I moved Bicyclefriends.com and Bicyclefriends.org to point directly at this blog. I also dropped the old Calendar for a new Google Calendar app. I hope this will work better for my needs. If I have your email you will still receive my weekly ride reports.
Thanks,
Jason
Monday, March 30, 2009
Trek SS - My on-going project
I added WI Eno SS Crank, Eno Stainless steel BB and Eno Eccentric Rear Hub (with new DT rim).
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Glendora Mountain Road Ride
I have been in correspondence with Annette, the writer of Glendora Mountain Road. We first met at the 2009 Amgen Tour of California, Pasadena stage. There we agreed late March we'd get together and ride GMR. My plan is to someday make it to Mt. Baldy and she has a great system that I think will get me there in a few months. Link to how she, "Made it."
I was pretty excited for this ride because; one, its a ride and two, I get to meet Annette and some of her ride partners (Its always a good day when you can ride and meet new people along the way).
We decided to stage at the corner of GMR and Sierra Madre. The day was nice and sunny so I opted to ride from my home in Pomona. When I got there Kevin was riding up from his house in Glendora and Carl arrived a few minutes after.
We talked awhile and shortly there after Matt arrived. Matt rides GMR often and recently collided with a Motorcyclist on GMR. The Motorcyclist was going too fast, lost control and laid his bike down. As he slid down GMR, Matt was going up and CRASH! Fortunately Matt was okay. His bike frame was totaled but he came away with just a bruise on his head. Lucky Guy, he should have bought a Lottery Ticket that day too!
Annette arrived about five minutes after Matt and soon after we headed off to the Maintenance Shed. Annette is somewhat of a celebrity on GMR. On her Specialized with a distinctive red bandanna around her neck, she rides GMR regularly and has met quite a few riders along the way. Annette has many stories to tell about GMR. Just visit her site and you'll see!
Above Picture: Carl
Above Picture: Annette and Kevin
Above Picture: Matt
Above Picture: Jason (Me)
I was pretty excited for this ride because; one, its a ride and two, I get to meet Annette and some of her ride partners (Its always a good day when you can ride and meet new people along the way).
We decided to stage at the corner of GMR and Sierra Madre. The day was nice and sunny so I opted to ride from my home in Pomona. When I got there Kevin was riding up from his house in Glendora and Carl arrived a few minutes after.
We talked awhile and shortly there after Matt arrived. Matt rides GMR often and recently collided with a Motorcyclist on GMR. The Motorcyclist was going too fast, lost control and laid his bike down. As he slid down GMR, Matt was going up and CRASH! Fortunately Matt was okay. His bike frame was totaled but he came away with just a bruise on his head. Lucky Guy, he should have bought a Lottery Ticket that day too!
Annette arrived about five minutes after Matt and soon after we headed off to the Maintenance Shed. Annette is somewhat of a celebrity on GMR. On her Specialized with a distinctive red bandanna around her neck, she rides GMR regularly and has met quite a few riders along the way. Annette has many stories to tell about GMR. Just visit her site and you'll see!
Above Picture: CarlAbove Picture: Annette and KevinAbove Picture: MattAbove Picture: Jason (Me)
Saturday, March 7, 2009
34 X 20 - Much Better and Meme's "Air Time"
I swapped out my 18 tooth cog for a 20 and it made all the difference. This time Kevin, Meme and I, made the trek up MC from Oak Mesa. Lower MC was easy with this gear ratio, but I was cautious and paced myself since last weeks ride didn't go over all that well.
By the time we got to the "Logs" I was feeling really good running 34 X 20. I even headed back down to meet up with Meme and Kevin to ride the "Logs" trail one more time. The Three Witches were a piece of cake and I had some sprinting power in my legs for the last 1/16 of a mile to Yellow Gate!
This was Meme's second time riding MC and I was excited to take him out. He just picked up a GT Aggressor from Craigslist.com so he was eager to see what it could do. The bike performed well and I didn't hear any noticeable shift problems. He even got a little airtime in lower MC.
Meme's "Air Time"
So we're riding lower MC with Kevin in the lead, then Meme and finally me closing in the rear. Kevin points to a BMX jump to his right and without thinking Meme takes the jump. "Without thinking" ... Meme took that jump devoid of any conviction or hesitation. What a Champ! I just remember seeing Kevin point, Meme take the jump and me yelling, "Oh no Meme, what are you doing!"
Meme hit the jump perfectly. It was one of those BMX jumps that have a slight curve that throws you up and forward. He was about 3 to 4 feet in the air and "landed" it about 14 paces past the jump. "Landed" I say because when he came down he was a hair too forward and landed on his front wheel. I thought for sure his front wheel would be taco'd and not to mention the bruises that would result from the crash, but like a true MTB'er he did a ditch the bike slash drop and roll maneuver. It was all very impressive and both Meme and his GT Aggressor walked away with very little damage.
Once the dust cleared and an inventory damage check was performed, we couldn't stop laughing. Well, I guess we could say Meme's a true MTB'er now. The first "Crash and Burn" is like a rite of passage and on Meme's second time out he earned his MTB Stripes.
By the time we got to the "Logs" I was feeling really good running 34 X 20. I even headed back down to meet up with Meme and Kevin to ride the "Logs" trail one more time. The Three Witches were a piece of cake and I had some sprinting power in my legs for the last 1/16 of a mile to Yellow Gate!
This was Meme's second time riding MC and I was excited to take him out. He just picked up a GT Aggressor from Craigslist.com so he was eager to see what it could do. The bike performed well and I didn't hear any noticeable shift problems. He even got a little airtime in lower MC.
Meme's "Air Time"
So we're riding lower MC with Kevin in the lead, then Meme and finally me closing in the rear. Kevin points to a BMX jump to his right and without thinking Meme takes the jump. "Without thinking" ... Meme took that jump devoid of any conviction or hesitation. What a Champ! I just remember seeing Kevin point, Meme take the jump and me yelling, "Oh no Meme, what are you doing!"
Meme hit the jump perfectly. It was one of those BMX jumps that have a slight curve that throws you up and forward. He was about 3 to 4 feet in the air and "landed" it about 14 paces past the jump. "Landed" I say because when he came down he was a hair too forward and landed on his front wheel. I thought for sure his front wheel would be taco'd and not to mention the bruises that would result from the crash, but like a true MTB'er he did a ditch the bike slash drop and roll maneuver. It was all very impressive and both Meme and his GT Aggressor walked away with very little damage.
Once the dust cleared and an inventory damage check was performed, we couldn't stop laughing. Well, I guess we could say Meme's a true MTB'er now. The first "Crash and Burn" is like a rite of passage and on Meme's second time out he earned his MTB Stripes.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
34 X 18 Ouch!
34 X 18, this is the the gear ratio I'm running on my SS. Last Sunday, this gear ratio worked great going up Burbank, but today this was NOT the case. Today 34 X 18 represented pain. 34 X 18 hurt and drained all my energy on this Saturday mountain bike ride.
I left my house at around 11:30 am for a mountain bike ride up Marshal Canyon. Still enjoying the idea of my SS, I was eagerly headed towards the mountains. Would this ride be as challenging and fun as Burbank?
From Oak Mesa Elementary School, I dropped into lower Marshal Canyon. Lower MC is relatively easy with multiple stream crossings, nice shaded tree canopies and the climb is mostly progressive with a few short sprint climbs until you get to Marshal Canyon Equestrian Center. Knowing this, I decided to slow my pace and not overexert myself. My strategy was slow and steady for lower MC and conserve as much energy for upper MC.
The ride up lower MC went as planned. Actually, it was pretty darn easy and by the time I got to MC Equestrian Center, I felt good. I took a small break at the equestrian center before heading up. From the equestrian center, I took the double track to the left. This is a shorter distance to what I call the "Plateau", a level clearing on upper MC but definitely not the top or end of MC trail.
After the Plateau things started to change, I got tired, weak and overall my energy level dropped! BONK! The next half mile was hard and I felt my power drop and by the time I rode past the "Logs" I was wasted. At this point, I dismounted my bike and thought about turning back and heading down MC. I rested a few seconds and decided to push my bike up for a few feet. I did just that and hopped back on the bike. One revolution, two, three and four. Damn, 34 X 18 is painful. Each progressive revolution was strained and I had to dismount again.
The Three Witches (A climb up Marshal Canyon and its actually called something else that rhythms with "Witches" but I'm being nice) with a gear ratio of 34 X 18 was harsh. By this part of the trail, I was WAY past tired and borderline delirious. Even walking my bike up was a strain but I kept going.
I could have turned back at anytime, but I decided I rather push my bike up MC than turn around. "Ahhh Yellow Gate!" I made it.
From Yellow Gate, I headed south to Burbank to finished my ride. Down Burbank, I stopped half way and headed back up for about 1/8 of a mile before heading down to were Burbank and Cobal meet. I headed up Cobal for about another 1/8 of a mile and decided I needed to turn around and go home.
34 X 18 is too tall a gear ratio for me to turn. I just ordered a 19t and hopefully this will be easier to push. 34 X 19 will be closer to my desired ratio of 32 X 18. Unfortunately, the crank set I own calls for 110 bcd which a 32 t chainring non-existent.
I left my house at around 11:30 am for a mountain bike ride up Marshal Canyon. Still enjoying the idea of my SS, I was eagerly headed towards the mountains. Would this ride be as challenging and fun as Burbank?
From Oak Mesa Elementary School, I dropped into lower Marshal Canyon. Lower MC is relatively easy with multiple stream crossings, nice shaded tree canopies and the climb is mostly progressive with a few short sprint climbs until you get to Marshal Canyon Equestrian Center. Knowing this, I decided to slow my pace and not overexert myself. My strategy was slow and steady for lower MC and conserve as much energy for upper MC.
The ride up lower MC went as planned. Actually, it was pretty darn easy and by the time I got to MC Equestrian Center, I felt good. I took a small break at the equestrian center before heading up. From the equestrian center, I took the double track to the left. This is a shorter distance to what I call the "Plateau", a level clearing on upper MC but definitely not the top or end of MC trail.
After the Plateau things started to change, I got tired, weak and overall my energy level dropped! BONK! The next half mile was hard and I felt my power drop and by the time I rode past the "Logs" I was wasted. At this point, I dismounted my bike and thought about turning back and heading down MC. I rested a few seconds and decided to push my bike up for a few feet. I did just that and hopped back on the bike. One revolution, two, three and four. Damn, 34 X 18 is painful. Each progressive revolution was strained and I had to dismount again.
The Three Witches (A climb up Marshal Canyon and its actually called something else that rhythms with "Witches" but I'm being nice) with a gear ratio of 34 X 18 was harsh. By this part of the trail, I was WAY past tired and borderline delirious. Even walking my bike up was a strain but I kept going.
I could have turned back at anytime, but I decided I rather push my bike up MC than turn around. "Ahhh Yellow Gate!" I made it.
From Yellow Gate, I headed south to Burbank to finished my ride. Down Burbank, I stopped half way and headed back up for about 1/8 of a mile before heading down to were Burbank and Cobal meet. I headed up Cobal for about another 1/8 of a mile and decided I needed to turn around and go home.
34 X 18 is too tall a gear ratio for me to turn. I just ordered a 19t and hopefully this will be easier to push. 34 X 19 will be closer to my desired ratio of 32 X 18. Unfortunately, the crank set I own calls for 110 bcd which a 32 t chainring non-existent.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
SS Trek Project
Beth, a Co-Worker wanted me to get her old Trek 920 in working order so she could start riding to work. Working with a very small budget, I decided to ditch the 7 speeds and convert the Trek to a SS. This was my first conversion and it was surprisingly easy. I was able to re-use most of the original parts and only replaced tubes, tires, and cables.
I got Beth's bike in working order and in the process grew fond of the notion of building myself a SS. Lucky me, Beth's ambitions of riding to work did not pan out and the bike was given to me for a very small fee. I decided to strip it down, powder coat it and rebuild it. The result, a very stealthy SS.
Somethings I changed:I stripped the bike down and powder coated the frame, handle bars and crank arms. I am very happy with the results and the cost to powder coat was close to free (It helps when you know a Powder Coater).
Brakes and Levers: I replaced the old, ugly brake/shifter levers to Avid Single Digits and added Avid V-Brakes to match. This Avid Brake Lever/Brake combo works well with more than adequate stopping power.
Chain Ring: I opted for a Surly 34 tooth ring.
Stem: The OEM stem was about 130 mm and 20 mm too long. It too was ugly, so I replaced it with a 110 mm Easton EA 30.
Fork: I replaced the old Rock Shox Indy XC for a traditional rigid fork. I went this route because; 1) Its simple and 2) New Generation suspension forks would mess up the original geometry of the bike.
First Ride: I took it out to Mills and Baldy Road last Sunday and I was surprised how well it rode. Riding up Burbank was challenging but I managed to get to the top in about 30 minutes. There were sections up Burbank I had to really mash gears to keep moving forward. The ride down Cobal was fun. The rigid forks did make it a harsh ride downhill but again it didn't seem to bother me much on the ride. I guess I'm still in the honeymoon stage of SS riding.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Bonelli Park Mountain Bike Ride
Today Kevin, Khai and I did a nice mountain bike ride around Bonelli Park. It was the big loop that took us around the entire park. Total miles from the Park and Ride at Via Verde was 10.32 miles and it took about 1 hour 28 minutes of ride time.
It was really nice getting back on the mountain bike. Kevin performed really well with only a handful of stops during the ride. I think our road riding trips paid off! The trails were well maintained with little ruts, bumps and etc. I did take a low speed fall in the only rutty section of the ride. I new a crash was inevitable so I ditched my bike in a rut and somehow landed on my feet.
There were a lot of other riders from SoCalMTB.com and in their group was a husband, wife and child trio riding Bonelli on tandem and kid trailer.
We finished the ride later than I would have liked so no after ride feast. A few notes to myself, I need to get a camera to photograph all the interesting people I meet during my rides.
It was really nice getting back on the mountain bike. Kevin performed really well with only a handful of stops during the ride. I think our road riding trips paid off! The trails were well maintained with little ruts, bumps and etc. I did take a low speed fall in the only rutty section of the ride. I new a crash was inevitable so I ditched my bike in a rut and somehow landed on my feet.
There were a lot of other riders from SoCalMTB.com and in their group was a husband, wife and child trio riding Bonelli on tandem and kid trailer.
We finished the ride later than I would have liked so no after ride feast. A few notes to myself, I need to get a camera to photograph all the interesting people I meet during my rides.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Bonelli Road Ride on a cold, wet Saturday
Today Kevin, Meme and I rode 1 1/2 laps around Bonelli Park. It was cold and wet but we're dedicated cyclist and a Saturday ride was a must! We staged at San Dimas Grain and headed south on San Dimas Avenue. Then we made a quick turn onto Puddingstone Drive and headed south east to Bracket Air Field. We headed south on Fairplex Blvd and hugged the golf course until we entered Bonelli Park. We rode around Bonelli Park then back to Puddingstone Drive. Instead of making a right on Fairplex we went left to Bonita Ave. and then back to the cars.
It was cold, wet and since I wear glasses visibility was horrible! Pretty much from the start, my glasses got all spotted up. I kept thinking either we're dedicated cyclist or just plain stupid. I was really looking to do 2 to 3 laps around the park but when we were on the south side of the park I was thinking, "Forget this, I wanna get to the cars, dry off and get some breakfast!"
It was at the start of our second lap, Meme piped in, "How about we get to Fairplex and head to White Ave. From there let's take White to Bonita and then back home." I was surprised as I was ready to throw in the towel at Puddingstone Drive and head back from there. I agreed to get to Fairplex but from Fairplex we headed back home.
There were only a handful of other cyclists out today. At the start of our second lap, a guy on a Trek passed us up. I caught up with him and found out he started in Pasadena and from San Dimas will head to Fullerton before going heading back to Pasadena. Wow! That guy's awesome.
I purchased a new Garmin GPS unit and had a chance to use it today. It worked well despite being covered by my wind breaker. The unit can be used for running, cycling and hiking. Since I started running, I thought this would be a great tool to incorporate with all my activities. It tracks all types of data like, speed, distance, elevation, cadence, % grade, HR and so much more. Then the data can be downloaded to your computer for analysis.
Our trip was 14.35 miles with and average mph of 12.2. Total ascent was 715 ft.
It was cold, wet and since I wear glasses visibility was horrible! Pretty much from the start, my glasses got all spotted up. I kept thinking either we're dedicated cyclist or just plain stupid. I was really looking to do 2 to 3 laps around the park but when we were on the south side of the park I was thinking, "Forget this, I wanna get to the cars, dry off and get some breakfast!"
It was at the start of our second lap, Meme piped in, "How about we get to Fairplex and head to White Ave. From there let's take White to Bonita and then back home." I was surprised as I was ready to throw in the towel at Puddingstone Drive and head back from there. I agreed to get to Fairplex but from Fairplex we headed back home.
There were only a handful of other cyclists out today. At the start of our second lap, a guy on a Trek passed us up. I caught up with him and found out he started in Pasadena and from San Dimas will head to Fullerton before going heading back to Pasadena. Wow! That guy's awesome.
I purchased a new Garmin GPS unit and had a chance to use it today. It worked well despite being covered by my wind breaker. The unit can be used for running, cycling and hiking. Since I started running, I thought this would be a great tool to incorporate with all my activities. It tracks all types of data like, speed, distance, elevation, cadence, % grade, HR and so much more. Then the data can be downloaded to your computer for analysis.
Our trip was 14.35 miles with and average mph of 12.2. Total ascent was 715 ft.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
CANIDAE All Natural Pet Foods Supports Tour of Amgen 8 Stage Bike Race Event for 2009
TO PROMOTE RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP, CANIDAE WILL CONDUCT RAFFLE TO BENEFIT THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER IN PEOPLE AND PETS.
Considered to be the most important and popular race held on U.S. soil, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will once again bring together world-class field of cyclists and teams from multiple nations including Lance Armstrong and the Amgen Tour of California's two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer's team, Astana. Armstrong's highly anticipated return to competitive professional cycling for the 2009 season, after a three-year hiatus, began in January and the Amgen Tour of California will be his first U.S. race of the season.
CANIDAE Pet Foods will join Armstrong in supporting the race's record of promoting cancer awareness and research by conducting the CANIDAE AmGen Road Bike Raffle with half of the proceeds going to Cancer Research for Pets and the other half to Armstrong's Livestrong Cancer Awareness Foundation.
"I will be competing in the Amgen Tour of California," confirmed Armstrong. "The level of competition, the challenge of the course and the highly professional atmosphere make it the ideal situation for me to continue my training. I also have chosen the Amgen Tour of California because of the race's record of supporting cancer awareness and research through their Amgen Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative, and their commitment to partner with our Lance Armstrong Foundation. I look forward to racing once again in the United States in what we consider the best race outside of Europe."
The Grand Prize Winner of the CANIDAE AmGen Road Bike Raffle will receive a road bike (estimated value $1,200) at a drawing to be held on Saturday, February 21, 2009 in Pasadena, California at Stage 7 of the tour. Winners need not be present to win. Tickets for the CANIDAE Road Bike Raffle will cost $2.00 for one or $5.00 for three and will be available in person at the CANIDAE Tour of Amgen Lifestyle Festival booth setup at five of the eight races that comprise the tour in addition to the prologue that begins the event in Sacramento on Saturday, February 14, 2009. The road bike will be on display and tickets will be available at the CANIDAE Tour of Amgen booth for the Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Paso Robles, Solvang and Pasadena stages. The AmGen Lifestyle Festival area is located near the finish line at each Finishing City.
Part of the CANIDAE Mission Statement to promote Responsible Pet Ownership includes proper medical care and support for pets with health issues such as cancer. Nothing is more central to the core values of CANIDAE than the health, happiness and well being of pets.
In addition to selling raffle tickets benefiting the cause of fighting cancer in people and pets, CANIDAE Pet Foods will hand out samples and coupons. CANIDAE pet foods for dogs and cats adhere to the highest standards of excellence for product quality, palatability, and customer satisfaction. Formulated for the long term health of pets, these all natural holistic pet foods use only the finest ingredients available -- all of U.S. origin. CANIDAE stands behind the guaranteed analysis of each and every one of its products and invites cycling fans to discover for themselves and their pets the healthful benefits of its pet foods.
www.canidae.com
Considered to be the most important and popular race held on U.S. soil, the 2009 Amgen Tour of California will once again bring together world-class field of cyclists and teams from multiple nations including Lance Armstrong and the Amgen Tour of California's two-time defending champion Levi Leipheimer's team, Astana. Armstrong's highly anticipated return to competitive professional cycling for the 2009 season, after a three-year hiatus, began in January and the Amgen Tour of California will be his first U.S. race of the season.
CANIDAE Pet Foods will join Armstrong in supporting the race's record of promoting cancer awareness and research by conducting the CANIDAE AmGen Road Bike Raffle with half of the proceeds going to Cancer Research for Pets and the other half to Armstrong's Livestrong Cancer Awareness Foundation.
"I will be competing in the Amgen Tour of California," confirmed Armstrong. "The level of competition, the challenge of the course and the highly professional atmosphere make it the ideal situation for me to continue my training. I also have chosen the Amgen Tour of California because of the race's record of supporting cancer awareness and research through their Amgen Breakaway from Cancer™ initiative, and their commitment to partner with our Lance Armstrong Foundation. I look forward to racing once again in the United States in what we consider the best race outside of Europe."
The Grand Prize Winner of the CANIDAE AmGen Road Bike Raffle will receive a road bike (estimated value $1,200) at a drawing to be held on Saturday, February 21, 2009 in Pasadena, California at Stage 7 of the tour. Winners need not be present to win. Tickets for the CANIDAE Road Bike Raffle will cost $2.00 for one or $5.00 for three and will be available in person at the CANIDAE Tour of Amgen Lifestyle Festival booth setup at five of the eight races that comprise the tour in addition to the prologue that begins the event in Sacramento on Saturday, February 14, 2009. The road bike will be on display and tickets will be available at the CANIDAE Tour of Amgen booth for the Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Paso Robles, Solvang and Pasadena stages. The AmGen Lifestyle Festival area is located near the finish line at each Finishing City.
Part of the CANIDAE Mission Statement to promote Responsible Pet Ownership includes proper medical care and support for pets with health issues such as cancer. Nothing is more central to the core values of CANIDAE than the health, happiness and well being of pets.
In addition to selling raffle tickets benefiting the cause of fighting cancer in people and pets, CANIDAE Pet Foods will hand out samples and coupons. CANIDAE pet foods for dogs and cats adhere to the highest standards of excellence for product quality, palatability, and customer satisfaction. Formulated for the long term health of pets, these all natural holistic pet foods use only the finest ingredients available -- all of U.S. origin. CANIDAE stands behind the guaranteed analysis of each and every one of its products and invites cycling fans to discover for themselves and their pets the healthful benefits of its pet foods.
www.canidae.com
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Look out - Three Days of Riding 11/27 thru 29/2008
11/27/2008 - Glendora Mountain Road OR Sunset Ridge
11/28/2008 - Marshal Canyon Mountain Bike Ride
11/29/2008 - Bonelli Park Mountain Bike Ride
See www.bicyclefriends.com for details
11/28/2008 - Marshal Canyon Mountain Bike Ride
11/29/2008 - Bonelli Park Mountain Bike Ride
See www.bicyclefriends.com for details
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Will the Blogger of Glendoramtnroad.blogspot.com Please Email Me
I love your site and would like to go on a ride with you and your group! Take me to Mount Baldy, please!
jason@bicyclefriends.com
jason@bicyclefriends.com
Monday, October 27, 2008
Performance Bike - How to Dress for the Cold
"Performance Bike - How to Dress for the Cold"
Source: www.performancebike.com
This little news/infocast I rec'd from Performance Bike offers great information about dressing for the cold. Time to pull out your wind breakers, long sleeve jerseys and etc. For So. California, I usually wear a base layer tee, arm warmers and full finger gloves. At most temps around So. California this setup works fine. I'm thinking about getting a decent wind breaker and a long sleeve base layer.
Cycling is an activity that produces heat and sweat. This winter your challenge is to create and hold the first while avoiding the consequences of the second. And you can do by dressing right.
Source: www.performancebike.com
This little news/infocast I rec'd from Performance Bike offers great information about dressing for the cold. Time to pull out your wind breakers, long sleeve jerseys and etc. For So. California, I usually wear a base layer tee, arm warmers and full finger gloves. At most temps around So. California this setup works fine. I'm thinking about getting a decent wind breaker and a long sleeve base layer.
Cycling is an activity that produces heat and sweat. This winter your challenge is to create and hold the first while avoiding the consequences of the second. And you can do by dressing right.
It all starts with layers... Plan your day and dress for the coldest part but with the options to tailor your comfort by adding or shedding clothes. You want to remain comfortable w/o over heating. Remember with layers if you are too hot, you can always remove something. Too cold add something.
Rule #1: Start with a wicking base layer. It’ll keep your trunk dry and warm.
Rule #2: Protect your vital head, neck and trunk. If they are warm it will take less to protect your hands, legs and feet.
Rule #3: Always avoid cotton except for post ride celebrations. It traps heat robbing sweat next to your skin. Use polyester, and lycra and wool. Combining your existing cycling gear with a few new garments will extend your comfort range much later in the year.
Rule #4: Dress like a bag lady. Pile on the gear. You probably have the basics: lycra shorts, short sleeve jerseys, fingerless gloves and , socks. With base layer T-shirt, tights or leg warmers, full finger gloves or liners, shoe covers, long sleeve jersey or arm warmers, skull cap and a vest, you’ll be able to ride a month longer and start a month earlier.
Rule #5: Start off slightly cold. You’ll warm up in 10 min of riding. This minimizes sweat build up. If in doubt stash an extra garment like an extra jersey, vest or skull cap, in your pocket.
For deep winter you’ll need just a few more garments: insulated tights, long sleeve jersey, insulated windproof jacket, insulated gloves, shoe covers, balaclava, and winter socks.
Basic 4 Seasons Wardrobe:
Upper Trunk:- –Sleeveless base layer
–Sleeved base layer
–Short Sleeve jersey
–Arm Warmers
–Long Sleeve jersey.
–Vest and/or Windproof Jacket w zip off sleeves
–Windproof shell
–Waterproof jacket
- –Lycra shorts
–Leg warmers and/or knee warmers
–Tights
–Insulated tights
–Windproof tights
- –Coolmax skull cap
–Balaclava
- –Winter wool or polyester socks
–Shoe covers
- –Fingerless gloves
–Thin full finger gloves or liners
–Insulated windproof gloves
Dress for the coldest part of the day and shed layers to remain comfortable:
Coolish:59°-70°- –Trunk and Arms: Sleeveless base layer, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers
–Legs: Lycra shorts and knee or leg warmers
–Hands: Fingerless gloves
Cool: 49°-59°
- –Trunk and Arms: Sleeveless base layer, short sleeve jersey, arm warmers, wind jacket with zip-off sleeves
–Head: Thin coolmax skull cap
–Legs: Lycra shorts and thin lycra tights
–Hands: Full finger wind resistant gloves
Coldish: (39°-49°)
- –Trunk and Arms: Sleeved base layer, long sleeve jersey, waterproof jacket
–Head: Balaclava protects neck from wind and cold
–Legs: Lycra shorts and tights with brushed fabric interiors
–Hands: Full finger gloves with insulation
–Feet: Shoe covers
Cold: below 39°
- –Trunk and Arms: Sleeved base layer, long sleeve jersey, short sleeve, more as needed, waterproof jacket with insulation
–Head: Balaclava with brushed fabric or insulation. Balm on exposed skin
–Legs: Lycra shorts and tights with brushed fabric interiors and wind and waterproof fronts
–Hands: Full finger gloves with insulation
–Feet: Shoe covers with insulation
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Monroe Truck Trail: Yellow Jackets, Ricky Bobby and a few crashes along the way!
Monroe Truck Trail turned out to be a hit! I rolled up early to see Carl waiting and stretching. His hip/sciatic was giving him trouble but he was optimistic about this ride. As we waited, we wondered about who will show up. I had a count of 6; Me, Carl, Kevin, Johnny, Gabriel, and Memo. This was good because, with the number of trucks, we could shuttle one tightly packed truck load up per run. I was hopeful and figured 3 runs down Monroe Truck Trail for a total of 24 miles.
Around 8:00 am everyone else started showing up. Kevin, Bobby, Memo, Marco, Marlow, Ed, Johnny and Gabriel. Total count 10 riders. We then shuttled up to GMR, turned off the road and loaded trucks with bikes. We decided on 2 trucks to shuttle up to the top of Monroe Truck Trail, giving us a total of two runs down the mountain.
*** Note at the top of GMR/Monroe Truck Trail you need adventure passes. You can purchase them at your local Big 5. An Annual Pass is $30.00 (you can get a second for $5.00 more) and a day pass is $5.00. ***
We trucked up GMR and at 8:00 am it was sunny and clear. There was a lot of activity on the road, from Roadies to Motorcyclist and "Import" racers. I like the Roadies but the Motorcyclists and "Import" racers I could do with out. More often than not they are speeding up and down the windy mountain road putting everyone in danger. Earlier this year GMR finally reopened after being closed to motor vehicle traffic for over 2 years. Prior to the reopening, GMR was a great spot for cycling, hiking and street luge.
It took about 15 minutes to get to the top of GMR/Monroe Truck Trail. We unloaded bikes, checked tire pressure and etc. Carl forgot his helmet in his car (at the bottom of GMR). Worst case scenario, Carl breaks his fall with his head, no biggie.
We hit the trail at about 8:53 am. Johnny lead the pack, then Gabriel and Marlow. These three were the fastest of the pack. Johnny is young and fearless, Gabe is fearless and CRAZY, while Marlow is just crazy. I found out his nick name is Ricky Bobby (Enough said). I'd best describe Monroe as an unkempt fire road. There were patches of overgrown bushes throughout and parts where half the trail was washed out. Some sections of Monroe got really tight and my legs received multiple lashings from the many bushes.
About three miles down Monroe, Gabe and Marlow took a short cut down a steep and loose single track. The rest of the group headed down Monroe and we regrouped at the start of Mystic. It took awhile for Gabe and Marlow to show up and when they did I asked what took them so long. Gabe took a big fall and was scratched up pretty bad. Down the single track Gabe lost control of his bike and went over the cliff. He was hurt pretty bad and I'm sure tomorrow morning he will be sore.
From Monroe we linked up to Mystic and headed down. Mystic is like the icing on the cake; its steep, loose, bumpy, narrow and fast. You have to hang on and let your bike do all the work. The middle section of Mystic, I think 7 of us ended up walking. At the bottom end of Mystic there where Boy Scouts on the sides of the trail. They were maintaining the trails but at this particular moment their shovels and rakes were lying across the trail. Next to them was a swarm of hornets, mad as hell. One of the Boy Scouts disturbed their nest and a swarm formed blocking us from the end of the trail.
It took us awhile to figure out what we were going to do. Bobby and Ricky Bobby ended up riding through the swarm, bad idea. Bobby went down and crashed hard into the cliff wall. From my point of view it looked like he smashed his head and shoulder right into the wall. Ricky Bobby ended up crashing and ditching his bike as the swarm of hornets attacked him. I decided to go next and was bitten on the ear and on top of my head.Marco , Memo and Kevin also took hits as well.
Total trip down Monroe, one hour. We loaded up the bikes again and started the trek over. This time only Carl, Johnny, Kevin and I went for a second run.
Around 8:00 am everyone else started showing up. Kevin, Bobby, Memo, Marco, Marlow, Ed, Johnny and Gabriel. Total count 10 riders. We then shuttled up to GMR, turned off the road and loaded trucks with bikes. We decided on 2 trucks to shuttle up to the top of Monroe Truck Trail, giving us a total of two runs down the mountain.
*** Note at the top of GMR/Monroe Truck Trail you need adventure passes. You can purchase them at your local Big 5. An Annual Pass is $30.00 (you can get a second for $5.00 more) and a day pass is $5.00. ***
We trucked up GMR and at 8:00 am it was sunny and clear. There was a lot of activity on the road, from Roadies to Motorcyclist and "Import" racers. I like the Roadies but the Motorcyclists and "Import" racers I could do with out. More often than not they are speeding up and down the windy mountain road putting everyone in danger. Earlier this year GMR finally reopened after being closed to motor vehicle traffic for over 2 years. Prior to the reopening, GMR was a great spot for cycling, hiking and street luge.
It took about 15 minutes to get to the top of GMR/Monroe Truck Trail. We unloaded bikes, checked tire pressure and etc. Carl forgot his helmet in his car (at the bottom of GMR). Worst case scenario, Carl breaks his fall with his head, no biggie.
We hit the trail at about 8:53 am. Johnny lead the pack, then Gabriel and Marlow. These three were the fastest of the pack. Johnny is young and fearless, Gabe is fearless and CRAZY, while Marlow is just crazy. I found out his nick name is Ricky Bobby (Enough said). I'd best describe Monroe as an unkempt fire road. There were patches of overgrown bushes throughout and parts where half the trail was washed out. Some sections of Monroe got really tight and my legs received multiple lashings from the many bushes.
About three miles down Monroe, Gabe and Marlow took a short cut down a steep and loose single track. The rest of the group headed down Monroe and we regrouped at the start of Mystic. It took awhile for Gabe and Marlow to show up and when they did I asked what took them so long. Gabe took a big fall and was scratched up pretty bad. Down the single track Gabe lost control of his bike and went over the cliff. He was hurt pretty bad and I'm sure tomorrow morning he will be sore.
From Monroe we linked up to Mystic and headed down. Mystic is like the icing on the cake; its steep, loose, bumpy, narrow and fast. You have to hang on and let your bike do all the work. The middle section of Mystic, I think 7 of us ended up walking. At the bottom end of Mystic there where Boy Scouts on the sides of the trail. They were maintaining the trails but at this particular moment their shovels and rakes were lying across the trail. Next to them was a swarm of hornets, mad as hell. One of the Boy Scouts disturbed their nest and a swarm formed blocking us from the end of the trail.
It took us awhile to figure out what we were going to do. Bobby and Ricky Bobby ended up riding through the swarm, bad idea. Bobby went down and crashed hard into the cliff wall. From my point of view it looked like he smashed his head and shoulder right into the wall. Ricky Bobby ended up crashing and ditching his bike as the swarm of hornets attacked him. I decided to go next and was bitten on the ear and on top of my head.Marco , Memo and Kevin also took hits as well.
Total trip down Monroe, one hour. We loaded up the bikes again and started the trek over. This time only Carl, Johnny, Kevin and I went for a second run.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
CORRECTION! ***Dalton Road - 10/25/2008 MTB
Correction *** This is Monroe Truck Trail ***
Dalton Road - MTB Ride
Day: 10/25/2008
Time: 8:00 am
Meeting Place: Glendora, CA at Sierra Madre and Glendora Mountain Road
Notes: Shuttle Runs Up GMR to Dalton Road. This will be an awesome Downhill Experience! We are going to shuttle up Glendora Mountain Road to Dalton Fire Road. If we have enough trucks we could do this 3 times! It will be 8 miles of blissful downhill consisting of Fire Roads and fast single track! Let me know if you are interested! We will meet at Sierra Madre and Glendora Mountain Road at 8:00 am.
View Larger Map
Dalton Road - MTB Ride
Day: 10/25/2008
Time: 8:00 am
Meeting Place: Glendora, CA at Sierra Madre and Glendora Mountain Road
Notes: Shuttle Runs Up GMR to Dalton Road. This will be an awesome Downhill Experience! We are going to shuttle up Glendora Mountain Road to Dalton Fire Road. If we have enough trucks we could do this 3 times! It will be 8 miles of blissful downhill consisting of Fire Roads and fast single track! Let me know if you are interested! We will meet at Sierra Madre and Glendora Mountain Road at 8:00 am.
View Larger Map
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Turnbull Canyon - 10/18/2008 MTB Ride
Ride: Turnbull Canyon - Mountain Bike Ride
Day: 10/18/2008
Time: 8:00 am
Meeting: Beech Hill Ave & Orange Grove Ave Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
View Larger Map
Directions:
Turn right to merge onto I-10 W toward Los Angeles 2.6 mi
Take exit 42 for State Hwy 57 S toward Santa Ana 1.3 mi
Merge onto CA-57 S 4.1 mi
Slight left at CA-60 W (signs for Los Angeles/CA-60 W) 9.4 mi
Take exit 14 toward Seventh Ave 0.3 mi
Turn left at Gale Ave (signs for Gale Ave/Seventh Ave/Hacienda Heights) 381 ft
Turn left at 7th Ave 0.8 mi
Turn right at E Orange Grove Ave 0.2 mi
View Larger Map
Day: 10/18/2008
Time: 8:00 am
Meeting: Beech Hill Ave & Orange Grove Ave Hacienda Heights, CA 91745
View Larger Map
Directions:
Turn right to merge onto I-10 W toward Los Angeles 2.6 mi
Take exit 42 for State Hwy 57 S toward Santa Ana 1.3 mi
Merge onto CA-57 S 4.1 mi
Slight left at CA-60 W (signs for Los Angeles/CA-60 W) 9.4 mi
Take exit 14 toward Seventh Ave 0.3 mi
Turn left at Gale Ave (signs for Gale Ave/Seventh Ave/Hacienda Heights) 381 ft
Turn left at 7th Ave 0.8 mi
Turn right at E Orange Grove Ave 0.2 mi
View Larger Map
Monday, October 13, 2008
Friday, October 10, 2008
Bicycle Friends T-Shirt Design
There is a website called www.customink.com that makes custom made to order t-shirts. I was just having fun and decided to try my hand at a BicycleFriends.com t-shirt.What do you think? I chose the Gildan 100% Cotton in Navy. This is the same brand we use for our CANIDAE t-shirts and the quality is good. Customink.com lets you choose various royalty free art and the guy on the road bike picture looked the best. I duplicated the picture and put in the background one in black and in the foreground one in yellow. The yellow is slightly offset to give a "shadow" effect. I thought this was clever on my part. Finally, I added my www.bicyclefriends.com at an angle to give the whole t-shirt an touch of motion.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Single Speed on a budget!
A friend brought me a project bike last Monday. An old Trek 920 was presented to me, faded pink or purple with dirt, rust, grime, flat rotted out tires and broken 21 speed Shimano shifters. Her request was to clean it up and get it in working order for a commuting bike from home to work (A distance of 2 miles round trip).
She didn't want to spend to much to get it working so I opted to trash the busted shifters and convert it to a single speed. Yipee! This would be my first SS conversion. I quickly started "researching" SS conversions on mtbr.com, created my inventory checklist and surfed performancebike.com, nashbar.com and jensonusa.com for parts.
The take down. Once I got the Trek 920 to my garage, I started dismantling the excess parts; shifters, gone, front and rear derailers, gone, rotted tires and tubes, gone. I removed the crank arms, 42t and 22t chain rings. Okay now the cassette, gone.
I decided to order my supplies from performancebike.com, they had the best deals and shipping wasn't to bad. I ordered, tires, tubes, rim tape, pedals, grips, forte SS conversion kit and a few other misc items. A few days later, the parts were delivered to my work.
The build was surprisingly easy. The only "semi-dificult" part was getting the correct chain line and proper tension on the forte SS hanger. The trick it to get as much chain tension AND as short a chain length possible. Do this and your chain will not skip.
I ordered these Forte Sherwood XC Tires. They have a nice tread pattern suited for the type of riding my friend will be doing. The Forte Sherwood's aren't too aggressive and have a lower profile for less rolling resistance.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Glendora Mountain Road
If you Google, "Glendora Mountain Road," you'll find this blog:
http://glendoramtnroad.blogspot.com/
Its a really good blog regarding another riders quest to conquer GMR and get to Mt. Baldy. The author breaks GMR into parts; "Fork" plus 2 miles, then "Fork" plus four and so on until he reaches Mount Baldy. If you can make it to the maintenance shed fairly easily, its worth trying his method to reach Mount Baldy.
Its been about 15 years since I last made a trek to Mt. Baldy from GMR. I started riding again about 3 years ago and this is one of my goals.
Lets see what happens.
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