Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Stefan Mikes]

Let me share my impression from riding Vado SL in the Kabacki Forest of yesterday. Because of topography, the best route from the west to the Specialized Warsaw Brand Store is riding for 5 km through the Forest, which is a favourite leisure/workout area for Warsawers living in the southern part of the city. The surface type is hardpack, which becomes slightly muddy in the wet season. Now, given the frost, the surface has become pretty rough and interlaced with ice.

To reduce the rolling resistance prior to the ride, I inflated the wheels to the allowed max. The nice surprise I experienced upon riding into the Forest was how good the Redshift ShockStop system was! I was riding well over 20 km/h over that unpleasant terrain with total comfort and control over the bike! And I am sure the studded Marathon Winter Plus tyres were of great help to maintain traction!

Talking about studded tyres, I found them a must-have for the frosty winter! Fancy riding for many kilometres on dry asphalt to just find a 100 metre stretch of solid ice! And try riding through on regular tyres!

I shared my thoughts to the store manager, to which he sighed: "What a shame not everybody can install or afford studded tyres on their bikes! Yet, there is something even worse: Riding without a helmet during the winter! You must have seen those types riding in a warm cap instead of helmet; they cannot of course use the summer helmet but damn! they could wear a snowboard helmet or whatever! Riding in the winter without a helmet is an attempt to commit suicide!" How true.

 

[BlackHand]

Finally, a day off work with no snow, rain, slush, or ice in sight!
Took a ride through downtown then up to Meadowdale Beach Park to see how the estuary restoration project is going at Lunds Gulch. It's the northernmost part of the ride on this map.

The project relies on BNSF taking out their railroad grade and putting in a 100 ft bridge to allow both pedestrian and salmon access between the beach and the newly restored estuary/stream.

For the last 50 years, the only access has been this culvert:

The project was put on hold this summer when BNSF had to reallocate crews and equipment to California to replace to bridges taken out in this year's fires.

The beach is rarely crowded as the only regular access is a 1 1/4 mile trail down the gulch. But there is a gated service/ADA road at the end of a residential waterfront street so those who live nearby or those of us on bikes(!) have easy access to the park.

Hopefully, BNSF will be able to put in the bridge this year during the July-Oct window when the creek can be disturbed.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

The Magnificent Seven

Przemek The Gravel Man is an excellent group ride organizer. I don't know how he gathered as many as seven gravel cyclists for early freezing Sunday morning. Or, how was it possible he said "We start at 8:15 sharp" and Wahoo registered the ride start at 8:15 am sharp!

Seven different people, seven different bikes, including a speed e-bike Many of the people on the ride didn't know the others before. I think half of bikes on the ride were even not gravel bikes. People tend to ride "winter bikes" now, saving their treasures for the warm season. And how different people they were! Rob -- an Englishman wearing American colours! (That's why his nickname is "Americano", and he was riding a Cannondale hybrid as his winter bike). Or, another Przemek, a tall, skinny bearded man riding a hardtail (more on him later).

I turned out to be the weakest rider there despite of riding the full-power Vado. Take just a single battery, and only charged to 95% for a Winter ride with strong gravel cyclists and you'll understand why! I had to economize on the battery, going down to 40/40% assistance for the return leg when my buddies got at speed as they got tailwind on asphalt... I was helping myself with bursts of Turbo to keep up with them! Returned with only 11% of battery, and it could be worse if I didn't monitor my Vado with BLEvo all the time. Add to it my worn 13t cassette cog, exactly the one I needed for that kind of the ride...

Somewhere on dirt roads. A road segment was cut with a deep puddle, not completely frozen. I had to walk my Vado over a muddy and soft field. This picture is of bad quality but it shows the general type of terrain we were riding outside asphalt roads. Dirt roads were frozen with a lot of dangerous ruts. One of buddies actually crashed because of a rut, and he was riding a road bike... I had no issues thanks to 2" winter studded tyres though.

The Magnificent Seven at the front of the Młochów Palace. Standing (L to R): The MTB Przemek, Michał #1, Roland, Michał #2, Yours Truly. Crouching: Rob the "Americano", the Gravel Przemek.
Notice: Everybody's wearing the helmet!

There is a splendid story about the MTB Przemek. The guy resembled a Viking, with icicles hanging from his long beard! There was an overpass: I was climbing in Turbo mode by road while my buddies did the same on a bike path. It is rare a traditional cyclist climbs as fast as I do if I'm riding in full Turbo. Not only my mates were climbing at my speed but that MTB Przemek! He pushed on the pedals and ZOOMED uphill, accelerating! I asked him later: "What your peak power really is?" to which he modestly answered "I think it is 700 to 800 watts but I don't own a power meter, so am not really sure..."

It was a nice ride in sunshine, starting at -4 C and ending at +1 C, with rather strong headwind on the outbound ride leg. I will never ever take a single battery for a ride with guys like these again!

 

[PatriciaK]

Short mile or so ride this glorious, sunny PNW day, to initiate my new Schwinn Day Tripper cargo trailer. Quiet, smooth, tracked well both empty and under load . I could have filled it a good bit more, but was taking it easy the first time out!

I think it's going to work just fine!

 

[kahn]

Short mile or so ride this glorious, sunny PNW day, to initiate my new Schwinn Day Tripper cargo trailer. Quiet, smooth, tracked well both empty and under load . I could have filled it a good bit more, but was taking it easy the first time out!

I think it's going to work just fine!

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I know you posted somewhere it was easy to install, etc. Where did you get it? Frankly, I'm not interested but a friend might be...

Oh, I see there's a PORTER and Day Tripper. Do you know the differences?

 

[PatriciaK]

I know you posted somewhere it was easy to install, etc. Where did you get it? Frankly, I'm not interested but a friend might be...

Oh, I see there's a PORTER and Day Tripper. Do you know the differences?

The only difference I could see was the Porter only comes in black, and I don't remember it having the top...

I got it from evil Amazon.

 

[Merle Nelson]

My wife and I enjoyed a nice ride up to "The Fern Tree". Approx. 10 foot dia douglas fir tree with ferns growing in it.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Gravel riding through the farmlands …

Vernor, Brisbane Hinterland
SE Queensland
​

My riding this year has been somewhat curtailed by wet weather. I think it might be over for now. Just hoping!

 

[kahn]

In a take off from Oliver - Sun, GLORIOUS SUN.... Finally, after two weeks of dreck weather and one day after my power module would not adjust power (up or down or even OFF)

22.4 miles and 1,184 feet. Those are the snow covered Olympic Mts (Olympic National Park) in the background.

 

[fooferdoggie]

it will be several months before I have more pics. my wife gets a new shoulder bone in a couple days and it will be two months at least before she can ride again.

 

[kahn]

managing to be several months before I ahve more pics. my wife gets a new shoulder bone I na couple days and it will be two months at least before she can ride again.

Wish her the best of luck and a quick and complete recovery.

 

[PatriciaK]

In a take off from Oliver - Sun, GLORIOUS SUN.... Finally, after two weeks of dreck weather and one day after my power module would not adjust power (up or down or even OFF)

22.4 miles and 1,184 feet. Those are the snow covered Olympic Mts (Olympic National Park) in the background.

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It was a beauty yesterday! So glad we took a nice long walk after the grocery run and made some vitamin D while we had the chance! Back to the rain and wind again starting today .

 

[PatriciaK]

it will be several months before I have more pics. my wife gets a new shoulder bone in a couple days and it will be two months at least before she can ride again.

Wishing her a speedy recovery!

 

[Marci jo]

it will be several months before I have more pics. my wife gets a new shoulder bone in a couple days and it will be two months at least before she can ride again.

Heal fast Mrs. Foofer!

 

[fooferdoggie]

Pretty much since we got the tandem I seldom go on longer rides by myself. but I may who knows?I hate sitting around and two months of weekend sitting will kill me. its going to be worse for my wife.

 

[Prairie Dog]

This is what one resorts just to get out of the house. I spent part of the morning removing some of the snow load on the roof top the day before the weather improved. It was still -20C outside but knowing what was in store for the next day made the task almost tolerable.

Finally, a well deserved break from the cold.

24 hours later and +20 degrees warmer, we took to the snow-covered trails at Heritage Ranch. It was a perfect time for a winter ride even though the trails were a bit soft and cushy.

Before entering onto the trails, it was vital that we kept an eye out for XC skiers zipping down both sides of the pathways.



Narrow tracks on most sections made riding a bit of a challenge so it was critical to keep in the center of the trail avoiding the deep snow on either side.



Overall, it was great day to be out in such superb weather conditions.

 

[DaveMatthews]

This is what one resorts just to get out of the house. I spent part of the morning removing some of the snow load on the roof top the day before the weather improved. It was still -20C outside but knowing what was in store for the next day made the task almost tolerable.

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View attachment 111541

Finally, a well deserved break from the cold.

24 hours later and +20 degrees warmer, we took to the snow-covered trails at Heritage Ranch. It was a perfect time for a winter ride even though the trails were a bit soft and cushy.

View attachment 111542

Before entering onto the trails, it was vital that we kept an eye out for XC skiers zipping down both sides of the pathways.

View attachment 111543

Narrow tracks on most sections made riding a bit of a challenge so it was critical to keep in the center of the trail avoiding the deep snow on either side.

View attachment 111544View attachment 111546

Overall, it was great day to be out in such superb weather conditions.

View attachment 111547

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Lookin' good!
Never normally get the opportunity around here for this kind of ride. Never had a need for spiked tires either.
That may be changing though. We'll see if we get more white stuff, but this week is all rain and +8/10C

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Maybe that's what we need…

Shorncliffe Pier, Moreton Bay
9:30 am; 71 km​

I think they were checking my ebike (for different reasons?), but I was beginning to think that I'd need an umbrella for the return journey!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Lookin' good!
Never normally get the opportunity around here for this kind of ride. Never had a need for spiked tires either.
That may be changing though. We'll see if we get more white stuff, but this week is all rain and +8/10C

Yeah, it was nice. This recent warming trend has really provided a much needed boost to everyone’s spirits and the riding conditions at Heritage were great but some of the other trails were still too heavily covered in snow to navigate around.

We had heard that another atmospheric river was set to hit the west coast but not as severe as the last one. Stay warm and dry Dave.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Fighting with myself whether I should ride just in my jeans but in the snowboarding jacket and boots to the nearest petrol station for some shopping on that -3 C night

Done. Thirteen and half minute round trip. I should be crazy to scrub the car's windscreen at night for such a banal ride!