Alley Ride

Last Saturday everyone was riding a bike like this and was wearing racing clothes. My wheels were twice as thick as everyone else’s. I also stood out wearing swim shorts and a white t-shirt (undershirt) rather than racing gear.

Tonight, I showed up to a ride and most people’s wheels were twice as thick. The surly gentlemen who were atop these off-road bikes were much less executive-looking on their part, too. Like their bikes they looked a little mean and dirty, and two of the guys’ bike were actually “Surly” brand bikes.

“Do we go on roads?” I asked the person next to me.

“Yeah, uh, it’s kinda roads… I guess.”

We made a loop around the city riding unpaved paths that were full of holes, rocks, glass, garbage, and police busts (two tonight!). Once I dashed through some brush to see that a branch(!) was lying in my way. There wasn’t time to stop, so upsie daisy!

Gravel and dirt and grass are “roads” if you drive on them, I suppose!

It was cool because I learned to make turns faster, regain control of a skidding rear tire, and communicate well with other bikers, who depend upon each other to know traffic conditions as we run through intersections. But probably the best thing was knowing that I bought the perfect bike: there is no way the bikes from today could have ridden last Saturday, and the guys last Saturday couldn’t and wouldn’t ever take their thin, precise, fast bikes on this punishing trail. I’m glad I can hang with all the bikes on my hybrid. I’ll not finish first in any race, but would a different bike change that anyway? No. I’m glad to have a bike that can do both styles just fine.

That said, the whole time I was paranoid about my chronically-popping thin little tires. I’m surprised, in fact mystified, that I didn’t ever get a flat, which is considered par for this course: last week there were two.

The muscles sore: my toes from gripping my pedals for dear life and my back for trying to stay on the bike.

Total mileage including distance to the start/finish: 29 miles. Average speed: 12.2 And a new “flats” (not on a downhill) top speed: 29.5mph