march 2020 march comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb....march comes in like a lion and...
TRANSCRIPT
WINDBUSTERS
March 2020
Kye King
email [email protected]
VP – Justin Harrison
Mountain Bike Director – Stephen
Mitchell [email protected]
Secretary – Shauna Saxton
Treasurer – Jennie Banta pbbatre-
Programs – Open
Tour Director – Open pbba-
Newsletter – Kathy Hester
Cyclefest Chairman – Open pbba-
Webmaster – Matthew Hinman
March comes in like a lion and goes out like a
lamb.
Letter from the Editor:
It is no accident that the PBBA newsletter and membership were
named the Windbusters. The wind seems to be a constant compan-
ion in our area. March includes winter and spring; therefore, the
cold begins to yield to the warmer days. Love or hate the wind, Per-
mian Basin cyclists learn to cope with the wind and accept that the
resistance the wind provides is beneficial strength training.
I appreciate wind topic contributors: Roberta for information on how
to ride in the wind and Heather with insight on how to be fast like
the wind. Berry Simpson has been faithful to share his feedback on
his bicycle related reading adventures. Last month, you read about
Zwift and Peloton. Bob Haskell gives readers an insight into another
indoor training option, Trainer Road, this month.
I am still looking for someone to write about safety. I attempted to
give some insight into rearview mirrors for this issue. Ten years ago I
jumped on my bike with earbuds, music playing, no rearview mirror
and headed out to highway 191 access road . Today, I feel uncom-
fortable with all of those behaviors.
The 2020 Joe Hassell Friendship Ride occurred on February 16, 2020.
Seventy-six degrees in February! Riders could not have asked for a
better temperature. The headwind out was a bit challenging. The
only documentation of the wind speed I found was 14.3 mph. Proba-
bly just seemed more intense as it was such a direct headwind. No
one complained about the 25 mph return trip courtesy of the tail-
wind. Many thanks to the Citizens on Patrol for the safe escort on
the Highway 191 access road. Thanks to Kye King for setting up the
ride.
It was good to see new faces and some we have missed seeing lately.
It was great to see Nelson Schott. He is 80 years old and keeping
pace with the group. Nelson is one of the founding members of the
Permian Basin Bicycle Association; therefore, present members owe
him gratitude for starting an organization that we love.
Most riders look forward to spring and the start up of the Peyton’s
ride. There are more opportunities to get outside and ride as the
weather warms up. It’s exciting to hear about all the improvements
at the mountain bike park.
Please keep newsletter contributions coming!
Kathy Hester
March Meeting-
It was was not the best weather for the February meeting, but luckily Beer Garden has a nice warm area so we met with those who were able to attend and stayed warm and cozy. The March meeting will be held on the 16th at CPL Rays Coffee in Odessa at 7:00 p.m.. Come join us and have a cup of coffee while we discuss club rides and business. If you have anything you would like added to the agenda please let me know. One big topic that we need to start discussing is the 2020 Cyclefest committee. If you are interested in helping with Cyclfest this year and are not able to be at the meeting please con-tact me.
Valley View Social-
Join us for a ride out at Valley View March 14th at 10:00 a.m.. This is a great opportunity to find some new riding partners and see the Val-ley View route you may have heard about from other cyclists. I will be out there with drinks and some snacks and hopefully we can get enough riders out to guide different paces on the ride. Please park at either the Valley View Church or the Community Center. Bring your helmet and a friend!
Valley View Church is located at 5500 S County Road 1213; Midland, Texas 79701. You can type in Valley View Church and it will come up on Google
PBBA Mountain Bike Park-
Thanks to Steve Mitchell and many others there have been a lot of improvements happening out at the mountain bike park, so the club has decided to host a social ride out at the park on March 7th. Come join us on a ride and see all the new improvements at the park. The ride will start at 2:00 p.m. and we will ride for a couple of hours and the club will provide food afterwards. If you have never been out to
the park, this is the perfect time to come out and explore. If you have any questions please contact Kye @432-349-4227.
March PBBA Meeting
Monday, March 16,2020
Where: CPL. Ray’s
3111 Faudre Road, Odessa
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Permission to Whine!!! By Roberta Solorio We all know that West Texas is THE WINDIEST* place on earth. Like the Dutch, we suit up, pump our tires, turn on our lights and com-puters and venture into the morass. And we all say, “WAIT! Can that speed or cadence possibly be right? I’m not that slow.” As we ap-proach spring, we wanted to provide some tips that will help you learn to love the wind and to use wind as a training tool.
Leonard B 2019, ‘6 Charts About Weather” Chart Imitates Life, accessed February 25, 2020, https://semi-rad.com/2020/02/6-charts-about-weather/
There is an ongoing debate among cyclists about which is tougher—a headwind or a long climb. Most votes go to headwinds because they can continue for an entire ride while even the longest climbs are over in an hour or 2. Mountains have summits, and you know where they are so it’s easy to calculate how long you must suffer. But with headwinds you never know unless you’ll be making a U- turn. (I vote for wind being harder…) Now that we agree with West Texas wind being the worst and hardest to ride in, what do we do? First, apparently, we are supposed to come to some acceptance of, even embrace wind as a benefit. Basically, we are to use the wind to build power and technique, and BELIEVE that wind is our friend (No, I am not delusional). After all it is fun going 30+mph one direction. It’s anything but fun groveling back at less than 15 mph So why is wind so challenging? A headwind slows a cyclist’s speed by about half the wind speed. For instance, if you’re capable of cruis-ing at 17 mph on a flat road in calm conditions, your speed into a 20-mph headwind can drop to a crawling 7 mph for the same power out-put. To make matters worse, on some days, what is called a quartering wind – 200 imaginary degrees around the rider – will impede your speed. Neither quartering winds nor headwinds ever seem to end. Then there are possible flying objects such as giant tumbleweeds or the ever-present Midland trash. And more, when wind gusts reach 35 mph or more, bike control can be impossible. There are many articles in the Intersphere on riding in the wind and how to use wind to train – for max heart rate, for cadence, for an upcom-ing climby ride and so on. Most point out good tips on learning to ride in a peloton or echelon. Below are some basic tips and a few train-ing teasers if you have a windy ride in your future. Ride in a low aero position. Reduce the effect of crosswinds by riding in a low aero (get into those drops) position to become more com-pact and lower your center of gravity. It’ll take some work and perhaps flexibility training, but it’s well worth the effort. When you’re com-fortable and at the same time aerodynamic, you’ll be able to ride faster and more efficiently in all conditions, not only against headwinds. Gear down, spin up. Efficiency is the key to riding against the wind. And most fit riders are optimally efficient at a pedaling rate (cadence) around 90 rpm. The tendency in headwinds is to stay in a hefty gear, pedal harder and let rpm slow. But this effort can’t be kept up for long—usually not if the wind blows. Shift to a lower gear (larger cassette cog) to maintain a brisk cadence against the wind. Yes, you’ll go slower than in calm conditions. But spinning is better for your legs (and especially your knees) than grinding with a slow rpm. You’ll be able to maintain the effort much longer when going against an all-day headwind. A relatively fast cadence is better for your psychology too. If you’re plodding along with aching legs feeling strain on every stroke, the minutes will crawl by. It’s exactly what makes most riders hate wind.
Learn to ride in a paceline or echelon. It’s a huge advantage to be with other riders on a windy day. By riding in a paceline, you only must tolerate a headwind for only a few seconds or minutes before sliding back and getting shelter behind the others. The primary rule in head-winds is to keep pulls short—anywhere from 2 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on a host of factors. Riders should never run the risk of be-coming so drained in the lead that they are unable to latch onto the end of the paceline after dropping back. Stronger riders can pull longer while weaker riders can swing off immediately after reaching the front. Remember that when it’s windy, it will be hard even at the back. Choose sheltered routes. When the gale is blowing, plan a course that includes natural wind breaks (Greentree) such as woods, hedges, cornfields, buildings or walls. Even low barriers will help. If you have a choice, opt for a course with numerous turns (Valley View) so you’re not riding straight into a headwind for long. If you’re limited to an out-and-back route, start into the wind when you’re fresh and then let it blow you home during the second half. This will give you a physical and mental boost. Bag the baggy jacket. A loose jacket catches the air like a parachute. You may as well be wearing a kite. Wear form-fitting clothing on windy days. Here’s a good bike hack. If it’s cold and you need a wind-resistant jacket, try putting it under your jersey where it won’t flap. If it’s cold latex gloves or other similar “base layers” can keep you warm. Use mind power. You could try chanting, “The wind is my friend … the wind is my friend … the wind is my friend…” Basically, find a mantra or something to help you keep a beat to your cadence. I particularly like a good play list with driving beats. (Think Muse’s Uprising. I sometimes count backwards from 100 to keep a rhythm). A few other tips relate to bike handling in the wind. These techniques are useful to keep you (and a group if you are riding in a peloton or echelon) safer during windy rides. Stay loose. Keep your shoulders and elbows relaxed to help your bike remain on course in a gusty wind. If your upper-body muscles are tense, the front wheel won’t be free to move slightly in crosswind gusts and the bike will become more difficult to handle. Loose, relaxed and in control is the ticket. Stay ready. Anticipate places where the wind is likely to hit you harder. Two examples are when passing something that serves as a wind-break, and when large vehicles pass you. A momentary lull in the crosswind will often be followed by a strong blast that pushes you to the side. Don’t be caught off guard. Descend carefully. Strong winds on steep, long descents can be extra dangerous because you’re going faster. The wind’s power is multi-plied—your speed creates a strong headwind and then crosswinds grab your bike and push you to the side. If you are confident in in your bike handling skills, it helps to get into an aerodynamic tuck, so you present less surface to a crosswind. This also ensures correct weight balance between the wheels, e.g., transfers more weight to the rear wheel. Please note that windy days are not the time for aerodynamic wheels with deep rims. They present a larger surface for crosswinds, which means much more bicycle instability, espe-cially on fast descents. Stick with standard wheels having low, box-section rims and conventional spokes. Keep pedaling. Your bike will be more stable during windy descents if you continue to pedal. Applying even minimal power to the rear wheel helps control. Descending at 30 mph, things happen much quicker than at normal cruising pace. Don’t be lulled into complacency. Road hazards and other obstacles will appear suddenly and give you less time to react. Paceline and Echelon riding are effective tools for any riding conditions. Once you have mastered some of the other tips, read this or other article (see citation) on how to master these techniques. Training teasers. Suppose you have an event coming up with steep climbs. But you have only flat conditions where you train. How can you prepare for such a ride? The answer is to climb directly into a headwind. The stronger the wind, the steeper the grade will feel. You may dis-like riding directly into the wind (yes, I do!) but this is a potent weapon to build climbing strength and technique A headwind also makes a hill longer in the sense that it takes more time to reach the top than in calm conditions. So, if you don’t have long or steep climbs to train on, a stiff headwind will artificially make our flat terrain a more pronounced training effect. There you have it. If you have the right attitude—and the right techniques—even a ferocious wind won’t keep you off your bike. It will help you become a better rider. *Except… each year on the windiest day of the year, the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships take place on the Oosterscheldekering
Storm Surge Barrier. Over 200 competitors ride the 8.5 km course against 100+ km/hr winds on upright single-speed bikes. Watch more:
Dutch Headwind Cycling Championship.
Matheny, F, ‘Win Against Wind: A Guide to Cycling in Windy Conditions’, Road Bike Rider, accessed February 25, 2020, https://www.roadbikerider.com/ultimate-guide-cycling-wind/
Ride Like the Wind: How to Ride Faster By Heather Hamilton
When I was asked to put together an article on how to ride faster, my first thought was entire books have been dedicated to this subject… what can I possibly add? Personally, I happen to be partial to “The Cyclist’s Training Bible” by Joe Friel and “Fast-Track Triathlete” by Matt Dixon. To condense things for the purposes of this newsletter, I decided to seek out guidance from a sampling of West Texas’s fastest and most knowledgeable cy-clists and coaches. I really enjoyed hearing their insights and think their words will give you the inspiration to push yourself harder and faster this year.
Let’s start with the basics. Dani Rodriguez, a USAT Certified Coach and professional triathlete in Odessa, recommends beginning a training cycle with a FTP (Functional Threshold Power) test to establish your proper work zones. Your FTP is the highest average power or wattage you can hold for one hour of riding. Those of you on trainers can utilize one of the in-app testing protocols. Testing can be done outdoors as well (check out the link to this article from Bicycling.com for additional details). With a current FTP number to set up your training zones, you can shift from haphazard riding with random results to a more structured approach following a logical progression.
Stephanie Ledford, co-owner of Buffalo Bur’s Custom Cycles in Midland, agrees that structured training dialed in to your current fitness level is an excellent tool for building speed and power. Books and online or app-based training programs are numerous. Many PBBA riders like using the programs included with their Zwift, Pel-oton, or TrainerRoad subscription (refer back to February’s newsletter for more information about these training tools). For those of you who are looking for a truly individualized program and have the budget, working with a coach adds a greater level of personalization and accountability. If you think follow through is a weakness of yours, having a coach reviewing your training log can be the spark that helps you make it happen on those days when you’re just not feeling it. A coach has helped keep Ledford motivated to train because she knows she is paying for a service and wants to utilize it.
Stephanie Ledford leads the pack.
For those of you who cringe at the mention of structure or are not ready to invest in a power meter or smart trainer, I hope I haven’t already lost you. While these are more precise tools to plan training and track progress, it is certainly not a requirement of getting faster. Jason Haislip, owner of Peyton’s Bikes in Midland, revealed his number one tip is riding more. With spring weather and more daylight hours on the way, that is something we can all look forward to. Adding easy miles to your week lays the aerobic foundation onto which you can build speed. If you are interested in some group rides to build volume, check out what’s hap-pening on the Friends of the Permian Basin Bicycle Association Facebook page.
Andy Laegeler, an Ironman U and USAT Certified Coach in Midland, reminds us that “one of the often overlooked aspects of riding fast is bike handling skills. The more comfortable you are piloting your bike, the better you will be able to transition your fitness to speed on the bike.” Over the winter months, many of us have spent the majority of our riding time on trainers, stationary bikes or at spin classes. However, riding in-doors does not directly translate to outdoor riding. Making outdoor and especially group riding a part of your week will allow you to practice skills like cornering, drafting, and road safety. And in case you’ve been looking for another excuse to head over the Odessa Mountain Bike Park, adding in mountain biking is a fun way to challenge yourself and work on your body awareness. More confidence in your bike handling skills will allow your full fitness and speed to shine on the roads.
What was the number one response I heard from the riders I spoke to on how to get faster? Ride with faster people. Rachel Harvey, ViM Racing Team, says “Ride with people who are better than you. Stronger, faster and more knowledgeable. Suffering is not the end of the world, and neither is getting dropped.” Alex Gibson, Team Peyton’s, agrees. He also recommends training with faster riders and better yet, faster groups, so that you can get in a challenging aerobic workout while sharpening group riding skills. One opportunity in Midland is the Peyton’s Wednesday Night Ride, leaving the shop at 6:15 pm after Daylight Saving Time begins in March. The group heads out to the loop around Green Tree Country Club and gets to work. Haislip says give yourself the chance to “go really fast and give it everything you got.” If you keep at it weekly, by the end of the summer, you’ll be fitter and faster.
I’ll tie this all together with some thoughts from Oscar Salazar, ViM Racing Team. Consistency is key. Your full potential is not going to come from a couple of flashy workouts, but from keeping at it week after week, month after month, and year after year. And at the end of the day, make sure you love what you’re doing. “If it’s just for the result, you will get bored. Do it for fun” says Salazar. So, go ahead and grab your fast friends, hit the road and ride hard. Sounds like fun to me!
Joe Hassell’s Friendship Ride by David Ham
In 1996, Joe Hassell decided that there needed to be a way to introduce new riders to Cycling. What better way than to have experienced riders invite their friends and co-workers to a fun, social bike ride. They would be able to ride the distance and time that they were comfortable with and have a “coach” ride along with them and give them helpful hints on how to make riding more enjoyable. Maybe they would even join us for future rides and invite their friends to come along. The PBBA Friendship Ride was born!
Joe had worked in and managed bike shops for years, but didn’t even start riding until he was in his mid 60’s. He became ad-dicted when he realized how much fun it was. He joined in the Friendship ride he created for as long as he was able and then drove SAG and then continued to join the group for the post ride Pizza when he was no longer able to safely follow the riders. He enjoyed the leisurely pace, the comradery and the chance to meet new riders.
So here we are, 25 years later and the ride Joe started is the best attended club ride that the PBBA hosts. February can be cold or windy, but our club members still are finding friends to introduce to our favorite sport. As we get ready to host this year’s event, I hope you will join us. Everyone has a friend that would enjoy riding with us. All it takes is an invitation and someone to ride along with them to hand out a few hints and words of encouragement to get them hooked. That was the idea Joe had and even though he is no longer with us, it is still the best way to get more riders on the road, enjoying the sport that he loved. I hope you can come out and ride with Joe and all the friends he has made. He will be there, if only in Spirit so bring a friend and ride the Joe Hassell Friendship Ride!
Editor’s note: This article was written prior to the ride, but is pertinent in explaining the history and purpose of the ride. Joe died February 8, 2015 at the age of 92.
2020 Joe Hassell Friendship Ride
Trainer Road
By Bob Haskell
This time of year, everyone is itching to get outside and get back on the road with their bikes. But there are still days when the weather
does not cooperate, work is demanding and the only way to get a ride in is to do it on a trainer. Some people will tell you that the trainer
is horrible and that it is impossible to stay on it for very long. But if you do give it a try there are some tools to help you with your training.
TrainerRoad is one of those tools. Trainer road is a website/app that allows you to train indoors with specific workouts designed to work
with power. The workouts are already written with specific goals in mind. So, when you sign up you will be able to browse through the
plans and place them on a calendar. Let’s start at the beginning with what do you need to use TrainerRoad indoors? According to their
website “you will need an indoor trainer, a device that measures power, and a device to run the TrainerRoad app. Your indoor set up will
vary depending on whether you’d like to use a smart trainer, a power meter, or virtualpower as your power source.” When I first signed
up to use TrainerRoad I was using a Cyclops trainer and the TrainerRoad app on my iPad or computer. I had a power meter on my pedal
from Garmin. The app was able to use the Ant+ signal to read my power and cadence. The app also reads your HR if you are wearing a HR
strap. The App displays a graph for your workout that has power numbers for you to hit for certain time lengths. Some work outs are in-
terval training, and some are long steady workouts. The awesome part is you can use a pre-written plan based on your current goals or
use their planner to design your own workouts. I only tried it a few times over the last year before committing in December to set a plan
on the calendar and stick to it. TrainerRoad gives three phases to choose from and within those phases there are several choices based on
the volume of work you can handle and what type of goal you have? There is a Base Phase with three different levels of volume to pick
from: Low volume is 3 rides per week, Mid Volume is 5 rides per week and High volume is 6 rides per week. There are also Triathlon train-
ing plans from Sprint to Full Ironman distance to choose from all with the opportunity to choose your volume. There is one final section in
this group called Traditional base which take the more traditional approach of more time in the saddle at a more moderate workload.
I chose the Sweet Spot Base with three rides per week. Two rides are 60 minutes and one is 90 minutes. I do try to squeeze in one out-
door ride with friends if the weather cooperates on the weekend. Roberta always has a nice group ride on Saturday morning that leaves
from the Holy Cross church at the corner of Bluebird and Garfield.
The first thing you need to do is take a ramp test. This test is a timed workout designed to determine your FTP. Your Functional Threshold
Power is your highest average power you can sustain for one hour, measured in watts. FTP is often used to determine training zones when
using a power meter. The great thing about the ramp test is that it only last about 16-20 minutes and does not really hurt until the last
few minutes. You will start out at a very easy pace for 5 minutes and then every minute the power demand will increase slightly. Then
you just ride until you can’t ride anymore. Then it will calculate your FTP. This number will be the basis of all your future workouts. The
first time I tried this it felt very hard. I have done the test a few times now and I have a better feel for how hard it will be and how hard I
can push myself. Below is a picture of what your test would look like on your screen. The sharp decline is when you could not do any-
more. Then after you pick you training plan you will work at a percentage below or above your FTP. Sometimes the workouts can be
scary, and you will doubt your ability. But
after you conquer a few of the workouts your confidence will grow. In the end I would recommend if you are curious to go on their web-
site at TrainerRoad.com to learn more. You can also go to Youtube and search for TrainerRoad and you find an endless list of videos. The
main thing that I have learned so far is that I must push myself much harder than I would if I was just out riding by myself or with friends. I
have been riding for about ten years here in the Permian and have done several events over the years. My one complaint was that I was
inconsistent in my training and I was not getting any stronger. So, I decided to make a change in my habits. TrainerRoad has had a positive
impact on my strength and I believe I will see the difference out on the road this summer. So, check it out!
We have been making a lot of improvements at the Odessa Mountain Bike park over the last few weeks. There are a lot of new berms and jumps. The land bridges have been extended to allow most of the park to be ridden much sooner after a rain. The area around Dustin's Drop has been significantly modified with a new "expert" drop to the left and an intermediate route to the right (see pics). The "edge" trail has been tied into Dustin's drop which allowed us to use an area that had been semi-retired due to flooding. We also fixed the big wooden drop in to the south pit so the landing is much smoother. Some "rollers" have been added to the beginner loop to make it more fun and challenging. Over the next few weeks, we will be adding some more berms and jumps, we will expand the pump track, and we will be building a skills area. We have been able to get all of this work done with generous fund-ing from the PBBA. Also, Tanklogix via Dan Saxton and Gary Wilson, has again provided free lodging for our professional trail builder (Jared Quirk) and has donated $1000. Additionally, Brad Ward with Cashway Rentals has provided us with a Mini-Excavator free of charge which has made a huge differ-ence in how far we have been able to stretch our funding. Brian Carter was able to procure a very gener-ous $2000 donation for the project from his employer,Slater Controls. Last but not least,The West Tex-as Trail Alliance is also generously donating $2000 and helping manage the fundraising. We would like to keep Jared here making improvements to the trail system as long as possible. If any members would like to make a donation to our efforts at the park, a tax deductible donation can be made through the WTTA at https://www.fundtxtrails.org/ or you can send a check to West Texas Trail Alli-ance -1910 N Big Spring St - Midland, TX 79705. Any amount you can donate is appreciated. All dona-tions made between now and March 10th will be applied to the Odessa Mountain Bike Park Project unless specified otherwise. We had a great turnout for our work day at the Mountain Bike Park on February 22nd. We packed and groomed some of the new trail and built some new berms. Thanks to everyone who participated. When we get done with this construction project, we plan to have a "Club" ride at the OMBP followed with some refreshments and food. I anticipate this will be in late March and we will send out a notification to the club members. The trail system is open so come ride and check out all the new stuff.
MTB News from Stephen Mitchell
It's All About the Bike: The Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels By Robert Penn
Published in NYC by Bloomsbury, 2011
Robert Pen decided to build a perfect road bike, or in his words, "a bike that shows my appreciation of the tradition, lore and beauty of bicycles." He had a budget of $5,000, which apparently didn’t include travel money since he traveled around the world searching for the best components. He was seeking "craftsmanship, not technology,"
This book is the fun story of a man who decided to build his dream bike after many years of experience as a bicyclist. He shares memories from his lifelong adventures on the bike, a lot of interesting bicycle history (a great description of how the modern mountain bike came to exist), and some useful tips about bicycle fitting and selecting components. It also reminds us why we ride.
It’s All About the Bike was a Sunday Times bestseller in the UK and has been translated into 14 languages. The author has rid-den nearly every day of his adult life, including a 25,000 miles trip around the world. He uses each component of the bike as a starting point for diving into the rich history of cycling.
Those of us who love to ride become so used to bikes that their revolutionary nature usually passes us by. Surprisingly, the bike was only invented within the last 150 years even though the technology to create one has been available for more than 3,000 years.
Why did it take so long? No one believed you could actually balance on two in-line wheels.
That is, until the invention of the Draisine (think of an adult-sized strider bike like we now use to teach youngsters) was invented in 1817. It was the first machine with two wheels mounted in line, and to provide steering.
In 1890, there were an estimated 150,000 cyclists in the USA: a bicycle cost roughly half the annual salary of a factory worker. By 1895, the cost was a few weeks’ wages and there were a million new cyclists each year. One-third of all patents registered at the US Patent Office in the 1890s were bicycle-related.
But bicycle history is only a tangent for Pen. The heart of his book was his journey to find the best craftsmen in the world: Brian Rourke, a 70 year old bike frame builder in Stoke-on-Trent, England; Chris King in Portland Oregon to get the headset; aluminum handle-bars from Cino Cinelli in Milan; drivetrain from Campagnolo in Vicenza, Italy; wheels built by an ex-hippy bike rider, Gravy, from Marin County in California; Royce Hubs in Hampshire, England; tires from Continental in Korpach, Germany; and spokes from Sapim in Bel-gium.
This was a fun book to read, and while it didn’t make me what to build my own bike (in case my wife Cyndi is reading this), it certainly fired me up to ride.
The reviewer, Berry Simpson, with his first bike, a 1963 AMC Roadmaster. Apparently it didn’t have a kickstand.
Selecting a Rearview Mirror
So you have made a decision to ride with a rearview mirror. Most drivers would feel very uncomfortable without a
rearview mirror. On a bike, the rider either has to turn their head to look behind or use a rearview mirror. Turning
one’s head without swerving for a quick look back is challenging for many riders; therefore, a mirror may be the
best solution to safely assess what is approaching from behind. Not watching behind you is equivalent to trusting
drivers to pass you safely.
There are several options of types of rearview mirrors. Individual riders must determine which type suits them.
Talk to other riders to get opinions and feedback. Many cyclists have a rearview mirror type or two collecting dust
as they experimented to find the mirror that suited them best individually. Riders can ask to borrow a type for a
trial run.
Choose what works best for you. Consult with other cyclists. Most cyclists have an opinion about which works
best. If the type they recommend is what works best for them, then it is the best mirror—at least for them.
Personally, I like the Mirracyle end tube mirror. I have tried all of the others with the exception of the wrist mirror.
I enjoy mine as I only have to shift my eyes rather than my head. I frequently only need to use my peripheral vision
to check it. I can also see the mirror from an upright position and when I change to a position in the drops without
moving the mirror. Others riders like their mirrors for a variety of reasons.
Find your type:
Wrist miror
Handlebar mirror
End tube insert
Bar end bike mirror
Glasses mount
Helmet mount
End tube mirror
WHERE DO YOU RIDE? By Kathy Hester
I am asked frequently where I ride. The tone of the question frequently im-
plies that there is no safe place for me to be riding in Midland. I understand
the skepticism of non-riders and riders with regard to safety on our roads. I
am not foolish enough to think nothing can happen to me. I try to choose
safe routes and I ride with a good rearview mirror. Just having the mirror for
an occasional glance is not enough. I try to be vigilant in watching vehicles
overtaking me. Most of my routes allow ample room for cars to get over to a
safe passing distance from me. If a vehicle is not changing lanes or slowing
down then I take evasive action by turning or getting off the road. Most driv-
ers that I have encountered are very courteous. I ride with a headlight and
flashing taillight at all times. I also have a front and rear camera which is not
going to prevent a problem, but can at least document the problem.
My next consideration is my route. I start from my house, but my favorite
route can begin at Stonegate Baptist Church on Crowley. Taking a left
(north) out of the parking lot riders will be in a bike lane for a short time.
Left(west) on Frio, right (north) on Navasota brings you to the Briarwood
bike lane. The traffic on Briarwood is fast but drivers have two lanes so a rid-
er can watch the rearview for vehicles moving away from the bike lane. Con-
tinue left (west) to Avalon.
You have now reached the Avalon (also known as the M&M or Horsey) loop.
There are no bike lanes, but this 4.8 mile loop is low traffic as it is residential
and not through to anywhere. Take Avalon north until the pavement ends
“forcing” a left turn onto WCR 44. Stay on 44 until it Ts and go right until it
Ts again making a left to reach NCR 1246. Take 1246 south until left on 48
then right on 1244 ? ,L on WCR 50, right (south) on Golden Gate heading on
to your left turn on Aster. The advantage of this loop is that you can in-
crease your mileage by riding it again forward or reverse.
Leave the Avalon loop east in the Briarwood bike lane to intersect Holiday
Hill. Northbound Holiday Hill does not have a bike lane or marked shoulder.
You can detour into the east neighborhood if the traffic makes you uncom-
fortable. Take the left on Becker to the Fasken Elementary area which is al-
so a short distance area to loop. Exit Fasken on Sandstone reaching the Bike
Lane of Greentree Blvd.
The typical Greentree loop is 5.1 miles if you take the inner Island Circle loop
too. Watch for golf cart crossings. Riders can exit Greentree back on Holi-
day Hill or proceed to Oriole to head south back to Stonegate. If you did sin-
gle loops at Avalon and Greentree you are at 19.7 . With double loops at
each you are closer to 30 miles.
Not tired yet?
Crowley Bike Lane
Briarwood Bike Lane
Avalon Loop East
Avalon loop West side
Greentree Bike Lane
Fasken Bike Lane
You can drive or ride over to the stadium area. Riding does necessitate a brief trip
on SH 158 and crossing 191. That may not be something that you are comfortable
with. You are now on Avalon heading south with a marked shoulder. There are lots
of ways to gain miles looping around the neighborhoods of the stadium. Exit the
stadium by going south on Tradewinds.
You will see south Tradewinds under construction with a bike lane sign already post-
ed for riders. Somewhere new to ride soon!
At present, take a left (east) on Thomason heading to the Beal Parkway Bike lane
where you can loop around Beal Park a bit. Coming out of the Beal Park area, one
can ride an out and back on a brief bike lane on Illinois street.
There is also a designated bike path starting behind Dollar General at Thomason and
Illinois that is 1.55 miles in length. That will give you 3 miles out and back. My first
ride on it was less than pleasant with a flat tire and a dog in pursuit at one point, but
it is car free except for cross traffic. I rode it for this article and did not experience a
problem other than dodging some broken glass. I actually saw two adult riders and
two youth utilizing the path which was encouraging. The path utilizes the easement
under transmission lines.
Reversing my route, I am back at Stonegate with potentially 35 miles if I did single
loops and 45 if I doubled up at Greentree and Avalon.
I actually ride to and from Stonegate on a mostly designated bike route on St. An-
drews which is 4 miles or 8 out and back to my house. With a few detours I can
easily add another 10 miles. I am not sure how a designated bike route offers much
beyond a little signage to alert drivers that a bike may be present and perhaps di-
rects riders to lower traffic areas (?).
I realize this is not a route for intense training, but there are some opportunities for
some good intervals. I do a lot of my riding alone during the week and I feel confi-
dent with this route. Another purpose of writing this and taking pictures is to show
that Midland is making progress with regard to accommodating bike traffic. Of
course, as riders, we want more bike lanes and a bike path/ multi use trail between
Midland and Odessa. Some day...
Next issue: Someone else tell readers where
you ride. Odessa riders? Big Spring riders?
Valley View Riders?
Tradewinds
Beal Parkway
Bike Path
Illinois Street Bike Lane
Bike Route
The Peyton’s Ride is back!
When: Wednesday Nights starting at 6:15 pm
Where: We leave from Peyton’s Bikes
More info: There are 3 ride groups so there is a group from racers down to
beginners.
Rides begin on 3/11. It’s a great ride if you want to get ready for the MS150
WEEKLY RIDES:
Tuesday Night at the Mountain Bike Park starting March 10 at 6 p.m.
Tuesday Evening Jordy Loop ride (in the planning stages, check Face-
book for updates)
Peyton’s Bikes Wednesday night Ride starting March 11 at 6:15
Upcoming PBBA events:
March 7 MTBP 2 p.m.
March 14 Valley View Social Ride 10 a.m.
March 28 Energy Half Marathon volunteers
Other dates of interest:
Steam-N-Wheels. Abilene, Texas. March 14, 2020 LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour. Stonewall, Texas. April 4, 2020 Easter Hill Country Tour. Kerrville Texas. April 10-12, 2020 Red Poppy Bicycle Ride. Georgetown, Texas. April 18, 2020 Possum Pedal Bike Ride. Graham, Texas. June 6, 2020 Tour de Agua (was the Tour de Pepper). Dublin, Texas. June 13, 2020 Tour de Boerne, Saturday, June 13 The Goatneck Bike Ride. Cleburne Texas. July 25, 2020? Tour de Gap. Buffalo Gap, Texas. July 25, 2020 Hotter N Hell Hundred. Wichita Falls, Texas. August 27, 2020
*
**SAVE THE DATE***
May 1-3, 2020
Doug and I are working on all the details for this years
Junction Ride. So be sure and mark your calendars.
We’ll have a great ride and after Ride dinner at our
house. Look forward to having everyone.
Sweetwater, Texas
MAY 2, 2020
33 Mile Bike Race 49 Mile Bike Race 71 Mile Bike Race
Half Marathon 10 K 5 K
1 mil
https://www.bikereg.com/46706
You can also sign up on the Beat the Street FB page