How does it happen?

[King_Crispy]

Sounds like a natural progression.

Now you just have to acquire a singlespeed and outperform all your mates on it

[DJR]

Yes, you have caught it, and the only medicine is to buy and build more bikes.

[Slowbee]

N+1.5

[Chris_]

The problem with the lockdown and shops collapsing around us is the amount of specials that are on.

 

Hold on to your wallet there BigDL! They're coming for you!

 

Your Rudys are scratched and you HAVE TO HAVE the new thingymabob thats fits the doohikky or ... do you even ride, bro?

[ChrisF]

The problem with the lockdown and shops collapsing around us is the amount of specials that are on.

 

Hold on to your wallet there BigDL! They're coming for you!

 

Your Rudys are scratched and you HAVE TO HAVE the new thingymabob thats fits the doohikky or ... do you even ride, bro?

 

HUH ?!?!

 

do you really need to RIDE to indulge in N+1.5 ....

 

 

 

retail therapy ....

[Chris_]

HUH ?!?!

 

do you really need to RIDE to indulge in N+1.5 ....

 

 

 

retail therapy ....

 

Shhhhh...

 

No one needs to know

[MTBeer]

I was sitting in my home office on yet another video conference, using the time to straighten things out and to play with my cycling stuff, when it suddenly hit me. I've become one of them. What do I mean by them? Let me share an anecdote?

 

When we moved back to SA in 2013, I was (very happily) riding a £700 Voodoo Hardtail bike, with flat pedals that I bought myself as a birthday present for £20 in 2012, after the original pedals stopped working. I had a helmet that my mate had bought me for my birthday in 2009, to replace a many year old one that I had used up until then (I found it in the shed in a house we bought). I did use Strava, but only on my phone, when I remembered to start it. I had a pair of cycling shorts that I bought for £7.99 on special and wore them under Rugby shorts along with a t-shirt. I also had a very old road bike which I bought off a mate of mine, along with his retired road cycling shoes. For MTB I wore a pair of takkies that I had got for free as a promotion at the gym. I loved riding and was lucky enough to live close to BRB and Groenkloof, so was as happy as a pig in ****. If it was sunny, I used my old Oakleys that I kept in my car (my only sunglasses). I remember wandering around bike shops looking (never talking) and hearing guys talking about their latest accessory or essential bits and wondering what kind of idiots they were to spend that much money and focus for their hobby when they were probably never going to be more than average. 

 

I started entering MTB events for fun and got laughed at a few times at starts because of my tatty takkies, my rugby shorts and my complete lack of knowledge about brands and pedals and shoes and ****. I used to make a point of laughing back at those rare okes as I passed them during the race. I also started riding with a group of guys from my estate and eventually got persuaded to buy SPD's for my bike and shoes to go with them. Next was a full suspension mountain bike, but I was still very happy and rode well enough. That was the start of my change....

 

Long story short, I now have a full sus MTB and a full carbon road bike. Both have a powermeter added. I track my rides with one of my Garmins. I have a radar on my road bike FFS, I have 8 SEE.Sense smart lights and various other high end lights. I have Rudy Project glasses that cost a fortune and sort of seem to do the same thing as my old Oakleys. I have half a dozen Wahoo HRM straps (the most recent arrived today). I have a Kickr indoors. I chow gels when I ride, powders when I finish. I analyse every aspect of my rides. I pay a fortune to a coach to make me better (why, I have no clue as I am 47 years old and never going to get past the middle of any race), I stress if I miss a ride, I have a Whoop Strap that measures all sorts of stuff on one wrist and an Apple Watch on the other wrist that measures all the same stuff. I track my calories daily, I rarely have more than a couple of drinks, I plan holidays around cycling opportunities, I weigh myself every morning on a smart scale that tells me how much I weigh, how much my fat weighs (a lot) and all sorts of other ***. After a ride, I use Strava, Garmin Connect, Training Peaks, Veloviewer and Intervals.icu to analyse every aspect of it and beat myself up on where I should haver been better. I have three helmets to choose from, various summer and winter gloves, camelbaks, gels and powders, snacks and potions to keep me going and tons of other stuff as well. The thing is, I don't actually think that I am any better at riding than I was all those years ago and it certainly doesn't feel like just some fun any more with my mates. 

 

So, my question is, am I unique in this or is this a process (dare I say disease) that we all go through? Have I just become an obsessive knob or is this normal? 

I'm the complete opposite

 

I have a decent enough bikes - Giant Trance and Giant Anthem - both aluminium. But as for the rest, My kit is old and falling apart. I have a garmin but only use it when riding in a new area. I have no clue about power, cadence, etc. I wouldn't know a decent wattage if if hit me over the head. Never use gels, powders etc. HR - not interested. If I'm tired its high, if I'm not tired it's low.

Never enter events unless they are in usually unaccessible areas.

 

I just ride for the pleasure of riding. And the 5 to 8 guys in our riding group are pretty much the same.

[Patchelicious]

I was sitting in my home office on yet another video conference, using the time to straighten things out and to play with my cycling stuff, when it suddenly hit me. I've become one of them. What do I mean by them? Let me share an anecdote?

 

When we moved back to SA in 2013, I was (very happily) riding a £700 Voodoo Hardtail bike, with flat pedals that I bought myself as a birthday present for £20 in 2012, after the original pedals stopped working. I had a helmet that my mate had bought me for my birthday in 2009, to replace a many year old one that I had used up until then (I found it in the shed in a house we bought). I did use Strava, but only on my phone, when I remembered to start it. I had a pair of cycling shorts that I bought for £7.99 on special and wore them under Rugby shorts along with a t-shirt. I also had a very old road bike which I bought off a mate of mine, along with his retired road cycling shoes. For MTB I wore a pair of takkies that I had got for free as a promotion at the gym. I loved riding and was lucky enough to live close to BRB and Groenkloof, so was as happy as a pig in ****. If it was sunny, I used my old Oakleys that I kept in my car (my only sunglasses). I remember wandering around bike shops looking (never talking) and hearing guys talking about their latest accessory or essential bits and wondering what kind of idiots they were to spend that much money and focus for their hobby when they were probably never going to be more than average. 

 

I started entering MTB events for fun and got laughed at a few times at starts because of my tatty takkies, my rugby shorts and my complete lack of knowledge about brands and pedals and shoes and ****. I used to make a point of laughing back at those rare okes as I passed them during the race. I also started riding with a group of guys from my estate and eventually got persuaded to buy SPD's for my bike and shoes to go with them. Next was a full suspension mountain bike, but I was still very happy and rode well enough. That was the start of my change....

 

Long story short, I now have a full sus MTB and a full carbon road bike. Both have a powermeter added. I track my rides with one of my Garmins. I have a radar on my road bike FFS, I have 8 SEE.Sense smart lights and various other high end lights. I have Rudy Project glasses that cost a fortune and sort of seem to do the same thing as my old Oakleys. I have half a dozen Wahoo HRM straps (the most recent arrived today). I have a Kickr indoors. I chow gels when I ride, powders when I finish. I analyse every aspect of my rides. I pay a fortune to a coach to make me better (why, I have no clue as I am 47 years old and never going to get past the middle of any race), I stress if I miss a ride, I have a Whoop Strap that measures all sorts of stuff on one wrist and an Apple Watch on the other wrist that measures all the same stuff. I track my calories daily, I rarely have more than a couple of drinks, I plan holidays around cycling opportunities, I weigh myself every morning on a smart scale that tells me how much I weigh, how much my fat weighs (a lot) and all sorts of other ***. After a ride, I use Strava, Garmin Connect, Training Peaks, Veloviewer and Intervals.icu to analyse every aspect of it and beat myself up on where I should haver been better. I have three helmets to choose from, various summer and winter gloves, camelbaks, gels and powders, snacks and potions to keep me going and tons of other stuff as well. The thing is, I don't actually think that I am any better at riding than I was all those years ago and it certainly doesn't feel like just some fun any more with my mates. 

 

So, my question is, am I unique in this or is this a process (dare I say disease) that we all go through? Have I just become an obsessive knob or is this normal? 

 

Yeah, but what about your socks?

[Dexter-morgan]

I must be honest, I recently "woke up" from the same situation, got Garmin Vector pedals to analyze pedal stoke power, leg balance, got GP5000 Tires with super light wheels for my road bike, Then I realize where am I going? I then sold the Pedals, sold the fancy Wheels and tires, back to just riding for the pure enjoyment, My Mountain bike will stay the way it is just because it rides so lekker, I am affraid an "upgrade" might not be as good as my 2015 Scott.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Dexter-morgan

[BigDL]

Yeah, but what about your socks?

 

Lol - I am one of those okes - I wear running socks (invisible) for all my cycling. 

[RocknRolla]

Lol - I am one of those okes - I wear running socks (invisible) for all my cycling. 

 

 

Breathe Patch... Breathe....

[Patchelicious]

Lol - I am one of those okes - I wear running socks (invisible) for all my cycling. 

I need to go for a ride now, before I respond to that.

[DJR]

Breathe Patch... Breathe....

And remember that shortness of breath does not mean you have Covid19  

[Jewbacca]

I love this..

 

I flirt terribly between the obsessive and the who cares.

 

Riding on the trainer more has me chasing numbers and looking at my ftp but real life has me on the other end of the spectrum enjoying my time out.

 

I sometimes care about being fast, but 5 minutes later question my motives.

 

I have to be honest with myself and say that my main motivation for anything is to be fit enough to race for a week on the bike, on foot and in the boat once a year at Expedition Africa and eat cake.

 

The rest is all just chatter.

[Robbie Stewart]

I have a hardtail that's hanging on the garage wall that needs a new flywheel on the rear wheel as well as a groupset replacement.

 

Then I have a full-sus which has taken all the abuse since my HT conked in shortly prior to lockdown.

 

I have 4 sets of mtb baggies, 3 of which are properly well beyond their comfortable lifespan.

 

I have 4 jerseys, 2 which are torn up to a certain degree thanks to some memorable offs. 

 

I have 3 sets of short finger gloves, 2 of which are also pretty tatty.

 

I have a polar V800 and a Strava subscription which I am not renewing come October.

 

I have 2 pairs of mtb spd shoes, 1 pair which is moeg toe. The second pair is fast getting moeg.

 

I have 1 Leatt helmet which I bought from Evobikes. This one I really love.

 

I have a pair of glasses of some indistinct brand I bought of the aisle rail at CWC on one of the times I ventured there which cost me R850 ront. They are somewhat scratched and smudgy, and I have realised that since lockdown and having to ride with a buff, they do not really need to be replaced, as I come right well enough without them.

 

I do spend some time poring over my Strava rides, but that's mainly because I too like to see where I have ridden, how far, and I have owned the odd KOM over the years.
 

I have also found that if I ride, and forget about keeping tabs on my Polar, I tend to be stronger, faster and have more endurance. That's about the only thing tickling me at the moment about my riding.

[Patchelicious]

Lol - I am one of those okes - I wear running socks (invisible) for all my cycling. 

 

 

I need to go for a ride now, before I respond to that.

 

I went for a ride, for real, check Strava (if you haven't unsubscribed like a brat) and I can still not politely respond to this post.