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Thread: Cyclist Thread

  1. #101
    Karma Junkie vava's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    You have to admire the clean uncluttered lines of it tho eh?
    even perfect isn't perfect - Rubyduby 4th July 08

  2. #102
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    Oh you do, you do. Elegant simplicity.
    "The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

  3. #103
    Eat Y'self Fitter's Avatar
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    Quote Big Good Wolf View Post
    I was just thinking the same thing.
    Each to their own, but fixed wheel, no brakes and toe straps would be a disaster waiting to happen for me.
    It has SPDs now. JUST WAIT till you see my new paint job on my bike! I'm not gonna give it away. Its finished today hopefully. You might think I made a mess of it but hey..... Its themed but i'm not giving it away just yet.

  4. #104
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    the blue paint did look good though It just got real scratched up from locking it. ah can't wait to reveal it.

  5. #105
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    .

  6. #106

    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    I had to revive this thread because I ride my bike to work and for the pure joy of it. I started riding in 2010 and I ride to work about three times a week average (8-10 miles per day depending on whether I also run errands or what route I take) and occasionally do off road trails too on random weekends which tend to be rougher and longer. I only ride from April to October though. I get cold easily and where I live it gets nasty in winter. I am not an athlete and not a competitor or expert at bikes. I should probably know a heck of a lot more about them than I do by now. I just enjoy the feel of working my muscles, challenging myself to go outside my comfort level and seeing what hills I can climb today, being closer to the outdoors around me instead of cocooned off in a vehicle, and I love that I am leaving less of a carbon footprint this way. Sometimes car culture downright disturbs me. But the convenience of cars is addictive I will admit. Biking to work takes planning and commitment.

    At any rate I ride a Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike, unisex style. I still have the original seat and have to wear padded shorts because the seat is not too comfortable on my crotch (the seat was not made for a woman!), but I have tried many different seats and can't find a good fit. I have also tried adjusting seat height and tilt and bringing it forward and even adjusting the handlebars and nothing helps. Other than that I am happy with my bike. Cycling has been a huge factor in my recovery from an eating disorder, because it requires that I take care of my body and eat to fuel myself to be stronger so that I can enjoy riding my bike. My bike has given me a sense of confidence and self reliance. When I ride my bike I depend on my own body to get me around, so I better treat it well. I still have my fears and doubts and I did have to overcome the trauma of being hit by a car last year but I definitely feel like a stronger person than I once was. Someday I would like to be confident and self reliant and knowledgeable about biking to where I can just ditch my car altogether, but I might have to move to another climate lol. Here are a few pics:

    [IMG] [/IMG]

    [IMG] [/IMG]

    I also need to get a bike rack as carrying a pack on my back makes riding a little harder at times.

    Anyone else riding their bike lately?

  7. #107
    Witty title njschmidt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    Quote Robinwomb View Post
    I had to revive this thread because I ride my bike to work and for the pure joy of it. I started riding in 2010 and I ride to work about three times a week average (8-10 miles per day depending on whether I also run errands or what route I take) and occasionally do off road trails too on random weekends which tend to be rougher and longer. I only ride from April to October though. I get cold easily and where I live it gets nasty in winter. I am not an athlete and not a competitor or expert at bikes. I should probably know a heck of a lot more about them than I do by now. I just enjoy the feel of working my muscles, challenging myself to go outside my comfort level and seeing what hills I can climb today, being closer to the outdoors around me instead of cocooned off in a vehicle, and I love that I am leaving less of a carbon footprint this way. Sometimes car culture downright disturbs me. But the convenience of cars is addictive I will admit. Biking to work takes planning and commitment.

    At any rate I ride a Specialized Hard Rock mountain bike, unisex style. I still have the original seat and have to wear padded shorts because the seat is not too comfortable on my crotch (the seat was not made for a woman!), but I have tried many different seats and can't find a good fit. I have also tried adjusting seat height and tilt and bringing it forward and even adjusting the handlebars and nothing helps. Other than that I am happy with my bike. Cycling has been a huge factor in my recovery from an eating disorder, because it requires that I take care of my body and eat to fuel myself to be stronger so that I can enjoy riding my bike. My bike has given me a sense of confidence and self reliance. When I ride my bike I depend on my own body to get me around, so I better treat it well. I still have my fears and doubts and I did have to overcome the trauma of being hit by a car last year but I definitely feel like a stronger person than I once was. Someday I would like to be confident and self reliant and knowledgeable about biking to where I can just ditch my car altogether, but I might have to move to another climate lol. Here are a few pics:

    [IMG] [/IMG]

    [IMG] [/IMG]

    I also need to get a bike rack as carrying a pack on my back makes riding a little harder at times.

    Anyone else riding their bike lately?
    Wow, I wish that my commute looked as scenic as yours appears to be! Mad props to you for getting back on it after your accident. Here's a picture of my road bike (it's a 2011 Giant Defy 3 ... I tend to be a "loner," so nobody to take my picture with it, hehe).



    I use it for just about all of my transportation, except once a week when I start up my car (it only has 40,000 miles on it and I don't want it to go bad just sitting). My morning commute is pretty short, so I usually only get between 3 and 10 miles a day in, depending on what errands I might have to run in addition to my commute. Plus, 2-3 days a week I take it on the local Rails-To-Trails and get an additional 20+ miles on it. I'm not a "serious" cyclist, as I don't have all the gear and such, but I do really enjoy riding (I didn't even know how to ride a bicycle until 3 years ago, so I feel like I'm catching up on my childhood!).

    As I mentioned in my introductory "Hello" thread, I'm newly returning to veganism. One of the things that I've noticed is that cycling takes more effort than it used to, which tells me that I might not be getting all of the nutrition that I need. But, that's probably off-topic so I'll be researching that on other parts of the forum.
    "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it."
    -Voltaire

  8. #108
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    Hi

    I've cycled to and from work for 15 years (vegan for around 7 or 8 years now) continuously and feel odd getting in a car to go the same distance! After a while, the cycling becomes 'normal' and habitual.

    Another bonus is that, because I use the same route day in day out, I get noticed and several (ok, two definitely!) people have started cycling as a result, saying it gives them more confidence when they see others on the road. Irish car drivers are not noted for their patience...

    Anyway, to get to the point, I sometimes get tired and listless and it's iron I'm lacking - when I used to give blood, my iron count was always borderline. I try to get dietary iron if possible but a liquid supplement like Floradix really works wonders for me; it takes a couple of weeks to kick in but I do notice the change.
    "The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

  9. #109

    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    njschmidt,
    I have not had the experience of being more tired as a vegan, just the opposite. I started cycling in 2010 and I thought I was doing ok. In February 2011 I went vegan and oh my God my energy went through the roof! I not only ride bike (and have improved how far and long I can ride uphill) but I run too (though generally only 3 to 4 miles a day three or four times a week), and lift weights, row, canoe long distances on canoe camping trips, haul my laundry to the laundromat on my back as I walk there, hike 8 to 12 miles at a time some weekends, snowshoe in winter, and so on. I would most definitely do a lot more if it werent for being in school right now while working. But I have not had the experience of feeling more tired as a vegan. My only experience at first was I dropped too much weight and I felt a little weak strength wise but I quickly upped my calorie intake and regained the weight I lost and my strength came back and then some. It took some time to learn how to adjust my eating habits as a vegan. All my recent labs have been excellent...B12, D, cholesterol, triglycerides, etc. I had a free screening at work and then had the B12 and D checked just in case and to get a baseline (I do supplement with those two things and use the D2 form). But then it's only been 16 months as a vegan so who knows. My cholesterol and D levels improved from my omnivore days even though I supplemented with D3 as an omnivore (the D levels improved probably because I spend a lot more time outdoors now than I did as an omnivore and I stopped slathering my body with sunscreen and ironically I have not gotten a single sunburn since). I do make sure to eat at least 2 cups of high quality fresh leafy greens daily, usually more, and I generally get an average of 8 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. I very rarely eat out and try to keep my food whole and mostly unprocessed but I do allow myself treats on occasion because I have deprived myself of enough battling anorexia for many years. If I use sugar I will use blackstrap molasses because it has a surprisingly high amount of iron and calcium. I eat a lot of whole grains (not a lot of flour), beans and legumes, not very much soy but I do consume fermented soy such as tempeh and miso. I try to include some nuts and seeds in my diet too but not a ton. I ate fairly healthy as an omnivore too (when I wasnt suffering with an eating disorder) but I think as a vegan I am much more aware of what I put into and on my body. Also, I dont have the mucus and phlegm build up I used to get with dairy and meat. I used to have to cough and clear my throat after meals when I consumed that stuff, and my body could not tolerate most dairy except some yogurt or mozerella (regular milk gave me terrible cramps and diarrhea as did most cheese so I avoided it like the plague). So eliminating those things may have helped my energy level too because my body is not busy trying to process that stuff. I do think it takes some time to adjust to a new way of eating and for the body to adapt. I really had to listen to my body and try different things. I tried eating all raw food for a short while but quickly decided it wasnt for me. I also had to play around with how much soy I can tolerate because I am on thyroid meds (have been for 23 years) that interact with soy products if taken close to the time I consume the soy, but I have found my threshold there and I can tolerate some.

    I live right by lake Superior which is the largest fresh water lake in the world. I absolutely love that lake! My commute takes me by lake Superior and also on a few trails through some woods, as well as a few suburbs and downtown in the hospital district. So I do get a wide variety of scenery on my commute. I often see wildlife in the early mornings.

    My husband has a Giant too, but I am not sure the exact make and model of his. It's a mountain bike though not a road bike. I mostly ride on my own but occasionally, on weekend offroad adventures, I ride with my husband. He is a classic mountain biker who lives for rocks and rough terrain. His motto is that a dead end road is where the adventure starts! I am not that skilled or confident yet but I am slowly getting there. Like you I barely knew how to ride a bike before 2010. It had been literally years since I had ridden. Kudos to you for doing it! It's never too late you know? Hang in there and keep experimenting with different vegan foods. I am confident that if you stick with it you will find what works for you and you will feel better. My Mom went vegan in April at the age of 67 (it took me 14 months but I finally convinced her!) and she has struggled with some fatigue too but she isnt much of a cook and isnt as open minded about food as I am. Her diet is more limited than it could be but I think she just needs to get out of the omnivore way of thinking that there isnt much a vegan can eat. I sat down with her and helped her get started but I havent had the time I would like to really teach her how to cook and/or prepare good vegan food. School is keeping me too busy. Visit threads like "What did you eat today" or "Pics of good vegan food you have eaten" to get an idea of what average vegans eat. There is such a variety it is unbelievable! Invest in some vegan nutrition books and cookbooks too. I found the book "Becoming Vegan" by Brenda Davis very helpful as far as understanding nutrional needs as a vegan. She goes into great detail about nutrition. And maybe take a multi vitamin in the meantime while you adjust and figure out what it is you need that you feel you are missing. Good luck and thanks for sharing a pic of your bike! Cycling is awesome!

  10. #110
    Witty title njschmidt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    Thanks for the replies, DavidT & Robinwomb (I almost typed RobinT & Davidwomb, lol)... I will definitely look into the iron issue and diversifying my diet (at the end of this week, when I get paid ... Right now I'm living off my store of rice and beans). I am sure that my diet is pretty deficient, but I really don't think it's because I don't cook (I actually love cooking). In general, I try to only eat things that are grown locally. As a result, I've been pretty much been having exclusively beans (pinto beans, crowder peas, black beans, etc.), okra (almost every day ... I love okra, and it grows so well down here), brown rice (or sometimes whole wheat pasta), tomatoes, blueberries, whole grain oatmeal (with honey ... I'm only having the honey because I bought it before I went vegan and don't want to waste it. I'll be switching to maple syrup afterwards), and whole grain, all-natural peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. What I just typed is basically what I've been eating every day for the last 4 weeks (when I went back to veganism). At the end of this week, though, I'll throw in a multi-vitamin and explore ways to diversify.

    @Robinwomb, I just saw that you're in Minnesota and go canoeing. Have you ever been to the Boundary Waters? I was born in Minneapolis (have family there and New Ulm), and remember going to the Boundary Waters through Eli (I think that's how it's spelled) as a kid. So beautiful! I was wondering, though, do you bicycle commute in the Winter time? I could see the snow/ice in Minnesota putting a damper on the cycling, for sure.
    "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it."
    -Voltaire

  11. #111

    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    @Robinwomb, I just saw that you're in Minnesota and go canoeing. Have you ever been to the Boundary Waters? I was born in Minneapolis (have family there and New Ulm), and remember going to the Boundary Waters through Eli (I think that's how it's spelled) as a kid. So beautiful! I was wondering, though, do you bicycle commute in the Winter time? I could see the snow/ice in Minnesota putting a damper on the cycling, for sure.
    Oh yes, I love the BWCA! My husband and I have gone up there every year for a week since 2005. This year we are going in August after summer semester is over. Usually we like to visit the eastern side but this year we are going in at Little Indian Sioux River and up the Shell Lake chain, off the Echo trail near Ely. Last year we day tripped up to Devils cascade so we are familiar with the area. We like options where there are hiking trails as well as river and lake canoeing in the BWCA. Once we paddled to an area in the BWCA, stashed the canoe, and hiked (bushwhacked) through the woods to a hidden lake. We had our GPS and compass so we had no problem...except we couldnt find the canoe on the way back. That took an extra hour even though we came back to the area where we left it. Oh the stories!

    Yes, I only bicycle from April to October. I am a small person and with thyroid problems so I don't take to cold too well, though I will snow shoe long distances in winter if I wear a ton of gear. The hills in Duluth make it even more of a challenge with icy conditions in winter. There are surprisingly a lot of cyclists who cycle here in winter, even through blizzards and sub zero temps. People up here are nuts. We were hit with a major flood last Wednesday and many of our roads buckled and creeks overflowed and this whole area has been declared a national emergency. And still I saw people out cycling through it! Scott Jurek, famous ultramarathoner, is from Proctor, a suburb of Duluth. I think this city breeds extremists lol. BTW I am not from here, I am from Ohio but have lived up here since 1998. Long story.

    Your diet doesnt sound too bad but you definitely could use more variety. I am fairly poor myself (college student working part time and husband is on disability for a major illness) and I do spend a bit more on high quality food/produce compared to others but I very rarely eat out, maybe four or five times a year on average. This year I started my own garden with carrots, onions, beans, tomato, peppers, spinach, and every year I have an herb garden in my porch with things like basil, parsley, oregano, mint, dill. I'm hoping that will help cut down on the money I spend on produce. We have farmers markets up here through summer which helps too. I am also a big bean eater. I have branched out with grains, eating millet, quinoa, bulgur, buckwheat groats, wild rice (grown locally up here by the Native Americans). All provide a different variety of nutrients and unique textures that work well with different types of dishes and the ones I just mentioned are all good sources of protein and B vitamins. I might use one for a while and then get bored with it and use up something else when that runs out. Learning to eat what is available in different seasons is fun to explore too. It really makes you appreciate food and look forward to it, instead of sticking with the same things all the time. I actually think my omnivore husband's diet is far more limited than mine. This morning I had a chickpea flour omelette with spinach, chili pepper, and tomato, and a bowl of berries. I had never heard of a chickpea "omelette" until I became vegan. It provides more protein than an egg without the cholesterol and has a nice savory taste to it, especially if you add spices like garlic and cumin. You can grind your own chickpea flour with dried chickpeas if you have a good blender/food processer or just buy the chickpea flour at a store (usually called garbanzo bean flour or another name I cant think of). It's relatively inexpensive and will last a long time because a little goes a long way and you can use it for other types of dishes too. I might even take some into the BWCA on our canoe camping trip because all you need is the chickpea flour, a little spice and add water to it, then pour it on a hot skillet to cook up and throw in some dried veggies. It's lightweight too. Anyway that's just one example of the possibilities. Some people like to keep it simple though and stick with only a few things and that's ok too, as long as you are getting your needs met.

  12. #112
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    Quote Robinwomb View Post
    buy the chickpea flour at a store (usually called garbanzo bean flour or another name I cant think of).
    Gram flour.
    "The trouble with quotes on the internet is that you can never tell if they're genuine" - Abraham Lincoln

  13. #113

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    Quote DavidT View Post
    Gram flour.
    Thanks David!

  14. #114
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    Default Re: Cyclist Thread

    Thanks for the garbanzo/chickpea/gram flour suggestion ... It sounds delicious!
    "I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it."
    -Voltaire

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