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Rain Gear

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Rain Gear Which cog is my rain gear? I know. Bad joke. But I sure needed rain gear this morning! I decided to ride the hybrid  because of wet, muddy conditions. We had heavy rain yesterday; and things take quite a while to dry out. When I went outside, it was sprinkling a little; so I put on the poncho. I didn’t pull the hood over my head, because it makes me hotter; but I wanted to be able to get that hood on quickly if it really began to rain. I headed for the park; and sure enough, before I could get there, I needed to stop and put the hood on. In a few minutes it was raining heavily. The biking/walking path in the park is paved; and I’m glad it is. Otherwise it would have been an absolute bog. As it was, there were huge pools of water everywhere; and my glasses were so wet, I could hardly see where I was going. Between the visibility problems and the rain, I made it a short ride. I was thankful that there wasn’t any lightning; and I’m glad it was a bit cooler than usual. It gets hot under plastic! The trouble with a poncho is that it “rides” up; and that means I get wetter. Ponchos are also prone to flapping; and I wear my reflective vest over the poncho to keep it under better control. On the other hand, a poncho is pretty well ventilated. I suspect that a rain suit is too good at keeping heat in; and if the weather is warm, wouldn’t I get drenched with sweat? I guess the rain suit is better for cold weather; but I won’t get to try it until October or November – maybe not until December! All the same, I know Fall is coming. Yesterday morning it was pretty clear when I rode; and I spotted Orion in the sky. That’s a dead giveaway.

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Stabilizer Wheel Kit

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Stabilizer Wheel Kit This Stabilizer Wheel Kit can be a great help to riders who have balance issues; but who don’t want an adult trike. A physical impairment doesn’t have to mean missing the joys of cycling! This set-up had an advantage over an adult trike: it can fit through most doorways. The adult trike that I had could not; and I had to leave the poor thing outdoors. The Stabilizer Wheel Kit is easy to install; however, installation by a qualified dealer is recommended. This stabilizer is strong; and fits most bikes with 24″-27″/61cm-68.6 cm tires. I never thought of using one of these while I was getting the hang of two wheels. To me, “training wheels” would have meant a longer learning curve! But if I need balance assistance later in life, this is something to keep in mind. There are some possible drawbacks, though. It looks to me as if this stabilizer leaves no space for panniers; and that’s bad news for me. I need those “saddle bags” when  it’s time to bring home the groceries. I’m also not sure that  the tongue of a trailer can fit around the stabilizer. I need that trailer when it’ s big-load time! Adding this stabilizer to a bike that you already have might be more cost-effective than buying a trike. In these days of inflation, that’s definitely worth considering! 

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QuietKat 2019 Apex

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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

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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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School Again

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Uncategorized /

School Again It’s almost time for school again already! It always comes too soon, doesn’t it? It sure did when I was a kid! If there’s a safe place to ride, how about letting the kids get to school under pedal power? When I was a kid, there was absolutely no way we could safely do that. We had several miles to go; and part of the route was a rather narrow, two-way road with ditches on both sides; and no shoulders! Add heavy traffic; and such a ride, if possible at all, would have been terrifying! I wish now we could have walked; or ridden bicycles. This Huffy sounds like it can take a lot of hard use. The drawback is, I’m not sure it could be equipped with fenders and a luggage rack. Books and other supplies might have to be carried in a backpack. That can amount to quite a heavy load! The Huffy is also a one-speed. If the route includes any hills, the lack of extra gears will make the trip harder.   But we hear about how important physical activity is for anyone; and on the way home, the ride can let a child “blow off” some of the stresses of the day. If there’s some fun in getting there and back home, school again might be a bit easier. Oh, and don’t forget the helmet!

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looby loo

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Looby Loo? Here We Go Looby Loo came to mind when I thought about lubing my hybrid bike’s chain. I played that game when I was a child; but hadn’t thought about it in ages. After three days of mid-day downpours, a bicycle’s chain needs an oil job. On the other hand, why bother if it’s going to rain again the next day? More showers and T-storms are predicted for tomorrow, especially in the afternoon. Today it rained so hard that we got a flash flood warning! And poor St. Louis really got clobbered! If I decide to go “looby loo” tonight, maybe I’ll walk to work tomorrow. I’m getting rather tired of having my bicycle rained on; and of worrying that I’ll have to ride home in a deluge. The bicycle needs a good general cleaning, anyway.  I’ve been lucky lately with the weather for my early-morning rides. Yesterday it was mostly clear when I rode; and I saw the  old crescent moon. The dark part of the moon was visible; and one of the planets was close by. Venus, maybe. Today the moon was too low in the sky; and/or there were too many clouds. I had to make it rather short this morning. Some days I’m too sleepy to get going in time; and then I get aggravated with myself. I’m also annoyed with myself about my eating habits of late. I really need to get back on track!  It’s hard to eat a really good breakfast when I’m just home from an hour’s riding; have to get ready to go to work; and my appetite is suppressed from the exercise! It’s hard to pack enough food to carry along, too. I sure miss working from home; and want more than ever to retire.

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Fantasycart Unicycle

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Fantasycart Unicycle Fantasycart Unicycle sounds like a great vehicle for the adventurous. I’m not sure I want to try one; but if I were younger, maybe I would. And supposedly it’s not that difficult to learn! One-wheelers make me think of clowns. I don’t have any aspirations to become a clown; so maybe I’ll forget about unicycles. Actually, though, a “uni” has an advantage or two over a bicycle. If you store your “rides” indoors, the Fantasy Unicycle takes up less space than a regular bike. The same thing goes for parking if you ride the uni anywhere. Who knows — you might get away with carrying it into the store with you! Does having a load on your back make balancing on a unicycle harder? More specifically, will that load pull  you backwards? The uni doesn’t seem to have much room for a water bottle holder.  The seat tube looks like the only possible spot. And then you’d have to almost stand on your head to get the water bottle. I’m not sure I can do that and not lose my balance! Moreover, can this uni coast; or does the wheel stop if you stop pedaling? Thus a Camel-Bak seems like the only option for hydration if you want to ride far; but I don’t think this model is actually intended for long-distance rides. But even in cold weather, don’t skimp on hydration! That means learning to ride on one wheel with that load on your back. I’ve seen very few unicycle riders; and at my age, I’m disinclined to try. But as I said, if I were younger, maybe I’d go for it.

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Wet Start

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Wet Start I got a wet start to my weekend. About 45 minutes before I left work, I looked outside; and the sky was full of a looming, black cloud. Oh, great, I thought: will I have to ride home through a downpour? As it turned out, not really. When I left work, it was raining; but not hard. All the same, it was more than a faint drizzle; and I put on the poncho. The thunder wasn’t very close; but it was quite continuous. As I was unlocking my bicycle from the rack, I saw one or two flashes of lightning that were unnervingly bright. Surprisingly, they weren’t especially close. I wanted to take my usual route home, and get in a few miles. Last night I forgot to set my alarm; and I didn’t wake up until too late to go for riding. But the weather as I left work made me decide for the shorter route home. There was no telling how quickly really nasty weather might arrive!  I guess the kind of rain I got was what a bicycle trunk is meant for. When I have to ride through a heavy downpour, those zippers leak. I never know when it might happen; so I put everything in plastic bags.  I hope I don’t get a wet start tomorrow. Running errands isn’t fun when it’s pouring. It looks like T-storms won’t threaten until late morning; so maybe I’ll be OK!

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more than balance

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More Than Balance This More than Balance DVD guides the new rider into many aspects of cycling. Riding a bicycle is also about having a bike that fits your body. It’s about  learning how to ride safely in motor traffic; and even basic repairs. I’ve never really learned how to make bicycle repairs. Last December I got a flat when I was 17 miles from home; and fixing that flat bothered my arthritic hands big time. It also took big time! I rarely need to change a tube; and of course I was all thumbs at it. Often I wish I could do things such as adjust derailleurs; and the only way to learn, is to do! But I’m too afraid of ruining my bicycle to try it. Riding next to traffic is another skill I’ve never developed. I don’t have to do it often; and when I do, it makes me very nervous. I never know when someone might fling open a door right in front of me. The result could be catastrophic injury; or even death. As to a bicycle that fits, a professional fitting is well worth the cost; especially if you want to do a lot of miles. It isn’t only the bicycle frame that must fit. A good saddle is also important. Should you get a firm saddle; or a cushier one? By all I’ve ever read, that depends on the kind of riding you want to do. For casual short rides around the  neighborhood, a wide, soft saddle might be OK. For longer, faster riding, a narrower and firmer saddle is in order. The main thing is that your saddle supports your sit bones properly. See where we’re going here? Cycling is, indeed, about more than balance!

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Pretty as a Picture

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Pretty as a Picture! The Tour de France pics are — well — pretty as a picture, now that they’re getting into the mountains. I love mountains; and always have. Maybe that’s because it’s flat as can be where I live; and the sight of mountains is a refreshing change. But I’d better not try a cycling adventure at high altitude, unless I put in some rigorous altitude-simulation training first! If training in the mountains isn’t possible, this mask can help! I remember visits to such places as Rocky Mountain National Park when I was a kid. If you go camping/bike packing there, remember that high altitudes are cold at night! I was always amazed at how much it cooled off after sunset, even in July. Bring plenty of layers; and a warm sleeping bag. The scenery is pretty as a picture; but you won’t be able to enjoy it if you’re freezing. Today’s weather wasn’t pretty; and it probably won’t get better for at least a few more days. There’s a low-pressure system just off the Gulf coast; and it’s generating plenty of rain! I was relieved when it wasn’t raining this morning; and I went for a ride. But I could see that somebody in a northerly direction was getting a T-storm; and I’m glad it was far away. Our weather for the next few days won’t be pretty as a picture; and I’ll be glad when the rain goes elsewhere. The weekend might be OK for riding, because the main chances for T-storms are in the afternoons. I want to ride, and bump up my Love to Ride mileage. I hit 3000 today; 2000 more to go!

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