For those of you who care...
Saturday, December 20, 2008... 43 mile road ride, 2:55: 37
Sunday, December 21, 2008... 20 mile "fun ride" at Alafia
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
29er Karate Monkey Ride Report
So far I've only had the opportunity to ride the new 29er on two (2) occasions at Boyette. From the moment we set out to the trail head for SST, I knew that this ride experience would be different. Then, once we actually hit the trails I finally understood the hype... bigger wheels = more momentum = better ability to handle trail bump and to power through sections which normally require a little more "work" on the rider's part.
Now, as my new friend El Mucaro recently pointed out, I realize that 29ers are not magical. They do not possess some sort of mystical power which makes one a better rider the moment he or she's ass touches the saddle, and they do not sprinkle magic fairy dust on the trail which automatically smooths out rocky, rooty, more technical sections. As I've said from the very first time a close friend suggested that I make the climb from 26" to 29" wheels, "I'll have to see how 29" wheels are beneficial to others before making the change myself." As an individual who has two (2) years experience on a full rigid, 26" SS, I feel that I am somewhat of an authority on how 26" wheels handle climbs, descents, rocks, roots, sand, mud, and the like. I'm here to tell ya, 29" do offer the more of the one (1) thing which is your friend in most of the aforementioned environments; MOMENTUM... me likey the SPEED through technical sections!
Please, let's not get into the debate about wheels with a heavier rolling mass, or slower steering, or whatever. I'm not here to tell you that 29ers are better, I merely wish to share my experience with you. I still love my 26" bike and I am a firm believer in the expression, "to each, his own" so shut-up, stop your whining, go out, and RIDE!
PEACE!
Now, as my new friend El Mucaro recently pointed out, I realize that 29ers are not magical. They do not possess some sort of mystical power which makes one a better rider the moment he or she's ass touches the saddle, and they do not sprinkle magic fairy dust on the trail which automatically smooths out rocky, rooty, more technical sections. As I've said from the very first time a close friend suggested that I make the climb from 26" to 29" wheels, "I'll have to see how 29" wheels are beneficial to others before making the change myself." As an individual who has two (2) years experience on a full rigid, 26" SS, I feel that I am somewhat of an authority on how 26" wheels handle climbs, descents, rocks, roots, sand, mud, and the like. I'm here to tell ya, 29" do offer the more of the one (1) thing which is your friend in most of the aforementioned environments; MOMENTUM... me likey the SPEED through technical sections!
Please, let's not get into the debate about wheels with a heavier rolling mass, or slower steering, or whatever. I'm not here to tell you that 29ers are better, I merely wish to share my experience with you. I still love my 26" bike and I am a firm believer in the expression, "to each, his own" so shut-up, stop your whining, go out, and RIDE!
PEACE!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Year of the Monkey
Well, it's official, I'm a sellout! Yesterday I traded-in my old 26" full rigid SS for a new rig complete with 29" wheels, and man, am I ever pleased with the end result!
I originally made the decision to go "big" a few weeks ago; however, I did not think that the change would occur so soon. Thanks to a couple of good friends, I managed to scrape together enough parts to build my newest steed; a full rigid pearl coffee (brown) Surly Karate Monkey.
The new Karate Monkey frame arrived late Monday afternoon, so that evening I spent an hour or so applying a generous coat of J.P. Weigle Cycles Frame Saver to the inside of my frame. For those of you that have never used this stuff before, I have just a few simple words of advice, "Apply this product in an extremely well ventilated area!" After nearly 19 hours dry-time, I grabbed my frame and fork and headed over to my buddy's place for a bike tear-down / rebuild party. Tearing my 1x1 down took no time at all, as my buddy has as many (if not more) tools than most bike shops. We made sure to inspect everything taken off the old frame for excessive wear; pleased to report that every single component was in tip top shape!
Putting the new bike together was a blast, in fact, I had forgotten how much I really enjoy tinkering on my bikes. After cutting the steer tube to the proper length, and installing the headset, we moved to the FSA BB and Middleburn Cranks. Next, we installed the rear wheel and adjusted the chain line. We got lucky on this one, as there was no need to shim the rear cog; everything just fell right into proper alignment. This was followed by re-tensioning and truing both wheels (before final installation on the bike). Lastly, we hung the old-school first generation HOPE MINI hydraulic brakes. Shimming the brake calipers was probably the most tedious task involved in the build, but fortunately my buddy Kevin has become a whiz at "finessing" these calipers into their optimal position, and so far there is no brake drag!
I originally made the decision to go "big" a few weeks ago; however, I did not think that the change would occur so soon. Thanks to a couple of good friends, I managed to scrape together enough parts to build my newest steed; a full rigid pearl coffee (brown) Surly Karate Monkey.
The new Karate Monkey frame arrived late Monday afternoon, so that evening I spent an hour or so applying a generous coat of J.P. Weigle Cycles Frame Saver to the inside of my frame. For those of you that have never used this stuff before, I have just a few simple words of advice, "Apply this product in an extremely well ventilated area!" After nearly 19 hours dry-time, I grabbed my frame and fork and headed over to my buddy's place for a bike tear-down / rebuild party. Tearing my 1x1 down took no time at all, as my buddy has as many (if not more) tools than most bike shops. We made sure to inspect everything taken off the old frame for excessive wear; pleased to report that every single component was in tip top shape!
Putting the new bike together was a blast, in fact, I had forgotten how much I really enjoy tinkering on my bikes. After cutting the steer tube to the proper length, and installing the headset, we moved to the FSA BB and Middleburn Cranks. Next, we installed the rear wheel and adjusted the chain line. We got lucky on this one, as there was no need to shim the rear cog; everything just fell right into proper alignment. This was followed by re-tensioning and truing both wheels (before final installation on the bike). Lastly, we hung the old-school first generation HOPE MINI hydraulic brakes. Shimming the brake calipers was probably the most tedious task involved in the build, but fortunately my buddy Kevin has become a whiz at "finessing" these calipers into their optimal position, and so far there is no brake drag!
The entire process took about 3-1/2 hours, and then she was all done. At 9:00 p.m. I threw a leg around my new 29er Karate Monkey and took her for a spin down my buddy's long driveway; I must have looked like a little kid riding his new bike on Christmas morning, cause that's what I felt like.As they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words." So without further ado, I present to you the newest addition to my collection; my first ever 29er.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Quest Update #1
178 lbs is my current weight, and I gotta tell ya, I'm feeling good! Now, I realize that this is only a 2 lb drop since the first weigh-in (Nov. 23rd); however, it is progress, and I'm pleased that things are continuing to move along in the right direction... another 13 lbs and I'll be at my personal goal of 165 lb. Although things are progressing slowly, I can tell you that there is definitely a transformation taking place. To date, I've dropped at least one pant size, and, as is common with a shrinking waistline, my love handles are beginning to melt away. I am also enjoying the benefits of an increased energy level, and I seem to be recovering better on the bike; (so far) my legs are cramp free during longer rides.
As part of my training for the upcoming two (2) endurance rides I will participate in, I am making every effort to ride longer distances whenever possible. Yesterday I rode just over 31 miles at Boyette; the original plan was to ride 40 miles, but my riding buddies had both had enough by mile 28, so we decided to settle for just over 30 miles, and so we headed back to the parking lot. The important thing is that I felt extremely comfortable during the entire ride, and I am 100% confident that I could have easily completed the 40 miles with no cramping issues... bring on those 50 miles!
So, what's next? I still have 13 lbs to lose by January 10, 2009, and at this point I firmly believe that it's going to take a little more effort than I had originally thought. It's time to get a little more serious, to start watching portions, and to stop having a nibble or two here and there of those things I shouldn't be consuming. A new riding friend / mentor recently turned me on to this great blog which is dedicated to better living through diet and exercise; http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ take the time to check the blog; it may change your life.
Since learning about this blog I've become a loyal follower, and I've also come to believe that the author is really onto something. A recent post suggested a system cleansing, if you will, through eating only fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and drinking plenty of water, for a period of 7 - 10 days; my cleansing begins tomorrow!
I must digress here to add a little blurb about the main reason I enjoy the sport of cycling so very much, as it ties-in with part of the philosophies discussed on the aforementioned blog. As I see it, the "Primal Blueprint" is reconnecting with our ancestral selves. Food, exercise, and a connection with nature were each a vital necessity; the key to survival. I believe that (at least) some of you would agree that we as a nation, as a people, have become a bit complaisant these days; a nation of instant gratification of sorts. And why not? A fast convenient meal is just a phone call or a few key-strokes away. Why spend time outdoors when we have everything we need within the comfort of our homes; the kids can entertain themselves with the new Wii or XBox 360, and I can always hit the gym on the way home from work tomorrow... or the next day.
I realize that no one is asking; however, since this is my blog I wish to express my opinion that many of us are lacking something today; something elemental. Ask yourself this question, "When was the last time I was compelled by something?" Can you remember? Sadly, for many of us, the answer is, "No".
As part of my training for the upcoming two (2) endurance rides I will participate in, I am making every effort to ride longer distances whenever possible. Yesterday I rode just over 31 miles at Boyette; the original plan was to ride 40 miles, but my riding buddies had both had enough by mile 28, so we decided to settle for just over 30 miles, and so we headed back to the parking lot. The important thing is that I felt extremely comfortable during the entire ride, and I am 100% confident that I could have easily completed the 40 miles with no cramping issues... bring on those 50 miles!
So, what's next? I still have 13 lbs to lose by January 10, 2009, and at this point I firmly believe that it's going to take a little more effort than I had originally thought. It's time to get a little more serious, to start watching portions, and to stop having a nibble or two here and there of those things I shouldn't be consuming. A new riding friend / mentor recently turned me on to this great blog which is dedicated to better living through diet and exercise; http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ take the time to check the blog; it may change your life.Since learning about this blog I've become a loyal follower, and I've also come to believe that the author is really onto something. A recent post suggested a system cleansing, if you will, through eating only fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and drinking plenty of water, for a period of 7 - 10 days; my cleansing begins tomorrow!
I must digress here to add a little blurb about the main reason I enjoy the sport of cycling so very much, as it ties-in with part of the philosophies discussed on the aforementioned blog. As I see it, the "Primal Blueprint" is reconnecting with our ancestral selves. Food, exercise, and a connection with nature were each a vital necessity; the key to survival. I believe that (at least) some of you would agree that we as a nation, as a people, have become a bit complaisant these days; a nation of instant gratification of sorts. And why not? A fast convenient meal is just a phone call or a few key-strokes away. Why spend time outdoors when we have everything we need within the comfort of our homes; the kids can entertain themselves with the new Wii or XBox 360, and I can always hit the gym on the way home from work tomorrow... or the next day.
I realize that no one is asking; however, since this is my blog I wish to express my opinion that many of us are lacking something today; something elemental. Ask yourself this question, "When was the last time I was compelled by something?" Can you remember? Sadly, for many of us, the answer is, "No".
Nature is a mighty compelling force and it's out there waiting f0r us. In a single moment, and without even thinking about it, we are moved by the way a ray of sunlight bounces off the tree tops, or the way a distant mountain top glistens with freshly fallen snow. Experiences like these are out there waiting to be had, but they are missed when we spend our lives indoors; tucked away from the sunlight which is so vital to life. So there you have it, cycling is my way of reconnecting with nature; be it a long ride down a twisty single track, or a road ride along a stretch of back county road. There's an entire world just waiting to be explored, so get the entire family involved, grab your bikes, or your backpacks, or your fishing poles, or whatever your fancy and go get you some!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
