I'm trying to squeeze out any rides I can before the snow is here for good. I am going to miss Lucy this winter.
I think the plan is to build a new bike over the winter. We'll see. I also recently learned a friend in Taiwan is moving back to Toronto in the spring... so I need to figure out a trip to visit before then. Bike $$$ may be tied up in travelling....
That Citibike reminded me that I picked this up at a garage sale. I thought I would re-sell it, but it fits so nicely in my trunk and I can knock out 5 miles on this Dahon no problem. It just looks ridiculous, but I'm married and getting old.
I bought my wife an early 80's Miyata mixte for cheap, slapped a new chain/freewheel on it, rebuilt the front hub, cleaned it up a bit and it's golden. She hasn't been on a bike in nearly a decade, but she wanted to go on some rides with me, so we figured it was best to get something cheap and easy to re-sell if it doesn't take for her. I do like the 80's/90's Cro-moly steel Japanese frames, they're so simple, reasonably light, everywhere and very forgiving to ride. We took both out to the trail around Crystal Springs reservoir a couple weeks back for a relatively flat 10 mile pedal. Hopefully the rain will die off a bit so we can get back out there.
I'm still commuting on/loving the SOMA. The Panaracer T-Servs I put on it are super sticky in the light rain I've ridden in so far. Great product.
Since this photo was taken, I've wrapped the bars again w/ a cork tape that almost perfectly matches the paint-- so it's almost a monotone bike at this point. I ordered some VO smooth/narrow fenders that I'll put on this weekend.
I saw a Soma Smoothie ES the other day and got verbally excited about it due to watching this build. The guy heard me and came to tell me how much he loved his bike. Those 80's Miyatas are great and that one looks crazy clean and nice.
I went to SPD clip-in pedals a while ago and I wouldn't go back. The power and control difference is huge. I have pedals that are standard on one side and clip in on the other so I can use it either way.
Sitting on my couch, looking at my bikes in the corner. It sucks! Thanks for the vibes.
I knew what I was signing up for, in theory, but it's a bummer knowing my goddamn mountain bike is DIALED and I can't ride it.
I uninstalled instagram and Twitter so I don't see anything snow-shredding related. I thought I'd be able to handle it but I saw a pow-spray last week and realized it was too much. Side note: life's fine with no instagram and Twitter.
Its been a couple weeks now and I'm in a basic sling. Had this huge motherfucker with a big pillow and Velcro everywhere, it was like a child's car seat. Glad to ditch that thing. Got my stitches out and looked at the game film this week, and doc is pleased. My tear was bigger than he thought, and my bone dent one gets on the ball joint from dislocations is in a weird spot. But it went well. Dude put anchors in my bone and tied little climbing ropes all in there--all through four little holes in my shoulder? Crazy. Whatever bro.
Just going to sit here in this sling for a few more weeks I guess. Then begin real PT. I've been dangling my arm and assisting it through light movements.
Shit hurts, but I've been three days without a pain pill (DB Coopz--trade?), so that's good. Masturbation jokes hurt more than just sitting here, by the way. Hacks.
Such a weird cost/benefit calculation as I get older: harder to recover and time seems more precious, but I know enough to know this needed to be fixed to comfortably enjoy these few things that I've decided I can't live without.
Being unable to drive has me on the humble bus nearly two hours each way to work. That's been a good thing too: a little empathy boost towards my fellow humans who have to share long bus rides with those ANIMALS. In a couple weeks I'll be back in my little car, and I'll be happy about it.
had to ride around the financial district in SF today during rush hour running some errands before riding home. holiday traffic/lost tourists/poor saps trying to get out of their cubicles and go home/mall traffic/uber driving idiots = insanity.
I did however manage to score a set of non-terminator looking athletic-type glasses for riding (one of the errands I was running.) My vision isn't terrible without them, but I was pretty sick of car tires throwin up random crap into my eyes. First ride with them was awesome. My eyeballs are grateful, and my riding kit is fully dorked out.
Riding glasses are essential once you've had enough bees, dust and sap-filled rain droplets blown off trees into your peepers. I agree, most of the style-ways are hella dorky mirrored HR Giger steez for mad dollar. I cannot ride, metaphorically.
I got a tip from a courier and he used lab glasses. Much, much cheaper offa the bay, much less "Terminator" and if when you drop them and scratch them, no tears over $3. Yellow-tint ones make everything look happy, even under the ever-grey skies of Britain.
Soooooooooo I totally forgot I had a cousin who worked (the last time I saw him) for Raleigh. I had Christmas Dinner at his house this Christmas Eve, and find out he has now moved to Pacific Cycle. A company that owns bunch of bike brands. Cannondale. GT. Schwinn. Mongoose. Iron Horse. Charge. Sugoi.
Now I'm somehow trying to do the mental math that will tell me it's ok to buy a $4k road bike if I can get it substantially below the retail price. Sometimes they even have bikes that get returned from dealers/stores for bullshit reasons that they sell to staff at cost.
I'm way more excited about doing some riding with him next season. He's about 12 years older than me, but he lived with my family while going to school, so we were pretty close. He will also have a bunch of spare parts and corporate swag/gear
But yeah... right now I need to find the $$$ to buy this:
this thread all the way back on page six? for shame!
I'm hoping someone has some new bike stuff to post about. All I've got is "got a flat today on the way to work."
all in all, not bad (1 flat in approx the last 1500-1600 miles). I ran over a tack-nail with my front tire and it flipped it up just perfectly into the back tire. Still, it almost didn't puncture-- the whole rear end lifted off the ground and the weight crushed the nail. The point managed a tiny pinhole in the tube and four blocks later I was walking.
Went to fix it on my lunch break and found that the rubber cement in my Park Tool patch kit had completely dried out. Other bikin' homie in the office got his seat with his toolkit jacked a few weeks back, so no luck there. Trudged to the bike shop and got a glueless kit. Hopefully I wont need to use it in the future. The ride sure could use a clean and lube-- hopefully I'll get to that this weekend.
flats suck.
Poast some bike /bike ride pron, dudes! My ride is basically tail lights and construction debris. I like seeing the nice photos.
I stopped getting flats when I switched to Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.
Tell a lie, I had one, in 3 years of that commute. It was a massive piece of glass buried in dried mud that cut straight to the rim. No chance.
I am not commuting by bike on this gig, but I am staggered at the number of folks riding in dark clothes, in the dark, with no lights or helment (sic). Over here, lights are the law for riding on the road in darkness, but you'd be very unlucky to get pulled over for it. These people are really doing themselves no favours.
I pretty much have enough bikes so no news there. They all work.
I wouldn't mind a try on one of those Lapierre eleccy things doe. I would normally finger-crucifix the idea but thinking maybe, if the worst climbs were less horrid, then I might actually do longer rides on the day and burn the calories that way.
I am told by other bikers that I am a good climber but I still f*cking hate climbing You have to be jockey-sized and stick-thin to have a chance, or a freak of nature like Indurain (lungs hanging over his shorts).
BTW, been doing that 5-2 diet to make sure the weight stays off while I am not cycling as much as I'd want to. It works. Feel great, lost weight. Popped knee is 100%.
If you didn't know - The science behind it is that the human body has two modes; breaking food down mode and cell repair mode. It's cell repair mode that burns up the calories, doing, uh, cell-repair and keeping sickness at bay.
It doesn't go into "Cell Repair Mode" until we haven't eaten in a while. As most of us here in the West, where the hog is fat, fill our bellies every day, we never get out of breaking food down mode.
It was found that if you eat sparsely (for men, about 600 calories max) two days a week, it kicks in. I think the "Caveman" diet follows the same idea(?) but that's pretty rigid about what you eat on a normal day. 5-2 says just eat normally (which IIRC is 2500 calories/day for a man).
Jimster: I applaud your anorexia rationalization. It makes sense to me. Sometimes I deprive myself of good shit so it's better later. Like I'm training for being a hostage or something cool in a movie.
I rode a bike yesterday.
Been absolutely sticking to PT and staying smart. Doctor said, "just don't crash," so I went for it. Kinda scared to head out but I did. Just e-biking around on a mellow warm February day, and it was glorious. My legs actually feel it--haven't ridden a bike of any kind since Thanksgiving. Shoulder is tired but happy.
Got some new parts for my mountain bike to make it even crazier, I'll start putting those on over the next few weeks. I will definitely be riding by my birthday in late March.
Stoked!
I hate that I'm old enough to take it slow, but whatever. Gotta do what I gotta do.
In MTB news: those that are still grumbling about 27.5" wheels are going to be absolutely pissed about "boost"-size 148mm hubs and 27.5-Plus tires.
GT Grade 105 Alloy. It's a road bike that will fit larger tires and full fenders plus rack. Well suited for off road riding as well, it's a bit between a traditional road bike and a cyclocross. After my Cousin's deal, I'm paying about 50% of the MSRP. Pretty stoked. It comes in April. Just in time for my birthday.
I just hope we have nice weather in Toronto by then. Last year it was cold until May...
Great to hear you got out for a ride Duke!! I cannot wait until it warms up and I can go for some long cruises. Right now it's basically pedal to the corner store and back. I'm a pussy.
Looks the business. Always liked the GT "Triple Triangle" tube angles, yet have somehow never owned a GT. Liking the dogleg chainstays. What is the "Design reason" for the upflick to the rear hub? Obviously drops the geometry of the crank a bit south.
Guaranteed Tweaked* looking like quintessential "gravel bike." The slackening and lengthening and lowering of cross bikes, because cross bikes are still twitchy uncomfortable race bikes. It's a practical direction, I like it. Not sure whagwaan with the chain stay, but that bike looks comfy and rideable. Good commuter and all-day bike. Solid, would ryde.
*GT bmx parts, forks especially, had the knock for a while of being easily broken. At least in my neighborhood, for a certain time. It was probably one summer and we were 14 but whatever. There are like four factories that make all the bikes now so a thing of the past (if ever true) but I will continue saying Guaranteed Tweaked. Logo with the wings is All-Time. Always wanted a Mach 1.
Always wanted a Zaskar in Bronze ano. Came close to buying a chromed Pantera for a steal, but it wouldn't have scratched the itch. And I already had like 5 bikes at the time, I literally had no space to keep it without a divorce.
i put some cork grips on my wife's bike as the plastic grips were hardened and uncomfortable. i think i'll order a new tire for the front as it still has the factory miyata tire and the 30+ year old rubber is pretty stiff and unforgiving. trying to make that thing ride like a cadillac for her; the swayed angle on those front forks seems like they would ride like a cloud with a decent tire.
rode the alameda creek trail/bayshore trail on saturday. got some decent top gear 3/4 mile to 1 mile sprints in on the trail as she did her 7 mph thing. it's really the first time i've had solid straightaways sans traffic lights/pedestrians/etc on this bike and it's definitely quick. nice efficient pedal-to-go action. dug it.
the fenders are still sitting in a corner in my apartment because i'm lazy and busy with truck repair shit, but i'll have to give mine a clean and lube today because it's covered in filth... maybe after this waylon/willie record is over.
The list price for the 105 Alloy is ~$1600, seems you can find it online for around $1300. I'm paying $875 all in, so I guess not quite 50% of actual retail prices.
I don't know the specifics of the swooped up rear hub. Perhaps to increase the pedal-to-saddle length? So the saddle can be a bit lower and thus reducing the saddle-to-bar drop??
I'll be sure to post a detailed review of the bike once I am riding it! So pumped!!
I picked a great winter to take off from holleuring at snow. Our mountains are bare. I am out of physical therapy, looking to get a little back into shape before hitting the trails. I have been skipping rope, eschewing Coke, and easing back into bikes. Ebike across town, some non-assisted pedaling in the past week.
My mountain bike is now psycho:
Only two rides on that superfork, I've forgotten how rad it is. Stoked to rediscover it and try my new additions: XX1 drivetrain and insane-o SRAM wheels. With these swap-outs, my bike feels a couple pounds lighter, and it's very quiet.
I will ride gravel bikes for a few weeks before I actually put knobbies on loam yahurdme...but I'm feeling pretty close! Going to be 60 again today, look for me on the bike path y'all.
Been riding mountain bikes, it is still quite very much super awesome.
World Cup DH is back with a vengeance! First race in Lourdes was phenomenal. Seriously check it out if you're even halfway interested. It's old school Nurburgring downhill skiing gnarly man shit, where crazy can still beat smart. The format makes for good teevee too. One run, fastest time wins.
Seattle has finally replaced the 520 bridge. Floating hunk of doom from the 60's that sees some ridiculous amount of traffic above its intended capacity. Almost up and running now. My 71-year-old father joined me on a ride on the bridge deck before it opened, it was rad. Ride route also took us on the deserted express lanes of I-5 through downtown. It was surreal. Loved i
Today is Kelly McGarry's birthday. Go rip around on a bike in his memory!
Comments
I'm trying to squeeze out any rides I can before the snow is here for good. I am going to miss Lucy this winter.
I think the plan is to build a new bike over the winter. We'll see. I also recently learned a friend in Taiwan is moving back to Toronto in the spring... so I need to figure out a trip to visit before then. Bike $$$ may be tied up in travelling....
Duke, I wish you a speedy recovery.
I bought my wife an early 80's Miyata mixte for cheap, slapped a new chain/freewheel on it, rebuilt the front hub, cleaned it up a bit and it's golden. She hasn't been on a bike in nearly a decade, but she wanted to go on some rides with me, so we figured it was best to get something cheap and easy to re-sell if it doesn't take for her. I do like the 80's/90's Cro-moly steel Japanese frames, they're so simple, reasonably light, everywhere and very forgiving to ride. We took both out to the trail around Crystal Springs reservoir a couple weeks back for a relatively flat 10 mile pedal. Hopefully the rain will die off a bit so we can get back out there.
I'm still commuting on/loving the SOMA. The Panaracer T-Servs I put on it are super sticky in the light rain I've ridden in so far. Great product.
Since this photo was taken, I've wrapped the bars again w/ a cork tape that almost perfectly matches the paint-- so it's almost a monotone bike at this point. I ordered some VO smooth/narrow fenders that I'll put on this weekend.
I went to SPD clip-in pedals a while ago and I wouldn't go back. The power and control difference is huge. I have pedals that are standard on one side and clip in on the other so I can use it either way.
I knew what I was signing up for, in theory, but it's a bummer knowing my goddamn mountain bike is DIALED and I can't ride it.
I uninstalled instagram and Twitter so I don't see anything snow-shredding related. I thought I'd be able to handle it but I saw a pow-spray last week and realized it was too much. Side note: life's fine with no instagram and Twitter.
Its been a couple weeks now and I'm in a basic sling. Had this huge motherfucker with a big pillow and Velcro everywhere, it was like a child's car seat. Glad to ditch that thing. Got my stitches out and looked at the game film this week, and doc is pleased. My tear was bigger than he thought, and my bone dent one gets on the ball joint from dislocations is in a weird spot. But it went well. Dude put anchors in my bone and tied little climbing ropes all in there--all through four little holes in my shoulder? Crazy. Whatever bro.
Just going to sit here in this sling for a few more weeks I guess. Then begin real PT. I've been dangling my arm and assisting it through light movements.
Shit hurts, but I've been three days without a pain pill (DB Coopz--trade?), so that's good. Masturbation jokes hurt more than just sitting here, by the way. Hacks.
Such a weird cost/benefit calculation as I get older: harder to recover and time seems more precious, but I know enough to know this needed to be fixed to comfortably enjoy these few things that I've decided I can't live without.
Being unable to drive has me on the humble bus nearly two hours each way to work. That's been a good thing too: a little empathy boost towards my fellow humans who have to share long bus rides with those ANIMALS. In a couple weeks I'll be back in my little car, and I'll be happy about it.
Change of gig has eaten into most of my spare time.
Mitigating the lack of riding with mad McDonalds-based diet and some of that Insanity-type exercise at home.
Hence popped knee.
I'll be back. New Year's resolution.
I did however manage to score a set of non-terminator looking athletic-type glasses for riding (one of the errands I was running.) My vision isn't terrible without them, but I was pretty sick of car tires throwin up random crap into my eyes. First ride with them was awesome. My eyeballs are grateful, and my riding kit is fully dorked out.
BIKE CYCLES!
I got a tip from a courier and he used lab glasses. Much, much cheaper offa the bay, much less "Terminator" and
ifwhen you drop them and scratch them, no tears over $3. Yellow-tint ones make everything look happy, even under the ever-grey skies of Britain.Now I'm somehow trying to do the mental math that will tell me it's ok to buy a $4k road bike if I can get it substantially below the retail price. Sometimes they even have bikes that get returned from dealers/stores for bullshit reasons that they sell to staff at cost.
I'm way more excited about doing some riding with him next season. He's about 12 years older than me, but he lived with my family while going to school, so we were pretty close. He will also have a bunch of spare parts and corporate swag/gear
But yeah... right now I need to find the $$$ to buy this:
I'm hoping someone has some new bike stuff to post about. All I've got is "got a flat today on the way to work."
all in all, not bad (1 flat in approx the last 1500-1600 miles). I ran over a tack-nail with my front tire and it flipped it up just perfectly into the back tire. Still, it almost didn't puncture-- the whole rear end lifted off the ground and the weight crushed the nail. The point managed a tiny pinhole in the tube and four blocks later I was walking.
Went to fix it on my lunch break and found that the rubber cement in my Park Tool patch kit had completely dried out. Other bikin' homie in the office got his seat with his toolkit jacked a few weeks back, so no luck there. Trudged to the bike shop and got a glueless kit. Hopefully I wont need to use it in the future. The ride sure could use a clean and lube-- hopefully I'll get to that this weekend.
flats suck.
Poast some bike /bike ride pron, dudes! My ride is basically tail lights and construction debris. I like seeing the nice photos.
Tell a lie, I had one, in 3 years of that commute. It was a massive piece of glass buried in dried mud that cut straight to the rim. No chance.
I am not commuting by bike on this gig, but I am staggered at the number of folks riding in dark clothes, in the dark, with no lights or helment (sic). Over here, lights are the law for riding on the road in darkness, but you'd be very unlucky to get pulled over for it. These people are really doing themselves no favours.
I pretty much have enough bikes so no news there. They all work.
I wouldn't mind a try on one of those Lapierre eleccy things doe. I would normally finger-crucifix the idea but thinking maybe, if the worst climbs were less horrid, then I might actually do longer rides on the day and burn the calories that way.
I am told by other bikers that I am a good climber but I still f*cking hate climbing
If you didn't know - The science behind it is that the human body has two modes; breaking food down mode and cell repair mode. It's cell repair mode that burns up the calories, doing, uh, cell-repair and keeping sickness at bay.
It doesn't go into "Cell Repair Mode" until we haven't eaten in a while. As most of us here in the West, where the hog is fat, fill our bellies every day, we never get out of breaking food down mode.
It was found that if you eat sparsely (for men, about 600 calories max) two days a week, it kicks in. I think the "Caveman" diet follows the same idea(?) but that's pretty rigid about what you eat on a normal day. 5-2 says just eat normally (which IIRC is 2500 calories/day for a man).
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-52-diet
I think historically, I've not been out of breaking food down mode since I was an adult!
I rode a bike yesterday.
Been absolutely sticking to PT and staying smart. Doctor said, "just don't crash," so I went for it. Kinda scared to head out but I did. Just e-biking around on a mellow warm February day, and it was glorious. My legs actually feel it--haven't ridden a bike of any kind since Thanksgiving. Shoulder is tired but happy.
Got some new parts for my mountain bike to make it even crazier, I'll start putting those on over the next few weeks. I will definitely be riding by my birthday in late March.
Stoked!
I hate that I'm old enough to take it slow, but whatever. Gotta do what I gotta do.
In MTB news: those that are still grumbling about 27.5" wheels are going to be absolutely pissed about "boost"-size 148mm hubs and 27.5-Plus tires.
GT Grade 105 Alloy. It's a road bike that will fit larger tires and full fenders plus rack. Well suited for off road riding as well, it's a bit between a traditional road bike and a cyclocross. After my Cousin's deal, I'm paying about 50% of the MSRP. Pretty stoked. It comes in April. Just in time for my birthday.
I just hope we have nice weather in Toronto by then. Last year it was cold until May...
Great to hear you got out for a ride Duke!! I cannot wait until it warms up and I can go for some long cruises. Right now it's basically pedal to the corner store and back. I'm a pussy.
Just checked the price - "Bag of sand" over here.
www.evanscycles.com/products/gt/grade-105-2015-adventure-road-bike-ec070839
Out of curiosity, what is list price in 'Meriman Dough-Lah-Rezz?
*GT bmx parts, forks especially, had the knock for a while of being easily broken. At least in my neighborhood, for a certain time. It was probably one summer and we were 14 but whatever. There are like four factories that make all the bikes now so a thing of the past (if ever true) but I will continue saying Guaranteed Tweaked. Logo with the wings is All-Time. Always wanted a Mach 1.
rode the alameda creek trail/bayshore trail on saturday. got some decent top gear 3/4 mile to 1 mile sprints in on the trail as she did her 7 mph thing. it's really the first time i've had solid straightaways sans traffic lights/pedestrians/etc on this bike and it's definitely quick. nice efficient pedal-to-go action. dug it.
the fenders are still sitting in a corner in my apartment because i'm lazy and busy with truck repair shit, but i'll have to give mine a clean and lube today because it's covered in filth... maybe after this waylon/willie record is over.
I don't know the specifics of the swooped up rear hub. Perhaps to increase the pedal-to-saddle length? So the saddle can be a bit lower and thus reducing the saddle-to-bar drop??
I'll be sure to post a detailed review of the bike once I am riding it! So pumped!!
My mountain bike is now psycho:
Only two rides on that superfork, I've forgotten how rad it is. Stoked to rediscover it and try my new additions: XX1 drivetrain and insane-o SRAM wheels. With these swap-outs, my bike feels a couple pounds lighter, and it's very quiet.
I will ride gravel bikes for a few weeks before I actually put knobbies on loam yahurdme...but I'm feeling pretty close! Going to be 60 again today, look for me on the bike path y'all.
That looks so tough!
http://www.vitalmtb.com/videos/member/Kelly-McGarry-Crashes-Hard-in-China,28917/iceman2058,94
this thing is so heavy heavy compared to my 80's peugot...but its a fun solid ride.
Been riding mountain bikes, it is still quite very much super awesome.
World Cup DH is back with a vengeance! First race in Lourdes was phenomenal. Seriously check it out if you're even halfway interested. It's old school Nurburgring downhill skiing gnarly man shit, where crazy can still beat smart. The format makes for good teevee too. One run, fastest time wins.
Seattle has finally replaced the 520 bridge. Floating hunk of doom from the 60's that sees some ridiculous amount of traffic above its intended capacity. Almost up and running now. My 71-year-old father joined me on a ride on the bridge deck before it opened, it was rad. Ride route also took us on the deserted express lanes of I-5 through downtown. It was surreal. Loved i
Today is Kelly McGarry's birthday. Go rip around on a bike in his memory!