Cycling

Cycling

Zwift and Indoor Cycling

Published by Steve Williamson on November 2, 2021

During the winter months, it’s unpleasant to ride my bicycle outdoors. 38 degrees and raining is non-fun, despite having outdoor cycling gear. To maintain the fitness gains I’ve made over the summer, I recently set up a Wahoo KICKR Core smart trainer and a Zwift account. This allows me to ride my own bike (Trek Domane AL 5), which has been custom fitted to me, in the comfort of my own home and out of the weather.

Zwifting with Wahoo KICKR Core
Zwifting with Wahoo KICKR Core, Domane AL 5 (attached); Domane AL 4 (wall rack)

I used to have a spin bike but sold that on craigslist. It worked, but wasn’t fitted, wasn’t very adjustable, and was just an unpleasant experience.

This new system is very slick and seems to efficiently mimic the workout I get riding outside with some added benefits. It is more intense than the Springwater Trail (an old railroad grade converted into a paved walking and cycling path) but not quite as intense as the local hills (everywhere you go in my town is uphill both ways).

The system works like this:

  1. Remove your back wheel and place the frame on the Wahoo KICKR Core, draping the chain over the sprocket cassette (sold separately).
  2. Load the Zwift app on a laptop and connect it to a TV for larger viewing.
  3. Turn on a fan, select a route, and start pedaling.

The Wahoo dynamically changes the resistance based on the simulated riding conditions in Zwift. If I’m climbing up a hill in Zwift’s virtual world, the Wahoo is harder to pedal. Going downhill, it gets easier … you get the point. Since I’m using my own bike, the ergonomics is 100% fitted to my body and parameters.

When starting Zwift, you can choose which route you want to ride. These give you a huge variety of challenge levels, based on distance and elevation change. Once the ride starts, you can dynamically choose to take different routes as you pedal along. It’s very slick.

Many other people from around the world are pedaling in your virtual Zwift world (called ‘Watopia’) with you. I have found that I am pedaling harder because of a weird sense of competition and of being watched. If someone is pedaling behind me, Zwift tells me how many meters and seconds they are trailing behind. I can see that gap close, and it makes me want to ride faster — I don’t want someone passing me.

Apparently you can organize group rides with friends and ride together within Watopia.

I like this competitive aspect of Zwift and feel that I am getting a better cycling workout because of it. I also like the route variety, as it sends me up and down hills that I don’t experience when riding the trail. That variety keeps it from getting boring, too.

The hills near my home are somewhat brutal. They aren’t overly long but they are very steep, some well above 10% grade, and there is no shoulder. In Zwift, I’m not going to get sent to the ICU by a soccer mom checking her Facebook status on her smart phone as she plows into me at 45 mph. That’s a huge benefit.

The downside?

None, if you own one bike or all your bikes use the same speed rear cassette. But, my wife has a bike, too (Domane AL 4), and unfortunately the rear cassette on her bike (10 speed) is different than mine (11 speed). This means every time one of us wants to ride on Zwift, we have to change sprocket cassettes on the Wahoo. This is not a quick process. It takes about 8-10 minutes to do a full swap out (remove one cassette and install another). Once the correct cassette is on the Wahoo, it only takes about 60 seconds to mount the bike and cinch it down (we already have the back wheels removed and set aside).

Granted, this takes less time than to put the rack on the back of our car, mount the bikes to the rack, and drive to the trailhead for an outdoor ride.

When we asked the bike shop people what they recommended to overcome this hassle, they all said, “Get a second Wahoo.”

We were able to purchase our Wahoo KICKR Core at our local Trek bike shop ($899) and the two sprocket cassettes, one for each bike. Those kind of components are in short supply right now, however, so you may have to shop around and get one on the internet. Zwift costs $14.99 per month per person.

And, of course, you need a decent laptop. I tried to run Zwift on a 2015 Macbook Air with an i5 processor and 4 GB of RAM. Nope. I had to use my 2016 Macbook Pro with an i7 and 16 GB of RAM (you can use Windows if that’s your thing). Oh, and you need a stand of some kind for the laptop to put it within reach as you pedal. I got one that looks similar to a music stand from Amazon for about $35.

Oh, and don’t forget a powerful fan. You’ll sweat. A lot.

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Time Keeps On Slippin’ Slippin’

Published by Steve Williamson on October 14, 2021

Do you have Steve Miller stuck in your head now? Sorry.

I look at the calendar and see that it’s October 14th and feel blown away by how quickly the last two months have gone by. I think September only had 17 days in it.

Since August I have spent most afternoons practicing guitar, keyboard, bass and drums. I’m learning all four instruments with the goal of writing music inspired by my first novel, Ohlen’s Arrow. That is going well but except for savants, learning to play and compose music is not an overnight endeavor. I’ve played all these instruments in the past, so fortunately I’m not starting from ground zero, but I still have a long way to go.

I’ve also been thinking about continuing my Taesia series of novels. The next step would be to write book 5. I already have the bulk of the plot figured out, but haven’t formally nailed down the outline. An avid reader of mine recently shared their view that I really need to keep writing and continue the story. We’ll see.

Currently I’m reading Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy. Although it’s a real page turner, I’m struck by how expository Clancy is. The old maxim, “Show me, don’t tell me” is one Clancy apparently never heard. Unlike popular belief, rules are not made to be broken but you certainly can if you know about them and have a good reason. In Clancy’s case, this book wouldn’t work without all the ‘tell me’ expository text.

In the cycling part of my life, I recently purchased a Wahoo KICKR Core smart trainer. I previously had a traditional spin bike but sold it as it was uncomfortable and had very poor ergonomics. The smart trainer will be hooked up to Zwift for a virtual riding experience. I may write a review after I’ve used it a bit. It will be nice to train on my own bike (Trek Domane AL5) rather than a rigid and poor substitution like a spin bike.

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Ride Report: Hillsboro, OR, 29 miles, 38 degrees

Published by Steve Williamson on November 21, 2020

I completed my longest bicycle ride to date, 29.3 miles. This ride had a few more milestones as well and some lessons learned that I will discuss here.

It’s the middle of Fall, the days are getting shorter, and dry weather is becoming the exception, not the rule. Fortunately, there was no precipitation on my day off, so my buddy, Keith, and I decided to get out on two wheels for a ride around Washington County.

Trek Domane AL5
Trek Domane AL5, “Riff Raff”, at The Bike Gallery, Portland, OR

When we met in the empty parking lot at Liberty High School in Hillsboro, Oregon, it was 38 degrees and foggy. This would be my maiden ride on my brand new bike, a Trek Domane AL 5. I literally had never sat on the bike until that moment, and in fact it was also my first time riding with clipless pedals (although I have recently installed the same pedals on my spin bike at home).

Keith and I did a few laps around the parking lot so I could get used to clipping in and out of the pedals, as well as learn the hand signals cyclists use on group rides. Once I got the basics down, we set off.

29.31 miles, Hillsboro, OR
29.31 miles, Hillsboro, OR

The entire route was on public roads. Up to this point in the season, I have ridden exclusively on designated bike paths without having to deal with traffic (other than one day climbing the numerous hills of my own neighborhood, where everywhere you go is uphill both ways). Keith led and I followed.

It was a bit chilly at first, as you might imagine, but my gear did well at keeping me from getting too cold. I wore full-finger cold-weather cycling gloves, which were probably overkill by the time we’d ridden 5 miles or so. I also had to unzip my outer shell jacket to regulate my body temperature.

The route we took went counterclockwise around highway 26, the Sunset Highway, taking us on rural roads through some beautiful farm country. Most of the time we were on narrow two-lane paved roads without anybody around. It was nice to ride side-by-side with my friend, at a pace where we could hold a conversation.

There were some small roller hills to contend with and Keith gave me advice on how to prepare and handle them. I’m not yet in shape to handle hills of any extent, but I’m getting there. Overall, I was able to complete the ride without nearly as much struggle as I had expected.

About three-quarters of the way we came upon another cyclist riding a single speed bike. As I passed by I said, “Hey, you look familiar.” It was Keith’s wife, Meagen, riding a portion of the same route. The three of us completed the remainder of the ride together.

Meagan and Keith
Meagen and Keith, Nov. 20, 2020

By the time we got back to my car, we had ridden 29.3 miles in 2 hours, 15 minutes. It was my longest ride to date. Note: It is my goal to ride 100 miles by October of next year. I guess I’m 29% of the way toward reaching my goal.

What was noteworthy about this ride is I was using a bike I had never ridden before. I had recently purchased it from The Bike Gallery in Portland, after getting professionally fitted by Zak Kovalcik. The Trek Domane AL5 performed wonderfully. Although I had conceptually understood the value of a professional fitting, I could recognize its worth in a very tangible way on this ride.

I had very little problem clipping in and out of my pedals, but I still need to burn into muscle memory the way I shift gears on the drop-style handlebars. I’m used to the old style of mountain bike shifters where you use your thumb and forefinger. It won’t take me long once I’ve gone on a few rides.

I have decided to nickname my bike Riff Raff, after the AC/DC song and the character from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Steve, Meagan and Keith
Steve, Meagen and Keith, Nov. 20, 2020
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Cycling Tips, Tricks and Tools

Published by Steve Williamson on October 30, 2020

I am relatively new to cycling, at least in a serious manner. I rode bikes back in my 20s but would never have considered myself to be a cyclist. Since April of this year (2020), and the subsequent COVID-19 lock-down, I’ve gotten back into it, and this time I’m giving it a proper go.

Through this process, I am learning as I progress. I started off by buying a bike without a lot of thought into the purpose of components, frame, geometry, or any of that stuff cyclists pay attention to. For the most part, it was a reasonably versatile bike that the local bike shop (LBS) had in stock that was an eyeball fit for my height. Good enough. (For those who are curious, it is a 2020 Giant Escape 3 Disc.)

2020 Giant Escape 3 Disc

2020 Giant Escape 3 Disc

As of this writing, I’ve put 450 miles on the bike and have been bitten by the cycling bug. It didn’t take me long to realize, however, that it wasn’t the type of bike I need. The stock saddle was a nightmare (for my anatomy; for some it may be wonderful), so I swapped that out for a Fly Chromoly saddle from Terry. It was a noticeable improvement, but I still have tailbone pain after rides of 15 miles or more.

Terry Fly Chromoly saddle

Terry Fly Chromoly saddle

This leads me to my first tip: get a professional fitting and buy the bike best suited to your body and riding style based on their advice.

Professional Fitting

I went to Bike Gallery in Portland, Oregon (their Hollywood location) and paid $175 for a professional fitting. The process takes about two hours and covers practically every detail about my body, flexibility, fitness, and riding style. As a result of that fitting, I have ordered a Trek Domane AL 5 with carbon fork and Shimano 105 group set.

2021 Trek Domane AL 5

2021 Trek Domane AL 5

When the bike arrives, the technician at Bike Gallery will adjust all aspects of the bike to fit my specific measurements. I can’t wait! Stay tuned for a review once the bike arrives.

Clipless Pedals and Shoes

In addition to getting fitted for the bike, the tech at Bike Gallery also helped me choose clipless pedals and shoes. I went with Shimano RX8 shoes and Shimano pedals. Currently, I’ve been wearing flat-soled tennis shoes to go with the flat pedals on my Giant, but will be looking forward to clipping in.

Shimano RX8 Gravel Shoes

Shimano RX8 Gravel Shoes

The weird thing is calling them clipless pedals even though you are clipped in. Regardless, the benefits are consistent foot placement, a stable platform when you stand up while riding, and improved efficiency with every stroke of the pedals.

Fueling the Body: Water and Food

I have learned that drinking enough fluids and staying properly fueled both before and during a ride is very important. Drink a minimum of one full bottle of water for every hour you ride at a moderate pace on relatively flat ground, double that if you maintain a faster pace, climb any hills, or if the weather demands it. Drink small amounts throughout the ride, not all at once at long intervals apart.

It is also important to stay fueled. Eat complex carbohydrates and proteins that are slower to digest before the ride, and take with you small snacks to eat along the way. These should be easier to digest for quicker energy. I take fig newtons because they travel well, don’t melt when it gets hot out, and have a good combination of carbohydrates without a lot of artificial ingredients.

Apps and Ride Tracking

There are a lot of mobile phone apps available to help you keep track of where you go and how fast you get there. I rely on the Activities app built into iOS, and have added Strava as a third-party app. These give me all the data I need to see how my fitness level is coming along.

For data gathering, I use an Apple Watch series 4 to track heart rate and other data points. This data feeds into the Activities and Strava apps. I don’t currently use a separate heart rate monitor, but that may come down the road. I also do not have a cadence or power meter on my bike. Currently I use a simple bike computer that tells me speed, distance, and time.

On my home computer, I use a website called Kamoot to plan routes. It is free, although there are paid options. It is fantastic for mapping and determining relative difficulty of routes. These calculations factor in traffic volume, road conditions, shoulder width or designated bike lanes, and elevation gains.

Tools

There are a few simple tools and supplies you’ll need to maintain and enjoy your bike both now and in the future. Don’t be intimidated by the thought of bike maintenance; it’s easy and actually kind of fun. Keeping your bike in good shape not only makes it last longer (thus improving resale value when you upgrade), it makes the bike perform better which makes you perform better.

Your tires and chain probably need the most attention. Your tires need to be properly inflated based on their size and your body weight, so this requires an accurate air pressure gauge that can measure PSI (pounds per square inch) up to 160, and a pair of air pumps; one is compact and goes with you on the bike and the other is a floor model that you keep at home. Use your gauge to check your tire pressures at least every other ride.

You need a small bag of some kind that straps to your bike, either under the seat or attached elsewhere on the frame. In this bag you will carry a spare tube (or two), a pair of tire removal tools/levers, and a multi-tool with bits that fit all the main components of your bike.

I went with a Blackburn Local Ride kit, including multi-tool, bag, pump, and tire irons.

Blackburn Local Ride kit

Blackburn Local Ride kit

I recommend carrying a compact air pump to inflate tires while on rides, rather than the CO2 cartridge repair kits. Cartridges can run out but an air pump will keep working as long as your muscles hold out.

The floor model air pump you have at home should have a built-in pressure gauge and be able to reach pressures of 160 PSI or higher. I use a Bontrager Charger floor pump and have been very happy with it.

Bontrager Charger floor pump

Bontrager Charger floor pump

Your chain needs almost as much attention as your tires. Keep it clean and lubricated and it will serve you well.

I suspend my bike on the Hollywood hitch-style bike rack I put on the back of my car. This holds the bike above the ground at a decent height, and lets me rotate the pedals forward and back unrestricted. On the ground underneath, I lay a large sheet of cardboard to catch oil drips.

Hollywood hitch-style bike rack

Hollywood hitch-style bike rack

I use a large spray can of WD-40 to thoroughly wet the chain and sprockets, working the pedals forward and back and even shifting gears. I wipe this down with a box of paper shop towels. This cleans road grime, dust and dirt from the chain. Once the chain has been wiped off, I allow any remaining WD-40 to evaporate away. (Don’t use WD-40 as a primary lubricant.)

The next step is to apply a chain lubricant. There are many available, so I don’t have any specific recommendations. As far as frequency, though, I recommend cleaning and lubricating your chain after riding in the rain or on dusty trails, or every 150-200 miles, whichever comes first.

Learn To Fix Flat Tires

One final piece of advice I have is to learn how to repair a flat tire using just the tools and supplies (spare tube) you carry on your bike. It’s not a difficult process (there are plenty of YouTube videos showing you how) but it’s a good idea to practice once at home so you are familiar with what needs to be done when a flat occurs out on the roadside or trail.

I suggest you practice once for your front wheel and once for your rear wheel, as the process of removing those wheels from your particular bike are a little different.

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My First Quarter Century Ride

Published by Steve Williamson on October 3, 2020
Springwater Trail
Springwater Trail, Oregon

When I [re-]started bicycling in late April, 2020, the best I could do was a 12-mile there-and-back ride on the Springwater Trail from Boring to Gresham and back. I averaged maybe 12 mph and had to stop numerous times, especially on the way back to Boring (it’s uphill, about 300 feet of elevation gain).

Writing this, it sounds pathetic. 12 miles? 300 feet of elevation gain? Those stats barely comprise a simple warm-up for most cyclists. But for someone like me who hadn’t exercised in any formal capacity for years, and who’s occupation involves sitting on my ass 9+ hours a day, it took some getting used to.

As I write this, it’s the first week of October. I’ve ridden close to 400 miles since then (still, a paltry number) and have seen some encouraging gains. I can now ride that same route there and back without stopping and average 14 mph. It’s not much of an improvement, but to me, that little bit of gain is encouraging and empowering.

Recently, I attempted my first Quarter Century ride. This is 25 miles in a single outing. I accomplished this goal, which was significant for me as it’s the longest I’ve ever ridden in one shot, even compared to when I rode back in my mid-20s.

My route started at Gresham Main City Park. I rode the Springwater Trail east to Boring so that I got the uphill portion of the trip out of the way first. I paced myself so that I wasn’t pushing it, wearing myself out too early. I have a bad habit of riding too fast too soon and using up my energy too quickly, not having enough in the tank to finish the overall ride. This time I made sure I maintained a moderate pace with the longer distance in mind.

This ride was on a 2020 Giant Escape 3 Disc.

Giant Escape 3 Disc
Giant Escape 3 Disc

After a brief break in Boring, I headed back to Gresham. Once back at my starting point, I ate a 100 calorie granola bar and then headed west toward Portland. I mention the granola bar because I’ve been learning the value of fueling and hydration on rides longer than 30-60 minutes. The idea of eating during exercise is new to me, but I’m trusting the wisdom and knowledge of countless cyclists who came before me and have learned what works and what doesn’t.

The ride from Gresham west to 111th avenue (Beggars-Tick Wildlife Refuge) is almost completely flat with no elevation change at all. I sipped water frequently as I rode and by the time I got to 111th street, I was ready for my second granola bar.

At this point I was feeling confident I could complete the ride. My butt hurt (more on that in a minute) but my legs were doing fine. My average heart rate so far on the ride had been 155-160 bpm. Not bad for a guy in his early 50s. Another thing I’ve learned is not to stop too long, so after wolfing down my granola bar and drinking some more water, I backtracked east for the final leg of my ride.

By the time I got back to Gresham Main City Park, my trip computer said I had ridden 23.4 miles. I wanted to hit 25 miles officially, but I knew that my legs could have gone another 5 miles without too much complaint. I was out of water, though, having taken only one bottle (a lesson learned), and my butt was very sore.

The ride took 1 hour 47 minutes, I averaged 14.1 mph, over the 23.4 miles distance.

I had ridden my first unofficial (23.4 miles) Quarter Century ride and I felt very proud. I was also very happy at the relative ease for which I’d done it. Although it was difficult, it wasn’t as difficult as I’d anticipated. Having done it, I’m confident I can ride 30 miles, maybe slightly more, if I take enough water and snacks.

Now, I’d like to address the butt soreness I mentioned. I’ve been wearing cycling shorts that I bought back in the early 90s. They have a chamois and are still in good shape, but I realized that the chamois inside doesn’t actually have any padding.

Oops!

Reading reviews and watching educational videos on YouTube, I realized that today’s cycling shorts and bibs have some decent padding in the crotch, not just chafing resistance material.

I recently ordered two pairs of black cycling bibs from The Black Bibs ($40 a pair, awesome!) They didn’t arrive until two days after my long ride, and when I inspected the padding in the crotch, I realized I’ve basically been riding without any padding at all with my 25-year old shorts. Dumb!

Based on this, and considering that the dominant limiting factor of my quarter century ride was butt comfort, I feel like 30+ miles is very doable for me. That, and taking along enough water.

I will likely post a review of my black bibs after I’ve had a chance to ride with them a time or two. Stay tuned.

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Back in the Saddle

Published by Steve Williamson on September 16, 2020
Road bike
Road bike

Back when I was a young man, living in the big city, I rode my bicycle all over town. An abandoned train track nearby had been converted into a pedestrian and bicycle path (called the Springwater Trail) and we quickly became very good friends. I even rode from my apartment in the city to the home where I grew up.

I moved to a smallish town in the foothills where everything was uphill both ways, and my poor Trek hybrid bicycle fell by the wayside of time.

Twenty years have passed and, after being stuck at home due to the COVID-19 quarantine, I decided to get back into bicycling. The intent is to get out of the house and get some exercise.

Back in April, I purchased a Giant commuter bike, the Escape 3 Disc, which is basically a rigid frame road bike with lower gearing and wide, flat handlebars.

Giant Escape 3 Disc
Giant Escape 3 Disc, 2020

I had the bike shop throw some rain fenders on it, and I changed to an after-market saddle, and away I went.

As the weather has allowed, I’ve ridden an average of twice a week on the Springwater Trail, typically from the terminal end in Boring, Oregon to downtown Gresham and back. It’s just shy of 12 miles round trip and is uphill on the last leg back to the trailhead in Boring. It’s been a great workout and I’ve noticed my ability to get back to the car with fewer stops, and my average speed has improved.

A common goal of road cyclists is to ride their first Century, 100 miles in a single outing. I’m a long way from being able to do that. So far my longest ride was 15 miles in 1 hour, 15 minutes. I intend to get there, though, but it will remain to be seen if I can reach that goal by the end of next season.

In the meantime, now that it is mid-September and the rainy season will be soon upon us, I got a spin bike for inside my home. This will help me maintain the fitness indoors that I’ve gained on the outside bike.

Next season, I hope to upgrade to a proper road bike with drop bars and better gearing. Right now I have my eye on the Trek Domane AL 5, but time will tell.

[Update 9/28/2020: After speaking with a local bike shop, they told me their back-order for bikes from the Trek factory are due to arrive sometime in April, 2021. Yikes!]

For now, though, I’m not getting much riding in at all due to the wildfire smoke that has blanketed my state. Breathing outdoors is a dangerous activity.

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