Red Rider

Nice classic bike, Cory! I like the lines. The seat angle makes me cringe but hey, as long as you're comfortable.

Go ahead and try that writing -- explore your creative side. You'll be glad you did.

Enjoy the ride!

Beaker

Nice! I started back riding in mid '07 on my '98 Peugeot Horizon Al hybrid. I confess I have not ridden it once since I got my CF Roubaix back at the start of '08, but I need to get on it again just for grins. I actually still like the look of the frame - saddle and bars, less so.

CoryTUrner

Thanks! Ya I've got to play around with the seat. lol

woolite

Hi NorCal,

Must be time to finally delurk. (Unlurk?)

My name is Jon. I live and work in Foster City, the bottom of the gravity well - *everywhere* is uphill from here. I really love climbing (and descending, and climbing, and descending...) but tend to get bored and lazy on the flats. So the location is actually working out pretty well.

Oh, I should point out now that I am not claiming to be a terribly strong climber. I just like the slow awful pain of it anyway - some kind of strange knucklehead complex...which I believe is common to cyclists.

I've been riding for a little less than a year now, currently on a Cannondale Six13 (love it, too bad they don't make them any more). Until I started doing the Western Wheeler's LDT series earlier this month, I had never been on a group ride...just inertia and knuckleheadedness on my part. I see now what I was missing.

I have two small kids - one and four. My four-year-old is just now moving up from the balance bike to her first "big girl bike". It was literally thirty minutes in, on her first day with the new bike, when she started staging races around the park. Mom and Dad are required to stand by and cheer as she does the "victory arms" thing crossing the line. And you should see how she tosses her empty water bottles...

-jP

msincredible

Welcome Jon! I've been living in Foster City too, but am shortly moving out.
Guess I've probably seen you around on the trails?

You'll have to take some video of your daughter doing her race thing!

redsail

Hello,
My name is Steve. My wife and I moved to Berkeley 6 months ago from Texas. I decided to be an independent consultant (IT stuff) as part of the move.
I rode a good bit a few years ago highlighted by riding the MS150 from Houston to Austin, but dropped off the last couple years. With the great CA weather I'm starting to get back into it, although the hills are killing me. . I have a Specialized Roubaix and and a Specialized Sirrus that I used to commute on and use to run errands with.

Being new to the area I generally ride the Bay Trail since I don't know my way around too well. Hope to see some of you on rides. I might try to make the B&B rides, cause I sure can't hang with fast people.

-Steve

powpow

Welcome to Berkeley, Steve. I live there as well, and you will learn to love the hills!

redsail

Thanks powpow. I do dream of being able to climb with confidence but that might take a while. I have a lot of weight to lose..

Siu Blue Wind

A lot of us do....

Beaker

+1. I got back on two wheels for the first time in ~15yrs in the middle of 07, and still remember vividly heading out for the first ride, went about 3-4miles and had to stop 3 times on my way back home as I had to negotiate 3 hills to get back to my driveway. Things have got better since then

kioas

Hey Everyone,

It's time for me to stop lurking also.

I'm Steven from San Jose, I got started with the whole cyclying scene when a friend of mine told me about the Aidslifecycle a year ago. After riding the ALC, I can honestly say I am hooked! I love alll kinds of bikes, I have a fixed gear I converted from a centurion and a Giant OCR2. I hope to have a chance to get together with more norcal riders in the future.

toytech

Chris from San Leandro here, 44 in a few weeks. I ride infrequently, but am getting back into it.
I ride an old Santa Cruz Heckler on trails, and a converted vintage Steyr fixie on the street. (I know foot retention blah blah blah) I am getting toe straps for the fixie.

electronsi00

My name is Amin. I am 21 y/o. I live in Pinole (east bay area) and am a roadie. My bike is a 2008 Cannondale Synapse 6 Triple Alloy. I'll drive to ride with other Norcals for sure!

I am participating in the Diabetes tour de cure.

x136 

Welcome, Steven, Chris, and Amin!

diablo

My Name is Pete. I'm 47 years old. Just getting back into riding. I ride a Fuji Roubaix Pro. Have been riding Mt. Diablo exclusively. Hoping to learn some loops in the East Bay area and meet up with some other riders. Hope to see you out there!

taxi777

Nice to put faces to the lurkers!!!
welcome everyone : )

Hey Diablo,,,I'm Pete too...Check out Diablo Scotts Blog if you haven't already...lot of great info
here

diablo

Thanks Pete!

Beaker

Hey Pete - that's one heck of a baptism by fire, getting back into riding by climbing Diablo. I got back into riding in the middle of 07. There are so many great routes through the East Bay; look forward to meeting you on one of them

Beaker (Richard)

BBChallenge

Hey there. My name is Jeremiah. I’m 28 years old and a former collegiate racer at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. I got burnt out on racing/riding soon a graduating college and have been off the bike for the last five years. I’ve recently rediscovered my love for cycling and am currently training for a century ride in Boston on May 30th. I have no plans to return to racing, but rather to just enjoy riding and going fast from time to time.

I got back into cycling mainly because of my current job. I work for the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle event. It’s a charity ride in September that goes from Carmel to San Simeon and ends with a huge after party on the Hearst Ranch. More info at www.bestbuddieschallenge.org. I love my job and it has motivated me to get back on the bike. I recently got back from the Tour of California where I was promoting our event and even got to celebrate with Levi and Team Astana at the hotel bar the night of their win. Now if only I can get Best Buddies to do a charity ride in France so that I can tag along with the Tour de France.

Anyway, I’m here to meet other riders, find out about group rides and get back that feeling of being in the cycling community which I lost after college. Cheers.

cantdrv55

Welcome Jeremiah. I think the Best Buddies ride is great and I'd love to do it and fundraise but did I read correctly that the minimum is $1450 per person?

BBChallenge

That's right, the current fundraising commitment is $1450, but I wouldn't let that stop you. Fundraising isn't as hard as you might think and we provide you with a wealth of tools and advice to help you hit your goal. Best Buddies (www.bestbuddies.org) is a great cause and even in an economy like we have now, we are finding people are still giving...believe it or not, they are giving more than last year. Through the ride we have already raised 30% more than this time last year which is really great because we've lost a lot of federal and state money that our programs rely on in order to serve the community.

On top of the fundraising tools and personal assistance, the ride is second to none. I participated in many century rides before starting with Best Buddies and can honestly tell you that our ride is the best out there. When I worked my first Best Buddies ride I was blown away by the level of service and quality of the event... from the PCH course, VIP treatment (gift bags, massages, shuttles, open top-shelf bar, all you can eat gourmet Hearst Ranch bbq, private concert...etc).. it just doesn't get better than that. To top it all off, you will be riding along side people with intellectual disabilities and these special athletes are truly inspiring. I can guarantee that if you do our ride you’ll have an unforgettable experience!

Well, if you have additional questions about our event feel free to contact me directly at JeremiahAngel@bestbuddies.org. We'd love to have you join us!

csroberson

Hello Jeremiah,

I had to drop a note to say "hi" because of the Boone, NC connection. Though I live in Sonoma now I used to live just across the VA border from Boone in Bristol. We used to go hiking down in the Pisgah National Forest and rock climbing at Table Rock. I always thought Boone was a cool town and there used to be a great outfitting store there called Footsloggers. I've never been there since I took up mountain biking but it looks like a great place to ride.

Chip

BBChallenge

Ahhh, I sure do miss riding in Boone, NC.

drummingpariah

I'm Jesse, used to ride BMX recreationally quite often but just got my first proper road bike last week. I've done a little work on it to make it a nice simple commuter bike, and right now I'm maxing out at around 12 miles per ride (and after that I'd fall flat on my face and sleep for a day or two). I'm 25, in reasonably good shape (or so I thought), and am new to California (I'm from Boston originally).

So far, I've walked away with an astonishing amount of information from this place. Is there still anybody out there? I see so many people on bikes, and now I'm wondering if anybody spends any time online as well as on the streets.

*edit* Right, the bike I ride. I think I have $300 into it all told, it's an old Sovereign that I've swapped over to single-speed and am trying to decide upon a color for. I guess I should just put a picture in my signature. I'll do that now.

Apparently signatures don't like to ... work, or something. Here's my bike.

taxi777

Hey Jessie, If you're into the single/fixed culture there's plenty to be had out here. I'm from Boston originally too! It's heaven out here for biking...Welcome to California.

Pete