BamaDC's Mentor Group - Closed (Page 4)

Group Member Update

I've owned bikes made of Aluminum and Carbon Fiber.  There are also bike made of Steel, Titanium, Boron Carbide(sp) and I'm sure there are more materials being used. 

Some say Carbon will absorbe road noise or vibrations and are compliant.  The two carbon bikes I've owned were/are Specialized Tarmac and my current Tri frame.  The Specialized felt more smooth than my current tri frame.  It could be the construction or just the different geometries.  But my tri frame is much stiffer than the Specialized.  Carbon is very strong(except under compression), I mean the Airbus A380 is using a lot of carbon in its construction.  But in a aero world carbon is king because of the ability to mold it into what ever shape you want.

The aluminum bikes I owned were a Trek 1500 and a Trek Equinox 9.  They were nice bikes and the rides were nice, but where I lived in FLA at the time had super roads.  Usually these bikes are cheaper but that doesn't mean they're inferior. Its just most of us have a carbon fetishism.

 I'm averaging around 11-13 hours a week now.  But I expect it to top out around 22-24 hours come peak IM training.  You can't carry peak fitness all year.  You may be able to peak in fitness 3 or 4 times.  1 IM, 1 or 2 HIM, 2 or 3 Half Mary, 2 Duathlons, 2 or 3 sprints, and 1 training camp.

Group is closed at 12.  Thanks for the questions.

I've ridden them twice.  You have to focus more than when you're on the trainer.  Remember if you look right more than likely the bike is going to go right.  When I started out I rode in a door frame.  So if I felt myself going I could balance.  I prefer the trainer so I can space out or watch TV.  Let us know how it goes.

Hi everyone

A little more about me I'm 43 married with 2 daughters 21/18 my DW is a BTer as well. Actually its her fault that I started training for TRI's after I saw her do a sprint in 07.I'm a high voltage electrician so my job has me in 100% travel status so we get to train all over the northwest which is nice sometimes other times a pain.

About 6 years ago I weighed in at 295lbs after several diets and training programs later I got down to 245. As of june of last year I hit 195 and since then I have maintained that weight thanks to the BT training plans (and cut out fast food and other junk food except in rare cases were I fall off the wagon).

My biggest step in TRI training was learning to swim. Last june my DW got me a wetsuit so now I had to learn to swim. Before this time I had never swam more then a 100 yards in my life with my face in the water. After 4 weeks of training I did my first TRI.

My current bike is a Javlin Garda road bike with campy components I would like to get some arrow bars put on it well before Boise 70.3 so I can get used to them. I'm also useing a Garmin 305 But my stupid laptop will not recognize all of the software so I can't get my routes loaded or heartrate data loaded I may have to get a new one.   

Thanks for the info. Congrats on the weight loss and lifestyle change.   Any plans on racing IMCDA?

Copy and paste the URL from the forum. 

Click on your "control panel".

Click on "Edit your training settings".

Click on the "goals tab".

Type in the a note like challenge group.  Then Highlight it with your mouse

Click on the button with the chain link(pic)

In the pop-up window. Paste the link in the "Link URL Box"

Then hit save or apply.

HI Mark; my intention is to volunteer at IMCDA this year and sighn up for next year at least thats what im planning work might get in the way but I hope not.

Hi Stuart; those challenge groups are a lot of fun and they can help you stay focused.

you need to be a performance member for the weather.

You can copy and paste the chart below into your training log.  It should work.  If not I can post the HTML version.  I'm not sure how Mauro, made up the colored box to go around it.

Hey guys...here's an update so far...

The radiologist report was negative, so I started Physio this week....that is the route chosen by the Dr., so that is what we are going to do right now...Apparently they have diagnosed it as a bad ACL sprain and an aggravated and inflamed miniscus....(lucky, no tearing)....either way, it was fine until today when we got hammered with snow and I have been battling walking all day, shovelling, picking up kids...so now it hurts quite a bit so I am sitting here wishing I could do something else....tomorrow I have an ok to try to swim though, so that is good...no running for 3 more weeks...and only supervised at physio...

Might as well talk about something.  So what is everyone's dream bike?

Trek TTX (S), Hed Jet Disc and 60 front, Sram Red Groupset and Hed aerobars.

I have to say, I don't really know much about bikes....I am the epitome of what it means to be a beginner triathlete....

 Currently I have a Lemond Tourmalet...it's older, but hey, it gets me to where I want to go, and fairly fast....no carbon fibre fancy-shmancy stuff, but I got it for $600....that was my price range...I am looking at replacing the handle bars and maybe upgrading a few things...any ideas/suggestions?

As far as dream bikes....they are dreams, so why not....(I eventually got my dream golf clubs, so why can't I eventually get my dream bike?)...I wish I could justify getting a Cervelo P1....I love the look, and from what I understand, quite a reputable company....

Thanks for the good wishes on my knee....

 Little update for you all.....(as I recover from the SB XLIII hangover...)

The original plan had me getting in the pool for a swim tomorrow, but because of the speed in which this healing is happening (not as fast as the PT would like) he is having me wait...so we have another therapy session tomorrow, then I am (cross you fingers) supposed to swim on Thursday, and then therapy on Friday...And the wonderful midterm session is about to begin too....Oh yeah, and both my kids are sick....and my wife has taken to participating in a "boot-camp" to finally kick the fat and get back into shape....so she's grumpy right now, because she is hurting....(I snickered though...)

Have you ever noticed how much you use your knees in everything you do?  Even trying to lift weights, that was hurting to....and I was just doing basic dumbell presses....you never notice until it is injured.....