Why do you cycle your bike ?



Parapente with wheels ...

rise divided by run - meters to go and meters to climb .... then multiply by 100
 
huhenio said:
Parapente with wheels ...

rise divided by run - meters to go and meters to climb .... then multiply by 100
Huhenio, what size cranks are you running on your fixie? I've got 165's which feel too short. I run 44 x 15 which feels good for me - high enough to keep up with traffic / low enough to still be able to take off from trackstands easily at the lights. I've got a 17 on the other side of the hub, but haven't used it for years. My plan is to go to 170's when I replace the recently-cracked Dura Ace 165's.
 
A good question.

I have not ridden ridden my bike since the end of July (due to moving house) which is getting on for 4 months now, and it is not until you have been off for a while that you really start to miss it. So I guess I use it for commuting, fitness, and fun. I don't compete.
 
EoinC said:
Huhenio, what size cranks are you running on your fixie? I've got 165's which feel too short. I run 44 x 15 which feels good for me - high enough to keep up with traffic / low enough to still be able to take off from trackstands easily at the lights. I've got a 17 on the other side of the hub, but haven't used it for years. My plan is to go to 170's when I replace the recently-cracked Dura Ace 165's.
/Threadjack on
170's .... they came with the bike. I am switching to 185's on a 44 or 42 ring for the added leverage. I also have a T13 cog that is calling for longer cranks. 175's on the hybrid feel short, and mind you that I have 32 inch inseem, but a size 48 shoe. My feet is longer than some people's tibias, hence the feeling that my cranks are short.
I dont bank the turns steep enough to worry about pedalstrike, and my greatest concern is going uphill, specially negotiating the short - but painfull - 15% grades that my climbs present in an 9% average.
/threadjack off
 
Congrats on the milage #'s for 04 and 05!

I rode to school in Colorado (Jr and H-School), Blew out my knee skiing and was told to continue rehab in college by riding. Continued ever since, all be it with a few lapses here and there for broken bones.

Now I ride, just because it's fun on Sundays. Besides even when I fall back in the pack, the women riders, make the view just spectacular :D They may be married, but looking an't hurting anyone.

Now if I can just find one for myself. :cool: :p ;)
 
Everyone - thanks for the answers that you gave to my question.
It's clear that people come to cycle their bikes through different routes in life.

It is interesting to read how people eventaully ended up using their bikes.
Thanks for your input.
 
I always enjoyed bikes and biking as a kid but at that age I didn't really take it very seriously. When I got into my late teens and early twenties I really started to get into cycling "seriously" and did a lot of club riding and some off-road racing (which was more accessable to me than road racing). Now the bulk of my riding is my daily commute, which is about 30 miles round-trip each day. I still do some longer rides on the weekends (usually solo) and some organized century rides once in a while. I hope to do some touring in the not to distant future. I don't do any racing anymore and I take my riding considerably less "seriously" than I used to. For that reason I'm having more fun cycling than ever! I hope to be "that old guy who still rides his bike" one day. :)
 
meehs said:
I always enjoyed bikes and biking as a kid but at that age I didn't really take it very seriously. When I got into my late teens and early twenties I really started to get into cycling "seriously" and did a lot of club riding and some off-road racing (which was more accessable to me than road racing). Now the bulk of my riding is my daily commute, which is about 30 miles round-trip each day. I still do some longer rides on the weekends (usually solo) and some organized century rides once in a while. I hope to do some touring in the not to distant future. I don't do any racing anymore and I take my riding considerably less "seriously" than I used to. For that reason I'm having more fun cycling than ever! I hope to be "that old guy who still rides his bike" one day. :)
Do you intend to ride through the winter?
 
I used to ride a bike as a kid. I had a number of department store bikes over the years. I used to ride a fair bit and during my grade 7 and 8 years I would sometimes ride to school. I remember the hill going up to the school, bloody steep climb. From high school on I didn't ride much at all, but this summer I finally took it up again, I am now 39. :rolleyes:
Got a new bike (still a department store MTB bike) it cost less than $100.00 and I love it. I have logged over 1100 km on it this summer. I started to bike for the fitness and quite quickly it became to fold, the fitness and the pure enjoyment of it.
Just recently got SPD pedals for it (the pedals cost more than the bike :rolleyes: ).
And I am working on resurecting my old road bike (another Department store bike, the same one I had back in grade 7).
Maybe I will make a trip back to where I lived in grade school and tackle that hill again. I remember that I was able to make it to the top without getting off (sometimes). It started off steep (about a 20-25 degree grade) and as you climb the corner you see the rest of the hill that was hidden by the trees and it only got steeper (a good 30-35 degree grade).
The ride home was a blast though,what a rush coming back down. I couldn't even keepup spinning like mad in top gear. I could ride the momentum for nearly a 1/4 of a mile. WHEEEEE!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D
 
limerickman said:
Which begs the question - why do you cycle your bike ?
I tried using my bike as a towel rack. But it doesn't really fit in my bathroom. So guess I have to cycle it.

-
 
meehs said:
I always enjoyed bikes and biking as a kid but at that age I didn't really take it very seriously. When I got into my late teens and early twenties I really started to get into cycling "seriously" and did a lot of club riding and some off-road racing (which was more accessable to me than road racing). Now the bulk of my riding is my daily commute, which is about 30 miles round-trip each day. I still do some longer rides on the weekends (usually solo) and some organized century rides once in a while. I hope to do some touring in the not to distant future. I don't do any racing anymore and I take my riding considerably less "seriously" than I used to. For that reason I'm having more fun cycling than ever! I hope to be "that old guy who still rides his bike" one day. :)

Like you Meehs, I find cycling my bike much more enjoyable now than when I was younger.

I'd hate to consider a time when I won't be able to ride my bike.
 
I cycled a lot as a kid to get around town. I'd cycle to ball games, fishing spots, school, everywhere. I dropped it after I learned to drive. After a hitch in the Navy, I got back into it in my second year of college and never looked back.

I cycle because it gives me a feeling of freedom, almost like I'm flying or gliding. There's nothing else like it in the world. You're by yourself, floating through the world. No one knows you or even where you are. There are no problems or responsibilities. Just you and the wind.

I float through cities and view all the people and buildings as a stranger in a strange land. The countryside unfurls beautifully before me. There is peace and freedom on the bike like nowhere else in the world.
 
Don Shipp said:
Do you intend to ride through the winter?

I'll ride as far into the winter as I can without freezing to death. It was 30 degrees Fahrenheit (-1 Celsius) this morning and while it was a little chilly it's still very much ridable. When it gets down below zero Fahrenheit with snow and ice on the roads I pretty much stop riding outside. There are some hardcore riders here that ride year 'round and my hat's off to them! It takes some real grit to ride year 'round in Minnesota. I also have a membership at a local gym and I resort to going to the gym for my exercise during the dead of winter. Don't like it much though.
 
I ride my bike for fitness and for sheer enjoyment. I relate to the comments about cycling keeping me sane, there's a disconnectedness when you're riding, your brain gets to switch off in a way.

I also love off-road, the excitement of not knowing what's round the corner, the unexpected terrain, bumps, etc.
 
limerickman said:
Why do you cycle your bike ?

Do you use a bike just for commuting ?
Perhaps you cycle a bike for road racing ?
Or maybe you're into mountain biking/cyclo cross ?
Or you could cycle a stationary bike in a gym as part of a fitness program ?

Which begs the question - why do you cycle your bike ?

To kick this off - I started cycling my bike as a kid and then got in to racing my bike on the road.
Now, I no longer race but I enjoy long distance cycling to try to stay reasonably fit.

I never use my bike to commute (maybe I should).
When I need to commute I walk or I will take public transport or if I really need to, I drive the 2 litre Audi.

But I cycle my bike because I love, I suppose.

So why do you cycle ?


I have a road bike for clear weather and good conditions - faster ride to work and a lot of fun, but not that practical - just a kick in the mornings.
I also have an old mountain bike for bad weather and messy roads , slower but more dependable - you never know what rocks and other debris are hiding under those slick leaves - When I can afford it, I'm picking up a pair of studded tires for that monster for snow and ice.

But, I'm soon going for " just right": a Breezer Liberty with lots of pannier space for groceries , built in lights and all the other goodies .
But why? because it keeps me sane - If i've had a bad day at work, I take out all my frustration and anger on the road and wind up feeling awesome by the time I get home