Bike is fixed!
Last week, I posted that my bike was back in the shop and that I was worried that it would be expensive to fix it. I went into the shop on Monday to pick up my bike. They fixed it for FREE! The mechanic who fixed it was not in on Monday, so I did not get a chance to find out what he did. Plus, none of us could read his writing on the ticket. Anyway, it rides really well now. I suspect he did not charge me because it did not work the first time they "fixed" the bike. Plus, I have been a good customer at the bike shop. Anyway, it was a very pleasant surprise to get my bike fixed for free.
Tuesday morning I took a bike ride up the coast. I had not been on the bike for almost a week, so I felt strong as I left and the bike was riding really well. I started out with a plan to take a 40-mile bike ride to the end of Swanton Road. However, I got about 5 miles down the road and I just felt a loss of energy. I am not sure what happened, I just felt lethargic. I think it was just a low energy day. I did end up riding 25 miles and 900 feet of climbing, but I felt pretty tired at the end of the ride. In fact, I felt just as tired as my ride the previous week (51 miles, 2200 feet climb). I think this happens to all riders, some days you just don't have a lot of energy.
I am still riding at a good pace; I averaged between 15 and 16 MPH for the ride. I was recently reading a book on Lance Armstrong that said you need 3 times the power per speed increase. In other words you would need 30% more power to ride 10% faster. I used to ride around 13 MPH, which means I am now riding 15 to 20% faster, and that I am generating 45 to 60% more power to accomplish this speed increase. (I hope this makes sense.) I think that is very impressive. Then I remember the young guys who have been whizzing past me lately. At the time, I figure that I was going about 16MPH and they were probably going around 25 MPH, which is about 50% faster. Which means that they were generating 150% more power than I was! Sigh.
I am still a little concerned about my rear wheel. By the end of the ride, it felt a little rough, not nearly as bad as before it was fixed, but still a little rough. I had a busy day yesterday and did not have a chance to look at the wheel closely after the ride. I hope to get a closer look this afternoon. I am still concerned that I will have to replace the wheel.
Tuesday morning I took a bike ride up the coast. I had not been on the bike for almost a week, so I felt strong as I left and the bike was riding really well. I started out with a plan to take a 40-mile bike ride to the end of Swanton Road. However, I got about 5 miles down the road and I just felt a loss of energy. I am not sure what happened, I just felt lethargic. I think it was just a low energy day. I did end up riding 25 miles and 900 feet of climbing, but I felt pretty tired at the end of the ride. In fact, I felt just as tired as my ride the previous week (51 miles, 2200 feet climb). I think this happens to all riders, some days you just don't have a lot of energy.
I am still riding at a good pace; I averaged between 15 and 16 MPH for the ride. I was recently reading a book on Lance Armstrong that said you need 3 times the power per speed increase. In other words you would need 30% more power to ride 10% faster. I used to ride around 13 MPH, which means I am now riding 15 to 20% faster, and that I am generating 45 to 60% more power to accomplish this speed increase. (I hope this makes sense.) I think that is very impressive. Then I remember the young guys who have been whizzing past me lately. At the time, I figure that I was going about 16MPH and they were probably going around 25 MPH, which is about 50% faster. Which means that they were generating 150% more power than I was! Sigh.
I am still a little concerned about my rear wheel. By the end of the ride, it felt a little rough, not nearly as bad as before it was fixed, but still a little rough. I had a busy day yesterday and did not have a chance to look at the wheel closely after the ride. I hope to get a closer look this afternoon. I am still concerned that I will have to replace the wheel.
posted by Steve @ 11:34 AM
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