08.20.09
Posted in article, info at 4:36 pm by Administrator
So I am getting more and more with the program and have been utilising Twitter to get information about all kinds of things. One Tweeter I follow is Velo News, to be found on Twitter at twitter.com/velonews. They tweeted that the Felt cyclocross bike has been recalled!! My favorite brand of cyclocross bike!! Read the article here.
I have to say I’m dumbfounded. I always thought this was a dope bike. But thank god for the web, and with a little persistence and a lot of obsession, you can find out all kinds of information about your gear, your ride, your safety equipment and everything else you need to know as a consumer and an educated rider.
Be safe kids…
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07.27.09
Posted in blogging, rides at 2:54 am by Administrator
Well lookie here what I found. A bike locked to a pole out here in Vegas. Which means someone rode it today. Now mind you, it’s over one hundred degrees in this shot. I was surprised and, well, thrilled to have seen this. Even though it is a track bike, but whatever. Just glad that my brethren are around!! However, this answers my own question from my last post. People DO actually ride out here in the desert!! I have to look more into how to ride in this kind of climate…
And look what else I found that I just had to share. I found this after I wrote the last post, and by accident too!! This is the homepage of the Regional Transportation of Southern Nevada. There is a century ride happening Saturday, 10 October, with three different rides: a 118 mile century, a 62 mile metric century (interesting!!) and a 35 mile ride. I have the information for you right here. Check it out!!
I have one more treat for you. Another moment of zen…
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07.25.09
Posted in blogging at 7:18 pm by Administrator
Although I am an easy-going bike girl, like all people, I have my devilish side. Just a couple of days ago, I received a comment from a reader named Saxo who commented about bicycle helmets on this post I wrote earlier. He happens to be a proponent of not wearing bicycle helmets. If you click on the link, you’ll see my response. Albeit not as spicy as much of my commentary only because I have some research to do regarding his comments. Although (now here comes the devil) I could say that any crackpot could do “research” to support any kind of far out theory he or she may have. Now that said, here is what I saw that inspired me to write this post. I tried to post the picture here, but I guess they got smart and made it so you can’t copy the image. Hmm. Well check out the link anyway. It’s from one of my favorite sites, called someecards. Love it!!
Still out in Las Vegas, here is your moment of Zen:
Big hug.
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07.17.09
Posted in blogging, info at 4:48 am by Administrator
Well kids, CycleChic is in Vegas for the week. In my personal opinion, the strip doesn’t seem any different to me than Times Square. I almost feel bad for being a New Yorker sometimes because it seems that New York kind of spoils all other places for me in so many ways. But I digress. That is a posting for one of my other blogs.
However, can I tell you hot freakin’ HOT it is out here?!?! When we touched down on the plane, it was ten in the evening, we get our bags, step out for a cab and BANG…one hundred degrees at night!! Can you believe it? Then today, during the day I think I heard it was one hundred and six, give or take. Don’t even get me started about the heat differential between the shade and sun. Now I know you’re wondering why I’m talking about this. Because I saw a bike lane on the road while we were driving around today. Now which begs the question: who on god’s green earth can ride a bike in a place that’s two degrees hotter than hell?!?! Honestly, I really think they put the bike lane down for show, perhaps following the trend of other major cities in the country by being progressive about bicycle advocacy. I mean seriously, people don’t even really walk outside on the streets. I know no one is riding. Or are they? Is it even safe to ride in this weather? In the desert? I don’t think it’s possible. What do you think?
Now here’s the schooling we all need on dehydration. Please read, it’s important. You don’t have to be riding in the desert to suffer from dehydration, so be careful out there!!
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07.11.09
Posted in blogging, info, safety at 2:54 am by Administrator
Needless to say, it has not been the ideal summer that I like to think of: hot summer sun beating down on my skin, tanning my body with weird tan lines that other cyclists could understand, stopping every few miles to drink water, checking out the cute guy on the bike next to me at the light. Nope, not this year. It has been quite cool, even during the day, and despite my best efforts, I haven’t really gotten a good tan. Perhaps it’s because by mid afternoon, I’m already covered in a light sweatshirt to stave off the cool breeze. Now I know some would say that that is optimal riding weather, and that may be. However, we can get that weather all fall and winter. I do not want to be cheated out of my summer!!
So I was riding behind this one woman on her bike who, thankfully was wearing a helmet, but I noticed that she was riding in a very strange way. First of all, she was wearing a short skirt. That said, she was riding with her knees held close together, for what I believe to keep people from seeing up her skirt. Now ladies, first off, let me say that if you are going to wear a skirt on the bike, please be prepared. Nowadays you can get short cycling shorts or my personal favorite, boy shorts. Believe me, I have worn some skirts that were scandalous to wear on a bike, but if you wear the proper shorts underneath, then you’ll be totally OK. Now, the problem with riding like she did is that the knees need to be square to the shoulders as you pedal, lest you risk the onset of tendinitis. Believe me, I have head tendinitis three times, twice in both Achilles tendons. That sucked. I can only imagine how it would be of the knee or hip. So please, do not ride holding your knees together, it is improper form. Knees square to the shoulders, pedal from the thighs, arches slightly high (like wearing high heels), and heel pointed down slightly in the downstroke. For a little more info on this, try this link.
OK. If one more pedestrian thinks that they can make it across the street before I pass them thundering down the road–they crossing against the light mind you!!–I’m going to brush them so hard, that I rip a button of their shirts. Maybe that’ll teach someone that they should freaking WAIT three seconds to let me pass.
I still have to scream at people walking in the bike lane on the Brooklyn Bridge. Freaking annoying.
But on a good note, a very good note, I have a treat for you guys. Coming soon, I have an interview of a rider that just recently returned from a cross country ride across Spain!! I’ll have some of his pictures and everything. I’m pretty excited about this article and I hope you tune back in for the story.
Cheers for now. Ride hard.
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06.19.09
Posted in info, rides at 6:48 pm by Administrator
Well kids, the mother of all city rides is slowly approaching–on Sunday 13 September 2009 that is. The New York City Century Bike Tour, the longest distance being 100 miles, which is all within the city. Kind of like the Tour de Bronx, Tour de Brooklyn, Tour de Queens and the Five Boro all rolled up into one ride. Now of course, this ride is made for all levels of riders to participate, except I must note that this ride differs from the others in that the streets are not closed off to traffic. Meaning that you ride with cars whizzing by you in the New York City Streets. I don’t say that to freak you out, but that is just the reality of riding here in the big city. I do it all the time as do many other riders so it shouldn’t be any different for a lot of us. However, for those that are a little uneasy about riding in traffic, let me note that you will be riding in a pack of riders. You will not be alone and that should provide some kind of bravery for you to get out there and enjoy the ride!! This is not just a one hundred mile ride either. There are a few routes within the ride and they are broken up as follows:
15 Miles: This route is for beginners, children and those that want to slowly ease into these kinds of rides. This route runs from park to park (which I’m guessing is Central Park to Prospect Park) along the 9th Avenue bike lane, led by the NYPD. (See kids, not so bad, eh?)
35 Miles: This is the East River Loop in which you ride through Manhattan and come back through western Brooklyn, including riding around Prospect Park, and also through Queens.
55 Miles: This is the Waterfront route (sounds kind of sexy to me). This is kind of a “beachy” type which winds along the Brooklyn Greenway aside the Verrazano (those of you who have done the Five Boro know this pathway) going down to Coney Island and links up toward the end with the 35 mile route. I have to say that I ride the Greenway all the time to go to Coney Island and it really is worth the ride. The pathway is nice, clean, flat and very breezy!!
75 Miles: The Velodrome. Oh yeah!! You get to ride 75 miles and get to hit up the Kissena Park Velodrome in Queens. As my faithful readers know, I would suggest that the fixed gear newbies get their tuckuses on this ride so they can actually say they put their expensive little bikes in an actual velodrome. Then they might have some leg to stand on when they try to turn their noses up to us freewheelers. But I digress. Just try this one out.
100 Miles: The New York City Century, which is recommended for experienced riders only. These lucky guys and gals get to ride all the way out to beautiful Far Rockaway and Fort Tilden after Marine Park. (I like Marine Park!!) Then north through Astoria Park Queens up to the Bronx. Not for the squeamish I tell you…
Now of course, I’d love to try my hand at one of the upper level rides, but man, this beginning of summer typhoon we are having right now is killing my riding hours!! My poor bike is feeling totally neglected these past few weeks. Poor baby. However, keep riding, stay in shape, be god to your bikes, and find out the whole lowdown about the century right here.
See you on the road…..(once the flood waters subside…)
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06.11.09
Posted in article, info at 6:15 am by Administrator
Here is a great guide I found on this site called Performance Bicycle. Read on…
How To Wash Your Bike
In just 10 minutes you can have a clean bike. This quick wash is perfect after rainy road rides or muddy mountain bike rides. It won’t pass a white glove inspection, but it will be clean, lubed and ready for the next ride.
Ready? 10 minutes. Start the clock now. Break out a bucket of warm, soapy water and a soft brush. Time for a good bath. Washing your bike doesn’t need to take a lot of time or make a huge mess. You will need the following:
* Bucket with warm soapy water (dish soap works well as most have a grease cutting agent which is effective but not so strong as to degrease bearings or totally strip off everything).
* Bucket with clean water
* Large brush with soft bristles
* A few dry, clean rags
* Chain lube of your preference. If you use a dry lube for the chain, you will need something for the cables like Tri-Flow®
Dip your brush and load it up with soapy water. Start with the handlebars. Slop on the soapy water, wash quickly across the bar, then move downward and rearward. No worries if the dirt is still there, just let the soapy water do its work while you keep going. Hit the stem, top of headset, top tube and seat post.
Load up the brush again and go back to the head and down tubes. Brush the lower headset, fork crown, front brake and down the fork blades (don’t forget the opposite side) to the front axle.
Load up the brush again. Back to the lower headset. Brush down the down tube and hit the area around the bottom bracket shell. Don’t do the cranks and chain rings yet.
Load up the brush again. Start at the base of the seat post and brush down, get the area around the chainstay bridge, then go back up to the base of the seat post. Now down the seatstays (don’t forget the opposite side). Be sure to get the rear brake, down to the rear axle and the non-drive side chainstay.
Load up the brush again. Slop soapy water on the rear derailleur, then the front derailleur.
Load up the brush again. Now hit the drive side chainstay, chain rings, cranks and cogset. Toss the brush in the clean water bucket.
Using the clean water, follow the same pattern with your brush. Once again making sure to get everything, and rinsing your brush frequently.
Now grab your rags and wipe the bike dry in the same order as the soaping. Change the rag around frequently to ensure you’re wiping with a clean rag rather than a dirty one.
Lube up your chain thoroughly, floating all the pivots with lube. Break out the Tri-Flow® or cable lube of your choice and lube the derailleur pivot points and brake pivot points on caliper, cantilever, and V-brakes (be careful not to get any on the brake pads).
A drop of oil or 2 on exposed runs of cables can work wonders as well. If you have Teflon lined cable housing, there is no need to lube under the cable housing. If not, drip some Tri-Flow® down there too. Go back and move all these parts back and forth a few times to work in the lube, then wipe off any excess with a rag. DONE.
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05.10.09
Posted in blogging, city info at 6:25 pm by Administrator
I feel so bad. I got an email from a reader that asked what is happening with me!! I feel so loved!! So anyway, the deal is that I took a long hiatus from riding this winter and now I have gotten back up on the bike. However, now my ride has significantly changed. I used to live in Brooklyn in Park Slope which was near the bridge and I could do all my riding around downtown and Brooklyn and even parts of Queens. However, now I have moved up to Harlem, which means to get to downtown and Brooklyn, I have to go down the West Side Pathway. I have to say that I do indeed prefer going down the highway for miles rather than fight the tourists on the Brooklyn Bridge to get into downtown any day of the week. However, still we two wheelers have to share the road with the walkers–why they stroll side by side by side without a care in the world knowing that they are on an active road is beyond me. The top of the pathway is on some other level!! Up near Riverside, in the one hundred teens, the road becomes the octagonal paving stones, complete with sand all over it!! What a nightmare. And with kids and dogs running all over the place, you practically have to walk the bike until you get to the open road. Plus, there are stairs, turns and at one point, you have to cross over the highway!! And they make you cross at a point where the stop lights are up the block. I really hate to say it, but I can see a lot of people getting hurt at that spot.
Then there’s the breaks in the road that have stoplights so that foot traffic bikes know to stop to let cars pass by. That’s also a croc, because it is still dangerous, cars completely ignore crossing paths, thus forcing bikers and walkers out into moving traffic, and like I stated before, every time I see a Ghost Bike (one of which is on the West Side Pathway), I know it is dangerous. I mean, if we riders can’t feel safe on a designated pathway, what are we to do?
I have also noticed that they have carved out more biking roadway down in Little Italy, namely the one on Grand Street, going east from West Broadway. They have an interesting concept for this one. They have the cars park on the outside of the lane, thus keeping the moving traffic away from riders as they roll down Grand Street. Sounds good, right? However, if you need to make a left turn, forget it!! The parked cars block your view of the oncoming traffic, nor can the driver see you (especially when they pull all the way into the crossing lane) and that is potential for disaster.
They also have those lame alongside the sidewalk lane in Little Italy, but that might as well not even be there. The streets are so old and small, that it just becomes dangerous. The drivers totally ignore the lane when loading and unloading on the street, nor do speeding motorists allow comfortable room for cyclists, thus almost clippng the rider as the driver drags down the street. Every driver in Manhattan thinks they’re Speed Racer…
On another crazy note, somehow, someway I can’t pull my pictures off of my camera right now, so I can’t present pictures of my rides at the moment. I have some beautiful shots of the West Side Pathway and I encourage all riders to ride the entire length of the pathway. It is still looking pretty new, it has never been crowded when I ride on it, there are people on it at all times of the day and night and it’s right on the water and to look at bodies of water are calming. In any case, I will get my laptop fixed and post some awesome original pictures!!
Ride on kids…
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01.22.09
Posted in blogging, info, rides at 5:48 pm by Administrator
I got an email today stating that they are now taking early registration for (*squeals like little girl*) the Five Boro Bike Tour, happening this year on 3 May 2009!! If you go to active.com, you can sign up for receiving emails from Bike New York and all other kinds of outdoor activities going on. If you’d like to participate, the webpage says to act now, as last year’s ride filled up a month in advance!! I think I will do it this year. Yes, I do work on Saturday night the night before, but I think this time I will condition myself to be able to work the night before (because in this economy I can’t afford to trade away my Saturday night). I guess I will hold off on the Red Bulls until the morning, when I line up for the ride. Drink lots of water, sleep a ton that whole week, not overdo anything.
Oh boy, oh boy, all this talk about riding is getting me amped to ride again!! Granted I STILL haven’t hit the slopes this season (but I will, I will!!) and already I’m thinking about strapping on my cleats, putting on my cargos, pointing the bike in whatever direction and riding. Oh, my skin is tingling right now, I swear. I would even ride right now, but I already made that mistake last year of trying to ride in the snow. It was all cool until I took a turn and slipped, and came down with all my weight on top of my right knee. Ever feel a shock wave go through a bone? I wouldn’t recommend it.
Spring is juuussst around the corner… (in my crazy mind…)
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12.17.08
Posted in blogging at 7:18 pm by Administrator
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12.01.08
Posted in blogging, gear, info at 11:52 pm by Administrator
So there you have the latest light I got for the handlebars. If you don’t know, the law states that white lights are positioned on the handlebars, red on the rear. This light is from a company called Knog, which seems to have a lot of good stuff. The name for this light is the Toad. As far as I knew until now, I thought they only made lights and other small peripherals for the urban cyclist. However, upon inspection of the website, they have so much more. And they really seem like a good company. But, unfortunately, I have to post about my dislike for this light.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t totally hate it, but the design is dually cool and hindering. The outside of the whole unit is made of silicone, so when affixed to the handlebar, it doesn’t move around much. And the loop itself is also silicone and what yu do is unhook it from the body at the back where you see the loop overlap on the body in the back. Pretty neat idea, as you can pull it off and on easily when stopping and chaining your ride in the city. However, the flap that sits on top of the body seems a little too thick, so when in this weather, it is getting colder and you are wearing your fingered riding gloves, it is a bitch to try to press the little button to turn the light off and on. Granted you can pull the flap off to also press the button, but who wants to do that to turn the light on then ride? And again, with fingered gloves, it’s a bit of a pain in the butt. However, there are five LED lights and three settings for the lights and they are uber-bright!! I love rolling down the street and seeing the little light make the street signs glow in front of me, even as far as the corner from a few feet coming up the block!!
But again, if you also notice by the picture, the lights run vertically. So when attached to the handlebars, the bottom most lights get blocked by my brake lever!! Which then leads me to only one conclusion…. This light is made for fixed geared bikes. AAAARRRGGHHHH!!
These lights shown above are the same as the light I got for the rear. Also Knog. This one is called the Frog. The only color they had at the store was white, and the LED is red of course. Had I known that these lights come in all these gorgeous colors, I would have sought some out to match the color of my bike frame. Don’t let the little size fool you, the light is pretty powerful. Now I’m not going to say that cars can see you from up the block, but within a reasonable distance, you are visible, especially if you set the light to the flashing mode. This little guy only has the two modes, flashing and steady.
The store in my neighbourhood in which I get a lot of my gear is called Jack Rabbit Sports. I believe I have mentioned them before in another post, but this store is well worth mentioning again. However, they still haven’t updated the webpage for their cycling training programs. C’mon guys, get it together!! Sheesh!!
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11.06.08
Posted in blogging, gear, safety at 7:05 pm by Administrator
I am going to be blunt and just come out and say that I did not ride in the Tour de Bronx this year. Awww, I know, I know, I feel really bad, but I had to work the night before and I didn’t get to sleep until about five thirty or six and I snoozed for only about an hour or two, woke to the alarm, then realised that I wasn’t going anywhere after working the bar all night. Admittedly, two years ago I did the ride on one hour sleep and hungover, but that’s when I was working an office job. I had all the sedentary time I needed to be able to pull off a stunt like that. Not now though. I must use my incredible powers to entertain drinkers in downtown Manhattan. And the really funny thing is I have realised that I am able to work the way I do because I bike!! If I wasn’t as physically active as I am with the bike, I’d never have the energy to work late hours the way I do. So in essence, the biking has one more benefit for me: endless energy…
Yet even my amazing love for riding still hasn’t been able to keep me on the bike as much as before for the past three weeks. After the last fall, I got spooked as I usually do, but this time around, it got to me a little deeper. I don’t know, but I have stepped back and just taken easier. You’d think that as many daredevil falls as I have taken, I’d be used to them by now. And maybe I am, but skinning my elbow and knee on a lonely stretch of slick road in the middle of the night kind of freaked me out. Which also in turn has brought more of the Ghost Bikes more to my attention. I have even stopped to read the plaques that are mounted over them and read the name of the victim, the date they died and what vehicle they were hit by. Most of the ones I have read were fatalities by trucks. And lord knows I know how trucks operate…just like every other driver: they don’t pay attention. And being a truck, please!! The driver can pretty much do whatever he wants because the truck head to head with another vehicle is going to win. So that is a guaranteed death sentence for us cyclists.
I can say this: I have learned that never, ever AGAIN will I be riding on the right side of any vehicle on the road. Too much lately have I been pushed into parked cars by drivers making right turns and not looking in the mirror to make sure they can safely turn. Hell, I have been cut off on the left side by drivers too, but some catch you in their view and hit the brakes before shoving you off to the left while they complete their turns. But I find that it is safer to ride on the left, right next to the driver in their windows.
And no more daredeviling. I know, I have the compulsion to race other riders and do all kinds of adrenaline pumping feats in traffic, but I think I’m going to take it easier. I just cannot afford to get seriously hurt and I certainly don’t want to end up being remembered by another ghost bike in the city. Dare I say that I am becoming a more (GASP) casual street rider?!?!
My plans for racing have not changed. And in fact, I am even more on track for racing as I have now curbed my need for speed through the grid. I have to save that energy for the trainer and for the races.
And on the issue of safety, here is a device I have mentioned before that I think is a solid weapon against foot and car traffic…
Ah yes, the air horn. I found this on Amazon, and it’s not expensive at all!! Ah, I can’t wait to use this on the pedestrians on the Brooklyn Bridge. Is it devilish of me to want to see those mindless tourists literally jump at the sound of a blaring horn behind them? Maybe then they’ll learn…. I have heard this horn sounded once before, and I’m sure that cars would be able to acknowledge you if you rang it. Especially now that cars are forbidden to honk unnecessarily. I really think that this horn is a good thing for us in the never ending battle on the road.
Ride safe out there….
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10.10.08
Posted in blogging, gear at 6:51 pm by Administrator
Is it any wonder my bottom is sore or outright numb with streets like this? Really, here in NYC there are still cobblestoned streets, but only in lower Manhattan on the West Side and Soho and also some parts of Brooklyn by the waterfront near the old Navy docks by Red Hook. I won’t even talk about the old trolley tracks that are still embedded in the stones in Brooklyn which are evil traps that catch road tires and make you fall in front of moving cars… Uhh…maybe that’s just me. But anyway, my point being that it’s hard sometimes to get to these areas without having to roll over these stones and I feel the right seat could do the bottom good. So here is another seat that I have found, have a look:
This baby I found on the Trek site. Have a look around, it’s pretty cool. I may not be a fan of the bikes, but the gear is alright. This seat specifically is a Bontrager Race Lite Saddle, unisex from what I can see.
I don’t know why, but I prefer gear for men more than I do for women. I find that the fit of men’s gear suits me (as I am a whopping five feet eleven) but even more than that, I find that these companies sort of “coddle” women. It’s like this sexist sort of culture that makes all these “pretty” bright colors for women’s clothing, despite the fact that riding causes you to get covered in dirt and grease, thus ruining the pretty, pretty colors. The bikes are fashioned for “easy riding” and I swear if you go through catalogues, hey make the bikes different for “women’s bodies”!! Really?!?! Last I checked, we were of the human variety. It’s like the boy’s club and we’re not allowed. They say that we are smaller–I’m taller than the average man. We need different seats–that may be true, but I prefer the men’s seat because I don’t need extra cushioning on my butt. When I’m tearing down a hill I want to same advantage as the men do and I don’t need to be dragging a granny seat underneath me. They say that the handlebars need to be some kind of weird positioning for our smaller hands and smaller frames. It’s like they are trying to convince us that we are smaller and more inferior. Is it any wonder that there is no women’s Tour de France? However, there is an equivalent of the Tour, which is called the Grande Boucle which you can learn more about in this Wikipedia article.
However, I’m getting off subject. This is a topic that I certainly will get back to.
So anyway, once again I will leave you with a moment of zen:
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Posted in blogging, info, safety at 12:13 am by Administrator
Well, well well, I know I have not been blogging as much as I should have lately, but mitigating circumstances have made it so that posting regularly has become somewhat harder. I’d rather not get into it, but let’s just say that not only have I changed jobs so that I am not in front of the computer as much anymore, but I have been chillin’ in spots that don’t even have an internet connection. Can you believe it? There are still spots here in the city that I can’t pick up a wireless signal!! Needless to say, Murphy’s diabolical cousin is fucking with me. But, however much he fucks with me, how good do I look in this picture?!?! (Yes, Cycle Chic is very modest too.)
And fucking with me his is!! I just got some new ink last week–a super awesome dragon reaching into flames on my right forearm. Well I got it on Monday night. Tuesday night, I’m riding out in Williamsburg down McGuiness and this huge flatbed truck rolls in front of me on the road and takes up most of the space of the lane so that I can’t pass it stopped at the light. I spot a driveway on the sidewalk (to the right of course) and I think that I’ll roll up on the sidewalk and pull up in front of the truck. So I roll pretty fast up to the driveway and–it is also wet outside after the rain mind you–and I couldn’t see in the nighttime darkness that the bottom of the driveway didn’t slope level with the street. In fact, there was a three inch lip!! So I roll up, catch my wheel on the lip and slide both tires along the lip and then fall over and skidded both my elbow and knee!! The elbow I JUST got the ink on the night before!! So I immediately stand up, look at my elbow (which was gross) and my knee (which was even more gross) and did what every little kid that falls does. I look up, drop my head back, open my mouth and start bawling. I cried all the way over the Pulaski Bridge and to the nearest gas station and had my friend pick me up.
Now the friend that picked me up happens to be the very same friend I mentioned in the last post who drank, rode, fell and hurt himself. Well here is a picture of his helmet after the fall:
Now if you follow this blog, you know that I have repeatedly said that wearing helmets is important. Now look at the crack in that helmet. If he wasn’t wearing one, that crack could have been in his head. What more can I say people? WEAR YOUR HELMETS, or else they’ll be cleaning brains up off the street more often here in the Big Apple. Now I can’t wait for the space age suits of the future that stick to the body like a second skin and protect against skin scrapes when you go sliding along pavement at about fifteen to twenty miles per hour…
Anyway, going back to tattoos, I still am considering getting this kind of tatt on one of my legs:
You see, lately, after having the stitches from the accident, scrapes from falls and cutting my lower legs on various parts of my own bike, I have come to realise that my once perfect legs are no more. Really, I had perfect legs before I got this deep into cycling and now I have ruined them with the scars. Well…that and getting older. My skin just doesn’t look the same anymore. Hell, I used to get cuts on my legs before but I was young–the skin would heal right in front of my eyes. Now I brush up against my cat and BAM!! Looks like I went head to head with shark skin. I was told however that this stuff Mederma is great for taking care of scars. I have to get my hands on some as soon as these last two heal up fully and run the whole gamut on my skin. But I digress.
Also, the Tour de Bronx is coming up not this Sunday but the following. I’m registered and will be riding!! I’m looking forward to it and of course I will have my camera at the ready and will be taking pictures to post here. Also I will be looking for all kinds of biking information for posting so I will do my best to have a great read after the ride….
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09.23.08
Posted in blogging, info, safety at 2:28 pm by Administrator
I guess I’m obsessed now about finding the right cyclocross for training. I keep on the lookout for all kinds of bikes, familiar and new and while waiting for some maintenance on my bike this week, I sat in the store reading a magazine and came across this line of bike. I had never heard of them, but the picture impressed me so much I had to of course share it. If you’d like to check out the stats or view any of their other styles, check out the site, Redline Bicycles. You know, there are so many choices out there that I feel confident I will find a dope ride!!
On another note, I had a friend this week try to ride back to his house at night drunk. He fell. I still can’t get a straight story out of him, but he says that he remembers swiping mirrors of parked cars then falling. No matter what the story, he has a huge road rash on his right shoulder, swollen and scraped elbow, also right side, and of course his right wrist, which he says e couldn’t move. HE couldn’t move his elbow at all. When came morning, he had a big red mark on his forehead, which he swears that would have been worse had he not been wearing a helmet. Now how many stories to I have to ell in order to get riders all to see that these things happen? You don’t even have to be hit by an actual car to fall and hit your head and get hurt. And in fact, he has to go get a new helmet because he says it’s cracked on the inside.
And riding drunk? Just don’t do it. I learned my lesson last summer about trying to ride dunk. It took a deep tissue bruise on my right side, just above the pelvis (thank Jesus it wasn’t the pelvis), and a twelve hour stint in the ER to teach me. There is just no excuse for riding drunk now. Most bikes have quick release tires which you can pull off and fit into a cab–especially if you are like me and go NOWHERE without your baby–or at the very least, chain it good to scaffolding (my favorite) and come back in the morning to get it. Trust me, it’s worth it to get your ride hungover in one piece than risk riding at night and getting banged up…or worse, dead.
You know, I miss the old segment of The Daily Show at the nd in which Craig Kilbourne would say< "...and here's your moment of zen..."
...and here's your moment of zen...
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09.08.08
Posted in blogging, gear, info at 7:54 pm by Administrator
Not that I am biased or anything:
This is the bike that I am looking to get next, as I see my poor Jake slowly getting older. Geez, he’s only two years old, but the wear and tear or riding every day can take a toll on even the best made bikes. I’d really like to get the Felt cyclocross I posted here, but this one is more withing my reach, as the pro shop that is near me has one and is looking to sell. And I am looking to buy. ou can check out the specs and other Specialized bikes and gear here. Pretty cool site. Pretty cool gear.
However, living in the big city, I had to meditate as to what I’d do with two very nice cross bikes. I have come up with this solution: Jake is for commuting, the new bike would be for training. I couldn’t possibly mess up the paint job on a new bike like I have on Jake lacing a giant metal chain through it all the time. I’d have to ride the new one just out somewhere where I can pedal for a few hours, then turn around and get back home, without having to do any kind of stopping in a densely populate area.
And speaking of training, I think I mentioned before that I was thinking of hiring a coach, but that dream is coming closer to fruition. There is a shop in the city called Jack Rabbit that has set up a training program for people who would like to train and have the help they need. Upon first glance at this site, it doesn’t look like they have the programs for cycling, but I can almost guarantee that if they do not have a program set up, they can certainly point one in the right direction to a great trainer. I am going down that road within the next two or three weeks….
I am ready to hit the next level.
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08.19.08
Posted in blogging, gear, repair at 12:17 am by Administrator
While waiting for my bike to bike to be serviced the other day, I had some time to walk around the bike shop and browse. I cam across the tools and picked this one out. I just quickly looked at the container, decided that I needed to replace my broken Allen key tool, propped it up on the counter with some Alcis cream and ran off to work. Then I had some time at work to pull it out and look at the instructions and boy was I surprised!! This instrument has 16 different tools on it. Of course there are the Allen keys, one of which is a 5mm Allen Key that has an 8mm head that slides up and down, thus giving you two tools on the one key. There are also spoke wrenches, which I imagine one day I will learn what they are for, especially in an emergency situation. The black plastic sides pop out to become tire levers!! Sweet!! But the super awesomest thing about it is the chain tool. It installs or removes chain pins and loosens stiff links. Also has a chain hook. Double sweet!!
And double good that I have this tool because I learned that day that you cannot change the chain without having to replace the entire cassette as well. The chain and cassettes fit perfectly together as they wear on each other over time. Putting a new chain on an old cassette wouldn’t quite work. I did not really know that. But now I’m glad I do. I have been thinking about changing my cassette anyway, especially getting a gear that gives me more resistance on downhills. Now I have to figure out whether to get road gearing or mountain gearing. OH!! The agony of cyclocross!!
Well anyway, going through the website for Topeak (as I always do for anything I buy for my bike), I came across this glorious thing of beauty that must have been made by god him/herself:
Oh god, just looking at it brings a tear to my eye…. This bad boy, the Bikamper, uses a 26” mountain or 700c road front wheel in place of tent poles. This is a one person sleeper (kind of a bummer), three season and packs down compact enough to strap to the handlebars. How freakin’ cool is that?!?!
Also, I hate to report my poor bike seat is starting to die. I have already started looking for some new ones–again, the mountain or road gear dilemma–and going through said Topeak site, came across the link for another one of their companies called Allay which makes saddles. I was looking at this one as a possible candidate:
We’ll see what happens…
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08.15.08
Posted in blogging, info at 6:58 pm by Administrator
Yes, so despite being a cyclist for years, there are still things that I am learning. Either from talking to other cyclists or trial and error. I have to say, the trial and error part hurts…
First off, I have been noticing lately that I don’t always pedal right. Especially when starting in a low gear from a complete stop, and also riding uphill. I sometimes pedal from the knees, and that is not right. My left knee is already messed up from snowboarding, and so it is weakened. When I pedal wrong and pedal from the knee, I can feel the tissue just weakening even further, possibly tearing something in there. When I am pedaling with correct form, I don’t feel a thing. Obviously you pedal from the thighs and hips, but I am trying to learn what it is that the pros do with their pedal to get those calves!! I have the cleats, which supposedly put my foot in the correct position, but I am not quite sure if I am pedaling with force on my toes or relax the foot more and distribute the force of the push throughout more of the foot. In my curiosity, I came across this page which is quite useful: Cycling Performance Tips, Form and Technique. Check it out, read it carefully. Good information.
Above, that is a picture of me after having ridden in the heat all day long, hitting three boroughs on one bruised knee, one knee totally scraped(friction burn) and my whole body is sore. No really, when I say my whole body is sore, I mean that it even tired me out to smile for the shot. So what have I got to help the pain? A lotion called Alcis. This stuff is killer. It is a topical lotion in which you rub into sore muscles and I swear in a few moments, you feel good as new!! I use it when riding, specially when my legs feel like they are about to give out at any moment because they are so sore and tired….
Food is good. Eating healthy selections, rounding out your diet with all food groups and eating at least three times a day is good for riding. I have found that the harder I ride, the longer trips I take, the more I push, the more I eat. And I can pretty much eat whatever I want, because I burn it all off on the ride. Naturally I really don’t eat junk food, so the food I do eat is pure fuel. But the most enjoyable part is to eat what you want!! Meats, cheeses, breads, grains (and by grains I mean beer), veggies, fruits, spicy, spicy food…..mmmm….spicy food…. I seem to have maintained a good weight this summer as I have found that right balance between diet and exercise that keeps me healthy, just like in all those crazy commercials that try to sell you a pill for weight loss, but someone for god knows what reason will not tell people to get themselves on a bike!!
Lastly, I have learned that wearing cleats gets you all kinds of respect from everyone. When they see you, they think you are some kind of super athlete!! I admit, I don’t mind the attention…..
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Posted in blogging, info at 6:08 pm by Administrator
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I admit it. After swearing off the Brooklyn Bridge in a previous post, ranting about the ever annoying tourists clogging up the bike path and vowing to only take the Manhattan Bridge, I pussed out. I have started taking the Brooklyn Bridge again. Don’t give me that look. It’s just that the Manhattan Bridge is so desolate and really scary at night. I know, I’m girling out right now, but I can’t help it. The Manhattan Bridge is creepy, and I can’t ride it all the time. Now I guess I have to learn how to do that kick that cyclists do to get pedestrians out of the way… Eh. I’m not that mean. I’ll stick to yelling at them…
Also, I have now started hanging out with a friend in Queens and have widened my riding circle. Long Island City and Astoria have now felt the burning of my tires on their streets. I have ridden in Queens before of course, but not regularly. I totally dig Long Island City for the long stretches of nearly deserted roads (especially down by the waterfront) in which you can ride without the constant starting and stopping, especially with the cleats. The streets aren’t that bad and you can really get in a good amount of mileage. Astoria is nice, clean and quiet, with more residential streets, but they seem even less crowded than Brooklyn. You can tear down the roads at whatever pace you choose, provided that you know how to get around Queens. No, really, Queens streets are totally confusing. I understand how the addresses work, but not how the grid works…when there is an actual grid. Most of the time the streets run like London streets–they start and stop and continue at their own will!!
Anyway, getting out to Long Island City from Brooklyn is a pretty cool ride. There is the 59th Street Bridge which goes straight into LIC, but I prefer to go through Williamsburg, heading straight down Bedford Avenue to its end where it crosses Manhattan Avenue, making a right and going down until hitting the Pulaski Bridge. The Pulaski Bridge is a little bridge that takes you over the water that cuts Brooklyn and Queens on the northern edge of the island. It’s a nice climb then descent, and when ou get to the Queens side, you are smack on the edge of Queens Plaza. You know by the Citibank building right there. I can see that building from my place here in Brooklyn. To look at it from my place is a real sight–I can see how long I ride to get out there!!
The 59th Street Bridge is a kind of cool ride. There are people on it–even this bridge has more people on it than the Manhattan Bridge…creepy…–and the incline is very weird. Going from Queens to Manhattan, the grade is long and gradual, then drops quickly almost all the way over to the Manhattan side. Thus, in turn, when going from Manhattan to Queens, you have this sharp hill going up, then the rest of the ride is the easy, long downhill. There is this weird part of the bike path in which you could literally go into the traffic, which also kind of creeps me out, but I suppose it’s for emergency access. I just wish they would somehow cordon it off so that may be kids can’t just turn their bikes or scooters into traffic. Anyway, once you get from Queens to Manhattan you are, of all places, 59th Street!! East Side, and when you get to the end of the bike path, it makes a totally sharp turn, in which if you don’t know it’s there and are tearing down the hill, you could get hurt. So be careful over there.
I plan on doing some more distance riding, as I have learned this year that I prefer the endurance rather than the sprint…although I can sprint pretty damn good. I am working my way, albeit slowly, to be able to a century, then I think I’m seriously considering entering cyclocross races. Yes!! I realise what I have to do is to start out doing more and more endurance, all the while working on my sprinting (easy in the streets of New York), and then uphills (AAAARRRGGGHHH), finally working on my offroading. I look forward to getting any new gear I might need for that…..
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08.09.08
Posted in blogging at 5:06 pm by Administrator
So, I have gotten my first comment on here that is biting and I am happy that someone new has read my blog. Yay!! Now lets’ get into it….
This person commented on my post entitled A Big No No in which I commented about a newbie (my word for the new riders that ride fixed and think they know everything about cycling) whom was riding on a hill ahead of me and how he rocked his frame back and forth so much it looked like he had a metronome attached to his butt. The commentator attached a YouTube video of part of a sprint from the Tour de France (find the posting and click on the link in his comment) and this is what he said:
When sprinting the frame can be rocked for additional leverage. Given a fixed gear’s typically low gearing it’s especially applicable to rock the frame when riding up a hill or when sprinting. You are dumb and probably old.
Wow. OK dude. I apparently touched upon a nerve to have been insulted like that!! First off, upon looking at the video that I am glad that he showed me (I am always for being shown new things), the sprinters absolutely were NOT rocking their frames as I had described in my post. So right there shows that this reader did not fully grasp what I was saying when I wrote what I wrote about the rider. Secondly, if he had taken the time to read through my blog, he would have gotten a fuller picture of what kind of rider that I am. Which is an ex road racer, license and all, trained by a professional coach. I can only speak on what I was trained for. And my coach beat into my head two things that have still stuck with me to this day: never stop pedaling and never rock the frame when riding, it wastes energy that you could channel into the rotation. And those two bits of advice have never steered me wrong. And I pass that info onto any rider I come across as well.
Now I’d like to point out that his calling me dumb is just his way of lashing out because as I said, I touched upon a nerve with him. I suppose he too is a newbie, and for him to post a video that doesn’t corroborate his point just proves that. Sure, I could post pictures on a website all day of signs in New York deli’s that say they serve “Ice Tea”, but that doesn’t mean that the correct spelling of the beverage isn’t “Iced Tea“. In other words, just because you and your newbie friends all ride wrong because you have never taken the time to be trained or have even seen the inside of a velodrome doesn’t mean that the way you ride is correct!!
It is funny how now I am starting to realise the snobbery that comes with cycling that is akin to the kind of snobbery that comes with people who are into wine, jazz or literature. There will always be those who get into the culture who learn just enough to regurgitate whatever it is they feel makes them authorities on the subject, all the while having no formal training. And with balls turn their noses up on others. The nerve…
As for the old comment, well, I think he wants to validate in his own mind further that I must be wrong because I am not young. I am not, ohhh, I don’t know……a newbie? Last time I checked, I wasn’t old. And even if I were, thank god!! I have wisdom, experience and being a cyclist, I will live forever!!!!!
And one more thing, the way he has spoken to me has just validated my claims here that we in the cycling community need to STOP trying to separate ourselves from each other and get together and celebrate the sport together. I cannot stress enough my unending amazement at how the newbies think they know everything about cycling just because they have spent a good deal of money on a nice bike. And why treat us free-wheelers like shit? We ride too. We enjoy the culture too. There are Ghost Bikes all over the city for fixed and free-wheelers alike. So what’s the beef?
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