Bicycles!

[altoid]

In other news, did some rather minor climbing today: Mini Leg Burner. Double digit inclines are no joke.

 

[Redliner]

Took my first bike ride in Lisbon, after borrowing my son's bicycle.It was just a ride to the nearest supermarket (900m each way), most of it in a bike path, but it was enough to have to cycle around 3 old persons walking the bike path and nearly get run over by a 4th old person driving through the bike path without looking.

 

[Eye-Q]

New bike day! ten07 Unicorn with SRAM Eagle eTap AXS derailleur and Rival-Brifter on Ritchey WCS VentureMax, SON hub dynamo, Busch+Müller IQ-X and Hope Pro5 rear hub

1000 km
First set of brake pads worn out

Yup, that's cycling in every weather...

 

[eizbaer]

1000 km
First set of brake pads worn out

Yup, that's cycling in every weather...

Sounds about right
I should check on our Babboe… those have been lasting suspiciously long already.

 

[altoid]

Monday’s ride was another exercise in patience and reigning things in:

And yesterday’s was a bit of a test:

Since I started this recent streak two weeks ago on 12/28, I’ve only taken two two-day breaks (12/29 + 12/30 and 1/8 + 1/9), and have had three consecutive riding days once (12/13 + 1/1 + 1/2). I credit this to two things:

1. intentionally keeping most of the riding at a lower heart rate than I naturally gravitate toward, and
2. consistently riding even when I don’t really feel like it, like on Monday.

As a result, yesterday was the first time I ever remember doing that route and not having to stop specifically to rest at any point. Sure, there are some traffic lights along the way, but I still noticed a marked improvement in my ability to ride out each climb and rest on the ensuing descent. Hooray for some minor structured training making a difference! There’s hope for my fitness if I can keep up this consistency long enough to build good momentum before I start working, since rolling into it with good habits would be so much easier than trying to build them from scratch in the midst of all the inevitable new job madness.

Annoyingly, as you can see on the maps, my Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT v1 has started spazzing out somewhat regularly. It only happened maybe twice in the first three years of ownership, but over the past year—and especially the last six months or so—the frequency of issues has definitely crept up. I’ve long drooled over the Garmin Edge 1040 Solar, might end up just getting the 830, and should probably actually get the Explore 2 in reality, but that’s not the kind of shopping this still funemployed me should be doing, so I’m just overdosing on DC Rainmaker’s reviews and comparisons instead. And obviously doing other window shopping for wants that aren’t needs, from lights to electronic groupsets…

 

[eizbaer]

Speaking of lights… I decided to upgrade the complete garbage AXA 30lux whatever thing that was on our cargo bike. No defined pattern means it’ll illuminate up to 10m or so fine, but anything beyond just tapers off into nothingness.
Issue: the Yamaha drive system only supplies 6V and a maximum of 800mA - which limits things somewhat.
Went for a fairly reasonably priced 50lux thing from B+M with a proper beam pattern, put it on, tried it out, tried aligning it somewhat while stationary in the garage (daylight out) and called that done. Wife goes to kiddie swimming with our daughter? Light won’t turn on. Great. Will re-wire tomorrow I guess… although I did already do a proper soldering job instead of the usual twisting together of a few strands. Ugh. Annoying.

 

[eizbaer]

Alright, just redid the wiring in the exact same way as before now it works, probably until we first actually need it…

Took the chance to change the way the cables run (since I now have about 50cm spare to play with) and to put them in a little plastic cable organizer spiral sleeve thing, in order to make it harder /impossible for the steering mechanism to pinch and trap the wire (which happened with the original light in the first week of ownership).

 

[altoid]

Made some meaningful progress in the job hunt, so treated myself to a fancy Silca Gravelero pump to replace the tiny PDW Ninja. Of all the new stuff I want, this was the highest upgrade for the fewest dollars!

 

[eizbaer]

Congrats on the job progress! So:

I may not fully understand the “bang for the buck” thing re mini pump, but I think that is 100% entirely due to me never actually having needed mine. Which is a bloody miracle. that is why I have a tiny little lezyne (?) thing that cost me 20€ or so…

It’s now dark. Light on the bike still works. But we don’t need to go anywhere… so that whole situation is still sus.

I may have ordered a new pair of cycling shoes. And while I resisted the whole white shoe trend… ah fuck me they’re white now! Guess I need white socks now as well ugh. Road only though. Gravel I’m still extremely happy with the shimano rx8 I have - in black (ish? They have a weird shiny camo effect - which sounds strange but works very well). Strangely enough the rc7s I had for the road bike up to now seem to have a very different fit - they really don’t work for me as well.

… or maybe I should put the road bike back to SPD and get another few pairs of rx8s

 

[altoid]

I may not fully understand the “bang for the buck” thing re mini pump, but I think that is 100% entirely due to me never actually having needed mine. Which is a bloody miracle. that is why I have a tiny little lezyne (?) thing that cost me 20€ or so…

I’ve used my little PDW Ninja a few times in the 3.5 years I’ve had it. As a CO2 inflator, it’s been OK, no real complaints. But the air volume it moves as a pump is, uhh, hilariously low. I’m a pretty big dude, so I ran 100 psi in 32 mm tubed tires in the past, and currently run 50 psi in my 40 mm tubeless setup, both of those effectively being the max for the rubber. Sure, I could get away with less in a pinch, but it would be nice not to have to sacrifice it. Of the two times I had to call for support (read: wife), the first would’ve probably been saved by a better pump.

More generally about the upgrade value, the pump cost me $75 including tax and shipping, and it replaces a known less than ideal option. Other stuff I want to upgrade is much more expensive, and it all maybe improves the experience, but doesn’t necessarily prevent the support calling. It’s stuff like tires (+ tape + sealant + valves + inserts), bike computer ($$$), saddle bag (a bit extra given the handlebar bag), rear light (w/ camera and radar), and chain waxing (because lazy).

 

[altoid]

I just (re)watched way too many DC Rainmaker videos (website) about the various bike computers, and now believe I’d be best off with a Garmin Edge 840. Not the 1040 Solar, in spite of my eternal sunshine.

Prices (including tax):
- 1040 Solar: $825
- 1040: $660
- 840 Solar: $605
- 840: $495

The $330 drop from the tippy top to what’s effectively the most affordable flagship is pretty nice. The solar tech is questionably effective, and the battery life is multiple times that of my Wahoo Elemnt Roam v1 anyway. And the only other difference is the screen size, which feels a bit extra for something I mostly use to see some stats and route navigation.

On the flip side the 540 ($385) and 540 Solar ($495) are less appealing because the current interface is truly designed for touch screen use, so it’s clunky to navigate with just buttons. At that point the savings don’t seem all that worth it.

The other Garmin option I considered is the Explore 2 ($330), which is actually a really good choice for someone who wants the basic stuff. It lacks some of the fancier training features, there’s anecdata claiming it’s sluggish when interacting with the interface, and its GPS capabilities aren’t quite as powerful. The older models still on sale (1030 Plus, 830, 530) aren’t appealing to me with how small the price differences from the X40 line are, and the 130 Plus doesn’t seem to be an actual upgrade over my Wahoo at all. Other brands’ offerings (Wahoo Elemnt Roam, Hammerhead Karoo 2) don’t seem to be as competitive.

Maybe pending a meeting I have tomorrow I’ll order an 840. Or maybe I’ll wake up inspired and/or the meeting will go extra well, and I’ll order a 1040 Solar. You never know with me until it actually happens!

And obviously no promises I won’t change my mind and upgrade in six months anyway!

 

[eizbaer]

And obviously no promises I won’t change my mind and upgrade in six months anyway!

the GAS is real. I know that all too well using a roam v2 myself, I'm still unsure about the difference between the 840 and 1040 - is it "just" display size? and yes, while the solar is a nice touch, the battery life of those things is so ridiculously good as it is, that I wouldn't ever spend additional money that...

I may have ordered a new pair of cycling shoes. And while I resisted the whole white shoe trend… ah fuck me they’re white now!

OKAY the weird s-works sizing may have saved me here lol (s-works ares)
the white pair I got was too small, the black pair one size up (white sold out in that size) actually fits like a glove - funny, considering the shoe literally has a sock-like-mesh thing that you slip into before tightening the faux leather outer around it with two boas. they look a little weird, but after wearing them for just a few minutes, I've never had a pair of cycling shoes fit so well (first glance thing). probably due to the sock-thing up top and a comparably wide toe-box that leaves me room to wiggle around in - very handy, considering I do my running and at least part of my walking in barefoot shoes that actively teach my toes to splay. could've done without the huge s-works branding... or would've preferred that in black or whatever. ah who cares! at least they're not white! the white pair actually looks a bit weird as well... because the whites of the sock and outer don't actually match as nicely and it's not a completely white-white either ikywim.

yes, they were more than 50% off. I'm not that crazy...

 

[altoid]

the GAS is real. I know that all too well using a roam v2 myself, I'm still unsure about the difference between the 840 and 1040 - is it "just" display size? and yes, while the solar is a nice touch, the battery life of those things is so ridiculously good as it is, that I wouldn't ever spend additional money that...

I ended up splitting the difference between the “sensible” 840 and fancy 1040 Solar and ordered the regular 1040. I blame @Adunaphel :

Should be ready for pickup at a nearby store on Tuesday.

 

[altoid]

Hokay, three more rides since the last one I posted here.

On Sunday I tackled the route that involved glass and quitting last time. Made it through alright on this second try!



On Tuesday I went looking for some steep stuff nearby, and found it at 8% and 12%. Shit’s fucking steep, yo.



And just today I went on another long zone 2 zen ride…zen 2 ride?



And I think my Wahoo knows it’s being replaced and is now extra nervous…

 

[eizbaer]

And I think my Wahoo knows it’s being replaced and is now extra nervous…

well... doesn't help, does it? it seems to think you went for a few little swims / dips along the way... still seems weird, to be honest, I had a bolt1 as well, until i switched to the roam2, and it never showed any uncertainties like that. doubly so because on the marina dike/wall thing there can't be any tall buildings right nearby to ruin the GPS signal, either.

I'm sorta tempted to try going out into the snow on my gravel bike... but I'm also afraid I'm just gonna slip and fall and damage something. Especially since all the paths are properly trodden down by now, so there probably won't be too much crunching through the fresh and grippy stuff but rather more of a slippery situation on the packed surface.

mhmyeah... maybe better go for another snow-run or back to the zwift basement. last week, when it was proper cold out, I had forgotten to close the window down there and found the room a very cozy 4°C when I arrived for my ride. fun times. it was 9°C when I was done, but still... not something I'd recommend

 

[altoid]

well... doesn't help, does it? it seems to think you went for a few little swims / dips along the way... still seems weird, to be honest, I had a bolt1 as well, until i switched to the roam2, and it never showed any uncertainties like that. doubly so because on the marina dike/wall thing there can't be any tall buildings right nearby to ruin the GPS signal, either.

Never used to happen. I wonder if some circuitry is cheap, like how some laptops used to suffer from coil whine after a while. Either way, I’m not that mad—my estimated pickup for the Garmin is currently Sunday!

 

[altoid]

Kind of a lot happened in my cycling world in the last two days, ha.

First, yesterday I received some new stuff: the much anticipated Silca Gravelero, some Pearl Izumi Cyclone Gel “winter” gloves (claimed range of 35–65ºF, 2–18ºC), Stan’s tubeless rim tape, and some Silca wipes.



The pump is my first Silca item, and it’s just so fucking nice, I want all Silca everything. Now I just need to find a way to mount it to the bike, as the top tube is taken by the AirTag holder, and the downtube is too flat for either. The gloves are quite comfy, and worked well enough today. The tape is for my redo-tubeless project: I want to take off the tires, clean out all the year-old sealant, and set them up fresh. I still want to get some more mileage out of the rubber I have, and I’ll keep Muc-Off valves and also use the Bontrager sealant I already have. When it’s truly time for new rubber I’ll also switch to Fillmore valves and Silca sealant.

Today the new Garmin hotness arrived. It’s pretty fucking glorious, honestly. Kudos to @Adunaphel for nudging me toward the 1040 over the 840—I love that screen. Got to test it and the gloves out on today’s ride, and both were a success. The Garmin is legit, and I look forward to enjoying it more in nicer weather. The gloves did fine until they got wet, and then they were less effective. I’m not mad about it as they didn’t promise dryness, and I’m gonna try avoiding wet rides in the future anyway.

 

[eizbaer]

I’m gonna try avoiding wet rides in the future anyway.

Boooooring!
Good haul you got there - also to rather have 1040 than solar.

I’ve been trying to replace my old gloves for a while now, because they’re 10yo and starting to disintegrate. Trouble is, I can’t seem to find anything that’s comparable…
They have a very lightly padded (faux) leather bottom/inside (?) (starting to flake) while the back is a very thin and breathable merino fabric (holes holes holes). They basically work from 0-20°C just fine, are super light and fit very well. I rarely wear them, but when I do, I enjoy them very much.

 

[altoid]

So, uhh, i was lazy and didn’t clean my drivetrain after that last wet ride, so I took the bike to a new shop for their full tune-up, which includes a bike wash and removal and cleaning of the entire drivetrain, and I’m taking this opportunity to switch to wax since the chain is just about shot anyway.

Maintain your drivetrain, friends.

 

[Blind_Io]

I just made a bike rack for the truck and want to come up with a way to carry the front wheels for the mountain bikes and fat bikes.

I'm a bike noob, the last time I had a bike everything was the same size drop-out axle. I'm wondering if there's a way to carry the through-axle wheels easily that could mount to a T-slot. The bikes will be using the axles to keep them mounted, so I planned on buying some kind of axle to carry the front wheels.

The problem is we have different sized axles and wheels in the fleet and I want one solution I can adapt to all of them.

Here's what I have to carry the bikes:
https://forums.finalgear.com/thread...tor-rubicon-turbo-diesel.3556595/post-3646015

The axle blocks have adapters so I can use just about any though axle on them, at most I would need to change the adapter twice a year for mountain bike and fat bike season.