Umbau zum City-Bike

Phillip hat ja schon erwähnt, dass ich mein MTB zum City-Bike umgebaut habe. Da ich meinem bisherigen 28" City-Bike die schlechten Radwege in München nicht mehr zumuten wollte, und ich ein zuverlässiges Rad für die tägliche Fahrt zur Arbeit benötige, habe ich mich dazu entschlossen. Ein MTB ist wesentlich robuster und durch die dickeren Reifen auch komfortabler durch den Strassendschungel zu kriegen.

Für ein vernüftiges City-Bike benötigte ich folgende Komponenten:

Scheinwerfer (Busch+Müller) + Scheinwerferhalter (Riese+Müller):

http://www.bike-components.de/products/info/p16635_Lumotec-N2-Plus-Halogenlampe-mit-StVZO-Zulassung.html

http://www.komponentix.de/onlineshop/index.html?d__Scheinwerferhalter_riese_muller734.htm

Der Scheinwerfer von Busch+Müller mit Sensor ist eine tolle Sache. Wenn man am Tag durch eine dunkle Unterführung fahrt, geht plötzlich das Licht an. Sobald man wieder rauskommt, geht das Licht wieder aus!

Rücklicht:

http://www.bike-components.de/products/info/p20186_Toplight-Flat-Permanent-Ruecklicht-mit-StvZO-Zulassung.html

Radschutz + Spoiler:

http://www.amazon.de/SKS-Radschutz-Bluemels-schwarz-Schutzblech/dp/B0019HHE1G/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=sports&qid=1249671195&sr=1-17

http://www.bike-components.de/products/info/p12601_Spoiler.html

Das vordere Schutzblech habe ich mit Kabelbinder an der Federgabel festgemacht. Das geht aber nur bei einer Marzocchi-Federgabel problemlos, da diese den Bogen in Form eines "M" hat, und deshalb das festgezurrte Schutzblech nicht verrutschen kann! Für die untere rechte Befestigung musste ich etwas basteln, da an der rechten Seite nichts zum festmachen vorhanden ist.

Links kann man die Scheibenbremsenaufnahme zur Befestigung des Schutzbleches verwenden.

Den Online-Shop http://www.bike-components.de/ kann ich sehr empfehlen. Er hat oft sehr gute Angebote, und bei vielen Artikeln sind Kundenbewertungen (ähnlich Amazon) zu finden, die einem bei der Kaufentscheidung weiterhelfen können.

A Beautiful Day

Do days get any finer than today? Sun shining amidst puffy white clouds floating on gentle breezes. Hard not to enjoy it. To be uplifted by the beauty of God's creations. So what else to do but take a long ride right in the middle of the day. Even to the point of cutting into my time listening to tolls of conservative wisdom.

So on this day I mounted my bi-wheeled agent of transport and set off. I traveled public thoroughfares and domains to the trails legitimated and manuchanced by clan Metro. Then, besides fluid paths, I journeyed the creastructions of the 'Master.' Doubly peregrinating monstrous limbs of fallen topiary in my quest for the perfect ride. I saw and conquered the buildifacations of the one called 'Bubba' before making haste over smooth path back to my own province of the Village of Piggs.

My first ride since Friday. I went to neither the gym or the Wednesday night race yesterday. I had gone out to do some yard work, as I have been doing near daily, and felt awful. But today was different, though I was too tired after my two hour ride to get to work I had intended on the house. Hopefully I'll be back to full capacity and beyond for the Reforestation Ramble. It would be wonderful if we could afford the time and currency to make the next WORS event; the Trek Border Battle. But not this year.

Being off the bike for a while my knee started bothering me. It gives me slight troubles these last two years. The fact that it bothers me more when I don't ride suggests that I have good form. I haven't done the strength training for my legs that I planner because of the knee. Doing extensions one leg at a time, so that I don't favor one over the other, my left knee just starts shaking though it doesn't really hurt at 90 lbs, my starting weight. I've actually focused on my arms more than I have in the past.

Misao heard the State Fair was only $2 today but I didn't feel like going. The other Don, not the WORS Don or Don Quixote, the one from the gym, will be trying for a State or better record for bench press in his age group. Not sure what his age group is. Something between 60 and 90. It is hard to tell these days. I may get together with some others from the gym to go and cheer him on. That would be this Saturday... or the next if I heard wrong. ... I think they said noon.

We have missed one of our most loved events, The State Fair, for some years now because of our financial circumstance. You may think it cheaper than a WORS event. But when one attends one must buy the roasted corn, the baked potato, the world famous cream puff and now chocolate covered bacon on a stick (I can't stop drooling), along with means of hydration. Then one must find, among the endless aisles of hawkers touting their wares, a $20 new and never before seen product offered at the special today only for your State fair price to purchase. It's all part of the ritual along with looking at all the animals. A very good walk.

Feel free to comment. It will cheer me up.

The Alterra Coffee Bean Classic

Another successful WORS event in Franklin, Wisconsin. I had been feeling like a cold was coming on for the last week. I had several days of renovation work that kept me from the Thursday ride and had missed the Wednesday night race. Saturday night we ended up working later than we have in a long time. We got home late and I had the jitters all night. Felt nauseous in the morning and had the shakes when I ate some breakfast, so I decided not to race. My wife and I did go to watch though.

It was highly spectated. Again, Al was helping along with the 'Beer Man.' We arrived as the citizens were finishing their race. I took some photos with my wife's phone. Nothing good enough for the photo competition but they'll work here. They also announced that race 11 is changing date and venue. Though they still have to post the details on their site.

Could it be Don Quixote and his squire Sancho Panza? Alas no. It is only 'Wally.' I should have done just as well or better than he if I had raced. I informed him that I always make this climb successfully to which he responded with a successful climb on the next lap. He missed last race with a family emergency and broke his 7 year streak of never missing a race.

Friday was the last time I was able to go out for a ride in a while. Even today I felt too weak and uneasy to go out. Too much work, a heavy heart, stress... who knows. I decided to start drinking non-alcoholic beer in my pursuit if a life of reckless abandon... as soon as I get paid which has been known top take months with that kind of work.

Be Happy

I wont be going to the Wednesday Night Race tonight. But I will be stopping by the gym later. Still wiped out from last week. Never got in that long ride I was looking forward to. And didn't sleep much last night with a garage burning down nearby in the wee hours of the morning. I might hit the group ride at Crystal Ridge tomorrow but it looks like rain. And we sure need rain.

Did some landscaping for someone yesterday and had to come back from the job on my road bike. Today I have a lot of work around the house and some bookkeeping to do for the business. Another odd job tomorrow. I'm hoping the renovation work might lead to some drafting jobs. Hoping Linkedin will pay off in my professional pursuits too. Of course my brother's could have given me a job in the family business sometime over these last four years. I certainly made it clear I could use the work and they know we need the money. Why didn't they? You ask them.

On my way home yesterday I rode through the Tosa Village and saw that the new Cafe Hollander was open. Lots of bikers, of the bicycle variety, hanging around on their bikes. Got home and took a shower. Slipped into some sweat pants and a golf shirt.

Later that night Misao looked at me, laughing, and said; "Your shirt is on inside out."

"That's how it was on the hanger." I answered incredulously.

Again... How am I supposed to know these things? I didn't hang the shirt.

I heard some guy on the radio say that if you hold a smile for 15 seconds you can change your mood.

Wait...

Damnit... It worked.

Sometimes it is easy and feels safe to stay where one is. Engulfed in some melodrama or tragic imagery. I know I've been there. But it is not a pretty or healthy place to be. Things always look gloomy and insurmountable but if you put on a smile, dare to be happy, everything works out.

Still not feeling it? Here's a little help.






I know I made you smile.

Beautiful

Here is a photo of the eggplant we have hanging upside down in our garden. I didn't know they had such nice flowers. I didn't know the Metro Mountain Bikers had a trail day Saturday either because they sent out the message Friday evening, we're working, and I didn't get up until noon Saturday, which isn't uncommon depending on how much I sleep during the week. If I knew I would have went. I certainly don't know everything and some things I do know people insist on lying to me about or keeping it to themselves. So what am I supposed to do! Been trying to get something to someone for a couple months now but no one will help me out.

Yahoo is ending their geocities pages. My first attempt to create something on the web will be gone this October. I don't know what will become of their group sites or flickr. I downloaded a free Sarif photo editor that has some features I didn't have with my other free software. Trying to find a good picture for a profile image but, with my fat face, my cheeks scrunch up when I smile and I look like a rabbit. Haven't had a good picture in years.

Hit a Wall

The Wednesday Night Race went well. Impelled to rest Tuesday I was surprised how strong I was riding Wednesday. 30 minutes or better each lap. I stopped at three laps and a run through O'Malley's Woods. It looked to be getting too dark but when I saw my times after the race was over I realized I could have made the forth lap easily. I was also weary of how my body would react because I was pushing hard. And I was right about that.

Got some renovation work, closer to my profession than landscaping, that hopefully will translate into something consistent, at least on a small scale. Got up early Thursday and started feeling nauseous while I was working on site. Went to an Alterra pre-ride for their upcoming race that evening and the hurting really started. And with all the mud (it hardly rained) I called it early and went home to wash my bike. Could hardly walk the dog that night either. Found the Alterra site linked to the corresponding WORS event page a while back and signed up for their group ride e-mail list.

Still feel good about how strong I've been recently. Didn't train nearly as much as I wanted to over the Winter but I did train. I had a strong finish last year and am 5 lbs lighter now than I was at the end of last year. I take several supplements, seldom on a consistent basis, but have been taking ginseng on a regular basis for a while. Also taking much longer rides than I did last year. Not necessarily pushing, but long rides mostly on MTB trial. Don't know how long I'll rest but my next ride will be one such ride. Lots of trail along the Menominee River all the way past Capital Drive.

I also hit a wall in my weight loss. Stuck at 247.5 lbs (not 147.5). Even riding more and eating less, Misao comments on how little I'm eating, the weight just wont budge. Still over 15 lbs down from the start of the season.

A bit of controversy in the endurance race world. May be going to Las Vegas.

I was Racing a Girl

The 'Sunburst Showdown' was a confidence builder. I was intimidated by the size of the ski hill and wondered how I would perform. Two good sits in the morning cleaning out the old insides, breakfast, plenty of Gatorade and my energy sport drink and a few warm up runs and I was prepared as best I could be.

I held with the group through the start, the lead out or prologue as Don would call it, and slowly the others began to pass me as we thinned out. When we hit the opening climbs I was passed by the rest of my starting wave but soon found myself passing others who faltered on the climbs. And there were lots of climbs as you can see on this helmet cam video from a citizen racer. All classes raced the same course.

So a 37 minute lap followed by another of the same and a 35 minute final lap. In the second lap I noticed one of the female competitors closing in on me. In the third as we passed through the same spot I noticed she was the same distance behind. Then she started closing a bit more. I pushed myself and then I dropped my chain on a climb. The only climb in the race where I had to push my bike because I had to stop. She was closing as i put my chain back on, but after I noticed I was actually going faster pushing my bike up the hill than she was riding. A few big drops sent me flying down the course. I kept fighting to stay ahead. I'm sure she had many opportunities to catch me and pass but kept changing her mind. I had a good lead but when we crested the final small hill I didn't look back but put it in the big ring and rushed the finish line. Starting a minute or more behind me she had the better time but you have to take your victories where you can find them.

Climbing, climbing, climbing without dismounting except when I dropped my chain. Very satisfying. The female competitor pushed me for my best lap. I have to push more in the first two laps but with little to no competitors to challenge it is easy to hold back a bit. I try to hold onto the tail of groups that start to lap me in the second lap. I couldn't imagine myself finishing much better than I did.

Looking forward to the Alterra Classic. Resting today, not going to the novice ride in Hoyt Park. My recovery ride yesterday was doing my errands on my road bike and hitting the gym. I felt it afterwards. Tomorrow, Wednesday Night Racing and than looking to get in some long rides and another Wednesday Night Race and then taking it easy until Alterra.

Don't know if my results are counting towards team Cyclopath. It is a pretty informal loose group but I gave the best finishes I will be getting this year with a 7th place in my class Sunday and four laps, due to a slightly shorter than typical course, in the Crystal Ridge WEMS race. My fantasy Tour de France team, 'Cyclopak,' has dropped way behind after showing promise in some early stages.

Today, writing and prep for my next major house repair. Also going to revamp the vegetable bed in the garden. Don't know if it is the soil or the weather, but almost nothing has been growing. Taking out the topsoil, putting it in buckets, and then taking out the gravel and junk underneath to be put in buckets and disposed of. Putting back the questionable soil and then buying some new garden soil at Menard's to put on top. Will put in spinach, radishes and lettuces. Cool weather plants that harvest quickly for the rest of the year.