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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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Categories // guest post, Odds 'n ends

The dreaded chainring tattoo

05.21.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 26 Comments

First of all, thank you to all who rightly threw my whining back in my face and told me to get out and ride some different routes to break out of my pity party. Today, I did. Temperature in the high 70sF, no wind to speak of, and bright sunshine — a glorious day for biking. I rode in an area southeast of the city where I’ve ridden on club rides, but this time I did it alone. I took some roads I haven’t been on before. It was a “lollipop” route: 10 miles out, then a 10-mile loop on some decent country roads, then back home on the same 10-mile route I took to get out there. It’s the longest I’ve ridden since the MS ride last month, and when it was over, I felt great.

One of the attractions on this particular route is an exotic game ranch. If you’re lucky, you can see lots of African wildlife from the road. This morning I saw some antelope with the twisty horns, deer that are different from the North American whitetails, and even a zebra. But I had only my cell phone with me, and the pictures are no good. Next time I’ll take a decent camera.

While I was stopped to look at the critters, I straddled my bike. Not the brightest thing to do, because in no time at all, it was there — the dreaded chainring tattoo.

I’ve heard lots of talk about chainring tattoos being the sign of the rookie biker.  What’s a chainring tattoo? It’s that nice greasy mark on your calf from touching the chainring of your bike — usually the large ring, when the chain is on the small one. Sometimes you’ll hear it referred to as the “amateur mark.” I’ve been riding almost two years, and I still get them. So what’s amateur about that?

Tattoo

My own “amateur mark.” A particularly good specimen, I think.

I figure if you’re on the bike, you’re bound to come away with a tattooed calf. Not much you can do about it, and furthermore, it’s not something I’m going to go to great efforts to prevent.

The biggest problem is, it’s tough to completely remove in the shower — even with a slightly abrasive skin cleanser. Oh well, it’ll fade away in a day or three.

Any thoughts about the “amateur mark” slander that accompanies these things?

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Categories // Odds 'n ends, Rides Tags // chainrings, Rides

More thoughts about bike clubs

05.10.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 2 Comments

The bike club post drew more comments than most posts have recently. Obviously, riders would like to exploit the social aspects of cycling. The problem is, are most bike clubs set up to help them do that?

From the comments here and elsewhere, it appears that most bike clubs are dominated by what I call the “A” riders — the ones who can go long distances at good speeds. Most of these riders are experienced and well conditioned. For many newbie bikers however, those kinds of rides are intimidating. As Ramon commented in the previous post, once you combine a 40-mile ride with a 16 mph pace, it’s not a beginner ride anymore.

I’ll say one thing for the A riders: They show the rest of us how far we have to go to get better. In that regard, they serve as inspiration. Some of us set a goal of improving to the point of being able to keep up with the A riders. In my case, I realized that although I’m not destined to be an A rider, I am aware of room for improvement, and I have made it a point to build my speed and endurance, and mainly my hill-climbing ability.

What many clubs seem to lack is an organized effort to accommodate riders of all levels. Most of what I’ve learned about biking has come from tips by a friend or two who are experienced, but not necessarily fast. Some bike clubs conduct certification classes for their members, and require them to pass these classes before going on the more challenging group rides. But if a club’s primary purpose is to get together and ride once a week, instructional activities take a back seat.

I’m glad to see that there are bike clubs that work hard to cater to the needs of newbie cyclists. If you’re new to the game and want to join a club, shop around. Area bike shops should be aware of the local clubs, and might be able to point out the differences between them. Try a ride — or to be fair, try more than one — with a club to get a feel for the atmosphere. You’ll be able to judge if they’re into speed, hill workouts, or socializing.

I’m sticking with my club. Through it, I have met other bikers of my ability who are a pleasure to spend time on the road with. I’ve gotten better, especially in terms of endurance and climbing ability, if not speed. And finally, remember that no one gets paid to run clubs. If you want to see some changes in policy, get involved yourself and make it happen from the inside.

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Categories // Odds 'n ends Tags // clubs

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