MHCG Cycling eBook on Sale for Just 99¢

On sale now, and for a Limited Time, at the Amazon Kindle Store Rediscover Your Joy with Bicycles and Cycling, the eBook we created for beginning and returning cyclists over at Mile-Hi Cycle Guy. We put it ON SALE in time for Christmas giving!

This is one of my favorite reviews, not only because it is so complimentary, but also because it came from a friend I haven’t seen in decades.

“Thorough yet brief and easy-to-read…Increased knowledge for shopping wisely; better understanding of types of bikes available; good pointers about safety and cycling-related, off-bike exercise … I recommend it whole-heartedly! This book should be read – and re-read – as much as necessary, especially before shopping and buying things – by anyone who is a novice about riding, or anyone who may have interest in using a bicycle more often for a variety of purposes … It helped a great deal to see the must-haves, should-haves, and “cools” as far as what to buy and own for maximum riding enjoyment and safety, and to understand more clearly which are which.”-Martin “Tex” Maier, Houston, TX

Here is an excerpt from the Must-Haves Section of the book, mentioned by “Tex” …

“What Are Your Bicycle Necessities: 7 Must-Haves for Enjoyable Cycling

There are certain necessities, besides a bicycle, required for a consistently safe, comfortable, enjoyable cycling experience. By being prepared for any eventuality, you can make every ride a joy, even when something goes wrong!

Hydration … Hydration is critical to an enjoyable cycling experience. A simple water bottle, with bottle cage attached to the bike frame, provides a convenient source of water. Many, if not most, bikes will have two cage mounting positions, called braze-ons, where two water bottles may be carried; perhaps one would contain water to keep you hydrated, while the other might contain something like Gatorade, to provide other vital fluids and electrolytes.

Tube/Tire Repair … Experiencing a flat tire while far from home is no fun at all, however, being able to repair the flat quickly, or replace the tube, can salvage an enjoyable ride. Just remember this; if you actually use your bicycle – you will get a flat tire … so, be prepared with a basic repair kit … including an inflation device (e.g., a pump or CO2 inflator). These need not be expensive but are critical to consistent, enjoyable riding.

For more Cycling Tips, visit us at: Mile Hi Cycle Guy

Wedge Pack … Having a convenient place to carry your tools will also make your ride more fun. Putting your tools in your pockets can be uncomfortable, while a small bag tucked beneath the seat makes carrying tools, your ID, some emergency cash, and your cell phone convenient, but won’t interfere with bike handling. 

Helmet … Surprisingly, the debate over whether or not to wear a helmet while cycling is a very contentious one. We say this, for children … ABSOLUTELY ALWAYS wear a helmet. For adults … wear a helmet MOST OF THE TIME. In some states a helmet is required by law. Where it is not, I recommend this … anytime you ride in the street you should be wearing a helmet. This is why it is under our “must-haves” list.

Shoes … Cycling shoes are designed to aid in the transfer of power from legs to pedals; from pedals to cranks; from cranks to drive train; from drive train to rear wheel. They are supremely well suited to this purpose. However, they can also be quite expensive. A good quality comfortable shoe, with a stiff sole, can accomplish much the same thing for the novice or returning cyclist.

Clothing … Riding in comfort will also, of course, make the cycling experience much more enjoyable. Cycling-specific clothing is, again, very well designed to enhance the cycling experience. Once more, however, these items can be pricey. Athletic clothing, clothing designed to wick perspiration away from the body, can be worn just as comfortably for cycling; without being prohibitively expensive.

Another quick thought about helmets and cycling…

I am a huge proponent of freedom of choice and independence. In fact, I oppose mandatory helmet laws for both cyclists and motorcyclists. I believe that adults have the right to make the choice for themselves so, why do I so strongly advocate the use of helmets when riding a bicycle? After all, a helmet will do little or nothing to protect you if you are hit by a two-ton truck, right?

Quite simply, I recommend the use of a helmet because cyclists fall down – a lot – and a helmet will help protect you from serious injury when you fall from your bike. That’s it.”

 An eBook is a great way to stuff a stocking electronically and now, for just 99¢, you can give a great little gift to the beginning or returning cyclist in your family. Just choose the “Give as a Gift” button on the Kindle Store Page and enter their email address and, within minutes, they’ll receive their copy of Rediscover Your Joy with Bicycles and Cycling.

If you would be so kind, after you’ve read the book, please return to the Kindle store and write a review.We live for feedback.

Later

A New Year’s Ride…

…well, the day after anyway.

We finally had weather that was nice enough we could haul out the road bikes on Monday, the 2nd. We only rode about 11 miles but, you know what, after 2 1/2 months of too cold, too snowy, or too wet, we loved it!

Later

Top U.S. Cities For Winter Bicycle Commuting…

I happened to catch this on the Webernet the other day and thought I should share it with you. Winter cycling “can be a daunting task” indeed, especially if you’re not properly prepared for cold weather, not to mention snow.

I’ve spent considerable time riding in the cold and the wet, but not much in snow. In fact, the very thought of snow cycling is kind of scary because…I Don’t Like to Fall Down. Perhaps I should employ some of my own advice and give it a try this winter, even though, working predominantly from home, I don’t get the chance to do much winter bicycle commuting. 

Top U.S. Cities For Winter Bicycle Commuting…

“For bicycle commuters, continuing to pedal through the winter months can be a daunting task, especially if one lives in a northern city. Often the decision for winter bicycle commuting comes down to perspective: Is cycling a sport or a viable form of transportation that offers a multitude of advantages such as saving money and improving the health of the cyclist and the environment? In order for bicycling to be respected as sustainable transportation, the surrounding community must be supportive of cyclists year-round. This includes city maintenance of bike lanes and paths during winter as well as supportive bicycle initiatives. It can be done…Here are five cities in the U.S. that are supporting bicycle commuting through the winter.”

Also, another great, inexpensive idea for cycling in snow, and for winter bicycle commuting, is to…

Use Zip-ties as Snow Chains for your Bike…

SNOWPOCALYPSE!

“No matter how much we swear we’ve learned our lessons, Seattle always seems to get caught by surprise by the snow. There we were, minding our own business with our feet all toasty in our sandals and socks, when the temperature plummeted and it turned into Juneau in January. While this year the City did a much better job than last year at preventing widespread carnage and destruction, we at Dutch Bike Seattle still didn’t bring in studded tires because it never snows in Seattle. Even if we had stocked them, I’m not sure they’d sell because it never snows in Seattle, right?

We found something else, though. Something else entirely.”

People are just so damned clever, aren’t they?

Later

With snow on the way, I figured today was a good day to ride. Even a short one is better than none.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=217899610528741699049.0004b00ec359faff0a959

No rides for you!!!

Our little bike spin last Sunday took place under sunny skies in 85° weather. Today it is not quite as nice…with clouds and a rain/snow mix, and just 37°.

I know it isn’t winter yet but it sure feels “wintery” today. Yuck…

Later

Bicycle Touring Magazine…

Found this in my inbox recently…

For anyone who has the lest bit of curiosity about bicycle touring, you should check out this new digital magazine, Bicycle Touring Magazine. You’ll find stories and pictures from around the world, from people who travel our planet by bike.

The images alone are dazzling, but the stories can inspire as well. While the idea of travelling third world countries by bicycle, or any other means, have never held much appeal to me personally, I can certainly appreciate the devotion of the folks who do. And, their stories are awesome.

Later

New bar tape for my road bike…

I just couldn’t take it anymore. The black tape I used when I replaced the original handlebars was soooooo boring. I had to get back to white.

We also got a little bit fancy with the electrical tape we used to finish it off. We figured hey, we have it, why not use it?

I really like the look of white handlebar tape. Of course, the big problem with using it is keeping it clean. This time I used Fizik Microtek tape, which is supposed to shed dirt all by itself – Hah – but is also easy to clean. We’ll see…

I think it looks very cool, don’t you?

Damn, what a gorgeous bicycle…again!

Later

Bright Light/Bike Light…

I found, and thought to share, this comprehensive review of the Radbot 1000 Rear Light, at RoadBikeRider.com. Good lighting for riding in low light conditions, including the dangerous dusk hours as well as night riding, is essential for any bike commuter; especially as the days become shorter.

http://www.roadbikerider.com/product-reviews/safety-equipment/radbot-1000-rear-light

Later

A unique experience…

I had a truly unique experience on Sunday as I met a fellow bike blogger. Kelly Carlisle, who writes the blog Ride Bikes, Drink Coffee, was visiting Colorado with his family.

He wanted to meet before leaving town, so…we got together at Starbucks, of course.

We live a thousand miles from each other and had never met before this but, we sat down and began chatting as if we’d known each other for years. Of course, we’ve been reading each other’s blog for more than a year so, in reality, we did know each other even before we met in person. It constantly amazes me how cycling, the Internet, and blogging can bring folks, who would otherwise be and remain strangers, together.

Kelly is an articulate, insightful blogger, with an undisguised love for cycling – and coffee. His writing and photography of Salem and its environs are truly inspiring. He is a family man who cares for people and is willing to share his insights and loves with others. It was a true pleasure meeting someone with whom I’ve only “spoken” through the Internet prior to this moment.

I’ve received some high praise from Kelly in the past, for accomplishing The Ride from Phoenix to Denver, as well as for blogging about it as I did so. I can only return the compliment and thank him for being so generous.

Thank you Kelly, for taking the time from your trip and your family to meet with an old cyclist like me. I surely hope to return the favor one of these days and visit you in Oregon.

Later

Sharing a few thoughts…

I simply had to share this with everyone who reads this blog…

Monday, July 04, 2011

Declaration of Independence

When in the course of human events it becomes
necessary for a people to dissolve the bands that have connected them to utter
dependence on motorized transportation, and to assume among the users of the
road the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God
entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold
these truths to be self evident, that all road users are created equal and are
endowed with certain unalienable rights — that among these are Life, Liberty
and the Pursuit of Happiness. — that a human being propelling a vehicle by
muscle power shall not be subject to the whim, coercion or threat of harm from
the operator of a larger vehicle unwilling to share the public right of way. —
that citizens should not feel compelled to purchase and maintain motor vehicles
because they do not feel safe outside them. — that any citizen shall be
encouraged to enjoy the advantages economical, physical and environmental, of
transportation by bicycle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Okay, the
grievances that led to the real Declaration of Independence lent themselves to
the territorial solution the Declaration laid out, and the bloody war that
followed. The Americans wanted their own turf because the British government
wasn’t meeting their needs. But I was thinking about how choosing the bicycle
sets us so firmly apart from people who, for various reasons, wouldn’t dream of
it. We’re not declaring war, but in a way we’re fighting one every day, to be
seen, respected and accommodated on the public travel ways all our taxes pay
for.

The shop actually had a party of renters cancel their reservation
while they were driving from the shop to their motel because they were scared by
the narrow roads, the traffic volume and the crash they had just witnessed in
which a motorcycle had run into the back end of a car.

At least once a
week someone tells me they think I’m crazy or stupid or braver than average
because I ride on the road. Far more frequently than that I deal with customers
selecting their bike specifically to avoid the road. Some of those customers say
they would ride the road “if they could.” Others say they are perfectly happy to
ride only on recreational paths “where they belong.”

Meeting the needs of
all road users is not easy, especially here in the land of narrow, hilly,
winding roads. That doesn’t mean it should not be done. When I’m on my bike I
slow down for motor vehicle congestion and stop for pedestrians. I don’t feel I
have the right to rip along at my best speed at all times. Nor do I accept that
I should always have to step aside or risk annihilation whenever someone else in
a vehicle of any size wants to gain a few seconds by blasting past me in a tight
spot. Nowhere is it written in traffic law that a motorist has the right (often
expressed as if it was a compulsion) to pass a slower vehicle without changing
course or reducing speed wherever the encounter should happen to take place. But
that’s common practice. Motorists do it around each other and often collide. As
cyclists we notice careless or risky behavior because we are more vulnerable to
it. We also get to hear from passing critics who might be completely muffled if
we were in a car with the windows rolled up.

I’ve had the idea a few
times to quit biking and just drive annoyingly. More effective than Critical
Mass might be for all the cyclists one day to drive, adding that many cars to
the traffic mix to show the resentful motorists what we have spared them all
these years by pedaling.

Freedom isn’t free. Most people just pay lip
service to that, sending someone else’s kids overseas to fight for our national
interests and saying nice things about them when they get back. It does not
occur to them that you can put yourself on the line for what you believe in just
by biking to the grocery store or to work. It just looks foolishly risky
compared to riding the roller coaster of oil prices, polluting the air, hating
each other in traffic, circling in search of parking, paying off car loans,
dealing with repairs and upkeep and spending all that time sitting in a confined
space.

This is from Cafiend, at one of my favorite bike blogs, “Citizen Rider.” A bike mechanic for more than 25 years, he is also an articulate writer and artist. Do yourself a favor and check out his blogs – he has half-a-dozen.

Later