2022 Mountain Biking

[4ster]

Another battery test in the high country today. Still had half left.

Top of Armstrong with 5 tough miles left to Star Lake

Freel Pass is close to 10K’, Freel Peak is almost 11K’ & the tallest around Tahoe

Looking from the Carson Range toward the Crystal Range to the West

Tahoe almost 4K‘ below

 

[4ster]

 

[Philpug]

Nice @4ster! Almost succumbed to the E Bike purchase until my shop brought in the new Pivot Mach 6
Picking it up this week

Thats a damn nice bike.

 

[Philpug]

Out for a ride with @Daron Rahlves

Yes, thats an eMTB the 2x Hahnenkamm winner is riding

 

[nay]

Some fun before the lightening. Gunnison is in a valley bowl and storms will build on the various ridge lines for awhile before the whole thing suddenly fills in.

Had a lightening strike fairly close as we dipped back into the exit canyon on Bambi’s after we saw the cattle.

That makes you faster and Bambi’s is a great DH without the extra incentive.

My son was not happy - he’s going to college here and you have to learn to read weather in the west. So we talked it through as the storms built around us, he’d have liked to have been off a bit sooner. He was right.

 

[4ster]

New helmet day…

 

[Tom K.]

New helmet day…

Tell us more -- I'm always on the hunt for the perfect blaze orange helmet!

 

[4ster]

Tell us more -- I'm always on the hunt for the perfect blaze orange helmet!

This one is actually red but it does sorta blaze…

Super Air R Spherical

The Super Air R MIPS's advanced design and safety features can help enhance performance and fun during your ride. Shop Bell Helmets and find the right Cycling gear and more for all of your riding needs.

www.bellhelmets.com

I’m guessing my old one was 7 or 8 years old. I have heard anywhere from 2 to 10 years on a helmets life? What is the consensus here?
Turns out my niece & her husband both have the same helmet & they are both happy with it. I tried on a few different brands (Giro, Troy Lee, Poc, Smith etc.) & the Bell in a medium was best for my head.
l went with the full face (easily detachable) just cuz it wasn’t much more & you never know

 

[AmyPJ]

El Doce completed yesterday. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and holy SMOKES I’m slow AF in a crowd of hundreds of competitive racers. I feel like there’s really no place in this world of MTB racing for someone like me. Not sure it’s a big deal but having goals is motivating.

With all that being said, I’m beginning to worry that I push myself too hard on most of my rides and not by choice. We climb here—it’s the nature of the terrain. And we climb at altitude.

This was my HR data from yesterday. Zone 4 and I wasn’t going all-out except on some of the climbs where I was in zone 5. I think a road bike is in order so I can train distances in zones 2 and 3. Because doing this several days per week cannot be healthy long-term at my age.

 

[scott43]

This one is actually red but it does sorta blaze…

Super Air R Spherical

The Super Air R MIPS's advanced design and safety features can help enhance performance and fun during your ride. Shop Bell Helmets and find the right Cycling gear and more for all of your riding needs.

www.bellhelmets.com

I’m guessing my old one was 7 or 8 years old. I have heard anywhere from 2 to 10 years on a helmets life? What is the consensus here?
Turns out my niece & her husband both have the same helmet & they are both happy with it. I tried on a few different brands (Giro, Troy Lee, Poc, Smith etc.) & the Bell in a medium was best for my head.
l went with the full face (easily detachable) just cuz it wasn’t much more & you never know

Typical industry response is five years. I dunno, if it's in good condition, I'm not as serious about changing them so often. Mine typically start to fall apart in a few years so I change because of that.

 

[scott43]

El Doce completed yesterday. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and holy SMOKES I’m slow AF in a crowd of hundreds of competitive racers. I feel like there’s really no place in this world of MTB racing for someone like me. Not sure it’s a big deal but having goals is motivating.

With all that being said, I’m beginning to worry that I push myself too hard on most of my rides and not by choice. We climb here—it’s the nature of the terrain. And we climb at altitude.

This was my HR data from yesterday. Zone 4 and I wasn’t going all-out except on some of the climbs where I was in zone 5. I think a road bike is in order so I can train distances in zones 2 and 3. Because doing this several days per week cannot be healthy long-term at my age.

View attachment 173540

So I'm no coach .. But there is logic in appropriate training plans. Overtraining is a thing. And yes Masters racing is an ambush. I use the race as motivation but I understand I'm back half of the race guy. I'm not winning anything anymore. Never did..

 

[AmyPJ]

So I'm no coach .. But there is logic in appropriate training plans. Overtraining is a thing. And yes Masters racing is an ambush. I use the race as motivation but I understand I'm back half of the race guy. I'm not winning anything anymore. Never did..

Any training I do is made more complicated by age and being post-menopausal, which wreaks total havoc on women moreso than not. Throw in that while no couch potato, I've never done anything in my life so strenuous until I was 45 when I took up MTB and LOVE it but don't know how to NOT ride so hard when the trail dictates that I will climb that pitch and then the next pitch then the next pitch. I can't back off when the climb requires max effort. I don't expect to be lightning fast and to keep up with the younger crowd, but it does concern me that my HR gets up as high as it does despite my overall cardio fitness level being pretty good.

 

[Tom K.]

Overtraining is a thing.

I think that's spot on. I read a study long ago that seemed pretty scientific, and concluded that over half the field in a typical Cat1 Masters road race was overtrained.

Any training I do is made more complicated by age and being post-menopausal, which wreaks total havoc on women moreso than not. Throw in that while no couch potato, I've never done anything in my life so strenuous until I was 45 when I took up MTB and LOVE it but don't know how to NOT ride so hard when the trail dictates that I will climb that pitch and then the next pitch then the next pitch. I can't back off when the climb requires max effort. I don't expect to be lightning fast and to keep up with the younger crowd, but it does concern me that my HR gets up as high as it does despite my overall cardio fitness level being pretty good.

This sounds like an ad for the new Fuel EX-e!

 

[Tony S]

Trying to get back in the saddle after two seasons of sloth and aging. Not finding it easy.

 

[Tony S]

I think a road bike is in order so I can train distances in zones 2 and 3.

Do it

 

[scott43]

Trying to get back in the saddle after two seasons of sloth and aging. Not finding it easy.

View attachment 173574

Miserable bastards. I have it on good authority the Dragonfly things works...

 

[scott43]

Do it

I have a buddy who is actually fast and he has consistently said MTB is fun but training needs to be on the road bike. Too inconsistent otherwise. Too many hard ups at the wrong time, too much coasting at the wrong time. Even a very simple plan from a proper coach with rest days and easy days will help.

 

[wooglin]

Haven’t really followed this but from what I’ve read rest, recovery and intensity matter.

Ned Overend’s Secret to Riding Strong in Your 40’s, 50’s and Beyond BetterRide Mountain Bike Skills Tips

BetterRide offers structured and drill-based Mountain Bike Coaching for mountain bikers of all ages and experience levels.

betterride.net

 

[Tony S]

Miserable bastards. I have it on good authority the Dragonfly things works...

OMG! Never saw those!

 

[scott43]

Haven’t really followed this but from what I’ve read rest, recovery and intensity matter.

Ned Overend’s Secret to Riding Strong in Your 40’s, 50’s and Beyond BetterRide Mountain Bike Skills Tips

BetterRide offers structured and drill-based Mountain Bike Coaching for mountain bikers of all ages and experience levels.

betterride.net

Yeah my buddy says all my miles are basically garbage miles.. I try to vary intensity but mostly I'm just trying to have a ride and structure is basically dictated by hills and coasting... Super scientific. Then I go home and pound ketone drinks....