So I was out on the trail around 7AM, with the early morning cyclists and runners and dumbasses letting their dogs run off-leash in front of my bike and idiots walking slowly on the wrong side of the path with earphones on and . . . don't get me started. There should be special admission hours to the path for people with poop instead of brains.
This is how I felt on the hills (it's hard to focus when you're standing on shaking legs):
Here's my new aerobottle setup that I was testing out. It worked pretty well! I haven't tried refilling it on the fly yet. Notice there is no display on the bike computer. Sometimes it's better not to know how slow you're going. Time to go search for a new battery, I believe.
This is the hill that finally conquered me. I came up it twice from the backside, which has a more gradual slope. But when I attempted to ride up this side (it keeps winding up and up beyond the trees), I had a rude awakening about halfway up. I ground to a humiliating halt (fortunately clipping out just in the nick of time so that I didn't fall), and it was too steep and narrow to get started there again safely. I swallowed my pride and *walked* back down the hill (on my slippery bike cleats) and headed for home. There's always another day.
8 comments:
Hey at least you were out there getting it done. Most people would have slept in. :)
Does your aerobottle rattle or bounce? I am contemplating one of these...
It rattles just a teensy bit, but not badly at all. Then again, that could have been my chain.... It may depend on how far apart your aerobars are.
I think I'll probably leave it off except for races and when I'm practicing for races.
I also tend to, um, dribble with it. So Gatorade might make a mess. Guess that's the price I have to pay.
Ok, while not given to violence, I want to mount artillary on my bike to deal with dogs and deaf doo doo heads. I encountered the same thing yesterday-freaks me out. especially the dog part. I know they are public trails, but public trails have leash laws-even if you think your fido is well trained-it won't matter the one time I rum him over doing 20-the dog will get hurt. I have the same view of my cockpit-bars, computer, aero drink deal...your's seems to be missing dried snot though....
The dried snot is all on my gloves. Along with the dribble from the aerobottle.
Maybe what I need to add is a grenade launcher! That trail is really darned near unrideable any nice-weather weekend day due to the mass of idiots, which is a shame.
Jody - sounds great! let us know if you're in the neighborhood!
At least you didn't fall! The hill will be there tomorrow and because of your quick reflexes, so will your knees....
Aerobars are my next purchase. How's your back doing??? This is my only reason for holding back... Can I stay in position long enough to justify them????
Oh, I forgot to mention - with the aerobottle I can't quite get my fingers all the way around the aerobar ends like I normally would. That's why I won't use it all the time, probably. But it might not be a bad thing, since I have a bad habit of clenching my hands around the aerobars which is unnecessarily tiring, and this may help remind me not to do it. Does that make sense?
My back is definitely my weak link in aerobars, but I love aerobars because they take the weight off my wrists and hands (which hurt too much to ride long that way on a road bike). They say that it takes 600 miles to get accustomed to the fit on aerobars. For my old back, maybe a little bit longer. I can go longer if I set my beeper watch to remind myself to stretch my back every 5-10 minutes. But back pain has been what has stopped me on long rides so far.... hoping to change that this summer.
I know this is morbid but just like watching a train wreck I have to ask, what was the slowest speed you sustained beofore you had to stop?
(Covering head) god Nancy dont hit me, I didn't want to ask that but I have to know.
LOL! I don't know, I think I just ground to a halt, and got my feet clipped out just in time. It was TOO DAMN STEEP. Or I'm too damn fat, or just not strong enough. One of those problems. It was steep enough that I didn't think I could either start up going uphill (I'd just do the same thing), or safely start out again downhill (it was too steep and I'd crash). So I bailed and walked.
I think it's above 18% grade, because I can just about maintain forward motion on that, but I don't know for sure.
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