Wheel Drought

Well doesn't this bite?

Nearly 6 weeks and no riding (sans the mini trips with the kids in the trailer).

Is this project over yet?

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Cycle Speedway

Once upon a time I used to work on oval track race cars.

This looks like more fun than I ever had pulling wrenches.



Found on Boston Biker

Flat Track Racing, Freewheels, No Brakes

....and it was over just like that.

The dream of a new bicycle.

After numerous delays and procrastinations we finally broke down and bought another car. I was hoping to make it through the winter with just the car. If we did, I promised myself a nice new bike to commute in the spring with. But the best laid plans of mice and men....

It was nice not having any car payments to make and only needing to feed one car (and truck, albeit bi-monthly).

If we made a one car family work for 7 months, why do we need another car now?
1 - Was it the cold?
2 - Was it the snow?
3 - Was it the ice?
4 - Was it the salt?
5 - Was it the lack of public transportation?
6 - Was it the some of the people on the public transportation?
7 - Was it the constant commentary from some people at work?

and the verdicts?
1 - Sorta, I'm no bike martyr.
2 - Yes, roads here suck in the snow.
3 - Yes, see #2
4 - Oh yes, they practically throw marbles out of the sanders.
5 - No, as long as I'm willing to wait for the buses they're not that bad.
6 - Yup, there's some weird people on bus 31.
7 - No.


So, if the weather would cooperate, the insurance company would stay open (they closed early due to snow),  the holidays would end we'd have a new to us Element sitting in the driveway.
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BANG!!!

I took DaKids for a bike ride this morning and we stopped at the Commons to listen to a storyteller/musician's performance.

It was a nice ride even though DaGirl kept chanting "faster, faster, go, go". It was the DaBoy's first time in the trailer and he did exceptionally well. It was also the first time I've used the trailer all year. I unfolded it and pumped up the tires just before we left and didn't notice any issues.

umm, yeah.

When we got home I parked the bike in front of the garage door and started taking off my helmet when I heard someone shifting in the trailer and

BANG!!!

I saw four of the biggest eyes looking at me that I have ever seen.
There was even a breeze that accompanied the exploding tire blowing dirt all over my legs.

Glad it happened in the driveway...

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April Super Bike Week

If May is Bike month, then this is April Super Bike Week!

Monday I rode to work (all of it) on the road bike . On the way home I took a longer route and stopped to pick up a new throttle cable for the lawn mower. Oh yeah and I broke a spoke, hence Broken Spoke was christened.

Tuesday I rode to work (all of it) on Old Ironsides. On the way home I took a different route and stopped to pick up the repaired wheel.

Wednesday I copped out with Broken Spoke and took the bus in the morning but rode home.

Thursday I drove. WHAT!!! What does this have to do with bike week and why did I drive you ask? So I could bring tools from home to install the new bike rack at work! Also I spent my lunch hour helping C.B. get his bike ready to go to out west for Tornado Chasing Season.

Friday I took the bus but rather than getting off in the center of town I mixed it up a bit and got off at Hampshire to get a little more exercise in. I rode the whole way home.

What's all this mean, 97.7 miles in one week! I'm bummed I missed a century by a stinking 2.3 miles. There's always next week.

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New Bike Rack at Work

I started riding to work occasionally in 2005 and ever since then the bosses have had issues with the bikes being inside or leaning up against the building or some other foolish complaints. When our new office manager started last year and rode most days of the year, the seed was planted for a real bike rack. Presently we have 3-4 people ride regularly and 4 more have done it sporadically. That's not to bad for a company with only 17 people in it.

After much research the bosses wanted a rack that had some style and wasn't just a hoop sticking out of the ground. They decided on a six bike Dero Helix Rack and that those of us using it would install it. Good thing I'm handy, eh?

Today in the rain

Before

Digging Holes

Pouring Concrete

Curing Concrete

It looks pretty neat to me (but I'm style challenged) and since everyone who has seen it likes it, I'll claim it as a success.

Old Ironsides

I had a revelation the other day while staring at my bike on the front of the bus:

Old Ironsides, my trusty steed of a commuter bike, is old.

Which is strange. Old in a disposable society is not the norm. It is certainly not the norm in biking circles around here as every Lycra clad rider is on the latest carbon fiber speed machine. By contrast the college students seem to buy the $50 specials and dump them at the end of the semester. So yeah, they ride old bikes but they don't keep them.

It's not bad that it's old and there are certainly older bikes still in regular service, but I've been the owner of this bike for all of it's years. I don't think of myself as being old enough to posses a bike with such a claim. Having beaten it into submission numerous times and it still gets me around with little complaint:

• I've ridden it down ski slopes and staircases.
• I've thrashed it down bad city streets and hard into curbs.
• I've performed countless balancing tricks on it.
• I've crashed more times than I care to count on it.
• I wooed my then future girlfriend (now wife) on it.
• I cruised the local beaches in my youth regularly on it.

Lets put its age into perspective:

• It is older than the two interns we have at work.
• It is old enough to vote.
• The first Gulf War was about to start when I got it.
  

It is due for a thorough overhaul as the wheels, cranks, and bottom bracket are all original and getting a little funny. But for a 19 year old bike it's held up well.


I've changed it's attitude with the addition of fenders, rack, and lights.

All hail the Giant!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!

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First Ride 2009 Part 2

Yup
Rode home.
The whole thing.
Up and over the Notch.
My back isn't letting me forget it.
Ouch.

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