How do you people survive the trainer?

Living in an inhospitable place like northern Canada in the winter means that the trainer becomes your only option when you want to continue using your cycling legs.  In lots of places, the weather is bad and you might have to ride the trainer for a few weeks, and then you can return to outdoor riding even if its a bit cold.  Here, you might have to ride it for several months!

I've tried the videos, watched movies, pedaling next to a friend; all with the same result.  It sucks. I've found that spin classes are the best way to ride a bike indoors because the instructors are usually upbeat and motivated to make everyone have a good sweat.  But riding my bike is about so much more than just the exercise.  It's about the scenery, the fresh air, the rush of descending hills, and the hard climbs.  In a spin class, its about sweating your ass off and getting a good workout for 60 minutes.  Then you have to get in a freeeeeezing cold car and slide home.

When it comes to commitment and riding a trainer I just don't have it.  I recently read Phil Gaimon's book, Procycling on $10 a day, and marveled at the commitment the pros have to riding so much for 11 of the 12 months on the calender, including 4 or 5 hours on a trainer.  That would kill me or I would go insane.  I also know a guy who trained indoors for the Ironman in Hawaii.  He had to train for the bike portion on a trainer all winter, and his training had to be done starting at 4:00 am in the morning.  To prepare for a 112 mile bike ride at race pace that means he had to ride 3-4 hours in the cold dark basement of his house several days a week.  He also had to find time to swim and run (on a treadmill or an indoor track) to train for the 2.4 mile swim and the 26.2 mile run.  I admire it, but I also think it borders on crazy ... no offence.

Which brings me to my most recent revelation.  I need to move somewhere else.  I have been in the great white north for most of my 40 years.  But I've also had the chance to live in several of the southern states during the internship portion of graduate school, and visit many other locations around the world. I've always said that the really nice places are packed full of people for a reason, and Canada is empty because it's f@#*~%g frigid.  Don't get me wrong, I love my country and all of the wonderful things here; but, if we ever get a chance to annex some small territory that's much warmer, I'll move faster than Mark Cavendish can sprint.

I hate the trainer and love to be outdoors.  I would ride my bike 12 months of the year if I could. Yes, I know there are lots of other things to enjoy like XC and downhill skiing, windsurfing, fly fishing, etc.  However, I think I can find the perfect spot where I can do both almost all year round. If I do, I'm confident that my family will follow me, and be grateful that we don't have to wear parkas, snow boots, long underwear, gloves, hats and snow pants for half of the year.  No more snow tires, frozen windshield wipers, or shoveling snow.  And don't misunderstand me here, this isn't a grass is always greener scenario.  It is truly inhospitable when you can literally freeze your fingers, toes, or nose walking to the corner store to get milk.  It is unbearable when you have regular snow storms similar to the one experienced by Buffalo (we're just better prepared because it's normal).  It is not fun to freeze your ass off between November and April.

I think I would love going to the cold mountains to ski, but then enjoy going back to the temperate city to do everything else.  I'm going to need help with this.  I need anybody out there to send me your suggestions of where to live.  I promise it's between you and I in case you think everyone will follow me and ruin this great hidden gem.  Here are the requirements: weather to bike in year round, mountains to ski at, opening for a job - unfortunately, affordable cost of living, low crime rate, and some clean lakes and rivers nearby.  Easy, right?  Send me your ideas, please!

Fat bike: Fad or Future?

Living in a cold and snowy climate, I can see the appeal of a bicycle that can plow through snow and keep us bike lovers active.  It is a source of depression for many of us when the snow comes and we have to hang up our bikes for 6 months.

I used to make my own studded tired before you could readily get your hands on them.  I would put them on my Fisher AL-1 (before it was Gary Fisher), and I would proceed to ride in the snow that wasn't too deep, but mainly on icy roads and sidewalks that had been cleared.  To be perfectly honest, it wasn't very much fun, the studded tires we made were crap, and sometimes it is just too cold to ride a bike here in Canada.

I will admit that the days when it isn't too cold and the sun is shining, I do feel a bit sad that there is no two wheel option for exercise.  I enjoy spinning on a trainer or going to a spin class, but one of the main reasons we like to ride is to be outside and enjoy nature.

Here in North America, outside of California, we have pretty good air quality (relatively speaking). All the more reason to stay out of our cars and ride our bikes, even in the winter when it is snowy and cold.  I met a guy who tried to ride year round last winter; he was definitely determined.  Now keep in mind, it can be as low as -40 deg C here and the snow can easily get to a foot deep over night.  He told me that one day it took him 3 hours to get to work because of deep snow ... his wife picked him up after work.  I bet everyone wishes they had a boss who understood that you are 3 hours late for work because you rode your bike in the fallout of a blizzard.

SO, if you want to ride mainly for fitness and fun and commuting when the weather permits, then I would definitely see the value in buying a fat bike for winter riding.  In fact, as many bike nuts are aware, the N+1 rule for how many bikes we should have is certainly applicable here.  My goal is to slowly build a garage full of bikes (without my wife noticing) that fills each of the different categories that are needed.  Perhaps, the fat bike will be next.

Now which fat bike?  I am not a rich man, not at least in the monetary sense.  So I may not call up Ericksen and order this beauty:

Ericksen Fatbike - Can you see me drooling?

I think a more price conscience model may be in my future.  Perhaps, I will go to one of the Surly models like the Moonlander. Capable and less than half the price of the highest end fat bikes.

Surly Moonlander - craters would be easy to ride over. 

Another bike I would consider is the Ritchey Commando for no reason other than my greater respect for Tom Ritchey after watching a documentary about Team Rwanda Cycling - Rising from Ashes. What does a multimillionaire need to go to Africa for and start a cycling team?  Now that is a person who has used his money to do something for other people.  And I don't really know that much about him other than his obvious passion for cycling.  I also like a lot of his components for reliability, design, and reasonable cost.

Ritchey Commando - a fitting name for a fat bike.

Not sure which bike to collect next, but I realize if I'm not skiing XC or downhill, I sure would like to be on a bike enjoying the outdoors.  I like fat-bike.com - they seem like they are serious about fat bikes in a not too serious way.  Check them out for lots of information on this category of two wheel fun.


On a side note: I'm glad the Tour of Beijing has been cancelled.  I'm surprised the riders don't have on gas masks or respirators for breathing in that air.  Scary isn't it?  One of the world's largest and most dense populations living in terrible air quality.  Hopefully, they make air quality a major focus for improving the lives of their population and the future generations.

All riders will be given a standard issue gas mask, maybe in team colors?
Lens options include clear, yellow, brown, or grey polarized.