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!