on building a hotrod

I think with things being what they are, getting what I want together for a killer off the shelf road bike (Cervelo R3 Di2 Ultegra machine, for example) is just not so likely to happen.

In the world I live in, other pressures than cycling mean that spending serious cash on a bicycle is just not in the cards. Of course, things could change, but I think I am planning on something else.

This makes me think that perhaps the best option is to seriously hotrod my Kona Jake the Snake cyclocross bike in a manner similar to that which I did my now old (but still good performing) S-Works hardtail mountain bike.

So what to do with a 2013 Jake the Snake to make it special when on a budget?

First off, I love the bicycle as a whole. It is a lot of fun. I don't want to change the way it fits me, so changing up the cockpit does not matter to me even though I would like to swap out the components.

From the ground up, this is what I am considering. Prices are based on the respective company's webpages. Dealers may sell for less ;p

Wheelset

The bicycle needs to retain its ability to bang down gravel roads and rail trails and the like while gaining a better more responsive ride than the low end Shimano wheels it comes with offer. I am looking for something lighter, stiffer, and faster rolling than what is on the bicycle now. Either of these options would do the trick I think. I am leaning towards the Zipp.

1. Zipp - Of course, what discussion of wheel sets would be complete without mentioning Zipp? I was thinking of the Zipp 30 clincher as a good all around choice which balances cost and durability. While they are low end, the appear to be very tough and better than much at its price point. ($850)
2. Easton - The Easton EA90 sl was recommended to me by a friend of mine who races. He uses the higher end slx version of the set and loves them. He pointed out that this wheelset will take a good beating, and roll quite nicely. ($900)

Saddle

Nothing to do here. I bought a very light Ti railed unit from Specialized when I got the bike and love it.

Drivetrain

Whole sale changes are planned here. While what is on the bicycle now is good - Shimano Ultegra RD, 105 FD, and 105 brifters - shifting lacks a certain crispness and the chain rubs. The bike is a 10 speed unit. I find that often, the front deraileur often rubs and that drives me nuts.

I have had, for a while now, a hankering to try out a SRAM groupset. While the Red is worthy of a certain amount of gear lust (in much the same way DuraAce or Super Record is), there is nothing wrong with SRAM Force. It is a solid bang for your buck set of components.

1. RD - SRAM Force 22 RD - looks to be a solid and light performer. Gets my vote. ($118)
2. FD - SRAM Force 22 FD - one of the neat features about this one is the way it helps reduce chain rub by the derailleur rotating as it moves outwards to follow the line of the chain better. Apparently, it helps reduce chain rub and noise. Sounds good in theory. ($63)
3. Shifters - SRAM Force 22 doubletap shifters - Needed to be compatible with the SRAM drivetrain - they are nice and light and full of carbon goodness.($469)

Of course, a compatible chain and cassette will have to be sourced. I would need to swap out the chain rings, but the FSA crank on the bicycle now will continue to serve. Upgrades would include something like the SRAM Force 22 crankset ($350ish) or perhaps a FSA SL-K Light Compact 50-34 crankset depending on compatibility.

Seatpost

I am not sure what to do here. I don't think I want a carbon one, but would like to replace the Kona branded post the bike came with. Something light and aluminum would be good.

In keeping with the Zipp theme, the Service Course Seatpost 20 ($98) looks like a very good offering. For one thing, it is available in the correct size, is aluminum, and is quite light and strong.

Cockpit

I am not sure why I like Zipp so much, but there you go.

Stem - The Zipp Service Course Stem ($76) or its big brother, the SL, would be the one to get. Again, in an effort to keep costs down, I am avoiding carbon while seeking a lighter solution to what is on the bicycle now.

Bar - The Zip Service Course SL 70 Ergo ($110) ought to do the trick with a good balance of strength, weight, and fit.

So there you have it, the building of a hotrod.

The order to do it would be wheels, drive train, then cockpit/seatpost at the same time. Should make the bicycle significantly lighter and more responsive (especially the wheels).

Supposing I skip the crankset, it comes to $1784 full retail for the Zipp/SRAM stuff plus chainrings, cassette, and chain. Not too bad actually since it can be done in manageable bits over a couple of years if need be.

why do I ride?

I have been doing a lot of thinking about the question "Why do I ride?" and have been trying to come up with a good answer. So far, I have been unable.

During a discussion with my wife the other night, I came to the realisation that I have to ride. After a few days away from the bicycle, I start to twitch. It feels almost like a physical ache. I must ride. It is not the exercise I crave as there are other ways to exercise which work the body as hard as or harder than cycling does (like long distance running). I have tried it before. I used to be able, for example, to run 15km without any apparent effort, but the effects psychologically are not the same even if I do get a good solid workout in. I have to ride.

I wish it was not so, but I have to ride.

Winter months see my riding go from its usual summer excesses to plodding around the city wearing layer upon layer on my commuter bike with its studded tires, or doing spin classes at the gym. Last night, while at the gym in the middle of a spin class, I realised again that I don't like the classes much. They are loud. Most of the instructors yell too much. The gerbil machines are "one size fits no one" monstrosities which can very easily hurt your knees or ankles if you push too hard since getting the fit right is a matter of being close as opposed to getting it perfect. Yeach. But, the faux bike is the only way to get a bike fix in that is not a soul destroying static trainer or a heavy plod through the snow. I have to ride.

I wish it was not so, but I have to ride.

Is it the being outdoors? My natural like for gadgets and fitness? The social element of cycling? The bicycle as a more socially and environmentally responsible transportation choice? I don't know. None of these reasons to ride explain the angst of not riding.

A recent article on the cbc made me wonder if the very repetitive nature of cycling has screwed me? Neuro-scientists have found that anything that someone does which is repetitive over time will rewire their brains. So do I have to ride because I ride? Is my brain saying ride or I will make you miserable? You did this to me, says the brain, so you must suffer if you don't keep doing it?  Has a circular self fulfilling prophesy has been born? Whatever the case, I have to ride.

I wish it was not so, but I have to ride.

At least cycling won't give me a heart attack, lung cancer, emphysema, throat cancer, liver damage, or shorten my life by decades (unless I get hit by a truck).

he stalks the yard in winter

more from the 17

This one gives some indication as to how high the pile of snow is at the edge of the trail. It is not easy to see in this picture, but from the ground by the edge of the snow bank up to the "horizon" is straight up. That is a good whack of snow.

A bit of tonight's very blue sunset.

The flare centered on the front fender is one of the cooler flare patterns I have seen. I think I am about ready for spring though. Tonight was cold with a capital c let me tell you. Brrrr.

velocio cycling apparel

I stumbled upon this company this morning and thought I would mention it.

Cycling clothing needs to fit and fit right if it is going to be of any use. I have had cycling clothing of differing quality, cut, and comfort levels over the years and can attest to the fact that if it is not right, it is not comfortable. Clothing which bunches up in the wrong places is not, ummm, helpful.

Cycling clothing needs to fit while you are on the bike.  This is of lesser concern for upright bicycles, urban bicycles, and the like, but it rapidly becomes apparent that street clothing does not cut it on a race bike. Proper cycling clothing - and I am talking about "race kit" here, not casual clothing reinforced in all the right places and crudely adapted to the bicycle - is longer in the back, and actually pulls your shoulders forward slightly when standing up. Compared to street clothing, race kit adds material in certain places, and removes it in others. The stuff feels weird and bunches funny when standing for sure, but clothing cut for the position a rider has on the bicycle is markedly better than clothing which is not.

Thing is, most manufacturers make their cycling gear for men first. It is designed for pro racers, and changed up from there. Fine, as far as it goes. I am male, and appreciate the trickle down effect of top notch cycling gear meant to be comfortable for use in Grand Tours.

But my daughter and wife, on the other hand, are female. And cycling clothing for women is not as nice as cycling clothing for men. The cut and style are often not as suited for female riders.

Enter Velocio.

They make cycling clothing for women first. From what I can see, and what I have read about the stuff, it is top notch.

Here is a direct quotation from their webpage describing their approach to making cycling apparal (and it is one that I can appreciate and one which drives me to buy the best cycling clothing I can afford):

"Philosophy
They (ed: they refers to the designers) decided there should be a choice.
That every rider should have really great cycling clothing. Clothing designed, from the ground up, with the goal of making every ride beautiful and amazing.
They worked hard to find the best fabrics and the best sewers.  They spent hours pouring over sample swatches considering drape, softness, comfort and performance on the bike. They considered the last pedal strokes of a day-long ride when you feel… ahem …everything.
They learned early that details matter. They obsessed over every color, every cut and every option we had. The result is clothing that performs like a well-tuned bike: efficiently, quietly and with ruthless reliability.
There’s art in cycling. It is too beautiful a sport to ride a jersey with those bubbling fabric folds. (You know the ones that happen from poor, boxy designs, like you’re trying to smuggle baguettes on a ride? If you want baguettes, you’ll stop at a bakery, thank you very much.)
Finally, to love progress and to draw inspiration from the sport’s much celebrated history, Velocio was designed as something to wear pedaling into its future.
That’s our philosophy.
Welcome to Velocio."

If we collectively want cycling to grow, it is foolish to ignore women, isn't it? I have been following velonews online for quite a while and have noticed a big uptick in women's cycling compared to when I was younger. This is a trend I wish to see continue.

Good clothing can only help with that. It is as important as the right shoes, and proper bike fit.

fly6

This is a pretty nifty light: Fly6 Kickstarter

I am not normally one to pump stuff on kickstarter, but in this case, I make an exception. The product is simple. It is a rear facing super bright LED tail light for mounting on your seat post with a 720p hi-def camera built into it. It comes loaded with an 8 gig class 10 Sandisk microSD card (which can be replaced with a larger one) and is able to loop after the card fills up like a standard dash cam can. It is for all intents and purposes, water tight. Don't take it swimming, but a soaking that a bike would take in normal use should be fine.

Providing proof of close or dangerous passes aside, this could be fun filming shenanigans behind you on the road or trail from your riding buddies.

It will be good fun.

I backed it.

mucking about

A few posts ago, I pointed out that I am a fan of longer focal lengths for walking about and made rumblings about desiring the 25mm f1.8 Olympus just announced to my 45 and 75mm f1.8 primes. I expressed a dislike for the 17mm f1.8. I had used it before, but was not happy with it for reasons I could not really put my finger on. I think it had something to do with the focal length just not meshing up with how I "see" things when out with the camera.

But then...

 

But then, I was put in a position to borrow a nice shiny black 17mm f1.8 with a hood from a family member who was giving me the gears about how this lens bugged me. 

And I thought, fair is fair. Perhaps I have not given this lens a good enough, a long enough test run.

Since I will have it to use for a couple of weeks, give or take a day or so, I shall do just that and see what I think of it. Should be a lot of fun!

With that in mind, here are a couple of contrasty black and whites from the heart of our snowy uptown tonight.

"We can't find the image at that URL.

• Please check the address for typing errors.
• Make sure the image is public. If your image is protected by a password, or on an internal network, we will not be able to read it."

Isn't that a great picture? If blogger lets me post the picture from a public non passworded link later, I will. If not, you will just have to imagine a picture or two taken in low light during winter of an urban scene at a 35mm equivalent focal length.

EDIT 1:

A miracle has happened!!!

...

Short lived I fear...

"We can't find the image at that URL.

• Please check the address for typing errors.
• Make sure the image is public. If your image is protected by a password, or on an internal network, we will not be able to read it."

Really blogger? Really?!?

EDIT 2: Straight to the html I go!

If this makes you think I am sick of how flakey Blogger is getting, you would be right!

that smarts!

An off topic post for this blog follows.

I have a five year old car. It is a 2008 VW Golf City (for those in places not Canada, that means it is a 2008 Mk IV Golf). I quite like it for a lot of very good reasons, but of late am finding it frustrating.

It has several things going for it which quite appeal to me in a car. There is enough room in it for it to do duty as the main family car for three people. We can fit in it just about all that we need. Seats folded, it becomes a cave on wheels. Bicycles fit on the roof with ease. This is good because my wife drives a very small car.

The body is very tough, and it has the best paint in the business for a car of this class in terms of durability. The car is not inclined to rust and has a very robust anti-corrosion warranty.

It is heavy and ponderous around town, which I like. The steering takes actual effort and the ride is, for lack of a better word, heavy. Mechanically, it feels great to use and it is quite comfortable.

However...

There just had to be a however, didn't there.

However, the car is a gas pig. I tracked the mileage anally for 7 months and it averages about 9.1L/100km. For a car put up against a raft of relatively efficient Japanese and Korean cars which out horsepower this thing and significantly out perform it in fuel economy, this is terrible. The culprit is the very tough, very durable, but very old tech engine - the venerable 2.0L iron block 8 valve engine pumping out a whopping 115hp. Weeeee.

It is also starting to develop electrical gremlins. It ate one light switch and one major engine sensor, thankfully covered by warranty. It ate the right mirror LED signal lamp (which is a good trick). The security system sometimes arms, sometimes doesn't. The locks sometimes work, and sometimes don't. What is next?

It also burns oil. The dealership assures me that this is normal. I beg to differ. If it is normal for this engine design to chew through two litres of synthetic old between oil changes, then there is a serious design flaw in the engine. Wouldn't you think? I maintain it religiously and always fix things (annoying electrical crap aside) on time, so there is no issue of neglect. The car has only 111 000km on it, which for a car run in Canada is nothing.

Add to that the suspension starting to go squishy. and frustration mounts.

Due to my work situation, even though I would like to commute by bicycle, I need to have immediate access to a reliable car. I now work two jobs, one of which is at a fixed location, and the other sees me all over a very large geographical area, sometimes switching spots mid day. Also, we are likely moving later this year to help care for a family member, which will see car use go up, rather than down.

So I started to check out some options just in case the VW dies or suddenly needs to have a pile of work done on it that I cannot afford to do reasonably.

Sadly, the affordable (to me) VW products - the 2014 Jetta - use the same engine as the current car and don't address one of my primary concerns with it. They got rid of the much more powerful and much more efficient 2.5L Audi engine that was in the base car and replaced it with the old iron from before. To get a more efficient engine, I would have to go three models up the lineup which costs more than I am willing to spend on a car. So that is out, even though I like the car overall.

It is then that I stumbled upon a problem. One of the things I really (really) like about the VW is the plain simple conservative interior design. Everything is where it should be. Everything falls easily to hand. Ergonomics are wonderful.

Taking a close look at other cars - Japanese and Korean manufacturers (I don't like American cars) mostly - I noticed that the insides are covered in this faux titanium plastic, are broken up with controls all over the place, and remind me of the worst of the world's tacky science fiction space ship cockpits.

Yuck.

They look like they were designed by a committee that met once. And then didn't listen to each other.

Double Yuck.

So back to the European cars we go. Options here in Canada for inexpensive European cars include the Jetta, the Ford Fiesta (a German Ford, even though it is made in the USA), the Fiat 500, and the Smart fortwo. That is it. We do not get Peugeots, Citreons, or anything else.

The Jetta was eliminated already even though I really like parts of it. The Fiesta has the worst of the "gee wizz" interiors and, while it looks ok from the outside, is appalling on the inside. The Fiat 500 is fairly marvelous, but costs too much by the time I kit it out the way I want it.

Which leaves the Smart Car.

Yep, the Smart Car.

You see, I don't need a bigger car. My wife's car, coming on ten years old, is going to need replacing. She has expressed a wish to have the family car because she has more use for the space in day to day driving than I do. I would then be able to go small and efficient with my wheels.

So, the Smart Car.

Why that? It is very inexpensive to buy, even loaded up. It has enough room in it for what I want to do (supposing I am not driving the family around in it, which I won't be). Operating costs are a joke, particularly for fuel - it goes almost twice as far on a litre of fuel as the Golf does for example. It is quite safe. Cute. And somewhat contrarian (which I also like).

I like the Passion Line, with no added options. Should the Golf need replacing NOW with no warning, the Pure Line, with no options, would be fine as well.

It reminds me of a four wheel bicycle :)

mantra

Every once in a while, a post I make on another person's blog resonates and finds a home here. This is one such while.

I can remember my father telling me in the early 1980s more than once that cycling was all about suffering. He said you have to learn how to suffer on a bike. Sastra said much the same thing a few years back when he said once you learn how to suffer, all else is easy.

When I am out on a ride, as opposed to riding about, and I find myself running out of gas, feeling the climb, suffering in a relentless easterly spring wind pushing into my face at 60kmph (we get nasty spring winds here) or more, the mantra from my teen years comes back.

You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike. You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike. You. Must. Suffer. On. A. Bike.

Each word a pedal stroke, each word pushing me further towards my ultimate goal of what?

No matter. I know that when I get off the bike, I can look at it and say that it and I have been to that place where most do not go. We suffered. And did it for fun.

regarding lenses

It is funny. I have grown fond (if that is the word) of the relatively low end 12-50mm f3.5-6.3 kit lens from Olympus. I use it mostly as a 12mm, and for that, it works great. Also, it does an "ok" job at close up photography. Should the need arise, I can borrow a 60mm macro from my father.

With the Olympus E-M5, I find that I prefer the primes to the zooms. Different aesthetic I guess from my old E-3 and HG zooms I suppose. While the current 12-40mm f2.8 is a truly great optic, it is too big for my camera to hold comfortably (my knuckle rubs on the zoom ring when holding the camera and since the ring is textured and metal...). Plus, it is too costly (ie: not free...). Finances are a cow at the moment ;p

So it is with delight that I take note of the fact that Olympus has announced a 25mm f1.8 in the same line as my current prime collection for $399. It might be worth my while to think about saving for a bit and getting this optic. The IQ is wonderful and on par with my current primes (the 45mm f1.8 and 75mm f1.8), and with the 25, 45, and 75mm options in my camera bag, I would have most of the focal lengths I prefer covered. The 17mm f1.8 does not really appeal to me.

I am on the fence about a long lens and am not really "worrying" or even thinking about it at this time. The current zooms do not excite even though in the right light they are awesome. For those that know my photographic history, a switch from long lenses to wider fields of view is a radical departure. Prior to replacing my E-3 with the E-M5, about 50% of my Lightroom library was with the 50-200mm f2.8-3.5 swd lens.

I have noted some significant improvements in the quality of my work since acquiring new photographic tools which I believe speak for themselves. By improvements, I mean things not gear related (so much) but rather in composition and the like. Using primes instead of zooms has forced me to rethink how I build and compose a picture, and that is good for self discipline and the ultimate quality of my work I think.

what winter brings

As much as I am looking forward with great delight to spring and the return of decent outdoor cycling weather, it is hard to deny that winter does have its own beauty.

Also, I have managed to put 897 km on my bicycles this year so far (counting each spin class as 30km, which I do, because based on the effort I put into each class it more or less is - or even higher) and it is only February 4th. So I am not exactly suffering.

rethinking internet negativity

There is so much of it about so many things.

I suspect that for many, the internet is a place for people to vent and get things out of their system. I know that I have vented online in the past. So be it, but the accumulated negativity can be very wearing on the nerves after a while and can negatively colour your view of the world.

Since this is ostensibly a bike blog, I thought I would dedicate this post to a recitation of the positives associated with cycling in urban environments. It does not have to be about the negative, even though negative things can happen.

1. Most people really are just fine. Most people share just fine. I include both cyclists and motorists in my most people. Most people get it. I would argue that for every person who is a total tool on the road, there are over 100 people who are simply awesome. Let's celebrate that majority while working to make the impact of that tiny minority smaller.
2. Kitchener-Waterloo, where I live currently, does a great job of building and maintaining infrastructure that is good for cycling. We have urban to rural bike routes with full on wide bike lanes extending well out into the local countryside. MUPS are often plowed and maintained better than the roads are in the winter. Not all MUPS are cleared, but the main ones which actually connect to something are. In fact, a prime MUP through the subdivision I live in now has been plowed this winter for the first time. It connects the outer reaches of this end of the city to an arena and part of the core MUP system. Waterloo is in the process of turning its core road in the Uptown into a complete street. There has been significant push towards building a system of segregated bike lanes along this road by the community, and the politicians have listened. We don't know what will happen yet, but we do know that they listen. Kitchener has already rebuilt its core around making life easier for cyclists. Waterloo recently turned a wide multi-laned 50kmph road which was routinely used as a speedway into a complete street that holds fewer cars but moves them more efficiently and allows for much safer passage on a bicycle. More please and thanks.
3. For those who like transit (I am not one such - I would rather just ride my bike and be done with it) Grand River Transit has the facilities to move people's bicycles with the buses. While not new, this service does make multi-modal transport much easier to use.
4. Waterloo is increasing the amount of bicycle only parking in the core. In fact, they have also provided a work station and tools for people to repair their bicycles if needed. Very cool.
5. Let's not forget how happy riding a bicycle can make you! I know that for me, and I am not alone in this, when I get exercise on the way into work I have a better day. It works almost without fail. I have more energy, and a more positive outlook on the day.
6. Bikes cost less. If you drive 10km each way to work now, switch to a bicycle. You will be up 1000's of dollars a year in saved fuel, insurance, and maintenance. Also, your car will last longer and need to be replaced less frequently. It may be that your family can ditch a car or go car less. Imagine what you could do with the money, or at least a good chunk of the money, that is currently being spent on a car... While this won't work for everyone, it is certainly worth a try. A good friend of mine with a serious heart condition rides to work in fair weather (he is not a fan of winter). This allows him to improve his fitness and health, and helps keep them a one car family. It can work.
7. Riding a bicycle makes you more connected with your community. Community is missing in many places these days. Cars make this worse. I get to say hi to people while on the bike. I get to talk to strangers. Best bit is, people greeted remember a friendly wave and will (sometimes) comment on that when we meet again. What goes around, comes around. It pays to be invested in the community. While this can be done from a car, the very nature of an automobile makes this more difficult due to speed and how isolated someone is from their environment while in a car.
8. Cycling is often faster than driving, particularly in built up areas where traffic volume can snarl all movement and bring people to a frustrated standstill. I just sail on by. I can either take my bike lane and pass jam ups, or move over to a side street and keep on going with ease. True, my top speed is no where near that of a car, but my average speed is very close. It takes me less time to reach my favourite coffee shop on the bicycle than it does by car. 

I have only scratched the surface here. Think positively about whatever it is that you think about.

winter wimpy

I am reminded once again of winter wimpies this morning as I trudge about on my bicycle through the snow. Beyond a few stalwart souls pressing on through winter's wet, I encountered no one until I arrived at my resting place in coffee mecca. There was no where to sit.  The place was, in fact, packed.

There are two kinds of winter wimpies in my experience.

One refuses to acknowledge the existence of the snow season and moves from one heated environ to another, living in a state of denial and misery. This morning has provided ample evidence that lots of people continue to fall into this category of winter wimp. At one point, I belonged to the ranks of the miserable winter wimp, but I got over it and remembered that I do, in fact, live in Canada and had best get over my loathing of winter and get on with it, whatever "it" may be.

The other brand of winter wimpies are weather limited. I fall into this category. My limit is -20. Once it falls below that, my interest in the great outdoors is transformed wholesale into an interest in the great indoors. Sadly, what drives me outside in warmer weather does not go away simply because the temperature has become somewhat uncivilized by my definition of the term. I just lose all interest in engaging in outdoor activities.

In short, I go bananas!

Thankfully, lulls in the winter madness do occur and the outdoors regains its allure.