Thanksgiving Ride

It has become a family tradition: as soon as we are able to move again after stuffing ourselves, we get out for a walk, ride, anything that involves getting off our turkey-filled body moving. After a quick game of soccer at the local park someone suggested we try out the new-ish single track just down the road. A plan was hatched for another day... need to gather bikes for the out of town family members.

Two days later we headed out into the warm afternoon sun, the whole family (except moms)... three generations from 8 year old nephew to 73 year old Popi. A couple miles down the road we took off into Black Oak Trail, the single track that leads to the North Boundary Trails in Oak Ridge. The young ones occasionally had a little trouble with the slick leaves but "grandpa" had no problem. In fact, mentioned that he would have liked to ridden faster.

A quick rest while we throw rocks into the water

The moon above (and in) the quarry lake

One of the many cemeteries along the North Boundary Trails

Because Dad was riding my bike I had to pull out my old GT Timberline. I have not ridden a rigid off road before and was really surprised. With all the talk on the mountain bike forums of "not even bothering riding a sub-$1000 bike" I was amazed how much fun it was. There was this simple, connected-to-the-world feeling. In fact, I was able to do trails that might have been more difficult with the crummy fork on my Fuji. Sure, the ride was rough, the bike heavy, and trails not difficult... but fun is fun. I am going to be using this bike more and more in the future. And with all the high dollar carbon fiber and titanium machines on the trails around here, there is something cool about seeing some vintage steel out there!

1989 GT Timberline

Tech Tip: Self-Cleaning Hub

Recently I learned about "hub shiners" while dreaming about the awesome vintage machinery on The Cabe. It seemed like an intriguing idea, especially on my son's constantly-getting-dusty mountain bike. Not having any leather handy, I had a brainstorm: A Zip-tie.

Having self cleaning hubs and two zip-ties for fixing stuff on the trail appeals to me (I just love multipurpose tools). 

The trick is to not push the end into its case too far. You don't want it to start ratcheting and be come un-removable. Also, if you put it on so that the tail points toward the rear of the bike it tends to bump the spokes less when turning and therefore runs quieter.

After a few attempts I was able to get one on and removable. It actually works! It cleans the dust of the hubs and gives me a few more options for fixes out on the trails.

Skatepark and Helmets

After two years after hearing about it, we finally made time to visit our local skatepark. With bike and skateboard in hand we headed out to the Knoxville Skatepark for an afternoon of thrill-seeking.

With so many people there we took our time, scouting out the place for the areas we could and areas we shouldn't ride. Plus it also gave us time to see who to avoid (if you have been to a skatepark you know what I mean). After a while watching we ventured onto the concrete to try a few stunts.

As a dad, safety is foremost on my mind especially as my son's skills get better (amazing)... we were fully padded. But we were clearly the minority. The only ones wearing gear were kids. Puzzling to me as even when I was a teen riding without "nagging parents" around, we always wore helmets and knee pads. And with rumors of receiving tickets from police who were constantly circling only added to my confusion. I suppose it is a new time when cool trumps all.

Either way, my son was NOT going to ride without a helmet. Scaring his dad (doing the same tricks I did at that age) was a strange bitter-sweet feeling of amazement and terror.

As soon as I had convinced myself to stop being an over-protective dad, the other "old guy" there decided to show his grandson "how it's done" You know the rest of the story... he went off a jump and over the handlebars landing on his forehead. Blood everywhere. The teens scattered (either from feeling sick or knowing the ticket-giving cops would soon be showing up.) While calming the guy down and checking for shock, I was thinking how clear it was what happens when you don't wear a helmet.

But as paramedics strapped him to the neck board, I remembered an article I had read recently that claimed that bike helmets not only did not help but actually hurt people. Crazy? Yes and no. The article stated that few people ever hit their head on the top, the area where helmets cover. It suggested that if a rider landed on his face for instance, the helmet hitting adds an exaggerated bend in the neck that causes higher numbers of spine injures. Watching the ambulance leave, I am wondered if a helmet could have changed the guys' injuries. He more than likely he would not have had the gash above his eye but if we believe the article, might have sustained a neck injury. If we think of the worst case scenario, we are increasing our risk of becoming paralyzed from the neck down but decreasing our risk of instant death. So, I suppose we have to decide which we feel is worse.

What I do know is that both times I have had big crashes as an adult, I have hit my cheek. And this was also true of "Stunt Grandpa." And of my son's two big crashes going over the handlbars, one ended with a dent in the front of his helmet and the other with a broken arm (the bike came over on him even though he didn't have on his helmet). So of the four wrecks, only one clearly would have helped a head injury. But if we have a 25% of hitting our heads in our future accidents, I am going to be serious about those odds.

Since that day I have noticed that many BMXers (online, not at our park) wear motorcycle-style helmets that protect the face. It certainly makes sense... covering both head and face. And a full helmet would not have the neck-twist of a traditional bike helmet. So, the hunt is on for a helmet that will really protect my son while doing high-risk riding. Hopefully he will actually wear it when I am not around to nag him to do so.

Took A Kid Mountain Biking Day

Another "Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day" has come and gone. And as always, it was a blast. The number of kids and their ages were much more varied than past years. There were tiny boys on strider bikes all the way up to junior high daredevils, and all ages in between. Because there were enough at each level, we were able to split up according to skill level and challenge them all.

It had rained the night before so the trails were very slick. The wood on the first bridge was like ice and three of the five in our group lost it, myself included. A few scratches and mud soaked clothes were the only evidence of our "unplanned trip." We continued to areas of The Dirty South that I had not ridden before. Between the slick conditions and the unfamiliar trails, our leader really upped our skill level that morning.

At the end of the ride we all met up in the parking lot to compare bruises, eat a few snacks, and take photos. Everyone was treated to a free Specialized water bottle and t-shirt (really neat design!) There was talk of an unofficial "Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day" in the spring. There were even discussions of starting a Knoxville-area kids' Mountain Bike team/club (I will be the first to post details here when we organized.)

Again, a huge thank you to The Bike Zoo, Appalachian Mountain Bike Club and IMBA.

Note for next year... don't forget bug spray!

Weekend Ride

Biking and flower picking... a wonderfully relaxing ride with the kids!

Tech Tip: Hand Grip Removal

Every now and them I find out that something little I am doing that can save someone a lot of time and even better, frustration. I think this is one of those tricks: using alcohol to remove and replace bike handgrips.

I have heard others use hair dryers, heat guns, hairspray, liquid glue, and other concoctions when dealing with grips but they all have their tradeoffs. Alcohol does not seem to have a negative. It makes getting grips off easy, it makes putting grips on easy. So here is the way it works:

You will need rubbing alcohol of course and a screwdriver or thin stick such as a chopstick or bamboo shish kabob skewer. First insert the stick deep in between the grip and handlebar. Then pour a little into the gap. Now grab the grip and start twisting (with the stick still in). It will be a little difficult at first but will quickly become easy as the alcohol works its way around.

Insert a stick/screwdriver and pour in some alcohol

Now start twisting.

Installation: a little alcohol on the handlebar and inside grip will allow it to go on easily. If you don't get enough on then the grip will only go on half way. Don't worry, just use the removal method above (a screwdriver and more liquid) and it will slip right on.

Another good thing about this stuff, is it does a great job of cleaning oil off the handlebars. This means the grips will not slip around... once everything dries. But it will take a little while for the alcohol to evaporate. So if the grip is loose, give it an hour or two.

Happy wrenching!

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day... Coming Soon!

I don't know why Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day excites me so much but it does. Maybe it is the chance to see old friends and their rapidly growing children. Maybe it is the opportunity to share this neat sport with the next generation. Maybe it is the feeling I get out acting like a kid on trails. Maybe all the above.

So when the chill of Fall was in the air I knew it was close to time for this wonderful event. But I could not find any info about it online. I emailed the contact I had from last year and in a day I received my answer: October 6, 2012!

If you happen to run across this blog, consider joining us for this year's Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. It will be held at Meads Quarry near Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville starting at about 9am. Bring your bikes, helmets, and excited kids!

If you have not been to Meads Quarry (pdf map) riding before it would be good have a little info so you can decide if you kids are up to the challenge. Starting from the parking lot there are three main rideable areas: the gravel road down the middle, the trails that lead to more trails, and the greenway across the street. "Flow", as the trail is named, is a smooth single-track that is mostly uphill going in toward one of the quarries. It has some short (but steep) climbs and a couple wooden paths that are (guessing) two feet wide.

A bike with gears, rather than a single speed BMX-style, would be pretty much mandatory on these trails. Our friend's athletic first grade boy found the trail just past his skill level especially going in. Many of the second grade boys were able to make it in but did have to hop off often to get over some hills. Third grade and up found it hard but fun, especially the downhill ride out. 

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day 2011
Last year started from a tent in the parking lot complete with snacks, small prizes, and drinks. Roughly twelve kids, mostly boys, arrived ready to ride. Some young enough that they seemed barely off training wheels, all the way up to older ones with purpose-build mountain bikes. Each kid decked out his bike with a racing number, received a quick safety inspection, then lined up for a group photo before heading out into the woods.

As we started out it was clear that a few the younger ones were going to have trouble. The first part of the trail has some steep sections that require geared bikes and pilots that know how to at least put the bike in a usable gear. If a kid just didn't have the skills or equipment, we knew it before getting too far from the parking area. Most of those very young kids opted for the tamer gravel road meeting up with everyone at the end of the first trail (the entrance to one of the two quarries.) Twenty minutes later we had arrived at the quarry, perfect time for a rest. It was great fun climbing down into the massive pit and playing among the lego-like blocks all round.

After corralling all the riders back to their steeds, we headed back to the main parking lot. Though the return trip was the same route it was surprising how much faster it went... it did not seem like trail was that much of a climb going in (great trail building).

Everyone was treated to snacks and even received a Specialized water bottle. Some chose to head back into the trails, others headed home, while others chose to explore the other attractions like the lake and hiking paths.

I suspect this year will be similar with a few exceptions:
1. Hopefully there will be many more kids. I have sent out a press release to the local Cub Scout district. Boys can actually receive awards for attending this kind of event.
2. My son will be there. Last year, ironically he had to miss due to a bike accident!

Thank you in advance Bike Zoo, Appalachian Mountain Bike Club, and others putting on this wonderful event!

Ridin' a Bronco

"Hey Dad, did you know there is a Bronco bicycle!?!?" my son informed me recently. For most people this statement would probably get a response of "so what?" or  "huh?" But because I am co-owner of Bronco Driver Magazine, hearing that there is a Bronco bicycle is much more interesting. Heck, it might even lead to a story somehow.

So, after a little Googling we find out that the Bronco is a model made by SE Bikes. It is a budget BMX model that might be fun to play on, or even ride around at our truck shows.

Ten days later, a big box showed up on our front doorstep. Knowing my son would never get his homework done knowing it was in the garage, I hid the box and assembled it the next day during lunch hour. 

When he got home the next day, a Friday afternoon, the garage door opened revealing the shiny, Ford-engine-block-blue Freestyle Bronco. He of course went crazy with excitement. 

It is a very nice bike. Although it has budget components, it does feel strong and safe... something very important to me (he had just flattened the front of his helmet crashing his junker BMX a few days earlier). It does have very different feel than the mountain bikes we normally ride. But this probably makes us better bikers. Big fun! 

So now he is learning tricks, watching Danny MacAskill YouTube videos, and playing in the driveway with his very own SE bucking Bronco!

Good Brakes - Not Just for Adults

Ever since my children showed an interest in biking, I have been learning all I could about transitioning them to my favorite form of wheeled travel.

One aspect that have been discussed online and in books is the kind of brakes on kids bikes. The overwhelming consensus is that coaster brakes are NOT a good choice for children... at least when learning to ride. The thinking is that when a child wants to stop, especially when panicked, coaster brakes are a slow and un-natural process. The time required to stop forward pedaling, then pedal backward is much slower and confusing than squeezing one's fist. They say to either choose bikes that have hand brakes, or install them yourself.

But as I looked at bikes with this better braking option, I have noticed many are not properly setup for young hands. Many bike assemblers never take in account that kids' reach is much shorter than adults'. It seem obvious when you think about it but I believe we forget about this when adjusting their brakes because hey, they feel natural to us.

So here is a quick how-to for making their brakes more comfortable and functional for your new riders.

Many brakes have either this big screw sticking out...

... or a tiny "grub" screw in the handle.

Before starting you will more than likely need to loosen the brake cable.

Now tighten the screw clockwise. The screw will push the lever toward the grip.

The before.

The after.

The "after" shows the brake lever much closer to the grip. It is now easily reachable by smaller hands, and reachable means your little rider will be just a little more comfortable and confident.

First Bike Race

A friend of the family recently sent me an email about the upcoming Knoxicross. He said he was thinking of entering his two sons and that I should do the same. I had never heard of a Knoxicross so I did some Googleling to learn more. Turns out it was a unique bike race that goes both on pavement and off road. Looked like big fun but was a little too serious for someone with knees as bad as mine. But the youngest-kids-class was a perfect fit for my son and our friends' boys.

Knowing he had never competed before, the odds for winning would be slim. So I told him over and over how proud I was of him for trying something like this and that just finishing was "his prize."

When we arrived there weren't enough kids to competed in two separate races, so both the under 10 and the 10-14 classes were lumped together. There were five boys competing, and the four in his class were younger. BUT I made sure to keep giving my speech about winning not being the goal because he was talking about the possibility of winning the race... by this point the speech was as much for me as him at this point.

The horn sounded and they were off! He took off in second place to the older boy as they rounded the first corner and went into the woods. The next time they came into view he was in fourth with only one behind him. "Just finish, please don't quit" I kept repeating to myself. Had to walk the steepest hill but he never quit.

First place was easily taken by the older boy. Second/third was an exciting photo finish between his bike-friend and the friend's soccer teammate. My son was clearly very disappointed coming in fourth, beating only the first grader.

The boys grouped together excitedly discussing the race... the hard parts, the fast parts, the photo finish. My son with his tail between his legs, was quietly listening to how much fun they had (and trying to decide what he could have done to change his outcome) when one of the other boys noticed he was track-standing while listening. The conversation quickly changed to bike control rather than bike speed. Before I knew it he was giving them lessons in doing wheelies, on both the front and rear tire.

The day was a strange, bittersweet one for him. How could be be so out of his element on a bike one minute and so in his element on a bike the next? How could he be so disappointed then be so excited about sharing his knowledge? I believe he learned a little about a different aspect of riding and lot about life. A bike is after all, a simple machine driven by a very complicated one.

Two Bikes Forward, One Bike Back

There are many milestones for families with kids that just make like simpler: not having to bring diapers, not having to bring "baby" food, the Saturday morning that the kid will let you sleep late (make their own breakfast), or no car seat. But one that I have be actively working toward lately is no more training wheels.

My son took to two wheels very quickly and have never looked back. My daughter, on the other hand, has been more of a challenge. This spring all the neighborhood kids started meeting in the street riding and playing. The training wheels on her Princess bike were clearly slowing her down. They were even causing her to crash every now and then. But being out with the "big kids" was worth it the risk.


About this time my son and I started riding much more, at least three times a week. I really wanted to include the whole family with this hobby. So, I picked up an Adams Trail-A-Bike and plopped her on. The first trip or two through the neighborhood was white knuckled for her but she quickly got used to leaning into turns rather than out like she would do on her bike. It quickly became a game - she would slalom us down the road simply by swapping her weight from side to side. Big fun as long as she didn't surprise me when I wasn't expecting her to do it.

But knowing how riding was SUPPOSED to feel riding quickly made the Princess bike obsolete.

We practiced a few minutes every night throughout summer on "The Green Bike" (a side-of-the-road found bike with cranks removed). As long ask she believed I had ahold of the seat she would ride up and down the street. But the second she found out that I was not actually holding her up, she would skid to a stop and hop off.

About half way through the summer I found a really neat (and her favorite color - purple) Trek at the local Goodwill. After a new set of tires, a seat, and a cute basket, she had a new bike that she really loved. I would bring it out in the driveway each night along with the Green Bike and her old Princess bike for her to pick her ride du Jour.

One day I looked out and she had jumped onto the Trek and pedaled down the driveway! She had cruised past a milestone! Wobbly but past it. By Christmas she was doing great!

Our next milestone was getting her able to do more than just ride in front of the house and join in on real trips. Of course Santa agreed she needed gears and hand brakes, and delivered a neat chrome Pacific with purple and pink accents. A little cleaning and lubing and it looked brand new. (Yes, a cheap-o brand but as an avid Craigslist fanatic, I know there are tons of girls bikes there for a reason... girls just don't stick with riding. If she ends up loving to ride like her father and brother, only then will I spring for a better bike.)

You might remember the title of this story is "Two Bikes Forward, One Bike Back". Tonight she announced (after a month) of riding her Pacific she liked her purple bike better. She stated she felt the new bike is just too complicated. Seven gears, two hand brakes, the taller fit, all take her out of her comfort zone. She just wants to ride, not think about "stuff."

Yes, a little disappointing that we lost a milestone but then again, biking is supposed to be fun before anything. Thanks Beena for reminding me of this. We will give it another try this spring.

Poor Plastic Pedals

One of my main loves of biking is the simplicity. Two wheels, some rubber, a couple "simple machines" and you have a device that is fun, healthy, can actually take you places.  So when one of these machines has a problem, the fix is usually an easy one. At least most of the time.

One of these times was a simple pedal replacement. Plastic pedals don't last long with abuse. The bike I was working on had a pair that looks as if they had been run over by a truck! How long could it take to change them? 10? 15 minutes? Yea, right!

With my Park Tools 15mm pedal tool in hand, I went to work. It wasn't turning. Was I going the wrong direction? Nope. Light taps with a hammer? Wasn't budging. Big hits with a big hammer. Still nothing.

Apparently over time there is a reaction that can happen between dissimilar metals. The steel (pedal shaft) and aluminum (crank arm) clearly had Galvanic corrosion. Searches on the Mountain Bike Forums suggested heat could crack the "welding" loose. So I took the pedal apart, removed the crank arm from the bike, and fired up the grill (I have been married long enough to know not to do this inside). Thirty seconds later I grabbed the arm with a pot holder and tried it. Crud! Back onto the grill. Two minutes and again no luck. Time for some thinking. Back onto the grill. This time pull it off the grill and dip the petal shaft into ice water. Surely the shock of heat-cycling would break the bonds.

Well, as I put the pieces of the old broken pedal back together, I sure hope the next owner of the bike has better luck than I getting it off.

Yet Another GT

I am not sure why but GTs seem to love me. Let me explain. This past weekend a bike came up on Craigslist. The listing said: "Timber Line" 26" wheels, $15. Was it a one of those Walmart junkers? I don't remember there being a Roadmaster Timber Line. Pacific Timber Line... hummm, sounds possible. For the fun of it I emailed the owner asking about it.

The email came back with a photo and it appeared to be a GT with a suspension fork. Knowing the brand of fork would tell me a lot. His next email said it was a Rock Shox fork and yes, it was $15 not $150. He said the rear brakes don't work. The gears don't work. The back tire is flat. But the "shocks are good." I figured for $15 I could sell the fork, throw away everything else, and not lose money.

Arriving at the owner's house the bike was in their tiny living room. The place reeked of cigarette smoke. The flip-flop wearing wife explained that they were going to use the cash to buy groceries. So I slipped her a $20 bill and left.

Once home I was able to breathe and assess. The bike is a '94 GT Timberline FS - a bike just above their botttom-of-the-range back then. Most issues appear to be minor. A healthy dose of chain lube in the brake cable housings and shifter housing did wonders to loosen things up. All bearings are pretty tight. The wheels are pretty straight. With a through cleaning this could be a nice bike.

The stats:
the steel frame is pretty big but not huge, a guess 18.5"
GT "bull" handlebars, period-correct but strange
Rock Shox Quadra 10
WTB tires
trigger shifters
21 speed
Shimano Alivio crankset
Shimano STX rear derailleur (amazingly straight!)

Check out this funky double kickstand:

Cool but not on a real mountain bike.

I now have the problem of having a bike that I hate to part out. This gets me to back to my original comment... GTs love me. Now I have two Timberlines that I really like.