A US public holiday at last! It is Memorial Day weekend so we've been enjoying the fantastic weather. OK, so Yesterday we watched the three international rugby games on the TV, but Helen did go outside for a run.
Today, we went for a ride around DC, about fifty miles in total. It was very pleasant while we were moving, but the sweat poured off when we stopped. We stopped at the National Zoo for lunch, no not panda burgers, and to top up our water; I don't know about Helen but I'm looking forward to the big reward pizza tonight.
27 May 2007
13 May 2007
Nearly naked
What a difference a week makes; last week it was raining most of Saturday, but that didn't matter because the conditions in the UK were great and Gloucester walloped Wasps to make it to the Powergen final at Twickenham.
This week it was wet in the UK and Gloucester struggled to play their fast paced game in poor conditions against a very strong Leicester side. We expended a lot of energy defending and were on the wrong end of some lenient refereeing in the Leicester 22 in the first half.
On the upside, it is warm and bright here, albeit with some high level cloud. So I'm sat outside with the wildlife, playing on the computer (oh, the joys of wireless and a cardboard box) and doing some light filing (on the bike). The main benefit, apart from the vitamin D is that I've just seen two male cardinals posturing and fighting and some sparrows getting very intimate!
As you can see the bike is completely stripped down and I've almost finished obliterating the braze-ons (cable guides etc). I've had problems sourcing suitable bakes and brake levers as well as the right size handlebars and seatpost. I've sourced the seatpost from the UK of all places and I've expended some elbow grease and refurbished the rest. Hopefully the frame should be ready for powder coating next weekend which will give me something to do while I'm waiting for Helen to fly in to Dulles.
This week it was wet in the UK and Gloucester struggled to play their fast paced game in poor conditions against a very strong Leicester side. We expended a lot of energy defending and were on the wrong end of some lenient refereeing in the Leicester 22 in the first half.
On the upside, it is warm and bright here, albeit with some high level cloud. So I'm sat outside with the wildlife, playing on the computer (oh, the joys of wireless and a cardboard box) and doing some light filing (on the bike). The main benefit, apart from the vitamin D is that I've just seen two male cardinals posturing and fighting and some sparrows getting very intimate!
As you can see the bike is completely stripped down and I've almost finished obliterating the braze-ons (cable guides etc). I've had problems sourcing suitable bakes and brake levers as well as the right size handlebars and seatpost. I've sourced the seatpost from the UK of all places and I've expended some elbow grease and refurbished the rest. Hopefully the frame should be ready for powder coating next weekend which will give me something to do while I'm waiting for Helen to fly in to Dulles.
05 May 2007
Strip down
It's been fun removing all the bits from the bike that I don't need and feeling the weight which I won't have to drag around. Everything came off smoothly and the general condition of the threads are very good. I did have trouble removing the right side of the bottom bracket, but that was only because I didn't have a large enough spanner. Matt from work lent me a pipe wrench and it came out smoothly. more importantly there is only slight corrosion on one of the threads.
It's been great fun working outside in the warm evenings and getting oily, working with my hands is a good way to wind down, believe me.
I ordered new brake blocks, brake cable, pedals and seat so all I have left to buy is a seatpost, stem, handlebars, front brake and brake lever and I can start assembling the bike for a test fit.
I've been asked why I'm building a single speed, by lots of people and here's a few reasons:
1. Inexpensive - It would cost at about $700 for all the extra bits like derailleurs, chainrings, cassette and shifters I'd need for a geared bike.
2. Easier to build - no fiddly gears to set up and cables to run.
3. Less maintenance - just move the rear wheel to adjust the chain tension, no rear mechanism to adjust and less fiddly moving bits to adjust.
4. Easier to clean - No dirt being trapped by the rear mechanism and chainrings. less bits to clean an easier access to the chain.
5. Less wear - Because dirt gets on the chain it wears and lengthens requiring it to be replaced. This also wears the chainrings and cassette and the jockey wheels in the rear mechanism on a geared bike. Replacing these bits costs lots of money.
6. Good training - Not only will I have to work harder, losing weight in the process, but because I only have one gear I can't put it in a granny gear and pootle up a hill but will have to speed up on the approach to maintain my momentum.
7. Better technique - Because I will have to spin (maintain a high cadence) as there is only one gear, the faster I want to go faster I have to pedal. Currently I mash the gears because I have big thighs; so I use a big gear and keep it turning over at a slow rate (low cadence). Not only does the spinning make me faster on a normal bike, but also reduces the wear on my knees - hey I'm getting old.
8. It'll be harder - Which means rides with Helen will be even more enjoyable. I won't be able to run a big gear and disappear into the distance as Helen will have a better gear set-up to go faster and be more economical over hilly ground.
9. No obsolescence - Like Microsoft, Shimano et al bring out new products and drop the old ones and funnily enough the new stuff is more expensive.
10. Cachet - Overtaking somebody, whether on the flat or a hill, or riding a tough hill with only one gear; need I say more?
11. It looks cool - Maybe it's just me, but without all the extra bits the clean lines of a single speed bike look elegant.
12. It's a challenge - Riding a fixed gear means no freewheeling so cornering and downhills are completely different. There is also the challenge of learning how to do a trackstand, balancing the bike, which makes stopping and starting at junctions easier.
13. Chill time - Not having to think about changing gears for climbing, descending, stopping and starting means more time to enjoy riding.
14 Fun - It's something different!
It's been great fun working outside in the warm evenings and getting oily, working with my hands is a good way to wind down, believe me.
I ordered new brake blocks, brake cable, pedals and seat so all I have left to buy is a seatpost, stem, handlebars, front brake and brake lever and I can start assembling the bike for a test fit.
I've been asked why I'm building a single speed, by lots of people and here's a few reasons:
1. Inexpensive - It would cost at about $700 for all the extra bits like derailleurs, chainrings, cassette and shifters I'd need for a geared bike.
2. Easier to build - no fiddly gears to set up and cables to run.
3. Less maintenance - just move the rear wheel to adjust the chain tension, no rear mechanism to adjust and less fiddly moving bits to adjust.
4. Easier to clean - No dirt being trapped by the rear mechanism and chainrings. less bits to clean an easier access to the chain.
5. Less wear - Because dirt gets on the chain it wears and lengthens requiring it to be replaced. This also wears the chainrings and cassette and the jockey wheels in the rear mechanism on a geared bike. Replacing these bits costs lots of money.
6. Good training - Not only will I have to work harder, losing weight in the process, but because I only have one gear I can't put it in a granny gear and pootle up a hill but will have to speed up on the approach to maintain my momentum.
7. Better technique - Because I will have to spin (maintain a high cadence) as there is only one gear, the faster I want to go faster I have to pedal. Currently I mash the gears because I have big thighs; so I use a big gear and keep it turning over at a slow rate (low cadence). Not only does the spinning make me faster on a normal bike, but also reduces the wear on my knees - hey I'm getting old.
8. It'll be harder - Which means rides with Helen will be even more enjoyable. I won't be able to run a big gear and disappear into the distance as Helen will have a better gear set-up to go faster and be more economical over hilly ground.
9. No obsolescence - Like Microsoft, Shimano et al bring out new products and drop the old ones and funnily enough the new stuff is more expensive.
10. Cachet - Overtaking somebody, whether on the flat or a hill, or riding a tough hill with only one gear; need I say more?
11. It looks cool - Maybe it's just me, but without all the extra bits the clean lines of a single speed bike look elegant.
12. It's a challenge - Riding a fixed gear means no freewheeling so cornering and downhills are completely different. There is also the challenge of learning how to do a trackstand, balancing the bike, which makes stopping and starting at junctions easier.
13. Chill time - Not having to think about changing gears for climbing, descending, stopping and starting means more time to enjoy riding.
14 Fun - It's something different!
01 May 2007
Helping with the lawn
It's heartwarming when the neighbours make an effort to introduce themselves, but it can be annoying when they make themselves at home and then help themselves to whatever is in your pantry. At least Warren helped out in the garden, but was it veiled criticism at the state of my lawn? At least this makes a change from pictures of bikes, eh?
Don't forget, you can leave comments if you register; it'd be nice to get some feedback. You can also click on the photographs to see all the other photos we've uploaded, you can skip all the bike ones and there will be plenty!.
Don't forget, you can leave comments if you register; it'd be nice to get some feedback. You can also click on the photographs to see all the other photos we've uploaded, you can skip all the bike ones and there will be plenty!.
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