t / _________________ _ _ §� § by Paul Bjostad 0 ur club is genelly considered to be a touring society. However, this does not mean that there is not a competitive edge to many of our rides. When I first joined I was totally unaware of this, and it has taken me several years to recognize it. The rules are unwritten, and the uninitiated can totally miss the exciting contests in which we are involved. Some riders engage in verbal contests where the object of the race is to demolize the opponent and to defeat him or her with a friendly comment or a clever quip. The wonderful part of this is that one c win total victory while coasting down a hill or resting because the day is hot and one is becoming quite fatigued. Two of the best contests of this type that I can remember occurred on DALMAC several yea ago. I was riding with some people from the club when a good friend came roaring up behind us at the end of a Wolverine paceline. He was becoming quite eausted because the Wolverines were being pulled by a tandem and must have been going at least 28 miles per hour. Instead of merely dropping off the end of the line and admitting to us that he was beat, he called to the paceline leader, ''Great ride! I think I'll slow down now and ride with my friends.'' A couple days later, just out of Petoskey, I was in a paceline doing my best to keep up when one of the group had a flat tire. Here was my chance! If I handled the situation carefully I could pull off a clear victory. ''I hate to drop but fll stay back and help you fix that flat," I id. What a clever ploy! Little did I realize I was competing with a real profession- al. ''No need to do that. I'll fix the flat and catch you," was the reply. I have now seen and participated in many verbal bike races. As I reminisce, some classic confronta- �ons come to mind: One day a friend brought a new and ve expensive bike on its first ride. ''What a great bike! You'll love �ose low gears.'' One of our faster members was heard to y as he sped away from the group with which he was riding, ''Well, I've got to get going! See you later." • Or the double whammy I heard on the Taco Ride 1 while slowing down for a short break. ''I don't need a break but I'll stop to keep you company. You know, you'd really enjoy a granny gear.'' If you decide to get involved in some of our verbal competitions, I would like to mention that even though you may lose your first few battles this is no reason to quit or to become discouraged. You c still keep in the nning by staing a conver- tion with your opponent during a long geling climb. Or how about inviting a friend to ride with your group just as he stops to rest on a hot day _ and then leaving before he has a chance to get off hts bike? With practice your skills should improve, and soon you will be competing with some of the club's best. But be careful! You are mixing with some real pros who can average 24 miles per hour on a century even though this is their first ride of the season and they just got out of the hospil after having an opetion on both their knees. (We asked Paul if we could add this one, over- hrd on the Taco Ride, to someone ding with a group fter than his ual speed: 're you ready to go yet? Wel ke it sy for e first few miles.'' -Edi · :::: : ' � 111 1 ' � 1 i1i 1 i 1 1 :1 a ilii:1 : : : ::: : : : ::: : :: : : :: , ......... a � . � =��: .. . ............. ...... . .... ,,,,. , . . sin e . . . mem .... ers .. l · · · ··.. . . . . . .. · . ·· · ····· ·· · · · ··· · · ·: :-: .. • :• : •. • . · . ······ · . . ······· · ···· · ···· · · .. · ·· · · · ··· · ... ·· · · · · · · · · • .• .·:·.· . ·
8
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Transcript
t
/,r ___________________ --,
§]E(C�JE1r JRA(C]E§ by Paul Bjornstad
0 ur club is generally considered to be a touring society. However, this does not mean that there is not a competitive edge to many of our rides. When I first joined I was totally unaware of this, and it has taken me several years to recognize it. The rules are unwritten, and the uninitiated can totally miss the exciting contests in which we are involved.
Some riders engage in verbal contests where the object of the race is to demoralize the opponent and to def eat him or her with a friendly comment or a clever quip. The wonderful part of this is that one can win total victory while coasting down a hill or resting because the day is hot and one is becoming quite fatigued.
Two of the best contests of this type that I can remember occurred on DALMAC several years ago. I was riding with some people from the club when a good friend came roaring up behind us at the end of a Wolverine paceline. He was becoming quite exhausted because the Wolverines were being pulled by a tandem and must have been going at least 28 miles per hour. Instead of merely dropping off the end of the line and admitting to us that he was beat, he called to the paceline leader, ''Great ride! I think I'll slow down now and ride with my friends.''
A couple days later, just out of Petoskey, I was in a paceline doing my best to keep up when one of the group had a flat tire. Here was my chance! If I handled the situation carefully I could pull off a clear victory. ''I hate to drop but fll stay back and help you fix that flat," I said. What a clever ploy! Little did I realize I was competing with a real professional. ''No need to do that. I'll fix the flat and catch you," was the reply.
I have now seen and participated in many verbal bike races. As I reminisce, some classic confronta�ons come to mind:
One day a friend brought a new and very expensive bike on its first ride. ''What a great bike! You'll love �ose low gears.''
One of our faster members was heard to say as he sped away from the group with which he was riding, ''Well, I've got to get going! See you later." • Or the double whammy I heard on the Taco Ride
1
while slowing down for a short break. ''I don't need a break but I'll stop to keep you company. You know, you'd really enjoy a granny gear.''
If you decide to get involved in some of our verbal competitions, I would like to mention that even though you may lose your first few battles this is no reason to quit or to become discouraged. You can still keep in the running by starting a conversation with your opponent during a long grueling climb. Or how about inviting a friend to ride with your group just as he stops to rest on a hot day _and then leaving before he has a chance to get off hts bike?
With practice your skills should improve, and soon you will be competing with some of the club's best. But be careful! You are mixing with some real pros who can average 24 miles per hour on a century even though this is their first ride of the season and they just got out of the hospital after having an operation on both their knees.
(We asked Paul if we could add this one, overhea.rd on the Taco Ride, to someone riding with a group faster than his usual speed: ':4.re you ready to go yet? We'll take it easy for the first few miles.'' -Editors)
--� Test for loose crank bearings�:;....: ______ _ --� While facing side of bike pu It! ..... -------and push at this point i1_; ______ _ :::: ::�.::.::�::a�::::::::::::::::!!:::,::::=-::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;:::::::::;::::::::::.-:::::-::::
START AT THE FRONT OF 'IHE BIKE.
1. Squeeze the front brake lever as hard as you can. There should be some travel left. 2. Keep the brake on and hold the headset bearing and the top of the head tube. Push the bike forward and back. There should be no movement between the bearing and the head tube. If there is, the adjustment is too loose. 3. Lift the handlebars and spin the front wheel. Check for trueness (lack of wobble) by watching the space between the brake blocks and the rim. Then look for an out-of-round rim by looking at the spinning rim and brake blocks from the side. This test also reveals a wheel ready to fall off (possible if the wheel has recently been replaced on the bike). 4. Squeeze the tire hard or push it against a curb to test tire pressure. If soft, look on the tire for recommended pressure and inflate to proper level.
NOW DO A SIMILAR SEQUENCE ON THE REAR OF THE BIKE.
5. Squeeze rear brake; there should be some travel left. 6. Lift rear of bike and do the tests for trueness and roundness of the rim. Check that wheel is secure. 7. Check for tire pressure. This is especially important on the back tire because it carries most of your weight.
NEXT, MOVE DOWN TO THE CRANKS.
• •
8. Set the cranks parallel to the ground and push down on both, then pull up on both. If there is any movement, one or both cranks are loose on their axle. This is very dangerous because a hard pedal thrust is very likely to bring you crashing down on the top tube. 9. If the cranks are not loose, test for loose crank bearings by trying to move a crank arm in and out from the frame. Hold the crank arm at the very end, where the pedal is attached. 10. Check how tightly the pedals are screwed into the crank ar1ns.
MOVE UP TO THE BIKE SEAT.
11. Stand over the rear wheel to hold the bike. Try to twist the seat sideways. Then try to pull the seat tip up and push it down. There should be no movement. MOVE TO .-l'HE FRONT OF 'I'HE BIKE.
12. Stand over the front wheel and hold the wheel with your knees. Try to twist the handlebars from side to side; they should not move. Then grab the outermost ends of the handlebars and try to twist them up and down ( this is a test only on drop bars, not straight bars). Again, there should be no movement.
THAT SHOULD CATCH ANY MAJOR PROBLEMS. IT WILL ALSO GET YOU TO LOOK CAREFULLY AND SEE O'IHER DEVELOPING PROBLEMS. NOW YOU CAN ENJOY YOUR RIDE--ESPECIALLY WITH THOSE TIRES UP TO THE RIGHT PRESSURE.
This will take only 30 to 60 seconds after you learn and practice it. We will run time trials on it at our picnic in October. See you there!
.. ..
AAIIB1r�
ID UJJ IL IL IE 1r II N
IB3 (0) A� ID)
BELL HEMLET SPECIAL. Looking for a Christmas or birthday gift for that hard-to-buy-for child? Consider purchasing a Bell Streetrider helmet, designed for 5- to 12-year-olds, for $9.95 plus 4 proofs of purchase from Johnson & Johnson products such as Reach toothbrushes, Band-Aids, and dental floss. Rebate coupons should be available at local drugstores soon.
LOST: At One Helluva Ride. Bicycle pump, white plastic. If you found it, please call Judy Briggs at 439-7871.
Don't forget the AABTS Hotline! It can be used to announce any changes in ride times or locations, to inform people of a ride which missed the calendar, or for any inf 011nation you want to get out to club members. Call Dieter Hohnke at 663-6401.
IMPORTANT: TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE CREDITED WITH CLUB MILEAGE, PLEASE SIGN THE RIDE SHEET LEGIBLY! ! !
The Jackson All Star Dairy Century, originally scheduled for Sunday, August 20 and cancelled because of rain, is rescheduled for Sunday, September 17. The ''C'' route will leave Wheeler Park at 7 :00 a.m. , and the '' NB'' will leave at 8 :30 a.m. Ride supervisors are, for ''C," Geoff Crosbie, 429-4657 , and for ''NB," Steve & Diana Lansky, 663-034 7 .
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WANTED: Tandem, no larger than 21 inches in front. Call Debbie Eisenberg or Bob Merion, 663-1071.
FOR SALE: Fuji IO-speed, 22-inch frame; rear rack, padded bars, toe clips, Mirrycle mirror, front & rear fenders. Excellent commuter bike. $50. Call John Peterson at 747-8833.
FOR SALE: Curtis Vagabond fiberglass solo high-perf 011nance canoe. Very light and fast. Cane seats and wood trim. $800. Call Jim McGraw, 769-4955.
FOR SALE: Shogun IO-speed, silver, 19-inch frame. Like new. Extras: toe clips, bottle cage, padded bars, horn, front lever brakes. $150. Call Mary, 971-0685.
FOR SALE: Thule 50'' rail set with locking feet (Model 1061). Fits car roof with rainguards. Excellent condition. $75. Call Mary, 971-0685.
FOR SALE: If anyone is planning to take a Back Roads Bicycle Tour , call Alex Wagner at 761-9671. She has a $100 coupon she would like to sell.
MAPLELEAF METRIC CENTURY. Sept. 16. Comstock Park, MI.
1 < '
INTERNATIONAL iil . �"'-,,, HUMAN POWERED
SPEED CHAMPIONSHIPS
[)� by Jon Stinson
Don't miss out on the fun and excitement that's happening at the Michigan International Speedway (MIS) September 14 through 1 6. MIS will be the site of the 1 5th International Human Powered Speed Championships. Pedal-powered vehicles ranging from conventional bicycles to fully enclosed streamlined cycles, from all over the the USA, Canada, France, and we hear, even Russia will be competing. each day. Events include top speed runs down the MIS straightaway and road races on the infield track. Jon Stinson and Karl Liskow will be representing AABTS in these events, so come out and cheer them on, if nothing else. Admission is $2 per day or $5 for all 3 days. Sunday's events (free) will take place at Lake Adrian in Adrian, Michigan, where pedalpowered boats will be competing for the $20,000 Dupont prize. If you would like to volunteer to help during the races, call or write Marilyn Hill, 1 345 University Avenue, Adrian, MI 4922 1 , 5 1 7-263-5803. If you ride your bike to the event, see Jon Stinson to get club mileage credit.
BE THE I IN 500 !
The League of American Wheelmen (LAW)
is now conducting an affiliated-club member recruitment campaign through October 3 1 . The campaign is called "Be the 1 in 500 .". It offers a direct $5 cash rebate to the Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society for each of our members who join the League. Each new member strengthens the LA W's political clout in the bicycling advocacy arena and enhances their ability to provide new and better services to member clubs. If you were planning to join the LAW ( especially after Jim Datsko's article in the July newsletter concerning travel discounts), please call Vickie Smith at 996-946 1 to get a copy of the membership campaign application f or111.
1r IHI IiJE JE 1r CO) 1r
� IE IE I[ IE WIDJ by Lexanne Creitz
Enjoy the scenic North Higgins Lake area during the 1 st AABTS Three Toy Weekend, September 29-3 1 . Accommodations will be at North Higgins Lake State Park (for the budget-minded) or the DNR Conference Center (for those who feel they have outgrown camping). Bring along three toys of your choice to use for the weekend. Mountain bikes are highly recommended for the extensive trail system. Road bikes, running shoes, roller skis, sailboats, canoes, kayaks, books, pillows, hiking boots, etc. , all qualify as acceptable toys.
Road and mountain biking are both exceptional in this area. The f or1nat for the weekend will be free style. Local road maps will be available to dete11nine routes. Guided mountain bike rides will be available.
If you are interested in joining us for the Three Toy extravaganza in Up North Michigan, call Lexanne at 996-8765 or Jim Datsko at 428-77 1 5 for more inf or1nation. (NOTE: This is an addition to the AABTS ride calendar and will count for club mileage.)
,. • •
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WATER
BOTTLE
TIPS
B elow are the major points from an article on water bottles by Edmund R. Burke, Ph.D. , which
appeared in the February 1989 issue of ''Winning'' magazine.
1 . Sharing a water bottle between cyclists can lead to the spout being contaminated, and making everyone susceptible to contagious infections, such as water-spread viral infections
which attack the gastrointestinal tract or even respiratory viruses such as influenza . . 2. The author advises that bottles be routinely
washed and disinfected. He suggests they be drained, washed in hot, soapy water, and scoured with a brush, paying particular attention to the nozzle, lid, and bottom. For mold or residue that won't come off with a brush, use clean sand in the suds to use as an abrasive and shake vigorously. Then soak for 5 minutes in a solution of one-half ounce household bleach to a gallon of water rinse in cold water, and drain. (Note: Light-colo;ed bottles show built-up residue in the bottom better than dark bottles. )
3 . Disinfect new bottles also, as a precaution. To remove the plastic taste from new bottles, fill them with water and 1 teaspoon of vinegar, let stand a few hours, and rinse with cold water.
4. Finally, when traveling in a foreign country or even in sparsely populated areas of the U.S . , you may want to consider using bottled water as a precaution.
BIKE FOR B URNS
On Saturday September 9, the 4th Annual BIKE FOR BURNS will be headquartered at the Ann Arbor Airport, on State Street south of Briarwood There will be three routes: 1 0, 30, and 1 00 miles. You may ride parts or all of any route, as long as you ride between 8 :00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Every rider will receive a colorful biking T-shirt, and riders with the most pledges will receive hats, water bottles, helmets, and other prizes. All proceeds from the event go to the National Institute for Bum Medicine of Ann Arbor. Registration fo11ns are available at local bike shops and through the Institute at 769-9000. (NOTE: This is an addition to the AABTS ride calendar and will count for club mileage. Ride supeivisor is Vickie Smith, 996-9461.)
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CONSPICUOUS
CYCLISTS
Reprinted from U.S. News & World Report, May 29, 1989
Do real cyclists wear hot pink? The safest ones do, new research suggests. Two University of Ken truck professors have found that even in broad daylight, people have more trouble spotting popular blue and yellow or dark blue clothing than they do hot-pink clothes. Dr. Robert Baker and Elmar Schmeisser asked volunteers to view street scenes of bicyclists that were flashed quickly on a screen. When the cyclists were shown at the equivalent of 30 and 70 feet from the viewers, color made no difference in visibility. At 120 feet, the volunteers spotted the pink clothing 80 percent of the time, the yellow and blue 60 percent, and dark blue only 33 percent of the time. (I guess Steu's been trying to tell us something. And we thought he was just a fashion plate!)
Ann & Tom Hunt & famil y 3420 Andover Road Ann Arbor , MI 481 05
Bulk Rate U.S. Postage
PAID
,,. t ,..
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Permit No. 252
Ann Arbor, Mich.
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-:::::: ::::::: :: : ::: : : : : : :::::::: :: : ::::: :: : : :: :::: :: : ;\\\(\:} Drinking without sinking -- Can you drink The bike bag rag -- Can you figure out what :\/H/H\\ }?HttU:: water on your bike without swerving? belongs in a bike bag? {(\(://\ :::::::::::::::::::::::::: . . : : : : : : : : : '. :: : : : : : : ; : : : : .