Core dump

Posted on May 10, 2012 by the sloth

This is one of those multi-topic, Spring cleaning posts.  It’s a bunch of random clutter I need to sweep out.  You’re the dust pan.

April was #30daysofbiking.  I finished the month with at least one ride daily and 206 miles.  The bulk of that was getting the kiddos to school.  I didn’t lose a single pound.

Speaking of weight, I tend to get hungry when I exercise.  That means I eat.  So instead of burning fat, I’m burning the stuff I just ate.  When I don’t exercise, I eat then, too.  I like starchy things.  They go right to my tummy and stay there.  For the last two days I’ve been not eating within an hour of riding, before or after.  And I haven’t been eating bread or sugar.  Guess what?  I’m losing weight already.

Grant Petersen wrote a book.  It’s called “Just Ride“.  You can get it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble or better bike shops.  The evil LBS doesn’t have it.

  • He and I disagree about underwear.  In my experience, seams in the wrong place hurt.  They bunch up into my nooks and crannies and rub me the wrong way.  Seamless undies and shorts without rear pockets work well for me.
  • Part 7 was a snoozer, which surprised me.  I can talk bike parts and geometry and tire suppleness all day long until you’re bored to death.  Apparently, I like talking parts more than I like listening to someone else talk parts.  I’ll talk less parts next time.
  • Other than that, GP is spot on.  You should get a copy and read it.  It’s worth more than the 14 worthless Americanos.  I’ve already started using the wobbly bike method when cars approach.  I think it might just work.  Will report back later.

The rSogn continues to be a work in progress.  It’s currently sporting Gary II bars, which I just put on two days ago.  Haven’t ridden it yet.  Will report back later.  I also measured the 38mm Col de la Vie tires with a digital caliper.  36.2-ish at 3 bar on Velo-Orange Diagonale rims.  That’s less than a 10% margin of error.  I can live with that.  It also got some Eggbeater pedals and I put cleats on my shoes.  This experiment is probably coming to an end soonly.

The Pacer is back in rotation, but not as the Bio-Pacer.  105 double rings, drop bars, plastic sneaker pedals.  I really like the pedals and am considering trying out some of those RMX sneaker pedals or Grip Kings/Lambdas.  They allow me to ride in canvas Chuckie T sneakers, which I can’t do on rat traps like the MKS touring.  The Pacer is a fun bike.  It climbs better than anything else I own and the side pull brakes stop better than anything else I own.

There are two new Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch Me Baby Just Like That Turbo Rocket Ship Super Duper Special Edition phones on the way.  We’re also ditching T-Stationary in the process.  Android’s been good to us for the last two years.  I’m looking forward to it being even better starting tomorrow.

I finally got around to ordering that part for the refrigerator.

Ride bike!

Posted in 650b, Bicycle, Fat ass, GP, handlebars, LBS, rSogn | 2 Comments

Sometimes I’m Dr. Jekyll…

Posted on April 14, 2012 by the sloth

…and sometimes I’m Mr. Hyde.

All hail the Bio-Pacer.

Posted in Bicycle, handlebars, Wrenching | 2 Comments

Crunchpoundhash 30 Days of Biking

Posted on April 10, 2012 by the sloth

April is #30daysofbiking.  That means ride a bike every day.  Even if it’s just around the block or down the hall.  Get on your bike, their bike, a bike and ride it, at least a little, every day in April.  This is my second April participating.  It’s kinda fun.  You should try it.  Even if it’s too late for the official thing, you can still get in 30 straight days of riding.

I’ve been tracking my rides with Daily Mile.  You can go have a look at what I’ve done.

On a side note, the rules.  I have some slight additions and modifications to the rules.

  • First, if you can help it, don’t be a roadie.  However, if dressing up just like Lance, showing off your junk in your lycra shorts and riding a carbonplasticwunderbike are the things that make you want to ride, well, it’s better than not riding.
  • Rules 4 and 5 are, without question, spot on.
  • Rule #29.  A tool roll is acceptable.  In fact, it’s dumb to carry tools in your jersey.  Have a tube, patch kit, tire levers and a small set of wrenches or a multi-tool for every bike.  Leave them on the bike all the time.  Attach the roll to your saddle with a toe strap.
  • Rule #30.  No pump peg shall be left unadorned.  The full sized frame pump, the one that fits between two pump pegs, or between that little nub on the head tube and the joint between the top and seat tubes, is the one pump to rule them all.  If your bike has pump pegs, you shall acquire a frame pump.  If this is unacceptable to you, get a different bike.
  • Rule #31 should be revoked.  See the modification to rule #29.  There are no exceptions for Lezyne man-purses.
  • Rule #39 should be revoked.  Go try to find a photo of Eddy with glasses.  Try.  Go ahead.  We’ll wait.  If he didn’t need them, if his peers didn’t need them, you don’t need them.  The I’m-a-douche eyewear fad started by Lemond should have died when he retired.
  • Finally, the frame material pecking order, from highest to the lowliest of the low.  Steel, titanium, aluminum, plastic.  One could possibly argue that aluminum ranks higher than titanium at certain price points.

The refendering of the rSogn is still on deck.  Stay tuned.

Posted in Bicycle, Bloggity, rSogn | Leave a comment

Spring cleaning

Posted on April 4, 2012 by the sloth

A few things have happened since the last installment.  We bought a house, moved our stuff, cleaned the old place, and tried really hard to not pull all our hair out.

Bicycle miles for March are pretty close to zero.  As such, I kinda didn’t finish the Utilitaire 12.  I suppose I could have, and probably did, get in enough riding to do 12 utilitaires.  But they were mostly out of necessity and time didn’t allow for much variety.  I did, however, get a big ol’ Honorable Mention from the ever-so-lovely MG.  And that was super cool.  Thanks, MG!

I’ve had to do some plumbing.  The new (old) kitchen required a new faucet and dishwasher.  The new (new) bathroom needed a new shower head.  I have yet to figure out why in hell anyone would voluntarily choose to become a plumber.  Furthermore, I don’t understand how anyone with less than 7 joints in each limb can make a living out of it and not have to hand over their entire pay check to a chiropractor.  Eugene Tooms could have been a good plumber.

The rSogn is getting closer to done.  I’ve attached a Nitto M12 rack and an Ostrich handlebar bag.  Speeding down hill with a front load and no hands is wicked cool.

I just received a snazzy new set of stainless fenders from Velo-Orange. Anyone want to see a pictorial installation how-to? I’ll try to get that done within the next few days.

A slow, easy S24O is coming up.  Tentative plans have us heading down to the Lower Allen Township park and forcibly ejecting anyone else camping along the Yellow Breeches.  If you’re near Harrisburg, PA for the second or third weekends in April and would like to come along, lemme know.

I think that should just about wrap things up.  Tune in next time for co-ed naked alligator wrestling in a mud pit.

Posted in 650b, Bicycle, Cycling Blogs, Email the Sloth, Harrisburg, rSogn, S24O | 1 Comment

Utilitaire 12, Week 3, Controle 6

Posted on February 19, 2012 by the sloth

I’m cheating. Well, actually, I’m taking advantage of a technicality. The Utilitaire 12 rules state that only once can I hit two controls in one day. Since I hit the first control of the week yesterday and was unsure of today’s schedule, I waited until after midnight and went to the grocery store for control 6.

The scenic route afforded me 2.5 miles of wind and cold; a stark contrast to yesterday’s high of 50-something. Once again, I forgot to take the photo on my way out, but remembered before I left the parking lot. So I doubled back and snapped one, charged lights and all. Unfortunately, my phone’s camera crapped out again, and there’s no photo. This is getting old. On the plus side, my contract is up with T-Stationary (because there’s no service if I go anwywhere), so I should have a new one soonish.

Ride bike!

Posted in 650b, Cycling Blogs, Low trail | 1 Comment

Utlilitaire 12, Week 3, Controle 5

Posted on February 18, 2012 by the sloth

We’re down to the last 2 days for week 3 of Utilitaire 12 and I hadn’t done any riding at all. Deciding to have Neato Burrito for dinner was easy. I’m always up for burritos. Riding there is kind of a prerequisite. Otherwise, I can’t justify the calories. We didn’t eat our lunch until after 4pm, so I’m calling this dinner for the purposes of filling out the control card. Also, a friend turned me onto Strava yesterday, so this is my first use of that service. Here’s the ride map.

So far, Strava is pretty cool. The Android app uses the GPS to track the ride and then automagically uploads everything to their site. In the past I’ve used either a dedicated GPS device or the My Tracks app, and then fiddled around with uploading a GPX file to a service like Ride with GPS or Daily Mile. This Strava thing is much easier.

As usual, the Sloth’s brain is running on the slow side, and I forgot to take a photo at Neato Burrito. So I took one at home just before unloading the basket. There are two burritos and two sodas in that bag.

The bag is one of those semi-reusable 99¢ shopping bags from the local supermarket.  I bought a few of these a couple years ago and they’re still holding together.  They each have a stiff plastic insert on the bottom, which helps it stand up when it’s full.  These things fit damn near perfectly in the bottom of my Wald basket.  I generally fold it down, lay the cable and lock on top, and then cover the top of the basket with a bungee net.  This setup is very handy, and ensures I can carry just about anything that fits in the basket.

Ooh!  I have to rant about bags.

Grant Petersen thinks my bag makes me look like a hobo.  My bag costs a buck and lasts at least 2 years.  His is $60.  I can get 120 years of cycling out mine for $60.  Who knows how long his will last?  I don’t care if someone steals mine, so I leave it on the bike all the time.  The $60 bag might grow legs if I left it outside.  Mine may make me look like a hobo, but his makes me look like I’m carrying a purse.

So there.

Ride bike!

Posted in 650b, Cycling Blogs, GP, GPS, Low trail, rSogn | 1 Comment

Utilitaire 12, Week 2

Posted on February 17, 2012 by the sloth

Now that week 3 is drawing to a close, I figure it’s time to jabber about week 2. If you don’t know what a Utilitaire is, read my previous post or just go to the source at Chasing Mailboxes.

Controle 3 was the local True Value hardware store on February 9th.  It’s in the same strip mall nightmare as Isaac’s (from last week’s entry), and still not close enough to the lone bike rack, so I locked it to a downspout just in front of the hardware store.  This was, without a doubt, the most miserable ride of the year.  I was sick, it was cold, and I didn’t want to go.  There’s nothing like swollen sinuses and a bad attitude to make a bike ride last forever.  2.66 miles.  At night.

I’ve been working on a modified front rack for the rSogn, so I can start using my Ostrich handlebar bag, and needed some 1/4″ p-clamps.  They had some plastic clamps that will work for fitting and mock-up purposes, but I’ll soon have to find some in steel.

As you can probably tell, this ride was after sunset.  The rSogn’s lighting system consists of a Novatec hub dynamo wired to an IQ Fly N Plus headlight and a 4D Lite Plus taillight.  The headlight has its ups and down.  It’s certainly bright, and it has 3 detents for aiming the light.  This is an awesome feature that makes it easy to adjust the beam angle depending on conditions.  I’ll point it down it a bit on multi-user paths so as to not blind pedestrians, but aim it high on unlit rural roads to really light things up.  On the down side, it’s hideous and there are brighter options out there.  I’m please with it overall, and  have no plans to replace it.  The taillight is nothing special.  It’s not bad, and if you don’t have a rear rack it’s a good solution.  The B&M Toplight Line Plus is a far better taillight.  If I had a rear rack permanently mounted, that’s what I’d use.

My 4th controle was the supermarket 2 blocks away on the 12th.  I took the scenic route and made it an even 3 miles round trip.  This one was also at night.  Unfortunately, my phone’s camera dumped core just after I took the photo.  When I got home and tried to upload, there was no picture at all.  So you’ll have to imagine the next two days’ worth of groceries piled high in the front rack.

The rSogn has low trail front geometry.  What this means is that there’s a fairly steep head tube angle of 73°, coupled with a fork offset of 63mm.  This is a good combination for carrying loads above the front wheel.  My grocery run was probably the 2nd heaviest load so far and the handling was just fine.  Having a basket and a net, front or rear, is much easier than dealing with panniers.

Ride bike!

Posted in 650b, Cycling Blogs, Low trail, rSogn | 3 Comments

Utilitaire 12, Week 1

Posted on February 8, 2012 by the sloth

For those of you who live under a rock, the lovely MG over at Chasing Mailboxes has challenged the whole, wide world to participate in the Utilitaire 12.  I missed the Coffeeneuring Challenge (because I was living under a rock).  Anyway, the short, short, paraphrased version is “go ride your bike to get stuff done.”  You should really click the 2nd link in the first sentence.

Last week, on the 2nd, I did my two-fer.  First, I rode the rSogn to the library and donated some books for their annual-ish book sale.  This is the Cleve J. Fredrickson Library in Camp Hill, PA, but my phone died before I could get a second photo with the sign.  You’ll have to take my word for it.  3.54 miles round trip.

The rSogn, with its cushy 650b tires and low-trail geometry, handled the 20 pounds of paperbacks with ease.  I’d like a better front rack, but for now it’ll do.

Later, I scooted over to a nearby suburban-hell shopping center to have lunch with the wife.  2.66 miles round trip.

That yellow grate thing attached to the green post is part of Isaac’s branding.  I have never, ever seen a bike locked to it before, but since the only bike rack in this hole of a strip mall is clear down at the other end, I locked up here.  After we ate there was another bike locked to it.  WIN!  If you look close and squint, you can see it behind mine.  “If you park on it, they will come,” or some such.

So that’s my first week and first 2 Utilitaires.  I need to get my butt in gear for this week.

Posted in 650b, Bicycle, Cycling Blogs, rSogn | 2 Comments

Double-boinger blubber bikes

Posted on January 11, 2012 by the sloth

The rumors started yesterday.  Salsa’s working on a double-suspension fat bike.  “Oh, goody,” thought I.  “Sheldon Brown’s not dead and it’s April 1st.  This is awesome on so many levels!”  As it turns out, I was only dreaming about waking from a bad dream.  Affix your dull stare here.  Seriously, how much squishy can one cyclist need?  A lot, apparently.  The cycloblogosphere is full of “OMG! Shiny!” today.

On a more serious note, I’ve always been a proponent of strong property rights.  In other words, it’s your money and you can spend it however you want.  However, HOWEVER, I do reserve full rights to point and laugh.

Maybe this will hit the market one day and someone will mount a Brooks B135 on it with a Thudbuster.  It’s only fitting.

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Learning to Write from a TV Set

Posted on December 30, 2011 by the sloth

I sought him out because he had studied with John Gardner at SIU Carbondale.  He made us watch film adaptations of the shitty short stories they made me pretend to read in high school.  For three class meetings I stared at a television as he sat there and thumbed through his signed copy of “The Art of Fiction”.  There was no fourth, not for me.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment