Back in the saddle...
 

Haven't ridden much in the past couple of months, because I've been moving. So today I finally got out and took a decent ride. I wasn't sure how much strength and endurance I'd lost, but was worried that I was almost back at square one. I thought I'd see how just ten miles went.

Well, I was able to do twenty miles, and felt fine the whole way. A bit tired tonight, but I was delighted to have no knee barking, no saddle sores, nothing. Just good clean fun all the way.

Here's a picture of my new Bike Cave. Lots of room for a repair stand if I want one, and a tool bench as well. It's such a joy in my new place to get the bike out of the house and right onto the road. In my last place, it was a squeeze getting in and storing the bike.

http://www.pbase.com/digitalgee/image/112876414.jpg

Good to see you back in the saddle and thats a nice looking bike shed. I not sure those curtains go with a white bike though:). That would be a great place for a small roll around tool box and a bike stand. Just open up those curtains and you would have tons of natural light.

That is some 'interesting' flooring.

The previous owner of the house is a mosaic artist. :)

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...T04&lpage=none

Would this hold all your bike tools?

Try to keep bike grease and grime off the 'art'.

Actually, I really like it.:D

Looks like there is room for several more bikes.

Which bike did you ride today?

I can't help but notice that the white bike gets the upper berth.

Glad to hear that the rebound is succeeding, DG. You go guy!

Nice looking bike shed. Plenty of room for tools, stands, and other bikes. I want one! :o

I rode Ruby. She felt great!

I'm glad you've got the time to ride again. Doesn't it feel great to climb back on again. When I return to riding from a hiatus I'm often a bit tentative for the first mile or so, and then I tend to slip right back into that ever so familiar groove.

The bike room looks much better with the floor length brown curtains but, I don't see any off the floor accomodations for visiter parking. :D

Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.

Neat!

How well do you like the lean-to bike stand? I've seen those before and wondered how well they really work. Does it feel pretty solid? Does it feel like you're in danger of toppling the whole thing when you remove or replace a bike?

Is that really a mosaic floor? I'd put down a canvas painter's drop cloth before I started doing any bike maintenance. That'll save the floor from the yuckness that gets dripped and it'll make it easier to find the little bits and pieces that you drop too.

Cool digs, Deege.

Small 3 x 5 rug remnant works well and absorbs things like dripping chain oil.

But surely we drip a drizzle of oil in the shower stall after shampooing and conditioning the bike with Himalaya Essentials and lubing with extra-virgin from Tuscany?

I've had the bike stand for a year or more. Got it off Craigslist for about $40. It works just as advertised. There are rubber "shoes" at all four points of contact (two with the wall, two with the floor). It has never given me any grief. The arms supporting the bikes are easily adjusted with an allen wrench. I've put the heavier Globe on top and it felt solid. However, I normally keep the lighter Roubaix on top just because it's easier to hoist.

As for a drop cloth I completely agree and in fact have three or four still in their original packaging out in the garage that will work perfectly. Or I might pick up a used piece of carpeting when one comes across my path.

Glad to see you back on the bikes, DG. The bike cave looks like a fine place to store and work on bikes. Need to fill some of that empty space with tools, work stand, computer desk (for checking Sheldon Brown, Park Tool, Bike Forums or other online resources before undertaking a new mechanical project), mini beer fridge, stereo...the list goes on.

I've been using a lean-to bike storage rack for 15 years without any stability issues or concerns. The wieght of the bikes pushes it firmly against the wall and makes it very solid and stable. I really like how easy it is to relocate the rack if you need to rearrange the room. Mine is made of wood with non-adjustable support arms. Not an issue with horizontal top tube bikes, but the newer models with adjustable arms like yours would be essential for sloping top tube bikes.

I was going to suggest that DG scatter some tools and greasy rags around to give it that lived in feel. And what's with that little table in the corner?