A bike demo, hill sprints, and oh my aching legs

Whatever doesn’t kill me only makes me cry “Uncle!”: I overdid things with an extended demo on Specialized’s latest Roubaix bike and then hill sprints on a fixed gear bike. I’m in some real pain today. Ow.


Sea Otter Classic 2013 Men's Road Race

Coming Events

Amgen Tour of California begins Sunday, May 12.

Maker Faire at the San Mateo County Events Center, May 18 & 19. Bike to Maker Faire and get a free patch (while supplies last). Andrew Boone will lead the 10 MPH slow ride there from the South Bay. There are generally 15 MPH group rides too.

Bicycle blogs and bicycle news

Bicycle Design on a hubless “retro futuristic” recumbent by Hungarian designer Janos Insperger.

AARP gives tips on buying a used bicycle.

LifeHacker on getting started on your bike commute.

Grist on Bike Party.

Cozy Beehive on security measures at large cycling events in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing.

L.A. shop churns ice cream with pedal power.

Nielson sold.

Less unsprung mass?

KQED: “Are cyclists required to obey traffic regulations?” I’ve heard the same question asked in earnest.


Mark Ritz's bike

Flickr links

Who’s using my photos online?


About that Roubaix

Specialized’s Roubaix is my long time favorite road bike. It’s designed for long hours in the saddle on rough roads. I own and frequently ride the 2007 Roubaix. I demoed the 2013 model and immediately noticed the much stiffer bottom bracket. I kept the Ultegra equipped bike on the big ring as I shot up some of the local short hills like Mount Hermon Road (8% grade) and Whispering Pines Drive (11%). These were sprint efforts on fresh legs to be sure, but there are marked improvements over six model years worth of frames.

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