The Bicycling thread

Over the last month we have added some trainer workouts back into the mix. I know that it seems ridiculous to ride inside during the summer - but the workouts are so efficient at building power and strength. No stops, no coasting, no hills that come up when you should be at a recovery intensity. So I've added 2 workouts per week (Tu & Th) - one is a VO2 max focus (30sec to 4 minute high intensity intervals) and the other is a threshold workout (2x 15 to 30 minutes of 'race pace'). We still get outside for another 4 or 5 rides (8 to 10 hours) per week. Those are at a 'just riding along' intensity.

Here is my view during those workouts. The fans are on full blast and I still end up with a huge puddle of sweat on the floor.

Thanks Kurt.

Headed to BC to work for 5 weeks, I'm thinking of taking a Mtn bike with me for days off. Pedalling around the foothills could be good. Just need to get a travel case for it.

skibum69 said:

Headed to BC to work for 5 weeks, I'm thinking of taking a Mtn bike with me for days off. Pedalling around the foothills could be good. Just need to get a travel case for it.

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Back in the early 2000's we took our bikes to San Diego for a few years in the early spring. We wanted to take our nice road bikes so we splurged on hard ABS plastic cases from the old Performance Bike. It was their Transit brand. I think they cost about $180 each. They work fantastic - even have built in rollerblade wheels to make it easy to cart them through the airport. I've never tried to fit a MTB in the case but I imagine that the fat tires would present a problem. Maybe taking off the tires would work.

New bike transport boxes seem to be really expensive now. If it is a one-time deal, maybe just make up your own cardboard and duct-tape solution. I have a few cardboard bike boxes that I keep in the attic for exactly that scenario: maybe a one way flight and then ride back. But now that I have the folding bike that doesn't get charged extra, I'm just going to use that.

Good luck - for 5 weeks, I would definitely want to take a bike. I've only ridden motos in BC but I imagine that the MTBing is fantastic.

Been riding early to beat heat ... often with this going on

Today’s stare down and H won this round





Someone left a gate open again

henzilla said:

Today’s stare down and H won this round

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I'm guessing she wins most stare downs

Aaaaahhhh... TX in August




We needed to go into ATX Sunday , so put the Mtn bikes in the truck and made a day of it on the downtown trails along LadyBird Lake. Majority of trail system is under canopy and alongside the Colorado
River. Several connecting trails fan out in various directions including UT Campus.
H had some businesses and condo here in late 80’s and lots has changed. I helped keep the lights on down here before the added megawatt loads were added...I am glad I’m retired!

Made several stops taking in the scenes and changed area since I retired from the City. Stopped at a food truck lot where a former city fuel depot and road crew office was and now has a huge condo shading it... crazy!
Tall condos and street level retail abounds. Google is finishing construction on their tower... pic later

We jumped into the creek below Barton Springs Pool, which is still surreally closed. 68 degrees felt great! I brought the average age down A LOT! Folks were respectful of personal space the whole day which made an even more fun. There were huge pods of kayaks, SUP boards, floats and canoes in a few spots close to rental centers... too close for current times but there it was.

We finished with 38 miles, but gravel riding miles sure made it feel further


Pedestrian/ Bike bridge with S. Lamar bridge in background



Food trucks on Rainey St entertainment district. The stand on scooters in background truly are an eyesore sadly as they are literally scattered everywhere, some upright and parked, most are randomly tossed. Pretty disappointed to see the lack of respect for others using sidewalks and green space. I’ll take a few pics next time as I don’t see behaviors changing soon... oh, several scooters have a loud beep noise either notifying of low battery or it’s out of it’s geo fence zone... annoying when multiplied as well.



H, Stevie Ray, and Google tower


Barton Creek between pool and Ladybird Lake...spring fed!


Boardwalk section, South shore east of IH-35 near Oracles new mega campus. Used to be low priced student apartments and declined for years... now booming as well

henzilla said:

Aaaaahhhh... TX in August...

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Did you get hit very hard by that tropical storm a few weeks ago?

Rinty said:

Did you get hit very hard by that tropical storm a few weeks ago?

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We were brushed by an outer band briefly, had strong NE winds, an oddity in summer. A 0.2 on a 10 scale

200 miles south of here past SanAntonio got the rain

That is some serious heat there in Texas. Glad you were able to get out for some exploring despite it. I wouldn’t do well in that - - not even on a motorcycle much less a bicycle.

After a mild/cool spring, beginning in late-June we switched over to a very hot (for us) summer. Daily highs in the low-mid-90s for weeks on end, and with tons of humidity. Any outdoor activity - - running, cycling, yardwork, even motorcycling - - yields copious perspiration.

Normally we head north to cooler climates (New England, Canadian Maritimes) for two weeks during peak heat. But with coronavirus we’ve stayed put (we’re not exactly welcome up there at the moment!) So no escape this year.

My fall marathon has been cancelled/deferred due to covid. I’m not too sorry about that - - autumn is nice marathon weather but it means you have to train intensely during peak summer heat. I was having serious doubts I could pull it off. At least now I can spend more time cycling, which is more comfortable in the summer heat....

.

I think my tires melted this morning! That indoor reading is in back room we do not cool until
evening.

Brutal week and Saturday is supposed to be the worst with air temps of 107 w/index of 111. Afternoon Siesta is only sane move!

We are riding early and shortened route on mountain bikes on paved and gravel county backroads just on our side of highway. We both are pretty sure that mountain bike miles are a different distance than road distances
Nice to mix the two variants as they provide different workouts. I practiced my endo skills yesterday with nothing more than a laughing H. She admitted later she almost did same thing in same spot the day before.


The highway we use to escape our ‘hood and transition to calmer roads was re-chipsealed last week. I rode
once before striped and decided to NOT do that again! They restriped adding a center turn lane in both directions which took the wide safety shoulder a bit narrower. It won’t keep us from using it, just a mental adjustment. We travel five miles in one direction or two the other before our two lane routes


They have surveyed and staked what looks like a long needed widening to match most of the four lane layout, so this looks like a band-aid.

I saw 44 F yesterday morning. August often cools down here.

Seven travel bike

Spotted in the “ ready rack” outside a local bike shop this morning.
A Seven Airheart. Titanium frame with S&S couplers for travel use, carbon fork and wheel set, and a nice mix of components . They have a hard travel case airline ready
The detail of the frame is really nice. A bare frame is listed at 4 lbs and priced around $1200... Found pricing from 9K and up for ready to ride models... seriously up! Well, at least it was pretty to look at!


https://sevencycles.com/bikes/bike-detail-travel.php?model=airheart-sl

Seven makes some beautiful bikes. I have test-ridden a few and even visited their design/manufacturing shop just outside Boston. Nice ride and nice folks. That one in your photos is sharp.

But based on what I know about their frame prices, I think the $1200 bare frame price is incorrect. Admittedly it’s been a while since I studied their price list, but I seem to recall that adding the SS coupler option to one of their frames is a $1000+ option, bringing a bare custom frame into the $4-5K range.

But maybe they are now creating some non-custom frames at a lower price-point? Still hard to see how they’d get the price down to $1200, though.

I had to go to Providence RI the other day. In the “city” rack I saw a frame. The owner used the “city” rack (parking meter) they missed putting the lock cable through the wheels.
OM

Omega Man said:

I had to go to Providence RI the other day. In the “city” rack I saw a frame. The owner used the “city” rack (parking meter) they missed putting the lock cable through the wheels.
OM

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Have seen examples like this around UT Campus. I have pulled front wheel and laid alongside rear to lock both to frame and anchored objects. Typically don’t leave long enough for that kind of strip.

vark said:

Seven makes some beautiful bikes. I have test-ridden a few and even visited their design/manufacturing shop just outside Boston. Nice ride and nice folks. That one in your photos is sharp.

But based on what I know about their frame prices, I think the $1200 bare frame price is incorrect. Admittedly it’s been a while since I studied their price list, but I seem to recall that adding the SS coupler option to one of their frames is a $1000+ option, bringing a bare custom frame into the $4-5K range.

But maybe they are now creating some non-custom frames at a lower price-point? Still hard to see how they’d get the price down to $1200, though.

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It was a basic frame I found and thought low for a Ti frame. One high end built up coupler bike was 11K.

henzilla said:

It was a basic frame I found and thought low for a Ti frame. One high end built up coupler bike was 11K.

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Huh?! Maybe some kind of left-over or liquidation deal? I really don't think you can get any custom Seven bare frame for less than $3K. Maybe not for less than $4K even.

I did notice on their website that they are quoting delivery of new orders in 7 weeks, which is much less than I remember in the past.

Coincidentally, just yesterday I took deliver of this, but I had to wait two years for it!

Which firm built that frame, Vark?

Those Sevens are cool.

Rinty said:

Which firm built that frame, Vark?

Those Sevens are cool.

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Rinty,

Frame was built by Firefly. They are a much smaller shop than Seven, also in Boston. I HIGHLY recommend them to anyone considering a custom titanium frame.

I will show more details at some point down the road. For now this is staying in bubble wrap and going on the shelf. It will be a while before I save enough nickels to buy components....