Watch out! Cyclist coming through

Mr Doof

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Jan 23, 2002
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Sometimes the path less travelled (to Friend #2's home in Pacifica) leads to blah, Peeping Tom-esque, views...:

1655404178414.png1655404210168.png1655404236909.png

(At the fence shown above this last image: top of the fog was around 68-70 F, in the fog would say around 58 F...got chilled on the way down.)
 
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Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
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Saturday did Paradise loop with Friend #1 and #2...both road bicyclists who like to go fast. I was last the entire time.
1655829844633.png

Notable moments;
1 Start (green) at Rise and Grind. Double espresso made with proper roast, not that sour light roast crap.
2 Went past spot where Friend #1 had single rider wreck last year, very rutted pavement + 23 mm tires = broken jaw and cheek and messed up shoulder/elbow. Am glad to be on 43 mm tires
3 Lots of sailboats heading out to sea and one big catamaran; nice to see from deck of GG Bridge
4 Sausalito is nice before noon tourist rush
5 Low tide had the sea plane running high RPM (loud) so it could sort of skim over the mudflats to the loading wharf
6 Boy, there are some really nice homes along Paradise Drive, great weather too.
7 Tiberon classic car show was kind of interesting.
8 Selfie taking/video cyclists (tourists) on GG Bridge in that wind with one hand on the handlebar? Do you want to wreck?
9 Had to emergency stop on bridge to avoid tourist bike that fell over while taking photo
10 At home, Friend #1 calls to say he did 54 miles in total, since I am further out from where we met, closer to 57 for me
11 Next day, lots of the small muscles around the knee were feeling it...like I had just walked an extra long way downhill.
 
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LelandCuz

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Mar 21, 2011
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Next day, lots of the small muscles around the knee were feeling it...like I had just walked an extra long way downhill.
Paying for those 43mm tires. Everything's a compromise.

Hey, did you guys see that little MTBer Pidcock embarrass the roadies on the descent in the Tour yesterday? Those guys couldn't find the line in a turn if it was painted. Combined with the guy who won San Remo this Spring by using a dropper post for the descent this is a signal that going forward you're gonna have to know how to ride a bike to win, not just be a fitness dork.
 
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Mr Doof

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Paying for those 43mm tires. Everything's a compromise.
Why do you think this has much to do with it?

Rolling resistance?

I think is was more about the distance/amount-of-use than the 43 mm tires.

Generally use my bike as a car alternate in the City, so lots of sub-10 miles rides, with occasional 20-30 mile rides. This one ride was 50+ miles, so lots more use than the knees and muscles are used to.
 

Sharkbiscuit

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Aug 6, 2003
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Paying for those 43mm tires. Everything's a compromise.

Hey, did you guys see that little MTBer Pidcock embarrass the roadies on the descent in the Tour yesterday? Those guys couldn't find the line in a turn if it was painted. Combined with the guy who won San Remo this Spring by using a dropper post for the descent this is a signal that going forward you're gonna have to know how to ride a bike to win, not just be a fitness dork.
I saw some highlights of this. I swear there was, maybe in another stage, Tadej Podacar or whoever took a bad line on a descent, fell, and the guy leading actually held up to wait for him and they first bumped.

I'd always heard the 'strongest man' thing before. I think the fitness dorks won't necessarily go quietly into the night. You might see the field enforcing fitness dorkery over godmode racing line choice and traction circle maximization.
 

LelandCuz

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Why do you think this has much to do with it?

Rolling resistance?
The 43s may suit your riding. You may like the comfort and perceived stability. But don't kid yourself about their efficiency compared to something like a 25mm GP5000. Significantly more rolling resistance and aero drag. You won't see any racers running those. In fact, they almost all use 25mm GP5000s.
 

Mr Doof

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Are you thinking tire width is the root of the knee pain because I am exerting more force to rolling and air-resistance and not due to me exerting the same force as always over a longer distance (which for this 50+ mile distance is about 5x more than my usual bike ride and 2x more than my usual "long" ride)?

That is what I am getting from your earlier comment: Paying for those 43mm tires.

For certain, when it comes to gear/sports (or gear/life), everything is a compromise....which is why I probably need to more slowly increase my distance, give my parts more time to get 'fit'.
 

grundy

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Dec 16, 2005
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Are you thinking tire width is the root of the knee pain because I am exerting more force to rolling and air-resistance and not due to me exerting the same force as always over a longer distance (which for this 50+ mile distance is about 5x more than my usual bike ride and 2x more than my usual "long" ride)?

That is what I am getting from your earlier comment: Paying for those 43mm tires.

For certain, when it comes to gear/sports (or gear/life), everything is a compromise....which is why I probably need to more slowly increase my distance, give my parts more time to get 'fit'.
I'm not buying the "you're feeling the bigger tire in your knee" argument. A lot of the guys that I ride with have more or less given up on their road bikes and are riding gravel bikes for most paved excursions (saving the roadie gear for the big epic rides and riding gravel bikes on everything else) and currently the're gravitating to 650 wheels and big tires - 50mm or so is common. Surprisingly, the big tires don't show much downside in terms of rolling resistance, I certainly don't notice a difference in their pace.

That said the bigger tires do weigh more and if you're riding with people on road gear, you're going to have to work harder to maintain the same pace.

IMO if you have knee pain after your ride it's likely either: a) your body isn't used to that exertion and is telling you that or b) seat height/position is causing problems
 
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Mr Doof

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Yeah, I am more inclined to think the knee issues are mainly due to:

a) your body isn't used to that exertion and is telling you that,

Am trying new seat (more comfy for longer rides) and adjusting things not perfectly, so there is likely some tie-in with:

b) seat height/position is causing problems


How long did the 50+ mile take?

I didn't bring a watch, don't use bike computer, and we stopped a few times, so....if I make a reasonable guess (in part based on Friend #1 telling me my average pace was 15 mph in the flats), and it was 50 miles long, then 3.6 hrs if I never stopped.

PS
There are some bicycle radar zone that tell you your speed. At one point I was doing 18 mph on gentle incline, but had wind at my back, and on Valencia St through the Mission, if you stay at 13 mph, the lights are timed for you.....going had no problem doing that going (actually have to brake to stay under), but coming home, was dragging my butt and missed about half of them, so slower than 13 mph on way home.
 
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Bob Dobbalina

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Feb 23, 2016
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How long did the 50+ mile take?

I didn't bring a watch, don't use bike computer, and we stopped a few times, so....if I make a reasonable guess (in part based on Friend #1 telling me my average pace was 15 mph in the flats), and it was 50 miles long, then 3.6 hrs if I never stopped.

PS
There are some bicycle radar zone that tell you your speed. At one point I was doing 18 mph on gentle incline, but had wind at my back, and on Valencia St through the Mission, if you stay at 13 mph, the lights are timed for you.....going had no problem doing that going (actually have to brake to stay under), but coming home, was dragging my butt and missed about half of them, so slower than 13 mph on way home.

Head on a swivel.
Be careful out there.
The Mission sounds sketchy on a bike. Maybe it's just the "news accounts" I follow highlight stuff in the Mission (Mission Local) and that my Sister. in Law is mega hyped on cycling right now (she joined a bike club and never shuts up about it), but it seems like there are A LOT of pedestrian/cyclist/ vehicle collisions going down over there.
 
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