Coronavirus 2019-nCoV

[MoValley John]

My wife and I ride together a lot. Happy wife, happy life. Plus, since she's biking, it isnt such a hard sell when I go to my LBS!

Nothing like an hour on the bike with your wife, your 17-19 mph splits suddenly become 11.

[JVShocker]

[JVShocker]

Actually, a lot of the unused train corridor(s) that pass through sections of the city (and near WSU) have been converted to super wide multi-use bike paths. There's a section of about 3-4 miles where it goes gravel, and with my slick tires that's a no-no. I take a slight detour through neighborhoods or on city sidewalks to finish the ride all the way to Andover Central Sports Park. Ends up being a fun ride avoiding lots of headwinds because of the east-west trip-return ride. Usually pack sandwiches and such in our shirts and ride out there to eat lunch. Pop a gatorade gel or two, three in your mouth after you start to head home and its smooth sailing. I can map out a near complete safe route from the Wichita Zoo location (which has a lot of bike paths surrounding the area) all the way to Andover.



That's 21 miles, 27 minutes by car, or about 1 hour and 40 minutes by bike safe route. Much of it on the east side (Andover) is called the Redbud Trail.

[JVShocker]

Paved Sections look like this in winter near Andover...

[MoValley John]

I could make those trails work.

[MoValley John]

They have a trailhead in Council Bluffs called the Wabash Trace. It is a trails to trails route. Partially paved partially crushed limestone. On Thursdays there is a taco ride. Ten miles south to Mineola, dinner and drinks in the town, then 10 miles back. Around the halfway point, there is a rest point called margaritaville. It's a big party. I dont drink while I ride, but the thing is a blast! A few thousand ride it weekly. It has kind of been a victim of covid19.

[MoValley John]

To tie all of this back in to the covid discussion, nationally, bike sales have skyrocketed since the pandemic began. As stay in place orders went into effect, biking in many areas was an approved activity. Finding a bike is hard. I started biking just a couple years ago. Im just wondering if any Shockernetters took to biking during the lockdown?

[Ta Town Shocker]

To tie all of this back in to the covid discussion, nationally, bike sales have skyrocketed since the pandemic began. As stay in place orders went into effect, biking in many areas was an approved activity. Finding a bike is hard. I started biking just a couple years ago. Im just wondering if any Shockernetters took to biking during the lockdown?

I was in Academy the other day and there wasn't a single bike on the racks there. Academy has quite a bit of rack space so that surprised me. Academy's shelves in general were pretty bare so it was a bit eery altogether.

I went looking for a new tire tube for my wife's bike. Finding a reasonably priced tube locally was a challenge. Amazon sellers were wanting $15 or more for a standard 26" tube. I finally gave in and paid shipping for one from Academy after realizing it may be a long wait to find one on a store shelf.

[JVShocker]

I was in Academy the other day and there wasn't a single bike on the racks there. Academy has quite a bit of rack space so that surprised me. Academy's shelves in general were pretty bare so it was a bit eery altogether.

I went looking for a new tire tube for my wife's bike. Finding a reasonably priced tube locally was a challenge. Amazon sellers were wanting $15 or more for a standard 26" tube. I finally gave in and paid shipping for one from Academy after realizing it may be a long wait to find one on a store shelf.

I keep extra tubes for my bike and my wife's. I tend to hold onto the patches and the repair kits. If we ever have an issue its a quick fix while you're on the road somewhere so I always take one with me. Fixing a flat tire even with a patch kit is 10 minutes, unless you're trying to beat a thunderstorm home and you're sittiing in a parking lot near the car dealer and you hear the thunder so you fix it in 5 minutes and the head over to the nearest high school and wait out the torrential rains and lightning in a protected area borrowing a cell phone because I don't carry one and because they have an activity going on and then i'm trying to recall the wife's cell # and she answers and says "who is this?" and you quickly blurt out hi, its me, I'm at East out of the storm and I'm OK I'll be home when the heavy rain stops, bye.

And yes, I will concur that I see a marked increase in the number of casual cycling in the evenings especially withinn families because of the corona thiing. As soon as they started shutting down YMCAs my son ran out to all the sports stores until he could find a weight bench and free weights because he enjoys doing those things.

[MoValley John]

As for flats, I went with tubeless. I've put nails into them, no problem, just pull the nail and keep going. I keep a co2 inflator on hand, but haven't needed it, when I've hit a nail, not much air escaped thembefore the tire Self sealed. I know a lot of dedicated road bikers won't have them, but I cant see a reason why a casual rider wouldn't.

[revenge_of_shocka_khan]

As for flats, I went with tubeless. I've put nails into them, no problem, just pull the nail and keep going. I keep a co2 inflator on hand, but haven't needed it, when I've hit a nail, not much air escaped thembefore the tire Self sealed. I know a lot of dedicated road bikers won't have them, but I cant see a reason why a casual rider wouldn't.

So have you ever done this ride?

https://ragbrai.com/

Guy that owns my favorite LBS in Houston (and who has built 3 bikes for me) is from Iowa, also an acquaintence, Peter Cadoo (who lives in New Orleans and is the brewmaster at NOLA brewery) both have done the ride and have a lot of great things to say about it. It is well-supported (sag wagons, nice camping areas and so forth).

Interesting facts about Peter, he was president of the New Orleans Hash House Harriers and at one time was Emeril Lagasse's right hand man at Commanders Palace. He is a better chef (in my opinion) than a brewer, but he makes great beer. If you're ever down in NOLA, you ought to look him up (since I know you like beer). Would like to give you a link, but I need to do that later, perhaps by PM.

Want to post my ride from this morning, but i'm working right now, I will post when I finish.

[MoValley John]

So have you ever done this ride?

https://ragbrai.com/

Guy that owns my favorite LBS in Houston (and who has built 3 bikes for me) is from Iowa, also an acquaintence, Peter Cadoo (who lives in New Orleans and is the brewmaster at NOLA brewery) both have done the ride and have a lot of great things to say about it. It is well-supported (sag wagons, nice camping areas and so forth).

Interesting facts about Peter, he was president of the New Orleans Hash House Harriers and at one time was Emeril Lagasse's right hand man at Commanders Palace. He is a better chef (in my opinion) than a brewer, but he makes great beer. If you're ever down in NOLA, you ought to look him up (since I know you like beer). Would like to give you a link, but I need to do that later, perhaps by PM.

Want to post my ride from this morning, but i'm working right now, I will post when I finish.

Never done RAGBRAI, thought about it. Supposed to be a blast and they plan it for all levels of bikers. Unfortunately, politics has reared its ugly head into the event and there have been some shakeups. Also, covid canceled RAGBRAI this year.

[revenge_of_shocka_khan]

I use a polar flow to track my activity, it feeds my strava.

polar was the first to come out with heart monitors, so I use it to track intensity.

Strava more accurately measures speed and average.

I really liked the pictures of the hile and bike trail, Wichita is lucky to have that, we have a few bike lanes here, there are trails, but they more follow creeks.

With the rail trail you guys have, you could use your bike to get just about anywhere.. in my case, I'm a little more limited. I cant ride to work and I cant use my bike as transportation because there's no way to get past freeways.

[MoValley John]

I use a polar flow to track my activity, it feeds my strava.

polar was the first to come out with heart monitors, so I use it to track intensity.

Strava more accurately measures speed and average.

I really liked the pictures of the hile and bike trail, Wichita is lucky to have that, we have a few bike lanes here, there are trails, but they more follow creeks.

With the rail trail you guys have, you could use your bike to get just about anywhere.. in my case, I'm a little more limited. I cant ride to work and I cant use my bike as transportation because there's no way to get past freeways.

I use the free UA app, works awesome. Im thinking about upgrading, but I'm cheap. My heartrate id kept on my Samsung watch, for a $30 upgrade to premium, I'd get live updated heartrate plus live training.

I think im going to st up a biking thread.

[pinstripers]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/coronavir...093127804.html

NO SEX?...........Wait, this is just in the UK.......