Yay!
I met a lovely, funny, fantastically conversational woman on a ride a few weeks ago who sympathized with the lack of a granny ring on my bike.
(Vocab: A granny ring would be a third chain ring, the little one that you would switch to so you can climb hills on the bike by spinning quickly, using your aerobic energy rather than your strength and wrecking your knees)
(Backstory: The bike I ride, is actually an Aquila racing bike - it's super light, was engineered for a guy to ride in a racing position for most of the time. I've replaced the bars, seat and tires, and the frame is a reasonably good fit, so I ride it, but it isn't designed to climb hill after hill, and the gears reflect that)
Anyway, so C. and I were chatting, and she offered me her older Miyata touring bike. It was her "baby" (much as the Beast was mine)... and while she wasn't riding it anymore, she wanted it to be loved.
So I picked it up Saturday morning... a lovely pale blue Miyata bike. Heavier than my Aquila for sure - but with features that will make it a lovely city rider. A rack, and space for another on the front. Solid with a smooth pedal stroke. I'm so freakin' excited about it! The plan is to start the restoration soon after the rally, and get it on the road hopefully by fall.
Here's it's work list: In order of priority.
- recable the brakes, gears, get new housing for the cables.
- clean the chain and assess the chain rings, cassette, and current chain stretch.
- replace chain rings, cogs, and possible the chain (entire drive-train system).
- adjust derailleurs to smooth out gear changing.
- assess tires
- get a recreational seat
- get Mr. Tuffy's for the wheels and install.
- replace toe-clips
That's not so bad really, it's a great older bike - and I'm really excited about it! It's going to be a fantastic ride once it's all sorted!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Whoh! Stuff happening!
Okay, well, I haven't posted in awhile, but I'm still around. Here's my little update on things gone by:
July 12 - I went to Brampton to meet my auntie for an event, and promptly got hit by a car 5 minutes after getting off the Go Train. I've decided Brampton is possibly the most cycling unfriendly city I've ever encountered. Long story short, I was super angry, the woman who hit me paid for my new wheel, and the bike was at Cyclepath in Brampton until last night when I picked it up.
All that said -- the guys at Cyclepath there are GREAT! And totally helped me out as I was dirty, hurt, angry, and trying to hold it together in shock of being hit by a car. They gave me a clean cloth to use in their washroom and room to leave my stuff while I went in search of a drink, and even hooked me up with a few instant ice packs. Great people - definitely recommend the shop.
Luckily it seems that my injuries were largely superficial. The Chiropractor has made some comments about how my back is out of alignment, and I've got bruise and some road rash, but I'm okay, and live to bike again.
This week I've been busy looking after final preparations. I've booked my hostel for the 2nd night in Mtl, I ordered a ton of instant ice packs today to use in the evenings, and last week my mom took me to MEC and bought me some nice new shorts, a shirt and a sweater. I just need to pack, clean and relube the chain, and possibly do one more training ride.... honestly though, cycling is the last thing on my mind right now!
So this weekend my team is riding 100k to Campbellville and back. I'm not sure if I"m going to go or not, mostly because I'm a little afraid of the bike's new components, and want to take it on a slightly shorter ride first. Or maybe I'm feeling lazy ---- I'm not really sure! Either way, I'm considering biking out to Clarkson and back on Sunday instead, because 70k will give me the feedback to make any changes, and isn't too short a ride. I'm wondering if I'm punking out though.
So fundraising is done, health forms are faxed in, rooms are booked, now its just a matter of getting there in one piece.
Will that be the hardest part?
July 12 - I went to Brampton to meet my auntie for an event, and promptly got hit by a car 5 minutes after getting off the Go Train. I've decided Brampton is possibly the most cycling unfriendly city I've ever encountered. Long story short, I was super angry, the woman who hit me paid for my new wheel, and the bike was at Cyclepath in Brampton until last night when I picked it up.
All that said -- the guys at Cyclepath there are GREAT! And totally helped me out as I was dirty, hurt, angry, and trying to hold it together in shock of being hit by a car. They gave me a clean cloth to use in their washroom and room to leave my stuff while I went in search of a drink, and even hooked me up with a few instant ice packs. Great people - definitely recommend the shop.
Luckily it seems that my injuries were largely superficial. The Chiropractor has made some comments about how my back is out of alignment, and I've got bruise and some road rash, but I'm okay, and live to bike again.
This week I've been busy looking after final preparations. I've booked my hostel for the 2nd night in Mtl, I ordered a ton of instant ice packs today to use in the evenings, and last week my mom took me to MEC and bought me some nice new shorts, a shirt and a sweater. I just need to pack, clean and relube the chain, and possibly do one more training ride.... honestly though, cycling is the last thing on my mind right now!
So this weekend my team is riding 100k to Campbellville and back. I'm not sure if I"m going to go or not, mostly because I'm a little afraid of the bike's new components, and want to take it on a slightly shorter ride first. Or maybe I'm feeling lazy ---- I'm not really sure! Either way, I'm considering biking out to Clarkson and back on Sunday instead, because 70k will give me the feedback to make any changes, and isn't too short a ride. I'm wondering if I'm punking out though.
So fundraising is done, health forms are faxed in, rooms are booked, now its just a matter of getting there in one piece.
Will that be the hardest part?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Long Long Rides!
Well, I took a week off from Riding, in honour of Pride weekend here (actually they were canceled so the bike rally participants could participate in the Parade - me, I chose to dance on the sidewalk and cheer).
Anyways -- back at it this week. Canada Day I ended up overhauling the front end of the bike. I replaced the handlebars, retaped the bars, and did some minor adjustments to the brakes and seat position --- it took a long time, but was super rewarding. I love working out my own bike.
Last weekend I did two rides, an 80km ride to Oakville and back with a stop in the middle to have lunch with my Uncle, Aunt & cousin (yummy!), and then on Sunday I did the training ride, which went nearly to Oshawa on the bike rally Day 1 route - which ended up being about 100km by the time I got on the Subway at Union.
I have to say it - Dairy Queen Blizzards are the best post-ride snack EVER! Cold, delicious, sugar-filled. Get me home to shower and lie on the couch!
It's Tuesday and I'm still at bit sore in the legs from Sunday's climbs up the Scarborough bluffs, but I got a new blender yesterday, so am making a point to drink my protein shakes like a good little athlete.
Really -- I wish I could share more, but other than training there isn't much else happening. It's a matter of training, riding, and then letting my legs & lady parts recover before doing it again!
oh dear...
Anyways -- back at it this week. Canada Day I ended up overhauling the front end of the bike. I replaced the handlebars, retaped the bars, and did some minor adjustments to the brakes and seat position --- it took a long time, but was super rewarding. I love working out my own bike.
Last weekend I did two rides, an 80km ride to Oakville and back with a stop in the middle to have lunch with my Uncle, Aunt & cousin (yummy!), and then on Sunday I did the training ride, which went nearly to Oshawa on the bike rally Day 1 route - which ended up being about 100km by the time I got on the Subway at Union.
I have to say it - Dairy Queen Blizzards are the best post-ride snack EVER! Cold, delicious, sugar-filled. Get me home to shower and lie on the couch!
It's Tuesday and I'm still at bit sore in the legs from Sunday's climbs up the Scarborough bluffs, but I got a new blender yesterday, so am making a point to drink my protein shakes like a good little athlete.
Really -- I wish I could share more, but other than training there isn't much else happening. It's a matter of training, riding, and then letting my legs & lady parts recover before doing it again!
oh dear...
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
100k training ride DONE!
Yay - did my 100 km training ride last weekend. It was a tough route, but good.
The whole process of the rides has inspired me to really think about why I like doing this long-distance cycling thing.... and I really think it's the same reason I liked training for the half-marathon.
Endurance activities are a delicate balance of mental and physical, at least in my world. I'll never be the fastest, my body isn't naturally athletic, but I've learned that it takes more stubbornness and preparation than anything to do endurance sports.
I like them because something happens to you in the middle of a long run or ride - and by long I mean long, a 20km run, or a 100km ride:
You start out confident, because it's just a little bit further than the last one.
And then you hit the first hill, or headwind, or rough terrain, and it gets hard FAST, you suddenly start to wonder if you've bitten off more than you can chew. Maybe you're not enough
You do a quarter of the distance and tell yourself it'll be okay - only three more of those.
You push through your first half and take a short break, at that point you're feeling enthused because you made it to the turn point -- but in the back of your mind there's a tiny voice asking you how the hell you're going to get going again.
Somewhere between the beginning of that 2nd half, and the 3/4 mark the mental part kicks in. It starts to physically HURT, and it starts to hurt BAD. Your body is revolting against you, you're getting sharp pains where you haven't gotten them before, and all your muscles are protesting. Your brain starts beating you down; you're not fast enough, fit enough, strong enough. What is your backup plan when this inevitably fails and you have to call a taxi? Everything hurts and you want to cry because you obviously suck at being sporty, but you tell yourself to keep pushing on, a cab is way too expensive from the middle of nowhere anyways -- wait until you make it into the city limits and can catch the bus.
And then something happens....... it all changes in a second. Suddenly you realize your joints don't hurt anymore - you have beat your body into submission and now it's just doing it. You realize you've come really effin' far. You realize you only have an hour to go, and at least it's still light out. You start planning your next seven meals. You fly down hills, and make your way up them in a matter of fact way. Suddenly you're the most talented athlete in the world (it also helps that at this point the super-riders in their super-spandex have already finished, gone home, and you're surrounded by those of a similar caliber as yourself).
You finish sore, but ultimately realize it was worth it. You sit carefully on the subway to head home, vaguely proud of the heinous athletic odor surrounding you and the errant grease accenting your now define muscles.
In a matter of hours, you've gone from confidence, to rock bottom, to the top of the world. And you went really far in the process.
THAT is why I like endurance sports.
The whole process of the rides has inspired me to really think about why I like doing this long-distance cycling thing.... and I really think it's the same reason I liked training for the half-marathon.
Endurance activities are a delicate balance of mental and physical, at least in my world. I'll never be the fastest, my body isn't naturally athletic, but I've learned that it takes more stubbornness and preparation than anything to do endurance sports.
I like them because something happens to you in the middle of a long run or ride - and by long I mean long, a 20km run, or a 100km ride:
You start out confident, because it's just a little bit further than the last one.
And then you hit the first hill, or headwind, or rough terrain, and it gets hard FAST, you suddenly start to wonder if you've bitten off more than you can chew. Maybe you're not enough
You do a quarter of the distance and tell yourself it'll be okay - only three more of those.
You push through your first half and take a short break, at that point you're feeling enthused because you made it to the turn point -- but in the back of your mind there's a tiny voice asking you how the hell you're going to get going again.
Somewhere between the beginning of that 2nd half, and the 3/4 mark the mental part kicks in. It starts to physically HURT, and it starts to hurt BAD. Your body is revolting against you, you're getting sharp pains where you haven't gotten them before, and all your muscles are protesting. Your brain starts beating you down; you're not fast enough, fit enough, strong enough. What is your backup plan when this inevitably fails and you have to call a taxi? Everything hurts and you want to cry because you obviously suck at being sporty, but you tell yourself to keep pushing on, a cab is way too expensive from the middle of nowhere anyways -- wait until you make it into the city limits and can catch the bus.
And then something happens....... it all changes in a second. Suddenly you realize your joints don't hurt anymore - you have beat your body into submission and now it's just doing it. You realize you've come really effin' far. You realize you only have an hour to go, and at least it's still light out. You start planning your next seven meals. You fly down hills, and make your way up them in a matter of fact way. Suddenly you're the most talented athlete in the world (it also helps that at this point the super-riders in their super-spandex have already finished, gone home, and you're surrounded by those of a similar caliber as yourself).
You finish sore, but ultimately realize it was worth it. You sit carefully on the subway to head home, vaguely proud of the heinous athletic odor surrounding you and the errant grease accenting your now define muscles.
In a matter of hours, you've gone from confidence, to rock bottom, to the top of the world. And you went really far in the process.
THAT is why I like endurance sports.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Yay! Stuff bought!
Okay -- so the updated list of things I need
-tubes - 700Cx18-25mm tubes with a minimum 48mm presta valve. Yay - bought 5!
-a new patch kit, Got it!
- handlebar bag to hold stuff on the rally. ($50) Checked them out -- not sure I need it as the Camelback is AWESOME.
- Martha also needs a tire change kit for her bike.
-Rim tape Done!
-Mr. Tuffy tire liners Bought and installed!
-new handlebars Purchased at CBN for $5, must now install them!
-new shorts! (very important!!!) - Bought one pair of awesome ones, may need another pair, but we'll see.
-new gloves Yay!
Thanks Mom!
I also picked up a new pair of sunglasses that are designed for sporty things - both for the sun protection and to have a barrier to keep flying rocks, dust & bugs out of my eyeballs (it happens!). Mountain Equipment Coop has GREAT ones for only $20!
AND I got a duffel bag to bring all my camping gear BACK from Montreal in.
I think I'm all ready to go really.... equipment wise anyways - to which my mom gets HUGE credit for.
Now just to finish up the training and to get the bike tuned.
Oh, and I crashed last weekend, HARD.
-
-
- handlebar bag to hold stuff on the rally. ($50) Checked them out -- not sure I need it as the Camelback is AWESOME.
- Martha also needs a tire change kit for her bike.
-
-
-
-
-
Thanks Mom!
I also picked up a new pair of sunglasses that are designed for sporty things - both for the sun protection and to have a barrier to keep flying rocks, dust & bugs out of my eyeballs (it happens!). Mountain Equipment Coop has GREAT ones for only $20!
AND I got a duffel bag to bring all my camping gear BACK from Montreal in.
I think I'm all ready to go really.... equipment wise anyways - to which my mom gets HUGE credit for.
Now just to finish up the training and to get the bike tuned.
Oh, and I crashed last weekend, HARD.
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