Bob's Bike Blog

May is Bike to Work Month

2011-05-12T21:00:00.000-07:00

May 12, 2011 is bike to work day for the bay area. This day of the month is where I see the most bicycle commuters at any given time.

Since I am back to being employed full time, I have committed myself to commute by bike as much as possible. On average I have been biking to work 3-4 times a week. The round trip is 18 miles.

I must confess I consider myself a fair weather rider. If I see any hint of rain, I will choose not to ride.

Ready to go!

Milpitas Energizer Station on Montague Expy/Main St

Yahoo! Energizer Station on Great America Parkway

Sports Basement Energizer Station on Bowers/Central Expy

Snacks and giveaways from various energizer stations.

Lunch break at a fountain near my workplace.

Cooling off by the fountain during lunch time.

Got a few bikes and want them to fit the same?

2011-05-09T22:08:00.000-07:00

If you have a few bikes and want them to fit the same try using Park Tools Road Positioning Chart.

Park Tools has an excellent worksheet and instructions on capturing your measurements off your favorite ride and how to transfer those measurement to another ride in your stable.

Determine which bike fits you the best and use that as your template for your other bikes.

Visit this Park Tools link here to get instructions and download the worksheet.

Ingenious?

2010-06-09T21:45:00.001-07:00

I was fascinated by the design that I bought these water bottles called "Clean Bottle".

The design is for people like me who have a habit of leaving liquid in the bottle for days where the contents become a petri dish of unknown organisms.

Since top and bottom are removable, it makes it easier to clean.

You Two Again?

2009-12-29T23:45:00.001-08:00

I decided to go for a ride today and I ran into my sister inlaws on my way up Alum Rock Park. It nice running into them. The roads were much drier than the other day so I went part way up Mt. Hamilton Rd via Miguelita Rd.

Goodbye Jeordi

2009-12-28T14:16:00.000-08:00

I have to say goodbye to my pet Jeordi aka the "Boss". I will miss you and the rides we took on the Xtracycle to the track on Sundays. I know you are in a better place now.

Intervals...Intervals...Intervals

2009-12-27T17:00:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day to ride. After the last nights precipitation dousing I knew the roads would be damp. I didn't get out till about noon, figuring I would let the roads dry up abit.

I started up with a high cadence from the house then when I hit Piedmont Road, I started my intervals. Once I got to Alum Rock Park, I held a steady 70 rpm on the climb. There is a short climb to the top after passing the gate so I decided to pick up the pace and try to do a standing climb all the way to the top. I manage to do 80% of that effort. I was happy with that effort.

On the way down, I ran into my sis-in-law C and her sister M. I took it easy the rest of the way home keeping them company.

UPS Goes Green

2009-12-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

You may not believe this, but UPS delivered a package to my house today and he was on a Schwinn tri-cycle bike with a burley trailer. I asked him, "Are you serious?" He said, the company was trying to save money and are now making deliveries by bike. I wish I took a pic of it. It was hard to believe it but I Google it and found this

Mill Creek Road

2009-11-05T14:18:00.000-08:00

The neighborhood streets where littered with golden brown leaves. The leaves made crackling sounds as I rode over them. The chill in the air confirmed that fall has come upon us.

I decided to hit an old road that I use to ride 15+ years back. Mill Creek Road in Fremont is 4.25 miles going up. From what I recall this is a hard climb. But today it seemed easy.

I wish I brought my camera to catch the changing colors of the season.

Garmin Connect - Activity Details for Mill Creek

Alum Rock Park Ride

2009-11-03T10:54:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday morning I did a ride to Alum Rock Park. Did some hill climb intervals/sprints.

Then I took the bike out on the trail as well...well as far as my 700x23 tires would allow me to!

I got a glimpse of quite a few deer during the ride as well.

And I got to break in the new Garmin Edge 705 as well!

Find for the Day

2009-11-03T10:10:00.000-08:00

It never ceases to amaze me what you might find on the road while biking. This is my find for the day.

Another addition to my BT gadgets.

Car vs Bike

2009-11-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

I've been following a court trial that just started this month from an incident that happened back on July 2008.

Why is it that a majority of articles that report this seem to present it as motorist vs cyclist when its plainly people vs people. No matter how you label them, some person did something to another person which caused a reaction right or wrong. People need to learn how to get along and respect one another.

I hope to never have what happed to these people happen to me.

If you are interested in following the court trial you can read about it here.

Updated: 11/2/09 Guilty

Small World

2009-10-21T15:22:00.001-07:00

Went out this morning for a 25 mile ride to Alum Rock Park. While I was resting at the peak of the climb another cyclist comes up and we get to chatting. Turns out he mountain bikes with a bunch of my roadie friends from Siclista.

It was nice to meet you Jessie. Hope to see you on some of our Sunday rides.

1990 Bridgestone RB-1

2009-10-15T16:14:00.000-07:00

This bike was my sister's 1st road bike. When mountain biking started to pick up in popularity the bike was not being used much at all. I offered to take it off her hands in exchange for a personal computer. Back then I was riding my Tommasini SLX, then my Eddy Merckx Ti. This bike just hung in my garage for the longest time or was lent out to friends wanting to try out road biking.

I decided it was time to dust it off, upgrade it and bring back into action. The Ultegra STI components lying around in the garage that were previously on the Eddy Merckx found their way on to the RB-1. Initially I was going to put on some downtube shifters on but decided to go STI.

Now the RB-1 has a new purpose in life...to be ridden.

A New Bike for My Honey

2009-10-09T18:59:00.000-07:00

It was time to look for a bike for the wife. The old bike she had was having problems with the 1st generation STI shifters not wanting to change gears. It was either buy new parts to upgrade or look for a good deal on a bike. I chose the latter. Results? A brand new 2008 Fuji Finest 1.0 found on eBay. So much lighter than her old bike.

Never Hurts To Call

2009-10-07T11:06:00.000-07:00

A while back, my Topeak Micro Rocket CB handle separated. It looks like the sleeve became unglued from its base. I probably could have fixed it by super glueing it back on, but I decided to contact Topeak's customer service. After explaining what had happened to the pump, they offered to send me a replacement part. They even went further to tell me if that didn't fix the problem, they would send me a whole new one!

I recieved the replacement part and it worked like a charm! The pump is back in service. Thanks Topeak for great customer service!

Siclista Ride

2009-09-27T17:38:00.000-07:00

I got back from a 73 mile ride with the Siclista group. Damn Michelin PRO3s are not worth a damn! They are heading for the garbage can! Thanks to Tony for having a life saving tire patch(Park Tool TB-2) that helped get me home.

Tire looks like it got a white head on the side just ready to pop!

Sports Basement Ride

2009-09-20T00:43:00.001-07:00

Last June, I did the Sports Basement ride that starts at the Presidio in S.F. and crosses the Golden Gate Bridge then into Muir Woods. I rode with my Uncle Marcel and sister inlaw, Cici. We all enjoyed the ride and thought it would be nice to map the route.

You can get the route sheet here.

SPORTSBASEMENT RIDE

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Tassajara Livermore Loop

2009-09-18T22:59:00.000-07:00

Siclista is having a ride this Sunday on 20SEP09. I plan to attend. Ride starts at 0730 at the Lucky Foodstore parking lot at 32300 Dyer St Union City, CA 94587

Route slip is here.

TASSAJARA LIVERMORE LOOP

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Siclista Classic II

2009-09-12T23:45:00.000-07:00

The Siclistas, a cycling group that I'm a member of hosted their 2nd annual Siclista Classic. I volunteered to help out with the ride as photographer and escort for the event. I couldn't hang around after the ride, because I had to make it to my niece's and nephew's karate tournament. It was a quite a busy day!

New Changes

2009-08-28T10:30:00.000-07:00

I went for a early morning bike ride today, 50 miles! It felt good to get out there and enjoy the fresh air. On my ride, I encountered lots of new things on the route.

A stretch of N.Park Victoria Dr between Calaveras Blvd and Jacklin Rd is being reconfigured for lane reduction. What that means is BIKE LANE! The initial markings in the pictures below show the lane clearly defined! Woohoo!

North Bound Park Victoria Drive

N.Park Victoria/Kennedy Drive Intersection

My ride was to hit Dumbarton Bridge, so up Warm Springs Blvd I went and made a left onto E. Warren Ave to find a new overpass that now joins W.Warren Ave on the other side of I-880.

E.Warren Ave and W.Warren Ave are now joined with this overpass.

Another new find was at Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge. Looks like the state had some funds committed to build a new visitor center.

Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

As I continued on to the Dumbarton Bridge I practiced a bit of time trialing. At first, it was nerve racking, (resting the forearms on the top bar while gripping the inner brake handles), but after a few minutes I got comfortable with it. The MPH picked up considerably with the same pedal effort. Yesssss!

There seems to be some work going on at the bridge. Half of the bridge had a asphalt layer on the east side while the other half of the span was untouched.

Finished Side

Unfinished Side

Quite a few changes on this route that I haven't done in quite a while since I no longer commute to work by bike.

A New Crossing

2008-11-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

Hooray! The long awaited Broadway Pedestrian Overpass bridge is finally open! I have waited over a year for this to get done and it is now a reality!

East side entrance to overpass

Midspan view looking east

No more taking this route to or from work!

Lousy Ride

2008-11-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

Rode home from work today. The weather was nice, the skies clear and the road was dry.

It would have been a great ride if I didn't get 3 flats, get held up by a train for a good 10 minutes and I still had a slow leak in the tire I fixed.

Distance: 43.9 mi
Ride Time: 2:33
Average: 17.1 mph
Max: 26.2 mph
Average HR: 148 bpm
Max HR: 181 bpm
Cadence: 83 rpm

Tire Change

2008-11-11T10:51:00.000-08:00

My rear tire on my Eddy Merckx is finally at the end of life. The tire is square edged and bare threads are showing through. It wouldn't be much longer before it would puncture or I take a turn hard and go down. Its time for a tire change.

Over 2800 miles on this one!

As I stated in a previous post, I was wondering if it was better to buy 3 tires at a time or two. This will be my first application of using a three tire method. The tires, Vredestein Fortezzas, have over 2800 miles on them. I will be replacing the rear tire and leaving the front unchanged. It is my hope that by the time I wear the rear one out I will need a whole new set. My expectation is the get a minimum of 5000 miles on a set of 3 tires. This might be a bit of a stretch, but it is my hope. Time to put it to the test.

The 3rd tire of the set mounted and ready.

No RBR Ride Today

2008-11-09T22:00:00.000-08:00

I was planning to do the RoadBikeReview ride today, but I misread the Siclista blog on where the meeting place was. So I rode alone for a good 15 miles until I remembered that there was another shorter ride which was posted on the blog. I figured I would ride against the route and I should run into them. I was already close to the start point and I hadn't run into anyone. A quick SMS message to the ride leader and I find out that they decided to the the ride clockwise. We were about 6-8 miles apart so we rode toward each other till we hooked up.

L-R Me, JohnM & Manny

We met up and there were just two riders, JohnM and Manny. JohnM was riding a different bike. He usually rides a Softride bike, but today he showed up on a Orbea Orca bike! Nice bike JohnM! He too was planning to ride the RBR ride, but realized he forgot most of his riding gear, he had to go back home to get it. So he decided to do the short ride that was posted. Good thing he did, because he is so used to riding the Softride bike which is setup TT and the Orca is setup as a standard road bike. It was a new riding experience for him.

JohnM with his Orbea Orca

During the ride back to my car, I got a flat and while repairing it, I met Sissie and Glenn from Florida. They were on these 3 wheel trikkes that I have seen on tv.

Glenn & Sissie

Ride Stats: Time: 3:23 Dist: 53.61mi Avg: 15.8mph Cadence: 82rpm Max: 42.3mph AHR: 151bpm MHR: 188bpm

Dark/Lonely Ride

2008-11-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

Did a ride from work (Burlingame, CA) to home (Milpitas, CA). Started late so it got dark fast. But no worries, had my Dinotte 200L to light the way and a 140L in fast strobe mode to fend off any cars thinking of getting too close. Temperatures started to cool but my base layer wind blocker kept the cold air at bay. The ride was uneventful. At least I had my iPod shuffle to entertain me and it kept my cadence steady at 90+ rpm. I passed one other cyclist on the way home.
Ride Info: 44 miles, 2:15:00
Avg pbm: 159

Not a very good shot of my dinotte 200L in action (setting on high)

I Voted...How About You?

2008-11-04T16:53:00.000-08:00

Today is a big day. No matter what side you are on, get out and vote. There are other issues at stake that need to voted on, not just who is going to be sitting in the Oval Office. History will be made either way.

1st Ride for November

2008-11-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

With the daylight savings time change and an extra hour sleep, Sunday turned out to be a good day for a ride. It had been raining pretty good the last few days and I needed to get out stretch my legs.

My local bike club, Siclista California, had a short/easy 33 mile ride scheduled for today, so I decided to add to it by biking to the meeting location from my house 16 miles away. Thinking it was going to be a chilly morning ride, I decided to layer up for the ride. Man was I wrong! First off, I started late so I was forced to ride hard to make sure I got to the meeting place before they took off. I did make it with a good 10 minutes to spare, but I was overheating big time. I could see the steam emanating from my body while waiting for the rest of the riders to show up.

We ended up with a group of 7 riders. Either the late night heavy rain scared off the riders or they just wanted to take advantage of the extra hour of sleep (I don't blame them!). I ended up with a good 45mi ride.

Women's Nike Marathon

2008-10-19T20:00:00.000-07:00

I went to watch the Nike Woman's Marathon in San Francisco where two of my family members were registered to do their 1st ever full marathon. The course had the runners start at Union Square downtown San Francisco and finish at the Great Highway near Golden Gate Park. We managed to find parking along a side street running parallel to the Great Highway that was a few miles from the finish.

The whole family was there for moral support. I figured I would bring my xtracycle along to give the kids a ride around while we wait for our two runners to come by. We positioned ourselves near mile 17/24 of the course and setup tables and chairs, brought cow bells and all kinds of snacks and drinks.

It was overcast and cold, but the kids did not seem to really mind. The kids took turns riding on the back of the xtracycle while we waited. When the first of our marathoners, Cici showed up I ended up following her the rest of the run to and promised her a ride back if she completed the marathon.

I ended up shuttling both marathoners, Cici and Bubet back after their run, logging 20 miles of my own. They were glad I was there for the support and of course the ride back!

Congratulations to the both of them for completing their 1st full marathon!

Cici still all smiles after 26 miles!

Bubet making out like a caped crusader!

Coming in for a landing!

Job well done you two!

Death Ride 2008

2008-07-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

129 Miles 15,000 Ft 5 Mountain Passes

July 12th, the day of the “Death Ride” was a memorable experience for myself and my invited club riders from Siclista California. This was their 1st time to attempt the famous ride. I done this ride many times so I was the veteran of the group on this ride.

Days before leading up to the ride, everyone was testing, tuning and double checking their bikes and equipment, making sure everything was in working order for the big day. We took short ride into Markleeville from the campsite and then a short climb to Turtle Rock Park to calm the newbies excitement and to give them a taste of what lies ahead on the day of the ride. Smoke from the nearby fires were a concern to most of us but when the big day came, the skies were clear.

The game plan was a simple one, wake up at 3:45AM, get ready and leave by 4:30AM. As we left our campsite, we could see other campsites with lights on as other riders were also preparing to head out for the same adventure.

The 1st pass, Monitor Pass was a long 9 mile climb with a few breaks. We all made it to the top of Monitor Pass getting our 1st pass sticker and proceeded down the back side of Monitor Pass. The descent greeted us with breath taking views and the wide smooth road afforded us to accelerate to speeds exceeding 50 mph! What a rush!

Down at the bottom, we got our 2nd pass sticker and regrouped. Before the charge back up, many of us dumped our heavier gear no longer needed, to the support team for pickup after the ride. A few pics here and there, and we were back in the saddle for the long climb back up. Though it was fun going down, thoughts of going back up it were not as happy.

As we proceeded up the backside Monitor Pass, roughly midway up the climb, we were greeted by some young men stretched out along side the road, offering to refill our bottle(s) with Cytomax or water. Give them your bottle without stopping, and a relay began as the 1st young man would run ahead with your water bottle calling out your bib number and drink request prior to handing it over to the next young man who would do like wise. This concerted effort involved at least 5 to 6 of them. As you grind your way up toward the hydration station, your bottle is handed back to you with more words of encouragement and well wishes. These guys are truly awesome!

Back at the top of Monitor Pass! Two down, three to go. I stopped for water and a Cliff bar and regrouped with the other Siclistas. At this point, it was obvious that we could no longer ride as a group. During the second long climb, the thin air had started affecting some of the riders. With fatigue and the onset of cramps or soreness, doubts of finishing had entered the minds of the riders. We had only completed 35 miles!

We left the top of Monitor Pass to continue on to Ebbetts Pass. The weather was warm but not too hot; it was bearable. The long climb to Ebbetts was done and got sticker number 3. I didn’t stop for a break there but continued down the back side of Ebbetts. I’m all alone now and when I got down to the bottom of Ebbetts, I got sticker number 4. A quick fill of my bottles and a snack, I am off back up the back side of Ebbetts Pass. I make it up and over Ebbetts and stop part way down the front side of Ebbetts for lunch.

On the descent down Ebbetts toward Markleeville, there is loud thunder and a few drops of rain. I reach Markleeville and am greeted by crowds cheering. One of the loudest bunch in the crowd are my wife, Mary Ann, and family, all with cow bells ringing loudly as we approach. I had just completed 85 miles! I dumped my warmers and other items no longer needed; it was warm in Markleeville.

Went past Turtle Rock Park and descended down to Woodfords Junction. I am hot; so I ride under the water shower provided by the support crew at Woodfords. It was a cold spray, but felt good. No sooner after the spray, I am greeted by a sudden downpour! A thunder storm caught up with us and doused us completely. Water pooled in my shoes, I was miserable and cold. I ran into the other Siclistas along side the road; they are resting while I continued on. A bit later, white little pebbles started pelting us. It was hailing! I had to get out of my saddle to generate more body heat. The effort is making me hungry and I realized I had no energy bars or gels since I dumped them all at Markleeville. I figured I can get some at the last stop before taking on the last pass. But it’s just pouring now, I reach the last rest stop and see riders crammed in under the awnings and its so thick with people that I had no idea if there was any food or not. I thought I was done for at that point. I started to dig deep into my back pockets and voila! I found a packet of fig bars that did not get tossed while in Markleeville. I ate it and went to get more Cytomax from the table when the rest of the Siclistas rode up and said they were not stopping and continued on. I told them I will catch up with them after I fill up my bottles.

Back on the road past Picketts Junction, 1 hour ahead of the cut off time. All the Siclistas and I are home free! More rain and more rain as we continued towards Carson Pass. Knowing that we beat the cut off time, we take it easy from here. Up to the top of Carson Pass the 5th and final climb we did it! 129 miles and 15,000 vertical feet completed when we reach the finish!

I found out later after the ride that at Woodfords the temperature had dropped from 92 to 50 degrees farenheit in a matter of minutes. The hail started out the size of small ball bearings increasing in size up to a gumball roughly the diameter of a quarter. The local sheriff ended up closing the course at Picketts Junction.

No, this is not the bike I will be using!

Training ride to Markleeville from Grover Hots Springs SP

It's only 4:30 in the morning!

Up the back side of Monitor Pass

5 Pass finishers autograph poster.

5 Pass Finishers (Dennis, BobbyG, JohnV, Bong & Benjie)

Additional Death Ride 2008 Pictures.

Time For New Tires & Wheelsets

2008-05-21T20:00:00.000-07:00

It's time for a new set of tires for my Orbea Orca. The current set Michelin ProRace2 700X23 are near end of life or I should say the rear is end of life. The rear tire is starting to show bare threads and has deep cuts to the point that the inner tube wants to expose itself where the cuts are. The tires have 2500 miles on them.

My new set on the bike will be the Michelin ProRace3 700X23s. I had Performance Bike price match them with another online store and used a 20% coupon which ended up costing $30.50 each. They're willingness to pricematch always brings me back to them.

It always crossed my mind that I should by my tires in sets of 3. Since the rear tire wears out faster than the front. I figure the extra tire would replace the rear one as it wears down. Or, I just get a pair then replace both front and rear and save the old front tire as an emergency spare. What do you think?

While I'm at it, a group buy with my cycling buddies netted a great deal on 3 Spinergy Stealth SS Carbon wheelsets from Gotta Ride Bikes. These wheelsets are just as tough as my Ksyrium SSC SLs. One thing I can honestly say about these new wheelsets is with the aero profile there is definately a difference in the ride quality. They ride smooth and take corners like you are on rails. Ride times on my regular routes have shown some improvement in lower ride times. If its all in my head then... its okay, they look cool!

My Orbea Orca with new wheelset and tires

Bike To Work Day

2008-05-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

One day in the month of May is "Bike To Work Day". The purpose of the event is to promote cycling as a form of transportation to the workplace, to celebrate those who bicycle commute throughout the year, to demonstrate an environmentally friendly transportation option, and to promote clean air.

Normally I commute home from work, but on this day I chose to ride to work. The bike of choice for the event? My Xtracycle. Used mainly for errands around town I figured it would be a good day to ride it all 45 miles!

My Xtracycle is ready to go!

One of many typical Energizer stations set up during "Bike to Work Day". This one just happens to be along my route.

Dinotte Lights

2008-03-05T21:58:00.000-08:00

Product Review: DiNotte 200L LED Headlight & 140L LED Taillight

I have been using the DiNotte 200L headlight & 140L taillight system since November 2007. Its about time I write down my thoughts about these products.

I picked them on a special Friday sale directly from DiNotte. The sale basically was $9 less than the standard package but came with extra items thrown in.

DiNotte 200L LED Headlight Package Contents $160

* 200 Lumen LED light engine
* Battery Holder (2)
* Battery Charger
* AA NiMH batteries 2700mAh (4)
* O-Rings (2)
* Velcro Straps (2)
* Helmet Mount
* Battery Bag (2)

DiNotte 140L LED Taillight Package Contents $160:
* 120 Lumen LED light engine
* Battery Holder (2)
* Battery Charger
* AA NiMH Batteries 2700mAh (4)
* O-Rings Large (2)
* O-Rings Small (2)
* Taillight Mount (2)
* Velcro Straps (2)
* Battery Bag (2)

Mounting

DiNotte's choice of mounting system is one of the most simple to use. All it takes is slipping the o-ring around the handlebar or seatpost and slipping it into the groove on the light engine. No special mounting hardware required, its that simple. The o-ring has enough holding power to keep the light pointed where its aimed.

Operating Modes

Both the headlight and taillight units have 6 modes of use, 3 steady light and 3 flashing mode. It makes them quite versatile.

To operate either unit:

Double press power button to turn on.
Press and hold power button for 2 seconds to turn off
Press power button to change the brightness in steady mode or flashing pattern mode
To switch between steady and flash hold the power button down for 6 seconds then double press power button to turn on. It's that simple to use.

The light system power button also doubles as a mode indicator that blinks (in blue) in various patterns to let you know what brightness level or flashing pattern is being used. When your batteries get low, the power button will switch from blue to red and switch to low brightness mode. This is a nice feature of the light rather than just shutting off you still have some reserve light available.

Run time on the AA system provides me adequate run time for the commute I do. Per the instruction manual the run times are as follows:

Single Light Run Times on 4 Cell AA NI-MH
2 Hours @ 100%
4 Hours @ 50%
8 Hours @ 25%
12 Hours Slow Pulse
6 Hours Rapid Pulse
6 Hours Strobe

Comparisons:

My 1st lighting system I used for commuting was a SuperGo HL-10 10w halogen and a Blackburn Mars 3.0 taillight for the rear. The SuperGo unit had one mode only and that was on. It provided me adequate light for my commute, but lacked decent run time. The DiNotte was noticeably brighter and with the various modes available to me, I can extend the run times by carryong an extra battery clip (125g). The taillight unit by far hands down must be one of the brightest units available on the market. You are seen and that's what counts.

Ever since I started using the DiNotte system back in November 2007, here are some of my observations:

* Cars pulling out of parking lots or side streets see me approaching
* Cars in back of me give a wider berth when passing
* I can see further down the road compared to my 1st unit
* I am noticed well before the cars come up behind me and they actually slow down before passing

Since I got these lights, night riding has been less stressful and actually enjoyable. The units are a bit pricey, but for what they provide, its cheap insurance when your life could depend on it.

Additional DiNotte Specs:

Charge time 4 hours
4 Cell AA Ni-MH 125g
Light Engine 185g
Beam Angle: 18 deg
Headlight Output 200 Lumens
Taillight Output 120 Lumens

2007 Wrap Up

2008-01-03T10:49:00.000-08:00

2007 is over. It's hard to believe the year went by so fast. Here's a recap of my riding miles for the year 2007

4K Reached!

2007-12-01T20:09:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe that December 1st marks logging 4000+ miles on two wheels for the year so far. November is the month that I logged 704 miles, the most I ever did in a single month.

With Christmas lurking just around the corner, I expect December to be a low month. I will be off every Monday till the end of the year. Mondays are usually one of my bike commute days. Its also has been getting much colder in the mornings, making me want to make some excuse to drive into work. I will just have to stay focused.

Product Review: Ultra GatorSkin

2007-11-27T13:52:00.000-08:00

As of today, I have over 600 miles on a pair of Continental Ultra GatorSkin tires in 5 weeks. I have been using 700x23 size tires from different manufacturers, and this is the 1st time trying out a 700x25 tire size. I have used Continental tires in the past, Grand Prix, SuperSport clinchers & Sprinter tubulars. So this brand of tire is no stranger to me.

After making my commitment to commute, I knew I would be needing a good set of tires for the task. Continental came to mind after having used this brand in the past.

First impressions of this tire? Wow! What a smooth ride! I can't seem to get over on how smooth and comfortable these tires ride! On my commute, there are sections of road that just beat me up. The Contis just seem to soak up those bumps eagerly. It's hard to believe that the size change from 700x23s to 700x25s could make such a difference. Running over debris on the road is still nerve racking, but the Contis just take the abuse with no complaints.

The tire size does have some drawbacks, mainly in the handling department. The front tire tracks well on hard turns, but the back seems to be a bit loose when pushed hard. I have not yet experienced these tires on wet conditions but I will update this review when or if I do.

The first day of use, I got two flats on the rear tire, once going to work and then again heading home. I blame myself for those flats for not using a brand new tubes with the tires. The original tubes had two or more patches on them already and they leaked where the patch was. Since I replaced them with new tubes, its been no longer an issue.

The tires are constructed with a wire bead on all available tire size offered. If a foldable tire is desired, only the 700x23 size is available.

Specs:
Tire: Ultra GatorSkin
Size: 700x25C
Color: Black/Black
Weight: 300g
Recommended Inflation: 95 psi
Max Inflation: 120 psi

2005 Fuji Royale

2007-11-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

Performance Bike had year end clearance sale back in November 2005. I was originally looking to get this for my wife for Christmas. I liked it so much, I ended up with a his and her pair!

The bike is basically a flat bar road bike. The carbon seat stays and fork with 700x28C Kendas helps smooth out the ride on bumpy roads.

Bike Info

Upgrades done:

Cateye Micro Wireless

Ergon GC2 Grips

Campus Pedals

StumpJumper FS Is Now A Longtail

2007-11-17T22:45:00.000-08:00

Back in 1993 I bought a Specialized StumpJumper FS. As long as I had the bike it rarely saw duty on the single track as much as I would have liked. Rather, it spent a majority of its life on short trips on the street. I even used this bike twice on the Death Ride. The first time on off road tires and the second time on slicks.

Fast forward 2007. While on vacation in Hawaii, I noticed that people liked getting around on bikes on the island. There was this one bike I saw at a rental shop hauling of all things, a surf board! I thought that was one of the coolest things to see. I found out it was an Xtracycle conversion. Turns out, you can get these conversion kits called FreeRadical Hitchless Trailer online or from a LBS that carries them.

The kit has everything you need to convert your bike to a longtail. I found a new one on eBay for less $$ that some guy decided not use and ended snatching it up.

If you do your own wrenching, you can convert a bike in about 1 1/2 hours. Since the conversion, my mountain bike is getting alot more miles now. Its just plain fun to ride! This conversion is completely reversible.

After a while, I wanted to put full fenders on the bike, but there are no eyelets on my front fork or on the FreeRadical. I hear that the new FreeRadicals have eyelets on them now. A visit to my local hardware store electrical department I found GB Electrical Cushion Clamps, 1" diameter (P/N PPR-1600) and 5/8" diameter (P/N 1558) that would do the job. So now the longtail is rain ready.

Here are pics of the clamps installed on the bike.

Commuting by Bicycle

2007-11-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

My commute by bike one way is about 29 miles one way. Time wise the bike portion of the commute is about 1 hour 30 minutes give or take 15 minutes. The round trip commute makes for a good workout.

The commute is basically a flat ride with the exception of the short climb on the Dumbarton Bridge. Most of the commute is on the San Francisco Bay Trail with some portions of the ride that require me to use the public roadways.

With the use of my Garmin 305 HR GPS unit, I finally made time to plot my route with pictures on EveryTrail.

You can see my route with pictures here at Bike Commute at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: GPS Travel Community

Introduction

2007-11-13T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm Bob. I guess you could call me a recreational cyclist. I mostly do rides after work with friends and coworkers around the San Francisco Bay Area.

After being diagnosed as a type 2 diabetic, I figured its time to up the miles on the bike to keep the sugar levels in check. Also, with the surge in gas prices & traffic I figure its time to try commuting by bike. Commuting by bike everyday would great, but not possible since my commute by car is 70 miles round trip and 90 miles by bike.

So to mix it up, I drive part way to work and park my car at the foot of the Dumbarton Bridge on CA-84 saving a $4 toll, then ride in the rest of the way in. I started my commuting by bike in October and we shall see how it goes from there.