local

mellowcross

YuriB — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:20:00 -0800

It was time for the AZES mcdowell monstercross.

Driving around with the rocket box and the rally driving last weekend = terrible mpg

Chad's lunch

The legs felt like shit from the word go. I may have gotten little too crazy with the foam roller the night before.
It was a beautiful day for a bike ride.
See the fountain in Fountain Hills?

I didn't have the legs, head or heart to head down and do the competative loops so I opted to do a simple ride around the mcdowells.

Really?

Odds and ends

Yokota Fritz — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0800

Freakonomics: What do women want.

MAKE: DIY bike repair stand.

Kanye West likes this $9,000 Grace eBike.

How to shoot mountain bike photos.

MAKEZine's Alex Rider Dream Gadget Contest started earlier this week.

Cannondale is hiring.

GC's guide to winter cycling in Chicago.

Streetsblog: Blaming the pedestrian. Again..

A blog focused solely on the Chinese Flying Pigeon Bicyle. Via Bike Hugger.

My New Messenger-Pannier

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:02:53 -0800

Well, here it is — my new messenger-pannier. Thanks to everyone who gave me suggestions. You’ll notice that I did not go with the one most people suggested. That’s not to say that I didn’t take your suggestion seriously. I did. In fact, checking out the Ortlieb helped me make my decision to go with the Arkel Metropolitan (not that there was anything wrong with the Ortlieb).

Ecovelo wrote a review of this bag that I found very useful (much better photography).

I’m planning to use this bag mostly for my short commute to work — all of .75 miles now that my office is back on campus. And I’ll also be relying on it in hot weather because my daypack just really isn’t comfortable on a 90-degree day.

I’m pleased with the general concept of the Metropolitan, the amount of space, and the easy and secure way it fits on the rack. There’s a flap in the back to fold down over the mounting hardware, which makes this bag easy to carry off the bicycle.

I’m less pleased with the lack of extra pockets. There are two — both small and suited mostly for flat items (although my DV and general-purpose tool fit just fine). I think the Arkel people can do away with the decorative cords on either end of the bag and add pockets instead.

One cool thing: You can choose to wear this like a messenger bag using the shoulder strap. Or you can use the two hide-away handles and carry it like a shopping bag.

So far so good.

Technorati Tags: bicycle commuting, bicycle equipment, cycling, utility cycling

Portland rolls out its latest for family riding

Jonathan Maus (Editor-in-Chief) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:24:14 -0800

North Portland resident Joe Hagedorn rides a cargo bike from Joe Bike with his son and friends aboard.
-Slideshow below/Gallery
(Photos © J. Maus)

Last month, as part of the six-week Oregon Manifest event, Portland families got a chance to get up-close and personal with the latest bikes, accessories, and services to outfit the human-powered lifestyle.

This Workcycles had a very
stable front seat.

Event organizers took over a parking lot in Northwest Portland, filled it with vendors, and closed an adjacent street so people could use it as a carfree test-riding zone. The turnout was dampened by rain, but the people that did show up stayed very busy pedaling a wide variety of bikes and hearing about various ways to their carry kids, groceries, and other precious cargo on them.

And the kids. Wow. You’d think we were in Disneyland or something. They couldn’t get enough of all the bikes and were running from one to the other, pleading with me to take them on this one or that one “Just one more time!”

Story continues below

A Surly Big Dummy with e-assist!

The family biking stalwarts at Clever Cycles had a busy tent. They shared their latest Xtracycle and Dutch bike set-ups. Their Surly Big Dummy with the Stokemonkey electric assist (created by one of Clever Cycles’ owners) is a tried and true winner. Its small footprint (compared to some other cargo bikes), versatility, and dependable power make it a tough option to beat. Clever Cycles also had Workcycles city bike with a very stout child seat arrangement. No plastic here, just steel bars, sturdy pegs, a solid seat for the little one — all positioned right in front of the rider.

This Carrier Pigeon from Joe Bike
has a locally-made front rack.

Joe Bike, who’s created a niche in the local cargo market by modifying existing designs, shared some of his shop’s latest creations. Using the chassis of front-loading, bakfiets-style cargo bikes he imports from China, Joe Bike partners with local builders and his own imagination to come up with some great options. The front ends have locally-made cargo bins configured in a number of useful ways. I especially like Joe Bike’s highly modified front loader with an additional top tube for reinforcement and an ingenious front rack. The kids couldn’t get enough of this one.

Bike Gallery brought along the Madsen rear bucket bike and the “Bullit” a Dutch import from the curiously named company Larry vs. Harry. The Bullit is built for speed and cargo, not necessarily kids, but it still handles beautifully even with three of them loaded on it. I could swing into turns with full confidence, and the kids — white knuckles and all — loved it.

Up Periscope.

Co-motion Cycles came up from Eugene to show off their Periscope Tandem. I’ve always loved the concept of the Periscope, but this was the first time I could see it in action. It’s essentially a regular tandem, but the rear (stoker) has a tiny seat tube and telescoping seat post so it fits a very wide range of heights. This is the ultimate solution for taking your kids on long event rides and tours.

In addition to test rides was the booth of safety promotion group Think First Oregon. They had literature about safe transportation behavior and helmets and an eye-catching prop to drive home the point — a human brain. Yes, my girls got to hold a (plastic of course) human brain and think about how precious those heads inside their helmets are.

Later in the afternoon, Oregon Manifest hosted a Family Biking Solutions Workshop. Clever Cycles co-owner Martina Fahrner helped to organize a panel discussion and breakout sessions where attendees focused on three ingredients to a thriving family biking culture; community, infrastructure and products. The information gleaned from the workshop will be put into a white paper that will be used as a resource for families curious about doing more by bike.

This event validated what many already know — family biking is surging in Portland. With family biking, perhaps more than any other market segment, the right products are essential, so it’s great to see Portland businesses filling that niche.

Watch the slideshow below for more of the action:

Enjoy your Thanksgiving!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:35:53 -0800

I want to wish everyone the best for this upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday! After the big turkey feast come join The Arizona Masters Racing Team for three days of great base training. Everyone is welcome! Friday November 27th “JITTERY SQUIRREL RIDE” Tortilla Flats - EOP Meet at Starbucks North/West Corner of Power and McDowell 8 AM AM 4hour plus Base Ride Saturday November [...]

4 Speed

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:26:45 -0800

Been running this setup for a week and lovin’ it

I borrowed the middle four gears from an old XTR cassette that was destined for the scrap bin… the Deore derailleur has been with me at least 15 years. Bud Hunt, the local shop owner, donated an old Accushift thumb shifter, which I turned to the friction setting. I’d guess you could put a couple more gears on the Hope singlespeed freehub body.

Upside: The setup works very well. It’s simple, easy to use, and gives me a good range of “singlespeedy” gears to pick from. And, old derailleurs were built tough. The DX derailleur has less play in it than some new bits.
The whole shebang can convert back to singlespeed quickly, as I didn’t move the sliders, and simply spliced in extra chain with a quicklink.

Downside: It sounds like a geared bike again. Chain slap bugs me.
The old derailleurs, while built tough, are friggin heavy.

New Race Schedule Posted: FIRM 2010

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:29:15 -0800

Fiske Independent Race Management has just posted their 2010 race schedule here. It’s actually only the first half of the season posted, with promise of the second half being posted in the next couple of weeks.

Right of the bat in April, there is a repeat of the Mud, Sweat and Gears Duathlon on April 25th, except it has a different name: the Rockbuster Offroad Duathlon. I think I’ll sign up for that one, and see if my brother makes good on his stated intention to do the race with me. I’m also going to try and rally some of my Mountain Biking Ladies to ride this one with me, too. I don’t mind doing it alone, but I love the camaraderie I’ve discovered in my mountain biking group. However it shakes out–my only goal will be to beat my time from last year, which mean more training on the run portion of the race (which is 66% of the whole race).

There are also some other fun races scheduled, duathlons in the spring, and triathlons in the summer when the water gets warmer. I’m curious about the experience of triathlon, but would need to commit to serious swim training–something I’m not sure if I can fit into my already crazy schedule.

–Karen (AKA, the dog paddler)

Friday BSNYC Pleasure Examination!

BikeSnobNYC — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:56:00 -0800

(via "Cycle Jerk")

If you follow either the BMX or fixed-gear freestyle scene, or you're a reader of blogs such as Prolly's, then in addition to having a vast sneaker collection you may be aware of a controversial post on BMX site "The Come Up" consisting of a dialogue between two BMX riders in which they discuss their hatred of "fixies" and specifically the "gheys" who do tricks on them. Naturally, this post has sent shockwaves through the flat brim cap-wearing world, and at this point the prospects of a giant BMX/Fixie "collabo" seems more distant than ever. If you're a concerned outsider like I am and you want to stay abreast of this important issue, yet you don't want to take the time to actually read about it, you can instead watch edited highlights from the anti-fixie dialogue in this dramatic re-enactment here:

Meanwhile, as if this weren't disturbing enough, a number of readers have informed me that in Philadelphia a political movement is awheel that would require cyclists to register their bicycles and obtain license plates for them. If you're a Philadelphian who's worried that a bicycle license plate will spoil the clean lines of your "fixie" or add unwanted grams to your crabon fiber dream bike, I urge you not to panic. Mandatory bicycle registration comes up in up in New York City periodically too, and while there is always a group of people who thinks it's a good idea, ultimately it never goes anywhere. In this sense, it's sort of like disc brakes on cyclocross bikes. And even if they do manage to pass it in Philadelphia, it will at least provide the opportunity for vanity plates, such as this one mocked up by a reader:
Sure, actually going brakeless might earn you a $1,000 fine, but that doesn't mean you can't have a brakeless license plate.

Finally, Jack Thurston of "The Bike Show" in London informs me that foppish Garmin-Slipstream director Jonathan Vaughters is now using his Twitter to agonize over the grammatical construction of his "Tweets:"

While Thurston points out that the original "is" is likely more correct, to me the glaring error is the final "ARE!!!" Clearly, Vaughters is trying to evoke the exclamation of a disconcerted pirate, and a more appropriate spelling would have been "Arrrgh!" In any case, fussing over the grammar of a "Tweet" is like truing the wheels of your Huffy to within a fraction of a millimeter, and I would advise Vaughters not to worry about it. I'd also advise him not to spend his free time sitting around reading his own Twitter, which is a highly depraved form of social media masturbation.

I am now pleased to present you with a quiz. As always, study the item, think, and click on your answer. If you're right you'll know, and if you're wrong you'll see a Hawaiian bike messenger gettin' it done with some jazz flute accompaniment.

Thanks very much for reading, ride safe, and if you're in Philadelphia be sure your bicycle vanity plate matches your knuckle tattoos.

--BSNYC/RTMS

(Image by CommieCanuck)

1) According to his supporters, in France Greg LeMond is:

--A "folk hero"

--A "god"

--A "rock star"

--Bernard Hinault's addled co-host on the popular "Fou en le Matin" morning program

2) The "hipster" equivalent of the dropout safety tab is the:

--Derailleur

--Bottle opener

--Wine cork bar end plug

--Brooks saddle

"Some riders are clearly adepts, like the ones riding fixies — fixed, single-gear bikes. There goes one now — zooming past on yellow-walled tires, riding fully upright, texting with both hands on his iPhone as he goes."

3) Not everyone hates "fixies." Where did this lyrical scene take place?

--The campus of Stanford University

--The Google corporate campus

--Downtown Portland

--The first annual "Hipster Douche-In," a '60s-inspired "happening" in McCarren Park, Brooklyn

4) There is only one Lone Wolf.

--True

--False

5) Recumbent riders don't have tattoos.

--True

--False

6) Jared Leto's cycling experience is not only limited to video shoots and "tarck" bikes with freewheels. He also has experience:

--Riding hybrids

--Kneeling before hybrids

--Locking hybrids by just the front wheel

--All of the above

7) What is an "interrobang?"

--The hand gesture Alberto Contador makes after answering a question correctly

--The hand gesture Alberto Contador makes after asking someone else a question

--A combination question mark/exclamation point

--The technical term for asking your partner rhetorical questions during sex

***Special Over-The-Top-eBay-Themed Bonus Question***

Fyxomatosis.

--Oh no he didn't.
--Oh yes he did.

apparently I now post in response to comments

goat — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:59:00 -0800

An anonymous "Chuck" commented last night on my competition post. It's difficult to tell if his question is serious or if I'm being goaded. Here's the comment:

Hey Goat--

As a amateur cyclist I heard from my competitors that it may help to shave your legs. I know this may sound stupid, but my hair gets tangled at times when I am riding.

Looking at your legs they seem shaven in the pictures, just wondering if this increases your speed or what the purpose is?

Cheers,

Chuck

It's a little suspicious... I'm thinking "Chuck" isn't really a cyclist at all (probably one of my students, actually, in which case he--or more likely they--will probably be disappointed with what follows), but I'll peck out a quick response anyway. It's good to have these sorts of things on the record.

...

There are about a bazillion discussions on leg-shaving available through the pipes (here's one, two), but from my perspective there are four main reasons, one of which is the most critical (I'll let you guess which one).

(1) You shave because you wreck...and you don't want to deal with hair on your legs when you're dealing with wound care.

(2) The stuff you put on your legs--like sunscreen, anti-itch cream (a big deal for me during pollen season), and, especially critical during the cx season, embrocation--all goes on and comes off much easier with shaved legs. And a massage, even if it's a simple self-massage, is easier and more pleasant (no hair-pulling) without the shrubbery.

(3) You feel like a cyclist with smooth legs. They just look better...and there's something to say for that tiny bit of vanity-induced motivation to push just a little harder in that ITT or climbing that hill that you get when you look down at your ripped pedal mashers.

(4) Finally, the social consequences (in the pelaton) of not shaving your legs. Leg-shaving signals commitment and competence. Well, I suppose it's the opposite that is more true: hairy legs signal incompetence and a lack of commitment. Let me explain.

Riding with a big group of cyclists on the road is a potentially dangerous activity. It certainly doesn't have to be, if folks are properly instructed and have some experience, but it also can be. And you learn, when riding with others, the nuances of your compatriots' riding styles. You learn who knows to soft-pedal through braking, who can hold a line through a turn, who is conscious of others' proximity...and those who ride seemingly oblivious to the fact that others' safety is dependent on their behavior. After riding with folks for a while you can predict their movements, almost subconsciously, in a way that makes riding with them safe and natural...as safe and natural as a stroll through the park, even if bumping handlebars during a spirited conversation.

However, when riding with people you don't know, you have to make judgments regarding skill and competence, judgments your personal safety depends on, and you have to do this with very little information. You rely on tells--subtle signals like the angle of a stem, the quality of socks, and a host of other hard-to-articulate signs that telegraph skill and experience.

If we model pack-riding as a multi-round, multi-party prisoner's dilemma, the Nash equilibrium is either everybody stays up (a feat that often seems nothing short of miraculous, yet, empirically is undeniable) or everybody goes down (the perception of mountain bikers and tri-geeks who are afraid to do group road rides). And as any of my students should know, in order to maximize utility in a prisoner's dilemma it is critical to signal (early and often) not only your cooperative intentions, but your capacity to engage in relevant cooperative behavior (in this case, pack-riding skill).

Leg-shaving is one way to do so. Or, more properly stated, not shaving one's legs is a powerful signal of an inability to cooperate.

I couldn't always articulate it as I have above, but I remember learning very early on (I started riding competitively at 14) that if a newcomer shows up to a group ride with hairy legs (or tri-bars) to give them w i d e birth, and whenever possible to stay in front of them (which, generally, wasn't difficult, because these same folks usually didn't know what they were getting into on a fast group ride, and were often quickly left on their own).

And so there you have it. The social functionality of leg-shaving: The real reason amateur cyclists shave their legs.

Phx Nov ThNR

YuriB — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:39:00 -0800

Nicely done.

Groupetto Grumblings by Adam: Riding Dirty

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:05:09 -0800

Question: What do you get when you take a seasoned Roadie and throw him on a mountain bike and send him out on a muddy trail?

Answer: A diva who is constantly trying to keep it clean, or a daredevil looking for the biggest puddle.

I spend most of my time on my fancy carbon road bike. We are married. The relationship is perfect. My mountain bike is like my girl on the side I see from time to time. I am sometimes riddled with guilt if I am spending to much time with her. Ok, I am going to stop with this analogy. It’s getting creepy. I was going to end this string of thought with something about the walk of shame in the morning…

Mountain biking is a dirty affair. You gotta like the dirt and love the mud. Don’t think about the noises your bike might be making, or the mud caked in your crank. Let it go roadie. Let it go. Just don’t forget to strip down naked before you walk in the house. Mud on the carpet is trouble.

Somehow I ended up back in the gutter with the analogy I started with.

Adam

Thurs.

D A N O — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 06:03:00 -0800

Have most of the day off of "day job" so I took a ride to my happy place. First time this week. Pretty much crappy out. 40 degrees and rain. Others are riding outside but I just hate getting wet when its cold. Besides, looks like a few good days this weekend so I can wait another day.

So the ride to our local park was in a car today.

Rest of the day is putting up X-mas lights in the store and running errands.

Also, I'm gonna be goin' thru my link list and ditchin' all you chuckleheads that go weeks between posts.....

Get with the program, its not all about Facebook.

DLD

MTB 198 Interview with Joe Breeze

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:10:50 -0800

Over at Mountain Bike 198, Robb, had a great interview with Joe Breeze one of the creators of mountain biking. Towards the end of the interview they switched gears to asking about commuting as Breezer is known for one of the best commuter oriented bicycles in the US. It’s exciting to see some mountain biking purist such as Joe Breeze and Gary Fisher showing all of us how to use the bike in all ways, not just a hobby.

198: Switching gears a little bit, you have continued to impress the cycling industry with your commuter lineup of bicycles. For those that do not know about Breezer Bikes, can you explain a little bit on what you are trying to accomplish with the brand?

Joe Breeze: My goal is to offer useful bikes for everyday healthful getting around. Riding a fully dressed Breezer transportation bike, it becomes apparent how limiting a naked bike is—for the same reason we don’t drive cars without fenders, lights or ways to carry things. Utility is the word. In my case, my other bike is a bike (or my wife’s car). Because I crave speed I make my Breezer townies so they can GO!

198: Commuter biking is getting a lot of press lately due to increased energy costs. Do you see bike commuting increasing in the future?

Joe Breeze: Yes I do. As many people as we see riding bikes in the USA today, I see it as only 10 percent of the potential of Americans who could be riding. That is, someday bicycling in America could be 10 times more popular. It’s all to do with a bicycle’s extraordinary efficiency. That’s what puts the smile on our face: You get health while you get where you go, be it physical health, mental health, environmental health, or fiscal health. And chances are, overall, it will save you time. The biggest hurdle is ignoring the billions of dollars spent every year (for how many decades?) trying to convince us all to just drive.

198: Where do you see the commuter bike industry in the next 5 years?

Joe Breeze: It depends on how quickly the biggest secret in bicycling gets out, and the perceived cost of driving. In America, since specifically 1991, big changes have been made in how we get around. Most of it is still below the radar, but in many parts of the country a new bike path goes in here and a new bike lane there. From the grass roots to the federal level, more people all the time see bicycling as a solution, but things take time. One day, it will get to a point where the perception of landscape will flip. The average Joe will say, “Bikes, duh!” Hard to believe there was a time when people—except for those doing it—would say, “Mountain bikes will go nowhere.”

198: What are you riding right now?

Town: 2003 Breezer Villager, 2009 Breezer Finesse, 2010 Breezer PowerTrip e-bike
MTB: 2010 Breezer Thunder Pro, 2010 Fuji DSR, 2009 Fuji SLM
Road: 1998 Breezer Venturi

198: Where is your favorite place to ride?

Joe Breeze: The best place for me, is right out my door.

198: What bike has impressed you the most in the past year?

Joe Breeze: 2010 Fuji DSR, 2010 Breezer Thunder Pro (What? You figured I’d say that?)

Remembering the Past

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:55:52 -0800

…cuz we sure don’t want to repeat it. Check out this bit of late 20th-century thinking (via Copenhagenize):

Not only are bicycles dangerous, they are as antiquated a form of transportation as the rickshaw. In no advanced city on earth will you find civilized people cycling to work. The urban cyclist is generally a crank, either profoundly antisocial or hopelessly narcissistic and following the strenuous life in hopes of achieving immortality or a legendary sex life. When you encounter him give him a wide berth and never turn your back on him.

Wow. That’s classic car-culture thinking from 1980.

UPDATE: Hmmmmm… From today’s New York Times:

And everyone — everyone — is a hostage to gravity, adding to their burden by carrying distended bags of every description. The champion is a woman who cycles past wearing a golf bag like a quiver across her back.

Truly, we are the only species so discontented with our natural gaits, so ambitious to exceed a foot-pace. It all puts me in mind of Thomas Jefferson, on the subject of walking and horses and their deleterious effect on human exercise.

“I doubt,” he wrote, “whether we have not lost more than we have gained, by the use of this animal.”

Technorati Tags: cycling

A Little Revival

NashvilleCyclist.com — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:15:00 -0800

I'm sure most of you can relate to this blog's title. We all go through transitional periods in our life when the deck gets reshuffled and an entirely new hand is dealt. More times than not it's others forcing the new hand on you, but if you play your cards right the outcome can be unexpectedly good. For a few months now, probably six or so, I have been experiencing quite a few shufflings leading to big changes. There were so many hitting all at once it felt like snipers taking successful aim on a daily basis, but I had nothing to combat the onslaught due to my confusion. Prioritizing and firing back was difficult to say the least. Thankfully time has passed, some change has come and gone with new directions forged, but a few others are still in the "work-in-process" category.

I learned a long time ago to embrace these moments and find the doors of opportunity they present; had I not my heart and soul would not have been able to survive, nor would I have learned a dang thing. I pray often for wisdom and understanding, and for those prayers to come true the burden of embracing life change is a pre-requisite. I'm not suggesting I embrace it immediately 100% and enjoy it at all times, but I have faith the outcome on the other side will be one eventually leading to success - for myself and all those around me.

"A Little Revival" is the title to a song and album by Radney Foster that has struck a cord with me. It continues to hit me in a way I am unable to fully explain, but I at least began to understand my finger was on a pulse needing to be understood. Had it entered my life at another moment in time I am afraid its impact would not be the same. However, for this moment all I know is it hit me, hard. I listened to it over and over, each time another layer within my mind was peeled back. I'm unable to count all the emotional openings this one song and others on the album has offered. Though I do give them credit for rocketing me on a blazing and energized path to tackle everything in front of me.

"Deep in my soul a little revival.....amen to love."

All this reminds me of my "Born to Shimmer" blog post back in January of 2008 discussing how we all become inspired for change. I add this with "A Little Revival" and well, we can all get these demons off our back.

Well that's cool, great you say, but how does all this affect you? Here are some changes I am committed to living out.....

First, I am not seeking re-election as the Road Director for the Tennessee Bicycle Racing Association (TBRA) in 2010. I have held this position for two full road racing seasons and have enjoyed volunteering on behalf of competitive racing in Tennessee. However, for the next couple of years I am unable to devote the necessary time to this very time consuming role. I will of course continue to stay plugged into the racing scene through my own promotions as well as through leading two separate TBRA clubs. The annual TBRA assembly meeting is Sunday, December 6th at Cumberland University. The elections for all TBRA positions will take place at that time, and I encourage you to take part and get involved in this volunteer organization.

Second, I have stepped up my commitment to the NashvilleCyclist.com racing team for 2010 and beyond. Not that I wasn't committed before, but our program has been in need of me stepping up to meet our current needs. We have reloaded our roster for next season, both at the elite level and especially within our women's program. Next season will mark our fourth year of existence, and we have reached a level of success and impact that myself and others never really dreamed would happen. However, here we are, and it is important to respect it and develop it to the fullest extent possible. Expect to see a press release within the next few days regarding this excitement!

Third, soon you can expect to see a major overhaul of the NashvilleCyclist.com website. I am very excited about this redesign and upgrade! When I began in the spring of 2004 the technology behind the site was sufficient, but the current structure makes it nearly impossible to achieve goals in a 2010 web environment. I realized over a year ago how this was limiting my ability to achieve my website goals, so at that time I began researching and getting questions answered to do something about it. It's no coincidence that my updates on the site began to trail off at that time.

It took over a year for me to get comfortable with actually scrapping what I've built and starting over, but this also gave me time to save in order to make the appropriate financial investment. I will be deleting what's not working or relevant and building upon what works. Plus, I will explore new ideas I feel will bring you back every day. This redesign will no doubt be a tremendous amount of work. In the end I believe we'll all benefit as it will encourage me to tackle the site's content on a more regular basis moving forward.

Fourth, I believe these next ten years of my life will be the most important ever, more so than any of the 40 I've lived thus far. You may perceive my commitment as having been good, but I've known for quite some time I have either been holding back or distracted by other endeavors not bearing sufficient fruit. Considering all that has transpired and the revelations I've begrudgingly stumbled into lately, the time has come to zero in and focus on just a few incredibly important endeavors. I have enjoyed a few of my side opportunities, but without question they have held me back.

One thought continues to stick in my head, "All chips in."

You can expect to hear more from me about this mentality. Suffice it to say I have grown weary of hearing my friends remark, "you're busy and involved in so many things, I don't know how you do it all." It's not a badge I am proud to wear to be honest because I have not been pleased with my results. I have given some to a lot and achieved some good things, but I am devoted to giving a lot to a little to see what I can really accomplish. I never was a singles hitter, gap shots and home runs were more my strengths. It's high time I play to my strengths.

Yes, all chips in my friends.

BOYCOTT manor, texas!

Freemason Cyclist — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:09:00 -0800

The city council of manor, texas has passed an ordinance to ban cyclists from the roadways. Why? Because of a bad roadway, the city will not fix, where a cyclist had an accident because of the road conditions and sued the city.

There are 2 interesting things to this:
1. The law suit was denied because the accident happened outside the city's jurisdiction. That makes sense. Why should a city pay out on a law suit unless the incident happened within their jurisdiction. It is not stated who is responsible for the section of roadway where the cyclist had the accident. But whom ever is responsible for that section of roadway is responsible and I hope the cyclist is suing them.
2. In the past year, there have been seven major traffic accidents on the road, and one person died. You would think instead of taking a knee jerk reaction the governing bodies of this roadway would work to fix it.

For the city and residence of manor, texas: I say boycott manor, texas until they lift the ban. People from the outside should not spend any money there. If there are any events I advise people to stay away. Here is something the city of manor, texas should consider. A lot of small towns are still struggeling because of the economy. Doing this like this that could/should cause them to be boycotted will only make things worse for these towns.

For the cyclists: Be prepared for a long drawn out battle and expect it to get worse before it gets better. When the law suit happened in Crawford County, Iowa and was paid out, after which the ban was put in place, it took almost 3 or 4 years for the ban to be lifted and at several other counties either did pass or were considering passing such bans. All have been lifted since.

Unfortunatly this does not just happen in Iowa.

Story:
Cyclists oppose new road ban in Manor City officials cite safety concerns on Blake Manor Road.

The Perfecto Commuter Bike : Type of Shifting

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:52:24 -0800

If you are just stopping in on our Group Build of the perfect commuter bike let’s catch you up. After introducing who will be riding the bike, the overall landslide of bicycle frame choice was a Surly Long Haul Trucker. This wasn’t a surprise to me or many others. Over at the Surly Long Haul Trucker Owners Group, Bryan from Renaissance Bicycles, started a topic about our bike build. Everyone had positive things to say about the bike and I’m very excited to be using this platform going forward.

Our next step is the shifting type, there’s standard STI/Double Tap/Ergo shifting which is all from the brake hood area, then bar end shifting and down tube shifting. I guess we could also through mountain bike style shifter pods into this as well. One last thing in the mix is the Long Haul Trucker is available as a complete build, which would save me money as well on the build.

Kansas Cyclist Podcast: Episode 14

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:03:23 -0800

For episode 14 of the Kansas Cyclist Podcast, we’re pleased to talk with Kim West of the Kim West Radio Cycling Show, plus Grease Monkey Wipes co-founder Tim Stansbury.

Kim West is a cyclist from Des Moines, Iowa, who hosts a weekly radio program called The Kim West Radio Cycling Show on KXNO AM 1460 in Des Moines. Kim is active in the Des Moines bicycling community, helping establish the Des Moines Bike Collective, and starting the radio program in April 2008. The radio show covers all aspects of cycling, and has a deveoted local following, as well as fans from all over who listen to the podcast version of his show. Kim is also an accomplished bicycle racer, racing since 1983 and currently riding at Cat 1 level for the All9Yards Cycling Team. He’s the current Midwest Marathon Gravel Road Race Grand Master Champion, and recently earned Iowa’s 50+ Age Group Rider of the Year award.

You can learn more about the Kim West Radio Cycling Show at KXNO or at the Kim West Radio Cycling Show Blog, or subscribe to the Kim West Radio Cycling Show Podcast.

In this episode, we also talk with Tim Stansbury, who’s the co-founder of Grease Monkey Wipes, a new sponsor for the podcast. Grease Monkey Wipes are individually packaged degreasing/cleaning wipes that utilize a natural, non-toxic citrus formula to handle heavy duty cleaning, including bike grease and road grime associated with a mid-ride repair. Due to the portable nature of the product Grease Monkey Wipes easily fit in a saddle bag, a jersey pocket, or a bento box. The durable nature of the wipes allows them to easily clean not only skin but also an oily chain, a dirty frame, and more.

Listen to the podcast for a special coupon code that you can use to get a 15% discount on online orders of the innovative and highly practical Grease Monkey Wipes.

Here’s a quick summary of the rest of the podcast, with links to more information:

In the news segment of the podcast, we provide a report on KanBikeWalk’s annual meeting, which took place on October 31st in Wichita. We also take a quick look at Wichita’s burgeoning cycling scene, with a special shout-out to Robert Garcia, who helped organize the pre-meeting ride and whose web site, River City Cyclist, is beginning to serve as a focal point for local Wichita cyclists.

Also focusing on Wichita, the Trails portion of the podcast looks at Wichita’s bike path network, including a first-hand report of the beautiful river trails.

For events, we look at the Coronado’s Challenge mountain bike race taking place on November 21st and 22nd, and the Cranksgiving events scheduled for around the region.

And finally, thanks again goes to Mark Franzke for providing the original music you hear on the Kansas Cyclist Podcast.

As always, we hope you’ll listen to the Kansas Cyclist Podcast, and consider subscribing to future episodes. We welcome your feedback, so please send in your comments or suggestions.

One final word: We’ve added something new, a listener feedback line. You can call 913-938-6855 to leave us a voice message. If you’d like for us to get back in contact with you, be sure to leave your name and phone number.

Visit Kansas Cyclist to learn more about bicycling in Kansas and neighboring states.
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Ride Report: 11.17.09

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:24:29 -0800

I took another easy ride around the township to stretch my legs, ending up with a stop at the grocery store for a gallon of milk.

Distance: 7.5 miles 2009: 1021.2

Another little weekend shred

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:26:52 -0800

Another stellar weekend with Idyllwild fall weather. Saturday, I went to Orange County to have a girls night with CarolAnn and her friends.

Sunday, was for riding and enjoying Idyllwild.

As I passed 7 months and the belly is starting to touch my seat when climbing, I’ve gone to only shorter rides. This weekend I had a nice little ride out by the Arts Academy and Brendan took some fun pics. We ran into Don, Marlin, Dave, Doug and about 10 other people on a nice group ride. It was good riding for a brief time with those guys, but they’re too fast to be in the photos.

It’s kinda funny what the new curve does to argyle!

I definitely think the baby got in a nice nap while rockin’ and rollin’.