Monday, April 27, 2009


I test drove a Prophet 2000 yesterday. And I just don't know. I am going back again next weekend to try it again, and to have them tune the rear shock for me. The cockpit felt very short, but then, I have been riding nothing but road bikes the last few months. It felt sort of sluggish as well, perhaps for that same reason. Also I am going to go for a ride on my s/s RM before the test for a better comparison (the RM weighs a tonne and also obviously has a short cockpit as well).

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Weekend Ride in North Van



Sat, Apr 25, 2009 - 40.00 km [Cycling]
40.00 km on Kona Jake The Snake. [Cycling] Feeling fresh, getting more fit and getting lots of climbing in my legs. Did some very tame trail riding (I was on the cx bike), and some massive North Van mountain road climbs. Also, lots of sprinting, having fun.



Went to a few bike shops to begin the day: John Henry, BSP (where I spied a 2008 Trek Fuel EX8 for $400 less than this year's model!) However, I like this year's paint so much it seems almost worth the extra $$$. Now I have to ride back over the bridge to the Bedarenses, so another 20k?
Posted from My Cycling Log/

Top photo is the cheaper '08 model; bottom is the '09.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Fri, Apr 24, 2009 - 50.00 km [Cycling]

Fri, Apr 24, 2009 - 50.00 km [Cycling]
50.00 km on Kona Jake The Snake. [Cycling] Stanley Park trails, downtown goofing, to and from work.
Posted from My Cycling Log

Thursday, February 12, 2009

First UBC Ride of The Year

I rode the part-time job up to UBC for a little winter trail riding today. Actually, most of the ride was pedalling there and back again. The ride through the endowment lands was pretty amazing, with virtually nobody walking or riding the trails, and almost no snow to speak of, and very little mud. I had a really fast run down to the beach that reminded me of why I need to put gears on that bike again; I could have gone faster were I pushing a bigger gear. And then, having only one gear is beneficial too.

There is something neat about riding single-speed. You can only do so much, so you only want to do so much. (Also, you definitely have to work with what you've got, get on top of your gear on hills, and learn to spin like a mad man if you want any speed.) I think that is part of it. Does that make sense? What I mean is that having only one speed simplifies things, which in itself might seem obvious, but it does so in a surprisingly significant way

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

What The Hell? Who Has Heard of "Freezing Fog"?



Although, that's exactly what it is. But I call it "ice-fog".

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The Hustle and The Peril

Ah! Home from work, the groceries are away, wine stowed and coffee made (in the new suspiciously a lot like a percolator "espresso" pot my mom sent me--not that I am complaining!).

The snow is finally gone, and now we have fog. Fog like I have never seen before. Oh, fog and "ice-fog", which is what I woke up to this morning. The moment my wheels touched the street I realized I had made a mistake. The street was sheer ice, frozen condensation from the night before. I began to slow down with painstaking care, intending to halt 500 metres away, where morning rush-hour traffic was presumably hurtling by (presumably as I couldn't see it through the ice-fog). Anyway, I made it without bailing. I rode to work along Broadway (assuming that the high volume of traffic would have melted the ice), in the perilous "bike and bus lane", which is treated more like an extended super long right-turn lane by mainly grumpy motorists. Ordinarily I'd go along the 10th ave bike route, but I expected more ice, so no.

Riding on 10th is totally relaxing and nice; there are high, full trees and you pass by beautiful homes and a school, and it's traffic controlled, and there's China Creek skatepark, which in the summer is quite fun. Broadway is just about the hustle of getting to work. The hustle and the peril.

I went for an easy 50k on Saturday, which was very enjoyable, despite the GDMF fog. You can actually see the stuff like a thick fluffy wet cloud. I went to New West, bought a coffee, then turned around for home. I didn't bring a lock or backpack, which kept me out of the thrift shops (I'm trying to spend less, as well accumulate less junk/treasure). I was somewhat tired after, but that's to be expected, as the snow etc. has kept me off the bike for a while now (except for 10k to work and back each day (10k total.) Noticeably less power getting out of New West on the hill, but not such a bad base, all things considered. I do need to be more careful about diet and actually use my resistance trainer when I can't get out.

Friday, January 16, 2009

My 24 hrs Race

Cycling 600k in one day. If I do nothing else in 2009 I will be content.