Sunday's Ride

Ride starts at 8am in the usual spot. Expect to have to wait for me - rode to work and enjoyed it soo much decided to ride home again. Doh. On top of what passes for marathon training (well 3 runs in 10 days). I always thought that you got smarter as you get older. Well I have it half right, the getting older bit! see you tomorrow andy pandy

Roaming in the gloaming

It's been one of those weeks, the weather has made being outside irresistible. For me, a good autumn in Victoria is perfect and coupling this with great riding buddies is pretty much the bees knees.
Though I missed riding with the Lairs crew last weekend I was not short of good company for the week. A great riding pal, George Judkins came up to join me for the 200 permanent, Rock to Lock, which you may know takes you from Lancefield for a lap around Lake Eppalock then back to Kyneton and over Mt. Macedon before heading back to Lannie.
We had a great day, while it was no record pace it was still a taxing ride, yet as we rode back into town in the gloaming, I must say I couldn't help feeling a little sad this ride had to end. Thanks for your company mate.
The good company didn't stop there, I was asked to go riding not once but twice this week by my daughter Talia, an offer too good to refuse. I have to say this was no epic trip, just a few k's in the beams of my bike lights. But what we lacked in distance she made up for in effort, up the toughest hill around my place, just under a km of climbing but steep. No, she never quite made it up all the way without stopping for a very short walk, but she reckons next time she will, and I think she just might.
Maybe my years of asking is paying off, or maybe she might not get on the bike again for six months, but I'll still have the rides and the chat we had on the way home to treasure.
To cap off this week I hope we'll catch up for a ride tomorrow in the usual spot at 8am. Let me know if you can make it.
Steve

The return of the blob.

My riding has been a bit sporadic of late, the form I had after the Alpine has all but gone. I haven't seen a hill for yonks. Initially due to my stack but that's no longer an excuse as I'm over that but have been less than motivated in getting back into it and it's starting to show. It happens to me if I have a bit of a break.
I'm planning on doing an Audax 200 permanent from Lancefield tomorrow and hopefully get back into the swing of things. The weather is looking perfect so I have no excuses. The map shows my planned route.
The usual Lairs ride is planned for 8am in the usual place but if you feel like doing something longer give me a call today and I will make up a brevet card for you.
See you in the morning.
Steve.

Sunday's Ride

Early start - well 8am. Usual place, usual thing (riding, coffee)
Andy

Bicycle Philosophy 101
If you think your bike looks good, it does. If you like the way your bike rides, it’s an awesome bike.
You don’t need to spend a million dollars to have a great bike, but if you do spend a million dollars and know what you want you’ll probably also have a great bike.
Yes, you can tour on your bike – whatever it is. Yes, you can race on your bike – whatever it is. Yes, you can commute on your bike – whatever it is.
26” wheels or 29” or 650b or 700c or 24” or 20” or whatever – yes, that wheel size is rad and you’ll probably get where you’re going.
Disc brakes, cantis, v-brakes, and road calipers all do a great job of stopping a bike when they’re working and adjusted.
No paint job makes everyone happy.
Yes, you can put a rack on that. Get some p-clamps if there are no mounts.
Steel is a great material for making bike frames - so is aluminum, carbon fiber, and titanium.
You can have your saddle at whatever angle makes you happy. Your handlebars can be lower than your saddle, even with your saddle, or higher than your saddle. Whichever way you like it is right.
Being shuttled up a downhill run does not make you a weak person, nor does choosing not to fly off of a 10 foot drop.
Bike frames made overseas can be super cool. Bike frames made in the USA can be super cool.
Hey, tattooed and pierced long shorts wearin flat brim hat red bull drinkin white Oakley sportin rad person on your full suspension big hit bike – nice work out there. Hey, little round glasses pocket protector collared shirt skid lid rear view mirror sandal wearing schwalbe marathon running pletscher two-leg kickstand tourist – good job. Hey, shaved leg skinny as hell super duper tan line hear rate monitor checking power tap train in the basement all winter super loud lycra kit million dollar wheels racer – keep it up.
The more you ride your bike, the less your ass will hurt.
The following short answers are good answers, but not the only ones for the question asked – 29”, Brooks, lugged, disc brake, steel, Campagnolo, helmet, custom, Rohloff, NJS, carbon, 31.8, clipless, porteur.
No bike does everything perfectly. In fact, no bike does anything until someone gets on it to ride.
Sometimes, recumbent bikes are ok.
Your bike shop is not trying to screw you. They’re trying to stay open.
Buying things off of the internet is great, except when it sucks.
Some people know more about bikes than you do. Other people know less.
Maybe the person you waved at while you were out riding didn’t see you wave at them.
It sucks to be harassed by assholes in cars while you’re on a bike. It also sucks to drive behind assholes on bikes.
Did you build that yourself? Awesome. Did you buy that? Cool.
Wheelies are the best trick ever invented. That’s just a fact. Which is better, riding long miles, or hanging out under a bridge doing tricks? Yes. Yes, you can break your collar bone riding a bike like that. Stopping at stop signs is probably a good idea.
Driving with your bikes on top of your car to get to a dirt trail isn’t ideal, but for most people it’s necessary.
If your bike has couplers, or if you have a spendy bike case, or if you pay a shop to pack your bike, or if you have a folding bike, shipping a bike is still a pain in the ass for everyone involved.
That dent in your frame is probably ok, but maybe it’s not. You should get it looked at. Touch up paint always looks like shit. Often it looks worse than the scratch.
A pristine bike free of dirt, scratches, and wear marks makes me sort of sad. A bike that’s been chained to the same tree for three years caked with rust and missing parts makes me sad too.
Bikes purchased at Wal-mart, Target, Costco, or K-mart are generally not the best bang for your buck.
Toe overlap is not the end of the world, unless you crash and die – then it is.
Sometimes parts break. Sometimes you crash. Sometimes it’s your fault.
Yes, you can buy a bike without riding it first. It would be nice to ride it first, but it’s not a deal breaker not to.
Ownership of a truing stand does not a wheel builder make. 32 spokes, 48 spokes, 24 spokes, three spokes? Sure.
Single speed bikes are rad. Bikes with derailleurs and cassettes are sexy. Belt drive internal gear bikes work great too.
Columbus, TruTemper, Reynolds, Ishiwata, or no brand? I’d ride it. Tubeless tires are pretty cool. So are tubes.
Riding by yourself kicks ass. You might also try riding with a group. Really fast people are frustrating, but they make you faster. When you get faster, you might frustrate someone else.
Stopping can be as much fun as riding.
Lots of people worked their asses off to build whatever you’re riding on. You should thank them.
Andy