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RoadBikeRider.com Newsletter
Issue No. 407 - 08/20/09: Radio Outrage, Again
Produced almost every Thursday by RBR Publishing Company. E-mailed without cost or obligation to more than 62,400 roadies around the world.
Click to the RoadBikeRider.com home page to read an enhanced version of this newsletter.
In This Issue
1. Road Notes: Radio Outrage, Again
2. Coach Fred: How Important is Shoe/Pedal Weight?
3. Classifieds
4. Jim's Tech Talk: Silence is Golden, Pt. 2
5. No Problem: Helmet Replacement
6. Scott's Spin: Take My Bike, Please
7. Try This on Your Next Ride: Cross Tracks the Safe Way
8. RBR eBookstore: Top 10 August Bestsellers
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1. ROAD NOTES
ED'S NOTE: I was near the end of a 60-mile Sunday, riding a tranquil country road. Ahead was a T intersection with a 3-way stop. Behind, visible in my mirror, a car was approaching.
You know this situation. You're rolling toward a stop while a driver is closing in. What's he (or she) going to do -- courteously and safely stay behind for those final 25 meters, or squeeze past at the last second?
In this case, the guy didn't just swerve around and cut in front, he hit the brakes with his right turn signal blinking.
Severely PO'd, I veered to the left and yelled a sarcastic "THANK YOU!" at his closed window as I continued down the road.
A few seconds later it dawned on me: I'd just ridden through a stop sign while shouting at a guy for bad driving.
That driver had no respect for a cyclist a minute ago. Now I reinforced that attitude. I sure hadn't done any favors for the next roadie he comes up behind.
Cyclists' disregard of traffic laws is the main reason for drivers' disdain, if you go by the latest radio rant to cause an uproar.
Following the anti-cyclist vitriol spewed in recent years by DJ's at some Clear Channel and Entercom stations, 2 morning show hosts in Detroit have expressed their contempt for the "jerks" and "idiots" (their words) that ride bikes on public roads.
The Deminski & Doyle show is on rock station WCSX (94.7 FM, www.wcsx.com). On Aug. 6 Jeff Deminski cited a USA Today article about Colorado joining other states that have recently passed laws to improve cycling safety, such as requiring drivers to pass with a 3-foot margin. That touched a nerve, and D&D devoted a show segment to railing against such laws and bike riders in general.
Their main beef: Cyclists want drivers to obey traffic laws that favor cyclists, but cyclists disregard laws meant for all road users. The DJ's described riders "arrogantly" using the middle of the lane instead of staying to the right, not signaling turns, and the biggie -- rolling through stop signs and lights.
Here's how it was said by DJ Bill Doyle:
"If [cyclists] want to claim their legal right to be on the road, well then, obey the same laws that we have to. . . . If they would follow the rules of the road like the rest of us have to, a lot of these problems could be avoided."
That's nothing we haven't heard before. In fact, it's the other half of traffic laws in 50 states that grant cyclists the same "rights and responsibilities" as motorists.
The D&D argument went overboard. Deminski, with no understanding of bike riding, resorted to insults and name-calling and said he'd "love to lob something" at the heads of cyclists as he drives past, but added he doesn't condone doing such a thing. Too late. That allusion to violence got the attention of the League of American Bicyclists, the national cyclists' rights organization.
The next day, LAB president Andy Clarke sent a letter to WCSX parent company Greater Media suggesting that Deminski and Doyle should apologize and be censured, and that the company should join LAB in a "share the road" campaign for the Detroit area.
The League of Michigan Bicyclists then posted an open letter calling for a boycott of Greater Media radio and its advertisers, citing "intolerable remarks against bicyclists." More than 300 people have responded. Their comments are posted on the petition page.
On Aug. 10 the DJ's did a follow-up segment on what they called Bike Gate. Hardly contrite, they actually defended their arguments against road cycling and played tag team against a guest, Paul Alman from a Michigan bicycling and walking organization. Alman did a fair job for cycling but when he claimed that 99.9% of riders "are trying to do the right thing," the DJ's didn't buy it and, let's admit it, they shouldn't.
In the big picture, this Detroit dustup could just as easily have happened in hundreds of U.S. cities and towns -- and probably thousands worldwide. It's a very rare roadie that hasn't experienced driver disrespect in some form. There's no doubt it can stem from motorists irritated by seeing cyclists break traffic laws.
Here's an idea: Ride like an outlaw if you wish, but only when no one is watching.
---To hear the mp3 file of the Deminski & Doyle segment that lit the fuse, click http://tinyurl.com/r7z9jj
---To hear part 1 of the follow-up interview with cyclist Paul Alman, click http://tinyurl.com/o3apqb
---To hear part 2, click http://tinyurl.com/rxqsyh
Ed Pavelka
Editor, publisher, exhibit A
Comment
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RBR's QUESTION of the Week
This is anonymous, so be honest . . .
When riding, what do you do at red lights and stop signs?
We give you 4 ways to answer at http://www.roadbikerider.com/poll, where you can also find an archive of previous poll results. Please click, vote and come back to finish reading.
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Poachers Feared at Levi's GranFondo
The 1,500-rider limit was reached almost 2 months ahead of Levi Leipheimer's 103-mile (166-km) King Ridge GranFondo despite an entry fee of $90 (most earmarked for charity).
Now the organizer of the Oct. 3 event in scenic Sonoma County, NorCal, is bracing for "poachers" -- cyclists joining the ride without registering or paying.
"Word of a big poach is brewing," writes ride organizer Carlos Perez in an e-mail forwarded to RBR, "and it's been keeping me up at night."
Perez cites various concerns:
"A screw-up could come in the form of a non-registered rider taking somebody down or causing a scene that doesn't help the event or the perception that we actually have our sh*t together; it could come as a pack of out-of-towners riding foolhardily [on descents] or taking too much lane on Highway 1.
"All eyes are on the collective Sonoma County cycling scene -- on a global scale. If we screw this up, it's going to have long-standing consequences for all of us, including Levi, and it will be embarrassing."
Perez has decided that the best defense is a good offense. Besides event staff members at points along the course, he's planning to have at least 30 marshals on bikes. They'll be in the pack looking for cyclists that don't have event placards and asking them to leave.
As another GranFondo staffer, Jonathan Lee, puts it, "We need everyone to spread the word, keep their eyes and ears open, and be committed to politely but firmly taking action when they are aware of people looking to poach this event."
Registration is still open for the day's shorter rides of 65 and 36 miles (105 and 58 km). Info at http://www.levisgranfondo.com
Comment
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Overheard: "It makes you look forward to getting older." -- Frank Levine, a 95-year-old runner, profiled in a New York Times article about age group competition and the drugs elderly athletes are using (legal or not). Click http://tinyurl.com/m72zwz
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---"The days of selling $4,000 to $6,000 bikes slowed down this summer," noted Trek president John Burke last week at the company's dealer gathering called Trek World. America's biggest bike company has lowered the price of its entry-level road model to $600 for 2010 (down from $900). For enthusiasts, its Madone 5.1, which features the Wisconsin-made OCLV black carbon frame and can be fully customized down to the paint job, starts at $3,099. But Trek's main focus for 2010 will be on urban, city and commuter bicycles. Key will be the introduction of its new Ride+ line of electric-assist bikes. Trek plans to offer 3 e-bike models in the U.S. after partnering with BionX on the proprietary drive system, which consists of a hub motor and lithium ion battery. (Source: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News)
---The tiff between LeMond Fitness and distributor Life Fitness has been resolved. Life Fitness will continue to sell and service LeMond's RevMaster indoor exercise bike. Life Fitness parent Brunswick Corp. had filed a civil suit seeking damages of more than $3.9 million from LeMond Fitness, calling the sum compensation for customer complaints that the RevMaster Pro model wasn't functioning properly. The quality issues, according to Life Fitness, forced its early termination of the distribution agreement. LeMond Fitness then filed its own lawsuit seeking more than $1 million from Life Fitness for breaking the contract. An accord was announced last week. (Source: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News)
---Product recall: 1,500 Felt F1X cyclocross bicycles from 2007 and 2008. The fork steerer tube in these Taiwan-made bikes can break and cause the rider to lose control. The bikes have aluminum frames with carbon forks and aluminum steerer tubes. They sold new for around $1,500. If you have one, stop riding it and contact a Felt dealer for a free repair. http://www.feltracing.com
---Product recall: 2,700 Burley Design dÂ’lite ST and Solo ST child trailers from 2009. The axle assemblyÂ’s internal sleeve can loosen, causing one of the 2 wheels to separate from the trailer. The recalled trailers have serial numbers that begin with D939 or D948. They sold for about $600 from November '08 through June '09. If you have one, stop using it and contact a Burley dealer for a free repair. http://www.burley.com/STProductRecall
---New on the RBR website: We rode in 6 pairs of premium cycling shorts for more than 2,500 miles (4,025 km) to see if they're worth their price. Some are, others didn't quite measure up. Check our review and ratings at http://www.roadbikerider.com/producttests.htm
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2. COACH FRED
How Important is Shoe/Pedal Weight?
Q: How much does the combined weight of shoes, pedals and cleats affect speed? Does it make sense to look for the lightest combination? -- Dave W.
Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Only if lighter stuff is as comfortable as something heavier.
Shoe and pedal weight affects the total weight you're toting up hills, so there's a small penalty for heavier equipment.
However, the difference between commonly used lightweight shoe/pedal combos and the heaviest is only about 200 grams (7 ounces). That will cost you a few seconds on a 5-mile (8-km) climb -- negligible in most situations.
What about rotating weight? The shoe/pedal/cleat combo is in this category, like the rim/tube/tire, so the penalty for heavier equipment is magnified a bit. But because the circle scribed by your feet is much smaller in diameter than that of the wheels, again the penalty is small.
Some light shoes may not provide full support or can allow excessive pedal pressure that will limit your speed and distance. Heavier but more comfortable shoes let you ride all you want. The resulting increase in fitness will more than compensate for additional weight.
So for all of us sport/recreational roadies, rather than worrying about shoe weight, make comfort the primary consideration. This is where shoes and pedals can make the most difference in performance.
Of course, if you are racing in typically short amateur events and looking for every edge, a lightweight shoe/pedal combo might be worth any trade-off in long-distance comfort. At the other extreme, if you're doing rides, events or tours where you will be walking at stores, aid stations or for sightseeing, MTB-style shoes with recessed cleats can be a convenience worth their extra weight.
Comment
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Performance Plus
You don't need to be a racer to want to ride with greater strength, power and endurance. It's a matter of becoming a "two-wheeled athlete" -- fit, skilled and able to perform well against the full range of challenges road cycling presents.
Coach Fred Matheny understands your desire to improve. His newest eBook and 3 recent eArticles deliver the practical, doable coaching advice that helps turn aspiration into achievement.
---Climbing for Roadies: Tricks, Techniques & Training for Reaching Your Potential on Hills -- Going Up or Down (eBook)
---Peaking for a Century: A 4-Week Plan for Top Performance (eArticle)
---Power to the Pedals: An Efficient & Effective 12-week Power-Building Program (eArticle)
---Swift Endurance: How to Go the Distance Faster (eArticle)
When you click Climbing for Roadies you can read 4 informative excerpts that illustrate Coach Fred's effective, no-nonsense approach to riding your best in hilly or mountainous terrain.
Scroll the RBR eBookstore page to the eArticles section to find Peaking for a Century, Swift Endurance and Power to the Pedals (see success stories).
Order any or all today and then download instantly from your RBR account. (Your account will automatically be established during the purchase process if you're a first-time RBR customer.) Remember, we give you 5 downloads of each eBook and eArticle so you don't need to pay for replacements or upgrades to new editions.
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3. CLASSIFIEDS
Also see the Classified Ads page on the RBR website and please support these advertisers that help make this newsletter FREE for you.
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CueClip - Map/Cue Sheet Holder. World's best! Club discounts.
Emergency LED Lights, Saddle Leather Care Products,
and the Cyclewallet. http://www.cueclip.com
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Also on Classified Ads, these Roadie Ads:
---Covered Bridge Century (NH)
---Wanted: RBR cycling authors
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4. JIM'S TECH TALK
Silence is Golden, Pt. 2
Last week's column about silencing road bike noises elicited so many great responses that I want to pass along several.
Let's start with 2 from Craig Calfee, one of the pioneers of modern carbon-fiber technology. He's the genius behind every handcrafted Calfee carbon frame as well as his company's totally green bamboo frames. Take a look at http://www.calfeedesign.com
Craig writes, "I was working neutral support at Ironman Hawaii and we were checking over a pro's new bike. He said it worked fine but had a strange creak when he applied real pressure to the chain, as in climbing. After checking everything and replacing most of the components, we were still stumped.
"The final thing to consider was the brand-new, well-lubed Shimano chain. It seemed fine, but with this being our last option we replaced it anyway. The creak went away. I've since seen that happen on only one other bike with a new Shimano chain."
Tip: This outside-the-box thinking is sometimes the only way to cure a strange noise. When you've tried all the usual possibilities, try something not so obvious.
Craig's second tale is about creaking cassettes.
"Certain early 10-speed Campy cassettes with separate cogs will creak if the cassette body is not completely slathered with heavy waterproof grease before installing the cogs," Craig writes. "This is actually pretty common.
"A dealer and his customer came to see me with a bike, absolutely certain it was the frame making the noise. I couldn't find anything wrong so I switched to a Shimano rear wheel and the noise went away.
"The Campy cogs have only four points of contact with the cassette body. Shimano has nine. But now that cogs are pinned together it seems to solve the problem."
Tip: When putting cogs on a hub, rotate them clockwise (the direction the chain pulls) before firmly tightening the cassette lockring.
Next, here's a great silencer if you have Mavic wheels, sent in by RBR reader Jody D.
"On Mavic front hubs there are small aluminum axle caps (not the adjuster rings that take a pin spanner). These caps meet the fork dropouts on each side of the hub. They can be pulled off the axle by hand and usually have an internal rubber O-ring that mates with a groove on the axle.
"These caps bear down on the hub bearings. Creaking occurs at their interface with the bearings when you are torqueing on the handlebar while climbing or sprinting. The noise is caused by the small amount of movement (dry contact) between the two surfaces. It is easily mistaken for a creaking handlebar, bottom bracket, cracked frame, etc.
"To diagnose it, try a non-Mavic front wheel. To fix it, pull off both axle caps and liberally grease the inside surfaces as well as where the axle caps meet the hub bearings (not the dropout side).
"I have firsthand knowledge of this noise coming from the front hubs of Mavic's Ksyrium, Cosmos and Helium wheels, and I can see it happening on any other Mavic hubs that use this design."
Finally, here are 3 unusual bike-quieting suggestions posted on last week's Cycling Commentary page.
---A reader named Ann offered, "I find that silicone caulk works very well on many of the connector-generated squeaks, creaks, etc., and it's much cheaper than Loctite or epoxy."
---Another reader mentioned an annoying tick, tick, tick that stumped him on many rides until he realized that his shoelaces were striking the crankarms on each revolution.
---And Ray in Pittsburgh sheepishly admitted concern about a strange rattle until he remembered the ice cubes in his water bottle.
Keep your solutions coming and we'll make the cycling world a quieter place -- one click, creak or clunk at a time.
Comment
(Jim Langley has been a pro mechanic and cycling writer for 37 years. At RBR he's the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop and moderator of the "Roadie Rap" technical forums on the Premium Site. Check his personal website at http://www.jimlangley.net, his Q&A blog and updates at Twitter. Jim's streak of consecutive cycling days has reached 5,698.)
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David Ertl is a USA Cycling Level 1 coach who specializes in helping roadies gain the most from every ride they take. Hundreds of cyclists are already benefiting from his 2 new eBooks at RBR: Training for Busy Cyclists and 101 Cycling Workouts.
The first eBook shows you how to make the most of just 3-5 hours of riding per week. The second ensures that you won't get bored with training on the bike, in the weight room or when crosstraining.
To read excerpts and see the tables of content, visit the RBR eBookstore. Order today and download instantly from your RBR account.
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5. NO PROBLEM!
Helmet Replacement
What's the matter? Your helmet is several seasons old but appears to be in good condition. However, even though you haven't damaged it in a crash or with rough treatment, you've heard that helmets lose some of their protective ability as they age. You're wondering if you should junk this skid lid and buy a new one.
Here's help: It's often recommended that a helmet worn frequently should be replaced every 3 years or so. The reason is that the foam degrades due to sun, heat, salty sweat and other environmental factors, added to the usual knocks of regular cycling activity. These things make the foam unable to provide full protection in the event of a head impact.
A helmet should certainly be replaced after it's smacked in a crash or even dented by a hard drop.
However, some experts (presumably those not working for helmet companies) maintain that a helmet will do the job no matter what its age as long as it's undamaged. In their view, there is no age limit.
There's no arguing, though, that buying a new helmet every 3 years will keep you current with comfort and safety features as well as style.
It's remarkable the improvements we've seen in helmet lightness, ventilation and fit. Almost every new model has a "cradle" for the lower rear of the head. This makes a helmet more stable on bumps and rough roads, and it'll stay in place better when the reason for wearing a helmet is happening.
You can find big savings on some of this year's helmets when next year's models are introduced. Check bike shops and catalogs, find the price and style you like, then wear that nice new helmet on every ride you take.
Comment
(Adapted from Coach Fred's Solutions to 150 Road Cycling Challenges)
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6. SCOTT'S SPIN
Take My Bike, Please
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. government's popular "cash for clunkers" auto rebate program is just the beginning, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced yesterday.
Next up: Dollars for 'Dozers, in which the hard-hit construction industry can trade in its aging bulldozers and get money to buy new earth-moving equipment. That will be followed by Moolah for Mowers, under which struggling suburbanites can swap their decrepit riding mowers for funds to purchase new Lawn-Boys.
More importantly, RBR has learned that the federal government soon will unveil Bucks for Bikes, in which cyclists can exchange their steel-framed, toe clip-equipped, friction-shifting bicycles for cash to buy a new bike or cycling accessory.
"This will revitalize America's crucial bike business," said Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, "not to mention other key economic sectors such as the Ridiculously Light Wheel Producers and the Carbon Fiber Doodads Manufacturers, which employ up to many dozens of hard-working, tax-paying, mortgage-defaulting Americans."
Bucks for Bikes attracted vital bipartisan support when former President George W. Bush announced he will participate by trading in MTB-1, the Trek mountain bike emblazoned with the presidential seal, which he rode during his 2 terms in the Oval Office.
"Originally I planned to sell MTB-1 on eBay," Bush told Fox News. "But then I thought, 'What if some evildoer bought it and used it in a plot to do evil?'"
Bucks for Bikes is not without critics, however. CNN commentator Lou Dobbs demanded that the program exclude "foreign-born" bikes made in China, Italy and other "un-American" locations.
Despite such opposition, Congress is expected to approve funding for Bucks for Bikes -- right after it solves the health care crisis.
Comment
(Scott Martin's eBook, Spin Again, contains 181 of his witty, sometimes wacky, and occasionally heart-felt observations on road cycling. Enjoy 3 classic Spins again and place your order -- instant delivery by download -- at http://www.roadbikerider.com/sa_page.htm.)
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If you like this newsletter, you'll love being a Premium Site member. The 10 exclusive membership benefits include a 15% discount on everything RBR sells, 3 free eBooks downloads, the Roadie Rap forum with more than 2,000 posts, and 265 web pages of expert content to help you ride better and enjoy road cycling more. See all the details and become a member instantly at http://www.roadbikerider.com/inside.htm
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7. TRY THIS ON YOUR NEXT RIDE
Cross Tracks the Safe Way
Although they're not as common as they once were on U.S. roads, railroad tracks pose a substantial cycling hazard. We know a couple of good riders who've managed to fall on them. One fractured his pelvis.
Being metal, tracks are very slippery when wet. They may be higher than the road surface, posing a risk of pinch flats or dinged rims. The pavement surrounding them may have hazardous cracks or gaps.
Here are 4 tips for getting across without squaring up your wheels or falling over:
---Be perpendicular. If the tracks slant across the road, check behind for traffic and adjust your position in the lane to cross as close to 90 degrees as you can.
---Look for a smooth crossing. Sometimes the road and track level will be more even in the center of the lane where car wheels don't travel. Or it may be smoother along the road edge. Check on the approach and cross where rails protrude less, traffic permitting.
---Ride like a jockey. Slow down, coast, hold the crankarms horizontal and support your weight on your hands and feet over the center of the bike. Raise your butt an inch above the saddle. If the tracks are nearly flush with the road surface, glide right over.
---Levitate over tall rails. Just before your front wheel contacts a rail protruding from the road surface, shift your weight back a bit and pull up lightly on the handlebar. Do it again for the second rail. Then move forward to lighten the hit on the rear wheel as it rolls over. Do not exaggerate these movements; small weight shifts are enough to reduce the impacts to a safe level at low speed.
What about bunny hopping the tracks? Skilled riders can do it, but we don't recommend it. Bunny hopping two rails requires high speed at lift-off. A miscalculation will bang the rear wheel into the second rail, causing a near-certain pinch flat, dinged rim or even a crash.
Comment
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8. RBR eBOOKSTORE
"Awesome! Thank you very much. Your policies have to be the best in the publishing industry! Such informative material too. Just awesome. Thanks again!" -- Larry W.
What has Larry so fired up? RBR provides not just 1 but 5 downloads of every eBook and eArticle purchased. So when Larry wondered about buying the new 4th edition of Bike Fit, we told him he didn't need to. As a previous purchaser of that eBook, the new edition had automatically been put into his RBR account.
So far, 5 eBooks sold at RBR have been updated with new editions. The original purchasers haven't had to pay a penny to download them -- not even when the price increased.
The best policies in the publishing industry? We're trying!
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Premium Site annual members automatically receive a 15% discount on every eBook, eArticle or other products in the RBR eBookstore.
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TOP 10: August eBook Bestsellers
1. Peaking for a Century -- (eArticle) a 4-week training plan for top performance, plus event-day success tips, by Coach Fred Matheny
2. Climbing for Roadies -- training, tactics & techniques for rising to your potential when roads tilt up, by Coach Fred Matheny
3. Power to the Pedals (eArticle) -- a 12-week, 1-hour-per-workout power-building cycling program by Coach Fred Matheny
4. Swift Endurance (eArticle) -- Coach Fred Matheny's "you can" training program for going the distance faster
5. Andy Pruitt's Medical Guide for Cyclists -- the original manual for professional bike fit, injury diagnosis & treatment by Andy Pruitt, Ed.D.
6. Fred Matheny's Complete Book of Road Bike Training -- SAVE! The Coach's 4 training eBooks all under one cover
7. Finding the Perfect Bicycle Seat, 2nd Edition -- how to choose the safest, most comfortable saddle for your anatomy (men & women)
8. Training for Busy Cyclists -- how to become significantly fitter & stronger in just 3-5 hours of riding per week, by Coach David Ertl
9. The Ride of Your Life -- cycling time management, goal setting and keys to achievement by long-distance specialist David Rowe
10. 101 Cycling Workouts -- never get bored or stuck in a training rut on the bike, crosstraining or weight training, by Coach David Ertl
Find these helpful "how to" cycling publications, and 36 others, in the RBR eBookstore.
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Thanks for reading, and for your support of RoadBikeRider.com.
2012 RBC Jersey Contest
