A Shiny Bike Is A Happy Bike

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.

It's Going Around: Single Speed Fever

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!

Bike Burrito: A Better, Beautiful Bike Blowout Bag?

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.

Snake Bite!

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.
  

Schwinn Le Tour II Restoration, Phase 3 - Single Speed

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.

You Can Fix You Own Bike - Headset

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.

Princess Redd-Shift

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.

Spring 2009 Bike Tune-ups

When you really get down to it, Redd Shift is a personal blog. I only occasionally pretend to be a blog of interest to the world. Perhaps the discussions that spring up are of interest to some.

This post is not interesting. I'm using the post to record some bike maintenance information so I don't forget what I did and when I did it.

Yesterday I pedaled down to Re-Cycle bike shop at 13th and Center at lunch and walked back to work. Mike, the owner and chief mechanic, tuned up my Trek 7300 with his second best tune-up plan. I wasn't feeling ritzy eough to splurge for the detailing and wax job, especially since Roxanne and I will be dirtying up the biking down the Wabash Trace next week to stay overnight in Shenandoah, Iowa.

My chain was stretched after about 2,200 miles, so we got that replaced. Mike cleaned up the drive train (wow, the cogs are really silver! I always thought they were black), replaced my cabling (leaving the housings, which were still in good shape), and replaced the front brake shoes. I've done that before myself, but I figured while he was tuning up, I might as well go ahead and let him take care of it. Mike also trued the wheels and adjusted the hubs and bottom bracket.

On my way home I noticed the chain would pop when under load on the biggest cogs. I wonder if they are worn. Mike said he could take a look at it when I bring the bike by.

Today I left Roxanne's Trek 7300 for a similar tune-up this morning. She's getting a new chain, too, but I think everything else is still in pretty good shape.

Mike is very friendly and helpful. He has always been accommodating in getting our bikes in and out for service. His rates are great, too, and it's nice to help support truly local businesses when I can.

Surprise! It's Fits!

On a whim today, I fitted the 700c/35 front wheel from my Trek 7300 on the old Schwinn Le Tour, just to see what would happen. The Schwinn has 27/1.25 heavy chrome rims. It's a pain to move the Schwinn's brake pads around so that I can remove the wheel, so someday I'll want to quick-release brakes there.

Surprise! The 700c wheel fit just fine! You old-timers probably could have told me that, but it was fun to learn that on my own. It looks like the existing brakes would work just fine, as well.

I didn't try the rear wheel. I'm not sure what the ramifications of fitting a different rear wheel with seven, eight, or nine cogs in the place of one with a five cog cassette would be.

According to Sheldon Brown's tire sizing chart, a 27 inch rim (or is is that the tire?) is really 630mm, and a 700c is really 622mm. This means that the 700c wheel is actually a little smaller than the 27. Also, for reference the 650b is 584mm.

I'm excited about this because it could give me some easy options on refitting wheels. I'm assuming that 700c wheels and components are easy to find, since they seem to be so prevalent. The existing chrome wheels, while pretty, are heavy, not entirely true, and have bent axles that no amount of truing will fix.

I still haven't ruled out the idea of doing a 650b conversion on the Schwinn.

Erik J: If you are reading this, please send me a note at "scottredd", the AT thingie, then YAHOO with a DOT and a COM appended. I'd like to talk with you about this idea.

Schwinn Le Tour II Restoration, Phase 2

In my last post, I wrote about buying the 1976 Schwinn Le Tour II bike and my plans on fixing it up into a road worthy bike.

A couple of weeks later, the bike is ready to ride. There are still some things that need some attention, but I think it's ready for casual riding. My initial goal is to sample road cycling at minimal cost. Should I enjoy the activity, and should the Schwinn frame seem suitable, then I may begin to upgrade components.

Now, let's cut to the chase and see how it's worked out so far.

Before

After

Note that the before picture was taken in the evening, and the after picture was taken during the day. So, literally, the difference here is "night and day."

Pictures





In reality, not much has changed. There are very few new parts:

• tires
• tubes
• cables
• cable housings
• brake pads
• bar tape
• chrome valve stem caps, given to me for free at the auto parts store when I went for some bearing grease. The manager discovered he'd been shipped a pack of caps with only three in the package. "I can't sell these, do you want them?"
  

Everything else was just cleaned up:

• rims, spokes cleaned with WD40 and fine steel wool
• cranks, pedals, chain rings, all other shiny parts also polished
• frame wiped down
• chain lubed
  

I learned a little maintenance:

• trued the wheels (they aren't perfect and should probably be taken to the bike shop for a proper truing
• overhauled the front and rear hubs; took apart, degreased with WD40, wiped clean, and repacked using fresh grease
• stripped off all old cabling, replaced housing and cabling for brakes and derailleurs
• the worst bar tape job since the invention of bar tape, but it will last until I replace the handlebar with something to match my shoulder width

And discovered more things wrong with it:

• 1970s braking systems pale to modern brakes. If this bike is to be ridden with any regularity, especially in commuter traffic, the brakes must be upgraded
• both axles are warped slightly
• a big rust spot on the inside of one of the rims (see photos). Chromed steel rims should probably be replaced with modern aluminum rims
• handlebars are just too danged narrow for me

In summary, if I enjoy riding this bike and consider it a "keeper," then all of the 1970s components will need to go and be replaced with moderns ones:

• wider, more comfy handlebars
• clipless pedals
• new brakes
• new shifters, derailleur system
• new wheels, including hubs, and hardcase tires
  
• new saddle
• maybe a rack for commuter bags or maybe I'll wear a messenger bag
  

I really appreciate all the comments and advice I've received on this project. I welcome further comments and suggestions.

Confirmed: A Severe Case of "Bikeivitus"

There's no such thing as bikeivitus, but if there were, I'd have it. My definition of bikeivitus is an addiction to bikes such that I decide I need another one. Any readers of this blog probably saw it coming.

The Short Story

I've purchased a used 1976 Schwinn Le Tour II as a restoration project, and to try out road cycling.

The Long Story

(At this point you can close your browser or click off to Break or The Onion)

Several weeks ago I came really close to ordering a 2009 Trek Soho. It's got a really cool belt drive and seven speed internally geared hub and disc brakes. It's a really nifty bike. The only trouble is that they haven't shipped yet for 2009. The best estimate I heard from the local Trek shop was May. Lucky me... had it been in the shop, I probably would have bought it.

Another problem I had was justifying acquiring a second commuter bike. I could better justify to myself if I wanted the second bike to be something different, like a road bike or a mountain bike. The Soho, as cool as it is, wouldn't be used for anything different than my daily commuter riding.

Fast forward to yesterday. I saw an ad on my company's bulletin board for a Schwinn Le Tour II for $75. I viewed the bike this morning and the seller and I came to agree upon $65. I think this is a great deal, especially considering the bike is mostly ready to ride. The large frame seems like it will be a good fit for my height. The combination of condition, size, brand, and fair price was too good to pass up.

My plan is to clean up the bike, and possibly upgrade some components. I suppose I need to decide upon the objective of the restoration.

Do I want to:

• Restore the bike to its original 1976 condition, with all original parts, paint, decals, etc?
• Restore the bike using whatever's handy, ending up with a cool looking retro styled bike, but without original parts and branding?
  

I don't know yet. Any ideas?

Pictures







Determining the Date of Manufacture

A restoration project is supposed to be fun, and so far, it has been, though all I've done is a bit of research. Using "teh Internets," I was able to track down lots of information about the manufacturing process and history of Schwinn bicycles.

Based on the serial number stamped on the left rear axle hanger, and a date code stamped on the Schwinn shield, I was able to determine that the date of manufacture December of a year ending in the number six.

The number stamped on the shield is "3496", which means the 349th day of a year ending in 6.

The serial number starts with "L6", where L = 12th month and the 6 is the year.

One is left to ponder if it's 1976 or 1986, using decals and components as clues. However, there are two other items that cinch this. There's a number stamped on the crank which reads "76.11" and the other crank reads "76.12". I'm almost certain this is another date code.

Finally, on the down tube there's a state licensing sticker from Minnesota. It's validity dates are from 1983 - 1985, totally ruling out the possibility that this Le Tour II was manufactured in 1986. Plus, I think the 1986 versions of this bike had a different style of serial number and were possibly made as 12 speeds.

So there it is; a 33 year old bike made in Japan but "Schwinn Approved." I would have been seven at the time this bike was manufactured. Very likely I drooled over this impossibly large "big boy bike" when I saw something like it in the store selling for $169.95.



What's Wrong With It

As I said, the bike is ready to ride, but there are some things that need attention.

• The original tires are cracked and splitting in places. Remember, this bike is 33 year old!
  
• The cabling should be replaced. The rear brake cable is very sticky.
• The brake pads aren't as grippy as they should be, and should be replaced.
• The chain needs to be conditioned, or replaced. It's very dry, but doesn't have any overtly visible flaws.
  
• Rust spots on the rims. I'm not sure if these can be cleaned off, or if I should replace the rims.
  
• The front wheel is either warped, or needs to be trued. This is really the most serious problem, as the wobble is quite visible, even rubbing against the brake pads.
• Lots of scratches in the paint and decals, however, no visible dents, cracks or rust.

A Long, Strange Trip

Shopping for a bike on a bike can be troublesome if you make a deal. How do you take the new purchase home?

Fortunately, I work downtown, where I picked up the bike. To get it home, I walked both of my bikes to the bus stop on the corner. I grabbed the first of two buses that pass within either a half mile or a quarter mile of my home. I boarded the first, since there's no way to know if the next bus (the one that gets me closer) will be equipped with a rack.

After disembarking, I walked the two bikes the final half mile home.

I'm sure I looked like a bike thief leaving the racks at the office with two bikes.



The Riding Experience

I took the bike on a short spin this afternoon. It seems light and fast, but completely different from my hybrid experience. Rather than sitting mostly upright, I am mostly hunched over. My belly feels cramped if I lean all the way over into the dropped bars. Perhaps if I take the seatpost down a bit it would be a little more comfortable. I know a lot of this will simply be getting used to the new style of bike.

Conclusion

This is going to be fun, and hopefully, not too expensive. Watch for updates to the blog. Watch for the bike on the racks and streets of Omaha.


The Resources

• http://www.geocities.com/sldatabook/detail7579.html#1976letour
• Advertisement
• http://velospace.org/node/2430
• 1975 advertisement
  
• 1974 advertisement (dig the shorts)
• 1980 advertisement (dig the tube socks)
• How to read Schwinn serial numbers
  

Off With The New and On With The Old

I was checking out the weather forecast in Thursday night for Friday morning's ride when I saw that temperatures were predicted to be pretty mild (for a January in Nebraska), and no real chances of appreciable precipitation during the work days.

Should I take off my studded tires?

I used the long range forecasts at Accuweather.com and Weatherchannel.com and saw that there may be some freezing rain this weekend, but the next couple of weeks looked pretty clear. I am looking at the Accuweather forecast now and it's showing some snow and ice on Thursday, 1/8. The Weatherchannel.com month forecast doesn't show that.

So, I decided to go ahead and take off the Innova studded tires and put back on the stock Bontrager tires that came on the bike. The studded tires are awesome in the snow and ice, but lately it's been dry on 99.9% of my paths. The Innovas also are noisy and put up quite a bit of rolling resistance. They were also a little expensive, so spending the time to change them out for at least 10 days more of dry street riding seemed economical to me. I'd like to get at least two seasons out of them.

Surprisingly, neither Innova tire had lost any studs after 106 miles. I expected to lose a few. Some were already worn down to the rubber, but in all, they still give quite a bite to whatever gets under them.

While the snow is pretty to look at, and I wouldn't mind going sledding again this season, for the purposes of cycling to work, I'd be happy if the roads stay dry and clear for the rest of the year, and the studded tires stay on the shelf in the garage until next Winter.

2008 In Review

2008 was my first year as a full time bike commuter. I'll use this post to close out the year, and speculate about what 2009 might bring.

The Beginning

July 14, Monday
In a lunchtime conversation with my friend Jeff, I learned that he had bought a new Cannondale F5 mountain bike over the weekend. That got me thinking about cycling. I had commuted for the better part of a Summer in Huntsville, Alabama in my late teens, so I was already familiar with the process, but didn't really know much about the equipment and techniques.

July 15, Tuesday
Schooled myself about what kind of bike I needed, and learned about bike commuting through sites like Commute By Bike and mapped potential routes using Map My Ride.

July 16, Wednesday
Walked into the Trek Omaha store and clearly stated what I wanted to do. They put me on a Trek 7300 with lights. They were out of racks, so I had to come back over the following weekend and pick it up.

July 17, Thursday
My first commute to work. This was a life changing event.

And then a lot of days...

I won't log every day here. I just wanted to recall how quickly this all came about. I'll summarize and say that in the same week that I got my bike, we got a MT 220 for my daughter, and the following week pick up another 7300 for my wife.

Over the Summer we participated in the Corporate Cup Challenge and took many pleasure rides. One way we found to encourage our daughter to ride was to buy her a book at Border's after every five rides, or to ride down to the neighborhood Arby's for a soda and some curly fries. Emily says that her friends almost didn't believe her when she described riding 20 miles in one day.

Commuting To Work

According my logs at Map My Ride, I've ridden a total of 1,554 miles since I started. If I keyword search on "commute," I see 1041 miles.

If you figure that my truck gets 20 MPG, then I've saved 52 gallons of gasoline. When I started bike commuting, gas was near $4 / gallon. Now it's under $2. If we say gas, on average, was $3 /gallon, then I could estimate that I've saved $156.

Parking downtown can be free, if you walk far enough, or $3 to $8 a day. Monthly parking at my employer cost about $80 a month. If we say that I've saved $3 a day since mid July, and that there are about 20 working days on average each month, then I've saved about $330 on parking.

Estimated saving in gas and parking for cycling to work are approximately $500 for my first half-year. You can see that it doesn't take long to pay off the cost of a decent bicycle.

I started July 17 at 213 pounds. Yesterday morning I was at 196 pounds. That a net loss of 17 pounds. Other than cycling, I'm not doing any extra exercise. I'm eating more, and feeling better. My blood pressure is well below normal, and my resting heart rate is lower than average. At my fattest several years ago, I was near 250 pounds, so this 196 feel good, though I know I can do better.

An Intro To Long Rides

In early October, my wife, Roxanne and I rode from our house, over the BK Bridge, and to the trailhead of the Wabash Trace. We rode a couple of miles down the trace and then came back home. Round trip, this was about a 42 mile ride. We simply ran out of time, having other things that needed our attention at home, or else we could have enjoyed more time on the trace. This ride proved to us that we could do some light touring. We're cooking up plans now to ride more of the trace, possibly staying overnight in a hotel or camp site somewhere along the way.

Utility Cycling

Roxanne and I both have rear racks. We also have a couple of the Trek Interchange Grocery Bags that can hold an amazing amount of groceries. If we completely load up with panniers and use bungee cords for stuff on the rack, we can each carry about 50 pounds of goods. In the warmer weather, we made several trips to our local Hy-Vee about two miles away. It's mostly downhill there, and uphill back. For the purposes of carting groceries, it would be nice if it were the other way around, but such is life.

Many trips and errands were made by bike. These include:

• eating out
• hardware store
• eating out
• bike shop
• eating out
  
• drug store
• eating out
• book store
• eating out
• visiting family
• eating out
• attended baseball game
• eating out
• optometrist
  
• and some eating out

Had Some Adventures

I've changed a flat, added studded tires for snow and ice, learned more about multi-modal bike-bus commuting, learned basic bike maintenance, become interested in bicycle/pedestrian advocacy, made some maps of the upcoming bike route system, discovered several routes and interesting neighborhoods between home and work, learned how to dress at -8°, learned a bit about my own body, and generally, learned that I can do anything that I set my mind to, all the while having a great time.

I even had a chance to glimpse how utility cycling is done in other places.

Getting out of my car and on to my bike in 2008 has literally been a life changing event.

Made Some Connections

Through cycling, I've been introduced to some incredible people, some I've met in person, and many only though the blogosphere. These folks have been encouraging, and even mentor-like in their passing down of hints, tricks, techniques and cycling specific knowledge.

Here's credit where credit is due:

• Jeff - I've known Jeff for perhaps 10 years. We both work downtown and meet often for lunch, trading bike stories, and encouragement. Jeff is a life long mountain biker, and commuted during the summer three days a week, at over 37 miles a day! We would sometimes form a "bike pool" and ride out of downtown together.

• Brady - I found Brady's blog when looking for information about cycling and bus transit. I'd never met Brady before, but knew who he was, as we both work for the same employer. He's often a first commenter on my blog, and we chat a little in the gym at work. Through his own blog and comments on mine, I've gotten invaluable information on gear and techniques for commuting.

• Munson - His blog is also a valuable source of information. In competition with Brady, Munson often comments on my blog posts. Munson seemingly has mastered the art of thrifty and resourceful riding. I think of him as the MacGyver of cycling. He knows all about gear and how to extend the usefulness and life of gear.

• Biker Bob - I met Bob briefly at a lecture on bicycling at UNO presented by Andy Clarke of the League of American Cyclists and John Burke, CEO of Trek Bicycles. Bob blogs a lot about cycling and also leaves useful comments.

The Omaha bike commuting has several bloggers, and many of them are exceptional in helping out folks with constructive and encouraging comments, as well as advice about routes, technique, and gear. I'm certain I am leaving some off, but here's a list:

• MTB Omaha
• Eric
• Bike Omaha
• Dale, T-Bone and others at Omaha Commute
• MOD

I look forward to meeting new cycling folks over the next year.

Looking Ahead To 2009

I can't really predict what 2009 will be like. I plan to get some dual purpose platform/clipless pedals and some proper cycling shoes. I expect to continue to ride to work everyday. I also expect to get out more on the weekends for some exercise and pleasure rides. If the last half of 2008 saw me at about 1,600 miles, then I think 3,000 to 5,000 miles wouldn't be out of the question for next year.

I'd like to bike more with my family, especially if we can get our teenage son to come with us.

In general, I just expect to continue biking it whenever I can for work and errands, and to perhaps do a little better on the exercise and diet front. I'm already vegan, but you'd be surprised how many junk foods are vegan.

I Think I'll Go For A Walk

Redd-Shifting Isn't Always About Cycling

"I feel happy. I feel happy."

Sunday saw unseasonably warm temperatures in Omaha. It was so nice that I decided to walk down to the local Ace Hardware store to get some chain lube.

The snow over the past couple of weeks has given way to damp streets, and damp streets led to a dried out, rusting chain. I misplaced the Tri-Flow that I've been using, and wanted to go get some more.

I considered cycling, but thought a nice walk was in order. Santa brought me nice set of Shure earbuds for my Zune, and figured a walk was a great way to try out the earbuds, get some exercise, and walk the green talk. I've never considered cycling on the streets while wearing earphones, but don't mind doing so on foot.

The Ace Hardware store is only about one mile from my house. I've biked there many times, but haven't made the walk for a while. While leaving the sidewalk and heading toward the shopping center, I noticed that there are absolutely no sidewalks giving access to the shopping center. In order to get from the walk on the main street to the shopping center, I have to either walk on the soggy grass, or creep along the edges of the access street dodging chunks of ice, snow melt runoff, and mud.

On the way back I snapped this photo of the Union Pacific Railroad tunnel on 50th Street. Navigating this tunnel, both on foot and on bicycle is awkward and sometimes difficult. The tunnel was constructed one hundred years ago in 1908 and leaves no room for widening the street. The sidewalk is only about three feet wide, and the path is completely covered with rail bed ballast, broken glass, and mud. When cycling through this tunnel on the sidewalk, I always dismount and walk, for fear of getting a flat tire, or worse, bumping the wall and falling over the low guard wall and landing right in the street. I've ridden through the tunnel on the street, but find traffic here to be a little fast and unforgiving, especially when going northbound, uphill.

I can't help but think that someday the city will decide to replace this tunnel with a wider one, enabling 50th Street to become a three or four lane road, as it is south of the tunnel. This will be a huge, expensive undertaking and a logistical nightmare, as the UP tracks on top are a double track main line carrying many trains each day. Maybe that's why this tunnel remains here to this day.

In the Summer of 2009, the city will begin the construction of the Keystone Trail/Field Club Trail connector that will cross 50th Street between G and I Streets. It would be nice if the city eventually widened the tunnel to provide easy and safe access to the connector trail to the neighborhoods north of the tunnel.

On the other hand, as a resident of this area, it's nice to have traffic restricted and discouraged due to the low speed limits imposed by this narrow tunnel.

Well, I digressed a little by writing about the 50th Street tunnel, but in summary, I just wanted to say that ditching the car and walking to stores within a mile of my house is just as easy as doing it by bike. It may be a little slower, and I can't carry as much as I can with my rack and panniers, but walking has its own rewards.

So, with the new year looming ahead, consider making walking, in addition to cycling, a part of your own local, active transportation plans.

Photo credits:

• Monty Python and the Holy Grail
• Microsoft Live.Com
  

Snow's Coming! What's A Commuter To Do?

OK, most resourceful, wise, and experienced Omaha cycling community, how does a beginning, but rather dedicated cycling commuter deal with riding on snow and ice covered roads?

I started bike commuting back in July, having logged over 1,300 miles of combined commuting, errand, and pleasure rides. I'm having so much fun, that I can't stand the thought of giving it up just because of some frozen precipitation. I don't know that I'd want to try to plow through fresh snow, or try to ride during a storm, but even when it's clear out, ice patches can form, especially on the side streets I utilize for my commute.

With daily morning rides in the 20s to 30s (F) for the better part of a month, I've already proven to myself that cold is no problem with proper clothing (and my new lobster claw gloves). However, the thought of wiping out on ice really frightens me. I also am concerned about dealing with sharing the roads with cars having a hard time keeping their own course.

According to the National Weather Service, Omaha has seen anywhere from 20 to 30 inches of snow for the past few years. Despite that, I want to keep riding. It's fun. It saves money. I like the free downtown parking. It helps keep me from getting too fat.

In my reckoning, there are a couple of ways to handle this.

• Build an ice bike
• Outfit my existing bike for ice riding

Build an ice bike - pros

• save wear and tear, salt and sand from my normal Trek 7300
• can use alternate geometry for better handing dangerous condition. Ie: a shorter frame to be closer to the ground in event of fall or slip
  
• if all the ice clears up, can easily switch back to regular bike
• could build as single speed, or with lots of money, internally geared hub
• could build with drum brakes for easy braking without damage to rims, discs

Build an ice bike - cons

• I like riding my regular bike
• have to obtain a new/used bike. Cost of tuning it up.
  
• have to customize with new accessories. Ie: fenders, rack, lights, etc
• if going with fancy hubs, drum brakes, etc, could get expensive
  

Outfit existing bike for ice riding - pros

• I like riding my regular bike
• no need to buy new accessories, just studded tires

Outfit existing bike for ice riding - cons

• risk of damage by salt, sand to frame, rims, drive train, etc.
• can't easily switch back to regular riding during dry spells without changing out studded tires for regular
• regular bike is tall. Falling might hurt.
• not sure if studded tires will clear my fenders
• I've read accounts of shifters, derailleurs freezing up with frozen mess
  

So, bike dudes, please reply back with your stories and advice on how best to handle the winter commutes. Even if you trade the bike for a bus or car on select days, I'd still like to hear from you. Even if I ride the bus in, that's still a day I don't have to deal with driving downtown, so that's still a win to me.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluenettle/385014824/

Actually, I Would Have Preferred A FAT Tire

Six-thirty in the morning isn't the best time for a Fat Tire, but it seemed to be the right time for a flat tire on Wednesday.

This morning as I was nearing my point where I emerge from slow paced neighborhood streets onto busy Leavenworth Street at Turner Boulevard, I felt a kink in my drivetrain. I figured it was just a missed gear or something. However, then I heard a rubbing noise on my tire that worsened when I applied my rear brake. I pulled over and gave a quick look, but didn't see anything.

The rubbing noise continued, and I just attributed it to something stuck in my fender and decided to look for it later. I continued the remaining two miles in to work, and under the generous lights above the bike parking, I was able to inspect the wheel a little more closely. Spinning the wheel, I still heard the rhythmic rubbing sound, but still saw nothing for a couple of minutes.

Finally, I saw what looked like a little pebble sticking out of the tread. Plucking at it with my fingernail, I saw it was no pebble, but the head of a nail. Moving my focus of attention back a few inches, I saw that I had an entire one inch nail entering, and exiting my tire. Amazingly, the tire appeared to have suffered no loss in pressure.

My theory is that my front tire kicked up the nail, throwing it into my drivetrain. Then it went through my chain and somehow got thrown into the right spot for entering my rear tire. Maybe that's a wild theory, but it works for me.

"This is my lucky day!", I thought. Perhaps the nail entered the tire and exited the sidewall without encountering the tube. The nail was too tight to pull out with my fingers, so I used the can opener blade on my multi-tool to pry out the nail. The immediate sound of hissing told me that the tube was punctured. It's amazing to me that the nail sealed the hole for the remaining (and quickest and most dangerous) part of my ride to work.

Well, this was the event I was prepared for. In my saddle bag I had a CO2 canister and tire levers. I carry a spare tube in my commuter bag. So at the bike racks, I removed my wheel and changed a flat for the first time in 15-20 years. The quick release wheel made it easy to get the wheel off, but I had some trouble getting everything lined up to go back on.

They say once you learn to change a bike tire, you never forget. They do say something like that, don't they? Anyway, the actual tube replacement process went pretty well. I racked the bike on a bus to get closer to the Trek store where I bought a couple of new tubes, plus a mini pump before riding home on the changed tire.

Here's a list of lessons learned that might make this easier next time:

• Carry a pump. I only get one shot with the CO2
• Pack a small pair of pliers, or get a multi-tool with pliers
• Make sure CO2 canister nozzle is upright when using it. Otherwise it spits CO2 ice
• Pack a pair of disposable latex or vinyl gloves. My hands were filthy after changing the dirty tire and handling the chain
• Take more time inspecting the tire. I should have found the problem more quickly.
• Don't remove a nail until I'm ready to change the flat. I lucked out that I was able to continue riding. Had I pulled the nail on the road, I would have been forced to change the tire on the spot or grab a bus for the remainder of the commute.

Look at the bicycle tire behind mine in the top photo. I just noticed that the tire is flat. I assumed that the owner of that Giant bike beat me in to work each morning and stayed late each day. He/she seemed to me to be very hard core, due to his/her commitment to ride the bike even on the nastiest weather days. Now I think it's obvious that the bike doesn't move. I suppose it's possible that the bike doesn't even belong to an employee at my place of business and has been abandoned. I wonder what its story is.

There Ain't No Good Chain Gang (But What is the Best Chain Lube?)

The can says:

Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant

• Penetrates and Protects
• Formulated with P.T.F.E.

So, is this stuff any good?

I've just finished out my first full and complete month of bicycle commuting, logging 374 miles ridden, 261 being commuter miles in August. I've logged about 590 miles total this summer on the new bike.

While I think this is fantastic, my bike has some issues. The chain, in particular, has been telling me that it needs some attention. Chattering and squeaking are the words my chain has been giving me over the past week or so.

I called up my local bike shop (Re-Cycle Bike Shop) and asked if they sold chain lube. They do not. I asked for a recommendation and was told that they use Liquid Wrench Silicone Spray and that I could get it at Ace Hardware. Unfortunately, my local Ace didn't have that particular spray, so I got the Tri-Flow instead.

I lubed up my chain, wiped it down, and took the bike for a ride up and down my street and my chain is now silent.

I googled Tri-Flow and found that they do sell a bike chain product, but I wouldn't be surprised if the bike chain product is the same as the hardware store product.

Do any of you readers have any experience with Tri-Flow, or any other easily available hardware store products? Aside from WD-40, are there any other products that should be avoided?