Phillycyclocross Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 I'm new here and I'm just curious how many of you are cyclists? I'm a competitive cyclist who rides a few hundred miles a week and races most weekends but still have a love for fine cigars (fine women, wine, beer, and a list of other things that my Dr. would say is bad for me). Of course most of my cycling friends think that is crazy and all of them ask the same question, "Do you inhale?". Ugh... So I don't ever meet many endurance athlete types who enjoy a good cigar. Am I the only one?
Puros Y Vino Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 First off, welcome to FOH. I used to be an avid cyclist in my late teens and twenties. I'd ride about 120Km every two days. I've cycled the Rockies four times (Banff to Jasper) and Vancouver Island (7 day trip). I also managed to hit 101Km/hour on my road bike. Now I just do some casual rides. I'm far from being any athlete these days, let alone an endurance one but had I been smoking cigars back then, I'd doubt it would affect my performance. I've smoke 4-5 stogies in one night and don't have any issues.
Rehman Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 On the contrary, what could be better than a cigar to round out a long day in the saddle? Ok, maybe a massage.
Phillycyclocross Posted October 14, 2011 Author Posted October 14, 2011 Rehman, I couldn't agree more. If I could enjoy a cigar while getting a massage, I'd be in heaven. I'm sure my masseuse wouldn't mind as I know she's a smoker. Bundwallah, 101k??!! I thought I was a stud for hitting 88.5kph. Nice work.
Rehman Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 This is like those three guys comparing scars in Jaws. At 69.5kph, I'm Roy Scheider's appendectomy. Started riding quite late in life - 41 - mostly for the low-impact exercise. Love riding even more now I'm 56. Very much part of the Good Life that draws us to FOH. Welcome to the forum!
Puros Y Vino Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Bundwallah, 101k??!! I thought I was a stud for hitting 88.5kph. Nice work. Thanks. I used to meet a friend at 5AM for training rides. We broke 100+ kph on a long corkscrew downhill. We built up our speed from the top down, got into some tucks and went for it. Once we slowed down and stopped we compared odometer readings. We had 101/102 kph and settled on 101kph. We were lucky. There were no cars on an early Sunday morning..very little wind resistance though I could feel "lift" on my chest as I got into a tuck position. It was exhilarating and I'd never try that again..one slip and you're grated cheese.
Phillycyclocross Posted October 14, 2011 Author Posted October 14, 2011 I'm just wondering how that's possible. I'd love to find a road like that. I've decended some big mountains in my day but I just assumed 88.5 was my terminal velocity. Clearly I have some work to do! Rehman, thanks. I got into cycling late too(30) but it's been the best thing next to my wife and kids that has ever happened to me. Definitely part of the good life.
semery74 Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 I find it strange that the more I ride, the more I want to smoke. Why is that?
rckymtn22 Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Welcome to FOH. I am a mountain biker. Ride to and from work during the warm months. Some great trails west of here in the mountains.
headstand Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Welcome to FOH. I am a mountain biker. Ride to and from work during the warm months. Some great trails west of here in the mountains. Petter, I'm an occasional mountain biker. Where do you ride? I've done the circuit around Rundle and a few other spots west of town. I'm on a hardtail now for the weight advantage given I am old and fat. Looking to do more downhill in the future. Maybe if i did more road biking like Joey, frank and Rehman I wouldn't be fat - just old
Lotusguy Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Mountain Biker here as well. Lots of great trails here near Santa Cruz and Marin. I haven't dusted off my roadbike in a long time...
rckymtn22 Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Petter, I'm an occasional mountain biker. Where do you ride? I've done the circuit around Rundle and a few other spots west of town. I'm on a hardtail now for the weight advantage given I am old and fat. Looking to do more downhill in the future. Maybe if i did more road biking like Joey, frank and Rehman I wouldn't be fat - just old There is some good downhill/ cross country trails at Moose Mountain and at Canmore Nordic Centre. Good cross country trails out at Peter Lougheed Park. No shortage with in 1 to 1.5 hour drive. Heading out to CNC this weekend for what might be the last ride of the season. I am on a full suspension 29'er which is fairly light. If I didn't spend money on cigars I would have an even nicer one!
Colt45 Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 I'm just wondering how that's possible. You just need the right gear....
rckymtn22 Posted October 14, 2011 Posted October 14, 2011 Interesting outfits Colt ..... which one is you?
Rehman Posted October 15, 2011 Posted October 15, 2011 I'm a roadie through & through. Started out on a hardtail MTB but within the first year I'd fallen off thrice, the third time hard enough to incapacitate me for several months with a broken collarbone. Corrective surgery would have cost more than I could afford at the time so the bone healed broken (to coin an oxymoron). I spent what money I did have on the road bike I should have had from the start. When bike dealer and former Malaysian cycling champion Ng Joo Ngan handed over the Giant Cadex CFR1 he set up for me, he said: "Don't ride hard. Don't ride fast. Ride far." Which has suited me just fine. Long rides on undulating roads through the countryside define cycling for me - "the cadence and the breeze, the spinning miles beneath my wheels, and the distant view of hills at the end of the long white line on my lone rides home". When you ride far, hard and fast follow naturally, as a consequence of the road itself.
Phillycyclocross Posted October 15, 2011 Author Posted October 15, 2011 Rehman, I'm right there with you. I race cyclocross, grew up racing bmx, and I have a really nice 29er that I've been known to whip around the trails but as much as I try I am a shaved legged, skinsuit wearing, scrawny roadie. Can't help it, it's what I'm good at. And I'm with you on distances. The longer the race, the better. If all my races were 100+ miles I'd be a lot richer.
Phillycyclocross Posted October 15, 2011 Author Posted October 15, 2011 Rehman, I'm right there with you. I race cyclocross, grew up racing bmx, and I have a really nice 29er that I've been known to whip around the trails but as much as I try I am a shaved legged, skinsuit wearing, scrawny roadie. Can't help it, it's what I'm good at. And I'm with you on distances. The longer the race, the better. If all my races were 100+ miles I'd be a lot richer.
Phillycyclocross Posted October 15, 2011 Author Posted October 15, 2011 Whoops. Hit the button twice? Glad to see I'm not the only cyclist here.
JuniorSmoker Posted October 15, 2011 Posted October 15, 2011 I'm pritty new to cycling but it's now high on my agenda...maybe not as high as cigars yet but you never know. I just bought myself a roadbike after riding a mountain bike occasionally....but now there are now mountains and I wanted to do something to get into shape... So here we are now with a new toy and I can tell you till now it's a great experience. Oliver
Phillycyclocross Posted October 15, 2011 Author Posted October 15, 2011 Oliver, that's awesome. Keep it up. There's no feeling like that of traveling a long distance based on your own leg power and nothing else.
Colt45 Posted October 15, 2011 Posted October 15, 2011 Interesting outfits Colt ..... which one is you? Unfortunately, I'm nowhere near the level requiring specialized gear and most likely never will be. I still ride in regular sneakers, cut off sweat pants, t-shirt, and ball cap. My coolest bike was my Schwinn stingray with sparkly white pleat and roll banana seat, high bars, and top tube mounted five speed stick shift. I wish I still had it.....
joeypots Posted October 15, 2011 Posted October 15, 2011 I ride, but only about 22 miles 2,3, or 4 times a week. I love the exercise and ride alone. No racing or competition. I'm just learning how involved people get in this sport. Last week I met two guys, one rode 8000 miles last year, the other 9000 miles last year. WTF? I thought a hundred miles on my best week was huge.
JuniorSmoker Posted October 15, 2011 Posted October 15, 2011 Just out of curiousity... What are you guys doing once weather turns cold and rainy ? Are you stopping your rides / training or are you using indoor trainers to be able to at least be on your bike ?
Rehman Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 I ride, but only about 22 miles 2,3, or 4 times a week. I love the exercise and ride alone. No racing or competition. I'm just learning how involved people get in this sport. Last week I met two guys, one rode 8000 miles last year, the other 9000 miles last year. WTF? I thought a hundred miles on my best week was huge. Ah, the Mile Munchers and Distance Freaks... activities like this, with such tangible physical benefits, can become seriously obsessional. I'm with you, though - and we both know your riding schedule has also brought you tangible physical benefits. It's just that... when you toss in a century ride once in a while, spending a day of five, six or seven hours in the saddle, for a time thereafter you find yourself on a different plane of existence. It's a remarkable feeling of achievement, arising from something so mundane as riding a bicycle. But you are kept humble, as a ride of a hundred kilometres, miles or more will also include tedium, irritation, discomfort, moments of fear and convictions of foolish futility. But keep the pedals turning and you'll get there, eventually or even earlier, and you won't feel anything like you did when you set off, a paragraph of a lifetime before. Try it one day. And don't sweat it too much beforehand; it's one of those "just do it" things, limited more by the convenience of daylight than the rider's physical condition or mindset. If you get hooked on the Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cyclist, however, you risk becoming a mileage bore.
Lotusguy Posted October 16, 2011 Posted October 16, 2011 Just out of curiousity... What are you guys doing once weather turns cold and rainy ? Are you stopping your rides / training or are you using indoor trainers to be able to at least be on your bike ? I live in California - what is "cold and rainy weather"??
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