Interesting Commutes

I've been commuting mostly on the Ti Muk 2 as pictured here of late.

My commute to the bike shop where I work hasn't changed much at all for 17 years. You'd think by now I'd have seen a lot of stuff, but really, besides seeing LeRoy from time to time, things are fairly boring. LeRoy is a guy that walks in the area of my commute everyday. I don't see him all the time, as our timing varies, but when I do, he gives me a hearty, "Hello!", and we often high-five each other, and even chat once in a while. But yeah, that is about the extent of my "excitement". That's changed dramatically this year, for whatever reason.

I guess it started last year when I saw the guy on a motorcycle blasting down a part of the paved bike path, but this year it has been pretty much non-stop weirdness. From strangers on the bike path doing unmentionable things to seeing a car on the side of the bike path just the other day with two lost people aboard. Why that car ended up there, I've no idea, but later on I saw how they exited and got back to the highway by climbing an embankment and cutting across a grassy field. Don't ask. I have no idea what was up with that.

Then my route has been disrupted as well. University Avenue in Waterloo is under construction. About a good quarter mile of my route is unrideable now so I have to detour around the mayhem of construction vehicles, piping, and other flotsam and jetsam created by the wave of construction going on. Just yesterday I had to dodge a big D9 Cat which was pulling out a stuck dump truck from a dirt hole it sank into. Several days I have had to bunny hop one foot diameter plastic pipe laying across my path which is being used as part of the new infrastructure for the new road being put in.

With all the wet weather we have had and the uncertainty of my route from day to day, the Ti Muk 2 has been pressed into commuter duty. No matter what I'm up against, the big, fat wheels can handle it. Mud, dirt, cutting across rough construction areas, or just cruising new bike path. It all is done capably and calmly on the Ti Muk 2. The new Terrene Cake Eaters roll really smoothly too.

The Rohloff drive train is pretty interesting. I have learned that thinking of this bike as having a clutch has made shifting easier. I spin the bike up, stop pedaling, shift two higher gears up, pedal, and so forth. Downshifts are similarly done and just hesitating a hair makes those shifts come easy as well. Just like pushing in a clutch on a manual shifted car. Anyway, that's how I think of it. Now I can zoom right along and shift willy-nilly whenever I want. It took a while to get the hang of it, but it works great.

At least the commuting rides have become interesting and fun. I never know what I might see, (and some of it I haven't wanted to!), plus the constant change along University Avenue is keeping me on my toes.

Interesting Commutes

I've been commuting mostly on the Ti Muk 2 as pictured here of late.

My commute to the bike shop where I work hasn't changed much at all for 17 years. You'd think by now I'd have seen a lot of stuff, but really, besides seeing LeRoy from time to time, things are fairly boring. LeRoy is a guy that walks in the area of my commute everyday. I don't see him all the time, as our timing varies, but when I do, he gives me a hearty, "Hello!", and we often high-five each other, and even chat once in a while. But yeah, that is about the extent of my "excitement". That's changed dramatically this year, for whatever reason.

I guess it started last year when I saw the guy on a motorcycle blasting down a part of the paved bike path, but this year it has been pretty much non-stop weirdness. From strangers on the bike path doing unmentionable things to seeing a car on the side of the bike path just the other day with two lost people aboard. Why that car ended up there, I've no idea, but later on I saw how they exited and got back to the highway by climbing an embankment and cutting across a grassy field. Don't ask. I have no idea what was up with that.

Then my route has been disrupted as well. University Avenue in Waterloo is under construction. About a good quarter mile of my route is unrideable now so I have to detour around the mayhem of construction vehicles, piping, and other flotsam and jetsam created by the wave of construction going on. Just yesterday I had to dodge a big D9 Cat which was pulling out a stuck dump truck from a dirt hole it sank into. Several days I have had to bunny hop one foot diameter plastic pipe laying across my path which is being used as part of the new infrastructure for the new road being put in.

With all the wet weather we have had and the uncertainty of my route from day to day, the Ti Muk 2 has been pressed into commuter duty. No matter what I'm up against, the big, fat wheels can handle it. Mud, dirt, cutting across rough construction areas, or just cruising new bike path. It all is done capably and calmly on the Ti Muk 2. The new Terrene Cake Eaters roll really smoothly too.

The Rohloff drive train is pretty interesting. I have learned that thinking of this bike as having a clutch has made shifting easier. I spin the bike up, stop pedaling, shift two higher gears up, pedal, and so forth. Downshifts are similarly done and just hesitating a hair makes those shifts come easy as well. Just like pushing in a clutch on a manual shifted car. Anyway, that's how I think of it. Now I can zoom right along and shift willy-nilly whenever I want. It took a while to get the hang of it, but it works great.

At least the commuting rides have become interesting and fun. I never know what I might see, (and some of it I haven't wanted to!), plus the constant change along University Avenue is keeping me on my toes.

10W/30 Is The Drug

Yesterday on my commute home from work, I crashed on the bicycle shown here on an icy patch going downhill at about 20mph. I'm okay, just a wee bit sore, and I knarfed the bar tape, but otherwise, everything is fine.

Why is all of the above important to this discussion? Because 95% of Americans (a) couldn't ride to work on a bicycle, (b) and even if they could, they wouldn't unless the weather was "perfect", and (c) if they did and crashed, most would give up cycling forever. (Assuming they weren't injured for life anyway.)

Why is that true? Well, all you have to do is go out to your garage, driveway, or street, peek inside a vehicle, and see that the creature comforts and opulent luxury we all can have at our disposal is head and shoulders above the suffering one must accept and become accustomed to in order to ride a bicycle. It is much more enticing and serves our sensual natures to simply give over to the siren call of the automobile. Cultural heroin, it is, and you have to be outta yer tree if you think "America" is giving up on that drug easily. No sirree!

Many years ago I was invited to go see the Swedish Royal Treasures at a museum in Minneapolis. It was the first time any of these artifacts had ever been seen outside of Sweden's borders. It was an amazing experience. I saw the actual battle mask of Gustavus Vasa, replete with notches and scars, presumably from enemy swords and spears wielded at close quarters. There was also a Royal Carriage. Now mind you, this was a country that at one time was considered one of the richest in the world, and certainly in Europe. This was no ordinary carriage.

Be that as it may, it pales in comparison to the coddling a driver gets in a modern F-150 pick-up. The King bounded down unpaved roads, or rough cobbles in a cabin not sealed against the elements, and certainly not with his own personal symphony, communication devices, and cup holders. Heck, the King had to scour the countryside for a worthy cup holder he could trust, while the F-150 has several of them. (Another job lost to "high technology", alas!)

Yes- we are rich beyond measure, and our chariots prove as much, not to mention the rest of our accouterments. Why, if your 3G phone fails you almost would think the whole world was going to crumble. Can't download that You Tube video? Feeling frustrated? Really?

I've been reading a lot about how the predicted gas price increases are going to "force people out of their cars and on to bicycles, mass transit, and other forms of alternative transportation".

Ahh................no. Not without a big, huge fight. People will throw hissy fits, asking the government to "fix" the problem, and will claim that their "rights" are being infringed upon. Just wait and see. If oil runs out, gets scarcer, or is limited in supply, America is going to whine, and if you think we're "soft" now, you ain't seen nuthin' yet. It'll get ugly before anybody takes to a bicycle by "the forces of price", as some suggest.

I mean really, how many non-cycling Americans are going to ride to work on a bicycle in 33 degree temperatures with mist, sleet, and snow blowing in their faces in late February? (Besides me) I'm betting most would rather die first, and the sad thing is, many have, and perhaps many will, just to insure our "right" to be little kings and queens addicted to 10W/30.

10W/30 Is The Drug

Yesterday on my commute home from work, I crashed on the bicycle shown here on an icy patch going downhill at about 20mph. I'm okay, just a wee bit sore, and I knarfed the bar tape, but otherwise, everything is fine.

Why is all of the above important to this discussion? Because 95% of Americans (a) couldn't ride to work on a bicycle, (b) and even if they could, they wouldn't unless the weather was "perfect", and (c) if they did and crashed, most would give up cycling forever. (Assuming they weren't injured for life anyway.)

Why is that true? Well, all you have to do is go out to your garage, driveway, or street, peek inside a vehicle, and see that the creature comforts and opulent luxury we all can have at our disposal is head and shoulders above the suffering one must accept and become accustomed to in order to ride a bicycle. It is much more enticing and serves our sensual natures to simply give over to the siren call of the automobile. Cultural heroin, it is, and you have to be outta yer tree if you think "America" is giving up on that drug easily. No sirree!

Many years ago I was invited to go see the Swedish Royal Treasures at a museum in Minneapolis. It was the first time any of these artifacts had ever been seen outside of Sweden's borders. It was an amazing experience. I saw the actual battle mask of Gustavus Vasa, replete with notches and scars, presumably from enemy swords and spears wielded at close quarters. There was also a Royal Carriage. Now mind you, this was a country that at one time was considered one of the richest in the world, and certainly in Europe. This was no ordinary carriage.

Be that as it may, it pales in comparison to the coddling a driver gets in a modern F-150 pick-up. The King bounded down unpaved roads, or rough cobbles in a cabin not sealed against the elements, and certainly not with his own personal symphony, communication devices, and cup holders. Heck, the King had to scour the countryside for a worthy cup holder he could trust, while the F-150 has several of them. (Another job lost to "high technology", alas!)

Yes- we are rich beyond measure, and our chariots prove as much, not to mention the rest of our accouterments. Why, if your 3G phone fails you almost would think the whole world was going to crumble. Can't download that You Tube video? Feeling frustrated? Really?

I've been reading a lot about how the predicted gas price increases are going to "force people out of their cars and on to bicycles, mass transit, and other forms of alternative transportation".

Ahh................no. Not without a big, huge fight. People will throw hissy fits, asking the government to "fix" the problem, and will claim that their "rights" are being infringed upon. Just wait and see. If oil runs out, gets scarcer, or is limited in supply, America is going to whine, and if you think we're "soft" now, you ain't seen nuthin' yet. It'll get ugly before anybody takes to a bicycle by "the forces of price", as some suggest.

I mean really, how many non-cycling Americans are going to ride to work on a bicycle in 33 degree temperatures with mist, sleet, and snow blowing in their faces in late February? (Besides me) I'm betting most would rather die first, and the sad thing is, many have, and perhaps many will, just to insure our "right" to be little kings and queens addicted to 10W/30.

Winter Blahs

<====Notice the rack? It's a hint as to what is coming in the spring....

Okay, the monkey is off my back now. I actually rode in 2009. Yes........it took five days to get that done! Circumstances being what they were, it was actually my first chance to ride, and I wasn't going to pass it up, not even due to ice.

Yes, our area is covered in a thin sheet of ice, although it is receding somewhat. I did get slammed yesterday in an alley coming to work. Boy! Do I feel it this morning, Can you say "stiff"?

The Fargo has a rack now, which is a portent of things to come. I am slowly getting that plan together. More on that stuff later though.....

I see gas prices are creeping back up towards $2.00 a gallon. We didn't think it would stay cheap forever, did we? At least I didn't think it would stay there. It makes me wonder, with all of this economic turmoil, what we will see in terms of cycling for 2009. Here's a couple things I think might happen......

#1: Less attendance at races. Let's face it, a lot of people are going to "pull in their horns" this year. Cutting expenses where they can will mean less attendance at races all across America. Gas prices will have an effect here too.

#2: Less schwag in the bag: I fore see less of the goodies in race packets due to marketing budgets getting hacked. I also wonder about beer. (Yes.....I really do!) Beer gets tossed around a bit at events I go to. Less free beer and less premium brews will be seen in 2009 at events is my prediction. It'll be more like, "That'll be $2.50 for the PBR sir."

#3: More fixing up old bikes, less buying new ones: Along with the reduced spending, I see bicycle sales taking a hit too. I don't think repairs will suffer though. I think that will still be at a high level, just as it has been for the past couple of years. Repairs will be one of very few bright spots for bicycle shops this year, I think.

So those are a few things I see as distinct possibilities for '09. Well, that and Lance getting spanked on the roads of Italy this spring. I think his comeuppance is due.

You see, these are the things I think of if I don't get to ride! I suppose I need to move to Lincoln Nebraska. People are losing their technology and riding all the time. Sounds like Paradise to me!

Winter Blahs

<====Notice the rack? It's a hint as to what is coming in the spring....

Okay, the monkey is off my back now. I actually rode in 2009. Yes........it took five days to get that done! Circumstances being what they were, it was actually my first chance to ride, and I wasn't going to pass it up, not even due to ice.

Yes, our area is covered in a thin sheet of ice, although it is receding somewhat. I did get slammed yesterday in an alley coming to work. Boy! Do I feel it this morning, Can you say "stiff"?

The Fargo has a rack now, which is a portent of things to come. I am slowly getting that plan together. More on that stuff later though.....

I see gas prices are creeping back up towards $2.00 a gallon. We didn't think it would stay cheap forever, did we? At least I didn't think it would stay there. It makes me wonder, with all of this economic turmoil, what we will see in terms of cycling for 2009. Here's a couple things I think might happen......

#1: Less attendance at races. Let's face it, a lot of people are going to "pull in their horns" this year. Cutting expenses where they can will mean less attendance at races all across America. Gas prices will have an effect here too.

#2: Less schwag in the bag: I fore see less of the goodies in race packets due to marketing budgets getting hacked. I also wonder about beer. (Yes.....I really do!) Beer gets tossed around a bit at events I go to. Less free beer and less premium brews will be seen in 2009 at events is my prediction. It'll be more like, "That'll be $2.50 for the PBR sir."

#3: More fixing up old bikes, less buying new ones: Along with the reduced spending, I see bicycle sales taking a hit too. I don't think repairs will suffer though. I think that will still be at a high level, just as it has been for the past couple of years. Repairs will be one of very few bright spots for bicycle shops this year, I think.

So those are a few things I see as distinct possibilities for '09. Well, that and Lance getting spanked on the roads of Italy this spring. I think his comeuppance is due.

You see, these are the things I think of if I don't get to ride! I suppose I need to move to Lincoln Nebraska. People are losing their technology and riding all the time. Sounds like Paradise to me!

I'm Not Going To Do It! Ya Can't Make Me!

Well, as many of the cyclists wake up this morning across the United States, they are going to find weather that is unfit for man and beast. Wind chill is what gets to me. I nearly froze to death as a child and once did something insanely stupid involving alcohol, New Years Eve, and 8 inches of snow that caused me to get a frostbitten left ear. So, I hesitate to jump outside and commute to work when other more intrepid cyclists might try to beat the weather. Not that I haven't done that, it just has to be in the right conditions.

At my age, and with my experiences, I pick and choose my battles. I've paid my dues and I don't have anything to prove. Riding to work in negative 30 degree below zero windchill is not a battle I wish to engage. Nope. Not gonna do it.

So today that danged "Dirty Blue Box" had better start up and I will drive that thing into work without any shame. I'm not going to feel guilty. Ya can't make me! Besides it's Mrs. Guitar Ted's birthday, and I have to buy her a card, and then I'm taking her out to dinner. (Shhh! Don't tell her, she doesn't read this and she doesn't know about it yet!)

If you decide to take on the challenge of riding to work in this stuff, more power to you. Be careful, and be safe! I'm not sure you are wise, but am sure you are cycling, so that can't be all bad. I guess......even though it is brutally cold out there.

Here's hoping for a warmer tomorrow!

I'm Not Going To Do It! Ya Can't Make Me!

Well, as many of the cyclists wake up this morning across the United States, they are going to find weather that is unfit for man and beast. Wind chill is what gets to me. I nearly froze to death as a child and once did something insanely stupid involving alcohol, New Years Eve, and 8 inches of snow that caused me to get a frostbitten left ear. So, I hesitate to jump outside and commute to work when other more intrepid cyclists might try to beat the weather. Not that I haven't done that, it just has to be in the right conditions.

At my age, and with my experiences, I pick and choose my battles. I've paid my dues and I don't have anything to prove. Riding to work in negative 30 degree below zero windchill is not a battle I wish to engage. Nope. Not gonna do it.

So today that danged "Dirty Blue Box" had better start up and I will drive that thing into work without any shame. I'm not going to feel guilty. Ya can't make me! Besides it's Mrs. Guitar Ted's birthday, and I have to buy her a card, and then I'm taking her out to dinner. (Shhh! Don't tell her, she doesn't read this and she doesn't know about it yet!)

If you decide to take on the challenge of riding to work in this stuff, more power to you. Be careful, and be safe! I'm not sure you are wise, but am sure you are cycling, so that can't be all bad. I guess......even though it is brutally cold out there.

Here's hoping for a warmer tomorrow!

Snow Commuter Fun

<==The View: Lots of blindingly white terrain on the commute lately. This is just outside the back door of the shop.

The commute to work has been totally transformed of late. The weekend ice got rained on, then snowed on effectively laying down a crust so strong and tacky that it's like running your bike on a nicely groomed trail. Well........it's almost like that!

There still are the streets, the parking lots, and the patches of open glare ice that are a bit sketchy. I just aired down the tires and went for it. I really, really try to avoid the studded tires at all costs because they roll so terribly slow. I just can not bring my self to mount those pigs up.

Notice the light. It is the Blackburn Voyager 4. Gotta have it on now after work if it is overcast. It gets really dark at 4:00pm now if the sun is obscured from view.




<== The analog air temperature reading device on board the Pofahl single speed reading a sub 20 degree temperature.

Yes, the commutes have been chilly of late too. This is waaaaay too early for the really cold stuff to come. We get close to 30 degrees in the afternoons, so at least the ride home is better.

I just hope it either stays this cold or that it warms up enough to melt this crap off. In between will ruin the nice crust and make the ride even slower. I can traverse the snow plowed piles right now as if I'm going up over rocks. This is very unusual since your generally have to dismount and walk over that type of frozen snow. It usually is the consistency of thick mud. Not ride able. I like it this way far better!





<===The "melt area" inside the shop where we leave our commuters to shed the days grime, grit, and frozen crap.

The tires I'm riding now are perfect for the conditions. The Schwalbe Racing Ralph is so compliant that it follows irregularities in the icy surface like foot prints and ruts giving me Velcro like traction in the rear. Up front the proven WTB WeirWolf LT is very grippy too. The casing is a bit stiffer though. The Ralph is bouncy and a bit squirmy at 25psi. I think off road low pressure for this tire and my weight is going to be closer to 30psi. In contrast I can comfortably run a WeirWolf at the low 20's in the rear and slightly below 20 psi in front. After riding this Ralph I wouldn't dream of going lower in back and I think 25psi front will be the bottom end for this tire off road.

It'll be awhile before that happens though. It looks as if more snow is coming, so off road riding will probably be replaced by XC skiing, if the predictions com true for us. We'll see. For now I'll have one more day of fun snow commuting at least. I better enjoy it!

Snow Commuter Fun

<==The View: Lots of blindingly white terrain on the commute lately. This is just outside the back door of the shop.

The commute to work has been totally transformed of late. The weekend ice got rained on, then snowed on effectively laying down a crust so strong and tacky that it's like running your bike on a nicely groomed trail. Well........it's almost like that!

There still are the streets, the parking lots, and the patches of open glare ice that are a bit sketchy. I just aired down the tires and went for it. I really, really try to avoid the studded tires at all costs because they roll so terribly slow. I just can not bring my self to mount those pigs up.

Notice the light. It is the Blackburn Voyager 4. Gotta have it on now after work if it is overcast. It gets really dark at 4:00pm now if the sun is obscured from view.




<== The analog air temperature reading device on board the Pofahl single speed reading a sub 20 degree temperature.

Yes, the commutes have been chilly of late too. This is waaaaay too early for the really cold stuff to come. We get close to 30 degrees in the afternoons, so at least the ride home is better.

I just hope it either stays this cold or that it warms up enough to melt this crap off. In between will ruin the nice crust and make the ride even slower. I can traverse the snow plowed piles right now as if I'm going up over rocks. This is very unusual since your generally have to dismount and walk over that type of frozen snow. It usually is the consistency of thick mud. Not ride able. I like it this way far better!





<===The "melt area" inside the shop where we leave our commuters to shed the days grime, grit, and frozen crap.

The tires I'm riding now are perfect for the conditions. The Schwalbe Racing Ralph is so compliant that it follows irregularities in the icy surface like foot prints and ruts giving me Velcro like traction in the rear. Up front the proven WTB WeirWolf LT is very grippy too. The casing is a bit stiffer though. The Ralph is bouncy and a bit squirmy at 25psi. I think off road low pressure for this tire and my weight is going to be closer to 30psi. In contrast I can comfortably run a WeirWolf at the low 20's in the rear and slightly below 20 psi in front. After riding this Ralph I wouldn't dream of going lower in back and I think 25psi front will be the bottom end for this tire off road.

It'll be awhile before that happens though. It looks as if more snow is coming, so off road riding will probably be replaced by XC skiing, if the predictions com true for us. We'll see. For now I'll have one more day of fun snow commuting at least. I better enjoy it!

The Winter Commuter: 29"er Style

<==The '03 Karate Monkey pulls through it's fourth winter of duty.

This is my winter commuter, well.....actually it was my do everything bike! Now it's primary funtion will be winter commuting. Anyway, I have to get on the stick here and fix her up because the snow is on the way and the Monkey is in pieces.

Four winters and I thought, "Ya know, I probably should tear into this and take a look at how things are going." Well, it was about time, I'll tell ya that much! The bottom bracket is still seized up in the frame. No worries really. It's a UN-53 cartridge style BB and is smooth and knock free yet. However; I'd still like to break it free! The Cooks Brothers cranks need a new chainwheel, and that hidden chainring bolt is giving me fits. I'll have to take the spider off, but......you guessed it...the spider fixing bolt is stuck! Well, I've got a plan for that. I just have not gotten around to it yet.

So, a tear down, inspect the insides of the tubes on the frame, new headset, new cogs, and a new chain. Oh yeah! Did I mention that I robbed the brakes off of this for another project. No? Umm.......yeah........I'll be needing those too! Anyway, They will be disc units. Also, the Paul Word hubs/Alex TD-17 wheelset went to Captain Bob for a single speed project he has going on. I gave them to him since the bearings were feeling less than smooth in the hubs.



<==The "Chocolate Chip" wheel set

These are what I'm replacing the old wheel set with. Surly "Jim Brown" hubs laced to a custom powder coated Velocity Deep V pair of rims. The Deep V rims shouldn't collect a ton of snow in deeper drifts and I can run skinnys or fatties on them. 45mm studded tires or 2.1"s for slop. I'll still be going single speed, obviously.

I'll still have the drop bar set up too. Can't get away from my years of tweaking my posistion on this bike! I might even get a rack for the back of this one too. It would be nice to ditch the bags on my back everyday for a change. That's about it for the set up. Now I just have to get it completed!

I just realized that with these wheels and the Karate Monkey's Campstove Green paint it will sort of look like woodland camo. Hmm...........maybe I'll have to play off of that a bit with my components and accesories.

I'll be posting pictures of the completed rig hopefully soon. It's up on the front burner now!

The Winter Commuter: 29"er Style

<==The '03 Karate Monkey pulls through it's fourth winter of duty.

This is my winter commuter, well.....actually it was my do everything bike! Now it's primary funtion will be winter commuting. Anyway, I have to get on the stick here and fix her up because the snow is on the way and the Monkey is in pieces.

Four winters and I thought, "Ya know, I probably should tear into this and take a look at how things are going." Well, it was about time, I'll tell ya that much! The bottom bracket is still seized up in the frame. No worries really. It's a UN-53 cartridge style BB and is smooth and knock free yet. However; I'd still like to break it free! The Cooks Brothers cranks need a new chainwheel, and that hidden chainring bolt is giving me fits. I'll have to take the spider off, but......you guessed it...the spider fixing bolt is stuck! Well, I've got a plan for that. I just have not gotten around to it yet.

So, a tear down, inspect the insides of the tubes on the frame, new headset, new cogs, and a new chain. Oh yeah! Did I mention that I robbed the brakes off of this for another project. No? Umm.......yeah........I'll be needing those too! Anyway, They will be disc units. Also, the Paul Word hubs/Alex TD-17 wheelset went to Captain Bob for a single speed project he has going on. I gave them to him since the bearings were feeling less than smooth in the hubs.



<==The "Chocolate Chip" wheel set

These are what I'm replacing the old wheel set with. Surly "Jim Brown" hubs laced to a custom powder coated Velocity Deep V pair of rims. The Deep V rims shouldn't collect a ton of snow in deeper drifts and I can run skinnys or fatties on them. 45mm studded tires or 2.1"s for slop. I'll still be going single speed, obviously.

I'll still have the drop bar set up too. Can't get away from my years of tweaking my posistion on this bike! I might even get a rack for the back of this one too. It would be nice to ditch the bags on my back everyday for a change. That's about it for the set up. Now I just have to get it completed!

I just realized that with these wheels and the Karate Monkey's Campstove Green paint it will sort of look like woodland camo. Hmm...........maybe I'll have to play off of that a bit with my components and accesories.

I'll be posting pictures of the completed rig hopefully soon. It's up on the front burner now!

Commuter Bikes: They've Got It All Wrong! Part III

Note: This has turned into a bit of a series! Today I will tie things up with my take on exactly how the "Cycling Industry" has got it wrong philosophically concerning "commuter/urban" cycling. Thanks for reading!

The "standard" equipment for these "commuter/urban" bikes being proffered by the industry of late seems to be of high quality and (unfortunately) high price. I have stated in my previous two posts how the price of entry for someone looking to start a cycling lifestyle as a "utilitarian user" of a bicycle is a negative. Why is there a seeming disconnect here? I think it's a rather simple situation and easy to understand if we look outside of cycling.

Generally speaking, if one wants to start an activity in the recreational/sports categories one starts by "testing the waters". For example: If you were to start fishing, and never have fished a day in your life, you most likely will get a "starter set" that provides you with all the necessary gear at a low price for entry. Now mind you, this is typically gear that a "serious" fisherman wouldn't be caught dead with. However; I think we can all agree that first time fishers are not going to buy a $300.00 reel, $200.00 pole, a fish finder, a boat, etc.... No, they are going to spend enough to get started, maybe a $100.00 total, get a license and drop their line in the local watering hole. This is where a lot of "fisherman" are made, from casual users that get "hooked" on the activity. (Sorry for the pun!) The same is true for golf, tennis, and several other sports. Sure, we all know that getting better equipment enhances your first time experience, but the high price of "real equipment" doesn't stop these segments from gaining new users. The cheaper, entry level stuff along with a healthy dose of encouragement/excitement help turn users into serious enthusiasts. Of course, a lot of folks don't ever get beyond the entry level stages, but at least there is an entry point that doesn't require a huge cash out lay to try things out.

An example of the opposite situation is skiing, where equipment costs have kept new users in the rentals, (which have been upgraded to pro level stuff, so why buy anyway?) and access to the slopes has been getting more expensive as well. If it weren't for rental equipment, I'd wager the ski industry would be far, far smaller than it is today due to the high cost of entry into the sport.

So, while conventional cycling industry wisdom is to get these folks on commuter bikes that are of high quality with parts that will be reliable and work, reality is that the price for entry is way too high to attain this. So, is the cycling industry prepared to provide rentals and live off of high end commuter sales, or is there another way? I say that there is another, better way.

In my experience the new user of a bicycle has a couple of common traits that should tip off the industry to where to go with utilitarian bikes. First of all, most folks don't know what to do with derailleur drive trains. They are confusing and seem unnecessary to a new user. A lot of folks are looking for simplicity. This is where the Shimano Coasting idea is right, but the price is still too high, and the design is too user unfriendly. Unfriendly? Yes, I dare you to hand a Coasting bike to a new user and have them remove a wheel in less than an hour. Really, it's not intuitive or simple and that defeats the purpose in my mind. I know, I own a Coasting bike, and even I think it's a bit wonky.

Which leads me to point #2: People are afraid of flats. New users have no idea what to do when it comes to flats, and lets be honest, nothing ruins a buzz on your ride like an untimely flat. New users that are putting a bicycle to utilitarian uses can ill afford a flat at anytime. So, a system of foam filled tires, or something similar would take that complaint right out of the conversation. While "cyclists" will scoff at such heresy, new users will see it as a benefit. Heavy tires/wheels as a benefit? Yes. The industry needs to look into a cheap way to do this for new users. Until they become cyclists and want something better, (lighter/easier to pedal), utility and practicality where they are at in life is paramount.

Which leads me to point #3: New users of bicycles are not as afraid of "work" as you might think. I have noticed on several occasions where new users of bikes will buy a derailleur equipped rig, put it in a gear, (Usually, but not exclusively the highest/hardest gear) and ride it till the cows come home. I have seen on several occasions where people who actually enjoy "cycling" and call themselves "cyclists" are going at a sub 50 cadence down the bike path. Typical cycling wisdom would say these people need education and are using bicycles in a manner that is on the other side of "right". Well, I say at least they are using a bike! If we could just get out of our own way and realize that new users are just fine with single speed coaster brakes, we might just see an increase in users and eventually cyclists. A single speed utility bicycle with a simple coaster brake, high tensile steel frame that is strong, cheap, and heavy, and can do some work because it's outfitted with a rack and a kickstand would be the ticket. Never mind that it might weigh 40lbs, or be geared too high. Folks that are new users will just think they are getting a good work out. Really.

In conclusion: If the cycling industry wants to get people on board with using a bicycle as a daily "tool", then it needs to provide an easy, cheap point of entry, not unlike other sporting goods segments do. It needs to create a pool of "users" of bicycles which can grow into "cyclists", or enthusiasts later. Trying to jump a new user from zero to cycling enthusiast in one leap is not really working. Users first- cyclists second.

Commuter Bikes: They've Got It All Wrong! Part III

Note: This has turned into a bit of a series! Today I will tie things up with my take on exactly how the "Cycling Industry" has got it wrong philosophically concerning "commuter/urban" cycling. Thanks for reading!

The "standard" equipment for these "commuter/urban" bikes being proffered by the industry of late seems to be of high quality and (unfortunately) high price. I have stated in my previous two posts how the price of entry for someone looking to start a cycling lifestyle as a "utilitarian user" of a bicycle is a negative. Why is there a seeming disconnect here? I think it's a rather simple situation and easy to understand if we look outside of cycling.

Generally speaking, if one wants to start an activity in the recreational/sports categories one starts by "testing the waters". For example: If you were to start fishing, and never have fished a day in your life, you most likely will get a "starter set" that provides you with all the necessary gear at a low price for entry. Now mind you, this is typically gear that a "serious" fisherman wouldn't be caught dead with. However; I think we can all agree that first time fishers are not going to buy a $300.00 reel, $200.00 pole, a fish finder, a boat, etc.... No, they are going to spend enough to get started, maybe a $100.00 total, get a license and drop their line in the local watering hole. This is where a lot of "fisherman" are made, from casual users that get "hooked" on the activity. (Sorry for the pun!) The same is true for golf, tennis, and several other sports. Sure, we all know that getting better equipment enhances your first time experience, but the high price of "real equipment" doesn't stop these segments from gaining new users. The cheaper, entry level stuff along with a healthy dose of encouragement/excitement help turn users into serious enthusiasts. Of course, a lot of folks don't ever get beyond the entry level stages, but at least there is an entry point that doesn't require a huge cash out lay to try things out.

An example of the opposite situation is skiing, where equipment costs have kept new users in the rentals, (which have been upgraded to pro level stuff, so why buy anyway?) and access to the slopes has been getting more expensive as well. If it weren't for rental equipment, I'd wager the ski industry would be far, far smaller than it is today due to the high cost of entry into the sport.

So, while conventional cycling industry wisdom is to get these folks on commuter bikes that are of high quality with parts that will be reliable and work, reality is that the price for entry is way too high to attain this. So, is the cycling industry prepared to provide rentals and live off of high end commuter sales, or is there another way? I say that there is another, better way.

In my experience the new user of a bicycle has a couple of common traits that should tip off the industry to where to go with utilitarian bikes. First of all, most folks don't know what to do with derailleur drive trains. They are confusing and seem unnecessary to a new user. A lot of folks are looking for simplicity. This is where the Shimano Coasting idea is right, but the price is still too high, and the design is too user unfriendly. Unfriendly? Yes, I dare you to hand a Coasting bike to a new user and have them remove a wheel in less than an hour. Really, it's not intuitive or simple and that defeats the purpose in my mind. I know, I own a Coasting bike, and even I think it's a bit wonky.

Which leads me to point #2: People are afraid of flats. New users have no idea what to do when it comes to flats, and lets be honest, nothing ruins a buzz on your ride like an untimely flat. New users that are putting a bicycle to utilitarian uses can ill afford a flat at anytime. So, a system of foam filled tires, or something similar would take that complaint right out of the conversation. While "cyclists" will scoff at such heresy, new users will see it as a benefit. Heavy tires/wheels as a benefit? Yes. The industry needs to look into a cheap way to do this for new users. Until they become cyclists and want something better, (lighter/easier to pedal), utility and practicality where they are at in life is paramount.

Which leads me to point #3: New users of bicycles are not as afraid of "work" as you might think. I have noticed on several occasions where new users of bikes will buy a derailleur equipped rig, put it in a gear, (Usually, but not exclusively the highest/hardest gear) and ride it till the cows come home. I have seen on several occasions where people who actually enjoy "cycling" and call themselves "cyclists" are going at a sub 50 cadence down the bike path. Typical cycling wisdom would say these people need education and are using bicycles in a manner that is on the other side of "right". Well, I say at least they are using a bike! If we could just get out of our own way and realize that new users are just fine with single speed coaster brakes, we might just see an increase in users and eventually cyclists. A single speed utility bicycle with a simple coaster brake, high tensile steel frame that is strong, cheap, and heavy, and can do some work because it's outfitted with a rack and a kickstand would be the ticket. Never mind that it might weigh 40lbs, or be geared too high. Folks that are new users will just think they are getting a good work out. Really.

In conclusion: If the cycling industry wants to get people on board with using a bicycle as a daily "tool", then it needs to provide an easy, cheap point of entry, not unlike other sporting goods segments do. It needs to create a pool of "users" of bicycles which can grow into "cyclists", or enthusiasts later. Trying to jump a new user from zero to cycling enthusiast in one leap is not really working. Users first- cyclists second.

Commuter Bikes: They've Got It All Wrong! Part II

I had an interesting comment left from yesterday's post that I had a reply to and found out my comment wouldn't upload to my own blog! Well.............anyway, I figured I'd just turn it into a regular post. So here you go. The first bit is an excerpt from the comment that I wanted to respond to. My response will follow.

"No matter how bikes are marketed, sooner or later people come to the realization that it's sometimes WORK to ride them. Wind in your face, rear-end is gonna initially hurt, trial and error equipment preference 'til you sort it all out, legs are going to feel like rubber-bands, you're gonna show up where you need to go sweaty, it just might take you longer to get there, might get lost on the way trying to figure out a good route... but oh so gratifying cause you did it on your own and you did it.

The best commuter is comfortable, ugly, preferably inexpensive, something you don't really care ALL that much about, and is reliable. When riding your ugly but trusty bike, there will be days when commuting might just suck. Hmmm... how would you go about marketing that? "
ken y

First of all, "ken" goes into the physical complaints that a new user might have in regards to riding a bike for utilitarian purposes. Well, I would submit that a very large percentage of "cyclists" go through this ritual every spring. Pain in getting back into "cycling shape" is common, and most of the customers frequenting the shop I work at go through it. Every year. So yeah, there is that physical barrier to cycling that a lot of us that have tried the sport know about. The thing is, we're talking about folks that have not ridden bicycles for a long, long time. That's the point behind the Coasting idea. That's the people Shimano is supposedly trying to market to, and that's the market they are missing, as I pointed out yesterday.

These people haven't got a clue as to what will or won't hurt. They are all still in their cars. Yes, they would find out that there is a physical price to pay for riding, but if the payoff is good, the pain will be worth it. Even "ken" alludes to some of this when he writes "... but oh so gratifying cause you did it on your own and you did it." The sense of autonomy and practicality have to be seen in the activity for most to deem the physical part worth it as a utilitarian form of transport. That and the rising price of gas will no doubt start to motivate more and more to consider a bicycle.

However; my point yesterday was that the bicycle we have to offer is aimed at what "cyclists" deem necessary and not what new users feel they need, or are comfortable with. The Coasting bikes are close, particularly Raleigh's offering, but still way too expensive and too complex. (Fix the wheel attachment situation, for one thing) The bike needs to be like a wrench, hammer, or screwdriver: nothing flashy, complex, or task specific, just a tool that's easy to use and own. This is also something that "ken" touches on in his comment that I agree with.

Now as for the marketing of this: well let's just say that it could be done. It has to be done in a very different way than we see in cycling today though. What I see is cyclists preaching to cyclists. We don't need that sort of inbred marketing strategy. We need to talk to the guy in the Hummer, the gal that uses her car to drive down the street to pick up a pack of smokes, and to the kids behind the gaming consoles. We need to find a way to make riding a bike make sense to them from a utilitarian standpoint, not a cycling one. Make users first, the cyclists will happen later. That's my take.

Blog News: Here's a couple of new sites that I found really interesting from a cycling and personal standpoint. First up we have a couple of guys challenging themselves to go "car free" in the month of November. The site is still under construction, but this could be cool.......really cool! (It will happen in the month of November in Michigan and Iowa, for crying out loud!)

Secondly, there is a new bike shop being "born" here in the Mid-West. Take a look to see what a fellow big wheeled nut has up his sleeve here and follow the progress.

Commuter Bikes: They've Got It All Wrong! Part II

I had an interesting comment left from yesterday's post that I had a reply to and found out my comment wouldn't upload to my own blog! Well.............anyway, I figured I'd just turn it into a regular post. So here you go. The first bit is an excerpt from the comment that I wanted to respond to. My response will follow.

"No matter how bikes are marketed, sooner or later people come to the realization that it's sometimes WORK to ride them. Wind in your face, rear-end is gonna initially hurt, trial and error equipment preference 'til you sort it all out, legs are going to feel like rubber-bands, you're gonna show up where you need to go sweaty, it just might take you longer to get there, might get lost on the way trying to figure out a good route... but oh so gratifying cause you did it on your own and you did it.

The best commuter is comfortable, ugly, preferably inexpensive, something you don't really care ALL that much about, and is reliable. When riding your ugly but trusty bike, there will be days when commuting might just suck. Hmmm... how would you go about marketing that? "
ken y

First of all, "ken" goes into the physical complaints that a new user might have in regards to riding a bike for utilitarian purposes. Well, I would submit that a very large percentage of "cyclists" go through this ritual every spring. Pain in getting back into "cycling shape" is common, and most of the customers frequenting the shop I work at go through it. Every year. So yeah, there is that physical barrier to cycling that a lot of us that have tried the sport know about. The thing is, we're talking about folks that have not ridden bicycles for a long, long time. That's the point behind the Coasting idea. That's the people Shimano is supposedly trying to market to, and that's the market they are missing, as I pointed out yesterday.

These people haven't got a clue as to what will or won't hurt. They are all still in their cars. Yes, they would find out that there is a physical price to pay for riding, but if the payoff is good, the pain will be worth it. Even "ken" alludes to some of this when he writes "... but oh so gratifying cause you did it on your own and you did it." The sense of autonomy and practicality have to be seen in the activity for most to deem the physical part worth it as a utilitarian form of transport. That and the rising price of gas will no doubt start to motivate more and more to consider a bicycle.

However; my point yesterday was that the bicycle we have to offer is aimed at what "cyclists" deem necessary and not what new users feel they need, or are comfortable with. The Coasting bikes are close, particularly Raleigh's offering, but still way too expensive and too complex. (Fix the wheel attachment situation, for one thing) The bike needs to be like a wrench, hammer, or screwdriver: nothing flashy, complex, or task specific, just a tool that's easy to use and own. This is also something that "ken" touches on in his comment that I agree with.

Now as for the marketing of this: well let's just say that it could be done. It has to be done in a very different way than we see in cycling today though. What I see is cyclists preaching to cyclists. We don't need that sort of inbred marketing strategy. We need to talk to the guy in the Hummer, the gal that uses her car to drive down the street to pick up a pack of smokes, and to the kids behind the gaming consoles. We need to find a way to make riding a bike make sense to them from a utilitarian standpoint, not a cycling one. Make users first, the cyclists will happen later. That's my take.

Blog News: Here's a couple of new sites that I found really interesting from a cycling and personal standpoint. First up we have a couple of guys challenging themselves to go "car free" in the month of November. The site is still under construction, but this could be cool.......really cool! (It will happen in the month of November in Michigan and Iowa, for crying out loud!)

Secondly, there is a new bike shop being "born" here in the Mid-West. Take a look to see what a fellow big wheeled nut has up his sleeve here and follow the progress.

My Commute In Pictures: Part II

Last time we left off with my crossing Fletcher Avenue on Falls. Right after that intersection I pass a long time Waterloo resturaunt icon in Steamboat Gardens. Finest greasy cheeseburgers anywhere! Okay, focus....focus.....










On up Falls Avenue to my next major intersection at Ansborough. There's a gas station there on the right. 1st motivation for commuting in the morning! Also worth noting is that the final block approaching this intersection is slightly downhill. The last downhill since I crossed the Black Hawk creek bridge. Most of this commute is uphill to the West/Northwest. Funny thing is that we get West/Northwest winds all Fall/Winter/Spring too. Combined with the nearly all uphill profile of this commute it gives me quite the workout somedays. Like Friday when the winds were out of the West at 25-35mph!




Once I get past Ansborough, it's all uphill to University Avenue which is a very busy six lane affair. Fortunately the City saw fit to put in a walkway here that I can use to get up this hill. I call it "Water Tower Hill" because it's got a municipal water tower at the top. It's also the toughest part of my commute.









Things finally level off here at this gas station where I cut through the parking lot to a frontage road running parallel to University. Second motivation for commuting here! I get a kick out of the reactions from folks filling their tanks as I go gliding by. Still slightly uphill through here.










The frontage road dead ends just before the overpass of Green Hill Road. Again, it's fortunate that the City/State saw to it to include walkways over the bridge. University Avenue used to be Highway 218 after Falls Avenue was abandoned as the highway. Now 218 runs a different route and this is actually still a state highway. It's one of the rare unmarked routes, but I happen to know it's State Highway 934. Now you know too!


That's it for part two of My Commute. Stay tuned for Part III coming up yet this afternoon where I will detail out the last section of riding down University Avenues side paths and the final run up to my workplace.

My Commute In Pictures: Part II

Last time we left off with my crossing Fletcher Avenue on Falls. Right after that intersection I pass a long time Waterloo resturaunt icon in Steamboat Gardens. Finest greasy cheeseburgers anywhere! Okay, focus....focus.....










On up Falls Avenue to my next major intersection at Ansborough. There's a gas station there on the right. 1st motivation for commuting in the morning! Also worth noting is that the final block approaching this intersection is slightly downhill. The last downhill since I crossed the Black Hawk creek bridge. Most of this commute is uphill to the West/Northwest. Funny thing is that we get West/Northwest winds all Fall/Winter/Spring too. Combined with the nearly all uphill profile of this commute it gives me quite the workout somedays. Like Friday when the winds were out of the West at 25-35mph!




Once I get past Ansborough, it's all uphill to University Avenue which is a very busy six lane affair. Fortunately the City saw fit to put in a walkway here that I can use to get up this hill. I call it "Water Tower Hill" because it's got a municipal water tower at the top. It's also the toughest part of my commute.









Things finally level off here at this gas station where I cut through the parking lot to a frontage road running parallel to University. Second motivation for commuting here! I get a kick out of the reactions from folks filling their tanks as I go gliding by. Still slightly uphill through here.










The frontage road dead ends just before the overpass of Green Hill Road. Again, it's fortunate that the City/State saw to it to include walkways over the bridge. University Avenue used to be Highway 218 after Falls Avenue was abandoned as the highway. Now 218 runs a different route and this is actually still a state highway. It's one of the rare unmarked routes, but I happen to know it's State Highway 934. Now you know too!


That's it for part two of My Commute. Stay tuned for Part III coming up yet this afternoon where I will detail out the last section of riding down University Avenues side paths and the final run up to my workplace.

My Commute In Pictures: Part I

I got this idea from Endurosnob, but I tweaked it a bit. Hope you enjoy it.

My commute starts out with a four block long walk with my daughter to school. She likes to help push my bike.











After dropping her off, I back track those four blocks and head up Baltimore to it's dead end at a cemetery where I head left for a short jaunt to an alley for a block, get dumped out on another street and go left, and right down in front of some row houses. Another left/right turn combination finds me at a dead end. Straight ahead there is a 7 foot high embankment to the edge of HWY 63. I cross the four lane road and end up......





Here! On the other side of the road, I head left and down across this grassy field towards that overpass you see here. If your monitor is good, you will make out the path in the grass I've beat down over the last five years. That path drops down another 6ft embankment and dumps me out on the Sargent Road bike path. I go under that overpass, hang a sharp left on the bike path to.........







...this view. There used to be a casket company in this meadow. Now it's full of wild flowers and tall grass prairie. There still are flowers in bloom yet in mid-October, which is really cool. I see lots of birds here, including a Red Tailed Hawk that claims this area as it's territory. To the right there is a very steep 20-30ft high embankment to the Avenue of the Saints highway.







The bike path eventually turns right here, but I go straight from this dead end of Falls Avenue. Falls used to be Highway 218 from Cedar Falls to Waterloo back sixty years ago. Now it's a little used dead end spur at it's Eastern terminus. Up ahead is a bridge across the Black Hawk Creek, another cemetery on the right, and finally an intersection with a major city street, Fletcher Avenue, which used to be Cleaveland Avenue back in the day, but they changed it up about fifteen years ago. Anyway, I continue up Falls Avenue on my way to work.

That's it for today. Part II will detail the rest of the Falls Avenue portion of my commute.

My Commute In Pictures: Part I

I got this idea from Endurosnob, but I tweaked it a bit. Hope you enjoy it.

My commute starts out with a four block long walk with my daughter to school. She likes to help push my bike.











After dropping her off, I back track those four blocks and head up Baltimore to it's dead end at a cemetery where I head left for a short jaunt to an alley for a block, get dumped out on another street and go left, and right down in front of some row houses. Another left/right turn combination finds me at a dead end. Straight ahead there is a 7 foot high embankment to the edge of HWY 63. I cross the four lane road and end up......





Here! On the other side of the road, I head left and down across this grassy field towards that overpass you see here. If your monitor is good, you will make out the path in the grass I've beat down over the last five years. That path drops down another 6ft embankment and dumps me out on the Sargent Road bike path. I go under that overpass, hang a sharp left on the bike path to.........







...this view. There used to be a casket company in this meadow. Now it's full of wild flowers and tall grass prairie. There still are flowers in bloom yet in mid-October, which is really cool. I see lots of birds here, including a Red Tailed Hawk that claims this area as it's territory. To the right there is a very steep 20-30ft high embankment to the Avenue of the Saints highway.







The bike path eventually turns right here, but I go straight from this dead end of Falls Avenue. Falls used to be Highway 218 from Cedar Falls to Waterloo back sixty years ago. Now it's a little used dead end spur at it's Eastern terminus. Up ahead is a bridge across the Black Hawk Creek, another cemetery on the right, and finally an intersection with a major city street, Fletcher Avenue, which used to be Cleaveland Avenue back in the day, but they changed it up about fifteen years ago. Anyway, I continue up Falls Avenue on my way to work.

That's it for today. Part II will detail the rest of the Falls Avenue portion of my commute.