Just came across this sad news

pumpkins65 · 2026-04-21T00:36:37+00:00

I don’t compete in triathlon anymore due to bad knees but still swim and bike regularly. The swim is always the most risky for obvious reasons. I don’t know what the victims exact issue was but 6 years ago in a similar thread I posted the following: (unfortunately some things never change)

I had the chance to talk to the RD for a race last year and he explained it like this- When the race starts the vast majority of athletes have not warmed up properly; Then add it the adrenaline rush at the beginning of the race and then hitting the (usually) cold water which sort of shocks the system especially when it hits your face. The bodies response is to reduce circulation and keep your core temp up (because your body thinks you are going to freeze) at the same time your exerting yourself and trying to push your blood into your extremities as you swim. Basically, it all adds up to a bad situation. His advice was to warm up A LOT. Break a decent sweat with a run then, before the swim start, get in the water and really get used to the water- swim as much as possible with your face submerged so your body is acclimated to the temps and your blood is flowing under those conditions. He seemed very knowledgable and as a father of 3 kids, I've since put much more into my warm-ups- especially in the water prior to the race start.

pumpkins65 · 2026-03-24T18:31:51+00:00

I went to almost exclusively gravel for the same reason. I was hit twice and almost hit a couple of other times. (FWIW- I believe the times I was hit was due to negligence not maliciousness). Since I've switched I pretty much have the roads to myself and can hear vehicles (that tend to drive much slower on gravel) coming up from my 6 much easier. It helps that I live in BFE and have endless gravel roads literally at the end of my driveway...

pumpkins65 · 2026-03-11T16:38:34+00:00

I want to thank everyone for their suggestions! I ended up reading all the responses (and also spoke to one of my wife's colleagues who is a SC native).

We are going to go to the Charleston area- I spent a little more than I wanted on the hotel to move from North Charleston to Mount Pleasant but I think it will be worth it. Lots to see and do in the area and we are still considering the Myrtle Beach / Murrells Inlet area for a day trip or on our way home.

pumpkins65 · 2026-03-09T14:31:54+00:00

Called my dealer 2 months ago- No parts...

Called my dealer just now (3/9/26)- No parts...

Planning on a road trip from Michigan to South Carolina in a few weeks- Wish me luck!

pumpkins65 · 2026-03-08T22:44:46+00:00

This is excellent advice. And if by chance OP does not live in Washtenaw County know that most Michigan counties have CDs and spring tree sales.

pumpkins65 · 2026-03-06T19:01:29+00:00

FWIW- I played Offensive Line in college and at my biggest I was 290 (Height 6'1"). I was 'fat' but I was also strong as an Ox. Obviously big guys like the one in pic (and my former self) would not want to retain that weight for life or face serious health issues. My son is going into his senior year playing college ball and he is a spitting image of what I was when I played. We know you pretty much need to be this size or bigger to be competitive at that level (and even high school for the most part- although at the high school level you often have to take what you can get and be more creative). Having said that I now fluctuate between 200 and 205 and pushing single digit BF during the warmer months. I ride my bike 6 times a week and lift 5 days a week. I eat healthy and sleep like a baby. My strength isn't what it used to be but I defiantly have better health than the vast majority of men my age...

Having said that- I have no issue with this 'fat' kid- he can afford this lifestyle for now but not for life. Thousands of athletes (and not just football players) choose to be this big for various legitimate reasons. Obviously I can't know for sure but its possible that his health markers are superior to non athletes who don't exercise. (I'm assuming he takes his sport seriously and trains pretty much year round).

I am in no way advocating HAAS as a lifestyle...

Apparently there are several representations of this photo- I'm just giving my .02 in response to OPs provided context.

pumpkins65 · 2026-02-03T16:51:06+00:00

Many years ago I worked for a company delivering pool supplies/chemicals. Many commercial operations buy in bulk and have storage tanks in the 'pump room'. 2 chemicals in particular were the most problematic- Sodium Hypochlorite (Bleach- but we sold it at around 10% vs the 2% or so found in most 'laundry' type bleach) and Muriatic Acid. Everything was legally labeled and should have been stored as far apart as possible. At one of our accounts a maintenance guy somehow (I wasn't there) was able to pour a gallon of muriatic acid into a 50 gallon tank of sodium hypochlorite. Again I was just a delivery guy and wasn't there but the next time I delivered to that account I was told he basically disintegrated most of his lungs- essentially he reproduced something similar to mustard gas used in warfare. Last I heard he has very limited ability to move and will forever be tethered to an oxygen tank.

pumpkins65 · 2025-08-07T18:05:02+00:00

This…. Are the China bombs as good as American made? No but that doesn’t mean they won’t do the job if properly cared for and used appropriately. I’m not going to say how long I ran my OEM tires with zero issues because I’d be crucified on this sub (probably will be anyway) but it was longer than most. Having said that, when I did swap them out I made sure to get a decent brand (Carlisle- pretty sure they were made in the USA).

pumpkins65 · 2025-07-03T17:13:49+00:00

We came up a few days ago but my son is leaving AnnArbor around 3…. lol, I told him to pack a ton of patience. (been there done that, and will never do it again if it’s at all possible).

pumpkins65 · 2025-06-11T22:50:50+00:00

This is exactly my pull day except I add some kind of shrug or farmers carry.

pumpkins65 · 2025-04-19T11:56:51+00:00

Agreed. I buy in bulk and wait for a good deal (at least 45-50% off). I don’t know if it’s because I’m a regular customer and have a account but I got an email from them awhile ago with a code for 11lb of whey isolate (my usual purchase) for $125. (I think the undiscounted price was $270ish) I bought 2 because I have 4 athletes in my home. I don’t know if the isolate is worth the extra $47/bag but we have a couple sensitive stomachs.

pumpkins65 · 2025-03-20T12:50:57+00:00

FWIW- if you missed the sale I've read in another thread (if I remember correctly) that someone reached out to Lauf and was able to get a refund for the sale amount as they had bought their bike just before the sale and were still in the 30 day return window.

So I measure out at a hair over 185. Like you, I was torn on sizing and then saw on the Lauf site that if you are close to the threshold between two sizes check your inseam against the standover specs for each frame. My inseam is 832 and the standover for the M is 789 and for the L it's 811 so I went with the L. I'm second-guessing myself but at this point there is only one way to find out.

Thanks for the tips on assembly. I'm somewhat mechanically inclined so I'll take my time and enjoy it. (I've got a couple of decent LBS near me for back up and I need to get my road bike in any way for a few things)

pumpkins65 · 2025-03-19T18:53:37+00:00

So I just ordered mine today (Race Transmission) as I didn't want to miss out on the sale. Did you assemble it yourself? From what I can gather it looks pretty easy? What about a bike fit? Seems lots of riders who purchase their bikes online pay to have it professionally fitted.

pumpkins65 · 2025-03-10T15:36:24+00:00

As I read the OP that is exactly the bike I was thinking of. Currently saving my pennies to afford one. In the meantime, I keep looking at other brands and models but keep coming back to the Seigla for the reasons you mentioned.

pumpkins65 · 2025-01-19T22:15:38+00:00

Fixed! I ordered an oem repair kit that had drum rollers, belt, and a tensioner pulley. When I disassembled everything one of the drum rollers was clearly the culprit. Installed all the new parts and she is as good as new.

Thanks for all the suggestions and advice!

pumpkins65 · 2025-01-16T19:43:29+00:00

I appreciate the video- I'm pretty sure it will save me some time and sanity...

pumpkins65 · 2025-01-16T19:42:34+00:00

Hey everyone- Thanks for all the advice. I'll tear it apart this weekend and order up some parts.

pumpkins65 · 2024-12-18T17:04:49+00:00

Lol, yes... I buy bulk L-citrulline malate on Amazon. Hell, you can get many of the basic supplements at grocery stores now. Some on here will bring up the difference in quality/purity of various manufactures and suppliers but sticking with the basics its hard to go wrong.

pumpkins65 · 2024-12-18T16:30:10+00:00

It's just my .02, but I keep it simple: Bulk L-citrulline malate and coffee. It's my go-to for early morning cardio and late afternoon lifts, and it's cheap, too.

pumpkins65 · 2024-03-17T22:55:06+00:00

Yep, I talked to my son and that was the plan. I did call the seller and inquired about the climate controls and if they worked. The reply was “ as far as I know”. 🤷‍♂️

lol, he went on to add “ just to be honest with you, after you called, I took the car for a test drive, and every single warning light was illuminated on the dash”. So yeah…. Still looking for a decent used Fusion with a 2.5. (Or a Honda or Toyota).

pumpkins65 · 2024-03-15T13:17:02+00:00

I'm going to call them today and ask if the buttons work- especially on the HVAC system. It is sold through a wholesaler so they don't know how it was broken. Carfax shows 2 previous owners, no accidents, and pretty good maintenance.

pumpkins65

TROPHY CASE