Sorry for the hiatus

Okay, okay, I know; it's been a couple months since my last entry. The reasons are many and lame. With the new year came a new schedule (which seemed to change almost daily), not to mention at staying in a warm, cozy bed seemed to be a better option than peddling 10 miles in the cold, dark morning air. Then there was March, which seemed to become more of a lion as the month went along. We had several major thunderstorms roll through and, quite frankly, I'd just as soon not die by drowning in a torrential downpour. Oh, and windy?!?! If someone went out kite surfing, I would half expect them to end up in Oz before the day was over. The prospect of riding 10 miles into a 20+ MPH headwind when your average speed in only 15 MPH makes my legs hurt just thinking about it.

The fact is, I needed a break, if only to keep from turning stale. There is such thing as too much of a good thing. A common complaint among bicyclists is reaching a plateau. That is, you ride and ride, but you don't see any real changes. In fact, it can often be that you regress. That is when you should take a break and try something different for a while. This is one of the reason many bicyclist often take up running and/or swimming. The technical term is cross-training, but I simply call it breaking out of a rut.

The problem comes in knowing how long is too long of a break. The old adage "if you don't use it, you'll lose it" applies. Don't get me wrong, it's perfectly okay to stop commuting for a month or two (or more, if needed), but soon what was a regular routine before the break becomes a chore when you pick it back up. One way to ease back into the old routine is to slowly build it back up. Take a ride around the neighborhood once or twice a week. Nothing requiring great effort, or even your normal riding clothes. Just explore some of the side streets that you passed along the way before. Get some fresh air. Ride down to the beach or the local park. Better yet, head on over to the local bike shop and test ride a few bikes, even if you're not in the market to buy one yet. If you're currently riding a commuting bike, try a road bike or a mountain bike. Heck, take the top-of-the-line road bike out for a quick spin and see how it feels.

As for me, I am planning on commuting again starting this month. During Spring Break last month, I rode to work on Thursday to conduct a workshop for a couple new employees. I swapped weekends with another librarian this weekend and rode to work today. Both rides felt great, and reminded me of why I love to ride. Tomorrow should bring some scattered thunderstorms, but I may still ride.

The Ideal Commuter? - Part 5 My Ideal Commuter Bike

Okay, at long last, here is the final installment. As always, remember that this is merely one person's opinion and what I think as the ideal commuter bike may or may not be what you (or anyone else, for that matter) think. Also, the bike I've chosen is also (for lack of a better term) a dream bike, as in "only in my wildest". (Hey, if the automakers can make dream cars, why not a dream bike?)

The bicycle that I feel makes the ideal commuter is Tout Terrain's Silkroad.

Okay, what makes this bike so special? Let me start with the obvious features. First, the rear rack is actually part of the frame; that makes the rack and frame that much stronger. Also, fewer bolts that can come loose. Second, the frame is designed to use disc brakes and only disc brakes. For anyone who commutes in snow, ice, or rainy conditions, disc brakes will stop you a lot faster without fear of the rims being slick from ice or water. Also, in the event that your wheel is damaged, your brakes will still work and will not wear down your rims prematurely.

The not so obvious, but oh so well thought out details include stainless steel braze-ons and drop-outs; an asymmetrical front fork to withstand the torque from the disc brake; guides for brake lines and wiring; internal routing of wires to the tail light; a handlebar stop to prevent the fork from moving more than 90°; and an integrated stand mount, among others. Be sure to read Peter White's description of the Silkroad for more information.

The frame comes in two flavors: the standard derailluer set-up (as shown above) or with an eccentric bottom bracket and mounts for a Rohloff Speedhub, giving you 14 speeds of internal gear goodness. Now, I know what you may be thinking right now: I can get more gears with a standard derailluer set-up. Well, technically, not so much.

Take a standard hybrid set-up, say a 28-38-48 chain ring with a 11-28 9-speed cassette. Mathematically, that gives you 27 speeds from which to choose. However, if you plug those numbers into a gear inch calculator, you'll find that 6 gear combinations are almost identical (28x21 & 38x28; 28x18 & 38x24; 28x14 & 48x24), while eight more are within one gear inch (28x13 & 38x16; 28x12 & 38x16; 38x14 & 48x18; 38x11 & 48x14). That drops the number of gears from 27 to 20. Also, due to the angle of the chain going from the smallest chain ring to the smallest cogs and from the biggest chain ring to the biggest cogs, you eliminate another 4 to 6 gears, so your usable gears drops from 20 to 16 or 14 gears. Calculated for a 26"x1.25" tire, your gear inch range is between 24.5 and 106.8 gear inches.

Compare that to the Rohloff hub with a 48 tooth chain ring and a 16 tooth cog with a 26"x1.25" tire, which yields a range of between 20.5 and 107.7 gear inches. Not only do you get a wider range of gears, you get the added benefits of a cleaner chain line, no derailluers that need adjusting or could be damaged, and the ability to change gears at a dead stop. Granted, it does come at a cost, both in price and weight. The Rohloff hub runs about $1300US to $1600US, depending on the version (start saving those pennies now), and weighs in at around 1847 g, or roughly 0.5 kg (about a 20oz bottle of water) more than a standard derailluer set-up.

The frame itself is not inexpensive, either. Peter White sells the frame for $1500US. However, if configured with some forethought (and Mr. White's recommendations), you will have a bicycle that will not only be an excellent commuter, but will handle centuries, brevets, and fully-loaded tours with style. In other words, think of the Silkroad as a Land Rover rather than as a Ferrari.

There are a couple deviations I would take from Mr. White's recommendations, but then again, everyone has their preferences. First, I would opt for Avid BB7 mechanical disc brakes rather than hydraulic brakes; a single adjustment knob without having to bleed the brake lines. Also, I would add a trekking or butterfly bar instead of a more traditional mountain bike bar, for more positions to reduce fatigue.

Is the bike pricey? Oh, yeah. Is it worth it? Depends on who you ask. I simply name this as an ideal commuter, a gold standard if you will, by which all others are compared. If you have the resources available and you are interested, by all means pursue it. However, most of us (myself included) can only look at this bike and dream of owning one.

Now, it's your turn. If you have a commuter bike that is your idea of "heaven on two wheels", let me know what make, model, and why you feel it is worthy of being an ideal commuter. And, yes, I will post any and all replies here. I will be taking a short holiday break from the blog, but I look forward to continuing this after the new year begins. So let me wish all of you out there reading my humble blog a Happy Holidays and a bright and prosperous (let's hope, at least) New Year.

The Ideal Commuter? - Part 4 A Selection of Commuting Bikes

First of all, let me apologize for the delay of this post. Crazy busy.

Now, for the next installment in the series, I will highlight some (certainly not all) bikes that I feel make ideal commuters. Like before, I'm going to (try) and divide them into short-trip (<> 5 miles) categories. Remember, just because I list a bike as a short-trip commutes does not mean it can not be used for longer commutes, and vice versa, this is just one man's opinion and your mileage may vary.

Short-Commute Bikes

Just about every bicycle made would fall into this category easily. Having said that, there are some bikes that are ready, right off the floor, that are ideally suited for commuting, namely what has become known as "Dutch-style bikes". While there is not an official category (even the Dutch do not refer to their bikes as being Dutch bikes), they all have some common features. As an example, I will use Azor's Opa.



This is the "classic" Dutch-style bike, the kind you'll find in Amsterdam or Copenhagen. First, check out the head and seat tube angles; very relaxed. The geometry of this bike screams upright, relaxed, stylish. This is not a road racer. The handlebars are also a classic cruiser-style. You will also notice the fenders (also called mud guards) with mud flaps, a sprung saddle, a kickstand, a generator hub, lights, a chaincase, a tire pump, a rear rack, and a coat/skirt guard on this bike. Some of the less obvious points of interest include roller brakes, an 8-speed internally geared hub, reflective sidewalls on the tires, and an integrated rear wheel lock. This bike is meant to be ridden as an every day bike with every day clothes; no spandex needed.

Electra Bike had a series of Dutch-style bikes called their Amsterdam line, with the Royal 8 as the flagship model.



Specialized has their Vienna Deluxe like the Vienna Deluxe 3 (sorry, no coat/skirt guard).


If you're not into black or dark blue, you can get Velobris Scrap Deluxe for the "naked" bike look. (Insert remark about blondes having more fun here.)
Of course, hybrids are popular, as are mountain bikes (but more on that in a later post).

Long-Distance Commuters

Now we're talking some long haul bikes. Granted, the bikes mentioned above could get you to your destination, but if you're facing a 20mph head wind or having to climb a lengthy and/or steep hill along the way, you may end up regretting the choice later. For longer rides, you might want something designed for long-distance riding, namely a touring bike.

Like the Dutch-style bikes mentioned above, touring bikes have a more relaxed geometry than most road bikes, but not quite as extreme as the Dutch-style bikes. Most touring bikes come with standard drop bars, but European trekking or butterfly bars are also popular. These bikes are designed with all day riding comfort and cargo capacity in mind, not necessary speed.

Raleigh's Sojourn comes tour/commute ready with fenders, rack and pump. It also comes with an aged Brooks B17 saddle, Brooks leather bar tape, a WTB Mountain Road Drop handlebar, and disk brakes. Just throw on a set of panniers and hit the open road.



Kona has two models that are commuter worthy. The first is their touring model called the Sutra. Like the Sojourn, it comes with a rear rack and disk brakes, but also a front rack and no fenders.



Kona's other commuter worthy model is new for 2009, the Dew Drop, part of the Dew series of hybrids. With a similar geometry as the Sutra, the Dew Drop comes without the racks, but also comes in at a lower price point, as well.



One of the most popular and highly praised bikes is Surly's Long Haul Trucker. The LHT, as it's affectionately called, also comes as a frameset so you can add your own components.



Again, this only scratches the surface of the myriad of bikes available and suitable for commuting. In my final installment, I will talk about my dream commuting bike. Until then, stay safe and ride your butt off.

Inflammatory Language

I am posting and would like to comment on a follow-up on my recent opinion piece that was published in the Sun-Herald.

Few Coast streets are built for bikes and cars to share

While many of us believe that bicycles are toys for children, we realize that in other parts of the world they are a major means of transportation. Still, cyclists should show courtesy and consideration for those driving larger vehicles. This includes getting over to the side of the road when a backup of traffic builds up.

Among the bike riders I have known is a very nice man who is active in city and cultural organizations. Pleasant, with a wonderful wife. Considerate in many ways. For years I had to drive to work on a narrow, curvy, two-lane road - the same road on which this man chose to ride in the center of the traffic lane. I'll admit that he did wear a helmet and, if I recall correctly, some sort of fluorescent vest, had a rearview mirror, not sure about headlight and taillight. He considered himself a responsible bike rider. We considered him a menace. Drivers exercised care to avoid colliding with him, but at the expense of their mental health.

This man never considered that many of us backed up a block or two behind him were losing money to a ticking time clock or missing appointments. He insisted that riding in the middle of the lane was his right and refused to pull over in one of the places where there was room to do so and let traffic get by. It didn't matter how early or late you left home; there was no way to predict whether you would be treated to the temper-raising, slow traffic he created.

I wish that more roads were like the Cowan-Lorraine racetrack, where at least there is a separate lane for bicycles. Most Coast towns already are handicapped by streets with no sidewalks, no bike lanes, no spaces for curb parking. At least we should not be tortured by bike riders.

Eric Speas' Nov. 7 Forum on bicycle laws was interesting. I was aware of the require- ment [sic] for using hand signals, but a picture flashed through my mind of a bike rider sticking out his left arm for a left turn and having it instantly amputated by a truck.

Name and Location Withheld

This is a prime example of how opponents (for lack of a better term) of bicyclist's rights use inflammatory language to instill fear to make their argument. For example,

He considered himself a responsible bike rider. We considered him a menace. Drivers exercised care to avoid colliding with him, but at the expense of their mental health.

Now, the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines menace as:

1: a show of intention to inflict harm : threat
2 a: one that represents a threat : danger b: a person who causes annoyance

Now, I am sure what the writer meant to say was that s/he view the bicyclist as an annoyance rather than a threat. However, instead of saying that, s/he used the word "menace", which has an entirely different connotation. When most people use the word "menace", it usually goes something like, "He was a danger and a menace to society." And when most people hear the word "menace", that is the image that comes to mind: a threat and a danger to others. I hardly think that the bicyclist in question was a real threat, unless s/he brandished his/her bicycle like a club.

The second half of that quote is also quite interesting. Apparently, drivers have mental breakdowns whenever they get behind or have to pass a bicyclist. Road rage is one thing, but to say that a single bicyclist (or even a group of bicyclists) riding down the road in a safe, legal manner causes undue mental anguish to drivers is almost laughable. Personally, I get more annoyed and angered at other motorists who disregard the traffic laws and drive in a dangerous way than I do whenever I'm behind a bicyclist.

The next quote I'd like to comment on is this:

This man never considered that many of us backed up a block or two behind him were losing money to a ticking time clock or missing appointments.

Okay, so traffic was backed up behind the bicyclist. Like that never happens with construction equipment, horses, tractors, Sunday drivers, etc. Exactly how much time and money are we talking here? I wager that the most time lost would have been about two or three minutes. If a person is earning $15/hour, that comes out to 25¢/minute. Therefore, the most money that could have been lost was 75¢. Oh, and if you've missed an appointment by three minutes, perhaps you should have left sooner. Whenever I have an appointment, I always try to get there no less than 15 minutes, just in case something should happen along the way. And yet, to read this, you would think that the entire economic crisis that we are currently in is all due to one lowly bicyclist.

Next,

Most Coast towns already are handicapped by streets with no sidewalks, no bike lanes, no spaces for curb parking. At least we should not be tortured by bike riders.

Now, bicyclists are not only causing mental anguish, but also physical pain as well. Torture? So now the bicyclist is waterboarding drivers and driving bamboo slivers under their nails? I may be annoyed with other motorists and their insane, stupid, reckless, dangerous and/or illegal behaviors, but not once would I say that I have ever been tortured by such behavior.

The last sentence is my favorite:

I was aware of the require- ment [sic] for using hand signals, but a picture flashed through my mind of a bike rider sticking out his left arm for a left turn and having it instantly amputated by a truck.

I have never, ever, in my entire life, had my arm (or any other appendage) amputated, much less by a truck or other vehicle. The writer assumes (or wants us to believe) that bicyclists do not look over their shoulders; that somehow our neck muscles lock up so that we can only look ahead. Never mind the fact that there several instances where motorists have changed lanes without looking, often times cutting other drivers off and possibly causing an accident. If anything, bicyclist are more likely to look behind them because the biggest fear bicyclists have is getting hit from behind, even though statistics say that this type of accident is far less common than being hit from the front or side.

It is obvious that the person who wrote this letter has strong, emotional feelings about the issue. It is also worthy to note the choice of words and the use of language. This is a good example of the kind of criticism and resistance that bicyclists as a whole face from motorists. Therefore, it is worth to effort to recognize and defend against such attacks using not emotionally charge language, but facts, statistics, and well-reasoned, rationale arguments. When emotions run high, that is when bad things are most likely to happen.