SpokEasy

SpokEasy

Author name: CAL

I Done It Again

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I done it again!? I can\’t wait until it\’s warm enough for me to not need those \”wombat\” gloves! They make just about everything harder, from working the left-hand shifter (for the front gears, i.e. chain rings) to getting a bite to eat out of my top-tube pouch. Today again, it was a struggle to try shifting onto the big ring. The chain came off, and I had to stop and put it back on. This time a group of about five riders came by, and they stopped to be sure I was OK. One of them held my bicycle upright while I put the chain back onto the small ring, which helped a lot. Then I displayed my greasy fingers, and asked whether that meant my chain was over-lubed. He said, it probably did. So now I have to go attend to that chain. I\’d better measure it, too, to be sure it\’s not approaching replacement time. As to the trouble with shifting, maybe the front derailer needs some adjusting. I\’m not eager for more I done it again episodes.

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Wannabe \”Wrench\”

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I\’m a wannabe wrench, I guess. I have often wished I were better at basic bicycle mechanics, maintenance, and repair; that is, to be a \”wrench\”. Proceed with caution. I bet I\’d be great at losing parts; or forgetting in what order multiple parts came off of the bicycle. Then I\’d have a terrible time getting them put back on the bike, IF I could get them back on at all. I suppose you could remove what seems to be a single part, only to find that it\’s got multiple parts-of-parts inside. Fun, huh? I\’ve said enough times that I don\’t dare use one of my bicycles as a guinea pig. I guess putting the chain back on the small ring is a start, as is removing/replacing wheels. Especially the rear wheel. I still don\’t feel confident about that. Working on the tires? I know what to do to change an inner tube, but have always been terrible about practicing it. In part that\’s because cold weather causes my skin to get very dry. Struggling to get that tire on and off the rim means my cuticles get torn up; and even bleed. Bloody fingers aren\’t helpful in the workshop. Maybe someday I\’ll have the time and space (and the money!) for the luxury of my own bicycle workshop; then I won\’t have to be a wannabe wrench any more. Meanwhile there\’s always  the local bike shop!

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Good Timing

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Good timing happens. This morning I hitched up the trailer and rode to the salvage store. It turned out to be, well, good timing. I got some unusual bargains today. As I was getting a one-pound block of mozzarella cheese out of the cooler, an announcement came over the PA system: if a dairy item in the cooler has a price sticker on it, buy one and get one of equal or lesser value for free! So I got two pounds of that cheese for under $3.00! There was a similar sale on luncheon meats, and I got two packs of bologna. Of late I haven\’t found much in the way of cereal bars, rather to my disappointment. I like to buy things like XL-Bars to take along on long rides; or to work for snacks. Maybe one day they\’ll have boxes of Clif Bars? Today there was an unusual amount and variety of candy; and I bought something like five bags of it.  I put most of it away, and I\’m trying not to think about it! IF I can keep myself out of it, over time I\’ll have saved $5.00 or so. I calculated that I saved around $33.00 by shopping at that store today. Those savings covered about 75% of the cost of a new cyclocomputer for the hybrid! I hope you all have such a store available. A salvage store/discount grocery can mean considerable savings, very important if your budget is tight. It\’s also helpful if you\’re simply interested in frugality, tight budget or not. At the very least, you can put aside the money saved for bicycle stuff!

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Exotic New Vegetable?

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Looking for an exotic new vegetable? How about trying RUBARB: Rusted Up Beyond All Recognition Bikes. I like the idea of a place where anybody can go to learn how to \”tinker\” a bicycle. I know that I have 99.9% of how-to-work-on-a-bike to learn; so RUBARB ought to be a good place for me. In the book, Every Woman\’s Guide to Cycling, there\’s a chapter entitled, \”Get Your Hands Dirty\”. A couple of visits to RUBARB would be a great opportunity to do just that; and with somebody on hand (no pun intended) to talk me through things — and to come to the rescue if I goof up. Our local RUBARB is in an area of town unfamiliar to me; and it\’s far enough from home and work that I\’ve never tried to go there. I also am still not comfortable riding alongside heavy traffic, which I\’d probably be doing if I tried to go to RUBARB. According to the directions I found on Google Maps, it would take the better part of an hour to get there by bicycle. The distance itself is quite manageable; but as I just said, dodging traffic gets quite nerve-wracking. I\’m sure New Orleans doesn\’t have a monopoly on such programs. Maybe your home town has something similar to RUBARB.  Indianapolis, for example. Or Seattle. So have a look around your local \”garden\”, and see what\’s out there. You might find an exotic new vegetable!    

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StemCAPtain compass bicycle bike

An All-Encompassing Matter?

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  Have you ever been out on a ride and wondered which direction you were heading? The local part of the MRT is a good example. It takes a lot of bends as it follows the course of the Mississippi River. Therefore I can\’t keep track of which way is North; or South or East or West, for that matter. (Yes, I know which way is generally East/West, but that\’s not enough). I decided it would be a good thing to know when I was about to turn into a stiff headwind, especially during long rides. So I got a compass for my road bike. Here\’s how it helps me. Let\’s say I know that I\’ll have a headwind on the way home, and the forecast said it would be from the NNE. Being able to determine exactly which direction I\’m going helps me to adjust my efforts. As already stated, that bike path has a lot of bends. Even when my general bearing is towards the East, sometimes I\’m actually going North. Or South! If the compass lets me see that an upcoming bend in the trail will get the wind dead on my nose, I know I\’ll need to shift to an easier gear and get ready for some spinning. Mashing a hard gear into a stiff wind can be quite exhausting. Using a compass can be helpful when out riding the trails. Want to create a map of bike trails? That might require another kind of compass!  

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Water Weight

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We despise water weight, don\’t we? Especially when we\’re watching our weight. But in this case, I don\’t mean unwanted water poundage on one\’s frame. I mean the weight of a full Camel-Bak reservoir on my, well, back. The one I have can hold 100 ounces, or a little over three quarts (liters). That right there is about six pounds. Add a cable lock; tube of Chamois Butt\’r; snacks; cell phone; and roll of bathroom tissue (in case the place I stop doesn\’t have any), and that\’s likely eight or nine pounds to piggyback. It feels like quite a load; but on long rides, it\’s a necessity. I\’ll take that weight on my back over collapsing from dehydration any day. Besides, as a long ride progresses and I drink the water, the weight decreases. I was thinking that I\’m lucky I\’m not packing along heavy water. I had the idea that it would weigh a lot  more than regular water. Apparently it does weigh 10% more. That\’s less than I expected. All the same, I\’m not  going to try using it, even supposing I could get it! Ordinary water weight is quite enough.  

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What a Changeling!

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What a Changeling! What a changeling weather is! Ours has been quite capricious just lately. Maybe it’s because we’re currently in the Capricorn zodiac sign date range? At any rate, day before yesterday the morning temperature was around 39. Over last night it got up to about 57 — nearly twenty degrees warmer! The wind wasn’t nearly as strong as on Sunday, so riding wasn’t bad. I didn’t need as many layers; and I didn’t have to fight so hard against said wind. Alas, a big change is in store! This afternoon the high was about 73 degrees. Tonight, it will go down to the low 60s; and there’s a good chance of rain or even T-storms. The wind is strengthening, too; and that doesn’t make me very happy. Tomorrow will be another high-in-the-morning day, with a cool-off as the day goes on. Then, tomorrow night, down to around 38 again; and strong wind besides. Luckily, severe weather isn’t expected. But geez, what a changeling atmospheric conditions are! Thinking of riding in that cold and wind makes me want to groan. I’m not thrilled about riding in the rain, either; especially when the temperature is below 80 degrees. Add strong wind to a downpour, and I can hardly see where I’m going; even in the daytime. I often hear people complain about these frequent changes in the weather. “You never know how to dress!” is a common remark. They’ve got a point. As for me, I keep the cold-weather cycling gear handy.

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Achilles’ Heel?

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Achilles’ Heel? ?? Achilles’ Heel is quite famous; or maybe infamous is more like it! Have you ever noticed that one particular part of your bicycle seems more prone to causing problems than the rest of the machine? It’s rather like Achilles, of Greek legend. He was invulnerable, except for his heel. My road bike’s Achilles’ heel seems to be the rear derailer hanger. I’ve had to replace it three or even four times in less than six years! I now keep a spare on hand at all times, because it takes the bike shop about a week to get a new one; and while I wait for it, I miss a lot of riding. I don’t know why that rear derailer hanger is so prone to damage, unless it’s because of its placement on the bike. I does rather stick out; and if the bike falls and lands on its right side, the derailer hanger is a very likely impact point. You’d think the pedal sticking out would catch the bike, wouldn’t you? Or the handlebars. But the rear derailer hanger still takes the brunt. Maybe the weight of the cassette comes into play. It would be nice if we could all make our bicycles impervious to whatever bumps, falls, etc. we’ll ever encounter. Unfortunately there’s no River Styx at hand.   This blog/page may contain affiliate links. “We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.” ABOUT ME I began this website primarily as a way to present the story of how I accomplished a century ride on an adult tricycle. Other riders of adult trikes might want to know whether it’s possible. It sure is! You can read all about it in My Story. I live in New Orleans; and  retired in January 2023. More time for cycling! Website designed by Cecile Levert © This website is the property of its author. DISCLAIMER I am not a cycling coach; nor a health professional. This site is based on my own experiences, opinions, etc. If you need help, please consult the appropriate professional.   FRESH FROM MY JOURNAL Done! May 6, 2024 Halfway May 5, 2024 Do-si-do? May 4, 2024 Rain Drill? May 3, 2024 Load More TRANSLATOR

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Logging

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Logging? Uh, wait a minute, there. Not those logs! I\’m not Paul Bunyan, you know. I don\’t think I\’m ready to try birling, either. Neither do I have a wood-burning stove to feed. But a cycling log can be handy. You can keep notes in any notebook, or be fancy and get The Cyclist\’s Training Diary. I kept both for one year; the inexpensive drug-store notebook as a \”rough log\”, and the expensive one as a \”fair log\”. It was worth a try, but the \”fair log\” turned out to be as much of a jumble as the \”rough log\”. My far from stellar penmanship didn\’t help much. I\’ve since returned to keeping my ride logs in 5-subject notebooks from the drugstore. Usually I do a page per day, even though that sometimes means only two lines on a page. It\’s a waste of paper, true, but it makes it a lot easier to find any particular date. Why keep a log? You might want to go back and check something from an earlier ride: was that the day I saw the bald eagle? When was that morning when the fog was so terrible? Or, you might want to see whether your average speed has improved over time. It\’s also a good idea to have some kind of maintenance log, to keep track of tune-ups, repairs, etc. Some cyclists simply enjoy logging the miles, and watching them add up (I plead guilty?). The advantage to not having any kind of pre-printed log means you can tailor your log to your exact needs. And maybe, one day, we can toss them in the water and have that birling match!

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Cooling My Heels

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I\’m cooling my heels, along with the rest of me. This is one of those days when I\’m actually glad not to be riding! It\’s still cold; and the wind is still rather brisk. Early this morning the chill factor was below freezing. Riding in cold weather isn\’t my favorite thing, and probably never will be. But if I want to ride when it\’s cold outside, I just have to do it. Suppose I wind up living where it\’s even colder than it is here, and with snow besides? Dressing for cold-weather rides requires some thought. Plain old experience factors in; I try to remember to write down what I wear to ride on days when it\’s cool enough for me to haul out leg warmers and other cold-weather gear. I note whether I felt OK; got too warm; or was still cold. Even after several years of that, dressing for a ride on a cold day is still something of a guessing game. Tonight it\’s not expected to be nearly as cool as last night, so I shouldn\’t need five layers for tomorrow morning\’s ride. Yesterday I really had to bundle up! You could say I was cooling my heels — and my legs, and my arms, etcetera.  

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