Introductions - Who are you?

Do you middle-aged dads relate to how hard it is to keep up with your 15-year old boy on an MTB? It's been more than 20 years since this 49'er has done any serious biking, but I'm thankful for the re-introduction - I feel great!. I ride a Specialized FSR-XC, but have also taken up road rides on a recumbent Optima Lynx.Jeez, I love this stuff! Check me out (in yellow) at http://recumbents.topcities.com/photos.htm

Sorry, it took me so long to post, I've been playing catch up with the threads in the forum. Anyway, it's great reading everyone else's bio!

My name is Sussette, but most people have been callin' me "Suzette" since I was in the Second Grade, so it kinda stuck.

Let's see, I'm currently 34 years YOUNG, and somewhat
borderline sane, but I'm sure everyone knows that already. :D

I'm a web programmer...code junkie, and all around gadget freak. I have this weird addiction to computers, BikeForums.com, and anything chocolate. I'm a recovering shopaholic, and have been sober from the mall for 4 months...okay, except for the time I ran in to get a quick pair of shorts.;)

I've got two kids (as far as I know--that's a joke folks, don't think too hard on that one), my girl is 6 years old, and my son is 12 years old (almost a teenager)! We enjoy playing games together and scootering to the park or the store.

I've been married to my hubby for about 8 years. He's mentioned he's going to get himself a bike for his birthday! I think I remind him every week that he said that, but I know he will. He doesn't say much, but when does say something, it's pretty darn good. Uh, okay,

MOST of the time--I think I'm giving him to much credit here in this forum.;) Well, to offset that, I'm more outgoing than he is--he's a pretty quiet person.

Special abilities and Stuff:
1. I can figure out the name of the movie usually within 5 seconds--most of them I've watched. (Go fig--the tv was my babysitter...I know, super scary, but would explain why the way I am...or maybe it was the time I was part of some study..nah)

2. Uncanny way that I can read my hubby's mind--usually when he's in trouble with me, or wants some gadget. (Possibility of Vulcan mind meld at some point...) :D

3. One of the few women NOT addicted to Oprah and to any of her media enterprises. Sorry, gals, can't really figure that one out. Must of missed out on that gene. (See #1 for details.)

4. Waded too close to the shallow end of the gene pool once, but I was able to get back out into mid level when I broke up with ex-boyfriend.

5. Inability to cook anything worthwhile. Almost burned down corporate break room just by cooking popcorn in microwave. (See #1 for details.)


Anyway, I live in Southern California, out in the suburbs, where we all watch the leaves turn green and brown (our two seasons out here). I love riding my bike, running (I've ran 4 marathons so far), and just enjoying clear days, so I can actually see blue skies! I have a Trek 820 MTB, and I hoping to get a used road bike sometime--maybe next year(?) .

I guess that's all there's to me. Nothin' too complicated, right? Well, okay, but that's not what my hubby says... ;)

Originally posted by Nitter
Andrew here. I am a fed


Oh yeah! What division of the governemnt do you work in?

Hunter,
See, I've told you so, now we have a Fed. in our system,

Originally posted by bentrox!
Do you middle-aged dads relate to how hard it is to keep up with your 15-year old boy on an MTB? It's been more than 20 years since this 49'er has done any serious biking, but I'm thankful for the re-introduction - I feel great!. I ride a Specialized FSR-XC, but have also taken up road rides on a recumbent Optima Lynx.Jeez, I love this stuff! Check me out (in yellow) at http://recumbents.topcities.com/photos.htm.
Bentrox,
I am 53 years young and my son is 20 years old, I can still keep pace with my son even when he, tries to out distance me, I can still keep a good account of my biking speed with him.....oh I failed to mentioned I have been riding my bike consistenly for the last 20 years or more, its like a religion to me.... and if I can't ride my bike I become a "grampy old Man"

Regardless of how slow or fast I ride, my son is always 12 inches behind me (usually kicking me). I'm sure that all will change in the years to come.

Here`s my list;

age: 21
weight: 75 kg
height: 1.85 mtr.
eyes: Green
hair: D-blond
born: Alkmaar
live: Schermerhorn, the Netherlands
bikes: Cannondale M900 97` / Pro-Flex 856 96`
best inventions: Beds, Bikes and Espresso!
sport: Mtb and climbing
music: Almost everything, but i love GOOD dance/house
film: Fifth Element, Braveheart, O Brother Were Are Thou
career: Student, carmechanic (i`m sorry!),carpenter
drinks:Beer & whiskey (scotch indeed!)
food:Pancakes/Pannekoeken
first bike: At my 5th birthday

My post is a bit late, but i have nice picture of myself trying to scare the photographer!

Originally posted by Ba-Dg-Er


Funny... I don't remember ever going out with you! :)

hey, Ba-Dg-Er, that was "SHALLOW" end...I believe you're more of the mid-high level part of that darn pool--since you're a cyclist and all... ;)

Besides, I don't think you ever attended a seminary, did 'ya? I mean that's what my FIRST boyfriend did... :)

Originally posted by orguasch
Hunter,
See, I've told you so, now we have a Fed. in our system,

MMM HMMM! Kinda X Fileish ani't it?

I work for Congress, not the President, so I know nothing about X, Y, or Z Files. I describe government books and magazines sold to the public.

The truth is out there, but you have to ride to it.

My Mom & Dad named me Brian, my friends named me Bubba. When new friends ask them why (and thankfully they do) the reply is invariably "Because he is Bubba!". This seems to satisfy them.

I'm 183 cm, 97kg (6'1", 215lbs for those who insist on an irrational system of measurement). 34. Married. First kid expected in October :eek:.

I ride to get somewhere, no training. I love to tour and have toured in Canada, the States, Oz, and New Zealand. I live in Uxbridge, about 75 km northeast of Toronto, Canada.

Other interests include: guitar and mandolin, camping/canoeing/hiking, reading (literary fiction, mostly), and most recently, gardening (we all become our parents eventually).

I make a living as a freelance audio-visual jedi.

Bubba

Pete, We must schedule Ba-Dg-Er, for our brain surgery, our work on Mike, was not done properly, so I hope this time it will turn out okay on Ba-Dg-Er

Hi there,
I'm 50 yrs old, 5'9" or 5'8 1/2" depending on which leg I'm standing on, weigh 227 lbs down from almost 240 from health problems the last couple of years and not being able to do much, (160 to 165 when I raced a few years back, 155 during my divorce).
I got into cycling about 30 years ago to stay in shape for skiing after I blew out my knee from playing motor-cycles and crashing rugby and "sandlot" tackle football. For some reason I couldn't run anymore after that stuff. A couple years after that I met a guy who raced and he taught me some technique, (I was doing it all wrong), we've been riding partners, team-mates and close friends since.
I used to cook, work in the ski-business and a few bike shops untill my knees really went south and carpal-tunnel raised it's ugly head. I have a BA from Eastern Washington University '88 and now sell insurance, (I can't believe it either).
I live in Spokane WA, I've tried some other places, but the riding is too good here and this IS home. ( I'm toying with the idea of starting a tour service here)
Bikes:
Sannino road frame w/mixture of Campy record from various eras including 8spd ergo
Older Sannino road frame set up as fixed gear to work on my spin
Masi Prestige w/ Campy 50th Anniversary
Trek 520 upgraded w/record hubs set up as a "mudbike"
Fat Chance mtn bike w/ Suntour
Gitane '73 mostly campy record (huret derailleur)
Schwinn Speedster for commuting
Schwinn "52? cruiser for commuting in winter and early season training
Schwinn "triple bar cruiser" turning into all Campy cruiser- work in progress
Bianchi and Raleigh spares for others to ride
Other past and present activities and interests; Ballet, Boxing, Modern, Swing and ballroom dance, Ju-Jitsu, cooking, Art, Tae-Kwon Do, Reading, Theatre, Fishing, Bike racing, and Camping etc. etc.

If you're going to be around here let me know!

Anything else woud probably be REALLY boring
Later
Pat Stowe

I apologize to all who replied to the post that once appeared in this thread, other than for my biographical post. I have deleted it.

I will not post anything else in this, "Who are you?" thread so that it can be reserved for actual personal descriptions.

The other 99% of these forums are fair game for my SPAM! ;)

Pete, Remember I am on your side.......

Re: Pat 5319,

I was going to start a thread to see who owns the most bikes, but I think I know now!

Hi All!

My name is Greg, I'm 23, Married with one child & I'm a Retail Supervisor - I work in a large Auto/Cycle Retailer call Halfords. I run the bike section in my paricular store.

I've been cycling since 3 years of age. I used to race - but marriage put a stop to that! :)

I ride a Ribble Scandium 7003, with Campag Veloce/Daytona bits with Mavic Cosmos Wheels. For all of those unfamiliar with the name Ribble, they built bikes for Chris Boardman and the GB Olympic Squads until Sydney.

Pat5319: I always perk up when I hear of a guy riding a Speedster. Three-speed or coaster?

Most of you have interesting things to say about yourselves and your cycling backgrounds and mine seems rather drab, but here goes.
My name is Ron, I live near Atlanta, Georgia, and I'm 56 (am I really that old??) but bicycling keeps me young. Many of my friends say I look about 8 years younger. :thumbup:

In the late 70s I bought a used 3-speed English Racer to get rid of some unwanted weight. I rode it for a year or so. In the mid-80s I bought a Schwinn LeTour and loved riding for 4 more years. Then I moved, changed jobs twice, went through a divorce, etc.

I now am married to the best wife anyone could have (She even told me to ride on Mother's Day). She has been a wonderful mother to my kids (who are all grown now). Unfortunately she doesn't ride - YET. But she fully supports me and knows (and has seen) the health benefits of bicycling. I hadn't ridden in about 6 years and it was quite obvious. I was plump, round, all the unkind adjectives described me perfectly. So two years ago she told me to get a new bike and MAKE the time to ride. I bought a Raleigh R600 and rode whenever I could. As luck would have it, I lost my job June 1, 2000 (corporate downsizing) and was unemployed for 9 months (age discrimination??). I rode every day and lost 30 pounds.
Now that I am employed again, but at a greatly reduced salary, I started looking at new bikes. My wife knew I wanted a new bike so she took me to a local bike shop that was having a sale and told me to buy the bike I had been dreaming of for so long - a Litespeed Tuscany.
Didn't I say she was the best. :beer:

Now I have to sell the Raleigh and her 5 year old mountain bike that she never could get comfortable on. She says we will buy a "comfort" bike for her with the money from those bikes. Wish me luck selling them so I can buy her a good bike.
I now ride after work and on weekends. My next goal is bicycling to work. The distance isn't a problem (15 miles one way), but the traffic is. Atlanta traffic is horribel at best and don't relish the idea of dying so young.

I've enjoyed reading and posting on the forum and have learned a lot from all of you.

Ron

Ron, your backround isn't drab. Your wife sounds like a really great person. I certainly hope you sell those bikes quickly so you can get her a bike that is comfy. Happy commuting man!!!

Well, the time has come to introduce myself.

I'm Mark, I'm 46, and I live in Augusta, Georgia like Cambronne (Who I've got to get together with sometime!) I'm a computer geek, actually the Alphageek, at a college here. I'm very married (5 children) and have a lovely wife, who puts up with her husband's biking habit, and occasionally cheers me on!

I have a Giant Cypress XL (I'm 6'2" 195 lbs) with fenders, rear rack, panniers, toe clips, blinkie light, etc. I commute 10 miles daily in what is ordinarily hot and humid weather. I have a weather program on my computer that keeps me upto the moment on temp, humidity, RAIN, etc. (Today thunderstorms are looming!)

I enjoy the banter of this forum, and appreciate all the great ideas!

Mark

Lessee. 46 years old, married to my high school sweetheart, the bike widow, for the last (almost) 27. 5'6", 170 pounds. Okay, maybe 175. One son that graduated from college a year ago. I'm a computer geek that writes firmware for a living. I was a military brat for the first 1/3 of my life and have lived several places in Washington State, Priest Lake Id., Reno Nv., Great Falls Mt., Springfield Mass., Dallas Tx., Boone NC, and currently in C'ville Va.

I lived on bicycles until 9th grade, and quit. I rediscovered it 16 years ago, became a fanatic, and it's only gotten worse. I started using my bike to commute to work (10 mile round trip) in '94, but still only when it's not raining.

Current stable:

Black '93 Bridgestone RB-T (alternately known as Gertie and Rocinante), currently pressed into commuter duty.
White '92 Bianchi Alfana (Shadowfax), soon to be re-configured as my foul weather friend.
Unpainted '99 Litespeed Classic (still unnamed)


Out to pasture:

Brown Schwinn Continental (retroactively named Sheldon... figure it out)- the 40-pounder that got me hooked. Traded it in when I got....
Blue '85 Trek 400 Elance' (Bucephalus), first good bike. Rode it until salt from perspiration corroded out the BB.


I enjoy Bikeforums immensely. Thanks, Joe. And y'all are the greatest. If you ever are around C'ville, let's get together for a ride.

Well after "lurking" for several days I finally registered. I am 27 years old been biking since I was 12. Last year I joined the Cincinnati Cycling Club and love it! Got to meet all types of people and went on many trips. Hope to contribute some to this board.

I ride a 1999 Raliegh R500 it does the job for me. I am hoping to buy a Trek 2200 this year.

Besides cycling I love to camp with my wife and do a whole lot of nothing while camping :D.

I also have a Schwinn Mesa for running errands and have a little fun around the neighborhood.

Welcome to the Club Ride.

Well here goes

Name: Victor Fosser
Height: 6'0"
Weight: Too Much
Age: 32 Wow! Already 32, man time flies!
Hair: Dirty Blond almost Brown
Eyes: Yep I've got two of em
Race: I'm a German-Hispanic-American. Heck, just American!
Creed: The wind is your friend.
Wife: Just one, this aint Utah. She a mountain biking roadie.
Children: One, about 13 months old; blond hair, blue eyes, already a heart-breaker!!!
Employment: Construction Project Manager M-F: Bike Shop Mechanic on Saturdays
Been Riding Since: As long as I remember, always as a kid, got into BMX at age 11, started working at a LBS at age 14, never quit riding, got into commuting as a necessity in college and road riding for fun, bought a mountain bike my last year and got hooked, got married a couple years after graduation, bought pair of mountain bikes for my wife and I for 2 year anniversary, got really into riding and it became my passion.

Man I feel like there should be a pull out centerfold or something!

Well, attached is hopefully a picture of me and my son.(Future Mtn Bk World Champion)

Later Gator
Boomer

William Karstens
28 years old
Balding white male with freckles
Not over wieght
In the military (8 years, USN) as I didn't have much to do and my then girlfriend/now wife wouldn't marry me or go out with me if I was still living in Golden Gate Park or in my truck. It was a fun life but as the song says "Rambling boy you gotta settle down".. Navy has kept me in, mostly by one time good deals (spent two point 5 years in Iceland.. and yes, I liked it, no I didn't live in a quonsen hut and yes the women are all viking blonds.. but I wasn't interested)..
I rode a lot as a kid. As soon as my parents took limits off where I could ride, I was 30 miles away in the next town. Saved all summer to buy an expensive (1989) 1000 dollar Nishiki Arieal Mountain bike, one of the first with index shifting. Ran cross country too until my sophmore year.. I met a girl, took up smoking and started to write poetry. I still have the bike, the girl long gone, the poetry stashed in a closet prolly. I gave up smoking in 1996, after moving to Iceland (try moving contient, changing climates, having not furniture for 3 months AND kicking the habit, can you say GRUMPY?). While I was there, I decided that I wanted to be a triathelete. So I planned my current bike. 1999 (bought in 2k at a discount) Cannondale R600 - not a triple like I wanted, but a double ~ I'm still mad for believing the salesmen when he said I'd never need the triple. But thankfull because it makes me work hard.

I own a Jeep wranger, and love to go out and play in it. It has big tires (33's) can flex like no tommorrow, and sucks gas so fast that you can watch the gauge move. It has taken my tons of places. I have a ton of pictures of it.. all over the place. I am in to trail maintenace and I'm not into destroying the trails I travel on.. so don't attack me. Besides, I like driving over rocks.. not mud... I'm not in a club, I have a group of friends I"ve met over the internet who go out to gether regularly. If anyone in Southern California want's to come along, we have a clean up in Big Bear 30 june...

Biking is transportation primarily, but it's more about my love will be to do long road trips as well as traithlons. I'll never be a top 10, but I'll go like crazy and try to have as much fun as possible. Everyone I work with believes that I am crazy for riding 14 miles one way to work. I think they are crazy for not getting out and seeing the real side of life and also not getting the heart moving.. But hey, it's only me.

I'm married with one kid. Wife is beautifull (can't figure out how she's hangin' round) and my child is nothing like me, which is a good thing, cause I was not a great kid.

Here's a link to a picture of me, I'm on the left in the tank top.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1280428&a=9533496&p=31134772&f=0
And another classic.. deep inside we've all wanted to do this once or twice...
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=1280428&a=9533496&p=31136176&f=0

No photos of me and the bike.. sorry.. but I ride alone now, I've yet to look into a bike club or the like.


I'm big in to travel.. even if it's just a walk around the block. Opening your eyes, you can see so much that you miss everyday.

Well, that's enough useless banter from William. Hope you're still awake!

So that's where I left my Camero!

Originally posted by Oscar
So that's where I left my Camero!

Uh ohh.. there goes my insurance!

Actually, we were helping clean up an indian reservation and we pulled a whole bunch of trashed/stolen and abondon cars.. and there it was.. and it was sooo inviting.. Sooo soo inviting..

Hey, here's a picture of me finally, and I've let it all loose.

I'm new here, but hey, I can make a bad impression quick.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=647321&a=12761619&p=47583452&f=0

Hi, my name is Terry. I'm a compact male. A lot of people call me Grumpy, Grumpers, Grumpa, or Grump, a nickname assigned me while serving as a hospital corpsman, U.S. Navy many years ago.
Married, live in Fortuna Ca, USA. 52 years old, but not REAL old. One grandson, Bobby lives with his Mom and Dad in Sacramento, Ca.

1st bike was a Schwinn Tiger, circa 1958 or 1959. Being on that bike seemed as natural as walking.
Bought a Schwinn Sport Tourer in 1972, got rid of it in the mid-eighties. Dottie(wife) gave me a "Western Auto special" a couple of years ago, and it was so uncomfortable it gathered dust in my workshop. My brother bought a mid level mountain bike, let me try it, and I decided I have to get one! After shopping around, I purchased a Specialized hybrid in January this year. So, really feel like a novice. I hope, in time, to bond with this new bike like I did with the ol' Schwinn Tiger. Mainly ride around town, and on local rural roads. It's beautiful riding amongst the redwoods early in the morning! Peace, Grump(AKA Terry)

P.S. I do remember the hazards of loose gravel and rail road tracks!

Hello all, I'm a 25 year old from Canada. I have just recently moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan. I'm still trying to figure out if I like it here. I work in the office at Isuzu. I actually am in the process of buying my first bike. I have been researching for weeks now. I think I'm ready to buy Trek fuel. I've heard that there are some amazing trails around here. I hope to hit them soon. See ya guys later.

Trekn

Hi Trekn, welcome to the forums.

The fuel looks like an awsome bike, have fun.:D

My turn to intoduce myself,
Age-34
hgt-5'10"
wgt-183
I live in british columbia with my beautiful wife and child-and my not so beautiful pug dog abigail-and i currently work in a nursing home as a nurses assistant.
I used to use my bike as my primary transportation when i was in my 20's but once i settled down with my wife i got lazy and started hitting the doughnuts pretty hard.
Anyway i've been back biking recreationally for a year now and i have just started commuting to work and am having a great time doing it!
The bike i ride is a rocky mountain somethingorother, it's my brother-in-laws and he does not use it so i have been slowly but surely converting it into a commuting bike.
I plan on looking around some garage sales for old road bikes that i can breathe some life into and if anyone has any advice on what to look for in old bikes please let me know.

Andre

Andre,
welcome to Bikeforum.com, hope you enjoy your stay here, and see more of your posting here.

hey andre! im about 30min away from you right now:)

well.....
i am 19 years old, living in maple ridge, british columbia, canada. im about 6' 3", and 175lbs. currently working at a reforestation greenhouse....but was working in poco before(andre, i might have seen you without knowing it....it was a customer service job). as far as biking goes, ive been around the mountain biking aspect of it all my life....as my dad starting mountain biking in the early 80s and actually forged some of the first trails around here. so ive really been around the sport all my life.....and i still love it!

to this day i am happy to be living where i am, im still descovering new fantastic trails all the time.

Hi all.

I am Stu, also from Augusta, GA. Serge browbeat me until I logged into this site and signed-up. Hey, Alphageek - I live in Martinez, and work for GA Power.

I am 42, a Telecommunications Technician by trade, married to a woman who loves tennis more than life itself (but won't get on a bike), and I have been riding to work & back, along with everywhere else, since 1985 or so.

Diabetes got me on a bike, the thrill of whooshing along on two wheels has kept me there. I get in about 900 miles every month, and went over 1000 for the first time ever in May.

What prompted me to join here was this - I gave away my car last Friday - 1986 Nissan Pickup, 73K miles - to my mother (She's 77 - If you live here, look out for a red truck that looks like noone is driving. It's not a robot car, look close and you will see knuckles on the wheel.)

Anyway, I am down to three good bicycles, parts to make maybe three more, no more oil changes, no more belts & hoses, no more payments. My wife has a car - One car per household ought to be enough.

Thanks to Serge, (the man from Remulak) for pointing me to this forum. He sure ain't from this world, but we do share similar hairlines!

Stumon

Originally posted by Stumon
One car per household ought to be enough.

Abisitively Posolutely!

Welcome Stumon, you're gonna love it on the Bike Forums.
It's good to have another Augustan, (That's 3 I know of.)

We're going to have to get together and celebrate sometime! :thumbup:

It's funny--I frequent a journal-writing forum in addition to this cycling one, and on both the forums, there seems to be a preponderance of members from the South. I've wondered if it's a manifestation of the well-known Southern hospitality trait--as sociability in this case....

Anyway, it's great to be able to have contact with so many Southern neighbors! :)

Hi Stumon,

Good to read your post...hope you enjoy your new found freedom!!!

Rich

Rich

You "see dead people :eek: "

Huh?? :confused:

You must see something I don't. Do you work at a mortuary? ;)

Originally posted by AlphaGeek
Rich

You "see dead people :eek: "

Huh?? :confused:

You must see something I don't. Do you work at a mortuary? ;)

Hey Alpha,

I think if I did, I'd die right on the spot!!

He he...Rich

Originally posted by Rich

I think if I did, I'd die right on the spot!!

Ah, I dunno... There's alot of COOL people there! ;)

Yes, Indeed there are a lot of cool people(bodies) at the mortuary

It's starting to get creepy around here!!!

hey it's me Trekn, I've already posted my "who are you". But, I have a picture this time

Trekn, she doesn't look "old"! ;)

Naw, but you know how it is. No matter how young they are, they still seem like old ladies. :D

Originally posted by Trekn
hey it's me Trekn, I've already posted my "who are you". But, I have a picture this time
Trekn,,
I don't think she is an old lady, and if that is the looks of an old lady for you, I could not imagine how a young lady would looks in your eyes..

Just asking, don't get me wrong on this one TrekN!!!!!!!!!!

I'm only kidding around... come on... Sometimes young women act like old ladies thats all.. Hey.. I lived near Toronto for a while I was a frequent on Richmond street every Saturday night. Very good Club culture down there. Toronto is like a mini europe... I love it.