Monthly Archives: July 2011

EMS Thunderhead Rain Gear

Working on my bike means having rain gear is a necessity because riding in the rain for 7 hours sucks if I’m soaked straight though. I don’t highly recommend these specific items but they work well enough to bring along. A little worn but I’m not too invested. I spent about $150 for the set, tax included, at one of EMS’s Every Month Sales.

The jacket does not have a cycling cut at all but does have a good hood and long pit zippers. The pants are totally annoying at the waist and the cuffs act stupid around a drive train. The pocket is useless. The best thing is the material does hold up to hours of rain.

Made in China

 

Outdated Hand Signals

I think that riding through many new towns and cities a cyclist is bound to not have a good understanding of drivers attitudes. Signaling helps. The reason I’m thinking of this subject is because I was riding in Brooklyn and some guy rode by me and did what’s in this image showing “right turn”. My thought was – no driver is going to understand what that means. These signals were made for drivers way back before cars had turn signals. And all these signals use the left arm because a driver could not safely stick their right arm out the window. To use this Right Turn signal while riding a bicycle is silly.

As a bike rider we can use either arm to make a turn signal.

Left turn = left arm extended
Right turn = right arm extended

Keep it simple.

 

The Front Door to My Apartment


Every day I go out this door.

I have been looking at writings about preparing for a bike tour. One part of these articles that has absolutely nothing to do with me is the part about how to ship your bike before a tour. I have never started a tour that did not begin where I lived. Both of my solo tours started in my home state of Ohio. The first was riding West to the Pacific Ocean and the second was to the East and then South along the Atlantic Coast. A few years later I was selected from applicants all over the world to ride a promotional tour that was to start in NYC, and it just so happened I lived in Brooklyn at the time. So in all my experience I’ve never had to ship my bike and gear to my start point.

What I have done is arrange transportation for my bike and self after the tour ended. Once by bus, once by car, and once by plane. In that order. I can say that shipping a bike that has already done its duty is not stressful or needs any articles written. Put it in a box, send it, deal with it later.

I want to do another tour through an area in North America that I’ve never been. The East coast north of Boston. Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Quebec. Right now I still live in Brooklyn so I am already on the East coast and it happens to be that my lease is up on August first. I think August and September would be a fine time to travel north.

The thing about this trip idea is that I’ll be doing a big loop. All of my transportation will be by bike. I’ll depart by bike and return by bike. I wonder why I never did it this way before? It’s got me thinking, who are these people who ship their bikes and fly to some start point? Why not just ride there?

I can guess who, I can guess why.

For me, if all goes as best as I can imagine it then very soon I’ll walk out this door for the last time. With my bike all loaded and ready to go and will see the first day and first miles of a long tour. It will also be the last day I lived in this building.

On the other hand, if this trip gets put on hold, for some reason, I’ll still be moving out. The rent went up and my roommate and I are not that attached to this area. Either way, so long 1400.

 

Outlier Merino Hoodie

This is one fine hoodie.  Soft, comfortable, warm and breathable. Merino again, this thing is an essential for the cooler days. Or if I’m in the mountains or up north or still riding in the cooler months I’d be a fool to not have a hoodie.

If it’s really cool out I’ll wear my Outlier Packable Heat jacket over this and be set.

Mine is green. A good army green. Maybe not Army green but a green that would blend in if I was just off the roadside somewhere setting up camp for the night. A green that is not unlike the color of my tent.

I bought this directly from Outlier at a sample sale. Later I learned that they only made three green ones.

Made in New York of New Zealand Merino wool.

 

Shimano FC 5703

Shimano 105 FC 5703  30-39-50 tooth 172.5mm arm length

I have a good mix of Ultegra and Dura-ace group on my bike. That does not mean that I can’t dip a little lower in the Shimano line and run some 105. The price difference from 105 to Ultegra is $100 easy, for just this one part. That does buy a better set of chainrings, but those are what I’ll have to replace anyway and 105 is just fine. Very good for this purpose because the 105 has a 50 tooth big ring and the Ultegra triple has a 52. I know it’s not much of a difference but it means I’ll be in the big ring a little more often which means I’ll be in the middle ring a little less often. I’m doing the math in my head and it equals a more evenly utilized (worn) drivetrain vs. the more expensive crankset.

Maybe that doesn’t matter but I still saved $100 easy.

Made in Japan

 

Shimano Ultegra Derailleurs

Pretty simple.
I was thinking back to my first tour, I spent so much time picking out things to have and deciding on what was, or was not important to bring. I have no idea what that stuff was today. I forget it all. Half the reason I’m doing all these reviews is because I’ll be able to remember what I thought was important to bring, or things I didn’t have. Probably lame, I don’t care. This is one thing, two, that I can check off the list. When the list is all check marked I’ll have no excuse not to just go.

Here’s me in 10 years: yep, that’s what my rear derailleur looked like back then.

Made in Japan

 

Velo Orange Hammered Fenders 45mm

My friend talked me in to getting these. He helped me get a deal from his account with Velo Orange because he was already putting in an order.

It took me about two hours to install but they look good. They fit on my bike well, don’t make any real noise and have very good coverage. They say 45mm is good for up to 700×32 tires. That’s what I’ve got and don’t see myself going any larger in tire size so these fender should work fine.

I’ve been riding around with these on and they give the bike a good look. They draw complements.

Shinny.

Also, they call these hammered but they are more of a pressed-to-look-hammered. It’s not like some craftsman sat at a bench swinging a hammer at these over and over. If you have never seen these in person, they are clearly made by machine.

Not sure where they are made, my guess, not in the US.

Cost: $35

 

Velocity Dyad 700c


Velocity makes a good rim for a fair price. I’ve ridden the Deep-V’s on many bikes. I like the Fusion, too. I also have a set of B43’s that suit a more aesthetic purpose. For touring I wanted a wider rim good for 700×32 tires. Velocity Dyad is a great choice for loaded touring rim.

Not much of a specific review on the rim because there are many things involved in the wheel. Spoke count (48), tires, air pressure, weight, road surface, speed, it’s almost endless. I do know that Velocity USA has very good customer service. That’s enough right there.

I have already put over 4000 miles on the rear and it doesn’t show any reasons to not be happy so far.

Now I have a set and both were handbuilt in a 4 cross with DT Swiss Champion spokes.

Cost: if I remember correct, about $45 ea.

Made in Australia

velocityusa.com

 

Panaracer RiBMo 700×32

Panaracer RiBMo 700×32

I feel like a few of pol0 players like these tires. And these are new to me but knowing that a good number of people in New York chose these tires is testament enough. Its not like they all bought the same bike that happen to come with these. this is choosing a good tire that will hold up.

I looked at them and they are a bit pointy. meaning not a softly rounded contact area to the ground. sort of makes me think that these will roll with less resistance than your average 32 size tire.

I used to like the Ritchey Tom Slick. These seem much better.  Probably are but i really cant recall the price difference.

I’ve been riding them on my touring bike for a couple months now. Good so far.

Made in Japan