December Cycling Challenge 2015

[jordanread]

The cycling challenge for December 2015 is up and ready for you to start (or continue) riding!!
If you logged miles last month, and selected "Remember Me" on the form, you have been added to this month's sheet already.

If you didn't log miles last month, or are a new participant:
Click here to fill out the form.
You can access the sheet directly at this link.
I can manually grab your historical data too, so if it's off, just let me know.  If they aren't there within a day, or you have any other issues with the sheet, hit me up via email, Google+ Hangouts, PM, or just comment on this thread.
Happy biking!!

[aetherie]

It's December and I'm still biking to work. Suck it, naysayer coworkers.

[jordanread]

It's December and I'm still biking to work. Suck it, naysayer coworkers.

My best month until this past september was January of 2014. Still makes me proud. Good job!!!

[AllieVaulter]

This is a bit embarrassing, but...  I just found out my bike tubes are presta valves.  I've only ever had schrader valves.  Today I will be learning:

a)  if my bike pump is presta compatible.  Yup, that's right, I've been carrying around a pump for months and it might not even work on my bike!
and
b)  how to attach a pump to a presta valve.

[johnny847]

This is a bit embarrassing, but...  I just found out my bike tubes are presta valves.  I've only ever had schrader valves.  Today I will be learning:

a)  if my bike pump is presta compatible.  Yup, that's right, I've been carrying around a pump for months and it might not even work on my bike!
and
b)  how to attach a pump to a presta valve.

There are converters. My pump is Schrader and my tubes are Presta. I can pump them just fine with the converter

[TrMama]

b)  how to attach a pump to a presta valve.

Pro-tip. Make sure you unscrew the top "nut" that allows air to enter the valve.

[jordanread]

b)  how to attach a pump to a presta valve.

Pro-tip. Make sure you unscrew the top "nut" that allows air to enter the valve.

I've yet to actually use a presta valve, but I carry a converter with me. Learning as one goes ensures you won't forget. :)

[Nancy]

I had two different wheels on my previous bike, one had a presta and one a schrader 'cuz I like to keep things simple. I had replaced the broken front wheel with a spare wheel I had on hand. (I'm cheap!) But it was perfectly good, and the tires didn't fight. Luckily my pump fit both valves.

[AllieVaulter]

b)  how to attach a pump to a presta valve.

Pro-tip. Make sure you unscrew the top "nut" that allows air to enter the valve.

Hit the nail on the head.  For my first problem.  My next problem was figuring out that the converter actually screwed on to the valve. 

But I triumphed in the end.  Hopefully my ride home won't feel like I'm slogging through 4 inches of mud.  :)

[robartsd]

Many (probably most these days) hand pumps can be converted by unscrewing the head and rearranging the plastic and rubber bits inside. Bicycle floor pumps often have two holes at the head, so you simply put the valve in the correct hole. As others have mentioned, there are converters you can put on Presta valves to make them work with Schrader pumps. If you have a bike with one Presta and one Schrader you can always (unless the Schrader wheel is tubeless - but my guess is that any tubeless bicycle wheel would be Presta) replace Schrader tube with a Presta tube (a Presta tube may be in a rim that is not compatable with Schrader valves but all rims that work with Schrader tubes also work with Presta tubes). I prefer Presta valves because they are easier to deflate - convinient if you are fixing a slow leak.

[jordanread]

[...] so you simply put the valve in the correct hole[...]

This is the fourth time I've thought of this song today, so I'm just going to leave this here:

https://youtu.be/UVZVsrR0P1I?t=4s


Also, the content was nice (and thanks!!), but I got sidetracked. Can you provide any links for instructions (way too lazy to google right now)?

[jordanread]

Holy crap!! Totally forgot, the audio is probably NSFW. Wear headphones.

[ohyonghao]

I was also mystified by presta valves at first as all pumps I had used before worked only with shraeder (this might not be the case, perhaps it worked with presta but since I never used presta I didn't take note).  Now I really prefer the presta valves, as robartsd points out, much easier to deflate when changing tires, they are mechanically simpler, and you can partially inflate them by blowing into them (I do this with new tubes before putting them in so that it is easier for the CO2 cartridge to work).

I do keep a converter in my toolkit that I carry on my bike, you never know when you'll be out of CO2 and the only pump available is a shraeder, as that style of valve is what is used on cars, also the pump I keep at work is shraeder only.

Pro-tip, don't get the short presta valves, they suck for keeping the pump on them.  I have one left currently in commission, once it finally gets a hole I can't patch I'm getting rid of it.

[Mrs. PoP]

 So I've got ~$100 left in my 2015 use-it-or-lose-it bike commuter benefits and am trying to decide what to spend them on.  The deal is basically that it has to touch the bike, so a new helmet or other gear wouldn't count.  I've been thinking about getting a new seat, but don't really know where to start. 

My current seat is big and cushy (but the plastic has cracked and is no longer waterproof when it rains), and the springs that acted like shocks gave way a long time ago.  It's also only attached at 2 of the 3 intended attachment points.  Needless to say, I think there's room for improvement. 

But how does one go about picking a new seat?  Should I get another big cushy one?  Or a small hard one?  Do bike shops let you test them out before you buy?  I loved the feel of one that was covered in lambskin, but it seemed rather impractical.  =P

FWIW, my 5-day/week commute is 9 miles each way on a Jamis commuter hybrid (she's not built for speed and I do sit down for the vast majority of the ride).   Also, I do get caught in the rain sometimes.  Any suggestions?

[johnny847]

So I've got ~$100 left in my 2015 use-it-or-lose-it bike commuter benefits and am trying to decide what to spend them on.  The deal is basically that it has to touch the bike, so a new helmet or other gear wouldn't count.  I've been thinking about getting a new seat, but don't really know where to start. 

My current seat is big and cushy (but the plastic has cracked and is no longer waterproof when it rains), and the springs that acted like shocks gave way a long time ago.  It's also only attached at 2 of the 3 intended attachment points.  Needless to say, I think there's room for improvement. 

But how does one go about picking a new seat?  Should I get another big cushy one?  Or a small hard one?  Do bike shops let you test them out before you buy?  I loved the feel of one that was covered in lambskin, but it seemed rather impractical.  =P

FWIW, my 5-day/week commute is 9 miles each way on a Jamis commuter hybrid (she's not built for speed and I do sit down for the vast majority of the ride).   Also, I do get caught in the rain sometimes.  Any suggestions?

Iirc you are in Florida but I'm not sure where in Florida. Performance bike has 3 stores in Florida, and they have a one year return policy on everything.

I hate big cushy ones, but that's because they're inefficient. It makes it harder for you to recruit your glutes. If you're only going for short rides this doesn't matter much. If you've been doing fine with your commute I probably wouldn't worry about this too much.

What about getting an air horn? It's saved my but a couple times! I'm not sure if this will count for your computer benefits.

[smella]

Hi folks! new to the forums, but been a frugal mofo for my whole life.    live in NYC, so all my travel is either bike or subway.  my miles will probably be low this month due to holiday out of town travel, cold weather, and some medical stuff.

[Mrs. PoP]

So I've got ~$100 left in my 2015 use-it-or-lose-it bike commuter benefits and am trying to decide what to spend them on.  The deal is basically that it has to touch the bike, so a new helmet or other gear wouldn't count.  I've been thinking about getting a new seat, but don't really know where to start. 

My current seat is big and cushy (but the plastic has cracked and is no longer waterproof when it rains), and the springs that acted like shocks gave way a long time ago.  It's also only attached at 2 of the 3 intended attachment points.  Needless to say, I think there's room for improvement. 

But how does one go about picking a new seat?  Should I get another big cushy one?  Or a small hard one?  Do bike shops let you test them out before you buy?  I loved the feel of one that was covered in lambskin, but it seemed rather impractical.  =P

FWIW, my 5-day/week commute is 9 miles each way on a Jamis commuter hybrid (she's not built for speed and I do sit down for the vast majority of the ride).   Also, I do get caught in the rain sometimes.  Any suggestions?

Iirc you are in Florida but I'm not sure where in Florida. Performance bike has 3 stores in Florida, and they have a one year return policy on everything.

I hate big cushy ones, but that's because they're inefficient. It makes it harder for you to recruit your glutes. If you're only going for short rides this doesn't matter much. If you've been doing fine with your commute I probably wouldn't worry about this too much.

What about getting an air horn? It's saved my but a couple times! I'm not sure if this will count for your computer benefits.

Thanks for the info, Johnny.  Unfortunately, it looks like we live a couple hours away from any of the Performance Bikes locations, so that's a no go.  But we do have several independent bike stores that (between them) carry most of the major brands if there's one in particular that people like. 

Mind elaborating a little on the pitfalls of the cushy seats?  I have a pretty flat ride (basically 3 small bridges are my "hills"), and spend most of the ride in the seat.  I also don't have a whole lot of excess cushioning built into my own "seat" and actually got bruises near my sit bones after a particularly brutal spinning class a few years back.    =)  Would I be better off with one that has shocks instead of cushioning do you think? 

[johnny847]

So I've got ~$100 left in my 2015 use-it-or-lose-it bike commuter benefits and am trying to decide what to spend them on.  The deal is basically that it has to touch the bike, so a new helmet or other gear wouldn't count.  I've been thinking about getting a new seat, but don't really know where to start. 

My current seat is big and cushy (but the plastic has cracked and is no longer waterproof when it rains), and the springs that acted like shocks gave way a long time ago.  It's also only attached at 2 of the 3 intended attachment points.  Needless to say, I think there's room for improvement. 

But how does one go about picking a new seat?  Should I get another big cushy one?  Or a small hard one?  Do bike shops let you test them out before you buy?  I loved the feel of one that was covered in lambskin, but it seemed rather impractical.  =P

FWIW, my 5-day/week commute is 9 miles each way on a Jamis commuter hybrid (she's not built for speed and I do sit down for the vast majority of the ride).   Also, I do get caught in the rain sometimes.  Any suggestions?

Iirc you are in Florida but I'm not sure where in Florida. Performance bike has 3 stores in Florida, and they have a one year return policy on everything.

I hate big cushy ones, but that's because they're inefficient. It makes it harder for you to recruit your glutes. If you're only going for short rides this doesn't matter much. If you've been doing fine with your commute I probably wouldn't worry about this too much.

What about getting an air horn? It's saved my but a couple times! I'm not sure if this will count for your computer benefits.

Thanks for the info, Johnny.  Unfortunately, it looks like we live a couple hours away from any of the Performance Bikes locations, so that's a no go.  But we do have several independent bike stores that (between them) carry most of the major brands if there's one in particular that people like. 

Mind elaborating a little on the pitfalls of the cushy seats?  I have a pretty flat ride (basically 3 small bridges are my "hills"), and spend most of the ride in the seat.  I also don't have a whole lot of excess cushioning built into my own "seat" and actually got bruises near my sit bones after a particularly brutal spinning class a few years back.    =)  Would I be better off with one that has shocks instead of cushioning do you think?

I'm by no means an expert, but I should've been more precise. From what I've read it's the size of the saddle that is the point of contention, not the cushion itself (but many saddles with lots of cushioning are bigger).

If your saddle is wider than your sit bones, then you can't use your glutes properly.

If I recall correctly from your blog though, your bike is more of a cruiser style where you sit upright on your bike. If that's the case then this whole discussion is moot. A narrow saddle (well, one that's actually the correct width for your sit bones) is for maximal energy efficiency, not riding comfort.

And yes, your sit bones will be sore initially.

Here's a somehwat related link: http://www.cervelo.com/en/engineering/ask-the-engineers/the-four-and-a-half-rules-of-road-saddles-.html

[smella]

Hi--- I signed up using the form, but I don't see my name on the spreadsheet.  I'm probably being daft here, but can anyone help me out?

[jordanread]

Hi--- I signed up using the form, but I don't see my name on the spreadsheet.  I'm probably being daft here, but can anyone help me out?

The triggers were being a bit wonky. You have a sheet now.

[smella]

Thanks Jordan!  can't wait to log my miles.

[jordanread]

Thanks Jordan!  can't wait to log my miles.

Yw. Glad to have you here.

[TrMama]

Biking dilemma of the day: Ride on the exposed highway shoulder and risk being knocked over by wind gusts, or ride on the sheltered bike path and risk falling trees or tree branches?

[PindyStache]

Sorry to hear, hope you made it home OK!

Biking dilemma of the day: Ride on the exposed highway shoulder and risk being knocked over by wind gusts, or ride on the sheltered bike path and risk falling trees or tree branches?

[ohyonghao]

Been a bit quiet this month.  My wrist feels much better, but it's still hurting doing simple things.  I tried to get back into commuting to work but my wrist has been giving me a lot of trouble on the flat bars, but no real discomfort on the road bike.

Got a turbo trainer now, so I'll be logging some miles at home until my wrist heals.

[Jack]

I've been failing miserably at riding this month. Although I did some recreational riding when I went on vacation after Thanksgiving, I never got around to re-greasing my commuter bike after last month's flood and thus have been driving and/or taking transit to get to work. I'm off between now and New Year's, so I probably won't be riding again until January. I suck. : (

[jorjor]

Received a bike repair stand for Christmas. Used it for the first time today when I realized the disc brakes were rubbing and needed realignment. Worked nicely.  Bonus: I am not as in bad of shape as I thought was before I realized it was rubbing!

It was real cold today. 12 degrees on the way in and 14 degrees home. The warm shower waiting for me at the end is what keeps me going.

[jordanread]

I'm going to wait until a bit later today (or maybe even tomorrow) to get the January sheet up, just in case people biked to a New Year's celebration. :-D After midnight counts for January though.

[jordanread]

New challenge is up and located here!!

Happy cycling!!