Clean Start

And a friday update.

Weighed in at 169.7 this morning. Ate some pizza late last night, and post breakfast this morning.
Took a couple days off the bike this week in an attempt to get this sinus thing to clear up. Hasn't helped, so
off to work a bit on the condo, then a longer ride around Clinton, Hampton, Asbury area. Not sure if
i'll try Iron Bridge today - probably not - but i may hit Mine Rd.

weight graph since april
5B6FC87F-4949-4581-BA45-400CA70F0851.JPG


--

Put one short, hard(er) ride on the new bike.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1101405708

This is a 1% rise - gotta start somewhere 😀

https://www.strava.com/segments/7126535?filter=club&gender=both&club_id=2844

1 Ilya C. 2:40 21.9mi/h
2 Christopher Esnes 2:41 21.8mi/h
3 Mike Chinea 2:50 20.6mi/h
4 patrick mariani 2:54 20.2mi/h
5 Bob Pereira 3:04 19.1mi/h
6 Roger Stricker 3:07 18.8mi/h
7 Kevin McElwain 3:17 17.8mi/h
8 Jeremy Short 3:25 17.1mi/h
9 Jim Vreeland 3:40 15.9mi/h
10 Tom Gockel 3:53 15.1mi/h

Just wait until i put the aero bars on.

Couple of 5k runs coming up. Going to be interesting, as I haven't been running at all. My kid is going to want to beat me - actually crush me.
Might have to surprise him.

On the radar:
there is an off-road tri (duo for me) at round valley in september
sourland spectacular
hillier than thou - probably the metric
hippo cross - going to need a cross bike - @mattybfat

I'm also heading out to the desert next week. Some AZ, NV, UT - hopefully will get some saddle time in.

So i found this hanging on a bike in HG - very road oriented. Seems JORBA could do something similar to hang on the MTBs??

IMG_7082.JPG
IMG_7081.JPG
 
Last edited:
And a friday update.

Weighed in at 169.7 this morning. Ate some pizza late last night, and post breakfast this morning.
Took a couple days off this week in an attempt to get this sinus thing to clear up. Hasn't helped, so
off to work a bit on the condo, then a longer ride around Clinton, Hampton, Asbury area. Not sure if
i'll try Iron Bridge today - probably not - but i may hit Mine Rd.

weight graph since april
View attachment 55367

--

Put one short, hard(er) ride on the new bike.

https://www.strava.com/activities/1101405708

This is a 1% rise - gotta start somewhere 😀

https://www.strava.com/segments/7126535?filter=club&gender=both&club_id=2844

1 Ilya C. 2:40 21.9mi/h
2 Christopher Esnes 2:41 21.8mi/h
3 Mike Chinea 2:50 20.6mi/h
4 patrick mariani 2:54 20.2mi/h
5 Bob Pereira 3:04 19.1mi/h
6 Roger Stricker 3:07 18.8mi/h
7 Kevin McElwain 3:17 17.8mi/h
8 Jeremy Short 3:25 17.1mi/h
9 Jim Vreeland 3:40 15.9mi/h
10 Tom Gockel 3:53 15.1mi/h

Just wait until i put the aero bars on.

Couple of 5k runs coming up. Going to be interesting, as I haven't been running at all. My kid is going to want to beat me - actually crush me.
Might have to surprise him.

On the radar:
there is an off-road tri (duo for me) at round valley in september
sourland spectacular
hillier than thou - probably the metric
hippo cross - going to need a cross bike - @mattybfat

I'm also heading out to the desert next week. Some AZ, NV, UT - hopefully will get some saddle time in.

So i found this hanging on a bike in HG - very road oriented. Seems JORBA could do something similar to hang on the MTBs??

View attachment 55364 View attachment 55365
That tag would be super awkward to keep on your mtb
 
169.7? Do you weigh yourself on an analytical balance? Hope you have certified 100, 150 and 200 lb weights to calibrate it prior to your weigh-ins 😉

My uncle worked for Morris county weights and measures. We don't mess around Over here. !!!!!
 
Got my loop in yesterday - waited until it was hot. real hot.
Once again, the roads led me a bit north-west of spruce run reservoir.
climbed fox farm road. and oh how sweet it is!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1105806836

1 Chris Compton 6:32 7.2mi/h
2 patrick mariani 7:09 6.5mi/h
3 Kevin McElwain 7:10 6.5mi/h
4 Norm Zurawski 7:12 6.5mi/h
5 Ilya C. 7:19 6.4mi/h
6 Roger Stricker 8:27 5.5mi/h
7 Adam Furlong 10:50 4.3mi/h

For central nj reference - it is about the same elevation difference as Zion rd from the bottom to the turn starting the flats, but only half the distance.
(so twice the average grade?)

in all reality, i'm still more than 60 seconds from a top 10. and this was the target climb of the ride. so
maybe Ilya could move up....🙄

I didn't feel great, still a snot factory...

No actual training plan, just riding, and trying not to give into the mental demons that want me to take the easier roads.

-----

Descending: Holy crap, going downhill on a lighter, stiffer bike is a something i'll need to get accustom to. Not sure if it is trusting the equipment,
or that the bike reacts faster to all inputs. I'm definitely on the brakes. Speaking of which, the brakes on the bike are fantastic.

-----
the bike

messed with the trim on the etap - i may have a bent derailleur hanger. shifting is tight. just a little noise where there shouldn't be. eyeballing, it looks just a bit off.
also adjusted the brake lever reach a bit in. Bringing the saddle down about 1cm for now. I walk on the balls of my feet, so there is a tendency
to ride heal-up. Trying to break that habit.
 
Slammed because! The steerer is cut all the way down. I can flip the stem
It's 100mm 17deg. Could use an upside down 6? And go longer, but I really have no issue bending like that, just need to become accustomed to it

Def need some tuning of the saddle position.

Need to take some measurements off the other bike.

Pro
 
Got my loop in yesterday - waited until it was hot. real hot.
Once again, the roads led me a bit north-west of spruce run reservoir.
climbed fox farm road. and oh how sweet it is!

https://www.strava.com/activities/1105806836

1 Chris Compton 6:32 7.2mi/h
2 patrick mariani 7:09 6.5mi/h
3 Kevin McElwain 7:10 6.5mi/h
4 Norm Zurawski 7:12 6.5mi/h
5 Ilya C. 7:19 6.4mi/h
6 Roger Stricker 8:27 5.5mi/h
7 Adam Furlong 10:50 4.3mi/h

For central nj reference - it is about the same elevation difference as Zion rd from the bottom to the turn starting the flats, but only half the distance.
(so twice the average grade?)

in all reality, i'm still more than 60 seconds from a top 10. and this was the target climb of the ride. so
maybe Ilya could move up....🙄

I didn't feel great, still a snot factory...

No actual training plan, just riding, and trying not to give into the mental demons that want me to take the easier roads.

-----

Descending: Holy crap, going downhill on a lighter, stiffer bike is a something i'll need to get accustom to. Not sure if it is trusting the equipment,
or that the bike reacts faster to all inputs. I'm definitely on the brakes. Speaking of which, the brakes on the bike are fantastic.

-----
the bike

messed with the trim on the etap - i may have a bent derailleur hanger. shifting is tight. just a little noise where there shouldn't be. eyeballing, it looks just a bit off.
also adjusted the brake lever reach a bit in. Bringing the saddle down about 1cm for now. I walk on the balls of my feet, so there is a tendency
to ride heal-up. Trying to break that habit.

I am not sure you should base my PR on a single time up that hill on that day. but take your victories where you can get them. Ilaya and I should ride them one together 🙂.

Concerning descending on that bike, it goes exactly where you point it and no where else. Trust it and bomb with it.
'
 
The Narrows at Zion National Park - walls are 2,400' high. if it rains 15 miles upstream, you are screwed.
Stunning


IMG_7249.JPG


Rim of Bryce Canyon -
Absolutely surreal,, colors, big sky, texture, and the hikes are right up close and personal. falls off the trail are not survivable in many spots.


IMG_7163.JPG
 
Returned from the desert southwest vacation last sunday.
I highly recommend it. Fly into/out of vegas - hit zion, bryce, monuments, grand canyon (north rim, for nice, quiet hiking)
add in hoover damn. lots of beauty, and science.

No bikes on vacation, but hiking at altitude worked. Rim of Grand Canyon, about 8,800' - bottom is 6,000' down to the river.

IMG_7391.JPG


There is no way to take a picture of this which would capture the immense scale. This is looking "up" river, and isn't really the other side of the canyon. which would be off the picture to the right.

---

Riding this week was a solid Fun Monday, Wildcat Wednesday, and an early morning road loop on thursday.
All three were at a challenging pace for me, and by thursday afternoon, i was ready to eat anything i could get my hands upon!
snack bars, personal pizza, two sammiches, chips, beer, fruit. there isn't any chocolate in the house, otherwise......

So i'm at 171lbs this morning (note the rounding 😉 - that was a pun) -

Happy with that post vacation - need to get a little more riding in, and bring up the duration of the rides - at 1:15 or so, i noticed
that my concentration starts to drift, and mistakes are made. Def driven by fatigue.

---

We had a crash on the road on thursday while trying to set up an easy paceline. Result of wheel overlap going into a turn.
be careful out there. if you see an overlap coming, move over and catch some air to slow down. if you see someone else doing it, tell them to stop.
the one that overlaps is always the one that goes down...hard. cause of pitching over the front.
 
We had a crash on the road on thursday while trying to set up an easy paceline. Result of wheel overlap going into a turn.
be careful out there. if you see an overlap coming, move over and catch some air to slow down. if you see someone else doing it, tell them to stop.
the one that overlaps is always the one that goes down...hard. cause of pitching over the front.

Good reason to road ride alone, or just one other person. Bad enough you have to worry about yahoo drivers, then adding on clowns on bikes not paying attention?
 
A month went by quickly, and cross is here.
I've decided to participate.....

Wait, Hillier Than Thou is this weekend. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
The weight is still holding steady around 170 - i could go lower, but i keep eating too much, and drinking.
So far no beer this week, but did have some wine last night. And sambuca, And bourbon. see the problem

Back to CX - you met the bike in the other thread, and i did manage to get some pedals on it and take it for a spin.
I thought the setback seat post was going to be a problem, but a shorter stem compensates for the aft seat position.
Is that good or bad? I dunno, it is comfortable. I do need to drop the bars down - probably 5mm will do it.
I don't remember spending much time in the drops in my 3 or 4 race cx experience (wow!)

Need to pick out some rubber for the race. Should i try to set the Ksyriums up tubeless? or is that just dumb?

See you all at JORBA Jam. Coming up quickly.
 
A month went by quickly, and cross is here.
I've decided to participate.....

Wait, Hillier Than Thou is this weekend. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
The weight is still holding steady around 170 - i could go lower, but i keep eating too much, and drinking.
So far no beer this week, but did have some wine last night. And sambuca, And bourbon. see the problem

Back to CX - you met the bike in the other thread, and i did manage to get some pedals on it and take it for a spin.
I thought the setback seat post was going to be a problem, but a shorter stem compensates for the aft seat position.
Is that good or bad? I dunno, it is comfortable. I do need to drop the bars down - probably 5mm will do it.
I don't remember spending much time in the drops in my 3 or 4 race cx experience (wow!)

Need to pick out some rubber for the race. Should i try to set the Ksyriums up tubeless? or is that just dumb?

See you all at JORBA Jam. Coming up quickly.
The Ksyriums can definitely go tubeless, I've been doing this with road tubeless for years now.
I'm not sure I'd do 33mm CX tires though. Those rims are awfully narrow, and thus may be more susceptible to burps.
I could be wrong.
 
S
A month went by quickly, and cross is here.
I've decided to participate.....

Wait, Hillier Than Thou is this weekend. I'm looking forward to the challenge.
The weight is still holding steady around 170 - i could go lower, but i keep eating too much, and drinking.
So far no beer this week, but did have some wine last night. And sambuca, And bourbon. see the problem

Back to CX - you met the bike in the other thread, and i did manage to get some pedals on it and take it for a spin.
I thought the setback seat post was going to be a problem, but a shorter stem compensates for the aft seat position.
Is that good or bad? I dunno, it is comfortable. I do need to drop the bars down - probably 5mm will do it.
I don't remember spending much time in the drops in my 3 or 4 race cx experience (wow!)

Need to pick out some rubber for the race. Should i try to set the Ksyriums up tubeless? or is that just dumb?

See you all at JORBA Jam. Coming up quickly.
See u at hillier. What r u riding?
 
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