Category — bike gear

I have been meaning to put up some pictures for a while but have been so busy that I haven’t really had a chance to sort through them. However, I just went through a few folders this morning and dug up some cool pics of my bike that I want that I want to share. These were take at the single track in Sullivan Canyon about a month and a half ago. Enjoy!

Woo-hoo! Check out this stylin’ bike!

Here’s a close-up of my new bicycle seat. I love it because it looks so sleek and is surprisingly comfortable.

That blur is me flying down the single track!

Stayed tuned for more pics in the next few days!

I don’t know why it has taken me so long to notice, but PIC has these awesome Shimano XT shifter pods on his mountain bike, and now I want a trigger shifter of my own. I currently have a SRAM Grip Shift, which is alright, but I think I’d prefer the trigger style. I do have some concerns, though, about whether or not the shifter pods would damage more easily after a fall. I am also worried if changing my current shifter will cause me to need to get a new derailleur or cables or something, but I guess I will just have to wait and see.

Anybody have an experience with a Grip Shift vs. a trigger shift? Please tell us about it!

We are planning to head out of town on a little bike trip this weekend in spite of the ridiculous gas prices, and I am really looking forward to the trip. My new bike seat is working out great, and my brakes and lower bracket were just replaced so I am feeling adventurous and ready to investigate some trails a little further from home.

I found a really cool site called Bikely that has great information and bike route maps, but I think PIC has a route in mind he wants to try. PIC also told me that he’s going to teach me to change my own bicycle tires in case of a flat. I wonder if that means I will also have to start carrying my own bicycle pump. Oh well, at least I will be learning a new skill!

Looks like this holiday weekend will be filled with lots of local activities. I think that maybe we’ll do some bouldering at Stoney Point, but I can’t see traveling much further than that at these ridiculous gas prices. At least the rising gas prices will help put a curb on some traffic though - that’s one way to help the environment!

Thankfully we have access to a lot of great biking opportunities here in Santa Monica, like Sullivan Canyon and the bike path on the beach. I cannot help singing the Three’s Company theme song whenever we are on the bike path, but luckily Partner-in-Climb claims not to find this behavior too embarrassing. However, we tend not to ride the bike path too often, and maybe that it part of the reason. The other part of the reason may be all the people who disregard the “Bicycles Only” signs and use the path as a sidewalk, creating a dangerous situation for bikers and walkers, but who can say.

It is also a bonus that it is drizzling right now and it’s supposed to be much cooler this weekend than it was last weekend. I was sweating buckets by the end of our ride last Saturday! I also rapidly depleted the water in two bottles, so now I am thinking it’s officially time for a CamelBak. Luckily, my Memorial Day holiday starts early and I can make a trip to Helen’s or Performance this afternoon to pick one up.

I am hoping it stays damp and hazy through tomorrow, because this is my favorite kind of weather to ride in. The trails don’t get really muddy and soft, but there is a nice cool mist and it adds a sense of adventure to even really familiar trails. Riding up the Westridge-Canyon Back fire road without sight of the usually expansive vistas somehow transforms the experience and makes it more focused. You can’t see the road ahead or behind, you have no way to gauge how far you have gone or have to go, and so you are really forced to be in the moment and commit to just accepting what lies ahead as it comes. It makes it really fun to come upon a slight downhill and cruise down it when you aren’t expecting any temporary relief at the moment. It’s like a great surprise. Sigh. Too bad I can’t hit the trail right now!

Only 5 hours til the weekend! Happy Memorial Day!

Tomorrow, May 16th is National Bike-to-Work Day! Save the environment, gas and your money while getting great exercise by riding your bike to work. Check out bike to work week info from:

• Bike to Work Week 2008
• League of American Bicyclists
• California Bike Commute

Don’t forget your bicycle helmet, and bring a bike light if you will be riding after dark.

I have said before that I am not that into “girlie bikes”, but my bike is starting to get girlie in a different way. It started with the Rock Shox Judy fork and now I am getting a Terry saddle…my bike is turning into a regular sorority!

The cool thing about the Terry Butterfly Carbon women’s saddle it is lightweight and reportedly one of Terry’s most comfortable bike seats. I love the design, which is much sleeker than many of the gel saddles I’ve been looking at. I am so exited about my new seat and can’t wait to get out on the trail!

We made plans to definitely take a long bike ride this weekend, we just haven’t decided where to go. However, I have decided that I really, REALLY want to get some panniers for this and subsequent long bike trips. I found this great pannier comparison site, but unfortunately, it hasn’t been updated since 2003. The General Recommendations seem like they would still hold true for the brands, though.

My only concern is that I heard that panniers make bikes heavier and less responsive, and that trailers are a better option for long journeys. The panniers vs. trailer debate is a big one in the bike community, and I guess it ultimately comes down to personal choice. I like the look of panniers much more than trailers, so that is making a decision even tougher.

While perusing local stores and online reviews in my quest for new bike brakes and a padded bike seat, I discovered another must-have bike accessory: the Garmin Edge 705. It combines the best features of bike training computers with Garmin GPS navigation, so you can explore new terrain freely, confident you are getting the workout you want–and that you’ll find your way back home. It’s on the Men’s Health Lust List and got a write up on Engadget a couple of months ago. I have been reading a lot of positive reviews about the integrated personal training system and the wireless route sharing capabilities. I LOVE the fact that it comes with a wireless heart rate monitor; it is such a cool feature. Can’t wait to take one for a spin, but for now it will go on my wish list.

Before getting my awesome new bike this past Christmas, I debated shipping my old Trek 800 out to the West Coast and giving it a tune-up. My sister adopted it at some point, and the last time I visited her, we dug it out of the garage and gave it a once over. After much discussion, we decided it would be too much hassle to pack it up in a cardboard box for traveling, so it’s still in her garage. We did call the airline to find out if I could fly the bike with me, and apparently they allow it for a few–at that time $80. Although I didn’t fly my bike on that occasion, I anticipate flying my new bike in the near future. I am just too attached to it to settle for a rental bike as I ride around and explore new places. Luckily, the International Bicycle Fund’s website has a very comprehensive list of airline regulations for flying with bikes. Another add for my wish list: a Thule Round Trip Bike Travel Case. It is way more stylish than a cardboard box, and it looks durable enough to withstand even my clumsiness.

I noticed a small brassy widget on the floor about a week ago and I assumed it was from one of the bikes, but I showed it to PIC and he didn’t really recognize it, so I just set it with the bike repair kit and hoped we’d eventually find the source of the mystery piece. We didn’t have to wait too long, because that piece apparently came from my front brakes. Fantastic. The good news is that PIC made the discovery while he was doing some regular tune up on the bike and not because of some horrific accident. The bad news is that brake repair is definitely beyond my bike repair skill set and is testing the limits of PIC’s, so I’ll have to send it to a professional.

My next issue is deciding how much I really want to know about this process. There is a lot of information about bike brakes available, but I don’t know that I really want to devote a great deal of time reading through it. I basically want brakes that will work when they are supposed to, thereby keeping me as safe as possible. I currently have Shimano Deore XT hydrolic disc brakes, and I do like them, other than the whole falling apart thing. I am more than open to suggestions for new brakes if anyone has any.