Sooo, maybe I wanna ride...
Thanks for all the input guys!!! I really appreciate it! I'm hoping to run tomorrow after work, but I want to give the bike a whirl in the morning...I'll stick to the gym for right now, but hopefully some of these glaicers around here will melt and I'll be able to get out on the road...
"Running has the power to change your life. It will make you fitter, healthier, even happier." ~Selene Yeager, "Let's Get Started," May 2010 issue of Runner's World
check out ride with gps it's free
www.ridewithgps.com
You can search for local rides that have already been mapped out in your are, they will give you a printable map and turn by turn directions.
Our local club lists rides for all abilities. From the social riders out for the sunday stroll to those that are paceline and don't break that tire to tire line for the whole ride.
Just because you have a mountain bike doesn't mean you can't get road or hybrid wheels and put some road wheels on it. That will help a bit with the problem of the bike being slower.
Go ahead and look for the century rides, because most of them; at least the ones that I find locally have 3 options. They usually have a 35 mile ride, a 100Kilometer ride(60 miles) and a 100 Mile ride. They try to provide something for every level of rider. I find that it is easier to find organized sponsored rides searching for the century than it is to try and find an organized 35 mile ride.
I see people all the time at the local triathlons riding a varity of bikes I have seen cruiser, mountain bikes, road bikes and tri specific bikes. At these local events people are just out to experience the event, they know they aren't going to be competing with anyone but themselves.
Go to your local bike store and talk to them. Talk to all of them. If you find one that bad mouths any particular store or piece of equipment avoid them like the plague. I had several employees from different stores all tell me the same thing. When you are spending potentially thousands on a high end bike, none of the reputable dealers is going to stick you with a lemon. All of the major players produce great products, Trek, Specialized, Giant, Felt, Cervelo,on and on.
Additionally all of my local shops rent bikes, so you can try them before you buy them and most of them will apply a rental fee towards an eventual purchase.
Initially comfort is probably going to be your biggest hurdle. If you aren't comfortable you won't ride. The bikes can be adjusted to provide a more upright ride and then later on you can get different angled stems, or seats with less padding or whatever it takes to save grams and make you more aerodynamic. But the goal is to get you on the bike, make it enjoyable and keep you riding.
If you find that you have a problem with any particular type of riding, then that is the type you need to tackle. If hills are hard, then practice hills.
My club keeps a monthly calendar of scheduled rides and the expected difficulty and ride information. You can probably find something local to your area as well.
Here is an example of some of the rides my local club does:
http://srcc.memberlodge.com/calendar
When you look at any of the rides you will see the following
3/AB/40
This lists the terrain 3 /the rider level AB/ The distance 40 miles
TERRAIN
1: Mostly flat (River Road, Dry Creek)
2: Rolling, easy grades (Westside Road)
3: Moderate grades (Graton Road)
4: Hilly; a few steep climbs (Coleman Valley Road, Franz Valley Road)
5: Very hilly; lots of long climbs (Trinity Grade, The Geysers, Skaggs Springs Road) (If available, elevation gain
may be listed.)
TEMPO
Actual ride speed may vary, depending on terrain, distance, weather, and group dynamics.
Tempo listing is only a ballpark estimate.
A: relaxed pace; frequent regroups; waits for all riders. Over 26 minutes*
B: touring pace; regroups every 30-45 minutes; waits for all riders. 23-26 minutes*
C: brisk pace; pacelines likely; regroups every 30-60 minutes. 19-22 minutes*
D: aggressive pace; pacelines; slower riders may miss regroups. Under 19 minutes*
*Times are for official SRCC speed trap: 4.4 mostly uphill miles on Graton Road from Ross Road in Graton to summit at Tanuda/Facendini junction. If you want to know where you fit in on club rides,
time yourself on this section (at your normal riding tempo) and compare your time to the list above.
DISTANCE
The last figure in the formula, stated in approximate miles. (If in doubt, leader should overestimate mileage slightly.)
www.ridewithgps.com
You can search for local rides that have already been mapped out in your are, they will give you a printable map and turn by turn directions.
Our local club lists rides for all abilities. From the social riders out for the sunday stroll to those that are paceline and don't break that tire to tire line for the whole ride.
Just because you have a mountain bike doesn't mean you can't get road or hybrid wheels and put some road wheels on it. That will help a bit with the problem of the bike being slower.
Go ahead and look for the century rides, because most of them; at least the ones that I find locally have 3 options. They usually have a 35 mile ride, a 100Kilometer ride(60 miles) and a 100 Mile ride. They try to provide something for every level of rider. I find that it is easier to find organized sponsored rides searching for the century than it is to try and find an organized 35 mile ride.
I see people all the time at the local triathlons riding a varity of bikes I have seen cruiser, mountain bikes, road bikes and tri specific bikes. At these local events people are just out to experience the event, they know they aren't going to be competing with anyone but themselves.
Go to your local bike store and talk to them. Talk to all of them. If you find one that bad mouths any particular store or piece of equipment avoid them like the plague. I had several employees from different stores all tell me the same thing. When you are spending potentially thousands on a high end bike, none of the reputable dealers is going to stick you with a lemon. All of the major players produce great products, Trek, Specialized, Giant, Felt, Cervelo,on and on.
Additionally all of my local shops rent bikes, so you can try them before you buy them and most of them will apply a rental fee towards an eventual purchase.
Initially comfort is probably going to be your biggest hurdle. If you aren't comfortable you won't ride. The bikes can be adjusted to provide a more upright ride and then later on you can get different angled stems, or seats with less padding or whatever it takes to save grams and make you more aerodynamic. But the goal is to get you on the bike, make it enjoyable and keep you riding.
If you find that you have a problem with any particular type of riding, then that is the type you need to tackle. If hills are hard, then practice hills.
My club keeps a monthly calendar of scheduled rides and the expected difficulty and ride information. You can probably find something local to your area as well.
Here is an example of some of the rides my local club does:
http://srcc.memberlodge.com/calendar
When you look at any of the rides you will see the following
3/AB/40
This lists the terrain 3 /the rider level AB/ The distance 40 miles
TERRAIN
1: Mostly flat (River Road, Dry Creek)
2: Rolling, easy grades (Westside Road)
3: Moderate grades (Graton Road)
4: Hilly; a few steep climbs (Coleman Valley Road, Franz Valley Road)
5: Very hilly; lots of long climbs (Trinity Grade, The Geysers, Skaggs Springs Road) (If available, elevation gain
may be listed.)
TEMPO
Actual ride speed may vary, depending on terrain, distance, weather, and group dynamics.
Tempo listing is only a ballpark estimate.
A: relaxed pace; frequent regroups; waits for all riders. Over 26 minutes*
B: touring pace; regroups every 30-45 minutes; waits for all riders. 23-26 minutes*
C: brisk pace; pacelines likely; regroups every 30-60 minutes. 19-22 minutes*
D: aggressive pace; pacelines; slower riders may miss regroups. Under 19 minutes*
*Times are for official SRCC speed trap: 4.4 mostly uphill miles on Graton Road from Ross Road in Graton to summit at Tanuda/Facendini junction. If you want to know where you fit in on club rides,
time yourself on this section (at your normal riding tempo) and compare your time to the list above.
DISTANCE
The last figure in the formula, stated in approximate miles. (If in doubt, leader should overestimate mileage slightly.)
The first time you do something - It's going to be a personal record!
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