21 October 2024

Just about a bike: Specialized S-Works CX

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I stumbled upon a 2000 Specialized S-Works CX whist scrolling through the otherwise-mostly-dreck on our local Craigslist the other day.  As pictured in the ad, and later on initial inspection, the bike appeared to me to be rather cobbled together (as bikes of this vintage so often are). Nevertheless it looked like it had really good bones (these frames were handbuilt in the USA), bright mostly-intact paint, and best of all, surprise! some really good shit in a box, too: turns out the seller still had the balance of the original XTR-M950 parts, the right-hand Ultegra integrated lever, everything, in fact, except for the stock rear wheel with its bespoke S-Works hub. Alas. 

Despite the bike's basic cobbled togetheredness, to my eye it also looked like it had significant resto/refurb potential. During our first salvo of correspondence the seller told me he'd mostly left it shelved in his garage for many years and now needed the space for other things now (a tale as old as time). The seller also told me he had inherited it from a neighbor some years ago and had converted it to 11 speed recently, but that he was willing to include the old parts in the deal if I was willing to return the newer 11-speed parts to him once I'd removed them from the bike. Done!

02 October 2024

Let's use a heart-rate monitor to gather data about our cardio-vascular fitness!

Several of the following observations were originally posted to the Fifty+ Years Old Forum at mtbr.com on 01 October 2024.



I started riding with a heart rate monitor, a Garmin Forerunner 45, in April 2024 and, after several months of data collection, I now find myself absolutely fascinated by what I've been learning about my cardio-vascular health and fitness. I am especially intrigued by the corroboration of what I feel has been a distinct increase in my overall-fitness and threshold-endurance during this summer's riding season. 

Bottom line: I love doing the things I get to do outdoors. My objective in learning to use a heart rate monitor has been to better understand my general overall fitness and health and, quite simply, to maximize however-many years might remain to me to continue to be able to do these essential activities that I love. Below is an inexpert run-down of what I think I'm beginning to understand better about my body based on what my new monitor seems to be telling me.
May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. -- Ed Abbey