Hope everyone was able to get out and ride this weekend! It was a gorgeous day today. Unfortunately all the families were out too on the canal. Went from CDN where I live to Pointe Claire and back - my longest ride yet. Does anyone know how we can figure out distances after the fact if we don't have a bike computer when doing the ride? Thanks! D.
You could use the gmaps pedometer site at http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/ It will give a pretty good estimate, but I'd really suggest getting a cycle computer. You can get one for $13 (a nicer one for $16) at MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) www.mec.ca They are in the Marche Centrale complex
I know you have to be a member to buy there, but just buying the cycle computer will save you more than the $5 lifetime membership. Replacement tubes for my tires cost around $7 elsewhere, but less than $3 at MEC.
From Cote St-Luc, I went east on Fleet/Van Horne, north on Decarie, west on St. Louis, south on Alexis Nihon, west along the Cote de Liesse service road which becomes Cardinal which in turn becomes Donegani and then Elm until Montrose, then north to the Trans-Canada service road, which I took back east. 54 km. If you want to avoid the Trans-Canada service road, just continue on Elm past Montrose until you can turn left to cross the railway tracks and you will find yourself on Woodland, which you can follow to Lakeshore road.
Unfortunately, when the weather is nice, there are more people on the Lachine Canal bike path than it can comfortably handle, so I often avoid it & take the Lasalle Blvd. path which is less crowded, or cross over to the south shore (by bike, of course). There are tons of options. You can email me if you'd like more info. stan@comsoftservices.com
-- Edited by comsoft on Monday 20th of April 2009 04:28:19 PM
thanks so much Stan! I just found out about MEC last week - and gosh - a $5 membership is nothing!!! People pay over $50 for Costco and you get way better deals here! I have to admit I'm not much of a biker (or I didn't used to be) and I really truly hate biking on the streets of Montreal. It takes me 7 km to get to the bike path - and I take the quietest roads possible... The thought of your route gives me the heebee geebees! Trans-Canada Service road!??!? Even Decarie Service road?!?! YIKES! I will go check out that link. I did check it on mapmyride and it looked to be about 48 km return... I do have a cheapy wireless thingy for my bike - and although it seemed to be keeping track of the mileage ok - when we checked it with someone else it wasn't - so I don't know whose was wrong. Thanks again - and I'll be in touch before the weekend before we plan our next outing!
I forgot to say thanks Sharkies!! Sorry to hear about the arthritis! That sucks! I've had osteo-arthritis in my knee for probably close to 15 years. It sure has started bothering me since I've been biking!!
BTW I'm partly blind an I'm not allowed to bike anywhere except Circuit Gilles Villeneuve without a guide. I walk my bike to the metro and take the metro right to the track, do my laps, and pop back into the metro.
That's why I'm on inlines during the week, you can't take your bike on the metro during the week.
Only made 17 km last night, was the wind wicked or what?
Off to the gym tonight for some weight training.
-- Edited by sharkies10k on Tuesday 21st of April 2009 09:58:09 AM
found mapmyride.com that seems interesting... this is a map for yesterday's ride to Ste. Catherines... http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/canada/qc/montr%e9al/44365297
thanks - the wind wasn't too too bad when we set out... the worst part was coming over the ice bridge with the wind at us from the side... oh yeah and heading up the hill from St. Henri to Cote St. Luc road at 53 km into the ride and big wind in my face. UGH! I only got off and walked a bit on the bridge - until Hubby told me to change the gears like I was going up a hill... Then the wind was annoying but at least I was moving forward. It's windy again today - argh!! Only went out for 15 minutes to see if my son's bike is a better fit for me... blow blow blow!!
I was playing with my gears quite a bit too to deal with the wind.
General rule of thumb: when you feel like you need to get up off the seat and mash the pedals you need to gear down. When you feel zero resistance as you pedal you need to gear up.
What was a real bummer is that whenever I had the wind at my back there were lots of people, so I had stay in the low gears and maintain "school zone" speeds.
I hope we have nice long stretches of open road with no intersections so I can pop it in "cruise control" for a few km.
If you have good bike control and you know the people you are riding with, you can also hide behind someone to avoid taking the wind. It's called "drafting". It can make pedaling up to 30% easier. Basically, when you're on a nice safe stretch of open road you glue yourself 2 inches behind your hubby's rear wheel and you stay there
Caution - for drafting to be safe, you and the people you are with need to have good bike control, and communicate so that you can space out the pack before you need to stop.
Never do a sudden change in speed or direction while drafting, the person in the front is responsible for alerting the rest of the group to stops and turns.
-- Edited by sharkies10k on Sunday 26th of April 2009 11:29:16 AM
OMG What a windy day Saturday. We tried to get out early but missed and had to contend with a horrible head wind on the way back home. When we arrived back in St Annes we were almost at the bike path that crosses the bridge to Ile Perrot when another female cyclist with a conquer t-shirt was coming from the sennaville route procedded up the path just ahead of us. It's the fist time I was able to recognize another cyclist from the CURE TOUR. I'm always looking to see if I can spot others with Conquer Cancer colors on. This Rider was the first. I was at the end of my ride and really pooped out and she looked a lot younger and much fresher, she was gone like the wind before I could call out to her. It was nice to see another participant out in my general neighbourhood. We made it all the way to Lachine Canel and boy your not kidding about being busy when we headed back we zigged and zagged along Victoria and Broadway until we were past the crowded areas. Lovely spot though.
-- Edited by broadway29 on Sunday 26th of April 2009 04:10:59 PM
I don't wear the t-shirt - but my bracelet is permanently on my bag that's on the back of my bike... It's small - and hard to find - but it's with me whenever I ride!
