Cycling bloggers summit

The brain trusts of two leading cycling blogs in the Southeast, Cycledork and Unsquished, rendezvoused over the weekend in a large southeastern Metroplex. Much beer was had by all as the virtues of cycle commuting and two-wheel transportation in general were lauded. My hosts were also gracious enough not to insist Saturday on a century of any kind in snow flurries while I was feeling the side effects of the previous evening's carbo loading.

Unsquished (man and legend are one) declared that his next step in cycling advancement could be a trainer. He was also generous to indulge me gory views of the scar remaining from his broken wrist, from which he appears to be recovering well. Ladymacsquish demonstrated the many virtues of her Surly Cross-Check on a 25-mile ride — Sunday — to and from the world's largest monument to a bad idea. Monument notwithstanding, the setting is quite scenic and cycleworthy. For my part I cheerfully offered gratuitous and unsolicited advice.

In partial response to one of the issues raised, I offer this link, which I stumbled across only moments ago.

Why is the rent on my vent so exorbitant?

We received this question this morning at cycledork central:

Dear Cycledork,
Why do some helmets cost $30 and others cost $200? What's the difference? Aren't they all made of basically the same stuff as a beer cooler?
lady macsquish

Dear lady:
For the same reason that air-conditioning devices range so significantly in price: mass and efficiency. The helmet on the left has 17 comparatively tiny vents and provides all the comfort, in terms of weight and air circulation, of wearing an anvil. The Bell Women’s Bella Sport, now on sale at performancebike.com, costs $22.99. The helmet on the right, a Giro Atmos, has 26 comparatively humongous vents, all of which are larger than the vents on the Bella Sport. It weighs 275 grams, or about 10.5 ounces. Imagine wearing air-conditioned feathers. Plus it offers the same safety as the Bella Sport. The Atmos, now on sale at performancebike.com, goes for $134.99.

Though this is beyond the scope of you question, all of that said, the Bella Sport is the better tool for someone who isn't going to be riding very hard for very long, say no more than 15 mph for an hour or less. For racers or others who are cranking out miles for hours at a time or who feel the need to take every advantage, the cost for comfort or fewer grams becomes worth considering.

And I'm glad you mentioned beer coolers. Beer is close to my heart and never far from my thoughts. It is my hope that bikes and beer is a topic we return to many times in our dogged pursuit of cycling truth.
Yours in velophility,
Cycledork

Another anniversary boils down to miles

This may be the one that matters most to me. June 14 was one year since tropical storm Alberto, the last day I didn't ride my bike to work. So today marks a year and a day that I've pedaled to work. Rain, heat, ice, ennui, I've two wheeled to work and back. I celebrated by riding to meet a couple of buddies for lunch at my favorite out-of-the-way smoky dive that, alas, is becoming less smoky and less out of the way. The good news, as I can stretch it, is that I was able to get my per day miles for the month past 10. I also had two ass-kicking beers at home tonight, partly for celebratory purposes — Left Hand Imperial Stout and Duck Rabbit Rabid Duck Imperial Stout. I just hope the weather holds for this weekend — screw next weekend, I'll be in St. Louis. Four hundred plus miles for June would be nice.

My own private time trial

As I mention in this post, this 9.35-mile back-and-forth fills the bill when I want to ride hard — for me — but not long. In the original post, I said I wanted to bring this one in 30 minutes or less, with emphasis on less. Today I came in at 27:51.9: 20.13 miles per hour, after two rides last week that blasted through the half-hour barrier. While for an overaged schlepp I'm thrilled and proud of my 20.13 mph, I'm also willing to put my effort in some context. David Zabriskie holds the Tour de France time-trial record at 33.97 mph over a course of 11.8 miles in 2005. I don't expect to race Zabriskie any time soon. Even with his longer route he will have finished his first beer by the time I join him. Figuratively, anyway, since he probably hasn't enjoyed a beer and cheeseburger in a much, much longer time than I have.

A glimpse of the buffalo

There I was, closing in on the middle of nowhere. Another cyclist turns right from a side road to my left and starts coming toward me. "Huh," I said. "His jersey has blue sleeves and a red body just like the one I'm wearing." As we near, I realize his jersey has the same message as mine: "New Belgium Brewing Company." Go down a couple of entries and you'll see what I'm talking about. I didn't just give a polite cyclist's wave, I pointed. I've never thought of southeastern Chatham County a site for synchronicities but maybe I'll have to reconsider.

Where the 'dork pedals

Notice the Web links at the right of the picture. These are all sites I frequent and that have been blogged about specifically (e.g., Sheldon Brown) or are places from where many of you have followed links to come here (e.g., Cycling Plus forums). Cycledork is only about several months delinquent letting readers know where the good stuff is. Expect to see more links in the future.
One link that I don't believe has been referred to previously is New Belgium Brewing Company. New Belgium, which brews Fat Tire Amber Ale among other things, is in Fort Collins, Colo. I go to Fort Collins every summer to visit my mom. My bike comes with me. Fat Tire, of course, refers to the rubber of the cruiser depicted on the ale's label. Years before I ever hit the road and meant it, since I was a Fat Tire drinker, I knew that New Belgium was into bikes. "Tour de Fat: A Ballyhoo of Bikes and Beer" is one of its biggest promotions.
Anyway, in 2005, on my first ride in anything like mountains, I pulled into the overview at the top of Horsetooth Reservoir, and caught another cyclist, J.T. He was taking the scenic route to Estes Park to pick up his car; I was just out for a spin in south central Larimer County. Anyway, we rode together for about 15 miles. During that time I learned he had started his dream job a few months before as a brewer at New Belgium and for fun he was a semipro (my phrase) mountain-bike racer. Beer brewing bike racer leads me on my first ride along the rollers? Let's just say the realization of that white buffalo vision quest and the wisdom imparted still affect me and for the better: hydrate; get plenty of sleep. And to my knowledge it involved no hallucinogens.