Really, really Cheap Panniers

Need some waterproof, carry-a-lot, really cheap panniers? Check out this how-to article on the Crazy Guy On A Bike web site. If you are into low-budget function over fashion, these may be for you. All you need to acquire is a couple of used kitty litter buckets, and a few pieces of hardware. I haven't tried them yet, but they are tempting. I can see them being rather useful for grocery runs. The author's perspective is using them for touring/camping. I would be curious to see how they hold up after several hundreds of miles and weeks of touring. A nice advantage is that if they happen to break, a replacement can easily be found. And, a bucket is a very useful item. It can be used as a stool at the campsite, used to carry water for washing, etc. Practical and cheap, hard to beat!

The Power to Pedal

Cyclists can spend a lot of money and time talking about pedals. Do you go with clips, clip less, or just plain pedals? This particular rider started out like most, using the plain old pedals that came with the bike. Then, as I rode with some friends and read cycling articles, I realized that I "needed" some clip less pedals and cycling specific shoes with cleats. I got some for mountain biking, the SPD style. After a few falls, I finally got the hang of "clicking" in and out. After riding some more with groups and reading more articles, I realized that I needed road style pedals and cleats on my "road" bike. So, I bought some Look style pedals, cleats, and new shoes. These took a little more getting use to, making sure the cleat didn't miss the pedal while clicking in and have the foot slip completely off the pedal. I rode with these for a few years. They are OK on long rides on the road bike. But, I was finding it a bit cumbersome for commuting. It felt a bit overkill for a 6 mile ride. Plus, I was always wearing the road cycling shoes and needing to make sure I had regular work shoes at work. It also made it more difficult to make stops on the way home.
So, one day as I was servicing my regular commuter bike (the one with fenders and all the lights), I thought, why not just put the original old pedals back on this thing and try riding in sneakers or lightweight hiking shoes? The ride to work was great, could hardly tell any difference performance-wise. It was nice not needing to plan for extra shoes at work. Whatever I wore from home was fine. And that's the way the next 1600 miles have been pedaled since.
If you want another's perspective on plain old pedals vs. clip less pedals, check out this article on Rivendell Bicycle Works site: The Shoes Ruse

It Never Rains in SoCal

Except when it does...Monday brought us some cold, hard rain. The ride in was OK, and I found out that what is waterproof works well, what wasn't, didn't.
Here's what worked: Chrome messenger bag - waterproof inner liner. All my work clothes arrived nice and dry! Cheap rain jacket from Performance. It doesn't breathe, but the ride in was not long enough to overheat. My upper body stayed dry. Knee warmers - even though they got a little wet, still kept the knees warm.
What didn't work so well: Plain ol' cotton shorts. Should have worn cycling shorts this time, or water proof pants. Plain ol' shoes and socks. I underestimated how wet the shoes would get since I have fenders. The rain was just too much. Should wear baggies over the socks inside the shoes, or maybe even get some cheap galoshes for the short commute. Regular cycling gloves. The gloves were soaked by the time I got to work. Rear trunk. I had some spare gloves in the top compartment of my rear trunk. The rain soaked through and got those wet.
Luckily, I have an office where I can let stuff dry out. I used a small desk-top type fan to dry out the shoes. By the end of the day they were pretty much dry. I also used the fan to dry out the socks and gloves. A small fan or even a small heater with a fan set on low heat does a great job of drying out stuff.
The ride home was dry, but very gusty winds. For a moment I thought I was going to be blown off the road.
I would not want to ride in that type of weather every day, but once in a while it is fun, especially to see the looks on people's faces when they see that you rode to work in the torrential SoCal rains!

Rain, Wind, and Smiles

Yesterday's ride home was in the rain, with a very nice tailwind most of the way, and it was great! I was smiling the whole way home. Most people avoid the rain at all costs. Cycling in the rain can be an almost meditative experience. Having fenders and a jacket did help from getting soaked, but it really didn't matter. It was just so cool to be out experiencing nature.
If you've never ridden in the rain, give it a try. Ride on less-traveled roads and ride slow. Watch out for things that get really slippery when wet, like leaves, manhole covers, and paint on the street. You'll probably feel like a kid again. :-)

The Grocery Getting Challenge

Using your bike to get groceries can be a great way to reduce your car usage. If your grocery store is close by, the bike can save your car the wear and tear that comes from those short trips. There are many ways to haul stuff on a bike. I am in search of the best way to use my bike for this purpose. I have a rear rack with a rear trunk, which of course does not carry much. I just tried one of the grocery pannier that is designed to allow you to place a loaded paper or reusable bag in it. Unfortunately with my setup, the heel of my foot wsa hitting the pannier. There are rear racks made to set the pannier further back than normal to help with this. They are a bit pricey, however. So, I start adding up the cost of the new rear rack, a couple of grocery panniers, and I got to thinking that I am not too far from justifying the money for an Xtracycle. Well, at least the bare bones frame. Custom V racks and freeloader bags could be made at home, at least until some extra cash becomes available to purchase the complete freeloader package.
With the Xtracycle setup, I should easily be able to carry 4 fully loaded paper or reusable grocery bags, maybe more. Not to mention the ability to strap larger goods to the top (with my custom made snapdeck).
This is a fairly expensive solution, at least for me. But, the Xtracycle seems like it would offer so many possibilities on ways to carry stuff. If it can reduce the reliability on a car, it is certainly worth it. And yep, I did return the grocery pannier. Time to start saving the pennies.

Nutcase

Just discovered these guys who make some ultra cool looking helmets in Portland, OR.
http://www.nutcasehelmets.com
These helmets are more hip, incorporating cool graphics, for the casual and commuter/utilitarian cyclist. They don't have the "wanna-be-racer" look to them. Check 'em out!

Rockin It With Fenders

Sorry, this isn't a post for you music freaks...I'm not talkin' about rockin' with Fender guitars and amps here. :-)
This is about sporting some fenders on your bike for the winter riding. Around here winter is the rainy season. I have been using fenders on my general commuting bike for a few years, and they are one of the best pieces of cycling gear one can own. Even if you don't ride hard core in the rain, there are many days when you have the leftover standing water and wet streets to deal with. Just last night and this morning I rode through wet streets and puddles in parking lots. The fenders do a great job of keeping your feet and back dry, and helps to keep the drive-train on the bike clean from all the road gunk that the front tire can kick up. I got a pair of the Planet Bike Freddy Fenders, and they are great. These are a poly-plastic something or another, so they don't bend or rattle like metal ones can. It doesn't matter what brand you get, just get some! The better ones will cover more area of the tire, which means less spray on you and the bike. If you are a minimalist, you can get the quick attach kind, so that they can be easily removed when not needed. They generally don't offer as much coverage, but they are way better than nothing.