Inspection:

When was the last time you went over your bike?

Have you looked at it minutely?  Did you check for cracks, blisters in the paint, scars and dents?

How old are your cranks?  How about your handlebars?

What about going over each wheel, spoke by spoke?  Checking the nipples and their perches?  The hubs where the spokes attach?

What about the seatpost clamp?

Every one of these is a site for a potential crack, and a bad failure.

Periodically examine each and every weld, and every part of your bike.

You just may prevent a nasty crash.

(Thanks and a tip of the Campagnolo cycling cap to Kelsey.)

Ride Reports (and happy days)

Yesterday (very early in the morning) was the last of this season’s Dawn Patrols.  It was…

Well it was wet.  Wet and windy.  There were just two of us.  We started out in the dark, and rode until almost dawn.  Sloppy conditions, not too cold, but decidedly sloppy.  The drizzle increased as we rode, becoming actual rain by the time we finished.  I have to say, this past Winter, and the early part of this spring have certainly been a time to test one’s internal fortitude.

New project:  I’m giving some thought to some night riding this coming Summer.  Likely it will be late at night.  That would follow.  It doesn’t get dark until much later in the summer.  But it won’t be cold.  Who is up for that?

A pleasant afternoon:  The early morning ride left a little to be desired.  We reconvened in the afternoon.  We were on fixed gear bikes.  It was windy, but warm, and the sky was spectacular.  I am so glad to have gone out that second time. You know?  Sudden and changeable weather is a trademark of Spring in these parts.  Looks like this year will be no exception.

Upcoming events:  Remember, this coming Thursday is the first of this year’s regular weekly Novice Road Rides.  We’ll start from Bicycles Unlimited, at 6:00 PM.  Plan to be on time, the ride will start promptly.

I’m going to modify the procedure a bit.  I’ll launch you experienced types promptly at 6:00.  The newer riders, those looking for route guidance and/or instruction will stay back with me for two minutes more, and then we will go out.  This should reduce some of the confusion we’ve had in the past.

Mark your calendar:  April 11, is the next Audax Tune Up Ride.  This one is a 45 mile route.  We’ll be leaving from Bicycles Unlimited at 1:00 PM.  We will go out rain or shine.  Helmets are required.  More on this one soon.

Have a good week folks.

Friday Follies ~~ Stray Cats

It seems to me that the best and most interesting of my friends and acquaintances are “stray cats” and “odd ducks.”  I’m talking about people here, but people who just don’t quite fit into the “normal” categories.

Then there was Burl.

Burl was a stray cat in the literal sense of the phrase.

I was out riding.  It was a warm day in late Spring.  I was hot, dry, and tired.  I stopped and got off the bike to sit and drink in the shade.  That particular shade was the loading dock of a business.  I don’t remember now if it was a weekday or not.  It was just a relatively quiet place to park it for a bit.

I was enjoying the mild day, and beginning to feel refreshed when…  This little cat walked up.  He was white, but only just barely.  He was kind of dirty.  He was in the late stages of kittenhood, not quite an adult cat yet.  He was skinny.  He hadn’t been eating well lately.  He was also friendly.

He climbed up in my lap and purred.  We were instant friends.

I felt it was time to go, so I put the little creature down.  He jumped back up.  I stood and put him down again.  I walked over to my bike.  He followed me, mewing inquisitively.

I mounted the bike and started to ride slowly away.  The cat ran after me, his cries now bordering on panic.  Under the right conditions, I am subject to these impulses.  But…

I was on a bicycle.  I wasn’t wearing a lot of clothing.  There was no place to put the little guy.  But I could not leave him.  So I picked him up and attempted to ride, holding him.  That didn’t work.  He inflicted a couple of good sized wounds and sprang free, leaping to the ground.

I thought that was the end of it, but no.  The small cat did not run away.  He again tried to follow me.  When I stopped he put his paws up on my leg and meeped at me.

I thought about walking home, carrying the cat and balancing the bike.  It was something like ten miles to my trailer.  I couldn’t see it as a good choice.  So I took my jacket out.  The day too warm for a jacket by then, but I couldn’t think of another way.  I put the jacket on, scooped the cat up, and tucked him inside the front of it.  I zipped it up, until only his head was out of it.  It was way too warm, what with the sun, and the two of us inside that jacket.  More, the cat was not happy with me when I mounted the bike again.  Let’s make that, emphatically unhappy.

We made it home.  It was an eventful trip.  I don’t think I lost more than a pint of blood.

Once at my trailer, the cat made himself right at home.  He was friendly, companionable, ornery, a nuisance, funny, and my friend.  We had quite a few adventures.  He survived an odd relationship between me and my then current girlfriend.  For a while he was her cat.  She left.  Burl stayed.

His most endearing feature?  He loved all cyclists.  His least endearing, but possibly most amusing trait?  The only people he liked more than cyclists were folks who didn’t like cats.  He was especially fond of people who were terrified of cats.

He was a cat, and my true and staunch friend, there to watch my going out and coming home again.

And no, we never went for another bike ride together.  Once was enough of that.

Thursday Thoughts ~~ Human Power

Definitions:

Horsepower:  1 hp = 550 foot pound second.  That’s the power necessary to raise 550 pounds to a height of one foot in one second.

1 hp = 746 watts.

We all like to think we’re pretty strong.  We cyclists and athletes are especially prone to this.  The truth is, we are, and we aren’t.  The average leaf blower has a higher sustained power output than most of us can manage.

And yet…

In the animal kingdom, humans are fairly puny.  A horse is faster.  A cheetah or even a tiger is much faster.  Any number of animals are stronger, bears, gorillas, even chimpanzees.  The average house cat can jump to a height five times greater than theirs.  (Imagine if the average human could jump 25 feet straight up!)  Eagles see farther, and more clearly.  Our teeth and claws are down right pathetic, and we don’t hear very well either.

And yet…

We humans have this gift.  We think, and make tools.  One of the most remarkable of the tools we have ever invented is the bicycle.  It amplifies us, as do all our tools.

No means of transportation ever invented equals the bicycle for power-efficiency.  None.

On almost any weekend, from mid-Spring through until mid-fall, literally thousands of fairly ordinary humans perform an astonishing feat.  We mount bicycles and ride 100 miles.  We do it in a day.  Actually, the slowest among us manage this feat in about eight hours.  Attempt to drive the typical horse that same distance, in that same time, and you end up with a dead horse.

The combination of the incredible bio-chemical efficiency of human muscle, and the amplifying properties of the bicycle make such a thing fairly common.

A human, in decent condition, can deliver a sustained power output of close to 200 watts.  That’s a bit more than one quarter of one horsepower.  And yet, with the bicycle, we can move!  We can cover distances that, only a short historical time ago, seemed magical.  We can do so, while carrying useful loads.

A typical cycle-tourist often covers close to 100 miles per day, while transporting 50 to 70 pounds of equipment.

So, what can we do with a bicycle?  Let your imagination ponder that one for a while.  What could you do with your bicycle?

Think about it.

The One Gear Perspective

I’m primarily a “road guy.”  I love riding my bike to work and to the store.  Given half a chance, I’ll load the bike up and head for the horizon.  I’m a tourist to my toes.  All that is a given.  But I also have a bit of a love affair going with single speeds and fixies.

The Practical Argument:  Adding a single speed or a fixed gear bike to one’s diet is an amazing training tool.  When it’s not possible to shift, one is committed to making do with just one gear.  This means that the rider is constantly oscillating between torque and RPM.  So these bikes train power development and spin, all at once.  Believe it, brothers and sisters, they do!  I’ve been astonished at the gains that the SS and Fixie bikes have made.  In short, adding one of these to your regular training routine will make you stronger, and more efficient.

The Technical Aspect:  Fixies and Single Speeds are simple bikes.  There are no shifters, and no deraillers.  In the case of a fixie, really only one brake is necessary.  With a lot less machinery, maintenance is greatly simplified, and there is just a whole lot less to go wrong.  That leaves more time for riding.

Esthetics:  These bikes are cleaner and less cluttered to look at.  They require a bit of skill to master, but reward the effort in very large measure.  Riding one is a purer expression of the art.  There is no real way to express, in words, the sensation of control, the smooth surge of accelerating up a hill, the precision with which it is possible to ride them.

Mental:  No, I don’t mean one has to be crazy to ride a fixie or singlespeed.  It’s actually kind of liberating.  As Sheldon Brown once said, it’s interesting to note how much of your brain is occupied with shifting and selecting the right gear.  Once you don’t have that choice, you have a lot of free mental capacity to engage in the ride.  You notice more stuff.  You see more.  You are aware of more than just the shifters.  Your mind is freer, and isn’t that what cycling is about?

Fun Factor:  This is enormous.  Sure, the free ride crowd do astonishing tricks on fixies.  While impressive, this isn’t necessary for the enjoyment of the ride.  Simply put, after the fear wears off, and the initial clumsiness fades, these things are an all out blast to ride.

I’ll be riding one of my conversions tonight (weather conditions permitting) on the Wednesday Nite Path Ride.  Come on out and see.

Spring Training:

So now that it’s finally Spring, with all that entails, what is a cyclist to do?  Spin Classes have ended.  Weekly group rides are starting up.  And of course, the annual Tour de Pike, this past weekend, kicked off the start of the “Century Season.”  We actually had some good weather this past weekend.  But, of course, that won’t last.  After all, it’s early days yet, and March and April are notorious for their unpredictability.

Here are a few suggestions.

Build Base:  When you ride, do so at very low aerobic levels.  This begins the process of re-adapting you to the bike.  It also has the benefit of stimulating the development of deep capillary beds in the muscles.  That translates to power later on.  It also promotes fat reduction.  Cool.

Strength Training:  You can’t ride all the time.  In fact, it’s still going to be a while before you can go out and do regular rides.  This is a great time to begin a careful, graduated, two to three month long program of strength training.

            Start off with low weights and moderate reps.  Focus on large, multi-muscle exercises.  As you progress through the program, narrow the focus to more specific muscles, and increase weight.  But be sure to do the weight increases in a gradual and incremental fashion.

            The benefits include reduction of injury later in the season, improved power development, and insurance against osteoporosis.  (Remember, cycling isn’t load bearing.  For good skeletal health, strength training is a must.)

Do something different:  Mix it up.  Consider adding swimming to your mix.  Consider acquiring a single speed or fixed gear bike, and throwing that into the mix.  (More on the various benefits of SS and fixie riding tomorrow.)  Possibly include walking as part of your weekly routine.  It’s good for you, and it’s good for your headspace.

Begin to build routines:  From all this chaos and uncertainty (weather, shifting daylight, etc.) start establishing some things as constants.  Begin this with the things that you can control.  Pick days and times that are predictable. 

For example,  Thursday, is always a core workout in the early morning.  Tuesday, means always go out for a ride, or hit the trainer, and then do a nice cool down walk.

The overall consistency will be far more beneficial to you, and by the time we the real riding season opens up (usually in May) you will be much more ready to take on some new challenges.

By that point, it will be time to taper your strength training.  You will have the core & abs work down to a regular maintenance item, and you can use the extra time for more riding.

Good luck, and good training to you.

Ride Report & Contest Info

Yesterday’s 45 mile Audax Tune Up Ride was…  In a word…  WET!!  At least it wasn’t cold.  It’s amazing what good technical rain gear can do for you.  I must report, I was comfortable throughout the afternoon.

We started off in a very light drizzle.  There was some discussion about whether to go to the hassle of pulling on rain gear or not.  About ten miles into the ride the decision was obvious.  The heavens opened, and we stopped and floundered into rain pants and such, on the side of the road.  The nice lady who stopped to offer assistance (un-needed) almost made up for the two hooligans who had seen fit to throw garbage at us earlier.

As for the punks, they were well dressed, and driving a brand new, black, Ford F150.  I wonder if Daddy knows how the boys are behaving.  Unfortunately, we were not able to get a license number.

No damage was done by the delinquents, and the ride was actually a pleasant trip through a rainy afternoon.  You all should have been there.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

GUESS WHAT?  Question #16, which appeared in last Friday’s post, was… (drum roll please)  the last question!!

That’s right.  You may now start submitting your answers to the contest email address  Roaddragoncontest@gmail.com.  I suggest you review the contest requirements & rules before doing so.

Here, in case you've missed it, are the entry rules:

Remember, you have a really good chance of winning, but not until I get enough entrants to keep me happy.  So do tell your friends, and get them involved.  And do keep watching this space for more updates and information.

While on the subject, it’s time for a little audience participation.  I’m having a bit of a mental pause about just how to “curate” the Lady Grand Prize.  The pause in question concerns the handle bar treatment.  Here’s the deal.  This is going to be a single brake bike.  (Front only.)  For the bars, I could go with any of the following:

Flat bar

“Traditional” road bar

Cruiser bar

Pursuit (flop-and-chop)

So you tell me.  What do you think the Lady should wear?  Please answer by leaving a comment.


Disclaimer:  The above pictures are examples only.  They are shown to illustrate types.  The actual bars I have in mind, while similar, and not exactly like the ones pictured.

Friday Follies ~~ The Time of Stolen Stuff

There was the time when I seemed to suffer from a lot of theft.  I was in the early stages of “career building.”  That meant I didn’t make much money.  That meant I got to live in areas with higher crime.

Coincidentally, the higher crime areas I lived in happened to be contained in the northeastern part of the United States.  That meant that it got colder, and occasionally the white curse would fall from the sky.  The white curse would pile up on roadways, making them slippery and difficult to drive on.  Various governmental agencies were called upon to deal with this problem.

They did so in a variety of ways.  One of the methods was to equip large trucks with big metal things on the front.  These vehicles would then drive about on the road, pushing the accumulating white curse to the side.  Of course, they could not remove all of it, and what was left was incredibly slippery.  And dangerous.  Geniuses were consulted.

The geniuses proclaimed that if salt, sodium chloride, was combined with the frozen water in the white curse, it would lower the freezing temperature, causing the stuff to turn to salty water.  It would run away.  Turns out that if the mixture is about 20% NaCl to water, the freezing point drops to around 2 degrees F.  It also kills roadside plants, and causes vehicles to rust out faster.  All good.

But the geniuses weren’t through.  They pointed out that another type of salt, calcium chloride had an interesting property.  This CaCl₂ actually releases energy when in contact with water.  So it heats the white curse, and causes it to melt even faster.  It has the added advantage of being much more corrosive than NaCl.

So the roads get cleaner faster, and you can practically watch the vehicles dissolve before your eyes.

The first year I was subjected to this I didn’t ride outside much.  Instead I got fat, and way out of shape.  The second winter I destroyed a fairly nice bicycle.  I did this by riding outside a lot, and then being too stinkin’ frozen to clean it much.

By the time Spring arrived, my bike’s components were shot, and the frame had a serious (and dangerous) cancer.  In short, the bike was unridable.  I was not happy.  I needed to dispose of the soon-to-be wreckage.  And I needed another bike, which I could not really afford.

I took care of the first problem by locking the bike to the rack at my apartment complex.  It was gone in a few days.

I scraped and scrimped and bought another fairly good bike.  It was stolen.  And Winter was coming.  That was when I hit on a plan.  I searched around and found a fairly low end, used road bike.  I salvaged what I could, replaced what I had to, filled the frame with anti-corrosive gunk, and embarked on the joys of winter riding.

By Spring I had saved enough to purchase a nice bike.  (Which I kept indoors.)

During all this time, I’d lost several car batteries, had the wheels removed from my car while I slept, had several radios removed from the car, and lost other articles to the “invisible takers.”  Disposing of my now thoroughly trashed “winter bike” was simple.  I left it outside by my apartment door.  (This time I didn’t bother with a lock.)  The free unwanted stuff removal service worked just fine.  The wreck left in less than a week.

But I had a new and different problem.  My new bike left too.

I was keeping it inside with me.  But I had to take it outside to use it.  I dutifully locked it up every time I got off of it somewhere.  On one of those occasions, I came out of the grocery store and found my bike gone.  The lock and chain were gone too.

After much personal sacrifice, I purchased another bike, a tougher lock, and a heavier chain.  This one lasted a bit more than a week.  I’d entered a tavern on a warm day.  I had one beer, and came out to find I was a pedestrian again.

I put together a “beater bike.”  It left too.  This was getting old.

A Harley riding friend of mine gave me an idea.

I went to a gun show and purchased a well used holster, suitable for carrying a very large handgun.  When next I had a bike, I hung the holster on it.  Empty.  I never locked the bike.  It never left me.

The theory was, any would be free-lance socialist who saw the bike would have to think, “Hmm.  This bike has a large gun holster on it.  But there is no gun.  The owner must be carrying it.  That means, if he happens to come by while I am in the process of liberating this bicycle, I will surely end up with my ass shot off.  I think I’ll go look for a different, and less dangerous thing to take.”

Brothers and Sisters, I do not miss those days, and I do not miss living in the North.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #16) Why should you get one of the giveaway bikes in this contest?

Thursday Thoughts ~~ The Advent of Spring

It’s finally staring us in the face.  Spring time is about to make its official entrance.  We’ve had us one brutal Winter this year, but every year at this time some of the same things happen.

There’s always that individual who is suddenly out riding, and wearing way too little in the way of clothing.  Let’s face it, 55 is not 75!

Some of us haven’t managed to do as much over the past months as we would like, let along should.  It shows.  But we pull on the riding clothes and go out for another lesson in the pain of out-of-shapeness.  Bravo.

In the bike shop the atmosphere is changing.  We see a few faces we haven’t seen in a while.  We hear the phrase, “I’m thinking about a new bike, and…” just a bit more often.

We also hear,  “I haven’t been on my bike since last September?  So I haven’t really ridden it since then?  So do you think it needs a tune up?  And do you have time?  Are you real busy?”

Answers, Yes.  Yes, And no, but that won’t last, don’t put it off a second longer, or you will regret it severely.

It’s this vicious cycle.  We get out of shape, so we don’t get the bike work done, and the bike needs work so we don’t ride it, so we get out of shaper, so we don’t get the bike work done, so…

Break the cycle!  Get off the fence Hamlet!  Get the work done, and put your backside in the saddle!  It will be painful, but you’ll thank yourself come June.

Just a thought.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #15) Who is the “Bike Angel”?

Prepping for the Audax Ride

The most obvious thing I could say here is, come out and do the 45 mile Tune Up this coming Sunday.

Details:

Where:  From Bicycles Unlimited

Date:  21 March

Time:  1:00 P.M. (Sharp)

Distance/Pace:  45 miles (approx) at Audax Ride pace,   Approx 14.5 rolling average.

Requirements/Conditions:  Rain or shine.  Dress for the weather. Helmets.

Route:  Expect hills.  Likely into Coweta and South Fulton

Note:  If you haven’t done an Audax Ride, or are uncertain of your condition, these are essential rides.

For a good bit more information on the general subject click Audax Ride.

Looks like a fairly decent weather forecast, but we’ll go regardless.  (We’re tourists, we ride in whatever it’s doing.)

On another current topic:  Here she is folks, the Grand Prize.  This is the “before” picture.  This is the lady in all her faded glory. 

Lady Grand Prize

Don’t like the name?  Win her, and it’s up to you to bestow a fitting name on her.

In the near future, you’ll see some more shots of the transformation to come.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #14) How far is too far to ride?  Why?

Teaser

In the Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest the Grand Prize is now under construction.  All the parts are on hand, and the initial work has begun on the build.  You’ll see more on that soon.

And here’s a look at the First Prize: 

Origin8 Black Ops Scout 29er

That’s right, it’s a 29er, rigid, single speed mountain bike.  As you can see there are some sweet parts on this rig, and it’s an absolute blast.  Trick it out with 700 X 25 tires and it’s a killer path bike.  But the real treat with a 29er is the way it rolls over stuff.

I've used and maintained this bike lovingly for a bit less than a year.

Answer the questions in the contest, and this ride could be yours.

Keep watching this space for more information and more of the contest questions.  We’re getting close to having them all out there for you.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #13) What do you think of my FrankenFixed? (be honest!)

Contest Stuff, and Audax Notes

I’m finding that running a contest, sometimes, takes “great paece of mind.”  Last week, I inadvertently skipped over Contest Question #10.  Several sharp eyed readers  caught this.  So here, by popular demand, and somewhat out of sequence, is…

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #10) Who are the biggest liars?

ONE MORE ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE:  Some of you sort of “jumped the gun” on contest entries.  Please read the entry requirements and rules, on the post from March 2, 2010.  If you’ve already sent in a partial entry, don’t worry, you won’t be disqualified, but do understand the following.  Partial entries that have already been received, have been deleted.  To enter, you will have to re-submit, after all the questions have been posted.

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming: 

Who’s Up for Some Longer Rides?

Some of you are thinking about getting the bike out.  Some have started riding.  Some never stopped.  It’s been a brutal Winter for all of us, but it’s getting better by the day.  It’s time to make some serious plans.

In aid of that, permit me to suggest the following.  Think seriously about doing this year’s Audax Ride.  The first of the Audax Tune Up Rides is coming up…  fast!

That’s right.  This coming Sunday, we’ll be doing a 45 mile Audax Tune Up ride.

What do you need to do?  Simple, be there.  The requirements are you, your bike, a helmet, and a willingness to ride in a group, and stay with the group.

Why the italics on that last sentence?  Some folks are put off a bit because they think this means they will be forced to maintain a pace above their capabilities.  Some get the idea that this might just be a bit too easy.  Usually both are wrong.

The idea behind this kind of ride is that the group will stay together.  There isn’t an “A group.”  There aren’t any “drops.”  It’s “All for one, and one for all.”  The idea is that the group will stick together, riding at a controlled pace, until we reach the end of the ride.

The purpose of the Tune Up Rides is twofold.  First, we need to practice riding in this close, mutually supporting, group style.  Second, it’s a bit of a fitness test.  This is where the individual members find out if they are up for the challenge, and if maybe a little more work is needed.

The terrain:  The course is, deliberately, hilly.  The idea is to pick terrain that will be a bit tougher than the actual 125 mile Audax Ride.  If an individual rider can accomplish all three Tune Up Rides, with reserves, and in good condition, then success on the 200K Audax Ride is much more likely.

A strong suggestion:  Ride the bike you plan to use for the Audax 200K, and pack it the way you expect to for that ride.  This is, after all, a sort of test of your fitness and ability to complete this ride.  Naturally, what with the requirement to dress for conditions in late March, you will be running a bit heavier than your “May Bike Load Out,” but that’s just good training.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

This is the first of the Essay Questions.  Keep it fairly brief.  Photos may help, but aren’t necessary.  Have fun with it.

Contest Question #12) What does Bike snob think of my FrankenFixed?

Note:  Yes, that’s right.  Thanks to my earlier goof, this post is a “two for one deal” on the contest questions.  Please, when answering them, do so by question number, and not by date.

Friday Follies ~~ Japanese Bicycle

My first road bike was a serious junker.  It was department store garbage.  But I didn’t know that yet.  Its performance was so far superior to the old paperboy bike I’d been riding, that I thought it was incredible.  It was a ten speed bike, with downtube, friction shifters, on 27 X 1 ¼ tires.  It was so much lighter, smoother, and faster, than the old Schwinn.  I was amazed.  I could actually climb a hill on it.  I had just fallen in love all over again!

I entered my first race on it that bike.  I didn’t finish last, and that was something.  I entered another race.  The bike broke.  A kindly official gave me some advice.  The bike was awful, but he said I had some talent, and I would do much better on a better bike.

I investigated the cost of a “better bike,” and was shocked to my shoes.  I tried another race on my clunker, and managed to stay with the pack for some 30 miles before a major mechanical took me out of the race.  Okay.  I got the message.  But I just could not afford one of those shiny wonder-bikes.  I started doing some serious research.

Historical Digression:  In the post WWII years the expression “Made in Japan,” actually became synonymous with low cost and low quality.  There was a brief period in history when the Japanese struggled to enter the bicycle market with higher quality goods.  They did it at very low cost.  At the very leading edge of this, it was possible to buy good equipment, from Japan, for not much money.  That time passed.  I was in the right place and time.

Back to the story:  My research led me to buy mail order (this was long before the internet), from a Japanese company.  The only drawback was, “you have to assemble it yourself.”  I felt I was up to the challenge.  How hard could it be?  I sent the order in.

My first surprise was the size of the box.  It didn’t look big enough to hold a bicycle.  It was heavy enough though.  And on the side of the box, along with a lot of Japanese characters, where the words, “Ship Up This Side  Bicycle Fragile.”  Do I need to mention that the box was upside down?  And somewhat battered.

At home, I opened the crate and started unpacking.  And unpacking.  And more unpacking.  Once all the cardboard and paper were removed I had…  Two rims.  Two hubs.  Two tires.  Two inner tubes.  A fork.  A frame.  A seatpost.  A saddle.  Three bundles of spokes.  And dozens of small paper envelope packages, of various sizes.  The envelopes were numbered.  They contained, screws, ball bearings, spoke nipples, springs, and other, less recognizable parts. Not one single part was attached to another!  Oh yes!  There was also an “Instruction Paper.”

That last item was printed on rice paper.  It was printed on both sides, in fine print, with small, nearly incomprehensible mechanical drawings.

I started to read the instructions.  I found the beginning by find the title,

MitiYama Race Bicylcing Instruction Paper

Sizing 6150-24.16mminch

Make Instruction

The first thing I encountered, below that was the extremely helpful admonition,  “To assemble Japanese bicycle require great paece of mind.”

Great Paece of Mind…

After that was a list of tools that would be required to do the job.  Some of them had illustrations beside them.  Out  of that list I had, a ball peen hammer, a phillips screw driver, a common screw driver, and a pair of pliers.  I didn’t even know what most of the others were.

There was, a bicycle shop in the nearby college town.  I loaded up and went there.  The head mechanic quoted me a price to turn this pile of parts into a working bicycle.  My stomach got that “over the top of the roller coaster feeling.”  The quote, added to what I’d already paid for the thing, amounted to close to the purchase price of one of those fancy European bikes.  I told him I couldn’t even come close to that.

It must have been a slow day at the shop.  The mechanic asked to take a look at what I had, and did some unpacking.  Then he said,  “Tell you what.  I’ll press the headset races into the frame and onto the fork for you.  I’ll also sell you a spoke wrench.  The work and the wrench will only cost you about five dollars.  If you’re smart and patient, you can get around all the rest.”

Then he added an astonishing statement.  “If you can get this into shape for me to tune it, I’ll give you a part time job.”  That sounded like a deal to me, and we shook on it.

For the next week and a half I barely slept.  If I wasn’t working, eating, or at school, I was working on the bicycle.  There were a lot of false starts, and a lot of mistakes.  I got it done.  It wasn’t rideable, but it was assembled.

I took my results back to the bike shop.  My new friend, the mechanic, was as good as his word.  He put me to work sweeping the floor, carrying out trash, sorting old parts, doing odd jobs.  The work I did for the first week, about fifteen hours, paid for getting the bike ride-worthy.

The next couple of months, I was basically “paid” in tools, parts, and clothing.  But I was becoming a “bike mechanic.”

I also raced on the Japanese bicycle.  With “great paece of mind.”  It took me places.  It always had a few odd quirks.  It didn’t like 1-3 gear combination, or the 2-2, and on one ever figured out why.  It developed an interesting wobble while descending at speed.  It was soon demoted to becoming my “car,” while I raced on a very pricey Italian bike.  I sold it.  For not very much money.  I wish I still had the thing.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #11) Do the Novice Road Ride loop backwards, starting at Bicycles Unlimited.  After exactly 9.39 miles turn right.  Go 0.6 miles and turn left.  Go 2.03 miles and turn right.  Go 1.55 miles and turn left.  Go 0.85 miles and turn right.  Go 0.27 miles and reverse course.  Go 0.12 miles and stop.  What have you just learned?

{Monday:  More info on contest prizes.}

Thursday Thoughts ~~ Dreaming

The Season is coming.  What will we do with it this time?

Will we laugh and ride through the long days?  Will we go on that tour we’ve dreamed of.  Will we race?  Will we have the ride of our lives, in downtown AnyCity?

How many of us will keep a training log?  How many will write a note on a given day in July, to the effect that, “This was the perfect ride!  Good people, great weather, excellent route.  Even the cars were kind.  I rode like I was born to ride.  If only they all could be like this!”

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #9) Why am I thankful for triathletes?

What will our world look like in August?

What are we going to do to make it happen?

What big plans do you have?  New bike?  Riding in a different place?  Going someplace exotic to ride.  Riding exotically in your neighborhood?

Will one of us, like Einstein, “think of it while riding a bicycle”?

Perhaps, on a group ride, out in the middle of nowhere, we will see a kid and wave.  Who knows, perhaps that kid will be inspired to do what we are doing.  Perhaps that kid will be the next Fausto Coppi.

Maybe peace will break out.

It’s time to start making this year a reality.  What will we do with it?

Dream.  Dream big dreams.  Then make them happen.

Think about it.

   

Issues

Riding a bicycle is fun.  Riding a bicycle is good for you.  Exercise promotes health.  Good health promotes happiness.  If the exercise in question is enjoyable, folks are more likely to engage in it.  (This is the primary reason for one of my more conistent themes, i.e. enjoy the bike!)

For some reason, there are a lot of contradictions about riding.  It’s fun so we want to do it more.  We find that, when we do it more, we have even more fun doing it.  So we want to do it even more.  And suddenly we start running into “issues.”

“Issues” are not fun.  Everyone has them.  “My hands hurt,” or “My feet go numb,” or “I get saddle sores,” or “My back gets sore,”  or you name it.

I sometimes think that we, in the bicycle industry, do ourselves and our clients a disservice.  We talk about a given bike being comfortable, or a pair of shoes, or a specific handlebar tape, as being comfortable.  The truth is, these things make riding less uncomfortable.  For comfort, sit in an easy chair.  The problem with that is that we don’t see much, and the exhilaration factor is completely absent.

So what to do about discomfort issues?  Of course, come talk it over with an experienced pro.  But do understand, we can not tell if you are experiencing pain, or simply a mild, but annoying discomfort.

Good fit is critical.  Knowing how to use it is important.  (Hint:  Get a lesson in how to sit on a bike seat. Don’t overtighten your shoes or your gloves.)  Changes of position and equipment can be helpful.  But we do have to be ready to withstand some discomfort.

Unescapable and self-contradictory truth:  Riding more fixes most problems.  But serious problems stop you from riding more.

Corollary:  Given a good fit, and good equipment.  Most “issues” are simply due to lack of adaptation.

So how does one adapt to that which can be adapted to?  Simple.  Do less, and do it more frequently.  (There’s that consistency thing again.)  It doesn’t matter how long it takes for the hard discomfort to occur.  Be it an hour, or 15 minutes.  Find that time.  Then take a couple days off to recover.  Then go out frequently, but stay inside that “ouch limit.”  In three to six weeks, you should be adapting to the bike, if you are going to.  Discomfort that persists for more than six weeks should be attended to.

By the same token, Never ride in pain!  Let me repeat that.  DO NOT RIDE IN PAIN!!  Don’t be a hero.

Do make the distinction between discomfort or soreness, and pain.  Work carefully and methodically on the former, and get immediate help for the latter.

We either find a way to deal with our issues, or we don’t.  Courage, determination, obstinancy, good old fashioned stick-to-it-ivness, these are all traits of the long term, life-time cyclist.

Be of good cheer.  Seek help.  Know this, it’s just about impossible to have an original problem.

Oh and one more thing…  The first of the Audax Tune Up Rides is fast approaching.  Are you coming?

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #8) What is the exact distance of the Novice Road Ride Loop?

   

Post Ride Actions…

By request, the following is a reprint from a previous Tuesday Tome article.

Ever wonder why some folks have bikes that always look new?  They might have had the machine for years, but it still looks band box fresh.  Why is that?

Let me answer by diverting a bit.  The old cowboys knew that after a hard ride, they had to walk the horse to cool them down, then rub them down, feed them, inspect the hooves and shoes, blanket them, and feed and stable them.  Failure to do this meant that the horse would get sick, or go lame.  That cow hand understood that he depended on his horse, and needed to take care of it first.  The expression “rode hard and put up wet,” comes from this era.  A horse that was treated in this fashion was unhealthy, and looked it.

As a bike mechanic, one of the frustrations I often encounter is bikes that have been repeatedly treated in this fashion.  They are dirty, with encrusted chains and drivelines.  They creak and clank.  They smell bad.  They don’t work right.  Things wear and corrode too quickly.  It’s not so bad if the owner is willing to pay for the damage.  But it gets very frustrating when I’m asked things like,  “How come it’s always breaking, and I need so much work.  I paid a lot of money for this, and it should work.”

The owner is right.  It should work.  Unfortunately there is no diplomatic way to say, you keep a filthy bike, which you sweat all over, ride in bad weather, and don’t take care of.  Worse, frequently, when we try to explain the idea of regular owner maintenance, we get something like,  “I don’t have time for all that.”

Most of us don’t depend on our bikes to do our jobs, but we do depend on them.  For recreation, fitness, health, escape, for any number of reasons.  We’ve worked hard for them.  We’ve saved and scrimped to put aside the money to purchase them.  We expect them to last for years.  And with reasonable care, they will.  But our bikes are machines.  They have moving parts.  Parts that wear, corrode, and deteriorate.  Dirt and corrosives are the bike’s enemies.  Not just from an appearance standpoint, but from the long term, return on investment perspective, it makes sense to take care of them.

The thing is, it shouldn’t take a lot of time.  Not if done regularly.

Let’s get back to those folks who always seem to have nice looking, good running bikes.  For many of them the “secret” is in post ride action.  They have learned to take a few minutes, after a ride, and before they hang the bike, to do some quick maintenance.

Think about adopting the “7 minute drill” to the very end of your ride.

Like everything else, this works best if you take a bit of time to prepare it.  It’s worth doing.  The time spent setting this up will pay you back in a cleaner and better running bike.

Supplies Needed:

• Two buckets.  (optional)  One five gallon “job bucket” and one smaller two gallon “painter’s”
• Supply of clean shop rags
• Assortment of brushes
• Q-tips
• Simple Green Bike cleaner
• Safety-Clean Degreaser
• Rock ‘N Roll chain lube
• T-9 Boeshield (aerosol works best)
• Bottle of denatured alcohol (rubbing alcohol)

       

I keep all this stuff where I store the bike.  Some of you have bikes that co-habit with you in a living room.  That may not be ideal.  So store the stuff in the buckets, and keep it some place where you can access it readily at the end of a ride.

The following drill will take you a bit longer the first few times you do it, but with practice it resolves down to a set of habitual movements.

7 Minute Drill:

0:00  Remove water bottles, cues sheet holders, lights, bags, etc.  Bottles will go inside with you for cleaning and filling later.  Bags and other accessories get re-installed or put away at the end of the drill.

0:30  Use brushes to knock any grit, grime, dust, sand, or dirt off the bike while it is still dry.

1:15  Apply Simple Green to saddle and handlebar tape.  Scrub with clean rag.

1:30  Apply Simple Green to Frame, and wipe down with clean rags.  Start at top and work down.  Pay particular attention to areas below seatpost, along seat tube, around bottle cages, and in bottom bracket region.

3:00  Apply liberal amount of alcohol to rag and then scrub brake surfaces of wheels.  Inspect tires for cuts, and imbedded foreign matter while doing this.  Turn rag often.  The idea is to remove all the brake dust and “spooge” from the rims.

3:30  Shift chain to middle of cassette and onton big chainring, then spray chain with Safety Clean degreaser, and wipe thoroughly with rag.  (It’s okay to use one of the rags you’ve already used to clean the frame.)

4:30  Spray rear derailleur pulleys and body with Safety clean and wipe away excess gunk.  Repeat with front derailleur, wiping out the interior of the cage, and wiping gunk and grit away from the pivots.  (use Q-Tips for the hard to reach spots.)

5:30  Shift rear to lowest gear (yes that’s the biggest cog) and front to the big ring.  Then, without turning the cranks, repeatedly click shifters in the other direction.  This will slack the cables.  Use a light application of Boeshield and a rag to wipe down all exposed cables.  Now click the shifters to get them back to the Rear-Low/Front-high postion.  Wipe any excess lube from frame with clean rag.

6:00  Apply a small amount of Boeshield to the pivots of both derailleurs, and the brake pivots.  Use your other hand and a rag to shield the rest of the bike from overspray.  (You don’t want this stuff dripping around, and you definitely do not want it getting on brake pads or braking surfaces of the rims.

6:30  Shift to the middle of the cassette and the big ring.  Shake your bottle of Rock ‘N Roll chain lube thoroughly.  Back turn the cranks and drip a drop of  chain lube on each link.  Continue until all of the chain is lubed.  Wipe chain dry.  Be sure to wipe the derailleur pulleys clean too.  Shift to small chain ring and wipe the excess residue off of the big ring.

7:00  Bike is ready to hang.  Put the cleaning and lube supplies back in your buckets.  Toss the dirty rags aside for washing or disposal.  You can replenish them from your supply of clean ones when you put the buckets away.  Put the bike away, pick up your bottles and accessories and take them inside to replenish, clean and put away. 

Go get a nice warm shower and an adult beverage, you’ve earned it.

The Great and Weird Road Dragon Bike Contest

Contest Question #7) On the paths in Peachtree City, there is a feature sometimes known as “Who’s Your Daddy Hill.”  This is the path up Shakerag Hill.  From the double right angle at the creek on the west side of this climb, to the top, what is the elevation gain?