24 hours can make a big difference in the weather. Yesterday morning I was flying down smooth roads spinning easily on the IF. Today I made first tracks on the lakefront bike path and some exploring in the woods. Heavy, wet snow coated the bike. 30/18 and the studs was work in the 4″+ of wet, heavy snow.
Roads have been dry. I got out on the IF today to spin after starting Monday night Yoga. What a pleasure to ride non studded tires on a ti bike that fits like a glove…
Lots of cold and ice here in BTV. Been out with the boys a few times in the last two weeks to play on the studded tires.
The water inside the breakwall is starting to set up. I’m still a bit leary of getting out on it – John and Jim gave it a test.
Parts of the Intervale flooded last week with the big rain. Lots of ice in the fields and woods where the river pushed over its banks.
A stiff link on the Homer had us diagnosing a shifting issue…
The Soma in its winter kit with a half frozen water bottle.
Been a hectic few weeks.
Burlington Earth Clock on the quiet ride home.
Beers, homemade chili, bike talk, and testing my homebrew free motion rollers. The things I get to do when the wife and little one leave me home alone for a week.
Jim styling no hands...
Patrick on the fixed gear Hufnagel, with Edelux lighting his way!
A Rivendell, on rollers.
Some video of the rollers in action, with Jim riding no hands and dropping the hammer to sprint.
Photos and video courtesy of Patrick.
Just south of the Winooski... lots of driftwood.
Explored near home this afternoon after working this morning. Took a quick post lunch ride to check out a stretch of beach on lake Champlain. Part 1 turned into hike a bike over driftwood and through some boggy marshy reeds so I climbed out and tested the fat tires at North Beach. Firm and semi loose sand was no problem – but the pea gravel like mush didn’t like the bike nor the bike shoes very much.
Stunning November day. Hike a bike warmed me up.
1/2 mile or more to get to where I thought some decent sand was... so I backtracked it out.
North end of North Beach.
2.2s at low pressure. Seemed to work well enough. Compressed snow maybe?
The pea gravel mush was tough going.
Wide tires, fenders, custom paint.
Met the boys for an early cruise out to the causeway and was finally able to check out Patrick’s new ride in person. Its been a loooong time coming. 650b Hufnagel rando specific frame. Integrated decaleur, custom front rack, wire loops for the Edelux, fender mounts to the inside of the fork and frame. Currently running as fixed / single speed, but can take gears. Matching fenders will make an appearance when the weather threatens. Beautiful.
Long dropouts - fixed, free, geared, and a mount for a PB Superflash.
Paul Racers... and GB tires.
Fender mounts to the inside of the frame and fork.
Custom stem, decaleur, and front rack.
I know larger tires work against you when comparing rolling resistance, gear calculations, and overall effort… but since putting on the Kenda Nevegals I’ve felt like I’ve been riding with both front and rear brakes dragging. Sure, they certainly are not the 28s I ride on the IF, nor the 35s I used to ride on the CrossCheck, nor even the 42s I started with on the Soma…
Yes, I know they are not that wide...
This morning I heard a chirping sound. Damn! I was dragging a brake. Cool. I can fix that. Except that even with the brakes wide open I still heard it. Then I spun the rear wheel by hand. I made it about 1/4 revolution before stopping. Bearings must be mal-adjusted. Picked up the appropriate sized cone wrenches, spun off the single speed side, and loosened. Nope. Bearings were shot.
Off to the internet. Plenty of instructions on removing sealed bearings from Surly hubs. These have served me for 3 winters… rain, snow, salt, dirt roads – pretty much everything. Pulled the axle. Tap tapped the bearing as instructed in lieu of a fancy bearing puller. The innards popped out and I now have a collection of tiny steel balls rolling around on the garage floor.
Which leaves the problem of how to get a sealed bearing race out of a hub shell. Dirt Rag provided the answer. I opted to not hammer the star nut from the opposite side, and instead applied a bit of finesse (in short supply at this moment in my caveman actions thus far) with a bolt and socket. Success. Now to wait for some new bearings – and to let the LBS pull the opposite side.
1\
A wide socket and stack of washers...
A few turns of the bolt...
Out!
Success!