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Archives for June 2009

Magnificent Obsession

06.17.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 11 Comments

Jeff Hemmel
Jeff Hemmel

Bike Noob is pleased to introduce our readers to Jeff Hemmel. Jeff started biking on a hybrid, and like many of us, recently made the switch to a road bike. Also like many of us, he’s now wrapped up in our sport. Jeff is a magazine writer by trade, and I’m looking forward to more contributions from him in the future.

How I became a bike nerd…and the gear that made it possible.

Looking back, I’m not sure when I transitioned from a recreational rider to a more serious biking enthusiast. Perhaps it started after a problematic ACL reconstruction. Frustrated by my lack of progress in physical therapy, I got on my bike, a Giant Sedona DX hybrid. At first, a mere two-mile ride seemed like an accomplishment. But somewhere along the way that two-mile ride became five, that five-mile ride became 15, and suddenly, a few years later, I was cranking out 30 miles at a clip. At the first charity ride I attended, most of the recreational riders on similar bikes hung near the back of the pack. Me? I was pedaling a furious cadence in an attempt to keep up with the roadies, my surf shorts and t-shirts a stark contrast to their sleek, form-fitting kits.

In hindsight, I probably knew I was hooked long before that first organized ride. I found myself looking for excuses to wander into the local bike shops around town, going through the doors on the premise of buying one more spare tube, but ending up looking at (okay, maybe even fondling on occasion) the latest and greatest road bikes. I also noticed my Giant, and my gear, showing a subtle transformation. The upgrades are worth sharing, because they not only made the best out of my current investment, but they also served as a sort of litmus test on whether this was a passing phase, or the beginnings of a legitimate obsession.

A cycling friend suggested the first simple upgrade — trading in my sneakers for a pair of sneaker-style, mountain-bike shoes. I could still walk around in comfort, but on the bike, the shoes stiffer soles made the most out of each crank of the pedals. Once I had the shoes, it seemed only natural to step up to Upgrade #2 — clipless mountain-bike pedals. My shoes could accommodate the cleats, and I was ready to feel the added power and efficiency that would be the result of having my feet attached to the pedals. Yes, I fell over twice within the first two days, both times within full view of the commuting workforce. The worst bruising, however, was limited to my pride. I quickly got the hang of it, my riding improved, and suddenly those roadies seemed one step closer.

My final swap was to toss the knobbies aside for a pair of slick road tires. They looked ridiculously skinny at first, but for the first time I could see a tangible result on my speedo, an increase in speed that probably forever sealed the deal. My mileage increased, my legs grew stronger, and suddenly an ad for a Trek Madone seemed on par with a Playboy centerfold.

I never actually made the jump. My wife did it for me, placing a Trek 2.1 under the tree this past Christmas. On that bike I’ve completed my transformation, to the point where I now log over 500 miles a month, and get a little crazy if something upsets my ride routine. Somewhere along the way I even ditched the surf shorts and t-shirts for, yes, some skintight jerseys and cycling shorts.

Now, if I could just get up the nerve to shave those legs…

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Categories // guest post Tags // guest post

Our Tuesday morning ride

06.16.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 5 Comments

During the school year, I’m off early enough on Tuesdays that I can get home, jump into my bike clothes, and take off for three laps around the Veloway. It’s a nice 15-mile ride, and I use it to work on technique.

But during the Texas summers, temperatures in late afternoon are unbearable for biking. Luckily, my summer class doesn’t start until 5:30, so I can ride in the morning.

Pat and I often head to the Veloway on Tuesday mornings. We wait until at least 8:30 or so, when the morning rush hour traffic has passed. I find these rides to be pleasant, low pressure affairs, and Pat gets some cardio work in by trying to keep up with me.

Our route to the Veloway takes us along Escarpment Blvd. The crepe myrtles that line the street are in full bloom now.
Our route to the Veloway takes us along Escarpment Blvd. The crepe myrtles that line the street are in full bloom now.
Our Veloway trips are the perfect ride for Pat.
Our Veloway trips are the perfect ride for Pat.

The Veloway is just under three miles from our house. Each lap is 3.1 miles, so a rider can make a Veloway excursion as long or as short as desired. If I’m riding with Pat, I usually go three laps. She goes two.

The Veloway is open to bikers and inline skaters. A sign at the entrance says walkers and joggers are prohibited, and not too many of them flout the rule. On weekday mornings, even bike traffic is minimal.

Pat powers up a slight rise.
Pat powers up a slight rise.

At about this point, I take off for my three laps. On our Tuesday ride, I’ll keep my chain in the small ring, and work on cadence. My goal is to stay above 90 rpm throughout the lap.

It's a good thing I pedal fast, so I can outrun the snakes. Actually, they never cross at the marked crossing. They're jaywalkers. Or jayslitherers.
It's a good thing I pedal fast, so I can outrun the snakes. Actually, they never cross at the marked crossing. They're jaywalkers. Or jayslitherers.
Pat's always waiting when I finish. She struck up a conversation with this man, about his mouth-watering Trek FX 7.9 flat bar road bike.  All carbon, Ultegra equipped, and twice what I paid for my road bike.
Pat has a knack for meeting nice folks.

While I’m finishing my last lap, Pat finds a shady spot near the water fountain. She struck up a conversation with this man, about his mouth-watering Trek FX 7.9 flat bar road bike. All carbon, Ultegra equipped, and twice what I paid for my road bike. She found a kindred soul in him, since he also thinks it’s no sin to keep the kickstand on the bike.

This ride takes us about an hour to finish. Some people complain that the Veloway bores them, because you just go around the same track. But I love it. It mimics the kind of conditions you find on a country road, so you have to respond to a variety of situations. It’s fun to look at the other bikes, and wave at people we see regularly. I’ve seen deer, tarantulas, different kinds of snakes, roadrunners, and other critters. In the spring, wildflowers carpet the sides of the trail. I always look forward to Tuesday mornings.

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Categories // Rides Tags // Rides, Veloway

Looking back — and trying not to swerve

06.14.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 8 Comments

We were on the way back from our club ride this morning (just two of us were in the B group today) when talk turned to the difficulty of checking over your shoulder for traffic.

The discussion was prompted by what I consider the toughest left turn on all of our routes. Traveling northbound on a busy two-lane road, the bike lane runs out. Now, we have to ride the right edge of the road, and hope there’s enough room for cars to get by us. Several blocks before we would hit a stoplight, we make a left turn into a nice subdivision that lets us avoid the busy intersection. It’s this left turn that can be a problem, because the cars are passing us as a steady rate.

We got to the turn. I was still at the right edge of the road. Oncoming traffic was heavy. My riding companion, Bob, was behind me. He called out, “OK!” I glanced over my shoulder and saw that he had already taken the lane. I moved into it, and got as close to the center line as possible as cars zoomed by, now on my right. When a small gap opened in the oncoming traffic, we could make our turns.

Safely in the residential subdivision, we rode slowly. Bob said, “I always have a problem looking back. Your bike goes the direction you look, and I don’t want to swerve into traffic — not on that road.”

We compared notes on how we look back. He’s comfortable with lowering his head and peering back past his left shoulder. I like to do it in two moves — I’ll look left about halfway, then forward again, then complete the look over my shoulder. I find it’s easier for me to get a glimpse of what’s behind if I do it that way.

The key is to avoid swerving the bike. Last year, when I took the Road I biking class, we spent some time practicing that very move (“scanning,” they called it). If you do it often enough, you can keep from pulling your bike left. But we get lazy from time to time, and fall back into bad habits.

We went through a high school parking lot, and approached a busy four-lane east-west road. Normally, the club riders will form a “bus,” riding two-by-two in the right lane, three to four deep. By taking up the same amount of space as a car (or bus), we force motorists to use the left lane to go around us. They’re also less inclined to shout at you when you’re in a big group. But with just two, Bob suggested we ride the sidewalk. That was fine with me. I’ve done that here before, too.

We had gone perhaps a half mile, and another major intersection was coming up. I was about to ask Bob if he wanted to stay on the sidewalk after the intersection, or ride in the road again. I looked over my shoulder, and saw that he was too far back to hear me. Sure enough, my bike swerved — right off the sidewalk and into the narrow strip of grass between it and the road. To my surprise, the grass didn’t cause the bike to tip over. I kept it going straight for a short way, then eased it right to climb back on the sidewalk.

The tire hit the edge of the walk, which protruded about an inch above the grass. It got caught on the edge — and now I went down.

I haven’t fallen from my bike on the sidewalk since I was in grade school, and the lower grades at that. All I could think of was, “Oh no! Not in these shorts!” I was wearing my expensive Sugoi shorts, which I’ve had for only a few months.

No tear in the shorts. Not even any road rash. Bike was okay, too. But it’s obvious to me that on my short rides this coming week, I’ll be practicing my scanning, keeping my bike straight, and I’ll be doing it on something wider than a sidewalk.

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Categories // crash, Safety, Technique Tags // crash, Safety, Technique

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