Let Us Not Forget

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.

Guerrilla Trail Crew - Doing What Must Be Done

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):

• Writeup at the GTC blog
• Article in Omaha.NET
• Photos at Facebook
• Video at YouTube
  

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

• Preparation and planning at the GTC blog
• My Facebook photos

A few photos:

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.

The Art of Being Seen

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.

First on Fixie - I Didn't Die

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.

Ring My Bell

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.

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

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.

Bike Commuting in Omaha: A Video Perspective

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).

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.

Bye Bye Blackburn

Or, as the Beatles might have said, "Blackburn keeping me safe at night"

A few weeks ago I got a Chrome Citizen bag to carry my gear when riding my rackless Schwinn ten-speed. Since the black bag would cover any reflective or bright clothing I might wear, I wanted a nice light to put in the supplied loop.

The Bike Rack had a great display of lights where I could try each one out. I walked from side to side trying to select a light that had good side visibility. I figured side visibility would be important when using a bag mounted light that can move around , as opposed to a fixed light attached to a seat post.

I settled on the the Blackburn Mars 4.0. This 1 Watt light was a little more expensive than other lights, but was super bright and came with many mounting options, and was very visible from multiple angles. The loop clip was good, but tonight I was going to wrap a little tape around the clip, just to be sure.

However, sometime over the weekend I lost it. I think I rode only 3 miles over the weekend, so that makes it suck even worse. In all likelihood, the Blackburn might even be kicking around the aisles at the local Bag N Save, since that's where I went, twice, on Sunday.

Fortunately, I have an extra Trek Flare 3 that's missing a gasket. It's not a terribly bright light, but a couple of turns of black tape to make up for the missing gasket, plus a couple more turns around the end of the clip should turn it into a usable bag light.

Six Inches of Snow: A Bit of Fun, With Lessons Learned

The Fun

All week long the weather forecasters had been talking about the big snowstorm that was to blow across the Great Plains on Friday. You'd hear it so much, and you'd begin to tune out. After all, the weather man or woman is often wrong just as much as he or she is right. (I'd love to have a job where I could be right half the time and considered a success)

Friday morning was just like any other mild winter morning that we've had recently. Dry, light wind, almost springlike. It was even in the 60s earlier in the week. By mid morning, we were reminded, without a doubt, that winter is not yet over. Almost without warning, snow began to fall and blow, at a rapid rate, all over Omaha. By evening, we had six inches of snow on the ground.

I was prepared for riding home in the snow, during an active snowstorm. At least, I thought I was. I put on the studded tires last night, packed my goggles, and I was already familiar with the sidewalk, trail, and back roads snow route to ride the five miles home without having to mix with road traffic. The cars were having a hard enough time on this slippery snow on roads largely unplowed without having to go around me.

Around 11:30am we got word at the office that we were being released for safety reasons. Around that time, I got a text message from Rafal (thanks, man!), who works nearby at the riverfront, saying that he was leaving, too, and he offered to give me a ride home in his car using his bike rack. I was looking forward to the bike ride, so I thanked him and declined, heading downstairs to get some lunch.

After lunch I got a call from the guard desk informing me that I had a delivery that I needed to come pick up. Surprise! My sweet wife had sent me flowers. You'll note that I have no way to bring these home, so I sure hope they look as nice after the extended holiday weekend.

After letting lunch digest a bit and catching up on some email, I changed into my winter riding clothes and headed off. The ride home was slow. It took me about an hour and 15 minutes to go five miles. Absolutely none of the streets I encountered had been plowed, perhaps with the exception of crossing 36th Street at Pacific. The Turner Boulevard and Field Club Trails were not brushed, and most of the sidewalks hadn't been touched, either. I found myself using "The Force" to try to stay on the trail where it winds around Dewey Park. Aiming for sidewalk cutouts was also a bit of a challenge. I had to try to get the ramps, but also play it loose if I hit a curb instead.

I'm sure I entertained the motorists at 28th and Douglas when I hit something that made my bike stop and fall over, while I went over the bars and off to the side, landing on my feet, running. It was similar to this, but without the roll.

I got all the way to the big hill going down Pacific Street toward the Field Club Trail when I realized that I had no brakes. The pads were so packed with snow that they did virtually nothing for many rotations when I pulled the levers. Note to self: next bike will have disk, roller, or hub brakes.

Riding on the Field Club Trail was magical. The snowy canopy of trees was worthy of a postcard. I wish I had taken a photo with my phone, but it was packed too deep in my bag. I found that as long as I parted virgin snow, and avoided the foot prints, the ride was smoother.

About a half mile from home, I stopped at a convenience store and grabbed sodas for the family. I knew they hadn't been out all day, and were probably wanting something tasty to drink. I felt funny going into the store with my balaclava on, but with my helmet and hi-viz jacket, I think it was pretty obvious that I wasn't there to rob the place during a snowstorm.

So after an hour and a quarter of low-gear riding, with lots of handlebar wagging and dead stops into drifts and the occasional curb, I was finally heading up my street. The unplowed hill is steep, so after all that riding, I had to dismount and push the bike for the last 30 yards or so.

The Lessons Learned

1. Use the platform side of the pedal and/or wear regular shoes rather than being clipped on to the pedals. I need to be able to put a foot down or hop off the bike in a hurry when slipping around.
   
   
2. Wear a balaclava when the snow is falling wet and sloppy. The snow melts on the face and a wet face is a cold face in February. Alternatively, grow a beard.
   
   
3. Studded tires are great for ice and packed snow, but don't help so much in six inches.
   
   
4. Consider a bike with something other than rim brakes for riding in deep snow. When rim brakes pads get iced over, it's like riding with no brakes.
   
   
5. Allow a lot of time. I rode less than half as fast as my normal commuting pace.
   
   
6. Keep a camera ready. It's beautiful out there. Cover it with snow and it's even prettier.
   
   
7. Consider riding the bus when it's this bad. Though it was a lot of fun, accidents can happen, and sometimes it may be better safe than sorry. However, bring the bike just in case. Last year I rode the bus due to a predicted winter storm, and when my employer dismissed early, so did the transit authority, stranding me downtown until I got a ride home with a friend.
   

Riding a bike to and from work rocks. Do it on a snow day, when both schools and employers think it's too bad to be out driving in it and it rocks even harder.

Of Things Lost - The Good And The Bad

The Bad Loss

Last Thursday I did my weekly bus ride home with the bike. My daughter takes a class at the Rose Theater (she's in the picture at that link: bottom center) after school on Thursdays, so I grab a bus toward home and bike the last half mile. I don't change clothes for this, but rather throw on my warm riding jersey jacket and high-visibility Vagabond wind breaker. I then drive her to the class, and go back to work for about and hour and half.

I recall that last Thursday was pretty mild, and I was in a hurry to catch the bus, so I just threw on the jersey and put the Vagabond jacket under the flap of my pannier.

Friday morning, I discovered that my Vagabond jacket was nowhere to be seen! I hadn't even opened the pannier, so I don't think I took it out and misplaced it. Friday morning I rode back along the same route I used on Thursday, in hopes that I would find the jacket. No such luck. Lost and found at MAT, my employer, and my employer's fitness center hadn't seen it either.

Bummer.

Like a true vagabond, I guess the jacket thought it was time to pull up its shallow roots and head off somewhere else in search of adventure. My only hope is that someone find it and recognizes it for what it is, and not mistake it for some cheap, flimsy windbreaker.

The Vagabond is a Pearl Izumi product, so it's a tad on the expensive side. I didn't want to buy a new one unless I had to. So before ordering one (the local Trek stores were out of stock) I checked out Sports Authority. I've noticed that they have a Canari brand of cycling clothing that typically runs about half the price of the PI stuff. There I found a high-visibility yellow jacket with all the same features as the Vagabond:

• water resistant
• breathable
• zip out sleeves, turning it into a vest
• pockets

I think this is the product at the Sports Authority web site, though I must have gotten a sale price, as I paid just under $50 for it.

After wearing it for half a week, I can say that it's almost as good as the Vagabond, but not quite. It seems to get a little stiff in the cold, where the Vagabond did not. I also like the better fit of the PI product, especially around the wrists. I think the Canari jacket has more reflective piping on the back.

The Canari sleeves zip out individually, whereas the Vagabond has a unique one piece design for the sleeves. I am not sure which is better, as it's pretty simple to zip in and out the sleeves on the Canari jacket, whereas it takes some alignment with three Velcro patches to get the sleeves back on the Vagabond.

I have two Canari products now and so far, they seem to be good quality, and at half the price of the Pearl Izumi line, it might be worth it to save some cash.

The Good Loss

This morning before dressing and leaving the house for an 8°F ride, I stepped on the scale and was hit with a nice number: 193. This number is significant in that it's full 20 pounds lighter than my first day of bike commuting, almost six months ago to the day. It's also the lightest I've been since I topped out at 250 during my fat days back in 2001.

My next goal is to reach an even 190 and go buy some new pants.

Snow? Schmo.

Snow is back in the forecast, so the studs are back on the wheels.

Be careful out there!

I Win!

I'm Not That Competitive, Really
Normally when I arrive at work downtown, Phil's green Schwinn is already there. My bike was the only one on the racks.

"I win!" I thought to myself, jokingly.

I talked to one of Phil's coworkers, and he said that Phil was off today. Bummer. Although.... he lives downtown and only cycles a few blocks, and I hear that he can do it using only one pedal. :)

Good Golly, Goggles Go Great!

My home thermometer said -8°F this morning, a new low temperature for me. The new goggles worked, for the most part. I got them large enough to go over my eyeglasses. About one mile into my trip, my eyeglasses began fogging up. Bummer. I guess my eyes sweat. I had to stop and stow the glasses in my bag, riding the rest of the way half-blind. I wonder if there's any anti-fog treatment made for eyeglasses.

Some of the snow packed streets were worse today that than last week. Ruts were forming in some places, and some of the snow pack had turned to ice. The studs still rock, though. It'd be nice if the city took a plow to the right hand edge of Leavenworth.

The Importance of Bike Lights and Fake Crack

According to a news report from WOWT, an Omaha cyclist was recently pulled over by police for not using lights as specified by Nebraska state law (Section 60-6,318). The statute states that when riding at night, a cyclist must equip the bike with a front facing light that is visible from 500 feet. A rear light is optional, but the bike must have a red reflector meeting certain DMV standards.

According to the report, the cyclist was pacing nervously, and when asked if he was hiding anything, invited the police officers to search him where they found 1.1 grams of crack cocaine and 0.8 grams of "fake crack."

The cyclist was arrested on charges of possessing crack cocaine, and for not having the required light.

The lessons to be learned here are:

• Use a good headlight on your bike when riding at night. It will help you see, help you be seen, and avoid traffic tickets.
  
• Optionally, consider using a headlight or flasher even during the day. Being seen during the day is a good thing.
  
• Consider a red rear light and/or flasher, but don't remove your reflector. It's the law, plus there are cases where a reflector will be seen where a light won't be. If you plan to ride frequently in the dark hours, consider even more reflective surfaces.
  
• Exercise your constitutional rights. Don't invite the police to search you (even if you have nothing to hide). Remain friendly and polite.
  
• Carry only "fake crack." The real stuff will get you into trouble.
  

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/

Bike Commuting Can Be Dangerous

It's Black Friday, and I'm off work, so I didn't get to ride in to work today. However, I did the next best thing (or, perhaps the lamest thing, depending on your point of view) and searched YouTube for videos relating to bike and bike commuting issues. Interspersed with videos of crazy fixie riders in San Francisco and New York were a couple by the creator of this video that were pretty good reports on commuting.

This video makes me nervous to watch. All those right hooks just give me the willies.

If any of you Omaha commuters want to make your own commuter videos, I'd suggest this cheap (or free) bike camera mount.

Great Commuting Weather In Store This Week! Also Some Good Deals In The Stores!

Good Weather In Store

It looks like the weather is going to be our friend this week. I absolutely love riding in these cool Autumn mornings and evenings. With afternoon highs between 40 and 60, and lows in the upper 20s to mid 30s, it shouldn't be too cold.

Note that I grabbed the image above from the Weather Underground, and their predicted temperatures always seem to run a little low, in my experience.

The most important thing, however, is it doesn't look like there's any wet or slippery stuff in the forecast. The partly cloudy conditions might also help with the glare problem, as well.

Good Deals In The Stores

If you are in the market for some Autumn/Winter clothing, check out Sports Authority. Through Sunday, they are having a grand opening sale. In their breezeway you can find some coupons that will save you $10 off a $20 purchase and $25 off $100 purchase. It isn't that hard to find something useful for $20 and get it, effectively, half-off. I grabbed an extra polypro baselayer top so I could have a dry one to put on for my afternoon ride home. Cost after coupon: $14.

Scheel's at Village Pointe has a shelf full of bike lights on clearance. I saw $30 lights on sale for $10 to $15, depending on the light. I picked up a super bright red 3-LED torch-style light to add to my seatpost for $10. It's about as bright as my Planet Bike Super Flash, but with a tighter beam. Since the LEDs are visible through the clear plastic casing, it has decent side visibility, as well. I run it on solid while I use the Super Flash as an eye catching flasher.

So get out there and stay warm and stay safe and enjoy the nice cycling weather.

How Dry I Am (Not!)

Today was my first ride to work in a real rain. I'd always managed to dodge the showers and ride in a drizzle, or just on wet pavements, but not today. This morning it was about 50 degrees with a steady, but relatively light rain.

I took it slow since I didn't wear my glasses, had a tiny hint of a headache, and wanted to allow more time for my brakes to work. I also figured folks in cars were having a hard enough time without having to worry about hitting me, so I wanted be extra careful. In all, it was a great ride, and I was quite comfortable.

My PI convertible cycling jacket/vest kept my core warm and dry (and conspicuous with its high-viz yellow color), and my baselayer tights kept my legs warm, though they were wet. My gloves were soaked and my head wet, too, but mostly I noticed that my shoes were flooded. I've been wearing SmartWool socks, and they are great. I did get to experience that whole "wool is warm when wet" thing, but I could feel the water welling up in my sneakers, especially when I hit puddles. I imagine I will need to get some kind of wet weather bootie for my feet.

Now the big question for you bicycle commuters. How do you, or do you, dry your gear when you get to the office so that you aren't putting on cold, damp clothing for the ride home?

I've got my gloves on an air vent at my cube, and I put my shoes on air vents in a seldom used lab/conference room. I draped my shorts over my PC. I also put my baselayer top and bottom on hangers and put them inside a server rack in the lab. In all, I think I'm being somewhat inconspicuous and respectful to my coworkers, but I'd love to hear your stories and ideas.

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.