The New SUV?

Not about recumbents but this article is interesting.
I do not believe that the American will ever ride bikes or scooters as much as smaller European countries but our thinking is changing.

The New SUV

The Loop again

Temp 88, muggy

I rode the Loop again. The final climb was a hard one. It was so hot and humid I had to stop 3 times but did not get off the Trike.

2.6 miles in the Quest for Fitness 182.6 total miles

Mirrors sure make it safer.

temp 85 right before the rain.

Sorry I have been having trouble signing on to the Blog.

I got in 2 miles today. I also set up the trike so that my youngest daughter could try it out. She really likes the feel of sitting back and riding comfortably. She at first did not like the turning of the trike because you don't lean but it become more comfortable as she rode more.
I got my new mirror installed. Like I said earlier it is really scary and unsafe without a rear view mirror.

I also got a mirror that attaches to my glasses.
I am still getting use to it. It is very light and fits on any type of glasses even my wire rims. I think you could really become accustomed to this mirror because it is always right there.

2 miles in the Quest for Fitness. 180 miles total

Nashville's On-Road Bikeways and Off-Road Paths

Map of Nashville's On-Road Bikeways and Off-Road Paths

Changing Cranksets.

A real interesting discussion of cranksets over on The Recumbent Blog.
As you know, from a former blog entry, I changed my crank set to a lower number of teeth because of the hills.

Enjoyable ride.

Temp: 81, Low humidity

I went out and tried to find a bar end mirror for the trike. The LBS did not have a long one, with the shorter handlebars on the EZ 3, I had to order one. I also ordered a mirror that attach to your glasses. I have always wanted to try one of those out. Will be in Wed. next week. I will comment on how I like them.

Not having a mirror I decided on a slow easy ride in the neighborhood. It was the most enjoyable ride I have had in a while. My hill climbing abilities are improving to the point that I can enjoy some of the hills too. I am going to have to tighten the Allen screw mentioned yesterday every day before the ride until I can find a solution.

I have posted a question on the Bentrider Trike forum. We will see if there is an answer. I talked to the LBS owner and might have come up with a solution that will require a machine shop. More on that later if I need to go that route.

Have fun, get fit, ride safe.

3.5 miles in the "Quest for Fitness" 178 miles total

Break Down.

temp: 83 low humidity

Started around the loop again today. Got half way around and the idler chain came off the back axle toothed wheel again. I also realized for the first time, since this happened on hill, that your rear disc break does not work when this chain comes off.
As I was tipping over the bike to fix the chain I also broke my mirror off. OOPS.
I got the chain on but the Allen screw did not tighten as well as I wanted. So some of the BIG hill I talked about yesterday, was walked. I did not want to chance breaking the chain until I could get the wheel tightened. BTW riding without a mirror is scary and unsafe. Two things that need to be fixed is a new mirror, and someway to keep the allen screw from backing out.

Two miles in the "Quest for Fitness", 174.5 total.

Tunes to Ride!

I used my speakers and my MP3 player yesterday. As you can see in the picture below it is fastened to my left handlebar along with the bag that comes with it hooked around the handlebar so the MP3 player can ride in there while playing. The bag is big enough that you can carry the player and speakers with you when you leave the trike.



The MP3 player is a 1 Gig Sandisk Sansa Express player. It has all the bells and whistles needed to play everything I want. It has the capability to add additional memory by adding micro SD cards. The color screen is only big enough to see thumbnail size pictures but that is not my use for it. It also can not be uploaded by ITunes software but Windows Media player is sufficient. On the positive side it does not cost as much as any IPOD and has a FM Tuner that works well while on the trike.

The "I Ride" speakers are well made and are powered by three AAA batteries. There is a switch for off or on but there is no volume control on the speakers. Volume is dependent on the input devise. In this set up the Sandisk can make the volume loud enough to ride and listen comfortably. It is not a boom box, but people you pass know that you have a sound system.

Good system for what I want.

A Goal Accomplished !

Temp: 91, breezy and warm

I took off on a 3.25 mile ride at 6:30pm. It was around a big loop. Nice easy ride for the first 2.5 miles. Either downhill or flat ride. Then the final hills started. Remember at the first of the Summer I wanted to climb the hill from Dickerson Rd. to my house.
Well I did it tonight with out getting off the trike. I did stop once to rest for about a minute. The Edge 205 computer said that the grade on that hill is near 18% for about a quarter of a mile. Other hills on the loop are 12%, 9% and 11%. As I said I live in a Hilly area. Now my goal is to use this loop and lap it twice.
It is nice to know that my hill climbing is improving. It also helps to have tunes to listen too while riding. I will write up my setup tomorrow. I have mentioned the speakers already in a prior post.

3.25 miles in the "Quest for Fitness" 172.5 total miles.

Final Report on RAAM

The Bacchetta website outlines their race-winning 2007 RAAM effort.

Cooler and less humidity

temp: 80 partly cloudy

After being off a week 2 1/2 miles in these hills really was a pretty good workout.
I have yet to blow my horn at anyone. Not a lot of traffic.
Before I rode I checked the nuts and bolts and filled the tire. Waxed and lubed the bike. The back wheel Allen screw is holding tight after the Loctite treatment.

2.5 miles in the "Quest for Fitness"

Sickness, rain and heat

Sickness, rain and heat
I'm sorry I have not ridden in a week.

Will try to do better tomorrow.

Bicycle Repair

Here are two bicycle repair sites that offer a lot of information
Not recumbent but as my mechanic says, "Bikes are Bikes"

Park Tool... Repair

Harris Cyclery... repair by Sheldon Brown

Air Zound Horn

The last gadget I have added to my Trike is an Air Zone Horn. This is a compressed air horn that produces 115 decibel sound. To be used only in an emergency. The bell is for other warnings.


The bottle sits in my right water bottle holder and it is easily filled to 80 lbs pressure with my pump through an attachment under the trigger on the horn.
The bottle never need moving to fill.



The horn is on the right of the handlebars and can be actuated with the thumb. Out of the way and very usable.

Maybe the drivers that don't see me will now hear me.

Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee

This event is held every year in September.

BRAT

Happy Independance Day

temp 74,, Partly Cloudy cool breeze



Went out for a ride this morning. Really a nice 4th of July. After not riding for a week the two miles were enough to tire me out.

Two miles in the "Quest for Fitness" Total 167.75 miles

Nashville Weather

Nashville had its 4th driest first half of any year on record and the driest January through June since 1988. Rainfall totaled 15.84 inches from January 1, 2007 through June 30, 2007. The driest January through June ever in Nashville was back in 1941 when only 10.04 inches of rain fell, followed by 1986 and 1988.

Stopping the Allen bolt from moving

When I asked the "EZ racers forums" what I should do about the Allen bolt backing out of the big wheel on the axle. I was told to use loctite on the bolt to keep it from backing out. This evening I backed the bolt out and put loctite (green) on it and screwed it back in very tight. The green has a 5 minute time delay before setting up so that comes in handy. I will let it cure overnight before riding the bike and I will give you a critique of its longevity.

Active Tunes portable speakers

I received my portable speakers from I-Ride today.
There is a review of them by Joel Waxman over at "My Recumbent Days" Blog.

I bought them so that I did not have to wear earphones while triking. They work well, sound very clear. My DVD player does not over power them. I have not received my MP-3 player I ordered so I can play music and an audio Bible while I ride. What is nice it has a small bag that will carry the mp 3 player while riding and is big enough to carry the speakers and player when you are off the bike to keep them safe. I was going to mount them on the back of the seat so they would be closer to my head but the bar is too small for the mount. Things are hard to mount on the EZ 3 because the horizontal bar is too small. So I had to mount it on the left hand vertical handlebar. Should be nice, I will review it more when I get the rest of the system.

Reds need a "different voice…a different approach.''

Reds General Manager Wayne Krivsky today praised Jerry Narron but said he and CEO Bob Castellini decided to fire him because the last-place team needed a "different voice … a different approach.''

Krivsky said advance scout Pete Mackanin (pronounced mah-CAN-in), 55, will be interim manager of a team with the worst record in baseball. A search will begin for a permanent manager.

He does have a connection with Nashville. In 1990, he won the American Association Eastern Division title as the manager of the Nashville Sounds.

I have been sick the last few days and have not ridden. Looks like tomorrow will be good.