Boomers on Bicycles

When spring has fully sprung, more and more cyclists hit the road. Most of us have been riding all winter, but admittedly, there are those who prefer to ski or soak up more coffee over the cold, stormy, snowy, winter months. Difficult to understand for the truly dedicated, but it’s true.

Now that the weather, mostly, has settled down to a more calm state, with longer days and more acceptable temperatures, riders of all levels are out pedaling in greater numbers.

This can only be a good thing. More bikes is always good. Especially for those of us who are of a chronologically enhanced state (pretty good term, yes?), exercise has a boatload of bennies.

What also happens this time of year is this: the pro tours take off in earnest, and various festivals across the nation start shaping up.

In the US, the Amgen Tour of California is currently heading towards a show down on Mt. Baldy in the southern part of the state. Pro teams split their riders between the Giro d’Italia and the Amgen, providing the continental pro effort a huge lift in the world cycling club arena.

Some of the riders and clubs choose the Amgen over the rather grueling Giro so they’ll have more recoup time before the Tour–that one they have in France each July.

Something else you might notice on your rides is this. You’re likely to see a wide spectrum of tanned legs and legs that are still the color of fresh snow. Be careful in assuming that the white legged folks are easy prey in a weekend ride.

Where I live, which is in the mountains of northern California, long pants and leg warmers are still necessary, as they are in other parts of the country. My legs haven’t seen the sun since last October. I have, however, ridden all winter.

This is not to say that I can drop anyone on a climb, or out sprint someone to the finish line. I don’t race, so that’s not going to happen anyway. Assuming that I’ve been on the couch all winter will not result in your being able to lose me very easily.

That could be a bit of a surprise on a friendly club ride, or a chance meeting on the road somewhere.

There is also the issue of sunscreen, which I use by the gallon when the sun is shinning and the temps go up. I’ve already had a bout with skin cancer, so I cover up or slather on the sun screen if it’s too warm.

I’ve long ago gotten over the blinding reflection off my body when the sun shines. I just don’t care anymore. I’ve made it this far, and I intend to go farther still. In all things, skin color just doesn’t matter.

Ride on! Have a great lead up to Memorial Day!

You just can’t judge a rider by the tan line, at least not if you don’t like being dropped by the white legged ones.

After the crash, get a new helmet!

Do you carry ID with you when you ride? Hike? Kayak? Walk? ID can be anything from your drivers license, to a Medic Alert bracelet or necklace, to Road ID. It could just be a piece of paper in your pocket with your vital info on it.

If you don’t, read on, as this may change your mind.

A riding buddy was riding by himself at the beginning of April. Pedaling along, in daylight, on a road bike, on a paved path and road. He hit a curb, and ended up unconscious on the roadway. Several motorists stopped, not only to keep him from further injury, but to assist until the medics arrived.

He had gone over the handlebars and landed on his face and head. The people who stopped to help had the good sense to leave him in place, and made sure to not move him. Moving someone after a crash could have worse consequences than the crash itself.

The medics arrived and off to the ER he went. He had no ID on him. He woke up enough in the ER to let them know his name and birth date. A week or so in the ICU came next, as he had suffered a traumatic brain injury. It took a while to for the hospital and law enforcement to locate relatives. Two weeks after the wreck, I was notified by a relative, as I had left a message on his home answering machine.

The rider had been transferred to a rehab unit. How did the relatives find out? The local police had his cell phone, and called contacts until they found someone.

Had the rider carried ID, someone would have known right away that there had been an accident. The correct personal data, including meds, and medical conditions, would have been known by the ER. Friends would have been notified much earlier, the bike and his car would have been taken care of, and so on.

Is it worth it to carry a little teeny extra bit of “weight” with you on your outings? I think so. I have both a Medic Alert and a Road ID that go with me always. I’d really rather not have the Doc’s and Nurses guessing about me and what needs I have if I’m unable to tell them. My family appreciates knowing that if something does go amiss, that they will find out quickly.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the medics and hospitals just may be able to provide better emergency treatment for you if they know who you are, and what your existing health picture is.

Pro riders have an entire entourage following them, and they carry ID. Levi Leipheimer and Bob Roll are regularly featured in ads for Road ID. If you have any kind of medical condition, Medic Alert, plus the Road ID cost very little for the security they provide, for you, for emergency personnel, and your family.

Identify yourself, and Ride On!

Handmade bicyles by Naked Bicycles, clean after a looong ride/photo Naked Bikes

Spring cleaning time everyone! We’ve been riding thought all kinds of weather, road and off road conditions, this past winter.

There’s been plenty of dust, road trash, mud, rocks, rain, and snow. Mostly, it doesn’t stop many of us from riding through it all. What does seem to get left behind is keeping the bike relatively clear.

If you are a cat 1 racer, that may not apply to you. For the rest of us, when it’s really cold outside, and we’ve been riding, just putting the bike away and getting inside to warm up is about the extent of the end of the ride.

On no ride days when it’s cold, the drive to get out and clean up the bike is minimal. Of course, if you’ve been through a complete mud bath, you may not have a choice. I just don’t like standing in my cold garage, nose running, fingers getting numb, cleaning my bike. So, it get s put on the back burner. If you live in a warmer area, you have no excuse.

Days are longer and not so cold now. Time to clean. First, a couple of things to keep away from your bike: high pressure water, especially with soap involved, and WD-40.

What to do:

• Wash it with a gentle soap solution. Gently hose off your bike. Really high pressure can drive water into places where it’s not meant to be, which will cause problems. Pro wrenches use a higher pressure, but they’re pros, and you’re not.
• Dry your bike with a soft towel.
• Inspect it for any obviously damaged parts.
• Clean your chain. Use a chain cleaning fluid to do this. With your bike on a stand, wheels off the ground, run the chain backwards, while applying the cleaning fluid to it. If you have a chain cleaning tool, use it as indicated by the manufacturer. Dry it while running it backwards after you’ve cleaned it.
• Lube your chain. Again, with wheels off the ground, chain spinning backwards, apply the chain lube. Lube the wheels on the derailleur, the chain, and pivot points. After a few loops, take a clean, dry cloth, loosely cup the bottom of the chain, and get the excess lubricant off the chain.
• Check you tires for any cracks, splits or bulges. If you have any of those, it’s probably time to get new tires.
• Loosen your seat post and give it a good twist. If it doesn’t twist, you need to free it. If it frees-up by a bit of twisting and pulling, remove it, clean it, put a light coating of oil on it, wipe it down, and re-insert it. If it is stuck, you’ll need to put some oil on it, let it sit overnight and have another go at it. If that doesn’t work, take it to a pro. Better that than a busted post.
• With the wheels off the ground, spin the crank arms and run through the gears, all of them. If there’s any hesitation or missed shifts, adjust the barrel adjusters at the shifters, or admit that you don’t know how to do it, and take it to your LBS and have them do it.
• Test your brakes: turn the crank arms, get good, fast revolutions going, and hit the brakes. The wheels should stop, a rather important function. If they don’t tighten the brake cables.
• Change anything that is bent, broken, or worn out.
• Skip all of this, and take it to your LBS for a spring tune up, as an alternative. It costs more, but if you are a klutz, it’s a better option.

The point of doing all of this now is this: you’ll have a safe spring riding season. The days are getting longer, warmer, and ride time is extended. Take advantage of this lead into better weather to be prepare for a long and wonderful spring and summer season. Ride on!

The future is here: internal hubs/photo J Ferris

The future of chain rings and derailleurs is probably a bit limited. In my last posting, I mentioned that things are changing in the bicycle world. They are, and it’s a big change. From what I can tell, it seems to be a good change, but as with all things, time will tell.

The biggest change that I saw at the North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Sacramento earlier this month had to do with gears. Granted, there was a boatload of cool bikes, bike stuff, bike builders, and so on, but the thing that was most interesting had to do with shifting and chains, or the lack of chains, and very different shifting.

First is this: belt drives. Gates, which makes most of the belts that drive any kind of mechanicals made, has produced belt drives for bicycles. It’s about 4% of their business. If it wasn’t looked at as a growing market, I doubt that they would bother with it.

The belts are said to be superior to chains: they don’t stretch, stay pretty clean, are never in need of oil (which is why they stay cleaner), and there isn’t any of the typical chain “give” when really hitting the pedals, and they last a really long time.

The rear drops have to be made for a belt drive. They have to be removable in order to get the belt on and off. It’s already been done, and is already being manufactured.

The other really big change is in the gears department. The trend is clearly moving toward the internal hub. The internal hub isn’t all that new. Long ago it was what geared the old 3 speed “English” bikes. Remember those?

The difference now is that they are far more capable, and 11 and 14 speeds have been added to the 3-speed repertoire. These were a complete mystery to me until the North American Handmade Bicycle Show. The best explanation I had prior to attending the show was that the gears in the hub were a lot like the differential in rear axle of a car. Still odd, and I didn’t really understand it.

Then, I saw one at the NAHBS. A cut away one. That’s the picture you see at the top of this article. They are very interesting to look at, and even better to ride.

What I’ve been told is that these hubs are far more efficient. Instead of having to go through a few gears to either up or down shift to the gear you want, it’s possible to simply skip everything in between and end up in the gear you want.

Rohloff had two internal hub bikes set up at NAHBS. My wife and I rode each one, going through the gears with out missing a beat or having to do anything with our pedaling. They were smooth. Granted, the bikes were on stationary trainers, but the shifting was flawless. An old road bike I have set up on a Blackburn for rainy days is what I compare it to. No comparison, really.

The Rohloff can be mechanical or electronic. Amazing. Here is the caveat: cost.

Unless you have a few thousand extra dollars looking for a place to land, the hub, belt drive, and/or electronic shifting set up, is simply far too expensive for the average rider. Pros are already in electronic shifting mode, but that’s because they are pros, with the accompanying sponsorships.

The price will have to drop to the point that the $2000 cycling crowd can still buy the bike for $2000, instead of $3,800+. Until then, it’s just a pretty cool thing to follow and be aware of.

Chains, gears, hubs, belts, whatever you have, get out and ride!

Mt. Bike at NAHBS/photo: J Ferris

Retro style at NAHBS 2012/photo: J Ferris

Work bike, handmade, NAHBS, 2012/photo J Ferris

Bamboo bike NAHBS, 2012/photo J Ferris

The NAHBS launched in Sacramento on Friday, March 2. It runs through Sunday, March 4. This is more than just a bicycle event showcasing handmade bikes.

The technology on display is quite amazing. The events surrounding the show are equally amazing. It’s not a lightweight event, put on by a two wheeled pedal powered fringe group. What’s here is art on two wheels.

I was at the opening, press pass in hand, with my photographer, who is also my wife, and we had a brief 2 hour window with the entire set up vendor floor before the public came in. If this show ever comes within distance of your home town, go to it. It’s that simple.

Paul Skilbeck is the guy who puts this on. The logistics are complex, as with just about any large scale public showing of anything. “Well oiled” is a good way to describe the results. The media check in, the vendor floor, seminars, food inside, press releases, the valet bike parking, the quality of the event, was seamless.

Around 172 booths were on the floor. If it had to do with bicycles, it was here. The bike builders were there and happy to talk about what they do, and how they do it. Two booths were put up by TIG welder suppliers. Any kind of tube that could be used in a bike was represented: aluminum, wood, bamboo, alloys, carbon fiber, steel.

CAD software for laying up a bike could be seen and played with. Several jigs for making the bikes were amazing to see. The angles and cuts aren’t just guessed at. They are very precise. No doubt that there is quite a bit of preliminary laying out done, but in the end, all those pieces have to work together.

The variety of shape, size, and color of these bikes was a visual candy store. It’s just a bike right? Two wheels, pedals, handlebars, brakes and a seat. Au contraire. From one booth to the next, the differences were in plain sight.

The lines of the road bikes went from very angular to very curvy with lots of swoops, town and city bikes that are gorgeous, to mountain bikes that were Star Wars worthy, with some that looked like they came straight out of Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner. One of them was simply a very large, ridable behemoth. Skinny tires, fat tires, really fat beach and snow tires, studded snow tires. All present, all available.

Retro style was amply in evidence. That old Schwinn or Raleigh you had as a kid was interpreted in an amazingly artful way by several builders. One bike simply looked like a slimed down one person 1930’s rocket ship. Roger Rabbit came to mind when looking at a couple of them.

If ever there was an obvious reason to learn to read, do math, algebra, physics, geometry, science, art and so on, this was it. Taking children to this show would put the entire school and learning experience into a fantastic, real world application of all the academic and shop disciplines. Learn now children, look what you might be able to do! Yes, it’s a good reason to skip school for a day.

The bikes were, simply put, beautiful. Here’s the range of what was on the floor: road bikes, touring bikes, mountain bikes, townie bikes, beach and snow cruisers, race bikes, city bikes, messenger bikes, tandem bikes, bikes for hauling, helmets, tires, tubes, socks, hats, saddles, magazines, welders, tube suppliers, jig manufacturers, insurance for bike builders, cycling clothing, bike tats, handle bars, shoes, parts manufacturers, and lots of builders. All in one place. Amazing.

When the venue for next year is published, it will show up here. Bookmark the NAHBS site too. I’m looking forward to the show, and the changes coming our way, next year. Ride on!

Handmade gorgeous/photo credit:urbanvelo.org

The North America Handmade Bicycle Show is getting pretty close. March 3 and 4 at the Sacramento Convention Center will bring the wonder of really cool bikes, bike gear, and bike riders of all types together in one great spot.

All of the bicycles you will see, and drool over, here, are literally handmade. Mass production isn’t in the lexicon.

If it’s possible to make it, do so. The show promises to be a highlight of any cyclists’ year. How many handmade bikes have you actually seen? Probably, not many.

The uber cool bikes at the show are all different from each other. The men and women who dream the designs up and weld them together will be here with their creations. Look for bikes made out of carbon, aluminum, steel, bamboo, composites, and blends of different materials.

You’ll find an eclectic group here. You may even be one of the Eclectisists yourself. Maybe that’s Eclecti. You’ll find out when you arrive.

While it may be improbable that you East Coast and Mid America Boomers who ride will be able to come out to the West Coast for this event, fear not. It’s a show that travels to different cities, so it may be closer to you next year.

You can follow the show by connecting to their website on a regular basis, or just by tuning in here, as I will continue to write about it. Whatever you chose to do, it will undoubtedly be an enriching experience for anyone who rides bicycles, or loves handmade gear.

Remember to get out and ride, winter or not. Ride on!

KVA STAINLESS from KVA Stainless on Vimeo.

Cycling for all, all for one, drug free please/photo credit: J Ferris

As you probably all know by now, Lance Armstrong is no longer the object of affection of the Attorney Generals’ lawyers. They’ve decided to drop their investigation of Armstrong, which leads one to believe that they found that they didn’t have enough of anything to continue with. Good. Time to move on. It’s just possible that Armstrong is a pretty good rider, all on his own. A disclaimer here: the name Armstrong is embedded firmly in my family tree, and I am a cancer survivor.

Still, I’m pretty sure I am capable of reporting ugly as well as pretty truths, even with such tenuous connections as family names and serious diseases.

Alberto Contrador and his clenbuterol episode has finally been resolved, if resolved may be used in this case. The Court of Arbtration for Sport (Cas) found his reasoning for having this banned substance in his blood wasn’t very good.

Since no one else seems to have eaten tainted beef, which charge by the way really steamed the Spanish beef industry, and had this banned substance show up in a blood test, Alberto being the only one to have partaken of this one particular cow, didn’t in the end make any sense to them.

He’s been banned from the pro riding ranks for two years, with the starting date of the ban being January 25, 2011. Saxo Bank SunGard, the team Contrador rides with, may find itself short on points to qualify as a top ranked world team. Contradors 2010 TDF win, and his points for 2011, are no longer recognised. Since his points made up around 68% of the teams’ points, that doesn’t leave them with much.

The really rotten thing about the entire episode is how long it took to resolve. The biggest reaction right now is an ear-splitting ho-hum. Who cares? There is no Dr. Who time machine to transport all the riders of the 2010 TDF back to the podium and endorsements, or to replay the entire 2011 season. So Andy Schleck is now the winner of TDF 2010. So what?

Cycling certainly needs to be drug free. As I have mentioned before, if I want to see a bunch of drugged out morons cavorting about, I need only to head to whatever area of whatever town that is comprised of the most bars and dark alleys.

For pro sports, I just want to see the best competing with all they have, on a level field, fueled only by training, passion, and a boat load of sweat and gumption. Nothing else will do.

City bike by Alternative Needs Transportation, photo: urbanvelo.org

Velo has recently come out with the annual best new bikes edition. Velo is the new name for VeloNews if you missed the change. Predictably, the new bikes, the really, really good ones, are ones that I may drool over, but won’t at any time in the near or other future time, buy.

Here’s the reason: money. It’s not that I’m a pauper, but there is only so much of the stuff, and so many things to do with it. I am not an elite rider, don’t race, am not planning on racing, and have only the “I like to ride my bike” designation instead of a CAT rating.

I actually have lights on the front and rear of my bike. Reflectors on the wheels. A nice bag under my saddle to carry the usual bike repair gear and my wallet. It’s added weight, yes. Since I don’t ride for the best time, shaving ounces off the total weight of my bike doesn’t mean much to me. Pounds yes, ounces, no.

A few friends who ride do care about the ounces. One has been seriously riding for 50 years, another had a CAT 5 rating and is an incredible rider. I have more body fat in my hands than he has on his entire human frame. I’ve also got 30 years on him.

The diversity of the bike world is amazing. The range and type of bikes are always fascinating to me, as is the gear and the constant drive to do better. The North American Handmade Bicycle Show will be in Sacramento, CA this year, and I am greatly looking forward to being there and covering it.

This is all to say that while I’m not going to buy a bike that Nick Legan, technical editor of Velo, and an acquaintance of mine, would do justice to, and I would look silly on, I still love it when Velo and Bicycling et al come out with their bike buying guides and issues. It’s just plain fun.

Ride on!

Bike gear at your local bike shop

New bikes mean new experiences. It’s about this time of year that those of us who haven’t ridden in a while decide that it’s time to get back to it. The resolutions for the new year kick in.

If you’re actually riding again after a long hiatus, it’s important that you ease back into it. Otherwise, it’s very likely that your two wheeled friend will soon be quietly gathering dust somewhere in the garage. Too much too soon is common, and unnecessary.

The bikes of today are lighter and more responsive than ever. Even the more modestly priced ones can prove to be over exciting if you aren’t careful. Yanking one into a turn could put you on the ground, something that is to be avoided while riding.

If you’ve been off the bike for a long while, relax. You still know how to ride. Once learned, it’s always there. Here are some tips for you.

Make sure that your new bike fits you. That should have happened at the shop where you bought it. Skinny tire road bikes can be tweeked so that your reach to the handle bars isn’t so far away that you need a map, or so close that you feel like a chimp on a bike. The saddle height should allow for just a slight bend in your knee with your foot all the way down. Why all this? You’ll ride more comfortably and safely.

Your helmet–you bought one, right?–should fit securely on the top of your head. Pushing it back so that your forehead is exposed is wrong on two accounts: you will look like a complete doof with it like that, and it won’t protect your head if you head towards the pavement. Concerned about your hairdo? Bring a comb and get over it.

When you start out after a long time of not riding, go for time, not distance. Distance may or may not figure into your plans later. Ride 10 minutes or so out, turn around and ride back. Add a couple of minutes each time you ride.

Your body will appreciate this approach. You are much more likely to continue riding if it’s fun. Trudging through a 10 mile ride first time out may be your last time out. Face it, you are out of shape and probably have a few extra pounds that you are hauling around.

Chose a mostly level route. A few gentle rollers are OK, but large climbs will simply defeat you. There isn’t any rush, and you’re not training for a Grand Tour, so take it easy.

It won’t be long before you are out for an hour or more. Each time you ride, you’ll be a bit better. Your stamina will increase as will your confidence. The enjoyment level will go up also. Riding 3 or 4 times a week is better than attempting to do it all just on one day.

When you do get to the point that you are riding for a half hour or more, remember to take water with you. The rule of thumb is one bottle for each hour that you ride. Really hot or hard rides may require more. Take something to eat as well. Power bars and fruit bars work well.

You are on your way. Riding a bike, any kind of bike, is simply a lot of fun. As time goes on you’ll probably spend a little time at your local bike shop looking at jerseys, riding shorts, bibs, tights, gloves, and at some point, maybe even shoes that clip into the new pedals that you’ll buy. It’s all good.

Ride on!

Boomers after the ride/ photo A. Molinari

We’ve launched into 2012, having bid 2011 a fond, or not, farewell. We have 365 days to enjoy, and hopefully that is just exactly what we get to do.

I counted up the days that I was able to ride last year. I got out on my bike 90 times, in a variety of places and weather conditions, road bike and mountain bike. In addition to that, we cross county skied, snowshoed, hiked, and walked throughout the year.  In short, we got out when we could.

There is quite a lot happening in the coming year. For cycling Boomers, there’s all of the pro tours that have yet to be ridden watched and commented on.

There’s the continuing drive to rid the pro ranks of doping, and the still awaited decision regarding Alberto Contrador and the 2010 Tour de France.

By now, who cares? It won’t do anyone any good to move up a notch in the 2010 standings. It’s a moot point, except for the cloud that continues to hang over the field. One simply hopes that the teams rigorously enforce the no doping ethic that is brightening the entire pro field.

Race radios, anyone? Bike weights that approach the weight of a sack of feathers, but just barely make the gram count for qualifying to be ridden in the tours. Sponsors signing off, new ones signing on. The peloton continuing to be a great surging mass to watch. Still a very complex and interesting sport, no matter what.

CycloCross racing continues to rack up the points in popularity. Muddy bikes, spandex, and riders, howling fans–must be something to it.

Mountain bikes are continuing to evolve. The 29ers (wheels are 29 inches instead of 26) are rapidly populating the field. Friends who have them tell me that they go over things with their 29er that would simply have stopped them on their old bikes. Since I’m not prone to going over anything too much, I’m not likely to be able to speak from a position of reality on this. I’ll pass on the wisdom of those who enjoy launching themselves and their bikes over rocks, logs, and other debris.

Single speed bikes, aka “fixies”, are staging a comeback. If you are of a certain age, that’s what you had to ride when you were young. The idea of shifting gears with something other than your leg power wasn’t on the menu. A good single speed today is a skinny tired marvel that costs substantially less than their geared and derailuered brethern. If you have legs like tree trunks you could ride one where I live.

Make some resolutions for the new year. I did. Here’s mine: Get out more. That completes my list. Anything more complicated or longer than that isn’t something I’m likely to remember, or do.

Have a great year. Ride on!