Here is what I managed to do yesterday on my single speed. I tracked the entire trip on my iPhone using the MotionX GPS app. I just started using this app and ordered a bike mount for it yesterday. More on the app in a later post. I also managed to snap a few pics with my iPhone along the way. I used Google Earth to combine the GPS rout and the photos. All the photos are around the downtown area so zoom into the map to see where I took them. Click the camera icons on the map to see the photos.
I have never liked riding a road bike. Dirt is just too much fun. Some how a single speed makes road fiding okay I guess. But I have to say that putting in miles on my single speed has helped my overall biking fitness. I can tell the difference when I am on dirt. Legs are stronger and cardio is better.
So this brought me to the idea of doing some long road work on my single speed. Thus my first attempt at putting in a 30 mile ride around town. See the post before this one for my planned rout. I stuck to it pretty close except for a few wrong turns and then extra miles at the end to reach my goal of 30 miles.
The ride was much easier than I thought it was going to be. I did the first 9 miles or so in about 30+ minutes. When I got downtown I had plenty of time to stop and take a few photos. Today I am feeling just an overall soreness. From my butt to my legs and back up to my fingers. They all ache a little. But it is a good ache.
Here is the full rout I took as tracked by my iPhone. The start and end point is the green house icon to the west. I encourage you to zoom in to the map to click the photo icons that are in the downtown area.
Date: Jun 3, 2009 4:49 pm Distance: 31.1 miles Elapsed Time: 2:10:23 Avg Speed: 14.3 mph Max Speed: 30.6 mph Avg Pace: 04′ 11″ per mile Min Altitude: 674 ft Max Altitude: 977 ft
My single speed preformed pretty well considering I picked it up of eBay for a $100 and some change. I have added new tires, a Surly Singleator, and adjusted the break but that is about all. I managed to fix my crank issues without buying a new one. So I am happy about that. I think next I will put some bullhorns on it to stretch myself out a little. I am still only running a front break and to be honest it is not the best stopping power. I would not go down Grand Ave. hill with the break I have now. If a car pulled out I could not stop in time with the current setup. Might need to address that soon.
Overall this ride was a lot of fun and I can tell the work I am putting in on the road is elevating my overall fitness. The winter fat I managed to put on is slowly coming off. My legs are getting so much stronger. My summer goal is to get in a long 30-50 miles ride once a week. Add that with mountain biking every change I get, some core lifting at the work gym, and I will a machine by mid summer.
