Show your road bikes!!!

[spade2you]

Campagnolo alloy rims, Chorus 10 compact gears, Ergobrain computer.

[ibanezcollector]

nice... the cables in that will be a pain in the rear if you ever have to replace those..

I know from experience on that one.. Get a few beers your going to be there a while hahaha..

[falstro]

Here's my Greg Lemond Maillot Jaune:

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by ibanezcollector

nice... the cables in that will be a pain in the rear if you ever have to replace those..

I know from experience on that one.. Get a few beers your going to be there a while hahaha..

Uggg, that's the only downside to that one. Adjusting the gears is pretty close to brain surgery. Luckily my local shop doesn't charge me and have been dealing Bianchi since the 70's.

[ADbassman]

Giant TCR-C3

[spade2you]

Bump?

[EricF]

This is from 2004 - my last racing season. The bike was a Colnago VIP outfitted with Dura Ace and Mavic wheels. I won a few races on that beauty. My current machine (although rarely touched these days) is a Time VX Pro.

[spade2you]

Very nice!!! I have some small amature races coming up this summer. I'd really like to compete in some of the more select races maybe next summer. Hard to balance bass, brewing, working, a girlfriend, and biking sometimes. Then again, I'm far from complaining that brewing, bass, a girlfriend, and biking are taking up too much time.

[EricF]

Originally Posted by spade2you

Very nice!!! I have some small amature races coming up this summer. I'd really like to compete in some of the more select races maybe next summer. Hard to balance bass, brewing, working, a girlfriend, and biking sometimes. Then again, I'm far from complaining that brewing, bass, a girlfriend, and biking are taking up too much time.

I raced for about 12 years. It started with mountain bikes in the early 90's, but I got hooked on the pure speed and tactical aspects of road racing a few years later. 2004 was my most successful year (including a State Criterium Championship title), but it was also my last year of pinning a number on my back. The time required to maintain race fitness seriously conflicted with my need to spend time with a growing family and my renewed interest in playing music. Also, my motivation to push my body that hard started fading. I worked my a$$ off for a long time, and got some good results from it. I still enjoy riding when I get a chance, but the desire to train like I used to (it affects you whole lifestyle) is gone. I pretty much had to re-teach myself how to ride just for fun.

Here's another pic (from 2002)...

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by EricF

I raced for about 12 years. It started with mountain bikes in the early 90's, but I got hooked on the pure speed and tactical aspects of road racing a few years later. 2004 was my most successful year (including a State Criterium Championship title), but it was also my last year of pinning a number on my back. The time required to maintain race fitness seriously conflicted with my need to spend time with a growing family and my renewed interest in playing music. Also, my motivation to push my body that hard started fading. I worked my a$$ off for a long time, and got some good results from it. I still enjoy riding when I get a chance, but the desire to train like I used to (it affects you whole lifestyle) is gone. I pretty much had to re-teach myself how to ride just for fun.

I also started out with mountain and trail biking, but I really enjoyed being able to listen to tunes and cruise at fast speeds.

I hear ya on the training thing. I don't mind working out an hour a day, but I know I'd need to do much more to be on the top of my game. Having time is always the challenge.

I know what you mean about biking for fun. Sometimes the training gets tedious and sometimes I get out with my friends and get in race mode.

[EricF]

Originally Posted by spade2you

I hear ya on the training thing. I don't mind working out an hour a day, but I know I'd need to do much more to be on the top of my game. Having time is always the challenge.

An hour a day will certainly get you some decent basic fitness, but if you plan to race, you really need train for going fast in a big group. It's a very different dynamic than riding alone or in a small group.

My typical weekly schedule was:
Mon - Off
Tues - 1 hour moderate + 1-1.5 hours race simulation (big group ride, very fast and agressive)
Wed - Group ride with multiple climbs (hard pace)
Thurs - Off
Fri - Off or 1 hr easy
Sat - Long group ride (fast-brutal pace, 50-65 miles) or Long Climbs or Race
Sun - Race or 1.5-2 hrs moderate tempo

Between a full-time job, a wife, and 2 young kids, trying to get 4-5 productive training days in became more and more of a struggle.

[RWP]

What the??

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by EricF

An hour a day will certainly get you some decent basic fitness, but if you plan to race, you really need train for going fast in a big group. It's a very different dynamic than riding alone or in a small group.

I read ya loud and clear. Usually when it gets warmer, I tend to bike at a decent clip for about 30 miles, about 5 times a week. Nebraska definitely isn't the best place in the world for biking, which usually means that my fellow cyclists suffer the same odds.

I love group rides, but I work 50% evenings, so I get one week of group rides and a week on my own. Really my goal is just to be on the racing team at this point. Everything else is a bonus. Naturally, I go for what I can, but I can't complain when I had such horrible childhood asthma. I couldn't run down the block, but I can run a sub 5 minute mile and bike really well.

[EricF]

The best thing you can do is ride with other racers. There is a LOT to be learned from those with experience.

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by EricF

The best thing you can do is ride with other racers. There is a LOT to be learned from those with experience.

Very much so. Plus it's so much more efficient riding in a group.

[Hoover]

Here's my "good" bike (note: this photo was taken the day I brought it home; I've since replaced the toeclips w/ Speedplays, and removed that humongous dork disc)



and here's my "commuter" bike (which also now sports Speedplays, as well as a new Thomson seatpost and Selle Italia SLR saddle)

[Shishkbob]

it is hybrid but i love the tires.

[theshadow2001]

Originally Posted by ibanezcollector

nice... the cables in that will be a pain in the rear if you ever have to replace those..

I know from experience on that one.. Get a few beers your going to be there a while hahaha..

Or you could just get a piece of string or wire and pull it through with the cable. Then pull the new cable through with the wire. No beer required

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by spade2you

Very much so. Plus it's so much more efficient riding in a group.

Forgot to mention that @#%#$^@%$ motorists are less likely to screw with bikers in a pack than individual bikers. Locally, we have a problem with rednecks and douche bags messing with cyclists for their own personal enjoyment. At least they're smart enough to realize that in a pack, someone is definitely getting their license and calling the cops.

[jp1994]

This is my "road bike":