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Review: The Jersey Bin

10.11.2011 by Ray Niekamp // 2 Comments

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. Inside I tuck my phone, a credit card, ID, and some cash. The small bag fits perfectly in my jersey pocket and keeps things — namely my phone — safe and dry.

Or at least, kept things safe and dry in the past tense. As handy as baggies are, they’re ridiculously thin. After repeated use, mine features multiple tears that no longer allow it to get the job done. And while I’m sure there are people who will now jump in and remind me that baggies are cheap (a whole box for a few dollars!), I like my small, pocket-sized baggie, not some oversize sandwich bag that I have to fold up in my pocket. And even if I didn’t mind the excess, it just seems kind of silly to keep going through sandwich bags repeatedly, let alone trust them to save your pricey smart phone from rain and sweat.

What I’ve really wanted is a heavier duty zip-lock bag little bigger than the contents I wanted to carry in it. That’s when I spotted a tweet from pro rider Ted King featuring that exact thing — a thick, tough, phone-sized, zip-style bag with a Strava logo. Turns out it was a privately labeled “Jersey Bin.”

Like a Ziploc on steroids, the Jersey Bin (www.jerseybin.com) is made from a 10-gauge vinyl that resists the pokes or tears that would bring a standard baggie to its knees. A sturdy zip closure seals everything up inside. Better yet, that “zipper” runs lengthwise. No more trying to cram my phone, and its grippy rubber case, down through the slim widthwise opening of the bag or struggling to extract some cash at a convenience store. The sideways zipper provides easy access. Sizes include mini, trim, and big. The mini nicely fits my iPhone, cash and cards, without excess. Go bigger if you’re the type who wants to carry more.

I’ve ridden with the Jersey Bin for about a week now. Positive marks include the fact that everything within has stayed absolutely dry. You can also easily use a touchscreen phone interface right through the vinyl (in fact, it seems to work better than my old thin baggie), you can make and receive calls with the phone still in the bag, and the bins — available in three sizes — all seem to fit comfortably in a jersey pocket. An unexpected side benefit is that the stiffer bag lays flat against your lower back; my old-school baggie often let items “sag” to the bottom of my pocket.

Downsides? They’re few. Personally I like the suppler feel of the frosted vinyl version, but the clear is easier when you want to view your phone’s screen. And yes, critics will bring up that whole “box o’ baggies” cost issue, but at only about $6 (including First Class or Priority Mail shipping), that’s kind of a silly argument.

A simple idea? Certainly. But one I’ve been looking for a long time…

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Categories // guest post, Review Tags // guest post, Hemmel, Review

Try a Triathlon

09.13.2011 by Ray Niekamp // 1 Comment

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. I thought a triathlon might be just the ticket. There was only one problem: I swim like a brick. But I’ll bet most of you don’t, and if the idea of a triathlon intrigues you, you might find these tips for training useful. They come to us from guest poster Carol Montrose.

Whether you’ve competed in triathlons before, simply run races, or you have yet to enter the athletic world, you may be interested in the three-in-one sport combo offered by the triathlon, which requires participants to run, bike, and swim in the course of one race.  However, you can’t just jump right in; you need to prepare.  So here are a few tips to help you get started.

1.     Consider your goals.  You may want to consider your reasons for entering a triathlon, from weight loss to self-esteem to meeting new people.  Each goal will come with attendant motivations, but some might not be strong enough to see you through the difficult and demanding process, so try to be honest with yourself about your level of desire to train and complete a race.  From there, think about your goals for the race (there are a variety of distances to choose from).

2.     Sign up for a race.  Nothing will motivate you more than a looming date that requires you to be able to perform.  So if you’re finding it hard to get your butt in gear, pay for an impending race as a way to kick-start your training.

3.     Formulate a schedule.  You need to give yourself time to train for your upcoming race, which means if it’s set to occur in the next couple of weeks, you should probably drop out and wait for the next one.  You’ll probably want a minimum of 2-3 months to train, possibly more if you’re starting from scratch, so set up a comprehensive schedule that allows for time for training each day for several weeks.

4.     Train for running.  The shortest triathlon is a sprint-distance race.  The running portion is 5K, which equates to slightly more than three miles.  It is said that if your training brings you within two-thirds of your goal distance, you should be able to finish the race.  This means that you must manage a minimum of two miles at a stretch during training in order to complete the race.  However, you’ll be better off hitting the target distance before you ever have to test yourself.

5.     Train for cycling.  The sprint-distance cycling requirement is 20K (about 12 ½ miles).  Depending on the course, this could be entirely level terrain or it may feature hills.  Just in case, you should probably train for a hilly course.

6.     Train for swimming.  The swimming section of the sprint-distance race is generally 500-750 meters (about a quarter to a half mile).  If you’re training in a pool, this is equivalent to about 16 laps (down and back), depending on the size of your pool.  But remember that the race will take place in open water, so be sure to train outdoors towards the end.

7.     Get insured.  In addition to health insurance, you may want to consider other forms of protection in case of an accident during your training or a race.  Although there is no specific form of insurance for cyclists, cheap bike insurance can be had through one of your other policies.  Your car insurance may cover your medical bills in case of an accident while riding your bike, while your Personal Liability coverage (part of homeowner’s or renter’s insurance) can cover unintentional accidents that you cause.  Both can be useful when training for and competing in a triathlon.

Carol Montrose is a writer for BikeInsurance.net. In her spare time she enjoys reading and she is currently writing a book on the joys of freelancing.

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Categories // guest post Tags // guest post, triathlon

A Noob Goes To The Races

08.28.2011 by Ray Niekamp // 1 Comment

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 between a breakaway pack of 12 riders, pedaling nearly as fast as I thought humanly possible, looking at the last 90-degree corner of what had been 30 of the fastest, most hardcore miles I had ever ridden. All around me faces were dead serious, jerseys were filled with sponsor logos…legs were shaved. And then there was me, a noob, riding my very first race, jersey a plain and unassuming blue…and no real game plan what to do next.

What the hell was I thinking?

To get to that answer you need to backtrack to late July, 2010. That was when I first came up with the idea of actually trying to contest a race while vacationing in Upstate NY. Long story short I chickened out, but vowed to try again in 2011. After all, this race was perfect…it started in a picturesque riverside town, it had some of the hills that I love (and hopefully most riders would hate), and was a fundraiser for a good cause.

Most important, no one knew me. If I choked, I could fade into the background, my pride shielded by my outsider’s anonymity.

I can’t really say why I did it. Most likely it’s because, like it or not, I’m somewhat of a competitive person. While two years ago I was simply content to hang with the Sunday morning group ride, lately I had been trying to actually contest the end-of-ride sprint. I have no aspirations of signing up for every race that comes along, but I wanted to test myself, if only this once.

Which is why, this July upon arriving in New York, I not only began to rack up my usual mileage in the hills, but frequently found myself visiting the race website…mapping out the route…even watching it fly by on Google Earth. And yes, a few days before the event, traveling about 90 minutes north to plop my bike on those roads and actually riding the course. That I made about 10 wrong turns and ended up turning a 30-miler into a nearly 50-mile reconnaissance isn’t the point. The point is I took it seriously and prepared. If you looked closely at my bike at the start, you would have even seen a little piece of masking tape on the stem, labeled with various mileage points and whether the race was turning left or right.

As I said, competitive…and yes, maybe just a little bit anal.

My race day plan was simple — to spot the guys who looked like they were the most serious, and not let them get out of my sight. I figured I’d either burn out and limp to the finish at the back of the pack, or maybe, just maybe, surprise everyone (including myself) and hang on to the finish.

Well, this looks daunting.

At the start, the latter option didn’t look too promising. A well-organized team jumped away from the 100-plus rider field only a mile into the race, and I fought to stay with them, watching my speedo settle in about 26 mph. Their intent seemed to be to drop as many people as possible right off the bat, and I was almost certain I would be next. Somehow I stayed close, even joining their paceline so I could say I did my share of the work and at least earn their respect before my flameout. Miraculously, however, that moment never came. As I survived mile after mile my confidence grew and I knew I could hang with them till the finish, especially as their speed settled down slightly. As to any pipe dreams of actually dropping the pack on a climb and soloing to victory a la Andy Schleck, however, I knew I didn’t have a chance. This group was strong, and even if I found myself with an advantage on a climb, I knew they’d reel me in with ease once things flattened out.

I'm in there somewhere.

So, I I fought my impetuous instincts, rode smart, and just tried to fit in…a guy with hairy legs in a generic jersey in the midst of a bunch of logoed-up team members looking clean and mean. With about three miles to go, a three-man breakaway leapt ahead, but somehow we reeled them in about a mile from the finish. Still together at mile 29, all that remained was a bunch sprint — a scenario I had really hoped to avoid given my utter lack of racing skills. Heading into that 90-degree lefthand turn about 100 yards from the finish, I took the inside line, only to be cut off by the rest who kept up their speed and swept through the corner. I hit my brakes, lost momentum, and watched as that team led their leader out to the finish. It was actually pretty impressive.

And I still managed to finish first in my age group.

The best news for me? I did okay. I triumphed over the nerves of 2010, finished upright (the primary goal of any first-time racer a friend reminded me before the race), and was greeted at the finish line by my daughters and wife…three people in town who did recognize me.

Finish line greeting.

That’s a victory in any noob’s book.

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Categories // guest post, Racing Tags // guest post, Hemmel, Racing

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