My Most Recent Ride 2011 (Part IV of the series)

Winds less here today, out for a short 2 hour 18 minute ride for 42 miles. Lots of riders out with the cooler morning 67 degree at 8am, it hasn't been that cool in a long time.

 

We've been blessed with north winds here too but not too strong. Mornings are usually starting out in the 50's. Sunny all weekend. Got in only one 30 miler but will be out there again in about 1/2 hour.

 

Test Rode "Red" today.



Wanted to give Red a ride, so went East out of Knoxville. By doing so, I rode back hilly roads instead of greenways. I wanted to get some real road riding in.

This ride was after Mark put the OEM pedals and cranks back on. I liked them better. I stayed on the middle chain ring most of the time.

Red was great. I wanted to put some miles in (even though I am limited by my lunch break) but was able to ride 23.3 miles in 1:42 with an average speed of 13.6 MPH (remember I told you this was a hilly ride) with 1,324 elevation.

Here are my observations. First I wanted to see if I had any back issues. Back was fine even though I am leaning back much further than the V Rex. The muscles that are a bit tight are not my leg muscles but my shoulder muscles from holding onto the handle bars. (With the V Rex my arms are by my side in a complete neutral position.) Shifting the gears was extremely easy as was using the brakes. There are two real differences between Red and my V Rex. Red can hug corners better than the V Rex. I can really lean into the turns because the bent feel rock solid stable. The V Rex doesn't for some reason. The other difference is general speed. Whether going up a hill, going down a hill or just going on flat ground, Red had higher MPH than the V Rex. I came back from my ride not feeling tired at all. (Part is probably due to lower temp and humidity right now in Tennessee.)

Anyway, I am hooked. Very glad I got my birthday present early so I could ride it! I give Red 3 .

 

Way to go Jon, soon you will be out there chasing bunnies

 

Ward, I could never keep up with you!!!! But I like going faster with the same slow engine!!!

Brian you will love it!!!

 

Nice Jon! I am glad the original gears work for ya. I know know that I am at least looking in the right Direction

I will love it one day, but I am not in any rush. I was thinking people may be more apt to sell bikes in the winter. So I may just wait a bit. I know one day I will end up with two Recumbents-A high racer and a LWB like the Gold rush.

This one is for Ward.. Do you feel your arms getting tired after long rides? or do you get used to it? I don't want my arms falling off after 200k..lol

 

OK today was the day to see what Red could do. There are no flat places to ride around Knoxville so I went to Cherokee Blvd which has rolling albeit small hills.

My legs were soar from my 23 mile ride yesterday, but decided I would gear it up and see what this poor old body can do. I didn't go all out for the 15.7 miles I rode, even coasted down most of the hills but here are the results.

15.71 miles
56:31 minutes
483 elevation
16.7 MPH average speed!!!

I must say I was pleased with that. That is 3 MPH faster than V Rex would do. That is a 20% improvement!!!

As I was riding I saw a lady on a bike heading in the other direction just as I was ready to turn around. I heard myself muttering "Here wabbit.... here wabbit..." Passed her going 22 MPH. Felt GREAT!!!

All smiles today!

 

Ride Jon! Ride!

 

Sheeiiitttttt!!!!!!

You should be ashamed. I'll bet she was impressed. Come up here and
jump one of these Greene county women I ride with. You'll get your
skinny little as flogged.

 

And probably SHOT in the process!!!!

 

Ok. Buddy, you made me choke on my coke laughing.

Jon looks like your having fun with the speed!

 

Bacchetta Envy

Yesterdays' ride was pretty forgettable, until I remembered one little incident.

There was some road maintenance being done in front of the local
school so I had to do what I hate to do.
Yeah, I had to apply the brakes.
Sucks to slow down.

Pedaling slowly past the half-open road, I noted that there was also
some sort of work being done on the school lawn.
Two pickup trucks were on the grass with two men 'supervising' a third dude wielding a shovel.

A woman with long blond hair was intent on her task in the road,
behind her official panel truck....

Hmm.
Look at the ingredients:
-young woman;
-young blue-collar workers;
-dude on a recumbent.

One of the 'supervising' male workers yelled some sort of phrase
at me... all I could decode was the word, "bike".
Not only do I still have trouble decoding working-class Southern
slang, even after 20+ years here in the Southeast USA, but there
was a little wind-noise in my ears.

With the woman present, I imagine that what was yelled was some
sort of slur... intended to impress the female at my expense.

Naturally, I waved gaily back at the workers and smiled happily.


---

No, I do not harbour any envious feelings toward anyone's ride!
Just acknowledging 'Red'....

 

WOW what a difference a bike makes!!!

Today I took my V Rex out for a spin. First thing I noticed was how heavy it was getting it out of the storage barn where I keep both bents. Never bothered me before.

Headed out and felt like I was standing upright riding compared to the very laid back position I am in with the Strada.

But here is the kicker. Look at the statistics. Now to be fair, I did not ride the same ride. This was a greenway ride.

1:12 Time
15.93 mile
(Didn't look at elevation. I am sure it is more.)
13.3 MPH average.

That is 3 MPH difference. I was shocked.

Still love riding my V Rex. But for Metric or True Century rides, I am only taking Red!!!

PS Passed two more girls on bikes today!!!

 

Passing or making passes???

Uh huh...are you sure this isn't becoming a habit Jon? Do you tell your wife about these pretty girls???Hmmm? You are itching for smack down aren't ya?

 

Don't tell my wife, I stay in enough trouble with here anyway!!!