Check out this short film from 1945/1946, in post-war Britain
about the design and manufacture of Raleigh bicycles,
as told by a designer to a father and son.
Manufacturing sure has come a long way eh? The leap
in design and material sciences have been amazing.
50 miles, 4,200′ up
Continuing on my ‘Tour of 2013’…
“Stage 15” would wind through the boroughs of Far Hills,
Peapack-Gladstone, Ralston, Mendham, Chester and Randolph.
Riding past the north branch Raritan and the scenic Clyde Potts
and Mendham Reservoirs. Then descend the wicked, fast and twisting ‘Snake Hill’ (Ranked 1st!) all while climbing over 4,200 feet.
It was good to be out this weekend, thoroughly enjoying still
early Spring days. Sat was 69 and windy, but sunshine all day
for my 40 mile jaunt. Sunday, was 72 and partly sunny with just
some light winds. Farewell April, hello May! The promise of more
beautiful weather and great riding no doubt awaits those of us
who ride, race, or just pedal for pleasure…
Bicycling, whether for recreation, fitness and basic transportation
is vital to society and one of the champions of this idea is NJBWC.
The NJB & WC site offers the latest news about bicycling and
walking advocacy in New Jersey, information about cycling classes,
and a useful calendar of upcoming events.
I thought I would dig out a video of the 2011 BaseCamp
International from my hometown as the 2013 edition draws
near. I shot the video entirely on my HTC smartphone and
edited using Win Movie Maker. Not bad for a hack…eh?
The 2013 BaseCamp race will torch the quiet, bucolic streets
of Basking Ridge, NJ on May 30th at 5pm. This will be the 7th
edition of the pro event that began life as the Riccola Grand Prix.
The course is a 1.1 mile, 8 turn circuit that is fast, sweeping
and exciting. 40 fast and furious laps that is sure to please!
32 miles, 2800 feet up.
This short, but scenic stage takes you past the Falls at
Mt Harmony Rd, the Peapack Artillery Encampment and
the Limestone Kiln.
Along the way, climbing Mt harmony, Mt Paul and historic
Liberty Corner…
Shredded my PR on Mt Paul by 2:33 from last year and
now ranked 3rd on the climb.
http://ridewithgps.com/trips/1264461
From GCN
GCN’s Bike Maintenance Series
15 Days and counting- until the Fight for Pink begins…
Bravisimo! Magnifico! Fantastico! Tutto Giro d’Italia!!!
As the riding season gets fully underway now, I will be making
a few small purchases of gear and accessories for my bikes.
I am very frugal (read: cheap!) when it comes to bike parts.
Typically I buy from online retailers, due to financial constraints.
Road Bike Parts:
Like most and many riders, tires and brakes are the most common
parts used/replaced. I have just bought a pair of Hutchinson
Quartz 700×23 wire bead tires that I will be mounting in the next month
or two. I purchased the pair from nashbar, from a ’10 hour’ sale last week.
Total price w/shipping was $27.15.
Currently, I am using CST Czar 700×23 wire bead tires. To date,
there is 1,091 miles on these tires. I had bought them from an
ebay bike seller/shop for $30 inc., S/H. The dual compound rubber
offers good cornering grip and durability, with no issues so far.
yTeKUBRFTntRucg~~60_35.JPG)
Though a bit on the heavy side with a moderate amount of rolling
resistance. For me, these qualities are not a concern, but rather
durability and puncture resistance is what matters for my riding.
I would buy these CST Czar’s again without question. Solid tires.
The other product I am reviewing is my Selle Royal Lookin Gel
saddle. Purchased in September of 2011, I have sat in it for about
3,500 miles now. Compared to the specialized alias saddle I had
prior, it is a bit more compliant and forgiving on my boney ass.
Prior to the Alias saddle, I rode on a WTB Speed V, which is
better suited for my mtb. A bit too soft for high mileage rides.
(the padding proved to be insufficient to support constant sitting
for the longer journeys)
I find the Selle Royal to be firm enough, yet compliant enough to
be tolerable for riding anywhere between 1 and 4 hours. I have
ridden a few 5, 6 hour tours and by that time the butt and the
middle region is a bit sore…but to be fair, I have not sat on any
seat in 8 years that has been 100% comfortable. It always seems
to be a compromise. I purchased this from the same ebay retailer
my tire came from. Cost- $17.54 inc., S/H.
Conclusion: For the money both the saddle and the tires were
good buys and I would purchase them again if I needed to replace
those parts. I am giving the Hutchy’s a try, since the price was
extremely low and the reviews were mostly positive. I have read
reviews that stated the tires are a solid training/club rider choice
with good puncture resistance. Hopefully they prove to be a
reliable tire.
Mountain Bike Parts
The Ironhorse HT Warrior I ride came with mediocre stock disc
brakes and pads, which for recreational use are probably just fine.
But for an avid rider or terrain that is hilly (descents) more stopping
power is required. so to that end, I upgraded the front caliper, disc
and pads in 2011. I installed an Avid BB5 caliper and a Galfer
‘Wave’ rotor with Galfer green pads.
The performance was instantly noticeable and much better.
Inspiring confidence on the downhills. The front lever lost its
spongy feel and braking was more sure-footed. The initial bite
of the pads is very good and gradually gets better without any
sudden grab. The Wave rotor dissipates heat well and there is
very little fade from the pads. So far, pad wear has been minimal.
My grade for the set up is a A-. If I were strictly a downhill
rider/racer, then upgrading both front and rear would be in
order without question.
Just placed my order for a few stickers…of my favorite tours.
(Vendor will make any decal requested)
Not much doing this past week. Rode on Sunday, mostly a
flat 25 miler. Tried to maintain a tempo and threw in 4 sprints.
It was another very windy day and by the time I got back
home I was just shagged. Still out of bicycling shape!
Oh well. Still early in the season, with time to get ride fit!
Today, just givin’ the machine some love…
A clean bike…is a happy bike! 🙂
A good washing, will be followed by a thorough drying.
re-checking all the allen bolt fasteners and the brakes.
Then lube up the chain and polish the entire frame.
Absolument!
Bradley Wiggins on the upcoming 2013 Giro d’Italia…
The Road to Revelation 
You must be logged in to post a comment.