Tips: Recumbents and Trailers

BicyleR Evolution - The Shopper
There are times when you need to tote more than you can comfortably carry on your bicycle, even a long wheel base recumbent designed for self contained touring. That is when you need a trailer.
I used a trailer for all of my European Tours and for Newfoundland and Labrador. I didn’t [...]

Tip: In for a Fall with your Slipstream?

Yesterday, I fell for the first time in quite a while. Just a twisted knee and a bruised shoulder but major embarrassment. As I was riding across a bridge, suddenly I was on the ground and a little dazed. The diamond frame rider behind me asked if I was OK and then added “Nice ride”.
What [...]

Short Cranks - First Impressions - Wow!!!

Slipstream - Spring 08 - Short Cranks - TerraCycle Idlers - Grocery Bags
Continued from So you want shorter Crank Arms Now What?
My new shorter cranks(155MM) from Bike Smith Design & Fabrications are now installed and I have taken my first few rides with them.
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Tip: SRAM Power Link Gold 9-speed Connector

Today I installed my new cranks and idlers. Everything went very easy except I forgot how to open the SRAM Power Link Gold 9-speed Connector I use on my chains.
I had forgotten that the link needs to be both compressed and squeezed at the same time to open.
These Power Links are great to have on your chains. [...]

Are Your Crank Arms Too Long?

Note: There is some feedback that calculated lengths using this tool are too long (3 MM from feedback). I would not take the calculated lenghth too literaly and lean toward shorter lenghts. I also think that recumbent riders should consider shorter cranks because of seating position.
I have been thinking that I should shorten my crank [...]

Bicycling - The Rules of the Road in Quebec

Around Montreal you will see a lot of people bicycling on all kind of bikes. More riders means more need for Bicycling Rules. The folks in Quebec know the rules of the road for bicycling and will point them out to you if you don’t. So be prepared and read the Quebec Safe Cycling [...]

Crossing the Canadian Border on a Bicycle

The Route I have been laying out crosses the border from the US into Canada and returns. So what do I need to do to be prepared for that crossing?
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LightLoad Towels

A handy item for your next bike tour: Lightload Towels
These aren’t the towels you will want to take to the shower but they weigh almost nothing, take no space, and are very handy. I like them a lot more than I ever though I would, they work fine as a face towel, cleaning up [...]

On the Bike Again

This recumbent may not look much like a Slipstream or a Vanguard but it is what I am happy to be riding right now. We have about 3 feet of snow on the ground in my front yard and finally after about a week of snow covered roads we can see blacktop again.

However, I [...]

Stretching & Walking to keep Bicycling

As you may know I have been working on getting back to cycling and stretching is part of that process. However, I have also been thinking about how avoid problems in the future. I know this is a major concern for Professionals but what can those of us who are older and with fewer [...]