I usually get to a point in mountain biking season where I need a break. I burn out pretty easily when I'm doing lots of long rides. This year it has been easier because I've been mixing it up during the week. I've been commuting on my road bike for a few months. Nevertheless, I think I hit burnout on the mountain bike this weekend.
I was so exhausted after Saturday's ride and movie night, that I cancelled the Sunday morning ride and slept in. Dang that felt good. I've been working and doing so much other stuff that I haven't had 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep in a long time. It felt damn good.
Yesterday I went out with Jason for a ride on the road bikes. After bonking hard on the mountain bike ride on Saturday, I figured I'd be pretty toasted on Sunday. Not so! We did about a 50 mile loop at a very good pace. Grumpy is definitely getting his endurance and strength back. The pace was higher and we changed off on our pulls at the front pretty regularly. It was nice to have someone to trade the draft with.
I'm now contemplating building some new road wheels that would lighten up the bike a little. I've got the old school, bombproof wheels on the bike now. I'd drop a fair amount of weight just by getting off of straight gauge spokes and going from something designed in this century. Eventually I'll get some fancy-pants wheels. For right now I'm happy with just lightening up what I've got a little.
Other upgrades will be a carbon fork so I can put a new bar and stem on the bike. The ones I've got are definitely past their prime and probably not the safest things to be riding at the moment. Wound-up has an awesome fork that rides well and holds up to carrying a klydesdale like me with no sweat. They're a little pricey, but not too bad.
I should probably think about upgrading my drivetrain sometime too. My 16 year old rear derailleur is probably ready to be replaced. Now I have to figure out what I want to change it with. :D Time will tell.
Pete
4 comments:
Roadie?! ROADIE?! SAY IT AIN'T SO, SHANE! SAY IT AIN'T SO!!!!
"It isn't so." But it is so. Luckily I'm not only a roadie. :D I still get dirty once per week. I just need a break from it. I always burn out on mountain biking every summer. I'm trying to stave that off a bit. I need variety.
I also like that I can ride right from home much easier than I can with a mountain bike. Time is short these days, so it is important for me to get some riding in.
Oddly enough, I think I'm actually getting a lot more riding done than when I was just riding the mountain bike. Commuting to work kicks butt. :D
Pete
I enjoy commuting, but I still just can't get into pavement riding for the sake of riding. Maybe if I had a properly-fitted bike, but that's not happening anytime soon.
BTW, what happened to the picture post that followed this one? It had nothing but red Xes at work, and was completely gone by the time I got home. What, did Big Brother get to you?
Nah. I didn't get big brothered. I just tried posting something that I thought was funny, but the way it was hosted, it didn't translate well. I just nuked it.
As for being a roadie, it is something that is in my blood. I was a roady for 13 years before I ever bought a mountain bike. I've never really gotten it out of my system. I'm just enjoying getting back into it a little.
Later!
Pete
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