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SpokEasy

equipment

Wide Tires

BACK ISSUES, bicycling, equipment /

WIDE Tires! If you like wide tires, how about trying the Mongoose Malus Fat Tire bicycle? Those four-inch tires can tackle just about any surface, be it sand; snow; or the road. The Mongoose Malus has a MTB-style steel frame; and its front and rear disc brakes provide a lot of stopping power. The 7-speed shifter works smoothly for an enjoyable ride. Mountain-style handlebar helps you maintain complete control on the trail. This bike is for riders from 64 to 74 inches in height, which would exclude me. Sometimes being “vertically challenged” is tough! I hope it’s possible to add some kind of fenders to this bicycle for times when you don’t want to ride off-road. Those wide tires throw up a lot of water and muck, I’m sure; and if this is how you have to ride to work, you don’t want to get muddy!  I guess it would be possible to rig this bike as a commuter. A rack over the rear wheel would let you carry a pair of panniers; then you can carry lunch; a change of clothes; or, on weekends, a load of groceries!  What I’d like to know is, don’t those wide tires offer a lot of resistance? To me, that’s a drawback; especially for long rides. These fat-tire bicycles can get up considerable speed, though. I’ve been passed by riders on fat-tire bikes while riding my road bike!

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Folding Adult Tricycle

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Folding Adult Tricycle This folding adult tricycle, by Dongshan, is great if you aren’t able to ride a two-wheeler, but are skimped on storage space: folding size is 51.18 x 31.49 x 35.43 inches. The rear seat can fit two youngsters or one adult; and has a seat belt for added safety. Recommended rider height limit (both front and back) is six feet tall. This trike is made of high- carbon steel; weight is about 77 pounds. Low step-through design makes it easy to get on and off. Trike is designed for stability. Front-wheel shock absorber contributes to a smoother ride; and fenders keep dirty water off of riders in wet weather. Disc brakes provide strong stopping. Baskets front and rear are great for bringing home a load of groceries; or carrying a picnic lunch to the local park. While I’m at it, don’t forget helmets; both for yourself and for your child. Colors: black or red. I never had a folding adult tricycle; but this one sure sounds great! $497.01

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New Bike

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New Bike? I don’t need a new bike if I’m considering tackling RAGBRAI, do I? The Tommaso Sentiero shown above sounds like a good choice per se. It has a wide range of gears; and pre-drilled holes for attaching bottle cages and racks. It’s also equipped with disc brakes for good stopping power in all weathers. The wide tires help with stability. This bike’s capacity for racks makes it good for commuting and touring. That’s a plus for RAGBRAI, as long as I don’t overload the panniers! I’ll want to keep things like a jacket and Chamois Butt’r handy; and it would be nice if I could do it without having a load on my back all day, every day! The Tommaso Sentiero comes in sizes for riders from 5’2″ to 5’11”. And there’s the first catch for me: I’m barely five feet tall. Another catch is that the Small size weighs 25.9 pounds; and that’s several pounds heavier than the road bike I already have. RAGBRAI has hills; therefore getting a heavier bike seems crazy, even if it could be adjusted to a proper fit for me. Speaking of fit, if you’re between sizes: go down a size if you want a more upright riding position. Going up a size provides a more aggressive, racing-type position. Getting back to bicycle weight: my road bike has only two chain rings; and this bike has three. The Tommaso would give me a 30-tooth small ring, while my current road bike’s small ring has 34 teeth. Would the smaller ring help with climbing; and offset this bicycle’s greater weight? A new bike would, of course, require considerable expense. And like most people, I have limited space; so having a third bicycle might cramp me too much. But there’s plenty of time before RAGBRAI 2024. I don’t have to make my bicycle choice immediately. If I do go for this one it’ll set me back  $844.99

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Already Thinking of Heat

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Already Thinking of Heat! I’m already thinking of heat; and for hot rides, this Mission Cooling Neck Gaiter is a product that I’d like to try. My hand still can’t tolerate rides over about 10 miles; but when I can do 40-mile rides again, I’ll be out in the heat! On top of that, I’m considering RAGBRAI 2024. The week-long event means averaging about 65-66 miles per day; and to do that comfortably distance-wise, I need to get comfortable with riding 40-50 miles per day. And that’s before taking terrain into account! RAGBRAI is actually pretty hilly. So of course I’m already thinking of heat; and a cooling neck gaiter is probably not being a “sissy”; it’s just common sense. I don’t want to collapse from heat exhaustion! The Mission Cooling Neck Gaiter is 100% polyester; and machine washable. Dimebsions: 21 x 10 inches,.

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Rock It

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Rock It! Let’s rock it; and burn up the road on our next ride! But to do that, the drivetrain has to be in good condition; and Rock N Roll lube is a big help. This lube is self-cleaning; and I like that. Before I started using this product, I had jars of dirty, oily water sitting around. In fact, they’re still sitting around! The only toxic waste drop-off I know of is halfway across town; and last I knew, they’re open for only a few hours on Saturdays. Convenient, huh? I need to get this stuff out and lube both my bicycles’ chains. Thanks to hand surgery, the bikes have been unused for nearly ten weeks; but now I’m starting to ride again. A lube job would be a good idea. Maybe I can’t rock it yet. I have to work back up to it; and that won’t happen overnight. But this lube will keep that drivetrain running smoothly!

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Brook No Time Out

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Brook No Time Out? If you’ll brook no time out of the saddle, perhaps the Brooks England B17 Saddle is just what you need!  This saddle, made in England, has been around for more than a century; so it must be good. Its leather covering breaks in with regular use; and molds itself to fit your unique contours. I knew only one person who used a Brooks; and he said he liked it. This saddle comes in various sizes and colors; and a leather-care kit is included. Two-year warranty against manufacture/materials defects. Weighs 1.98 lbs. $97.99 The Brooks B17 Short Honey is designed for women riders. Leather cover molds over time to fit  you. Like the Brooks England B17 shown above, it’s been on the market for more than 100 years. Two-year warranty against manufacturer/materials defects. Weighs 2.1 lbs. Product of England. $94.88 To keep your Brooks saddle in top condition, this saddle dressing is great. It keeps the leather soft and pliable; and ready for your next ride. You’ll brook no time out of the saddle! $19.75

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Picnic Time

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Picnic Time! It sure feel like picnic time around here. March has barely begun; yet we’re getting afternoon temperatures in the 80s! If it’s picnic time for you, this Carhartt Lunch Cooler is a handy item to have. It’s insulated to keep lunch or a six-pack cool; and the top compartment can hold smaller items (how about M&Ms for dessert?)  The zip-shut front compartment holds utensils and napkins. I don’t know that I’d want to eat al fresco this afternoon, though. There’s a chance of T-storms; and it’s already  drizzling on and off. The wind isn’t very strong at the moment; but starting at 9 pm there’s a wind advisory. It’s in effect until noon tomorrow. I’ll have a breezy walk to my occupational therapy appointment! Getting back to the lunch cooler, I used a similar item to carry my lunch to work for years. It could just fit into a pannier; with room to stuff in a poncho if rain were predicted. This cooler is good to take along when grocery shopping on hot days; I can keep things like yogurt and hummus from getting too warm on the way home. Incidentally, I’m getting anxious to make a trip to the salvage store. But I’d better be careful about stocking up on canned goods, lest salvage store woes catch up to me again.    

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mask up y’all

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Mask Up Y’all! Mask up, y’all! Yes, I know. Mardi Gras is over; but as far as I know, the threat of COVID is not. I think it makes sense to continue using masks while out and about. I’m not alone in that thinking. Every day I still see people wearing masks; and I’m especially glad to have one when a little kid in the store is coughing all over the place! These face coverings are  useful if you are sensitive to fragrances; tobacco smoke; and the many other fumes that are almost impossible to avoid. I keep several with me at all times. Sure, I get tired of wearing the things; and they feel rather smothery in hot weather. But that’s better than getting sick; or choking on “smelly stuff”. So mask up, y’all!

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got wet boots

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Got Wet Boots? Got wet boots? This DX Boot Dryer might be exactly what you need. DX Boot Dryer can handle up to four items at a time; and dries them in an hour or two. Takes care of gloves and stocking caps, too! More than once, during rainy spells, I’ve wished I had one of these. When I get home with sopping wet shoes, the best I can do is stuff them with wadded newspaper; and change the paper every few hours. Even then, the shoes are still damp the next day. I remember my brother-in-law had one of these when he worked for USPS. He had a delivery route; and of course was out in all kinds of weather.  So if you’ve got wet boots, this appliance can save you the discomfort of going out again in damp footwear.

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Quite a Bundle

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Quite a Bundle You get quite a bundle with the Garmin Rally RK 100 product.  The Garmin Edge 830 cyclecomputer can use either the standard, on-the-handlebar mount; or the out-front mount. You can monitor speed; heart rate; and cadence.  The RK 100 pedals are easy to switch from bike to bike; and USB cables allow charge-up from a home electric outlet; or in your car. Battery life of 120 hours per charge. Software updates and data uploads are easy with Edge cyclecomputer compatibility. You can upgrade to a dual sensing system at any time. Tether keeps the readout unit from hitting the ground if your grip slips. Cleaning cloth included. This is quite a bundle!  Made in Taiwan.  $1172.98

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