Quite a rush innit!
sproggski
Posts: 5
Not a question but a heartfelt compliment to the whole road riding thing, coming from a dark sider who formerly sneered at the road.
Having been climbing, skiing and mtbing for many years, seeking general outdoor adrenaline rushes, I'd always dismissed road riding as dull and anoraky. Sticking semi slicks on my 6 inch travel mtb just confirmed the misery of squashy suspension on roads.
But having acquired children and a time-consuming job, the opportunities to "feed my rat" dried up a bit and so I took the plunge to get a road bike. The general idea is to be able to get out for a blast from my front door, rather than a weekend's travelling and bike washing/fettling.
The point of all this is... what a rush I got from a fast ride! I am sure I'll get quicker as time passes but, to go around a local 25k loop after work in 45 minutes, knowing that I have both done myself some good and not estranged myself from my family is pretty special. There was also quite a buzz in getting tight bends just right, being in the right gear to power out, etc. Not so sure about high speeds, however; I worry about rabbits, pheasants, etc., jumping out but I am sure I'll learn!
Ok, there's no jumps, singletrack or full-on frights, but the sense of achievement in getting average pace for a ride up to 30km/h from 25km/h over the first few rides is huge. And at this stage its just down to technique and "feeling" for where my thresholds and limits are.
I suppose the potholes, small creatures and car doors will add excitement at some stage but, just now, its all good. I even get to casually look up at and appreciate the Malvern hills while spinning along, rather than the three foot of slope in front of me, as I get on the mtb.
Roll on the next chance to get out!
Having been climbing, skiing and mtbing for many years, seeking general outdoor adrenaline rushes, I'd always dismissed road riding as dull and anoraky. Sticking semi slicks on my 6 inch travel mtb just confirmed the misery of squashy suspension on roads.
But having acquired children and a time-consuming job, the opportunities to "feed my rat" dried up a bit and so I took the plunge to get a road bike. The general idea is to be able to get out for a blast from my front door, rather than a weekend's travelling and bike washing/fettling.
The point of all this is... what a rush I got from a fast ride! I am sure I'll get quicker as time passes but, to go around a local 25k loop after work in 45 minutes, knowing that I have both done myself some good and not estranged myself from my family is pretty special. There was also quite a buzz in getting tight bends just right, being in the right gear to power out, etc. Not so sure about high speeds, however; I worry about rabbits, pheasants, etc., jumping out but I am sure I'll learn!
Ok, there's no jumps, singletrack or full-on frights, but the sense of achievement in getting average pace for a ride up to 30km/h from 25km/h over the first few rides is huge. And at this stage its just down to technique and "feeling" for where my thresholds and limits are.
I suppose the potholes, small creatures and car doors will add excitement at some stage but, just now, its all good. I even get to casually look up at and appreciate the Malvern hills while spinning along, rather than the three foot of slope in front of me, as I get on the mtb.
Roll on the next chance to get out!
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Comments
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There was also quite a buzz in getting tight bends just right, being in the right gear to power out, etc.
Couldn't agree more! Powering out of corners seems to give me the biggest rush at the moment, especially those where your natural line (at speed) drags you out toward the middle of the road - quite how I'll feel about this if (when?) I overcook it remains to be seen...
I've now got the bug for hills, and find myself actively seeking them out, dancing up them (or so I like to think) only to circle back round to the bottom to go at it again!
My enjoyment has increased 10-fold since investing in lyrca shorts as well, I feel like a "proper" cyclist now. It's especially good with the Giro on the tele at the moment, and the upcoming TDF.Rides a Cannondale Synapse 105.0 -
I think you know something's changed when you stop thinking of hills as inevitable, depressing agony and start thinking of them as something to be tamed, attacked or conquered. It's only happened to me recently, and it's no coincidence my performance has increased so much in the last few weeks that I'm wondering if someone's been slipping EPO in my muesli.0
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Errr, this is the darkside, the other side is "the way".
As a mountain biker I never really thought of it as boring just different. But then I quite like technical climbs off road.
I do actively seak to put long climbs into a route now rather than remove them. One of my favourite cycling experiences is coming down cheddar gorge (google map/world it if you don't know it) at 30mph+ using all the lane to get round corners, braking late and powering out.
The speed is just amazing, mainting 20mph + over distance just gives an enormous sense of freedom to go where you want at your own pace.0 -
Errr, this is the darkside, the other side is "the way".
As a mountain biker I never really thought of it as boring just different. But then I quite like technical climbs off road.
I do actively seak to put long climbs into a route now rather than remove them. One of my favourite cycling experiences is coming down cheddar gorge (google map/world it if you don't know it) at 30mph+ using all the lane to get round corners, braking late and powering out.
The speed is just amazing, mainting 20mph + over distance just gives an enormous sense of freedom to go where you want at your own pace.0
