Will my bike make it
Thread started by
ameerhzz at 10.22.07 - 12:42 am
Im in for this trip since my buddy is in IRAQ. I hope that some how the 160 miles that Im going to ride for him spritually gets to him and makes his stay in Iraq peacefuller. Anyways can someone tell me if my bike will make it. I dont have a photo but Ill post it later on. I read that you guys made it with bikes that were breaking apart is that true.
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Because I am clairvoyant, I happen to know that you are talking about the LA to SD ride even though you didn't make it clear in the title or body of your post.
Please don't do a 100+ mile ride on a bicycle of doubtful roadworthiness. A good sign of doubtful roadworthiness in a bicycle is an inclination on the part of its owner to ask strangers on the Internet whether or not the bicycle is roadworthy.
Please, please, please don't try this ride unless or until you get the bike checked and cleared by a competent bicycle mechanic. Breaking down in the middle of the city sucks. Breaking down in between cities REALLY REALLY REALLY fucking sucks.
PC10.22.07 - 1:19 am
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damn thanks for the advice I just registered as a ridazz member and have a bike, but dont know anything else. Ill get it checked by a bike mechanic, but ill still post a pic anyways. The funny thing is the first time I saw Ridazz bikers I went to my psychiatrist and told him that I think I might be Schizophrenic. He asked me what did you see. I told him that I saw about 500 people on bicycles screaming out "Bike Wars". This was the second time I saw this making me question whether the first time was real and the second was all in my head. The third time I saw Ridazz riders I was sitting at Denny's and my friend said "hey look at those bikers" and I didnt know what to say so I guess this was all not a hallucination after all. I still think Im Schizo, but anyways looking forward to riding and meeting new people and hope I can make this trip.
ameerhzz10.22.07 - 1:27 am
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OK, well, this is the last time I'm going to beg you to do anything, but please please please look through the
PC10.22.07 - 2:05 am
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...LA to SD thread and read Tern's advice regarding training and fitness for this ride. It's not for beginners. If you don't have the legs, lungs, and heart for a 120-mile ride at a spirited pace, you will have a thoroughly miserable time both before and after you get dropped.
(The hungry MR forum software ate this part of my last post.)
PC10.22.07 - 2:07 am
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Finally here is my bike. PC are you going on this trip? I used to be a track runner. I did the 400 meters. I have a good heart. Check it my bike im still gonna get it checked at the bike shop.
ameerhzz10.22.07 - 2:20 am
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by the way what does Door'd mean? its on the opening paragraph of the la 2 sd trip talking about someone got door'd.
ameerhzz10.22.07 - 2:23 am
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Riding that mountain bike to go to SD is going to consume a lot of energy for 2 reason. 1 full suspension which takes away the force pushing you forward by going down, and 2 the tires which aren't slick and will have a lot of friction/resistance.
Try and get a road bike. You'll be WAY better off.
richtotheie10.22.07 - 2:23 am
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To be doored ("door'd" is the alternate spelling, chiefly used by cyclists who enjoy formalist poetry) is to collide with a car door after it has unexpectedly opened in front of you on the street.
I take it you're new to cycling, so let me be the first person to advise you
never to ride in the door zone. When you're out there riding and you see a line of parked cars, simply imagine one of the doors opening (or look at an actual door opening) and note where the outside edge of the door is. If you're riding any closer to the cars than that, you're too close! If the lane is too narrow for you to share it with cars without riding in the door zone, take the whole lane for yourself by riding down the center of it.
Anyway, back to your physical fitness. The fact that you're a track runner gives you a leg up, as it were, on a person who comes into cycling with no athletic experience at all. Still, you'll need to develop your cycling muscles (they're not the same as your running muscles), and learn to spin. The latter is going to require some kind of pedal retention system--"clipless" or clips and straps, it's up to you. The idea is to secure your shoes to the pedals so that you can apply power to them smoothly and efficiently all the way around your pedal stroke, rather than just mashing down left-right-left-right.
If at all possible, get a road bike. And, again, read what Tern said about training and getting ready.
PC10.22.07 - 4:22 am
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thats all I got is that mountain bike. and i cant afford anything else at the time. I know im going to need the shoes and the helmet I dont know what I was thinking when I saw SD as the destination point. I guess im super depressed to the point that im willing to do it because I sit home all day, but at the same time I admire and respect you bestowing your cautiousness upon me. I really would hate to get stranded somewhere in long beach and run into the wrong neighborhood with a flat tire asking some random person to give me a ride. Your rite this is something that requries much thinking. Although you never answered my question are going on this bike run or what?
ameerhzz10.22.07 - 6:43 am
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I got doored. I actually wasn't doored by a parked car. I was doored by some retarded asshole who opened their door IN TRAFFIC. WHILE IT WAS MOVING.
Sigh.
As someone who came from running to cycling, I'll just let you know that they're not the same thing. If you can run 5 miles, 10 miles, 15 miles: All awesome. But biking over 100 miles? A totally different beast.
markedge10.22.07 - 9:41 am
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OK, I'm just going to say, flat out, I would not attempt to ride that bike to San Diego. I think you would be miserable.
"Will my bike make it?" = NO.
"Will my bike make it if someone puts a gun to my head?" = ok, yes, but it won't be pretty.
Honest opinion from someone who rides a lot. But as always, choose your own adventure.
City Hobgoblin10.22.07 - 10:24 am
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hey, I m mo brin this bike you got to get some like this bro
SONNY10.22.07 - 10:38 am
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just steal some thin tires for that badboy and do a 50 mile ride to see if you can make it 100 miles... also see how long 50 takes you...
some people can hit 50 in under 3 hours, it might take you 5 hours on that bike...
whats the longest ride you have been on?
studiodrome10.22.07 - 10:40 am
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i admire what you are riding for but looking at the bigger picture, as others have mentioned, its not just about bike shape, its also about your physical shape and your time in the saddle. Throwing your body on a saddle for 6, 8, 10+ hours of riding is incredibly hard on the body if you haven't been builiding up towards it.
So now you have to think about the people around you as well. If you have a problem, mechanical or physical, how will that impact the other riders and the trip? Sure anyone can get a flat, and hopefuly, you are adept in doing a fix by the side of the road and that you have brought your own tools and spare tubes, etc. I'm positive these great Midnight Ridazz will stop and help each other but you do need to try and take responsibility for your own person and bike.
Also a consideration, if the physical limitaitons kick in, you might also be putting someone else in harms way besides yourself. For instance, if someone is right behind you and you start to bonk or whatever, you could take that rider (s) down with you.
Sorry, wasn't trying to be preachy but just wanted to throw a few thoughts out there.
Best of luck!
Stevo
stevo410.22.07 - 11:18 am
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You could do it on that bike, but it will take way longer, your hands will be shredded from riding straight bars that only allow one riding position, and it might make you hate cycling.
cabhauler10.22.07 - 1:37 pm
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Riding a 100 miles is no extraordinary feat. Anyone with a moderate level of fitness can do it. Riding a 100 miles with a group is even easier provided you take turns pulling. But to benefit from the group you need to keep up. On a mountain bike with 26 inch knobby tires, different gearing it will be difficult keeping up. But knowing Tern and some of the Ridazz, they will probably wait for you but you will slow the whole group down by one to two hours.
I know I am making a lot of assumptions about your fitness but experience tells me that the chances of you being able to keep up is very low. We do a weekly ride called the Wolfpack Hustle, several people show up for the ride in mountain bikes, very few finish with the pack. Again it is not about being to ride a 100 miles but being able to ride a 100 miles in tempo.
PS
That saddle will become unbearable after 60 miles.
sc_nomad10.22.07 - 1:45 pm
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I think I might call off on this one. Maybe its a good idea to ride next year or maybe if a 50 mile bike run comes up. I admire everyone's advice, and therefore have made a decision to not go on this run. Although I look forward to hitting up the upcoming holloween rides those should be fun. as for everyone else I hope you make it there peacefully and somehow magically when you get there our troops will be home. My buddy has been keeping in touch with friends and the word is from him that he'll be comiing in December. I hope so.
Good luck to everyone else who still maintain the courage to embark on this great adventure.
ameerhzz10.22.07 - 2:35 pm
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where can I get info on the wolfpack Id like to start riding.
ameerhzz10.22.07 - 9:13 pm
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RBI, you handle this one.
PC10.23.07 - 3:05 am
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If this guy can ride even half as well as he can troll, getting to SD on that Muffy MTB should be almost effortless.
This thread made my morning.
laoxue10.23.07 - 6:15 am
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Did he copy and paste his profile info into a thread and consider it a reply?
Amazing.
markedge10.23.07 - 12:17 pm
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This is the best thread ever.
For $120 I’ll ride that MTB to SD.
wise10.23.07 - 12:37 pm
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I got $10 on "wise on the MTB bike to SD" all we need is 11 more $10bills and its on.
Here is a couple of suggestions, if you really wanted to be part of it, but you don't have the bike. Take the train down, ride the last few miles, and be part of the rally. I haven't checked the train schedule or the expected destination time of the ride, since I most like won't be participating. Maybe, if you have a car you could drive down there along the way and carry some supplies such as water or snacks for the ridazz that are going down. cut up some food if they plan on having breather breaks, for them. I don't know if that will work with the plan of the ride, but it might be a nice way to support the ride. Just suggestions.
or
get a road bike and start training, the new physical training, might be beneficial for your mental health situation.
or don't go,
BUT I STILL WANT TO HEAR ABOUT WISE ON THE MTB TO SD
so my ten still stand, this should be easy to raise.
sexy10.23.07 - 1:49 pm
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I'll do the ride on a beach cruiser for 50 bucks.
kyber10.23.07 - 1:53 pm
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I got five on Kyber
$20 bonus for both, if they are willing to tie a spoken'dissent parachute
banner on there chain/seat stays.
sexy10.23.07 - 1:57 pm
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Holy fuck. Kyber, I'll put in $20 to see you do that.
markedge10.23.07 - 3:34 pm
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I'm in for $10! We should have $50 by Friday at the latest. Kyber, I'd start tuning up that beach cruiser if I were you!!! You do have a beach cruiser right? Hell I'm sure Paul at Choppercabras will set you up!
User110.23.07 - 5:02 pm
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I got a beach cruiser for you, with gears. Would that be cheating? The wheel need to be trued, maybe that will offset the gears.
sexy10.23.07 - 6:37 pm
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if you pay me 500 bucks ill ride to Tijuana.
ameerhzz10.23.07 - 8:57 pm
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my buddy called from Iraq and said the Army are using Road Bikes in an effort to make Ridazz Global.
ameerhzz10.26.07 - 3:56 am
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Hello all you experts out there!!!! We have a serious problem here and was wondering if you can help us. Seeing how there's all these rides going on this weekend, it occurred to us that our bikes just might not make it! So can we get your expert opinion here? Should we invest in a car for backup? Do you think we should not attempt to make all these ridiculous rides? Should we get a second and third bike just to be safe?
Oh yeah our bike is here,
http://www.o2fc.com/
Thanks for all the input and we love you Las Angele!
User110.26.07 - 11:25 am
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Son, you got a license for that thing?
Joe Borfo10.26.07 - 11:29 am
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Just moved here, will be doing so soon!!
Thanks for your expert concern!!!!
User110.26.07 - 11:40 am
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