Before Tom and I decided to take this opportunity in Shanghai, I had decided to treat myself to a new road bike (bicycle, not motorcycle!) at the beginning of 2007. I had a
Terry Symmetry all picked out and had even visited the dealer to ensure I could order it locally to ensure a good fit. I have loved cycling for a long time, but 15 years ago I traded my road bike for a mountain bike. I quickly found that riding downhill on single-track was even more fun than riding on the road. But, alas, I found at the age of 40 that mountain biking required a much higher level of physical capability, and I knew that if I was not in good shape and could not meet the demands of a ride, I could get injured. So, back to the road for me!
And then we decided to move. No problem. I still treated myself once I got here! I looked for a month or so and then hooked up with a local bike shop and riding group,
SISU. They make custom bikes as well as tuning purchased frames. While I originally wanted a road bike, they talked me into a good mountain bike frame with upgraded components to ride more easily on the roads here. There are a lot of traffic hazards (other bikes, motorcycles, carts, taxis who don't follow any traffic rules, etc.) that require more handling ability on the bikes So, I am now the proud owner of a Giant 790 MTB. Outfitted with disk brakes (these are the bomb!) and good Shimano components. Other than not being able to find any riding clothes that fit me, cycling is awesome. I have learned to appreciate the extra kilometers you can get out of a ride when you have a good pad in your shorts! Ha ha, no jokes about my "available" padding please!
So where to ride? I haven't ventured out for any rides with the SISU group yet. I want to get in shape first. They ride every Sunday to the ocean. It is about a 60k ride. So it takes about 3 hours riding at a good clip. I am riding 2-3 times a week for 0:45-1:30 depending on the day and weather. There is a lot of traffic to navigate through, so sometimes the wrong route can leave you exhausted, but overall it is great out and see Shanghai at a little slower pace than normal. There are many bike paths that run along the canals, and I enjoy the one that SISU takes to the ocean, though I have not ridden the entire way yet. You see the most interesting things in the morning when I ride. Many, many Chinese just stay in their pajamas when they go out for their morning walk to breakfast or shopping. And you see many young men playing pool at outdoor pool tables. When I ride by the canals I get to see fishermen pulling strange looking fish and eel-like things from the water. They place them in little plastic bags and tie them up. Then they lay them down in the basket of their bike and head off. Likely to be heading home to prepare breakfast of river slugs. Yuk. It really is a good way to get a feel for the roads here in Shanghai. I had a heck of a time getting through a section of Century Blvd that was somewhat under construction. I rode down an empty street towards traffic but a traffic control dude made me turn around and head backwards. Not sure why that road was closed other than to help control the flow. I have gotten lost a few times, but luckily there are good tall buildings that serve as good landmarks. Oh, and yes mother, I always wear my helmet!
-704721.JPG)
And then we decided to move. No problem. I still treated myself once I got here! I looked for a month or so and then hooked up with a local bike shop and riding group, SISU. They make custom bikes as well as tuning purchased frames. While I originally wanted a road bike, they talked me into a good mountain bike frame with upgraded components to ride more easily on the roads here. There are a lot of traffic hazards (other bikes, motorcycles, carts, taxis who don't follow any traffic rules, etc.) that require more handling ability on the bikes So, I am now the proud owner of a Giant 790 MTB. Outfitted with disk brakes (these are the bomb!) and good Shimano components. Other than not being able to find any riding clothes that fit me, cycling is awesome. I have learned to appreciate the extra kilometers you can get out of a ride when you have a good pad in your shorts! Ha ha, no jokes about my "available" padding please!-704701.JPG)
So where to ride? I haven't ventured out for any rides with the SISU group yet. I want to get in shape first. They ride every Sunday to the ocean. It is about a 60k ride. So it takes about 3 hours riding at a good clip. I am riding 2-3 times a week for 0:45-1:30 depending on the day and weather. There is a lot of traffic to navigate through, so sometimes the wrong route can leave you exhausted, but overall it is great out and see Shanghai at a little slower pace than normal. There are many bike paths that run along the canals, and I enjoy the one that SISU takes to the ocean, though I have not ridden the entire way yet. You see the most interesting things in the morning when I ride. Many, many Chinese just stay in their pajamas when they go out for their morning walk to breakfast or shopping. And you see many young men playing pool at outdoor pool tables. When I ride by the canals I get to see fishermen pulling strange looking fish and eel-like things from the water. They place them in little plastic bags and tie them up. Then they lay them down in the basket of their bike and head off. Likely to be heading home to prepare breakfast of river slugs. Yuk. It really is a good way to get a feel for the roads here in Shanghai. I had a heck of a time getting through a section of Century Blvd that was somewhat under construction. I rode down an empty street towards traffic but a traffic control dude made me turn around and head backwards. Not sure why that road was closed other than to help control the flow. I have gotten lost a few times, but luckily there are good tall buildings that serve as good landmarks. Oh, and yes mother, I always wear my helmet!
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