Where we
A) Discuss the theory of gears and climbing
B) Explain how to improve your particular configuration
C) Propose a slightly radical solution to the problem of bike type and gearing.
Below you will find the sections I just listed. I invite you to read or skip the theory as suits you. You will find a set of headings describing the most common road bike gearing configurations. Go to the one that matches your bike to see what you could do to possibly improve your bike’s climbing capabilities. And last, I invite all of you to read and consider the “Radical Proposal.”
Theory of Climbing Gears:
Nomenclature:
Crankset: The assembly including the crank arms, pedals, and the big gears at the front of the bike.
Chainring: one of the big gears on the crankset.
Cassette: The cluster of gears at the back of the bike.
Cog: One individual gear in the cassette.
Tooth: On of the pointy spikey things on a bike gear.
Tooth Count: How many teeth a gear has.
Gear Ratio: Divide the tooth count of the cog into the tooth count of the crank. The number that you get is the Ratio. It tells you how many times you will turn the rear wheel for one turn of the crank. The smaller this number is, the lower your gear is.
This is fairly simple. A lower gear is an easier gear. It’s slower, but it takes a lot less power to turn it. We’ve discussed the idea that you will be carrying more “stuff” on the Cheaha Two Day Tour. That means you will be lifting that stuff, along with your bike, and yourself, up every climb on the ride. Turning a higher rpm (cadence) into an easier gear, will make your day a lot more pleasant.
When you are climbing, you are lifting you and your bicycle (and anything that the bike is carrying) up as well as moving it all forward. The faster you are going forward, the faster you are going up. It’s the lifting that is the difficult part. Lifting mass higher and faster requires more aerobic capacity. That’s the heart and lungs part. If you had perfect legs, you could use just about any gear, and simply slow down until your rate of climb matched your aerobic capacity. The thing is, you don’t. No one does. Being able to turn a lower gear, at a higher cadence keeps you from fatiguing your leg muscles. Slowing your rate of ascent keeps you from going anaerobic. Lower gears let you slow your rate of ascent, while keeping leg effort down, and cadence up. This is a good thing.
Example: Let’s suppose that you have a bike with a lowest gear combination of a 39T chainring and a 25T low cog on your cassette. Further, let’s assume you are riding a bike with 700c wheels.
Your gear ratio is 1.56 to 1. That means you turn the rear wheel 1.56 times for each complete turn of the cranks. At a cadence of 90 rpm you will be doing 11.0 mph.
But suppose that on a particular long climb you find that you are starting to go anaerobic at any speed above 10 mph. Well, to slow to 10 mph, you have to decrease your cadence to 82 rpm. (You can’t downshift, as you are already in your lowest gear.) And the problem is, you must go slower, because you are already anaerobic at this speed.
So you slow down further, and find that at 8.0 mph, your heart rate and breathing rate are high, but comfortable. But now your cadence is down to 65 rpm, and the strain on your legs is getting pretty high.
If you had a 27T on your cassette, you would be doing 10.2 mph at 90 rpm, and 8.0 mph at 72 rpm. Better, but still not great. That’s a lot of legwork, and this is a long climb.
So what if you had a 30T chainring to go with that 27T low cog. Now your gear ratio is down to 1.11. You find that at 90 rpm you are going 7.8 mph. Your heart is not racing, breathing is easy, and your legs aren’t working nearly so hard.
That’s why you want lower gears!
Just incidentally, I’ve found from experience that a low gear ratio of 1 to 1, or less is nearly ideal for this type of riding.
Bike Improvements by gearing types:
“Standard Road Double”
2 chainrings by 9 speed rear.
Chainrings = 53T – 39T
Cassette = 12 – 25
Lowest Ratio = 1.56 to 1
This bike could benefit from a switch of the cassette to a 12.27 for a low ratio of 1.44 to 1. Or, change the crankset to a compact double 50T – 34T. This configuration can yeild the following results.
12-25 cassette ~~ lowest gear ration is a decent 1.36 to 1.
12-27 cassette ~~ lowest gear ration is better, at 1.26 to 1
But there’s an old trick that’s possible with this driveline. Replace the cassette with a mountain bike 11-32. This will require replacing the derailler with a long cage model, and replacing the chain with a longer one. Now let’s see what that does for us.
With the 53T – 39T and a 32T low gear ~~ lowest ratio is 1.19 to 1. Note that this is even lower (at less expense) than using compact double and a 12-27. Cool.
“Standard Road Triple”
3 chainrings by 8 or 9 speed rear.
Chainrings = 52T – 42T – 30T
Cassette = 12 – 25 or 13 – 27
With the 13 – 27 cassette, this bike would have a low gear ratio of 1.11 to 1. Getting there, but it’s possible to improve. If a mountain bike cassette of 11 – 32 where installed (along with the necessary chain and derailler changes) the low gear would be 0.94 to 1. Now that’s getting there!
Compact Double:
2 chainrings by 9 speed rear.
Chainrings = 50T – 34T
Cassette = 12 – 25 or 12 – 27
This isn’t too bad. The lowest ratio, with the 12 – 27 cassette would be 1.26 to 1. Just a bit high for the kind of riding we are planning. But that 9 speed rear lends itself nicely to the replacement with a mountain bike 11 – 32 cassette. The new lowest ratio is 1.06 to 1.
Compact Double:
2 chainrings by 10 speed rear.
Chainrings = 50T – 34T
Cassette = 12 – 25 or 12 – 27
For our purposes, this is a “problem bike.” That crank, along with a 12 – 27 cassette, would yeild a low ratio of 1.26 to 1. This is “doable,” but still a bit high. The problem is, at the time of this writing, there is no lower 10 speed cassette. Mounting a 9 speed cassette creates huge shifting problems. Replacing the shifters, as well as the derailler and chain, would do it, but that becomes prohibitively expensive. The thing is, attempting to do a make over on this kind of bike really doesn’t make sense. You mess up a perfectly good bike, at great expense.
For that matter, some of the possible mods I’ve discussed above, just might not appeal to you. You have a bike. If you like the bike, there are reasons for that. Why risk messing it up? That leads us to…
A Radical Proposal:
Why not get another bike? I often make the case for owning two (or more) bikes. The increased reliability and utility of a two (or more) bike stable are strong arguments. But, if you are considering touring, commuting, or other utility cycling, and you don’t want to mess with your (or mess up) your current ride, this is a good time to consider.
Further, some of the modifications I’ve listed above actually come close to the price of a new bike. Interested? Read on.
Giant makes a line of bikes they call the Defy and Avail. The Defy is the men’s version, the Avail is the women’s version. These are a bit more relaxed geometry than their more racing oriented bikes. In effect the Defy/Avail are already “light tourists”! They come with a road triple and an eight speed 12T – 26T cassette. They have the eyelets and brazeons to mount racks and fenders. The entry level bikes (Defy 3 and Avail 3) in this series are priced at about $800. The next better bikes (Defy 2 and Avail 2) are priced at about $1000.
If I were considering this, I’d plan to get the Defy 3, replace the cassette with an 11t – 32T mountain bike part, and replace the chain and derailler at the same time. (I’d keep the original chain and cassette for later use. But sell the derailler.) The addition of a rack (possibly fenders), a few tweaks, and presto! For a price of about $1000 to $1200, my new light tourist is ready to go tackle Cheaha! It’s an idea worth considering.
Next week we'll get into more on test riding and training, along with some more organizational details.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Training and Testing for a Group Tour
The basics of the Cheaha Two Day Tour pretyt much decide the shape of the ride. We’re going to go about 114 miles on the first day. That day will include the ascent up Cheaha Mountain between mile 80 and mile 100. Then there’s a 14 mile descent and trek into Oxford, Alabama. The second day we will be riding back home, about 97 miles. Both days will have their share of hilly terrain.
I’d like to get on the road early enough to ride in the cooler part of the day, and to insure that we have ample time to do the trips in daylight. Consider, this is a self-supported tour, so we will all be riding fairly heavy bikes. That means that we should plan on a rolling average of between 11 mph and 13 mph. This translates to a first day of between 8.75 and 10.5 hours on the bike, or a total of 11 to 13 hours. We can go faster than this if, and only if, everyone agrees to accept a higher pace.
I, for one will not readily go faster during the first half of the day. I’ve found that early enthusiasm leads to a long and painful day.
So how do we each get ready for this?
First off, get your bike ready. Install the equipment you plan to carry. Pack your bike. Weigh the whole shebang. Then go ride it! Now you know what you will be working with. Start riding regularly with a load just like that. (You don’t have to carry exactly what you will be doing on the tour, but weight the bike down to match touring trim.) In fact, add some weight!
That’s right, add some additional weight to your load. Do this gradually over a period of about three weeks. This lets you gradually get used to the whole pack. Your objective is to test to see if you can maintain the needed average speeds, over hilly ground, for a prolonged time. If you are faster, well and good. Now test to see if you can slow down to the expected group speed. (This last, surprisingly, can be oddly hard to do.)
While you are at this fitness training and testing, be testing the equipment you plan to carry. Make sure it all works, and that you can use all of it. (Remember, there is no absolute guarantee that you will have help on hand when you need it. Expect the best, plan for the worst.)
To aid in all of this, I’ll be doing some group “Touring Test Rides.” Expect more info on these soon. (How about a mountain stage as one of these? Anyone interested?)
I’d like to get on the road early enough to ride in the cooler part of the day, and to insure that we have ample time to do the trips in daylight. Consider, this is a self-supported tour, so we will all be riding fairly heavy bikes. That means that we should plan on a rolling average of between 11 mph and 13 mph. This translates to a first day of between 8.75 and 10.5 hours on the bike, or a total of 11 to 13 hours. We can go faster than this if, and only if, everyone agrees to accept a higher pace.
I, for one will not readily go faster during the first half of the day. I’ve found that early enthusiasm leads to a long and painful day.
So how do we each get ready for this?
First off, get your bike ready. Install the equipment you plan to carry. Pack your bike. Weigh the whole shebang. Then go ride it! Now you know what you will be working with. Start riding regularly with a load just like that. (You don’t have to carry exactly what you will be doing on the tour, but weight the bike down to match touring trim.) In fact, add some weight!
That’s right, add some additional weight to your load. Do this gradually over a period of about three weeks. This lets you gradually get used to the whole pack. Your objective is to test to see if you can maintain the needed average speeds, over hilly ground, for a prolonged time. If you are faster, well and good. Now test to see if you can slow down to the expected group speed. (This last, surprisingly, can be oddly hard to do.)
While you are at this fitness training and testing, be testing the equipment you plan to carry. Make sure it all works, and that you can use all of it. (Remember, there is no absolute guarantee that you will have help on hand when you need it. Expect the best, plan for the worst.)
To aid in all of this, I’ll be doing some group “Touring Test Rides.” Expect more info on these soon. (How about a mountain stage as one of these? Anyone interested?)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Group Tours ~~ Road Etiquette
Road etiquette is a touchy subject among cyclists. Believe me I know! In this country we seem to be focused on speed and racing. Even among we who ride bikes and will never enter a race, this attitude is prevalent. Yoiks!
Seems to me that there are only a very few reasons to engage in a group tour.
1) The rider doesn’t know the way and would like a navigator.
2) The rider would like the security and support of other riders.
3) Safety in numbers.
4) Sharing days on the road with others of like mind. In short camaraderie.
Most of those would seem to me to be reason to stay close to each other on the road. Ah if it were only that simple! The “racing imperative,” i.e. “I must show that I am faster!” mixes with an inherent difference in ability and motivation. Not all riders are as fast or as strong. A slight difference in ride speed, say 0.2 mph can be a huge factor in a long day. After five hours these two riders will be separated by a mile. When you consider that, in the south eastern region of the US, it’s rare to have a sight line of more than a quarter mile, that’s out of sight and out of mind.
I see an odd one occur fairly frequently. A rider will show up for a group ride. Let’s call this rider “Abe the Attacker.” Abe does not know a thing about the area of the ride. Abe has never ridden on those roads before, and hasn’t a clue where he is. Suddenly Abe takes off, as if pursued by the Furies. He has just dropped the ride, and ridden away from anyone who would help him navigate back home. Usually I see this when I'm in the midst of a recovery ride, and my urge to pursue the idiot is actually pretty low.
Just what is Abe the Attacker trying to accomplish here? Is he really so invested in being the “fastest rider around” that he will accept getting hopelessly lost on unfamiliar ground? Hah!? What gives?
Then there’s the flip side of the coin. There’s another rider, let’s call this one Slow Joe. Joe is decidedly not fast. He doesn’t care if he’s not. In fact he’s happy and content to be a slow poke. That works. But in a group ride situation, Slow Joe can be more than a bit of a problem. The question is, at what point does some member of the group have a responsibility to hang back and ride slowly with Joe? Is it right for Joe to risk the whole group’s objectives because he can’t, or won’t keep up?
Folks, those are tough questions. I’m intending to set out some guidelines here. What we are about is a group tour. More, it will be a self supported group tour. That means we will all be riding heavy bikes through hilly country. Some of us will be on heavier bikes than others. Some of us will be inherently faster than others.
I hope that the reason for our going out together will be for the joy of experiencing the day in good company. I know, from long experience, that someone will likely start “pushing the pace,” and that someone else will be hanging back. I’d really rather not see Abe the Attacker, Slow Joe, or Attila the Hun on this ride.
So here’s a set of guidelines to live by on this tour.
1) No one has the right to force others to go faster. If you ride ahead of the group, we still love you, but you are on your own. That also means we won’t look for you if you don’t show up at an agreed upon checkpoint. You have to do your own navigating. Leave the group and you take full responsibility for yourself.
2) No one has the right to be a “dragging anchor,” holding the group back. If you can’t keep up, you will be dropped. I’m sure that compassion will modify this somewhat, but it would be foolish to count on it.
3) No one has the right to put others at risk. Absolute adherence to traffic laws, and good safe, courteous, and responsible riding is mandatory. No exceptions.
Okay, that could be a bit of a problem. How do we know that we can stay with the group, not run away, and not be a “dragging anchor”?
The answer is pretty simple. Train and test. For more on that, please see tomorrow’s post.
As for the rest of the possible touring etiquette questions. Well, common sense, good manners, and a simple regard for your riding partners is about all that is needed. Pretty much, we’re a classy, decent bunch of people. Good manners have been bred into us. Essentially, let’s agree to keep our tempers, respect each other’s idiosyncrasies, give room when necessary, and look out for each other. In other words, let’s let the Golden Rule be our guide.
So that’s it. Mostly stay with the group. Don’t be a pain. Follow the law. Ride safely. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I can’t think of another thing to add.
As always, I’m interested in your comments, and welcome suggestions and questions.
Keep the shiny side up, and a smile on your face.
Seems to me that there are only a very few reasons to engage in a group tour.
1) The rider doesn’t know the way and would like a navigator.
2) The rider would like the security and support of other riders.
3) Safety in numbers.
4) Sharing days on the road with others of like mind. In short camaraderie.
Most of those would seem to me to be reason to stay close to each other on the road. Ah if it were only that simple! The “racing imperative,” i.e. “I must show that I am faster!” mixes with an inherent difference in ability and motivation. Not all riders are as fast or as strong. A slight difference in ride speed, say 0.2 mph can be a huge factor in a long day. After five hours these two riders will be separated by a mile. When you consider that, in the south eastern region of the US, it’s rare to have a sight line of more than a quarter mile, that’s out of sight and out of mind.
I see an odd one occur fairly frequently. A rider will show up for a group ride. Let’s call this rider “Abe the Attacker.” Abe does not know a thing about the area of the ride. Abe has never ridden on those roads before, and hasn’t a clue where he is. Suddenly Abe takes off, as if pursued by the Furies. He has just dropped the ride, and ridden away from anyone who would help him navigate back home. Usually I see this when I'm in the midst of a recovery ride, and my urge to pursue the idiot is actually pretty low.
Just what is Abe the Attacker trying to accomplish here? Is he really so invested in being the “fastest rider around” that he will accept getting hopelessly lost on unfamiliar ground? Hah!? What gives?
Then there’s the flip side of the coin. There’s another rider, let’s call this one Slow Joe. Joe is decidedly not fast. He doesn’t care if he’s not. In fact he’s happy and content to be a slow poke. That works. But in a group ride situation, Slow Joe can be more than a bit of a problem. The question is, at what point does some member of the group have a responsibility to hang back and ride slowly with Joe? Is it right for Joe to risk the whole group’s objectives because he can’t, or won’t keep up?
Folks, those are tough questions. I’m intending to set out some guidelines here. What we are about is a group tour. More, it will be a self supported group tour. That means we will all be riding heavy bikes through hilly country. Some of us will be on heavier bikes than others. Some of us will be inherently faster than others.
I hope that the reason for our going out together will be for the joy of experiencing the day in good company. I know, from long experience, that someone will likely start “pushing the pace,” and that someone else will be hanging back. I’d really rather not see Abe the Attacker, Slow Joe, or Attila the Hun on this ride.
So here’s a set of guidelines to live by on this tour.
1) No one has the right to force others to go faster. If you ride ahead of the group, we still love you, but you are on your own. That also means we won’t look for you if you don’t show up at an agreed upon checkpoint. You have to do your own navigating. Leave the group and you take full responsibility for yourself.
2) No one has the right to be a “dragging anchor,” holding the group back. If you can’t keep up, you will be dropped. I’m sure that compassion will modify this somewhat, but it would be foolish to count on it.
3) No one has the right to put others at risk. Absolute adherence to traffic laws, and good safe, courteous, and responsible riding is mandatory. No exceptions.
Okay, that could be a bit of a problem. How do we know that we can stay with the group, not run away, and not be a “dragging anchor”?
The answer is pretty simple. Train and test. For more on that, please see tomorrow’s post.
As for the rest of the possible touring etiquette questions. Well, common sense, good manners, and a simple regard for your riding partners is about all that is needed. Pretty much, we’re a classy, decent bunch of people. Good manners have been bred into us. Essentially, let’s agree to keep our tempers, respect each other’s idiosyncrasies, give room when necessary, and look out for each other. In other words, let’s let the Golden Rule be our guide.
So that’s it. Mostly stay with the group. Don’t be a pain. Follow the law. Ride safely. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
I can’t think of another thing to add.
As always, I’m interested in your comments, and welcome suggestions and questions.
Keep the shiny side up, and a smile on your face.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tours ~~ Carry Capacity
I think I've mentioned this before. It bears repeating. On a tour your carry stuff. You should plan to put the stuff on the bike and absolutely not on your body. You want your bike ot be your beast of burden. After all, you have to supply the power to move all that stuff down the road, and over every hill along the way. Do you also want to expend the energy necessary to support it as well? Unless you are a complete glutton for punishment, the answer must be a resounding "Nyet, No, Non, Huh-uh, Nien, Nix, and not no way!"
A couple of cautions about panniers. Not all of them are particularly waterproof. There are "dry bag" type panniers out there. Expect to pay more. There is a huge range of this type of bag on the market. Check features and capacity (usually given in cubic inches) closely. If you are not sure, please contact me before you buy!
At left is an interesting item. This is a super deluxe trunk bag. Made by Topeak, the cost is around $80. It mounts to the top of a rack. Notice there are included, folding mini-panniers. A bag like this would be almost ideal for the kind of tour we are doing to Cheaha.
Below is a nifty little setup.
I just had this lesson reinforced. Yesterday I did the Audax 200K. I like ot do this ride on a light bike. The trusty Y-Foil has no carry capacity. As ride leader, I tend to carry a bit more "stuff," first aid supplies, tools, clothing, food, etc. I put it all in a pack. I can do this for one day. Believe me, brothers and sisters, when I say, I am stiff and sore today, and I dearly regret that pack.
All of that was a bit of a longt winded introduction to the topic. How does a cyclist carry "stuff"? The answers vary with the individual, and their approach to things. The dedicated minimalist could do something like the upcoming Cheaha Two Day Tour out of a large under seat pack. Two tubes, mini-tool, tire levers, a couple of band aids, a toothbrush, some soap, some cash, and a credit card would just about do it. Of course this rider will forego a lot of amenities and creature comforts, fresh clothing among them.
For those who are contemplating touring, of medium to longer distances and self supported style, what follows is a bit of an illustrated primer.
There are several considerations in making these choices. Bike size and type. Infrastructure to load ratio. Intended distance. Cost.
Bike Size and type: Not all bikes are suitable to all possible configurations. Some are just too small to handle some of the options below. Think before you buy. Bring your bike in to an expert and discuss options first.
Infrastructure to load ratio: "Infrastructure" is the unavoidable wieght of the system. It includes the stuff the system is made from, racks, supports, bags, etc. "Load" is the stuff the system carries. On longer tours, the rider carries more stuff, so the fraction of infrastructure goes down. Put another way, the heavier the load, the heavier the system to carry it. For light loads a light system is best.
Racks and bags (pannier style):
Cost: Moderate to high.
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Fair to lousy.
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Fair to lousy.
Upside: They work with minimal fuss.
Downside: Expense and they become a semi-permanent modification to the bike.
This is a fairly "standard" (whatever that means in the bicycle world) touring rack. It can support panniers of a trunk bag, or both. These attach to the rear of the bike. The do not work on full suspension mountainbikes, and there are a lot of road bikes that simply will not take them. I absolutely do not recommend them if your bike is a carbon fiber frame. Price on racks ranges from about $3o up to around $200. I would not recommend anything less than a $20 dollar rack, and I wonder just what you get with one that costs more than $200. (Does it pedal the bike for you? Maybe there's an anti-gravity machine in there?)
Below is one of a pair of panniers. Panniers attach to the sides of a rack like the one shown above. For shorter rides a single pannier is okay, but for touring a rider would want to use them in pairs and distribute the load evenly on both sides of the bike. Panniers can cost from $30 to $200 each. They are often sold in sets of two, but may be purchased individually. (The water bottle is in the picture to provide scale.)
Below is one of a pair of panniers. Panniers attach to the sides of a rack like the one shown above. For shorter rides a single pannier is okay, but for touring a rider would want to use them in pairs and distribute the load evenly on both sides of the bike. Panniers can cost from $30 to $200 each. They are often sold in sets of two, but may be purchased individually. (The water bottle is in the picture to provide scale.)
A couple of cautions about panniers. Not all of them are particularly waterproof. There are "dry bag" type panniers out there. Expect to pay more. There is a huge range of this type of bag on the market. Check features and capacity (usually given in cubic inches) closely. If you are not sure, please contact me before you buy!
Below is a nifty little setup.
Cost: Fair (about $60)
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Excellent
Upside: Quick and easy. Included rain cover. Removes from bike quickly.
Downside: Not a lot of capacity. Do not use with carbon seatposts.
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Excellent
Upside: Quick and easy. Included rain cover. Removes from bike quickly.
Downside: Not a lot of capacity. Do not use with carbon seatposts.
Topeak makes these. They call them the "Dynapack." The frame is part of the bag. There is an included rain cover. This would be good for that person who is almost as much of a minimalist as I mentioned earlier. There are two removable compartment dividers, and a small internal pocket/compartment for keys and such. There is also a zippered mesh compartment in the lid.
Carradice Bags:
Carradice of Nelson England have been making bags for a long time. These bags are made from waxed cotton duck fubric. The waterproofing is amazing. The bags themselves are a bit heavy, but the low infrastructure weight required to use them more than makes up for this.
SQR Tour:
Cost: Moderate (about $120)
Cost: Moderate (about $120)
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Excellent
Upside: Quick and easy. Good carry capacity. Sufficient (with efficient packing) to do the Cheaha Two day. Removes from bike quickly.
Downside: Do not use with carbon seatposts. May not work on a small frame bike.
The Nelson Longflap:
Cost: Moderate (about $140)
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Excellent
Upside: Quick and easy. Very good carry capacity. about 1.5 times the SQR Tour. More than sufficient to do the Cheaha Two day.
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Excellent
Upside: Quick and easy. Very good carry capacity. about 1.5 times the SQR Tour. More than sufficient to do the Cheaha Two day.
Downside: Best if used with a Brooks saddle. pretty much requires a Bagman support rack, which is jsut about impossible to get. (See more on this below.)
This is an outstanding bag! It's my personal favorite for short to intermediate length tours. It's actually big enough to invite over-packing. Possibly the biggest downside is that this bag just about has to be used with a Bagman (tm) support rack. The Bagman is light and simple. The problem is that they are almost impossible to get right now. No one knows why. It's a British thing. I can put together a very suitable alternative out of fairly inexpensive materials. My alternative adds a bit more weight than the bagman, but not as much as a dual pannier and conventional rack set up.
Note 1: If you are planning to go this route, get on it now! It's less than two months to Cheaha and time flies!
Note 2: I would not recommend going the Carradice route unless you are very committed to the idea of cycle tourning and utility cycling.
One more possible alternative...
The bike trailer:
Cost: High (but read on!)
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Poor unless you are carry a big load.
Infrastructure to Load Ratio: Poor unless you are carry a big load.
Upside: Carries anything you could want on this tour, and just might be inexpensive
Downside: Heavy and can be a handful when descending, especially on rough surfaces.
Downside: Heavy and can be a handful when descending, especially on rough surfaces.
Okay, pictured at left and below is a B.O.B. trailer. It hooks up to the bike with a special skewer. (These are about $30). The trailer is in the range of $400. Included, and visible in the pictures, is a dry bag. I'm telling you, that means really waterproof. You could go into a stream with this and the contents of the bag would be dry.
Ordinarily, for a tour such as the Cheaha Two Day, I would discourage this as being too much stuff to haul. But here's an idea.
I own the trailer you see pictured here.
If two (or three) of you wanted to go in together, I would be willing to rent the trailer out for a very modest rate for the weekend. Each of the parties involved would need to purchase and fit one of the special skewers to their bike.
Then, the idea would be that the two (or three) of you would take turns pulling the trailer.It couples and uncouples in a few minutes. That would mean that each rider in the partnership would be hauling the load for only half (or a third) of the time. The rest of the time you would be riding a pretty light bike. How you arrange to split up the hauling time is your business. (I steadfastly refuse to get involved in domestic disturbances!)
Then, the idea would be that the two (or three) of you would take turns pulling the trailer.It couples and uncouples in a few minutes. That would mean that each rider in the partnership would be hauling the load for only half (or a third) of the time. The rest of the time you would be riding a pretty light bike. How you arrange to split up the hauling time is your business. (I steadfastly refuse to get involved in domestic disturbances!)
Okay. Lots of words. (Think about how long this would have been without the pictures.) Hope that gives you lots of food for thought.
Stay in touch. It will be time for Cheaha before you know it.
Monday, May 25, 2009
AUDAX 200K RIDE REPORT
This was one for the books. Given that we’ve been having a lot of weather, and we certainly had a “forecast” for yesterday’s ride, I sort of thought we’d have an empty ride, a lot of “no shows,” and the hassle that goes along with that. I’m pleased to say things didn’t work out that way. In fact, I’d say they worked out very well indeed.
There were some last minute personnel changes, but nothing significant. Present at the Start were (in no particular order) Bob coup, Cindy Whitley, HL Jackson, Homberto Arango, Chris Muntzel, Kelvin Arcelay, Scott Rutkowski, and your corespondant.
The day dawned cloudy, with the constant trheat of showers, temps in the mid 60s. We pushed off pretty much on time, and proceeded south through Peachtree City on damp to wet roads. We hit a few very light showers as we moved south toward Pine Mountain. The rain was light. We got damp. The rain stopped. We dried out. Rain gear wasn’t really needed.
I want to take a moment here and compliment this group on their spirit of co-operation. Folks pitched in, waited where necessary, pulled when needed, and generally made the progress calm and orderly.
Pine Mountain was shrouded in mists as we climbed to the spine and rode along it. Every time is different, and each is amazing. I think the weather helped us here too. There was very little traffic on the mountain, and none of the blasting motorcycle groups. (Yay!) And of course, the descent into Warm Springs! I think the “Top Speed descender” hit 47.3 mph. This person will, of course remain nameless.
Lunch was… Well, it was the Bulloch House! It was great, plentiful, and just what was needed. I liked what Chris said. “I always finish feeling like I could never eat again. But two hours later…”
As we emerged from the lunch room we were greeted by a different day. Gone were the mists and low clouds. Bright sunshine and blue skies with big puff ball clouds had magicked themselves into existence while we ate. The temps were warm and pleasant. The road generally down hill for the next five miles. That’a a great “dessert” for a cyclist.
Of course, Spring in Georgia means ~~ changeable weather!
I watched with a little apprehension as those puff ball clouds gathered, and grew. I had a pretty good idea we were going to get hit with at least one pop up shower late in the day. Turned out I was right, and it worked out great and it was fun! More on that in a bit.
Our first stop on the return leg is in Gay, GA. Turned out the store there was closed. I don’t know how they plan to stay in business. Their hours aren’t very reliable. This leads to an unavoidable digression. Cyclists, we need to use stores on long rides. Please do not do business with stores which have restrooms “for staff only” or permanently “out of order.” Politely, let them know why you are taking your business elsewhere, and then do so. On the other hand, be gracious to those who are accommodating. Try to buy something if you use the rest room. Or tip the clerk a couple of dollars and thank them. End of digression.
The closed store in Gay posed a bit of a strategic problem. We departed quickly and moved along Flat Shoals road, then things got a bit confusing, as a couple of our group needed to make use of “field expedient sanitary facilities.” (Hint: always carry a small pack of toilet paper with you on a long ride. This can be invaluable!)
The fumbling around near Gay sort of spread the group out a bit. Chris and I dropped back to check on and ride with a couple of the trailing members while the majority of the group rode ahead. As we increased out pace toward Digby, we found the roads becoming wet. (The sky was really clouding up by this point.) Soon we were getting soaked by water from wet roads, and dripping from the trees. It was obvious that we were following and catching up to a storm. I figured it was likely that the lead group was in the storm. That turned out to be the case.
We all re-group at the store in Digby, where the lead group was standing in bare feet, soggy, and attempting to dry out. As we moved through the business of this stop, I was watching the skies around us. Big, black, thunderheads were closing in. It was time to move.
This was the point at which two of our party made extremely good decisions. Both of these members had been struggling through the afternoon. Both elected to withdraw and call for a ride. That let the rest of us get on the road and “hit the gas.”
For ten minutes I was a bit concerned, but then we seemed to be getting ahead of the weather. For the next 15 minutes things looked very good and we relaxed a bit. But the road was angling back toward the storms, and they were moving in our direction. Weather gaining on us! Oops!
We realized that, if we kept to our intended route, we would really be pounded. There was a big storm right on that track. Time for a change of plans. I called for the group to hang onto my wheel, at the best possible speed. Wow! What a rush!
Everyone then present had already ridden 110+ miles, climbed a mountain, and been in the saddle all day. Know what? Everyone responded! We motored straight north on 85 conn, out of Brooks, to GA-85. At Starr’s Mill the weather was in front of us, so we made a very brief stop to pull on rain gear, and then advanced again, right into a down pour. We went straight down GA-74, onto Redwine Rd, and then onto Robinson. In essence, the group did a 10 mile speed run, after a long hard day of riding. Gang, you are magnificent!
By the time we were pulling into town we’d outdistanced that worst of the storm, and were ready to cruise north on the Peachtree Pkwy. Dry clothing, post ride sandwich munchies, and camaraderie rounded out the day.
So here are the stats:
Distance: 122.3 miles.
Moving Time: 8:35:44
Rolling Average: 14.22 mph
Overall time: 10:23:16
Thanks to all of you who came along. It was truly a tremendous ride. BRAVO!
(Tomorrow: On to Cheaha!)
There were some last minute personnel changes, but nothing significant. Present at the Start were (in no particular order) Bob coup, Cindy Whitley, HL Jackson, Homberto Arango, Chris Muntzel, Kelvin Arcelay, Scott Rutkowski, and your corespondant.
The day dawned cloudy, with the constant trheat of showers, temps in the mid 60s. We pushed off pretty much on time, and proceeded south through Peachtree City on damp to wet roads. We hit a few very light showers as we moved south toward Pine Mountain. The rain was light. We got damp. The rain stopped. We dried out. Rain gear wasn’t really needed.
I want to take a moment here and compliment this group on their spirit of co-operation. Folks pitched in, waited where necessary, pulled when needed, and generally made the progress calm and orderly.
Pine Mountain was shrouded in mists as we climbed to the spine and rode along it. Every time is different, and each is amazing. I think the weather helped us here too. There was very little traffic on the mountain, and none of the blasting motorcycle groups. (Yay!) And of course, the descent into Warm Springs! I think the “Top Speed descender” hit 47.3 mph. This person will, of course remain nameless.
Lunch was… Well, it was the Bulloch House! It was great, plentiful, and just what was needed. I liked what Chris said. “I always finish feeling like I could never eat again. But two hours later…”
As we emerged from the lunch room we were greeted by a different day. Gone were the mists and low clouds. Bright sunshine and blue skies with big puff ball clouds had magicked themselves into existence while we ate. The temps were warm and pleasant. The road generally down hill for the next five miles. That’a a great “dessert” for a cyclist.
Of course, Spring in Georgia means ~~ changeable weather!
I watched with a little apprehension as those puff ball clouds gathered, and grew. I had a pretty good idea we were going to get hit with at least one pop up shower late in the day. Turned out I was right, and it worked out great and it was fun! More on that in a bit.
Our first stop on the return leg is in Gay, GA. Turned out the store there was closed. I don’t know how they plan to stay in business. Their hours aren’t very reliable. This leads to an unavoidable digression. Cyclists, we need to use stores on long rides. Please do not do business with stores which have restrooms “for staff only” or permanently “out of order.” Politely, let them know why you are taking your business elsewhere, and then do so. On the other hand, be gracious to those who are accommodating. Try to buy something if you use the rest room. Or tip the clerk a couple of dollars and thank them. End of digression.
The closed store in Gay posed a bit of a strategic problem. We departed quickly and moved along Flat Shoals road, then things got a bit confusing, as a couple of our group needed to make use of “field expedient sanitary facilities.” (Hint: always carry a small pack of toilet paper with you on a long ride. This can be invaluable!)
The fumbling around near Gay sort of spread the group out a bit. Chris and I dropped back to check on and ride with a couple of the trailing members while the majority of the group rode ahead. As we increased out pace toward Digby, we found the roads becoming wet. (The sky was really clouding up by this point.) Soon we were getting soaked by water from wet roads, and dripping from the trees. It was obvious that we were following and catching up to a storm. I figured it was likely that the lead group was in the storm. That turned out to be the case.
We all re-group at the store in Digby, where the lead group was standing in bare feet, soggy, and attempting to dry out. As we moved through the business of this stop, I was watching the skies around us. Big, black, thunderheads were closing in. It was time to move.
This was the point at which two of our party made extremely good decisions. Both of these members had been struggling through the afternoon. Both elected to withdraw and call for a ride. That let the rest of us get on the road and “hit the gas.”
For ten minutes I was a bit concerned, but then we seemed to be getting ahead of the weather. For the next 15 minutes things looked very good and we relaxed a bit. But the road was angling back toward the storms, and they were moving in our direction. Weather gaining on us! Oops!
We realized that, if we kept to our intended route, we would really be pounded. There was a big storm right on that track. Time for a change of plans. I called for the group to hang onto my wheel, at the best possible speed. Wow! What a rush!
Everyone then present had already ridden 110+ miles, climbed a mountain, and been in the saddle all day. Know what? Everyone responded! We motored straight north on 85 conn, out of Brooks, to GA-85. At Starr’s Mill the weather was in front of us, so we made a very brief stop to pull on rain gear, and then advanced again, right into a down pour. We went straight down GA-74, onto Redwine Rd, and then onto Robinson. In essence, the group did a 10 mile speed run, after a long hard day of riding. Gang, you are magnificent!
By the time we were pulling into town we’d outdistanced that worst of the storm, and were ready to cruise north on the Peachtree Pkwy. Dry clothing, post ride sandwich munchies, and camaraderie rounded out the day.
So here are the stats:
Distance: 122.3 miles.
Moving Time: 8:35:44
Rolling Average: 14.22 mph
Overall time: 10:23:16
Thanks to all of you who came along. It was truly a tremendous ride. BRAVO!
(Tomorrow: On to Cheaha!)
Friday, May 22, 2009
The Audax 200K as a Training Ride
Yesterday I said I’d elaborate on this. Here’s the scenario; You want to do the Cheaha Two Day Tour. You are ready to do the Audax 200K. That means you’ve been tapering and resting during last week and this one, but you are trained up and ready to do a 200K in one day.
So here’s the plan. Do the Audax 200K on Sunday. Next week, rest on Monday, and use the rest of the week as a “long hard” week as follows.
1) Tuesday through Sunday. Do 10 to 15 hours of training.
2) 8 to 10 hours should be on the bike.
3) 2 to five hours should be other training, i.e. swimming, running, stretching, core and abs work, etc.
4) eat well and rest well.
How to capitalize on the above work. After the coming week, you will have seven weeks prior to the Cheaha Two Day Tour. Your training should look something like the following.
1) Week of June 1 thru 7: This is a light week. Focus is on recovery. Eight hours of training. No less than one hour at any time. No more than three hours on any day. Longest days should be Saturday and Sunday. Efforts should be very light. Stay in very low aerobic zones.
2) Week of June 8 thru 14: This is a build week. Focus on form. Ride a heavy bike. (Loaded to 75% of your touring weight) 10 to 12 hours. Monday is a rest day. No ride less than 1.5 hours. Saturday should be a two to two and a half hour ride. Sunday should be a three to four hour ride.
3) Week of June 15 thru 21: Build week. Monday is a rest day. Focus is on endurance. Go longer. 12 to 14 hours. At least two rides at full tour weight. No ride shorter than 1.5 hours. Early in the week is for shorter rides. Saturday should be a two to four hour ride. Sunday should be a five to six hour ride. (These can be reversed if that is helpful.)
4) Week of June 22 thru 28: Build week. Monday is a rest day. Focus on Power Development. No more than 10 hours. Reduce bike weight to about 60% of full touring load. Do lots of hill work. Focus on staying inside yourself. Do not go anaerobic on the climbs until you are within 10% of the top of the hill! Shorter rides in the early week. No ride less than 1.5 hours. No ride more than four hours.
5) Week of June 29 thru July 5: Build week. Monday is a rest day. Focus on long and heavy. Ride at full 100% of tour bike load. 15 to 17 hours. No ride less than two hours. Shorter rides early in the week. Saturday should be a three to four hour ride. Sunday should be a five to six hour ride. (Swap Saturday, Sunday, and Friday rides around if this is helpful.)
6) Week of July 6 thru 12: Taper week. Focus on recovery. Monday is a rest day. Tuesday is a very light day. Reduce bike weight to less than 50% of tour load. Only a total of eight hours. No ride shorter than 1.5 hours, only one long ride on the weekend, and limit that to two to three hours.
7) Week of July 13 thru 19: Rest and prep week. Focus on preparing for the ride. Use discipline. (You are going to be feeling strong and frisky. Resist the urge to "open the throttle"!) Only six hours total. Do not ride hard! Light bike. Finish riding early in the week. Thursday is a very light day. Friday is a rest day.
Do something a lot like the above. Resist the urge to do sprints and long power sets. Have fun on the bike, and you will be ready to do the tour in style.
Incidentally, I will be leading a few longer “tune up” rides on the weekends for those who are interested. You need to contact me and let me know you are “in.” for these.
So here’s the plan. Do the Audax 200K on Sunday. Next week, rest on Monday, and use the rest of the week as a “long hard” week as follows.
1) Tuesday through Sunday. Do 10 to 15 hours of training.
2) 8 to 10 hours should be on the bike.
3) 2 to five hours should be other training, i.e. swimming, running, stretching, core and abs work, etc.
4) eat well and rest well.
How to capitalize on the above work. After the coming week, you will have seven weeks prior to the Cheaha Two Day Tour. Your training should look something like the following.
1) Week of June 1 thru 7: This is a light week. Focus is on recovery. Eight hours of training. No less than one hour at any time. No more than three hours on any day. Longest days should be Saturday and Sunday. Efforts should be very light. Stay in very low aerobic zones.
2) Week of June 8 thru 14: This is a build week. Focus on form. Ride a heavy bike. (Loaded to 75% of your touring weight) 10 to 12 hours. Monday is a rest day. No ride less than 1.5 hours. Saturday should be a two to two and a half hour ride. Sunday should be a three to four hour ride.
3) Week of June 15 thru 21: Build week. Monday is a rest day. Focus is on endurance. Go longer. 12 to 14 hours. At least two rides at full tour weight. No ride shorter than 1.5 hours. Early in the week is for shorter rides. Saturday should be a two to four hour ride. Sunday should be a five to six hour ride. (These can be reversed if that is helpful.)
4) Week of June 22 thru 28: Build week. Monday is a rest day. Focus on Power Development. No more than 10 hours. Reduce bike weight to about 60% of full touring load. Do lots of hill work. Focus on staying inside yourself. Do not go anaerobic on the climbs until you are within 10% of the top of the hill! Shorter rides in the early week. No ride less than 1.5 hours. No ride more than four hours.
5) Week of June 29 thru July 5: Build week. Monday is a rest day. Focus on long and heavy. Ride at full 100% of tour bike load. 15 to 17 hours. No ride less than two hours. Shorter rides early in the week. Saturday should be a three to four hour ride. Sunday should be a five to six hour ride. (Swap Saturday, Sunday, and Friday rides around if this is helpful.)
6) Week of July 6 thru 12: Taper week. Focus on recovery. Monday is a rest day. Tuesday is a very light day. Reduce bike weight to less than 50% of tour load. Only a total of eight hours. No ride shorter than 1.5 hours, only one long ride on the weekend, and limit that to two to three hours.
7) Week of July 13 thru 19: Rest and prep week. Focus on preparing for the ride. Use discipline. (You are going to be feeling strong and frisky. Resist the urge to "open the throttle"!) Only six hours total. Do not ride hard! Light bike. Finish riding early in the week. Thursday is a very light day. Friday is a rest day.
Do something a lot like the above. Resist the urge to do sprints and long power sets. Have fun on the bike, and you will be ready to do the tour in style.
Incidentally, I will be leading a few longer “tune up” rides on the weekends for those who are interested. You need to contact me and let me know you are “in.” for these.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Audax Ride Updates
To begin with, let’s clear some things up. When I suggested that one could use the Audax Ride as part of training for the Cheaha Two Day Tour, some folks got the idea that I meant we should ride the Audax 200K as if it were the Cheaha ride. Not at all.
This coming weekend’s Audax 200K will be challenging enough. Plan to ride your light bike, carry only what you will need for the day. The idea was, you could use this ride as the “backbone” of a longer, harder week of training to prepare for Cheaha. I’ll discuss that a bit more in tomorrow’s post.
Weekend updates for the Audax 200K: First off, we are going!! Yes there is a weather forecast. Of course there is a rain chance. It’s like this, we’re back to a more “normal” weather pattern for North Georgia. You can pretty much expect to always have some chance of rain. How much should you worry about this? Not much at all.
I do advise carrrying the following along for the ride
- Sunscreen
- Shorts lube
- A rain light jacket
- A cap that can be worn under the helmet (a cyclist’s cap is about ideal for this)
- A helmet rain cover (optional)
- A dray pair of spare socks (optional)
- A bit of cash (for munchies at store stops)
- Sunglasses
- Smiles and a few jokes
The temps are forecast to rise to the mid 70s after a start of mid 60s. Here’s some basic advice on dressing for the ride. Dress warm enough for the beginning of the ride, but don’t overdo it. Wear the minimum necessary to deal with the temps for the first two hours. It will get warmer, but slowly. (Remember, anything you wear, you will carry all the day long.) Bring the rain gear I suggested. There’s a good chance that, sometime in the day, we will deal with a “pop up shower” or two. At the temps we’re sxpecting, that isn’t bad at all.
I hope you are all looking forward to this about half as much as I am. It should be a really prime day on the bike!
Friday, May 15, 2009
Audax Ride as Training?
Here’s an idea for you to consider.
Are you interested in doing the Cheaha Two Day Tour? If so, then think about using the Audax Ride as a training activity.
Before I go farther, let me make a couple things completely clear. Participation in the Audax Ride is not a requirement for doing the Cheaha Two Day Tour. Further, signing up for, and doing the Audax Ride does not commit you to doing the Cheaha Two Day Tour. The two events are completely separate. The only way that they are related is that I am organizing them, and they are both long rides.
Now that we’re straight on that, let’s continue. If you are planning to do the Cheaha Two Day Tour it would be possible for you to use the Audax Ride as a good training event. The idea would be to gear up for the ride as if it were the Two Day… Same bike, same equipment, etc. Then test yourself on the Audax Ride. If you do it strongly, all you have to do is maintain to be ready for Cheaha. On the other hand, you could use the Audax ride as a long hard day, and then add a good long training week to it in the week after. That would certainly go a long way toward prepping you for 18 and 19 July.
On the other hand… I know some of you are thinking of using the Audax Ride as a sort of preview ride for BRAG. That’s fine too. But for you, the Audax Ride should mark the end of your hard work. You should definitely begin your taper and rest phase on the Monday after Pine Mountain.
Is that clear? If not, please comment or contact me.
Are you interested in doing the Cheaha Two Day Tour? If so, then think about using the Audax Ride as a training activity.
Before I go farther, let me make a couple things completely clear. Participation in the Audax Ride is not a requirement for doing the Cheaha Two Day Tour. Further, signing up for, and doing the Audax Ride does not commit you to doing the Cheaha Two Day Tour. The two events are completely separate. The only way that they are related is that I am organizing them, and they are both long rides.
Now that we’re straight on that, let’s continue. If you are planning to do the Cheaha Two Day Tour it would be possible for you to use the Audax Ride as a good training event. The idea would be to gear up for the ride as if it were the Two Day… Same bike, same equipment, etc. Then test yourself on the Audax Ride. If you do it strongly, all you have to do is maintain to be ready for Cheaha. On the other hand, you could use the Audax ride as a long hard day, and then add a good long training week to it in the week after. That would certainly go a long way toward prepping you for 18 and 19 July.
On the other hand… I know some of you are thinking of using the Audax Ride as a sort of preview ride for BRAG. That’s fine too. But for you, the Audax Ride should mark the end of your hard work. You should definitely begin your taper and rest phase on the Monday after Pine Mountain.
Is that clear? If not, please comment or contact me.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Terminal Audax Preparations
Here’s the good news. Your training is basically over. Pretty much the only thing “Training” can do in the next week and a half is ruin the ride for you.
By that I mean to say, if you engage in strenuous of high volume physical effort, you will become fatigued. You will not recover from that fatigue before the ride. Your goals now are to stay loose, move enough to prevent becoming stiff, and to rest. Understand, whether you like it or not, it takes at least two weeks for your body to incorporate and adapt to training loads. And then, the adaptation will occur, only if you are getting a proper amount of rest and recovery.
By way of illustration, let me tell a little story. I work in a bike shop. As you might imagine, I do “see it all.” Let’s call this individual Billy-B. Billy-B has worked with great discipline, performing a year long plan. He has been preparing for a big event. He has cheerfully accepted terrific training loads, hard workouts, long workouts, sometimes painful or incredibly boring activities. No problem. Then comes the last month. The idea of tapering, and recovering, and resting just seems to elude him.
He says to me, “I couldn’t stop working. I just had to go out and do something. I need to train for the event in two weeks.”
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that, I’d easily be able to take a vacation in southern France. The real tragedy is that, shortly after hearing that last from Billy-B, who simply would not rest up for an event, I then hear the following. “I don’t know what happened. I thought I was ready, but I just ran out of gas about half way through. I guess I’ll have to train harder next time.”
Not harder, my friend. Smarter! And “smarter” includes getting plenty of rest on the final run up to your event.
By that I mean to say, if you engage in strenuous of high volume physical effort, you will become fatigued. You will not recover from that fatigue before the ride. Your goals now are to stay loose, move enough to prevent becoming stiff, and to rest. Understand, whether you like it or not, it takes at least two weeks for your body to incorporate and adapt to training loads. And then, the adaptation will occur, only if you are getting a proper amount of rest and recovery.
By way of illustration, let me tell a little story. I work in a bike shop. As you might imagine, I do “see it all.” Let’s call this individual Billy-B. Billy-B has worked with great discipline, performing a year long plan. He has been preparing for a big event. He has cheerfully accepted terrific training loads, hard workouts, long workouts, sometimes painful or incredibly boring activities. No problem. Then comes the last month. The idea of tapering, and recovering, and resting just seems to elude him.
He says to me, “I couldn’t stop working. I just had to go out and do something. I need to train for the event in two weeks.”
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard that, I’d easily be able to take a vacation in southern France. The real tragedy is that, shortly after hearing that last from Billy-B, who simply would not rest up for an event, I then hear the following. “I don’t know what happened. I thought I was ready, but I just ran out of gas about half way through. I guess I’ll have to train harder next time.”
Not harder, my friend. Smarter! And “smarter” includes getting plenty of rest on the final run up to your event.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Audax Ride Update
It’s now about a week and a half until the Audax Ride. I’m getting good responses. Looks like a nice group is forming. Please do contact me soon if you want to go along.
Just a reminder of some pertinent details.
- The ride will leave from in front of Bicycles Unlimited.
- We will start at 7:30 AM (prompt)
- The ride is 125 miles long.
- We will stop in Warm Springs for a great sit down lunch at the Bulloch House.
- Pace will be a good touring pace. Expect about a 13 mph rolling average.
A note on averages. “Rolling average” is the average speed while the bikes are moving. “Overall average” is the total distance of the ride, divided by the total time from start to end. That 13 mph rolling average is both harder and eaiser than you think. It takes discipline to keep a group together. It’s worth it.
Slight variations on the the theme:
Climbers party: I usually turn the climbers loose on the spine of Pine mountain. There is a convenient rally point at the intersection with GA-85 alt, where we can all meet up again.
Motoring in the flats: There are two good long relatively flat sections. In these I like ot try to bring the group up to a high pace. If it’s possible for the group to paceline these sections, and the pace is not so fast that it breaks the group up, we’ll move through these.
Mostly, expect a good long day in the saddle. Get to know one another. Bring your best jokes and stories. It’s a fun day!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
A Bit of Packing Explained
I promised some explanation about some of the items in yesterday’s post about packing for the Cheaha Two Day Tour. Most of the items should be self explanatory. Some aren’t. So here goes.
“A complete change of riding clothes for the second day.” Some might consider this to be a bit excessive. It is possible to wash riding clothes by hand in a hotel sink, then wring them out, first by hand, and then rolled up inside a towel. Then hang to dry further. I’ve done this. It works. However, it is only fair to note, usually this means putting on damp clothes the second day. I for one am particularly enamored of fresh dry socks and fresh dry shorts. This is especially true when I’m putting already tired feet and a pre-tenderized butt into these items.
“A set of light clothing to wear on the night between the two days.” This could be pretty light weight and very casual. I expect that most of us will want to go eat at one of the restaurants near the stop point. Also, visiting and socializing in riding clothes just might feel a bit odd. I personally want to get into something clean, and not too confining after a day in the saddle.
“Toiletries (think light and absolutely necessary)” If it’s something you absolutely must have (your own toothbrush, and toothpaste fer instance) I’d bring it. Remember, hotels usually have soap. Cosmetics are definitely optional!
“Two non-perishable lunches.” Once we pass Carrollton, we will be leaving restaurants behind. We won’t see another until Oxford. That means from about mile 45 until the end of the day at about mile 114, it’s sports bars, gels, and convenience store food. (I’m packing a lunch!)
On the return trip, after we leave Oxford, we don’t see a restaurant until Carrollton. That’s about 50 miles. You might want to stop and eat in a restaurant, but it will be Sunday afternoon. Could feel a bit odd. (Again, I’m packing a lunch.)
“Your cell phone (turned off)” It’s like this; for most of this trip, cell phone coverage is spotty at best. If your phone is on, it will run its batteries down pretty fast. Leave it off. If you need to make an emergency call, turn it on, look for coverage, and make your call. There is good coverage out to Palmetto, in Carrollton, on top of Cheaha, and in Oxford. Bring the phone for emergencies, but save the batteries.
“Here’s another hint, mount the largest tires your bike will accommodate.” Most (not all) road bikes will handle a 700 X 25 tire. Some will take something along the lines of a 700 X28 or 700 X 30. (Touring bikes can usually accommodate even larger skins.) The reason I suggest a larger tire is that not all road surfaces are ideal. Some are a bit on the rough side. A higher volume tire can be inflated to a lower pressure. It will roll more smoothly over the rougher stuff, and your day will be much more pleasant.
Bon Route’
“A complete change of riding clothes for the second day.” Some might consider this to be a bit excessive. It is possible to wash riding clothes by hand in a hotel sink, then wring them out, first by hand, and then rolled up inside a towel. Then hang to dry further. I’ve done this. It works. However, it is only fair to note, usually this means putting on damp clothes the second day. I for one am particularly enamored of fresh dry socks and fresh dry shorts. This is especially true when I’m putting already tired feet and a pre-tenderized butt into these items.
“A set of light clothing to wear on the night between the two days.” This could be pretty light weight and very casual. I expect that most of us will want to go eat at one of the restaurants near the stop point. Also, visiting and socializing in riding clothes just might feel a bit odd. I personally want to get into something clean, and not too confining after a day in the saddle.
“Toiletries (think light and absolutely necessary)” If it’s something you absolutely must have (your own toothbrush, and toothpaste fer instance) I’d bring it. Remember, hotels usually have soap. Cosmetics are definitely optional!
“Two non-perishable lunches.” Once we pass Carrollton, we will be leaving restaurants behind. We won’t see another until Oxford. That means from about mile 45 until the end of the day at about mile 114, it’s sports bars, gels, and convenience store food. (I’m packing a lunch!)
On the return trip, after we leave Oxford, we don’t see a restaurant until Carrollton. That’s about 50 miles. You might want to stop and eat in a restaurant, but it will be Sunday afternoon. Could feel a bit odd. (Again, I’m packing a lunch.)
“Your cell phone (turned off)” It’s like this; for most of this trip, cell phone coverage is spotty at best. If your phone is on, it will run its batteries down pretty fast. Leave it off. If you need to make an emergency call, turn it on, look for coverage, and make your call. There is good coverage out to Palmetto, in Carrollton, on top of Cheaha, and in Oxford. Bring the phone for emergencies, but save the batteries.
“Here’s another hint, mount the largest tires your bike will accommodate.” Most (not all) road bikes will handle a 700 X 25 tire. Some will take something along the lines of a 700 X28 or 700 X 30. (Touring bikes can usually accommodate even larger skins.) The reason I suggest a larger tire is that not all road surfaces are ideal. Some are a bit on the rough side. A higher volume tire can be inflated to a lower pressure. It will roll more smoothly over the rougher stuff, and your day will be much more pleasant.
Bon Route’
Monday, May 11, 2009
Packing For the Cheaha Two Day Tour
A quick review of the basics. We’re going to ride from PTC to the Summit of Cheaha, (about 100 miles from start), then another approx 14 miles down to Oxford, Alabama. That’s day one. We spend the night in hotel in Oxford. Then on day two we get up and ride back to PTC, bypassing the mountain, for a trip of about 97 miles. And it will all be self supported.
There are some implications to those statements. Self supported means we carry what we need. Sure, we can stop and by water, and food along the way, but the food part is a bit chancy, and the water has to last through some fairly long stretches. Additionally, if we need it, we need to bring it along on the bike.
So here’s a list of things that a rider might just want to have along. It is by no means exhaustive.
- A complete change of riding clothes for the second day.
- A set of light clothing to wear on the night between the two days.
- Toiletries (think light and absolutely necessary)
- Medications
- Sunscreen
- A rain jacket
- Sunglasses.
- Two spare tubes
- A patch kit
- Two non-perishable lunches
- A pump
- A small tool kit
- Tire levers
- First aid supplies
- Your cell phone (turned off)
Also seriously consider bringing your “riding wallet,” containing the following:
- Your license
- A credit card
- Cash for food and water
- Med insurance card
- Emergency contact info
Now do you understand why I suggested lower gearing? Here’s another hint, mount the largest tires your bike will accommodate.
Finally, you might consider bringing a small and light camera.
I’ll explain some of that gear in tomorrow’s post.
The Audax Experience
In the course of putting on Audax rides, I talk to a lot of people, a lot of cyclists. Some want to do the ride, but have concerns about their ability. Many are worried that they will “hold the group back.” These are legitimate concerns. No one wants to fail. No one wants to be the one who spoiled the party.
The thing about Audax riding is the synergy. Everyone compromises. Everyone is strong at something, and everyone has their weaknesses. Interestingly, the route I use is almost a neutralizer. There are hills to challenge those who aren’t especially gifted climbers, flats to challenge those whe don’t develop as much power, descent that can instill fear. Over the length of the route, no one will have a singular advantage.
But more important, it is NOT a race! We are dedicated to finishing together, to aiding each other, to bringing us all to the end of the day, and that triumphant close formation group ride up the Peachtree Parkway, two by two, in close interval. It feels good. There is a bond.
That bond is forged from a lot of things. It’s called camaraderie. It comes when we climbers wait a bit for those who aren’t as fast up the hills. It comes from when the big diesels take the front on the flats and block the inevitable headwinds for the lighter riders. It comes from the jokes, and the encouraging words. It comes from trusting the rest of the group. It comes from giving and receiving. It is a thing worth doing.
I think it splendidly ironically wonderful that we pass close by Franklin Roosevelt’s “Little White House.” It was Roosevelt who said, “We have nothing to fear except fear itself."
Come on, folks, let’s do this thing!
The thing about Audax riding is the synergy. Everyone compromises. Everyone is strong at something, and everyone has their weaknesses. Interestingly, the route I use is almost a neutralizer. There are hills to challenge those who aren’t especially gifted climbers, flats to challenge those whe don’t develop as much power, descent that can instill fear. Over the length of the route, no one will have a singular advantage.
But more important, it is NOT a race! We are dedicated to finishing together, to aiding each other, to bringing us all to the end of the day, and that triumphant close formation group ride up the Peachtree Parkway, two by two, in close interval. It feels good. There is a bond.
That bond is forged from a lot of things. It’s called camaraderie. It comes when we climbers wait a bit for those who aren’t as fast up the hills. It comes from when the big diesels take the front on the flats and block the inevitable headwinds for the lighter riders. It comes from the jokes, and the encouraging words. It comes from trusting the rest of the group. It comes from giving and receiving. It is a thing worth doing.
I think it splendidly ironically wonderful that we pass close by Franklin Roosevelt’s “Little White House.” It was Roosevelt who said, “We have nothing to fear except fear itself."
Come on, folks, let’s do this thing!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Count Down to Audax Ride
Tour Calendar:
- Spring Audax Ride: Sunday, 24 May
- Cheaha Two Day Tour: Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19
- Cox Atlanta MS 150:
- Waynesville, NC Adventure: Thurs thru Sun, Oct 1, 2, 3, and 4
- Other rides and tune ups: TBA
It’s just two and a half weeks until the Audax Ride. Are you going? There are some key items to accomplish, if you are.
Notify me that you are coming, and get your $28.00 to me. Please note: I can take cash, or your personal check. This money does not go through the bike shop, so get it to me. I’m handling reservations and food purchases. What you are paying for is lunch, water along the ride, and a post ride sandwich snack. I need your commitment in advance. Really, this is important.
Let’s talk for a moment about the end of your training. Here’s a suggestion. Ride hard and as long as you can for the next week, that’s until Wednesday, 13 May. Then back it off to a pretty easy pace and duration for the remainder of next week.
For the last week prior to the ride ~~ TAKE IT EASY!!!!
Really. Once you are inside of two weeks before an event, your training is over. Your body will not incorporate training loads in less than two weeks. So it will be time to rest well, and be refreshed.
Some will be asking, “Please, can’t I ride for the last week?”
Of course you can, just at a very low volume, and a very very easy effort level. In other words, ride enough to stay loose, and to keep your lets ready, but don’t do any kind of serious training.
Your bike: Get those last minute service items taken care of now!
Your gear: Plan out what you will take now. Start getting it together.
Some suggestions include, a bit of food for the early stops in the day. Two spare tubes that fit your bike. A rain jacket. Sunscreen. Spare water bottles. A good strong tail light.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A QUESTION OF LUGGAGE
SPRING AUDAX RIDE: Sunday, 24 May
CHEAHA TWO DAY TOUR: Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19
WAYNESVILLE, NC ADVENTURE: Thursday through Sunday, Oct 1, 2, 3, and 4
Other rides and tune ups: TBA
Notice the events posted above. Each is a different kind of tour, and each requires a slightly different kind of preparation. This post focuses on the issues attendant on carrying stuff. For a tourist, this really bears some thinking. Some of the choices are controlled by what kind of rider you are, and what kind of tour you are doing.
First Principle of touring packing: Get the load off of the rider and onto the bike.
Here’s the deal. You have to pull everything you are carrying, and lift it up and over every hill along the way. You provide the effort for this. You should not have to support that load too!
The first axiom of tour packing: No matter how much stuff you pack, and how carefully you plan, you will leave something vital at home.
Corollary: No matter how carefully and efficiently you pack, and how light you manage to make your load, you will still be too heavy, and you will still carry something completely useless the whole way.
However: It won’t matter. You’ll figure it out. Help will show up in the least expected places. You are more resourceful than you know.
I’m choosing this topic now, as I want to give potential riders the max amount of time to think about, select, install, test, and debug some cargo carrying rigs.
The Cheaha Two Day Tour will actually require a bit more cargo capacity than the later Waynesville NC Adventure. This is due to the self supported nature of the Cheaha trip. For Cheah, you will need to carry the following:
- Spare riding clothes for the second day
- Some “off bike clothing” for the middle evening
- Toiletries
- Two lunches
- Rain gear and minimal emergency clothing
- Other equipment, spares, tools, etc.
I promise, Ill get into explanations for all this in the near future. For now, if you look at the above short list, you will conclude that you are going to need some kind of luggage system. This might be a rack and a capacious rack top trunk. It could be a rack and a pannier or two. It might be one of the redoubtable high volume seat packs such as Carradice, of England, make. It could be a trailer and dry bag. (I don’t necessarily recommend that last one for this trip.)
Hopefully this provides some food for thought.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
UPCOMING EVENTS
SPRING AUDAX RIDE: Sunday, 24 May
CHEAHA TWO DAY TOUR: Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19
WAYNESVILLE, NC ADVENTURE: Thurs thru Sun, Oct 1, 2, 3, and 4
Other rides and tune ups: TBA
I expect I don’t have to do a lot of explaining about the Audax Ride. To date, this blog has been devoted to doing just that. There will be more in the future. For now, I want to deliver some more details on the two new touring projects.
The Cheaha Two Day Tour: This will be an out-and-back. We’ll leave from Peachtree City, GA. We will spend Saturday, 18 July, riding to the summit of Cheaha mountain. That’s just about 100 miles. Then we will finish the day’s riding by doing another 14 miles, down off of the mountain, and to our overnight location in Oxford, Alabama. The site I’ve chosen for the overnight stop is located in the middle of a group of hotels, with several restaurants (including a Waffle House) all in the same general locale. We’ll spend the night in hotels.
On day two of this tour, we will get up, check out, meet for breakfast, and then ride back to Peachtree City. The return trip will be about 100 miles. It will not include a climb up Cheaha.
We will be self-supporting on this trip. That means, we will bring what we need. We won’t have motor support. Sure, we’ll have stops along the way. We can use the stops to buy food and water, as well as taking the odd “breather.”
The Waynesville, NC Adventure: This is a semi-supported tour. We’ll recruit a few drivers among our friends and significant others. The idea is we’ll spend three days doing cycle touring up to Waynesville. We can meet our drivers at the overnight stops along the way. I’ll be supplying a lot of info on accomodations soon.
On the fourth day, we’ll do a spectacular ride up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, to Water Rock Knob, the highest point on the Parkway. Thisw ride will return to Waynesville. Once we’re back in Waynesville, we meet our drivers for the last time, load our bikes up, and drive back home.
The overnight stops on this trip will be in Dahlonega, GA; Dillard, GA; and in Waynesville, NC.
Preparations and training: Keep watching this blog. I’ll be putting up a lot of training advice, posting dates and times for some useful training rides, discussing equipment, and providing more details on the trips themselves. Please do feel free to comment, and please do contact me if you are interested in any part of this project.
One last detail. I will not be handling any money for the Cheaha or Waynesville tours. Each rider will be responsible for booking overnight lodgings, and for their own meals. In other words, I’ll get you to places to eat and sleep, doing so is your responsibility.
CHEAHA TWO DAY TOUR: Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19
WAYNESVILLE, NC ADVENTURE: Thurs thru Sun, Oct 1, 2, 3, and 4
Other rides and tune ups: TBA
I expect I don’t have to do a lot of explaining about the Audax Ride. To date, this blog has been devoted to doing just that. There will be more in the future. For now, I want to deliver some more details on the two new touring projects.
The Cheaha Two Day Tour: This will be an out-and-back. We’ll leave from Peachtree City, GA. We will spend Saturday, 18 July, riding to the summit of Cheaha mountain. That’s just about 100 miles. Then we will finish the day’s riding by doing another 14 miles, down off of the mountain, and to our overnight location in Oxford, Alabama. The site I’ve chosen for the overnight stop is located in the middle of a group of hotels, with several restaurants (including a Waffle House) all in the same general locale. We’ll spend the night in hotels.
On day two of this tour, we will get up, check out, meet for breakfast, and then ride back to Peachtree City. The return trip will be about 100 miles. It will not include a climb up Cheaha.
We will be self-supporting on this trip. That means, we will bring what we need. We won’t have motor support. Sure, we’ll have stops along the way. We can use the stops to buy food and water, as well as taking the odd “breather.”
The Waynesville, NC Adventure: This is a semi-supported tour. We’ll recruit a few drivers among our friends and significant others. The idea is we’ll spend three days doing cycle touring up to Waynesville. We can meet our drivers at the overnight stops along the way. I’ll be supplying a lot of info on accomodations soon.
On the fourth day, we’ll do a spectacular ride up onto the Blue Ridge Parkway, to Water Rock Knob, the highest point on the Parkway. Thisw ride will return to Waynesville. Once we’re back in Waynesville, we meet our drivers for the last time, load our bikes up, and drive back home.
The overnight stops on this trip will be in Dahlonega, GA; Dillard, GA; and in Waynesville, NC.
Preparations and training: Keep watching this blog. I’ll be putting up a lot of training advice, posting dates and times for some useful training rides, discussing equipment, and providing more details on the trips themselves. Please do feel free to comment, and please do contact me if you are interested in any part of this project.
One last detail. I will not be handling any money for the Cheaha or Waynesville tours. Each rider will be responsible for booking overnight lodgings, and for their own meals. In other words, I’ll get you to places to eat and sleep, doing so is your responsibility.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Are You Getting Ready?
It’s just 20 days and counting until the Audax Ride. It’s time to be thinking about making the commitment.
Here are the pertinent details:
Date: Sunday, 24 May
Time: 07:30 AM
Start/Finish: Bicycles Unlimited, Peachtree City, GA
Cost: $28.00
Ride Conditions: Rain or shine, we go!
Please confirm with me soon! I need to know you are going. There are reservations to be made.
Step 1: Contact me. Via email The.Road.Dragon@gmail.com or at the shop, Bicycles Unlimited (770) 486-9252. Ask for Steve.
Step 2: Give me your $28.00
What’s the money for? I use the money I collect to pay for lunch, buy the post ride sandwiches and drinks, and to buy water along the way. I’ve had to raise the price by a dollar, over recent trips. Costs are rising.
How is your preparation going? Here’s a bit of a checklist:
Did you do at least one of the Tune Up rides?
Did you test yourself on the 65 mile tune up?
Are you riding at least 10 to 12 hours per week?
When you ride, are you carrying the same stuff you will be on the Audax Ride?
How do you feel?
Have you let me know that you are going?
Here are the pertinent details:
Date: Sunday, 24 May
Time: 07:30 AM
Start/Finish: Bicycles Unlimited, Peachtree City, GA
Cost: $28.00
Ride Conditions: Rain or shine, we go!
Please confirm with me soon! I need to know you are going. There are reservations to be made.
Step 1: Contact me. Via email The.Road.Dragon@gmail.com or at the shop, Bicycles Unlimited (770) 486-9252. Ask for Steve.
Step 2: Give me your $28.00
What’s the money for? I use the money I collect to pay for lunch, buy the post ride sandwiches and drinks, and to buy water along the way. I’ve had to raise the price by a dollar, over recent trips. Costs are rising.
How is your preparation going? Here’s a bit of a checklist:
Did you do at least one of the Tune Up rides?
Did you test yourself on the 65 mile tune up?
Are you riding at least 10 to 12 hours per week?
When you ride, are you carrying the same stuff you will be on the Audax Ride?
How do you feel?
Have you let me know that you are going?
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