Zip tie bike tire "chains" II

I woke up to a couple of inches of fresh snow, with more still falling, and 28 degree temps. I headed out from Sellwood about 9 AM, and testing conditions were perfect for the zip tie-re chains:

I decided to head for Mt. Tabor (a local park on a hill). There are a couple of packed down intersections around Ladd's Addition that would make for good start-up traction tests. I cruised through the neighborhoods and emerged on Division. The intersection of Division and 11th was a good first test. I slowed down to hit the red light and put my feet down. Things were good and packed down and slippery from cars spinning out. The light turned green, and I spun out sideways. One more try. Nope. Now, some cars were coming behind, and I had to boot shuffle off the road in shame. I tried again at 12th with the same result.

If this were a winter gear review site, I would only give the zip ties 1 snowflake. They are a good conversation starter at bike racks, and they don't seem to do any harm. But, I think a pair of regular knobby tires beats slicks + ties hands down. Plus, there's that nagging feeling that zip tie-ing your tires on is just asking for a flat. I think I'll cut them off before they wear through and release themselves into the wild.

After sliding around quite a bit on the last steep bit on Lincoln, I turned around at the base of Tabor. I wasn't confident enough to climb the hill. Still, a nice couple of hours out and about. One block had cordoned off their prized sledding hill--nice!

The beard worked better than the zip ties. I give it 4 snowflakes. I would give it 5 if it covered my nose, but then it might become socially awkward. Also, my ears haven't actually turned gray just before falling off. Those are Ear Bags (R), and they work OK. My ears get a little chilly downhill, but they don't freeze, and this way I can wear a brimmed hat. The safety glasses are strictly for looks.

Happy riding, or sledding in laundry baskets (I was too slow with the camera), strange fellow PDXers!

Zip tie bike tire "chains"

Todd Boulanger, Vancouver (WA)'s bike czar, came up with the idea of wrapping zip ties around the rear wheel as lo-fi tire chains, and then bikeportland.org ran with it. The hard plastic bands should in theory provide some start up and braking traction. Of course, if you have a rear rim brake, you'll have to disconnect it, and, frankly, that's kind of a deal killer. Since my Azor has hub brakes front and rear, I thought I'd give it a try on both ends. I'm here to report that it can be implemented, and it works well, in theory!



I hadn't realized the extent of Todd's brilliance. While I was focused on the physical effects of thin bands of hard plastic, Todd was looking beyond that to the metaphysical impact of doing something this desperate for a bike ride. Sure enough, with my little black tire charms installed, the snow and ice seemingly melted before me, as if parted by a tiny snowboarding Moses. This was aided by the temperature climbing rapidly to 37 this morning. Still, I don't think we can totally discount the tire charms. For my loyal readers, I managed to snap the following photo on some unspoiled sidewalk snow. It sort of does look like the zip ties could help.



I didn't dare hang around long, though, since nearby I saw fresh tracks from one of our urban cougars (Felis domesticus). I imagine stranded cyclers without tire charms are some of their favored winter prey. Be careful out there.



If things freeze again in the next few days, I may be able to report back with some actual information on the zip ties.

Clever Cycles

I've added a link to the Clever Cycles blog. Clever Cycles is local bike shop specializing in bikes which are extremely practical and way fun. I've actually covered about 400 miles in the past month on one of their Dutch city bikes, and I'll post a full review here soon. In the meantime, the site's well worth a visit for co-owner Todd F.'s writing. Enjoy!

Comfortably Damp; Blog Interrupted

(We now interrupt the blog interruption to bring you a post. School, work, riding, writing; I had to pick three for a while. New ideas on the writing front, though, check back soon!)

I think it was Kent Peterson who first introduced me to the idea of being "comfortably damp." I didn't really understand it at the time. Living in a semi-arid valley in the Rockies, the little moisture we did get usually was either a) frozen or b) driven by violent thunderstorms. Neither a nor b really lends itself to being "comfortably damp." I filed it away somewhere in the mental bike bin and mostly forgot it.

And, then we moved to Portland. And, then, well, it was a whole lot like Missoula for a couple of months. And, then, well, I hear Portland had the wettest November since soggy people have been here and recorded their sogginess. I commuted my 12 mile round trip 20 days in November. One day, as I was wringing out my clothes outside the building entrance, the phrase "comfortably damp" whispered to me from my mental files. I wasn't that. My shoes would be wet for the next week and a half, and I smelled like a public bathroom floor that had been recently mopped, but not very well. I set out on my own quest for damp comfort.

Occasionally, I had caught a glimpse of someone who had completed his own quest. We would both smile, but this other person would just look so damply comfortable. Sure it was fun in that little kid sort of way to see how much water I could soak up. But, there was no Mom on the back porch waiting for me with dry clothes and a bath at my cubicle.

Observing the comfortable few, and reading rain initiates like Kent P., I realized that this had to be a personal quest. Some people I noted wore full rainsuits. I had tried that once and was already soaked with sweat before I had finished the pit zip disco maneuver, inside. I met one guy who just stripped down to shorts, cotton tee, and sandals, and then put his clothes on at work. My version of this ended about halfway in to campus one blustery day along the Willamette River when I put on everything I had in my saddlebag.

I was getting somewhere, though, with these experiments. I now knew I was shooting for that narrow zone between shiver and sweat, with the secondary goal of shedding as much rain as possible. Oh, and with a budget constraint of about a hundred bucks of new gear.

Monday dawned dry but threatening, 45 degrees. I had the morning off and headed for Washington Park, hoping for every bucket of the forecast rain. Someone had waved in the general direction of the West Hills and said, "Just follow Jefferson up. You can't miss the park." I know I was on Jefferson, and then I was climbing past a small reservoir on my right. And then a concrete divider appeared on the four-lane highway. Highway? And then a sign said "Non-motorized vehicles prohibited beyond this point." Now, I'm all for taking signs like this as "informational," but I've never found much good beyond this particular sort of sign on my bike. Right then, no kidding, the skies opened up and began dropping the first of many buckets. I made some clothing adjustments and rode against traffic a little ways until I found the unmissable turn I'd missed.

I started the long climb, zigzagging up maybe 800 vertical feet to the top near the zoo. The whole time the rain pounded, the gutters filled, I climbed. I passed another cycler. I smiled. He grimaced, and gave my goofy outfit a double take. We both knew it. I'm no master of rain yet, but I had achieved a state of damp comfort.

It may not work for you, but here's my getup for 40-50 degrees and rain that falls in drops (most credit to Kent P. and some new friends here in this, um, rain blessed country):

helmet
cotton cycling cap
Rainshield O2 cycling jacket ($35, actually breathes fast enough to climb in, for me)
Duofold 2-layer wool/poly shirt ($23, I think they call it Insulayer now, look for the wool content)
Windsor Wear thin wooly shirt
WoolyWarm knee warmers (rivbike.com)
SmartWool microweight skivvies
MUSA pants (rivbike.com, shorts work fine, too)
Rainlegs nylon chaps from UK (I've been told the dork factor is high. These things really work. Your call!)
Smartwool Mountaineer heavy wool socks (or two pair lighter wool socks)
"river" sandals (Chaco, Teva work well, needs to grip the pedal and dry fast)
[Edit 12.17.06: Forgot the hands!]
Ragg wool gloves
OR rain claw mitts (Just the wool gloves keep me comfortable, but it's no fun putting them back on after riding in a downpour)

And (this is why the sandals work) a dry pair of socks in the cubicle's file cabinet.

P.S. If you have trouble finding the O2 jacket or anything but the rivbike stuff and the rainlegs, you can get it through the Mountain Turtle Market's Amazon portal and benefit a real live cycler at the same time! Just type the names into the search box there.

P.P.S. Just one more question. Where the heck is the damp drizzle?

Carrying Things (part 3, Plastic Tote)

Not so long ago, Kent Peterson posted a picture of his new Kogswell fixed gear bike with a custom looking blue trunk thingie on his rear rack. Like most things Kent-ish, what looked like a custom doo-dad was really just $5 at the hardware store plus a little ingenuity.

Now, I may well have a problem, and maybe you've already guessed this, but when I see a new way to carry stuff on a bike I think "Cool!" When I find out that that something is $5 at MLHS (My Local Hardware Store), I think "Hmmm, a ride to MLHS sure sounds nice this evening!" What can I say? When someone asks me: "Any ideas for carrying [insert object here] on my bike?" I like to have an arsenal of responses, especially cheap ones. Kent's Rubbermaid tote idea was a slick answer to a question I hadn't ever gotten around to asking. I put one on my empty front rack, and have been riding around figuring out that question ever since. It's also my chance to play bicycle gear reviewer, so, here you go...

This afternoon, I was faced with an interesting situation at the office. I had my road bike out back and a 15 pound box of files plus a stack of loose papers to get home. Oh, and it was starting to sprinkle.

Now, I'm a huge basket fan, but rain and loose paper exposes two of a very short list of basket shortcomings: weatherproofness and small-loose-stuff-proofness. Both of these are easily overcome with a bag in the basket. Sometimes, though, the nearest bag is 8 flights of stairs carrying a 15 pound box of files away. Well, one time it was, anyway.

Luckily, I had my Kent-inspired basket accomplice on back, a 3 gallon Rubbermaid Roughneck Tote. The box-o-files went up front in the basket, and the stack of loose papers nestled down into the tote, locked in and safe from rain. I think I'm beginning to find the question to my answer!



Here's the comparison chart. It would be fit for Bicycling magazine 'cept I don't think they do anything available at the local hardware store. But we do!

3 gallon Rubbermaid Roughtote + 30" Bungee + Rack
Cost: $5 + $3 (+$15 for the rack, if you don't have it already)
Size: 14" x 10" x 7" deep at the top, tapering to the bottom
Weight: Lighter than an $80 rack trunk
What'll it carry: 750ml wine bottle, large onion, 3 large potatoes, quart of yogurt, lock, and saddle cover inside, plus a jacket on top. Basically, anything that will fit in it or bungee on top. I've also found you can overfill it and then bungee the top on like a rain hat. 2 bungees are better for that.
Compared to just-a-rack: Things stay in it. Things stay dry. You'll love it!
Compared to panniers: pluses--more aerodynamic, almost impossible to hit your heel on while pedaling, tougher, no need for expensive rack, quicker to load/unload, a great place for reflective tape and stickers, way cheaper and less theft prone; Minuses--smaller than even one pannier, hard loose objects sound like a Carribean drum band
Compared to basket: pluses--rain proof, small things don't need their own container, slightly lighter and cheaper; Minuses--less room for creative packing, not as sturdy, wet things won't dry.
Max per bike: 2, one rear, one front, but it's more versatile as a basket accomplice
Where to get it: Local hardware store
Attachment: 4-6 big zipties through holes you drill or poke in the bottom plus a bungee or two for top security and lashing
Made in China?: Yep, and I bet the factory smells just great

It seems like it would be great for a change of clothes with shoes in a plastic sack bungeed on top. I haven't tried it, but it seems like the ticket if you have that sort of gig.

Trailer improvements

Weeks have been busy lately. It's during these times that I most appreciate being carfree. In the past, when school and work were hectic, I never rode. I would take the car for groceries or downtown to save a few minutes. Now that it isn't an option, I really appreciate getting to take a bike ride, even when life's pace is frantic. Slowing down is seldom a waste of time.

Several have asked about our modifications to the Bicycler Evolution trailer. Well, they aren't much, but it really makes a difference! Most bicycle cargo trailers strike a trade-off between enclosing cargo and handling bulky loads. The BikeRev trailer--based around a large plastic bin, favors the former. The lid of the big Rubbermaid bin is reinforced, however, and would make a great load platform--that is, if there were a way to lash loads down.

A trip to the hardware store netted four stainless eye bolts, four rubber seal wahers, four fender washers, four nylock nuts, and four acorn nuts. The rubber seal washers sit outside between the eye and the bin and seal up the holes the eyebolts pass through. The acorn nuts go on last on the inside of the bin to cover the protruding ends of the eyebolts. This keeps cargo from snagging.

Attaching large loads like a full size bike box requires only a couple of bungee cords "X-ed" over the top. While sturdy, the bin sides are not super thick plastic, and I wouldn't recommend ratcheting tie-down straps. Overtightening might stress the plastic. For your Christmas tree, recycling, bike box, and toilet paper cube needs, though, this is it. Just remember to load the inside of the bin first :-)

You'll also notice the stick-on reflectors. Some reflective tape would also be a good addition. Next on the agenda: fork mounts and wheel carriers for towing bikes behind the trailer. Yes, I'm becoming one of those trailer guys. It's addictive in a mostly harmless way. Try it!

More Maxshopper

Thanks to a reader, some further info on the Maxshopper is available. It's not in English, but it weighs in at about 15 pounds and retails for about $225 with bike hitch or $170 without. The photo above shows it in "shopping cart" mode.

It's nifty in that uniquely Swiss way, but there's no need gnawing nails until someone imports it. BicycleR Evolution, Burley, Bikes at Work, and others have you covered for now.

Rachel and I have been testing the BicycleR Evolution Heavy Duty trailer for a couple of months now. Two days ago, we hauled 60 pounds of groceries behind the tandem with no problems whatsoever. We recommend it highly, but all of the trailers above (and others, no doubt!) are great, too. It's a good time to be a cycler who wants to carry stuff.

Maxshopper

I recently received an email blurb about a Swiss product called Maxshopper. The concept is elegant. Maxshopper is a handcart that quickly converts to shopping cart or bike trailer. What it takes to go from cart to trailer is not immediately clear, but the idea has potential. Here is the blurb and a link to a video outlining (in a strange way) the concept:

---------------

MAXSHOPPER - A SWISS POP-UP PERSONAL SHOPPING CART

In a recent note, Nick Thompson wrote, "Centerlines readers will be
interested to know, Whole Foods Market is setting up to test the
'MaxShopper transport system' in 4 Southern California locations as a
tool for people to reach stores on foot and by bicycle. The
'MaxShopper' is a pop up personal cart designed both for use walking
and as a bike trailer. Developed in Switzerland, where 6,000 have sold
in 18 months, the product rolls through the aisles, and checkout,
carrying 4+ bags of groceries. This project started when the managers
at the Whole Foods in Pittsburgh saw me ride into the parking lot
pulling mine (obtained via Vancouver, Canada because there is no US
distribution.) From there, Becky McLucas, with the company's Green
Mission initiative, picked up the concept as "something our customers
may really appreciate."

"My hope is to remove a few automobiles from our roads. Truthfully,
even drivers can use it stowed in the trunk to save the hassles of an
empty traditional cart. Product testing on LA sidewalks and streets
begins in February. Other regions in the Whole Foods chain are
interested. Progress depends on consumer reactions." (NCBW Centerlines Newsletter, #141 Friday, 01.27.06) [video]

------------------

I haven't had any luck finding a written product description, but I'll try to dig up something more concrete. In truth, the Bicycler Evolution trailer we have pretty much has us covered. But, the more the better for clever cycler gear, I say!

Carrying Things (part 2, big loads)

Nineteen trips out of twenty, a basket or two is all you'll need to tote a nice load on your bike. I've said before that I think people sometimes go overboard on capacity in this country. I see several commuters regularly who have either a full set of panniers or a cargo trailer with just a backpack in it. I don't begrudge them their space, but surely they're a lot less likely to take the long way home on a pretty day, and that's a shame.

One trip in twenty, though, or fifty, you may need to carry something too big or weird or precious for a basket. In those cases, it can be fun to have more capacity because in those cases, that's what the ride's about. People love to see bikes carrying crazy loads, and they'll stare and honk and wave sometimes.

If you do have big things to carry by bike, you picked the right time. There are so many clever ways to carry things bigger than your bike nowadays. The XtraCycle Free Radical is a practical headturner. If you have an old mountain bike to spare for big load duty, it might be just the ticket. Otherwise, there are a number of neat trailer designs, all of which are worth a look. Bikes at Work, Burley, and BicycleR Evolution all make smart trailers that cost less than a couple months worth of gas and last a lot longer.

Rachel and I recently received a BicycleR Evolution "Heavy Duty" Trailer. Our 1 in 20 usually invloves toting a guitar, hand drum, or four grocery sacks worth of recycling. The trailer is an incredibly smart design and so simple I find myself trying to think of reasons it shouldn't work. It is based around a large (5 grocery bag sized) rubbermaid type bin, 2 16" wheels, and an ingenious hitch based on an air hose coupling. The trailer literally just snaps on and off of the bike with one hand and zero effort. The whole thing stores upright and out of the way on our tiny front porch.

Here are a couple of pictures of Rachel pulling the trailer on a grocery run. We came up with a silly long list just for fun, five bags worth, and the trailer performed well. I don't anticipate using the trailer often, but it's certainly another fun thing to do on a bike!

Carrying things (part 1, baskets)

American bicycle riders are stuck in a rut when it comes to carrying things. When folks learn we do everything by bike, a common first response is "But how do you carry things?" Our response is "We're glad you asked!"

Carrying things ranks right up there with going places for a cycler. One of the most satisfying feelings is figuring out how to carry something on a bike. With a car trunk or hatch or pickup bed, challenges are rare. But, on a bike, one gets to solve puzzles daily.

For some reason, mountain bikes made popular the "Blackburn-style" rear rack. If you've ridden, you've seen them. Black aluminum with two support arms and a skinny platform on top. A bungee or two is standard in these parts. A bare rack like this is for emergency use only, in my opinion. Any load much over 6 inches wide or 5 pounds or squirmy or round will have you screaming for your car trunk in short order. Unless you're the kind that laughs a lot and takes life easy, and then it may be kind of fun. But, you'll leave a thing or two on the roadside as you laugh your way along, bub.

For "serious" cyclists, the American-style touring scene brings us high tech bag systems called panniers. Think horse saddlebags designed by modern mountaineers. These high tech gems require stout racks and an ability to throw money at things with deadly accuracy. A good rack and pannier setup is a wonder of technology and priced like most wonders.

So, what's a load toting cycler to do? This series will talk about some other ways to move things around on your bike. First up is the lowly wire basket. A fellow who admired our baskets said he wanted to put one on his wife's bike, but "They're just so colloquial." One definition of colloquial is "informal, conversational style" (dictionary.com). That is a first rate description of baskets. A basket is humble, easy, workaday, free of pretension, and extra useful as long as you aren't trying to impress the coat 'n tails crowd, and why would you be?

Rachel and I use our baskets every day, at least twice I'd say. We love our baskets because they're so flexible, in the load carrying sense. We can put bags right in them, even if they don't quite fit. When we get where we're going, we can take said bags right back out again, leaving only an empty basket for thieves to see. And, we have our stuff with us. Rachel carries a waterproof shoulderbag in hers everyday with her purse, food, water, extra clothes, things like that. We also grocery shop with them, and I use mine on long rides to quickly stash and retrieve clothes as the weather changes (I always keep some on, don't worry).


A couple of posts down, I described a fun shopping trip in the snow. On that trip, I had a 3/4 full grocery bag in my rear basket and could have done more, easy. In heavy rain, I would have used a garbage bag to keep things sogfree, but light snow is nothing to a paper sack. What can you fit in a 3/4 full grocery bag? I'm glad you asked!

(*note: we aren't vegetarian, we're opportunistic)
1 lb Tofu
2 lb Broccoli
1 lb cornstarch
3 lb rice
3 lb granola
ginger root
1/2 lb broth powder
big mushroom
green pepper
tortilla chips
1 lb stuff to spread on toast
1 lb greens
(wine went in bottle cage, but I didn't sip as a rode)

It took about 10 seconds to put the grocery bag in the basket and 5.3 seconds to take it out at home. If you find a pannier that will beat that, then it's the kind that your ginger root can bounce out of!



Here's the comparison chart. It would be fit for Bicycling magazine 'cept I don't think they do baskets. But we do!

Wald rear basket + net + cheap rack
Cost: $18 + $8 for the net (+$15 for the rack, if you don't have it already)
Size: 15" x 10" x 5" at the top, tapering a little to the bottom
Weight: Not enough to notice
What'll it carry: Anything up to three times it's size, and more if you're clever. As long as you can get one corner of the thing into the basket, it'll go! This basket is "in its element" with a full paper grocery sack, a bundle of heavy clothes, fishing waders and boots, a large shoulderbag or medium backpack, or a large pot of food for a potluck. If you're clever, you can carry up to a full sized guitar (this requires extra straps).
Compared to just-a-rack: Things stay in it. You'll love it!
Compared to panniers: more aerodynamic, almost impossible to hit your heel on while pedaling, tougher, no need for expensive rack, quicker to load/unload, more room for creativity, UV light OK, will not absorb water, things dry in it; requires a garbage sack for waterproofness, really small things need their own bag (marbles), hard lonely things will rattle, one basket doesn't have the capacity of two big panniers, and people with panniers may think you're a hobo, or worse, colloquial!
Max per bike: 2, one rear, one front
Where to get it: Rivendell Bicycle Works or maybe your local shop
Attachment: 4-6 big zipties or something cleverer, but it's hard to outclever a ziptie, even if they are plastic
Made in China?: Nope, Kentucky, way different! (The net is not made in Kentucky)

Happy basketeering, cyclers! Let me know how it works out for you.