NorCal Bikers

Cue the Tron Music

2009-07-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

Peraves Ecomobile, Monotracer, E-Tracer and X-Tracer Cabin Motorcycles

A cabin motorcycle is a fully enclosed cabin two wheel vehicle. These things are motocycles but with full bodies, full rooflines and trunks and A/C and outrigger wheels that pop down at stoplights and low speed.

They are funky and curious and not for most bikers I know but they might be a good machine for someone looking to commute more efficiently, with less impact and with the ability to split traffic.

Unless I was putting on serious miles I can't see myself really wanting one of these but they are definitely their own brand of cool.

Um, You Pedal Bikes

2009-06-20T22:19:00.000-07:00

Elmoto: Stylish and economical electric biking in one lightweight package however it isn't really honest to call this thing a bike, you can't pedal it. Also, I'd have to say stylish is in the eye of the beholder because I find it pretty well butt ugly.

That said, its kind of an interesting concept that could be quite useful for people who have short commutes in crowded cities.

But it definitely ain't a bicycle.

Mix It Up to Keep It Fresh

2009-06-17T10:20:00.000-07:00

The trail that I ride most often runs through a portion of Nisene Marks State Park in Aptos, California. The trail goes out of the park and then back in after a steep and tough climb up to Sand Point which looks out over all of Aptos and out into the Monterey Bay.

It is a fantastic trail with very technical sections, singletrack along the edge of a hill with occasional hundred foot drop offs a few inches away, wide redwood lined trails and some high speed bomber run areas. There are even water hazards, bridges and the occasional wild donkey braying somewhere off in the deeps of the woods.

It is, in just a few words, some of the best riding I've had the pleasure of being able to hit regularly.

But even filet mignon gets tiring if that's all you ever eat. So, yesterday, I mixed it up a bit and reversed my normal course. I opted to climb up the backside of the mountain, a sinewy track with carved in berms, single, double and even triple jumps. Coming down this trail is phenomenally fun even though I'm not really much of a jumper, I do rather enjoy hitting a nice berm and ripping around a corner sideways.

The ride down is lots of fun but I found that the ride up affords a very, very different perspective of the trail. I saw so much more, saw numerous new routes, shortcuts, alternative tracks and tons more. It was also damned hard work because of some of the steep sections and other sections criss-crossed with roots at all angle.

I also made sure to keep my ears and eyes open not only for the occasional mountain lion but for other bikers bombing down the hill at speed. But today I saw no one until I was just about out of the woods entirely at the end of my ride. I toiled my way to the top, having to climb off and push my bike a few times.

At the very top, I took a break, drank a whole bunch of water, soaked in the magnificent view and, for some reason or another, put my bike on the swinging bench and took some pictures of it.

From there, I kept on my reverse course and dropped down the hill in the bright sun. Its an old access road that's gotten badly rutted out and I nearly went tumbling after getting a little out of control. After getting things back into a more stable state, I headed back into the park and down from the Mesa Grande trail head.

The ride back down from there is pretty familiar territory as its part of the original loop I've ridden for many months now. Its well overgrown right now and there are prickers growing out into the trail all over the place. But it is still pretty fast and always good fun. It doesn't hurt that there are rarely other people out on the trail away from the parking lots.

I also got a chance to stop near the bottom of the trail to photograph one of my favorite derelict cars. I love seeing this car slowly be absorbed back into the earth over the weeks and months and years. I was also sorely tempted to go for a quick swim in the really cold creek but was running a little tight on time so that'll have to wait for next time.

All in all, a great and refreshing ride with a new perspective, a new appreciation for the bombing run downhill on the backside of the mountain and a really good sweat.

Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner to race the 2009 Nevada City Classic!

2009-06-16T15:33:00.001-07:00

Just saw multiple tweets come through on Lance & Levi's twitter feeds,
that they along with Chris Horner will indeed be racing the 2009
Nevada City Classic this coming Sunday. This is very cool news to
have them racing here in NorCal again! I assume they will be wearing
the Mellow Johnny's kits again like they did at the Tour of the Gila.

http://twitter.com/lancearmstrong

http://twitter.com/Levi_Leipheimer

http://twitter.com/hornerakg

Cycling Bolivia's World's Most Dangerous Road

2009-06-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Biking down the World's Most Dangerous Road though that billing could be called into question now that there's another road nearby that drastically cuts down on traffic. Even so, it isn't the road itself but the sheer 600 meter drop off a skid away.

But the views are pretty spectacular and it would be pretty cool to say you did bike the most dangerous road in the world.

Might just have to add this to my bucket list.

Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy who killed cyclists demoted - San Jose Mercury News

2009-06-05T09:24:00.000-07:00

Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy who killed cyclists demoted to technician.

What's the message being sent here? He fell asleep at the wheel, ran over two cyclists and killed them and he is merely demoted for it? What would happen to me if I'd done the same thing? I can damn well tell you that I wouldn't be walking free, I'd be in jail pending trial.

That he has publicly stated his deep remorse at what happened is a good thing, it shows a little bit of what his character is. But he is responsible for killing two people who were merely riding their bikes.

He still faces sentencing for two charges of vehicular manslaughter but they are misdemeanor charges and unlikely to land him in jail.

I'm sorry but this feels like an incredibly light slap on the wrist for his actions that resulted in two cyclist's deaths.

There are accidents where "I'm sorry" really just doesn't even being to cut it. This is definitely one of those times.

We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties

2009-06-04T09:47:00.000-07:00

Sorry about the appearing and disappearing comments and trackbacks, I am working on it but it might not be fixed until tonight.

Goodies from Makai Bikes

2009-06-04T08:28:00.001-07:00

Because I follow a good number of bicycling Tweeps on Twitter, I was one of the lucky ones to respond to @MakaiBikes offer of some cycling goodies. As you can probably guess, one of the things I received in the mail from Makai Bikes was the small saddle bag posted to the left there. Inside the bag is a patch kit and some tire levers just in case I flat out (which, now that I'll say this will probably happen the next time I ride, I haven't had a flat in a very, very long time).

The bag this one is replacing is a bit larger and has an outside pocket which I use as a rolling piggy bank. I've taken to dropping two or three bucks in the pocket every time I go out for a ride. Kind of my low tech way of saving a few bucks to replace cables, tires or what have you.

The M Wave small saddle bag doesn't have the pocket but it does have a decent space to put in the patch kit and tire levers but it was a bit of a squeeze to fit my Topeak Alien tool in along with the other two pieces. But it did all fit and that's the important thing since the Topeak is my be-all do-everything tool and I really do not leave home without it.

Attaching it to my saddle and seat post was easy, fast and results in a really secure, snug fit. The velcro straps go up and over the seat rails and then back down along the side of the bag to make an easily customizable fit. I'm not sure how the velcro would hold up over the long term if the bag was moved from bike to bike with any regularity but, if it was going to be left on a single bike then I can't imagine it loosening up anytime soon.

One really nice thing I like about the little saddle bag is the bottom of the bag that is exposed to the wheel and all the mud it throws off is curved and non-porous, unlike my previous bag. This means it'll stay cleaner, drier and nicer looking for longer.

All in all, its a good upgrade from my old bag. I might wish for a little extra space and a wee pocket to stash some duckets but I'm not complaining as it'll look good for a good long time.

Beyond the Peloton

2009-06-02T20:39:00.001-07:00

Check out this great series of videos from the Cervelo Test Team at: http://www.bartape.net/ Lots of great behind the scenes footage.

1986 Tour de France - Profile of 7-11 Team

2009-05-21T22:09:00.000-07:00

This is a great old school video of the 7-11 cycling team in the 1986 Tour de France. Riders like Bob Roll, Chris Carmichael, Davis Phinney and Eric Heiden. They really paved the way for American cycling.

The Pretty Sneaky Sis Electrical Assist Unit

2009-05-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

Gruber Assist electrifies just about any bicycle and does it in a totally undercover way with most of the components housed in the seat tube and replacement post.

Not quite sure how it all works but there are definitely some rides I wouldn't have minded a little boosteroo up the climbs.

Actually, I wouldn't mind having this set up for every time I hit the climb up to Sand Point in Aptos, that sucker kills me every time and not just because its a big climb at the end up a long, slow climb, its also out in the full sun and steep.

But, being the purist I am, I'd eschew the use of electro-assist and will work on grinding it out myself for that personal accomplishment feeling! That plus, if I had an extra $2500, I'd be putting it towards a new Ibis Mojo.

24 Hours of Cool Mountain Bike Race

2009-05-03T12:51:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share this one photo of one of my team mates who raced the 24 Hours of Cool Mountain Bike Race this weekend. Since it's been raining non-stop since Friday around noon, the conditions were pretty bad. I've heard many people including pros abandoned the race. Tinker Juarez was seen walking his bike. This photo pretty much sums it all up.

Bontrager Carbon Clavicle

2009-05-02T21:22:00.001-07:00

I was just surfing around on the Bontrager website the other day and stumbled across this inForm® Full Carbon Clavicle Upgrade. Now that's damn funny! Nice job Bontrager.

Turn Every Ride into a Charitable Ride

2009-04-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Plus 3 Network to make my ride a charitable cause. You sign up with the site, choose a sponsor and cause and then track your rides with your GPS unit. The system will tally your miles and your sponsor will donate money in your name to your cause.

Its a great idea and the only snag I can see in it is that my GPS unit is old and does not work very well under tree cover. I hope there's a way around that as I can't see myself upgrading to a nicer GPS unit in the near future.

But check it out and see if you can get signed up and start converting your rides into charity rides.

Update: Testing out the Tweetmeme widget.

Sport Crapping

2009-04-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

Note, this and the last post are not indicative of a shift in NorCal Bikers core interests of bicycles and motorcycles. But sometimes you need to stop and take a gander at things like the Motorcycle Toilet.

It wasn't what I was expecting.

Man Builds Sidecar from Bathtub | Motorcycle Blog: The Sidecar

2009-04-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

If a link titled, Man Builds Sidecar from Bathtub, doesn't make you want to click through then I don't there's any reason to try and convince you to go see a sidecar made out of a bathtub.

Good Customer Support from Topeak

2009-04-21T08:54:00.001-07:00

This past weekend I went to pump up my tires with my trusty $24 Topeak Joe Blow Sport floor pump and bam the yellow lever broke off. I submitted a help desk ticket on their website, and received a quick reply. I called the number they provided for Customer Service and was able to easily order a replacement part, "TwinHead". So I give two thumbs up to Todson and their Topeak products.

Crazy Crash Video at the Tour of Turkey

2009-04-20T23:39:00.001-07:00

Pause & watch it again at 3:42 - unreal.

A Fantastic Day at the Sea Otter Classic

2009-04-18T08:12:00.001-07:00

I was fortunate enough to spend all day yesterday at the Sea Otter Classic at Laguna Seca in Seaside/Monterey. It my first time making the trek down for what it is, basically, cycling mecca on the west coast. It is a grand celebration of all things bicycle. There were roadies racing on the paved race track, there were downhillers blasting corners and whoop-de-dos on a steep dirt track, there were trials riders, there were BMX studs launching themselves high into the air above quarter pipes and ramp boxes. And there were hundreds of manufacturers, accessory makers, nutrition companies and lots of good food too. There were also two distinct demo areas, one for the dirt riders that was like a BMX race track and another road course to demo out the skinny tire road bikes.

And then, there were a ton of activities centered around kids. A short oval dirt track they got to race on that had previously had some obstacles for them to negotiate, a cool bungy bouncer thing, bounce houses, those big bounce house inflatable slides.

I got to worship at the Temple of Ibis, paid $5 to enter a raffle for a sweet orange Mojo SL and also bought myself a cool new sweatshirt though, with the awesome weather, I did not need it until much, much later in the day.

I also connected up with Fritz (aka Richard aka Cyclelicious) and had a really good time walking the booths with him. He knows an amazing amount of people in the industry and those people he doesn't know, he introduces himself and now he does know them. Part of the fun of an event like the Sea Otter is that there is a real communal bike culture element present, everyone there is a bike nut in some way or another. Because of Fritz, I got to meet and talk with a whole host of interesting and, on occasion, luminary bicycle folks including Steven Wild, one of the founders of the Mt. Tam Velo Club waaaaaay back in the days before mountain bikes, and Gary Fisher, yes THAT Gary Fisher. Too cool!

Because Fritz writes for Momentum, the magazine for self-propelled people, he was also very interested in speaking with, interviewing and photographing all the cool bike stuff that caught his or my eye. He'd also scheduled a demo ride on the Delta 7 Ascent, its an isotruss carbon fiber and kevlar frame that is extremely light, extremely strong and extremely stiff, its also extremely expensive. As he was prepping to head out on the demo, he happened to ask if they had another bike for me to try out and, as it happens, they had the Delta 7 Arantix, the mountain version of the bike. I will put together a full write up later but suffice it to say that the bike is very, very fast and feels like you could dyno it over anything you wanted to because it was so light.

We also met with the BikeGlow guys and got a chance to see just how well the system worked. They'd constructed a dark room with a bike outfitted with the safety system and it definitely makes a bike much, much more visible. Also makes the bike look pretty cool too.

We were momentarily beset by the Mountain Pipe militia, two guys decked out in bandoliers of CO2 cartridges and some very slick widgets to make using them easy. The neatest product they demo'ed for us was a CO2 inflator that, when the cartridge was empty, could be screwed into the end of the tube and used as a handle for a manual pump. Good guys and some neat products!

We also hit up the Larabar booth for some delicious samples, the Clif Bar booth for some gummy samples and drinks and the FRS booth for a sample. My favorite was the Larabar but the FRS drink was pretty good too.

I'm sure I'm forgetting more than I'm remembering. But it was a great and memorable day. I am deeply thankful of connecting up with Richard, he was great company and I'm not just saying that because he got me dinner at Panda Express!

I wish I could be headed back down there today with the whole family but, alas, it isn't in the cards. Next year we will plan a much more ambitious outing and I might even enter a race or two but no promises.

File Under: Nah, Not for Me

2009-04-17T00:04:00.000-07:00

I saw the Quike and checked out the pictures and, honestly, don't see much point. Its enormous, its ungainly, it doesn't do much for me.

I like bicycling because its a practical means of getting around, I can go damned near anywhere I want and I can either put it in my car or on my hitch rack.

This monster needs a trailer, goes slowly, corners oddly and just doesn't do it for me. Kind of neat in a dorky sort of way though.

Helmet Fit Check List

2009-04-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

I was happy to replace to replace my aging and slightly battered cycling helmet the other day. Attached to the helmet was a handy little fit check list and I thought it would be useful to remind all the cyclists out there of how to get a good fit for yourself and for our little budding cyclists.

I've found that getting a good tight fit on a kid's helmet is harder than it is for me to get a good fit on my helmet. And its waaaay more important.

So here we go:
Eyes - The rim of the helmet should be 1 to 2 finger widths above the eyebrows.

Ears - The straps should form a "V" just underneath the ear lobe.

Mouth - When the rider opens his mouth, the buckle should feel snug on the chin and the helmet should hug the head.

Before using the helmet, check the fit, stand in front of a mirror and grab the helmet with both hands and twist it to the left and to the right. If the helmet fits right, the skin on the forehead will move as the helmet moves. If the skin does not move, then the helmet is too loose and is unsafe for use and you need to start over with the fitting. If it does fit right then grab the helmet with both hands and try to remove it by rolling the helmet forward and backward. If you can roll it off the head completely or so far that it blocks vision or backward enough to expose the forehead, then, surprise, it doesn't fit right and is unsafe to use.

Lastly, take a short test ride to ensure proper fit without being too tight. Most helmets these days come with a set of fit pads to finalize the fit and make it feel just right.

And, oh yeah, always wear your helmet when you go out and ride your bike.

Hang Time

2009-04-06T09:21:00.001-07:00

Hang Time
Originally uploaded by fenriq

Shot this today with my telephoto across the dog park. This younger rider, must have been 16 or 17, was getting great air over the jumps. He's probably a solid ten feet off the ground here.

As an aside, I found out that one of my teacher's teenaged sons was practicing his jumps at the Polo Grounds where this shot was taken. He crashed very, very hard. He was wearing a helmet but not a full face MX style helmet and smashed his face into his handlebars causing massive bruising but did not, apparently, break any bones.

Unfortunately though, he hit hard enough to cause permanent damage to one of his ears and has since gone deaf on one side of his head.

The bottom line is, if you're going to launch yourself ten, twelve or more feet in the air, wear as much protective gear as you can possibly muster.

Easy Folding Bicycles

2009-04-02T15:54:00.000-07:00

The IF MODE: the sleek folding bicycle with a clever twist is easy to compact down from a full-sized bike. A single action mechanism automatically folds the bike, guides the wheels together and requires no parts to be removed.

The resulting compact bike is wheelable and even includes a usable handle for maneuvering. Take the wheels off and the bike can even fit in a suitcase!

Very cool, indeed.

Contrails - Building Community by Chalkline

2009-03-29T23:23:00.001-07:00

Found this over on Bicycle Design. The Contrail - Biking Community Tool encourages bicycling by making a chalk line on the road where a Contrail equipped bike has passed. As more Contrail bikes pass over the area, the chalk lines becomes thicker and brighter. The lines create interest and shows where to ride bikes safely.

Its an interesting idea but it'd be a long stretch for this to work outside of areas where there are lots of bicyclists to create and maintain these chalk pathways.

But it sure is an interesting idea. Until it rains.

Bariani Road Race - Elite 5's

2009-03-23T11:34:00.001-07:00

Mark S. and I were the only Rio's in this race. It started off sunny & warm and the pack stayed together for the first lap. I was 4th up the KOM and feeling pretty good. There was actually a slight tailwind along the 505 and County Road section, so that part of the course was super easy. The real challenge was the long straight away right after the KOM, and of course the rollers getting to the KOM. One the 2nd lap, a couple of storms rolled through and we were getting soaked with rain, hail and crazy ass wind gusts. The wind pushed one guy right into my front wheel. I kept it upright then proceeded to get the hell out of that crazy pack. It was just crazy windy. I moved to the left and the pack slowed down a bit. I felt great so I took a flyer. Stupid move really (and I knew it), as I burned a lot of energy out there alone in the wind. As I was out there all alone on County Rd 14 I had to lean my bike hard to the left just to keep it upright. I was getting blown all over the place and being pelted by hail and rain. They caught up with me in the rollers, then a small group got away. Then it broke all apart. I saw the Cat 5 chaperone guy pass me, then I knew I was pretty much off the back. I dug deep and grabbed onto whatever wheel I could. I finally got in with a group of about 7 or eight and worked with them all through the final lap. After the KOM only three of us were left. As we made the final left hand turn only two of us were left. I sat on his wheel and zipped past him at the line for 15th place. I just kept telling myself the epic conditions were like racing in Belgium! Overall I had a blast and the crazy weather conditions just made it that much more fun.

Some interesting ride stats:

Distance: 30.1 miles
Average Speed: 22 mph
Max Speed: 45 mph
Elapsed Time: 1 hour 21 minutes
Min Temp: 48 degrees F
Max Temp: 82 degrees F (probably not that hot, more like 62)
Average HR: 165
Max HR: 174
Total Ascent: 800'

This was my last race as a 5, so I'll see y'all soon in the 4's!