Where does your bike take you?

That opening question is carrying a lot of freight.  Many (I’m tempted to say most) riders don’t go much of anywhere on their bikes.  Sure, they ride, but it’s usually a recreational or training loop that gets them back to exactly where they started.  The whole purpose of the ride was to ride, not to get somewhere.  That’s okay.  There is nothing wrong with riding for recreation and fitness.  Indeed, there is a lot to be said for it.

It will come as no shock to long time readers, I am greatly interested in using the bicycle for transportation.  My bike takes me to the store, to work, and to other destinations.  That’s ordinary utility riding.  I also like to use the bike to go out and explore my world.

 I continue to fill in the various blanks in the local area.  By “local,” I mean pretty much everything that can be ridden to and back from in a day.  So that means everything within 75 miles of my home.  That’s an area of roughly 17,663 square miles.  There’s a lot there to look at and poke around in.

At heart I’m a tourist.  I get a case of fiddle feet, and I just have to go somewhere and see stuff.  I see stuff along the way.  I get off of the bike and noodle around in interesting things.  (N.B.  That’s how I first saw the Paleolithic structure up on Fort Mountain.  I had no idea it was there.  I was riding by it, on the way to something else, saw the park, and went in to investigate.  How I just “happened” to be riding by there is another story entirely.)

I have ridden to five of our state’s borders, Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Atlantic.  (I don’t count Florida, as I rode to that border, on multiple occasions, from within Florida.)

There are wonders, mysteries, and sights to behold, out there, just beyond our horizons.  Many are impossible to be seen from an automobile.  They are there, just waiting to be discovered.

My fiddle feet are starting to act up again.  I have a strong hankering to get on the bike and go somewhere.  So…

Where does your bike take you?  And, who’s interested in doing some touring?

Happy Days!

The change of the calendar to a new year seems to mark a lot of new beginnings.  I’ve recently passed a few of those.

The First Mosquito Bite of the Year:  No news here, it’s been an unusually mild Fall and Winter.  (I’m still sort of waiting for Winter to actually happen.)  This one is an indicator of just how mild it’s been.  I was taking out the trash last Tuesday, and was swarmed by mosquitos.

The First Commute of the Year!  It’s late, I know.  Heaven knows I’ve really wanted to do more of this.  I’ve just had a lot of circumstances and obligations that forced me to drive instead of riding.  With most of those out of the way, Saturday was a good day to begin.  It was chilly at the beginning of the trip in, but it warmed wonderfully.  It was good to start the day on the bike, and in sunshine!

The First Ride Home Started with Daylight:  This relates to the last item.  There is a period in every Winter when my homeward trip starts out in the dark.  I always look forward to the first ride that starts in daylight.  This year it was the above mentioned.

The First Ride Without Tights:  Yes it has been mild.  This past week, it was warm enough to ride (once!) without tights.  Bare legs and comfortable in January.  Now this is why it is good to live here.

The First Fixie Ride:  Logged two hours on the fixed gear.  That was fun, and it completely trashed my legs.  Good training.  Humbling.

The First Tire Swap:  Admittedly, this is early, and I may regret it, but…  I just changed the skins on my go-to road bike from the “Winter” 700 X 25s to the “Spring/Summer” 700 X 23s.  This is way early.  I don’t usually do this until sometime in March.

There are a few more “firsts” yet to come...

• First Ride Home Without Lights
• First Novice Road Ride (next Sunday!)
• First Audax Tune Up
• First Seasonal Night Ride
• First Ride without a jacket
• First Ride with bare arms
• First Ride in 80 Degrees

What are the milestones you’ve accomplished, and what are you looking forward to?

Friday Follies ~~ Getting Fixed

Let me take you back in time.  The earth’s crust had only recently cooled, and manly men rode and raced bicycles.  In that day, I had a strong hankering to be like those men.  I started racing.  Massive volumes could be written covering the stuff I didn’t know. 

I had some good early results, but then things stopped.  I couldn’t seem to get much beyond a certain point.  So I looked to the Hard Men to try and learn what would make me better, stronger, able to win.

“You should ride velo,”  the Hard Men said.  I didn’t know velo from violins, but I was willing to try it.  With a little more guidance (emphasis on the word little) I found my way to a track and watched it.  Didn’t seem like such a big deal.  There were no gears, no brakes, and most importantly, no hills!  How hard could it be?

I understood, in a very theoretical way, that track bikes were fixed gear, that there was no coasting, no freewheeling, and no brakes.  Sure, you keep your feet moving on the pedals at all times that the bike is moving, and you slow the bike by reversing the direction of force on the pedals.

“It’s fairly simple,”  I was told.  “You control the bike with a combination of adverse pedaling, and forward.”  Pause,  “You should probably work on your trackstand too.”

I didn’t know what a trackstand was.  I soon learned what, but never really mastered the how of it.

For that matter, I never really “mastered” velo racing.  There were a lot of reasons for this; most of them involved lack of motivation.  I enjoyed going around the track.  Loved the smooth, steamroller feel of the track bike.  It was a huge kick to zoom through the banked turns at speed.  But the intricacies of racing on the track required skills…  skills that I just wasn’t motivated to master.

“You don’t have to ride velo,”  the Hard Men said,  “Ride the track bike on the road.  It is good conditioning.  Put the large tires on and ride in the weather.  It will make you strong for racing.”

I should mention a couple of things.  I lived in the south.  But not all of the south is sunny and warm all the time.  The mountains of Virginia experience Winter.  It snows.  It sleets.  It rains semi-frozen mush.  Also there are hills.  Big hills.

The combination of a track bike, with no brakes, no choice of gearing, and bad (often slippery bad) weather is less than auspicious.  Add in a pilot who is not experienced at cycling in bad weather, and only minimally proficient on a fixed gear bike.  Yup.  Recipe for disaster.

I lost traction.  I lost traction going up hills.  Worse, I lost it going down hills.  (Somewhere in the Virginia Highway Code, there must be a requirement to put a big, busy, complex intersection at the bottom of every steep hill.)

Slapping asphalt hurts.  Slapping asphalt in the Winter hurts more, and stings deeper.  Slapping asphalt, and sliding on it, in a mixture of slush, ice, road salt, grit, and frigid water hurts a lot.  And then you get to keep riding, in your soaking wet, beslimed clothing, in temperatures that were low, and are getting lower.  Not fun.

Eventually, I’d had enough.  I sold the track bike for a loss, and went on about my way.  I did, eventually, learn how to ride in nasty Winter weather.  It’s not easy, and it’s not fun.  (I don’t miss it.)

More recently in my life, I re-discovered single-speed and fixed gear bikes.  I’ve had a lot of fun with them.  They are good training tools.  All of mine have brakes.  It rarely snows here.  Our hills are not all that big.  I won’t go near a velodrome on one.

Stuff I like: Gloves

{NOTE:  This was ­supposed to post yesterday.  Due to an oddity in scheduling software, and my fumbling with it, the post stayed “in the cue.”  So here it is, a bonus for your Thursday morning.  Enjoy!}

Gloves are wonderful!

Summer gloves, that insulate me from some of the vibrations, open on the back, hands cooler and more comfortable.  I like just the least bit of palm padding, and of course, the terry fabric over the thumb.  I’m particularly fond of old-fashioned macramé backed gloves.  I wish I could still find the kind with a leather strap and buckle.  (I’m not the much of a fan of Velcro on Summer weight clothing.)

Mountain Bike Gloves, with full coverage of the fingers.  I use a pair made by Fox.  They amount to armor for the hands.  Carbon fiber plates over the knuckles and along the fingers protect against those tree and branch impacts.  The palms are tough synthetic (good for handling briers and stickers), and they are strong, light, and breathable.  It’s nice to come out of the woods with my hands unscathed.

Winter Gloves, with the ability to layer.  I like lightweight wool ones as liners.  On really cold days I use the liners inside mittens.  (In extra cold weather, I slip a pair of those chemical hand-warmers in between the mitts and the liners.)  Mittens aren’t as dexterous, but they have less surface area to radiate heat away.  Bar Mitts are s sort of mitten that your bike wears.  What a wonderful idea!  They keep the rain and cold out, block the wind, improve dexterity.  Pure genius!

Weather gloves, are ones that protect from water as well as cold.  I’m extremely fond of “water proof” gloves, with lots and lots of GoreTex™.  Dry is warm.  And I do ride in the rain!  Hands are vulnerable.  It’s not hard to find good rain jackets, rain pants, and capes, but finding a worthy pair of rain gloves, that shed the water and still keep you warm?  That’s a lot more difficult.    

On occasion, I have used the “small trash bag over the hands and lower arms trick.  It’s worth noting.  Part of the trick is to always have two or four extra Velcro reflector bands with you.  You slip the hands and lower arms into the bags (while wearing your Winter gloves, of course), and then use the bands to secure the bags in place.  Elegant, this is not…  but it’s effective!

I like gloves.  They make my life much more comfortable.  They help me to stay “on the bike” in some of the worst weather.

What one piece of equipment do you like most, depend on, or feel most enhances your riding experience?

Thursday Thoughts: Thoughts on the Bike

What do you think about when you are on your bicycle?

When I’m on the bike, I find an odd mental state.  The front of my mind is totally focused on the act of riding.  I’m observing traffic, noting road conditions, listening to the bike for problems, planning my movements.  And yet, this work is being handled by my “Robot.”  It doesn’t demand my conscious attention, until such time as something is going wrong.  So my conscious attention, and my thoughts, are given to wander around on their own.

I find that each ride tends to have a sort of mental format.

Beginning:  Thoughts still on the day, rehashing arguments, thinking about problems behind me and ahead of me.

Early Middle:  Thoughts shift to The Act of riding.  Noticing the state of the body.  Am I tired?  Why are my legs so wooden?  This saddle feels good.  Etc.

Middle:  By this time, I’m “warmed up.”  The body is working well, legs loose and strong, breathing comes easily, power is there to command.  If this is a good ride, I’ve managed to escape heavy traffic.  About the act of cycling, I can be mindful, but not thoughtful.  The world around me expands in my awareness.  It is this time, on a good ride, that the miracle happens.  It’s a Za-Zen thing.  Some would call it being in the “zone.”  Miles roll by.  Hills are there, but they roll under the bike with ease.  The world is good, life is good, all is right in the universe.  With luck, and good conditioning, this happy state can continue for quite some time.

            It is here that I can (sometimes) achieve a state of consciousness that is hard to describe.  It’s detached and reflective.  The best description I have for it is that the bike disappears beneath me, and I am thinking about thinking.  Often, I find the focus of that serene mental state is the ride itself.  Wonderful!

Late Middle:  The body starts to re-assert itself.  Fatigue is just barely beginning to break through the perception threshold.  The act of riding is enjoyable, and even the sensation of impending fatigue is a good thing.  There is power there for the summoning, strength and wind are available, but I’m beginning to notice that it will take just a bit of mental effort to call on these resources.  I notice that I’m hungry, and that I will need to either finish fairly soon, or replace water bottles.  (When did I drink all that water?)  On a really good ride, I’ve managed to stay away from traffic still, and I’m in a state of happiness.  The impending fatigue is not stress-related, and is welcomed as a deserved and proper thing.

Near the End:  Awareness of the coming end begins to creep into my consciousness.  I’m reminded of my mortality.  I slowly admit that, “no, I can not do this forever.  I shall need to stop soon.”  Time reasserts itself.  I actually begin to look forward to the ending of this, and I’m glad that it will be soon.  Minutes start to take longer.  Thoughts of schedules and duties return.  I’m aware that my backside and my wrists are sore, that my back is stiffening, and that the legs don’t have the magic power any more.  I want to get it over with.

Obviously, not all rides are long enough to manifest all of these stages.  In some I seem to go from “Beginning” directly to “Near the end.”  Sometimes traffic, companions, weather, or other factors intrude.  But there are enough of the good rides, the ones where it all falls into place, and all is right.

How do your thoughts go on the bike?

Back to the Fixies

It’s Fixed Gear Time!

That’s right.  We are now in the mid-Winter season, and traditionally, that’s the time that old-school cyclists drag out the fixed gear bikes with the fatter tires.  Forget about the hipsters and their fancy tricks and skids.  It’s time to get on the road and do it fixed.

Why is this a tradition?  I’m not sure.  But it makes a certain kind of sense.  A fixie requires less maintenance, and so it’s a not bad choice for rides in nasty weather.  And this time of year is, traditionally, the nastiest of weather.

It’s a good time, in an annual training cycle, to work on both spinning and putting some power back in the legs.  Fixed gear bikes do both.  First off, there is only one gear, so it has to make do for everything.  Climbs are slower, and harder.  Descents take more work, and require a higher spin.

More, there is a nasty logic to gearing selection.  Choose too high a gear, to minimize downhill high cadence, and one has to suffer on the climbs.  Conversely, a lower gear, for more comfortable climbing, can be down right panic inducing on the descents.

I believe there is one more, less talked about reason for Winter fixed gear riding.  One has to work both going up and coming down.  The result?  The rider stays warmer!

Of course, fixies do require a bit of learning.  You tell yourself,  “It just means I have to pedal all the time.  I can do that.”  But you don’t realize how deeply ingrained your habits are.  Your free-wheel bike has taught you to coast, and to drop one crank or the other, or to level them while you coast.  You will try this on your fixed gear bike.  The results will be amusing.  Part of the fun of taking up fixed gear riding is the new learning.  And yes, they will teach you a thing or two!

One word of caution:  If one is planning to do this kind of thing, I highly recommend doing it on a bike with brakes.  A fixed gear bike can be slowed by adverse pedaling and skidding.  However, in traffic, these tactics are often not enough.  Brakes, people!  Mount them and use them.  Now go get fixed!

Audax Ride Preparations: Bike Choices

Each year, as this particular activity looms onto the horizon, I do my level best to supply helpful information.  What is rendered below is hardly to be considered the ultimate in wisdom, but it the sum total of what I have learned, by research, observation, and personal experience.

It is my fond hope that riders new to distance/endurance/touring type riding will find this helpful.  I rather think there may just be a tidbit of some worth for the more experienced rider too.

This is about what works best for this particular kind of ride. 

What Does Not work:

I’ve found this to be a necessary warning.  While I don’t try to discourage folks from doing what they think works for them, long (and sometimes bitter) experience has shown that the following do not do well on this ride, or on the preparation “Audax Tune Ups.”

• Mountain bikes.  (More, it does not matter if a mountain bike has had the tires replaced with thinner slicks.  It’s still a mountain bike.  It’s still not efficient.  It’s still a bad idea.)
• Comfort bikes
• Cruiser
• Hybrids
• Flat bar road bikes (sometimes called “Fitness Bikes”)

In short, just about any kind of bike with a flat or straight handlebar.  I’ve seen it tried a lot of times.  It doesn’t work.  Period.  Use the right tool for the job.  Or more bluntly,  “Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight.”

What Does work:

Almost any kind of drop handlebar road bike will do, IF you are comfortable on it for longer periods of time.  That means it pretty much has to fit you well, and the saddle has to work well for you.  If you are not sure about your fit, have it done.  Get a good sound professional bike fit done.  If you are not sure about your saddle, come out and do the Audax Tune Ups.  After riding 45 miles (or 65 miles) you will know whether you have saddle “issues” or not.  (If so, come see me at Bicycles Unlimited, and we’ll discuss options.)

Why? 

The purpose of this little discussion is to recommend the best choice for this kind of endurance/light touring riding.  Read this if:

You have a bike and don’t plan to replace it, or to get another bike:

You don’t have a bike:

You are considering the purchase of a(nother) bike:

Here’s my recommendation:

You can do this kind of ride on almost any road bike.  It’s not really so long as to require a dedicated touring type bike.  I would recommend bikes with more relaxed geometry, as opposed to all out racing machines. 

We have had folks do this on time trail bikes, and they’ve done okay, but unless you are deep into training for IronMan type events, I’d suggest avoiding this choice.

A “light tourist” is not a bad choice.

It most certainly can be done on a cyclocross bike, but I’d go for slightly narrower (and smoother) tires.

Tourists are a bit heavy for this particular kind of riding, but will work.  They tend to have more relaxed geometry, and their carry-capacity is hard to beat.

Friday Follies ~~ Clip, Stumble, and Fall

The Look Company, of France, introduced the first truly clipless pedal in 1984.  I think I first heard of them sometime in 1985.  Shortly after that, I took the plunge.  (Quite literally!)  I went over to my friends in Richardson, and asked about these new pedals.  In less than a half hour I was the proud owner of a new pair of Italian shoes, and a pair odd looking pedals.  I’d also had the benefit of about five minutes of instruction.

“You have to twist your foot to get out of them,”  my young mechanic friend said.  “Once you’re in, you’re locked in.  You won’t be able to pull your foot out.”

“Are you using these things?”  I asked.

My friend shuddered, and said,  “No way!  I think they’re dangerous, but lots of our customers love them.”

Back in those days, the clipless technology was new.  There weren’t a lot of people around who could tell you about the various pitfalls.  So I had to learn on my own.

I removed the toeclip pedals from my venerable bike, installed the new Looks, then bolted the cleats to my new shoes, and kitted up for a ride.

As I stood, straddling the bike, I had my first difficulty.  I had a hard time getting my left foot engaged in the pedal.  That should have been a warning, but I ignored it.  I pushed off, and then tried to engage my right foot in the other pedal.  I didn’t get it hooked in.  The bike lost speed as I tried.  I had to pump it up with the left foot, the right flailing away at that pedal.  Eventually, more by chance than design, the right foot clicked in.  “Ah-HA!  I’m getting the hang of these now,”  I thought.

I did notice an improvement in my power transfer.  I also noticed an almost immediate burning sensation in leg muscles that I didn’t know I had.  Interesting.

I rode along for a bit, and then found myself approaching an intersection.  It was a large intersection, one controlled by a traffic light.  The light was red my way, and it would have been instant death to attempt running it.

“Twist your foot,”  I said to myself as I slowed the bike.  I promptly fell over on my side.  My foot hadn’t come out of the pedal.

It took me about three changes of the traffic light to get untangled and re-mounted.  During that time, several passersby stopped to ask if I was in need of help.

As soon as I got going, the thought occurred to me,  “I better get off of busy streets and figure these things out.”  I suited action to words.  Inside a low traffic neighborhood, I made my first attempt at a controlled pedal release.  I discovered that releasing my foot took a good bit more authority on that pedal twist.  But I did manage to get unhooked.  I practiced a couple of stops, anticipating the event, and telling myself,  “Heel out!  Heel out!” as I approached them.  Five or six attempts, with good positive releases, and fumbled re-engagements were enough to convince me that I had this figured out.  So…

Out of the side street, and back toward that same busy intersection.  Once again the light was red my way.  No problem!  I unhooked my right foot, only to have the bike start leaning to the left.  I went down in a heap, my right leg waving in the air.

Hmm.  This was going to be a bit more difficult than I thought…

Let’s fast forward a bit.  In between slapstick falls, my skills with clipless pedals did improve a bit.  I got into mountain biking.  I adopted the Shimano SPD pedals for my mountain bike.  And…  Due to some circumstances, I stopped riding off road for a time.

Came a chilly Winter day.  I was due to take a long ride with a new friend of mine.  I had mounted slicks on the mountain bike, as the old road bike was down for maintenance, so…  I took the mountain bike out.

My friend looked a bit askance at the bike I was riding.  He had some particular questions about those clipless pedals, and voiced some skepticism.  I offered my enthusiastic approval of the pedals.

Well into the ride, we came to a turn we weren’t sure of.  I volunteered to ride ahead and check to see if one road was the one we wanted, or the dead end I thought it was.  My friend stayed put at the fork, packing his jacket and eating a snack.  I got about two hundred yards down the street, still well in sight of my riding companion, when I realized that, this wasn’t the correct route.  I had a flash of playful inspiration.

I wheeled my bike (something I had only lately mastered) and turned sharply around, dropping the wheel to the ground after completing the turn.  I rode back to my waiting companion, brought the bike to a nice brisk stop, and…  Promptly fell over.  Classic.  A flailing away all the way to the ground, clipless pedal fall.

It was on that day that I had the epiphany.  You know?  I should really practice with these things!  (I know.  It’s a novel concept, right?)

Thursday Thoughts: The Helmet Thing

In a recent news story, it was reported that actor Gene Hackman was struck by a motor vehicle while riding his bike.  The writers of that news piece also saw fit to mention that Mr. Hackman was “not wearing a helmet.”  That little bit raises several points.

Before we continue, I should qualify things a bit.  I am a firm advocate of bicycle helmets.  On several occasion helmets have made a major difference in my life.  I lead a lot of rides, and I service a lot of bikes.  I’ve seen too many crashes, and have dealt with the aftermath of a lot more of them.  I have seen a lot of folks walking around after a severe blow to the head.  On the other, hand, I know of too many incidents where the bare-headed victim did not have such a good outcome.

But here’s the odd thing.  I have seen a weary lot of news reports of cycling crashes.  In a fair number of these, the report included the line, “the cyclist was not wearing a helmet.”  The clear implication is that the lack of a helmet was the cause of the crash.  Or, more bluntly;  “It’s the bicyclist’s fault!  After all, they weren’t wearing a helmet!”  (Does anyone else get weary-tired of the presumption of guilt in these things?)

Let’s get something really clear.  Umbrellas don’t cause rain.  Lack of umbrellas don’t cause rain either.

In point of fact, I’ve seen a lot of riders, religiously wearing helmets, and performing acts of complete idiocy on the bike.  Fer cryin out loud!  Helmets don’t prevent crashes!  Crashes are caused by carelessness and inattention, on the part of one or more of the operators.  Let’s stop assuming that it’s always the cyclist’s fault.

Stuff I like: Fenders, Racks, & Bags

At the crux of this matter is the question,  “How do you use your bicycle?”

On the one hand, many choose to use the bike as a toy, as a piece of exercise equipment, as a recreational device.  That’s well and good.  But there are other applications.  It’s no secret that I like using the bike as a vehicle.  I love using these wonderful machines to get to where I want to go.

That last statement has some powerful implications.  If the only car at your disposal was an open roadster, with no means of putting the top up, and no fenders, you would probably develop a certain reluctance to go out in any but the nicest weather.  The same can be said for the bike.  Technical weather clothing helps.  It’s amazing how well some of this stuff works.  But face it; it’s going to rain.  And fenders keep a cyclist cleaner and drier.

That part about “cleaner” is important.  That technical weather clothing I mentioned?  Guess what?  It doesn’t work so well if it get dirty.  Fabrics like Goretex™ don’t do their amazing tricks as well when they get dirty.  Keeping them clean helps keep you dry!  And not having the water flung up at you from below helps keep you dry too.

Of course there are drawbacks to fenders. 

• Some feel they look clunky and odd.
• They increase wind drag.
• They add weight.
• Some might argue, the weight and drag are there all the time, and it only rains sometimes. 

In Reply, I would say,

• Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.  Form follows function.
• Increased weight and drag are good training loads.
• Yes it only rains sometimes, but I can only ride sometimes, and it tends to rain more when I want to ride.  Fenders are good!

The rack and bag thing:

Another aspect of transportation cycling is the ability to haul stuff around.  If one is going to use the bike as a transport, sooner or later it becomes necessary to find ways to bring things along.  Backpacks can solve this problem, sometimes.  But backpacks add a lot of weight, and the rider has to bear it.  Racks and bags put the weight on the bike.  One has to exert energy to move this stuff.  It shouldn’t be necessary to exert more energy to support it.

I have a good rack and a very decent set of touring panniers on my commuter.  Want an example of what can be done?  On a recent trip, I carried my work clothes with me, along with my rain gear, and made a grocery stop on the way home.  On that stop I picked up a small bunch of carrots, four large tomatoes, a box of vermicelli pasta, two cans of tomato sauce, a half gallon of milk, a pound of cheese, a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly, a loaf of bread, a pound of butter, a small rotisserie chicken, a dozen eggs, and a candy bar.  Yes, I noticed the weight, but I didn’t burn any gas while I carried it, my trip was not noticeably longer, and I had fun doing it.

In my mind this beats the stew out of loading the bike on my truck and then driving to some place where I will ride it.

What’s your favorite accessory, and why?

Clipless Pedals

First, a brief history:

Back in the late 1800s the “safety” bicycle was first put on the market.  This is the first of the “modern” bicycles, with a diamond frame, pedals, and a chain drive.  Note it had pedals.

At first, pedals were just a platform on which the feet rested.  The rider pushed down on them to make the bike go.

At some early point in history, some genius figured out that if the ride could pull up as well as push down, more power and speed could be developed.  So, for racing and performance riding, the rider had an assistant tie his (he was almost always a male in those days) feet to the pedals.  This had some fairly obvious drawbacks.  The most obvious was that the assistant had to be around when the rider wanted to dismount.

Further brilliant engineering ensued.  New pedals were introduced with a strap.  The strap had a buckle.  This allowed the rider to tighten his/her own pedals, and to a limited degree, to get out of them without assistance.  Still, this was a somewhat clumsy arrangement.

That led to the introduction of the “Toe Clip.”  Originally, the toe clip was a spring steel cage that held the strap open.  The new arrangement greatly eased the act of getting into and out of the strap.  For a long long time, that was as good as it got.

Along about 1971, the Cinelli folks invented the first modern “clipless” pedal.  The Look company introduced the first commercially viable varient of this idea in 1984.  These pedals engaged a cleat on the sole of a riding shoe.  This was a very positive engagement, and allowed the rider to push down, pull back, pull up, and push forward.  In other words, to make power all the way around the pedal stroke.  Because these devices did their job without a “toe clip” they were called “clipless pedals.”

Just to make it a bit more confusing, riders and bicycle people all, almost universally refer to the act of engaging a clipless pedal as “clipping in” or “clipping out.”

Why should I want to use these things?

Clipless pedals were developed for racing, but we mere mortals can benefit greatly from their use.  Having the foot, firmly attached to the pedal increases efficiency.  More different muscle groups are used to achieve a smoother, more even application of power.  The benefit is immediate, and only gets better with training.  In addition, having the foot solidly connected to the bike increases the rider’s ability to control the bike.  The solid engagement of the cleat and pedal almost completely eliminate the chance of a foot slipping from the pedal during maneuvering.

The one thing that is most surprising to new users, clipless pedals are safer.  Of course, that statement presupposes that the user has taken the time to practice with them, and has built new habits.

The Downside:

Cost.  An entry level set of pedals will set you back anywhere from $60 to $85, and the shoes can be had for about that again.

 Clipless pedals require training.  The motions, both for engaging them, and for disengaging, are not habitual.  One has to learn the techniques, and then one must practice them.  The best plan is to practice and drill with them, repeatedly, for the first several months, and then constantly revisit that practice.  Such work is, at first, time consuming, but it is well worth the effort.  The goal is to be able to release from the pedals, with either foot, at any point in the crankstroke, at any time, without thinking about it.  That sounds daunting, but you can accomplish this.  Please consider…  Once upon a time tying your shoes was a major challenge.  Yes?  I’m willing to bet you haven’t thought about it in years.

Conclusion:  If you race, or wish to race, learning clipless pedals is a must.  If you are a recreational cyclist, and wish to ride longer, better, and more efficiently, this technology is a tremendous benefit.  The cost is not prohibitive.  There are risks in the initial learning curve, but the long-term gain is great.

Preparing for The Audax Ride:

Going long more a state of mind than it is a physical act.  That said, getting the bod and bike in condition are good and worthy actions.

The body:  To begin with, just get into the saddle.  Do it now.  Do it regularly.  Do it often.  Start with five to seven hours per week.  That’s not hard to accomplish.  Do a one hour ride on every weekday, and one two hour jaunt on the weekends.  Keep the effort level low, and enjoy  the thing.  Alternately, three each hour-and-a-half ride, evenly spread through the week would work well.  The key is to be on the bike, and to do it consistently.

If you can, make two of these rides into fairly serious workouts, and the others very low-key.  But time on the bike is more critical than high effort.

Weather and darkness can make some of this a little difficult.  Spin Class can help.  We do a great one at Bicycles Unlimited.  I’d avoid a gym type class.  Most of them are “suffer parties” which don’t target specific areas a cyclist needs.

Note:  It’s not possible to be consistent part of the time.  The goal is to ride regularly, and do it spread throughout the week.  A five to seven hour thrash, once a week, will do more damage than good.  Put another way, it’s not possible to make up for three off days, by riding three times as long on the fourth.

The Bike:  For now, get it clean.  Lubricate the driveline.  Inflate the tires.  Get any minor problems fixed.  Go Ride.  You’ll want to get a good thorough tune up done around the end of the first week of February.

The first of the Audax Tune Up Rides is on February 26.  The trick it to get any real deficiencies identified and corrected by then.

We’ll soon have more on this subject, including the hows and more importantly the whys.  Until then, go out and ride!  Engage this week, and enjoy it!

Friday Follies ~~ Stopping

“Almost every problem a cyclist can have is improved by one thing.  Keep pedaling!”  Usually I live by that advice.

Q:  “It’s starting to rain!  What should we do?”

A:  “Keep going!  You won’t melt.”

Q:  “It’s raining.  Should we stop and put on our rain gear?”

A:  “No.  Keep going!  It’s only ten miles to the end.”

Q:  “My bike is making a funny noise.  Should we stop?”

A:  “Do you feel anything wrong?”

Q:  “No, but it’s a kind of squeaky-creak thing.  Should we look at it?”

A:  “No.  There isn’t a shop out here.  Let’s finish, and then take it to the shop.”

Q:  “I’m tired.  Should we stop for a bit?”

A:  “No.  Finish up. Then take a nap.”

Q:  “It’s really getting hot out here!”

A:  “Keep going!  The breeze will help, and it won’t get any cooler if we stop.”

Of course there are some situations that demand a stop…

Q:  “My tire just went flat.”

A:  “Let’s get it fixed and get going again.”

Q:  “Something just fell off of my bike!”

A:  “Grr.  Okay, let’s go back and get it.”

Q:  “My head is still bleeding, and now I’m seeing double.”

A:  “Yikes!  Let’s find a shady spot for you to sit down.  I’ll call 911.”

There are occasions when an unplanned stop is absolutely necessary. 

A few years back, some good friends and I were riding a 200K brevet out of Gainesville, Florida.  We’d made the mistake of believing the forecast.  The weather folks had called for a day starting out in the mid-40s, and rising to high 60s.  We believed them.  After all, this was Florida.

In the small hours of the morning, a strong cold front arrived.  At ride time the temps were in the 30s and dropping.  The ride started at 5:00 AM, with the temps in the low 30s and falling.  The next two hours were horrible.  By dawn, my beard was caked with ice and we were all in pain.  With an indicated temperature of 22 degrees F, we spotted an open convenience store.  There was no discussion.  We all turned off the road and into the parking lot.  What happened next looked like a slap-stick comedy routine.  That stop was absolutely necessary!

There are other times when a stop is appropriate.  I’ve pulled over to the side, during a hard and rewarding mountain ride.  The view and the momentary silence called to me.  Every once in a while, I am moved to halt and just be.  It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, I heed it.

I’ve been out at night, riding through a wooded area, as Spring was coming into full bloom.  The moonlight on the new Dogwood blooms was special and inviting.  I stopped.  I moved into the woods and just stood still.  Breathing.

Sometimes, the best way to keep going is to stop for a moment.

Getting through the Winter: Self Sufficient & Proficient

Winter is THE TIME to work on becoming a better and more accomplished cyclist.  No one is as fast in the Winter.  Large group rides are more difficult to find.  Weather and darkness make it difficult for many to get in a lot of riding outside.  That can actually be a good thing.  Below are several suggestions for activities that will greatly improve one’s confidence and skill.  These are things that do not require a lot of time, and that should best be done on a more individual (or at least small group) basis.

Become more self-reliant:  Free yourself for the need to wait on others for ride opportunities.  Remove some of the fear associated with riding.  How?  Do a bit of learning.

I hear this in the shop a lot.  I’ll be in conversation with a rider (and not always a new one!) and will hear one of the following questions:  “What if I get a flat?”  Or, “What if something goes wrong with my bike?”  These are good questions!  If the rider does not know how to handle a flat, or how to prevent problems and fix the more common ones, then they become emergencies.  The good news is, it’s relatively easy to do a little “Winter-work” and learn to downgrade those problems from “emergency status” to “inconvenience.”

Flats:  The 4 Part Solution

• First, run good rubber, and inflate it properly.  (Most flats are caused by under-inflation!)
• Second, watch were you are going.
• Third, always carry a spare tube, a patch kit, 3 tire levers, and a pump. (see note 1)
• Fourth, Learn to fix a flat.  (see note 2)

NOTE 1:  For general riding, pumps are the answer.  Save the CO2 inflators for competition.  Pumps are multiple use devices.  With inflators, you onely get one chance.

NOTE 2:  There are lots of videos and articles the internet.  Or, you can come into the shop and ask.  You can make an appointment for some personal, “hands-on” training.

Mechanicals:  The 2 Part Solution

• First, learn to maintain your own bike, or start having it done on a very regular basis.  The first approach costs less.  Good, regular maintenance prevents the overwhelming majority of on-road mechanical problems.  (see note 3)
• Second, Learn to fix the most common of the on-road problems.  (see note 4)

NOTE 3:  Minimum maintenance involves keeping it clean and lubricated.  Any shop will explain the how-tos of this to you.  If you wish to learn to maintain your bike, and do it well, take a class.  We offer them at Bicycles Unlimited.

NOTE 4:  You can “kill two birds with one stone.”  Take our “Mechanics Class” at Bicycles Unlimited.  It’s only one evening, by appointment.  We’ll teach you how to maintain, adjust, clean, and do the most common minor repairs.

We’ll talk more about this kind of thing.  We have in mind spending a bit of time on skills and techniques too.  What are the issues that keep you from being independent and free on a bike?