FoxyMtnBiker: Brian's bike adventures

Trails: Ischia

2011-10-16T12:18:00.000-07:00

This summer I had the pleasure of riding over on the Isle of Ischia twice. The route, pictured below, is just over 36 km long, and puts you through 1091m of climbing with a maximum altitude of 772m. Needless to say, it's quite the ride, and while the distance and climbing may be grueling, the vistas along the way are breathtaking! The climb is mostly road to the top, with plenty of places to stop for breaks and to pick up additional food and water. At the top, you descend on some of the best single track I've ridden in Europe, swooping down along the ancient volcano, finally reaching Porto Ischia for mandatory carb-loading (read: German beer and Italian pizza). Ischia attracts many German tourists, and as such, the beer selection on the Isle is typically better than on the nearby mainland city of Napoli.

The route: 36km, 1091m of climbing!

I live on the mainland, in the small town of Monte di Procida, which features a small port were small ferries operate during the summer. The ferries are only large enough for passengers, and take foot bound traffic (and bicycles) over to the nearby isles of Procida and Ischia. Unlike the larger car ferries that operate out of Pozzuoli and Napoli, these little pedestrian ferries move a lot quicker. Typical travel time on a ferry out of Pozzuoli to Ischia is about an hour. The ferry from Monte di Procida to Ischia is just 20 minutes! Not only are these ferries from my hometown faster, but they also save me from the additional trip via train or car to Napoli or Pozzuoli. Added bonus! So, for the first ride of the summer over to Ischia, my friend, Rich, and I met up at my house early that morning, did some last minute maintenance on the bikes, and rolled down the hill to the port. Once at the port, we bought our roundtrip tickets and waited for a few minutes for the ferry to arrive. After about 10 minutes, the ferry pulled up, we rolled the bikes over "the hook" and got settled up on the bow of the boat for the short trip to Ischia.

Rich checking out the view from the top deck of the ferry. Ischia far off in the distance (center), with the smaller isle of Procida just off port side (left).

Our two bikes safely stowed on the back of the ferry.

The ferry pulls into Porto Ischia, a small port town on the north eastern side of Ischia that is overrun with tourists from all over Europe. Taxis and buses rush them off to other parts of the isle, as most tourists are there for the wonderful beaches and volcanic hot springs. We begin our journey by starting a short climb out of Porto Ischia to the west toward Forio. On the way toward Forio, we pass through Casimicciola Terme and Lacco Ameno. There are a number of shops in both of these towns, most of them selling typical tourist fare, however these are great places to pick up some fruit and water for the ride. And if you like super yachts, this is the place to see them. With all the British flagged vessels, you think all of London's financial district takes vacation here. I feel lucky that I can enjoy this island with just a short ferry ride!

Looking back toward Lacco Ameno. My yacht is parked

After we ride through Lacco Ameno, we begin the ascent over the small hill that separates Lacco Ameno and Forio, further to the south. The hill provides wonderful vistas of Lacco Ameno and Forio, and our route between the two towns is along the dramatic (steep!) coastline. The Mediterranean is beautiful from up there!

Looking south toward Forio

The road that leads into Forio along our route became cobblestone covered and twisted back and forth, even going through an arch at one point. Some of the best urban "trail" riding I've experienced! Once down in the town of Forio, we rode along the road that parallels the beach. We stopped for a quick break at a local fruit stand, where I enjoyed a fresh nectarine. Sure beats a Power Bar! We continued through Forio, taking another moment to enjoy the vista from the Church of Soccorso. We rode down a steep staircase, to the road below, and continue along the beach, until we reached the base of Monte Epomeo. The next couple hours would be spent climbing to the top of this ancient volcano! (ugh!).

We maintained a good pace on the way up, taking breaks whenever the need arose. The heat and humidity added to the challenge, however we were well prepared. I alone was carrying two liters of water in my Camelbak, with an additional water bottle full of Gatorade.

House atop a large volcanic boulder, with a surrounding vineyard.

The road we follow toward the top of Monte Epomeo provides some wonderful views, which help keep your mind off the heat and the climb. Vineyards, fruit trees, and small villages line the route, with expansive views of the Mediterranean below.

View of the Mediterranean as we ride along...

Almost at Fontana, looking back at our route and Panza in the distance.

We continue to climb along the road, until we reach Fontana, where we take a short lunch break. We also buy some more water at Fontana, because the remainder of the route is away from civilization and off road. At this point in the ride, I've already drank all two liters of water in my Camelbak, so I'm grateful for the opportunity to refill along the way.

After we refill our water, we continue on our route, turning off the main road, looking forward to the final leg of our climb. This last section of the climb is the most difficult, as it's extremely steep, and by this point we're pretty tired from a couple hours exertion in the heat. Once at the top, we enjoy the trails atop Monte Epomeo, and take another break to enjoy the view of the towns and sea below us.

Enjoying the view from the top (and the break!).

Atop Monte Epomeo

Rich enjoying the trail atop Monte Epomeo. The peak is in the background.

After playing around a bit on the trails atop Monte Epomeo, we point downhill! We descend along the trail we followed to the top, turning off this trail into the wood just below the peak of the mountain. The fast singletrack descent begins here! The trail follows along the ridgeline from Monte Epomeo to the east. The trail is lined with trees and brush, and along the way we got nipped by a few thorns. The trail twists and turns, at one point leading us through an abandoned farm. The buildings were overgrown with ferns, which covered much of the field that we were riding through. We continued on, descending the mountain, coming to a rest area for horses, where a local group of riders were having lunch. Our aluminum steeds pushed on, pointed downhill, and picked up the pace as the slope became steeper. We ride down through a dark, root covered crevasse that looks as though it belongs in the beginning of Raiders of the Lost Arc. We finally break out of the forest in Cretaio, where our tires meet asphalt for the first time since we started our descent. Back on the road, we continue onto a park that sits just above Porto Ischia. This park is a relatively new cinder cone from the most recent eruption on the island, dating to 1306. A short climb to the top of the pine tree covered mini-volcano is followed by the final downhill of the day. Once through the park, we were back on the road just above Porto Ischia where our ride began. We rode down into the port and stopped off for a well deserved beer and pizza while awaiting our return trip to the mainland. What a bella giornata on Ischia!

Alas; Beer and Pizza! :)

Prophet Upgrade Project: Phase 1

2011-10-16T06:04:00.000-07:00

I've had my Cannondale Prophet for over five years, and I've really enjoyed riding it. That said, I was looking to improve the climbing capability on the bike by changing the rear shock with one that would "lock out". The original shock, a Manitou, didn't include a lock out feature, and it's something I missed on the Prophet. A previous bike of mine had front and rear lock out on the shocks, and I really liked being able to make the full suspension bike into a fully rigid bike on the road and on long climbs. I really enjoyed the feature on that bike (a 2001 Cannondale Jekyll), and as such, I was ready to improve the capability of my new(er) mountain bike.

I looked at the available rear suspension shocks on the market, and determined that the Fox Float RL would fit the bill, in that it features a lock out, rebound adjustment, and is reasonably priced. I determined that the Prophet frame required a rear shock to be 7.875 inches long and have 2.0 inches of stroke. Fox's Float RL came in this variety, so I ordered it online.

Fox Float RL

When the shock arrived in the mail, I was "shocked" to find that the original shock brackets (called shock reducers) didn't fit my new shock. Searching online, I found that Cambria bike had them available, so I ordered them online. When they arrived in the mail, I was able to install the new shock!

Needless to say, I've enjoyed the new shock, with a recent ride on Monte Matese allowing me to lock out the rear shock, effectively making my full suspension bike a hard tail to more efficiently climb the 4265 foot ascent.

Next on the list for the upgrade:

New wheels: My wheels are in pretty bad shape after 5+ years of use and abuse. They are overdue for a rebuild. Do I get all new wheels or just rebuild on the existing hubs? If I get new wheels, I'm thinking about the Mavic Crossmax ST's. Clearly, rebuilding on the existing hubs would provide a great ride at a fraction of the price of the Mavics. ...and I'd also not have white hubs (that will look horrible if I don't keep them spotlessly clean). As you can tell, I'm leaning toward the rebuild option.
Fork Rehabilitation: my Cannondale Lefty TPC Max is in dire need of some serious maintenance after 3 serious years of use and abuse in Italy and Europe. These forks work great, but are very difficult to work on if you don't know what you're doing. Clearly I don't. :) Luckily, there's a bike shop back in the states that specializes in fixing and upgrading Lefties. So, I'm thinking about shipping my fork off to Mendon Cyclesmith for a complete rebuild and upgrade. I'm thinking about getting the "guts" upgraded to PBR, essentially converting my front shock from spring to air spring, and providing a lock out capability.

Trails: This summer's lineup...Stuttgart and Livigno

2011-06-05T06:30:00.000-07:00

With summer already here, I'm itching to get out and ride. Work and family have been keeping me from riding as much as I'd like, but I should have plenty of opportunities to get out and ride this summer. I'm looking forward to the club rides, as well as any chances to get out and free ride at Potenza. I'll probably get up to Germany and northern Italy, too. I will have some training in mid July in Stuttgart, Germany, as such I'm looking at trails around town. The training will last about a week, so there should be a few opportunities to get out and ride.

Three of the trails I've found that look to be fun around Stuttgart

The wife and I are planning to stop off in France on the way up to Germany, and we'll stop at points in Italy on the way back to Napoli. We're tentatively planning on stopping at Livigno and maybe in Vicenza. There's wonderful handmade pottery and plates near Vicenza, and Livigno's riding is some of the best in the Alps (so I've been told!). Some great trails up there by the looks of it!

Gear: Posca, the Roman Legion's vinegar based Sport's Drink

2011-04-22T10:21:00.000-07:00

My recipe for Sports Drink works pretty well, at least I’ve been happy with the results, both in its taste and how it makes me feel during a ride. It includes vinegar as an ingredient, which many athletes may find unusual. I got interested in Vinegar’s ability to assist with muscle recovery, and found out that it has been used in this regard for thousands of years. Rome’s legions used vinegar derived from old wine, mixed it with the local water to kill any harmful bacteria and also to improve the flavor. The Roman’s referred to this drink as Posca.

Turns out modern science has found that vinegar is an excellent way to relieve or prevent muscle cramps. Here's an interesting study on the benefits of vinegar. Coaches and athletes have been drinking pickle juice for years for this very reason, and scientists are just beginning to understand the benefits of vinegar for athletes. With all these benefits, I wanted to see if it indeed worked. Over the course of a few rides, I worked out a recipe that works well for me; it masks the flavor of the vinegar, while providing the benefits of the sugar, salt, and vinegar (simple carbohydrates, mineral replenishment, and muscle relaxant, respectively).

Try out my recipe below:

1 Liter of Water

4-6 Tbs of pre-sweetened Kool-Aid mix (adjust for your preference)

4 Tbs of Vinegar

¾ tsp Salt

“splash” of Lemon juice

Gear: What's in the bag...

2011-04-19T10:42:00.000-07:00

Packing for any trip can be tricky, and while the average mountain bike is a rather short trip, it can be difficult to determine what to carry along for the ride. In writing this entry, hopefully you'll gain some insight to what's been useful for me to have along, and please, if you have any other suggestions for great items to carry, let me know.

Starting with the bag, I wear a Camelbak Mule NV, which provides enough room for me to carry the essentials without being too big to encourage me to be too prepared; the more "prepared" you are, the more you typically carry. And while it's usually good to "be prepared", the Boy Scout Motto can lead to carrying everything, including a kitchen sink...and household appliances tend to be heavy. So, I like to carry the tools and nutrients absolutely necessary, plus a little extra just for "insurance". The Camelbak Mule features a large pouch for mounting the 3 liter water reservoir, a large zippered compartment, a smaller zippered compartment featuring organizational pockets, a large pouch, and a smaller pouch cinched by a drawstring strap. The entire bag can be cinched by four drawstring straps, and these are great for binding everything together as well as cinching down any items in the large open pouch (where the water bottle is located in the picture below).

Camelbak Mule

The large zippered compartment lacks any organizational pockets, so I typically use it to store additional repair items or food. On longer rides, I'll use the large compartment to carry an additional water bladder, and the compartment is large enough to fit a 3 liter bladder. I've enjoyed the flexibility the large compartment provides me.

The large pouch that is sandwiched between the large and small zippered compartments has been great for stuffing extra water bottles or clothing items like a windbreaker. This pocket/pouch has been great for holding items that are too bulky for storing internally or items that I want repeated or quick access to while riding. The items are secured by the four cinch straps, which tighten everything down in the bag. This pouch is large enough to carry two bottles of Italian Champagne (Prosecco). ...a typical item carried for a New Year's (Capodanno) ride! :)

The Camelbak Mule can carry everything for your ride, including two bottles of Prosecco!

The smaller zippered compartment features organizational pockets which have been great for storing tools, repair items, utensils, and keys.

Last, there's a small pouch on the very outside of the bag. It's relatively small, and is kept secure by its own cinch strap. Because of its size and ease of access, I typically store a small wrench for adjusting my suspension.

The outside of my bag features a small first aid kit that's zip tied and a tire pump that's velcroed to the outside of the bag. By externally mounting these two relatively bulky items to the outside of my Camelbak, not only do I prevent them from taking up room on the inside of the bag, but they are also more easily accessible on the outside of the bag and they also advertise my first aid and repair capabilities to others on the trail. Initially I kept these items on the inside of my bag, but I've liked having them externally mounted, freeing up room in the bag for other stuff.

So, as far as what I fill up my bag with, I break it down into Repair Items, Food, and First Aid. My first aid kit is externally mounted on my bag, which provides easy access and advertises to other trail users my ability to help. I've organized my first aid kit using plastic bags to seperate and organize the specific items, as well as protect them from the elements. Keeping the items separate in bags allows them to be labeled, making first aid faster and easier. There's nothing like trying to find what you're trying to administer! Organizing is the first step in providing first aid. The little red pouch on my Camelbak features Gauze, ointments, pain pills in a plastic tube, and large and small self adhesive bandages.

I use plastic bags to segregate and label my first aid supplies.

As for food, it really depends upon the length of the ride how much I carry, but I always carry some combination of fruit, sandwich, and water. If it's particularly hot or long ride I'll carry Gatorade in a separate water bottle (or two) in the large pouch on the outside of the Camelbak. I don't put drink mix in the Camelbak water bladders, as mold, mildew and sea monkeys tend to start growing in it soon after. I use a reusable Rubbermaid container to store sandwiches, and I'll take dried fruit in plastic bags. Granola bars are also a favorite. The Italians I ride with like to carry Ritter sport chocolate, a big plus at the top of the mountain!

Rubbermaid keeps the sandwich fresh and prevents it from being crushed in the bag. A waterbottle allows me to mix the sports drink in something other than my Camelbak reservoir, keeping it fresh and clean (Sea Monkey free).

I keep tools and repair items on me at all times. Tools of particular importance include a multi-allen, tire levers, chain tool, patches, and a "Leatherman" multi-tool. I like carrying the "Leatherman" really for the pliers that it provides, but many of the additional tools it comes with are great, too. The chain tool is small, light, and it's one of the tools that really has no replacement. With a chain tool, a nearly impossible task of repairing a chain that has become separated becomes an easy task. Without it, you are quite literally up a river without a paddle. Or a trail without a tool. Of course I take an extra inner tube (or two) along with a patch kit. Thorns (spina, in Italian) are common in southern

Italy

, on the many cacti and other "spina" equipped plant life, so I carry enough to get me through and help other riders. One tool that many folks don't consider taking is an eating utensil. I have a little mini-spoon which has been great for eating canned fruit or anything requiring something other than my fingers. I also include a nifty little multi-tool that I received as a gift at a conference; it looks like a credit card but includes a blade, wrench, bottle opener, etc. It doesn't take up any space, so I include it in the kit. Last, but not least, I have a little tool wrap that my beautiful wife sewed up for me. This tool wrap not only keeps my tools organized and quick to access, but it also keeps them safe. Prior to the tool wrap, I had some tools wear out and break due to the constant vibration from riding. The wrap cushions all the tools and protects them, ensuring they are ready when you need them.

The tools and other repair items.

Some optional items that I'll carry include a shock pump for adjusting my suspension on the trail, extra food, and as I mentioned earlier, extra water in a water bottle or an additional Camelbak bladder.

Commuting: Riding in Naples is Safe?!

2011-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

When I talk to people about biking in Italy, often times the first thing that comes up in the conversation is the question of safety: is it safe to ride on the roads?

Interestingly enough, despite the crazy driving habits of Italians, they are extremely respectful of cyclists. Everyone I speak to about biking on the roads in Italy is amazed, especially Americans, as driving on the roads can be stressful, so they assume that cyclling on the road would be stressful and dangerous. Quite the opposite. Unlike in America where the average driver is cursing at any/all cyclists, the typical Italian driver respects and sometimes admires road-borne cyclists. What's the difference? The average Italian views cyclists as sports heroes. American's wouldn't know cycling was a sport if it wasn't for Lance Armstrong winning 7 straight Tour de France victories. To analogize, it would be like a Saint Louis Cardinal Baseball player running in the street in Saint Louis; they'd get all the respect and plenty of room from passing cars.

So, the driving might be a bit crazy in Bella Napoli, but they aren't gunning for you on your bike.

Commuting: My first ride to work in Napoli, Italia

2011-04-17T12:19:00.000-07:00

I've been working a bit closer to home lately, in an office that's located just down the coast from me. Unlike my usual work location, which is seperated from where I live by a number of tunnels and mountains, the geography separating my new office and home is simpler, and as such, easier to ride. I've been driving to work the past week or so, but realized early on that my commute was possible by bike. In fact, as bike commutes go, it's probably the worlds best. Not counting the traffic, which I get up early enough, prior to most drivers hitting the road, or me. Kidding. :)

Anyway, the ride is beautiful. Probably the most beautiful bike commute I will ever have. My ride allowed me to see much of what I get to see from the car, but it's different on a bike. Maybe that's because I'm going slower, maybe it's because I'm more exposed to the environment on the bike, hearing and seeing more along my bike commute than I would by car. Either way, I experience more by bike than by car. The ride is spectacular, but I'd like to share a few places in particular. First is the downhill ride from Monte di Procida. It's particularly long and fast, but it also features an amazing view looking north along the coast. The morning was so clear that I could see almost to Gaeta, 100km to the north. Continuing on, I reach Baia, a small port town, and as I turn toward work, I look over the bay of Naples and see the sun rising over Vesuvius. As I ride toward Pozzuoli along the coastal road perched on a cliff above the bay of Naples, I looked to my right seeing Vesuvio, Sorrento and Capri in the distance. As I reach Pozzuoli, the foot and motor traffic become much more congested, forcing me to pay more attention to the activity around me. Although it's busy, Pozzuoli is also a beautiful city. As I ride over the cobblestone streets, I pass by cafe's, ride through arches and tight city streets and witness the city getting ready for another busy day. The final spectacular spot along my bike commute route is a short but beautiful stretch of road between Pozzuoli and Bagnoli, where I work. This route is fairly tight, with the road built between the bay of Naples and a cliff, but the spectacular view looks out over the bay of Naples looking back toward home. From this vista I see my home in the distance, and as my eye follows the coastline, I can witness the route through Baia and Pozzuoli that I've just completed. I finish the ride by climbing the road up into Bagnoli, reaching my office in just over a half an hour. I've really enjoyed my first bike ride to work in Italy. Wonderful view and a great ride. ...next time I'll have to stop for a cafe or cappuccino in Pozzuoli...

Trails: Tremalzo

2011-03-06T04:53:00.000-08:00

Tremalzo is the premeir trail in nothern Italy, the American equivelent of Porcupine Rim trail in Moab, Utah. It's a spectacular trail, both for the quality of the trail but also for the wonderful vistas.

Tremalzo Trail, with Lago di Garda in the foreground and Lago di Ledro in the distance

Starting from Riva del Garda, on the north western end of Lago di Garda, the trail ascends for a 10km, initially riding along a old gravel roadway above Lago di Garda. This portion of the route provides wonderful views of the lake, allowing you to watch the windsurfers below. The route weaves through the old tunnels, apparently a part of the original roadway along the lake.

Beautiful vistas of Lago di Garda help keep your mind off the 17km/1200m climb that you've just begun!

The ascent turns away from the lake, heading up a steep valley toward Lago di Ledro. As you continue to climb toward Lago di Ledro, you will be riding along both trail and at times paved roads. It's best to equip your mountain bike with a rear safety light, increasing your visibility to the Itallian and German drivers touring around the small, curvy roads. The drivers are very courteous, and mindful of bikes on the road. The trail toward Lago di Ledro runs through a number of small villages, providing the rider with an opportunity to see parts of quaint parts of Italy rarely seen by car. Molina de Ledro is a small village on Lago di Ledro, and provides an opportunity to rest, refill water, and get a bit of gellato prior to continuing the climb.

Small village along the way from Lago di Garda toward Lago di Ledro

Continuing south along Lago di Ledro, the route turns uphill, and the climbing really gets difficult. Another 7km of climbing await, with the trail reaching over 1250m in altitude. The climb works its way up a number of switchbacks, none of which are terribly technical. The difficulty in the ascent is in the effort to climb, not in any particular obstacle along the way. Concouring the summit means you've just climbed 1200m in under 17km! The reward is worth it, both the immediate view of Lago di Garda below, as well as the upcoming descent.
The summit is a great place for a lunch break, as there are a number of picnic spots along the summit trail. Obviously, this is also a great time for photos!

Lago di Garda from atop Tremalzo; 10km descent awaits!

The descent begins! What you've been waiting and working for all day: 10km of technical descent! Beautiful views may distract you on the way down, so it's best to stop along the way and snap a couple photos. That and so much effort goes into getting to the top, it's best to enjoy the view!

As the trail approaches Pregasina, a small village perched high above Lago di Garda, the trail becomes paved road. While passing through Pregasina, feel free to enjoy a cafe' at the small restarant, Kaffee Pregasina. Another 6km of descent await, about half of it down paved roads, the remaining 3-4km desending the gravel path that were ascended at the beginning of the loop. The descent along the lake is particularly fun, as the view is terrific, and the jumps and other fun obstacles on the gravel route provide some entertainment, too.

The old route, now little more than a gravel road. Note the tunnel and the jump ahead!

Back in Riva del Garda, time for some Italian Pizza and German beer; the best part of the Alps is the mixing of cultures, and the ability to have the best of everything Europe has to offer, including trails!

Tremalzo is a "must ride" trail!

Feel free to download the KML or GPX file of the Tremalzo trail.

Italian Pizza and German Beer: northern Italy features the best of Europe!

Bike Review: Wooden Balance Bike

2011-02-26T10:56:00.000-08:00

I was intrigued when I first saw the design of the wooden balance bikes a few years ago. Unlike their American counterparts, the European balance bikes lack pedals, and instead of focusing on the locomotion skills associated with turning the cranks of a bicycle drive train, the balance bikes focus on developing equilibrium. Their design is simple, and focuses on teaching children how to balance on two wheels. Last year I purchased one for my son, and I've found it to be excellent for teaching Alex the fundementals of riding a bike.

I bought the bike at a specialty toy store in Amsterdam while on vacation with my wife. I knew that the vacation would be a bit of a bike fest for us (me!), as Amsterdam is so bike friendly. I took more photos of the dutch bikes than anything else, and we even rented a tandem bicycle to ride around town for an afternoon. While walking around town, we noticed one of the wooden balance bikes in a toy store, and we inquired the price, availability, etc. I liked the model that they had available, and it seemed to be a quality bike from what I could tell of the parts and construction. We were quoted 65 euro, and since we hadn't really shopped around for these bikes, we decided to do some comparison shopping. While continuing our tour around Amsterdam for a bit we came upon a bike shop, and I noticed some of these wooden balance bikes inside. We walked in and found that the bikes were very similar to the ones we saw at the toy store a few minutes before, and we inquired about the price. The shop employee quoted us a price, which I misheard as 75 euro. I turned to my wife and said, "that's 10 more than the toy store". She quickly corrected me, stating "they just said it was 175 euro, not 75!" thanks for the clarificaiton! Quickly realizing that the wooden balance bike at the toy store was a particularly good deal, we ran back and purchased one. The salesman at the toy store told us that the wooden balance bikes they carry usually quickly sell out after they receive them. Considering what the bike shops were selling these bikes for, we understood why! So, with our bike in hand, we headed back to the hotel to drop it off, so we weren't (or more precisely, I wasn't) carrying it around all day.

Fast forward a bit... when we brought it home, Alex was happy to have a gift from our trip (he stayed with Grandma and Grandpa). I assembled the bike, with Alex watching the whole time, and he got to check it out that day. Initially, he was unsure about the bike, with the size/fit an immediate problem. At the time Alex was quite a bit shorter than he is now, and he was barely able to straddle the bike with the bike's seat at it's lowest setting. Regardless, he was excited to have it, and instead of riding it he would push it around without straddling it, both in the house and outside. Initially I was concerned about him not straddling the bike, but he eventually got comfortable enough (and big enough) with the bike to straddle it and walk around with it.

Since these training bikes lack pedals, the kids can walk or run with the bike, developing their sense of balance as they run and glide. After watching him develop on this european training bike, I see now that the typical American kid's bike is probably too overwhelming for new riders. Specifically, I think the pedals/drivetrain and the act of balancing are probably too much for kids to take on at one time. The act of balance is probably the most difficult aspect of learning to ride a bike, when compared to the skill of pedaling. So it's a lot easier for the child to just focus on balancing the bike as they run and walk, a method of locomotion they are already well aquainted with prior to starting on these bikes. I think this makes it easier for a kid to learn how to ride a bike. I've witnessed this watching Alex on his wooden balance bike.

As Alex became more comfortable and confident with the bike he was gradually able to go from walking to running with it. It was at this point that Alex started to develop balance. He quickly learned that he could lift his feet and coast after running with the bike, experiencing the sensation of balancing on two wheels.

A couple of things may have helped him learn balance. First, I would ride my mountain bike along side him. I dropped my seat post height as low as it could go, and along with the relatively small frame size associated with my off road bike, I was able to imitate the fit of his bike. I could be seated while having my feet planted firmly on the ground. These minor adjustments to my bike allowed me to shuffle around on my bike in a way that was similar to his balance bike, allowing me to demonstrate walking and running with the bike, as well as the ability to pick up the feet and balance the bike while moving. Second, our parco has garden area with a couple of small, gradual descents that were also very helpful. These descents allowed him to coast for longer periods of time as he became more comfortable going fast on the bike. Coasting on these gradual descents allowed him to experience the sensation of balancing for a longer period of time.

The video above was recorded a few months after he began riding the wooden balance bike, and there are a few moments where you can see he is quite comfortable and capable of balancing on two wheels.

Alex's bike has held up well under his use and abuse. He has ridden quite a bit since we brought it home last summer. He really enjoys taking it outside, but he also has fun riding it (well, walking pretty slowly) in the house. All the parts and components of the bike have held up well. The bike is made primarily of laminated wood and held together by a series of bolts and fasteners. The simple construction makes for a durable product. His particular bike is painted in police colors, well, Dutch Politie colors actually. Some of the design features that I like include the integrated carry handle in the frame, the adjustable seat, and the wall-saving bumper equipped handle grips. The frame's integrated handle makes it easy to pick up the bike and carry it, which has been necessary a few times when walking a fussy rider back to the house for his daily nap. The handle is situated near the bike's center of gravity, making it very easy to carry (particularly helpful while dealing with a wild child). The adjustable seat has been great, extending the life of the bike. Granted, with the speed at which Alex is growing, this bike may not last much longer. It is designed for age 3-6. Alex just turned three, and we had to raise the seat to the top and final position!

The final feature that's proved useful was a bit of a surprise to me: the handle grips. I typically don't notice handle grips much, not even on my own bike, as they are typically just a soft grippy bit of rubber on the handlebar. There's not much to like about them, they just do their job, right? Well, the grips that came with his wooden balance bike have large rubber bumpers on the end to protect the bike and his hands and the things that it may (will!) rest on and crash into. The bumpers have no doubt saved the walls at our house, as well as protecting the wooden handlebar and Alex's hands from being hurt when scraping or crashing into walls.

This bike has been a wonderful way for Alex and I to enjoy the outdoors, and an excellent way for him to learn to ride a bike.

Riding with the Carbonari

2010-07-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

I’m living the dream. As a lover of mountain bikes, pizza, and great wine, I couldn’t have it any better. Two thousand nine found me moving half way around the world to Naples,

Italy

where I’d be working the next three years. I was excited to live in Europe, and as a cyclist, interested to find out about biking opportunities in

Italy

il gruppo di Carbonari

Before moving to

Italy

, I discovered some interesting videos created by a Neapolitan bike group while searching the internet. These videos were created by the Carbonari, a mountain bike club based out of Naples,

Italy

. Their videos featured Urban Assault on full suspension mountain bikes through the mean streets of Naples. They also had numerous videos of them riding in the mountains in/around Naples, including Mt. Vesuvius! Needless to say, I was excited to ride in

Italy

Without much difficulty, I found the group’s website, and sent an email asking to become a member. Marcello and Salvatore, the group’s founders and organizers readily accepted me. I looked forward to meeting them, and as I began the long process of moving to Europe, I continued to follow the group’s rides through the photos, maps, and videos they posted.

Upon arriving in

Italy

it took me a few months to get set up, at home and on the bike. During this time I got to explore southern

Italy

a bit, enjoy the Italian food and wine, too. I got out mountain biking on my own, locally on the volcanic island of Ischia, and further north in the Dolomite Mountains around Lago di Garda, and the Alps near Garmisch,

Germany

. The Carbonari weren’t riding as a group during the summer, to avoid the heat. By late summer, though, the Carbonari had put together their fall riding schedule.

_______________________________________________
Mondragone

My first ride with the Carbonari was along the Mediterranean coast in Mondragone. We rode for over 7 hours, climbing up and over the mountain twice that day. While the heat and the mountain took its toll, I was invigorated by the awesome view of the Mediterranean Sea.

The first of many climbs at Mondragone

The trails were mostly jeep trails, with one exception: a strip of singletrack about 4 km long that traced downhill toward the Mediterranean below. Oddly enough, the trail was also being used by a boy on a Vespa scooter, despite the rough conditions of the trail. This single track descent lead to the far side of the mountain range. Once there, we took a short break at a small coffee bar. I grabbed some water, because I thought it was better to be safe than sorry, as I didn’t know if we were in for much more riding. And were we ever!

We climbed Monte Mondragone for the second time. We waited for over a half hour for the group to reassemble at the top, giving me an opportunity to try to get to know some of the folks. I had trail mix with me, a simple mixture of dried fruit and nuts that I put together before the ride. As the group started collecting at the top of the mountain, I soon discovered that the trail mix was very popular, as there were quite a few riders in need of an energy boost.

I was able to gain the respect of my fellow riders, not through my ability to converse, as my Italian was still very basic, but instead through positive attitude and good deeds on a particularly hot, hard mountain bike ride. The organizers, Marcello and Salvatore, seemed to appreciate my positive attitude. The beautiful Mediterranean, visible from the various points of our ride, helped keep a smile on my face.

Once the group reassembled, we were off. We continued along some winding trails, many of which appeared to be high altitude pasture, judging by the clumps of dung lying around. We had to cross a series of barbed wire fences, passing the bikes over the top and walking through the small pedestrian gate. Quite the adventure! There was a great sense of community and team work for the entire route!

The final descent back to the trailhead was a mad dash, with the entire group starting all at once. The crowded, fast descent mimicked the automobile traffic of Naples. Needless to say the downhill was fun and fast, and riding in a massive pack heightened the challenge. What a blast!

______________________________________________
Cassino

My second ride with the Carbonari was at Cassino. The mountainous terrain around Cassino was the site for a tremendous battle in WW2, and provided excellent terrain for a great mountain bike ride. The ride was on a beautiful fall day. It was perfect riding weather--a slight breeze brought the scent of sage and pine to the air.

That ride found us climbing for about three hours up pine tree lined gravel roads. As we climbed we passed a series of technical ‘stunts’ that a couple of the riders successfully negotiated. These stunts included ladders and jumps hidden just off the fire road in among the pine trees. Once we reached the top, we took a short lunch break, and pointed downhill into some of the best singletrack I’ve ever ridden. We descended for over an hour on the fast and technical singletrack, twisting our way down the mountain. We eventually started seeing more civilization, riding through small Italian villages--a sign that the ride was coming to an end.

After we made it back to the trailhead and packed up the cars, we drove down into Cassino for pranzo, or lunch. We met at what initially appeared to be a small coffee bar. It turned out that this small place could really put on a spread! We enjoyed a wonderful meal of mozzarella di bufala, pasta, french fries, a plate of assorted meats, and dessert followed by café (espresso). The ride took about 4 hours; the meal took about two hours. What an excellent way to finish the day: calories replenished!

KML and GPX trail files of Monte Cassino
___________________________________________________________
Parco di Ulissi

The third ride with the Carbonari was in Formia, just up the coast from Naples. Our course took us through Formia and Gaeta, in the area known as Parco di Ulissi, or the Park of Ulysses. The riding featured singletrack, fire roads, and the paved streets of Gaeta. At the trailhead we started a short climb, weaving through the some great singletrack in the forest. After taking a short break at the top of the hill for the customary group photo, we started downhill toward the Mediterranean coast. Half way into the descent the trail emerged from the shady forest into the expansive green hillside with an amazing view of the sea. My eyes were filled with the expanse of blue in every direction--and all this while riding some great singletrack! Awesome!

Our next stop was at an old Roman port located in the park. The piers and steps are still intact, and we took some photos of the ruins. It was interesting to see that the local Italians that I was riding with were as impressed as I was with the Roman antiquities. After the port, we continued riding through the park on the various single and double tracks that were scattered about. We eventually reached a sheer cliff along the sea, where we stopped at an old Roman fort for another quick photo break.

The ancient Roman Port at Parco Ulissi

After the break, we continued through the park toward Formia and Gaeta. The pace really picked up on the road. Despite what many think about Italian drivers (they are a bit crazy), they are actually very respectful of cyclists. Needless to say our large group successfully navigated the streets of Formia and Gaeta without mishap. Once we passed through the center of Gaeta, we started climbing Monte Orlando, a large mountain in Gaeta that rests on the end of the peninsula that creates the town harbor. As we climbed the paved route to the top we took a couple of photo breaks, taking full advantage of the terrific view of Gaeta and the Mediterranean Sea from the heights of Monte Orlando. We continued on and took a lunch break on the top, where we all enjoyed whatever picnic we had packed. I noticed some of the riders eating traditional mozzarella di buffala and prosciutto sandwiches, which looked a lot more appealing than my peanut butter and jelly. We took another group photo in front of the large circular Mausoleum of Lucius Munatius Plancus, who I later learned was an advisor to Augustus Ceasar. All sorts of Roman history on this ride!

After lunch and the group photo, we pointed our bikes downhill to enjoy the singletrack that lay just off the paved and gravel road that lead us up to the top. We weaved down a couple technical sections, only to head up the mountain again to enjoy a couple more routes. Monte Orlando has plenty of trails, and we explored almost all of them, with the resulting GPS track looking a bit like my favorite pasta. Eventually we wound down the opposite end of the mountain on a gravel fire road. As we rode the switchback downhill, it was hard not to take in the view below of Gaeta, Castle Angioino-Aragonese, and the Mediterranean. As we continued downhill, the landscape soon changed from forested mountain to the old city landscape of Gaeta, with the gravel fire road turning to cobble stone street. Once at the bottom, we took another break: for gelato, the Italian ice cream. I love riding in

Italy

After the gelato, we hit the road back to Formia and Parco Ulissi, where our cars were parked. An excellent ride, and I left looking forward to all the future rides and good times with the Carbonari.

KML and GPX trail files of Parco Ulissi and Monte Orlando

__________________________________________________

Italians are some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet, and the Carbonari are no exception. I’ve reflected many times on how quickly the group accepted me, a foreigner, into their club. I suspect that a foreigner would not be so quickly welcomed in any social club in Northern Europe or the

. I’ve learned a lot from living and riding with the Italians, and I believe the Italians are onto something by being so loving and accepting of others. While I’ve experienced many cyclists in the US being judgemental about performance, type of cycling, and type of bicycle, it’s interesting to ride with the Carbonari, a cycling group of differing skills and equipment, and to see them all get along, even on difficult rides. It’s clear that Italians focus on enjoying life, and the Carbonari are about having a good time on their mountain bikes. Not only has the Carbonari shown me quite a bit of

Italy

, but they have reminded me of the basic joy that cycling brings. And that this joy can be shared, even without a shared language.

______________________________________________________

Carbonari

Be sure to check out the Carbonari’s website for group information, ride schedule, trail information in both Google Earth and GPS files, as well as photos and videos of their exploits at:www.carbonaribikers.com. Even if just to see how great the riding in Italia really is! Ciao!

Giro di Italia

2009-05-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

Today I got to see my first professional bike race, and it was the 100th Anniversary of the Giro di Italia (Ride of Italy). First impresstions: I was overwhelmed with how fast the racers were riding, and equally impressed with how tight of a formation they could hold in the Peleton. There must have been close to 100 riders in the span of the average city bus. What was interesting about the experience, though, was how underwhelming it was... Remember the scene from Indiana Jones (raiders of the lost arc) where an arab swordsman threatens Indy for at least a minute, with intricate sword swirls and such? And Indy just shoots him... All that lead up for a split second, and undramatic finish. Well, ditto for the race. We get off the highway, near our house, and see a crowd formed up where the Poliza have cordoned off the street that they'll be racing on. As time goes by, a number of Poliza cars race by, ensuring the route is clear, and a few vans selling official 'Giro di Italia' t-shirts cruise by. The crowd continues to grow, with an increasing number of the locals buying shirts and such from the 'Giro' vans driving by. To add to the suspense, the crowd down the way starts cheering, just to see an old italian man riding his beater of a bike down the street. Ha! That 'Gotcha' happens a few times. Finally, team vehicles start cruising by, one of the most impressive being the Mavic (French wheel maker) vehicle: an all yellow sports-stationwagon (they don't have these in the States, unfortunately) with all yellow Cannondale racing bikes featuring all yellow Mavic wheels and all yellow seats/saddles. Looked like a chariot of gold. Then more Poliza cars and motorcycles. Then the lead group of cyclists race by, about 20 or so, with the crowd going nuts. About 3 seconds behind the lead group is the main body of the racers. I look frantically for Lance Armstrong in both groups, however my eyes and brain are not able to sort visual data as quickly as the group of cyclist ride by...as all this occurs in less than, oh, 10 seconds. Everyone then hopped in their cars, as the surrounding areas roads had become a parking lot. The area cleared out very quickly; it would have taken at least a half an hour in the states for the drivers to clear the area, but the Italians were able to get back to 'normal' very quickly. Simply amazing to see. Crazy how underwhelming it was, because of the speed involved, and my small perspective of the race. So many kilometers, and I saw mearly a few hundred meters of it. Overall, the experience was great. I'll be there again next year!

2009-05-29T10:44:00.000-07:00

I found a couple Italian bike shops. I've been looking for a good bike shop, as my bikes arrived from the US of A in need of some minor repairs. The last shop I found, your standard fare of bike shop, does a great job on repairs. They trued my wheels and adjusted my brakes for about 15 euros, which I thought was a pretty good deal. Interesting thing about the bike shop, was that it took forever to find it. When I searched Google for the shop, it showed me one location, while the shop's website provided yet another location. Both locations that were provided by the internet were about 4 miles off of target! Crazy... I had to talk to locals and call the shop about 12 times to find it. Kind of frustrating, but they do good work, so I made sure to save the location in my GPS so to never lose them again! ...I thought it was interesting though that the bike shop's actual location was so far removed from where the internet placed them. I wonder if the address coding that works so well in the US for locations, isn't quite perfected here. I wonder if parts of the world should be locating business and homes by latitude and longitude. Probably more accurate where the government hasn't spend the time and money to regrid and rename streets for the benefit of GPS direction finding.

Otherwise, the other shop is very unusual, for an American. It's located closer to where I live, and they not only sell bikes manufactured by your standard European bike companies, but they also manufacture and sell their own line of bikes. The shop is pretty small, and they weld frames in the back area. They weld all their bikes out of steel, with a few of the high end road frames including carbon fiber seat/chain stays. I imagine the carbon components are purchased from a supplier and just glued in place. Overall, it's pretty interesting, as they create not only your typical fast looking Italian road bike, but also a slew of other bikes ranging from kids bikes, city bikes, tricycles and large cargo bikes. Pretty cool. Check out their site:

http://www.derosabike.it/

Yep, it's De Rosa bikes. Not the De Rosa you may have seen in the states, though. That De Rosa is from Milano in the north. This is yet another De Rosa di Pozzuoli. Interesting how the European style of manufacturing lives on (vs. American/Mass production), with local craftsmen building product for their local customer base. You'll notice the decal on the bikes highlight the geographic location of manufacture, unlike most products.

Include Music with your Ride: Homemade Speaker from iPod Earbuds

2009-01-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy listening to music, and I thought that injecting music into my bike rides would provide me with more opportunities to listen to music. However, I didn't want to use earphones or earbuds, as they would eliminate any ability to hear traffic, or other surrounding sounds. This was a concern for both safety associated with hearing things around me and the enjoyment of listening to nature.

So, I figured I could get an iPod Shuffle, and hook it up to an external speaker that would allow me to listen to music without completely cutting off the rest of the world's sounds. As I looked at external speakers, I noticed that some of them took batteries, while others ran off of the iPod's power. I didn't want to have the added complexity of needing batteries, so that ruled out the battery powered/amplified speaker. And, as I considered the other external speaker option, I figured I could arrange the stock iPod earbuds to work as an external speaker. By modifying the earbuds into speakers I'd save some money and probably get a solution that would better fit my needs!

I started by cutting cardboard into a small rectangular shape, slightly smaller than the iPod Shuffle. I figured, that when the wires were wrapped around the cardboard, the final shape would be equal in size to the Shuffle. I once saw a carpenter wrap a long power cord on a rectangular piece of plywood that had V-shaped dents cut into it, ensuring the cord would have plenty of surface area to gather. I borrowed this idea for my small piece of cardboard, trimming concave 'dents' into the short sides of the cardboard. These dents will ensure that the wire will have a place to gather, and not uncoil off the ends. I started wrapping the wire by placing the earbuds on the cardboard, and used the wires to secure both of the earbuds together and onto the cardboard. I left about a foot of wire loose at the end, ensuring the wire would reach to it's final destination: the Shuffle. After the wires were securely wrapped and the earbuds arranged on the cardboard, I wrapped the entire bundle in electrical tape, which will keep the wire from unraveling and keep the earbuds in place. The tape will also provide some protection from the elements. I temporarily secured the new 'speaker' to the shoulder strap of my hydration pack using a short velcro strap (which incidentally came with an old bike pump) and ran the wire down toward the Shuffle which temporarily clamps onto the shoulder strap.

The entire setup works great. I can easily adjust the volume and navigate songs while riding the bike, thanks mainly to the placement of the Shuffle's raised control surface that allows me to differentiate 'play/pause', 'volume', and 'advance/rewind' all by touch. The speakers are located too far back while standing, however when riding, they are located perfectly, just behind the ear. Now I can hear my music as well as the surrounding noise of the world, whether birds or cars, keeping me both in tune and out of trouble.

Awesome BMX Vid!

2009-01-25T06:05:00.000-08:00

Latest Video from Carbonari Bikers!

2009-01-23T18:37:00.000-08:00

Their ride on the 11th of January on Mount Vesuvius. Funny crashes at the beginning of the video. ;)

It wasn't a Job, It was a (Mountain Biking) Adventure!

2009-01-23T16:38:00.000-08:00

I was thinking the other day, while out on a trail ride, how my military experience provided me the opportunity to ride my bike in some great places. I've been able to ride in Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Kansas, and Iraq. Great times, and fun memories.

One of the strangest bike related memories is actually from southern Iraq, where I remember seeing an Iraqi man talking with a British soldier. The Iraqi man had a bicycle, and the bicycle was all tricked out with mirrors and reflective tape. I'm interested if the Arabs have a term for outfitting his 'ride' that way. It's clear, from a western perspective, that he "pimped" his bike! The closest thing I have seen to it is a 'scrapper' bike. This guy's bike was definitely unofficial, cool, and he was proud of the thing.

"Scrapper Bike" by the Trunk Boiz

And that bike stood out, because you didn't see too many bikes in Iraq or Kuwait. They got oil coming out of the ground: why ride a bike? A motorbike! ...I guess that may be their mindset.

While there may not have been many locals on bicycles in Iraq, I did have an opportunity to ride quite a bit while I was there for a year. My unit was pretty heavily tasked, with a lot of very important missions. One of the results of our focus and high operational tempo was that there were few motor-vehicles available for driving around base. To get to meetings, network with other military leaders, and just get around, you really had to do it with your own two feet. I always liked riding my bike to work in the civilian world, so I didn't mind riding a bike to get around base. In fact it was kind of fun. I bought a used bike from the officer I replaced, and rapidly destroyed it. Actually, the environment of southern Iraq destroyed it. What was a multi-speed bike quickly became a single speed bike, as the dust and sand rapidly degraded any shifting capability. So, I manually put it into a gear that was good for cruising and starting/stopping, and left it there. Single speed in the desert! (By default) I ended up going through two bikes while I was there, both serving me well. I ended up getting a bike helmet, as it was lighter than my Kevlar helmet, and got to meetings a lot quicker than if I was walking. Fun times! Really!

The military also provided me the opportunity to ride out west a bit, too. I took my mountain bike to Fort Leavenworth, once. That was great. What a beautiful post. Probably one of the prettiest places I've been, with great mountain bike trails, too. Excellent riding there. The exercise I was taking part in ended, and I was also able to ride downtown Kansas City, in the city as well as on some nearby urban off road trails.

Photo of me showin' mad skills in downtown KC!

I would also have to go out to Arizona for training every few years, and would take the opportunity to stop off in Moab, Utah, where mountain biking is at its best. I would usually ride the Slickrock trail, as it was a trail that is a lot of fun to ride, with characteristics that are hard to find anywhere else. I am also very comfortable on the trail, as I was often riding alone, and didn't want to combine 'solitary' with 'injury', as that combination often becomes deadly in the great outdoors. One time in particular was very memorable, as the weather is usually very clear and warm in Moab. I was riding in October, and met up with a small group of German tourists that were also riding the trail. In the middle of the Slickrock loop we were hit with a snowstorm! Visibility dropped to almost nothing, as the trail exists on top of a plateau. We all got off the trail fine, and hit the local Mexican restaurant.

Photo of me riding on Slickrock in the midst of a snowstorm with some German friends I met along the way:

verrücktfuckingunerbittlichecrazyschneesturm!

Awesome panoramic shot taken near moab along the Colorado River:

One time while on the way back from some "Army Training" in Arizona, I stopped off in Vail, Colorado, where I had the opportunity to do some 'Free Riding'. That is, mountain biking that solely consists of downhill riding...that's right, no uphill climbing involved. Cheating you say? Have you seen the Rockies? This mid-west kid needs some lungs! Giving the resort $30 allowed you to have an all day lift ticket, which was practical, as a 3 hour ride is usually all you can handle when you're riding up and down hill. But when all you have to do is cruise down the mountain, it's a lot like downhill skiing: you can do it all day! Anyway, I had a blast. Had I not broken my bike frame (at the junction of the top tube and seat tube!) I probably would have ridden longer. Either way: great time and worth the 30 bones. Great camping, too, just up the street at Gore Creek. Cheap, considering you are in one of the highest rent districts in the US (Vail!)

Ah yes, this lift behind me will drag my lazy @$$ up the mountain so I can coast down like a Mountain Dew commercial on repeat!

Arizona was a blast, too. I was lucky enough to be in the midst of the mountains of Southern Arizona, where hiking and biking were right at my doorstep or a short drive. Brown Canyon was by far the best; a fun loop that meanders up the canyon, and finally dumps you back onto a service road that provides a few miles of downhill. Just a great ride! Fondest memory of that trail is a time I was riding with a classmate there, and he had the sudden urge to do #2! So he runs off the trail, comes back a short time later with a neat little square missing from the bottom corner of his T-shirt! Funny! Good times. Thanks Pete!

...to top that story: the next day was Sunday. We decide to hike up Miller Canyon. About 3/4 the way up we take a break, and we see not one, but FOUR mountain LIONS! All of about ~50' from us! Crazy! I'm in the Army: where's my gun, rifle, artillery piece, anything explosive to throw at these things?!?! Bad situation as the little kitties were not only evolutionarily designed to gobble up unarmed homo-sapiens like myself, but were also outnumbering us by a factor of 2-1. Nuts. Seeing them in the wild was truly something I will never forget, or how they jumped atop a large granite spire like my cat jumps on top the couch. Luckily they decided to leave us alone... We finished the climb and the decent without further incident.

#&%^! Did you see those cats! I notice your shirt's advertising Cuervo...I'll need a shot of that after this adventure is thru!!!

Panoramic shot atop the peak after climbing up Miller Canyon:

My point to all this: my service in the military provided me an excellent opportunity to see the country, and perhaps the world.

Next stop: Italia and Europe!

Protest the 29er!

2009-01-13T17:37:00.001-08:00

That's 29" mountain bikes, for the uninitiated: meaning that the wheels on the mountain bike are actually 29" in diameter rather than the standard 26".

Supposedly, they are better for riding off road than the mountain bike that typically has 26" wheels because the beach cruisers that were originally converted back in the 1970's to be the first mountain bikes came with them. So, it was a standard that was an accident and was never changed. So some marketing genius figured 30 years was a good period of time to wait and change the standard: for what benefit? Oh, the bike companies can sell a new line of bikes for bike shops to carry (in inventory!...remember, the bike makers make money off the interest that the shops pay on inventory!...just like car makers to dealers.)

While I don't know all the advantages of this larger wheel diameter, I do know the disadvantages associated with this larger, and more importantly, different wheel diameter. The larger diameter wheel will negatively impact your ride, our environment, and the economic well being of bike shop owners.

First, 29ers degrade your ride. Not the individual "ride and feel" associated with a bike, but rather your riding experience. 29ers make it more difficult for a large cycling group to benefit from common components. Imagine being out in the wilderness riding your bike with some friends, and a few of you have flats. Imagine you're the only one with a different wheel diameter. You've lost any potential 'economies of scale' by selecting a non-standard tube, tire, and wheel, as everyone in your mtnbike party will have extra tubes and such, but nothing to fit your goofy bike. So, 29ers add complexity to your ride and decrease the potential benefits of shared/common components associated with a group.

Additionally, 29ers are horrible for the environment. Sound a bit extreme? It's not. When Gary Fisher, Joe Breeze, and pals decided to use what was available, not only was this the best decision for the need to share common parts on the "Repack Downhill", but it was also the best thing for the environment, at that time and now. Gary and Joe were recycling old bikes and making them more relevant to their specific needs. Simple modifications allowed them to do amazing things back then. To re-create a new wheel/tire diameter would only make things more complicated (less mechanical quality) and reduce the amount of material that was being reused. By changing standards we've only increased the level of complexity and waste associated with the bike industry. If you want to go simple and green: stay with a 26" wheel.

Bike shops are going to financially hurt from the added complexity of another wheel diameter and product type. Nowadays, with multiple tire, wheel, and tube diameters, we've ensured that bike companies have to make and carry a greater level of inventory of stock, at least twice as much, but more than likely it has some exponential effects. These effects would be seen in the multitude of different bikes available in not just pure 26" or 29" wheel sets, but also combinations of wheel diameters like 29/26. Sound crazy? It is, especially now that China has to make more bikes, tires and tubes. As magazines advertise and market these new products, how many perfectly good 26" bikes will end up in the landfill because of the limited benefit associated with riding a wheel that is 3" taller than the previous standard. And ultimately, bike shops will bear the cost of maintaining increased inventory of parts and bike products associated with the bike manufactures' decision to complicate the bicycle market.

Again, this has negative economic, environmental and ride qualities for all cyclists. Protest the 29er!

The Final Countdown!

2009-01-11T05:39:00.000-08:00

Carbonari riding thru Napoli: to Europe's "The final countdown"... Mint!

Trails: Night Riding at SIUE

2008-11-23T18:48:00.000-08:00

Night riding!

Well, for the last few weeks I've been riding the local trails at night. Yes, that means in the dark, which requires very bright lights. I already had a nice light, but the battery had died a few years ago, so I thought about buying a new system. However, after looking into the price for a new system and comparing that to the cost of a new battery from Batteries Plus, I opted for the least expensive option: buying a new battery. It was only about $60 for the new Ni-Cd rechargable battery to be built up, compared to well over twice that for a new system. And, I was able to keep using the light I already had, which still works great.

Night riding makes mountain biking a bit more difficult; familiar trails become strange, easy trails become more difficult.

So, anyway, I've been enjoying riding every wednesday night. It is quite a bit of fun riding through a twisty, technical trail only seeing a few feet in front of you. The light is 15 watts, which is really bright, about as bright as a big, police-issue, Maglite. Very bright. But, it still is not like riding during the day. You lose a lot of your perception. I am riding with other folks that know the trails really well, which is a plus, because it feels like Blair Witch to me... that is, I'd get really lost. I have ridden the trails before, but they are totally different at night.

Night Riding: more smiles per mile

It has been fun riding at night, though. Interesting following people through the woods, with everyone's individual light collectively illuminating the trail. As I stop and take a break, I notice a few riders catching up, and because the night hides most details, all you can see is their lights zig-zaging through the woods. Quite a sight.

Mountain-Biker-in-Chief Approves of Mountain Bikes in National Parks

2008-10-20T18:17:00.000-07:00

Well, it appears that IMBA has done its job: it has successfully engaged President Bush in expanding recreational opportunities on all Federal land. This is a big deal, as previously bicycles were listed as recreational vehicles, legally equivelent to 4x4s and ATVs.

Via AP News

I think it is interesting to see that mountain bikers pulled this off...for a few reasons. First, politics. Mountain bikers tend to be more progressive than your average citizen. The real issue at hand is if mountain bike organizers are smart enough to look beyond differences to see potential for gaining ground. I was out riding a couple years ago with the local mountain biking association, and I made mention of the need to engage our President to expand mountain biking opportunities. I remarked that he has even taken the press corp and Secret Service out mountain biking on his ranch, leaving many in the dust, as well as his knack for crashing and ability to take it in stride (like all good mtn bikers do, right?!) Someone with a big mouth and small brain started rambling on about how "W ain't no mountain biker... blah blah blah... Republicans suck... blah blah blah...". Excuse me, the guy rides a mountain bike, rides it off road on his ranch, what else does he have to do? Oh, the guy has different political views than you, so we as a special interest group should not engage him. Real smart. Not so much. Luckily, the national/international level organizers at IMBA have enough gray matter to understand the importance of our 43rd President of the USA also being the first Mountain-Biker-in-Chief.

Mountain bikers have proved the importance of grass roots organizing, not to talk about issues, but to actually address them. Through IMBA and its local affiliates, mountain bikers have come together to build and maintain trails. This action is both positive and tangible, as it addresses the issue, poor trail conditions, with positive action: trail maintenance. Most special interest groups tend to target politicians, policy makers, and use protest and bribery to create change. This tactic has been pretty successful for most special interest groups, and it is interesting that IMBA chose a new course that really creates a paradigm shift for organizations seeking to create change. Over the 20 odd years of IMBA's existance, it has helped create and maintain a lot of trails throughout the US. Local land managers that are starved for resources are becoming heavily influenced by organizations like IMBA and its local affiliates, as they are addressing issues relevant to mountain bike access and public land management: facility maintenance. Other user groups in contrast tend to view the issues of access and management/maintenance differently.

Hikers, bird-watchers, and equestrians tend to engage senior level managers, and vie for their influence to determine how the government's limited resources are used, as well as to determine who will be restricted from public lands. These older user groups (both in their demographic age range as well as span of existence) has never attempted to provide any additional input, beyond taxes. IMBA however, has radically altered this paradigm, getting a younger group of outdoor recreationalists (demographically, and the activity is also no more than 30 years old) together to create something lasting: trails. Their input over the past 20 years has created a great deal of influence, and if President Bush's policy moves forward, the local land managers will be more empowered. As bikers develop and maintain trails, local land managers will be influenced by who is 'showing them the money', or who is proving the least impact and greatest INPUT, not just talking to Congress and senior level park officials (like Sierra Club tends to do).

Either way, it is great news for mountain bikers. Overall, this policy could benefit the parks, mountain bikers, and create some positive and drastic changes for other user groups that operate in an increasingly obsolete mindset.

Italian Adventures

2008-10-09T18:12:00.000-07:00

I've been researching Naples and Italy online. Not for anything important (like where to live or buy groceries), but just to get an idea of what kind of biking they have in the area. I came upon a bike group out of Naples that is really into 'Urban Downhill Riding'. I've seen this stuff in magazines featuring urban European riding, rolling through alleys/steets that are barely wider than your handle barstight, over cobble stone streets older than the USA. Here is a sample from the club I found...neat stuff:

The videos provide some sense of what the city of Napoli looks like...makes me excited! Here's more:

I've always wanted to go mountain biking at Mt St Helens, but I've never had the opportunity... But Napoli has Vesuvius! Here's the climb: 1000 meters! Holy shnickeys! My a$$ needs to get in shape...or will get in shape!

Cargo Bike Conversion: First Operational Test Ride!

2008-09-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I rode the single speed cargo bike down to Trader Joe's for the first operational test ride, and all went well. I was able to carry about 47 pounds of food back from Trader Joe's without incident.

My ride is about 2 miles down to the local train station, a short train ride to the shopping center, and about a half mile ride to Trader Joes. Pretty easy ride, with only one major hill to climb on the way back. As such, I was able to handle the increased weight. While the increased weight on the back of the bike was noticable, it was managable riding it home. The bike rack and the ulock securing the bike to the rack held the bike firmly upright as I loaded the cargo container with the grocery bags. Of greater concern is handling the bike after loading it but prior to riding it: It was difficult to handle the bike while unlocking it from the bike rack, manuever it toward the street, etc. The weight on the back made the front very light and relatively unstable side to side, and made me worry that the bike might tip while I was pushing it the short distance from the bike rack to the street. It was a pain balancing the bike while stowing the bike lock in my bag, as the loaded and heavy bike would have created a mess had it tipped at this vulnerable moment. Luckily, nothing did!

Once on the bike, though, it rode well. The cargo container held up, buldging a bit at the bottom, however it suffered no strain great enough to cause white stress marks in the plastic that would indicate potential failure. The bungee cord I used on the top helped hold the lid on, too. The container (Rubbermaid Roughneck) was strong enough to keep the groceries secure and upright. The two bags fit tight enough in the container to keep everything in place without shifting or moving too much.

Overall the system worked well. I look forward to using it on future shopping trips, and would recommend the modification to anyone else that is looking to make their bicycle more practical for short trips. It was easy to manufacture, easy to install, and best of all: easy to remove and place on another bike that has a rear rack mount.

Waffle Bike!

2008-09-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! A self propelled, waffle making machine! Check it out. Truely inspiring... I can't believe they actually 'weaponized' this bike, though. Kind of weird. I wonder if the ATF got involved in regulating those two hand-made shotguns. The islamic/religious slant is kind of wierd, too, especially considering the Norwegian flag on top of the trailer. I think the guy might have a bit of an identity crisis. Otherwise it is neat to see the stuff all crammed onto a bike, everything, including the egg making chickens, on the bike and trailer.

Cool Kids

2008-09-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

A friend and co-worker of mine was talking with me today about the blog, and about some of the rap groups I featured in the previous entry. We ended up talking quite a bit about the Cool Kids "Black Mags" video. Great song, great visuals. I had to admit that I didn't know much about them, the Cool Kids, except that they are from Chicago, and that they have this old school 80 rap style which is so rare today, and considering everything that is going on in hip hop, is actually quite refreshing. My most memorable music moment is actually with Old School Hip Hop; I remember listening to and being totatlly mezmorized by Run DMC's Peter Piper playing on my cousin's boom box at some family holiday. It was totatlly different type of music that I was hearing for the first time, and I'll probably remember that moment probably for the rest of my life. I also remember moving from Minnesota to Connecticut, where I could listen to the rap music being projected from the top of the Empire State Building in NYC. I remember listenging to Slick Rick, Run DMC, and other great innovators in hip hop.

The Cool Kids rewind hip hop back to the 80's, a music era that is special to me because it signifies the change, discovery and challenges that I faced moving across the country with my family, and it also signifies the musical landscape of the place I would call home: the East Coast.

The Cool Kids have also brought a breath of fresh air for me, as Chris Rock said, "it is getting hard to justify listening to (gangster) rap, even though I enjoy the music." While most of the hip hop "world" has been tainted by violence, drugs, and negative lyrics, the Cool Kids have stepped it up, providing the fan of hip hop what it always was in the 'good old days': fresh, funky and fun.

I really enjoy the music their music, as it reminds me of Run DMC, Tribe Called Quest, and other great hip hop artists of what I thought was a by-gone age. I thought I would learn a little more about them, listen to more of their music, and share with whomever is following my blog.

The following is a video introduction of the Cool Kids produced by german TV:

Of course, their is their 'Black Mags'. I love how they merge BMX bike culture with Hip Hop culture. This is a live version:

Bassment Party!

What Up Man: a lot like Run DMCs "you be illin" from Raising Hell...

I'm Mikey, bike style!...

One of my fav's: 88...

TV debut featuring 'What it is'...

Maybe more to follow...

Hip Hop Bicycles

2008-09-03T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hip hop culture has usually been automobile-centric. That is, rappers and R&B artists have usually been shown driving expensive, customized, and tricked out cars, usually with loud radios, hydraulic lifts to make the car bounce, etc. Interestingly enough, I have seen two new hip hop videos on YouTube that are all about bikes and their place in hip hop culture.

The latest video I discovered was called Scrapper Bikes by a San Fransisco/Oakland based group known as the Trunk Boiz. While I find the video, song, and overall theme of the so-called Scrapper Bike scene rather bizarre, I think it is interesting that bikes are merging with hip hop culture.

If you listen to the lyrics closely, you'll hear: "I don't need no car..." on the songs chorus. With fuel prices and general cost of vehicle ownership on the rise, will hip hop include more references to bicycles as inner city folks choose or are economically forced to use something other than cars?

Watch 'Scrapper Bikes' here:

Less recently, I've been listening to Cool Kids on YouTube. They are a rap group from Chicago with a style reminiscent of 1980's rap. From the little I've listened to their stuff, they, to quote another viewer on Youtube, "got mad style". Anyway, they have a song/video out called "Black Mags", which highlights the love for their BMX bikes. The chorus chants "...Dyno with the black mags..." while they rap about how they trick their bikes out, pick up girls on their pegs, and fill their spare time on their bikes. Pretty cool song and video.

Watch Cool Kids' "Black Mags" here:

While I enjoy the Cool Kids' more than the Trunk Boiz (probably because I am still a big Run DMC fan, and they share similar styles), I wonder if we will see bike and hip hop culture intersecting in the future. I think that more middle and upper class folks will be riding bikes out of an active choice to reduce their commuting costs and in an effort to improve the environment, and there may be an increase in references to bikes in mainstream popular culture because of this trend. However, I suspect that lower and lower middle class will have a greater impact on bicycles in popular culture, especially in hip hop, where a lack of economic potential equates to street credibility. I suspect that while mainstream pop culture may show some bicycles to sell goods to reflect an increased environmental awareness, hip hop culture will more accurately reflect the transportation trends that poor folks are having to make, especially as more poor folks are relegated to taking the bus and riding bikes as costs associated with vehicle ownership rise . Hip hop culture is often about individuality, and it is displayed in vehicle customization, and interestingly enough this carries on not just in cars with spinning wheels and hydraulic lift kits, but also in custom painted Scrapper Bikes and BMX bikes "tricked out like MacGyver".

It will be interesting to see how popular culture shows bicycles as transportation costs continue to rise.

Sweet Cargo Bike

2008-09-02T18:48:00.000-07:00

This awesome cargo bike features enough storage space to carry about 4 years worth of groceries, or alternatively, the cyclist could transport a small family (less than 5). I really like the vents (ie air brakes), too.

Cargo Bike: First Operational Test Run

2008-08-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

Well, today was my first day to use the cargo bike for an actual chore. I am an avid re-cycler, in that I enjoy riding my bike over and over again, as well as the other meaning: reducing the amount of garbage my household creates. I have usually accomplished the task of dropping off paper, plastic, cardboard, and metal cans by driving my car about a mile to the local blue recycling dumpsters. I have never liked driving there, as it is just such a waste of gas and is bad for the environment. Supposedly most of the harmful stuff that comes out of your car's tailpipe is emitted in the first couple miles. Additionally short trips reduce your MPG and increase the wear-and-tear on your car because it never has an opportunity to warm up. As such, I have been thinking of ways to eliminate the need to drive to accomplish this weekly chore to benefit the planet, my wallet, and my well being (bikes are good for you...). Well, today, I did!

I took my first operational test drive with two paper bags full of cans/bottles/plastics to the dumpsters a mile away. As I was loading the bags into the 18 gallon Rubbermaid container, they were full enough to put upward pressure on the lid. This made me worry about the lid popping off at speed, so I grabbed a bungee cord and secured the lid. Better safe than sorry, right!

The ride to and from was great. The added weight of the material in the container was felt, but it was controllable. The container, deck, rack, and all the recyclables in the back felt secure. It was a great ride, I may have made the short trip a bit faster (and definitely cheaper) than if I took my car.

So, the cargo bike passed its first test with flying colors. However, I still had a large amount of cardboard to carry, as well as some paper. I took off the lid to the container, filled the container with cardboard, placed a box on top of the full container, and strapped it all down with three bungee cords. I used two bungee cords along the container's width, and one along its length. Even without the container's lid, the load felt secure, but I still had more to carry. I decided to take out the Burley Solo child trailer, and found that a larger plastic container that I had been using to carry recyclables in my car fit in it almost perfectly. I laid the kid's seat down, opening up the interior space, and removed the cloth top to the trailer. I loaded up the large plastic container, placed it into the child trailer, and prepared for a quick test ride.

I rode the fully loaded cargo bike and trailer around in my front yard. While everything felt pretty secure, an item flew out of the trailer, even at the slow pace I was riding in the grass. As such, I attached a bungee diagonally across the plastic container in the trailer, and made sure everything was secure.

I grabbed my bike helmet, and headed off for another bicycling recycling adventure! The ride was uneventful. The slight uphill grade to the recycling bins was more noticeable on the single-speed cargo bike. While my bike and trailer were stuffed with recyclables, it wasn't all that heavy. As such, the biggest limitation to the cargo bike may be its lack of gearing to make hills and loads more manageable. Or it might force me to get stronger! And while it took me two trips on bike, it gave me a great excuse to get out of the house and cruise the neighborhood on my bike. Either way, it was a fun ride, and everything made it to the blue bins without delay. I look forward to recycling again via bicycle.

Single Speed Cargo Bike Conversion

2008-08-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

I've had a single speed for the last six months, a bike that's been cobbled together from used parts and a frame that was left over from a commuter bike that was run over by a car. The simplicity of my single speed has made it a blast to ride, this includes the obvious lack of shifting to worry about, but also the single rear brake. I have been using the single speed for local runs to the store and library, and I've been looking for ways to make it more capable.

I started researching cargo bikes a few months ago, and found that most of them were using either pannier bags or only a milk carton attached to the rear rack. Panniers and small uncovered plastic containers do not tend to provide much hauling capacity, and they also provide very little protection from the weather. Other cargo conversions I have seen include the use of a bike trailer to carry stuff behind the bike. Most of the trailers I researched were converted child trailers, and provided a decent amount of storage capacity, while some of the custom bike trailers were extremely large, capable of carrying oversized cargo that usually entails a pickup truck. While the trailer option would keep the bike unmodified, it would dramatically increase the overall length of the system, which would restrict me from using it on the local commuter train. I have noticed as of lately that bike manufacturers are introducing long wheelbase cargo bikes that provide cargo carrying capacity behind the rider. I have found that the cost for such a specialized bike is rather restrictive, usually starting at 800 dollars, and that the cargo containers provided with these cargo bikes are usually only large panniers that do not provide the best means of carrying or protecting items from the weather.

I was riding my single speed to the store one day, and got to thinking that I could modify it to carry more stuff, maximizing its capacity, while providing me with a 'cargo bike' for no additional money (money that would be spent on a trailer, long wheel base cargo bike, etc). And a dollar saved is two dollars earned, right! Anyway, I had an unused Rubbermaid 18 gallon plastic storage bin in my basement. I tested it and found that it could hold two grocery bags, which is half of what a $2000 cargo bike was holding in a recent bike magazine photo. If I could find a way to mount that container, I could carry half the load of an expensive cargo bike, for free! I also liked the container because, unlike panniers or any of the other systems I have seen thus far, it featured a sealing lid and sturdy walls, both of which would support the internal cargo and protect it from the elements.

I mounted a rear bike rack that was collecting dust in my workshop on to the back of the single speed. With the single speed still in the repair stand, I took the empty 18 gallon container and balanced it on the rear rack, getting an idea of how far back it would have to be to fit behind the seat. I experimented with the placement, turning the rectangular container 90 degrees to determine the best fit. I decided to install the container on the rack perpendicular to the bike to reduce the length of the bike, and the torque that the container (and the weight of the items in it) would have on the bike rack. As such, the container increases the with of the bike, but it will make for a more robust mounting and should be more durable in the long run.

The bike rack was too short, though, to provide a direct mounting of the container to the rack, so I opted to use a 12 inch wide piece of pine board to lengthen the bike rack's deck. I measured the required length, cut a piece of wood from remaining stock, painted it black, and mounted the new wood deck to the front of the bike rack with two bolts. I only used two bolts on the front of the deck and rack, because the remaining bolts would join the container, deck, and bike rack. I drilled four holes in the container and deck, and bolted the container to the deck and rack. After a test fitting, I removed the container from the deck and bike rack, applied Liquid Nails to the deck where the container would mount, and repositioned the container and bolted the container onto the deck.

Flight test! After waiting a night to allow the industrial glue to dry, I rode the bike around the block to see and feel how the container and rack felt. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary, and everything felt sturdy, so I decided to load it up! I filled two cloth Trader Joe's bags with frozen veggies from our freezer. I lugged the test load outside, and placed them into the 18 gallon container. The container held the large bags very well, with the lid sealing them from the elements and providing additional strength to the container. I noticed the weight of the load and its effects on the once light and simple single speed bike as I began to move and mount the bike. However, as I pushed on the pedal and developed some momentum, the bike handled very well. The rear brake was still adequate for stopping my single speed cargo rig, and the few small bumps I hit didn't jar the load, container, or anything holding it all together. First test run was a success!

I will ride it to the Target store down the street and Trader Joe's which is just a short bike and train ride from my home. I may make some additional modifications, as needed, however the system is working so far. I anticipate that I may need to use more bolts to ensure that the container remains connected to the deck, but I also know that drilling additional holes in the bottom of the container reduce its strength and durability. There is a happy medium, and I will probably work toward it slowly.

More to follow as actual cargo carrying trips take place!...

Trails: Vail Ski Park, Colorado

2008-07-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

I have never ridden my snowboard on Vail's mountains, but I can tell you that I had a blast on my mountain bike in August of 2003. Awesome Trails! For the initiated, ski parks have been providing mountain bikers with a place to ride for about a decade, now. While some of the trails at a ski park will go meander down the ski slope, most of the trails make full use of the land available and provide a more scenic, less direct route around the park. Vail, like some other ski parks, offers their ski lift service to the top. Free Riding, or using the ski lift, can be a blast, especially if you just finished a few days riding in Moab, Utah, and are pretty wore out. It is a completely different experience just riding down hill all day. Free Riding is really quite fun, kind of like downhill skiing. Which would explain why I am not entirely opposed to using a ski lift: If I use one in the winter, why not in the summer, too?

I made it all the way to the top thanks to a Gondola!

Some hard-core cross country types may not see the joy in missing the uphill climb everytime, but I find it fun to just focus on the downhill aspect of riding. You always work so hard for that all-to-short, fast and fun downhill, just to climb again… With Free Riding at a ski park, you just get to ride downhill all day, if you want. And if you’re like me, and may feel guilty about not working for your downhill joy ride, than using a day Free Riding to cap off a weekend or week’s worth of ‘real’ mountain biking can be just the thing to give you a break and end the trip on a high note!

At the bottom near the Gondola/Lift

Anyway, I really enjoyed Vail. Cheap camping is just up the road, at Gore Creek. I recall waking up the morning of the ride and enjoying a 35 degree temperature in the mountains while Missouri was over 100 degrees! The mountains are so nice, especially in the summer.

The trails at Vail ski park varied in their difficulty, from moderate to extremely difficult (read: dangerous, as Vail is attempting to attract the downhill crowd). The gondola (enclosed ski lift) provided a quick trip to the top, where there were a number of trails to choose from for the way back down. I tried all but the terribly difficult downhill variety, and found those that meandered along the mountain the most fun.

Vail, features a lot of services, few that I could afford on my budget. However, the mountain was worth the price of admission (lift ticket), and I had a blast riding downhill all day to recover from a few days riding in Southern Arizona and Utah.

The views are great, the riding is excellent, even if you are just going downhill. I just wish I lived closer to Vail.

Gear Review: $10 Shopping Mall Kiosk Sunglasses:

2008-07-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

Sunglasses from the mall always work better than any pair purchased for more through any specialty retailer. Why, you might ask? Well, first off, you can get a pair for a mere ten dollars, rather than $110 at a specialty store. Sometimes the Kiosk at the mall has a deal for two pairs. And price is important. It would be one thing if not all the sunglasses were made in the same factory in China, but they are indeed made in the same place. I don’t feel like paying an extra fee to cover Oakley’s marketing expenses. As I was saying, price is important. Sunglasses are nearly disposable, especially mountain biking. If you drop them, and they explode on a rock, do you want to focus on the $100 dollar bill you just threw away, rather than focusing on the awesome ride or the dangerous precipice that you are trying to avoid falling off of? Additionally, the hundreds of dollars you save on sunglasses can be spent on stuff that actually provides a marked advantage for the money: shoes, hand made bike frames, suspension, etc.

Another reason is variety. While specialty retailers that carry sunglasses may have a few name brands, the sunglasses they carry will not compare in variety as well as the mall kiosk. Different faces wear sunglasses differently: as such, it is best to be able to try a bunch of different sunglasses on for size. Different lenses work well for different situation, for instance, you may want to see if you can get clear lenses for night riding or shady forested areas. If you find a pair that fits well, and comes in a few color options that you like, I usually will pick up two pair, especially if they provide a discount for doing so. This way I use the first pair, and save the second pair for when the first are lost or broken. I have even seen a good deal on goggles, which are great for winter bike commuting. Most specialty stores would be hard pressed to match the variety available at the mall kiosk.

Sunglasses at the mall kiosk are almost as good in quality as the ones in specialty stores. I believe that the lenses in specialty store sunglasses are probably better than those available at the mall kiosk. I always try on the sunglasses at the kiosk, checking for fit, and to ensure that the lenses do not distort light or vision. I will also set the glasses on a level surface to ensure they are well constructed, and again examine the lenses to see if they distort light. An easy way to check distortion is to see if a straight line (edge of table surface) ‘breaks’ from distortion caused by the lens.

Sunglasses from the Mall Kiosk are superior in many ways. They reduce your concern for damaging the eyewear out on the trail, and allow you to focus your time, money, and energy on things more important than shades: bikes!

Trails: Berryman Trail

2008-07-26T19:59:00.000-07:00

The Berryman Trail is 26.5 miles of sweet singletrack in the midst of Missouri, about 3 hours drive west of Saint Louis. Two camping areas located along the trail allow easy trailhead access. The trail is not as technical as other area trails, like Council Bluffs, however its distance will challenge most riders. Follow the Boy Scout Motto (Be Prepared) by bringing along plenty of water and trail food for the 4-6 hour ride.

The trail takes is a long loop, so you can be sure that you will not be seeing anything twice. The best time to ride it is in the spring or fall. If riding in the fall, be sure to wear bright colors to protect you from hunters (they are actually looking for deer, but they could mistake you for a fast four legged creature!).

The interesting thing about Berryman is the trails diversity. Either because of its length, or topography of the area (probably a little of both), the trail goes through a lot of different types of terrain. Most of the trail is really dry, with some areas riding through loamy, pine covered ground. However, one particular section gets so wet, you’d think you were in a swamp. There is a few rock gardens that allow you to test your suspension, and a lot of smooth flowing hills and twisty singletrack that follows a hillside’s contour line.

Long Term Test: 2005 Cannondale Prophet 800

2008-07-26T19:50:00.000-07:00

The Cannondale Prophet is an all-mountain full suspension bike. It’s designed to be versatile, and as such it is capable of handling just about anything thrown at it. Its geometry, specifically the placement of the rear suspension pivot, ensure that it climbs well without ‘bobbing’, as well as providing a plush ride on the descent seated or on the pedals.

As with all other Cannondale frames, the Prophet 800 is made by hand from Aluminum at Cannondale’s Bedford, PA factory. The frame quality is excellent, with finished welds, and production and engineering methods to ensure light weight and strength.

The Prophet 800 came well equipped with Lefty Max TPC front suspension, Manitou Radium rear shock, and a mix of Shimano XT and LX components. The Lefty Max performs well. The internal roller bearings provide a supple feel not possible in other forks, and also reduce the need for maintenance required by other suspension forks that have wearable plastic bushings. Less time in the shop and more time on the trail is always a good thing! The Lefty is definitely and interesting fork to ride, often attracting comments from other riders. The Lefty Max front suspension did not have the lock-out featured in earlier models of the Lefty and other HeadShok suspension products, but it did have a rebound adjustment knob within easy reach on the top of the fork. While the lock-out feature was rarely used in other test bikes, it was a welcome feature, especially for non-technical and paved sections where the stiffer, unsuspended bike provided greater speed.

The rear suspension is active and plush. The cartridge bearings and beefy mounting points ensure lateral stiffness, in which no play was felt or developed during the three year test period. The Manitou rear shock is a simple air spring shock, with limited rebound adjustment. The shock is easy to add or remove air from the spring chamber, providing the rider with an easy means of customizing the ride. As stated earlier, the cartridge bearings and pivot geometry ensure a plush downhill experience that still climbs well, even avoiding any ‘bobbing’.

The part spec is a mixture of XT and LX, along with Cannondale’s Coda brand components. The rear derailleur is mated with LX dual control levers. These dual control levers are initially unusual to ride with, but are surprisingly easy to learn. They were easy to shift while braking, and performed well with Shimano’s rapid rise rear derailleur. I found the Dual Control shifters worked well with the Rapid Rise rear derailleur. Rapid Rise derailleurs have been unpopular in the past because they reversed the shifting order associated with trigger shifters. As such, it was easier to accept the Rapid Rise derailleur because the dual control shifters required the rider to learn a new shifting paradigm. Rapid Rise derailleurs are supposed to provide more reliable shifting performance and the Dual Control shifter’s integrated design keep you in control.

Overall, the bike performs well. The hand made frame is durable and light. The Lefty front suspension held up and performed as advertised, being much smoother and laterally stiffer than conventional forks. The only improvement would be a water bottle cage mount within the frame triangle, and an improved rear shock. The rear shock could provide additional adjustments. The parts included are adequate, especially for the price of this ‘entry’ level model. As individual parts wear out, they could be replaced for higher end types. However, the components have been reliable and have performed well under all conditions.

See you on the trail!

Bicycle Commuting Part V: Selecting a Route

2008-07-25T21:00:00.001-07:00

Route selection is key to a fun and safe ride to work. It is important to avoid busy streets, instead opting for quieter streets to avoid traffic that can add risk and stress to your daily commute. In fact, I added about a mile to my current commuting route to avoid a particular street, that while it was a direct route, it was so busy that I felt it was dangerous and the hurried drivers were often irritated by my mere presence. As such, I redirected my route along quieter streets, which is more relaxing, safer, and includes more hills, which I happen to like as it gives me a better workout before and after work.

It is best to look at your route on a map, either paper or digital. New web based map applications like Google Earth, Google Maps, or Yahoo Maps work great. Google Earth even lets you plot a path and will give you the distance. While some map websites and software can automatically plot a route, the routes generated are usually not the best, as they are designed for efficient automobile traveling, not safe bike commuting. As such, it is helpful to use the digital maps in combination with your knowledge of the streets and neighborhoods to determine the best route. The digital maps allow you to minimize your commuting distance while helping you to avoid congested, stressful, and potentially dangerous streets.

After examining a potential route, it is best to reconnoiter the route on bicycle prior to riding to work. The route should be pre-ridden to ensure it is safe, that it avoids any unnecessarily busy streets, and most importantly, to determine the amount of time required to get to and from work. If you test ride the route during the weekend, you may notice that traffic may be very different on a Monday morning is very different from when you test rode it on a weekend. Not to worry: adjust your route as necessary. Sometimes I take a different route just to keep the daily ride interesting.

Bicycle Commuting Part IV: Know the Rules of the Road

2008-07-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

It is important to know and follow the local rules of the road and laws. I have actually been pulled over on my bike for going through a red light! Crazy as it may seem, police that are interested in your safety may give you a ticket for an infraction. So, know the law, and follow it. I believe most of the traffic related laws are designed to make the road a safe place, so it really is in your best interest.

Laws also refer to the laws of physics, and you need to understand very clearly that according to the laws of physics you are the underdog of the road. If other road users become angry or inconsiderate of you, understand that if any escalation of the event reaches a point commonly referred to as “road rage”, you will probably lose the argument. Physics defines most forward motion as the combination of velocity and mass. Translate that into your bicycle’s speed and the collective weight of you and your bicycle. Now, in a physical (as in physics) contest between you and a motorist, you are likely to lose, even if the car in question is a modest little compact, as their weight and speed is likely to be greater than yours. Therefore, it is in your best interest, regardless of who is right or wrong, to ensure that any situation does not escalate. Some drivers will not have a very good idea as to where the law determines that you ride, but they may have a strong emotional response to where they think you belong. Regardless, it is best to do as the Beatles sang: “Let it be”. I have even gone so far as to apologize to very rushed, rude, impatient, and therefore angry driver. It helps to remember that they are dealing with car traffic, and they may have just come off the highway. They are trying to deal with the stress while not having any means to blow off steam. On the other hand, you are able to deal with stress as you commute on a bike…

So, follow the rules of the road and remember that you are the underdog when it comes to all things related to physics of motion: speed and vehicle weight. So, be safe and enjoy your commute!

Part 5 in the Series: Selecting your Route

Bicycle Commuting Part III: Customizing Your Bike for Commuting

2008-07-19T20:15:00.000-07:00

Whether you have just purchased a bike or are using a bike you already have for commuting, the first thing to do to your bike to get it ready to commute is to make it safe, comfortable, and practical. To be effectively safe, you need to be visible to other commuters, including bikes, cars and pedestrians. I use a couple of common devices to ensure that others on the road are visually and audibly aware of my presence. Lights are the best means to make other commuters visually aware of your presence. Unlike bright clothing, they are active during any time of day or any kind of weather. I recommend two lights, one on the front and one on the back to make you visible to traffic. Lights come in all varieties, however it is best to have lights that blink and bring attention to you. In riding through urban areas, most streets are lit well enough to allow you to see; therefore you do not need to spend hundreds of dollars on the expensive night riding lights. Those systems are designed to allow mountain bikers see in a dark forest. You just need to ensure that motorists are aware of your presence on the street. Your local shop should have a selection of lights available that will allow motorists to see you.

Bike bells are a must. While they may seem either a bit childish, I like to think of it as the bike’s equivalent of the car horn. However, a bike bell is more polite, and much nicer to listen to on a residential street. The bike bell comes in handy to alert motorists at an intersection of your presence. They are also a great way to get the attention of pedestrians or other bicyclists. I use the bell prior to entering and while I am traveling through intersections that have vehicles stopped at signs or lights. It is a great way to get their attention and to ensure for your benefit and theirs that they see you. It is also a great way to alert pedestrians prior to going through a crosswalk. Again, the bike bell is a non-intrusive means to communicate to others of your presence and intention.

If you are commuting to work, shopping center or to school, you will probably need to carry something. There are many ways to carry your necessities on your person or on your bike. There are many types of bags to carry any amount of gear, with the only limitation being how much your back can withstand. Bikes, however, can be outfitted to carry much more weight than you can manage on your own.

Bags come in all shapes and sizes, and there are quite a few designed just for riding on a bike. Courier bags are the most popular and useful. At first glance they appear to be a gigantic purse, with a large bulging rectangular main pocket held at each top corner by a wide strap. The bag is strapped diagonally across the body, with the weight of the bag resting on the lower back. While this may not be ideal for walking or hiking, when the back is angled at 45 degrees and supported over a bike frame, it is a great means of carrying bulky, heavy items. Courier bags come in a variety of sizes and colors from a variety of manufactures. Most are waterproof, and courier bags are an easy way to ensure the items you are carrying stay dry despite wet streets or inclement weather.

Other bags work great, whether backpacks or duffle bags. If it works and is comfortable, use it. If you are concerned about something getting wet, put it in a plastic bag.

Your bike should have a number of mounts or grommets on its frame to allow the mounting of external cargo racks. Some bicycles allow for front and rear racks. Rear racks sit directly above the rear wheel, behind and just below the seat. They also help protect the rider from being splashed by the rear wheel, and act as a sort of fender. Front racks mount around the front tire and mount to the fork. Rear racks are the most useful for commuting and shopping as they allow for the most weight to be carried. Milk crates or other such baskets of metal or plastic construction can be mounted onto the rack to allow lose items to be carried. A milk crate or basket makes your bike very useful for local shopping, whether getting a bag of groceries or a few items at the local hardware.

Propositioning clothing and other gear reduces the necessity to carry gear daily. If your daily commute goes to the same location, your ability to store clothing and shower essentials in a locker room means that you are carrying that much less gear on a daily basis. In commuting situations where I have quite a bit of clothing stashed, I may only have to carry clothing in and out for laundering, not for daily use.

Part 4 in the Series: Rules of the Road

Bicycle Commuting Part II: Choosing a Bike for Commuting

2008-07-15T17:20:00.001-07:00

There is an infinite selection of bikes from which to choose. However, the needs of the commuter can be more specialized, and as such, four categories should be considered prior to selecting a commuter bike: Size, cost, type and source.

The bicycle you select to ride, for fun or function, should be comfortable and fit you properly. Your local bike shop will have professionals on hand to properly fit you to a bike that will meet your needs. When properly fitted, you should have adequate stand over height, that is, you should be able to easily and comfortably straddle the frame of the bike without causing undo harm to your more sensitive parts. If you do not know what size bike you should ride, this will limit the following category, source.

The source of your bike is an important factor in selecting a commuter bike. Sources include your local bike shop, internet auction, classifieds (online or paper), or even a garage sale. Bike shops are a great place to start, as they will have new and used bikes for you to consider. Many bicycle manufacturers even have purpose built commuter bikes with racks and fenders included. Your local dealer may even have used bikes available, too. Used bikes make great commuter bikes. They are inexpensive, tend to come with accessories, and they already look a little worn, and hence less attractive to any thief. Used bikes can be found at your local bike shop, internet auction website, police auction, or even pawn shop. Of course, if you start looking at used bikes outside of a bike shop, you better know the product you are purchasing and are certain that it will function and fit you properly. If you are concerned about the size, function or customer service aspects of your bike purchase, I would purchase your bike through a shop. I have had good and bad experiences purchasing bikes online through e-classifieds and auctions. However, I have always had great experiences getting a bike through my local bike shop.

A primary consideration of the bike that I commute on is cost. I tend to invest less into my commuter bike than on a bicycle that I use for recreation. At times, this seems counter intuitive, as you may be commuting five days a week on an inexpensive bike, and recreating on a thousand dollar bike one or two days a week. Although your commuter bike may see more use than a bike that is used for recreation, it will also be subjected to the elements for long periods of time. Not only will it be possibly subjected to rain and rust while you ride, but also as it waits for you outside of work or the store. I would define the elements as anything out of your control, including both mother-nature and human-nature. Rain, criminals, snow, bad drivers, pot holes, rust, and criminals are all elements that your bike will be exposed to while you are at work or shopping. Did I already say that criminals will probably be checking out your bike? Well, they will. A great way to eliminate any concern for how the elements will impact your commuter bike is to invest as little money as possible into a reliable bike, conduct regular maintenance to reduce wear and tear, and always lock your bike. Following these three rules will ensure that you get the most out of your commuting experience and investment into your commuter bike. Now, understand that the elements will eventually win. Your chain will wear, components will eventually rust, your bike may eventually get stolen, however, your concern should be to make the elements work as hard as possible to achieve their goal: to destroy your bike. Locking and maintaining an inexpensive bike will ensure that you maximize your investment.

The type of bicycle best for commuting depends upon your style of riding. There are three main types of bikes: road, mountain and hybrid. Road bikes are built for speed on smooth, paved surfaces. They are best at getting you from point A to point B in a minimum amount of time. Their speed and efficiency is due to the large diameter wheels with thin tires as well as a drive train that is designed for speed. However, road bikes do have some disadvantages for those looking to commute. Road bikes tend to be the least comfortable to ride for those not accustomed to their aggressive geometry. Their thin, high pressure tires require frequent examination to ensure proper inflation. Also, their tires do not allow for much ‘fudge factor’, in that a sloppy curb hop or sharp pothole will see you in need of tire repair. Entry level road bikes also tend to be more expensive than other bicycle types. It may be possible to find an excellent deal on a used road bike on Craigslist or at a local garage sale. One of my best commuter bikes was a $20 Trek road bike that I purchased from a neighbor at a garage sale. The bike worked great, was fast, and I was never concerned about theft or wear-and-tear.

Mountain bikes work well for commuting. Their robust design lends itself well to the urban environment, soaking up punishment from curbs and potholes. They tend to be more comfortable to ride, as they feature less aggressive geometry and can come with suspension forks that smooth out a harsh street. Mountain bikes also feature a drivetrain that is adept at climbing, and while it is not as fast or efficient as a road bike, it tends to make climbing city hills easier and make riding easier for the ‘uninitiated’. It is best to outfit the mountain bike with ‘slick’ tires, or tires with a smooth road tread. This will increase the speed and efficiency of your mountain bike. However, mountain bikes do have their shortfalls, too. They are not as fast as road bikes, and if your commute is a considerable distance (ten or more miles), speed and efficiency may be a major concern for you.

Hybrid bicycles are just that, a hybrid design between a road and mountain bike. They tend to feature the straight handlebar and drivetrain from a mountain bike. Their wheels, however come from touring road bikes, and as such the overall bike tends to ride like a mountain bike while providing more road bike speed. They are a great bike for the city, and there are more types of hybrids available than ever before. Many manufactures are designing urban specific hybrid bikes with mountain bike frames, road wheels and matte black paint jobs to blend in and avoid unwanted attention.

Part 3 in the Series: Customizing Your Bike for Commuting

Bicycle Commuting Part I: Why Commute on a Bike?

2008-07-14T04:47:00.000-07:00

Preface
I have been successfully commuting via bicycle for over ten years. I have used my bike to get to work, school and other locations in all seasons during all times of day. I have thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to do so, as it has given me a sense of doing something positive to better our environment, not to mention saving money that would have been spent on motorized transportation. I have used my bicycle to commute in relatively harsh environments, like Minnesota’s winter or Missouri’s humid summer climates. I have learned how to dress, select the best route, carry my necessary gear or cargo, and how to do it all safely. The following is being written to pass along some of the knowledge/wisdom that I have gained in an effort to teach others how to commute by bicycle.

Most of this text will describe bicycle riding in the context of riding to and from work. The bicycle is just as efficient in long, daily trips as it is in short, variable trips. That is, the bike is great way to go to the local grocer, bar or any other short trip. While most of the tips will be formatted toward bike commuting, they are definitely worthy of assisting someone in using the bike to shop and socialize.

Why would anyone want to commute by bicycle?
This is a great question, and one that you may have to address from time to time from various people, whether co-workers or passersby. Since the act of biking for reasons other than recreation seem difficult to formulate for most Americans, I have written down a few advantages to bicycle commuting:

-Daily exercise integrated into your daily commute
-Avoid the stress of highway traffic
-Relieve stress before and after work
-Save non-renewable resources
-Reduce pollution

The most obvious reasons for biking to work are to get exercise, reduce pollution and reduce resource usage. I thoroughly enjoy integrating my daily exercise into my commute to work. While it may seem inefficient to bike 30 minutes to work instead of driving 15 minutes, considering that if I were to work out after getting home from work for 1 hour, I would have spent 30 minutes driving in traffic and 1 hour in a gym. Instead I choose to spend an hour of my day riding to and from work. In total I save 30 minutes of my day! By biking to work I exercise and commute at the same time, effectively killing two birds with one stone.

Pollution and resources are a hot topic these days. There are theories that gaseous pollution may be making our planet hotter or colder. There are conspiracies that wars have, are being and will be fought over natural resources like oil. Despite the strong feelings and political divide, most Americans tend to drive a lot regardless of their political leanings or beliefs. Nothing depicts a hypocrite like a “no war for oil” or “don’t drill for oil” decal on the back of a four wheel drive vehicle. It is very easy to say what you believe, however it is much more difficult to do or live what you believe. By biking to work, school or to the store, you are living a lifestyle that does not depend so heavily on non-renewable resources. If environmental degradation or resource based conflict is a concern of yours, by biking instead of driving, you are literally putting your money where your mouth is, by not giving money to the industries that generate revenue from oil.

The highways are a very stressful place these days. Road rage and other motorized acts of violence are the result of highway systems that are over tasked, and people incapable of accepting their choice to sit in traffic with everyone else. By biking to work you eliminate the stress of highway gridlock from your life. In fact, since exercise elevates stress, you will actually reduce your work/career induced stress by commuting via bicycle. You will arrive home, exercised and relaxed, ready to spend time with your family.

If you bike to work, the queuing theory states that your karma will improve. According to Queuing theory, a mathematical model used to study and complex waiting lines like internet traffic or highway traffic, by biking to work you will be making everyone else’s commute on the highway easier. Queuing theory states that long and short term impacts on the system (read: traffic) are felt exponentially by any single variable. So, by choosing to drive to work, you make everyone else’s commute exponentially more difficult. Conversely, by getting out of your car and onto your bike, you make everyone’s highway commute exponentially easier. While this may not be a major factor in your decision to commute, it may build your karma or brotherly love with everyone else in your community by simply knowing that by biking to work it makes it exponentially easier for everyone else on the highway to get where they are going.

So, by biking to work you get the benefit of exercise, reduced local and global pollution, reduce the demand for non-renewable resources, reduce the stress in your life and put one less car in the daily traffic jam, making you and everyone else healthier and happier. Now, it is time to go get a bike!

Part 2 in the Series: Choosing a Bike for Commuting