Anyone on here a cyclist? For me it is the ultimate way to spend my time. You spend a lot of time outside, pushing yourself hard up hills going fast down them and really getting a chance to apprceiate the area where you live, as well as being supremely fit!

I compete in time trials (PB for a 40KM TT is 1.03.55, not super fast) and if I am feeling fast some races.

The tour of flanders is currently on at the moment I will be seriously suprised if Tom Boonen doesnt win

i've been cycling seriously for about the past 5 years. its a lot of fun if you can find a few people to ride with, and its also a great way to keep the weight off. i've never been to keen on road racing because i'm a little slow and it seems like a lot of guys that are competitive road cyclists are really ego-driven. the mountain biking scene is much more laid back in my opinion. they also have a lot more diversification in racing classes in mountain biking, which helps a lot for getting lesser experienced riders into the sport.

I'm not competitive or anything but I've always enjoyed riding my bike around since I was a kid. It's a great way to get outside and to travel.

i used to ride a bit. i finished a ride for the ms foundation from houston to austin a couple of years ago then got off the bike for a little bit. i did it on a hybrid, that might have been why it jaded me. i just bought a used fuji, though, so i plan on getting back into it this spring. there's really not much in my life more relaxing than a bike road down some backroads here in texas. i wish i had more hills, though.

I was there somewhere on the road! This was the sport highlight for everyone in Flanders. What a huge race! There were so many people on the road. It was so much fun. And our own guys (Hoste & Boonen) ruled the race! It could really not have been better.

How big is this race in other countries? I mean, Tom Boonen right now in Belgium is as big a sportsman as Pele.

I'll be on the Carrefour de l'Arbre on the road in Paris-Roubaix next sunday!

I have a litespeed classic road bike. I rode in a few centuries and the ms150. The past year or two I have been mostly running. The new house I am moving to has some great areas to ride on the road so I think I am going to get back into it.

I always thought that biking would be a cool sport to get into..I would love to be able to do it competitvely one day.. is it hard to get into?? At the gym I go to there is a cycling class that seems like it is a pretty big thing, it looks pretty tough. I've always wanted to give it a try.

its kind of tough to get into in the states because there isn't the huge following that there is in europe. you'll hate the first couple of rides you go on if you're not already in pretty decent shape because it can be a shock to your respiratory system. i would definitley go to the gym and check out the spinning classes for a couple of weeks and see how you like it before going out and dropping alot of cash on a new bike. but overall, i don't think you can beat cycling, its a great way to waste time and stay in shape at the same time.

as far as being competitve, its definitely not a couch potato to 1st place kind of sport, unless you're just some sort of freak. i think the best thing to do is just have fun with it the first couple of seasons until you learn the sport well enough to start racing. then join a crash 5 race and see how you do. if you're already in killer shape though, you might want to get into racing a little sooner.

You guys know Hincapie finished 3rd and is one of the favorites to win Paris-Roubaix on sunday, right?

Or has cycling died after Armstrong over there?


Goddammit, no football, no cycling, I don't think I would survive over there.

yeah. hincapie is a badass. i was really happy for him when he won that mountain stage in the tour de france last year. and i thought he might have a shot at the paris roubaix last year, but i guess he just didn't have the sprinting power to do it. i think that's something he's been working on, though. should be an interesting paris roubaix this year. but hincapie definitely doesn't get the respect he deserves over here. i guess thats what happens when your teammate wins the tdf 7 years in a row. and the way americans only follow the tdf in general, i'm sure nobody would even talk about it if the guy won the paris roubaix.

its sad that the u.s. can't seem to catch onto this sport. we have some great areas to ride/race at, but could you imagine the chaos that would ensue if we were to shut down a road for a few hours to hold a cycling race?

Just got back from a five hour hilly training ride. feel quite wastesd .




Well in britain its pretty big, I got to watch most of it on eurosport and all my cycling mates watched it, but outside the very cliquey cycling world it has virtually no public appeal. Although there was a cloumn in todays gaurdian about roger hammoned crashing on sunday having 14 stiches on his knee and deciding if he will be fit to ride Paris -Roubiax on sunday.

Have a good time on sunday Angus.

gettin ready to go to asheville tommorrow morning. we're going to do a 30 mile IMBA epic mountain bike ride at dupont state forest. should be great weather for it.

thanks

Today I'm going to watch Gent-Wevelgem (they come here in my street). Don't know if this one is known. It's a Pro Tour race anyway.

But Sunday will be magical I think, can't wait





all you see are Belgian and Flemish flags here:

[img]http://www.curveinc.com/Images/Paris-Roubaix1_'03.jpg[/img]

Cool photos, you should check out the ones on cyclingnews.com it shows the riders getting off and walking, awesome!

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2006/ ... NBERG_6297


I will watch the highlights of GW tonight, I am not sure if Boonen will give it his all for this race with Sunday coming up, I think Andreas Klier will win.

I have read recently that Boonen has the same soigneur as Johann Museeuw, do you reckon he could be on the jungle juice?

Phew! I did the last 10km by bike today and I knew the wind was going to be decisive. Too bad for Roesems. But I'm still glad Hushovd won and Petacchi didn't.

About the juice... I really don't wanna think about it. Sorry. Could be.

Fabian Cancellara wins Paris-Roubaix!

What a great end to the race. FC was riding very stong in the last 16kms, a excellent way to win.
Boonen didnt have the legs today, neither did any of the quick step guys, still its good to see someone else winning.
Not too sure about the DQs, surely Bonnen Ballan and Flecha should also have been dqd as they went through when the barriers were still down?
Hincapie had a nasty crash, I hope he mends quickly. I bet Bontagers sales dont do too well soon!

Wow,
you can simply not believe how awful these roads feel unless you ride on them, preferably by bike. Guys, this is unbelievable and my respect for every rider who finishes this race is huge!

Great race by Cancellara. Although it's no Belgian rider who wins, I'm still happy. He was great today. Too bad Hoste got disqualified. I love the guy and he absolutely deserved that 2nd place.

The amount of Flemish supporters on the Carrefour de l'arbre is incredible. We own this race.

GO BOONEN! GO BELGIUM! FUCK ITALY!!