Maybe the roads are boring where you live. Around here (SF Bay Area, especially Southern Peninsula, South Bay) the roads are no less challenging. We have several "categorized" climbs and the Tour of California routinely holds a stage in our area. Here is a very popular local event (this year's event is unfortunately canceled) which has some of the prettiest and challenging (for an amateur) routes: https://tierrabella.org/tb_route.php. Also check out some of the road profiles at this site: https://actc.org/profiles/index.php. Everyone knows their best time up Old La Honda and a combination of Shannon/Kennedy and Peach/Canon is a regular. A 30-mile with about 1500-2000-ft elevation change is not uncommon for a weekend morning road ride. So many to choose from. Metcalf Road climb (1000-ft in 1.5 miles, essentially straight up) is one I have never been able to do in one go in my road bike - I see many mountain bikers pass me even though my bike weighs about half-to-third of their's......then I realize it's all in the gearing. My best combo is 34-28 whereas the mountain folks are all spinning away at 30-34, at just above stall speed!! Another great annual event is the Tahoe century bike ride (once around Lake Tahoe) called America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride - 100 miles, 4900+ ft climbing at altitude, and views to die for! (https://www.bikethewest.com/americas-mo ... bike-ride/)twocoach wrote: ↑Sun Apr 19, 2020 10:01 am
As a fat guy, I think all you skinny guys are boring (again, we're talking tires, here). To me, riding a road bike is like jogging on a big, paved trail; no challenge to it other than churning out miles. The only part of road biking I would like is the big numbers you can put up on your MPH and your total miles ridden but the lack of terrain challenge would result in me riding along think about my work, my family and everything else. When I ride a mountain bike, all I can think of is steering, gearing and pedaling or I will end up wrapped around a tree. I find that to be very oddly relaxing; I imagine that most road bikers would find it to be stressful.
And while we're on the topic of road biking, can you please explain to me why road bike riders always wear full kits when they ride? They aren't training for the Tour De France; do they really need to be in full matching spandex kits? It's kinda weird.
About the kits.......I was talking to my friend about this a few years ago and here is his explanation (not sure I buy it completely, but FWIW)....it's not unlike me going to the store wearing my KU tshirt or some guy wearing his 49-ers hat in public. If you're asking why we need to wear a bike jersey at all that's a different question. The comfort, the quick drying fabric and the pockets are all essential. Most of mine or non-branded and neutral colors for the most part. I have a couple that are from rides which I have done and a California Republic jersey.
