your daily bicycle log

i want to go to the condor shop!

did 2.5 hours in central park

I HAVE BEEN TO THE CONDOR SHOP

FACT

i mean, i think.

it was in london, anyway.

LDN, btw, is A++ fun traffic riding

If you like a challenge it is. And by and large people in central London drive quite well, since it's usually their job. I'd be a lot more nervous about *accidentally* being knocked off my bike in, say, Peckham.

I should clean my bike this weekend, and try and book it in for a service. As I've *never* had a bike serviced before - is it okay for me to say "can I have a full service please, and can you also try and sort out the ticking noise in the bottom bracket and return my brake/gear lever blocks ("flight deck"? Is there a proper word for the bit you hold on to?) to their original positions since they've slipped a lot thanks to banging into things"?

Is "LDN" all Lily Allen's fault?

you can blame dizzee

Blocks? Flight deck? Now I'm confused.

Are you sure it's a bicycle you've been, er, "riding"?

Mark: you mean "hoods."

Well I did ask for there to be a glossary thread only to be told to stfu :)

That's because Sheldon Brown already covered it.

It doesn't work the other way round though.

Anyway, I'm not going mad:

http://store.airbomb.com/mmAirbomb/Images/large/q/LD6600.jpg

A quick googling tells me that "Flight Deck" is a trade name for a Shimano cycle-computer that's supposed to be keyed to yr shifters in order to track and display your gearing & cadence calculations. So congratulations, your levers are Flight Deck-compatible.

ive yet to see anybody with the actual flight deck computer, for all of the compatible levers out there.

there was like two weeks in 1990 when i was dying to know my cadence at all times.

so today- 18 degrees. i wore the lobsters, the fleece beanie, the thermal l/s jersey over the dress shirt. diagnosis: toes frozen, all other systems go.

the weather channel had a feature on winter bike riding in chicago last night, gbx, i was hoping to see you. instead they had some wrench from a bike shop- "west lake" or something.

I love the lobsters! Because they're called lobsters!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2081/2074068928_f930128c51_o.gif

First time riding all the way to work (usual commute = 3 mile ride to train station, 45-minute train ride, 2 mile ride to work each way). Figured I'd do it once in the morning before it started to snow, since long night rides in the suburbs = easy way to get killed. Fun ride.

I'M SORRY I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCKING SHIFTER BRAKE HOOD DOOHICKEY WAS CALLED OK

lobsters = these?

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/500/10-2974-IND-BACK.jpg

I think I would feel weird wearing them.

my lobsters are really old, not the loose shelled amfib type. they're also worn out, maybe i'll get the pictured ones. they are good for below 25 or 30 degrees.

what i like about that map is that it shows my old residence in needham, and almst exactly maps my bike commute to the ski market on rt 9 in Framingham where i worked like 15 years ago.

What I liked most about this ride: passing a sign that said "FELCHVILLE" on rt. 135.

govern: nice work, how long was the commute total?

hunter: what did you have on your feets?

govern, what software is that (and is it free?)

it looks like mapmyride.com, no?

Yeah, mapmyride.com. Took about an hour and a half, but I was taking it pretty easy (and running 66", so spinning a lot on the flat stretches).

xpost

thin dress socks and a really old pair of ultra light slip on spd compatible shoes. they suck as "riding shoes" (super soft sole, minimal lugs, no support at all) but have three desirable characteristics for commuting-- they pack almost totally flat, weigh almost nothing, and have no laces. eh, they're walkable too, for short distances.

i could have worn fleece socks, but my goal with commuting always is to need to change as few items of clothing as possible.

im ready to replace shoes, but i get stuck on certain technical things, and i wont pay for much for commuting shoes.

how about just invest in some winter shoe covers? i'm worried about your toesies

ha thx. i have two pr of covers that really only fit my rd shoes. but maybe those neoprene toe covers would be the tikit.

heres a roadie dud: wearing a pair of your team socks over yr shoes. look, i know some racer doods do this, but it is stoopid and does not keep yr feet warmer. not that i ever tride it. (ok i did).

That makes sense: the socks aren't windproof, so their waffle knit isn't actually holding any warm air in. You need the windproof layer OVER the insulated layer.

"well, if you squint juuuuust right those socks look like team shoe covers!"

ive not seen this as much recently, its old school and maybe reflects a time when decent shoe covers were not so easy to score. yknow-"COPPI DID IT LIKE THIS BEYOTCHES!"

speaking of robster craws, LG makes these convertible finger into robster groves:

http://www.velocitynation.com/pictures/image/gloves/lg.jpg

*stunned silence* breakthru or dubious achievmnt?

i heart most LG stuff.

Today was the first day here it was too cold to ride without gloves. I must've looked funny to my (awesome) neighbor turning around halfway down the street and riding right back home like a pink-knuckled pussy.

My commuting shoes - they look like regular trainers and are fine for walking in. I've even been dancing in 'em.

http://www.bikemagic.com/news/images/specialized_sonoma_sml.jpg

Oh and I rode in today for the first time in two weeks. On the way back had to stop sharply for a) guy reversing on to main road; 2) guy driving on to pavement to skip queue and turn left; iii) taxi driver pulling in in front of me.

those look perfect except for laces, where do where they from?

those are specialized methinks.

Oh and I rode in today for the first time in two weeks.

yeah i was wondering where you were!

You guys it's so hard to want to go to sleep once you've biked home drunk in the cold -- I am wound up in all ways. Fortunately I took tomorrow off so I can stay up and decompress.

xp yeah weather and waking up exhausted (what the hell is that about) has been putting me off - but I haven't given up.

Shoes are specialized sonoma. Laces are not ideal it's true - looks like they've got a new pair with velcro but they look more bike geeky obviously.
http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=26101

I'm annoyed with myself for not cycling in today. I think I'll make up for it by cycling to the football tomorrow afternoon (6 miles there, 6 miles back, meh).

k, it was 12 deg at departure, 16 at arrival. im announcing thats hittin my limits of "fun." i dint realize it but i had beardfrost and got on the elevator to stares, saw reflection looking a mess, cringed. s'alright tho no partners or coworkers on the lift.

i actually rode in a pair of reg shoes on my atacs today. wasnt that good, but maybe i should just buy flat pedals?

beardfrost! i am dying to know what hunter age 3, cycling lawyer looks likes

http://img409.imageshack.us/img409/7293/uh2ej6.jpg

I lied, as soon as my body temp started dropping, I fell asleep. It took about 15 minutes.

Hunter, talk me through how you psyche/warm yourself up for leaving the house in temperatures like that, knowing that within second you'll have -10 worth of wind chill in your face and that any residual heat your body has will be sucked out of it within 200 yards?

and we're back live. its 12:30 am and im still at wokr. anyway, the answwer is:

1. I have to drop 2 kids off at daycare before i ride in, so its so fediculously hectic that i dont have time to worry about it being cold.

2. Mantra a: "this is the most fun ill have all day yeah!"

3. mantra b: "IM SUPERBAD! ive suffered waaaaay more than this before."

4. pray for string of hardcore bangers on mp3 player

5. wuss out and get on the bus or lightrail with bike. (never done this due to the cold.)

yucks at 4.

kudos at 4!

Urg no riding since chicago, now in cairo, via new york, london and berlin. My back hurts as well, (I need to stop walking round with a heavy laptop case over one shoulder). Generally bored and in a bad mood, I'd rather be cycling.