Messages

16

Gear Talk / Re: Bike Case which Accomodates Racks and Fenders

« on: January 03, 2019, 07:08:08 pm »

Sflood1,
There is a lot of good advice in the previous replies. However, I once had my son's high end custom race bike stolen when shipped via Fed Ex in a cardboard bike box. It took months and a lot of proof of component purchases, photos, and descriptions to get reimbursed for the loss. Depending on your risk tolerance and budget, here are two more options. They are a little unusual, but I've used both with bullet-proof success.
(1)  If you are a DYI'er, and good with woodworking, build a custom bike box/shipping crate. Disassemble the bike as far as you're comfortable doing so, (the further the better) and carefully experiment with stacking it in as compact an area as possible. Use bubble-wrap to pad the parts from one another.  Measure how much space you'll need, (height x width x length), add a couple of inches for padding and margin of error, and those are the required inside dimensions.  Build the box light but sturdy, and you can reuse it over and over.  Think like a boat builder and use glue and screws for joints. It can be a fun project!
(2)  Take your bike to an International Air Freight Forwarder and explain what you want, destination, timing, etc. They can handle everything, including customs declarations, economical shipping, and final destination delivery, plus getting the bike back to you when you get home. Their crate builders know exactly what's required and have in-house shops that can efficiently build a custom box that will last a lifetime. You may want to get a quote first, but when you compare the total costs, you'll likely find them to be very competitive. 
~ spins, grins, and tail winds to you!
 

17

General Discussion / Mechanical Doping or Misplaced Sympathy?

« on: December 10, 2018, 07:12:12 pm »

European press coined the term "mechanical doping" to describe racers hiding miniature motors in their bike frames to provide a boost in applied power wattage. Clearly that's cheating and nobody supports it. I know this won't be popular, but I have to wonder if putting a motor on a recreational bike isn't somewhat equivalent to an opiate or an "easy out" to generate speed where it may not be such a good idea. In a recent forum topic "e-bikes are motor vehicles" the majority of replies favored allowing older or disabled riders to use motors on their bicycles and still use bike-only paths and/or to enable them to maintain the same pace or speed they used to enjoy. I oppose this idea for several reasons, but here are two major ones. SAFETY - as we age, other capabilities needed to ride safely also tend to diminish: balance, vision, depth perception, reaction time, and hearing. Do you really want to have anyone, especially a loved one, riding their bike faster that they can ride it safely? HEALTH - a major  benefit of riding is that it requires us to exercise our hearts, legs, and lungs. Even a limited dependency on a motor for propulsion diminishes those health benefits, and a dependency on motors, like some drugs, can be addictive.  There is a simple alternative, not just for the disabled, but for everyone as they age: slow down and gear down. Use three wheels if necessary. I don't want to deprive anyone from riding. On the contrary, I encourage people to ride, but please ride within your limits.     
               

18

Gear Talk / Re: To paint titanium or not

« on: November 22, 2018, 10:16:03 pm »

Cerakote a bike? Excellent idea! Suspect it would work on steel or aluminum frames as well.   

19

General Discussion / Re: How Do You Respond to People Asking for Advice Who Already Know Everything?

« on: October 29, 2018, 08:08:58 pm »

Wry humor on a T-Shirt gift from my Durango, CO grandson raft guide:
"La Plata County Search & Rescue - Interfering with Natural Selection Since 1981."

20

General Discussion / Re: Cyclists Aren't the Only Folks on the Road

« on: October 20, 2018, 08:55:53 pm »

Agree with Nyimbo - great pic, thanks for the good post! Ran into a similar situation during tomato harvest near Winters in the California central valley. The harvesting machines would fill the trucks to overflow then send them on their urgent way spilling ripe tomatoes on the road for the first hundred yards or so. Only thing to do was stay out of their way and try to run over as few squashed tomatoes as possible. I don't suppose you'd share your route with us?

21

General Discussion / Re: e-bikes are motor vehicles

« on: October 08, 2018, 10:17:16 pm »

Lots of good points, John. I'm not opposed to progress, and as you point out they're already a trend. However, the purist in me wants desperately to keep all Motor Vehicles where they belong on the streets with other motor vehicles and not allow any of them of them no matter what they're called in areas preserved for non-motorized vehicles. Remember, if it's got a motor, any motor, it's a Motor Vehicle! 

22

General Discussion / e-bikes are motor vehicles

« on: October 08, 2018, 06:18:20 pm »

The marketing folks have cleverly stuck a happy sounding name on yet another product to disguise what it really is. Seems to me that any vehicle, including bicycles, which have a motor are by definition Motor Vehicles. No doubt the manufacturers, marketers and purchasers will presume they should somehow be given special dispensation and allowed to use them in areas such as bike paths reserved for non-motorized transportation and Enjoyment.  For me, a significant element of that enjoyment is derived from the absence of motor powered vehicles.   
But, you might insist, isn't an e-bike still a bicycle? No, when you boil the issue down to basics, any vehicle, even an "e-bike" surrenders its right to be considered a traditional, non-motorized vehicle (or bicycle) when you put even the smallest motor on it. The size of the motor doesn't matter. A Harley Davidson only has two wheels, too, albeit a much bigger motor, and is an anathema to bicyclists. So where does one draw the line? Electric motors are OK but not internal combustion engines? Two wheeled electric vehicles like e-bikes are OK but 4-wheel electric vehicles like golf carts are not? Make an exception for one and you might as well make an exception for all.  I oppose e-bikes in any guise, but suspect we'll have to wait years for a series of court rulings to see how this plays out. In the meantime, if I see a motor vehicle, including e-bikes, operated in an area posted against motorized vehicles, I'm going to complain to the operator and report it to the police. 
 

23

Southwest / Re: Cyclist friendly motel in Sanderson Tx

« on: September 26, 2018, 04:58:27 pm »

Thanks for sharing the information.  I'm planning a 3 day trip with an overnight in Sanderson (Ft Stockton/Sanderson/Marathon/Ft Stockton) but from the street all 3 motels there looked a little rough.   

24

General Discussion / Re: Senior comeback

« on: September 24, 2018, 08:34:08 pm »

Try "Cycling Past 50" by Joe Friel, published by Human Kinetics, 1998.  Training techniques applicable to all facets of cycling for the older rider.  The book is a little dated, but still a very good resource. Happy Trails!