Bike Noob

Because I'm Always Learning Something New

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Partners

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.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Categories // Rides, training

Smoked by an old guy

04.16.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 17 Comments

So I’m headed home after my after-work ride. I’m pedaling slowly but easily up a hill toward a stoplight, when a biker glides past me. I catch him at the light, and we chat briefly. When the light turns green, he jumps across the intersection ahead of me.

The next light is only a few hundred yards away, and that’s red, too. I catch up to him, and we chat briefly again. He’s tall and thin, with a craggy, tanned face and gray-white hair. I guess him to be about 65 years old. His jersey is from an event five years ago, judging by the date on the logo. The bike is in good condition, with shiny clean cogs and chain.

This time, I jump ahead when the light turns. I’ve been feeling good this evening anyway, and want to keep up my pace for the last two miles home. Getting ahead of the other guy — well, that’s something I can now do on the new bike that I couldn’t do on the old bike. But I’m not racing. If he wants to keep up with me, fine. I pedal alone for the next mile, when I turn at a stoplight. The road here goes downhill, and I can pick up some decent speed. Another half mile, and I hit a light at a busy intersection.

Once I cross this street, there’s a long, but not very steep, uphill. It goes past a large supermarket, whose parking lot is always busy at this time of day. I’m in one of my lower gear combinations, going slow, just starting to push a little harder against the grade, watching for cars turning into the lot — when suddenly I hear, “On your left.” I move slightly right, and HE goes by. I never even knew he was there. He must have stayed with me ever since I passed him. And now, he’s showing me who’s the King of the Mountains (or at least Baron of the Mild Suburban Incline). I boost my effort to stick with him, but it’s no good. He’s in a much higher gear than I am, and he’s pedaling at a faster cadence. I’m near the end of a 15-mile ride that I did at a faster pace than usual, and I have nothing left. I watch him with envy as he pulls away effortlessly, climbing the grade as though it were flat.

Dang! Smoked by an old guy again! I hate it when these geezers do that. Even though I’m a noobie compared to him, my youth and vigor ought to be enough to overcome his experience and cunning. But I have something to look forward to: By the time I’m his age, I’ll be that good, too. I’ve got time. I’m only 57.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Categories // Rides, training

An incentive to train

04.14.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 2 Comments

I just signed up for my first organized ride of 2008, the Armadillo Hill Country Classic, sponsored by the Austin Cycling Association.  It has a reputation for being a good ride, and since it covers much of the territory I rode last fall in my first organized ride, I know the terrain will be agreeable.

I’ve been looking forward to this ride for awhile, but I haven’t been doing anything special to get ready for it.  My mileage has increased with the better weather, from 96 in February, to 127 in March to 111 so far in April, and we’re only halfway through the month.  I’m averaging about three rides a week, and will be able to bump that up to five once we get into May, and some of the demands at work slow down.

But as I wrote the $30 check to pay for ride registration, it occurred to me that just the act of paying money to join a ride might be an incentive to train for it.  Why spend good money on a ride and not be ready for it?  Why run the risk of stopping before the full distance is finished?  I wouldn’t get my money’s worth out of the ride.

So maybe I will pick up the pace a bit, and actually train for the ride.  I could sure stand to do some hill intervals, and maybe do some short rides at a pace faster than I intend to ride the Armadillo.  I know this is a departure from my usual attitude about training, but I don’t want to just survive the ride, I want to finish it with a creditable time, with some gas left in the tank.

That 30 bucks may buy me more than a place in the pack — it may also buy me better cycling fitness.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Categories // Rides, training

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 69
  • 70
  • 71
  • 72
  • 73
  • …
  • 77
  • Next Page »

Get Email Updates

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 257 other subscribers

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Bike fit
  • Bikes
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • clubs
  • Cold weather
  • Community
  • Commuting
  • Components
  • crash
  • cycling
  • Equipment
  • Favorite rides
  • fitness
  • food
  • guest post
  • Heat
  • Injury
  • logs
  • Maintenance
  • Mental
  • Nutrition
  • Odds 'n ends
  • People
  • Poll
  • Racing
  • Records & stats
  • Review
  • Rides
  • running
  • Safety
  • soreness
  • Specialized
  • Technique
  • Technology
  • Tips
  • tires
  • training
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • Getting Back on the Bike: Road Cycling Tips for Older Cyclists
  • Are BCAAs and EAAs Good for Cycling?
  • How to Fix Numb Toes When Cycling
  • How to Find and Vet a Bike Club
  • Celebrate Pearl Izumi with Big Savings in the Memorial Day Sale

Categories

  • Accessories
  • Bike fit
  • Bikes
  • Blogging
  • Books
  • clubs
  • Cold weather
  • Community
  • Commuting
  • Components
  • crash
  • cycling
  • Equipment
  • Favorite rides
  • fitness
  • food
  • guest post
  • Heat
  • Injury
  • logs
  • Maintenance
  • Mental
  • Nutrition
  • Odds 'n ends
  • People
  • Poll
  • Racing
  • Records & stats
  • Review
  • Rides
  • running
  • Safety
  • soreness
  • Specialized
  • Technique
  • Technology
  • Tips
  • tires
  • training
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized

Archives

  • May 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • March 2022
  • October 2020
  • November 2018
  • May 2018
  • September 2017
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • January 2016
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008

Copyright © 2026 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Go to mobile version
%d