Everybody has a tool kit when they ride. If you don't, you probably deserve to walk the last 5 miles back to civilization, your car, the beer your buddies drank while waiting on you, and that hamburger you wish you'd eaten.
It doesn't require a super mechanic to use a tool kit. Most things are pretty minor. The 'big things' like a broken chain or wrapped derailleur may take some serious bike mechanic skills. Don't fret - one will come along momentarily!
The essentials are pretty obvious
Tire levers
Patch kit
Spare tube(s) - pre-talc'ed
CO2 inflator and spare cartridge - know how to use yours!
Pump
Yes, a pump is 'belt and suspenders', but if that first tube gets caught in the rim, and you blow it, the second one is essential. If it happens again - or you find out you didn't get it caught, but had a cut sidewall that it popped thru... Well, you'll be happy to have the pump.
20 dollar bill
A good multi-tool.
Make sure it's got all the bolts on your bike covered - 4,5,6,7mm, maybe a 2 or 2.5, spoke wrench
Also make sure you can get *to* all the bolts on your bike with your tool. If not, you may need a solo hex wrench or two. And make sure your kit includes the necessary wrench for any random Torx brand bolts as well. Chain ring and disc brakes are both candidates for this special foolishness.
Chain break tool
Master link (or 2)
...Oh, shit!!! What was that? Oh, you mean the fact that your crotch is now on the top tube and your pedals are freewheeling, or the one where your bike. just. died. ...with the rear derailleur wrapped around the dropout. Now is the time to be really thankful you've got a master link.
If you wrap a derailleur, it's pretty unlikely you're going to salvage it (or the hanger) on the side of the road. You can try to straighten it, but in all likelihood, the best you can hope for is getting the derailleur back in the middle position, and maybe use it as a chain tensioner. If that doesn't work, find a gear combination that will give you a snug chain once you put it back together with that master link. Here's a big hint. when you break the chain to remove it from the broken derailleur, find the bent section of chain and break it there! And yes - there almost certainly will be a kinked link. Remember - you'll need to leave an INNER plate on both ends for the repair link to slip onto. Eyeball it, test it, and when you've got it right and think it'll be ok, slip the chain off the chainrings (up front) and slip in the master link. Don't worry about tightening it yet. Put it back on the chain rings. If it's right, the link should 'snik' into place as you get the chain installed on both ends.
unused tie wrap
Multitude of purposes - like tying up that busted rear derailleur.
duct tape -bandage, tire boot, repair busted cable clamp. You name it!
20' braided twine - with a nice stick and some duct tape, you can even bandage up that carbon fiber handlebar I told you not to get. Also good for sewing a jersey back together,
basic first aid kit
And for a spring century -
rain cape (jacket for us Americans)
dry gloves
helmet liner
extra socks (useful as shoe covers in a pinch too)
Extra food (bar&gel)
Coach
Showing posts with label gravel grinder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gravel grinder. Show all posts
Friday, March 27, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
First Gravel Grinder - Training for hills
In an earlier post, I laid out a five week plan for your first gravel grinder. I assumed that most people were somewhat fit, have done some riding, but probably aren't used to riding long distances on unpaved roads. And I've heard from a couple of people that maybe it should have been a SIX week program with a couple of 10 mile rides just to get used to being on a bike again - especially if you are planning to ride a fat bike!
On several of the weekly rides on the above plan, I list 'ride a few hills' as the goal. Depending on your fitness level, and what's in the area, that can mean anything from a freeway overpass to a 300 climb from the river to bluff-tops. Generally, I look for climbs that are around a mile, and nothing steep. the first few should be at easy grades - 3-4% (200 vertical feet in a mile of riding). This is enough to raise your heart rate and make your quads burn a bit without straining knees.
First, pace is not important on the first few - just ride them. Find out what pace feels comfortable,
and use that as a mental benchmark (baseline really). Try to time that mythical mile long hill - or whatever length you have to work with, and watch your average speed. If it takes you ten minutes, fine. If it takes 20, it may be a little long for now. Cut back to around 8 minutes for the first 2 weeks.
Try to do 5 repeats of the hill - that will be a total of around 15 miles on an 8 minute climb. (level 2-3 if you are used to heart rate).
So now you've got your pace sorted out for something that you can accomplish, let's crank it up a bit. If you've been tracking your speed, try to increase that by 5% a week on your hill. See how long you can hold your speed. It's not essential you ride the whole thing without fading, but do try to hold a steady speed for most of the way. Now turn around, ride back down, and do it again - a total of 5 repeats. See how you feel. If you've never done repeats or not done them in years, it may not be much fun, at least the first time or 3. Take a breather, and then ride the rest of your ride.
I'm big on interval work (what we just did). Improvements come rapidly, and can be really rewarding. If you can increase that speed up the one mile climb by 5% each week, that's a 20% improvement in 4 short sessions, which is probably 2 MPH or more! The quicker you get over long slow climbs, the sooner you get to enjoy the flats and downhills again!
You should also find something steeper and maybe longer for the last 2 weeks. Miesville offers about a dozen climbs of anywhere from a minute to 10 minutes, with the last two climbs being 10 minutes or more. None of the grades are really steep, but they are challenging, and will take some mental energy to complete. If you are training for the Pisgah monster cross, it's probably more like a 50 week program instead of 5, but the same general elements apply. Good climbing is mental as well as physical.
So that's another element to training for your first grinder. If you have any questions or comments, use the link below and I'll be happy to answer them.
~marsh
On several of the weekly rides on the above plan, I list 'ride a few hills' as the goal. Depending on your fitness level, and what's in the area, that can mean anything from a freeway overpass to a 300 climb from the river to bluff-tops. Generally, I look for climbs that are around a mile, and nothing steep. the first few should be at easy grades - 3-4% (200 vertical feet in a mile of riding). This is enough to raise your heart rate and make your quads burn a bit without straining knees.
First, pace is not important on the first few - just ride them. Find out what pace feels comfortable,
Try to do 5 repeats of the hill - that will be a total of around 15 miles on an 8 minute climb. (level 2-3 if you are used to heart rate).
So now you've got your pace sorted out for something that you can accomplish, let's crank it up a bit. If you've been tracking your speed, try to increase that by 5% a week on your hill. See how long you can hold your speed. It's not essential you ride the whole thing without fading, but do try to hold a steady speed for most of the way. Now turn around, ride back down, and do it again - a total of 5 repeats. See how you feel. If you've never done repeats or not done them in years, it may not be much fun, at least the first time or 3. Take a breather, and then ride the rest of your ride.
I'm big on interval work (what we just did). Improvements come rapidly, and can be really rewarding. If you can increase that speed up the one mile climb by 5% each week, that's a 20% improvement in 4 short sessions, which is probably 2 MPH or more! The quicker you get over long slow climbs, the sooner you get to enjoy the flats and downhills again!
You should also find something steeper and maybe longer for the last 2 weeks. Miesville offers about a dozen climbs of anywhere from a minute to 10 minutes, with the last two climbs being 10 minutes or more. None of the grades are really steep, but they are challenging, and will take some mental energy to complete. If you are training for the Pisgah monster cross, it's probably more like a 50 week program instead of 5, but the same general elements apply. Good climbing is mental as well as physical.
So that's another element to training for your first grinder. If you have any questions or comments, use the link below and I'll be happy to answer them.
~marsh
Friday, January 23, 2015
First Gravel Grinder - 5 week training plan
Congratulations! You sent your postcard in for the Miesville 56, so you are all signed up for your first real gravel event. Of course you haven't ridden all winter, and and your gravel skills are - wait - what gravel skills? The closest you have to gravel skills are riding on the Luce Line trail. Which is pretty much enough!
If you've ever ridden a metric century ride, or even a 40 mile ride, you can step up to riding 56 miles of gravel in just 4 short weeks. We do need to make some assumptions - you haven't been completely idle this winter - some time on the trainer, or maybe you've been skiing or running all winter. Just basic fitness. And we aren't talking about racing - we're planning to finish this ride at a respectable touring pace - around 10.5-11 mph average, which means you are probably riding 15 mph on the flats.
For starters, make sure your bike is all tuned up, and that you have good tires for riding on gritty roads. I'm partial to either gravel tires like the Challenge Gravel Grinder, Clement MSO or maybe a cyclocross tire intended for hard pack. Make sure you have clothing that fits your riding style and the weather - booties, long fingered gloves, multiple layers, tights, and a jacket. And try to pick the weather. Riding your first ride or two in the rain is a lousy way to start the season!
The goal of this program, like any training program is to build gradually toward the target event. In our case, we are looking at 56 miles of pretty good gravel, with a few hills, a little mud, and about a mile of road you may have to walk part of depending on your bike skills. And don't worry about bombing the downhills. Just ride them as fast or slow as your courage and common sense suggest.
Also, this workout should be something you can do in about 2 hours except for the long ride. With the return of daylight, you should be able to do this after work.
Week 1. Goal - get comfortable on the bike, get legs used to spinning.
Five days of riding (out of 7) Note that days aren't specified since the weather may dictate riding.
3 days 15-20 miles
1 day 25-30 miles
1 day 35 miles
Week 2 Goal - build distance base, add a few easy climbs. Nothing long or hard, 1/4 mile is plenty.
Again, 5 days of riding
2 days 15-25 miles - try to build your pace just a bit (remember our target is 16-18 on the flats
2 days 20-35 miles
1 day 40 miles. Throw in a few climbs. If you are local to Minnesota, consider River Falls as a riding area.
Week 3 Goal - add in a few gravel sections and more hills. Slight increase in miles 6 days riding this week
2 days 20-30 miles - build pace, add a few short hills
2 days 25-35 miles - work on pace - 17-18 on flats, climb both in and out of the saddle
1 day 40 miles - again work on pace and some climbing. A few short sprints (like really short, and not that hard)
1 day 10 miles - go find some gravel, a park, horse trails or whatever. Play with technique in sand, mud, loose rock, find out what the bike does in those situations. Don't forget to give your bike a bath after!
Week 4 Goal - raise the miles just a bit, find a few more hills, preferably later in your ride.
2 days 20+ miles. Mix it up, ride some trail or path, some road, and hills.
2 days 25-35 miles. As above, try to mix it up
1 day 10-15 miles, lots of unpaved surfaces and/or hills.
1 day 40-45 miles 'grinder pace' - really try to keep your pace up (but not crazy). This is also a good time to feel out what your target finish time might be for the 56. Are you likely to do 5 hours, 4 hours, 6?
Event week - We're cruising in to the event.
Monday or Tuesday - 20 miles one of the two days. Easy ride
Wednesday or Thursday - 30 miles, a little faster
Friday - off. Change tires if you need to.
Saturday - 25-30 miles, then clean bike, lube chain, but try not to adjust anything!
Sunday - Event day!
If you've been diligent with the program above, you'll have no problem riding 56 miles. If you started with good intentions, but came up short, you might look at cutting the course, maybe lopping off a hill, or one of the loops. You can figure 1/3 of your weekly miles as a rough guess of what you can safely do.
I'll do another training article next month with some specific ideas on food and drink.
Ride safe. Wear your helmet.
If you've ever ridden a metric century ride, or even a 40 mile ride, you can step up to riding 56 miles of gravel in just 4 short weeks. We do need to make some assumptions - you haven't been completely idle this winter - some time on the trainer, or maybe you've been skiing or running all winter. Just basic fitness. And we aren't talking about racing - we're planning to finish this ride at a respectable touring pace - around 10.5-11 mph average, which means you are probably riding 15 mph on the flats.
For starters, make sure your bike is all tuned up, and that you have good tires for riding on gritty roads. I'm partial to either gravel tires like the Challenge Gravel Grinder, Clement MSO or maybe a cyclocross tire intended for hard pack. Make sure you have clothing that fits your riding style and the weather - booties, long fingered gloves, multiple layers, tights, and a jacket. And try to pick the weather. Riding your first ride or two in the rain is a lousy way to start the season!
The goal of this program, like any training program is to build gradually toward the target event. In our case, we are looking at 56 miles of pretty good gravel, with a few hills, a little mud, and about a mile of road you may have to walk part of depending on your bike skills. And don't worry about bombing the downhills. Just ride them as fast or slow as your courage and common sense suggest.
Also, this workout should be something you can do in about 2 hours except for the long ride. With the return of daylight, you should be able to do this after work.
Week 1. Goal - get comfortable on the bike, get legs used to spinning.
Five days of riding (out of 7) Note that days aren't specified since the weather may dictate riding.
3 days 15-20 miles
1 day 25-30 miles
1 day 35 miles
Week 2 Goal - build distance base, add a few easy climbs. Nothing long or hard, 1/4 mile is plenty.
Again, 5 days of riding
2 days 15-25 miles - try to build your pace just a bit (remember our target is 16-18 on the flats
2 days 20-35 miles
1 day 40 miles. Throw in a few climbs. If you are local to Minnesota, consider River Falls as a riding area.
Week 3 Goal - add in a few gravel sections and more hills. Slight increase in miles 6 days riding this week
2 days 20-30 miles - build pace, add a few short hills
2 days 25-35 miles - work on pace - 17-18 on flats, climb both in and out of the saddle
1 day 40 miles - again work on pace and some climbing. A few short sprints (like really short, and not that hard)
1 day 10 miles - go find some gravel, a park, horse trails or whatever. Play with technique in sand, mud, loose rock, find out what the bike does in those situations. Don't forget to give your bike a bath after!
Week 4 Goal - raise the miles just a bit, find a few more hills, preferably later in your ride.
2 days 20+ miles. Mix it up, ride some trail or path, some road, and hills.
2 days 25-35 miles. As above, try to mix it up
1 day 10-15 miles, lots of unpaved surfaces and/or hills.
1 day 40-45 miles 'grinder pace' - really try to keep your pace up (but not crazy). This is also a good time to feel out what your target finish time might be for the 56. Are you likely to do 5 hours, 4 hours, 6?
Event week - We're cruising in to the event.
Monday or Tuesday - 20 miles one of the two days. Easy ride
Wednesday or Thursday - 30 miles, a little faster
Friday - off. Change tires if you need to.
Saturday - 25-30 miles, then clean bike, lube chain, but try not to adjust anything!
Sunday - Event day!
If you've been diligent with the program above, you'll have no problem riding 56 miles. If you started with good intentions, but came up short, you might look at cutting the course, maybe lopping off a hill, or one of the loops. You can figure 1/3 of your weekly miles as a rough guess of what you can safely do.
I'll do another training article next month with some specific ideas on food and drink.
Ride safe. Wear your helmet.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Riding gravel - mud...
 |
| Source: CXMagazine.com -- USA Cycling 2015 Nationals |
A lot depends on the geology, geography, and who maintains the road. In parts of the country, gravel roads are no different wet or dry, except that a little more grit gets kicked up when it's wet.
in other regions, 'gravel' is just a code word for clay with a little native rock mixed in. And trying to ride these is, well, interesting. More like trying to ride road slicks on ice, covered in cooking oil, And then there's your average "B" road along the edge of Farmer Brown's bottom 40, where tractors dare not tread in the rainy season. THAT is serious mud in any context.
Most promoters are going to avoid more than a short stretch of this stuff - at least if they want people to come back to their event again. You can't always avoid it, and a little makes for great stories about epic struggles and adventures "There I was. My shoe was at the bottom of a sucking hole, I'm up to my ass in the stuff, and Monica goes riding by like it's just no big deal..." A lot makes for death marches, broken gear, and a plan to find something else to do that weekend next year.
So what do you do to survive the stuff? Three tips -
PAM cooking spray on your bottom bracket, fork crown, pedals and other spots where mud typically clings. This really will help keep it from building up quite as much, and will wash off pretty easily.
Good fenders (and PAM the undersides!). Fenders will make your ride cleaner and drier, and make you much more popular with anyone riding behind you.
If you *know* there's going to be a lot of mud, go with a more aggressive open tread, like a Challenge Grifo. The bigger blocks are slower, but shed mud much better.
The rest of it is experience. In order to be good at riding mud, you need to ride mud. It's all about learning where to be, when you can ride the center between the puddles, and when you should ride through the slop. It's quickly sizing up the mudhole and realizing that it's hub deep, sticky, and there's no way to ride it. When that happens, look for the 'dry line' if it exists - the spots that look a little drier or less trampled, maybe a bit higher, or have a little grass to hold them together. Or check for the wet line - where it may be a deeper hole, but it's wet sand instead of mud. Or look for the sneak path through adjacent field. Not that I condone tromping a farmer's crop, but maybe there's a line up on the grass verve that can be walked without being knee deep in the slime.
And don't forget to have a wash cloth, towel and a gallon of water in your car for cleaning up after the finish. A quick wipe down, towel off and warm, dry clothes can really make the difference between a memorable day and a miserable one. And you can use any leftover water to sluice off the worst from your bike before you put it in/on the car. An appropriate beverage and some good food help a lot as well. Especially if you have those "So there I was..." stories to share!
Savor the mud - just in moderation!
~marsh
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Fall Riding
Fall is a great time of year to get out on bikes for a few last rides. It's difficult to pass up days when the air is getting crisper, leaves are brilliantly colored, and there are far fewer people on the trails in the metro. This morning was such a day - 45 degrees, with the expectation that it would warm to 65 or so. Doug and I started out at Hopkins on the Minnesota River Bluffs trail, and with the exception of a couple of missed turns (like where the map shows the trail going under the road, but the trail actually goes up and across the 4 lane on an overpass), we had a great ride. Easy "slow-roll" pace, good conversation, nice scenery - the perfect way to spend an October Sunday morning.
Riding the hard packed limestone trails of Minneapolis doesn't really require any sort of special tires. You could do it just fine on 23mm road tires, but I can tell you without question that the wider tires like Clement MSOs, or [my favorite] Challenge Gravel Grinders are the cat's pajamas. The Challenge GGs are great at 45-48psi(3bar) - I had them pumped too high on my last ride, and they didn't feel nearly as smooth. At 3bar, they absolutely float over gravel and bumps.
Fall riding is a time for easy distance, conversational speed, maybe a nice cup of coffee along the way. It's too cold to paddle, too warm to ski, and too noisy to hike. It's a great time of the year.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Miesville Redux, a Gent's Ride - June 8
All, I'm guilty of not getting a posting out recently with any updates, information or, well, anything. It's paddling season, and I'm up to my ears in kayak race team projects, so this may be the last gravel ride I do until after mid-August.
Anyway... Miesville Redux is happening Sunday, June 8 at 8:00 AM, departing from the Miesville Ball Field, and returning to the same about 3 hours later. The route should be in really good shape, no glaciers this time. It could be a bit muddy depending on the weather, so be prepared!
A few rules:
Rules -
No grumpy people allowed
Have a good time
Be gentle men and women out there
Wear your freaking helmet. If you don't want to wear one, don't show up on my rides.
Don't pee in the ballfield bushes, people's yards, or in front of them.
Tip well at Kings - they are nice people.
Introduce new people
Have fun
When: 8:00 AM, Sunday June 8, 2014
Where: Miesville ballpark (if there's something going on, park to the right of the ball field, there's plenty of parking back there
Distance: about 40 miles (if you want to go longer, there's an easy lap option of the best part of the course)
Cost: nada, zilch, zippo, zero
What do you get? a fun ride
A few rules:
Rules -
No grumpy people allowed
Have a good time
Be gentle men and women out there
Wear your freaking helmet. If you don't want to wear one, don't show up on my rides.
Don't pee in the ballfield bushes, people's yards, or in front of them.
Tip well at Kings - they are nice people.
Introduce new people
Have fun
When: 8:00 AM, Sunday June 8, 2014
Where: Miesville ballpark (if there's something going on, park to the right of the ball field, there's plenty of parking back there
Distance: about 40 miles (if you want to go longer, there's an easy lap option of the best part of the course)
Cost: nada, zilch, zippo, zero
What do you get? a fun ride
Maps, turn lists, GPS files are here:
See you Sunday!
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Well isn't that embarrassing - Miesville Redux (date change) June 8
I've no idea what I was thinking, but I realized that I have a commitment on June 7, and rather than tell y'all to go ride anyway, I'm going to take the liberty that comes with putting on a ride, and CHANGE THE DATE.
Chris C - you can now ride!
Miesville Redux - JUNE 8 - that's EIGHT, no longer on Saturday, it's now SUNDAY.
What an idiot;)
Chris C - you can now ride!
Miesville Redux - JUNE 8 - that's EIGHT, no longer on Saturday, it's now SUNDAY.
What an idiot;)
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Recap: Trailhead Cycles 32/22 Grinder
Saturday morning rolled around bright and sunny, and I drove off to find the start of the 32/22 Grinder presented by Trailhead Cycle. There were about 30 folks showed up for what was a pretty low key event to benefit the Maple Grove/Champlin Park high school mountain bike team. I'm good with that.
Sean (course architect and director) made the usual announcements and we were off. I wound up in the first few riders, the pace was good, and everyone knew how to ride in a group. Life is good.
The course took us out through NW Anoka County, which is part of the "Anoka Sand Plain" geologic feature. For those used to SW Minnesota and the bluff country, or even the barrens of St Croix country, I can sum up the region in two words - pretty flat. That doesn't mean there are no rises or surprises. For the most part, the roads were in great shape - hard pack, unsullied by the spring grader, and very rideable. The previous week's rain did create a few soft spots, but nothing difficult, and no sand pits. The open farmland scenery is interspersed with clusters of 'McMansions' (and a few real ones), but for the most part, it's still farmland.
For about 16 miles, we rolled along at a nice pace - around 18mph, and I'm feeling pretty good to be able to stay with these guys, most of whom are a lot younger and a whole lot fitter. And then around mile 17, some clown came to the front, upped the pace about .5mph, and I was hanging on by a thread. Actually, the 'clown' was a nice guy whose name I never got, but who happily pulled the rest of the way. After that, I came unhooked on every hill, and chased back on the descents and flats. At about 2 miles to go, I made contact for the last time, and the rubber band snapped. I rode the rest of the way in with Sean, finishing the ride in under 2 hours.
SO what did I learn? This was my first real gravel outing on the Auger+. I like it... I never felt any push/wash/twitch out of the bike, it sucked up the road chatter really well, and if I had to drive thru potholes, it did so without issue. Just a bike, which lines up nicely with their marketing.
I was really excited about the way the Challenge Almanzos hooked up on the road surface. Probably not the right tire for everything (what is?), but they were definitely right for the surfaces on there. I drove them pretty hard into a couple of corners, particularly late in the ride and never felt anything but solid connection. My sense is that Challenge's high thread count carcass combined with latex tubes and HED C2 rims all contribute to a really smooth ride. I ran them at 4bar pressure, which could've even gone a bit lower..
Too soon to really form opinions on the new Garmin. It worked great, but the 'factory mount' while simple and elegant is not easy to read the display. I need to get a KCNC or Kedge extension mount to get it out in front a little further.
Looking forward to the next gravel adventure. Miesville Gents on June 7, if not sooner.
~marsh
Sean (course architect and director) made the usual announcements and we were off. I wound up in the first few riders, the pace was good, and everyone knew how to ride in a group. Life is good.
The course took us out through NW Anoka County, which is part of the "Anoka Sand Plain" geologic feature. For those used to SW Minnesota and the bluff country, or even the barrens of St Croix country, I can sum up the region in two words - pretty flat. That doesn't mean there are no rises or surprises. For the most part, the roads were in great shape - hard pack, unsullied by the spring grader, and very rideable. The previous week's rain did create a few soft spots, but nothing difficult, and no sand pits. The open farmland scenery is interspersed with clusters of 'McMansions' (and a few real ones), but for the most part, it's still farmland.
For about 16 miles, we rolled along at a nice pace - around 18mph, and I'm feeling pretty good to be able to stay with these guys, most of whom are a lot younger and a whole lot fitter. And then around mile 17, some clown came to the front, upped the pace about .5mph, and I was hanging on by a thread. Actually, the 'clown' was a nice guy whose name I never got, but who happily pulled the rest of the way. After that, I came unhooked on every hill, and chased back on the descents and flats. At about 2 miles to go, I made contact for the last time, and the rubber band snapped. I rode the rest of the way in with Sean, finishing the ride in under 2 hours.
SO what did I learn? This was my first real gravel outing on the Auger+. I like it... I never felt any push/wash/twitch out of the bike, it sucked up the road chatter really well, and if I had to drive thru potholes, it did so without issue. Just a bike, which lines up nicely with their marketing.
I was really excited about the way the Challenge Almanzos hooked up on the road surface. Probably not the right tire for everything (what is?), but they were definitely right for the surfaces on there. I drove them pretty hard into a couple of corners, particularly late in the ride and never felt anything but solid connection. My sense is that Challenge's high thread count carcass combined with latex tubes and HED C2 rims all contribute to a really smooth ride. I ran them at 4bar pressure, which could've even gone a bit lower..
Too soon to really form opinions on the new Garmin. It worked great, but the 'factory mount' while simple and elegant is not easy to read the display. I need to get a KCNC or Kedge extension mount to get it out in front a little further.
Looking forward to the next gravel adventure. Miesville Gents on June 7, if not sooner.
~marsh
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Miesville Redux - Gent's Ride - June 8
Since there doesn't appear to be anything on the calendar on June 8, I'm going to offer up the Miesville Redux - a 40 mile "gent's ride" (for genteel ladies as well). The course will be up in the next week or so, but count on it hitting the 'best bits' of the Miesville Grinder, including stopping at King's after. The idea of a gent's ride is that people will start out together, and generally stay as a group for the first half of the ride. That means waiting at the tops of climbs, floating back to check on folks who are stopped/drifting backwards, and generally making it a social occasion instead of a typical testosterone filled 'I can hurt worse than you can' event.
Once we hit the top of Miesville Ravine, you are on your own. A couple of downhills, a couple of good climbs, and done. Nobody's going to take times, sweep the course, or anything of the sort. This is just for fun and gravel.
Also, no signup this time. Just show up.
Rules -
Have a good time
Be gentle men and women out there
Wear your freaking helmet. If you don't want to wear one, don't show up on my rides.
Don't pee in people's yards or in front of them
Tip well at Kings - they are nice people.
Introduce new people
Have fun
When: 8:00 AM, Sunday June 8, 2014
Where: Miesville ballpark (if there's something going on, park to the right of the ball field, there's plenty of parking back there
Distance: about 40 miles (if you want to go longer, there's an easy lap option of the best part of the course)
Cost: nada, zilch, zippo, zero
What do you get? a fun ride
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
YouTube ramblings - ten videos that have almost nothing to do with anything
You know. You do it too. Everyone does it. And it feels good...
Start with one simple "I remember when [insert band] did 'x'", find it on YouTube, and then let free association (plus YouTube suggestions) steer you around until you've wasted a whole cold, rainy evening. And unless you were supposed to be finishing a project or studying for exams, you are usually better off than if you'd spent the evening with your face glued to the TV.
So let's begin:
Start with one simple "I remember when [insert band] did 'x'", find it on YouTube, and then let free association (plus YouTube suggestions) steer you around until you've wasted a whole cold, rainy evening. And unless you were supposed to be finishing a project or studying for exams, you are usually better off than if you'd spent the evening with your face glued to the TV.
So let's begin:
- The Weight - now it's without question that The Band did *the* best version in the film The Last Waltz, but a sidebar search finds Gillian Welch and Old Crow Medicine Show doing a great cover.
- Loretta - an old Townes Van Zandt song covered by Gillian Welch, David Rawlings and Norah Jones
- For a dancer - the Jackson Browne hit covered by James Dupre
- E3 Harelbeke - no, it's not a song. It's one of the spring classics bike races, another opportunity for the hard men to shine.
- Road Bike Party 2 - Martyn Ashton (and friends) incredible stunt riding on a _road bike_
- Red Bull Planica 400m - What do you do with a ski jump hill in the summertime? Race *up* it. What else?
- And over the mountains
- Down the gentle river at the Adidas Sickline
- And on flatwater with the Hungarian K4 at the London Olympics
- And what tour would be complete without Guilty Dogs???
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Foundry Auger "Plus" - first impressions
Finally. The bike is all together, the bars wrapped, cables trimmed and everything torque checked and adjusted. And today was the first real ride.
We did a 30 mile road ride this morning, with a fairly consistent 15-20mph wind blowing out of the southeast, some moderate hills, and pretty good pavement. No gravel though.
If you noticed in the title, this isn't a plain Foundry Auger. I didn't particularly care for the flex I felt in the Whisky 7 fork (your mileage may vary considerably). I'll put up with a little more bump/buzz/whatever to have steering and braking that I can absolutely rely upon, and I just didn't get the feel I wanted on the stock frame. Also, since this is a disc project, I wanted thru-axle. It works well for MTB, why not use it here as well? If you've read my other post, I talk at some length about component choices, so I won't rehash that. Suffice to say that I was pleased with the way everything came together. I did swap out the Challenge Almanzos for Challenge Parigi Roubaixs for the next few road rides. Sweet tires. They feel like a great sewup, with great road feel, and really soak up the cracks and bumps. Probably the only downside is mounting them for the first time. Challenge open tubulars (like this) are very interesting to mount, and really take strong thumbs and persistence. I wound up cheating and using a quikstik to get them popped on. My experience is that they'll stretch a little bit, and subsequent mountings on the HED Belgium+ rims will be much easier. Also, I'm running Challenge latex tubes, which contribute to the great feel. Oh yeah - 85psi today. Will try them at 80psi as well.
So about riding. My ultimate comparison points for any bike are my old Raleigh Derby 531, and our Huffy Serotta. Both of these bikes were great to ride. Comfortable for a long day in the saddle, predicatable diving into criterium corners or descending off Mt Rainier at 50+mph. Just_a_bike. No quirks, no tricks, no overlap, easy to service, all those things. And (I think) the Auger lives up to that standard - just a bike - which actually aligns quite nicely with the marketing literature. It climbs pretty well, is laterally very stiff, but even on a couple of rough stretches of pavement, no twitches in steering or any fun things like that. And I love, love, love the disc brakes. Crosswinds are a real telling point, too. A bike with 'classic Italian geometry' is a real handful in a crosswind, but the Auger settled right in. Even dealing with puffs coming from gaps in hedgerows, it was predicatble, and a little lean was all it took to keep straight. Just a bike. And I did press hard into a couple of corners, and it sat on the line I asked for like it was on a rail.
In short, darn pleased for a first ride. I'm looking forward to how it behaves on gravel, but I suspect it will do just fine.
~marsh
We did a 30 mile road ride this morning, with a fairly consistent 15-20mph wind blowing out of the southeast, some moderate hills, and pretty good pavement. No gravel though.
If you noticed in the title, this isn't a plain Foundry Auger. I didn't particularly care for the flex I felt in the Whisky 7 fork (your mileage may vary considerably). I'll put up with a little more bump/buzz/whatever to have steering and braking that I can absolutely rely upon, and I just didn't get the feel I wanted on the stock frame. Also, since this is a disc project, I wanted thru-axle. It works well for MTB, why not use it here as well? If you've read my other post, I talk at some length about component choices, so I won't rehash that. Suffice to say that I was pleased with the way everything came together. I did swap out the Challenge Almanzos for Challenge Parigi Roubaixs for the next few road rides. Sweet tires. They feel like a great sewup, with great road feel, and really soak up the cracks and bumps. Probably the only downside is mounting them for the first time. Challenge open tubulars (like this) are very interesting to mount, and really take strong thumbs and persistence. I wound up cheating and using a quikstik to get them popped on. My experience is that they'll stretch a little bit, and subsequent mountings on the HED Belgium+ rims will be much easier. Also, I'm running Challenge latex tubes, which contribute to the great feel. Oh yeah - 85psi today. Will try them at 80psi as well.
So about riding. My ultimate comparison points for any bike are my old Raleigh Derby 531, and our Huffy Serotta. Both of these bikes were great to ride. Comfortable for a long day in the saddle, predicatable diving into criterium corners or descending off Mt Rainier at 50+mph. Just_a_bike. No quirks, no tricks, no overlap, easy to service, all those things. And (I think) the Auger lives up to that standard - just a bike - which actually aligns quite nicely with the marketing literature. It climbs pretty well, is laterally very stiff, but even on a couple of rough stretches of pavement, no twitches in steering or any fun things like that. And I love, love, love the disc brakes. Crosswinds are a real telling point, too. A bike with 'classic Italian geometry' is a real handful in a crosswind, but the Auger settled right in. Even dealing with puffs coming from gaps in hedgerows, it was predicatble, and a little lean was all it took to keep straight. Just a bike. And I did press hard into a couple of corners, and it sat on the line I asked for like it was on a rail.
In short, darn pleased for a first ride. I'm looking forward to how it behaves on gravel, but I suspect it will do just fine.
~marsh
Monday, April 14, 2014
Some final thoughts about the Miesville Grinder
Thank you to everyone who came and made it a fun day. King's Place invited us back for next year already! I hope everyone had a fun ride, found a little new scenery and got a good warmup for the Mammoth, Almanzo, Dickie Scramble or whatever your next event is. Even though I didn't get to ride my own event, I had a lot of fun bopping around the course taking pictures. I apologize if I didn't get your picture in the album. I tried to grab as many as possible, but I recognize that there are more of the leaders than the back end.
We had a pretty good turnout, especially considering the conditions. I counted 70-72 riders, which isn't bad on a 100 rider registration. I discussed this some after the ride, and there does seem to be a bout a 30-40% 'no show' rate on free races. I'd assumed without dollars committed, the social contract would be less firm, and I think that is the case. Some thought needs to go into this aspect of gravel riding and the 'free' ethos.
I was pretty irritated to see someone riding without a helmet. I'll say it again, and I hate to be blunt, but - if you come to an event that I put on, wear your helmet. If you have an issue with wearing helmets, please don't bother coming to my events. This is a huge safety item, and regardless of how you feel about it, *I* view it as a safety issue, and important enough that I'm willing to risk your negative feelings about *my* event rather than have you participate. Enough said.
While I was out touring around, taking some side roads and short cuts, I did find a couple of really nice roads that I hadn't ridden on before, and I've already toyed with how to incorporate them without adding a bunch of distance. Trust me - next year will be more of the same and yet with a few improvements!
So we move on and enjoy some other events. Thanks again to everybody who came out and made it a memorable event!
Sunday, April 13, 2014
2014 Miesville Grinder WrapUp
[The 2015 edition of the Miesville gravel event is called the Miesville 56. New and improved promoters, minor tweaks to the route, it'll be great! - ed.]
The 2014 Miesville Grinder is done. On what turned out to be a cool, dry and quite breezy day, we had about 70 riders actually start - which is not bad considering 100 was the cap. I'm not sure how many
actually started - it could've been a few more. We had a few 'possums', a few last minute arrivals, and a few who just didn't get over to register. But I think most folks had a pretty good time.
The roads were in good shape, with some obvious work by Dakota County to grade and fill some of the worst spots (not on our behalf, but thanks anyway!).
The B road section was everything you'd hope. A little gnarly, a little muddy, but generally not too bad. Nicky Terpstra (winner of today's Paris-Roubaix) would've felt right at home on it.
My heartfelt thanks to the riders who braved the elements and came out today. I think King's Place was pretty happy as well. I counted at least 30 people at the tables, on what was probably an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon.
Photos are now up. If you have photos from today, please send me a link and I'll post those as well.
Results... I billed this event as a no fees, no forms, no frills, but at the end of the day results are fun. What I didn't have was a finish line crew to do 'real' results, but I hung around the finish for about 75 minutes after the podium places were decided. Here are the RAW results. There are some obvious errors and glaring omissions. "Possum" is someone who didn't register for a free race. If you have a correction, have a time, but don't know where you finished, want to record yourself as a DNF or any other issues with the results, please feel free to contact me (mnswamp@gmail.com). I'll try to correct the record!
The 2014 Miesville Grinder is done. On what turned out to be a cool, dry and quite breezy day, we had about 70 riders actually start - which is not bad considering 100 was the cap. I'm not sure how many
 |
| Ready to roll out |
The roads were in good shape, with some obvious work by Dakota County to grade and fill some of the worst spots (not on our behalf, but thanks anyway!).
The B road section was everything you'd hope. A little gnarly, a little muddy, but generally not too bad. Nicky Terpstra (winner of today's Paris-Roubaix) would've felt right at home on it.
My heartfelt thanks to the riders who braved the elements and came out today. I think King's Place was pretty happy as well. I counted at least 30 people at the tables, on what was probably an otherwise quiet Sunday afternoon.
Photos are now up. If you have photos from today, please send me a link and I'll post those as well.
Results... I billed this event as a no fees, no forms, no frills, but at the end of the day results are fun. What I didn't have was a finish line crew to do 'real' results, but I hung around the finish for about 75 minutes after the podium places were decided. Here are the RAW results. There are some obvious errors and glaring omissions. "Possum" is someone who didn't register for a free race. If you have a correction, have a time, but don't know where you finished, want to record yourself as a DNF or any other issues with the results, please feel free to contact me (mnswamp@gmail.com). I'll try to correct the record!
~mars
h
| Place | Time | Name | |
| 1 | 3:13:27 | tim norrie | |
| 2 | 3:13:27 | Randall Dietel | |
| 3 | 3:13:27 | nick c vetter | |
| 4 | 3:18:18 | G$ | |
| 5 | 3:29:57 | Jay Henderson | |
| 6 | 3:29:57 | Alex Oenes | |
| 7 | 3:29:57 | Pete Schow | |
| 8 | 3:29:57 | Jill Gaulding | |
| 9 | 3:31:53 | Andrew folpe | |
| 10 | 3:31:53 | Dan Gaz | |
| 11 | 3:33:19 | Steven Yore | |
| 12 | 3:37:08 | Johnny Woodside | |
| 13 | 3:37:28 | devin palmer | |
| 14 | 3:39:41 | Pete Morey | |
| 15 | 3:39:41 | dave bucholz | |
| 16 | 3:40:52 | Bill Stuber | |
| 17 | 4:00:36 | Troy peterson | |
| 18 | 4:01:23 | bob schwartz | |
| 19 | 4:02:47 | Thomas Eibner | |
| 20 | 4:06:47 | chris petersen | |
| 21 | 4:07:02 | Stuart Raymond | |
| 22 | 4:07:09 | Adam Turman | |
| 23 | 4:07:09 | Ben McCoy | |
| 24 | 4:07:34 | Rob Glieden | |
| 25 | 4:08:42 | Mike Mason | |
| 26 | 4:08:50 | jeff ingram | |
| 27 | 4:08:50 | tess hohman | |
| 28 | 4:11:06 | alex anderson | |
| 29 | 4:11:16 | Paul | |
| 30 | 4:11:16 | Rigel Menard | |
| 31 | 4:20:00 | Joel Raygor | |
| 32 | 4:20:00 | Tony Thomas | |
| 33 | 4:20:00 | trenton raygor | |
| 34 | 4:32:55 | Tim Peissig | |
| 35 | 4:32:55 | John Powell | |
| 36 | 4:36:00 | Sveta Kovalchuk | |
| 37 | 4:36:00 | Julia Winkels | |
| 38 | 4:36:30 | Shaun Flynn | |
| 39 | 6:00:00 | Jack Rayburn (co-Lantern Rouge) | |
| 40 | 6:00:00 | Tom Engstrom (co-Lantern Rouge) | |
| 1 | 2:37:28 | Ross weinzierl (40K) |
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Almost nearly a bike!
|
| Ritchey WCS tape, plus underwrap of Cinelli cork on tops |
- Dry fit bars, stem, brifters
- Set stack height to same as existing favorite bike
- Balance on bike to try it out.
- Add 2 5mm spacers on top of stem, just to make sure
- Disassemble
- Cut steerer (ever cut the steerer on a $600 fork? It's a little daunting.)
- Figure out cable runs, end fittings
- Realize that XT derailleurs don't have an adjuster
- Get in-line adjusters from LBS (thanks NOW)
- Decide where to put said adjusters
- trim cable housing
- install all the bits
- tweak until it's right
- tweak a little more
- tape and tie in place
- install cable
- stretch, adjust
- set brakes (TRP Hy/Rd - easiest setup EVER!)
- adjust derailleurs
- Double check torque on stem, seatpost, crank, pedals, brakes
- Go for short ride!!!
And so I did. Only about a mile, but a little climbing, descending, corners, braking. Initial impressions are that "it's just a bike" - which is high praise. I won't have to learn any weird twitches or tweaks. I will have to learn the brakes. They stop better than cantis - or calipers for that matter. I do have to take a couple of links out of the chain - not used to the amount of takeup and stretch an 11-36 has and I mis-judged. And I have to wrap the bars and clip/end cap cables.
But it's quiet and quick and not too bad for weight. I can't wait to ride on gravel!
BTW, Challenge is providing me a set of Paris-Roubaix tires, and a pair of their new Gravel Grinders. Watch for a future writeup on both! I love my Almanzos, but I hate burning them up on road, so I'll be flippping back and forth!
 |
| Pardon me while I gush. Whiskey 9 thru axle fork, TRP Hy/Rd brakes, Hope EVO Pro 2 hub, Sapim CX Ray spokes, HED Belgium rims, Challenge Almanzo tires |
 |
| Shimano XT 9 spd derailleur, XT 11-36 cassette, Shimano 9000 cables |
 |
| Ritchey WCS Stem, Cowbell 2 44cm bars, Ultegra 6700 brifters |
 |
| FSA Gossamer 36-46 crankset, Shimano XTR pedals, Ritchey WCS post, Selle Italia saddle |
Mielsville Grinder Update #7
I emailed MN Bike Trail Navigator's Chris Chavie to do a quick recon on the B-road glacier, and I'm happy to report we're going for it. Barring a severe storm tonight that dumps feet of rain, the road is soft, muddy in spots, but passable. Chris suggests MTB and Fatboys will do fine. I think a lot of CX riders will do as well. It will test your skills for a hundred yards or so.
Hopefully everyone has figured out that tomorrow will be somewhat cool and maybe a bit damp. I'd love to draw analogies between riding Miesville and riding Paris-Roubaix, but alas. Paris-Roubaix will be 60 and only a slight chance of precip. I still have mental images of hard men in wool sorts, all a uniform sort of brown from riding PB in the wet. Maybe we'll get some good pictures here tomorrw!
See you in the morning!
~mj
See you in the morning!
~mj
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Miesville Grinder Update #6
We are good to go! Only 66 hours until we head out on a small adventure... Without jinxing us, the forecast is shaping up to be mid-40s and cloudy with a northerly breeze. Just pretend it's Tour of Flanders with the wind coming off the North Sea.
A couple of last minute points. Bathrooms may be open, (and probably will be) but space is still a bit limited. If you have a choice, go before you get there! Otherwise, King's or the gas station may be accessible too.
Parking is at the ball field. It's going to be a bit tight, so please park responsibly, and make SURE you don't block the public works building access! (very bad karma). No parking at the church either. If we get in an overflow, there's some space in the field behind the ball field (better spot for hiding to change, too); otherwise if you ask you can park behind the gas station.
There are one or two (or maybe 3) confusing intersections if you don't pay attention.
- Lewiston -> 205th -> Lewiston ---- maybe not that bad, but somebody is bound to try and go the wrong way.
- Lewiston -> 220th ->Goodwin->220th ---- Don't miss the turn to 220th. If you get to the big arrow in the sky, you just missed it.
- 220th -> Inga. ---- If you are going 56 -- TURN LEFT. This is where the 40s TURN RIGHT!.
- 220th -> Inga - Deja Vu. ---- You suddenly get the sense you've been here before. TURN LEFT!
- Inga ---- The 'b-road'. Hopefully there's a path through the glacier. It hasn't rained much, so there may still be a snowy spot or two. Enjoy the challenge, but please stay out of the farm fields!
- Inga -> 280th - 40 riders take note. The turn list omits the bend to the left and treats it as a continuation. Bad turnlist. Bad! According to the turn list, you'll go about 13.9 miles without turning off of Inga. Just follow the road.
After that, just watch out for wildlife (turkeys, deer, possum, skunk) and enjoy the ride.
A couple of last minute points. Bathrooms may be open, (and probably will be) but space is still a bit limited. If you have a choice, go before you get there! Otherwise, King's or the gas station may be accessible too.
Parking is at the ball field. It's going to be a bit tight, so please park responsibly, and make SURE you don't block the public works building access! (very bad karma). No parking at the church either. If we get in an overflow, there's some space in the field behind the ball field (better spot for hiding to change, too); otherwise if you ask you can park behind the gas station.
There are one or two (or maybe 3) confusing intersections if you don't pay attention.
- Lewiston -> 205th -> Lewiston ---- maybe not that bad, but somebody is bound to try and go the wrong way.
- Lewiston -> 220th ->Goodwin->220th ---- Don't miss the turn to 220th. If you get to the big arrow in the sky, you just missed it.
- 220th -> Inga. ---- If you are going 56 -- TURN LEFT. This is where the 40s TURN RIGHT!.
- 220th -> Inga - Deja Vu. ---- You suddenly get the sense you've been here before. TURN LEFT!
- Inga ---- The 'b-road'. Hopefully there's a path through the glacier. It hasn't rained much, so there may still be a snowy spot or two. Enjoy the challenge, but please stay out of the farm fields!
- Inga -> 280th - 40 riders take note. The turn list omits the bend to the left and treats it as a continuation. Bad turnlist. Bad! According to the turn list, you'll go about 13.9 miles without turning off of Inga. Just follow the road.
After that, just watch out for wildlife (turkeys, deer, possum, skunk) and enjoy the ride.
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Miesville Grinder Update #5
Morning Y'all.
I did a brief course recon on the trouble spots this morning, and it's good news. It looks like the south metro got significantly less snow (or it all blew sideways) than we did in the north. So unless something changes, we should be full course - with one possible exception - the B road.
We walked the B road section this morning, and it's got one spot that is - and I kid you not - a 6' deep snowdrift. There's a gully forming, and if temps hold this week, it will be big enough to ride down, but - be prepared to climb off and run/walk for a few yards in sloppy conditions!
I've had several queries about tire advice. My advice - wider gravel tires. I think cyclocross riders would be fine on 28-30mm nail treads, but if you have the option of a slightly wider tire (like a Challenge Chicane, Gravel Grinder or similar), you might opt for that. This morning the course was firm but not rock hard. Be kind to your fellow riders and clip on a fender if you have one.
On my soap box for a moment. This ride is through 'rural' Dakota County farmland, but there is a bit of residential traffic (and residences) along some of these roads. Also there are two golf courses adjacent to the course, so PLEASE RIDE friendly and cautiously, even if the locals and golfers don't! This means:
Otherwise, please just ride with your wits about you and have a good ride! This stuff is fun.
I did a brief course recon on the trouble spots this morning, and it's good news. It looks like the south metro got significantly less snow (or it all blew sideways) than we did in the north. So unless something changes, we should be full course - with one possible exception - the B road.
 |
| Turn on Lewiston from 205th - sign missing |
 |
| Lewiston |
 |
| Watch out for the locals! |
 |
| Lewiston -> 220th - if you get to the big flag, you went too far! |
 |
| Deja Vu corner - you'll hit this from both directions |
 |
| It's melted here! |
 |
| The B road |
 |
| Looking back - Will it melt? |
 |
| There is a road, no simple highway |
I've had several queries about tire advice. My advice - wider gravel tires. I think cyclocross riders would be fine on 28-30mm nail treads, but if you have the option of a slightly wider tire (like a Challenge Chicane, Gravel Grinder or similar), you might opt for that. This morning the course was firm but not rock hard. Be kind to your fellow riders and clip on a fender if you have one.
On my soap box for a moment. This ride is through 'rural' Dakota County farmland, but there is a bit of residential traffic (and residences) along some of these roads. Also there are two golf courses adjacent to the course, so PLEASE RIDE friendly and cautiously, even if the locals and golfers don't! This means:
- If you are riding in a group and someone yells car up/back, skinny up to single or double lines, not road packs. The law is no more than 2 abreast and as far to the right as practicable. Please do that.
- Centerline rule is IN EFFECT! (ok, the old cycling commissaire is sneaking its head out here, but there are a lot of narrow roads, blind corners and hilltops that you can't see through, and neither can the cars. Becoming a hood ornament is a lousy way to start the season.
- Wave (with more than one finger) and/or say hi to the locals - they live here, we just ride through. All it takes to ruin a course is one negative encounter, and the event won't grow - it won't even be allowed back!
- Stay out of the farm fields. Those are private property, and tromping around this time of year is really bad. You don't have any idea what's in them, on them, or soon will be - stay out! Oh yeah, and that 2 lane wide gang plow that's moving toward you? Get out of his way - he's working, we're playing.
- It looks like we may have restroom access at the ball field and/or at Kings. Please treat it like it's your own - I have to clean them up!
Otherwise, please just ride with your wits about you and have a good ride! This stuff is fun.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Common sense tips for riding gravel
There's a whole cadre of really experienced gravel/adventure riders out there, and y'all are welcome to chime in with your thoughts. This post is for the new to gravel riders, who maybe are used to doing well organized centuries, club rides and weekend rides with friends - but not 4+ hour totally unsupported, where-the-heck-am-I rides in the puckerbush. (Actually, Miesville isn't puckerbush. Far from it - you are <15 miles from the start no matter where you are on the course, and usually no more than 1/4 mile from somebody's farm.)
So here goes with the tip sheet.
Know where you are - bring turn list, map, GPS, phone - and KNOW HOW TO READ A MAP!!! GPS devices have batteries that die. Phones may not connect and batteries may die. Maps seldom lie. Pay attention to your map and turns even if you are with a group. You may decide to stop for a nature break and the group may not. Keep track of where you are on the course!
Be prepared for the weather - and pay attention to what's coming. If it's 85 degrees, your biggest weather concerns are hydration and sunscreen. If it's 45, a sudden shower can bring on hypothermia. Make sure you have enough clothing to add a layer if you have to stop for a while. (I carry a jacket, stocking cap and long finger gloves on spring rides). No cotton is the first rule. Know your body and the weather is the second. Especially in the spring, be prepared for a sudden storm. If there is any chance of thunderstorms, keep an eye on the horizon - especially behind you! Spring storms can travel at 40+mph, and bring wind, rain, lightning and hail. Be prepared to find cover quickly if you see one approaching.
Make sure you have enough to eat. If you are used to road rides at 15mph, and view 60 miles as a 4 hour adventure, make sure you have enough food for 5-6 hours of riding. (400 kcal/hour is about right for most people). Eat things that sit well on your stomach, but not simple sugar based food (like candy and pop). These cause an insulin rush followed by a crash. The exception - Shot blocks or gel packs are an essential element in dealing with 'the bonk'. Quick calories to consume while your body processes better foods.
Carry enough tools, but don't go crazy. At a minimum 2 tubes, tire irons, patches (none of which you need if you run tubeless), hand pump, optional CO2 inflators, multi-tool, $21 (1 dollar bill makes a dandy boot for a cut tire), a couple of zip ties, quick link for your chain.
Headlight/taillight. It's amazing how much more visible you are when you use these. If it's a gray day, maybe a neon vest, too.
Riding habits. When the going gets rough, you need to ride more lightly. Soften up your elbows, loosen your death grip on the bars, sit lighter on your saddle, and transfer more weight to your hands and feet. And maybe click up a gear harder if you have them. And don't stare at your front wheel. It's not going anywhere, but the bumps it'll hit are up the road in front of you. Keep searching for the smoothest hardest line. I will change lines fairly often as I see patches that look firmer, drier, smoother, or whatever. If you are in deep loose stuff, look at the shoulder and even at grassy strips. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Challenge rollers - go down them as fast as you dare, pedal up as hard as you can without going over redline, and strive for the top. You'll get a quick recovery over the top anyway, so if you can use your momentum to help blast UP that roller, you'll have much less to do to finish it. This can save many minutes on a typical south Minnesota/Iowa rolling farm road, without spending any extra energy.
Final tip. Don't forget to enjoy the ride. There's always going to be someone who has their head down, hammering away and never realizes that they missed a herd of deer, or goats being silly on a farm. They never see the green valleys, classic cars, waving farm kids or talking to the people they were riding with. Which really makes me wonder why they are out here. Much more fun to smell the roses.
Enjoy.
~marsh
So here goes with the tip sheet.
Know where you are - bring turn list, map, GPS, phone - and KNOW HOW TO READ A MAP!!! GPS devices have batteries that die. Phones may not connect and batteries may die. Maps seldom lie. Pay attention to your map and turns even if you are with a group. You may decide to stop for a nature break and the group may not. Keep track of where you are on the course!
Be prepared for the weather - and pay attention to what's coming. If it's 85 degrees, your biggest weather concerns are hydration and sunscreen. If it's 45, a sudden shower can bring on hypothermia. Make sure you have enough clothing to add a layer if you have to stop for a while. (I carry a jacket, stocking cap and long finger gloves on spring rides). No cotton is the first rule. Know your body and the weather is the second. Especially in the spring, be prepared for a sudden storm. If there is any chance of thunderstorms, keep an eye on the horizon - especially behind you! Spring storms can travel at 40+mph, and bring wind, rain, lightning and hail. Be prepared to find cover quickly if you see one approaching.
Make sure you have enough to eat. If you are used to road rides at 15mph, and view 60 miles as a 4 hour adventure, make sure you have enough food for 5-6 hours of riding. (400 kcal/hour is about right for most people). Eat things that sit well on your stomach, but not simple sugar based food (like candy and pop). These cause an insulin rush followed by a crash. The exception - Shot blocks or gel packs are an essential element in dealing with 'the bonk'. Quick calories to consume while your body processes better foods.
Carry enough tools, but don't go crazy. At a minimum 2 tubes, tire irons, patches (none of which you need if you run tubeless), hand pump, optional CO2 inflators, multi-tool, $21 (1 dollar bill makes a dandy boot for a cut tire), a couple of zip ties, quick link for your chain.
Headlight/taillight. It's amazing how much more visible you are when you use these. If it's a gray day, maybe a neon vest, too.
Riding habits. When the going gets rough, you need to ride more lightly. Soften up your elbows, loosen your death grip on the bars, sit lighter on your saddle, and transfer more weight to your hands and feet. And maybe click up a gear harder if you have them. And don't stare at your front wheel. It's not going anywhere, but the bumps it'll hit are up the road in front of you. Keep searching for the smoothest hardest line. I will change lines fairly often as I see patches that look firmer, drier, smoother, or whatever. If you are in deep loose stuff, look at the shoulder and even at grassy strips. Don't be afraid to experiment.
Challenge rollers - go down them as fast as you dare, pedal up as hard as you can without going over redline, and strive for the top. You'll get a quick recovery over the top anyway, so if you can use your momentum to help blast UP that roller, you'll have much less to do to finish it. This can save many minutes on a typical south Minnesota/Iowa rolling farm road, without spending any extra energy.
Final tip. Don't forget to enjoy the ride. There's always going to be someone who has their head down, hammering away and never realizes that they missed a herd of deer, or goats being silly on a farm. They never see the green valleys, classic cars, waving farm kids or talking to the people they were riding with. Which really makes me wonder why they are out here. Much more fun to smell the roses.
Enjoy.
~marsh
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Minor details
And still the process of assembling this new bike goes on. It's amazing all the piddly little tasks that have to get done when you build a bike up 'kit form', knowing that you are going to make some of it up as you go.
Progress today:
Unpackage cables and snake out the old basic Jagwire. Realize that Shimano's slick, sweet, bloody spendy 9000 derailleur cable kit includes 2 inner derailleur cables, but only 1.2 outer cables. Yup - they assume all bikes have a partial cable for the front derailleur. Clue stick time. I'm hoping that one of the pro level shops here in town stocks that housing, not just the kits. Cheap b@strds.
Realize that in order to really do my setups, like measuring cables, I need to stand on two wheels. I've got a pair of Challenge Almanzos all set to go on the bike, but I need rim strips. *@&#!$. Not just any rim strip - it's gotta be a wider one... No, I'm NOT using gorilla tape. Ever clean that stuff off? And no, I'm not setting them up tubeless until I get a second set of wheels so I can have two sets of tires mounted.
So tonight was spent doing the piddly stuff - like putting anti-seize on Ti bolts, torquing brake rotors, taking measurements off my existing bike in order to duplicate them on the new one - stuff that occupies time.
~marsh
Progress today:
Unpackage cables and snake out the old basic Jagwire. Realize that Shimano's slick, sweet, bloody spendy 9000 derailleur cable kit includes 2 inner derailleur cables, but only 1.2 outer cables. Yup - they assume all bikes have a partial cable for the front derailleur. Clue stick time. I'm hoping that one of the pro level shops here in town stocks that housing, not just the kits. Cheap b@strds.
Realize that in order to really do my setups, like measuring cables, I need to stand on two wheels. I've got a pair of Challenge Almanzos all set to go on the bike, but I need rim strips. *@&#!$. Not just any rim strip - it's gotta be a wider one... No, I'm NOT using gorilla tape. Ever clean that stuff off? And no, I'm not setting them up tubeless until I get a second set of wheels so I can have two sets of tires mounted.
So tonight was spent doing the piddly stuff - like putting anti-seize on Ti bolts, torquing brake rotors, taking measurements off my existing bike in order to duplicate them on the new one - stuff that occupies time.
~marsh
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
It's a bike! (well almost)
I'm closing in on completing my build. Bits and pieces dribble in, I find more little quirks (like Whiskey 9 forks are set for 140mm rotors), and little odds & ends like that. but mostly - it looks like a bike now.
Handlebars, brakes and cables came in today. I'm splurging on cables and using Shimano BC 9000, which are supposed to be absolutely the cat's meow.
The wheels are built, true to <.005", and within 50 newtons variance across all spokes. I love working with HED rims. This is the 3rd and a half set I've built, and I definitely put them in the 'stuff that works' category.
By the weekend, dial in the cockpit, disassemble so I can cut the fork - talk about a non-reversible task, and then reassemble everything with lots of lube where lube needs to be, locktite where it needs to go, and maybe get to go for a ride.
Handlebars, brakes and cables came in today. I'm splurging on cables and using Shimano BC 9000, which are supposed to be absolutely the cat's meow.
The wheels are built, true to <.005", and within 50 newtons variance across all spokes. I love working with HED rims. This is the 3rd and a half set I've built, and I definitely put them in the 'stuff that works' category.
By the weekend, dial in the cockpit, disassemble so I can cut the fork - talk about a non-reversible task, and then reassemble everything with lots of lube where lube needs to be, locktite where it needs to go, and maybe get to go for a ride.
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