CO2 cartridges or a pump?
July 29, 2008 at 6:56 pm | In Accessories, Equipment | 20 CommentsTags: Accessories, C02, cartridges, Equipment, pumps
I’m probably flirting with danger here, but it’s been awhile since I’ve flatted.
Even so, I try to be ready if it should happen. My seat bag has a spare tube, a patch kit, and what I would most likely use in the event of a flat — a CO2 inflator and several CO2 cartridges.
The CO2 is convenient, but it’s not a panacea. When I have flatted in the past, I’ve found it’s not easy to get the right amount of air into the tire. I’ve resorted to a series of short bursts on the inflator trigger, and try to determine by feeling the tire whether it’s got enough pressure. When I first started using it, at a time when flats were much more frequent, I sometimes wasted a cartridge and needed two to fill the tire. And sometimes, I only managed to inflate the tire enough to make it home.
Another concern is the cost. The cartridges run about $3.50 each, so if one or two are wasted by fumbling around, the tire repair is suddenly costly. I usually carry four in my seat bag, so I can give one or two to another biker who might be flatted with no air.
Then there’s the environmental issue. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. Do I really need to contribute to the Earth’s problems?
What’s the alternative? A pump. The choice is between a frame-mounted pump and a mini-pump that can mount to a frame or even fit in your jersey pocket.
A Zefal frame-mounted pump.
A Blackburn mini pump. It's actually less than one-half the length of the Zefal.
The issue with the pumps is also one of convenience, and efficiency, too. I’ve had occasion to use a mini-pump, and I’m not crazy about them. They have trouble supplying enough air pressure, especially to a road tire that may take over 125 psi. But I like the convenience of the CO2 inflator, and I’m not sure if another gizmo fastened to my bike frame would be worth the bother.
For now, I’ll continue to go with the cartridges and inflator. I’ve had enough experience with them that I’m confident I won’t waste them in future situations. And for every day that I go without a flat, cost becomes less of an issue. But I’d sure like to hear your opinion. Inflator or pump?
Little change = big difference
July 18, 2008 at 7:29 pm | In Accessories | No CommentsTags: cleat, numb, shoes, toes
After my complaint about numb toes the other day, I got several pieces of advice from readers. One suggested the problem was simply the position of my cleat — that if I moved it back a tidge, it might resolve things.
So last night, I finally got off my duff and did it. I moved the left cleat back just a little bit — less than the 1/4 inch suggested. I figured that I’d take a cue from bike fitters, who move saddles around just a little bit at a time.
Today I went out for a ride of a bit over an hour. Covered 16.6 miles at an average speed of 16.3 mph. The route included hills and long flat stretches.
Ta da! The foot felt great. I had wondered if moving the left cleat to a slightly different position than the right one would cause some discomfort, but it didn’t. In fact, I never noticed the difference.
The acid test will come over the weekend. I’ll be riding both Saturday and Sunday, and we’ll see if more time in the saddle than usual will affect the little toe. But for now, I’m one happy pedaler. Thanks, Jeff!
Numb toes
July 13, 2008 at 2:40 pm | In Accessories, Rides | 5 CommentsTags: numb, shoes, toes
Did a nice ride of 32-and-a half miles this morning. It was the same route where I had some difficulties a couple of weeks ago, and I had none of those problems today. The advice I’ve gotten from my commenters on proper hydration and nourishment must be paying off.
But I did run into a little problem that seems to crop up on just about every ride I take: the little toe of my left foot goes numb.
It doesn’t hurt, but it can sure be uncomfortable. I never even feel it coming on, but suddenly I will realize that the toe is tingling, and I have a heckuva time trying to get rid of the sensation.
It also comes on at inconsistent distances or times. If I’m doing my quickie 15 mile circuit of the Veloway, I have had it within six miles or so. But on today’s longer ride, I didn’t get it until 20 miles. Today wasn’t much of a problem, since I usually stop for a brief rest break at 22 miles anyway, and I could pull off my shoe and massage the offender. But the numbness came back at about 31 miles.
I have dealt with this nuisance a number of different ways. Besides massaging the toe, sometimes just getting off the bike and walking a bit will help.
I have loosened the lowest strap on my left shoe, and pull only the top strap really tight.
I make it a point to pull up with my left foot while riding, to relieve downward pressure on the toe.
I try to wiggle my toes in the shoe while riding. Not very effective.
Dealing with the symptoms doesn’t address the cause, and I haven’t yet figured out what the cause of the problem is. Although it might be my cheapie bike shoes. I don’t have this problem with any of my other shoes, and I am one of those rare folks whose feet are both the same size, so there shouldn’t be a difference in the way the left shoe fits as opposed to the right shoe.
My numb toe is the last thing I think about when preparing for a ride — in fact, I never think about it at all. I’m getting a bit irritated, though, that it keeps cropping up.
I like bike socks
July 1, 2008 at 7:24 pm | In Accessories | 9 CommentsTags: Accessories, clothing, socks
When I was a runner (jogger, really) I wore cotton socks that just came up to the ankle. Once I started biking, these seemed to do fine. Looking through Nashbar and Performance catalogs, I saw listings for bicycle-specific socks, which I thought was ridiculous overkill. After all, socks are socks.
That attitude has changed. Last Christmas, my wife gave me a red jersey, and she had to throw in a pair of red bike socks with it. It took me one ride to decide bike socks were worth having.
They’re worth having because they’re light, and thin, and their polyester yarns keep your feet so much drier than plain old cotton socks. And they’re just so comfortable! I wouldn’t ride without them now.
But I’m still not sure about some of the designs that can be found on the socks. Even the relatively tame two-tone blue ones are a bit “out there” for me.
No matter. I’m tempted to buy more pairs, and use them for activities other than biking. Cotton socks, your time is over!
Father’s Day swag
June 15, 2008 at 2:01 pm | In Accessories | 1 CommentTags: Accessories, clothing, bibs
My wife saw to it that Father’s Day had a biking theme this year. She made a trip to our favorite LBS and brought back some goodies:
The swag.
The starring role went to a new pair of bibs. Yes, bibs. I’d never tried them before, and the sales clerk at the shop told her they were really comfortable. Not to mention that the mesh upper half helps hold in that beer gut tummy bulge guys my age tend to show. He was right — they feel great, and even on another day in the 90s, I never felt that they added a layer to my biking outfit.
Complementing the bibs were a new doo-rag from HeadSweats. I already have one, and like it. This one has the ties in the back, and it’s a little different feel from the other, that doesn’t have the ties.
Finally, because my bike is black, blue, and white, we have to have color-coordinated socks, right? So, a new pair of blue, black and white biking socks finish off the sartorial haul.
On my 32-mile ride this morning, I was a vision of Fredness on my black, blue and white bike, wearing my black, blue and white outfit. And after a great ride this morning, I get to watch the final round of the U.S. Open this afternoon. Biking and golf — can’t get much better than this.
My new toy
June 10, 2008 at 3:28 pm | In Accessories | 7 CommentsTags: cadence, Cateye, computer, Cyclocomputer
Every so often, something happens that reminds me I’m still a Bike Noob.
This time, it involved my cyclocomputer. At the Real Ale Ride, we were packing up to go home. I unclipped the computer from its mount, and slipped it into the back pocket of my jersey. After the bikes were securely strapped onto their carrier, it occurred to me that I could put on the spare t-shirt I had brought to the ride, so I shucked off the jersey and changed into the t-shirt.
That evening, when I looked for the computer to add its data to my ride stats (I’m a dweeb), I couldn’t find it anywhere. I finally concluded that it had fallen out of my pocket to the ground when I took off the jersey. I wasn’t too broken hearted about it. It was a good first cyclocomputer, but now I had an excuse to go shopping. (Which for men is an entirely different experience than for women. They buy clothes. We buy toys. Toys are more fun.)
Anyway, it had been suggested that I look for something that measures cadence. The winner:
The Cateye Strada Cadence.
It’s the Strada Cadence by Cateye. It just looked like a quality unit. It’s wired, which my previous computer was not, so I had to contend with that when I installed it — and it took a couple tries before I got it right. But this afternoon, I got to take it on its maiden voyage.
I did my favorite 15-mile after work ride: My house to the Veloway, three laps, then home. Map My Ride puts the distance at 14.9 miles. The old Ascent consistently called it around 14.6. Today, the Cateye had it at 14.74. Pretty close.
But there’s one hitch. The cadence sensor isn’t working. The crank on my Allez stands out pretty far from the chainstay, and I don’t think the magnet on the crank is close enough to the sensor on the chainstay for it to register. I suppose it’ll just take some experimentation on my part.
The magnet on the crank (held in place by the zip tie) is supposed to pass over the “sensor line” on the sensor mounted on the chainstay — but there’s a wide gap between the two.
Another problem is that the inside of the crank arm has a concave indentation. That forces me to mount the magnet right on the edge of the arm, to get it as close to the sensor as possible. It’s still not close enough.
Other riders have made this work, and I will, too. But if you have any experience with this particular model, let me know how you solved the problem.
ID
May 28, 2008 at 7:58 pm | In Accessories, Safety | 9 CommentsI’ve always been a bit irrational about carrying identification when I ride. That’s because early on I worried about losing my wallet with my drivers license. Even when the wallet was securely zipped in my seat bag. Even though sometimes I carry my wallet in a pants pocket that doesn’t button shut.
But that’s no matter. I just couldn’t get past the lost DL thing. So I created an ID of a sort, typing out name, address, and emergency contact info on a small piece of paper, taking it to Wal-Mart and running it through one of those cheapy laminating machines near the entrance.
It got bent up in a few rides. I didn’t want to keep going back to Wal-Mart, so I tried something different. This time, I created the ID as above, and also xeroxed my health insurance card. I cut them both to the size of a business card, then put each on either side of one of my business cards, and used clear packing tape to improvise a lamination.
I’m pretty happy with the results. The resulting card is stiff, and the packing tape makes it virtually waterproof. The first thing I do when leaving for a ride is stick it in one of the back pockets of my jersey. No need to worry about jamming my wallet into the seat bag.
My wife thinks I’m being silly. She puts both her drivers license and her health insurance card in her seat bag before every ride. Of course, she’s never had a problem.
Road ID has built a business for itself by making nice ID tags that can be fastened to a wrist, or an ankle, or most any other place. The company argues that emergency workers don’t typically go through an injured person’s pockets, and wouldn’t find an ID card there — but will see an ID tag worn outside.
I haven’t talked to an emergency worker, so I don’t know. For now, I’m comfortable with my way. But if I can be convinced, I will happily change.
Base layers — even in hot weather?
May 25, 2008 at 11:36 am | In Accessories, Equipment | 5 CommentsSpeaking of jerseys, I have some base layers along the lines of Under Armour (mine are by Jockey). They fit tight to the skin, which is somewhat disturbing to look at in the mirror, but work like a charm.
The base layers are thin polyester material that wick moisture away from the body. They add to the rider’s comfort, because they can warm a bit on a chilly day, and cool a bit when it’s hot and humid. I have a t-shirt and a tank top, and have used them both throughout the spring.
But today, the temperature was already well into the 80s when I left on my ride, and it was only going to go higher. I skipped the base layer. When I got back after a 24-mile hill workout, the temperature had risen to 94°F (34°C) — hey, this is central Texas and will probably be this way until late September — and I was drenched with sweat.
If I had worn the base layer, it might have minimized some of that drenching. But it might also have made me warmer on an already hot day.
Do you use base layers? Is there a temperature cutoff point at which you won’t wear them anymore?
Jerseys — the cooling (and coolness) factor
May 22, 2008 at 8:50 pm | In Accessories | 8 CommentsWhen I started biking last summer, my uniform was a pair of mountain biking shorts I’d had for more than 10 years (yes, they still fit) and a cotton t-shirt. It didn’t take long to figure out that I needed to make a change.
Most importantly, I had to get rid of the t-shirt. I’d come home drenched with sweat, and would have to wring it out on the back patio before bringing it inside.
I was aware of the colorful jerseys cyclists wear, but in keeping with my usual spending habits, I was put off by the price tag. Sixty dollars and up seemed excessive. So I got the best one possible: a free one. My wife already owned a jersey and had just bought a second one, but it didn’t fit her. It fit me, though, so it was mine.
The hand-me-down jersey.
Sizing was an issue right away. The jersey is by Nike, and their clothing always seems to run small. This is an XXL, and my usual shirt size is XL. And in this case, even the XXL was snug. So, taking my cue from this experience, I figured other jerseys were sized small, to get that skin-hugging sensation, and I ordered Nashbar’s most basic jersey, for about $19.
The Nashbar Essential jersey.
No skin-hugging here. It flaps in the wind. I didn’t return it for an exchange, because at the time, I was more comfortable with loose than snug. And the safety factor is great. The picture doesn’t do the bright, saturated yellow hue justice. This thing really stands out.
How do they perform? They’re both great. They wick perspiration away from the skin, and even though they can be soaked at the end of a ride on a hot day, my body is comfortable. I wear each of them a couple of times a week, but I favor the white one for club rides or organized rides.
Since then, I got a third jersey, a long-sleeved one from Performance, as a Christmas present. Although it is Performance’s basic jersey, again just a single solid color (red this time), it’s very different from the Nashbar one. For one thing, it fits better — it’s an XL. It seems better made. The fabric is heftier, which makes sense, since it’s supposed to be used in cooler weather.
So I’m pretty happy with the basic jerseys. I could use another, though, because it seems I’m always tossing these things in the wash. Which brings me to the big question — what kind? I kind of like the solid colors, but something’s been nagging at me. The coolness factor is missing. I see multi-colored club jerseys, and beer jerseys, and pro team jerseys, and rock ‘n roll jerseys, and I wonder if this old fart should gussy himself up a bit more? Thoughts? What do you wear?
Shoes: Worth the big bux?
May 16, 2008 at 12:34 pm | In Accessories, Equipment | 6 CommentsI’m always blown away when I look at the various types of biking shoes in catalogs or online.Not because there are so many different types, but because some of them are so expensive.
What does the typical road cyclist really need in the way of a shoe? (What’s a “typical” cyclist, Bike Noob? I dunno. Insert yourself.)
Number 1 — stiff soles. Inexpensive bike shoes have soles made of plastic. It’s stiff, but not as stiff as soles made of carbon fiber. Plastic can flex. Mid-range shoes may have fiberglass or carbon fiber added to the plastic — or maybe all carbon fiber. The high-end shoes have carbon fiber soles.
Uppers. Expensive shoes have uppers made of leather. It breaks in quickly, and is generally considered more comfortable. Less expensive shoes may be made of synthetic leather, or plastic.
Fit. Summed up in one word: snug. The heel should stay put, and not come out during the pedal stroke. At the same time, you don’t want shoes so snug that they cause numbness in the foot. To fasten shoes, velcro straps, buckles, or shoelaces all work. Most road shoes seem to use two velcro straps and a buckle for the top strap. Of course, be sure to leave some room at the end of the toes.
The Sidi Genius. Carbon fiber sole. MSRP: $299.99.
If I averaged 30 mph over a 100-mile ride, maybe I’d want to pop for some shoes like the Sidis, and pay the big price. But I’m guessing you know me better.
My shoes, the Exustar sr421.
I ordered my shoes from Nashbar, and paid about $40 (on sale). Nylon-fiberglass soles, coated leather uppers, velcro closures for all three straps. But they fit well, with the right amount of snugness. Sometimes the little toe on my left foot goes numb, but that’s usually because I pulled the small strap too tight. I’ve had these for nine months, and I have no complaints.
From just cursory observations of organized rides, club rides, and individual cyclists, it seems that many people are willing to pay for quality. Lots of Sidi shoes on cyclists’ feet around here. Maybe someday — but for now, the money I save on fancy shoes can go to buy well-padded shorts, or maybe a really garish jersey.
(Thanks to BicycleApparel.com for providing much of the info contained in this post.)
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