Rode with the local club for the 1st time
 

I got to ride with the local club for the first time last night and it was a blast. I showed up to the regular Monday-Night Ride and asked for the slow group. Turns out the slow group wasn't really the slow group, but they took it easy on me and rode a slow pace. Even so, It was a stronger pace than I'm used to, normally I amble along at 9 to 11-mph, and they were going 15 right off the bat. 15 is a normal sprinting speed for me unless the grade of the road is flat or a bit downhill. They made me work, but on the way back we were riding into the sun, so the leader took us into a residential sub-division and the pace lightened up considerably.

I was glad I dressed in layers because I ended up shedding my sweat pants and just riding in tights & shorts. I don't have proper bike shorts, and since I bought the recumbent I really don't 'need' them. Heck I wouldn't have the tights except that they were left over from a Gene Simmons costume I made about 6 years ago. In any case I'm sold, I need to buy some cycle clothes because the fleece and t shirt I was wearing got sweaty and not so nice, but the synthetics were fine and kept me warm without the sweat build up.

It was a lot of fun, too bad there are so few rides left in the season.

I always get nervous when I think about riding with my local club. I've seen them on the road before and they are all riding their road bikes with their tight jersey and shorts on. I look like a redneck compared to them in my sleeveless workout shirt and regular shorts. Maybe I'll give it a shot since you had so much fun.

What's cool about the club here is that the monday night rides are all-inclusive with different groups for different levels of riders. I wouldn't have been able to ride with the faster groups but I did pretty good with this one. There were a few moments--coming up hills, tight cornering, or where I dropped my reflective vest--where I had to catch up, but most of the time I was right on their wheels and could have gone a bit faster if they wanted to, but I think they were taking it easy on me.

I dont ride with the full kit drop bar people. Id rather ride alone, thanks anyways. If I want a challenge, i will go ride with my brother, He was a cross country and 400m runner in highschool, we get quite competitive on the bike :)

Now, if there was a group of hybrid riders or low key roadies around me, sure id go for a group ride. That would be enjoyable! I guess I like to see the scenery though, not just fly by at 20mph. Call me slow if ya want ;) I know I am haha!

But, sounds like you had fun, and in the end, that is what counts. So go out next monday, and do it all over again!

Enjoyment of club rides are all about finding the right group to ride with. I've read the descriptions of the Cascade Bike Club rides, and there seems to be everything from the "steady rain cancels this 12mph easy roll on flat terrain" to "a hurricane can't force our 24mph hill climbing hammerfest off the roads."

our club has already shut down for the season except Sat-Sun and those are probably too fast for me atm.

The weather was a beautiful 60-deg, so I rode again with club last night. In the 'for real' slow group this time with 2 other folks. We ended up running about 12 mph into a headwind, but were cooking at 15-17 on the flats with a crosswind. It was a lot of fun, the other riders were 20+- years my senior. Cathy/Kathy? was just recently hiking in PA which made me think about the historian. We hung out at a local resturant after and talked a bit. Richard was instructing me that I should get some hi-pressure tires on my bike so it would be easier to keep up. I see his point, but I also think I might be better off working harder, we'll see what happens when it comes time to replace the tire.

Since these posts are useless without photos, here's a picture of my spandex trousers that I ride with:

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...Jimmy/gene.jpg

I do not wear the rest of the outfit, but maybe I should?


ps ...sillyness from a few years back

OMFG!!!

yes wear the Gene Simmons get up!!!

I have a new found respect for you!!!

The boots are old steel toe boots I had from working in a paper factory. I nailed 2x4's to the bottoms that had been cut out with a saber saw to give them the right shape. In fact, I got in trouble once as a kid for nailing 2x4's to my tennis shoes to make platforms. The scales are made out of duct tape and window screen pipeing with a bit of paint. The codpiece and center rosette(for lack of better term) is electrical tape over cardboard and a coffee lid with thumbtacks hammered on. The eyes in the boot are red bouncy super balls with a smiley face on them surrounded by duct tape. yes the costume is largely duct-tape.

This thread is dangerously getting into foo territory.

I like to ride bikes.

Jimmy, just show up dressed in the costume I bet the club will love it. ECB1

Did someone call me?