Tag Archives: Cycling

No Mote in Your Eye

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I wear contacts. That means it’s important that my eyeballss are protected from the dust and wind that’s all but unavoidable on long rides. If they aren’t protected, then by the time the ride is over, my vision is either so clouded and hazy I can’t see at all, or my contacts so dust-ridden that it feels like I’m sporting twin Rocks of Gibraltar in my eyeballs… or more likely, both.

There are several things I’ve been unable to completely conquer in my years of riding: Cold hands in weather below 10°F, cold feet in weather below 0&deg:F, and crusty contacts after long rides.

This is about the last item on that thankfully short list.

I’ve tried various protective eye gear, from basic sunglasses, to over-sized reading glasses, to cycling sunglasses and now, I’m trying a pair of 7Eye Capes with “AirShield” and “PhotoChromic NXT” technologies. They’re a little different than other things I’ve tried in that they’re actually motorcycle glasses, and being so, are just shy of being actual goggles.

The Glasses

7EYE-Cape-Original_01
7EYE-Cape-Original_02

The glasses come with a hard case, a microfiber cleaning cloth, and a neck strap (called a leash) that slides on the arms like a sock. I originally took a look at the Diablo line, but on trying several pair on at a local eyeglasses store, found the Cape to be more to my liking. I’m glad I opted to check them out IRL, rather than buying them outright online. Certain things should always be bought in person…

The glasses are plastic, and lightly constructed, but in spite of that they don’t feel cheap. Rather, they feel sturdy, if not as solid as a metal frame would. The fit is adjustable to a point. You can adjust the fit around the ear with two screws on each arm, but they don’t have any bridge adjustments, so your mileage may vary. They fit my face and ears right off the rack, so I count myself lucky on that point.

7EYE-Cape-Original_05
7EYE-Cape-Original_06

AirShield

The AirShield is a little snap-on addition made of plastic and foam that hugs your face when the glasses are properly fitted. The plastic fits next to the frame, and has vents to let some air flow through so your eyes don’t suffocate. The foam fits next to your face and helps form a “seal” against too much air flow which would dry out, freeze or cook your eyes, and let dust and rocks and sticks in.

7EYE-Cape-Original_03
7EYE-Cape-Original_04

I’ve seen some shielding inserts that attach to the frame via strong little magnets, rather than snaps. I think those are just freakishly cool, but the snaps used in the Cape model seem sufficient. They’re neither too hard to get out, nor too easy. The models I checked out with the magnets didn’t seem to have sufficient shielding for me, so I sadly put them away, and went with the 7Eye frames that weren’t necessarily as freakishly cool, but did the job better. That’s more important to me, after all.

7EYE-Cape-Original_10
7EYE-Cape-Original_07

So much for how they attach, how do they work? I’ve not had a chance to try them out on a multi-hour ride across country, but I have tried them out in 18°F temperatures with a decent headwind. Every other pair of cycling glasses I’ve ever tried at those temperatures resulted in my eyeballs streaming tears as they fight off the chill. These glasses solved that problem entirely. There’s enough ventilation that my eyeballs aren’t suffocating, but not enough so that they’re suffering from the wind. I’m looking forward to pushing them into the below 10°F range and taking them on longer rides (not at the same time), and I’m confident they’ll work.

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7EYE-Cape-Original_09

Another concern with this type of eye gear is that they fog up. I can tell you I’ve tried to fog them up. I’ve taken them momentarily off and breathed on them. I’ve directed my breath up towards them while riding. I’ve done everything I know how to get them all opaque and blind, and though they fog up for a bit, they clear up almost immediately. So, I’m going to have to say they win on the issue of fog.

PhotoChromic NXT

I opted for the PhotoChromic NXT lenses so that I didn’t have to worry about switching out lenses when my rides cross that sunrise/sunset boundary (which they invariably do). For me, switching lenses while out on a ride is troublesome. There’s grease and dust and oil and grit and it always gets on the lenses, and it’s never easy to clean off. So I solved that problem with lenses that make that switch for me.

My verdict… Though they are effective in helping with glare and bright light, I don’t think they ever get as dark as a dedicated pair of sunglasses, or as clear as a dedicated set of clears. Then again, do these types of non-prescription lenses ever work as well as their prescription-based brothers and sisters? They do adjust, however, and if the fact that I’ve not been bothered by sunlight or the lack of it is any indication, I have to conclude that these lenses are doing their job sufficiently for my needs.

7EYE-Cape-Original_13
7EYE-Cape-Original_14

The Look

Well… with the AirShield, they look kinda silly, if my wife is any judge. She rolled her eyes and said I look like a big bug. Then again, they are effectively goggles. What do you expect? Look is so subjective though, so all I can say is that you’d have to make up your own mind. You may think they’re the most coolest and awesomest looking eye gear on the planet, or you may find yourself throwing up in your mouth a little bit. I suspect your opinion will fall somewhere in the middle, but it’s really up to you.

The Price

At $129.00, this is the most expensive pair of non-prescription glasses I’ve ever bought, so it was a bit of a stretch for me in the justification department. I went ahead with it, in the interest of protecting my eyes and keeping my contacts pristine. There’s nothing like gritty contacts, and dusty eyes to ruin an otherwise fantastic ride. It’s been enough of a bother for me that I thought the price was worth it. That price isn’t outlandish or unheard of in purpose built eye gear… you *can* spend a lot more for cycling glasses if you really want to.

The Conclusion

I’m definitely a fan so far.

Fancy Helmet for Fancy People

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Last autumn, I picked up a Lazer Helium helmet to replace my aging Giro Atmos. I’d had the Atmos for about 4 years, and many thousands of miles, and it was starting to show signs of age. Also, it’s recommended that bike helmets be replaced every few years anyway, so I decided to try something new.

I got a good deal on the Helium, too. After pricing it out and trying it on at my LBS, I found the same helmet online for about $100 less than retail. Yes. I contributed to globalization to the detriment of my LBS by buying online. Feel free to stop reading now if that’s a sensitive subject for you.

If you’re still here, then here it is: a fancy helmet for fancy people, the Lazer Helium.

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Fit

I opted for the Medium/Large helmet, because I wanted a helmet with room for head coverings during the colder winter months, but with sufficiently effective internal tightening apparatus such that it would still fit snug during the warmer summer months. Because it’s a larger helmet, it has a bit bigger headprint than my Atmos. That is so say, it probably looks a little goofy on my head. That’s fine, because I’m pleased to say, having ridden with this helmet in both 90+° weather, and 20-° weather, it works well on either a bare head and one decorated with a thick wool cap.

Lazer-Helium_03
Lazer-Helium_05

The Lazer Rollsys® feature works very well towards making that fit happen. In fact, it works a little too well. While tightening it down so that the helmet fits snugly does, in fact, make the helmet fit snugly, it also results in a mild headache after about 30 minutes in the saddle. On my longer rides, I ended up having to loosen the helmet to get some relief and keep pedaling. It took some trial-and-error, but I eventually found a sweet spot that was tight enough that the helmet didn’t wobble about, but loose enough that I avoided throbbing pain. This issue could be unique to my noggin, but it’s something to consider. It might be argued that this helmet does not, in fact, fit, as evidenced by the headache. However, since I was able to overcome the issue, I’m not going to worry about it.

I should note that I never experienced anything like that with my Atmos, no matter how tightly I set it. I suspect it has to do with the specific placement of the head straps and blood flow.

The chin straps are, in my experience, pretty standard. They’re long enough to be adjustable to the longest faces, and the latches latch as one would expect.

Lazer-Helium_10

Padding

The “Antimicrobial and temperature regulating padding system” is pretty solid. That is to say, I don’t notice any pointy bits on the inside, and the helmet, once the proper tightness using the Rollsys® feature is achieved, feels very comfortable. Once it’s on right, I don’t notice it at all, and just enjoy the ride.

Like any padding system, it’s going to show some wear after a while. The pads in my Atmos had to be replaced about once every few thousand miles. Time will tell how well these hold up.

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Airflow
I can speak from experience that the airflow offered by this model is top notch. On a 40° day, I rode without head or ear covering, and I knew it. I wasn’t freezing, but I could tell that the air was flowing. Last autumn during the Octoginta, things got pretty hot, but not once did I worry about sweat in my eyes. It just wasn’t there. I credit the ventilation for that.

I’d say the airflow on the Helium is a definite step up from my previous helmet.

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Options

Due to the fantastic ventilation, if you’re going to use this helmet in colder weather, it might pay off to use a head shield of some type beneath it. Lazer offers winter padding to help keep the helmet warm in colder weather, but I’ve not tried it. My wool cap was more than up to the task the last couple of days.

They also offer an insect net to keep the bugs out, and an “Aeroshell” to keep the rain and snow out, but I’ve not tried either.

In theory, all three options look nice, but they aren’t available through their web site, and I’ve not been able to find them online (I’ve tried Amazon, Nashbar, Performance Bike, Pricepoint and ProBikeKit), so it looks like they’d have to be ordered through an LBS. I’ve a few other winter items to pick up, so I might see about that winter padding while I’m at it.

QPR

At over $200, this helmet isn’t cheap, and I probably wouldn’t have gone for it had I not found a fantastic deal online for a new one. Aside from the high price, I can say it’s probably more than most people need out of a helmet. After all, a helmet is supposed to stay on your head, and protect that head from bumps. Truth be told, that’s it, and most helmets these days will do exactly that. Anything else, from fancy magnetic latches (not included on this model) to fancy bug screens and winter pads is just that… fancy designed to appeal to those with a little extra scratch to throw around on fancy.

Conclusion

All in all, I’m pleased with the helmet, though I’m a little disappointed in the headache issue. Once I found that sweet spot, however, I can honestly say that I can wear this helmet and not feel like I’m wearing this helmet. I put it on, tighten it just enough, and forget about it. That, to me, is a sign of a great helmet.

Lazer-Helium_13

Still, I can’t say with a clear conscience that it has a high QPR. It just costs too much for that, given that you can get the same protection and most of the same benefits for much less out of cheaper helmets. If a prefab bug screen or winter padding is important to you, then maybe this is the way to go. On the other hand, maybe you can find your own solutions out of stuff you already have around the house. That’s your call. As for me, I had a little extra scratch at the time (well… no, I really didn’t), and went for it.

For now, I’m going to reserve final judgment for the performance of the winter padding. It could be that it pushes the QPR over the hump.

Tiny-HelmetTiny-HelmetTiny-HelmetTiny-Helmet

Four helmets out of five, a point taken off for the price and for having to overcome the headache issue.

Oh, and no, I didn’t receive this as a gift or anything like that. I bought it my own self.

Starting Line Bike-for-Transportation Setup for 2011

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I’ve decided that I’m going to return to my 2008 habit of getting to work on my own power, sans internal combustion engine, as much as possible. There will be days when I have to resort to the relative warmth of a car cabin, due to meetings in another building, but I think I’ll be able to make it happen again with the same commitment I had back then, barring compelling spousal objection or injury, of course.

It looks like I picked a decent week to start:

  • Monday – Mostly sunny. High: ~41°F
  • Tuesday – Mostly sunny. High: ~38°F
  • Wednesday – Mostly sunny. High: ~44°F
  • Thursday – Partly cloudy. High: ~42°F
  • Friday – Partly cloudy. High: ~43°F

So I’ll have some things cycling related things to write about again. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about my new helmet, a Lazer Helium. Wednesday, I’m going to talk about my new cycling glasses, the 7eye Cape with Airshield.

Today, I’m going to go over my rig and gear.

The Rig

I’m riding a nearly stock ’09 Kona Dew Drop. The details are given below on the off-chance you’re interested, and b/c I’m not sure how long they’ll be available on the Kona site. It’s a fine bike with good parts. The only thing I’d change is the frame for which I’d go steel instead of aluminum. I’ve not ridden it enough (~600 miles), in spite of how long I’ve owned it, to really get a comfortable sense of how it handles. Thus far, I’ve treated it with kid gloves. I can say the handling isn’t as tight as my Torelli, but it’s been saddled with heavy panniers for most rides. Those tend to alter the handling characteristics a bit, ‘nom’sayin? Besides, it’s like comparing a sedan to a Ferrari. It’s just not a fair comparison.

My Gear

My additions to the bike, simple though they be, are a front fender, handlebar mounts for my Garmin 705 and Cateye Triple Shot, a top tube bag for the light battery, a couple Shimano A530 SPD pedals, an old tube lovingly and protectively wrapped around the chain stay, an Axiom Journey disc brake compatible rear rack, one Cat Eye TL-LD600 facing the rear, and a couple cheap bottle holders.

Note that I don’t have a rear fender. That rack, plus the disc brakes and mounts made for a problematic rear fender install… I eventually determined that, for me, it wasn’t necessary. The rack takes most of the water when it’s wet out anyway.

I’m carrying my clothes back and forth in a Nashbar Commuter Garment Pannier. It’s been pretty solid for me over the last couple of years. I really should write up a full review of it, though. For now, I’ll say that I’ve had no problems, but have changed out the stock rack hooks with a couple of small stainless steel carabiners. While the stock hooks worked on my old rack mounted to my Kona Fire Mountain, the new rack on the Dew Drop (necessary due to the disc brakes) has different hook points, and the stock hooks weren’t stable. The carabiners are definitely more stable, but they’re also a lot more difficult in the tight spaces under the pannier. I’m thinking larger hooks would be easier to handle, and wouldn’t slide through the eye holes in the rack (yeah, I really need to write a full review).

I’m looking for some additional lights to mount on my front forks pointing either to the front, or to the side. Ideally, I’ll find some wraparound lights that light up the whole fork in the round. I dare a driver not to see that! Wait… nevermind, they won’t see me no matter what I did. Maybe a helmet mounted front/rear lighting set up would help.

Rig Details

Saved for last b/c I know most people just won’t care. This is here primarily for my own future reference.

Frame Size C56cm
Frame tubing Kona 7005 Aluminum Butted
Fork Kona P2 700c Disc
Headset Ritchey LB-Plus
Crankarms FSA Vero
Chainrings 52/42/30
B/B RPM 7420
Pedals See Above
Chain KMC Z-72
Freewheel Shimano C Series (11-34, 8spd)
F/D Shimano 2203
R/D Shimano Deore
Shifters Shimano 2203
Handlebar Kona Sweeper
Stem Kona RD
Grips Velo Wrap w/Gel
Brakes Avid BB-7 Road Disc
Brake Levers Shimano 2203
Front hub Formula Disc
Rear hub Shimano M475 Disc
Spokes Sandvik Stainless 15g fr/14g rr
Tires Continental CountryRide 700x37C
Rims Rigida ZAC19SL
Saddle Kona Comfort
Seatpost Kona RD
Seat clamp Kona QR
Color Metallic Red
Extras Kona Bell

Octoginta 2010

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I finished the Octoginta 2010 this past Sunday. I hadn’t ridden more than ~40 miles at one time, and only four rides over 30 miles since the ’09 Triple Bypass – over a year ago. Look for yourself. What I’m trying to say is I’ve been a right slacker when it comes to cycling. So it was with some trepidation that I attempted the 80+ mile Octoginta.

I needn’t have worried. My flat-inducing friend (who didn’t induce a flat) and I did just fine.

Here are my thoughts on the ride, in order of least favorite to most. I find it’s always a good idea to start with the bad news and end on a good note, so here ’tis.

The Ugly

Some of the worst group ride cyclist behavior in traffic I can remember witnessing. I hate to foster stereotypes, but the vast majority of cycling miscreancy was committed by our friends in full racing kit. Last week, Eric over at KCBike.info, himself via Ride Lawrence, let us in on the fact that a new Lawrence Bike Rideability Map [PDF] was released. I wish the scofflaws on the ride Sunday would have taken to heart the advice on the 2nd page of that flyer… primarily the “ride predictably” and “don’t pass cars on the right” bits. I don’t blame the folk what put together the Octoginta for this, though. It’s not their fault. However, I would have liked to hear something about playing nice with each other and cars at the starting line. Not that it would have mattered, but still…

The Bad

Gravel/chip roads. Can’t say I love them. There was only one, and it only stretched a couple of miles, but with a perfectly serviceable paved road with very wide shoulders as an alternate route, I’m having a hard time fathoming the choice. Maybe it was the 21% grade hill on that little jaunt that brought out the gleeful sadist in the route planners. Or maybe it was the steep downhill right afterwards that couldn’t be enjoyed because it culminated in a sharp gravel turn, forcing us to ride our brakes the whole time. Either way, I’m pretty sure The Devil had something to do with it.

No end of ride dinner. The last time I rode an Octoginta in 2007 (wow… was it really that long ago?!), there was a fantastic minestrone soup at the end. They seem to have ditched that in favor of soup at lunch. I’m not complaining, mind you. The sammiches and soup really hit the spot at 52 miles in, but the utter lack of a finish line was rather anti-climatic.

The Good

Group Riding. It wouldn’t be fair to mention the horrible behavior of some cyclists without mentioning the very friendly and communal behavior of others. For the first 30 miles or so of the ride, and before it spread out too thin, my friend and I found ourselves (mostly through his efforts) part of one decent sized two column peleton or another. It’s amazing how much difference that makes in terms of effort and energy expenditure. It’s significantly reduced. Riding 30 solo miles takes a lot more energy than riding 30 group miles, when that group knows what it’s doing. I’d forgotten how much I enjoy being part of something like that.

Energy level. Though I wouldn’t rate my fitness, and resultant post-ride energy at the same level as the ’07 Octoginta, I was better than I expected. Especially having run a 5K Saturday morning. My legs were really feeling that run, but once I hit the pedals on Sunday, I forgot about the pain, and enjoyed the ride. Around mile 30, I was starting to feel the effort, but the well-placed SAG stops and our judicious use of them allowed for a strong second wind at mile 52 after lunch, and continuing through the rest of the ride. The group riding definitely helped with that.

Well placed SAG stops. As with the ’07 ride, the SAGs were well placed. More space between them along stretches requiring less effort, and less space along stretches with leg busting hills or nasty surfaces. No evidence of sadism here.

Breakfast. The breakfast of eggs, french toast, and plenty of fluids may not have been quite as noteworthy as ’07 (if there was coffee and OJ, I missed it), but it was still pretty fantastic. I wasn’t hungry, having stuffed my face with pasta that morning, which may have colored my perception, but it was still pretty nice.

Lunch. The lunch stop with ham or turkey sammiches, bananas, their signature soup, and water was spot on target at 52 miles in, at the Vinland Airport.

Route choice included some familiar roads, as well as some new ones. This year, they took us northwest initially, then back around south of Lawrence to Clinton Lake Dam, and then up north before pulling us back into downtown. I know many of the roads we were on, but there were a few that I hadn’t tried yet. When next I pull my Shawnee to Lawrence and Back rides, I’ll have more choices, and I’ll use them.

Surprise visit by my wife! Though there was no dinner after the ride, and though there was no official finish line with screaming friends and family welcoming you in after a long day of riding (the Triple Bypass certainly spoiled me there), my gorgeous wife surprised me by being there in the parking lot waiting for me. I wasn’t expecting her at all, and she was a beautiful site to behold after pushing myself hard those last 10 miles.

All the photos and more, with captions, are available here.

Cycling Safety, Printing with Cups & HPLIP, and Vino

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All in all, not a bad weekend. I’d fixed our printing issues with Samba/Cups/HPLIP before 11, and I’d slept in until 9:30 (yes, I clearly needed sleep). It was, I think, a permissions issue, but it was a confusing issue.

Brokey:

lrw-rw---- 1 root cups 9 Sep 24 17:04 ugen0.2 -> usb/0.2.0
crw-rw-rw- 1 root cups 0, 128 Sep 24 17:01 0.2.0

Workey:

lrw-rw---- 1 root cups 9 Sep 24 17:04 ugen0.2 -> usb/0.2.0
crw-rw-rw- 1 root cups 0, 128 Sep 24 17:01 0.2.0

Yeah. I don’t see a difference either. Still, I was getting the following errors:

prnt/backend/hp.c 745: ERROR: open device failed stat=12: hp:/usb/photosmart_7350?serial=XXXXXXXXXXXXX

and

printer-state=5(stopped)
printer-state-message="/usr/local/libexec/cups/backend/hp failed"
printer-state-reasons=paused

whenever I tried to print (not the real serial number).

Then I chown root:lp both ugen0.2 and usb/0.2.0, and printing was magically working again. And yet, they still show as being root:cups. Go figure. Please. Go figure, because aside from some weird corruption in some place I don’t yet know exists, I can’t figure it out myself.

So, that done, I moved myself downtown to the KC Public Library for the first of two League of American Cyclists Smart Cycling KC: Traffic Skills 101 classes. Though there wasn’t anything in there that I didn’t already know, it was still a good time, and worth the time spent. Some really good discussion ensued around traffic law and cyclists place in it, and how to best defend ourselves out there. I’d be interested in the more advanced classes, so I’m going to keep my eyes open for those.

Now, I’m about to settle in for the evening with my beautiful wife, who’s been shopping nearly all day, with a bottle of wine and a weeks worth of DVR’d television stories.

Fun Saturday Ride

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I meant to publish this earlier, but got pretty busy, and didn’t get around to it. Better late than never, I sometimes say.

On Saturday, my flat-inducing buddy and I rode out from his driveway on a 40 miler from Liberty, to Excelsior Springs, back through Kearney, and then on back to Liberty. It was a fantastic, scenic, mildly hilly, and altogether peaceful ride.

Some highlights include the fact that no one yelled at us (nope, not once), neither of us had any mechanical difficulties (perhaps Jon’s Flat Tire Curse has abated?), and the scenery was gorgeous.

In Excelsior Springs, we stopped at a Subway for a refueling at the 20 mile mark. Neither of us were really tired, but we were both getting a bit peckish. The real, if all to brief highlight was there. While we were eating, we noted a rather stout teenager sporting a purple close cropped pointed mohawk come in with his Mom. As we were gathering our gear to leave, he asked us how far we’d gone. A short conversation ensued through which he was very clearly and boldly impressed by what we’d done so far.

Encouraged by his lack of derision and open admiration, we chatted with him for a while, and assured him that 20 miles isn’t that hard if you build up to it. Start with a mile. Then 2. Then 5. Then 10. Slowly, but quicker than you realize, you’re pulling 20 miles, then 40, then metric centuries, and finally centuries. With any luck at all, his admiration will turn into inspiration and he’ll find his way onto a saddle with a water bottle in hand and a granola bar, rather than on the lounge chair with a XBox controller in hand and a bag of Doritos.

Not that those are bad things, mind you; I do love me some gaming and salty preservative chiplets, but there’s gotta be a balance.

We left him, and wished him luck and good fortune, and were back out on the road for another 20 miles.

All in all, a fantastic ride.

Bikes at the Garage Door. The weather was a fantastic 72°F and we were ready to go. Well… I was, you can see all his gear next to the garage door anxiously awaiting him.

My Bike Computer. HR is a little high for just standing around. Though the driveway was a little steep, so I had to work to keep my balance.

Jon’s Bike Computer. The two bike computer pictures were taken seconds apart. There must be some sort of End World-esque time distortion going on to have them show such disperate times. I’m sure that’s it… it’s the simplest explanation.

Jon in front of a Great View. This photo really doesn’t do it justice. It really was beautiful.

Just around the corner from the aforementioned Great View. This one is a better representation, but still doesn’t do it justice. Though you can’t see it, waaaaay off in the distance is Kearney.

Off the Route. We took a detour past Excelsior Springs to enjoy a fantastic twisty turny windey downhill run through a tunnel of trees. It really was awesome. It resulted in having to recalculate our route, and then immediately making a several hundred foot climb over the course of several hundred yards. It was definitely worth it, though.

Jon in the Distance. You can’t see him, but he’s back there.

A Little History.

A Nice Home Nestled in the Trees.

End of the ride stats.

Hills Not So Bad. Also, I Have to Get on the Sidewalk Now

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Before going to see Resident Evil, my flat-inducing buddy and I went out for a quick ride last night. I excised a substantial chunk from our previous route in the hopes of saving some time, but underestimated the mileage. I figured it would be ~17 miles, but ended up being over 27. Well. There you have it. Don’t hire me to guess the mileage of meandering routes. I’m apparently not very good at it.

What I’m getting better at (again) is hills. While my average pace last night wasn’t much to speak of in terms of improvement, my energy level throughout the ride, and afterwards, was. I’d ridden all the same hills, at a comparable rate, and had more than enough energy for a quarter mile all-out sprint at the end of the ride to my house. If we didn’t have to rush to make the movie (due to my aforementioned apparent inability to gauge distances), I would have stayed out, though the darkness threatened to envelope us in it’s sweet, but not terribly sticky, embrace. Alas, time was short, and it was time to call it a ride.

Oh, and no flats!

I’m still very obviously lacking the leg strength to maintain a decent pace up the 12-15% grades on this route, but if energy levels are any judge, then improvement is already showing.

I was inspired to push harder by two incidents last night. I will tell you about them now. Here they are, then.

The first, more inspiring and less humorous, occurred on the 2nd of the two sisters on Johnson drive (I’ve mentioned them before, they’re between Mid America Sports Complex and Renner Drive). As I was nearing the middle of the 2nd sister heading east, I saw the lengthened shadow of someone behind me, as cast by the setting sun, and soon thereafter heard a remarkably polite and casual “On your left.” The rider passed me easily, and we exchanged pleasantries.

As he sped off, up the steep incline, in the same manner that I would speed off down and equally steep decline, I noted that his speed was obviously aided by the thick bands of rippling muscle in his calves. “Eee Gads, I thought. Look at those ripping muscles in his calves!” Now, lest you think that sounds rather… uh… gay, allow me to remind you that I am an artist at heart, if not in practice, and appreciate beauty in many forms, male and female. It was pretty hot, though. Not as hot as my wife, mind you, but hot in it’s own way, nonetheless. So… *ahem* how ’bout them Bears? Wanna beer?

Suffice to say, his clear lack of struggle and the ease with which he made that climb was inspiring.

The second incident was inspiring not for it’s athleticism, but because it was hysterical. I was somewhere on Midland Drive between I-435 and Shawnee Mission Pkwy when I was passed by a small, rusting, late-model white sedan of some sort. I have no idea who was driving it, but the passenger, an upstanding young man of about 16-17 years of age leaned out the window and yelled “Get on the f*cking sidwalk, a**hole!” I immediately started laughing. Loudly. I couldn’t help it! Perhaps not the smartest thing do to if one wants to avoid confrontation, but I couldn’t help it! It just struck me as incredibly funny. And laugh is what one does when struck by Teh Funny.

Then, to throw fuel to my little fire, he flipped me off! A true sign of intelligence and even wisdom, it was. That, my friends, really set me off. I nearly had to pull over to the side of the road. To add yet another bit of funny to the incident: there is no sidewalk anywhere near that stretch of road. Nowhere. Now, I’m sure the kind young sir meant a sidewalk on another road, somewhere very far away from where the car, which he wasn’t even driving, was located, but still, at the time, the irony struck me, and out popped loud laughter.

I started to worry that maybe my laughing at him, for truth be told, I was laughing AT HIM, would inspire some sort of retribution, and that I would come to find him waiting for me up ahead somewhere. That sobered me a little, but not much, and he clearly had more important things to do than hassle some defenseless cyclist, as I saw him none the more.

To be young and enlightened.

All in all, a fantastic and inspiring, if shorter, ride.

As for the movie. Meh.

Hills, Now with A Heavier Rider!

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Today, I thought I’d try my hill training route I rode when at the height of my Triple Bypass training. Now, I’m not saying it was a mistake. No, I’m not saying that. But I’m not saying it was my most brilliant move, either.

First, Matt, yes, we do have hills in Kansas. Anyone who has ever said Kansas was flat didn’t ride a bike through it.

Second, I did it. I rode the whole route. I also barely made it up some of those last hills on Johnson Drive. I didn’t get off and walk the bike up, but it was a close call a couple of times. Knowing that i’d done this before, and simple stubborn pride were really all that kept me in the saddle. Having climbed so many hills in the previous two hours, I’d say I did OK. I’m pretty proud of myself for tackling the task, and getting it done.

Hills I Conquered* Today:

Even with the inclusion of the nasty (if short) hill on 91st off Woodland Drive, I still made it to the halfway mark in good time. When I’m in somewhat lack-luster shape (today, for example), I’ll take this opportunity to take a break, take a snack, and take stock. I’ll decide here if I want to tackle Johnson Drive or not. It’s not a final decision, as the point of no return is still a mile or so out. My thoughts here today were along the lines of “Sure, why not?”

Having made that decision, I came across road construction. Damn. I’d forgotten about this. It only adds a couple miles to the route, but given that the goal is to climb hills today, I would have rather done without. Oh well… it did add some rolling hills I wouldn’t have seen today, and at least they’re putting in a roundabout. We really need more of those.

Speaking of intersections, I don’t think I came across a single lighted intersection through which a driver didn’t plow through against the red. I realize I’m preaching primarily to the choir here, but for all those a-hat drivers that complain about cyclists “never” obeying the rules of the road, I say tend they own garden first before thee looks to the weeds in another’s.

But that’s beside the point. The point is that I finished the route, even if with slightly less exuberance than in previous rides. That’s pretty cool. Now that I know I can, I’ll probably back off a little and cut a corner or two while I climb slowly back into shape again.

* Word is a gross exaggeration

What A Difference Skinny Tires Make

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I ran – rode rather, the same gauntlet last night that I road last week. This time, however, I did not bonk. I’m still noticing some distinct lack of power, both “brute” and “staying”, but as a friendly commenter on the last post pointed out (I’m looking at you, Apertome), that’ll change as I keep pushing and pulling the cranks.

What did not happen was a flat. I credit the fact that I was riding solo without my buddy. He is a chaos magnet. That’s his superpower. His superpower is to attract chaos. An unassuming, by all accounts normal, rather shy everyday guy with a penchant for computers, he nonetheless gathers chaos around him like a hot knife through a flame… or something like that. How the servers he’s charged with maintaining haven’t erupted in volcanoes of sparks and lava and Udûn spawn is beyond me. The point is he’s a danger to himself and all those around him, and should be given a wide berth whenever possible.

Or perhaps the point is that I didn’t have a flat, which happens very rarely anyway, so it’s really not that notable.

Still, it’s rather ironic (I think I’m using it correctly here… it’s tough to tell sometimes) that when I ride my heavy bike with thick wide 37c tires I get a flat, and when I ride my crit bike with thinning skinny 23c tires, that have literally been to the mountain top and back, I get through without incident. Oh well… I’m not complaining. Truth be told, I was happy to not have a flat.

And what a difference those skinny tires made. If you compare the previous ride on those thick tires to last night’s ride you’ll note that I shaved 22 minutes off my time on the EXACT SAME ROUTE! Now, that’s something! Of course, I increased my average heart rate by 11bpm (though I was significantly less tired afterwards), but that’s not the point. The point is 22 minutes! I can’t explain the difference in elevation gain, except to say that maybe elevation detection isn’t the Edge 705′s strong suit. But 22 minutes! I wonder how I’d do if I dropped down to 12c tires?

I had a friend waaay back in the day (I don’t consider him an un-friend now, mind you) that played pool with a snooker cue. He used a much thinner 9mm shaft compared to our 12mm shafts. It’s amazing how much difference just a few millimeters make (“That’s what she said!” – thank you, Michael Scott). He was an amazing player as well… so much more amazing than we were (and we were damned amazing). I think that shaft had a lot to do with it. Certainly more than the countless practice and seasoning hours he spent with it.* Too bad he kept breaking with the cue until it shattered. Oh well…

So now I’m left wondering… if he was so much better with a skinny shaft (shut up, Michael-in-my-head), then how much better would I be with 12c tires? I’m assuming, of course, that the tire wouldn’t just flat out flat out immediately due to lack of support.

But you know, in the end, the speed isn’t the point. It’s the exercise and all the benefits of that, and the joy of being out on the road on the bike amidst all the drivers who hate me (and the precious few who don’t).

I think I’ll stick with my 37c’s and 23c’s, thank you.

I just need to find a way to fend off the chaos swarming around my friend…

Oh,and last night was the maiden voyage of my new Lazer Helium helmet. It gave me a headache. I loosened the Rollsys® Retention System though, and I was fine.

* Statement is false

Thursday Nights at Wheeler Airport

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We've recently started up a Thursday Night Ride at the Wheeler Airport just northwest of downtown KC. It's a 4.3 mile loop around the limited access road that surrounds the airport. It's popular due to the lack of traffic, the relatively flat course, and the fact that you're never more than 2 miles from you car (in case things go south one way or another).

If you're into training, it's a good location to gauge progress over time, and between rides.

If you want to join us, we meet at 5:30pm every Thursday night at the Wheeler Airport, just off the Broadway Bridge, north of downtown KC. Last week we rode for an hour or so, at a 18-22mph pace.

There are two main parking lots to set off from, and we'll make it a habit to meet near Hanger 3.

Today, however, on only our second go around, it's raining steady and may not lighten up by tonight.

- Keep Ridin'