SpokEasy

August 2022

Improvisation

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, Uncategorized /

Improvisation Improvisation isn’t restricted to music. Most of us do it daily; and it’s a handy skill during a bicycle tour. Sometimes something breaks; and there’s no way to replace/fix it right away. Yet the tour must go on!  Then it’s time to get inventive. Once my hybrid’s kick stand gave way while I had the bike parked at work. The stand was bent; and when I put it in the “up” position, it dangled in a manner that meant it was in the way. I had to secure it somehow. Fortunately I had my reflective ankle bands with me. I used one to fasten the kickstand to the chain stay until I could get to the bike shop.  That’s only a very small example. Some riders have to find a way to rig up a temporary derailer; or deal with brake pads that start rubbing. A good way to minimize the risks for such problems is a good tune-up before the tour. It isn’t always the bicycles that go wrong. Camping equipment can cause problems. For instance, what do you do if your tent starts to leak? And, heaven forbid, did you forget an important item? That can make for a frustrating trip, no doubt. I resorted to improvisation at the salvage store this morning. I usually bring along some sort of cooler; and today I forgot it. What to do? I decided to get a bag of frozen corn; and I put the heat-vulnerable items in a bag with it. It worked pretty well. The salami stayed cool; and the chocolate-y things didn’t melt. I hope I don’t need to resort to improvisation tomorrow. It won’t be easy when I’m twenty miles from home!    

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Cyclist’s Palsy

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Cyclist’s Palsy Do I have cyclist’s palsy? My doctor calls it cubital tunnel syndrome; but the two sound like the same thing. Both involve numbness/tingling in the pinky and ring finger; and I’ve got it in both hands. For some months, I’ve noticed that my right wrist tends to hyperextend as I ride the road bike; and I suppose that might be a factor.  I’m working to keep that wrist in a more neutral position.  But I’ve got this condition in both hands! Too much time spent on keyboards, maybe? For a long time, I’ve noticed that my hands tend to be clumsy when I try to type; and some of my fingers feel weak. The right ring finger is especially bothersome. It has a way of horning in and typing an “L” when I don’t intend it! My hands in general tend to be clumsy. I often fumble and drop things; and that bone spur in my left thumb doesn’t help! I need to find a way to keep my elbows straighter while I’m sleeping. So far, I haven’t found a cheap way to do it. Maybe I could develop a fabric sleeve that can hold a chunk of padding; but I’m too busy with other things. So you see, cyclist’s palsy isn’t a bit fun. I’m worried that my hands might not hold out for the next five months, until I reach my planned retirement. I’m in no hurry for surgical intervention; especially as I’d need two procedures. Each one would mean time off the bike; and I don’t want to derail my 2022 Love to Ride mileage goal!

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QuietKat 2019 Apex

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

QuietKat 2019 The QuietKat 2019 Apex ebike certainly deserves mention. A certain social-media platform is full of messages about ebikes; and who knows? I might need the electrical assist myself some day. QuietKat 2019 Apex is designed for tough, back-country riding. That sounds almost like a mountain bike! Those wide (4.5 inches) tires might be great for muddy conditions; but how are they for road riding? Now and then I see a rider using fat tires on a paved bike path; so I suppose they’d do. Does the bike’s weight (75 lbs) make it too hard to pedal without the electrical assistance? My adult trike weighed a good bit less than that; and pedaling that rig took considerable effort. I have to admit that the “cat” is expensive. This bike’s price tag is enough to put me off; and how much does a replacement battery cost? That’s something to consider before purchasing any ebike. Recently I saw a news article about a family who had bought an electric car; and they learned that replacing the battery would cost almost as much as the car itself had! I hope that’s not the case for an ebike battery. It sounds like the battery needs some special care, which isn’t surprising. I wonder how well one would fare in this humid, salt-hazy climate. And storing it in a cool place is impossible during the Summer as long as I’m in my current residence. I’d be nervous about charging up that battery. Remember those things called Hoverboards? There were cases of fires that were caused by a charging Hoverboard; but maybe there are now built-in features to prevent such disasters.

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Sturmey Archer Hub

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Sturmey Archer Hub This saved my first century! The Sturmey Archer Hub came to my rescue when I rode my first century. My tricycle was a single-speed when I bought it; and I didn’t add the three-speed hub until about a month before the big ride. For several months, I had worked towards century day. I got tired of fighting the wind during long rides; and it finally dawned on me that I needed some kind of assistance. Part of me resisted (pride); but the other part said, come on — you need this! Let’s be practical! I’m sure I couldn’t have made it through those 100 miles without the Sturmey Archer. The wind was nasty that day; and seemed to be against me most of the time. With the hub, I could spin in a lower gear when I got tired of fighting the wind; and the rare times when I had a tailwind, the high gear actually let me get up some speed. I look back now, and wonder how I ever managed that ride. That trike probably weighed around 50-55 pounds; and its width meant it put up a lot of wind resistance. I’ve been spoiled by the much-lighter road bike; and I think I’ve gotten lazy, too. I don’t have to work as hard to ride 10-12 mph; and so I don’t! If your adult trike is a one-speed, the Sturmey Archer Hub is worth considering if you do a lot of riding. As I said, it saved the day when I did my first century. The low gear is handy for both headwinds and inclines. On one ride (not the century), when I got a stiff tailwind, I was blasting along at 15 mph! That hub was worth it.

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Dust

BACK ISSUES, bicycling /

Dust Dust is everywhere. I’ve got so much of it in this place that I don’t even try to keep up with it. If I did, I wouldn’t get anything else done! Annoying though dust is, sometimes it does some good. They’re saying that huge quantities of it, blown from the Sahara desert, are inhibiting tropical storm formation. That’s a relief to anyone living in areas vulnerable to hurricanes; and I hope it means we won’t have one of those storms this year. Some folks are still reeling from the effects of Ida.  If a hurricane does threaten, it might mean I can’t ride for at least one day. That might sound petty, considering how badly some people suffer from such weather; but when I can’t ride, I really miss it. Well, I can always have a hurricane party. But my mind is always on my Love to Ride mileage challenge. I’m aiming for 5000 miles by December 30, 2022; and it looks like I’m on target. So far this year, 3370 miles; and I want to keep going! This afternoon it rained again. Rain keeps the dust in the streets down; but it made me feel like the lube job I did on the hybrid’s chain was vain effort. Try, try again!

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