Well Go and Figure: I Like Strava!

I really like reading bikesnobnyc, and bikesnobnyc really likes poking fun at roadies who obsess over all the latest tech and bikes and training stuff. One way in which some people do this is something called Strava. Snob pokes fun at it too, which made me somewhat reluctant to try it, I must admit. Sad as some (including the bikesnob) may find it, I hold the bike snob in pretty high regard. 

Strava allows cyclists and runners and swimmers (tri-geeks or mono-geeks) to track their workouts' paths, speeds and distances via gps and also uses any extra info the person's electronics may offer, like heart rate and power meter readings. Caring about that stuff or buying all the latest tech is not really my deal, but way back when I had a basic cycling computer that measured distance and speed, I really liked it. Too much. That little device on my handlebars became quite a distraction and I started to spend too much time watching it and trying to beat previous top speeds, best times and so on. I was getting all OCD about the little screen readings and missing out on the best parts of cycling: fresh air, sunshine, trees, people... you know, the outdoor world in all its fine variety; the whir of the drivetrain, the thrill of speeding along with the wind rushing in your ears.

I wasn't cool with that situation and ditched the computer and have been pleased with that decision ever since. I missed having a tally of my miles because it helps me stay on top of maintenance tasks like chain replacements, knowing how many miles a set of tires had lasted, etc. Other than that, it was good riddance to the computer, especially since I had mastered manual cadence computation.

I forget what made me curious about Strava. In any case, I decided to try it.

I don't spend money on high-end cycling stuff, tech included. However, I do own a smartphone and there's a free Strava app to track my rides with. Knowing the pitfalls of handlebar mounted tech, I just start the app, stick the phone in my fanny pack and enjoy my ride. When I'm finished, I just stop recording and upload the activity and I'm done. Activity tracked, ride enjoyed unimpeded by OCD statistics watching. It's the best of both worlds!

Strava is also a platform for people to compete, trying to go fastest on "segments" identified by riders. Common cycling routes usually have lots of segments on them that have been defined by Strava users. Climbs are very popular segments. The person with the fastest time is referred to as "King of the Mountain" and their achievement is thus called a KOM.

My dog Snow Face is about as close as I'll ever get to a KOM, since we're talking about some of the most fit riders in town riding racing bikes vs. a middle aged overweight man on a heavy commuter bike. That said, Strava allows me to compete with myself, letting me know when I've put in a good effort or a personal best (PB) on a segment. After a brief spate of segment-chasing and over-exertion (a common problem among Strava users because it is kind of addictive) I have chilled out. It's nice to see segment info from a ride, but I no longer seek it actively. On routes I ride often, I know where the segments are and attack them hard some days and ignore them completely on others.

It should be noted that Strava has been criticized for inducing some unsafe riding by idiots chasing KOMs... I believe it. If you're gonna try it, please don't be one of those. Being a cycling nerd is completely forgivable, but putting others at risk so you can play speed racer is not. 

I am finding Strava fun and encouraging and best of all my cycling stats OCD is relegated to times that I'm OFF the bike rather than ruining my time ON it. I think the lesson here is that you don't have to be Kaptain KOM to enjoy using Strava, nor do you have to geek out watching tech strapped to your handlebars. Go and figure, I like Strava! Being a devoted follower of BSNYC, I would ask you to keep this under your hat, OK?

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Another Damn "Not Dead" Post

Hey, it looks like my posts are just gonna be more infrequent. From here on out, even if there's a lengthy pause in activity here on the blog, please assume that nothing bad has happened. Indeed, you can safely assume that much good has happened, since I'm still riding my bike lots and I'm still blessed with a family who still loves me. Still.

I've got a couple of pictures that aren't very interesting, but what the hell.

Here's the CUBE bike I got a while ago in its normal daily configuration:

Which is to say, here's a picture a dirty bike with panniers and a mirror! I ended up removing the chain guard because as nice as it looked, it was, um, guarding my chain. I like being able to see and get at my chain easily. That guard kept me from fully appreciating how the winter chain was dissolving into a rusty paste of metal and grease. Yesterday I addressed that issue, which it why the drivetrain is the only clean part in the picture:

I could look at that pristine bike chain all day, and I don't have to tell you how nice and smooth and quiet a brand new chain can be. If only there was some way to protect it, like some kind of guard...

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Bike. Yup. Also, Am I a Bad Parent?

Yay! I've been riding again since Monday. As expected, it has left me wondering why I stopped. Endorphin based joyjoys and cycling zen thought clearing activity have me feeling better than I have in some time.

Or is it texting my teenage daughter and being a little mean for fun? Could be that too, because I enjoyed this immensely:

A good parent sets a good example. I paid up.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Helmet Cam And Other Weenies

As you may be aware, I am a pretty big fan of cycling POV cam videos. Today, however, I am just fed up with the ever-increasing number of helmet cam cyclists who post about every little infraction. I'm unsubscribing from this guy for sure: obscured license on parked truck? Really? Maybe the truck pissed him off previously or something, I don't know. There just seems to be an upswing in cam cyclists who need to get a life and get off the Airzound.

For myself, I just need to get back on the bike... soon after my most recent snowy video I suffered a muscle pull that I decided required a couple days off the bike. That couple of days has turned into a couple of months! I don't really know what is wrong with me... I love to ride, even in winter. Is it possible I just don't anymore? I don't think so. I'm just being a weenie, giving in to my lazy bone, both here on the blog and in my bike commuting. Both things are a source of joy for me, yet here I am, bummed out and driving or taking the bus to work.

Maybe I need to start meditating or have my ears candled or get a tattoo or get to bed earlier or stop watching so much crappy TV. "Storage Wars"? "Border Security"? What the hell is wrong with me? All opinions welcome, since my usual source of personal insight through skull irregularities, Mordecai McBumpanoggin, is no longer returning my calls. Perhaps he has returned to Vienna; it's anybody's guess with that guy.

Anyway, thanks for reading and wish me luck as I try to get back on track!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Hey! Hey! Over here!

Hello! I've been distracted, lazy, busy, confused and generally unable or unwilling to write anything here for a while. Has everyone been well? I haven't been doing much blog reading either.

I deleted my Facebook account! Couldn't be happier, really. I mean I have this blog thing and Twitter if people want to check in on how I'm doing. There's something about facebook that is just tiresome (at least for me) compared to these other platforms. Perhaps it is the constant reminders of the ways in which I'm letting others down by forgetting birthdays, etc, because I don't go on it enough. Anyway, I'm gone from facebook and it feels good.

I hadn't been using Twitter much at all and thought I would give it a try. I'm kind of digging it. There is such a crazy stream of stuff (if you follow many people) that trying to keep up with everything isn't even an option. Going on twitter feels more like popping into a bar and chatting with or eavesdropping on some people you sort of know.

I've done a couple of things on Twitter that simply must be stored forever here on the blog. They are way too awesome to just get lost in the fast-flowing river of tweetiness.

First, there was a hashtag thing called #ReplaceALetterRuinATvShow that triggered my WTF Syndrome (see sidebar) pretty bad:

And today after work I did an animated gif thing that was kind of cool, I thought. It has since morphed into a video:





That pretty well sums up where I've been lately!Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Things People Say Fridays #15: Yeah, Buddy!

Wednesday of this week was a pretty snowy day in London Ontario, pushing the limits of my relatively skinny tires in the morning and exceeding them sometimes on the way home. I tweeted something after my ride/walk home on Wednesday evening:

At the time I had just arrived home having seen many smirks and even overhearing some mildly derisive comments, so you can understand. However, now that a little time has passed I have remembered someone who was much more positive about my winter cycling efforts:

I am a firm believer that somewhat wild looking dudes with snow and ice in their beards are more likely to speak deep truths than the rest of us. I mean, if you're not going to listen to this guy, who are you going to listen to?

Not actual "yeah, buddy" guy. I was unable to get a usable image from the video. I thought this might do instead. pic source

Thanks, bearded cycling brother. You get it, and that's enough for me.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Weather Widget / Gadget / Doodad Thing

Most reasonably small and simple weather things you can post on your web page don't have wind direction or speed on them, and that has always bugged me. You don't have to cycle very much before you start to really notice and want to know what the wind is doing.

That is why I'm pleased to now offer such a widget / gadget / doodad on my sidebar. I'm extra pleased that it is an Environment Canada doodad, free of strings or sneaky links to ads or anything like that.

If you don't live in London, but live in Canada, here's a link to the page that will generate your city-specific code:

https://weather.gc.ca/business/index_e.html#weatherlink

I have re-sized mine a little to fit my page better... if you live in London, ON and want one just like mine (and really, who wouldn't) just copy n' paste the code below:

<!-- Begin WeatherLink Fragment -->
<iframe title="Environment Canada Weather" width="260px" height="230px" src="//weather.gc.ca/wxlink/wxlink.html?cityCode=on-137&amp;lang=e" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0"></iframe>
<!-- End WeatherLink Fragment -->

If you don't live in Canada, well, sorry. This is just one of the many things about my country that is better than yours. Don't get me wrong, I love and admire and even envy the < insert desirable quality here > of < your country name >. < Your country name > ain't Canada though. Not by a long shot. Canada so totally rocks it is almost embarrassing. Almost.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Sweets

In this season of sweet to downright saccharine messages, many of which are aimed at selling something, I want to share something I heard on the radio the other day.

It is undeniably sweet, in the best way, I think. Listen for yourself. If you're pressed for time, pick it up about 4 minutes in to skip to the best parts.

Click here to listen to something truly sweet.

Whatever your Holiday Season looks like, have a sweet one.

R A N T W I C K

Weak Leg Strong Leg?

Hey all! Hope you're enjoying your rides, if you're still at it. I have no doubt that most of us have one leg that is stronger than the other. Recently while riding I began feeling a noticeable difference, like my right leg was doing most of the work and my left was was just kind of coasting. In an effort to correct this, I have been consciously working harder with the weaker leg. It has only been a few days, but it already seems like relative balance has been restored.

Have any of you experienced such a thing? It's a first for me.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

On Bikeyness - A Rantwick Manifesto

Being someone who reads and writes about cycling, (particularly transportational cycling) quite a bit, I have been drawn into and yet felt an aversion for bikey lobby stuff for years. I have come to a few conclusions about myself that aren't very flattering.

I am sick and tired of trying to care about whether any more people ride bikes. I ride a bike because I love the feeling. Many others ride bikes for all kinds of reasons, some just like mine, others not so much. Beyond a generally buoyant "the more the merrier" kind of feeling, I don't care about drawing anyone else to the activity, despite the societal boons associated with it.

People will take up cycling or they won't, depending on fashions, fads, gas prices, whatever. It really doesn't matter much to me; I will be riding regardless and loving almost every moment. What follows is what I think is currently true about me. I would love to hear from you about any or all of it.

RANTWICK ' S Bikey Manifesto

I will be riding whether there are bike lanes or tracks or paths or not.

I will be riding no matter what the current price of gas is.

I like seeing others on bikes. Their choices in terms of clothing or bicycle or style or purpose are irrelevant. I'm just pleased to see them.

I believe that most (but certainly not all) cyclist fatalities and injuries are the result of errors in judgement, lack of understanding or intentional risk-taking on the part of the cyclist.

I enjoy driving and cars and combustion engines very much. I sometimes drive faster than I should.

I think every driver of a motor vehicle (as part of the licensing process) should have to sit on a stationary bicycle and be overtaken at 60 km/h by 3 cars, one at 3 feet away, one at 2 feet away and one just 1 foot away from their handle bars.

I will not hesitate to annoy or even anger motorists with my riding when my safety on the road is at stake.

I will endeavour not to impede other road users to the best of my ability. If I am willing to cause others to lose a little time to keep myself safe, I should also be willing to lose a little of my own sometimes in the interest of keeping everybody else safe and moving well.

I believe that moving away from our current "culture of speed" will benefit us all and that it will happen someday. However, I have little faith that I will see much of a shift in my lifetime.

I don't care what my City is doing (or not doing) about bike infra. Just give me smooth pavement and I will take care of the rest.

I resent motorists who believe their speed/convenience trumps mine. I also resent the many people on bikes who make all other cyclists look bad by doing stupid  things. I have no illusions about these types of people ever going away.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Once A Snow Face...

Hey, remember snow face? He isn't a puppy anymore, but his early love of snow certainly hasn't waned...

I've been enjoying the snow too and have been riding the new bike with the studded tires on. We are getting along very well, and so far the Nexus 8 IGH has been performing just fine, even at -10C. Enjoy your weekend, snowy or not!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Lost In Translation

I've never been much of a picture guy. That is to say, while I obviously like sharing pictures and video, I have always preferred to fully immerse myself in the nice things I see and do rather than distract myself with taking photos of them. For this reason, leaving a video camera running on my helmet is perfect, since it is passive and requires nothing from me while it is running. I get to capture stuff and immerse myself in the good moments. This approach, however, is not without its shortcomings.

Today was the first day in London Ontario when some snow accumulated and stayed. The bike path along the river was beautiful on my way in to work, with snow seeming to top even the most delicate of branches. It was like riding through a poem.

Eager to share how great it all was, I brought up the video a few moments ago, hoping to grab a snippet or a still image that might show why I was so blissed out.

What I saw however, was a grey wet snowy morning from a bicyclist's point of view. The trees looked nice, sure, but the grey sky and slushy sounds made it all seem kind of cold and miserable. My reality in the ride was anything but; I was warm and comfortable and having a wonderful time, on my way to work of all things!

I probably won't change my approach, but I'm gaining an even greater respect for all the careful photographers out there. You are trying to capture things such that you convey as much of their wonder and beauty as possible... thanks for that. This morning I wish I had stopped to try and do the same, since so much was lost in translation.

The Snow Has Arrived! Yay!

R A N T W I C K

Somebody Just Said It

I've known something for quite a while. Recently somebody took one look at me on the bike and just said it:

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Name Recognition

On my way to work today a guy on a bicycle yelled "Rantwick!" and gave me wave and a smile. I think he said "Rantwick"... I like to think so. I guess it could have been "Patrick"; we were in traffic and it was hard to hear. This is the first time somebody did that, and it felt kinda good.

Was it my online friend Richard Sleegers? Maybe, because it was the right neighbourhood I think. As luck would have it, my camera battery had died so I can't post a picture.

Hey, if you are that dude, leave me a comment so I know who you were. Getting recognized by somebody was pretty cool. I had better get crackin' on more posts!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

I'm Thankful For My Mirror

I recently added a mirror to my new, uber-functional bike. I've used a mirror on my flat bar bikes for years, but didn't really miss it much on other bikes.

The Mirrycle flat bar mirror, for my money, is the best around. Round and geeky looking, it adjusts position so well and displays so much that I have trouble believing there's anything better out there. Note that I haven't linked to any source for it; you'll find it easily online or in bike shops if you try, and I have given up on making money on recommending anything here on the blog.

I hadn't used a mirror since last winter. What I saw in my mirror this time around is what prompted this post. That mirror showed me that most of the drivers behind me were giving me lots of space, sitting back patiently to make their right turn behind me; waiting until there was sufficient room to pass.

That mirror was showing me all the good drivers that a cyclist doesn't notice because they're good. People love to focus on the bad. That waiter copped an attitude. That driver was an aggressive dick. That dude cut in line at the movies.

Why is it that we all love to focus so much upon the ways in which we have been wronged? I am a person who is lucky enough to have been born in Canada. Most of my readers live or were born in similarly great places. I am sick and tired of reading and watching people rage against small injustices, seemingly oblivious while they enjoy the best of everything.

I'm not saying that people shouldn't be invested in making their communities more safe and better for all who live in them. I strongly believe that bikes and their expanded use can only improve the world, no matter where in the world they are. Cycling advocacy, the debates surrounding it and the people engrossed in it are all trying to help. Awesome work everybody, and thank you.

I am saying that many of us need to take a deep breath and look around at how good things are. When I ride my bike, I run into a bad or mean driver once in a while. My bike and my riding of it remain great things. Most drivers, annoyed or not, don't mess with my safety because they know it is important. That is a great thing too. There's a ton of great stuff going on, every day, woven so well into our societal fabrics that we don't even notice. Today, spurred on by what my bicycle mirror has shown me, that's what I am thankful for.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Bad Good Morning

Despite my recent video featuring 100 Good Mornings, not all good mornings are good. Sometimes they scare people bigtime...

I've seen that woman a few times on my morning commute but this is the first I've ever spoken to her... she, obviously, was super nice. She may be a little twitchy about unsolicited kamikaze Good Morning attacks for a while though.

Wait a sec. That is redundant. You can't solicit a kamikaze attack. I don't think. Maybe you could, but that would be pretty damn weird, you know? Think about it all weekend and get back to me.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Things People Say Fridays #14: Hey, I'm A Star!

It has been almost a whole year since I posted one of these... I like this guy! He made me feel, for one fleeting moment, like people all over the world watch my videos. The truth is, I'm lucky if you watch my video, and that's with it being ready to go right here:

Did you play it? Oh God, please tell me you played it. I don't want to let this guy down... please take the video's request seriously and help me make him a STAR, even though he was joking! Please share this video as aggressively as you can, on every social media platform you know how to use.

How cool would it be for this guy to discover he's the star of a video that has gotten, like, a bazillion views? This was recorded back in April of this year (2014). He won't know what hit him!

Yer Fellow Star Maker,

R A N T W I C K

PS - If you're thinking, "huh, maybe I'll do that later", DO IT NOW instead! You'll forget, you know you will, leaving me bummed out that my idea never got any traction. You don't want that for me, do you? Jeez, I hope not.