eat_raw

Wondering if any of the local NYC people would be interested in doing a longer --- 50 miles minimum---Prospect Park ride on weekends (Sat or Sun around 9 a.m. or so).

We could make it a regular thing. 50 miles minimum to start (15 laps). We could extend to 100 (or anything beyond 50) depending on how the ride is going.

The objective, initially, would be to average something around 20 m.p.h. It thus would not be very taxing.

Of course, limited to fixies.

Alot of fixed riders in NYC. Get your lazy asses over to the park.

Let's start next Sat. or Sun.

noumena9

As someone who has done about 10 50+ miles in the park I must attest.

It is really annoying to ride that kind of ride in the park during the day on a weekend this time of year. Especially w/o brakes. There are just infinite numbers of idiotic parents letting their little little kids run out onto the road. I have had a number of close calls that left me really shaken -- feeling like I almost killed a kid.

Just my warning. I ride laps all the time, but on the long rides you get tired and you start to go too fast, etc.

abe1x

I must be missing something, but just how would that be fun? I love doing a few laps in PP for sure, but 15? You can go an awful lot of places 25 miles from NY (or 50 and a train back), and with a lot less repetition...

Msngr

aw, c'mon, give the guy a break. he wants to ride, but he doesn't want to find himself too far away from home base at the end. i understand --don't agree, but i understand

i do believe that PP riding on the weekends is boring, dangerous, and tedious, but some people need the security of being near home at the end of the ride.

having said that, i find both nyack and montauk rides to be WAY better in terms of safety and spinnability than any park ride can give. plus, those rides are simply better for getting all the aspects one needs in a training ride (more so nyack).

nuff said.

eat_raw

Uh huh

Typical

brooklyn

I would love to ride with you but i dont think i would be able to do 15 laps on my fixie.

wangster

Doing 15 laps in PP is like running on a treadmill. One good thing about Nyack is the scenery, and the muffins. You should come to the weekend rides... I shouldn't talk, but its fun so I'm trying to get out there again and I think you'd like it, everyone thats done it loves it.

slvoid

I think after going up there, I like piermont better than nyack. Piermont seems more quaint.
Those of you going to montauk are crazy, that's a 300 mile round trip. Unless you take the train back, which is ok.

evanyc

is it just me, or does anyone else have an aversion to riding with a group of folks you dont really know. just seems like too much pressure. i'm probably neurotic though.

brooklyn

I am a solo rider myself. I have never thought i was stong enough to ride in a group. It something I'm trying work on because riding by yourself can be boring.

wangster

how are you suppose to meet anyone and get to know them if you never go riding with them. Everyone I've met on the forums have been very friendly and no matter how strong a rider you are they will adjust or help. I myself is freaking sloooowwww, pretty much useless on hills, but everyone's been cool with riding with me and it helps me push myself.

marcelinyc

i did around 28 laps in pp last week(100 miles) and i'm not doing that again...Nyack is much better, 80 miles round trip and less boring.

Cadd

Where's this muffin place in Nyack that everyone's talking about?

evanyc

yeah, i love group riding, but yeah... i question my ability to hang and people's tolerance. good to know forums folks are welcoming.

i was riding home from class last thursday and went through Prospect around 9ish. i was gonna check out the races but then fixie folks in jerseys rode by and i said hello and nodded and they just stared at me... scared me off. haha

eat_raw

I ride to train. For me it's about fitness (and being outdoors)

Is the Nyack ride more scenic than 15 laps around PP? YES
Does the NYACK ride offer more in the way of stops (coffee, muffins, socializing)? YES

But

why would I ride from Brooklyn to the GWB (now, that's incredible fun) and back
when I can ride less than 4 miles each way and be in PP? During the week there's minimal activity in the park---it's essentially empty.

Once again, my perspective is about FITNESS; not aethetics; not vogue; not whatever.

There's a steady head wind in the park, probably between 10-15 mph. There are few areas of relief. Riding a relatively high gear is torture.
These conditions serve to illuminate the great disparity in terms of effort between a fixed and a geared bike.

blah blah blah

wangster

Nyack is a much better training ride than PP, especially if you take river road. If you really are into fitness, I'd suggest giving Nyack or one of the other weekend rides a chance.

Do we socialize and stop to get muffins? YES
Do we get a great workout out of it? YES
Are we in much better shape because of it? YES

A lot of people ride to Nyack, mostly roadies, but they all do it for the many things it has to offer. We aren't saying no to 15laps in PP because we rather have fun than ride, which should go hand in hand. We are just saying that we can get a better workout AND enjoy ourselves when we do one of these weekend rides. During the week PP is fine, but still not for 15laps of it.

evanyc, sorry whoever stared you down last week were a$$es, but everyone that races are friendly, whether you race or not(me) so you should come out and at least meet some of the guys. same goes for eat raw and whoever haven't made it out yet.

eat_raw

Wangster

I'd take you up on it if it weren't for the long ride through Manhattan (and the early start time).

wangster

yeah, the buttcrack of dawn start time is what gets me most of the time. You can just take the train up to the GW and then start the ride, its cheating but you wouldn't have to get started so early and deal with the traffic. Traffic is also not too bad at 6-7am on a saturday.

akky

If it's any help, as the winter comes and the sun comes out later in the day, the rides will also start later on, (but then it'll be cold)

evanyc

yeah, i ride from midwood to carroll gardens every thursday night right after class, which takes me through prospect park, so one day soon i'll definitely hang out. how many people show up that don't race?

RedMenace

too many.

wangster

I'm guilty of not racing... I'm a lazy bastard.

noumena9

the race is fun. that's why there are randomized teams, to help make it fun. people not racing because they are worried they won't perform works against the fun-ness. also -- it is more fun when more people race.

I've been on teams that come in last and first, I've gone faster than I thought I could and pushed super hard the whole way only to find that I went slow. that's not the point, I think. Will you ride insanely hard? Probably. Will you get bummed out and get depressed if you don't go super fast? Evidence points to no. There is always a really good vibe before and after the races and lots of smiles and shop talk. You know, fun.

The only people that I've seen get frustrated in the races are people that show in a super-short gear. They tend to be frustrated with their equipment. So I'd say the only thing to maybe be concerned about is having a gear in the mid-70s or higher. Most people seem to ride something like 48/16 or 48/15. That said though, even people who spin the hell out on 70" seem to have a blast too.

As for fitness: since I started racing mon+thu nights in June I've lost 40lbs. I've also done the Nyack ride 5-10 times in that range. Previously I was riding approx 125miles a week and lost no weight for almost two years. The races are a real fitness boost.... riding two laps in the red zone really seems to help.

evanyc

so i got a flat while riding downhill on the west side of the park today around 3:45. some fixie rider (red fuji, green jersey) stopped his bike about 20 ft from me and i thought, "How nice. He's gonna see if I need help." However, he just stood there for 10 minutes talking on his cell. hahaha. Was this one of you? no hard feelings though, i had it taken care of.

marcelinyc

Bastard! if i find out who it was....you in trouble buddy!