The Night Ride

I love autumn.  The weather means I can bust out my classy flannel shirts, my beard doesn't look like a desperate attempt to hide my neck waddle, and riding bikes is so much more fun.  The cool, (not cold) weather is refreshing at mile 15, and the landscapes inspire longer rides and bigger grins.

But this beauty comes at a price, and we all know that price is the shorter days.  But this too, can make mountain biking a whole new adventure.  Isn't that why we do what we do?  To find adventure? Fall provides that adventure in the form of a night ride.  I love night riding because as the days get shorter, it is a great way to extend your season, and with fat bikes it is like a never ending season!  But you have to have the right equipment.  Here is my equipment list for those new to this:

1. Helmet, bike, gloves, water, bike...basics you would have on any ride

2. Lights.  I like to have a light on my handlebar, and one mounted on my helmet.  The handlebar light is a given, but the helmet mount gives the advantage of being able to look further ahead and around corners.  My handlebar light is a pro series NiteRider light.  Powerful with a long lasting battery.  The light I mount on my helmet is a Stella Light & Motion, though it is an older model, it has stood the test of time and it is equally bright with a super fast charge time and a long lasting battery.  There are tons of quality light companies out there, but these two are tops in my books because they last, and you can find them at your local bike shop.  #supportlbs
3. Friends who are as crazy as you are.  Seriously, it is nice to have friends on night rides.  I go alone all the time because I enjoy the comfort of solitude.  But it can be scary out there.

So go ride your bike...longer too.

Fall Riding.

Well, it is fall again,....or should I say still.  Not that I am complaining, I have really enjoyed this late riding season.  If the Mayans are right, they picked a pretty good year to wrap things up.

 

December 2nd, 2012

Now when winter does come, we can clean our gear, sit on the couch drinking beer, and catch up on all those episodes of Breaking Bad that we fell behind on.  So to the winter I say, I still kind of hate you, but thanks for letting me play a while longer while you waited.  

More Spring Cleaning

It is always nice to jump in the bathtub and get clean after a long ride.  Washing away the grossness of sustained exercise can always be a fantastic way to remember why we are humans.  (This is the part where we start the penetrating music like on a Frank Azar commercial, and the camera focuses in so I can accuse you of neglect.)  Well when was the last time your bike got a babble bath.  Before jumping into the tub and cleaning your bike I will give you a list of the don'ts. 

• Don't go to the car wash or use any type of high pressure wand. 
• Seriously, don't use high pressure wands. 

Wands will do more damage then they prevent, which is what we are trying to do by cleaning our bikes, prevent the dirt from working its way into our bike parts and causing damage.  Instead, use a bucket, a couple of brushes, some warm water, and a little bit of dish soap.  Gently scrub your parts, and rinse them off.  Dry your bike off, and lube. 

Also, if you want to really get crazy, you can clean your grips and saddle.  Both of them will have significant improvement with a little whitening toothpaste and an old brush, and without spending anything but quality time with a bicycle you love, you can give it that fresh breath feeling.  (The toothpaste isn't a joke, it works really well, and it is mild enough that it doesn't damage either your grips, or your saddle.)