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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

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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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Let’s Go Exploring

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Let’s Go Exploring Let’s go exploring! As its name suggests, the Schwinn Discover Hybrid Bike is great for cruising around. Take a ride through the neighborhood; and pause for a chat with a friend. Get some panniers to hang on the rack; and bring home the groceries.  My hybrid is my transportation to and from work; and I use it to ride to the salvage store. If I had to use public transit to get there, I wouldn’t go nearly as often! Taking the bus is much more time consuming; and I’d rather save the fare. If you’re eager for longer rides, a handlebar bag can hold your snacks and other necessities. Wait. Long rides, with a hybrid bicycle? Yes, you can do long rides on a hybrid! It isn’t as fast as using a road bike; but it’s definitely possible. I’ve sure put some miles on my hybrid; 17,000+ to date. A hybrid will even do for centuries if you don’t [yet] have a road bike. With racks for luggage, I suppose you could even use one for a tour; but if there are lots of climbs in store, be sure you’ve got the right gears! Yesterday, however, I didn’t feel any Let’s go exploring urge. The forecast was for T-storms; and I decided not to ride. Then nothing happened! It really annoys me when I lose the opportunity for a long Sunday ride. The forecast for much of this week is similar to yesterday’s; and I hope my rides don’t get rained out. It hasn’t rained here today — not as of 5:30 pm — but as I was riding home, I saw some big clouds building up; and there’s a 60% chance of T-storms. This isn’t the best time to say, Let’s go exploring!

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Shoo

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Shoo? “Shoo fly, don’t bother me!” I remember my mother singing part of that song when I was little; but I didn’t know it beyond the first two lines. When we’re cycling, we want a good shoo — I mean, a good shoe. The Fizik R5 is especially designed for road cycling; and has a two-year manufacturer’s warranty. I’m still using MTB shoes on my road bike. That sounds quite ironic; but I don’t feel the need for super-lightweight cycling shoes. I also don’t relish the thought of trying to walk in “roadie” shoes. Once I tried some on in the bike shop; and they are SLICK!  MTB shoes typically have recessed cleats; and are much more walkable. That’s helpful when you make stops during long rides; and if I forget to put my heel (not my toes) down first when I stop, I don’t slip. I hope the rain and T-storms will “shoo” during the mornings this weekend. I need to visit the salvage store again; and I especially want some kind of bars I can use for ride food. I’ll have to guard against getting more canned goods, though; and that can be hard to do! It’s especially hard when I bring the trailer; but I need that trailer when I bring a cooler. I want to look for hummus! I don’t want bad weather around Sunday morning, because I want to do a long ride. I think I’ll push for 40 miles; and I hope we get calm winds again. This past week there were several consecutive mornings of little or no wind; and oh, what a luxury that is! But there are plenty of flying insects around. Shoo, fly; don’t bother me!

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Fenders

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Fenders Fenders are much on my mind sometimes; say, when the weather turns wet. During rainy spells this equipment comes in handy; but there’s at least one thing that I have to watch out for — mud! My hybrid has fenders; and I need them, because we average 60 inches of rain per year. It’s one thing to have my road bike’s rear tire toss water up my back; but when I rode a bicycle to work, I needed to stay halfway dry. Fenders can be a problem if you run into mud. At one point, there was a lot of road work going on in my neighborhood; including the street I normally took to reach the bike path. Then one night we got some rain; and that street became an absolute quagmire! I decided to ride the hybrid to work the morning after the rain; but I didn’t even try to  ride through that street. I walked the bike; but even so, the tires picked up so much muck that the rear tire got jammed! For some reason, the rear tire’s fender fits more closely than that on the front tire; and it was very hard to pedal with all that muck on the tire. I put up with it for the ride to and from work that day; and for the next day’s ride to the supermarket. After that, I had to hose down the bicycle’s tires. Even then, there was still a clump of mud stuck under the rear fender. When I was riding to the store, it had made annoying scraping sounds; and twice it nearly jammed the tire.  Lesson learned: don’t even walk that bike through mud again! And if I ever get new fenders, I want some with a little more clearance between fender and tire. I can see why mountain bikes don’t use this particular piece of equipment. Imagine the result if a MTB tire got jammed during a highly technical descent. Disaster!

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Great Strides

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Great Stides Let your youngster make great strides towards the enjoyment of cycling! The Strider Balance Bike helps a child to learn how to balance on two wheels; and she doesn’t have to worry about pedaling. Or he can start to explore his world; and the puncture-proof tires eliminate worries about flats. Back when I was about to “graduate” from the tricycle to two wheels, I googled around for advice; and I found this. It gave me the idea to temporarily remove the pedals from my new hybrid bike; and do glide biking. No, it didn’t make me feel silly; because I made up my mind that it wouldn’t! I’m not sure you can say I made great strides; but I did get the hang of two wheels after a while.  The Strider Balance Bike has a sturdy, easy-to-maintain steel frame; and can be adjusted to a child’s growth. The handlebars are especially designed for small hands; and the Strider can be used by youngsters ages 18 months to five years. Of course, don’t forget to equip the little one with a helmet. The Joovy Noodle X-small is for kids ages 1-4; and meets CPSP standards. Comes in assorted colors; so you might not have to settle for pink! I don’t much care what color my helmet is, although a light or bright color is a good idea. I’ve never had a pink one, though!

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Outdoor Elliptical

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Outdoor Elliptical? The StreetStrider amounts to an outdoor elliptical machine! Sometimes I see someone using one of these; and it looks like a vigorous workout. I do wonder whether it’s normal to swing widely back and forth while using this outdoor elliptical machine. I’m not at all sure I have the upper body/core strength to hold a straight line on a StreetStrider! Or maybe some folks simply enjoy swinging back and forth; but it makes me a bit nervous when I need to pass them while I’m on a bicycle. Will they sway right in front of me? The StreetStrider comes with a stand that allows for indoor use during foul weather; or, you can always pull on the poncho and go out, anyway.  And don’t forget the helmet! I don’t remember noticing whether the StreetStrider riders I’ve seen were wearing head protection; but I think it would be a good idea. No sense in risking a TBI! Protective pads for knees and elbows are a good idea, too. I don’t have the space to store a StreetStrider; and for me, this piece of equipment is very expensive. From what I hear, that’s unfortunately becoming the norm for many people! The outer side of the front-center tube looks like an odd place for a water-bottle holder. Is it awkward reaching for the water bottle? Or maybe you just learn how to do it — as I learned how to handle a water bottle on the road bike’s down tube. And after nine years’ riding, there are still many times when getting that bottle back into its cage takes some doing. Another think I’ve long noticed is that it’s harder at low velocity. I guess I don’t have the gyroscopic effect then!

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Happybuy Adult Trike

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Happybuy Adult Trike A great alternative for folks who aren’t able to manage a two-wheeler. I bet this Happybuy Adult Trike can make many people very happy. Some folks who want to pedal have balance/dizziness issues; and aren’t able to manage a regular bicycle. For them, an adult tricycle can open up the world of cycling! You can choose from one or seven speeds; and if you have hills to deal with, extra gears are a great help. The same is true of persistent headwinds. The Happybuy Adult Trike has a large rear basket; and that’s great for bringing home groceries. If you want to go on pedaling expeditions, that basket can carry your supplies. My own tricycle was a single-speed. When I first got it, I didn’t expect to ride as much as I did; and additional gears didn’t occur to me. But I was hooked on riding before I made it the one mile home! Over the next two years or so I rode more and more; and eventually I had the trike fitted with a three-speed hub. I’m sure I couldn’t have gotten through my tricycle century without it! A big disadvantage to the tricycle was that I couldn’t bring it indoors. The rear wheels assembly was just a little too wide to get in through the door. In addition, that trike weighed about 55 pounds; and I have three steps up to my front door. Another thing about a tricycle: if you’ve been used to riding two wheels, remember NOT to lean a trike into a turn. The result quite likely won’t be so happy.

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