I took a quick 20 miler on the Pilot and then wanted to clean both it and the 29er after its tour in dusty Death Valley. The mt. bike wasn’t too bad, but when I cleaned my rims on the Pilot, I found the rear tire had cracks running all along it with a couple of small patches of rubber missing.

Strangely it was this same back tire that never lost much air. The front one loses 10 lbs regularly but is fine. Guess B&L gets to sell me a set of new tires. I found an old one that looks like it has a few more miles in it.

It’s time to bring those bikes off the racks and out on the road. Might do to spend a few minutes checking ‘em over too.

If you’re looking forward to getting your bike out after a long hiatus, don’t forget to take a few minutes to inspect your tires. Here’s what to look for:

Read about checking your tires and more at David Fiedler’s excellent and simple blog. 

Okay, I’m not likely to actually change my bearings myself, but it wouldn’t hurt to listen for worn bearings, would it? Check out the video how to on bicycletutor.com. –Corrie

How To Check If Your Bearings Are Worn

Listen to your bottom bracket, headset, and wheel bearings.

Here’s a handy tip that will help you access whether or not any of your bearings are worn out. You’ll need to have the wheels suspended in the air somehow, using either a repair stand, hanging it from the roof, or by getting a friend to hold it up for you.

Those stunt riders treat fences and rails as playthings. See the video

I can’t ride the white line let alone a curb. Watch as this guy casually ‘walks’ his bike across town.

You Tube

Just in case you can get out on a bike . . . Indoor Cross Training for Improved Climbing

Climbs like this can be made easier with preparation indoors.

By Edmund R. Burke, Ph.D.
For Active.com

While speaking at a recent training camp at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, an off-road cyclist wanted to know if working out on a stair climber would be a good cross-training tool to exercise on during the off-season.

I was quick to tell him that a key training concept for athletes to remember is specificity of training. In other words, if you want to be a swimmer, swim; if you want to be a runner, run; and if you want to be a good climber in cycling then climb on your bike.

Steve finds something to do inspired by Bicycling Magazines article about rebuilding an old bike. He sent the image as a full size PDF. Actually, I really enjoy these clean graphics. Somewhere inside me is a graphic artist. Steve’s done a great job capturing these images.

Corrie,

you’re probably not overly interested, but I’ll still give you some info.

Recreating decals is a pain! I liked the idea of photographing the decals and creating new vinyl ones. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, so I started messing with the old Grand Prix ($10 in a yard sale 10 yeas ago). However, it’s obvious that the decals are bent onto the frame and the the light catches words differently and of course is usually shiny in the spot opposite the sun. Too much effort to hide from the sun dulls the colors badly.

Anyway, this looks so simple, but I spent most of the day on this. Its crazy I’d spend any time on the old Grand Prix since its fork is bent and the frame may also be, but I get bored in the winter even when I should be working on the house or preparing for Christmas!

I’m happy with these, but the Grand Prix is such a mess I don’t know how to fix it or get a photo I can start with. I really don’t care if it’s authentic- even if the bike were fixable.

–Steve

If you are interested in bike fit you might want to take a look of the youTube videos that Doug found. http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=John+Howard+Bike+Fit&search=Search

After listening to these I think my seat is to low and I need to tilt the nose down a hair…I think I have the nose slightly raised now…..interesting to try anyway. I also pedal to much heal first and not enough toe first.–Doug

I don’t know what I can tell about myself from watching John Howard describe what I can’t see. There was a mention in one of the recent RoadBikeRider newsletters of the issue of toe or flat or heel pedaling. Other than putting the ball of the foot directly over the pedal, how you pointed your foot was a function of individual biomechanics and several world class cyclists were named who each did it differently –Corrie

The article was from the Best of Coach Fred in the current issue. This link will probably not work after Thursday when the new issue is out.

–Corrie

Steve sends this piece from Sheldon Brown at Harris Cyclery

Top Tube Length: More Important Than Seat Tube Length!

When people speak of bicycle frame sizes, they generally speak in terms of the seat tube length. As mentioned above, this used to be the only variable, but with proportional sizing it no longer is. I would submit that seat tube height is no longer the most important frame dimension. More determinant of the actual way the rider will sit on the bike is the top tube length. It is obvious why you shouldn’t have a bike that is too tall to stand over with a reasonable safety margin (although even this sizing practice was not universally accepted for the first 30 or 40 years of the diamond frame.)

On the other hand, why shouldn’t you ride a “too small” bike? “Because the seat and handlebars will be too low!” That was a good objection ten years ago, when tall seatposts were a rarity and quality handlebar stems were available in a variety of forward extensions but only one (short) height. All that was before the mass production of the mountain bike. Now 250 mm and 300 mm seatposts are stock items, and a variety of excellent handlebar stems are available

There are a number of sizing systems available today, which require various measurements of the cyclists body and reccommend frame sizes on this basis. Probably the best known of these is the New England Cycling Academy FitKit. I use this system myself, but not in a blind, rote manner.

The FitKit makes recommendations for a particular seat tube length, and a range of top tube lengths with corresponding handlebar stem extensions. For instance, for a particular rider, it might suggest a 58 cm seat tube with a combined top tube and stem extension of 66 cm. This 66 cm might be from a 61 cm top tube with a 5 cm stem, or a 54 cm top tube with a 12 cm stem, or any other combination that adds up to 66 cm.

Any of these combinations will give an equivalent posture on the bike. One or two combinations are particularly recommended because the more extreme variations of stem length can cause a bike to handle strangely because of the positions of the hands relative to the steering axis. The “by-the-book” fitting method would then be to select a suitable bike with a 58 cm seat tube, measure the top tube, and install the recommended stem.

I would submit that this approach is due to the old fashioned fixation on seat tube heights. Better, in my opinion, to find a bike with the ideal length top tube, fit the recommended stem, and not worry about the seat tube size, within reasonable limits.

I think this is the same video used yesterday as an illustration of irresponsible, risky, cycling. No argument. –Corrie
Sclipo: Learn how to navigate thru New York Traffic from the pros.
Learn how to navigate thru New York Traffic from the pros.

This is a video of a Alley Cat, which is a bike messenger race. The video is taken from the helmet of one of the racers. You will see all the tricks they use to get thru the city faster than anyone else. Don’t stop, don’t brake, don’t fear, just pedal like a SOB!!

–Corrie

When the temps start below freezing and don’t promise to rise into the 40s, I lose interest. How about you? Here’s how to dress.

Winter Cycling Tips

Winter has finally reared its ugly head here in the Northwest. However, just because it is winter does not mean that you have to give up cycling. It may take a little bit more motivation to get out and ride when it is cold and gray, but a good ride always does the body and mind good. In order for your winter ride to be safe and enjoyable you need to winterize your bike and your body. It is always recommended that you ride with a partner especially if you will be going to a remote location.

Jim Langley’s thorough discussion of bike fit starts with the seat. More tips on fit and buying a bike at http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/crank.html.

Bike Fit

Level and center the seat: Start adjusting fit by placing the bicycle on a level surface and checking that the seat is level (photo). A good way to check is to place a carpenter’s level on top of the seat. If you don’t have this tool, place a yardstick on top of the seat and compare the edge of the yardstick to a horizontal sight line, which you know to be level such as a windowsill or the top of a building. While adjusting, ensure that the seat is centered on its rails over the seatpost, too.

Another in the series from Langley’s great web site.

–Corrie