Introductions

[ohmannuel]

Re-Introducing myself to the lovely city of South Whittier CA!
Didn't think a new thread was needed, I just wanted to post that I moved

[lbnurface]

hello there fellow riders. the name is luis im 26 yrs old been riding for lil less than a year.. august will be my one year anny hahah anyways i ride out of baldwin park 626 area on my 2002 5200 usps trek.
i usually ride San gabriel river trial to the beach for 60 miles or to anaheim for a full 107 miles. also i ride gmr (front, back, to baldy whatever im feeling) and as well i ride turnbull east to west roads... been looking for new people to ride with ( since most of my rides im alone) on some thursdays, fridays and maybe some weekends depending on work... i believe my riding skill is pretty good low-mids 20's mph on simple rides and climbing can be hitting double digits 10 +mph depending on the rounte

so if your around the area and interested in the bike rides (im open to new routes as well dont get me wrong) email me!

PS!! im interested on getting back on my mountain bike if anyone is up to it havent been out in a long time so would be fun as well

PSS is there any other forums i should know about that would be in my best interest plz let me know thanks!

[Panda]

Welcome, Luis!

[Daves Not Here Man]

First name: Dave
Location: Long Beach
Age: 52
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Type of riding I do: Road / Touring
Why I ride: So I can meet my grandkids, recreation, increase fitness
Bikes I own: GT Hybrid, Specialized Roubaix
Bike I'd like to own: Cannondale SuperSix
Cycling goals: 5 hour century
Team/Club/Affiliation: Lightning Velo
Campy, Sram or Shimano: Shimano
What I like to do when I'm not riding: Work, Family
Quirky factoid: Pro-automobile, pro-LBS, politically one gun collection to the right of Attilla the Hun

Hello all -- I was referred here by a post on BikeForums.

I started to ride 14 months ago at age 51. Got invited on a charity ride and you know the rest, stopped eating junk, dropped 50 pounds, back at my high school weight, literally turned my life around from a health and fitness perspective.

I ride 4 days / 80 - 150 miles per week and have started riding with groups and pace lines. I've done one century and find I am attracted to hills, have ridden up Keller Peak, GMR, Catalina, Mt. Baldy parking lot (not telling you how many stops), Ganado, Fargo, 28th St. in San Pedro, Turnball Canyon. I've had 3 decent headwind-induced bonks but I think I'm over that now that I spin faster and stock up like a lunch truck.

In a previous life, I'd be inclined to work towards racing but I'm wary of the whole crashing and road rash business. I'm not very fast and at age 52, I don't know how feasible it is to increase my power output, not having a base to draw upon from my younger years.

Don't know why it took me so long to find cycling -- it seems to me that Southern California is cycling nirvana -- it occurs to me that to live here and not ride is like to live in Salt Lake City and not ski. I've found the weather, roads, terrain, drivers and other cyclists to all be very welcoming of a new cyclist, leg hair and mirror notwithstanding.

I must say that I'm still getting acclimated to the culture of cycling -- if you told me 14 months ago that I would publicly wear a bike outfit to other than a halloween party, I would have laughed, almost as hard as I still do when I see myself in the mirror. Now, I look like I'm halfway through some kind of a gender transition -- to non-cyclists, I look like a complete bike dork. To cyclists, I look like a complete Fred. I kind of like it this way -- everybody makes fun of me and vice-versa.

I am also entertained by the small percentage of cyclists that experience frequent drama in their interractions with drivers (and other cyclists, and runners, and bike mechanics, and seagulls) when I've just ridden 6,000 miles with nary a dirty look or close pass from a driver (now that I've typed this I'm probably due).

I have high expectations for what I can share and get out of these forums. I'm hoping to learn more about:
- How to improve my base fitness and average pace
- How to translate Joe Friel's books into English for crissakes
- How to sort out and use the various definitions of heart rate training ranges, Karvonen, and heart rate reserve
- Exercise physiology, particularly recent advances in what we know about the connection between lactate, calcium channels, muscle fatigue and recovery.
- Sports nutrition and how best to eat to support my ride schedule
- Using my Android like a Garmin
- How to measure power without spending megabucks
- Goal setting if I'm not going to race
- How to train for a 5 hour century
- If niacin can be used to stimulate HGH and accelerate gains in fitness
- Routes and events
- How to continue to stay crash and injury free
- Equipment upgrades

[MarkAJ]

Welcome Dave.

You are on your way. I also started later in my years, but it does not matter.
Stay with it no matter what level works. Your health depends on it. You are going to be so far ahead of your peers in the quality of life because you have found this passion. This money pit.

[MusicLuvr]

First name: Amy
Location: San Diego
Age: 22
Occupation: Fashion Design Student
Type of riding I do: At the moment only stationary biking
Why I ride: For fitness, but want to switch to a bike w/2 wheels for transportation and fun
Bikes I own: Stationary Bike! Last bike I owned was a 20" cruiser type bike! LOL
Bike I'd like to own: I am not sure, still looking :/
Cycling goals: Having Fun!
Team/Club/Affiliation: None
Campy, Sram or Shimano:
What I like to do when I'm not riding: Knitting, designing, reading
Quirky factoid about me: I am a total girly-girl, but there is a real tomboy side to me!
Here's a pic of my bike(s): No bike
Picture of Me:

[VegaVixen]

Welcome to SocalBF, ML!

[Biker395]

Originally Posted by MusicLuvr

Here's a pic of my bike(s): No bike
[/url]

Lol ... welcome, Amy!

[Red Rider]

Amy, you're adorable! Love the hat! Welcome!