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Roadie comments

BentBev

5/15/08 07:55:07 AM

Scott's Spin this week

My mother once asked me when I was going to get over "this bicycle silliness". Apparently, she thought it was childish. I answered, "When they bury me - on the bike!"

Chris Chromoly

5/15/08 08:01:59 AM

Testing carbon fiber frames for damage

Al sez: "Moral of this story: Do all the tests, not just the obvious and easy ones."

Real moral of the story: Don't ride a plastic bicycle.

NWALongRider

5/16/08 10:15:43 AM

re:Testing carbon frames for damage

Amen to that!

If you're not a sponsored professional, plastic (CFRP) frames, forks or other parts make little to no sense.

Johnny Mc

5/15/08 09:12:23 AM

Paypal account?

Hi there. Is there a Paypal account people could use to make a donation for Fausto?

Thanks,
John.

Ed Pavelka, RBR editor/publisher

5/15/08 06:07:45 PM

Donations

We haven't heard of any way to send a donation, except by check to:

Wells Fargo Bank
1201 N. Pope St.
Silver City, NM 88061
Attn: Fausto Esparza Donation Fund

If other methods comes to our attention we'll post it here.

Bob near Berkeley

5/15/08 09:17:10 AM

Mallet Finger

Wow, I did the same thing taking off my socks two years ago!!! I couldn't find another who had done it that way in my web searching. Usually the injury is from a baseball hitting the finger tips, or tucking sheets in on a bed. You are going to wear a splint for MANY MONTHS if you want to live with a finger that is not crooked.

Rick, a serious roady

5/15/08 09:36:10 AM

trek not committed to safety....

...for it's riders, that's my opinion and experience lately. My dealer/mechanic noted some defects in my frame and brought it to the attention of a Trek rep. The bike was shipped to Trek. Lifetime Warranty???? I think not. They would give me a few bucks off Buying another Trek bike, but other than that the bike was sent back to my mechanic noting a problem with the frame. Warranty.... Safety. Only if I pay. It's all about the money, not safety.
Rick, serious Roady

Rebelast1

5/15/08 10:59:21 AM

Scott's Spin

After taking in what Ed went through and reading Scotts article I have to comment on my history. I'm just an everyday cyclist, commuting when I can. I used to commute all the time, my favorite story is riding home in 8" of snow, my brother-in-law stopping and asking me if I needed a lift. I said "no". It was just too beautiful... In May of 2000 I was riding home in the rain, over a steel deck bridge at about 25 mph, fell down, broke my neck. Got back on the bike in Sept. In October of 2000 was hit by a truck, suffered compound fracture of tibia, was in 2 sets of external fixators, in bed for 6 months. Everybody asked if I would ride again. I own 3 bikes now road, mt. and a home built cross bike that I use for commuting. Even though I don't race I still enjoy doing my daily Time Trial to and from work. Just trying to get back in the habit of doing it in every type of weather like I used too.

Diane from Evanston, IL

5/15/08 11:14:55 AM

bad medicine

just great!!! yeah, had a car door opened on me 2 days ago. my grimace-faced PT refused to work on me that afternoon and had to spend the night w frozen pea bags dispersed over my body... ya gotta love it! :)

Roger Mortensen

5/15/08 11:28:22 AM

What do you like BEST about bike commuting?

Helps the environment Saves money Saves time I can use it for training Helps me control my weight Improves health & fitness Relieves stress Increases my self-esteem Emphasizes my individuality Gives me another excuse to ride It's fun Other
There was not an "All of the Above" option just before the ghastly "I don't bike commute" option on this weeks' poll.

Brian

5/15/08 11:59:13 AM

Taking the kids

I use to bike commute to work on a regular basis until I inherited 2 grandchildren (4 & 5). The commute is not 15 miles to the day care down busy streets and then another 10 to work. I don't mind the mileage but I tried the commute several times pulling a 2-kid trailer and just didn't feel safe with all the cars racing by the kids. The majority of the run is in 25 mph zones and without the trailer I could almost keep up. Pulling the trailer slows me down to the point where it just doesn't seem safe.

Any suggestions? I miss the ride!
Brian

James

5/15/08 12:10:34 PM

Checking for Damaged Carbon

I have read that a carbon bike lasts only 5-10 years. I have a 2003, Trek 5200 with >7000 miles. Does fatigue of carbon occur even with "normal" use? ie. do I need to (have a vaild reason to) start thinking about a new bike, even if my 5200 currently passes all the checks for carbon damage?
Regards,
James R

Keith C.

5/15/08 12:37:48 PM

Commuting

I ride my bike to school as often as I can. I teach 6th grade, live in the 'burbs and ride 14.5 miles one way to school. Luckily for me, I have a shower and locker available so I have shoes and toiletries available. At first, my students laugh when they see my in my team kit, but as time goes on, they want to know why. Like another poster said, I gear up in the morning by running over what I want to teach, and on the way home I burn off the stress. With gas at $4 a gallon in Michigan, it is a no brainer. I even ride in the winter when the roads are dry. The kids think I am nuts. My reasons are simple, I simply love to ride.

Tom

5/15/08 12:47:12 PM

Commuting on a bike

I used to run ~25 years ago, switched to cycling when my knees hurt. I raced USCF for ~15 years, now just do a few TTs a year; but ride year-round. Because I live in VT, darkness & black ice in the winter keep me from commuting year-round, but for ~7 months I do ride to work; rain or shine. All the reasons that are usually given; gets me on my bike 2x every day, clears the mind, good for the body, saves gas & wear / tear on my car. Comments run the gamut from "why, are you crazy?" to "how can I start that?". Age is catching up with my joints, but cycling still is good for them. I like the comments I get when people see the custom bumper sticker I have on my Prius; "My Other Ride gets (symbol for infinity) MPG (drawing of a bicycle)".

Ciao,
Tom

Amanda O. Roadie

5/15/08 06:02:48 PM

re: commuting on a bike

Where can I get a bumper sticker like that?? :)

beemrdon

5/15/08 01:16:15 PM

Moral of this story

The real moral of the story is to ride steel bikes unless you are good enough to make money at it.

Jerry Miller

5/15/08 01:26:59 PM

Neck Pain

I'm 64 years old and developed a pinched nerve in my neck from riding. I tried physical therapy consisting of traction and electrical stimulation which only made the situation worse. I was told to strenghten my back and later started doing pull ups and within 2 months all the pain and tingling were gone. I do about 25 pull ups 3-4 times a week and have been pain free and ride with out any difficulty.

Ron

5/15/08 02:28:54 PM

To Scott:

Sounds like it would be in your best interest to give up socks to avoid future sock related injuries!

roy

5/15/08 02:35:31 PM

Best of Coach Fred

I like to end my longer rides with a pint or so of water and a snack. I consume them immediately. That starts my rcovery as I put away miy bike and gear.

Dan

5/15/08 02:37:33 PM

Bike to Work week

I live in northern ohio and ride my bike to work during the summer. Every year I hope to begin commuting during National Bike to Work week, but often don't. You can call me a wimp but usually it is raining and cold at this time of year here in Ohio. If we really want people to bike to work (especially first timers) why do we have bike to work week so early in the season? Why not mid june when the weather is nice and people would actually enjoy riding to work!

Amanda O. Roadie

5/15/08 06:05:04 PM

re: bike to work week

OMG I agree!! Especially since this was my first time commuting to work! This week has been mostly rainy and cooler!!

Steve

5/15/08 03:51:09 PM

Bike commuting - we love it!

The only thing I'd change is to a flatter route to work - after four days (I'll admit to varying intensity, ahem) my legs are fried. Having said that, even three days straight after the club run on Sunday is enough - 191 miles in four days is enough for most riders, no?

Ride on

Steve

Craig Calfee

5/15/08 04:10:26 PM

Carbon Handlebar Inspection

Thanks for writing about carbon fiber inspections. You might add an annual carbon handlebar inspection. We've found that stem clamps can damage handlebars with no external signs except for a small dent. Carbon doesn't dent, so there is fiber breakage under the surface.

On frames, we offer a repair service. Quite a few people have sent us frames with minor and easily repaired damage because they didn't want to send it back for "crash replacement" at what is often a little over dealer cost.

Have a look at the Calfeedesign dot com website for more info on our carbon repair service.

Gary Keene

5/15/08 04:12:27 PM

High Mileage Food

Couldn't resist tagging your comment, "Just because you have it doesn't mean you have to eat it." On our long tandem tours, precisely because I have bonked badly in the past, we always have a special stash of backup food in addition to the regular food we plan on eating each day. I take it as a point of pride if we can get to the end of the tour without using the special stash. My wife hates such "high mileage food"-- "We've dragged that over too many mountains, EAT IT!" Of course being stashed away, it gets more and more abused, assuring that only true desperation will lead to it being consumed. With any luck, it ends up a perverted souvenir of a great, un-bonked ride.
Gary / Pasadena, CA

Gary Keene

5/15/08 04:13:31 PM

snapped chain

Sure would like to hear Uncle Al's comments about the snapped chain in the finish sprint at the Giro.

merlin

5/15/08 04:50:00 PM

Caloric intake

I am 152 lbs and find that 200 calories an hour is what I need. I roughly expend 600 to 800 calories an hour during most work outs, but trying to replace the used amount will lead to gastrointestinal issues. I agree with the author that the type of workout, pre-workout meal certainly play a role in the answer. I think 200 calories for 150 lbs is a good place to start. Weigh 175, try 225 calories an hour. Everyone is different, so experiment and find what works for you. I am also a big believer in staying from 'ose (sucrose, fructose, etc..) I am a HUGE fan of the products from Hammer Nutrition. They just plain work.

Rick

5/15/08 05:03:06 PM

Using a gentle hill.....

to smooth your peddle stroke. I live just north of Detroit and our climbs are steep, but brief. we do have a good number of longer gentle slopes. I can make much better use of them now! Thanks!

Amanda O, Roadie

5/15/08 05:50:21 PM

Bike Commuting

I wonder if anyone has any suggestions for those who can't commute because the route goes through a crime-ridden area. I could bike to work on a 17- mile route, however I don't want to be shot, mugged, or robbed. The alternative was to park at a local Kroger and bike to work from there, only a 4-mile commute.

Henry

5/15/08 06:01:57 PM

How many calories?

Many times I've read similar advice regarding adequate food and drink during long rides. But I forgot last weekend when I headed out for a 60-mile ride with only two bottles of water.

I re-filled my water bottles mid-ride but never thought about eating.

I just thought I had a good, hard training ride until 5 hilly miles from home. Oh, this is what "bonk" feels like. It took me three days to recover full strength.

Note to self: carry food, eat regularly on long rides.

5/15/08 06:10:49 PM

Les's ride....

Camping can lose its charm. Somebody needs to clue old Les in about the warmshowers site.

Slo Joe Recumbo

5/15/08 07:12:37 PM

Liquid Food/Fuel Article?

Suggestion: Article on liquid food for long rides.

I know only two products. Are there more? The products I keep reading about are:

Perpetuem

SPIZ

Thank You

Joseph Keenan

Jay F

5/15/08 08:41:03 PM

And running is safe?

Has your doc ever heard of shin-splints? knee and hip replacements? a broken foot? Running has it's own hazards. Plus, it is not nearly as fast as cycling!

Michael

5/15/08 10:06:54 PM

Love it!

Riding to work regularly is the way to go! It's fun, challenging, liberating, and smart.

--David

5/15/08 11:25:15 PM

RE: Les Woodland in America

Renowned journalist or not, to help Mr. Woodland achieve some of his ignoble targets on his bike trip across the USA, even in a minor way, is to contribute to an overly ambitious sexagenerian's adolescent indulgences. If what he writes in his first installment at crazyguyonabike is any indication of what is to come, I want no part of it, and I am surprised that you do.

Ed Pavelka, RBR editor/publisher

5/16/08 06:31:50 AM

Fun through cycling

David , turn around and go back to look for your sense of humor!

Les is a very happily married man whose wife reads every word he writes.

Craig - WV

5/16/08 08:17:40 AM

Head South, Les!

From the list of his hoped for accomplishments, it sounds as if Les should have chosen a southern route instead.

Moo

5/16/08 07:58:35 AM

Scott's Spin this week

One of the reasons I started cycling was that my knees and shins were shot from...you guess it...running!! My knees have improved with riding and I've never been happier :)

Name

5/16/08 10:25:14 AM

Intervals

My advice to anyone who wants to get stronger and NOT doing intervals - is simply to start doing them. Yes, they can be a bit painful - but - you can go out for an hour - take any bike, any road or trail, hot or cold, in the rain, whatever. Because its only an hour, it's not critical that you dress just right. I often don't even take a water bottle. You will get a killer workout that will be way more beneficial than the same old 2-4 hour ride that's neither easy or hard. Try 'em for 1x / week for one month (the right way) and watch yourself start to fly.

Colleen

5/16/08 01:59:32 PM

Bike Commute

I have absolutely no idea why I ride my bike to work. I started doing it when I was very young in 1971. Don't know why, just decided to. I was pretty much a freak in most people's eyes at the time.

I've continued to ride to work no matter where I lived or worked. Sometimes combining mass transit with my bike. I honestly can't say why I do it ... except it just seems silly to drive the car. And I really like riding my bike. I've ridden in rain, heat, wind, snow, cold .... but only on the really, really bad days do I not get on my bike. I've had long commutes, tricky commutes, short commutes .... and right now I commute 6 miles on a greenbelt that follows a river. Probably the best and most beautiful commute I've ever had.

I'm a 57 year old female. Probably not the typical rider. And I don't understand why so many people have such angst about commuting on a bike. For centuries, people only had their feet.

russ

5/16/08 03:59:38 PM

Never ever Carbon!

Steel is the only material for me! At least, when it comes to frames and especially the fork. Sure, steel is about 4 to 5 pounds more but hey, what's 5 pounds anyway? Is it worth risking your life to be so weight phobic? You can save weight in many other ways, not to mention your middle area, where most of us could see a reduction in the 10 to 20 pound range. A quality steel frame (fully lugged) is absolutely the best ride you can ever experience. They are beautiful works of are, strong and resilient. Trek in the late 70's use to make a beautiful fully lugged steel frame. I use to own one.

Litespeedchick

5/16/08 07:23:46 PM

school daze

I commute to my elementary school most days I can weather permitting (I live on the east coast). Yes the adults thing it is strange and ask stupid questions but what is more important to me is that the kids think it is COOL. Let's hope that this is an inspiration to the next generation! If they see this now maybe it will be an imprint on their young minds!!!

Lyle

5/16/08 08:29:01 PM

How Many Calories Do I Really Need?

Yup, the article was really wishy-washy and didn't provide any meanginful guidance. In general, if you follow the recommendations on the energy bar, sports gel, or sports drink, you'll probably be getting too many calories for most recreational or enthusiast riders.

You can use energy calculators available online to get a rough estimate of your calorie consumption. You can also use a good heart rate monitor, such as are available from Polar, to get a better gauge of your calorie consumption. For me, it's about 600 calories per hour that I'm expending, but I typically only need about half of that, or less, to feel good on a ride and avoid bonking.

Ed Pavelka, RBR editor/publisher

5/16/08 09:28:38 PM

Calorie counting

Here's what Coach Fred wrote: "I think the best approach is to follow the dosage recommendations on the labels of the foods and drinks you're using. If you feel good, experiment with less to judge the effect. Then learn how the variety of factors I've mentioned can change your needs on a given ride."

Sounds like what you're saying too.

That "variety of factors" is really the key. It's hard for blanket formulas to work for most riders most of the time, but we can all learn what we need through experience.