My Most Recent Ride 2010 (Part III of the series)

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

About frequent flats:

My tubes are 1.5" X 26" Schrader valve type.

Aside from the rare pinch-flat and the not-so-rare
beer-bottle glass flake flats, I have had a few tubes
fail around the seams closest to the valve stem.

What I've done about that is, gently file off all the rough edges of the
wheel rim which come into contact with the valve stem.
That takes care of mechanical wear and local stress on the tube.

Also, I wrap the valve stem with enough electrical tape to
hold the valve stem securely centered in the wheel rim's hole.
This relieves the stress endured by the tube/valve stem
juncture when the tire gets topped-up (pumped up) to pressure.

These little tips may or may not work with Presta type valve stems,
but hopefully will help a bit.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Schwalbe Marathon Plus. Not the lightest, fastest, or cheapest tire; but amongst the most bullet-proof you'll find.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Hmm, I hope they can make some to fit our tandem...we were going to ride Friday, but when we checked everything Thursday night, we had flats on BOTH tires. It was a real bummer for me.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Went for a ride yesterday. The first sunny day we've had in ages and I jumped on it. I'd planned roughly 30 miles and managed to get 25 of those chewed out through a steady, hard wind. Lots of animals, a few churches and even a castle.

I'm paying for it today, but it was worth it. Loke ran well.

Pictures and LONG detailed description of the ride on my blog.

It felt SO good to get a decent ride in, even if I spent almost two hours of it wandering around this churchyard or that churchyard, grave mounds, etc.

Terii

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Rode 16 miles today and got ANOTHER FLAT TIRE!!! Pulled what looked like a staple out of the tire. Patch the rear tube (I am getting really good at this) and pumped it back up. This is the first flat that was caused by road debris instead of poor tube manufacturing! I may never have to give up my recent "King of Flats" award!!! (And I would sure like to pass that "honor" to someone else. Trust me!!!)

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

King of the Flats Ride!!

Where: Ride leaves Coulter Bridge to Townsend, around Townsend and back.
When: This Saturday October 2,2010
Time: Be ready to leave at 8:30 AM.
Distance: +/- 30 miles relaxed pace
Bring: Spare tire, patches, tire levers and one for me too!!!! Who knows how many flats I will get on this ride.
Canceled if bad weather.

I am bringing my new V Rex which most members have not seen. Will ride solo if I need to but would love some RRI members company. No need to RSVP, I take off at 8:30 AM so just show up!!!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

<swinging pocket watch in your face>
"Your eyes are getting heavy."
<fingers snap>
"When I say 'go' you will go to http://www.biketiresdirect.com/ and buy four Marathon Plus tires and send two to Dave."

"GO"

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

GO? Go where??? : Hey why did I buy 4 Marathon Plus tires????

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

This last Tuesdays' club ride was a first for me.
This is the first time I've ever ridden alongside another recumbent.

I was riding my highly modified Sofrider V1
(Front wheel drive, home made chain stay, home made seat, home made wheel disk and homebrew aero mods.)
-and my new friend was riding his stock red Bacchetta high racer.

Both of us, when we turned on the gas, left our group far, far behind.

The Bachetta is faster than my bike, but I can climb up hills far better
than he could, so we were an overall even match.

At the end of our little ride, on a two-mile stretch of flat, straight road,
we had a little drag race.
I was chasing two DF riders who were drafting each other and I was slowly
closing the gap, doing 21MPH.
My friend on his Bachetta was chasing me and he was slowly closing the gap between us... when he ran out of gas.

Great workout!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

OH yeah, Greyhound brain!! Good ride, Good report

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Today's Knoxville Neighborhood Bike Ride marked the 10th anniversary of this low-key, high attendance event. The cloudless, breezeless 60-70 deg. day was cycling perfection. Don't know official count, but were several hundred of every variety bikes. Mountain, road, tandem, kids in pull-behind 3rd wheels. People who ride once a year, and people who rode to the start from deep west Knox Co. in less than 90 minutes. Don Sullivan/V-Rex and I/Rocket were the only ambassadors from RRI, and we garnered our share of attention.

Was neat to ride parts of the city I've never even driven through. Police escorts (cruisers and bikes) and stopping traffic at key intersections.

Only three recumbents. The third was a guy who tested the maximum load limit on a highly modified old Phantom with gaudy dual rear springs, a weird handlebar, and a bag on the back big enough to carry a watermelon. To his credit, he stayed with us in the lead pack most of the way.

Afterwards we rode up Central within sight of Jon's office, puttered around at the Happy Hollerpalooza where we found free ice cream at Freezo, and went back south to World's Fair Park and the greenway. Had excellent sandwiches at Market Square. Soon after, alas, we had to go back to our vehicles and drive home.

Knoxville is getting more and more recognition for it's cycling friendliness. Even the Mayor has ridden the Neighborhood Ride with us the past couple of years. Mayor Haslam will accept a Bicycle Friendly Community award from the League of American Bicyclists in a ceremony along the Third Creek Greenway on Tuesday.

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I love a good chase scene, yakmurph! Good Job!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Jon and I took off from the Coulter Bridge around 8:40. The sky was clear and the air was a balmy 46 degrees F. It was a moderately paced ride at about 16mph average. We had a great talk and before we knew it the 25 miles was over. The start of a great day.

I'll be out there again with Rob Clayton in the morning at 7:30 am if anyone wants to join us. We will probably do only the 18 or 24 mile loop because he has to be somewhere else tomorrow morning. Fast pace tomorrow.....

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

I'll add my 2 cents. It was a great ride with great company! First time I have ridden with an RRI member all year!

 

Re: My Most Recent Ride - 2010

Yakmurph, here's how it's supposed to go down.

Me: I suppose it's my turn
Lowracer1: Yep.
Me: OK, but I'm not killing myself to do it.