It May Be Time For A New Cockpit

Lately I have been toying with the idea of swapping out the handlebar and stem on my Bontrager. The original bar, Bontrager Race, is 560mm wide with a 5 degree bend. It is a flat bar with no rise whatsoever. Although it has served me well over the past 18 years, I am becoming increasingly sensitive to pain and numbness in my hands.

The stem is a relatively new Soma Shotwell in 100mm. There is also an additional issue of a growing awareness of the amount of weight over the front wheel. This has become much more pronounced since switching to a rigid fork. This will likely necessitate a swap to a shorter stem to move some of my body weight back.

When I purchased the Bontrager in '96, 25.4mm was the industry standard for clamp diameter on handlebars and stems. Since that time, the standard has changed to 31.8mm. Because of this, I feel it would be easier to simply swap both which would allow for a greater choice in which bar and which stem instead of restricting me to the antiquated 25.4mm clamp size.

Now comes the task of choosing a new cockpit. Handlebars come in flat, low rise, medium rise, and high rise, all of which are available with varying degrees of upsweep and backsweep. Alternative bars are also available with bend configurations that seem initially more stylish than functional. Lengths are typically longer than my admittedly narrow 560mm, ranging upwards of 700mm and longer. While aluminum is still the material of choice, carbon fiber handlebars have entered into the realm of affordability.

My initial thoughts are an 80mm stem with 6 degrees of rise paired with a 650mm low rise handlebar. This combination seems like it would bring the bar up and back, thereby relieving some of the pressure on my hands while not drastically altering the handling of the bike. I still have no idea whether I will go with aluminum or carbon.

This is going to be a process of trial and error. I suspect it may be a while until I am able to settle on a combination that fits my needs. Until that time, I will keep you informed of my progress as long as you agree to make some suggestions along the way (I do not want to get lost in a sea of choices).

Riding with Friends

I am used to riding solo. I ride alone most of the time. I do this partly because I do not want to get into a competition. I used to race, but that was a long time ago. At this point in my life, I have no desire to go back (well maybe just a little after seeing all the pictures from Rouge-Roubaix).

I like to ride alone. It allows me time to think, or better yet, not to think depending on my mood. I can let my mind wander or focus on a specific issue or whatever may be bothering me. Riding, for me, has always been therapeutic. 

Last week, I was invited for a ride with a friend. Jeff was a mountain biker in college but hadn't ridden in a while when I talked him into taking on road biking after law school. Since then, Jeff has been much more dedicated than I. Initially, I was apprehensive. Jeff has recently taken up cycling with a group. They ride frequently, train often, and sometimes even race. After some assurance from Jeff that this would be a casual ride as he eased back into the season, I agreed to meet him up. Getting my gear together, I borrowed my wife's car so I could throw my bike in the back and drive to meet up with Jeff on the other side of the city. 

When we meet up at the trailhead, we are both surprised by how many cars are in the parking lot. It didn't take long to get our things together and we were off. We decided that we would ride the river levee until we got tired. We kept our pace respectable but were able to maintain a conversation for almost the entire ride. Having been so long since I had ridden with a friend, I had completely forgotten how nice it could be to have someone to talk to. 

The conversation was not out of the ordinary for us. We covered most of the topics we normally discuss. There were no life altering epiphanies. What did happen was that the ride went by much faster. It was a distraction from muscle aches, sit bone pain, and other things that distract from the pure beauty of riding. It was an opportunity to experience the social aspects of cycling that I have neglected. 

While I still like to ride alone, I need to remind myself that riding with other can be a great experience. As I aim to ride longer distances, more rural routes, and more challenging routes, it will be great to have someone riding with me. Hell, I may even go on a group ride complete with pace lines and everything...

I Think The Wind is Trying to Kill Me

Today, the weather had warmed and the rain had finally stopped falling. I was looking at a blue sky and 70 degree temps for the first time in what seemed like ages. Having recently finished rewrapping my handlebars, I was anxious to get on my bike and see how the new tape performed. I got my gear and told my wife I was going out and was going to ride until I was tired.

The ride started great. I rode from my house to the lake trail on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain.  In order for me to get to the lake, I have to ride on some busy streets. This is never my idea of fun, especially since there is no shoulder to the road. For some reason, everyone was in a good mood today. I rode as traffic, maintaining a presence that took up the entire lane. No one tailgated, no one honked, all was good in the world.

On the way to the lake, I swung by my in-law's house and checked in on my wife's project. She had left before me to go to her parent's house to work on a project she had her mind set on (repainting some furniture). 

From there, I went straight to the lake. The ride is an out-and-back. Starting in Metairie, I ride to the edge of Kenner and then back (sometimes making multiple trips). This gives me a base of about 25km per ride and is something I know I can do if I only have an hour to spare. As I crossed the levee, I could feel the wind starting to pick up. Lucky for me, I had recently repositioned my handlebars so that I was once again able to make full use of the drops. Hunkering down into a slightly more aero position, I shifted my focus into just keeping my legs churning. The wind was not a head wind, but a strong cross wind. The gusts were only marginally stronger than the sustained winds, but the sustained winds were over 32 kph. 

As I pedaled, I had to lean at just the right angle to keep from being knocked over by the wind but not so steep as to risk falling if the wind suddenly lessened. This continued for about the first 10 km of the ride. It slowed me a little but was still not to the point where the ride was unpleasant.

When I crossed the levee again, where Kenner meet the Bonnet Carrie Spillway, I turned left and rode towards the interstate. This put me directly in conflict with the wind. I spent the next 4 km riding as low as I could, straight into a 32 kph headwind. I struggled to maintain a meager 16 kph but I took solace in the knowledge that, if this wind kept up, the return trip would be something special!

After a while, I could smell the rotten smell of the sewerage treatment plant. For the first time in my life this made me smile. It came with it the knowledge that I was close to the end of the road and would soon be turning around and reaping the benefits of my struggle with the wind.

I am not a power rider, never have been. When I check Strava's list of segments, I am consistently around 100th. As I rode the return trip, I began to feel much stronger than I have even felt. I was riding in a higher gear that I ever had on flat terrain. I was having the time of my life! The return trip was 4 km with a heavenly tailwind. Later, when I checked Strava, I learned I was now in the top ten for that segment.

I crossed the levee and turned right, heading back to the lake side and continued on the path. The wind had shifted for the first time that day and was now more of a headwind than a cross wind. The return trip had turned into 14 km of more pain and struggle. I was hoping to get in more mileage but the wind was killing me and I knew that the return 14 km would be the end of the ride for me.

I made it back to my in-laws right as they were getting ready to sit down to lunch. Unfortunately, the efforts of the day had left me a little ripe. I borrowed my wife's car, threw the bike in the back and headed home for a shower and fresh clothes. After a quick freshening up, I returned to my in-law's ate some delicious food and marveled at my wife's excellent work with her project.

Overall, it was 35 km of challenge but it was well worth it. Each day I feel stronger and suffer less. My goal in the coming months is to continue to build my strength to the point where rides like this are nothing more than an inconvenience in a larger ride instead of an entire ride of struggle. I will keep you updated with my progress.

Review - Specialized S-Wrap Roubaix Bar Tape

I bought my Bianchi back in 2003. Since that time, it has been ridden many miles but I have yet to change the bar tape. Today, I decided to give to a bike that has given me so much. After a discussion with Josh at The Bicycle Shop in Baton Rouge, I chose to use the Specialized S-Wrap Roubaix tape to redress my ride. I have never changed bar tape before so I solicited as much advice from Josh as possible.

 As you can see from the photos below, the tape had gotten more than a little grimy. The dirt never really bothered me but recently, the tape has lost a lot of cushioning and had begun to tear during rides.

Peeling back the brifter hoods revealed just how nasty the tape had become. The hoods will have to be peeled back like below to allow you to remove and reinstall the tape properly.

To begin, the old tape must first be removed. Start with removing the bar end cap.

Once the cap is removed, peel off the finishing tape and any other adhesive tape securing the bar tape.

Next, unravel the old bar tape.

If your old tape was adhesively backed, there will be some cleaning before you apply the new tape. I used isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel. It worked well at getting the old glue off. Below are before and after shots of the left over glue.

After you have cleaned the bar, the first step in applying the new tape is to cover the brifter clamp. Specialized provided a precut strap of tape with the package.

 Although "precut," the amount was generous and still needed to be trimmed to prevent sloppy overlap.

It was finally time to focus on wrapping the bar. Begin near the bar end, where the plug will fit in. In order to have a tidy end product, begin with leaving about 1/3 to half of the tape hanging over the edge (this will fold in when the plug is installed and leave a professional look to the finished product).

Make almost a complete revolution before progressing up the bar. Remember to keep constant tension while wrapping. A little tension will help the tape stay in place under stress (such as sprinting). Too much tension and you risk ripping the tape.

Progress up the bar overlapping the tape by roughly 1/3 with each revolution. Proceed to the brifter clamp and ensure you cover the area surrounding the first strap of tape that was placed.

When wrapping around the brifter clamp, rely on the first strap of tape to fill in the gap. Do not attempt to criss-cross the tape to make it pretty; it will only make things worse. Merely wrap PAST the clamp and continue to the top portion of the bar.

Continue to wrap around the top of the bar until you reach the bulge in the middle. Pay close attention while wrapping to how you ride, if you ride more on the hoods or in the drops. Wrapping with more overlap in those areas will provide you with more cushion where you need it most. Just remember not to overlap too much or you may run out of tape.

As you approach the center bulge, make sure to have your scissors at the ready. At the center bulge, use the scissors to cut the tape as it will lay to make a nice, even end in appearance.

Using the supplied finishing tape (although my local shop prefers electrical tape), secure the end of the roll in place.

The photo below shows the nearly finished product. The left side is completely wrapped and the end plug has been fitted. Notice how the right side has overhanging tape at the bar end. This is the excess that will be fitted into the plug.

Using both hands, stuff as much of the excess tape into the bar end and secure it using the plug.

The finished product!

The last piece of advice I have is this: Save the trimming! You will undoubtedly end up with some extra tape at the end of the process. Save this tape. The next time you wrap your handle bars, remember where your hands need extra comfort and lay these strips over the bar in those areas. Wrapping over these strips will provide you with additional cushion right where you need it!

The increase in comfort was immediate and much appreciated! The tape has a suede-like surface that provides a secure level of grip. I have ridden with the new tape but have not taken it out on a wet ride yet. I suspect the wet grip will be drastically better than the original cork tape. Over-all I am extremely pleased with the quality of the bar tape and I suspect it will be my go to next time I need to rewrap my bars.

New Orleans Cyclist Under Attack - Literally

There have been more than a few stories circulating around about the recent attacks that have happened to cyclists in New Orleans this past week. For those of you who do not follow the local news here, a brief recap: Two cyclists were attacked on the same night by two unknown males who ambushed both riders with head strikes from an aluminum baseball bat.

As a cyclist, I am terrified. As a citizen of New Orleans, I am both terrified and ashamed.

Unfortunately, this is what our city has become. The reports assert that these perpetrators are teens (likely 16-18 years old). Tragically, each time the media provide an age estimate of criminals in this city, they always overshoot. This leads me to believe that we are likely dealing with two people in their early teens (13-15). The fact that these children are allowed to roam the streets at 2:00 in the morning is an indication as to the quality parenting that they are receiving at home.

Growing up in New Orleans, bike thieves were the first criminals that I ever had dealings with. Even as a child, you learned to ride fast or else. The level of brutality that these two have exhibited is beyond my understanding. The first victim was hit in the mouth; teeth were broken as was his jaw. The second victim was hit in the back of the head; fracturing his skull. These are not the actions of a thief. These are the actions of someone who, if he hasn't already, will eventually graduate to murder. These perps have absolutely no concern for the pain and suffering of others. They must be stopped.

Many people have been discussing what can be done to protect cyclists. In this situation, I am afraid not much. Those who know me know that I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment. The method of these attacks is such that there is almost no time in which to react. The ambush tactics create a sudden situation in which the danger is not present until it is likely too late. While I know many people who arm themselves while riding, I cannot image they would be able to recognize the threat, deploy the weapon (be it a firearm, pepper spray, etc.), and defend themselves in a manner that would not put other innocent people at risk. (Side note - for those looking for an effective concealment method while riding, I suggest the belly band).

The only things that can be done in a situation like this is
- Avoid dangerous areas and dangerous times of riding;
--- Stay in well lit, low crime areas if possible. It is better to ride a mile out of your way than to end up in the hospital or worse.
- Ride with others;
--- Predators are less likely to attack a group.
- If you see something, say something.
--- New Orleans criminals have long thrived under the fear of others to speak out. This culture of cowering in the corner has to stop. We cannot afford to continue handing the keys to the city over to the criminals just because we are afraid.

To the media: When these perps are caught or killed (eventually, one or the other will happen and I pray it is the former), I do not want to see you parading the crying mother around telling everyone how sad she is to have lost her little angel who "never did nothing wrong." We all know that is a lie and we are sick of hearing these same stories every time a criminal picks the wrong target.

To the law-abiding citizens of New Orleans: Stand up and reclaim what is yours!

Follow-up Review - Yeti Hardcore Lock-On Grips

So I finally got around to installing the new mountain bike grips. As expected, the installation went relatively smoothly. The only hitch that I noticed was that once the end caps were installed, it was difficult to determine if the grip was fully on the bar. It really came down to a judgment call. Ultimately, I figured if I tightened the outer ring first and did not notice any movement then I assumed it was in place.

The grips definitely feel more secure in my hands. I placed the large logo so that my palm falls naturally on top of it. This has created noticeably more cushion in palm than the Ritchey TGV grips they replace. I tightened the grips to factory specs. There is no side-to-side or rotational play in these grips. They are not going anywhere!

Even though both the TGV and Yeti Hardcore grips are designed for twist shifters, the Yetis are slightly shorter. In the photo below, you can see the gap between the inside of the grip and the shifter. That gap is the difference in length between the two. I have medium hands for an adult male and I cannot say I miss any of the extra length.

Bontrager Privateer

A 1996 Bontrager Privateer Comp has been my bike of choice when attacking trails in the woods or simply looking for a leisurely ride around town. I bought this bike new in 1996 as a high school graduation present to myself. Of course, being a high school student, money was tight so when I picked up the bike it looked like a random selection of parts from all the deletions I made to fit it in my budget. Here is the catalog showing the parts the bike was supposed to come with. I had the shop delete the tires, tubes, seat, and pedals and I cannibalized parts from my aging Trek 820 to replace those.

The year before I bought this bike, I had broken my wrist and arm in a soccer game. Because of that injury, I had the shop replace the X-Ray Grip Shifts and Dia-Comp brake levers with a single Shimano XT combination unit. This alleviated my mental discomfort about changing hand position and rotating my wrist while on the trail. The other parts were replaced with Continental Explorers (gum wall of course), a Vetta TT Tri-shock saddle, and a set of Kore Gas Pedals (death traps).

This bike survived a season of racing while I was at Clemson University and several seasons while riding with LSU Team Mountain Bike. As time wore on, parts began to fail. First to go was the seat. Next, the suspension bottomed out and taco'd the front wheel. I managed to replace the seat with a Bontrager branded Selle San Marco seat in 1999 (to this day feels like it need a few more years to “break in”) and that same year I acquired an XTR front hub laced to a Mavic ceramic rim to replace the taco'd wheel. The wheel is probably older than the bike but had been hanging on the wall of the LBS for so long that I got a great deal on it and I had a race the next day so I couldn't afford to be too picky. About a year later, the entire wheelset was replace with a set of Deore hubs laced to Mavic rims with titanium skewers.

Soon after, the stock RockShox Quadra 21R died. The increased sag left a feeling like I was hanging over the front wheel and made the bike incredibly twitchy on descents (even mild descents). At that point, the Bontrager was semi retired and I got a Specialized Stumpjumper M4 to replace it. Although my computer said I was faster by an average of 2 mph on our local trail, the Stumpy just never felt right. After about a season or two, I replaced the Stumpjumper frame with a K2 Razorback with a Nolean Air rear shock. This bike was a couch on wheels! Supper comfortable, responded well to steering input but it still suffered from two problems that I could never correct. First, the rear shock was constantly leaking air. I received a rebuild kit from K2 for free even though I bought the frame off Ebay and it most definitely did not come with a warrantee (thank you K2 for the wonderful customer service!). The rebuild kit made a dramatic improvement in the shock but never really solved the problem. Second, the lock-out switch would lock the rear (sometimes) but would never release it (ever). It was then that I realized it was time to sell the K2 and Specialized frames and rebuild the Bontrager.

The Bontrager presents some unique challenges to rebuilding as compared to other bikes from its period. The fork was blown and needed replacing. When the bontrager was built, it was one of the few bikes that kept a 1” steerer tube. The industry standard had already shifted to 1 1/8”, a standard that is more or less with us today. The option to replace the front fork was limited to either bargain basement forks which were likely to fail in short order, ultra expensive custom fork from White Brothers, or rigid. Since the theme for this build was going to be “budget friendly bombproof” I elected to go with a quality rigid fork. Bontrager, however, threw in an additional little problem with the fact that his bike used a custom crown to achieve a non-standard offset. After a lot of searching, and some waiting for the stock to be replenished, I was able to get my hands on a Kona Project 2 fork with an axle-crown length that would be nearly perfect for the original geometry of the Bontrager. The original fork was threaded and the new fork was threadless. This created the new problem of having to replace the headset and stem. I wanted to keep as many original parts as possible and I saw no need to replace the handlebars so I needed a stem that would fit the original 25.4mm bars instead of the current standard 31.8mm. A 100mm Soma stem was called in to replace the Bontrager Race stem. Since the Soma is designed to fit a 1-1/8” steerer tube, a shim was installed. Cane Creek was sourced to provide the headset, an S2.

The drive train had been through hell and back. A new drive train was in order to revitalize this beast. Shimano LX crankset with external bottom bracket and LX rear derailleur were installed as was an XT front derailleur. SRAM Rocket 9 speed shifters control the gears and a SRAM 9 speed cassette grabs the chain. The old cantilever brakes have found their way to the parts bin and Cane Creek Direct Curve levers and calipers now scrub off the speed. Shimano M520 SPD pedals long ago replaced the KORE deathtraps and allow for proper release when needed.

The grips are Ritchey TGV but on the last ride, I had one actually slip off while navigating some nasty downhill. Lock-on grips will be on order soon but I haven't yet decided on round or ergo, bar ends or not...

 The original Bontrager Comp seatpost remains but gone is the Bontrager Selle San Marco torture device. A Specialized Body Geometry Tomac saddle now provides a surprising degree of comfort for my hind bits. Specialized Team Ground Control and Team Dirt Control tires keep the bike firmly planted.

No, its not full suspension, a 29er, or carbon fiber. It is a reliable, lively, predictable steel bike. Would I like other bikes? Sure. Will I ever get ride of this? Never! Don't buy the hype, by the bike that makes you want to ride it.

I still haven't gotten around to weighing the bike yet but I am pleased to say that it tears up twisty singletrack! Now the only problem I have is that I am feeling the effects of taking several years off of the trails. Unfortunately, there is a distinct possibility that this bike may soon be equipped with a set of slicks and be relegated to cruising the city streets. I am still on the fence about whether to repaint or not. As it is, there is no rust on the bike but it does have several spots that are paint-bare. As always, I am open to suggestions and I would love to hear your opinion on what you would do and what modifications you would make.

Future Plans:

26x2.3 Front and 26x2.1 Rear Tires (more volume to take the edge off the rigid build)

Lock-On Grips

Paint/Powder Coat?

Current Build--
Frame: Bontrager Privateer
Fork: Kona P2
Headset: Cane Creek S2
Stem: Soma
Handlebar: Bontrager Race
Shifters: SRAM Rocket 9 speed
Brake Levers: Cane Creek Direct Curve
Brakes: Cane Creek Direct Curve
Front Derailleur: Shimano XT
Rear Derailleur: Shimano LX
Crankset/Bottom Bracket: Shimano LX
Cassette: SRAM Powerglide 9 speed
Chain: SRAM Powerglide 9 speed
Seatpost: Bontrager Comp
Saddle: Specialized Body Geometry Tomac
Grips: Ritchey TGV
Wheelset: Shimano Deore
Tires F/R: Specialized Team Dirt Control/Specialized Team Ground Control

This is one of the bikes I will never get rid of no matter what. What bike do you have an irrational attachment to?

Bianchi Campione

If you have ever wondered why this blog is called Bianchinut, here is the reason.

In 2003 I started to look at getting back into road bikes. My previous road bike was a small framed 650c Lotus that I rode when I was a kid. It had been over 10 years since the last time I had ridden skinny tires. Not knowing if this was something I would pursue with dedication, I wanted to keep the cost low. I checked all the local bike shops in the city I was living in at the time but nothing caught my eye. And so I took to the internet.

I searched nearby cities and found a shop in New Orleans that had a Bianchi Campione from the previous model year that just happened to be my size and was clogging up their showroom floor. I sent them an email and asked them to hold it for me so I could make the hour long drive to check it out. They luckily agreed. I packed up and went to the shop as quickly as possible and when I walked in, I found a beautiful steel road bike in celeste that fit like a glove. The shop agreed to drop the price a couple hundred dollars to get rid of it and I was happy to oblige them in clearing out the old stock.

The bike was pretty portly weighing in around 22 pounds. I am a firm believer in the philosophy that one should ride a bike extensively before deciding on changes. After about a year, I realized a few things that needed to go. First things first, the wheels. Campagnolo Mirage hubs laced to Mavic rims, durable, strong, heavy, and slow. I was able to find a good deal on a set of Bontrager Race Lite wheels and as you may know by now my love of my Bontrager Privateer has given me a mild obsession with Bontrager branded products. The improvement from the wheels was dramatic! An additional bump came from swapping out the OEM Vittoria tires for some Vredestein Fortezza Tricomps.

The next replacement in the Bianchi's diet was the steel fork. Stumbling across a Mizuno full carbon fork sealed the deal. Swapping from threaded to threadless created a need for my favorite headset – the Cane Creek S2. A Ritchey Pro stem completed the swap and created a total weight savings of a pound and a half from these three parts.

After about another year, the seat was replaced with a WTB Rocket V. Initially, this felt like a horrible mistake. After the seat was properly broken in, I began receiving thank you letters from my butt.

The classic geometry and light weight steel tubing make this bike an absolute pleasure to ride. No road buzz and even expansion joints are soaked up with little fuss. The flexibility and forgiving nature of the frame makes maintaining a line even in a bumpy turn an easy and drama free affair.

After a decade of riding this bike, I am still excited every time I throw a leg over it. My cycling companions have difficulty understanding this since they feel the need to replace their bikes ever few years. My advice to them is simply this: Don't buy the hype, by the bike that makes you want to ride it.

Current Build--
Frame: Bianchi Campione
Fork: Mizuno carbon
Headset: Cane Creek S2
Stem: Ritchey Pro
Handlebar: ITM Bianchi anatomic
Shifters/Brake Levers: Campagnolo Mirage
Brakes: Campagnolo Veloce
Front Derailleur: Campagnolo Mirage
Rear Derailleur: Campagnolo Mirage
Crankset: Campagnolo Veloce
Bottom Bracket: Campagnolo Veloce
Cassette: Campagnolo Veloce
Chain: Campagnolo 9 speed
Seatpost: Bianchi
Saddle: WTB Rocket V
Tape: Bianchi synthetic
Wheelset: Bontrager Race Lite
Tires F/R: Vredestien Fortezza Tri-Comp
Pedals: Look 206