Redd Shift

Exploring Minnesota Gravel Roads, Part 2

2011-07-08T16:43:00.000-05:00

On Thursday morning, I set off just before 7am with the hopes of biking further north into Minnesota, using as many gravel roads and I could.

Even through Google Street View hasn't visited a lot of the rural roads up here, I was able to virtually visit some intersections where highways crossed other roads to see if the intersecting roads were gravel or not. That helped quite a bit.

Using that intelligence, I was able to plan an 80+ mile ride, using almost all gravel roads, to Windom, MN for lunch and then back along the same route. The next time I do this, I want to make it a century ride with a large sweeping loop, rather than an out-and-back. I'm fairly conservative when I bike alone, so for the first time, an out-an-back made me feel more secure than a large loop.

Unlike my first ride, Exploring Minnesota Gravel Roads, Park 1, I tried not to stop for every photo opportunity (it's hard, since it's so pretty up here) so that I could make better time. However, I couldn't resist snapping a few pics, particularly of the windmill construction that so strong in this area right now.

My day's supplies. When I tweeted this picture, The Douglas said I needed more food. He was right. What's not represented here was my planned stop for lunch at the turn-around point. I experimented with using halves of a PB&J instead of an extra Cliff Bar. That worked out really well.

I didn't actually ride this MMR, but it looks fun. Future routes might feature more MMRs.

Is this an old schoolhouse? A church? Notice the handicapped accessible ramp and parking sign. I'm not sure if the outhouse affords the same accommodations.

Southern Minnesota is filled with these lovely landscape scenes. This one is just north of Black Bridge Road.

I'm guessing these signs are necessary to alert the farming traffic that there are new power lines overhead after the windmills are installed.

Crop circles? No, just a site being prepared for a new windmill. Note the cement base in the center of the picture.

I saw about a dozen sites like this where windmill tower sections and blades were being prepared for erection.

A crewman told me they could erect five towers a day, using two cranes. Here's one at work. Notice all of the headless towers in the background.

These new windmills aren't yet spinning, but it's cool to see them up close.

I had lunch at this Subway restaurant in Windom, MN. This restaurant took advantage of their proximity to the Des Moines river and incorporated a scenic overlook.

Finally back home after about seven hours on the saddle and 1.75 hours of stopping time. My average speed on the way out was between 14 and 15 MPH, but a headwind and general fatigue slowed my overall average down to 13.4. In all, it was some of the best 90 miles I've ridden.

This was my longest solo ride, and I learned a lot. I found that I can keep myself company for hours on end, but that I have to keep myself at a reasonable pace (ie: not get lazy and go too slow). When riding with other people, that's often something I don't have to worry about. I also had to plan when to drink and eat. Often when cycling with other more experienced folks, I just take cues from them on when to take a sip from the bottle or nibble a bite to eat.

I never ran out of liquids, but I don't think two bottles would be enough in the heat and on a longer ride. I might research hydration packs, or alternative ways to carry more water. I knew of only two places where I could stop for water: one at the 20 miles out point, and the other at the halfway turn-around point. There were stretches of a dozen miles or so between townships, paved roads, and even a chance at food and water. I learned some about planning my own self-sufficiency.

I really enjoyed my time on the bike over this vacation week in Spirit Lake. I want to learn more roads and trails, and will share the routes online for others looking to do similar routes. Please comment below if you have any routes, information, or suggestions on where I should ride the next time I return to the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Here's the approximate route that I took: MapMyRide link

<p>&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/40593364"&amp;gt;Spirit Lake / Windom 90 mile gravel out and back&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; &amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/?location=Windom, MN"&amp;gt;Find more Cycling Routes / Bike Rides in Windom, MN&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br /&amp;gt; </p>

Exploring Minnesota Gravel Roads, Part 1

2011-07-05T15:13:00.002-05:00

Vacationing over the Independence Day holiday and the following week, I decided to take the gravel bike out exploring the rural roads of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota near Spirit Lake / Okoboji. Let me tell you, these roads up here do not disappoint. While I didn't find much in the way of rollers like we have in Nebraska, I did find endless miles of road and beautiful scenery. The grid system of roads here seems more consistent than in Nebraska, with a road just about every mile. Another difference is that the roads seem to be on a 10 blocks per mile system, rather than the 12 block per mile that we have in Nebraska.

For my first ride, I intended to explore the roads between Spirit Lake, IA and Jackson, MN. This wasn't a great fitness and training opportunity, since I kept stopping to take photos and to enjoy the scenery. My 48 mile ride took about four hours and 20 minutes, including an hour of stopping time. However, I had a great time and mapped out a good route that I want to try again. Maybe once the route isn't new any more, I can turn it into a workout the next time.

I ended up with more highway miles than I had intended (about 28 miles road and 20 miles gravel), but I think by choosing a different set of roads, I can turn this into mostly all gravel.

For the last five miles or so back along the east side of Spirit Lake, a cycling pastor pulled up beside me on his road bike. He slowed his pace to match mine and we chatted about about cycling in the area. For future reference, he told me about a local cycling blog, and about some places to ride cyclocross bikes. The links are included below:

I opted to use my old hiking and Geocaching GPS receiver, just in case I got really lost. It was fun to ride with the GPS, even though its features are nearly as useful as a modern mapping GPS. The GPS did give me some security in that I could see for sure that I was headed in the right direction and that I could track back along my route if I had to.

I hope to get a 75 or 100 mile day in before I leave the area, but since I'm vacationing with family, I'll need to just balance bike time with family time.

Please see below for some of the photos I took on my ride.

My riding partner. He's just as slow as I am.

I like how these Iowa lake roads leave a little extra pavement to the right of the line. De facto bike lane.

The pavement stops and the gravel begins just north of the Iowa/Minnesota state line.

These gravel roads are arrow straight, and not very hilly.

Rustic scenes abound.

This valley road into Jackson, MN has a sidepath.

This trail in Jackson, MN is flooded. A familiar sight to us Omahans.

Hippy sculpture at the Peace Park in Jackson, MN. :)

Meditation garden at the Peace Park in Jackson, MN.

The Wishy Washy laundromat in Jackson, MN has a restroom, pop machine ($0.75) and free wifi.

Black Bridge Road is a must-ride for gravel enthusiasts in the area.

Black Bridge Road runs along the Des Moines River, a tributary of the Mississippi River.

Gravel roads and windmills, both an exercise in simplicity and beauty.

Clear Lake, Minnesota

Here's a simplified map of my ride.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/40032912"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Spirit Lake / Jackson 40 Mile Gravel / Blacktop Ride&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/?location=Jackson, MN"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Find more Cycling Routes / Bike Rides in Jackson, MN&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Bacon with a Side of Drizzle

2011-06-26T17:32:00.002-05:00

Drizzle

Todd and Chris

While the radar and forecast didn't call for rain, there was a drizzle that hung in the air for a few hours. This sucks for folks like me who wear glasses. I had to wipe them off every now and again, and came close to just riding myopically with no specs.

Fresh Meat

The new guy, Todd, showed up on a brand new steel Allez with retro down tube shifters. Despite not having gravel tires and clipless pedals, he hung in there pretty good. I hope to see him out there on some other rides.

Oh No! A Flat!

Pinch flat!

Somewhere near Richfield, Todd got a pinch flat. Chris, being a roadside flat tire expert (grin), took the lead in helping Todd unmount and remount the tire. I was pleased to offer the services of my new Lezyne pump (see Amazon link below). It took his replacement road tube up to full pressure in just a few minutes. The pump has a dual headed hose, and mounts securely on my frame and doesn't rattle at all. I'm pretty sold on this pump.

Lights and Loops: They Don't Mix

Somewhere along Mahoney Road, Todd's new Planet Bike Superflash (the new 1W version is plenty bright) bounced off his seat bag loop. He stopped to look for it while Chris and I rode on a mile or so before turning back to see what was up (oops!). Unfortunately, he couldn't find the light.

What's the Toll?

We had a funny incident with the kid running the gate at Plate River State Park. This guy seemed like he was 14 years old, but it was amazing how he was running the show there. We stopped and asked how much for bikes (it's $4 for a daily pass for autos). He scratched his chin and said, "Hmm, I don't know. Bikes usually just ride on through. No one has ever stopped and asked."

Respecting his authority, I told him it was up to him to tell us, however, I offered $4 for the three of us, and reminded him that the bikes plus the riders was still way lighter on the roads on than a single auto. He looked at us, half smiling, but with a bit of sternness, making me think he'd charge us $4 each if he thought more about it. Again, I made my offer, handing over some cash, and thankfully, he accepted, giving me a sticker pass, which I put in my pocket (I'm not going to stick it on my bike). Whew!

The Reward

We rolled into PRSP just in time to see Leah, Mark, and another Todd just getting ready to leave. Leah made the Bacon Ride after having won a race title just the day before. Wow, Leah!

Fortunately, they didn't not eat all of the food, as they indicated to me as we were parking the bikes.

Todd's plan was to call his wife to come out with the kids and spend some time at the park.

Unaware of each other's actions, both Todd and Chris paid for my breakfast (oops!).

The Return

Chris and I rode back along the usual Fishery/Pflug route. It was pretty awesome. We seemed to take turns chasing each other, which might mean we were pretty well matched for the day's ride.

Around Walnut Creek, we decided to ride back through Papillion and La Vista to save some time, versus riding back on the creek trails. This worked out pretty well, since the residential streets protected us from the wind that was picking up.

About this time I'm beginning to notice this weird cramp/numbness with the toes on my right foot. Does anyone know what this is all about, and how to fix it?

I think after doing this ride several times, I'm finally able to remember all of the residential streets and turns to pass more swiftly through La Vista and Papillion, saving a few miles over riding the creek trails. I hope to do it next time without a cue sheet.

A B-Cycle station near the Keystone Trail

On the way back on the Keystone, we saw a woman riding a B-Cycle. We stopped at Aksarben Village to check them out. I think it might be fun if we all rode B-Cycles on the next Bacon Ride. That would be one heck of a workout.

Ain't Gravel Fun?

Todd climbs the Mahoney Hill

I enjoyed seeing some new roads, choosing Turkey Road out of Walnut Creek, and Mahoney Road out of Louisville. I just really enjoy riding gravel roads, and hope to be able to explore them all before they get paved over someday.

I like trains!

Chris likes trains, too.

Missouri River Flooding along Council Bluffs and Omaha Bike Trails

2011-06-12T15:55:00.001-05:00

Pell and I rode out Sunday morning to check out how flooding has affected bike facilities between the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge in the north and the Veterans Memorial Bridge to the south. What we found wasn't surprising, giving the history of flooding in some of these areas, but it was nice to document them with photos.

Please see the photos and captions below for some notes on the flooding.

Flood Gate #8. Normally this is open to allow cyclists to access the Lewis and Clark Landing.

Flood Gate #8

Flood Gate #8. Note the Bob Kerrey Bridge towers in the background.

The water is only a couple of feet from the top of the walk.

The view of the Omaha skyline from Council Bluffs. This section of levee appears to have been fortified.

Harrah's Casino parking lot is flooded. You can see geese on the gravel island.

The Iowa Riverfront Trail is officially closed heading south at Harrah's.

The bike trail passes underneath the parking garage.

The south side of the Harrah's Casino parking garage.

This water level photo shows the bike path simply slipping underneath the water.

The north side of the Ameristar Casino is flooded, as well.

The Iowa Riverfront Trail heading north is officially closed between Ameristar and Harrah's.

Not only is the bike trail closed heading south on River Road from Ameristar Casino, the road itself is closed. Note the private security protecting the pumps and hoses running across the street.

The levee road heading south from the Western Historic Trails Center is closed.

The trail heading west from the Western Historic Trails Center is closed.

And this is why it's closed. The trail is under 5-10 feet of water.

From this point on, we rode east to 24th Street in Council Bluffs and picked up the sidepath on Highway 92/275 (Veterans Memorial Parkway) and headed east back toward the South Omaha Bridge.

The trail is almost complete. There's a missing section between the bridge and a block or so to the east. The cement sidepath on toward the Willow's Motel is done, but still has "Sidewalk Closed" signs posted.

This used to be a gravel parking lot and trail access for dirt bike and ATV operators.

This looks like the river, but it's actually the motocross park just east of the river.

The Missouri River as seen from the Veterans Memorial Bridge bike path.

This is the first time I've seen the Omaha Riverfront Trail gate open north of the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Cyclists normally have to lift their bikes over the gate.

This ramp was constructed to allow vehicles to pass over the pump hoses.

This facility is protected by sandbags.

Water is pumped across the levee back into a spillway to the Missouri River.

The pumps here were humming, creating quite a noise.

These hoses were not protected. To our surprise, a a guy out siteseeing in his pickup truck drive right over the hoses.

There are several cabins and trailers on the wet side of the levee. I wonder if they will come back after the water recede.

This house is underwater.

I heard that these ramps will flat a bike tire instantly. I didn't even risk it, preferring to walk my bike over it.

Those welded on grips look very sharp to a high pressure tire.

The gate on the trail at Hickory Street was closed. There was an OPD cruiser waiting, presumably for the guy in the truck. The officers didn't say anything to us, but followed us on out to Hickory Street, moving barricades back into the street.

And for fun, Pell and I rode up Hickory Street Hill.

I like this view from the top of the hill in the Dahlman neighborhood.

I'd like to do a similar trip showing the Omaha and Council Bluffs trails heading north from downtown.

If you know of any other interesting spots showing flooding, please discuss below.

Omaha to Shenandoah for Lunch: 120 easy miles

2011-06-06T20:20:00.000-05:00

My brother and I did it in October. Chris G. rode along for part of he trip. If you missed out in the fall, here's your chance to give it a try. Read the post and see the route from October.

Saturday, June 18, 2011, Chris and I, and anyone else who wants to come along, will be leaving Turner Park at 6am and riding to El Portal in Shenandoah for thousands of calories of Mexican goodness.

If you want to come along, check out the details here.

Let Us Not Forget

2011-04-08T07:23:00.000-05:00

I left my helmet at friend's house the other day and my fenders at home.

How does one forget a helmet? Twice, I've done it now. It's not so hard in the cooler months when I put on a cap under my helmet. With the snug fit and the brim visible over the brow, it's easy to pedal off thinking the helmet is on.

Cautiously, I pedaled off, paranoid that I'd hit some sand or crack and send my skull into a no win altercation with the street. However, that feeling gave way to a sense of freedom. Is this what it feels like to ride in Amsterdam? A couple of potholes and a close pass from a car reminded me that this is Nebraska, and though I may never fall, I really need to keep my noggin protected, just in case.

Yesterday I forgot my fenders and my feet got soaked on the way home from work in the rain.

Fenders seem like an odd thing to forget. My Earl has these groovy quick release fenders. These aren't your dad's quick release fenders, with the flimsy rubber straps and thin wire stays that need constant adjustment. These are sturdy fenders that connect into permanent mounts that stay on the bike. When the fenders are mounted, they look and feel like permanently installed fenders.

I removed the fenders earlier in the week when it was so windy with 20-40 MPH gusts. I figured it would be one less thing to catch the wind and slow my commutes. Well, lazy me, didn't think to remount the fenders before the rain. Most of me and my gear stayed dry, but I'd forgotten just how much fenders do to keep the feet from getting drenched.

You can see some photos of quick release fender mounts here.

Please share stories of things you've forgotten to bring on a bike ride in the comments below.

Goodbye Fat Jeans. Hello Skinny!

2011-01-02T21:30:00.000-06:00

This post isn't exactly about cycling, but cycling plays such an important role in the subject.

Two and one-half years ago I started commuting to work by bicycle to save money and to attempt to get into shape. I enjoyed bike commuting, but also began incorporating cycling into my daily life. I learned to ride my bike, not only to work, but for grocery shopping, errands, and for fun. I made many cycling friends and have since been on many long rides, as many as 120 miles in a day. I've since moved closer to town and in addition to cycling to work, I can easily walk to work, the grocery store, movies, bars, restaurants, etc. Basically, I've tried to simplify and orient my lifestyle around active transportation.

When I started cycling to work, I weighed about 213 pounds. I was able to get down to 188 within a year by cycling alone. Then this summer, I decided to shift fitness into high gear by joining Weight Watchers.

After five months, I am now down to 165 pounds. As an aside, I weighed 250 pounds about 10 years ago, and lost a lot of that by switching to a vegan diet.

Between cycling and sensible eating using the Weight Watcher system, I have lost almost 50 pounds.

If I count back to 2001, when I was at my heaviest, I have lost a total of 85 pounds, most of it lost by diet.

So now that I'm at a weight I like (perhaps even lighter than I was when I graduated high school), my plan now is to perform regular workouts to get into a better form and shape, both for cycling and general fitness. So far, my sessions with a personal trainer are proving to be both fun, and productive. I've lost another inch around my waist, and gained a little around my chest and arms.

If you've made it this far into my seemingly self-gratifying post, please note that this isn't about bragging. Simply, I want to pass along to anyone reading this that weight loss is, indeed, possible, and within reach. As a lifelong pudgy guy, I always thought the natural order of things was to get fatter and fatter as I aged. Between my diet and exercise, I'm finding that it's not only possible to lose and keep off weight, but once the proper mind frame and motivation is found, it's not as hard and I imagined.

Many pairs of fat jeans are going to Goodwill.

I much prefer the new skinny ones.

Weight Watchers tool help me track my progress.

I'd be remiss if I didn't shout out to my brother, Jason, who, over the past year, has lost 118 pounds through cycling. He really put the fire under me and inspired me to get more serious with my weight loss plans. Thanks, bro.

2010 Omaha Bike De'Lights

2010-12-15T18:38:00.010-06:00

The 2010 Omaha Bike De'Lights ride was Friday, December 10.

Here are my photos and video from the fun event.

Videos

Photos

Getting Ready for Winter

2010-11-01T20:36:00.004-05:00

For you readers in climes where it snows and ices over, I can assure you that you can, indeed, continue bike commuting through the winter. In my last post, you'll recall that I fitted some 35mm studded tires to my Trek Earl. The fit was tight, but I did seem to be able to get the fat tires on the skinny rims.

Last week I refitted the studs and rode the bike a few miles to the Omaha Bikes winter commuting clinic. I felt silly riding studded tires when it was nearly 70 degrees out, but I wanted to do two things:

test ride the Earl with studs
show the studded tires to the clinic participants

I also got a new rack and a waterproof Pacific Outdoor Equipment pannier. I think the pannier is actually supposed to go on a front rack, but it fits pretty well on the rear rack. Even though I am comfortable on my commutes with a Chrome shoulder bag, my theory is that a rear pannier might help keep weight over my rear wheel for better traction. Having a rack also helps for trips to the grocery store.

I had wanted to replace the 17 tooth single speed freewheel with a new 22 tooth freewheel, but I ran out of chain. Simply, the new cog was large enough that there wasn't enough chain to go around it. The larger cog also put the chain up so high that I couldn't keep the chain guard. The 44 tooth chainring on a 22 tooth cog will provide for a 2-to-1 pedaling ratio, which may be easy enough to power through snow on the streets. Since I couldn't fit the chain, I ended up riding the bike with it stock 44 tooth chainring on a 17 tooth freewheel. Talk about slogging up the hills!

Yesterday I got a new chain to use for the winter configuration and took the bike for a spin. Certainly climbing Omaha's hills on the 44x22 was super easy, but all I could do on the downhills and flats was to coast and coast and coast ...

At this point, I think I have everything ready for the first snow. All I need to do is put the studs back on and I'm ready to roll. However, I may trade the cogs again so that I can use the rack for Cranksgiving in a couple of weeks.

Here are some pics of the new configuration.

From this angle, the freewheel looks as large as the chainring.

The Pacific Outdoor Equipment bag features pockets just the right size for my
wingtips. None of my other shoes fit, however.

Lunch Anyone? Shenandoah Sounds Good.

2010-10-14T22:17:00.004-05:00

My brother, Jason, the author of his blog, Laughing Right Out Loud, is coming out for a visit next week, and I want to show him a good time.

The plan is to ride Sunday, October 24, from Midtown Crossing to Shenandoah, Iowa for lunch and Coronas at El Portal, and then ride back in time for dinner, possibly with more Coronas.

The pace would be relaxed, trying to keep an average of 15 MPH on the Wabash Trace. We'd likely leave around 6am and plan to be back in Omaha by 5pm-6pm. Estimated round trip distance: 120 miles.

Any and all are welcome.

Please see the route below:

Omaha to Shendoah

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Click here to view the map at Bikely.com

Skinny Rims, Fat Tires

2010-10-04T17:44:00.006-05:00

If Fat Tire is a beer, then perhaps Skinny Rim could be an energy drink.

Actually, this post is about trying to winterize my new Trek Earl. My plan is to put Nokian Hakkapeliitta 700c x 35mm studded tires underneath full fenders and a low gearing ratio on its single speed drivetrain so I can pedal out of snow drifts and slowly up steep hills.

When I bought the bike, the shop mechanic assured me that I could fit the 35mm tires on the rims that were sold with 28mm tires. Yesterday, I tried mounting the tire, just to see how it would fit.

The rims are stamped at 14mm. Upon researching tire fit online, I found (you guessed it) that Sheldon had a great chart that shows tire/rim compatibility. This chart delivered a bit of bad news, in that my 14mm rims are not depicted holding a tire much larger than 28mm; a difference of 7mm. However, there's a note that says the dimensions depicted may be conservative.

It took a bit of persuasion with a plastic tire lever to get the snow tire on my rim. As I tried to pump it up with air, I heard an odd creaky noise, followed by a loud pop as the tube herniated through an improperly set bead.

Hmm.

I searched my closet and found, thankfully, another tube with a Schrader valve. I made extra special sure that the bead was set as I remounted the tire, as well as spot checked it as I pumped. Finally I mounted the wheel back on the bike to check for clearance.

It looks good!

My question to any readers: do you have experience in mounting wide tires on narrow rims. Is the 35mm on a 14mm pushing it too far? I won't know how the bike feels until I can get the tires remounted and go for a test spin, though I'd feel silly riding a studded tire around in October while it's still 75 degrees outside.

I may consider a brake upgrade, as the check stock brake has no quick release to facilitate tire changes. I put Tektro brakes on my Schwinn Le Tour II, and I like them, so I may consider a similar brake for the Earl.

My next step is to put on a bigger freewheel. I've got a 22 tooth freewheel on the way.

I'm not in a hurry to see the snow, but I'll be eager to give the Earl a whirl.

My [Bike's] Name Is Earl

2010-09-28T21:16:00.014-05:00

You've heard the song by The Dixie Dicks. You've seen the TV show. Now meet the bike.

What is the Earl?

The Earl is a new offering from Trek. Without a doubt, the Earl is designed for city riding.

Here's why, in my opinion:

single speed or fixed gear for ultimate simplicity (stock configuration: 44T chainring, 17T freewheel)
chromoly steel construction, while heavy, soaks up the bumps on the road
double top tube that is designed to hold a U-lock while biking to work or running errands
28mm tire with a good tread pattern can handle wet or sandy spots or the occasional gravel road
tall stem with riser bar to sit up high in traffic
flat handlebars make for lots of leverage when navigating city streets, sidewalks, and curbs
long wheel base means no toe clipping when track standing (or trying to) at stop lights
chain guard to keep pant legs from getting dirty or ripped, or having to wear a pant leg strap
bosses and eyelets for mounting a rack and fenders, plus two sets of bosses for bottle cages or other accessories

A Good Value

At $439, the Earl is a fairly inexpensive bike. The simplicity of the bike with its lack of shifters, cabling, and derailleurs probably keeps the cost down. The brakes, levers and tires, while adequate, aren't anything special.

Things I Really Like About Earl

the blue paint job, called "Earl Blue". Sure there's a "Gloss Black" version, but everyone sells a black city bike. The mix of blue with black accents makes for one pretty bike. Nice job, Trek.
frame graphics are a nice touch. The Earl has its own head badge, and a very regal Earl himself, with trucker hat and scruffy beard, makes an appearance on the down tube design. There are also also a few graphics placed here and there that you'll never see unless you're working on or cleaning the bike.
saddle designed just for the Earl features a custom logo impressed into the seat
relatively narrow handlebars go easily up and down my old apartment building's stairwell
cool bend in the frame where the double top tubes become the seat stays. Very interesting looking
fun to ride! The 44x17 makes for pretty quick starts from stop lights. The balance is solid, and the saddle is quite comfortable.
I can open beer bottles on the frame. How cool is that?

Things I Don't Like About Earl

scuffed up the top tubes after carrying a lock just two miles. I've since wrapped several layers of tape around the each end of the barrel of my U-lock, and I secure it tightly with a Velcro strap to keep it from bouncing around
the chain guard clangs against the crank arm when I hit bumps
ugh, it's heavy, but it's a real steel bike... what do I expect?

A Winter Commuter's Dream?

What has me most excited about this bike is the generous clearance between the seat stays and the fork blades. My plan is to use fenders and 35mm studded snow tires to make this one mean winter commuter. No more frozen derailleurs or stiff shifter cables.

Jake at the Trek Omaha store put on some really useful Bontrager quick release fenders. Unlike strap on fenders, these have nifty ball mounts that go into the frame eyelets on the rear dropouts and fork blades. The fender stays have a socket that snaps sturdily on to the balls. Also a clip/guide mounts to the rear brake bridge to hold the top of the rear fender, and a cam lever goes at the top of the fork to secure the top of the fender. Basically, these behave like permanently mounted fenders when they are on, but come off in about 30 seconds, leaving behind very minimal attaching hardware.

I'm pretty sure that the 44x17 gearing is too steep for me in the snow. Riding the bike up and down Leavenworth a couple of times this week actually has me wondering if it's too steep for me in general, but that's another story. I'm thinking that for pedaling through snow and fighting harsh winter winds, an 18, 20, or even 22 tooth cog might fit the bill.

Video

How to open a bottle on the Earl's frame.

Pictures

The chain guard makes riding in pants a little safer and more comfortable.

The head badge

The aftermarket add-on quick-release fender guide under the brake bridge.

The quick release fender stay ball-and-socket joint

This cam lever binds the fender to the quick release mount

The custom Earl saddle

Two views of the double top tube design

How to carry a U-lock

Single speed freewheel or track cog... take your pick

The custom logo and on the chainring is a nice touch

Two sets of bottle cage bosses

Open beer here

Retro "TREK" design

Earl sports a trucker cap and carries a wrench

The Earl design also hides in places not normally seen

So far, I think I've got the only Earl in town. Does that make me the "Duke of Earl?" I hope to see more of these on the road soon.

I'll Take a Slow Bacon Ride Over No Bacon Ride

2010-09-26T18:48:00.005-05:00

Today was the last day for a 2010 Bacon Ride. It was rainy all day Saturday, but the gravel roads seemed to recover quickly. The ride was hardly messy at all. Actually, the moist roads helped keep the gravel dust to a minimum. No crusty black boogies this time. :)

I met Pell at Midtown Crossing and together we rode to Aksarben Village to meet Chris. I'm guessing everyone else was too sleepy, assumed the roads were too wet, or were busy with the 35th Annual Omaha Marathon and various bike races.

I'm lazy, so I didn't mind planning on a longer ride that reduced some of the hills and simplified the through-town navigation (see routes here). We rode the Keystone Trail to the West Papio Trail where it terminated at 96th Street. By the time we started on the gravel just south of Walnut Creek, we had added about 5 extra miles on the trip. The extra miles were fun, as it helped keep the Slow Bacon Ride Slow.

At Louisville, we tried an alternate route that Google maps suggested, but I'm not sure of the lawfulness of the ride. There was a segment of the route that went through Lousiville State Park along "2 Gates Drive." Yes. There are two gates, and one of them is locked with "Private Property, Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted" sign. According the Google, the road looked like a public road, but it was really hard to tell.

We hoisted the bikes over the gate and squeezed through. The road was great, but if I'd known it was private property beforehand, I wouldn't have suggested the route.

We saw only one other bike at the park. Breakfast was good, but no one ate bacon. I suggested that the Bacon Ride was a failure if no one ate any bacon. Pell saved the day by eating a single piece.

The ride back along Fishery Road and Pflug Road was great. Normally Fishery Road has some coarse gravel, but it was smooth. Parts of Pflug Road was so hard packed and smooth that it felt like cement.

We rode the Omaha trails back and saw dozens of people out enjoying what turned out to be one fine day.

Chris rode on home while Pell and I stopped at Blue Planet to help me finish off my last Groupon with a yummy vegan Thai pizza.

Doing an 80 miler with friends on a cool pre-Fall day was awesome, and really got me in the mood to do some more Fall gravel grinders. I'm also already thinking about Bacon Rides in 2011.

Photos

I could almost keep up with the guy on the Razor Scooter

Vegan Thai Pizza at Blue Planet

It's a Slow Bacon Ride

2010-09-24T08:22:00.002-05:00

See the details for the Last Bacon Ride of 2010 at Pedal-Omaha. Sunday, September 26.

I Miss This Blog

2010-09-08T21:04:00.002-05:00

"I miss this blog," wrote Colin from San Diego, back on May 8, 2010.

Indeed, so do I. The last post was back on January 17, 2010. That was almost seven months ago.

The name of this blog is the Redd-Shift, and boy howdy, has there been some shift in the Redd world.

There are some personal issues that I need to address before I put it all out for the world to read, but those of you who know me personally have an idea of what's up. Those of you who don't know me will likely care less.

However, rest assured that I'm doing well, better than ever, in fact, and that Redd-Shift is still very focused on bike commuting issues, and there will be many more posts to come. With any luck, the post-shift blog posts will still be of interest to some of you out there.

So please, bear with me and keep checking back for a new and improved Redd-Shift. In the mean time, hit the streets and make your local bike commuting community proud.

Guerrilla Trail Crew - Doing What Must Be Done

2010-01-17T20:52:00.006-06:00

I'm too lazy (and tired following an afternoon of digging) to write anything about this, so I'll just rely on links and photos to tell the story.

The Guerrilla Trail Crew web site: http://guerrillatrailcrew.blogspot.com/

Join the Facebook fan page.

GTC 2010 Strike #1 (North Keystone Trail, Jan. 11, 2010):

GTC 2010 Strike #1 (North West Papio Trail, Jan. 17, 2010):

A few photos:

Biking After (Another) Blizzard

2009-12-25T20:53:00.003-06:00

Second Blizzard of the Season

Omaha hasn't had a Christmas blizzard since 1941. While most people stayed in this Christmas, I needed to deliver some presents, so what better opportunity or excuse to get the bike out again than the second blizzard of the season. Being still stir crazy from remaining indoors all Christmas Eve also helped me make the decision to head out. I love a challenge, and needed to burn off some holiday treats calories.

The drifts were deep in my neighborhood, and my elbow still hurts from digging out from the last storm, so I wanted no more shovel action. The streets in my hilly destination neighborhood hadn't seen a plow, so getting there by automobile would have been difficult, anyway. I'm happy to leave my truck in the drifts while my bike gets all the fun. Considering all this, I donned my blizzard biking apparel, loaded the messenger bag with gifts, and set out for a four mile trip.

There's a sidewalk under there somewhere.

Considering that there would not be a lot of traffic, I took my chances on routes I would never bike under normal circumstances. I rode Dodge Street and 42nd Street, with only a few gentle passes from holiday travelers, and not much trouble with the snow. It was when I turned onto Grover Street one-half mile from my destination that I had a problem. A silly wipeout (with witnesses) reminded me how slick things were as I turned off a plowed road onto one with drifts. Fortunately, falling on the snow drifts wasn't unlike falling onto a couch. I ended up walking about 1/3 of a mile in a spot where the snow was just too thick on an uphill climb. For my final hill climb, I carried my bike on my shoulder cyclocross style, taking tiny steps into really deep snow.

I didn't take any more pictures as I made my way out. I arrived safely, and not at all cold or chilled, in time for gifts exchange, a nice Christmas lunch, and time spent with family.

On the way back, I made really good time since some of the roads had been plowed for the first time, or perhaps replowed. I didn't have to do any walking or pushing this time.

The trips were slow, but consistent, averaging about 10 MPH in my lowest gear.

I did stop for some fun photos.

King of the hill!

I wish I could say I rode my bike to the top.

This is my leg sunk into a drift up to my knee.

Warning: Don't try this with your SUV.

What To Wear?

After a year of all-season bike commuting, I've got down pretty well what works for me. In case any of this information may be of use to others, I'll list the conditions, and what I wore.

Blizzard Trip, Leg One: High winds with blowing snow, temperature around 10 degrees.

Blizzard Trip, Leg Two: Reduced winds, no more falling snow, temperature around 22 degrees.

Gear:

long sleeved base layer top, polypropylene (from sporting goods store)
short sleeved wicking shirt (from department store)
another long sleeved base layer shirt
long sleeved wicking ski shirt (from sporting goods store)
long sleeved zip-up cycling jersey jacket (from bike shop)
hi-visibility cycling wind breaking shell (from sporting goods store)
AmFIB leg tights (from cycling store)
base layer leg tights on top of AmFIBs (from sporting goods store. I probably didn't need these, but in case I ended up walking more, I wanted to make sure I'd stay warm)
cycling knickers (custom made from Scout Dry Goods)
glove liners under lobster claw gloves
fleece balaclava over head and face
polypro balaclava on top of head
wool cycling cap on top of head
helmet, of course
MTB style SPD shoes for clipless pedals
ski goggles on the trip out. Didn't need them for the return trip. 10 degrees seems to be my threshold for requiring goggles.

To the uninitiated, biking in the snow might seem strange, but a properly equipped bike and rider can really get around quite well on city streets. There's no dig out, defrost, or warm up time, and the freedom of self propelled travel in the face of weather that all but shuts down a city is a great feeling. It's also fun to cycle past people trying to get their cars unstuck.

Biking After A Blizzard

2009-12-09T19:40:00.005-06:00

First Blizzard of the Season

Heck, yeah! I'm riding!

Technically, the blizzard was overnight, and while there were still 30 MPH winds in the morning, the snow had stopped and most of the blowing snow had settled. There were still some wicked drifts and plow wakes on the neighborhood and side streets. I don't think it was ever warmer than 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

AM Commute

There was lots of pushing in the neighborhoods and side streets. It took me about 30 minutes to go 2 miles.

PM Commute

I only had to dismount once, and riding on the main streets was pretty easy. It took me 15 minutes to go 2 miles.

I halfway considered taking the bus home, but as the day went on, MAT kept pushing back the time they were going to resume service. Finally they announced that they weren't going to run any buses. So much for dependable public transportation.

Photos

Here are some photos I took in the morning and around lunch time. You'll notice the large wakes in the center lanes. The city is experimenting with pushing snow to the center to ease parking and pedestrian access to sidewalks. I think it's working, but it seemed to make for some awkward moments when traffic needed to move from one side of the street to the other.

Cycling home on Farnam Street, also with a huge wake in the middle, made me believe that the one way street might serve better as a two way street, especially if there were bike lanes along either side.

Holiday Lights on a Bike

2009-12-05T09:32:00.005-06:00

Graphic design by Emily Redd

On the occasion of next week's 2009 Bike Omaha Bike De'lights holiday lights tour, I decided to get festive and decorate my bike.

On the handlebars is a wreath with sleigh bells. A sleigh bell also hangs near each brake lever.

I used battery operated lights from Walmart. Each strand cost about $6. I wove one strand around the main triangle, and a second is secured using zip ties and home made fender clips. I fashioned the fender clips from a Dr. Pepper soda can using tin snips.

The battery packs are secured under the saddle using a plethora of zip ties, using more than needed, as they have a tendency to break in cold weather.

Please come out and join us for the ride, even if you don't have a decorated bike. I will have some extra sleigh bells to hand out if you want to jingle all the way.

The ride has garnered some interest from the community:

Midtown Crossing Blog - Bike De'Lights 2009
Omaha World-Herald, Fri. 12/4 - Cyclists can delight in the lights

Be sure to follow @BikeOmaha on Twitter for last minute updates and news about the ride.

Spooks On Spokes 2009 - My Recap

2009-11-01T14:36:00.009-06:00

Zounds! It's been almost a month since my last post. Unfortunately, this post is going to pretty meager. I just want to post the few pics that I took during the 2009 Spooks On Spokes scavenger hunt.

Chris G. and I teamed up to ride in the 2009 Spooks On Spokes scavenger hunt/alleycat organized by The D and his wife, The K. We started out pretty strong, but a couple of wrong turns (from my map misinterpretation -- being a Unix professional, you'd think I would understand that a "u" is not the same as a "U"), a flat tire, and ignoring the fact that the finish line wasn't the same as the starting line, put us at four hours; a full hour behind the winning teams.

From the start, my objective was simply to finish the race and have a good time, and unquestionably, this was accomplished. Chris and I had a great time riding, and running into other cyclists, both known and unknown, was fun. I also enjoyed seeing the variety of bikes that showed up, from fixies to cruisers, from 15 pound road bikes to tank like mountain bikes.

Here's my list of observations:

It's mean to make the second checkpoint 15 feet out in Zorinski Lake. My feet stayed wet all day, and I'm not sure how to get the smell of lake water out of my shoes. Thank goodness for warm wool socks
Picking up soda cans by hooking them on the end of a wire is harder than it looks. Expect to fall at least once if you've never done this. Maybe bike polo would be fun?
West Omaha trails, sidewalks, and shoulders are messed up. You're riding along when suddenly it just stops! You might also find a trail bridge that dumps out into a undeveloped field.
90% of the joggers at Zorinski Lake are female
If you try to use your Geocaching "Force" to locate hidden objects (like the 20 minute time bonus hidden in a wooded area), you're likely to find a Geocache. I did, but it was destroyed by water. Otherwise, I would have TNLNSTL.
It's distracting to change a flat tire when there's a line of people waiting behind for their turn at the challenge.
Most people staffing business at checkpoints seemed amused to participate by handing out their business cards.

Photos

Participants signing in

Powerbar giveaway

A couple arrives in hula costumes. The temperature was in the mid 30s.

Yee haw! A cowgirl costume. I wonder if the boots have pedal cleats.

All bikes are laid down. Participants must run to the first clue, then run back to their bikes.

The D briefs all participants on the race rules.

Chris flats near Village Point on a West Dodge service road.

Unfortunately, I was too wrapped up in participating in the race that I didn't take many more photos. Watch the comments for links to other sites with photos from the event.

Start making your plans now for bicycle-friendly costumes for next year's Spooks on Spokes.

Guerrilla Bike Path Engineering Task Force

2009-10-04T21:05:00.004-05:00

"If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The Guerrilla Bike Path Engineering Task Force."

I've noticed some improvised infrastructure engineering on some rough bike path/sidewalk bridge joints. These are places were the top surface of a sidewalk doesn't quite meet the surface of the bridge. Often it appears that someone has taken a hammer to the raised surface to notch out a tiny ramp. It's not much, but maybe enough to help avoid a pinch flat.

I also notice someone had taken a chisel or similar tool and notched out a groove on a wooden bridge in the One Pacific Place Park. Today I saw that there were two tiny little cement ramps added to the rough transition between bike path and wooden bridge.

I'm sure we've all thought of doing something like this, but lack the time? I can't say I endorse such activity from a legal point of view... but thanks!

Photos From "Oh! What An Alleycat!"

2009-09-27T21:38:00.004-05:00

Omaha's first annual Oh! What An Alleycat! event was a huge success! Read the official blog here.

When Sean announced that he was going to organize an alleycat race, I knew I wanted to help make it happen. Rather than participate, I offered to help run a checkpoint. I'm not terribly fast, and sometimes not the best navigator, so helping out seemed to be the thing to do.

About 15 people showed up to race, and several more to help out. Our gathering at the arch in the Gene Leahy Mall was certainly noticeable. There were bikes everywhere of all kinds. Fixies, single speeds, racing bikes, mountain bikes, and hybrids. It was a beautiful thing.

We helpers showed up early and Sean briefed us on the protocol. We each were given a grease pen for marking player's playing cards, and an index card telling us where our checkpoint was, and the location of the next checkpoint.

I rode off to my post in the Heartland of America Park. Sean had directed me to an area on the lake that was near the boat ride piers, describing a boardwalk. I think most people interpreted their clue, given by them by the officials at the first checkpoint, as the wooden footbridge over 8th and Farnam. In the confusion, some people rode all the way to the wooden bridge leading to the riverfront before seeing me waving from my checkpoint. Please explore the map below.

I got a kick out of seeing the leaders trying to get to me at great speed. Some bombed down the steep grassy hill (on fixies, no less), while some hefted their bikes on the shoulders and ran down the steps from 8th Street. I think everyone ended up finding me. However, I had forgotten to ask Sean how many riders there were, so I wasn't sure when I was done.

Just to be safe, I moved out more in the open to the boardwalk at the boat piers, waited, and fed some cookies to the ducks.

Finally I got a message from Sean telling me to rejoin the group at the arch. By the time I got back, all prizes has been awarded. A few of us went on to Upstream for some post ride refreshments.

After some snacks, some of Upstream's finest beverages and some fun conversation, I rode off toward home. Ben was looking to get some more saddle time, so he joined me for the ride to my house. I think afterward he might have continued on to the Keystone Trail for some more miles.

Everybody I talked to seemed to enjoy the alleycat, and is looking forward to the next. Thanks to Sean for putting this together, at his own personal expense, and thanks to everyone who came out to race or to help. Also, thanks for The Douglas for making the special event spoke cards. That's something you don't see every day in Omaha.

View Oh! What An Alleycat! Checkpoint #2 in a larger map

Here are some photos I took.

Click here if you can't see the slideshow above.

Photos From The Last 2009 Bacon Ride

2009-09-21T17:14:00.003-05:00

You can read all about the Bacon Ride adventure here at Pedal-Omaha and here at MITMON.

Here are my photos.

Click here if you can't see the slideshow.

A Shiny Bike Is A Happy Bike

2009-09-18T23:45:00.004-05:00

I'm not a particularly neat person. I'm not dirty and I've got good hygiene, but one could never call me a neat freak.

However, lately I've been trying to keep my bikes clean. You won't see me with a toothbrush working out bits of gravel dust and grease from every nook and cranny, but it's pretty easy to wipe things down with a rag and a pre-moistened dusting wipe.

I've found that cleaning my bikes is relaxing, and also helps me inspect parts for wear and damage, potentially identifying a problem before it gets too bad.

My friend Jeff had been telling me about some of the various citrus based, biodegradable degreasers on the market, such as Simple Green and Purple Power, and how easy it is to clean a chain and cogs using them. I found the jugs of degreaser in the automotive section of a big box retailer.

I'd already learned how to remove the master link from my chains, but didn't have any way to get freehub cogs off.

Last week I got a cogset lockring removal tool and a chain whip. Using these I was able to take off my nine speed cogset off the Specialized Tricross and soak it in some Purple Power degreaser.

I put the chain into a big Gatorade bottle and sealed it. I let everything soak while I cleaned the rest of the bike. I'd give the bottle a good shake every now and again to try to dislodge some of the grease on the chain.

After I was done cleaning the bike, I removed the cogs and chain from their degreaser bath, rinsed them off, and then wiped them down with an old tee-shirt. The result was amazing. All of the parts shined like so many crazy diamonds. I was able to pour off most of the used degreaser into another container, leaving the dirty stuff at the bottom, where I could dispose of it later. I'll keep the used degreaser for the next time. Perhaps I can get two or three uses out of a batch of this stuff.

I put a little grease on the freehub splines and reassembled the cog set, spacers, and loose cogs back on to the hub before using the lockring tool again to tighten the assembly. I wasn't sure how hard to tighten down the lockring, but after it started to catch into a series of grooves, I gave it one more good twist. I didn't want it to be too hard to take off again the next time, or risk damaging it or the threads. If anyone has some advice on how tight this should feel, please let me know.

I threaded the chain back through the derailleur jockey wheels and rejoined the two ends using the master link. Then I applied some of my drip lube on the chain, shifted all the gears while turning the pedals, and then wiped down the chain.

I'm still amazed as how shiny this all is. I always forget that these parts come silver colored, and not really blackened, as they tend to get over time.

The next order of business is to get it all dirty again with lots of gravel dust on Sunday's Last Bacon Ride of the Year.

The Art of Being Seen

2009-09-12T19:28:00.011-05:00

Motorists often don't see bikes at night, so we have to go out of our way to be seen when riding the streets of our cities. My morning commutes are often in the dark, and the occasional Taco Ride has me biking home 30 miles in the dark.

Being Seen

I could add lots of reflectors, like this guy. (Photo courtesy of AJ Jones IV)

I could also add a dozen blinkies, like these guys:

Nah. (Is that even legal?)

The Art

My Schwinn project is just as much about art as it is a functioning bicycle. Even if I've made it up myself, I've got this standard in my head for what this old bike should look like. I'm trying to preserve its 30 year old style while making it fun and safe to ride using modern components.

So mounting dozens of reflectors and LED blinkies, while it would help me be seen, there's no art in it.

The Art of Being Seen

I ruled out a seat post light when I came across bar end blinkies. These tiny lights slip into the rear facing ends of road handlebars. While they aren't as bright as a good seat post flasher, they are passive to install. When they are off, you can't even tell they are there. One con is that I can't direct their beams. They point down toward my legs and the street below the bike.

Bar end light on

Bar end light off

Today I added a new rear facing light. This one is a nifty looking bullet light made from polished aluminum with a bar end light inserted. The Soma Fabrications Silver Bullet can be mounted in many places, but I choose to mount it on the dropout eyelet so that I could avoid using the ugly plastic seat stay mount.

Finally, here's a video of a 360 degree walkaround showing the lights in use. They aren't as eye catching as a Planet Bike superflash, but in the interest of preserving a little artistic style, the bar end lights and the Silver Bullet will do.

The Law

Nebraska law demands that bicycles operating at night have tire reflectors, either in the form of a reflective sidewall, or spoke mounted reflectors. See the side reflector code here.

I don't meet the requirements of this law, yet.

Also, bikes must have a forward facing light, and a rear red reflector. A rear light is permitted, but does not take the place of a reflector. See the rear reflector code here. I think in the city of Lincoln a rear light is required.

I still haven't found a suitable retro looking forward light for permanent installation, so I've been using a Planet Bike Blaze light.

I put a rear reflector on this afternoon. Some, like Sheldon Brown, argue that reflectors don't work, and that lights should be required, but I figure that a rear reflector and a light can't hurt, and helps satisfy legal requirements.

Schwinn Le Tour II Restoration, Phase 3.5 - Single Speed with Fenders

2009-09-05T18:08:00.009-05:00

Before

After
I put Phase 3.5 in the title because the bike's configuration hasn't changed that much from the so-called Phase 3. There will be a Phase 4, so stay tuned.

The addition of fenders, Brooks B17 saddle, cloth tool roll, silver crank dust caps and retro bottle cage does change the look somewhat, though.

The fenders are the 37mm polished aluminum fenders from Velo Orange. I installed them myself using the supplied hardware. Fortunately, I didn't have to drill anything, but unfortunately, I didn't have all the hardware I needed, and had to pick up some extra parts from Ace Hardware.

It seems to me that the tire clearance is a little too wide but due to the way the frame is built, there wasn't much I could do about it if I wanted to keep the clearance uniform.

The old-school bottle cage straps are designed to secure certain bottle cages against the tube. These straps don't have any nuts that would replace brazeons, so I can't use any bottle cage.

I felt a stainless steel bottle would work well with the chrome and polished aluminum elsewhere on the bike. Some also recommend steel bottles, as they don't get gunked up the way plastic can, leach chemicals in the water, and make the water taste funny. The bad news is that the bottle and cage aren't designed for each other, so there's a little vibration and noise when the bottle is empty.

The tool roll is a Bike Burrito and looks really good underneath the black Brooks B17 with copper rivets and rails. I keep an extra tube, tire levers, wrenches, rag, patches, pump, and a multitool in the roll.

I still want to cut the fender stays to keep a clean look.

I needed to create some spacers to move the fender further out from the chain stay bridge. I used a long bolt with washers and nuts as spacers. I used leather washers from Velo Orange to help absorb vibration.

This part was tricky. The sliding mount was in the form of a strap that I had to bend, fold, and pinch myself for a custom fit. This holds the top of the fender secure to the seat stay bridge. The hole in the strap for the brake bolt wasn't wide enough for the nut, so I had to ream it out a bit with a drill.

The fenders came with a fork crown daruma. This nifty piece of hardware connects to the brake bolt as it passes through the crown. It drops a bolt that goes through a hole in the top of the fender. I don't know if I did it right, but I didn't tighten down the nut under the fender too tightly. As a result, I can wiggle the fender a bit to align it over the tire, and it gives if I clip the fender with my toe, rather than bend the fender.

The Good

Fenders rock. I've got fenders on my Trek 7300 hybrid, and they've enabled me to ride comfortable in wet conditions. They also help keep the bike clean, especially the underside of the new leather saddle.
They look cool, I think. I feel almost caveman-like when it comes to shiny things. Oooohhh... shiny!
Yay! I installed the fenders myself! It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, but it did take a while. It should go more quickly next time.
Being able to carry a bottle is nice on those hot days when I might not be riding near water. This bike is more of a city commuter with skinny tires, and not intended for long adventure rides, but a swig of water every now and again is a good thing.

The Bad

These fenders, while not as pricey as Japanese Honjo fenders, were a little more expensive than plastic fenders.
I'm afraid the metal fenders will get dented and scuffed with everyday commuting. This is a working bike, and not being restored just for show.
Toe clipping is a problem now. My days of the almost-track stand are done on this bike, since my feet hit the fender if I move the handlebars from side to side.
I didn't notice any vibration or rattling during an easy test ride on the trail this afternoon but I wonder if commuting on the rough streets of Omaha will shake something loose.
I guess it's impossible for Velo Orange to predict all the parts that I would need. I spent an extra $10 on assorted nuts, bolts, washers, and such from the local hardware store.

In summary, I like the look of the shiny new parts. Fenders extend the riding days of any bike. I've got a few more ideas for the bike before I call it done, so be sure to watch for updates.

It's Going Around: Single Speed Fever

2009-09-02T17:21:00.004-05:00

A curious malady is making the rounds in my barn. Symptoms of single speed fever are spreading.

My true single speed, the 1976 Schwinn Le Tour II is now my favored city bike and fair weather commuter. There's a 40 tooth chainring on the front and a 17 tooth freewheel on one side of the rear hub, and a 17 tooth track cog fixed on the other side. I find that this combination is perfect for me for tooling around town tackling the typical hills in my stomping grounds. With the addition of a new saddle, I'm all the more eager to spend a lot of time on this bike.

I've gotten comfortable standing to climb, spinning on the flats and coasting when the road turns downward.

This weekend I went to clean about 100 miles of Nebraska gravel road dust and Iowa Wabash Trace crushed limestone dust from my Specialized Tricross when I noticed something odd about the cassette.

A couple of Sundays ago combined a Bacon Ride with my first century ride, and last week I did a Taco Ride. Without realizing it, I'd been riding the Tricross as if it were single speed; standing to climb and spinning when not climbing. I got into a nice pace and spent most of the time pedaling.

As I got my degreaser and cleaning rags ready, I noticed that all the cogs but one were covered with white dust. The one that was cleaner was obviously the one I'd been using for my recent rides. At 34 x 14, I was cycling at a gear ratio just a tad stiffer than on the single speed Schwinn.

This weekend, I grabbed the grocery panniers and my Trek 7300 hybrid and headed out to Whole Foods to stock up one some specialty items that I can't get at my local Bag & Save or Hy-Vee. With 35mm tires and a cargo rack, this is my hauling bike. Again, I noticed that I was doing all the pedaling in a similar gear ratio. I did have to shift down to climb out of the Papio Creek valley into my neighborhood, as I was loaded down with groceries.

Incidentally, I saw Rafal D. with Megan, and Steve O. with some friends at Whole Foods and talked for a moment with each.

So, look out. If you ride near where I ride, you might want to keep your distance. If your bike gets too close, you might find it, too, afflicted with single speed fever. I just hope single speed fever doesn't jump over to humans in the form of some kind of knee pain!

Young Professionals Provide Feedback For Omaha's Bus Transit Authority

2009-08-27T06:42:00.001-05:00

The masthead for this blog reads:

One man's attempt at opting out of the total car culture
by walking, busing, and cycling in Omaha, Nebraska.

There hasn't been much talk of busing here lately, as I'm been so taken with all that the world of cycling has to offer. This post is about busing in Omaha.

Today, the Omaha Young Professionals Council is presenting to Metro Area Transit the results of the survey that followed the YP Bus Challenge earlier this spring. I participated in the Challenge by buying a monthly pass and using the bus every day for commuting (with bicycle in tow) and some errand running. I formed a team at work and we came in at third place.

Yesterday I got an email from Omaha World-Herald reporter, Tom Shaw, looking for some quotes on a story. I was happy to oblige, as I see helping to develop a top-notch transit system in Omaha as vital to helping to check suburban sprawl, and to attract (and retain!) smart, hardworking folks (young and old) to Omaha.

The text of the story is below. Be sure to check out the paper or the Omaha.com web site for updates after the YP Council presents their report to MAT.

Published Thursday August 27, 2009

Group backs later MAT service

By Tom Shaw
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

From: http://omaha.com/article/20090827/NEWS01/708279924

It's 1 a.m.

You and your friends just had a great time in the Old Market. Now you want to get back to Dundee.

If only you could hop on a bus.

Expanding Metro Area Transit bus service to include late-night hours is one of several recommendations from the Greater Omaha Young Professionals.

The recommendations come from participants in the group's spring Bus Challenge. Nearly 200 people rode MAT buses over a three-week period in April and May and then took an online survey about their experiences.

Young Professionals, which is affiliated with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, seeks to improve Omaha so the city can continue to attract and retain young professionals.

MAT executive director Curt Simon welcomes the recommendations, which will be formally presented to the MAT board today.

Some of the group's suggestions, such as improving MAT's bus signs and Web site, are being done already, Simon said. Other ideas, including the late night bus service, will require more study. Currently, buses serving main routes quit running at 11:30 p.m.

Simon said support for public transportation from younger Omahans is key.

“They don't just want to see it work,” he said of the bus system. “They want to see it work well.”

Scott Redd, a systems engineer at Union Pacific, took part in the challenge. Usually he rides his bike from home near 50th Street and Interstate 80 to the downtown UP headquarters.

Redd said MAT is convenient for people in the midtown and downtown areas. It also cuts out the expense of downtown parking.

An avid biker, Redd also likes the fact that MAT buses have bike racks on the front.

“That was really progressive,” he said. “I was surprised when they starting doing that.”

But there are limitations.

Redd said he can't catch a bus home after about 5:30 p.m. on weekdays.

Chris Miller, an information technology worker for First National Bank, also pointed to bus schedules as a drawback.

Miller, a midtown resident who took the challenge, has ridden the bus downtown since 2007.

Miller said some of his co-workers don't use the bus because they don't think it's reliable enough.

MAT buses are on schedule close to 90 percent of the time, Simon said, but acknowledged occasional problems.

Miller and Redd said they think some young professionals buy into a stereotype that buses are only for low-income residents. Miller and Redd said the bus can be a good resource for anyone.

One recommendation is for MAT to rebrand itself and expand support for public transportation.

Simon said MAT continuously works to fight the negative images.

The group also recommended that more companies offer financial assistance to employees who use public transportation.

First National Bank subsidizes 25 percent of bus ticket costs for employees and sells them through its human resources department.

Union Pacific lets employees buy bus passes with pre-tax pay, saving some money on the cost.

Young Professionals also would like more bus service aimed at area college students.

Simon said the agency is developing a pilot program with Metro Community College to increase service for its students.

MAT hasn't had much success getting a program started for UNO students, Simon said, because of the varied times and routes students would need.

Simon said there's merit in exploring an after-hours bus that circulates through downtown and midtown. The question, he said, is whether late-night bus service would be economically viable.

MAT has changed some bus signs in response to suggestions from the young professionals group and others.

MAT now displays entire bus schedules on small kiosks at places such as 76th and Dodge Streets. More route information also is being placed at bus shelters.

MAT's Web site will be improved soon, Simon said, so users can click on specific routes and pull up the bus schedule for that route.

Contact the writer:

444-1149, tom.shaw@owh.com

Contact the Omaha World-Herald newsroom

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Bacon Ride, and a Failed Century Ride... Sort Of

2009-08-23T17:43:00.012-05:00

This Sunday, Rafal organized another one of his favorite Bacon Rides, with route created by route wiz, Mark. I had expressed an interest in adding some more miles to get my first century under my belt, so Rafal obliged with some more awesome gravel routes through La Platte, and then streets, trail, and more streets through Bellevue before leaving me in Little Italy with 15 more miles to do on my own.

Several folks showed up at Wholner's at 6AM

Rafal D. on Bianchi single speed cross bike
James P. on a new Giant cross bike
Mark S. on a single speed, of which I didn't notice the brand, but it looked expensive
Ryan F. on a beefy mountain bike
Chris G. sporting a classic Bianchi Sport SS with some new tires, eager for his first time gravel adventure
And myself on the Specialized Tricross

W00t! A nice crowd.

The weather was perfect, with temps in the lower 60s, little wind, and highs predicted in the mid 80s. It couldn't have been a better day for cycling.

Chris told me that when he arrived at Wholner's, he realized he had forgotten his gloves. Then, he said, it dawned on him that he also had forgotten his helmet! Ryan's advice: "Don't fall." He didn't.

We made our way to the end of the city pavement just south of Walnut Creek, and from there, it was a mix of gravel roads and highway, with some MOPAC trail mixed in.

I'll save the play by play, and instead, offer up photographs taken during parts of the trip.

A nice breakfast was had at Platte River State Park, and conversation spilled over between our table and a table with some Lincoln riders that some of the folks knew. Unfortunately, Mark had a problem with his crank spindle and bottom bracket, so he had to call out for a ride home from the park.

Then, highway, MOPAC, pedestrian bridge, gravel, highway, gravel, lots of gravel hills near the church, more gravel, some highway, then more gravel.

James, Ryan, and Chris rode on back into town at Fairview near 108th, while Rafal and I rode on Fairview to 84th, then to Platteview to 57th, then La Platte Road, crossing under Highway 75 near the Platte River. We worked east toward Harland Lewis and then got onto the Keystone Trail/Belleview Loop and rode on in to Old Towne Bellevue to stock up on water and sports drinks.

The Bellevue Boulevard saw us to Mandan Park and on to 13th Street, and then we rode the familiar Gibson Road/Zoo/10th Street route. Rafal headed home at Bancroft, and I rode on in to downtown, crossed the river, and got some miles in on the Council Bluffs Levee trail heading toward Narrows Park before turning around and heading home.

Once home, I could relax. My shoulders and arms were a little sore, but my legs, knees and feet were feeling great. Aside from a general tiredness setting in, I felt like I could keep on riding. My new cycling shorts and jersey really kept me comfortable and energized.

At home, I saw what I was afraid on the bike computer.

I did not ride a century.

I was short of one-quater mile.

Epic fail!

Damn. I'll have to try again some other time.

Thanks, Rafal, for helping me on the century, and thanks to everyone for the awesome ride and conversation. I can't wait for more gravel adventures. My Tricross is getting quite the appetite for the awesome gravel roads and trails we have in this part of the country.

Bike Burrito: A Better, Beautiful Bike Blowout Bag?

2009-08-22T11:32:00.000-05:00

Since the recent single speed/fixie conversion of the Schwinn Le Tour II, I've been trying to keep the overall style at a simple, minimalistic level. One simplification was in achieved in replacing the original brake levers with newer, aero style brake levers with under-the-bar-tape cabling, resulting in a really clean handlebar. A beefy, silver single speed chain now accentuates the simple transmission of energy from front chainring to rear cog,

The purpose of the single speed Schwinn is to have a comfortable, simple, fun bike for tooling around Omaha, be it commuting to work or visiting the local restaurants or pubs and coffee shops. I don't plan on any epic adventures on this bike, but you never know. One must, in my opinion, when traveling more than a mile or two from home without a backpack or messenger bag is a "blowout bag." Typically a blowout bag is a saddle bag with a tube, pump or CO2 cartridge, tire levers, and necessary tools for fixing a flat on the go.

Most saddle bags these days are made of nylon or sometimes recycled rubber tubes, but for the Schwinn, I wanted to try something a little different. Here we come to the topic of this post; the Bike Burrito.

The Bike Burrito is an artisan made cloth tool roll. It's essentially an apron of cloth with pockets on the inside that can be stuffed with tools and a tube, rolled up, and secured underneath the seat on the rails of a saddle with a leather strap. You could think of it as an old timey looking seat bag.

I visited the Bike Burrito shop and placed a custom order. I wanted colors to match my bike (namely, red, black and white), but since I didn't see anything in their shop, I placed a custom order, asking the artisan to use their own judgment. I supplied a photo of my bike and trusted their artistic eye to match a suitable pattern.

A couple of weeks later, my Bike Burrito arrived. I found the packaging so cute that I photographed it, almost like one might document a new product "unboxing" event. The first thing I noticed was that the burrito was wrapped like a, well, a burrito, in aluminum foil. Inside the envelope was also a little Bike Burrito pin, a tiny bottle of Tabasco sauce, and a card showing the proper way to secure the roll under the saddle.

I put an extra tube in the big pocket, a set of wrenches (13mm, 14mm, and 15mm), a multi tool, and a mini pump in the other pockets, rolled it up, and tied it under my seat. I haven't ridden the bike with the burrito yet, but I noticed that the wrenches clang against each other if I bounce the bike around. To solve this, I rolled the wrenches in a rag before stuffing into the pocket. This seems to help, and also provides a way to wipe my hands, should they get soiled during a repair job.

I will post comments later after riding with the Bike Burrito for a week or so. I'll know better then about how well it rides along tucked under the seat.

Thanks to Jayme for the custom order. The Bike Burrito looks great on my bike.

The photos below show the Bike Burrito in detail.

It's a burrito, wrapped in foil.

I was pleased with the red and black tartan print.

Burritos should come with hot sauce!

The right tools and supplies for fixing a flat. I rolled the wrenches in a rag later to help avoid clinking and clanging.

My custom Bike Burrito installed on the bike. This would look so much cooler under a Brooks saddle.

Taco Ride - Rainy Dark Edition

2009-08-21T17:56:00.002-05:00

Not many words for this post. Check out the ride description at Tim's blog.

These fawns let me get about 4 feet away from them

Tim helps out by snapping a random group photo.

This rainbow over Silver City was much brighter to the eye than it appears here.

Snake Bite!

2009-08-18T21:22:00.006-05:00

I wasn't really bitten by a snake. Read on.

This evening, I took the Schwinn, in fixie mode, on the Keystone for a short ride. I'm not able to commute to work by bike this week, so I'm trying to make sure I get some rides in. Right after getting on the trail, I noticed poor handling and looked down for a flat.

Sure enough, the rear 25mm tire was all squishy. I stopped to check, and dang it if the tire had no air in it.

I turned the bike over and pulled out my shiny Ace Hardware 15mm wrench and pulled the rear wheel off. I used a lever to pop out the bead, but was able then to get the tire and tube off by hand.

I had an extra tube, but had never used a glueless patch kit and wanted to give it a try. The weather was nice, and I had plenty of light left, so why not? I used my mini pump (also never used) to connect up to the Presta valve, gave it some air, and found not one, but two tiny holes next to each other.

Snake bike! I guess this is a pinch flat.

I had a nasty nail puncture last year on my hybrid, but the pinch flat was new. I am not sure how I got it, but I do know there's a bad gap on a bridge joint near where I get on the trail. I'm not used to hopping and popping obstacles in fixie (where I can't brace on the pedals), so maybe that was it.

I got the warm fuzzy about cycling when a handful of people, including one guy who "pedals" a recumbent using his arms, slowed and asked if I needed help, a tube, or CO2 cartridges. I do the same, so it all works out. I even helped a retired gentleman change a car tire once while out on a commute.

I didn't need any help, and in a few minutes, had the pressure up, good enough by feel, to remount the wheel and continue riding a bit. When I got home I saw that I had reached 60 PSI of the recommended 90 PSI maximum and topped it off with my floor pump. The patch seemed to work well enough to span the two tiny holes and hold pressure. My mini pump has settings for high volume or high pressure, so if I had been more patient, may have been able to get to 90 on the mini pump, but 60 was good enough to ride a bit.

I'm curious to see if the patch holds over the next few days. It sure beats the messy glue and rubber patches I used as a youth.

In the meantime, I'll be sure to watch out for more snake bikes on the Keystone!

Lessons Learned

Who needs expensive CO2 cartridges? If conditions allow, the mini pump is effective, and free to use, and if I mess up, I just reattach the pump and try again.
Make sure tires are properly inflated. I understand skinny road tires can lose air more quickly than wider, lower pressure tires. Not sure if I headed out on low pressure, but maybe I did.
Glueless patches seem to work pretty well! At six patches per kit, it's way cheaper than buying a new tube.
Even for short rides, bring a blowout kit. Sure, I could have pushed the bike two miles, uphill, home, but where's the fun and adventure in that?
Pack two tire levers. For some reason I only had one. I didn't need two, but if I had, I didn't have it.
Cyclists are so cool, always looking out for each other.
Be comfortable fixing flats! I did this some as a kid, and have changed tires and tubes some for riding in different seasons. Anyone serious about cycling, (men, women, and children) should learn how to fix a flat. You will get flats! It's not that hard, and can be done in a few minutes with some practice.

Omaha's 2009 Corporate Cycling Challenge

2009-08-16T14:12:00.007-05:00

Sunday, August 16, 2009 started out with with thunderstorms in the early morning hours, but by the time the Corporate Cycling Challenge 42 mile "Tour de Fort" started, only some blowing drops remained. I did the 10 mile ride last year with my wife and daughter.

The plan was to hook up with some of the MITMON folks at Starbucks before the ride, but I overslept and didn't leave the house until about 7:30. I'm so glad I got all of my equipment and gear ready the night before.

I pedaled on down, stopping at the store to get some Gatorade to mix with my water, and got into position only a few minutes before the start of the ride. I wasn't able to find anyone I knew, so I rode all the way to Ft. Calhoun solo.

In a way, this was a good thing. I didn't have to worry about going too fast with my family, who decided to sleep in this year, and I didn't have to worry about going too slow with all of the folks who ride really fast, but are friendly enough to let me tag along. For the first five miles, I rode along with the crowd, but then I thought, "why not speed things up a bit?" So, I did.

I started passing folks, advancing my way up. Mind you, not at any breakneck speed, or with crazy maneuvers, just a steady, but quicker pace than those around me. After a while I found that I was matching the pace with a line of four other guys who seemed to be hanging together. I rode like this until we hit Highway 75 and into the hills of Ponca.

Once we turned north on Highway 75, things changed, in a remarkable way. Those guys I had been drafting slowed down, considerably. Folks started shifting their chains off the cogs. Tandems began crawling. I pedaled on, shifting down only one gear, and just spinning away. From this point on, all the way up and down hills on Highway 75, I was only passed by a couple of riders, but I, myself, passed dozens of other cyclists. I'm not trying to toot my horn, but I think the past few weeks of single speed commuting has paid some measurable dividends. I wasn't crazy fast, but it felt awesome to keep a steady pace up the hills and easily pass so many people.

Once we got to Ft. Calhoun, I dropped off my ride tickets to prove that I was there. I grabbed a banana and some Fig Newtons, and stood in line to use the portable toilet. It was in Ft. Calhoun that I ran across Tim from UP, Rafal, and Angie E. from UNO. Tim was in a hot pink Veloshop racing kit, Rafal was in his Midwest Cycling gear with slick tires on this single speed, and Angie was sporting a new bike.

I rode back with Rafal and Tim, and that put to rest any ideas that I had about me being a fast rider today. Rafal, as always, is beast on the single speed Bianchi cyclocross bike, and Tim is just amazingly fast, especially on his lightweight titanium bike with 52 tooth chainring that looks like something that came out of a sawmill. I was dropped on most hills (the way back is more hilly than the way there), but caught up easily enough when the terrain flattened out a bit. I think Tim and Rafal were holding back. I did get very comfortable climbing out of the saddle on the Tricross today.

Either Rafal or Tim (I can't remember which) said that they averaged 18MPH. I'm not sure if that includes their trip out and back, or just their trip back when I rode along. 18 MPH isn't bad considering the hills on the north side of town.

I haven't heard any official tallies, but the Corporate Cycling Challenge may have set a new record this year with 4,500 participants, or at least registrations. The money collected by participants and sponsors goes to help with trail development in Omaha and eastern Nebraska.

Lessons Learned

Cycling specific chamois shorts make a huge difference on long or hard rides. The Pearl Izumi shorts I picked up yesterday were worth every penny. Will I wear them to the grocery store or restaurant? No, that's what my knickers are for.
I don't look nearly as fat as I thought I would in the chamois. There are a lot of people much larger than I am. However, if you have any pictures from today that suggest otherwise, please keep them to yourself.
The cycling jersey I got, with pockets on the back, is comfortable and light, and also lets me carry snacks, wallet, phone, etc., without the need for an extra bag
Snacks are not needed on the Corporate Cycling Challenge. There's an abundance of bananas and Fig Newtons at the turnaround points. I'll leave those home next year.
Many people decked out in racing kits are slow.
Many people wearing cutoff jean shorts and dirty t-shirts are fast.
Make sure your tires are in good shape and properly inflated. After each rough railroad crossing were piles of people changing tires.
Maybe I'll get a cycle computer on the Tricross to get better data on these kinds of rides.

It's great to see that so many people turned out today to help support cycling in the Omaha metro area. The Corporate Cycling Challenge is a fun way to ride some of Omaha's scenic roads while helping out the trails networks, all while having fun with family and cycling friends, old and new.

See you all at the 20th anniversary 2010 Corporate Cycling Challenge next year.

The Route

2009 Corporate Cycling Challenge, Tour de Fort
Find more Bike Rides in Omaha, Nebraska

Further Along On Fixie: A Fun Fad?

2009-08-15T19:03:00.004-05:00

I've still not tried my 10 mile round trip daily commute on the fixed gear; I'm too chicken to play in traffic, especially on some of my downhill runs.

However, I've spent maybe two hours on the Keystone Trail riding fixie. In short, it's fun, but I don't know how practical it is. Maybe it doesn't have to be practical.

Navigating starts and stops and slow speed turns is different than when on a freewheel. It's almost like learning how to ride a bike all over again. Also, my legs are a little sore, as if I'm new to cycling, all over again. The back pressure required to slow down (unless I cheat and use brakes) requires a different force to be applied from the legs. Even when using brakes, the legs are never along for a free ride. I can never simply ignore what my legs are doing. My mind must always be on pedaling strategy.

I suppose there are some good things to take away from the fixie experience. For one, I like to coast. Perhaps I coast too much. If I can get in the habit of always pedaling, as if I were on the fixie, I'd be a better rider.

Secondly, I think the constant pedaling, and standing to climb and back pressure on the pedals to slow, could make the fixie a great workout bike. I wonder if I could get a better workout in an hour of fixie than I would on single speed or with gears.

Lastly, I think fixie gives me better balance. Since I don't ever want to have to stop and unclip, I'm more likely to slowly approach my stop and balance at slow speeds, or even stand for a few seconds.

I wouldn't want a straight up fixie bike, but I'm really having fun with the flip-flop hub on the Schwinn that let's me ride single speed or fixed gear depending on the experience I want to have.

First on Fixie - I Didn't Die

2009-08-11T19:08:00.008-05:00

When I did the single-speed conversion on the Schwinn Le Tour II, I was left with a rear hub that has mysterious threads on the non-drive side. "So this is a flip-flop hub," I thought.

Curiosity got the best of me today when I went to the bike shop and got a Surly 17 tooth track cog and lock ring. Let's try fixie!

Fixie, or fixed gear, is when there is no freewheel or freehub allowing the rear wheel to coast when not pedaling. If the wheel is turning, so is the chain, and so are the cranks, and so are your feet. A flip-flop hub allows a regular freewheel cog on one side and a fixed cog on the other. By taking off the wheel and flipping it around, one is able to ride either single-speed (with coasting) or fixed gear (with no coasting).

Mike at the Re-Cycle bike shop was kind enough to let me use his work stand and tools to put it on. The cog was too thick for the multi-speed chain I was using, so I also had to throw on a beefy, silver single-speed chain.

Having never even sat on a fixed gear bike, I didn't dare try to ride home in this configuration. So I flippity-flopped the wheel back to single-speed and rode home normally.

Once home, I grabbed the wrench and flipped around the wheel and tightened up the chain and took it for a spin. Actually, the bike took me for a spin. I had trouble just getting out of the driveway. I live at the top of a pretty steep hill. I was riding both brakes at a slow crawl all the way down the hill.

My plan was to ride down to a nearby parking lot and just get the hang of the track bike style pedaling. The first parking was being resurfaced, so I rode neighborhood streets to a shopping center and practiced a while there. What pitiful track standing I had learned to do on my single-speed didn't seem to help much on the fixie. No longer able to ratchet the cranks to keep my best foot forward, I was all over the place, backward and forward, and thowing a foot out constantly. At one point I fell over when I couldn't get my foot out quick enough. Embarrasing, but expected. Standing for only a few seconds was the best I could do. Maybe some practice will help.

Finally I felt comfortable enough to try some back streets. I rode around a couple of blocks, ascending and descending hills. I was completely unaware of how the whole back-pressure on the pedals would feel. Once or twice I went to wipe sweat or shift in the saddle and forgot that I couldn't brace myself on one leg for a moment. Gotta keep pedaling!

Want to stop? Gotta keep pedaling!

Want to slow down? Back pressure, but keep pedaling! I felt no shame applying both front and rear brakes.

The 17t cog was a little steeper than the 18t that I've been riding, but it felt kind of aggressive and snappy. I zipped up the hill to my house a little more quickly.

I doubt I will try this configuration when riding the streets on my commute. It just makes me too nervous. The real fun will begin when I get to a trail or lonely road, flip the wheel around, and see what happens on a nice, long flat.

Even if I don't ride the fixed cog often, the thick silver chain looks a little sharper than the previous chain I had on.

Bike Omaha System Officially Open

2009-08-11T07:41:00.004-05:00

With the ceremonial shredding of a ribbon, Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle officially declared Omaha's on-street bicycle route system open.

Read more about it on the Bike Omaha blog, including a route map, photos and video from the event.

Ring My Bell

2009-08-05T18:44:00.005-05:00

I ordered an all-metal brass and steel bell from Olympia Cycle to go on the single speed Schwinn.

Here it is pictured to the right. Sorry, there's a smudge on my camera lens.

A bell is a must for riding around pedestrians and slower moving cyclists, especially on the bike paths.

I actually ordered another model, but Larry ordered a batch of both styles from his supplier. If you want a solid, loud and clear brass bell for your bike, now's the time to go to Olympia and pick one up for about $13.

Mmm... Bacon. What? I'm a Vegan!

2009-08-02T16:15:00.004-05:00

I thought Rafal was being creative in his use of language by describing Mark's 65 mile road and gravel route as a Bacon Ride. It turns out, there was bacon involved, however, suitable alternatives were available for vegetarians.

Rafal, James P. and I met at Aksarben Village around 6am and headed out to the south and the west using a Bikely route created by Mark S. I didn't get a lot of photos. Rafal's pace was quick (for me) and it didn't leave me much time for fussing with the camera. I did get a few shots of the MOPAC Trail near Springfield, then some at Platte River State Park, where we had a buffet style breakfast, and then some photos along the pedestrian bridge that spans the Platte River west of the park. We finished the trip with some suds at Blue Planet Natural Grill before parting ways.

Before the ride, I had thought I would turn back about 20-25 miles into the ride, but Rafal encouraged me on (I can't repeat his words *grin*). Plus, I didn't have the cue sheet, and, frankly, wasn't certain how to get back, so I stuck it out. I'm glad I did. I'm slow climbing the hills, but I think I recovered well enough.

Though Rafal and James were on single speeds, I don't think I would have fared so well on this gravely terrain, so I opted for the Specialized Tricross bike, which, as Brady put it, was "designed to eat gravel."

With 72 miles, including the commute to and from the trail, this is the most that I've ridden in a single day. Including a restroom break and breakfast, we were out for about six hours. My previous record was the Shenandoah trip, where my wife and I were out for 11 hours over 65 miles, albeit, fully loaded down with touring gear on damp limestone.

My legs are a little sore, and I'm tired from staying up too late last night, but I had a real blast, and am looking forward to another long ride with my bike friends again in the future.

Photos

Here's a link to the photos in case the slide show doesn't load.

Map

View Platte Gravel 65 mile (Bikely) in a larger map

49 Miles on the Single Speed Schwinn Le Tour II. She's a Keeper.

2009-07-31T18:00:00.007-05:00

I took Friday off work to burn some vacation, and to enjoy the excellent, mild summer weather. I also wanted to give the newly converted single speed Schwinn Le Tour II a good spin. I'd been wanting to see if a ride to Hitchcock Nature Area, north of Crescent, Iowa, would be a good ride for bike camping.

I selected a route and headed off this morning, stopping by Blue Planet for breakfast. The route took me over the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, along Iowa's riverfront trail, then through Big Lake Park. Then I went north to get on Old Lincoln Highway.

Here it got scary! I wasn't expecting there to be little to no shoulder, and fairly narrow, fast moving traffic. I showed no shame in a couple of instances by ducking off the road where I could hear/feel a lumbering 18-wheeler coming up behind.

Finally I went through Crescent and found that the road I wanted to take to Hitchcock was gravel. I wasn't prepared to ride loose gravel. Just for fun, I tweeted my predicament when Bryan responded. I then messaged him with my phone number asking him to call me. Bryan phoned me, and using online maps, and his knowledge of local roads, he suggest a longer, but safer route back to Council Bluffs. This route was a little hilly in places, but proved to be a very fun ride with some nice views. Bryan says dead customers don't bring in much money to the bike shop, so it was all about profit margins. :)

I had some trouble with my headset getting loose. I overhauled it last night and I'm not sure if everything is tightened down right.

Six and a half hours, including stops for tools at the hardware store, munchies, water, breakfast, lunch, and photographs. 49 miles, and lots of fun on the single speed.

Photos

I'm going to try showing the photos in a Picasa web slide show, rather than uploading right to the blog. You can link on to the Picasa album here.

Lessons Learned

Research roads more. Talk with other cyclists to get recommendations.
When trekking in the Great Plains, maybe consider a geared bike, with gravel tires.
There's no shame in walking. I did in a couple of spots.
Bring a camera when trekking. Camera phone in good, but higher quality camera is good to have.
Take a day off from work to go for a nice ride during these top-ten weather days.

Omaha Urban Cycling, and Early Look at 16th Street Bike Lanes

2009-07-30T19:45:00.004-05:00

Tuesday over lunch I ran some errands by bike, and also rode up and down the new 16th Street bike lanes with the camera recording video from the handlebars.

Presented below are two videos with my comments added in.

The first video is me simply riding South 16th Street from Leavenworth Street to Douglas Street. This section is along a sort of "greenway". In the 80s, Omaha revitalized this area to make it attractive to shoppers, but it never really caught on. Most of the storefronts are empty, and the only real foot traffic there are people waiting to transfer buses. Almost all MAT routes transfer along this stretch of 16th Street. Here's a link to an interesting news story about future plans to turn 16th Street into a home for artists and galleries, with an eventual return of shops.

The second video is of me riding from 13th and Jackson Street to Capitol Avenue, then down the new bike lanes on North 16th Street to Cuming Street and then back to work. This one shows some typical stop and go traffic, and then a disturbing incursion into the new bike lanes. To the motorists' credit, the lanes are new, there are no signs up about them, and the traffic and parking lane work isn't done yet. The city took the pre-existing four lane road and converted it to two lanes, with a center turn lane, and a lane of parking on the outside. I'm sure motorists are used to driving in what is now a parking lane, so they are confused.

In closing, I'd like to say that the bike lanes are a small part of a much larger plan. They should not be regarded as an end product of the cycling transportation plan of Omaha. People will get used to them, cyclists will start using them, and the city will gradually come into its own at a truly bikeable community.

Also, please note that the videos are not created to serve some sort of vanity purpose for me. I want to show others what it's like to ride in Omaha on the streets, in hopes that others might take it up. Please let me know what you'd like to see in a bike video and perhaps I can get some interesting on-street footage.

Schwinn Le Tour II Restoration, Phase 3 - Single Speed

2009-07-26T20:28:00.008-05:00

Before

After

Background

If you have been bored enough to follow my posts, you'll know that early in the spring I bought a 1976 Schwinn Le Tour II for cheap. After a couple of weeks, I restored it enough using the stock parts so that I could ride it for a while, putting a few hundred miles on it. I then tried to do a 650B conversion on it, but ran into trouble with brake reach. The stock brake already had a long reach, so the newer "long reach brakes" weren't any longer than the stock brake.

I had already put the Le Tour's chromed steel 27 inch wheels on my daughter's 80s model Schwinn Varsity, so the Le Tour was sitting wheelless, lonely, and unused, especially since I was satisfying my road-style biking needs with the Specialized Tricross.

The Single Speed Conversion

Yesterday, on a whim, I grabbed the frame and Tektro 556 brakes and headed down to Re-Cycle bike shop to see about getting some wheels for the Le Tour. Mike, the owner of the shop, had me go ahead and put the bike up on the work stand so we could start fitting wheels. Over the course of the next five or ten minutes, we worked out a plan to single speed the bike with parts he had in inventory. You'll recall that the Le Tour II has semi-horizontal dropouts, and is a common candidate for single speed conversions.

Mike turned me over to his mechanic, Dan, and within an hour, most of the work had been done. It all happened so fast, I almost wasn't able to keep up with what we were doing.

Here's a list of what we (mostly Dan) did:

Selected single speed 700c wheels with freewheel. I didn't know that wheels could be built for single speed. I think the difference is the dishing of the wheel to better accommodate the single cog, Also, these are bolt on wheels. Mike said it's common to use bolt on for single speed, especially on the rear when to need to ensure a snug fit. 700C give me more options for tires than I would have if I stuck with the 27 inch. Also, it opens up a tad more room for fenders should I go that route.
Selected an optimum rear cog. Mike suggested an 18 tooth cog. He's familiar with some of the hills I ride, so he was able to make a suggestion. Of course, I can change it out to make it easier or harder after I ride it some.
Put on a new drive side crank and chainring. By chance, they had a busted crank set brought in by someone who tried a jump and bent up the left side of the crank. The right side was in perfect shape, and included a single 40 tooth chainring. The crank arm length was 170mm, and matched the Schwinn crank arm perfectly. I got a really good deal on this part, and was pleased the way it turned out. My original plan was to keep the existing dual chainring, but this looks much, much better.
Selected tires. Mike set me up on skinny 25c, almost smooth tires. I've never ridden a skinny tire before.
Used a step drill bit to enlarge the rear brake hole on the fork to accommodate the recessed mounting nut. The stock brake had a bolt that went all the way through and a hex nut on the outside. We saved the curved washers to get a better mount between the brake and frame.
Used a Dremel tool to open up the rear brake mounting hole on rear of the frame. There was no room to get the drill in there.
Mounted new Tektro 556 brakes.
Removed all unnecessary shifting components: shifting levers, cables, cable guides, derailleurs.
Cut chain to fit the single gear and bolted the wheel into the dropouts.
Selected a new saddle to replace the broken stock saddle. I got a budget racing style Velo saddle. It looks pretty good, I think, but may get replaced with something else in the future (Can you say "Brooks," boy and girls?)
Selected new brake levers and cabling. I took home Tektro RL520 levers, black bar tape, and new cabling and cable housing. I installed the levers, cables, and bar tape myself at home. I'm impressed with the look and function of the new levers and how the cables disappear beneath the tape. It makes for such a simpler look on the bars. It's almost like there aren't any cables, as the visible parts of the cable are minimal. It took me a few wraps, and then unwraps, to get it right. My taping still isn't perfect, but I think I'm getting better.

What remains, potentially:

A nice powder coat job, to make that 33 year old steel frame look new again.
Fenders? Rack? It'd be a shame not to ride this fun bike just because the streets are wet. On the other hand, I already have a bike with fenders and a rack.
Brooks saddle and earthy colored, varnished bar tape?

That's Interesting, But How Does It Ride?

Oh my goodness! Oh my! I never knew it would feel so different. I think all of the changes done to the Le Tour, with the new skinny tires, light weight 700C wheels, well performing brakes with sturdy hoods to hang on to, plus the direct drive to the wheel, it's like a totally new bike.

I'd tried to simulate the single speed experience a few times by setting my geared bike at an equivalent gear. However, there just appears to be something magic about that nearly direct connection to the street through the single gear. It's probably not as direct as with a fixed gear, where's there's no freewheel/freehub, but much more so than with a geared bike, and all of the extra chain snaking through the derailleur jockey wheels. It feels more efficient, as if I get more power using the same gear ratio on the single speed as I would using a geared bike. The clicking of the freewheel is loud, but when I am turning the pedals, it's totally silent.

Of course, when using a geared bike set on a particular ratio, there's always that knowledge in the back of my mind that I can change the gears if I want to. When riding my new single speed today, it was kind of liberating knowing that I had what I had, legs, feet, pedals, chain, to wheel, and that was it. I had to make do with the gearing, such that it was.

I took the Schwinn out for a test ride this afternoon to run some errands over about 12 miles of in-town riding. First I rode some of the bigger hills on my normal daily commute. I found that I could stand out of the saddle to do the toughest hills, but for the most part, I didn't need to. I think it's that efficiency thing again. I did notice that on some downhills and some slight downhill flats, I quickly topped out my cadence, and had to resign to coasting, as I couldn't make my legs go any faster. On my geared bikes, these are spots where I could almost keep up with traffic using really big gears, but on the single speed, I'll just have to relax and take what I can get from gravity. On my first few stops, I felt the urge to downshift on the phantom levers.

The steel frame seems more comfortable than the aluminum Tricross frame, as I think it really absorbs the bumps in the road, despite the more narrow tire. Nothing I've ridden is as comfortable as my Trek 7300 hybrid, with its 35mm tires and seatpost and head shock suspension, plus gel saddle. But the performance of the Schwinn was a lot of fun. I've got the brakes tuned so that I can do most of my braking with a feather touch from my index finger around the hoods. I did have to toe in the shoes a bit, since I was getting some vibration and squeal on my rear brake, which came right up into my saddle for an odd sensation. With my clipless pedals, the acceleration is quite snappy.

I will probably try to commute with this bike this week. Between the 12 miles of errands I ran this afternoon, plus the eight mile round trip to dinner out, I've really enjoyed riding this "new" bike. I think the single speed conversion was the right thing to do at this point in time with the Schwinn, since I already had the hybrid for hauling and wet weather, and the cross bike for fast road and gravel riding. The single speed will be my "city" bike, for fair weather commuting, and tooling around to the coffee shop and restaurants, and casual, easy rides when I don't need to carry any cargo.

Pictures

Here are some photos of the completed bike.

The Bike Racks of Omaha

2009-07-21T18:36:00.003-05:00

Humor me.

I'm creating and maintaining a map of all known bike racks in the Omaha metropolitan area. This may seem ridiculous to you folks who already live in a biking town. It would be akin to creating a map of all the automobile parking lots in a city.

When this map gets too difficult to maintain, it will mean that Omaha has come into its own as a bike friendly city.

I could use your help. If you come across a bike rack out in public or at a business, send me an email with the location, description and a picture, if you can snap one. Optionally, send a Twitter message to @OmahaCyclist, the Twitter feed for Omaha bicycling news.

If you're a bigger geek than I am, and want to help by adding your own map points, let me know and I can add you as a collaborator to the map.

This map has a friendly TinyURL name for easy memorization: http://tinyurl.com/omahabikeracks

View Omaha Bike Racks in a larger map

A Tiny Taste of RAGBRAI

2009-07-18T22:45:00.007-05:00

This blog post, in no way, approximates a detailed report of what's happening with RAGBRAI this weekend. I am sure there are any number of other blogs, Twitter feeds, Flickr pools, etc, that can do the job. However, Roxanne and I cycled downtown and across the BK Bridge to check it out the RAGBRAI eve festivities. I was blown away with just how many people were out in the bikes between the Old Market and the Mid-America Center. Just riding the few miles among hundreds of other cyclists was quite an experience. I think the experience was enough to whet my appetite for participating in a large group ride like RAGBRAI.

Below are some photos.

Cyclists dipping their wheels in the waters of the Missouri River. I think they will also dip in the waters of the Mississippi River on the other side of Iowa. This picture is on the Omaha side. There was also an odd setup on the Bob Kerrey Bridge wherby water from the river was pumped up through a hose and deposited on the bridge.

Council Bluffs wisely established a dedicated cycling path from the trail at the casinos all the way to the Mid-America Center. The poor suckers in cars sat forever while we pedaled right on by.

At the Bob Kerrey Pedistrian Bridge with information directing visiting cyclists to valet bike parking in Omaha.

I'm not sure if there was more than one location for bike valet parking in Omaha. This lot was funded by the Omaha Downtown Improvement District at 11th and Farnam. The attendants told me that they didn't have a lot of takers, but we all agreed it was the right thing to do. Roxanne and I parked our bikes there while we ate at O Casual Dining.

Lots and lots of people on the bridge.

The Riverside Grill seemed to be a popular spot.

Hundreds, if not thousands of campers in and around the MAC grounds.

We saw Ryan and Roxy at the exposition at the MAC.

These single-speed bikes are being given away at Barely's Tip Top by 42 Below Vodka as part of their sponsorship of the WeLikeBike42 ride across the US to raise awareness for cycling, and probably to try to sell some vodka. I had some with cranberry juice and honey. It had a really unique taste. I even got to pedal one of these around the parking lot. It was fun, but I'm not sure if it was due to the novelty of the single-speed experience, or from the vodka.

Not photographed were many odd looking bikes, and all kinds of cyclists on them. I saw an elliptical-bike, on which a guy ran like you would on the pedals of an elliptical machine. I also saw a cycle operated by a hand crank, making me think, perhaps, the cyclist did not have the use of his legs. Many riders wore strange things on their heads, like wedges of cheese, balloon hats, and various stuffed animals. There were young, and old. Skinny and fat. Racers and cruisers. Despite all the different kinds of people, one thing in common they all shared was the good time they were having, and the ride doesn't even start until tomorrow.

Pedaling the Daily Grind - A Year of Bike Commuting

2009-07-17T13:52:00.004-05:00

It was a year ago today that I, as a "grown-up," rode my bicycle to work and back and set forth sequences of events that have, literally, been life changing.

July 16, 2008, I walked into the Trek Bicycles store at 72nd and Dodge and stated that I wanted a bike to use for commuting. They set me up with a Trek 7300 hybrid bike, and shortly afterward, I added a rack for carrying stuff and fenders for all-weather riding.

The next day I rode the bike, and have ridden a bike to work almost every day since then. Rain or shine, snow and ice. I've had to drive to work less than five times, usually to run an errand that required a car. I also rode the bus on a few days.

A lot of what I've learned about bike commuting can be found in my 2008 year in review post.

Below are some extra stats:

Total miles cycled: 3,673
Total bike-to-work miles: 2,476
Total weight lost: 25 pounds
Parking money saved: $750 (low estimate of $3/day)
Commuting gas money saved $304 (estimate of $2.75/gal)
Total bikes owned: 3 (two complete, one "project bike")

I can't say enough just how awesome it is to be out riding a bike all year long. I've made many new friends with some really cool people. I think Omaha is on the verge of becoming a notable "bike city," and I'm really excited to be a part of the change.

I'm here to demonstrate that if I, an ordinary, almost 40 year old dude of average fitness, can ride a bike to work in Omaha, then you can, too. Get out there and ride, and participate in the various online forums and blogs and be a part of Omaha's cycling culture.

Clean, Safe Benches - Coming Soon To A Corner Near You

2009-07-10T17:23:00.004-05:00

The word is that Omaha's bus authority, Metropolitan Area Transit, has gotten a new contractor to provide advertising bus stop benches. Gone are the broken down, dangerous wooden eyesores, and in their place, are new, environmentally friendly plastic benches.

These new benches, provided by Best Buy Signs, are replacing at least 400 benches around the metro area this year, and another 250 will be placed in 2010.

If you like the new benches, be sure to let the sponsors know.

Rolling Stone and Gasoline

2009-07-09T21:52:00.004-05:00

Moss doesn't grow fat on a rolling stone, and vines don't grow on a rolling automobile.

Such is not the case with my truck, though. I've been favoring the bicycle so much lately that viny vegetation from a nearby hedge started growing up my aerial.

The last time I bought gasoline for the truck was back in April. Since then I have driven 266 miles, using 14.6 gallons of gasoline.

At this rate, I am filling up my truck about four to five times a year, spending perhaps $120 - $150 a year.

You Can Fix You Own Bike - Headset

2009-07-04T17:24:00.004-05:00

A couple of weeks ago the headset on my Specialized Tricross got really stiff. It was so bad that I could just feel it grinding when I turned the handlebars. It took a small amount of force just to turn the handlebars.

My guess was that the headset needed to be overhauled, or even replaced.

I'd seen some exploded view diagrams of headsets, and having overhauled wheel hubs, thought I might be able to give this a try. Since the Tricross uses a threadless headset, I was a little afraid of tackling this newer technology.

I searched the web and came across various tutorials and videos on how to do it. YouTube is indispensable here. Just take your time and watch lots of videos and take away the best parts from each. After seeing some how-to videos, I thought I might be able to give this a try.

All I needed were a hex key set, hammer, flat headed screwdriver, WD-40, bearing grease, a bowl to soak the parts in, and a rag for wiping and cleaning.

I took the headset apart and took some reference photos along the way so I could be sure I'd get it all back together right. The first thing I noticed that there was a lot of dirt or sand right under the top cover on the stem. I can't figure out how all that got there! Note that the bike is new to me, but it's a three year old bike, and likely, the headset was never serviced.

I used a flat screwdriver to knock out the races and bearing retainer. The bearings were really fouled. I soaked the races, ball bearings, retainer, etc. in WD-40 to get all the gunk off. I also used WD-40 and a rag to clean the cup and races. It seems the cups are integrated into the frame, which is bad news, since I think the top cup is damaged a bit. I think the BBs are a little mashed, too. I might get some new ones and do it all over again.

After getting everything clean, I put the BBs back into the retainer rings, packed it all with grease, and put all the parts back in the opposite order that I took them all out. I did have to tap the races with my screwdriver and hammer to get them click back into place inside the fork tube.

The end result is a remarkably smoother turning fork. I think I can still detect a little roughness, but it's smooth enough now that the fork will turn freely if I lean the bike from side to side.

Here are a few photos from the process. If you view the larger version, you can really see the caked on sand or dirt.

Is it normal to get this much crud under the stem cap?

The bottom of the fork tube with the bike inverted. A little blurry, but you can see the ball bearings and some of the rings.

The purpose of this rambling fix-it is to encourage any other newbies like myself to try some basic repairs. With some research and patience, I've found that I can do some of these basic repairs on my own. It's fun, saves money, and gives me a little more confidence in tackling the next job.

To any experts reading this post, please let me know if I missed any points, or if I totally did it wrong and am now riding a rolling death trap.

My First Taco Ride

2009-06-25T23:20:00.006-05:00

Tonight Roxanne and I did our first Taco Ride. Basically the Taco Ride, if you don't know, is a weekly, Thursday night ride from Council Bluffs, Iowa to Mineola, Iowa where hundreds of cyclists gather to eat cheap tacos and drink cheap beer. The ride is 10 miles down the Wabash Trace, a crushed limestone trail that was once a rail line. You can learn more about the Taco Ride at http://tacoride.com/.

Earlier this week, Brady suggested that we go. He had never been either, so it was a new experience for all of us. Brady rode from downtown Omaha, and Roxanne and I brought our bikes to Lake Manawa and rode on in from there. We've been cycling for about a year and this was the first time that we have loaded our bikes up to drive somewhere for a ride. We had to run some errands after the ride, so having the truck was necessary, otherwise we may have ridden the entire time. I hope that doesn't sound like bike snobbery!

The ride was a lot of fun. The heat was made bearable by the wonderful canopy of trees shading the trail. The trail was in great condition, and the company was awesome.

I brought my trail camera. I must have had some setting off because many snaps turned out blurry, but I'll include them here, anyway.

Brady arrives at the trail head on his mountain bike.

Roxanne on the trail.

Brady's cruising.

Scott and Roxanne, a bit blurry.

It's crowded inside the Mineola Steak House. There's a wait to get a table inside.

It's crowded outside the Mineola Steak House. No open tables here, either, but there's room to sit along the walls and fences.

Small fries on a big plate. Another option for vegetarians.

I don't remember his name, but the guy in red shorts is a city planner. It's nice to have city planners who are also cyclists. He's got our back.

The Taco Ride is really something special. I urge all Omaha metro area cyclists to get on a bike, any bike except the ones with the skinniest road tires, and give it a try.

650B Conversion Hits A Wall

2009-06-22T19:35:00.003-05:00

In my last post, I wrote that the 650B conversion project rolled forward when I purchased a set of new 650B wheels to go on the 1976 Schwinn Le Tour 10 speed frame. I was really jazzed because I knew all I had to do was slap on the new wheels, fiddle with the brakes and I'd be good to go.

Unfortunately, it didn't quite play out that way. I knew there would be an issue with brake reach, as the calipers would have to reach down a little farther from the old 27 inch wheels to the 650B size, about 23 mm more, or 9/10th of an inch.

650B wheel using stock brake

Knowing brake reach would be in issue, I ordered a set of Tektro 556 long reach brakes. These brakes range from 55mm to 73mm from the center of the mounting bolt to center of rim. This was complicated by the fact that the supplier sent only the rear brake, but they've acknowledged the error and have put the front brake in the mail.

However, I wasn't prepared for the disappointment when I got the brake and found that it's no longer than the stock brake that came on the Schwinn!

650B wheel using Tektro 556 brake

In the next picture you can see that I am pinching the calipers against the rim. You can see how far down the mounting bolt needs to be.

Pinching the calipers against the rim to simulate the desired mounting position

The stock brakes have a long hex bolt with nut that runs through concave shaped nuts that hold the brake in place against the horizontal brake mounting tube. The Tektro brakes use recessed mounting. I've read that I can drill the rear hole in the tube and in the fork crown to allow me to use the recessed nut. I've also seen Sheldon Brown's "drop bolt" solution. Any suggestions?

Stock brake on the left. Tektro 556 on the right. Notice the reach is about the same.

Today I got the Panaracer 650B x 38mm tires in the mail. They were about $20 a tire and have an interesting inverted tread. My LBS is ordering some 650B tubes for me.

So, again at a cross roads, I am not sure what to do. Here come the obligatory lists.

Continue to 650B-ify the Schwinn:

drop bolts on brakes (ugly, but cheap)
have frame maker move the mount (pretty, but expensive)
find longer reach brakes, if they even exist (probably expensive)

Abandon the Schwinn/650B project:

Convert it to 700C and use the original brakes
Convert it to 700C and use the Tektro brakes after figuring out to to use the recessed mounting bolts
sell the 650B wheels
keep the 650B wheels and find another frame

As usual, I welcome your comments and suggestions.

650B Conversion Rolls Forward

2009-06-17T22:57:00.004-05:00

The next stage in the life of the Schwinn Le Tour II project is an attempt to convert it to a 650B "country bike." I don't know if it's doable, but I've made a real attempt to start it, rather than only talking about it.

Today I took possession of a set of low-end 650B wheels (Deore M530), ordered through the Re-Cycle Bike Shop. Mike, the mechanic and owner, is spreading the frame to better accommodate the extra width of the new wheels, as well as checking the spoke tension on the new wheels.

I was amazed as just how small the wheels looked in the Le Tour II frame when he had it up on the work stand. There's an amazing gap between where the existing center pull brake shoes are and where they need to be. Going from a 27 inch wheel to the 650B is quite a jump. According to Sheldon Brown, the 27 inch is ISO 630mm and the 650B is ISO 584mm, making the distance difference half of 46mm, or 23mm.

I ordered some Tektro 556 extra long reach brakes and some 650B x 38m tires. I'm hoping that with the new brakes and tires, I'll be able to get the 650B on the road for a test ride within a week.

Possible complicating issues might be:

brake mounting compatibility
lower drop on the frame might make existing cranks too long
cabling is different from center pull to side pull brakes
not entirely certain I've got all the clearances I need with 38mm tires
might need new brake levers if new brakes require more cable to be pulled

As usual, I welcome your comments, hints, advice, and gotchas in this endeavor. I'll try to get some pics up later.

Princess Redd-Shift

2009-06-16T21:25:00.002-05:00

Or, Emily's Sweet Schwinn

Since I started bike commuting, cycling has become a bit of a family affair. My daughter has a Trek children's mountain bike that's almost too small for her rapidly growing, long legs. My wife commutes to work often, and our son sometimes rides to the gym.

Since I got bike crazy, my daughter, Emily, has acquired a bit of a bike eye, and had begun to notice the difference between modern mountain bikes made for kids and more stylish vintage bikes. Since her legs are almost too long for her MTB, I started looking for a suitable lady's bike that she might like. One idea was to go the 650B conversion route and go with fat tires and fenders, perhaps adding a rack and/or basket.

Craigslist turned up an old Schwinn, the same color as my Le Tour II. We got a good price ($40) on the bike and proceeded to take it home to evaluate it. On the way home, I stopped by the Trek store to get some gloves and took the opportunity to ask Mark about the bike and how it might take new parts such as quick release wheels, new brakes, paint or powder coat, etc. His first remark was that the bike used Shimano's Positron shifting. This was an early attempt at index shifting using a freewheel in the pedals and a fixed rear hub. The idea was that shifting could be done while coasting. The system never really caught on, and it would be another ten years before indexing shifting really got into gear.

I'm not ready to attempt to convert the drivetrain to a traditional drivetrain, but the old rusty wheels had to go. I moved over the 27 inch chromed wheels from the Le Tour and so far, it seems to be a good fit. The shifting isn't quite accurate, but works. I think some play with the limit screws might help. I tightened up the brakes.

We went for an easy six mile ride to Blue Planet and Emily reported that the ride was super smooth. I guess the higher pressure, narrow and smooth tires were better on the bike path than her knobby MTB tires. The hills back home were a little tough since the heavy bike wouldn't shift down into the granny gear. There was a little pushing involved.

We'll add some new bar tape to replace the original cellophane orange stuff, replace the too-soft gel aftermarket seat, maybe get a paint or powder coat job and we'll have one spiffy looking, smooth riding vintage girl's bike with little investment.

Hey Sister, Can You Spare A Shoe?

2009-06-09T22:30:00.004-05:00

Here's an odd request that I am putting out to the tiny readership of the Redd-Shift blog.

May I borrow your shoes?

Specifically, I am looking to help my wife, Roxanne, decide if she wants to try clipless pedals on her hybrid bike. I've got an extra pair of SPD pedals I can put on her bike temporarily, and I've got an extra set of cleats. Before buying a pair of shoes, we simply wanted to see what she thinks of the clip/unclip process, as well as the general feel of connected pedaling.

She wears a ladies 9 to 9 1/2 (perhaps 40 to 41 European).

My experience with clipless was, "I want clipless, and I will learn to use them, even if I lose some teeth." Her idea is, "I will use them if I like them."

On a side note, I've been lucky so far and haven't yet fallen. Rafal says there are two kinds of clipless pedal users:

Those who have forgotten to unclip and have fallen.
Those who lie about never have forgotten to unclip and have fallen.

Honest, I haven't fallen, but there have been a few close calls, almost always in view of motorists.

A New Bike, and New Things Learned

2009-06-07T20:27:00.004-05:00

A New Bike

The bug bit again. My trusty Trek 7300 hybrid gets me to and from work in all kinds of weather in smooth comfort. It's also the no-brainer choice for grocery store shopping, using the rack and panniers. But I've been feeling the need for something lighter and potentially faster, but still rugged enough for daily commuting.

I began restoring the 1976 Schwinn Le Tour II, and while that was fun, I don't have the time, knowledge and resources to complete it at this time. And, truth be told, I am still not 100% what I want to do with it.

On Friday afternoon I saw a Craig's List ad for a 2006 Specialized Tricross. I began researching what a cross bike was all about, and specifically, what the Tricross had to offer, and decided that this might be the bike for me.

Some of the features that attracted me were:

road style frame and bars
light, by comparison to the 7300 and Le Tour (about 22 pounds)
carbon fiber fork and seat post for reduced weight and vibration dampening
wide enough tires for bumpy city streets, gravel, and maybe dry dirt
skinny enough tires for smooth, fast rolling on the paved trail and streets
lots of braze-ons for racks, bottle cages, etc. The carbon fork can even take a rack.
wide handlebars with extra brake levers on the tops
short enough reach to make the bike comfortable sitting up, as well as on the drops

I called the owner and make arrangements to go look at the bike. We met in a parking lot and I rode it around a bit. The next day we met again and gave him the cash and he gave me the bike, and even threw in a bell. (Thanks Mark A.!)

This morning I took the Tricross out for its maiden voyage (for me; Mark had already put 5,000 miles on the bike!). I rode with Munson and Miles on about 40 miles of pavement and gravel. I was comfortable on the saddle the entire time, so I think it's a pretty good fit so far. There may be a question about the 54 cm. frame being a little small for me, but it seems to fit my inseam well enough. Time will tell, I suppose.

Here are some photos of the Tricross:

Here is the Tricross after the dirty, wet ride

And now after a bath. The previous owner, Mark A. kept it so nice, I feel obligated to keep it clean and well oiled.

Here's a view from over the rear wheel. Specialized took some liberty in using oddly shaped tubes and stays. It creates an interesting effect.

I've never seen cantilever brakes up close before. They still look weird to me. How can I keep them from shrieking like a banshee?

New Things Learned

I met Miles and Munson at 7am this morning for a gravel ride out towards Bennington. Munson had seen a gravel road called Dutch Hall Road and wanted to see where it went. Once we left the pavement and started climbing up and down wet gravel roads, I realized it was going to be slow going. I ride a lot of hills on my commutes, but my five to fifteen mile commutes are pretty short, the hills are short, and there's not time enough to get tired.

I got tired.

The levels and downhills were fun, though it was a little scary bombing down a wet gravel road on a bike I'd never ridden before. However, the constant climbs wore me out in a hurry. I firmly believe, though, that riding with stronger riders is the only way to keep myself honest and push a little harder than I might if I were by myself.

Both Munson and Miles were very gracious and kept the pace where I could hang on, albeit, back a bit, but fast enough to keep me honest. Miles had ridden a race yesterday and said he was on a recovery ride, anyway, so I'll claim that I was helping him hold the slower pace to keep from overdoing it. :)

I like lists, and I like lessons learned, so here's a list of new things learned on this ride:

the street signs were misprinted. Instead of "Dutch Hall Road," they should have read "Dutch Hill Road"
when a cyclist says "riding gravel", they really mean "riding hills." Munson explained that this is because the minimally improved country roads aren't graded the same way as city streets and highways. They follow the terrain.
as much as it stinks to climb slowly, it's a nice sense of accomplishment when I get to the top of a long hill
the Shimano 105 STI shifters are not too hard to get used to after a while, and actually seem pretty darn efficient
I like the multiple hand positions available on the wide bar, especially with hands on or around the brake hoods
lighter bikes really do go faster
when riding gravel right behind someone on a mountain bike, prepare to get a lot of little rocks in the face. Though eating a little rock never killed anyone.
wet gravel isn't as much fun as dry gravel
wear gloves next time to help with hand fatigue and chaffing
consider proper cycling shorts rather than simple exercise shorts, especially when I might get wet

Here are a few things I think I got right:

brought extra snacks to share
brought extra shirt, which I was glad to have when it got cooler after the rain
brought rain jacket, which I didn't need, but it's nice to have

In summary, I am really pleased with the new bike. I am glad that I was able to find a nice deal on a really nice bike, and to quickly find that it was comfortable and exciting to ride, plus I think the red, black and white color scheme is super sharp. I appreciated the opportunity to ride with Munson and Miles and see some roads I would have never found on my own.

Bike Commuting in Omaha: A Video Perspective

2009-06-02T18:24:00.005-05:00

I've been commuting to and from work by bicycle for almost a year now. In my experience, it's always been a safe activity. I've not encountered many aggressive drivers. In fact, more often than not, I am passed with caution and occasionally waved through intersections by motorists who have the right of way. I've even received random words of encouragement.

Now I have proof that bike commuting in Omaha is a relatively safe mode of transportation. Using a home-made camera mount for my handlebars, I used a low-end digital camera to record a video of my ride home yesterday. In this video you will see many safe overtakes by automobiles, and general respect at traffic signs and signals.

The video runs about 10 minutes. I have edited it for time by speeding up the video to double-time. I also removed a little bit of some long stretches to help get it under the 10 minute limit imposed by YouTube. I added some annotations to provide some extra information and to try to keep it interesting. The distance is five miles, and the ride was about 25 minutes.

Over time, I may add some more videos showing early morning or night commutes, showcase area trails, and commuting in a variety of weather conditions. Feel free to leave comments, either here at the blog or on the YouTube video (direct link).

No More Sandbagging

2009-05-30T13:45:00.004-05:00

This year I got in the Bike Omaha Commuter Challenge from the beginning and devised a strategy to stay in first place on my employer's team. I already know that I can ride everyday, despite foul weather, so in order to take the top position, I need more miles than other consistent riders. I would take the long way to work and the long way home.

I mentioned this to Rafal during a long way home ride along the Omaha Riverfront Trail and he teased me saying I was "sandbagging" the Commuter Challenge. I, a cheater? No way. I'm an honest guy. But I figured I was heading home, and not really participating in a group ride to artificially gain miles. Rather, I would opt for wide loops home that might give me a 15 mile home instead of the usual five.

I'd never heard the term "sandbag" used like this, but I inferred from the context what Rafal meant. However, the relevant definition from Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day (5/1/2009) is:

to conceal or misrepresent one's true position, potential, or intent especially in order to take advantage of

And some explanation:

In the 19th century, the verb "sandbag" began to be used to describe the act of bludgeoning someone with a small, sand-filled bag -- a tactic employed by ruffians, usually as a prelude to robbing their victims. The verb went on to develop metaphorical extensions, such as "to coerce by crude means." By the 1940s, it was being used of a strategy in which a poker player with a good hand bets weakly, in order to draw other players into holding on to their hands and raising the bet. The use of "sandbag" has since evolved to refer to a general strategy of playing down one's position in order to gain some sort of advantage.

I posed the question to our team leader and he said that during the BOCC organizational meetings that this topic actually came up. The consensus was that riders should log no more miles than "the safest route home." The safest route home might be a little longer than the most direct route home, but for me, that wouldn't be more than one-half mile over my five mile trip.

So being an honest guy, I will only be reporting 50 miles each weak for the remainder of the BOCC.

Even though I can't count the long way home rides, I did have a nice one yesterday. I ran into Wes J. in the locker room before heading out yesterday. I asked if I could ride out of downtown with him on his way home to Millard. Jeff D. rides a similar way so I thought I might show Wes how Jeff gets to the Keystone Trail and Harrison Street. Plus, bike rides are always fun with company. I assumed that Wes was riding his hybrid bike and that I might be able to keep up with him.

When we met outside to mount up and pedal off, I noticed he was on his full carbon racing bike with itty bitty cogs and gigantic chainrings. There's no way I would be able to keep up with him. However, Wes is very gracious and stuck with me on the way up Farnam/St. Mary's, and then Leavenworth on to Elmwood Park and then finally the Keystone to my exit at Grover. I felt bad for slowing him down, as he told me he only gets the chance for a bike commute a few times a year. However I enjoyed the ride, and I think Wes liked the path out of downtown to the trail.

I hope to get a more serious road bike in the future and have a better chance and hanging on with the fast folks when opportunities like these come up.

3,000 Miles And Counting

2009-05-26T21:51:00.004-05:00

According to MapMyRide, I broke 3,000 miles this weekend!

I still have a month and a half before the one year anniversary of my cycle commuting conversion. I expect to log another 500 - 1,000 by then. (500 easy... 1,000 if I work at it).

Since the MapMyRide stats are fun to look at, I will reprint them here.

I'll also add that the total weight loss thus far is 25 pounds. It is my hope that with the longer summer daylight hours and extra time to get things done around the house that I'll be able to get some more miles in and see some more weight loss.

To those of you who have encouraged me in this venture, "Thank you!" To those who may be thinking of bike commuting, "Get out there and pedal. If I can do this, so can you!"

Bike Tweeps in Omaha

2009-05-24T21:23:00.007-05:00

Since the 2009 YP Bus Challenge I've been playing with Twitter. Aside from being a waste of time, Twitter is a fun way to keep up with friends, and make new ones. Many folks used Twitter to write short dispatches about their bus adventures (and misadventures), often with a humorous twist. By following the other people who were following the @YPBusChallenge updates, I was able to find some other like minded folks to keep up with. Through Twitter and the Bus Challenge, I had the pleasure to meet some of the folks in person. Even after the challenge is over, I find that I'm still interested in what some of these folks are tweeting.

Just for fun, I sent out a tweet to my network of followers asking for people to send to me photos of their bikes. I present them here for your viewing.

@rardy117 got a new bike for the Mayor's Bike Ride. He loves to be pedal it up long hills. I think he's put more miles on this bike in the first two weeks than some do in a year.

@jenzim123 has a hard time deciding which from her extensive helmet collection to wear when she bikes it to work.

@VJDavis2 is almost seven feet tall. The extra tall seat post helps him stay comfy on rides to all destinations midtown.

@aeikenberry rides her fully outfitted urban assault bike on the streets during the week and on the bike paths on the weekends.

@BradyMurphy didn't respond to my Twitter request, but I know where he keeps photos of his bikes. "Old Yeller" is often confused for a Union Pacific locomotive.

@UnderDaHill also didn't respond to the Twitter request. Bob was hard to catch as he was getting ready for a 100+ mile ride yesterday morning, so I snapped this picture during one of those rare moments while he wasn't moving.

@Pedal_EB. Wow, I don't even know what to say about this picture.

@ScottRedd... that's me. Finally, here's a photo of my 1976 Schwinn Le Tour II. I've got plans for this bike (that unfortunately keep changing). Here it is minimally restored to it's 1976 configuration.

So, Omaha bike tweeps, let's keep the bike conversations flying on Twitter. Be sure to tweet about the fun and cool stuff that happening around you when you're on your bikes.

2009 Crank and ... Crank

2009-05-23T12:34:00.006-05:00

On Friday, Biker Bob put out a call for a modified Crank and Camp ride. This time, all Crank... no Camp.

The idea was to meet at Blue Line at 7am, then cross the BK Pedestrian Bridge and ride to the Wabash Trace trail head. There we would meet up with some others, where Bob and Phil would ride to Missouri, turn around and head back before calling for a ride. Anyone was welcome to ride as far as they want, but everyone must provide for their own transport home, be it bike or SAG support. Bob and Phil will probably end up doing a 100+ miles before the end of the day.

Roxanne and I rode from home to the Blue Line where we met with Munson and Bob. BLC wasn't open yet, so Munson got some go-juice at Scooter's in the Holiday Inn. We crossed the bridge and headed toward the Wabash Trace. Roxanne and I rode back a ways while Bob and Munson rode on to meet Phil and Rafal.

Fast forward about 14 miles, one mile short of the trailhead. Bob, Munson, Phil and Rafal rode back on the Manawa Trail a ways to meet up with us. After a brief photo shoot, we all rode to the Wabash trailhead, and then about two miles down the gravel. Roxanne and I turned back and Munson joined us. I think Rafal went on to Silver City with Bob and Phil.

After a chatty ride back to downtown (in the rain), Roxanne, Munson and I had lunch at the Blue Line around 10am. Note: BLC isn't really set up for lunch at 10am, so be patient and kind when waiting for your meal that early in the morning.

After a nice lunch filled with more chat, we all headed back home. I think Munson had a full day planned with his fiancée, and Roxanne and I planned to take our daughter and her friend either to the zoo or the Renaissance Faire.

It was a lot of fun to meet up with all of the riders and share some cranks and conversation. I also welcomed the opportunity to introduce Roxanne to everyone. Finally, it was nice to meet Munson in person. We'd corresponded through the blogs mostly, but never talked face to face.

Total mileage for me and Roxanne: 42 miles. Not a bad ride at a time before many had even had lunch.

Pedal Powered Lawn Mower?

2009-05-16T16:05:00.001-05:00

Not yet. At least I don't have one?

But as long as lawn mowers need gasoline, here's how I have to go get it.

It just seemed silly to get into a 2,000 pound vehicle to drive one half mile to pick up one gallon of fuel.

Yay for cargo racks and bungee nets!

Kids Can Be So Cruel

2009-05-15T18:21:00.003-05:00

Thursday I wanted to head down to the Trek Omaha store and drop off a winter coat. The cause: get a balanced voice about on-street cycling on the Tom Becka show on KFAB while helping the disadvantaged. Read more on the Trek Store blog here.

Apparently, last week Becka went off on a rant about cyclists, even to the point of allowing callers to suggest that cyclists should be vehicularly murdered. (I haven't heard the show myself, so correct me if I got that wrong).

I had planned to cycle down with my wife, but at the last minute, she changed the plans: we're driving. The store would be closing soon, so we'd have to hustle down whether we cycled of motored.

When leaving, I heard a kid on his girlie bike ride up behind my car and call out to me, in the sing-song mocking vocal style we all remember from the school-yard days. Think "nah nah na naaah naah."

You own a car.

Only it had more syllables to make it fit with the taunt.

You own a caaa-aaar.

I was hurt. Wounded. I almost cried. I ride my bike every day. To work. To restaurants. Errands. Shopping. To Shenandoah.

Never had I felt such shame.

I've going to get you, Lucas.

2009 Mayor's Bicycle Ride and Bike To Work Week

2009-05-11T21:58:00.007-05:00

This morning Activate Omaha kicked off the 2009 Bike To Work Commuter Challenge. Mayor Fahey was there, but unfortunately, did not ride. Additionally, neither candidate Hal Daub or Jim Suttle put in an appearance.

After a short proclamation by the Mayor, the group ride pedaled off from 10th and Bancroft to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. The weather was gorgeous, and the two and a half mile ride was all downhill, so more time was spent braking than pedaling.

RD was kind enough to host a group breakfast at his house where he made awesome pancakes and served coffee. I think about 10 people showed up at his place.

Here are some selected photos below. Click here for the full album.

Bikes at Bancroft Street Market

KPTM News Crew

Mark and Steve

Lucas is always there with his photography gear

Bob record stills and video of the event

The bike racks were filled to overflowing this morning

Bus Workout

2009-05-05T21:47:00.004-05:00

This afternoon I took the MAT Route 95 Bellevue Express from downtown Omaha to Old Town Bellevue. The idea was to log a bus ride for the YP Bus Challenge, but not wimp out on a nice workout in this great spring weather. I had been talking with Brady about wanting to step up the cycling activity a bit, and decided to put my legs where my mouth is.

Before leaving work, I looked at the various wind speed and directional indicators that I use (flags on the First National building) to plan a route. The fierce and incessant south wind told me that I should try to ride south to north, if I could. I've taken a bus to ride home on the Keystone from the north before, so I was up for a change.

The 95 was very different from typical city routes. Once it drops off a lot of folks at the No Frills Park and Ride on Fort Crook Road, it turns uphill to meet up with Bellevue Boulevard and then continues south to Old Town Bellevue. The boulevard is a very scenic route running through the prettiest rolling hills in Bellevue. This route would get you close to the trails at Jewell Park, by the way.

Once in Old Town, I rode up to a convenience store for some Gatorade and Nutter Butters cookies. I didn't have a water bottle with me, so I knew I'd need some liquid refreshment. Then I headed down to Hayworth Park where the Keystone Trail/Bellevue Loop terminates.

View Keystone Trail in a larger map

I hunkered down and rode, slowly, against the wind for the first five miles. I kept a low gear and high cadence, to avoid stressing the still-tender knee. Finally the trail turned west, and then northwest, and I got to enjoy 15 miles of sweet tailwind all the way to Grover Street. I didn't have a speedometer or GPS running, but I think I was cruising 18-20 MPH without straining too hard. I know I got a decent workout, though, as there was quite a bit of sweat involved (most of it on my glasses; how can I stop that?).

My morning ride to the 76th and Cass MAT transit center was five miles, and my ride home from Bellevue was 22 miles. After getting minimal miles over the past two weeks of the YP Bus Challenge, I was very happy with my 27 mile commute today.

Now if I could only do a 27 mile commute every day I might drop a few more pounds and get some faster legs.

Grocery Store Biking

2009-05-02T20:19:00.002-05:00

Riding bicycles just to ride is a lot of fun, but one of my joys is utility cycling. From day one in my modern cycling epoch I made sure my main commuter bike had a rack, plus a pair of grocery panniers to hang on the rack.

A grocery pannier can carry quite a bit of junk. They are so deep and expansive that I usually don't get grocery bags at the store. I just pack my own groceries into the panniers. The Trek Interchange grocery panniers that my wife and I use also have cinch straps so the bag can be made really snug against the contents contained within.

The picture above shows 57 pounds of groceries contained in two grocery panniers. A trivial amount was carried in the plastic bags on my wrist.

The biggest problem with grocery shopping by bike is overbuying. If I'm not careful, it's easy to get too many groceries so that they don't all fit in the bags. Wrapping up boxy items into brown paper bags and then securing to the top of the cargo rack using bungee cords is one solution to carrying extra stuff. Another is to pack lighter, more voluminous items like bread, nacho chips, paper goods, etc., into a double-bagged plastic sack and carrying on the wrist or handlebars.

I've also discovered that a bottle of wine fits perfectly into a water bottle cage, while adding a touch of class to any bike. While my multi-tool can open a beer, there is no corkscrew on it, however.

A few times I tried loading groceries into the panniers as I was shopping. This is a good way to ensure I don't overbuy, but I always feel a little funny, almost like I am shoplifting.

I patronize three grocery stores by bicycle. The first is a neighborhood Bag and Save about one-half mile away. It doesn't stock many of the health food items we use, but is great for simple and quick shopping. The second is a Hy-Vee about two miles away. Their health market sections do carry many of the vegetarian items we like. Finally, the Whole Foods Market is about 9 miles away and carries the rest of the specialty vegetarian and vegan items we like. A weekly ride to Whole Foods has almost become a Sunday morning ritual for me.

Carrying 50+ pounds of goods on a single bike is quite a bit. However, if I needed to carry more, or to carry larger items, I'd have to add a trailer, an Xtracycle long-tail, or get one of those awesome Dutch cargo bikes that's almost like a bike interbred with a wheelbarrow.

If you try using panniers to carry a load of groceries, be careful of the changes in your bike's handling. Before mounting your bike, it will want to fall as it leans over. Once you're moving, you won't even notice the extra weight, however, pay attention to cornering, and also watch out for bumps that might jostle your groceries out of the bags.

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T20:18:00.005-05:00

I like to think of everyday as Earth Day. Don't get me wrong; I'm not a tree hugging, patchouli wearing, long haired, underemployed hippie. However, some would think I have some of those tendencies.

I recycle, because it makes sense to me. I ride a bike to work and to the grocery store, because it makes sense to me. I use the bus at times, when it makes sense to me. I'm vegan, because it makes sense to me.

I like the idea of reserving a day and reminding everyone about environmental stewardship. Just like Halloween, you could say that it's gotten way too commercial. I did, however, make a conscious decision on this Earth Day to alter a habit this week.

All my adult life, I've used liquid laundry soap. Last week I bought powered laundry soap. It seems to be a little cheaper per load, but I think the main advantage is the reduced waste. The soap comes in a cardboard box, which would seem easier to recycle than the hard plastic jug that the liquid soap comes in. Certainly you can take a special refillable jug into Whole Foods. I also recall Omaha had a natural foods co-op at one time where you could buy liquid soap in bulk. I'm not sure if there's anywhere else to buy bulk soap.

Another advantage to powdered soap: It's lighter on the bike than a huge jug of heavy liquid soap.