Cycling Tips & Tricks...
 

Please share your cycling secrets with the community. Have a tip or trick that makes your cycling life a little easier? Please share it here.

WIND

Wind is usually a consideration when planning a ride. I use the National Weather Service Hourly Weather Graph to show me how strong the wind is predicted to be blowing at a certain time. Generally speaking, if there are at least two flags, on the wind symbol, wind will be a factor.

Velcro Ties: These are the greatest for everything from securing lighting system wires to wrapping around your pants leg to keep your pants out of the chain. I picked up a roll of these for like $3 at Lowes. Very useful.

http://www.riptie.com/image%20new/lt1.jpg

Velcro ties are great for making improvised u-lock mounts as well.

Also note that some BB mount cable guides work better without the ferrules installed. This is not really a good way to run them, but it does get rid of many friction problems. To clean, just give it a good go with a squirtgun.

That's the other secret....find a cheap, but moderately strong squirtgun...not supersoakers or other high powered ones...just a simple 99c-$4.00 one that can put out some distance. This makes a great tool for blasting grit out of hard to reach places without causing the problems a high pressure sprayer can.

Save old inner tubes. You'll never want for a shim, again.

+1 velcro holding light wires on bike

-1 on the pants.

-------------------------------------------------
onward...cold weather

wool. silk.

a thin silk undershirt for sports, then a thin wool undershirt, then a full slicker, then a vest.

silk on the skin is unreal first layer. ultra thin, incredibly strong (really hard to tear a hole in it) warm when wet better than wool, so you can use a wicked see-thru layer.

then add a thin wool shirt .


Synthetics cannot hold a candle to wool. no way in hell.

wool can be ridden hard, put away wet, and it will not build
up a stink at all.

the expensive wool does not itch. I use ortovox products.

winter helmet. an ordinary helmet, but you cover the front 2/3 of the vents
up with clear packing tape....really provides a warm head in winter.

Good call on the silk undershirt. I got one from Sierra Trading Post for like $12 and it's my alltime favorite baselayer.

Thanks to good suggestions in other threads, here are some of the things I've started doing:

I carry in my saddlebag: zipties, rubber gloves, and a strip of old tube for a tire boot.
When wrapping my bars, I first wrap them with electrician's tape, sticky side out.
When changing the rear wheel, first shift it into the 53/11 combination (makes getting the wheel on and off so much easier).
Use Scotchlite tape on the seat stays for reflection, and you can never have enough blinkies. Use zipties on those too.
I pump my tires every ride, and lube and wipe my chain every week, whether it looks like it needs it or not.

Wind: A decent MP3 Player always helps... you can't hear anyways, might as well listen to some good "motivating" tunes!

Vary your hand and butt position regularly. When it's safe to do so, stretch your neck muscles: put your chin to your chest, and rotate your head to the left and right as far as you can. Stand up with the pedals in a horizontal postion and let your heels slowly sink as far as they can go to stretch your calves (only really works with clipless).

--- LUBE THE CHAIN. Pedaling is easier and shifting is smoother. I use Tri-Flo and there are a lot of other good chain lubes out there. Just use it.

Always carry a spare saddle. You never know when you'll need it.

Keep your bike indoors.

Carry tube, tire levers, and a pump to fix flats.

Know where you are going.

Keep off sidewalks.

Listen to the seasoned LBS wrench, he or she knows more then you.

when riding city lights and taking the lane, avoid the brakes. Slow, don't stop.

Socks in cold weather are your best friend. They ban be used for arm warmers, leg warmers and even gloves if really necessary. Not to mention as just plain, old socks!

Make sure your riding partner knows about trail etiquette. Nothing like having your friend stop and turn their wheel in front of you to tell you something. Let me tell ya, it is not fun to slam on hydraulics, do a front wheel stand and slam your *ahem* into the top tube. And to think what guys have to go through! :eek:

Do not clean your rims with Armor All.

Or your saddle.


PS. Love the sig, Kris.

Energy bar wrappers make a nice emmergency patch if your tire gets slashed.

Before building up a wheel, I'll cut out three 200x2cm strips of red/white/orange reflective 3M tape and put them on the rim. Trim holes out with Xacto knife. Then when I'm riding at dusk or in the dark, the cars can see madly spinning rims! :)

These are some of the things that have made my cycling life a little easier:

-- A bicycle that fits
-- A Brooks saddle
-- Clipless pedals
-- Mountain bike shoes
-- A really good rain jacket
-- A Topeak Road Morph pump

Carry a shower cap. If you're caught in a rain storm, put it over your helmet. You might look kind of silly, but your head will stay dry.

Carry a small Sharpie permanent marker in Silver color. It's great for keeping track of the hole in your tube when you get a flat. Find the hole, circle it with the marker, then you will be sure not to "lose" that tiny little hole again when you reach to get your patch kit out. :D

Keep a cotton ball in with your patch kit. Before you put the tube back in, run the cotton ball around the inside of the tire. If you missed any sharp pointies in there, it will hang up on them.

(I can't take credit for this one. I read it somewhere on BF.)

1.Leave the plastic film on your patch when you get done patching a tube. That way you won't disturb the new patch.

2. Put your chain on the outer ring when working on your bike, especially when removing pedals or crank etc. It keeps the sharp cogs from entering different parts of your body.

3. A trainer is a great tool for diagnosing noise problems.

DON'T SWIPE YOUR FINGERS AROUND THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE CASING TO LOCATE THE SHARP POINTY! YOU'LL FIND IT, BUT YOU'LL ALSO FIND THAT YOU NEED A BANDAID. (Don't ask me why I thought this was a good idea at the time.)

Carry some basic first-aid supplies. You never know when you'll do something stupid and need them. :D