I saw this meme on the internet- and WOW! It speaks to my new bike, Blue Lightning so much! My White Bicycle, well, she didn’t mind the rain at all. My commuter has mechanical disc brakes that squeak. They squeak loudly, and they squeak all the time, rain or shine. But my new bike is in a class alone. The brakes work wonderfully. They work better than any other brakes I’ve ever used. But they scream in the rain. Thee brakes down squeak. They full on sceam. They scream as loud as they can.
Justice for Floyd
It's a small act of programming, but thank you for being on the side of humanity, Strava. Nicely done!
They decided to turn the routes black in the activity feed only:
Athletes for Equality Support for equality, and especially justice for George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery, is at an all-time high in the Strava feed. We’re proud to see athletes standing up for what’s right. Starting this weekend, use these hashtags in your activity and we’ll add a special polyline to your workout to be sure it stands out in the feed: #equality #justice #justiceforfloyd #breonnataylor #irunwithmaud and more. Everyone in the Strava community – and beyond – deserves justice and equality. We’re more than happy to amplify the voices of those who are calling for it.
Bike Thing Thursday: Desk Cycle Desk Pedalling Device
Desk Cycle 2 gets a 5-Bike rating from me; the best it can be!
My neurologist recommended I use an under-desk pedalling device at work. I tend to fall asleep when bored. Not that I’m bored at work, but perhaps it’s more that I fall asleep when I’m in the same position for a while. Falling asleep is a risk when I am reading, sitting at a computer, driving; sedentary tasks. He’s found that getting an aerobic burst, increasing the heart rate, is the best way to keep one alert without drugs. I admit that a medication solution sounds so easy it’s compelling, but there are no stimulants out there that don’t come with downfalls.
I spent some time reviewing different types of devices. Several rehab style pedallers exist for around $30. However, they come with the disclaimer that they are so slow, rehabilitative motion. I have to get my heart rate up, which requires fast movement. I’m also a cyclist. I felt like that justified extra perks like resistance settings and a tracking computer.
My neurologist cautioned that it takes a while to get a rhythm going, where you can pedal quickly and be steady enough to not be distracted by it. I sought to find one that advertised smooth rotations.
I found the Desk Cycle, which boasted the quietest operation and lowest profile. I quickly learned the biggest issues with pedalling devices are knees hitting the bottom of the desk. This model said it had the lowest profile of all, and adjustable setting to make it compatible with different desk and body sizes.
The first day I used the device didn’t go so well. Nothing cooperated. My knees hit the desk. My chair arms hit the desk. My hand weren’t at the right spot for the keyboard. My chair kept rolling away. My feet didn’t feel right. I had to perfect 10 different points just to be able pedal. The second I turned my head to address someone at the door I had to reset everything all over again.
The second day I switched to a non-rolling chair as shown in the photo below. That solved everything. I now use the device every moment I am sitting in my chair at my computer! I haven’t fallen asleep or risked falling asleep a single day since I started using it.
NOTE: I am a consumer; just your every day bike enthusiast. I am not a reviewer, and I don’t make any money off of this website in any way.
Relax
This article from Bicycling.com discussed special relaxation techniques for cyclists. I’m happy to say I practice all of them! I must be SO relaxed!
On the flipside, I freaked out a little when I first saw the picture below. I read it as a recommendation; in that we should strive to do all these things. That’s impossible! What a great way to bring yourself down by trying to bring yourself up! Then someone pointed out to me that these are merely types of self-care out there. We are free to do or not do as many as necessary. Whew. OK, I can relax again.
Found from somewhere on the internet, I can’t remember where!
Seattle Cyclist’s Solution for Being Seen
Bike commuting on dark and rainy morning, a car driver pulls over to tell me I'm doing it right! :D
“Fantastic Lights!” is the best compliment a driver can give a bike commuter. Someone gave me this very compliment the other day and I can’t be more proud. It took the research and efforts of myself and several others who care about my safety to come up with the perfect setup. It was no easy feat. But exactly what is my setup? Why did I pick them? A lot of people have been asking.
There are 8 elements to being seen in 3 different categories to make my total of 24 visibility features:
My jacket is SOOOO reflective
Visibility from the front, rear, and both sides
I have lights, reflective features and colors exposed on all sides. This helps cars passing on my left, cars turning on the road from my right, oncoming cars that suddenly decide to make a u-turn (this happens more than you would think!), and cars coming up from behind have a better chance of seeing me.
Reflectivity, lights, and bright colors
Reflective features pop when lights shine on them. They punch through rain and fog and are the simplest and brightest. Reflective features are great in that they are never too bright, but they only work when the person looking has a light. Since so many Seattle drivers drive without their lights on, night and day, these are insufficient. They also don’t do anything to help pedestrians see you. I have a fully reflective jacket, reflective features on my shoes, pant legs, gloves, and panniers.
Lights are visible night and day. I have a total of 72 LEDs on my bike. Lights can be so bright they are blinding, especially to pedestrians. They can also be positioned poorly so as to shine in someone’s face. I angle my lights to cast a shadow only about 4-6 feet to be sure I don’t blind anybody. My lights are all different levels of brightness. I can go from 50 lumens to 1000 lumens. I try to keep each light around 500 lumens but have several of them. 700 lumens is pretty bright when focused, so I only do this when needed, or if I need them to help see. Some of my lights are focused, and some are broad. I have all sorts of colors, too.
Seattle is particularly grey most of the year. It may be board daylight, but the outdoor color is dim and muted. Most active clothing, especially women’s active clothing, is black. Clothing manufacturers deal with this by adding reflective features, but again, they don’t do any good if headlights aren’t shining. Black clothing disappears into the background and is hard to see. I do what I can to be as colorful as possible. This helps offset the grey of Seattle.
Static and dynamic features
I have steady lights and flashing lights. I avoid the flashing strobe when it’s dark because that can be quite disorienting. However, I have many lights that flash at various speeds and patterns. The movement pops when a driver looks. We are trained to identify fast moving things, like other cars, while we’re driving. If you glance at the road quickly, a bike moving 10 mph might look like it’s not moving at all. Flashing also penetrates longer distances, so you can be seen from farther away. I also have reflective features that are static, like my panniers and jacket. They add to my overall brightness. But I have reflective moving features, like my feet and hands, that add to the flashing lights. All this movement makes me easier to spot.
My Setup
But what exactly do I have, you ask? Here are my most asked about accessories, all listed out. I add links to the products where I could. Note that I’m just a commuter in Seattle trying to stay alive. I’m not selling anything, I don’t get any perks if you buy what I have, and I am not particularly recommending that you buy what I have. I just love my setup, and want to share it because so many people ask.
Proviz Reflect 360 CRS Plus Jacket on me. This is the new jacket. Super fun! I haven’t been this excited about clothing in a while. It’s waterproof, warm, full of pockets, and bright as can be.
Monkey Light on my front wheel. This is a series of LEDs that flash in a pattern. I have over 70 pre-set patterns to choose from. I feature a different pattern for each season and holiday, but my all-time favorite is dead fish (of course!). This has generated more conversation and has consistently been more fun than any other bike accessory ever! (Thanks Louise!)
Cycliq Fly 12CE and Fly 6CE on my handlebar and rear rack. These lights are designed specifically as headlights and tail lights and include video cameras that were used to make the videos highlighted here. These have been the glitchiest and most unreliable, but also most complex and high-tech of bike gadgets.
Cygolight Hotshot on my seat post. Just a simple, long-lasting tail light. This is the gold standard. You are bike a bike commuter if you don’t have a light like this! The battery lasts forever! (Thanks to…shoot, I can’t remember if it was Bryan or Louise! These two keep me safe!)
Niterider Lumina on my handlebar. This is a solid headlight light that gives me exactly what I need. I’ve gone through 2 of these lights over the my many years commuting.The company’s customer service has been top notch. I could (and did) get by with just this light and a tail light all winter long (Thanks Bryan!)
Bike Thing Thursday: Hectic Helmet Hair
I went to the bike Expo and got this awesome amazing “Hectic Helmet Hair.” This was a sort of wiggly, rubbery hat that turns your helmet into a Koosh ball! I eagerly got it home only to realize that the sporty aerodynamic point of my helmet didn’t fit under the hair. It seemed the hair was designed to work with the rounded Nutcase style helmets; the kind favored by urban riders and fixies. So, I saved my helmet hair until some day when I would have a rounded helmet of my own. A few year later, I finally came upon a nice, rounded helmet for a tiny amount of money. It seemed smart not to spend too much given that I was buying a helmet just to put a cover on it. I excitedly pulled my Hectic Helmet Hair out of storage and - - - OH NO! IT MELTED! Somehow the rubber must have come into contact with some sort of solvent. The hair had melted, and now longer in a hat shape, couldn’t be worn with any sort of helmet. Sad , sad day. I never got a chance to enjoy what was surely the coolest helmet topper that ever existed.
Bike Thing Thursday: Kuat Hitch Rack
Kuat hitch rack earns the highest mention possible: 5 bikes a racin'!
I almost don't want to believe it. It happened to me. The thing all cyclists dread. Yup. Drove into the garage with a bike on the roof rack. The second it happened, the split second the car hesitates and the crunching noise just barely reaches your eardrum, you know exactly what happened. But it was too late. In our case, the rack peeled right of the car with the bike intact. The bike didn't suffer so much as a scratch. The car...the car acquired several scratches and scrapes that took a lot of work (i.e. back and fourth with the auto body shop) to remedy.
So. The question that begs to be asked. Do we replace the roof rack? Ha! Never more! I got this lovely Kuat hitch rack instead. I felt pretty guilty that it was my bike that damaged my boyfriend's car. Had I not been a cyclist, none of this would have happened. I wanted to pay for all the damages to the car, but he insisted he take care of all of it. I went all out and got the nicest rack I could find to make up for it. It looks pretty nice, both on my rig and his. The lovely white color matches both of our vehicles and my bike. It's been solid and supportive. Removal and installation takes mere seconds. The thing is awkwardly shaped, but otherwise easy to carry and store.
Kuat earns the 5 bike award!
Bike Thing Thursday: Brain Bell
The Nutcase Brain Bell earns 3 bikes
If you know me, you know my long-time obsession with brains. How could I pass up a brain bell in the store? That's right, I couldn't. This bell has a pleasant chime and is fun to use. It's loud, but not too aggressive. I only award it 3 bikes because it is not passing the test of time very well. This bell has been the brains of my commuter for about 4 years now. It started sticking; meaning I can't get it to chime when I want it to. Then, it will ding randomly, sometimes embarrassingly. It dings nearly every time I go over a speed bump, but I still struggle getting the trigger to wiggle when I am trying to pass a fellow cyclist. But, that's ok. It's not too often I actually pass anyone!
Bike Thing Thursday: my rear bike light
Hotshot tail light earns a solid 4 bike score
This HOTSHOT USB Rechargeable 2 Watt light was a gift for me a few years ago. Since I commute in the dreary year-long gray of Seattle every day, strong lighting is key to my safety. This light does a great job. The battery lasts a long time for the moderate price of the light. It's USB-charged so the LEDs don't dim as time wears on. There are a variety of light options, but I find only a couple of them best to be easily seen without being annoying. Sometimes I accidentally change the light pattern when I am turning the light off, but it's easy to leave it at whatever pattern seems right.
I've been riding with it for years and the battery is still holding out. It is easy to remove for charging, but doesn't ever fall off the bike (yes, this has been a problem with other lights!).
The light has 2 flaws; it requires a micro-USB charge so it's not so convenient to charge out of the home. It also doesn't give me any warning that the battery is running low. I know it says it has a low batt indicator, but the light is behind me and to be honest I've never noticed it. I keep a cheaper light just below it for redundancy. If it dies, I still have something to keep me visible until I get home. I actually have 2 additional lights, however I usually use one of the 2nd lights along with this one, just to add dimension to my silhouette. If I get the "feeling" that this light will die soon, I turn all 3 on just in case. Overall, I've been very happy with the simple lasting durability of this light. I would easily buy it again.
Bike Thing Thursday: Schwalbe Marathon Plus HS 440 Road Bike Tire
Schwalbe Marathon Plus HS 440 Road Bike Tire earned a 4-bike score. It's not the tire for me, but it is certainly bombproof.
I wore the stock tire that came with my commuter bare, and I desperately needed it replaced. The existing tire was unridable, and I couldn't bear to take the bus to work. So, I decided to order one online. I researched tires, asked questions, visited forums. The 2 best reviewed and most popular commuter tires were the Continental Gatorskin and Schwalbe Marathon. I commuted on Gatorskins in Portland. They rode fine, but I felt like trying something different, so I ordered the Schwalbe.
This is a time where buying from brick and mortar would have been better. The tire arrived in a GIANT box. It didn't occur to me that I could mail-order a non-foldable tire. I should know better. The thing also weighs a ton. I mean, it's really heavy. I feel like this tire completely changed my bike from a nimble road bike to a heavy, lumbering beast. That's what it feels like when I ride my commuter now, a beast. Sure, sure, it hasn't had a single flat yet. Sure, it holds it's 100psi tire pressure for weeks without wavering. Sure, it has a cool reflective stripe all the way around the tire. Yeah, OK, it's a great tire. It's my own fault for not noticing that it was a BEAST. I can't fault it for that, right? But, yeah, I won't buy another one. I'd happily take a few flats a year to not feel like SUCH A BEAST!
Bike Thing Thursday: The Garmin Vivoactive HR
Garmin Vivoactive HR scores 3 bikes out of 5.
My beloved Pebble watch started to die shortly before the company was destroyed by one of its greedy investors. I had planned to replace it with a new Pebble, seeing as this watch/piece of wearable tech was one of my all-time favorite devices. I couldn't believe the company ended just like that. It was the business story of horrors. Here I was, with an amazing device I loved, that became increasingly unusable every day. The screen started to pixelate and garble. Apparently this was the one flaws of pebbles, something that eventually happened to all of them. I felt pretty lucky, since mine lasted years longer than my boyfriend's. Still. Time to get a new device.
I spent hours upon hours reading reviews online, comparing features, and looking as devices in stores. I settled on a Garmin Vivoactive HR, in hopes to offset the expense of the device by having it serve as a watch and bike computer in one. From everything I read, the device's one flaw was inaccuracies with it's sleep tracking, which wasn't a concern for me. Sleep tracking was the one thing I didn't care to venture into.
I started writing a review for this watch when it was still new. I'm glad I waited over a year to finally publish it, as my feelings for it have warmed with time. It seems to work a little bit better with every update. I've had a lot of issues with this watch. I'll start by pointing out that I generated 17 threads thus far on the Garmin forum, trying to understand inconsistencies with this watch that haven't been addressed on the web. For instance, buttons on different windows respond differently. The two physical buttons on the bottom of the screen do the exact same thing with every window except one, the "review workout window." On all other windows the left button is a back/exit and the right a forward/toggle. For some reason the review workout screen, they do nothing. The touchscreen is also variable. For example, on the "review workout" touchscreen, the "no" option cannot be selected. Other users agree with my observations, but in over a year no one can explain why they are like this.
It has several other weird inconsistencies. If I use the "live track" option when recording a workout, the device won't sync to the app on my phone afterwards. If I am lucky, I can sync just by turning off live track and restarting both the device and my phone. If I am not lucky, I have to unpair the watch, restore it to factory settings, turn it off, clear app cache and data on the phone, uninstall the app, restart the phone, and then reinstall and pair the two devices all over again. Pairing the watch to my phone used to be a complicated dance that often took hours on hours of attempts until it would finally, randomly, connect. Luckily, I haven't had this issue for several months now. I imagine these annoyances might just as much be due to my phone as the device.
Still, the Garmin software itself seems bizarre. The Garmin Connect app for the desktop needs to be updated almost daily. Frequent updates are par for the course these days with phone apps, but not so much with desktop apps. It's annoying to have an update for Garmin every time I try to use my computer at home. The mobile app is the most fun to use out of the whole Garmin experience, although it's strange to me why Garmin Connect online is inconsistent with the mobile app. Take a look at the 2 calendars below. They are both for the time period, but I can see all sorts of daily data on mobile. Is there any reason Garmin opted to not have all this juicy, colorful data viewable from a desktop browser? I'll never know.
My biggest gripes with the watch are it's functional inconsistencies. One day it stops syncing, the next day it unpairs. I used to have to go to the watch, Garmin Connect Online, Garmin Connect Mobile, and Garmin Express all at the same time to disable my "move bar". Then, the second I have to reset any settings, which is frequently because all of the software is so buggy, the move bar enables again. And don't even get me started with this move bar!
“The red bar on the epix, fenix 3, Forerunner 920XT, vivoactive, vivofit, and vivofit 2 is referred to as the Move Bar. The bar will be displayed after one hour of inactivity. This bar builds in length the longer you are inactive. The first red bar equals one hour of inactivity. Each additional bar equals 15 minutes of inactivity.”
There is all this data out there indicating that just moving a little bit, but frequently and throughout the day, is healthier than being highly active for long periods of time paired with long periods of inactivity. So, I get the intent of the move bar. Apparently, people need to be reminded to get up and move around. Me, I have the opposite problem. There are often times when I need to concentrate, or at a minimum, focus on one thing for a even a short period of time. That's great if I can move around while doing so. Our culture is a sitting one though, and I really struggle staying put. This makes the move bar all the more annoying. First off, the move bar doesn't adjust to any other activity you do. I could have just ridden 100 miles on my bike, which takes me several hours. I could be home, taking a shower, getting dressed and eating some food (things the move bar timer doesn't sense). The move bar can vibrate before I even get a rest. However, the move bar is most frustrating when it vibrates when I am sitting and have little choice about it. The move bar goes off when I am in the dentist chair, at the theatre, sitting in traffic, stuck in a meeting, on an airplane with the seatbelt light on, and all the other times when taking walk would be quite welcome, but quite inconvenient. I hate the reminder. It's not for me. I don't need it and I don't care about walking or "steps" or whatever the trend is these days. I wish it were less of a hassle for me to clear. It's bad enough there there is no watch face that doesn't include the red move bar line into it's design. I just don't care.
One true problem is the hardware's temperature sensitivity. The unit is rated to work in conditions to -4, but mine can't handle temps below 10 or 15 degrees. The screen freezes and the devices stops tracking. Once the device continued to track with the screen froze, but I lost all my data the 5 other times I skied in cold weather this year, even though I had the device tucked in a pocket where I hoped it would stay warm.
Now, you might be wondering why I gave it a 3 bike rating with all these complaints. It's a buggy, annoying piece of technology, sure, but it's also pretty fun. I have always been fascinated with tracking my own activity. Garmin does this well. Garmin tracks what I want to track better than any other competitor I've seen. Nearly every wearable tracker these days is step-based. Since my activities are cycling, skiing, and gym-based, step counters counter my activity. Garmin tracks what I want; distance, elevation, speed, weather, heart rate, maps and more. The newer software interface is colorful, fun to look at, and motivating.
Take a look at some of the images below. It is really gratifying to see data like "you've logged more cycling activities than 99% of other users (all ages, male and female). Who knows how many commuters use Garmins, but it feels like a nice pat on the back regardless. I also get to see a super low resting heart rate, and it helps me to feel healthy and strong. I enjoy how the new interface gives you a snapshot of the day or the week. I enjoy the graphs of various attributes over time. The Pebble is a better piece of hardware, but I never had so much juicy sports data as I do now.
The Vivoactive has a great battery life for my level of use. It lasts almost a week for my typical activities, a couple of days when I am riding for hours on end. Not only that, it charges very quickly. It charges fully in about an hour. If I wake up in the morning and notice I let the battery die, I can charge a couple of day's worth in the few minutes it takes me to get dressed. Syncing with My Fitness Pal, Strava, and MapMyRide has been flawless. I get awesome videos from Relive, too. Relive pulls data from Strava, which uses data from Garmin.
And I trust my data. I can't say if the "calories burned" data is at all accurate, but it is consistent and predictable at this point. I burn about 300 calories commuting to work in one direction. I burn anywhere from 350 to 550 calories taking a boxing class, and the burn is consistent with my perceived effort. The heart rate tracking seems true. The wrist monitor is consistent, and tracks continuously. It also tracks a low heart rate, something my old monitors couldn't do. My older Polar, Suunto, and Sigma tended to lose connection when my heart rate dropped below 60. What it can't do is manage sudden surges in heart rate. When I am biking to work, I can see the wrist monitor under report when I suddenly put out a big effort. Compared to commutes when wearing the watch with a chest strap, the wrist monitor seems to lose accuracy above 130. When my heart is pounding at 160bpm or above, it may report a 40 or 50 reading. At least the inaccuracies are easy to spot. I don't mind this, as it's know that wrist monitors do a better job tracking the heart rate at rest anyway.
I went on a couple of ski trips with other people who had other Garmin GPS devices. While the devices never agreed, they were consistently close within a couple hundred feet, both in distance and elevation. One device would tend to rate the elevation higher than me, so while neither were probably perfectly correct, they all seemed consistent.
This watch has been a hassle, but the activity tracking is fantastic. It works as a bike computer, too. I just strap it on the handlebars like it's a bike and pedal on. Overall, I am glad I made the purchase, but I am going to do a lot of research before I'd buy one again.
Trying Zwift for the first time
I set the bike up on the new trainer this morning. I hadn't had the bike on the trainer since last spring. I tried TrainerRoad out before and found it OK, but the interface appeared outdated and uninspired for something with a monthly fee. So, today I tried Zwift. Such a different experience! Zwift gamified indoor training. I am not much of a gamer, but I must admit that "unlocking achievements" and choosing my own virtual kit entertained the crap out of me!
The screenshot above shows my avatar taking a break on the side of the road in an underwater tunnel. In a virtual world, I get to ride in places I never would in real life. This program also includes other people like me, all over the world, who are doing the same route as me at the same time. Avatars can interact by giving thumbs up or even text-based messages. The expansive community appeared warming, pleasant, and positive. A group riding at my pace were concerned about their buddy, Andy, who wasn't keeping up the pace today. They cheered him on, and extended best wishes when he dropped out. I have no idea who Andy is, or if these other people even knew, but I felt encouraged by all their support.
After I finished the ride, I figured out how to add modifications, like how to add a helmet and change my hair. The more you do, the more options you get. There are fun medals you can earn, like the "stalker"- an award for following another rider's progress for at least 15 minutes.
I started out with the FTP test, to get an idea of my starting place. Sadly, my FTP score flashed across the screen at the end of the ride and I have no idea how to see it again. I remember it being lower than I thought it would be. I averaged 190 watts during the test, but the watt level it gave me was much lower. I thinks that's disappointingly unmeasurably low beginner level. However, the recommended watts that the test told me to ride at seemed incredibly low. I felt like I was barely pedaling for the first 30 minutes. For the test, I had to ride at a pace I felt like I could maintain for 20 minutes steady. I think I did a good job riding at the same pace throughout, and think I matched the recommended watts pretty well for each segment. Since I am not used to indoor training, I have no idea how my performance matched what I can do outside, or how how well I can do period.
The bike felt like it leaned to the right, which distracted me. I worried that the rear triangle would snap off the trainer and I'd crash to the ground with a broken bike. I tried to offset the lean by leaning to the left, but I felt uneven throughout. I called my live-at-home-barista (aka bf) over to look at the bike. He could see how much I leaned to the left, but didn't think the bike leaning to the right was much of a concern. We both contemplated it's placement. Since the drive train of the trainer is off-center compared to the placement of a wheel, it was hard to tell if it was aligned correctly.
Ride details are below. Apparently I rode on an island near Papua New Guinea today. I wish I could see the results of the fit test. If I continue using this app, I'll have to do the test again after I get my bearings a bit.
After riding, I took my sweat-soaked (you really sweat riding indoors!) self to the other room. The afore-mentioned home barista made banana pancakes for breakfast while playing Jack Johnson's Banana Pancakes on the radio. Because it was raining outside. Even though it was raining, I got to get in my ride and some pancakes, too!
Video of my daily commute
#Relive
I absolutely love the beauty and simplicity of this new app! Hurrah to the app developers for making riding more fun! It doesn't have a lot of options for free users unless you time the upload of your ride so you can edit right then and there. However, that's a small price to pay for free. I am tempted to be a paid user. I likely will in time.
Traffic Calming
I had a scare to top all scares while riding my bike downtown a last summer. The experience has left me mortified and biking hasn’t been the same since. In fact, I avoided biking downtown entirely for 2 months after that horrid day. So, when Cascade bicycle club sent me an email, I felt like they were talking to me:
Anyone who has ridden a bicycle in the street understands the anxiety of being passed by a speeding vehicle. For some, it is enough to keep them off a bike for good
Yikes! My scare wasn't a speeding vehicle, but still, I don’t want to be off my bike for good. What is this all about? It’s about lowering Seattle’s speed limits. This change may result in improved safety, but I don’t like it. Seattle is growing rapidly and the roads are getting more clogged and more difficult every day. And the city’s focus is on “traffic calming.” I hate this word. Seattle is already too calm. The only improvements I’ve seen to roads since I’ve moved here are more roundabouts, more stop signs, narrower roads, and more potholes. As a cyclist, I should be thrilled with the new bike infrastructure that’s been added. I am, but it doesn’t take away from this focus on “calming” for vehicles. How much more calm can we get? The Seattle driving collective comes across as passive aggressive to me. Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians alike seem to have this slow, it’s all good, demeanor where they allow everyone to go their way. Until. They’ve had enough. Then they are honking and yelling and blocking off as many people as they can. I get the data that says driving slower is safer, but this overall calming effort rubs me the wrong way and I wonder how many Seattleites will comply. Seattle is growing. At some point it's going to take forever to get from point A to point B if our only solution is to drive slower.
“Non-motorized and trips taken by transit continue to increase and rose 7 percent and 5 percent respectively between 2012 and 2014 in the City Center.”
I would much rather see a focus on the inattentive and distracted driver. While I've had a co-worker killed by a texting driver, I think the issue is more complex than making laws against texting (texting is ubiquitous in our culture. Telling people they can't text is like telling a dog it can't eat the food in front of it. Sure, you can make it stop but it takes constant vigilance). Also, texting is only one method of distraction. People are often exhausted, emotionally drained, attending to children, unsure of where to go and so on. All of these are facts of our life and aren't going to easily go away.
“In Seattle, inattention-related collisions increased 280 percent between 2011 and 2014.
...the likelihood of injury is high for pedestrians or bicyclists involved in collisions. The injury rate for pedestrians involved in collisions is 77 percent and 83 percent for bicyclists involved in collisions”
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New road tires*
I researched online the best tire to get fory road experience. I wanted a tire designed to last a long time that at the same time wasn't so heavy so as to slow me down. I wanted a fast tire, but I also wanted grip. I longed for that tire (why didn't I keep records of what I'd purchased over the years?!) I bought back in '08 that felt like I could tilt 45 degrees to the ground and still feel stable. I confidentially took turns and descents at top speed. I have no idea what that tire was. My most recent two tires felt unstable. The best word to describe the feel was "squirley". I just never felt confident of their grip.
Without too much lamenting, I opted for the all-around favorite, the Continental Grand Prix 4000s. They seemed to easily be the most popular road tire. All around, riders felt like they had the best ratios for value/durability/flat resistance/speed "rolling resistance"/ feel.
I paid a good $20 more per tire buying them at a local bike shop instwad of buying the online. It seemed like an excessive difference in charge. I mentioned the price difference to the salespeople in the store, and they didn't make much effort to try to bring themselves up. The guy merely cast his glance down and said, "yeah, we can't compete." The store is doing well, they just opened a new, upgraded storefront, but clearly not from tire sales. Anyway, I'm glad to have had the option to pay the extra amount. These tires are already insanely expensive (about what I'd pay for a car tire) so I might as well help a local store out while I am at it.
The ride is nice, zippy, familiar. I haven't felt invincible on them, but so far I like them a lot better than my last tire. Zippy is the best word to describe the feel of these tires. I like it.
*This post is actually from last summer. I forgot to post it. The tires are still mostly "new" so I think the post is still relavant.
Exploring Strava
Screenshot of this morning's "flybys"- I am the hollow black dot in the middle of the map.
I signed up for a Strava account for the first time a few weeks ago. I’ve been hearing about this cycling app/community for years, and always steered clear of it because everything I heard leaned toward competition. I am not in it (whatever “it” is) to beat anyone or win anything. Strava seems like the app of choice for cyclists, however, so I finally decided to give it a try.
Immediately I can see the social pieces it builds right into the experience, whether you want them or not. They are somewhere very close to the fine line separating “totally cool and barrier-breaking” to “creepy and invasive”.
For example, last Sunday I joined Cascade Bicycle Club for a group ride. I loaded my ride data into Strava, and the first thing it showed me was several other Strava users who went on the same bike ride. Even though I don’t know their names (we had 3 pace groups and some 45 people) much less their Strava usernames, Strava’s system easily calculated that we all went on the same bike ride together. Each person gave the ride a different name, but Strava knew. It knew we were all together.
This morning I used Strava to track my morning commute. Stava’s “flybys” feature tracked other Strava users who I passed or passed me this morning. Not only did it track them, it provided me wither their names, routes, route speeds, and the exact point where we met on each other’s route. I’ve been naming the regular commuters for years, but only in my head. In theory, I could learn not just the name of “high cadence grey backpack lady” but also where she lives and works and how fast she rides overall. What about “flappy yellow rainjacket guy”? Strava could take my commute to a whole new level.
"flyby" data from my Sunday group ride
A screenshot of my “flyby” data from my Sunday group ride is pasted above. Alexa, positioned below me, what the ride leader. I assume we only matched 96% because my phone stopped tracking just a few miles before I finished the ride. All the other people, well, they must have been on the ride, too.
Bike trend Tuesday: where do you ride?
http://www.bicycling.com/culture/advocacy/2014-readers-choice-poll
I thought it might be fun to compare my riding style and interests with other riders. I found this Bicycling Magazine Reader's Choice Poll and thought it had some entertaining info graphics. The article was published in 2014, but I couldn't find a more recent poll that was equally interested. I doubt we've changed that much since then. Where do you fit in?
I've ridden in Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Alaska. I've also ridden in Italy and Antarctica. At 11 states and 1 foreign country, I've beaten the average.
Oddly enough, I don't think I've ridden in Hawaii, Canada, New Zealand or Australia. These are all places I've been to frequently enough, that you would think I would have ridden in them. I have no memory of it though it I had.
There are several states with specific rides I'd like to do, or specific areas I'd like to see. Some just seem like they'd be fun to ride through. I mostly want to hit the eastern states; Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York. I'd also enjoy exploring Wisconsin and Michigan. I'm not opposed to riding the southern states, they are just not on my list because I think of heat and humidity when I consider riding them. I now there is a good time of year to ride, and so I've also pondered riding in Florida, the Carolina's and Tennessee in years past. Pretty much, I just want to ride through every state. If I were to have a whole summer free, I'd love to ride across the country. A girl can dream!
Specific countries of interest include Canada, Myanmar, and the Czech Republic. The problem when I think about travelling though, is that I want to bike my way through everything. Every time I look at a seeing a country, the first thing that goes through my mind is, "I want to bike it!"
The best mid-ride energy snack ever
yum!
I am obsessed with these muffins I discovered from a blog over on MyFitnessPal. The blog was about things to do with over-ripe bananas. Brilliant! These are so easy and forgiving, which is what I love most about them. All you have to do is throw a cooked sweet potato in a bowl with a couple of over ripe bananas with an egg and mash them together. They mix really easily, although the last batch I used a food processor because I made 4 batches at once. From that you can put in whatever additional “boosters” you want. I like the chocolate chip, dried cranberry, coconut combination so much I keep doing that. In my most recent batch I didn’t add chia seeds, but I did in the batch before.
The moist and spongy texture of the muffins reminds me more of cake than a muffin. So often “healthy” muffins are dense, heavy, and dry. These are light and fluffy. It’s easy to eat one after the other. I noted on the recipe site regular (non-dried) cranberries, which I would love to try!
These muffins have no added sugar, but the ingredients are so sweet you would think sugar was added. They have to be wrapped, and while they might get smashed in a jersey pocket, they are still easy to eat. Because they are so moist, they break down into large pieces, not crumbs.
Bike trend Tuesday: Cycling makes life better
http://www.bicycling.com/culture/advocacy/2014-readers-choice-poll
I thought it might be fun to compare my riding style and interests with other riders. I found this Bicycling Magazine Reader's Choice Poll and thought it had some entertaining info graphics. The article was published in 2014, but I couldn't find a more recent poll that was equally interested. I doubt we've changed that much since then. Where do you fit in?
I'd say "Free Bird", at least the refrain, describes what riding is like for me. The things definitely apply to me. I don't really save money or see friends more often when I ride, but I definitely feel happier, have more energy, and think more clearly. I was going to say something about being less forgetful, but I forgot what it was.
THE ROAD CYCLING ENTHUSIAST DEFINED
I thought the following description from intheknowcycling was fascinating. I am not alone! It pretty much describes me perfectly, with a few exceptions. Pace-wise, I average in the mid teens instead of the high teens. While the amount I've spent on my bike, including upgrades and gear reaches the low-end of what enthusiasts pay for their bikes, my bike itself doesn't come to that amount. Perhaps this implies if I upgraded I'd go faster, but I doubt it. Obviously, I am in the "growing women" category, but I probably even out my majority status as I'm of the 1/3 who's been hit by a car. I'm surprised about half of the enthusiasts ride on trainers. Maybe I should get one?
Check it out:
Road cycling enthusiasts are serious, committed and regular riders who rack up between 2,000 to 5,000 miles (3,000-7,000 kilometers) a year. We ride on flat, rolling and mountainous terrain and do interval, strength and endurance training. We will generally be on our bikes 4-6 days a week outdoors in decent weather. In lousy weather, about half of us will ride on a trainer. Some will still ride outside and the rest will sleep in. We ride on our own, with regular partners, and in group rides.
During the year, we’ll normally ride for the pure love of it and for the way it energizes us (and reduces stress). Some of us will also add in a few races, club rides, centuries, gran fondos, sportives or charity events to motivate our riding and measure ourselves. As a road cycling enthusiast, we average speeds in the high teens to low twenties (mph) or 28 to 35kph over the course of a typical 35 to 50 mile or 50 to 80km ride, depending on terrain, conditions, fitness and training objectives.
About a third of us have been hit by a car and one in eight have broken a collarbone riding. (Yes and yes). And, of course, we enjoy a beer or two every now and then.
Most cycling enthusiasts will have modern composite bikes or high-end alloy or titanium ones that cost us typically between $2500/£2000/€2500 and $5000/£4000/€5000 to buy or build. Some of us spend more, some much, much more. We use electronics and apps that allow us to track and analyze distance, speed, cadence, heart rate, and for many, power.
Most of us are men though a growing number are women. We weigh between 150 and 200lbs (68 to 90kgs), are pretty fit and use cycling to help stay or get there. Yes, we’re probably a little vain and selfish with the clothing we wear and the time (and money) we spend on cycling.
We’re also dedicated to our cycling to the point where most of our family and friends know that riding is something we do and for some, do a lot of. When it comes to cycling and buying bike gear, many of us do a lot of research and are analytical, often overly so and that’s part of the fun of it.