Bicycling

Bike Upgrades – Part II

Bike Upgrades-Part II

After hurting my knee in the most recent quest I took my bike in to adjust the stem. This led to more money being spent than planned, but I was able to make some great improvements that I am really enjoying.

First, I went in to get some assistance turning the stock Bontrager stem upside down (although it is proper either way). I realized I needed a shorter stem too and finally settled on an adjustable stem. This has brought my handlebar height up even with my seat for a less aggressive position but much better for long distance riding.

Second, I was having some tingling in my hands within 15-20 minutes on every ride. I attributed this primarily to my riding position. However, I was shown a bike at the LBS that had a double wrap with Lizard tape and love it. I am riding for enjoyment. Thus, anything to ease pain, create comfort, and improve my experience is worthwhile. I had the bike handlebars double wrapped and it is a great improvement.

Third, during the stem retrofit I asked the LBS to go through the bike and check all of the components. Two items were critical. First, the chain needed to be replaced. I had about 2,500 miles on the chain and it was stretched. This had led to wear of the rear cassette teeth and I had to have it replaced. So, a new chain and cassette were installed.

Finally, I bought a three way multi-tool. This is too make sure I do not have to look through my tool chest for an Allen wrench that does not fit well. It now resides in my under seat bag.

After these improvements I have ridden nearly 100 miles during several post-knee recovery rides. I feel like I am on a new bike. It is amazing what small changes can make. More so, because I started wondering if I needed to buy a new frame and build up a new bike. I think, in a sadistic way, this Trek is good for another 2,500 miles.

July 28, 2014 by admin Bicycling

Bike Upgrades – Part I

Bike Upgrades-Part I

Over time, as I trained more the Trek has had some improvements. First, I have two aluminum water bottle cages. I can’t remember if these came with the bike or I purchased them. However, they are a must have.

Second, I used to train primarily on U.S.1 in Edgewater, Florida. The road had a decent shoulder but it also had a lot of debris. I would see glass, nails, pieces of metal, broken ceramic tiles and much more. No matter how much I worked to avoid debris I seemed to have a flat every 50 miles. I started buying three and four tubes at a time and just expected to change a tire at least once per week. The worst experience was during my first century. An hour into the ride and I had a flat. Suddenly I watched the group ride by and I was on the side of the road. It sucked. Thus, I searched for a solution and found the single best piece of gear I have ever put on my bike. I now run Michelin tires and have Kevlar tire liners. I do not think I have had a flat in over 1,000 miles. If you ride on roads the Kevlar liners are a must have.

Third, I have two ways I store gear on my bike. The first is an under seat bag. This is primarily for tools and tubes (see prior paragraph). I keep two tubes, and the right wrenches to work on the bike. I just bought a three way multi-tool to help with adjustments. Tucked away, I forget the bag is there but it is a must-have. My second storage bag is a “bento box.” My buddy Jim Burt gave this to me for my 40^th birthday (2007) and I cannot imagine a ride without it. I store my phone (MP3), glasses, an ID, and some cash in it.

Fourth, I had ride with Speed Play pedals and Sidi shoes. When I went looking for pedals to get out of the standard toe clips I explained to the LBS (The Bike Shop, Ormond Beach) I had knee surgery and this was the recommendation. I have never ridden with anything else. Thus, these are just part of my everyday ride. I will offer, because I am clipped in and getting out of the SP’s takes a twist of the foot to the outside I have fallen off my bike. These are always the slow motion, I hope no one is watching, easy falls. Nothing gets hurt but my ego.

Finally, lighting. As rides get longer and longer for centuries or other distances I found myself competing with family, time in my day, and of course daylight. I have a light on the front and rear of my bike. Honestly, I purchased these in 2007 only for the purpose of being legal. I recently observed a rider with a much brighter headlight and am considering looking at the latest LED options to allow me to ride in the off hours.

July 28, 2014 by admin Bicycling Self Improvemet

The Bike (Trek 1000SL)

The Bike

In 1984 I bought my first good road bike, a Schwinn Super Sport for which I paid $399. That bike and I remained together until I bought my current bike in 2006. I rode the Schwinn in college, from 1985-1990, at the University of Florida from Gatortown Apartments to campus. I jumped off curbs, ran through potholes, and beat the hell out of that bike. In 2005 I started riding again, and jumped on the Schwinn. I have always had a sadistic side to myself, one of denial when it comes to purchasing good gear. Whether it is golf clubs, computers, or even a GPS for an airplane I have felt I did not deserve to buy what I need and had to make do with what I had. However, for my kids and wife I take the opposite approach and ensure they have the best. Yeah, it’s messed up.

Another part of my sadistic side though is a test of my commitment. In this case, in 2005, told myself if I rode 300 miles I would get a new bike; thus proving my determination.

I bought a Trek 1000 from my local bike shop (LBS) Fox Firestone in New Smyrna. A quick fit and I ended up with a 63cm bike. For this article, I will discuss what I have and basic gear on the bike. Future articles discuss the fit.

The Trek is both criticized and praised. Again, I could have spent more money but wanted to test my commitment. At $800, the Trek had/has a carbon fiber fork and seat post. My bike came in “Flare”, a dazzling paint job. Combined with some Bontrager parts, Alexis rims, and several other decent components for a mass-produced bike it hit the mark.

I remember my first rides on it, the biggest change was the width of the handlebars versus my old Schwinn. Also, the shifters were now integrated with the brakes near the hoods. The bike came with standard pedals and toe clips and I continued to ride in tennis shoes. It felt great and I was moving faster.

July 23, 2014 by admin Bicycling

At the beginning of the summer I made a decision I was going to ride my bike across Florida. An easy trip – from Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna Beach to the Gulf of Mexico on the West Coast. I estimated the trip betweeb 130 and 150 miles. Previously I have ridden two centuries, but that was in 2006 and 2007. Then, training to ride in the bike across Florida Race I hurt my knee. Ultimately, I had to have orthroscopic surgery and essentially quit riding. In 2009 I injured my back when we moved from Florida or to our cabin in North Georgia. The last five years truly became a battle of pain management, and strength maintenance. In 2013, last year, I started running as a way to stay in shape while we were living in our RV and building our house. Unfortunately, one Sunday I had to run to get a life guard for an injured person at the beach and tore a calf muscle in the process. Again, dreams were sidelined.

Over the past year, August 2013 to May 2014 I attended law school at Barry University in Orlando. Over the course of the year since my focus was on grades I did little or no working out (nil would be the best description). I found myself snacking on skittles and drinking Starbucks Frappuccino’s on the way to class since I attended four nights a week. This past spring while working on my Appellate Brief for LRW2 I realized I needed to change some habits, I didn’t feel healthy. This was subsequent to some similar thoughts around the New Year. In January I started doing the 7-minute workout – very irregularly. Off and on I would do Yoga, stretch, push-ups and abs. Most was hit or miss.

Finally, when I set out to start on the Brief I set a plan to complete the work. I also realized it was a very concise eight week goal and I could simultaneously take on a committed workout for eight weeks which would result in feeling better for summer. So, in mid-March I started riding my bike.

The first few rides were incredibly tiring and slow. The weather was colder, I was out of shape and overall my ass hurt. However, I did some reading with a focus on how not to hurt my knees and learned I had been a “masher” instead of a “spinner”. I changed to focus on spinning and just worked on making sure I was on the bike nearly every day. Any good cyclist knows it is time in the saddle that creates success. Over the course of writing my Brief and preparing for oral arguments I started to ride each morning. I was not as consistent as I hoped, but averaged two to three times a week and sometimes more. The best outcome I was found a route I could do daily, safely, and knew how long it would take me.

As I improved, I found myself knowing I could ride the route in exactly 40 minutes (or less). Initially it was 45, and today it is closer to 30 minutes. The route is exactly eight miles. Since I knew a workout took 40 minutes I could look at the clock and budget my time, thus I became consistent.

By May I felt good about my progress and knew I could ride further as I had not been hurt. I set my goal to ride across Florida by my birthday, August 12. I am writing this post in past tense and have the advantage of knowing what has worked and hasn’t, but will share more in separate posts. For now, I started the summer with about 120 base miles behind me and a goal to get across the state.

July 20, 2014 by admin Bicycling John - Personal Sharing Self Improvemet

Bicycling

Bike Upgrades – Part II

Bike Upgrades – Part I

The Bike (Trek 1000SL)

Publications

Recent Comments

Categories

Archives