Texas Biking News November 7th 2020

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Video: OFFICERS BEGIN BIKE PATROL INITIATIVE TO ENSURE NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY

foxnewssouthtexas.com

The Pharr Police Department has been working hard on a initiative that’ll help ensure safety among community members.

Although a bike patrol isn’t something new to residents from the city of Pharr, something authorities wanted to bring back in order to better protect their neighborhood.

Texas Hill Country Loop – Terrible first Bike touring experience from bicycletouring

Mako Contracting Low Bidder on Phase 11- Paving Improvements (part 1B – Bicycle Lanes Striping) in Texas

www.texasbids.net

Mako Contracting is the apparent low bidder on the Portland, City of’s Phase 11- Paving Improvements (part 1B – Bicycle Lanes Striping) solicitation, with a low bid of $288,958.48 USD. Bids were opened on November 4, 2020

The contract will be for The project includes preparation of existing roadway, striping, signage, symbols, safety implements, and dedicated crosswalks along with minor repairs to portions of streets within the Bicycle Lanes throughout various portions of five (5) street sections.

Additional bidders include: Mo-Con Services, Inc.: $327,679.22 USD J. Carroll Weaver, Inc.: $454,474.28 USD

Harlingen launching bike sharing program

Fernando Del Valle | www.themonitor.com

HARLINGEN — Residents here are getting ready to grab a bike for a new kind of trip.

Across much of the world, bike sharing offers millions a healthy way to get around.

After about four years of planning, the city is launching its new bike-sharing program as part of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council’s RGV B-Cycle project’s plan to connect the region.

“It’s a real big deal,” Javier Mendez, the …

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Mic and Sound Frustration in the Sun. Indian Summer Keeps Me Biking

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I wanted to start today’s bike earlier than the previous rides this week. As I ate breakfast and watched stage 17 of the Vuelta a Espana I kept an eye on the temperature. Slowly it warmed up from the low 50’s to the mid 60’s signaling it was time to get ready. I stopped watching stage 17 at the 30 K point and got dressed. By the time I put my shoes on and everything together the temperature was up to 69. I almost put leg warmers before I knew it had warmed up to 69. Thankfully I left them home but I did wear a long sleeve thermal jersey and a wind breaker jacket. That was a mistake. I should’ve wore a short sleeve jersey under the jacket.

Rolling off on the bike ride at 9:41 AM, about an hour and a half earlier than recent rides, on my Canyon Endurace bike I thought I stood a good chance to other cyclists along the “Atascocita – FM 2100 – Walden” route. This was the first Saturday since DST ended and I thought there might still be some of them along the route. I did see other cyclists scattered along my ride. Some I captured on the video and some not.

Lacking 28 miles for a 200 mile week I knew today’s route usually comes in at 31 miles and today followed the norm with 31.21 miles. This put my week total at 203.56 miles, versus last week’s 104.23 miles. After 7 days in November my 360 mile goal is only 157 miles away. If the weather holds to the forecast next week I might reach the goal. Month’s goal activity.

11-7-2020 MTD Mileage Goal Status

The Zwift portion of my month’s goal consists of “goose eggs” but the weather will probably push me indoors before Thanksgiving.

GoPro microphones are frustrating me. The replacement mic adapter arrived yesterday. I test it with my original lavaliere mic and got no sound. Trying a new mic I got sound at home so I felt good the combination would work during today’s ride. But I started overthinking and reverted to the old adapter with the new mic because it recorded my voice at home. Using the old adapter with a new mic on today’s ride the sound from the Hero 7 Black camera with the adapter and new mic sounds horrible; scratchy and distant voice to no voice. The good sound in today’s video came from the Hero 7 Silver camera with no external mic. Go figure. It now seems the cheap mic I used today cannot pickup sound more than an inch or two away. My search for a good mic continues.

Other than the sound issue today’s ride went as planned. Looking at the bike ride data summary in Golden Cheetah 50% of the moving time power output hit zones 3 through 7. That is move than yesterday’s 47%. Max average speed today was 14.0 mph. This route contains a lot of starts and stops pulling down my speed. The 2 long stretches not interrupted with traffic lights or stop signs cross Lake Houston. On northerly rides the uninterrupted stretches are longer and more numerous. I need to improve my re-start speed and quickness to full speed time. Summary data below.

  • 11-7-2020 Golden Cheetah Bike Ride Data summary-1
  • 11-7-2020 Golden Cheetah Bike Ride Data summary-2

Strava told me that today’s bike ride was harder than my usual efforts.

Road construction along FM 2100 is making progress with new concrete parallel to the old road south of Old Atascocita Road. North of there is still dirt but equipment is standing around.

Texas Biking News November 6th 2020

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AUSTIN POSITIONED TO SURPASS AMERICA’S GREATEST BIKING CITIES

peopleforbikes.org

In decisive fashion, 58% of Austin voters cast ballots on November 2 supporting Proposition A, a $7.1 billion public transit expansion and rail line plan, and 67% supported Proposition B, a $460 million active transportation bond meant to expand walking and biking networks throughout the city.

On their own, each measure has the potential to transform the way Austin residents move around their city. Together, they’re a surefire way to usher in a new era of mobility throughout the city.

Project Connect, the transit plan supported by Proposition A, includes a new rail system, a downtown transit tunnel, expanded bus system, the transition to an all-electric fleet, and $300 million for affordable housing and anti-displacement efforts.

A meager funding proposition by comparison, Proposition B takes the city another step closer to a …

Texas Racing Syndicate is at Dallas Bike Works.

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It was a fun first night under the lights thanks for Rental One and @boydwallace . Thanks to your generous donations CX practice continues next week (Wed., Nov. 11) at 5PM. Fun fact: we are able to squeeze out a 2:20 lap on the 1 acre lot, are you ready to try something new?

(I wax the chains on all of my bikes.)

You Should Hot-Wax Your Bike Chains. Here’s Why.

Joe Lindsey | www.outsideonline.com

The used slow cookers at Goodwill presented a dilemma. Should I go with the two-quart Crock-Pot for name-brand reliability and size? Would the small Babycakes Chocolatier get hot enough? Was a rice cooker like a slow cooker?

Had I been looking for a vessel to actually make food, the choice would have been clear. But I needed one for bicycle chains, which complicated things. Ultimately, I went with the safe choice and brought home the used Crock-Pot. I was ready to experiment with switching from conventional lube to chain wax.

For most of the history of chain-drive technology, bicycle or otherwise, we’ve used some kind of lightweight, free-flowing oil for lubrication. Oil penetrates …

Classic out and back into town

Justin Martin | www.stravaa.com

Steady endurance except for those two times i decided to chase some roadies down. Hardtail life with 2.3’s. Snagged a trophy up a 27sec climb haha. Cool to see that when we’ve mashed that path many of times on a proper carbon road bike. Looks like we are getting stronger in CO. Let’s goooo

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Coming Up With Variety Is Hard Work

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As I stood at the kitchen counter eating some pre-ride snacks I went over the route for today’s bike ride in my head. Wanting some variety I thought about a route I ride on Sunday’s sometimes and added the leg to Cumberland on FM 1314. This year I biked the “Oakhurst – Cumberland – Valley Ranch” route 3 times including today, all riding my Canyon Endurace bike. Starting at 11:17 AM I pedaled away under a sunny sky and mid 70’s temperature. I didn’t remember how long the previous rides were but guessed around 32 miles. Today I biked 33.13 miles, within a half mile of the other 2 rides. My week and November now total 172.35 miles. With all of the great riding weather I am closing in on my 360 mile goal for November after 6 days.

11-6-2020 MTD Mileage Goal Status

With the nice bike ride weather I wore shorts, long sleeve jersey, and a short sleeve jersey. The light wind didn’t present much of an issue during the ride. Lots of sun with some clouds as you can see in the video. Weather at the start and 1:55 PM finish: start 76 (67% humidity, 63.9 dew point), a few clouds, wind variable 6 mph; finish 77 (60% humidity, 61.8 dew point), a few clouds, wind E 6 mph. A few times when I rode in the shade the coolness got my attention; glad I wore the long sleeve jersey.

My Canyon Endurace has 19,707 miles under it tires. Probably by the end of 2020 it will hit 20,000 miles. My Lynskey R300 only has 2,716 miles but it arrived in 2020 while the Canyon arrived in February 2018.

My overall average speed peaked out at 14.3 miles and settled at 14.1 mph by the end of the ride. 475 of the ride time I was in power zones 3 through 7, much like yesterday. Moving time: 2:21:52, total time was 2:38:10. According to Strava today’s ride was consistent with my usual efforts. Golden Cheetah bike ride data summary.

  • 11-6-2020 Golden Cheetah Bike Ride Data Summary-1
  • 11-6-2020 Golden Cheetah Bike Ride Data Summary-2

The replacement GoPro mic adapter arrived today. I will try it out on tomorrow’s bike ride. My neck muscles will get a rest as I move the GoPro to the mount below my Bolt computer. The last 2 rides my Hero 7 Black battery ran out of juice. Using the mic adapter changing the battery will be easier.