Winter Wonderland…?

Hmm…maybe if I had the Fargo.
This is how I found my bike after work tonight.

Not even a week ago, State College was experiencing a dry, bitter cold winter.

By the time I got out of work (around 9:30p) there was about 2 inches or so of snow. After an hour and a half of being at my friends place, I think we’re up to about 6 inches and it’s not letting up. I’m glad that when I decide to get a new bike, winter decides to hit. Thanks weatherman. Whomever controls weather up there obviously drives a car. A cyclist would give us better weather to ride in.

I want to win the lottery so I can get my Fargo.

Be safe out there on the roads everyone!

It’s My Childhood All Over Again…

After some thought (and a lot of videos), I’ve decided that I want to ride fixie for the sole purpose of doing tricks and living up my past bmx-ing dreams. I have been watching the videos of the guys (and gal) over at Bootleg Sessions on Vimeo and I am dying to try my hand at tricks. Unfortuanetly, I never had any luck with tricks before. I haven’t really tried to do them enough to actually accomplish anything so today is a new day. I’m starting with the basics and hopefully I can pull some fun tricks. I don’t know, this is something to do and another aspect of bicycling that can keep me active with the one thing I love the most. Plus this seems to be damn fun as well.

Let’s see where this takes me hmm?

Thanks to my inspirations:
Prolly
Bootleg Sessions
X Games (circa 1998-2003)

Turning Around Again

So it’s possible that I may be eating my words again. I did it before with the iPhone, now I love it (I’m typing this entry on it now.) What am I talking about? Fixed gear bikes. I have sworn off and scoffed at fixie riders saying such things as how it’s a fad, how they are just dumb hipsters (which I might be turning in to?), and how that style of riding is just stupid and I would never ride fixie because I like my knees the way they are. Saying such things would qualify me as a hypocrite because I’m usually the first one to say “you can’t knock it ’till you try it.” I may just try it.
Since getting my Gritty and riding it around, I’ve been quite interested in experimenting with the flip-flop hub and riding it fixie. My friend Frank (best friend/pro bike mechanic/fellow bike fiend) now commutes and rides a fixie and swears by it, saying how great it is because it works the legs more and thus, helps you to bike better. Whether that’s true or not, I have knee problems now from both riding a cruiser set way too low, and I stand all day at work for 40 hours a week. If someone can find a way for me to ride fixie, I’ll definitely try it.
I emailed one of the biggest names in fixie riding, John “Prolly” Watson, about starting into the fixie culture and he said to just stick with the Gritty because it seems like a good bike. My concerns with the Gritty is it’s stock weight which, according to Frank, might just be the wheels or the fork so I was going to try at least switching out the wheels to make the bike lighter. I would only assume a lighter bike would be best for a fixie bike. I’m not sure though. Guess I’ll be looking up more information about fixie riding anyway – like how to effectively go down hills and how to stop. Those might be key things to learn beforehand, especially with the rolling hills of Central Pennsylvania. This new part of the bike culture will not only add to my growing collection of bicycles, it might also give me an oppurtunity to learn and try my hand at doing tricks. Deep, deep down, I want to be sponsored by a bike company for something fun. This could be my niche. Anyway, I’ll stop rambling on. Just thought I’d get that out there.

I’m getting ready to eat my words. Seems like they’re going to be tasty!

Moonlit Ride

I’m glad tonight wasn’t windy. I was actually able to enjoy a nice little bike ride on the Gritty. It was also a good night to ride because apparently tonight was the one night of the year where the moon was the brightest. It in fact was bright, and that’s one of my favorite parts of night rides. I love when the moon is bright enough to see my shadow and I can ride with no lights, (only safely on a bike path) and just enjoy the night. Unfortunately though, I don’t have a camera capable enough to take pictures of my ride. Looks like you’ll just have to go out and enjoy it for yourself sometime. I’ll keep my memories

Tonight was also a great night to finalize what I need the most for my winter riding gear:

• wool socks
• warmer (most likely wool) gloves that are windproof (right now all the gloves I have aren’t doing justice for this bitter cold)
• a less bulky windproof coat/jacket
• something to cover most of my head and face (I’ve been wanting a Buff for a long time now. It’s past time to invest)

I suppose for now I’ll be searching around on bike commuting sites for well reviewed products to try and buy for myself.

Until then, I’ll just keep getting use to the cold and this cough I’ve developed from it…

Holy Wind!

So, this morning I set out to go on a little trip on my new bike to not only test the bike its self, but to see how long it would take me to commute from my new place to work. The weather was nice and sunny when I was looking out my window while getting ready for the ride. Little did I know, the wind was having a temper tantrum outside. When I first stepped outside, I didn’t notice it really. It wasn’t until I was riding down the first hill that I noticed myself slowing down greatly and I had the feeling of slightly going back up the hill backwards. I decided to push through it (literally) and stay riding until I was riding over a bridge overlooking a bi-pass and I felt myself and the bike starting to blow sideways. That’s when I just hopped off my bike and started walking, which turned out to be a chore as well. Now, I’m not a tiny girl either and this wind was blowing me around like I weighted nothing at all! I have never felt wind that strong! Thanks to the Sunshine my face didn’t get numb but now that it’s dark out, the wind is brutal. I’m hoping this wind lets up by tomorrow. I really want to ride my bike

I’m crossing my fingers…

Quick Update: New Bike!

Hello! Yes, I’ve been  slacking on my posts but I’ve been busy with work and moving into a new place and blah, blah, blah. Anyway, I temporarily gave up on my bike projects (mostly due to a bent wheel hub axle grr…) and buy myself a brand new commuter to get my self back on my feet…err..wheels…

Doesn't this look fun?

With some research on the internet I found some options and called up the guys at Freeze Thaw for some advice on them. The one I settled on before calling was the Redline 925 . The reviews I read about the bike were pretty good and it seemed to fit the criteria I had in mind: simple, fun, good looking, and a price within my budget ($600). Upon calling Freeze Thaw up however, I was advised away from it. Jordyn (co-owner of Freeze Thaw) was telling me that the customers who bought it were not pleased with the bike at all. The bike, he said, was long and with the bullhorn handle bars, it made the bike even longer and too awkward and uncomfortable for a daily commute. He also said they didn’t have any models in at the moment which inhibited me from taking a test ride to see how the bike was for myself.

I cruised around a bit more for another bike but then decided to just go down to the shop and look to see what they had that fit my criteria. Upon looking around the shop, a little bike caught my eye and I just had to test ride it. What bike was it? The Gritty commuter bike from Gary Fisher:

Gary Fisher Gritty

Now, I will admit that I didn’t research this bike at all before buying it and I just bought it because: 1.) It was available and in my size; 2.) It was cheap; and 3.) I wanted/needed a commuter bike and was content enough with the test ride to purchase it.

Just for clarification, here is a typical “Aqua Test Ride”:

• I ride it up and down some steep hills to test both the brakes and how fast and easy I can get the bike up to speed.
• I see how easily the bike can turn at almost a 180 degree to its self to see how balanced I can be on it.
• I do other various steering/balance/agility tests to make sure that I can get away or around anything if need be.
• I do drops off of curbs (just because it’s fun, doesn’t really have anything to do with the bike haha)

Another thing that made me get the bike was how it has a flip-flop hub which I’ve been seeing a lot lately and I kind of, sort of want to try fixie. Dear god I hope I don’t fall into the fad. I like my knees (haha). After taking the bike home, I tried to look for reviews on the bike and the results came up with…nothing. Not anywhere on the interwebs is a review of this bike. So I’m glad to be the first! I’m going to do the standered 6 week testing period and do a full review on here.

I really hope that one of these days I can get a job as a bike product reviewer. I didn’t win the contest from One Less Car to be a guest reviewer. Hopefully I can win if they do the contest again. For now, I’ll just send emails around to see if anyone will be nice enough to look at this blog of mine and give me a job. I can dream can’t I?

Well, that was a quick update that turned pretty long but, you get the point. New bike, soon to be new adventures, fun to be had. Goodnight! It’s late and I’m tired. More updates on the way.

Winter Bike Project Update

Complete enough to ride.

Well here is my Winter bike project fully in motion. Luckily I had the day off today so I could spend it working on this project! I stripped the brake and shifting systems off my cross bike and fixed my cruiser’s wheels onto it. Not hard work; only took me about an hour or so to strip it down and put it all together. I think that’s pretty good for my first custom job done alone. Most any other time, whenever someone is “helping” me put a project together, they end up just doing all the work and I’m left not knowing anything. Now, the only thing that I couldn’t do and had to fiddle with (which took me a few frustrating hours), was the chain. Looking back, I was stupid and tested the chain tension while the bike was upside down so It always looked too slack. What I’m going to do, whenever I have time, is to add some more links on and call it a day.

Eventually, I think I’m going to definitely go with the bull horn handlebars and maybe add some more customization. For now, I’m just going to have a bike to get to and from work with no excuses not to ride.  The only excuse I have now is, with how light the bike is, riding over ice and hard packed snow is a little scary. Since my cruiser weighs so much, (even on its own) I can just plow through it. Now, the slightest wrong angle can throw the bike from under me. I’m going to put the rear rack from Shenanigans on it to try to add some more weight to the back.

Anyway, here are some build pictures. They pretty much describe what I did during the build:

Everything was stripped off the frame and the wheels were added.

Wheel comparison. Old wheel on the right; new wheel on the bike.

A clamp was used to help tighten the rear wheel onto the bike.

The next few things I need to do (off the top of my head) include:

• making/buying bullhorn handlebars
• install a new stem (the current one is really ugly and at a bad, awkward angle)
• if I can find a nice front rack, I’m putting one on for sure!
• finding fenders that will fit both on the bike, and around the wheels.

Well, I think that’s pretty much it. I’m just finding ways to tinker with as many bikes as I can, any time I can. My New Years resolution this year is: Smoke Less Cigarettes, Ride More Bicycles.

Wish me luck!

The Makings Of A Great New Year!

Now I need more bike stuff to fill it!

While walking home one night, I spotted a plastic dresser next to a dumpster. I didn’t inspect it before I snagged it, (it was in the middle of a downpour), but I’m glad I did because now I have a dresser to keep all my bike stuff. I’m going to be moving in with a friend of mine soon, and with it will be a large space to use as my new workshop! I’ll be able to put my work bench and bike stand in it, as well as a few bikes. This move is definitely going to help me practice my bike mechanics so that someday I can hopefully apprentice in a shop or something.

Fun new accessories!

Guess who’s back as a Winter commuter!? My black sheep, Gold Leaf! I decided, that until I can find (or make) a seat post long enough for my cruiser, I should get back on this bike for commuting. With the seat post now, it’s way too short for me and my knees kill now, especially since I’m standing all day at work as well. I have also decided to do a fun little project and combine Shenanigans (the cruiser) and Gold Leaf (the cross bike) into one new bike. So far, it’s going to have the cross frame and appropriate components, with the cruiser wheel set. All of this equals an fun cross bike with  a coaster brake! The only thing I’m not sure of is whether or not I want the handle bars from Shenanigans on my bike or if I want to go with bullhorn handle bars. If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment. I’ll leave it up to a vote haha.

Anyway, keep a look out for updates on that project. I’m going to my friend Steve’s house tomorrow to do some tinkering. I love bike geek days! What a way to start off a new year!

With the new year comes new bikes and adventures. Here’s a toast to making them all amazing!

Cheers!

My Morning Commute

There’s nothing like frost on your bike to start the morning commute.

It’s fine though, because I didn’t have to scrape off any windows or wait to let a car warm up. I just hopped on my bike and went. I love commuting too because I made it here at least 20/25 minutes before any of my co-workers showed up to unlock the door to work. Just another reason why bicycle transportation is better than automobiles.

I love bikes

Post-Cranksmas Joy!

So, how was your Cranksmas?
Mine was fun! Thanks for asking!

So I spent a wee bit of time with the family and then headed out to look at “bike porn” with my friend Sara Eve.
We spend a good portion of the day price comparing some new bike gear we are planning to get. She is lucky enough to be able to get a wholesale book from when she went to the United Bicycle Institute (UBI) and she’s letting me get in on the savings!
After looking around online and such, we wandered about downtown, ending the night with some beer and a bike ride!
I have to say, riding around doing my old “Campus Ride” in the rain, was the best way I’ve spent Christmas so far. The last time I rode that route had to have been over a year, maybe even a year and a half ago. Man I miss that ride. I know you guys are sick of reading it but, I can’t wait to go on that old “Campus Ride” and even farther on the Fargo.

I hear the open road world calling my name…