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What Day Is This

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

What Day Is This? What day is this? I keep thinking that it’s Saturday, because I went to the salvage store; but today is Thursday! It’s funny how such a small thing can throw off my sense of time. But when I checked the NOAA 7-day forecast yesterday afternoon, I saw that tomorrow through Monday looked quite stormy. Ergo I decided to go to the store today. I don’t want to be up there on the levee in a T-storm! Yesterday morning I rode at 5:00 am so I could see the full moon over the river. It was worth getting up at 4:30 am! The moon was low enough in the sky that I could see the reflection of the moon, instead of only moonlight on the water. That happens only a few times per year; so when I see it, it’s something special. Getting back to the weather, it’s been clouding up since about noon. Tomorrow the T-storms might begin about three o’clock in the morning. So if you’re determined to ride — but it’s pouring — what do you do? In warm weather, maybe just go out there and ride, even if it means getting soaked. During heavy rain,  the wind can get quite strong and gusty; and a flapping poncho makes bike control harder. From that point of view, it’s better not to have the poncho. With a windblown poncho you’ll still get wet, anyhow. In cold weather, you might want to consider using a rain suit. So far I haven’t tried one; but one of these days, maybe I will. I keep thinking that the Sunday long ride is tomorrow; but it isn’t. So what day is it, anyway?        

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Hutch

BACK ISSUES, equipment /

Hutch? Rabbitroom sounds like a hutch to me. I’ve never had a pet rabbit; but of course I’ve heard about a rabbit hutch. These gloves sound like great wear for Winter rides. So far I’ve never found any gloves that really keep my hands warm on cold days. Even if they did keep my hands warm, full-finger gloves make eating on the bike awkward. It might sound like insanity to be talking about heated gloves now. Our afternoon high temperatures have been at or near 100 degrees nearly every day for weeks; and excessive heat warnings have become the norm. These warnings go into effect as early as 10:00 am; and I try to be back home from riding by that time. Going out to ride when it’s baking hot is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you have to be extra careful about hydration; and the you certainly want to avoid heat stroke! On the other hand, riding in such heat is the only way to get acclimated if you’re aiming at an event such as RAGBRAI. Iowa can get hot and humid; and the average daily mileage for RAGBRAI is something like 60+ miles! That means riding during the heat of the day. How to get acclimated? It’s a matter of starting with short, easy rides; and building up distance and speed. Use a hydration system; and take a electrolyte drink. Allow youself plenty of time to get used to hot rides. But don’t drive yourself crazy about it; you don’t want to make yourself into a basket case. Or should I say, a hutch case?  

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Waterproof

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Waterproof? When I see a product touted as “waterproof”, I’m frankly skeptical. Too many times I’ve been caught in a heavy downpour that soaks my jacket and everything else! Rain here is typically heavy enough to penetrate the “waterproof” zipper on a bicycle trunk! All the same, I wish I could try out some waterproof jackets, such as this BALEAF model. It would be nice to ride through the rain and stay at least halfway dry! If the jacket doesn’t cut it, a rain suit might work.  We’ve had so little rain in the last few months, though, that we’re going to forget how to ride in it. A major annoyance of mine is the visibility problems that come with riding in the rain; especially if there’s a wind to drive the rain into my face. That was especially annoying when I was still riding before daylight. Dark + wind-driven rain has me pedaling almost blind! At least my skin is waterproof; but that wasn’t much consolation when I had gotten soaked; and it was cold out; and I had to go to work — often getting all wet again in the process. I don’t have that particular pain in the neck now that I’m retired; but I know I’ll get poured on one of these days. At least now I can stay put after I get home; and if it’s cold, I can enjoy a mug of hot chocolate. Incidentally, do you find it easier to cope with riding in the rain, if the shower begins when you’re already out? I certainly do; probably because the only course of action I have is to keep going. And if I’m still home when the lightning starts a-crackin’, it’s wise not to go out until things settle down!    

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Stuck

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Stuck! I’m stuck, you might say; yesterday I got my flu shot for this season. This WOTOW Bike Tire Repair Kit  can keep you from getting stuck beside the road. The WOTOW comes in several versions; you can buy one with an 11-in-1 multitool; a 16-in-1 multitool; or a 16-in-1 multitool with valve core remover. Tire levers; pre-glued patches; and 1 120 psi mini-pump are included in all versions. Waterproof carrying bag hangs from your top tube; and this bag also has room for your cell phone. Great for road, MTB, and BMX cycling. Also good to have on a tour, when you might be a long way from any bike shops. You don’t want to get caught out there!

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Keep on Rolling

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Keep on Rolling With ROCKBROS Bike Rollers, you can keep on rolling. It doesn’t matter whether it’s 100+ degrees outdoors, and you’d risk heatstroke out there; or you’re house-bound by whiteout conditions. This “treadmill for a bike” will let you have your ride! ROCKBROS Bike Rollers consist of a sturdy aluminum frame; and three rollers to support your bicycle’s wheels. The frame can be adjusted for different-length wheel bases; and it folds for easy storage. It’s also lightweight enough for easy carrying. It can be used with various kinds of bikes, such as MTBs and folding bikes. I had a set of rollers a long time ago. I became tolerably proficient on them with my hybrid; but couldn’t seem to manage my road bike on rollers. In retrospect, I think I was overly tentative when trying to get started. The road bike also has slicker tires than the hybrid; and that may have been a factor. I finally sold the rollers; but now I sometimes wish I still had them. When I must pedal indoors, rollers might be closer to a real ride than being hooked into a trainer. I find pedaling in that trainer extremely tedious; and usually can’t tolerate it for more than 15 minutes. This morning I set out before sunup. I knew it was going to get very hot again; and I wanted to ride early. I was glad to be back in by about 7:30 am. It was already well into the 80s by then. Yesterday afternoon  we  reached 100 degrees; and that was the air temperature. The heat index was 112! Our weather didn’t do this when I was a kid! I can easily believe in global warming!

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Circle of Light

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Circle of Light Why not a circle of light for cyclists? After all, in music there’s the circle of fifths! These LED wheel lights make a cyclist visible from more angles than standard head- and tail lights. The flashing mode is especially easy to see. They make a ride on a Summer night more fun; especially for kids. Alas, vacation is over for many youngsters; but soon kids who ride bikes to school will be doing so while it’s still dark. This circle of light makes them easier to see. If it rains, not to worry; this product is waterproof and durable. Batteries are included; installation is easy and requires no tools. Available in many colors; shown here in Pink. This item seems to come in one-wheel packs only; but even one wheel with a display like this should help a lot. And it ought to make a unicycle downright dazzling! I don’t ride before sunup nearly as much as I did before I retired; but I still make an effort to go out early when there’s a full moon to be seen! As most of my riding is away from traffic, I don’t feel the need for a circle of light on my wheel. But it’s something to keep in mind in case things change.

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spokes as web

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Spokes as Web? Spokes as web? How do bicycle wheels turn into a spider’s web? When you put spider spoke lights on them, that’s when! These lights add a touch of creepy fun to your rides; and I suppose kids especially would enjoy them — most of all boys. How about a Hallowe’en ride with your spokes as web; including glowing red spiders? October 31 is still two months away; but advance planning never hurts! It’s hard to think of Fall and Hallowe’en just now, because it’s been so hot! At 7:15 pm, it’s still 91 degrees. Tomorrow morning it will already be in the 80s at 6 am, with a predicted high of 97! I hope I can get myself in the saddle and pedaling by six o’clock. Then I can be home by nine or sooner. This afternoon we got a good T-storm, with one very close lightning strike. Fortunately the forecast is for clear skies tomorrow morning. I’d be worried if there were a chance for bad weather. But I sure wouldn’t mind if it were ten degrees cooler! It’s too bad that spokes as web can’t help with that.

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More Heat

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment, Outdoors /

More Heat! We’ve got more heat coming; in fact, it looks like our heat machine is about to crank up a notch or two. It makes me wish that anything with “ColdStone” written on it can cool me off. I’ve been using my sun sleeves when I ride, so I don’t have to use up my sunblock so fast. Those sleeves keep my arms a little cooler; but I haven’t used my leg sleeves yet. I’m keeping them for when my Sunday long rides get back up to 40 miles. Once I’ve got both arms and legs sun-protected, I’ll have less sunblock to wash off post-ride! Here I am, complaining about “more heat” before July is over. August and September tend to be our hottest months; and the heat can into persist into November or later. It makes rides harder when I don’t get going until at least 7:30 am. I started using a hydration system for water, so I can put an electrolyte drink in my water bottle. That’s important, as I’m starting to extend at least one weekday ride to 20 miles or so. I have no idea whether I’ll really get to do RAGBRAI next year; but if I do, I must be able to ride more than 12-15 miles per day! In fact, RAGBRAI averages something like 40 miles per day; and there’s also climbing to contend with. RAGBRAI also means riding through the day; and Iowa can get as hot as New Orleans. So if I can do that ride, I’d better bring along several pairs each those arm and leg sun-protection sleeves. And I hope it’s not as humid there as it is here! I’ve been enjoying not having to rise at 4:30 am to ride; but  maybe I should resume my pre-dawn rides until Fall? It would spare me so much riding in the heat! Incidentally, I’ve noticed that it doesn’t get light so early in the morning; which means that the days are already getting shorter. But they sure aren’t getting any cooler!

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Dog Days

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Dog Days Here come the dog days; typically the hottest part of the year. As if it weren’t hot enough already! Do you want to take your canine friend along when you ride? The Bike Tow Leash is a wise idea, I think. To me it seems safer than trying to hold onto a standard leash while riding one-handed. The Bike Tow Leash is designed to prevent tangles and tripping; and can be used for dogs up to 185 pounds. Meant for left-side usage; and suitable for most bicycles and tadpole-style tricycles. I can’t speak with authority, of course. I’ve never had a dog; and in fact, I’m a cat person. How do you take a cat along on a bicycle ride? I guess you put the cat in a carrier; and put the carrier in a trailer. Cats are terrific escape artists; and might be able to worm their way out of a harness and leash. Riding during these dog days will make me very thankful for the cooling band I  have. It’s only about two inches wide; but it still helps during hot rides. I saw it in the salvage store some months ago; and it didn’t cost much over one dollar! I bought it to keep for hot weather; and now I’m glad I have it. The heat index this afternoon is a “chilly” 94 degrees — much cooler than many recent readings. I hope this respite from the extreme heat continues; and we aren’t as hot as some parts of the country! I’m starting to use my Camel-Bak on weekday rides because of the heat. I don’t ride as early as I did before retirement; and when it’s so hot, I want to take electrolyte drink as well as water. All we can do is hang on until cooler weather arrives; and hope we’re spared the hurricanes!

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Carbon Fiber

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

Carbon Fiber A carbon fiber bicycle Carbon fiber is very much in the public consciousness at present. Who hasn’t heard of  the recent submersible catastrophe? I don’t mean to be insensitive by blogging about the material; but I can’t help thinking about it. After all, it’s what my road bike is made of! Carbon fiber is one of four materials commonly used for bicycle frames. And yes, I’m aware that such frames can fail suddenly and drastically. That worries me sometimes. I guess that a crash is the most likely cause of frame failure. As a non-racer, my risk of crashing is probably low. At the same time, my road bike is 10+ years old. Maybe ordinary wear and tear has taken its toll on the frame. But how do I tell? I want to keep on using my road bike for as long as I can. After all this time, I’ve become very adjusted to it. On top of that, I don’t feel like shelling out several thousand dollars for a new one. There are cheaper models out there; but I need good quality for all the miles that I put in. When the time comes that I must bid my current road bike adieu, and choose a new one, what type of frame material shall I look for? Steel is susceptible to rust, so I don’t want a steel frame. Not in this humid climate! I wouldn’t be surprised if steel is also affected by salt in the atmosphere; and here we get ample salt haze from the Gulf. Titanium has a reputation for being almost impossible to destroy; but it’s too expensive for my budget. Aluminum is lightweight; but would an aluminum road bike be lighter than my current one? Who knows, I might come right back to carbon fiber!

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