Round 2: My 2015 Galaxy Blue Journal

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Today, I hit a new high speed personal record: 31.4 MPH! Albeit, it was for a couple of seconds and a ton of energy expenditure, but I did it! High 80's/low 90's today and tomorrow, it's supposed to be mid 90's (with possibility of excessive heat of around 105 degrees). Stupid hot for Cleveland and it's bullshit humidity.

Do you guys have a backpack with some sort of water bladder built into them that you use for longer rides? I'm envisioning a product that I recall being called something along the lines of "camel back" that I've seen marketed for hiking. I'm fairly certain something has to exist for cycling as well.
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
Today, I hit a new high speed personal record: 31.4 MPH! Albeit, it was for a couple of seconds and a ton of energy expenditure, but I did it! High 80's/low 90's today and tomorrow, it's supposed to be mid 90's (with possibility of excessive heat of around 105 degrees). Stupid hot for Cleveland and it's bullshit humidity.

Do you guys have a backpack with some sort of water bladder built into them that you use for longer rides? I'm envisioning a product that I recall being called something along the lines of "camel back" that I've seen marketed for hiking. I'm fairly certain something has to exist for cycling as well.
There's definitely a camelback for that. I have a low profile, 102 oz. model that I bought before my first deployment.

Speaking of speed, I haven't really biked since I was in high school. But back then I was constantly on a mountain bike and in the steep terrain of Pennsylvania we used to hit some ridiculous speeds. Some of my friends were all about jumps, but I don't want to get air at all whatsover (I'm the same way on skiis). Excessive speed was always my draw. I had a Schwin S-15 digital speedometer and the goal was always to break the speedo's previous top speed record. Mostly, we rode powerline access roads like the one in the photo, but also rode some long, steep public highways for a short period. On the powerlines, we would regularly hit 45-55 mph and on some of the paved roads we'd almost reach 65. Terrifying but such an amazing rush at the same time. I'll see if I can find pics of some of the roads we road.
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Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Damn, I cannot imagine what anything in excess of 45+ MPH on a bicycle feels like... I have to find a massive hill somewhere where I can test it out, but it has to be safe enough to do.
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
Unfortunately, my hometown is such a rural backwater that I can't get any google street view shots of the roads we used to ride.

But for conversation's sake, we were doing this stuff on heavy duty mountain bikes. I had a 24" Royce Union, Rock Ridge 21-speed with hydraulic shocks on the forks and a ballistic shock under the seat. It was suuuuper heavy, but that was probably a good thing considering the punishment it saw on the regular. Speed is one thing. Hitting a softball sized stone at 45 mph is another. I'm not sure how I survived some of this stuff.

We really ramped up the powerline rides after graduation, in preparation for boot camp in the fall. I was undoubtedly in the best shape of my life.

08ad2b20c8a51220911469cb743009b9.jpg
 
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Eagleye

Tinkerer
Today, I hit a new high speed personal record: 31.4 MPH! Albeit, it was for a couple of seconds and a ton of energy expenditure, but I did it! High 80's/low 90's today and tomorrow, it's supposed to be mid 90's (with possibility of excessive heat of around 105 degrees). Stupid hot for Cleveland and it's bullshit humidity.

Do you guys have a backpack with some sort of water bladder built into them that you use for longer rides? I'm envisioning a product that I recall being called something along the lines of "camel back" that I've seen marketed for hiking. I'm fairly certain something has to exist for cycling as well.

31mph on a fairly flat road? If so that is pretty good! I'll have to post an on board video soon of me sprinting on the bike or bombing it downhill.

As far as the camelback, yes those exist for cyclists but are typically only seen in the mountain bike/ultra endurance crowds. Typical roadies carry 2 bottles on board and possibly another in their jersey back pocket. In hot weather I make sure to hydrate the day before a big ride and then 2 bottles will get me about 60 miles or so. I have been doing most of my riding inside of late. It is just more convenient for me and I race in virtual races which satisfies my need for competition. If I am outside it is mainly joy rides or going for Strava segments.
 

Eagleye

Tinkerer

Here is a short video that I found of me riding a Strava segment after I had just gotten my gopro. Nothing that fun to watch, but I'll get one up of me sprinting or going downhill. Feel free to ask any more cycling, video, editing questions in this thread as I'm quite enjoying it! (making me want to ride tonight too haha)
 
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Grinder34

Track Monkey
Unfortunately, my hometown is such a rural backwater that I can't get any google street view shots of the roads we used to ride.

But for conversation's sake, we were doing this stuff on heavy duty mountain bikes. I had a 24" Royce Union, Rock Ridge 21-speed with hydraulic shocks on the forks and a ballistic shock under the seat. It was suuuuper heavy, but that was probably a good thing considering the punishment it saw on the regular. Speed is one thing. Hitting a softball sized stone at 45 mph is another. I'm not sure how I survived some of this stuff.

We really ramped up the powerline rides after graduation, in preparation for boot camp in the fall. I was undoubtedly in the best shape of my life.//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190721/08ad2b20c8a51220911469cb743009b9.jpg

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

What bike is that?

Looks like my "other" bike (ridden about 1 hr total in the last 19 years :oops:) Stolen pic, mine looks similar but way more tape and old tires for protection.

MI3s1GW.jpg
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
24" Royce Union 'Rock Ridge'. Hydraulic shocks on the forks, ballistic shock under the seat. 21-speed, with Shimano derailers.
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
@Eagleye , the 31 MPH was on a slight decline. The fastest I've ridden on leveled pavement was 26 MPH.

Your video isn't showing up! Check it and repost!

Edit: Today, I crossed the 150 mile milestone since I started riding. (This being a high probability of me riding a bicycle more than I ever have in my entire cumulative life. :lol: )
 

Grinder34

Track Monkey
Are you on Strava? I don t FB or IG or anything, but I'll follow the shit out of you on Strava...
 

Eagleye

Tinkerer
@Eagleye , the 31 MPH was on a slight decline. The fastest I've ridden on leveled pavement was 26 MPH.

Your video isn't showing up! Check it and repost!

Edit: Today, I crossed the 150 mile milestone since I started riding. (This being a high probability of me riding a bicycle more than I ever have in my entire cumulative life. :lol: )

Hmm link looks good and the video shows up for me. I'll try to post one a different way.
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!

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Grinder34

Track Monkey
@Eagleye , the 31 MPH was on a slight decline. The fastest I've ridden on leveled pavement was 26 MPH.

Your video isn't showing up! Check it and repost!

Edit: Today, I crossed the 150 mile milestone since I started riding. (This being a high probability of me riding a bicycle more than I ever have in my entire cumulative life. :lol: )

Based on the past few posts I tried to see what speeds i could hit. The past two days on a level ground coming out of a tunnel (so no coasting, in fact abrupt acceleration) I hit 28.9 and 29.3 mph. BUT i had a kid seat on the back as an air brake. And that 28.9 was lagging, i think i could've done better, but didn't see it until I'd already backed off. Now I'll have to ditch the seat and the 12 lb u-lock to see what I can do!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2560411418
https://www.strava.com/activities/2563097825


...do we need a biking/braggng/equipment/stories/discussion thread?
 

Alin

Diehard Car Enthusiast!
Based on the past few posts I tried to see what speeds i could hit. The past two days on a level ground coming out of a tunnel (so no coasting, in fact abrupt acceleration) I hit 28.9 and 29.3 mph. BUT i had a kid seat on the back as an air brake. And that 28.9 was lagging, i think i could've done better, but didn't see it until I'd already backed off. Now I'll have to ditch the seat and the 12 lb u-lock to see what I can do!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2560411418
https://www.strava.com/activities/2563097825


...do we need a biking/braggng/equipment/stories/discussion thread?

We might as well. I mean, I for one, never thought in my life I'd give two shits about cycling and here we are. (Granted, I'm as newb as they come in this domain.) I hope to be able to reach higher maximum speeds and also improve my normal pace. I think I'm coming up on a month since I started and definitely feel the quads and calves have increased in volume. You can start the thread cause I actually have more questions for you guys. :D
 

Batmobile_Engage

Squirrel Meat Aficionado.
Staff member
Very nice! I don't want it to take longer than it needs to, but take a few photos and do a brief write-up if you have the time. :tup:
 
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