Ryan - I hope they can overlook the mixte frame and sweepy bars and admire the bike, I really do. Maybe change their minds when they see what a great bike it is and that it isn’t slow. I am used to punishing hills and triple digit temps, and I hope that counts for something and gives me some advantage for keeping up on a heavier bike if I try one of these rides.
Group rides. I am getting the feeling from the many responses I’ve received that asking to go on a “Group Ride” might equate to peloton or race or club ride. I might be using the wrong term. I just mean getting a group of people together on a route. And not to do it in as little time as possible. I would love a destination - coffee or lunch - and that might be something I do have to organize. It might not exist. And what would it be called??? Leah > On Jan 17, 2022, at 12:45 PM, Ryan <ryter...@mts.net> wrote: > > What I think, Leah.... > > You'll find your people, I'm sure...yeah, just check out local rides and see > what you think. Probably first on your hit-list is a good, local LBS > > I wouldn't lose any sleep over what the cool kids think. You're a bike rider > and I think your Platypi will draw lots of admirers...and since you are very > fit and athletic, it wouldn't surprise me if you drop a few of the kitted-out > wannabees...if that means anything to you > > My .002 from 50+ years of riding with not a smidge of racing > > Ryan in Winnipeg > >> On Monday, January 17, 2022 at 11:13:57 AM UTC-6 george schick wrote: >> Leah wrote: "...The locals tell me spring will be here in March. I’ve got 2 >> months..." I don't want to throw a wet blanket on any enthusiasm here, but >> I wouldn't necessarily get my hopes to fired up about that date. True, >> "meteorological" Spring begins March 1st, but we've had some really nasty, >> snowy weather during that month in these parts of the Midwest in recent >> years. So you may have more time to figure it out after all. >> >>> On Monday, January 17, 2022 at 8:31:09 AM UTC-6 Bicycle Belle Ding Ding! >>> wrote: >>> We recently moved to SW Michigan. I was a total Lone Wolf (borrowing from >>> Eben Weiss, The Bike Snob) in Vegas but I dream of having Real Life Bike >>> Friends here. This List has really been a gift to me, but it has also made >>> me want more: I want REAL people and REAL experiences with them. I have >>> found a shop that hosts rides of various kinds 9 months out of the year. >>> There is hope! >>> >>> The trouble is: I don’t know what I am, and neither does anyone else. >>> >>> I have never done a group ride. I don’t know how fast or slow I am, and I >>> don’t know how far I can go. I don’t know etiquette or what would tick off >>> other riders in the group. (My “group rides” were with my 2 sons on the way >>> to school. And it’s true that you learn a rhythm that works for your group >>> and on the rare occasion my husband got included, he made us all nervous.) >>> I would like to have a good first experience and not be a drag for a group. >>> I think failure would send me right back into Lone Wolfdom. I suppose I >>> will just have to risk it. >>> >>> When I say I ride, everyone thinks Roadie, and then they think of their >>> friend who is also a Roadie and want to plan a meeting for us. Now, I doubt >>> I’m going to keep up with a group of road bikes on my Platypus. When I say >>> I don’t have a road bike, the person will say, “Oh, you like to mountain >>> bike!” When I try to explain, try to say what it is that I ride, I don’t >>> have words. If I admit I don’t have a road bike or mountain bike people >>> assume hybrid bike from big box store = not a serious rider. I don’t know >>> what I am. I don’t know what “we” are. Where do bikes like ours fit? Who do >>> we ride with? >>> >>> In looking at local events online, it seems there are Roadies and there are >>> Gravel Kings (my own term). If I roll up on my fendered, raspberry sparkle >>> Platypus, both groups will be uncomfortable. >>> >>> My shop did mention some community rides, and those I will try, though I >>> suspect they might be short and slow for my taste. There are some very >>> exciting events state-wide here, but they do seem to be geared to road >>> bikers. I admit that I know very little about bike culture here, and >>> talking to real people might open up a lot of possibilities. Where are >>> these people I can talk to?! >>> >>> The locals tell me spring will be here in March. I’ve got 2 months to >>> figure out where I fit, Rivsters. >>> >>> Who can relate? Who has words of wisdom? Who just wants to commiserate? Are >>> we the outcasts of bike culture or are we unicorns? Where are we in the >>> Velotaxonomy? How do we make the cool people take us seriously? Should I >>> buy Lycra? >>> >>> What I wouldn’t give for a couple of RivSisters living locally… >>> Leah > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the Google > Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/topic/rbw-owners-bunch/PPpgoQuIGhk/unsubscribe. > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/72968766-277f-4e6e-bcac-fd3b7bafca4en%40googlegroups.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/26ED6D79-2661-4FDD-9805-5C5C3FB6D433%40gmail.com.
