zzOtherlandzz

Rode in Moses Creek Conservation Area on the new(ish) mountain bike trial there. We did about 5 miles of twisty kind of technical stuff & a couple of miles on the sand and muck... Got really chilly just before dark when we were finishing up. The 2 new to mountain biking riders in the photo are fearless, they tried almost every obstacle on the trail!! I keep telling them you will be come less fearless after a couple of hard falls. Having said that I told them PLEASE don't fall...

NoviceJohn

60 mile solo ride. Started in Downtown Winter Garden, rode all the way to Lake Minneola in Clermont. From there, I rode all the way to the Apopka Station. Then rode back to the West Orange Trail head (Killnarney Station) and ended the ride in Downtown Winter Garden (starting point). Last long ride before school starts back up in a week.

Lindaosm

Well, I'm still here and I've been reading but not posting. Gearing up for my busy time of the year at work. Been riding but not near as much. Did manage to get a nice ride in today on the Gainesville/Hawthorne trail. Just under 18 miles. Weather was great but sounds like we're in for some really cold stuff over the next few days. Hoping that by next weekend it will warm up and I can get out again. Had carpal tunnel surgery the end of November and it was my right hand so just not riding as much. Feeling still has not returned but hoping over time it will get better. Hubby and I did get up to north of Jacksonville around Thanksgiving but didn't get to ride the trail south of Amelia. It sure looked nice and it looked like they were expanding it. Plan on getting back up that way in the spring.

RonH

The weather gave us a break for a few days so got out and rode from Hernando south to CR39 and back for a total of 30.4 miles.
Riding every 7-10 days is taking its toll on my fitness.


Linda, glad you had a chance to get out for a ride.

zzOtherlandzz

Got the first mountain bike ride in of the new year... 17 miles in Etoniah Creek State Forest with a friend on Sat. Great ride, lost the trail had to hike 1/4 mile through the woods, got all scratched up by blackberry bushes. At one point we were riding up a single track trail with water running down it... Had to fix a flat in the middle of the woods... But it was all fun!! The service roads that are normally pretty hard packed were still kind of wet and mushy SLOW going, The trails in the woods had a couple of inches of pine needles and leaves on them SLOW going.... Oh and it is Florida so there was some sand thrown in there too.... But it was ALL FUN!!

On Sunday rode the Palatka Lake Butler trail with friends .... With different friends at different times... I just kept going back and forth, ended up riding 41 miles.. Sunday was an awesome day to be outside on a bike..... or even just outside...

zzOtherlandzz

A GREAT day out on the bikes yesterday (Sunday ..road & mountain)... Rode the unpaved section of the Palakta Lake Butler trail west of Keystone heights. It is all surveyed like maybe they are getting ready to pave it sometime soon. All the more reason to ride it before they do!! Don't get me wrong it's going to be awesome when more of the trail gets paved... But it sure it fun checking it out before they do. Like the little trestle in the photo!! Had a great ride ended up with 14 miles un the unpaved part (7 out and 7 back).

Met up with some more friends later in the afternoon and road another 19 miles on the paved trail. It really got chilly when the sun starting going down...

Awesome day for a bike ride!! Perfect weather!!

RonH

My doctor suggested I lose a few pounds (riding hasn't helped ) so my wife and I have been on a modified low carb diet. For some reason I've had no energy on my last 2 rides. Wonder why? Anyway my last 2 rides (last Tuesday I think and today) were only 22 miles each. The good news is I've lost 5+ pounds in the past week.

If you see me out riding I'll probably be going slow until my eating gets back to normal.

RonH

Got out early and just barely beat the rain. Rode from Hernando to the north end of the Withlacoochee Trail and back. It started sprinkling for the last 3 miles. The rain started as I was loading the bike in the car. Yay.
Rode 21.8 miles.

RonH

Rode Sat and today. First time I've ridden 2 days in a row in a while.
Still on the moderate/low carb diet. I think my body is getting used to going without carbs on my rides and may be running on fat which I have plenty of.
Rode a faster 22 miles both days.

kjc9640

Great ride this morning, with Jim T, and Richard 40+ miles.Today was Richard's first ride with us and I hope he enjoyed our company as much as we enjoyed his. Richard is a good strong rider and if we can get him to ride with us some he will make us stronger. We did the usual today, stopped at Panera Bread for coffee where Ralph, Sandy, Ralph's brother, and Brenda joined us. It was great to see Brenda back on her bike. Slowly but surely we are getting all of the wounded back on the road.
Our average Miles per hour are pretty slow from the start to Panera Bread and the from Panera Bread to home due to the fact that it is trail riding, so I like to break our ride into 3 sections and calculate our mph from PB to PB which is on road riding. Todays average was 15.2 mph for that 21 mile segment.

RonH

Hey Jim. Haven't seen you post for a while. Glad to see you're still riding.

kjc9640

Thanks Ron, still riding just haven't been on the forum lately. I will be checking daily again. Good to hear that you are settled in over there.

RonH

The weather was gorgeous so I had to get out today. I picked up a test saddle yesterday at Inverness Bicycle and Fitness. Rode 32 miles with no discomfort. My Specialized Romin has gotten uncomfortable after about 20 miles.
I'll keep you posted.

RonH

Another Florida chamber of commerce type of day in west central Florida.
Got a late start because someone was coming to the house this morning. Got to the Hernando trailhead just before noon. Rode to the north end of the Withlacoochee and back. Only 22 miles but the weather was awesome. First time I've been able to ride without a base layer undershirt or arm warmers in a while. Needless to say there were LOTS of folks out riding.

While I was out on the trail, my almost 46 year old son in Orlando texted me with a picture of the bike he's getting. It's a leftover 2013 Specialized Crosstail (I think) from Orange Cycle in Orlando. Its the first bike he's had since high school. He really excited but hasn't said when we'll head out for a ride together.

RonH

My son just called and said he made a mistake. The bike he looked at today (in the above picture) is not a 2013. Its a 2014 and a step down from the model he has on layaway. So he's keeping the one on layaway (2014 Specialized Crosstail Sport Disc in Orange).

kjc9640

First ride in over a week today. 25 mph winds and 55 degrees. 20 miles what was I thinking?

kjc9640

Great ride this morning with John and Richard. We did the usual starting at the trail head at 8 am with cloudy skies and a chill in the air.

We took a coffee break at Panera then headed out International to Wayside with the wind gusting to 23 mph from the west and north west ( right in our face). From Wayside we turned west to Orange then south to Sylvan Lake Road. It was pretty much a head wind all the way across Sylvan Lake so we just took what the head wind would give us. From Sylvan lLke we road out to the Fox Spur loop then headed back to the trail head for a break.

After our break we took Markham Woods Road all the way back to the 434 tunnel. From Panera out to Fox Spur and back to the 434 tunnel is 23 miles and our average for that segment was 14.7 mph. Considering the head wind that we encountered that is not to bad for the old guys.

With that being said Rich was on his mtn bike and he could have buried us at any time, golly it would be great to be 20 years younger.

RonH

I've been testing saddles at the bike shop (Inverness Bicycle & Fitness) trying to find one a little more comfortable that the Specialized Romin I have on my Litespeed. I've been riding on a WTB Devo for a week and its comfortable but theres no cutout. I've been riding with cutout saddles for 10+ years. I rode to the shop and swapped for a WTB Rocket. It looked a lot like the Devo (mtn bike saddle?) but is a road saddle. Spent the first 5 miles trying to get comfortable. Finally got comfortable for a mile or so. Then I stood up and when sat down I couldn't get comfortable again. Rode 5 miles to the shop in comfort and 27 miles in total discomfort. Needless to say the saddle is going back on Tuesday when the shop opens again. Maybe I'll look at some of the Prologo saddles. They only have WTB, Prologo, Terry and ..... I can't remember what other brands they have.
At least it isn't costing me anything to test the saddles. I hope I find one I like.

kjc9640

Ron, I currently ride a Selle Anatomica leather saddle as do several of my riding buddies. It is the most comfortable saddle I have ever owned and each of them say the same thing. It was comfortable right out of the box. They are not cheap and don't look look like a streamlined road saddle but when my butt is sitting on it no one can tell what it looks like. I think they are better than a Brooks.

https://selleanatomica.com/products/

kjc9640

Onegun

Ron, you're on the right track. Every rider in the world has their favorite saddle that they swear by, but unless they are built *exactly* like you, the odds are their saddle ain't YOUR saddle. You have to ride them. Shops that offer saddle swap services are worth their weight in gold.

As to SloSpoke Jim's comments, many do like the Selle Anatomica. Pricey or not, might want to try one.

Frankly, when it comes to *anything* involved in your three points of contact with the bike, (hands, butt, and feet), price ought to be irrelevant. Comfort trumps all other considerations. Don't settle ... Select. However many hours of testing and dollars it takes.

And when you find YOUR saddle, hit eBay and buy 3 for each bike. Cause just as soon as you destroy one or just plain wear it out, the manufacturer will have discontinued that model. You can bet your sweet a$$ on it! Literally.

RonH

Thanks Jim and Bill. I'm not worried about price too much. Some of the Prologo saddles they have are $200+.
My Specialized Toupé has been comfortable since I got it in 2011 when I bought my Felt. But its getting less comfortable. Go figure.
The Romin I bought last year at a shop in Brooksville. It was comfortable for a few months. I bought the Romin because they didn't have the Toupé. The Romin is very similar but not the same.
The WTB was flat, the Toupé has a little bit of a curve and the Romin has more curve to it -- all when viewed from the rear.
I'm looking online for any and all saddles that might work but most pictures show the saddle from the top or side.

Jim, does the cutout feel uncomfortable? It looks like someone took a regular saddle and got out the exacto knife and went crazy.
Also, is the saddle flat when viewed from the rear?

Bill, good point about buying more than one.

Onegun

Hmmm. Ron, your comment about the Toupe originally being comfortable, then less comfortable, lead me to ask if you have your 1000 mile base in yet for the year? Or ... has your riding posture changed lately in any way you can identify? Or ... have you futzed around with the bike and accidently changed saddle angle or height?

Or ... is the saddle breaking down? Seems unlikely in just 3 years, but the Toupe is designed to be a very minimalist, light weight saddle. So ..... might be worth a trip to a Specialized dealer and try a new Toupe just to compare.

RonH

I don't have my 1000 mile base for 2014 -- yet. But I've ridden the Toupé for several thousand miles, in Atlanta and in FL.
Maybe it is breaking down and maybe my rear is changing. I don't think my riding position has changed and I haven't changed the saddle position since I had a fitting when I bought the bike.

kjc9640

Ron the cut out is done very professionally, it is designed to move up and down with your sit bones as you pedal. Brooks saddles are now offering a cut out saddle as well. There is some curvature in the saddle and becomes more pronounced as you ride. There is a tension bolt under the nose that you adjust as the leather stretches. after a few rides the leather will reach maximum stretch and you should not adjust it any more.

Onegun I see you are a member of the Panthers Tandem Club. Do you know John and Mary Lowe, they live close to me and John and I ride together about 3/4 times a week on our regular road bikes. He has a Selle Anatomica on this tandem. Both of our other riding buddies have Selle Anatomica saddles on our road bike. I have ridden about 15,000 miles on my Selle and I don't even think about it being there.