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I used to be an avid cyclist but there weren't a lot of opportunities in Maryland once we had kids and most of my weekends were spent on an infinitely long honeydo list.
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when we moved over here but I knew it would be hilly. There are a lot of MTB opportunities here but I've always preferred riding on the road. I also wasn't digging my last road bike so I used that as an excuse to buy a gravel bike--kind of like a road bike with cross-country capabilities. We live in an apartment so there is no honeydo list and practically no opportunities for woodworking. The kids are older and fairly self sufficient so I don't feel guilty (or get guilted) if I disappear for a few hours on Saturday morning. I also work from home so sometimes I need the stress relief in the morning after getting the kids on the school bus and before I start my work day.
Anyway, I'm averaging about 2-3 rides per week, 15-30 miles per ride, and about 2000 ft of climbing on each ride and some of that on gravel trails. It's more miles than I've put on the bike since my 20s--a long time ago. I've got my tan lines back and although the weight isn't exactly disappearing, I feel really good. There are a lot of monuments in this country and I use those as my destination points.
With the increased miles, I've got increased wear. I prefer my road shoes over my ill fitting MTB shoes but the plastic road cleats wear out faster. I replaced them this morning and went for a ride. I was about 5 miles in when the bolts holding the cleat onto the shoes loosened. Luckily another cyclist had a flat blade screwdriver and I got them tightened down. (almost everything in modern bikes is tightened by a hex wrench except these cleats). Another 5 miles and with all the spinning from the climbs I could tell my left cleat was not in the right position. My knee started to hurt. In my old saddle bag, I used to carry coins which I could use as a screwdriver but once I moved here, I took all the US coins out. Most shops are closed on Saturdays, too. I reached my destination and for better or for worse, the neighborhood had a lot of litter around. I spied a flat piece of metal on the ground and lo and behold it was an IKEA drawer slide. It was just thin enough for me to loosen and reposition the cleat to make the return trip in comfort.
Happy trails!
Paul
I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when we moved over here but I knew it would be hilly. There are a lot of MTB opportunities here but I've always preferred riding on the road. I also wasn't digging my last road bike so I used that as an excuse to buy a gravel bike--kind of like a road bike with cross-country capabilities. We live in an apartment so there is no honeydo list and practically no opportunities for woodworking. The kids are older and fairly self sufficient so I don't feel guilty (or get guilted) if I disappear for a few hours on Saturday morning. I also work from home so sometimes I need the stress relief in the morning after getting the kids on the school bus and before I start my work day.
Anyway, I'm averaging about 2-3 rides per week, 15-30 miles per ride, and about 2000 ft of climbing on each ride and some of that on gravel trails. It's more miles than I've put on the bike since my 20s--a long time ago. I've got my tan lines back and although the weight isn't exactly disappearing, I feel really good. There are a lot of monuments in this country and I use those as my destination points.
With the increased miles, I've got increased wear. I prefer my road shoes over my ill fitting MTB shoes but the plastic road cleats wear out faster. I replaced them this morning and went for a ride. I was about 5 miles in when the bolts holding the cleat onto the shoes loosened. Luckily another cyclist had a flat blade screwdriver and I got them tightened down. (almost everything in modern bikes is tightened by a hex wrench except these cleats). Another 5 miles and with all the spinning from the climbs I could tell my left cleat was not in the right position. My knee started to hurt. In my old saddle bag, I used to carry coins which I could use as a screwdriver but once I moved here, I took all the US coins out. Most shops are closed on Saturdays, too. I reached my destination and for better or for worse, the neighborhood had a lot of litter around. I spied a flat piece of metal on the ground and lo and behold it was an IKEA drawer slide. It was just thin enough for me to loosen and reposition the cleat to make the return trip in comfort.
Happy trails!
Paul
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