photogravity

So was the ride mostly bike paths or were these regular old roads? It looks like you had wonderful weather.

BTW, does the Colnago have tubulars?

photogravity

Next time you need to get some pictures! Despite having been into NYC a ton of times, I have never had opportunity to go to Central Park. One of these days, perhaps...

photogravity

This picture looks so inviting! Nice capture, for sure.

photogravity

Great pictures, Chrome Molly. The one of the giant snowperson is hilarious. That's sure some pretty country out there.

photogravity

There must be some nice riding up in those foothills. BTW, that Univega is sweet! Did you put up a build thread about that bike?

photogravity

Them there are some nice pics scozim! It's encouraging that the fires weren't quite as devestating as you thought they might originally have been, though I'm sure it's still discouraging at some level...

photogravity

My friend Jonathan talked me into going on another ride with the Frederick Pedalers again today. This ride was a metric century and was much more strenuous than the previous one with a continuous climb of 1300 feet over 5 miles! The funny thing is that, though I was worried that I might not be geared low enough with the Norman Rapide since the lowest gear on the Sturmey FW hub is a fairly high 39.4 gear inches, I managed to stay on the bike even on the steepest ascents. Back in May, I'd have never thought I'd be able to ride any bike up a 13% grade! In any case, there were some screaming fast descents where I coasted the bike down at speeds over 42 MPH, with an ever growing gap between me and the folks behind me. I've marveled at this in the past, but the Norman is an incredible coasting machine - far better than any other bike I have in my collection and certainly a better coaster than all the derailleur-geared and fenderless bikes that I manage to ride with. Go figure!

As you can see from the pictures, with the colder weather moving in, the leaves are starting to change which made for wonderful scenery and, at times, a pretty cool ride...


Catoctin Crusher - 1 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 2 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 4 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 6 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 7 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 12 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 14 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 15 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr


Catoctin Crusher - 17 by Sallad Rialb, on Flickr

jimmuller 

PG, great pics. That looks like a nicely challenging ride.

The trees here are about at peak colors or perhaps past by a day or two in spots. We didn't get to ride today, had to play a gig, have to play one tomorrow too. (But I did take a vacation day this week and we climbed Gran Monadnock in New Hampshire.)

About that Norman, I wonder if the fenders make it faster. There is some evidence that fenders reduce aerodynamic drag. Or maybe you're just a stronger rider after pedaling the tandem all summer.

JJScaliger

Nice pics photogravity!

It was beautiful today here in RI, 70s and sunny. I squeezed in a 37 mile ride. One of my usual loops in Scituate and Coventry.

photogravity

I love New England in the fall, but don't have any travel planned at the moment. The colors up there can be really stunning.

As far as the Norman and its ability to coast so easily, this is an interesting factoid: As I approach the top of a hill I stop pedaling, whereas others are still pedaling as they crest the hill and continue to pedal partway down, shifting through their gears as they speed up. Despite that, I will almost always gain enough speed that I need to pass the folks in front of me. Riding in a tightly packed group of bikes is very difficult because the bike coasts easily even on slight downhills, to the point where I need to ride the brakes when others are still pedaling their bikes. It is just too strange...

I do have a theory about why she's such a great coaster: 1) The SA FW uses oil for lubrication, which causes less drag than grease in a hub and 2) the fenders offer some aerodynamic benefit, as you have already posited. Who knows what the actual reason is, but with only 75 gear inches in top gear, I need all the help I can get to go fast on the downhills!

photogravity

JJScaliger, nice pictures. I only wish the temperature here in MD had gotten nearly as warm. It only made it into the low 60's and it was quite windy.

YoKev

More boring fall pictures, taken today in Northern Dutchess/Southern Columbia County, NY.

scozim 

No photos today - 45 degrees at the start in the afternoon (got a freak cold blast that's come through with potential for snow at night) and it didn't warm up much. 27 miles on some roads I haven't ridden much. I don't mind riding in the cold but I'm definitely slower between being all bundled up and breathing the cold air and psychologically that messes with me.

Chrome Molly

Great to hear of a C&Ver getting climbing legs. I lived in the part of Michigan that was under lake Huron until it was drained for about 10 years. You couldn't find a curve, much less a hill. It took years to build from that... Your Norman is one of those bikes that I'd just love to stumble upon at a garage sale or thrift store some day (if it rides as well as it looks you have my continuing envy).

Unfortunately my outdoor riding was again skunked this weekend. My face was pressed against the windows of the studio on breaks looking at our beautiful day today. On the bright side, I'm now qualified to teach indoor cycling at my local Y (ten blocks away), so the winter should not take the same toll as in prior years.

northbend 

Great reports coming out of the East Coast. Nice photos too. I wasn't shivering in cold temps like Scozim but it was a little nippy when I went out with some friends for some trail riding followed by some beers and burgers afterwards at a local pub.

JJScaliger

Found time for another 2 hr ride. Managed 36 miles. Cooler at around 60 degrees and windy. Phone pics.

Paramount1973 

C&D Canal access road, Delaware. Me and my buddy on vintage steel hardtail mountain bikes. His is a Lotus Pegasus and mine a Giant Iguana.

Access road along the northern side of the canal. It is popular with anglers and bikers.




Senator Roth Bridge in the distance:




Railroad bridge, lowered for trains and raised for ships.






House, Northern St. Georges with St. Georges Bridge in the background.





Under the St. Georges Bridge.

fender1

Did 45 miles today and got lost a bit. Ended up on the wrong side of a stream and had to do a little carrying & wading. Good times!

Fall is here.
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Not with 35mm tires...
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Looking up what I just rode down.
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Into the forest.
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Found an old road along the way.
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Further on.
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scozim 

Great photos Paramount1973 - what area of the country is this?

fender1

Portage.
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Stream Crossing.

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frantik

that looks like a lot of fun

fender1

2 Off road machines.

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Paramount1973 

The Delmarva Peninsula. The C&D Canal is largely within Delaware and connects Delaware Bay with Chesapeake Bay. As you can see from the photos, several bridges span the canal. There are gravel access roads along both sides of the canal. We rode the northern road and our entry point was near the Country Store in North St. Georges, under the St. Georges Bridge. We noticed that the bridge has a separate bike lane, we're going to try that on the next trip.

photogravity

Yep, just boring fall pictures. NOT! Where exactly is this picture? Perchance, do you know the town?

photogravity

I've been on a couple rides with Cold temperatures like that, but I find that I warm up quickly and move at about the same pace. Bummer we don't get any nice pictures.