Monthly Archives: October 2009

Marcus the Tire Slayer

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Thursday’s lunch ride started off perfect. It was cold and overcast, but the biting windchill from the day before was gone. The trails were in great shape, and we had four fast guys pedaling up the hill. We had a brief rest at the top of the Creek Trail, and then we flew down the twisty singletrack. I was leading, and Jon was on me like a Sopwith Camel engaged in a dogfight.

Jon, Jeff, and Marcus heading up the Postal Route trail

But as Newton was so fond of saying, “To every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Marcus’s rear tire blew coming out of the creek trail. Jon had a meeting to go to, so he wished us well and finished his descent. Jesse and I stayed behind.

Marcus runs the Stan’s No-Tube system, so he swished the sealant in his tire around, pumped it up, and we were on our way again! For about 30 feet. Marcus is no dummy, he knows that any system can fail, and he had an inner tube with him. He started muttering about bad rim tape, and began stripping his tire off the rim to prepare it for a tube, including dumping most of the sealant out onto the trail. Jesse decided he didn’t have time for this nonsense, and headed back down the hill.

As Marcus pulled the tire off though, he found the real problem. There was a nail sticking straight into the tire! How did we miss that? If he would have caught this in the first place, he could’ve pulled the nail out, and the tire most likely would’ve sealed back up. Too late for that now. The bead on the tire was now unsealed from the rim, and the sealant was slowly sinking into the earth. Marcus stuck the new tube in, gave it a hundred pumps, pulled the pump off the valve, and broke the valve stem core off. We couldn’t even find it, and we were back to a flat tire situation again.

Marcus the Tire Slayer

I always carry a spare tube with me of course, so I offered mine. I pulled it off the shelf at work recently, forgetting why it had been sitting there for the last year or so. We soon discovered that my tube wouldn’t inflate, and that it was sitting on my shelf because it had a set of snake bite-pinch flat holes. So where are we at now? Plan C? Plan D? I’m losing track. I pulled out my patch kit, and Marcus quickly went to work. A little too hastily though, as the patch didn’t stick when we started inflating it. By now though, the tube was covered in slimy tire sealant, and there was no way we’d get another patch to stick to it. I also noticed Marcus’s hand was bleeding at this point.

Marcus converted the tire back to a tubeless setup, hoping that there would be enough sealant left to seal everything up. Try as he may though, his little emergency pump didn’t have enough pressure to seal the bead on the rim.

It was time to throw in the towel, so I rode back to Marcus’s shop to send him back a ride. Right as I was drawing a map of Marcus’s location though, Marcus strolled in! A friendly passerby took pity on him, and gave him a ride back.

Regardless of all the trouble though, we still had a great ride. The mechanical problems are just all part of the experience of mountain biking, and it can be fun to problem solve. Having said this, though, I’m going to patch a few more tubes and make sure my patch kit is fully stocked!

P.S. I should point out that Marcus fully maintained his composure throughout the whole ordeal, and in no way acted like the raving lunatic I made him out to be in the picture above!

Louis Garneau T-Cover Review

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I’ve been looking for a lightweight shoe cover for cold weather riding. My thick neoprene covers work great when the conditions are wet and really cold, but they can be bulky and cumbersome.  Kristy recently brought me home a pair of Louis Garneau T-Covers from the Bike Habitat that seemed to be just what I was looking for.

Louis Garneau T-Covers on the trail

A cold front moved through the area this week, bringing temperatures in the 20s and 30s with freezing windchill.  This gave me the opportunity to try the T-Covers for bicycle commuting and a lunchtime trail ride.

Here is what I like about the T-Cover’s.

  • They cover most of the forefoot, but leave the top two buckles accessible.  This makes it convenient to get the shoe on and off without peeling the shoe cover halfway off.
  • Although they stop the wind, there is still enough airflow to keep your foot dry.  One problem with the full neoprene covers is that they get wet from the inside, since the perspiration is unable to vent to the outside.
  • There is enough material on the toe of the  T-Cover to keep it from peeling off.  I have problems with my neoprene booties coming off the toe when bumped or if I step in the snow.
  • Allows me to use my summer cycling shoes and clipless pedals into the winter.
  • When paired with a thick wool sock, keeps my feet reasonably warm for an hour ride in the mountains.
  • Logos on the shoe are reflective for night riding.
  • There are cleat knob openings on the sole if you have toe cleats on your mountain bike shoes.
  • Reasonably priced at around $25.

Here’s an description from the Louis Garneau website on the material used in construction of the T-Cover:

Stopzone ® – Fabric 80% nylon and 20% spandex . Its coating, perforated with thousands of micropores cross-linked in a honeycomb structure, blocks wind and rain while allowing moisture to dissipate through the fabric. This flexible fabric breathes, is wind and stress resistant even after many washings.

Top buckles are still accessible for easy access

Summary: I still recommend a full neoprene shoe cover that completely covers the ankle if you’ll be riding in rain, snow, and slush, but the Louis Garneau T-Cover works great for dry, chilly rides.  When accompanied by a nice wool sock, they’ll help keep your feet warm without adding a lot of bulk and inconvenience.

Update: After a month of continuous use, there are some tears developing on the underside around the cleat holes. Nothing too serious yet, but it does make me think that I need to be more gentle with them. I’ve had to do a fair amount of walking in the snow and mud, so I may have abused them more than what may be typical. They’d probably still be in pristine condition if I used them for road biking.

More on the manufacturer’s website HERE.

Metal Cowboy – A Book Review

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A book review of Metal Cowboy – Tales From the Road Less Pedaled by Joe Kurmaskie

Back in May of 2009, I attended the Bicycle and Pedestrian Conference up at Lake Tahoe. Author Joe Kurmaskie was one of the guest speakers at the conference, speaking on bicycle advocacy during the day, and entertaining the crowd at night. He was also there selling his books between events, so I got a chance to talk with Joe, buy a couple of his books, and even have lunch with him.

Joe Kurmaskie is a passionate man, and full of energy. Having heard him address the crowd up at Lake Tahoe, it was easy to hear his enthusiastic voice tell the stories as I began reading his book Metal Cowboy. First released in 1999, Metal Cowboy is a collection of stories from his bicycle travels around the world. You’ll get to follow Joe through a logging dispute in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, play darts for serious stakes in a bar in the Australian Outback, explore the tropical island of Aruba, stay in a hotel full of Elvis impersonators in the Utah desert, and meet all the characters he’s met along the way. The book opens with the story of how he got his nickname. “Metal Cowboy” is a moniker that Joe Kurmaskie earned from an old rancher while riding through the old west town of Pocatello, Idaho.

There are 40 essays in the 304 page book. Each chapter is a complete story in itself, and they could be read in any order if you chose to; however, it’s obvious that the chapters were laid out to keep the book flowing with tension and release. There are stories of hilarious encounters, spiritual journeys, and even dangerous predicaments.

In addition to the great stories from the road, Joe’s writing style makes you want to keep reading. He takes the time to craft each paragraph with descriptive, humorous imagery that really makes the story come to life. Seldom settling for common nouns, he’ll get creative and expand them; for example, instead of merely “geese”, they are “a gaggle of guard geese” or his “web-footed captors”. Here’s one excerpt:

“The most unusual chase, though, involved a gaggle of guard geese in rural New Hampshire. Where a garden-variety pack of dogs will usually give up the race in a couple of minutes, tops, I’m here to testify that geese know something about commitment.”

And here’s a description of an old touring cyclist he met in the Rockies:

“Wrapped in a military parka, loose shorts with dark thermals under that, Gordy was a cross between a deranged Eskimo and a fashion trendsetter for the Seattle grunge movement.”

Jeff Mapes (left) and Joe Kurmaskie at the Bicycle and Pedestrian Conference

No matter what the mood though, a common theme that comes up all throughout the book is finding kindness in unexpected places. In our politically polarized country, we have built stereotypical boundaries of mistrust. There are two countries at times it seems. Time and time again throughout the book though, Joe finds help or kindness where he least expects it, and demonstrates that most people are good people, no matter what their beliefs. His stories are good lessons for us all.

In summary, Metal Cowboy is not so much about bicycle touring, as it is about adventure. The bike is merely the vessel of his journeys, and you won’t hear much technical talk or jargon about the bicycle itself. No matter what bike we’re on, we all crave the adventure and freedom that the bicycle gives us. Metal Cowboy will appeal to cyclists of any discipline, and will make you want to go on your own journey along the road less traveled.

Check out Joe’s website, www.metalcowboy.com, for more information including his latest book, Blood, Sweat, and Gears.

Until you get your copy of Metal Cowboy, here’s a taste of Joe’s writing from his blog: Telltale Signs That Cycling Has Taken Over Your Life

Stay tuned for a book review of Momentum is Your Friend. In this book, Joe takes his two young boys on a bicycle tour across the country!

Turning Technique – Cornering Skills to Make You a Faster Rider

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Today’s long travel mountain bikes do a great job of eating up bumps on the trail, enabling even the novice mountain biker to ride faster than on bikes from a decade ago. But if you go on a group ride, you’ll find that suspension doesn’t have much to do with who the fastest riders are. Singletrack is full of twists and turns, and it’s the riders who have mastered the art of corning that are the fastest.

Scott Russel railing a high speed sandy turn

When we first learned to ride bikes, we were taught to lean with the bike when turning. But leaning is only part of the cornering equation. Simply leaning with the bike when going through a turn unweights the portion of the tire that is in contact with the ground, pushing the tire in the opposite direction that you’re leaning.  Here are some cornering skills that will make you a faster rider.

Proper Body Positioning and Balance – For maximum traction in a turn, the rider must lean the bike over, while at the same time keep their upper body more upright. Most mountain bike tires have very aggressive side knobbies, and keeping the upper body more upright will drive the knobbies down into the dirt for maximum traction. The faster or flatter the turn, the more you have to emphasize your body positioning. Sliding your butt over to the outside edge of the seat through a turn helps get your body in the proper position to weight the tires. Use your arms to get the bike leaned over while keeping your weight over the front tire. Keeping your weight properly balanced between the front and back tires is also important.

Look Through the Turns (photo by Scott Russel)

Stay Off the Brakes – Another key to turning is to stay off the brakes as much as possible. Braking in a corner can slide the tires, but it also changes your weight distribution on the bike. This effect is amplified on a suspension bike; upon braking, your body weight is thrust forward,  the front suspension is compressed, and the geometry of the bike changes. To keep from braking in a turn, get your braking done before you enter the turn.  And as a bonus, if you’re not on the brakes through a turn, your perfect balance and control will allow you to start pedaling after the apex of the turn and accelerate out of the corner.  The more you ride, the easier it’ll be to gauge how much speed you can carry through a turn.

Look Through the Turn – As you’ve discovered while riding, sometimes not under the best of circumstances, your front tire will go in the direction you are looking. Look off the trail or at a rock, and that’s where your bike goes! The same is true for corning. Look towards the exit of the turn, and that’s where you’ll go. Use your peripheral vision to keep an eye on the obstacles in front of you. This can really help on singletrack in overgrown grass. If you wanted to see the trail in this situation, you’d have to look almost directly down in front of you, and this makes it hard to turn. It takes a little faith, but you can look through the turn and see where the trail is going by the break in the grass.

Riding smooth through twisty singletrack is fastest

Ride Smooth – One way I like to practice my corning technique is to find a stretch of singletrack with a gentle descent and try to go as fast as I can without using the brakes. This forces me to balance to the best of my abilities through the corner, and ride smooth without constantly changing between acceleration and braking. While powerful braking and hard acceleration looks really fast, riding smooth is faster. You’ll have more traction, you’ll be less fatigued, and the trail will be in better shape from not skidding.

While this article primarily focuses on mountain biking, it also applies to biking on the road.  Getting your body weight over those skinny road tires is equally important.   Take advantage of your bicycle commute or road ride to practice body positioning around the corners.

I hope you enjoyed this skills tip.  Let me know how it works for you. Did I leave anything out? What other riding skills would you like to learn more about?

Bike and Brew Tour Crosses Nevada

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Back in September, I posted that the Bike and Brew Tour was leaving Brooklyn, NY, and that they’d be touring the country, stopping at as many breweries along the way as they could.  The crew has finally reached Nevada, and will be in Reno/Sparks this Friday!

On the morning of Wednesday the 21st, they were in Battle Mountain, setting their destination for Mill City (not really even much of a town…), or further down the road to Rye Patch Reservoir State Park, a more desirable place to camp.

One of the problems with crossing Nevada is the great distances between towns. The best destinations to camp and get water may be too far for a day’s ride, or the opposite, they might not be a long enough ride for the day, putting you too far away from the next day’s destination.

Cyclists aren’t the first to face this dilemma, and actually have it pretty easy compared to early settlers of the 1800s. One particular section of the route, which today is along the I-80 corridor, is called the forty mile desert. According to the Nevada Historic Preservation website,

Starvation for men and animals stalked every mile. A survey made in 1850 showed these appalling statistics: 1,061 dead mules, almost 5,000 horses, 3,750 cattle and 953 graves. The then-value of personal property lost was set at $1,000,000.

Luckily, today’s non-motorized traveler can expect much better odds!

The Bike and Brew Tour heads to Fernely, NV on Thursday (10/22), and I hear they are still looking for a place to stay. If you have a floor or yard where they can camp, that would be great. On Friday, they plan to ride to the Great Basin Brewery for a tour and tasting. If you have the time, go join them! If you’d like to ride with them for part of their journey, there’s an invitation for that as well. They’ve found a place to stay in Stead Friday night, and from there, the journey continues over the mountains to the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico.

To check on the Bike and Brew Tour’s latest progress, check out their Twitter Page twitter.com/bikeandbrew.

Five Steps to Keep You Safe on Your Bicycle

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There was a recent story over on NewsCarsonCity.com about a girl that got hit while riding in a Carson City bike lane. Although bike lanes give cyclists room to ride on the road, especially for those riders that don’t like being part of traffic, they must still be vigilant. Possibly more so, since they are riding outside the flow of the auto traffic. The driver in the news story above simply didn’t see the cyclists and pulled out in front of her. This is typical…driver’s eyes are trained to look for other auto traffic, not the slower moving bicycle off to the side.

Musser Street
East Musser Street – A lot to think about

The picture above is of East Musser Street near the capitol building. Although there is not heavy traffic on this street, there is much going on. What should a cyclists be watching for in this picture? There is a parking lot on the right, with people filtering out between the cars to cross the street. There are car doors that could open in a cyclist’s path. There is a cross walk and street coming in from the right that are both obscured by the parked cars. Traffic ahead and behind. Tourists and office workers frequently cross here. This section of road reminds me of the old 80′s video game, Frogger.

So how does a cyclist stay safe on a road with so many random things going on? Arleigh Jenkins, aka Bike Shop Girl, recently acquired the Commute by Bike website, and allowed me to republish this article I wrote back in 2008. Here are some tips to keep you safe on the road.

The SIPDE Process: Five Steps to Keep you Safe
Originally published on Commute by Bike , January 2008

Years ago, I occasionally commuted by motorcycle. In some ways it was a lot like bicycle commuting. I was the little guy, and very vulnerable without the protection of a steel cage, air bags, or seat belts. At times I felt like nobody even saw me! This vulnerability was accompanied by high speeds on the highway, and being part of traffic in the city. Although my motorcycle commuting days didn’t last that long, I learned some valuable traffic skills that I still use when cycling on the road.

I took a weekend long motorcycle safety class, and one thing they stressed heavily was the SIPDE Process. As we ride through the city, there are hundreds of things going on around us. In a single city block there may be pot holes, car doors opening, pedestrians crossing the street, traffic from the rear, and traffic exiting parking lots. The SIPDE process helps you deal with the unpredictable nature of urban cycling. Here’s the breakdown of the SIPDE acronym:

  • Scan – Constantly scan the environment around you. If you focus on only one thing, like a pedestrian crossing the street, you may miss other hazards like the person getting ready to open their car door next to you.
  • Identify – As you’re scanning, identify all the potential hazards. “Filter out the noise”, and identify what’s important. Don’t forget to identify potential problems approaching from the rear as well!
  • Predict – You’ve identified the potential hazards, now predict what the outcomes will be if certain scenarios play out. Focus on the worst case scenarios. You may be able to swerve around a pedestrian, but probably won’t survive tangling with a garbage truck. Prioritize accordingly.  Cover your breaks with a couple fingers to minimize reaction time.
  • Decide – Decide on a course of action that you would follow, should one of the scenarios you predicted plays out.
  • Execute – Execute the course of action you decided on.

As cyclists, we have better than average motor skills than most, so naturally we do a pretty good job with the Decide and Execute parts of SIPDE. Where we run into trouble is the Scan, Identify and Predict portions. These are skills that take experience, practice, and constant attention.

It’s very possible that better Scanning, Identifying, and Predicting may have prevented the accident mentioned at the beginning of this post. Since we cyclists are so vulnerable, we must never take for granted the actions of those around us. Never assume that cars are going to follow the rules or properly signal their direction. Sometimes people just change their minds at the last second. Use your SIPDE, and stay safe on your commute!

Race Across the Sky – Leadville Trail 100

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Here’s one for you Lance fans out there! Denis Coyne at the Bike Habitat tipped me off to this cool video, the updated HD trailer for Race Across The Sky – Leadville Trail 100.


“Race Across The Sky” Rides into Theaters October 22nd, 2009

The show date is Thursday October 22nd @ 8:00 PM, and will be shown at over 400 theaters across the country. The closest theater is the Sierra Summit Theaters, located in the Sierra Summit Shopping center at the base of Mt Rose Hwy (intersection of Hwy 395 and Hwy 431). Please note that the ticket price is higher than normal for a movie at $12.50 per ticket. If purchased on-line there is an additional $2 convenience fee for each ticket.

More details on the Race Against the Sky website.