This morning I was scrolling through my Twitter feed and a post from ZwiftInsider caught my attention. Zwift released update 1.0.60239 adding four new Watopia routes. So far all of my rides in Zwift since I restarted my subscription for the winter took place in events. Today with the new routes I opted for a “free rider” not an event. There were plenty of Zwifters out along the Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop I chose. At times I saw over 3,200 other riders on the course.
The course description from ZwiftInsider, ” 19km long with 156m of climbing, this is the most exciting of the new routes, because it includes the longest stretch of new road! Zwift has the added the “Epic KOM Bypassâ€: ~2.7km of fresh road which connects the bottom of the Epic KOM Reverse (near the Jungle entrance) so the bottom of the Epic KOM Forward (after crossing the suspension bridge). It’s a rolling, twisty road, and even includes a tiny dirt detour.” When I first read about the new routes I checked the Strava segment to see what the first riders were doing. They were fast. The fastest averaged 29.9 mph taking 23:41 to ride the loop. My time was significantly higher at 45:07 at 16.0 mph average speed.
After installing the update I got ready to ride the Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop but my sensors would not stay connected. I tried the usual fixes but the problem persisted. I ended up closing Zwift and restarting and all my sensors connected using the companion app on my phone. I opened my garage and switched my frame from the Canyon to Cannondale Evo. It had been awhile since I navigated the rides and courses so it took a few tries to find the Ocean Lava Cliffside Loop because I didn’t click on Watopia. Once I opened the Watopia routes I found it. I chose this one because it was the longest and had the least amount of climbing.
Some shots from the ride.
With the new route I racked up a number of personal records according to Strava. Not being in an event didn’t mean easy riding. The course gained 467 feet with one spot at 12% causing me to get out of the saddle to pedal. Fortunately it didn’t last long. Average power came in at 117 watts with a max of 259 watts though I thought climbing that 12% hill it would’ve been higher. I passed some people and many passed me.
Houston has a plan to end roadway deaths. Now comes the hard part: pulling it off.
Mayor Sylvester Turner, joined by various department heads and city council members, announced Wednesday that the city has finished 14 months of work on its Vision Zero Action Plan, aimed at eliminating traffic deaths in Houston by 2030. The booklet provided for the plan starts off, Turner noted, with 1,153 names and ages — those killed in crashes since 2014 around Houston.
“Each of their names is one too many traffic deaths,†Turner said, touting the need to improve, not only safety for drivers, but anyone who uses the streets to walk, bicycle or travel by wheelchair or transit. …
… * build at least 25 miles of dedicated bike lanes annually; …
A cluster of 30 bicyclists gathered beneath a gray sky, as raindrops splashed against their helmets. Not ideal conditions for a long and winding bike ride, but these cyclists — organizers and community members from across the East End — were on a mission. They would pedal through their corner of the city, logging mental notes about how safe they felt along the way.
Their feedback is crucial as Houston, and the East End in particular, work toward becoming more bikeable.
Cycling is not new to Houston, but it’s more mainstream now than ever, said Bryan Brown, senior planner for the county’s engineering department. And …
Laura Agnew, front, and husband Hill Abell, owners of Austin’s Bicycle Sport Shop, ride trails at Big Bend Ranch State Park during the Chihuahuan Desert Bike Festival. The couple on Thursday announced the sale of Bicycle Sport Shop to Trek.
More sad news for a sad year on the local business front.
Bicycle Sport Shop, the longtime cycling shop of choice for many cyclists, including me, is being sold into a future that’s sure to mean changes at what many locals have found to be a friendly and helpful place to do bike business.
The announcement came Thursday from owners Hill Abell and Laura Agnew. They’re selling to industry heavyweight Trek.
“Since taking the reins at Bicycle Sport Shop 35 years ago, we’ve been fortunate to find success serving Austin’s cycling community by sharing our passion for riding, putting our customers first, and creating a welcoming environment for …
As part of a city master plan to connect residents across all of Allen by hiking and biking trails, the city will bring three new trail segments to its more than 78 miles of existing trails.
Allen City Council approved the $1.49 million expenditure during the Dec. 8 meeting. The new segments are planned along Ridgeview Drive at the Allen STEAM Center and Spirit Park, in addition to a new loop trail to connect subdivisions near Cinemark.
The segment near the Allen STEAM Center will be a boardwalk-style trail that provides connection points to the future Stephen G. Terrell Recreation Center, according to a release from the city. The …
Marshall ISD elementary students who met their reading goals last spring as part of Mission Marshall’s “Read to Ride†reading improvement program for third graders, will soon receive new bicycles and helmets.
William B. Travis Elementary School and Price T. Young Elementary School students who earned new bicycles and helmets last spring after meeting their reading goals as part of “Read to Ride†are now able to pick up their new bicycles and helmets from the schools. Sam Houston Elementary School and David Crockett Elementary School plan to have …
Japanese native Nao Tomii applies his sculpting background to the handmade bikes he produces at his Austin workshop.
Though bikes are commonly used for commuting in Nao Tomii’s hometown of Niigata, Japan, it wasn’t until after the artist moved to Boston for college and later connected with the cycling community there that he was struck by how similar bike frames are to sculptures. While working for a sculpting company that produced everything from bronze statues to fiberglass dinosaurs, Tomii, now 42, started experimenting with making bikes. He founded Tomii Cycles in 2012 and, tired of the cold, moved to Austin two years later. His workshop offers a custom option as …
The Baytown Mayor and Council Jingle Bike Ride is now set for 6:30 p.m. Friday, starting at W. Pearce St. This is on the backside of Town Square, 213 W. Texas Avenue. The ride will end at the same location.
The ride was initially supposed to take place Dec. 11, but rain forced it to be canceled. The ride is followed by Christmas Movie Night at 7:30 p.m. The movies being shown are a Mickey Mouse short film and “Frozen 2.â€
AUSTIN, Texas — Cyclists are pushing for safety improvements at a dangerous East Austin crossing. People using the Walnut Creek Hike and Bike trail near Walter E. Long Lake have two options– they can bail on the trail or risk their lives crossing Decker Lane.
The Texas Department of Transportation has plans to make the crossing safer, but so far those have hit a speed bump.
“It’s a really great trail,†says Ali Vatter, who lives in East Austin and …
Tonight’s ride was planned to be 20 miles again and began after dark because I required a siesta. Someone pounded on the door this morning while I was still slumbering away, getting my beauty sleep. And I resisted going because it was chilly. Still, I found the correct combination of layers the allow me to not be too drenched in sweat or freezing. For Texas, at least. But my ride ended early because I was on a sidewalk of a busy street with narrow bike lanes full of debris. A small car lot had blocked the way, so I had to go off a curb. And …
Texas Biking from Twitter
Does anyone know what the status is for the bridge over the Trinity river from Dallas into Irving?
I sent this out a few weeks ago but not sure if we know anything official.
Cyclists are pushing for safety improvements at a dangerous East Austin crossing. People using the Walnut Creek Hike and Bike trail near Walter E. Long Lake have two options– they can bail on the trail or risk their lives crossing Decker Lane. https://t.co/VeAp7guDm3
Multi surface ride.North from Govalle Park, did our usual concrete path & woods trail PLUS(again, I remind you to not call CPS) we found a place to cross the RR tracks; a shortcut to mom’s (and the 5yr old’s) school where we said “hi†In the parking lot #GrammyAndPopKindergartenpic.twitter.com/W4PUI8fK1Z
— Martin Russell 🚲ðŸðŸ¿ï¸ (@russell_dallas) December 18, 2020
Sherman @ Kings Row intersection update: Don Atkins was killed while waiting at a stop sign on his bicycle. Two drivers crashed into each other and then into him. The city is investigating possible safety improvements. Full report on Page 12: https://t.co/L33L5yoz7epic.twitter.com/IH0nRZe4Ca
We’ve completed installation of near-term mobility and safety improvements along 1.3 miles of Congress Avenueâ€¼ï¸ The new design improves comfort and predictability for everyone traveling in the area. https://t.co/bZ5EUdEPaEpic.twitter.com/p8l6dlE2Hs
New Event Wednesday Afternoon Ride (WAR) – El Paso, TX El Paso Bicycle Club
Wednesday Afternoon Ride (WAR) – This is what follows WNW after the time change for those who can or don't work. Same route as WNR. Depart from Rio Plaza at 3 p.m. Organize your… https://t.co/HCV3KNnsSw
Saddle up for a Texas mountain biking favorite at the Austin Rattler MTB. Our 20M loop course offers plenty of fun in one lap alone, but those that ride 60M will have a chance to qualify… https://t.co/DQs4zRz1Cs
Searching for a different Zwift route for today’s ride I found another HERD ride, the Thursday Social Ride Group D on the NYC KOM After Party course. The ride started at 12:20 PM leaving me enough to get ready, I thought. Earlier this morning I watched The State of WordPress livestream on YouTube that ended about 50 minutes before the ride started. Information about the ride.
I got everything ready but as the start timer counted down to zero my sensors weren’t connected to Zwift through the companion app on my phone. Jumping off the Blue Norcross AL bike I clicked on settings and reconnected them with about 20 seconds before the start. Back on my bike I started pedaling to get the watts up to 80+ so not to be left by the group. Supposedly the ride would average 1.1 to 1.5 W/kg but the leader had internet problems and the fence never appeared. The group jumped from the start and I stayed with them until around 21 minutes when the substitute leader asked the riders in front to slow to allow the new leader to get to the front. I slowed but all that did was move me to the next group and I decided to stay with the because the yellow beacon wasn’t getting any closer. At the time I slowed my position was 52 out of 214. After slowing I moved back to around 95 to 105 depending on whether we were climbing or not.
The NYC course includes several climbs with the hardest around 8%. My overall average speed came in at 17.2 mph over the 17.31 mile ride, the longest ride since I resumed Zwift at the beginning of December. Power output continues to at the same levels since I did the spin up and spin down a couple of days ago: 127 watts average, 304 watts max. Early in the ride my legs felt like they might not hold the power level to stay with the group but they did. At the end of the ride I was surprised with the results.
20th place out of 321 was not what I expected. For a social ride it felt fast.
Strava recorded several records during the ride; 1 new personal record, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds. In real life several years ago when I visited my daughter and son-in-law I rented a bike with my son-in-law and we rode around Central Park. The bikes were in sad shape with large seats and tires. Nothing like my bikes.
Biking enthusiast Tom Frye of Fort Worth rides the Trinity Trail along the Clear Fork in Fort Worth. Photos by John Kent.
For longtime Fort Worth resident Tom Frye, bicycling along the city’s Trinity Trails offers an unbeatable combination of exercise, recreation and stress-relief. He’s been doing it for at least 10 years, and as someone accustomed to undertaking hours-long rides, he’s intrigued by the thought of one day pedaling all the way to Dallas on a dedicated corridor.
“It’s a great idea,†Frye said. “Connectivity is always good as far as sports activities are concerned. The potential for road trips over …
HOUSTON – One Houston family and a local shop are teaming up to help spread the loving legacy of a 10-year-old boy who lost his life while bicycling in his neighborhood.
Victor Stanley Peterzen was adored by many. His parents Luisa and Rodney Peterzen said they taught him and his sister to love.
“There is plenty of love. That love can be found everywhere. That love moves the world and for that love, you can achieve so many things,†Luisa Peterzen said.
It’s a lesson Luisa and Rodney Peterzen want to …
Each second-grade student at Pflugerville ISD’s Wieland Elementary School received a free bicycle Dec. 11 due to a donation from a business nearby, according to a PfISD press release.
The electrical contracting company Weifield Group, which has offices in Colorado, Wyoming and Texas, donated 50 bicycles and helmets to the school. Weifield Group employees spent a week assembling the bicycles for the students. …
Santa made his appearance Tuesday night at the North Montgomery County Fire Station in Cut N Shoot. Firefighters from North Montgomery County over the past few months have been building up a shopping cash reserve for Christmas, this included donations from several companies and from their own pockets. From this, they went to Willis ISD and Austin Elementry Counselors to seek a family from each area who needed a …
New Event Texas Cycle Werks South Austin Trail Rides – Austin, TX The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group Texas Cycle Werks, proud sponsors of the ATX100K endurance race series, hosts weekly shop rides each Tuesday and Thursday leaving from the shop in … https://t.co/5RLLf5wvdk
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