Recovering from Bicycle Theft

I've been dealing with a rather unpleasant experience that far too many cyclists have had to deal with. My bicycle was stolen recently from my parking area, and I am currently stuck driving.
The police department in my local area is overworked and underpaid, and while I was able to make a citizen's statement detailing my bicycle's details and the circumstances of the theft, I am yet to be contacted by a detective or have much to go on to conduct an investigation myself.

I am always of the philosophy to buy the least expensive tool that my ego and abilities will permit me to use, and my bicycle was no exception to this rule. A 10 year old mountainbike, I had been running hybrid tires on it and using it as a commuter.

Even though I paid 160 dollars for the bicycle, I am not particularly sad that it is gone. I would have had to sell it soon regardless, and as winter approaches I had only a few more weeks to ride before the snow descended and I was unable to bike commute.

I think that my greatest regret is that I left my bicycle inside of my car, as opposed to chaining it up outdoors or bringing it into my apartment. My car was broken into and the contents removed, including my bicycle, tools and bookbag.

While I am planning to replace the bookbag, the bicycle will not be replaced until next spring.

I will now focus on researching options for my next bicycle season!

Hitting the Trails this summer? Try cycling to the trail access!

I know that many people who love to ride bicycles also love to drive cars, but have you ever considered how unusual it is to drive somewhere to ride your bike?

I recall telling one of my friends back in college about a great bike ride that I had earlier on that week, several years ago. I described in grandiose terms the trail I rode on, the vegetation that surrounded me for the 15 or so miles of converted railway that I was using, and the people that I had seen, finishing up with a brief mention of the trip back home in my car. My friend, an avid fitness enthusiast, was interested in cycling, and immediately responded with a place that would be really fun to ride, just a long as I was "okay with driving somewhere to ride my bicycle".

At this point, I realized that there was another way, that I could simply ride my bicycle to the bike trail, but I was worried about traffic! I had talked myself out of the possibility of cycling the mile and a half to the closest trail access to my home, reasoning that the traffic was excessive, cars were going too fast to chance it, there were no sidewalks and insufficient curb, and it was all in all a poor choice. I was afraid to ride my bicycle on the open road because I didn't want to be hit by a car, but I was driving a car to ride a bike.

In any case, that got me thinking, and I decided to try cycling to the trail access the next weekend, and it was fine. I was safe, never struck, and I learned that the last mile and a half, after a 30 or 60 mile conditioning day, was a great way to cool down and relax before whatever activities I had planned for the evening. From then on, I try not to drive anywhere within easy riding distance if I'm planning to cycle when I get there, I just bike instead!

Spring Cleaning!

It's March, and with the advent of above freezing temperatures I am becoming more excited about riding my bike to work!


I have a lot to do before I am ready. I need to perform a fit test and inspection of my bike helmet. I also need to check all of the controls on my bicycle and ensure that I can stop, go, and shift gears without a problem.

Keep on Rolling!

I'm a cyclist for more reasons than just to keep fit. I simply love riding bikes, there's a great deal of joy associated with the activity for me and I derive considerable pleasure from tooling around, puttering over the different moving parts, and generally getting better at biking. The problem with cycling in my part of the country is that it's really, really hard to keep warm and stay safe in the winter time while riding a bike outdoors.

While I don't know if I could recommend it to everyone, especially those that live in warm regions, have walkable commutes, and/or are wholly dependent on cycling for their transportation needs, I decided to purchase a used car ( my current vehicle cost 800 dollars or so) and continue my cycling indoors for the winter.

I can maintain my cardiovascular health, simulate road conditions as desired, and even work on different aspects of my cycling technique so that I can be prepared to ride even faster and farther when weather permits. I have access to multiple styles of bicycle trainers, including stationary cycles and spinning trainers. I use the stationary bikes to improve my distance, with a  target of approximately 20 miles daily within one hour of biking, and the spinning machines to work on balance, cadence, and endurance. Balance comes from reducing my dependence on the handlebars to keep me straight in the saddle. Cadence improvements help me to chain the down stroke of one toe with the up stroke of my other (clipped in) toe, to allow me to maximize the efficiency of my work. Endurance work allows me to continue at higher RPMs with low resistance for longer periods of time, with the goal of  ultimately allowing me to ride farther, faster, and without becoming as tired.

I still feel like I'm too poor to afford a mag trainer, but if you have the budget for it, you can use one of those instead of an exer-cycle and save that gym membership.

I won't say that it's for everyone, and it's honestly somewhat perverse to me to drive to a place where I ride my bike, but that's the solution that I've found for now.

I'm open to suggestions if you have any!

Hopefully I can sell this commuter box once spring rolls around.

Running like a Well Oiled Machine Once More

I am not the most fastidious of bicycle owners. I buy my bikes used, and ride them roughly.

Dirty bicycle Chain ring from Mountain Bike World.com
Mine is a little better than this, it's a Shimano.

I most recently purchased a Trek 4500 on Craigslist, and while I have been happy with my bicycle's performance so far I must admit that it had gotten somewhat plaintive in its creaks and squeals of late.

I decided to do something about it, and obtained a lubricant. While in the past I have used all kinds of materials to lubricate my bicycle chains, from used automotive oil to graphite, this time I have opted to follow in the tire tracks of another cyclist out there and use WD40. After a thorough cleaning with soap and water and a heavy rinse with more water, I was looking at a gleaming chainring for the first time since I purchased this bicycle, and I was loving it.

From there, I coated each gear and sprocket in a light layer of WD40, and with a soft clean cloth applied a good deal to the chain as well, making sure to get in between each link and allow the WD40 to do it's penetrating lubricant magic.

Finally, I wiped off or allowed to drip away all of the excess WD40, and I was left with a nearly silent, clicking, wonderfully lubricated chain, compliant controls, and a smile on my face.

I can't wait until the weather is good enough for me to actually ride this bicycle again. Has anyone seen Indian Summer hiding around the corner?

Riding Into the Autumn Months

I don't think that I am alone in relishing the transition between the seasons. The change in color of the leaves, the altered weather patterns, the shortening of the days and lengthening of the nights, all of these are a feature of the essential progression of time that highlights living in the temperate parts of North America.

But specifically as a cyclist, I particularly enjoy pushing myself day by day, week by week, to continue to ride my bicycle to work. As the days shorten and the weather cools, my morning rides are getting progressively darker and cooler, and are more likely to feature mist, rain, and eventually snow.

While I usually throw in the towel when weather dips below 35 degrees Fahrenheit, I have been known to just bundle up and keep going, and over time I've collected a set of gear to extend this period of commuting further and further. Construction grade gloves, parka-style winter gear, multiple layers of pants and overbuilt boots are just a part of the overall kit that keeps me feeling toasty.

Knowing that I am keeping myself fit, saving myself fifty cents- a dollar for every mile compared to driving a car, or three dollars a day in bus fare, just by riding my bike is a nice bonus too. Best of all, I don't need a gym membership just to get my cardiovascular exercise in.

Snag a ride on Craigslist and save!

I was doing a bit of research and found a great ad on Craigslist for anyone in the Boston, Mass area.

Someone is cleaning out their basement and claims to be disposing of 2 bicycles as soon as possible.

The best part is, they are free!

https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/zip/5070736362.html

This is actually not a craigslist bike.

I've had a lot of luck finding bicycles for close to or actually no money on Craigslist over the years, and it has saved me a lot of money in the long run.

Even if you have to spend 65 dollars on a tune up, you will still come out way ahead if your bicycle only cost 100 dollars in the first place, and there are a lot of deals where your bike might even be free.