The chiselled guns of a Cyclist
Being away from the bike is agony. Even for the day, while I’m at work, my mind swims about, thinking about my next ride. I worry that I won’t be home early enough to get the ride in that I’d planned – or worse yet – ride at all. I agonize over my decision not to ride in the morning, or to work, hoping one missed day doesn’t turn into two doesn’t turn into a week.
I wonder at which bike I’ll choose; I can visualize them hanging there, in the workshop, quietly waiting to be set free from their prison – a bike is only free when it’s being ridden. I imagine they discuss among themselves which is entitled to be ridden next; they might even place wagers on which will be the lucky one. I’m not sure with what bicycles might place wagers, perhaps a bit of grease for a creaking quick-release that I haven’t noticed yet.
All day, I evaluate how my body feels. Sitting folded up at a desk is a horrible place to judge one’s weight; I’ll lean against the desk’s edge and wonder if there was less of me touching it yesterday. I’ll feel the muscles in my thighs as I cross my legs in a conference room, and judge whether they feel stronger than the day before. Sometimes I’ll feel for the fibers in my muscles with my fingertips and then realize that the other people in the room with me probably find it odd that I’m rubbing my legs absentmindedly. To be fair, I find it odd that they don’t know what it feels like to be in shape.
It is a mystery whether I’ll be strong on the bike today or not. At the office, there is no way to know how I will feel; I won’t really know until I put in a real effort, which usually happens on the first climb of the day. Strength is a strange thing; the other day I felt blocked during my warmup but hit the top corner of the first climb so fast I almost lost my front wheel. Almost losing your front wheel in a corner on a climb is a special feeling.
Tim Krabbé wrote, “Non-riders. The emptiness of those lives shocks me.” Indeed; we are Cyclists, the rest of the world merely rides a bike.
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@KogaLover
Junior Gearing tends to refer to gearing restrictions imposed by governing bodies on kids racing to prevent injuries. I can't find anything the British Cycling website but details for the USA here .
No idea what size wheels @wilburrox's daughter is using but Angus is on 650 wheels on a 2005 Trek 5000 WSD that I picked up cheap at our clubs bike jumble sale. Far from having junior gearing, its 52/42/30 x 12-26. I'll have some adjusting to do when he races it (TTs don't seem to be subject to restrictions here).
@portemat
Are you doing the world masters' championships?
Tapering FWIW is a much misunderstood concept. People often just use it to rest and do some easy rides - what it should be is a reduction in volume but not intensity.
Having said that it seems to vary widely and what works for some people doesn't work for others so you have to work it out over time.
@Teocalli
Ha, yes well I could wish for a lower position sometimes when my hip is a bit stiff. Getting off my TT bike which has bottles behind the saddle needs to be quite a careful act.
@chris
This is her first full season on 700c wheels. Racing a 49cm alloy frameset. We started out with a 80mm stem and we're ready to stretch it out a bit. Last year, and years prior, she was on Pinarello's little 24" bike. We run a 44/34 front CX ring set up from Wickwerks. The beauty of this set up is a 44-12 slides just under the Jr's rollout. So, she can run a full 11-sp block 12-25 or 12-28 depending on race. Otherwise, what normally would happen, is you'd need to use the limit screws to block off the smaller cogs if running a 50 or up big ring.
@chris
Our 10 miler is 5 out/back on a country road. She's more comfortable if someone's following behind. If I'm outa town a club member will follow or most recently, her mother followed in car. Maybe next year she'll cool with hitting it alone. But no matter to me as is fun to tag along (and excuse for me not to have to hit it myself). The 2km uphill we'll usually set her off first and I'll follow behind next at 15 sec's. Most recent effort she was far further up the hill by time I caught her than any before and I recognize it won't be long before I don't. What I really dig is following along behind the Jr's fields at road races. That's always been encouraged. And is much fun. Cheers
@frank
Agree with your translation of "niet-renner". I actually do not like the translation of the Dutch title "de renner" into "the runner" but then again I also do not like many translations from The Rules into Dutch. I should shut up.
@chris
That pic warms the cockles of my heart. A young pedalwan with a number on his back doing a TT. He'll be addicted in no time: first the 10s, then the 25s then his first 50. See what you started?!
@wilburrox
The reason I took up cycling again a couple of years ago was because my daughter was skiing faster than me (and I do Super-G's and Downhill), so I figured I had to improve the legs' muscles. It worked but she's still ahead of me if she wants. Fwiw: I feel more comfortable going downhill fast on skis than on my bike. Am practicing cornering but any good suggestions or videos are much appreciated.
@RobSandy
Not sure. Could be. It's not the Tour as Rein Taaramae of Astana was #8. I'm trying to figure out from the sponsors on the back wall which race it is.
@wiscot
And the beauty of it is it takes n+1 to 2(n+1) so, as much fun obsessing about our own personal n+1 bike is, when you get to do it for the kiddo's too? Even more fun.