Conference rdvax::grateful

    I have a ten year old Peugeot PBN10 touring/racing bike.  I'm planning
    to buy a new road bike with DEC stock proceeds after June 1, probably a
    Bridgestone RB-2 (the best cheap bike going, imho).  I could upgrade my
    bike (I'm still friction shifting a Helicomatic freewheel -- a real
    dinosaur), but the frame is too big for me by today's standards.
    
    I've tried mountain biking a couple of times, just on roads, and I wish
    I could afford both.  It looks like fun, but you just can't cover the
    distance or reach the speeds that you can with a road bike.
    
    I've done casual time trials, but have never raced.  I guess I'm too
    afraid of crashing and too lazy to train for it.  I'll skip the helmet
    diatribe, except to say that folks who don't wear them have nothing
    worth protecting.
    
    I ride in central Mass., but that will change to north central when I
    move to Sterling at the end of May.  I'm psyched for the less travelled
    roads of northern Worcester county, but I'm not psyched about having to
    commute through Clinton or down 140.  The real test of my commitment to
    bike commuting will be when it changes from 2.5 to 12 miles each way. 
    :^)
    
    Jamie

    Good topic. I ride an '87 Diamond Back Ascent EX 18 speed mountain
    bike. It's geared pretty low and designed mostly for off-trail uphill
    riding.
    
    I ride every day into Noho to catch a bus into work. 6 miles mostly
    downhill in about 20 minutes. 9 miles home, all uphill in about 40
    minutes. I've got a goal to do the whole return trip in 18th gear.
    I can only do it in 9th or 10th now.
    
    Other than that, I recently discovered an extensive jeep trail system
    not 1 mile from my house and have a 15 mile loop laid out there, mostly
    uphill. There's still a lot of exploring to do there, though. So I
    guess all totaled, I do about 125 miles a week.

    My scariest run-ins are mostly with boulders, trees, wild turkeys,
    deer and dweeb cyclists who don't understand how "right of way" works.
    
    I ride to get in shape for mountain climbing and for fun. I prefer
    off-road though.
    
    My excuse for not commuting? If there was an off-road trail all the
    way from my house to springfield, I would. 30 miles one way riding
    a distinct off-road bike is not comfortable. Besides, people in the
    city don't watch for bikes. I've done it, but my bike is not made 
    for a road commute like that. 
    
    Gerry

I live right next to the Wachusett Resevoir, one of the most popular touring 
areas in the state.  I like scare the bejeezes outta those day-glow encased 
lycraed bozo's with my beeg american car.

Heh heh, just kidding, rilly. I love to bike, just don't have one right now.

If you're into mtn biking, or road touring, I can show you some really great 
routes .in and around the resevoir...

    re .3
    
    Yep, the around Wachusett loop is a popular one.  I found out the hard
    way that 110 from the 110/12 intersection to Clinton is torn up, so go
    through Sterling if you do it.
    
    I own no day-glo, though it's hard to avoid.  The surprising thing
    about most of the yuppie cycling wear is that it really makes a huge
    difference and isn't yuppie at all, it's just that the colors are
    brighter and cycling is becoming more popular.  The first pair of real
    bike shorts I got made such a difference that I wouldn't even think of
    riding without them.
    
    re .2
    
    You might want to think about increasing your cadence rather than
    pushing bigger gears.  It's much kinder to your knees and more
    efficient.  At least for road biking, 80 - 100 rpm crank revs seems to
    be the most efficient range for most people.  I don't have a cadence
    function on the computer, so I just try to turn 1.5 revs per second.
    
    Right now I'm riding ~100 miles a week, but it's early and I usually
    lose interest later in the summer.  I'm trying to not do that this year
    'cause my goal is to hit 2000 miles (maybe stating it publicly will
    motivate me :^)).  I presently average 17 - 18 mph and my max speed so
    far is 41 (scary on a bike I don't entirely trust).  Bike computers are
    grate gadgets!
    
    Jamie

    re my .4
    
    >You might want to think about increasing your cadence rather than
    >pushing bigger gears.  It's much kinder to your knees and more
    >efficient.  At least for road biking, 80 - 100 rpm crank revs seems to
    >be the most efficient range for most people.
    
    Oh yeah, if you're already spinning that fast and can do it in 18th,
    you might want to think about quitting your day job.  :^)  :^)
    
    Jamie

    Bought myself a hybrid last year ... Schwinn Mirada with 18-speed
    Shimano shifting thingies.  Don't know a lot about biking ... when I
    went to buy my bike the guy asked me what kind I wanted and I said
    "red" ... ;^) ... I've since upgraded the Shimano shifting thingies to
    heavier-duty parts on the front of the bike, and added a few niceties
    like a side mirror, saddle-pouch, tools, and water bottle.  This year
    I'll be adding a spare tube, air pump, and some nice 'Dead stickers for
    my helmet.  I like to ride while listening to music, and can't wait to
    check out the effect of that Shoreline Allman's tape on my cadence.
    
    I ride mostly just to keep my legs in some kinda shape for skiing ...
    and mostly 8-12 miles after work in a loop around the Holden reservoir. 
    Done some light off-road stuff on dirt roads ... some around where I
    live and some in the Rutland State Park.  But I feel I'd need a heavier
    bike for more serious off-road stuff ... think after another year or so
    I'll go upgrade to a Schwinn CrossCut or similar type bike for that
    reason.
    
    I don't take it too seriously ... like most things in my life.  I don't
    have any goals, I just do it 'cuz it's fun.  My longest ride so far has
    been about 40 miles.  This year I'd like to ride from my house in
    Worcester out to Quabbin reservoir and back ... looks to be about 75-80
    miles round trip ... could be a good day ride.
    
    Got the bike out a few weeks ago, but only got to ride it a coupla
    times before I hurt my foot ... should be back in the saddle again in
    another week or so.
    
    ... Bobbb
    

I have a mountain bike.  It's a Nashbar model <mumble>, it's red, it's got 
lots of gears, brakes for both wheels (brakes? we don't need no stinkin 
brakes!! ;^0), a water bottle, and a purple NTTH sticker. 8^)  I just started 
wearing a helmet this season.

I haven't been riding much yet this season, which kind of bums me out a 
little.  Now that DECWORLD is over (insert huge sigh of relief), I should be 
able to get home enough before dark to do some riding.  I live on Ft. Meadow 
lake in Marlboro and there are a bunch of trails around that are pretty good 
although not all that challenging, and there are still a few places I know of 
that I have yet to explore.  I'd love to do some off-road riding with y'all 
sometime if it works out.

I got a question: what/how is the best way to clean a bike after riding?  Soap 
and water?  I tend to come home with mud and leaves and other woods stuff on 
the chain and in the gears and although I hose it down I don't know if I'm 
doing enough.  Any reccomendations?

Scott

    Speaking of NTTH stickers ... how do they work out for ya?  Last year I
    put one on my bike (a silver one) but after getting caught in a
    rainstorm on one of my longer rides, it peeled right off!  I replaced
    it with a metallic-type dancin' bear sticker which seems to be holding
    up quite nicely.
    
    ... Bobbb
    

No problem, it must love my bike.  8^)

    Karin and I both have Trek 720 'cross-training' (?) bikes.  We bought
    them in Florida last summer, and until we moved up to N.H., I never 
    had any use for the lower six gears.  I do now.
    
    I don't know anything about biking, and only started doing any in the
    past month.  We just tool down to Baboosic Lake or around some of the
    little dirt roads in Amherst a couple times a week.
    
    This is a neat topic, though.  There's a lot about this subject for me
    to learn...
    
    tim
    

    	I ride a 1979 (I think maybe its a '77, anyway it was the 1st year
    they made the 12 speed) Fuji GrandTour 12 speed....front derailler is 
    trashed so I've got it in the low 6 but if I stop I can put in the high 
    6 :') this is a tank compared to whats on the market today but its soild 
    as a tank too !! its a 27" frame (big bike, but I got long legs) got
    the Water bottle, pump, rack, front bag, need new rear rack bags, tools
    & spare tube (a must, even two tube is better). longest trip I've done
    might be from Westboro to P'Town to Martha's Vinyard (use a boat, its
    easier rilly) to Westboro. It took 4 days and 4 tubes :') did this in
    the summer of '81....I have not done much riding over the past ten
    years. Helmet ? I've used one for about a month, I got hit by a car
    never heard the damn thing come because of the helmet, luckly I was not
    hurt nor the bike, did lose a rim though....I will never wear one
    again. Computers ? I don't wanna know that stuff, if I don't feel the
    burn Im not going fast and hard enough :'). Biker pants, I had a pair
    but can't find them ... great for riding but not for a night on the
    town !
    
    	I don't ride it to work because I'd never stop at work I'd just
    keep going :') na I do once in awhile but I late enough as it is....
    
    Chris

    Alright, I'll ask:
    
    
                     `What does NTTH mean?'
    
    
    I ride a Bianchi Touring machine - it is `Much Bike!'  Solid (polite
    for `heavy') frame, 18 speeds and just a good all around durable friend
    which has carried me through the pot hole infested roads of Plum Island
    reserve as well as through the windy coastal passes of Big Sur.
    
    I do wish I had a Mountain bike, but would have to trade the Bianchi -
    Don't get me wrong - I'd make the trade if I could find a
    counterpart... (any offers?!)
    
    Scariest moments happen everytime I look over my shoulder to see if
    there are any cars coming - end up swerving towards which ever shoulder
    - and learn that there is in fact a car coming! Got to get me one of
    those mirrors!
    
    I live in sterling - someone is moving there soon? (-.?) Let me know
    when you get there! I'd be motivating for me to have a riding partner!
    
    Ken

    
    	Oh, and as for riding to work - I did so just this week...
     	Sterling to Hudson via some killer hills through Bolton!
     	This was not completely by choice - some of you may be aware of my
    	recent misfortune in lovely Charlemont on the DEChead camping trip!
    	Yes, I let my car visit for a while I came back and renewed the
    	registration! {hooowoops!} So I rode my bike just to get even with
    	myself for being so stupid! It worked too!  Couldn't walk all day! 
    	I'm STILL a bit sore from it!

re: Note 258.7 by MR4DEC::WENTZELL 
    
    >I got a question: what/how is the best way to clean a bike after riding?  
    
    Ride it in the rain, too. :-) Actually, I just hose the mud off.
    
    re: cadence
    
    I try to keep it 80-90 now in the gears I'm using. What I want to do is 
    increase my gears but keep the same cadence (Ie go faster). I use my 
    knees for a gauge. If they're burning too much I back off a gear but I 
    don't change cadence.

    I should add that I'm *always* hauling 15-25 lbs on my back up that 
    9-mile hill every day - jacket, groceries, 6-pack, 12-pack, other 
    necessities, etc. Except for laundry day, then it's more like 35 lbs 
    (or whetever a weeks worth of clothes weigh). On my off-road excursions
    I usually only bring water unless it's to a swimming hole then I pack
    a towel, lunch and beer (naturally :-).
    
    - Gerry

..and if anyone can point me to a source for a good used mtn bike, I'd be most
appreciative...

Fog

    	I have Giant, Bolder I picked up the summer before I boat the big
    boat. It's a mountain bike with a kinda big, 19", frame, 21 gears,
    hyperglide derailers/gears and biopace crank gears. I knew nothing
    about bikes when I bought it and after research of about 2 weeks it was
    the only mountain bike I could get with metal catalievers for under 500
    bucks. 
    	I had had my scariest encounter with plate steel (an armored truck)
    on a motorcycle and had certain priorities as a result. I had to be 
    able to stop well and I'd rather stay out of traffic if possible. I
    needed a real mountain bike, because if you're going to put me on it
    and call it a mountain bike, it better go up a mountain. 
    	I ride a lot when I am not sailing. I ride a couple afternoons a
    week when sailing is in full swing. Longest ride has probably only been 
    about 30 miles. I ride for fun and excercise. I know several loops
    around Ball Hill in N-boro, Boylston and will take trails off of those 
    loops. I'd like to ride more, but I will as the season moves on. I'd
    like to do some touring, like a bike hike, but I need bagage. 
    I still don't know if I can get my bike in my boat, but I want to sail 
    to the vinyard with my bike, ride the island, and then sail home (I 
    will feel very accomplished and satisfied when I do that). 
    	Helmets, well there's this plate steel and motor cycle event
    mentioned above and I'm sold on helmets. I want a better one than I
    have. I would also like a knotmeter/log for my bike. I've 
    slammed the peddles on rock a few times, might look for knew peddles
    some day. And I'd like to upgrade/convert my handle bars at some time
    too. 
    	My riding is abuot half and half, street and off road. I feel a
    mountain bike will do the street better than a street bike will do the
    mountain. 
    
    	I'd be very interested in doing some DEChead cycling excursions.
    Whith the boat in the water now, my time is a little more free, but I
    do have some race commitments. I'm in okay shap, but I no Greg
    Le(what's his name). 
    
    Geoff
    

NTTH stickers are not made to be bumper stickers, so I won't guarantee
they'll hold out in the rain (they're made in California, remember?? ;-).
Treat your NTTH stickers with TLC and keep them dry.  Thanks!!  8-)

I have a Diamond Back mountain bike and a road bike (which I haven't used
for some time).  I don't ride on the roads too much with my mountain bike.
Mountain bikes are not really made for the road (otherwise it'd be a road
bike, dammit! 8-).  I have never timed myself so I can't tell you how fast
I ride.  I like riding around in the La Honda hills (there are some great
trails round here, Ger, if you ever decide to bring your bike with you out
west or maybe just rent one!)  I've never had a run-in with a car, but I
had a run-in with a ditch once - twas not fun!!  It sure made me a true
believer in helmets!!  8-/

peace,
t!ng

Bikes?  I've currently got three bikes...a 1975 Honda CB360T, a 1981 Yamaha
XJ750, and a 1992 Harley Davidson FLSTC.

What?  What's that you say?  OH...BICYCLES!  Oh...nevermind! ;-)

tms

    Did anybody answer this?
    	NTTH == No Time To Hate
    
    I have a Trek 820,.. its red just like Bobbs
    It goes pretty fast when I pedal fast,.. and it hardly goes anywhere
    now that I'm *PLASTER MAN*,...
    
    	:^=)
    
    	Also,.. I know JC is sitting there reading this one and probably
    bumming,.. we used to ride a lot in the state forests of Carlisle and
    Concord areas,.. I'm hoping that JC's wrists willl heal up sometime
    soon enough this summer for us to do that stuff again,.. I can't seem
    to get motivated without someone else to ride with...
    
    	Oh yeah,. I definitely prefer the off road (and into tree) type
    of riding. If anyone wants to do a ride sometime,.. I live in
    Chelmsford,... I'd be psyched to get back into it..
    
    	JC... get better mon
    
    							/
    

    	I'd like to get a trail bike someday but with the $$ I got I need
    to use them for more importent things like food and such....
    Helmets (again) if I were riding off road then I'd wear one fur sur !
    not to often do cars pass ya in the woods ! but on the road I got to
    hear (which is just as importent as seeing) whats behind me and Im not
    worried about sand or pot-holes, and I always ride defensively, but I
    had my share of going down on the tar (OUCH).....I do have these niffty
    bike glasses that keep the little buggies out of my eyes ! 
    
    Bobb, do you wear a walkman (bikeman?) when you ride on the street ? if
    so thats crazy man, not sure if in the woods would be a good idea
    either but but at least not as crazier....but then again Bobb you are a
    crazy dude !
    
    
    
    Chris_whos_thinking_about_a_bike_ride_after_work

    
    Don't biking helmuts *not* cover your ears for just that
    reason??  I'm not a big biker but it would make sense to
    me....
    
    I'm trying to picture them right now and I seem to be
    envisioning them just covering the top of the ear - am
    I right??  I'm sure the ol' brain buckets have served 
    a lot more good than bad!  Just MHO!
    
    MJ

	I haven't ridden in much in recent years.  The bike I have now, I bought
when I was fourteen, expecting to grow into it.  I haven't grown since.  I've
been dreading getting rid of it though, since I know a growth spurt will hit,
then.  Still, in my late twenties, that's looking less likely.  I really would
like a recumbant.  From the literature, I've narrowed it down to a choice 
between the Linear and the Ryan.  I'd like a chance to ride them, though, before
I decide, and can't find anyone who has either.

Mark

    they don't cover the ear but for some odd reason they cut your hearing
    down, why ? I don't know its just something I noticed that day I got
    hit by a car I didn't hear (he didn't give me much room anyway which I
    loudly told him after I started kick the side of his car !)
    
    Chris

    
    >> Bobb, do you wear a walkman (bikeman?) when you ride on the street ? 
    
    Yup ... I use a Walkman (Walkperson?) and wear the headphones under my
    helmet.  Never had a close encounter with a car ... but then again
    that's why I use a mirror.  I can still hear a car approaching when it
    gets close enough behind me to matter ... guess I don't have the music
    up loud enough ... ;^)   I will admit it took some self-training to get
    in the habit of being constantly aware of what was in the mirror's 
    field of vision.
    
    Most of the loops I've scoped out for my riding are in light-traffic
    areas ... and in those few places where I do have to deal with traffic
    I turn the music off.
    
    >> if so thats crazy man, not sure if in the woods would be a good idea
    >> either but but at least not as crazier....but then again Bobb you are
    >> a crazy dude !
    
    Thanks!  Personally, I think not wearing a helmet is crazy ... but you
    know what they say ... whatever floats your boat ... or I guess in this
    case ... whatever likes your bike ... ;^)
    
    Oh, by the way ... another nicety I bought last year were biking
    gloves.  Got a pair of those Pearl Izumi's with the terry cloth on the
    back ... sure come in handy for wiping sweat outta the eyes ... and I'm
    sure they'd really be appreciated if I ever took an unexpected trip
    over the handlebars.
    
    ... Bob
    

    Just the wind rushing by cuts down the ability to hear otehr noise
    sources,..
    
    Sort of like the way some loud mouthed drugged up idiots can cut in 
    on your ability to hear the band at a gig...
    
    But thats another (very popular) /digression
    
    :*]
    
    								/
    

    true about wind rushing by making noise but I've found that the helmet
    makes more wind noise, my glasses make enough noise...and if I wanna 
    rilly protect my head I'd use a full face motorcycle helmet ! you
    cant't hear anything in them :') I also don't have rearview mirrors...
    I'm use to listening and quick peeks over the shoulder...just let you
    know I don't don't like helmets, when Julie rides on long trips she
    wears one...personally I don't like them for myself.

    I don't wear a helmet but I should. What's a good sleek, but not
    teardrop, cool-looking type off-road helmet (ie not one of those 
    huge, styro-goofy things)?
    
    - Gerry

Her Ger, didn't you know - goofy looking is cool!

When I was looking at helmets the only sleek looking ones had those day-glo 
colors - ugghh.  I settled for a white one, semi-sleek I guess, not too bulky, 
that has lots of sticker surface. 8^)

Scott

    GerG
    
    	That "big-n-goofy" look is impossible to avoid if you want one
    of these new fangled helmets with the "exploding center" thats
    supposedly the best thning in protection for the old brain bucket...
    
    	I think they're liquid inside,.. and on impact the liquid container
    breaks and the liquid spreads out inside the helmet providing excellent
    one shot shock absorption,.. but then theres no protection at all after
    that,.. once it breaks,. its done. You gttta be careful how you throw
    the tning around too cuz you can accidentally render it useless...
    
    	You might have to go with "older technology" to avoid that
    Big-n-goofy look,,.. but my free advice is if you're going to 
    invest,.. but the best,..
    
    	FWIW,.. I don't wear one for off road. Dirt and wood are lots
    softer than asphalt and metal bumpers,,.. and tehre aren't many
    other people looking to crash into me out in the state forests,..
    plus you don't usually really get into very high speeds off road
    anyway. I know I should wear one anyway,.. but ,.. for the road
    trips I do strap it on.
    
    	And if you can do those miles all uphill in 18th gear GerG,..
    my hats off to you!
    
    							/Bill
    

    
    I once had a large woman riding a bike hit my car broadside
    at a good 15-20 mph, flip over the hood and hit the pavement.
    
    She didn't get hurt, but I bitched her out for denting my fender
    and hood.
    
    It was her fault, since I was in a parking lot and had not moved 
    for a good 2 minutes, engine was off and I was reading the paper.
    8^)

> walk(people) and hearing..

When I wear a walkman, and want to hear, I rest the earphones just in front
of my ears.  Can still hear the music, and the ol' ear-cavities are still open
so outside sounds can get in...

Dave

p.s. I'll enter my biking info later...Awesome topic!!! ;-)

    > It was her fault, since I was in a parking lot and had not moved 
    > for a good 2 minutes, engine was off and I was reading the paper.
    > 8^)
    
    Ha!  That's grate!  I'm a laughin' up a storm!
    
    'Course, it also reminds me of a time when I was in high school,
    tooling around on my 10-speed bicycle.
    
    I was having some sort of problems with the shift mechanism, so I was
    pedalling my ass off and my head was down and I was trying to get the
    f***ing shifter to work right and...
    
    BAM...I slammed right into the back of a parked car!  I flew over the
    handlebars, over the car's roof, and landed on its hood!  Shook me up
    but good.  Also taught me to keep my head up!
    
    tms

Hey Ger!  Since *when* have you started worrying about how you look
when riding a bike.  You can make the goofiest-looking helmet look
cool.  It's called sticker power ;-).  Besides, no helmet can look
goofier than a downed biker with his head smashed open 8-P.

I have a pair of biking gloves, but I don't wear it too much because
it makes the back of my hand itch like a %$@^#%$ so I leave it off. 
It's tough making it up some of those hills which scratching at my
hands ;-).

peace,
t!ng

    
     I have a Shogun "Trailbreaker" mtn bike, I prefer riding off road
    but I also ride to work sometimes, 10 miles each way. I often ride
    out at Wachusett Resevoir and sometimes at Rutland Prison Camps/
    Barre Falls.
     I was riding at the prison camps one day and I didn't know it was
    opening day for deer hunting....I'm surprised I didn't get shot :-)
    I saw about thirty hunters and scared that sh*t out of a few of em'.
     Riding in the street sometimes idiot's throw stuff at you, I've also
    had people try to nail me with their door. One day a car full of high
    school kids threw a cup of soda at me (they missed), I was still kinda
    pissed so I caught up to em' at the next light and spit a huge lungy
    at their window and took off, they chased me, but I split into some
    woods.....good thing I lost em' cuz' there was four of them and one of
    me,...:-)
    
     Oh yeah, my bike is this obnoxious flouresent green color....maybe
    that's why people throw stuff at me......naw!
    

re:                  <<< Note 258.29 by SCOONR::GLADU >>>

   > I don't wear a helmet but I should. What's a good sleek, but not
   > teardrop, cool-looking type off-road helmet (ie not one of those 
   > huge, styro-goofy things)?
    
    Cool looking's a tough order.  There's basically two types of helmets,
    stryofoam, and styrofoam with a hard plastic outer shell.  The latter
    are the current rage, because styrofoam can "grab" the pavement after
    impact and cause neck injuries.  Both are designed to break on impact
    (something's gotta give).  You can pick up a Nasbar or Performance
    catalog to check out styles, but it's most important that it fit
    correctly, so you'll probably want to try them on at your local bike
    shop.
    
    /, the only liquid center I know of is the fluid surrounding yer
    brain -- if that explodes, it's all over (literally).  :^)  And you've
    got to be kidding about soft rocks and trees.
    
    From what I've read, speed isn't the major factor in head injuries --
    drop your skull from six feet and it's gonna hurt whether you're doing
    30 mph or sitting still.  And it takes an incredibly small impact at
    the right spot to forever alter your personality or worse.  You've
    spent thousands of dollars seeing Dead shows, don't wipe out those
    memories by not spending $50 on a helmet or being too vain to wear it. 
    Head injuries are definitely not cool, and any first time toe clip user
    can tell you how easier it is to fall over while stopped.  :^)
    
    Noise is a problem, but you can get all sorts of mirror contraptions to
    help.  I guess I'm used to it, 'cause I haven't had any problems.  I
    may try a mirror someday.
    
    Best of all, most helmets come packed in convenient soapboxes; very
    helpful for the converted.  :^)
    
    Jamie
    
    
    

    
    > You've
    > spent thousands of dollars seeing Dead shows, don't wipe out those
    > memories by not spending $50 on a helmet or being too vain to wear it. 
    
    The comment I read somewhere was "you never hear anyone complain about
    how much their *second* helmet costs!"  (Most helmets are designed to
    self-destruct absorbing the impact of a crash.)
    
      tom

I've got a Specialized Rockhopper mountain bike.  21 speeds.  Black with red
lettering and a tiny steal-your-face sticker below the seat.  I'm happy with it,
although I know of several people who have had problems with the Shimano LX
push-button shifters, so I kind of wish I had the DX series components.  I've
got a gel seat, which helps for comfort, as well as gel gloves.  I've even 
thought about getting gel grips for the handlebars.  Added a second water
bottle cage last year - that's come in handy more than once.  Just bought a mini
Zefal pump to carry on the bike as well.  Carrying along my tube repair kit
didn't offer too much value without having a pump.  I don't think I'd get
motivated enough to buy them, but I'd like to try out a bike with front shocks
to see what it's like.  Last year I chipped a tooth (don't ask me how) on the
smallest front gear, and it was messing up my shifting.  When I replaced the
gear, I got one with 2 fewer teeth than the original, so now my low gears are
geared even lower than when I bought the bike, which I kind of like.

I didn't used to wear a helmet, having the philosophy that off-road there's no
cars to worry about, so what's the danger?  My attitude changed when I once flew
over the handle bars straight towards a rather large rock, and the only thing
that saved my head was the fact that my hands reacted quick enough to push
out and hit the rock first.  Now I wear a helmet off road and on road.

I don't ride to work because it would take way too long to get from Newton, MA
to Hudson, MA, especially on a mtn. bike.  I just ride for fun (definitely
prefer off road), and don't have any specific goals in mind.  I like riding a
lot more with other people, so I'd be very intersted if there's anybody who
lives nearby that would like to go riding sometime.  At the end of last summer
I bought a book, "Mountain Biking Near Boston," that gives trail maps and
directions for about 25 places surrounding the city.  I'm eager to give some
more of those places a try (so far I've only been to 2).  Also, I'm looking
for an off-road place near Newton where I can ride for just a bit (without
having to drive my bike there) after work.  Anybody know of any such places?

Happy trails!

- Rich

	re .37

>    /, the only liquid center I know of is the fluid surrounding yer
>    brain -- if that explodes, it's all over (literally).  :^)  And you've
>    got to be kidding about soft rocks and trees.


	and .38

>    The comment I read somewhere was "you never hear anyone complain about
>    how much their *second* helmet costs!"  (Most helmets are designed to
>    self-destruct absorbing the impact of a crash.)

Jamie,..

	What tom is describing as "self destructing" is what I was talking 
	about,.. I thought it involved liquids in the helmet,, ,and just because
	you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it aint there. I'm not sure
	if fluids are involved, but there is definitely more to it than
	styrofoam...

	Where i ride there isn't much in the way of rocks,.. moslty mud/dirt
	or whatever,.. but your point is taken with respect to the trees,..
	even if they aren't as hard as asphalt,. they're still hard enough :-/

	I think I'll start wearing a helmet to work in case I fall down in the 
	hallway,... 

								/

>	Where i ride there isn't much in the way of rocks,.. moslty mud/dirt
>	or whatever,.. but your point is taken with respect to the trees,..
>	even if they aren't as hard as asphalt,. they're still hard enough :-/

Don't kid yourself!!  Trees are plenty hard!  A Stanford professor got killed
last year (?) when his bike ran into a tree.  He wasn't wearing a helmet, and
he died of head injuries.  Spend that money on a helmet!!  It's worth it!

peace,
t!ng_who_would_like_to_see_everyone_live_longer!

    I have a rather nice road bike that I often take to the beach or
    out to the sticks and try to get as lost as I can then find my way
    back 8^) 
    
    The pace at which the scenery rolls on by suites me to a tee. And
    I'm always stopping to soak up a different views I come across.
    Something you can't do as easily if your in a car. Plus I get a 
    nice feeling getting somewhere under my own power. Good for ya too.
    
    As for cycling to work I did it a few times last year and as soon as
    the kids get out of school again I'm sure to do it again every so
    often.
    
    I'd like to get an off road bike tho also as I've had to carry my
    bike over several spots of rock and mud as I've fallen victim to
    many a tempting trail to see where they go 8^) 
    
    happy trails,Andy

    
    That's right!
    
    >>Don't kid yourself!!  Trees are plenty hard!
    
    Just ask T!ng...   uh oh? ;^)
    
    Treehard

    I think he's gettin a woody
    
    ;^)
    
    						/
    
    

That Tree...he's such a stud!

:-)

Dave

    I ride a Trek 1100 on pavement and a Bianchi Ibex on dirt. Both have
    upgraded pedals--I use Time on the Trek and clips and straps on the
    Bianchi.
    
    I won't ride without a helmet and gloves. I like life and I hate pain.
    
    I haven't been scared in traffic since I learned how to coexist with
    cars. John Forester's book Effective Cycling is worth the $17.50 to
    anyone who's interested in using roadways on a bicycle. Beyond basic
    skills (like the ability to look over a shoulder without wobbling,
    which is worth the practice it takes), knowing where to be on the road
    is crucial.
    
    I commute at least part-way to work by bike occasionally. It's 30 miles
    each way, with serious hills. What seems to work best is when my wife
    has a morning errand within ten miles of DECwest and drops me off in
    the morning--then I have a shortish morning ride and a long evening
    ride. I've never done a complete commute entirely by bike.
    
    Sometimes I wish gasoline would simply vanish for a month, or that it
    cost $10 per gallon.
    
    The mountain bike is strictly recreational. I love a long, slow climb
    to a viewpoint.
    
    John

>    >>Don't kid yourself!!  Trees are plenty hard!
>   
>    Just ask T!ng...   uh oh? ;^)
    
8-P  Gawd!  You can't say anything without having the punsters from hell
jump all over it!!  Just leaf it to the punsters, they'll bark all over
your stump if you give 'em a chance!!  ;-)

peace,
t!ng

    Sorry t!ng ... these conversations just seem to branch off at the drop
    of a twig ...
    
    			... Bobbb
    

    
    
    This is the worst string of puns that I ever saw.
    
    Hogan

 This is sure ACORNy digression...I've been pining for some puns, and I've been
waiting fir a long time, but I'm ready for the beech now.

	I wood'a joined in sooner, but the root of the problem was I couldn't
nail down any puns that weren't sappy. 

Mark

    	Well I can't seem to LEAVE thes puns alone. It would have been nice
    to nip this in the BUD, but now that we're BRANCHING out in new
    directions, there is no CLEAR CUT way to stop us. We could BOUGH
    to Phyllis' wishes, and stop LOGGING in here just to STICK it to
    her, but we're having so much fun, I say lets just ruffle her FIR
    a little longer, but if she starts WEEPING, WILLOW her an aoplogy.
    
    								/
    

    
    NEEDLES to say, this has been my BERRY favorite line of puns yet...
    
    Do you think that Phyllis would get SYCAMORE of these jOAKS?
    
    TREE!

    I don't know if Phyllis is sick of them but I sure am!!:-)
    
    Heidi

    you mean, you're BOARD?!?!?!?!!?!?!
    
    				da ve

 Well, she can just lumber right on outta here, eh?






 

    Well I bought a helmet yesterday and all it did was make me ride
    a lot faster. Some safety feature. :-) In any case, that "9-mile hill 
    flat out in 18th gear" goal I have isn't too far away. I did all but 
    1.50mi in 18th gear and the rest mostly in 16th except for about .50mi
    in 13th on the steepest part. RPMs got a little short at times but that'll 
    come. Some day when I'm not packing groceries, I'm gonna really stand 
    on it during the tough section and see what happens. 
    
    - Gerry

    ... amazing...
    
    						/
    

    
         I ride a Yokote Yosemite, black with fluero green highlights. It's
     a 21 speed with Schimano Deore-DX components. I picked it up at the 
     beginning of last season, and must say I am very satisfied with it.
     I ride mostly at Gilbert Hills State Forest in Foxboro/Wrentham. We
     plan on riding thru the forest from Foxboro to Diamond Hill in
     Cumberland, RI on Monday, about a 19 mile trek. I'd love to head out
     to Utah sometime and cruise on the slickrock!
    
        After a day of mud boggin' thru the sticks, I blast my bike with
     a high pressure stream of water, and then lubricate the chain and
     vital joints with a bicycle lubricant. 
    
        I'm also thinking of trying out real mountain riding, like at 
     Sunday River where you ride up the ski lift with your bike and 
     cruise down the moutain side. They also have races there with
     amatuer divisions.
     

Speaking of mountain-biking, I can't help but appreciate Bobby's very
muscular thighs undoubtedly developed from all the mountain-biking he
does 8-).  I hope my thighs won't end up looking like that or I'll end
up looking like an Amazon 8-/ ;-).

peace,
t!ng

    re: Note 258.59 by STAR::SALKEWICZ 

>... amazing...
    
    Not really. A mountain bike != road bike. It's geared much lower,
    even at 18.

    Yeah,.. but your still a very manly man GerG
    
    :-)
    
    							/
    
    PS Whats the ratio difference between top gear on a road bike and top
       gear on a mountain bike?  .. roughly will do...
    

    re .-1
    
    Well, a typical road bike set-up might be 42/52 chainrings with a 13X21
    cluster.  That would make 52X13 the top gear, ~110 gear inches.  I
    dunno 'bout mountain bikes.
    
    Jamie

    I think my top chainring is 48. Dunno about the rear cassette.

I have along biking history.  I used to buy these used bikes from this retired
guy in town that used to fix/sell them as a hobby.  We used to trash the heck
out of them (jumping, etc) and just go get another one.  Also, the Harvard
Dump used to have lots of old bikes that were easily repaired.

Later in life, I got a 20" BMX bike.  This was great for jumping and off road
riding.  I broke a lot of parts in my day, most likely due to the completely
crazy jumps I used to fancy - 10' off the ground sometimes!!  We had a nice
jump set up - nice hill for speed and then you'd hit the 4' jump and fly.
Table tops, crossups, and anything else you could dream of was things we
did with the bikes.   At the end of my street is a lake.  We used to set up
3 55-gallon drums w/ some stiff boards at the end of a dock and jump into
the H20 with the bikes.  This was a great practice place because you could
afford to mess the jump up pretty bad and not get hurt because you were landing
in water.  this is how i perfected my stunt jumping (360s, tabletops, etc).
Downfall was the need to constantly rebuild the bikes ...  great fun, and
we had a good pack of folks that used to ride together.  I also dabbled in
BMX racing for a while but I never took a big interest.  

Last year, we wanted to get a City bike for my father.  naturally, i was asked
to research and find something cool.  So, off I went to the bike store looking
for a bike for my father.  I then tested a MTB.  I went home and called Deb
and said, "You HAVE TO ride one of these suckers!"  It was the bike I dreamed
of in my BMX days - my 20" BMX bike had only 1 gear - it was hard to figure
out what spocket combo to use.

So, after asking for MTB advice in the notes file, I went to a place and
cut a deal for 3 bikes: 1 for my father, 1 for Deb, and one for me.  Deb and
I ended up each getting a Mongoose Competition MTB.  Thinking of my past
beatings on bikes, I wanted something very sturdy and the Mongoose Comp fit
the bill.  It has 21 gears and is a very solid bike to ride.  It pays to
buy more then one bike at a time as you can negotiate a very good price
(i saved several $100!!!).

As Slash said, we used to ride a bit together last year.  Due to my f-d up
wrists, it is unlikely that I'll be riding any time soon (read: 2 months),
much to my regrets as I very much enjoy riding my bike.  

I find riding my MTB on the road to be no big deal vs. riding a road bike
on the road.  perhaps my road bike (an old, Vicount V3000) is not a good
example of what a road bike is...

I love riding in the rain:  No People, You feel like a little kid, and it
is just a pure blast!!!

Good places to ride:

Concord, MA: Great Meadows.  Go early in the AM or during a rainstorm to miss
the crowds of people.  I found all sorts of intense paths to ride on around
that area.  

Concord, MA: Walden Woods area.

Harvard, MA: Oxbow.  Lots of places to ride, although it is quite a bit more
rough then Concord.

Hillsboro, NH: Pillsbury S.P.  Tons, and tons, and miles and miles of old
logging roads that are fantastic to ride on.  

re: Helmets

I always wear a helmet now.  When I was a kid, I never wore one.  Foretunately,
none of us ever had a head injury.  Deb, at first, did not want to wear
a helmet.  Now she does (I showed her a few newspaper articles about helmet
and how they really _do_ make a difference)  I've given Slash shit about 
it but, hey, it is his (and everyone's) decision to wear one or not wear one.

re: cars/trucks/etc

At the risk of being flamed, I have to say that the majority of drivers just
don't think about bikers/runners/walkers.  Having done all three of these
activities extensively, I feel I have a fair amount of data.  I just don't
understand why cars/trucks have to pass within 3 feet of a biker/runner/walker
when the _entire_ other side of the road is NOT occupied and when there is
no on-coming car/truck.  I always swerve _clear_ to the otherside when
passing a biker/runner/walker.  And, many times, I see the person waving
at me for being considerate.  If it is not safe to pass someone, I stop
and wait until the moment is right.  You just never know when a runner/walker
is going to trip and fall in the line of path of a car, or if a biker is
going to hit a small rock and crash.  Please try to give a biker/runner/
walker room... it really _isn't_ that hard, and you probably don't really need
to be in that much of a hurry anyways...

re: one more thing on sharing the road.

I also believe it is inconsiderate of the biker/walker/running to ride more
then 1 abreast on a busy road or when traffic is coming periodically.  When
traffic is coming, single file until it passes.  Makes life on the operator
of the vehicle and the bikers/runner/walker...

    Ah...speaking of bicycle helmets...I read a little blurb in one of
    the motorcycle magazines that I subscribe to (I think it was in
    a mag called "Rider")...
    
    It seems that a company called (I think) Bell Bicycle Company has just
    come out with a bicycle helmet that has an air pump sort of system.
    They developed the helmet in conjunction with Reebock, I believe.  So,
    like the air sneakers, you pump some air into your helmet to get a
    better fit.
    
    I dunno what I think 'bout that, udder than it's an interestin' idea.
    
    The magazine was a wonderin' when someone (Bell perhaps) will apply
    the same idea to motorcycle helmets.
    
    tms

    re: <<< Note 258.66 by ZENDIA::FERGUSON "Villans always blink their eyes" >>>
    
>I find riding my MTB on the road to be no big deal vs. riding a road bike
>on the road.  perhaps my road bike (an old, Vicount V3000) is not a good
>example of what a road bike is...

    I agree, for the most part.  I'd definitely recommend a mtb or hybrid
    for anyone who wants to tool around, commute, or run errands.  But, I
    think that road bikes have the advantage for full-on touring, comfort
    on long (50+ mile) rides, and speed (for 1 thing, you can't get as
    aerodynamic on an mtb).  Most people prefer the upright riding position
    and easy shifting of mtbs and hybrids, and they outsell road bikes
    ~2::1.  I'd like 1 of each.  :^)
    
>I love riding in the rain:  No People, You feel like a little kid, and it
>is just a pure blast!!!
    
    I do too, what I hate is spending an hour cleaning the bike after the
    ride!
    
    re: helmets
    
    The converted right-thinking true believers invariably get preachy
    about helmets.  Either we want to protect you or we feel that 'cause we
    look like dweebs wearing styrofoam coolers on our heads, everyone
    should!
    
    Jamie
    

Not wearing a helmet because they look stupid (or one is afraid of what others
will think) is the _wrong_ reason to _not_ wear a helmet, IMO.

does anybody know anything about Diamond Back mountain bikes?  a friend was
asking me about them, and i've never even heard of them

but how important is the brand name anyway?  what does it really mean?  what
does the manufacturer do other than gather together components from other
manufacturers and put them together?  just how different is my Specialized
bike with Shimano LX components, and CR-MO frame than a Trek bike with
Shimano LX components and a CR-MO frame ?

- rich

    I've had a Diamond Back for about 5 years now. *Very* durable bike,
    I ride mine pretty hard over fair sized rocks and logs, too. No
    problems except when I snapped my left pedal crank by jamming it
    between two rocks while travelling at a fairly good clip. My bike stopped,
    I did not (Wile E. GerryG syndrome :-). I also sheared my seat bolt
    off from wheeling down to the riverside with too much weight on my
    back (yep, U guessed it - case O'beer :-). Those were the only two
    problems in 5 years. No mechanical problems whatsoever. Tell him
    it's got my seal of approval. ;-)

currently i've been hauling my bike by car with a cheap-o rear rack; it's kind
of a pain to use, and i have marginal faith in its durability (i'm always 
nervous that i'll be driving down the highway and my bike will fly off the car);
i already own a Thule bike attachment for a roof rack, so all i need now is
to buy the actual rack; i plan on owning my bike much longer than i plan on
owning my car, so i'd like to get a rack that will fit on whatever car i get
in the future; my 81 datsun 210 has rain gutters; i gather that most cars
made now do not; although i assumed that it was not possible to put a rain
gutter rack on a car w/out gutters, i thought that it was possible to put
a rack for a car w/out gutters on a car that has gutters; i just talked to
someone at REI who said that that's not so; he said that there's no way i
can get a rack now and have any guarantee that it will fit on a future car; is
this indeed true?  do i have any options other than buying a rack now and
another one in a year or two when i switch cars?  or will i finally be forced
to buy a new car solely for the sake of my bike?  (a tempting, albeit unlikely,
proposition)

- rich

re: bike brands

Diamond Back, Trek, Mongoose, etc.  The frames for all of the "mainline"
brands of MTBs are made 1 or two places: in Tiawan or HongKong (I think?).
So, the brand name might be somewhat moot in the frame department
argument, at least for these bikes.  Bikes like Fat Chance, which is handmade
in Somerville MA, don't fall into this category - they go for A LOT more
money (thousands of $, in some cases).

The components are what you want to check into: the more expensive the bike,
the better the components, most likely.  Since the components are an
integral part of the bike, perhaps people might want to talk about their
experience with the components they have.

JC

    Actually, frame do vary by brand name. Even when built in the same
    Taiwanese factory, frames for different brands are built according to
    the specifications of the company that's going to sell the bikes.
    Specialized and Giant frames come out of the same factory, but they're
    not the same.
    
    In case anyone cares, Trek manufactures even relatively inexpensive
    frames in the USA. The least expensive Trek frames do come from Taiwan,
    but you don't have to do too far up the road or mountain product lines
    to get a US frame.
    
    John

    Here's the vital stats on the commute:
    
    12.25 miles
    25 min. by car
    40.5 min. by bike
    condition upon departure: reluctant
    condition upon arrival: moist
    attitude upon arrival: holier-than-thou
    mean dogs: 0
    obnoxious drivers: fewer than usual
    traffic: almost non-existant
    
    As you can see, it isn't too much longer on the bike.  I didn't really
    push it, either, since I'm recovering from bronchitis or something
    similar.
    
    If you try bike commuting, please post your results in here.  I think
    you'll be surprised that it's not as hard as you think.  I'm familiar
    with a lot of the roads between Sterling and Northboro if you need
    route help.  I'd be glad to ride with you if we're close.
    
    Using your car less is by far the most important thing you can do to help
    the environment (not to mention yourself).  Please give it a try. 
    Plus, there's my over-riding reason for exercise: I can drink and eat
    whatever I want if I exercise a lot.  :^)
    
    Jamie

    I've taken to a much shorter route home. It's the way that I head in,
    via the 6 mile hill. It's the same hill as the 9 mile hill (I live
    at the top of said hill) except that it's 3 miles steeper and lots 
    more scenic (with 3-4 jeep roads along the way should I have the time
    to investigate). 
    
    So I guess my goal of the "9 mile hill in 18th gear" will fall by the 
    wayside since I like this route better. No way I can do it in 18 though. 
    I can barely get out of 3rd on the really steep parts. But then again, 
    I was handicapped with a 12-pack of Heineken I hauled up on my b'day 
    saturday. :-) 
    
    I just wish it'd get a little warmer. It's been in the mid-30's every
    freekin' morning and 70's/80's coming home in the afternoon. :-/ I'd
    like be able to wear shorts in the AM, leave the jacket at home and
    a keep pair of jeans at work. Hauling all those clothes home every 
    day doesn't leave much room for beer. :-(
    
    - Gerry

    12.25 miles in 40.5 minutes is 18 mph. Unless the trip involves an
    altitude loss, that's a pretty good clip for someone with bronchitis!
    
    I spin pretty comfortably at about 18 mph on the flats, but any
    riding here in Washington involves hills, and I'm lucky to average more
    than 15 mph over any real distance. 'Course, maybe that just an
    admission that I'm not in the greatest shape.
    
    John

I rode my bike to work today for the first time in over 2 years, first time 
ever on my mtn bike (which is all I own now).  Actually it was only half way, 
had to drive my jeep to the glass shop because my recently replaced windshield 
leaks.  Hopefully it is the first morning ride of many...

Thanks to you office-riders in here for inspiration!

Scott

    re .79
    
    Thanks.  As I found out on the way home, the ride to work is mostly
    downhill.  So, the ride home took 50 mins., and was a little longer
    'cause I missed a turn.  The worst part is the final hill up to my
    house, which didn't seem to end.  The scariest part is where Rte. 62
    and Boylston St. meet in Clinton: in Mass., yield and merge are
    synonyms.  :^)  I can't complain, though, one bad intersection in 12
    miles is doing well in this state.
    
    I had an interesting experience coming up the hill near the dam this
    morning.  I hear a sound behind me like ivory wheels on a rosewood
    track, then a cheery "good morning" as a a guy with a disk wheel passed
    me, followed by three others in the paceline.  I kept up with them for
    a little while, but they dropped me at the crest of the hill.
    
    I'm definitely racking up the miles and hope to hit 1k by the end of
    June.  Based on the weather, tomorrow's going to be a car day fer sure.
    
    re .-1
    
    Grate!  Let us know how it goes.  Keep it up, then call your car
    insurer and tell them that you only drive to work 3 days a week and
    maybe you'll be able to afford an extra pizza a year.  :^)
    
    Jamie  

Well, the good news is...

  I got out on my bicycle (Trek 330 with all Shimano componets (ES maybe?))
(that's a road bike, btw) for the first time yesterday afterwork!  Yeah!!!!

The bad news is...

  My legs are OUT OF SHAPE!  I haven't been doing my rehab exer-sizes (knee
surgery in June '88) for my knee for about 9 months.  No problems with my knees,
but I guess I never realized just how much those exer-sizes really help the
leg muscles.  I got about 7.5 miles out in my ~20 mile loop, and lamo-d out and
just turned around and went home.  Yeah, 15 miles isn't too bad for my first 
afterwork ride, but, the part of the ride I wimped out on had some good hills,
and the route I took home was mostly down hill.  (e.g. average 15.3 for the 1st
half of the ride, and then averaged 16.3 for the whole ride!)

Time to ride more and do rehab again!

Dave

Oh yeah, the other bad news is that my bike needs a tune (can someone hum a few
bars! :-) ), which I usually do myself.  But I think I'm too busy (read lazy) to
do it myself, so I think I'm gonna have to pay someone else...) :-(

1 more thing...

Tim Grady, were you driving a bronco west on 111A at around 6:15?  If so, the
guy on the red bike with red shorts and a tie-dye (and a helmet) was me!

    re .-1
    
    If you have a history of knee problems, be sure to spin at high rpms
    rather than trying to push big gears.  I'd recommend pretending you
    don't have a big chainring, even on the downhills.  If you need lower
    gears, a bike shop should be able to replace your freewheel affordably.
    
    Biking's great for your knees, and is often recommended, along with
    swimming, for therapy.  But, until the leg muscles get in shape to
    support the knee, pushing big gears can cause pain.  A rule of thumb is
    that your lungs should give out (from spinning) before your legs get
    tired.
    
    Jamie

    Jamie,..
    
    	Whats a "disk wheel"?
    
    						/neophyte

    re .-1
    
    A solid disk instead of spokes.  Some are just covers that fasten over
    the spokes, the more expensive ones are built up from the hubs. 
    They're more aerodynamic, but watch out for cross winds!
    
    Me, I'd be happy with hubs that didn't make me feel like I'm constantly
    riding through water.  :^)
    
    Jamie

    Oh,.. um,. "thanks" he said,. witha sheepish look on his face
    
    					/ba-aa-aa
    

Lately, I've been walking to work nearly everyday.  Here are some stats:

	By car, it takes about 5 mins.
	Walking, 6 mins.

Car has to warm up, drive, then park.  Walking, I go direct - a path the car
can't take.  So, during the week, I use my car about 3 times to go to my]
work out place.  Driving less then 100 miles/wk, on average.

Well, I jammed my ring finger on my right had really bad playing volleyball
2 weekends ago.  I have to go see the bone doctor today to see what he thinks.
Just another setback in trying/hoping to start lifting, riding my bike, and
picking up the axe again.... at this rate, doesn't look like i'll be doing
any of these until late July.... MEGA bummed out. :-(

Rode to work this morning (first time in a looong time...)

The stats...

Door to bikerack:  3.1 miles
Time: 13 and half minutes
Avg. Speed 13.7 mph

(love that cat-eye! :-) )

Route.  Up short hill.  Down medium hill.  Up short hill.  Up STEEP hill.  Down
big hill.  Slight uphill driveway.  A little more uphill driveway.  Downhill to
bike racks...

No flats on this ride... :-|

Broke an aweful big sweat for 3 miles...

Dave

    re .-1
    
    Grate!  Did you get caught in the afternoon thunderstorms?
    
    
    I wake up in the morning, fold my hands and pray for rain . . .
    
    It's going to be a tiring week if the nice weather holds up.  This note
    has been one of my biggest motivators -- by publicly stating that
    I'll bike commute whenever possible, I HAVE to do it.  I always enjoy
    it after I get out the door (and down my street's dog gauntlet), but
    getting motivated is tough.
    
    I did manage to hit a new personal speed record on Sunday: 44 mph! 
    With a big assist from gravity . . . :^)
    
    I will become a zillionaire and retire at 30.  Let's see if it works! 
    :^)  :^)
    
    Jamie

>   Grate!  Did you get caught in the afternoon thunderstorms?

Sure did! :-)

The 1st few hundred yards of the ride sucked!  Then I said to myself "Wait a
minute!  I used to love riding in the rain when I was a kid (chronologically)!"
At which point my attitude changed and I had a grate time riding in the rain and
puddles...Wasn't too cold, either...

Yeah, this note is a real motivator for commuting by bike!  Thanks much!

Dave 

I've been keeping my eye open for used mountain bikes, could someone comment on 
these? How are the prices? I really don't want to spend this much, but I fear I 
might hafta to get a decent quality bike thats serviceable.

      <<< PFEAST::NAPIER$TOOL4:[NOTES$LIBRARY]CLASSIFIED_ADS.NOTE;10078 >>>
             -< Welcome to C_A, Please READ THE RULES in Note 2.* >-
================================================================================
Note 11631.0                  Univega Mountain Bike                   No replies
CRUISE::WILLIAMS                                     19 lines   8-JUL-1992 15:57
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MOUNTAIN BIKE FOR SALE...


Univega Mountain Bike:  


      - Shimano Components
      - 15 speeds
      - 21" frame (I think, I forget how to tell)
      - excellent condition - only ridden twice & only ridden on the street
      - color - dark gray
      - price - $350.00 or b.o.


Contact:  Beth Williams
          dtn 296-4577
          USDEV::WILLIAMS

  Bike can be seen in Hudson Mass
      <<< PFEAST::NAPIER$TOOL4:[NOTES$LIBRARY]CLASSIFIED_ADS.NOTE;10078 >>>
             -< Welcome to C_A, Please READ THE RULES in Note 2.* >-
================================================================================
Note 11580.0                   Trek Mountain Bike                     No replies
POWDML::WIRTANEN                                     10 lines   7-JUL-1992 15:09
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Trek 800 Antelope Mountain Bike
    24" frame - for 6' or taller
    15 speed indexed Shimano
    Quick release hubs
    Black with blue trim
    Blackburn rack, toe clips,
    EXCELLENT Condition ......hardly used
    Paid $350 + accessories.  $250 firm
    Can be seen in Maynard, MA
    Gale Wirtanen @MSO  DTN:  223-8380


Fog,

I believe there are certain bike shops that will give deccies a discount on
a new MTB.  you might want to loop into this.  i was able to get some very
good deals because of my DEC status and i was also buying 3 bikes at one
time.

not being up on MTB components and stuff, I can't really comment on the
bikes you've posted.  trek is a very popular bike - not sure if you can
assume "popularity = excellent bike" ...

jc, mongoose comp owner but can't ride due to sore/weak wrists :-(

    re .91
    
    The first one sounded a little small for you.  Prices look ok, but not
    a whole lot lower than a new bike.  Bridgestone is a good inexpensive
    brand you might want to check out.  There's a dealer in Fitchburg,
    Gamache's, let me know if you want to make a trip up there.  They could
    at least fit you so you'd know what size to look for in a used bike.
    
    I get a kick out of CLASSIFIED_ADS, where you see ads like:  Book For
    Sale . . . Programming in TRS-80 Machine Language . . . Paid $25, yours
    for $20.  :^)  Only slightly exaggerated.  :^)
    
    Definitely spend the money to get a reasonable bike, you'll save money
    in the long run.  A friend of mine bought a cheap dept. store bike and
    one pedal fell off (the left pedal was right-hand threaded!).  He took
    it back and the clerk said "that was a problem on that year's model,
    they fixed it for this year" and gave him a newer bike.  The fix?  A
    warning sticker which read: "WARNING: Tighten Pedal Before Each Use." 
    :^)
    
    Jamie

Thanks for the info, Jamie. I've been eyeing those dept store $125 price tags
for mtn bikes, but in general have found they were too heavy. I've got enough
weight to carry around these days.  :-/ I might take ya up on that offer to
check things out in fitchburg; according to some other advise, I'd probably be 
looking for a 22 or 23 inch frame, but it doesn't cost anything (except perhaps 
a little personal space violation) to get properly measured in the shop. Weee!

Don't know what paper this is from, someone left it taped on my computer
this am...

Dave

	Illinois competition combines 30-mile bike race, doughnut-eating

  STAUNTON, Ill. (AP) - Europe may have the Tour de France bike race.  Southern 
Illinois has the Tour de Donut, where bicyclists eat their way into the winner's
circle.
  John January downed a dozen doughnuts to win Saturday's 30-mile event.
  "I think I found my event," said January, 35, of Edwardsville.  "I'm a
mediocre runner, a mediocre, biker and a lousy swimmer.  But I'm great at eating
doughnuts."
  For every doughnut consumed during two 10-minute breaks, racers subtract five
minutes from their overall time.

    Does anyone know where I can buy a bicycle helmet around Maynard or
    Fitchburg?
    
    Any recommendations as to type or make or whatever would be
    appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Mary

	As I mentioned in an earlier note, I've long held a desire to get a
recumbant bike.  However, recumbant bikes are strictly road bikes, and I finally
decided that that just wouldn't work where I live (on a dead-end, rocky dirt
road, with trails through the woods nearby), so I've been shopping for a
mountain bike.

	I just (they're assembling it, now) bought a Giant Sedona ATX mountain
bike.  Should be fun.

Mark

       
       i'm taking off tomorrow night, headin' north to camp out at sebago
     lake, maine, and then headin' to sunday river for a day of mountain 
     biking. has anyone biked there, or any other mountain bike park, which
     seems to be any mountain with a ski lift these days. is wachusett 
     running their lifts?
                                      ^dave_who_also_plans_on_getting_
                                       to_killington_one_of_these_days

anybody want to do some mountain biking during the day on saturday or sunday?
i've got this neat book, "Mountain Biking Near Boston" that still has many
places that i have yet to check out; Leominster (sp?) State Forest has been
recommended to me, and i was thinking of heading there; anybody else want to
join me?

- rich

p.s. hey mods, perhaps the keyword BIKING should be added to the list; i scanned
thru the keywords looking for an appropriate place to put this note, but i only
found this note because i happened to remember that it already existed

                    Take my advice, you'd be better off DEAD
Created:  2-JAN-1991 21:50         304 topics         Updated:  1-OCT-1992 
14:49
 Keyword              Note
>BIKING               258.0
 End of requested listing
  

    Anyone can create keywords, I think.
    
    Maybe I'll relate my cycling tales of woe soon.  Anyway, I made it to
    1100 miles this summer, although I wanted to do 2k.  I think the bike
    and myself are done for the year.  Can't wait to start shopping for a
    new bike!
    
    There are good maps of Leominster SF available . . . they look pretty
    anyway, I haven't field checked mine yet.
    
    Jamie

>    Anyone can create keywords, I think.

We restricted keyword creation when we set this conf up because it got out of 
hand in the last version, jamie...
    
     Entry name:  GRATEFUL
     File:        NECSC::SYS_CLUSTER:[NOTES$LIBRARY]GRATEFUL.NOTE;1
     Moderator:   ZENDIA::FERGUSON

     Access is not restricted
     Keyword creation is restricted
     Notes may be written

  

nobody noticed huh Fog?  oh poo.  ;^(  Well then may I be the first to
congratulate you on the return of a werkstation (and windows!) to your desk!

:-)

    So yah, what I was saying in the wrong note was that I've seen these
    spring suspended handle bar goose neck things. They look like they'd 
    take a lot of abuse out of your shoulders and probably be less 
    expensive, lighter and more reliable the shock absourber type forks. 
    	I always thought the shocks were a great idea, but the looked like
    they'd add weight and a potential point of failure to your bike.
    
    Geoff

re          <<< Note 258.104 by MILKWY::SAMPSON "Driven by the wind" >>>
                                 -< Fuond it! >-

>    	I always thought the shocks were a great idea, but the looked like
>    they'd add weight and a potential point of failure to your bike.
 
The good (read: expensive) shock forks are supposed to be pretty damn durable!
I don't know how those things compare in weight to normal forks (2x? 3x?)

I might check those out...

> The good (read: expensive) shock forks are supposed to be pretty damn
> durable!

When they came out (again) last year, I asked the local bike shop dude why
they had dissappeared (existed a few years before).  He said they were too
expensive and got a bad reputation for wearing out/breaking. He said the
recent models were much better.  But they're still too expensive for me
($300+).  I've never seen the handlebar version.  How much, and where do I
find 'em?

re: Mt. bikes on the road

Pumping up the tires never helped me much on the road... ...but letting some
extra air out for those 'advanced' trails sure makes a difference ;-)

- jeff-who-bought-a-Giant-ATX-760-two-years-ago-and-loves-it!

What good is it to put shocks in the forks when the only place you'd 
really need 'em would be in the seat stem?

Butter_buttP

    On a mtn bike, most of the shock transfer is thru the forks/handlebars
    into your arms.

    re: -.2
    
    Not too many mt. bikers use their seat all that much when off-road...
    
    - jeff-who-tries-to-avoid-a-sore-butt-as-much-as-possible
    

    HEY!  I bought a bike!  Actually, it's on layaway.  It's a 1992 Ironhorse
    (kind of a fitting name for me, but I'm no horse.) XT3000 hybrid.  It's
    got the Shimano 200 series "stuff" on it, 21 speeds, weighs about 21
    lbs.  Rapid fire shifters.  It's painted a cool deep purple colour.
    
    I test rode Giant, Univega, Myiata and Trek.  The Ironhorse was the
    most "responsive", IMO.  It had the usual components all the others had
    in the price range.  In fact, it had better components than Trek. Plus
    92 Treks all have those damn grip shifters, which I dislike.  The
    Ironhorse also has some killer tires on it for a hybrid.
    
    The bike shop I bought it from (B&B Cycle, N. Providence, RI) was the
    best out of all the ones I went to.  They took the time to explain to
    me everything about the bike; they asked me where I planned on riding;
    made sure the bike was adjusted correctly for my test drive, etc.  All
    the other bike shops just pulled down the bike and let you go at it.
    They have free 30,60,90 month tune ups to make sure it breaks in
    correctly.  Plus, they were the only shop in town that had free
    layaway.  I don't want the bike right now, but I do want to hold onto
    this one.
    
    Well, I'm pshcyed!!!  I haven't rode steadily since my childhood.  I'm
    currentlty getting in shape, concentrating on my legs.  Can't wait
    until I pick it up in April!!  Now I gotta buy a helmet, riding shorts,
    water bottle.......
    
    dave

    
       congrats dave! i'm also psychin' for the upcoming season. if you
     still live in woonsocket get in touch with me this spring and we'll
     hook up for some ridin' (i live in blackstone), i've got a road bike
     and a mountain bike. do you know where that bike path from providence
     to tiverton starts? somewhere near india point park? 
    
                                               ^dave_bikeaholic

    I don't still live in Woonsocket, but, close-enough, Cumberland!
    
    The bike path starts, I think, right at the beginning of Veterans
    Memorial Parkway. I'll probably park the ca at one of those roadside
    parking areas along this street.
    
    dave

    Here's an article posted by someone at Brown University in the Rhode
    Island newsgroup.  It's a biking club called the Narragansett Bay
    Wheelman club.
    
    dave
    
Here's the article:

   I've gotten several requests for further information about the
Narragansett Bay Wheelmen bicycle touring club.  The following is a
combination of information from the latest newsletter and my own
observations as a member.
   The Narragansett Bay Wheelmen (NBW) is a League of American Wheelman-
affiliated club with members from all over southern New England-- RI,
eastern CT, and southern MA.  The club has at least one ride in the area
every Sunday of the year (weather permitting), special rides just about
every Saturday during the summer, informal cross-country skiing in the
winter every week there's snow somewhere, and sponsors The Flattest
Century in the East every year on the Sunday after Labor Day.  There are
also groups within the club which discuss touring, advocacy, and other
topics.  Member dues are something like $12/year single, $1/year each
additional family member.  The membership year starts on March 1.  The
address for membership payments is:

       NBW Membership
       PO Box 428
       Tiverton, RI 02878

The general club address is:

       NBW
       PO Box 1317
       Providence, RI 02901

The NBW hotline and FAX number is 831-1494.  I think you can leave your
name & address on the answering machine if you'd like official information
and/or a membership form.
   I'm not really active in the club-- I just show up for about half the
Sunday rides when the weather's warmer.  Maps are provided, and the routes
are arrowed, so it's pretty easy to do the rides even if you're not familiar
with the area.  Generally, there are two or three mileage options, which
usually go something like 20, 35, 50, with longer options usually available
as the season starts to pick up.  The rides are NOT races; riders go at
their own pace.  There's a wide range of ages, speeds, ability, etc., of
riders on any given ride.  My own feeling is that the club is a lot less
social than some I've known of, or perhaps just more cliquish, so I usually
bring my own riding partner(s), and just enjoy the rides for their own
sake.  I'd highly recommend membership in the club, especially if you
are either new to biking or new to the area.  It's a great way to learn
the ins and outs of biking in southern New England.
--
Joel


% ====== Internet headers and postmarks (see DECWRL::GATEWAY.DOC) ======
% Received: by enet-gw.pa.dec.com; id AA20960; Mon, 22 Feb 93 08:45:27 -0800
% Received: from porter.geo.brown.edu by lf.brown.edu (5.61/2.1) id AA23495; Mon, 22 Feb 93 11:43:58 -050
% Received: from pilsner.geo.brown.edu by porter.geo.brown.edu (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA22599; Mon, 22 Feb 93 11:40:48 ES
% Date: Mon, 22 Feb 93 11:40:48 EST
% From: [email protected] (Joel Plutchak)
% Message-Id: <[email protected]>
% To: spock::irons
% Subject: Re: the NB wheelmen

any other stranded individuals w/out albany tix want to go mountain biking
somewhere in the boston area this weekend?

/r

                                 Tour de Cure
                      A day of cycling to beat diabetes
                        American Diabetes Association

Ride date: Saturday, May 22
Starting line: Narragansett High School
Finish line: same
Check-in time: 7:30 am
Ride start time: 9:00 am
Distance: 25, 50 and 100 kilometers
Ride route: Scenic back roads of historic South County (southern part of RI
near beaches)

Early registration fee (postmarked before 5/6): $15.00
Registration fee (postmarked between 5/7 - 5/21): $20.00
Late registration fee (5/22 only): $25.00
Phone # to register: 401-738-5570
Fax number to register: 401-738-4604

You must raise a minimum of $50.00 in pledges to ride. You get a free T-shirt
with every pledge. Pledges totaling $100.00 or more get gift certificates (the
value increments the more you pledge; plus T-shirt) to the Sharper Image
catalog or Performance Bicycle.

They also need over 100 volunteers (non-riders) to help with the food and
refreshments, etc.  First 100 volunteers get a T-shirt.

Choose your own route and pace, rain or shine.  There will be catered rest
stops and a welcome after-tour lunch (probably where the volunteers come in). 
There will also be support for riders with sag wagons (what the hell is that??),
mechanical repairs and medical personnel.  ALL RIDERS MUST WEAR HELMETS.

I can make photo copies of the brochure, however, you can register by phone
without it.

I'm seriously thinking about doing the 25K.  Anyone want to join me?

I'm picking up my bike sometime this month.  I haven't biked in years so I may
need someone to carry me the rest of the way!  :^)  I'll get my bike in time to
put in quite a few practice rides.  I've been working out trying to get into
shape so I don't die.

dave

    I went home at lunch yesterday and I rode my bike back to work !!!! and
    man is my a$$ sore today ! 
    
    Chris

    Yeah, the first thing I'm buying is a pair of those padded bike shorts!
    
    How come I'm noting so early today?  I'm usually a lunch time noter. 
    Looks like it's gonna be a wasted day!  :^)
    
    dave

Nice morning here in Colorado - rode my bicycle to work for the first time
ever from Danielle's house -- wasn't too bad, what normally takes me 20-25 min
in the truck, took me 30 min on my mtn bike - but the way *to* work is mostly
downhill - I'll see how I feel after riding back home!


Glennnn-whos-gaining-weight-right along with Danielle, 
	but at least she's pregnant :^/

	Yes, it is becoming quite close to mt. bike fun time!  i have to
get a new tire on the back of my mtb as it doesn't have the traction it
used to have!  

	i'd love to ride w/ folks from grateful after work if anyone is
into it.  i like off-roading most, and i ain't scared of mud!!

>	i'd love to ride w/ folks from grateful after work if anyone is
>into it.  i like off-roading most, and i ain't scared of mud!!

count me in!  i hope to do a lot of riding this summer

- rich

    For all you mountain bikers in the MA/NH area, there's a place I just
    stumbled upon that's a *must*.  I rode with Rich Fromm and the
    Slashmon, and I'm sure they would say the same thing.
    
    The place is Leominster state park (or is it national forest??)
    Whatevah the case, the trails are grate.  There the best I've seen in
    New England; swirling single-track downhills, demanding uphills, and
    plenty of mud for JC....:_)  Our group rode for about 3-3.5 hours, and
    just barely skimmed the surface of all the trail to be ridden.
    
    For those who don't know, just take rt. 2 to rt. 31 south.  2.5 miles
    down 31, can't miss it. happy riding......
    
    	Mike	

>    The place is Leominster state park (or is it national forest??)

i think it's a state forest

>    Whatevah the case, the trails are grate.

i'll agree with that; we spent quite some time there, and there's still plenty
of terrain that we didn't get a chance to check out

if you live or work near framingham and are looking for a place that's
convenient for a quick ride without having to travel much, my backyard borders
callahan state park; it's not bad for a place that's so close by

- rich

    
     Leominster State park is one place that I also ride often....
    
    lots of rocks and roots there, I usually seem to get a flat or
    break something (rear derailer last time). Hopefully that will
    change now, I just bought a new bike (Mongoose Comp).
    
     A couple other places I like to ride are, Rutland State Park
    (good power lines), and Trout Brook Reservation in Holden.
    
     Trout Brook is a Boy Scout camp with a bunch of snowmobile/hiking
    trails....it's located on Manning street in Holden, near the 
    Qinnapoxet River.
    
     When I feel like an easier ride, I go out to Wachusett Resevoir, lots
    of fire roads and good scenery (saw a deer and a fox one day too).
    
    
    Sean
    

re                    <<< Note 258.123 by JUPITR::OCONNORS >>>

>    change now, I just bought a new bike (Mongoose Comp).
                                           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

this is what I have - the "IBOC" comp ... nice bike;  i won't be riding for
another 2 wks + due to my injury last time I rode.

Trout Brook is nice, very underused, and > 1 mile from my house, as are
some great off-road MDC trails. A really great Mtn bike trial runs from the
Dana Hill Road metal-grate bridge over the Stillwater River (in Sterling)
south along the East Bank, and loops around over a small mountain. There
are some steep sections which will challange even the most accomplished
off-roaders. I'm planning on mapping out some of the trails, since its easy
to get lost on them and no maps are currently publicly available which show
those roads...

    I just read a grate note on bicyle training.  I extracted it from the
    Bicyle notesfile. Good reading.  It's rather large, so you can read
    and/or copy it from:
    
    SPOCK::SYS$SYSDEVICE:[SYS$PUBLIC]BICYCLE_FITNESS.NOTE
    
    dave

    
     Last weekend, I found a great place to ride mtn bikes down the Cape.
    I was in Brewster, and I asked a kid in a bike shop and he told me
    about it. It's just a bunch of trails behind a skating arena in 
    Orleans.....best place I've rode yet, it's almost like a moto cross
    track, the trails are well worn from many bikes and dirt bikes, lots
    of burms on every corner and lots of woop-dee-doos, the trails are
    pretty soft dirt too, no rocks.
    
     to get to it, take 6A east into Orleans, take a right at the first
    set of lights, take your first right off that road, you'll see a sign
    for a skating arena, park at the skating arena and the trails are right
    behind it.
    
    
    Sean
     
    
      

    burms ? hummmmm can't find this in a dictionary.....:') someone
    trademark that one !

    
    it's in there Chris...  just a misspelling...  :^)  it's BERM...
    n.  a narrow shelf, path or ledge, typically at the top or bottom of a
    slope; also a mound or wall of earth...
    
    def courtesy of Websters Ninth Collegiate Dictionary...
    
    					da ve

    ya mean they mis-spelled it in my dictionary ? geesh !

    well, with all those words, you figure they must have made a few
    mistakes! :^)

    
        thanx for the info sean, i go into brewster every once in a while
      to fish at nickerson, hafta check this place out next time i'm there.
      and for any pavement peddlers, the cape has an awesome network of 
      paved bike paths. 
    
                                        ^dave_mtn_biker/street_biker
                                        

    I went to a place yesterday with Rich Fromm, Tree, and his bro' that
    was pretty cool.  It was in Sudbury, and to get to it take rt. 20 to
    Nobscot rd.  It's a boy scout camp with a pretty good network of
    trails.  Tough uphills and nice long downhill runs.  About half of it
    is wide double-track and the other half is singletrack with a few
    places that are over-grown.
    
    Nothing *too* outstanding, but a nice place to go if you're in the area
    and want something close....
    
    	Mike

    
        i ride mostly at gilbert hills state forest at the intersection
     of rts. 495 and 1. the forest is split in half by rt. 1, with half
     in foxboro and half in wrentham, 20 miles of trails on each side!
     the foxboro side has alot of loose gravel and highly technical trails,
     so i tend to ride on the wrentham side which is beyond description!
     the trails are mostly hard packed single tracks weaving up and down
     several hundred foot hills. this is a favorite spot for mtn bike
     races as well as endurance motocross.
       to get there take 495s to the rt.1 north exit and immediately get
     in the left lane and take the first left. you'll see a forklift
     company on your left. pull in behind the forklift company and follow
     the dirt road to the grass clearing/parking lot. definitely worth
     checking out if your in the area.
                                                             ^dave

>        i ride mostly at gilbert hills state forest at the intersection
>     of rts. 495 and 1. the forest is split in half by rt. 1, with half
>     in foxboro and half in wrentham, 20 miles of trails on each side!
    
    I rode there a coupla' times when the Franklin plant was still open. 
    There was some tough terrain there.  A lot of loose rocks like you
    said, but I sdidn't find any good hard-packed trail.  It was quite a
    work-out trying to go uphill on loose softball-sized rocks :-)
    
    	Mike

	I like hiking at that Nobscot reservation....did you guys
	go to Tripling Rock?

>    said, but I sdidn't find any good hard-packed trail.  It was quite a
>    work-out trying to go uphill on loose softball-sized rocks :-)
    
>    	Mike


           mike...didja ride on the wrentham side (the side adjacent
        to rt. 1 south)? lotsa really nice trails. there are some
        rocky trails and river crossings but they are difinitely
        outweighed by the nice trails. 

                                                     ^dave

>	I like hiking at that Nobscot reservation....did you guys
>	go to Tripling Rock?
    
    I have no idea! :-)  We just rode.  At one point, the trail got faint
    and we had to fight our way through the overgrown vegetation and ended
    up in a residential area.
    
    I find that when you hike, you pay more attention to trail markers and
    intersections.  When you're riding and going full steam, you don't pay
    much attention to that kinda stuff.
    
    
    	Mike

  
>    I find that when you hike, you pay more attention to trail markers and
>   intersections.  When you're riding and going full steam, you don't pay
>    much attention to that kinda stuff.
    

	Thats zactly why I don't own a Mtn Bike....

	I'm a street biker.

    >   <<< Note 258.139 by EBBCLU::SMITH "So many roads tease my soul" >>>
    >
	>Thats zactly why I don't own a Mtn Bike....

	>I'm a street biker.
    
    Gee, I was beginning to wonder if I was the only street biker around! 
    I have a hybrid mainly because I don't mind hitting potholes or doing a
    small trail now and then.  But to do these hard-core moto-cross trails,
    gheesh.  I like simple country roads; casual rides with only the fear
    of crazy dogs in your mind.
    
    I found some nice country roads starting in Cumberland, RI and ending
    up in Wrentham.  Wrentham such a nice town!
    
    dave

    

I went out yesturday with a non-dechead friend in concord and carlisle.  lots
of great places to MT bike there!

I'm going again thursday after work....

not sure yet...


if you wanna go, drop me a line.

>I went out yesturday with a non-dechead friend in concord and carlisle.  lots
>of great places to MT bike there!
>
>I'm going again thursday after work....
>
>not sure yet...

	You guys should try the sandpit across from my house
	There is some really killer trails for Mtn Biking 
	there....plus a semi grown in sandpit which is 1/4 mile
	long and 1/8 mile in diameter.

    Patty and I had a grate time with our borrowed Mt. bikes this weekend,
    although a certain amount of medicine might be suggested for riding
    between 10,000 and 11,000 feet. We rode for a couple of hours just
    around our cabin on the 4x4 roads during the day, then in the evening I
    took off again for only a little while...started crashing and burning
    and decided another beer was the answer, not another mile. 
    
    rfb

    I just thought I'd tell a story to the cycling buffs around here. 
    While at lunch, I went to pick up my bike.  I decided to have the
    bottom bracket replaced after my crank arms got a bit wobbly.  When I
    got to the store, the repair dude got a kick out of showing me my old
    one.  Appearantly as soon as the crank arms were loosened the entire
    bracket assembly fell apart into a kazzillion pieces and all over the
    floor.  I guess this work was a bit over-due :-) :-)
    
    	Mike

    Wow, that sounds like what the main bearing in my truck transmission 
    ended up being like this past winter! 
    
    	I just wore my gears down on the bike, haven't really broken much,
    other than the derailer. 
    
    I'll bet it rides beteer!

>    I'll bet it rides beteer!
    
    You know, it does ride better but it still makes the noise that caused
    me to have it serviced in the first place.....I'm kinda' ticked about
    that.  I'll hafta take it back in.
    
    	Mike

    What is the sound you're trying to remedy?? If it's a creeking sort of 
    crunch when you're peddling hard, like my bike used to make after a 
    few seasons, have you checked your rear hub? A lot of mine was also 
    a streached and spent chain. Looking at my chain rings the other day 
    I realize those should be replaced too. 
    
    	Did you ask that they fix the bike, or just the crank??
    
    Geoff

    the noise is definetely coming from the cranks/bottom bracket housing. 
    It is however a creaking noise when you put alot of torque on the
    cranks like you mentioned.  In the past, when that happened, I was told
    all that needed to be done was tighten the main crank axle.  I used to
    do that and it would be remedied for quite a  while.  However, as of
    late, the tightening was not working.  Thats when I asked the people at
    the bike store.  They said the noise and the wobbly crank arms were due
    to a shot bottom bracket.  I figured "fine, I've had it for 3+ years
    with no major repairs, why not get a new B.B."  I assumed that the
    noise would be gone when I got it back.  Oh well, I'm gonna hafta go
    talk to 'em...
    
    	Mike

I now have that same damn noise in my bike and it is wicked annoying.  I
checked the crank bolts and they were loose, so I torqued 'em down.  Then
just after riding a bit, the noise was back... i'll have to re-torque.  no
bearing play in my cranks whatsoever....

    Check your chain man, I really think that's were my noise was mostly
    generated. After 3.5 season the rollers were almost disintegrated 
    and the chain was very streatched. Also, despite being so warn and
    loose, it wasn't able to stay on a particular chain ring if the swing
    on the cassette was too much. I don't know whether it was the changing 
    of the chian, the new cassette or having the bearings repacked that 
    got rid of the noise, but they were all done and the noise is gone.  
    

    Geoff, its not the chain.  If you rode the bike you would agree with
    me.  You can just tell that noise is coming from the center part of the
    crank assembly or the B.B.  I called the shop, and he said that it may
    be that the spindle piece of the crank assembly is getting stripped
    slowly and making a grinding noise.  He said to bring it in and he
    would look at it for no charge since he may have made a mis-diagnosis
    about the problem the first time.
    
    JC, you should try to keep your bike away from others when you know
    they are sick. :-) :-)
    
    	Mike

Tomorrow after work, I'm most likely going to hit zee trail on my MT bike.
I'm probably going to do something in concord with the intent of ending at
Walden Pond for a cool-down dip.  I biked twice in Concord over the weekend,
explored some new trails, etc...  both times, i ended at walden for a dip.
It is real nice.


so, if ya wanna come along, give me a shout via mail and we'll arrange a
place to meet, etc.

    School is out and it O-FISH-AL-LEEE ride my bike to work season !
    
    I rode my bike to work today (up hill to work, down hill home !)
    @7miles oneway ! feel good ! I will try to do this as much as possible
    now that my car is feeling its age and not running so hot (trany is a
    bit worn I think)
    
    so to answer why I wait til' school gets out, I can drop Julie off at
    my Moms a lot earlier then the bus was picking her up ! so I can get
    here at 8ish....
    
    it took me about 25minutes but I was not pushing myself, saving the
    real pain for later !
    
    Chris
    
    

	Mike B and I hit the trail in concord for a good crank after work
yesturday!  good trails, and a nice dip in walden pond after sweating our
butts off hit the spot...

	I'm probably gonna do those trails again this thursday after work.
if you are interested in joining me, send some mail!

				

    I'll probably join ya' JC, but I'm in the "get in shape" mode as of
    late and would also like to pose a trip to Leominster this weekend. 
    Either Fri. or Mon. would be fine with me.  If anyone's interested, let
    me know what day.
    
    	Mike

    I have a bike, and a butt, but I'm not sure I could keep up...
    
    Does Concord have biker bunny slopes?  ;-)
    
    tim
    

re   <<< Note 258.156 by NAC::TRAMP::GRADY "Short arms, and deep pockets..." >>>
                      -< I'm still on training wheels... >-

>    Does Concord have biker bunny slopes?  ;-)
 
actually, the trails there are not that bad at all...  pretty smooth, some
areas have roots, but, for the most part, ez ridin'...

    I want to go too!  (maybe).....
    
    :), danielle

>    I want to go too!  (maybe).....
    
>    :), danielle

hey, don't you have layout work to do?   ;^)  ;^)  ;^)  ;^)  ;^)

count me in for concord on thurs after work and for leominster sometime this
weekend

- rich

    O.K. pholks,  As it stands noow, there's only 3 people who have
    expressed an interest in riding at Leominster this weekend:  JC, Rich, and
    myself.  If there's anyone else who wants to go, let me know; and more
    importantly, place your vote for either Sat. or Mon.  Along with your
    vote, tell me if it would be impossible for you to make it the other
    day.
    
    	bound to cover just a little more ground.....
    
    		Mike

re: leominster

i vote for monday, although i could probably make saturday

- rich

    
       well, it looks like monday's out for me too...it just turned into
     another beach day. just confirmed my reservations at burlingame
     campground, just down the street from the ocean mist. now we don't
     have to worry about driving home sunday night after the BOP(harvey)
     extravaganza, we can just stagger back to our tents. 8^)
    
       i would definitely be into doing some mtn biking at killington
     some time soon, maybe even take a day outta work. any interest?
    
                                                          ^dave

    well Dave, does that mean you're up for sat., but not mon. or are you
    out for both?
    
    About Killington, I'm always up for checking a new trail.  Where is it?
    
    	Miek

re: mb@leominster

just say YES to Monday!
just say NO to Saturday!

    
        whoops....sorry for not being clear. i'm totally out for this 
     weekend. and killington is *the* killington as in the six mountains
     in vermont. in the summer they operate the lifts to bring bikers to
     the top and let them barrel down the slopes. sounds awesome, huh?
     and it's not that expensive, i think $15. for a one day pass.
    
                                                             ^dave  
        
    

> in the summer they operate the lifts to bring bikers to the top and let
> them barrel down the slopes. sounds awesome, huh?  and it's not that
> expensive, i think $15. for a one day pass.

COOL!!!

I could just see some nutcase ride off the 50' high rock on Devil's Fiddle!


Hell, in the mood I'm in now, I'd do it if I had my hockey pads on... ;-)


- nutcase

>     in vermont. in the summer they operate the lifts to bring bikers to
>     the top and let them barrel down the slopes. sounds awesome, huh?
    
    I'd like to go, but be sure to give me advance notice so I can tune my
    brakes :-) :-)

    Suicide...

I reckon that I'll be hittin' the trail w/ my MT Bike this Weds after work.
I won't go if it is waaaaaaay toooooo hot, but will go if it is raining.

if you wanna join me, send mail.
departure from littleton (my pad) by 6pm...

concord trails -> walden swim to cool down

I'm lookin' for anyone into taking a MT Bike ride after work today........
I'll probably do concord -> walden_pond, but will entertain other
ideas...

biking->swimming->chow_dinner->The Bull

    I got a mountain bike!  It was an anniversary gift from my wonderful
    wife -- yes, I got her a conch shell.  :-/
    
    I rode it up to Leominster State Forest yesterday and tooled around
    there.  I managed to get sorta lost and did some unplanned single track
    riding.  I ran into about ten other people, all of whom asked me for
    directions.  One couple was so lost they followed me out.
    
    It's a very different riding style than I'm used to.  One big lesson
    was: no weight on the rear wheel = no traction.  It also requires a lot
    more concentration on the trail than road riding.  It's great for
    exploring, I've already checked out a lot of paths I'd always wondered
    about.
    
    The first thing I'm going to do is replace the quick release seat post
    skewer with a standard hold down bolt.  What's the point, besides
    making it easier for someone to steal the seat?
    
    Jamie

>    The first thing I'm going to do is replace the quick release seat post
>    skewer with a standard hold down bolt.  What's the point, besides
>    making it easier for someone to steal the seat?
 
the point is that i often adjust the seat height depending on the terrain;
if i'm on the road (which might not be applicable to you if you have a road
bike) or on a trail that's not very difficult, than i want the seat post
higher; if i'm on a difficult trail, than i want the seat post lower; if i
had a standard hold down bolt i'd replace it with a quick release; fwiw,
there is something that you can get called a "seat leash" that will make it
a bit more difficult for someone to swipe your seat

- rich

p.s. let me know anytime you're up for riding (often go on tuesdays and
thursdays with jeff maggard, mike bourdess, jc, and slash, but i don't know
about the next week or two)

re: Jamie

I too second Rich's comments about the quick-release.  Keep it for a while
and if ya find yourself not changing the seat much, then replace it.  In my
3 seasons of MT Bike riding, i have not had any problems with people trying
to snake my seat - they could get my front and back rims just as easily...

re   <<< Note 258.172 by ROCK::FROMM "It's hard to care about a don't care." >>>
                                 -< just mho >-

>p.s. let me know anytime you're up for riding (often go on tuesdays and
>thursdays with jeff maggard, mike bourdess, jc, and slash, but i don't know
>about the next week or two)

well, i'm riding this Tues and Thurs, so, if ya'll wanna join me, let me know
and let's ride!  i say that i'll probably do Concord on Tues and perhaps
carlisle on thurs....  Jamie, c'mon out w/ us mon!!!  i have a fresh keg in
my fridge.... :-)

which brings me to another point:


Mr Bourdess is soon to be departing back to finish up school.  We need to have
one last good ride w/ him, etc.....  perhaps next week.  when exactly are
you outta here Mike?

    Just because I said I'd do it "first thing" doesn't mean it'll happen
    this year.  :-)  It opened up on me once yesterday, if it doesn't
    happen again, I won't bother changing it.  I'm not worried about it
    getting stolen, though I'm more careful than with my road bike since
    they aren't in demand.
    
    There's way too much going on this week, but I definitely want to hook
    up sometime.  With no car, I'm forced to bike commute, so it's going to
    be a high mileage week already.

>I'm not worried about it
>    getting stolen, though I'm more careful than with my road bike since
>    they aren't in demand.
 
ya sure about that?  i think mikeb would beg to differ...

- rich

>Mr Bourdess is soon to be departing back to finish up school.  We need to have
>one last good ride w/ him, etc.....  perhaps next week.  when exactly are
>you outta here Mike?

    I've still got a coupla' weeks left.  My last day of work is Sept. 10.
    
    I'd be up for a ride on thurs.  Concord or Carlisle is fine w/ me.
    
    	Mike 
    

jamie,

btw, what kind of bike is it?

- curious-rich

	Mike B and I did a decent 30 miles yesterday on the street.

	Very hilly ride covering Northboro, Berlin, Bolton, Clinton...
	some nice views and grate scenery.

	All done within about 3.5 hrs.

    re .177
    
    It's a Giant Sonoma.
    
    re .178
    
    Was that the 'round the reservoir loop?
    
    Jamie

re-Jamie

	No we did not do the loop as neither of us had a 
	map on hand.  The Bolton back roads are intense 	
	and so is the smell of man o' war on occasion. 

	That is a nasty hill by the dam in Clinton dammit...

    That's some great riding area Deane, pretty much right in my backyard. 
    One of these days things'll slow enough so that I can ride around there
    again! But I'm not complainin'.
    
    Geoff who_hasn't_ridden_in_almost_a_week
    

>    The first thing I'm going to do is replace the quick release seat post
>    skewer with a standard hold down bolt.  What's the point, besides
>    making it easier for someone to steal the seat?

from my experience ---

Adjust the seat up when going for a long stretch of uphill climbing...

Adjust the seat down when going down steep trails and lean waaaaaayyy back to
help avoid the tea-kettle syndrome...

Glennnnnn

    re .177
    
    Oops, it's a Giant Sedona, not Sonoma.
    
    On a tangent to the car thing, the bike came with a sticker on the
    headset which read "Made in Taiwan."  This sticker was stuck on at
    assembly and peeled off easily.  On the frame there's a permanent decal
    which proclaims "Designed in the USA."  I'm swollen with pride!  We've
    got two engineers and a CAD system, and Taiwan only got a factory!
    
    Jamie

    Is that why you're never gonna by another US car???  Designed here, and
    built in Mexico...Better to buy a Toyota designed in Japan and built 
    here.....*;')
    
    dugo_who_couldn't_resist

          <<< NOTED::DISK$NOTES1:[NOTES$LIBRARY_1OF4]BICYCLE.NOTE;2 >>>
                                -<  Bicycling  >-
================================================================================
Note 2658.0          Cyclists vs. Residents/Cops in Woodside           6 replies
ARTIE::ALVIDREZ                                     176 lines  25-AUG-1993 19:25
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following is a front-page article that appeared in today's San Jose
Mercury News:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

BICYCLE WAR UNDER THE REDWOODS
 
 
HARD-RIDING CYCLISTS AT ODDS WITH LAW, RESIDENTS
 
By MELODY PETERSEN
Mercury News Staff Writer
 
Just before 12, the notorious noontime cyclists gather for a grueling ride
through the hills of Woodside and Portola Valley.
 
At the same time, sheriff's deputies lie in wait for the riders who, residents
say, break laws, curse them and then speed away.
 
This band of 30 to 90 hard-riding cyclists is the most infamous of the hundreds
of riders who pedal through the bucolic towns each day. But all cyclists --
professionals to Sunday afternoon amateurs -- have frayed the nerves of
landowners, many of whom are more comfortable with horses than 21-speed bikes.
 
Tales of terror come from both sides in this war under the redwoods:
 
Vehicles running bicyclists off the road.
 
Residents throwing rocks and lighted firecrackers at passing cyclists.
 
Cyclists dumping water bottles on drivers just trying to get home.
 
Things are so tense that rural residents, who once kept to themselves, are
coming together to fight the bike invasion. And both town governments have set
up bike committees to work things out.
 
Meanwhile, bicyclists grouse and complaints from residents about law-breaking
cyclists have led deputies to crack down on them -- while 100-mph
motorcyclists on Skyline Drive go free.
 
``We might as well be the Hells Angels the way we've been treated by the police
and residents,'' said Brad Anders, an engineer at Intel Corp. who races and
does training rides through the area. ``Residents have sicked the sheriff's
department on the bicyclist. They're trying to harass riders to not ride in
Portola Valley and Woodside.''
 
`ALARMING SITUATION'
 
Robert Page, who heads Woodside's bicycle committee, said: ``It's grown into an
alarming situation because of the antagonism that's shown up. . . . Some town
residents would like to ban bicyclists from the town.''
 
Last Wednesday night, Philip Aaronson, a research scientist at NASA/Ames
Research Center, was pulled over by a deputy while on a training ride. He had
looked both ways at a stop sign but had not completely stopped. His friend had
come to a full stop.
 
Aaronson recounted that when they were stopped, the deputy first said, ``You're
both going to get a ticket because the people who live in the area have been
complaining.'' The last thing the deputy said, added the bicyclist, was: ``Get
the word out to all the other cyclists that you know. We are here.''
 
But it is the noon ride -- a 22-mile loop training ride for racers that starts
on Old Page Mill Road -- that has stirred the most outrage.
 
``They are just out of control,'' said Mary Zvirblis, who lives on Old La Honda
Road, a route the noon group takes on Wednesdays. ``They take over any road
they go on. . . . Townwide, everyone knows about them.''
 
A FEW BAD APPLES
 
``Oh boy,'' Will Patterson, who heads Portola Valley's bicycle safety
committee, said at the mention of the noon ride. ``A few people give the sport
a bad name.''
 
Even the racers agree.
 
``A couple people in the pack set bad examples,'' said Lee Fleming, a Stanford
University doctoral student and former member of the national racing team.
During a competitive training ride, ``egos and testosterone levels get too
high,'' he said, and laws can be ignored.
 
But, the racers say, residents and police have lashed out at the noon riders in
a dangerous way.
 
Andy Tucker, a racer and Stanford doctoral student, said that last summer, a
Chevrolet Suburban passed the group, pulled in front of the cyclists and
slammed on the brakes. One rider hit the vehicle and went down but was not
injured. The vehicle sped away.
 
Also last summer, a sheriff department's car pulled up next to the group and
started moving to the right to push riders to the other side of the white line,
Tucker said, a move that could have caused an accident.
 
OFFICER DENIES HARASSMENT
 
The sheriff's department is not harassing riders, Lt. Terry Mackey said.
Deputies are just trying to enforce the law, he said.
 
``They have to obey the laws just like everyone else,'' Mackey said. ``We're
not picking on anyone.''
 
Because cyclists aren't required to carry licenses, those stopped by deputies
often give phony names, Mackey said. When stopped for riding two or three
abreast, he said, the cyclists say they were passing each other, which is
legal.
 
``It's games,'' Mackey said.
 
And on the noon ride, the group sends a rider ahead to stop signs so that
cyclists know whether they can blow on through, Mackey said.
 
``They are racing,'' he said. ``They have sprints. If one of those sprints
includes a stop sign, they aren't stopping.
 
``We're going to have to deal with that group, and we will. We're coming up
with new tactics that will result in a whole lot of citations.'' He wouldn't
elaborate.
 
Cyclists offer their own solutions, including new laws that limit the size of
the pack to 20 riders. Also, cyclists could keep to the edge of the road, they
say, if the towns swept debris off the roads and filled in potholes.
 
RESIDENTS UNITE
 
In May, the flood of bicycles onto Old La Honda in Woodside led residents to
form a homeowners association. The peaceful road that winds up to Skyline shows
up in bike books as one of the best routes to the summit.
 
But the road is narrow -- only eight feet wide in spots -- very steep, full of
blind curves and with a high incidence of head-on collisions.
 
Zvirblis said she has seen three or four riders spread across the road as she
has driven around a curve. Sometimes the cyclists swear or make obscene
gestures, she said.
 
The cyclists gather at the bottom of the road where it intersects with Portola
Road, she said. When one resident honked as he tried to turn in, he got a water
bottle dumped on him through the window, she said.
 
``You don't know who they are,'' Zvirblis said. ``They disappear into the
night, wearing their neon.
 
``People on both sides are very, very angry. I just hope someone doesn't get
hurt. . . . The pressure is growing.''
 
This month, the homeowners association asked the Woodside Town Council to put a
sign at the top of the road urging cyclists to use Highway 84 as their route
down -- a move that many cyclists agree with because of the danger. The council
has not yet made a decision.
 
But more than the sign is needed, some residents say. They call for replacement
of the road's shoulders, which have worn away into ruts, and placement of signs
at the bottom of the road warning cyclists to keep right and obey laws and
warning motorists to look out for the bikes.
 
``It's a pretty road,'' Zvirblis said. ``I wish we could come up with a better
way to share it.''
 
Some cyclists don't think the residents want to share the roads.
John Forester, a past president of the California Association of Bicycling
Organizations, said: ``The people who live in Woodside are too wealthy to think
of cyclists. . . . They don't like people filling up their roads, filling up
their space on weekends.
 
``The Woodside crowd are horse owners. For them, bicycle riding is something
done in the flats and not done up here.''
 
But many residents, such as Sam Felix, who lives on Old La Honda, are
cyclists, too.
 
``I don't see it as a we-they thing at all,'' Felix said. ``We're all on the
same side and are concerned about safety.''

<reprinted without permission>

    Had a great ride yestahday with the JCmon and the Slasher, could quite
    possibly have been the hardest ride all Summer.  Rode all through
    Concord, and the dip in Walden pond was key after such a good ride onn
    a hot day.
    
    Of course we celebrated our ride like vikings with homebrew & pizza :-)
    
    	Mike

re                      <<< Note 258.186 by EST::BOURDESS >>>
                                -< good crank! >-

>    Had a great ride yestahday with the JCmon and the Slasher, could quite
>    possibly have been the hardest ride all Summer.  Rode all through
>    Concord, and the dip in Walden pond was key after such a good ride onn
>    a hot day.
 

Yes, awesome ride indeed.  Definitelyt one of the hahdest of the season...

    I've found a few dirt back roads in Sterling that are good biking. 
    I've been going slow and keeping my eyes open, it being harvest season. 
    Yesterday, I checked out some of the trails around Wachusett Reservoir. 
    Only a tiny percentage of these trails are shown on the maps, so I have
    a lot of exploring to do.  I ran across some old cellar holes from the
    villages that were displaced by the reservoir, but didn't have time to
    check them out.  I also managed to get myself into the middle of a
    tangle of raspberry bushes . . . ouch!
    
    Jamie

Hey now,

I'm gonna go ridin' this Tues and Thurs.  The season is drawing to an end
soon so c'mon out and do the ride thang!

we'll have to start earlier as each week passes.......

    
        i'm droppin' my bike off for servicing today, if i have it back
      by thursday i'll probally hook up with you guys. i'm definitely
      doing the mountain thing on saturday with three or four other
      doods. we haven't finalized a destination, but it will most likely
      be killington. we're headin' out friday afternoon and camping out
      somewhere near the mountain of choice. if anyone wants to hook up
      drop me a line and i'll lethca know what mountain/campground we'll
      be terrorizing...err...staying at. saturday afternoon my friend
      john and i are splitting up to the whites from wherever we are,
      we're looking at doing franconia ridge. 
                                                            ^dave 
    
                                                             

    
     I recently moved to Auburn, and found a great place to mtn bike
    in Oxford, Ma......it's right off of route 12 in Oxford. It's 
    called "Greenbriar", there are a couple baseball fields, basketbal
    courts there, and in the woods behind it there are TONS of trails,
    definitly check it out if your nearby the area.
    
    Sean

	Well, i'm going to try a new ride schedule out to see how it goes.
slashmon and i have been riding off and on on the weekends, but, we'd like
to do some riding during the week.  so we're thinking that we'll take a long
lunch and just work late to make up the time.  

	this weds, we're (not sure if slashmon is 100% committed) going
to meet at concord, ride, then cruise back to work.  not sure what the timing
is, but i remember him saying meet at concord at 11:45.  i figure that i
can be back to work by 1:30 or so.  1 hr ride.

	timing is of the essence here.  ideally, we'd all pull into the meeting
parking at the same exact time; change, ride, then boogy back to work.  it 
would be wasteful to have to wait 15 minutes for people to show up...

	so, if you're game for a midday ride, send mail or post something 
here....

	we went out saturday in carlisle and saw 2 bucks!  not bad ... a little
extra bonus.

    finally got around to doing that bike path that starts at india point
  park in east providence over the weekend....really nice! for the most
  part it follows the perimeter of naragansett bay, taking the place of
  former railroad tracks. there's a hill at the beginning but other than
  that it's virtually flat. saw lotsa waterfowl along the way...gulls,
  ducks, and lotsa huge swans. much to my dismay the path ends in bristol,
  just past colt state park, approx. 12 miles one way. after reaching the
  abrubt end i doubled back to colt sp and cruised around the shoreline 
  for awhile...really nice. i talked to an older couple about the path,
  they said negotiations are underway to complete the path to newport,
  and that it should be completed within a couple years. that'll be an
  awesome ride, going over the newport bridge and all. this country 
  definitely needs more bike paths!!!

                                                            ^dave

    Yeah dave, that's a nice ride.  I've done a few times in the summer.  I
    usually packed a lunch in my saddle bag with one of those blue ice
    things to keep things cool.  Then I'd cruise down to Colt State Park,
    have lunch, hang out and head back.  Nice afternoons.
    
    I like the view of that lighthouse.  Lighthouses are cool.
    
    They had a little memorial thing (some flowers and a little note) on
    the spot on the trail where that kid was stabbed when he chased the
    burglar down the bike path.  This happened during the summer.  You
    could see the blood stains in the dirt!  The kid made it ok.
    
    It's tough finding time to ride in the fall/winter cause it gets dark
    so early.  It's gonna be tougher when the average temp. is 32 and
    below!  I invested in some winter tights and a Silmond Microfiber
    windbreaker.  Well worth the investment.  The rest of my gear consists
    of my biking shorts, a cheap Ann&Hope turtleneck and sweatshirt.
    
    dave

	My Mountain bike is in!!!

	Looks like I'll be on the trails myself in a couple days! :-)

Slashmon and I went for the midday ride last week and it worked out very
well.  plenty of light on the trails, and NOBODY around!  we're certainly
not in the shape we were in this past summer!  perhaps we'll work back
up to it...

   hi all...

      i joined a really cool nonprofit organization over the weekend
   called the RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY. their mission is to convert
   thousands of miles of america's abandoned railroad corridors into 
   the worlds greatest network of bicycle trails. here are some facts
   from their flyer:
       
         * in the heyday of america's great rail network, nearly 300,000
           miles of railroads crisscrossed our nation. that figure has 
           shrunk to less than 150,000.

         * each year, private railroad companies abandon 2,000-2,500
           miles of track - more than 12 miles a day!

         * all too often, abandoned rail corridors are literally snatched
           out of our hands and sold to the highest bidder before comm-
           unities and citizen groups have a chance to organize for the 
           preservation of this land. 

      the rails-to-trails conservancy uses its funds to:

         * get the word out to local communities when a railroad proposes
           to abandon a line and "walk them through" the interstate comm-
           erce commision's rails-to-trails process.

         * expand the legal and technical expertise state and local gov-
           ernments need to rescue abandoned rail corridors and turn them
           into trails.

         * work with local volunteers, bicycle clubs, conservstion groups,
           and park agencies to arrange purchases, donations, and land ex-
           changes with railroad companies. 

         * intensify media coverage and publications distribution to provide
           desperately needed information on the political, financial, legal,
           and technical aspects of rail-trail conversion.

         * persuade private railroad companies to give us prenotification of
           proposed rail abandonments six months before official filings. 
 
           for more info, please write to:
      
            RAILS-TO-TRAILS CONSERVANCY
            1400 Sixteenth Street, NW
            P.O. Box 96014
            Washington, DC 20077-7560

	That sounds like quite an organization, definitely want to 
	join.  A couple years ago I had the pleasure of biking on
	the Cape Cod Rail Trail and it was a grate way to quickly
	get from one place to another without the agonies of vehicle 
	traffic and exhaust.


	Deane_who's_psyched_to_get_out_on_my_new_mountain_bike

    I was wonderin if someone vould give me some input as to Mountain bike
    shops in Northern Mass, close to the NH border...I've been all over
    Nashua and Salem and called places in Derry, Manchester, Hudson and
    Merrimack for prices...I am looking to buy a Trek 7000 Aluminum or a
    Specialized Rockhopper Comp FS...the thing is that some 800 or so
    of the Specialized arrived in stores  with an Air/oil suspension fork
    already on the bike (a $275 fork at retail the stores that had these
    have sold out of them.....looking for someplace with them with
    competitive prices...thanks
    chris
    

    I bought my mountain bike at Country Bike and Sports in Barre,
    MA...they probably still have a DEC discount...mainly they carry 
    Cannondales and Kleins...I don't think they carry Trek but you could call 
    and ask anyway....508-355-2219
    
    :), danielle

>                     <<< Note 258.199 by SALEM::LEBLANC >>>
>                   -< Aluminum or steel? Suspension or not? >-

my current bike is steel, with no suspension.  for my next bike, i am very 
much considering aluminum and suspension, but i have no clue what i'll
ultimately decide.  i know several people who are very into mtn biking and
have very expensive bikes and don't like either aluminum or suspension.  but
others love 'em.  (can i assume you don't feel like shelling out the $ for
a titanium frame ;^)

here's advice a friend gave me about a bike shop:

o Shops don't let you *really* ride a bike:  Find another shop.
  There is one up here in Hillsboro NH.  He'll let you take it out into
  the woods and go nuts.  It's called the Ped'lin Fool Bike Shop.
  James is the guy to speak to (he owns it).  Directions are: 93 north
  to 89 north to rte 9&202 @ exit 5.  Then 15 miles down rte 9/202 you
  come into Hillsboro, he's on the right after you go through *the* set
  of lights.  Late last summer (fall maybe) the Globe did a story on
  Mtn. Biking, and it featured him.

- rich

    thanks danielle, thanks rich...
    seeing as this bike will probably be more than what i paid for my car
    i will take any advice or suggestions and i will be SURE to look
    around..
    
    chris (overcome by spring fever and coming out of hibernation)
    

                     <<< Note 258.202 by SALEM::LEBLANC >>>
                          -< any other suggestions? >-

yeah, let me ride it once you buy it ;^)

the bike i own currently is a fairly entry level bike.  not a total low end,
but nothing special.  if/when i get a new bike, it will be a fairly high end
bike.  but at this point i'm not convinced that i will really be able to tell
the difference between a $500 bike and a $1500 bike, because i've never ridden
a high end bike off-road.  this shop that my friend was describing that
allegedly lets you "really" test ride bikes (riding a mtn. bike around a
parking lot doesn't tell you much about how it really handles) is pretty
unusual.  most shops won't let you do that.

i spoke about this situation at a bike shop in framingham, and here's what he
suggested.  most of the people that work in the shop own high end bikes, and
they go out riding together regularly.  so he said i could go ride with them
and try out their bikes.  i think i'm going to try out as many high end bikes
as i can this summer, and then think about maybe getting one next year.

- rich

	I must say, mountain biking is where it's at!!!!

	Went out yesterday for about the 5th time this year. It was 
	such an intense ride....I'm royally addicted!!!!!  

	I've been a di-hard street biker years, but I didn't
	know what I was missing!

	So where's the DEChead mountain biking club????

			

	

I find it hard for me to justify getting a high-end bike because i don't
ride like a high-end rider does.  could i _really_ tell the diff betw a
1500 bike and a 500 bike?  would it make a $1000 diff??  seems kinda wasteful
to get a high-end bike unless you're totally serious about mt biking.  my
$400 mongoose works fine for now...  some people get the high-end bike to
impress their friends, it is true about anything (cars, stereos, cameras,
houses, etc).  if i were you rich, i'd stick with a normal bike and take
the extra $1000 and invest it...  

/jc

    
    I found that test riding the bikes was the only way to determine which
    one is right.  I must have test rode 15+ bikes while buying mine.  The
    geometry of each bike is slightly different giving a different feel.
    I couldn't spring for a top of the line bike and settled on a Nishiki 
    Backroads.  Its been good to me so far.
    
    I'd always check top see if they have any last years models left.  Many
    times they are heavily discounted.   
    
    
    	Mark

ya mon deano, maybe we should kick it off next week, eh?

how _next_ 'bout thursday, 5:30 - meet at my pad and we'll go to concord for
some trail beating.  i'll alert slashmon...

mt biking knows what time it is, right deano?  :-) :-) :-)

     <<< Note 258.205 by BIODTL::JC "You know when your mouth is dry..." >>>

>could i _really_ tell the diff betw a
>1500 bike and a 500 bike?

everyone i've spoken to who owns one claims you can

>if i were you rich, i'd stick with a normal bike and take
>the extra $1000 and invest it...  

what happened to "you're young, no commitments, go for it, splurge!" ?  :^)

anyway, right now getting another car has taken precedence over getting another
bike.

- rich

	Mountain biking DOES indeed know what time it is!!!! ;-)

	Rah ha fah ra ha! ;-)

	Next Thursday is fine for me!

	Tell the slashmon to bring the mini's

re: aluminum vs. steel

IMO... If you're heavy (i.e. over 175 lbs.) and you plan on doing some hard
ridin', then my advice is to avoid aluminum -- as it's much more likely to
break if abused.  Steel frames are more durable, but they're heavier -- it's a
trade-off.  Carbon-fiber/epoxy frames are even lighter, but weaker than
aluminum.

I have a Giant ATX-760 (Cr-Mo Steel frame).  It ain't light, but it's totally
solid ... and my big ol' 185 lb. butt ain't gonna break it!  :-)

re: shocks or no

Shocks were not very reliable when they first came out (a few years ago), but
have gotten better from what I hear.  IMO, it's just one more thing that'll
wear out and eventually break -- so I chose not to spend the extra $$$.  

$1000+ for a MB is not worth it for a 1st bike.  Spend $500-$700 and get
yourself a good, basic bike -- consider last year's models, as they tend to be
much cheaper than the latest and greatest.  Or get a 1 year old used high-end
bike from the kid that works at the local bike shop.  Avoid
creeping-featureism on new bikes, it'll cost ya bigtime!

...IMO,

- jeff_needs_a_new_chain_for_the_'94_MB_season

    thanks for the flurry of info, the aluminum frame was rather intruiging
    because trek uses a bonding technique on it, the type of aluminum is
    really not weldable.....i'm told alum. gives you a more rigid
    ride...which is what i want and it is alittle lighter than steel,
    suspension forks are probably to extravagant for me... I am 200 lbs 
    though so i should consider "weighing" that as a factor.....the bikes
    i have looked at are in the 650-700 dollar price range... like i said
    i want to make an investment now that will last me awhile
    chris

>i'm told alum. gives you a more rigid
>    ride...which is what i want

that's exactly why some people hate aluminum

> and it is alittle lighter than steel

you can build a very light steel bike.  the lightest bike owned by anyone that
i know has a steel frame.  it's lighter than a typical aluminum frame bike.
(he also works in a bike shop, carefully selected every single component, and
custom built it himself - it would cost quite a bundle if you wanted to buy it
retail)

>    suspension forks are probably to extravagant for me...

and they do add weight.  i think it's kind of a religious thing.  some people
love 'em, some people hate 'em.  having not yet tested them, i'm not in a 
position to decide.

i agree with jeff that it's silly to get a high end bike as your first bike.
and it may very well not be worth it for me to get it as a second bike.  but
i want to ride some for a while and then decide.

- rich

re   <<< Note 258.208 by ROCK::FROMM "This space intentionally left blank." >>>

>what happened to "you're young, no commitments, go for it, splurge!" ?  :^)

well, there's splurging and there's burning money for no good reason.  for
me, $1500 on a mt bike is burning it;  but, $1500 on killer speakers is
not burning it 'cuz i listen to tunes quite seriously.


re: alum vs. steel

brings back memories of my childhood BMX'ng days.  several friends had light
bikes w/ alum rims, etc.  not me, i had a chromoly frame and heavy duty 
spoked rims.  it was the only stuff that wouldn't break on me.  guys used
to say you need a lighter bike.... until i blew 'em off the trail, blew 'em
away on the jumps, and blew 'em away on craziness.  

just work out, get strong, and as far as i'm concerned, 5 lbs either way ain't
gonna make a ton of diff.

    RE: work out, get strong
    
    one of my lifelong ambitions....yet to be realized....sigh....
    
    
    rfb %^)

re                     <<< Note 258.214 by CXDOCS::BARNES >>>

>    RE: work out, get strong
    
>    one of my lifelong ambitions....yet to be realized....sigh....


you have a pretty damn good right bicep mon!!!  all those 12oz+ curls
do help!!!

rfb - I could see you really enjoying some mtn biking peaking around
hoosier pass and tumbledown, but "working out" as one of your lifelong 
ambitions???? - somehow I can't picture you enjoying going to 
Gold's Gym three times a week %^) 

and besides, 
how strong do you need to be for multiple repetitions of 16oz curls ;^) 

Glennnnn

    Glennn...i'd love to discuss the pros/cons/disadvantages/advantages of
    working out, biking, etc, but..................IT'S TIME FOR A BEER!!
    
    
    rfb

wish I could join ya - but work is rearing it's ugly head again :^/

rfb,

I need to ask you a favor: if you ever do get to fulfill your lifetime
ambition and start working out at Gold's Gym, or someplace like that,
please, please, please, have someone take a picture of you on a Nautilus
machine and send it to me.

:-)

tim

>please, please, please, have someone take a picture of you on a Nautilus
>machine and send it to me.

Me too!   :-)

Josh

I hated baseball - mostly cuz I sucked at it.  I was the only assistant
left fielder in the history of New Jersey Little League.

tim

>>I hated baseball - mostly cuz I sucked at it.  I was the only assistant


Yeah, me too -- I have a lazy eye that screws with my depth perception
- not really bad, but bad enuf to make it really hard to hit a fast pitch...

Glennnn

    Tim -- yer reply is/was the first thing I read this morning before
    strating work...thanks for starting my workday off with a big LAUGH!!!!!!!!
    
    I used to benchpress 200lbs as a juniour in highschool, curled
    125...which was my weight then...now when i go to a gym, and it has
    been awhile, the only muscle that gets hard can't be discussed in this
    conference! YOWZA!!! women these days! yesterday was 70 degrees in
    COlorado Spgs..."I'm a girl watcher, I'm a girl watcher..."
    
    I, also, was a lousy baseball player...good at football and
    basketeball for midgets though...
    
    
    Tim and Josh...when you least expect it, you'll get a picture of me in
    workout clothing...followed by a knock on yer dooor by the feds for
    inter-state transportation via US Mail of pornographic materials....
    
    how's dat fer covering several topics in one note???
    
    rfb  %^)

>I hated baseball - mostly cuz I sucked at it.

same here, although i had another reason too.

i really wanted to join little league the same year all my friends did, but
they wouldn't let me because the cutoff age specified that you had to be born
before 8/1 for the given year, and my birthday was 8/12.  (and my parents
wouldn't get me a fake id ;^)  i was really pissed. so, by the next year, i had
felt all left out and didn't feel like joining a year late.  i've hated
baseball ever since.

GRATEFUL baseball haters unite!

- rich

On the other hand, my son Joe loves baseball.  A couple years ago, I 
came home from work to find him glued to the tube, watching Minor League
ball - no big names or fanfare, just basic baseball.  He's been nuts 
about it ever since.  Go figure.

I guess it's better than watching golf....but not much. ;-)

tim

    heyheyhey ! watch it there Tim, watching golf might look rill boring
    (and it is) but when someone like Greg Norman hits his ball into the
    trees and hits a person or two it makes me feel a lot better, see I
    only hit the trees...noone was watchin' ! so as they say if you hit
    your ball into the trees and noone is there to see it, it never
    happened ! so hit another one damnit !
    
    
    on baseball I love the game, and was on two winning teams in my youth,
    but now I could careless (unless the soxs are playing in Oct.)
    
    Chris

>I guess it's better than watching golf....

or bowling

>                  -< what this gotta do with biking anyway ? >-

i've been wondering that myself...

/rich

    Hey Chris-
    Sox playing in October? you know sumthin we don't?
    
    chris

btw, there's a Trek 720 bike in Classifieds....it's a hybrid, not a
mountain bike per se...I have one, and I love it...

tim

> btw, there's a Trek 720 bike in Classifieds....it's a hybrid, not a mountain
> bike per se...I have one, and I love it...

Hybrids are a lot like Beach Cruisers -- something good for a *casual* ride on
or off road .. probably why Tim likes it ;-)

But they aren't very good on the Mtn nor are they very good on the road if you
take either semi-seriously.  (semi-serious  =  I sure wouldn't want to try and
keep up with JC in Walden on one!)

This, of course, depends on how serious you take your mtn/road biking -- if
you don't care about really pushing hard, then a hybrid can be a good all
around bike.  Especially since you won't be needing all that high-performance
hardware, which saves ya big bux.  (probably the other reason why Tim likes
it! ;-) ;-) ;-)


- jeff

I love baseball.  I absolutely love to play baseball, and can't get enough of
it.  I love to shag flyballs in the outfield during batting practice, and I
love to hit.  I love the intensity of playing in a close game.

I think its the coolest game ever invented.  I'm more than a little
disappointed that yesterday's softball practice was cancelled due to rain......
I would have played despite the weather.

One thing that has eluded me all my life - though I've played on winning teams,
I've never played for a team that won a championship.  Many 2nd place finishes.

I follow the Sox, but watching baseball just doesn't do it for me like playing
the game.

Hogan (go ahead, call me a "jock" ;^)

    re.232   Baseball indeed !!!  last night we had Celtics on Sports
    Channel, Sox on NESN, and Bruins on TV38....the main focus for me was
    Sox/Bruins, then Celtics when the other 2 were at commercial...great
    night for surfin' the cable...
    
    my wife goes kinda nuts when ALL THREE teams are playing like that !!!
    
    my softball team, The Hunters, have had one practice, and the next is
    Saturday, and I can't wait for that..there use to be an indoor batting
    cage right around the corner from my house, off of Shrewsbury St. in 
    Worcester, but that's gone...too bad, I was gonna get a jump on hittin'
    for this year...
    
    Go Sox
    

	I'd personally rather watch a sail boat race. But, participating in 
one is even better! When it's really close and you're trying to edge out a 
quarter of a tenth of a knot, or vigerously defending your position from a
boat that is known to be faster, their spinnaker nearly brushing your backstay, 
Phew, it gets intense! Or Surfing down a long wave, watching your knot meter 
peak to the highest number it's ever displayed, Rockin! As for what this has 
to do with cycling, well, on an F-27 I could do this surfing thing while carrying
bicycles to Martha's Vinyard or Nantucket for the afternoon, but not in snow.

	Geoff

OK FOLKS:


	This THURSDAY, say 5:45 pm, meet in concord for the 1st mt bike outting.
	walden will probably be too cold for a swim, i reckon!!

	alternatively, meet at my place, say, 5:15-5:20 and we'll convoy
	to concord.  we'll meet at the lot near where Wade used to live in
	that condo (corner of hubbard and stow).

RAINDATE:  wednesday, same times, same places...  i haven't looked at the
long-range forecast yet.  i could even do it friday...

who's going?????????????????????????????????????????????

me!


- jeff_REAL_sore_after_a_long/hard_
  season_opener_yesterday_w/_Rich_
  and_Dean-0!_:-)

	Supreme day yesterday out on dah trails

	Nothing like Peabody's woods in Dover for a rage ride....

	and.....
	
	Nothin like a good digger!!!!   aye Rich?  ;-)

>	This THURSDAY

>RAINDATE:  wednesday

that's innerestun.  how ya' gonna predict on wednesday if it's gonna rain on
thursday?

>who's going?????????????????????????????????????????????

i'll be there if i feel up to it.  i was feeling really bad last night, and
still just so-so today.  don't think it has anything to do with my fall
yesterday, because the area that's sore is completely different than the area
that i fell on.

- rich

OK, one more time, this is the day.

i'll be crusing from littleton, oh, around 5:20 to be at that parking
lot by 5:40-5:45 or so.  i have a bike rack that can accomodate 2 other
bikes... so, if ya want a lift... be at my place early...

ya mon.

jc-spent-from-a-late-ronnie-night-but-ready-for-a-crank!

>i'll be crusing from littleton, oh, around 5:20 to be at that parking
>lot by 5:40-5:45 or so.

i could probably find it anyway, but could you give me a little refresher on
the precise location of the parking lot?  on the corner of Hubbard and
<something?>  and it's in Concord?

just an intersection and town is fine.  i'm going to try planning a route
directly from Hudson (with my local mapbook), so detailed direx aren't
necessary

- rich

   <<< Note 258.240 by ROCK::FROMM "This space intentionally left blank." >>>
                                 -< yah mahn >-


Corner of Hubbard & Stow, in Concord....

from hudson:

	85 -> 117 -> 62 

	or

	85 -> 117 -> sudbury rd (?)  (this way might be faster 'cuz less
					traffic lights)

	I'll be there!

	I'm not sure where Hubbard and Stow are?  I know the Walden area,
	and the Concord Center area pretty well......

	Is it near the courthouse?  

re         <<< Note 258.242 by AKOCOA::SMITH_D "simple twist of fate" >>>


>	I'm not sure where Hubbard and Stow are?  I know the Walden area,
>	and the Concord Center area pretty well......
>
>	Is it near the courthouse?  

kinda... why don't ya just meet me at my pad and we'll cruise together mon????
c'mon by ~5:20 or so...

	from the court house, head towards the center of town.
	you'll pass the fire/cop station on the rt.
	make a left on hubbard.  hubbard is to the right of the
	post office.  go down hubbard 1 st... that's stow.  the
	pahking lot there is the place.


call me for direx at 227-3431... i forget some of the street names now
so if i try and describe it here, you'll surely get lost...

    first off thanks everyone for the input on selecting a bike, and
    danielle, i did go the aluminum route!!:^) secondly i hit the trails]
    out in Hollis NH on sat., Beaver Brook, nice single track riding, 
    a little bike on the back scampering up some tight hills and over a 
    rustic yet quaint NH footbridge and then out onto the road where there
    was a HUGE hill, very nice ride...Anyone wishing to try it out let me
    know, i'll be doing it regularly on saturdays, there is so much more to
    explore along the Brook and the Whiting trail..
    chris
    

    
    Chris, you liar. You in bed hung over all day Saturday from 
    partying HARD Friday night!
    
    Folks, that was just a dream Chris had about cycling....
    

>    out in Hollis NH on sat., Beaver Brook, nice single track riding, 

I've done this trail with some friends from hollis -- -there's also a nice ride
up to the point behind Rocky Pond which has a pretty nice view -- then truck
down to the pond for a dip!   

Glennnn_who doesn't know when he'll be able to take a trip back...

    Glennnnnn
    thanks bud, that was my frequently asked question along the ride:
    Where can we go swimming when we are out here in the middle of July?
     a swim would make the ride all the more tasty!!!!!!!!!1
    
    chris

    
    	Psyched for mtn biking in Walden Woods this PM!!!!
    	
    	RAGE'N!   &-) 

    I hit the first big milestone of the year today -- 500 miles.  I hope
    to hit 1k by 4 Jul and at least 2k before the summer is over.  It's
    getting me in pretty good shape and we're saving about $40 per month in
    gasoline.  The environmental benefits and the pleasure of being outside
    are added bonuses.
    
    Anyone else commuting by bike?  Give it a try if you can, it's a lot of
    fun.
    
    Jamie

>>    Anyone else commuting by bike?  Give it a try if you can, it's a lot of
>>    fun.

Yeah, my Yamaha is showing me some grate Colorado mornings with all the wild
flowers on the way in the reds, blues, purples, yellows, oranges and the smell
of dew on the pines....   I save about $5 a day in gas over taking "the bus"
(that's the suburban).

but to keep things on the real topic ;^), on tuesday's and thursday's I take
Travis into daycare, so the bus is a must, but to compensate I've been bringing
the mt bike in and riding at lunch.  Was out today blowing off steam for 45min
after a pretty serious talk with my boss right before lunch...  Beautiful day
for rock jumping -- but I sure can scare myself when I get angry :^)

Glennnn

    I was going to say that I didn't know Yamaha made bikes, but I bet
    you're talking about the motorized kind.  Or did they used to make
    bicycles also?
    
    I haven't ridden my mountain bike since April, but I'll take it out
    again soon.  I've never been able to get the hang of bunny-hopping,
    anyone got any pointers?
    
    Jamie

>    I was going to say that I didn't know Yamaha made bikes, but I bet
>    you're talking about the motorized kind.  Or did they used to make
>    bicycles also?
 
Yeah - I was talking motorcycle -- it's about 45 miles round trip to work for
me -- a little to far for me to peddle in, but I just felt the *need* to 
make everyone aware of the grate fun I've been having riding my motorsickle
in 8^)

Glennnn

re    <<< Note 258.251 by LTSLAB::IDE "My mind's lost in a household fog." >>>

>    I haven't ridden my mountain bike since April, but I'll take it out
>    again soon.  I've never been able to get the hang of bunny-hopping,
>    anyone got any pointers?
 

bunny-hopping... a blast from my youthful BMXing days.  i think my record
was 26" or so... i used to practise all the time.  much easier on a BMX
than a MTB...  c'mon ridin' with us one time and i'll tell ya what i know
about it... hahd to explain in notes!

    Well, I hit the 1,000 mile mark on the 4th.  Now to see how long it
    takes to get to 2k.
    
    ESPN is doing a good job covering this year's Tour de France.  Coverage
    runs from 3-4 most days, consult your local listings.  
    
    Jamie

we have a really nice loop in concord now that is pretty challenging,
especially on tuesdays (right rich? :-).  anyways, it is about 9.1 or
so miles - one guy with a mile-meter measured it... not sure how accurate
those things are on mt bikes.

lots of variaety from technical stuff to extended hill climbs to
knarly downhills.

i still don't feel in as good as shape as last summer... my job is
keeping me torqued!  (i'm still at work... 3rd late night in a row...
leading a huge project is time consuming, espec at ft1!)

anyways... great loop.  i like it.  today was muddy :-)  ... we hit
walden pond after the ride to cool down and talk about the diggers
and near-misses people had... fun fun fun....

    
    Re: .255
    
    this nice loop in concord, is this concord, mass?
    I'm in Maynard and have been hitting this good trail
    in Lincoln after work a couple times a week.  It starts
    off 117 at a state park reservation.  You could ride all day
    on it, like I did last Friday after work; unfortunately my
    buddy and I were lost.  In the end we did about 15 miles in 
    2 hours on some real good trails. 
    
    I hear there are good trails in a park in concord or near concord,
    mass, is that where you were at?
    
    Steve

    
    	That conservation off 117 borders the Walden land (actually, most
    	of it's considered Lincoln Consrv. Land.).
    
    	On the 117 entrance I noticed they put down wood chips
        on the trails....I found them to cause some problems.
    
    	

    yeah, the wood chip are really lousy, slow ya down, make
    it hairy around fast corners, but if ya keep going into the woods,
    across a road and back into the woods, there are plenty of 
    fast, hard and fun trails to be had.
    
    Ever been up to Bear Brook State Park, about 15 min. southeast
    of Concord, NH.  Tons of snowmobile trails.  I did 15 miles in
    the woods with a friend on Saturday.  I could ride there all day and 
    not have to back track.  There's a swimming lake with a little
    manicured beach to cool off in too.
    
    Steve

    
    I'm not familiar with Bear Brook.
    
    That isn't the place in Townsend on Rt 119 is it? 

    Bear Brook is off of rt 28 near the intersection of
    route 3.  Its probably a bit north of Londonderry.
    i don't know where Townsend is.  You can go up to the 
    park gate and get a map of the park for two bucks
    or you can be bold and go without a map for free.
    The park is big enough to lose your direction so 
    I recommend the map.  I'd give it a try, I've gone 
    back to it a couple times.  This past Saturday I figured
    there'd be people all over the trails, but pleasantly
    surprised to run across only one group of people on the
    trails.  (they'll be ok ;^))
    Steve

    I figured it out:
    
    Bear Brook state part is due west of Hooksett and Suncook, NH
    probably 20 min from Manchester.

    
         hey!
    
           i'm just back to work, was out the last two months with a
         severely broken leg (vertical split of the tibia just below 
         the kneecap, still have two titanium screws that will come
         out at the end of the month, hopefully there's no outer car-
         tilage damage). started riding my road bicycle last week, 
         start my real physical therapy on tuesday. hope to be back
         to mtn biking form by the end of august...should catch up
         to all you treadheads(tm) then!
                                                          ^dave

    brutal ^dave, didja break it biking?  Atrophy?
    
    Steve

    
       i broke it playing deck hockey in late april, got slashed from
     behind, never saw it coming. really bad timing, i was in training
     for the pan-mass challenge (191 m. bike ride for cancer in aug.)
     i lost alot of mass in my quad, but it's been responding very well
     to the road bike training i've been doing the last two weeks. i'm
     expecting a full recovery (fingers crossed by the end of the summer.
    even hoping to enter a mtn bike race or two at the end of the season.
    
                                                            ^dave  

    what are some local mtn bike races?  I have a friend who
    just got back from Ecuador, where he lived for about 5 yrs,
    he has expressed some interest in getting competitive.
    I don't think he's raced before but he said he did a lot of
    mtn biking at some serious elevations (14,000 ft).
    I bike with him 2 or 3 times a week and he leaves me in his
    dust.
    Steve

    hang tuff dave izra!
    
    rfb

    
     >start my real physical therapy on tuesday. hope to be back
     >to mtn biking form by the end of august...should catch up
     >to all you treadheads(tm) then!
    
	
    	Hey Mon, Definitely!
    
    	My street bike is also reved up and ready to rock n' roll so I'm
    	not always stuck with fatty's.
    
    
    	I just looked at where Bear Brook is, that's not too far at all....
    	nice weekend destination!	

    
     RE: mtn bike races....
    
     call a bike shop and ask, one shop that would probably help is
    Bicycle Alley in Worcester.
    
     I know there is a race coming up in Sturbridge Ma., another in
    Ct. and Sugarbush in Vermont also has alot of races. 
                                     
    Sean

yup, concord MA...

c'mon down one time.  we bike around the walden pond area, primarily.
lots of it is in lincoln.

    
    Had an incident while Mountain Biking in Lincoln Conservation 
    Land last Saturday.....that land may not be available for mountain
    biking next year if people continue to abuse trail rules....
    
    I mountain biked around Walden, then took the road route into 
    Lincoln Conservation Land (the legal way)....When I popped out 
    into the lot on Rt117 there was a cop there flagging me over.
    
    The cop told me to get off my bike and relax....he claimed that 
    I matched the description of a Mtn biker that physically threw a 
    Park Ranger over after the Ranger tried to address him about 
    riding on a closed trail.  
    
    Finally, the park ranger arrived and verified that I was not the
    person that gave him a hard time....the Ranger stated that the 
    Conservation Commision will likely close Lincoln Conservation Land
    with the way people are abusing mountain biking rules there.
    
    I ended up volunteering some time to hand out flyers to fellow
    mountain bikers in hopes that people will become more aware of 
    the repercussions of disobeying that rules.  The more volunteers
    they get to help out, the better the chances that the Conservation
    Commision will see the light, and let us continue to legally bike
    there.
    
    If you would like more infomation on who to contact, please send
    me mail.
    
    				- Deane

    
    Awesome biking on Saturday with Rich in Princeton...
    
    Went to Leominstah State Forest.  Has a great time rock'n and roll'n 
    on those rocky back trails.  Lot's of technical stuff back there. 
    At one point we ended up in the middle of the Fitchburg landfill..not
    very pleasant to the eye, or the nose for that matter!
    
    After getting back to the car and seeing there was a couple hours of
    daylight left, we decided to ride up  Mt Wachusett, which to my surprise 
    was draped with snow on Conifer.  Rode up West Side Road and then the
    paved road to the summit....for the descent  we made a bee-line to the
    lift-line and right on down 10th.  Real technical, real steep and a
    real rush!  No causalties!  I actually felt a similar rush to skiing.
    West Side Road is also a nice way up/down!
    
    
    				- Deane'o
    

    
    To augment my mountain bike I decided to try for a motorcycle loan from 
    the DCU and ease the tension on my 240SX's 140,000 miles.  I can't wait!  
    I *want* a Harley, but will probably end up on a Suzuki. ;-)

    
    Dean... What kind of Harley do you want, there are some out there.....
    
    
    Divide Dave

    
    re - Divide Dave 
    
    A cheap, easily maintainable Harley if there is such a thing.
                

    doesn't exist, dean-o...
    ;^)
    rfb_who knows not of what he talks

Naaah...I want to stay on friendly terms with you. :-)

	dave

    Well Dean-o, you asked and you SHALL receive brother....
    
    But if you ask me, i'd say BUY A BMW...and ENJOY the trip!!!
    
    Dugo
    
    
        <<< NOTED::DISK$NOTES6:[NOTES$LIBRARY_6OF4]MOTORCYCLE.NOTE;4 >>>
                   -< Conference for Non-Harley Motorcycles >-
================================================================================
Note 2.378              For Sale: Motorcycles (Read 2.1!)             378 of 378
OTTAWA::MELANSON_D                                   20 lines   9-FEB-1995 07:45
                  -< 1975 Harley DAvidson Sporster for sale >-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Don Melanson
    wmois::melanson_don
    dtn 264-2427
    508-874-2639
    
    
    1975 Harley Davidson Sportster 1000 CC XLCH. Black custom paint, extra
    chrome, sissy bar, extra seat, and a box full of extra parts. The top
    end redone in 8/94, new pipes, new oil filter set up, fuel lines ect.
    Have reciepts for about $ 1,000. I'm the original owner, and have all 
    documentation.
    
    $ 4,000
    
    Bike is located in Westminster, MA.
    
    Serious inquires only please
    
    Thanks,
    Don M.
    

    
    
    Dean
    
     The word cheap when maintaining any motorcycle is a LIE!
    
     You know how some people talk about all the money your saving on gas
    as being a GRATE thing, well the shops get all that back and more any
    time you need something or have somethin done.
    
     Just price a good set of tires for a motorcycle and you'll see what I
    mean.....
    
     That Sporty does look like a good deal though!!!
    
    
     If you have any questions about any Motorcycle's get into the Cycles
    notes file its on FXRS89.
    
     Be careful out there.
    

    "Box of extra parts" didn't sound encouraging...;-)
    
    

> Just price a good set of tires for a motorcycle and you'll see what I
> mean.....

...or 10" x 31" truck tires...


- jeff_gonna_need_~$700_soon_for_a_new_set_:-P

    
    
    Yea Jeff that is high, I'll have to do that one day but mine are 
    10" X 35"....
    
     Still 2 motorcycle can run $200 and you don't get near the rubber!!!
    
    Divide Dave

gotta love our P.O.S. nova... set of 45k wear-out all-season tires, mounted,
balanced, etc.  $131.00 ... got'em last year(!) at NTW and i still haven't
paid for'em (90 days no financing!)

now, the 'stang...  $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Article 37912 of rec.bicycles.racing:
From ESPNet:

CAUTERETS, France -- The 15th stage of the Tour de France was marred by  the
death of Italy's Fabio Casartelli after a fall Tuesday in a high-speed crash
involving  several riders, according to a report by a French radio station.

It was the first death on the Tour de France since 1967, when Tom  Simpson
collapsed during a mountain climb.

Casartelli, Germany's Dirk Baldinger and Italy's Dante Rezze crashed  during one
of the descents of the 128-mile stage from St. Girons to Cauteret in the
Pyrenees. At  speeds approaching 55 mph, the riders failed to negotiate a curve
and crashed about 18 miles from  the start on the Portet d'Aspet mountain.

Casartelli, a member of the American team Motorola, lay motionless after 
crashing into a concrete block on the side of the road. He was flown by
helicopter to the  hospital in Tarbes.

Casartelli, winner of the road race at the 1992 Olympic Games at  Barcelona,
Spain, had celebrated his 25th birthday Sunday.

Rezze and Baldinger were taken to the hospital in Saint-Gaudens. Rezze  injured
his left thigh, and Baldinger suffered multiple injuries.

    wow, what a drag...did he die from head injuries??  the participants
    all wear helmets I would assume?

    I'm not sure what he died from; I read elsewhere that he suffered three
    heart attacks while being helicoptered to the hospital.

    Helmets are not required in the Tour and most of the riders don't wear
    them.  Considering that, I was surprised to read that it was the first
    death since '67.

    These guys ride as many miles in three weeks (2100+) as I do all year. 
    ESPN & ESPN2 have been covering it very well this year -- it's on ESPN
    from 3-4 most weekdays and tonight on ESPN2 at 5, I think.
    
    Jamie
    

    saw some today at lunch...no helmets, no jock-straps, no brains.....
    the fishin show was MUCH BETTER!!  %^)
    
    rfb

he was not wearing a helmet, but reports say that, as he went face first 
into the barrier, a helmet would not have helped

    News of today's 237 km "funeral ride."  The prize money, ~$45,000 has
    been matched by the race organizers (a French bank).
    
    Jamie
    
    6:47 PM - Italian in Motorola Finishes First 
    
    Andrea Peron, the remaining Italian racer in Motorola, crossed the
    finish first in Pau, just slightly ahead of the other Motorola racers.
    The team, in memory of their dead teammate, Italian Fabio Casartelli,
    separated from the pack right before the finish. The riders decided to
    give their prize money to Casartelli's widow. 
    
    6:35 PM - Motorola Finishes First in a Line 
    
    The remaining six Motorola riders, pedaling in a straight line, crossed
    the finish together in Pau in southern France. The rest of the pack
    followed, completing the stage en masse 15 sec later. Wednesday's stage
    was dedicated to Italian racer Fabio Casartelli, a former member of
    Motorola, who crashed and died in the Pyrenees on Wednesday. 

    Biking to work has been brutal this week.  I did it the last three
    days, but today's an off day to rest up for a Long Trail hike which
    promises to also be brutally hot.
    
    But, I really just wanted to brag about a personal goal I reached: I
    biked around the Wachusett Reservoir in under an hour.  21.7 miles in
    59:44.  And it would've been faster if rte. 140 weren't torn up.  :-)
    
    Jamie

    ouch! makes my knee hurt just thinkin about that! congrats though,,,i
    think....
    
    rfb

    Is anyone riding yet?  I've gotten in a few rides, including one
    commute yesterday.  That ride was going fine until I broke a spoke a
    couple of miles from home and had to baby it in.
    
    I was looking at last year's calendar and added up my commuting miles -
    60 commutes X 32 miles = 1920 miles just on commuting!  I saved quite a
    bit over taking the car in and had a lot more fun to boot.  Give it a
    try.
    
    Jamie

    
    I was out biking on Sunday.  Trails were pretty soft and the hassle
    factor was high.  Tried to keep it on the streets.

    The Tour de France is in its final week and Miguel Indurain will have
    to make a move if he's to win a record sixth Tour in a row (3 others
    have won five, but not in a row).  He's over four minutes off the pace
    of Bjarne Riis and time is running out.  Today's stage is pretty flat
    until the end when it climbs 3,600 ft. in 6 miles!  Tomorrow they head
    into Spain on a mountainous route.  Basque separatists have threatened
    to disrupt the tour; there's already been an incident of French
    protesters scattering nails over the course.  Last week, a stage was
    shortened due to a blizzard, yesterday they rode in 104� heat.  There's
    only one American left, Frankie Andreu, who's way back in the pack.
    
    I already know the results from today and it was pretty exciting.  You
    can watch the Tour on ESPN2 nightly from 6-6:30; it's also on ESPN at
    various times and recapped on ABC on Saturday.  IMNSHO, it's the most
    grueling sporting event in the world.
    
    Jamie

Tour de Concord might be happening this afternoon.
i have my bike, lookin' to ride hahd.


oh, by the by, i got a new MT bike.
the old one was, lets say, "used" !! 6 seasons of abuse...
still have it for backup.  anyways, i got a stumpjumper A1 comp.
alum frame w/ shock forks (21Rs)... love the bike!!! ride it
about 3 days/wk  in groton town forest, carlise state forest, and
harvard.

    Yesterday's Tour de France stage was 162 miles with over 16,000 ft.
    vertical climbing.  The top finishers spent over 8 hours riding.  I
    really don't know how these guys do it, they get one day off during a 3
    week 2,200 mile race.  It'll take me about 18 weeks to ride the same
    distance.
    
    

>   Yesterday's Tour de France stage was 162 miles with over 16,000 ft.
>   vertical climbing.  The top finishers spent over 8 hours riding.  I
>   really don't know how these guys do it [...]

Back when I lived over there, I decided I had to see this race in person,
and it was fabulous.  The tour moves around from year to year, as they
make a big loop around France, and they try to get each little corner of
the country a segment, so I didn't have to travel too far, just a few
hours drive north, into the Alps.  I figured they'd be riding pretty
quickly, so that it would be smart to watch them on a hillside, when
they wouldn't be going very fast...wrong!   I got a spot on the side
of a really steep hill, and they FLEW past...this was only an hour or
so into the day's stage, so they were fresh, but man alive, they were
speeding up this hill, all in one big bunch.  It must have taken all
of 45 seconds to see the Tour de France.  :-)

Mind you, nobody was disappointed...the whole countryside turns out
for this, and tourists from all over Europe come to camp out and
watch, and folks stake out viewing spots hours in advance...which
provides a perfect opportunity for marketing!!!  There was a steady
stream of vendor-mobiles rolling up the hill, tossing freebies and
samples to one and all, with various small-time vendors hawking food,
sunglasses, etc.  Sort of like a mobile parking lot scene, I guess,
but without so much hand blown glassware...

So if you ever get the chance...DO IT!

Dan

    I got my first road kill this morning, a gray squirrel that got caught
    in the spokes of my front wheel at 21 mph.  I didn't find any blood on
    the spokes, but I think the car behind me finished it off.  I'd
    wondered if hitting a squirrel would make me crash, but it didn't
    bother me a bit.
    
    BTW, I saw a red squirrel on the way home yesterday.  Those are pretty
    rare now, aren't they?  I think the grays have taken over.
    
    I've had to put lights on the bike since it's still pretty dark when I
    leave the house at 6am.  It's a great time to be out and I beat the
    school buses.
    
    Jamie

     <<< Note 258.297 by ASDG::IDE "My mind's lost in a household fog." >>>
    
>    BTW, I saw a red squirrel on the way home yesterday.  Those are pretty
>    rare now, aren't they?  I think the grays have taken over.
    
We have both at home.  I think it all depends on the type of forest
and trees you have ... 

bob

    
    Poor squirrell...
    
    Although, I'm laughin my ass off about your note.

Tree rats.

I've come close to taking little critters out, but no
hits yet!

rode in groton town forest tonight with slash.  lots of
water and mud!!  great time, although the trails were
a little slick....

    There's a raging snow flurry going on in Hudson right now and I've go
    tno snow tires.  I've got to start listening to the weather, though the
    blood red sunrise should've given me a clue.
    
    Jamie

    
    Should be ok Jamie.  Local radar shows the flurries as scattered.