Father's Day Haulings

I spent my father's day running errands with the kids. We went to the pool and then the grocery store. The XtraTrucker handled the load with ease. The only sketchy moment was when my youngest decided it was fun to throw her weight from side to side to make the bike wobble.

When I got home I used the bike to return a neighbor's tiller with plenty of room left over.

Happy Father's Day to me!

The Bikes Of Whole Foods

Spotted this LHT(yeah you know me) and had a good conversation with the owner* who was happy with the balanced out ride with the front rack.

This iBert/Xtracycle combo was pretty pimp and made me feel like a douche for driving my daughter there. Had a nice talk with the owner** whose kneecap is proudly displayed below and her little cutie.

* Either Charles, Dennis, or Leroy
**Pretty sure it was Wendy?

In Good Company

I only make purchases from companies that reflect my personal outlook and stance on the important issues of the day, or the ones who send me inappropriate stickers in exchange for a good haiku.

Surly Bikes

Xtracycle: The Longer Haul Trucker

As previously stated, I have been slacking. Here is my attempt to catch up.

For a long time now, I've been wanting a sport utility bike of some kind. I think this has to do with the amount of kids I have. When the first one was born the idea crept in that it might be nice to have one some day. By the time number two arrived I was in a state of full on man/gear lust. At first I thought I might just spring for a bike trailer and the I could tow the kids to school and go to work in one trip. The problem with this is that I park my bike in my cube and it would suck to have to negotiate a trailer through the office every day. I definitely wanted an SUB.

Being a Surly fan I considered a Big Dummy, but I am a cheap scrounging bastard so the consideration was fleeting. The logical step was to put an Xtracycle on the LHT(yeah you know me), but that too had a stiff price tag (cheap scrounging bastard*).

I decided to use the vast social media empire I built over the years to my advantage. On February 21st I tweeted "anyone in DC want to sell me their Xtracycle?". At the time I thought this was one of the douchier things I've done, which it was, but it worked!
Soon I had a shinny used Xtracycle Free Radical with bags waiting to be installed. I had to purchase another chain and tandem length shifter and brake cables for the extended rear. I also had to do things like measure the elevator at my office to make sure this SUB would make the trip I wouldn't be hiking a 7 foot bike up the office stairwell.

The install went smoothly with no troubles. I had heard of LHT owners complaining that the Xtracycle didn't fit well because of the LHT's longer chainstay but I didn't run into this problem.

The Xtracycle and the Long Haul Trucker seem work pretty well together; the LHT is strong and is already geared for hauling heavy loads. The Xtracycle design is impressively simple, it's easy to install and has a cult following that documents tons of mods and DIY projects.

Now it's time to get my DIY on.

Monday! Thou yeasty milk-livered haggard!

Problem Solvers and Problems Solved

Anyone who has had an LHT (yeah you know me) for a while or run the Shimano UN54 bottom bracket can feel my pain here. It's simple and it's stupid, the aforementioned bottom bracket uses a non-drive side ring made of plastic...  sigh. Plastic that cracks over time and starts to make a clicking pinging sound. I don't really care why Shimano did this, I can only speculate that it's because they don't love me and want to hurt me.

Thankfully someone at Problem Solvers does love me and made a replica of the plastic crap for crap, (above right) out of loving metal that would never hurt me (above left).

I proceeded to remove the bottom bracket from my daughters drying rack (seen above) and attempted to replace it with another UN54, this time using the Up Cup from Problem Solvers. The problem was that I couldn't get the drive side of the BB to come loose. I couldn't get any leverage because my Park BB-22 tool was too shallow or something, whenever I muscled down on it the BB tool would slip out. The one time I managed to get leverage, I had all my weight on it and the BB still wouldn't budge. I needed another type of problem solver. I presented my problem to Sam over at Silver Cycles. He showed me the trick to solving my leverage problem by holding the BB tool to the frame with an extra large washer and a crank bolt. It may look obvious, but it was new to me.

Knowledge is leverage.

It put up a strong fight but after several rounds the BB finally broke free. Water had gotten into the BB housing and rusted the threads to the frame. It was at that point that I remembered buying a can of Frame Saver last year. It seems the purchase alone wasn't enough to save my frame. I headed home and applied a healthy portion of Frame Saver before installing the new bottom bracket.

Cheers to Sam and Silver Cycles for once again solving my problem.

The Internet Vs. The Local Bike Shop

I love the Internet. Any place where beauty and depravity are sewn so tightly together holds a special place in my heart. As a cyclist the Internet is a great place to find really good deals on gear and connect and share ideas and knowledge with other cyclists.

Having said that, there are things the Internet won't do. The Internet won't help you diagnose a technical on the side of the trail on a cold night. The Internet won't answer your random tech questions while trying to get you back on the trail. The Internet sure as hell won't replace faulty parts while performing the previous two functions.

Ok, so I'll get to it.

Last Tuesday I was riding the LHT (yeah you know me) home from Bethesda on the Capital Crescent Trail. I hadn't been on the LHT all season. I decided that this past summer was going to be all about the road bike. Well summer is over and I have been looking forward to getting back on the big rig. Upon doing so I immediately felt very slow and very weak. After a mile or so I realized I couldn't possibly be this out of shape and that something was wrong with my rear hub (XT m770). I  pulled into the CityBikes off the trail at Connecticut Ave. to borrow a cone wrench thinking maybe things were too tight on the bearings.

I went to the back of the store and proceeded to remove the rear wheel. I was startled when I grabbed the cassette as it was burning hot, the whole hub was and so were the spokes. I gave the wheel to Brian, one of the mechanics on duty, and he started to monkey. To make a long story short he tried for about 10 minutes to get the hub apart which was locked up tighter than a duck's ass. When he finally did and removed the freehub bearings he saw that one of the rings had cracked causing all sorts of mayhem. While this was going on he replaced my Serfas True 250 which was having a battery issue.

The kicker is he did all this without being douchie, charging me an arm and a leg, or putting on airs like some some bike mechanics feel the need to do. We've all encountered one or a combination of these elements at one time or another when having bike work done. This was not the case last Tuesday night.

The moral of the story is this; no amount of Internet connectivity can compare to a friendly knowledgeable face when the shit hits the fan.

If you're wondering, the freehub was toast and I had to get a ride from a friend. I ordered a new complete hub and am planning on swapping out the guts of the old one with the new one as the old hub body is fine. However, if this proves to be beyond my technical abilities I'll know where to go.

LHT Spotted In My Building

Someone else in my building is rocking a LHT (yeah you know me). Small world, I'll have to keep a look out for a like minded individual. It's easy to spot a Long Haul Trucker commuter. Just look for the person who seems happier than everyone else.

2010 blue 26-er

I will find you, and I will pick your brain...

(creepy)

Silver Spring Farmer's Market: All Grown Up

Saturday the family went to the Silver Spring farmer's market to pick up some local veggies and play in the fountain. We used to only go the the farmer's market in Tacoma Park but this season the SS market seems to have caught up a bit. It was a good outing; we got to talk to and buy some goods from Charlie Koiner, who was recently the subject of a Silver Doc Short entitled "Corner Plot". Just one of many photo opps that I missed.

The bikes having a shnug while we play in the fountain and I test the waterproof properties of my GoPro Hero HD. Video to Come.

Click the image. It's bad ass.

This fully loaded Surly Big Dummy  was set up to carry two little girls and all the groceries home, making this father drool... some day It will be mine. I mean I'll buy one, I'm not going to find this guy's and take his. 

Lastly, I want to give a shout to Ari Natter who recognized me and the LHT (yeah you know...   me). He and his girl (who's name I forget) were off to bike to a party down the CCT. Good for you two, and thanks again.

Since I missed yet another photo opp I will represent Ari and his better half with the following image.

This is pretty much exactly what they looked like. I know right?

Winter: 1 - Cycle Jerk: 0

I kept thinking to myself this morning, I should have ridden the Rocky. Why am I riding the LHT when is snowed last night? This thought didn't linger as it was so beautiful out. Blue sky against freshly fallen snow was inspiring to say the least.

There were no ducks today but the sun beams were coming through the trees and lighting everything up. A good morning indeed.

It was shortly after I took this photo that I hit a patch of ice that was hiding under the new snow cover. The front tire disappeared in an instant and over the bars I went. I was able to plant a foot but my other foot snagged the bars and my elbow met the ice at full speed followed by the rest of my body weight.

Sometime during this moment the drop bar on the drive side got jammed under the top tube. I had to hit it a few times to get it unstuck only to see that it made 2 nice dings in the steel.

I doubt that this will cause a structural problem but I am going to send Surly an e-mail to check.

God Dammit...

Tektro Oryx Vs. Avid Shorties: A No Brainer

The stock brakes on my 2009 Surly LHT (yeah you know me) are Oryx cantilevers by Tektro. They have performed ok, nothing to write home about, but they stopped the bike when I need them to. After about 2300 miles of commuting and touring, the pads are starting to wear down a bit. Before I bought new pads, I thought I might throw on an old pair of Avid shorties I had laying around and do a little comparison. I've always thought that cantilever brakes for the most part, were the same. These two brake sets weigh roughly the same and have a similar shape. The Avid brakes are 6 grams lighter that the Tektros, (not that is matters on an LHT) but the main difference between the two is that the Avids use v-style brake pads. Like the Tektros, the Avid pads were pretty well worn so I figured it would be an even match.

I was in for a surprise. For the first time on the LHT, I felt I might go over the bars after braking hard. The Avid shorties felt a lot more powerful than the Tektros. I'm not sure if it's due to the brake pads or maybe a different alloy, but the difference is night and day. These are the old model shorties which are still available, but the new design looks to be around $25 and that's lot of bang for your buck.

The Avid brand seems to be full of inexpensive "no brainer" products. I am running the Avid BB7 cable actuated disc brakes on my mountain bike and like the shorties, they are simple, reliable, and inexpensive. Well played Avid.

On a separate note, I'd like to do a little bragging. I picked up this t-shirt from Bikage and I will be wearing it with pride. RIP Sheldon Brown.

Listen to Sheldon this weekend... RIDE.

Packed And Ready

Somehow I got all this...

Onto this...

One thing I learned on a fully loaded test ride is that the LHT (yeah you know me) rides a lot smoother when fully loaded.

All ready to roll, I just need a good night sleep first.

Have a good week everybody.

5 Day "Mancation"

At the end of the month I and going to do a five day solo ride up the C&O canal. My goal is to ride the whole trail to Cumberland MD and back, 190 miles each way. That works out to around 76 miles a day. This is probably not going to happen but it's fun to say. I haven't had time to do any training besides my daily commute. Tomorrow I am taking the day off to ride 7 hours on the trail and I'm sure that will be a big eye opener as to the possibility of my goal. The other challenge is that I will be doing it solo. Finding motivation on a solo ride can be a struggle, but the more I read Jill Homer's blog the better I feel about it. We'll see how this translates out on the trail.

This will also be the first tour I do on my LHT (yeah you know me) and I couldn't be happier. If you aren't familiar it's pristine canal tow path that runs from Washington DC to Cumberland Md along side the Potomac river. I did a smaller version of this ride a few years ago where a friend and I rode from Cumberland back to DC. It is quite an experience to watch the river change as you descend out of the mountains.

Here is a link to a great Flickr photo pool.

Very very excited...

Decal Decision, Night Herons, And A Hopping IPA

Thanks to everyone who added their two cents to my last post and to those who posted to the Google Group. There were a ton of great comments and viewpoints. Some of which were for decals but most were against. As for my decision I had to go with the majority. I set to work on removal which started with my fingernail at a stop light on the way home on Friday. These stickers come off with remarkable ease. When I got home I used a credit card to finish the job in about ten minutes. My only suggestion is to put paper towels down before you start. The decals come off in flakes and end up sticking to the floor and everything else the touch. I haven't taken the head badge off yet but I will. Maybe down the road I will get a cool custom piece for the head tube.

Nekid or Naked?

Next up are the Yellow Crowned Night Herons of Sligo Creek. If any of you have been around the creek this season you may have noticed scenes like this...

or maybe this...
You have this fine feathered specimen to thank. The yellow Crowned Night Heron has taken up residence in the park in abundance. Last season I would see one every once and a while but now a days I see them every morning. Mostly in their nests with 4 to 5 you ones pooping up all day long. I can't complain too much as they are a beautiful and I get to see them hunting in the morning which is pretty cool.

Photo: Don Olsen

I took a few shots of the young ones in their nests this morning. Click on the image to see a larger grainy version. I need a better camera for this sort of thing.

Lastly, I tried a delicious IPA from Dog Fish Head yesterday and I thought I would pass it along. It's continually hopping after all.

LHT: Decal Or Not Decal?

So I have been wrestling with this since I go the new LHT. Do I remove the decals for the classic look or do I rock out with the brand recognition? I have nothing against the Surly decals but with this frame and the Brooks B-17 special it might look super classy without them. I need your help. Please comment with your, well, comments.

Here is the LHT with decals in all it's Surly glory.

With some quick photoshopery, here it is sans decals.

What say you dear sweet reader?

PS: Thanks to BikeBlogs.com for the props

Best Father's Day Ever

A great breakfast,

a bike ride to the Takoma Park farmer's market,

a bike ride to the park for a picnic,

a bike ride to a good friend's house,

and a bike ride home,

all without a drop of rain.

My first father's day was amazing thanks to my girls
and my trucker.

Product Review: SKS Fenders

I picked up some SKS P45 fenders from Silver Cycles (LBS) for the LHT yesterday and I must say they are a pretty good solution. I researched several of the higher end, fancy pants fenders and figured I would try these first. They are cheap enough that I can always upgrade if I didn't like them. I also didn't want to mess around with drilling, measuring, and getting leather washers and the whole thing.

The biggest competition for the SKS are the Planet Bike fenders. I had these on the Cross Check and I liked them too. They are durable and the price is right but overall I am liking the SKS a lot more. The installation was easier than the Planet Bike fenders and took a lot less time.

I like the multi layer chromo plastic. The stripes gives some depth to the LHT. Time will tell if it can hold up to a beating.

I really like the Secu-Clips. The idea is that when a stick gets caught up in the fender the fender arms will pull out of the clip rather than the fender shattering or causing a wreck. Another use I found last night was that you can simply pull them out to put the bike on a fork mounted roof rack. When I put the LHT up on the rack the fender was hitting the tray blocking the fork frown lowering down to the fork mount. After popping out the arms from the clips there was no problem. Afterward I just popped them back into place and was ready to go.

During the installation of the front fender I realized that the black plastic tabs (guides) that hold the arm in place didn't allow for adjustment I took a knife and cut the plastic halfway up the arm. This kept the plastic on the ends of the arms keeping them safe from poking or snagging (and they look good). I know I could have just removed them but I'm lazy. I had no problem with the rear tabs, the fit was perfect.

The only other issue I had was that the directions provided were pretty vague and didn't specify which bolts went where. It's not rocket science though, I got through it.

Other than that that installation was very smooth. Over all the Planet Bike and the SKS fenders offer a great solution for an inexpensive easy to use fender. That said, having worked with both recently I would recommend the SKS.

This photo makes me very happy. An LHT in every kitchen!

Have a kick ass weekend.

UPDATE:
Adding a mudflap DIY

Surly You Can't Be Serious...

I am officially in it for the long haul. My new Surly Long Haul Trucker arrived yesterday and I couldn't be happier. It has been a long journey to get to this point, having scrounged, saved, purchased, and sold a Cross Check that was too small. Enough about the past though, check it out!

I threw the rack and the Brooks Saddle on yesterday and I love how the honey color works with the green paint. I have big plans for tricking the LHT out which started with an early birthday gift from the brother man.

A vintage Swiss military issue cycling bag from WWII. The leather and waxed canvas are in pretty good condition for being over 60 years old. All I need now is a mount for my 60 year old Swiss K31 and this thing would be ready for a land assault (or a really interesting commute).

Silver SKS fenders, cotton bar tape, (or leather if I can afford it), and a brass bell from Velo-Orange are the immediate necessities. Who knows what else I'll "need" in the future. Please comment if you have any suggestions or fowl things to say about the stock parts.

Ok people, as you know the swap meet is tomorrow. It is your duty as part of the cycling community to foster local events such as this. If that doesn't guilt you into participating show up to peruse all the gems that I will be unloading! Wheelsets, cranks, bottom brackets, tires, bars, frames, shocks, saddles, pedals etc.

This will be a good swap meet dammit!

Easy Come Easy Go, Craigslist Success

Just a little while ago I bought a Surly Cross Check off of craigslist. After trying my best to make it work, the 56cm frame was too damn small. So after removing the New Bike Utility Cargo Basket, back it went on craigslist and bam! it's was gone. Out of my life as fast as it came. We had a short but sweet run my little friend.

But enough lamenting, I just ordered a new 58cm Long Haul Trucker... Huzzah! It should be here next week. I am pumped to have a bike as tough, versatile, and pimpin' as the LHT. I ordered the ugly green color because it was less ugly than the ugly Truckaccino cream color. At least it's not Beef Gravy Brown. Ok, I am down with the muted earth tones, but shit colored? Really? WTF Surly? It was not an easy choice between the Cross Check and the LHT but now that it's made I feel as light and free as a little girl. tee hee!

Now go forth and give this weekend a good kick to the solar plexus

Product Review: New Bike Utility Cargo Basket

I have been wrestling with the problem of how to carry more cargo on my bike enabling me to do more errands that otherwise would be done with a car. Yesterday I found a product that will lessen my motor vehicle dependency even more. It's the New Bike Utility Cargo Basket.

It installed easily to the Ultimate Cross Check using zip ties. It has already solved several of my cargo quandaries such as where do I put my sandwich? In a backpack or pannier the bread and turkey separate causing a hellacious mess.

And if I'm still hungry I can double back and pick up some fruit.

Now I always know where my wallet and keys are. After I lock up my bike I don't have to wonder where they are. They're back on my bike... in my New Bike Utility Cargo Basket where I left them!

Take a look at the New Bike Utility Cargo Basket in action!



Finished my sandwich, now it's time to bike home and get some fruit!

Soon to be available in anodized purple.

Now go out there and give this weekend the business.