Truth. If I had a chain tool (already had a Powerlink installed) and some zip ties to hold the derailleur cable out of the way, I could've easily single-speeded it home.
You have water bottle cage/bolts on that bike, no? ...or just take it completely off... Several ways to skin that cat. I've used most of em over the years. M
I carry a lot of junk with me when I ride. Sometimes I actually have useful stuff along. The one time I broke a chain the tool I had didn't fit the chain I was using on my old mountain bike. Lucky for me a friend came back and we took a link out and I rode back to the car. I was pretty beat by that point anyway. From that point on I've always checked my chain tool fits. Right now, I'm hauling this big heavy multi-tool thing. Probably because I was too old for Transformers, but it has several tools I can and have used. I got it when I was up North on travel and had zero tools so I figured this thing would do. One item I am looking to find again is a tire sock, so I can fit a folding tire on the road bike again. I left my old sock in the PNWet with the Pinarello but would really like to have one here. Anybody have a clue where to find such?
See if y'all can't look at what I just got back from: Link Its amazing what a little fitness does for yer views on hills... M
I started a bicycle Tag-O-Rama for Pittsburgh and it has taken off like wildfire. It has been pretty fun. I have lived in this city almost my entire life (except for a few years spent exploring other parts of the country) and people in the game are showing me places I have never seen in the city. We have a free map that shows good cycling routes within the city and surrounding neighborhoods. We are using that as the boundary for now. In good weather the tag was moving several times a day. Now that it has gotten below freezing the tag might sit for a day or two before someone picks it up.
"...I hear the train a comin' It's rollin' 'round the bend, And I ain't seen the sunshine, Since, I don't know when, I'm stuck in Folsom Prison, And time keeps draggin' on, But that train keeps a-rollin', On down to San Antone..."
I wondered if you'd pick up on that. I know we're from two different eras, but, there have been many alternative and metal bands who've covered Cash's tunes. I didn't have much interest in him, until these bands started touting how much respect and admiration they had for Johnny and his music. Now, if there's any kind of documentary on him, I watch it. Oh yeah, American Idol had a Johnny Cash night, too.
I ignore American Idol, kind of like anything "biker" related on Speed. I listen to lots of different music. Opera, blues, jazz, hard stuff. not a lot of rap as I don't hear much music in most of it. As a kid I played sax in jazz and big band type things in school. Can't hear well enough to know if I'm on pitch anymore now. Only metal band I ever heard in concert was Blue Oyster Cult. Bloody loud, but I was wearing custom ear plugs. (prior to my hearing loss). When I travel I end up listening to a lot of Country, though it is hard to find good stuff that doesn't sound top 40. Same goes for jazz, and classical. One BMW shop I worked in we listened to the Texaco Opera from the Met on Saturdays. We got into it. We could listen to the local rock stations until a "Tom Shane" commercial came on, then we got to pick classical or Jazz. Both stations in Denver were tops in the country. One morning we came into work. flicked on the tuner and started to pull bikes out of the store, and we heard country music where we should have heard jazz. They had sold the station and over the weekend changed formats to top 40 country. Jazz was eliminated from the airwaves in Denver. The Classical station was sold, gutted and destroyed. it passed into public radio land where it slowly dies today. Same thing happened to the only good rock station KBCO. It got sold to a big box communications company who pulled the pin on all the innovation got rid of all the staff, and made it a programmed top 40 crap radio drivel station. I could hear the same exact play list at the same time every day. I used to get my new music from KBCO and from WHYY's "Fresh Air". KBCO died, so I was left with finding "Fresh Air" that worked until I moved and no longer had easy access to it. Now, with streaming and Podcasts I can listen again. Pandora also helps a bit since if I pick one artist I get others who are similar in some way. I also think it is good to keep checking tastes. After 45 years I got to re-discover sweet potatoes! I still don't like Slim Whitman, or Zamfir, or hordes of rap, or punk, or loads of metal, disco or hair bands, or cat-loose-on-the-piano-jazz, Wagner... But there is zydeco, some punk, rock, metal, country, bluegrass, gospel, big band, jazz, opera, ("The Marriage of Figaro", is still one of my all time favorites), loads of classical, though I rarely listen any more the huge hole in my hearing capability makes it seem like whole sections of music are missing. With my hearing R&R, Country and pretty much all of the lower dynamic ranges music I can "hear". some of it I'd rather not, but I figure that's why there are choices. I still miss KBCO though. When I moved to Orange County, I found a local station that was run by the folks who used to be in BOulder at KBCO. very cool. That lasted a few months then the station was converted to Spanish language. There are lots of those on the dial here, so I guess there need to be even more. :huh As far as I can tell the Sat radio stations are basically programmed top 40 of whatever genre you choose. Boring. The whole point of music is to entertain, not bore.
Try the BBC here. Every type of music you could ever wish for and the channel I listen to (Radio 1) plays a variety of music not just the Top 40 over and over and over again. You can stream live or listen to pretty much any show in the last 7 days. Radio, like TV, over here sucks DD.
Cool I'd forgotten all about Radio 1. I used to listen off the web years ago and some New York stations too. I've found streaming on the phone as I commute usually ends in silence. The constant jumping tower to tower eventually drops the app. The update I just got to NPR I thought would be the deal. Wasn't. Probably have to buy another chip and start doing the podcast thing. Now, back to bicycles... I sure like the feeling of longer day light now. Particularly down here. Saturday morning I'm going riding rain or shine cold or not. Sunday too. I want to be able to ride 100 miles on a Saturday and back it up on Sunday. And not be dead come Monday. Then I figure I'm ready for Iowa.
to a lot of this at home. http://minnesota.publicradio.org/radio/services/the_current/ They play everything. Def. not boring. I hear Cash on there and some local rap and everything in between. Kinda funny, the most famous rapper from Minneapolis is an albino (Brother Ali). Must be the climate ;-)
I posted last week about Cyclo Cross bikes. After checking out both bikes in the flesh I bought the Merida. I pick it up next Saturday. Was doing some research on racks and found the topeak MTX system which I think will work fine. Plus I can use it on my MTB and my fixie. And to fit in with the current topic, a bit of Aussie radio that plays pretty much everything. http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/listenpop/listen_live.htm
I have the bag pictured. It works well and holds a lot with the panniers folded out. I have the conventional-style MTX rack, but am thinking the beam mount (like in the picture) would be easier to remove when going on a serious cross ride.
Cool, I am getting sick of carrying a backpack and I need a bag big enough to carry my lunch and gym gear to work. The beam mount seems pretty good. You can get side racks for it too.
"The Current" is my gravel road racing theme music. Almost ever time I go to a gravel road race, I'm in range of them.
