Cycling

[kenmcchord]

those reflectors don't do much when the traffic is approaching you from the front or the back...that is why most people get rid of them. I don't like reflectors in general; by the time the light hits them the car is already too close to me .

LED blink lights are the way to go if you are finding yourself in the dark.

I completely agree with broadbill. The reflectors may be good in limited situations but I would not rely on those solely to be seen. I ride the hills of west Philadelphia which are heavily traveled and quite congested. I use the blackburn flea usb front and rear lights, both set to flashing. They can almost blind you if you stare at them from a close distance, and my wife told me she could see me at dusk from about 1/2 a mile away.

There are certain investments I consider essential when biking, specifically a good quality helmet, lights and routine bike maintenance. Once those are taken care of this can be relatively cheap (okay...maybe better said affordable) hobby/exercise program.

Here's a link to those lights I mentioned.

Blackburn Flea USB front headlight

Blackburn Flea USB rear taillight

 

[Beernik]

I have a tail light on it. The rail light is bright and I like it. I can set it to flash or be solid red.

I do have a headlight, but I didn't put it on. I was thinking if I head out late enough that dark could be a problem, I'll wear a hiking headlamp under my helmet. I do need to check that I can wear it comfortably and securely that way. If I can't, I'll buy a new headlight because I don't like the one I have.

I do have some concerns with visibility from the side. There are four roads that I cross or ride that have 50 - 60mph speed limits. And since it's BFE, when traffic is light everyone drives +60mph. I suppose it would get annoying if the reflectors pop loose and start rattling. So maybe I'll look at replace the reflectors with some spoke reflector clips.

 

[Microscopist]

Just got hit on the way home - barely thankfully, bleedin' idiot pulled without looking as I was turning right. I'm grateful for the nice constable that was cycling past and intervened in the resulting argument, made sure I was ok and didn't mind the several C's and F's that I launched at the rather aggressive driver. She even walked half a mile with me whilst I calmed down, wish I'd got her badge number - they don't often get positive feedback.

 

[Beernik]

Microscopist, I'm glad you are safe. That's the main reason I stopped cycling in the late 90s. Every time I went out, I almost got hit.

I got home tonight. Found an excuse to grill so I could work on the bike in the driveway while dinner was cooking.

I wiped down the rims and breaks pads with a shop towel. I rode it around the driveway and it worked a lot better.

Then I noticed the front breaks weren't centered and caught the rim after a couple stops. So I fiddled around with them for a bit and kept testing it. I got them feeling right by the time the burgers were done.

I may not get to road test them until the weekend.

Since they are feeling good now, I think I'll skip taking it back because of the quick releases. I'll have them fix it at the next tuneup.

 

[Airplanedoc]

I picked up my front wheel from the bike shop yesterday. Last week when cleaning I noticed that the front wheel had a tick in it when rotating. Turns out that one side the bearing had 8 balls in it the other side had 10. It apparently has 10 in both sides now and fresh grease.

 

[BrewerBear]

I do have some concerns with visibility from the side. There are four roads that I cross or ride that have 50 - 60mph speed limits. And since it's BFE, when traffic is light everyone drives +60mph. I suppose it would get annoying if the reflectors pop loose and start rattling. So maybe I'll look at replace the reflectors with some spoke reflector clips.

You can also wear a reflective vest like construction workers wear.

 

[Beernik]

A few years ago I bought a bright orange shirt to wear under my construction vest when I'm doing inspections. That's the shirt I usually wear when I ride.

 

[Beernik]

Here's the pasty where everyone can say they told me so. I only replaced the front tube because the back tube still held air fine.

It blew out 1.1 miles into my ride today.

Had to do the walk of shame back home.

But this is exactly why I wanted two functioning bikes. Going to eat lunch and head out again on the mountain bike.

EDIT: set a new distance record for myself: 23.6 miles, 24.7 if you count the ride before the blowout. That also means I broke 100 miles for the year.

 

[RoadKing]

I use Tubeless rims/tires and haven't had a flat in years (I've limped home with 50lbs. in the rear tire a few times), but I still wouldn't leave without a spare tube and a way to inflate it.

 

[JonM]

Bring your front rim inside, turn the baseball game on, and practice taking the tire off, removing the tube, replacing the tube, and reseating the tire, and repeat. Grab a couple extra tubes because while practicing because (if you're like me) you'll pinch a couple and poke a couple with the levers.

 

[Beernik]

I'm packing up for a two day road trip tonight. But there is a three day weekend coming up. I'll practice taking off the old one and putting it back on before I try the new one.

I picked up a Quik Stik when I got a flat on the mountain bike a couple weeks ago. Hopefully it's not too big for a road bike tire.

 

[Jaybird]

My SWMBO and I now have a standing Wednesday date for a ride on the Sacramento River trail. There are over 60 miles of paved trail right next to the Sacramento River her in Nor Cal. Last week my 12 year old son wanted to go and we ended up doing 22 miles with him. Took a while as he has just a single speed BMX but he made it like a trooper!

We normally ride 13 -16 miles but sometimes we get a wild hair and plow through a 45-50 mile. It is 8:10 and we are headed out in 15 min so I have to go get the water and the bikes ready. Ill post up a picture of our trip later.

Cheers
Jay

 

[Jaybird]

Just getting back from a 15 mile on the trail.. Here is a picture from the River Trail Bridge of my road bike and a couple of people fishing in the background....

Cheers
Jay

 

[Beernik]

Nice.

It took me 30 minutes and a thumb nail, but I got the tire changed. The Quik Stik is awesome for the mountain bike and takes the road bike tire off okay. It's crap for putting the road bike tire back on.

 

[jhay_x7]

I used to cycle very frequently until a few years ago. I miss the feeling after doing a century ride :-(

Speaking of, the tour starts this Saturday!

 

[JonM]

Looks to be on a century course.

 

[Jaybird]

Logged 18 this morning with SWMBO...

Cheers
Jay

 

[cannman]

Good going to all of you...

I try and bike my sandy desert, but after 5 miles, I'm spent. I have dreams of MT biking the hills here, but something always happens: popped tire, big cat sighting, new brew ready to crack etc.

KEEP IT UP!

 

[Jaybird]

Ohh man.... SWMBO and I have a standing Wednesday morning cycling date. Some days its 13 some its 60. But mostly around 18-20..

LOVE IT!

Cheers
Jay

 

[Funkychef]

Cool a cycle thread! Im an xc rider but love all riding mtb and road. Getting my self ready for a 100km xc cross in a week and a half's time.


Drink more coffee and do stupid things faster

 

[Jaybird]

Cool a cycle thread! Im an xc rider but love all riding mtb and road. Getting my self ready for a 100km xc cross in a week and a half's time.


Drink more coffee and do stupid things faster

Well welcome to the cycling thread.:rockin:

What exactly is XC?


Cheers
Jay

 

[Funkychef]

cross country racing

 

[Jaybird]

cross country racing

KILLER:rockin:

Man you got to post up some picts of race day!

Cheers
Jay

 

[Funkychef]

My profile pic is from last years im the guy on the left


Drink more coffee and do stupid things faster

 

[Funkychef]

this is me 20min before start and my bike after the same 100km race last year

 

[RoadKing]

Are those Mavic SLR rims I see on your bike? I have the same ones on my Stump Jumper, They're awesome rims.
It's still road bike season sor me. It's too hot in the woods!

 

[Funkychef]

Yep! They are sweet wheels! Light and smooth and I love tubeless! Ive got a stump jumper as well but FSR its awesome for my local trails with drops, jumps and banks. But I'm looking to upgrade my HT to a 29er


Drink more coffee and do stupid things faster

 

[Beernik]

That's cool.

I got bored with the morning games: dolphins - pats and NO - Atlanta so I went out for a 17 mile ride at halftime. I get back home, dolphins and Atlanta both came back.

Figures.

 

[Funkychef]

Well I raced today! Was a good day! But slashed my tubeless on a down hill but stuffed a tube in and kept on going. Rode 2500m vertical in it


Drink more coffee and do stupid things faster

 

[passedpawn]

Remember: Rear brakes are to scrub speed. Front brakes are to stop. (But throw your @ss back over the rear tire if you have to do an emergency stop on a downhill!)

Just noticed this thread.

I was on a ride a couple of months ago and got hit in the eye by a bug. Both eyes teared up and got painful almost immediately, and I was kinda blinded. I slammed the brakes, apparently the front one caught first, and over the top I went. Lucky, no injury.

I've had some other terrific accidents. I think most bikers have some good stories.

I'm a road biker.

 

[LabRatBrewer]

Just noticed this thread.

I was on a ride a couple of months ago and got hit in the eye by a bug. Both eyes teared up and got painful almost immediately, and I was kinda blinded. I slammed the brakes, apparently the front one caught first, and over the top I went. Lucky, no injury.

I've had some other terrific accidents. I think most bikers have some good stories.

I'm a road biker.

Sunglasses or clear lenses always, like jogging at night. No solution for the bugs that fly mouthward.

 

[RoadKing]

I just bought a Yeti 29er. I thought I'd never ride one, but damn, it's fast nimble, responsive and climbs like crazy especially for a 30 lb. bike.

 

[Funkychef]

So you joined the 29er craze. Im looking at getting one next year and might convert my 26er to a single speed. My friends think they are great and very stable on the DH as well. But I need to test ride a few before I pull the trigger and also convince the wife I need another MTB


Drink more coffee and do stupid things faster

 

[Beernik]

I'm sitting here post workout, watching football on TV and snowflakes the size of quarters falling outside and I started wondering what everyone's offseason workout is.

I've been trying to motivate myself to run on my elliptical before I have to wake my daughter up for school for a while. With the two weeks I have to take off because school's out, I don't have any excuses for not getting on the machine anymore.

I set up my daughter's new Xbox on the family room TV and streamed some Doctor Who on Netflix while I did a 50 minute, 760 calorie run. I don't know the distance, I think my machine gives me a stride count and calls it "distance".

What do you do when the weather is too bad to ride? Or are you like my brother who was riding in 20mph winds on Christmas Eve before the first major snow of the season came in?

 

[KayaBrew]

I just bought a Yeti 29er. I thought I'd never ride one, but damn, it's fast nimble, responsive and climbs like crazy especially for a 30 lb. bike.

I recently sold my beloved Yeti 575 (26") for a Trek Slash 8 27.5". Loving the bigger wheels and the 6" of travel. But, like the saying goes..."Pick a wheel size, then be a dick about it...!"

 

[Funkychef]

After being locked in my kitchen for 3 months working ( super busy season ) its nice to finally get out on a much needed training ride View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1426761214.971380.jpg

 

[KayaBrew]

After being locked in my kitchen for 3 months working ( super busy season ) its nice to finally get out on a much needed training ride View attachment 264848

What ski area is there in the background?

 

[TxBrew]

I just started getting back into cycling. I had a Schwinn High Plains converted to touring but everything got so old I tore it down but never found the time to rebuild. So I ended up buying a Surly Long Haul Trucker a few months ago and been doing some base rides. Need to rekindle some friendships to find some cycling partners.

 

[JonM]

I bet one of these would go a long way toward rekindling friendships with cyclists . View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1427469293.523246.jpg

 

[Funkychef]

No ski area just mountains! Rode up a closed road up a valley till i came across an avalanche across the road then turned back.