Uh-oh. I've joined the Freaky Cockpit Crowd

First off I want to post a picture of my Fat bike with a clean drivetrain:

In the middle of winter when my drivetrain is a thing of nightmares, I may well come to this post, sigh deeply, cry a little and in the process feel a little better.

Now to the censored circle in the room, my new handlebars. I've always had a bit of disdain for overly complex cockpits. When I would see bars with all kinds of stuff on them I would think to myself "ruh roh, koo koo", and "c'mon man, who needs all this shit"? Well, the post title has already tipped you off to the fact that I can no longer sit in judgement of anyone's setup.

After fooling around with my new butterfly bars, of course what I liked best was kind of upside down and backwards from the product photos. That would have been OK I guess, had I not ended up going a little crazy with extra stuff. The censored circle:

And now, the explanation nobody really cares about, complete with handy diagram:

1 - Overly snazzy mirror, because that's what would mount properly on this bar. This thing sticks out about a foot, which is nice for its vehicular space-making features. It is awful sporty though. Or is it sporty awful?

2 - Headlight. Need one of those.

3 - Good old lock-on grips. I have always liked the solid feel of them. I removed one of the clamps so they would meet up more seamlessly with the, urg, foam. I am overcoming my aversion to foam I think. If I fail, I will have to wrap tape around all this crap.

4 - Brake hood stand-ins. When I flipped the bars they became much like normal drop bars on the top corners, and back when I used drop bars I spent most of my time on the brake hoods. I cut some old bar ends short and now they serve the same purpose brake hoods did, stoppers that keep my hands from sliding down and forward.

Advocates of trekking/butterfly bars are all about the numerous hand positions. Although there are technically 4 or 5 hand positions available to me, the reality is that there are 3 that feel good to use; on the high horizontal grips, on the "brake hoods" which allows me to rotate my wrist 90 degrees and is awesome, and the low horizontal bits for the odd time I want to hunker down.

Well, that about sums it up, riveting stuff, I know!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

PS - If you are a card carrying member of the freaky cockpit crowd, reach out. I'm sure we can find some sort of cult-ish deprogramming camp where we can together be brainwashed into being normal, or at least stopping here, vowing never to complexify further.

PPS - If you have ever been deprogrammed, please accept my apologies for being an insensitive jerk. Also, where was it? Can you refer me/us? Ooh! Even better, can you get me/us a discount?

PPPS - Oh man, I've dug quite a hole, haven't I? How about a nice blanket sorry for everything I've written, today and every other day. Sorry.

The Spinny Bits

After mentioning that my Fat bike had become my number one commuter, of course I ended up riding my "skinny" (32c) tired bike for a few weeks and man, has it ever been good. It's almost like I enjoy riding bikes no matter what type; go and figure! The reason for the switch was that I was getting the fat front wheel rebuilt on a Hope Fatsno hub. The rear had been Fatsno'd a year ago. Over last winter I found that the front hub, which was fine above freezing, was still gumming up and dragging when things got cold, but the rear spun really well in all temps.

The build was delayed by the fact that Outspokin' Cycles was having trouble getting black spokes in the size required - I guess all things bike are in high demand these days. Anyway, they called me up with the problem and seemed rather shocked when I said silver spokes were fine - this bike was pretty well colour coordinated you see. However, I told them it was a work horse not a showpiece (they should have known that from how dirty it was). It is kind of liberating to just give over to utility and forget beauty, just go with function over form. Anyway, I now have a bike with one silver-spoked wheel:

This bike was an entry-level one with decent components but cheapish wheels. The wheels are still not high-end; the rims are heavy and couldn't do tubeless if I desired it - but given the way I'm using it, as a winter commuter beast, that's fine. I'm not going to get stranded in the wild should I suffer a flat and I'm no racer. It seems to me that if I'm gonna spend money improving such a bike, it makes sense to improve the spinny bits (hubs and bottom bracket) above all other things. After all, a bike that rolls and pedals beautifully can be forgiven most other shortcomings.

Keeping this thinking in mind, you won't be shocked that I have replaced the bottom bracket with a nice "nuke proof" brand one:

Ironically I suppose, it is colour coordinated! At time of purchase black was out of stock and the bike was still all matchy-matchy so blue seemed cool. The previous bb had been functioning fine except for a little creak that was driving me nuts. I tightened and greased and re-set a couple times, but still creak creak creak. I had to stop it. Fat-specific bbs are hard to find and stupid expensive when you do, so I just got a bb designed for a normal mtb and fitted the old plastic tube that runs between the cups to the new stuff. I wasn't a perfect fit (one side wasn't fully snug around the little gaskety thing), so I tried to make up for that by jamming tons of grease into everything. It should be fine and all spins in that lovely satisfying, silent and smooth way that good bike bits do.

Left to do is fire a new chain on there and finish decking out the butterfly bars I mentioned last time. The handlebar thing is gonna require a whole 'nuther post because you know, EVERYBODY wants to hear every excruciatingly unremarkable detail. 

About the chain though, I do want to say this: If you're riding in winter, fork out the dough for chains with some rust resistance from nickel plates or similar. I like sram chains and asked a bike shop to use one last time but didn't think to specify the more expensive type, since I usually replace my own chains. The cheaper chain they used got this awful rust/lube combo all over my bike as I just slopped lube on the chain all winter as I usually do. Please don't judge - maintaining a drivetrain in winter is not easy.

Be good, Be safe, and don't lose yer shit. Everything's gonna be ok eventually.

R A N T W I C K

PS - I have a photobomber who is sneakily working against me. Mr Big Toe, who I edited out of the previous pics:

Sneaky little bugger! I'm gonna have to keep an eye on that thing!

Butterflies, 2 High Guys & a Near Dognapping

The fat bike I've been enjoying for some time now has become my #1 commuter, even in summer. While not as fast as some of my bikes, it is comfortable and fun. Given my remaining balance issues, it also erases most worry arising from cracks, potholes and uneven surfaces. However, as I get older I'm finding my neck and shoulders are giving me increasing grief no matter what bike I'm riding. I'm not even in the saddle for long these days, mostly just doing about 14km each weekday on my commute. Maybe I just need to ride more. Hmm. Perhaps. But buying "solutions" is so much more fun!

I have long been intrigued by trekking / butterfly handlebars. I'm thinking these might offer enough hand positions, including a much closer and less wide position that will give my neck a break.

How I cover these bars remains up in the air. Do I want to get my old bolt-on grips on there somehow? I have some good bar tape that's just been sitting around for a few years... or what about FOAM? These bars came with FOAM to cover them. I can't think of FOAM for handlebars without thinking of the gawdawful super puffy porous foam on some doofus' drop bars during my youth that looked like this:

Thanks to Cafiend for naming the actual product, Grab-On Handlebar Foam. The stuff I remember was an even cheaper and more easily destroyed version I think.

They were worse than what came with these bars, which was more dense and less ridiculously puffy:

The bars did not come with the sram tape, just those foam tubes. I just don't know if I can get my head around FOAM use. Thoughts?

Now, on to the 2 High Guys. I watch a depressing amount of CNN, which means I've seen a commercial about a certain car insurance product for older people from a certain insurance company many many times. You can tell what generation of people are joining the AARP crowd by how they behave. Most attendees of Woodstock, for example, are 65-75 years old now. You can tell:

You tell me these 2 guys aren't high as fuck. Go ahead. Tell me that. Tell me.

Lastly, have you ever seen a dog tied up outside a place and felt a strong urge to simply take it?

As you can see I saw this little dog months ago, when it was cold and snowy, which only made my yearning to dognap him stronger. Instead I took a picture and waited for a loving owner to come back, which happened in due course.

That's it for now. Stay well, enjoy everything you can in these whacked out times and I'll attempt to touch base again soon.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Holy Cow, Has It Really Been 6 Months? That's Crazy!

Although if things are gonna be Crazy, now's the time I guess. I hope any and all weirdos still reading this blog are doing all right and have not been dealt anything too painful in this strange time.

Strange indeed, but in some ways not so bad. Putting a kink in our constant rush to consume is not an entirely bad thing. I've also read some good stuff about reduced pollution and rebounding species. While I strongly suspect a rest is not as good as a change in these areas, good news is still good news, you know.

I have perceived one other positive change, but I need to check with you to see if I'm imagining it. I think people, learning to change their ways and maintain distance in public, on the sidewalk, in stores etc., are doing it with their cars while passing me on my bike. Is it all in my head, or is social distancing translating into more considerate drivers? Perhaps less traffic just means more room to give me room, but I like to think it is an actual change in driving behaviours brought about, by all things, a virus. If true, how wonderful would it be if it became a good habit that stuck? A man can dream, right?

In other good news, geese still like hissing at me:

I don't have good video to show it, but I have also learned that a "honk" from my disc brakes (they are rather honky) will make a whole gaggle of geese look up at the same moment like a bunch of meerkats.

With a bunch of fuzzy goslings around in the last couple months it has been fun and adorable.

I've been working this whole time and commuting on bike path and street as usual. When I come across another person on the path, I give them a wide berth by hugging the extreme edge of the asphalt or go out on the grass when necessary or if it might help them feel more at ease with my presence, especially if they're old. As these two approached, I kept waiting for them to go single file:

As you can see, they did not and I did not like it, particularly because like it or not, I'm pretty old looking with my extra weight and mostly grey beard. I even sigh like an old man at the end, sounding just like my dear departed dad.This is just one example of close passing by cyclists that has happened several times at time of writing. So, short version, I think cars are giving me enough space while some cyclists are not. It is most definitely an upside-down kind of time.

Be Safe and Stay Well,

R A N T W I C K

Cropped

Earlier I posted a lovely picture using Instagram, mostly because Insta lets me easily shoot it to Twitter and Facebook at the same time. Trouble is, Insta crops the image into a near square.

Here's the wide version:

Ah, much better.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

The King, 2019

It would seem I'm quite willing to let the blog slide these days. However, it would feel wrong not to post a picture of this Autumn's King; I have been doing it for 10 years!

Here he is, lookin' great as always, although the picture is from a couple of weeks ago and he's probably nearly naked now.

I've moved back onto the Fat bike with the big pogies and everything.

Outspokin Cycles assisted in rebuilding the wheels that were misbehaving in colder temps; the rear got a lovely new Hope Fatsno hub that I'm confident won't act like a jerk. It has a nice loud ratchety sound (the pawls, I guess) that I really like. I'm finding that my advancing age combined with a loss of dexterity due to silly brain stuff is resulting in a newfound willingness to pay others to wrench on my bike. I suppose that's not a bad thing, since local bike shops seem to be in jeopardy all the time. I must confess, though, that I bought that fatsno hub online for way less than the LBS price, once again from across the ocean. As much as a good LBS will always be of value to me, my own cash is also of value to me. As such I happily pay the LBS for the things I can stand to pay a little more for and buy the other stuff online. We got Mrs. Rantwick a nice bike at an LBS a couple of years ago, so we're not all bad. Note: You can't buy a good bike mechanic online. A relationship with a good LBS (or three) is always a good thing.

If you're considering riding right through the winter this year, do it! You won't be sorry. Or maybe you will. How the hell would I know? How about this instead: Try it, you might like it as much as I do!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

God Bless the USA

Hey, just touching base. Everything is going great, riding weather is beautiful. I've been riding to work and back most days, but not much else. For the one or two people who are friends on Strava, I haven't quit riding, I've just stopped with the app.

Yes, life is pretty good. So good I have very little to say it would seem. I've got some video of animals and friendly people I mean to stitch together, but evening laziness has kept me from it.

Sitting in front of CNN watching the slow-motion car crash of American politics remains one of my favourite yet depressing activities. Sometimes I pause the TV as household distractions arise. I am often entertained by the images I get with these random stills^*, like this one:

This poor fellow looks like I feel sometimes when I hear what is (and is not) happening in the USA. Canadians and Americans have always been good friends as far as I'm concerned, and it both confuses and pains me when I see friends hurting each other or losing their way or both. I wish there was something I could do. Instead I just watch and wonder and hope. In short, Thoughts and Prayers, USA, Thoughts and Prayers.

Yer Canadian Pal, 

R A N T W I C K

^*As fond as I am of doctoring photos and stuff, it would kind of defeat the purpose of funny pause images if I made them funny via artificial means. As such, I have not messed with this image, which is just a picture of my TV taken with my phone.

If You Were Riding the Bicycle #8 - Stop Sign Dickhead

I had an encounter with a motorist yesterday during which he honked at me. We had words and he called me a "dickhead"! I felt totally wronged at the time but when I review the video, as you're about to do, I'm more inclined to think that he was right, which is a real bummer. Nobody wants to be a dickhead!

Watch this:

When people honk and yell at you it is most often because they are morons who know nothing about cycling. This time the guy was correct, but I kind of treated him like a moron as an automatic response, making me seem like even more of a dickhead (sigh). Audi guy, if you're reading this, I regret the way I rode just there and how I responded to you afterward. I apologize. I can also assure you I'm normally a more considerate rider who doesn't blow past cars at stop signs.

For any other readers I as always would really welcome any comments on where we're the same, where we differ and so on. How would that have played out if you were riding the bicycle?

Yer dickhead pal,

R A N T W I C K

Slothful

One of the Seven Deadly Sins, Sloth, has intruded upon my blog writing. I think it started with an actual Sloth...

I heard somewhere that there was a Sloth Riding a Bicycle (with chainline issues) Shirt available in Costa Rica, so I went there and bought one in February. Didn't really see anything else^*

So after that I just rode my bike to work and back and otherwise just sat in my favourite new shirt and ate stuff and watched TV. For a couple months.

Then Chico (Snow Face) got into a massage ball and I needed to share:

Then new cat Talulah dipped her tail into my shaving water and slapped her tail on the sink like this:

I only caught the last one. She did it for like, a full minute. She's delightfully odd.

Anyway, an animal introduced me to blogging sloth and animals got me back out of it. I think. No promises.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

^* Costa Rica was, in fact, as awesome as one might think, with jungle, nature, ocean, etc. Truly outstanding. I've never been on any other Southern vacation except Florida, but I must assume CR will be hard to beat.


PS - I messed with the cat tail clip, removing the actual sound and adding the purring and slap noise. There, I confessed. Now piss off.

Super Duper Bike Melt Tray-O-Rama

I've been bringing my bike indoors when I get to work, partly for security and partly so the hubs thaw out and roll better again for a little while. When it is covered with snow and muck and slush, I've been leaving it in a hallway where the public does not come or go, but some of my co-workers do. Although nobody has complained yet, I was feeling guilty about the puddles and dirt being deposited on the floor.

Enter the Super Duper Bike Melt Tray-O-Rama!

Ingredients:

3 boot trays

Duct tape

I taped this together last night, folded 'er up and brought it in on my rear rack today:

Conscience eased, and with so much super duper style I can hardly stand how cool I am. I was pretty awesome before, but now I think I am fully justified in being downright insufferable.

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

Cold Snap Riding

This morning I broke my previous record for cold weather cycling by 1 degree C, making my new coldest ride temp -24C (-11F). For some cold weather cyclists this is of course child's play, but I am pleased nonetheless. In truth, last night's commute home was much tougher. The actual temperature was -19 but with headwinds gusting to 60km/h (37 mph) it was very difficult and very cold. My rides in these colder temps have been made worse by hubs with grease that kind of freezes or congeals when temps drop below -16C or so, making the bike ride like its got a stuck brake or something. Advice on how I should service the hubs (cartridge bearing type) for next year is welcome if you have some. For now I'm bringing the bike inside so the hubs free up at least for the first half of my commute, before they get cold again. I suppose it is also possible that the grease is OK but some metal in the hubs is contracting too much in the cold... I'm tempted to build/buy a set of winter wheels that would match hubs up to the challenge with my Studded Jumbo Jims, which are performing wonderfully by the way.

Speaking of performing wonderfully, I took the advice of some of my dear readers and spent some money on a good front light: a Moon Meteor Storm Lite. 

This thing is BRIGHT (1100 lumens claimed, and it looks like it really might be), charges with USB and holds that charge reasonably well even in these frigid temps. The mount is also of higher quality, which I suppose it should be with the light's chunkier weight and price. I paid almost $80 CAD for it. If not for advances in LED tech a light this good would have cost hundreds not that long ago. I always use it on steady, at the highest brightness setting, since I don't need to stretch the battery life at all for it to stay bright right through my short commute.

I guess that is it for now; stay warm, be well and I hope to see you again soon!

Yer Pal,

R A N T W I C K

PS - I ain't received nuthin' from nobody for my kind words about any bike products mentioned here.