Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Training Block

I started a new Polar heart rate based training block yesterday. It's mainly to keep up the off season fitness on the bike. The rides are short enough to do indoors on a trainer if the weather is too nasty for all but the most dedicated year around riders. Folks like Doug, Jeff, Charlie, and rest of you out there know who you are. It will probably take me a few rides to get acclimated and today was a better than yesterday. Nothing got cold or even uncomfortable. Yes, it was a balmy 35 degrees, so one shouldn't get chilled. As they say, "man's game".

Speaking of winter riding, Walmart carries studded MTB tires. First, carbon bottle cages, now studded tires. Who'd a thunk it? BTW, the Bell carbon bottle cages are as good as I've used, and are now under $20.00. What will they off next? A full carbon framed bike? Actually, they do. Special order only, of course. Weird. But, at least they recognize the bike culture and are offering some better products. I doubt that they will rattle up the real bike shops. At least I hope not.

5 comments:

Biking Duluth said...

I'd spend the extra for nokian's. The wal-mart brand, as well as other brands you see in actual bike places, are either 1, not carbide - just soft steel and will quickly grind to nubbies, or 2, they will pull out like nothing and you'll be riding on stud holes, not studds. I research the heck out of something before I bite and I bit on nokian mount and grounds. Good luck with winter riding, it's really not that bad :o) PS, I don't call it cold till it's sub 0 :o)

Biking Duluth said...

Turns out they are rebranded kenda klondikes. I find they are carbide but from what I have read of kenda is that they do pull out more then the nokians.

Doug said...

I had a pair of Nashbar Studs that were also re-branded Kenda Klondikes. I rode two winters with them on my Rockhopper (before it became my Xtracycle donor bike) and never lost a stud and they never looked like they had any wear on them. But I love my Nokian's. When I replace them I might go with the lighter Schwalbe Marathon studs.

Boz said...

Good advice, thanks. I was thinking about drilling and studding my own tires. I used to do it for ice racing cars. I think I still have a couple of stud guns around.

rlove2bike said...

Riding in the winter, I think, ia a lot of fun. Mountain biking...studs not needed, but on the road, studs for sure. I personally dislike the trainer so bad that the studded tires are worth every penny no matter what brand you buy...or make.