Riding towards Winter – The Last Throes of Autumn
by Larisa Chinces
We are in the final stages of the fall season, in November, the weather is kind now and we can still enjoy some sun now and then. The nature starts to change its coat. Warm colours begin to appear, with tones of red, yellow, orange etc. I am grateful for each season and what they each have to offer. The variety and colours of nature are so beautiful. They are all so very different, but each season is special in unique ways. For instance, here in Sibiu – my hometown – the city, the scenery and the surrounding landscape look beautiful but different in each season, but we enjoy them at the right time, and we make the most of what they offer to us. I love being outside in the countryside, exploring nature on my bike.
RedChilii Riding on the Trangarafasan
These past two months, I managed to squeeze in lots of rides, as I get used to my RedcHilli WR1, and also a ride on my favourite – the Transfagarasan Road. The weather was perfect! Warm shining sun, mild wind blowing, lots of colours in the forest, and a little bit of snow on top of the mountains. My ride started from above the Balea Waterfall, way up to Balea Lake on top. Something like 14 kilometres round-trip, and only a portion of the Transfagarasan. Uphill you exert medium to high effort on the climb. Sometimes it can be challenging, but when you reach the top and look behind and you see the amazing view, it is all worth it! The fun begins when you go back down. The road has a lot of twisting snake-like turns and serpentines. I enjoy it so much when I come down, as you can catch quite good speed, and the wind races over me and I feel alive.
Holding the Road – RedChilli Style
Thankfully, my RedChilli climbs well, and the position and gearing is spot on, allowing me to crank away and power up the climbs. On the descents, the control is also precise, with an excellent geometry working well alongside the Pirelli tyres, keeping me upright as I sweep through the bends. I feel at one with this bike, and it’s now a part of me, as we ride together in harmony. The changing colours of the frame are also super cool and its style as just as super as the performance??
Thinking Ahead to Indoor Riding & Skiing
Now though, duration of daylight becomes noticeably shorter and the temperature cools considerably. That means we are no longer able to go for long rides in the afternoon/evening. When that is the case, my choice is to hop on the Elite Direto XR trainer or my Nero interactive rollers. Oh, I love summer, but I also like the cold season a lot. There are so many things which you can do too in winter. I really hope and pray that we will have plenty of snow this season. I love to ski, and I’ll be teaching ski full time this season.
In this forthcoming winter period, I also use ski-touring as an alternative for the bike. I use quite the same muscles as in cycling, and the movement while going up is also cyclic. You can go on various terrain, with different types of difficulty and elevation, and you get to explore the snow-clad hills, away from crowds, with epic views of white snow blankets and winter forests.
Making the Most of Life Outdoors
The weather now though, is still mild and the scenery is amazing in this time of the year. It’s worth enjoying it all, while it lasts. November is a time when it gets quite a lot colder, and I’m really looking forward to see how my Redchilli WR1 will fit the Elite Direto XR trainer and Nero rollers. Being able to cycle indoors so realistically, means that when I get outside again, I’ll be able to make the most of my cycling. Last year I used the Direto the most, which is my favourite, and I got really proficient on the Elite interactive Rollers, which are super good, being able to ride a route on the ‘My E-Training app’. You can check the articles here about the Elite trainer and Rollers: click this link
For now though, I’m off to catch the riding outside, while I can – and so should you!
I’ll be writing lots more about the wonderful cycling routes in Transylvania, so keep checking in here over the next few months. If you’d like to take your own trip to Transylvania too, then message us here, using our contact form in the website footer. I’ll also be writing about the great cycling shoes by Lake Cycling, as we head into 2023 with this awesome brand as our editorial team cycling shoe partner. Remember to, that winter miles outside, make for spring and summer smiles 🙂
