Went out for my second fixed ride today – stopped for a few pictures on the Winoosk bike bridge of the cold and grey Adirondacks. Lake Champlain is slowly freezing…
Fixed
I’ve been missing the simplicity of the Redline 9.2.5 that I sold a while back. I rode it as a single speed machine commuting the mile to town when I lived in Putney, VT. It was a great grocery getter, office cruiser, and bike shop errand runner. I’ve been working on my old Trek – attempting to convert it into a winter go every where do everything bike. I’ve never really been happy with the the 520 so I decided to part with the bike – returning it to its orginal configuration with a few upgrades. It is currently posted for sale online. I’m using the proceeds to offset the cost of a simple, utility minded fun bike. I opted for a fixed gear / single speed machine – and unlike the Redline 9.2.5 which was a cheap impulse buy – I’ve thought about the details in how I want this bike to work, look, and feel.
I chose the Surly CrossCheck frame as the platform. I worked with Old Spokes Home here in Burlington to configure and outfit the bike. We set the rear wheel up with a Surly hub that has the Dingle Cog on one side and a single speed freewheel on the other. With the Dingle Cog I have two options to play with as I discover what gear ratios I feel comfortable spinning. The brakes are Cane Creek, front and rear hubs are 32 hole Surly, wheels are handbuilt on Salsa rims, stem, seatpost and pedals pieced together from my parts bin, and the saddle is the Brooks Swallow that moved from the IF when the An-atomica arrived. I’ve got a few more tweaks to work out on the fit – I’m trying to get it as close as I can to my distance machine.
It was COLD at 4 deg F with a windchill of -6, but it felt like -10. The limiting factor to my ride was my toes – I lost feeling in them about half way through.
There is one major rule when riding a fixed gear bike:
Never Stop Pedaling
The rear cog is fixed to the hub – as the cranks move so does the wheel. Unlike a freewheel bike there is no coasting – as the wheel moves the cranks move. This takes a bit of getting used to – and I debated using flat pedals or going clipless. I decided to go clipless to keep my feet firmly attached to my machine. I think this is the right choice for riding fixed – and time will tell as I gain more experience with the bike.
I tooled around the neighborhood until I felt confident and then headed to the lakefront bike path. The path was was packed snow and a bit of ice – I was a bit nervous about the conditions – I rode at a conservative pace – and the knobby cross tires worked well on the crunchy snow. I covered about 10 miles, including the hill I use for climbing repeats. The climb is short and sweet – nothing like the climbs in the Green Mountains – and it tops out at 8 or 9%. Climbing fixed was interesting – there is only 1 gear – so choosing your gear ratio is a compromise based on the terrain you plan to ride in. Too high a gear and you will struggle up climbs – too low a gear and you’ll spin out on the flats and descents. I had the bike set up in a modest gear, and riding fixed I felt better at the top of my training climb than when I hammer at a faster cadence on my geared bike. I certainly climbed slower than usual – but the bike has a ‘flywheel’ effect as the cranks keep on moving around as the bike moves forward. This felt like it gave me a bit more momentum – and I suspect I’ll be able to climb a gear or two higher fixed than on my geared machine.
I really like the way fixed riding feels – my legs moving in time with the bike – and with my limited experience I can see why many FG riders talk about feeling ‘one’ with their machine. I had some challenges moving over some of the rougher snow and ice on the bike path – I had to remember the rule of riding fixed and to keep the pedals moving when standing to float over obstacles! If you forget the bike gives you a reminder. Depending on what speed you are riding the reminder will be gentle or stern – as the wheels are spinning your legs are forced to move in time. This happened to me a few times today – adjusting my glasses, headlamp, and balaclava all found me slipping into autopilot and I stopped pedaling. The bike kicked back – a slightly unnerving event – but something I think will go away with experience. As you are one with the machine I found that you need to adjust riding habits. Reaching for a bottle – keep pedaling. Approaching traffic at an intersection – keep pedaling. Adjusting your jacket or helmet – keep pedaling. This also affects how you mount and dismount and stop for traffic.
The first time I needed to stop and restart was comical. I tried to time a stop at a lightly travelled intersection so that I would float up to the intersection with enough speed to get moving again – but not too much so that if I had to get out I could. As I did this another car entered the equation, and I lurched forward while squeezing the brakes. I did this 2 or 3 more times in about 15 feet as I figured out how to detach my foot from a pedal attached to a rotating crank. After this initial trial I found that getting my first foot out of the pedal was the easy bit – adjusting my speed and timing to remove the second foot was far more challenging. The leg just wanted to keep moving along with the bike – and you need to be moving to avoid falling over – so the timing of where in your pedal stroke you pull out your first foot and its relationship to speed and the location of the second foot seems critical. With time I’m sure this will become second nature – but at first not being able to coast up to a stop as you unclip is a very odd feeling. Getting in and out has me anxious to learn to track stand – I’ve always appreciated the value of it even on a geared bike (although I can’t do it for more than a few seconds unless the road is sloping just the right way) – on a FG it seems it will be easier – and a convenient skill to have for navigating stop and go city riding.
In all my first fixed ride was fun. My speed was way down – and my cadence felt way off – it could be the shorter cranks, the cold, or just getting used to a new bike. The 10 miles felt like 20, but I’m anxious to get back on the bike for another go of it. I’m not sure I’ll be ready for a long ride anytime soon – but I’m planning to ride part of my February century fixed – maybe up to 30 miles depending on which loop I choose – and how I feel tackling more challenging terrain.
New Saddle
I love my Brooks saddles. I’ve ridden a Team Pro, B17, Swift, and my favorite on the IF is a Ti Swallow. Reading the Rando Group I’ve heard some positive chatter about Selle An-Atomica saddles. The creator of the saddle started with a traditional leather saddle and modified, tested, modified, and tested using various leather thicknesses, shapes, and cutouts. The result of the effort is a traditional leather saddle with an anatomical cut out.
My saddle arrived last week and I have a few roller sessions on it. It’s taken a bit of adjustment to get it fit correctly – in addition to height and fore / aft offset the tension of the leather can be adjusted. The saddle initially felt like a hammock – incredibly soft as it cradled me on the bike. I’m still working on how firm it should feel – and I’ll need to do this as I get it on the road. I fussed with seat height and tilt and found that the An-Atomica had to be mounted slightly higher, and with a bit less tilt than my previous ride. The cutout creates more flexibility – almost a suspension – than the Swallow I’ve broken in over thousands of miles.
My initial reaction is that this will be a great saddle for long distance – and I say that knowing that my Brooks’ have served me well. I ordered the heavier gauge in pre-treated ‘Second Skin Watershed’ leather. According to the manufacturer I shouldn’t have to worry about this saddle in the rain (no more grocery bags for me!).
I’m anxious to get out on a long road ride with the An-Atomica and give it a proper test – but the longest of my roller sessions (two hours) left me more comfortable than the Swallow – and I think the suspension qualities and width of the split design will shine 200k into an event.
VO2
I had a VO2 Max test done this morning at UVM, as part of a GMBC group that was celebrating the grand opening of a new rehab / fitness center in town. The test takes about 1/2 hour with warmup, and the real work is only about 15 minutes long. I rode my bike in a Computrainer and I was breathing into a mouthpiece attached to a gas analyzer. My heart rate was recorded along with watts, speed, and cadence from the trainer. We calibrated a cadence and intial wattage reading while I warmed up, then as the test began the goal was to ride as close as possible to my selected “ideal” cadence as possible, as resistance was increased every 2 minutes. It started to hurt when I hit the middle of the 300 watts section – about 5-7 minutes into the test. I’m not sure how far into the resistance we reached nearing the 11 minute mark – I had tapped out all my gears, was pedaling squares, and was struggling to breathe. The techs gave me a preliminary data sheet – the last 2:40 of the test I was riding a consistent heart rate of 193 bpm! At this point there are only a few numbers that I can make sense of – I’m looking forward to a detailed evaluation of my test results that I should have later this week. Jen snapped a few pictures – neither of which are very flattering – but I do like the fish look as I reached for my waterbottle.
Spinning Little Circles
The riding has moved indoors for the majority of this month. The rollers are a welcome change from my trainer sessions of last season. Cycling has taken over the living room – I’ve set my LeMond up for Jen and we splurged on early birthday presents for her – new Sidi shoes, several saddles to try, a new stem, and some cycling specific clothing.
Riding rollers brings a certain meditation to my sessions. When not catching the rare movie or podcast, I’m listening to my body – thinking about perfect little circles spinning round and round – the pedals, the cranks, the chain rings, the chain, the derailleur jockeys, the cassette, and the wheels. The smaller is to the greater as the greater is to the whole – each part relating to the other – to propel me round and round on shiny cylinders of aluminum – never leaving the relative comfort of my living room.
My mind drifts to rides past – brevets that started near Boston and traced routes through the hills of the Berkshires and the southern Green Mountains, or one of my favorite nearby rides – the Double Gap – climbing Middlebury and returning via Appalachian. I also visualize myself steadily climbing mythic roads to nowhere – and taking in an imagined view from the top. Often I’ll drift to rides future – what it might feel like on this years brevets, what lies around the next bend, what is over the next ridge… feeling in my mind a bit like a kid again – when I would ride as fast and as far as I could – so long as I could get home before dark while never quite explaining to my folks just exactly how far I’d gone. In those days I rode an aluminum Raleigh that I bought a size too big for me (I didn’t want to outgrow the hard earned money I just spent), with 27″ wheels, wide tires, toe clips, and down tube shifters. Exploring the back roads of NE Ohio my friends and I would trace ever larger loops and routes. We carried minimal gear, wore white styrofoam helmets and street shoes, carried a basic patch kit and a real frame pump. For nutrition we foraged from mini marts and ice cream stands. On several occasions we called parents for a roadside rescue – most memorable was when a chain exploded as the bottom bracket on a friend’s Peugeot ceased to turn.
Randonneuring brings this same sense of discovery and energy to my cycling. New routes to try, riding with a group (although not always together) that often appreciates similar things, and many times getting just uncomfortable enough to bring back those feelings of the cold creeping in, the sun setting, and not making it to the control before my parents find out. The smaller is to the greater as the greater is to the whole – my pedals turn the cranks which move the chain and turn the wheels as the world rolls beneath me – and I explore the road around the next turn and over the next hill.
Winter…
…appears to have arrived! Monday late morning the snow turned to rain turned to ice back to snow.
e+Lite
I picked up a Petzl e+Lite about a month ago at my local EMS. I really like this little light – I’ve been using it on after dark runs, on my cycling helmet, and even while installing a ceiling fan. I’m using the e+Lite as a helmet mounted compliment to my Schmidt powered lights. The combination of the white and red LEDs in the same package sold me – white light for repairs and as needed for extra road illumination – and red light (which preserves night vision) for reading cues and cockpit illumination.
The light runs on 2 Lithium CR2032 batteries. They fit in the head unit behind the LEDs, are easy to change, and appear to be available in most convenience, hardware, and grocery stores (I’ve been checking locally). Published run times are 35 hours on maximum and 45 hours on economy. I’ve gone through about 20 hours of use and have not noticed a fall off in brightness on either setting. With batteries installed the published weight of the light and strap is 27 grams.
Light is generated by 3 white LEDs and 1 red LED. White has 3 settings – maximum, economy, and flash. White maximum is bright enough to read street signs at some distance on a moonless night while cycling, as well as fully illuminating my handlebars and a patch of ground directly in front of me. White economy puts out ample enough light to run along the unlit lakefront MUP on a moonless night, read my cyclocomputer, make adjustments to my bike, or fuss with the digicam. Red has two settings – maximum and flash. The red light is perfect for cockpit illumination and cue reading when helmet mounted – and would work well mounted to my stem or a cue holder. It has also worked well for off bike rummaging through my seatpack. Flash for both colors works as advertised.
The e+Lite comes with an elastic band for head wearing, as well as an integral clip that will work on hats and helmets with some creatively placed strapping. The body of the light swivels on an integral ball / socket connection to the clamp. Positioning the light exactly where you need it is easy – no tightening mechanisms or special cams to deal with – although the light is small enough that this is a bit clumsy to do wearing lobster gloves for winter cycling.
I’ve had the e+Lite out for several night runs and both short and long night rides. Currently I’m not in need of cue navigating on my local routes so I’ve been using it primarily for cyclocomputer reading and off bike lighting. It works perfectly for this – and I plan on adding this to my long distance cycling kit.
Mt. Mansfield Century
I spent Sunday getting a start on two of my 2007 cycling goals. I undertook a 102 mile ride to log my first century in my century a month challenge, as well as my first miles in the UMCA Year Rounder. I’m still building my winter base and was planning on waiting until March to undertake my first century – but with a strong 43.5 mile night ride last week, warm temperatures, and a blue sky day in the forecast I set out for the longest January ride I’ve ever accomplished. I chose a route that allowed a bail out option that would have been a nice 60 mile ride – but as I neared the turn off I pressed on and enjoyed the day.
I left the house mid morning with the temperature near 39 degrees. Per the year rounder challenge I would be collecting receipts along the way – so I dropped in to the local donut chain for some early ride calories and a time stamp of my passing. I headed north into Colchester and Milton, then east to Cambridge where I stopped in at the general store to add a Luna bar to my jersey pocket and collect my second receipt. The morning ride through valleys and over rolling climbs had me constantly zipping and unzipping my jacket – my core was slightly cold or slightly warm – but my feet were always cold. Before heading out on the next leg of the route I added some toe warmers to my shoes – I felt the effects instantly and my feet were fine the balance of the day.
Leaving Cambridge I travelled east through Jeffersonville, the town at the turn off to VT Rt. 108 and Smugglers Notch on the north side of Mt. Mansfield. Smuggs was a sad site – most of the runs didn’t appear to have enough snow to ski. Cycling through the notch on 108 is on my to-do list – the scenery over the notch and along the Mountain Rd. to Stowe is inspiring.
Passing through Jeffersonville I travelled to Johnson, Hyde Park, and made a southward turn towards Stowe on VT Rt. 100 in Morrsiville. As I pedaled along the relatively flat valley I daydreamed about my first trip to Vermont. At the time I had just finished teaching my first year of design at the Cleveland Institute of Art, and I was spending part of the summer expanding my woodworking knowledge at the Heartwood School for the Homebuilding Crafts. During a weekend break in a timber frame class I drove nearly the length of Vermont along Rt. 100, terminating in two overnights at the original location of Smugglers Notch State Park. I rode the Gondola up Mt. Mansfield for a rainy hike, dined in Burlington and Waitsfield, and explored the heart of Green Mountains on forest service roads. I fell in love with the state on that trip and I convinced dear friends who were looking for a place to dig in and make a home to visit the following summer. They did, loved it, and moved here. It took me another 5 years before I was able to arrange work and life that allowed me to make the VT leap. They lived just off Rt. 100 south of Morrisville in a tiny over garage apartment. As I passed their old street I remembered hiking to beaver ponds near the current development of Spruce Peak, bagels and coffee in Stowe, and cooking for four on their tiny stove.
I reached a glum Stowe. The picturesque ski / resort town with bed and breakfasts, art galleries, coffee shops, and out of state traffic was a bit less busy than usual with the current weather. I continued south on Rt. 100 to Moscow, VT and collected a few more calories for the ride home and my third receipt of the day. Sitting outside the Moscow general store I snapped a photo of their gas pump which apparently hasn’t been used since premium unleaded was $1.39 a gallon!
I continued south past the Ben & Jerry’s factory and during a quick stop to check my phone in Waterbury I was accosted by a local shouting “Hey Lance Armstrong” from across the road. He asked me if I knew it was winter and wondered why I was out riding. Thanks Lance, for becoming a household name and dragging us quiet types out of anonymity and into the spotlight. Over the traffic he made some reference to playing frisbee at the beach and the weather, and I nodded and packed up, pretending to be in a hurry before he walked across the road and started a conversation. Heading west on US 2 towards Burlington I found the bright blue sky as the sun and temperature started to drop. I caught great views of Camel’s Hump somewhere between Waterbury and Richmond, and enjoyed riding alongside my shadow on the shoulder and in the fields.
I returned to Burlington at dusk, making quick work of the traffic along US 2 in Williston and stopping for my final receipt at a local store just a mile from home. I ordered up a hot chocolate and chatted with the clerk, who was amazed at the distance I just rode. He followed me out and promptly lit a cigarette while I sipped my cocoa and prepared for the final mile. The smoke and I didn’t agree – so I handed him my cup and finished the ride.
I covered 102 miles. Ride time was 7:20. Time off the bike was about an hour for a total time of 8:20. Climbing was approximately 6800′ with several grades at 6-9% and one topping out at 13%. My average speed was slow – but this is historically a time of year when I am not riding, so while I grimaced at my cyclocomputer, I know that this is the time to be building an aerobic base in preparation for the spring and summer.
2007 Cycling Goals
A work in progress, my 2007 cycling goals.
Tangible:
- Get to my typical end of summer riding weight by March 1
- 5,000 miles in the UMCA Year Rounder Competition
- Super Randonneur Series
- Century a month (in addition to my brevet schedule) – beginning March 1
- Establish 3-4 RUSA Permanent routes in Vermont / Champlain Valley Region
- 1000k or 1200k (Paris-Brest-Paris looks like it is out of the budget and schedule for this year)
- Ride the Highlander in W. NY as a pacer for a friend – focus on sharing cycling experience and having fun
- Long distance training ride from my home in Burlington, VT to my in-laws in Utica, NY
- Ride the Mad River Valley Century Ride as a pacer for a friend – focus on sharing cycling experience and having fun
- Organize and ride a version of the Six Gaps with a group of online and local cycling friends
- Run a half marathon (still looking at the calendar to see how it fits / conflicts with the SR series)
- 2 bike camping trips (weekenders) summer / fall
Intangible:
- Increase training intensity focusing on hard, fast rides so I can start to hang with the semi-fast boys and girls. (I think the fastest boys and girls will be out of my reach for some time!)
- Work on my climbing – this will feed off of the previous intangible
- Keep a pleasant attitude on the bike – I’m slower than most and faster than some – focus on enjoying the ride and celebrating where I’m at at this moment in time
- Stay healthy: keep my body happy and the anemia I suffered with last season in check
- Ride lots – including going car lite when work doesn’t demand the auto travel
Full Moon, Mountains
I had a wonderful full moon ride out around Mt. Philo and back. It was noticeably colder on the Spear St. side of the ride – as I turned at the halfway point the wind seemed to shift and I shed a layer as I began the return. I caught glimpses of Bolton Valley lit for night skiing, and when the moon peaked from behind the clouds I saw Camel’s Hump and Mt. Mansfield in the distance. I’ve been inside on the rollers and spent some time running the past few weeks – so getting out on the road and watching the moon and the stars was a wonderful start to the new year. I covered 43 1/2 miles in mild January temperatures. My pace is well below that of last fall as I’m continuing to build my winter base. As I cleared the traffic in town and made it to some less travelled roads I longed for the speed and fitness I had last fall, and the long summer rides that got me there.
I’ve been using some new gear with mixed results:
Lights:
The Petzl e+Lite continues to work well on my helmet as a cockpit reading light (using the red LED). Set to high with the 3 white LEDs it worked great for handling the camera and digging though my saddle bag as I changed layers, as well as for throwing enough light at low speeds for street sign navigation.
Visibility:
I had my first ride with the Cactus Creek Reflective Vest I purchased from Mountain Equipment Co-op. I’ve worn it out running and have been pleased with the fit – seeing as it was designed for cycling I’m even happier with it on the bike. Reflective materials on the front and back which spillover to the sides, and 3 pockets on the rear that I can use when I can’t access my jersey pockets. Its nice to see that someone has finally designed a cycling accessory that includes pockets on the back! Most of my jackets have a single zippered pocket – which for distance riding has limited uses – I like to tuck extra food, the digicam, and my gel flask in the rear pockets. The pockets on the vest are a bit tricky to get in and out of – but for now I’ll assume it has to do with the winter gloves I’m wearing – and if need be as warm weather approaches I’ll modify the stitching a bit with some elastic. So far the vest is a welcome addition to my long distance riding gear – and a cycling specific replacement to the disappointing Amphipod sash I have been using.
Tires:
I’m not yet sold on the Schwalbe Marathons I’ve been running. I like the relfective sidewall and appreciate Scwalbe’s tradition of developing tough tires that resist wear and tear from the road (flats!), but they just don’t feel as good on the road as the Continental GP 4 Seasons I used last year. The Schwalbe’s feel squirmy during high speed descents – and with their tread design and interior flat protection layer they seem to develop a noticeable “hum” going down the road. I’ll give them through the winter and early spring – but my gut tells me I’ll be moving back to a more traditional road slick come next Brevet season.
