Looks like we are going to get some snow overnight and through the day tomorrow. Not much. Just 1 to 3 inches expected. I put the old knobby tires back on the bike over the weekend, so hopefully things will go a little better than last time.
I've got the support phone until Friday, then it is SUPERBOWL weekend! Steelers take another shot at the title against the upstart Cards... It should be a pretty good game.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Lunch Time Jaunt
Took the bike out around lunch time so I could get a haircut. It was might brisk out there. I also realized that I would need to bring the cable and U-Lock to be sure that I can secure the bike downtown. Locking the bike to a parking meter is not always possible with the U-lock. The bike racks are the only option, and they are not always close to the place you want to go...
So far, figuring 9 miles a day, I've gone 135 miles in January.
So far, figuring 9 miles a day, I've gone 135 miles in January.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Bike Fixed Up
I got my mongoose back from Sunflower yesterday. They put a new front wheel on it, a new chain and a new set of cogs on the back. The bearings had worn into the axle and it was cheaper to get a new wheel than to have them fix the old one. They looked the rest of the bike over, cleaned it up and determined that the chain had stretched a bit and that the 4th and 5th cogs were pretty worn out.
I also mentioned that the rear brake was a bit squishy; it didn't seem to grip as well as the front. They determined that the collar around right-rear canti was cracked. It still worked but the spring inside was flexing out of alignment because the collar was no longer keeping it in line.
All told, it was about $100, which includes a new bottle of chain lube. The bike shifts MUCH better; it had been getting hard to get it into a couple of the gears. I was flexing the shifter beyond the index mark. They usually stayed in gear, but the 4th and 5th gears had also been slipping a bit.
It was good to have it looked over. They made a couple of comments about how good the frame of the Mongoose Hilltopper was back then. (I've seen posts on some forums that they are worth picking up if you find one at a yard sale.)
I did have some problems while riding in this morning. While it shifted well, it still seemed to skip around about between 4th, 5th and 6th gear. I took it back over my lunch break and they said to give it a couple of days. With a new chain and rear cogs, it needs to break-in a bit. I didn't have any skipping on the way over to Sunflower at lunch or on the way home. So we'll see how it goes. He did tell me to bring it in again if it is still going on tomorrow. And to bring it in next week to check the wheel after a few rides.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with Sunflower. The service guys know their stuff and I didn't feel uncomfortable dealing with them at all. While I am out $100, it has been 13 years and I am using it quite a bit.
I also mentioned that the rear brake was a bit squishy; it didn't seem to grip as well as the front. They determined that the collar around right-rear canti was cracked. It still worked but the spring inside was flexing out of alignment because the collar was no longer keeping it in line.
All told, it was about $100, which includes a new bottle of chain lube. The bike shifts MUCH better; it had been getting hard to get it into a couple of the gears. I was flexing the shifter beyond the index mark. They usually stayed in gear, but the 4th and 5th gears had also been slipping a bit.
It was good to have it looked over. They made a couple of comments about how good the frame of the Mongoose Hilltopper was back then. (I've seen posts on some forums that they are worth picking up if you find one at a yard sale.)
I did have some problems while riding in this morning. While it shifted well, it still seemed to skip around about between 4th, 5th and 6th gear. I took it back over my lunch break and they said to give it a couple of days. With a new chain and rear cogs, it needs to break-in a bit. I didn't have any skipping on the way over to Sunflower at lunch or on the way home. So we'll see how it goes. He did tell me to bring it in again if it is still going on tomorrow. And to bring it in next week to check the wheel after a few rides.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with Sunflower. The service guys know their stuff and I didn't feel uncomfortable dealing with them at all. While I am out $100, it has been 13 years and I am using it quite a bit.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
No Ridey Today...
I rode on Monday and heard some noise coming from the hub of my front wheel on the way home. I didn't get a chance to look at it until almost ten last night. Definitely some grinding going on there.
I resolved to ride the wife's bike. It is a comfort bike and not a step-through frame. I have ridded it a couple of times--just a whirl to see if it was shifting correctly. So this would be a new thing; I figured it would be cool to see how it rode. I also figured that it would give me time to take my wheel apart and learn how to fix my bike.
So I transfered the rack and fenders to it. Or I tried. the front fender was no problem. The back of her Trek Navigator only has one set of threaded braze-ons. So I could but on the rack or the rear fender. I opted for the rack as it would block a lot of the water kicked-up by the tire. I could tell that it might be a tough fit, but decided to go for it.
I get the rack attached, but it is very far forward. And I can't put the trunk bag on because of the seat. The clip stops a bout 2 inches from the bar on the front of the rack. The arms for the rack are extended as far as they would go, so there really was no way that I could use the rack and trunk bag on the bike.
In the end, I took the rack of and put the rear fender on her bike. I was able to get it on there along with kick stand. By that time it was 11:30 and I really needed to crash.
This morning I struggled with whether I should ride or not. The daughter started waking up at 5:30. By six she was ready to be out of bed and made her displeasure known. I had been up at 5 to kick the cats out and I never really got back to sleep. We hadn't gotten any cereal for the week and I didn't feel like mucking about with toast. I was already getting a late start and I had to put my lunch together and get ready to ride.
By the time I got everything on and the wife's bike out the door I realized that I hadn't put the mirror on her bike. When I got out side I also realized that I had over-dressed a bit. I was pretty warm and hungry and the bike felt weird.
So I threw my bike on my car and drove.
The mongoose is at Sunflower getting the once over. They figured they would need to clean and re-grease the hub. If they had to replace any parts, they said it would be cheaper to buy a new wheel. I also told them about the back brake feeling a little weak and they were going to clean and lube the drive train.
My bike is 13 years old, so this is probably good that they are taking a look at it...
I resolved to ride the wife's bike. It is a comfort bike and not a step-through frame. I have ridded it a couple of times--just a whirl to see if it was shifting correctly. So this would be a new thing; I figured it would be cool to see how it rode. I also figured that it would give me time to take my wheel apart and learn how to fix my bike.
So I transfered the rack and fenders to it. Or I tried. the front fender was no problem. The back of her Trek Navigator only has one set of threaded braze-ons. So I could but on the rack or the rear fender. I opted for the rack as it would block a lot of the water kicked-up by the tire. I could tell that it might be a tough fit, but decided to go for it.
I get the rack attached, but it is very far forward. And I can't put the trunk bag on because of the seat. The clip stops a bout 2 inches from the bar on the front of the rack. The arms for the rack are extended as far as they would go, so there really was no way that I could use the rack and trunk bag on the bike.
In the end, I took the rack of and put the rear fender on her bike. I was able to get it on there along with kick stand. By that time it was 11:30 and I really needed to crash.
This morning I struggled with whether I should ride or not. The daughter started waking up at 5:30. By six she was ready to be out of bed and made her displeasure known. I had been up at 5 to kick the cats out and I never really got back to sleep. We hadn't gotten any cereal for the week and I didn't feel like mucking about with toast. I was already getting a late start and I had to put my lunch together and get ready to ride.
By the time I got everything on and the wife's bike out the door I realized that I hadn't put the mirror on her bike. When I got out side I also realized that I had over-dressed a bit. I was pretty warm and hungry and the bike felt weird.
So I threw my bike on my car and drove.
The mongoose is at Sunflower getting the once over. They figured they would need to clean and re-grease the hub. If they had to replace any parts, they said it would be cheaper to buy a new wheel. I also told them about the back brake feeling a little weak and they were going to clean and lube the drive train.
My bike is 13 years old, so this is probably good that they are taking a look at it...
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I Rode. I Slid. I did not Fall.
Against, or because of, my better judgement, I rode on Friday. We had watched two different weather forcasts Thursday night. The local guy said a dusting at most on the grass. The KC guy said at least an inch. I figured the KC, who is pretty accurate, had it right. And I thought I'd just decide in the morning. Well, I saw the snow but said 'What the hell!'
I learned a few things on this ride. First, I'll be putting the knobbies on the bike before the next snow fall. I didn't fall, but I had to put my foot down a couple of times. The fresh snow was fine. But riding in the car tire tracks was not fun. The cars had compressed things and then shifted them just enough to be slippy, without being obviously bad.
I also had a heck of a time getting the rain cover on for the ride home. I was loaded down with the towel I had used all week AND a 15 pound book I had lent to a buddy at work. I also did not wear as much for the ride home as it was 10 degrees warmer and not snowing. This made the panniers bulge. And the rain cover didn't like that all that much. It made little tearing sounds while I was putting it on, but I think it was just stretching the seams a bit. There are no obvious signs of damage, anyway.
I figured out that I can ride in the snow. Which is good. I learned that the dual glove combo works for snow as well. The snow did slow me down. It added about fifteen minutes each way to my commute. I had to rush through the shower portion of my morning... Other than that, the ride was pretty successful.
I learned a few things on this ride. First, I'll be putting the knobbies on the bike before the next snow fall. I didn't fall, but I had to put my foot down a couple of times. The fresh snow was fine. But riding in the car tire tracks was not fun. The cars had compressed things and then shifted them just enough to be slippy, without being obviously bad.
I also had a heck of a time getting the rain cover on for the ride home. I was loaded down with the towel I had used all week AND a 15 pound book I had lent to a buddy at work. I also did not wear as much for the ride home as it was 10 degrees warmer and not snowing. This made the panniers bulge. And the rain cover didn't like that all that much. It made little tearing sounds while I was putting it on, but I think it was just stretching the seams a bit. There are no obvious signs of damage, anyway.
I figured out that I can ride in the snow. Which is good. I learned that the dual glove combo works for snow as well. The snow did slow me down. It added about fifteen minutes each way to my commute. I had to rush through the shower portion of my morning... Other than that, the ride was pretty successful.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Will I Ever Be Warm Again
Holy crap. COLD.
I wore the full ski jacket with liner. So my upper body was all right going to and coming from work. The hands were fine as well. My head was warm for the most part, but the balaclava was pushing down into my eyes...
The legs were fine, but the feet were a little chilled. I wore heavy socks and I think my feet sweat a little and the the wind and general sub-zero temps did their work. I'll probably go back to mid-weight socks tomorrow.
90 miles.
I wore the full ski jacket with liner. So my upper body was all right going to and coming from work. The hands were fine as well. My head was warm for the most part, but the balaclava was pushing down into my eyes...
The legs were fine, but the feet were a little chilled. I wore heavy socks and I think my feet sweat a little and the the wind and general sub-zero temps did their work. I'll probably go back to mid-weight socks tomorrow.
90 miles.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Cold, Cold, Cold
But I was fairly warm. The balaclava keeps the head pretty toasty, especially with the hood up on the ski jacket.
I also ditched my regular winter gloves for a combo of my 'waterproof' gloves and some gaudy thick fleece gloves that I've had for a while. These are my Bruins gloves that I got for Christmas a few years back. The thumb, index and pinky are each bright yellow, and the middle and ring fingers are black. They are very bright and don't really go with my red, graphite and white jacket.
But this isn't a fashion show and tomorrow the effective temperature will be -11 when I leave the house. I may add thicker socks as even with the mid-weight ones I was feeling the cold a bit this afternoon.
The only other area that was at all cold was my nose, which I have to keep out of the balaclava so that the lenses of my glasses don't fog up. I'll be looking for cheap ski goggles this spring...
I also ditched my regular winter gloves for a combo of my 'waterproof' gloves and some gaudy thick fleece gloves that I've had for a while. These are my Bruins gloves that I got for Christmas a few years back. The thumb, index and pinky are each bright yellow, and the middle and ring fingers are black. They are very bright and don't really go with my red, graphite and white jacket.
But this isn't a fashion show and tomorrow the effective temperature will be -11 when I leave the house. I may add thicker socks as even with the mid-weight ones I was feeling the cold a bit this afternoon.
The only other area that was at all cold was my nose, which I have to keep out of the balaclava so that the lenses of my glasses don't fog up. I'll be looking for cheap ski goggles this spring...
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