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Sometimes I can ride smart
Last Post 08/19/2014 11:26 PM by 79 pmooney. 11 Replies.
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79pmooney

Posts:3178

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08/17/2014 01:51 PM
I did yesterday and it paid.  Signed up for the Portland Century early in the week and spent some time studying the course to see if it was a suitable fix gear ride and if so, what gears should I bring and where should I stop and change.  Billed as 3600' of climbing, not huge, but with many smaller hills and not a whole lot of flat.  Decided to put the 17 and 22 on and carry a 16 (should I be feeling really strong, knees perfect) and 14 for one or two descents.

Friday night I was aware of my knees.  (I rode 45 miles both Thursday and Friday, doing my Cycle Oregon prep ride Thursday with its 2100 feet of climbing and about a 1000' and another 45miles Friday.  All fixed, loafing uphill on the 23.)

So I made it a point to always go easy yesterday; to not push hard, to keep my wind down so I could keep good form all day, always a blessing for my knees.  Ended up only stopping and changing gear once, flipping the wheel for what I thought was going to be most of a mile at 10%.  As I was gettting going I was joined by a woman I had passed many times (I took long breaks at all but one of the many rest stops).  So, now that I was in a 22, I rode with her up the hill which turned out to be short, then with her the next few miles in a super leg saver gear!  Then two consecutive descents that were not fun in the 22!  Back to the 17 for the rest of the day.

So, with no drafting or paceline work, I rode the century plus the 30 mile round trip to and from fixed for a lifetime high fixed of 132 miles and felt great at the end.  My knees know they did something and I will have to back off for a few days, but I am sure they will be back for Thursday's CO prep ride.  I am beginning to feel confidence in my ability to take on COs climbing in 3 weeks.  And man, does that bike, Jessica J the super foxie, feel great!  And I am in shape to ride her.

The other prep I did for that ride that paid off was downloading the course instructions (120 lines of turns, etc,) and cutting and pasting (real cut and paste, scissors and glue) onto 4" x 5" paper and sealing with plastic.  Two double sided instruction sheets, fitting nicely in jersey pockets.  Also did the same with the course profile.  Didn't use these aids a lot, but were valuable when I did.  (And saved me from at least on wrong turn.  Part of riding smart was not riding extra distance.  If I had doubts, I immediately went back to last known or waited for the next rider.  Extra distance?  Maybe 300 yards.  Now I know most of you would be GPS set and wouldn't need this.  My fixie is true to the era of fixed.  If I stare at my stem, all I will see is one word.  "Cinelli"  As it should be.

Ben
vtguy

Posts:298

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08/17/2014 03:31 PM
Good job! That distance on a fixie is really impressive.
SideBySide

Posts:444

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08/18/2014 12:54 PM
Very nice!
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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08/18/2014 01:02 PM
I went for a really easy 35 mile spin yesterday on the geared bike. Last night I was REALLY tired! Felt much more tired than Saturday night. Today I feel good. But I am not getting on a bike!

Ben
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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08/18/2014 01:06 PM
SideBy, I saw a guy on a rig like yours yesterday. It was early and I did not ask him what distance he was going. (There were 45 and 80 mile options.) I did give him a big thumbs up.

Ben
SideBySide

Posts:444

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08/18/2014 01:13 PM
Wait, you recovered from that ride in only two days? What are you on?

I intend to do rides, when I can get in enough miles to be sure of completing them. It's turning out to be harder this month than I would have thought. I think I need to put rides on the schedule so other things don't get priority.
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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08/18/2014 01:31 PM
SideBy, I'm betting if that guy was doing the 45 miler that we went to bed Saturday night with comparable degrees of "whack"! I did a few hours on wheelchairs researching my wheel project 20 years ago (with much more arm strength than I have now) and got a real appreciation for how hard they are.

If he was riding one of the longer routes and made it, I am truly humbled.

Ben
THE SKINNY

Posts:506

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08/18/2014 02:07 PM
it would be neat if the local bike shops did a hand bike appreciation day. i would love to try one.
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
vtguy

Posts:298

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08/18/2014 02:30 PM
There are a couple of posts, at least one with photos, on Steve Tilford's blog of him using a hand cycle while he was doing rehab from a broken hip.
SideBySide

Posts:444

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08/18/2014 04:06 PM
A friend of mine just did STP and RAGBRAI, and commented on handcycles doing both. I can't even fathom 100 mile days, plus any climbing, at the moment.
THE SKINNY

Posts:506

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08/18/2014 04:21 PM
i saw some at regbrai also. i thought they were doing day rides but then i saw them again the next day. seriously tough. i wonder if they say 'shut-up arms!'
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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08/19/2014 11:26 PM
Today I got to see the benefits! Went out on the same bike but with just a 43 x 16. Warm and windy. Northwest wind. Flags out straight, the tall grass bent over 45 degrees. I set out to do a quick 50.

I headed out to the west. From mile point 11 to 4 miles before the turnaround, it was all upwind. Amazing part? It was easy. RPMs stayed high, I was comfortable in the saddle, deep breathing just happened. I was convinced I had put on a 17, not a 16.

Now I am feeling it! But then, I should. I'm a 61 year old leaf. Going fast upwind doesn't just happen! My comfort on the bike is such though that I can and will drop my stem say 1/2 a cm. Didn't feel any discomfort at all spending all of that time in the drops or with my palms over the hoods and just my little finger under the hood. (The drops are sitting up by comparison.)

That block of 4 days of riding sure paid off! Sunday I went out for 35 miles of very easy spin on the geared bike. I felt more tired after Sunday's leisurely loaf than after Saturday's marathon. Yesterday was a true rest day!

Saturday, I kept thinking of the Who's song in the album "Tommy", "Pinball Wizard" where Tommy becomes part of the machine. I strove to get there on that ride. Today I didn't even think of the song, but I was there.

Ben
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