25January2008
Posted by todd under: Bridgestone XO-1; My bikes.
For a certain set of bicycle enthusiasts, the Bridgestone XO-1 is a Holy Grail with tires — mythical, the possession of which might grant eternal bliss — on- or off-road, commuting or racing, touring or coffee-shopping — for this certain set of bicycle enthusiasts, the XO-1 stands alone as an ultimate all-rounder.
I learned the lore online, by reading e-mails and links from the Internet Bridgestone Owners’ Bunch.
Sure, I would’ve loved to have one. Who wouldn’t?
The thing is, the XO-1 came out for only two years, 1992 and 1993, and there were just 1,000 made each year.
Its rarity is part of its appeal.
*********
So one day in a local bike shop, I noticed this clerk looking at me funny. I didn’t recognize him at all, but it turned out to be an old acquaintance named Bush, who had worked at the shop years before.
Bush shared my affinity for old steel frames and friction-shifting. We had talked bikes and quoted Grant Peterson to each other, and I’d admired the Bridgestone RB-1 frame he bought off E-bay.
*********
Now Bush was back — much lighter, and clean-shaven. He looked like a completely different guy. We caught up a little. In the course of conversation, either then or later, he happened to mention that he had an XO-1 that he never rode.
He casually related that he had been thinking about putting it on EBay … but, well, he would rather sell it to someone who would appreciate it.
It was the largest size (which would fit me perfectly).
Would I be interested?
Hmm … let me think about it …
Well … YES …
24January2008
Posted by todd under: Words from cycling sages.
“Bikes are more versatile than we give them credit for. New bike buyers want to get the perfect bike for the job, and that typically means the one that’s easy to ride on roads, off roads, with panniers, or whatever. This right-tool-for-the-job ethic makes sense, but when it’s taken to extremes we end up focusing on what the bike can do for us, not what we can do with the bike.”
– 1991 Bridgestone bicycle catalog
24January2008
Posted by todd under: Words from cycling sages.
“On the bicycle, the rider feels when the vehicle starts to lean over. Theoretically, there are two ways out of the predicament: either move the rider back over the center of the bike or move the bike back under the rider. In practice, the latter method is used most effectively, especially at higher speeds. When the bike begins leaning to the side, the rider oversteers the front wheel a little in the same direction, which places the bike back in such a position that balance is restored. In fact, this point will be passed, so the bike starts leaning over the other way, and so on. This entire sequence of movements is relatively easy to notice when you are cycling slowly. When standing still, the balancing motions are so extreme that only a highly skilled cyclist can keep control. The faster the bicycle, the less perceptible (though equally important and therefore harder to master) are the steering corrections required to retain balance. To get an understanding of this whole process, I suggest you practice riding a straight line at a low speed. Then do it at a higher speed, and see whether you agree with the explanation …”
– Rob Van der Plaas, The Bicycle Touring Manual, page 129
23January2008
Posted by todd under: Raingear; Reviews.
[[NOTE: Within days of this review, these pants leaked during a couple of rides. Rainshield's president is personally addressing the matter, although it is not yet fully resolved; you can read about it here.]]
This is a review of the 3Flow Performance Series pants by Rainshield Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn.
PRICE: About $70 online (1, 2, 3). They’re listed for $55 here, which would be a great deal.
BACKGROUND: I have been wearing these for more than a year, as the weather demands, on my daily commute. The pants come in five sizes, small through XXL. I have a 33-inch inseam, and the Large fits me perfectly. (There is a sizing chart on the company Web page, look on the lower right-hand corner of each product description.) Rainshield says it makes these pants out of 3Flow Performance Series fabric; the tag on them says “Outershell: 100% Nylon.” The seams are sealed. They come in any color you want, as long as it’s black.
PROS: Let’s take ‘em from top to bottom:
- A drawstring lets you adjust the waist size.
- A zippered, full-size back pocket (pictured, bottom right) and a small velcroed front pocket (pictured second from bottom) give you places to stow little stuff.
- The pantlegs seem to have extra material around the knees; they are made to fit best when you are on the bike.
- Elasticized cuffs fit snugly around the ankles.
- Zippers at the bottom of the pantlegs make it easy to get the pants on and off while wearing shoes. And the cut is roomy enough that there is no problem putting these on over my work clothes.
I have ridden with these pants in heavy weather, and they have never failed to keep me dry. They can be rolled up tightly to fit into a pannier. And the material is substantial; it looks as if it could withstand lots of abuse. I’ve worn my pants quite a bit, and there’s not a blemish on them.
I frequently wear these on cold days when it’s not raining or snowing, just to provide a windproof outer layer for warmth.
CONS: I don’t recommend these pants for riding in warm/hot weather — when it gets over about 75 degrees, I switch over to my O2 Rainwear pants, which are lighter-weight and seem to breathe better. If you’re concerned about sweating, these pants just are not suitable for summer riding, in my experience — and I don’t usually mash the pedals or ride more than 3 miles at a time.
VERDICT: I don’t consider these pants to be year-rounders, but I wholeheartedly recommend them for what they do provide: Excellent protection from rain and cold; durability; a very comfortable fit; and every feature you could want.
[MORE REVIEWS OF CYCLING GEAR]
22January2008
Posted by todd under: Words from cycling sages.
“What keeps a bicycle or any other single track vehicle going without falling over is the inertia of its moving mass. Rolling a narrow hoop will show that it is an unstable balance: once the thing starts to lean either left or right, it will just go down further and further until it hits the ground. That’s because the mass is no longer supported vertically in line with the force. Try it with a bicycle wheel if you like. If the bike’s front wheel could not be steered and the rider couldn’t move sideways, he’d come down the same way very soon.”
– Rob Van der Plaas, The Bicycle Touring Manual
22January2008
Posted by todd under: Recommended reading.
UPDATED and bumped:
Here’s further evidence of Freddy’s cycling prowess, via Kevin Parker from the Freddy the Pig Yahoo mailing list:
Dear Kevin:
My eight-year-old son Thomas would like to mention two other spectacular moments of Freddy on a bicycle. There is the scene in Freddy the Politician, where he crashes through the window of the bank (one of my personal favorite moments). And in Freddy and Simon the Dictator, Freddy slips while riding down the hill, leading a dog regiment in defense of the chickens (hiding in the pig pen). Perhaps the Kentucky bicyclists would like to consider these episodes too, but perhaps they prefer the more graceful moments!
Greetings,
Inger and Thomas Brodey
ORIGINAL POST:
Meet Freddy the pig, literature’s finest animal bicycle commuter.
Freddy lives on Mr. Bean’s farm with Jinx the cat, Mrs. Wiggins the cow, Charles the rooster, Uncle Solomon the owl, Theodore the bullfrog, Mr. and Mrs. Webb the spiders, and others.
Freddy taught himself to read, then taught many of the other animals to read, then realized there was nothing for them to read … so he started a newspaper. He plays on the high school football team, solves mysteries (often in disguise), runs for office and writes poetry.
It goes without saying that someone this well-rounded and intelligent would ride a bicycle!
“He had to go back and forth so much between Centerboro and the farm that he got out his old bicycle and oiled it up. His legs were too short to touch the pedals at the bottom of their swing, but he could push the bicycle up the hills and then coast down the other side, so that it was faster than walking. He lost a lot of weight in the first week or so and Mrs. Bean had to take in the waistband of his trousers three times.”
— Freddy Plays Football by Walter R. Brooks
In the picture above, from Freddy and the Dragon, Freddy (in disguise as Peppercorn Talcum) gives Jinx a ride on the handlebars. Thanks to Kevin Parker over at the Friends of Freddy site for permission to republish the picture. All you other Freddy fans out there, feel free to let us know other instances of the pig on two wheels.
There are 26 books in the Freddy series. It’s not the best-known children’s series, but it is one of the best. The frequently hilarious descriptions and dialog will please many an adult as well. Highly recommended.
Here is a New York Times article about the Freddy series; find out all about the series, its author and its fans here.
21January2008
Posted by todd under: Breezer Uptown 8; Reviews.
It’s here, with photos and an overview of key features. You can also get to the page via the tab under the header at the top of this page. There are a whole lot more choices than there were 5-6 years ago. Some of them look great, and some of them look a little goofy. Still, it’s an encouraging trend.
Please let me know if you know of a bike that could be included but isn’t.
18January2008
Posted by todd under: Riding.
I’m looking over a bunch of 2008 commuting-type-bikes for a what’s-available overview I’ll publish before too long on this site (watch for it!), and I’m finding it surprising how many models are available in this market now, compared to when I was first looking in the late ’90s-early ’00s.
Back then, this market segment barely existed at all in the USA. Now, a lot of companies are putting out a product line targeted at average-Joe (non-racing, non-extreme-mountain-biking) riders like myself.
There’s a pretty good range of choices out there that come with basic commuting needs: fenders, a rear rack and a kickstand. If you want an internal hub, you have several nice-looking options. If you opt for a standard derailer drivetrain, you’re in business.
The options narrow a lot if you want a lighting system to come with the bike right out of the box. And since I’m doing most of my research online, it’s impossible for me to know how these bikes actually ride.
Still, it’s encouraging to see that the bike companies are stepping up with practical-looking cycles.
My question is, are shops actually stocking them?
This type of bike traditionally has been a tough sell in the U.S.; it’s a tougher sell if you’re asking the customer to order a commuter sight-unseen.
More importantly: Even if the shops are stocking these bikes — are people actually buying them?
Perhaps even less measurable: If people are buying them, are they actually riding them? (Here are a bunch of interesting statistics along this line, hat-tip to Kent Peterson for passing along the link.)
More to consider, here in Kentucky: According to the 2000 Census, I’m a rare bird: just 0.58 percent of the population here in Lexington commutes to work by bike.
16January2008
Posted by todd under: Words from cycling sages.
“It is possible to steer by turning the handlebars, and then correct lean and steering to regain balance afterwards. In fact, many older people, especially women, seem to do it that way, succeeding quite well at low speeds only. As soon as imbalance becomes imminent, they have to make a correction in the other direction. After some more cramped and anxious movements, they finally get around the corner. This accounts for the tensioned and apparently impulsive riding style typical for such riders, even if they have practiced it so long that they don’t realize their movements are awkward and their balance precarious.”
– Rob Van der Plaas, The Bicycle Touring Manual
16January2008
Posted by todd under: Crashes; Riding with children.
Maybe anyone who has taught more than one child how to ride a bike has what he considers to be a great method.
I have taught two boys to ride, one at age 4, the other at age 5. However, I don’t consider my method to be great.
It is merely simple.
Our driveway runs through our back yard. A 60-foot section of yard, fenced on two sides, slopes gently away from the driveway.
I wait for the child to express interest in learning. When he gets on the bike for the first time, I situate him on the bike on the driveway, hold onto the back of the seat, take a few steps with the rolling bike, and then let the bike go into the yard.
The kid crashes. At low speed, to be sure, but it’s a crash nonetheless.
Then we do it again. And again. And again, until he’s tired of it.
Maybe a few days later, he will ask to try again. And we will.
Pretty soon, he is turning at the fence and then falling down. Then he’s turning at the fence and making it halfway back.
Then he’s able to ride almost a complete circle around the yard.
Now it’s time to move to a stretch of sidewalk. I give the bike with the boy on it a gentle push, and jog alongside to make sure he doesn’t meander across the treelawn into the street.
After about 25 feet, he crashes (usually onto the grass). Then we do it again, and again, until he’s tired of it.
Pretty soon, he is riding all the way down to the neighbor’s driveway. By that time, he generally has the hang of it.
We are able to combine the methods at a store down the street. A driveway goes all the way around the store. There is a nice-sized lawn next to the driveway. If you can’t make the turn, you can ride out into the grass and fall down.
After a good crash, I would tell the boys how great a crash it was, and how there is a certain number of crashes you have to have before you finally learn to ride. That is one less crash for you, I tell them. You are one crash closer.
I see a lot of kids riding with training wheels, but eventually the training wheels are going to have to come off, with crashes to follow. Why prolong the agony? Why not get the crashes out of the way at the beginning?
Both of the boys learned pretty quickly. Now there is a girl to train, and I will see whether the method is gender-specific or whether it requires a few tweaks.
In fact, I almost ALWAYS wear one (while riding a bike anyway). (On the other hand, if YOU don't want to wear a helmet, I have no problem with it.) I don't remember what happened on this particular day. Fortunately for all of us it makes for a less-nerdly picture. My exceptionally talented professional photographer friend Charles Bertram took this photo.
I asked my 6-year-old son, Caleb, an avid bicyclist and artist, to draw a bike for me. I think he did a great job!
