It's 7:30 on a Saturday morning. I'm an hour and a half into the ride I had planned on doing this morning except for the fact that I'm not.
When you are getting ready for a how-many-miles-can-I-cover-in-12-hours ride, you're not supposed to skip good quality training rides. You're supposed to wake up incredibly early on Saturday and go out and ride hard until you puke. You know, for the training effect.
The fact that this post even exists tells you that I have utterly rebelled against that notion this morning. My bed was too comfy. The coffee was too tempting. Watching cartoons with the kids was too lovely to pass up.
Better luck next Saturday.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Commuting gets easier the more you do it. Whoda Thunk?
Commuting to work by bike has become more common as of late. It is likely a combination of good weather, an accomodating schedule and an understanding wife.
One thing I have noticed, and this really shouldn't come as a surprise, is that the process is getting easier. The evening prior, I can usually get everything ready that I need for the next day in about 10 minutes or less. That includes clothing, wallet, pen, pocketknife, phone, and the bike. I know what I need and where it needs to go.
One worry I had had was that commuting by bike would take too much extra time and, therefore, take time away from my family. That is a no-no for me. I don't want to be "that guy". Realistically, commuting by bike means I have to leave about 10-15 minutes earlier than I typically would and it probably adds about 15 minutes to my commute home.
In return, I get about 50 minutes of good quality exercise, I save on gas, save wear and tear on my car, send a positive message to patient's/co-workers/ the general public and I send a good message to my kids (that one is pretty important by the way).
The pros definitely seem to outweigh the cons.
Oh, by the way, it can be pretty fun too! Most of my ride is through the city. That means I can modify my route on the fly in any of a hundred different ways. The focus required to ride safely and pick the optimum route makes the ride feel...adventurous.
On a ride home last Tuesday, I beat an Escalade from Michigan & Lafayette to Coit & Ann Street. I had to laugh.
One thing I have noticed, and this really shouldn't come as a surprise, is that the process is getting easier. The evening prior, I can usually get everything ready that I need for the next day in about 10 minutes or less. That includes clothing, wallet, pen, pocketknife, phone, and the bike. I know what I need and where it needs to go.
One worry I had had was that commuting by bike would take too much extra time and, therefore, take time away from my family. That is a no-no for me. I don't want to be "that guy". Realistically, commuting by bike means I have to leave about 10-15 minutes earlier than I typically would and it probably adds about 15 minutes to my commute home.
In return, I get about 50 minutes of good quality exercise, I save on gas, save wear and tear on my car, send a positive message to patient's/co-workers/ the general public and I send a good message to my kids (that one is pretty important by the way).
The pros definitely seem to outweigh the cons.
Oh, by the way, it can be pretty fun too! Most of my ride is through the city. That means I can modify my route on the fly in any of a hundred different ways. The focus required to ride safely and pick the optimum route makes the ride feel...adventurous.
On a ride home last Tuesday, I beat an Escalade from Michigan & Lafayette to Coit & Ann Street. I had to laugh.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
How I became a commuter
I've long enjoyed riding to work. Typically, I only do it on Fridays because it doesn't work out well on other days of the week. Maximize family time, ya know?
This week changed that. Our minivan broke down on Tuesday, leaving us with just one vehicle. In fact, I left work on Tuesday to rescue Michelle, David and Leah and then had to ride back to work.
By the end of the week, I will have commuted to work 3.5 times. As you can imagine, I'm pretty pleased about that. That will net me about 42-43 miles I probably wouldn't have rode otherwise.
This got me to thinking. Gas prices are around $4.30/gallon right now. If prices stay that way or go higher, riding to work more often kinda seems like a no-brainer. It would probably save me about 3/4 to 1 gallon of gas per commute day. That's somewhere between $3-5/commute day. If I do that 2x/week over the next 12 weeks, we're looking at $72-120 in savings. I could deal with that. Money is tight everywhere. Why not save a buck or two.
This week changed that. Our minivan broke down on Tuesday, leaving us with just one vehicle. In fact, I left work on Tuesday to rescue Michelle, David and Leah and then had to ride back to work.
By the end of the week, I will have commuted to work 3.5 times. As you can imagine, I'm pretty pleased about that. That will net me about 42-43 miles I probably wouldn't have rode otherwise.
This got me to thinking. Gas prices are around $4.30/gallon right now. If prices stay that way or go higher, riding to work more often kinda seems like a no-brainer. It would probably save me about 3/4 to 1 gallon of gas per commute day. That's somewhere between $3-5/commute day. If I do that 2x/week over the next 12 weeks, we're looking at $72-120 in savings. I could deal with that. Money is tight everywhere. Why not save a buck or two.
Monday, June 3, 2013
To Sam or not to Sam, that is the question!
As any cyclist will tell you, we are never satisfied with the bike/s we have. There is always something "better".
We swap cranks, saddles, handlebars, pedals, deraillers, brakes, you-name-it in the eternal quest for "The Bike". Once we've changed over everything possible, that's when get serious about which bike will be the next bike. The next bike will, of course, will be "The Bike". We're sure of it.
Actually, I should confess that the process is not nearly that linear. Cyclists are always thinking about the next bike, no matter what they currently have, even if they just got back from the bike shop after picking up a new ride. We were probably thinking about the next, next bike before we even laid our hands on the next bike. It's kind of sick.
Why was I writing this post?
Oh yeah, to Sam or not to Sam? Which bike will be the next bike? The eternal, unanswerable question.
A couple months back, I upgraded several components on Gimli the Road Bike. Handlbars were swapped, pedals were switched, shifters were changed and I even added a shiny new stem (just for kicks; it was totally unnecessary). A nice set of fenders were also added during the upgrade process and that's where we ran into a problem.
With fenders, the frame will allow 23 mm tires. Nothing wider. Riding 28s had been my goal, but I would need to take off the fenders and, well, I really like the fenders. Riding in the rain is kinda fun when you're not getting soaking wet and covered with road grit.
Ideally, I would like to have a bike that fits 32 mm tires at a minimum (35 or above would be ideal). Gimli the Road Bike won't even come close. I was hoping I might be able to squeeze 28s on but that was a no go.
What to do, what to do?
Ever since I first got back in to cycling, I have been mildly obsessed with Rivendell Bicycle Works, out of northern California. They have a vibe, an aesthetic, a philosophy that really speaks to me. They make bikes that are comfortable to ride, look very retro-cool, and are designed for the average joe (not racers). Their bikes are designed to be useful in many different circumstances, from riding to the store to fetch a gallon of milk to doing a century ride. These are not cheap bikes by any means but I have yet to hear anyone, anywhere say they are not high quality or they are uncomfortable. They only complaint I have ever heard about them is that they are not as light as some other bikes. The owner of Rivendell is very up front about the topic of weight and has a well thought opinion on the topic. Read it here. If you complain about the weight of the frame then you really didn't do your homework.
Several months back I had set my sights on purchasing a Sam Hillborne. The cost for the frame alone is $1225! My estimate for saving up that amount of cash was in the 5 year range (that might even be conservative). But I was dedicated. I will perservere. I will buckle down and save every last penny I can find. I will not give in to temptation.
Why is this so important? I feel like a compromised when I purchased Gimli. I went with something that was kinda in the ballpark of what I wanted but wasn't really all that close. I rationalized (I'm pretty good at that, by the way). Since I purchased Gimli back in 2011, I've upgraded essentially everything on the bike. It's actually pretty cool now, but it's not quite what I want. Had I saved all the money that has been put into Gimli, I might have a Sam Hillborne right now.
In my head, I hear the little voice saying, "Steady now, stay the course!"
But...what if I could find a different bike that would be cheaper but would still fulfull all of the objective requirements I have for the next bike? What if?
What do I really want to do on the bike? Typically, my head is in two different camps.
The second bike wouldn't be able to have much more than a handlebar bag for a load but would keep up with friends a little better. Let's face it, fast is fun.
The Sam Hillborne is much more of the first kind of bike. I seriously doubt I wouldn't be happy with it. It's just that it will take so long to save the money!
Realistically, it will take at least another year before I have saved up enough money to do anything worth doing. Basically, this is a debate that will rage in my mind for at least that long and I will change my mind more times than I can count.
In the end, it is pretty trivial. I have two good bikes that I will continue to ride even if they aren't "The Bike".
We swap cranks, saddles, handlebars, pedals, deraillers, brakes, you-name-it in the eternal quest for "The Bike". Once we've changed over everything possible, that's when get serious about which bike will be the next bike. The next bike will, of course, will be "The Bike". We're sure of it.
Actually, I should confess that the process is not nearly that linear. Cyclists are always thinking about the next bike, no matter what they currently have, even if they just got back from the bike shop after picking up a new ride. We were probably thinking about the next, next bike before we even laid our hands on the next bike. It's kind of sick.
Why was I writing this post?
Oh yeah, to Sam or not to Sam? Which bike will be the next bike? The eternal, unanswerable question.
A couple months back, I upgraded several components on Gimli the Road Bike. Handlbars were swapped, pedals were switched, shifters were changed and I even added a shiny new stem (just for kicks; it was totally unnecessary). A nice set of fenders were also added during the upgrade process and that's where we ran into a problem.
With fenders, the frame will allow 23 mm tires. Nothing wider. Riding 28s had been my goal, but I would need to take off the fenders and, well, I really like the fenders. Riding in the rain is kinda fun when you're not getting soaking wet and covered with road grit.
Ideally, I would like to have a bike that fits 32 mm tires at a minimum (35 or above would be ideal). Gimli the Road Bike won't even come close. I was hoping I might be able to squeeze 28s on but that was a no go.
What to do, what to do?
Ever since I first got back in to cycling, I have been mildly obsessed with Rivendell Bicycle Works, out of northern California. They have a vibe, an aesthetic, a philosophy that really speaks to me. They make bikes that are comfortable to ride, look very retro-cool, and are designed for the average joe (not racers). Their bikes are designed to be useful in many different circumstances, from riding to the store to fetch a gallon of milk to doing a century ride. These are not cheap bikes by any means but I have yet to hear anyone, anywhere say they are not high quality or they are uncomfortable. They only complaint I have ever heard about them is that they are not as light as some other bikes. The owner of Rivendell is very up front about the topic of weight and has a well thought opinion on the topic. Read it here. If you complain about the weight of the frame then you really didn't do your homework.
Several months back I had set my sights on purchasing a Sam Hillborne. The cost for the frame alone is $1225! My estimate for saving up that amount of cash was in the 5 year range (that might even be conservative). But I was dedicated. I will perservere. I will buckle down and save every last penny I can find. I will not give in to temptation.
Why is this so important? I feel like a compromised when I purchased Gimli. I went with something that was kinda in the ballpark of what I wanted but wasn't really all that close. I rationalized (I'm pretty good at that, by the way). Since I purchased Gimli back in 2011, I've upgraded essentially everything on the bike. It's actually pretty cool now, but it's not quite what I want. Had I saved all the money that has been put into Gimli, I might have a Sam Hillborne right now.
In my head, I hear the little voice saying, "Steady now, stay the course!"
But...what if I could find a different bike that would be cheaper but would still fulfull all of the objective requirements I have for the next bike? What if?
What do I really want to do on the bike? Typically, my head is in two different camps.
- Ride a bike that is comfortable and solidly made with good quality components, even if it is a little slower than other peoples bikes.
- Ride a bike that is still set up comfortably but might be a little lighter and a little faster.
The second bike wouldn't be able to have much more than a handlebar bag for a load but would keep up with friends a little better. Let's face it, fast is fun.
The Sam Hillborne is much more of the first kind of bike. I seriously doubt I wouldn't be happy with it. It's just that it will take so long to save the money!
Realistically, it will take at least another year before I have saved up enough money to do anything worth doing. Basically, this is a debate that will rage in my mind for at least that long and I will change my mind more times than I can count.
In the end, it is pretty trivial. I have two good bikes that I will continue to ride even if they aren't "The Bike".
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Really, that's all I've done so far?
Just yesterday, I did the 65 mile route for the 100 Grand Bike Tour (which I highly recommend, by the hoo). When I was done, I uploaded the data from my Garmin 500 to see how we did.
Overall, it was pretty good day. I rode with Dave Vanderschaaf and Scott DeKryger, pacelineing it the whole way. This was definitely new for me as I typically ride alone.
Just for kicks, I checked my mileage total for the year. 598.
What?
598.
Seriously, that's it?
Yep folks, it turns out having 3 kids, a lovely/beautiful/fantastic wife, and a full-time job will cut into your ride time. Who-da-thunk?
At this pace, I'll be satisfied if I get 1800 miles for the year. That would be 600 less than 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. Oh well. At least the kids are cute.
Overall, it was pretty good day. I rode with Dave Vanderschaaf and Scott DeKryger, pacelineing it the whole way. This was definitely new for me as I typically ride alone.
Just for kicks, I checked my mileage total for the year. 598.
What?
598.
Seriously, that's it?
Yep folks, it turns out having 3 kids, a lovely/beautiful/fantastic wife, and a full-time job will cut into your ride time. Who-da-thunk?
At this pace, I'll be satisfied if I get 1800 miles for the year. That would be 600 less than 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. Oh well. At least the kids are cute.
Thursday, January 10, 2013
What's Next?
I'm such a dork.
Why? Do you know how much I love talking about bike gear? Do you really know?
This post will be dedicated to me writing about what bike gear I want to buy and why I want to buy it. For the vast majority of the population, this will be as fun as stale bread. If you smile when someone calls you a Bike Geek or if you get whiplash everytime you turn to see that bike that just passed by, you might actually enjoy this.
Gimli is my main bike. It is the bike I will do all of my Big Rides on for the near future. Because of this, it does tend to get the most attention. Recently, I realized I had replaced every component on the bike except for the handlebars, headset and brakes. Everything else is different (the wheels have actually been replaced twice).
The big projects for this year involve fenders and a new set of handlebars/handlebar tape/stem/stem spacers.
Sam has become my commuter bike. Recently, I put the fenders back on (which was quite a process) and put a rear rack on. Over the winter, my plan is to take some rectangular buckets and make DIY panniers. The idea came from an article in Bicycle Times that used kitty litter buckets. Long story short, you use some nuts, bolts, hooks and bungee straps to make what amounts to cheap, waterproof panniers for a rear rack.
As of now, I have one bucket that I got from our church. I had tried to find someone with empty kitty litter buckets, without success. One Wednesday morning, I was at my Bible study when I noticed that our church uses ice-melt salt that comes in a white, rectangular buckets (I'm guessing about 3.5 gallons, or so). Perfect! I asked if there were any extras and sure enough, there was! I'm not sure when I will get to this, but it will be fun to work on it.
The only other thing I would seriously consider doing to Sam is new brakes. Honestly, Sam can't break worth a crap. The brake pads were recently replaced and it really didn't seem to help a whole lot. There is one major problem with new brakes. Sam has 27 x 1 1/4 wheels. This is an older style that isn't used by anybody anymore, as far as I can tell. Brakes meant for 26" wheels or 700c wheels likely won't work (the caliper arms would be the wrong length). If I was to do this, I would have to get some help from one of the local bike shops.
That is all I can think of for right now. There will be more in the future. Maybe Sam could use a new saddle?
Why? Do you know how much I love talking about bike gear? Do you really know?
This post will be dedicated to me writing about what bike gear I want to buy and why I want to buy it. For the vast majority of the population, this will be as fun as stale bread. If you smile when someone calls you a Bike Geek or if you get whiplash everytime you turn to see that bike that just passed by, you might actually enjoy this.
Gimli
Gimli is my main bike. It is the bike I will do all of my Big Rides on for the near future. Because of this, it does tend to get the most attention. Recently, I realized I had replaced every component on the bike except for the handlebars, headset and brakes. Everything else is different (the wheels have actually been replaced twice).
The big projects for this year involve fenders and a new set of handlebars/handlebar tape/stem/stem spacers.
- The more I ride, the more I see the value of good fenders. Sam the Singlespeed has decent fenders and they really do a remarkable job of keeping water from spashing off the road and onto myself and the bike. My desires are fluctuating between a pair of fenders from SKS (plastic with an aluminum core) and a pair of shiny, aluminum fenders from Velo Orange. The SKS RaceBlade Fenders would certainly fit and appear to have good coverage. The aluminum fenders from Velo Orange would look better and possibly be more durable. There is some question as to whether they would fit on my bike. I need to take some accurate measurements of the frame and brake calipers to know. There is also the question of wheel size. I want to be able to run the largest tire I can. The RaceBlades might not allow more than a 23mm tire whereas the Velo Orange fenders might accomadate a 25-27mm tire. Lots to think about.
- When it comes to the handlebars and stem, the question = Why Change? The way things are set up right now, I feel fairly comfortable. If anything, I would like a set-up that would bring the handlebars up and back just a little bit. My current handlebars have a fairly short reach and my current stem is only 70mm long (stems don't come shorter than that; I've checked). Any change would likely lengthen me out or lower me down. Yuck. Why change then? Aesthetics, purely aesthetics. Gimli has grey paint with black highlights. The cranks, seatpost, and derailluers are all a nice and shiny, silvery chrome (or a decent replication of chrome). Most of this was done purely by accident but I have come to like the idea. What I would really love is a chrome stem, with chrome headset spacers and shiny aluminum handlebars with red or blue handlebar tape (red or blue just for that little "pop" of color). Also, I would order a new stem cap from a company called Purely Custom. You can get just about any color you want and have any message you want engraved on it. I'm thinking of You Are The Motor.
- Oh, I almost forgot...brakes!!! Why replace the brakes? Why not? Gimli's current brakes do work, but not great. Plus, once again, I could replace them with nice, silvery/shiny aluminum ones to match the overall aesthetic. The question becomes, which brakes and what size? Brakes with a larger space between the calipers would make fitting fenders easier. Would larger calipers work on Gimli? I don't know. This is something I would need help with.
Sam the Singlespeed
Sam has become my commuter bike. Recently, I put the fenders back on (which was quite a process) and put a rear rack on. Over the winter, my plan is to take some rectangular buckets and make DIY panniers. The idea came from an article in Bicycle Times that used kitty litter buckets. Long story short, you use some nuts, bolts, hooks and bungee straps to make what amounts to cheap, waterproof panniers for a rear rack.
As of now, I have one bucket that I got from our church. I had tried to find someone with empty kitty litter buckets, without success. One Wednesday morning, I was at my Bible study when I noticed that our church uses ice-melt salt that comes in a white, rectangular buckets (I'm guessing about 3.5 gallons, or so). Perfect! I asked if there were any extras and sure enough, there was! I'm not sure when I will get to this, but it will be fun to work on it.
The only other thing I would seriously consider doing to Sam is new brakes. Honestly, Sam can't break worth a crap. The brake pads were recently replaced and it really didn't seem to help a whole lot. There is one major problem with new brakes. Sam has 27 x 1 1/4 wheels. This is an older style that isn't used by anybody anymore, as far as I can tell. Brakes meant for 26" wheels or 700c wheels likely won't work (the caliper arms would be the wrong length). If I was to do this, I would have to get some help from one of the local bike shops.
That is all I can think of for right now. There will be more in the future. Maybe Sam could use a new saddle?
Friday, January 4, 2013
"I Am The Motor"
Last night was my first "ride" of the new year. Ride is in parentheses because it was an indoor trainer ride, which barely counts as a ride.
Despite being a trainer ride, it was really hard. I did 20 miles with breaks every 5 miles to do a set of chin-ups & push-ups. The legs felt dead. My heart was pumping hard just to keep a speed in the mid 16's. Ugh.
What was I thinking about as I was sludging through? I Am The Motor.
Michelle got me a t-shirt from a company called Stomach of Anger. It is a simple shirt. There is a picture of a heart, right where my heart should be with the words "I Am The Motor" across the top.
I asked for it because it really made sense to me. This is one of the reasons I love cycling. I Am The Motor. My bike is simply a series of steel tubes with some aluminum, plastic and rubber bits thrown on. It is incapable of motion until I hop on and push down on the pedals.
If the bike is moving fast it is because I am making it move fast. If it is moving slowly, it is because I can't seem to make it move fast. If the bike just topped 100 miles for the day, it is because I pedaled it for 100 miles that day. I did it...I Am The Motor.
As a side note, people on motorcycles don't really impress me. Sorry. I Am The Motor...you are not.
Despite being a trainer ride, it was really hard. I did 20 miles with breaks every 5 miles to do a set of chin-ups & push-ups. The legs felt dead. My heart was pumping hard just to keep a speed in the mid 16's. Ugh.
What was I thinking about as I was sludging through? I Am The Motor.
Michelle got me a t-shirt from a company called Stomach of Anger. It is a simple shirt. There is a picture of a heart, right where my heart should be with the words "I Am The Motor" across the top.
I asked for it because it really made sense to me. This is one of the reasons I love cycling. I Am The Motor. My bike is simply a series of steel tubes with some aluminum, plastic and rubber bits thrown on. It is incapable of motion until I hop on and push down on the pedals.
If the bike is moving fast it is because I am making it move fast. If it is moving slowly, it is because I can't seem to make it move fast. If the bike just topped 100 miles for the day, it is because I pedaled it for 100 miles that day. I did it...I Am The Motor.
As a side note, people on motorcycles don't really impress me. Sorry. I Am The Motor...you are not.
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