Original content from Movable Mom
How was your weekend? We had a great weekend with fairly hot weather. My hubby and I tackled some household yard projects, including carpenter bee woodwork flush-outs, and he ran a local 5k. What else did we do? My daughter and I took a 3 hour bicycling trip into town for the library and ice cream and I tested out a new bicycle saddle! In this post I’m discussing increasing my weekly running mileage post-marathon and a Selle Royal bicycle saddle.
On our way to the ice cream shop and the library:
We discovered electric car charging stations in town:
Running plans for this week
I’ve been increasing my weekly miles slowly back up since the Carmel Marathon and foot healing. So far, things are going well and I am feeling great. The foot pain has not returned and it appears to have taken approximately 3 full weeks to heal and recover. This is the same amount of time it took the last time it set in back in November 2012. My plans for this week:
Monday – sports chiro adjustment and full massage
Tuesday – 5 mile run + core work
Wednesday – rest or bicycle
Thursday – 5 mile run + core work
Friday – rest or bicycle
Saturday – 5 mile run + core work
Sunday – rest
Hopefully the week goes according to plan and I’ll finish with a 15 mile total. By June I’d like to keep my average weekly miles closer to 20 leading up to Columbus Marathon training that I will kick off in July.
The Selle Royal Lookin bicycle saddle
Just when I tell you that I only ride in Brooks saddles, I have to contradict myself. I have 3 Brooks saddles, two of which were given to me free, and one I purchased. They are lovely, made in England, leather, the BEST saddle I have ever used, and I highly recommend them. They are also expensive and have a high market resale value on Ebay making them theft targets.
Something that always nags at me when I bicycle around town on errands is that I have parked and locked outside an expensive Brooks saddle. I don’t like that. As much as I love these saddles dearly, I don’t love the attention they receive. I visited one of my local bike shops this weekend looking for new grips, but stumbled upon a sale of Selle Royal saddles. I was intrigued!
Selle Royal saddles are made in Italy and they produce many styles and models, some even handmade and with leather. Since I was in the mindframe of taking my Brooks saddle off my inexpensive hybrid Bianchi Torino to ease my mind while it is parked around town, I decided to give one of these saddles a try. My Bianchi has me moderately upright so the model I chose was the Lookin Moderate for women that is designed for this style of bicycle. The price-point of this saddle compared to a Brooks saddle is much milder, yet the saddle itself is made in Italy with a nice quality. I’ve also discovered that Selle Royal bought the Brooks saddle company several years ago. (I did not know that!)
I rode with this saddle on the 3 hour bicycle town ride with my daughter and I liked it. This is the first non-Brooks saddle I have actually been comfortable with and am interested to try a few of their other models if I get the chance.
A new-to-me bicycle model, the Bobbin Birdie
I am on the hunt for a new round-town bicycle but am not sure what I want. I mentioned in my last post about considering the Breezer Uptown. I have also stumbled upon a new-to-me bicycle, the Bobbin Birdie! They are being sold now in the USA and I believe we have one store downtown in the city that carries them so hopefully I’ll find some time to get down there to check them out.
My restored vintage Schwinn Le Tour:
I don’t really need another bicycle. I have a wonderful vintage Schwinn Le Tour that has been fixed up for errands around town as well as my Bianchi, so I do have a nice steel frame bicycle to use making it hard to justify another steel frame bike. (I also have a vinage Motobecane being worked on). Since it’s hard to justify yet another bicycle, I would need to sell my Bianchi Torino first. Until that day may come, it is fun to check out all of the bicycles on the market :)
Do you have a favorite bicycle saddle above others? Do you keep price-points in mind when choosing bicycles and accessories and are you worried about theft?
Original content from Christina
