Tuesday, December 30, 2014

N + 1 (fat)

 
Most of you know the formula. How many bicycles does one person need? Answer: N + 1 (with N being the number of bicycles you currently own). There are a number of new fat bikes in Rexburg this winter. You may be seeing mine first since I have the blog but if anyone else wants to post a picture of his new bike or comment on it, I would be happy to put up a post.
     Fat bikes are perhaps the hottest segment of the bicycle market right now. Sticks and Stones is a dealer for three lines of fat bikes Surly, Trek, and Borealis. The other local shops all carry fat bikes as well, but the biggest news is that Brian has his first generation of Kelson fat bikes in production right now. It goes without saying that these bikes will set a very high standard and we are looking forward to showcasing them on the blog in the near future.
     I have been shopping for a fat bike with Joe for a while as well as doing a fair amount of reading on fat bikes. Having been a fat bike owner for a matter of hours, I am not an expert on the subject, but I have learned a few things in the process of shopping for the new bike. Fat bikes are having their moment right now, and the range of fat bikes on the market has grown exponentially. Many feature the new Rock Shox Bluto fork and a handful are even available as full suspension models. The development and evolution of fat bikes has been closely linked to snow racing events like the Iditabike, but in recent years, fat bikes have proven to be viable contenders in muddy conditions as well in races like the Ruta de los Conquistadores. At the same time, I think that some of the most enthusiastic proponents of fat bikes are probably overreaching a little. As an example, I saw a couple of guys on fat bikes at Rebecca’s Private Idaho. The rougher sections and the downhills may have been pretty fun, but I can only imagine that the long climbs were hell on a fat bike.
     Fat bike wheels come in three popular widths; 60 mm, 80 mm, and 100 mm. Tires come in three popular sizes; 3.4 in, 3.8 in, and 4.5 inch. Surly has three basic fat bike model lines; the Pugsley, the Ice Cream Truck, and the Moonlander with a few variations of each. I felt like the best fit for me was a Pugsley model, the Pug Ops which features a rigid fork, 80 mm wheels with 3.8 inch tires, and hydraulic disc brakes. Because the Surly is a steel frame, we took some extra precautions in the set up. Charles treated the inside of the tubes with Frame Saver, and Brian stopped in help with some facing of the frame and precision fitting of the various components.
     I cannot comment on any extended use of the bike, but I can give some first impressions. Surly is the pioneer in the mass marketing of fat bikes and their bikes have a very traditional, almost industrial look, typically with fairly drab paint colors. It would not be a stretch to say they are kind of ugly, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I like the look of the traditional narrow steel tubing with the big tires, but it may take some time for the grey color to grow on me. This is a bike that lacks the elegance of a Borealis or the bling of a Trek, but has its own distinctive look.
     I was able to ride it around a little this afternoon. It is a very big bike and it rides like you imagine a monster truck would drive. Year-around commuters know that traditional mountain bikes can be pretty sketchy on ice and snow, even with studded tires. On my little test ride with the new Surly, it plowed through any combination of snow and ice on the streets with absolute indifference. It was crazy fun to ride except when I was going uphill. The same qualities that make a fat bike such a beast in bad conditions conspire to make it a ponderous climber.
     I am grateful to Joe, Charles, Brian, and Mitch, all of whom had a hand in getting the bike set up and assembled. I am looking forward to getting in some quality riding time in a broader range of conditions.
 

Monday, December 22, 2014

Christmas Eve Road Ride (?)

I have talked to a few of you in the Rexburg area about the possibility of organizing a road ride for Wednesday morning, Christmas Eve, with a tentative start time of 10 a.m.  So far the forecast looks pretty favorable.  We will finalize plans depending to a large extent on the level of interest.  I realize this is a complicated day with family commitments, etc.  If you are interested in the ride, please let me know.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Weston Graduates


 
Congratulations to Weston Dunn who graduated from BYU-I on Saturday. Sadly for the rest of us, that means he will soon be leaving Rexburg in the rear-view mirror. Weston has been a very good friend to all of us and a tremendous asset to local cycling. Best of luck in all of your future endeavors.

Friday, December 19, 2014

Missoula-based Tour of Montana Debuts Summer 2015

This new 4-day professional event for men and women is scheduled between the Boise Twilight Criterium and the Tour of Utah. Organizers hope to eventually become a UCI sanctioned event.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/inaugural-tour-of-montana-offers-multi-day-pro-race-in-2015

 

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Remembering Another Crash With Deer

These pictures go back a few years. This is a friend of Gheen's that I rode with in Utah a couple of times. I do not have his permission to post the pictures so I will not identify him by name. The year prior, he had been hit by a car. A year later, fully recovered, he was coming off the Suncrest Climb just south of Salt Lake City at high speed when a herd of deer crossed in front of him.  Unable to brake, he tried unsuccessfully to thread the needle and ride through the deer. He hit a deer, flipped and landed on the back wheel which shattered on impact. Miraculously, he avoided serious injury.

 

On BikeRumor Today. High Speed Crash With Deer.


Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Ultimate Challenge Newsletter - 2015 Registration Opens This Week

FIRST 50 RIDE FOR $50

Early Registration Specials

The Ultimate Challenge presented by University of Utah Health Care returns for a sixth year on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2015. This popular bicycle century ride for amateur cyclists will be held again on the same day and on the same route as Stage 6 of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah. Online registration opens Wednesday, December 17 at 8 a.m. MT at RideUC.com
 

  1. The first 50 individuals to register online receive a University of Utah Health Care special - just $50.
  2. Additional registration discounts will be offered through Dec. 31, 2014, ranging from $55 for a bronze course ride option (route to be announced), $85 for a silver course (route start in Coalville), and $95 for the gold course (full 110-miles from Salt Lake City).
Regular registration in 2015 will be $115 per cyclist. Check out the new web site in December, with updates on team discounts and commemorative merchandise.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Fitzgerald's What's Up With Fat Bikes

This video is a couple of years old. It has been viewed about 118,00 times on You Tube.
 

Friday, December 12, 2014

Message from the Rexburg Police Department

Seriously, this is not a joke even though it kind of feels like the setup to a joke.  I was at Sticks and Stones this afternoon when an officer from the Rexburg PD stopped to talk to Joe. He asked Joe to communicate this warning to the local cycling community. Five bicycles have been stolen this week by an individual (seen on a security video wearing a black hoodie with a logo that looks like red mountains) who cherry picks high end bicycles from bike racks around the BYU-Idaho campus and uses a lock cutter to make away with the bikes.

     The RPD asks bicycle owners to lock their bikes securely, be alert for any suspicious behavior, and to be very skeptical of anyone trying to sell potentially stolen bicycles. Just a couple of comments…I was in the back when Joe talked to the officer so I do not know specifics of when and where the bikes were stolen. I would think that bikes on campus in the day should be pretty safe, even with a less than robust lock, so I assume this is probably happening at apartment complexes at night. I suspect the bikes stolen were high end only relative to the other bikes on the rack. If you are a student who truly owns a high end bicycle, you know this already.  Please do not lock it up outside. You should be sleeping next to that bicycle regardless of the bicycle policy of your apartment complex. If they are absolutely inflexible about that, find someplace else live.

From Kellen: Invitation to Weekly Spin Night

I am going to be doing a spin night on Wednesdays at my place. I have room
for 8-10. You will need to bring your own trainer. It'll start at 7 or 8 and
go about an hour. Call with any questions. 208-351-4141 Kellen

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Tour of Utah announces 2015 route, expanded women's event - VeloNews.com

Sorry for the lack of new content this week. I've been away from my computer. In fact this post is being generated voice to text. Regular readers know that I'm a huge fan of the Tour of Utah. So the official route announcement is a big deal to me. Especially is the race continues to grow and its stature increases. I'm a little sad that the race will not be going back to Torrey this year but hopefully it will return again in the near future.
http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/12/news/tour-utah-announces-2015-route-expanded-womens-event_355413

Monday, December 1, 2014

Gizmag Announces Top Ten Cycling Innovations for 2014

Image copyright gizmag.com
So I had never heard of Gizmag, but I think this article is fairly entertaining. I received a link to the feature because I am on the mailing list for patchnride (still waiting for my device and patching kit) which is included the list of the year’s top innovations.  There is undoubtedly real genius here (Shimano XTR Di12), but there is some pretty weird stuff as well.