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Archives for December 2010

Whatcha Want For Christmas?

12.09.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 12 Comments

It just occurred to me this afternoon: Christmas is coming fast, and I haven’t gotten off my duff to do anything about it!

It shouldn’t be too tough to take care of Mrs. Noob this year.  She wants a pair of leg warmers, because she thinks mine are cool.  Actually, they’re warm, which is why she wants a pair.  She also wants a new pair of biking shoes.  But she already has carbon-soled Specialized, so she might have to get along with those a little longer.  And last month, she asked for a pair of knickers, which, although she says she doesn’t want them anymore, might be just the ticket for milder, but not yet warm, days.

No, the big dilemma is what do I want for Christmas?  Geez, I haven’t thought much about it.  Give me a few minutes and let me thumb through some back issues of Bicycling and some old Nashbar catalogs.

Okay, I’m back.  I do have some ideas.  I got caught in rapidly falling dusk a couple of weeks ago, and it’s just gotten worse since, as the days get shorter.  And if I ever take the advice of some of my hardier biking friends, I might get out weekday mornings and get in a ride before work.  In either case, I need lighting.  My taillight is okay.  Not great, but okay.  What I need is a decent headlight.  Since I would mostly ride on lit streets, I don’t need a super powerful light — just something that will make me visible.  I like what I’ve read about the Planet Bike Blaze.

Another idea that will not break the bank is a Road ID.  I don’t have one yet.  I think it would be a good idea to get one.  I’ve left a $2 coupon for one on Mrs. Noob’s desk.

Bar tape might be a nice thing to have.  I always get mid-range stuff with gel, because I like a cushy feel on my bars.  But it might be nice to get something a little different — like maybe that Cinelli bubble tape with the raised knobbies.  Put some gel inserts under that, and I think you’d have one comfy grip.

And if Santa is feeling particularly generous this year, one thing I’ve wanted for quite awhile is one of those wool cycling jerseys.  I really could have used it last weekend.  And with wool, you can wear it pretty much all year around — cool in summer, warm in winter.  Although it probably wouldn’t get much summer use around here.

I think I’ll retire to my home office and compose a good argument supporting my desire for these objects.  Heck, I’ll be happy to get just one of them.

Have you mailed your Christmas list to the North Pole yet?  What did you ask for?

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Categories // Odds 'n ends Tags // Equipment

Who Are We?

12.07.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 1 Comment

My wife and I recently got into a discussion about demographics, on a topic not related to biking.  It was awhile afterwards that I had the thought: What about the demographics of bicycling?

Maybe you’ve seen some before.  I guess I’ve run across survey results or tables, but the info never really stuck with me.  So since I’m feeling bad about myself because I got home early enough to ride this afternoon, but didn’t, I thought I’d dig into some cycling demographics and see if there’s a statistical picture of the biking community (if there is such a thing as the “biking community”).

38 million

That’s the number of cyclists in the United States, according to the National Sporting Goods Association.  Their estimate is based on the number of people age seven and older who have ridden a bike at least six times during the year. (Don’t ask me why six is the cutoff.)

According to the same source, cycling is often cited as the seventh most popular recreational activity in the U.S., behind exercise walking, swimming, camping, fishing, exercising with equipment and bowling.

Mostly male

In a 2006 survey, the Outdoor Industry Foundation reported that 58 percent of cyclists are male, 42 percent female.  Among racers, 87 percent are male, and 12 percent female (Yes, I know — rounding issues).

Most racers, 32 percent, are 35-44 years old and are from California (17%).

Skew older

The Bikes Belong Coalition reported in April, 2010, that the largest age group among cyclists is the 50-54 year old group.  They make up 16.3 percent of all cyclists. For men, the 50-54s are the largest, with over 18 percent.  Women skew younger.  The 40-44 year old group makes up over 16 percent of women cyclists — the largest cohort among women.

Income

Standard Rate and Data Service (SRDS) reported in 2005 that U.S. cyclists who bike frequently have a median income of almost $60,000.  Bikes Belong in 2010 said 32 percent of cyclists reported an income of less than $40,000; 40 percent between $40,000-$79,000; and 28 percent more than $80,000.

We ride a lot

Bikes Belong also asked cyclists how many days per month they rode in the “prime” cycling months of 2009. 23.4 percent said they rode 20-24 days a month; 18.5 percent said they rode 25 days or more.  Those riding 15-19 days made up another 22.1 percent of the sample.  36.1 percent rode between 0 and 14 days per month, so it looks like 63.9 percent of us are pedaling at least every other day.

What do we ride?

The National Bicycle Dealers Association says mountain bikes are the largest category of bike they sell, accounting for 27.8 percent of all bikes sold.  That number has dropped over the past few years, from 28.5 percent in 2006.  Road bikes made up 14.9 percent of the sales in 2009, down from 17 percent in 2006.  Hybrid and “youth” bikes both score higher than road bikes.  But when Bikes Belong asked in 2010, “What kind of bike do you plan to buy next?” the answer was a whopping 39.1 percent for road bikes.

Transportation riding

Finally, when asked, “How often do you ride for utility/transportation/commuting purposes?” the Bikes Belong survey found that 31.2 percent said “Occasionally,” and 23.5 percent said “Never.”  In the States, recreational riding trumps biking for utility purposes.

If you’d like a look at the full Bikes Belong survey, including a section aimed at women, you can download a PDF file here.

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Categories // Records & stats Tags // demographics

When Biking Isn’t Fun

12.05.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 9 Comments

I was looking forward to this morning’s club ride, even though the temperature was on the chilly side — 42ºF (5ºC) — with a bit of a wind.  But the ride organizer had picked a route that I probably would have taken anyway, even if I hadn’t been riding with the club.  So I checked my cool weather clothing guide, geared up accordingly, and headed for the local Starbucks.

We had a pretty good turnout for an overcast, blowy morning.  Abut 13 riders showed up, and we headed out in good spirits.

It wasn’t long before I had assumed my customary place in the pack: off the back. No matter, because there were plenty of stoplights on this part of the route, and I could always catch up to the others.  The northwest wind was stronger out on the road than it was in my protected neighborhood enclave, but since we were headed southeast, it was at our backs.  It pushed us along nicely.  I felt good about my clothing selection, although it occurred to me that even with two pairs of socks (one wool) and toe covers, my feet were frozen.

We crossed over the Interstate highway and rode the shoulder of a major farm-to-market road.  The wind was hitting us from the left, with enough force to knock the bike around a bit if you weren’t careful.  I was well behind the group when we reached the crossroads town of Creedmoor, and was glad to see everyone stopped in the lot at the little country store.

Turns out they were just waiting for a few of us laggards. As soon as we caught up to them, they were off.  These folks don’t stop much during rides — they just keep going.

The route turned west, and now we could feel the full force of the wind, because for the first time on the ride, we were into it.  We had probably done about 22 miles by now (I had forgotten to zero my computer), and my constant efforts to keep the pack in sight were starting to tell on me.

The ride organizer and his wife are both coming back from injury, so they were off the back, too.  But when they passed a turnoff to a road I knew would take us back toward home, I decided I had had enough.  I told them so, and went back to the turnoff.

Now I knew I’d be fighting the wind the rest of the way home, and I wasn’t looking forward to it.  My speed was down to 10-11 mph, and I was spinning in a low gear.  And the cold was getting to me.  What warmed me comfortably going out wasn’t enough on the return leg.  I realized there was no way I would make it home (well, I could have — I just didn’t have the spirit to do it). I pulled over to the side of the road, called home, and asked my wife for a ride.  We agreed to meet at a gas station a few miles from where I was.  My dependable sag driver arrived at the spot about three minutes after I did.

Yes, I know — the cardinal rule of ride planning is to go into the wind on the way out, so it’s at your back on the way home.  The ride organizer is pretty good about this, but today wanted to do this particular ride.  It turned out he and his wife were pretty done in by the ride, too.

It was a hard slog out there today.  Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the good weather we’ve had through the summer, and the lack of strong wind.  But I think I’ll be reverting to Zone 2 rides, probably on my own, while the winter cold settles over Texas.  I want to keep biking fun.  Rides like today’s aren’t.

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Categories // Cold weather, Rides Tags // cold

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