Another May

Well, it's May again and that means Bike Month. A few years ago I pledged 600 miles and barely made it. This year I pledged 500. I hope to easily eclipse that total, but you never know.

Yesterday I took the mountain bike out for a nice 40-mile mixed surface ride. I was pretty tired afterward due to all the climbing. I know I could log a lot more miles if I used the road bike, but I really like this type of riding.

On a ridge looking east.

Great dirt road downhill.

Gravel road through farmland.

On the levee near Brown's Ravine. The lake is very high.

Probably the highest point in El Dorado Hills. This house has a fantastic view.

I may have previously mentioned that I have a few bikes in the stable. One thing that has given me constant grief is keeping all the computers running. The batteries were always dying, sensors broke, magnets fell off—it drove me crazy.

A GPS would have been a fine alternative, but everything I read in the past really turned me off. They were expensive, fragile and suffered early on from communication problems. Plus, they offered many functions I just don't care about. I don't need mapping or navigation. I KNOW where I am going when I ride.

Then Garmin recently released the Edge 200. It just gives you the basic functions of a cycling computer without the need for sensors or calibration. You power it on, stick it on the bike, and off you go. And the best part is it only costs $149.

I couldn't be happier with the Edge 200. It just works. And when you get home you can upload your data to the web site and everything is graphed for you. Cool stuff. Check it out.

Later.

Click to enlarge.

Snow Bike?

The forecast for this past weekend called for clear skies Friday and Monday, providing the perfect conditions for traveling to and from the Sierras. With snow predicted for Saturday and Sunday, it seemed like a great opportunity to finally put the Pugsley's tires in some fresh snow.

We anticipated a lot of traffic due to skiers and boarders who might be thinking the same. However, the roads were empty all the way to Incline. In fact, the town was empty all weekend.

Saturday came and went without a single flake of snowfall. Same with Sunday. I went for a ride on Sunday anyway and still had fun even though the snow was patchy at best.

Up the trail was much of the same: sand, sand, sand.

The view to the south.

I ran my tire pressure lower than I ever have, and the performance on the sand was incredible. I climbed the entire length of Tunnel Creek without working that hard. The downside was the bike was a little bouncy on the descent. With clipless pedals it would have been fine, but I am still not comfortable with flat pedals. I really didn't feel secure going down hill.

I finished up with a few miles of singletrack in town. I always forget how much fun the bike is in "regular" conditions. I am learning to trust the tires and really push the bike hard in the corners. At times there seems to be no limit to the traction.

I rolled back to the condo satisfied with a fun ride, but a little bummed out that I would again go home without riding in the snow.

*****

On Monday morning my son ran into our bedroom and announced, "It's snowing!" So much for weather forecasts. I looked out the window and sure enough, a couple inches had fallen and more was coming down. I checked our outdoor thermometer and it read 25 degrees. I had never attempted to ride in those conditions, but it was time to try.

I put on my snowboard pants, wool socks, a balaclava, a base layer, jacket, vest, bright orange windbreaker and gloves, and hoped it would be enough to keep me warm. I rolled out the door and finally felt fresh powder under my tires. It was awesome.

As I rolled down the road I hit the brakes a few times to find the traction limit, and there really wasn't any. The tires pack the snow as they go and the knobbies dig right in. I hit about 25 miles per hour on the first downhill and the bike was completely stable.

I made my way to a paved trail in town. When covered in snow, it's really no different than a dirt trail.

After that I rode on some "dirt" trails. Except for being a little bumpier, it's all the same when covered in snow.

Since I have slipped on wet wood before, I crossed this bridge with care.

With the snowfall obscuring the mountains to the west, it appears I am on the ocean.

I then took a short jaunt along the lake. The sand was damp and slightly frozen, so it was easy going.

After about 90 minutes of riding I called it a day. I stayed warm except for the tips of my fingers. The Pearl Izumi gloves didn't cut it at 25 degrees.

Riding in the snow was a blast and had it not been for frozen fingers, I could have done it for hours. Can't wait to do it again.

Later.

New Camera

I bought a new video camera. I'm going to, you know, make videos and whatnot. I guess.

It's my first feature film, but it's pretty awesome. I really think I have a future in film making.

Later.

Evolution

Much like the 29er movement from a few years ago, the fat bike is gaining momentum in the market. The question is: Will it ever be more than a niche product?

In 2004 I bought a Karate Monkey. At that time, not many people knew what a 29er was. To me it just made sense, so I took the plunge and ordered one online without ever seeing a 29er in person. Eight years later 29ers are everywhere, because apparently they really did make sense.

I'm a little late arriving to the fat bike party. The "snow people" have been riding them for a while now, but here in California they are still a novelty. I think once people realize this isn't just a bike for nutjobs in Minnesota and Alaska, the platform will take off.

I have been watching what On One is doing with their fat bike with great interest. I am a big fan of On One anyway, and I think they are bringing a different perspective to the table. This bike isn't being designed for the typical snow or sand riding. They are aiming at something with fat tires that handles like . . . a mountain bike.

I like the Surly just fine. The Pugsley is a monster truck—stable and predictable—that crushes everything in its path. But so far it's kind of tall and short for my liking. Not bad for what it's designed for, but I am still a racer at heart. I can't help but wonder about a bike that's a little bit more like an off-road racer: longer, lower, steeper and quicker.

That said, I have yet to dip the Pugs' tires in snow, where I hear the benefits of slower steering will become more apparent. Hopefully it will eventually snow in the Sierras.

At any rate, it's going to be fun watching this species evolve.

Later.

Fat Tour

I got out for a little tour of Incline Village today. Nothing too difficult, though, since I was a bit sore from the previous day's efforts. A couple hours of basketball at the recreation center in the morning and a 2.5-hour hike in the afternoon had really taxed some normally unused muscles. Ah, the plight of the aging cyclist.

I was surprised to see the beaches open, with nobody manning the gates. In my experience Incline Village doesn't miss many opportunities to generate income. Normally there wouldn't be any money to be had because the beaches should be covered in six feet of snow, but there were actually a lot of people out there enjoying a balmy January day on the sand.

I rode along the water for a while, but the unusual consistency of the sand made it tough. I had managed to stay on top of all the sand I had tried riding prior to today, but this stuff was different—course and seemingly light in weight. Even riding in the "sweet spot" at the water line didn't work. In fact, it became even softer, like quicksand. It was the first time the Pugs failed at something, so I was bummed out.

I moved on to some local trails nestled in the middle of town. Once I started exploring this summer, I found little gems hidden here and there. With a little effort you can link some things together and have a nice little ride.

I took a few timer pics. This one I immediately tossed aside because of the weird exposure and graininess. Then the more I looked at it, the more I liked it.

It wasn't the most exciting ride ever, but the Pugs is still new enough that I get a kick out of riding it.

Later.

New Year's Break

We decided to head up to the condo for New Year's. As anyone who lives in the area is well aware, there hasn't been much rain in Sacramento and little snow in the Sierras. This has the Tahoe locals a bit freaked out. Whereas there should have been plenty of skis and snowboards on the roof racks, instead I saw many cars still carrying bikes. Not good for the ski businesses and Tahoe in general. On the plus side, it was pretty darn quiet in Incline Village.

When I bought the Pugsley I had planned for the holiday weekend to be a snow biking trip. The lack of snow made me strongly consider taking the 29er instead, but in the end I decided to bring the Pugs anyway. I thought if I climbed up high enough I might put my tires in some kind of frozen substance.

I thought the Flume Trail might be tailor-made for the Pugs. The climbing might not favor this bike, but the amount of sand on the ride certainly would.

Tunnel Creek Road is a climb I generally avoid unless we have had some rain to firm things up. It's a steep, sandy, 1600-foot ascent that I have probably complained about before. The Pugs made the sandy nature of the climb a non-factor. Because of the beach riding I have done, I knew the fat tires would perform well on the sandy climb, but I did not anticipate how well; compared to a normal tire it was night and day. The only downside was the fact that the Pugs is a pig. Hauling a 36-pound beast up a long, steep climb isn't easy. Still, the floatation "outweighed" the Pugsley's weight.

On a normal mountain bike I usually bog down a couple times in the deeper sand, but on the Pugsley I cleaned the entire three-mile climb. This was shocking to me since I really expected to do some pushing. To look at the bike, one wouldn't think "climbing machine."

On the last third of the climb I encountered a number of sections featuring frozen snow and sheets of ice. I kept my spin smooth and even, and I motored right over these obstacles with minimal slippage.

Once I crested the top the bike really came alive. I have ridden the Flume so many times over the years that it's become a little boring--relegated to a once or twice a year trail. The Pugs made it all new and fun again. I actually caught myself making motorcycle noises once, which isn't normal behavior for me. Ever.

The Flume alternated between dry sand, snow and ice along its 5-mile length. The bike handled it all well. I rode with care on the way out, but on the way back I was confident enough to really open it up, and I stopped slowing down for ice and snow. Even frozen ice ruts, which can be treacherous on a normal bike, offered little to be worried about. I only had one instance when the back end came around a bit, but a quick dab was all it took to straighten back up.

The descent back down Tunnel Creek was awesome. I slowed down for the ice fields but otherwise blasted down the rest. The wheel-sucking sand simply wasn't an issue like it is on a normal bike. Even the hairpin with the really deep sand, a corner that usually causes me to slow way down, was a piece of cake.

I rolled up to my front door with a nice 22-mile ride under my belt. The bike performed better than expected. This ride blurred the line of what I originally thought the bike was made for. I can't wait to get this thing in some snow.

Later.

Getting Fat

No, I'm not talking about myself. Really. Are you looking at my gut?

Some years back Surly released a bike called the Pugsley. It featured huge, four-inch tires. It's main purpose, at the time, was for riding in snow.  I looked at it and thought, "Meh." Not for me. I can't stand the cold.

Time went by, and we bought a place in Tahoe. I revisited acquiring one of these beasts, now referred to as fat bikes. In the end I just didn't think I would use it in the snow enough to warrant the purchase.

Then I saw a thread on the MTBR fat bike forum dedicated to beach riding pictures. I knew then that I wanted one. The thought of riding along a beautiful beach with the Pacific Ocean lapping at my feet sounded awesome.

After a little eBay and Craigslist liquidating for funds, I had the bike in hand. The maiden voyage would not be along the ocean, however, but along Folsom Lake.

I started on the far south side of Beal's Point near the Dyke. The water is getting low, so there was plenty of exposed lake bed to explore.

One of the weird things right off the bat was riding with flat pedals. After riding with clipless pedals for 18 years, it took some getting used to. I didn't know what the hell to wear, so I went with these Nikes. They worked fine.

I figured that the bike would do well, but I tried to temper my expectations. I didn't want to over-hype it in my head and be disappointed. Not an issue. The bike rolled over everything.

This was the only place I fumbled on the entire ride. After dropping the air pressure in the tires, I motored right through this deep sand. Like most people do, I started with too much pressure. It's just hard to wrap your head around 10 PSI when you see it on the pressure gauge.

At times it wasn't that hard to imagine myself on the ocean.

Some of the granite areas like this one were fun to navigate.

This point reminded me a bit of Monterey, complete with sea birds on the water.

Lunch time.

Enough said.

This section was challenging, but I made it through.

Red Solo Cup:

This is the basic route going from south to north. Probably about six miles of beach. The water is currently lower than when this Google Earth image was taken.

I was out for about three hours and I had a blast. It's pretty cool to ride wherever the heck you want and have a bike that handles it with ease. Without the need for an actual trail, a lot of new riding possibilities are now open to me. I am wondering if I can actually ride around the entire lake . . .

Later.