After many years of riding single-speed cruisers with coaster brakes, I'm upgrading to a hybrid road bike. What do I need to know?
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posted by therumsgone
on May 7, 2013 -
17 answers
I get a gross sticky buildup on my lips whenever I ride my bike, similar to the buildup I get on my lips when I'm sick. I used to think it had something to do with not being hydrated enough, but I've since gotten a handle on what I need to stay hydrated and it still happens. Then I thought maybe keeping my mouth closed would help, but it doesn't. It happens year-round, on rides both long and short, and whether or not I'm wearing anything (like balms or glosses) on my lips. Why does it happen? Can I make it stop, or am I forever doomed to constantly wiping my mouth on my gloves or the inside of my collar?
posted by rhiannonstone
on May 1, 2013 -
7 answers
I do not have adequate health insurance, am self-employed, and any injury that might prevent me from working steadily would be economically problematic (ok, disastrous). I also would like to begin riding my bicycle again as a form of exercise and enjoyment. Would the health benefits of biking outweigh the risk of injury? I would be primarily riding on designated bike trails, not public roads. I'm somewhat paranoid because a friend (with good insurance, fortunately) had a mishap on a bike trail that required surgery. I don't know how common such mishaps are. What would you do in my situation?
posted by Wordwoman
on Apr 10, 2013 -
31 answers
I've signed up for a cycling event that will be my first metric century (100km/~65mi). Last year I was regularly riding 20-40 miles at a stretch on the weekends, and then I did a 50-mile ride and felt great after. So when I signed up for this one, 65 miles didn't seem particularly daunting. However, that 50-miler was last year, and between illness, weather, and travel I pretty much took the winter off from cycling. I've been doing regular training rides since early February, but none of my rides have been longer than 25 miles (but I usually feel great after). The metric century is this coming weekend, and I'm torn between skipping it because I might be unprepared, and going for it anyway because I'm already registered and why not try? Cyclists of Metafilter, what do you think--am I woefully unprepared? Should I try anyway? Have you done anything similar and felt great/terrible about it? More details below the fold.
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posted by rhiannonstone
on Apr 2, 2013 -
20 answers
I live in jeans and on my bicycle. I don't mind biking in jeans for short distances, but I'm finding myself doing a lot more bike riding in situations where I need something more presentable and versatile than bike shorts, skorts, or yoga-type pants, but more comfortable than jeans. (And it's not my bottom that's the issue, so wearing padded liner shorts under my jeans is not the solution I'm looking for.) The obvious answer here is pants designed for traveling and hiking, but I'm having a hard time finding any in my size (2X). I found some cargo pants at Old Navy that looked promising, but even though they're in my size they don't fit because they're super low-rise. REI has exactly one pair of plus-sized adventure travel pants and I have them, but I'd like more options. Do you have a recommendation for comfortable hiking/travel pants in plus sizes?
posted by rhiannonstone
on Mar 23, 2013 -
11 answers
I'd like to take a couple of days in late April/early May to bike from Boston to Provincetown. None of the state parks along that route are open until Memorial Day. Is there any way I can still camp overnight along the route, or am I going to need to find other accommodations?
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posted by backseatpilot
on Mar 20, 2013 -
8 answers
Now that
WeEndure is going away, I need somewhere to track my exercise. There are a number of places that have biking and running, but not swimming. I'd prefer simpler to the more complex sites like MapMyRun (which, again, doesn't do swimming, from what I can see). I have seen
this and wondered what things are out there, four years later. Bonus: a place that I can dump all my WeEndure data into so I hit the ground running.
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posted by notsnot
on Jan 29, 2013 -
9 answers
My roommate bikes about 4 miles to work. His feet are size 13 and he uses platform (flat) pedals. He wears pretty chunky shoes. We live in Portland, OR. For HolidayGiftingTime I bought him some Sugoi Resistor booties, but within a month they have shredded and ripped to the point of uselessness. What are some other options for the large-footed, shreddy-pedaled biker? Are there any booties specifically for platform pedals?
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posted by MonsieurBon
on Jan 27, 2013 -
5 answers
The arches of my feet hurt quite a bit during my spin classes. What can I do to alleviate the pain?
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posted by amycup
on Dec 25, 2012 -
9 answers
Winter 2012 -- Help me arrive at work, via bike, with functional hands.
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posted by Danf
on Nov 27, 2012 -
16 answers
Do you have a fitbit? How to you deal with biking and/or other activities that fitbit does not measure well? Or is there a better tool for this?
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posted by ManInSuit
on Nov 22, 2012 -
12 answers
YANML, but please help me weigh the benefits of filing a police report about a car-bike accident when a settlement is still in process from a previous accident.
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posted by nonmerci
on Oct 20, 2012 -
10 answers
What interesting things should I see, do, eat, and (maybe) drink in and around Santa Rosa this weekend? I'll be there primarily for a bike ride* but will have a day before the ride and a day after to do other stuff, as well.
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posted by rhiannonstone
on Sep 26, 2012 -
7 answers
What's the best way to get five people, their camping gear and five touring bikes from Washington, DC to Fort Lauderdale and back again?
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posted by fancypants
on Sep 25, 2012 -
12 answers
I have a 20 year old bike pump and helmet. The pump had a rubber nozzle end that is eaten away. The helmet had some felt that is also crumbling. Can I buy just these bits or do I need whole new equiptment?
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posted by cmm
on Sep 10, 2012 -
15 answers
Is there an equivalent of the Couch to 5k program for biking?
posted by Proginoskes
on Aug 20, 2012 -
17 answers
I have literally (yes, literally) never stepped foot in a paid gym in my life. I'm a 27-year-old male, who (despite being almost rail-thin) is only "in shape" enough to bike-sprint the 1.7 miles to work, then back in the evening. It's time to change that, so I signed up for the small, limited (cheap!) gym on campus. Other than "get the professional help of a personal trainer", what should I do there?
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posted by supercres
on Aug 10, 2012 -
13 answers
BicycleFilter: So I don't know anything about bikes. Help me fix these problems with mine!
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posted by LSK
on Aug 4, 2012 -
29 answers
If I wanted to make a paying hobby out of restoring and updating old bikes, what are some resources that would help me improve my skills, research the right bikes/components, and find the right places to buy them?
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posted by Scientist
on Jun 11, 2012 -
22 answers
You started biking later in life, and you did it in a big city. How did you become comfortable biking on roads with cars? I'm kind of freaked out by this.
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posted by showbiz_liz
on May 22, 2012 -
42 answers
What do I need in order to start commuting by bike? Assume that I currently have 1) a bike, 2) there is no 2.
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posted by Scientist
on May 17, 2012 -
51 answers
Needed: Stylish bike bag solutions! What baskets / panniers would fit my Raleigh's giant rear bike rack?
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posted by aaanastasia
on May 10, 2012 -
8 answers
Is it worth it to drop $175 for a pro bicycle fitting? I'm a injured former marathoner who desperately needs something to fill that moving-fast-outdoors-for-long-distances void, and I'd like for bicycling to do that...except every time I try to bike for anything longer than a few miles I get a terrible grinding sensation in one knee.
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posted by indognito
on Apr 18, 2012 -
14 answers
Cheap men's synthetic underwear: nylon/spandex/polyester/etc. Would like approx 12 pair for bicycling. Flexible on style/aesthetics. Priority:
inexpensive.
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posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj
on Apr 12, 2012 -
8 answers
We're going to Chicago this weekend! Despite a 50% chance of rain (BOO) I am determined to have an awesome time. We will be staying in Wicker Park and plan to rely mainly on bikes and the L to get around. We aim to eat, shop and explore. Where do we start?
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posted by zoomorphic
on Apr 11, 2012 -
15 answers
Biking the west coast and across the USA - want to have a bike built in Portland, OR: where to go? What to build?
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posted by flippant
on Apr 8, 2012 -
19 answers
I've been pleasantly surprised by how easy it's been to find decent plus-sized cycling gear--until the temperature dropped. Now it's time for a warmish jacket to wear on my morning commute and weekend rides and I can't find a thing. Plus-sized active women, where do you shop for outerwear?
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posted by rhiannonstone
on Nov 25, 2011 -
11 answers
Tell me about bikes. It's been a long time since I've owned one, and when I did I trashed that thing, being a kid and all. Now I would like to get a new one, and one that I can love for many years to come. So, please share your thoughts on brands, hardware and tech.
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posted by zombieApoc
on Oct 26, 2011 -
23 answers
What are the things you'd wish you'd known or done the first time you did the Houston-Austin BP MS 150?
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posted by chrisfromthelc
on Sep 26, 2011 -
3 answers
I want a bicycle for fitness and a biathlon here and there. I don't want to spend a ton of money on a casual hobby but I don't want a bike that only lasts a season. What type/brand of bike should I buy or what should I look for in a bike for this purpose?
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posted by bodgy
on Aug 24, 2011 -
18 answers
