I've heard a lot of squeaky chains lately. Keeping your chain well-oiled is the easiest and most effective way you can prolong the life of your parts.
You can use any sort of oil to lubricate your chain (except for WD-40!), but a specialized chain oil is best. There are many opinions on how to properly get the oil where it needs to go. I like to put the bottle on the inside of the bottom part of the chain, squeeze the bottle, and back-pedal. After a few revolutions, I'll take a paper towel and hold it over the chain as I back pedal some more, to get the excess oil off.
Tada! You're done, and can now ride your bike around town quietly, like the urban ninja you are.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
He's baaaack.....
Good news for the Old Guys Who Get Fat in Winter Racing Team:
Today's NY Times:
"...After more than three years out of professional cycling, Lance Armstrong — the cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France winner — announced Tuesday that he would emerge from retirement and climb back onto his bike...(snip)...He did not mention any possible team affiliations, but an article published Monday on the Web site of VeloNews, a prominent cycling publication, said Armstrong would join the Astana team next year. Johan Bruyneel, Armstrong’s former team manager, is the team manager of Astana."
Another article on this is in VeloNews, including the Bruyneel connection
Today's NY Times:
"...After more than three years out of professional cycling, Lance Armstrong — the cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France winner — announced Tuesday that he would emerge from retirement and climb back onto his bike...(snip)...He did not mention any possible team affiliations, but an article published Monday on the Web site of VeloNews, a prominent cycling publication, said Armstrong would join the Astana team next year. Johan Bruyneel, Armstrong’s former team manager, is the team manager of Astana."
Another article on this is in VeloNews, including the Bruyneel connection
Bicycling-unfriendly?
To the Editor, Los Alamos Monitor
In a letter entitled "Los Alamos bicycle unfriendly", letter writer Mario Schillaci claims that Los Alamos is bicycle-unfriendly. His argument concerns the traffic calming measures, or "bulb-outs", being implemented on Central Avenue, a road running though much of our town's businesses, library, retirement community, and government center. The idea that these are cycling-unfriendly is one shared by at least a few residents, but betrays a fundamental misunderstanding about cycling safety. Los Alamos County is actually making great strides in becoming more bicycle-friendly.
Mr. Schillaci states that "when [a cyclist] comes to [a bulbout], he/she is forced to the left into the traffic coming from behind..." This is precisely where cyclists should have been riding. By riding in a straight, predictable line, part way into the lane, visible to other traffic, and
not weaving in and out of parked cars (or bulbouts), cyclists increase their visibility, predictability, and reduce the likelihood of the two most frequent bike-car collision scenarios--motorist turning left across a cyclist's path, and motorist turning right after overtaking a curb-bound cyclist--both of which happen in front of the cyclist. Overtaking (i.e., "hit from behind") collisions make up only about 1% of car-bike crashes.
Bulb-outs also serve as effective traffic-calming devices, reducing the speed difference between motorized traffic and cycling traffic. A recent county study found 85% of traffic on Central Avenue through the existing bulb-outs travels below the posted 25 miles per hour limit. This lower-speed "main street" atmosphere is ideal for cyclists at any speed. The narrow lane and lower speeds ensure that any passing maneuvers are deliberate and well-considered, again increasing the margin of safety.
Just as importantly, pedestrian safety is vastly increased by traffic-calming bulb-outs. Visibility is increased at the crossing points by ensuring pedestrians are visible on the bulb-outs, clear of parked cars and in the sight lines of road traffic. Lower vehicle speeds mean drivers are more likely to stop, and should there be a car-pedestrian collision, the pedestrian's survival rate soars. According a UK Times Online article (http://tinyurl.com/5lbyz9), pedestrians struck by a car have a 97.5% survival rate at 20MPH , compared with 80% at 30MPH, and 10% at 40MPH. Such walkability improvements also improve the small business environment and decrease road congestion, by encouraging people to park their cars and walk to multiple shopping destinations in our town center.
With bulb-outs making Central so pleasant for cycling, walking, and driving, bike racks on all busses, bike lanes being added all throughout Diamond Drive, a cycling-friendly populace, and the recently enacted Bicycle Transportation Plan of Los Alamos County, Los Alamos is, in fact, becoming a very bicycle friendly community!
Neale Pickett and Khalil Spencer
League Cycling Instructors,
League of American Bicyclists
In a letter entitled "Los Alamos bicycle unfriendly", letter writer Mario Schillaci claims that Los Alamos is bicycle-unfriendly. His argument concerns the traffic calming measures, or "bulb-outs", being implemented on Central Avenue, a road running though much of our town's businesses, library, retirement community, and government center. The idea that these are cycling-unfriendly is one shared by at least a few residents, but betrays a fundamental misunderstanding about cycling safety. Los Alamos County is actually making great strides in becoming more bicycle-friendly.
Mr. Schillaci states that "when [a cyclist] comes to [a bulbout], he/she is forced to the left into the traffic coming from behind..." This is precisely where cyclists should have been riding. By riding in a straight, predictable line, part way into the lane, visible to other traffic, and
not weaving in and out of parked cars (or bulbouts), cyclists increase their visibility, predictability, and reduce the likelihood of the two most frequent bike-car collision scenarios--motorist turning left across a cyclist's path, and motorist turning right after overtaking a curb-bound cyclist--both of which happen in front of the cyclist. Overtaking (i.e., "hit from behind") collisions make up only about 1% of car-bike crashes.
Bulb-outs also serve as effective traffic-calming devices, reducing the speed difference between motorized traffic and cycling traffic. A recent county study found 85% of traffic on Central Avenue through the existing bulb-outs travels below the posted 25 miles per hour limit. This lower-speed "main street" atmosphere is ideal for cyclists at any speed. The narrow lane and lower speeds ensure that any passing maneuvers are deliberate and well-considered, again increasing the margin of safety.
Just as importantly, pedestrian safety is vastly increased by traffic-calming bulb-outs. Visibility is increased at the crossing points by ensuring pedestrians are visible on the bulb-outs, clear of parked cars and in the sight lines of road traffic. Lower vehicle speeds mean drivers are more likely to stop, and should there be a car-pedestrian collision, the pedestrian's survival rate soars. According a UK Times Online article (http://tinyurl.com/5lbyz9), pedestrians struck by a car have a 97.5% survival rate at 20MPH , compared with 80% at 30MPH, and 10% at 40MPH. Such walkability improvements also improve the small business environment and decrease road congestion, by encouraging people to park their cars and walk to multiple shopping destinations in our town center.
With bulb-outs making Central so pleasant for cycling, walking, and driving, bike racks on all busses, bike lanes being added all throughout Diamond Drive, a cycling-friendly populace, and the recently enacted Bicycle Transportation Plan of Los Alamos County, Los Alamos is, in fact, becoming a very bicycle friendly community!
Neale Pickett and Khalil Spencer
League Cycling Instructors,
League of American Bicyclists
Monday, September 1, 2008
Once again, here's to the Lowest Common Denominator
In his closing comments upon shutting down active dialog on the Bomb Town News Observer, Jimbo thanks the lowest common denominator folks for making anonymous comments on his blog that led him to shut it down:
"Here's to the Lowest Common Denominator, the ones who drag us down, the millstones that hang painfully around the neck of society! May they get what they deserve!..."
So too overnight, when the LCD'd hit once more, dousing the new mountain lion at the San Ildefonso roundabout with white latex paint. Its too bad we have to share a community with such lowlifes. Indeed, may they get what they deserve. Like, about two weeks of community service detail cleaning up the community, and scraping the last paint off that lion with their raw fingernails.
"Here's to the Lowest Common Denominator, the ones who drag us down, the millstones that hang painfully around the neck of society! May they get what they deserve!..."
So too overnight, when the LCD'd hit once more, dousing the new mountain lion at the San Ildefonso roundabout with white latex paint. Its too bad we have to share a community with such lowlifes. Indeed, may they get what they deserve. Like, about two weeks of community service detail cleaning up the community, and scraping the last paint off that lion with their raw fingernails.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Talk of the Nation (NPR): Cars vs. Bikes
In case you missed the 30 minute NPR discussion of increased cycling and the issues this has caused to surface, including the Rob Anderson lawsuit in San Francisco that he brought against its bike plan, here is the link.
Interesting discussion.
Interesting discussion.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Fatal crash in the Jemez
Someone asked me about this. This is a snippet of the Albuquerque Journal article sent me by Ben Savoca and Diane Albert. Sounds like he lost control of the bike.
I'm not sure where exactly Spence Hot Springs are, but plenty of fast descents on NM-4 where things can go badly wrong. No definitive information in the entire article on why he lost control. Speculation includes a blown front tire. On a fast descent, a lot can happen to make things go wrong.
Condolences to the family.
http://www.abqjournal.com/riorancho/260730west08-26-08.htm
Bicyclist Killed in Charity Ride
Journal Staff Writer
...Michael S. Berry, 40, was participating in the Rio Grande Bike MS Atomic Ride, a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis.
The event began Saturday in Bernalillo and went through the Jemez Mountains to Los Alamos. The cyclists then returned to Bernalillo by the same route on Sunday.
Berry was riding on N.M. 4, near the 24.5 mile marker, about 9:20 a.m. when he lost control at a turn, went into a ravine and hit his head on a rock, according to Sandoval County Undersheriff Tim Lucero. Berry was pronounced dead at the scene, just south of the Spence Hot Springs parking lot.
The cyclist was thrown 8 to 14 feet before crashing into the rock. He was wearing a helmet, Lucero said....
I'm not sure where exactly Spence Hot Springs are, but plenty of fast descents on NM-4 where things can go badly wrong. No definitive information in the entire article on why he lost control. Speculation includes a blown front tire. On a fast descent, a lot can happen to make things go wrong.
Condolences to the family.
http://www.abqjournal.com/riorancho/260730west08-26-08.htm
Bicyclist Killed in Charity Ride
Journal Staff Writer
...Michael S. Berry, 40, was participating in the Rio Grande Bike MS Atomic Ride, a fundraiser for multiple sclerosis.
The event began Saturday in Bernalillo and went through the Jemez Mountains to Los Alamos. The cyclists then returned to Bernalillo by the same route on Sunday.
Berry was riding on N.M. 4, near the 24.5 mile marker, about 9:20 a.m. when he lost control at a turn, went into a ravine and hit his head on a rock, according to Sandoval County Undersheriff Tim Lucero. Berry was pronounced dead at the scene, just south of the Spence Hot Springs parking lot.
The cyclist was thrown 8 to 14 feet before crashing into the rock. He was wearing a helmet, Lucero said....
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