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.

Spinning my wheels: Selecting a bike trainer that's right for me

I'm considering getting a bike trainer to practice with on stormy days and nights.

I've looked into it a little bit, and there are a lot of different options to consider.

One could go for a magnetic trainer, with resistance provided by pure physical magnetism, or a liquid or air based trainer that provides resistance with fluid resistance, which increases with the speed at which one pedals.

Another option would be to get a set of rollers, and just go to town in my basement or garage riding at a ridiculous clip.

Finally, I could buy a used spinner or exercise cycle, which would probably be pretty cheap, but then I'd have to find a way to bring it home. I'd probably be able to snag one on Cragslist relatively easily.

Has anyone out there decided on a trainer?

Any suggestions?

Cycling in not-so-good weather conditions

If you live in the Northeast and you like to ride, every once in a while you end up stuck on the wrong side of your commute during rain, light snow, hail, or heavy winds. While some would say that this is a perfect opportunity to use some of the money that you've saved from not driving to call a cab or take the bus, I like to take a different approach.

Instead of immediately giving up on the idea of cycling, I assess the potential risks versus the potential benefits of taking my bike as I had planned versus relying on public or private transport.

So long as I am not jeapordizing my safety by riding in situations where there is poor visibility, unsuitable road conditions, or a high likelihood of being hit in the head with something heavy, I usually try to tough it out.

Today is a great example. I made it to my destination this morning without a hassle, but the forecast says rain.

I should be fine on the bike path to get back home, visibility is likely to be good and there is little traffic or heavy wind. If it looks like things are a little hairy, I have my cell phone and the cash for a cab, so I have little to worry about.

If the weatherman is incorrect and the predicted shower is a true deluge, I might just try to hitch a ride with someone back to my place. Safety comes first.

Remember why you ride your bike. I ride my bike for fun first and frugality second. If I'm not having fun, I don't ride.

A thought on frugally purchasing tubes and tires

I will be the first to admit that it can be daunting selecting which tires and tubes to put onto your bicycle. If you ask online there are a lot of "wise old men of the forums" that will tell you to buy Gator Skins or some other more expensive tire, and either go tubeless or buy special tubes.

I have also found the mentality that will tell you to buy the cheapo Chinese tires and tubes and just keep repairing them until they fall apart.

I am actually somewhere in the middle (and below) both camps. I actually have never purchased tires individually for a bicycle, but I have purchased wheels with tires installed,and I've bought a number of tubes and patch kits.

In my opinion, tubes will pop and tires will get nails and screws in them. That is just the way of things. If you choose to go tubeless, you could still run over some broken glass or nails, or just come down too hard after a bump or pothole, burp a few PSI out of your tire and leave yourself running flat.

I recommend just holding onto your tires, whatever ones are on your bike, until you can't manage to keep riding them due to poor traction, and then replace them with whatever your local shop has in stock to fit your bike. As for tubes, they are very cheap, so I just keep an extra one on hand (duct taped to the top tube) and a pump strapped to my bike in case I need to replace on on the road or the trail. While I have run into this necessity before, I am usually able to walk to an air machine at a gas station and use my emergency cash stash in my seat bag to fill the replacement tube.

As for the cost, as I said I've never had to purchase tires, but I have bought well over 10 replacement tubes. My local shops sell replacement tubes for my wheel size for 2 or 3 dollars, and I normally buy 3 at a time.