Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[kahn]

Yeah, we're studs on studs.

Well, the helmet would make it hard but you should have your head examined!!!!

 

[Readytoride]

No ice here to worry about. Just newly graded gravel roads to slow any bike rides to a crawl because of upturned sharp stones that used to lay flat and innocuous and smooth until some massive road grader ripped along making a mess of things under the rediculous excuse of "improving" the road surface.

Don't get me started. I had to suffer through a several miles of "improvement" before I could escape onto a paved road for a much needed breather. And a bit of speed. Thankfully not all my 13 mile route was as tortured, and I found plenty of time to enjoy a delightfully warm sunny carefree afternoon away from all responsibilities.

One picture only of the "improved" road as the scenery has yet to transform to something a tad more colorful. The bulbs at home are pushing their spears out of the ground already, and the tree branches are loaded with buds already swelling. Only a matter of a few more weeks until our countryside bursts into bloom and the group bike rides begin in earnest.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Just newly graded gravel roads to slow any bike rides to a crawl because of upturned sharp stones that used to lay flat and innocuous and smooth until some massive road grader ripped along making a mess of things under the rediculous excuse of "improving" the road surface.

You look to me as a candidate for a gravel e-bike, Flora

 

[Readytoride]

You look to me as a candidate for a gravel e-bike, Flora

I actually have been contemplating an addition of a gravel bike to my herd, Stefan. Even told the bike shop to order one in for me. It hasn't arrived yet that I'm aware. They are still dealing with supply chain issues.

Not sure if I'll carry through with the purchase since we have a lot of things coming up that are staking claim to our ready cash - a 30 panel solar array is slated to be erected in one of our lower fields in April to take over the electrical needs for our house and farm, while this month we'll be electrifying the 36 year old carriage house in order to house hubby's tools and woodworking equipment (currently taking up real estate in the garage) alongside our antique carriage collection, thus freeing the garage and giving copious room for the very expensive purchase of a Rivian electric truck at year's end.

I am eagerly looking forward to the solar and the electric truck. Hubby is excited to have a huge amount of space for his workshop (finally).

I think my carbon belt drive LaFree is going to have to continue shouldering the gravel road treks for at least another year unless I fall into some extra money somewhere. Or buy a winning lottery ticket.

 

[Chargeride]

Im going to have to admit, the first time I heard gravel bike, my mind jumped to some kind of hybrid wheelbarrow that you pedal to transport building materials.

 

[Bilbo625]

Spring is coming to Ireland at last. Time for my first post on this thread. This ride is northwest of Drogheda so I stopped at some 10th century ruins at Monasterboice and Old Mellifont Abbey. Then on to the Boyne canal, built between 1748 and 1800 which bypassed the rapids to allow canal barges upriver. The towpath is now a walking/cycling route.

 

[Deleted member 18083]

Bilbo, welcome to the thread. Love the photos: there is no such thing as an ancient building where I, and many others, live!
David

 

[kahn]

Im going to have to admit, the first time I heard gravel bike, my mind jumped to some kind of hybrid wheelbarrow that you pedal to transport building materials.

I understand that someone is developing a Chip Seal Bike. (in case the term is foreign in some realms: the cheap highway department spills asphalt and then drops gravel on top, allowing traffic to meld the two. Always fun on a road bike when the stuff is first applied a 1/2 to an 1 thick!!)

 

[Chargeride]

it has xxxxxxx rained all day, non stop.
Its still hammering down now.
It reminds me of that Twilight zone scifi where they crash landed on the rain planet and all slowly went mad.

 

[Mulezen]

R2R. recently The New Yorker ran an article on Rivian and Ford’s Lightning electric pickups.

 

[Readytoride]

R2R. recently The New Yorker ran an article on Rivian and Ford’s Lightning electric pickups.

Link, please? Love reading the New Yorker articles.
I just read a report on a new Class 3 Yahama gravel road bike Wabash RT (500w inline battery) that has me very seriously thinking of ways to raid my petty cash reserve to buy one.

 

[Mulezen]

I get my copies second hand…not sure of the date…let me fish around…

 

[Mulezen]

Hopefully you can read the article…author Seabrook’s exploration of the evtrucks in general and Ford’s lightning and Rivian in particular are explored with the eyes of a potential owner. I was enthusiastic about the Cybertruck until I completely soured on Musk.

America’s Favorite Pickup Truck Goes Electric

Ford’s F-series trucks make up the best-selling vehicle line in the U.S. Can its new F-150 Lightning compete with Tesla in the E.V. market?

www.newyorker.com

 

[Readytoride]

Hopefully you can read the article…author Seabrook’s exploration of the evtrucks in general and Ford’s lightning and Rivian in particular are explored with the eyes of a potential owner. I was enthusiastic about the Cybertruck until I completely soured on Musk.

America’s Favorite Pickup Truck Goes Electric

Ford’s F-series trucks make up the best-selling vehicle line in the U.S. Can its new F-150 Lightning compete with Tesla in the E.V. market?

www.newyorker.com

Thank you. It was interesting. From the viewpoint of having owned a BEV for 3.5 years, it was like reading about a long time cyclist who is discovering the fun world of ebikes for the first time. It made me smile.

We have a lot to thank the visionaries for in the realm of advanced e-bikes and e-cars. The next 5-6 years are going to be fascinating to experience. By next year I hope to be transitioned to a full BEV household, driving my Rivian with my ebike in the bed, going to charity bike rides both far and near, and recharging my bikes and vehicles courtesy of the sun.

Maybe (hopefully, probably) well before then I'll have added a gravel ebike to my herd.

 

[Chargeride]

Yes, I can imagine ebike chargers built into electric cars quite soon.

 

[RabH]

March is being good to me, second ride already and what a beautiful day for the time of year! The winds have finally gone and the ice has melted so the back roads were calling me again, I was in cycling heaven for sure! I took to the cycle paths at first and I was rewarded with this beautiful sight!

The cycle path runs alongside the Hillend Loch and I was shocked to see the water so low after weeks of heavy rain!

Back on the roads again, I love this road when its ice free!

The hills in the distance are the Campsies which I cycled over on Sunday! How beautiful are those clouds?

2 days ago I wouldn't have gone near this road, the water just runs across it and freezes everywhere! I love the views up here and the clouds made them even more special today!

What a great ride that was and the weather is looking good for the next week, I'm looking forward to adding more miles to the 33,000 now showing on my GPS since 2011! I also noticed I have now climbed over 2 million feet in that time! My overall average has just dipped below 50 miles, hoping to make that right when the weather is warmer!

 

[kahn]

View attachment 115809

March is being good to me, second ride already and what a beautiful day for the time of year! The winds have finally gone and the ice has melted so the back roads were calling me again, I was in cycling heaven for sure! I took to the cycle paths at first and I was rewarded with this beautiful sight!

View attachment 115810

The cycle path runs alongside the Hillend Loch and I was shocked to see the water so low after weeks of heavy rain!

View attachment 115811 View attachment 115812

Back on the roads again, I love this road when its ice free!

View attachment 115813

The hills in the distance are the Campsies which I cycled over on Sunday! How beautiful are those clouds?

View attachment 115814

2 days ago I wouldn't have gone near this road, the water just runs across it and freezes everywhere! I love the views up here and the clouds made them even more special today!

View attachment 115815
View attachment 115816

What a great ride that was and the weather is looking good for the next week, I'm looking forward to adding more miles to the 33,000 now showing on my GPS since 2011! I also noticed I have now climbed over 2 million feet in that time! My overall average has just dipped below 50 miles, hoping to make that right when the weather is warmer!

View attachment 115817

Nice country-side you live in and can explore. Terrific stats. Keep on going and going.

 

[Chargeride]

View attachment 115809

March is being good to me, second ride already and what a beautiful day for the time of year! The winds have finally gone and the ice has melted so the back roads were calling me again, I was in cycling heaven for sure! I took to the cycle paths at first and I was rewarded with this beautiful sight!

View attachment 115810

The cycle path runs alongside the Hillend Loch and I was shocked to see the water so low after weeks of heavy rain!

View attachment 115811 View attachment 115812

Back on the roads again, I love this road when its ice free!

View attachment 115813

The hills in the distance are the Campsies which I cycled over on Sunday! How beautiful are those clouds?

View attachment 115814

2 days ago I wouldn't have gone near this road, the water just runs across it and freezes everywhere! I love the views up here and the clouds made them even more special today!

View attachment 115815
View attachment 115816

What a great ride that was and the weather is looking good for the next week, I'm looking forward to adding more miles to the 33,000 now showing on my GPS since 2011! I also noticed I have now climbed over 2 million feet in that time! My overall average has just dipped below 50 miles, hoping to make that right when the weather is warmer!

View attachment 115817

667 rides.
My condolences to your batteries.

 

[RabH]

667 rides.
My condolences to your batteries.

Only 399 were battery powered, both batteries are holding up well!

@kahn I intend to keep on going for as long as is humanly possible and yes, I'm very lucky to have roads like this right on my doorstep!

 

[Nashcruiser]

I thought when I bought my bike last year I’d do some winter riding with these nice wide tires (2.4"). But when the weather turned cold I did what us southerners are known for and waited for it to warm up. I’d go out for a few rides here and there but nothing regular. This week with temps around 70F I’ve gotten out for rides everyday and am starting to get back into riding shape. I’ve got a 6 mile neighborhood loop that I ride until I’m satisfied with my stamina to ride out farther. I got 4 laps in today.

The route goes under and then over the interstate on a greenway. Here in Nashville, as I’m sure in other communities they are debating ebikes on the greenways. Following the community meetings about it I’ve learned that my bike is actually illegal to be used on the greenways, which I think is ridiculous. I have a class 3 bike, a Trek Allant+ 8s and the Allant+ 8 looks just like it but is a class 1 bike. If you set them side by side you couldn’t tell the difference. I can go 8 mph faster with assist. Big deal! The speed limit is 15mph so both can exceed the limit. And this is at the state level. The city is discussing how to go forward with local ordinances to allow bike sharing companies access to the greenways and have taken surveys and done studies. It’s obvious that these are people that don’t understand ebikes and our future is in their hands. It’s all very frustrating to watch.

The greenway that’s illegal for me to ride.

The interstate it passes over.

Sorry to bother you with my soap opera but the greenways are great for avoiding traffic and my taxes pay for them just as much as everyone else so it’s frustrating to watch.