Keeping a Pace

The last two rides were short, and I started hard and finished weak. I didn't want to do that today, so I forced myself to stay in one gear (except for crossing roads and bridges, where I dropped a ring on the front) and one speed (about 14mph). It made a big difference. 16 miles, instead of 12, and with lots of energy left over (it was almost dark when I finished stretching, so it would have been tough to go farther). I think the next time I ride that course, I'll try for 14.5, then the next time a little more. Starting at 20 and ending at 12 isn't really doing me any good.

What a slacker...

Two weeks ago it was BorCon in San Jose. Gone Sunday to Thursday, spent Friday doing things that made Saturday a no go for riding (Sunday too, actually). Last week, I rode on Tuesday, but only 12 miles on the levee (but in 45 minutes), and then more slackerdom. Saturday I would have, but I had to shop for a birthday, tailgait a ball game, go to a birthday party, then the Vols game, which led to a definite inability to do squat on Sunday...

So, I ride again today. Another 12 mile, 45 minute ride at the levee. The problem with evening rides is I get off of work at 6pm, I then have to change clothes, and if I go to the levee, it is 6:20 or so by the time I get there. The sun is on the horizon by 7:30, and it is dark by 8 something, and when DST hits, it will be worse. Maybe I can buy a headlight, but I'm not so sure I want to ride in the dark, even with flashers and a headlight.

I'm thinking about riding short rides daily, but mornings are out. I have a hard enough time getting up as it is. Yeah, slacker.

I should be able to make the Battlefield Saturday though. I figure its been so long that WK will try to kill me. As long as I don't get lost, it should be ok though. Plus with the new tires, I won't roar as much and may be able to keep up better.

Or maybe I'll be a slacker again. At least I'm good at it.

Faster Pussycat

Well, that was a band name I'd heard a lot when I was younger, and I liked the name, even though when I finally heard them, I wasn't as impressed as I'd hoped to be. What does that have to do with anything? Well, not much, other than I took the loop from work to Camp Jordan and back a bit faster than last time (even counting not taking the extra bit around Shephard Rd.) I started out faster, and had to keep it up. Had to. I didn't start until 6:45 or so, and if I hadn't keep going at a good clip, it would have gotten dark before I got back. Since this bike has all of one reflector on it (one of the four that were originally on the pedals) that wouldn't be a good thing. One thing that helped was the new tires I put on it. The tires aren't "good" tires, but they do have a center ridge that makes riding on the street much better. They had road tires for a mountain bike, which I thought a rather odd thing, but I still want to get out into the woods sometime.

I got to ride in the woods a little at OutsideCon. Not much, as a lot of the time I was actually up I was drinking heavily, or it was pitch black dark. I did get to figure out why there are three rings on the front. Rocks and roots and gulleys aren't pleasant while climbing a hill at any speed other than a crawl.

Anyway, still haven't got out to look for a road bike yet, and likely won't for a bit. I'm going to San Jose this weekend and won't be back until Thursday evening. More business than pleasure (it's BorCon, the conference for Borland Software developers - geek stuff.) Three days of classes, 8 am to 8pm or sometimes later.

No Ride, Quick Question

Could someone explain the difference between a road bike, cyclo-cross bike, and a triathalon bike? So far, all I can tell from looking at them is that road bikes seem to have curled handlebars, Cyclo-cross straight, and triathalon bikes seem to have these huge frames. And I probably have that all wrong.

Also, I don't understand anything about all the stats and measurements of this angle or that angle, this diameter or that length. I mean, I know what they are talking about there (pretty pictures all over the place), but nothing about why one particular measurement would be better than another and for what circumstance. Also trying to come to terms with some of the other terminology, like "cassette" (is that what the rear gears are mounted to, or where the cranks?). I remember the old days when all you needed to know were how big around the wheels were and how many speeds did it have, and the debate over whether Shimano was better than Bendix. Nowadays it appears that every single little detail can be different, from the length of the cranks to the angle of the forks to the number of spokes on the wheel. Hell, I'll have to study for six months just to know what a salesman is talking about!