Let's all be more friendly

I'm trying to get my head around the behavior of  cyclists in Connecticut, or perhaps this is a larger New England phenomenon.  The situation - I'm poking along on a commuter bike or 3-speed laden with groceries and someone kitted up rides by me on the left.  First issue - no verbal communication that they are about to pass on the left, which is a straight up safety issue.  Secondly - more of a pet peeve - they don't even say hello.  I try toss a cheerful howdy as they churn away, and some can't even be bothered to say hi even then.

Seriously.  What's up with that?  This occurred three times this this summer, and I was on a different bike each time.  First occurrence was on Silver Lane at the intersection with Main Street.  I was on my 3-speed Schwinn Traveler with baskets full of groceries and stopped waiting for the light to change.  As the light turned green and I stepped on the pedals, I was passed by a road cyclist going full speed just as I crossed the stop line.  Not even an "on your left" to give warning that I was about to be shelled in the middle of an intersection.  Not cool.  What if I was a drunk homeless guy?  I could have swerved left and caused serious harm as I wobbled my way up to speed.  For your own safety, announce your passes.

The second occurrence was on Main Street, approaching Silver Lane.  Poking along on my Schwinn Super le Tour built up as a single speed fendered commuter complete with rack and panniers, I was passed by an older fellow out on his daily constitutional.  He blew by with no "on your left" and I decided to catch up and say hi.  He proceeded to take a right at the next red light, turn left into a store parking lot, and continue straight.  The maneuver was all sorts of awkward and dangerous.  He was very intent on not stopping, but was a bit sheepish about blowing the light.

The latest happened tonight.  While riding out to meet up with a friend to ride in Manchester, again on Silver Lane - actually Spencer Street on the Manchester side.  Damn that street, it was the only common factor aside from males riding road bikes. On my Kona commuter bike with panniers I was heading up a hill and a fellow ripped by.  I said hiya.  He ignored me.  At that point I decided that I was confused and needed to go to the internets to help me clear things up.

I don't think it's cranky of me to expect at minimum a verbal communication (or bell) from a cyclist approaching and passing on the left.  Unlike cars, many bikes don't make any noise at all.  I also might not see you with a quick glance over my left shoulder as you could be directly behind me.

Above and beyond, I will also think better of you as a human for saying hello.  In my opinion greeting fellow cyclists in the otherwise bike commuter sparse Connecticut helps build cohesion in the community and in my personal experience makes the ride more pleasant.  When we, cyclists, are regularly in danger on roads not designed for cyclist safety, those personal connections and pleasantries with our human powered compatriots keep things positive.

Does this guy look like a jerk?  Very excited to say hello.  

Wise Beat Bike Blog readers - I welcome your comments and tales of personal experience.  Do I just look like someone that should be shunned and passed as quickly as possible?  I have included a recent photo for folks that don't know me personally.  I'm on a commuter bike wearing something not unlike the stuff I would wear to work or on local commutes.   Do you say hello or make a point of announcing your pass when you come across a fellow cyclist or bike commuter?

Did a quick Google on this since I'm sure that this isn't the first time it has been considered.  Appears that it isn't just a Northeast thing.

• Adventure Journal Article
• Bicycle Style Spokane

Read more!

Salvaging cartridge bearings in an orphan headset

For machines that have been essentially unchanged for the past several decades, bicycles suffer from a remarkable amount of planned obsolescence. Today's case in point: the threaded headset.

I've ranted about this in the past, the fact that most of the bikes I see in use on the street have threaded headsets, yet most bike shops don't even keep them in stock. The industry prefers that you buy a complete new bike with a 1 1/8 threadless headset and abandon your aging-but-otherwise-serviceable ride. If your headset has ball bearings and the bearing surfaces aren't damaged, you can renew a tired headset with a fresh set of balls and some grease. If your headset has cartridge bearings, you may not be so lucky, but there's still hope. Here's how I went about it:

My gently-used Breezer Venturi road bike, circa 1995, still had its original 1" threaded carbon fiber fork and Shimano 600 cartridge-bearing headset. I decided to retire the OE fork due to suspicious surface crazing and my general distrust toward carbon of advanced age and unknown provenance. While swapping on a replacement fork, I found the cartridge bearings were lacking a bit in the smooth department. Actually, the top bearing still felt pretty silky, while the bottom cartridge felt downright crusty-- not surprising given the added load and dirt the bottom end of a headset sees on a fender-less bicycle.

A few days of searching showed the bearings to be made of high-grade unobtainium, although there were a few complete new-old stock 600 headsets to be found. While I was chatting with the mechanics at the Bicycle Cellar, one of them suggested that I might be able to pry apart the cartridges and repack them. He was right!

Top left: complete cartridge. Everywhere else: races and retainer from disassembled cartridge.

I started by gingerly prying the assembly apart with an old, well-worn putty knife. This revealed within each cartridge 18 balls held in place by nylon retainers.



Removal of the bearings/retainers revealed very slight pitting (shiny spots, really) on the bearing surfaces-- and also cracked the retainers. I mitigated both problems by installing loose bearings without retainers. I learned this cheapskate trick from Sheldon Brown-- the lack of retainers means you can install more ball bearings and that they will no longer line up with the tiny dents in the old bearing cups. It's technically not quite like new, but I couldn't tell the difference once it was back together. Most 1" threaded headsets take 26 5/32" balls per cup. You want a little bit of play between the bearings.



In this case, the bearings were identical top-to-bottom. With both cartridges repacked, I reinstalled them in the opposite locations from whence they came, so the former road-dirt-eating bottom cartridge can enjoy its golden years in the sheltered luxury of the top cup. I figured this overhaul would be a stopgap measure until I found new bearings, but I'm thoroughly happy with the results and don't feel particularly motivated to change them again. For under $6 in grade 25 loose ball bearings, it feels great. Read more!

Winds

The CT siting council approved the windfarms in Colebrook and everyone is upset. People are really upset about Capewind, too. The wilds are the North East Kingdom have big, tall hills, so people want to put turbines there, too, and there are two sets of turbines showing up within 25 of Johanna's place in Vermont. There's also sorts of NIMBYism there like here. I had always wondered where the Sheffield one was going and I finally figured it out. Sheffield has the highest point on I-91 and this cool road called New Duck Pond Road parallels it. They're going there. I rode my bike there this weekend. It'll look kinda cool from I-91. What did you do this weekend?

Read more!

Break from routine

I've ridden out to Canton and New Hartford like a million times and I get kinda set in my ways. I reserve exploration for when I get all the way out to Hartland or Barkhamsted, because I assume I know all the good roads to get out there. Well, I was wrong in addition to finding a cool seasonal road in New Hartford (Beney Road), I discovered Breezy Hill Road and how it gets up Ratlum Mountain. It's steep, partially paved and awesome. I don't know why I never rode it before. There appear to be a bunch of Canton Land Trust trails and old fire roads that require me to return. It must be cool living where my uncle lives.

Perhaps the Detour can go west of the river someday.

Read more!

We are not soft!

While Salem rode off to some towns no one has heard of, we three remaining Snails, filled with coffee rode our bikes, too. Hard! Really hard! We rode up Bunker Hill and it's really steep, like 80% or something. After that, we had to ride up Turkey Shit Road, which is like 115%! These hills were so steep, Dario had to shift and that's a very involved process that involves taking his wheel off and a lot of math.

Just when I thought I was safe, I had to go out to dinner! Then Johanna and I looked at baby pictures of me (I was just as awesome then as I am now). Then I met my parents and got a free beer.

Sunday was no easier. After eating soup, Johanna and I rode to the grocery store that I don't like to buy food. After cooking AND eating the food. I rode around on my BMX for awhile until I got flat tire next to the AG's office and had to walk home.

On top of that, my weekend was only 47 hours. I'm a glutton for punishment.

Read more!

Escort Service

The Tim Johnson ride on Washington for Bikes Belong is underway. As the word got out and the first of many related emails began to cram my inbox, there was a request for "Fighter escorts" i.e. a local crew to meet up with the group ride and usher them in and out of Hartford with some local navigating savvy. Salem, Brendan, Gerry and I stepped up for the Friday afternoon ride-in. I wisely forewent my usual Yuba mount-- I was already likely to get dropped on every climb as it was, no sense in handicapping myself further. I opted instead for my Breezer Venturi road bike, a late autumn acquisition that I was eager to ride after waiting out the road salt season.

Brendan, Gerry and I met up downtown after lunchtime and set off. We made our rendezvous with Salem in front of the Rockville Public Library in good time. The sunny weather and high 30s temps made for nice riding but chilly waiting, especially on the stone steps. We warmed and amused ourselves with some freestyle banister sliding until the Johnson expedition arrived in a burst of color and high-end componentry.

People were in pretty good spirits for that point in the day, with introductions and banter continuing as we headed west. The pace was just brisk enough. I determined that the perfect time for me to join a group ride was after the rest of the group had already ridden 100+ miles or so. We swept through semi-rural South Windsor as the shadows grew long and saw the group to the Sheraton on the East Hartford side of the Founders Bridge.

Friday evening's reception saw the Red Rock full of riders and well-wishers. Speeches were made, officials represented, swag tossed, food eaten and beer imbibed. I bailed around 10 or so, having volunteered to escort the ride out of Hartford early Saturday morning. Naturally, I had a terrible night's sleep (Blasting soca at 3 AM?! Really?! Thanks, neighbors!)

Saturday morning, Gerry and I met up in the hotel lot at 6:45 and went in. There was a bit of foot-dragging as everyone got ready and did some last-minute noshing. The neutral support vehicle (which was actually in "park" at the time) provided me with a toe strap to mend and secure my 1970's-era saddlebag, which had broken free and drooped onto my rear wheel as I rolled into the parking lot. Hooray, Volvo full of bike parts!

I planned on doing one of two things for Saturday's ride. Plan A: ride with the group to the planned Fairfield stop, where I had an opportunity to catch a ride back to Hartford, or Plan B: ride along for 20 miles or so and turn back toward Hartford when Gerry did. I figured I would make the call at the 20 mile mark based on how my still-healing recently-sprained thumb was feeling and how well I was keeping up with the pack.

Somewhere southwest of downtown New Britain, I realized I had but a very faint idea of where we were. On consultation, it seemed Gerry was in the same boat. I knew that we were bound to cross Route 10 at some point, so I proposed it as a known (if unlovely) route back home. My personal assessment around the 15 mile mark indicated a moderately throbbing right hand and increasing gaps between me and the rest of the riders on the uphill bits. We eventually hit Route 10 at a red light in the Southington area and had our good-byes, well-wishes and handshakes in time for the green. We headed north, and the group continued to press on southeasterly toward their next stop in Bethel. I was a little bummed about bailing out, but my hand gently reassured me that I had made the right decision. I enjoyed the time I spent riding along with everyone and I wish them all the best for the cause and for the rest of the ride.
Read more!

Epic deposit

Hard to ride on.

When you ride a bike, you try to strike a balance between the efficient way and the interesting way to get somewhere On Friday, I rode home from work via Manchester. That was all of the latter and none of the former. One Saturday, I rode to my Grandpa's house in Essex, mostly following rt 9 and rt 154, but Salem and I rode on the quieter and dirt-based roads. That was mostly the former. Yesterday, I rode to the bank in Bloomfield, but through the reservoir to get them and then returned on the regular roads. That was a combination of both.

Also, I saw a funny stolen license plate this morning. Lately, the stolen plates seem to come from Vermont and Maine. They stick out, because while they're New England states, they're aren't many people in them. I mean, Vermont is the 49th most populous state. Given the frequency I'm seeing VT license plates in Hartford, you'd think everyone had moved out. Anyway, I was behind this Cavalier with a Maine plate today and I was curious as to why there was white tape at the bottom. Why would you want to cover up "Vacationland"? Well, that wasn't what was covered. "Motorhome" covered.

Ed. note: People like our pictures in color. Now there's a new poll up.

Read more!

Brendan and Johanna ride a long way again

You may recall that two years ago Johanna and Brendan rode a long way. Since then, we've ridden other long ways, but this weekend, in honor of us turning 27, we rode the original long way.

We arrived at Crystal Lake and it was early and misty. It was cold, but we wore wool and Johanna had arm warmers.

We rode to Derby Line library and I peed in Canada (without telling Boarder Patrol!).

Then we rode through the hills of Holland, which look like that Microsoft windows default desktop.

We rode and rode some more. The whole route is paved, which is weird for the North East Kingdom

We ate lunch at Island Pond and it was very good. Chili, vegetable soup and two kinds of ziti.

Then we rode some more and then it was done.

I crashed once, because I was waiting for Johanna on the beach of Lake Willoughby. Riding a road bike on sand and in ditches is stupid and I fell down. It hurt.

Then we finished. It was great!

no more books at the BOOKS

The next day, I rode the beloved BOOKS loop.

Read more!

Moose and memory

It's been a weird week. Last weekend I was in San Francisco for Lex & Dan's wedding. While there, my parents called to let me know that my step-grandpa, Luis, died and the funeral, etc. was Thursday-Saturday. During the intervening days, a God war was waged at work.

Sunday was the first normal day in awhile, so I went for a bike ride. I went out to Granville, with stop at Neapuag and Tunxis state forest (I rode through Peoples, but not on any dirt, so I didn't get the state forest experience). While riding up rt. 20 from Riverton to Milo Coe Rd., I took a bizarre detour down an dead end. When I came back, there was a Subaru idling by the gate. As I turned to get back on rt. 20 the man in the car yelled at me to watch out for the moose up the road. Then he asked if he wanted to see pictures of the moose. They were four moosey mooses. I got out my camera, but the moose had left. If I hadn't taken the weird detour, I would have seen them, but maybe they would have killed me.

Also, I saw the monument that explains why Milo Coe Rd. is called Milo Coe Rd.

And, there were these strange RIPs on Hartland Hollow Rd., which were recent, but strange, because the road is closed to traffic.

Oh, because of the funeral, I didn't do that Landmine Classic 50 miler. I figured I hadn't enough saddle time in the last two weeks to be at all prepared, though after riding today I realized I had some miles in me. None the less, the relaxation was preferable.

Read more!

New Parking

I'll admit it's not the most fascinating news, but the parking lot at the West Hartford reservoir has changed. The big dirt parking lot is closed. Instead, when entering through the main entrance, parking is off to the left in a nice new paved lot. It has plantings and benches- the whole nine yards. I'm not sure what effects this has had on our water bills, but I don't mind spending a little bit more on nice benches. The trails, including the paved loop, haven't changed at all. Anyone else have an experience with the new lot? What do you think? Pretty nice, huh?

I discovered this when I decided to do a late afternoon loop of the reservoir. I'm uncertain as to why I decided to do this after the mini-epic of Glastonbury, Portland, and East Hampton with Salem (Eel #1 winner) and the 2009 Biking Vikings. Cool dirt roads over there. Read more!

First road ride of the year

Today's weather was the best I've seen this year in Connecticut, so I put some new tires on my road bike, gave it a lube job, and headed out for Ferry Lane in East Windsor, where a friend of mine put a kestrel box last winter. He said there is already a pair of kestrels there, but I didn't see them. Ferry Lane is a two-rut road right now, very muddy. There is a good variety of habitats for birds. Redtail hawks soared overhead on thermals, and circled down to the treetops. The leaves aren't out on the trees or in the brush yet, so it's easier to see birds and easier to see trash. There were cardinals, bluejays, and chickadees in the brush and wet areas between the main road and the river. A Red-bellied woodpecker was climbing and zipping straight lines in the trees by the river.

I spent an hour walking down here with my binoculars, just enjoying the sun and the sights and sounds of birds.

Continuing down the east side of the River, I foolishly rode route 5 the whole way to East Hartford. Main St. would probably be less traffic, but I enjoyed going at a fast clip and working on steady circles with my pedals.

The outdoor exercise complex near the founder's bridge in East Hartford is a great place to get deez and enjoy some trees. Take a break from riding to do some push-ups and pull-ups. The monkey bars are fun!

I crossed the Charter Oak bridge, rode past lots of Southenders hanging around their cars and riding scooters on Wawarme, and rode to W. Hartford on Capital. Starving, I spent way too much money at the deli/salad bar area at Whole Foods, and then rode back to Windsor via troutbrook, 218, Wintonbury Ave, Filley, and 305.

Read more!

Camera

My trusty new cell phone, with a functioning camera (I'm not ready for a real one yet), and I rode around a bunch this weekend. As you may recall, the weather was wonderful and practically required the riding of a bicycle.

On Saturday, I rode around on the packed plains of the Wethersfield / Rocky Hill sod farms. I'm sorry I didn't go ride the Coffee Cat in New Haven, I couldn't find anyone to come with me. I'm not ready for the big city on my own.




On Sunday, Johanna and I did a loop down to Middletown and back.


I should really clean my gloves more often.

Read more!

The anti-Wednesday

Rainbow Road and International Drive in Windsor look much better than this now. I think International Drive also has the biggest building in the entire state of Connecticut.

I know people are probably preoccupied with some sporting event right now, so just a quick thought. If you didn't ride today you really missed out. These days are few and far between in winter, but there did not appear to be anybody out on the roads (mountain biking was probably a little impossible). I saw one guy in Tariffville, three kids in Hartford and nobody else. The Tariffville guy was smart; he had fenders. None the less, a little road spray was no excuse to stay in. Read more!

Connecticut, the new Iowa?

It was really difficult to ride on the bike path! Photo credit to Bill Owens of Granville, MA.

So, Johanna and I went for a ride yesterday. It was a very nice one and a very nice day. Since I think mapmyride is cool, I mapped it on there. I was surprised to learn that in 60 miles, we had an altitude change of only 850 or so feet (~425 up and ~425 down). I realized that there weren't any long climbs, but I have to admit that I'm a little surprised. I must have found the secret flattest route in the state. I didn't realize that I was such a wuss.

Also, the dreaded sand is returning to the Capitol/Bushnell Park path.

Read more!