Winter Riding

x2 on the trainer stuff, but will definitely be getting in as many Sat. AM rides as possible too (once son's soccer season ends). 

I really enjoy the Sat. (soon to be 9AM) Jittery Joe's ride (fact that it's 1.5 miles from my house helps a lot) and even on the really cold days you still get to suffer enjoy it with a small crew.  Webb Bridge ride still rolls during the winter and a few years ago some of the folks from Reality Bikes organized a ride Wed. night ride off Shiloh Road (McFarland Road area) that was a lot of fun (~2.8 mile loop x 10).  Only problem is traffic really started getting heavy and am not sure if this one is still viable.

SCT is always an option, and the colder it gets the more trail you have to yourself;  Tundra Time Trial will be coming up in Feb. and is a great early-season litmus test of your ride fitness.  Usually a good crew from NAMC/BT-land out there.

Once I get the go-ahead to resume training, I'll probably do the JJ ride as my sat ride.  

Otherwise, I will do 1-2 interval sessions on the trainer per week.  The main one will be a tempo ride to increase FTP and one interval sessions through all power zones.

Lou, Jonathan:

When do wheels roll and at what pace is the JJ Saturday morning ride? 

I have been doing the Webb Bridge Saturday am ride and like have liked it. For now I am happily riding with the B Group as with 55 miles of rollers with an average pace of ~20 mph, I am just happing to hang on.

Be sure to pace attention when riding as double pace lines randomly form out of the chaos ... and then disapate.

All in all, a bad day freezing my butt off in the saddle is better than two hours on the trainer.

Crap ... the below looks like I had been drinking instead of just coming in from a run.

With the right gear, winter riding can be fun.  Three things I have found to be indespensible are booties, good gloves and a wicking beanie cap for under your helmet. 

I cheaped out on the gloves the last two seasons and have regreted it each cold winter morning.

I also bought a pair of Pearl Izumi Windstopper pants (shield on the front/thicker dry-fit wicking thermafleece on the back) and they are the bomb.  Got it at the Pearl Izumi outlet up GA 400/on the way to the Gaps and paid $115 for them ... which is a chunk o' change, but they enabled me to ride the coldest days without freezing my legs off.

See: http://www.pearlizumi.com/product.php?mode=view&pc_id=47&product_id=1150060

We will have the trainer set-up in the basement for riding torture pleasure.  However, on any sunny afternoon (or morning if it is over 40 degrees) when I'm not at work, I'll be riding the Roswell route. 

Gloves are definitely a must and running tights or long johns over the bike shorts seem to work well (not pretty, but functional).

Brian and Brian:

Last year the JJ's ride offered a couple of options - 40 miles or 50+ (people could decide late in the ride which one they wanted).  I believe the base route this year is ~47 and a longer option will likely get worked into the mix once the group grows.  Wheels up usually around 9AM (once the time changes).  Terrain is mixed - generally rolling, but a decent amount of vertical when all added up.  Avg. pace is 15-17 - this is designed to be a base pace ride though the pace will move up as spring nears.

The group typically consists of recreational cyclists, some juniors (part of the Jr team that Ben Collins, owner of JJ's, is putting together), a few roadies, and a few triathletes (on their tri bikes, so this is not a problem - just don't go aero *in* the pack).  Yes, quite the mix, but everybody gets along just fine.  Right now the group is small - <10.  Once things pick up a bit, it'll avg 10-20 and a large crowd will be 20-30.

There's a pretty strong emphasis on safety and courtesy by the group leads.  If people don't want to play nice, they're free to ride off on their own or they're "invited" to ride off on their own.  And though not advertised as "no drop," typically no child cyclist is left behind.  One or another from the group usually rides "sweep" to make sure everybody is OK.

This ride, coupled with the weekly spin class I teach and trainer time, helped me tremendously last year, especially where leg strength and overall aerobic conditioning on the bike is concerned.

Hope this helps a bit...

And for our South ATL brother, Chris, I think we should organize a little "home and home" action this winter. We'll get a group together from the N. Fulton area and meet you for the Airport Ride one weekend (just make sure if/when we get dropped that we can get back to our vehicles); you and some of your cronies come and join us one weekend for a "kinder, more gentle" romp through the rolling hills of N. Fulton/Cherokee.

Brett...is the LTF ride, LTF members only or open?  And memories of cold rides with you, et.al. on the SCT are frozen in my mind...some of those rides were almost in the "stupid" category...

If it is an "official" LTF ride then yes it is supposed to be for LTF members only. That being said LTF doesn't own the roads and if a random person shows up and tags along with the group then I have no control over that.....

Sorry Brian, thought I'd posted a link earlier in this thread.  Right now they're rolling at some random minute or two after 8:30 (yeah, they're kind of crazy like that) - I believe they move the time to 9ish after the time change in a couple of weeks.  Ride starts/ends at the Crabapple Station Jittery Joe's (Alpharetta, near the intersections of B'ham, Mayfield, Rucker Roads) but some people jump in/out at various points along the way.  Route map is here: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ga/milton/931897439541.  Every Saturday, unless raining or otherwise communicated.

This link is usually updated a day or two prior to a given Sat.

http://www.crabapplejitteryjoes.com/

/hijack/ Maria Thrash is all that ... anda  bag of chips.  Of the programs I have been to, she is easily the best Masters coach in Atlanta. /end hijack/

Interesting program for indoor cycling.  Any plans to offer the same at the Alpharetta facility?

Ok so at the risk of showing what a complete idiot I am, can you folks please explain what LTF, NAMC etc means?  I am still so new and I haven't figured out the lingo or even how to find a group to ride with.  I discovered the silk sheets this past weekend and feel really dumb since it turns out I live a 10 minute bike ride from the silk sheets...I am looking for a group ride on sat or sun am somewhere vaguely near Douglas County, SCT, ATl...  If someone can tell me the time and actual place of a ride I could join I would love it...I am an ok rider (years of spin and a new Cervelo) and my poor hubby on his hybrid is just no match for me anymore...

PS  I lived and ran in Boston in the snow and ice so a chilly bike ride sounds great to me!

LTF - Lifetime Fitness, they have group rides from their Alpharetta location

NAMC - North Atlanta Multisport Club, based in Roswell but has group workouts all over the north side of town

SCT - silver comet trail

RR - roswell route

As far as winter riding, most weekday rides consist of the trainer. On the weekend it depends on the temperature and the wind. Last winter I spent a lot of time on my mountain bike and rode when it was as low as in the 20's. It's a great way to spend time on a bike even when it's freezing; the trees block some wind and it's a slower speed then road riding.

For winter riding I'd wear my regular cycling gloves with fleece gloves over them. Worked pretty well except on the coldest or windiest days. I also have a wind blocker jacket that is the bomb. Other cool weather essentials are tights (running and cycling are the same), wool socks, toe covers and a headband or neoprene hat for under the helmet.

Hey. someone mentioned Shiloh. That's in Stone Mtn right.

Discuss more please.

And which group rides on Sunday? I see lots of sat but no sundays??

"Shiloh Road (McFarland Road area)" (off GA 400) - sorry, not Stone Mtn

Alpharetta City Hall ride is on Sundays, I believe 12:45PM start...that's the only Sunday ride I know...

I would second the airport ride...great ride. I did this one for years until I found a better calling for Sunday morning.  However,  I plan on doing it a few times this winter.  I am hoping to come up to the JJ to ride with Lou soon.  Saturday winter rides are plentiful.    

Since I work out of the house, I ride at lunch and avoid the trainer most of the winter!  However, the CT training classes are very interesting.