Strangest "doodads" story you have heared
- Thread starter MsAli
- Start date
Cool - I just lurve tight @$$ competitions. There are some real champions on this forum !!
Bought my watch 17 years ago at a newsagent for $ 18.95
The poxy plastic wristband snapped 3 weeks later, which suited me cos I hated wearing watches. Slipped the timepiece into my pocket and it has been my companion ever since and never missed a beat.
It died earlier this year...battery went flat - how dare it.
It won't be replaced.
Nice bike.My latest doodad!
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pinkboy
The husband of one of my wife's friends is a bit of a keen rider; goes a few times per week with a group of blokes early in the morning, and occasionally for a decent larger ride on Sundays.
He invited me to join them last year. My bike is a good - but old - hybrid clunker and far too heavy to even remotely be able to keep up with them. I normally go out on my own and try to get a solid anaerobic workout. Have no idea how far I go, or how fast etc. Couldn't care less. Riding up the Arthur's Seat road usually is enough to kill ya.
So, he lent me his old clunker, and we went out and I actually was able to just keep in touch using it. His clunker is about a $1200 bike. Nice; better than mine.
All the other guys are on variations of more techno, lighter and certainly more expensive than this.
And they have all the "T de F" outfits to go along with it.
So, I wet about 4 times using his oldie, and then he sold it, so I was without a bike. Tried mine once and got left for dead, so stopped going until I bought myself a decent upgrade for the purpose (still haven't).
What I noticed with these boys was this; everyone in the group is out there for a bit of fun and exercise, but it has turned into this "subliminal one-upmanship" competition...
He buys the $4k bike, so I buy the $6k bike with the you-beaut mileage tacho.
So then he buys the $8k bike with the tree riding outfit and super-duper helmet thrown in.
But then he buys the $9k bike with the latest teflon thingies and super light-weight brake pads and rims.......
And so on.
Of course; they all got theirs for a lower deal than the next guy on Ebay. "I paid $X, but it is normally $Y"
So, the bar is continually being raised, but all that has changed is they get to the end about a minute or so earlier than before, and still have expelled the same amount (or less) energy, and the wallet keeps on gettin emptier.
I find it funny.
An iPhone is not so water proof, and doesn't tell me dive depth, time, SI or other handy titbits.
Its also hard to strap it around your wrist
I know nothing about watches, never wear one.
Though...... I always thought Rolex was the top wozza when it comes to watches, is that right???
What I noticed with these boys was this; everyone in the group is out there for a bit of fun and exercise, but it has turned into this "subliminal one-upmanship" competition...
So, the bar is continually being raised, but all that has changed is they get to the end about a minute or so earlier than before, and still have expelled the same amount (or less) energy, and the wallet keeps on gettin emptier.
I find it funny.
Ahh yes, cyclists are insects when it comes to this type of behavior! You describe it to the absolute t!
Besides my first 'road' bike, all my bikes I have purchased have been 'upper end to top of the line'. I do this because economies of scale mean the parts last many more kilometres than the cheaper stuff. I could probably ride a 12kg steel bike nearly just as good as a 7kg carbon frame as long as it has decent running gear.
The other thing that many people get caught up on is 'bike fit'. Its no good riding a super dooper bike that is 5cm too big for you, just because of brand status. It is important to get proper body dimensions and then start looking for frames that 'fit' your dimensions withing 10mm or so that you can adjust by swapping in and out stems, handlebars and saddles etc.
Cycling like anything is all about the motor that you put on it. Get that right, then you can start upgrading. No point buying a new set of wheels for $3000 to save 200g when you could spend that on coaching and stop eating donuts for morning tea! You yardstick purchasing this type of stuff when you weigh food, count calories and when you leave all other cyclist for dead on a climb!
pinkboy
....from what I'm told, joining a cycling group is one of the new "in" social things to do...networking and all that jazz.
Every cycling group I see stops at least once a morning and schlumps down at some cafe, creating absolute havoc for other patrons with their 15 bikes haphazardly placed wherever, and then 15 sweaty groaning achy bodies tuck into coffees, cakes and muffins.
BTW - our local bike shop has this ridiculous looking "Ferrari" bicycle hanging up....don't know if it's a joke or if Ferrari do actually make bikes, but with a $ 25K price tag I could only laugh.
I asked the salesman one day if that was for real or a joke. He said, to the blokes who are serious about cycling - looking me up and down and instantly concluding I was not part of the clique - that compared to a very average 8 or 9K bike, was like comparing a Lambo with a Commodore.
I simply said hmmm, then moved on, but was thinking that even 10% of his Commodore price was waaaay too much for purchasing a bike without a motor.
Nothing says "mid life health crisis" more than 10 overweight 45yo's crammed into lycra. There are more muffintops than muffins in the cafe.
Hmmm, not the parasitic bunch I caught up to this morning. Thats a whole other story!
Im known to pull into a bakery or corner shop for a cream bun, Poweraide and a Coke and then resume a long ride. I have done the coffee shop thing a few times, but yeah, fighting for some bike space, sweating everywhere while trying to drink a coffee and trying to keep down a heavy muffin defeats the purpose of trying to train properly.
Its no joke. Funny and coincidental you mention this, as the Ferarri bike is made in conjunction with Ernesto Colnago, the maker of my new tredly. Yeah, I wouldnt ride it, would be a trophy room piece. Not convinced that it would ride much better than a $2k bike. Remembering that the fit and motor on board is whats most important!
pinkboy
Way too techno for the purpose I would wager. If it's all about just getting fit then two handle bars, two wheels, two pedals and a seat would be (is) fine, and if it's the wrong size; put the seat up a bit or down a bit and pedal like hell until you are on the verge of vomiting, surely?
Why the need to upgrade and keep getting lighter when you're out there to work hard and burn off fat? If anything; heavier would be a better idea I would have thought - make you work ya guts out (mine for eg
). Any sec/hand racer costing $500 clunker from Ebay or one of those $150 jobbies from Kmart will do that.
I can now see that we are all just out for a nice social ride with our friends, but it has developed into a never-ending race that everyone pretends isn't on, and that noone wants to lose.
Over priced imo
IWC are a lot nicer.
Dornbluth and Sohn is where my money would go Link
Handmade, including the movements. Real engineering masterpieces.
A long way off though. A long way off.
I have a bike. I got it from Gumtree. For $150. I use it to ride on when it will take too long to work but is not far enough to warrant the car.
My Nepalese friend gave me her old mountain bike which is probably worth AU$40.
It does the job of transporting me locally and im not worried if it gets stolen or damaged.
I've always wondered if those cyclists wear lycro to reduce wind resistance on suburban streets or its for another reason
It does the job of transporting me locally and im not worried if it gets stolen or damaged.
I've always wondered if those cyclists wear lycro to reduce wind resistance on suburban streets or its for another reason
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Way too techno for the purpose I would wager. If it's all about just getting fit then two handle bars, two wheels, two pedals and a seat would be (is) fine, and if it's the wrong size; put the seat up a bit or down a bit and pedal like hell until you are on the verge of vomiting, surely?
Why the need to upgrade and keep getting lighter when you're out there to work hard and burn off fat? If anything; heavier would be a better idea I would have thought - make you work ya guts out (mine for eg
Any sec/hand racer costing $500 clunker from Ebay or one of those $150 jobbies from Kmart will do that.
I can now see that we are all just out for a nice social ride with our friends, but it has developed into a never-ending race that everyone pretends isn't on, and that noone wants to lose.
At first it is as you describe - jump on a bike and just start pedalling. But as you gradually get fitter and go further, comfort/power/aerodynamics starts to come into play. You cant have all 3, choose 2!
Personally, I forgo comfort in pursuit of better power and aerodynamics. An older, less fit person would probably forgo aerodynamics and/or power in pursuit of greater comfort for the same distance ride or climb.
So what happens when you get fitter and lose the beer belly and want to start keeping up? You cant climb a proper climb on an old clunker, there is no leverage, gear ratios probably wont get you up there, and you can throw comfort out the window because even vomiting will be more desirable than a screaming back ache! A clunker will get you out there, but like any hobby/obsession, you will want to upgrade.
I agree with the 'lighter is better' thing that cyclist bang on about - not always. Strength should always take precedence.
Cycling is and always will be competitive. Local media should tell you what lengths people will go to in pursuit of the top! Even Im guilty of the 'Flyin' Ryan Bailey diet of Tim Tams and KFC!
pinkboy
My Nepalese friend gave me her old mountain bike which is probably worth AU$40.
It does the job of transporting me locally and im not worried if it gets stolen or damaged.
I've always wondered if those cyclists wear lycro to reduce wind resistance on suburban streets or its for another reason
Im sure you would appriciate the difference between the wearing of lycra and walking like a cowboy for 4 days after riding in board shorts sporting a fair share of chaffe and saddle sores
!pinkboy
Yep; I used to see it in the golf world constantly.
Everyone wants to hit it further, and further and further, but do no work/practice on their fundamentals and overall fitness and strength (comparison to cycling; faster with less effort).
So, they are continually going for the newest technology driver, spending hundreds in the pursuit every other year, but with incremental improvements mostly - if any.
Gotta keep up.
Image is serious.
Im sure you would appriciate the difference between the wearing of lycra and walking like a cowboy for 4 days after riding in board shorts sporting a fair share of chaffe and saddle sores
pinkboy
Oh yeah. Im pretty sure that anyone who has ever ridden any distance would have made the mistake of failing to wear bike pants at least once.
My first real ride was with my brother. I made the error of wearing boardies as I had only just got my bike and couldn't justify the expense of a pair of shorts "just" to look like a tool and appear to fit in (lets face it, they are not the most dignified of apparel)
I couldn't walk for about 3 days afterwords.
Also being a diver, you see a lot of people with all the gear, and no idea. Guys rocking up with literally $ '000's of gear, just to dive 15m.
Its quite funny to watch really.
This is all a bit off topic a bit though.
I have not heard of IWC or Dornbluth but then I am not a watch wearer.
I used to ride a lot of road bikes in my late teens and early 20s. Then I became quite anxious about serious injuries and took up jogging instead.
I've never understood the logic of this last bit. If you are trying to get fit, surely an inefficient clunker is going to do a better job than a sleek, aerodynamic, lift-with-your-finger fancy bike.
