Park Avenue : NYC

This year has seen Park Avenue, NYC, closed at the weekends for pedestrians, cyclists, in-line skaters, skate-boarders, etc ...

See some nice images here.

Griggstown Grind : 2008

Tuesday evenings won't be the same until next year ...

Yesterday saw the last of my regular Tuesday evening rides for this season.

The Griggstown Grind is a tour of the many pretty and just tough enough lanes and hills around The Sourlands.

Whoever said that there is no nice countryside in New Jersey? Okay, maybe nobody actually said it, but I think it's a surprise to most people how pleasant central Jersey can be.

I have only really started regularly cycling this year, so the first couple of times were quite tough. A new bike and new legs have helped make the Grind not so hard in the last few weeks.

No-one is dropped on the Griggstown Grind. Everyone is keen, but not too keen, if you know what I mean. Thanks to all regulars; Beth, Steve, Jeff, Geoff, Lyn, and, especially Diane for organising and keeping the ride together.

See you next year.

Tyres, Punctures ... and more Stuff

Of course, I should have mentioned ...

Even with my recent good fortune regarding the lack of punctures - I know I'm going to regret saying that - there is still an occasional need to remove and replace tyres.

I have been using a device which people either seem to love - ***** - or think is totally useless - *.

Easing tyres, especially kevlar beaded ones, on and off a rim can be quite frustrating. And how many times do you end up pinching the inner tube between the bead and the rim with inevitable results? Well, I can't praise the Crank Brother's Speed Lever enough.

To get a tyre off, just extend the lever - it's like a telescope - hook the lever under the bead and clip the other end onto the axle, push the lever around the rim, like a second hand on a clock, and the tyre just pops off the rim.

Reverse is rather more conventional, but the lever is much more helpful at avoiding pinches than conventional levers.

Like I said, reviews of the Speed Lever are either five star or very poor. I can't help thinking the people who don't like it are doing something wrong because it just seems to work so well for me.

Tyres, Punctures ... Stuff

Over the years I have been plagued with punctures here. The sides of the road are often strewn with broken glass and wire.

I recall getting punctures on three consecutive rides. Pretty dismal.

So naturally, I've put some thought into this and there are probably more effective solutions this has worked for me.

My current road bike came equipped with Michelins which are very good tyres. However, my attachment to Continentals meant that the bike shop fitted GP 4-Seasons.

First impressions are that these are very good tyres. But, as you might expect, they don't seem as free rolling as the GP4000s I used on the my old Trek road bike. However, as the seasons change, the heavier duty construction will come into its own.

I think, though, next spring will see a change to GP4000Ss - the nice shiny black ones with silver graphics. That should match the Giant nicely ;-)

Now, paranoia means that I am also using a tyre sealant. The big seller here is Slime, but I've been trying the equally enticingly named Sludge - a big seller in Africa, apparently.

The advantage Sludge claims is that, firstly, it is thin enough to be introduced into the inner tube via a presta valve. I have done this. It is quite an easy task. Secondly, it claims to vulcanise any leak that does occur.

Does it work? Well, I haven't had a puncture ... but who knows? Maybe the Contis reinforced layer actually does it?

The Giant frame means that my lovely Blackburn frame fit pump no longer fits ... I let it go with the Trek.

About the only thing that will fit would be some sort of compact pump, but I've never really got on with those, so I'm trying this; the Genuine Innovations CO2 Air Chuck. Hopefully I won't need to know how effective this is either.

Domestic pumping duty is performed by a Joe Blow track pump. This easily gets road tyres up to 120psi. What can I say ... it's a track pump.

Grand Unification Theory

I found this just the other day ... seems to answer all life's questions.
Anything else? If you need further clarification click here.

Summer Night's Dream ...

... Well, maybe not a dream, but not a nightmare either ...

The Princeton super-group, Rackett, played a local gig at the Community Park North Amphitheater, Pettoranello Gardens, to a small, but perfectly formed audience of aficionados and curious passers-by.

As usual, sports' jackets featured in the on stage presence, leaving me in a quandary as to whether I should include an apostrophe.

But more importantly, the band rocked to poet, Paul Muldoon's lyrics with some very nice musical touches.

A good time was had by all as Rackett geared up for their Finnish tour.

Good evening, Turku!!!!

So ... What's New?

Nothing apparently.

Fancy watching some tandem trailer racing? A bike you row? A frameless bicycle?

Take a look at this:



Neat, huh?

Kudos to Craig's List ... SOLD

In the end, Craig's List turned up trumps ... eBay? Wassat?

I hope the new owner of my old Trek will be very happy ... he should ... it's a good bike.

Trek 1200 on eBay

My Trek 1200 won't go away ...

There were a couple of nibbles from Craigs List, but no takers.

So now it's on eBay.

Here in fact.

Give it a good home.

Speaking of Women Cyclists ...

Nicole Cooke's victory in the Olympic Women's Road Race, put me in mind of two other great women riders.

Beryl Burton has to be considered one of the UK's greatest ever athletes, let alone women athletes, let alone cyclists. Her wiki will tell you far more than I ever could, but in a nutshell, for a number of years some of her British achievements exceeded the men's records.

Some of her records have yet to be surpassed by modern women.

Jeannie Longo of France has just competed in her seventh Olympic Games at the age of 49. Only lack of support from her team saw her placed down the field in the Olympic Women's Road Race, but she was only just out of the medals for the Women's Time Trial.

Read more here.