All about bicycles

[veinbuster]

Current state of the bike corner of my basement.
Left to right: high racer, my daughter's Ontario road bike, my mountain bike, my road bike, my cross bike, my fixie, guest (womens) mountain bike. Trike is under the covers.

Now that I don't have a chauffeur around the house, and don't like shuttles or public transit much, I carry a tiny bike to get to and from the auto shop.

We had a lot of wind a week ago.

not all cleared from the trail.
In case you haven't seen Vinnie before. The paint job was an early covid quarantine project to refresh a mid 80s mountain bike.

 

[tiboy]

Something we have in common. I count 8. Same as in my house, albeit far less diverse. I do have 9 guitars. I’m thinking a balanced life requires either the elimination of 1 guitar or the augmentation of the bike collection. No doubt those viewing this thread know which way I’m leaning.

 

[veinbuster]

Something we have in common. I count 8. Same as in my house, albeit far less diverse. I do have 9 guitars. I’m thinking a balanced life requires either the elimination of 1 guitar or the augmentation of the bike collection. No doubt those viewing this thread know which way I’m leaning.

Definitely new bike.

 

[garrett]

I hear ya guys. I've done so much guitar tinkering and buying and selling that I think I've taken things as far as I can go gear-wise for now, which is a wonderful thing. Now if I can just get my motivation back to play the dang things more.

I only have three bikes, but n+1 is very much on the brain. The gravel bike does a whole lot for me. My steel road machine is fun as-is, but I'm thinking of investing in upgrading it to a modern drivetrain for more capability. I still have my steel 3-speed, which is a size too big. It mostly takes up space, but it's now my beater for the rare short city rides.

I'm definitely jonesing for a budget-friendly MTB now, but that'll wait a while since I recently bought a Wahoo Kickr smart trainer and a subscription to their training platform. That's been my best cycling investment to date; gets me on the bike a lot more often and I'm starting to reap the benefits of the targeted training.

 

[veinbuster]

I finally got around to going through photos and videos from a ride along The Natchez Trace with my daughter back in April.

 

[tiboy]

The video is great. I think it beyond wonderful that you and your daughter share the same passion for cycling and do it together. I don’t recall if you ever revealed whether she also plays guitar or another instrument.

 

[veinbuster]

The video is great. I think it beyond wonderful that you and your daughter share the same passion for cycling and do it together. I don’t recall if you ever revealed whether she also plays guitar or another instrument.

She does have a guitar, but doesn’t play it a lot. I took her to piano lessons for a couple years and played all the new guitars in the shop while she was being instructed. She mostly plays obscure instruments she stole from me.

 

[garrett]

I finally got around to going through photos and videos from a ride along The Natchez Trace with my daughter back in April.

Looks like a fabulous ride! I was digging all those small roads with the tree canopy. Seems quiet in terms of car traffic as well.


Yesterday I rode at Flatwoods Park in north Tampa. I haven't ridden there since I first got into gravel biking almost a year ago. Exploring a section of single track rewarded me with this great view. Hard to believe this place is wedged in amongst the suburbs!

 

[dmatthews]

Leaving the greenway onto River Road under the Alex Fraser Bridge...



I've FINALLY made de Tour!







Looking west over Nordel Way.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

My wife and I would like to get folding bicycles. Something to take with us on trips or local biking paths (paved or packed dirt) that has good stability. Not looking for a Brompton commuter bike. Bit still a number of brands to choose from. Don’t know enough to really narrow it down.

 

[veinbuster]

I’ve traveled with a Brompton for a few years when trying to travel light. It’s easy to take on a plane and ergonomics are much like a regular bike in spite of the small wheels. Much harder to change a rear flat and not an especially wide gear range, but I’ve found it fine for 30-40km at a time.

 

[alantig]

The local PBS station did a special about the Great Allegheny Passage, which runs between Pittsburgh and Cumberland, MD. It's the trail I ride the most (well, a part of it). Last week, they put out a part two, about landmarks on the trail. We had it set to record on the DVR, but the recording was cancelled by a "programming update", whatever that means. The show was on because my mother-in-law recorded it.

But fortunately, they've put both specials on YouTube. We've only watched about five minutes of the landmarks one (and I've been to the first two, neither on bike). Anxious to see what else they uncover. I'm sure one of the places will be Kennywood Park, the local amusement park. There's an old cemetery on the section I ride that I pass every time. It's a pretty cool old place, and they've made it a nice rest stop along the ride.

We've never ridden closer to the Pittsburgh end than about 15-16 miles away (in McKeesport - the trail wasn't fully developed then), but one of my plans for my retirement years is to head down to a spot just past the amusement park and ride from there into town, and make a lunch stop at my favorite restaurant. And do that multiple times. The hard part will be riding at my wife's pace - with all the work on her knees, she's slower than me.

 

[tiboy]

Two riding buddies of mine did the entire trail on their gravel bikes a few weeks ago. The very much enjoyed all it had to offer. Perhaps some day I’ll get to experience it.

 

[veinbuster]

A couple of my friends are planning to ride that trail with me this fall. One of them has a home very near the trail.

 

[garrett]

Some folks from a gravel group I am in did the whole thing recently. Looks like a wonderful bikepacking trip.

 

[dmatthews]

Today was going to be quite warm (30C or so) therefore some wind in the face was in order...

Surprised to see large puddles. There was a much larger one behind me that I didn't think to take a pic of...



Left at noon and I saw absolutely nobody else on the greenway! Too hot?



You can see Mt. Baker in the background...



A little shade...



This guy has a crappy view, am I right?





15km in I decided to exit and do some road...





I was 6 years old when this bridge over the highway was built...



John Oliver Park where a bunch of guys were flying quadcopters FPV...



Some shade on the way home...



At first I was going to jump this, and then thought better of it...



Stance needed a quick rest on the way back...



Great day!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Looks like a great ride. Shame we’re not neighbours.

 

[dmatthews]

Looks like a great ride. Shame we’re not neighbours.

Must be some nice tracks where you are too!

 

[garrett]

Today was going to be quite warm (30C or so) therefore some wind in the face was in order...

Surprised to see large puddles. There was a much larger one behind me that I didn't think to take a pic of...



Left at noon and I saw absolutely nobody else on the greenway! Too hot?



You can see Mt. Baker in the background...



A little shade...



This guy has a crappy view, am I right?





15km in I decided to exit and do some road...





I was 6 years old when this bridge over the highway was built...



John Oliver Park where a bunch of guys were flying quadcopters FPV...



Some shade on the way home...



At first I was going to jump this, and then thought better of it...



Stance needed a quick rest on the way back...



Great day!

In the full summer heat down here, I endeavor to be done by noon at the absolute latest. The Florida heat and humidity does its best to suck the life out of you.

I dropped the Mrs. off for a ridiculously early flight yesterday morning, so I started my ride at 5:30 AM. I'm not a big fan of riding by myself in the dark, but dawn is great, as is the early morning shade.

Everything was wet here too, after some good rains Saturday. I put in 62 miles (50-ish unpaved) and was feeling pretty well shattered for the rest of the day. Probably didn't help that I was up at 3:15, but I went through 5 bottles (3 w/Nuun tabs, 2 water) and then a recovery shake and it still wasn't enough hydration.

 

[dmatthews]

In the full summer heat down here, I endeavor to be done by noon at the absolute latest. The Florida heat and humidity does its best to suck the life out of you.

I dropped the Mrs. off for a ridiculously early flight yesterday morning, so I started my ride at 5:30 AM. I'm not a big fan of riding by myself in the dark, but dawn is great, as is the early morning shade.

Everything was wet here too, after some good rains Saturday. I put in 62 miles (50-ish unpaved) and was feeling pretty well shattered for the rest of the day. Probably didn't help that I was up at 3:15, but I went through 5 bottles (3 w/Nuun tabs, 2 water) and then a recovery shake and it still wasn't enough hydration.

Awesome! But next time you should take a fishin' pole!