Content
Rec.Bicycles' Frequently Asked Questions and Interesting Information

Last modified: April 19, 1994 (window version: May 18, 1994)

Answers to Rec.Bicycles' Frequently Asked Questions and Interesting Information

The following monthly posting contains the answers to frequently asked questions posed to rec.bicycles.* and interesting information that cyclists might find useful. Some of the answers are from postings to rec.bicycles, and and some are condensed from postings. Answers include the name and email address of the author. If no author is listed, I'm the guilty party. If you're the author and I've misspelled your name or have the wrong email address, let me know and I'll fix it.

If you have something you feel should be included in the FAQ, please write it up and send it to me at the address below.

Note: I don't read each and every posting to rec.bicycles.*, so suggesting that something be included in the FAQ may not be seen. If you want something included, summarize the discussion and send me the summary.

This FAQ is posted to rec.bicycles.misc, news.answers, and rec.answers around the 15th of the month. It is also available via anonymous ftp from:

draco.acs.uci.edu	/pub/rec.bicycles/faq.*
rtfm.mit.edu	/pub/usenet/rec.bicycles.misc
ugle.unit.no	/local/ftp/local/biking/faq.* /local/ftp/local/biking/faq.hlp (Windows 3.1 help file format; remember binary transfer)

Check the Archives section for information on how to obtain the FAQ via email.

Mike Iglesias

iglesias@draco.acs.uci.edu

window help version:

Jørn Yngve Dahl-Stamnes

dahls@fysel.unit.no

Quick Index

 means section hasn't been written yet.

 means updated since last FAQ.

 means new section.

All FAQ topics is also given in Alphabetic order

Administrivia

  Abbreviations

  Gopher and World Wide Web access

  Archives

  Posting Guidelines

  Electronic Mailing Lists

Rides

  Maps

  Touring supplies

  Taking a bike on Amtrak

  Warm Shower List

Racing

  Tour de France Jerseys

  Major Tour Winners  1947-1993

  Rating Tour de France climbs

Social

  Bicycling in America

  League of American Wheelmen

Marketplace

  Bike Trailers

  One Less Car T-Shirts

  Panniers and Racks

  Clothing

  Seats

  Women's Saddles

  Women's Bikes

  Bike Rentals

  Bike Lockers

  Bike Computer Features

  Recumbent Bike Info

  More Recumbent Bike Info

  Buying a Bike

Tech

  Ball Bearing Grades

  SIS Cables

  Milk Jug Mud Flaps

  Lubrication

  Wear and Gear Slipping

  Adjusting Chain Length

  Hyperglide Chains

  Bottom Bracket Info

  Crank Noise

  Cracking/Breaking Cranks

  Biopace Chainrings

  Snakebite flats

  Blown Tube

  Mounting Tires

  More Flats on Rear Tires

  What holds the rim off the ground?

  Anodized vs. Non-anodized Rims

  Reusing Spokes

  Clinchers vs. Tubulars

  Presta Valve Nuts

  Ideal Tire Sizes

  Center Pivot vs. Dual Pivot brakes

  Indexed Steering

  Seat adjustments

  Cleat adjustments

  SIS derailleur adjustments

  Where to buy tools

  Workstands

  Workstand 2

  Frame stiffness comparison

  Frame materials

  Bike pulls to one side

  Frame repair

  Frame Fatigue

  Weight = Speed?

  Techincal Support Numbers

  Adjusting SPD Cleats

  Rim Tape Summary

  STI/Ergo Summary

  Roller Head Bearing

  "Sealed" Bearings

Misc

  Books and Magazines

  Mail Order Addresses

  Road Gradient Units

  Helmets

  Terminology

  Avoiding Dogs

  Shaving Your Legs

  Why shave legs

  Contact Lenses and Cycling

  How to deal with your clothes

  Pete's Winter Cycling Tips

  Nancy's Cold/Wet Cycling Tips

  Studded Tires

  Cycling Myths

  Descending I

  Descending II

  Trackstands

  Front Brake Usage

  Slope Wind, the invisible enemy

  Reflective Tape

  Nutrition Primer

  Nuclear Free Energy Bar recipe

  Powerbars

  Calories burned by cycling

  Road rash

  Knee problems

  Cycling Psychology

  Mirrors

Other topics

  Bike Manager

  The Great Trial of Strength

  Tour of Jotunheimen


Abbreviations

Some common abbreviations used here and in rec.bicycles.*:

FAQ Frequenly Asked Question. What you are reading now is a file containing answers to some FAQs.

IMHO In my humble opinion.

TIOOYK There Is Only One You Know. Refers to the Tour de France.


Archives

I've made available via anonymous ftp a copy of the current FAQ and a few other items on draco.acs.uci.edu (128.200.34.12). This is the workstation on my desk, so I'd appreciate it if people would restrict their use to 7pm-7am Pacific time. The files are in pub/rec.bicycles.

For those without Internet access, you can use the ftpmail server at gatekeeper.dec.com to get copies of the items there. I really don't have time to email copies of files to people who can't get at them easily. To use the FTP server, send an email message containing the line

help

in the body of the message to ftpmail@gatekeeper.dec.com. You'll get a help file back from the FTP server with more information on how to use it.

Here is an example of what to put in the body of a message to to get the README file:

connect draco.acs.uci.edu

chdir pub/rec.bicycles

get README

README	for Rec.Bicycles Anonymous FTP area
arnie.light	Arnie Berger's (arnie@col.hp.com) "Ultimate bike light".
bike_grear.sea.hqx	Lawrence Hare's (ldh@duck.svl.cdc.com) copy of a Hypercard stack to calculate gearing.  Lawrence says there is a newer version on major bbs systems.
bike.lockers	David H. Wolfskill's (david@dhw68k.cts.com) summary of bike locker vendors.
bike.painting	Sam Henry's (shenry@rice.edu) collection of articles on how to paint a bike.
bike_power.*	Ken Roberts program to calculate power output and power consumption. See bike_power.doc for more info.
biking_log.*	Phil Etheridge's (phil@massey.ac.nz) hypercard stack riding diary. It keeps track of dates, distance, time, average speed, etc., and keeps running weekly, monthly, and yearly totals. See biking_log.read_me for more information.
bmb.ride	Pamela Blalock's (pamela@keps.com) report on her 1992 Boston-Montreal-Boston ride.
CA-veh-code	A directory containing the California vehicle code sections that pertain to bicycles and gopher bookmarks. See the README in that directory for more information.
camera.tour	Vivian Aldridge's (viviana@tamri.com) collection of articles on cameras to take on a bike tour.
competitive.nutrition	Roger Marquis' (marquis@well.uucp) article from the Feb 91 Velo News on nutrition and cycling.
cyclesense.tex	Larry Watanabe's (watanabe@asimov.cs.uiuc.edu) copy of the "Cycle Sense for Motorists" ready to run thru LaTeX.
faq.*	The current Frequently Asked Questions posting
frame.build	Terry Zmrhal's (terryz@microsoft.com) writeup of a frame building class he took.
glossary	Alan Bloom's (alanb@sr.hp.com) glossary of bicycle terms.
lab.info	Robert Nordvall's (bnordval@admin.gettysberg.edu) article on the League of American Wheelmen.
first.century	Pamela Blalock's (pamela@keps.com) tips on training for your first century ride.
lights	Tom Reingold's (tr@samadams.princeton.edu) collection of articles on bike lights.
lights2	More articles from rec.bicycles.* on lights.
mtb.buy	Joakim Karlsson's (aviator@athena.mit.edu) article on buying an entry-level MTB.
pam.pactour	Pamela Blalock's (pamela@keps.com) writeup of her PAC tour across the country.
pbp.info	Pamela Blalock's (pamela@keps.com) information on her Paris-Brest-Paris ride.
pictures	Bicycling gif pictures.
prof.sched	Roland Stahl's (stahl@ipi.uni-hannover.de) list of scheduled professional races in many countries.
pwm.regulator	Jeff Bell's (jlbell@presto.eecs.umich.edu) reposting of an article from another newsgroup by William Hunt on a pulse width modulated voltage regulator.
ride.index	Chris Hull's/Bill Bushnell's (bushnell@lmsc.lockheed.com) explanation of a way to "index" rides and compare the difficulty of different rides.
ridelg22.*	Found on AOL by Gary Thurman (thurmag@csos.orst.edu), a ride diary program.  The .exe file a self-extracting archive for PCs.
spike.bike	Bob Fishell's (spike@cbnewsd.att.com) Spike Bike series. They are numbered in the order that Bob posted them to rec.bicycles. All the Spike Bike stories are "Copyright 1989 by Robert Fishell, all rights reserved."
spokelen11.bas	Roger Marquis' (marquis@well.uucp) spoke length calculator, written in Microsoft Quickbasic.
spokelen.c	Andy Tucker's (tucker@Neon.Stanford.EDU) port of Roger Marquis' spokelen11.bas to C.
spokelen.hqx	topp@roses.stanford.edu's Hypercard stack that computes spoke lengths.
studded.tires	Nancy Piltch's (piltch@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov) compilation of messages on studded tires, including how to make your own.
tandem.boxes	Arnie Berger's (arnie@col.hp.com) notes on how he built a box to transport his tandem to Europe and back. It's taken from a longer travelogue on his trip - if you want more information, contact him at the above address.
tech.supp.phone	Joshua Putnam's (josh@Happy-Man.com) list of technical support numbers for various manufacturers. This list used to be in the FAQ but now is too long to include there.
trailers	A summary posting of messages about bike trailers. Good stuff if you're thinking of buying a trailer.
wheels.*.hqx	R. Scott Truesdell's (truesdel@ics.uci.edu) Hypercard stack to calculate spoke lengths. See wheels.readme for more info.
wintertips	Pete Hickey's (pete@panda1.uottawa.ca) notes about how to cycle in the winter.
wintertips.pam	Pamela Blalock's (pamela@keps.com) winter cycling tips.

Files available via anonymous ftp from ugle.unit.no (129.241.1.97) in the directory local/biking. This directory is maintained by Joern Dahl-Stamnes (dahls@fysel.unit.no).

Last updated: 26. July1993

File	What
READ.ME	Information about the other files in the directory.
bm106a.zip	The latest version of Bike Manager. Bike Manager is a shareware program that help you keep a log of your training activities. It can report summary reports, weekly reports, monthly reports and yearly reports. Features to analyze your activities against your goals. And more...
brake.doc	About how to make your own brake booster.
gtos91.doc	A story from The Great Trial of Strength 1991.
gtos92.doc	Same, but for the 1992 trial.
gtos93.doc	For the 1993 trial.
toj93.doc	The Tour of Jotunheimen 1993 report.
faq.txt	Answers to Rec.Bicycles' Frequently Asked Questions and Interesting Information (ASCII text format).
faq.hlp	A Window Help file version of faq.txt (binary format).


Posting Guidelines

The rec.bicycles subgroups are described below - please try to post your article to the appropriate group. The newsgroups were designed to minimize cross posting, so please take the time to think about the most appropriate newsgroup and post your article there.

There have been several postings recently advocating a MTB-only newsgroup (with the usual "Me Too!" followups). There are arguments both for and against doing this; readers who want to start a new newsgroup are advised to look in news.announce.newusers for the periodic postings on how to create a newsgroup instead of filling up rec.bicycles.* with postings about it.

rec.bicycles: DO NOT USE THIS NEWSGROUP - it should have been dropped from news servers, having been replaced by rec.bicycles.misc.

rec.bicycles.marketplace: Bicycles, components, ancillary equipment and services wanted or for sale, reviews of such things, places to buy them, and evaluations of these sources. Not for discussion of general engineering, maintenance, or repair -- see rec.bicycles.tech.

rec.bicycles.tech: Techniques of engineering, construction, maintenance and repair of bicycles and ancillary equipment. Not for products or services offered or wanted -- see rec.bicycles.marketplace.

rec.bicycles.rides: Discussions of tours and training or commuting routes. Not for disussion of general riding techniques -- see rec.bicycles.misc.

rec.bicycles.soc: Social issues, cycling transportation advocacy, laws, conduct of riders and drivers; road hazards such as potholes, dogs, and sociopaths.

rec.bicycles.racing: Race results, racing techniques, rules, and organizations. Not racing equipment -- see rec.bicycles.marketplace or rec.bicycles.tech.

rec.bicycles.misc: General riding techniques, rider physiology, injuries and treatment, diets, and other cycling topics.


Electronic Mailing lists

tandem@hobbes. ucsd.edu	A mailing list for tandem bicycle enthusiasts. Suitable topics include questions and answers related to tandem componentry, riding technique, brands and equipment selection, prices, clubs, rides and other activities, cooperating on a section on tandems for the rec.bicycles.* FAQ, etc. For more information send mail to "tandem-request@hobbes.ucsd.edu".
HPV list	The HPV list is for the discussion of issues related to the design, construction, and operation of human powered vehicles and closely related kin. (Hybrid human/electric, for example.) For further information, send a mail message containing the following single line in the message, to listserv@sonoma.edu:  info hpv
BICYCLE on LISTSERV@ BITNIC.BITNET or LISTSERV@ BITNIC.EDUCOM. EDU	The BICYCLE list was formed to provide a forum for cyclists to discuss all topics related to bicycles, mtn. biking, and cycling in general. This is NOT the place to discuss issues related to motorcycling. To subscribe to BICYCLE send the following command to LISTSERV@BITNIC or LISTSERV@BITNIC.EDUCOM.EDU in the BODY of e-mail: SUBSCRIBE BICYCLE real name For example: SUBSCRIBE BICYCLE John Doe Owner: Chris Tanski CTANSKI@ONONDAGA.BITNET or captanski33@snycorva.cortland.edu
BikeMidwest	A new regional internet discussion group has been started to discuss bicycle advocacy issues in the midwest area.  BikeMidwest was started to connect cyclists in L.A.W. Regions 6, 7, 8 and 9. That is, the states of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. Of course, people from outside this area are welcome to join. Subscriptions to the list are handled by a computer program called Majordomo. To subscribe, send a message with the following command in the body of the message to Majordomo@fuji.physics.indiana.edu: subscribe BikeMidwest


Gopher and Word Wide Web access

I've made the rec.bicycles ftp archives available via gopher, and have split the FAQ up into individual files for easier access via gopher.

To connect to the gopher server, use the hostname draco.acs.uci.edu and port 1071. Please don't ask me how to use gopher or how to configure your gopher client; I don't know how to use all the available gopher clients, nor do I have access to them. Please talk to your local gopher gurus.

You can also access the archives via NCSA Mosaic, using this URL:

gopher://draco.acs.uci.edu:1071

Again, please ask your local gurus for information on how to use Mosaic clients.


Bike Manager
Bike Manager (TM)

version 1.06a

Copyright (c) 1991 - 1994 Jørn Yngve Dahl-Stamnes

Release data : February 28th 1994

e-mail: dahls@fysel.unit.no

Bike Manager is a PC based bicycle training log program. The program run under MS-DOS 3.3 or higher. The program is easy to use with pulldown menues and fool-proof input. It run on any 80x86 machine with or without a 80x87 processor.

Bike Manager is a shareware program. You may copy the unregistered version of Bike Manager freely and you may give your friends a copy of it as long as you do not charge anything for it (exept a fee to cover the cost of the diskette) and don't make any changes in any files.

You may evaluate the program for a 30 day period without paying any fee. If you want to use the program on a regular basis, you should register the use of the program and pay a small fee for it. In return, you will get a diskette with the latest version of the program and a paper copy of the user manual for the program (both english and norwegian manual are available).

Features:

 Easy to use with pulldown menues and support mouse.

 Define your favourite trails, training types and bikes.

 Can read data from your bicycle computer(s) and heart rate monitor.

 On-line help in all command menues.

 On-line rec.bicycles.* FAQ file.

 Metric or non-metric units (km or miles).

 Gearing chart calculator.

 Calendar utility - schedule your trainings and rides.

 Define your goals and compare your training against defined goals.

 View data to screen:

- Total distance/time.

- Weekly distance/time.

- Monthly distance/time.

- Individual training data and freetext.

- Statistical information, and more...

 Print data to printer or file:

- Monthly report.

- Summary report.

- Individual training data, and more...

 Export data to e.g. Excel.

Hardware/Software requirement:

 DOS 3.3 or higher.

 640 kbyte memory.

 Monocrome, CGA or better.

 8086 CPU or better.

 Optionaly 8087 or better.

 1 Mbyte free hardisk space (can run on diskless machines).


The Great Trial of Strength

Trondheim - Oslo

(1994: June 18th)

The Great Trial of Strength is an annual event in Norway and was first held in 1967 when 121 Norwegian riders waited on the start line in Trondheim ready to ride to Oslo. The ride take place in the middle of June. Over 5000 riders use to participate in this ride.

The start takes place close to the Trondheim Cathedral School near the well-known Nidarosdomen. This is the lowest part of the track, about 10 meters above sea level. Most of the track is following the main road from Trondheim to Oslo. The first 60 km (37 miles) is easy without any large hills. Some kilometers south of Støren, the climb up to the mountain begin, first with a long steep hill (no more than 5% grade), followed by about 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) flat before the last climb up to the Dovre mountain and the highest point (1030 meters (3400 ft) above sea level).

At the edge of the mountain is a very steep hill down to Dombås, where the riders can get really high speed (70 to 80 km/h is normal for those who are in a pace-line). After Dombås the track continue to go down, but slowly until Otta. Here the track is almost flat to the finish line - no long steep hills. The height (above sea level) is between 150 and 300 meters (490 - 990 ft). But there is a lot of small hills during the last part of the ride, so many riders find this part of the track hard. The worst thing about some of the small hills is that you always know when you go up a hill, but sometimes you don't know that you are going down. This make you believe that you are going up, up and up - never down. The accumulated climb is actually higher than the climb up to Dovre mountain.

The maximum time a rider can use is 42 hours. The track will be closed at different places at different times. All riders who has not passed these places within the maximum time, will be stopped by the orginaizer. Support is allowed but not while in a pace. A car can not give any food or drinks to a rider while the rider is on the bike riding. Cars are not allowed to stop at the foodstations.

Foodstations

There are several food and drinking stations along the track. They have bread with cheese, jam and smoked/salted sausage (salami). The serve coffe, tea, sportsdrink (U-nik) and water. They also got different kinds of soft drinks and a non-alcohol beer (wery good and contain a lot of energy). And of cause they got the most important things of all; a lot of banana and oranges.

Most of the food stations also offer bike maintenance, if you should get any trouble during the ride. You have to pay for all parts that need to be changed and for the service. However, every rider should have spare tires and some tools to do the most basic maintenance on their bike. I use to carry two or three spear tubulars, allen wrences and a chain cutter.

Registration fee

The registration fee is NOK 650 (1994 price, about US $100) if payed in advanced. Each rider must also have some kind of insurance valide in Norway. A single insurance from the Norwegian Cycling Federation can be bought at the start for NOK 50 (under $10). There is also a registration fee for supporting cars. Since part of the ride will be night riding, all riders must have a front and a rear light. A helmet is also required before they can start. Aerobars are not allowed. You will be checked before start.

More information?

Do you want to join us next time? If you want to know more about this great event, the longest one-stage ride in the world, contact:

The Great Trial of Strength

Oslo Cyklekrets

Idrettens Hus

Ekebergv. 101

N-1178 OSLO 11

NORWAY

tlf: +47 22 19 70 81

fax: +47 22 68 94 05

I will also try to answer any question about this event as good as I can, just e-mail me (dahls@fysel.unit.no).


Tour of Jotunheimen

Tour of Jotunheimen

Lærdal - Sogndal

(1994: July 16th)

When the going gets tough - the toughs gets going

The Tour of Jotunheimen is a new cycling event in Norway arranged by Sogndal Cykle Klubb. The ride was first arranged in 1991 when 27 riders tried the tough course.

The course

This ride is the toughest ride in Norway. Even if the Tour of Jotunheimen is shorter than the Great Trial of Strength (which goes from Trondheim to Oslo), it is much harder since there is so much climbing involved in this ride. And the climbes are much steeper too! The Tour of Jotunheimen starts in Lærdal at sea level and goes up the Lærdals valley side by side with the Lærdals river. On the way up to the top of Fillefjell mountain we pass the famous Borgun church which is from around year 1150. An identical copy of this church i located in the USA (if I'm not wrong I think it is the one in Rapid City in South Dakota).

Soon after the church the real climb up to the top begins, which brings us up to 1013 meter (3323 feet) above sea level. After the top we pass Nystuen hotel where the first food station is. The descending down to lake Vangsmjøsi is fast for the first 15 km before it get flat again. The road will take us to Fagernes (almost 400 meter (1300 feet) above sea level) and the second food station. From Fagernes we follow the road up to Beitostølen and the third food station. From there the road continue and brings us up to the top of the Valdresfløya mountain at 1389 meters (4557 feet) above sea level. From the top we get a superb view of the other mountains, the lakes and the glaciers.

The road down from Valdresfløya pass lake Bygdin, lake Gjende, the well-known Besseggen and follow the Sjoa river, an excellent place for organised rafting, and continue down to Randsverk and the forth food station. 15 km later we reach an 8 km long downhill with up to 15% descending. If you don't touch your brakes and have no cars in front of you, you can reach 80 km/h without pedalling. The descending ends in an 180 deg. turn in an intersection, so keep your brake ready. The tour continue along lake Vågåvatn to Lom and another food station where dinner will be served. Lom county have the two highest mountains in Norway, Galdhøpiggen (2469 meter (8100 feet) above sea level) and Glitretind (a bit lower). From Lom, at about 350 meter (1100 feet) above sea level, we take the famous Sognefjell road through Bøverdalen valley where the sides are so steep that they cultivate the land on both side!

The road up to Sognefjell have two major climbs, each both about 10 km long. The first one takes you 400 meter (1300 feet) up and the second one 500 meter (1600 feet). The worst parts of the two climbs are about 10%. The highest point is 1435 meter (4708 feet) above sea level, which is the highest mountain pass in northern part of Europe. Even if the calendar say that we are in the middle of July, there are plenty of snow at this level. Some of the snowdrifts close to the road can be several meters high. The chances that you will meet several skiers close to the road are high.

The next food station is at the top of Sognefjell mountain. Some cups of warm soup are good before the descending down to the sea. The descending down from Sognefjell mountain is fantastic. 30 km downhill where the last 14 km takes us down more than 1150 meter (3700 feet). But the 14 hairpin turns prevent us from gaining astronomic speeds. Speeds above 90 km/h has been reported. The problem is that all braking make the rims so hot that the glue on sew-ups may melt and the tire can be ripped off in one of the hairpins.

The descending take us down to Sognefjorden fjord, which is the longest fjord in the world. When you reach the fjord there are still 60 km left with one 300 meter (980 feet) high climb before you reach the finish in Sogndal. The total length is 430 km (267 miles) and about 3800 meter (12400 feet) of climbing. The maximum time a rider can use is 32 hours.

Registration fee

The fee is NOK 350 (1993, about US $50) if payed in advanced. Insurance valid in Norway is also required, and can be bought at start for NOK 50. The start are early in the morning (4 am), and light is therefore required. No supporting cars are allowed.

More information?

Sogn CK

v/ Johny Lilleng

N-5880 Kaupanger

Norway

phone: +47 57 67 83 21

or you may contact me at dahls@fysel.unit.no.


Alpabetic order
Alphabetic order

-A-

Abbreviations

Adjusting Chain Length

Adjusting SPD Cleats

Anodized vs. Non-anodized Rims

Archives

Avoiding Dogs

-B-

Ball Bearing Grades

Bicycling in America

Bike Manager

Bike Computer Features

Bike Lockers

Bike pulls to one side

Bike Rentals

Bike Trailers

Biopace Chainrings

Blown Tube

Books and Magazines

Bottom Bracket Info

Buying a Bike

-C-

Calories burned by cycling

Center Pivot vs. Dual Pivot brakes

Cleat adjustments

Clinchers vs. Tubulars

Clothing

Contact Lenses and Cycling

Cracking/Breaking Cranks

Crank Noise

Cycling Myths

Cycling Psychology

-D-

Descending II

Descending I

-E-

Electronic Mailing Lists

-F-

Frame Fatigue

Frame materials

Frame repair

Frame stiffness comparison

Front Brake Usage

-G-

Gopher and World Wide Web access

Great Trial of Strength

-H-

Helmets

How to deal with your clothes

Hyperglide Chains

-I-

Ideal Tire Sizes

Indexed Steering

-K-

Knee problems

-L-

League of American Wheelmen

Lubrication

-M-

Mail Order Addresses

Major Tour Winners  1947-1993

Maps

Milk Jug Mud Flaps

Mirrors

More Flats on Rear Tires

More Recumbent Bike Info

Mounting Tires

-N-

Nancy's Cold/Wet Cycling Tips

Nuclear Free Energy Bar recipe

Nutrition Primer

-O-

One Less Car T-Shirts

-P-

Panniers and Racks

Pete's Winter Cycling Tips

Posting Guidelines

Powerbars

Presta Valve Nuts

-R-

Rating Tour de France climbs

Recumbent Bike Info

Reflective Tape

Reusing Spokes

Rim Tape Summary

Road Gradient Units

Road rash

Roller Head Bearing

-S-

"Sealed" Bearings

Seat adjustments

Seats

Shaving Your Legs

SIS Cables

SIS derailleur adjustments

Slope Wind, the invisible enemy

Snakebite flats

STI/Ergo Summary

Studded Tires

-T-

Taking a bike on Amtrak

Techincal Support Numbers

Terminology

Tour de France Jerseys

Tour of Jotunheimen

Touring supplies

Trackstands

-W-

Warm Shower List

Wear and Gear Slipping

Weight = Speed?

What holds the rim off the ground?

Where to buy tools

Why shave legs

Women's Bikes

Women's Saddles

Workstand 2

Workstands


Maps

(Jim Carson  carson@rice.edu)

BikeCentennial maps are not free, but you can get them without joining. To order stuff with Mastercard or Visa, you can call 1-800-933-1116 (24 hr).  Maps are currently (May 1991) $6.95 each to "non-members," $4.95 each to "members." There are also small discounts for sets of maps and members in the continental US don't have to pay for surface shipping and handling.

Scale of the maps is generally 1" = 4mi/6.4km.  Certain areas are more detailed when necessary.  I like the maps because they have lots of interesting features labeled (campgrounds, grocery stores, major changes in elevation, historical info about the region,...), they're printed on a water-resistant paper, and they fit nicely into a handlebar bag map case.

As of May '91, there are two and a half transcontinental (W-E) routes an east coast (N-S) route, a west coast route (N-S), and numerous routes among the various parks in the western U.S. and Canada.  [I say "2 1/2 transcontinental routes" because the southern portion of the transcontinental route from TX to FL is not in print though the maps are "done."]

Membership is $22/annually, and they have a lifetime membership available.

Members get copies of BikeCentennial's magazine, _BikeReport_, published 9 times annually, a list of tours run by BikeCentennial, and the annual _The Cyclists' Yellow Pages_.  _The Cyclists' Yellow Pages_ provides *LOTS* of interesting information on touring and points of contact for more information about cycling and touring all over the world.  (For example, they have an arrangement with The Netherlands Service Center for Tourism whereby you can purchase full-color, 21" x 38", 1:100k scale, Dutch-language maps.)

BikeCentennial's address and phone:

BikeCentennial

(800) 933-1116, (406) 721-8719

PO Box 8308

Missoula, MT 59807-9988


Touring supplies

(Scott "gaspo" Gasparian  gaspar@inf.ethz.ch)

Recently, I asked the group: what do you bring with you on medium trips? (medium being more than one nite, and less than a week).  I received some excellent replies, a few great stories, and lots of things that I never would have thought of. (at least not until I needed that

spare spoke that is).

Ok, for all of you who don't know what to bring with you on that next medium trip...

FOOD:

Here, just whatever you normally consume.  If you plan on staying in a hotel/B&B, then obviously 1 day's worth is enough. Standard things like power-bars and drink mixes should do the trick. Since I'm not going to BFE, I have no idea what to pack for a real "camp-out" type tour.  This subject is enough for a discussion in itself, but I just eat what I want.

CLOTHING:

Almost everybody suggested something different, rangin from hi-tech bodysuits to cutoffs and T-shirts.  However, everybody agreed on the indispensibleness (tm) of rain gear.  Specifically, light waterproof pants and jacket are not only good for staying dry, but have a very high warmth/weight ratio. A spare change of skivies, and a pair of dry socks were also highly recomended.  A pair of jeans or a "smushable outfit" can come in handy, but I usually smell so bad after a day of riding that anybody who is talking to me doesn't care what I wear.  If it might be non-warm, a watch-cap or other non-helmet type hat can help.

FIRST-AID:

Outside of the standard band-aids/antiseptic-goop bit, sunscreen and bug-away topped the lists.  Asprin or Ibuprofen and rolaids were mentioned, but I guess thats a personal thing, just like...

TOILETRIES:

I stick with: soap, toothbrush/paste, deodorant.  That covers all I need, but everybody has different needs, and I'm not even gonna touch the "personal hygeine" stuff.  A razor is handy too, it can help keep that road-rash dressing from ripping all your remaining hair out.

MISC:

I'll put the tent/pit stuff into this category.  Robyn Stewart gave an excellent testamony to the uses of rope and tarps.  A piece of rope stretched between two trees can keep the food above the critter-level, and can also provide a rudimentary tent with the aid of an old shower-curtain.  Again, there is a whole area of discussion here on the pits and mattresses, but if it keeps you warm and dry, it works.

TOOLS:

Basically, this could be split into two different classes, with things like tire-kit being in the "fix it yourself" category, and other stuff like a chain remover tool is in the  "how far will I be from civilization" range.  This was what I really wanted to know about when I posted my request, so a little more info than the first groups.

Most of this depends upon how much work YOU do to your velo.  If replacing spokes is trivial to you, then you already know what tools to bring.  Also, wrenches and screwdrivers are very velo dependent: handy sizes for a MTB might be useless for a nice racer, and vice-versa. Tools that tune more than repair are also an individual call.  I always carry a hex-wrench that fits my brake-shoe adjustment bolt, but never the larger one that actually removes the entire caliper.

pump

pressure gauge

flat kit

wrenches (sizes and type for your velo)

hex(allen)-wrenches (sizes and type for your velo)

chain tool

chain links

tire levers (plastic)

spoke wrench

safety wire

duct tape

zip ties

SPARES:

Again, these fall into "distance from civilization" categories. For example, that nut that connects your front mudguard to the forks is essential, but could be fixed with the safety wire until you find a velo-shop/store that might have a replacement.  Then again, one little nut is easy on space/weight, and it may be hard to get a replacement if your velos measurements are non-standard.  If you have a hard-time finding a replacement for that random part at your local store, bring one with you.

inner tubes

tire-boots

brake shoes

light bulbs

spokes (labeled if different, tied to the frame)

nuts and bolts for rack/fenders/etc.

tire (if you're _really_ out there)

toe-clip strap

shoe-laces

cable (especially if yours are longer than normal).

cable housing (for the shimano special shifter ones)

NIFTY IDEAS:

Here are some of the better inside tips that I found both humorous and usefull....

mjohnsto@shearson.com (Mike Johnston)

A sock (to keep tools inside and for keeping grease off my hands during rear wheel flats)

s_kbca@dante.lbl.gov (Steve Kromer)

The most important article to take along on a long ride seems to be faith.

chris@wg.estec.esa.nl (chris rouch)

15cm of old tyre

Robyn Stewart <slais02@unixg.ubc.ca>

Enough money to get Greyhound home if something goes terribly wrong.

sarahm@Cadence.COM

bungie cords - you never know when you might want to get that set of six beer mugs as a souvenir and transport it on the back of your bike.

cathyf@is.rice.edu (Catherine Anne Foulston)

ZAP Sport Towel.  I think it is really useful because you can get it wet and it still dries you.


Taking a bike on Amtrak

(Carlos Martin  martin@morticia.Princeton.EDU)

The following article relates my own experience in taking a bike as luggage on the Amtrak in the summer of 1992.  It is intended to offer advice to those who might choose to do the same, and is not intended to reflect the views or policies of Amtrak.  For reference, I traveled from Trenton to Pittsburgh at the start of a tour.

Traveling with a bike on Amtrak can be problem-free if you take a few precautions.  Amtrak handles bikes at stations that check in baggage. (Smaller stations and some trains don't check baggage at all.) There is a $5 baggage fee for bikes, and it includes a box.  Call the station several days before your trip and notify them that you will need a bicycle box.

The box they provided was big enough to accomodate my relatively long-framed touring bike (Specialized Expedition) without taking off either wheel, and with room to spare lengthwise.  You will, however, have to remove the pedals (even clipless ones) and turn the handlebars to fit the bike in the box.  Plan on putting only the bike in the box - no helmet or panniers.  (You may want to check with Amtrak on this point - they may not cover damages to the bike if you packed other stuff in the box.)

Before leaving home for the station, loosen your pedals and stem enough to make sure you won't need heavy-duty tools at the station. Plan to arrive at the station one and a half hours before departure time - Amtrak wants all checked baggage at least a half hour before departure (they may tell you one hour).  Don't forget to keep your tools handy.

At the station, go to the baggage room, get your box and some tape from the attendant, remove the pedals, and loosen the stem bolt and the bolt that holds the handlebars in the stem.  Hold the front wheel between your feet as you turn the handlebars parallel to the top tube.  Roll the bike into the box and seal the ends. If everything goes smoothly, you can do the above packing in ten minutes.  Now go have lunch before you get on the train unless you want to take your chances with train food.

BTW, the trains are very roomy and comfortable, particularly if you are accustomed to traveling in airline cattle coaches. I would travel by Amtrak again in a similar situation. (The usual disclaimer applies:  I have no connection to Amtrak, other than being a taxpaying subsidizer and occasional user of the rail system.)


Warm Showers List

(Terry Zmrhal  terryz@microsoft.com)

The Warm Showers List is a list of Internet Cyclists who have offered their hospitality towards touring cyclists. The extent of the hospitality depends on the host and may range from simply a spot to pitch a tent to meals, a warm (hot!) shower, and a bed.

If you wish to obtain the list, please email me at terryz@microsoft.com. The actual Warm Showers list is not posted since it contains personal information (addresses, phone numbers, etc.).

If you wish to be included on the Internet Warm Showers list, please answer the questions below my signature in return mail to me. I have also included in parenthesis a reason or two for the inclusion of each item based on my experiences two summers ago. Once I have received your information, I will add it to the list and then you will receive the complete list also.

Thanks to All

Terry Zmrhal

terryz@microsoft.com

'The Horizon is but a line to be crossed, not a limit to be reached.'

Name:

(Who are you?)

Email Address:

(For pre-trip communication.)

Non-Email Contact (Address, Phone, and/or Work Phone):

(For communication once someone is traveling.)

Nearest largest city (>50,000 people) (and state):

(It's much easier to find a large city on a map than a small one, and some small ones aren't even on some maps!)

Direction and Distance from above city:

(Some cities are very large and getting through or around a city can be very difficult.)

Will provide-

Lawnspace (for tent or sleeping bag)?  Floorspace (for sleeping bag)? Bed (Wow!)? (Cyclists' gotta sleep.)

Food? (or distance to nearest grocery store or restaurant - if known) (Cyclists' gotta eat. You can provide as much, or as little, as you want.)

Shower? (or distance to nearest motel - if known)

(It can be a real boost to know shower is waiting at the end of the day?)

Availability:

(If only available some months, please indicate this, otherwise 'year-round'.)

Cost to Cyclist, if any:

(Do you wish any money for your hospitality?  How much? (please, no more than $5-$10))

Preferred Notice:

(Do you require advance notice?  If so, how many days (weeks) notice?)

Maximum Number of Cyclists:

(You don't want a major tour coming through :-)

Storage:

(Is there a safe place to store bikes?  If so, Storage for how many bikes?)

Nearest Motel:

(Distance, Cost - if known)

(In case a host isn't home, for an emergency, etc.)

Nearest Bike Shop:

(Name, Phone, Distance, Reputation - if known)

(In case bike repairs are needed - good to know where good shops are.)

Any additional comments you would like each interested person to know before contacting you?


Tour de France Jerseys

(Chris Murphy   murphyc@bionette.CGRB.ORST.EDU)

Chauner and Halstead (1990) in "The Tour de France Complete Book of Cycling" explain:

YELLOW Jersey -- Overall leader, first awarded during the 1919 race (TdF started in 1903); yellow to match the paper used to print L'Auto (Automobile Cyclisme), a French newspaper about bike racing.

POLKADOT Jersey (White w/red dots) -- Best climber, determined by points scored by the first 3 to 15 riders finishing selected mountain stages (number of riders awarded points varies with the difficulty of the stage). First awarded 1933.

GREEN Jersey -- Points jersey, usually won by sprinter-types, with points given to the first 25 riders to finish each stage. First awarded 1953.

YELLOW Hats -- First place team, determined by combined elapsed times of the team's top 3 riders.

In the event of a rider leading the race and also deserving one of the other jerseys, the race leader wears yellow, and the 2nd place in the category wears the category jersey.

See also Major Tour Winners 1947-1990 and Rating the Tour de France Climbs


Major Tour Winners 1947-1990

(Tim Smith tsmith@gryphon.CTS.COM)

[Ed note:  I'm hoping Tim won't be too upset if I add to the list he posted. I need some help filling in the last few years.]

Winners of the Big Three National Tours -- Since 1947:

Year	Tour de France	Giro d'Italia	Vuelta d'Espana
1947	Jean Robic (F)	Fausto Coppi (I)	E. van Dyck (B)
1948	Gino Bartali (I)	F. Magni (I)	B. Ruiz (E)
1949	Fausto Coppi (I)	F. Coppi	(not held)
1950	Ferdi Kubler (CH)	Hugo Koblet (CH)	E. Rodriguez (E)
1951	Hugo Koblet (CH)	F. Magni	(nh)
1952	Fausto Coppi	F. Coppi	(nh)
1953	Louison Bobet (F)	F. Coppi	(nh)
1954	Louison Bobet	C. Clerici (CH)	(nh)
1955	Louison Bobet	F. Magni	J. Dotto (F)
1956	Roger Walkowiak (F)	Charly Gaul (L)	A. Conterno (I)
1957	Jacques Anquetil (F)	Gastone Nencini (I)	J. Lorono (E)
1958	Charly Gaul (L)	E. Baldini (I)	Jean Stablinski (F)
1959	Federico Bahamontes (E)	Charly Gaul	A. Suarez (E)
1960	Gastone Nencini (I)	acques Anquetil (F)	F. de Mulder (B)
1961	Jacques Anquetil	A. Pambianco (I)	A. Soler (E)
1962	Jacques Anquetil	F. Balmamion (I)	Rudy Altig (D)
1963	Jacques Anquetil	F. Balmamion	J. Anquetil (F)
1964	Jacques Anquetil	Jacques Anquetil	Raymond Poulidor (F)
1965	Felice Gimondi (I)	V. Adorni (I)	R. Wolfshohl (D)
1966	Lucien Aimar (F)	Gianni Motta (I)	F. Gabica (E)
1967	Roger Pingeon (F)	Felice Gimondi (I)	J. Janssen (NDL)
1968	Jan Janssen (NDL)	Eddy Merckx (B)	Felice Gimondi (I)
1969	Eddy Merckx (B)	Felice Gimondi	Roger Pingeon (F)
1970	Eddy Merckx	Eddy Merckx	Luis Ocana (E)
1971	Eddy Merckx	Gosta Petersson (S)	F. Bracke (B)
1972	Eddy Merckx	Eddy Merckx	J-M Fuente (E)
1973	Luis Ocana (E)	Eddy Merckx	Eddy Merckx (B)
1974	Eddy Merckx	Eddy Merckx	J-M Fuente
1975	Bernard Thevenet (F)	F. Bertoglio (I)	Tamames (E)
1976	Lucien van Impe (B)	Felice Gimondi	J. Pesarrodona (E)
1977	Bernard Thevenet	Michel Pollentier (B)	Freddy Maertens (B)
1978	Bernard Hinault (F)	J. de Muynck (B)	Bernard Hinault (F)
1979	Bernard Hinault	Giuseppe Saronni (I)	Joop Zoetemelk (NDL)
1980	Joop Zoetemelk (NDL)	Bernard Hinault (F)	F. Ruperez (E)
1981	Bernard Hinault	Giovanni Battaglin (I)	Giovanni Battaglin (I)
1982	Bernard Hinault	Bernard Hinault	Marino Lejarreta (E)
1983	Laurent Fignon (F)	Giuseppe Saronni (I)	Bernard Hinault (F)
1984	Laurent Fignon	Francesco Moser (I)	Eric Caritoux (F)
1985	Bernard Hinault	Bernard Hinault	Pedro Delgado (E)
1986	Greg Lemond (USA)	Roberto Visentini (I)	Alvaro Pino (E)
1987	Stephen Roche (EIR)	Stephen Roche (EIR)	Luis Herrera (Col.)
1988	Pedro Delgado (E)	Andy Hampsten (USA)	Sean Kelly (EIR)
1989	Greg Lemond (USA)	Laurent Fignon (F)	Pedro Delgado (E)
1990	Greg Lemond (USA)	Guanni Bugno (I)	Marco Giovanetti (I)
1991	Miguel Indurain (E)	Franco Chioccioli (I)	Melchior Mauri (E)
1992	Miguel Indurain (E)	Miguel Indurain (E)	Alvaro Meija (E)
1993	Miguel Indirain (E)	Miguel Indurain (E)	Toni Rominger (CH)

The Tour started in 1903, and was not held 1915-1918 and 1940-1946. The Giro started in 1909, and was not held 1915-1918 and 1941-1945.

Source: 1947-1982: "La Fabuleuse Histoire du Cyclisme" by Pierre Chany. 1982-1988: my fallible memory. Would someone complete 1983 and 1984, and correct any mistakes? Thanks.

One interesting observation: almost all the winners of the Tour were big names in their time (yes, even Charly Gaul and Jean Robic.)

There were no same-year winners of the Tour and the Giro before 1949. In fact, the first year a non-Italian won the Giro was 1950.

See also Tour de France Jerseys and Rating the Tour de France Climbs


Rating the Tour de France Climbs

(Bruce Hildenbrand  bhilden@bigriver.Eng.Sun.COM)

One of the most frequently asked questions is how do the organizers determine the ratings for the climbs in the Tour de France(TIOOYK). The Tour organizers use two criteria 1) the length and steepness of the climb and 2) the position of the climb in the stage.

It is important to note several things before this discussion begins. First, the organizers of the Tour have been very erratic in their classifications of climbs.  The north side of the Col de la Madeleine has flip-flopped between a Category 1 to an Hors Category climb, even though it seems to be in the same position of a stage every year.

Secondly, rating inflation, so rampant in other sports has raised its ugly head here.  Climbs that used to be Category 2 are now Category 1, even though, like the Madeleine, they occupy the same position in a stage year after year.

Let's talk about the ratings.  I will give you my impressions on what I think the criteria are for rating the climbs based on having ridden over 75 of the rated climbs in the major European tours.

Note that gradual climbs do not receive grades.  It has been my observation that about a 4% grade is necessary for a climb to get rated.  Also, a climb must gain at least 100m for it to be rated.

Category 4 - the lowest category, climbs of 300-1000 feet(100-300m).

Category 3 - climbs of 1000-2000 feet(300-600m).

Category 2 - climbs of 2000-3500 ft.(600-1100m)

Category 1 - climbs of 3500-5000ft(1100-1500m)

Hors Category - the hardest, climbs of 5000ft+(1500m+)

Steepness also plays a factor in the rating.  Most of the big climbs in the Alps average 7-8% where the big climbs in the Pyrenees average 8-9%.

Please remember that I am giving very, very rough guidelines and that there are exceptions to every rule.  For example, L'Alpe D'Huez climbs 3700ft (1200m), but is an Hors Category climb.  This is because it usually comes at the end of a very tough stage and the climb itself is unusually steep (~9%) by Alpine standards.

More confusing is the Col de Borderes, a mere 1000ft (300m) climb outside of Arrens in the Pyrenees mountains.  I have seen it rated anywhere from a Category 3 to a Category 1!!!  This is most likely due again, to its placement on the stage.  The Category 3  rating came when it was near the beginning of a stage where its Category 1 rating came when it was near the end.

Flat or downhill sections can also affect a climb's rating.  Such sections offer a rest to the weary and can reduce the difficulty of the climb considerably.  This may be one of the reasons that the aforementioned Col de la Madeleine, which has a 1 mile downhill/ flat section at mid-height, flip-flops in its rating.

I am often asked how climbs in the United States compare to those in Europe.  Most of the US climbs are either short, but steep enough by European standards(6-8% grade) to fall into the Category 3 or possibly 2, or the climbs gain enough altitude, but are too long (they average <5%) so again they would fail to break the Category 1 barrier and end up most likely a Category 2 or 3.

Fear not, there are exceptions.  Most notable to Californains is the south side of Palomar Mountain which from Poma Valley climbs 4200' in 11 miles, a true category 1 ascent.

A popular Northern California climb, Mount Hamilton, is similar to Palomar Mountain but, fails to be a Category 1 climb because of two offending downhill section on the ascent.

For Coloradoans, you can thank the ski industry for creating long, but relatively gradual climbs that rarely exceed 5% for any substantial length (5+ miles).  I never had to use anything bigger than a 42x23 on any climb in Colorado, regardless of altitude.  Gear ratios of 39x24 or 26 are commonplace in the Alps and Pyrenees and give a very telling indication as to the difficulty of European climbs.

One potential category 1 climb for Coloradoans may be the 4000 ft. climb in about 15 miles from Ouray to the top of Red Mountain Pass.

Also, remember we are rating only paved (i.e. asphalt) roads.  Dirt roads vary considerably in their layout, condition and maintenance because there really are no guidelines for their construction.  This makes it difficult to compare these climbs and inappropriate to lump them with paved roads.

One last note.  I think it is inappropriate to compare the ascents of climbs by the European pros with the efforts of us mere mortals. I have said this time and time again and I will repeat it now.  It is very, very hard for the average person to comprehend just how fast the pros climb the big passes.  Pace makes all the difference. Riding a climb is very different than racing it.

Bruce

See also Tour de France Jerseys and Major Tour Winners 1947-1990


Bicycling in America

(Jobst Brandt jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

(or How to survive on a bicycle)

In America, bicycling appears to be an unacceptable activity for adults. It is viewed as a pastime reserved for children (people who are not old enough to drive cars). Adults who sense that they are violating this stricture, excuse their bicycling by representing it as the pursuit of physical fitness. They refer to their bicycling as training rides. Rarely do you hear a cyclist say "we were bicycling" but rather "we were on a training ride". Certainly most of these people never race although one might assume, by implication, that their other rides are races. Some also refer to themselves as serious cyclists, a term used to describe those who, typically, keep track of pedaling cadence and other bicycling statistics, thereby giving proof that they are not engaged in child's play.

In contrast, Europeans seem able to accept bicycling as a proper activity for all ages. That is to say, motorists do not treat bicyclists with apartheid and bicyclists do not feel the need to justify their pursuit as anything other than bicycling, for whatever reason. In Europe cadence on speedometers is an un-marketable function for unexplained reasons, however, one could imagine that for the average cyclist it is a useless statistic, except for those on "training rides".

With this perception of bicycling in America, non cyclists and some occasional cyclists are offended by others who bicycle on public roads in the presence of automobile traffic. "Get the f#%k off the road!" and similar epithets are heard from drivers, some of whose cars are equipped with bike racks. It is similar to gay bashing; by expressing public outrage they demonstrate abhorrence of unacceptable behavior. The same is true of bicyclists who deride others in public for not wearing a helmet. Aggressive self righteousness is probably a fitting description.

Another motive behind such behavior may be a sense of dissatisfaction with ones life. Anyone who is perceived as having fun, or at least more fun than the subject, needs to be brought down a notch. Psychologists who have interviewed youths that go "wilding" have gotten responses to the effect that "my life is terrible and I can't stand people who are having fun". So these youths attack others and beat them bloody. In a manner that may not make sense to others, they bring their victims down a notch to achieve parity.

There is little doubt that bicycling has its hazards. You can fall by running into a pothole or an obstacle, by riding into a grating, or falling on loose gravel or a slick manhole cover. There are enough hazards without the threat of being run down by a car. However, the whole sport loses its appeal when motorists, who believe that adult bicycling is offensive, actively engage in making it a deadly endeavor.

The scenario:

In a typical encounter a driver says to his passenger "You see that guy on the bicycle? That's a dangerous place to ride." while slicing within inches of the cyclist. The passenger is truly impressed with the danger of bicycling, especially in the presence of this driver.

I don't understand how drivers justify such behavior but I think I know what is going on.

Examples:

o  The buzz and swerve routine:

A driver slices dangerously close even though there is no opposing traffic. Then he drifts to the edge of the pavement to make clear how far he went out of his way for the cyclist. The desired path was even nearer the road shoulder than at the passing point. The buzz and swerve is executed equally well consciously and subconsciously.

o  Center court, extra point:

The car, on a visibly empty stretch of road, travels perfectly centered between the median and edge stripes, even when this requires passing within inches of a cyclist. It appears that the driver is awarding himself points for not flinching when passing cyclists and extra points for proximity. In the event of a collision it is, of course, the cyclist who swerved unexpectedly. The precision with which the driver executes this maneuver, in spite of the danger, makes the center court game conspicuous. People generally don't drive exactly centered in a lane, especially when there is an obstacle.

o  Honk and slice:

The buzz and swerve or center court routine can be enhanced by honking a single one second blast. This is usually done at a far greater distance than a sincere warning toot; about 200 yards works best. This is a great crutch for the driver who subsequently collides with the cyclist. "But I warned him!"

o  The trajectory intercept:

A car is traveling on a road that crosses the cyclists path at right angles. The car and bike are equally distant from the intersection but at different speeds. With skill, the driver of the car can slow down at a rate that lets him arrive at the intersection at precisely the same time as the cyclist. The bicyclist who has a stop sign may now come to a complete stop and wait for the driver who is only looking out for the cyclist's safety. If the cyclist doesn't stop, the driver honks and yells something about breaking the law.

Extra points are gained by offering the right of way to the cyclist, in spite of moving traffic in the adjacent lanes.

o  The contrived hindrance:

A driver refuses to pass a cyclist on a two lane road until the passenger asks how much longer they must follow this bicyclist, or until the following cars begin to honk. Then, regardless of visibility or oncoming traffic, an inopportune pass is executed after which each of following drivers makes it clear when passing that it was the cyclist who was responsible for the near collision.

o The rear-ender:

While riding down a mountain road, the cyclist catches up with a car that notices his rapid approach. If an oncoming car approaches the driver slows down, obviously for safety sake, and then suddenly slams on the brakes when there is no place for the cyclist to go. Bicycles cannot stop as fast as cars since cars can safely skid the front wheels but bicycles can't. This game is the more dangerous variation of speeding up every time the cyclist tries to pass but to drive as slowly as possible everywhere else.

One explanation for these maneuvers is that the driver recalls that riding in the mountains was always too hard and riding down hill was scary. This cyclist can't do what I couldn't do and I'll show him a thing or two. Thus the driver proves to himself that not riding in the hills was for safety's sake, it had nothing to do with physical ability. It fits into the " I'll teach that smartass a lesson. There is little risk for the car because in a rear-end collision the vehicle behind is, with few exceptions, found at fault.

So why does all this go on and on?

It is not as though they are all hostile drivers; some are just frustrated drivers. They may still be getting even for some bicycle accident they had in their youth and don't want others to get off any easier. Some are angry at having to spend the time behind the wheel while other "irresponsible adults" are playing on their bicycles. I believe the meanest ones are insecure people who don't feel as though they are accomplishing what they expect of themselves and don't like to see others have it any better. Many drivers believe that the only part of the road to which a bicyclist is entitled is the road shoulder, unless it occurs to the driver to use that part too.

A bike rack on a car may lead you to believe that the driver has a pro bicycle attitude. Some people use bike racks to transport family bicycles to a park where they can be ridden safely without venturing onto dangerous roads; roads that are meant for cars. Among these people are some of the strongest opponents of general bicycling. They take refuge in the belief that, if they should run you down while playing center court, it would prove that you should bicycle as they do, and not get in the way of cars.

What to do? Don't fuel the flames. Don't return the rudeness that is dished out. Take legal action where appropriate (and possible). Don't posture in traffic drawing attention to some undefined superiority to people who sit in cars. Don't balance on your bike or ride in circles in front of cars waiting at a red light. Don't make moves in traffic that are either discourteous, or at best, awkward but legal. If you hear loud knobby tires coming, believe it! That guy in the extra tall pickup truck with the all terrain tires, dual roll bars and multiple searchlights is not a friend of yours coming close to say hello. Give him room.


League of American Wheelmen

(Erin O'Brien bikeleague@aol.com)

The League of American Bicyclists, (founded as the League of American Wheelmen) has been working to improve the quality of bicycling in America almost as long as there have been bicycles.

In the 1870s the forefathers of bicycling banded together to lobby the government for more paved roads and to put a stop to antagonistic acts from other road-users. United in 1880 as the League of American Bicyclists, their mission has carried on throughout the history of bicycling.

Fashioned after "The Good Roads Movement" of the 1880's, our current agenda is embodied by the L.A.W. Safe Roads Movement, a comprehensive program that aims to reduce the number of injuries and deaths to cyclists. Highlights of this 10-pointaction plan include educating bicyclists and other road users about thei rights and responsibilities to safely share the road, and promoting the improvement of road design and maintenance to better accommodate bicycles.

The League's Effective Cycling program is making great strides to advance this agenda. Taught by certified instructors, it is the only national bicycling education program that combines the technical training needed to safely negotiate any traffic situation, with the principles of safe, responsible riding.

L.A.W. sponsors National Bike Month (May), which serves to promote the various aspects of bicycling. In 1992, L.A.W. founded The International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) to address the growing need for information, assistance, and training to start-up bicycle-mounted police patrols.

L.A.W. played an instrumental role in the passage of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Equity Act of 1991 (ISTEA), federal legislation allowing both for increased spending on bicycling improvements and for bicyclists to participate in local transportation planning. L.A.W. also publishes the bi-monthly Bicyclist Advocacy Bulletin, which provides the most comprehensive, bicycle advocacy and planning information and advice available in the nation.

In between advocacy and education efforts, L.A.W. manages to find time to enjoy bicycling. L.A.W.'s national and regional rallies bring together members from all over the U.S.A. and Canada for great riding and entertainment, daily workshops include, advocacy, safety, club leadership, cycling techniques, and more.

Pedal for Power, another division of L.A.W., hosts Across America and North-Southa rides that raise money for bicycling and various charities of the rider's choice.

Eight issues per year of Bicycle USA magazine to keep members up to date on League activities. Regular features include effective cycling tips, Government Relations and Education columns, cycle news, and an event calendar. Special issues include an annual Almanac and Tourfinder. L.A.W. offers national touring services to members including Ride Information Contacts in every state. While touring, members can also stay in the homes of more than 600 fellow members, free of charge, through the Hospitality Homes network.

League members can fly their bikes for free on TWA, America West, USAir, Continental, and Northwest airlines when they make their travel arrangements through the Sports National Reservation Center.

L.A.W. is a 501c-3 non-profit organization with membership of more than 24,000 bicyclists and 500 affiliated clubs and coalitions nationwide. Individual membership costs $25/year or $30 for families. Advocacy membership, which includes the bi-monthly Bicyclist Advocacy Bulletin costs an additional $10/year.

To join the League of American Bicyclists send your membership contribution to 190 W. Ostend St., Suite 120, Baltimore, MD 21230-3755, or call (410) 539-3399. For membership by phone call 1-800-288-BIKE. For a membership form to pay by credit card see the "How to Join League" file.


Bike Trailers

[Ed note: The posting I saved on bike trailers is over 145k bytes, so if you want a copy see the section on "Archives".]


One Less Car T-Shirts

(Alayne McGregor alayne@gandalf.UUCP)

(Ed Ravin panix!eravin@cmcl2.nyu.edu)

The T-shirts are produced by Transportation Alternatives, a New York City bicycle activist group. They're 100% cotton, have the TA logo on the front, and ONE LESS CAR on the back. Call TA for colors and sizes currently in stock. They're US$15 each. No refunds or exchanges. Allow 6 weeks for delivery. For people who have to drive but feel guilty about it, they also have "I'm Polluting the Atmosphere" bumper stickers at 3 for $5.

Send orders to:

Transportation Alternatives

92 Saint Marks Place

New York, NY 10009

USA

attn: One Less Car

I happen to have one of these shirts in my closet right now. Causes lots of comments when my covivant and I ride our tandem with both us wearing our shirts.


Panniers and Racks

(Sharon Pedersen pedersen@cartan.berkeley.edu)

This is a condensed version of a longer article on panniers, low-rider racks, loading and generators.	--Sharon pedersen@cartan.berkeley.edu

PANNIERS

Price--cheaper may not be better, if they fall apart. Commuting to school entails stuffing sharp-cornered books into them thus making sturdiness as important here as for touring.

Cut--an angled cut may make those books not fit so well.

Pockets--convenient for organization, but cuts down on versatile use of space. You can use stuff sacks for organization instead of pockets. One big and one small pocket on each pannier is plenty.

Fastening--lots of options: bungees and hooks, or fixed placement hooks, or straps with buckles or cams. Bungees and hooks have been just fine in my own road experience, but for off-road riding, you will want more security. However, don't get a system with so many attachments that you can't stand to take the panniers on/off.

Brands--the following is a by no means exhaustive list, with telegraphic comments made in 1988. Check local stores since features may have changed since then.

Eclipse--(no comment);

Kirtland--tourers like them;

MPacks--panniers made by an actual bike tourer, Mike Center, in Santa Rosa, CA, (707) 545-624;

Maddens--made in Boulder, "superior construction at better than average cost" yeah! (I love mine, write for more glowing testimonials);

Performance--low-cost, non-spring attachment;

Rhode Gear--expensive;

Tailwind--aerodynamic, rigid attachment.

LOW-RIDER RACKS

Some manufacturers: Bruce Gordon, Blackburn, Vetta, Voyager. The Bruce Gordons are more expensive (~$70 in 1988) but are designed with clearance for the quick-release skewer so you don't have to pry them apart to take the front wheel off.

REAR RACKS

(No comment in the original article; Blackburns seem to be the standard and durable enough.)

LOADING

Balance the load side-to-side and, if possible, fore-and-aft. Keep heavier items low and towards the bottom bracket. Rider, bike and luggage together should have 55-60% of weight on rear wheel; remainder on front. Bike with front low-riders is quite stable.

GENERATORS

The usual location on the left seat-stay interferes with panniers. Mount the generator on the right seat-stay facing the other way, and it will work fine, despite rotating "backwards." Or go with a generator under the bottom bracket, which will have the advantage of putting the wear on the tread rather than the sidewall of the tire.


Clothing materials

(Jim Carson carson@mu.rice.edu)

[Ed note: From a summary Jim posted]

Polarlite

Fluffy, fleecy stuff also called Polarplus and Synchilla. Comfortable. Incredibly warm, especially under something that breaks the wind. Doesn't wick moisture out very well. Breathes very well.

Supplex (nylon)

Comfortable. It is breathable and water repellent (but NOT water proof). Seems to absorb a small amount of water if it is really getting drenched

Merino (wool)

From a "breed of fine-wooled white sheep originating in Spain and producing a heavy fleece of exceptional quality." I guess you could treat this as normal 100% wool.

Thermax

An improvement on Polypro. The big advantage is heat resistance so you can put it in the dryer. Balance that against the extra cost.

CoolMax

This stuff seems more like a plastic bag than the revolutionary wicking material it is advertised as.

Dacron

Trademark name for Dupont polyester. Woven fabric made from dacron is similar to nylon ripstop or taffeta, but not as stretchy. Many of the better clothing insulations are made from dacron. They are usually refered to by more specific trademark names, like quallofil, hollofil, polarguard, and dacron-88.

Lycra

Used for its stretch, mostly a warm weather (>65 degrees) thing.

GoreTex

A teflon based membrane with microscopic holes. Gortex's claim to fame is that it will let water vapor (from perspiration) through, but not liquid water (rain). It blocks wind fairly well too. The membrane is delicate, so it always comes laminated between 2 layers of other material. It does not breathe enough. There are less expensive alternatives.

Polypropylene

Does not wick very well. Can be uncomfortable. Troublesome to care for (e.g. can pill badly) Will keep you fairly warm if soaked. Not very wind resistant. Melts in the dryer.

Capilene

Wicks moisture away. Very comfortable. Comes in different weights for more/less warmth. [lots of favorable things about it... only really unfavorable thing is the co$t]

60/40 cloth -

This is a cloth with nylon threads running one direction, cotton in the other. It was the standard wind parka material before Goretex came along, and is considerably less expensive. Good wind resistance, fairly breathable. Somewhat water resistant, especially if you spray it with Scotchguard, but won't hold up to a heavy rain.


Seats

Seats are a very personal thing, for obvious reasons. There are several types of seats:

Leather

Seats like the Brooks models. Usually used by hard-core riders. Requires breaking in before it's really comfortable.

Padded

The usual bike seat, sometimes refered to as "anatomic". Has padding where your "sit bones" (bottom of pelvis) supposed to rest.

Gel

Like the padded seats, except they have a gel (e.g. Spenco Gel) in them for additional padding. Reportedly, the gel can harden and/or shift, making the seat uncomfortable.

There are several types of seat pads (gel filled, containing an air bladder, etc) that can be fitted over the seat to make it more comfortable.

If you are experiencing pain in delicate areas (especially you women readers) you should make sure your seat is adjusted correctly (see the section on seat adjustment). Women may need a women's type seat, which is wider in the back (women's sit bones are farther apart than men's). Most pain can be eliminated by a correctly adjusted seat, using a women's seat, and riding so your body becomes used to it.

See also Women's Saddles


Women's Saddles

(Pamela Blalock pamela@keps.kodak.com)

Many women who cycle have experienced frustration with trying to find a comfortable saddle. It is amazing how many times I end up talking with other women about saddles. This article comes from those discussions and an informal survey of woman's saddle preferences. This is a dynamic article and changes on occassion, so if you have comments please contact me (pamela@keps.com) and I will incorporate your comments.

While this is intended to be an article on women's saddles, since so many other things can contribute to potential saddle pain, it will also address some of these issues as well.

Just as women are different from men, we are also different from each other. Since (fortunately) there is no mold into which we were all poured, what works for one woman may not work for another.

First, be sure that your bike fits properly. Many women end up with overly padded shorts and a big fat thickly padded saddle instead of with a bike that fits properly. No saddle will be comfortable if the bike is too big, or set up incorrectly. It is important to find someone who knows about fit and specifically about women's fit and get the bike set up properly before making other changes. In addition to being more comfortable, a bike that really fits will also handle better than one that is improperly sized. It isn't always easy to find someone willing to take the time, but when you find a shop that will, give them lots of business and send your friends there! Go to shops during non-prime hours for the best service. You won't get a salesman to spend an hour letting you try different saddles on a Saturday afternoon, but you might on a Tuesday morning.

Most production bikes are built proportionally for the average MAN. Using the old guidelines of sizing a bike by straddling the top tube may leave you a bike with a top tube that is too long, since most women have proportinally longer legs and shorter torsoes. Surprisingly, this can cause saddle pain. It is not necessary to run out and buy a new bike right away if the top tube on your current bike is too long. Using a shorter stem on a this bike may give you a more comfortable reach. Very short stems, less than 40 mm, are available, but may have to be specially ordered.

Some shops use a fitting system called the Fit Kit. The numbers generated from the Fit Kit are just guidelines and may not work for everybody, especially women. It is important to RIDE your bike and make adjustments to achieve a perfect fit. Others may use an infinitely adjustable stationary bike. One has been developed by Ben Serotta to help choose the perfect size bike - whether it is a Serotta or not. Adjustable stems are available to help you and the shop pick a perfect length stem the first time. Unless your current bike is a really, really poor fit, you should be able to make a few relatively inexpensive changes to improve the fit. Then when upgrading or buying a new bike, use what you have learned to buy a bike that fits better.

Several manufacturers have started building bikes proportionally sized for women to specifically address our needs. For petite women, these bikes may have a smaller front wheel to get the shorter top tube, but not all women's bikes have a 24" front wheel. Some have two 26" or 700C wheels, depending on size and geometry. A sloping top tube is now being used by many manufacturers to achieve a shorter effective top tube without going to smaller wheels. In addition to a shorter top tube, women's bikes may also have smaller brake levers, narrower handlebars, shorter cranks and wider saddles. Georgena Terry was the pioneer in this area, but many other manufacturers now build women's bikes. They may cost a little more than a comparably equipped man's bike, due to higher production costs for fewer number of parts. But, I believe that the extra initial cost to get a properly fit bike will pay off in the long run, since you will either stop riding an uncomfortable or poorly fitting bike, or you will eventually replace the poorly fitting parts at additional cost. You don't have to buy a women's bike though. Taller women may select a frame with a little shorter seat tube, and therefore a proportinally shorter top tube. (This obviously won't work if you are already on the smallest size frame!) Of course, as I said earlier, we are all different and some women may not need any special adjustments made to their non-custom off-the-shelf bikes. But they are the lucky few!

And I would be completely negligent if I didn't mention that one respondent said that recumbents almost always solve the uncomfortable saddle problem. (Thanks to David Wittenberg for pointing this out. His wife won't ride anything else.)

Now to saddles. A woman's hip bones tend to be set farther apart than a man's. (This is a design feature to help with childbirth!) Every woman is different, and there are many women out there with narrower hip bones. To determine where you sit bones are, sit on a low curb. Sorry, a chair won't do! When you sit on the curb, you will be able to feel your sit bones. This is what you want supported by your bike saddle. Avocet used to (and maybe still does) run a great ad showing a hip bone sitting on a saddle. With a saddle that's too narrow, a woman may find herself effectively straddling it with her hip bones, or slipping off of one side and pinching nerves - which may eventually cause the legs or feet to go numb. A saddle that's too wide will also cause problems.

A saddle that's slightly wider in the back (than the man's saddle that comes on most stock bikes) may offer better support for the sit bones. I have quite a few retired women's saddles with depressed gel indicating exactly where my bones are. Actually, looking at your old saddle will tell you a lot about where you do and do not need support! It's important to try out several different saddles to find one that fits. Unfortunately no one manufacturer makes different sized women's saddles - but the widths do vary from manufacturer to manufacturer - so for example, if the Terry is too wide or too narrow, try the Vetta or Avocet or some other brand. Ask your local dealer to let you put your bike on a trainer in the shop and try sitting on and riding a few of his saddles. Saddles are fairly easy to change and a good shop should be willing to let you try this. (But not on a busy Saturday afternoon!)

There are several women's saddles on the market, many of which are made with some form of gel. I have used (and retired) several of these with no complaints. The gel does compress after a while (regardless of sex), so these saddles do have to be replaced (for me it's every 10,000 miles). Brooks also has a women's leather saddle, which some women swear by. I swear at them, but that's me! (And there are women who swear at the saddles I swear by!)

Many women who responded to my survey said that they have the nose of their saddle tilted slightly forward to alleviate pressure on the soft tissue. A large variety of saddles were used with this method. One rider pointed out that having a seatpost with infinitely adjustable angles, like the American Classic or Control Tech, will help one to find the perfect angle. With the rachet type adjustment of most, she was never able to get the angle quite right. One problem with having the saddle tilted too far forward is that you may end up with two much weight/pressure on your wrists and hands. The result is numb hands and pain in the lower back.

In John Forester's "Effective Cycling" book, he suggests getting a cheap plastic saddle and carving out a depression in the area where the labia would normally rest. This would place the weight on the sit bones where it belongs, and remove it from the genital area, where it does not. A couple of women used this idea and modified saddle pads in this way. I watched a Spenco pad slowly get modified in this way each day throughout PAC Tour this year. One survey respondent cut up a neoprene pad and put it under the covering of her Flite saddle.

There are two women's saddles which specifically address this issue, the Terry Sport and the Miyata Pavea. Both are shorter and wider than the typical man's saddle and both have a hole in the nose to suspend soft tissue. These saddles should be comfortable when level. The Miyata leaves the hole exposed, while the Terry is covered in an open-cell low-density foam. I understand there is a saddle available now that is split up the middle and hinged in the front, so you can adjust it for your desired width. I'll update the article as soon as I can get my butt on one! But I did hear from a friend of a friend that had one and really liked it.

I have used both the Terry and the Miyata. (These were the two most popular saddles in the survey.) I've received lots of positive comments from women (and men) about their experiences with these saddles. The men seem to notice the difference more after the ride later in the evening :) :) :)

Last year I did a 750 mile ride on the back of a tandem in less than 4 days. That's a lot of time on a saddle. I'd been using the Terry for over 6 months and it worked great on everything up to 200 miles. But 400 miles into the trip, I was ready to rip the foam out of the hole. Once the swelling started, the presence of the foam became unbearable. Even though there was no plastic shell underneath, there was still something! I asked our crew person to see if he could find the Miyata saddle. It's often quite difficult to find women's products, and I was almost shocked when he showed up 20 miles later with this wonderful saddle with an exposed hole. He had found the Miyata. The difference was immediately noticeable. I probably would have finished the ride without it, but I wouldn't have been in a good mood for days! The Miyata is a little harder under the sit bones than the Terry, but that's not where I was experiencing pain. Of course the saddle is different looking and draws lots of comments and sexual innuendos, but it saved my ride. A year and 12,000 miles later, including PAC Tour (24 days straight, 140 miles average a day), I still love my Miyata and won't ride anything else.

Not all women like the wider saddles. Some women find all women's saddles too wide. Several women responded to the survey saying they prefer a man's saddle. Some of these even felt they had wide hip bones. For those who use a narrow saddle, finding one that was flat on top seemed to help with the above mentioned problems. Others who liked various women's saddles still found them a little thick in the middle, even if they were the right width in the back. Someday, maybe we will see women's saddles in various widths. We must create the demand though.

Terry does makes a men's version of their Sport saddle. It is narrower and has a longer nose and hole than the women's model. It also doesn't say Terry on it anywhere. Instead it is marketed under the initials TFI. Both this saddle and new models of the Sport have a (politically correct) simulated leather covering. I know of several men who really like this saddle, especially when using aero-bars. Women who find the Terry Sport too wide may want to check this one out.

I've seen Terry saddles change a bit over the past couple of years. One change is from a lycra cover to a simulated leather cover. Some women didn't like the feel of the lycra. (I do.) Another women noticed after replacing a stolen one with a new one that the foam in the hole seems to be getting firmer, kind of negating the benefit of the hole. Terry does offer a 30 day money back guarantee on their products, so you can painlessly decide if you'd like a Terry saddle or not.

They have also produced a couple of racing saddles. The first was the same width in the back as their Sport model, but narrower through the middle and had titanium rails. I was one of the lucky few to get one of these. They replaced it with a Flite lookalike with holes drilled in the nose. I tried one of these and must say for me it was the most uncomfortable thing I ever came into contact with. But if you can tolerate a Flite, it might work for you.

Speaking of which, many women do LIKE Flite and other really narrow saddles. I know that at their cycling camps, Betsy King and Anna Schwartz get many women on them. They stress the flexibility of the saddle with it's titanium rails and thin shell. They are very good for mountain biking where you want to slide off the back of the saddle for balance where a wide saddle would get in the way. I even know of a few women who use them for distance cycling. Two women used them on the PAC Tour I was on, but they had very narrow set hip bones. The other 15 women had women's models of one type or another, including Terry, Brooks and of course I had a Miyata.

Other suggestions for improved saddle comfort included trying different shorts. There are a lot of different shorts out there - far more than saddles and just like saddles, they all fit differently. The common theme from most women was to stay away from shorts with seams in the center. This includes seams in the lycra as well as the chamois (good luck!). On multiday rides, you may want to use different brands of shorts, since having the seam in the same place day after day may also cause irritation. Shorts that bunch up in front may cause also discomfort.

Pearl Izumi and Urbanek make very nice women's shorts. And of course Terry produces women's shorts. Some have fuller hips, longer legs, wider elastic leg grippers, etc. I really prefer bib or one piece suits, since there is no binding elastic at the waist. These are less convenient for quick bathroom stops, but I prefer the added comfort. Some women like longer legs, some shorter. Some prefer thick chamois, some fake, some real. Try on as many different types as you can, until you find one that fits you the best. Women are even more varied on their opinions about shorts than on saddles, so just keep trying new ones until you find the perfect pair for you.

(And while on the subject of saddle comfort, I use a combination of Desitin (or some other diaper rash ointment) and powder sprinkled liberally in my shorts to keep myself dry and rash-free.)

I can't stress enough that each woman is different and no one saddle is perfect for all of us. Just because a local or national racer, or your friend, or this author uses a particular type of saddle doesn't mean that it will work for you. Don't let anyone intimidate you into riding something that is uncomfortable, or changing the angle of your saddle because it's different. Use the setup that's most comfortable for you.

Among the saddles recommended by respondents were

Terry Women's (most popular of the survey)

Miyata Pavea (my favorite and a close second in the survey)

TFI (men's version of the Terry Sport)

women's Selle Italia Turbo

Avocet O2 (said to be as comfy as the above Turbo, but lighter)

WaveFlo

Avocet Women's Racing saddle

Viscount saddle

San Marco Regal

Brooks B-17

Brooks Pro

Flite

Terry Racing (like a Flite with holes drilled in the plastic)

(Of course some women swear at saddles that others swear by! Did I mention that we are all DIFFERENT?)

Specialty women's products are available through The Womyn's Wheel, 1-800-795-RIDE, or hopefully at your local bike shop - just keep asking them!!

See also Seats


Women's Bikes

(Lynn Karamanos karamano@esd.dl.nec.com)

Here's a summary of the info I received on whether or not to purchase a Terry bike.

1.) First, find a good bike shop, one that will try to find a bike that fits you, not just sell you what they have in stock.

2.) Ride many different bikes to see what's best for you. You may be able to find other bikes that fit just as well as a Terry once you've made some adjustments/replacements (stem, crank arms, etc.).

3.) If you can't find any other bike to fit you, then a Terry's worth the extra money.

4.) Except for about two people who sent me email, everyone who's ridden a Terry has loved it. Even those two people said they knew others who loved Terry bikes. Bottom line: the fit depends on your build. Women with long legs/short torso seem to be the ones who like them, not necessarily just short women.

5.) Also a few people mentioned that there are other road bikes that are specifically "designed for women" or that fit women well. The names mentioned: Fuji, Miyata, Bridgestone, Specialized (Sirrus). Also, someone mentioned that the same production line in Japan that makes Terry "proportioned" bikes also makes them under other labels. (Also one mountain bike was named, Mongoose Hilltopper, and two hybred bikes, Univega Via Activa and Giant Inova.)

6.) Something to keep in mind if you buy a Terry with a small front wheel... replacement tubes and tires for smaller wheels could be more difficult to find and/or more expensive.

7.) In case you're looking at older model Terry's, a few people mentioned that until a couple years ago, some Terry bikes were $200-$300 less than they are now.

See also Buying a bike


Bike Rentals

(Various people)

Lincoln Guide Service

Lincoln Center

Lincoln, MA

(617) 259-9204

Rents mountain, road, kids bikes, and trailers. About 11 miles west of Boston, within sight of Lincoln Center commuter rail stop.

Team Bicycle Rentals

508 Main

Huntington Beach, CA

(714) 969-5480

12spd $29/day, MTB $29/day, Santana tandem $69

Gregg's Greenlake

Seattle, WA

Second Gear

Seattle, WA

New York City Area:

All phone numbers are area code (212).

A West Side Bicycle Store -- 231 W 96th St -- 663 7531

Eddie's Bicycles Shop -- 490 Amsterdam Ave -- 580 2011

Country Cycling Tours -- 140 W 83rd St -- 874 5151

AAA Central Park Bicycle Rentals -- 72nd St/ Central Pk Boathouse -- 861 4137

Midtown Bicycles -- 360 W 47th St -- 581 4500

Sixth Avenue Bicycles -- 546 Avenue of the Americas -- 255 5100

Metro Bicycle -- 1311 Lexington Ave -- 427 4450

Larry and Jeff's Bicycles Plus -- 204 E 85th St -- 794 2201

Gene's 79th Street Discounted Bicycles -- 242 E 79th St -- 249 9218

Peddle Pusher Bicycle Shop -- 1306 2nd Ave -- 288 5594

A Bicycle Discount House -- 332 E 14th St -- 228 4344

City Cycles -- 659 Broadway -- 254 4457

San Francisco

Park Cyclery -- 1865 Haight street (at Stanyan) -- 751-RENT

Start to Finish -- 599 2nd Street at Brannan -- 861-4004

Marin County, CA

Caesars Cyclery -- 29 San Anselmo Ave San Anselmo -- 258-9920

Far-go bike Shop -- 194 Northgate #1 Shopping Center San Rafael -- 472-0253

Ken's Bike and Sport -- 94 Main Street (Downtown Tiburon) -- 435-1683

Wheel Escapes -- 1000 Magnolia Ave Larkspur -- 461-6903

Austing, TX area

[all stores rent ONLY mountain bikes]

Bicycle Sport Shop -- 1426 Toomey Road -- (512) 477-3472

University Schwinn -- 2901 N. Lamar Blvd -- (512) 474-6696

University Schwinn -- 1542 W. Anderson Ln -- (512) 474-6696

Velotex Inc -- 908-B W 12th St -- (512) 322-9131


Bike Lockers

(David H. Wolfskill david@dhw68k.cts.com)

Many thanks to all who mailed or posted an interest in my quest for information regarding bike locker vendors; I apologize for the delay in posting this summary.

My colleague -- thanks to some of that information -- was able to locate a sufficiently nearby vendor... one of the requirements of which I had not been aware was that the vendor must be fairly close (to Orange County, CA) -- to minimize shipping charges. (I apologize for failing to determine this issue before posting, and hope that some of the information about other vendors may be of value to others.)

I figured it would be more useful for me to organize the information, so I have done so -- at the expense of making an attempt to give credit for the sources at the point the information is quoted. (I include a list of sources at the end of the article.)

First, I received a few pointers to one Ellen Fletcher, such as:

For a comprehensive treatment of the bicycle parking subject, along with a list of vendors & prices, contact Ellen Fletcher at cdp!scvba@labrea.stanford.edu (put "ATTN ELLEN" in your "To" line.

[I requested clarification regarding addressing a note to Ms. Fletcher, but have yet to receive it.]

... Ellen Fletcher, 777-108 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303-4826, 415-495-8943.

Fortunately, someone sent a list of products & manufacturers, apparently originally compiled by Ms. Fletcher. I have taken the liberty of using that list as a "base document" and have augmented it with other information I received; entries are alphabetically by munufacturer's name, since I don't always have product names:

(Manufacturer, {Product Name(s)}, Address, Contact Person, Phone, FAX [comments])

American Bicycle Security Co., {BIKE SAFE}, PO Box 7359 Ventura, CA 93006, Thomas E. Volk, 805-933-3688 & 800-BIKESAF, 805-933-1865.

Bike Lockers Company, {BikeLokr}, PO Box 445 W. Sacramento, CA 95691,, 916-372-6620, 916-372-3616 [approx. $300/locker, small quantities].

Bike-Lokr Mfg. Co., {?}, PO Box 123, Joplin, MO 64802, Jim Snyder, 417-673-1960/800-462-4049, 417-673-3642 [approx $450/locker, which holds 2 bikes; seem to be the lockers used by the Washington, DC Metro system]

Bike Security Racks Co., {?}, PO Box 371, Cambridge, MA 02140,, 617-547-5755, -

Bike Stable Co., Inc., {?}, PO 1402, South Bend, Indiana 46624,, 219-233-7060, -

Cycle-Safe Inc., 2772-5 Woodlake Rd. SW Wyoming, MI 49509,, (616)538-0079 -

David O'Keefe Company, {Super Secure Bike Stor}, P.O. Box 4457, Alamo, CA 94507, Thomas & David O'Keefe, 415-637-4440, 415-837-6234.

General Machine company, {Bicycle Locker}, PO Box 405 Vacaville, CA 95696, Vitto Accardi, 707-446-2761, -

J.G.Wilson Corp, {Park'n'Lock Bike Garage}, PO Box 599, Norfolk, VA 23501-0599, J.L.Bevan, 804-545-8341, 804-543-3249.

Sunshine U-LOK Corp., {Secura Bike Locker}, 31316 Via Colinas Suite 102, Westlake Village, CA 91362, Doug Devine, 818-707-0110. [Specific information near the end of the article -- dhw.]

Turtle Storage Ltd., {?}, P. O. Box 7359, Ventura, CA 93006,,, -

[Ed. note: The complete posting is available in the archives on draco.acs.uci.edu.]


Bike computer features

[This table was created from information contained in Performance and Nashbar catalogs. In the table below, 'Y' means that the computer has the feature, 'O' means it is an optional feature.]

	Speed	Ave Speed	Max Speed	Total Miles	Trip Miles	ElpsdTime	Clock OnOff	Auto	Count Down
Avocet 30	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
Avocet 40	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
Avocet 50	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
Cateye Micro	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
Cateye Mity	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
Cateye Mity 2	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
Cateye Wireless	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
Cateye Vectra	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N	N
Cateye ATC	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
Ciclo 37	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y
Ciclo IIA	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N
Performance ITV	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	N	Y	Y	N
Vetta Innovator	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
Vetta HR1000	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
Vetta C-10	Y	N	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
Vetta C-15	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
Vetta C-20	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
Vetta Two	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N	N
Vetta Wireless	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	N
Specialized Speed Zone	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	S	N
	Cadence	Wireless	Altitude	Heart
Avocet 30
Avocet 40
Avocet 50	O		Y
Cateye Micro	Y
Cateye Mity
Cateye Mity 2
Cateye Wireless		Y
Cateye Vectra
Cateye ATC
Ciclo 37
Ciclo IIA	O		O	O
Performance ITV
Vetta Innovator
Vetta HR1000				Y
Vetta C-10
Vetta C-15
Vetta C-20	Y
Vetta Two	Y
Vetta Wireless		Y
Specialized Speed Zone


Recumbent Bike Info

(David Wittenberg dkw@cs.brandeis.edu)

(updated by Gary Walsh gary.walsh@canrem.com)

Here's my standard response to questions about recumbents. I'd be happy to answer more specific questions.

Here's some info I posted in the fall of 1990. I think it's still pretty much up to date. Changes from the last posting are in []'s.

--David Wittenberg

A few words about recumbent design, and then I'll provide a much larger list of recumbent manufacturers.

There are three main choices in designing (or buying) a recumbent. Frame material -- all the ones I know of are either Alumninum or Steel. Wheelbase -- The front wheel can either be in front of the bottom bracket (long wheelbase) or behind it (short wheelbase). You can't have a medium wheelbase without a lot of extra work because the wheel and the bottom bracket would interfere with each other. Long wheelbase is reputed to be a bit more stable, while short wheelbase machines are often easier to fit into cars for transport. Some long wheelbase recumbents fold in neat ways to fit into a remarkably small space. Handlebars -- under seat or in front of the rider. Under seat is probably a more comfortable position when you get used to it (your hands just hang at your sides), and may be somewhat safer if you get thrown forward as there is nothing in front of you. High handlebars are somewhat faster as your arms are in front of you instead of at your side, thus reducing the frontal area. Some people find them more natural. [There are long wheelbase bikes with both high and low handlebars. I don't

know of any short wheelbase, low handlebar recumbents, but there may be some I don't know of.]

The following updated by Gary Walsh (gary.walsh@canrem.com) July 1992.

There are a couple of interesting publications for recumbents:

International Human Powered Vehicle Association

P.O. Box 51255

Indianapolis, IN 46251 USA

They publish Human Power Magazine and HPV News on all aspects of human powered transportation (bikes, aircraft, watercraft.) Dues are US$25/year in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and US$30 elsewhere.

The Recumbent Bicycle Club of America/Recumbent Cyclist Magazine

PO Box 58755

Renton, WA 98058-1755.

(206) 852-8149

The best source of information on commercially available recumbents. Read the reviews in this magazine before you buy your first recumbent. Subscriptions are US$25 in the U.S.A., and US$30/year elsewhere. Sample issue and info pack $5. See especially the buyers guide in issue #8 Oct-Dec 1992.

Addresses of recumbent manufacturers:

Ace Tool & Engineering (Infinity Recumbent) $1 for a flyer

P.O Box 325

292 W. Harrison St.

Mooresville, IN 46158

(317) 831-8798

Long wheelbase, low handlebars, aluminum frames. $499 + $85 for triple crank option. Information $1.

Alternative Bikestyles

P.O. Box 1344

Bonita, CA 91908

Phone (619)421-5118

Maverick $ Renegade LWB recumbents with upright handlebars. Framesets from $200. Complete bikes from $395.

Advanced Transportation Products

550 3rd Ave. N.

Edmonds, WA 98020

Phone (206)771-3719

R-20 SWB. $1350. Info pack $2.

Angle Lake Cyclery

20840 Pacific Hwy S.

Seattle WA 98198

Phone (206)878-7457

Counterpoint Presto SWB with upright handlebars. Presto SE Tour $1699. Presto SE High Performance $???. Presto CL $1399. Counterpoint Opus IV Tandem Opus CL $2999 Opus SE $3599 Tri Com Trikes $600-$700. Catalogue $2

Original Car-Cycle Technology

1311 Victoria Ave.

Victoria, B.C.,

Canada V8S 4P4

Phone (604)598-7830

Fully fared commuter trike. Under development.

DH Recumbents, Inc.

4007-G Bellaire Blvd.

Houston, TX 77025

Phone (713)666-4452

LWB with upright steering. DH1000 $999, DH5000 $1395.

Earth Traveller

1475 Lillian St.

Livermore, CA 94550

Phone (415)449-8312

LWB trike with 2 wheels in back. Information $1.

EcoCycle

Earth Friendly Transportation

5755 NW Fair Oaks Dr.

Corvallis, OR 97330

(503) 753-5178

The Trice is a recumbent tricycle, with two wheels in front. Touring $1495. Speed model $1595. Also imports Ross recumbent from England. $2 for flyer, $9 for video tape.

Easy Racers, Inc

Box 255H

Freedom, CA 95019

(408) 722-9797

High handlebar, long wheelbase bikes. Easy Racer $2300. Frameset $1650. Gold Rush Replica, commercial version of the Dupont prize winning Gold Rush (world's fastest bike) also available. $2 for a catalog

Lightning Cycle Dynamics

312 Ninth Street

Lompoc,  CA 93436

(805) 736-0700

P-38 Short Wheelbase, high handlebars. Full fairings are available, and very fast. $1750. F-40 fully fared version.

Lightning Cycle Inc. (Tailwind)

3819 Rte. 295

Swanton, OH 43558

(419) 826-4056

$1 for a brochure. Steel long wheelbase, underseat steering. Around $1200.

Linear Manufacturing Inc. (Linear)

Route 1, Box 173

Guttenberg, IA 52052

(319) 252-1637

Long Wheelbase aluminum bike with either high or low handlebars (You can convert from one to the other.) $900 to $1200. They sell through dealers, and if you get in touch with them they'll tell you where the nearest dealer is. Canadians see S.C. Safety Cycle below.

Rans Recumbents

1104 E. Hwy. 40 Bypass

Hays, KS 67601

(913) 625-6346

Rans Stratus A & B and Nimbus. LWB with upright handlebars. $995-$1495.

ReBike

P.O Box 725

Boca Raton, FL 33429

Phone (407)750-1304

The ReBike. A low priced semi-recumbent with upright steering. New and a big seller. $389.

Rotator

915 Middle Rincon Rd.

Santa Rosa, CA 95409

(707) 539-4203

Rotator Super-7 Streamliner - LWB with 20" wheels. Rotator Companion Tandem.

Rhoades International

100 Rhoades Lane

Hendersonville, TN 37075

Phone (615)822-2737

4-wheel pedal car. $999 and up. Information $4. Video $19.

Ryan Recumbents, Inc.

3910 Stewart Rd., Unit F

Eugene, Or 97402

(503)485-6674

Vanguard. Long wheelbase, underseat steering. From $1295.

S.C. Safety Cycle Inc.

1340B St. Paul St.

Kelowna, B.C.

Canada V1Y 2E1

Canadian distributor of the Linear which is sold as "The Alternative." CAN$1495.

Special Purpose Vehicles

120 Prospect Street

Somerville, MA 02143

(617) 625-9030

Thebis International

110-2031 Malaview Ave.

Sidney, B.C.

Canada V8L 3X9

Phone (604)656-1237

1-800-667-6801

Thebis 201 Touring Trike. Two wheels in back. $2990.

Trailmate

2359 Trailmate Dr.

Sarasota FL 34243

Phone (813)755-5511

Fun Cycle and Bannana Peel trikes. $399.

Turner Enterprises

P.O.Box 36158

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Phone (383)-0030

SWB with underseat steering. Laid Back "E" frame kit $375. LB-2000 $1500. Frameset $899.

Zzip Designs

P.O. Box 14

Davenport, CA 95017

Phone (408)425-8650

Manufacturer of fairings for many of the bikes listed above.

Cyclopedia

P.O. Box 884

Adrian, MI 49221

1-800-678-1021

Good source for parts for builders.

European Recumbents

Leitra APS

PO Box 64 DK-2750

Ballerup, Denmark

Leitra M2 fully fared commuter trike. 3400 DM for the trike. 5845 DM for complete vehicle with accessories.

Bas Ten Brinke

Postbus 10075

1301 Almere,

Netherlands

Flevo SWB front wheel drive.

Fateba, Bachman & Co.

Rosenstr. 9,

8400 Winterthur

Switzerland

Fateba Winglet L1 LWB.

Kincycle

Miles Kingsbury

Lane End Road, Sands,

High Wycombe, Bucks

HP12 4JQ England

The Kingcycle SWB.

M5

Bram Moens

Waalstraat 41,

NL-4335 KL

Middleburg, Netherlands.  M5 SWB.

Neatwork

The Lees Stables

Coldstream, Berwickshire,

Scotland TD12-4NN

Dealer for Kingcycle SWB and Radius Peer Gynt LWB.

Radius-Spezialrader,

Frie-Vendt-Str 16, D-4400

Munster, Germany RFA

Peer Gynt LWB with underseat steering.

See also More Recumbent Bike Info


More Recumbent Bike Info

(Gary Walsh gary.walsh@canrem.com)

[This has been copied from a flyer written by Robert Bryant of the Recumbent Cyclist Magazine. He has given me permission to submit it for the FAQ. - Gary]

Have You Ever Considered a RECUMBENT BICYCLE?

WHY RECUMBENT BICYCLES?

There are many reasons to consider a recumbent. First and foremost is comfort. When you ride a recumbent bicycle you will no longer have an aching back, stiff neck, numb wrists or a sore a sore bottom. You will sit in a relaxed easy-chair position. You will be able to ride longer with less fatigue and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed. The recumbent position offerd you a great view of the countryside. While seated you will look straight ahead. This allows your lungs and chest more open and free breathing. Recumbents are very versatile machines. They can be used for a wide range of applications: recreational/sport riding, for the daily commute, a fast double century and they are great for long distance touring.

RECUMBENT PERFORMANCE

Recumbents hold all of the human-powered speed records. This is because they are aerodynamically superior to conventional bicycles; less frontal area means less wind resistance. The Lightning F-40 currently holds the Race Across America speed record of five days and one hour. Gardner Martin's Easy Racer Gold Rush, ridden by Fast Freddie Markham, was the winner of the Dupont Prize for breaking 65mph. You can currently buy production versions of these bicycles. Fairings for street use are common and optional equipment on most commercially built models. They protect you from rain, cold and wind, with up to a 30% reduction in drag. Commercially available recumbents are not always faster than conventional bicycles. It depends mainly on the individual rider. Your best bet is to do you homework and if your goal is performance and speed, be sure that you look for a recumbent designed for this purpose.

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT RECUMBENT BICYCLES

1) Do recumbents climb hills well? Yes they do, although climbing on a recumbent requires a different technique, you must gear down and spin. Maintaining an efficient spin takes some practice & conditioning, once mastered, it takes less physical effort to climb hills. Depending on your riding style, your speeds can range from slowwer to even faster than on a conventional bicycle.

2) Can recumbents be seen in traffic? Recumbents with a higher seating position may be better suited for riding in traffic than some of the low-slung designs. The use of use of proper safety devices such as safety flags and reflective devices is recommended. Recumbent bicycles are different, futuristic and they get noticed. Many riders feel they get more respect from motorists while on their recumbents. 3) Are they safe? Recumbent's are safer than a conventional bicycle. Due to the low centre of gravity, they stop faster. Brakes can be evenly applied to both wheels simultaneously providing more traction without throwing the rider over the handlebars. In crash situations, the rider goes down to the side absorbing the impact with the hip and leg rather than flying over the handlebars and absorbing the impact on your head and shoulder. Straight ahead vision is also better on a recumbent, however, rear view mirrors are necessary for proper rearward vision.

RECUMBENT PAST HISTORY

Why are recumbents such a rare sight? Space age technology? New type of bicycle? Not really, recumbent bicycles actually go back as far as the mid to late 1800's with the Macmillan Velocopede and the Challand Recumbent. In the 1930's, a series of events took place that changed bicycling history. A French second category professional track cyclist named Francois Faure rode the Velocar, a two wheeled recumbent bicycle designed and built by Charles Mochet, to record-shattering speeds, breaking both the mile and kilometre records of the day. This created a storm of controversy within the U.C.I. (United Cycliste International), bicycle rating's governing body. The debate centred on whether the Velocar was a bicycle and were these records legal? In 1934 they ruled against the Mochet-Faure record, banning recumbent bicycles and aerodynamic devices from racing. Were U.C.I. members worried that the recumbent bicycle would displace the conventional design? Did they realize this would freeze bicycle and human-powered vehicle development for the next forty years? This is why bicycles of taday look very similar to the Starkey and Sutton Safety (upright/conventional) of 1885. Just think where bicycle technology would be today if the U.C.I. decision had gone the opposite way.

MODERN RECUMBENT HISTORY

Recumbent development was fairly quiet until the late 1960's. Dan Henry received some media attention for his long wheelbase design in 1968. In the early 1970's, the human-powered revolution was starting up on both the U.S. east coast by David Gordon, designer of the Avatar, and on the west coast by Chester Kyle. These pioneers recognized the need for further development of human-powered vehicles. In the late 1970's and early 1980's, this lead to the first commercial recumbent bicycle designs such as the Avatar, Easy Racer and Hypercycle. In 1990, the Recumbent Bicycle Club of America was founded by Dick Ryan who currently manufactures the Ryan Vanguard and was also involved with the Avatar project in the early 1980's. In 1988 recumbent promoter Robert Bryant got his start writing "Recumbent Ramblings," a column for "HPV News." In the summer of 1990, Robert founded the "Recumbent Cyclist Magazine," and in a short two years, RCM has become the source for recumbent bicyle information in the world today.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION

RECUMBENT CYCLIST MAGAZINE

17560-B6-140th Ave SE, Ste 341

Renton WA 98058

__$2 Info-Pak/recumbent manufacturer list

__$5 Current sample issue with info-pak/list

__$20 USA Bulk Mail Subscription

__$25 USA First Class Mail Subscription Rush Service

__$30 Canada Air Mail

__$35 Worldwide Air Mail (USA funds) (anywhere outside USA/CAN)

__$50 Junior Supporter (includes 3 copies of each issue, mailed first class

__$100 RBCA Supporter (includes 10 copies of each issue mailed Priority)

BACK ISSUE ORDERING INFO

-Back issues are mailed 3rd class postage. (allow 4 weeks for delivery.)

-First Class Mail/Rush Service - add $.50 per issue.

-Canadian Air Mail/Rush Service - add $1.00 per issue.

-Worldwide Air Mail - add $2.00 per issue.

-Super-Rush Service? We can do FEDEX overnight C.O.D.

$4.00  __RC#2  Flevo & CSPC "Poor Man's Composite"

$4.00  __RC#3  DH5000 LWB Road Test

$4.00  __RC#4  Ryan Vanguard Road Test/F-40/Flevo

$4.00  __RC#5  Linear LWB Road Test/Omega HPV/HPV Design Info

$4.50  __RC#6  Easy Racer Road Test

$4.50  __RC#7  Lightning P-38 Road Test

$4.50  __RC#8  1992 Recumbent Buyers Guide

$4.50  __RC#9  A.T.P. R-20 SWB Road Test

$4.50  __RC#10 Thebis Trike Road Test

$4.50  __RC#11 Counterpoint Presto Road Test

$4.50  __RC#12 Rans Road Test (available 9/92)

$4.50  __RC#13 Trice Road Test (Available 11/92)

$4.50  __RC#14 (Available 1/93)

$4.50  __RC#14 (Available 3/93)

$4.50  __RC#15 (Available 5/93)

See also Recumbent Bike Info


Buying a Bike

One thing to decide before buying a bike is what type to buy. Here's a brief list:

Road bike

Once known as a "ten-speed", most are now 12 or 14 (or even 16) speed. There are several sub-types: racing, sport, and touring, the difference mostly in frame geometry.

ATB

All-terrain bike, also known as mountain bike. Great for riding in the dirt, these bikes usually have fat, knobby tires for traction in dirt and gravel.

Hybrid

A bike that borrows from road bikes and ATBs. For example, they have the light frame and 700c wheels of road bikes and fat knobby tires, triple cranks, wide-range derailleurs, flat handlebars and cantilever brakes from mountain bikes.

Bike buying hints

When you're ready to buy a bike, you should first decide what you want to use the bike for. Do you want to race? Do you want to pedal along leisurely? Do you want to ride in the dirt?

Next, you should decide on a price range. Plan to spend at least $350 for a decent quality bike.

Now find a good bike shop. Ask friends who bike. Ask us here on the net. Chances are, someone here lives in your area and can recommend a shop.

Now that you are ready to look for a bike, visit the shop(s) you have selected. Test ride several bikes in your price range. How does it feel? Does it fit you? How does it shift? Does it have the features you are looking for? How do the shop personnel treat you? Remember that the shop gets the bike disassembled and has to spend a couple of hours putting it together and adjusting things, so look for sloppy work (If you see some, you may want to try another shop). You might want to try a bike above your price range to see what the differences are (ask the salesperson).

Ask lots of questions - pick the salesperson's brain. If you don't ask questions, they may recommend a bike that's not quite right for you. Ask about places to ride, clubs, how to take care of your bike, warranties, etc. Good shops will have knowledgable people who can answer your questions. Some shops have free or low-cost classes on bike maintenance; go and learn about how to fix a flat, adjust the brakes and derailleurs, overhaul your bike, etc. Ask your questions here - there are lots of people here just waiting for an excuse to post!

Make sure that the bike fits you. If you don't, you may find that you'll be sore in places you never knew could be so sore. For road bikes, you should be able to straddle the top tube with your feet flat on the ground and still have about 1 inch of clearance. For mountain bikes, give yourself at least 2-3 inches of clearance. You may need a longer or shorter stem or cranks depending on your build - most bikes are setup for "average" bodies. The bike shop can help you with adjustments to the handlebars and seat.

Now that you've decided on a bike, you need some accessories. You should consider buying

   a helmet

   a frame pump

   a tube repair kit

   tire levers (plastic)

   a pressure gauge

   a seat pack (for repair kit, wallet, keys, etc)

   gloves

   a water bottle and cage

   a lock

The shop can help you select these items and install them on your bike.


Technical Support Numbers

(Joshua Putnam  Joshua_Putnam@happy-man.com)

[This list is now in the ftp archives as it is too long to put here]


Ball Bearing Grades

(Bill Codding  peda@simplicity.Stanford.EDU)

(Harry Phinney harry@hpcvlx.cv.hp.com)

Following is a description of the different grades of ball bearings. The grade specifies the sphericity of the balls in millionths of an inch. Thus, grade 25 are round to 25/10^6, while grade 1000 are good to 1/1000 (i.e.  not all that round, but probably good enough for our uses).

Grade 25: the highest quality normally available, aka "Campagnolo quality": hardened all the way through, best alloys, coatings, roundness, and durability.  Evidently, a recent bottom-bracket overhaul article in "Bicycling Plus Mountain Bike" magazine recommended these.  Campy's tech reps claim that the bearings in a set (usually in a little paper bag) are matched.  One should not mix bearings from different sets.

Grade 200: mid-range

Grade 1000: seems to be the lowest, may only be surface hardened.

Good sources for ball bearings:

Your local bike shop (make sure you're getting the grade you want)

Bike Parts Pacific

Bike Nashbar  1-800-NASHBAR    ($1-$3 per 100 Grade 25)

The Third Hand 1-916-926-2600  ($4-$7 per 100 Grade 25)


SIS Cable Info

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt%40@hp1900.desk.hp.com)

After Joe Gorin described the SIS "non-compressive" cable housing to me I got myself a sample to understand what the difference is.  I believe "non-compressive" is a misnomer.  This cable housing is NOT non-compressive but rather a constant length housing.  As far as I can determine, and from reports from bike shops, this housing should not be used for brakes because it is relatively weak in compression, the principal stress for brake housing.

SIS housing is made of 18 strands of 0.5mm diameter round spring steel wire wrapped in a 100mm period helix around a 2.5mm plastic tube.  The assembly is held together by a 5mm OD plastic housing to make a relatively stiff cable housing.  Because the structural wires lie in a helix, the housing length remains constant when bent in a curve.  Each strand of the housing lies both on the inside and outside of the curve so on the average the wire path length remains constant, as does the housing centerline where the control cable resides.  Hence, no length change.  A brake cable housing, in contrast, changes length with curvature because only the inside of the curve remains at constant length while the outside (and centerline) expands.

Shimano recommends this cable only for shift control but makes no special effort to warn against the danger of its use for brakes.  It should not be used for anything other than shift cables because SIS housing cannot safely withstand compression.  Its wires stand on end and have no compressive strength without the stiff plastic housing that holds them together.  They aren't even curved wires, so they splay out when the outer shield is removed.  Under continuous high load of braking, the plastic outer housing can burst leaving no support.  Besides, in its current design it is only half as flexible as brake cable because its outer shell is made of structurally stiff plastic unlike the brake cable housing that uses a soft vinyl coating.

Because brake cables transmit force rather than position, SIS cable, even if safe, would have no benefit.  In contrast, with handlebar controls to give precise shift positioning, SIS housing can offer some advantage since the cable must move though steering angles.  SIS housing has no benefit for downtube attached shifters because the cable bends do not change.


Milk Jug Mud Flaps

(Chuck Tryon  bilbo@bisco.kodak.com)

Actually, I have used plastic like this (or in my case, some red plastic from a cheap note book cover -- it's heavier) to extend the bottom (rear) end of the front fender.  The Zephals are good, but they don't stop the splash from where the tire hits the road from getting on my feet.  What I did was cut a small triangle about 3in (~7cm) wide by 6in (~15cm) long, cut a hole in the top of it and the bottom end of the fender, and use a pop-rivet (with washers to prevent tear out) to attach it.  On a road bike, it should be end up being within a few inches of the road.  ATB's will need more clearance, so this won't work well off road.

        |   |

        |   |

       /| o |\   <----- rivet with washer on inside

      | \___/ |

      /       \   <---- flap fits inside of the fender, and follows the

     |         |        curve, which gives it some stiffness.

     |         |

     |         |

     \_________/

         | |

         | |     <----- bottom of tire

         \_/


Lubricating Chains

Lubricating chains is a somewhat religious issue.  Some advocate oil, some Teflon-base lubricants, some paraffin wax.  The net majority favors a lubricant that does not leave an oily coating on the chain that can attract dirt, which will hasten chain/chainring/freewheel sprocket wear.

If you want to use paraffin wax, make sure you melt the wax in a double boiler!  Failure to do so can lead to a fire.  You can use a coffee can in a pan of boiling water if you don't want to mess up good cookware. After the wax has melted, put the chain in the wax and simmer for 10 minutes or so.  Remove the chain, hang it up, and wipe the excess wax off.  Let it cool and reinstall on your bike.

When using a liquid lubricant, you want to get the lube onto the pins inside the rollers on the chains, not on the outside where it does little good.  Oilers with the narrow tubes are good for this because you can put the lube where you want it.  Work the oil into the chain after applying it, wipe the chain off, and reinstall on your bike.

See also Wear and Gear Slippage and Adjusting Chain Length


Wear and Gear Slippage

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

There seems to be a lot of speculation on what makes chains wear and how to lubricate a chain.  There are a number of ways to take care of a chain.  Of these, some traditional methods are the most damaging to chain life and others work to prolong life.

As was mentioned on the net, chains don't stretch in the sense that the metal elongates, but the parts wear.  Wear in the pins and sleeves change the length of the chain as the pins fit more loosely.  The wear arises primarily from road grit that enters the chain when it is oiled.  Grit on the outside of a chain is the ugly black stuff that gets on your leg.  This dirt has no effect on chain function because it can't get inside to do damage.  Only when a dirty chain is oiled does this grit get to the place where it can cause damage.  Note that commercial abrasive grinding paste is made of oil and silicon dioxide (sand) and silicon carbide (sand).  You couldn't do a better job if you tried to destroy a chain than to oil a road dirt (previously oiled) encrusted chain.

Primitive rule #1:  Never oil a chain on the bike.

This means you should clean the grit off the chain before oiling it. Because this is essentially impossible without submerging the chain in a solvent bath (kerosene or commercial solvent), you must take the chain off the bike.  The fine grit can only be removed from the interior of the chain in liquid suspension.  A good example of this can be seen by using a Vetta (on the bike) chain cleaner and subsequently cleaning the same chain in a solvent bath.  The best grit remains until last and there's plenty of it.  Of course it isn't always possible to remove a chain and there are times (in the rain) when a chain screams for oil when a good cleaning is not an option.

Removing the solvent from the chain after the rinse is important. Compressed air is not readily available in the household nor is a centrifuge.  You can go outdoors and sling the chain around.  This works best if the chain is a closed loop.  You don't have to press the pin completely in for this.  The other way is to evaporate it.  You should probably avoid accelerated drying methods because they could be explosive.

The hot gear lube method works but it also acts as efficient fly paper, collecting plenty of grime between cogs.  Motor oil is good but motorcycle chain lubricants are better because they have volatile solvents that allow good penetration for their relatively viscous lubricant.  Paraffin works poorly because it is not mobile and cannot replenish the bearing surface once it has been displaced.

Sedisport

The Sedisport chain, although the strongest and one of the lightest chains, achieves its light weight at the expense of durability.  This chain has no sleeve that on most roller chains supports the roller on its outside and furnishes the bearing for the pin on the inside. Normally the inside of the sleeve is well protected against lubricant depletion because both ends are covered by closely fitting side plates.  In the Sedisport there is no sleeve and the formed side plates support the roller and pin with a substantial central gap.  In the wet, lubricant is quickly washed out of pin and roller and the inferior bearing for the pin and roller often gall and bind.  In good weather this may not be a problem.  Because this chain has feet of clay in the wet, Sedis re-introduced their earlier 5 element conventional chain, calling it a "chain for all seasons".

The lightweight Regina chain goes one step farther and omits the pin, leaving the side plates to hinge directly on the sleeve.  This gives them a knife edge bearing area that galls at the slightest lube depletion.

Chain Life

This is almost entirely a cleanliness and lubrication question rather than a load problem.  The effect of load variations is insignificant when compared to the lube and grit effects for bicycles.  The primary chains on motorcycles are operated under clean conditions and last years while the exposed rear chains must be replaced often.

The only way to test whether a chain is worn is by measurement.  The chain has a half inch pitch and, when new, has a pin at exactly every half inch.  As the pins and sleeves wear this spacing increases and becomes damaging to sprockets.  When the chain pitch grows over one half percent it is time for a new chain.  At one percent chainring damage progresses rapidly.  By holding a ruler along the chain on your bike, align an inch mark with a pin and see how far off the mark the pin is at twelve inches.  An eighth of an inch (0.125) is the ten percent limit while more than a sixteenth is a prudent time to get a new chain.

Skipping Chain

When you put on a new chain, its pitch is exactly one half inch.  A sprocket, worn by a longer pitch (worn) chain, has hooked teeth.  The hooked profile is formed by the rollers of a worn chain as they exit the sprocket under load.  Rollers of a new chain with correct pitch exit under no load because the load is transferred to the next roller before disengagement.  However, with hooked sprockets the new chain cannot engage under load because the pitch is too small to get over the hook and into the pocket.  These differences are only a few thousandths of an inch but that is enough to prevent engagement when the previous roller is fully engaged.

As a chain wears it concentrates more of its load on the last tooth of a sprocket before disengagement because its pitch no longer matches the pitch of the sprocket.  This effect sometimes breaks off sprocket teeth.  The load concentration on the sprocket also accelerates wear and is another reason to replace a chain at 1/16th inch wear.

See also Lubricating Chains and Adjusting Chain Length


Adjusting Chain Length

(Bob Fishell  spike@cbnewsd.att.com)

For all Shimano SIS and Hyperglide systems, the chain is sized by shifting to the smallest rear cog and the largest front sprocket, then sizing the chain so that the derailleur pulleys are on a vertical line, or as close as you can get to it.  Note that this will result in the same chain length for any freewheel within the capacity of the derailleur, so it usually is not necessary to re-size the chain for a different cogset with these systems.

The other rule I've used (friction systems) involves shifting to the largest chainring and the largest rear cog, then sizing the chain so that the pulleys are at a 45 degree angle to the ground.

The rules probably vary from derailleur to derailleur.  In general, you may use the capacity of the rear derailleur cage as a guideline. You want the chain short enough so the cage can take up the slack in the smallest combination of chainwheel and rear cog you will use. The chain must also be long enough so that the cage still has some travel in the largest combination you will use.

For example, if you have a 42x52 crank and a 13x21 freewheel, the smallest combination you would use would be a 42/14 (assuming you don't use the diagonal). If the cage can take up the slack in this combo, it's short enough. If the cage has spring left when you are in the 52/19 combo (again, you are not using the diagonal), it's long enough.

See also Lubricating Chains and Wear and Gear Slippage


Hyperglide chains

(Mark Chandler  chandler@wc.novell.com)

For those of you that are tired of dealing with Shimano's chains with the special pins, I've found that the following chains work well with Shimano Hyperglide gearing systems:

DID SuperShift

Sedis ATB

Union 800

Union 915

The SuperShift is probably the best performer of the bunch, followed by the ATB and 915.  The 800 doesn't do too well with narrow cogsets (i.e., 8-speeds) because the raised elliptical bumps on the side-plates tend to rub on the adjacent cogs.

I've also found that these chains work well on SunTour systems. The 915, however, works better on PowerFlo cogs than it does on regular (AccuShift) cogs (where it tends to slip when shifting).


Cranks and Bottom Brackets

Bottom Bracket Info  (Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

The four kinds of BB threads in common use today are Italian, British, French, and Swiss, possibly in that order of occurrence.

	Diameter	Pitch	Right	Left Cup
Italian	36mm	24F tpi	right	right
British	1.370"	24F tpi	left	right
French	35mm	1mm	right	right
Swiss	35mm	1mm	left	right
tpi (threads per inch)

Unless there is something wrong with the right hand cup it should not be removed but should be wiped clean and greased from the left side.  The thread type is usually marked on the face of both left and right cups. Swiss threads are rare but if you have one it is good to know before attempting removal.


Crank noises

(Phil Etheridge  phil@massey.ac.nz)

I've had the creaky crank problem on every bike I've owned which has had cotterless cranks.  Until now, I've never known a good solution to the problem.

One suggestion I had was to replace the crank, but that wasn't something I was prepared to do on 1 month old bike under warranty. The shop mechanic spent half an hour with me and my bike sorting it out.  Tightening the crank bolts and pedal spindle (i.e. onto the crank) didn't help (as Jobst will tell you).

Removing each crank, smearing the spindle with grease and replacing the crank eliminated most of the noise.  Removing each pedal, smearing grease on the thread and replacing it got rid of the rest of the noise.

Greasing the pedal threads is a new one on me, but it makes a lot of sense, since they are steel and the crank aluminum.  I thought it was worth relating this story, as creaky cranks seems to be quite a common problem.

See also Cracking/Breaking Cranks


Cracking/Breaking Cranks

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

[Ed note:  Yes, another disputed issue is contained here - whether to lube the crank tapers before installing the crankarms.  This has popped up from time to time on rec.bicycles, and has never been resolved one way or the other.  The text here is Jobst's viewpoint.]

Cranks break because they are aluminum and because they have high stress at various points.  The worst of these points are at the pedal eye and where the spider fingers join the right crank.  The pedal eye is a bad place because the joint is incorrectly designed, but since it is a standard, it may not be changed since it seems to work.  This joint always moves and causes fretting corrosion and cracks.  These cracks propagate into the crank and cause failure. A better joint here would be a 45 degree taper instead of a flat shoulder at the end of the pedal thread.

The thin web between the spider and crank, another common crack origin on cranks like the Campagnolo Record, was nicely redesigned in the C-Record crank, but to make up for that the C-Record is otherwise weaker than the Record version.  My experience is that they break in about 1500 miles because the pedal eye has a smaller cross section than the Record model, but maybe the alloy is poorer too.  I have subsequently used Dura Ace cranks for more than two years with no failure yet.  I don't believe in eternal life here either.

Aluminum has no safe fatigue limit but just gets progressively safer as stress is reduced.  In contrast, steel has a threshold below which failures cease.  Therein lies some of the problem.

As for cranks loosening, one can view the junction between spindle and crank in an exaggerated elastic model where the spindle is made of plastic and the crank of Rubbermaid household rubber.  The crank, once properly installed and the retaining bolt in place, squirms on the square taper when under torque.  During these deformations the crank can move only in one direction because the bolt prevents it from coming off.  The crank always slides farther up the taper. Proof that the crank squirms is given by the fretting rouge always found on the spindle, whether lubricated or not, when a crank is pulled off after substantial use.

As was mentioned by various observers, the left crank bolt is usually looser, after use, than the right one and this could be anticipated because the two cranks differ in their loading.  This does not mean the left crank is looser.  Actually it is tighter, only the bolt is looser.  The left crank is more heavily loaded because it experiences offset twist from the pedal at the same time it transmits torque to the spindle.  The right crank, being connected to the chain, experiences either spindle torque from the left pedal or twist from the right pedal but not torque and twist at the same time.

In this squirming mode, cranks wander away from the retaining bolt and leave it loose after the first hard workout (for riders of more than 150 lbs).  The bolts should NOT be re-tightened because they were correctly tight when installed.  Cranks have been split in half from repeated follow-up tightening, especially left cranks.  The spindle should be lubricated before installing cranks.  A wipe of a mechanic's finger is adequate since this is to prevent galling in the interface.  To prevent losing a loose crank bolt, the "dust" cover that is in fact the lock cap should be installed.

Those who have had a crank spindle break, can attest to the greater stress on the left side because this is the end that always breaks from fatigue.  A fatigue crack generally has a crystalline appearance and usually takes enough time to develop that the face of the fracture oxidizes so that only the final break is clean when inspected.  Because a notch acts to concentrate stress, the advancing crack amplifies this effect and accelerates the advance once the crack has initiated.

I have heard of instructions to not lubricate spindles before installing cranks but I have never been able to find it in any manufacturer's printed material.  Although I have broken many Campagnolo cranks, none has ever failed at the spindle.  I am certain that the standard machine practice of lubricating a taper fit has no ill effects.  I have also never had a crank come loose nor have I re-tightened one once installed.

See also Crank noises


Biopace chainrings

Biopace chainrings have fallen into disfavor in recent years.  They are hard to "pedal in circles".  The early Biopace chainrings were designed for cadences of around 50-70 rpm, while most recommend a cadence of 80-100 rpm.  Newer Biopace chainrings are less elliptical, but the general consensus is to (if you are buying a new bike) get the dealer to change the chainrings to round ones.


Snakebite flats

Snakebite flats are usually caused by the tire and tube being pinched between the road and the rim, causing two small holes in the tube that look like a snakebite.  The usual causes are underinflation, too narrow a tire for your weight, or hitting something (rock, pothole) while having your full weight on the tire.

The obvious solutions are to make sure your tires are inflated properly, use a larger size tire if you weigh a lot, and either avoid rocks and potholes or stand up with your knees and elbows flexed (to act like shock absorbers) when you go over them.

See also More Flats on Rear Tires


Blown Tubes

(Tom Reingold  tr@samadams.princeton.edu)

Charles E Newman writes:

Something really weird happened at 12:11 AM. My bike blew a tire while just sitting parked in my room. I was awakened by a noise that scared the livin ^&$% out of me. I ran in and found that all the air was rushing out of my tire. How could something like happen in the middle of the night when the bike isn't even being ridden? I  have heard of it happening when the bike is being ridden but not when it is parked.

This happened because a bit of your inner tube was pinched between your tire bead and your rim.  Sometimes it takes a while for the inner tube to creap out from under the tire.  Once it does that, it has nothing to keep the air pressure in, so it blows out.  Yes, it's scary.  I've had it happen in the room where I was sleeping.

To prevent this, inflate the tire to about 20 psi and move the tire left and right, making sure no part of the inner tube is pinched.


Mounting Tires

(Douglas Gurr  dgurr@daimi.aau.dk)

A request comes in for tyre mounting tricks. I suspect that this ought to be part of the FAQ list. However in lieu of this, I offer the way it was taught to me. Apologies to those for whom this is old hat, and also for the paucity of my verbal explanations. Pictures would help but, as always, the best bet is to find someone to show you.

First of all, the easy bit:

1.	Remove the outer tyre bead from the rim. Leave the inner bead. Handy hint. If after placing the first tyre lever you are unable to fit another in because the tension in the bead is too great then relax the first, slip the second in and use both together.

2.	Pull out the tube finishing at the valve.

3.	Inspect the tube, find the puncture and repair it.

Now an important bit:

4.	Check tyre for thorns, bits of glass etc - especially at the point where the hole in the tube was found.

and now a clever bit:

5.	Inflate the tube a minimal amount, i.e. just sufficient for it to hold its shape. Too much inflation and it won't fit inside the tyre. Too little (including none at all) and you are likely to pinch it.

More important bits:

6.	Fit the tube back inside the tyre. Many people like to cover the tube in copious quantities of talcum powder first. This helps to lubricate the tyre/tube interface as is of particular importance in high pressure tyres.

7.	Seat the tyre and tube over the centre of the rim.

8.	Begin replacing the outer bead by hand. Start about 90 degrees away from the valve and work towards it. After you have safely passed the valve, shove it into the tyre (away from the rim) to ensure that you have not trapped the tube around the valve beneath the tyre wall.

Finally the really clever bit:

9.	When you reach the point at which you can no longer proceed by hand, slightly deflate the tube and try again. Repeat this process until either the tyre is completely on (in which case congratulations) or the tube is completely deflated. In the latter case, you will have to resort to using tyre levers and your mileage may vary. Take care.

and the last important check:

10.	Go round the entire wheel, pinching the tyre in with your fingers to check that there is no tube trapped beneath the rim. If you have trapped the tube, deduct ten marks and go back to step one. Otherwise ....

11.	Replace wheel and reinflate.


More Flats on Rear Tires

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Most sharp obstacles except tetrahedral glass slivers and puncture vine gets stuck more often is that the front tire upsets the sharp object just in time for the rear tire to catch it head-on.

This front to rear effect is also true for motor vehicles.  Nails lying on the road seldom enter front tires.  When dropped on the road by a moving vehicle, the nail slides down the road aligning itself pointing toward traffic because it tends to roll around until it is head first. The tire rolls over it and tilts it up so that if the speed is ideal, the rear tire catches it upright.  I once got a flat from a one inch diameter steel washer that the rear tire struck on edge after the front tire flipped it up.

When it is wet glass can stick to the tire even in the flat orientation and thereby get a second chance when it comes around again.  To add to this feature, glass cuts far more easily when wet as those who have cut rubber tubing in chemistry class may remember.  A wet razor blade cuts latex rubber tubing in a single slice while a dry blade only makes a nick.

See also Snakebite flats


What holds the rim off the ground?

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

What forces keep the rim of a wheel with pneumatic tires off the ground. It obviously can't be the air pressure because that's acting from top as well as from below.

As has been pointed out, the casing walls pull on the rim (or its equivalent) and thereby support the load.  The casing leaves the rim at about a 45 degree angle, and being essentially a circular cross section, it is in contact with the rim over its inner quarter circle. At least this is a good representative model.  The visualization may be simpler if a tubular tire is considered.  It makes no difference whether the tire is held on by glue or is otherwise attaches to the rim such as a clincher is.  Either way the tire is attached to the rim, a relatively rigid structure.

Under load, in the ground contact zone, the tire bulges so that two effects reduce the downward pull (increase the net upward force) of the casing.  First, the most obvious one is that the casing pulls more to the sides than downward (than it did in its unloaded condition); the second is that the side wall tension is reduced.  The reduction arises from the relationship that unit casing tension is equivalent to inflation pressure times the radius of curvature divided by pi.  As the curvature reduces when the tire bulges out, the casing tension decreases correspondingly.  The inflated tire supports the rim primarily by these two effects.

Tire pressure changes imperceptibly when the tire is loaded because the volume does not change appreciably.  Besides, the volume change is insignificant in small in comparison to the volume change the air has undergone when being compressed into the tire.  In that respect, it takes several strokes of a frame pump to increase the pressure of a tire from 100 psi to 101.  The air has a low spring constant that acts like a long soft spring that has been preloaded over a long stroke. Small deflections do not change its force materially.  For convenience car and truck tires are regularly inflated to their proper pressure before being mounted on the vehicle.


Anodized vs. Non-anodized Rims

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

There are several kinds of dark coatings sold on rims.  Each suggests that added strength is achieved by this surface treatment while in fact no useful effects other than aesthetic results are achieved.  The colored rims just cost more as do the cosmetically anodized ones.  The hard anodized rims do not get stronger even though they have a hard crust.  The anodized crust is brittle and porous and crazes around spoke holes when the sockets are riveted into the rim.  These cracks grow and ultimately cause break-outs if the wheel is subjected to moderate loads over time.

There is substantial data on this and shops like Wheelsmith, that build many wheels, can tell you that for instance, no MA-2 rims have cracked while MA-40 rims fail often.  These are otherwise identical rims.

Hard anodizing is also a thermal and electrical insulator.  Because heat is generated in the brake pads and not the rim, braking energy must cross the interface to be dissipated in the rim.  Anodizing, although relatively thin, impedes this heat transfer and reduces braking efficiency by overheating the brake pad surfaces.  Fortunately, in wet weather, road grit wears off the sidewall anodizing and leaves a messy looking rim with better braking.

Anodizing has nothing to do with heat treatment and does not strengthen rims. To make up for that, it costs more.


Reusing Spokes

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

I just bent my wheel and am probably going to need a new one built.  Can I reuse my old, 3 months, spokes in the new wheel. The guy at the shop gave me some mumbo jumbo about tensioning or something.

There is no reason why you should not reuse the spokes of your relatively new wheel.  The reason a bike shop would not choose to do this is that they do not know the history of your spokes and do not want to risk their work on unknown materials.  If you are satisfied that the spokes are good quality you should definitely use them for you new wheel.  The spokes should, however, not be removed from the hub because they have all taken a set peculiar to their location, be that inside or outside spokes.  The elbows of outside spokes, for instance, have an acute angle while the inside spokes are obtuse.

There are a few restrictions to this method, such as that new rim must have the same effective diameter as the old, or the spokes will be the wrong length.  The rim should also be the same "handedness" so that the rim holes are offset in the correct direction.  This is not a fatal problem because you can advance the rim one hole so that there is a match.  The only problem is that the stem will not fall between parallel spokes as it should for pumping convenience.

Take a cotton swab and dab a little oil in each spoke socket of the new rim before you begin.  Hold the rims side by side so that the stem holes are aligned and note whether the rim holes are staggered in the same way.  If not line the rim up so they are.  Then unscrew one spoke at a time, put a wipe of oil on the threads and engage it in the new rim.  When they are all in the new rim you proceed as you would truing any wheel.  Details of this are in a good book on building wheels.

The reason you can reuse spokes is that their failure mode is fatigue.  There is no other way of causing a fatigue failure than to ride many thousand miles (if your wheel is properly built).  A crash does not induce fatigue nor does it even raise tension in spokes unless you get a pedal between them.  Unless a spoke has a kink that cannot be straightened by hand, they can all be reused.


Clinchers vs. Tubulars

(F.J. Brown  F.Brown@massey.ac.nz)

D.H.Davis@gdt.bath.ac.uk gave some useful hints on mounting clinchers, mostly involving the use of copious quantities of baby powder, and trying to convince me that clinchers aren't difficult to mount, so ease of mounting isn't a valid reason for preferring tubulars.

wernerj@lafcol.lafayette.edu wrote that although average tubulars ride 'nicer' than average clinchers, there are some clinchers around that ride just as 'nice'.   He also said that ease of change isn't a good reason for preferring tubulars as if you flat in a race, you're either going to swap a wheel or drop out.   He pointed out that tubulars end up costing $20 - $80 per flat.

ershc@cunyvm.cuny.edu gave some of the historic reasons that tubulars were preferred: higher pressures, lower weight, stronger, lighter rims.   Said that only a few of these still hold true (rim strength/weight, total weight), but he still prefers the 'feel' of tubulars.

leka@uhifa.ifa.hawaii.edu started this thread with his observations on clinchers seperated from their rims in the aftermath of a race crash.

stek@alcvax.pfc.mit.edu comments on improperly-glued tubulars posing a threat to other racers by rolling off, and noted that this couldn't happen with clinchers.

jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com agreed with stek, with the additional note that it is inadequate inflation that often allows tubulars to roll.

Kevin at Buffalo agreed with stek and jobst about tubulars (improperly or freshly glued) sometimes rolling.

ruhtra@turing.toronto.edu says he uses clinchers for cost and convenience. Clinchers let him carry around a tiny patch kit and some tyre irons, costing 60c, whereas tubulars would require him to carry a whole tyre, and would cost more.

CONCLUSIONS: THE CLINCHER VS. TUBULAR WAR

Tubulars - used to be capable of taking higher pressures, had lower weight and mounted onto stronger, lighter rims than clinchers.   Clinchers have now largely caught up, but many cyclists thinking hasn't. Tubular tyre + rim combination still lighter and stronger. - are easier to change than clinchers.   This matters more to some people than others - triathletes, mechanical morons and those riding in unsupported races. - cost megabucks if you replace them every time you puncture. However (and none of the North Americans mentioned this) down here in Kiwiland, we always repair our punctured tubulars (unless the casing is cut to ribbons).   The process doesn't take much imagination, you just unstitch the case, repair the tube in the normal manner using the thinnest patches you can buy, stitch it back up again and (the secret to success) put a drop of Superglue over the hole in the tread. - can roll off if improperly glued or inflated.   In this case, you probably deserve what you get.   Unfortunately, the riders behind you don't.

Clinchers - can be difficult to change (for mechanical morons) and are always slower to change than tubulars.   Most people still carry a spare tube and do their repairs when they get home. - are cheaper to run: if you puncture a lot clinchers will probably still save you money over tubulars, even if you repair your tubulars whenever possible.   Tubulars are only repairable most of the time, you virtually never write off a clincher casing due to a puncture. - have improved immensely in recent years; top models now inflate to high pressures, and are lighter and stronger than they used to be.   Likewise clincher rims.   Some debate over whether tubulars are still lighter and tubular rims stronger.   Probably depends on quality you select.   No doubt that high quality clinchers/rims stronger, lighter and mor dependable than cheap tubular/rim combination.


Presta Valve Nuts

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Two points here:

1. The jamb nut holds the stem when pumping so that it does not recede into the rim when pressing the pump head against the tire.  This is especially useful when the tire is flat (after installing the tube).  It also keeps the stem from wiggling around while pumping. Removing the nut should present no difficulty unless the threads have been damaged or the hands are cold.  The cold may present a problem, but then just opening the valve nut on a Presta valve under such conditions.

2. Breaking off stems with a frame pump comes from pumping incorrectly.  The number of new tubes with broken stems lying along the road proves that this occurs far too often.  To avoid breaking the stem, the pump head should be be held in the fist so that the pumping force goes from one hand into the other, not from the pump into the valve stem.  To practice the correct action, hold the pump head in one hand with the thumb over the outlet, and pump vigorously letting out no air.  All the force goes from one hand into the other.  This is essentially what should take place when inflating a tire.

It does no good to "get even" with the stupid tube by discarding it on the road for all to see.  Most riders understand how to pump a tire and see this only as evidence of incompetence rather than a faulty tube.  Besides, this ostentatious behavior constitutes littering for which the the fine is $1000 in California.  Bike shops should instruct new bike owners about the use of the frame pump.  Along with this there should be some tire patch hints like don't try to ride a freshly patched tube, carry a spare tube and always use the spare after patching the punctured tube.  Of course this is a whole subject in itself that should be treated under its own heading.


Ideal Tire Sizes

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

I'm getting a custom frame built and wondered what people thought of using 26 inch road wheels.  Smaller wheels ought to be lighter and stronger.

and goes on to list advantages and disadvantages, most of which are less that important in deciding what size to use.  What in fact brought us the wheel size (700 or 27") that we have is better understood by the women riders who have a hard time fitting these wheels into their small bicycle frames.  Wheels would be larger than they are if they would fit the average riders bike, but they don't.  So the compromise size is what we are riding today.

It seems to me that the most obvious reason for using 27" wheels is tradition, but I'm not sure the advantages make it worth trying to swim upstream.  What do you think?

This line of thought is consistent with the "cost be damned" approach in bicycling today.  The big bucks are spent by people who want the best or even better than their peers.  The more special the better.  Riders consistently spend nearly twice the money for wheels and get worse rims when they choose anodized ones, whether there is merit to this finish is of no interest.  They cost more so they must be better.  How "custom" can you get than to have wheels no one else on the block has (maybe 25"?).

If enough riders ask for 24", 25" and 26" wheels, manufacturers will up the price as their product lines multiply and the total sales remain constant.  Tires and spokes will follow as a whole range of sizes that were not previously stocked become part of the inventory.  Meanwhile, bike frames will come in different configurations to take advantage of the special wheel sizes.  SIzes whose advantages are imperceptibly small but are touted by riders who talk of seconds saved in their last club TT or while riding to work.

A larger wheel rides better on average roads and always corners better because it brings a longer contact patch to the road.  A longer contact averages traction over more pavement and avoids slip outs for lack of local traction.  Visualize crossing a one inch wide glossy paint stripe with a 27" wheel and an 18" wheel when banked over in a wet turn.

I see this subject arise now and then and it reminds me of the concept of splitting wreck.bike into several newsgroups.  The perpetrators bring the matter up for many of the wrong reasons.

Ride bike, don't re-invent what has been discarded.


Indexed Steering

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

In the several years I spent working in a pro shop, I have never seen a case of "index steering" (yes, we called it that) that was not caused by a "brinelled" headset - one with divots in the races.  I am 99.999 percent certain that that is your problem.  What are you going to do if you don't fix it?  I suggest that you fix the headset even if you sell the bike, as a damaged headset could be grounds for a lawsuit if the buyer crashes.

I disagree on two points.  First, because the use of the term brinelling conveys a notion as incorrect as the phrase "my chain stretched from climbing steep hills" and second, because there is no possibility of injury or damage from an "indexed" head bearing.

Damage to the head bearings seems to be twofold in this case because the steering, if properly adjusted, only gets looser from dimpled bearings and would not become arrested by the dimples.  So the head was adjusted too tight or it got tighter inadvertently.  However, dimpling is caused by lubrication failure and occurs while riding straight ahead.  This condition is worsened by a tight bearing while a loose bearing would introduce more lubricant if it were to rattle.

If you believe it comes from hammering the balls into the races, I suggest you try to cause some dimples by hammering with a hammer onto the underside of the fork crown of a clunker bike of your choice.  Those who pounded in cotters on cottered cranks will recall no such dimpling on the BB axle and even though this is a far smaller bearing race than a head bearing and the blows are more severe and direct, no dimples were made.

Ball bearings make metal-to-metal contact only when subjected to fretting loads (microscopic oscillations) while in the same position, as in riding straight ahead on a conventional road.  If you watch your front axle while rolling down the road at 20+ mph you will notice that the fork ends vibrate fore and aft.  This motion arises not at the blade tips but at the fork crown and articulates the head bearing in fretting motions that are not in the normal direction of bearing rotation.  Any substantial steering motion replenishes lubrication from adjoining areas.

Lubrication failure from fretting causes welding between the balls and races and these tiny weld spots tear out repeatedly.  The result is that at the front and rear of the races elliptical milky dimples occur.  Were these brinelling (embossed through force) they would be shiny and round.  Various testimonials for the durability of one bearing over another may be based on good experience, however, the differences in most of these was not in the design of the bearing but rather the type of lubricant used.  A ball bearing is not suitable for this use.  This is in spite of their use in almost all bicycles.

To reduce point loads and to protect the rolling elements from fretting motion, roller bearing head bearings have been built.  In these the rotary motion is taken up in needle bearings on conical races and the fork articulation is absorbed by an approximation of a spherical cup (the steel race) against the aluminum housing.  Both of these bearings are ideally loaded.  The rollers all remain in contact and carry rotary motion while the plain spherical bearing remains in full contact carrying low pressure fore and aft motion.

I am disappointed that roller bearings until now have not been suitably perfected to rid us of the age old bearing failure.  Maybe some day soon Sun Tour, Campagnolo, Shimano or Stronglight will emerge with an easily adjustable and fully compatible bearing.  The one I am using is durable but not easily adjusted and it has too great a stack height to qualify for a recommended replacement.


Center Pivot vs. Dual Pivot Brakes

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Sidepull (one central pivot) brakes operate at a small angle to the rim.  That means the pad moves in a nearly perpendicular direction to the braking surface and the pads can be completely worn down without adjusting their position.  The unit is light and has a self contained quick release and cable adjustment feature.

Its weakness is its thin arms that, in the pursuit of light weight, flex in the bending direction.  With the current practice to minimize tire clearance on road bicycles, sidepull brakes cannot be used off road for lack of dirt clearance.  Their return spring is anchored in a way that relative motion occurs between it and the brake arms.  This motion demands lubrication and in its absence the brake does not center itself.  This is a perpetual problem that has not been solved and has given rise to many designs, the latest of which is the Shimano dual pivot brake.  This brake has the disadvantage that it cannot track a wobbly wheel because it is forced to be centered.

The cantilever and centerpull brakes are inversions of the same design.  Both have pivot points that are at 45 degrees to the brake surface, but the centerpull offers no advantage over sidepulls because it has all the same problems and not the advantages.  In contrast the cantilever is the most rigid of available brakes and offers more tire clearance for off road use.

The approach angel moves the brake pads in an undesirable direction so that as the pad wears it must be adjusted to prevent falling off the rim.  With wear, the centerpull goes into the tire while the cantilever allows the pad to pop under the rim, never to return. Cantilever brakes have the additional problem that their reaction force spreads the forks.  For this reason, U shaped stress plates are made to contain this force.  For forks with telescopic suspension, braking restricts forks motion.

Nearly all bicycle brakes have about the same mechanical advantage (4:1) that arises primarily in the hand lever.  The "calipers" all approximate a 1:1 ratio.  This is necessary to fit the reach of the average hand and the strength of the hand in proportion to body weight.  That is to say all brakes are made to about the same human specification.  Force and motion are a trade-off and this is the result.

The Campagnolo Delta and Modolo Chronos brakes have a variable ratio that at the extremes ranges from infinity to zero, its motion being generated by an equilateral parallelogram that changes from one extreme to the other.  This is an undesirable feature, especially as the pads wear and braking takes place in the zone of increased lever travel and increased mechanical advantage.  The brake bottoms out abruptly.

Servo activation on cantilever brakes has been offered in a design that uses the forward thrust on the brake post to add force to the application.  Self servo effects are undesirable in brakes because the proportionality between braking and hand force is lost.  You don't know how much braking you will get for a given hand lever force.  It can vary widely and in some circumstances cause an unwanted skid.


Seat adjustments

(Roger Marquis  marquis@well.sf.ca.us)

The following method of setting saddle height is not the only method around for setting your saddle height but it is the most popular among coaches and riders both here and in Europe.

A) Adjust saddle level or very slightly nose up, no more than 2mm at the nose.

B) Put on the shoes you normally ride in. Have wrench ready (usually a 5mm Allen).

C) Mount the bike and sit comfortably, leaning against a wall. Hold the brake on with one hand (or mount the bike on a turbo trainer if you have one).

D) Place your HEELS on the pedals, opposite the clip, pedal backwards at 30+ rpm without rocking your pelvis (very important).

E) Adjust seat height so that there is about:

1) ZERO TO ONE HALF CM. for recreational riders (-50 mi/wk.),

2) ONE HALF TO ONE CM. for experienced riders (50+ mi./wk.),

3) ONE TO TWO CM. for endurance cyclists (250+ mi./wk.), between your heel and the pedal. If your soles are thicker at the cleat than at the heel adjust accordingly. Don't forget to grease the seat post.

F) Ride. It may take a couple of rides to get used to the feel and possibly stretch the hamstrings and Achilles slightly.


Cleat adjustments

(Roger Marquis  marquis@well.sf.ca.us)

[Ed note:  You may also want to consider going to a bike shop that does Fit Kit and have them do the Fit Kit RAD to adjust your cleats.  Many people recommend it.]

A) Grease the cleat bolts and lightly tighten.

B) Sitting on the bike, put your feet in the pedals and adjust until:

B1) The ball of your foot is directly above or, more commonly, slightly behind the pedal axle and:

B2) There is approximately 1 cm. (1/2in.) between your ankle and the crank arm.

C) Tighten the cleat bolts 80% and go out for a ride. If another position feels more comfortable rotate your foot into that position.

D) Carefully remove your shoes from the pedals and tighten the bolts fully. If you cannot get out of the pedals without shifting the cleats leave your shoes on the bike and draw an outline around the cleat.


SIS Adjustment Procedure

(Bob Fishell  spike@cbnewsd.att.com)

Shimano's instructions for adjusting SIS drivetrains varies from series to series.  The following method, however, works for each of mine (600EX, 105, and Deore').  [Ed note:  Works on Exage road and mtb also.]

Your chain and cogs must be in good shape, and the cable must be free of kinks, slips,  and binds.  The outer cable should have a liner. clean and lubricate all points where the cable contacts anything.

SIS adjustment:

1) Shift the chain onto the largest chainwheel and the smallest cog, e.g., 52 and 13.

2) WITHOUT TURNING THE CRANKS, move the shift lever back until it clicks, and LET GO.  This is the trick to adjusting SIS.

3) Turn the crank.  If the chain does not move crisply onto the next inside cog, shift it back where you started, turn the SIS barrel adjuster (on the back of the rear derailleur) one-half turn CCW, and go back to step 2.  Repeat for each pair of cogs in turn until you can downshift through the entire range of the large chainwheel gears without the chain hesitating.  If you have just installed or reinstalled a shift cable, you may need to do this several times.

4) Move the chain to the small chainring (middle on a triple) and the largest cog.

5) turn the cranks and upshift.  If the chain does not move crisply from the first to the second cog, turn the SIS barrel adjuster one-quarter turn CW.

If the drivetrain cannot be tuned to noiseless and trouble-free SIS operation by this method, you may have worn cogs, worn chain, or a worn, damaged, or obstructed shift cable.  Replace as needed and repeat the adjustment.


Where to buy tools

You can buy tools from many sources.  Some tools can be purchased at your local hardware store (wrenches, socket sets, etc), while the special bike tools can be purchased from your local bike store or one of the mail order stores listed elsewhere.

You can buy every tool you think looks useful, or just buy the tools you need for a particular repair job.  Buying the tools as you need them will let you build up a nice tool set over time without having to drop a lot of money at once.

Some common tools you will need are:

Metric/SAE wrenches for nuts and bolts (or an assortment of adjustable wrenches).

Screwdrivers, both flat and phillips.

Metric allen wrenches.

Pliers.

Wood or rubber mallet for loosening bolts.

Special tools and their uses:

Cone wrenches to adjust the hub cones.

Chain tool to take the chain apart for cleaning and lubrication, and to put it back together.

Tire irons for removing tires.

Spoke wrenches for adjusting spokes.

Cable cutters for cutting cables (don't use diagonal pliers!).

Crankarm tools for removing crankarms.

Bottom bracket tools for adjusting bottom brackets.

Headset wrenches to adjust the large headset nut.


Workstands

There are a variety of workstands available, from about $30 to over $130.  Look at the mail order catalogs for photos showing the different types.  The type with a clamp that holds one of the tubes on the bike are the nicest and easy to use.  Park has a couple of models, and their clamp is the lever type (pull the lever to lock the clamp).  Blackburn and Performance have the screw type clamp (screw the clamp shut on the tube.

If you have a low budget, you can use two pieces of rope hanging from the ceiling with rubber coated hooks on the end - just hang the bike by the top tube.  This is not as steady as a workstand, but will do an adequate job.

See also Workstand 2


Workstand 2
Workstands 2

(Douglas B. Meade  meade@bigcheese.math.scarolina.edu)

>>>>>>>>>>      BICYCLE REPAIR STAND SUMMARY      <<<<<<<<<<

The Park PRS6 was recommended by several (>5) responders; all other models were recommended by no more than one responder.

Park PRS6

PROS:	full 360\degree rotation

spring-loaded clamp is adjustable

very stable

CONS:	not height adjustable

not easy to transport

clamp probably can't work with fat-tubed mtn bike

COST:	~$150

SOURCE:	catalogs, local bike shops

Park Consumer

PROS:	foldable

convenient

portable

CONS:	not as stable as PRS6

COST:	~$100

SOURCE:	catalogs, local bike shops

Park BenchMount

PROS:	stronger, and more stable, than many floor models

CONS:	must have a workbench with room to mount the stand

COST:	$???

SOURCE:	???

Blackburn

PROS:	The stand folds flat and is portable.

It has a 360 degree rotating clamp.

It is relatively stable.

CONS:	crank-down clamp does not seem to be durable

crank bolt is not standard size; difficult to replace

hard to get clamp tight enough for stable use

clamp scratchs paint/finish

problems getting rotating mechanism to work properly

COST:	~$100

SOURCE:	catalogs, local bike shops

Performance

PROS:

CONS:	not too stable

Ultimate Repair Stand

PROS:	excellent quality

includes truing stand

includes carrying bag

CONS:

COST:	~$225

SOURCE:	order through local bike shop

the U.S. address for Ultimate Support Systems is :

Ultimate Support Systems

2506 Zurich Dr.

P.O. Box 470

Fort Collins, CO. 80522-4700

Phone (303) 493-4488

I also received three homemade designs. The first is quite simple:

hang the bike from coated screw hooks

(available in a hardware store for less that $5/pair)

The others are more sophisticated. Here are the descriptions provided by the designers of the systems.

Dan Dixon <djd@hpfcla.fc.hp.com> describes a modification of the Yakima Quickstand attachment into a freestanding workstand

I picked up the Yakama clamp and my local Bike shop for around $25.  What you get is the clamp and a long carraige bolt with a big (5") wing nut. This is meant to be attached to their floor stand or their roof racks. The roof rack attachment is ~$60; expensive, but great for road trips.

I, instead, bought a longer carraige bolt, a piece of 3/4" threaded lead pipe, two floor flanges, and some 2x4's. (about $10 worth of stuff).

You say you want to attach it to a bench (which should be easy)

                      pipe

      +- clamp        |            wing nut

      |               |            |

      V               |      +--+  V

 | |---------+        V      |  |   O

 | |         | |\_________/| |  |  /

 | |   -O-   |=| _________ |=|  |==I

 | |         | |/         \| |  |  \

 | |---------+               |  |   O

                             |  |

                /\       /\  |  |<-2x4

                |         |  |  |

       flanges--+---------+  |  |

                             |  |

Excuse the artwork, but it might give you and Idea about

what I mean. You could just nail the 2x4 to the bench or

something. I really like the clamp because it is totally

adjustable for different size tubes.

Eric Schweitzer <ERSHC@cunyvm.cuny.edu> prefers the following set-up to the Park `Professional' stands that he also has.

My favorite 'stand', one I used for many years, one that I would use now if my choice of stand were mine, is made very cheaply from old seats and bicycle chain. Two seats (preferably cheap plastic shelled seats) (oh...they must have one wire bent around at the front to form the seat rails...most seats do) have the rails removed and bent to form 'hooks'. The 'right' kind of hooks are placed in a good spot on the ceiling about 5 or 6 feet apart. (really, a bit longer than the length of a 'typical' bike from hub to hub. If you do a lot of tandems or LWB recombants, try longer :) Form a loop in one end of the chain by passing a thin bolt through the opening between 'outer' plates in two spots on the chain. (of course, this forms a loop in the chain, not the bolt). The same is done at the other end to form loops to hold the seat rail/hooks. First, form the hooks so they form a pair of Js, about 2 inch 'hook's The hook for the front of the bike is padded, the one for the rear looped through the chain, squeezed together to a single hook, and padded.

To use, hook the rear hook under the seat, or at the seat stays. Hook the front with each arm on oposite sides of the stem. Can also hook to head tube (when doing forks). Either hook can grab a rim to hold a wheel in place while tightening a quick release skewer or axle bolt. There is no restricted access to the left side of the bike. I try to get the BB of a 'typical' frame about waist height.

In closing, here is a general statement that only makes my decision more difficult:

My best advice is to consider a workstand a long term durable good. Spend the money for solid construction. Good stands don't wear or break, and will always be good stands until the day you die, at which point they will be good stands for your children. Cheese will always be cheese until it breaks.

See also Workstand


Frame Stiffness

(Bob Bundy  bobb@ico.isc.com)

As many of you rec.bicycles readers are aware, there have been occasional, sometimes acrimonious, discussions about how some frames are so much stiffer than others.  Cannondale frames seem to take most of the abuse. The litany of complaints about some bike frames is long and includes excessive wheel hop, numb hands, unpleasant ride, broken spokes, pitted headsets, etc.  I was complaining to a friend of mine about how there was so much ranting and raving but so little empirical data - to which he replied, "Why don't you stop complaining and do the measurements yourself?".  To that, I emitted the fateful words, "Why not, after all, how hard can it be?".  Following some consultation with Jobst and a few other friends, I ran the following tests:

The following data were collected by measuring the vertical deflection at the seat (ST), bottom bracket (BB) and head tube (HT) as a result of applying 80lb of vertical force.  The relative contributions of the tires, wheels, fork, and frame (the diamond portion) were measured using a set of jigs and a dial indicator which was read to the nearest .001 inch.  For some of the measures, I applied pressures from 20 to 270 lbs to check for any significant nonlinearity.  None was observed.  The same set of tires (Continentals) and wheels were used for all measurements. Note that these were measures of in-plane stiffness, which should be related to ride comfort, and not tortional stiffness which is something else entirely.

Bikes:

TA - 1987 Trek Aluminum 1200, this model has a Vitus front fork, most reviews describe this as being an exceptionally smooth riding bike

SS - 1988 Specialized Sirus, steel CrMo frame, described by one review as being stiff, hard riding and responsive

DR - 1987 DeRosa, SP/SL tubing, classic Italian road bike

RM - 1988 Cannondale aluminum frame with a CrMo fork, some reviewers could not tolerate the rough ride of this bike

	TA	SS	DR	RM
	ST  BB  HT	ST  BB  HT	ST  BB  HS	ST  BB  HT
diamond	1   1   0	2   2   0	2   2   0	1   1   0
fork	3  11  45	3   9  36	4  13  55	3  10  40
wheels	2   2   2	2   2   2	2   2   2	2   2   2
tires	68  52  66	68  52  66	68  52  66	68  52  66
total	74  66 113	75  65 104	76  69 123	74  65 108

What is going on here?  I read the bike mags and this net enough to know that people have strong impressions about the things that affect ride comfort.  For example, it is common to hear people talk about rim types (aero vs. non-aero), spoke size, butting and spoke patterns and how they affect ride.  Yet the data presented here indicate, just a Jobst predicted, that any variation in these factors will essentially be undetectable to the rider.  Similarly, one hears the same kind of talk about frames, namely, that frame material X gives a better ride than frame material Y, that butted tubing gives a better ride that non-butted, etc.  (I may have even made such statements myself at some time.)  Yet, again, the data suggest that these differences are small and, perhaps, even undetectable.  I offer two explanations for this variation between the data and subjective reports of ride quality.

Engineering:

These data are all static measurements and perhaps only applicable at the end of the frequency spectrum.  Factors such as frequency response, and damping might be significant factors in rider comfort.

Psychology:

There is no doubt that these bikes all look very different, especially the Cannondale.  They even sound different while riding over rough roads.  These factors, along with the impressions of friends and reviews in bike magazines may lead us to perceive differences where they, in fact, do not exist.

Being a psychologist, I am naturally inclined toward the psychological explanation.  I just can't see how the diamond part of the frame contributes in any significant way to the comfort of a bike.  The damping of the frame should be irrelevant since it doesn't flex enough that there is any motion to actually dampen.  That the frame would become flexible at some important range of the frequency spectrum doesn't seem likely either.

On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence that people are often very poor judges of their physical environment.  They often see relationships where they don't exist and mis-attribute other relationships.  For example, peoples' judgement of ride quality in automobiles is more related to the sounds inside the automobile than the ride itself.  The only way to get a good correlation between accelerometers attached to the car seat and the rider's estimates of ride quality is to blindfold and deafen the rider (not permanently!).  This is only one of many examples of mis-attribution.  The role of expectation is even more powerful.  (Some even claim that whole areas of medicine are built around it - but that is another story entirely.)   People hear that Cannondales are stiff and, let's face it, they certainly *look* stiff.  Add to that the fact that Cannondales sound different while going over rough roads and perhaps the rider has an auditory confirmation of what is already believed to be true.

Unless anyone can come up with a better explanation, I will remain convinced that differences in ride quality among frames are more a matter of perception than of actual physical differences.


Frame materials

[Ed note: I got this information from some of the books I have.  People in the know are welcome to update this.]

There are several materials that are used to make bicycle frames.  They are:

Mild steel - usually used in cheap department store bikes.  Frames made from mild steel are heavy.

High carbon steel - a higher quality material used in low end bikes. Reynolds 500 is an example.

Steel alloy - lighter and better riding than high-carbon frames.  Reynolds 501 and Tange Mangaloy are examples.

Chro-moly -  also called chrome-molybdenum or manganese-molybdenum steel. One of the finest alloys for bike frames.  Reynolds 531 and Columbus SL and SP are some of the best known brands.

Carbon fiber - high tech stuff.  Made from space-age materials, frames made of this are very light and strong.  Some problems have been seen in the connections between the tubes and bottom bracket, etc.

Aluminum -   Light frames, usually with larger diameter tubes. Cannondale is a well-known brand.

See also Frame repair and Frame Fatigue


Bike pulls to one side

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

For less than million dollar bikes this is easy to fix, whether it corrects the cause or not.  If a bike veers to one side when ridden no-hands, it can be corrected by bending the forks to the same side as you must lean to ride straight.  This is done by bending the fork blades one at a time, about 3 mm.  If more correction is needed, repeat the exercise.

The problem is usually in the forks although it is possible for frame misalignment to cause this effect.  The kind of frame alignment error that causes this is a head and seat tube not in the same plane.  This is not easily measured other than by sighting or on a plane table. The trouble with forks is that they are more difficult to measure even though shops will not admit it.  It takes good fixturing to align a fork because a short fork blade can escape detection by most measurement methods.  Meanwhile lateral and in-line corrections may seem to produce a straight fork that still pulls to one side. However, the crude guy who uses the method I outlined above will make the bike ride straight without measurement.  The only problem with this is that the bike may pull to one side when braking because the fork really isn't straight but is compensated for lateral balance.

This problem has mystified more bike shops because they did not recognize the problem.  Sequentially brazing or welding fork blades often causes unequal length blades and bike shops usually don't question this dimension. However, in your case I assume the bike once rode straight so something is crooked


Frame repair

(David Keppel  pardo@cs.washington.edu)

(Disclaimer: my opinions do creep in from time to time!)

When frames fail due to manufacturing defects they are usually replaced under warranty.  When they fail due to accident or abuse (gee, I don't know *why* it broke when I rode off that last motorcycle jump, it's never broken when I rode it off it before!) you are left with a crippled or unridable bike.

There are various kinds of frame damage that can be repaired.  The major issues are (a) figuring out whether it's repairable (b) who can do it and (c) whether it's worth doing (sometimes repairs just aren't worth it).

Kinds of repairs: Bent or cracked frame tubes, failed joints, bent or missing braze-on brackets, bent derailleur hangars, bent or broken brake mounts, bent forks, etc.  A frame can also be bent out of alignment without any visible damage; try sighting from the back wheel to the front, and if the front wheel hits the ground to one side of the back wheel's plane (when the front wheel is pointing straight ahead), then the frame is probably out of alignment.

* Can it be repaired?

Just about any damage to a steel frame can be repaired.  Almost any damage to an aluminum or carbon fiber frame is impossible to repair. Titanium frames can be repaired but only by the gods.  Some frames are composites of steel and other materials (e.g., the Raleigh Technium).  Sometimes damage to steel parts cannot be repaired because repairs would affect the non-steel parts.

Owners of non-steel frames can take heart: non-steel frames can resist some kinds of damage more effectively than steel frames, and may thus be less likely to be damaged.  Some frames come with e.g., replacable derailleur hangers (whether you can *get* a replacement is a different issue, though).  Also, many non-steel frames have steel forks and any part of a steel fork can be repaired.

Note: For metal frames, minor dents away from joints can generally be ignored.  Deep gouges, nicks, and cuts in any frame may lead to eventual failure.  With steel, the failure is generally gradual. With aluminum the failure is sometimes sudden.

Summary: if it is steel, yes it can be repaired.  If it isn't steel, no, it can't be repaired.

* Who can do it?

Bent derailleur hangers can be straightened.  Indexed shifting systems are far more sensitive to alignment than non-indexed.  Clamp an adjustable wrench over the bent hanger and yield the hanger gently.  Leave the wheel bolted in place so that the derailleur hanger is bent and not the back of the dropout.  Go slowly and try not to overshoot.  The goal is to have the face of the hanger in-plane with the bike's plane of symmetry.

Just about any other repair requires the help of a shop that builds frames since few other shops invest in frame tools.  If you can find a shop that's been around for a while, though, they may also have some frame tools.

* Is it worth it?

The price of the repair should be balanced with

The value of the bicycle

What happens if you don't do anything about the damage

What would a new bike cost

What would a new frame cost

What would a used bike cost

What would a used frame cost

What is the personal attachment

If you are sentimentally attached to a frame, then almost any repair is worth it.  If you are not particularly attached to the frame, then you should evaluate the condition of the components on the rest of the bicycle.  It may be cheaper to purchase a new or used frame or even purchase a whole used bike and select the best components from each.  For example, my most recent reconstruction looked like:

Bike's estimated value: $300

Do nothing about damage: unridable

Cost of new bike: $400

Cost of new frame: $250+

Cost of used bike: $200+

Cost of used frame: N/A

Cost of repair: $100+

Personal attachment: zip

Getting the bike on the road again was not a big deal: I have lots of other bikes, but I wanted to have a commuter bike.  Since I didn't need it, though, I could afford to wait a long time for repairs.  The cost of a new bike was more than I cared to spend. It is hard to get a replacement frame for a low-cost bicycle.  I did a good bit of shopping around and the lowest-cost new frame that I could find was $250, save a low-quality frame in the bargain basement that I didn't want.  Used frames were basically the same story: people generally only sell frames when they are high-quality frames.  Because the bike was a road bike, I could have purchased a used bike fairly cheaply; had the bike been a fat-tire bike, it would have been difficult to find a replacement.  The cost of the frame repair included only a quick "rattlecan'' spray, so the result was aesthetically unappealing and also more fragile.  For a commuter bike, though, aesthetics are secondary, so I went with repair.

There is also a risk that the `fixed' frame will be damaged.  I had a frame crack when it was straightened.  I could have had the tube replaced, but at much greater expense.  The shop had made a point that the frame was damaged enough that it might crack during repair and charged me 1/2.  I was able to have the crack repaired and I still ride the bike, but could have been left both out the money and without a ridable frame.

* Summary

Damaged steel frames can always be repaired, but if the damage is severe, be sure to check your other options.  If the bicycle isn't steel, then it probably can't be repaired.

See also Frame materials and Frame Fatigue


Frame Fatigue

(John Unger  junger@rsg1.er.usgs.gov)

I think that some of the confusion (and heat...) on this subject arises because people misunderstand the term fatigue and equate it with some sort of "work hardening" phenomena.

By definition, metal fatigue and subsequent fatique failure are well-studied phenomena that occur when metal (steel, aluminum, etc.) is subjected to repeated stresses within the elastic range of its deformation. Elastic deformation is defined as deformation that results in no permanent change in shape after the stess is removed. Example: your forks "flexing" as the bike rolls over a cobblestone street.

(an aside... The big difference between steel and aluminum as a material for bicycles or anything similar is that you can design the tubes in a steel frame so that they will NEVER fail in fatigue. On the other hand, no matter how over-designed an aluminum frame is, it always has some threshold in fatigue cycles beyond which it will fail.)

This constant flexing of a steel frame that occurs within the elastic range of deformation must not be confused with the permanent deformation that happens when the steel is stressed beyond its elastic limit, (e. g., a bent fork). Repeated permanent deformation to steel or to any other metal changes its strength characteristics markedly (try the old "bend a paper clip back and forth until it breaks" trick).

Because non-destructive bicycle riding almost always limits the stresses on a frame to the elastic range of deformation, you don't have to worry about a steel frame "wearing out" over time.

I'm sorry if all of this is old stuff to the majority of this newsgroup's readers; I just joined a few months ago.

I can understand why Jobst might be weary about discussing this subject; I can remember talking about it on rides with him 20 years ago....

See also Frame materials and Frame repair


Weight = Speed?

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out why heavier people roll down hills faster than the little scrawnies like myself.

Surface as well as cross sectional area of an object (a human body) increases more slowly than its weight (volume).  Therefore, wind drag, that is largely dependent on surface, is proportionally smaller for a heavier and larger object than a smaller one of similar shape and composition.  A good example is dust at a rock quarry that remains suspended in the air for a long time while the larger pieces such as sand, gravel, and rock fall increasingly faster to the ground.  They are all the same material and have similar irregular shapes but have different weight to surface area ratios, and therefore, different wind resistance to weight ratios.  This applies equally to bicyclists coasting down hills if other factors such as clothing and position on the bicycle are similar.


Adjusting SPD Cleats
Aligning SPD Cleats

(Bill Bushnell  bushnell@lmsc.lockheed.com)

Six adjustments can be made when setting up SPD cleats.  With the foot parallel to the ground and pointing in the direction of travel, the adjustments are:

1.	Left/right translation

2.	Front/back translation

3.	Up/down translation

4.	Front to back tilt

5.	Side to side tilt

6.	Azimuth, often called "rotation"

Front to back tilt is adjusted as the bicycle is pedaled since the pedals themselves rotate freely in this direction.

Some people may need to adjust side to side tilt, but this requires the use of shims which are not provided and can cause the cleat to protrude beyond the tread of the shoe.  Custom insoles that have one side slightly thicker than the other may have the same effect as shims between the cleat and the shoe.

Separate up/down adjustments for each leg may be necessary for individuals with established leg length differences.  To adjust up/down translation in one shoe use a combination of an insole and raise or lower the seat.  To make small up/down changes equally in both legs, simply raise or lower the seat.

The usual adjustments for SPD cleats are left/right, front/back, and Azimuth.  Of these Azimuth is the most sensitive.  For most people these three adjustments are sufficient to obtain a comfortable alignment.

Aligning SPD cleats:

Position the cleat so that it lies on the imaginary line between the bony knob on the inside of your foot at the base of your big toe and a similar but smaller knob on the outside of the foot at the base of the smallest toe.  Set azimuth so that the pointed end of the cleat points directly toward the front of the shoe.

If you're switching from clips and straps, and you are satisfied with your current alignment, use the following alternate method.  Position your SPD shoe fully in the clip of your old pedal and align the cleat to the spindle of your old pedal.  Center the cleat in the X direction, leaving room to adjust either way should the need arise.

Some people find pedaling more comfortable if their left and right feet are closer together.  This is sometimes called the "Q-factor". If you prefer to start with a low Q-factor, then move the cleat so that it is as close as possible to the outside of the shoe.  Tighten both cleat bolts before engaging the pedal.

Adjust the release tension of the pedals so that it is somewhere in the low to middle part of the tension adjustment range.  The higher the release tension, the harder it will be for you to disengage the pedals when dismounting.  The lower the release tension, the easier it will be for you to inadvertently pull out of the pedals, especially when standing and pedaling.  If you stand often to power up hills, consider setting the initial release tension higher as an unwanted release under these conditions can result in a painful spill.  See the pedal instructions.

Mount your bike on a trainer, if you have one, to make preliminary cleat and release tension adjustments.  Practice engaging and disengaging the pedals a few times before you take a real ride. Soon you will find this easy.  If you notice that a shoe rubs a crank or chainstay, adjust left/right translation and azimuth until the shoe no longer rubs.

As you pedal, you will probably find the initial azimuth uncomfortable on one or both legs.  Notice how your foot would like to rotate.  Adjust the azimuth of the appropriate cleat in the same direction your foot wants to rotate.  For example, if your foot wants to rotate clockwise, adjust the azimuth of the cleat (when looking at the bottom of the shoe) clockwise.  Start by making moderate corrections.  If you overshoot the adjustment, correct by half as much.

As you approach optimum azimuth, you may need to ride longer before you notice discomfort.  Take your bike off the trainer, and go for a real ride!  And bring your 4mm allen key.

You may find very small azimuth adjustments difficult to make.  This happens because the cleat has made an indentation in the stiff sole material (usually plastic, sometimes with a tacky, glue-like material where a portion of the sole was removed).  When you tighten the cleat after making a small correction, it will tend to slide back into the old indentation.  Try moving the cleat one millimeter or so to the side or to the front or back, so the cleat can no longer slip into the old indentation pattern as it is being tightened.

Pain in the ball of your foot can be relieved.  One way is by moving the cleat rearward.  Start by moving the cleat about two to three millimeters closer to the rear of the shoe.  Be careful not to change the azimuth.  When pedaling notice how far your heel is from the crank.  After making a front/rear adjustment, check to make sure the crank-heel distance has not noticeably changed.

Moving a cleat rearward on the shoe has the effect of raising your seat by a lesser amount for that leg.  The exact expression is messy, but for an upright bike, the effect is similar to raising your seat by about y/3 for that leg, where y is the distance you moved the cleat to the rear.  For example, if you move your cleat 6 millimeters to the rear, you might also want to lower your seat by about 2 millimeters. Remember, though, that unless both cleats are moved rearward the same amount, your other leg may feel that the seat is too low.

Another way to relieve pain in the ball of the foot is to use a custom orthotic and/or a padded insole.  Most cycling shoes provide poor arch support and even poorer padding.

After riding for a while with your aligned cleats if you find yourself pulling out of the pedals while pedaling, you will need to tighten the release tension.  After tightening the release tension the centering force of the pedals will be higher, and you may discover that the azimuth isn't optimum.  Adjust the azimuth as described above.

On the other hand, if you find you never pull out of the pedals while pedaling and if you find it difficult or uncomfortable to disengage the cleat, try loosening the release tension.  People whose knees like some rotational slop in the cleat may be comfortable with very loose cleat retension.

As with any modification that affects your fit on the bike, get used to your pedals gradually.  Don't ride a century the day after you install SPDs.  Give your body about two or three weeks of gradually longer rides to adapt to the new feel and alignment, especially if you've never ridden with clipless pedals before.  Several months after installing SPDs, I occasionally tinker with the alignment.

After performing the above adjustments if you are still uncomfortable, seek additional help.  Some people can be helped by a FitKit.  If you're lucky enough to have a good bike shop nearby, seek their advice.

Tightening cleat bolts:

Tighten cleat bolts until they begin to bind. This will happen when further tightening produces a vibration or squeal from the cleat. Tighten no further or you may damage the mounting plate on the inside of the shoe. After living for a while with a comfortable alignment, remove each mounting bolt separately, apply blue loctite on the threads, and reinstall.  Should you later find you need to loosen a bolt to adjust the alignment, you will have to reapply the loctite.

Keeping the Pedal/Cleat interface clean:

Occasionally you may find the pedals suddenly more difficult to disengage.  This usually happens because dirt or other contaminants get caught in the cleat or pedal mechanism.  I have found that a good spray with a hose quickly and cleanly washes off dust, mud, or other gunk from the pedal and cleat.  You may also wish to spray the pedal with a light silicone or teflon lubricant.

Acknowledgements:

John Unruh (jdu@ihlpb.att.com)

Lawrence You (you@taligent.com)

Case History:

I have sensitive legs--feet, ankles, knees, tendons, etc.  If the cleats aren't aligned properly, I feel it.  I took a long time to find a cleat alignment that was comfortable for long and/or intense rides.

I ride a Bridgestone RB-T, 62cm frame, triple chainring.  I wear size 48 Specialized Ground Control shoes--evil-looking black and red things.  They were the only shoes I could find in my size that were comfortable.  When I installed the M737 pedals, I had 175mm cranks. I set the release tension so that the indicator was at the loose end but so that I could see the entire nut in the slot.

The azimuth I found most comfortable had both shoes pointing roughly straight ahead.  The ball of my left foot began hurting, so I moved the left cleat back about 4-6mm.  This placed the ball of my foot in front of the pedal spindle.  I did not make any left/right adjustments.

Unfortunately, on longer rides, the ball of my left foot still hurt, so I got a pair of custom CycleVac "Superfeet" insoles.  I removed the stock insole from the shoe, and inserted the CycleVac insole.  The CycleVac doesn't have any padding at the ball, and my foot didn't like the hard plastic sole of the shoe.  I had a pair of thin green Spenco insoles lying around, so I put those under the CycleVacs to provide some padding.  I didn't use the stock insoles because they are too thick.  Finally, the pain was gone!  If I remain pain-free for a while I may try moving the left cleat forward again.

Then I replaced the 175mm cranks with 180mm cranks, and I lowered the seat 2.5mm.  My left foot was still happy, but my right knee began to complain.  Not only that, but my right foot felt as if it was being twisted to the right (supinating), toward the outside of the pedal. After fussing with the azimuth of the right cleat, I couldn't find a satisfactory position, though I could minimize the discomfort.

I moved the right cleat as far as I could to the outside of the shoe, bringing my foot closer to the crank.  I also reduced the release tension further.  The red indicating dots are now just visible.  This helped my knee, but my foot still felt as if it were being twisted, as if all the force were being transmitted through the outside of the foot.  In addition, my left Achilles Tendon started to hurt at times.

I lowered the seat another couple millimeters.  This helped, but I felt that my right leg wasn't extending far enough.  Then I tried rotating the saddle just a little to the right, so the nose was pointing to the right of center.  This helped.  But my right foot still felt supinated, and my right knee started to hurt again.

I removed the right CycleVac insole and Spenco insole and replaced them with the original stock insole that provides little arch support. Bingo.  The discomfort was gone.  It seems I need the arch support for the left foot but not for the right foot.

How long will it be before I make another tweak?  The saga continues...

Copyright 1993, Bill Bushnell.  Feel free to distribute this article however you see fit, but please leave the article and this notice intact.


Rim Tape Summary

(Ron Larson  lars@craycos.com)

This is a summary of the experience of riders on the net regarding various rim tapes, both commercial and improvized. Any additional comments and inputs are welcome.

RIM TAPE

Rim tape or rim strips are the material that is placed inside a clincher rim to protect the tube from sharp edges of the nipple holes and possibly exposed ends of spokes extending beyond the nipples. Many materials have been used to produce rim tapes: plastic, rubber, tapes consisting of a multi-directional fiber weave, duct tape and fiberglass packing tape.

A few factors influence how well a rim tape works. Some of the tapes are available in more than one width. It is important to choose the width that provides the best fit to cover the entire "floor" of the rim as opposed to a tape that is barely wide enough to cover the nipple holes. Another factor is how well the rim tape withstands the stress of being stretched over the nipple holes with a high preassure inner tube applying preassure to it. The main form of failure of the plastic tapes is for the tape to split lengthwise (in the direction the tube lies in the rim) under high preassure forming a sharp edge that the tube squeezes through and then rubs against. Thus the splitting tape causes the flat that it was supposed to be protecting against.

REVIEW OF RIM TAPES BY TYPE

Plastic Tapes

Advantages:

Easy to install and remove. No sticky side is involved.

Disadvantages:

Although there are exceptions, they are prone to splitting under preassure.

Michelin                      Good Experiences: 0  Bad Experiences: 6

Cool Tape                     Good Experiences: 2  Bad Experiences: 0

Cool Tape is thicker than other plastic tapes and does not exhibit the splitting failure noted above.

Hutchinson                    Good Experiences: 0  Bad Experiences: 2

Specialized                   Good Experiences: 1  Bad Experiences: 4

Rubber Tapes

Advantages:

Easy to install and remove. Good if the nipples are even with the rim floor and there are no exposed spoke ends.

Disadvantages:

Stretch too easily and allow exposed nipple ends to rub through the tape and then through the tape.

Rubber strips                 Good Experiences: 0  Bad Experiences: 2

Cloth tapes woven of multi-directional fibers:

Advantages:

Easy to install. Do not fail under preassure.

Disadvantages:

They are a sticky tape and care must be taken not to pick up dirt if they need to be removed and re-installed.

Velox                         Good Experiences:11  Bad Experiences: 0

Velox rim tape comes in three different widths. Be sure to get the widest tape that covers the floor of the rim without extending up the walls of the rim.  The stem hole may need to be enlarged to allow the stem to seat properly. Otherwise the stem may push back into the tube  under preassure and cause a puncture at the base of the stem.

Non-commercial rim tapes

Fiberglass packing tape (1 or 2 layers)

Advantages:

Cheap. Readily available. Easy to install.

Disadvantages:

Impossible to remove. If access to the nipples is required, the tape must be split and then either removed and replaced or taped over.

Fiberglass packing tape       Good Experiences: 1  Bad Experiences: 1

Duct tape (hey, someone tried it!!)

Advantages:

CHEAP. Readily available.

Disadvantages:

Useless. Becomes a gooey mess that is impossible to remove.

Duct tape                     Good Experiences: 0  Bad Experiences: 1

CONCLUSION

While plastic tapes are easy to work with, they often fail. The clear winner in this survey is the Velox woven cloth tape. A quick review of mail order catalogs confirms the experiences of the net. Velox was available in 5 out of 5 catalogs checked.  It was the only rim tape available in 3 of the catalogs. The other 2 had one or two plastic tapes available. (None sold duct tape...)

One good suggestion was a preassure rating for rim tapes much like the preassure rating of tires.


STI/Ergo Summary

(Ron Larson  lars@craycos.com)

This is the second posting of the summary of STI/Ergo experience. The summary was modified to include more on STI durability and also the range of shifting avaliable from each system. As before, I am open to any comments or inputs.

lars

THE CASE FOR COMBINED SHIFTERS AND BRAKES.

Shifters that are easily accessible from either the brakehoods or the "drop" position are an advantage when sprinting or climbing because the rider is not forced to commit to a single gear or loose power / cadence by sitting down to reach the downtube shifters. They also make it much easier to respond to an unexpected attack.

At first the tendency is to shift more than is necessary. This tendency levels out with experience. There is also an early tendency to do most shifting from the bakehoods and the actuators seem to be difficult to reach from the drop position. This discomfort goes away after a few hundred miles of use (hey, how many times have I reached for the downtube on my MTB or thumbshifters on my road bike???).  All experienced riders expressed pleasure with the ability to shift while the hands were in any position, at a moments notice.

The disadvantages are extra weight, added weight on the handlebars (feels strange at first) and expense. Lack of a friction mode was listed as a disadvantage by a rider who had tried out STI on someone elses bike but does not have Ergo or STI. It was not noted as a problem by riders with extended Ergo / STI experience. A comparison of the weight of Record/Ergo components and the weight of the Record components they would replace reveals that the total weight difference is in the 2 to 4 ounce range (quite a spread - I came up with 2 oz from various catalogs, Colorado Cyclist operator quoted 4 oz of the top of his head). The weight difference for STI seems to be in the same range.  The change probably seems to be more because weight is shifted from the downtube to the handlebars.

There was some concern from riders who had not used either system regarding the placement of the actuating buttons and levers for Ergo and STI and their affect on hand positions. Riders with experience have not had a problem with the placement of the actuators although one rider stated that the STI brakehoods are more comfortable.

ADVANTAGES OF EACH SYSTEM.

The Sachs/Ergo system was mentioned as a separate system. In fact (according to publications) it is manufactured By Campagnolo for Sachs and is identical to the Campagnolo system with the exception of spacing of the cogs on the freewheel/cassette.  With the Ergo system, all cables can be routed under the handlebar tape while the STI system does not route the derailleur cables  under the tape. Those that voiced a preference liked the clean look of the Ergo system.

Both Ergo and STI seem to be fairly durable when crashed.  Experience of riders who have crashed with either system is that the housings may be scratch and ground down but the system still works. The internal mechanismsof both systems are well protected in a crash.

Both Ergo and STI allow a downshift of about 3 cogs at a time. This capability is very handy for shifting to lower gears in a corner to be ready to attack as you come out of the corner or when caught by surprise at a stop light. Ergo also allows a full upshift from the largest to the smallest cog in a single motion while STI requires an upshift of one cog at a time.

Riders voiced their satisfaction with both systems. While some would push one system over the other, these opinions were equally split.


Roller Head Bearing
Roller Head Bearings

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Roller head bearings provide an advantage that is not directly connected with rollers.  Their main advantage is that they have two bearings in one and this is important because there are two functions this bearing must accomplish.  The problem of the head bearing is not obvious to most users or to the manufacturers or they would do something about the miserable state of affairs.

The head bearing serves as a hinge about which the front wheel assembly rotates, but it also absorbs another motion and this is the problem.  As the bicycle rolls over roughness, the fork absorbs shock partly by flex in the steer tube, and this flexing makes the fork crown rotate fore and aft.  The motion can be seen by sighting over the handle bars to the front hub while riding and is more pronounced for the taller heavier riders who also experience most of the head bearing failures.

The angles through which the fork crown swivels are extremely small in contrast to the motion at the hub because the distance between the hub and the fork crown is large.  This motion is not in itself damaging to the bearing because it is only a small misalignment that such bearings absorb easily.  The damage is caused by the lack of substantial steering rotation while the bearing is fretting in place.  Fretting breaks down the lubricant film on which the balls normally roll and without which they will weld to the races and tear out tiny particles.

Fretting that causes lubrication failure occurs most often during fast straight-ahead road riding where few steering motions occur to replenish lubricant.  Typically, coasting down long fast descents rather than rough, jarring trail riding causes dimples in the head bearings.  The removal of small particles from the races give the milky texture to the dimples that are often attributed to brinelling. They are not embossed into the races but are eroded by fretting and welding.  Once initiated the dimples grow because the balls prefer to return to the depressions.  As the process progresses the bearing becomes loose and if adjusted, is tight when not steering straight ahead, thereby giving the indexed response.

A solution is to separate steering from suspension motion.  This can be done by using a rolling bearing for low friction steering and a large plain bearing for the fore and aft tilt of the fork crown.  This is where the needle bearing comes into play.  Conical steel cups that approximate a spherical bearing ride in a plain aluminum body to support the fork crown tilt.  The pressure of a large area plain bearing is low enough for good lubrication even with fretting while steel rollers that approximate a tapered roller bearing give low friction steering.  The rollers run on the backs of the steel cups that are the plain bearing.  The curvature of a true spherical cup would be so small as to be invisible, as would the precise taper of a needle for such a design.  The approximations are appropriate.

The entire bearing is relatively inexpensive, having no precision races, special hard alloys, or complicated formed steel cages.  Needle bearings are as inexpensive as balls and a plastic cage holds them in true radial alignment.  The steel cups are actually bellville shaped hardened washers and the housings are turned aluminum parts.  It would be wasteful to combine a ball assembly with the spherical alignment cups because these cups lend themselves to supporting rollers without modification.  Balls, in contrast, need curved races.  I expect other major manufacturers to take up this design soon.


"Sealed" Bearings

Has anyone had any major problems with the Shimono XT "sealed" Bottom bracket besides me?

This subject comes up often and has been beat around a bit. There is a  basic misconception about seals. The seals commonly sold in the bicycle business are not capable of sealing out water because they were never designed for that purpose. These seals are designed to prevent air from being drawn through the bearing when used in, typically, electric motors where the motor rotation pumps air that would centrifugally be drawn through the bearing. If this were permitted, the lubricant would act as fly paper and capture all the dust that passes, rendering the lubricant uselessly contaminated.

Seal practice requires a seal to leak if it is to work. The seepage lubricates the interface between shaft and seal and without this small amount of weeping, the seal lip would burn and develop a gap. In the presence of water on the outside, the weeping oil emulsifies and circulates back under the lip to introduce moisture into the bearing. This is usually not fatal because it is only a small amount, but the displaced grease on the lip dries out and leaves the lip unlubricated.

The next time water contacts the interface, it wicks into the gap by capillary action and begins to fill the bearing. This is an expected result for seal manufacturers who live by the rule that no two fluids can be effectively separated by a single seal lip. Two oils, for instance, must have separate seals with a ventilated air gap between them. If a seal is to work with only one lip the contained fluid must be at a higher pressure so that the flow is biased to prevent circulation.

None of the effective methods are used in the so called 'sealed' bearings that Phil Wood introduced into bicycling years ago. His components failed at least as often as non sealed units and probably more often because they make field repair difficult. These are not liquid seals but merely air dams.

jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com


Books and Magazines

Magazines/Newsletters

Bicycling Magazine, and Bicycling Magazine+Mountain Bike insert

33 E Minor St

Emmaus, PA 18098

(215) 967-5171

Bicycle Guide

711 Boylston Street

Boston MA 02116

617-236-1885

Mountain Biking

7950 Deering Avenue

Canoga Park CA 91304

818-887-0550

Mountain Bike Action

Hi-Torque Publications, Inc.

10600 Sepulveda Boulevard

Mission Hills, CA 91345

818-365-6831

Velo News

P.O. Box 53397

Boulder, CO 80323-3397

Cycling Science

P.O. Box 1510

Mount Shasta, California 96067

(916) 938-4411

Human Power (The Journal of the IHPVA*)

(* IHPVA == International Human Powered Vehicle Association)

IHPVA

PO 51255

Indianapolis, IN 46251-0255

(317) 876-9478

OnTour: The Newsletter for Bicycle Tourists

OnTour Publications

2113 Arborview

Ann Arbor, MI 48103.

Sample issues are only $1, a six-issue subscription only $6

R.B.C.A./The Recumbent Cyclist

17650-B6-140th Ave. SE, Suite 341

Renton, WA 98058 USA

The Recumbent Bicycle Club of America

427 Amherst St  Suite 305

Nashua NH  03063  USA

Tandem Club of America

Malcolm Boyd & Judy Allison

19 Lakeside Drive NW

Medford Lakes, NJ  08550

Dues are currently $10/year

Dirt Rag

5742 Third St.

Verona, PA

(412) 795 - 7495

FAX  (412) 795 - 7439

CROSSWORDS -- The Hybrid/Cross Bike Enthusiast's Newsletter

CROSSWORDS

P.O. Box 3207

Walnut Creek, CA  94598

Published Quarterly; Single Issue: $2.50, Two Issues: $4.00

(Make checks payable to 'Mark Chandler')

Mail 'chandler@wc.novell.com' or 'Crosswords' (AOL) for more info

Books

Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair

Rodale Press

ISBN 0-87857-895-1

Effective Cycling by John Forester

MIT Press

ISBN 0-262-56026-7

The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt

Avocet

ISBN 0-9607236-2-5

Bicycle Maintenance Manual by Eugene A. Sloan

(a Fireside book, pub. Simon & Schuster, Inc.)

ISBN 0-671-42806-3

Anybody's Bike Book by Tom Cuthbertson

Bicycles and Tricycles - A Treatise on their Design.

By Archibald Sharp

MIT Press

(reportedly written around 1899 or so, with lots of interesting information)

Bicycle Road Racing by Edward Borysewicz

The Woman Cycist by Elaine Mariolle

Contemporary Books

Touring on Two Wheels by Dennis Coello

Lyons and Berrfard, New York

The Bicyclist's Sourcebook by Michael Leccese and Arlene Plevin

Subtitled: "The Ultimate Directory of Cycling Information"

Woodbine House, Inc.  $16.95

ISBN 0-933149-41-7

Colorado Cycling Guide by Jean and Hartley Alley

Pruett Publishing Company

Boulder, Colorado

The Canadian Rockies Bicycling Guide by Gail Helgason and John Dodd

Lone Pine Publishing,Edmonton, Alberta

A Women's Guide to Cycling by Susan Weaver

Favorite Pedal Tours of Northern California by Naomi Bloom

Fine Edge Productions, Route 2, Box 303, Bishop, CA  93514

Mountain Biking Near Boston: A Guide to the Best 25 Places to Ride

by Stuart A. Johnstone, Active Publications (1991), ISBN 0-9627990-4-1

Mountain Bike: a manual of beginning to advanced technique

by William Nealy, Menasha Ridge Press, 1992, ISBN 0-89732-114-6

Greater Washington (DC) Area Bicycle Atlas

American Youth Travel Shops, 1108 K St, NW  Wash, DC 20005 (202)783-4943

$12.95

Bicycle Parking by Ellen Fletcher

Ellen Fletcher, 777-108 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303-4826

Cost: $5.95, plus 43 cents tax, plus $3 postage/handling


Mail Order Addresses

Here's the addresses/phone numbers of some popular cycling mail order outfits (you can get directory assistance for 800 numbers at 1-800-555-1212 if you don't see the mail order outfit you're looking for here):

Bicycle Posters and Prints

P.O. Box 7164

Hicksville, NY 11802-7164

Sells bicycle posters and other stuff.

Branford Bike

orders:  1-800-272-6367

info:      203-488-0482

fax:       203-483-0703

Colorado Cyclist

orders:  1-800-688-8600

info:      719-576-3474

fax:       719-576-3598

2455 Executive Circle

Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Cyclo-Pedia

(800) 678-1021

P.O. Box 884

Adrian MI  49221

Catalog $1 as of 4/91.

Excel Sports International

orders:  1-800-627-6664

info:      303-444-6737

fax:       303-444-7043

3275 Prairie Ave. #1

Boulder, CO  80301

Loose Screws

(503) 488-4800

(503) 488-0080 FAX

12225 HWY 66

Ashland OR 97520

Nashbar

orders:	1-800-627-4227  (1-800-NASHBAR)

216-782-2244  Local and APO/FPO orders

info:	216-788-6464  Tech. Support

fax: 	800-456-1223

4111 Simon Road

Youngstown, OH 44512-1343

Performance Bike Shop

orders:	1-800-727-2453  (1-800-PBS-BIKE)

919-933-9113  Foreign orders

info:	800-727-2433  Customer Support

fax: ?

One Performance Way

P.O. Box 2741

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Schwab Cycles

orders:	1-800-343-5347

info:	303-238-0243

fax:	303-233-5273

1565 Pierce St.

Lakewood, CO  80214

Triathlete Zombies

(800-999-2215)

The Womyn's Wheel, Inc.

(Specializes in clothing and equipment for women)

508-240-2437

P.O. Box 2820

Orleans MA 02653


Road Gradient Units

(Jeff Berton jeff344@voodoo.lerc.nasa.gov)

The grade of an incline is its vertical rise, in feet, per every 100 horizontal feet traversed.  (I say "feet" for clarity;  one could use any consistent length measure.)  Or, if you will accept my picture below,

                                                 *

                                              d  |

                                          a      |

                                      o          | y

                                  R  Theta       |

                              *___)______________|

                                        x

then

Grade = y/x        (Multiply by 100 to express as a percentage.)

and

Theta = arctan(y/x)

So a grade of 100% is a 45 degree angle.  A cliff has an infinite grade.


Helmets

The wearing of helmets is another highly emotional issue that has been debated many times on rec.bicycles.  On one side, you have the cyclists who feel that they can do without - the helmet is too hot, uncomfortable, or they feel they just don't need it.  On the other side, you have the cyclists who wouldn't be caught riding without a helmet - they like their head (and brains) they way they are.

Statistics show that three-fourths of the more than 1000 bicycling deaths each year are caused by head injuries.  Of those killed, half are school age children.  According to one study, a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85%.

Consumer Reports did a review of bicycle helmets in the May 1990 issue. While their report is not what one would see in a cycling magazine, it does contain some useful and valuable information.  Their tests showed that no-shell helmets work just as well as hard-shell helmets, and in fact, the top 9 helmets in their ratings are no-shell models.

There is some controversy about whether no-shell helmets "grab" the pavement instead of sliding on impact.  If the helmet grabbed, it might lead to more serious neck or spinal injury.  This topic has been hotly debated in rec.bicycles, and some studies are in progress to see if this is true.

There are two standards systems for helmets - ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and Snell (the Snell Memorial Foundation).  The Snell tests are more demanding than ANSI, and a Snell-certified helmet will have a green Snell sticker inside.  Some helmets claim they pass Snell, but unless there's a sticker in the helmet, you can't be sure.  Snell also tests samples of certified helmets to make sure they still meet the standards.


Terminology

(David Keppel  pardo@cs.washington.edu)

(Charles Tryon  bilbo@bisco.kodak.com)

Ashtabula Crank

A one-piece crank -- the crank arm starts on one side of the bike, bends to go through the bottom bracket, and bends again on the other side to go down to the other pedal. Typically heavy, cheap, and robust.  See ``cottered crank'' and ``cotterless crank''.  Ashtabula is the name of the original manufacturer, I think.

Biopace Chainring

Chainrings that are more oval rather than round.  The idea was to redistribute the forces of pedaling to different points as your feet go around, due to the fact that there are "dead spots" in the stroke.  The concensus is pretty much that they work ok for novices, but get in the way for more experienced riders.

Cassette Freewheel

A cassette freewheel is used with a freehub.  The part of a normal freewheel that contains the pawls that transfer chain motion to the wheel (or allows the wheel to spin while the chain doesn't move) is part of the wheel hub. The cassette is the cogs, usually held together with small screws.

Cleat

A cleat attaches to the bottom of a cycling shoe.  Older style cleats have a slot that fits over the back of the pedal, and in conjunction with toe clips and straps, hold your foot on the pedal.  New "clipless" pedals have a specially designed cleat that locks into the pedal, sometimes with some ability to move side-to-side so as not to stress knees.

Cottered Crank

A three-piece crank with two arms and an axle.  The arms each have a hole that fits over the end of the axle and a second hole that runs tangential to the first.  The crank axle has a tangential notch at each end.  A cotter is a tapered and rounded bar of metal that is inserted in the tangential hole in the crank arm and presses against the tangential notch in the crank axle.  The cotter is held in place by a nut screwed on at the thin end of the cotter. Ideally, the cotter is removed with a special tool.  Often, however, it is removed by banging on it with a hammer.  If you do the latter (gads!) be sure (a) to unscrew the nut until the end of the cotter is nearly flush, but leave it on so that it will straighten the threads when you unscrew it farther and (b) brace the other side of the crank with something very solid (the weight of the bike should be resting on that 'something') so that the force of the banging is not transmitted through the bottom bracket bearings.

Cotterless Crank

A three-piece crank with two arms and an axle.  Currently (1991) the most common kind of crank.  The crank axle has tapered square ends, the crank arms have mating tapered square ends.  The crank arm is pressed on and the taper ensures a snug fit.  The crank arm is drawn on and held in place with either nuts (low cost, "nutted'' cotterless cranks) or with bolts.  A special tool is required to remove a cotterless crank.

Crank Axle

The axle about which the crank arms and pedals revolve.  May be integrated with the cranks (Ashtabula) or a separate piece (cottered and cotterless).

Fender

Also called a "mudguard''.  Looked down upon by tweak cyclists, but used widely in the Pacific Northwest and many non-US parts of the world.  Helps keep the rider cleaner and drier.  Compare to "rooster tail''.

Frame Table

A big strong table that Will Not Flex and which has anchors at critical places -- dropouts, bottom bracket, seat, head. It also has places to attach accurate measuring instruments like dial gauges, scratch needles, etc.  The frame is clamped to the table and out-of-line parts are yielded into alignment.

High-Wheeler

A bicycle with one large wheel and one small wheel.  The commonest are large front/small rear.  A small number are small front/large rear.  See "rdinary'' or "penny-farthing'' and contrast to "safety''.

Hyperglide Freewheel

Freewheel cogs with small "ramps" cut into the sides of the cogs which tend to pull the chain more quickly to the next larger cog when shifting.

Ordinary

See "penny-farthing''.

Penny-Farthing

An old-fashioned "high wheeler'' bicycle with a large (60", 150cm) front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel, the rider sits astride the front wheel and the pedals are connected directly to the front wheel like on many children's tricycles.  Also called "ordinary'', and distinguished from either a small front/large rear high wheeler or a "safety'' bicycle.

Rooster Tail

A spray of water flung off the back wheel as the bicycle rolls through water.  Particularly pronounced on bikes without fenders.  See also "fender''.

Safety

Named after the "Rover Safety'' bicycle, the contemporary layout of equal-sized wheels with rear chain drive.  Compare to "ordinary''.

Spindle

See "crank axle''.

Three-Piece Crank

A cottered or cotterless crank; compare to Ashtabula.


Avoiding Dogs

(Arnie Berger  arnie@hp-lsd.COL.HP.COM)

There are varying degrees of defense against dogs.

1- Shout "NO!" as loud and authoritatively as you can. That works more than half the time against most dogs that consider chasing you just good sport.

2- Get away from their territory as fast as you can.

3- A water bottle squirt sometimes startles them.

4- If you're willing to sacifice your pump, whump'em on the head when they come in range.

If they're waiting for you in the road and all you can see are teeth then you in a heap o' trouble. In those situations, I've turned around, slowly, not staring at the dog, and rode away. When I have been in a stand off situation, I keep the bike between me and the dog.

"Halt" works pretty well, and I've used it at times. It's range is about 8 feet.

I bought a "DAZER", from Heathkit. Its a small ultrasonic sound generator that you point at the dog. My wife and I were tandeming on a back road and used it on a mildly aggressive German Shephard. It seemed to cause the dog to back off.

By far, without a doubt, hands down winner, is a squirt bottle full of reagent grade ammonia, fresh out of the jug. The kind that fumes when you remove the cap. When I lived in Illinois I had a big, mean dog that put its cross-hairs on my leg whenever I went by. After talking to the owner (redneck), I bought a handebar mount for a water bottle and loaded it with a lab squirt bottle of the above mentioned fluid. Just as the dog came alongside, I squirted him on his nose, eyes and mouth. The dog stopped dead in his tracks and started to roll around in the street. Although I continued to see that dog on my way to and from work, he never bothered me again.

Finally, you can usually intimidate the most aggressive dog if there are more than one of you. Stopping, getting off your bikes and moving towards it will often cause it to back off. ( But not always ). My bottom line is to alway ride routes that I'm not familiar with, with someone else.

As last resort, a nice compact, snubbed nose .25 caliber pistol will fit comfortably in your jersey pocket. :-)


Shaving Your Legs

How to do it  (Garth Somerville  somerville@bae.ncsu.edu)

Many riders shave their legs and have no problems other than a nick or two once in a while.  Maybe a duller blade would help. But some people (like me) need to be more careful to avoid rashes, infections (which can be serious), or just itchy legs that drive you to madness.  For those people, here is my leg shaving procedure:

Each time you shave your legs...

1.	Wash your legs with soap and water, and a wash cloth. This removes dirt, oil, and dead skin cells.

2.	Use a good blade and a good razor. I prefer a blade that has a lubricating strip (e.g. Atra blades).  It is my personal experience that a used blade is better than a new one.  I discard the blade when the lubricating strip is used up.

3.	USE SHAVING CREAM. I prefer the gell type, and the kinds with aloe in them seem to be the best.  Shaving cream gives you a better shave with fewer cuts, and goes a long way towards reventing infection.

4.	Use COLD water.  Do not use hot water, do not use warm water, use the coldest water you can stand. Run the cold water over your legs before you start, and rinse the blade often in cold water.

5.	Be careful, and take your time. Behind the knees, and around the achilles  tendon are places to be extra careful.

6.	When finished, use a moisturizing lotion on your legs.

See also Why shave legs


Why shave legs

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Oh wow, after the initial responses to this subject I thought we could skip the posturing.  The reason for shaving legs is the same for women, weight lifters, body builders and others who have parts of their bodies that they choose to display.  It is not true that General Schwarzkopf had all the troops shave their legs and arms before going into combat to prevent infectious hair from killing injured soldiers, and I am sure it will never happen.

Not only the shaving but the rub-downs with all sorts of oils at the bike track are for the same reason bodybuilders oil up.  It reflects well from the muscle defo.  Of course there are others who claim you can't get a massage without shaving.  There is no medical proof that hair presents any hazard when crashing on a road with dirt that gets into a wound.  It must all be thoroughly cleaned if it goes beyond superficial road rash.

From my experience with cyclists from east block countries before Glasnost, none of them shaved because it was not in their charter to look beautiful but rather to win medals.

I think shaved legs look good and I don't mind saying so.  I just find it silly that those who shave need to put it forth as a preparation for crashing.  Is it necessary to find a reason other than vanity?  If you believe these stories then you might consider the whole pile of lore in bicycling that also has no foundation in fact but is often retold.  But then some bicyclists and followers of other pursuits, want to believe in the mysteries that are handed down by the elders and must be taken on faith.  It forms proof of initiation for some.

See also Shaving Your Legs


Contact Lenses and Cycling

(Robert A. Novy  ra_novy@drl.mobil.com)

I received on the order of 50 replies to my general query about contact lenses and bicycling.  Thank you!  To summarize, I have been wearing glasses for nearly all of my 28 years, and taking up bicycling has at last made me weary of them.

I visited an optometrist last week, and he confirmed what I had lightly feared:  I am farsighted with some astigmatism, so gas-permeable hard lenses are the ticket.  He has had about a 25% success rate with soft lenses in cases such as mine.  I am now acclimating my eyes to the lenses, adding one hour of wear per day.  In case these don't work out, I'll try two options.  First, bicycle without prescription lenses (my sight is nearly 20-20 without any).  Second, get a pair of prescription sport glasses.

I had a particular request for a summary, and this is likely a topic of great interest, so here goes.  Please recognize the pruning that I must do to draw generalizations from many opinions.  Some minority views might be overlooked. There is one nearly unanimous point:  contact lenses are much more convenient than eyeglasses.  I had to add the word "nearly" because I just saw one voice of dissent.  Sandy A. (sandya@hpfcmdd.fc.hp.com) has found that prescription glasses are better suited to mountain biking on dusty trails.

You can call me Doctor, but I have no medical degree.  This is only friendly advice from a relatively ignorant user of the Internet.  See the first point below!

IN GENERAL

Get a reputable optometrist or ophthalmologist.  Your eyes are precious. [Paul Taira (pault@hpspd.spd.hp.com) even has an iterative check-and-balance setup between his ophthalmologist and a contact lens professional.]

Wear sunglasses, preferably wrap-arounds, to keep debris out of eyes, to keep them from tearing or drying out, and to shield them from ultraviolet rays, which might or might NOT be on the rise.

Contacts are not more hazardous than glasses in accidents.

Contacts improve peripheral and low-light vision.

Extended-wear soft lenses are usually the best.  Next come regular soft lenses and then gas-permeable hard lenses.  Of course, there are dissenting opinions here.  I'm glad to see that some people report success with gas perms.

One's prescription can limit the types of lenses available.  And soft lenses for correcting astigmatisms seem pesky, for they tend to rotate and thus defocus the image.  This is true even for the new type that are weighted to help prevent this.  Seems that near-sighted people have the most choices.

If one type or brand of lens gives discomfort, try another.  Don't suffer with it, and don't give up on contact lenses altogether.

BEWARE

Some lenses will tend to blow off the eye.  Soft lenses are apparently the least susceptible to this problem.

PARTICULAR SUGGESTIONS

Consider disposable lenses.  They may well be worth it.

Carry a tiny bottle of eye/lens reconditioner and a pair of eyeglasses just in case.

A POSSIBLE AUTHORITY

From David Elfstrom (david.elfstrom@canrem.com):

Hamano and Ruben, Contact Lenses, Prentice-Hall Canada, 1985, ISBN 0-13-169970-9. I haven't laid hands on it, but it sounds relevant.


How to deal with your clothes

When you commute by bike to work, you'd probably like to have clean clothes that don't look like they've been at the bottom of your closet for a couple of years.  Here are some suggestions for achieving this goal:

Take a week's worth of clothes to work ahead of time and leave them there.  You'll probably have to do this in a (gasp!) car.  This means that you'll need room in your office for the clothes.

Carefully pack your clothes in a backpack/pannier and take them to work each day.  It has been suggested that rolling your clothes rather than folding them, with the least-likely to wrinkle on the inside.  This method may not work too well for the suit-and-tie crowd, but then I wouldn't know about that.  :-)

I use the second method, and I leave a pair of tennis shoes at work so I don't have to carry them in.  This leaves room in my backpack for a sweatshirt in case it's a cool day.


Pete's Winter Cycling Tips

(Pete Hickey  pete@panda1.uottowa.ca)

I am a commuter who cycles year round.  I have been doing it for about twelve years.  Winters here in Ottawa are relatively cold and snowy.  Ottawa is the second coldest capital in the world.  The following comments are the results my experiences.  I am not recommending them, only telling you what works for me.  You may find it useful, or you may find the stupid things that I do are humorous.

PRELUDE

Me:

I am not a real cyclist.  I just ride a bicycle.  I have done a century, but that was still commuting.  There was a networking conference 110 miles away, so I took my bicycle. There and back. (does that make two centuries?)  I usually do not ride a bicycle just for a ride.  Lots of things I say may make real cyclists pull out their hair.  I have three kids, and cannot *afford* to be a bike weenie.

People often ask me why I do it....  I don't know.  I might say that it saves me money, but no.  Gasoline produces more energy per dollar than food. (OK, I suppose if I would eat only beans, rice and pasta with nothing on them.... I like more variety) Do I do it for the environment?  Nah!  I never take issues with anything.  I don't ride for health, although as I get older, I appreciate the benefits.  I guess I must do it because I like it.

Definitions

Since words like "very", "not too", etc. are very subjective, I will use the following definitions:

Cold : greater than  15 degrees F

Very cold : 0 through 15 Degrees F

Extreme cold : -15 through 0 degrees F

Insane cold: below -15 degrees F

Basic philosophy

I have two:

1.	If its good, don't ruin it, if its junk you needn't worry.

2.	I use a brute force algorithm of cycling: Peddle long enough, and you'll get there.

Bicycle riding in snow and ice is a problem of friction: Too much of the rolling type, and not enough of the sideways type.

Road conditions:

More will be covered below, but now let it suffice to say that a lot of salt is used on the roads here.  Water splashed up tastes as salty as a cup of Lipton Chicken soup to which an additional spool of salt has been added. Salt eats metal.  Bicycles dissolve.

EQUIPMENT:

Bicycle:

Although I have a better bicycle which I ride in nice weather, I buy my commuting bikes at garage sales for about $25.00. They're disposable.  Once they start dissolving, I remove any salvageable parts, then throw the rest away.

Right now, I'm riding a '10-speed' bike.  I used to ride mountain bikes, but I'm back to the '10-speed'.  Here's why. Mountain bikes cost $50.00 at the garage sales.  They're more in demand around here. Since I've ridden both, I'll comment on each one.

The Mountain bikes do have better handling, but they're a tougher to ride through deep snow.  The 10-speed cuts through the deep snow better.  I can ride in deeper snow with it, and when the snow gets too deep to ride, its easier to carry.

Fenders on the bike?  Sounds like it might be a good idea, and someday I'll try it out.  I think, however, that snow/ice will build up between the fender and the tire causing it to be real tough to pedal.  I have a rack on the back with a piece of plywood to prevent too much junk being thrown on my back.

I would like to be able to maintain the bike, but its tough to work outside in the winter.  My wife (maybe I should write to Dear Abbey about this) will not let me bring my slop covered bicycle through the house to get it in the basement.  About once a month We have a warm enough day that I am able to go out with a bucket of water, wash all of the gunk off of the bike, let it dry and then bring it in.

I tear the thing down, clean it and put it together with lots of grease.  I use some kind of grease made for farm equipment that is supposed to be more resistant to the elements.  When I put it together, I grease the threads, then cover the nuts, screws, whatever with a layer of grease.  This prevents them from rusting solidly in place making it impossible to remove.  Protection against corrosion is the primary purpose of the grease.  Lubrication is secondary. remember to put a drop of oil on the threads of each spoke, otherwise, the spokes rust solidly, and its impossible to do any truing

Outside, I keep a plastic ketchup squirter, which I fill with automotive oil (lately its been 90 weight standard transmission oil).  Every two or three days, I use it to re-oil my chain and derailleur, and brakes.  It drips all over the snow beneath me when I do it, and gets onto my 'cuffs'(or whatever you call the bottom of those pants. See, I told you I don't cycle for the environment.  I probably end up dumping an ounce of heavy oil into the snow run-off each year.

Clothing

Starting at the bottom, on my feet I wear Sorell Caribou boots. These are huge ugly things, but they keep my feet warm.  I have found that in extreme to insane cold, my toes get cold otherwise. These boots do not make it easy to ride, but they do keep me warm (see rule 2, brute force).  They do not fit into any toe-clips that I have seen.  I used to wear lighter things for less cold weather, but I found judging the weather to be a pain.  If its not too cold, I ride with them half unlaced.  The colder it gets, the more I lace them, and finally, I'll tie them.

Fortunately, wet days are not too cold, and cold days are not wet.  When its dry, I wear a pair of cycling shorts, and one or two (depending on temp and wind) cotton sweat pants covering that.  I know about lycra and polypro (and use them for skiing), but these things are destroyed by road-dirt, slush and mud.(see rule 1 above).  I save my good clothes for x-country skiing.

An important clothing item in extreme to insane cold, is a third sock.  You put it in your pants.  No, not to increase the bulge to impress the girls, but for insulation. Although several months after it happens it may be funny, when it does  happens, frostbite on the penis is not funny. I speak from experience!  Twice, no less!  I have no idea of what to recommend to women in this section.

Next in line, I wear a polypro shirt, covered by a wool sweater, covered by a 'ski-jacket' (a real ugly one with a stripe up the back.  The ski jacket protects the rest of my clothes, and I can regulate my temperature with the zipper in front.

I usually take a scarf with me.  For years I have had a fear that the scarf would get caught in the spokes, and I'd be strangled in the middle of the street, but it has not yet happened.  When the temp is extreme or colder, I like keeping my neck warm.  I have one small problem.  Sometimes the moisture in my breath will cause the scarf to freeze to my beard.

On my hands, I wear wool mittens when its not too cold, and when it gets really cold, I wear my cross-country skiing gloves (swix) with wool mittens covering them.  Hands sweat in certain areas (at least mine do), and I like watching the frost form on the outside of the mittens.  By looking at the frost, I can tell which muscles are working.  I am amused by things like this.

On my head, I wear a toque (Ski-hat?) covered by a bicycle helmet. I don't wear one of those full face masks because I haven't yet been able to find one that fits well with eye glasses.  In extreme to insane cold, my forehead will often get quite cold, and I have to keep pulling my hat down.  The bottoms of my ears sometimes stick out from my hat, and they're always getting frostbitten. This year, I'm thinking of trying my son's Lifa/polypro balaclava. Its thin enough so that it won't bother me, and I only need a bit more protection from frostbite.

I carry my clothes for the day in a knapsack.  Everything that goes in the knapsack goes into a plastic bag.  Check the plastic bag often for leaks.  A small hole near the top may let in water which won't be able to get out.  The net result is that things get more wet than would otherwise be expected.  The zippers will eventually corrode.  Even the plastic ones become useless after a few years.

RIDING:

In the winter, the road is narrower.  There are snow banks on either side.  Cars do not expect to see bicycles.  There are less hours of daylight, and the its harder to maintain control of the bicycle. Be careful.

I don't worry about what legal rights I have on the road, I simply worry about my life.  I'd rather crash into a snow bank for sure rather than take a chance of crashing into a car.  I haven't yet had a winter accident in 12 years.  I've intentionally driven into many snow banks.

Sometimes, during a storm, I get into places where I just can't ride.  It is sometimes necessary to carry the bicycle across open fields.  When this happens, I appreciate my boots.

It takes a lot more energy to pedal.  Grease gets thick, and parts (the bicycle's and mine) don't seem to move as easily. My traveling time increases about 30% in nice weather, and can even double during a raging storm.

The wind seems to be always worse in winter.  It's not uncommon to have to pedal to go down hills.

Be careful on slushy days.  Imagine an 8 inch snowfall followed by rain.  This produces heavy slush.  If a car rides quickly through deep slush, it may send a wave of the slush at you. This stuff is heavy.  When it hits you, it really throws you off balance.  Its roughly like getting a 10 lbs sack of rotten potatoes thrown at your back.  This stuff could even knock over a pedestrian.

Freezing rain is the worst.  Oddly enough, I find it easier to ride across a parking lot covered with wet smooth ice than it is to walk across it.  The only problem is that sometimes the bicycle simply slides sideways out from under you.  I practice unicycle riding, and that may help my balance.  (Maybe not, but its fun anyway)

Beware of bridges that have metal grating.  This stuff gets real slippery when snow covered.  One time, I slid, hit an expansion joint, went over the handle bars, over the railing of the bridge.  I don't know how, but one arm reached out and grabbed the railing.  Kind of like being MacGyver.

Stopping.

There are several ways of stopping.  The first one is to use the brakes.  This does not always work.  Breaks can ice up, a bit of water gets between the cable and its sheathing when the warm afternoon sun shines on the bike. It freezes solid after. Or the salt causes brake cables to break, etc.  I have had brakes work on one corner, but stop working by the time I get to the next.  I have several other means of stopping.

The casual method.  For a stop when you have plenty of time. Rest the ball of your foot on top of the front derailleur, and gradually work your heel between the tire and the frame. By varying the pressure, you can control your speed. Be sure that you don't let your foot get wedged in there!

Faster method.  Get your pedals in the 6-12 O'clock position. Stand up.  The 6 O'clock foot remains on the pedal, while you place the other foot on the ground in front of the pedal.  By varying your balance, you can apply more or less pressure to your foot.  The pedal, wedged against the back of your calf, forces your foot down more, providing more friction.

Really fast!  Start with the fast method, but then dismount while sliding the bicycle in front of you.  You will end up sliding on your two feet, holding onto the bike in front for balance.  If it gets really critical, throw the bike ahead of you, and sit down and roll.  Do not do this on dry pavement, your feet need to be able to slide.

In some conditions, running into a snow bank on the side will stop you quickly, easily, and safely.  If you're going too fast, you might want to dive off of the bicycle over the side.  Only do this when the snow bank is soft.  Make sure that there isn't a car hidden under that soft snow.  Don't jump into fire hydrants either.

ETC.

Freezing locks.  I recommend carrying a BIC lighter.  Very often the lock will get wet, and freeze solid.  Usually the heat from my hands applied for a minute or so (a real minute or so, not what seems like a minute) will melt it, but sometimes it just needs more than that.

Eating Popsicles

Something I like doing in the winter is to buy a Popsicle before I leave, and put it in my pocket.  It won't melt!  I take it out and start eating it just as I arrive at the University.  Its fun to watch peoples' expressions when they see me, riding in the snow, eating a Popsicle.

You have to be careful with Popsicles in the winter.  I once had a horrible experience.  You know how when you are a kid, your parents told you never to put your tongue onto a metal pole? In very cold weather, a Popsicle acts the same way. If you are not careful, your upper lip, lower lip, and tongue become cemented to the Popsicle.  Although this sounds funny when I write about it, it was definitely not funny when it happened.

See also Nancy's Cold/Wet Cycling Tips


Nancy's Cold/Wet Cycling Tips

(Nancy Piltch  piltch@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov)

Here are some clothing suggestions, mix and match as you wish:

Rain gear : I forked out the dollars for gore-tex when I did a week tour ... and I'm real glad I did. The stuff works reasonably as claimed, waterproof, and relatively breathable. (When the humidity is high, no fabric will work completely at letting sweat evaporate.) Unfortunately, typical prices are high. There are cheaper rainsuits, which I haven't tried. For short rides, or when the temperature is over about 50F, I don't usually wear the rain pants, as wet legs don't particularly bother me.

Waterproof shoe covers. When the weather gets icky, I give up on the cleats (I'm not riding for performance then, anyway) and put the old-style pedals back on. This is basically because of the shoe covers I have that work better with touring shoes. The ones I have are made by Burley, and are available from Bikecentennial, though I got them at a local shop. They are just  the cover, no insulation. I continue to use them in winter since they are windproof, and get the insulation I need from warm socks. These aren't neoprene, but rather some high-tech waterproof fabric.

Gaiters that hikers and cross-country skiers wear can help keep road spray off your legs and feet.

Toe clip covers. I got them from Nashbar; they are insulated and fit over the toe clips ... another reason for  going back to those pedals. They help quite a bit when the temperature goes into the 30's and below; they are too warm above that.

For temperatures in the 40's I usually find that a polypropylene shirt, lightweight sweater (mine is polypro) and wind shell work well; I use the gore-tex jacket, since I have it, but any light weight jacket is OK. I have a lightweight pair of nylon-lycra tights, suitable in the 50's, and maybe the 40's; a heavier pair of polypro tights, for 40's, and a real warm pair of heavy, fleece-lined tights for colder weather. (I have been comfortable in them down to about 15-deg, which is about the minimum I will ride in.) My tights are several years old, and I think there are lots more variations on warm tights out now. I use thin polypro glove liners with my cycling gloves when it is a little cool; lightweight gloves  for a little bit cooler; gore-tex and thinsulate gloves for cold weather (with the glove liners in the really cold weather.) It is really my fingers that limit my cold weather riding, as anything any thicker than that limits my ability to work brake levers. (Note: this may change this year as I've just bought a mountain bike; the brake levers are much more accessible than on my road bike. It may be possible to ride with warm over-mitts over a wool or similar glove.)

When it gets down to the 20's, or if it's windy at warmer (!)  temperatures, I'll add the gore-tex pants from my rain suit, mostly as wind protection, rather than rain protection. Cheaper wind pants are available (either at bike shops or at sporting goods stores) that will work just as well for that use.

Warm socks. There are lots of choices; I use 1 pair of wool/polypropylene hiking socks (fairly thick). Then with the rain covers on my shoes to keep out wind, and (if necessary) the toe clip covers, I'm warm enough. There are also thin sock liners, like my glove liners, but I haven't needed them; there are also neoprene socks, which I've never tried, and neoprene shoe covers, which I've also never tried, and wool socks, and ski socks ...

I have a polypropylene balaclava which fits comfortably under my helmet; good to most of the temperatures I'm willing to ride in; a little too warm for temperatures above freezing, unless it's also windy. I also have an ear-warmer band, good for 40's and  useful with the balaclava for miserable weather. I also have a neoprene face mask; dorky looking, but it works. It is definitely too hot until the temperature (or wind) gets severe. I sometimes add ski goggles for the worst conditions, but they limit peripheral vision, so I only use   them if I'm desperate.

For temperatures in the 30's, and maybe 20's, I wear a polarfleece pullover thing under the outer shell. Combining that with or without polypro (lightweight) sweater or serious duty wool sweater gives a lot of options. Sometimes I add a down vest -- I prefer it outside my shell (contrary to usual wisdom) because I usually find it too warm once I start moving and want to unzip it, leaving the wind shell closed for wind protection. I only use the down vest when it's below about 15 F.

See also Pete's Winter cycling tips


Studded Tires

(Nancy Piltch  piltch@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov)

[A summary on studded tires compiled by Nancy.  A complete copy of the responses she received, including some that give directions for making your own studded tires, is in the archive.]

Studded tires do help, especially on packed snow and ice. On fresh snow and on water mixed with snow (i.e. slush) they're not significantly different from unstudded knobbies.

On dry pavement they are noisy and heavy, but can be used; watch out for cornering, which is degraded compared to unstudded tires.

Several people recommend a Mr. Tuffy or equivalent with them; one respondent says he gets more flats with a liner than without.

In the U.S. the IRC Blizzard tires are commercially available. They can also be made.


Cycling Myths

Following are various myths about cycling and why they are/aren't true.

Myth: Wearing a helmet makes your head hotter than if you didn't wear one.

Actual measurements under hard riding conditions with ANSI standard helmets show no consistent temperature difference from helmetless riders.  Part of the reason is that helmets provide insulated protection from the sun as well as some airflow around the head. (Les Earnest  Les@cs.Stanford.edu)

Myth: You need to let the air out of your tires before shipping your bike on an airplane - if you don't, the tires will explode.

Assume your tire at sea level, pumped to 100 psi.  Air pressure at sea level is (about) 15psi. Therefore, the highest pressure which can be reached in the tire is 100+15=115psi.  Ergo: There is no need to deflate bicycle tires prior to flight to avoid explosions. (Giles Morris  gilesm@bird.uucp) Addendum:  The cargo hold is pressurized to the same pressure as the passenger compartment. (Tom ?  tom@math.ufl.edu)

Myth: You can break a bike lock with liquid nitrogen or other gases

Freon cannot cool the lock sufficiently to do any good.  Steel conducts heat into the cooling zone faster than it can be removed by a freeze bomb at the temperatures of interest.  Liquid nitrogen or other gasses are so cumbersome to handle that a lock on a bike cannot be immersed as it must be to be effective.  The most common and inconspicuous way to break these locks is by using a 4 inch long 1 inch diameter commercial hydraulic jack attached to a hose and pump unit. (Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt%01@hp1900.desk.hp.com)

[More myths welcome!]


Descending I

(Roger Marquis  marquis@well.sf.ca.us)

Descending ability, like any other skill, is best improved with practice. The more time you can spend on technical descents the more confidence and speed you will be able to develop. A few local hot shots I know practice on their motorcycles before races with strategic descents. While frequent group rides are the only way to develop real bike handling skills descending with others will not necessarily help you descend faster alone.

The most important aspect of fast descending is relaxation. Too much anxiety can narrow your concentration and you will miss important aspects of the road surface ahead. Pushing the speed to the point of fear will not help develop descending skills. Work on relaxation and smoothness (no sudden movements, braking or turning) and the speed will follow.

A fast descender will set up well in advance of the corner on the outside, do whatever braking needs to be done before beginning to turn, hit the apex at the inside edge of the road, finally exiting again on the outside (always leaving some room for error or unforeseen road hazard). The key is to gradually get into position and smoothly follow your line through the corner. If you find yourself making any quick, jerky movements take them as a sign that you need to slow down and devote a little more attention further up the road.

Use your brakes only up to the beginning of a corner, NEVER USE THE BRAKES IN A CORNER. At that point any traction used for braking significantly reduces the traction available for cornering. If you do have to brake after entering the curve straighten out your line before applying the brakes. If the road surface is good use primarily the front brake. If traction is poor switch to the rear brake and begin breaking earlier. In auto racing circles there are two schools of thought on braking technique. One advocates gradually releasing the brakes upon entering the corner, the other advises hard braking right up to the beginning of the curve and abruptly releasing the brakes just before entering the curve. A cyclists would probably combine the techniques depending on the road surface, rim trueness, brake pad hardness and the proximity of other riders.

Motorcyclists and bicyclists lean their bikes very differently in a corner. When riding fast motorcyclists keep their bikes as upright as possible to avoid scraping the bike. Bicyclists on the other hand lean their bikes into the corner and keep the body upright. Both motorcyclists and bicyclists extend the inside knee down to lower the center of gravity. To pedal through the corners make like a motorcyclists and lean the bike up when the inside pedal is down.

One of the most difficult things about descending in a group is passing. It is not always possible to begin the descent ahead of anyone who may be descending slower. If you find yourself behind someone taking it easy either hang out a safe distance behind or pass very carefully. Passing on a descent is always difficult and dangerous. By the same token, if you find yourself ahead of someone who obviously wants to pass, let them by at the earliest safe moment. It's never appropriate to impede someone's progress on a training ride whether they are on a bicycle or in a car. Always make plenty of room for anyone trying to pass no matter what the speed limit may be. Be courteous and considerate and you'll be forever happy.

Remember that downhill racing is not what bicycle racing is all about. There is no need to keep up with the Jones'. This is what causes many a crash. Compete against yourself on the descents. Belgians are notoriously slow descenders due to the consistently rainy conditions there. Yet some of the best cyclists in the world train on those rainy roads. Don't get caught pushing it on some wet or unfamiliar descent. Be prepared for a car or a patch of dirt or oil in the middle of your path around every blind corner no matter how many times you've been on a particular road. Take it easy, relax, exercise your powers of concentration and hammer again when you can turn the pedals.

If you're interested in exploring this further the best book on bike handling I've read is "Twist of The Wrist" by motorcycle racer Keith Code. There is also data out there (Cycle Magazine) on eye exercises designed to train depth perception adjustment, peripheral vision and concentration. If you know where I can find this information please send it to:

NCNCA District Coaching Office

Roger Marquis

782 San Luis Rd.

Berkeley, Ca 94707

see also Descending II


Descending II

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

The Art of Descending  (an assessment)

Descending on a bicycle requires a combination of skills that are more commonly used in motorcycling.  Only when descending does the bicycle have the power and speed that the motorcycle encounters regularly, not to say that criterium racing doesn't also challenge these skills.  It requires a combination of lean angle and braking while selecting an appropriate line through curves.  Unlike motorcycle tires, bicycle tires have little margin and even a small slip on pavement is usually unrecoverable.  Understanding the forces involved and how to control them is more natural to some than others.  For some these skills may have atrophied from disuse at an early age and need to be regenerated.

How to Corner

Cornering is the skill of anticipating the appropriate lean angle with respect to the ground before you get to the apex of the turn. The angle is what counts and it is limited by traction.  This means you must have an eye for traction.  For most pavement this is about 45 degrees in the absence of oil, water or other smooth and slick spots.  So if the curve is banked 10 degrees, you could lean to 55 degrees from the vertical.  In contrast, a crowned road with no banking, where the surface falls off about 10 degrees, would allow only 35 degrees (at the limit).

Estimating the required lean angle for a curve is derived from the apparent traction and what your speed will be in the apex of the turn at the current rate of braking.  Anticipating the lean angle is something humans, animals and birds do regularly in self propulsion. When running you anticipate how fast and sharply you can turn on the sidewalk, dirt track or lawn on which you run.  You estimate the lean for the conditions and you control your speed to not exceed that angle.  Although the consequences are more severe, the same is true for the bicycle.

These are reflexes that are normal to most people in youth but some have not exercised them in such a long time that they don't trust their skills.  A single fall strongly reinforces this doubt.  For this reason, it is best to improve and regenerate these abilities gradually through practice.

Braking

Once the nuts and bolts of getting around a corner are in place the big difference between being fast and being faster is another problem entirely.  First it must be understood that braking is a primary skill that is greatly misunderstood.  When traction is good, the front brake should be used almost exclusively because, with it, the bike can slow down so rapidly that the back wheel lifts off the road.  When slowing down at this rate the rear brake is obviously useless.  Once you enter the curve, more and more traction is used by the lean angle but braking is still used to trim speed.  This is done with both brakes because neither wheel has much additional traction to give.  It is good to practice hard front braking at a low and safe speed to develop a feel for rear wheel lift-off.

You may ask why you should be braking in the turn.  If you do all your braking before the turn you will be going too slowly too early. Because it is practically impossible to anticipate the exact maximum speed for the apex of the turn, you should anticipate braking in the turn.  Fear of braking usually comes from an incident caused by injudicious braking.  How you use the front and rear brake must be adapted to various conditions.  When riding straight ahead with good traction, you can safely allow substantial transfer of weight from the rear to the front wheel allowing strong use of the front brake. When traction is poor, deceleration and weight transfer is small, so light braking with both wheels is appropriate.  If traction is miserable, you should use only the rear brake because, although a rear skid is permissible, one in the front is not.

Take for example a rider cornering on good traction, banked over at 45 degrees.  With 1 G centrifugal acceleration, he can still apply the brakes at 0.1 G. The increases in side force on the wheels is given by the square root(1^2+0.1^2)=1.005.  In other words, you can do appreciable braking while at maximum cornering.  The centrifugal acceleration is also reduced by the square of the speed by which the lean angle rapidly reduces.  Being aware of this relationship should leave no doubt about why racers are often seen pulling their brake levers in max speed turns.

Suspension

Beyond lean and braking, suspension helps immeasurably in descending.  For bicycles without built-in suspension, this is furnished by your legs.  If the road has fine ripples you needn't stand up but merely take the weight off your pelvic bones.  For rougher roads, you should rise high enough so the saddle does not carry any weight.  The reason for this is twofold.  Your vision will become blurred if you don't rise off the saddle, and traction will be compromised by momentary overloads while skipping over bumps. The ideal is to keep the tire on the ground at uniform load.

Some riders believe that sticking out their knee or leaning their body away from the bike, improves cornering.  Sticking out a knee is the same thing that riders without cleats do when they stick out a foot, it is a useless but reassuring gesture that, on uneven roads, actually works against you.  Any body weight that is not centered on the bicycle (leaning the bike or sticking out a knee) puts a side load on the bicycle, and side loads cause steering motions if the road is not smooth.  To verify this, ride down a straight but rough road standing on one pedal with the bike slanted, and note how the bike follows an erratic course.  In contrast, if you ride centered on the bike you can ride no-hands perfectly straight over rough road.  When you lean off the bike you cannot ride a smooth line over road irregularities, especially in curves.  For best control, stay centered over your bike.

Vision

Where you look is critical to effective descending.  Your central vision involves mostly the cones in the retina of your eye.  These are color receptive and images generally are more time consuming to interpret than information received by the rods in the peripheral vision.  For this reason you should focus on the pavement where your tire will track while looking for obstacles and possible oncoming traffic in your peripheral vision that is fast and good at detecting motion.  If you look at the place where an oncoming vehicle or obstacle might appear, its appearance will bring data processing to a halt for a substantial time.  You needn't identify the color or model of car so leave it to the peripheral vision in high speed black and white because processing speed is essential.

The Line

Picking the broadest curve through a corner should be obvious by the time the preceding skills are mastered but the line is both a matter of safety and road surface.  Sometimes it is better to hit a bump or a "Bott's dot" than to alter the line, especially at high speed.  In that respect, your tire should be large enough to absorb the entire height of a "Bott's dot" without pinching the tube.

Mental Speed

Mental speed is demanded by all of these and, it is my experience, those who are slow to grasp an idea, do not have good hand-eye coordination, or are "accident prone", should be extra cautious in this.  In contrast, being quick does not guarantee success either. Above all, it is important to not be daring but rather to ride with a margin that leaves a comfortable feeling rather than one of high risk.  At the same time, do not be blinded by the age old presumption that everyone who rides faster than I is crazy.  It is one of the most common descriptions used by a slower observer.  "He descended like a madman!" means merely that the speaker was slower, nothing more.

Ride bike!

see also Descending I


Trackstands

(Rick Smith  ricks@sdd.hp.com)

How to trackstand on a road bike.

With acknowledgments to my trackstanding mentor,

             Neil Bankston.

Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice, ....

Wear tennis shoes.

Find an open area, like a parking lot that has a slight grade to it.

Put bike in a gear around a 42-18.

Ride around out of the saddle in a counter-clockwise circle, about 10 feet in diameter.

Label Notation for imaginary points on the circle:

'A' is the lowest elevation point on the circle.

'B' is the 90 degrees counterclockwise from 'A' .

'C' is the highest elevation point on the circle.

'D' is the 90 degrees counterclockwise from 'C' .

        C

      /   \

     D     B       Aerial View

      \   /

        A

Start slowing down, feeling the different sensation as the bike transitions between going uphill (B) and downhill (D).

Start trying to go real slowly through the A - B region of the circle. This is the region you will use for trackstanding.  Ride the rest of the circle as you were in step 5.

The trackstanding position (aerial view again):

            ---|  /

     ------| |----/

         |---     /

The pedal are in a 3 o'clock - 9 o'clock arrangement (in other words, parallel to the ground).  Your left foot is forward, your wheel is pointed left.  You are standing and shifting you weight to keep balance.  The key to it all is this:

If you start to fall left, push on the left peddle to move the bike forward a little and bring you back into balance.

If you start to fall right, let up on the peddle and let the bike roll back a little and bring you back into balance.

Each time you roll through the A - B region, try to stop when the left peddle is horizontal and forward.  If you start to lose your balance, just continue around the circle and try it again.

Play with it.  Try doing it in various regions in the circle, with various foot position, and various amounts of turn in your steering.  Try it on different amounts of slope in the pavement.  Try different gears.  What you are shooting for is the feel that's involved, and it comes with practice.

The why's of trackstanding:

Why is road bike specified in the title?

A true trackstand on a track bike is done differently.  A track bike can be peddled backwards, and doesn't need a hill to accomplish the rollback affect.  Track racing trackstands are done opposite of what is described.  They take place on the C - D region of the circle, with gravity used for the roll forward, and back pedaling used for the rollback.  This is so that a racer gets the assist from gravity to get going again when the competition makes a move.

Why a gear around 42-18?

This is a reasonable middle between too small, where you would reach the bottom of the stroke on the roll forward, and too big, where you couldn't generate the roll forward force needed.

Why is the circle counter-clockwise?

Because I assume you are living in an area where travel is done on the right side of the road.  When doing trackstands on the road, most likely it will be at traffic lights.  Roads are crowned - higher in the middle, lower on the shoulders - and you use this crown as the uphill portion of the circle (region A-B).  If you are in a country where travel is done on the left side of the road, please interpret the above aerial views as subterranial.

Why is this done out of the saddle?

It's easier!!  It can be done in while seated, but you lose the freedom to do weight adjustments with your hips.

Why is the left crank forward?

If your right crank was forward, you might bump the front wheel with your toe.  Remember the steering is turned so that the back of the front wheel is on the right side of the bike.  Some bikes have overlap of the region where the wheel can go and your foot is.  Even if your current bike doesn't have overlap, it's better to learn the technique as described in case you are demonstrating your new skill on a bike that does have overlap.

Why the A - B region?

It's the easiest.  If you wait till the bike is around 'B', then you have to keep more force on the peddle to hold it still.  If you are around the 'A' point, there may not be enough slope to allow the bike to roll back.

Questions:

What do I  do if I want to stop on a downhill?

While there are techniques that can be employed to keep you in the pedals, for safety sake I would suggest getting out of the pedals and putting your foot down.

Other exercises that help:

Getting good balance.  Work through this progression:

Stand on your right foot.  Hold this until it feels stable.

Close your eyes.  Hold this until it feels stable.

Go up on your toes.  Hold this until it feels stable.

If you get to here, never mind, your balance is already wonderful, else repeat with other foot.


Front Brake Usage

(John Forester  jforester@cup.portal.com)

I have dealt for many years with the problem of explaining front brake use, both to students and to courtrooms, and I have reached some conclusions, both about the facts and about the superstitions.

The question was also asked about British law and front brakes. I'll answer that first because it is easier. British law requires brakes on both wheels, but it accepts that a fixed gear provides the required braking action on the rear wheel. I think that the requirement was based on reliability, not on deceleration. That is, if the front brake fails, the fixed-gear cyclist can still come to a stop.

In my house (in California) we have three track-racing bikes converted to road use by adding brakes. Two have only front brakes while the third has two brakes. We have had no trouble at all, and we ride them over mild hills. The front-brake-only system won't meet the normal U.S. state traffic law requirement of being able to skid one wheel, because that was written for coaster-braked bikes, but it actually provides twice the deceleration of a rear-wheel-braked bike and nobody, so far as I know, has ever been prosecuted for using such a setup.

The superstitions about front brake use are numerous. The most prevalent appears to be that using the front brake without using the rear brake, or failing to start using the rear brake before using the front brake, will flip the cyclist. The other side of that superstition is that using the rear brake will prevent flipping the bicycle, regardless of how hard the front brake is applied.

The truth is that regardless of how hard the rear brake is applied, or whether it is applied at all, the sole determinant (aside from matters such as bicycle geometry, weight and weight distribution of cyclist and load, that can't practically be changed while moving) of whether the bicycle will be flipped is the strength of application of the front brake. As the deceleration to produce flip is approached, the weight on the rear wheel decreases to zero, so that the rear wheel cannot produce any deceleration; with no application of the rear brake it rolls freely, with any application at all it skids at a force approaching zero. With typical bicycle geometry, a brake application to attempt to produce a deceleration greater than 0.67 g will flip the bicycle. (Those who advocate the cyclist moving his butt off and behind the saddle to change the weight distribution achieve a very small increase in this.)

A typical story is that of a doctor who, now living in the higher- priced hilly suburbs, purchased a new bicycle after having cycled to med school on the flats for years. His first ride was from the bike shop over some minor hills and then up the 15% grade to his house. His second ride was down that 15% grade. Unfortunately, the rear brake was adjusted so that it produced, with the lever to the handlebar, a 0.15 g deceleration. The braking system would meet the federal requirements of 0.5 g deceleration with less than 40 pounds grip on the levers, because the front brake has to do the majority of the work and at 0.5 g there is insufficient weight on the rear wheel to allow much more rear brake force than would produce 0.1 g deceleration. (The U.S. regulation allows bicycles with no gear higher than 60 inches to have only a rear-wheel brake that provides only 0.27 g deceleration.) I don't say that the rear brake adjustment of the bicycle in the accident was correct, because if the front brake fails then the rear brake alone should be able to skid the rear wheel, which occurs at about 0.3 g deceleration. The doctor starts down the hill, coasting to develop speed and then discovering that he can't slow down to a stop using the rear brake alone. That is because the maximum deceleration produced by the rear brake equalled, almost exactly, the slope of the hill. He rolls down at constant speed with the rear brake lever to the handlebar and the front brake not in use at all. He is afraid to apply the front brake because he fears that this will flip him, but he is coming closer and closer to a curve, after which is a stop sign. At the curve he panics and applies the front brake hard, generating a force greater than 0.67 g deceleration and therefore flipping himself. Had he applied the front brake with only a force to produce 0.1 g deceleration, even 100 feet before the curve, he would have been safe, but in his panic he caused precisely the type of accident that he feared. He thought that he had a good case, sued everybody, and lost. This is the type of superstition that interferes with the cycling of many people.

My standard instruction for people who fear using the front brake is the same instruction for teaching any person to brake properly. Tell them to apply both brakes simultaneously, but with the front brake 3 times harder than the rear brake. Start by accelerating to road speed and stopping with a gentle application. Then do it again with a harder application, but keeping the same 3 to 1 ratio. Then again, harder still, until they feel the rear wheel start to skid. When the rear wheel skids with 1/4 of the total braking force applied to it, that shows that the weight distribution has now progressed as far to the front wheel as the average cyclist should go. By repeated practice they learn how hard this is, and attain confidence in their ability to stop as rapidly as is reasonable without any significant risk.


Slope Wind, the Invisible Enemy

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Wind as well as relative wind caused by moving through still air demands most of a bicyclists effort on level ground.  Most riders recognize when they are subjected to wind because it comes in gusts and these gusts can be distinguished from the more uniform wind caused by moving through still air.  That's the catch.  At the break of dawn there is often no wind as such but cool air near the ground, being colder and more dense than higher air slides downslope as a laminar layer that has no turbulent gusts.

Wind in mountain valleys generally blows uphill during the heat of the day and therefore pilots of light aircraft are warned to take off uphill against the morning slope wind.  Slope wind, although detectable, is not readily noticed when standing or walking because it has negligible effect and does not come in apparent gusts.  The bicyclist, in contrast, is hindered by it but cannot detect it because there is always wind while riding.

Slope wind, as such, can be up to 10 mph before it starts to take on the characteristics that we expect of wind.  It is doubly deceptive when it comes from behind because it gives an inflated speed that can be mistakenly attributed to great fitness that suddenly vanishes when changing course.  If you live near aspen or poplars that tend to fan their leaves in any breeze, you will not be fooled.


Reflective Tape

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Reflective tape is available in most better bike shops in various forms, most of which is pre-cut to some preferred shape and designed for application to some specific part of the bike or apparel.  The most effective use of such tape is on moving parts such as pedals, heel of the shoe or on a place that is generally overlooked, the inside of the rim.

First, it is appropriate to note that car headlights generally produce white light and a white or, in fact, colorless reflector returns more of this light to its source than ones with color filters or selective reflection.  Red, for instance, is not nearly as effective as white.

Placing reflective tape on the inside of the rims between the spokes is a highly effective location for night riding because it is visible equally to the front and rear while attracting attention through its motion.  It is most effective when applied to less than half the rim in a solid block.  Five inter-spoke sections does a good job.  One can argue that it isn't visible from the side (if the rim is not an aero cross section) but the major hazard is from the front and rear.

Be seen on a bike!  It's good for your health.


Nutrition

(Bruce Hildenbrand  bhilden@unix386.Convergent.COM)

Oh well, I have been promising to do this for a while and given the present discussions on nutrition, it is about the right time.  This article was written in 1980 for Bicycling Magazine.  It has been reprinted in over 30 publications, been the basis for a chapter in a book and cited numerous other times.  I guess somebody besides me thinks its OK.  If you disagree with any points, that's fine, I just don't want to see people take exception based on their own personal experiences because everyone is different and psychological factors play a big role(much bigger than you would think) on how one perceives his/her own nutritional requirements.  Remember that good nutrition is a LONG TERM process that is not really affected by short term events(drinking poison would be an exception).  If it works for you then do it!!!  Don't preach!!!!

BASIC NUTRITION PRIMER

Nutrition in athletics is a very controversial topic.  However, for an athlete to have confidence that his/her diet is beneficial he/she must understand the role each food component plays in the body's overall makeup.  Conversely, it is important to identify and understand the nutritional demands on the physiological processes of the body that occur as a result of racing and training so that these needs can be satisfied in the athlete's diet.

For the above reasons, a basic nutrition primer should help the athlete determine the right ingredients of his/her diet which fit training and racing schedules and existing eating habits.  The body requires three basic components from foods: 1) water; 2) energy; and 3) nutrients.

WATER

Water is essential for life and without a doubt the most important component in our diet.  Proper hydrations not only allows the body to maintain structural and biochemical integrity, but it also prevents overheating, through sensible heat loss(perspiration).  Many cyclists have experienced the affects of acute fluid deficiency on a hot day, better known as heat exhaustion.  Dehydration can be a long term problem, especially at altitude, but this does not seem to be a widespread problem among cyclists and is only mentioned here as a reminder(but an important one).

ENERGY

Energy is required for metabolic processes, growth and to support physical activity.  The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences has procrastinated in establishing a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for energy the reasoning being that such a daily requirement could lead to overeating.  A moderately active 70kg (155lb) man burns about 2700 kcal/day and a moderately active 58kg (128lb) woman burns about 2500 kcal/day.

It is estimated that cyclists burn 8-10 kcal/min or about 500-600 kcal/hr while riding (this is obviously dependent on the level of exertion).  Thus a three hour training ride can add up to 1800 kcals (the public knows these as calories) to the daily energy demand of the cyclist.  Nutritional studies indicate that there is no significant increase in the vitamin requirement of the athlete as a result of this energy expenditure.

In order to meet this extra demand, the cyclist must increase his/her intake of food.  This may come before, during or after a ride but most likely it will be a combination of all of the above.  If for some reason extra nutrients are required because of this extra energy demand, they will most likely be replenished through the increased food intake.  Carbohydrates and fats are the body's energy sources and will be discussed shortly.

NUTRIENTS

This is a broad term and refers to vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fiber and a host of other substances.  The body is a very complex product of evolution.  It can manufacture many of the resources it needs to survive. However, vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids (the building blocks of proteins) and fatty acids cannot be manufactured, hence they must be supplied in our food to support proper health.

Vitamins and Minerals

No explanation needed here except that there are established RDA's for most vitamins and minerals and that a well balanced diet, especially when supplemented by a daily multivitamin and mineral tablet should meet all the requirements of the cyclist.

Proper electrolyte replacement (sodium and potassium salts) should be emphasized, especially during and after long, hot rides.  Commercially available preparations such as Exceed, Body Fuel and Isostar help replenish electrolytes lost while riding.

Proteins

Food proteins are necessary for the synthesis of the body's skeletal (muscle, skin, etc.) and biochemical (enzymes, hormones, etc.)proteins.  Contrary to popular belief, proteins are not a good source of energy in fact they produce many toxic substances when they are converted to the simple sugars needed for the body's energy demand.

Americans traditionally eat enough proteins to satisfy their body's requirement.  All indications are that increased levels of exercise do not cause a significant increase in the body's daily protein requirement which has been estimated to be 0.8gm protein/kg body weight.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are divided into two groups, simple and complex, and serve as one of the body's two main sources of energy.

Simple carbohydrates are better known as sugars, examples being fructose, glucose (also called dextrose), sucrose (table sugar) and lactose (milk sugar).

The complex carbohydrates include starches and pectins which are multi-linked chains of glucose.  Breads and pastas are rich sources of complex carbohydrates.

The brain requires glucose for proper functioning which necessitates a carbohydrate source.  The simple sugars are quite easily broken down to help satisfy energy and brain demands and for this reason they are an ideal food during racing and training.  The complex sugars require a substantially longer time for breakdown into their glucose sub units and are more suited before and after riding to help meet the body's energy requirements.

Fats

Fats represent the body's other major energy source.  Fats are twice as dense in calories as carbohydrates (9 kcal/gm vs 4 kcal/gm) but they are more slowly retrieved from their storage units (triglycerides) than carbohydrates (glycogen).  Recent studies indicate that caffeine may help speed up the retrieval of fats which would be of benefit on long rides.

Fats are either saturated or unsaturated and most nutritional experts agree that unsaturated, plant-based varieties are healthier.  Animal fats are saturated (and may contain cholesterol), while plant based fats such as corn and soybean oils are unsaturated.  Unsaturated fats are necessary to supply essential fatty acids and should be included in the diet to represent about 25% of the total caloric intake.  Most of this amount we don't really realize we ingest, so it is not necessary to heap on the margarine as a balanced diet provides adequate amounts.

WHAT THE BODY NEEDS

Now that we have somewhat of an understanding of the role each food component plays in the body's processes let's relate the nutritional demands that occur during cycling in an attempt to develop an adequate diet.  Basically our bodies need to function in three separate areas which require somewhat different nutritional considerations. These areas are: 1) building; 2) recovery; and 3) performance.

Building

Building refers to increasing the body's ability to perform physiological processes, one example being the gearing up of enzyme systems necessary for protein synthesis, which results in an increase in muscle mass, oxygen transport, etc.  These systems require amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.  Hence, it is important to eat a diet that contains quality proteins (expressed as a balance of the essential amino acid sub units present) fish, red meat, milk and eggs being excellent sources.

As always, the RDA's for vitamins and minerals must also be met but, as with the protein requirement, they are satisfied in a well balanced diet.

Recovery

This phase may overlap the building process and the nutritional requirements are complimentary.  Training and racing depletes the body of its energy reserves as well as loss of electrolytes through sweat.  Replacing the energy reserves is accomplished through an increased intake of complex carbohydrates (60-70% of total calories) and to a lesser extent fat (25%). Replenishing lost electrolytes is easily accomplished through the use of the commercial preparations already mentioned.

Performance

Because the performance phase(which includes both training rides and racing)spans at most 5-7 hours whereas the building and recovery phases are ongoing processes, its requirements are totally different from the other two.  Good nutrition is a long term proposition meaning the effects of a vitamin or mineral deficiency take weeks to manifest themselves. This is evidenced by the fact that it took many months for scurvy to show in sailors on a vitamin C deficient diet.  What this means is that during the performance phase, the primary concern is energy replacement (fighting off the dreaded "bonk") while the vitamin and mineral demands can be overlooked.

Simple sugars such a sucrose, glucose and fructose are the quickest sources of energy and in moderate quantities of about 100gm/hr (too much can delay fluid absorption in the stomach) are helpful in providing fuel for the body and the brain.  Proteins and fats are not recommended because of their slow and energy intensive digestion mechanism.

Short, one day rides or races of up to one hour in length usually require no special nutritional considerations provided the body's short term energy stores (glycogen) are not depleted which may be the case during multi-day events.

Because psychological as well as physiological factors determine performance most cyclists tend to eat and drink whatever makes them feel "good" during a ride.  This is all right as long as energy considerations are being met and the stomach is not overloaded trying to digest any fatty or protein containing foods.  If the vitamin and mineral requirements are being satisfied during the building and recovery phases no additional intake during the performance phase is necessary.

IMPLICATIONS

Basically, what all this means is that good nutrition for the cyclist is not hard to come by once we understand our body's nutrient and energy requirements.  If a balanced diet meets the RDA's for protein, vitamins and minerals as well as carbohydrate and fat intake for energy then everything should be OK nutritionally.  It should be remembered that the problems associated with nutrient deficiencies take a long time to occur.  Because of this it is not necessary to eat "right" at every meal which explains why weekend racing junkets can be quite successful on a diet of tortilla chips and soft drinks.  However, bear in mind that over time, the body's nutritional demands must be satisfied.  To play it safe many cyclists take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement tablet which has no adverse affects and something I personally recommend.  Mega vitamin doses (levels five times or more of the RDA) have not been proven to be beneficial and may cause some toxicity problems.

GREY NUTRITION

"Good" nutrition is not black and white.  As we have seen, the body's requirements are different depending on the phase it is in.  While the building and recovery phases occur somewhat simultaneously the performance phase stands by itself.  For this reason, some foods are beneficial during one phase but not during another.  A good example is the much maligned twinkie.  In the performance phase it is a very quick source of energy and quite helpful.  However, during the building phase it is not necessary and could be converted to unwanted fat stores.  To complicate matters, the twinkie may help replenish energy stores during the recovery phase however, complex carbohydrates are probably more beneficial.  So, "one man's meat may be another man's poison."

NUTRIENT DENSITY

This term refers to the quantity of nutrients in a food for its accompanying caloric(energy) value.  A twinkie contains much energy but few vitamins and minerals so has a low nutrient density.  Liver, on the other hand, has a moderate amount of calories but is rich in vitamins and minerals and is considered a high nutrient density food.

Basically, one must meet his/her nutrient requirements within the constraints of his/her energy demands.  Persons with a low daily activity level have a low energy demand and in order to maintain their body weight must eat high nutrient density foods.  As already mentioned, a cyclist has an increased energy demand but no significant increase in nutrient requirements.  Because of this he/she can eat foods with a lower nutrient density than the average person.  This means that a cyclist can be less choosy about the foods that are eaten provided he/she realizes his/her specific nutrient and energy requirements that must be met.

BALANCED DIET

Now, the definition of that nebulous phrase, "a balanced diet".  Taking into consideration all of the above, a diet emphasizing fruits and vegetables (fresh if possible), whole grain breads, pasta,  cereals, milk, eggs, fish and red meat (if so desired) will satisfy long term nutritional demands. These foods need to be combined in such a way that during the building and recovery phase, about 60-70% of the total calories are coming from carbohydrate sources, 25% from fats and the remainder (about 15%) from proteins.

It is not necessary to get 100% of the RDA for all vitamins and minerals at every meal.  It may be helpful to determine which nutritional requirements you wish to satisfy at each meal.  Personally, I use breakfast to satisfy part of my energy requirement by eating toast and cereal.  During lunch I meet some of the energy, protein and to a lesser extent vitamin and mineral requirements with such foods as yogurt, fruit, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Dinner is a big meal satisfying energy, protein, vitamin and mineral requirements with salads, vegetables, pasta, meat and milk.  Between meal snacking is useful to help meet the body's energy requirement.

CONCLUSION

All this jiberish may not seem to be telling you anything you couldn't figure out for yourself.  The point is that "good" nutrition is not hard to achieve once one understands the reasons behind his/her dietary habits.  Such habits can easily be modified to accommodate the nutritional demands of cycling without placing any strict demands on one's lifestyle.


Nuclear Free Energy Bar Recipe

(Phil Etheridge  phil@massey.ac.nz)

Nuclear Free Energy Bars

Comments and suggestions welcome.

They seem to work well for me.  I eat bananas as well, in about equal quanities to the Nuclear Free Energy Bars.  I usually have two drink bottles, one with water to wash down the food, the other with a carbo drink.

You will maybe note that there are no dairy products in my recipe -- that's because I'm allergic to them.  You could easily replace the soy milk powder with the cow equivalent, but then you'd definitely have to include some maltodextrin (my soy drink already has some in it).  I plan to replace about half the honey with maltodextrin when I find a local source.  If you prefer cocoa to carob, you can easily substitute.

C = 250 ml cup, T = 15 ml tablespoon

1 C Oat Bran

1/2 C Toasted Sunflower and/or Sesame seeds, ground (I use a food processor)

1/2 C Soy Milk Powder (the stuff I get has 37% maltodextrin, ~20% dextrose*)

1/2 C Raisins

2T Carob Powder

Mix well, then add to

1/2 C Brown Rice, Cooked and Minced (Using a food processor again)

1/2 C Peanut Butter (more or less, depending on consistency)

1/2 C Honey (I use clear, runny stuff, you may need to warm if it's thicker and/or add a little water)

Stir and knead (I knead in more Oat Bran or Rolled Oats) until thoroughly mixed.  A cake mixer works well for this.  The bars can be reasonably soft, as a night in the fridge helps to bind it all together.  Roll or press out about 1cm thick and cut.  Makes about 16, the size I like them (approx 1cm x 1.5cm x 6cm).

* Can't remember exact name, dextrose something)


Powerbars

(John McClintic  johnm@hammer.TEK.COM)

Have you ever watched a hummingbird? Think about it! Hummingbirds eat constantly to survive. We lumpish earthbound creatures are in no position to imitate this. Simply, if we overeat we get fat.

There are exceptions: those who exercise very strenuously can utilize - indeed, actually need - large amounts of carbohydrates.

For example, Marathon runners "load" carbohydrates by stuffing themselves with pasta before a race. On the flip side Long-distance cyclists maintain their energy level by "power snacking".

With reward to the cyclist and their need for "power snacking" I submit the following "power bar" recipe which was originated by a fellow named Bill Paterson. Bill is from Portland Oregon.

The odd ingredient in the bar, paraffin, is widely used in chocolate manufacture to improve smoothness and flowability, raise the melting point, and retard deterioration of texture and flavor. Butter can be used instead, but a butter-chocolate mixture doesn't cover as thinly or smoothly.

POWER BARS

1 	cup regular rolled oats

1/2 	cup sesame seed

1 1/2	cups dried apricots, finely chopped

1 1/2	cups raisins

1	cup shredded unsweetened dry coconut

1	cup blanched almonds, chopped

1/2 	cup nonfat dry milk

1/2 	cup toasted wheat germ

2	teaspoons butter or margarine

1	cup light corn syrup

3/4	cup sugar

1 1/4	cups chunk-style peanut butter

1	teaspoon orange extract

2	teaspoons grated orange peel

1	package (12 oz.) or 2 cups semisweet chocolate baking chips

4 	ounces paraffin or 3/4 cup (3/4 lb.) butter or margarine

Spread oats in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Bake in a 300 degree oven until oats are toasted, about 25 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.

Meanwhile, place sesame seed in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Shake often or stir until seeds are golden, about 7 minutes.

Pour into a large bowl.  Add apricots, raisins, coconut, almonds, dry milk, and wheat germ; mix well.  Mix hot oats into dried fruit mixture.

Butter the hot backing pan; set aside.

In the frying pan, combine corn syrup and sugar; bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat and quickly stir in the peanut butter, orange extract, and orange peel.

At once, pour over the oatmeal mixture and mix well. Quickly spread in buttered pan an press into an even layer. Then cover and chill until firm, at least 4 hours or until next day.

Cut into bars about 1 1/4 by 2 1/2 inches.

Combine chocolate chips and paraffin in to top of a double boiler. Place over simmering water until melted; stir often. Turn heat to low.

Using tongs, dip 1 bar at a time into chocolate, hold over pan until it stops dripping (with paraffin, the coating firms very quickly), then place on wire racks set above waxed paper.

When firm and cool (bars with butter in the chocolate coating may need to be chilled), serve bars, or wrap individually in foil. Store in the refrigerator up to 4 weeks; freeze to store longer. Makes about 4 dozen bars, about 1 ounce each.

Per piece: 188 cal.; 4.4 g protein; 29 g carbo.; 9.8 g fat; 0.6 mg chol.; 40 mg sodium.


Calories burned by cycling

(Jeff Patterson  jpat@hpsad.sad.hp.com)

The following table appears in the '92 Schwinn ATB catalog which references Bicycling, May 1989:

Speed (mph) Body weight	12	14	15	16	7	18	19
110	293	348	404	448	509	586	662
120	315	375	437	484	550	634	718
130	338	402	469	521	592	683	773
140	360	430	502	557	633	731	828
150	383	457	534	593	675	779	883
160	405	485	567	629	717	828	938
170	427	512	599	666	758	876	993
180	450	540	632	702	800	925	1048
190	472	567	664	738	841	973	1104
200	495	595	697	774	883	1021	1159

(flat terrain, no wind, upright position)


Road Rash Cures

(E Shekita  shekita@provolone.cs.wisc.edu)

[Ed note:  This is a condensation of a summary of cures for road rash that Gene posted.]

The July 1990 issue of Bicycle Guide has a decent article on road rash. Several experienced trainers/doctors are quoted.  They generally recommended:

 - cleaning the wound ASAP using an anti-bacterial soap such as Betadine. Showering is recommended, as running water will help flush out dirt and grit. If you can't get to a shower right away, at the very least dab the wound with an anti-bacteria solution and cover the wound with a non-stick telfa pad coated with bactrin or neosporin to prevent infection and scabbing. The wound can then be showered clean when you get home. It often helps to put an ice bag on the wound after it has been covered to reduce swelling.

- after the wound has been showered clean, cover the wound with either

1.	a non-stick telfa pad coated with bactrin or neosporin, or

2.	one of the Second Skin type products that are available. If you go the telfa pad route, daily dressing changes will be required until a thin layer of new skin has grown over the wound. If you go the Second Skin route, follow the directions on the package.

The general consensus was that scabbing should be prevented and that the Second Skin type products were the most convenient -- less dressing changes and they hold up in a shower. (Silvadene was not mentioned, probably because it requires a prescription.)

It was pointed out that if one of the above treatments is followed, then you don't have to go crazy scrubbing out the last piece of grit or dirt in the wound, as some people believe. This is because most of the grit will "float" out of the wound on its own when a moist dressing is used.

There are now products that go by the names Bioclusive, Tegaderm, DuoDerm, Op-Site, Vigilon, Spenco 2nd Skin, and others, that are like miracle skin. This stuff can be expensive ($5 for 8 3x4 sheets), but does not need to be changed.  They are made of a 96% water substance called hydrogel wrapped in thin porous plastic.  Two non-porous plastic sheets cover the hydrogel; One sheet is removed so that the hydrogel contacts the wound and the other non-porous sheet protects the wound.

These products are a clear, second skin that goes over the cleaned (ouch!) wound. They breathe, are quite resistant to showering, and wounds heal in around 1 week.  If it means anything, the Olympic Training Center uses this stuff. You never get a scab with this, so you can be out riding the same day, if you aren't too sore.

It is important when using this treatment, to thoroughly clean the wound, and put the bandage on right away. It can be obtained at most pharmacies.  Another possible source is Spenco second skin, which is sometimes carried by running stores and outdoor/cycling/ stores.  If this doesn't help, you might try a surgical supply or medical supply place. They aren't as oriented toward retail, but may carry larger sizes than is commonly available. Also, you might check with a doctor, or university athletic department people.


Knee problems

(Roger Marquis  marquis@well.sf.ca.us)

As the weather becomes more conducive to riding and the racing season gets going and average weekly training distances start to climb a few of us will have some trouble with our knees. Usually knee problem are caused by one of four things:

1.	Riding too hard, too soon. Don't get impatient. It's going to be a long season and there's plenty of time to get in the proper progression of efforts. Successful cycling is a matter of listening to your body. When you see riders burning out, hurting themselves and just not progressing past a certain point you can be fairly certain that it is because they are not paying enough attention to what their body is telling them.

2.	Too many miles. Your body is not a machine. It cannot be expected to take whatever miles you feel compelled to ride without time to grow and adapt. If you keep this in mind whenever you feel like increasing your average weekly mileage by more than forty miles over two or three weeks you should have no problems.

3.	Low, low rpms (also excess crank length). Save those big ring climbs and big gear sprints for later in the season. This is the time of year to develop fast twitch muscle fibers. That means spin, spin, spin. You don't have to spin all the time but the effort put into small gear sprints and high rpm climbing now will pay off later in the season.

4.	Improper position on the bike. Unfortunately most bicycle salespeople in this country have no idea how to properly set saddle height. The most common error being to set it too low. This is very conducive to developing knee problems because of the excessive bend at the knee when the pedal is at, and just past, top dead center.

Make sure your seat and cleats are adjusted properly by following the adjustment procedures found elsewhere.

If after all this you're still having knee problems:

1.	Check for leg length differences both below and above the knee. If the difference is between 2 and 8 millimeters you can correct it by putting spacers under one cleat. If one leg is shorter by more than a centimeter or so you might experiment with a shorter crank arm on the short leg side.

2.	Use shorter cranks. For some riders this helps keep pedal speed up and knee stress down. I'm 6 ft. 1/2 in. and I ride 170mm cranks for most of the season.

3.	Try the Fit-Kit R.A.D. cleat alignment device and/or a rotating type cleat/pedal like the Time pedal.

4.	Cut way back on mileage and intensity (This is a last resort for obvious reasons). Sometimes a prolonged rest is the only way to regain full functionality and is usually required only if you try to "train through" any pain.


Cycling Psychology

(Roger Marquis  marquis@netcom.com)

Motivation, the last frontier. With enough of it any ordinary person can become a world class athlete. Without it this same person could end up begging for change on Telegraph ave. Even a tremendously talented rider will go nowhere without motivation. How do some riders always seem to be so motivated? What are the sources of their motivation? This has been a central theme of sports psychology since its beginning when Triplett studied the effects of audience and competition on performance in the late nineteenth century. Though a great deal has been written on motivation since Triplett it is an individual construct. As an athlete you need to identify what motivates you and cultivate the sources of your motivation.

* One of the best sources of motivation is setting goals. Be specific, put it down on paper. Define your goals clearly and make them attainable. Short term goals are more important than long term goals and should be even more precisely defined Set long term goals such as training at least five days a week, placing in specific races, upgrading, etc.. Set short term goals for things like going on a good ride this afternoon, doing five sprints, bettering your time up Wildcat, etc.. DO NOT STRESS WINNING when defining your goals. Instead stress enjoying the ride and doing your best in every ride and race.

* Do it together. Going to races with friends, training together and racing as a team is great for motivation. This is what clubs should be all about.

* Do it frequently. Regularity makes difficult tasks easy. If you make it a point to ride every day, or at least five times a week (to be competitive), making the daily ride will become automatic.

* Cycling books and videos are tremendously motivating as are new bike parts, new clothing, new roads, nice weather, losing weight, seeing friends, getting out of the city and breathing fresh air, riding hard and feeling good and especially that great feeling of accomplishment and relaxation at the end of every ride that makes life beautiful.

                         ==============

While high levels of arousal (motivational energy) are generally better for shorter rides and track races, be careful not to get over-aroused before longer, harder races. Stay relaxed and conserve precious energy for that crosswind section or sprint where you'll need all the strength you've got. Learn how psyched you need to be to do your best and be aware of when you are over or under aroused.

It's not uncommon, especially for novices, to be so nervous before the start that they are already fatigued on the line. This much stress is dangerous and should be recognized and controlled immediately. If you get too stressed before a race try counting to ten, breathing deeply, stretching, talking to friends, finding a quiet place to warm-up, or a crowded place to warm-up,  depending on your inclination, and remember that the stress will disappearas soon as the race starts. Racing takes too much concentration to spare any for worrying.

Every athlete needs to be adept in stress management. One new technique used to reduce competitive anxiety is imagery. Mental practice has been credited with almost miraculous improvements in fine motor skills (archery, tennis) but its greatest value in gross motor sports is in stress reduction. Actually winning a race can also help put an end to excessive competitive anxiety. But if you have never won nervousness may be keeping you from winning. If you find yourself getting overstressed whenever you think about winning, or even riding, a race try this; Find a quiet, relaxing place to sit and think about racing. Second; Picture yourself driving to the race in a very relaxed and poised state of mind. Continue visualizing the day progressing into the race and going well until you detect some tension THEN STOP. Do not let yourself get excited at all. End the visualization session and try it again the next day. Continue this DAILY until you can picture yourself racing and winning without any stress. If this seems like a lot of work evaluate just how much you want to win a bike race.

Visualization is not meant to replace on the bike training but can make that training pay off in a big way. Eastern European research has found that athletes improve most quickly if visual training comprises fifty to seventy-five percent of the total time spent training! Like any training imagery will only pay off if you do it regularly and frequently. My French club coach always used to tell us: believe it and it will become true.

(C) 1989, Roger Marquis (see also Velo-News, 3-91)


Mirrors

(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt@hplabs.hp.com)

Mirrors are mandatory on virtually every other type of vehicle on the road.  Competent drivers/riders learn the limitations of the information available from their mirrors and act accordingly.

I suppose the question is appropriate because no one seems to have a good explanation for this.  In such an event, when there is much evidence that what would seem obvious is not what is practiced, I assume there are other things at work.  I for one don't wear glasses to which to attach a mirror and putting it on a helmet seems a fragile location when the helmet is placed anywhere but on the head.

These are not the real reasons though, because I have found that when looking in a head mounted mirror, I cannot accurately tell anything about the following vehicle's position except that it is behind me. That is because I am looking into a mirror whose angular position with respect to the road is unknown.  The rear view mirror in a car is fixed with respect to the direction of travel and objects seen in it are seen with reference to ones own vehicle, be that the rear window frame or side of the car.  I find the image in a head mounted mirror on a bicycle to be distracting and a source of paranoia if I watch it enough.  It does not tell me whether the upcoming car is, or is not, going to slice me.

I additionally I find it difficult to focus on objects when my eyeballs are distorted by turning them as much as 45 degrees to the side of straight ahead.  You can try this by reading these words with your head turned 45 degrees from the text.

I believe these two effects are the prime reasons for the unpopularity of such mirrors.  They don't provide the function adequately and still require the rider to look back.  I do not doubt that it is possible to rely on the mirror but it does not disprove my contention that the information seen is by no means equivalent to motor vehicle rear view mirrors to which these mirrors have been compared.  It is not a valid comparison.