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So by moving muscles faster, you switch to slow-twitch muscles? Interesting. The 90rpm number seems like the pacing I try to set, trying to pedal foot-by-foot to "The Ants Go Marching", where if I feel too much strain, or the song's pacing gets too fast or too slow, I switch gears. I biked to work this morning, which is absolutely the latest in the season I have ever biked. Part of me wants to try winter cycling, but I feel like it's such a switch from my easygoing low-maintenance ways. I only even did my first work commute summer ride in 2015 or 2014, making the then-7km trip, because a cycling friend did the run with me during workday traffic to get me used to it.
It's not so much the speed that causes you to use slow-twitch muscles, it's that the load on your muscles is much less at a higher cadence (essentially you require less torque for the same speed), which means that you don't need to rely on anaerobic systems to provide the additional force needed at lower cadences. I'm probably screwing up the physiology somewhat, but the gist of it is that you should be able to sustain a higher load for longer at a higher cadence. This is within reason, of course, as most people have a much lower efficiency pedal stroke at very high cadences (>100 rpm).
(11-29-2017, 10:06 AM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: [ -> ]Part of me wants to try winter cycling, but I feel like it's such a switch from my easygoing low-maintenance ways. I only even did my first work commute summer ride in 2015 or 2014, making the then-7km trip, because a cycling friend did the run with me during workday traffic to get me used to it.

I biked through the winter for the first time two years ago, and did it again all last winter. Both years were pretty mild however. My winter bike is a tank, and apparently the cables are impervious to salt, because they are still going strong. Having them run on top of the top tube, far away from the ground, helps. I don't do a lot of maintenance aside from trying to keep it lubricated.

It is definitely a challenge some days. I also appreciate that more of an effort is made to maintain trails in the winter than used to be done. I also try to stay off the roads on bad days, because drivers be crazy.
I've communte-biked "through the winter" for the past... nine years? But I have a very low tolerance for what constitutes a "too messy to bike" day. On those days I take the bus... until I build up enough impatience at their interminable sloth that I kick myself into biking again. Generally I've found that, even given Waterloo Weather, there are enough days that are clear both in sky and on road that I still just buy bus tickets instead of a monthly pass.

My bicycle is a bog-standard hybrid (tyres are wider than a city bike, narrower than a mountain bike) with no special equipment. Cables run under the frame, and I've had to have them replaced once because they'd stretched so far one snapped. My chain is somewhat angry with my decision to winter-bike, so I ply it with lubricant and frequent cleanings. I have a bright headlight on the handlebars and a red blinker under the seat.

For my own self, a balaclava keeps my ears and neck warm as well as keeping my breath moist so my lungs don't hurt, an old ski mask keeps the wind from blowing in my eyes, and I double-layer my gloves since my fingers are stuck way out there in the cold. I only have to survive a 25min bike, so it's not too bad. I'm often too warm in my torso and rather cold in the fingers, though, and I wonder if I should invest in some sort of battery-powered heated gloves or something.

If I misjudge the weather, I can opt to ride the bus with my bike in the carrier on front. I generally don't do that because of the aforementioned interminable sloth, but I like to know it's an option.

I recommend commute-biking in the winter if you have a sub-20-min commute, a plan for how to abort if the weather turns south, and are free of annoying circulatory disorders like Raynaud Syndrome. Spend some thought on what equipment you'll need for yourself, and don't feel guilty if a day looks too grimy to make the effort.
Sounds a lot like my bike (though it has uncovered over the top tube cables, normal brakes and hybrid tires). My route is probably 4.5km. Imagine I'd want some pant/boot covers, choice gloves, maybe eye protection, balaclava. Easy enough to use a bus but I like the speed, cost, freedom, and fitness of a bike commute. Maybe... the bike maintenance is the one bit I've never done myself, sheepishly, tune-ups always been in a shop before summer cycling. And strangely, I've been trying to put a term to the cold/numb in my fingers and toes, and maybe you've just given me the answer.
Also, if you don't have any long underwear, I recommend buying some. I find they really help to keep my legs warm.
(11-29-2017, 09:06 AM)jamincan Wrote: [ -> ]A few thing Iain:

700c wheels are almost certainly lower diameter than 700mm, you can find some rough estimates online, but it will vary depending on the wheel and tire.

Also, are you normally pedaling at 60 rpm?  I'd strongly encourage you to pick the cadence up to closer to 90 rpm. Your heart rate will tend to increase slightly, but you will put much less load on your muscles for the same speed, which means you will be able to rely more on the slow-twitch aerobic muscle fibers and greatly increase your endurance at higher power.

Hey Jeremy,

I just used 60 r/min since that's an easy number for me to visualize. I probably pedal a bit faster than that, but just wanted some kind of visual baseline. I could have typed in any number. I have remembered all the times you have told me to downshift and pedal faster. Smile I don't pedal anywhere near as fast as typical road bikers, though - I am content at a nice slow "Omafiets" 15 km/h. Smile

I measured my 700c wheels, and they were actually right on what I put in my spreadsheet. I thought the same as you, that perhaps it was the rim size vs. the actual tire size. Again, for this exercise, I was not concerned about 1 or 2 cm of error. I just wanted a ballpark, and thought it was cute to find out the 1880's equivalent sizing.
(11-29-2017, 02:39 PM)chutten Wrote: [ -> ]My bicycle is a bog-standard hybrid (tyres are wider than a city bike, narrower than a mountain bike) with no special equipment. Cables run under the frame, and I've had to have them replaced once because they'd stretched so far one snapped. My chain is somewhat angry with my decision to winter-bike, so I ply it with lubricant and frequent cleanings. I have a bright headlight on the handlebars and a red blinker under the seat.

For my own self, a balaclava keeps my ears and neck warm as well as keeping my breath moist so my lungs don't hurt, an old ski mask keeps the wind from blowing in my eyes, and I double-layer my gloves since my fingers are stuck way out there in the cold. I only have to survive a 25min bike, so it's not too bad. I'm often too warm in my torso and rather cold in the fingers, though, and I wonder if I should invest in some sort of battery-powered heated gloves or something.

Love all of this and it's the same for me!

I put away my bike last November and thought "Well, that's it I guess" and then after about 3 weeks I thought "Wait, why am I not riding again?" and gave it a shot. Realized that there was absolutely no reason to not ride in the winter, and absolutely fell in love with those perfectly clear -10C days with the sun bright in the sky and the crisp snow crunching under my tires! It's bliss, it really is.

Many of the trails are ploughed here, too - which is just wonderful.

One of my coworkers said that biking the Cambridge to Paris trail in the winter is an unforgettable experience - I look forward to giving it a try on one of those perfect winter days!
Canard, you'd like this gear-calculator.com it'll work out all the math for your entire gear system. In the display drop-down there is a selection for "gear-inches" that will put the number above each gear on the chart. It's handy to compare changes on a drivetrain, or to compare a double to a triple, or whatever.
Ha, that’s awesome! Thanks! That’s essentially what I was trying to do with my (very limited) spreadsheet math skillz. Big Grin
An additional advantage to spinning at a high cadence is that it puts much less strain on your knees.
(11-29-2017, 03:33 PM)Viewfromthe42 Wrote: [ -> ]Maybe... the bike maintenance is the one bit I've never done myself, sheepishly, tune-ups always been in a shop before summer cycling.

I started doing simple maintenance - cleaning the chain, making sure cables are tightened and such - myself a couple of years ago. It is gratifying work and not especially time consuming. I still bring my bike to a shop every year for a bigger review and to make sure I haven't messed anything up and so far what ends up happening is a decent chat with the mechanic and me learning more. 

I recommend King St Cycles and Black Arrow Cycles for informative mechanics from personal experience, but I suspect the same is true for most any LBS.
The latest P&W agenda is out with some information about the Separated Bike Lane Pilot Project. Public consultations are scheduled for December 12 and 14:

December 12, 2017, 5:00–8:00 p.m.
Albert McCormick Community Centre (Community Room),
500 Parkside Drive, Waterloo

December 14, 2017, 5:00–8:00 p.m.
Waterloo Public Library (Main Library)
35 Albert Street, Waterloo

For those wondering why both PCCs for this regional project are in Waterloo:

Quote:The Project Team has selected Uptown Waterloo as the Preferred Study Area and is now introducing the project to the public.

Edit: The info can be found in this pdf
OMG. Go look at what is happening right now in uptown Waterloo. I tweeted about it with some very coarse language, so I’d best not link to it here.
What's happening?