Lube me up

I’m gonna get up on my soapbox and preach at ya for minute.

Lets understand something before I start. Lubing your chain is just one of those things you should know how to do and should be doing if you own a bike. I believe that having a well lube chain, well adjusted gears and the right tire pressure are the three biggest things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your bike. Well adjusted gears and Tire Pressure are topics for another day. Today I’m going to talk about Lube in general and my favorite lube in particular.

I can’t think of anything sadder than the sight and sound of a rusty chain on a bike. I see it all the time at the group rides I go on, or that sad looking bike in the garage of someone I have talked into going on a ride and it makes me crazy. I can tell just by looking that they aren’t going to have fun on this ride and I will be hard pressed to get them out on their bike again.

Sure lubing your chain isn’t something you think of. Its neither cool nor sexy, but is just one of those things. I try to remember and still I end up doing it when I realize that it’s my chain making that noise. Still it something you can do easily. Lube that chain up and show it a little love. believe me it will love you back.

Ok preachy part is over and now a word from our Sponsor*
*Rock-n-Roll Lube is not really a sponsor

Review of Rock-n-Roll Gold

I started using this lube by accident. I was using several different kinds of bottled lube (Pro-link and Finish Line) as well as an aerosol can of lube that I got from performance bikes but I can't find the can and I can't remember the brand name. I knew that it was time to clean and lube my chain and I was out riding. (yeah that loud clicking noise my chain made was my first clue) I stopped by Thick Bikes and Chris recommended Rock-n-Roll Gold -”The King of Lubes” it says so right there on the bottle. I have come to trust the guys down at Thick, so I bought a bottle and took it home.

That was over a year ago and I am still using it (not the same bottle). I have also recommended it to my friends who have started riding and I would recommend it (am recommending it) to you now. I like the simplicity of the Rock-n-Roll lube.  Here are the instructions on their website (and on the side of the bottle)

• Shake well and apply a stream of lube to the chain at the cassette.
• Do not drip the lube on like you would oil. This is not oil!
• Get the chain really wet, this stuff cleans and lubes all in one.
• Freewheel the chain backwards for about 5 seconds...no less.
• Wipe off all the excess lube...
• all of it, wipe the chain as clean as it will get.
• That's it go ride...

This is all I have to do. With the other lubes I alway ran my chain through a cleaner with a degreaser in it first, let the chain dry then applied the lube. Not difficult but time consuming and messy. (you cannot believe the mess I can make with a chain cleaner). I am always surprised at just how much gunk ends up on the rag as I wipe the chain dry at the end. I find that I use about a quarter of the small 4oz bottle each time I clean my chain. So my minimal mathmatical skills say I get about 4 lubes per bottle.

All in all the Rock-n-Roll Gold lube is quick and easy to use and I find that I am more willing to lube the chain knowing I won't have to break out the chain cleaner and add the water and degreaser to it and try and get it clipped onto the chain and run the chain through it while sending water and dirt and gunk everywhere. Maybe this year I can even end up lubing my chain before it starts to complain.

Insulting

One of my friends on facebook noticed this on 105.9 the X facebook page. it was taken down but only after people started complaining, and after it got 750 + likes. (Which just goes to show the mouth-breather demographic is alive and well) Several people have written and gotten one off apologies and some BS about a non clear-channel employee posting the photo (yeah someone hacked the radio's account to post one photo in some kind of pro SUV anti walking cycling conspiracy.) besides the photo was posted publicly then the apology should be public as well.

I will be sending links to this page to clear channel and to the advertisers on the websites page.

Mcdonalds
Shults ford
sweetjack paintball

I will let you know what I hear back.

Icycle Bicycle 2013

This is what the street looked like this morning when I hopped on BOB and headed to the Icycle Bicycle ride of 2013. A ride that will forever be thought of in my head the BRRRR its COLD ride. You may remember that in my new years resolutions that one of my goals was to do the Icycle Bicycle. That is one goal down but I also added a goal to the list in that I want to pick up at least one tag this year. The tagorama on the Bike PGH forum is something that I wanted to do and have yet been able to accomplish. More on that later.

For some reason. Maybe the cold, maybe staying up late for New Years then getting up early for the ride but I just wasn't thinking to clearly. So I rode down to the waterfront and through sandcastle. (yes I know what you are thinking. "He can't be that stupid!!")

Yes he can.

This is what the trail looked like when I got to it. If you cant tell the word for the day would be un-ridable. I'm not positive it is a real word but it for sure is a real concept. (again I know what you're thinking "Well you just turned around and got on 837 and rode into the southside"...) I wish I could give an answer other than "Its a long walk to Paige's Dairy where I could get on the road...

Remember bed late - Up early. 

Still once I got on the road I made pretty good time and Got to REI about a half hour before the ride started. I got a cup of hot coffee. I filled my water bottles and met my friends (Both old and new.) I got meet and shake hands with someone who reads this blog (Hello Vannevar) Then we did the ride. I heard that over a hundred of us were out there braving the wet and the cold.  I loved it.

After the rough start I enjoyed the ride (even though I got seperated and did the last half on my own) Lunch and beers followed then a bus ride home and even as I type this I am gazing longingly at my bed. (Terry is a tired boy) Before I go I want to talk about 2 things the first is short, the second not so much. 

First finding the dry winter hat and dry winter gloves in my backpack after the ride was wonderful. I would seriously suggest you plan ahead and give yourselves these small comforts. (cooler of ice water in the car for when you get back from hot trail ride.) things like this can make a big difference.

Secondly. You guys know that I struggle with lots of things (weight, depression, money, feeling out of place) while I was walking down the trail, having to stop every 50 feet to give my leg a rest and yell at myself for being both stubborn and stupid. I found that it was all to easy to feel like I had not right to be here.

"What was I thinking?"

"I'm not a cyclist, I'm just a fat guy."

"This just proves I don't belong on a bike."

The truth is the only thing that kept me going forward was the feeling that I was closer to the end than the beginning and it would take even longer to turn around. I was decided that I would just ride to town, get on the bus, go home, put my bike away, and maybe never ride it again. I was in tears as I walked down the trail. I got a text and looked at it. It was from a friend, it said 

"I feel like crap, Bourbon, see you at 11."

I responded
"Doubtful, May get to REI by the time your back from the ride"

He responded right back
"Walk Faster"

So I walked faster, and I made there in time to do the ride. I also realized that it would be too easy to listen to myself during the rough times and just give up. Giving up is something I have done way too much of in my life. With friends like this, maybe I can change that.

Soupaneuring

Clam chowder soup after icycle bicycle ride today. At claddagh  best clam chowder i ever had