Home from Gainesville
Our stay down in Gainesville was much shorter than anticipated. My wife’s surgery went great and she’s back at home recovering. To be fully recovered takes 6-9 months and she’s limited to soft food right now with scrambled eggs being about the limit. I didn’t get to ride down in Gainesville but did prefer the route I was going to ride and am sorry I didn’t get to. It looked to be a nice route. I’m glad to be back home though.
Read MoreThe Bicycle Seat Bag – What should you carry in it?
The bicycle seat bag. It’s that small package of assurance that we keep tucked under our saddle. It sits under our rears, ignored and neglected until we need it. When we do need it we wonder if we restocked it the last time we used it. You’ll find quite a few articles around the Internet about the bike seat bag and what bicycle accessories need to be in it. These articles are always popular and get a lot of feedback because everyone has their own preference of what should be stowed in their seat bag. Just like everyone else, I have my preferences too. I think this article will be a benefit to anyone just starting in bicycling, or returning to the sport after a long layoff (just like me), or the enthusiast who has been riding everyday. Regardless of your experience, I think you’ll find the info below useful.
So, what needs to be in that seat bag? There’s quite a few things you can carry in your saddle bag but I think there’s a core list of essential items every cyclist needs. They are:
- Patch Kit. You’ll find both glue and glueless patch kits. Which one to use is a topic all by itself but I believe most people use the glue patch kits because of their durability. I’m not sure it really matters which kind you have as long as you have one. They take up very little room in your seat bag and you will need it at some point.
- Spare Tube. Some of you may ask, “Why carry a spare tube when I have a patch kit?” After hearing advice from other riders, and my experience back on Ride 21 and 1/3 I carry a spare tube now. I carry the spare tube because, if I do get a flat, it’s much easier to just put the new tube in rather than try and patch the old one. Especially if it’s dark outside. I carry the patch kit in the event my spare tube flats. I also carry the spare tube so I can give it to another cyclist if they need it. I did this back on Ride 28. If you give your spare tube away you’ll need the patch kit if you get a flat.
- Tire Irons. You could probably change a flat without them but why take the chance? You only need two to do the job right and they take up a small amount of space in your seat bag. A lot of times, you can buy a patch kit that comes with a set of nylon tire irons like the Park set to the left.
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CO2 Inflator. I carry one of these so it’s in my seat bag. If you want to carry a frame pump then you don’t need one. You’ll easily find bicycle riders who do either one and some that do both. I like CO2 because of it’s ease of use and because I’ve never liked frame pumps. Your experience and desires may vary. Just make sure you have at least one method to fill up that tube when you flat 10 miles from nowhere. The Innovations Air Chuck Elite Inflator
is about as minimal as you can get and it works great too.
- Presta-Schrader Adapter.. I don’t actually carry this in my seat bag but leave it installed on one of my valve stems. If you’re using your own pump, or inflator, then you probably won’t need one of these. But, if you find yourself having to borrow someone elses gear/tools, or needing to use a service station air compressor, you’ll probably need one. Better to be safe than sorry.
Have you noticed a trend up to this point? All five items above are directly related to fixing a flat while out on the road. The flat is probably the most common problem you can/will experience while bicycling so you need to be prepared for it. The list continues:
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Multi-Tool. The multi-tool is a compact set of allen wrenches and screw drivers that are usually hinged together to save room. You’ll need one of these for any minor work you need to perform while out riding like adjusting your brake pads, derailleur, or pedals. There are many different kinds available with all kinds of options ranging from four function compacts to more robust sets with integrated chain tools.
Finding one you like is usually a matter of personal preference.
- Money. You should always carry a little bit of money in your seat bag for emergencies. Make sure you have at least a dollars worth of quarters for the air compressor machines at the corner gas station. I learned this the hard way back on Ride 21 and 1/3. A dollar bill can also function as a boot in the event of a cut tire. Just fold it up, place it on the inside of the tire, and it’ll keep the tube from bulging out when you pressurize it.
- Identification. Should you be involved in an accident it will help if you have some kind of identification on you. The easiest thing to do is to put your license in your seat bag before departing for a ride. Some riders make up an information sheet that they keep in their seat bag permanently. Another very good option is to invest in a Road ID from www.RoadID.com. The RoadID is available in either a wrist or ankle option and can be engraved to display the information you want first responders to see in the event you are in an accident.
- Cell Phone. I’m not a huge fan of cell phones. They are convenient but I hate the intrusiveness they can have. While out on a ride, though, they can be very valuable. I’ve had to use mine to call for a ride as I’m sure others have as well. They also provide another way for emergency personnel to identify who you are. Nothing says you can’t set it on silent or vibrate while your riding so it doesn’t bother you or others who may be in your group.
If putting together or going out to buy this long list of stuff has you worried don’t be. You can save some time and money by looking into some of the seat bag tire repair kits
There you have it. The items above are what I feel are essential items you need to have in your seat bag. If you have them you’ll be prepared for your next ride and be able to make it home. I’m sure many of you will have your own opinions on what should be in your seat bag so I welcome your comments.
Read MoreGoing out of town this week
Well, this week has been coming for a while and it’s finally here. After a long period of doctor’s visits, minor procedures, and pain, my wife is having surgery this week to correct problems with her Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ). This is the jaw joint. We’ll be heading down to Gainesville on Wednesday where she’ll have the articular discs in both jaw joints rebuilt using cartilage from other areas of the body. Years of wearing a splint, taking medications, heat and cold applications, and minor surgical procedures, coupled with numerous visits to doctors for opinions have gotten us to this point. This is generally considered the last step of correction after all other attempts have failed. It’s not a decision you make lightly.
Read MoreBike Ride 31 – 30 Awesome Miles
I really wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get a ride in this morning. Tropical Storm Hannah prevented me from riding yesterday as it went by Florida heading for the Carolinas. The weather report called for a good day so I went to bed early expecting to ride. The alarm went off at 7:00 and I took a quick look outside. The sky was clear and there was no wind. Awesome. I was out the door by 7:20.
My fitness plan had me riding my bicycle for 30 miles today so I set out to ride the same route as last week. Unlike last Saturday, I made sure to let my wife know where I was riding and when I expected to be back. The route is below.
31 Mile Route
Overall the ride was very uneventful which was kind of nice. The sun had yet to crawl above the trees so most of the first half of the ride was in some cool shadows. It was awesome. As I neared the 10-mile point while crossing in front of the St Johns Towncenter (a big shopping area), I hear somebody yell my name. I look across the road and it’s Kevin from Ride 28. I yelled back and pulled over to see if he wanted to talk. I looked back and he kept going. Oh well. From there I did the loop around around UNF. Jaxgtr, I saw the turn you were talking about that can add some mileage on the campus. It’s the light at the campus police station. I’ll have to try that out sometime.
After finishing that loop I headed back through the Town Center and took a turn West that would take me down to my rest stop at Southpoint Community Church. While riding a long stretch on the way to the Church, I saw Kevin again heading in the opposite direction. I yelled and waived but he must not have heard me. It looked like he was concentrating on his ride and listening to his ipod. I should have called him yesterday and asked if he wanted to ride since it looks like he was riding the same route as me. Kevin, sorry about not calling. I’ll give you a call this week to see if we can meet up next Saturday.
I stopped at the Church for a quick break and took the opportunity to adjust my pedals (two of the adjustment screws had worked loose) and eat a little snack. I realized this morning that I didn’t have anymore Jelly Belly® Sport Beans or gels so I threw a little cheese and cracker snack in my bag on the way out the door. It was actually pretty tasty. I also took the opportunity to refill my water bottles. There’s a water hose on the backside of the Church but I discovered last week that you need a wrench to operate it. Luckily, I remembered to throw a miniature crescent wrench into my seat bag before leaving the house.
After getting my rest I set out again and road the ten miles back home. There were a couple of times during the ride that I felt good and decided to pick up the speed for a short interval. One was right before my rest break on a nice long flat stretch where I was able to get my speed up to 20.5 mph. The other was about halfway home on another flat piece of road where I was able to get my speed up to 20.7 mph. It felt good. Another thing I did today was ride the entire route in my big chain ring. I rarely ride using it but have decided to try and use it more often. No pain no gain.
That’s about it. It was a really great ride that left me feeling good. I saw a lot of folks this morning either running, walking, or riding. It’s always nice to see others while I’m out riding. All told, I rode 30.7 miles in 2 hours 8 minutes.
Bike Ride 30 – Neighborhood Criterium
I didn’t get up this morning at 5:00 due to not getting to bed early enough last night. I did manage to squeeze in a ride before taking my wife out of town for a pre-surgery doctor’s visit. Because of the time of day, and increased traffic, I opted to ride around my neighborhood instead. So, I got the bike ready and headed out.
After my first loop I discovered that one lap was equal to .65 miles. Almost exactly 1 K. Cool. The route reminded me of a little criterium course hence the title. I took it pretty easy for the first five or six laps. There was almost no traffic so I was able to really hammer it in the turns and work on my cornering skills. With the route I was riding, see below, there are only two significant 90 degree turns and the rest is either straightaway or sweeping turns. A couple of the laps I opened it up a little bit by shifting to the big chain ring and pushing a little harder. When recovering, instead of shifting back to the small chain ring, I just shifted to a bigger cog. I felt that I should start riding in the big chain ring more so I left it there.
I did have one moment of excitement. One one of the laps I pushed it, I shifted in front of my house, dropped into the drops and cranked it. By the end of the street I was going 21+ (I know…ludicrous speed) and setup for the right-hand turn. I carried the turn wide and noticed a minivan coming down the street. I had plenty of room and moved back over onto my side. That’s when I saw it. Crossing the street in front of me was a 3 foot long black snake. He was crossing from the lake on the right side of the road to a wooded area on the left. I moved further right to clear the snake. As I approach the snake the minivan spooks it and it performs a u-turn right at me. It then notices me and starts to freak out. I went by it pretty fast but I swear it raised up and tried to strike at me. I could be mistaken. Anyway, I made it by with no problems. Wheew!
Here’s the map of the Neighborhood Criterium.
I did notice a problem that I’m starting to have that I experienced today and last Saturday. I sweat a lot and am starting to experience some problems with sweat dripping into my eyes and causing some burning. Do any of you guys/gals have any solutions to this?
Today’s ride was just over 11 miles.
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