Looking ahead.

Think about it…

Is this industry moving forward or has it gotten to the point that where for every single genuine innovation, there are three “innovations” that are rehashed ideas from the past?  Sure there are some intriguing new ideas out there, some may catch on and some just may not catch on at all.  One of the good innovations I feel is the MIPS liner in helmets, who would really complain about having some additional protection added to it.

I know I speak for myself for this one, but I rarely jump on something right away.  The mips liner helmets I jumped right into, it’s going to be a game changer.  Just on the fact that it’s not only for additional protection from a force that a normal helmet can’t protect your head from.  Not only that but the peace of mind factor is helpful.  Also, air circulation is not affected by it.

That being said, there are the bad ideas.

$1000 and up kids bikes.:  Really, most people out there are not going to pay that much money for a kids bike that will only get outgrown in a year or two or three.  Hint hint, trek, specialized.

What seems like 20,000,000 different frame spacings: Again, it’s getting ridiculous. There used to be a handful of them out there and it was easy to keep track of.  Now we got 110×15, 148×12, 12×142.5, 10×135, 20×110, 9×100, 12×150, and that’s just the mountain bikes.

Disc brakes on road bikes: Just because the industry is too lazy to actually develop a rim brake pad compound that works with carbon rims in any condition.

The aero road bike: I know, for racing purposes this could be a good one, but most people don’t race and it will only perform just as well as the engine(the rider) is.

70 different wheel sizes:  Ok 70 is exageration, but it’s really easy to lose track of all the wheel sizes now.  12,16,20,24,26, 26″, 700c, 29, 650b, 27, 26+, 650b+, 29+, 20″ fatbike. Pretty sure I missed some.

Ergonomic pedals: Just leave the foot stuff to people that specialize in shoes/insoles, it’s easier to go that route than going through all this mess with ergonomic pedals.

Ok, that’s the bad ideas, here are the ones that make me scratch my head.

25.4 seat post on certain endurance road bikes: This isn’t an innovation and should be a seat post size that should have been left for dead.  There are better ways to achieve improved ride quality than an obsolete seat post size.

Procore liner: Yeah put a tube inside of a tubeless tire and have two things to worry about having proper psi on.

The rubberized material that is starting to be used on saddles: They say it’s waterproof, but it gets slick when wet.

650b: I’m only scratching my head on this one because it’s not new.  Dutch town bikes have been using this wheel size for a long time now.

Ergonomic pedals: Just leave the foot stuff to people that specialize in shoes/insoles, it’s easier to go that route than going through all this mess with ergonomic pedals.

That’s it with the list.  Now hear me out on this one, I know that there are people that are stoked on every new or “new” thing out on the market.  If you like it, then that is great, but I am speaking from a practicality standpoint here.  A whole bunch of stuff mentioned isn’t all that practical, looking at you procore liner.    So just sit back and think to yourself, do your really need all that stuff, and where will it get you further down the road?

Racing the Dusk

When you get in a long routine that takes place at around one specific time, it is rather nice to change things up.  Changing things up can break one from the rut they are in, be it feeling slow, or uninspired or some other random thing.  Here, I’ve been in a bit of a streak of marches into oblivion.  I’ve gotten stronger, but I was starting to miss that shorter foot through the floorboard kind of ride.  So on Friday that was the order of business, not only did this ride, but added the incentive of going flat out to beat something, the darkness.  Not only did this work, but it showed what my hard work has resulted in.  Was tired, but felt invigorated and ready for the next challenge.

 

For what it’s worth I did beat the dusk.

Into the light

After a stretch of days of rain, it’s rather nice to have a beautiful late spring day come upon you.  Don’t let the day go to waste, get out there and ride or do something outside.  It’s more important to accomplish something outside that took a physical effort than wasting your time being enslaved to an electronic device, be it cell phone, tablet, or computer.   Sure the cellphone can be useful in case something happens while your outside doing what you do, but it doesn’t need to be your only focus. 

 

Completely unplanned.

Well, after 3 months off of the road because of getting clocked by a car I’m back.  New bike and all.  It was an accident and that is all I’m going to mention about it.  I’m a bit tired of describing what happened so that is that.

The season…

So, how has the season been so far for you?  Been having good rides, or has it been a bad year to date?  Started slow here with the weather, but thankfully it has picked up.  All said, it is kind of hard to see what the season will have in store for a person.  Can you trust the weatherman, not always but they do get lucky and get it right from time to time.  The best thing is to just wing it, because when it is warm that rain that made you miserable when it was cold will feel good to you.

Next step is summer, which is where, you transition to warm to hot, which can be a downside.  The downside to this is the days are longer so you can get out on the ride a bit later in the day when it’s starting to get cooler.  Well, you could even get out earlier before it gets hot.  Either choice is fine, just remember to hydrate properly if you do go out in the middle of the day.  Failing to hydrate on a hot day can be a real drag.

After this there is autumn, and the colors are gorgeous.  The smell, the reasonable temps, the slight brisk chill later in that season.  This is about the time that goals will be achieved or gotten close to achieving.  Personally this is my favorite season to be out on the road.   Getting those miles in while seeing in the distance the changing colors.

Finally there is winter.  The temps are colder, the days are shorter, the weather is more unpredictable.  You get creative when it comes to getting a ride in since time is not on your side with this season.  Bundle up, yep; get the lights on, better believe it.  Hope your water bottle doesn’t freeze, check.  Will you overheat, nope.

All in all, none of the seasons bother me, they all have their downsides just like they all have their upsides.  Learn to enjoy the upsides and learn to deal with the downsides, adapt your cycling to fit in with each season.  That is where the fun is, going for that long ride in the fall/spring or that long ride in the summer followed by a cold beverage of choice at the end of said ride.  That shorter harder effort put in during the winter months.  It will be a good season when you look at the body of work that you have achieved by your own standards instead of the standards of someone else.

 

 

 

Getting there.

Just picture this, you are on a long ride and are starting to show signs of bonking.  Legs feeling heavy, struggling to keep your spin going.  Yet you keep pushing on despite all of this and when you roll into your driveway or final destination, it feels like you have accomplished something.  Getting there is part of the challenge, if there is nothing to get to, you’re not going to achieve all that much.  It does not really matter if it is a 5 mile commute or a century, getting there is either a destination or a goal or both.

Pedal through it.

For some, the thought of taking it easy when it gets cold.  Others just shut it down all together come winter.  However, some will amp it up in colder weather; it’s just a matter of which mindset you are.  I tend to put in harder efforts at around the same distance this time of year.

Remember, the harder you work, the warmer you will be and you won’t overheat as quickly as you would in the summer.  Yes one would get cold easier as well, which is why one should prepare/dress for the weather.  What you just need to do is to get over the, it’s cold out, I’m staying indoors mentality.

The worn, but trust worthy work horse.

Do you have one?

The 930 is mine, where the dmr is newer, it seems like there is always something that needs repairing.  Where the 930 only requires a bit of chain lube, and the tires to be topped off with air and it’s good to go.

 

 

 

 

Happy Holidays.

Another Sunset in July.

With the month of July being complete, to put the riding in this month of 2012 in words all I can think of is epic.  Good times with good friends, great trip with family, finding a short stretch of road that I completely enjoyed, so twisty.  Finding new challenges on the road and quickly conquering them.  Also learned something about myself, I’m a better sprinter when there is a very tiny bit of a rise to the road compared to when on flat road.

Sure there was a down time, which was having one of my two cats die while I was on my trip.  But she was having some health issues on and off.   Thought that she was over the issues, she was eating and being her normal self the day I left for this trip.  Four days later though, found out via phone that it was otherwise.