In general, riding more than 5km is not “normal” on a bike, riding fast is not “normal” on a bike, riding for more than like and hour is not “normal”, folding a bike and taking it on the bus is not “normal”. The list goes on and on, but I will spare you the rambling.

So this comes down to a problem of how we define “normal”.

For most people, this is how it comes out. They don’t do those things like that, so why would anyone else.

Well, here are some of the things that people do on bikes that are slightly out of the ordinary.

Endurance

A recent post on Taiwan in Cycles talked out Jure Robic, a Slovene who is considered to possibly be the world’s greatest endurance athlete. The picture above is him after 2,530 miles and 7 days, 9 hours and twenty minutes on the bike. In that time he only got 9 hours sleep and consumed a mind boggling 100,000 calories. At a different time he set a 24 hours riding record of 834.7 km.

The article in the New York Times outlines the metal breakdown he goes through in his attempts at RAAM, a non-stop race across the USA.

Definitely not “normal”

Speed & Distance

Bicycles are usually considered fairly slow, but here are some figures…

• 200m flying start record (HPV): 132 km/h
• downhill speed record (on snow): 210 km/h
• 24 hour distance record (HPV): 1041.25 km

These are all records that were set on human power alone. The reality is that these were all achieved with very specialized bicycles and in perfect conditions, which might lead you to discredit them.

But not so fast, because the entire Human Powered Vehicle crowd are basically University students and people who do it as a hobby. There are no big sponsorships and to use a computing metaphor is closer to the open source crowd than to the battles of the big names.

Big Stuff Transport

Let’s get a little more practical. Moving big stuff is often a reason for cars, but just like trucks are specialized motorized vehicles more moving lots of stuff, so there are also bike for doing the same thing.

Introducing the Long John. Nope, not a pair of underwear to keep your precious bits warm in the winter, but a bike for hauling big things, typically up to 120 kg or so.

Not for long distances probably, but definitely convenient for errands.

Kid Transport

As a parent of two, one of my main struggles is with just how to take the kids along on rides. Oftentimes it is just me by myself, so I need to be able to get both on one bike.

My solution is to take a very standard production bike, put a kid seat on the back and another one between the seat and handlebars. It works, but does lack a bit of comfort for longer rides, which is where my other favorite kind of bike kicks in.

The cargo bike is designed with a very long tail, which adds stability when putting lots of weight over the rear end of the bike.

Take Them Anywhere

And finally, if you really need to take a bike with you and are short of space, something like the little guy below fold really tiny and can take you short distances.

The wild west. A small and dusty town. A bar.  A derivative walks into the bar. All the functions scatter. In a dark corner, a lone function dares to stand his ground. The derivative walks up to the lone function and asks, “Who the hell do you think you are?” Without skipping a beat, the function, with eyes barely visible from under the brim of  his hat, replies “I’m ex.” The derivative gives a small, knowing grin and says, “Today is not your lucky day, I’m d/dy.” – Original source unknown

So it’s been a while  since whipping out the high school math books. I mean who needs that kind of grief in the real world?

Well, ladies and gents, for the first time ever, I’m going to show you a practical use for your trigonometry classes.

But fear not, I’ll be holding your hand through this, you just need to plug in the numbers.

Why This Is Useful

The best option for choosing a stem is to have yourself measured on your bike and get a stem that matches the angle and length of the one used for measurement. There is no guessing here, and it’s all worked out well.

But what if your bike is not quite right, or if you didn’t have it fitted, or after some time the “correct” fit just doesn’t quite cut it?

Amongst other things, the stem will need to be adjusted.

Simple?

No.

Doable?

Yes.

Because of the angles, every adjustment of the stem affects not only the height, but the distance from the top of the saddle to the handlebars.

How My Dilemma Helps You

I am 6′1″ (185mm) and my build gives me legs that are quite long, but not long arms. I’m like a Tyrannosaurus on wheels.

Ideally I’d be riding a custom built frame that’s just right for me, but I don’t have deep pockets for that kinda stuff, so standard consumer bikes is the only option. Fitting my body on a standard, production bike takes a bit of work, thought and adjustment.

My current mountain bike setup puts the handlebars about 79cm in front of the saddle (measured from where my sitting bones would rest). This is a position I have had on my bikes for over 10 years already, but after riding a small, folding bike that is only 72cm from seat to handlebar, and finding it quite comfortable, I need to make some adjustments to my bigger bike. The vertical difference between saddle and handlebar currently puts the handlebar 2cm below the saddle.

There is one other sure giveaway of being too stretched out. When riding for over three hours I often place the middle of my fingers on the handlebars, rather than the palm. This position eases strain in my back and just feels right.

Target: move handlebars 4cm closer to seat, and raise them by up to 2cm.

Ready?

Let’s go.

Preparation

First, some abbreviations:

• hl = horizontal length, the length of your stem measured directly forward, parallel to level ground (we’ll calculate this number)
• vh = vertical height, the height of your stem as measured directly upwards (we’ll calculate this number)
• sa = stem angle, the angle marked on the stem
• sl = stem length, the length marked on the stem
• hta = head tube angle, the angle of your head tube (we’ll measure this)

To measure the head tube angle:

• Take angle from manufacturers specifications (I did)

or

• Stand bike securely (lean against something, tie rubber bands around brake levers and handlebars to stop sliding)
• Find something long and straight (broom, etc)
• Drop line straight down the head tube to the floor
• Measure the head tube angle as shown in the diagram, between the floor and that line (you’ll need a protractor for this)

To measure the stem length:

• Check specifications (often written on the underside of the stem)

or

• Measure from the center of the head tube to the center of the handlebar.

The Math Part

You’ll need the online scientific calculator (or a real one) for these.

Calculate horizontal length and vertical height.

bignum = 90 – head tube angle + stem angle

horizontal length = cos(bignum) x stem length

vertical height = sin(bignum) x stem length

Original Stem Figures

My current figures are…

• stem angle = 25
• stem length = 120mm
• head tube angle = 72

so…

bignum = 90 – 72 + 25 = 43

horizontal length = cos(43) x 120 = 87mm

vertical height = sin(43) x 120 = 81mm

Find A New Stem

Now you just need to plug in the numbers of a new stem to find the one that is closest to your requirements.

To get 4cm extra height is quite a rise, so I’ll try out a 45 degree stem first. These are available in a range of lengths, this angle is probably right, but the length will make a big difference.

120mm stem with 45 degree rise:

bignum = 90 – 72 + 45 = 63

horizontal length = cos(63) x 120 = 54mm

vertical height = sin(63) x 120 = 106mm

So I’ve moved back 33mm, but moved up by 25mm.

I was hoping to move further back and don’t need that much more height.

Next…

100mm stem with 45 degree rise:

bignum = 90 – 72 + 45 = 63

horizontal length = cos(63) x 100 = 45mm

vertical height = sin(63) x 100 = 89mm

Overall, for my bike, they work out as shown in the table below.

Conclusion

Taking the time to get the right stem is worth it. However, this isn’t really needed any more and there are plenty of shops with adjustable stems in their stock. It’s much easier to use one of those to determine the right length, etc.

If you are in the market for a very expensive stem, I’d recommend just buying an adjustable one (not that expensive), and then spend a little less on the full stem when you’ve determined the right size and length.

When my wife originally wanted to go riding with me and needed a new bike, the Giant Hello Kitty caught her attention.

Its first major ride was a 70km ride from Yonghe to Fulong even though she had never been a cyclist and had not done training of any kind. She threw her bag on the rack, held it down with the sprung part included on cheaper racks and just headed off. What a trooper.

Now, 7 years later, the bike is still in use. It doesn’t get nearly as much use as any of our other bikes, but it is a staple in the stable of loyal chariots.

Amongst its features are:

• Big basket (with Hello Kitty picture up front)
• Downtube-only “girls” bike design
• Kick stand attached to rear wheel bolt
• Big seat with springs for comfort (but not comfortable)
• Hello Kitty bell
• 6-speed Grip Shift (rear gears only)
• Caliper front brakes
• Drum brakes at the back

The child seat at the back was most often used on my mountain bike when I used to take Christina out on bike rides. It was a little more pricey than the other models available and seemed more comfortable. It was just the right size when she was almost two years old and it is still fine now. She enjoys trying to climb up and into the seat on her own now.

Although it is not my first choice by any means, it is still a regular in our household.

I think it will continue to be for some time too.

On my way back home along the riverside path, the morning sun was shining down, piercing through the slight chill in the air.

Here’s a few shots I took of the Dahon. I had been waiting for good, strong sunlight and I got it.

Yep, that’s me below. Not a shadow panda, but I’ll get around to one of those another day.

photo credit: richardmasoner

After two rides that ended up in total darkness it’s about time I took a look at lights.

Lights have become an accessory for bikes. Years ago it wasn’t like that.

When you buy a car or motorbike no-one says, “Would you like lights with that?” Somehow it has fallen out of fashion to have lights on bikes, when in fact they are very useful and a very important part of night-riding safety.

Why no lights?

The reason there are no lights most likely comes down to fashion.

As bikes became more and more hi-tech and racers migrated from being great all-round athletes who would go huge distances without support so the bikes adapted to meet that purpose. People would inevitably want a bike like their favorite rider, so slowly the “cool” bikes were made without adequate clearance for fenders (or even slightly wider tires), without eyelets for racks and without lights as standard.

So the vast majority started to do without them and now they have become an add-on part, not considered as part of a standard bike.

Which is a bit of a pity.

It keeps people from riding at night because you have to get something else to make it safe. That then means more expense which most people don’t really need.

So if you want to ride at night anywhere outside the city, where that inescapable glow starts to disappear, then you better get some. Although the options are not huge, there is a lot of quality stuff around, for the best you’d have to do some searching though.

Which lights?

The answer seemed pretty obvious to me before: whatever they sell at the bike shop.

But this does not start to cover the vast range of lights for those who spend more than just a few hours riding their bikes at night each year.

My typical setup in the past has been (usually Cateye brand)…

• Front light – usually with 3 or 4 batteries, previously halogen bulbs, more recent years it’s LED
• Rear flashing light – 3 to 5 LED lights, usually powered by 2 batteries

A full charge will give quite a few bright hours on the front light and many more hours of “just enough”. The rear one will flash for a lot longer before needing replacement.

Beyond these I have had a dual-light with big rechargeable battery before which gave a decent amount of light for a pitch-black 5km tunnel ride before the tunnel was officially opened. Being of the older Halogen-bulb sort, the battery would not even last two hours with both lights on.

Enter the dynamo

In Germany, every bike sold is required to have a dynamo (front hub that generates electricity) and front and rear lights. And that is by law. And enforced.

So that’s a good place to start.

Having to install these things on every bike for such a long time, a huge number of high-quality front hub dynamos are produced in Germany.

The first thing that came to mind was exploding lightbulbs. But thanks to much improved technology and electronics the better dynamos will not destroy any lights as they are limited by electrical circuits and the power produced is smoothed off too.

They’ve also become more efficient. Almost to the point where it would not be noticeable. I mean like less then 5 minutes lost through inefficiency for every ten hours of riding, and for the amount of light they can produce it beats carrying a big, fat, heavy battery for the whole trip. You’re also saving the environment by saving batteries and you get that tingly feeling of self-sufficiency.

Lights

Along with everything else, the lights have taken a few big steps in their efficiency and maximum output potential. The most notable difference is the introduction of LEDs. With up to 50,000 hours of use compared to a few hundred hours for halogen bulbs, there is a lot to like. They also use less power than halogens.

They also come in a huge range of shapes and sizes too most of my information comes from Peter White Cycles headlight page where he covers the spill of the lights and a lot of information for anyone looking to compare lights.

For the moment

I am still to pour any big amount of money into lights. That was my intention, but I’ve been less drawn to investigating recently.

The main drawback has been the price. Most of these products are from smaller companies who specialize in these parts, which makes them expensive, or at least out of touch with the currency of Taiwan. For some items the price is only suitable for an enthusiast with money to spare.

So if you’re doing any night riding, make sure you’re kitted out with the right lights for your rig.

Not So Good Preparation

Continuing with my efforts to make myself weather-proof I went to the motorbike store to buy a set of waterproof jacket plus pants. Not really suitable for warm weather as they hold the heat in too much I figured they would do well while the weather is cold and wet. If I need something different when it gets warmer, I’ll deal with that when it comes.

Now, with my waterproof gear in hand I feel like the king of the world, ready to tackle any kind of weather head on. Nothing can stop me.

So in the early morning I put on my short-sleeved cycling shirt, arm warmers, short cycling pants, the waterproof stuff and my shoes and socks.

Fenders Help, to a degree

I figured that my new fenders would keep so much water off my shoes that they would not get wet.

Of course if there is no more spray from the road, everything will remain dry.

Well, not quite.

The fenders help to keep the grit and grime from the road off yourself and the bike. And they do this amazingly well. Even at the end of the ride when I washed the bike off there was almost no grit on anything. The best part was that although the chain was wet, it was not dirty, which is a definite plus for longevity.

Anyhow, my shoes were not waterproof and with just the rain on them, they were soaked within an hour. But I’m used to that so no big deal.

Danshui then Bailaka Rd.

So off to Danshui. The ride was pleasant enough, just the usual slog through the city.

Follow the No. 2 then after a bit of an uphill, right onto the 101. Even at this time of the night there were a few cars around on this road that seems like it should be quiet. It’s probably worth noting that this is likely because many people live around the Danshui area, where property is cheaper and there is access to the end of the subway system.

Some gentle climbing and finally the right turn onto the 101A.

Shiver

I had estimated that this section of road would be pretty well maintained and in good shape for taking a ride all the way to the top.

And it turned out that I was almost right. With no cars and a well maintained road surface the climb was proceeding at a decent pace, although I couldn’t tell how fast I was going, just a decent pace for a long and easy-paced ride.

Slowly but surely the lights starting becoming further and further apart. The faint glow of the next one around the corner being the only sign of anything ahead. Until there were no more. Absolutely none. Except for the odd one lighting the entrance to a house where the occupants had long ago gone to sleep with a fluffy, cozy pillow and duvet to keep them snug.

Always Check the Batteries

So as I’m slogging up the climb and the lights have gone out I’m following the faint glow of my light, which I only then realize I forgot to change the batteries.

But remember, I was prepared, and feeling like superman, so I pressed on.

Until my light was almost gone. Nothing, nada, the moon through the clouds giving more light than the tiny glow of the three LEDs.

The Freeze

But the dim light by itself might not have dissuaded me from continuing, except that the temperature had dropped. A lot.

My toes were going numb, although they could still move, they were very cold.

My fingers were freezing.

Even my body inside the waterproof jacket was getting cold.

After passing under the archway on the way up I was hit by a strong wind that just shattered all my hope of getting over the top and gave me a deep sense of worry for my own safety.

So I turned around.

On the way down it was so cold and my light was so dim I couldn’t maintain more than 10km/h at the absolute max, probably less than 5km/h actually.

The Temple

I had to seek refuge. Too cold and too slow to continue I decided I needed somewhere to wait for sunrise and make a quick decent down the mountain.

So when I next caught a glimpse of a light on the way down I took my chance, with everything on my body losing heat I decided that this would be my refuge.

I climbed the three short sets of white steps to the entrance, parked my bike under the cover then proceeded to keep myself warm.

I removed my shoes and socks because they were colder in there than when they weren’t. Later on I found some gumboots around the back that I borrowed to try keep my feet warm.

I pulled my arms into the jacket and slipped my hands under my armpits. I pulled the jacket as far up my head as it would go, sat down on the ground with my back against the wall. And waited.

For three hours.

I napped four times during those three hours. Trying to keep as warm as possible, but shivering most of the time.

Just me and the continuous groan of the recording of monks chanting the “amitofo” song. And the view of the area of lit road by the bottom of the stairs. And the buddha looking staring at me from the back.

The Sun

Finally, the light through the mist signaled my departure and I put on my cold socks and shoes and headed down the mountain as quick as I could.

I took two breaks to breath warm air onto my fingers which were getting frozen enough to hurt. But once back to the 101 it was just quite cold and wet.

Lesson Learned… Hopefully

At the end of it all I thought I was well prepared, but I wasn’t.

I didn’t have enough warm clothes. I didn’t have enough waterproof stuff, namely good gloves and waterproof shoe covers.

And I don’t have a good enough light. Which is where my focus is going to fall next.

They beat me to the ground, kicked me aside and called me a “wuss”, but inside I was warm and smiling.

As far back as I can remember there has been a stigma against certain bike parts. Bits of bicycle artillery that through poor development, genetic disposition, social stigma or just plain bad luck, have permanently slipped away from the realm of “real” cyclists. Bicycle indicator lights, rear view mirrors, bells, horns, even full panniers are seldom seen on bikes ridden by “serious” cyclists. To install such things would lose friends and possibly end if physical harm for offending those higher up the coolness ladder.

But are those things really so uncool?

Being stuck inside on rollers because of the rain is not fun and it’s been like that for a few weeks now. It’s been at least a few weeks since I managed a long ride and it’s depressing. But how can I get out in the rain?

Traditional Wisdom

Traditional answers to riding in the rain have proved lacking.

Just get wet is the first choice. You’re hard, just stick it out, be tough. Uh, sorry but suffering for nothing doesn’t make sense. Works fine if it’s balmy 30C outside, but not when it’s getting to the low teens. Staying dry is also helps keep warm.

So keep dry. A whole slew of waterproof gear is available, but with high-tech materials like GoreTex, you’re pushing big budgets for a full set of gear. But you’re still getting really wet, and simply holding the enemy at bay.

On the cheaper end, a 7-11 disposable raincoat actually does a pretty damn good job at keeping the upper body dry. Underneath that plastic bag almost any combination of layers of clothing will warm you up enough. But what about the legs?

Legs just aren’t designed for being wrapped in bags. Feet can handle bags, but they will wear through in less than an hour or two or solid riding in the wet and rain. Once the water seeps in, all is lost. They will not dry, even if you ride them in the glorious light of the warm sun for the rest of the day. And legs will get drenched, the splash from the front wheel spraying up covers the legs and deposits most of itself on your shoes. Same goes for the spray from the back wheel that will strike the seat tube and join forces with the evil front spray to thwart even your boldest efforts at keeping dry.

But what if you could keep the rain from reaching you in first place? What if instead of hand to hand combat against the foe, you could simply lift the drawbridge and leave him shouting at you in your safe haven? What if all our current schemes have been fatally flawed from the start?

The Hero

The hero of our story arrives. In gleaming armor he steps up to claim his honor.

But he needs some introduction, because he has been neglected and put aside for quite a while now. Now, bikes in Taiwan are used much more as commuting machines than back in South Africa, flat roads and close proximity to the places you need to go make it very easy to do a short ride instead of a long walk. They’re also very cheap and practical, keeping them well clear of the fads that sweep the world of fancy bikes.

Bells are cool, flat pedals are cool, single gears are cool, low prices are cool, racks are cool, front baskets are cool, upright riding positions are cool and so are… fenders.

And as it turns out, the fender is the long-lost hero and the key hours of unadulterated pleasure in the rain. This unsung hero will stop almost all the water before it even gets to you. Clean little raindrops are an easy force to deal with when the onslaught of streams of muddy grime don’t even make their way into the picture.

So that is my next accessory. I’m gonna geekify my ride, add long mud flaps and just kit my beast out with the most killer rain-stopping accessories known to mankind. They’re still in the works, but when they’re done I’ll have a full report back. I’m looking forward to some seriously geeky fun.

I might never be cool again, but that’s okay, ’cause it will be a “happily ever after”.

[Here's a nice link about fenders http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fenders.html. And a design for mudflaps linked to from there http://phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html ]

First image credit, Second image credit

My Shimano cycling shoes have taken quite a beating over the years. A month or so ago the hard, plastic sole started breaking from the leather uppers.

I was a little disheartened, but decided that the simplest fix would probably be the best. I had some electrical tape wrapped around my shoes for a few days to stop further separation.

Here’s the steps I took:

1. Buy shoe glue. The type I bought simply had a picture of a shoe on it, so I just bought it. This glue was KS Brand and labelled as “Chloroprene“.
2. Open up the areas to be glued as much as possible. I don’t recommend opening parts that are still firmly glued.
3. Dust off the surfaces. Wipe with a paper towel, or in my case I just used my finger to wipe off dust and dirt.
4. Apply glue to both surfaces (keep them apart for now) then allow to dry for 10-15 minutes.
5. Carefully align surfaces then press together firmly for a minute or two.
6. Leave for a few hours to fully dry. Use heavy objects to continue to apply pressure to those spots that need it.

I went on a 100km ride the morning after fixing these, so a long cure time is not really necessary. So far they are holding out, there are no obvious signs of further separation.

You’ve just saved yourself a bundle of cash and extended the life of your beloved shoes.

Next step: go ride your bike. Cheers.

There are some products that I just can’t help but endorse. The oldest stuff on my bike are usually those parts that have served me so well that there is no need to replace them.

After a decade of use, my Cateye Cordless 2 bike computer is still going pretty strong.

Now it doesn’t include the huge variety offered in newer computers, but it does have these:

• Current speed
• Odometer
• Max speed
• Trip average speed
• Trip distance
• Trip time
• Clock
• Two wheel size settings

When I first got this bike computer the best part was doing away with the cables that had always been a hassle when cleaning my bike or taking things apart. Instead of having to deal with the cables, I could just remove the sensor or computer as necessary.

I was originally worried about how well the wireless would work out as it was pretty new at the time. I never had any problems, except near powerful electric fields, so things might go wonky under power lines. Despite this it was still less sensitive to interference than my Polar heart rate monitor.

The computer also stores the odometer reading in non-volatile memory. The total speed is saved on the computer and does not reset when the battery is removed or replaced. That in itself was a godsend at the time, when my other bike computer (also a Cateye) would just lose that precious data. Now, with many online recording methods I don’t feel so bad to lose that data, but it does feel good to see those numbers tick up slowly. I still remember how I savored the day when it turned over from 9,999 to 10,000… sweet memories.

After more than a decade of use there have been some problems.

The range between the sensor and the computer is very limited. As a tall rider with long legs and short arms (think T-Rex, but not so extreme) my handlebars are set very high. At this height the sensor has to be placed high on the forks go get any information to pass to the computer, I’ve even changed the placement of the computer because the handlebars between it and the sensor messes up the signal a bit.

The batteries need regular replacement and have solved any occasional issues with no signal. I would rather set and forget, but over time it’s been worth it.

So although it doesn’t do all the fancy-pants stuff a high-specced Garmin or other computer can do, it has served me well and performed awesome for the task it was designed for.

The blog is about a family in the US who completely gave up their car and attempted to live with bicycles as their sole form of transport. A pretty lofty goal in a country which is not particularly designed for that lifestyle, unlike Amsterdam and other such European countries.

One of their big helpers was the cargo bike.

What is a cargo bike?

A cargo bike is designed to carry a whole lot of stuff. It is designed from the start to support very heavy and very big loads.

The Yuba Mundo shown above is designed to carry up to 200kgs. The whole rear triangle is stretched backward to provide greater stability with increased load. The large rack is a part of the frame and it comes with a double-kickstand, perfect for loading on a few bags of cement. The folks from the blog mentioned above moved a washing machine and drier on one bike so it can take a fair bit of strain.

The other kind of load  when dealing with a family is kids.

The bike featured above is strong enough and long enough to take two bike seats, so you can drag two little mites with. With Christina and Christopher I have my eye on this bike. Christopher at only 6 months is probably still a little young to go for a ride, but this makes a nice getaway vehicle for when he gets a little older.

Great for shopping and carting

I am very impressed with this bike. The model shown above costs USD$1,100 which is still expensive but much cheaper than any other bike in the same category. The kid seats are USD$150 each.

The utility of this bike makes a lot of sense. Here in Taiwan, long distances are never an issue, with most things being within a few kilometers of home. The only issues is the extreme summer heat and making sure a unique bike like this stays locked up.

If I had enough money to spare I might actually go for one of these. I would have to admit I’d put the money into my own bike stuff first, but this would make a great extra bike and perhaps when the kids are a year older it will look that much more appealing.