm isn't until next year!
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Thursday, 12 February 2009 02:50 (fifteen years ago) link
when i had that load, it was dual ortlieb backrollers, no backache.
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Thursday, 12 February 2009 04:24 (fifteen years ago) link
YEAH WELL
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Thursday, 12 February 2009 04:25 (fifteen years ago) link
I need to photograph the baskets on my surly so you can all laugh
― Ed, Thursday, 12 February 2009 05:38 (fifteen years ago) link
der, sorry. hope you get some relief. xpost.
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Thursday, 12 February 2009 05:43 (fifteen years ago) link
ha, hey if you want i'll invest this is our nations medical infrastructure:
http://www.niagaracycle.com/images/sbsimages/140540.jpg
its been used one time, and will take one laptop and a text or two off your back. no aggro ridin tho, its a two hook nonlocking attachment system.
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Thursday, 12 February 2009 05:46 (fifteen years ago) link
yes, its rly that dorky looking.
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Thursday, 12 February 2009 05:47 (fifteen years ago) link
seems like baskets would work great for carrying, but might be a problem in the racks (our racks were always xxxtra full).
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Thursday, 12 February 2009 05:55 (fifteen years ago) link
thank you, hunt3r! but i think i'll be okay: the lol hueg loads were really just this week (i usually never bring my computer along). besides now i have an incentive to go to yoga and meet yoga ladies
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Thursday, 12 February 2009 13:52 (fifteen years ago) link
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Wednesday, 11 February 2009 13:27 (Yesterday)
Thanks, iltfaiac. Although I have to say I don't really share your views about rush hour, preferring empty roads to congested ones any day, that's generally speaking, specifically in this case, I'm still getting used to my fixed wheel, and being back on a bike again and an unfamiliar route, and I have to say that going back last night was arduous in the extreme.
I was being tentative, which is never the best to be as a cyclist, and also I got massively fvcked over by the one-way system in Marylebone. In truth I must have been being really dumb, because I kept on going round in circles. Pentonville Road was a bit of a botch as well - kept on having to stop and start again on uphill starts.
Once I was past Angel it was ok, apart from my legs wouldn't go round. Then I had to cycle back to my girlfriend's and I died on my arse. Absolutely nothing in the tank. When I got there I just started stuffing food into my mouth with both hands, like Roland in Grange Hill ('Why are you so fat, Woland?') - Genoa Cake, chocolate, some fruit smoothie and old bolognese sauce was my menu, and then I crashed out on the bed and fell fast asleep.
It's ages since I've spent that long in the saddle and boy did I suffer.
Got up this morning (just about) thinking I probably shouldn't cycle in today, but got on regardless and had a lovely cycle in, same as yesterday, cold, empty streets and a really smooth ride all the way to work. Wonderful.
With any luck this evening won't be so bad, having done it once.
― Abbe Black Tentacle (GamalielRatsey), Thursday, 12 February 2009 14:01 (fifteen years ago) link
Thanks, iltfaiac.
lol
― cutty, Friday, 13 February 2009 16:27 (fifteen years ago) link
but srsly, rush hour might be an adrenaline rush, but calling it the best is a little.. uhh.. RONG
the best is an empty road with some friends, not a car in sight.
― cutty, Friday, 13 February 2009 16:28 (fifteen years ago) link
when it's like a video game it's great, but it's rarely like a videogame because the people driving the cars are people.
― caek, Friday, 13 February 2009 16:32 (fifteen years ago) link
i mean, of course yr right, but in the scope of my usual cycling activities and decisions (commuting, bike path v. roads), i tend to prefer the stimulation of traffic. plus i actually really do enjoy it. but yeah, given the choice, i'd take a country road or singletrack pretty much anyday
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Friday, 13 February 2009 16:32 (fifteen years ago) link
and, to be quite honest: i've never really done any long road rides that haven't been in the city! so my experience has been limited to a) MTBing in Montana (outrageous) and b) messing/commuting in Chicago and MPLS.
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Friday, 13 February 2009 16:36 (fifteen years ago) link
btw just bought The Rider, and am looking forward to reading it post-midterms
oxford is a relatively safe place to cycle because there are so many of us, but it's also very cramped. if it doesn't go well i get home with a very sandy vagina. i think i'm probably taking it a little too personally.
the rider looks cool (and short).
― caek, Friday, 13 February 2009 16:41 (fifteen years ago) link
the cover is great imo
― i like to fart and i am crazy (gbx), Friday, 13 February 2009 16:42 (fifteen years ago) link
*googles the rider* i didnt know that was the guy who wrote the vanishing. i remember geeking out while watching it when the guy mangles zoetemelk into "zoltamec."
― iro with the brown bag (Hunt3r), Friday, 13 February 2009 18:24 (fifteen years ago) link
cover is great. i've been looking for a poster of it for a while.
― cutty, Saturday, 14 February 2009 01:07 (fifteen years ago) link
The Rider is fantastic. Very good on race psychology - not that I've ever raced, not properly anyway, but his descriptions have the force of truth behind them. He was also a top chess player, I think.
The commute back in the traffic the other day wasn't so bad - getting used to road positioning and the like again. A black cab did come up the inside of me and slewed across me and I got buffeted by a long bendy bus not realising that once you've started to overtake a stationary bus, you've really got to complete the manouvre. Driver obviously felt I was impinging on his space and so impinged forcefully on mine. Still, all part of the something or other I suppose - and wises you up pretty quickly as well.
There is something quite exhilarating about rush hour cycling - just the sheer number of split second decisions you have to take and minor acts of folly that you have to perform. But on the whole I'd rather not.
― Abbe Black Tentacle (GamalielRatsey), Sunday, 15 February 2009 15:51 (fifteen years ago) link
Pittsburgh has finally defeated the old conti gp3s I inflicted on my gf's bike. 3 punctures in a week so I have humbly purchased a set of Schwalbe marathons and I'm hoping they suit the cratered streets a bit better.
― Ed, Monday, 16 February 2009 15:09 (fifteen years ago) link