Category Archives: guest post
Misplaced Loyalty To The Local Bike Shop?
Guest poster Jeff Hemmel liked his local bike shop — until he realized he didn’t. We hear a lot about doing business with the LBS, or local bike shop. For the most part, I agree. These are businesses in our … Continue reading
Filed under Equipment, guest post
Comedy of (Mechanical) Errors
Guest poster Jeff Hemmel finds that sometimes, rides just don’t go as they’re planned. Just as in life, some days on the bike go smoothly…while others make you wish you had just stayed home. Proof? I offer a glimpse into … Continue reading
Filed under guest post
Putting It All In Perspective
Guest poster Don Blount looks at different kinds of pain. Suffering sometimes is all about perspective. I recently had two old dental fillings replaced without use of anesthesia. More than a few people cringe when I tell them that story. … Continue reading
Filed under guest post, training
A Look at the Numbers
Guest poster Don Blount has been looking back at the year through his riding figures. Lies, damn lies and statistics. Can you really trust those numbers that you download from our bike computer? I recently reviewed my biking stats for … Continue reading
Filed under guest post, Records & stats
Review: The Jersey Bin
Guest poster Jeff Hemmel likes to review things, and he’s found something he likes. Noob or not, cyclists like their baggies. I’m a little nutty about losing one particular worn, zip-style bag that’s just a little bigger than my iPhone. … Continue reading
Filed under guest post, Review
Try a Triathlon
Regular readers might remember that the Bike Noob is a former runner — uh, jogger really. After I’d been biking for awhile, it occurred to me that combining running and biking could be an interesting and maybe even fun activity. … Continue reading
Filed under guest post
A Noob Goes To The Races
The Bike Noob has never contemplated racing, but guest poster Jeff Hemmel has — and he did more than contemplate. Jeff tells about his first race, during his vacation this summer in upstate New York. So there I was, sandwiched … Continue reading
Filed under guest post, Racing
Chasing Pavements
Here’s a guest post from a reader on the other side of the globe, 17-year-old David Low of Singapore. (To remind our American readers, “pavement” is the U.K. English word for “sidewalk.”) Should I give up or should I just … Continue reading
Filed under guest post, Safety
Sunblock – Don’t Leave Home Without It
When the Bike Noob goes in for his annual physical exam each September, the doctor looks at his biker’s tan and asks if he uses sunblock. “SPF 30 or better,” he says. “Good. Be sure you do,” the doc answers. … Continue reading
Filed under guest post
Review: CamelBak Podium Ice Bottle
Guest poster Jeff Hemmel is determined to keep his liquids cold during summer riding. It seems like the cycling media has had a lot to say in the last year or so about the advantages of a truly cold drink … Continue reading
Filed under guest post, Review

