So I guess no "Steev-o I rock!" tattoo's for you?

I think most of his offerings are overpriced; case in point: http://toronto.craigslist.org/bik/305432897.html

Sure I'll pay $3500 for an aluminum frame and mid-range campy parts!

My thought's exactly. I had one of those carbon frame mtn bikes 8 years ago...and it cost me half that when I bought it.

Yep, I did the 75 km loop last year. Very fun and do-able. The first descent down off the gardiner can be interesting if you're not watching your spin as you come down.

Cool! I think I'll just swap the saddle off of my road bike. There is a reason my friend called the saddle on my conversion "The ass-**** seat".

my answers are yes, i have ridden the ride for heart many times, one a fixed gear to boot. 63" shouldn't be a problem so long as you have at least one brake becuase the route is essentially all uphill one way and all downhill the next. i would say get there early and try to finish before the mass of under inflated - kickstanded - baby seated - eggy foam helmeted - hybrided fairweather cyclists take over. if you're doing the 75k you have to loop the top section twice so if you're late starting you're going to run into traffic. anyway, have fun, i'm sure you'll enjoy it.

this is a long shot but is anyone riding the TBN hairshirt this year? i only ask because you'd know by now if you are (you need to start training in march for a double century in early june). wes, did we talk about this at the safety meeting?

I'm seriously thinking of the hairshirt this year. Mind you I seriously thought about it last year too. I'd need to get some serious mileage going....

All in all, sounds like I need to get serious. Seriously.

Seriously cavit8.

P.S Better yet volunteer with the TBN, get to ride the whole route at lightning speed!

Yeah I'm definately doing it, I did it for the first time last year with a time of 11:40 with the second small group of riders.

Going to try for 11 hours this year.

http://www.tbn.ca/cycling/hairshirt.htm

scroll down a bit to see last years times.

and keep scrolling and scrolling to see my pathetic time. i think it was over 15 hours. that was with stopping for lunch at timmy's a couple of times (and photo ops in niagara falls).

i'd be interested in getting a group of fixed gear riders doing it as a group this year. i'm certainly not a mitch-speed rider so i'd need to ride with people that are comfy with a 25km/h pace or so. and stopping for lunch. and stopping for chocolate milk. you get the idea. i haven't been training thus far but i think i could be motivated to if i could drum up some interest from folks who aren't there for a hammer-fest.

If I can do it without cramping out or barking my guts in a ditch somewhere, I'll be happy

I had been planning on doing it this year.. but my training plan has sort of fallen apart. I'll see how I feel leading up to it. I might do the overnight TNT that happens a couple weeks before and maybe a 200k brevet or two with the randonneurs and see how that feels. *shrug* Playin' it by ear. :)

you know what? doing a brevet is totally different as you are required to stop every 50km or so, and the guys who ride it are not the same type of rider that does the hairshirt. i would say that if you can do a short brevet, you can do the hairshirt no problem so long as you maintain the pace you're comfortable at. if you plan on doing a brevet let me know as i should probably show up for a ride and renew my membership. i'm not sure how much an overnight ride will prepare you for a double century.

and cam, you won't cramp or barf so long as you've got your food situation dialled in (of course i type this as i'm eating brownies and drinking beer). i had a big old bonkfest happening my during my first hairshirt because i tried to hang with some fast riders until niagara, didn't eat, didn't drink enough etc. that's why i think if we fixed gear riders do the ride and stick together and leave no man behind we'll be fine. remember, the ride is pretty much pancake flat and scenic. think about it.

Team time trial 322km!!

more like team stops for a snickers and photo op. well, at least the last year i rode it, it was something like 35 celcius and humid so i wasn't about to go fast.

Lol. That sucks. Anyways - anybody want to trade my (soon to be mine) 175mm dura ace cranks for 170/165?

what do you mean that sucks? i love taking the slow road? i still rode 322km after all...

what's wrong with long cranks?

yeah, I'm in for the non-timetrial version if I do it.. but I'd likely ride my road bike. It's far more comfortable for a long ride.

Wow twice for you holy!!! I had a hard time keeping up with you on a casual ride your not lance ,but you aren’t slow that’s for sure!

i thank you grasshopper, but i fear that over a double century i pretty much slow to a crawl by the end. my first year i actually fell asleep for a second on the bike because i didn't pace myself on the way out. if i do it this year i want to stop for pancakes somewhere...

Sucks about the weather I mean. Yeah cranks required me to lower seat, if I go back to 165 or 170 I can crank my seat back up.

yeah it was damn hot. i remember drinking liter after liter of water and urinating once in about 10 hours. all sweat, baby.

sorry, i can't help you out with a set of 165s. i'm a 170 man.

think about it, if we can get a fixed gear hairshirt team together, we're only a step or two from a fixed gear fleche team.

I have 172 and 170 cranks. Neither as good as dura ace though. Think its and older 105 (172) amd exage at 170.