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Archives for April 2008

Flat bar road bikes

04.21.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 4 Comments

Pat is getting close to wrapping up her training for the Hill Country Ride for AIDS, which is this coming Saturday. One conclusion she’s reached this year is that the heavy old hybrid she rides needs to be replaced.

She’s not ready to take the plunge just yet. She wants to ride the Ride on the bike she’s been used to. But once it’s all over, she’ll be ready to scope out something new.

The other day we were at the LBS, to get some adjustments made to her bike, and to stock up on stuff we’ve run low on, like bum cream. While we were at it, she suggested we look at some bikes, just to see what the possibilities are.

She liked the Specialized Sequoia, with its kind of upright riding position (for a road bike). The price is OK, and she likes the added brake levers on the bars, rather than just those on the hoods. She wasn’t fired up about the Specialized Ruby and Dolce, two WSD bikes. Then we asked to see some flat bar road bikes.

The salesman showed us the Trek FX 7.5. She raved about it. The handlebar was comfortably familiar, and the brake levers were right there. The brakes themselves are cantilever, in the hybrid style, which added to the familiarity of the bike. It had 700C x 32 tires, which offered a feeling of security. Priced well under $1,000. Then, he pointed out the Trek FX 7.6. A real step up from the 7.5. Carbon fiber seat stays and seat post, Shimano 105 rear derailleur, skinny tires, lighter wheels. She got on each of them, asked about modifying them to raise the handlebar to a more upright position, but turned down the offer of a test ride, since she didn’t plan on buying a bike right away.

The Trek FX 7.6.

I was impressed with the bikes. I had never considered anything other than a traditional road bike, so I was unfamiliar with these. I knew they could be fast, because I remembered being smoked on the Veloway by a guy on a Cannondale flat bar last summer. As riding in a road bike position becomes less comfortable for me, now that I am of a certain age, a switch to a bike like these might be worth some thought.

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Categories // Bikes

Recovery ride

04.20.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 4 Comments

Since beginning biking last summer, I’ve heard that you should follow a strenuous ride with a recovery ride, where you spin easily in low gears and make no effort to go fast.  Frankly, recovery rides haven’t been much of an issue for me, because I usually have taken a day off after a long ride.

But today was different.  Yesterday, I joined about 17 members of my bike club for a 45-mile jaunt south of town and back.  Great weather; sunny, but not hot, traffic wasn’t crazy, nice long break at a funky coffee shop in the little burg of Kyle, Texas before heading back.  Kept up a 16-plus mph pace for the whole ride.  Felt tired when it was all over, but it was a good tired.

Today, I rode with my wife in her last major training effort before the Hill Country Ride for AIDS next week.  We went out to Dripping Springs for a ride along one of my favorite routes.  I’ve mentioned Pat’s bike before.  It’s a heavy steel hybrid.  She usually cruises at about 10 mph.  As we left Dripping Springs and headed out on the country roads, I found myself constantly slowing and waiting for her.  At about halfway through the ride, the road gets hilly, the uphill way.  Only one hill posed any challenge, though, and I stood in the pedals to get to the top.  I was proud when Pat also made it all the way up.  Last year at this time, she would have unclipped and walked the bike up.

The Texas Hill Country west of Dripping Springs, with another @#$%! cattle guard coming up.

But when the road rises, it also has to return to its original level.  We had a great time coasting down the curvy stretch back to Creek Road.  Our total distance for the trip was 20 miles, and I must have coasted half the way.  Rarely did I feel any reason to use the large chainring.  Our average speed was a whopping 10.9 mph.  At home, after showering and changing into street clothes, I noticed that I tightened my belt one more notch than usual.  I felt wide awake, a bit exhilarated, and even ready to do a little yard work (just a little).

This weekend, I’ve ridden a total of 83 miles, and because the last 20 of those were easy ones, I’m ready for more.  This recovery ride thing is great.  They will be a staple of my riding from here on out.

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Categories // Rides, training

Davis, California — Biking Mecca

04.19.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 2 Comments

Ever feel like your city has no interest in accommodating bikers? Curtis Corlew’s blog links to a video about the bike-friendly city of Davis, California that will make you envious.

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Categories // Uncategorized

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