Login
You're viewing the mastodonapp.uk public feed.
  • Phil (ascentale)ascentale@sfba.social
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:00 PM

    Welcome to #BikeNite on Friday, October 30th!
    Thanks for joining our chat. Anyone can join, now or later. Reply to what you like, and boost for visibility.

    If you want to follow questions only from this BikeNite, I will be using #BikeNite44_2026 for this week.

    Our intro, and a question from @uxMark:

    Q1a. Where are you posting from today?

    Q1b. What, if anything, is the biggest difference between how you cycle now and how you cycled in the past (5 years ago? 10 years ago? 20 years ago?)

    Conversely, what *hasn’t* changed in the intervening years?

    #BikeNiteQ #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes #BikeNite44_2026 cc @bikenite

    💬 38🔄 14⭐ 8

Replies

  • Phil (ascentale)ascentale@sfba.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 5:35 AM

    @uxMark @bikenite A1a. Hello everybody, in Oakland, California as usual.

    A1b. Compared to 5-10 years ago? I ride slower sometimes. I ride less recreationally due to various physical ailments and also I am a little more cautious.

    Sometimes I ride faster though because my kid is more capable than before.

    I take slower routes with fewer cars if I can even if it makes the trip longer.

    20 years ago? I didn't ride nearly as much, so most everything is different compared to then!

    #BikeNite

    💬 1🔄 2⭐ 4
  • Solarbird :flag_cascadia:moira@mastodon.murkworks.net
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:02 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1a: NW King County (Northshore area), watching the last minutes of Desert Bus for Hope, the Child's Play fundraiser run out of Victoria, BC every year.

    A1b: The biggest change is that biking has replaced both some car trips and a bunch of transit trips, becoming my _primary_ mode of transport, replacing transit as first while moving up from second over time. (Car has always been third.)

    #BikeNite

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 9
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 7
  • gene xgenex@sfba.social
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:04 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1: posting from San Francisco, CA - in the past 20 years and more recently it's all mostly just been riding around the city to get around. The main difference is that 25-years ago I was mountain biking a bunch but stopped about 20-years ago and haven't really done that since - just urban cycling for the most part #BikeNite

    💬 0🔄 1⭐ 9
  • Megan Lynchml@eldritch.cafe
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:06 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1a. Tirana, Albania, where today is Day 152 of anti-corruption protest known as the #FlamingoRevolution (It's getting hard for me to count because the media has started renumbering from the day the tactics changed on Oct 13).

    A1b. I'm on 3 wheels instead of 4 (or 2). Important difference when it comes to pot holes because they're not as easy to avoid as with 2 wheels or even 4.

    What hasn't changed is what I use the cycle for. It has always been about transportation for me...I never viewed bikes (trikes, quads, etc) as "only a toy" or "only a sport". I do other things with it as well, but the primary function is to get me and my stuff somewhere. I enjoy riding a lot, but if it was only about riding in circles somewhere, I'd get bored.

    #BikeNite #Recumbent

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 14
  • Mozmoz@fosstodon.org
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:15 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1: Newcastle, NSW. Exhausted after a week of moving house and work deadlines.

    1b: long covid killed my fitness, plus I'm getting old, so I am no longer ridiculously powerful on the bike. Now I'm just strong for my age. I still ride everywhere I can.

    #BikeNite

    💬 2🔄 2⭐ 10
  • 💬 2🔄 1⭐ 6
  • 💬 1🔄 2⭐ 7
  • 💬 1🔄 1⭐ 4
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 9:06 AM

    @geonz @moz I had an old coworker that broke a crank after like 50k miles or something. Mind blowing!

    💬 0🔄 0⭐ 1
  • 💬 0🔄 0⭐ 1
  • Jon RoachFourT4
    Oct 31, 2026, 11:01 AM

    @moz give you joy of your new house!

    💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 10
  • Axel 🚴😷🐧🐪⌨ | #WeAreNatenomxtaran@chaos.social
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:21 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite #BikeNite A1: Posting from Zurich, Switzerland. The biggest difference between how I cycle now and how I cycled in the past:

    In the past 5 years many things in my cycling changed, but the biggest difference is likely that I started riding e-bikes in addition to pure bio-powered bicycles.

    10 years ago I started riding studded tires in winter.

    20 years ago I started riding Bromptons as my SWB recumbent proved impractical in hilly and public transport heavy Zurich.

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 10
  • AI6YR Benai6yr@m.ai6yr.org
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:25 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite #BikeNit A1a. Ventura County, California
    A1b. 5 years ago, 10 years ago: I was not riding anymore, too scared of being hit on the roads by people on their phones. The big change is the city here started putting in bicycle lanes (just paint... but a little bit more margin -- giving me more comfort in being on the roads again).

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 6
  • Marty CormackMartyCormack@urbanists.social
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:26 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite #BikeNite44_2026 A1:
    Posting from home in Rochester Minnesota.

    20 years ago I had just bought my first road bike, was learning how to shift, how to draft or pull on a group ride, how to use pedal cages, how to drink water while riding. I was a beginner as opposed to the grizzled old cycling vet I am today.

    10 years ago I was learning how to do bicycle camping and mountain biking.

    #BikeNite

    💬 0🔄 1⭐ 11
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 6
  • Climate Jenny 2.1ClimateJenny@biodiversity.social
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:28 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1a. Northern Virginia, as always.

    A1b. What’s changed is the bike. I have to accept that I need an e-bike if I’m going to make practical use of a bicycle in the hilly area where I live. It’s a compromise — I still miss the light, fast feel of my ancient road bike.

    What hasn’t changed is that cycling is still the best way to improve one’s mood. #BikeNite

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 9
  • an actual busrenardboy@mastodon.social
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:43 PM

    @ClimateJenny @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite We all need reach a point where acoustic bikes become limiting, sooner or later. For me it was when I bought an old house that needs a bunch of repairs, I got a cargo bike and it is a glorious thing. I've carried stones, bags of mortar, big tools, lumber, an anvil, girlfriends, the limit is just *way* further.

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 7
  • 💬 1🔄 1⭐ 3
  • 💬 1🔄 1⭐ 1
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 3
  • f*cking b*tch clubgrammasaurus@mastodon.social
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:32 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1a, usual spot in the Hudson valley
    A1b, what has changed? I ride every day now, and am much more confident about it. I learned to not be scared of hills!! I’ve also become an activist/advocate for bike infrastructure and am a big fan of multi-modal transit too, especially train + bike.

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 7
  • arestellearestelle@dice.camp
    Oct 30, 2026, 11:40 PM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite Q1. Denver metro, and I got my ebike and got rid of my car ~4 years ago, so that's the biggest change, is biking for everything and being able to ride so much farther so much easier. What hasn't changed is how much I love the feeling of the wind as I ride. #BikeNite

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 7
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 2
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 7
  • kimukimu@wandering.shop
    Oct 31, 2026, 12:40 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1. Nashville, TN where a streak of dry weather with comfy temperatures is coming to an end this weekend, but hopefully giving us some much-needed rain. My only biking 5 years ago was on a stationary bike so that’s the biggest change. Generally in that time the big changes were from just feeling ok biking on greenways to being a regular rider on streets - developing more confidence, learning more about good routes & navigating conflict with drivers. #BikeNite

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 7
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 6
  • Bob Jonkmanbobjonkman@mastodon.sdf.org
    Oct 31, 2026, 12:43 AM

    #BikeNite A1a: Just got back home to #WaterlooRegion from what seems like weekly (car) trips to Oakville and Burlington.

    A1b: Five years ago I biked mostly for recreation, rural roads and trails. The last few years I've been commuting weekly from my rural town to the city. Also did that briefly 15 years ago when I worked there.

    And I'm carrying a lot more stuff than I used to: tools, water, gloves, lights, batteries, warm hoodie, even in summer.

    @ascentale
    @uxMark @bikenite

    #BikeNite44_2026

    💬 0🔄 5⭐ 7
  • Jack Coates 🐀puercomal@sfba.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 12:46 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite

    Q1A. Berkeley, CA
    Q1B. I’ve taken up cycling again in the last 5 years after a roughly 15 year break… I cycled for fun and commute through college, bought a fancy road bike in my late twenties and between not liking it as much as I thought, my beat up old SPDs hurting my knees, and not having any time between kids and work, the end. Now I’ve gotten rid of my car and I’m riding a vintage steel road bike and a Brompton for everything I want to do, loving it.

    What’s changed and hasn’t? I’m still a distance rider. I used to do mountain biking and now I wouldn’t even consider it. I used to make the one bike do everything (Specialized Crossroads was my road bike and my mountain bike and my commute to school bike) and now I can be a little more specialized

    #BikeNite #BikeNite44_2026

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 7
  • 💬 0🔄 2⭐ 7
  • Puppetheadpuppethead@ieji.de
    Oct 31, 2026, 2:15 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite

    A1a. Once again on a train in northern New Mexico (heading home), but I was able to do some riding while in Albuquerque this last week.

    A1b. Before I got my e-bike a few years ago I mostly did only long rides or special trips. Now with my e-bike and challenges like 30DaysOfBiking and Coffeeneuring I ride a lot more for small reasons, and now think a lot more about whether or not I should just get on my bike and ride somewhere.

    Something that hasn't changed is I find I can still ride a traditional bike just fine, if not better due to increased endurance.

    #BikeNite

    💬 0🔄 3⭐ 6
  • RaccoonsRayKuntz@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 2:23 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite #bikenite A1, Posting from Carbon County Montana. Adding year round daily cycle commuting to my recreational and occasionally competitive biking has been the most significant change for me. Time on the bike makes every day better.

    💬 0🔄 2⭐ 4
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 2:25 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite
    #BikeNite A1a a couch in a dimly lit room in Seattle

    A1b. My biggest change from 5 years ago to now is riding to heart rate. I used to just go as hard as I could for as long as I could. Turns out that is very stressful for the body and takes a long time to recover from. By the end of the week I was always sluggish and exhausted.

    I generally go slower now but hard enough to still have a conversation with an occasional extra breath. Distance went way way up.

    💬 1🔄 2⭐ 5
  • Ned Yeung 🍉ned@beige.party
    Oct 31, 2026, 2:31 AM

    @fullywoolly @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite

    Do you actually track your heart rate when you ride, or just go by how you feel? Because monitoring my heartrate with an armband monitor and displaying it on my mounted phone while I ride, as well as tracking my stats in fitness apps, has been a major chainge for me this year. I'm not a fitness freak, I'm just getting old and need to take gym classes to keep my body from breaking apart (and fix my cholesterol). :p

    💬 2🔄 1⭐ 3
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 3:00 AM

    @ned @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite I wear a heart strap every ride which is helpful for comparing heart rate between rides. I don't usually look at it until I start feeling it going on the higher side.

    The comparison is more of a, I've had my heart rate not climb or being 20 bpm higher than similar efforts and it usually means I'm over doing it or I'm getting sick.

    Also I love watching my HR drop while doing box-ish breathing! 4 sec in - 4 s hold - blow out through pursed lips >4s - 4s hold.

    💬 0🔄 1⭐ 2
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 5:19 AM

    @ned @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite "the higher side" to me is when I notice I'm starting to breath heavier, sweat more, and it is harder to control my breathing.

    Every body is different but for me the magic number is 156 bpm. Below that and things are easy. Above it and I know I'm working.

    My commute yesterday, with my ebike, was a lot harder than I was expecting. Took much longer to get to work, was hurried, and I skipped carrying weight home for ease to need to beat a storm.

    Heart rate plot for ride home. 158 bpm average. 174 bpm max.
    Heart rate plot for ride into the office. Average 167 bpm. Max 188 bpm.
    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 4
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 5:31 AM

    @ned @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite compare to my analog bike on the longest ride of the year for me. Where I go over the average consistently is where I was definitely feeling tired and couldn't catch my breath despite going similar speed. The average is 151 bpm, but until 1hr 43 min it was usually below that which is comfortable for me. 33 miles @ 12.8 mph average (53.3km @ 20.6 kph) .

    I was also riding with some very fit older folk that I wanted to keep pace with.

    Heart rate plot. Average 151 bpm. At 1 hr 43 minutes, the heart rate trends and stays above the average.
    💬 0🔄 1⭐ 3
  • Demiandgodon@mastodon.online
    Oct 31, 2026, 3:54 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite a1. From my usual Seattle.
    Since I’ve been an adult, I’ve always ridden recreationally and for utilitarian purposes. I used to race (mostly road but a bit of MTB), but gave that up ~22 years ago. More recently I realized I needed a bike designed for utilitarian rides and got a commuter rather than a winter race bike. An e-bike is what I really want for that.

    💬 0🔄 1⭐ 1
  • Mattmattpedals@mastodon.online
    Oct 31, 2026, 8:06 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1b I’ve learnt it’s okay to ride in whatever way I like. For example, I used to think I had to clip in, but now I know flat pedals with pins are way more practical and allow me to combine utility rides with fun rides much more easily. I’ve also ditched Strava and I don’t miss it nagging me or making me feel inferior. #bikenite

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 5
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 5:43 PM

    @mattpedals I'm getting ready to ditch strava. I do like seeing data if I am curious but rarely check in on it, but I don't like nagging ... The nagging is so bad. It's also a social network but oddly doesn't feel social.

    💬 1🔄 0⭐ 0
  • 💬 2🔄 0⭐ 0
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Nov 1, 2026, 8:57 PM

    @mattpedals "Leonard and Hungry Paul" sounds intriguing. I added it to my queue.

    I find it interesting how you use the devices still. I had been putting my info into golden cheetah. On my computer, it feels impossibly slow. And most of the metrics I don't understand. But then they have PhDs that have contributed so that makes sense.

    I saw something strava-like but federated. I thought about self-hosted just to have my data in one place. But if it is manual upload, it'll be ephemeral for me

    💬 1🔄 0⭐ 0
  • Mattmattpedals@mastodon.online
    Nov 1, 2026, 9:32 PM

    @fullywoolly I do find the devices useful – especially a watch for counting lengths in the swimming pool. But a bike ride with no GPS, phone, or even watch is on my to-do list.

    💬 1🔄 0⭐ 0
  • Ryanfullywoolly@mastodon.social
    Nov 1, 2026, 9:37 PM

    @mattpedals I think it'd be easy for me if it was say a trip to the market vs something that could constitute training. I'll need to reflect on this compulsion a bit I think.

    I've forgotten my phone at home and it's been freeing but feels more vulnerable on a bike too.

    💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • 💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • rand ⛵️🥾🚴‍♂️🧗‍♂️ ❌👑rand@sfba.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 5:42 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1a. Santa Clara, CA, where I got out on a bike five times!

    A1b. When I was a kid I rode for fun, to get around, see my friends. In college I rode, because it was faster than the bus, I continued to ride even when I could eventually afford a vehicle. After college, I didn’t ride much, longer distances to work, kid stuff, hobbies, distant friends and family.

    Covid changed everything. I got back on the bike, riding almost every day. When I could go back to my climbing gym, driving no longer made sense, so I only drove if I had another errand. Now I only drive if biking just won’t work (towing my boat to a race, 5 hour drive to my mom’s, bringing something home that I need my truck for). To the point that I’ve only put gas in my truck three times this year (and I seriously considered skipping a race so that maybe the tank I bought in March would be my only tank this year). I either walk to the local grocery store, or pick up groceries on the way home from the gym. #BikeNite

    💬 1🔄 2⭐ 6
  • 💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • Leealepaggoth@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 7:29 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite A1. Good morning from neighboring town of Turku, Finland.
    A2. During all those years I've used bike to commute to work, so at first it seems more of what has changed is the locations... Earlier I would often switch to bus for slippery part of winter, got my first studded winter tyres about 13 years ago so been biking also through winter since then.

    💬 0🔄 1⭐ 2
  • Matthew NewellMatthewNewell@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 8:56 AM

    @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite

    A1

    London

    COVID trashed my fitness and stopped me racing on Strava and doing really hard rides irl. During lockdown my FTP peaked at 4.5 W/kg and I was enjoying winning (or at least competing with the cheats) races on all the platforms. Post COVID I was down to 2.5W/kg and long rides were an impossibility at any pace.

    I am slowly building back up - back over 3 and long medium pace with hills are possible again

    #BikeNite #BikeTooter #Cycling #MastoBikes

    💬 5🔄 3⭐ 3
  • 💬 1🔄 1⭐ 6
  • 💬 1🔄 2⭐ 0
  • 💬 0🔄 1⭐ 0
  • 💬 1🔄 1⭐ 1
  • 💬 0🔄 0⭐ 0
  • Lukewlukewindsor@c.im
    Oct 31, 2026, 11:58 AM

    @MatthewNewell @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite I also peaked in that first lockdown but didn’t reach those heady heights. Then I had a baby and went back to work. My long commute was my eventual solution but doesn’t build power much, just endurance…

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 0
  • Matthew NewellMatthewNewell@mastodon.social
    Oct 31, 2026, 12:11 PM

    @wlukewindsor @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite

    Doesn't help that I am getting older (I know everyone is) but late 40s to mid 50s seems a big change. Joints now hurt without an injury / reason and more importantly I tend not to just get out and ride spontaneously. I need to build up / psyche myself up for rides - so it happens less

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 0
  • Lukewlukewindsor@c.im
    Oct 31, 2026, 12:15 PM

    @MatthewNewell @ascentale @uxMark @bikenite I had that a bit but actually I’m finding that despite the aches and pains I’m in a bit of a resurgence. That’s probably because of chronic inflammation and poor recovery from alcohol over-consumption has gone now as a factor. Late 50s haven’t been the disaster I had expected. Long may it last.

    💬 1🔄 1⭐ 0
  • 💬 1🔄 1⭐ 0