Had an Epic Ride this morning of the Elite Mega Advanced variety. Timed every light, didn't have to stop or put my foot down once. Didn't shift out of my high gear.
I got so excited that I sprinted the whole way to work, and was well winded by the time I got there.
It wasn't a perfectly Lawful ride. I Idahoed all the four way stops. And the two way stops for that matter. And I did run a red light, but it's a red light that I always have to run anyway because the sensors won't recognize my bike. So, in all, a pretty Unlawful ride.
But no stopping, no shifting! Shazam!
Showing posts with label epic ride. Show all posts
Showing posts with label epic ride. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, December 8, 2008
the velosophy of fixies
The other day I was riding through town, and I noticed that I was making unusually heavy use of both my shifters and my brakes. I thought to myself, "Man, I don't drive my car like this. Why am I biking like this? I should relax."
And so I did. I settled into a generally managable gear and remained there for most of the remainder of the ride. I paid attention to the lights, planned ahead, adjusted my pace where neccessary, and generally used my brakes less.
And I found myself thoroughly enjoying my ride.
This lead me to a large insight, similar to the one I had when I discovered that pedaling hard and fast the whole way to work got me there sweaty, and only about four minutes earlier than pedaling at a slower, more reasonable, get-to-work-without-getting-all-sweaty pace.
My insights into what is for "better riding" seem to be leading me towards riding slower and smarter. Or, to borrow from Pirsig, when focusing on making Good Time, to focus on the good, and not time.
So my rules for good riding seem to be this.
1. Shift less.
2. Brake less.
My original insight into slowing down and not trying to sprint to your destination doesn't have to be explicitely mentioned, because you'll have to anyway while observing these rules. Observing these rules allowed me to make my "No Foot Down" ride Saturday morning.
So if shifting less and braking less makes for a better ride, then is it true that, once you're ready for it, single-speed, fixed-gear bikes, bynot allowingfor shifting or, optionally, braking,make for the best rides?
I have traditionally balked at the thought of riding a fixie, but am now considering it. There is, I admit, something very appealing about a bicycle stripped down to it's most basic and pure form. I get that.
I couldn't be convinced to give up my Schwinn for commuting and for long rides, but I believe I could be convinced to take up a fixie for joy-rides around town.
And so I did. I settled into a generally managable gear and remained there for most of the remainder of the ride. I paid attention to the lights, planned ahead, adjusted my pace where neccessary, and generally used my brakes less.
And I found myself thoroughly enjoying my ride.
This lead me to a large insight, similar to the one I had when I discovered that pedaling hard and fast the whole way to work got me there sweaty, and only about four minutes earlier than pedaling at a slower, more reasonable, get-to-work-without-getting-all-sweaty pace.
My insights into what is for "better riding" seem to be leading me towards riding slower and smarter. Or, to borrow from Pirsig, when focusing on making Good Time, to focus on the good, and not time.
So my rules for good riding seem to be this.
1. Shift less.
2. Brake less.
My original insight into slowing down and not trying to sprint to your destination doesn't have to be explicitely mentioned, because you'll have to anyway while observing these rules. Observing these rules allowed me to make my "No Foot Down" ride Saturday morning.
So if shifting less and braking less makes for a better ride, then is it true that, once you're ready for it, single-speed, fixed-gear bikes, bynot allowingfor shifting or, optionally, braking,make for the best rides?
I have traditionally balked at the thought of riding a fixie, but am now considering it. There is, I admit, something very appealing about a bicycle stripped down to it's most basic and pure form. I get that.
I couldn't be convinced to give up my Schwinn for commuting and for long rides, but I believe I could be convinced to take up a fixie for joy-rides around town.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Epic Ride
Legendary Epic Ride! Of the No-Foot-Down variety: didn't have to stop once. Not for any traffic, not at any intersection. Gnarly. That was the first time I've been able to do that. Eight miles of straight trucking.
It's easiest to do that Saturday mornings because
It was a close call at Colorado because that light is so awful. I had to ride up to the crosswalk button, mash it in passing, and then do loops in the 7-11 parking lot till I saw the light start to change. Then I was like, "NOW! GO! GO! GO!" (you know, to myself) and I made it.
It's easiest to do that Saturday mornings because
- nobody's on the roads, and
- on my eastbound (morning) path, I don't have to cross Downing, making Federal and Colorado the only major intersections I have to contend with.
It was a close call at Colorado because that light is so awful. I had to ride up to the crosswalk button, mash it in passing, and then do loops in the 7-11 parking lot till I saw the light start to change. Then I was like, "NOW! GO! GO! GO!" (you know, to myself) and I made it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)