Road, Gravel, & Mountain - XL-Size Cycling

I always feel guilty about recovery weeks.  I have researched and fully understand the importance and value of the recovery time.  I get it.  But I still feel guilty and uneasy about these. Now that I have surrounded myself with bikes and made cycling a key part of my daily life, I have an hourly visual reminder to go cycle.  So I have to constantly remind myself to not go commute to and from work, to not go ride at the trail, to plan the weekend differently, etc. It's all good though.  This week, I am doing some micro rides, where I am trying to not push at all.  I am doing weights and long walks.  I am also trying to catch up on some sleep.  I am driving to work and back, getting reacquainted with my cars, traffic, satellite radio, and phone calls.  And this experience makes me realize that while I really like mike cars, but I LOVE my bikes!  The more I am staying away from my bike routine, the more I want to do it ne...

2018 Specialized Roubaix Expert Review What does define a modern endurance bike for an XXL rider?  For me, the top 3 are: Comfortable, non-jarring ride -- even when you go over chopped up surfaces  Ability to get going fast quickly and without too much of a frame / component flex Fun with hills -- easy to climb and safe to descend  And then there aesthetics.  I like a classy look that stands out from the sea of look-alike shapes and colors. 2018 Specialized Roubaix Expert in Chameleon Purple / Blue delivers on 90% of these requirements. Ride Quality   2018 Specialized Roubaix just glides over road imperfections and small potholes.  It is smoother than any road bike I have ridden and tested.  The difference is even more pronounced when you do back-to-back tests rides on various bikes.  I tested 2016 Bianchi Infinito CV vs 2018 Trek Domane SL6 vs 2018 Specialized Roubaix Expert. The riding impressions may be different fo...

I have been intrigued by Bianchi's Countervail technology since the first day I came across it. While I don't mind an occasional bumpy ride that is short, a longer one gets old really quickly.  I got to appreciate my Binachi Vertigo C2C during a severely chopped section of Giro Costa Centrale not too far from San Luis Obispo.  The bike did shake a little, but it was pretty bearable, stable and comfortable. So, I wondered if an entry level endurance carbon bike from Bianchi can be so comfortable, how much better would a bike designed with vibration damping in mind be? I tried three bikes in that category: Specialized Roubaix SL4 Sport Disc, Trek Domane 4.7, and Bianchi Infinito CV. Specialized Roubaix SL4 I bought a Specialized Roubaix SL4 with disc brakes, upgraded it thoroughly hoping to love it and to keep it, and ended up selling it after for 6-7 months and 2,300 miles. The bike smoothed quite a bit of road vibrations out.  I think Specialize...

If a bike = freedom , then Specialized Roubaix Disc = adventure ! For a guy that weighs 215 pounds, Specialized Roubaix SL4 with disc brakes is a really good do-it-all bike.  Here is the breakdown. It's great for: Weekend / group rides Commuting  Light / moderate offroad Bad weather rides Small/moderate climbs Fast descents    Not so great for: Moderate / Serious climbs Long commutes Racing / going very fast Hilly centuries  ------------ Offroad.  This bike shines when you go offroad and hit gravel trails.  It dampens enough vibration to make you forget how fast you are going.  At some point I was going around 25 mph for 7-8 minutes on a gravel trail on 25mm road tires.  It just felt rock solid and comfortable.  Just slow down around turns and Roubaix does its magic!  And the hydraulic brakes do their job when its time to reduce speed or stop. Road.   Just jump on the road and Roubaix performs....

First impression on TRP HI/RD: smoother and quieter than Avid BB7 road.  These got installed on my 2014 Specialized Roubaix SL4 Disc. I got tired of the squeaking, whining, and grinding of Avid BB7 Roads.  I tried new discs and new pads - and the problem never went away.  After a big descent or a ride in wet conditions, the BB7 disc brakes would start obnoxiously screaming. Original setup: I had a similar problem with BB5s and then BB7s on my 2013 Specialized Tricross Steel Disc.  The problem was even force due to flex of the steel frame. TriCross: More on these after riding a while.