Cycling Miscellany

[PaloAltoCougar]

What's the worst thing that's hit you on a ride? After completing the climb to the top of Lookout Mountain Saturday, Mrs. PAC, our son-in-law, and our eldest daughter led the way down a fun descent. We were going around 40 mph with me in the back when my daughter turned her head and let fly a huge loogie that hit me in the face with a splat, kind of like a tomato hitting your windshield. I was at once grossed out and yet highly amused. She thought I was farther back and apologized profusely, although since she was about six weeks old she's been crapping on me in various ways, although this was a new one. Still, a great kid. I'm just happy her ejecta didn't hit my sunglasses, thereby blinding me and sending me over the edge. It wouldn't have made for an uplifting obituary.

[smokymountainrain]

What's the worst thing that's hit you on a ride? After completing the climb to the top of Lookout Mountain Saturday, Mrs. PAC, our son-in-law, and our eldest daughter led the way down a fun descent. We were going around 40 mph with me in the back when my daughter turned her head and let fly a huge loogie that hit me in the face with a splat, kind of like a tomato hitting your windshield. I was at once grossed out and yet highly amused. She thought I was farther back and apologized profusely, although since she was about six weeks old she's been crapping on me in various ways, although this was a new one. Still, a great kid. I'm just happy her ejecta didn't hit my sunglasses, thereby blinding me and sending me over the edge. It wouldn't have made for an uplifting obituary.

Gross!

[Joe Public]

Silver lining - it wasn't the son-in-law.

[Pelado]

What's the worst thing that's hit you on a ride? After completing the climb to the top of Lookout Mountain Saturday, Mrs. PAC, our son-in-law, and our eldest daughter led the way down a fun descent. We were going around 40 mph with me in the back when my daughter turned her head and let fly a huge loogie that hit me in the face with a splat, kind of like a tomato hitting your windshield. I was at once grossed out and yet highly amused. She thought I was farther back and apologized profusely, although since she was about six weeks old she's been crapping on me in various ways, although this was a new one. Still, a great kid. I'm just happy her ejecta didn't hit my sunglasses, thereby blinding me and sending me over the edge. It wouldn't have made for an uplifting obituary.

Her Father's Day gift was abstaining from spitting on you on Sunday.

[Eddie]

What's the worst thing that's hit you on a ride? After completing the climb to the top of Lookout Mountain Saturday, Mrs. PAC, our son-in-law, and our eldest daughter led the way down a fun descent. We were going around 40 mph with me in the back when my daughter turned her head and let fly a huge loogie that hit me in the face with a splat, kind of like a tomato hitting your windshield. I was at once grossed out and yet highly amused. She thought I was farther back and apologized profusely, although since she was about six weeks old she's been crapping on me in various ways, although this was a new one. Still, a great kid. I'm just happy her ejecta didn't hit my sunglasses, thereby blinding me and sending me over the edge. It wouldn't have made for an uplifting obituary.

First - I'm impressed. I need to figure out how to descend faster - because I start clenching by 35 mph and can't hardly stay at 40. I'm sure experience matters, but I just continue to have visions of something happening and me flying head over heels at those speeds.

To answer your question - for me nothing. But I was talking to my sister-in-law about my brother-in-law's Lotoja ride last year, when she told me that mid race he hit a large bolt that went right through his rim, ruining it. Luckily they had hauled along a spare bike for just in case and ended up pulling the front wheel to replace his damaged one. Crazy.

[OceanBlue]

So this is day 15 out of 17 riding and I just finished 19.6 earlier today. Cannot believe how much better I feel. I'm down to 193.5 today having lost about ten pounds. I actually think I may be able to drop ten more if I keep it up and continue watching what I eat.

[Joe Public]

So this is day 15 out of 17 riding and I just finished 19.6 earlier today. Cannot believe how much better I feel. I'm down to 193.5 today having lost about ten pounds. I actually think I may be able to drop ten more if I keep it up and continue watching what I eat.

That's fantastic. Keep up the good work.

[Dwight Schr-ute]

What's the worst thing that's hit you on a ride? After completing the climb to the top of Lookout Mountain Saturday, Mrs. PAC, our son-in-law, and our eldest daughter led the way down a fun descent. We were going around 40 mph with me in the back when my daughter turned her head and let fly a huge loogie that hit me in the face with a splat, kind of like a tomato hitting your windshield. I was at once grossed out and yet highly amused. She thought I was farther back and apologized profusely, although since she was about six weeks old she's been crapping on me in various ways, although this was a new one. Still, a great kid. I'm just happy her ejecta didn't hit my sunglasses, thereby blinding me and sending me over the edge. It wouldn't have made for an uplifting obituary.

Besides vehicles? Of the things I'm aware of (I've had fluids of unknown origin thrown at me by passing vehicles as well of substances in differing stages of decomposition thrown up at me from my tires) would be a hornet that ended up in my helmet/hair coming down a descent. Took me several stings before I could get stopped and get my helmet off.

First - I'm impressed. I need to figure out how to descend faster - because I start clenching by 35 mph and can't hardly stay at 40. I'm sure experience matters, but I just continue to have visions of something happening and me flying head over heels at those speeds.

I used to get a pretty fearless descender. After a few close calls followed by being married/kids has caused me to rethink things. Mostly, why would I want to get home faster? My hall of fame moment was coming down the back side of Parley's Canyon towards Park City. I was going so fast that I moved off the shoulder and into the left lane. But that didn't last too long as I found myself catching the vehicle in front of me, which forced me into the middle lane. I gave the sedan full of elderly folks a sly smile as I passed them and moved back into the left lane before disrupting any traffic. My computer read 56 mph.

Something about my last bike (weird geometry) made it really unstable at high speed (>40 mph) and I tended to get wheel wobble in my front wheel. If this has ever happened to you, it's a pretty terrifying experience. The challenge is convincing your body to stay relaxed while you slowly try and decrease your speed. All the while, you're eyeing the best place to bail out, if necessary. After multiple scares, I'm still pretty gun shy about just going balls out these days, despite having full confidence in my current set up.

[Eddie]

Besides vehicles? Of the things I'm aware of (I've had fluids of unknown origin thrown at me by passing vehicles as well of substances in differing stages of decomposition thrown up at me from my tires) would be a hornet that ended up in my helmet/hair coming down a descent. Took me several stings before I could get stopped and get my helmet off.



I used to get a pretty fearless descender. After a few close calls followed by being married/kids has caused me to rethink things. Mostly, why would I want to get home faster? My hall of fame moment was coming down the back side of Parley's Canyon towards Park City. I was going so fast that I moved off the shoulder and into the left lane. But that didn't last too long as I found myself catching the vehicle in front of me, which forced me into the middle lane. I gave the sedan full of elderly folks a sly smile as I passed them and moved back into the left lane before disrupting any traffic. My computer read 56 mph.

Something about my last bike (weird geometry) made it really unstable at high speed (>40 mph) and I tended to get wheel wobble in my front wheel. If this has ever happened to you, it's a pretty terrifying experience. The challenge is convincing your body to stay relaxed while you slowly try and decrease your speed. All the while, you're eyeing the best place to bail out, if necessary. After multiple scares, I'm still pretty gun shy about just going balls out these days, despite having full confidence in my current set up.

I'm sure it is a confidence issue for me. I like to think my brakes will stop me, but I'm not sure they'll stop me quickly enough. They haven't ever failed. But I would probably feel better about it if I dropped 20 lbs or so to make it easier on them.

I think what gets me the most is that I ride a little too much on city streets - and they are full of man hole covers, water access, or other cuts and repair jobs for the multitude of utilities running below them. I have visions of hitting bumps and losing my grip, resulting in a long slide on my as(phalt).

A couple of weeks ago doing the Trappers Loop ride there was such a cross wind that when I crossed 30mph the bike would start to wobble pretty good. Not a good feeling.

[creekster]

I'm sure it is a confidence issue for me. I like to think my brakes will stop me, but I'm not sure they'll stop me quickly enough. They haven't ever failed. But I would probably feel better about it if I dropped 20 lbs or so to make it easier on them.

I think what gets me the most is that I ride a little too much on city streets - and they are full of man hole covers, water access, or other cuts and repair jobs for the multitude of utilities running below them. I have visions of hitting bumps and losing my grip, resulting in a long slide on my as(phalt).

A couple of weeks ago doing the Trappers Loop ride there was such a cross wind that when I crossed 30mph the bike would start to wobble pretty good. Not a good feeling.

At very high speeds I always try to be in the drops. That way you can't really be bounced off the bars.

[Pheidippides]

I'm sure it is a confidence issue for me. I like to think my brakes will stop me, but I'm not sure they'll stop me quickly enough. They haven't ever failed. But I would probably feel better about it if I dropped 20 lbs or so to make it easier on them.

I think what gets me the most is that I ride a little too much on city streets - and they are full of man hole covers, water access, or other cuts and repair jobs for the multitude of utilities running below them. I have visions of hitting bumps and losing my grip, resulting in a long slide on my as(phalt).

A couple of weeks ago doing the Trappers Loop ride there was such a cross wind that when I crossed 30mph the bike would start to wobble pretty good. Not a good feeling.

My last half iron I did on a carbon fiber tri bike with high profile down tube and Zipp 808s on front and rear with a 30 mph cross wind off the ocean. It was terrifying when I was in the aero bars.

[Pelado]

At very high speeds I always try to be in the drops. That way you can't really be bounced off the bars.

What does that mean?

[Joe Public]

What does that mean?

It describes where his hands are holding the handlebars. See the picture on the far right:

[creekster]

Cycling Miscellany

It describes where his hands are holding the handlebars. See the picture on the far right:

Nice find. I would call those positions , from L to R, the following:

On the top
On the sides
On the hoods
In the drops.

Being on the hoods on a high speed descent van be dangerous as you don't have great leverage on the brake levers and on a big bump you can literally be bounced off the handle bar, which is a very bad feeling (trust me on this). In the drops you have much better brake lever control and leverage and your hands will be held close to the bar. Much safer.

[mtnbiker]

Nice find. I would call those positions , from L to R, the following:

On the top
On the sides
On the hoods
In the drops.

Being on the hoods on a high speed descent van be dangerous as you don't have great leverage on the brake levers and on a big bump you can literally be bounced off the handle bar, which is a very bad feeling (trust me on this). In the drops you have much better brake lever control and leverage and your hands will be held close to the bar. Much safer.

I know you're right about being safer in the drops, but I'm always on the hoods because I feel like I have more control. Maybe it's just the mountain biker in me. Plus I really can't reach the brakes from the drops. I get ok brake leverage from the hoods; not as good as I'd like, but it's better than not being able to get to the brakes at all without repositioning my hands when in the drops.