A bike ride by any other name would smell as sweet… or would it?
What makes a bike ride so desirable in May, or on that first warm Saturday of the season? What is it about them that makes you want to go on them?
What makes you choose your route in the first place?
Is your route decided by distance?
Thirty miles isn’t always thirty miles though. Thirty miles of mountains is way different than thirty miles of flats. Sometimes you want the mountains, but sometimes you want to do that two mile straightaway to test your speed. Taking your time on a ride can really stretch out a few miles to take hours. Of course you could also skinsuit and aero helmet the highway to have an average of 25mph. These are all small things you contemplate when pumping up your tires and stashing the co2 and tire irons in your rear pockets.
Terrain has a big role in what makes a bike ride what it is. You can’t ride your twelve pound Scott Addict on babyhead gravel meant for a full suspension (well, you can but…) You also tend to take your lightest steeds when there is a ton of climbing unless you are a pain addict. But when you start thinking about terrain in terms of pavè versus off-road, this brings up another topic… (more…)
WV Cycling 