Katy Bike Barn Ride - Great Time
 

I went on my first group ride this weekend with the Bike Barn fokes in Katy. I was nervous having never been in a group ride before and really only being on the road for about a week. I didn't want to do anything dumb like run into someones back tire and put them down. Well that didn't happen and I had a fantastic time and learned a lot. The ride was 37 miles (which before Saturday I had never been that far on a bike). All the people were very nice and helpful. I made the complete ride in 2:24 minutes averaging about 15.5 mph. I was very happy with it. I did end up getting dropped from the group about 10 miles in and I have to give a huge thank you to Craig who was the sweeper and stayed with me all the way back to the shop. We did end up bridging up to some others who ended up getting dropped also, which made the last few miles a little easier. I also pulled a HUGE rookie mistake. In all my excitement, I left my water bottles in the car. I couldn't believe it! One of the other ride leaders noticed and passed on of his bottles over to me. I was so embarresed. That will hopefully never happen again. Anyway, I wanted to let anyone know that was looking for a ride on Saturday mornings that the folks out in Katy were awesome.

I've been toying with going on one of their group rides. Just worried that their slowest group avg is 14 - 17 when I talked to the guy on Thursday after picking my bike up there. Popped a spoke. I think reading all of the threads in the Clyde/Athena forum jinxed me even though I never replied to those postings.

I'm sure one of these weekends I will try their group rides. How were the roads for the ride? It seems like they do everything on the surface streets and I know from riding around Cinco Ranch/Grand Lakes/Seven Meadows that some people are just plain idiots and pass < 2 feet when the left lane is open for miles.

Jeff

Jeff, We didn't have to much of an issue with cars passing to close. We had a large group at first so it took up the entire right lane and cars had to pass in the left. As this was only my first ride with them I couldn't tell you about the past, but Saturday I didn't have any issues with cars passing to close. You should join in. It was a great time.

I've ridden with the Bicycle World and Fitness ride from Dairy Ashford a few times, and we often saw the Bike Barn group out towards Katy. Yeah, it was quite large... no problem with taking the lane.

As far as I know, you won't find a group that DOESN'T ride on the surface streets. Having a group on a narrow path is just too much of a problem, as is lots of stop signs. The Bicycle world group will occasionally cut through the resorvior on the path between hwy 6 and barker, or the path between eldridge and Barker area. It's more of a logistics/convenience (alternate being I10 feeder road) thing than ideal, though usually isn't a problem early in the day.

Been thinking about joining the Bike Barn ride as the Bicycle World ride requires me to drive-to-ride, and Bike Barn is only a few miles away.

Bigworm, thanks for the info. I recently went in to Bike Barn on Mason to buy some shoes and pedals, as you say the guys were very friendly and helpfull. I'm just getting in to road riding and was considering the Bike Barn Ride in the next few months. So far I've been riding the bike paths in George Bush and Terry Hershey on the weekends. Great trails but THP gets a bit crowded. Hopefully I could meet up with some of the Katy based riders when I've built up a little more speed/endurance. :thumb:

Kevin

Kevin, Where are you at? I'm over next to Cinco in Parkway Oaks. I too am working my way into all of this. I just started riding on my new bike last Monday. Saturday's ride was a little hard on me but it was a lot of fun. I also have been riding in GBP. Haven't made THP yet but sure I will when I get tired of GBP. I won't make the next couple of Saturday rides with kids and travel coming, but I will be back on the 29th or 5th for sure. Plan on doing some riding during the week for sure. Keep spinning.
Jason

Jason,
I live just off Fry Rd between Westheimer and Mason. Fortunately it's only a couple of miles to GBP from my house. I'm trying to build up my distance +10% a week at the moment, which seems to be working OK so far, except for the butt pains that start after around 20 miles. Last weekend I went to Dairy Ashford and back which was 30 miles according to my computer. I'm aiming for Kirkwood or Wilcrest this weekend.

If you get tired of THP or the traffic it has at times, and you have built up enough speed to be confident.... Briarforest has a Bike lane from HWY 6 all the way to BW8... not sure how much farther. I often ride THP to BW8, take a slow cool down ride on the sidewalk of BW8 to Briarforest and head back at a faster pace. I keep meaning to find a better street to cut from THP to Brairforest, as the sidewalk isn't the best.... but not about to ride the feeder road either.

There are some MUPs along the bayou around the Cinco area too. Not sure on mileage as I generally use those when out goofing off with friends on BMX bikes. While they DO have some walkers/joggers... not NEARLY the traffic that THP has.

Wow. So many Katy/Cinco Ranch cyclists. I'm at Fry and Mason behind Beck Jr. High. My typical Sat or Sun. ride is from the house to GBP by way of Westheimer Parkway and enter at the soccer fields. Lately I just ride to Hwy 6, rest, ride to Fry, rest, and then back to the soccer fields and to the house. If I do that I'm doing ~27 miles. One day I rode from the house to Kirkwood and back by way of GBP and THP. That was just shy of 35 miles round trip. Once go past Eldridge the trail is just littered with joggers and walkers and you end up slamming on the brakes which is no fun. Sometimes I will ride the surface streets west into Cinco Ranch out to the new CR rec center and that loop is good is for ~10 miles and I will do that 2 or 3 times looping at Peek from Westheimer Parkway to Fry out past Seven Lakes High School, etc. Lots of people out there on weekends but mainly Tri riders from what I have seen

My during the week ride is typically on the Mtb Bike riding from the house out to Seven Lakes HS over to Cinco Ranch Blvd and then through the Trail System in Cinco. I do this all on the sidewalk as they are pretty open and safer than dealing with people coming home at 6:30pm or 7:00pm.

Maybe we should get together for a Katy/CR group ride sometime. I know TexArkana and others did a group wide a few weeks back but that was on the other side of town, Reliant area. I have a hard time justifying driving my bike someplace to ride when I have some many options around CR.

chevy42083 - thanks for the tip, I'll try the Briarforest route when I eventually make it to the BW8 parking lot! I generally ride the bike trials around CR with the kids because we don't have to go on any roads from the house and there are some interesting places for them to stop - turtle/gator viewing platforms, play parks, etc.

jefferdy1 - I live in Kelliwood Greens which is only couple of miles up Fry Rd from you, small world! I generally set off around 7AM on Sat and Sun, like you I join GBP at the FFPS fields, so far I haven't been further East in THP than Dairy Ashford, but that was pretty bad for walkers/joggers. I plan to go to further this weekend, if it's any worse for joggers, etc. then I'll have to find other routes as my rides get longer.

Yes I'm up for a Katy/CR group ride sometime. Who lives locally and would be interested?

Bigworm, thanks for the info. I've been riding/training solo for the past year and a half, only participating in groups when the various big rides come up (Space Race, Tour de Houston, etc). I'd like to get into racing this coming season, so I need to get the hang of group riding, and it sounds like this is a great place to start. I considered the Bike Barn on Westheimer, as that is where I shop, but think I'd rather do Katy because of the more open roads.