The Plano Cyclist

The Amazing Return of the Friday Linkdump series!

2012-02-10T09:58:00.000-06:00

Howdy everyone. Today's linkdump is all specific posts that I enjoy from blogs I read regularly. Dave Moulton's Blog - "Simpler Times" You know how much honking would go on now? I quite often think I was born in the wrong time. This post is full of photos taken of the streets of Dublin Ireland in 1961. Any time before 1973 seems super exotic to me. Dave also talks about the way cyclists

Tuesday Morning Weight Loss Check In

2012-02-07T11:13:00.001-06:00

Did I blow your mind there? Tuesday? After using the flu diet for a few days, and trying to cough my lungs out for a week afterwards, I will freely admit that I have been very passively dieting and exercising. I figure my "bod" needs to get well before I start beating up on it again, so there really isn't much to report. I'm still down (198.2) and am keeping an eye on my food intake, but not

Who is This "Hubbard" Guy?

2012-02-06T09:12:00.002-06:00

There have been discreet inquiries by various readers lately about a character who shows up in the PC narrative now and again - Hubbard. Hubbard is a fascinating person, sort of a riddle wrapped in an enigma, surrounded by mystery, and then smothered with secret sauce and served with a side of okra. Hubbard is the Moriarity to my narrator, the lawyer to my Dr. Gonzo, the Amadeus to my Salieri

Whew! Two In A Row? High Five!

2012-02-03T05:00:00.002-06:00

No linkdump today, because while I have been spinning my wheels on the internet plenty while I was sick, I didn't find any bicycle links to put up here. However, I will have The Phenomenal Return Of The Friday Linkdump here next week, fo sho. Instead of that, this week I thought I'd have a little fireside chat and catch up with you after my absence. First, my weight loss; no photo, but when I

1up USA Indoor Trainer Review. Tha Trainer You Love To Hate.

2012-02-02T14:29:00.002-06:00

I hate my indoor trainer. I feel bad for the trainer, as it's really not its fault that I hate it. I suppose it's some sort of projection, this hate, as it really is me that is the problem here; I am fat, I have been laying off of serious riding for months, and I have this funny odor that is neither pleasant or unpleasant following me around. (Well, I suppose that has nothing to do with the

I am not dead

2012-02-01T10:41:00.002-06:00

But I have been ill. As a result, my weight is down. Look for a full post tomorrow. I apologize for my long absence. Civil War Style

The Incredible Return Of The Tuesday Bicycle Musical Interlude.

2012-01-24T16:15:00.000-06:00

I love me some music. These two especially. This one is greatness too. Bigger post tomorrow.

Weekly Weight Loss Check In and Progress Report.

2012-01-23T10:15:00.000-06:00

Here we are at another Monday, and here I go again, checking in. People do read these, even if you are rolling your eyes right now, regular reader. Join the weight loss crew at LIVESTRONG.COM I have been counting my calories this week, and exercising, but have not really made any weight lowering type progress. I'm going to assume that is because I am building muscle and burning fat, and just

I Got Recognized!

2012-01-20T15:52:00.002-06:00

So since it was so beautiful yesterday, I made sure to ride my bike today - and got recognized by a fellow train rider. I was just trying to be anonymous behind my monstrous beard and clear sunglasses on the train when a lovely young woman boarded, pushing a very nice red and white mixte bike with BFR spoke cards. She and I chatted a little bit about bikes, local parties we might attend, and

The Coolest Bicycle Shoes Ever Made - Chrome Pro Series.

2012-01-18T14:44:00.006-06:00

I like to use clipless pedals for my commuter. I actually built the Bloggipede up with regular flat pedals, and that is fine for running around the neighborhood, but I don't care for unsecured feet when riding any sort of distance. I wear a pair of Shimano "commuter" shoes now, but everyone tells me they look terrible, and I'm inclined to agree. They do the job I need them to do, but they are

Monday Check in, Mea Culpa, and a BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

2012-01-16T12:23:00.000-06:00

First, the weight "loss" check in. Join the weight loss crew at LIVESTRONG.COM I am still lower than I started (even though it's not reflected above), but I have stalled out a little. This is no one's fault but my own; I have not tracked my calories the way I should have, and I did not exercise at all last week, with the exception of a few halfhearted spins around the neighborhood.

Well, I Blew It.

2012-01-12T09:57:00.000-06:00

I had posted every day for a while, but I didn't even manage a pithy post like this one yesterday. Shoot. I have a bunch to write about, but little time to do it. However, I thought I'd put some links up ahead of my bigger articles I have planned for next week. Chrome has sent me some shoes to review, but they sent me the wrong size first. They have since sent me some other kicks, but I talked

Circumnavigation Diary. Exploratory Report.

2012-01-10T12:50:00.000-06:00

In the year of our Lord 2012, I have determined that it is necessary to navigate every mile of bicycle path in the city of Plano. I will document the excursion here in my "web log", and hope that the knowledge I bring will be used well by those that come after me. Should I survive, I expect to be feted and recount the incredible tales of my adventure over countless glasses of sherry. Plus

Weekly weight loss check in and progress report.

2012-01-09T10:56:00.000-06:00

Like all of you, I am still on New Years resolution track. Unlike most of you (I assume) I am going to hold myself accountable to a bunch of people I have never met. Join the weight loss crew at LIVESTRONG.COM So there it is. I still have a way to go, but I am showing forward progress. What did I do last week to achieve such incredible results? I rode my bicycle to work three days and spent

Inaugural Linkdump 2012!

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-06:00

As usual, I have been saving links for you to peruse today. Brooks saddles aren't just for fops. Switching Gears have hats that might be. Wear this under your fop clothes for comfort. Drink this for even more comfort under those clothes. And put it in one of these to affirm your fopness. Have a great weekend. As usual, big things are coming. I will be posting another nude photo on

Today I Will Review A Revolutionary Step in Bicycle Eyewear- Moto-Optix Lenses.

2012-01-05T09:58:00.002-06:00

I got a Moto-Optix polarized bicycle lens in the mail the other day, and while I haven't had a whole lot of time to write about it, I have had time to use it, and this really is an incredible piece of equipment. The lens comes with everything you see here - well, yours most likely won't come with a fancy handwritten note, because you aren't a famous blogger. The lens is a single piece that

Why Be Offended By Winning?

2012-01-04T05:00:00.002-06:00

I finally got my trophy from the 2011 Tour De BBQ in the mail the other day. I was (to say the least) very excited to receive it. I haven't won an award of any type in years, and sometimes, like a 12 year old, I need validation. I'm not proud of it, but I am honest about it. Thanks to lots of fundraising, emailing, begging, and cajoling, I was indeed the first place fundraiser for the ride this

Kicking Off My Weight Loss Odyssey.

2012-01-03T05:00:00.001-06:00

Join the weight loss crew at LIVESTRONG.COM Big numbers there, huh? Hopefully, as in the Tour De BBQ days, we will see that number reach my goal and beyond. 30 pounds. That would put me right at my goal weight of 175. I know I was talking about losing 25 pounds this year, but my scale told me a very sad tale the morning of Jan 2, 2012. Fun fact - I am nude in this photo. I have a long

Octopus Winter Cycling Cap - Made in the USA.

2012-01-02T13:06:00.002-06:00

My name is The Plano Cyclist, and I love cycling caps. There, now my dirty secret is out in the open for all of us to process and talk about. Even though I love cycling caps, I'm not one of those guys who wears a cap off the bike; while I admire the fashion forwardness ( and mustachios) of those guys, I am more practical and just wear them when riding. However, the big problem with cycling caps

Evolution Resolutions Love

2011-12-30T05:00:00.018-06:00

"All endeavors start out stupid; the trick is making them smart" - The Plano Cyclist. The only thing that has been consistent about this blog for the past few years have been the "resolutions" posts that I put up at New Years, so even though this is Friday and I should be linkdumping, I'm going to be resolving instead. So here we go: 1. I want to continue to grow my readership. As you can

So How Did I Do?

2011-12-29T05:00:00.004-06:00

Every year I have made some New Year's resolutions for myself on the blog, and I like to check in at the end of the year and see how well I kept them. This year is no different - well, generally the check and the new resolutions are in the same post, but this year they will be separated. (Content is hard to come by, and I am having a hard time filling this short week, so I'm milking what I have

A Little Bit Of Navel Gazing - This Post Falls Into The "Life" Part Of The Subtitle

2011-12-28T05:00:00.003-06:00

As the end of the year approaches, I always like to do a little navel gazing and see what changes the last twelve months have wrought. If you look on the sidebar, you will see that the biggest change is the number of posts on the blog this year. In the first two years I had this place, I didn't manage to post more than a handful of times; this year I am knocking on the door of a hundred posts.

Looking Into The Future

2011-12-27T09:18:00.003-06:00

I know that I have been gone a long time, and I am afraid that the world may have moved on. However, even in this brave new world, there is still a need for mediocre blogging about bicycle parts and rides. Luckily, as in the old world, that is the position I have placed myself in. Since I have been so long absent, I figured you would wonder whether this blog would peter out, or if I had

An Official Notice and Linkdump

2011-12-16T07:00:00.002-06:00

As I have been intimating, I will be going on a bit of a sabbatical from this blog in order to "find myself" in the mountains of Tibet. I plan to drink nothing but Yak-nog and eat Tibetian khapse cookies until my spirit animal contacts me via text message, or until I grow tired of khapse cookies, whichever comes first. In the meantime, I understand that most of you will be celebrating some

Light And Motion Urban 180 Bikelight Review

2011-12-15T10:38:00.003-06:00

As I have said before, I don't like riding at night, mostly because I don't have enough light available to me. I have been using a Serfas USB Ultrabright rechargeable, and while it seems fairly bright, the light output is a mere 12 lumens. Being interested in a brighter light than I had, I contacted the folks at Light and Motion, and they agreed to send me over one of their Urban 180 models to