Meet Winter Bike

Steeeel. All original 1984 Raleigh Tamarack mountain/touring/get-you-arounder. 650b wheels, which thankfully are coming back in style, so finding tubes and tires won’t be a problem. Upon closer inspection they’re actually 26″, lame. Sticking with them for now and then I’ll probably spring for a 650b wheelset from Rivendell next summer.

This will be a fun project bike. Currently on my list are new grips (foam is nasty), tires, pedals, saddle, and probably handlebars. It’s in great shape as is, so it’s already a fun ride as is.

Looking forward to piecing this guy together. I have deemed him: Yukon Cornelius.

To Chatfield and Back

With my first century two weeks away, it was high time for a nice long ride. I’ve been riding a lot in the 30-45mi range, but I needed something a bit more challenging. The trek down to Chatfield State Park is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while, and my best guess was that it was about 65 miles round-trip from our house…looks like that was a pretty good guess.

We hit the trails around 8:00am, which is one of my favorite times to be out riding. You catch the early morning folks that are not only courteous when passing, but also greet you with a warm smile and a “good morning”. Later in the day you’re lucky to get a stern “LEFT” before someone whizzes by you. I’m not sure when exactly the shift happens, but I wish these “serious” cyclists would set a better example — because, really, you may think you’re all hot shit, but you’re not above common courtesy..stop being a dick.

What was I saying again? Oh yes, bike fun time.

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Winter Ride Bike Pron

I can’t help myself.

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I Bought a California Bike

I’ve got a pretty sweet gig. I work remotely from Denver for a company in San Jose, CA and once a month I travel out there to get a little office time. One of the first things I noticed was the number of bike lanes and bike friendly streets. They’re everywhere. And since San Jose is the land of paved suburbia, the roads are quite wide. Score.

Given that my trips are a regular occurrence, it wasn’t a giant leap to make the decision to buy a beater to help me get around when I visit. $150 later, and a little help from the folks over at Bicycle Express, and I have a California bike.

It’s a 1970s Gitane Grand Sport Deluxe with original paint, decals, and probably rust. Rides great and it’s totally worth the price and convenience.

Tour De Cure

The Tour De Cure Colorado was my first major ride; it was somewhat challenging, I had issues with my bike, and I still had a great time. The ride benefits the ADA, a great cause, so it was fun to put a team together. Name sponsored our funds and our sweet jerseys, designed by my buddy Josh.

Things I learned:

• Derailleur issues suck
• Flat tires suck more
• The Tour staff are incredible
• I’m surprisingly good at climbing
• Eat more snacks at rest stops

I rode 62 miles and felt awesome. Maybe next year I’ll go for 100.