Commute Orlando

I've mentioned Commute Orlando before, but I recently discovered something that reminded me what a great resource for bicycle commuters this site is. Commute Orlando is a multi-contributor, multi-mode website with a strong sense of mission to encouraging bicycle commuting in Orlando. It does a great job of promoting commuting in general, for people both in and out of Central Florida.

What do they offer, you ask? Just click on the main website and see. For people all over, there are lots of goodies. Start in the left-hand column at The Basics. If you're just starting out, this will help you select and outfit your bike and get started with cycling. Just below that is On the Road with more articles about how to operate your bike on the streets.

In the center left column is a link to their blog which covers the world of cycling with a focus on cycling in Florida and Orlando. Even though I don't live in the area, I find much of the information there relevant and interesting. In preparing this post, I noticed that they now have a message forum as well (how did I miss that??) in the center right column. In the blog and forum columns you can see previews of the articles and posts inside.

In the right sidebar is a link to an online book about bicycling called Bicycle Street Smarts by John Allen, another good resource. Below that is one of my favorite sections: A series of articles called Smart Moves. Once you get past the basics, there is so much good information in these articles about how to navigate the road with other traffic while on your bike. One of my favorites is a little piece called You Lead the Dance, which now features a video that gets the point across really well.


Bicycling in traffic is a dance you lead from Keri Caffrey on Vimeo.
If you are a complete beginner with respect to cycling, I hope you look at my blog for inspiration, but for the real nuts and bolts, you can't beat Commute Orlando. Oh, and by the way, you can thank Keri Caffrey for this great public service.

Cyclists Unite! We Have Nothing to Lube But Our Chains!

More advice from ChipSeal

Home after the commute in the rain, should the bicycle be put away wet? Yes and no.

Steve noticed grit everywhere when he was done acting like a six year old, (Fifteenth comment.) and you will have a grit problem whenever you ride in the rain or at a beach.

Road or beach sand acts as an abrasive on your chain, gears, brake pads and rims. This is the stuff we want to remove after a ride in the rain. Then we want to re-lubricate the chain.

First thing when you get home, before you dry off, grab a rag and a hose and spray down your bike. I recommend doing this on the front lawn. If it is still raining, and your neighbors notice you, it will confirm their suspicions as to your mental state! If they ask you about it just say; "Don't worry, the bicycle likes it!"

Your first target should be the undersides of your fenders with the bike on its side. This will stop all that crud stuck under there from falling down on the newly cleaned parts or messing with your parking space. (For ChipSeal, that would be his bedroom.)

Then stand the bike up and spray downward over the entire bicycle. A hard spray can force water into the frame cavity through cable guides, water bottle screws and other tiny holes. It won't hurt most bottom brackets, but it can be hard on any part that has iron in it. (If it is "real", if you know what I mean!)

After a quick rinse, open your brakes and and give the face of the pads a good hard spray. Run your fingertips along the face and dislodge any grains of sand lodged there. This will keep the pads performance top notch and prevent deep scoring of the rim, extending it's useful life.

Many brake pads seem to melt in the rain. You may find your rims smeared with black residue and streaks down your fork and seat stays. Now is the easiest time to remove it while it is still wet, and why you brought a rag. In my case, my reflective tape's performance will have been compromised by this phenomena.

After a final rinse of your rims and brakes, close your brakes to avoid a surprise and spray down all of your chain and gears. Hard spray is fine. Don't be afraid to overdo it. Then park the bike where it can drip dry and get out of your wet clothes.

Later, lube your chain. I use a two step spray and wax lube method. Sheldon Brown didn't, but said there were many legitimate camps. So I will describe what I do, and hope not to start any fights.

I use White Lightning Clean Streak degreaser. This will remove all the lube and dirt left on your chain, and displace all that water as well.

I use cardboard to protect my rims from over-spray and later, over-drip. Spray the Clean Sweep generously on the chain while rotating it back wards in your favorite chain ring. The wipe with rags for about five chain rotations. If it is still picking up black, repeat the process. Then let it air for about ten minutes.

I use Rock and Roll lubrication "Red", or as I learned from their product site, "Extreme". I follow their directions, and I use it generously. This is a wax based lubrication, and it suits my cycling because it resists collecting dust. I a ride a bit on dirt roads.

These extra steps will diminish the extra wear your bicycle receives by riding in the rain. I will not take them if there is little evidence of grit on the bike. Once you see a gritty bike, you will see it is not hard to see.

If you anticipate a long ride or commute in the rain, you may want to consider taking along some chain lube to apply.

I have found a few parts on my single-speed to have an inclination to rust. The bolts on my stem and water bottle cages. You may wish to give them a shot of Pledge Protection Plus.

My wet cycling shoes get stuffed with newspaper for about ten minutes, and then I take it out and replace it with more dry newspaper.

And now it is your turn. What do you do when you come home wet?

How I Carry Stuff

 

That is my primary bicycle. A carbon fiber 2007 Giant OCR C Zero. I recently crossed the 10,000 mile mark on it. It has served me well!

I have been car-free now for almost three years, and I thought I would say a few words about what I carry with me and how I transport stuff. These are the things that work for me, but it may be a bit minimalist for others.

I came to cycling in my youth, and tried my hand for many years as a competitive racer, and that has seriously colored my choices as a transportational cyclist. Please keep that in mind. For example, I value low weight very highly, and that explains why I chose to purchase the Giant. Others have valued weight much less, and the compromises they make will be different than mine. Not better or worse, just different based on how they rate one value over another. There is a wonderful diversity in cycling, and I would be a fool to disdain what others prefer!

This is what is found in the seat bag:

 

Clockwise from the top left; A cotton bandanna in a sandwich bag to clean my glasses, spare inner-tube in plastic, a patch kit, two CO2 cannisters, the inflater chuck, fresh batteries for my lights in plastic, a 6mm hex wrench, a 5mm hex wrench and in the center, a spare battery for my computer. (It would be a calamity if my computer failed me on a long ride!)

Because my bicycle is a full Dura-Ace equipped bike, the two wrenches will fix nearly any problem encountered on a trip, a delightful bonus from well engineered equipment.

If I should get a flat, I get one fix and a mulligan, and then it's thumb time. But I am running on Specialized Armadillo Elite tires, and I completely wore out the last pair. I had only experienced one flat in all that time on them.

In fact, the length of time that the spare tube has spent in the bag has caused its own hazard! To reduce abrasion on the inner-tube, I wrapped it in plastic before putting it in my seat-bag. Here is the condition it was in when I pulled it out for the photo:

 

Holes were worn through the plastic! Yikes! The tube looked OK, so I added more plastic when I put it back.

That are the things I want to be with me during any trip, whether recreational or errands, and so stay with the bike all the time.

This is my wet weather/spare bike:

 

It a single speed fendered Redline 9 2 5. I have put on a triangular in-frame bag for carrying the "always must have stuff":

 

Tools at the top, top to bottom, five and six millimeter hex wrenches, then a box end wrench that fits the fender hardware, and a box end wrench to remove rear wheel.

On the left I have three tire wrenches, CO2 cannisters, the inflater chuck, a patch kit, a spare inner-tube and two terry cloth rags. It is always nice to have something to wipe your hands with after handling the chain and removing the tires, especially if it is wet out. But also, the CO2 canisters become really cold when discharged, so something is needed to protect your hands. The third important role of the rags is to keep the kit from rattling, which for me can be very annoying!

While I have only traveled a little more than 500 miles on the Redline, I have had at least five flats! There will be Armadillos on it for the next set of tires!

When this fix-it kit is wrapped up, this is how it is arranged in the frame-bag.

 

The extra space can used for plastic sheeting (Plastic drop cloth) and bungee cords if I expect to have to park the bike in the rain. But they are not carried with me all the time.

For the rest of the stuff I need to pack around I use either jersey pockets when on recreational rides, or a small back-pack, or a larger capacity back-pack or a messenger bag for the most bulky of loads, depending on how much room I need.

 

I keep some things at work, like shoes and some cold-weather clothes in case of sudden weather changes. I carry in clean clothes to change into, and lunch. I bring powdered drink mix in. I re-use two liter soda bottles to mix it in and consume it from. I am able to keep my bicycle in the building with me.

Here is what I take with me shopping, perhaps for groceries:

 

I use the Speedplay cleat system, so I need a change of shoes if much walking is involved. For size and weight considerations, I take these slippers or flip-flops. That loop of rope is used to carry my bike shoes draped over the frame, like this:

 

This allows more room in my bag to place items while shopping. Oh, I don't lock my bike up, I take it into the store or restaurant with me. I rarely have had anyone take issue with this, and there is enough competition for my business that alternatives have always been found.

I am single, so I have not needed a higher capacity than the messenger bag provides, though I have made multiple store runs on occasion. (12 mile round trip.) I haven't yet loaded the bag with so much stuff that I couldn't breathe, but I have caused the plastic strap clamp to fail.

What I buy for groceries is also colored by capacity considerations. For example, potato chips and milk are rarely purchased, one because it takes up so much space, and the other because it is heavy. (I rely on powdered drink mixes for this reason too!)

What have you found that works for your commute?

Newish Features on Your BBC Blog

Okay, not exactly features, well, maybe features. Not new though. They're just blog lists really. Okay, why bother?

But still, I thought I would point out some changes I've made to the blog. First of all, I've added a few blogs to the "Bicycle Blogs" list that I found through other blogs like Rat Trap Press and Rantwick.

And speaking of Rat Trap Press and Rantwick, they are two blogs on the first "My 5 Favorite Bike Blogs" list. That's the big thing. I find myself addicted to certain blogs, and the five at right are the ones I can't get enough of. So along with those two, take a gander at Let's Go Ride A Bike, Old Ten Speed Gallery and ChipSeal.

Another blog will bubble up to the surface and I'll squeeze it in there, and have to bump one of those blogs down into the regular blog list, so I hope they enjoy their time in the sun! And Beginning Bicycle Commuting readers: Read my Fave Five, patronize their sites, and get their URLs tattooed where your momma can't see them!

Welcome MetalChef87, a new contributor

I was going to just copy and paste some of the stuff from his blog, Bikes and Food, but I figured he would catch me eventually. Instead I'm inviting him to be a contributor to the blog. Welcome Ian, aka MetalChef87!