Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for November 19th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

I can identify with the aging part. So far I have not spotted any missing muscle.

Sarcopenia: Muscle Loss with Aging
by Dr. Gabe Mirkin
Competitive masters athletes, 40 to 81 years old, who trained four to five times per week did not lose any muscle size or significant strength with aging (The Physician and Sportsmedicine, October 2011;39(3):172-8). This shows that loss of muscle size and strength in older people is caused by lack of exercise, not just with aging. The athletes did gain fat in spite of exercising. Those in their 70s had almost as much strength and thigh muscle size as those in their 40s. …

Roadie rules to live by (and hopefully make it home in one piece)
by elliott            Austin on Two Wheels

I know a few months ago I shared my critique of the current load of roadie bloggers who think part of their “culture” is fetishizing rules on clothing and equipment. While I see these rules as a reflection of the writers’ personal insecurities, they are off putting and do not serve us well.

So at risk of being a rule obsessed roadie, I have to share two rules I think everyone should follow while road riding in response to this video I recently discovered. We could call them best practices, but then you might…

Cycling Savvy DFW is having a Santa Ride December 3rd
by The Announcer Guy        Biking in Dallas

Come join the Dallas Santa Ride!
A well-mannered social ride* to enjoy the neighborhood holiday decorations. We will take off from the Whole Foods at Lemmon & Lomo Alto and take a little spin around the neighborhood. The pace will be nice and easy…

It’s a slow news day so I am including this article about biking in 48 states.

Call him a spokesman for wounded veterans
By CONOR MAKEM            www.fosters.com

ROCHESTER — Scot King left his home in Portland, Ore. in May on a bicycle and by October he was in Portland, Maine. The 47-year old former U.S. Marine Corporal is riding around the lower 48 states on a two-year trip raising money for and awareness of wounded veterans and their families.

He averages about 60 miles a day on an ultra long and heavy bike. After leaving Portland, Maine, he headed straight for Rochester. …

Memorial service for two missionaries set for Sunday in Texas
By Joseph Walker, Deseret News
WESLACO, TEXAS — A memorial service for Elder Trevor Reinhold Strong of Taylorsville, Utah, and Elder Derek Jason Walker of Fairfield, Idaho, will be held Sunday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Weslaco meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The two LDS missionaries were killed in a hit-and-run accident while riding their bikes in Donna, Texas, last week.

Elder J. Romeo Villarreal, an Area Seventy, will preside at the meeting. Funeral services were held previously in the missionaries’ respective hometowns. …

I Make It to 300 Miles for the Month – November 19th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Overcast skies, 73 degrees and a 18 mph southeast wind were waiting as I began today’s ride. I was hoping the clouds would breakup some by the time I finished like the weatherman had predicted but not to be. It did warmup a couple of degrees to 75 by the time I finished biking almost two hours. The route was shaped somewhat by the wind speed and direction so I went north at the beginning and then zigzag a little on the return leg. I was thinking this rout would get me to 30 miles but ended up at 29.25 miles. With the stiff wind I did keep my average speed at 15.3 mph and the max speed was 22.7 mph. Average cadence was 80.7 RPM. I will not be able to bike tomorrow due to a busy schedule so the week’s mileage ends at 113.65, November miles are 323.21 and year to date I am at 5306.71 miles.

11-19-2011 Bike Ride Data and Route Map

Link to Garmin Connect Ride Data and Route.

[iframe http://ridewithgps.com/trips/449549 97% 700]

11-19-2011 Home Weather End

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for November 18th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Weather Resistant Smartphone Holder
Posted by Adam Flaherty          blog.makezine.com

For those of you who love using your smartphone while cycling in the rain, there’s this nifty hack from North Carolina maker jalexartis. After mounting your handset using your favorite method, cut the top off a plastic bottle, then make a slit down one side to accept the mounting hardware. [via BickHacks]

Bicycle Sports Shop’s Beginner Mountain Bike Ride Series
Austin Ridge Riders
THERE’S STILL (3) THREE RIDES LEFT IN THE BICYCLE SPORT SHOPS MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE SERIES!
Our good friends at Bicycle Sport Shop have been hosting Beginner Mountain Bike Rides for several months. There are still a few rides lieft in the series so act now and RSVP for the next events before all the slots are filled! You can register online on their website.

Mountain Bike Classes, Clinics, Training, etc.
Austin Ridge Riders
The BEST way to improve your mountain biking skills is to ride, ride, and RIDE some more!  But even better is to ride with experienced riders who can provided practical tips while you are physically on the trail. It just helps everything fall into place and there is something about riding with a group that makes you push yourself.

Austin women are fortunate to have the Ride Like A Girl series during the summer months but what to do, what to do after…

The Superman Ride/Race
Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association
Get ready, we’re going straight into a funky town MTB marathon… “THE SUPERMAN”
What: The Superman; a long mtb ride/race. One lap @ Gateway Park, then ride to Sansom park via the dirt paths of the Trinity Trail, ride a full lap at Sansom, then ride back to Gateway. Whoever wins will be known as “Superman.” There will be two checkpoints that will serve as pit stops. Each rider will receive a “zip tie” at the checkpoints.
When: DECEMBER 4th, the day after Gateway Workfest, @ 9 A.M.
Where: Start and Finish @ Gateway Park, Fort Worth, TX (FWMBA trailhead)
How much: Entry fee will be FREE, however, each rider will be required to…

The Zen of Bikes and Bridges
by katiejo            Austin on Two Wheels
Pedaling within the hustle and bustle of the big-city life in Austin I’ve discovered a few places that feel like an oasis in an exhaust-fumed desert. Places that exude serenity, and have the feeling of timelessness, like all motion stops around me when I’m there. …

IBDs Squeezed as Suppliers Battler for Share
Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
By Lynette Carpiet
TAMPA, FL—University Bicycle Center sold more than 300 pairs of Specialized-branded cycling shoes last year. Shoes were one of its biggest categories with Specialized, according to Carlos Mirabal, vice president and manager of the Tampa, Florida, store.

That made his decision to drop Specialized particularly difficult, but he felt compelled to after he was presented with an ultimatum by his Specialized sales rep.

“This is the first time they said you have to drop Giro shoes if you want us to take…

Fooled by the Sun – November 18th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Standing in the backyard before my ride I thought the temperature was warm enough to ride with a long sleeve jersey, a short sleeve jersey and no leg warmers. This was a good thought for a few minutes. The temperature was 70 when I left the driveway but before I rode 1 mile the clouds started to gather and block the sun. One thing that wasn’t blocked was the wind which was 18.4 mph from the southeast. Because of the cool front from yesterday the wind was still chilly even though it was from the direction that usually means warm air. Since I was underway I figured I would warm up from the my body heat. I did warmup some but not as much as I would have liked. By the time I got home the temperature was starting to drop and was down to 68 degrees. The mostly cloudy skies accentuated this coolness. I was glad to get back inside.

I did not ride yesterday because it was not quite warm enough and I was working on replacing the event calendar portion of Texbiker.net. I got the new event calendar up and running so today I was able to get out and ride. Even with the chilly weather I was able to ride 30.0 miles and 15.7 mph average speed. My max speed was 21.7 mph and average cadence was 82.3 RPM. November miles are 293.96 (almost my 300 November average) and year to date 5277.46 miles.

11-18-2011 Bike Ride Data and Route Map

Link to Garmin Connect Ride Data.

[iframe http://ridewithgps.com/trips/448786 97% 700]

11-18-2011 Area Weather End