The Golden Age of Bicycles

I just returned from from three days in Chicago where I attended the "Park Tool Tech Summit" which is an in depth hands on seminar for Bicycle Mechanics. Before I go any further I would like to thank and congratulate Park Tool for putting on a first class event.
I attended seven different workshops that were put on by the Reps of each manufacturer. Mine were, Park Tool, SRAM, Shimano, Barnett Bicycle institute, Mavic, Fox and Rock Shox. They all did excellent presentations and I learned many things. What really struck me as we were working on the different systems, whether it was hydraulic Brakes, wheels, front and rear suspensions, was how precise the engineering and manufacturing of the parts was. It is amazing to me how much precise technology is packed in to a modern bicycle at what is really a low price for a fun and reliable transportation machine. Which is where the title of this post comes from. Right now really is a golden age for the bicycle. There are so many choices in styles, materials, components and price points out there that there is truly something for everyone. Now really is the time to go out and invest a decent amount of money in a good bike that fits you properly and that you like. You will ride so much more and have a more enjoyable experience if you stretch just a little and buy something nice. You will also get a precise and reliable mode of transportation that will take you where you want to go no matter how high fuel prices go and will do it for years to come. Do your self a favor and go in to a local bike shop now in the off season and ask questions, do your research and take some test rides. Then when you find that perfect bicycle buy it and take it home. You won't be sorry!

Kiva

I got a notice the other day by e-mail that some of my outstanding Kiva micro loan balances had been repaid and that I had some credit to use. So I went to my Kiva account and found another person to make a loan to. It took a total of about five min and it was done. So far since I started doing micro loans through the Kiva organization I have made a total of eight loans. The loans have gone to people in Vietnam, Nicaragua and Africa.Four have been repaid in full, one is 91% repaid, two are 66% repaid and the last is a new loan. After the first loan I did I started up with a kind of theme. I loaned to women who were supporting family's in country's that have been in the receiving end of the US Govt and/or the Military.
So if you would like to help people without a big investment check out Kiva and give it a try. It is a great organization. http://www.kiva.org/

Blood

The notice came in the mail this weekend and a phone call yesterday reminding me that the Red Cross was having another blood drive this week. It was today actually and I did what I normally do, rode my bike up to the community center, rolled up my sleeve and donated a pint. Not a big deal but it is an important thing to do.
They checked my donation record and I am two pints shy of five gallons, which I thought was a lot until I got to talking to the old guy next to me when we were done and drinking coffee. He was awarded his ten gallon pin today and he told me he started giving when he retired 21 years ago. That is A LOT of blood!
I have seen what a pint of blood can do for a person who is in need first hand and it is an amazing thing. So if you can, the next time the Red Cross is in town give them a pint and help somebody in need. And with any luck sometime this summer I will write about this subject again and I will be able to tell you that I got to the five gallon mark. ;-)

Clyde- the winter beast

Pictured above is Clyde, a Trek cruiser I bought five years ago just because I thought it looked cool, I mean how many bikes do you see these days with springer front ends? Spring, Summer and Fall Clyde is the go to bike for doing errands around town if it is raining. But the winter is where it really comes in to its own. Clyde has some features that really make this bike perfect for winter riding. A seven speed Shimano Nexus rear hub provides reliable shifting in the worst conditions and can be shifted even when you are not pedaling. It also avoids all the maintenance headaches of a rear derailleur and cassette in slushy winter conditions. It has always shifted no matter how cold it gets. It also has a rear coaster brake that always works no matter how cold, wet and nasty things are. The big fenders are a no brainer in wet weather. Overall, I was about 80% satisfied with the bike the way it came from the factory for winter conditions. This year I did two things that get me almost to 100% satisfaction. I installed big flat platform pedals from Atom Lab that have built in studs to grip the bottom of your boots. The second thing I did was to mount a set of Continental Spike Claw 120 tires. I could not believe the difference that the tires made in icy conditions. The 120 carbide studs are mounted on the outside edge of the tire tread and do not touch the road surface when you are riding straight but if you lean in to a turn or start to slide and fall the studs provide an amazing amount of grip. I went out recently in some very icy conditions and rode hard enough to where a fall was almost a given. I never fell or even came close even riding way too fast for conditions.
So if you like to ride bicycles, instead of putting it away when the leaves come off the trees keep going and try winter riding. Riding in the winter is really not that hard if you dress for it. I dress just about exactly like I would if I were going snow boarding and I am very comfortable out there.
You can go with a dedicated winter bike like I did or equip your bike so it handles the rougher conditions without problems. Either way you go it will open a new dimension of riding to you and you may find yourself thinking of bicycling as a winter sport AND hardcore hardtimes transportation like me. See you out there!

Alan Watts- A conversation

Alan Watts has a prominent place in my library with at least 27 titles on hand. He had a huge influence on me when I started reading his books right after leaving the military. Alan is also the person who introduced me to the TAO and guided my understanding. In 1971 he recorded for television " A Conversation with Myself" and it is amazing to listen to him clearly describe the problems we are encountering in society today. He saw very far and very clearly. The four parts run just shy of 1/2 hour in total. You won't be sorry if you watch the videos and take the time to read some of his books.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aufuwMiKmE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ8WeLrtFnY&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RcjATFcbq4&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOYIE-RX3No&feature=related

Alan Watts on Fear and Existence

I invite you to watch these two videos by Alan Watts. He is my all time favorite lecturer, author and explainer of Tao. He died back in the 70's but was far ahead of his time and this short lecture is very relevant to our time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asqd1H4IluQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdrSyWSrZMo&NR=1

Hard times transportation

The picture above shows the rig I have been using this summer to get groceries and haul other oversize packages that normally would be hard to transport on a bicycle. The trailer is a B.O.B ibex model that is very well built, has suspension built in and will haul 75 pounds. It also has a large, tough, waterproof bag that is included so you can haul things in rainy weather. It is very rare for me to go on any errands around town using anything other than a bicycle and having the trailer gives me more opportunities to ride and leave the car at home.