BobbyG thank you for writing. The homeless problems are uncomfortable, enough that I rarely talk about it. I don't blame individuals; I blame the system for letting it get this way. The poverty in NYC is tremendous, and it is become into clearer view for me as I prepare for the teaching profession. The vast majority of the NYC's students are very poor. We have more wealth inequality than anywhere in the country. There is vast wealth and crushing poverty here.

I'm happy to report that stuffing my boots with paper towels and changing the paper towels has prevented a horrible smell from forming in my boots. I learned my lesson from a few years ago when I let my cleats stay wet for too long. Everything has recovered from my soaking ride, but I think I should prepare better for this eventuality.

My wife always has at least one fan on and sometimes two. Her latest personal ones are box fans about nine inches on a side and DC rechargeable with a USB-c. That should handle that kind of thing. Her previous ones had three little bendy legs and the legs always broke.

I spent some time today working on bikes.

The aforementioned kid got a longer straighter handlebar, the one that came with the bike. I bought his bike a year early for his size for Christmas '22 and managed to downsize it with a swept bar and crank shorteners and some skinnier tires (Maxxis Snyper). The tires are the last remaining. I may not put the originals (Vee crown gem 2.6) back on as they are not only enormous, but look pretty slow with large lugs that have no ramps, nor do they have the row of side lugs you expect on a modern "aggressive" tire. Also replaced a pedal that had gone crunchy. I think I'll keep these pedals as they aren't bad for a kid or commuter, it just needs adjustment. I gave him the pedal off my commuter, which means the commuter got... see below

Older boy is looking pretty big for his 24" bike but not quite ready to hand him off to an XS just yet. I gave him a longer stem. I am going to try to hand this bike off to the girl twin but it's really a matter of getting this one to let go. He had a hard time handing it off last time.

Girly's bike got some pink Race Face Ride pedals. Pink ones!

Commuter gravel bike got a new front tire, Gravelking SK with the mini block tread. Sidewalls are still mismatched - went from black front / brown rear to tan front. On the first ride up and down the street it was slinging all the asphalt sand into the downtube. Not sure if it's only new and sticky but that needs to stop pronto if the tire wants to stay. And it got a pair of Race Face Chester pedals I had lying around. I don't really want pinned pedals on this bike, that will be temporary. They do fine with boots or court shoes but they chew up the soft shoes I wear at work. Probably it will get kiddo's Diamondback pedals as soon as I bother to rebuild them.

should have left work at 3 rather than 3:30 yesterday; I rode smack an inch of rain that fell during my ride home. Also, when I got home, I found that I had lost a pannier, I am figuring I couldn't hear it launch and tumble over the sound of the rain. Most of my ride is on trails, so I turned around to go look for it, and remembering each bounce I hit on my way home. I was about halfway back to the office when I got a call on the phone in my pocket. Somebody had recovered it, and I had a business card in there, and it had my cell# on it! (I was not sure I had a card in there or if it would have my cell #). So I rode back to where this guy was to get it. It did fall where I thought was most likely, it turns out, but he had already picked it up when I got there.

Anyway, one thing, from now on I will pack my computer in one pannier and the external drive I keep it backed up to in the other. Ordinarily I back it up both to a server at work and to another computer at my house (via that external drive I tote), but the last few months I haven't been able to back up to the server because some windows update (on the laptop) doesn't let it connect to linux (the server) the same way anymore. Really need to figure that out, too.

I doubt my gloves will dry by Monday but everything else is on track.

Oh also, when I finally got home, I found out that I had won a water bottle from our county's February bike commuting event.

This morning just surface damp from normal amount of light rain/heavy mist. Expect more biblical downpour this afternoon, hope to leave before that this time.

I got some work in on the Yamaha Wabash RT gravel eBike this weekend to get it in Commuting Mode:

• Added fenders (PlanetBike Cascadia)
• Added rack (Topeak MTX with PlanetBike Grateful Red tail light)
• Added bottle cage (Trek side load; no room for regular in this bike's small main triangle)
• Replaced the stock seat with a Brooks B67 (springer)

It has a rattle somewhere I'll have to track down. Maybe I forgot to tighten up a length adjustment nut on a fender stay...

I rode it in this morning, but forgot to pack a lock; I hope it's still there when I go to go home for lunch!

Between the 45 mm tires @ 40 psi, the suspension seatpost and sprung saddle, it's a pretty cushy ride!

Pic coming soon in the sticky commuter bike pictures thread.

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Cari and I went downtown to visit her daughter at a pottery painting place on her (19th) birthday yesterday; we rode home through rain too. It was a light, steady rain; not too bad. Our clothes were damp when we got home, but not soaked. I was still warm, Cari was cold. This was a monumental ride for her, because she usually doesn't want to ride when it's below 60 or so, much less in rain. 13 miles on eBikes.

Saturday, I rode my eFatty, first to the coffee shop to meet my usual mates there and have breakfast, then onto the bike shop for some routine service; it's all covered within the 1st year. I asked them to look into the bottom bracket squeak and the fact that the crank doesn't turn very easily. (if I spin it with the chain off, it would only go about a half turn before stopping) It has a cartridge bearing in the bottom bracket, so the only thing they could do was make sure it wasn't too tight; It wasn't. It's a defective cartridge bearing, so they ordered another one under warranty and I left the bike there and called for a ride home. They'll take care of the chain for me and adjust the shift cable too. I rode half of it unpowered, and that is no easy job on an 80 lb. fat tire bike. That was 15.2 miles.

Tonight is Moderate Monday club ride. I may be the only one there, in which case I'll go at about 90% effort. If someone else shows up, I'll try to ride their pace. It'll be 20-35 miles, depending on how long I feel like fighting the wind, hehehe. The strong west wind may give me some opportunities for Strava PRs...

I don't know if this tire is going to wear in, but right now it is really grabbing the DG on the dog walk path and throwing it into the down tube.

Going over the bumpy footbridge, which has old railroad ties or something for decking, my bike started rattling badly. I couldn't figure it out at first, it sounded like a tin can. Nothing on the bike makes quite that note. Finally found it.

Yeah, still doing this. Rock out with your rocks in. What a dumb problem to have! Might not be able to keep it.

I hadn't ridden the 2007 Dahon Boardwalk 20-in folder in quite a few weeks. So yesterday I rode it to brunch downtown. It was 48° and sunny with a cold breeze, but warm in the sun. The bike was more comfortable than I remembered... I get a nice stretched forward road position when I hold the tips of the bullhorn handlebars. It's almost exactly the same position and stretch I get on my old Nishiki 12 speed when I ride on the hoods which are a little bit forward and low. Since I mounted the brake levers backwards on the Dahon's bull bars I can grab the brakes with my pinkies just fine. In a straight line the bike is more stable than I remembered, and with the 20 by 1.75 in schwalbe marathons the ride is deceptively smooth. Even moderate turns feel normal. It's only when I go to tighten a turn that the short wheelbase makes itself known. And of course, it's absolutely rock solid compared to its little brother, the 14-inch 1989 Dahon Getaway that I have bodged together and upgraded. The 14-inch Getaway is so entertaining because every little thing seems to upset it and the ride motions seem completely random and in a language I don't understand or recognize.

Yesterday's Boardwalk ride downtown followed one of my usual routes until i got to the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind and passed the narrow residential street I normally take. Traffic downtown has been getting busier due to the proliferation of apartment buildings...and Google navigation seems to be sending people down "my" side street. Instead I went to Pikes Peak Avenue which has a wide sidewalk. I don't have to worry about traffic and it's less claustrophobic. And because I didn't have to stop for cross traffic on the cross streets it may have actually been faster. I was thinking I would take this route to work today.

I also decided to use the GPS program to double check the speedometer on the Boardwalk...It seemed to be showing a much faster speed than what I was expecting. I had worn street clothes and decided to ride at a more moderate pace so is not to get schvitzed up on the way to brunch.

So I started the GPS and headed off to work this morning, but I decided that the last minute to take the longer 8 mile long Island Trail to Greenway Trail route. I like to think of myself as commute warrior 32 years riding in the streets with traffic but since the recent trail improvements and connections, I keep getting seduced by the almost non-stop limited access no-car trail system the city of Colorado Springs has put together.

I have the GPS setup to call out the speed in my ear every minute and each time it confirmed the accuracy of the speedometer which once again was reporting speeds faster than I felt I was going. And again I was enjoying the stretched forward position of the bull bars on the 20-in folder.

It was 63 and sunny when I left the office for the ride home and 71° on the east side of the river where the temperature always seems to be warmer. I had a mild headwind and pedaling effort was a little bit higher but perhaps due to the lower, more aerodynamic riding position my average speed was about consistent with what I would do on a non-windy day on my main 700c commuter.

Two to three blocks from the house is the biggest steepest hill of this route, and on the way home it's downhill. I got the Boardwalk up to 32.3 mph before I had to brake for the turn to the house. The bike was again more stable than I remembered and I felt i could have gone just a little bit faster if I had more room and didn't have a cross street at the bottom of the hill.

In 3 weeks I'll be spending an extended weekend in Chicago. I had toyed with the idea of taking the 14-inch Dahhon getaway since it fits in the airline compliant suitcase without any disassembly save for the pedals, the seat post and the handlebars, all made for quick release. The 20-in boardwalk also fits in the suitcase but In addition to the pedals, seat post and handlebars, the fenders, wheels and back rack must also be disassembled and the derailleur unmounted to protected it from getting bent If the suitcase is handled roughly. I'll be staying 30 mi from downtown Chicago where I will be meeting some friends for Sunday brunch. The bike route will take me by the house where I grew up 8 mi north of downtown. Thirty miles is about two and a half hours maybe a little less since Chicagoland is flat. There are bike trails now and of course I'll be only 600 ft above sea level as opposed to 6,500 ft in Colorado Springs so I'll have plenty of oxygen and most likely be able to keep up a good pace. I would then fold up the bike and take it on the train back up north and then unfold it and ride to my brother's where I'm staying. This would be fun but uncomfortable on the smaller folder plus being older and a bit of a bodge there's the reliability issue. But with the Boardwalk there would be no compromise. It's competent composed and comfortable. And it's still small enough folded to take into the restaurant with me and by using it's travel bag it would be quite civilized in the restaurant. But I would have to assemble and disassemble it to get it into the suitcase. I suppose I could ship it ahead but that would start costing money.

I could also ride my brother's Gary Fisher mountain bike but it has knobbies, be a little slower and i couldn't take it into the restaurant downtown and I sure as heck wouldn't feel comfortable locking it up outside in the Chicago Loop. ANd I don;t know if I could take it on the train.

A few weeks ago I finally finished converting the airline compliance suitcase into a rolling trailer but I haven't tested it so that's not a thing I would be doing this trip...I would just use the suitcase as a suitcase.

Sorry if I i'm rambling, but the older I get, the more obsessed I seem to get with cycling and the more I love bike commuting to work and errands.

8 miles of commuting today, four for each round trip. (home for lunch)

I noticed as soon as I left this morning, there was a rear fender rattle on the Yamaha. When I came home for lunch, I looked it over and found that the lower/front of the rear fender, where it bolts to the seat tube had snapped off on my first serious bump at the bottom of my driveway. I may have over-tightened the allen bolt, but geez. They should really make that part metal. I finished the day with the trusty Aventon Level.2.

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 2086:

Still riding the vintage Panasonic. Hoping the repaired rear wheel for my Kestrel is available soon. I really miss the brifters, the indexed shifting, the extra gears and most of all the fit of the Kestrel.

Absolutely beautiful morning. Temp was 32° F. It rained during the night but had stopped by the time I left the house, so the pavement was a little damp but no rain falling. The best part was there was no wind whatsoever. Wind seems to be the biggest factor in making a commute feel either wonderful or miserable.

Ain't that the truth! I often check the wind map before heading out so I can get an idea of what it will be like. I had a cross wind going north and then a strong tail wind going east. The tail wind was so strong that my small uphill was super easy. That doesn't happen often.

Around here, the wind is usually weaker at night than in the day, so going back shouldn't be too hard.

I think I'm more sensitive to wind than most people because I'm thin and not that strong. My surface area to mass ratio is high. I have a strong, burly friend who never even notices how the wind affects his ride.

Gnats! I forgot to mention the gnats on yesterday's ride home along the creek downtown. I had forgotton how bad they usually are until I repeatedly rode into clouds of them.

I had been packing a smaller, lighter commute bag for rides lately, but returning everything to the bigger bag that also holds my rain gear, three extra weights of gloves, balaclava, night gear, sun gear, light toiletries, extra tools and such. It's a little extra heavy, but this morning I was running late, grabbed it and was confident I had everything I needed for any eventuality.

I took my main commuter, the racked and fendered 2015 Charge Plug (non-electric). I felt the tires, checked the air horn and took off, making it to work in 25 min...5 min faster than usual. I went with surface streets, made most lights and didn't wait more than 15 seconds at the others.

I usually take the same route back as in, but I am digging the uninterrupted rides on the longer connected trails route.

But in order to avoid the gnats I may start out on the other side of the highway until I reach Colorado College and pick up the trail there. It would add only one traffic light and quickly turns into a trail itself.

Tough ride last night. It's at least he 3rd Monday in a row with sustained winds over 15 mph and higher gusts. It shouldn't affect whether I ride or not, just my average pace. So I burned up my legs for 35 miles. That's not a commute, but it means I'll commute by eBike in Zone 2 for probably the rest of the week so the legs can recover properly. (and hopefully grow in circumference!)

Later in the spring when winds subside and it gets warmer, some riders will come out feeling really weak. Others will be strong, but unfulfilled, as they've been in their pain cave all winter and early spring instead of getting some outdoorphins.

I took the morning off today; court this morning, then an eye exam, then work: 6 miles. 2 miles home later. I wouldn't have ridden today if I didn't have an eBike. Just savin' gas and keeping active.

Rode the Baconator today. Found myself riding it on the DG path without really thinking about it. I was thinking about work. No problems incurred. A little exciting on the little downhill ramp with the baby heads.

Respondent in the gravel bike tire thread says the tire I put on my flatbar-gravel-commuter is a "GravelSling, didn't you know?" I don't know what to do with it now. I could put some frame tape on the downtube and a MTB-style fender and see if it settles down.

Consecutive bicycle work commute number 2087:

My LBS called me yesterday and said the wheel for my Kestrel was done. I went and picked it up in the evening, then reinstalled my cassette and tire and mounted it up in preparation for today's commute.

Woke up with my sciatica flaring up a bit. Not terrible, but noticeable. I hadn't had much trouble with it in several years, and then it flares up twice in two weeks. Coincidentally, those two weeks were the same two weeks I was on my old Panasonic road bike, and also coincidentally, both times were the day after I logged rides of 20+ miles. I'll be curious (and happy) if the problem goes on hiatus again once I stop riding the Panasonic every day.

Another glorious morning. 30°F with no wind, and a bit of sun peeking through the clouds. I took the Kestrel out for the first time in two weeks. After putting 122 miles on the ill-fitting Panasonic, the Kestrel felt a little weird for the first mile, then it started feeling like an old friend again. I took an intentional detour to tack on an extra couple of miles "just because."

DT Swiss covered my wheel under warranty. They shipped a replacement rim to my LBS, who then rebuilt it using the hub and spokes from my original wheel. When I picked up the repaired wheel the guy at the LBS asked if I wanted the old rim. I said, "no" but I did snap a photo of the carnage for posterity:

What are your other triggers for sciatica? Do you have remedies such as stretching or walking? I had crippling sciatica many years ago, and my solution was surgery, not something they recommend these days.

Even back when I was having it more regularly, it still was infrequent enough that I never confirmed any triggers. Thankfully mine has been mild compared to many people's. Most of the time I would wake up in the morning with it flaring up, and then after a day or two it would be gone again. And most of the time it stays at an "annoying but tolerable" level.

I can only remember one time when I triggered it with a specific activity. Five years ago I was cleaning out my mother-in-law's bedroom after she passed away. I had to bend over hundreds of times to pick things up off the floor. My back started complaining, but because we were returning home in the morning I wanted to finish so I pushed through it. Finally my body said, "Enough!" and shot a bolt of pain from my lower back down my leg. I wound up not being able to move for a couple of days until it settled down, and wasn't able to leave town anyway.

My advice to you, worth half of what you paid for it, is to get some medical advice about it. If you're slowly damaging your nerves, it could give you a long term debilitation. I went to physical therapy a few months ago for different problems. I learned that I was stiffer and weaker than I knew, and I knew I was stiff and weak.

Rode today. Going to be another 5-trip week!

54km round trip today, despite being cool, breezy, and showery. Annoying headwind for much of the last 10km home (just like yesterday). 195km for the week, but I didn't ride Tuesday since our school had a field trip and I didn't need to commute to the office that day.

Damn you.

For the last 2-years I've been driving most Wednesdays due to far-flung after work commitment, so usually 4/week for me. But this Wednesday I rode and looked forward to a 5-ride week. However we had a family issue that caused the phone to ring at 2AM and again at 2:30...and according to my wife my occasional sleep apnea was acting up. I awoke wrecked and ruined and drove to work, fighting off sleep all day despite a lunchtime nap.

I slept great last night and look forward to biking today.

I wonder about a rain gauge based on how wet my shirt is through the raincoat. Today was pretty rainy, but shirt is OK

I hadn't rode the 1987 Rockhopper in weeks. I packed the light commute bag. It was already 48F when I left for work so I wore just my shorts shirt and windbreaker, grabbed the Rockhopper, flipped it on its back andswapped the studded snow tires for the big 26x2.125 Fincci smoothies in under 4 minutes!

Four blocks from the house the chain got caught between the smallest rear cog and the frame. I had to take the wheel off to free it. Then again a mile later. I decided to adjust the rear derailler high limit screw and found it had backed way out over the winter. Apparently that wasn't an issue with the snow tire wheel set and gears, but it was with the summer wheel set.

The rest of the ride was glorious and fast. The big 26x2.125 smoothies provide a cushy, but fast ride, with insane amounts of grip. While significantly lighter than the bike it replaced, it is still a little heavy, but doesn't feel like it while riding...it is just so nimble!

Now that snow season is pretty much over I can't wait to install the drop bars from the old MTB conversion and add some foot retention (toe cages).

Yesterday's (Thursday) commutes were FAST. Usually when my speed improves, it turns out to be the wind. I think my new fit (on my old bike) is paying off. Another possible factor is that I'm riding more frequently (though not more miles). I really really really really REALLY need to make habits out of stretching exercises. Oh, and walk more. Walking is good for me.

Yesterday was a big day: 4 miles of the usual eBike commuting, a lunchtime errand for another 8 miles. Then, bike club ride in the evening of 25 miles. I wasn't really "feeling" the bike club ride and I doubted that anyone else would show up (they didn't) so I brought my electric gravel bike. I got a solid workout, mostly in Zone 2 heart rate with some in Zone 3.

38° with 13 mph wind doesn't feel as warm now as it did in late February.

Another eBike commute this morning, extended a bit by local voting.

I didn't think I'm old enough, but my neck has been hurting after longer rides on my drop bar bikes. Neck muscles are just always sore now.