Cycling Miscellany

[Shaka]

I've been to Hangar 15 a few times since this began. It's been super busy every time.

[Pelado]

The bike shops, at least in my neck of the woods, are doing amazingly well. The three I visited a couple weeks ago said they've never been busier. Everyone seems to have arrived on the same thought -- get the kids out of the house and tire them out with a long bike ride, plus it's spring. I made a trip to Wal Mart to buy a bike tube and that place is almost sold out of bikes too, other than tiny little kid bikes.

Yip. Bought a tube at Walmart the other day. I think I got the penultimate 20" tube.

[Moliere]

Embedded Tweet

I thought that would end differently

[Surfah]

In the past month I have bought 6 bikes.

[old_gregg]

In the past month I have bought 6 bikes.

thats too many bikes one person can only ride one bike, maybe two

[RC Vikings]

https://www.strava.com/activities/3721627590/overview

https://www.velonews.com/news/road/a...o-a-new-level/

Everesting, vertical equal to Mt Everest on a bike. Contador just set the record, 7:33. I think the most amazing part is he did the same climb 78 times.

[mtnbiker]

https://www.strava.com/activities/3721627590/overview

https://www.velonews.com/news/road/a...o-a-new-level/

Everesting, vertical equal to Mt Everest on a bike. Contador just set the record, 7:33. I think the most amazing part is he did the same climb 78 times.

Bonus: no testing for PEDs, right? ;-) Also, it's nice to have a downhill break so frequently, with a 950m course. Still, it's a crazy good accomplishment.

RC, are you prepping to break that record?

[Moliere]

https://www.strava.com/activities/3721627590/overview

https://www.velonews.com/news/road/a...o-a-new-level/

Everesting, vertical equal to Mt Everest on a bike. Contador just set the record, 7:33. I think the most amazing part is he did the same climb 78 times.

I wish I were a 37 year old with his form and retired with a bunch of money. I'd be climbing all different kinds of mountains. Got to be fun to have the freedom like that.

[mtnbiker]

I wish I were a 37 year old with his form and retired with a bunch of money. I'd be climbing all different kinds of mountains. Got to be fun to have the freedom like that.

Except he probably doesn't call it 'freedom', since he's trying to launch his own line of bikes, and this is 'testing'.

[chrisrenrut]

https://www.strava.com/activities/3721627590/overview

https://www.velonews.com/news/road/a...o-a-new-level/

Everesting, vertical equal to Mt Everest on a bike. Contador just set the record, 7:33. I think the most amazing part is he did the same climb 78 times.

That is the craziest elevation graph I've ever seen.

[Bo Diddley]

That is the craziest elevation graph I've ever seen.

And max speed 79.5 mph?

I also would have figured he'd have burned more than the 8000+ calories he did. I mean, I burned 1400+ calories on my ride home from work the other day.

[Bo Diddley]

Well I've know I was probably overdue to change my chain, but I somehow pushed it to the back burner. I just got a chain gauge, and the .75 went in easily. The 1.0 went in about half-way.

Bought a new chain hoping I didn't do too much damage. On my ride up to South Fork this morning, the chain was quite a bit louder on the larger chainring. That mostly went away on the smaller chainring, so I just ordered a new larger chainring.

Newbie mistake, and I'll stay on top of it going forward.

I think I've put a little over 2000 miles on it. Any other maintenance I'm overlooking?

BTW, separate issue, I just bought an ISM seat and love it.

[mtnbiker]

Well I've know I was probably overdue to change my chain, but I somehow pushed it to the back burner. I just got a chain gauge, and the .75 went in easily. The 1.0 went in about half-way.

Bought a new chain hoping I didn't do too much damage. On my ride up to South Fork this morning, the chain was quite a bit louder on the larger chainring. That mostly went away on the smaller chainring, so I just ordered a new larger chainring.

Newbie mistake, and I'll stay on top of it going forward.

I think I've put a little over 2000 miles on it. Any other maintenance I'm overlooking?

BTW, separate issue, I just bought an ISM seat and love it.

My experience has been that the cassette is what wears more with a stretched chain, so you might check your favorite cogs there, too.

[Bo Diddley]

What do you carry in your tool kit on your rides?

I keep a set of levers, a patch kit, an extra tube, a hex key, two CO2 cartridges with an inflator. Well, I'm adding a valve tool to the kit.

On my ride up to South Fork this morning, I picked up a thorn. I changed the tube, but after inflating it, the valve came out as I unscrewed the inflator. Good thing I pack an extra cartridge. I had to mangle the valve to get it out of my inflator, so I used the valve from the old tube. I twisted it in to the tube as tight as I could. But when I removed the inflator the second time, out came the valve. I was able to keep most of the air in with my finger as I extracted the valve. After reinserting, my tire was about half full.

So I rode gently down to Vivian Park without incident until I was making too steep a turn into the parking lot. I got a good pinch flat, and immediately did a 270 sideways, shoes still clipped in. Miraculously, the roll absorbed the energy of the fall, and neither I nor my bike was damaged.

[chrisrenrut]

What do you carry in your tool kit on your rides?

I keep a set of levers, a patch kit, an extra tube, a hex key, two CO2 cartridges with an inflator. Well, I'm adding a valve tool to the kit.

On my ride up to South Fork this morning, I picked up a thorn. I changed the tube, but after inflating it, the valve came out as I unscrewed the inflator. Good thing I pack an extra cartridge. I had to mangle the valve to get it out of my inflator, so I used the valve from the old tube. I twisted it in to the tube as tight as I could. But when I removed the inflator the second time, out came the valve. I was able to keep most of the air in with my finger as I extracted the valve. After reinserting, my tire was about half full.

So I rode gently down to Vivian Park without incident until I was making too steep a turn into the parking lot. I got a good pinch flat, and immediately did a 270 sideways, shoes still clipped in. Miraculously, the roll absorbed the energy of the fall, and neither I nor my bike was damaged.

That is about exactly what I carry on each ride. I also carry a lightweight rain jacket, just in case I’m thinking about adding a chain tool. I broke a chain on a MTB ride last year, but fortunatelt I saw on the mountain above my house and was able to coast the whole way home. If I was on a ride further away, I could have been stuck walking (or calling for the wife wagon).

I have never had that happen to me with a valve. Are you running tubeless? I wonder if the goop is getting in and messing it up somehow.