Cycle to work

Wow It has been to long

2009-04-06T08:45:00.000-07:00

I have entered a new level of commuting. I have purchased a rack and a set of panniers. Wow what a difference it is to have the weight off my back. The rack that I got is nothing to fancy. It will carry about 55lbs. The bags were the money takers on this purchase. But they are some of the best around, so I have been told. These are the ortlieb bags. I really like how well they fit onto the rack and the adjustable rack points of the bags. It is very nice.

I also told my lady that I will need to ride 225 mile in order to pay for the bags and rack. I have ridden three miles this morning so that means I still have 222 miles to go. So 225 miles divided by 6 mile a day means 37.5 days. I ride roughly 20 days a month or so. That means if I ride Monday through Friday it will be may 27 when I have ridden enough miles to fill the deal. For every dollar spent a mile is ridden.

Not a whole lot

2009-02-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

While I know that some parts of the country have it much harder then I do here in the PNW. The snow and cold are getting to me. This is also the first time that I have taken pictures while out riding. I must say that is it kinda fun.

I did go to my first bike swap. That was really cool. I was able to pick up a new chain ring for a buck. Something that would have cost me 36 or better anywhere else. So I can say that I will be saving money for the next one. There were so many cool parts and pieces and frames. OMG it was really cool. I wish that I had taken the camera to that. It would be fun to post a few of the madness there.

Well keep on turning those cranks.

Middle ground

2009-02-18T09:38:00.000-08:00

So in my last update, I made mention of the new parts. It turns out that the bash guard was causing some of my headache, but not all of it. The 16T gear does not seam not allow the chain to roll over it easily. My chain will pick itself up and then slam back down under heavy torque. So I changed over to the 18T. Let me tell you that a 32x18 gear combo sucks ass on my commute. I feel like I am going no where fast. This gear combo would work good if I was in downtown Seattle and going up and down all the hills everyday. The problem that I face is that my commute if flat. However on the flip side of this problem is that when I tow my trailer with my son, the gear combo works good.

I am still going to get myself a 36T chain ring. And that reminds me. While I was trying to figure out how to fix the bash guard problem, I remembered that I had an older chain guide. I took the bolts out of the chain guide and used then on my crank arm. It worked like a champ. I guess being a pack rat at times does pay off.

I don't know if anybody reads this blog and also reads the Commute by bike site. I was reading on that site about letting those kids ride by themselves. Now my son is not old enough to ride to his school yet. And it has nothing to do with his ability to ride a bike, it has to do with the traffic in this town and that there are maybe 6 of us that commute by bike. When I first started to ride my commute I was 16 miles away. And I would fight everything from throttle happy suv owners to big rigs, buzzing by me on a two lane black top with no shoulders. I have moved now so that my commute is only 6 miles round trip. But I still fight these same kind of people. This town has no respect for anybody that does things different. So I deal with that. When my son turns 7, I will let him ride his bike to school. But I will be there with him. I will do this for two reasons. One is that I want to make sure that he makes it there in one piece. Two is that I am not afraid to put myself in front of that truck or car and make sure that the driver knows I am there. I ride very aggressively due to the environment that I live in. As my son grows and matures and gets the skills he needs to ride better in traffic and knows when to fight and when to back down, then I will let him do it on his own. I feel that age has a part in this but also how well the parents educate their children.

As a father and a cyclist I agree with both sides. I am not sure how I will deal with a situation like that. And it is not to say that I won't. My son lives with me full time and his mother lives in a different state. So would she throw something like this at me. Maybe. So while I agree to a point with the father I also agree with the mother and BF. I do think that there is a way to find middle ground on this one. If I was the mother and BF I would look into morning programs so I could bike with the kids to school and still make it to work on time. Sometimes people just go out of there way to make it hard on others, and I feel that this is what the father in this case is doing. So I say find the middle ground. This is one of those times a fight is not the way to go.

Keep it greasy side down

Upgrades

2009-01-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

So you know when you get new parts you just can't help but put them on. Well I got a single speed kit, chain ring, and chain. Being that my old stuff had more then a 1000 miles on it.

The stock ring was 36T the new is 32T. The gear in the back was a 15T and now is a 16T. I am running a 1/2 x 1/8 chain with a quick link. The problem that I am facing now is that the bash guard that is on the crank arms is to thick for the new chain, but I need it on the crank arms because without it my bolts won't tighten down and hold the chain ring. Now with the wider chain, the chain rubs the guard and with that quick link the chain rides up on the guard and I end up skipping or jumping teeth. A very big pain in the ass when you are also towing the trailer with you kid in it. So I was semi-forced into taking the car today to work, most because the gear is new and I don't want to trash it because I am want to ride.

I think what I can do is take some flat bar and drill out the holes for the bolts to go through and then cut the flat bar down to size. Basically making a spacer that will fit were the guard would bolt down. If it works I will be very happy. I have no reason to think that it would not work. This is one of those times that I wish I had a friend that worked in a machine shop and I could get access to the lathe and turn my own guard. That would be the best of both worlds. Having a guard and giving it the right amount of clearance are the chain ring.

But on to the new parts. I was only able at this time to get the ROCK WERKS single speed kit. It looked a little cheap, but it did go together very well. The only question that I had was at what angle to set the chain tensioner at. I just got onto the net and looked at a couple of pics and kinda guessed were it should go. I believe that I have it in the right spot. As far as putting the parts on the bike. That was very simple. Getting the cog in the back in the right spot was a two try process for me. But it did line right up on the second go. I also found out that the kits don't come with a locking ring. So I had to use the last cog from the cassette as well as my lock ring. I have a sram cassette and I would assume a sram hub. I am not sure if the other company's are different but I got mine to work and it works very well other the the guard issue. But like I said above I have an idea.

I am sure that I am not the only dad out there that takes his kid to school using a bike trailer. Boy you think your legs are in kind of good shape until you start towing that trailer. It was amazing to me how heavy he has gotten. Last summer we took him out in that trailer and would go for rides. I don't remember him being that heavy. Yes I know that kids grow and gain weight, and then add in the weight of my bag and his bag, holy crap.

Keep is greasy side down.

A new dawn

2009-01-25T22:27:00.000-08:00

As a new dawn arises, a new quest begins. I start taking my son with me on my commute. I have this older burley trailer that I stuck a bell tail light on. I know that it has reflectors both front and back but I felt that they were not enough. I am not sure how well this light will hold up against the weather. I hope that it gets me through the next couple of months. I know that when you buy cheap, you get a steaming pile of shit, most of the time. I will still have my tail light on but it will not be blinking, I will leave it on the solid beam.

His new school is on the way to work for me. So in the mornings and on my way home I will take him with me. I think one of the biggest problems that I face is whether to ride on the shoulder like I normally do or ride on the sidewalk. Riding on the sidewalk kills me. I hate going up and down with the driveways. I think that I can get a way with riding on the shoulder because I leave the house everyday at the same time and I see the same cars go by every morning. I am hoping that they will slow down just a little bit more now that I have the trailer. I would really like to have an xtracycle right about now. And yet in the other hand the trailer saves me money because I don't have to go and buy anything or go out and buy Buddha a stack of new clothes so he is water proof. So I am thinking that the trailer will work out very well for now.

I am also hoping that if my son his riding with me I can instill in him that riding a bike can be both fun and the best way to get around. I hope that he will look back as he gets older and thinks to himself that I should ride instead of take the car. I look back and think about how my dad got to and from work. For several years, more then I care to think about he walked, or he drove a little motorcycle. Know he has a company rig and drives everywhere. His job does require him to drive a lot. What is really funny is that I am following in his foot steps. I am also in outside sales. So I ride to work, drive at work, ride home.

So how do you encourage riding a bike when your ol'man drives for work. I guess you do what I am doing. Taking him with me. Showing him that you don't have to have a car. I am hoping that in a year or so. I am only out on the road once a week or so. I am hoping that my company will catch on to this thing called the net or even the ol'phone as a way to reach out and get new customers. Having said that I must say that nothing beats a hand shake and a look in the eye to say I can deliver, and I am a man of my word. So I do feel that it is required to drive once in a while. My company provides for people through out my state and the country, so at times I will drive to get the job done, or to look someone in the eye and tell them I can get the job done.

So as dawn approaches I will start this new day with hope that my son will be better then I and he rides more then his ol'man.

2009-01-21T08:31:00.000-08:00

So this morning like many mornings, I sat down to watch the news and eat some breakfast before shoving off to work. While listening to the news they tell me that the fog is heavy and is a freezing fog. So that means black ice in spots. What a deal, they said that yesterday and I found no such thing on the way to work. However this morning I did find it.

While I was breaking the law and cutting through the parking lot of an abandoned restaurant, I go to make a left turn and go through the drive through. Well as I go into the turn I felt that very slow slide out. The one that I have felt before. Knowing what is next I unclip my left foot and kick it out there only then to remember that that big ol'cleat on the bottom will do nothing to stop what is happening. If anything it will aid the fall. Sure enough it did, down I went. The ice patch was long enough that I went on sliding away from my bike, while it went into the bushes. As I got up and slowly walked over to the bike, very slowly, I felt no need to slip again. I noticed that I broke a piece of my bash guard off, relocated my front fender to the right bent the back fender up a little bit. O' what a morning. I have to say that my rain gear that I wear did fair pretty well sliding across the pavement.

So the lesson that I can take away from this morning is that sometimes the weather gal is right and I need to be a little more careful.

2009 needs to slow down

2009-01-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

I can't beleive that we are in 2009, and the world has not ended. I am just joking. It is hard to believe that I have only ridden to work twice this year and it is the 14th. I guess I could come up with all kinds of reasons on why, but they all would be bullshit.

Over the last month of 2008 I quit one job started with a new one. Walking into the unknown is hard, and walking into it without any clue if it is going to work makes it that much harder. Then add in the weather and the fact that I was not ready for all 18 inches of snow. I figured that this year would have been like last year and we would not get that much snow, boy was I wrong. And the town that I live in has no snow removal equipment, makes it that much better.

Overall I have to say that 2009 is starting off a little rough. Not riding as much as I want, to many changes, and lots of stress. So I will ride my bike as often as I can and hope that by feb I am riding everyday again. I will tackle each problem one at a time to find the answer, and hope for the best.

2009 needs to slow down

2009-01-14T14:09:00.000-08:00

It has only begun and I am ready for '09 to slow down. I have changed jobs, had to fight weather bad enough that I could not ride, and getting sick.

Last month was rough, leaving one job that was fairly secure to go out and risk it all on a new company. So far so good. But in the middle of trying to start up a new company it snows like hell and I was not ready for that kind of weather. So my bike sat for every bit of three weeks or better. Sad little fact, that makes me mad. I was getting into a good rhythm and liking how I felt. Now the stress of a new boss, location, unknown lands, I am lost. As of now this year is only 14 days new and I have only rode my bike 3 times to work and back. That is bad.

I thought that I could ride through the winter even if the snow fell, I was wrong. Over here in the PNW you can't count on one year being like the next. This year we got dumped on. More snow then I had seen in years. At my house alone I had 18 inches. And because the town I live in does not have any snow removal equipment, it got bad. But it is over now and as long as I can get back into my routine I will be ok.

Wow how cold is it

2008-12-16T08:38:00.000-08:00

This morning as I stepped off the front porch it was 15. Much like the entire country the cold of winter is pounding on us. This being my first winter bike commuting I have learned a few things. Like the rain gear that I bought does not stop the cold very well. I also need to get some boots and some better gloves.

Because I live in the PNW were there is water of some type falling from the sky often. I thought rain gear would be a good buy. I still feel that it is, however I do have some very nice polypro tops and bottoms to help fight off the cold. Some of this gear was issued to my while I was in the military, and some has been purchased out of pocket. The silk weight does very well to keep you warm and pull sweat off your body. The middle weight works very well at keeping heat in. I have figured out over the last two days that the silk goes on first a old t-shirt and then the middle weight. Then my showers pass rain jacket goes on. The combo on my top half works well. The only thing that I don't have that would make it nice are some very warm gloves.

The bottom half is another story. Because my body stays warm most of the time, I don't always get everything I should for the bottom half. So only having silk weight polypros and the castelli pioggia pants. My legs get a little cold. They are almost to cold. I know that we as cyclist have to watch what we are doing so as not to get to hot or to cold. So I am going to have to rethink what I am doing. I will also need look into some warmer foot wear.

Also over the last two days of riding I found out that my tail light which works great and I like very much does not like going over the frozen ground to much. I think that the jolting and bouncing around cause the light to much motion and the light turns it's self off. O the things we learn. The other thing that I have learned is that riding on the ice is a little easier then I thought. As I was going home last night and I rode across the ice and frozen snow I thought about how I would let my downhill bike float under me in a rock garden. So armed with that knowledge I relaxed my grip on the bars and had my legs take more of the work holding my weight, I rode home with out any problems.

Keep on spinning.

To my flats

2008-12-04T15:05:00.000-08:00

Holy crap, I have had more flats in the last two months. I am talking about 4 flat back tires and 1 front. The back tires have been little tiny shards of glass that you can't see and managed to find there way to the thinnest part of my tire. How they do this I am not sure. This last one to the front which happened on the first of this month was a tiny piece of steel or cable.

Then to make things better, the Kenda Kross Plus tires that I bought only 777 miles ago are breaking down faster then I thought. Well the back one is. So I go down stairs and set up the bike on the stand and get to changing that flat back tire only to notice that once the back tire is back one I see this huge bulge in the side wall. Thinking to myself this sucks. So I go over to my storage unit and get my last tire which is a Serfas Drifter. So this tire says that is has a FPS (flat protection system). Now back to the 1st of DEC and the flat front tire. As I am walking home because I am out of tubes and patches, I think to my self that I am tired of fixing flats. I head over to the Fred Meyer in my town, because the LBS is closed on Mondays. I go and get some tubes that have that slime junk in them. We will see if the FPS of the tire and the slime tires will give me longer breaks between tube changes.

Now with what three days under my belt on the new tubes and the new tire in the back. I am thinking that I want to go and get one more of these Serfas Drifters for the front. I must say that the tire rides smooth, and corners nice. It is crap in the mud that I ride through to get to the local bike trial. But I can say that the Kenda Kross Plus was no better in the mud and IT has some side lugs. I well see how things go after a week or some on the tubes and tire. Hopefully I am not ranting on about having to change yet another flat. Keep it greasy side down.

The rain gear arrives.

2008-12-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

So I did something I am not totally proud of and bought some rain gear online instead of supporting my LBS (local bike shop). I try very hard to always go to the shops because I know from the company that I work for the net will kill little shops. The biggest problem that I faced was that I used the sites sizing chart only to get jacket that is to small. So one of three things happened. The chart is wrong or the jacket is labeled wrong or this company just makes clothes small. What ever the case, I was able to call them and send it in for an exchange. So no harm in the long run.

I was able to keep the pants and used them this morning on the way into work. I think they will work out great. I did not get to hot but I was not rained on. So I am not sure how well they until I get wet. I guess if I really needed to know if they work I could go stand in the shower with them on. I was a little surprised to see that most rain pants come with very little reflective surface, and black of all colors. I would have thought that they would have been more bright colors or more reflective piping, something. But "O" well, I can add more lights to my bike if I have to.

Once I get the jacket and I get to ride in the rain, I will post my thoughts on this gear. Keep spinning.

My car sold

2008-11-26T12:53:00.000-08:00

So Last weekend I sold my car. Making me and mine a one car family. I believe that I made the right move. Took some of that money and got some rain gear being that I live in the PacNorWest.

Last night I made my first run to the store for some soda and some Sailor Jerry's. I have been using my bike to get from work and back but other then that I have always used the car. After thinking about what I was reading on using bike to run to the store and other places. Last night I got my chance to prove to myself that it could be done even up here in this little town. My office and the stores and even the mini marts are all within three miles of where I live. So off I went. When I got home I was really glad that I had sold my car. I now know I can do anything I want riding my bike. I also figured out that I would really like to have a rack and some panniers. My backpack works and works well. It is that after packing a 12 pack of soda and a bottle of rum on my back I would really like to have that weight being carried by the bike and not on my back. But one thing at a time.

So little under over six months ago I started riding my bike instead of driving. When I started I had only the bike and my backpack that I got when I was over in the middle east with the military. Now I have fenders, lights, water bottle cages, clipless pedals, and rain gear. I used to think that riding my bike was just something that I did for fun. Now I ride my bike for fun and as my primary mode of transportation. Looking back I am glad that I made the switch.

A Random Morning

2008-11-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

This here is a random morning. When you enlarge the picture you can see how I got the back fender to mount. It has been working like a champ and I am really glad that I took the time to get it made and on the bike. Now if only had a good pair of water proof pants and a jacket. Life would be sweet as pie on the road.

Freedom

2008-11-17T16:12:00.000-08:00

This post has little to do with me and more about my son. I feel that it is really cool and important that everybody knows that he has moved on to riding without training wheels. I know most of us don't remember way back then, well I don't. It was really cool to watch him go out and start riding around the baseball field out at the park. He was very happy with what he did and his mom and I were also very proud of him. It was a great day. To feel the freedom of being on your own and knowing that you are moving that machine around on your own power.

I have heard it said that the car is your first taste of freedom. I think that almost everybody would agree that riding your bike for the first time and doing it on your own on two wheels is the first taste of freedom.

I still to this day feel better riding a bike then I do driving a car. To hear and see you town at a speed that allows you to feel alive is the best freedom that we can have.

The New Toys

2008-11-07T12:01:00.001-08:00

So i finally broke down and spent money that I should not have on getting some lights for my bike. Being that it is Nov and it gets dark out here on the west coast before I get off work, my lady figured that me getting home safely was worth the money spent on the lights for me. So I went over to the bike shop here in town and was looking at the different styles of lights. Holy crap, there were to many choices. I did finally make one.

I went with the Planet Bike Blaze for the front and the SuperFlash for the back. WOW. So after I got them on the bike I went around and turned off all the lights in the basement. Man those lights are bright. And not to bad being that I only spent 63 bucks.

So a recap of how commuting has changed my bike and me. To start off I started riding to work to save money on gas. After a while (short while) I was riding because I liked it more then I liked driving. So I started this little adventure in the summer months. Nicer weather and well not so nice weather is here now. So my 2006 Hardrock Pro went from being a play toy to my everyday bike. I have added fenders both front and rear, lights, spd pedals and shoes to go with them, and a water bottle cage. I have also figured out that fashion and cycling to work don't go hand in hand. I have stopped worry about what I look like or what someone might think, and now I think about the fact that I feel better when I get to work. I feel better when I get home.

So what can I say I am hooked on riding to work everyday, shine or rain. And well it rains a lot up here. So I will keep on riding and hope that soon my car will sell and me and mine will be a one car family. I don't think that me and mine will ever be car free, but we will be car light. And that makes me feel good to.

The Fenders

2008-11-03T16:24:00.000-08:00

This post is just on the fender issue. I went and got a front fender from Topeak. It is not to bad other then the way it is designed. It works well for the style of bike that I have and the fact that I have front suspension. So a fender that would wrap all the way down and protect my feet from over spray would not work. I can tell you that the next one will go down further. This is the only problem that I have with this fender. Don't misunderstand me, I like it and it does very well. It would work great if I was out in the hills and mud was the big issue. But being that I am commuting the back of the fender comes down just far enough to create this wall of water that just soaks my toes.

The bike that I ride is a hard tail. So fitting a wrap around fender to it was an idea that I got after coming to work a few times and having to change everything I was wearing. So first things first. Go find a fender that you believe will work. For most of us that are using mountain bikes, beach cruiser fenders are the best because they are long and wide enough. After you get the fender smile and think to your self you are crazy for trying this. I did. Also look at your bike and figure out how you can secure the fender to your bike. I was lucky. Not only did my frame have to predrilled hole for 1/4 20 bolts, it also have two bolts on the seat stays. I figure they are for some kind of a rack. I also scored a couple pieces of galvanized steel. These pieces will become my support for the fender. With the back tire out I eye balled the base of the fender and were I would need to trim out some to get it to fit between the chain stays. Some tin snips worked very well for this. Next I placed the fender up in the frame and took a look at it. Found were I was going to cut the fender in half. The tin snips again do very well for this. Take the back half of the fender and put it in the frame, and bolt it up. I then took my grinder out and looked over at the support bars. After trimming away the fat on them I drilled a hole for it to secure to the bike and then lined it up and drilled through the bar and the fender at the same time. Now take that other half of your fender and lay it over the top of the piece that is bolted into the frame. From the bottom mark the were you have to drill the new holes. The reason that I did this is because I had no way to supporting the fender on the back side of the tire. I then took the two half's and laid the loose piece on the fixed piece and took that support bars and bolted it all together. It works, and work pretty damn good. It still needs a little more strength. I am thinking about some very thin like 18g material that is maybe 1/2" wide and using it to create a spine to give the fender a little more muscle. I will get some pics up soon.

What a difference

2008-11-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

So this weekend I went and stopped by Tim's Bike Shop to see if he had a metal rear fender. I was in luck this day. He had an old fender from a big ol' beach cruiser. I was able to pick it up for a very good price. I was not sure if my idea would work or not, but I was hoping. being that I ride in the rain and I was sick of having a wet ass, a fender was what I needed to do. I also got to go down to the big city and visit a new shop called Counterbalance Bicycles. Wow what a shop. I was very impressed with the shop and the guys that work there. M was the guy that helped me out with all of my questions about single speeds, and also let me ride my first fixed gear bike.

Wow what a difference in the way they ride. First off, the fact that the pedals are always going regardless if you are pedaling or not is different. Second, when you go to slow down, the pedals are still going forward. So when you put the brakes on, hang on. It bucked me right out of the saddle. If M. had not told to pay attention I would have been thrown to the ground. Riding this bike was the first time I have felt scared getting on. For one I did not have the money to buy the bike if I broke. Secondly The way you have to ride this bike is different. You have to be aware of what you are doing. What was the most amazing thing about this fixed gear was the silence. I loved how quite this bike ran. The only thing you hear is the chain gliding by and the wind in your face.

But back to the fender issue. I got the fender back to the house and went down stairs to cut it apart and modified it so that it would fit my bike. It did not take long to trim it down enough to fit. It did take some time to make the support bars that go from the fender to the frame. being that this bike was not supposed to have this style of rear fender, it took a little thinking. But I got it on there. I was trying to keep the amount of fender used pretty small and ended up using the whole thing. It is different looking. But what a difference it was coming to work this morning and not having a wet ass. I will talk more about how I made the fender later.

It is cold....

2008-10-28T08:27:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of mornings it has been cold right above freezing. I am talking about 33 and 34 degrees when I head out the door to work. Thankfully it has not be raining and this cold. That will really suck. I am very happy about that. I can only imagine how cold I will be when it is raining and about 36 or so, then add in that wind that comes of the pacific, wow. But for now I will just keep on riding.

I must say that I do really enjoy riding to work and back. It is funny to also watch how many miles that I ride during the month. So far this month I have only traveled about 95 miles. Last month I rode about almost 150 miles. However I was able to ride with my family a couple of times and this month I have not.

I have also noticed that I am having to clean my bike a lot more now that the bad weather has been showing up more often. I am not talking about the simple rinse and wipe down. I am talking about taking the bottom bracket out and removing the rear cassette to clean out all the build up. I also removed my front derailleur do to the amount of crap that would get struck in it. In order to keep my chain where it belongs I have a nice chain stay. It is loud but it won't catch as much stuff in it. Plus now I don't have to worry about the cable stretching and derailleur shifting around. I am would like to get rid of the back derailleur as well. But I am going to need about 50 bucks to get all parts that I will need. Then I will be a single speed. That will be fun. I am also looking for some way to put a fender on the back of my bike. It will look bad but it will nice.

What a Morning

2008-10-20T08:56:00.000-07:00

So this morning I was getting ready to ride to work. Dark gray cold and wet. Pretty normal for this time of year and to be expected to be around for a while. It will be fun to ride in the rain and cold for awhile but I can see it getting old fast. Mostly because it will be cold and wet. Under normal circumstances one would have all the gear that is needed to ride and not be uncomfortable. However I sit in a position of wanting or needing to care for my family first and foremost. So I choose to put them first, above my comfort. I will always put them first.

I would like very much to get a nice pair of pants that would keep my ass dry. However everything is so damn much money. It would be nice if my car would sell, or I would get paid for the forklift deal. But because of the people involved, I have been moved to the side and told not to worry about it. So I sit around waiting for something to happen. If the car sold or some money from the lift showed up, I would take some of it and get some kind of rain pants, or something along those lines. I would also go and buy some more food so that my freezer has some steaks in it. I think that I would buy the food first and make sure that my family can eat and stay dry before I worry about what I want.

It is a funny thing needs and wants. If you want more money it can fill that want, but if you need more money, there will never be enough. Which make me think about what we have been taught through the years. We as people are told that needs out weigh wants. But I sit here and wonder if that is true. If I need a light or a pair of pants, and I go and buy them, is this need filled? Or do I want that light or a pair of pants, so if I go and buy it, is that want filled. I am just not sure. That makes me wonder about my very bad habit that I have. I chew, so do I need to quit or do I want to quit. Which one is it? As I sit here and write this one out I am feeling that needs and wants, are one in the same and that we choose which word that we want to use based on it level of importance to us.

So this brings me back to the beginning. I would like some rain pants. If I state that I need them, the level of importance is higher then wanting them. however I don't need them, I have pants for riding in, so I would just want them. But even now I am not sure that I want them, I would just like to have them. So I guess that the rain pants are at the bottom of the list. What I really want or need is to be able to take care of my family, and provide them with a roof, and clothes, and food. I want to do this, so I personally feel that what I want is more important then what I need. Most would say that I need to take care of them. I feel that if I needed to take care of them, it will cause problems. The reason that I say this is because we have all had that feeling of resentment because we have been told that this or that job needed to get done. But if it was a job that we wanted to do. we would do it with pride, joy, and love.

So I think that needing to do something, or needing something is not very important, but wanting something or wanting to do something is way more important. I want to care for my family, because I choose to. And that is the real gift of being a me.

"O" What to do

2008-10-16T16:39:00.000-07:00

While sitting here at work at the end of the day I look out at the current weather and wonder what to do. Well for one I will ride home and spend some time with my family. I will try not to get to wet or to cold. I am hoping that soon things will change a little bit, and I will be able to get some wet/cold weather gear. I know that I am going to need some kind of a bike jacket. But I am not sure what kind of pants to get.

The cycling pants are most likely the best bet, we all believe. However I am not so sure. I don't get why I have to pay 120 or more for cycling pants, when there are how many different winter sports out there. I am sure with a little bit of searching and being cheap I will be able to find something that will work just as well and not cost me so much. The jacket thing I am little more sold on getting from a bike shop for the fact that it will be small and light enough that I won't cook myself.

The other thing that I am wondering about it the whole light issue. I know that I need lights on my bike. however much like my fender I think that lights are really ugly and will just add a bunch of weight. Now I have to weigh safety of my life against the weight of the lights. And I also need to think about my son. If I am not showing him how to do things the right way or the safe way, then I am showing him the wrong way or a not so safe way. I guess I will need to find all of the stuff to make my ride safe, dry and warm. O what fun.

My Inner Geek

2008-10-06T11:30:00.000-07:00

So I had to break down and finally embrace my inner cycling geek. I went and got a front fender for my bike. WOW. It is due to the location in which I live. Being that it rains like 200 some odd days in the year. So I went over to the shop and got a Topeak DeFender M1. I hate it. It makes my bike look stupid. But I will see how well it works today. Being that it is supposed to be raining today by the time that I get off work.

So after I cleaned my bike up and got it looking nice again, I installed the fender. Holy shit it looks bad. If it works it means that I will not have to eat as much dirt and road grime that flies off my front tire. This is going to be the only good thing.

On Friday when I was going home I noticed that I was having a tough time shifting in and out of the bottom three gears. So after I got the bike cleaned up and wiped down I struck it up on the stand and took the back tire off and noticed that there was a stick and some other junk stuck in there. So I got the bag 'o' tools out and took the rear cassette apart. Wow, what a mess of junk down there ( and Jesse if you are reading this one after the seat post was cleaned well the bike stopped squeaking ) dirt and grease and sticks and I am not sure what all else. And this brings me to my next point. It is very important to clean your bike. So this next weekend I am going to have to tear down the BB and the steer tube and make sure that it is all clean and not filled with road grime.

Till next time.

A New Time

2008-10-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

As life goes on, it is important to start new things. I started biking again, and as I got more into again I started to look at the way the industry is going. So here I sit thinking about were I want to go, with the main stream or against the main stream. My normal nature is to move against what everybody else is doing and go my own way. However like most changes, I am not the first to go this route. I will be on the leading edge for my little town, but way behind the big cities, like NYC, San Fran, etc.

The new change is going to be going from a multi-speed bike to a single speed (SS). The reason for this is that there is less moving parts and less shit to deal with breaking. This is not something new by any means. It is just new to me. So I have a 2006 HardRock Pro, 18 gears and 100mm of travel from the MZIII on the front. The new frame that I want is the Surly 1x1. I will still be able to keep my disc brakes and fat tires. With a couple of new parts added to the old hub I can go from a 9 speed cog to a 1 speed.

From the SS I want to go and get a fixed gear. This will be the best thing for me. Going from the downhill / free ride to commuting, it has been hard. The fixed gear will bring back some of that freedom. The challenge of learning to ride again, and having to become one with my bike.

I am also going to convert my girlfriends bike over to a SS as well. The biggest reason for the make over on her bike is that she does not shift gears now, and I will be able to shed some weight on her bike making it a little bit easier for her to handle

So while the high dollar guys add gears and splatter them selves with spandex, trying to be everything that the doping tour guys are, I am going to follow the small group that goes against this. I am not going to worry about what I wear, or how much my bike cost, what the frame is made of. I am going to go back to riding, for the fun of it. See you all around.

Been a while

2008-09-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

It has been a while, sorry. I have been kinda busy with moving and getting things back in order. Not that that is an reason for not writing but that is what is going on. I have moved a lot closer to work. Cool and bad. The cool part is that I am very close and it does not take long to get from work to home or home to work. Bad is that I don't ride as many miles as I used to.

But I did this weekend on sat get to go out with just my lady and ride. It was very cool. It is the first time that we have been able to go for a ride and not have the little one hanging around. It was nice to just be adults and talk as we wanted about what ever we wanted. What was really cool that while on the ride we stoped at a local ale house and had a couple pints and a snack. Plus we rode 15 miles.

Something that I have learned to is that cycle computers with cables with break if you don't pay attention to them and let the cable get to tight. I know this because I did it. So now I am saving my money so that I can get a wireless one. Other then that not much is going on. Just cycling everyday for the last two weeks to work and loving every minute of it.

2008-08-10T13:21:00.003-07:00

Here we sit

2008-08-10T12:50:00.000-07:00

So here we sit on a cloudy day doing nothing much. Part of me wants to go out and jump on the bike and hit the road for a long ride. But the other part of me is enjoying being lazy. Over the last week I was not able to ride as much as I wanted but I did get to ride. Lets be a happy about that.

My family and I are getting ready to move again. And that really sucks. On a good note is that I will be closer to work, but it is also a bad thing. Being closer will allow me to ride more often no matter what the weather is doing. The bad is that I will not get very many miles in. I will be like 3 miles from work. So I have been thinking about how to add a mile or two to the ride.

Right now I ride 6 miles to the bus stop. So at the end of the day I get 12 miles. Now I will only get 6 miles a day. It is better then nothing. At least my fuel bill will be very little if I have to drive. And being that it will only be 3 miles or so I will be able to leave the house later and still make it to work, and I will not spend as much time getting home either. This is the part that I like the most.

It is talked about by those that commute a lot that anything under 5 miles, I think and it is faster to be on a bike then it is so drive. I know that I can hold a pace of 16 mph for 6 miles. The ride now take me about 22 min. So I cut the distance in half and I cut the time in half. 11 min to get from home to work. Not even enough time to get my heart rate up and going good. Now that I think about it, it takes me 10 min or better to get through traffic and get to the new house. So I will be doing the same on the bike. Plus we all know that us pedal guys can cut a few corners and make up time. The only thing that I am not going to like is that I will have to look for more time to ride. Hopefully I will be able find that time and spend it with my family out riding, because I will be closer to them. Well I am going to get going. Maybe soon for a ride.

New pedals

2008-07-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

So with new pedals and shoes, I rode about 16mph, however my left foot would tingle like it was falling asleep, and I had to readjust my seat again. I was hoping that I would not have had to much readjustments but it looks like it is not done yet.

The shop that I went to, to get the pedals was a shop that I had used a lot in the past. I am guessing that over the time I was away, the customer service has gone away. I am not sure why, other then to think that I don't have the money to spend on the best anymore and so I am not as an important of a customer. The shop has been well liked and used for many years, so you would think that they would keep up with what sells the best and that is service. i am now left in a very interesting position, go back and force them to help me, return the stuff that I bought and go somewhere else. I am not sure what is the best course of action.

My normal side of make them work for me is pulling hard. But as I have been moving around with the navy and my new life as a civilian, I think that I am becoming soft. I at times don't want to pick the fights. So here I sit, wondering.

My general feeling is that as a service shop if you don't help the guy that is riding and the ride becomes pain full because of parts not working right. It would kill the shop, because nobody is riding. My little brother just got a new bike and his shop spent some good time with him making sure that he fit the bike and the bike fit him. Hearing this makes me want to go and visit his shop. Well it is time to get going. I still have to make the calls to find someone that will help me get my bike dialed in so that I can go for miles with out have body parts fall asleep

Not much is changing

2008-07-24T11:42:00.000-07:00

Not to much is different other then I have been riding in the cooler weather. And my family meets me out on the trail at the days end and we get to ride together. This is really cool. My son is learning to ride, and my wife walks.

Yesterday buddha took a good fall off the trail and down into the thorns. I laughed, becuase I am a mean father. But it was funny to watch. He scraped himself up a little. So today I want him back out on the trail and we are going to ride the same way so he can see that a little scrape is nothing to stop riding over.

A little over a year ago i broke my left leg pretty bad. I still feel the longing to go back to the place that I wrecked at and try it again just so I am not scared of it. I personally feel that if you let a wreck take over you will lose your mind thinking about it. I know that I can make the jump and I can land it. But I fear that I will wreck again, so here I sit, telling my son to get back on his bike and ride the same trail, so he does not fear it, all the while I have not gone back to my wreck. Thats the pot calling the keddle black. But then again I know that I can do it. My son is still very young and thinks that it can't be done.

It is turning into a very nice day and should be a great ride home with my family.

way to long of a break

2008-07-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Well I am back in the saddle again. I had to drive for a while and wow I really did not enjoy that. But I am riding again. I am still using the bus for the second half of my trip. My little brother hooked me up with a little cycle computer. It is pretty cool, I have put 44.8 miles on the bike over this weekend plus my ride in to work this morning.

It was really neat this weekend, my family and I went out with my little brother for a kick ass ride on sat for 20 miles. It was fun, I had the burley trailer hooked up to my bike. At one point me and the kid go up to 26mph. I could have gone more but I was out of gears. So I will be getting that thrid chain ring.

It has been cool having the cycle computer. It looks like I travel about 16mph. I would tell everyone to get one of these. i was looking for one before I got this one. You can pick one up for about 30 bucks and it is neat to see how fast you really do go.

That is all I got for now. Keep riding.

what a day

2008-06-26T07:52:00.000-07:00

I believe that I am getting stronger, or the ride is just not as tough as it use to be. But on either one I made it from my house to the bus stop this morning in about 22 minutes. Not to bad. I do wish that there were more riders out in the morning. It has become very common to see these two older ladies out walking every morning. We say good morning and pass each other. I guess the only reason that I would like to have someone to ride with is that when two riders start riding, one will push the other. Right now all I have is the clock. It is good, but I could do better if I had someone pushing me harder. I know when I was doing more downhill and free ridin, it was the group of us that pushed each other to ride harder and try more stunts. Sometimes a bad thing, but never that bad.

So for now I ride alone, hoping that more people will see me and wonder if they to can ride to work. I think the biggest problem that I am going to face on this side of the mountain is the weather, and to many people have become dependent on their cars. The common feeling is that it is to hard or they don't have the time, or any other reason they can come up with. At first I started doing this more out to prove that it could be done, now I have been doing this ride for almost two weeks and everyday it gets better. I feel better through the day and I feel better at night. So I guess I am hooked on the ride.

And I am back

2008-06-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

This morning I made a choice to go a different route. Good and bad it was nice to see something different. I left the house and went out towards my kid's preschool and then looped over to hwy 9. You know how they say to ride against traffic. I am going to tell you other wise. It is nice to see the traffic. However, every big rig that drives by you will push you backwards. Plus there is this to consider. If I am traveling at 12mph and the car coming at me is doing 55, if something ever happened and we hit, our combined force would be 67mph head on. Not so cool. Yes I wear a brain bucket, but I don't think that they were biult for that kind of impact. Now take that same car and have him hit you from behind. That means that combined force would be 43mph, and you would get thrown away from the car not into the the car. So if your route puts you out on roads that have heavy traffic and they like to go faster then the posted speed limit, go with traffic. If you do need to see what is coming, get a mirror.

Last sat I had my bike over at Tim's bike shop and had Jay do a full tune up on my bike. It make a big difference to have everything working right. Something you should keep in mind is that when you send your bike in be sure to have them check the chain strech. My chain is very close and will need to be replaced before long. The reason to check the chain is so that you know how your chain rings and rear gears are doing. If you let the chain strech out to much when you do go to have it changed, or change it your self, the gears may be worn down to far and you will have to replace everything. I am hoping that in july I will be able to replace my chain and get a third chain ring. Right now I only have two and that 44T will be nice.

I also have to say that I have been using the bus more often. I like this because I don't have to fight the cars on a narrow two way blacktop and I get work faster. So it is working for me. Plus I don't have to go to the pump and feel that pain with two cars any more, that is way cool.

On a side note, It has been so nice up here the last couple of days, I am not sure what I am going to think when the weather goes back to normal. And I would liek to tell my little brother congrats on the new bike. Lets go for a ride when you come up next month.

Had to drive today

2008-06-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

With the best laid plans, you still have to fall back on others to help out. I got really sick on tuesday and did not ride or go to work. It was pretty bad. I don't like to call in sick, and I hate being sick even more. But there is nothing that I can do about it now. So my girlfriend made me drive to work today. I understand why she did it. I was sick all day with little to no food that would stay down. So my body was very week, and then fighting a ride into and back home would have just about wiped me out. So I drove. It kinda wierd going from riding to work to driving. Yes it was faster, but not as much fun. So this week my milage will be down really bad. I will have to cut at most 60 miles from my ride.

The other thing that I am going to start doing is taking the bus home after work. I was able to get home faster and still get some miles in. It was easy enough to get to the stop and load my bike. If you have bus that have these bike racks, I would start your two part trip now. What an easy way to save money and get healthy. Till the next day.

First day of a new week

2008-06-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

Here we are in a new week and I got so lucky, it was sunny and cold. The wind has kicked up and it will make the ride home so fun. I am also going to try something new today. But first, I got my new seat and it feels a lot better then the old one. The new one is an Avatar BG (body geomerty) 143. So now on to the fun part of finding that perfect spot so I don't feel like I am falling off, or I am pointed to the sky. I also uped the tire presure. I am thinking that I still might need a little more in the back. The tires that I am using are a Kenda semi slick. They say that I can go to 65 psi, but I don't think that I need it that high. I am thinking I will go from 40 to 45 psi.

So the new thing that I am going to try. I am going to use the bus when I go home tonight. I am hoping by cutting a few miles off my trip I will have a little more energy when I get home and I will be able to help out more.

Last day of the first week

2008-06-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Last night it was sunny and warm for this location. Lovin it. It was nice to see other people out on the trail. Some waved and others did not. I guess it you are a die hard roadie, you are to good to wave at anybody. It was also fun tring not to get hit by my first car. This dude goes flying around, and then slams on his breaks and smiles at me. The road that he is coming off of is only 40 and he is turning onto a road that is 25. So I am not sure why he was flying around. Had it not been for the fact that I used to play around and do stopies and shit I would have hit the front fender of his car and gone flying myself. I wanted nothing more then to smash my fist down on his windshield, and cruse him out, however I had a nice big family at that same time less then 25ft from me. So I just smiled back and waited for him to push on. Fuckin asshole.

Then this morning some asshole in his/her SUV came flying past me fast and close enough that I was pushed off the road and into the ditch. I am not sure why these drivers have to be such assholes. I am thinking about asking the local sheriff to drive that road a little more often. Most of the drivers that I have seen everyday are pretty cool and slow and move out away from me. Thank you very much.

I am looking forward to getting my new seat in this next week. I think that it will help me not be so sore when I get done with my ride. If you have not gone and had your sit bones measured you should. I am hoping soon, I will be able to get some new pedals and shoes. Also on a quick note, I will have riden my bike 118.5 miles this week. Very cool.

Day off to pedaling again.

2008-06-12T08:34:00.000-07:00

Well I did get to go to bicycle centers and ask some questions, and get some good answers. I also got my sit bones measured. This is so the next seat that I get will fit me better and I won't have such a sore ass. It was good for me to take a break and let my legs kinda take a break. I pushed 11 to 11.5 mph coming to work, 15 miles 1 hour 20 min. It was pretty cool. Now can I push it out again on the way home.

Also looking at the over all picture, I am going to need to take my bike in for a pro tune up. I am good at maintaining it over time. But when it needs to have the wheels trued and I start jumping teeth, I know that I need to get it in for service. Down side, being that this is my only transportation, it can only go in on a sat and I have to pic it up on sat or sun if they are open. Knowing this, I have two shops that I will use. All service work will be done over at Tim's bike shop in Everett, and road gear will be taken care of by Bicycle center.

On another note. If you are thinking about commuting by cycle, great. But you should look at getting a couple of things to make you life better. A good work stand, mine is Wrench Force, and has work for years. Basic tools to pull cables when they start to strech, a couple of small screw drivers so you can adjust derailers when they need it. Learn how your bike works, don't depend on the shop to fix it everytime it needs something done.

Day of Rest

2008-06-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

So I took this day off to go on a field trip and that did not happen. But I still did not go to work. Bad me. I don't care. This would have been my thrid day of riding to work and I hurt so bad, I needed this day to let my body rest.

I got to ride home in the dry yesterday after work. Nice change. However it took me a long time to get home. I left work at 16:30 and did not make it home till 18:11. That is a very slow pace. Not to make excuces but my clothes were still wet from that mornings ride and well a wet ass is not a happy ass.

Knowing that I need to get some gear that will hold up in the rain, we (my girlfriend and I) will run around town and take care of a couple of things and stop by a couple local shops that might be able to help me. I know that I would like a pair of pants and a jacket, and a pair of shoes that will keep my feet dry and also not weight a ton.

Day Two

2008-06-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Well I left work at 17:10 and made it home by 18:32. I was pretty sore and tired by the time getting home was on my mind. But I averaged 10mph. I got rained on and got some sun. I thought that I was pretty strong until I had to pull the last mile and most of that was up hill. In one and one I pulled half the hill. I had to walk the rest. I was sad that I could not finish it on my own, but it was the first time that I have ever ridden 30 miles in a day.

So this morning I tried a different route and found myself soaked to the bone. It was faster, I left home about 6:40 and got to work at 7:50. Now what is weird is that the new route only saved me a mile and a half of pedaling. So I don't know why I was able to save 20 min. So when one chooses to ride down the highway, make sure that you are well prepaired for the amount of water that comes off all of the cars and trucks going by. You would think that I would know this from driving around up here, that there is a lot of water. But nothing compares to how wet I was this morning by the time that I got to work.

So a thought on gear. I have a 2007 hardrock. Not really built for long hauls but it is all i got. Knowing that I do really enjoy riding to work, I am going to need to get better gear. I am not the kinda of guy who will run out and buy the name brand shit because some guy on a tour somewhere had it. I think that any gear that you buy should work and work for a long damn time. Example, the sunglasses that i wear I got about 7 or 8 years ago. They still work and are still cool looking. These glasses had different lens that I can put in them depending on what is going on. They were made by Smith Optics. I know that after today I am really wanting some waterproof pants and jacket. As well as I would like some kind of a shoe that will keep my feet warm and dry. A better bag to carry my shit in would be nice but the one that I got know is working. I got it while I was over in the middle east. So for now this is all I got.

A quick look at how far I have traved so far: 30 miles yesterday and 13.5 miles so far today. I know that after this morning I will not be useing the highway unless it is bright and sunny and has been so for at least half a day and will be sunny all week. So knowing what I know now. I will go the back way which is 15 miles, So by the time that I get home I will have biked 58.5 miles. I think it is pretty cool.

First Day

2008-06-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

So this morning I cycled into work. 15 miles. I am starting to bike to work because of the cost of owning my truck. The costs of owning my truck this year alone would cost me 15,000. So I thought I would give biking a chance again. I left my house at 6:45 and got to work at 8:05. If my math is right, I traveled 15 miles in 80 min that means that I am traveling about 11mph.

It is wierd to think about cycling to work and having to pack all your stuff in your back pack. I took with me two spare tubes, patch kits, pump, multi-tool. Plus I needed to pack a lunch and extra clothing. Because I live in western washington and it rains alot up here, You have to be ready for the rain, and maybe the sun. By the time that I got to work I felt really good and was not a sore as I thought. I do know that if I don't start moving around soon I will stiffen up. I will type up some more later