Along Ted's line of "be prepared" and my "peace of mind" I forgot to mention Dyno light.
Bill, I you might have been able to find gems you wouldn't have know otherwise. On Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 12:56:14 PM UTC-4 ted.l...@gmail.com wrote: > > One year, I tried tubeless and the piece of mind of not getting flats > was fabulous. My commuter got a flat once and I had to walk home in the > rain pushing the bike. I wasn't so happy. When I went tubeless on the > Appa, I changed the tires to Gravel King slicks and the entire ride changed > for the better, bringing back more fun. I couldn't wait to jump on it > every day, it was like a new bike. So, perhaps new fabulous tires for a > different feel? How about riding different bikes, perhaps for a week at a > time. I do that. > > This reminds me, being prepared for every (most?) eventualities is a huge > part that I think some people tend to overlook. Being stranded or having to > push your bike because of a mechanical failure is a quick way to ruin your > commuting experience. I run tubeless, knobby tires on my Appaloosa for the > same reason mentioned above: flat protection. Having knobby tires reduces > the changes of a flat in my experience and tubeless tires have a lower > likely hood of going flat due to the common, small punctures I experience > around town. In my experience, tubeless tires have added flat protection > compared to strictly tubed tires. You have sealant in the tire to > automatically seal any small punctures. In the case of punctures too big to > seal automatically, I carry tire plugs (also called "bacon strips"). If all > else fails, I also carry a spare tube and patch kit; you can always run a > tubeless tire with a tube if all else fails. I've also seen tire repair > kits that include a sewing kit for repairing sidewall tears, but I've never > seen a need to include that in my kit. > > To avoid getting stranded on the side of the road due to a mechanical > failure, I carry the following on my bike at all times: > * spare tube > * tire plugs (bacon strips, not darts) > * tire/tube patches > * frame pump > * bike-specific multi-tool > * Wolftooth (yes, branded) Pack Pliers > * Spare quicklinks > * Tire levers > * Spare tubeless valve and at least one spare valve core > * a couple of M4 bolts of various lengths > > On Thu, Oct 26, 2023 at 12:06 PM Roberta <rcha...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> Hi, Michael. >> >> I'm a city girl and a newer commuter (< 2 years) and each way is 2 >> miles. The traffic and rudeness can really drain a person. The Brompton >> idea is pretty funny, but I had a similar thought at the beginning of my >> commute--ride a city bike to work and then walk home (or in your case, ride >> the subway to work and ride home). The one way trip options is why I >> subscribe to city bike. I love the freedom, but the bikes less so. >> >> I also had an Appaloosa (2016 version) and it was a fantastic bike, a >> perfect commuter, I think. One year, I tried tubeless and the piece of >> mind of not getting flats was fabulous. My commuter got a flat once and I >> had to walk home in the rain pushing the bike. I wasn't so happy. When I >> went tubeless on the Appa, I changed the tires to Gravel King slicks and >> the entire ride changed for the better, bringing back more fun. I couldn't >> wait to jump on it every day, it was like a new bike. So, perhaps new >> fabulous tires for a different feel? How about riding different bikes, >> perhaps for a week at a time. I do that. >> >> For me, sometimes (but not enough), I take the "long way" home, having >> the ride feel more like a bike ride than a commute. Or, I'll go on sightly >> different routes, even if they are only one block away from standard route, >> the scenery is different. Also, for me, I don't like riding in the rain >> or extreme cold, so I just don't, as I don't want to equate "ride bike" >> with "chore." I'll take a bus to work and walk home. Walking is still >> good exercise and it feels good to do something different. >> >> You'll find in my office a selection of shoes, socks and pants and I >> change at the office. I got over the pack up everything everyday pretty >> quickly. One of the best pieces of advice I got on this board. Pack >> everything into a big bag--in my case one of the $2 cheapie backpacks with >> the string-- and put THAT into the pannier or the saddle bag or basket of >> that day's ride. Pannier might get dirty, but that bag is always clean, >> big enough and easy enough to bring to my room or kitchen. >> >> Roberta >> Philadelphia >> >> On Thursday, October 26, 2023 at 10:26:25 AM UTC-4 Michael Morrissey >> wrote: >> >>> Lately I have been biking to work again, from my home in Queens to work >>> in Manhattan. Unfortunately, my commute is less than ideal. There are few >>> bike lanes in my neighborhood. I leave at 6:30, when it’s dark and cold >>> outside. There are lots of big trucks and fast drivers. It’s hilly. Then, >>> when I get to the bike lane section of the ride, it’s crowded with electric >>> bikes, deliveristas, and stand-up electric scooters. >>> >>> My commute is 7.8 miles point to point, and I make it in about 53 >>> minutes. I started keeping track of my times on Strava. I like looking at >>> my records (eastbound across Central Park in 1:40!) but I feel Strava is >>> mostly a record of how long I get stuck at red lights. There are so many >>> stoplights that I struggle to raise my average speed over 11 MPH. >>> >>> I use one Ortlieb bag, and I’ve tried to lighten my load as much as >>> possible. Yet, I still feel like I am carrying a lot to work. One thing >>> I’ve been doing is rolling my work clothes and putting rubber bands around >>> them. That helps with the organization. >>> >>> I’m riding my Rivendell Appaloosa with a big back rack and fenders. >>> Fortunately, even after riding it for about 7 years, the bike still feels >>> amazing. I also feel great getting so much exercise, and I find I feel I >>> have more energy on days I ride compared to when I take the subway. >>> >>> I was wondering if anyone has any bike commuting advice? I’m finding it >>> hard to stay motivated. I want advanced level advice - not just “keep your >>> tires pumped up,” but more along the lines of “Buy 5 Bromptons and have >>> your wife drop them off at work every Sunday so you can ride one home per >>> day.” One thing I might try is a lighter wheelset on the same bike. As Bill >>> Lindsay said, “If everybody had a gravity knob on their bike, we would all >>> peg it to the minimum.” >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Michael >>> >>> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >> > To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fa5f3df9-4e57-4c21-b906-8b6e42a29f0cn%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/fa5f3df9-4e57-4c21-b906-8b6e42a29f0cn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > > > -- > Ted Wood < ted.l...@gmail.com > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. 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