It took 15 minutes........

[Francois_Dumas]

..... before it all came back..... !!

 

Last time I rode was on our trip in Florida and that's 2,5 months ago !! Longest time I have been OFF the bike EVER!

 

Today there was a lull in the bad weather AND I had the opportunity to take 2 hours out of my daily busy schedule, so I finally uncovered the bike, prepped it and myself and took off.

 

I don't know about you, but every time I have had a long pause riding, it seems as if the bike wants to force itself INTO a corner and I feel I am 'opposing' it. It 'wobbles' over funny things as white markings on the road, small differences in asphalt, changes from asphalt to brick roads etc.

And it stops too quick and takes off too fast, too.

 

All this misery takes about 15 minutes or so..... after that there is nothing wrong anymore, everything feels natural and I can make that U-turn on the small country road, loosely filter over the brick roads, swerve around the bicyclist on the slippery country road and conquer the world again.

 

But it's those first 15 minutes that might get me..... lest I forget about them !

[eddd]

Fortunately, I get to ride my motorcycle almost everyday, but I have that same uneasiness when I get on a technical trail on the mountain bike after a layoff. 15 minutes is about the same length of time it takes to start to get comfortable on the bicycle.

 

Of course, most errors on the bicycle aren't likely to be as serious as errors on the motorcycle.

 

Enjoy your ride!

[Quinn]

I think my bike changes size. I have to back this huge black beast out of my basement garage and turn it around on a sloping gravel driveway--without stepping on its udders. Once turned around, I finish suiting up, get cranked, and launch up the driveway to a quick right hand turn at the top while the bike skitters around on roller skates. It's not until after the first stop sign and I've taken off the "choke", done my in-flight check, and convienced the bike that it can stay upright without my attention, that it gets small enough to enjoy. Maybe in another year or two, we can start merging and then morph into a lithe black panther after the stop sign. For now I'm just grateful that it quits being a pro wrestler and becomes my buddy and partner.

[Francois_Dumas]

That would be a good one: "... look ma, I shrunk the bikes...!" ... oops, wrong movie?

[John Bentall]

Agreed Francois!

The road I live is very poorly maintained, with heavy ruts and holes. The rear wheel wanders all over the place as if it is partially inflated, even though I've just checked the pressures.

This makes for a very poor start to the first 15 minutes.