Learning to Ride With Others

I've got to confess, I'm a bit of a competitive cyclist regardless of the ride and whom I'm riding with. Be it a group, a friend or even by myself I always pushing myself to go harder and faster. It's probably why I prefer to ride alone, but I'm hoping to change that. I've been riding the streets of New York alone for too long, but I'm now starting to find more and more people who are just as passionate about cycling as I am.

Having moved to New York five years ago my interests have floated over a number of old hobbies. However, I didn't consider cycling early on because I used to think New York wasn't much of a cycling city. Boy was I wrong. With the growing popularity of cycling across the US it's quite surprising to see the wave hit New York with such force. Everything from hip fixed-gear fashionistas in Williamsburg to club racers in Central Park. It might not be as big of a boom as it is in Portland or other self-proclaimed cycling friendly cities, but there certainly a wide gamut of riders, including mountain bikers.

So, back to the topic of riding with others, I have to relearn its inherent etiquettes. I'm sort of new to of group rides on the road, the ones similar to the peloton of the Tour de France. There are unspoken rules that make riding with a group efficient and enjoyable, but above all, safe. Riding with just one other should be no different, something I still have to practice. I realized no one likes to be left behind or feel like they're out their element. So on those days I need to dial it back and let them dictate the speed.

Riding with others, especially ones that are faster than you are only make you better, in moderation. Growing up I had my dad to keep pushing me, followed by my friends in high school. Then I started racing mountain bikes, and it was a completely different world then on. I found myself surrounded by faster riders than I was. I gradually got faster, but didn't know how to maintain that growth.

Now I'm finding faster groups and people to ride with again, but I feel like I missed out on a few years of prime development as a cyclist. I'm not kidding myself into thinking I could be the very best, but, like I said, I'm competitive by nature. It doesn't hurt to keep trying. To keep striving to be better, faster, stronger.

[UPDATE] Shortly after publishing this blog post I read this great article about training with others.

19º at Central Park

I rode Central Park again for the second time in my life on Sunday. I was one of the few brave souls on a bike in the 19º bitter cold. Definitely the coldest day I've ever ridden on. My legs were pretty fried from my epic ride yesterday, but I wasn't about to waste away another sunny day.

What took me so long to discover one of New York's best place to ride a bike? Maybe it's all the stories I've heard of riders getting ticketed for speeding and running red lights, or maybe it's because I've been to the park on a busy Sunday afternoon. However, due to the ridiculously cold temperature I pretty much had the entire park to myself, minus all the walkers, joggers and horse carriages.

I started off riding through Williamsburg and Greenpoint, rather than riding through Manhattan. I hate the city's traffic. I'm no longer intimidated by it, but it still air on the side of caution. There's a fairly new bike path that runs up along the Brooklyn side of the East River that's been in development over the last few years, and it makes getting uptown quite easy without worrying about traffic.

Shortly after I cross into Long Island City, Queens. The bitter cold is already starting to penetrate my many layers.

Riding across the Queensboro Bridge offers a great view of the east side of Manhattan as well as a short gradual climb to keep my body temperature up.

Randall's Island is just to the left which is accessible through a cable car.

A short ride cross town, and I'm in the Central Park. Even in the dead of winter the park has a lush and lively quality about it. The roads twist and turn, go up and down, and make you forget you're in the middle of one of the biggest cities in the world.

Due to my heavy effort on Saturday I start to feel the cold seep into my muscles. My bottles have already frozen on my, and my Garmin is starting to act up again. Sadly, I forgot to bring any food with me and decided after two laps around the park to turn back the way I came. Even the new winter gloves I recently got were no match for the intense cold. Total distance: 30 miles. I definitely need a day to recover, or at least spin indoors till it warms up again.

Too Cold to Even Take a Single Picture for This Post

I rode up to Nyack on Saturday morning to increase my 'holy shit it's cold and windy outside' threshold. Total elevation gain was roughly 3,500 ft over the 70 mile route. Surprisingly there were a quite few brave souls out on the road who also felt the need to ride no matter what. I like that it gives me some bragging rights for suffering it out in the dead of winter. It was cold to say the least. At 30º the entire day I had to be prepared. I had on a thin base layer, a thick long-arm jersey, a soft-shell jacket, thermal 3/4 tights, shoe covers, winter gloves, a cap and a new winter collar, all from Rapha. What can I say, I'm a brand whore, but they make really great stuff, unadorned with flashy graphics. Here's a good blog post from Rapha about winter attire. I get cold really easily, and layering is essential for cold weather riding. I like to be able to regulate my heat by zipping and un-zipping things, rather than having to stop and change.

“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” - Sir Ranulph Fiennes

It was so cold in fact that my water bottles began to freeze. At one point I had to stop to unscrew the cap just to get a drink of water. Not only did my water freeze but my Clif bars and my Garmin did, too, which is why you'll see on my Strava page that the ride was broken into two parts. It was so cold that I didn't even bother to take a single picture of my ride, which I usually do.

I also decided to take a new route towards the George Washington Bridge by cutting through Long Island City in Queens, over the Queensboro Bridge, up through Central Park and along Riverside Drive. It was my first time riding through Queens as well as Central Park, which I found to be quite beautiful despite the massive amounts of people crisscrossing the lanes. There was definitely a lot more climbing involved compared to my usual route along the flat and rather boring ride along the Hudson River Greenway.

The ride itself was nice as usual, and it's a bit further than I usually go. I began to feel fatigue later on, as my effort getting through Queens and Manhattan was intense yet really fun. My energy level was plummeting fast, and thankfully I hooked up with a group on 9W that pulled me back into the city at a very fast pace, averaging at least 20-24 mph.

I missed my turn back into Central Park, but managed to snake my way back halfway down through the park. At this point all I could think about was taking a hot shower and eating something non-frozen. Even at 70 miles I felt really good afterwards. I could tell my endurance has picked up over the past few months as well as my power. Old man winter, bring it on.

Trustworthy x 2

I updated the page about my bikes, an Independent Fabrication Crown Jewel and a Specialized Epic Expert Carbon 29er. The road bike is over 10 years old now, and the mountain bike is fairly new to me, but they both instill great confidence on the road and on the trail, respectively.

Bear Mountain

The ride to Bear Mountain is long and hard. I did this on a whim to see if I could do it. It was an early October morning when I set out on the longest single-day ride of my life. 120 miles to be exact. I didn't know what to expect other than to follow route 9W, way north of the city. So with a saddle bag of tools, four Clif Bars, and two bottles of water I set out on a day long adventure into unknown territory.

New York City will always be an inescapable concrete jungle to me. For years since moving here I was content living within its confines, exploring its many cultural corners, however coming from the Northwest a sense of imbalance slowly crept into my consciousness. Where are the mountains and trees? How does one get out of here without a car? Get me out of here! I didn't realize how much of a country boy I was deep down inside till this year. The stress of city life have compounded and concentrated to the point of having to regularly seek refuge some 30 miles north of home.

Thankfully there lies a break from the honking horns, crowds of people and the smell of exhaust, but you really have to work for it, like most things in New York. Once you're on the other side of the George Washington bridge the land really opens up to some gorgeous landscape, full of rocky cliffs and endless tree-line. Surprisingly enough it begins in New Jersey, which is where the Henry Hudson Drive starts.

Following Henry Hudson Drive along the water is truly special. Maybe it's because I've been away from the Northwest, which has endless amounts of road just like it, but I can't help feel happy excited every time I ride it. I guess it's the novelty of having something so pristine and untouched just on the other side of the river that makes it so special to me. I'm not the only one who'll agree, judging by the crowds of cyclists it draws every weekend, especially the past few since the weather has been cooperating so well.

9W takes you through some really cute towns like Piermont and Nyack. My wife grew up in Piermont so it's really cool to see where she came from. But once you're past Haverstraw and beyond the roadway becomes really grim and tough. This is about 40 miles into the ride where it becomes apparent that you're out on your own, so you'd better be prepared.

Cars give way to semi-trucks as the trees and cliffs grow taller by the mile. I can't help but feel the weight of the city lift off my shoulders as I'm truly out in the wild, where cell-phone reception dwindles at every turn. You know you're out in the sticks when you only have a bar or two of reception.

The climb to the summit of Bear Mountain wasn't as crazy as I was anticipating. I'm not sure what the elevation gain was, but I recall climbing for a good half hour till I got a flat tire. I had brought an extra tube, which is something I recommend in addition to a patch kit if you're planning on riding more than 75 miles. Nothing is worse when you're completely stranded and miles from home. It's never happened to me, and hopefully it never will.

The view from the summit is amazing. You can even make out the city way out in the distance. It felt really good to have reached my destination surrounded by people who drove to the top. I'm sure they were all thinking, 'what's this guy doing up here? Did he get here by bike?'. I stayed long enough to finish my last bottle of water, knowing this is only the halfway point. 60 miles to go.

The ride back is where I began to suffer. With 80 miles into the ride and 40 more to go I realize I didn't bring enough food. I push through. I'm moving at snail's pace when I hit the bridge. I make it back into the city just fine, but had to stop for a hot dog, just off the Hudson River Greenway. The sun was setting and I wanted to make it home without stopping for more food.

Rides like this take time to recover from. I made the mistake of layering incorrectly and was pretty cold for most of the morning. I set out just as the sun rose, and spent half the ride in damp shade, later developing a congested cough I couldn't shake for a week. I was off the bike for a few days.

I look forward to doing this ride again as soon as the weather warms up. It's virtually the same course as the upcoming Gran Fondo in May, and I want to make sure I ride it again beforehand. It'll also be good training for the Leadville 100 in August.

The Ultimate Explorer

Darren Berrecloth drives around Utah for three straight weeks in search of the perfect zone.

Continental Gatorskin Tires

My first impressions on the Continental Gatorskin tires after a handful of long rides are pretty good. Despite having my first flat on them the other day on a training ride, due to a roofing nail going straight through, they seem impervious to debris that would have otherwise cut through the casing of my previous tire, the Michelin Pro Race 3. Even while the tire continued to lose air it felt very stable.

They are a tiny bit heavier, but the more robust casing and durable tread make up in overall performance. I went with a lighter tube from Continental so they rotational weight is fairly comparable.

Mated with the new grey finish of the Mavic Open Pro CD my new wheels are looking great. Love the orange lettering of the tire, and wished the rim decals matched, but then again I don't like bike stuff to be 100% coordinated.

Again, this is a short-term review and we'll see how these tires really hold up over the long haul. The compound and slight tread pattern, while a little nerve-racking at first, feel very responsive. I haven't ridden them in the rain yet, which will reveal their true strength and weaknesses.

Breakfast of Champions

 

I used to skip breakfast all the time, but now I can't function without it, especially now that I'm a morning person. It's even more important before a hard workout or long ride. I'm a simple cook, and every morning I have either oatmeal or granola. This morning I poached a perfect egg on whole wheat toast, along with some orange juice, oatmeal and coffee. I'll add a banana on top which will tip the calorie count over 400. Cycling has really opened my eyes to better nutrition and overall habits.

Winter Gloves

Just got new winter gloves when I thought the weather was taking a turn for the worst. The last cold ride I did left my fingers painfully numb. However, the past weekend was perfect for riding. I did 35 miles on Friday, 60 on Saturday, and a short 14 mile recovery ride with my wife on Sunday. New York doesn't have the most predictable weather, so I'm certain I'll be slipping these on in the near future.

Cunningham Park

I took advantage of another warm day in Brooklyn and rode out to Cunningham Park in Queens for a little mountain biking. It's one of three accessible mountain bike specific parks in New York City. I rode 15 miles to the trail head and did about 5 miles of fast rolling single-track. While it lacks in good long sustained climbs it makes up in overall fun with technical twisty trails.

The trailhead is at 210th St in Oakland Gardens, Queens. It's maintained by CLIMB (Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists).

The trails are directional and pretty well-marked. Since it's directional you rarely see anyone on the trail. The park also features a few pump tracks, and bunch of technical sections with log rollers, drops and jumps.

The mud that day was rather sneaky. What looked like hard-pack dirt turned out to be very tacky and soupy underneath. I slid out a few times, but managed to stay pretty clean. I can't say the same for my bike.

Cunningham is good for a quick fix. It has a bit of everything, and is close enough to either take a train or ride there.

Wheel Build

I recently rebuilt my wheels on my road bike. I went with an updated Mavic Open Pro CD rim, which hasn't changed much in design, meaning that these are a tried and true product. They're relatively light and very durable compared to what's out there today. I rode on my last set for 10 years and put thousands of miles on them. I used the same DT Swiss Competition spokes and alloy nipples, making this a really easy rim swap.

I own a Park Tool home mechanic wheel truing stand, which gets the job done, but in retrospect I should have bought their professional stand for more accuracy.

I tape the rims together and make sure the eyelets match up because they are slightly offset for right and left spokes.

One by one I gradually loosen each spoke nipple till I see the majority of the threads. From there I transfer each pair (spoke and nipple) to the new rim, but clean and lube the threads before each swap. Besides having a spoke wrench it's helpful to have a flathead screwdriver on hand.

Once I've re-threaded all the spokes and nipples to the new rim I start tightening everything down. I start off by tightening each spoke nipple a whole revolution till it's relatively taught. This is where real skill comes into play. Not only do you have to center the wheel horizontally you have to make sure it remains round vertically. Tension is crucial as you don't want too much or too little. This is where I'm gambling a bit since I don't own a tension meter. Having built wheels in the past I have a fairly good idea of how tight they should be.

The whole process took me around four hours. I remounted the old Velox rim strip and installed my new tires and tubes. After a few rides everything seems to be perfect. Along with the new rims I installed new brake pads. With new wheels there's always a break-in period where everything will need a slight adjustment.

I'm just happy and proud of myself that I didn't forget how to build wheels, even from scratch, where you'll need a spoke calculator and an understanding of lacing patterns. I have a feeling I'll be testing those skills soon enough.

Maine

As winter begins to take hold here in Brooklyn, I can't help think about warmer times. This past summer we went up to Maine for a wedding. We also rented mountain bikes for the weekend and road all over Acadia National Park. But what struck me to be the more memorable ride was a random outing through Blue Hill, where I came upon this gorgeous section of trail off main the road. It only lasted a few hundred yards, but the timing and scenery was perfect. It reminded me of the good old days of scouting hidden trails, often making new ones in my hometown of Vancouver, WA.

I think what I rode through was a farm of sorts. Maybe blueberries. You can see faint lines delineating sections of brush. For all I know I was trespassing, but I didn't see any signs. No harm done.

The path meandered down towards the water, cutting through boulder fields, gradually turning into brush.

It was my first time in Maine, and it reminded me a lot of the Pacific Northwest with its rolling hills and endless tree line. I look forward to my next visit.

Colder Than Cold

Just a few days ago it was a pleasant 50º, and this week it dropped well below 30º. On Tuesday I went for a ride to test out some new winter gear I got this Christmas, a new Rapha winter jersey and a pair of 3/4 bib shorts. It was 24º by the time I hit the road, and a part of me wanted to turn back immediately. It was so cold by the end of the ride my hands were numb. Guess it's time to upgrade to some winter specific gloves.

Not only was it 24º there was a 15 mph northeast wind gust making it even colder, not to mention I rode along the waterfront a bit.

At this point the cold has penetrated the outer layer of my new jersey, which is lined with a heavy merino wool fabric and windproof chest panels. I also had a base layer underneath, but I think it was the super windy conditions that did me in. However, once I got rolling and warmed up I didn't notice it as much. I think wearing a lightweight shell would have been perfect.

What I appreciate most about this jersey is the pocket layout on the back. There are two large pockets, along with a large and small zip compartment. I could easily carry a jacket, food and my usual stuff. There's also a thin reflective band at the bottom which is a nice detail. Overall the construction is superb. I even got one for my Dad this Christmas.

The 3/4 bib shorts are perfect for rides below 40º. They're lined with a fleece-backed Thermoroubaix fabric. I prefer this length to full on tights.

Halfway into my ride, near Coney Island my shifting started to act up. Upon closer inspection my rear derailleur cable stop inside the shifter came loose, forcing me to ride in my 11 tooth cog. What's worse is that my drivetrain is so worn down that cross-gearing from my 39 tooth chainring would skip all over the place. I rode all the way home in my highest gear, beaten by the cold with stumpy frozen fingers. Surprisingly I finished in good time.

Power to the People

So lately I've been curious about power meters. I understand their advantages over other methods of tracking efforts and training, but most of the options available are way too expensive, costing anywhere from $600 to $3,000. There are crank based meters, pedal meters, hub, and even heart rate based power meters. They're such an investment I want to make the best informed decision possible.

Garmin is coming out with their Vector pedal based power meter this march, but that would require me to buy another set of road specific shoes. Quarq and SRM make crank arm solutions, but they're expensive and would take away the classic and understated look of my bike. CycleOps offers hubs that seem fairly reasonable with the least amount of set up, granted that I know how to build wheels.

Is it too much to go through all the trouble of having to build a new rear wheel, and probably upgrading my Garmin watch to a computer? Well, I'm beginning to understand my limiters in cycling, and heart rate based training can only take you so far. In observing efforts through wattage there's nothing more absolute and accurate. Ultimately, I think I could train better with a power meter.

In the meantime I'll be researching different setups and components, their advantages and disadvantages. If you have previous experience with any of the above mentioned systems I'd love to get your feedback.

Another Blast from the Past

My first real mountain bike was a chromoly Specialized Stumpjumper from REI. It had a custom Rock Shox air/oil front suspension fork and a Shimano LX groupo. I gradually customized it with a Gorilla brake booster and Bear Trap pedals amongst other unnecessary upgrades. It was a great starter bike.

I tore it apart and put it back together again, stripping bolts along the way. I borrowed Sloane's New Bicycle Maintenance Manual from the library and absorbed as much as I could. It's how I got into becoming a bicycle mechanic.

My dad snapped this shot of me, just as we descended the Dog River trail near Mt. Hood. It was one of my first group rides with my local shop, Custom Bicycles, who eventually became my first employer. I was sporting my dad's old Nike running shoes because they were so spongy and gripped so well with my pedals. I also had on a pair of protective shop glasses. Talk about performance on a budget.

New Years Eve Ride

Having signed up for the Gran Fondo New York coming up this May I got excited and decided to ride a section of the course on Saturday. It was a great day for riding. The sun was out and the temperature was a nice 50º, rather warm for being the end of December. I think everyone realized we weren't going to have many days like this and decided to hit the road, too. I ended up doing 60 miles and 5,000ft of climbing.

At the last-minute I met up with my friend Fred at the start of the George Washington Bridge. We had a miscommunication over time, and I ended up waiting for him for a while, which was cool because it made for good people/rider watching. He showed up on his Salsa full-suspension mountain bike. If I had known he was riding that I would have joined him on mine.

Going over the bridge. See yeah, NYC.

At the top of one of many climbs along Henry Hudson Drive.

A section of the road was closed to traffic. It's quite bumpy in sections with a lot of debris, good for honing in maneuvering skills.

One of many views of the Hudson River.

Nice wide shoulder along 9W. Plenty of room to ride and pass people safely. The halfway point for us was in Lamont, just past the New Jersey/New York borderline, and had a quick bite to eat before turning around.

It's such a unique and challenging place to ride. On my way back I caught a few groups, and someone trying to chase me down. He/she kept a good pace and pressured me to keep pushing all the way back to the bridge.

The view on my way home.

New Year Goals

Happy new years everyone! I've set some lofty goals for myself this year, all of which I believe are attainable with the right planning, discipline and motivation. It's pretty cool to see how far I've come along in the last six months of cycling; remembering what pain and self punishment feel like, knowing I can go further and harder than I think I can, rediscovering how fun and simple riding a bike can be.

In no particular order here's a short list of things I want to accomplish in 2012:

• Race the Leadville 100 in under nine hours • Ride across the country in less than 30 days • Do a mountain bike stage race • Give cyclocross another shot • Ride a back-to-back century

Wish me luck.

Gran Fondo New York

I just remembered to register for the second annual Gran Fondo New York this May. A Gran Fondo is a pseudo race that combines aspects of a century ride mixed with Italian culture. I remembered because I planned on riding part of the course this weekend. It's an out and back race that starts at the George Washington Bridge, and goes up to Bear Mountain along Henry Hudson Drive and 9W. It's a total of 100 miles and over 8,000ft. of climbing, with four timed climbs. Close to 3,000 riders turned up last year from all over the world, including pro racer George Hincape.

Saddle of Choice

I'm riding Specialized's Phenom saddles, chromoly railed on my mountain bike and carbon railed on my road bike. I first tried this saddle out on my earlier mountain bike and found it to be super comfortable. Before I even had a mountain bike this year I was riding a Brooks titanium Swallow on my road bike, which is really nice, but I wanted to have a consistent setup across two very different bikes. So, if you're interested, I have a highly coveted saddle for sale.

Before I was on that Brooks Swallow I rode an older Selle Italia Flight for years. I will never go back. While extremely light, the Selle saddle was way too narrow and uncomfortable on rides longer than an hour, road or mountain. I also rode on an older WTB saddle, the one with a wide rear and pronounced curved nose. That was really comfortable, but not as light or as maneuverable.

The Phenom was engineered in Specialized's Body Geometry lab to relieve problems of soreness and numbness, hence the center cutout and width options. The carbon railed Phenom Pro also takes the edge off of road bumps while lightening my bike a tad. The overall shape provides just the right amount of support without digging into my legs, as well as the ability to slide off the back in really steep and technical descents.

Prospect Park

We live 5 minutes away from Prospect Park by bike. It's roughly a three mile loop with a couple of hills, enough to get some speed going down, and long enough to feel the burn on the way up. It has a one way two lane road for cars and another set for cyclists and pedestrians. However, be careful of going too fast. It's a pretty good place to train, and more importantly, unwind.

I'm usually at the park early in the morning, weather permitting, or later in the afternoon on weekdays. I ride anywhere from one to two hours, putting in 20-30 miles.

It gets a little too crazy over the weekend, but the park is closed to traffic. It's good for going at your own pace since there's a lot of room to ride. I often see members of the Kissena Bicycle Club spinning in their pace lines pushing 25 mph on the flats, so there's definitely competition out there to push me along. I probably wouldn't have gotten back on the saddle so hard if it weren't for this park.