In the Desert - Days 1 and 2

 

Day 1 in the desert broke with some high clouds, light wind and moderate temperatures.  The Moots had been assembled the afternoon before and was ready for a shake-down ride.  I had planned on starting out around 7 am for a tempo pace ride and some time in the saddle.  Somehow after getting provisioned, dressed and out the door was delayed until 8:30 with temps solidly in the mid 60's.  So much for good planning.

 

The route was selected to get me out of town and away from golf carts (driven on the road and not necessarily related to the act of golf) which appear to be more prolific than cars and certainly driven as poorly or worse in most cases.  If I ever hear a motorist in Spokane complain about cyclists again I will encourage them to take a trip down to the burbs of Phoenix and enjoy the golf carts whizzing around piloted by seniors (queue the Benny Hill music,)

 

Sun Valley Parkway runs from Surprise, AZ through Buckeye and down to I-10 about 35 miles later.

The out-and-back route was perfect with light traffic and ample (12 foot) designated bike lanes the entire way. Locally, this lane would just be a nice wide shoulder and not designated as a bike lane which was cool, but I am not sure what the advantage was since a shoulder works just the same. Curiously, there are no bike lanes that I have found in the populated, incorporated areas which seems to be where they are needed.  Perhaps this is purposely since they would most likely be filled with golf carts driving in random directions resulting in foreseeable collisions and altercations.

 

It is almost desert-flat and any grades are very gradual.  I did not know how far I would end-up riding since the effect of the "heat" was unknown at that point.  The other advantage of the route is that there is a 55+ residential development called Sun City Festival which is touted as an "Active Adults 55 and Over Community."  The community has a great mini-mart to restock on water on the ride.  You would think that as active as the community is supposed to be a person could find a Clif Bar or something, but none were to be found.

 

Is one of these peeps a photo bomber?

You are assaulted with billboards showing people being active.  The most activity I witnessed was the frenzy to purchase Sunday papers for the TV guide (I am not making this-up) and restock on Bud Light. 

 

The ride itself was a 60 miler out and back with amazing vistas and desert scenery.  Getting a late start and not being acclimated to the arid air and warmer temps meant that I went through a lot more water than I would normally.   I also was overly exuberant given the temps heading toward the mid 80s but was just so happy to be out riding in the sun.  I must have looked particularly dehydrated or bucking a headwind because 6 huge vultures were circling over me at one point.

 

One of the most interesting parts of the ride was the discovery of a Mohave Rattlesnake (Crotalus scutulatus) in the eastbound bike lane.  It was a beautiful specimen of about 3 1/2 feet long and almost as big around as my wrist.  He seemed a little oddly positioned and was not serenading me with his 6 button rattle when I stopped for a visit.



 

 

The dark areas on the pavement are from my attempts to elicit a response with the strategic use of a water bottle stream from a seemingly safe distance.  Alas, I was too late and it had succumbed to a non-apparent mortal injury or was really good at playing possum.  He appeared to have been freshly or mostly dead and I had to wonder if another cyclist had run him over since it was apparent that a car had not. 

 

Regardless of his state, I imagined many interesting cycling scenarios where a pace line or otherwise unobservant cyclist would come upon one of these in the bike lane and the mayhem that would ensue (queue the Benny Hill music.)

 

Day 2 broke clear with some high clouds (is anyone sensing a pattern) and I got an early start with while the temps were in the high 50s.  The early start and better hydration and nutrition preparation atoned for my previous day's mistakes and made for an enjoyable 60 miler at 20 mph average speed.  I was more comfortable with my environment and spent more time enjoying at the surrounding mountains and terrain than the prior day trying not to die and outrun the vultures.  I looked for the prior day's snake but he was gone which left me to imagine many other scenarios including that he was just playing possum when we last visited.

The next installment will include Days 3 and 4 along with further exploration, wildlife encounters and some thoughts on the Moots Psychlo X as an all-round bicycle - until then.

Two Wheel Transit Bicycles - Cycling for Life.

In the Desert You Can Remember Your Name

I have only taken one riding vacation since I began cycling seriously in 2006. During spring break 2009 I rented a Trek Madone in west Florida and jumpstarted my fitness and base miles that year.  That was also the same year I had set a goal of riding the STP in one day and needed all the fitness and miles I could get.

Once I achieved the age of 40, the days of hitting the road for 2 weeks each spring to get back in shape were long gone and it became a year-round endeavor.  Even so, there is something to said for stressing the body with several days of 40 or 50 plus miles in a row at tempo to interval pace.  I consider it training to train since the intensity can be just that much higher after a 5 or 6 day session, but apparently I am not made of stuff that allows me to do that in rain, wind and snow.

I cannot state scientifically whether my spring training was the difference that year, but I did meet my goal of completing the 202 mile ride in one day so something worked.  I have no such ambitions this year, but want to be fit, healthy and reasonably fast on the bike for 2014.

Being in ownership of a bike shop means that part of my job is to go to other bike shops to look for new trends in the industry, explore new merchandising and discuss the business aspect with other owners - all in the quest to continually improve the customer experience at Two Wheel Transit.  As you might imagine the cycling industry is fairly competitive so staying up-to-date is a must. Bike shop owners are more at liberty to discuss the business details of their shop when you do not compete in the same geographic region.

With this in mind I planned a trip to the Phoenix, AZ area and just happened to bring a bike along for the trip. (I suffer for my work) I checked around and chose Southwest Airlines to move the Moots and me after considering ticket prices, schedule and bike luggage fees.  Southwest is still rated among the friendlier skies for bikes (just behind Frontier) and charges $75 each way for your beloved steed due to oversize status of a bike box.

I used a cardboard bike box and packed some other things like shoes, CO2 water bottles, CamelBak pack and tools. I also had the bike expertly packed by our shop to minimize the chance for mishap on the way down,

The TSA either wanted to get a close-up look at the amazing Moots or suspected I was smuggling contraband.  Regardless of reason, they opened the box for closer inspection and relieved me of my favorite 25g CO2 cartridge.  Remember that they are prohibited on flights in luggage of any kind, but guess I forgot.

Though not thrilled about paying to have a 29 pound piece of luggage checked, I must say that the bicycle and box arrived in pristine condition. The box was both taken from me and delivered to me by a representative from the airline so there was some special handling involved. The option of renting a current model TREK Madone or Domane in a known size and fit configuration would probably be a wash when you consider the boxing, hassle and transportation costs of bringing your own bike, but I wanted some more bonding with the Moots and tubeless tires so it got the nod in this case.

Mr. Moots - meet Arizona

There is some incredible road, mountain and gravel riding in this area but for me it is about getting-out without 30 minutes of layering, seeing that yellow thing in the sky again and stressing the bod to make it stronger without breaking it. 

Since I have already profiled one of the bike shops I visited, the next few posts will include some riding, routing and observations so stay tuned.

Two Wheel Transit - Cycling for Life

Trek Bicycle Store West - Phoenix, AZ

On a recent trip to Phoenix, AZ (more on that later) I stopped-in to meet the guys at Trek Bicycle Store West. The store is now about 3 years old and still looks brand new with a clean and open floor plan and great use of color to make it feel larger than it actually is.

Shop Talk

 

Project One Focus Area

I was envious of the floor to ceiling glass on 3 sides of the store.

The guys on duty today were very approachable and an clearly very proud of a great store.  They also are very knowledgeable and passionate about the local cycling scene and their products. 

I enjoyed talking shop with them and getting to see another shop's approach to merchandising, layout, technical area and sales.  The foot traffic was brisk but they handled everyone with ease.

If you are ever in the area and need parts, accessories or service these are the go-to guys. 

Size Matters

Exactly a year ago to the day, I stirred conversation in the local cycling scene by stating "tire tread is not critical and riding road tires on reasonably compact dirt and rock should be fine otherwise" in Sammy or David Lee? Despite my exhaustive, non-scientific research at that time on exactly 5 miles of dirt road, some still contend you need deeper tread patterns on dirt roads vs paved roads.  This discussion is all fine and good, but if you REALLY want to get people worked-up start a conversation on the relative merits of different tire widths.

My second observation during that research had more to do with tire size as opposed to tread and I surmised that I would consider running more volume like a 25 or 28 if riding a route that had a lot of dirt.  Running tubes in low volume tires requires pressure near or at the maximum rating for the tire to avoid pinch flats.  That means the tire simply bounces off of any rocks or bumps rather than flex and conform - it makes the ride rougher, slower and less safe since even the best tires in the world have zero traction and control whilst in the air.

Since those original 5 miles I have ridden on a lot more dirt and rocks using 25mm road tires, 32 mm CX tires and 35mm studded snow tires - all but the 32mm CX tires have been with tubes.

One thought that has occurred to me as I have more experience off pavement is related to the intended riding surface and tire size/volume.  I am beginning to believe that up to a certain point, running higher volume tires has benefits on both dirt and pavement as opposed to just dirt.  After about 25mm the incremental benefits of wider tires on the pavement all but disappear, but increase off-pavement.

Bicycle Quarterly has published some findings from their more scientific research on rolling resistance of different tire widths which can be found on their blog Off The Beaten Path.  Their findings in general state that there is statistically no difference in rolling resistance in tires 21 - 31mm on very smooth surfaces, but wider tires roll with less resistance on moderately rough road surface.

What is most significant in the difference in tire widths is not contact patch at relative inflations, but volume.  While width increases by 6mm (24%) between a 25 and 31mm tire, the volume increases by 54% which means you can run lower pressure both with and without tubes.  Tubeless you can go even lower since you cannot get a pinch flat.  Lower pressure means more comfort and safety with reduced rolling resistance off-pavement. 

So, if you can increase tire width with no adverse effects on pavement but gain benefits off-pavement, why would you not choose this if you want to ride both without switching tires?  Weight, frame clearance, tire selection are all possible reasons not to run wider tires.

If I was going to ride nothing but dirt with the Moots I would run 34mm CX tubeless tires.  If I was only going ride road, I would ride 25mm road tubeless tires.  But I want to ride both on the same ride without feeling like I am giving-up performance on either surface (not asking for much, really).

After some research I chose the Hutchinson Sector 28 700x28 tires for the first round of a dual purpose, no compromise rubber.  At this point there are not any choices for a tubeless road/brevet tire larger that a 28.

 

I looks like a pretty typical road tire and mounts nicely to the Easton EA 90 wheels. You will also notice that it does not have much in the tread department so I will continue testing my theory that tread is not super critical in most off-pavement conditions. It must be the clearance on the Moots, but the tires look more like 25s than 28s though the measurements say otherwise. 

 

 

 

It appears that most 200 pounders opt for somewhere close to 70 psi for the road and I selected 68 psi for my first road ride.  It turned-out to be a 75+ mile ride of mostly chip seal on which I became very acquainted with the Sectors.  My first impression are:  good traction, comfortable ride, stable cornering and reasonably light without tubes.

 

The tires felt great, but I dropped them down to 65 psi for my second ride of you guessed-it, chip seal.  That seemed to be the ticket offering good compliance without being squishy or unstable in hard cornering. 

 

 

I plan on dropping the pressure a bit more for some gravel riding and will report back on the overall experience on and off pavement.  For now I am loving it.  Someone asked me on the first ride whether I felt any sluggishness and the answer was "no" as the average speed for the longer ride ended-up well over 18mph.



 

So far I have had a road, cross, gravel and snow configuration on this bike. I am not sure what to call this setup since I suspect that it will work under many conditions.  I will report back after some more extensive, non-scientific research.

 

 

Two Wheel Transit - Cycling for Life

 

A Ride with No Name

A few weeks ago I stated in There Will Be Mud that the conditions on our area dirt roads will depend on how the weather breaks.  We are in a thaw-rain cycle that is combining with recent conditions to create almost a perfect storm for muddy roads.

In late January we had sub-zero temperatures for several days which froze the dirt down to several feet.  This was followed by nine inches of snow which then melted very rapidly in rain and warmer temperatures.  The problem is that only the top few inches of dirt on county roads has thawed so all of the snowmelt and rain is trapped in those few inches rather than filtering down below the surface.

The rapid melt and recent rains has washed-out many areas on these roads and created some pretty sloppy riding as well. 

Today was a combination of about 28 miles of dirt (mud) and pavement with temps in the low 40s.

In the early part of the ride it was still close to freezing so the dirt roads were still packed and smooth with good traction.  Running the Schwalbe Winter Marathons with studs felt like the smoothest pavement and most supple road tires you can imagine. I hit just over 30 mph in a few sections and it was almost as if I was flying an inch above the road surface - it was that smooth.

The temps warmed as the ride progressed and the fine Palouse soil mixed with the water to make very fine and soupy mud which likes to fly-up and coat the bike and rider.

We are coming-up on a 1,500 mile report for this project and I will provide details as to how the combination of wheels, frame and components are performing at that time.  Until then, suffice it to say that the Dura Ace Di2 7900 is performing flawlessly.  It really does not care if it is covered in mud, sub-freezing deice fluid, ice or goose droppings - it just does what it is supposed to do without fuss, noise or hesitation.

Finally, the smooth riding characteristics made me start thinking about my tire selection when I take the studs-off.  I want a road/Randonneuring tire that I can run tubeless so I am set for road riding, but can jump on a dirt road if the urge strikes me without fear of pinch flats.  There are not many tires that fit these requirements and still feel suitable for spirited road riding so there will be some trade-off considerations.

Two Wheel Transit - Cycling for Life

What Defines a Beautiful Bike?

I get teased quite often about the state of my bicycles when they are covered in dirt, grime or are in less than showroom condition.  Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but what really qualifies as a beautiful bike? 

 

Is it perfectly restored classic bikes, perfect paint that reflects light from every angle, the sexy curves and flow of today's carbon frames or handcrafted titanium with perfectly smooth welds?  It is all of those things and more, but beyond that I believe that regardless of brand, type, model or value, a beautiful bike is a bike that shows signs of use from being ridden.

Each place where the cable housing rubs the clear coat from the paint, scuff marks on the crank arms, a little dirt or scratch on the frame all speak to adventure and exploration.  Whether the rider was exploring the limits of their will and endurance or a new trail or route to work the bike was trusted and capable partner in each adventure.

I have obsessed about the gloss on the paint or a chip from an unknown source with several bikes over the past 8 years.  Riding my prized Madone on a dirt road or in the nasty, black muck and grit that forms on the side of the road from deicing activities during the winter were unthinkable.

Friday morning was one of those days - it was raining and the side of the road was covered with sand and black, oozy gunk that sprayed-up constantly at speed.

Part of the joy of riding a cyclocross bike is the freedom that comes from knowing that it was designed for the worst of conditions.  Mud, bone-dry dust, rocks, roots and washboards are all within the intended riding conditions for these bikes.  Add the rugged yet highly refined characteristics of a titanium bicycle frame and the freedom to ride anything without guilt makes it a truly beautiful bike.

These photos do not fully depict the nastiness on the sides of the road.

I expect I will appreciating the utility of a CX bike even more these days since it will be weeks before city and county will be able to sweep the dirt and sand from the area shoulders.  Having a bike you can ride in those conditions without guilt makes it easier to get out more until it is safe for the road bikes and they come-out to play.

So, regardless of what you ride, my thesis is that it is only beautiful if you ride it thereby developing more character with each ride.  A perfect bike that lives in the living room or garage is more like artwork than a bike with flaws that develop its appeal.

If you see me on the road or in a group ride I will probably not have the cleanest bike there, but I will probably be willing and able to share a few recent adventures.

Two Wheel Transit Bicycles - Cycling for Life

Back to Studs

 

We had enough snow and cold temperatures this week that ice remained in the shaded areas of the shoulders which means it is back to studs until we can be assured that we do not need their grip anymore. 

 

I know I had already ridden Valley Chapel on February 3rd last year on a regular road bike, but do not think we will be as fortunate this year.  It was not a great riding week for me between work, weather and blah so I wanted to get at least a couple of hours on the bike on Saturday and one or two on Sunday.

 

Saturday broke foggy with temperatures in the teens so I worked on some stuff around the house in hopes it would improve.  By 11 I realized it was clear and sunny so I switched-out tires and was ready to roll in the sunshine.  I made it out of the driveway only to discover something was seriously wrong with my drivetrain.

 

I envisioned my ride today vaporizing in the sunshine.  The Moots is equipped with Dura Ace Di2 which means the rear derailleur cage is made of carbon fiber.  Somehow I had broken the inside cage when reinstalling my rear wheel - a complete rookie mistake.  A quick call to the shop and it was decided that an XT cage would most likely fit. 

 

I loaded the bike into the pickup and raced-down to the shop.  The diagnosis was correct and soon the bike was ready to roll.

 

I made it out on the road by 1:00 and decided to ride a tempo pace to Rockford and back to build some base for the season.  The sun reflecting off of the snow made the light seem that much brighter and easy to forget it was only 26 degrees.  As I rode I started thinking about setting some event goals for this season.  Nothing firm yet, but just thinking what might be fun - although flying, fishing and sailing more sound fun too.

 

I did not do any events in 2013 and though I met my mileage goal I don't think I was ever in top form as a result.  Without event goals it seems that I do not push myself when I need to and overall fitness suffers as a result.  I think some racing and gran fondo rides may be in order this year so stay tuned.  I know there are some gran fondo rides that are a good mix of dirt and pavement to fully utilize the capabilities of a good cross bike.  The first that comes to mind is the Gran Fondo Ephrata March 16th this year.

 

The ride was just right for this time of year and I did feel a twinge of anxiousness to get back to some road riding.   The forecast for this week looks cold but dry until the weekend so I should be able to keep riding for most of the week.

 

See you out there.