Why I Ride

New Whips

2015-06-21T20:18:00.002-05:00

Now that the Casseroll has a new home, and I have finished sobbing uncontrollably, I have picked up a couple items of interest.

First is an old, but excellent condition Montgomery Ward 3 speed setup. It runs 26x1-3/8 wheels with a Shimano 3 speed grip shifter. It has "H" "N" & "L" settings, presumably for high, normal, and low speeds. I'll put my B-17 Brooks on and there will be more to come. My wife isn't too keen on me borrowing her Trek Belleville for errands.

The second is an old tall bike. This will be interesting to say the least. Just pure silliness.

Off to new adventures.

Salsa Casseroll - Moving On SOLD

2015-05-20T09:19:00.001-05:00

Over 4 years, nearly 20,000 miles, and countless adventures with this bike are coming to an end. I'm looking to sell the Casseroll after many good times on the earth's surface, and I'm planning on adjacent wheel-based adventures.

I have chronicled many of the aforementioned adventures on this blog, and I hope that you have enjoyed reading about them. All posts related to the bike can be found here.

Detailed description of the setup is below:

Just overhauled the bike with new cables/housing and deep cleaned all parts and the frame. This bike has been a daily commuter, century rider, credit card touring, and randonneuring setup. I started with the 2012 Casseroll frameset and built it up from there. Over $3500 as built.

54cm (54.5cm top tube) frameset bought in 2011 with Crank Brothers directset headset. I replaced the front rack with a Nitto chromed rack (I still have the original). The fork was reraked by Minnesota frame builder A-Train cycles to improve trail. No toe overlap like it used to have. Three stainless steel water bottle cages. Fenders are Velo Orange hammered aluminum with Brooks leather mudflap on the front fender. Brakes are IRD Cafam cantilever, which are very strong.

Wheels built with Schmidt Son28 generator / dynamo front hub, White Industries rear hub w/ titanium driver, Velo Orange Raid 32h rims with Sapim spokes. Tires are Panaracer Ruffy Tuffy 28c. This is an awesome setup with efficient power generation for the light system.Generator lights are Supernova. Front is E3 triple (800+ lumens). Rear is the E3 rear. They have a stand light feature that keeps the lights on for a couple minutes when you're stopped.

Rear rack is Tubus Carry titanium that holds smaller panniers. Front bag is Velo Orange square bag. Includes pedal power plus, which is wiring from the generator hub to charge most USB powered gadgets (GPS, phone, etc.) while pedaling.

Crank and derailleurs are Ultegra 6700 series. Crank is compact double 50/34 10 speed with 11-28 cassette. Shifters are down tube Dura Ace 10 speed friction front and indexed rear. Handlebar is Salsa 42cm wrapped in Velo Orange elk skin. Stem is generic aluminum 100mm with headset spacer mounted brass bell. Brake levers are Cane Creek. Seatpost is Velo Orange. Saddle will be replaced with a standard saddle, the Brooks will go with me. Includes Topeak frame pump. Bottle cages are wrapped in leather because I would use stainless steel bottles and they would rattle.

The link to the classified ad can be found here.

I'll be sad to see it go, but it will provide for many adventures for someone out there. I'm happy to box and ship if you're not along the Wasatch front here in Utah. Contact info is in the classified ad.

Winter Bike Commuting - Minneapolis, Minnesota

2014-02-13T08:59:00.000-06:00

I openly dispute the common assertion that Hell is hot. Let me explain.

Scenario 1 - Hell is Hot

Let's suppose that scorching heat is, in fact, an accurate description of the netherworld. You are pedaling along, parched, searching for water, until at last your body dies and the heat consumes your flesh, leaving behind a heap of sun-bleached bones. Sounds reasonable.

Scenario 2 - Hell is Freezing

Now let's suppose that the opposite is true -- that Hell is cold. Again, imagine yourself riding along, muscles so numb that all you can feel are dry bones grinding against each other at the joints. A true die-hard, you press on. You approach an intersection...Red light...Thud. That's right, you fell over because your footwear has been ice-welded to your pedals. You could not release. There you lie, horizontal, in the unplowed bike lane as beautiful people in Range Rovers and Mercedes pass you by, thinking to themselves, "what is that underpaid, uneducated adolescent doing taking a nap on the side of the road? Get on the sidewalk!" Fair observation. However, instead of your flesh being quickly consumed by heat, carnivorous birds, and bacteria, your body is deep frozen. Everything is preserved, especially the pained and tortured look on your face, much like Otzi here.

Your misery is perfectly preserved for generations as your descendants attempt to understand the reasons for which one of their ancestors would attempt to conquer such a hellacious clime. All of this is negated, however, if your corpse is somehow suctioned into the upper atmosphere by an ominous Polar Vortex. Then you're like Moses.

44 & 17

44 is the number of days below zero so far this winter (through Feb 11, 2014). 17 is the number of consecutive days below zero through the same date. For the majority of the world, this arbitrary threshold of 0 degrees Fahrenheit is roughly equal to negative 18 centigrade. This means that going from negative 17 centigrade to negative 18 centigrade is somehow noteworthy. Simply put, Minneapolis has been ridiculously cold this winter; I'd argue Hell.

Det finns inget dåligt väder, bara dåliga kläder

You may have heard the old Scandinavian saying, "there's no bad weather, just bad clothing." Following I will share my successes for avoiding a Mosaic translation via an ice-welded-pedal-induced intersection tip over. All of the items below are used in my lowest temperature bracket, which is anything 10 degrees F or below (negative 12C).

Head/Face

Core/Arms/Hands

Base layer - long-sleeve Craft Active WS crew with Windstopper
Mid layer - Ibex full-zip sweater
Outer layer - Craft PXC jacket
Glove Liner - Craft liner
Glove - Either Ibex or Gordini

Lower Body

Craft Performance Storm Bib with windblock panels
Craft PXC pant
**Sometimes I'll wear an additional simple full-leg base layer**

Feet

Sock Liner - thin Keen merino wool liner
Sock - Keen/Smartwool/Wigwam merino wool higher-pile sock
Shoe - 45Nrth Wolvhammer SPD

That's a lot of gear. The objective is to block the wind as far away from the body as possible (outer layers), warm with mid layers, and wick moisture with base layers. I find that I'm plenty comfortable in temps down to 25 F below zero (with wind chills of 40-50 below). Now at least stop and help that poor, half-frozen, underpaid adolescent out of the bike lane and on to the sidewalk.

Salsa Casseroll Fork Rerake

2013-10-16T21:32:00.002-05:00

Ever since I first started pedaling the Casseroll, I noticed some strange front-end handling characteristics. The bike is designed with a small front rack and, presumably, a small amount of cargo up front. Even with no load, the front end was floppy (that's the best way I can describe it). After investigating the issue, I learned that the front end has an unusually long trail, or horizontal distance between the point directly underneath the front axle and the virtual extension of the headtube to the ground.

Here are the measurements of the stock Casseroll:

Head tube angle 73 degrees
Fork rake 50mm
Original trail 54 mm

Toe overlap was another piece of evidence of, perhaps, not quite enough rake. Granted, I run with full-coverage fenders, but the overlap was significant. I reached out to a local frame builder, A-Train Cycles, to petition assistance. Alex was clear about expectations and agreed to take on my project. Huzzah!

After the re-rake of the fork, the measurements are approximately as follows:

Head tube angle 73 degrees
Fork rake 62mm
New trail 41.5 mm

With the fork removed and cleaned, it was ready for delivery.

My Velo Orange fender had pull-through, so I opted to slightly rotate the fender toward the rear and drill a new hole.

Ta-da!

Fork re-installed post re-rake.

Ghetto bike workstation. I do what I can.

With the fender rotated toward the rear, the mudflap is about 1/2" from the ground.

The best piece of evidence I have to illustrate that the re-rake project was effective is that I can ride the bike without hands. Previously, such an activity would cause the front end to dive to the side and was nearly impossible. I feel that the bike tracks much more true. Toe overlap is aaaaalmost gone, which is fantastic considering the fenders. Slow speed balance is also improved.

I was a little concerned that the axle-to-crown height would be shortened such to have a negative effect on brake placement and/or fender clearance. From what I can tell the result is minimal shortening of ATC height, so I don't anticipate any issues come winter and the ensuing installation of studded tires.

So far, so good on the re-rake project!

Brompton World Championship 2013 - Goodwood Motor Circuit

2013-08-03T23:19:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the 2013 Brompton World Championship!

Below you will find a plethora of images and links to tell this year's story from my point of view. Let's face it, you only look at the pictures, anyway, right??

Reassembling the bike after gate-checking my "mobility device" or "inline wheelchair" from Minneapolis to London. I removed the saddle, seatpost, hinge hardware, and pedals, placing the parts in my checked luggage. This streamlined the already small folded Brompton for ease of passing through security screening. 5 minutes tops to reassemble. I used a buckle strap to hold everything together and covered it with the Brompton Travel Bag.


Arriving at Goodwood in my attire for non-dress-code Saturday's Treble events (Sprint & Eliminator)

At my side is my lovely wife Lisa. She was a great cheerleader and photographer. We were also celebrating our 10-year anniversary, so HOORAY!

At the entrance to the legendary Goodwood Motor Circuit.

And into whom do we run post-haste? None other than the wonderful Susan and Corey Todzy.

Shortly thereafter we joined up with Luke and Sophie. Luke runs the incredible Calhoun Cycle shop back home in Minneapolis, and his crew organized the BUSC for the past 2 years.

Warming up on the track.

Arriving at the festival.

Beckie Alexander, the US champ!

We headed out to get loose. I had some pretty bad plane legs, arriving less than 24 hours prior.

From L to R, last year's treble champ Richard Spencer, Richard Chew, Susan Todzy, Michel (photobombing Swiss champ), Me.

Returning from a good warm-up lap.

Sprint (500m) - Treble Event #1

Sprint competitors were lined up 500 meters from the finish line in groups of 12. The sprint portion of the track includes a chicane, where I got diddled a bit as another rider cut in front of me in the 2nd turn, causing me to use my brakes to avoid a collision. Finished strong at 0:39, ~2s out of qualifying for the finals.

Trying to catch up!

Medal #1

Oxygen

I found Abdel, the champ representing Mexico! Check out the Mexico championship video, it's INSANE!

Race # with timing chip.

#1,2,3 for the ladies sprint, right to left.

Chatting post sprint.

We found this clever canine-carrying contraption: a basket affixed to a Brompton bag frame.

We had quite a bit of time between events, so the lady brought some quilting projects.

Mmmmm, digestives. My faves have caramel and chocolate.

The Eliminator - Treble Event #2

Lining up for heat #2 of the Eliminator, a unique, 2-lap event. After completing 1 lap, the slowest riders are eliminated (via motorcycle-based race marshal) at various checkpoints, leaving only the fastest to finish the 2nd lap.


And we're off!

After the 1st lap, I was pulling the lead group of 5 for a bit.

Had to work hard to outsprint at the finish to hold #5.

The ladies are off! They had no qualifier, so their race was the final.

Susan raising her hand in victory! Win #2 for the day!

The French Arnaud brothers, Tristan, Quentin, & Timothy. One lives in London, the other Switzerland, the other France.

Sprint final results. #24--not terrible, even for being diddled!

5th in my heat placed me securely in the top 24 to qualify for the Eliminator final!

Quite the chainring modification.

Double chainring up front.

Greg's lovely polka dot paint scheme. A friend of his has the negative version to match (white frame, red dots)


Aero wheels.

After a couple hours, the men's Eliminator final!

Off we go!

Tight group after the first lap. The pace setters, Gavin Morton and Richard Spencer, seemed to deliberately keep the pack together, forcing a sprint finish. This caused problems, however, after the first lap. With some attacks, the group would thin out, then catch up and bunch up in a group again. This happened a few times until finally a few guys went down. I was right behind them, and was able to avoid hitting pavement, hop over some limbs, and work to catch back up to the group. I had to work pretty hard to close the 100 yard gap on the main group, but was able to catch up and finish with the final bunch. I didn't have much left to sprint to the line.

Strong win!

Finishing 11th, not too bad after avoiding carnage and working to catch the group!

Brompton World Championship - Treble Event #3

The Wild-West-inspired outfit was unveiled on the unsuspecting public. The hat looks ridiculous affixed in such a manner to the helmet, but it stayed on the whole day!

There's a new Sheriff in town.

Complete with holster, Brompton tool kit, and Brooks saddle spanners. Oh, and cowboy boot inspired socks.

Luke and Sophie, looking race-ready and dapper!

Beckie and her steed.

This gentleman, from Czechoslovakia, had a fantastic getup. No idea what it means, but it was great!

He was dancing later on. With his Brompton. O.o

Simon, Brompton Switzerland wizard.

The Brompton BumbleB.

I'm not sure exactly why, but this made me hungry.

The Gomes family

Susanna, a vibrant member of the Italian championship team of this year's BWC.

Receiving instructions on how to ride awesome.

Daggum.

Boot socks. Gringo legs.

And we're off!! We were set up in multiple waves, starting down the pit lane to cross the timing mat on our way to complete 4 laps.

Luke heading out.

The Smurf couple! No Gargamel, sort of a letdown.

Mr. Singh won best dressed.

Here we are completing the first lap (you can see my ridiculous hat above the fluorescent officiator's head).

First lap down, three to go.

2nd lap.

3rd lap.

And the finish!

Luke finishing stylishly.

Susan and Beckie looking all too happy!

All I need is a piece of straw in my teeth.

Abdel (Mexico), Ville (Finland), Me (USA), Jose (Portugal)

Completely sweat through. Not sure about the view of the backside. Yikes.

The Japan group with their lovely lined up bikes. So colorful!

The women's treble winner, Susan!!!

Folding Competition

Taking off the jacket and holster.

I was diddled by the SUPER tight knobs, and ended up in 2nd place. Respectable.

The Italian champs Susanna & Marco.

USA! USA!

Love the face Beckie! So much fun hanging out with your whole family!

This gentleman won best dressed, well done! I ask you, however, did he ride with a holster equipped with tools? Deep question, I know.

C-lassic.

How the bike looked gate checking. At Heathrow, a young lady in the security line peeked under the cover and said, "Is that a Brompton??" Nervously, I responded, "yes, aren't they great?" She was super excited and was telling me how her friend works at the factory, and how she is waiting for her custom-ordered bike soon! Such a different (better) experience than in the US with these bikes...

With the cover off.

Hinge hardware removed.

Strapped down tight.

Overall, this has been an experience of a lifetime. I got to spend a few days with my wife, race a bike that I love, meet people from all over the world, visit a country I had yet to visit, and create memories that will linger in Morse lore.

HUGE thank you to the Brompton crew, including (but not limited to), Mr. Will Butler-Adams, Katharine, Clare, Angela, Ross, and Ed Rae (US rep).

Here's to next year! Cheers!

Links to many other reports of the weekend events:

Calhoun Flickr Group
Brompton's recap (video)
Race Results
Wallace Alexander's Flickr Group (2012 US men's champ)
Brian Jones Flickr Group
The Guardian
My Orange Brompton
British Cycling Chief Executive Ian Drake (video)
Nutcase Helmets - event sponsor (featuring Sophie Breen from Calhoun!)
Brompton Bumble B
Rollapaluza Brompton Roller racing results
Ella's wonderful blog post
Brompton Bike Fan Flickr Group

Video links:

Sportive Photo

BWC (at the chicane) Prt 1, prt 2, prt 3, prt 4, prt 5
Sprint & Eliminators

Dale Applegate video of start
Russell5641
Peteplowman1 video
Alasdair Gillies on-the-bike video
Mlcamb325 on-the-bike video
Sodarockful video of Michael Hutchinson taking his 3rd straight win

Brompton US Championship 2013 - Minneapolis by Calhoun Cycle

2013-06-30T22:07:00.002-05:00

Last year, I participated in an incredibly quirky, yet intensely rewarding series of events at the 2012 Brompton US Championship. In the actual race, I placed 3rd, and I took home the prizes for Best-Dressed male and Fastest Folder. I watched from the bottom step of the podium as a worthy racer, Mr. Wallace Alexander, earned his spot in the Brompton World Championship events in London. I had replayed the details of the race over and over in my mind over the past year, questioning what I could have done differently to have taken the top spot on the podium. Clearly I have issues.

Last year's event was INCREDIBLE, and I expected nothing less this year with the experienced and savvy staff at Calhoun Cycle coordinating the event once again. Seriously, they're amazing. My preparations this year consisted of the following:

Daily 22-mile (35km) commute from Eden Prairie to Richfield. This is no small feat for a 200lb guy on a 25+lb bike loaded with panniers, especially in the Minnesota winters (I don't commute this distance on the Brompton).
An enhanced diet that shed 10lbs or so of body weight from the prior year.
Lighter-weight attire for the event itself.
YouTube bike training videos.
Leg shaving. Took forever:

Sasquatch was here

Smooth and ready to race

My wife & kids were there to cheer me on, as well as my dad, brother, and his fiancée who were visiting from Utah. My dad was traveling with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as the lighting designer on their Midwest tour, and the last stop happened to be in Minneapolis on the same weekend as the race! Bonus!

The Prerace

Calhoun prepared a plethora of weekend events for Bromptooneers, but, with family in town, I was unable to participate. The weekend featured a multi-modal 30-mile group ride, and an urban, infrastructure-focused ride around Minneapolis. The race itself was held in conjunction with a Minneapolis event known as Open Streets, where a large portion of Lyndale Ave is shut down to motorized traffic.

My darling wife & kids. Kate (in white) had her 8th birthday!

Chatting with pops, with Martha from Calhoun surveying the crowd.

Semi-nervous smile.

My brother's lady Anneli with my fam.

Arriving at 34th & Lyndale, I surveyed fellow folding bike aficionados, looking for last year's winners, the aforementioned Wallace & Pedro. Sure enough, there they were. Drat, methought. My strategy this year was to let others set the pace and/or set a sustainable pace, whichever is faster (a little "if" statement). Details to come on how that strategy worked out.

The Race

After the rules were once again explained, we staged the bikes in grid-like fashion on Lyndale Avenue. 100 yards or so down the Avenue we lined up for the Le Mans-style start.

Setting up the bike

Receiving final instructions.

Run! I'm in the blue shorts, behind the fashionable Susan Todzy.

Working the unfold.

And we're off!

And the lead pack heads out.

Off to set the pace at the front.

During the first lap, I was comfortable at the pace I had set (my "if" statement returned = set the pace).

#s 2 & 3 were working to catch up.

The gentleman in the light-colored jacket, Scott Berger, was racing at a 3-lap pace instead of a 6-lap pace, and pulled Gear Junkie editor Stephen Regenold to create a lead pack of three riders. Once they caught up, my "if" statement returned = follow along.

Aaaand 3 laps = halfway. Scott has great GoPro footage (linked below).

The race continued with Stephen and me pedaling at the front. By this time, we had started lapping riders, so I was unclear about who was in the #3 spot and how far back they were, which ended up confusing my strategy of setting pace vs. following pace. The last three laps were a bit of back and forth.

Finishing lap 4

Finishing lap 5, 1 lap to go!

Approaching the final turn

Stephen taking the sprint finish

A hard-fought battle landed a 2nd place finish. A handful of strategic mistakes put me 30 feet off the top spot of the podium. I took the last turn too wide, and Stephen, rightfully so, took the inside and had more sprint speed to pull out the W. Here's his recap (link1, link2). DISAPPOINTED! I worked hard, though, and had great support from family, Calhoun, fellow riders, and spectators alike. THANK YOU ALL!

It's sinking in....not going to London!

A full podium shot. Great work everyone!

I am now the proud owner of a fantastic S-bag from Brompton and Calhoun Cycle for finishing in 2nd place. I look forward to using this gem of a bag!

Folding Contest

Surely I'd have better luck in the folding contest, right? After all, I won the competition last year, and I had worked to decrease the time of my fold a bit. I experienced mixed results in this event as well, however! In this elimination-style contest, the two slowest are eliminated until the victor of each heat of ~10 folders moves to the finals. In this contest, the pedal fold is omitted, as many folks race with clipless pedals.

The fold begins.

Dual knob approach.

Last step, the seatpost.

First fold complete. Sweatpit and all.

Melissa, from Atlanta, either admiring the fold speed or one of my calves. The former?

Fold #2

Fold #3

The final fold of the heat, with Ross representing, you guessed it, BROMPTON! Nerves, blasted nerves.

He removes the jacket

The shake

And I flubbed a knob turn, out of the competition!

Congrats to the winners who scored Schwalbe Kojaks! Nice work! Alas, I didn't outrightly win any of the competitions, and, although I did well, fell short of my own expectations. In the words of the great (?) Jim Carrey:

But Wait....

A few days later, I got a call from Luke at Calhoun. Turns out Stephen is unable to go to London, so I was asked to fill his spot in the BROMPTON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! After a change of my shorts, I gladly accepted and am STOKED to be going to the main event. Sloppy seconds or not, I'll take it!

My lovely lady. Thank you for all your support!

Soooooooooooo excited about heading to London and the adventures to be had there. I'll have to consider the use of the 3-piece tweed suit...

Please visit the links below for additional coverage, including video footage:

The Dirty Brompton by Fernando Ma (including video footage)

Scott Berger's video footage

Brompton US Champtionship 2013 Flickr pool

Enjoy, and see you next year, wherever the race may be!

The Right Hook - 90's Suburbans and Hakeem Olajuwon

2013-06-15T12:51:00.004-05:00

For the Houston Rockets in the '90's, Hakeem Olajuwon's right hook was championship material.

In the world of bicycling among motor vehicles, the right hook is dangerous, if not deadly. Unless, of course, you are pedaling in the UK or Japan, for example, then the danger is in the left hook.

Here is a video snippet from a recent commute:

Along this particular section of road, I am ascending a road that bridges I-494 northbound in Eden Prairie, and the right lane of the two-lane road splits into an on-ramp lane. I check over my shoulder, signal that I am continuing straight over the bridge, but this guy clearly can't wait for the red light or yield sign. Folks with the right-of-way are entering the on-ramp, and he stuffs his 90's pinstriped Suburban into their flow. At least the guy behind him, wearing a Livestrong bracelet, said, "that's unfortunate, sorry, man." Well said.

While this example is pretty benign, often times, when I'm not recording, I have to figure out how to reduce my velocity from 20 to 0 mph over a short distance to avoid being a hood ornament. I wouldn't mind being a hood ornament for a Bentley or Maserati, however. Those guys have insurance...

Wheelsuckers, How to Eliminate?

2013-05-27T15:48:00.003-05:00

You know the type. Maybe you are the type. If so, I dislike you. I digress...pedaling my way home lately, at times a chump will do something lame like snake through the vehicles awaiting a green light, whilst I wait patiently in queue. After a block or two, I catch back up to the traffic-snaking chump and continue at my regular pace the rest of the way home. Right at the end of my commute is a short, but stiff climb, where the wheel suckers pop up their Meerkat heads, having sucked my wheel for the past 5 miles, and boldly exclaim, "thanks for the pull!" or "strong riding there."

Yeah, thanks. And that headwind? Pushed through it for you, you bet. Anything else I can get for you? Leg massage? Need my water bottle? Clif Bar? Can I make your car payment for you? Joke's on him, though, because I was extra gassy and I KNOW he was sucking wind to keep up, even in my draft.

Any tips out there for dealing with wheelsuckers? Four consecutive right-hand turns? Start talking Tea Party politics? Make blatantly racist comments? Brandish my firearm? I need ideas, because, clearly, my ideas are not healthy, and could get me into some trouble.

We Cannot Get Out, They Are Coming!

2013-05-04T10:10:00.003-05:00

Months have passed since my last entry. I fear that I have been left solitary in the desolation of the battlefield, absent human contact for as long as I can remember. The enemy continues closing in, relentlessly searching for its next victim; its icy, bony fingers constricting the trachea of this world. No one is safe. Nothing is safe. If you want to save our world, you must hurry. We don't know how much longer we can withstand the nothing.

I have developed methods to escape its frozen clutches and engage in stealthy combat, burying my skin beneath multiple layers of raiment. I believe that I am able to travel undetected for short periods of time. I must not remain exposed to this danger for long, as the all-searching eye will eventually detect my presence and reduce me to a hypothermic resemblance of the human form. My only hope is that my persistence will wear down my foe.

For five unbroken months, I have traveled along the East/West axis between my village and the commerce center. 11 miles I travel in each direction, at times with the wind as my ally, other times as my nemesis. Often, the clouds release their moisture in an attempt to reduce my ability to escape the Captain of Evil. I will not give in, however, I am afraid that I am losing the battle.

Bodies of water have developed a unique defense to the adversarial buffetings. Under constant attack, brave drops of the water tribes rush to the surface, sacrificing their ability to enjoy free motion. They attach with perfect rigidity to their fellow soldiers, creating an impermeable, thick skin of protection at the surface in order to protect their kinsfolk who lay quietly beneath. I am humbled by their selfless sacrifices.Their defenses seem to be holding.

But what is this? Who is this grand warrior, this luminescent orb shining from the heavens? Minions of the enemy's force flee before it. The blanched blanket of accumulated cloud droppings reduces form and flees into the underground rivers. The trees respond, attempting to bring forth blossoms, leaves, and life-giving sustenance. Humans, both young and old, exit their dwellings to witness the supposed victory. Smiles emerge upon their faces. But the enemy is strong. He whom I thought was our conqueror has, for unknown reasons, retreated. I fear he will not return. I fear I am slipping into madness. As I am huddled deep within the darkness of my protective abode, I can hear the sinister laugh of my enemy, relishing in his supposed victory. All hope seems to be lost.

It is as I feared. They have taken the bridge, and the second hall. We have barred the gates, but cannot hold them for long. The ground shakes. Drums, drums in the deep. We cannot get out. The shadow moves in the dark. We cannot get out, they are coming.

In spite of the loneliness that is inherent in my form of battle, I must continue.

I share with you images from the wintry battlefield in hopes that you may be able to tell the story:

It's Cold in Minnesota - Super Cold

2013-01-21T19:15:00.000-06:00

Today's morning wind chills were around -35F (-37C). Good garbage. Turns out I was overlayered on top, as evidenced by lots of sweat, and my feet were quite cold after the 11-mile, 50-minute commute. Here's what my face looked like at the bike rack at work:

And my cable lock, as I uncoiled it, snapped (well, the cable coating snapped).

Tomorrow should be "warmer," about -20F windchills on the way in...

Lake Minnetonka Fatbike Race - Arctic Cat

2013-01-19T19:29:00.001-06:00

Freeze, thaw. Freeze super hard, thaw. Such has been the story of winter weather here in Minneapolis. Lakes in the region are well-frozen--able to withstand the weight of several SUVs, perforations surrounded by ambitious anglers, and bicycles. With the arctic weather freezing the lakes and semi-regular snowfall, lake riding is quite fun and manageable.

So went the plans for today's Fatbike race on Lake Minnetonka sponsored by Erik's Bike Shopand ExcelsiorBrewery. With warmer weather the past week (above freezing), most of the snow melted then refroze under the influence of arctic fronts, creating glare ice across the majority of the lake surface. A few patches of snow provided the only traction and reprieve from 40mph crosswinds. The weather made this ride a total disaster! Totally fun, nonetheless, but a disaster. Here are some pics of the start:

Bike parking at the registration site: Excelsior Brewery

Lake entry for a portion of the planned route (this part canceled)

Listening to instructions

Those with studded tires heading out first

Pedaling across the glare ice with 40mph crosswinds basically meant I was running/sliding across the ice in between snow patches. Not much pedaling. Below is some video (trimmed/raw audio) of the start and the yard sale once we hit the ice. Notice gems such as upended cyclists, cyclists afoot being driven back by the gusts, iceboating, and rapidly-fleeing debris in general as evidence of the incredible wind.

Once across the lake to Big Island, there was a fun, technical piece of singletrack. Here is some video (raw):

Overall the experience was stupid fun, especially since I only hit the ice once. I found myself following the instinctively-developed mantra, "I'm here to ride." The event organizers, Erik's and Excelsior Brewery, did a great job. They had the course well-marked, they had crews of volunteers, and provided pre and post-ride atmospheres worthy of the lunacy of a fatbike-on-a-frozen-lake type of crowd. Well done! Hoping for a couple inches of snow on the lake next year...

2012 Rapha Festive 500 Complete - Minneapolis, MN

2013-01-02T14:08:00.000-06:00

With about 3 hours to spare, I completed the 2012 Rapha Festive 500 challenge in the SW suburbs of Minneapolis, MN. Below are some of the photo/video/fact highlights of this year's cold and difficult challenge:

My final GPS track, atop frozen Round Lake. I didn't quite get the typeface correct.

Here is a video summary of video & still photo highlights:

Weather Stats:

Temperature range of 0-23F (-18 to -5C), much colder with windchills
2 days had fresh snow at departure, with additional snowfall while riding
Heavy ice on road shoulders for all but 2-3 of 12 rides.

Bike/Equipment Stats:

310 miles (500km) solo
195 miles (315km) on Studded tires (Schwalbe Marathon Winter 35c) (Salsa Casseroll)
60 miles (97km) on 28c tires (Salsa Casseroll)
55 miles (88km) on the Salsa Mukluk Fatbike, including frozen lake riding
Schmidt hub generator pushing Supernova front/rear lights & accessory charger
12 total rides to complete the challenge!

Thank you to Rapha, Strava, and my family and friends in the cycling community for the challenge and the support!

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 12 - Fatbike Cleanup

2012-12-31T23:20:00.003-06:00

At last, with 300 miles (485km) logged since December 24th, one final ride was all that stood between me and completion of this year's Rapha Festive 500 challenge. With 6 laps plus a little adventure on frozen Round Lake, my mission would be complete. As for the "Achievements" section of the Strava link below, 500km in 8 days is a respectable achievement!

One last adventure before I'm all done, however...

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 11 - Almost done!

2012-12-31T23:15:00.004-06:00

Today's ride was BRUTAL, to say the least. Temperatures were 10F (-12C), with winchill around 0F (-18C). The wind chill was real, with a 10mph headwind from the west, challenging me all the way to my turnaround point in Waconia. I have ridden these roads quite a bit in the fair weather in preparation for the Tour de Tonka century, so at least it was familiar territory. As I turned around and headed east, my core warmed back up, and some feeling returned to my toes.

This distance (60 miles ~ 95km) is about my limit in this weather. I had about 65 miles to go to finish the 310 miles (500km) for the challenge, so I was close enough to finish with a fatbike ride in the evening. I deviated from my strategy of repeating smaller-distance loops, which works to stop back in at the house to refuel, and find liquid water. I have found that if I carry a couple insulated bottles wrapped inside the zip-off sleeve of a Chrome jacket, the water will stay liquid at these temperatures. Obviously, bottles of any sort in the cages will freeze quite quickly. Access to liquid water (in addition to incredibly numb toes) seems to be my limiting factor and greatest cause of unpleasant feelings this time of year.

Insulated bottle inside a jacket sleeve

The trusty Salsa Casseroll all ready to go

And the submission to Strava:

About 10 miles (15km) left! I'll get out the Fatbike for this one.

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 10 - Fatbike

2012-12-31T23:01:00.002-06:00

Just a mileage grab in the dark on the Fatbike. I rode this section on Ride 6, but on the Casseroll, which handles reasonably well in loose snow, but the Fatbike rides fantastic. Too dark for any video, but here's the Strava track:

I have about 65 miles left to hit 310 (500km) by tomorrow night!

Rapha Festive 500 Rides 8/9 - Loops + Fatbike

2012-12-29T21:50:00.001-06:00

Tonight I had some fun on the fatbike. I took the girls ice skating (I watched) in the afternoon, and encountered a winter milestone: ice fishermen. Such a spectacle means that I am now able to ride my bike on the lake! If crazy humans can venture onto the ice, drill a hole, light a fire, and consume copious amounts of alcohol, I feel pretty safe riding my bike on the same surface.

Fresh snow on Round Lake

Yesterday's full moon in the sky

Just as I was leaving the driveway

I just might be able to finish this crazy 500km (310 mile) adventure.... (daytime ride below)

Today's daytime ride was the same as a few days ago--3 10-mile loops. The sun was really refreshing today, in spite of the 20F (-7C) temps. I'm developing quite the tolerance for foot numbness. As a side note, my daily commute to work (which will resume next Thursday), is 11 miles each way, or anywhere from 40-60 minutes. 40-60 minutes seems to be the time threshold for my feet to go numb, so shorter laps has been my approach to the Festive 500 this year.

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 6 - 72km

2012-12-29T09:26:00.000-06:00

Today was a lot of difficult riding. Temps flirted with 20F (-7C) with 3-4" (7.5-10cm) of fresh snow overnight. On part of today's ride, I was plowing through 6"+ of snow; lots of exhausting work. I took time today to take photos and video of this craziness. My electronics (helmet cam, Garmin, still camera) are kind of on the fritz--probably due to extended exposure to COLD. Enjoy!

On the Stone Arch Bridge across the Mississippi. The river appears to be hibernating.

Approaching Target Field, where the Twins play better teams.

Approaching the Hiawatha bridge to the Greenway.

Crossing the unplowed Hiawatha bridge.

Saw a ghostbike today on the West River Parkway at Franklin. Ride safe, everyone.

Looking up to the Gold Medal Flour mill ruin.

The bike was covered in snow. Even the chainstays and BOTH sides of the seatstays.

Headed West toward Lake Calhoun on the Midtown Greenway.

My favorite overlay from today's ride. The path to the top of the park mound wasn't plowed at all, so it's a little choppy.

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 5 - 51km

2012-12-27T15:19:00.002-06:00

Today's ride was in the mid-teens F (-10C) for the whole of the ride, with the temperature dropping and snow falling toward the end. I'll upload some snippets of video later.

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 3 - 31.5km

2012-12-27T15:13:00.004-06:00

Not much going other than a loop in the cold.

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 4 - 43km

2012-12-26T12:20:00.001-06:00

At least today is sunny. I had some time midday to grab some frigid miles; I'm hoping for additional pedaling this evening. Today's ride started at about 7F (-14C) and "warmed up" to 12F (-11C). After the first lap, I swapped wheelsets from the pair with the studded tires mounted to the traditional pair. Much lighter and, therefore, less work.

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 2 - 22.5 km Fatbike

2012-12-25T22:45:00.000-06:00

Snuck in some miles this evening...this time on the Mukluk...at essentially 0 degrees F. I got in about 14 miles and looked like this at the end:

The bottle was more of an experiment to see how long it took to freeze. About 30 minutes and it was solid.

Exhaling moisture freezes a lot, apparently.

Fatbiking across an open ice rink at the local park.

Working hard to get to 500km! One pedal stroke at a time!

Rapha Festive 500 Ride 1 - 50km

2012-12-24T14:12:00.000-06:00

Last year's Festive 500 by Rapha was indeed a challenge. I was living in Madison, WI, and the highest temperature was at freezing (quite warm, in hindsight). This year, I live in Minneapolis, and the temps are quite colder. I am still making an effort to pedal through the challenge this year, so we'll see how it goes!

Today's departure was greeted with +16F (-9C) temperatures and a light dusting of snow, with a wind chill of +2F (-17C). By the end of the 50k ride, temps were +15F (-9.5C), with less of a wind chill. Eek. My layering worked just right, but my feet were still really cold. I doubled up on merino wool socks with a new pair of Teva Chair 5 boots (rated at -25F), but even still...

Here are some pictures:

Around 7AM with 1/2" of fresh-fallen snow

Riding the Casseroll with Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires, Supernova/Schmidt light system, etc.

I'll be shooting for some Mukluk miles this evening if I can sneak away...

Upcoming Project Bike - Salsa Mukluk

2012-12-22T16:10:00.000-06:00

A couple months have passed, but this was how my latest bike project started. More to follow (the bike is now complete....).

Brompton Toolkit - Pure Genius

2012-12-22T16:07:00.002-06:00

My sweet wife hooked me up with an incredible birthday present from Calhoun Cycle. Any bike-related gift is more than welcome, but the Brompton Toolkit is just plain awesome. Although I have been fortunate in the past 2+ years of riding my Brompton, on-the-road repairs could be quite the undertaking without a proper toolkit. Alas, here it is:

Here is the beautiful toolkit, ready to insert into the Brompton frame.

The toolkit is made of an outer sleeve and the tool carriage.

15mm box end wrench/ratchet, 2, 2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6 hex wrench (for ratchet), philips & slotted screwdrivers (for ratchet), nesting pair of tire levers, 8/10mm box wrenches, sandpaper square, & glueless patch. Sheesh.

With the bike folded, the tool goes inside the front section of the main tube, between the front joint and the head tube.

The tool fits right in.

The toolkit fully inserted. The 15mm box wrench serves as the handle to insert/remove the toolkit.

Mostly unfolded.

Fully unfolded.

When fully inserted, the toolkit stays in place by virtue of a rubber endpiece, and feels secure. I am curious to see how well the tool stays inserted as I walk around with the bike folded. I may be tempted to remove the tool if I am worried about the tool dropping out of the frame. Time will tell. Until then, happy folding!

Carradice City Folder M (Brompton) Long-Term Review

2012-11-02T17:56:00.001-05:00

I have been absent from my writings in this space for waaaaaayyy too long. I have found that I generate content more easily via Instagram and the obligatory FB. However, I am lacking the therapeutic nature of compiling my cycling-related thoughts and projects in written form.

I have been a Brompton owner since mid-2010, and I have ridden the bike at every opportunity. My commute along the lakeshore path in Madison, WI while I studied my MBA, grocery runs, running the kids to/from school, and, more recently, my daily commute to work in Minneapolis are a few of my Brompton-based activities. Not to mention my racing accolades (insert jest). On most of my adventures, a friendly duck canvas enclosure parts the wind for the Brompton and its humble rider to pass through. I am, of course, speaking of the Carradice City Folder M bag, made specifically for M-type Bromptons.

Overall, I have been pleased with the bag's ability to carry a respectable quantity of gear, including a laptop in the suspended laptop sleeve. By suspended, I mean the sleeve holds the laptop off the bottom of the bag, so when the 16-1 3/8" wheels navigate potholes the impact to the laptop is reduced. I typically carry my Hulk lunchbox, Shower's Pass rain jacket, Rainlegs, and a few tools with room to spare. I'll take a minute to show you around the bag and to highlight some of the issues I've had.

Green Duck Canvas (cotton). The main straps are opened with plastic buckles semi-hidden behind traditional buckles to adjust length. Carry handle on top and shoulder strap.

The front of the bag has an open pocket directly behind the zippered pocket you see in front.

The back of the bag, as you can see, is designed very nicely around the Brompton bag frame. The rear pockets here fasten with the traditional buckles, making access cumbersome. I usually put a water bottle, keys, a camera, a rag, or other smaller necessities. I would prefer turnbuckle clasps like these from Acorn.

Reflective logo diamond on each side.

Once the top flap is open, the drawstring allows for various volumes of cargo. I have even used a nylon buckle strap on the wood dowel to hang a handled object, say, a lunchbox. The dowel us the support for the carry handle (more on this later).

The drawstring loosened.

The suspended laptop sleeve with what are supposed to be cable/accessory pouches. I have found them much to small to be of use to carry a charger.

The carry handle attaches to the wood dowel with a small screw, and is reinforced by stitching to the canvas (or vice versa?) Both the screw and stitching have failed, and have led me to rarely use this carry handle.

The front-facing reflective logo lost its adhesion some time ago. You can see the strange quality of the leather and stitching on the logo backing. Lackluster details for a $200+ bag, in my opinion.

More detail on the leather and stitching.

These were the stripped out holes from the carry handle screw. I had to rotate the dowel and reinsert the screws.

One of the shoulder strap rivets pulled through as well.

Since the top-flap carry handle is less sturdy than I would like, I often find myself using the Brompton frame to carry the bag. I also hang my helmet through this loop when I carry the bike into work and throw the bag over my shoulder. However, the corrugated plastic structure inside the bag prevent any practical use of this handle. I had to devise a solution.

Park Tool knife.

A couple cuts should do the trick.

Now the handle is useful.

I enjoy the bag, in spite of its shortcomings. Mostly because it is designed specifically for my Brompton, and also because it carries a decent quantity of cargo. Do I recommend it? Perhaps study the shortfalls I've highlighted and make the judgment yourself and contact Calhoun Cycle, Wallingford Bike, Peter White, or perhaps Carradice directly. Happy trails!