SteelRider2

Is this the transparency we were promised?

2012-01-24T22:54:00.003-05:00

Transparency is good for everyone else...is expect from everyone else...except this guy. Obama is the king of say this and do that. What have you got to hide? Rhetorical question...EVERYTHING!!!

Why not, it worked for Obama

2011-11-05T08:12:00.002-05:00

I Am Specialized

2011-10-04T20:11:00.000-05:00

I Am Specialized

Ray Stevens - Mr. President - Mr. President

2011-10-04T19:02:00.000-05:00

Ray Stevens - Obama Budget Plan

2011-10-04T19:01:00.000-05:00

Book Idea

2011-09-14T22:09:00.001-05:00

"Obama Failures - Everything he Touched"

Obama, Solyndra and $535MM math

2011-09-14T21:46:00.004-05:00

Obama + Solyndra + Kaiser + Huge Democratic Donor + $535MM loan + Declined by Bush Adm + Approved by Obama Adm + Bankruptcy + FBI investigation + House of Representatives investigation = Fraud + Scandal + Incompetence + Impeachment. What else is new. I am absolutely sure that what is known is the tip of the iceberg. When the whole truth comes out, it will be bye bye Obama. I really hope there is jail time for him.

Obama

2011-08-15T06:26:00.002-05:00

"There's nothing wrong with our Country. There's something wrong with our politics." While both statements seem obvious, they both are incorrect. There is something wrong with our Country...we have incompotent leadership in the White House. And because we don't agree with his politics, we're wrong?

Obama

2011-08-13T07:15:00.002-05:00

A three judge panel has ruled that provisions in the Obama Healthcare are unconstitutional. Three judges found that. Not one but three. We didn't need three judges, we knew that already. None the less, it does drive home the ruling. Wasn't Obama supposed to be a Constitutional scholar? Didn't he teach Constitutional Law? I think we should revoke every law degree where he schooled students on Constitutional Law.

A federal judge has struck down the Obama administration's six-month moratorium on deep-water drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and suggested the federal government acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in imposing the halt. The order by U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman amounted to a stinging rebuke of a central element of the Obama administration's response to BP's oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Why am I not surprised?

I realize that if left alone, Obama will implode. However, documenting his failures should continue to help the process. It seems logical to me, if the courts are throwing out his rulings, we should throw him out and start anew.

Tour Champ

2011-07-30T16:27:00.000-05:00

Cadel Evans will make a great 2011 Tour Champ. Couldn't go to a nicer guy. With the bad luck over that last few years, he deserves a break.

Le Tour Stage 2

2011-07-04T06:54:00.004-05:00

Exciting, except for the poor smuck who crashed within 25 meters of the start. The course seemed too tight...eschalon couldn't really form. Who is that new commentator with the glasses? I'd rather have Kirsten Gum.

Le Tour

2011-07-04T06:40:00.003-05:00

Let the games begin. Can Contador repeat? Will Andy Schleck dominate? Who gets busted for doping?

very bizarre...very random...something fishy...doesn't add up

2011-04-28T04:40:00.002-05:00

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Two gunshot wounds, gun powder and a trail of blood on Fort Caroline Road near St. Johns Bluff Road in East Arlington is the result of what happened to one bicyclist who does not want to be identified.
The men responsible for the random attack have not been caught.
"I noticed a green SUV go flying past me," said the victim, who was riding home from work. "They pulled over in the bike lane probably about 1,000 yards away. They had their flashers on. I kept riding my bike and kept noticing no one is getting out of the car."
The man said he tried to pedal as fast as he could past the car.
"I got like five or 10 feet from them," he said. "Three of them jumped out of the car. One of them run up on the sidewalk, pulled a gun out. I hit the gun with my elbow. It shot through my left bicep and went through my right forearm."

The man said he was terrified he was going to get shot again, so he tried once more to pedal away, but he was losing too much blood.
"I saw the blood flowing, and I was realizing I was starting to feel weak," he said. "So there was a guardrail, and I happened to see a group of palm trees, so I jumped the guardrail and hid and watched them speed off."
The man said he thought quick, took off his shirt and tied it around his arm to stop the bleeding. Then he called police.
The victim described his attackers. He said the first man was about 5 feet 7 inches tall and was wearing a dark hat and dark clothes.
The second man was described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and was wearing a white shirt and dark pants. The third man was about 5 feet 9 inches tall and was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and dark pants.
All of the men are believed to be in their 20s.
If you know anything about this crime or those involved, call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS 866-845-TIPS .

Awesome, awesome and more awesome

2011-04-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

This is one of the coolest bikes I have ever seen. 2011 Specialized Venge.

Both commuter bikes are ready to roll

2011-01-18T15:59:00.002-05:00

I bought both of these old Specialized mountain bikes off Craigslist (one for $25 and the other for $40). I cleaned them up and added new Specialized Nimbus tires, BG Grips, BG Saddles, fenders and racks. Both bikes are in great shape and ride exceptionally because they had seen significant garage time. For me and my wife, these are the ultimate commuter bikes. I probably have $200 in parts and labor for each bike. So for around $500 I now have two really awesome commuter bikes. If you can find a good quality, older bike on line for a good price, it is little effort converting it from a old mountain bike to a awesome commuter bike.

Since I live in Florida, we can ride them almost all the time. While it is impractical to ride them to work every day, we do ride them to work occasionally. We get the most satisfaction out of riding them in the evenings and on weekends for leisurely rides and errands. We look forward to taking them on vacation this year summer.

steelrider

What a great idea!!!

2010-12-27T15:35:00.003-05:00

From the good folks at Bikerumor.com. Imagine the situation. You park your beloved bicycle outside your work, locking it securely. Unbeknown to you a thief starts to cut your lock, however the vibrations trigger the cunning alarm you have hidden in your bike which sends you a SMS to let you know there is a problem. Despite rushing downstairs immediately you are just too late and see the thief cycling away. Undaunted, you run back to your computer, log on to a special website and follow the movements of the thief until the vibrations stop, thus revealing your bikes location so you can go round, or call the police, to retrieve it. Sound far fetched? Then read on to hear more about this great new security device.

This unique GPS tracker is cunningly concealed inside a fully functional rear bike light. Designed by

GPSTrackThis, once the Spylamp is activated a vibration sensor detects any movement of the bike, notifies the owner via SMS that the bike is in motion and uploads its position to the GPSTrackThis website. So long as motion is detected the device continues to upload its position every 20 seconds allowing the owner to plot the course of the bike and it’s current location. It is also possible to set the device to transmit it’s position either upon demand or at set intervals. It is worth noting that the motion sensor needs a few seconds of continual motion to activate, so an accidental bump or passing car shouldn’t trigger the alarm.

The device works with any mobile network in the world and the user only has to buy a pay-as-you-go SIM with each GPS upload being charged at a fraction of a cent.
GPSTrackThishas sold the Spylamp online for the past few months, however the firm has now ceased online sales and is looking for a distribution partner or interested retailers to get in contact. They are also working on a new tracker which can be hidden inside the bicycle frame, getting around the one obvious disadvantage of the Spylamp system.

Here's a bad idea

2010-11-26T12:43:00.007-05:00

Cyclists should always be prepared for problems on the road. Some of us carry CO2 cartridges or frame pumps for when we have a flat tire. Now there is a new "technology". The guys at Lifehacker.com had this idea for "evilweek". Here's how it works.

Need air, no problem. Pony up next to any automobile and you have instant air. All it takes is 2 1/2 feet of air hose and two chucks, one for each end of the hose. Attach the first chuck to the car tire then the second to your bike tire. Open the value to the car tire then slowly open the value on the bike tire.

Lots of problems here. Car tires have less pressure than bike tires...pressure issues. Getting caught might be a painful if the car you are getting the air from is owned by the incredible hulk. Let's say someone saw you and took a picture with their phone....the car you took the air from had an accident with a fatality because an under inflated tire separated and caused the accident. Then the person with a picture of you taking the air posted it to the local TV station website. How many friends you think would rat you out? Jail time, dude...and lots of it.

While this is a modestly creative idea, it is a bad idea and not worth the ill will for the entire cycling community. Good ideas with only positive outcomes is what the cycling community needs.

Another thing...I could just see this on Jackass...some genius stops beside an 18 wheeler and gets blown into many pieces. Opps...not so good of an idea.

Specialized on top of their game!!!

2010-10-18T16:05:00.006-05:00

Three major road teams will use Specialized’s equipment in 2011, following the announcement it will supply bikes for Team HTC-Highroad’s men’s and women’s teams from next season. Specialized will replace Scott as the bike supplier at Bob Stapleton’s ProTour squad, with Scott already announced as the supplier for ProTour hopeful Pegasus Racing.

Specialized renewed its deal with the Astana squad last week and will also supply Bjarne Riis’ Saxo Ban-SunGuard outfit again in 2011. The pairing with Team HTC-Highroad was described as a “multi-year partnership beginning in 2011”, but no set period for the deal has been announced.

Ok...so now Specialized may have the Yellow, Green and Polka Dot Jersey for the the Podium. Roughly 18% of the riders in the Tour next year will ride Specialized. Likely that Cancellara will also win the opening time trial. Nothing shabby about that, Specialized!!!!

How many World Championships? Kona, Time Trial, Tour de France, ITU Women's Sprint, and countless mountain bike championships. Not to mention they make a dang good bike too!!

Finishing the MS Century Ride

2010-10-13T18:17:00.003-05:00

My wife and I finished the MS Cycle to the Shore Century on October 2 along with good friend Dianne. It was awesome. We all finished strong. Then on Sunday morning we rode back to Jacksonville 67 miles.

cool stuff..courtesy of Bike Rumor

2010-10-13T18:06:00.002-05:00

You’ve seen touchscreen, and mapping computers have been around. Now we’ve seen the future.
Cerevellum, a South Carolina based company whose founder also helps design for Blue Competition Cycles has developed a cycling computer with an integrated video camera that displays the footage on the screen as you ride.
The Hindsight 60 is what’s shown here, and it also records footage from the rear facing camera, however it’s only recording eight :30 loops (4 minutes total) and starts rewriting the earliest segment once the memory is full. There’s an accelerometer in it that senses an impact and will stop recording just afterward, so you’ll have the video proof of what led up to any rearward accident.
The cycling computer has all the basic functions (speed, max/avg speed, ride time, distance, odometer, time) and uses GPS to determine speed, so there’s no separate speed sensor. You can, however add an ANT+ cadence sensor to show cadence, or it can pick up cadence from any power measuring cranks that also determine cadence.
If you have a power meter, it graphs power in real time, allowing you view your power output as a graph on the screen, giving you a better visual indication of how long you’re able to sustain a certain output and/or keep yourself at a certain threshold.

OUCH!!!!!!

2010-10-13T18:02:00.001-05:00

What else can you say? Double Ouch!!

People of Walmart fodder

2010-10-13T17:56:00.004-05:00

Check out peopleofwalmart.com. This guy has got to be headed for a photo session for People of Walmart.

Two Wrongs Make...

2010-10-09T16:11:00.000-05:00

Two Wrongs Make...

How to Open A Wine Bottle With A Bicycle Pump

2010-10-09T16:03:00.000-05:00

How to Open A Wine Bottle With A Bicycle Pump

Any surprises here?

2010-08-07T07:12:00.002-05:00

Below are the first lines of the top articles in almost all cycling publications. Are there any surprises among them?

Three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Spain has signed a two-year contract with the Saxo Bank-Sungard team managed by Bjarne Riis.

A former teammate of Lance Armstrong has reportedly backed claims by disgraced cycling champion Floyd Landis that Armstrong took part in and encouraged doping within the US Postal team.

A former team manager of cycling star Levi Leipheimer has claimed the American narrowly escaped a positive test for blood doping during the 2005 Tour de France.

I hope something (one way or the other) will come of all this investigating for doping. It seems like every year we have many unresolved allegations of doping. Let's get to the bottom of it and move on. This continual and perpetual investigating and media hype is not good for cycling.

Steelrider2

Tour de France head butt???

2010-07-15T22:35:00.000-05:00

This afternoon in Bourg-lès-Valence, it was lucky for Mark Cavendish as he took his 13th win and went into the history books - he has now won the most Tour de France stages of any current sprinter. The stage was overshadowed when Cavendish's teammate, Mark Renshaw, was thrown out of the race for head-butting Julian Dean (Garmin-Transitions).

In my opinion, Rensahw's disqualification was the right thing.

What happened to the Globe Vienna Deluxe?

2010-07-15T22:17:00.000-05:00

What's with people...don't they learn?

2010-06-17T19:28:00.011-05:00

You simply cannot run over a bicyclist, much less three of them.

www.news4jax.com/news/23894526/detail.html

Justice would be served if a group of cyclists were the jury!!!

What makes Steelrider2 happy?

2010-06-09T19:51:00.000-05:00

2010 Specialized Allez Steel.

New Specialized Globe Daily

2010-06-08T21:57:00.009-05:00

Nice new bike...Specialized Globe will have a new model in 2011...the Daily.

•Traditionally inspired Globe A1 frame in standard and step-thru versions
•Classic uni-crown, curved blade fork in steel and alloy
•Custom, durable steel 'zeppelin' fenders
•Bolt-on front and rear hubs provide excellent ride security and curb thieves looking for "free" wheels
•Custom, Globe basket with integrated U-lock holder (5 KG), or rear rack (10 KG)

What is this world coming to?

2010-06-06T19:36:00.002-05:00

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A 25-year-old man is facing two felony counts of aggravated battery after an altercation with several bicyclists participating in a Memorial Day ride that ended with two riders in the hospital with stab wounds.

According to the arrest report, the incident began when the side-view mirror of Matt Salmons pickup truck struck one of the riders as a group pulled into the Kent Campus of Florida State College at Jacksonville just before 11 a.m. Monday. After an argument escalated into an altercation where two cyclists we stabbed, Salmons sped away in his truck. Police arrested him less than a mile away.

The two cyclists were hospitalized; one in serious condition.

Salmons appeared before a judge Tuesday morning on the two felony battery counts and a third charge of simple battery, a misdemeanor. He was ordered held on $205,009 bond pending an arraignment on June 23.

Cool Stuff about Bikes and one way uncool thing

2010-06-02T20:19:00.005-05:00

Over the last few weeks I've heard of several cool ways people are using their bikes.

Found in eu Jacksonville, a local hip newspaper, Joe Gaskin and Matt Bort started a lunch delivery business called Velo Food. They deliver lunch from several restaurants in the Downtown and Five Points area. Cstomers are excited that they don't have to hunt for parking and can get food delivered to their office for a nominal fee above the price of their lunch. They are hoping to get more restaurants signed up so more Downtown/Five Points workers can enjoy Downtown eateries. Check it out at eujacksonville.com.

Found in Vimby.com, a group of guys in Philly have started a recycling business called the Pedal Co-Op where they pick up the blue bins with trailers hooked to their bikes. Its less expensive than having a traditional service that drives a vehicle to pick up the recycling. They also pick up trash food from restaurants and have started a compost business. This way companies can know that their recycling is taken to the recycling station in a green way. While the videos are a little long, you can check them out at vimby.com or youtube under Pedal Co-Op.

Found in Florida Sportsman (February issue), people are customizing their bikes to hold fishing gear so they can use the bike instead of their car to take them fishing. Check it out at floridasportsman.com.

Now for some not so great information. During a Memorial Day holiday ride in Jacksonville, a motorist and cyclists had a confrontation as the ride wound down. It seems the motorist became enraged at the large group of cyclists (130 or so) and followed the cyclists to the start point. He got out and after starting a fight, stabbed 2 of the cyclists. One was injuried severely enough to be transported to the hospital. This is way uncool.

Keep finding creative ways to use bikes and also be very careful out there.
Steelrider2

Now this is impressive!!!!

2010-02-22T14:19:00.002-05:00

Watch and enjoy

2009-12-27T14:32:00.000-05:00

Cool Video

2009-12-26T11:18:00.005-05:00

Purdy cool vid with all the riders. I seem to remember that Jared Leto played Steve Prefountaine in the movie "Pre."

I don't understand why the full length video cannot be embedded.

Interesting...but who makes it and is it available

2009-12-20T22:34:00.004-05:00

This should revolutionize the time trial and triathlon industry. Makes sense to me.

New tubes and tires...check

2009-12-20T18:34:00.003-05:00

Today I replaced the knobby tires with new Specialized Nimbus tires, tubes and a locking front skewer. Spent most of my time degreasing and flossing the cog. Total time invested today: 2 hours. Total amount invested including bike $164. Took it for a ride and it rides so smooth for a 15+ year old bike that has seen a whole lot of garage time. No pics today.

Unfortunately, I didn't make the Luminaria ride today. Couldn't convince anyone to go with me. I hope the ride the year is really well organized. Seems several folks from last year had no interest in it this year for that reason.

We'll miss you, D!!!

2009-12-19T17:46:00.003-05:00

My Friend and one of the best bike wrenches in the US, Dennis (he doesn't want me to use his last name) Angelo is moving to Philadelphia to take a new job. Dennis is leaving Jax on December 28. It must really be a great job to leave the sunny and warm climate for the frigid Northeast. Best of Luck to you, Dennis. We know you'll be back for a vacation.

Git r done

2009-12-19T13:09:00.007-05:00

New BG Sport Seat, New BG Grips and old school lock. Total investment including bike $110. Next step will be New Nimbus Tires, new tubes and Globe pedals. Should begin to look more like a commuter bike after that. Could possible have it done this weekend in time for the Riverside Luminaria Ride.

One of the coolest rides in Jacksonville

2009-12-17T19:09:00.023-05:00

Although the video isn't great and doesn't do justice to the ride, the Riverside/Avondale Luminaria Ride sponsored by the North Florida Bicycling Club is an awesome event. I beleive there were substantially more than 250 riders, probably closer to 500. Monkey Lights would work great on this ride.

No bike is safe from thieves but....

2009-12-15T20:39:00.012-05:00

If a thief wants wants my bike, he is going to have to work hard for it. I am trying to make it harder for thieves to get my bike if they should happen upon it when I am not around.

U shaped lock and Cable lock with combination
trying to find another bike to lock mine to for more locks
always park my bike next to one that is better looking
carry a pump so I can flatten one of the tires
locking front skewer and seat collar, thieves usually don't carry a metric allen wrench
disable it by taking the chain off the rear cog
put a note on it when I leave than I am watching it constantly and will shoot a thief-assuming most thieves can read.
loosen the nuts on the bars slightly so once a thief puts pressure on the bars, he/she will bust their tail falling down. Yes, I want to hurt a thief.
don't leave computers, lights, seat bags, GPS units or other easy to remove items that would temp thieves.
When I do have to lock it, put it in a place I can see frequently or check back on it often.
Never leave a bike locked up overnight. It screams "TAKE ME"
Carry a small club (mini baseball bat) in my backpack, so I can beat the crap out of a thief if I should happen upon them after they have successfully managed to get pass all of the above.

There is nothing I would like better than to beat a thief near death for trying to steal my bike. Thieves are cowards, if they knew they would get the living crap beaten out of them, they might be less likely to steal a bike.

Think like a thief. Make it harder for thieves to be successful. Enjoy your ride and don't be a victim. Be vigilant and observant.

Steelrider2

Rebuilding my wife's commuter bike

2009-12-12T14:46:00.006-05:00

Specialized makes a great bike and this bike should build up nicely as a commuter.

I didn't do a very good job of journaling my bike, so I'm going to try to do a better jog with this one.

Other than the lock and bottle cage, this was the way I bought this bike. Bought it about two years ago for $40.00 off of Craigslist.org. I finished my bike back in the spring and my wife liked it so much I am working on hers.

I will work on it in stages. First stage is to replace the seat and bar grips. Replacing the seat with a Specialized Women's BG Sport and the grips with Specialized BG Ergo Grips. The cost is $40 for the seat and $25.00 for the grips. I bought the lock for $5.00 of ebay and the cage cost $5.00. To date, I have spent (including the bike) $115.00.

I don't have a budget but will not spend more than I think the completed bike would sell for.

To be continued....

This falls under the category of "got to have it...now"

2009-12-02T12:52:00.008-05:00

Monkey Lights are the coolest thing. Although the video is kinda long, the stuff is way cool. Can't wait to purchase.

Very interesting

2009-09-09T22:07:00.002-05:00

Lots of WOW!! factor here. In my wildest dreams I can't imagine racing a mcahine like this. This almost seems sci-fi

WOW!! These are awesome bikes

2009-09-09T20:42:00.005-05:00

WOW!! What beautiful bikes. I want the 2010 Specialized Allez Steel. The Langster Steel is gorgeous too. So how many bikes should a guy have? I say, one bike away from divorce, if you're married.

Steelrider2

Great commute

2009-04-18T08:39:00.002-05:00

Everything lined up perfectly yesterday. The weather, traffic, work schedule...and all the things that go into a perfect commute cooperated. To the experienced commuter, you probably take those things for granted. But as a novice commuter, the quality of the experience is big. It's days like yesterday that make me want to do it more. And what will turn me into an experienced commuter is how I deal with the unusual or uncooperative and will ride even though I know everything won't line up in advance.

When I got to work, I was as productive as I've been in weeks. My energy level and enthusiasm were high all day long. Once again, if commuting makes me more productive, I really should ride everyday.

My ride in was 17.6 miles. It took longer to ride in because I had to wait 7-8 minutes at a major intersection. What struck me was that I rode into the sun for 6 miles. I don't have a problem with it...just hope the cars behind me can see me. I had bike lanes for about 16 miles.

The ride home was about 10 minutes quicker because a co-worker told me of a short cut. In Jacksonville, bike lanes and sidewalks seem to be only on one side of the road. So on my ride home I had a good bit of sidewalk time. No peds.

Definitely a 10 on the scale. :)

steelrider2

The finished product.

2009-04-09T21:44:00.007-05:00

Well here it is, the finished product. My 1995 Specialized Hardrock commuter bike. I now know the sense of accomplishment some of my fixed gear friends feel when they complete their projects. I think its down right purdy.

This last round, I put the fenders and rack on. Hopefully riding to work 2 times next week.

Can't wait to take it on errands this weekend.

I recycled an old bike found on Craigslist. Bike was in excellent shape and put a few upgrades on it. Comments are welcomed.

Commute frustrations

2009-03-27T08:10:00.005-05:00

206

For the first time in 2009, I commuted by bike to work today. The route in was 17.6 miles. Good ride; it is spring break for the schools so the traffic was minimal. Here are the stats:

Miles: 17.6
Avg speed: 12.9
Calories: 923

The ride home had it all. Heavy wind, heavy rain, a flat tire, a few dumb drivers and some other stuff not worth mentioning. Ride home Stats:

Blood pressure: off the charts

Note to self...check the weather better. have the correct tools to fix a flat and not let dumb drivers get to me so bad.

So...Beware....Next Friday I'm at it again.

My Specialized Hardrock Commuter Bike

2009-03-24T20:42:00.021-05:00

I really like riding my bike. Riding the 15 miles each way to work is a new adventure. At first, I think I’m going to ride a few times a month. I didn’t really like riding my road bike or my fixed gear to work. So, I decided to buy a used mountain bike and create a commuter. I have enjoyed having a project like this. I decided to buy an older mountain bike with a steel frame and cro-mo fork. I found 1995 Specialized Hardrock in excellent shape on Craigslist for $25. No before hand pics.

I decided to take my time making it the way I want it. The first thing was to replace the knobby tires with Specialized Nimbus tires and buy a lock. (You will notice all the parts I used were Specialized. Open Road Bicycles, my fav shop, is a Specialized dealer so many of the parts I have used are Specialized.) Probably the best addition is a locking front skewer. Comfort, cost, security and functionality will be behind all the changes.

The next step was to replace the seat the seat and grips. I added a Specialized BG2 Sport Saddle and BG Comfort Locking Short Grips. This added the comfort I was looking for.

Pedals were the next part of the project. I thought since my round trip commute is 30 miles, I would need some clipless pedals. I also plan to use this bike on weekends so platforms would be in order. I bought Shimano M-324s for the best of both worlds.

That brings me up to date. I plan on adding a rack on the back, fenders and a headlight. Other small items will also be added, such as a cargo net, rear light and a pannier. These pics are before adding the pedals. So far, it rides really great and is the perfect bike for weekend errands. I like the one less car symbol. More updates will follow as they occur.

Back after 2 years

2009-03-22T20:29:00.017-05:00

Since my last post I sold my Masi road bike, Quintana Roo Triathlon bike and Bianchi fixed gear.

I purchased a 2006 Specialized Roubaix Pro, 2007 Specialized Langster and a 1995 Specialized Hardrock. This opens a new chapter in my riding life.

I cannot expalin how great the Roubaix Pro rides. Carbon fiber is a great ride. This was my first Dura-Ace group. It just rides so great.

The Langster fits me better than the Bianchi. I tend to ride it more in the winter to improve my pedalling stroke.

The Hardrock has been a project bike for me. I bought the bike for $25.00 off Craigslist. It had a lot of garage time and is in perfect shape. I decided to turn it into a commuter bike. So far I have added street tires, a more comfortable seat and ergo grips. Within a few weeks I will add fenders and a back rack. Last year I commuted a few times on my Langster, which was great. It got me interested in trying to commute several times a month. So, I think I will spend most of my online time talking about my commute.

My motivation for commuting is simple, I want to commute by bike because I love riding. I am not much interested in doing it for the reasons most people commute. I won't ride in the rain. I often have sales calls and need to drive my car. If it's too hot or too windy or too wet, I will drive. If I happen to save a few bucks on gas or loose a few lbs, so be it.

Jacksonville Cycling Classic

2007-04-21T20:09:00.000-05:00

Awesome race...if you weren't here in Jacksonville Cycling Classic you missed a quality event. The pro races were as exciting as any races I've ever seen on tv. Race Management lead by Ron and Steve put on a fine event.

All bikes are gone to live somewhere else

2007-04-21T20:00:00.000-05:00

That's right...all my bikes have now been sold and new ones are on the way.

Sold
2004 Masi Speciale Carbon
1999 Quintana Ro Tequilo Tri Bike
2006 Bianchi Pista

All were great bikes and had their time.

New Bikes
Fixed Gear - more of a training bike; not a track bike
Road Bike - probably carbon
Still pondering...looking for feedback. What's your favorite bike and why?

steelrider2...if i don't buy steel will I have to change the blog name?

2004 Masi for sale

2007-02-25T19:16:00.000-05:00

Help me sell my Masi.

Go to this link and bid or send to a friend. Thanks
eBay: 2004 Masi Speciale Carbon 51c (item 250087541264 end time Mar-04-07 16:4

All the details and specs are on eBay.

These are the pictures

Love it when a plan comes together

2007-02-24T14:22:00.000-05:00

Last week I sold my Quintana Roo Triathlon bike, my HED3 carbon wheelset and my Bianchi Pista. Now I have to work on selling my Masi Speciale Carbon. Its up on ebay so go look and bid.

Cool Bike

2006-08-07T18:47:00.000-05:00

Gran Fondo Cycles in Nashville, TN with the help of Bianchi and some special component providers has come up with a cool new bike. It is called the Hope bike. A generous amount of the proceeds from the purchase of the bike end up funding breast cancer research. Also, there is a century ride to further support the cause on September 9. If you have not ridden the Natchez Trace Parkway, you are missing an awesome ride.

My opinion

2006-08-07T18:45:00.000-05:00

What bothers me the most is that UCI and Phonak spread the word about Floyd's positive testosterone results as soon as possible because "the French national anti-doping laboratory at Châtenay-Malabry has ties to L'Equipe." What does ties mean? Do they have people on each others payroll whose sole job is to leak information. And yet the IOC certifies them. Just what are they certifying? Where is the credibility of the anti-doping laboratory at Châtenay-Malabry? Where is the credibility of the IOC for turning a blind eye to these snitches? How can a lab that almost everyone in the free world knows leaks information be trusted to provide credible testing results?

Do I believe Floyd is innocent? I don't know. But from the outside looking in, I see a lot of dirty people. I believe that WADA , UCI, IOC and the laboratory at Châtenay-Malabry (as well as other labs) are equally as dirty. I believe there is a total lack of credibility from all angles. Cycling will never be able to clean up its act if everyone around them is equally as dirty.

Bicycle racing in NYC

2006-08-04T20:24:00.000-05:00


Welcome to the Jungle. Crank it up!!!!! QuickSilver Messenger Service Cycle New York Central Park Queens Brooklyn

more fixed gear and track info

2006-04-21T21:06:00.000-05:00

This updates a post from October 2005.

They don’t come any simpler than this stripped-to-the-gills fixed gear unit. The Sputnik hangs proper rear-facing track dropouts on a Reynolds 631 steel frame, with a flip-flop rear hub that lets you mount an additional sprocket so you can change gearing mid-ride. Use it as a track racer, or mount up a brake, quit your day job and join the bike messenger ranks. This isn’t a bike for the faint of heart, but for absolute purity of purpose there’s nothing more exquisitely beautiful, or special-bred, than this elemental speedster. Runs about $825.00

If a custom built fixed gear/track bike is your style, look at the Ravello. Expect to pay for a custom frame but with Dedacciai lugged tubing is a nice piece of work. Complete bikes start at $1,999 and run to $2,999. These bikes sure are purdy.

I also like the Gios Pista. It’s Italian, its blue and it’s just looks fast. I’m not exactly sure of the price but I seem to remember a $1,500 plus shipping for a special order for the frame Excel Sports Boulder.

Others to check out include Independent Fabrication, Ridley and Eddy Merckx. All are the track variety bikes but very sweet!

QR Tri-Bike For Sale

2006-04-02T15:38:00.000-05:00

SOLD
I am selling my 1998 Quintana Roo TeQuilo Triathlon Bike. It is a size 53 with Ultegra 9-speed and a Carbonero Fork with a 650 wheelset. Purchased in 1999 from Mission Bay Sports in Chicago. In January 2003, I purchased the HED3 wheels pictured. I have all invoices for proof of purchase. Your purchase includes the original set of Velocity Wheels and the HED3's. Bike is in excellent shape, however it is used. There is one small paint chip on the down tube and one on the seat stays from transporting. It also comes with upgraded Syntace C2 aerobars and a Selle San Marco Triath-gel saddle. I am asking $1,000.00 or best offer. Upgrades alone are worth $700.00 Please respond by emailing "triathlete13783@aol.com" I have more pictures to provide and will provide telephone number to all serious inquiries. This is an excellent bike for the beginner who wants to start with many affordable upgrades. Thanks for looking.

steelrider2

Have you got your Lance face on.....

2006-03-14T07:27:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I received a huge, bigger than lifesize photo of Lance in the mail. It is some lame advertising promo by American Century Investments. Based on a web article a few months ago found by fellow blogger vinovelo, Lance is one of the most saleable people around. Opps, I hear the recycle truck picking up the bin with with the promo in it. AND...if want Lance's mug as wallpaper, click on the downloads at the bottom of the page and set yourself right up. I guess, no I know, I'd cash in if it was me.

steelrider2

Swimming, soccer and sweeping....

2006-03-11T08:12:00.000-05:00

Springtime brings with it the opportunity for everyone in the family to be doing their own thing. Since I am Dad, Dad supports everyone own thing at the expense of his cycling. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, merely pointing out the obvious. Having been sick for a few weeks not all the activities happening, my training time continues to suffer. While it doesn't help my body, virtual mind cycling help me think I'll be back on the sometime soon. Gotta rush to a game...

steelrider2

no cycling for the last 10 days...

2006-03-03T17:03:00.000-05:00

I've sick for the last two weeks so I haven't been on the bike nor have I felt much like blogging. I will try to get out tomorrow but soccer games and honey do's will likely get in the way of having a nice ride.

Is ESPN nuts...they showed the Tour de Cali at 1:00am est.

steelrider2

Random stuff....

2006-02-13T06:52:00.000-05:00

Tyler Hamilton lost his appeal and is now serving his 2-year ban from cycling. I can't say I'm surprised at the CAS decision. I haven't read all the articles yet but it seems the evidence against him was overwhelming. No matter, it's a sad day.

I just can't seem to find a reason to worked up over the winter Olympics. Since I don't like the cold weather, I guess I would have to say I don't like the cold weather sports. However, I'm sure the hype will force me to watch some of it on TV. Maybe some alpine ski jumping...

Of course, I will be totally away from the TV tomorrow as my wife and I go out for a nice Valentines dinner. Which reminds me...I need to go get her a card. I think a good business idea for guys to sign up for a service where you give them all the important dates in your life and they send a card along with the apprpriate gift a few days before the event. That way I will never forget it again. Sounds like a golden idea to me....

The Tour of California starts next weekend, with nightly coverage on ESPN 2. I am really looking forward to that. I am still somwhat mystified with the title sponsor being Amgen.

Its been cold, well cold for us, here in Florida. I hope this front moves away and soon.

steelrider2

Non cycling stuff...

2006-02-05T13:13:00.000-05:00

Since today is the Super Bowl, I thought it might be good to talk a little football. While I understand football well, I am not into meaningless stats that seems to be all the sports shows and talk radio tell me I should be interested in. Also since I am in Jacksonville, Florida I feel like I have a vested interest in the Super Bowl since it was in Jacksonville last year. And hopefully will be returning in a few years. Who's my pick...I don't much care; I don't have a dog in that hunt.

I found this to be an interesting bit of trivia. The Jacksonville Jaguars are the only team in the NFL to have defeated both teams (this year) playing in the big game today. So...what does that mean for the Jaguars?...absolutely nothing. They didn't get past the first playoff game. However, some in Jacksonville would have you beleive that the Jaguars could beat either again to win the Super Bowl. I tend to think that a blind squirrel will stumble upon an acorn ever so often but not everyday. But I still like'em.

I will say one thing...I'm glad T.O. is out of football. He's bad for that game and bad for sport. RIP...T.O. He had it all and his mouth got the better of him.

I also watched the Florida Gators demolish the Kentucky Wildcats last night in basketball. AWESOME!!!!! Yes I am a Gator fan.

We decided this week that we would go during spring break (March) down to Tampa and catch a few NY Yankees spring training games. Yup...I'm a Yankees fan. At least third generation. Another interesting bit of trivia...A-Rod played on the Jacksonville Suns minor league team in his early days.

Yesterday, as I was on the trainer riding, I flipped back and forth between hockey, golf and tennis. I can't seem to get too excited about any of those sports. Although I will be at all four rounds of the TPC in Jacksonville in March. It's a work thing.

Oh and I'm sure most of you have heard that Lance Armstrong and Cheryl Crow have decided not to get married. Hmmmm....Seven Tour de France wins...he's already married...to the bike. Hopefully the cycling world will not analyze the heck out of why and just drop it. Doubtful.... We'll have to endure all that speculation for a few months now.

Time to go for a bike ride and clean the toilets before all the guests start arriving for the game.

steelrider2

Fat boys need love too

2006-02-04T16:32:00.000-05:00

This is a pic from July 2005 when I was 20 lbs heavier. That evening I was with a group doing over and back on a bridge. I was struggling to get that 198 lbs over the crest of the bridge. Now I'm 20 lbs lighter with a goal of 40 lbs by April 1. That should make bridge night a easier this year.

Here is a couple of other pics from that night of some of the group.

Now its really humbling when I realized there was a roller blader doing hill work also.

steelrider2

Early morning ride makes the day...

2006-02-01T08:14:00.000-05:00

At 5:15 this morning, Chris (triathlete friend) and I started our early morning rides. I had forgotten what a good thing it is to get out early and get the juices flowing. We rode for an hour in high 30's temps. Still it was great. We are following all of our safety rules (headlights and 2 blinkies on back.) We decided it was so good that we are going to meet every Monday and Wednesday morning to ride.

I think I have decided to do a few sprint triathlons this year along with three bike races, maybe even a fall 10K. But I am going to do the triathlons on my fixed gear bike. I'll throw some aero clips on the bars and put the 48t chain ring on and flip the hub to the freewheel.

steelrider2

Monday night fixed gear ride

2006-01-31T06:51:00.000-05:00

The Monday night fixed gear ride was awesome again. This week it was Ron, Tim, Scott and myself. Our route is roughly 20 miles. We averaged about 18 mph. It includes several good straight aways where we can get cadence up to 110. Then we have a short climb over a bridge, just to help the legs know they been for a ride. Here's a pic of Ron (right) and Tim (left). Both guys are really strong riders. This is definitely the way to build strength and develop pedalling skill. Now I see that my photo skills need some improvement.

steelrider2

fasinated by this ballroom dancing show...

2006-01-28T18:39:00.000-05:00

Since I've been riding my fixed gear bike on the trainer on Thursday nights in front of the TV, I've gotten hooked on "Dancing with the Stars." I don't much care who wins but the dancing itself looks like a blast. I have some friends who have been ballroom dancing for a few years. They have invited us to some of their parties and competitions; it sure looks fun. I have to get over the idea that I have two left feet. So who knows...maybe I'll try a few lessons to see if I can get the hang of it. As long as it doesn't interfere with riding.

steelrider2

thanks to all the regular readers...

2006-01-28T17:23:00.000-05:00

A recent post got me thinking more about my blog and those that have been steady readers. I went to the stats page and found out about where you're coming from and what brings you to this blog. First off, let me say thank you for reading. I'm sorry I haven't been a regular contributor recently but will try to get better and find some interesting things to write about.

Several hits have come as a result of the my writing about my new fixed gear bike. So I thought I'd add a few more pics of the Langster. I'm riding the Langster almost exclusively until April 1st. I like the fixed gear. Loads of fun. I am riding with a fixed group ride every Monday night. These guys are strong riders. I'm hoping I develop into a stronger rider by late spring. Night riding is also new to me. Still lots of fun. From a set up point, I've changed nothing but added pedals. But I have added a few accessories. I have add a Specialized cycling computer with cadence, a blinkie and a Light& Motion head light. The Light & Motion products are awesome. I do plan to make a few changes like add some bar phat to the handlebars and change the tires to Armadillo Elite tires. As you can see here, the bikes sleep in the house. I get some noise about it occasionally, but never listen.

Others have found my blog as a result of me extolling the virtues of the Masi Bicycles. Let me say, these are absolutely great bikes!! I really enjoy riding my Speciale Carbon (steel/carbon frame). I'm hooked for life. (I do hope they have a fixed gear ride in the mix next year.) I encourage everyone to consider a Masi if you're in the market for a new bike. The biggest change I made to this bike was to upgrade from a compact crank to a FSA Team Issue 50/39 crank. I also upgraded the saddle to a San Marco Rever and upgraded the stem when I shortened it.

Still others have come as a result of the posts I done on the Team Inferno/A&F Cycling Team. From all I've read its a great team with a bunch of regular guys. They get to ride a some awesome bikes. I hope they do very well this season. Having seen a few pics of their new kits, if they ride as good as they look and as good as their bikes look, watch out!!!!!

Others have come as a result of my rants about bad drivers and bad cyclists. I really don't like bad drivers who don't care about cyclists using the roads. But what really steams me is cyclists who blatantly disrespect the rules of the road and give those of us who give a crap a bad name. I will save that rant for another day.

But to all my peops...thank you for reading. Please make sure you give me your opinions anytime.

steelrider2

January and 80 degrees....

2006-01-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

While we're not setting records, we are only a few degrees away from all time record highs for January. I'll bet we pay it in February and March. Really, the weather has been great. The humidity is low and the temps moderate. I think it was 79-80 degrees today. Last weekend was good too! Its great bike time and I'm making the most of it. I think I was on the bike a total of 11 hours last week plus a 40 hour work week and a little time thrown in for the family and sleep too.

Tonight's fixed gear ride was good as well. We hit some rain pockets but were not detered. I even took my turn on the front tonight. (I'm the slowest in the group, so thats a big deal for me.) Ride stats drawn from the bike computer are: 23.45 miles, max speed 24.7, avg speed 18.2 (we had to stop for a train), avg heart rate 138 and finally 1,050 calories burned.

I can tell I'm getting stronger and that my pedalling has improved. I'm sure I have a long way to go but I'm getting better a day at the time. Not to mention, I've lost over 15 lbs since mid December. My hope is that by April 1 I will weigh a svelt 155. Someone kick me where it hurts if I let myself loose control again. It is very easy to gain the weight but hard as heck to loose it.

Work has finally improved a bit as well. Lots of positive things happening. Well its time to catch some zzz's (that's so 60's sounding)

steelrider2

Truly a great ride

2006-01-09T21:17:00.000-05:00

Tonight was one of those awesome, write it down in a journal so I can remember it kinda rides. I rode my first night ride with three other fixes. Awesome, awesome awesome...the pace was quick (23-24) for 25 miles. My non riding friends call me an idiot...yet I consider that a compliment in that regard. It was cold and windy with one contact not pleased to be in my eye. Still, it was epic for me. I have been dying to get out there...last week it was raining sideways so we bagged it...by tonight I was ready to ride in ten feet of crap, if necessary. Scott, Dan and Tim (all Velobrew teammates) were really great as well. I'm a rookie but learning fast...one must learn fast riding a fixed gear. Although I've been in the trainer a good bit and out during the day, this was my first real night ride. I am so pumped.

I am riding a Specialized Langster...this thing is a bulldozier. But I love it. It really helps that the other guys are just as stoked as I am. I will not be on my road bike until the end of March. Hopefully my pedalling will improve dramatically. Hopefully I'll have all my base training in and my legs will be stronger. I know I sound like a broken record...but this was great. Whos cares about the state of cycling and all the petty junk when you're riding a fixie.

steelrider2

Happy New Year

2006-01-01T11:08:00.000-05:00

2006 is here and 2005 is behind us. Its history. We can't do anything about it. I don't like resolutions so I don't make them. From my perspective noone keeps them anyway. Let's not whine about the past; instead do everything we can to make the future better. Take one day at the time. Treat others the way you want to be treated. And ride your bike (every day) like you stole it. Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas

2005-12-24T18:48:00.000-05:00

I often think what it would have been like 2005 years ago on this day. Thankfully the recount by Luke in the Bible allows my mind to wander. It can be found in Luke 1: 26-56 and Luke 2: 1-20. This year my family and I have been blessed beyond anything we could have ever imagined. We are absolutely sure that our faith in that baby (Jesus)born 2005 years ago has been the source of the blessings. I pray that Jesus would be the reason for your happiness this Christmas season.

2005-12-17T12:50:00.000-05:00

Inside with the trainer

Whinning about the weather

2005-12-17T12:30:00.000-05:00

Ok...I admit that the weather in Florida in December is better than most places in the northern hemisphere...However...it is wet and cold by my standards...so I'm gonna whine. Yes I know there is snow and ice over most of the mid-west and north-east but its just down right chilly here in north Florida (its 56 and raining) I have such thin blood. But when its hotter than blazes it doesn't bother me much.

At any rate, I don't much like ridding the trainer but I'd rather be dry and comfy than wet and cold. So...I have my fixed gear bike packed in the trainer for a little ride. Not much on TV either. Boring!!! Here's a picture of my set up.

My fixed gear is a 2005 Specialized Langster. I have a 42t chain ring and 16t freewheel and 17t fixed cog. Everything else is stock...I don't have a lot of spare bike parts to throw onto it.

Masi Bicycles And Inferno Racing Partner For 2006

2005-12-03T16:52:00.000-05:00

This press release is dated but still newsworthy.

November 11, 2005- Vista, CA- Masi Bicycles and Inferno Racing ink sponsorship deal for the 2006 road racing season.

Masi Brand Manager Tim Jackson and Inferno Racing team manager Chad Thompson began a dialog that ultimately lead to team sponsorship during the bicycle industry tradeshow, Interbike, in Las Vegas in late September. “I was impressed by the professionalism of Chad and [Jacob Fetty] during the show when they stopped in the booth between visits with potential sponsors”, said Jackson. “We hit it off pretty quickly and the conversation turned from a sponsorship pitch from Chad to just talking about bikes and racing. That doesn’t happen often when you are talking with a Pro or Elite level team.”

Thompson had a similar version of the events as well, recollecting “we stopped in the booth while we were waiting to meet with another potential sponsor and ended up having a pretty fun conversation with Tim. In fact, while the bikes and their quality speak for themselves, representatives such as Mr. Jackson are very rare in this growing industry.”

Inferno, currently a Pro/Elite team, will be seeking one of the few UCI Continental Tour licenses issued to US domestic professional teams in 2006. All things look good for the team to be racing at all of the National Racing Calendar (NRC) events and with the off-chance of potentially (perhaps) getting into events like the Tour of Georgia, the new Tour of California and the USPRO Championships in Philadelphia, as well as all USCF Elite National Championship Events.

Masi will be providing the team with framesets for the season and hopes to be able to partner with the team to use their valuable feedback to further develop new and better bicycles for all Masi consumers.

“I really can’t quantify how excited I am about this deal”, offered Jackson. “This marks a big moment for the brand as we try to re-establish ourselves as one of the premiere road brands in the US. I am very optimistic about what the team can do and I look forward to reporting on some great racing.”

The Inferno Racing team website (www.infernoracing.org) is currently being updated with the final calendar, roster and sponsor information.

Masi bicycles have been ridden to victory by many champions for several decades and the brand looks to make a triumphant return to sponsoring professional/ elite level cycling teams.

EPO, Heras and Millar...

2005-11-26T07:40:00.000-05:00

Are all professional cyclists using EPO? I'm beginning to think the reward is greater than the risk of being caught. Consider this week's announcement about Roberto Heras. There are two ways to respond to this announcement...Roberto in a press conference says "I am not thinking of retirement, but to fight to the end to demonstrate my innocence. This result never entered my head. I am convinced that the testing method doesn't provide the necessary guarantees. There have been a lot of previous errors and in my judgment, it's not trustworthy." Separately his attorney said, "There was nearly unanimous agreement that no one saw (EPO) beyond a doubt, and it clearly proves that the method is flawed, even if the results coming back Friday are negative," Heras's attorney Andreu Garriga, adding that the validity of the EPO test "has been questioned because it gives no guarantees."

Or, as in the case of David Millar, he admitted his usage of EPO and accepted his suspension and has now signed a contract to race with Saunier Duval. Do we think any less of him for admitting ot or do we think more of him for admitting it?

We will probably never know the truth about Heras. Did he or didn't he. Only he knows. Maybe, maybe not. Could it be that he was given some sort of tainted food or liquid. But I have to ask myself this question, why? Heras response "I want to reiterate once again that I've never taken a doping substance in my life. I passed 12 doping controls during the last Vuelta. I was leading the race by four and a half minutes and had victory in my pocket. It would have been madness to have committed a doping offense. It would have been incomprehensible and absurd." Yes it would be incomprehensible and absurd, but why did the test come back positive in both A & B samples?

The case and court decision for Tyler Hamilton could have landmark implications. We'll have to wait for that decision. If the testing procedures are flawed or there is too much room for error, then we must determine a better way. Let's face it, it will never be a 100% proof positive. Should EPO be legalized?

Tour announcements and verbal jabs...

2005-10-29T01:06:00.000-05:00

With the announcement of the 2006 Tour de France route came some not so unexpected verbal jabs from across the pond. Then, as expected, verbal jabs flew back. It looks like we will have to endure this junk as the post Lance era of the Tour. Two wrongs always make at right don't they???

Saturday Night Live (tonight) will be filled with scathing skits aimed at the Tour leaders and the French. Dick Pound and WADA you won't be exempt either... Actually this will be the best venue for Lance to vent his emotions. It's all in good fun, isn't it???

Perhaps, Jerry Springer can get in on this. I can just see it. Jean Marie and Lance squaring off with Jerry and then Cheryl comes to the support of her man by making cat like snarles. Then Johann comes in via video and tells Lance "can you believe they cut the team time trial?" Then a close up of Lance's nostrils flairing. Let's get down and dirty...cycling deserves this, doesn't it????

Now...my gripe with the Tour. What's this...no team time trial??? Are you nuts??? Have you lost your mind??? If you really want to keep the Tour de France as the race of races...then the team time trial is an absolute necessity. Keep it a total team event. Make the teams work as teams in each aspect of the Tour.

Here's my advise:
Lance - shut up and retire
Johann - shut up and direct your team
Jean Marie - shut up and race direct/retire or whatever you do now besides run your mouth

Just shut up. Do you really think cycling gives a rip about your petty, childlike hatred??? Let's save the drama for the sprints and the climbs...

steelrider2

Glad Wilma has left the building...

2005-10-24T22:12:00.000-05:00

It just makes my heart hurt to see people suffer, especially those Floridians with whom I have so much in common. I have co-workers in Naples, Bonita Springs and Fort Myers as well as Fort Lauderdale and West Palm. I haven't heard a thing from any of them. In watching the videos, I think it could have been much worse. Although, I certainly wouldn't say that to anyone who lost their home or other belongings. I am making plans to go to Naples as soon as possible to help.

If you can't donate any more to the Red Cross, please come to Florida for a vacation. We are open for business!!! And we'll enjoy having you. Bring your bike...let's ride!!!

Deja Vu all over again...

2005-10-21T03:51:00.000-05:00

Seems pretty simple...watch hurricane tracking chart for a week...prepare to evecuate...throw everything that's uninsurable into the car...drive like heck. We Floridians should have the routine down, you'd think...it never gets any easier. But it's the price you pay to live in paradise. This week was absolute beautiful. But it was the calm before the storm.

I am reminded of the devestation of Katrina, Ivan, Charlie and Rita. I have been helping a family that moved to Jacksonville from New Orleans as a result of them loosing everything they owned. Could life get any harder? I sure don't think so. Now I am reminded of the floods a few years ago in the Mid-West. I am reminded of the earthquake earlier this year and several years ago out West. That's just in this country. The world has experienced it share of tradegy as well.

I think I'll go back to sleep...the nightmares are better than real life.

This why I live in Florida...

2005-10-19T05:56:00.000-05:00

Weather today is a perfect 75 without a cloud in the sky. I think I'm going to have Fridayitist...surely there is something I can do outside today. I'd love to ride to work. I think I will....see ya

What do WE have have to do...

2005-10-18T05:19:00.000-05:00

What do we have to do to earn the respect of the general public, specifically the driving public. In the post below a cyclist was shot while riding. Obviously part of the answer lies with the driving public. There is just going to be a cross section of drivers that are going to hate us and some that will never see us. But then there is a group that is ambivelent. This is where we as cyclists have our greatest challenge. The answer lies in what we are willing to do to change their minds. Are we willing to obey the traffic laws and rules of the road. Are we willing to use headlights and blinkies even though we'd rather not. Are we willing to join bike clubs and develop a one voice positive attitude. Are we willing to not give people the finger when the get too close or honk at us.

What does the cycling industry have to do to sell more bikes. This question has been tossed around some other blogs in the last few days. Part of the answer is going to come from how innovative the bike industry is at developing its product and marketing its product. The other part of the answer comes from cyclists themselves. In my mind cyclings biggest negative is cyclists (well some of cyclists) Those arrogant condesending folks that think you must ride at 27 plus mph on every ride, that think you must have a $5000 plus machine before you are accepted into their group. These folks never volunteer for a community project in the name of their cycling club. They never agree to hold a bike rodeo at a local elementary school on a Saturday instead of going on their long ride. They never do anything to get positive recognition for themselves or the industry...they leave it up to others. I have a very wise friend who has a saying that applies here. "If everybody does a little, then nobody has to do a lot." If we treated cycling as the gift it is and didn't take it for granted more people would join us.

Am I going to solve all of cyclings problems...no! But hopefully I can change one person...then they can change one.

If you're reading this and wondering how you can help...go to your club or local bike shop and ask where you can make a difference. Actually give some thought to how you can start something instead of waiting for someone else to tell you what to do. Make a dirrerence today. Decide that you have a responsibility to cycling other than riding.

What's up with this...

2005-10-14T22:38:00.000-05:00

Andrea Ratkovic Shot At While Cycling View comments about this article!
Former professional cyclist and current professional triathlete/duathlete, Andrea Ratkovic, was shot on Monday October 10th at approximately 1:15 pm while riding her bike. Ratkovic was riding on a bike path when a car in the road lane closest to her opened fire with a small caliber gun firing several shots but only hitting her once in the lower back.

Three day weekends are great...

2005-10-11T18:37:00.000-05:00

I work in an industry that get more than its fair share of holidays. Whenever there is a 3 day weekend I make the best of it. Anytime I can get 6 ½ hours in over a weekend, it's just fine. The weather in Florida has improved; its dry with moderate temps.

New ride...

2005-10-09T17:27:00.000-05:00

Below is my new fixed gear bike. I looked long and hard to come up with exactly the right combination of frame, components and cost. Cost being a major factor. There's no doubt that I would liked to have had a Masi, but they didn't produce it for the fall. Maybe in the spring. Since I want to ride immediately, I decided on the Langster. The price was definitely right.

So far, I've ridden it a total of 30 minutes. Rainy in Florida and busy at work. Better info forthcoming. I did put a 17t fixed cog opposite the freewheel. I like it alot. Training starts in a week or so.

2005-10-09T17:26:00.000-05:00

Haven't had a chance to get pics from my camera. But this is the new ride. So far haven't changed a thing. But it rides awesome.

ok...I'm Baaaacccckkkk.

2005-10-09T17:21:00.000-05:00

Ok...no mention of any family stuff. None. Not even a proud Dad will comment. Bikes only here.

steelrider2

The road ends here.....

2005-10-03T20:45:00.000-05:00

Today I had a frank discussion about this blog with one of my family members. They just didn't like that I included some personal stuff and truely do not understand why I would want to blog. Since I value my family much more than the blogsphere, steelrider2 will be deleted October 7. I can say it has been fun and have enjoyed getting to know other bloggers. However out of true respect, I will not continue. I will continue to read several blogs and from time to time make a comment.

Fixed Gear Dreams

2005-10-01T12:13:00.000-05:00

I would like to have been at Interbike this week to see the number fixed gear/track bikes coming out this year. From what I’ve seen, it looks like most everyone is expanding to include a fixed gear trainer and/or a higher end track bike. One of other blogs I frequently read www.fixedgear.blogspot.com has covered some of the new arrivals. I have cut and pasted several of his posts to include his comments here.

Obviously it is becoming a new sub-market in the Road Bike arena. It appears that there will be a fixed gear ride in Jacksonville starting a little later in the fall.

Enjoy this info. Thanks, Fixed Gear. He has compiled some great research.

The Cannondale Major Taylor track bike is named after cycling legend Marshall 'Major' Taylor. Aluminum frames, carbon fork, 46 x 16, Dura-Ace hubs, crank and cog. A 54cm model - my size - has 73 degree head tube and 75 degree seat tube angle, making this a real track machine.

The Motobecane Messenger brings back a venerable French brand name. This bike looks like a good value, at $795 MSRP which means a street price of $700 or so. All chrome-moly frame and fork, 48 x 16, flip-flop hub with track cog and freewheel, TruVativ crank, and front and rear brakes. I can't find the geometry on their web site.

The Co-Motion Streaker is spendy at $2,395 for the complete bike, but what a bike it is. Aluminum frame, Chris King headset, Flite saddle, White Industries hubs, and a Shimano long-reach front brake mated to a custome carbon fork makes adding fenders a snap. 73/74 angles means it is a little less 'track-y' than the C'Dale.

Too much? How about a Raleigh Rush Hour for $600? Butted chrome-moly frame, TruVativ crank, 48 x 16 free/15 fixed, two brakes, ready to go. Also 74/75 angles, more track like.

The Specialized Langster has an Aluminum frame with double-butted tubing. The fork is alloy (i.e steel) with a Cr-Mo steerer. The bike is ready for street use with front and rear dual pivot brakes. With a 48t chainring and a 16t Shimano freewheel it is geared a little high but it is “fixed-gear compatible” which I guess means you can add a track cog and lock ring and be ready to go. It also features a KMC Z-510HX, 1/2" x 3/32" chain with “anti-drop inner links.’ Never heard of this chain but it sounds good. The geometry is a compromise between true track geometry and road geometry, with a sloping top tube and track fork ends. It has 32 hole Alex rims laced to Specialized hubs. It has a square taper BB and a Specialized 170mm crank. Street price is around $500, a good deal.

The Lemond Fillmore has a True Temper OX Platinum steel frame (nice pipes) with a Bontrager Race Carbon fork. It has front a rear dual pivot brakes. With a 44 tooth chainring driving a 16 tooth Dura Ace cog, this bike is ready to ride. Truvativ splined BB and carbon seatpost. It has a Bontrager bolt on rear wheel with a QR front. Geometry looks slightly less aggressive than the Langster which should make for a very comfy ride. Street price is about a grand.

The Fuji Track has a chrome-moly butted frame and fork. This bike doesn’t come with brakes. It does have a 48X16 drivetrain, a little tall for beginners, and comes with clip and strap pedals. 32 spoke wheels, and the geometry is similar to the Fillmore. MSRP is $500, street price is a little less which should leave some money in the budget for a brake and lever, and a set of pedals.

The KHS Flite 100 has a Reynolds double-butted chrome-moly frame and fork. No brakes here either, also features a 48x16 drivetrain with a Truvativ crank driving a Dura-Ace cog. This bike also comes with clips and strap pedals and has a MSRP of $659 with a street price a little lower.

The Bianchi Pista is the most shiny of the bikes, with its chrome frame. It has a double butted chrome moly frame and fork. Also has a 48x16 drivetrain and I’m sensing a trend here. 32 hole Alex rims laced to Bianchi hubs. No brakes, but comes with double sided SPD style pedals. Track-like geometry and a MSRP of $550 which means real price should be around $500.

The Rivendell Quickbeam is the strangest ‘fixed gear’ bike you will ever see. Double butted chrome moly frame and fork, lugged, brazed in Japan. Strange four speed drivetrain has flip flop hub with two freewheels and two chain rings. Cantilever brakes, huge tire clearance. Run it as a fixed gear road bike, single speed cyclocross bike or anything in between. Takes fenders easily. Has huge 32mm tires. Relaxed road geometry, long wheelbase. Nitto bar, stem and seatpost. $1,300 plus shipping but you will be the only kid on your block to have one.

The Saint John's Street Cycles fixed wheel bike is now available as a ready to ride bike. Double butted Tange tubing. Mavic MA3s laced to Sovos flip flop rear hub and SunTour XC QR front hub (nice!), 44 tooth chain ring and ‘sprocket of your choice, SKS fenders(!) front and rear long reach brakes and levers, your choice of bar width and stem length. $750 plus shipping ($50-$100).

More MS 150 pics

2005-09-27T18:14:00.000-05:00

While the MS 150 is only part of our bike season, it is such a fun ride. We get to ride with many of our friends and not nearly as serious as some other events. It's our reward for a long season.

If you're only riding serious races, I encourage you to raise some money for MS and come on a really fun, well managed ride.

steelrider2

2005-09-27T18:13:00.000-05:00

There's a real good reason I'm not in this pic...I'm in the background changing a flat and swearing at the bike

2005-09-27T18:09:00.000-05:00

This groups cleans up pretty good

2005-09-27T18:06:00.000-05:00

Some of my friends

North Florida MS 150 ride

2005-09-22T16:19:00.000-05:00

Just in case I forget, I should start off by saying the MS 150 is a great cause for raising money.

There's something exciting about seeing 2000 riders in the pre-dawn hours getting ready to ride 150 miles. Actually there's a certain electricity in the air. Lots of nervous first timers. Lots of anticipation. Lots of "let's get this show on the road."

This was the second time for me to ride the event. Last year we were shortened to a one day event because of hurricane damage. But this year the weather was perfect, the route was much improved and my fund raising effort had paid off.

I rode for the Cody's Challenge team. Last I heard, we had 125 riders and were the largest team. My wife, as she always does, rode for the Bank of America team. Very strong team also.

I started out riding with some of my Hammerhead Racing buddies, but after 15 miles of 25+ mph grinding, realized I needed to save a little energy to finish with. So I rode with Mike and Rex...we maintianed a steady 20 mph pace.

The route was great especially after turning on A1A (beach highway) for about 30 miles. A good bit of the time we could see the ocean. Riding A1A energizies me. Although I didn't see any, I heard there were a few crashes...I don't want any part of that stuff. Being in front of the middle of the pack has a few advantages.

As I posted before...my Hammerhead buddy Jason Langston ran the Saturday leg of the event. Jason...you're a stud. Way to go!!

Mike, Rex and I finished in about 4 1/2 hours. Although we hit all the rest stops, we didn't hang out. After waiting for 2 more hours for Karen, we spent time in the pool catching up with all of friends.

Our fundraising efforts paid off because Karen and I were both at the Top Banana level ($1,000 or more raised). This got us in a special dinner and also allowed me to slip out early so I could catch the Gators/Vols game. Go Gators!!!

As you can see from the pics, there were a lot of riders. While all the rest stops were very well done and all the bike shops did an excellent job of supporting the event, my vote goes to Scott Summey of Open Road Bicycles as the premier support guy. Oh I have forgotten to say that flats were the name of the game this weekend. If there was junk to run over, I found it all. Three flats.

Sunday was a great ride back to St. Augustine. By 140 miles, I was ready to be doing something else....anthing else. But it was so much fun. I rode back with Karen and our friends from the Prosperity Bank team (Shirley, Tony, Diane, Traci, Debbie and Karen). Those post race burgers never tasted so good. Thankfully they didn't have Spam...I'd probably have eaten it.

For Karen and I, riding in honor of her college roomy Anne, who was diagnosed with MS last year, really made the event special. Can't wait for it roll around next year.

steelrider2

2005-09-22T16:16:00.000-05:00

Scott Summey of Open Road Bicycles...the absolute bike support guy in the universe. Flats were the name of the game on Saturday.

2005-09-22T16:13:00.000-05:00

Rest stop #2 in Cresent Beach, Florida. Notice our Cody's Challenge kit Rex is modelling.

2005-09-22T15:56:00.000-05:00

Saturday afternoon after an 80 mile ride to Daytona for the North Florida MS 150. This is what 2000 bikes ready for action looks like.

What a great weekend...

2005-09-12T18:54:00.000-05:00

Life is great. This weekend was all about cycling. On Saturday, I did a 91.1km Patriots Ride, sponsored by Cody's Challenge (more later). It was in remberance of those patriots who lost their lives 9/11/2001. One of my good friends Joe Pelley is the ride organizer. He works harder than any organizer I know. He is also sooo passionate about the ride and making sure we all remember those heroes. The ride was in beautiful St Johns County. The weather could not have been better. Coolish by Florida standards...started out in low 70's. Traffic was not bad...so all in all a great ride. I ended up riding in with a friend who had bonked at 45 miles...we chatted our way into the finish.

Then on Sunday I did the North Florida Bicycle Club's Watermelon Ride. Something like the 19th year. It doesn't happen too often but I got to ride the 73 miles with my wife. She had some kind of problem in the first 15 miles but got in gear after that and had an excellent ride. We finished strong probably at 20-21 mph. Meet some nice folks and generally enjoyed the day.

All of this is done in preparation for this coming weekend's MS 150 ride from St. Augustine to Daytona. Last year we were hurricaned out and only rode a short ride. I am on the Cody's Challenge team. Cody is a friend of Joe's who has MS and we all ride in his honor. This year I was fortunate that I collected over $2,500.00 in contributions to the MS Society. I think the Cody's team will be 120 strong. Roughly 1500 riders for the two day event. I'll take pics and post 'em next week.

I spent time tonight cleaning my bike. Yeah, I know about as exciting as watching dough rise. But...I know the importance of keeping my Masi clean...many years on good rides. It's kind of a challenge...to see if I can keep my bike at least as clean as my wife keeps hers dirty.

Ok...I've been waiting. Waiting for a fixed gear bike. I definitely have a preference, Masi. But not sure if they will have one this year. If not, I'm probably going to buy a 2006 Specialized Langster. But then again, I like the Bianchi Pista. Steel or aluminum???? Langster, Pista or the Masi???Give me your opinion. At any rate, I want to participate in a new fixed gear group headed by my friend Scott Summey at Open Road Bicycles. We'll ride throughout the winter (Florida standards 40's to 60's). I can't remember being this excited...well maybe last year when I got my new Speciale Carbon. Yes...frequent visitors will see a lot about fixed gear stuff in the future.

Nap Time!!!
steelrider2

Message for Lance

2005-09-07T06:28:00.000-05:00

STAY IN RETIREMENT!!!! Spitefulness is unbecoming a champion. It will also be a set back to US cycling and cause other countries to hate us even more. If you want all this EPO jazz to go away, my suggestion to you is lay low and keep your mouth shut.

steelrider2

My view of important things...

2005-09-05T17:27:00.000-05:00

I have watched with great interest the different aspects of rescue and recovery of Hurricane Katrina. My heart breaks for the residents of those impacted. There have even been points where I had to turn off the TV because I just could not bare the enormity of human suffering. I have heard the reports of frustration that have been manifested in shootings and looting. I find those things predictable. Once the basic levels of human need is not available, the frustration is bound to set in. While I understand it, looting is still wrong.

I was encouraged today while watching a local news report to see that Jacksonville has responded in such a caring way to those in need. I am also hopeful that citizens of other cities and states are responding in similar ways. Some of those displaced from their homes have made their way to Jacksonville. Some will be in the hospital, others in temporary housing and still others will be enrolling in schools and universities. This is very encouraging.

One consistent theme I have heard is, "Why did God do this to us?" I prefer to think of other questions, "What is God trying to teach me in this?" or "How can God be praised?" None of us will never know God's overall plan. All we can do is to see where God is working and join those efforts. Through all the suffering, through all the devastation, there is one thing I know for sure. God is working in the lives of many. My hope is that many who don't know the saving grace of Jesus Christ will come to see how Christ is working in the lives of the rescuers, volunteers, military and those impacted and will want to secure an eternal life for themselves. If you are reading this and you don't know about eternal life, please email me. If you don't email me, please contact a minister in your area and ask about eternal life. I will be praying for you.

My plea: Please find a place to help. If you can't donate money, please donate your time. And pray for everyone impacted. God is listening.

steelrider2