Monthly Archives: May 2011

Storing Your Bike Stuff

Okay, noobies. It’s time once again to chime in on an important noob topic. This time: Where and how do you organize your bike stuff? When I was truly a noob biker, I attended a bike skills class where the … Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Odds 'n ends

Captain Slow

Last week, I rode with my friend David. It was a standard Saturday morning ride in our area, but with one difference: I’ve gotten faster than him over the last year or so. “You really should ride with the A … Continue reading

10 Comments

Filed under clubs

Replacing Your Chain and Cassette

Guest poster Don Blount tackles a daunting task — and finds out it’s not so bad. Never in my life did I think I would be using whips and chains on a Saturday evening, but I had put it off … Continue reading

5 Comments

Filed under Maintenance

Catching Some Z’s

I’ve never considered myself a napper. I’ve always gotten up fairly early, and stayed up until midnight. But as I get older, I’ve been noticing a change. When I go for a ride, I usually follow it up with a … Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under Odds 'n ends

The Noob Helps a Noob

Today, the club was planning a 52-mile ride east of the city. I haven’t been doing enough base miles to handle a 52-miler, especially with the recent humid weather that has hit our area, so I volunteered to lead a … Continue reading

9 Comments

Filed under clubs

Snot Rockets

A couple of weekends ago, I was out on a ride with an old friend. Before we started, she pulled out a bandana and tied it around her handlebars. “What’s that for?” I asked. “Oh, I have terrible allergies,” she … Continue reading

10 Comments

Filed under Technique

Relax

When I bought my road bike three years ago, I was getting the cursory fitting common to bike stores. The salesperson doing the fitting stepped back, and with a scowl, said, “Relax! Your shoulders are hunched. Your arms are locked. … Continue reading

6 Comments

Filed under Technique, Tips

One Reader’s Rivendell – Guest Post

Back in March, I wrote about Rivendell Bicycle Works, and their different approach to building bikes. Bike Noob reader Mel Hughes, who comments here occasionally, recently pulled the trigger and ordered one. He went for the A. Homer Hilsen model, … Continue reading

2 Comments

Filed under Bikes, guest post

One Year Later: The WTB Saddle

One year ago, I reported that I had put a new saddle on my bike. After less-than-stellar experiences with hard racing-style saddles, I decided to go a different direction, and get something that offered more cushioning. I settled on the … Continue reading

7 Comments

Filed under Review

Phantom Knee Pain

My knee was sore Tuesday, but I went for my usual Tuesday evening after-work ride anyway.  Made it worse. Besides my saddle sore issues, I had another weird one last week. I noticed while climbing stairs during the day that … Continue reading

6 Comments

Filed under soreness