Manatee Mentors 2015.2 CLOSED (Poptarts? Pet pics?) (Page 92)

That sounds like a great idea until you hit a hard incline.  I need my gears!

Melanie, sending good thoughts.  Cancer sucks, full stop.

Matt, congrats on your upgrade!

Adrienne, congrats on the find!

TJ, I don't know who that is, but you all sound excited, so I will be for you!

If you get a fixed gear chain tensioner (below) then you can get multiple rear cogs for varying conditions and you simply change the rear cog out before leaving the house. Best of both worlds. Add in a flip flop hub and you can change even faster.

Or make life a bit easier and stick to gears, although they can be challenging to use when one has been drinking. From what I hear.

Honestly though, I can say that fixed gear has been fun and hard work. But I stick to roads, so what do I know?

How cool is that?! 

Yes, VanDeVelde drove me nuts last year.  And as for Jens, I haven't seen it yet but I'm surprised he doesn't add much. He's usually got something witty to say.

It could just be that I am struggling to understand him. Of course listening to Jens and TW at the same time made it interesting. A bit of that and I just went outside and cleaned the pool. Alone.

Funny DH and DS1 are part of the reason I haven't watched it yet. I haven't figured out a way to pause while they speak without having a "you're interrupting" look on my face. DH starts his late days tomorrow but DS1 is unemployed... and chatty  

Fortunately, DH and I are both obsessed with the TdF and we only have fur kids to interrupt us while we watch it streaming.  The poor beasts do get a little less time and attention for 3 weeks every July.  That results in numerous pleading looks, bossy/barky toy-tosses and a frequent 40 lb. lap-lander.  Love 'em but sometimes I wish I could send them to their rooms to play.

Right, exactly. And you can buy a kit with the tentioner and spacers and stuff.

It can be hard work for sure, but again, if you select the proper ratio it's only hard some of the time. 

My bike is really going to be for more slight graded service roads for bike packing. Which is how I would select the cog and mainly just leave it, you know so I don't have to make poor drunk decisions.  And I am not past jumping off and walking my bike up the big hills.

I wish I could watch more of the TdC but I just have basic cable and I haven't found much free internet stuff.  I watch the highlights and scan the results.

It was kind of interesting.  Last Fall, I saw a bike on craigslist.  A gorgeous cyclocross bike that was a super deal (all carbon, Di2, etc.)  Met the guy at a coffee shop near my house.  He looked like he was still in high school and couldn't have been more than 130 pounds.  Nice young guy and I asked him what he did.  "race bikes" he said.  I thought must be like bmx or trick riding or something like that.  Went home and sleuthed him out on the web.  GC rider on one of the big teams that is currently in the TdC.  He is about middle of the pack now.  Would love to have had a beer with the guy and hear some war stories.

It's a good thing I don't have cable or I'd never get any training done during road racing season--and I'd weigh more. 

DH got his current CX bike the same way you did and was beyond thrilled.  Super deal on a sweet bike from a pro who was changing teams.  However, I'm not sure how much they actually talked beyond the basics.  He's just not a chatty guy.  We flew to DC last summer--a 3.5 hr. flight--and he sat next to a UHC rider.  He didn't talk to the guy the entire trip!!!  It's probably good that he's not chatty.  I'm chatty enough for both of us.

All of what weight? If I'm following this right, even if it's a few years old many drivetrain and brake pieces tend to not be very heavy. Good sized water bottle. Maybe.

MattMS- nice job getting that upgrade!

TJ- you have mountains AND pro advice coming? sheesh.

Adrienne- awesome vacay! Sweet score on the parts, too.  I can see you liking SS. There's a group here that is doing a Single de Mayo month of riding. Several are mostly-all SS and a couple are trying it out. All of them enjoy it as our terrain isn't steep climbing (3-4s). I've heard more about the enjoyment of the flow and simplicity of "you've got what you've got" riding than weight savings. (may be worth noting most of their rides are 10-15mi )

Another thing I've read/heard is how quiet it gets. A lot of clatter goes away and you feel less mechanical and more one with your surroundings. Probably another reason I think you'd like it.

If I had the time and cable I'd be riding on my trainer for hours pretending I was in the race.

I can't imagine the mess this could make at races!

http://techcrunch.olanola.com/blog/43360359784/Lily%E2%80%99s-$499-Selfie-Drone-Is-Like-A-Flying-GoPro

Interesting. For the time being it looks like it's usage is limited to 20 minutes. 

Could you imagine the start of a race where a dozen or more people were launching their drones?  My imagination went to drone carnage falling on runners!

That's what I thought too. And how many different frequencies could they have. Drones will be latching on to the wrong runner. Mayhem!

Did you all see this?    Not crazy about the idea of my feet on IG but if it's for the kids...

How many runners would want to do this regularly anyway?  Do a lot of people use GoPros to record their runs now?  Seems like just another way to sell drones.

Cool idea.  If you do it, you should paint your toes with fun colors.  I dare ya, NancySteve!