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Today May 2021

lynskey is pretty light, considering the bike size, and that it includes extras like bottle cages, rear light... extra steerer lenght?! ;)

Road bike:

I would have taken the light off but it's strapped on with zip ties since I broke the Cateye mount. Bottle cages are rubber and don't weigh much? Steerer I am reluctant to cut. The stem is slammed now. I did 200km in the drops yesterday, but this bike will last forever, so I'll appreciate being able to raise the handlebars when it becomes my old age shopping bike! Sealant in the tyres also adds 200g, so if you really wanted to strip it down for a hillclimb it would be maybe 8.2kg.

Plus 1kg for the Gravel bike:

Heavier frame material. Big dinner plate cassette, but maybe offset by no front derailleur. Bigger handlebars. Bottle cages are carbon, so probably similar? 300ml of sealant, so an extra 100g. Heavier MTB pedals?

Geometry wise both bikes are quite similar, so I'm hoping I can switch between road and offroad easily.

Andy
 
I have been getting the urge to start back up on the trainer with some actual intent vs just pedaling when I feel like it.
I know once I make the commitment it is an hour a day in my bike room wishing I were outside instead, but I also know I am weaker now than a year ago at this time.... I have been riding my trainer in flats since my knee injury - I am planning to give SPDs a shot in a day or two to see if I can unclip. If so - that might be the last bit of motivation I need. I am going to spend a long time in the US this summer and want to build up a base before I go so after it all slips away over the summer I can be back to where I am now. I am contemplating sending my Gravel bike to Indiana so I have bikes at both of my destinations stateside.

In Virginia I plan to ride tons of trail, but also https://www.virginiacapitaltrail.org/
In indiana there is just nothing except this - https://cardinalgreenways.org/

The problem is balancing family obligation and the riding. Both are somewhat convenient, but neither are right in the backyard of where we are staying.
 
@bloaker Although most of Indiana is flat, there is still a lot of good riding. The cycleways are paved and well maintained, nice riding but a bit tame for someone who likes dirt. Also, there are still plenty of gravel roads to enjoy. Southern Indiana has some great riding. If you happen to be near Brown County, you'll find some really good MTB riding near Brown County state park. Probably not as technical as you're used to though. https://www.browncounty.com/mountain-biking/. The southern area around Madison is also hilly, scenic, and has several wineries.

Huge biking community near Bloomington (Breaking Away...Cutters). Some nice bike shops and a Ritchey dealer called Bike Doctor. Owner's father did a cameo appearance in Breaking Away. Small shop but interesting place. (If you want a new Ritchey, you could have it waiting for you in Indiana for your arrival...just sayin :ashamed:).
 
@bloaker Although most of Indiana is flat, there is still a lot of good riding. The cycleways are paved and well maintained, nice riding but a bit tame for someone who likes dirt. Also, there are still plenty of gravel roads to enjoy. Southern Indiana has some great riding. If you happen to be near Brown County, you'll find some really good MTB riding near Brown County state park. Probably not as technical as you're used to though. https://www.browncounty.com/mountain-biking/. The southern area around Madison is also hilly, scenic, and has several wineries.

Huge biking community near Bloomington (Breaking Away...Cutters). Some nice bike shops and a Ritchey dealer called Bike Doctor. Owner's father did a cameo appearance in Breaking Away. Small shop but interesting place. (If you want a new Ritchey, you could have it waiting for you in Indiana for your arrival...just sayin :ashamed:).
Sadly all my riding needs to be striking distance from Muncie. If I do get a chance to escape Muncie solo - I will probably shoot to Indianapolis. One of my old motorcycle buddies lives across from Butler University. He has driven out to meet me in Muncie the last 2 trips, so I kind of owe him! :D

I suspect I will get up around 4am and be on the bike by 5. Back by 9 so it isn't considered "rude" that I am bailing on the in-laws.
In Virginia, I will get up at 4, leave the house by 5 and get home by 6pm. Oddly, that is expected when I am visiting my family.
I just need to set up the Wifey with a plan that keeps her and the kids occupied - which isn't too hard.

I am thinking the gravel bike with flats would be a good recreational bike to have out there. I don't have too much money wrapped up in it, so leaving it there isn't too big a deal. I just know the sealant will need to be changed ever visit.
 
Done a few random cycles this month so far, in search of bars that are open in south Kanagawa and also towards the west / east of the prefecture. Noticed a lot more people on the roads too, but not an increase in safety. A few riders have been riding two or three abreast, making it hard to pass on narrow roads, or hogging up the middle of bike lanes around Yokohama.

One good thing though was cycling along the Samukawa and the partially completed cycle road. Very smooth surface but still someway to go until it is fully completed.

Edit: can't share the video here as it's too large (20mb) but here's a link taken from my phone.
 
Jumped on the trainer this morning and set it to the longer FTP training course for beginners. I figure easing back in will be the way I need to go. I went the extra step and used SPDs. I uncliped 6 times or so with no pain. This is a major step forward for me as I was unable to unclip just 2 months ago. Now I have a little more motivation to wipe down the trek, swap out the bars/stem and get back on the road a little. I just need to get my road legs back.

Riding the MTB locally is just like doing wind sprints. Quick stab on the gas, relax 10 seconds, repeat. So the more I mtb, the quicker I am up some of these punchy road climbs. But I lose that comfort with high cadence spinning in the process. Looking forward to getting my road legs back!
 
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How is your knee feeling, @bloaker?
I have good and bad days. It is just becoming more good than bad now.
I am definitely more capable now than in Feb/Mar - but I get more disappointed when I can't do things now more than then.
Squatting and Kneeling are two things that are still off the board for me.
 
Rode the Trek outside with SPDs today. First attempt at clipping in outside since I got hurt. Success - but it was a neighborhood scoot - so no sweat or effort. Just taking it easy and ensuring I am not going to hurt myself unclipping or spinning. Pulling up on the pedal is a concern - but it was quickly put to rest.

A short while later, I hopped on the trainer for an hour. I used to run into pain at just 200w, today as part of this "intro" training course I hit 500+ repeatedly.
Did it feel good? Nope. But it didn't hurt. I left my FTP set to where it was last year - so I do have some concerns over what it will want me to do. Luckily I know to back off if things get a little too much.


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I have lately been envious of the bikers on trains who can fit their bikes into small bags. It looks so much easier to deal with when on crowded trains.

In the past, I have purchased the Ostrich SL100 bag (both wheels off type bag) and spent a lot of time trying to get my bike in it in a reasonable timeframe and w/o scratching up the frame with the wheels. No luck. Takes me forever to get it bagged up and the wheels move enough that the skewers can scratch the frame. Also, my 56 frame doesn't fit in the bag. The fork tends to stick out.

I also have the Montbell bag where you remove both wheels, turn the bike upside down, and throw the bag over the top. Again, it takes longer to do this, the bike is upside down (so water or bike bag contents can spill out), and securing the wheels to the frame w/o scratching the frame up looks pretty difficult since the wheels tend to move around a bit.

So, my 'go to' bag is the Montbell bag where I remove only the front wheel. Takes only about two minutes to get the bike ready and I can secure the front wheel to the frame in a way where it doesn't move around. I'm happy with it but sure would like to be able to reduce the inconvenience to others on crowded trains of having a longish bike sticking out, if I'm not lucky enough to get the last car in the train.

If anyone can suggest a both-wheels-off bike bag that will fit a 56 frame, is quick to use, and secures the wheels in a way that won't scratch the frame, please let me know.
 
I have lately been envious of the bikers on trains who can fit their bikes into small bags. It looks so much easier to deal with when on crowded trains.

In the past, I have purchased the Ostrich SL100 bag (both wheels off type bag) and spent a lot of time trying to get my bike in it in a reasonable timeframe and w/o scratching up the frame with the wheels. No luck. Takes me forever to get it bagged up and the wheels move enough that the skewers can scratch the frame. Also, my 56 frame doesn't fit in the bag. The fork tends to stick out.

I also have the Montbell bag where you remove both wheels, turn the bike upside down, and throw the bag over the top. Again, it takes longer to do this, the bike is upside down (so water or bike bag contents can spill out), and securing the wheels to the frame w/o scratching the frame up looks pretty difficult since the wheels tend to move around a bit.

So, my 'go to' bag is the Montbell bag where I remove only the front wheel. Takes only about two minutes to get the bike ready and I can secure the front wheel to the frame in a way where it doesn't move around. I'm happy with it but sure would like to be able to reduce the inconvenience to others on crowded trains of having a longish bike sticking out, if I'm not lucky enough to get the last car in the train.

If anyone can suggest a both-wheels-off bike bag that will fit a 56 frame, is quick to use, and secures the wheels in a way that won't scratch the frame, please let me know.

Everytime i look at my bag, i feel glad i moved to Saitama 😌

I have that same Ostrich SL 100, found it a pain in the ass, but eventually got faster at packing the bike.
I think there is an Youtube video showing how to pack a bike in an Ostrich bag (which is not the Sl 100). Although it is not the same bag, it gave me a few ideias on how to pack it quicker and with the wheels (almost) secure in place. I did bought that rear deraileur piece though (more weight to the kit)
 
Everytime i look at my bag, i feel glad i moved to Saitama 😌

I have that same Ostrich SL 100, found it a pain in the ass, but eventually got faster at packing the bike.
I think there is an Youtube video showing how to pack a bike in an Ostrich bag (which is not the Sl 100). Although it is not the same bag, it gave me a few ideias on how to pack it quicker and with the wheels (almost) secure in place. I did bought that rear deraileur piece though (more weight to the kit)
I've watched that video several times (love the music). ;) Already with putting on the rear triangle piece, removing the rear wheel, setting the bike in the bag and pulling it up over the bike (vs. dropping the bag down from the top), and attaching the wheels in a way they don't scrape against the frame, it still takes me too long and the bike still doesn't fit anyway. Some places I've been, the trains run only once or twice an hour so missing a train because of faffing around with a bike bag is really a bummer.
 
I have this RK02. https://www.yama-maruto.com/o/RK02.html

Upside down 2 wheel off but the cover goes underneath. Budget maybe 5 mins to pack but its fairly no fuss.
I had a look at the video, especially the part where he secures the wheels. I tried it out and I think that method works pretty well. Pretty quick too. Thanks.

While looking at that video, I stumbled across this one.
Has some really good tips about how to use the SL-100 and pack the bike. Much better than the Ostrich provided video, in case anyone out there, besides me, is having difficulty.
 
Day 3 of riding on the trainer with SPDs. No ill effects - but my legs are showing some signs of waking up.
No - they are not strong, but instead of just feeling like I got in some spinning, there is some residual "I got a little bit of a workout" feeling in the legs. Not the worn down or worked over feeling - just a the good feeling of having used muscles.

Only issue I have had so far was yesterday. I was doing some 115 cadence sprints and I could feel my calves bouncing or jostling or whatever you call it. I was not bouncing in the seat and no issues anywhere else except my calves. I don't think I have ever noticed it before, but I was wearing low cut running socks vs my normal mid calf cycling socks. Today I wore cycling socks, but just up to the bottom of my calf, but my cadence never exceeded 90 today for any sustained period. Maybe it was a fluke.
 
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