Bicycle Guys! (3 Viewers)

[The Longtime Lurker]

SRAM Eagle 70 transmission

Is this wireless or mechanical

It is one of the new mechanical ones!

Here is a photo: https://i.imgur.com/3xP7ozw.jpeg

Very cool. I have the mtb wireless version and they are indestructible and shifting under load is pretty nice. Looks like it has an A and B position for setup? If you have shifting that doesn't feel quite as good as advertised take a look at that. The default for my bike was wrong in the sram app and switching to the other position was a massive improvement in functionality. I'm not sure if that's a common issue, applies to gravel, or is relevant with the mechanical versions, but figured it might be worth a mention just incase.

 

[Dickies]

I didn't realize they had a mechanical version of the transmission

 

[Jaysus]

I didn't realize they had a mechanical version of the transmission

I'm pretty sure they just dropped it this summer.

 

[Sand]

SRAM Eagle 70 transmission

Is this wireless or mechanical

It is one of the new mechanical ones!

Here is a photo: https://i.imgur.com/3xP7ozw.jpeg

Love the copper color.

 

[Tick]

I had a weird day - rode my MTB on a 31-mile bike path loop that I didn't really intend to ride, I was just scouting to see what it's like and felt fine so I did the whole loop. Then I went bonkers and almost bought a gravel bike and almost signed up for the One Day Rice Across Michigan... but 150 miles is 10-13 hours and I'm not capable of doing that in 2 weeks. Still, I think I'll get the gravel bike and start riding with the local group that rides gravel once per week, around 25 miles. The goal is to ride the Holland 100 next year, then see if that just makes me miserable. If so, I'll give up on the idea of the ODRAM.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

I had a weird day - rode my MTB on a 31-mile bike path loop that I didn't really intend to ride, I was just scouting to see what it's like and felt fine so I did the whole loop. Then I went bonkers and almost bought a gravel bike and almost signed up for the One Day Rice Across Michigan... but 150 miles is 10-13 hours and I'm not capable of doing that in 2 weeks. Still, I think I'll get the gravel bike and start riding with the local group that rides gravel once per week, around 25 miles. The goal is to ride the Holland 100 next year, then see if that just makes me miserable. If so, I'll give up on the idea of the ODRAM.

O2S is in two weeks. Aside from the wildfire smoke it's a nice cool place to ride near the lake. C'mon up and get your yooper on. I'm not sure if you've done it before, but it's a gravel bikers idea of a mountain bike race.

Thinking about using my fat bike as it's my lightest bike. Suspension of any kind isn't needed. I just need to get some less aggressive tires. My only hang up on that is if i want to get 2 new tires at probably $100 a pop for a single race. My current tires are for snow and i don't want to tear them up.

I usually take this race moderately serious as a warm up for the Marji Gesick, but I'm officially out on that, so thinking a casual ride with my wife at her pace might be the move this year.

 

[Fat Nick]

The wife and I just got Trek Dual Sport 3 bikes this week. My first new bike in 30+ years...We got them so we can ride as a family on our upcoming vacation (Hilton Head) and after.

I had a quick question regarding locks. I wanted to get the general consensus on bike security. I'm not planning to ride in a major city or dangerous area...we're riding with an 11 and 8 year-old here. Vacation rides to dinner, coffee, etc...and maybe some gravel trail rides back home that end in small towns where we might get a drink or something. Getting a big U-Lock or one of those big chains seems like overkill.

What are people using/recommending for a light weight bike lock? Size/weight is important. I'm either going to need something that can lock 4 bikes, or I'll need 4 separate locks. I totally get that a good thief with a lock cutter can get my bike...I'm trying to avoid the opportunistic thief who sees a nice bike and wants to just jump on it and ride away. Thoughts?

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

The wife and I just got Trek Dual Sport 3 bikes this week. My first new bike in 30+ years...We got them so we can ride as a family on our upcoming vacation (Hilton Head) and after.

I had a quick question regarding locks. I wanted to get the general consensus on bike security. I'm not planning to ride in a major city or dangerous area...we're riding with an 11 and 8 year-old here. Vacation rides to dinner, coffee, etc...and maybe some gravel trail rides back home that end in small towns where we might get a drink or something. Getting a big U-Lock or one of those big chains seems like overkill.

What are people using/recommending for a light weight bike lock? Size/weight is important. I'm either going to need something that can lock 4 bikes, or I'll need 4 separate locks. I totally get that a good thief with a lock cutter can get my bike...I'm trying to avoid the opportunistic thief who sees a nice bike and wants to just jump on it and ride away. Thoughts?

I use the chain style combination locks. They store pretty nice in a pack or bike bag. You might be able to get two bikes per lock. Somebody else might have something better, but these work for us.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Trail club got out today and we built one hell of an awesome trail. It's an update on an old trail named "stoned hinge". Sustainability of this trail was becoming suspect. 5 berms all rock armored and everything bench cut into a super steep bluff. Steep downs, fast turns, rock gardens, punchy climbs with some awesome natural features.

I'm smoked, literally and figuratively with this wildlfire smoke weather and a day bench cutting and moving giant rocks. Hard work as we try and have all our trails hand built, no heavy equipment. We think it's worth it to keep that raw natural feel. It also separates us from the surrounding networks a little bit. Not sure when I'll get out and ride it, but i can't wait.

 

[Tick]

The wife and I just got Trek Dual Sport 3 bikes this week. My first new bike in 30+ years...We got them so we can ride as a family on our upcoming vacation (Hilton Head) and after.

I had a quick question regarding locks. I wanted to get the general consensus on bike security. I'm not planning to ride in a major city or dangerous area...we're riding with an 11 and 8 year-old here. Vacation rides to dinner, coffee, etc...and maybe some gravel trail rides back home that end in small towns where we might get a drink or something. Getting a big U-Lock or one of those big chains seems like overkill.

What are people using/recommending for a light weight bike lock? Size/weight is important. I'm either going to need something that can lock 4 bikes, or I'll need 4 separate locks. I totally get that a good thief with a lock cutter can get my bike...I'm trying to avoid the opportunistic thief who sees a nice bike and wants to just jump on it and ride away. Thoughts?

I got my daughter a bike and it was stolen in the first week from her apartment rack - they cut the cable. I rode to town yesterday with a friend, both riding my bikes, and I took a U with a chain (the one Wirecutter recommends - Kryptonite something, very orange). It fit into a hip pack, and I was able to lock both bikes up with that combo. Sucks to have to carry that so far, but I didn't really want to lose my bikes.

Also, I have my Ozark Trail gravel bike now. Some reactions after a 20-mile ride, mostly on bike paths but a few spots on grass and gravel:

• I replaced the seat without trying it - everyone hates the stock saddle and I had a fairly unused one on an old MTB I swapped out.
• I put in Crank Bros half-n-half clip pedals - I figured I wouldn't be starting on a root climb or anything like MTB where I hate flat/clip combos. It seemed to work well.
• Front wheel needed to be trued, I've done that now.
• Front brake was scraping a bit, I've sorted that now.
• I'll need a little time getting used to drop bars - it's just second nature on my MTB to shift down and drop the post every time I stop. On this one I would start pedaling and realize I had never shifted down before the stop - I'm just scrambling around trying to remember how to brake.
• I found myself naturally grabbing the lowest side of the C shape on the drop bars when I needed some quick power. I guess that's just what felt natural.
• We'll see about the bike. I see the brakes have one fixed side and one side that pinches, which stinks, but they had to knock out cost somewhere. This was mainly to see how I like the form factor without breaking the bank, so it's serving that purpose.
• It seemed to work well to just get out of the saddle for every bump since it doesn't have suspension.
• I'm eager to get back out there and ride it again after making the adjustments and take it on a local 30 mile loop at higher speed to see how it feels and how I feel after riding it.
• I need to put a second water bottle cage on there. Somehow I have none hanging around the garage.

 

[matttyl]

SRAM Eagle 70 transmission

Is this wireless or mechanical

It is one of the new mechanical ones!

Here is a photo: https://i.imgur.com/3xP7ozw.jpeg

Love the copper color.

My wife’s first gravel bike was a very similar color, maybe a bit more “brand new penny”, but really close. She named it “Penny Lane” after the Beatles song, which went well with my Salsa which I named “Sargent Peppers.”

 

[beer 30]

What are people using/recommending for a light weight bike lock? Size/weight is important. I'm either going to need something that can lock 4 bikes, or I'll need 4 separate locks. I totally get that a good thief with a lock cutter can get my bike...I'm trying to avoid the opportunistic thief who sees a nice bike and wants to just jump on it and ride away. Thoughts?

This Masterlock is what I have. It's not particularly heavy but I don't think you're going to find anything that will lock 4 bikes. If they want your bike, they will get it but these type locks at least require them to bring some tools.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

What are people using/recommending for a light weight bike lock? Size/weight is important. I'm either going to need something that can lock 4 bikes, or I'll need 4 separate locks. I totally get that a good thief with a lock cutter can get my bike...I'm trying to avoid the opportunistic thief who sees a nice bike and wants to just jump on it and ride away. Thoughts?

This Masterlock is what I have. It's not particularly heavy but I don't think you're going to find anything that will lock 4 bikes. If they want your bike, they will get it but these type locks at least require them to bring some tools.

These are what i have

 

[Fat Nick]

What are people using/recommending for a light weight bike lock? Size/weight is important. I'm either going to need something that can lock 4 bikes, or I'll need 4 separate locks. I totally get that a good thief with a lock cutter can get my bike...I'm trying to avoid the opportunistic thief who sees a nice bike and wants to just jump on it and ride away. Thoughts?

This Masterlock is what I have. It's not particularly heavy but I don't think you're going to find anything that will lock 4 bikes. If they want your bike, they will get it but these type locks at least require them to bring some tools.

These are what i have

Yeah...this seems to generally be where I'm headed. I'm firmly in the "if they want your bike, they will get it but they'll at least need tools" camp. I just want to avoid the opportunistic guy who uses my stolen bike as his means to get away quickly too.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

What are people using/recommending for a light weight bike lock? Size/weight is important. I'm either going to need something that can lock 4 bikes, or I'll need 4 separate locks. I totally get that a good thief with a lock cutter can get my bike...I'm trying to avoid the opportunistic thief who sees a nice bike and wants to just jump on it and ride away. Thoughts?

This Masterlock is what I have. It's not particularly heavy but I don't think you're going to find anything that will lock 4 bikes. If they want your bike, they will get it but these type locks at least require them to bring some tools.

These are what i have

Yeah...this seems to generally be where I'm headed. I'm firmly in the "if they want your bike, they will get it but they'll at least need tools" camp. I just want to avoid the opportunistic guy who uses my stolen bike as his means to get away quickly too.

If you're locking up a bike at an apartment or dorm situation outside for extended periods of time maybe it's not optimal, but for getting drinks, eating dinner, checking out shops, ect for a few hours here and there i wouldn't think there's much need beyond that. I'm with you, if they break through that lock outside a restaurant while I'm eating they REALLY wanted it.

 

[Tick]

I rode the Walmart gravel bike for the second time, this time in a gravel group ride. I had made a mistake when swapping saddles and had to stop to sort that out, but the bike did fine. I, on the other hand, am weaker than I thought. They ride about 12 miles at 15 mph, then ride back (slightly different route) at whatever speed they want, staying in clumps at similar paces. It was right after the start back that I had to fix the saddle, thankfully one guy came back to make sure I knew the route back. I was only able to go 15 mph back as well. I need to build up some endurance, this is a great way to do it. I plan to ride every Wednesday if possible.

Gravel can be pretty mean if you can't find a flat line - gets all ridgy and bumps the crap out of you.

 

[Sand]

I rode the Walmart gravel bike for the second time, this time in a gravel group ride. I had made a mistake when swapping saddles and had to stop to sort that out, but the bike did fine. I, on the other hand, am weaker than I thought. They ride about 12 miles at 15 mph, then ride back (slightly different route) at whatever speed they want, staying in clumps at similar paces. It was right after the start back that I had to fix the saddle, thankfully one guy came back to make sure I knew the route back. I was only able to go 15 mph back as well. I need to build up some endurance, this is a great way to do it. I plan to ride every Wednesday if possible.

Gravel can be pretty mean if you can't find a flat line - gets all ridgy and bumps the crap out of you.

Redshift stems are very popular for gravel bikes and they work very well to take some of the edge of the chatter. Love mine.

That said, not the cheapest addition in the world.

 

[matttyl]

I rode the Walmart gravel bike for the second time, this time in a gravel group ride. I had made a mistake when swapping saddles and had to stop to sort that out, but the bike did fine. I, on the other hand, am weaker than I thought. They ride about 12 miles at 15 mph, then ride back (slightly different route) at whatever speed they want, staying in clumps at similar paces. It was right after the start back that I had to fix the saddle, thankfully one guy came back to make sure I knew the route back. I was only able to go 15 mph back as well. I need to build up some endurance, this is a great way to do it. I plan to ride every Wednesday if possible.

Gravel can be pretty mean if you can't find a flat line - gets all ridgy and bumps the crap out of you.

Redshift stems are very popular for gravel bikes and they work very well to take some of the edge of the chatter. Love mine.

That said, not the cheapest addition in the world.

The stem would cost as much as that bike!

 

[Jaysus]

I rode the Walmart gravel bike for the second time, this time in a gravel group ride. I had made a mistake when swapping saddles and had to stop to sort that out, but the bike did fine. I, on the other hand, am weaker than I thought. They ride about 12 miles at 15 mph, then ride back (slightly different route) at whatever speed they want, staying in clumps at similar paces. It was right after the start back that I had to fix the saddle, thankfully one guy came back to make sure I knew the route back. I was only able to go 15 mph back as well. I need to build up some endurance, this is a great way to do it. I plan to ride every Wednesday if possible.

Gravel can be pretty mean if you can't find a flat line - gets all ridgy and bumps the crap out of you.

Redshift stems are very popular for gravel bikes and they work very well to take some of the edge of the chatter. Love mine.

That combined with supple tires set up tubeless and running low PSI is a winning combo

 

[Tick]

I rode the Walmart gravel bike for the second time, this time in a gravel group ride. I had made a mistake when swapping saddles and had to stop to sort that out, but the bike did fine. I, on the other hand, am weaker than I thought. They ride about 12 miles at 15 mph, then ride back (slightly different route) at whatever speed they want, staying in clumps at similar paces. It was right after the start back that I had to fix the saddle, thankfully one guy came back to make sure I knew the route back. I was only able to go 15 mph back as well. I need to build up some endurance, this is a great way to do it. I plan to ride every Wednesday if possible.

Gravel can be pretty mean if you can't find a flat line - gets all ridgy and bumps the crap out of you.

Redshift stems are very popular for gravel bikes and they work very well to take some of the edge of the chatter. Love mine.

That combined with supple tires set up tubeless and running low PSI is a winning combo

Yeah, I was set up for asphalt bike paths at 40 psi.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

While I'm sitting here feeling sorry for myself, bike race report.......

Flat ****ing tire. End of report

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Little better update now that I'm home.

Hot, extremely humid day, but a small window without all the wildfire smoke so that part made all the rest just fine. Got up feeling great and ready to rock. This race has a fair amount of road and double track with almost no single track so why would i need to pack a tube and pump? I've never needed it before.

Took the initial ride out at a medium pace and let people that wanted to go out hard pass, i figure I'll see them in a couple miles. Get through the tight double track and let er rip on the first downhill section making up a lot of my lost time.

Next section is a straight downhill paved road 6 miles in where i planned to start actually racing. I'm peddling way harder than anticipated and am getting passed left and right, took a minute to realize my tire is half inflated, well ****.

I packed no tools or pump, pretty stupid. Somewhere in that first downhill section my valve stem bent and was leaking. By the time i figured out what it was i called it. Walked out with two other dudes, one with a flat and one that had a bad crash and had his derailleur run over and broken. A very nice couple gave us a ride to the finish.

That's the bad. The good is my wife had her best time ever and I'm very proud of her. I'm putting my sour grapes aside and we're gonna celebrate her great day.

 

[Tick]

I’m trying to lose some weight and hit the trainer hard this winter - goal is to hit the spring running and ride the Dragon trail - 45 mile single track loop. https://www.thedragon.us/the-dragon-trail/trail-map/

How hilly is that? Could be flat or brutal - I know nothing about middle Michigan.

I rode 5 miles out then back a couple of years ago in one section and it was hilly enough - lots of gorges in that section to drop down and climb back up.

I can find an elevation profile for a 38 mile section of it, it's mostly 100 foot climbs over and over again.

It's been about a decade since I last rode 25 miles of single track in a day. We'll see how the trainer goes, I might end up dropping a car at a camp site and making it 2 days... but I'm hoping to feel up to the whole thing in a day.

Hey Tick, did you ever ride the full Dragon? Me and some guys I ride with just booked a place near there to ride it in August.

Okay, I'm feeling ready to ride it. I should have yesterday, but wasn't confident yet. I did a trial run of 3 laps on a great local trail, rode 33 miles and my water/calories/gear combo seemed to work well. My toes froze, that was the only real issue. I was slowing down over time, but averaged 10.8 mph overall, which makes me think 4 hours on the bike (probably 4:30 with stops) is viable for the Dragon route.

Also, wife is excited about renting a little cabin there sometime and taking the dog on some walks/kayak rides.

How was your ride?

 

[Sand]

GAP trail Day 1. Definitely slow tourist mode. Thanks to @Jaysus for the tips on trail stuff. Tomorrow is a short day - well be touring Falling Water.

https://strava.app.link/SVQF3YHLtWb

 

[Al Czervik]

I’m trying to lose some weight and hit the trainer hard this winter - goal is to hit the spring running and ride the Dragon trail - 45 mile single track loop. https://www.thedragon.us/the-dragon-trail/trail-map/

How hilly is that? Could be flat or brutal - I know nothing about middle Michigan.

I rode 5 miles out then back a couple of years ago in one section and it was hilly enough - lots of gorges in that section to drop down and climb back up.

I can find an elevation profile for a 38 mile section of it, it's mostly 100 foot climbs over and over again.

It's been about a decade since I last rode 25 miles of single track in a day. We'll see how the trainer goes, I might end up dropping a car at a camp site and making it 2 days... but I'm hoping to feel up to the whole thing in a day.

Hey Tick, did you ever ride the full Dragon? Me and some guys I ride with just booked a place near there to ride it in August.

Okay, I'm feeling ready to ride it. I should have yesterday, but wasn't confident yet. I did a trial run of 3 laps on a great local trail, rode 33 miles and my water/calories/gear combo seemed to work well. My toes froze, that was the only real issue. I was slowing down over time, but averaged 10.8 mph overall, which makes me think 4 hours on the bike (probably 4:30 with stops) is viable for the Dragon route.

Also, wife is excited about renting a little cabin there sometime and taking the dog on some walks/kayak rides.

How was your ride?

Sorry, been meaning to post an update but work has been very busy.

A group of us went up two weeks ago and had a great time. We rented a place on School Section Lake in Canadian Lakes area and made a weekend of it. We decided to break up the rides into around 15 miles per day over Fri/Sat/Sun to cover the full Dragon and have time to also hang out on the lake.

First day on Friday was a fun and pretty easy ride after driving up 3 hours. We started at Hardy Dam and rode the east side of the trail to Brower Park. That section was pretty fast and flowy with some decent elevation gain in parts but nothing intense. We saved what is considered the hardest part for Saturday where we rode the west side of the trail from Baseline Rd to Hardy Dam. It was still flowy and fast in parts but it also had some intense climbing. On Sunday I ended up having to leave in the morning to get home for a family thing, so I did not ride the final 15 miles which was the north end of the lake (didn't seem much to that area).

Overall, I really liked the trail and would like to go back. It was really fun and had some beautiful views to stop and rest/take in. The bi-direction thing was strange, but we did not encounter any problems when someone was coming from the other direction. However, there were some areas where I was flying around a corner and I got a bit concerned about someone coming from the other direction. They really should make it directional by the day of the week like DTE does.

 

[Tick]

I’m trying to lose some weight and hit the trainer hard this winter - goal is to hit the spring running and ride the Dragon trail - 45 mile single track loop. https://www.thedragon.us/the-dragon-trail/trail-map/

How hilly is that? Could be flat or brutal - I know nothing about middle Michigan.

I rode 5 miles out then back a couple of years ago in one section and it was hilly enough - lots of gorges in that section to drop down and climb back up.

I can find an elevation profile for a 38 mile section of it, it's mostly 100 foot climbs over and over again.

It's been about a decade since I last rode 25 miles of single track in a day. We'll see how the trainer goes, I might end up dropping a car at a camp site and making it 2 days... but I'm hoping to feel up to the whole thing in a day.

Hey Tick, did you ever ride the full Dragon? Me and some guys I ride with just booked a place near there to ride it in August.

Okay, I'm feeling ready to ride it. I should have yesterday, but wasn't confident yet. I did a trial run of 3 laps on a great local trail, rode 33 miles and my water/calories/gear combo seemed to work well. My toes froze, that was the only real issue. I was slowing down over time, but averaged 10.8 mph overall, which makes me think 4 hours on the bike (probably 4:30 with stops) is viable for the Dragon route.

Also, wife is excited about renting a little cabin there sometime and taking the dog on some walks/kayak rides.

How was your ride?

Sorry, been meaning to post an update but work has been very busy.

A group of us went up two weeks ago and had a great time. We rented a place on School Section Lake in Canadian Lakes area and made a weekend of it. We decided to break up the rides into around 15 miles per day over Fri/Sat/Sun to cover the full Dragon and have time to also hang out on the lake.

First day on Friday was a fun and pretty easy ride after driving up 3 hours. We started at Hardy Dam and rode the east side of the trail to Brower Park. That section was pretty fast and flowy with some decent elevation gain in parts but nothing intense. We saved what is considered the hardest part for Saturday where we rode the west side of the trail from Baseline Rd to Hardy Dam. It was still flowy and fast in parts but it also had some intense climbing. On Sunday I ended up having to leave in the morning to get home for a family thing, so I did not ride the final 15 miles which was the north end of the lake (didn't seem much to that area).

Overall, I really liked the trail and would like to go back. It was really fun and had some beautiful views to stop and rest/take in. The bi-direction thing was strange, but we did not encounter any problems when someone was coming from the other direction. However, there were some areas where I was flying around a corner and I got a bit concerned about someone coming from the other direction. They really should make it directional by the day of the week like DTE does.

I’m always an advocate for directional by day (get your poop together, Duluth), but a 40-mile directional loop isn’t really feasible. People need to be able to ride out 7 miles and come back to their car.

I usually remember to yell out a “Hey-O” on bidirectional blind corners.

 

[Al Czervik]

I’m trying to lose some weight and hit the trainer hard this winter - goal is to hit the spring running and ride the Dragon trail - 45 mile single track loop. https://www.thedragon.us/the-dragon-trail/trail-map/

How hilly is that? Could be flat or brutal - I know nothing about middle Michigan.

I rode 5 miles out then back a couple of years ago in one section and it was hilly enough - lots of gorges in that section to drop down and climb back up.

I can find an elevation profile for a 38 mile section of it, it's mostly 100 foot climbs over and over again.

It's been about a decade since I last rode 25 miles of single track in a day. We'll see how the trainer goes, I might end up dropping a car at a camp site and making it 2 days... but I'm hoping to feel up to the whole thing in a day.

Hey Tick, did you ever ride the full Dragon? Me and some guys I ride with just booked a place near there to ride it in August.

Okay, I'm feeling ready to ride it. I should have yesterday, but wasn't confident yet. I did a trial run of 3 laps on a great local trail, rode 33 miles and my water/calories/gear combo seemed to work well. My toes froze, that was the only real issue. I was slowing down over time, but averaged 10.8 mph overall, which makes me think 4 hours on the bike (probably 4:30 with stops) is viable for the Dragon route.

Also, wife is excited about renting a little cabin there sometime and taking the dog on some walks/kayak rides.

How was your ride?

Sorry, been meaning to post an update but work has been very busy.

A group of us went up two weeks ago and had a great time. We rented a place on School Section Lake in Canadian Lakes area and made a weekend of it. We decided to break up the rides into around 15 miles per day over Fri/Sat/Sun to cover the full Dragon and have time to also hang out on the lake.

First day on Friday was a fun and pretty easy ride after driving up 3 hours. We started at Hardy Dam and rode the east side of the trail to Brower Park. That section was pretty fast and flowy with some decent elevation gain in parts but nothing intense. We saved what is considered the hardest part for Saturday where we rode the west side of the trail from Baseline Rd to Hardy Dam. It was still flowy and fast in parts but it also had some intense climbing. On Sunday I ended up having to leave in the morning to get home for a family thing, so I did not ride the final 15 miles which was the north end of the lake (didn't seem much to that area).

Overall, I really liked the trail and would like to go back. It was really fun and had some beautiful views to stop and rest/take in. The bi-direction thing was strange, but we did not encounter any problems when someone was coming from the other direction. However, there were some areas where I was flying around a corner and I got a bit concerned about someone coming from the other direction. They really should make it directional by the day of the week like DTE does.

I’m always an advocate for directional by day (get hour poop together, Duluth), but a 40-mile directional loop isn’t really feasible. People need to be able to ride out 7 miles and come back to their car.

I usually remember to yell out a “Hey-O” on bidirectional blind corners.

Yes, I guess it does make sense to be able to ride out and back.

 

[Sand]

GAP trail Day 1. Definitely slow tourist mode. Thanks to @Jaysus for the tips on trail stuff. Tomorrow is a short day - well be touring Falling Water.

https://strava.app.link/SVQF3YHLtWb

Day 3!

https://strava.app.link/XG8ZWHwmxWb

On the bike front - dang this trail coats everything in super fine dust. Night some chain lube and the bikes desperately needed it. Will be hosting them down tomorrow before embarking.

 

[beer 30]

GAP trail Day 1. Definitely slow tourist mode. Thanks to @Jaysus for the tips on trail stuff. Tomorrow is a short day - well be touring Falling Water.

https://strava.app.link/SVQF3YHLtWb

Day 3!

https://strava.app.link/XG8ZWHwmxWb

On the bike front - dang this trail coats everything in super fine dust. Night some chain lube and the bikes desperately needed it. Will be hosting them down tomorrow before embarking.

Looks awesome @Sand!! I'll have to catch up with the journey on Strava, been off for about a week. Looks like a great route.

 

[odin33]

Need to tap the FBG cycling guys for a little help. I've been working to lose weight and am finally down at a level where some things I used to do for enjoyment outside are now back on the table. I live very close to a nice long (70 miles), paved, relatively flat bike trail that I'd like to start taking advantage of.

My intent is to head to a couple bike shops locally to test out and eventually purchase, but I was hoping to get a crash course on do's and don't, brands folks like, etc.

- 46 yo, 230lbs, 6'1" stockier build.
- my inclination is to get a mountain bike type vs. a 10-speed type, but I'm open. Certainly geared toward on road.
- under 10% chance I do any kind of off-roading (bad ankles) and certainly nothing serious offroad
- neighbor has a Bianchi Milano 10 speed type and the thing is extremely light weight which kinda amazed me. Paid about 1.500 for it which is above what I was looking to spend. Ideally I'd like to be in the 5-750 range, but maybe I'm being too cheap.
- is there a type of removable bike rack for sedans (straps on trunk type) people like?

I think that covers the basics.

 

[beer 30]

Need to tap the FBG cycling guys for a little help. I've been working to lose weight and am finally down at a level where some things I used to do for enjoyment outside are now back on the table. I live very close to a nice long (70 miles), paved, relatively flat bike trail that I'd like to start taking advantage of.

My intent is to head to a couple bike shops locally to test out and eventually purchase, but I was hoping to get a crash course on do's and don't, brands folks like, etc.

- 46 yo, 230lbs, 6'1" stockier build.
- my inclination is to get a mountain bike type vs. a 10-speed type, but I'm open. Certainly geared toward on road.
- under 10% chance I do any kind of off-roading (bad ankles) and certainly nothing serious offroad
- neighbor has a Bianchi Milano 10 speed type and the thing is extremely light weight which kinda amazed me. Paid about 1.500 for it which is above what I was looking to spend. Ideally I'd like to be in the 5-750 range, but maybe I'm being too cheap.
- is there a type of removable bike rack for sedans (straps on trunk type) people like?

I think that covers the basics.

Get a gravel bike, best of road & mountain and comfortable for what you want to do. I have a Bulls Grinder 3 that is great but I bought it used off a friend. There are a million different models out there, if you are going to bike shops they will have plenty to chose from.

 

[matttyl]

Need to tap the FBG cycling guys for a little help. I've been working to lose weight and am finally down at a level where some things I used to do for enjoyment outside are now back on the table. I live very close to a nice long (70 miles), paved, relatively flat bike trail that I'd like to start taking advantage of.

My intent is to head to a couple bike shops locally to test out and eventually purchase, but I was hoping to get a crash course on do's and don't, brands folks like, etc.

- 46 yo, 230lbs, 6'1" stockier build.
- my inclination is to get a mountain bike type vs. a 10-speed type, but I'm open. Certainly geared toward on road.
- under 10% chance I do any kind of off-roading (bad ankles) and certainly nothing serious offroad
- neighbor has a Bianchi Milano 10 speed type and the thing is extremely light weight which kinda amazed me. Paid about 1.500 for it which is above what I was looking to spend. Ideally I'd like to be in the 5-750 range, but maybe I'm being too cheap.
- is there a type of removable bike rack for sedans (straps on trunk type) people like?

I think that covers the basics.

I agree with the above about a gravel type bike if you’re only going to have 1. My gravel bike is a Salsa journeyman, heavily upgraded, which I’ve named Sergeant Peppers. I put racks on the rear so can carry a large bag for when the family all rides together - I’m the one carrying extra clothes and food and such. Pretty wide and beefy tires handle anything from pavement to dirt to gravel. Drop handle bars for going fast, but fairly relaxed geometry.

As for a rack for a sedan, I’ve used the saris bones in the past. Folds up when not in use, easy to install and remove. And you can find them cheap secondhand.

 

[Sand]

GAP trail Day 1. Definitely slow tourist mode. Thanks to @Jaysus for the tips on trail stuff. Tomorrow is a short day - well be touring Falling Water.

https://strava.app.link/SVQF3YHLtWb

Day 3!

https://strava.app.link/XG8ZWHwmxWb

On the bike front - dang this trail coats everything in super fine dust. Night some chain lube and the bikes desperately needed it. Will be hosting them down tomorrow before embarking.

Looks awesome @Sand!! I'll have to catch up with the journey on Strava, been off for about a week. Looks like a great route.

It's got a lot to see. Today was probably the most bare. Paw Paw tunnel was very cool, though.

https://strava.app.link/bImKAlmHyWb

 

[Tick]

Need to tap the FBG cycling guys for a little help. I've been working to lose weight and am finally down at a level where some things I used to do for enjoyment outside are now back on the table. I live very close to a nice long (70 miles), paved, relatively flat bike trail that I'd like to start taking advantage of.

My intent is to head to a couple bike shops locally to test out and eventually purchase, but I was hoping to get a crash course on do's and don't, brands folks like, etc.

- 46 yo, 230lbs, 6'1" stockier build.
- my inclination is to get a mountain bike type vs. a 10-speed type, but I'm open. Certainly geared toward on road.
- under 10% chance I do any kind of off-roading (bad ankles) and certainly nothing serious offroad
- neighbor has a Bianchi Milano 10 speed type and the thing is extremely light weight which kinda amazed me. Paid about 1.500 for it which is above what I was looking to spend. Ideally I'd like to be in the 5-750 range, but maybe I'm being too cheap.
- is there a type of removable bike rack for sedans (straps on trunk type) people like?

I think that covers the basics.

I agree with the above about a gravel type bike if you’re only going to have 1. My gravel bike is a Salsa journeyman, heavily upgraded, which I’ve named Sergeant Peppers. I put racks on the rear so can carry a large bag for when the family all rides together - I’m the one carrying extra clothes and food and such. Pretty wide and beefy tires handle anything from pavement to dirt to gravel. Drop handle bars for going fast, but fairly relaxed geometry.

As for a rack for a sedan, I’ve used the saris bones in the past. Folds up when not in use, easy to install and remove. And you can find them cheap secondhand.

Yes, Saris Bones. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bike-rack-for-cars/

If you really want flat bars (mountain bike style), there are hybrid bikes. Here are some: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-hybrid-commuter-bike/

If you're open to drop bars (ram's horns), I recently bought an Ozark Trail gravel bike from Wal-Mart to try out the shape, and I'm happy enough with the bike. It's cheap - $280. I see Poseidon brands listed commonly as a good budget option: https://www.poseidonbike.com/collec...oquQnRLm1XnZBojoYUBQXMsZctT_aRc17BZSVPzhlKse7

 

[Jaysus]

Yeah, I think a flat bar hybrid bike is what you want. You can always add some bar ends to it for alternate hand positions if desired.

@odin33

 

[Jaysus]

New tire day! Schwalbe G-One R Pro 700c x 50

 

[Sand]

New tire day! Schwalbe G-One R Pro 700c x 50

Awesome. I put some Tufo Thindero 48s on for the current trip.

 

[Jaysus]

New tire day! Schwalbe G-One R Pro 700c x 50

Awesome. I put some Tufo Thindero 48s on for the current trip.

Nice, I had this upgrade narrowed down to 3 tires, Thundero was one of them!

 

[Tick]

I’m trying to lose some weight and hit the trainer hard this winter - goal is to hit the spring running and ride the Dragon trail - 45 mile single track loop. https://www.thedragon.us/the-dragon-trail/trail-map/

How hilly is that? Could be flat or brutal - I know nothing about middle Michigan.

I rode 5 miles out then back a couple of years ago in one section and it was hilly enough - lots of gorges in that section to drop down and climb back up.

I can find an elevation profile for a 38 mile section of it, it's mostly 100 foot climbs over and over again.

It's been about a decade since I last rode 25 miles of single track in a day. We'll see how the trainer goes, I might end up dropping a car at a camp site and making it 2 days... but I'm hoping to feel up to the whole thing in a day.

Hey Tick, did you ever ride the full Dragon? Me and some guys I ride with just booked a place near there to ride it in August.

Okay, I'm feeling ready to ride it. I should have yesterday, but wasn't confident yet. I did a trial run of 3 laps on a great local trail, rode 33 miles and my water/calories/gear combo seemed to work well. My toes froze, that was the only real issue. I was slowing down over time, but averaged 10.8 mph overall, which makes me think 4 hours on the bike (probably 4:30 with stops) is viable for the Dragon route.

Also, wife is excited about renting a little cabin there sometime and taking the dog on some walks/kayak rides.

How was your ride?

Sorry, been meaning to post an update but work has been very busy.

A group of us went up two weeks ago and had a great time. We rented a place on School Section Lake in Canadian Lakes area and made a weekend of it. We decided to break up the rides into around 15 miles per day over Fri/Sat/Sun to cover the full Dragon and have time to also hang out on the lake.

First day on Friday was a fun and pretty easy ride after driving up 3 hours. We started at Hardy Dam and rode the east side of the trail to Brower Park. That section was pretty fast and flowy with some decent elevation gain in parts but nothing intense. We saved what is considered the hardest part for Saturday where we rode the west side of the trail from Baseline Rd to Hardy Dam. It was still flowy and fast in parts but it also had some intense climbing. On Sunday I ended up having to leave in the morning to get home for a family thing, so I did not ride the final 15 miles which was the north end of the lake (didn't seem much to that area).

Overall, I really liked the trail and would like to go back. It was really fun and had some beautiful views to stop and rest/take in. The bi-direction thing was strange, but we did not encounter any problems when someone was coming from the other direction. However, there were some areas where I was flying around a corner and I got a bit concerned about someone coming from the other direction. They really should make it directional by the day of the week like DTE does.

I rode it today! This was my goal for the summer, so it felt good to finish it off. I'd say I enjoyed the first 36 miles and completed the last 9 miles. There's nothing difficult there, it's just a lot of distance. I went CCW from the dam, which left the hilly parts for the last bit, which is what had me suffering. I think CW would work better for fatigue reasons. You did skip the right part, though there were a few really neat bits in there with rockwork supporting trails hanging off of hillsides.

My speed really dropped off - first half was about 11.2 mph, which means the second half must have been more like 9 mph to get me to a combined 10.1.

 

[Sand]

We also finished today! 347 miles in 7 days. My diet had been about 1/2 dust. Super dry here. Yesterday we did Antietam. Today on the last leg was White's Ferry and Great Falls NP. And the finish at Mile 0.

Maybe best shower ever after all that.

Part 1: https://strava.app.link/B8ztX1IZDWb

Part 2: https://strava.app.link/7DlSlX0ZDWb

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

 

[Tick]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

I watched a good Syd and Mackey video about the Marji, it looks pretty great. I love those Marquette South trails, but can't picture riding that distance with that difficulty of trail.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

I watched a good Syd and Mackey video about the Marji, it looks pretty great. I love those Marquette South trails, but can't picture riding that distance with that difficulty of trail.

Yeah, i had a chance to meet them last year, really nice people. I liked that video too. It was a good representation of the course. They're signed up to try again this year I believe, to see if Syd can be the first women to earn a buckle.

As far as the trails it gets progressively worse, what you ride in Marquette compared to the Ishpeming/Negaunee trails are much more flowy. RAMBA is roots, rocks, rinse repeat, one hill after another. It's very challenging, but the "50" is doable for most people if they really want to finish, there's zero shame in hike a bike during this race. Tons of comradery so when you feel about done there always someone to help keep you moving. Teir 2 fun without a doubt.

 

[The Z Machine]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

I cannot fathom 100 mi on a mountain bike, let alone with 12,000' of climb. The endurance to pull that off is insane.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

I cannot fathom 100 mi on a mountain bike, let alone with 12,000' of climb. The endurance to pull that off is insane.

It's no joke. My first time took over 16hrs to complete. We had to put a cutoff of 25hrs and a lot of people miss it. There was a group one year that decided to go back to their abnb to take a nap while there's people waiting for everyone to finish at the end. That was very much not appreciated by the crew that checks tokens and waits for the last finishers.

 

[Dickies]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

I cannot fathom 100 mi on a mountain bike, let alone with 12,000' of climb. The endurance to pull that off is insane.

It's no joke. My first time took over 16hrs to complete. We had to put a cutoff of 25hrs and a lot of people miss it. There was a group one year that decided to go back to their abnb to take a nap while there's people waiting for everyone to finish at the end. That was very much not appreciated by the crew that checks tokens and waits for the last finishers.

My biggest day on a mtb was an XC race that was 30 miles and a little over 4,000' elevation gain. That was when I was in good shape, and I completed it in 2:55 riding at a pace that I felt I could ride all day. Would have been curious if I could have kept it going for another 70+ miles.

 

[The Longtime Lurker]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

I cannot fathom 100 mi on a mountain bike, let alone with 12,000' of climb. The endurance to pull that off is insane.

It's no joke. My first time took over 16hrs to complete. We had to put a cutoff of 25hrs and a lot of people miss it. There was a group one year that decided to go back to their abnb to take a nap while there's people waiting for everyone to finish at the end. That was very much not appreciated by the crew that checks tokens and waits for the last finishers.

My biggest day on a mtb was an XC race that was 30 miles and a little over 4,000' elevation gain. That was when I was in good shape, and I completed it in 2:55 riding at a pace that I felt I could ride all day. Would have been curious if I could have kept it going for another 70+ miles.

The difference here compared to a lot of races is the trails. We get a lot of guys from Madison, Grand Rapids, ect, even guys from out west and they see 100mi with a 12 hour cutoff for a buckle and they think it's easy money. We'll see them crossing the line 18-20hrs later usually saying something along the lines of "what the **** was that?". Very few outside of the elite can finish in that 10-12hr range. The 50 miler is a great place for people to start. It's the hardest part of the course and what it's about is easy to see in the first few miles. And even that one in 10hrs is pretty good for the average Joe.

If anyone ever finds their way up here to ride or take on the Marji I know a guy . Course is kind of 3 sections and we like do them over a long weekend just to ride it all. It's a lot more fun broken up than all at once.

 

[The Z Machine]

Just got back from marking our big race for the area, the Marji Gesick. 100 miler and 50 miler, widely accepted as the hardest single day mountain bike race in the country. The 100 is actually about 107 (12,000ft of climbing) and the 50 is really 63, distance is relative up in the north woods, or maybe we're just bad at math . It really showcases the best of Marquette and the RAMBA trail systems and is famous for the final 15 miles.

My wife is on the board and I volunteer to do trail building and maintenance and we're all super proud of this event. Tons of work goes into it and it really brings the entire community together. Over the years it's become really popular and it fills up within minutes of registration.

Bummed to miss riding it this year, but there's some epic aid stations that are really just big parties and it'll be a great time party hopping from one to the next.

Here's a little video that's a few years old (it's gotten much harder since) but it's only a few minutes long of anyone is interested in more about it. (Nobody knows if the kid ever did the 53, or if he ever got brakes on his bike)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

Eta. Marking the damn thing might be harder than competing in it. On off on off on off the bike gets real old quickly.

I cannot fathom 100 mi on a mountain bike, let alone with 12,000' of climb. The endurance to pull that off is insane.

It's no joke. My first time took over 16hrs to complete. We had to put a cutoff of 25hrs and a lot of people miss it. There was a group one year that decided to go back to their abnb to take a nap while there's people waiting for everyone to finish at the end. That was very much not appreciated by the crew that checks tokens and waits for the last finishers.

My biggest day on a mtb was an XC race that was 30 miles and a little over 4,000' elevation gain. That was when I was in good shape, and I completed it in 2:55 riding at a pace that I felt I could ride all day. Would have been curious if I could have kept it going for another 70+ miles.

Big difference between the first few hours and hours 15+ I imagine. Getting enough calories and water in you has to be tough.

 

[The Z Machine]

Any roadies out there? I'm wondering what your average power output is or even what W/kg you're getting. Give me a speed and cadence while you're at it too.

 

[Major]

Any good hybrid e-bikes out there? I'm looking for something I can ride to get some exercise but also on occasion crank up the speeds to flow with traffic on residential streets (20-30mph). If it looks like a normal bike that's ideal because I don't want a theft target. Would like to keep this under $2k. State Bikes used to make one that I liked but looks like they stopped manufacturing it. Type of style I'm looking for: https://www.statebicycle.com/collec...kes/products/6061-black-label-v3-black-mirror.