Easy Wheelie

Now I know what my problem with riding a wheelie is, I didnt have one of thease on my Stingray as a child!

Broke one tool, found a new one

After spending the last couple of months trying to figure out what the weird rattle was that my bike was making and not being able to chase it down I finally gave up. Hey it really wasn't that bad and nothing  had exploded or fallen off, so i thought what the hell I'll just ride it till something dies.......

Fast forward to last Sunday afternoon; the sun was out, the roads were dry and Wangpig and his wife were going out on the tandem. Time to switch out the cross tires and wheels that had been on the bike all winter and put on something that rolls a little better. Out came the good old hand built commuter wheels with the 700 x 23 gatorskins. Installed them, and as an afterthought remembered that the spare tubes I had been lugging  around all winter were bigger 700 x 23/28's Opened up the seat bag, pulled out the tubes and with them comes a handful of parts. 

That's right, that's what happens to a multi tool that has never been removed from a seat pack in 4 years of riding some of the roughest roads that this part of Ohio has to offer. Chalk that one up to experience; remember boys and girls, keep a close eye on your tool.

Fast forward a couple more days. The weather has been excellent for this time of year; overnight lows in the high 30's or low 40's, a gentle wind out of the southeast, and it was time to explore some new roads and visit some good old ones.

Going around a curve in the road today we spied something orange laying on the side of the road; was it a a traffic cone? Was it a crushed traffic barrel? Nothing in nature is that color orange at this time of year;  what could it be?

Just what I always wanted and my dear wife has told me I have no use for; come on sweetie, everyone needs a chainsaw!!

The only problem was I had to drive back down and pick it up; I guess this will teach me not to carry some cord in my seat bag.

Frazz

Click on the comic to get it big enough to read.

The Most Important Part

Some people say that the most important part of a bicycle is the engine sitting on the saddle powering the cranks. Others will try and tell you that the bike is nothing without the latest and greatest suspension fork, or the latest group set. And yet another set of people will tell you that unless you have super lite and super stiff wheels set up tubeless with the best tires money can buy, you won't be able to hang. Let me tell you all right now: "THEY ARE WRONG!"

This little 16 gram piece of finely machined aluminum is the most important part. Just replace one of your 1 1/8 inch headset spacers with this little beauty and you're good to go. No more will you have to use some odd bike part to open your beer.  No more worrying that you forgot the opener and don't have twist off lids, and no more being disgusted when you find out that the people running the last race brought the wrong tap for the keg. And, when you're working in your basement you won't have to walk over to the workbench for an opener when you're working on your bike, because you will always be able to open your beer and those of your friends. 

Tucked away neatly you will never know it's there.

 

So lift your bottles high and toast your friends; it's going to be another great year of riding.

A Reading From The Book of Merckx 53:11

A reading form the book of Merckx (53:11)

“Whenever two or more Cyclists are gathered to Ride Ttogether in My name they shall argue. For, verily just as Night Follows Day and One Beer follows Another, There shall be no Agreement among the Two Wheeled Faithful as to the route or the pace of any Group Ride.

Bickering and strife shall be thy lot, Brother will smite brother and sister shall smite sister, and there shall be no peace.

For it is written that some shall desire to go short, fearful that they hath not the swiftness not the strength to persevere.

While others will desire to go long, thirsting for the understanding that comes with righteous miles and Holy Velocity.

And they shall not agree, and they shall remaineth forever in the Parking Lot of Despair, quarreling until the end of their days.

But I sayeth unto you: Fear not For a strong wind shall rise from the East, and on that wind shall come a Savior,

A Good Sheppard who shall gather unto Himself the fractious and disturbing ones,

And they shall fall silent, the fast and the slow and they shall be sore afraid.

For His legs are like the Mighty Oaks, His Speed passeth all Understanding, His miles are as uncounted as the grains of sand in the desert.

They shall name him”Pain Giver” or “The Really Fast Guy” And all shall doff their helmets at the mention of His name.
Fore none shall be worthy even to clean the greasy motes from His chain. He shall rise up from the flock because He Knoweth The Route’ The Faithfull shall trust in his wisdom to deliever them from the Desert of their Indecision,

And He shall lead them into an abundant land flowing with pastries and espresso.

For it is written in the Holy Cue Sheets:

There shall be peace in that abundant valley, And their Disagreement shall be no more.

The fast and the Slow shall rise up together in harmony all of their remaining days,

And it shall come to pass that the Two Wheeled Faithful shall honor his Mighty commandment:

Just Shut Up and Ride.”

AMEN

By Greg Taylor

No I didn't write it but I thought it was worth posting!

Things You Don't Want To See At Night

 

No, those are not the glowing eyes of a monster out to get me, they are the battery meters on my lights telling me that the life is quickly draining from my battery, and I am south of US 250. All sorts of things go through your mind when this happens; first and foremost is, when exactly was the last time I charged my batteries up? Running  the totals in my head, let's see, I've got about 8 hours of use on the big pack, and it went red on Emerson Road heading out. I switched to the small one at that time and thought I had it made. But wait, now that I think of it, there are 5 hours of use on that battery.

The second thing that goes through your mind is, if I have a mechanical problem, I'm screwed. I'm not sure that if I have to change a flat, I have enough power to do it and still get home.

 I guess I need to take a more proactive stance with keeping them charged . The back roads of Wayne and Holmes counties are rather dark places to be.

Luckily, as I rolled in the driveway the red eyes had just started to flash and the pure white LED started to fade to yellow. You can bet that from now on, I will keep better track of keeping the batteries charged.

Coming in on Kansas, I saw 4 sets of headlights going south. Smiling to myself, knowing that I'm not the only fool out there refusing to give in to the cold and dark.

Soon, night riding will be a thing of the past for me. I am due to go on to second shift in a week. Not my prefered shift, but after spending a good portion of the last year on unemployment, it's just plain out good to be working again.

A Monumental Beat Down

Well, I made my decision, paid my money and raced Sport. Talk about a step up! I thought my fitness and skills were improving, but nothing I have done this year could prepare me for racing one full lap at Mohican State Park. I thought about racing Clydesdale as lately I have been hovering around the limit. But in the end I made the decision to race my age group and be done with it.

When I race I tend to forget things, as in hold some back, remember, it's going to be a long race. No more of those short one lap novice races where I can go full bore the entire time. I need to learn to conserve some energy so there is something left in the tank for that second lap, or in this case the climb on the other side of the covered bridge. Also, I need to remember to drink. If I wait untill I am thirsty I'm screwed. there is no reason to ever come back in with over half a bottle left plus an almost full Camelbak. Also, I need to remember to eat. Keep the energy level up.  I know, I know it sounds simple, but this is what might have led to the cramps and serious suffering at about mile 20.

I did manage to accomplish what I wanted to at the start, and that was to use this race as a gauge for next year. Now I know what needs worked on for next year.

It was good to see so many Orrville riders show up and race. Besides myself, Tim B., Joe M., Ryan F., Michael G. and  Mark J. were there flying the Orrville colors. Also, there was the full complement of racers from Team Soupcan, and Wangpig and Chief were there.

In the end, all I can say about my finish is I was not the first one in my age group to come across the line, but damn it, I was not the last one to cross!

Photos taken by Bob (the picture guy) Grimm

Fall has arrived

50 degrees, wind out of the northwest and a steady drizzle with periods of heaver rain. Break out the wool and put away the shorts; fall is here and it's going to be a long long time till spring.

On another note, New York City is putting in some rather innovative bike lanes. I hope these catch on and more and more people start to figure out how to get out of their 4 wheel cages and onto their bikes. Wake up America!  Bicycles are a viable means of transportation, not a toy.  All of Europe has figured it out, why can't we?

What to Do?

What to do, what to do? This was my first foray into mountain bike racing since 1992. In 1992 I did one race at Clay's Park and then completely hung up the bike. I didn't touch one again until the summer of 2003. Up until this summer the only racing I have done was a couple partial seasons of cross, never leaving the "C" or beginner field. I just never felt that I was good enough to upgrade to the next level.

Now that my first season of MTB racing is all but over, with the Groovy Series at Vulture's Knob and the 3 race N.E.O. Power Series being over, I am starting to question my plans for future seasons. Do I keep going the way that I am going, muddling along in the beginner class? I have been making it to the podium; a 2nd, a 3rd, a couple of 4th's and an overall win in my age group in the N.E.O. I didn't win a race, but I guess being consistent and showing up all the time is a good thing.

So here is the thought: do I continue to race beginner, hoping for that elusive win? Concentrating on beating the few that have been able to beat me this season? Or do I upgrade, knowing full well that for the next couple of seasons or perhaps forever, I will be nothing but field filler?

By staying where I am at, I will continue to race within my comfort zone. I am comfortable doing one lap. The suffering does not last long. It is not painful. Or, do I leave my comfort zone, knowing full well I am going to get abused, knowing that there is going to be much suffering and pain, knowing that I am going to have to dedicate myself to one idea or the other, because moving up would involve an entire new training schedule.

What to do, what to do, what to do................?

****Thanks to Bob Grimm for the pictures****

Unemployed Again

Well once again good things must come to an end. It's been a really slow summer in the bike business, so now once again I find myself with out a job. I wont miss working on box store bikes, but I will miss the pay check. So If any one hears about company's hiring in the Orrville /Wooster area let me know. On the other hand there will be more time ride.

Wang Pigs New Ride

Wang stopped by the shop the other day to get fitted for his new ride. All that's left to do is regear it and set it up tubeless. He wants to go fixie with it. It's going to be the new craze. Fixie recumbant trike mountain biking. Soon all the hippie fixters will be rocking these at the Knob!

Swedish man attacked by tattooed girl gang

Sometimes truth is stranger then fiction.



Swedish man attacked by tattooed girl gang

Published: 16 Jul 09 10:51 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/20694/20090716/

Police in central Sweden are on the hunt for a gang of tattooed women who sexually molested a 50-year-old man as he was riding by on his bicycle.


Suddenly, someone grabbed hold of the rack on the back of the man's bike, causing him to fall to the ground.

"The girls ran up to him and pulled the bicycle down so he fell," Örebro police spokesperson Annika Haaster told the newspaper.

As the man was lying defenceless on the ground, the women proceeded to pull off his trousers and underwear and molest him sexually before fleeing the scene.

According to police, the 50-year-old was not otherwise beaten or physically assaulted by the gang of five girls.

The victim told police that the girl who actually pulled down the bicycle was about 175 centimetres (5 feet, 7 inches) tall and had tattoos on her forearms.

Authorities are hoping that tips from the public can help them apprehend the suspects responsible for the bizarre attack.

"It's downright unusual for five girls [to do something like this]. Perhaps there are others who've had the same thing happen to them," Haaster told Aftonbladet.


David Landes (david.landes@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6518)

Stolen From VELONEWS

Spanish hamlet honors an Armstrong first

By Andrew Hood
Posted Apr. 19, 2009
The small Spanish village of Antigüedad hardly even makes the map, but the 500 or so inhabitants have built a tongue-in-cheek monument marking the spot where the hamlet made worldwide headlines.

When Lance Armstrong crashed out of the first stage of the Vuelta a Castilla y León with a broken clavicle on March 23, the world’s attention turned to the innocuous, narrow stretch of road across the barren fields of northern Spain.

According to a report on the Spanish wires, locals in nearby Antigüedad have since placed an old, blue bicycle with mudguards and a wooden plaque marking the spot where Armstrong crashed.

The plaque reads, “La Clavícula de Armstrong,” or Armstrong’s collarbone.

Armstrong crashed in a pileup some 15km from the finish line of the first stage of the Castilla y León and was knocked off his bike onto the shoulder of the road.

The 37-year-old sat there for several minutes in obvious pain before being transported away by ambulance in what was the seven-time Tour de France winner’s first broken bone of his long racing career.

Armstrong had surgery back in the United States and has already resumed training. He confirmed last week to race officials that he will be at the start of the 2009 Giro d’Italia, which begins May 9 in Venice, Italy.

Sick of it

I'm starting to feel like this is the answer. @#$% it I have been riding in this garbage since November and it's March now. When will it end. It used to be fun, now it's starting to be a large pain in the ass. I am tired of things freezing, I am tired of all of the layers of wool. I want sun, I want warm, I want a gentle breeze out of the southwest. I could even deal with rain if it's over 60 degrees. Maybe Bowling For Soup said it best: "There's nothing wrong with Ohio except the snow and the rain".

I Know How She Feels

I know how she feels, It was about 3 in the afternoon and we had been hunting for rabbits in some really heavy cover all day. We had some really good chases and for the most part the dogs had all been running good. Maggie May, my oldest brother's youngest pup had decided she had had enough. She looked at this clump of frost covered weeds, turned around a cuople of times times and laid down. No amount of calling was going to get her going, neither was giving her dog biscuts. She sat up, ate one, then laid back down. It took putting her on a chain and leading her out of the woods to get her back to the van.

For me this is how the last week of riding has felt. 2 1/2 to 3 hour rides climbing hills in the wind. I am starting to long for spring. To be able to ride without all of the heavy clothes and the winter shoes. Today was a recovery day, an easy hour and a half. It did start raining about 10 minutes in and the wind was blowing pretty good, but all in all it was an enjoyable ride.

Flahute

"The type of rider who wins races where 125 riders start and one finishes—that’s a Flahute.

A Flahute thinks the Tour de France is just a bunch of long training rides. A real race is one where it’s pouring rain, it’s cold, the roads are treacherous, and the prize list is about the same as your 8-year-old neighbor’s allowance. When you’re a Flahute, that’s racing."

OK so I don't race but the point is the same.

Rolled out of bed this morning and listened to the wind howl. Thought to myself, it's blowing at 30 mph plus out there; there is no way that this would be a good day for a training ride. The wife calls from work and tells me one of the big trees at the corner is down, blown over in the storm last night. The TV is reporting flood warnings and how thousands are without power. Looks like a good day to spend inside, maybe ride rollers and spend the rest of the morning drinking too much coffee.

But no, at 8:15 the first text arrives: Flahute training ride today. No, it can't be...has Wangpig even looked outside? I try to tell him the wind is coming out of the west at 30 plus, but to no avail.

We roll out at a little after 9:30 for a 2 hour sufferfest into the wind. Legs feel good at the start but the bike feels off. Two hours of trying to figure it out, hill after hill into the wind.

Finally, we are at Wangpig's house readjusting the headset because I am starting to notice some nasty shudder every time I brake. Wow, you're getting another flat; it feels like you only have about 30 psi in this tire. Then and only then it dawns on me, I switched rims the other night and when I remounted the tire I never inflated it all the way, just enough to make sure I had not pinched the tube!

Why Beer is Better Then Religion

1. No one will kill you for not drinking beer.

2. Beer doesn’t tell you how to have sex.

3. Beer has never caused a major war.

4. They don’t force beer on minors who can’t think for themselves.

5. When you have beer, you don’t knock on people’s doors trying to give it away.

6. Nobody’s ever been burned at the stake, hanged, or tortured to death over his brand of beer.

7. You don’t have to wait 2,000 years for a second beer.

8. There are laws saying that beer labels can’t lie to you.

9. You can prove you have a beer.

10. If you have devoted your life to beer, there are groups to help you stop. Could I rock this look on a club ride?

Devil’s Triangle

Riding the triangle on Dec 26, it's all that needs said.

Is This Bottle Under Warranty?

When do you finally draw the line and say it's too cold to ride? 20 degrees when we left home this morning with not much wind and by the time we made it home 3 hours later it had reached a balmy 25. Ran into 3 riders from Stark Bicycle Club going east on Fulton and rode with them for a while, now at least I know we were not the only people crazy enough to be out in this.

I have been having problems with things freezing this winter, not me but things like derailleurs, brakes and water bottles. Today I thought that I would finally beat the frozen bottle. Alcohol doesn't freeze so if I were to put a shot of gin in my bottle I should be OK. A slightly piney taste would be better than no water. It was all good, it was cold but no ice was forming, I thought I had it made...............but no. That dog just had to give chase. It was one of those days when the legs wouldn't go fast enough to outrun him and he wouldn't let up, so I figure a good shot of gin water should discourage him. I pull out the bottle and go to squirt him in the face and that's where the fun began. Instead of a nice stream of water the entire bottle cracks wide open. Now I've got water on my gloves and tights, and running down onto my shoes, but at least the dog gave up. I thought that it might have been time to head for home but instead of soaking in, the water just froze and flaked off. So we were able to continue the ride.

I learned a couple of lessons from this.

1: The boxer mutt dog on Coalbank Road likes to chase bikes and doesn't give up easy.

2: Cheap water bottles from a certain bike shop in the Massilon area are not rated for sub zero use.

3: If the water froze that quickly outside of the bottle, there was definitely not enough alcohol in it!

NEXT RIDE = MORE GIN

Winter Wonderland

After spending most of the last week in the woods hunting, it was time to get a good ride in. Who says that it has to be 80 degrees and sunny to have fun. Frozen roads and single digit wind chills! It makes you glad to be alive. We were not the only ones out today, saw cross tire tracks on the Sippo trail. So at least we were not the only insane people out this morning.

Who needs to spend the time and money into buliding up a single speed? A good sub zero ride will do it for you. Just make sure you are in a gear that you want to suffer with into the wind.

This was a bad choice of gearing, cold legs just couldn't spin it fast enough.

Staying hydrated at this time of year is not a problem either, just do it before or after your ride. 30 minutes in, the spout of my bottle had frozen and by the time I made it home the bottle was frozen solid.