tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12278671479510870612011-12-29T05:45:57.233-08:00The bicycle is a simple solution to some of the world’s most complicated problems. (John Burke)Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.comBlogger851100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-17062966791862684582011-09-03T16:01:00.000-07:002011-09-03T16:01:18.377-07:00

Yea!  We recently decided that E was ready for the jogging stroller (makes mom very happy) and the cargobike (makes dad very happy)! I had previously discovered that our existing infant car seat wouldn't fit into the box on the cargobike, so we had to do some additional planning.  Some online research will tell you that typically Maxi-Cosi infant seats are smaller than many other brands, so I

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-15851565664132959892011-09-02T07:42:00.000-07:002011-09-02T07:42:40.555-07:00

(Full disclosure: the PC2 pedals were provided to me at no cost as part of the 2011 Ergon Commuter Team). At last!  Ok actually I got these more than a few weeks ago but I've been backed up on the blog. That said, aside from the BC3 backpack, these are the product I have been most excited about getting my hands on.  I knew I had the perfect application: the cargobike. Meh.  Look at those

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-68371545411268104392011-08-30T18:23:00.000-07:002011-08-30T18:23:55.134-07:00

(Full disclosure: these gloves were provided to me for free as part of being on the 2011 Ergon Commuter Team.) One of the perks of being on the Ergon Commuter team this year was a chance to try out a pair of Ergon's new gloves.  The lineup includes short and full finger gloves for "Racing Grips" (GS/GX) "Performance Comfort" (GP/GC) and "Technical" (GA/GE).  Since I am not much of a MTB'er I

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-78898561591399256342011-05-08T15:48:00.000-07:002011-05-08T15:48:04.271-07:00

This week I had a crazy idea:  racing our cargo bike against other cargo bikes.  What is not to love about this idea?  So I talked to Chris and he thought it was a swell idea too. Here's what I am thinking initially. 1) All kinds of cargo bikes welcome.  Xtracycles, Utes, Madsens, Big Dummies, Mundos, Bakfiets, whatever you've got. 2) You'll have to carry some stuff.  Probably even load and

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-30629694815900951322011-05-04T09:42:00.000-07:002011-05-13T10:44:52.539-07:00

I've been riding my daily commute for almost 4 years now.  In that period of time, I've collected some gear that has become essential for me, stuff that I am absolutely thrilled with.  I thought I would share those thoughts with you, dear reader! 1) Surly Long Haul Trucker I love my LHT.  It is not fancy or decked out.  But it works, all the time.  Bought stock in 2008 I have

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-77569390904514326842011-05-01T08:46:00.000-07:002011-05-01T08:46:30.702-07:00

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-81053528074018243162011-04-10T10:52:00.000-07:002011-04-10T10:52:24.656-07:00

After manually logging miles for about a year, I grew tired of constantly measuring rides and inputting numbers.  I have an older Garmin Etrex Venture (not C or HC) that I have used in the past as a bike computer so I thought I'd see what I could do with it. Contrary to Garmin's official stance, and the Garmin Connect website, you CAN use old model serial-connection devices with Garmin Connect.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-70018928531356731402011-04-04T08:05:00.000-07:002011-04-04T08:05:33.184-07:00

The first shipment from Ergon International for the commuter team was waiting for me when we got home from the hospital last week.  Finding a package addressed to: James Osborne Ergon Commuter Team was pretty nice, and I was excited to see my new grips.  Here they are straight out of the box: As evidenced by the BioKorks, Ergon is trying to reduce their impact on our planet, and they have done a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-38332740338432332072011-04-01T09:12:00.000-07:002011-04-01T09:19:44.217-07:00

When I got our Joebike BoxBike, I intentionally got the upgraded version that has the Avid BB7 disc brake up front an a Shimano Alfine dynohub as well.  Our neighborhood is pretty hilly and I wanted the added security of the disc brake.  The dynohub was really just a nice bonus.  How nice? Pretty nice. Since we had the dynohub I wanted to get some good lights for it.  The bike came with the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-45998526118561169742011-03-28T09:48:00.001-07:002011-03-28T09:56:40.670-07:00

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-25588079332140584312011-03-08T07:07:00.001-08:002011-03-08T07:15:14.258-08:00

This isn't going to be a long post. Mostly I just want to get a thought written down.The argument/discussion surrounding vehicular cycling vs. a separated infrastructure has been going on for about 40 years in the US. If you're reading this, you probably already knew that. Here is what I think, initially.I started riding as a 'roadie'. I rode purely for recreation on a road bike in good

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-89518280776127314912011-02-24T14:32:00.001-08:002011-02-26T14:04:38.186-08:00

(With respect to Urban Velo, of course)Why I Love Riding In The SuburbsReaders of the blog and general folks who know me know that we moved to a south Denver suburb from Denver about 3 years ago when we bought a house. It is an easy argument to make that a car-free or car-light lifestyle is much more suited to the city proper than a suburb developed in the 1970's. However, there are a number of

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-61865169175126631472011-02-16T17:32:00.000-08:002011-02-16T18:03:22.333-08:00

Because I rode my bike today,I spent 90 minutes outside in an gorgeous spring-like Colorado day;I saw an incredible pink sunset over the white-capped front range, and stopped to admire it;I did not contribute to traffic congestion;I reduced my risk of obesity and related disease;As such (above) I helped reduce the cost of health care in the US as well as my own costs;Between today and tomorrow

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-33858729985030841812011-02-14T07:31:00.000-08:002011-02-15T10:05:31.941-08:00

Chances are, if you are a cargo bike nerd you are aware of a recent post over at Bakfiets en Meer that has stirred up a lot of debate. If you are less of a bike dork than me, you can read it here: http://bit.ly/hRIs0d. I won't rehash what was discussed in the original post, but it was one person's strong opinion about various styles of cargo bikes and the quality of product offered. The

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-23347895672769551692011-01-30T15:22:00.000-08:002011-01-30T16:24:52.399-08:00

I realize that this post will probably disappoint or offend people who are purists in some sense of the word. Either the Surly-can-do-no-wrong purist (and I am awfully close to being in that camp) or the it-has-always-worked-for-me purist.I bought my Long Haul Trucker in August 2008 and I figure I have about 8,000 - 10,000 miles on it. I bought it stock, and other than replacing worn out chains

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-63242418880263997842011-01-14T14:31:00.000-08:002011-02-09T10:43:01.395-08:00

As you might remember from part 1, I've been thinking lately about the ideal bike for surviving the oncoming zombie apocalypse. (By the way, if you don't believe that the zombie apocalypse is coming, check out this Google map and tell me afterwards how you feel.)Of my stable, my Surly Long Haul Trucker landed at the top of the list. But for this round, my focus is on the no-holds-barred ideal

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-54114632249649084112011-01-09T07:08:00.000-08:002011-01-09T07:55:52.620-08:00

A few weeks ago I was thrilled to get an email from Jeff Kerkove, Marketing Director for Ergon USA, announcing that I was chosen for the 2011 Commuter Team! Several months ago they said they were looking for members, and I thought I'd give it a shot. I was honestly shocked to hear that I will be a part of their team this year. From the Ergon Website:All of us here at Ergon USA are excited to

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-46800309752410391912010-12-17T20:41:00.000-08:002010-12-22T18:18:49.487-08:00

Unless you have been living in a cave for the past few months you're aware that AMC has adapted The Walking Dead for television, and, well, it is awesome.My boss and I both love the show, and the show has prompted many zombie-preparedness discussions around the watercooler at work. My boss is of the 'Zombieland' persuasion, which is to say he wants to find the biggest vehicle that he can and run

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-12594722786003965882010-11-22T11:21:00.000-08:002010-11-22T11:24:25.661-08:00

Sunday:Me: "We should probably go to the grocery store."Wife: "Do you want to ride bikes there?"Me: "Of course!"Wife: "I get to ride Jo!"Awesome. That's all for today. Yes, we named our JoeBike "Jo."

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-83873770219344858412010-11-20T18:36:00.000-08:002010-11-21T07:36:01.234-08:00

Thought I'd share a recent and great experience I had with PlanetBike.For about a year I've used a 1/2 Watt Blaze as my helmet mounted be-seen light. I've been pretty happy with it (in spite of a dedicated helmet mount) and I think it's the right brightness for a backup light. I don't like the idea of having a super-bright helmet light as I don't want to blind other folks on the road or

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-14915635995708563752010-11-19T07:47:00.000-08:002010-11-20T08:33:52.247-08:00

I was just featured on CarFreeAmerican - check it out!http://carfreeamerican.blogspot.com/2010/11/james-osborne-carfree-american-profile.htmlThanks to Bill @ CarFreeAmerican for making me a part of his site!

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-413727466011155872010-11-18T13:26:00.000-08:002010-11-20T08:54:13.774-08:00

Well, the cat is basically out of the bag on this one, but the garage has a brand new addition! Anyone who found my blog from http://carfreeamerican.blogspot.com/ has already seen the beauty that is my 2010 Joebike! Here she is again a few times:And here's how she got home:Sunday the 14th Jon and I rode down to pick her up from Colorado's Joebike dealer in Castle Rock. We totally

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-69725911655027453312010-10-27T09:35:00.001-07:002010-11-14T15:28:30.800-08:00

I will admit it: I am obsessed with the idea of having a cargo bike. My wife will attest, I won't shut up about it. This new addiction is the result of two things:1) I have realized how easy the Collegiate is to ride for errands because of its laid back nature and rockin' Wald front basket, and I want to expand on that idea.2) We're having a kid and I really, really don't want to buy another

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-27145646042710901062010-10-17T11:51:00.000-07:002010-10-17T12:12:00.228-07:00

I mentioned earlier that I have been wanting to get more involved in some bike advocacy at a local level. I was poking around on the City of Centennial's website, specifically regarding current street projects.There were funds allocated in the 2010 city budget for 16 miles of new bike lanes in the city, which of course I loved to see. There was an e-mail listed for a city engineer to contact

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-17257501682953712612010-10-14T17:50:00.000-07:002010-10-14T19:35:34.296-07:00

I've never been too much involved with bike advocacy, other than riding a lot and telling people that I know that it's pretty awesome. But lately I've been thinking that I ought to get involved locally.For life in the 'burbs, we have a pretty sweet deal. The South Suburban trail network is a good one, especially for recreational purposes. And it's not a terrible one for transportation. We

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-75100345664800425552010-10-13T19:16:00.000-07:002010-10-14T17:46:32.887-07:00

So you might recall that a while ago I inherited my late grandfather's Schwinn Collegiate. It spent the winter in my basement with a package of steel wool and some degreaser and a whole lot of elbow grease. Replaced cables and housing, tires and brake pads. I rebuilt the front hub after it was seizing up on me.I also thought she desperately needed a classic front basket. I went with a Wald

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-47853921053569991382010-10-13T18:56:00.001-07:002010-10-13T19:10:46.551-07:00

So, not a lot of updating recently. Like, in a while. Turns out, once you've been commuting by bike for a few years, it becomes pretty routine. That said, 2010 has been a solid year for bikes and me. No serious hiccups at all. The Surly has been great for me all year. About a month ago she got a full overhaul, cables, housing, brake pads, etc, etc. The only upgrade she got this year was I

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-27382229630058624372010-01-05T19:24:00.000-08:002010-01-05T19:56:21.790-08:00

2009 was a good year to be a cyclist. Started off a little rough, as the icebike had some mechanical problems and there were a few days in early in the year that I had to have the Mrs cart me to and from the light rail. Once the extra-cold weather passed, things were easy. The Surly had an excellent year! Really no drivetrain or mechanical issues at all. After about 5000 miles she was due for

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-77341911757058443792009-11-15T11:58:00.000-08:002009-11-15T12:17:04.854-08:00

So many updates, really just from this week.First, tail lights. After seeing the self-contained laser bike lane, I was inspired to improve my visibility. My favorite thing about a bike lane is it gives the appearance of physical space for the cyclist. A motorist will naturally give more room. So, how can I replicate this at a low cost? Jon and I began discussing how to make me appear wider.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-39001543962377287502009-10-24T15:24:00.000-07:002009-10-24T15:42:50.349-07:00

I have a new project that I am pretty excited about. Earlier this year my grandmother passed away, and in cleaning out the garage my mother found this:Ok not the best picture sorry. So from my guess this is a mid-50's to mid-60's Schwinn Collegiate. 26" wheels and a nice chainguard:It has tire-dynamo driven front and rear lights and some killer fenders.Mechanically it appears to be in great

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-52703258249186590922009-10-11T06:40:00.000-07:002009-10-11T07:15:44.035-07:00

So if you'll remember I recently bought a Jandd Commuter Garment Bag. My one issue with the bag was that I couldn't get the rain cover around the bag because the bungee cord was so tight.Knowing that Jandd is a pretty awesome company, I wrote them to see what was up. They got back to me right away, saying that there were about 5 bags that got made with the wrong sized bungee in the rain cover,

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-8489630440065878572009-09-24T18:55:00.000-07:002009-09-24T19:22:55.169-07:00

Fall has officially arrived, and I have been getting myself ready for dark and cold riding. I have had a bulb burned out of my NiteRider that I knew needed to be replaced. And I was getting a little worried about runtime. So the NiteRider is 10w/15w so 25w combo, and my commute is about 45-50 minutes each way, and I'd like to have at least the 15w on full both ways. I tested the run time and

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-89964902061059396852009-09-02T07:44:00.000-07:002009-09-02T07:46:02.995-07:00

I recently had a friend, who is a casual cyclist, ask me about my bike commuting. What’s my motivation for not owning a car and using my bike as much as possible? Of course the basic reasons of financial benefits and health benefits came up. I told him at the time “mostly, I just like bikes.” Which is really true. I do like bikes, a lot, people who know me would probably think that’s an

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-60439815793840513252009-08-09T11:37:00.000-07:002011-02-16T17:31:59.721-08:00

(Please note this page has been updated to address the rain cover here:http://onelessindenver.blogspot.com/2009/10/jandd-garment-bag-update.html)A few weeks back I bought a Jandd Commuter Garment Bag. Since I started bike commuting full time a few years ago, I have been using a Nashbar/Performance branded garment pannier. I'll not review that here, but it needed to be replaced. The zippers on the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-70266561554521119912009-08-09T09:31:00.000-07:002009-08-09T10:10:35.088-07:00

Last weekend was the 4th annual Copper Triangle, supporting the Davis Phinney foundation. It was my goal ride for the summer and I was very much looking forward to it. Jon and I rode together. We arrived in Copper Friday night and grabbed our packets, and headed to Frisco for dinner and to crash. It was pretty cold Friday night and a thunderstorm rolled in around 8:00. We grabbed dinner at

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-71281827184445620552009-06-24T19:30:00.001-07:002009-06-24T19:36:14.282-07:00

So, the build-up of course did not go as smoothly as possible. The 68x113 ISIS bb I ordered online ended up being too short. I couldn't get the chain onto the granny gear. Went to the shop, they gave me what they said was a 68x118 ISIS bb. It ended up being a 68x118 Giga Pipe bb. The spindles on a giga pipe are the same, however, thanks to the external bearings, the spindle length of a 118

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-51017869993566587382009-06-10T19:38:00.001-07:002009-06-10T19:38:04.008-07:00

I promised pictures...     Parts started arriving in the mail today, so perhaps there will be a whole bicycle by the end of the weekend!

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-79967079237912339252009-06-10T18:37:00.000-07:002009-06-10T18:46:41.582-07:00

I've probably said this before, but I meticulously track our expenses in Quicken. I was thinking this week about the lack of gasoline purchases I've had in the past few years, and got curious. I wanted to know when the last time was that I put gas in the Cutlass (which we no longer own).So,3/15/2008, $17.768/9/2007, $19.99Those are the last two transactions for gas for the Cutlass. I basically

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-67823685966844434602009-06-09T13:13:00.000-07:002009-06-09T13:14:40.082-07:00

http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikeadvocacy/The text below is copied directly from the League's webpage: take a look:(begin League of American Bicyclists content:)Proposal to End Federal Funding for Bike Projects(6.05.09) A proposal by House Republican leaders to slash critical federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects was branded as “short-sighted and out of touch with reality” in

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-40290944436776258252009-06-07T16:56:00.000-07:002009-06-07T16:58:02.464-07:00

Wish I had pictures, but yesterday I got my new-to-me Schwinn Peloton. It's circa 99 or 2000, Reynolds 853 tubing with an aftermarket Ritchey carbon fork and a carbon seatpost. For being 10+ years old, it is a beaut. I'm really, really happy with the condition of the frame. A few paint chips as expected but no rust, it's been well taken care of, even the BB housing is pristine.The plan is as

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-76939877074721292862009-06-04T20:23:00.000-07:002009-06-04T20:29:13.119-07:00

So, not a lot new. Just got back from a couple of trips and getting back in the groove. Missed about 10 days of riding while traveling, so Wednesday's commute was really nice. It's amazing what some rest can do for your legs! Right before I left for my trip(s) I stopped by Alpha Bicycle to have them give the Surly a quick once-over. She is doing great, just tightened up some cable stretch.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-3815137188322141252009-05-10T09:24:00.001-07:002009-05-10T09:24:59.013-07:00

In 2004, the city of San Francisco paid Alta Planning & Design to conduct a study on the use of sharrows in the city.  (For those of you unfamiliar, this is a sharrow:)     The city was having high incidents of 'dooring', as well as cyclists riding on sidewalks, against traffic, and motorists demonstrating aggressive behavior.  The goal of the study was to determine which markings were most

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-688761684166241202009-05-09T05:16:00.001-07:002009-05-09T05:16:47.203-07:00

Well.  Icebike V2.0 had some problems.  After putting everything together, singlespeed conversion, etc, I was still having some drivetrain problems.  Which made me a bit frustrated.  With the help of the much more knowledgeable brother-in-law, it was determined that i had some freehub problems. Jon and I got ambitious.  Stripped down the wheel, took the freehub body off the hub (thanks to

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-1084741006239465882009-05-07T18:41:00.000-07:002009-05-07T18:56:18.154-07:00

Alright. I haven't posted in forever. forever, forever. Here's the quick and dirty.1) I survived another winter sans-car. It didn't always go well. Icebike had some problems. There was one day of walking, pushing icebike. There were a few days of being carted to and from the light rail station by the wife. So maybe that doesn't count as sans-car. More on that story later.2) It is now,

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-71759494980622222762009-05-06T15:38:00.001-07:002009-09-23T07:01:07.655-07:00

MADSEN Cargo Bikesthese are cool. and yes, I am overdue for a real post

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-15041190206935294042008-11-23T13:10:00.001-08:002008-11-23T14:17:10.879-08:00

About a week and a half ago we got the first snow here in town and I had an opportunity to try out the winter bike and my new studded tires. Results? 1) Studded tires are pretty awesome. I never felt unstable or worried about going into a turn. 2) The winter bike needed some work. Shifting really poorly, chain jumping over the cassette, and my fit wasn't very good. The frame is on the small

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-48817061231467518072008-11-05T19:52:00.001-08:002008-11-05T19:52:24.617-08:00

Ok.  I am generally not political on here.  However, with the national results from Tuesday, it is pretty safe to say that a democratically controlled federal government is more likely to spend money on cycling infrastructure than a conservative one.  So, here's my letter.  Feel free to send one to your representative!   Dear, Congratulations on your success in the recent election.  All

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-73812750959172558292008-11-03T19:29:00.001-08:002008-11-03T19:29:15.143-08:00

Ok, we all dealt with it so I'm just going to be brief.   Downside:  It was flipping dark at like 4:30 this afternoon.  Actually dark.    Upside:  It was really, really nice this morning.  Not just b/c of DST but because it was 48 degrees when I left the house.  Awesome.  And, it was light out.  Like I-can-wear-sunglasses-with-dark-lenses light out.  So that was pretty nice.  Most of all, I

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-78224502832179037792008-10-22T20:18:00.001-07:002008-10-22T20:18:13.715-07:00

Cole over at 1 Less Car (http://www.1lesscar.com) got himself a Surly LHT and took that as a chance to do a nice midwest fall tour.  You can (and should) read about his adventure on the blog over there, http://1lesscarnews.blogspot.com. 

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-24512764685187829762008-10-20T19:44:00.001-07:002008-10-20T19:44:27.094-07:00

Last week fall really set in for us front-rangers as a sharp cold front moved in over the weekend.  Monday and Tuesday it was below freezing when I left the house for work, so it was a good chance for me to test my current cold weather setup. Changes that I've recently implemented: 1) Switched my super-light Optik jacket for my PI Barrier jacket. 2) Added knee warmers.  Also learned that knee

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-86295177655895597692008-10-19T09:10:00.001-07:002008-10-19T09:10:37.437-07:00

I like bike commuters, and bike commuters that use hand signals and ride appropriately.  Friday, however, I realized that perhaps we need some hand-signal education.  My teachers always told me that if I had a question, I should ask it, because there are probably other kids in the class who have the same question. By that logic, I figure there are at least 10 bike commuters in the Denver metro

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-72438434303391495772008-10-05T10:44:00.000-07:002008-10-05T10:56:54.158-07:00

So, recently my sister implied that perhaps I'm really not saving money bike commuting as I have a tendency to buy bike-related stuff. (ok, maybe a lot). So I thought I would break down the numbers and find out if I really am savings money.Before I get into too many details, let's have some full disclosure:1) We're now a one car family, so my savings will be significantly more than someone who

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-35627529643909539482008-09-22T05:52:00.001-07:002008-09-22T05:57:38.934-07:00

So a good friend of mine is moving from the burbs to the city and is looking to buy a simple around-town bike, so we were talking about single speeds, etc. I was poking around online yesterday looking at a few manufacturer's websites. I went to look at the '09 Schwinn Madison, which is a reasonably priced flip-flop, the '09 is a cool yellow too, when I saw this:For $299!There isn't a ton of

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-60988961879088737332008-09-22T05:38:00.000-07:002008-09-22T05:50:28.716-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about high energy prices lately, and I have to say, generally I like it. I have an honest fear that gas prices will fall below $3/gallon and people will see it as 'relief' and start putting their bikes back up on hooks in the garage and buy huge SUVs again. Of course time will tell what happens with oil prices and gas prices.Historically we have seen surges in energy

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-79037698475682882042008-09-15T19:38:00.001-07:002008-09-15T19:43:40.308-07:00

I admit it, I have been neglecting the blog. Today was such a beautiful fall day, and I had a perfect ride home. I saw about another 5-6 commuters today, which has been about average lately.Most cyclists are friendly, especially commuter-to-commuter. I have to admit, it seems that often roadies are less friendly. But overall, most cyclists will wave to one another and chat it up at

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-88405554922089021942008-09-08T19:34:00.001-07:002008-09-09T18:32:26.310-07:00

So many bikes. Only so much time in the day.First, credit to the brother in law for this one. Salsa has a new 29er, the Fargo, for the 2009 lineup. I can only say that, to my knowledge, this is a pretty unique bicycle. Here's the stock:Items to note:- 6 (!) bottle cages on most sized frames (only 5 if you are little...)- disc brakes, the rear brake mounts on the chainstay to allow for the use

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-59763181895808423932008-09-07T11:15:00.000-07:002008-09-09T18:32:45.100-07:00

The wife and I cruised down to Panera yesterday to get coffee, read, hang out, generally enjoy a beautiful day. On the way home we passed a couple of garage sales, one of which had a bike out front...of course I had to stop.Best part? It had a 'free' sign on it. I gave the lady a couple of bucks and walked both bikes home (we were in the neighborhood already). So:She's not a lot to look at

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-4946530797902687292008-09-04T20:06:00.000-07:002008-09-09T18:33:13.924-07:00

I stole this from here:http://citybeat.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A145989Percent of American adults age 20 years and older who are overweight or obese: 66 Pounds a new bicycle commuter can expect to lose during the first year of bicycle commuting: 13 Percentage of heart disease/ stroke among leading causes of adult American deaths: 33% Hours of bike riding per week necessary to cut the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-59547648867432759352008-09-03T20:39:00.000-07:002008-09-03T20:51:40.720-07:00

This morning was the first time (kind of surprising actually) that I was verbally threatened by a motorist on my commute. I've been brushed many-a-time, honked at, told to get on the sidewalk, etc, but today a kind gentleman in a white early 90's Accord let me know of his intention to inflict harm on my backside with his foot. I'll set the stage:Me: sitting at red lightHim: sitting behind me at

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-23437760073102126502008-09-02T21:03:00.000-07:002008-09-02T21:12:14.427-07:00

I can't believe I haven't shared this one yet:Urban VeloUrban Velo is a great e-zine (is that still cool to say?) about riding in the city. It started out very small with just a few articles and profiles, but this latest issue (#9) is a cut above, with some great stories and a great article with Joe Breeze, who is awesome and loves bikes.They like bikes, and I like them. Sometimes when I read

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-49754531399094359482008-09-02T20:15:00.000-07:002008-09-02T20:20:44.434-07:00

One:There was an article recently printed in the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette (Fort Wayne is my former hometown and birthplace). Pretty cool, since Fort Wayne has never really been super bicycle-friendly. I can tell you that most roads have no shoulder, in the 19 years that I lived in northern Indiana I never saw a sharrow and I can't remember seeing a bike lane or a Share The Road sign. I had a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-36464601118743727992008-08-31T14:30:00.000-07:002008-08-31T14:34:12.090-07:00

I was recently introduced to this comic, and I'm sure that it will cost my employer a few dollars a week.Granted there are some bicycle-political issues addressed in the comic so if you think that your opinions are overwhelmingly important, don't blame me if you don't like this. I don't agree with everything (Yehuda doesn't wear a helmet, for example) but that doesn't mean I don't love the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-85239450120370037702008-08-29T17:15:00.000-07:002008-08-29T17:20:43.776-07:00

I have to admit it.I don't know if anybody actually reads this, let alone reads the comments, but there has been some discussion about whether or not the Wicked Witch of the West rides a bicycle in the Wizard of Oz. My contention was that only the Kansas counterpart rides a bike, while 'the brother in law' (yes, he is my brother-in-law) argued that the witch rode a bike.Well.Really this is the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-83353932853442599982008-08-23T15:11:00.000-07:002008-09-09T18:33:13.924-07:00

There's been a recent resurgence in popularity of steel bikes. A couple of manufacturers are doing a stellar job with some frames/bikes and I thought I'd highlight a few of them.Since everybody knows I love Surly, we'll leave them out for today.First up is Raleigh. I've mentioned that a few weeks ago I discovered the Sojourn and was quite taken by it on paper. When looking at it, we also

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-71913603938260384442008-08-23T14:29:00.000-07:002008-08-23T14:56:53.864-07:00

Ok, well the Long Haul Trucker has been on three commutes (Thursday, Friday, today), two of which were with my garment bag pannier and this morning just me. So far it has been great to say the least. The ride is smooth, silky smooth. The combination of great steel, a super stretched out wheelbase and 38mm tires makes rough roads a problem of the past.I feel like she (by the way, she needs a

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-27060566280203947692008-08-20T20:01:00.000-07:002008-08-20T20:11:14.433-07:00

This afternoon I got the call from Alpha Bicycle that the Long Haul Trucker had arrived and was built up waiting for me! I didn't think I would be able to get it today but the wife was down on the south side of town and picked me up the office and we stopped by and picked her up!Sorry about just the one picture but batteries in the camera died. Alpha put on the fenders when they built her up

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-23602292841532799342008-08-20T07:50:00.000-07:002008-08-20T07:53:05.180-07:00

Masi has some nice looking bikes coming out:http://commutebybike.com/2008/08/20/2009-masi-bikes-commuter-preview/I particularly like these two: Props to them for making the Soulville a more practical commuter. This is a great short-trip bike, in my opinion. Of course I'm partial to drop bars, but this is nice looking nonetheless.And who doesn't love a nicely put together tourer?

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-13706625933111778472008-08-19T18:44:00.000-07:002008-08-19T18:47:12.182-07:00

Well there's car sharing (which is a great idea, and I wish there was more of in Denver), and now bike sharing! A group in Vancouver, BC is working on establishing a Cargo-bike co-op, which is a neat idea.Personally, I think I am maxed out at 4 bikes (as in, I don't see my wife allowing there to be more than that at the moment), but having a cargo bike to share would be convenient. I'm not

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-48728635543162708702008-08-18T20:52:00.001-07:002008-08-18T20:52:33.666-07:00

So does this guy:http://bicycledesign.blogspot.com/And I like that he likes bikes a lot.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-59597284643803641092008-08-17T14:25:00.001-07:002008-08-17T14:36:17.254-07:00

Since we moved and became a 1-car family with a 2-car garage, I've been talking about building a very functional bike rack for the garage. Since we had to go to Home Depot yesterday morning to get some downspouts b/c it was pouring, I searched through the scraps bin. Each piece is only $0.51! So for about $6 I got plenty to at least get me started.Before pictures, know that my goal was to 1)

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-7569013347962682742008-08-15T21:07:00.001-07:002008-08-15T21:15:24.110-07:00

Everybody in town has an opinion about the DNC. I have a co-worker who got 'credentials' to go see Obama at Invesco and can't stop talking about it, which is cool for her.Personally my opinion is that I'll be happy to stay south of Belleview for about a week. Crowds aren't my thing.Regardless of your political affiliation, this is awesome:http://www.freewheelinwaytogo.com/about.aspxHumana and

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-73498716191955820862008-08-15T20:42:00.001-07:002008-08-15T20:54:51.036-07:00

Last night at about 2:30 I woke up to the sound of a HUGE storm - a welcome sound since we have gotten basically no rain all summer. However, at 6am when I got up, I realized 2 things. First - it is still raining. Second - the only bike I have with fenders right now is the ice bike which needs work and has no handlebar grips. Also, since we moved I have no clue where any of my cold-weather

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-32341299441535418842008-08-04T19:47:00.001-07:002008-08-04T19:58:31.577-07:00

Well I rode the Sojourn. First, let me say that only 1 Raleigh dealer in the front range area even had one in stock. Evidently Raleigh is about to release the '09 lines and isn't stocking any new bikes. The bike the shop had was a bit small for me (a 57) and this wasn't super comfortable.It was a nicely put together bike. The WTB Mountain drops are different, for sure. Kinda feels like

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-14182089668570235922008-08-02T08:03:00.000-07:002008-08-02T08:09:19.269-07:00

A few weeks ago the wife and I went for a ride with my sister and brother in law. Which pretty much means I went for a ride with my brother in law. We were chatting (as I usually am) about bicycle commuting and I shared with him what I thought would be the ideal commuter bike.It would have:1) Disc Brakes. Love them or hate them, they work when it's raining. That's enough for me. Plus my

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-1234848912123086582008-07-31T17:21:00.000-07:002008-07-31T17:26:37.648-07:00

Ok, again I haven't written in this thing in forever. Here's a quick update:At the end of May we moved into our new house in Centennial. I was super pumped because I would be about 2x as close to the office, and it made it realistic to ride the whole way.The weekend we moved we also FINALLY sold my car! I immediately took the money and put it towards my wife's car loan - can't wait to get that

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-12630238493119216322008-05-30T13:58:00.000-07:002008-07-31T17:21:33.941-07:00

Ok nobody reads this but this is a great article about the realities of fuel prices...http://tinyurl.com/6pusoj

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-30214699235398085572007-11-07T12:11:00.000-08:002007-11-07T12:20:04.104-08:00

I found all kinds of great stuff today:http://commutebybike.com/ This is a GREAT site with a lot of resources, reviews, commuting tips and advocacy topics. It will become a regular for me, I'm sure.http://www.sightline.org/research/sprawl/res_pubs/Livable_Copenhagen_reduced.pdfThis is, hands down, the most thorough report I have seen about bicycle infastructure and civil engineering. Be

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-62892099809537451562007-10-31T08:14:00.000-07:002007-10-31T08:37:32.445-07:00

Ok, so it's not my intention to use this blog to rant, but after a few weeks bicycle commuting full-time, I have some suggestions for those sharing the road with me.1) First, let me say that the overwhelming majority of motorists to an excellent job of driving well around cyclists. Passing as if I am a car (i.e. in the other lane), taking right-of-ways when they have it, etc.2) Speaking of

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-22496097059334761512007-10-25T08:55:00.001-07:002007-10-25T09:01:42.586-07:00

It's been over a week! I'm ashamed.Monday was a very good test of my car-less existence. When I left the house it as 23 degrees outside and a touch windy. Proud to say that this was my first below-freezing bike ride. It really was no big deal. I added a layer, a pair of flannel-lined khaki's that I have had forever, and they are amazing. Another 10 degrees colder and I will need a pair of

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-55804146977135013802007-10-17T08:57:00.000-07:002007-10-17T12:55:54.007-07:00

This is pretty neat: 2007 Share the Road Safety Campaign“Share the Road. Don’t be a Road Hog. We all walk, bike and drive. Don’t be a Road Hog. Let’s all Share the Road."Motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians", particularly 18 to 34 year old males are the primary focus of the 2007 Share the Road Campaign starting this month. The campaign will increase awareness of the shared responsibility for

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-20037326250938901212007-10-12T07:20:00.000-07:002007-10-12T07:35:18.177-07:00

Today will be the end of my 2nd week bike commuting (and my 6th week since I have driven my car). No flat tires, missed trains, sweaty backs!A few brief observations:People are mesmerized by a bike commuter. On the train, it's "is that a garment bag? cool!" But the best ones are in the elevator at work. "How far is your ride?" or "Cold for a ride today, isn't it?" (It's been about 45 in the

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-64648018518019082922007-10-04T18:36:00.000-07:002007-10-04T18:45:14.119-07:00

So I finally got my new gear on my bike, wrapped the bars and did my first full-on, change-clothes-at-the-office commute today. It went great, a little cool in the morning, beautiful this afternoon. My garment bag pannier works great and kept my clothes looking nice.I absolutely love my new bar tape - natural cork. Check it out.Got the rack on, without much difficulty:Here's the whole deal:

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-40645204793412338052007-09-28T15:16:00.000-07:002007-09-28T15:22:19.268-07:00

So, I am still waiting for a lot of stuff to come in the mail from Nashbar & Performance, so I can't full-on take the bike every day, so I've just been walking to the train station & taking the shuttle in the meantime.Since today was casual Friday (and all the bosses were out) I thought I would just ride in my work clothes and not worry about having to change. It was GREAT! A little cold (short

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-11830154873641254502007-09-22T13:22:00.000-07:002007-09-22T13:28:16.714-07:00

I found her this morning - went to look at a bike on Craigslist that ended up being too small but he had a few other bikes for sale. Check her out - She's pretty sweet, for $100! Check out the nice work -I'm not sure how I feel about the knobby tires, not sure I can get fenders around them. I'll probably re-tape the bars as well, since it looks like the original (20 year old) tape on there.

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1227867147951087061.post-24446384971038863752007-09-19T17:44:00.000-07:002007-09-19T17:57:23.661-07:00

This is the story in brief:Three weeks ago the starter on my car died. Being cheap AND lazy, I have yet to fix it. So for three weeks we have been a one-car family, and I have been walking to the train station to get to work every day (before I was driving the 8 blocks, how retarded).So - I'm going to sell my car and replace it with two skinny wheels. I figured that keeping my car (fully paid

Jameshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08925115355867732542noreply@blogger.com0