Category: Bike Rides and Routes

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Determining How Much Torque is TOO Much

A whole bunch of years ago, I rented a bike from Richardson Bike Mart (where Lance worked as a kid) while I was on a business trip to Dallas. Good folks. I ended up buying my used Trek 1220 from them.

Figuring I’d need to tweak it, I bought a Pedro mini-tool that contained seven fold-out allen wrenches from 1.5 to 6mm housed in a bright yellow handle.

It fit almost everything on my bike

I kept it in my CamelBak MULE and I can’t begin to think how many times I’ve told someone riding with me, ” Hold on, I need to pull out my Pedro.” (Once they found out that “Pedro” was a bike tool, they seemed to look more comfortable.)

It’s going to take a while to get to the sad point

My buddy, Keefer, has reached the point where he has more bikes than room. “Two bikes hanging in the living room are art. A third bike blocking the dining room table is a nuisance.” That doesn’t count the two bents he has chained outside his apartment.

The orphan is a Cannondale T800 touring bike. Ever since my Trek 1220 has been showing its age and I saw a Surly Long Haul Trucker in Cape, I’ve had bike lust. Keefer had long ago promised to leave me the T800 in his will, but now he was willing to part with it for a small amount of money.

We’re getting closer

I hauled the bike home. The rear tire was flat, so I had to take care of that. Saturday morning Keef and I were going to hook up for a test ride. On the way out the door, I realized that I was going to have to swap my Crank Brothers Candy Pedals over to the other bike.

After all these years, I was pretty sure I knew how much torque the Pedro would handle.

Now I know for sure.

It’s less than this.

Right about the time I thought I was getting close to the limit, I felt that sickening OOPs feeling that indicated that I had gone past it.

It was time for a quick trip to Wayne

He didn’t have a Pedro in stock, but he sold me a Park Tool AWS10 that could have been Pedro’s brother. I like the yellow color better, but…

Wayne has a monster pedal wrench with a three-foot cheater handle, so I let him do the pedal swap.

In fairness to Pedro

I’m not sure the tool failed because of torque.

It looks like the nut holding the sides together may have come off. I didn’t see it in the yard, but no telling when and where it may have vibrated off.

That would have caused the plastic case to split when I applied the pressure.

Here’s what the new and old tools look like

So, I guess you’re wondering how the T800 rode.

Well, I adjusted the seat three times in the first 50 feet and tweaked it at least a dozen more time in 20 miles.

It was cheap version of one of those fancy split saddles that are supposed to keep your private parts happy.

Give me back my Brooks

That thing must have had sandpaper on the edges because I was flat rubbed raw. I felt every bump.

Once I got the seatpost up about where it needed to be, then the bars were too low. I woke up in the morning with back, shoulder and hand pains that I don’t normally have, particularly from a leisurely 20-mile ride.

On the positive side, it felt faster than my old bike, even with a headwind, and shifted smoothly.

Going for a fitting

I’m going to set up an appointment with an LBS for a real fitting to determine if this bike can be made to fit me or if I should pass on a great deal (money-wise). To quote someone wiser than me, “The most expensive bike is the one that doesn’t get ridden.”

It IS a sharp-looking bike.

That was taken at the north end of Palm Beach, FL, looking at Peanut Island and the Blue Heron Bridge.

This is how Keefer saw it on Nov. 22.

We, obviously, have different perspectives.

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Missy & Shane Meet The Acoustic Motorbike

I don't spend much time on YouTube, but one of the phreds posted this link to Missy and Shane's All Around US Bike Tour set to Luka Bloom's The Acoustic Motorbike.

Check it out here before the Music Police track it down.

Never listened to Luka Bloom before

I'm a folkie, but I've never heard Bloom's music. I'm going to have to give him a serious listen. I like the music and I particularly like the way they integrated the tour pictures with it.

[Editor's note: This originally contained a link to YouTube. I started to send someone to the site today, Jan. 26, 2009. Because I always get a good feeling when I see / hear it, I punched PLAY. The images came up fine, but there was no audio. I checked the settings, made sure I wasn't still on headphones, etc.

Then I went directly to YouTube and saw the following notice: “This video contains an audio track that has not been authorized by WMG. The audio has been disabled.”

The irony is that I had never heard of Luka Bloom until I was introduced to him by Missy and Shane through the YouTube video. After I heard it, I went out and bought copies of all of Bloom's music I could find.

Thanks to Warner Music Group, nobody else will have the opportunity to sample this work and be enticed to buy it. And the music companies wonder why they are circling the drain.]

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Perfect Day for Riding to the Palm Beach Inlet

I’ve been lazy since getting home from vacation, so I figured I’d better drag the bike out before I forgot how to ride it.

Marley & Hailey Lane

Temps were just cool enough for this Florida boy to put on knee warmers. My left knee protests a bit from mile three to mile 10, particularly if it’s below about 73 degrees. I KNOW, some of you ride in shorts when it’s sleeting, but I ain’t you and I don’t ever plan to be.

Son Matt called to tell me that he had spotted a bunch of recreational riders getting on the Palm Beach Bike Trail, so I headed over to see if I could hook up with them.

I ran into Marley and Hailey instead

Marley and Hailey, 4-year-old twins, were getting their pictures taken at the huge tree just south of the Flagler Museum. They were so cute I had to spend some time with them.

The tree has huge wraparound roots that are so big that they’ll swallow up a child. It’s a great place to visit and there is parking nearby at the Flagler if you aren’t a cyclist.

The gaggle of gals were already at The Inlet

The riders Matt saw were just pulling out of the park at the north end of

Palm Beach when I rolled up. I’d liked to have found out more about them, but that’ll be for another day.

On the way to the trail, I came upon a woman riding north on Olive. We chatted for a few minutes and she asked if I had ever ridden the Palm Beach Trail. I told her that’s where I was headed and invited her to come along.

“I don’t think I can today. I just started riding and I’ve already gone three miles. I should go home.”

I wish I had caught up with her earlier. For a newbie rider, she held her line very well and rode predictably. I did suggest that she not hug the edge of the road as much because it encourages drivers to pass you without crossing the center line. She grasped the concept and moved left about 18 inches.

I should have t-boned the jerk

A block before Worth Avenue, I saw a black convertible starting to edge out into the street. I had a feeling this guy was going to pull out in front of me, so I had my finger on the Delta Airzound Bike Horn. When he crept out a little more, I gave him a short blast, more of a gentle reminder than an imitation of an 18-wheeler. That usually does the job, but not with this yahoo.

If I hadn’t been ready to break, I’d have t-boned him. One of the nice things about convertibles is that they can hear what you call ’em in situations like this. Once the guy realized what he did, he apologized, but I kind of wish I had scuffed his paint a little.

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South Broward Wheelers Century Ride Review

Last Sunday was the 24th Annual South Broward Wheelers Century Ride. I rode this year for the first and last time.

My Best Performance Ride Ever

At the end of the day, I had gone 105 miles at roughly 17 miles an hour.

That is one mile an hour faster than I did the shorter (75 miles) Memphis MS-150 in September. Even my previous metrics were done slower. My first century was done in December 2007 at a rate of 13.5 miles an hour. So, no matter how you slice it, I totally killed this ride.

Great Weather

The weather for Sunday’s ride was awesome. When I rolled into Brian Piccolo Park, it was 64 degrees. I put my leg warmers on and didn’t take them off until I was done. By the time I finished the century and drove off, it had only gotten to 80 degrees. Except for a nasty headwind for the last 25 or so miles, the weather was perfect. It was overcast all day so we never got too hot or sunburnt.

Even at the end of the ride, after a bit less than six hours in the saddle, I was ready to go for more miles. I assure you, that wasn’t my conditioning so much as the weather.

Good People

Mike the mechanic saved my ride.

About ten minutes before the start, I clipped in to my Crank Brothers Eggbeater Pedals and started riding around the parking lot to warm up. I heard the announcement to head to the start. I got to the start and tried to unclip. I couldn’t. With three minutes until launch, I couldn’t get my shoe off the pedal.

The shoe was spinning on the cleat and would not release. I had to take my foot out of the shoe in order to get off the bike. Fortunately, it was my second to release shoe that was busticated. Had it been my left shoe, I’m sure I would have made a (bigger) fool of myself in front of an estimated 400 riders.

Mike said I was missing a screw and, though he didn’t have an exact fit, was able to find something close enough so that I could ride. Thanks, Mike!

Also, thanks to rider 181 and his group. For the last eight miles into the wind, I tucked in with them. Very nice people who were willing to pick up a stray.

Food & Drink: About Every 20 Miles

For serious cyclists, 20 miles is about right for rest stops. For folks with a little less experience, 10 or 15 miles would be better.

(That’s a good point to note: This ride leans toward serious cyclists. This is not an MS-150 style charity ride. I never saw a sag wagon on the course though I did see them in the parking lot before the start. There were far more $7,000 bikes than $300 bikes. Nothing wrong with this, of course, just set your expectations accordingly.)

The food options were solid but lacked variety. Bananas, oranges and chocolate chip and Oreo Cookies were plentiful as were water and sports drinks. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were available. The only rest stop that really stood out was the one at Welleby Park. It had Oreo cookies with peanut butter and a banana slice on top. There might even have been M&Ms on some. It was unique and yummy.

How to Prevent Flat Tires

I saw a guy on the side of the road early in the day and asked if he needed help. He needed a tube. He flatted and then managed to pinch his spare tube. I gave him my only spare tube and he got that one on and inflated.

My thinking was that I haven’t changed a flat in at least ten years and if that guy — obviously more experience than I am — couldn’t do it, I probably couldn’t do it either. So, I’d rather have the good Karma and no tube than a tube I’d never be able to get up and running.

My gamble paid off. No flats for me Sunday!

Ugly: Lots and Lots of Ugly

It wasn’t a pretty ride. The route was so bad, I wouldn’t do this ride again.

Given the growth of Broward County, I’m sure the the South Broward Wheelers did the best they could do given their options. Still, it was ugly.

I don’t think a single segment of the ride was longer than five miles. Further, there were a lot more ‘turn right in one-tenth of a mile’ lines on the cue sheet than ‘ride through beautiful countryside for the next 45 minutes’. There were plenty of stop lights and stop signs.

Traffic volume was low as it was early Sunday. Still, for too much of the ride, we were on divided highways with cars zipping by in excess of 45 miles an hour.

Since the individual segments were so short, it was really hard to get up a rhythm. There were lots of starts and stops. Right about the time a group had settled into a pace, it was time to stop. Constantly regrouping caused for some uneven riding. It wasn’t comfortable.

South Broward Wheelers

I’m glad I did the 2008 Century Ride but won’t do it again. There are too many good roads in South Florida to spend half a day on this route.

That said, based on the people I met and the organizational quality of the ride, the SBW seems like a good bike club. Proceeds of this ride support local charities with a strong focus on children. In fact, since 2002, they have donated over 1,000 new bikes with helmets. Anything that gets more people to ride is okay in my book.

If you’re in the Broward area, please check out the South Broward Wheelers.

—Matt

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50 Years and the Hills Have Gotten Steeper

Nearly half a century ago, when I was 12 years old, I delivered The Southeast Missourian as a sub. I never knew whether that meant “substitute,” “subordinate” or what, but it paid $2.50 a week plus meager tips to throw papers six days a week in all kinds of weather and collect for them on Saturday mornings.

That came out to about 14 cents an hour.

After working for another kid, The Missourian offered me a route of my own. I started with 90 customers and built the route up to about 300 when I gave it up.

Yellow track is part of route

The yellow track shows the parameter of the route. In addition to those streets, I also had to ride about a mile to a filling station to pick up my papers and all of those cross streets in the middle.

This was NOT a flat route. Some of those grades hit 20% and a lot of them are greater than 10%.

Oh, yes, back in those days they were almost all gravel.

My kids have heard my stories about having to ride uphill both ways, in the snow, on a bike with no seat. Let me tell you, when you have a huge basket full of newspapers on the front of a  bike with no gears, it might as well be all of those things.

This was spooky when you were a kid

Right at the edge of my route was a pasture that had an overgrown cemetery in it. Even as a kid, I was fascinated by old things, so I got up enough nerve to brave the grass, brambles, chiggers and the snakes that I knew were there, to explore the old tombstones.

Today, the Hanover Lutheran Cemetery, also known as the Old Bertling Cemetery, is in the middle of a housing development and is very well kept.

It was a whole lot cooler when it was out in the middle of a cow pasture, though.

Lots of stones are broken

Based on the number of broken and missing tombstones, I get the feeling that not every kid exploring the graveyard was as respectful of the dead as I was.

Still, it’s great to know that someone’s taking care of the place today. When I walked the grounds today, I noticed that the area around the site had been sloped away at quite an angle.

I wondered if they had cut it a little close and hit any of the old graves when they were grading it.

Ran into a woman

At the crest of one of the hills, I saw an elderly woman walking a dog. I commented to her that the hills seemed to have gotten a little steeper over the last 50 years.

As I pulled away, I wondered if she might have been one of my former customers. Then I realized that she would have had to be about 130 years old for that to be true.

Bosses make more money

When I got my own route, I started making big bucks – about 25 bucks a week. That doesn’t sound like much until you consider that I only made twice that as a reporter for The Missourian.

Dad, who would occasionally grouse that I cost him more in cold medicine than I made delivering the papers, made me keep a full set of books on my route, something that paid off in later years. I still believe the three years I spent carrying papers was the best training I ever received.

Paperboy of the Year Twice

I won a $25 savings bond as Paperboy of the Year the two years I was eligible for it. The award was based on growing the size of your route, the number of complaints you received and how well you paid your bill. (We had to buy the papers, then we would collect for them. If a customer skipped town, it came out of our pocket.)

Scheming worked

Paying my bill was no problem. Dad kept a close eye on my books to make sure I didn’t do anything foolish. In fact, almost all my personal expenses for my first year at Ohio University came out of paper route savings.

Getting customers was easy, too. I’d always order several more papers than I had customers so I could give prospective subscribers a week or two of free papers to get them hooked. I was a pretty persuasive – read obnoxious – salesman, too. Maybe that’s why I hate ’em today.

I had business cards printed up so that subscribers would call me at home if they missed their paper instead of calling The Missourian. As far as the paper knew, I NEVER had dissatisfied customers.