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Passages: A biking saga (guest post)

06.09.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 9 Comments

After entering my first time trial last month, something I never thought I would do, I considered my progress since starting biking almost two years ago. Apparently, others go through the same type of progression. On Bike Forums last week, Robert Foster of California posted an item that neatly sums up our passages as bikers. He gave me permission to reuse the post.

It is strange how this sport seduces a person. When I first got back into cycling all I wanted was a bike that I could ride around town and get a little exercise. Then I decided there was no reason I couldn’t ride greater distances and maybe run a few errands. But I sure didn’t want a road bike. Then if I wanted to ride greater distances I discovered would need a road bike but I sure didn’t want to consider clipless pedals or Spandex/Lycra. I wasn’t interested in club rides or any other organized rides.

One day I decided to try club rides but I never wanted to ride in a pace line. And I wasn’t interested in trying to keep a spin going up a hill. One of the people I rode with asked if I wanted to ride a century and I laughed and said I didn’t think I was ready. Three months later I did my first century and was looking forward to my second.

I was perfectly happy to ride with the B riders but every now and then when we get together with the A riders near the coffee shop I will give chase for a while. But I would never consider racing. Last week one of the A riders asked me to consider the Bull Dog race at Camp Pendleton and I just smiled and said no way. Does anyone know how long that race is?

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Comments

  1. 331miles says

    June 9, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    Wow. I thought I was the only one!

    Reply
  2. Ramon H. says

    June 9, 2009 at 9:46 pm

    This post pretty much describes my own personal journey with cycling. I exchanged several e-mail messages with the “bike noob” discussing the finer points of various topics in cycling: from puncture-proof tires to saddles, and to chamois and flatbar hybrid bicycles.

    I got started with a mountain bike a co-worker gave me. A couple of months later (and after sucking a lot of wheel during a local bike tour), I was riding a road bike. A couple of months later, I bought a Brooks saddle and now I am finally starting to wear cycling jerseys (which I have been buying used because frankly I think cycling attire is way overpriced). I am still debating on clipless pedals and on cycling shorts/bibs. I am almost sure that one of these days I am going to wake up with speedplays on my road bike 🙂

    Reply
    • rainycamp says

      June 9, 2009 at 10:44 pm

      And soon, we’ll be hearing about how you love the $150 pair of Assos bibs you just bought.

      Reply
  3. Dana says

    June 10, 2009 at 1:32 pm

    Yup, that pretty much sums it up for me. I often wonder, “How the heck did I get here?” I’m thankful to have had some friends who encouraged me and in the process met even more friends to encourage me even more!

    A word of advice: go clipless. You won’t regret it. I have friends who resisted for so long and now they love them. You will too!

    Reply
  4. Ramon H. says

    June 14, 2009 at 1:46 pm

    I just came back from the local bicycle shop: I bought a set of blue cro-mo speedplay pedals and cleats. Are you happy now? 🙂

    Reply
    • rainycamp says

      June 14, 2009 at 2:50 pm

      From what I hear about Speedplays, you’ll love ’em.

      Reply
      • Ramon H. says

        June 14, 2009 at 9:01 pm

        The LBS actually had to put in a special order because I wanted the color of the pedals to match my bike’s. The earliest I will be getting them would be by Friday. I still have not decided about shoes. The LBS sells shimano and they seem fairly decent. I also looked at previous posts and I have heard good things about specialized and Sidis (although they seem pricier).

        Reply
  5. Glenn_in_MA says

    June 15, 2009 at 9:03 pm

    Great post!
    BTW, I use Speedplays…you WILL love ’em…once you get used to them. I’m never going back!

    Reply
  6. Charles Cushman says

    July 8, 2009 at 5:10 pm

    Sound just like my progression. Now I love racing and even joined the San Diego Velodrome association.

    The bulldog bike race is pretty fun, roughly 18 miles mostly flat with one killer climb in the middle. The marines know how to put on a great event. The only negative is that since it is not a USA Cycling sanctioned event it does not follow their rules regarding field sizes and category of riders.

    Reply

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