Pacific Coast Cycles

Talk radio may be bad for your health.

2010-03-20T21:39:00.000-07:00

What would happen if a syndicated radio talk show host advocated intentionally running into bicyclists with your car? Of course, that wouldn't happen. No one would say that, especially on the radio. It would be silly, actually, to think that it could happen.

Oh, but it did happen. It has happened in the past. Clear Channel stations have had controversy over their radio show hosts doing just that. Just this last week, it happened again. If you want to read about it, google "bike hate" and you'll get some stories about it. Lance Armstrong's fans made him aware of this and there was pressure from them for him to confront the talk show host. You can find the broadcast and listen to it yourself. I'm not saying the name of the radio guy because I don't want to be part of his publicity team. Personally, I am very angry at this poor excuse of a man and cannot fathom that he is allowed to spew his hate on the airwaves.

Now, how did Lance do? Did he give this guy a piece of his mind? I guess not. I listened to his exchange as it was played on the radio and it was mamby pamby and nicey nice. Evidently, they had had a previous conversation where the radio guy had apologized. So........Lance and radio guy had a nice conversation that didn't have any meat to it at all with regard to cyclist/motorist relations. I'm sure Lance did his best. He defended the wearing of cycling specific clothing. He is more well spoken than I would have expected. Radio guy asked him questions about why he came out of retirement. I'd like to speak up for keeping perspective. Lance is talking to this guy because he badmouthed cyclists and egged on his listeners to hit cyclists! There is no way this guy and Lance should have had a chummy conversation. I wish Lance had kept radio guy on topic.

The best question was one asked by radio guy. He asked Lance why motorists don't like cyclists. He mentioned that Lance, in the previous conversation, (evidently not aired) had said something about other slow vehicles, horses, animals in the street, etc. and the fact that motorists don't seem to get as upset by those other obstructions to their hasty travel. Lance did good. It is good that he pointed that out.

Evidently, he hasn't thought about the real reasons behind the animosity some motorists show toward cyclists. Here it is in a nutshell, and you can quote me on this, but give me credit because I have it figured out. Gasoline makes people stupid. Well, it's deeper than that. When people get behind the wheel of a car, they are empowered. They are in control. King of the world. It is as if their progress, to their gasoline addled minds, is mandated by the heavens. To let a "lesser" vehicle get in the way of said forward motion is an action that they cannot abide. Humility is not a quality that is revered in our society. On the roadway, it could make things so much better. It is all but unheard of there.

On the roadway, there is a hierarchy of size. Car drivers don't complain about being stuck behind a cement truck because a cement truck is bigger than they are. I have heard motorists exclaim how ludicrous it is for a smaller car to claim its right of way due to the size "advantage" their car has over the small car. I'd be surprised if you can't think back and remember hearing the same thing from the driver of a large vehicle. Where does that leave the cyclist? We are using the same space as cars are. But we are the easiest member of the wheeled road users for any car driver to imagine him or herself having the power to push around. If we ride with respect for the law, yet confidently, we are often accused of "riding as if we think we own the road". We are expected by some motorists, those who say that, to mind our place and preferably, they'd like it if we were on the sidewalk. Ironically, most motorists don't know the rules of the road, especially, the bicycle's place in the scheme of things.

I like driving cars. I would say that in my more than forty years of driving cars, I've been delayed no more than 10 minutes by cyclists. I really think it has been less than 5 minutes but I say 10 so I know I'm not exaggerating. I have waited hours and hours in traffic jams because of things other motorists have done or not done. Tailgaters and people who do not use their turn signals are responsible for a majority of accidents on freeways. Why isn't the radio guy complaining about tailgaters? Non signalers? Think he's ever had a show with a theme of running into them? I don't. Why wouldn't he? Why don't motorists tell you about that? They surely tell you about the time cyclists held them up in traffic; don't they?

Go easy on the car drivers. Remember what gasoline does to them.

Chuck

He had a great influence on bicycles, (and me).

2010-03-19T20:39:00.000-07:00

In 1970, I was working for the Upland/Ontario (California) Boy's Club. I had befriended another young man named John Bianchi. John worked at Bumstead's Sporting Goods in Ontario. In the back of their shop, they had a small bicycle shop. John was the bike shop guy. He had told me about some new hubs that he had been hearing about. Wood hubs, he told me, were being made by some guy in California. They were supposed to be really great hubs. I had asked how wood hubs would work. You see, the guy's name was Wood, Phil Wood. Oh.

Within a few months I had a set of those hubs. I built my first pair of wheels on them. I still have them. Eventually, I met Phil Wood. No movie star could hold a higher place in my esteem than Phil Wood. He was a regular guy. He reminded me of the guys I had worked with in my first job, which was new kid at a machine shop. He was so great because he made clean sheet parts for bicycles. If he'd been some cocky braggart, I'd have been crushed. He was the opposite of that. I was the opposite of crushed to have met him.

Over the years, I've bought and sold Phil Wood parts with pride and confidence. Some years ago, Phil retired and sold the business to the employees. The new owners are cool in the same way as Phil was. The parts remain as good as they were when Phil was there. It takes a strong leader to set a culture that changes little when the business changes hands. I'm glad for that culture. Not everybody gets a pair of Phil hubs or a BB, but if you need it, it is there.

I read tonight that Phil Wood had died. I am saddened by knowing he isn't in this world any longer. I wish his family the best and I wish him Godspeed. And I am glad to have met him and to ride the hubs he designed. 'Bye Phil.

Chuck

They ride like they think they own the road!

2010-03-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

"They ride like they think they own the road!" This is a common criticism of bicyclists. What does it mean? Look closely at the person who says that. If you have a mirror, offer it to her. She is saying that it is really she who owns the road and how dare cyclists ride with their own interests in mind!

Now, you may notice I used "she" instead of "he". I'm under the impression that this remains the fair way to write things. I'll even it up when the opportunity rises. My hope is that it satisfies those sensitive to those kinds of things without being too contrived. Now, on with my diatribe.

First, I should say that it is very clear that not all cyclists are angels on the road. Soon, I will link you to an article that has more to say about all this, and the author is much better at this than I am.

I've thought a lot about the car/bike relationship on the road. Maybe I should have said the rider/driver adversarial relationship on the road. One observation that I've made is that car drivers think they have "authority" over us cyclists. In a way, they do. If we collide, it is us who will suffer more. Drivers of cars are acting on a hierarchy of size. That is, they think they have authority over us because they are "bigger" than us. They think they are the "mommies and daddies" and we are the "babies". This is a manifestation of "might makes right", which is a deeply ingrained principal in our society. By writing this observation here, I am not excusing it as a way of behaving. It is an attempt at understanding the bike/car relationship, and if it is a correct understanding, to put it out there so others can think it over and decide if it is the way motorists react to us or not.

Here, I'll give you the link. This is worth reading. http://washcycle.typepad.com/home/2008/07/the-myth-of-the.html

Only by understanding the environment of traffic and acting as informed road users, can we better our chances of survival.

Remember that the underlying thought pattern of most motorists, most of the time, as they make decisions is "will I be hurt by this action?". They decide based on that subconscious reasoning. Ride accordingly.

Chuck

Some rememberances of an old friend, Mario Confente

2010-03-06T19:34:00.000-08:00

In 1973 and 1974 I worked at Masi in Carlsbad, California. I can't tell you in words how formative that time was for me. Imagine a young car guy being offered the opportunity to work at Ferrari. To us bicycle guys who worked at Masi, it was just as rich and validating an experience. I remember the first day at Masi. That day could make a story in itself. Everybody who worked there left an impression on me.

There were three Italians who I worked with and they all are remembered fondly. Masi. That name can be a sentence, can't it? Faliero Masi was at the factory for some of the time I worked there. He was a dignified sort of man. Aurelio Fantoni was a frame filer, imported from Italy. He looked like Jack Lemon and we lived in the same neighborhood. Sometimes, we'd ride to work together. He was a crack up. Every few pedal strokes on his Raleigh three speed, he'd pause, pull up his pant leg and resume pedaling. Mario Confente had an apartment down the street from where I lived and it was there that Aurelio lived. Mario's frames are legendary today. People pay the big bucks for them and as far as I know, most of them are collected and ridden rarely. It is Mario who this piece is written about.

Mario was a super talented craftsman. He would come to work in wool slacks
and one of those almost girlie t-shirts that Italian guys wear so
successfully. By the end of the day, I'd look like I'd been dragged through
the dirt and he could wash his hands and be ready to go out for dinner!

He taught me about brake lever positioning on the bars, that is, putting
them a little lower than most people did to make them a good place to hold
onto while climbing out of the saddle. He also would show me to ride out of
the saddle while climbing in a more relaxed way. His way of showing that was
to splay out his ring finger and pinky while loosely holding on to the brake
lever. I hope that comes across OK. It left an impression on me.

It seems people want to know more about Mario. He had us over for dinner a
few times and he would cook up a pot of that spaghetti that comes in the
blue paper wrapper and pour on Ragu sauce. For real, that's what the Italian
Stallion ate for dinner. Ragu, folks, it's the real thing (evidently).

Each employee got to have his own frame made at the factory and we got to
buy the frame for the cost of a set of tubing or we could add on the parts
to make it a complete bike at cost. I won't tell you what those prices were
because they were so low it would sound funny in terms of what that stuff is
worth today.

Mario designed the frames for each employee. Mine is a 56.5cm. The frames
could be painted colors that were not available on a stock Masi. Also, most
of them had some sort of custom part or configuration. Mine has vertical
dropouts and a special fork crown and recessed brake bolts which were a new
thing at that time (1974). I think at least one employee got his bike with
stock dimensions instead of having Mario design his bike custom. My friend
Morgan still has the figures that Mario wrote down on a paper in the process
of designing his bike. Morgan's is a beautiful bike and hasn't been ridden
since it was made. In other words, it is like new. The figures are very
interesting as Mario didn't measure the top tube center to center.

In 1977 or 1978 Mario came to my shop and told me he was striking out on his
own. I think he felt betrayed by Bill Recht and felt that his friend, a Mr.
Ferrari was a true friend and a "simpatico" guy. I bought one frame from
Mario, I think it was one of the first he made when he decided to go out on
his own. I don't know if it was made on spec or a custom order that someone
backed out on. It was a 58 or 59 and I sold it to my customer and riding
buddy Bruce Colby. I ordered a frame for myself with a $350.00 deposit and a
final price of $750.00 upon receiving the frame. I was excited at the
prospect of representing Mario's frames at my shop and Mario seemed excited
as well. He seemed to me to be a stand up guy and though, few, our business
dealings were done on a handshake. He died before my frame was made.

It was a shock to learn of Mario's death. He was so young and seemed so
healthy. To this day I remember the irony of Lisa having finally gotten the
love of her life and having him taken away so soon and so suddenly. Some
things are so hard to reconcile in one's mind.

The frame I sold to my friend Bruce had a problem within a very short time.
The seat stays both came loose from the seat lug. I had been representing
Jim Merz frames and had him fix the frame so that there was a recognizable
name attached to the repair. I gave Bruce full credit toward a Jim Merz
frame which was a super nice and beautifully built frame. Bruce rode that
Merz frame for many years until he drifted away from bicycle riding. I have
no recollection of who finally bought the repaired Confente frame. It is one
of the first and last of that last era of Mario's frames. If you know who
has it, it would be cool to know how it is.

Chuck

A fixie night out on the town

2010-02-13T20:06:00.001-08:00

HooWah. Last night Gretchen and I had a wild night out. We had heard about a fixie event in San Diego at the Embarcadero. Our friend Luke had told us about it and I asked him for particulars as to where the event was and where to park. He said he parks in the parking lot across from the "Star of India" and rides to wherever the event is being held. Our main reason for going was to see our friend Luke in the Drag Race they were having. We had told Luke we'd look for him at the event.

As we pulled into the parking lot, a car behind us flashed its high beams at us and as I looked at my mirror, I said to Gretchen that it looked like Jens. Sure enough, it was Luke and Jens. We ended up riding with them to the site of the event. I won't tell you we had a hard time finding it but, we couldn't get a bead on where it was. Gretchen ended up asking the right person and at about that time we saw a couple of other people on bikes that looked like they were going to the event. We followed, and soon got to the gathering.

Soon after we got there a man named Anthony came up to us and introduced himself to us. He was very nice. I think he was involved with putting on the event. In back of us, a short girl in army looking boots that went to her knees was cussing up a storm about how if you saw her beating up someone, you should know that she'd found the person who'd stolen her bike. Gretchen, being the kind soul she is, said some supportive things. Meanwhile, I was looking for a place upwind of the cigarette smoke she was exhaling. There was a concrete area that was full of young people mostly on fixed gear bikes and they were doing tricks. They were posturing and practicing for their upcoming "tricking" event.

Nature called. When I took my leave from the group for a bathroom break, I went into the "ride in" bathroom. It was a secure feeling to have the bike inside instead of out by the door where it could be stolen. Just before I left, someone came into the next stall. There were no doors on the stalls and as I left, my peripheral vision caught the fact that it was a female. At the doorway, I looked at the signs again and realized I'd misunderstood them and had been in the women's bathroom. I was so embarrassed and said "sorry!" loud enough to be heard from inside the loo.

Soon after I got back to the group, Luke entered the first of his three events of the evening. It was called "Foot Down". We had thought that that would be a track stand type of event but it was more like what I know from mountain bike events as "Death Cycle". The idea is to stay on the bike but either knock or intimidate others off their bikes. If you put your "foot down", you're out. Since he didn't understand the event, Luke didn't last long. I should mention that there are a lot of really big guys who were out there on the court.

Hey cool! We saw our buddy Ryan and his friend Scott after we had been there for a while. Ryan is a good vibes guy and his Mother in Law had just bought him a Brooks saddle from the shop. That happy event happened so close to his departure time that he didn't get to put it on his bike for the big fixie night out.

An ongoing theme for me was trying to balance watching the events and finding air I was happy breathing. Unlike most physically challenging activities, fixie riding seems to attract smokers.

Next event: "Track Stand". Luke went out there and did himself proud. He hung in there until there were only ten riders still balancing on their bikes. Instead of just seeing who could do the longest track stand and leaving it at that, they called out specific moves for the participants to do. One hand. No hands. Stuff like that. Very cool, I wish I could do a decent track stand. Anyway, Luke made it until they called out "one foot". The other foot goes on the front wheel. Luke said he had been working on that trick but hadn't quite gotten the hang of it. Top ten, not bad.

Our bikes had been relaxing on the grass as we watched the events. Soon it was time to get back on them and ride over to the starting line of the next event; the drag race. Overheard, about that time: a young woman said, "When I'm sixty, that's the kind of bike I'm going to ride," referring to Gretchen's bike. Gretchen told her, "I'm only 45." She said they weren't being mean, but were quite nice. Gretchen also told me that she had heard the same group of friends talking about an "old grey haired guy". I looked around. I didn't see him.

The next event up was the Drag Race. Jens went to a spot near the finish line to watch and Gretchen and I went to the start line. Luke had left his helmet with Jens and I fetched it for him. When his heat went off, he didn't get into his toe clip on one side. Luke's gear ratio is too high for an optimum quick start. Still, he was third out of four. He actually beat out a guy who is very notorious in the Southern California fixie world.

A woman shouted out "How 'bout a women's drag race?" Good for the event organizers. They went ahead and made a call for women who wanted to drag race. Gretchen raced in the event just so they would have enough women. She's such a good sport.

We left the drag race area and went back to wait for the "trickers". That was the main event of the evening. Luke is "up" on what is going on, and who's who in the world of trickers and kept us apprised of what was going on. Of course, I was noticing the details of the bikes as much as the tricks themselves.

As that event was winding down, we headed back to the cars. Ryan and Scott headed back to their cars at the same time so we got to ride together for a while. It's really fun to ride in a city at night. After we got back to our cars, Luke and Jens rode their bikes and Gretchen and I followed them around in the Vanagon to try to find a place to have some Pizza. It was clear that the bicycle is the superior way to navigate a city! The Pizza was good. The conversation was good. Gretchen was tired. We called it an evening. We got home at 1:30AM. It was a late night out for the old folks. We enjoyed every minute of it. A tip of the hat to Luke, Jens, Ryan and Scott. Thanks Dudes!

Chuck

Helmets, are you man enough?

2010-01-31T18:54:00.000-08:00

A friend asked recently what my ideas are regarding helmet use and fixed gear bikes. Would you guess that I'd have an opinion on that?

First, to me there is no difference between fixed or any other kind of bicycle as far as helmet usage goes. Secondly, it is legal for those over 18 years old to go helmetless while on bicycles. I recognize that but, it doesn't modify or lessen my personal opinion on helmet use.

To decide to not wear a helmet on bicycles is a fashion decision. It's a bad decision in my opinion and usually that decision is dressed up as something else. I say that most who do not use a helmet are afraid. They are afraid of what other people think of them. I see that as an inner weakness. That's right, my view is that it is clearly a bad decision to not wear a helmet while riding and, a sign of weakness. A person with a strong self image cares more about his/her safety than whether he looks "geeky" or "uncool" or whatever. Wearing a helmet is a way to "be your own guy".

People have told me that they wear their helmet for certain kinds of rides. They say they use them when they go on longer rides or on the road but not off road or when riding hard but not while just jetting down to the store. My experience tells me that you don't know when you're going to crash so how does that decision make any sense? Maybe they think it makes sense because on some types of rides they won't be around as many cars. Most of the time, it's the street that does the damage to your head and you never know when you'll make a mistake and just eat some pavement. I'm saying that as good a rider as you are, you can still make a move that doesn't work out and hit the deck in an instant. Just because you've crashed lots of times without hitting your head doesn't mean that all accidents will be like that. Some crashes happen within a framework of speed that allows human reactions to control some aspects. Others happen in more of a "slam" fashion and basically put you down so fast and hard that your reactions don't come into play.

Changing someone's mind to the point that they make a better decision about helmet wearing is probably not going to happen in more than a smattering of cases. I'd like to think that people will read this and say to themselves that the only smart thing to do is wear a helmet for cycling; every time they ride. It would be nice if it gave someone the social independence to say "I don't care what others think" and wear that helmet. I doubt that will happen but in reality, it is not dorky to wear a helmet. Not once, never, has anyone ever said anything to me regarding my helmet. I have an idea what my response would be if they did and I'll just let you imagine how much my feelings would be hurt if someone did say anything to me about it.

In closing I'll say that women look better in helmets when they're on a bike. There's something fundamentally appealing about someone who is realistic enough to know that not everything is within their control and cares enough about her self to mitigate the negative consequences if something bad does happen. Yes, I'm saying that helmets appeal to my inner caveman.

Riding a bicycle involves a risk. Take the risk but stack the cards in your favor.

Chuck

Some of my favorite parts.........older ones this time:

2010-01-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

Over the years, many bicycle parts have had an effect on me. Some were on my bikes. Many more were on bikes I repaired. I'll not speak here and now of parts that have made a bad impression on me, but rather, the ones that have earned a place in my heart. It is a simple mind that is fundimentally satisfied by well designed and executed bicycle parts. With that in mind, here we go.

There is a part that, more than any other in the bicycle world, is regarded as the very best of what it is. Far from exotic, but neccessary it is; the rim strip. It's job is to protect the inner tube from hostile nipples (I just wanted to see how that looks in print: "hostile nipples") or the sharp edges of holes drilled in the inner wall of double wall rims. In spite of constant attempts to better it, the Velox Rim Strip is the rim strip by which all others are judged...........and found lacking. You can't do better, and it costs only $3.50 each. Can life get better?!?

Running a close second in the category of being universally regarded as being the best of its class is the Chris King headset. Grant Peterson doesn't like them. Hah! That's more for me. They are the best and they are made in the USA. On a bicycle tour of the California Coast in 1977, I stopped into Chris King's shop, which was in the back of the legendary Hendrickson's Bike Shop in Santa Barbara, to meet Chris King and see his operation. Standing ankle deep in glorious aluminum shavings, he was engaged in making, not headsets, but a flute out of a piece of electrical conduit. My shop had a couple headsets on order from him, and I was patiently waiting, because at that time, they were hard to get. I now understood why. I wondered if he could play the Kinks' "Tired of Waiting" on that flute? After all these years, they're still the best.

Campy Nuovo Record derailluer. I'm not going to argue that it's the best, but it is one of my favorite parts. I remember the first time I held one in my hand. I'd seen them on bikes. I'd held many common derailluers in my hand but had only seen Campys on bikes. Bud, from Bud's Bike Shop in Clairmont, Ca. handed me one to show me how light it was. I was bedazzled. When I got my first bike with one, it shifted better than any other I'd tried. I still love them. They are iconic. They are one of the most beautiful bicycle components ever made. Sometimes I feel like a pirate with a treasure chest full of booty because I've got lots of them. A close second place, and much less available is the Huret Jubilee. The lightest ever made and it also works great.

Campy Nuovo Record seatpost. The old two bolt type. By today's standards, very heavy. By today's standards, there isn't anything else that will hold a seat more securely. Also, the ingenious micro adjust capability is second to none. If you're curious, come by the shop and ask me and I'll show you how it works. Tighten the front bolt and loosen the rear bolt and it will lower the nose of the saddle by however much you want; literally by the width of a hair if you so desire. It won't slip. But, it's not easy to set up. The bolts you turn for that adjustment are on top. Access is difficult because the seat hides them from you. Modern seatpost that has most of the good qualities and is easy to set up and adjust: the Salsa seatpost. I know it has a clever name but I can't think of it right now.

More later.

Chuck

Stolen bicycle recovered

2009-12-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

Howdy. Tonight I will say that I've got a history of being overly attracted to people getting back their bikes that had been stolen. Even if the rightful owner doesn't get his/her bike back, it gives me a warm feeling to know the thief no longer has the bike.

After several incidents of retrieving bikes from thieves; all done with the help of the police, we humorously started calling our shop "Crimestopper Bike Shop" whenever discussing issues of stolen bikes.

Recently, Tim, or as Gretchen and most women seem to call him, Timmy, came in to tell us his bike had been stolen when he was visiting his girlfriend in Santa Barbara. Hers was stolen as well. The bikes had been at the end of a long driveway and I can't remember if the bikes had been locked or were deemed safe from theft due to being not visible from the street.

About three or four weeks later, Tim's girlfriend saw what she figured may be her bike advertised on Craigslist in Santa Barbara. She contacted the seller and made arrangements to meet him at a park, (at his suggestion). Before going to meet him, she called the police and made arrangements to call them if the bike was hers. She took some friends along. The bike was hers, the cops were called, the cops came and the "seller" was taken away in handcuffs.

Good enough. Tim's bike wasn't recovered but he now has plans to give the theif an ultamatum. If he doesn't get his bike back he will resort to civil action/small claims court. I think Tim will win if comes to that.

Another happy ending.

Chuck

Even bike shop people get excited at the prospect of a new bike or bicycle addicts

2009-12-09T20:24:00.001-08:00

I'm thinking I need to put something up here more often or it's not interesting. This one is about a bicycle addict. We'll call her Gretchen.

I've been on a quest for something for a while now and that's what I'm going to write about tonight. Gretchen had (has) a fascination with skip tooth drive trains. We've already set up some pretty neat bikes for her. I like the fact that she is interested in riding them and in having input into the bikes and how they are designed. She's come up with bikes that are uniquely hers and have garnered compliments from lots of people. The latest project is in the works. We got her a very nice Campy skip tooth crankset, cog, bottom bracket and new old stock chain.

We had a new frame for her but it looks pretty up to date and modern. With this drive train, I am having a problem picturing it on a tig welded modern track frame. For these parts, I picture something in the way of an old lugged track frame or a newer path racer with lugs. We'll have whatever we come up with at the shop, so you'll be able to come by and see it. Keep in mind that as of this writing, we haven't come up with a frame yet. I'm talking about having it here when we figure out what kind of bike it will be.

Another bike theft story has surfaced and I want to tell the story. That will be my next post. It has a cool and happy ending.

Chuck

Survival on the road

2009-11-13T07:36:00.000-08:00

I think I'd like to post up some safety tips here on the blog. It is an area that should be of interest to any and all cyclists. I will preface this subject by saying that I've been riding as an adult for forty years and have had no accidents with cars.

One thing I see more often than you would think is people riding on the wrong (left, sorry England) side of the road. If someone wants to live that dangerously, I can't stop them but it endangers, directly, other cyclists. Riding on the wrong side of the road includes cutting accross intersections in a way that puts you in a position of ending up riding on the left even for a short while as in "cutting the corner".

Sidewalks are not for riding bikes. I can't stress that enough. Many people feel safer on sidewalks because they are a little further from the car traffic. Close cars do not hurt you. The fact is that sidewalks put you out of the traffic pattern and at the same time put you in conflict with traffic at every driveway and intersection. Someone pulling into a driveway is not looking for zippy traffic on the sidewalk. Bicyclists riding on sidewalks who are hit by cars are legally at fault if they are hit.

Riding between lanes of traffic is sometimes required of bicyclists if we want to use the road to its fullest advantage. Making a left turn on a multi lane road will often require that to be done from a left turn lane. For those who are tentative in doing that kind of manuever, it is safer to use the crosswalks (walking the bike through them) than to be timid in traffic. I'll try to describe how to safely use a left turn lane.

When approaching the intersection you are going to turn left in, look back and assess traffic to choose the safest time to move into the left lane. If the traffic in your direction is stopped or stopping at the intersection, signal your intention of going left and matching the speed of the cars, use a gap to go over one lane at a time. You can safely and legally ride between moving cars if thier speed and yours are in the same ballpark. When you reach the left turn lane and have to wait do not do so from the center of the lane!

Sometimes you will be first in line. More often, there will be some cars already waiting in the left turn lane. I wait on the line. There is a practical reason for this. I squish easy. Many drivers are distracted and run into the backs of other cars waiting at intersections. Do not put yourself between those cars! Side to side, most drivers can control their cars and there are very few side swipes at intersections. Waiting between lanes is safer than being behind a car. When you start up to go through the intersection, maintain that line. In other words, do not pull into the path of the cars. They can go around you if they want. That is, assuming everybody maintains their lane position through the intersection. I position myself so that when I get to the intersecting road, in other words, when I'm through the intersection, I'm at the right side of that road. No lane changing needed to boogie on down the road.

One intersection I use a lot has a driveway to a restaurant very soon after I have finished traversing the intersection. I know car drivers sometimes panic when trying to turn into that driveway after the intersection so I always make sure to account for the possibility they may cut me off from behind. That involves listening, peripheral vision, intuition, and the everpresent evasive manuever up the sleeve. That is, I may need to turn into the driveway with them in order to avoid being under them.

Wow! I'm out of time. Gotta go to work. I'll continue this soon.

Chuck

Good deeds

2009-10-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

What does it take to make you feel good about yourself?

Have you ever been presented with an opportunity to do something good but didn't act upon it because you felt unwilling to get involved? Most of us have been in that situation. I know I wish I could always be there as a facilitator for all that is good; or another way to say it, would be "to act against all that is bad".

Today at the shop, late afternoon, Gretchen, Zach and Luke were in the shop and Luke was installing some new goodies on his bike. Chris Derkach came into the shop and had something on his mind that he shared with us.

He had been in the University area in San Diego and witnessed a man frantically sawing away at a lock that secured (for the moment) a bike to a pole. Chris asked the guy if it was his bike and the guy said "no". Chris asked him "Then what are you doing?" The guy changed his tune and stammered something about it being his bike. Chris called the police on his cell phone and told them what he was seeing and where it was happening. The guy did not shop sawing away with his hacksaw blade even though Chris was within earshot of the would be thief. There must have been a patrol car in the immediate vicinity because as Chris hung up, a black and white rolled up and aprehended the guy.

I know that's a pretty short story and I wish I could tell you there are some more interesting details to share. But as the cops rolled up onto the scene, Chris turned and went on his way. You see, Chris is a pretty shy fellow.

An interesting side note: Chris said that there were several others around and that they didn't seem to pay any attention to the guy using a hacksaw blade to hack away at a locked bicycle.

I have a picture in my head of a person returning to her/his bike after a day's work and unlocking the bike and riding off without the slightest glimmer of how this very bike changed the lives of two other men this very day. To the owner of the bike, it must seem like the same bike it was when it was first locked to the pole, but now it is much more. It is a changer of lives.

A tip of the hat to Chris and all doers of good deeds.

Chuck Hoefer

Stop signs and spuds

2009-10-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Idaho is super smart? How can a state be smart? By treating bicyclists as intelligent beings with something to do and somewhere to go. In Idaho, cyclists legally treat stop signs as yield signs.

Right here in Oceanside there has been a recent push among the police to harass cyclists when they make incomplete stops. The people who I know who've been stopped have not been wildly innattentive kids who run willy-nilly through stop signs just because they don't know any better. They have been responsible adults who have complete awareness of the danger inherent in being hit by a car. In fact, the ones I know are car drivers.

In one case, the rider who has dreadlocks was stopped on Pacific Street by a female officer. She made him sit on the curb for over ten minutes while she checked his - well, whatever they check. When she asked him where he was going, he told her he was on his way to work. She asked him how lucrative his line of work was. (I view that as innappropriate.) The fact is, that this guy is kind of a fixture around town and works at a prominant business. That makes me feel like this officer should get a better grip on the town she is supposed to be serving. She let him go without a ticket, but he was late for work.

Another case I know of is a guy who was riding along Pacific Street with a couple other cyclists and when they cruised through a stop sign, having checked out to see that it was clear, he was pulled over and ticketed. This guy has been riding for decades. He's experienced. At best, it is a technicality that he was guilty of. What he did was safe and sensible, causing inconvenience to no one. I would posit that the cops should avoid that kind of ticket giving practice until after they have enforced all the other laws. You know, the ones that protect us.

Now, back to Idaho: that kind of ticket is not given in Idaho. And that is not because the cops are busy trying to enforce all the laws that protect. It is because in Idaho, the law is set up to allow bicyclists to treat the stop sign as a yield sign. Boy, I like that! Idaho is a state that has aknowledged that stopping a bicycle unneccisarily impedes its progress to an unreasonable degree. Three other factors make this reasonable. 1. Bicyclists have excellent visibility and are traveling at speeds that allow for good use of that ability to see all around. 2. Bicyclists are naturally aware of the risk involved in unsafe entry into an intersection. 3. The size of a bicycle makes it less of a threat to others. That is not to say, in any of those reasons, that it is OK for a cyclist to be less than proper in traffic. Remember, the stop sign is not ignored, it is treated as a Yield sign. Cyclists who blow through stop signs recieve stiff fines in Idaho.

You go Idaho! I'm eating plenty taters to support youse guys.

Chuck Hoefer

Fitting: then and now

2009-10-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

Back in the olden days and to be specific about that, it is about twenty years ago that I'm talking about, we used to fit bikes differently than we do now.

Top quality road bikes which were basically road racing bikes, were more uniform than they are now. To some degree, a 56cm bike from one maker was very similar in form to a 56 cm from another maker. Level top tubes were the norm. It was not unreasonable to have a number (bike size) in mind when shopping for a bike from most any manufacturer. Bikes nowadays are measured differently, more configurations exist and in particular, the same size frame can be called by different numbers due to measuring from different points on the frame.

This is the way we used to fit bikes: we used to fit the bike to the legs of the rider. Some people, especially men, come with pretty short legs (proportonally) as standard equipment from the factory. Common practice was to have the rider straddle the bicycle to determine which size of bike they would ride. For instance, a 6' rider with short legs could be assigned a smaller frame size than a 6' rider with longer legs. A typical reccommendation would be "you have shorter legs, so you take this smaller size of frame and we equip it with a longer stem to handle your longer torso." I no longer fit people that way. What we had going back then was a disservice to the short legged, long torso riders.

On men in particular, the upper body is where most of the weight is carried. A smaller frame with a longer stem was putting that weight further out over the front wheel. That doesn't make for relaxed handling and in the long run, it is not conducive to the rider's comfort.

Having the weight of the rider distributed between the wheels of the bike is the ideal situation as far as handling and comfort are concerned. A smaller frame with a longer stem puts the weight of the torso too far over the front.

To illustrate the effect of not having the weight between the wheelbase, I'll use an exaggeration. Imagine a little kid's sidewalk bike with 12" wheels. Take off the training wheels and set it up with a seatpost and handlebar/stem combo that is ideal for you. It is easy to picture how that would feel. We've already established that the bars and seat are in the ideal position but the main factor influencing the wacky feeling will be the fact that the rider's weight is not within the wheelbase. A too small frame has the same effect but to a lesser degree than this exaggerated example.

On a test ride, a too small bike can feel just fine. It is the longer rides where the bike fit makes itself known.

Even riders without the long torso/short leg proportion are more comfortable when not fitted to a too small bike. A common complaint with a too small fit is too much pressure on the hands and a cramped feeling in the neck and shoulders.

The seat tube angle on most bikes is within a three degree range and if you have a given seat angle, the estension of the seat post does not change anything. In other words, the amount of extension you see on the seatpost is not necessarily an indicator of good fit. What I look at is not the top tube height or seat post extension, or stem configuration, but the triangle of pedals, bars and seat in relation to the wheelbase. I wish I could tell you that I have numbers assigned to all this but I don't. There is a lot of intuition based on years of experience but I have not endeavored to make a "system" out of this.

Hardly a day goes by at the shop without someone asking what size bike they should ride. I figure that most of those folks have heard or read that the fit of the bike is of paramount importance and they want us to give them the answer. In the shop setting, first the customer decides which bike she/he needs; at this point, we can determine the size of that particular bike she/he needs. In the case of the buyer wishing to be armed with a number (size) to shop in the used market, there are too many variables to provide a simple answer.

Trends come and go. In recent times, the trend is to sell small bikes. Few of us should be seeking the same fit as a Tour de France rider. In general I see a majority of people on newer bikes riding too small bikes. Occasionally, I see someone on too big of a bike but it is easier (within reason) to make a too big bike fit comfortably.

Chuck Hoefer

Some general principals that apply to bicycle mechanics:

2009-10-05T19:46:00.000-07:00

Generally speaking, bicycle mechanics adjust things. We also lubricate things that should slide (cables) and things that should spin (hubs, bottom brackets, etc) and things that pivot (brakes and derailluers).

As far as adjusting things goes, there is a type of part that we adjust so it is not too tight and not too loose. Those parts would include the bottom bracket, hubs, headset and in the case of sidepull brakes, their pivots.

In the classic parts, as opposed to some of the newer sealed bearings, there are threaded parts that we adjust tighter or looser to the point where there is the least amount of pressure that doesn't result in play at the bearing or brake pivot. The mistake I see most often is when the locking characteristics achievable with threaded adjusters is not used properly. That is, the bearing may have been adjusted pretty well, but the adjustment is not locked in.

I will use a hub adjustment to illustrate the principle. Because of the difficulty of trying to convey this process with words alone, I will use as an example, a hub that has a hex shaped lock nut. That is the nut that sits next to the frame. First, I put the wheel horizontally in my vise. I clamp the vise onto the locknut and do not put it in too deeply because I need access to the cone. That is the part that contacts the bearings. The locknut and cone normally have a washer between them.

The first adjustment I make when the wheel is sitting like a big steering wheel in the vise is to lock down the bottom cone. Since the bottom locknut is held in the vise, I back the cone down into it and doing so locks the two together into that position. That principal is called "jamb nutting". It is the same principle used to adjust the valves on VW and other engines.

Once the bottom pair of lock nut and cone are working as a team, I move my attention to the top set of components. Remember that the wheel is sitting horizontally so there is a top set and the already locked in place bottom set. Next I will adjust the bearing so it will work as long as possible. (in another paragraph I will explain why there should be a tiny amount of play at the wheel when it is being adjusted in the vise.) Moving to the top set of cone/locknut, I use the cone wrench on the cone and turn it to where there is just the tiniest amount of play which I feel by holding the rim and rocking it up and down. I lock the cone and locknut together in the jambnut fashion to keep the adjustment.

In effect, moving the cone up puts less pressure on the bearings. Moving it up is done by "unscrewing" it. One of the finer points of jambnutting is that it can be done by moving the top nut down or the bottom one (the cone in this case), up or kind of moving them into each other. The important thing is to achieve the correct adjustment and have the locknut and cone locked together tightly enough that they won't move when the wheel is turning.

A cone that is not locked securely to the lock nut may turn itself inward and put pressure on the bearings which is el desastor!

The reason we leave the tiny amount of play in the bearing is that the axle is squoze (ha!) veddy veddy tightly by the quick release lever. That pressure actually bends the axle enough to change the setting that felt just right with no play into one that can put a fair amount of pressure on the bearings. If you would like a demonstration of this effect, come into the shop and if I'm not busy, I'll show you how that works. By the way, there is no need for play on nutted hubs.

With the exception of leaving play to compensate for the pressure of the quick release skewer, that is how the bottom bracket and headset are adjusted on old school bikes.

Also, the same principle applies to the center bolts of side pull brakes.

I will continue this if it seems that people want to learn it and have the patience to read it.

Cheers, Chuck

Introducing the Shop

2009-10-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

As of October 2009, I'm going into my 33rd year as Pacific Coast Cycles. Before I bought a small shop, Oceanside Cyclery, on Octover 13, 1977, I worked in the bicycle industry for six years. My first official job in the industry was at Talbot's Cyclery in San Mateo. Gary, Steve and their father, Gordon Moore, gave me my start and I still have good memories of working there. Wayne Culpepper was my work mate when demand called for a second mechanic. We had some really good times repairing bikes back when the workshop was in the rear of the toy store.

Gian Simonetti used to come in to Talbots and have me work on his bike, a Bianchi. In 1972 or 1973, he landed the job of interpreter for Masi California. He arranged for me to work at Masi. I ended up as a filer. For some time, I was a bicycle assembler at Masi. That experience has served me well in my chosen profession of bicycle mechanic.

After I bought my store in 1977, I renamed the store Pacific Coast Cycles. I designed the logo. It is simple, and intended to evoke an image of simplicity and precision. In 1978, the shop moved to Carlsbad and then in 2003, moved back to Oceanside where it is now - in the original location it was when I bought it!

The shop has had a distinguished history. It has been an area leader in road bike sales and services and went on to be the first and premier shop in the San Diego area for Mountain Bikes. At this time, I am the oldest (agggh!) standing bicycle shop owner in the area. I am still the main mechanic at the shop, so there is a fair amount of experience behind the repairs and opinons at the shop.

For the last several years, Gretchen has helped at the shop. We are married and her time at the shop gives us more time together. She has her own brand of bicycle enthusiasm and is much more of a "people person" than this mechanic. She is the bright spot in the shop. Also, she knows more than she lets on. I'm sure she would like for me to let everybody know that she met me because she was already a cyclist and not the other way around. Her main interest is just plain riding, but she will occasionally tell me she worked someone pretty hard when out on a ride. Her main job is school teacher. She's stellar in that field.

As far as cycling goes, I have never raced on the road. I did race mountatin bikes starting from some of the first Southern California races (placing near last in my first race) until about 1987. I had a lot of fun and things were a lot less sophisticated back in the beginning. My most notable result was 9th place in the 1985 NORBA National's, Veteran's class.

Today, at 60 years old, I still love to ride. I mostly ride for commuting or with Gretchen. I am pretty slow, though I'd like to be fast. Many other interests cause me to consider cycling a part of my life instead of it being my sole enthusiasm.

I consider myself very fortunate to have been able to make my way in this life by doing something I love. I have never been happier at my job than I am now.

As for the people who have worked at Pacific Coast Cycles, most are still friends. I'd like to quote a line from a Bob Dylan song. I think it applies well.

My heart isn't weary
It's light and it's free
I have nothing but affection
For all those who've sailed with me.

Thanks to all of them, for it is they who have helped make the shop what it is.

Lastly, thank you to all my customers. Thirty-two years has meant a lot of customers. I remember, and still work on bikes for some of them who started with the shop from the very first year.

Chuck Hoefer October 1, 2009