Bicycle Enthusiasts
- Thread starter HawkGold
- Start date
Fryowa
Administrator
I get about 3k miles in a summer now (used to be closer to 6 when I wasn’t coaching).
I do 100% of my riding on a 2015 Trek Madone 5.9 that I’ll never give up until it breaks in half. 23c tires, 11 speed Dura Ace di2. If I had to do it again I’d go conventional Dura Ace. I love the smoothness of di2 and never having to adjust anything, but the batteries degrade faster than what I’d like after a few years and replacements are ungodly expensive.
I’ve never ridden down there but I do know they have ample paved and non paved trails. I have a friend who single tracks in that area and he also does fat bike snow rides with a club in the winter.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
I don't get that many in but not far off... but I ride with the Mrs. That's a nice bike. You must be in pretty good shape. I ride old bikes. Had an old Fuji but gave it up 3 years back. Those bikes came out when I was getting into as a young adult though I rode distance a lot as a teen. Now (don't laugh) I ride a 25 yo Schwinn Super Sport which for its time was actually a good bike (about $900) back then. I put a flared bar on it. It's good enough for riding with my wife. We go almost every day. Have a 20-year-old Trek mountain bike.
Where do you ride most? In Illinois, most rural roads are oil and chip which gives us a lot of flexibility
Several questions:
Where is your favorite place to ride?
Me... Vail Pass area or around Redondo Beach.
Do you ride with others?
I like w the wife or by myself.
Had a bad spill?
Few years ago went too fast around a corner and slid down and broke my helmet (and mild concussion). Other than that...no
How respectable are drivers where you live?
Pretty good actually except a few roads one just doesn't want to go on. Two local fatalities in past 3 years.
Favorite Local Ride?
Rural roads in corn country. County has a paved path along a river which is pretty good and in a county park.
How fast have you been (mph)? Where?
Fryowa
Administrator
Packing up and getting ready to head to IC in the morning, I’ll answer tonight
Fryowa
Administrator
Nothing wrong with a Schwinn. I’ll take the comfort of a steel frame over aluminum any day. The only thing that’s as comfortable is carbon.
Where do you ride most?
Local blacktops and we have a 12 mile trail around our town that usually isn’t busy so I can get some rhythm.
Where is your favorite place to ride?
Minnesota’s state parks (and county roads) are the most friendly to cyclists that I’ve seen. I’ve ridden 7 or 8 of them and I probably enjoy it most. Rode some in Colorado, but the elevation and relentless climbs cancel out some of the beauty of the scenery.
Do you ride with others?
Myself for reasons I’ll get to.
Had a bad spill?
Yep. 2012 was on mile 96 of what was supposed to be 100 and a guy hit me with a pickup, 65+ mph. Funnily enough it was right in front of the acreage I was born unto. Almost began and ended my life in the exact same spot. The accident and aftermath I could write a huge post on, but I was in the hospital for a while, had to have reconstructive shoulder and arm surgery, then spent 3 months in the hospital after surgery from a blood clot in my lung. It’s was an ordeal. It’s also why I ride alone. None of my friends ride, but my son wanted in the worst way to race crits and road races. I used to take him with me all the time and ride blacktops when he was 10, 11 years old, but after I got hit I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t enjoyable and I must’ve had some ptsd projected on him. All I thought about the whole ride was him getting run over and it really affected me to the point that my HR would hit like 205. I’m totally fine riding by myself, no residual fear, etc.
How respectable are drivers where you live?
Some very, some not at all. It seems to be one or the other to the extreme. I had one guy follow me for a couple miles when he had plenty of chance to pass, and I’ve been clipped by a low boy flat bed trailer on a semi passing me in a no passing zone. Actually made physical contact. Just a love tap but terrifying.
Favorite Local Ride?
I’ve got a 75 mile route up at IGL (Boji) that goes around West O, East O, and Spirit Lake. The trail system up there is pretty complete now that you don’t have to cross or intersect with road traffic.
How fast have you been (mph)? Where?
Fastest I’ve been is 59 on the Madone. Verifiable on my Garmin file, wasn’t with GPS—it was an actual speed sensor backed up by GPS. They agreed on the speed.
It was on C38 coming in to the west side of Cherokee during Ragbrai. There’s a huge extended downhill coming into town. Pedaled half of it, got down on the top tube and tucked the rest. Wanted 60, didn’t get there. Absolutely terrifying and I’d never do it again. No way I’d ever have been able to stop or even slow down if someone swerved over. Caliper brakes aren’t made for that.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
That's some interesting stuff. The accident....wow. Never been hit but I did use my hand to smack a car window as they drove past. Kind of dumb but I did it. Can understand the desire to ride alone after that. I oft repair my own bikes but this summer didn't have time and took it to a shop on campus. The bar was tight up and down and I didn't check the steering side to side. Got on, couldn't turn and hit the ditch and went over the bar. Did that once at Penninsula State Park. This summer rode some near Grand Marais and the North Shore. Loved it.
That speed is fast. I've been clocked at 47 in last few years, but we have no hills to speak of that can really get you going. Once at Fremont NE was south of town on the down hill toward the Platte. The speed limit was 55 then. It was a long run. I noticed I was pacing cars and soon was moving past them. Thought it was cool until the bike started shaking. Backed it down.
No other bikers out there?
racerhawk
Well-Known Member
Great question.
I did road racing for over 25 years (Cat 2). These days, I consider myself a multisport athlete and along with my wife, do a fair amount of triathlons. Doing an XTERRA off road tri (ocean swim, btn bike, trail run) in Laguna, CA in 3 weeks. Have done a few half IMs in the past year.
I own:
1. Trek Emonda (road)
2. Canyon Speedmax SLX (tri bike)
3. Trek Fuel 9.8 GSX AXS (mtn)
Lately, I've been riding a lot of mtn bike trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. It's close to where I live. I also road ride up some fabulous climbs (check out Latigo Canyon road... it's amazing).
I first started riding in 8th grade when someone invited me to go on RAGBRAI. Been hooked ever since!!!
I did road racing for over 25 years (Cat 2). These days, I consider myself a multisport athlete and along with my wife, do a fair amount of triathlons. Doing an XTERRA off road tri (ocean swim, btn bike, trail run) in Laguna, CA in 3 weeks. Have done a few half IMs in the past year.
I own:
1. Trek Emonda (road)
2. Canyon Speedmax SLX (tri bike)
3. Trek Fuel 9.8 GSX AXS (mtn)
Lately, I've been riding a lot of mtn bike trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. It's close to where I live. I also road ride up some fabulous climbs (check out Latigo Canyon road... it's amazing).
I first started riding in 8th grade when someone invited me to go on RAGBRAI. Been hooked ever since!!!
-Trek Madone circa 2015...fastest bike I ever rode
-Quintana Roo Kilo 2016...rides like a silk panther
-An older Trek hybrid for tooling around. Air on front and the seat. It is like riding a giant pillow.
I love them all for different reasons. But that doesn't stop me from wanting more bikes.
I'm in STL so I just ride roads least likely to get buzzed on or have plastic bottles thrown at me.
I've been know to ride around the more rural bits north of Fort Dodge.
-Quintana Roo Kilo 2016...rides like a silk panther
-An older Trek hybrid for tooling around. Air on front and the seat. It is like riding a giant pillow.
I love them all for different reasons. But that doesn't stop me from wanting more bikes.
I'm in STL so I just ride roads least likely to get buzzed on or have plastic bottles thrown at me.
I've been know to ride around the more rural bits north of Fort Dodge.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Shoulda tried those mtns as I've been out there a lot the past 2 years. Some serious bikes there!
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Had a full can of beer hit me near Fremont. How fast did you go with that?
MelroseHawkins
Well-Known Member
I would be scared shitless to ride on the roads anymore with people and their phones texting. All it takes is 1-2 seconds of not paying attention and you are up a bikers azz. I know a guy back home in N Iowa who was killed on his bike after getting ran down. He was my ex-boss when had a HS job. Sad deal. I know of a rider in the Iowa City area that was ran down a few years ago by a teenager. That man didn't survive and obviously this will always affect this teenager for life.
I live in the Iowa City area so see plenty of riders every day and respect them and give them space. There is a bike club that I believe rides every Wednesday afternoon/evening.
I have no problem with them on the road, but now at the point I worry about them because of other drivers that may not pay attention.
As a driver, I can say that the small groups are much more noticeable than when coming up on a single bike rider. Yea, at times the groups can be a pain to navigate thru picking safe spots to pass them safely, but, it is much safer for the biker. It's the single riders I worry about, especially a car rolling over the apex of a hill. If the driver has a lapse of attention, that could be it. It doesn't take long and the decision time drops dramatically when going 60 mph and coming up on a bike going 15-20 mpg. It happens real fast. Drivers have to pay attention. It just comes down to that.
Again, most of the issue is with the mobile phones in cars and people texting.
Stay safe ya all.
I live in the Iowa City area so see plenty of riders every day and respect them and give them space. There is a bike club that I believe rides every Wednesday afternoon/evening.
I have no problem with them on the road, but now at the point I worry about them because of other drivers that may not pay attention.
As a driver, I can say that the small groups are much more noticeable than when coming up on a single bike rider. Yea, at times the groups can be a pain to navigate thru picking safe spots to pass them safely, but, it is much safer for the biker. It's the single riders I worry about, especially a car rolling over the apex of a hill. If the driver has a lapse of attention, that could be it. It doesn't take long and the decision time drops dramatically when going 60 mph and coming up on a bike going 15-20 mpg. It happens real fast. Drivers have to pay attention. It just comes down to that.
Again, most of the issue is with the mobile phones in cars and people texting.
Stay safe ya all.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Bikers generally know which roads to stay away from. We had 2 fatalities last year and most bikers wouldn't think of riding in those spots. On one of them a rich guy in a sports car was drinking and when the truck in front of him moved over to go around a family, he moved further left, killing the husband/dad right in front of them. He was a medical doctor.
That said, back in the 70s something like 1 in 60 people would eventually die in a car wreck. People drove anyway. What you say is correct. Actually one of the most dangerous places I've ever ridden a bike is going east from Vail pass due to bikers flying by going downhill. I prefer the afternoon during a thunderstorm as the serious crazies don't ride then. Then that leaves lightning to think about.
As I mentioned in IL, most rural roads are somewhat hard-surfaced, unlike the Iowa gravel roads. Leaves a lot more options for biking.
Fryowa
Administrator
It's just balancing risk with enjoyment. Motorcycles statistically are way more dangerous.
JoeyLabasForPresident
Well-Known Member
I have a Specialized hybrid, couldn't tell you the model. I do all my riding around Des Moines. The High Trestle and Neil Smith trails are nice, though near constant construction on the latter over the past couple years has been a real drag, especially for those that don't have bike racks on their vehicles. The Neil Smith trail is really nice north of I-80, but south of I-80 to Principal Park there is a ton of homeless activity. Most keep to themselves, but there are a number of tent cities along the Des Moines river and I've seen two homeless men become aggressive while I've been riding. One of them definitely needed to be institutionalized. It's bad enough that I wouldn't recommend riding that stretch before 8:00 AM or after about 5:00 PM, but otherwise there's a fair number of people using the trail.
racerhawk
Well-Known Member
If you ever come back, I'm happy to show you some great rides there.
racerhawk
Well-Known Member
I've ridden both ways on Vail Pass and that thin little bike trail is kinda nuts going down hill, given people are headed uphill. I'm really confident descending, but I will be cautious in cases like this because there are other riders, and unknowns around corners. That doesn't stop some folks trying to set Strava records and people have flown by me, even when I was going pretty fast. As I get older, my appetite for risk is decreasing!
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
It is crazy. I almost always bike with the wife which keeps me in check. That and a concussion a few years ago. It is spectacularly beautiful. Lots of trails around the mountains. We bike when we can around Frisco.
I like to bike around Glacier, but there just isn't much in the way of actual trails. A place that was surprisingly fun is Saguaro both on the road and off the road. Of course, it was early spring. Not very busy. But at Vail Pass it's the corners. Also, I don't think people realize the closing speed.
My dad was a cop and I saw people with red lights approaching do strange things that can't be anticipated. Kind of the same way with bikes and bike trails.
okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
I was going to get into biking but I wanted an F-150 and my wife insisted that we get an Explorer instead and I'm too cheap and lazy to get one of those bike carrier things. We have a ridiculous amount of serious bikers here and because it is in the foothills it is inevitable that you will be stuck behind some asswipe on his bike going 2 mph up a hill. And oh by the way there are absolutely no shoulders on most roads plus all sorts of blind curves so you're stuck behind that asswipe until you hit the right spot to pass.
To be clear, I wanted an F-150 because I would NEVER ride my bike on the road here and wanted to truck my bike up to the mountains or to the trail system they have built. There are bicyclist fatalities all the time. One of my buddies almost died a few weeks ago when he spilled it on Paris Mountain, which is a tiny mountain. Dude was riding down and biffed while going over 35. Broke his clavicle and three ribs. Punctured lung. Said it happened around dusk and no one found him for almost an hour until the ranger was making final rounds. Dude was in the hospital for 5 days and thinks he would have died had the ranger not seen him.
To be clear, I wanted an F-150 because I would NEVER ride my bike on the road here and wanted to truck my bike up to the mountains or to the trail system they have built. There are bicyclist fatalities all the time. One of my buddies almost died a few weeks ago when he spilled it on Paris Mountain, which is a tiny mountain. Dude was riding down and biffed while going over 35. Broke his clavicle and three ribs. Punctured lung. Said it happened around dusk and no one found him for almost an hour until the ranger was making final rounds. Dude was in the hospital for 5 days and thinks he would have died had the ranger not seen him.
Fryowa
Administrator
I'll admit that I was one of those gomers who purposely went out there looking for KOMs to break. I don't anymore. Mostly because I'm old.
