Gorgeous day for a spin around Nose Hill. Hardly any people, nice dry firm trails, bit of a breeze, perfect temperature, incredible colours. Love me some fall riding.
Spoiler!
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Lexus 2-door coupe, white, headed north on Lochend decided to do a close buzz on some of us roadies. A low wave from me to indicate "move over knucklehead, there's no one there or approaching"* and they decide I'm wrong. sigh... I didn't need that stress, nor to have them subsequently try to run me off the road. Whilst several vehicles stopped behind me to watch the ongoings and then nobody say anything. At what point does one report these things?
* to be clear there was no birdie
** to be clear there was zero reason for their behaviour when I was riding fully legally, responsibly, and respectfully.
Friends up from Lethbridge and Calgary to help me accomplish my first metric century ride. Very rewarding experience for a guy who is overweight and just started training in late July, and a nice way to end what for me will likely be my last outdoor ride of the season in Alberta. Really wish I would have picked up cycling when I was younger, having a ton of fun.
Get to take my bike out to Vancouver in a couple of weekends as my son has hockey games out there. He's with my ex that weekend, so I'll have two large chunks of 10 hour breaks with time to myself. Outside of Stanley Park, any recommendations of areas I should try to cycle while out there? Don't mind driving a bit if needed for a good spot.
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Friends up from Lethbridge and Calgary to help me accomplish my first metric century ride. Very rewarding experience for a guy who is overweight and just started training in late July, and a nice way to end what for me will likely be my last outdoor ride of the season in Alberta. Really wish I would have picked up cycling when I was younger, having a ton of fun.
Get to take my bike out to Vancouver in a couple of weekends as my son has hockey games out there. He's with my ex that weekend, so I'll have two large chunks of 10 hour breaks with time to myself. Outside of Stanley Park, any recommendations of areas I should try to cycle while out there? Don't mind driving a bit if needed for a good spot.
I assume you're talking about road riding? (rather than mountain biking).
On Garmin Connect and I suspect Strava too you can input filters to provide a more optimized list of potential rides... such as distance, bike type, and total vertical.
Good on ya for the century especially after just starting riding this year. Don't feel you have to give up so soon - it's literally all about having the right gear and protecting the parts that get cold easily (toes, hands, face)
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Friends up from Lethbridge and Calgary to help me accomplish my first metric century ride. Very rewarding experience for a guy who is overweight and just started training in late July, and a nice way to end what for me will likely be my last outdoor ride of the season in Alberta. Really wish I would have picked up cycling when I was younger, having a ton of fun.
Get to take my bike out to Vancouver in a couple of weekends as my son has hockey games out there. He's with my ex that weekend, so I'll have two large chunks of 10 hour breaks with time to myself. Outside of Stanley Park, any recommendations of areas I should try to cycle while out there? Don't mind driving a bit if needed for a good spot.
Bike to Steveston and back along the oceanside pathway. It's beautiful and not very hard, but a good distance from Vancouver so still a lot of exercise for an afternoon.
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After I blew both tubes on my stock wheels, I went to The Bike Shop and I ended up trying to fit 28mm tires onto my road bike, however the front fork wouldn't allow that so I ended up getting Continental Ultrasport III 25mm on the front and 28mm on the back.
I'm still trying to figure out the optimal tire pressure to use but I understand with the wider tires I can go lower pressure now when riding for more long-distance comfort.
I came across this really well-made National Film Board of Canada short about winter bike couriers in Edmonton.
Really interesting that she chooses to use speedplay (so she doesn't slip off the pedals?). The fall where her bike slipped and she couldn't clip out must have been spontaneous and unplanned. I could totally feel her pain.
I was watching this as I slowly dread winter as the first year I've really put effort into cycling and want to find ways to keep it going.
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I winter biked one year (3/4 days per week; 50/50 roads and pathways) and I kinda hated it. Kudos to those who do it, but it's cold, sketchy, and dark with lots of cars. In addition, the drive train on my bike was completely destroyed after just one season. If you're going to do it, you'll need to wash your bike all the time to slow corrosion (it will still happen anyway).
I winter biked one year (3/4 days per week; 50/50 roads and pathways) and I kinda hated it. Kudos to those who do it, but it's cold, sketchy, and dark with lots of cars. In addition, the drive train on my bike was completely destroyed after just one season. If you're going to do it, you'll need to wash your bike all the time to slow corrosion (it will still happen anyway).
Usually have a winter bike and I try to avoid days with slush, it's the slush that kills the drivetrain. Most winter rides in Calgary are just cold, snow days are never as many as people think. Always squirt my drivetrain with water bottle in the lock up after a slushy ride, clean it at the car wash once a week, only cost a couple bucks, just don't spray directly into the bearings.
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Something satisfying about finishing a good ride just as the snow starts coming down.
Crappy part was going out at +12C thinking it would be a nice balmy ride meanwhile the winds turned from the north and started blasting as temps declined by 10C and sneet came down 10mins from home. Still, had a great ride. With that tailwind I thought I’d set a PB going south up 85th Street just north of the gravel pit in far NW. Managed to big ring more than half of the climb. Gotta love end of season fitness.
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I am a non-traditional body type for cycling as well.
For my mtn biking needs I find it easy to buy dri-fit style shorts all over place. Wlamrt used to have them with fund superheat prints for $12. I picked up a really nice fitting Patagonia shirt from my lbs.
I find some cuts of Louis garnering or pearl izumi also fit decently.
I have looked at the stuff on https://www.aerotechdesigns.com/ which have a plus size section, but I have never ordered. Also saw a recommendation on Facebook for a place called something like large lad in the back (seems like it is uk based) or something like that.
For shorts I usually go with baggies over spandex. And I have cycling specific shorts also with some pairs picked up at various places like marks workwarehouse. Etc
Wrangler has a decent line of outdoor clothing and it is sold at Walmart.
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Where can I find cycling jerseys that fit a bigger guy?
I'm about 6'2, 220lb. Im not fat, but I'm not skinny either. Cycling jerseys are generally ridiculously slim and/or short.
Does anyone know where I can find one online?
I don't live in Calgary. The cycling jerseys I've looked at in shops locally (Winnipeg) generally don't come close to fitting.
Thank you.
I was about that size (6-2, 225-230). I’m down to 205ish now, and dropped a full size from XL to L. I have a Primal XL size road style jersey that is too big for me now, you’re welcome to have it for the cost of shipping.
Where can I find cycling jerseys that fit a bigger guy?
I'm about 6'2, 220lb. Im not fat, but I'm not skinny either. Cycling jerseys are generally ridiculously slim and/or short.
Does anyone know where I can find one online?
I don't live in Calgary. The cycling jerseys I've looked at in shops locally (Winnipeg) generally don't come close to fitting.
Thank you.
Buying cycling clothing online can be a bit of a crap shoot.
If you're going with lycra, be sure to get bib shorts (straps), not just shorts. They'll help to tuck in the muffin top and are much more comfortable because if you have a bit of a belly it'll keep that contained a bit too. My wife calls it my girdle.
As for jersey, avoid any knock-off cheap ones unless you size up. They're typically sized for smaller people. I have a few friends who are bigger riders and have had luck with https://www.bicyclebooth.com/ jerseys.
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I used to buy Sugoi, Pearl Izumi, Garneau, etc. aka real branded stuff but I've found that for cycling kit, you can save up to 75% by buying Chinese cycling clothing from Amazon.
The sizing is all over the place as the sizes are often Chinese sizing but most have a size chart and easy returns. Just make sure it's shipping and fullfilled by Amazon Canada for the return before you buy something. Sometimes I will even size up twice.
I recently bought a jersey and bib shorts for $60 altogether which would have been like $300 if I bought real branded kit. I'm going to return two items I got as well that were too small. It's easy since its Amazon.
I binged a TV show until 5AM on Saturday, woke up at noon on Sunday and decided to go for a ride to get the cobwebs out of my brain.
I didn't eat a thing and biked from the Dome, up to see the Last of Us shooting, to Foothills hospital, bonked out on the benches behind the hospital completely and had to lay down for 30 minutes.
I didn't expect this as often I'll do fasted rides in the morning but maybe my crazy sleep schedule messed something up. I've never experienced a total drop in blood sugar like that, my body just wanted to go to sleep and I almost couldn't get off the bike.
I finally made it to Market Mall at a snails pace and consumed coffee and carbs. Nothing has ever tasted more delicious!
