Ironman July 10, 2010
transition skills are key
You may have noticed a different breed of visitor to town over the past few days. Super - fit humans have been spotted prowling the downtown area getting ready for the third annual Ironman Triathalon to be held Sunday (note: the course map on this link is last year's course. The running course is entirely different). Get this: starting at 6am these folks get in the water down at Point Judith, swim a mile in the open ocean, dry off, ride their bikes 60 miles to the State House, change their shoes, and run 13 miles around Downtown and the East Side. The fast ones will be done by noon - before half the hipsters in town get up to dust themselves off and go stand in line for breakfast at Julians. Come on down to Brook Street and watch the runners go by Sunday starting around 10 am.
Its not about the Bike May 8, 2010
Its one of those rainy Saturdays so when Mark and Carol came into the shop today and started a conversation about the Bike Snob's new book, I gladly had time to chat. Mark has been a customer here for several years, and originally came in to have us to fix up his old bike in order that he might start commuting on it about 10 miles each way. Back then, I remember his old bike being so completely worn out that the links of his chain had stretched well beyond the scale of my stretch gauge. Considering the overall condition of that bike (its wheels, brakes, etc.), I believe we suggested to him to start saving for a new one. He rode that one for a little while and would occasionally come in for an adjustment here or there. Since then he has bought a new Surly Crosscheck and has had his chain and cogset replaced twice. That's a lot of miles. In his case, its a lot of dirty miles; but he's learning how to take better care of his drivetrain. After all, he was in the store today to buy a chain cleaner and some lube.
And here Mark was asking if we had read Bike Snob's book. I haven't ( I think I will eventually), but I did happen to catch Eban Weiss (Bruce Wayne to BSNY's Batman) on NPR's On Point the other day and I was greatly impressed with where that conversation went. As Bike Snob, his perona lampoons all sorts of cycling trends and fashions. It's hilarious to those intimate with cycling "culture", but the inside jokes may be lost on civilians. As Eban Weiss, he advocates for cycling as lifestyle and transportation option in terms that any rational adult can appreciate. I particularly like his take on good cyclists (and drivers) vs. bad cyclists (drivers).
Along the same vein, Providence recently hosted David Byrne, who was out shucking his recent book Bicycle Diaries. In front of a packed house at Trinity Theater, Byrne talked about his international cycling experiences with a panel that included a local cycling advocate, an urban historian and the Director of Providence's City Planning Department. Despite its title, Bicycle Diaries isn't about bicycles at all. Its a collection of thoughts and ideas inspired by the unique perspective that the bicycle has offered as he visits and explores cities around the world.
In both cases I like where this discussion is going in popular media. It's not about some fringe culture. Its not about "us" cyclists vs "them" motorists. Its about people and the real choices that we are all confronted with. The bicycle is one of those choices. My customer Mark is someone who has made that choice more and more since he first came in to have us look at his bike. He's been a good customer who has introduced us to other good customers. Mark is someone is doing his part to keep the conversation going in a positive direction.
Ahhhhh April 4, 2010
We deserved a day like this. 'Hope you got out to enjoy it.
April Flowers? March 31, 2010
Interstate 95 is flooded today. Many surface roads around the state are closed off to cars. The Governor has told us to stay in our homes. Nothing wrong with a bike ride though. As long as you have fenders. You do have fenders right?
Good news is the sun is coming out. The Governor says 70 degrees on Saturday. The Governor says, "Get Some".
FYI: We have fenders from SKS, Planet Bike and Tanaka.
Mystery Parts March 14, 2010
Did someone say "elf chair"?
So another Legend Yard Sale has come and gone and with it a lot of the flotsam and jetsam that builds up in the corners of the shop over the course of the year. Thank you to all who turned out and took it all away. It was a good time.
A new addition this year was the Mystery Parts Quiz. We had many participants who scored well enough to win a T-shirt. Our big winner though was little Delia Kovac who came in at the stroke of 6 to try her luck. She got every one wrong but when we pulled her name out of the bucket of all of the participants, she walked away with a new Knog shoulder bag. Even though her answer to number 11 was a head scratching "Robot Eyelash", she proved she had what it takes to come out on top in a good 'ol Mystery Parts Quiz.
New Bike March 1, 2010
custom surly steamroller
So we were lucky enough to get a couple sets of the new Sturmey Archer S3X fixed three speed hubs. Based on the old 1950's ASC design, they come in 120 or 130mm spacing, 36 hole drilling, and several annodized colors. The Silver set I built up on Mavic A719 rims and threw them into a 59 cm Surly Steamroller which happens to fit me nicely.
Just sayin' February 28, 2010
For a while there, I was thinking it was going to fall down on its own.
Keep your foot powder dry February 24, 2010
We all know how this goes: boy meets girl in a pile of sun-drenched autumn leaves, winter moves in and hardens their spirit. Darkness, cold, wind, snow. They put their heads down and ride it out until the sun gets warm and the days get longer and those delicate green shoots poke through the thawing tundra of their love...
Don't be a jerk. This recent little tease of sun and temps in the 40's aint gonna last. Today is proof. Its only February after all.
Showers pass makes these great booties which go over your street shoes and repel the soul crushing slush. Who do you love? What size are their feet?
what you need for winter riding January 8, 2010
I know, I know, everybody has their own personal ways of dealing with the cold weather out there. After all we are Swamp Yankees (dammit), which means we are first and foremost frugal ( I mean resourceful) , and we are tough (I mean frugal). So with that in mind I will offer my own tried and true methods for making it on your bike through a difficult winter. I may even try to sell you some of this stuff, but I'll go easy.
First of all, its best to use a bike that you don't care so much about as it will get slathered periodically with a slurry of weather, sand, salt, and motor oil. If you care about all of your bike(s) the same, then you might choose the one that has room for fenders and racks or the one that puts you in a more upright position for a casual pace. Perhaps these are the same bike. Perfect.
Fenders are the plastic or metal coverings around your wheels that keep water from splashing up onto you. They are essential to being comfortable on the bike when the roads get wet. The most effective fenders are the ones that wrap around the wheel from 9 o'clock to 3. They should be fastened securely the frame so that they don't rattle and become a nuisance. Nothing beats professionally installed fenders. We have all types of fenders from SKS, Planet Bike, and Tanaka for all types of bikes and budgets.
When the roads are dry, nothing grips the road like a smooth-treaded tire. When the road gets wet, the same is true. When a little snow builds up on the pavement, however, its nice to have some tread on the tire. Beyond that there is no substitute for studded tires on icy pavement. These are typically a heavy tread with metal studs in varying patterns to dig into the crust and ice to keep you upright on the bike. Most of the winter here in Providence, the roads stay clear; but if you rely on your bike in all weather, its worth the expense. You will actually look forward to your ride into work. We recommend the Nokian A10 for our typical conditions.
For clothing, less is more. Cover as much skin as you can with windproof and breathable fabrics and add a few non-cotton layers under that as necessary. When the thermometer drops below 40 deg., gloves are essential, and there are inexpensive hats and balaclvas that fit under a helmet. Avoid sweating as much as possible as this will create a chill that will be hard to shake once you stop. The key is if you start out on the colder side of comfortable you should expect the exercise of riding will warm you up.
balaclava
We sell Showers Pass weather gear. Of course cycling-specific clothing like this is expensive, but do what you can within your budget. Choose wool or polypropelene next to your skin rather than cotton. Spring/Fall weight rain shells or wind breakers can work with proper layering. It is helpful to be able add or shed layers as you go so play around with different combinations to arrive at what works for you.
Keep an eye on the weather channel or online forecasts. If the snow gets too heavy, you might consider walking or taking the bus. The roads will always be clear within a day or two. Lastly, take it easy out there. The important thing is that you make it to Spring when the sun finally comes out.
Happy New Year January 4, 2010
So Long '09
All the best in 2010!
Leg.
Survival Mode December 18, 2009
Earnst Shackleton
It seems like only a week ago that I was replacing the pumpkin in our window display with non-secular holly boughs, but when I left the shop last night at 8:30, it was an unseasonable 15 degrees (its still fall after all) with a nasty northerly breeze - quite a change from the 60 degrees we had in the first week of December.
While I pride myself on always dressing for the weather, my gloves, which have been otherwise good when the mercury drops below freezing, did not cut it this time. Halfway into my fifteen minute ride home I began to consider my options: I could go for it and risk my fingers actually falling off; I could try to get my pit zips open and try to warm one hand at a time as I continued riding with the other frozen to its respective brake hood; or I could stop and build a little fire to warm myself before going the rest of the way. Option number one seemed like the least likely; but when I realized that my frozen fingers could not find the tiny zipper handles under my arms and that I didn't have any matches, I just put my head down and kept riding.
Its times like this that I think of Ernest Shakleton and his 1914 expedition to be the first known human to reach the South Pole. After getting stuck in the ice a mere 80 miles from the land, Shackleton and his crew of twenty braved it out for almost two years on a frozen ice field, trying not only to survive, but to simply reach solid ground. There was no Gortex. There were no goose down sleeping bags (reindeer hide). Long story short, Shackleton and all of his men persevered under the brutal conditions and a diet of penguin meat and seal blubber, sleeping in canvas tents and wearing nothing but the best rubber and wool available at the time.
In weather like this it is best to dress in layers of polypropylene or wool under a well-ventilated windproof shell of some kind. While bicycling-specific clothing is best most of the time, its about survival out there right now so dress as warmly as you can in whatever you've got while minimizing the sweat factor. If you're reading this, you are probably lucky enough to be basking in the warm glow of a computer monitor, so when you think you've got it bad out there, think of Shackleton or the people sleeping outside tonight and how bad it could be and it just might be enough to get you through.
Product Review: Princeton Tec Swerve November 24, 2009
PrincetonTec Swerve red blinky
I've been running the Princeton Tec Swerve rear flashing light since they turned the sun off at 4:30 several weeks ago and so far I am impressed.
"But it's just a rear flasher - how impressed could you be!?", you say.
"Pretty", I say.
Unlike the basic $10 flasher, the Swerve has an easy to reach toggle switch right on the front of the light. No more fumbling with a tiny switch and a gloved hand. The two high powered (.5w) LED's are bright and have 180o visibility. Two AAA batteries will run this puppy for 70 hours. Use rechargeables if you want - if you have a solar charger, you're off the grid. Feel me?
My favorite thing about this light is how it mounts. No more plastic clamps and rubber shims if you're running the Swerve. A big o-ring securely wraps this light around any size seatpost. It also has a clip for monting on a bag or rear pocket.
Princeton Tec Swerve. Safety with Style.
Get one at Legend $29.95.
Bike Swap this Saturday October 20, 2009
I think Jim says it best himself:
Hi, I just wanted to let everyone know that theres a bike swap at as220 this saturday. Theres always been alot of good deals on parts bikes etc. 115 empire street, Providence 12-4 Vendors arrive at 11 Admission is free and so is vending. Hope to see you there. Thanks, Jim
Harvest Moon Happenings October 6, 2009
As the days grow shorter and the cool weather takes hold, its time to pause and enjoy these last best days of the fair cycling weather. If you don't already have plans to get on the bike this weekend, here are a few reasons to get yourself into high gear:
Plumage
The Fuji Feathers are in! The feather is a single-speed-fixie with classic Fuji styling. Come check out the Feather Saturday night at the Roller Races at Waste Not Want Not. We will be donating one Feather ($650 value) to raffle off in support of the Providence Biycle Coalition .
This coming weekend please don't miss all the great bike racing right here in Providence. That's right, Cyclocross is back at Roger Williams Park with "Divine Providence" - the third installment of the New England Verge Series. Come cheer on your favorite pros as well as weekend warriors all day Saturday and Sunday. While you're there try 2010 bicycles at the Interbike Outdoor Dirt Demo. This is a one of a kind opportunity to test ride bikes on the trails and roads of Roger Williams Park. There's nothing else like this on the East Coast. Believe me, you don't want to miss it.
As if you needed another reason to come out, in addition to their sign up Kiosk at RW Park the Providence Bicycle Coalition is hosting several events over the weekend. Friday night come out for the outdoor movies. This is a joint fundraising venture between the PBC and Recycle-a-Bike and will feature a new release, Veer, and the classic Night of the Living Dead. Saturday night join us for the roller races and try your luck against your friends or most bitter rivals. You never know, you might walk away with a Fuji Feather!
The PBC needs VOLUNTEERS!! PLEASE sign up to help out . Admission to most events is FREE to those who support us with your time and energy.
Last but not least, Legend would like to thank all of our customers for a great year. With all of the strange weather and gloomy talk of the "economy", we will be ending the fair weather season looking good for 2010. Keep in mind that starting in Mid-October, Legend will be going back to its usual hours. That means, starting October 13th, we will no longer be open on Tuesdays until the Spring. So when you want to mount those studded tires, come see us Wednesday through Sunday starting next week. We appreciate your business and we are proud to be your neighborhood bike shop.
Battle of Bay Pointe September 25, 2009
I had a classic nightmare last night that was set in the bike shop. A customer came in with a 25 year old Huffy "Bay Pointe" 3-speed and asked us to fix it up for his friend's birthday. It needed the usual tires tubes and brake work that all of these basement bikes need when they see the light of day after sitting unused for several semesters. "She'll love it", he said appealing to my soft underbelly. "Can you do it now?"
Early 80's Huffy Bay Pointe
With the 600 colleges and universities in Providence, September is always our busiest month here at Legend. Over Labor Day weekend, Brook Street goes from a shaded, summer trickle to a swollen torrent of cars and trolleys - and yes bikes - which thankfully fills the store with customers and repairs that stand in line to wait their turn. We are currently 2 weeks out on tune ups. Tires and tubes we can usually do within a day, but old bikes like this always give pause because of the potential for rusty disaster. I checked it over skeptically, but this one didn't look too bad. "I'll do my best. Can you come back around closing time?"
I was just finishing up with a repair when he returned at 7:30 so I put the old Bay Pointe in the stand and asked Gary to give me a hand peeling off the crusty tires. The store was quiet and all went pretty smoothly. After about 45 minutes, the bike had new tires, tubes, rim strips, brake pads, brake cables and we installed a Wald Basket on the front. I was pleased that we were able to get the bike done for this guy's friend and smiling as I imagined how happy this guy and the world would be with such a finely rejuvenated machine. Just before I freed the bike from the repair stand to hand to my new friend and get paid for our expert work, I checked everything over and noticed that the front brake was a bit out of balance and was ever so slightly rubbing on the rim. I wanted to make it better. Grabbing my open-ended 10mm, I reached behind the fork crown to loosen the brake bolt as I had done a thousand times before and without so much as a grunt, instantly sheared the head of the bolt off in my hand. Shit.
this is how the brake looked at 8:15
It was as if the rust that is usually distributed all around a 25 year old bike that has been stored in basements, left out in the rain, abandoned, found, abandoned and found again was concentrated at the crown of the fork where the lifeless nut and part of the brake bolt used to be. I tried to punch the bolt out through the front of the fork crown. Nothing. I tried to twist the brake to break the rusty bond. no luck. I tried rust buster. I tried the punch again. I took the brake caliper apart. I grabbed it with vise grips. I pulled out the drill and tried that for a bit. Nothing. The guy was so quiet in our waiting area that I completely forgot that he was there. I started to clean up my bench of all of the tools that had been pulled out. I had to regroup. If this nut had broken at the beginning of the repair rather than the end I would have called off the whole show and handed the birthday bike back and cued the trombone; but everything else was done: the tires, the brakes, the basket, the birthday cake and now it was personal. I banged away on that thing until I finally freed the bugger with the same punch and hammer I had pulled out at the beginning. Victory.
The brake at 9:00
The victory was made sweeter when none of the new brakes I had would reach the rim. I took off my shirt and pulled out the salvage bin. Our boneyard of salvaged parts is pretty good and times like this remind me how important the whole waste not want not philosophy can be. As I pieced together a set of calipers that would ultimately work better than the original brake on this department store special, I felt like Rambo in First Blood putting the needle in his arm to stitch up that nasty knife wound. As soon as the needle pricked my skin, however, I woke up in a pool sweat and the faint smell of rust buster. Too bad it was only a dream.
September First September 1, 2009
Student Special: 2009 SE Draft and a U-Lock!
Trash Day August 30, 2009
I like to think that the bicycle industry is green. At the bike shop, we sell and promote clean energy and good health and we try to live that way as well; but we do produce waste and have to deal with it in a hands on way.
As much as it pains me to say it, 99% of the world's bicycles, come from stinking factories in China or Taiwan. They arrive on this continent by container ship and are distributed by freight truck to warehouses and ultimately to the retail outlets like ours. They are packaged in cardboard and paper and zipties. As we assemble the bikes this packaging is separated and we store it until it is time to deal with it. Soft good shipments also create cardboard waste as well as #4 plastic. During our busy months, we store a lot of cardboard.
Repairs create significant waste as well. This is largely tires and tubes, which we keep separate, as well as the steel and aluminum from commonly replaced parts such as chains, cogsets, and wheels. We have separate bins for each of these as well as for glass bottles and office paper, catalogs and junk mail.
Twice a month we make a run to the Johnston Landfill to recycle and dispose of common trash. This past run we had 500 pounds of combined stuff. I'd say the six bags of garbage weighed 100 pounds total and the rest was dropped for recycling including 75 tires, 10 wheels, 30 pounds of steel, and roughly 200 pounds of cardboard.
No one individual or business can completely eliminate their carbon footprint, its just the nature of the human beast, but it sure does help put things in perspective when you handle the material that passes through your personal wastestream. If you are at all curious about how you personally contribute to the ever expanding elevation of "Mount Johnston", I highly recommend a trip to the Johnston Landfill.
North South July 10, 2009
The last time I rode over 60 miles on a mountain bike in one day was on Thankgiving a few years back, and I was trying to build up a big appetite for a pagan feast I had been invited to. Long story short, I finished with an empty tank, sugar starved and dehydrated; and after barely touching my pagan platter of turkey and potatoes, I ended up in bed for three days with a nasty Asian Flu bug - go figure.
So needless to say, I wasn't 100% sure that the 77 mile North-South trail was a lock. Sure, it's Rhode Island; but while the trail riding in our woods isn't the most mountainous in New England, it can be wicked and tricky. For example, at Arcadia Management Area, one of my favorite places to ride along the North South route, a 10 mile loop can take as much as two hours. In doing the math for a day's worth of riding I kept running out of daylight.
After Sara dropped us off at 7am on Route 44 just west of Chapachet, we headed south through the woods of Western Glocester. We found the route to be so well marked that we could make all the turns without a map and I only had to pull Cliff Vanover's guide book to check where we were once in a while. Durfee Hill, Killingly Pond, Moosup Valley, Nicolas Farm, Escoheag, Carolina. We rolled along singletrack, old logging roads, jeep trails, through woods and fields that were familiar New England terrain; but we sure weren't in Providence anymore.
We stopped to eat occasionally and to check our gear but we all knew the pitfalls of the long day before us so these stops were brief. A steady pace was important to keep the 6 of us moving along and to get us all to the end together.
Early efforts to stay dry were dashed within the first half-hour. With all the rain we have had this summer, trails that would have otherwise been dusty and loose, were pleasantly damp and tacky with many tricky water crossings and mud holes. We saw plenty of rural Rhode Island and at one point we shared a double-track with a bounding fawn that scooted into the woods like...well like a deer.
At mile sixty, we came out onto Route 138 out of food and low on water. The Stop and Shop at the highway offramp seemed like an incongruous place to find ourselves; and as I hovered over the salad bar, speckled with mud and lost in a haze of thinking of the food before me simply as the fuel that might power me for the final 20 miles, I became aware of how far we had come. I chose the turkey and swiss on Panini Bread, two bananas, a container of cranberry nut party mix and a gallon of water.
Back on the trail, we could start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We had been out there for 8 hours and we were all starting to believe that the end was near. The immediate personal miseries we were all feeling were offset by the anticipation of satisfaction we would share as we finished together. At 5:30, after 10 ½ hours, we crossed the line at campsite 645 in Burlingame State Park.
There are many ways to do this ride. Doing it in one day required shuttling a car to he campsite the night before and getting dropped off to start the day. A two day version might require more preparation, but the pace could be more casual and would allow for more time to eat and chill. This might be the only way to do it in the shorter days of fall which would be an awesome time for this terrain. I'm looking forward to hearing about how you'd like to do it. Until then...
Share the Law March 8, 2009
I missed an opportunity in this new space to promote the recent Providence Bicycle Coalition meeting this past Thursday night in which the proposed "three foot rule" was the main topic of conversation. In case you aren't aware, this bill (H5074) currently being debated on the floor of the State House could have a significant effect on the future of cyclists "sharing the road" with automobiles.
Rhode Island law has given cyclists the right to ride in the public right of way for roughly 100 years. Although the intent of this proposed rule is to provide more space for cyclists on the State's roadways, the way it is currently written is unenforceable; and on the narrow streets of our urban areas, it could increase the friction between cyclists and the motorists with which they share the road.
It is a tricky issue and one to truly ponder. As urban cyclists, we develop skills and a level of faith that allows us to more comfortable on busy streets. We ride predictably and behave as much like we would if we were driving a car. Less experienced - or perhaps less urban-minded cyclists may be inclined to behave differently on the road. So who should the law be written for: those who are currently riding on our streets or those who may in the future feel more comfortable with a token law on their side? How much responsibility should be given to motor vehicle operators? How much education will accompany this law? There will be more opportunities to contribute to this discussion. Join the PBC, stay tuned, and please weigh in with your two cents.
Snow Job March 4, 2009
So the joke's on me. All winter I've been boasting about getting around in all the snow we've had because I had set myslf up with a pair of Nokian studded tires. Those bad boys were good for everthing old man winter and an underfunded DPW could throw at us: snow, ice, crust, and they weren't too bad on the bare pavement either.
Unfortunately, the few warm days we had at the end of February not only melted the soot-stained snowbanks, but apparently what was left along the pathways of this soft little mind. Like a rube thinking this tease was the end of the icy weather, I sold those loyal soldiers for a song at last week's first annual Legend Yard Sale. Simply put, this sucker took off his winter boots at the end of February and traded them for flip flops because it said on the envelope "you MAY have won an early spring".
snow machine
Legend Bikes! February 9, 2009
check out our new look
This was an email I sent out to my address book back in December. In case you aren't on the mailing list (why aren't you on the mailing list?!?) Here is a recap of what I said back then:
Friends - In case you haven't heard, the bike shop on Brook Street in Providence is now Legend Bicycle. We're proud to continue being the full-service bicycle shop for the Fox Point neighborhood and we look forward to taking care of your every bicycle-related need.
In addition to Fuji, SE, Surly Bikes and the other products found here when we were the Hub, expect to find products geared to the "transportation cyclist". You know who you are. Please feel free to suggest products that you would like to see or services we should offer to best serve you.
Please note the following new contact information:
Legend Bicycle
181 Brook St.
Providence, RI 02906
401 383 3070
www.legendbicycle.com
Come by and check out the new look. We look forward to seeing you!
Love,
Jack