WNG

@oddjob2 Man, that Moto is pretty! I like the matching Brooks. Nice to see folks able to venture out with the thaw. Well, except you poor souls in Minnesota.
@jimmuller Yup, the gantlet of thorns on some of the narrow trails make it very intense. But the local riders are telling me to watch for rattlesnakes now, with the hot temps arriving.
It'll give a whole new meaning to 'snake-bite' flat.

I think the tubulars have a lot to do with the feel of speed and acceleration. They are so much lighter as a wheel, and the fine thread count adds to the supple ride.

Retired2013

I rode into a severe rainstorm today (45 miles) in S. FL. Just trying to be - all that I can be!

Roger M

I got out for a couple hours this morning and caught a couple drops of rain along the way.







I rode this bike for the first time in many months..

AlTheKiller

Rode on this strange, red structure last week.


Shortly after this thieves smashed the window to the car and took the backpack you see me wearing, which had those shorts, shoes and shirt (as well as a brand new packajack). Luckily they dropped the Sidi shoes as they made their escape and I got them back.

WNG

Great photo, AlTheKiller. Sorry about the smash and grab, that sucks. Damn thieves!
But thanks for the warning. I won't be leaving my bike in the backseat of my car while visiting Austin.

AlTheKiller

Both of our bikes were in the back, but I cable locked them together, and it is a small hatchback, so nearly impossible to grab both out at once.

seedsbelize 

A cold front passed through late yesterday, and so I decided that today would be the day that I was to try out the new Brooks Colt. My intent was to do the standard 'quick 20'. I expected to be in pain, and in adjustment mode the whole time. But not on this day. The day was so glorious and the saddle so comfortable that when it came time to turn back, I couldn't do it. I rested for a bit and decided to press on for the 45 mile loop. And sure enough, when it came time to make the turn, I rode on by, under the auspices of finding the turn that I always miss when in the car. I found it, and turned around, at 30 miles or so, but unfortunately, due to the vagaries of one way streets, and unmarked turns, I still didn't find the way I was looking for. A good thing for a bike ride, but not so much if you're in the car. Alas, I forgot to take my phone when I left the house (for the second day in a row) because there were myriad opportunities for nice shots. Asi es la vida. Here are two that I took post ride.

The first is the 87 Prelude decked out in its new saddle. The second is a piece of a blowout that I picked out of my front tire at km 34. I arrived home at 86.6, and suffered no flats. And finally, I am happy to say that I don't know what all the fuss is about with the breaking in period for Brooks saddles. This one was/is way comfy right out of the box.

jimmuller 

Another routine 30 mile ride with 8 hours of work in the middle.



Interesting comparison between the Masi GC and the Motobecane CT. The Moto is like a puppy, all enthusiasm and curiosity. The Masi is like a mature, competent, and confidant greyhound. I probably have no business riding either over those roads, but dang it was fun.

chonger91

This wasn't today but just this past weekend riding the GAP outside pittsburgh.

chonger91

Roger M, that looks like an incredible place to ride. Nice shots.

Roger M

Thanks chonger.

What a difference a few days makes. Saturday I ran into northbend in some soggy weather, and rode on my own for awhile.



... and today the weather was pretty nice for April. I got out for a little while this afternoon.



This is Bob's Corn, where we buy most of our fresh corn at the end of Summer





I had dinner at The Oxford. Mushrooms and beer, before heading up the hill.

wagonfanatic

Perfect day for a 40-mile bike ride through history: Started in Waltham MA, on the banks of the Charles River, where industrial capitalism started in America (the first water-powered Mills in the US were here, then Lowell). Then biked to Walden Pond, near Thoreau's Cabin and onwards to Ralph Waldo Emerson's house. Proceeded to bike to the Revolutionary War battlefields of Lexington and Concord, then back home. Not bad for a Tuesday afternoon!

jimmuller 

That's a nice run. What route did you take out of Waltham?

We (you and Bishbike at least) should work up a ride some time. We like to start at Depot Park in Bedford because it has good parking and avoids much of the Waltham traffic.

stingx

Took my rebuilt '87 SR500 on nice 12 mile loop along a bike path local to me. What a beautiful day!

jimmuller 

I did my commute again. I expect I'll post the same repetitititetitive ride throughout the year. Today was a little different though. I took the Bianchi, which ran great. About 1PM I got a call from my sweetie which required I head home right away. So the return wasn't during rush hour but during early afternoon. Saw a few other cyclist and not so many cars. The drivers who were out seemed in a hurry though. What was all the angst about, I wonder? I don't think it was directed against me, but against each other. Some were very courteous, and some were taking their own sweet time so much that it irritated other drivers. Did I mention that it was WINDY? Like, with a severe headwind all the way home. Too much wind to go very fast even on the downhills.

But other than that the ride was great!

SJX426 

Well, yesterday! First outing on the tandem. Tandemoneum on the Antietum battlefield! Which is the drive side of a tandem?

photogravity

Nice... You were up near my neck of the woods. How were the hills? Did the better half tolerate the hills well and, more importantly, did she enjoy the ride?

SJX426 

It was a shakedown run. We have been doing the Ft Hunt loop too, which is 1.1 miles around. She is doing really well. The saddle height and bar placement have been the focus. Also, I swapped the 6 spd for a 7 spd with a corresponding switch from index to friction on the barcon. The latter didn't work out so is switched back to the 6 speed and index for this ride. The challenge was the RD adjustment. We didn't have any issues with the 7 spd but with the 6, it was not adjusted right and threw the chain against the spokes a couple of times. I finally got that worked out. The rest of the ride was great! I need to look at replacing the inner ring with a smaller tooth count to spread the options out. The 7 spd has a higher tooth count on the big cog. May swap them out too. May swap the barcons to the standard Suntour friction only ones to use the 7spd.

Hills were a challenge, especially the ones up from bridge. They are steep for being this young on the tandem. My wife is not in the same condition I am but did very well. I am proud of her performance and ability to do the stoker stuff! She described some of the better parts as "elation!" We didn't walk up any hills! I am surprised at the speed and momentum a tandem has. We used the drag brake a couple of times. She doesn't like to go over 30.

jimmuller 

Welcome to tandeming! If she can tolerate 30 now and expresses elation, she'll be be looking forward to 30+ soon enough. The challenge will be finding places where a gradual downgrade is long enough to make it worthwhile to shift all the way up. In our case I often have to shift three cogs and back again in less than a minute.

Momentum, you say? Yes, a tandem generates downhill speed very quickly, loses it quickly uphill, and keeps rolling for a long time. The wind drag per mass is lower than on a solo bike, but the total power to weight ratio is often lower too. Also coordinating that power isn't always as efficient as it might be.

Which side is the DS? I dunno'. We can't see the gearing from a left side pic, but turning a tandem around is a lot of work for a photo. Triple cranks with a real granny ring, 28T or smaller, are essential for fun riding in hilly terrain, IMHO. But you have to know how to relax into spinning a low gear. My sweetie tends to crank hard when we are in our low. That's both good and bad. It means she's working but it means we'll overspin it pretty quickly. If the hill is long that's not so good.

We've found the best way to enjoy a tandem is to mix some socializing with it. A picnic at a nice location is a staple on ours - have pannier w/food, will travel.

Do remember a few key rules:
1. The stoker is always right.
2. See rule 1.
3. As captain, never make a mistake.
4. If anything happens, admit that it was your fault. Always. If it was intentional sometimes you can explain a situation after the fact. But don't count on it.
If mom, a.k.a. the stoker, ain't happy, nobody's happy.

Mix one tandem with fresh air, enjoy!

Kobe 

My usual stupid question on the day is, why is there an anchor on General Lee's statue?

seedsbelize 

Good way to pad your post count; it will give you more credibility around the forums.

SJX426 

@KOBE Not General Lee! I thought it was too but my wife corrected me with it being General Christ!
@jimmuller. We did take snacks, though not a picnic. The country is beautiful so the attention wasn't just how to ride. Nice mix. I am learning the rules. The stoker says the second picture has a TV above the bike and wonders why!

Velognome 

"CSS Robert E. Lee was a blockade runner for the Confederate States during the American Civil War that later served in the United States Navy as USS Fort Donelson and in the Chilean Navy as Concepción"

WPH

Drive side is the side with gears, and worth it to turn the bike for a photo, IMHO. Those old Burleys are so nice, great to see yours looking so great.

Your photos of the battlefield are also interesting - a place of which I have read over the years. Next time I'm in the States I want to visit (when I take The Young Bloke trans-am on the Fuji in 2020). A terrible, devastating and tragic battle in a war which is so full of sorrow. We must never forget such things, and hope never to see them again.

Lots of wisdom from Muller, J. re tandem riding. We are slowly improving on the hills, not because of fitness but because of coordination of effort. Mrs WPH also has a tendency to mash the little gears, but we go better when we relax and spin. With the Mullers, Photogravity and you in the area, plus so many historic attractions, you could have a great summer picnicing and riding. I am envious.

Enjoy the ride and keep posting.

SJX426 

Thanks @WPH, The Burley is in the raw at the moment and will be getting a Royal Red cover this summer. I think I got more of a workout than she did on the hills. Rule number 4 (happiness). We were actually able to go up a cog or two with granny ring. We have visited a number of battlefields in the area and are humbled at the sacrifice and magnitude of loss of life on both sides in such short periods of time (hours). The Wilderness battle is as horrific as any other but mostly because of the battle in a forest fire that adds another element to the loss contribution.