March In Like a Lion Rides

[north woods gal]

I'm fine on a bigger wheel, too. But when I built the Krampus, I was trying to keep prices low (ha! considering I had to rebuild with a new frameset). 29er tires and wheels are half the price of 29+.

And lots more tire choices! I may even try drop down to a 2.5" or so on the ECR since it will be doing a lot of pavement work.

[emily_in_nc]

Yup, biege color on the ECR. Would not have ordered it if all I could get was the other option, the black. Yuk! Just something about some colors on bikes that turn me off. I am very color sensitive about things. Enough so that color is an important buying decision for me. I'm sure some of you would understand.

Me (raising hand)! I just picked up a cheapie used cruiser bike (single speed, coaster brakes) for riding around the RV park, up to the pool, office, etc. Something I can just grab and go without having to worry about putting on all my bike gear. I bought it at the park's annual yard sale, and I was kinda disappointed that it was burgundy - not my fave -- I like lighter, brighter colors. But for the price, I had to relax my color requirements. I'll be donating it when I'm done with it anyway.

NWG, glad you made it back down that icy hill without crashing. Scary!

Returning your wave, Sheila!

[north woods gal]

5 too many? Uh, oh.

One of these days, I'll probably just take the time and build what I want. I think building a bike would make a great winter project. Be fun, too.

Sheila, the rims are 40mm wide, so I could drop down to maybe a 2.4 or 2.6 wide 29er tire, but any narrower on the tire width would get me some wobbly sidewalls. Not a big deal, for now. Just thinking down the road, so to speak on how to outfit the ECR, which I pick up, today.

Spent most of the day, yesterday, with a pick and shovel trying to clear a path though the ice on our long 100 yard+ driveway. Miserable and grueling work. The ice has been so bad on the driveway that getting out to the paved road where all is clear has been an issue. The ice really freaks out, Bill, and I don't blame him. He's had so many injuries in the past. His back won't allow him to do the shoveling, either. I'm more than willing to do it, though, so that we can go for a short ride, together, everyday, as is our little routine.

Speaking of together, the one big heartache with road riding is that I can't take our Border Collie, Star, with us, either. Just not safe. She's my contact companion on the trail riding and we domes her when road riding. So for my long rides after Bill and I do our short neighborhood ride, together, it's all solo for me. Going solo is the same old story from on my bicycling for most of my life. Don't especially like it, but it doesn't keep me from riding, either. Just the way it's worked out

[emily_in_nc]

That is a sweet bike, Emily. And I actually like that color. It's weird that I don't have a cruiser, considering where I live. And I don't have a bike I can lock up somewhere and not be heartbroken if it is stolen. But that would bring the bike total to 5! That is too many. (But I do need a cruiser or similar).

LOL...this is bike #4 for me. I really only have room (in our motorhome bike rack) for three: my roadie, Bike Friday, and MTB. This one doesn't fit, which is why I will donate it when we leave, but the cost was less than two days of rentals here, so well worth it to tool around. Today it was too chilly for me to ride in the morning (50s with stiff north wind, yes, I am a wimp!), so this afternoon I rode the cruiser down to the post office. So instead of my usual 35-mile ride, I got a whopping 3 miles. But it was fun -- and I see some great weather on the horizon, so by next week I should be back to riding four times a week. One week off won't kill me, I suppose! This week was just a real bust -- rain, wind, cold. So I got caught up on all sorts of other things, worked out in the gym, walked, and felt guilty because I wasn't doing long rides. But such is life!

[north woods gal]

Brought home the new Surly ECR, last night, and I am so PUMPED. Will report on it, later, after I get it setup the way I want and take it out for a ride.

Spent yesterday, afternoon, converting the Krampus back into pure trail bike, instead of a do it all bike, which is the setup I've been using for the last year. That meant changing from the road friendly Knard tires to the aggressive Dirt Wizard tires that originally came with the bike and switching from the Jones bar with its backward sweep to the original standard straight flat bar that came with the bike.

The Knard 29x3s I was using on the Krampus for the sake of road work are a great easy rolling tire, but don't cut it in soft sand or gravel. The nasty lugged Dirt Wizards are made for that. As for the Jones bar, I LOVE it out on the road, but it takes a lot of getting used to in the tight turning tech stuff. Much prefer a standard straight MTB handle bar for that finesse work.

Took the newly equipped Krampus out for a test ride in some slushy snow and mud and pleased to report, my work paid off.

Whew! Almost forgot how involved and aggravating playing bike repair girl could be. Those 29x3 Dirt Wizards were a nasty tight fit. Fought me all the way getting them on the rims. You know, I could probably do bike repair for a living for about one day, then I'd be looking for a different job. I'm proud that I can do the basics and I think every gal should know basic repair, but I don't enjoy it. Would much rather be out riding.

[Crankin]

You guys are busy.
I went for a little 12 mile ride today, before our friends get here from Amherst. It was 42 and sunny when we started and within one mile, totally clouded up. But, other than that, it was fine. Feeling a little off today, so just out to get some fresh air. I didn't get any road spray on me until about 1/4 of a mile from home, splat, right on my sunglasses and a bit on my jacket.
Glad I went, and while tomorrow and Monday are going to be cold and kind of rainy (a dusting of snow tonight), things are looking like spring for the rest of the week.
Yay!

[north woods gal]

Well, here's my new baby. It's a Surly ECR 29+ in medium. Spent most of the morning switching out to my Terry seat, adjusting all the brake and hand controls for proper reach, adding an excellent set of Shimano flat pedals and so on. Usual new bike fit and adjust stuff. The rear rack I had the shop add while they were assembling the bike. It's a Surly made for this bike. It's steel and spooky expensive, but I think everything Surly makes is steel. Even the new Surly version of the Jones loop bar on this bike is steel.


As for the ride, sweet, sweet, sweet. Did a short 10 mile run on pavement, stopping, here and there to make the usual adjustments. Don't let those big tires (120 tpi Surly Knards which we added before the bike left the shop) make you think this is a slow bike. NOT. Even with the same tires as the ECR's trail counterpart, my Krampus, the ECR is a better ride out on the road. It should be, of course, because the ECR is a touring bike, made for riding any kind of road, even a cowpath of a road, whereas the Krampus is a trail bike.

Both the ECR and Krampus run the same wheels and tires, but they're two very different bikes because they have different geometries. Without getting all techy, then, the ECR seems a touch easier to pedal out on the road, my position is more upright and it does seem to climb, easier. It feels just a bit stiffer than the Krampus, but, again, it should because it is designed to carry heavy loads.

Camping, anyone?


And this is just part of the carrying capacity on the bike. I can still add a front rack and even a couple of anything cages on the fork. It has braze ons all over the place. In fact, I could probably pack more gear on this bike than I could pedal.

Okay, enough gushing. Really, when buying a new bike you just never know, sometimes. One ride on the ECR, though, and I know I made as perfect a choice for what I want to do as any bike decision I've ever made.

Now If I could just get a little warmer weather than the 30s for a high.

[emily_in_nc]

Love the new ride, NWG. Attractive and does look like it's built for anything! I am in awe of you doing all all you do re. getting your bikes customized for you and ready to ride. Is there anything you can't do?

So, how many bikes does this make for you? Will you sell any in your stable now that you've added another?

[north woods gal]

Thanks, folks.

I can do basic repairs. Enough to keep a bike rolling with the routine things. Can't do everything, though. Can't do the things that require special tools or things that get too high tech or, for that matter, things that take too much strength. For instance, haven't tackled repairing hydraulic brakes and really don't want to tackle the job. Even my repair guys at the shop don't like that one. I can't break open hubs and cranksets or replace cassettes and that sort of thing. Those take special tools and, sometimes, the kind of strength I don't have. Most of what I've learned, I've learned from necessity. There have been times I simply couldn't afford to take a bike to a bike shop for repair or the time to take a bike in for repair.

As for how many bikes? I've kept two 26" MTBs from my Chicago bicycle commuting days that are near and dear to me. Great bikes with a lot of sentimental attachment, but also great bikes in their own right. One is a 1996 steel Kona Kilauea MTB, one of the finest steel MTBs frames ever made. The other is a more modern aluminum Trek 8000 that I had my favorite Chicago bike shop upgrade with even higher end components. Both of the bikes got me through two very snowy Chicago winters, innumerable rain storms, sub-zero cold and so much more. Otherwise, it's all plus bikes (3) or fat bikes (5), now. The wide tire stuff is ideal for this country.

Sounds crazy to have that many bikes, I know, but it's practical, too, and we can now afford to splurge. We both worked like dogs all our lives. Each bike is set up for specific types of riding and trail conditions.

More than that, though, my bicycling has never been just a hobby or sport for me. It's always been a lifestyle and a passion. It's how I keep my health and my sanity into my old age. It really is no exaggeration to say that my bicycling has significantly extended my lifespan and helped me overcome some serious health issues. The day I have to stop riding really is the end of the line for me. I really want to look back at my life and say it was one hell of a ride.

[rebeccaC]

good grief everyone is getting new rides...i feel left out

nwg....enjoy the new surly!!!!...10 BIKES ........

Luv the cruiser Emily, so practical for what you’re using it for….and it will live on courtesy of your generosity...win/win

Sheila….NICE bike, I luv the purple/orange…many fun miles for you!!! btw…..my bianchi milano is an 11 year old urban bike I bought used 6 years ago from a friend…..i’ve made some changes mostly around getting an internal Rohloff and Ryde 26 rims. It's a friend (a +1 nwg sentimental attachment thing) that just keeps working through whatever I put it through….and cuz it’s getting ugly and is heavy I worry less about it not being there when I come back to it.

below and to the right of the photo on flickr there are 4 symbols...click on the curved to the right arrow, click on bbc code, pick a size, copy and paste into your post.....this one is a medium 600x800....that really is a beautiful bike!!!!!!!!!



spend most of sunny yesterday at the March for our Lives here in L.A. For us, just a ride to the farmers market this morning and then the bike path to a lunch with friends.

[north woods gal]

Absolutely right on, Emily. That is a great thing to do with the cruiser. I should have mentioned it, earlier. Just got too focused on my new bike. My bad.

Sheila, I LOVE the color. If its bright, I like. Love the dingle speed, too. Always thought that was such a cool idea in a retro kind of way. No shifters. Ultra simple and trouble free. You're going to have fun, fun, fun. Now you've got me thinking of building a dingle speed bike. Good heavens! Hello, my name is Joanie and I'm a bike addict. (I'm not the only enabler around, here.)

Rebecca, thanks for participating in the March. So very needed.

As for me, waiting for the temps to get above freezing before I go for a ride. Although are roads a snow free, right now, there is still a lot of meltwater in places which stays ice until well into the afternoon. Just the way it's been for the last two weeks with highs barely making it past 40 and temps way down into the teens and single digits at night. Our spring thaw is way behind schedule. Not complaining, though. Could be snowing, right now.

[emily_in_nc]

I had never heard of a "dingle speed" bike, but now I know. Love the color scheme, Sheila!

Yes, thanks for going to the march, rebecca!

NWG, here's to that spring thaw going into hyperdrive. We're supposed to finally heat up for awhile (probably until next winter, to be honest!) here in central Florida, and I for one am fine with it. March was just too chilly for my thin blood. I hope I am never forced to spend winter in a truly cold place.

[north woods gal]

Thanks, Emily. We may get a little bit of a warmup, this week, and actually get into the mid forties. Yeah, I'm just suffering from a case of spring fever, I guess. After riding in the cold for so many months, now, I am so ready for nicer weather.

Today was a good example. Took the ECR out for a ride, again, of course, but temps only just above freezing and a strong east wind gusting over 20 mph and a headwind, to boot, on the way back. Only managed about 15 miles, but under-dressed and was chilled to the bone. Forgot about how much more exposed you are when riding out on the open road compared to back in the woods. As for the ECR, though, home run all the way. Wind hardly affects it, once I get it up to speed. The ECR and I are going to see a lot of miles, together, this summer.

[shootingstar]

I did my baby bike ride today to bank, café and sporting goods store...lst time on bike in past 2 months. Gotta get myself motivated.

[ny biker]

You and me both, Shootingstar! I think that I will be raring to go on bike rides next month, after so many reasons to be mostly off the bike lately.

Congrats on the new bikes, NWG, Emily and Sheila. I suspect my next bike will be steel, but am hoping to get many more miles out of my current road bike. I have no room for a third (or fourth, etc) and as it is my mountain bike is sad and lonely most of the time.

Emily, I have a friend who travels out of the country a lot, to do research for her job and/or doctorate. If she's going to be someplace for a while, she will buy a bike there for transportation and then give it away when she's done with it. Currently she's in Brazil for almost a year so the bike she bought is for fun as well as getting around. Sometimes buying a temporary bike is a great solution.