Press Your Luck Wearing Goggles

It was 4 degrees above zero this morning, so naturally I decided to go for a bike ride. It was a beautifully sunny morning, so I bundled up and away I went. I had to. I had read about this incident earlier. Whenever I read about something like this, it makes me want to ride even more. I guess because when someone in a car obviously breaks the law and runs down a cyclist and no charges or even citations are issued, it's like the authorities are telling cyclists to stay off the road or at least to ride at your own risk, since they appear to be unwilling to protect us. I don't take kindly to being told not to do something I have a right to do. So when I read about stuff like this I decide to press my luck.

There was this game show back in the 80's where you pressed a button and if you pressed it and the game stopped on a little gremlin looking dude called a whammy, you lost all your money. That is unfortunately what it feels like almost every time I go out to ride. Sadly when we go ride and we get a whammy it will likely cost us our lives or at least a long hospital stay and maybe a lifelong disability.

It's not like it's a rare occurrence either. I had a close call today which could have been avoided, but for the impatient driver.

Untitled from

Sadly at the same time motorists are getting off easy for running down cyclists, many riders are being ticketed or even tackled off their bikes for not having a light or not riding in a bike lane or for no reason at all. If not for video or witnesses in many of these cases the cyclists lives would have been scarred by criminal records, all for the unspeakable crime of riding a bike.

All these reasons are why I continue to press my luck, that and because I love to ride. I really cleared my head of a lot of junk on the ride today, it felt great. I continue to press my luck with the authorities as well because if I don't, if more of us don't, we will continue to be treated as second class citizens on the road. So I'll forfeit an hour out of my weekend to complain yet again about dangerous drivers in Brookfield. It may not do any good this time or the next time but maybe one of these times when I get bullied on the road, I won't get a second whammy when I look to the authorities for help.

As for the goggles, I've found that ski goggles really help keep your face warm when the windchill is -10.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Snownami

My snow rides are the only thing that make the snowstorms and everything that goes with them bearable.

Unfortunately, with a big snow like this one, I have to dig out from the wave of snow after I ride in it. The ratio doesn't work in my favor when we get slammed like this, so for the next snow I'd like to order 3-6 inches instead of 14 or whatever we got. I don't like the big storm ratio, ride for an hour shovel for 2:15.

The ride last night was good but there were some idiot drivers out. A few blared the horns as they passed me, in the other direction. I could almost understand them doing it if they had to wait to pass me, but these people were not the least bit inconvenienced by me. Maybe they are like the guy who waited at the stop sign at the top of the hill just to ask me if I was nuts, and then have to make a dangerous pass to get around me. If I don't get in your way at all what difference is it to you if I ride my bike in the snow?

But that didn't take away from the enjoyment of my ride. I don't know what it is about the snow, but it usually just makes me laugh and smile at the idiots. The snow on the parkways was great, again, but the snow at the plow end of my driveway was 4-5 feet high. That's a lot of shoveling. I guess I'll just call it cross training. The weather guessers tell me I've got more cross training coming up this weekend.

The Maiden Voyage

I took out the new singlespeed tonight in the snow. Awesome. Epic. The bike was great. I on the other hand had a couple new experiences. My eyelids froze partially shut a couple times and my chin got really cold despite a good balaclava. I did have a head band that warmed me up nicely. It will be nice when fixedgeargus gets done with his homework so he can join in the reindeer games.




For the folks interested in the tech stuff, I was running a Ritchey Speedmax 32 on the front and a Kenda Kwick 30 on the rear each at about 40 psi. My Tektro brakes worked great even with no name old levers. Not to touchy in the snow, but just enough so I could slow down.

As far as clothes, as some of you have asked about, I use mainly Under Armour base layers and then a long sleeve jersey and a shell. Lower half is shorts, leg warmers tights and if it's snowing or raining REI bike specific rain pants. I also wore a DOT approved reflective safety vest. I might have looked dorky, but I was visible, and didn't have any close calls.

For lights I always use a Planet Bike superflash on the rear and up front I used my homebrew lights, which are about 200 lumens and last for a couple hours per battery pack.

I will try to post some more info about the light construction soon.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Big Ticket Item

Breaking News

There is another big ticket item in addition to the one discussed below. My first singlespeed since my bmx bike in middle school is ready to ride.

No I haven't been shopping, the big ticket was given to the driver of the car in the latest video.



Franklin Police Department is now 2 for 2. Not for tickets issued, but both times I 've reported drivers there, the officers were professional and helpful.

Back to the ticket.

The officer wrote the guy for driving on a suspended license instead of illegally passing me, and that's fine because I might not need to testify now if he fights that ticket. It's also a bigger ticket.

The scary thing to ponder is, given the fact that he was driving with a suspended license, and since he honked at me and told the officer he thought I was in his way, would he have stopped if he had hit me.
Hopefully he will at least give bikes more room next time he drives with a suspended license.

Slack Jawed Yokels and Happy Rednecks

Perfect snow conditions this morning for riding. I don't have the single/fixie built yet, but I had to ride this morning while I had the chance. If I'm going to have to stand in it all day at work, I sure as heck am going to enjoy it while I can.
I passed one guy in my subdivision who just stared at me with his mouth open so far I thought he might drown on all the snow he was catchin. He looked like he was watching an alien ship land. I just said, "good mornin'" and rode on. Later I came upon a beater van with a guy who would probably describe himself as a redneck, not that there's anything wrong with that, especially when he gives me a thumbs up and shouts words of encouragement as I ride by.
Hopefully the snow lasts long enough for another adventure tonight.
Sorry no pix, no time.
Bikesafer
Jeff

Winter

Winter has arrived. Unfortunately I didn't get to enjoy it. I couldn't ride in the latest snow, but I'm hoping to ride in the next snow. Hope I don't see any snowplows.

Shoulda Coulda Woulda

But didn't. I shoulda coulda woulda been the first guy to finish at my first alleycat (Cranksgiving) on Saturday. Instead, I misread the finish address, or actually I transposed 2 numbers, so I didn’t win like I shoulda coulda woulda. I ended up second in the B category which was still pretty cool. It was a great event for a good cause and they had some great prizes. I snagged an eighth inch frame and a timbuk2 messenger bag and an origin8 handlebar.


Then Sunday I did the 40+ 4 cx state championship race. I woulda coulda shoulda been 2nd but ended up third due to a dropped chain well into the last lap. The guy who got past me was from IL so I ended up 2nd in the state, but 3rd overall. Still not bad.


The season is over and it was a pretty good season. I had more fun racing then I can remember and I finished on a lot of podiums, even though I shoulda coulda woulda won some races, I was never on the top step. It was still a successful year and more importantly a fun year and a good year for the team. Some team news coming soon.