Thanks Ron for the info, looks like we will be down in early February. I will let you know. Many thanks, tom

Use your sunscreen! I have been a little sloppy in my use of sunscreen over the years (40 years of SoCal and Sierra sun) and today paid the price. I was lucky but developed a surface Melanoma on my forearm. They took out a giant hunk of skin for biopsy. The Doc believes that is the end of it(will know in a week) but flat out told me this was caused by sun exposure and to use a quality SPF 50 sunscreen/ skin lotion from now on anytime I will be exposed to the sun. I am off the bike until Saturday but will heed the Dermatologist/ Surgeon's advice. I am not that fair skinned so looks like it can happen to any of us.

Great advice. I've been using SPF 100 stuff for many years. Currently using this.

Thanks, I am light skinned and have been exposed to a lot of sun my whole life, I need to do better with the sun screen.

I've never used SPF 100. does it stop even a tan?

Hasn't stopped my tan -- which is quickly fading because of too many cold or rainy days.

Today is my 65th birthday so I am now a member of this distinguished group.
I have been off the bike since the end of August. I was coming home from a ride and my left knee just popped. I had a left TKR in November and I am recovering so no way I can do the birthday ride.

I had set a goal of reaching 50,000 miles before my 65th birthday, but only made it to 49,000 when my knee gave out. Bummer. Oh well, it won't be too much longer before I'm on the road again.

Happy birthday!

Happy Birthday and welcome to Medicare!

Thanks! I received allot of Welcome to Medicare!

Today I took delivery of my first ever bicycle with a full carbon fiber frameset. I had it custom built at my LBS where I bought my last road bike 10 years ago, which was fast and lightweight but very harsh riding due to its oversized aluminum main tubes. Now that I'm fully recovered from my double hernia surgery 2-1/2 years ago, I've been wanting to go on some longer fast rides on some rough country roads, but still ride a responsive and lightweight road bike. This bike is a bit lighter, mostly to its lighter wheels, but the ride is considerably smoother without being a wet noodle. It's also my first 11-speed, which gives me a better selection of gears. I've stayed with mechanical shifting, so maybe 10 years from now I'll try electric shifting.

Wow!! Nice looking bike. Congrats.

Thanks. Just got back from a 20 mile shakedown ride today before another arctic vortex hits us tomorrow. I'm happy to report that the bike rides great and is both comfy and fast. I really like the new Fizik Aliante Versus saddle with its deep and wide man groove. No numb crotch or soreness. I had previously test ridden a Cervelo R3 that I liked, but the shop was unable to customize it to my choice of 165mm cranks due to its proprietary very wide press-fit BB shell, so instead they built up a Matrix Rafale Pyro frameset exactly to my desires for about $500 more than the R3. The Zipp 101 wheels are a definite upgrade from the Fulcrum 5.5 wheels on the R3. I went with Ultegra 11-speed for the drivetrain, which works very nicely, although you have to trim the front derailleur on both the big and small chainring to keep the chain from rubbing as you move back and forth on the cassette. I can't believe that someone hasn't come up with a better front derailleur design after all these years.

I have Ultegra on both my bikes (Litespeed is a 9 speed and Felt is a 10 speed) and have never had problems. Must be on the 11 speed only.

I have been riding carbon bikes since the late 80's and I love them, light and stiff. What make for frame is that?

It's a Matrix Cycles brand, model Rafale Pyro, probably made in Taiwan. Here is a link with more information:

https://www.matrix-cycles.co.uk/bike-...meset-774.html

My LBS that built it up charged me $1600 for the frameset (frame,fork,headset,seatpost clamp).

Today I'm finally getting to ride my new bike again after days of brutal polar vortex weather. It's over 50 degrees warmer today than this time yesterday. Since my last photo session, I've mounted a wireless computer and seat bag with tire flat repair stuff. Compared to my old aluminum road bike, the new carbon bike is about half a pound lighter with about half of that in the frame and the other half in the wheels. About an ounce was saved going from stainless steel tubing bottle cages to carbon cages. The carbon cages are left side loaders, so I can get the bottles in and out of the tight frame.

Howdy gang! Seems this outfit may be an exception to the cliche: "Any group I'm eligible for wouldn't have me." Thanks to your + influence my Roubaix (2007 Comp 61cm, 105 triple) has taken me 443 k so far in 2014. Much appreciate so many role models here and feel far better now than a year ago at my advanced age. Many thanks!

Welcome I am new to this group butt really enjoy it. Not riding much due to the cold and snow

Me neither! Its 19 degrees below zero here this morning. 8-(

I'm really going nuts here. I'm also a runner and at least for the last several winters I've always been able to run outside two or three times a week. This winter it's been either too cold, too windy, too slippery, or any combination of the three! I'm a lot more cautious these days since things tend to get hurt easier and take longer to heal as I get older. In fact, I've still got some quite sore ribs a week after taking a fall while X-C skiing.

As far as biking goes, I reconditioned my bikes in my shop downstairs (needed a space heater even there!), and the other day I registered for a bike tour in June to give myself something to look forward to. From here, it's hard to imagine what it would feel like to be "too hot to ride!"

I've retired the XC skis and taken up snowshoeing to save on the bones.

The problem where I live is that when it gets cold and there's any precipitation we just get ice, so that the roads are very treacherous and running or skiing are not viable options either. It's been really bad this year, but it seems like we're finally getting a break going into next week and I'll finally get to ride my new bike again. I used to live in southern Michigan (Jackson), and was able to ride on the road in the winter as long as temps stayed above 20 degrees. Below that temperature, we'd ride our mountain bikes on snow covered trails, where speeds are lower so wind chill wasn't as bad and there was more shelter from the wind.

^^^^

You should all move to Florida.
Today was an awesome day for riding. Its sunny and warm and I didn't need arm warmers or a base layer undershirt or a vest. Yay!! First time its been that warm and comfortable in a while.
Course later this week all that will change and I'll need all of the above mentioned items, and maybe more.

Rode 20 miles today, temps in low 70's and sunny albeit a bit windy. It feels so good after being cooped up in the house for a week with sub-freezing temps, freezing rain and sleet and windchills as low as the single digits outside. The weather now looks great for the next week at least. I'm really liking my new carbon steed.