suggestion for Fall bikewear

Now you can bike in cool and cold weather in clothing not made for biking, jackets, heavy sweatpants etc but trust me, none of these will keep you warm on a bike ride. And being cold on a cold day makes you HATE biking. It takes time to assemble winter gear, but if you do it slowly, in time you have a great winter bike outfit. You only need ONE. Go home and wash it and have it ready for the next ride.


First thing to think about is your head, you need some different stuff in the cool weather. I highly recommend a good head cover, something similar to a bathing cap only made out of the nylon stretchy material. Head bands for extra warmth on the ears are also a must. In really cold weather, a good balaclava is a nice thing to own as well.

Next thing to think about are your hands. Now I was in Sports Authority the other day and they sold gloves made by UnderArmour. I am going back and buying a pair. They are thin nylon and are made to be worn under your bike gloves. Now in cool weather your summer bike gloves and the Under Armour gloves would be fine. In cold weather, you will need winter biking gloves.

Next thing is your feet. Good thick winter bike socks are invaluable and good shoe covers. These two items can be found in most bike stores. I like the shoe covers made by Terry

Now for your body. Leg warmers and arm warmers are super to own. I have a pair of Gore Windstopper Arm warmers that are very good. Found mine at the end of the season at Performance Bike Store in Paoli. Got my leg warmers there as well.

One pair of long tights. I only buy pants from Terry Cycling but there are many many companies selling cycling bottoms.

One very good long sleeve undergarment. Patagonia makes some superb base layers. Buy ONE good piece and it will last many seasons.

Last but not least, a good jacket. I have ONE jacket, a Gore Windstopper. I shop the Net and find them on sale. Get bright yellow if you can. Cyclists are hard to see in the winter with the long shadows and lights. If you search places like Nashbar or Sierra Trading company, you can often find a Gore Windstopper at a great price. I just found one for my son for $79 which is a great price.

how to become a cyclist

in the post below I talked about getting a good bike and I got this from a fellow chick .....

"

Completely agree! I did exactly that last year- borrowed an old, heavy road

bike-- looking back, I dont know How i managed to even finish the 45mile

LiveStrong challenge ride (I pushed the bike up a lot of hills)

This year, riding my new Specialized Dolce Elite, is PURE JOY and biking

is a completely different and fun experience.

so..this is my first hand testimonial that your advice is right on!"


This lady is now a cyclist and with her new bike she bikes more often and has become a first class cyclist. Plus since she bikes regularly, her skills and abilities on the road have also soared.

At this time of the year, late August, if you have been biking regularly, you should be peaking with your biking skills. You can ride several times a week, you can knock off a 50 mile ride without hardly thinking about it and you can enjoy it too.

If you do not see yourself in this post, you are still sitting at home wishing you had the time to bike and wishing you had gotten out this past summer. Chances are you have a bike that makes biking difficult and as a result, you DID NOT bike this summer, so your bike has proven to be worthless. No matter what you paid for the bike, it did not inspire you to ride it so you might as well sell it and start saving for a better bike. IF you are old like me, there really is nothing else more worthy of saving for.

Many many chicks are now peaking in their riding skills and are enjoying one fine hobby. For those us on good bikes, there is still room for improvement.

For those of us on bikes bought within the last 5 years, you can think now of how to upgrade your bike. Maybe a nice new set of wheels, a new crank or a better derailleur. Is your chain constantly dropping or is your shifting getting difficult??, then think about better equipment on your bike. Over the winter, pick one thing to update and do it. Even if you have a good bike, stuff wears out and new parts keep your bike just that, NEW!

hey i want to ride a bike

1985 Cignal Talon

Recently we had a young chick email our cycling club, she is a recent college grad. She wants to take up bike riding as a sport and was looking for a used bike. The familiar complaint being I need a used bike as I have no money.

Biking is NOT a sport where getting an old used bike will somehow be ok. People say, "I will ride an old cheap bike and see if I really like biking."

Why does this bother me?? Well for many reasons but the biggest being your safety. I mean, if you take up golf and buy some old cheap clubs, no one is gonna get hurt when you slice and chip all over the course. Or if you take up tennis and get an old racket, again, no one is gonna get hurt. You may never get the ball over the net, but you can still play the game.

But with biking, an old used bike is just that, old and used. The bike will most likely not fit you. The bike will have old tires. The bike is being sold because the owner does not want it anymore. If the owner loved this bike, he would not be selling it. And if you are brand new to cycling, you really have no idea about bike equipment and what you should be looking for in a used bike. And you life depends on your bike and its stability on the road. On a downhill you can get up to speeds of 25 mph, and you had better be on a road worthy bike.

So that being said, what should you do to start road biking on a limited budget:

1. go to some bike stores and look at new bikes, do some research on components, gearing, derailleurs and tires and wheels

2. try to ride some new bikes at the bike store and figure out what size you need

3. get online, ebay is good for used bikes providing you have done some homework and research on what makes a bike good and what makes a bike bad

4. say you find a new bike in a store that you like, go to ebay and do a search for the brand and model and see what comes up

5. good used bikes can be found but not without doing some work and investigation, I rode with a fellow who found a great used bike and he is still riding the bike, but the bike costs over $1000 and it was used, so thinking a bike under $500 is somehow going to be a good bike is wishful thinking


Remember, biking is a great sport and hobby but your equipment should not be an after thought. Your life depends on the bike you are sitting on. Skimping on equipment is not a good idea.

Nifty stuff that can make a ride a happier place

http://www.amazon.com/Park-Tool-TB-2-Emergency-Tire/dp/B000YBGJRS

for large holes in your tire, which I had on Sunday's Covered Bridge Ride, carry these sticky patches to stick inside of your tire to cover the large holes, on the CBM, I used a gel pack wrapper but it is very hard to keep it in place





http://www.performancebike.com/bikes//Product_10052_10551_1032525_-1___

I sat in this saddle for about 20 hrs during the Covered Bridge Ride this past Sunday, well not 20 hrs but it sure felt like it and I can now say, this is one fine saddle



http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1031000_-1_46512_20000_47504


I use a CO2 inflator similar to this one, and I buy my UNTHREADED cartridges online, unthreaded are way cheaper than threaded, if you have a bottom on your inflator, you can use unthreaded. Bought a box of cartridges at http://www.gas-depot.com/

I get 16 gram cartridges, seem to fill a tire to a good pressure

and on Sunday when I had to inflate my tire 2x, the inflator was very handy, especially in the heat




my snack food on the Covered Bridge Ride, cheap, easy and found in all grocery stores

bike gear recommendations

http://www.terrybicycles.com/product/detail/1843/current


I like the Terry shorts, have tried a variety of brands and keep coming back to Terry. I agree with the Georgiana Terry, the fabric is the best and the chamois pad is superb. The shorts come is various lengths, I like the long version as I am tall.



http://store.zipp.com/detail_80.1900.407.000__accessories.html


another cool bike bag, look around on the Net to find a place to buy one

pee standing up

This product is currently being sold at this year's RAGBRAI ( ride across Iowa, several chicks are there). It is called Go-GIRL and it lets the user have some freedom when outdoors and looking for a place to go potty.

Apparently this product is showing up at lots of sports event where there are women. Once you use the device, you can fold in back into the can and reuse it again if need be. Or you can toss it into a trash can. This product eliminates the need to find a spot to squat and pull your pants down, sometimes this is not the safest thing to do.

from the website http://www.go-girl.com/what-is-gogirl.asp, this direct quote.....

"GoGirl is easy to use. Just lower your panties, and put GoGirl against your body, forming a seal. Aim and, well, pee. Pretty simple, huh?

GoGirl fits easily in your purse, pocket, or glove compartment. It’s a must for travel and sports. And it’s great for everyday––no more crouching over or trying to cover up an unsanitary public toilet.

While the concept may be new to you, European women have used female urination devices for years. GoGirl’s not the first device of its kind. But try it. And we think you’ll agree it’s easily the best.

Only GoGirl is made with flexible, medical grade silicone. Dispose of it after use. Or clean and reuse as you like. (Urine is sterile, but the product can come into contact with contaminates during use, so take precautions when cleaning.) Our patented splash guard eliminates messing and spilling. Once you practice a time or two, using a GoGirl is going to feel like second nature. You won’t be like a man. You’ll just pee like one."

cleat covers

Well, after 3 years of NOT buying cleat covers, I have learned that this piece of equipment is vital to saving my cleats. Since new cleats can be expensive, having covers will save your cleats from wear and tear when you walk on pavement or unpaved surfaces.

These are easy to carry in your back pocket of your bike jersey and can be slipped on easily. I plan on wearing my covers now whenever I am walking in my bike shoes.

cable maintenance

Your bike has two types of cables - brake cables and derailleur cables. Both cables need to be maintained and checked periodically.

A broken derailleur cable during a ride can make it hard to get home. Fixing a cable on the road can be problematic as it takes time and requires a good wire cutter. There are a few shortcut things that can be done to get yourself home without replacing your cable. Or you can learn how to replace a cable on the road. If none of these makes sense to you, then you MUST have your back up plan in action. You need to be able to call for help and have someone come get you.

When you go out on your bike, do you have a phone number of someone who will actually answer the phone and be willing to come get you????

To check your cables, you can make a visual inspection. Look at the cable, follow its path and look for stray threads coming loose on your cable. This is one sign of a weak cable. Most times though cables break up in the handlebar where they start.

Proper maintenance and changing cables on a regular basis will prevent this problem. A new cable costs $5.00, so it is foolish to not keep up with this type of maintenance.

This is more of the interesting stuff you can learn about at our next clinic.

cleat maintenance

After all the walking I had to do at the French Creek Iron Tour, I decided to take a look at my cleats. They were well worn so I bought a new pair that also came with cleat covers.

It is a good idea to turn your bike shoes over and take a look at your cleats. Now if you have mountain bike shoes and cleats, their maintenance may not be as critical since the cleat is recessed.

I have Look pedals and exposed cleats so that when i walk on my bike shoes, my cleats hit the pavement. It is also a good idea to check the screws and make sure they are tight.

If you replace your cleats, use the templates that come with the cleats and follow the directions on how to replace your cleat into the same spot as the old cleat.

I save the extra screws and washers and carry them in my bike bag in case I lose one on a bike ride.

Hey, this is just some of the good information that you will get at our next Bike Clinic and Tweet Party. So come on out and learn something new.

Helmet Information

Consumer Reports rates two inexpensive helmets as CR Best Buys
For adults; both are CR Best Buys:
Bell Citi $45
Bell Slant $50

Both scored very good in impact absorption tests.


Look on the Net to find the best price for these two helmets. Performance Bikes is selling the the Citi for $35.

Another good source for information is http://www.bhsi.org/helmet09.htm, The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute,

Va-Jay Jay or your Puddy Pat

Newbies

Many of you who have not yet bought bike pants - I need to explain something to you. The bike pants will NOT make an uncomfortable seat comfortable. They will not fix a poorly placed seat. All the bike pants do is to help protect the soft tissue skin of your Va "Jay Jay" or Puddy Pat. Whatever we call our gentle area, bike pants keep it from getting torn up by underwear seams.

A good bike pad is a seamless area that will not bunch up. Never wear underwear with the bike pants.

Again I recommend you go to Hot Foot Cycles and try on some pants so you have an idea about your size.

Pimp your bike

about the same price as a GPS and it has a live rear view mirror! click here for info,

has all the features of a GPS plus a very cool ability to show you what is behind you

the ultimate bell

http://www.mirrycle.com/main_bells.htm

Biking should be fun

Posted by Alan in The Kitchen Sink |

March 25th, 2009

Ding, Ding

I’m surprised by the number of bicyclists I see who don’t have bells on their bikes. I suppose some might view them as childish and uncool, but I find them to be an important safety item and I think of them as the goodwill ambassadors of the bike trail.

Horns are for cars
I tried one of those super-loud air horns made for bicycles. I found it largely ineffective for getting the attention of motorists, but far too loud for use on multi-use paths and bike lanes. Every time I used the horn on a path to get someone’s attention, they practically leapt off the trail they were startled so badly. Needless to say, this is not an effective way to develop good relations between bicyclists and other trail users.

Approaching others carefully and politely builds goodwill and presents a positive image of bicyclists and bicycling, something we should all be trying to do.

Yelling is…well…yelling
The old “on your left” method for announcing your approach is OK among seasoned bicyclists because they’re accustomed to hearing it, but casual bicyclists and pedestrians have no idea what it means, particularly when it’s yelled at them from behind. Like the horn, more often than not it startles other trail users and reinforces the stereotype that bicyclists are rude and unsafe.

The friendly bell
Bells, if used properly, signal your presence to other non-motorized road and trail users in a gentle, polite manner. I think this is very important.

I usually ring my bell a couple of times from a fair distance to give others an opportunity to figure out where the sound is coming from, then, if they don’t respond, I slow and give a couple of more rings as I get closer. This works nearly 100% of the time and I rarely startle anyone.

Consider the friendly bell if you don’t already use one. Approaching others carefully and politely builds goodwill and presents a positive image of bicyclists and bicycling, something we should all be trying to do.