Rider of the Day #8

It has been a couple of days since I was able to photograph a rider of the day. Not for lack of trying mind you, but for lack of riders that I have seen. Today though, while waiting at a stop light on Fenton to cross Colesville Rd in Silver Spring, I caught this strapping young man in my cameras lense making him Rider of the Day #8. Keep Riding.

words and photos by Ray Heinsman   

Walmart Bicycle Vs Bike Shop Bicycle: Why Pay More?

You get what You pay for.

In the bicycle world, when buying bikes that cost less then $1500, this is very true. Over that price, the differences for the average enthusiast are less significant.  Working in bike shops for the last 18 years, there has been a question I have been asked over and over again.

Why should I buy a bike at my local bike shop for $350 instead of a bike from a department store like Wal-mart, Target, or Kmart for $150? Top Photo

In this article I am going to present evidence that the person paying $150 at a department store is going to pay more then $200 to repair the bike over the next 5 years. This person will also ride the bike less and put themselves at a higher risk for serious injury while doing so.  Consumer Reports has a pretty decent article that glances over the some of the pros and cons comparing bicycle shops to department stores. What are your priorities when buying a bike? Most people I talk to want a product that functions and fits properly. They do not know a lot about bikes, so they rely on someone with expertise to help them out.

Spend $350 now or more then that later.

When purchasing a bicycle from a department store, there is no knowledgeable staff on hand to assist you. The bicycles are usually poorly assembled and do not function properly from the moment they are purchased. A bicycle brought to a bicycle shop will cost at least $75 to assemble properly. That is to ensure that your brakes stop, gears shift, parts are properly lubed and bolts are securely tightened. Department store assembly people get paid by the bike. The more bikes they assemble, the more money they make per hour. The store requirements for a proper assembly are minimal: all parts must be attached. I only know of one person who was able to put the bikes together at a Toys "R" Us properly and it was because he happened to be a bike guy who cared. There were exceptions (he doesn't work there now), but those exceptions are rare. I know someone who bought a bike from Target and the rear hub broke in the 3rd month of ownership. He only rode it to get from the paint shop to the wood shop at our local union carpenters millwork facility. During that time it never shifted properly and the brakes always rubbed due to the wheel being out of true. He spent almost $100 to get it repaired. The quality of the parts used on department store bikes are highly inferior to those found on bicycles in a local bike shop. I have seen handlebars droop because they were made of such cheap steel they bent in the 1st year of riding. I have seen frame parts bend because they are thin plate steel instead of the thick machined pieces found on real bikes. Bikes bought at department stores are not able to be brought back to the store for maintenance so the owner has to bring it to a shop. Griffin Cycle has free maintenance for the first 15 months on bikes purchased from them. That is two seasons of lubing the chain and adjusting the mechanisms. That is worth over $150 right there.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike......but I can't.

Why not? Because its broke, it sucks, its heavy, it doesn't work right. A bicycle is a vehicle. It is used for transportation and for recreation. When the bicycle makes grinding noises, has little air in the tires and is heavy, it can become almost impossible to pedal and the sound is annoying. When riding a bicycle for transportation, you want to get there faster then walking. You want to get there quietly and you want to get there without anything breaking. A local bicycle shop usually gives their customers free air. Parts that break will be covered under a warranty. A bicycle bought at a shop weighs almost 10lbs less on average. Also, a properly fit bicycle is easier to ride. Your legs fully extend giving you the most power, your body is in the proper position to breath easily, and your arms are at a comfortable width. When a bicycle works and fits well, you enjoy riding it, you enjoy looking at it, and you want to ride it again. When it doesn't work and fit well, you ball up into the fetal position at the thought of putting it between your legs, you look at it with disgust, and you never want to ride it again.

Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!

Why are you just laying there? I'm hurt. Why are you hurt? My pedal broke; My chain slipped; My seat broke and the list went on and on and........ These are all reasons why riding a bike with adequately well made parts is important. On a bicycle you can hit speeds in excess of 20mph pedaling on a neighborhood street. Ever hit the pavement at that speed? It sucks. Your skin falls off like a zombie with leprosy. How else can I get hurt riding my bike? An improper fit can do it rather easily. If the bike is too small, your knees are too bent when you ride. This will ruin your knees in no time. You will also hit your foot on the front wheel or bang your knee on the handlebar. Ouch. When your bike is too big, you get all stretched out. Making a quick turn to avoid a car or pothole is almost impossible and bang, you just hit the pavement and lost more skin. Your back will creek and ache and ask you to stop riding before too long. If you slip off the handlebar and smack you face on the stem you can say goodbye to a couple of teeth.

I want a bike. What do I do?

In the DC area, I can suggest a few shops that I have had good experiences with or heard good things about.

Griffin Cycle is in Bethesda MD.  Germantown Cycles is in Germantown, MD.   Spokes etc has several locations in Northern VA.   Silver Cycles is located in Silver Spring, MD. If you are not in the DC area, the websites these shop names link to will have reviews of a local bike shop in your area to try out. GO to one of these shops and ask one of their knowledgeable sales staff to help you determine what kind of bike you need. They will also fit the bike to you. They may have to swap out a stem or change your seat and many times there is little or no charge for this. If you do not have enough money now, waiting a few months to save enough will result in owning a bike that is a joy to ride, safe to ride, and will last a long time.

This is all good, but the department store is still cheaper

Supporting your local bike shop supports your community. Many have group rides bringing people who ride bikes in your community together. The bike shop owner is able to work with you and your concerns as opposed to the department store manager who has to follow some large corporation's rules. A local bike shop spends money in your neighborhood as opposed to sending the profits to some far off distant mother-ship. Local bike shops have people who are experts at a trade as opposed to department stores who are experts at putting blue dot stickers on stuff. Your local shop lets you take the bike for a test ride; so you get to be seen looking beautiful riding a new bike before you even spend any money. The list is endless.

Ride Hard. Ride Safe. Ride with a smile on your face.

words by Ray Heinsman  

NYC - More people on bikes then anywhere in the US

http://www.manhattanstyle.com/news/cycling-rises-by-28-in-new-york-city/
“I think, it’s kind of amazing comparing the number of riders now to 1980s.” ....it would be rightful to refer to bicycling as a mainstream means of travel.........

Rider of the Day #7

Todays rider of the day was one of my favorite photographs so far. Not because of composition or light value, but because the subject looked so pleased with herself peddling across Colesville Rd at Georgia.

words and photos by Ray Heinsman    

Pump It Up P2: Pressure

How much do I pump my tires up? Too often I see people riding with too little air in their tires. This increases drag, instability and flat occurrence. Putting air into a tire creates air pressure. The appropriate quantity of pressure depends on two things: rim construction and tire construction. Different types of bikes employ different types of rims and tires. This second part of the two part series will provide a casual overview of how much air you should put into different types of bikes. Always refer to your bikes owners manuals and note the pressure indicated on the side of your tire before going at it.

Type 1: Hybrid

This is the most common type of bike sold today. Hybrids have a 1 to 1 1/2 inch wide tires and usually require between 70 - 100 pounds per square inch (PSI). 

Type 2: Mountain Bike

The mountain bike is a little trickier as their are two types of tires and rims now used on mountain bikes. The average person is probably still using a tube tire and this tire when used off-road should have between 40 and 50 psi on rough terrain to avoid pinch flats. The more serious enthusiasts and racers are probably using a tubless tire and these can run significantly less pressure, usually between 25 and 35 psi.

Type 3: Road Bike

Road bikes require incredibly high tire pressure. Because the tires are usually around 1"with, put 90 to 120 psi into these tires.

Type 4: BMX Bike

Not to be confused with kids bikes, BMX bikes are used for stunts and their tire pressure can vary greatly depending on the rider and the stunts performed. BMX racers and dirt jumpers usually have around 50 - 70 psi. Park riders and flatland can have tires that are between 60 and 100 psi.

Type 5: Beach Cruiser or Classic Bike

The beach cruiser uses between 30 and 40 psi. 

Type 6: The Three Speed

The three speed is difficult because it uses thin tires, but the steel rims cannot hold that much pressure. I usually put exactly 60psi in my tires for each ride. 

I hope this helps when the question arises concerning pumping it up. Always be safe and follow instructions in your owners manual. 

Have a nice ride.

words and photos by Ray Heinsman   

Pump It Up P1: Valve Types

I get asked all the time about pumping up bicycle tires. This is the first part of two to explain how to pump it up. First, you will need a pump. I recommend purchasing a pump constructed of metal with a gauge similar to this: http://www.topeak.com/products/Floor-Pumps/JoeBlowSport which costs around or below 40 dollars.

There are two types of valves commonly employed in maintaining a proper tire pressure.

Schrader Valve

The Schrader Valve is used for tires that only need to hold up to 40 lbs consistently. Any more pressure then this and it loses air too quickly requiring you to pump it up every time you ride. The first step is to remove the cap by unscrewing it.

This is what the Schrader Valve looks like on my 3 speed bike:

Then you push the pumps nozzle onto the valve and engage the clamp by flipping the lever. All pumps do not use the same nozzle so refer to your pumps owners manual to know how your particular pump operates. Once it is secure, inflate the tire to the recommended pressure on the side of your tire.

After you are done pumping it up, remove the nozzle head, replace the valve cap and go for a ride.

Presta Valves

Presta Valves are used for tires that require more then 40 lbs of pressure as their construction holds higher pressures better. They look a little different and require an extra step to inflate. There are adapters to convert one to the other, and we will address adapters at a different time. 

The first step is to remove your valve cap.

This is what your presta valve looks like:

On the top of the valve is a tiny little thumb screw. You must unscrew this in order to get air into your tire. 

Once it is unscrewed, put your pumps nozzle head onto the valve and engage the clamp. You will notice that this time I am using the opposite side of the nozzle head and flipping the lever again in the upward direction. This particular pump I am using has what is called a flip flop nozzle head. Pump up your tire to the recommended pressure written on the side of the tire.

After you are done pumping it up, remove the nozzle head, TIGHTEN THE VALVES THUMB SCREW, and replace the valve cap.

I hope this helps explain how to pump up the different types of tire valves on your bicycle. Part 2 will explain how much air pressure to put in your tires.

words and photos by Ray Heinsman    

There was no one else

Today it was raining. I saw no one else riding on my ride. I am sure there were others, but they weren't in sight during the times I was out there. So todays rider of the day #6 is me. I took this picture when I was 1/4 mile from home.

words and photos by Ray Heinsman    

Bicycle Rim Table

I made this table for my Best Man and Friend Ryan and his wife Amanda for their wedding in Buffalo on December 31st 2005. For about a decade, when any of my friends got married I made a piece of furniture for them.

Constructed from bicycle rims that I bent while riding with Ryan in the Buffalo Niagara Area, I came up with a very rigid design. Two rims were cut in half and another was left whole. I designed a clamp that connected them all together and had 8 identical cut from a 23 layer, 5/8"tk plywood. Those layers were very thin. Each one used 2: 6-32 thread allen head bolts to clamp them together.

The top is a polished 42"dia X 1/2"tk tempered glass top with polished edges.

words, furniture and photos by Ray Heinsman    

More the 200,000 in NYC transporting by bicycle

Build it and they will ride. That’s the message conveyed in the latest annual estimate of the number of bicyclists in New York City by Transportation Alternatives, which found roughly 236,000 New Yorkers riding each day in 2009, up 28 percent from 185,000 daily riders the year before.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/more-than-200000-a-day-now-cycling/

Is Drunk Cycling OK?

Drunk Cycling is quickly becoming the talk of the town. 
This blog has some humorous suggestions:
http://www.blurofinsanity.com/biking.html
The Washington Post is commenting due to a court ruling recently saying bicycles and vehicles are the same thing:
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/local-breaking-news/dc/biking-and-drinking-not-in-dc.html
Here is a poll to voice your opinion on the Washington Post:
http://views.washingtonpost.com/post-user-polls/2010/04/is-biking-and-drinking-ok.html
This blog makes some valid comments but I have to say that I do not agree with all of them:
http://www.thewashcycle.com/2010/04/cui-versus-dwi.html


What do you think?
Is it OK?
Should the law for non-motorized vehicles be the same as the law for motorized vehicles?
Have you ever ridden a bicycle after tipping back a few?

words by Ray Heinsman