ang1sgt

Last Night I decided to go on one of the Shop rides. The Tuesday Urban Assault Ride.
I just KNEW I was gonna get dropped on this one. Too little riding and not enough food in the tank for me last night. That plus working since 06:00 in the AM, makes a 6 PM ride a little sluggish for me.

I got to meet TSL on the ride. I've heard of Bruce, I think we've met a few times, but it was nice to see him out on the new Portland.

As stated, I've not been on a large group ride since I led a few Boy Scout rides as an Adult Leader about 7 years ago. I was riding roughly mid pack and doing okay. It was when we hit on of the Parks and started doing hill climbs in the grass that I started to wonder about the intelligence of being on this ride. A few folks had new pedals and cleats/shoes like I did. I had some issues getting clipped in, but others couldn't get clipped out.

It was getting dark by then and I didn't have any lights with me. Stupid I know! No lectures on this now.

The ride headed down what I feel is one of the worst streets in town. A four Lane with no shoulder and only granite curbing. Most of the drains and such have crumbled blacktop and it all makes for some pretty lousy riding to be sure. By this time I was tuckered out. The ride was headed down the escarpment along the river trail. I know this trail well and I knew what went down, we needed to head back up. With the Tank on "EMPTY" I begged off the ride and back track to the Jeep at the shop.

The ride back was pleasant because I could take the time to clip in and ride at a better pace for me. Most of my rides are solitary and due to that I rarely get challenged to do better. I needed to do this and I did. Will I be able to keep doing this? My schedule may allow it, we will have to see. I just wish I had more base miles underneath me.

Again, Nice meeting TSL face to face!

Chris

John E

I have had the pleasure of meeting two "senior" BF members. We have a great bunch of folks here.

Artkansas 

I got to meet D.G. when I was in San Diego for the Siggraph conference. I only wish I could have gotten pics of him when he was test-riding the Specialized Crossroads Sport that I had rented to get me around during the conference.

tsl

Hey Chris!

It was good to meet you too. And you forgot to mention I was in my new 50+ jersey too!

I wondered what happened to you after we talked for that bit in the Rose Garden. Admittedly, that section of Lake Ave isn't the best, but in a group of 45 other cyclists, it's much safer than it is solo. Same goes for the lights--in the middle of the pack, it doesn't really matter if your bike has lights or not.

For those elsewhere, the Tuesday Night Urban Assault ride, or the Tuna, is unlike any other group ride I've ever heard of. It runs from the first Tuesday of October to the last Tuesday of March. It's a shop ride from the LBS where Chris works, but it starts at a city rec center in the the city's oldest neighborhood--streets filled with Federal-style homes.

It's a very egalitarian ride. Any sort of bike is just fine. MTBs, hybrids, cruisers, roadies, dumpster rescue POS or Ti and CF wonderbikes--it doesn't matter. Last night we even had some boyz on lowriders join us on the return leg through the 'hood. The same is true of riders. If you can pedal a bike, you're welcome on the ride. It's the only ride I've found where newbies can ride side-by-side with racerboys and everybody has fun and no-one gets dropped.

There's no pre-set route, and every night is different. The ride leader tries to incorporate something for everyone--hence the off-road excursion in the park last night. Folks like Chris and I are welcome to sit out parts like that. I did a bit of it, but between my bottles threatening to leap from their cages and my roadie tires losing traction in the wet grass on the climbs, I decided it was enough off-road for one night.

We ride no matter the weather--mostly road or path in the fall and spring, mostly path and off-road when there's snow on the ground. The ride is about 75% social and 25% training and skills practice. It was on the Tuna last year that I really sharpened my bike handling skills, learned how to descend properly, learned how to ride safely in a pack, and, of course, how to ride in the snow.

If you ever get to Upstate in the off-season, stay for a Tuesday night, bring your bike and join us!

Overall, last night's ride by the numbers:

45 (or 49) riders (I couldn’t really hear)
2 flats
1 “mechanical”
0 crashes
1 clipless fall (but we all pretended not to see)
65°F, 18°C
5-10 MPH, 8-16 km/h winds from the SE
2:19:47 ride time
29.47 miles, 47.43 km
12.65 avg MPH, 20.36 avg km/h
33.7 max MPH, 54.23 max km/h (probably on the way to or from the ride)
61 RPM avg cadence (lots of coasting)
112 RPM max cadence

Terrierman

Sounds like a lot of fun.

Digital Gee

It was a treat to meet Artkansas when he came here. Although we didn't have time for a ride together, we broke bread (well, pizza) and swapped stories and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Then he surprises me with a Ride a Bike to Work Volunteer tee-shirt. It's become one of my favorite tees.

ang1sgt

I bailed when the crew went down the escarpment, because I KNEW I didn't have the motor in me to come back up! LOL!

I think the "OFFICIAL" total was 43 at the start and 44 after Kyle caught up. Looks like I'll be working the pedal problem this weekend for my buddy Shana. Of course mine need to have the cleats tweaked too.

Scott has invited me back, so I must have done okay while I rode in the pack. And I didn't get "fired" either.

Last night taught me that I need to stay on the bike and make excuses to GO AND RIDE rather than make excuses to Not Ride. That has been my problem for the 5 years previous to this. I am happier on the bike than off of them. I should know better!

Chris

tsl

We came back via Saint Paul. Much easier grade, and considerably less traffic than Lake.

As for getting used to clipless, Scott made me ride back and forth in the parking lot under his watchful eye (and in the rain) for a half-hour, stopping at each end, sometimes before turning around, sometimes after. As a result, I've never fallen and 95% of the time I'm clipped in within the first half-rev of the cranks. I seldom even think of it.

Have him or Kyle throw your bike in the trainer and fit your cleats. It makes a huge difference. Then, ask him for his clipless newbie lesson. It's amazing the little tips that man has stashed away. He's a great coach.

Anyway, ya done good fer yer first Tuna. I didn't make it all the way through until March of last year. Everyone was amazed the first time I didn't have to bail.

ang1sgt

Well Bruce, it's like this.

I use cleats exclusively on my BENT because of the high BB. If you do any long rides, having cleats are the only way to go on a bent because you can let your feet and legs hang on the pedals.

The New Nike Shoes I've got have a LOT of tread. They are serious MTB shoes so I may have to do some creative trimming near the cleat area. I think the cleats are compatible with my 3 pedal sets I have, but there are slight differences. Like Shana's problem, I have to dial in the tension a little bit and allow the cleats to wear in a little before I tighten the tension back down.

Kyle is an amazing fellow and a heck of a rider. It humbles me to see the ability of the riders in the shop, and to know I was pretty fair not all that long ago. That 5 year break is killing me now. Kyle has taught me a bunch while I've been able to teach him some "OLD" tricks for bike maintenance that he's never seen before. I am not one to let my skills wane as much as I did, but I've always have been a better wrench I guess.

Chris