Throughout the year I do a lot of runs and bicycle rides solo as logistically that is often easiest. So far I have not had a major accident or injury, but recently a voice has been popping in my head asking “What if?” just like those old HP commercials from the early 1990s. Continue reading »
A couple of weeks ago, on a beautifully sunny day in Northern Colorado, I went into garage and looked at Carrie, a.k.a. Ultimate Commuter Bike 2.0. I had a meeting to go to in town and it seemed like a perfect day to go there on a bicycle.
I rolled her out only to be slightly distressed by this: a squishy flat tire. No, make that two flat tires! Shaking my head, I leaned the bike back against the wall in disgust and jumped in the Alfa Romeo instead. Continue reading »
Now that Goldie the MG is safely tucked away in my garage in Fort Collins, my primary means of transport while vacationing out in California is the two-wheeled Tank. So how is it like relying on the 33-lb. rolling boat anchor, especially after speeding along with the 20-lb. Ultimate Commuter Bike 2.0 the last couple of weeks in Colorado?
Not so bad, as it turns out. Continue reading »
So for the last decade or so, my commuter bike was The Tank, a Raleigh M300 mountain bike that I picked up for $260 brand new in 1996 and threw on perhaps $30 worth of accessories including PowerGrips, bar-ends, and a rear rack. The first year it took me all around the bay and back for work and class, and in later years, took me to and from my job in Fremont on select days. While that machine was virtually indestructible — as evidenced by its one flat tire as its only problem during the last decade — and on its 10th birthday (with no componentry upgrades) even successfully completed a rolling 100-kilometer bike ride, I had always found myself frequently wishing for something that had speed better approximating the Road Runner than Wile E. Coyote. Continue reading »
It turns out that hot wax is not only useful for removing unshaven hairs from leggy females, cyclists and triathletes (at least those not named Felix). Apparently, it is good for lubicating bicycle chains as well.
Back in late April, while doing some basic bike maintenance and fingers covered with black, grimy grease, I decided to do an experiment. While I’ve been relatively happy with the Pro-Link bicycle chain lube I’ve been using for years, I wanted to see how the traditional “chain lubed with melted paraffin” method measured up. The claimed advantages of this method was that the chain stays much cleaner and in dry conditions stays lubricated and quieter for longer. The supposed disadvantages include poor lubrication in the rain and requiring a more elaborate setup for lubing the chain. Continue reading »
The other day I temporarily put on my second set of Speedplay X/3 clipless pedals (from the recumbent) onto Carrie the Cannondale so I could go out for a night ride using my Speedplay-cleated cycling shoes. The unfortunate thing was the left pedal was so bone-dry of lubricant that with every revolution it would squeak like a mouse that was just about to become a house cat’s lunch.
Thankfully, Speedplay’s minimalistic design allows for easy servicing. Continue reading »
