I heard the hiss of air – March 21st Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

With yesterday’s rain and the early morning rain today I doubted that biking would happen today but by 2:00 the sun came out and the clouds thinned. The streets around here dry quickly with the breeze and sun so the disappeared in most places. I did come across some water on a trail that I use to get started but after that it looked like the rain took place several days ago.

When I first start to get dressed I thought I would need to wear my windbreaker but the temperature increased several degrees once the sun arrived and by 2:43 when I started the ride the 70 degree temperature allowed me to leave the windbreaker home and add a short sleeve jersey over my long sleeve jersey. No leg warmers today. By the time I got back home the temperature went up to 75 degrees. A fabulous spring day I might say. The WSW wind clocked at 11.4 mph with 21 mph gusts but they weren’t a major factor since my route and wind breaks minimized the effect.

The ride did not get off to a good start though. Around the 1.6 mile point I heard the hiss of air leaking from one of my tires. I could determine which one right away but by the 1.95 mile point it became clear the rear tire was the problem. I pulled over at a building off the street and looked at the rear tire. I could not find any puncture causing things but there was a cut that went through the casing. Removing the tube I quickly found the hole by pumping up the tube and then laying the tube on the tire it lined up with the cut which indeed did go all the way through the tire. After a problem last year I now carry a section of an old tire to use as a boot so I put that inside the tire over the cut area, patched the tube and aired the tire back up. The patch worked and I continued my ride with no other flats.

Due to the rain delay my ride started later than I would prefer so I biked amongst the schools getting out. School buses and parents picking up their children crossed my path most of the route but the beautiful weather made for a great ride.

Yesterday while the rain kept me indoors I did some bike maintenance. I waxed my chain in anticipation of riding in the LBJ 100 in Johnson City this Saturday.  Another thing I wanted to address was the saddle angle. While the saddle I use is very comfortable I thought the angle was not what it should be with the nose pointed up and the saddle not being level, So I got my level out and adjusted the saddle angle to as flat as the seatpost would allow. I wanted several days to bike with this new angle before going on the LBJ 100 in case the adjustment did not sit well. After the ride I think the new angle will work so no change in that.

One thing I had to change when I got back home was the tires. With the cut in the rear tire I decided I did not want to ride this Saturday out of town with a boot in the tire. I could feel the the boot every time the wheel rotated and that place in the tire came in contact with the road. I did not remember when I installed the Hutchinson Fusion 2 tires but looking back in my SportTracks log I found on June 20, 2011 I replaced the previous tires. Since then I biked around 3,500 miles on the Fusion 2’s. In the past if I managed to bike 2,500 miles on a set of tires I thought I got my money’s worth. I replaced the Hutchinson Fusion 2’s with Continental Gatorskin 700×25 tires. I try to keep a spare set of tires on hand since I never know when the need will arise. I am moving to a 25mm wide tire from the 23mm Hutchinson ones. I read several blogs and articles extolling the “wider” tire comfort and durability versus the narrower tires. I also lowered the pressure from 120 psi to 105 psi. Overall I am impressed with the Hutchinson Fusion 2 durability. The roads I ride are not debris free by any means so to get 3,500 miles with a few flats is very good. The Gatorskins are supposed to be even more durable and the Fusion 2’s do not appear to be sold any more. Tomorrow’s ride will be a test of the tire switch. My planned route goes over Lake Houston where road debris lives and flats happen.

Some ride data for today:

  • 1:44:09 riding time
  • 15.1 mph average speed
  • 24.1 mph max speed
  • 82.2 RPM average cadence
  • 26.19 miles today
  • 55.79 miles this week
  • 370.68 miles in March (346.8 miles March average mileage since 1990)
  • 1006.77 miles YTD (earliest I made this amount)
  • Garmin Connect data link

[iframe http://ridewithgps.com/trips/554070 98% 600]

3-21-2012 Home Weather Station End

3-21-2012 Home Weather Station End

Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup for March 20th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Tour de Fort Worth 2012
by Doohickie            www.bikeforums.net
Mayor Betsy Price is still riding all she can, and inviting others to ride with her. If you’re in Fort Worth and want to ride one of the following dates, you can ride with the mayor.

Fort Worth Weekly rides:
Date / Time / Location
March 21 / 5:30-7:00 p.m. / Trinity Bicycles, 343 Throckmorton St.
March 28 / 5:30-7:00 p.m. / TCC-Trinity Trails Trailhead
April 4 / 5:30-7:00 p.m. / Oakhurst Scenic Drive Trailhead 2400 Daisy Lane
April 11 / 5:30-7:00 p.m. / Police & Fire Memorial on Seventh Street
April 18 / 5:30-7:00 p.m. / TCC-Trinity Trails Trailhead
April 25 / 5:30-7:00 p.m. / Police & Fire Memorial on…

Reveille Peak Ranch
by Ashley Erickson
The second annual Tour de Ranch, taking place at the 1,300-acre Reveille Peak Ranch on March 24-25, is a weekend of mountain biking events and races.  With a cross-country race, flow track race, “Super D” sprint down a nearly 400-foot vertical drop and a pump track event, there are endless thrills for riders and spectators alike.
Tour de Ranch
March 24-25, 2012
Reveille Peak Ranch (105 CR 114, Burnet, TX 78611)
Event Description:  A full weekend of mountain bike racing hosted by Reveille Peak Ranch and Terra Firma Racing, including cross-country, Super D, flow track and pump track events. Racers can enter all four, or just one. The whole family can participate in a trail ride to the top of Decision Point Peak. Onsite camping available. Contact: Visit www.rprtexas.com or e-mail info@rprtexas.com

This event is newsworthy as it is a great way for riders to get out to Reveille Peak Ranch and spend time on the course before more of their upcoming events, such as the XTERRA Bluebonnet Tri next month and the Reveille Peak 100 Mountain Bike Race in September.

Why our behavior and treatment of the Slaughter Creek Trail matters
by Il Pirate             Austin Ridge Riders
This is a cross post from the Slaughter Creek Trail Facebook Page related to discussion in reposne to photos of trash on the trail, evidence of dogs on the trails, manure in the parking lot, discarded tire tube on ground, etc. The comments following the photos were leaning towards finger pointint to one user group or another until the page administration brought them all back to focus:.

http://www.facebook.com/slaughtercreektrail

Slaughter Creek Trail I don’t think the trail is going to be closed at this time. However, if these type of actions continue it could be closed. The Slaughter Creek Preserve on which land this trail is built is constantly monitored by various environmental groups. SCT is a pilot project that is monitoring public land use on sensitive lands. If it is deemed…

Cat Claw Photo Narrative
by M2RIDER, FWMBA President            Fort Worth Mountain Bikers’ Association
Below is my photo narrative of the Cat Claw Classic XC mountain bike race at the Solavaca Ranch in Glen Rose, Texas. I hope you like it.

Transportation Bill
by Steve A            DFW Point-to-Point
Earlier, I sent the following to Texas Senator John Cornyn:

Apparently at the instigation of the National Parks Service, the Senate version of the Transportation Bill includes a mandatory sidepath provision for bicyclists. There is a similar provision in the House version. That is, if there is a paved bicycle path anywhere near a road, bicyclists are prohibited from using the road. What is worse, the provision doesn’t even say that the path has to be usable, or serve the same destinations, and regardless of any…

Winners Announced for 2012 Advocacy Awards!
Alliance for Biking & Walking: People Powered Blog
To shine the spotlight on the progress and victories of the bicycle and pedestrian advocacy movement, the Alliance for Biking & Walking is pleased to announce its 2012 Advocacy Award winners. Since 2009, the Alliance has solicited public nominations and recognized the individuals, organizations and business leaders who are propelling our People Powered Movement. This year, we honor the following winners from across North America. …

…Innovation Award: BikeTexas
imageThe Innovation Award goes to an organization that’s pioneering or inventing new ways to promote biking and walking — and BikeTexas continues to cultivate new and effective models in working effectively with the full spectrum political perspectives and full range of community stakeholders. Thanks in part to its traveling bicycle fleet, BikeTexas has organized rides with policymakers, agency staff and nonprofit organizations that have…

Texas Mt. Bike League race moved to Rocky Hill
by salsaTopp            Brazos Valley Mountain Bike Association
Hey BVMBAers,
We cannot seem to avoid the downpours this season and this last one was a doozey. The Texas High School Mt. Bike League was scheduled to race in Dallas this weekend, but:
“As many of you have experienced in the last few hours, we have been flooded.  Rowlett Creek Preserve received 3.5? of rain last night and 2.5? is forecasted for today.  From discussing with the land manager, it will take over 2 weeks to dry. This has forced us further south to Rocky Hill Ranch in Smithville, TX.  Greg Maxwell has been so kind to waive the land use fee of $10 and just charge $15 for overnight camping…

San Antonio B-Cycle program a big success so far
San Antonio Business Journal by W. Scott Bailey, Reporter/Project Coordinator
San Antonio still has plenty of work to do to address its weight and nutrition issues.

But the Alamo City is shedding some of its unhealthy image — one bicycle ride at a time.

City Hall officials say San Antonio, which is celebrating its first anniversary with the B-Cycle bike-share program, has plenty to…

First Look: SRAM’s 2012 Red Group
by djcurtin                It’s Time To Ride!
I don’t think much about bicycle weights.  Yes, I’m readily impressed by incredibly light bikes, but often times, I’m mostly concerned about fit and feel—the bike’s ride quality and balance—as well as finish.  Those things really get my blood pumping.  Of course, I also take my road bike out and point to towards places like the Mansfield Dam Loop, Courtyard, Jester, River Hills, Lost Creek, and some other “secret” climbs in and around Austin.  This past weekend’s ride on some of these roads got me thinking, “I wonder how light the new SRAM Red group really is?”

Chances are you’ve seen much of what’s been written about the new SRAM 2012 Red group.  Billed as the world’s lightest road component group, the kit also boasts some impressive improvements over the previous iteration.  Those improvements include a quieter running system thanks to some ingenious work on the…

Texas Cycling Challenge – Race Director’s Report
By John Foote        UltraRaceNews

While most everyone was celebrating St. Patrick’s Day drinking green beer and chasing leprechauns, we were riding through fields of blue bonnets and chasing white tailed deer through the Texas Hill Country.  The Texas Cycling Challenge was the kick-off event for this year’s RAAM Challenge Series.  Generally, each of the nine events is comprised of 3 rides (30, 60 and 120 miles) and 2 races (200 and 400 miles).  The 400-mile event is…

2012 PURE Austin Driveway Series Week 1
By Driveway Bike Race Series

 

Texas Bicycling Blog and News Roundup for March 19th

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Wurzbach Parkway crossing to McAllister Park from Salado Creek Greenway is CLOSED
by John                www.bikemojo.com (San Antonio)
Due to construction on Wurzbach Parkway (formerly Starcrest) at the southern entrance to McAllister Park, the street crossing for cyclists, joggers, and pedestrians has been closed. It is now marked with signs and barriers showing that the crossing is closed. Yesterday, the Park Policeman, who I have met several times as he is regularly assigned to Tobin Park, was waiving off cyclists and runners who were trying to cross the street and ticketing those who crossed despite the warning. Unfortunately, a male-female cyclist couple were arguing with the officer and yelling profane epithets at the Park Policeman. As the police officer who is part of the Bike Patrol is a nice guy, I was embarrassed by the cyclists behavior and repeated attempts to break the law.

Please be nice to the Park Police, especially when they are just doing their job. In this case, with the speeding traffic on Wurzbach Parkway, the officer was just trying to save lives at a dangerous crossing.

Beginner and Intermediate Group
El Paso Bicycle Club
The Beginner and Intermediate Group (B/IG) rider training program will kick off the 2012 program on Thursday, April 5th at 5:50pm. Please note the ride night has changed to Thursday. The meeting location will be the same as last year Rio Plaza at the intersection of Artcraft and Upper Valley Road.

If you are just getting into cycling, want to learn more about the sport, or would like to meet new friends to ride with then the B/IG ride is for you.  B/IG rides are designed to be both educational and fun.  Each week before the ride a different cycling related topic is presented.  Topics…

More Than Hypothetically Delayed
by Steve A                Dallas Point-to-Point

I apologize to my loyal reader, who wondered what I might be getting at when I posed the question:

“Has anyone out there really added up the time cost of stopping at a stop sign compared to nonchalantly riding through same?”

Perhaps noting that I had an ulterior motive got comments off on the wrong track. Perhaps I have been too strident in the past. For, you see, sometimes a question is EXACTLY what it seems. You see, this post is not hypothetical, as Pondero couched his theory. Then he and others talked about momentum lost and rhythm. Khal even touched on a hot button of mine when he used that “w” word. Well, all that goes into the hopper for a future post, but today, simply, this post is about who gets delayed – cyclists by motorists or motorists by…

Russell Metoyer wins Fayetteville road race!
by velossimo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF7sh6625so
Wow what a punch in the last 200m to seal the win! Congrats Russell!

Gallus Cycles visit
by bikedenton

Last fall, I stopped by Gallus Cycles in Fort Worth to see what Jeremy Schlacter was working on. Jeremy hand builds (brazes) bike frames, and his work has been turning heads at the Southwest Swap Meet and NAHBS. He studied framebuilding with Doug Fattic and Koichi Yamaguchi, and he’s been making frames ever since, without…

Graduate student trains for cross-country bike ride
Anthony Santigate                 www.sbstatesman.com
Three thousand, nine hundred and seventy-four miles, 11 states, four time zones and a whole lot of peanut butter. That is what graduate student Jay Epelman, 23, has in front of him this summer.

As a member of the 2012 Southern U.S. Route team for Bike and Build, an organization that raises funds for affordable housing projects by biking across the country, Jay and 24 others will bike from Jacksonville, Fla. to Monterey, Calif. Through the official website, bikeandbuild.org, anyone can follow his bicycle trip, learn about…

Construction Warning for Cyclists on Ronald Reagan Blvd.
by djcurtin                Bicycle Sport Shop’s Offical Cycling Blog
The good folks in Williamson County have asked us to share the following information regarding planned construction work on Ronald Regan Boulevard.  Please make note of this planned road work and take extra caution when riding in this area.

“Williamson County’s contractor, Ramming Paving, is scheduled to start the asphalt repair and overlay on the portion of Ronald Reagan Blvd., a popular road for cyclists, from RM 2243 to SH 29.  This work began on Thursday, March 15th on the northbound lanes near RM 2243.  It will take approximately 4 weeks to complete the work (weather permitting) which will consist of making repairs to the pavement, paving a new 2 inch asphalt…

 

23 mph from the SSE with 38 mph gusts – March 19th Bike Ride

Texbiker.net Posted on by

Winter wraps up today and spring arrives tomorrow. Winter weather pulled out of the Houston area a couple of weeks ago but today as a departing gift the wind hit speeds not normally seen: 23 mph from the SSE with 38 mph gusts. With this wind I decided the route needed to bend to my rule of riding into the wind at the start and use the tailwind for the return leg. No fancy reverse routing today so I could concentrate on battling the wind.The National Weather Service issued this alert last night:

Wind Advisory
… Wind Advisory remains in effect until 7 am CDT Tuesday…
* event… south to southeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to 40 mph possible this afternoon. Only a slight drop in speeds can be expected overnight.
* Timing… through early Tuesday morning.
Precautionary/preparedness actions…
Drivers of vans… campers… trailers… and other high-profile vehicles should be alert to the danger of these winds… especially when driving along east to west oriented roads.

Until the 16.7 mile point the ride predominately headed into the wind or it came from my right side. The gusts moved me and the bike around some when I rode into the unprotected spots along the route. The most exposed occurred on the FM1960 McKay Causeway over Lake Houston going east. I looked off to my right at the water being shoved to the causeway by the heavy wind. Fortunately the east bound traffic helped counteract the wind some. I don’t know where all of the trash blew in from but the east bound shoulder of the causeway seemed to contain more than usual and the blowing pieces could get tangled in the wheels but I avoided that.

To go with the wind the clouds covered the sky, they looked thick and heavy with rain. When I pulled into my driveway I got hit by a few rain drops. So my finish time looked very timely. A few minutes later when I entered the house the rain picked some but stopped shortly leaving the pavement wet. The wind should dry it off quickly if the rain stays away. With the wind the temperature became a secondary matter but it stayed in the upper 70’s during the ride; 77 at the start and 75 when I finished. The decline probably resulted from the rain in the area. Later today and most of tomorrow the rain forecast calls for 3 to 5 inches north of I-10 which is where I live and bike.

Other than the wind the ride was uneventful. I left at 11:48 AM to beat the rain forecasted for the afternoon. With the wind I did not expect my average speed to be over 1.9 mph but I did manage to get it up to 15.1 mph thanks to the tailwind on the way back home. Max speed of 21.3 mph was on the way back home as well. My 78.2 RPM average cadence was higher than I would have guessed. When I got the tailwind I increased my gear combination and my speed went above 19 mph for some long stretches.

Some statistics:

  • 1:57:32 ride time
  • 29.61 miles biked today
  • 344.50 miles in March after today’s ride
  • 980.59 miles YTD
  • 12 biking days so far in March
  • Garmin Connect data link

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3-19-2012 Home Weather Station End

3-19-2012 Home Weather Station End