Recommended touring bikes

A friend of mine asked me recently what touring bike he should get, not too expensive. Based on these broad requirements, here's my list:

1. Surly Cross Check - The most versatile of the lot - use for commuting, touring, or cyclocross, and you can get it as a standard build, or built to your whims for not much more (in Boston, go to Broadway Bicycle School for either) (or go for the Long Haul Trucker if you're doing serious miles - see a nice example pictured here!)
2. Novara Randonee - Great combination of modern & classic bike design, and very good value - and you can't go wrong shopping at REI (You can also do the Fuji Touring or Jamis Aurora for about the same price, but I still like REI)
3. Bike Friday Companion Select - A nice economical folder, great if you need to travel by air to the start of your tour
4. The Trek 520 is a modern classic, but about 40% more expensive than any of the above
5. Or, for a beautiful classic touring bike, go to Bikes Not Bombs in Jamaica Plain and get a nice steel Schwinn, Nishiki, Bridgestone, or Raleigh.

Ride with Ride Studio Cafe this morning

I finally made it on a ride with the crew from the Ride Studio Cafe this morning. It was a nice (if chilly) morning and there were about 25 riders in all. We set off not too long after nine, after everyone had had a few minutes to warm up and chat over coffee in the store. It's a great place to start a ride!

I could only do 45 mins out and 45 back because I've got a gig this afternoon, but it was a great time. We kept up a reasonable pace (18mphish) and stayed in a pretty tight group. It was a really congenial group - really looking forward to my next ride with them. Hope to do the full ride next time

I wore my new gilet from Quad Cycles, which kept me nice and warm over two layers of wooly goodness.

One shocking revelation: The ride leader Jeff told me that Pietzo electric assist cycles has run out of cash and is out of business. Really a shame. He said they're liquidating their inventory, but the website doesn't seem to have any special deals. Maybe this is the time to snap one up?

New bike for Andrew!

After an idle conversation with a friend of mine recently about my affection for lugged steel bikes, he sent me a few posts from Craigslist - for some reason, lots of beautiful bikes are coming up in Boston nowadays.

One particularly struck my fancy - a Guerciotti from 2000 kitted out with all Campagnolo Record from 2003, plus carbon handlebars and seatpost. And superbargain to boot! Even included Speedplay pedals.

So I set up an appointment to go see it in Belmont, walking distance from the office. I did just a short test ride, but it felt very light, nimble, and solid - and of course the Campy stuff shifts, stops, and goes like a dream.

The dude selling it raced at one point, and he assembled this bike several years ago, but hasn't ridden in years. I think even he realized that he'd underpriced it, since he bumped the price up by $200 before I turned up to see it - but this must have been in case I didn't buy, because he accepted the original price, and I rode off with it happily!

It's been supercold and I've had musical thingies every night since, so I've scarcely ridden it yet - but I'm really excited!

More to come...

2011 National Bike Summit

I'm back in DC for the second year running for the National Bike
Summit! It's really a thrill and an honor to be here with so many
dedicated cycling advocates. Like last year, I'm meeting tons of great
people and learning lots.

New bike path Alewife-Belmont

There's been a bike path between Alewife station and Blanchard Rd in Belmont for ages. As long as I've known it, though, it's been hardpacked gravel, hard to find, and treacherously close to the railway line.

So today on my way back from the periodontist, I saw the new entrance from the Belmont side - very nice indeed! The nice wide paving with a yellow line down the middle was too inviting to resist. I started down the path and wasn't daunted by a few snowy spots, which I rode or walked through. The newly-paved path looks great (still dangerously close to the railroad tracks, though)!

Unfortunately, just as Alewife station was about to come into view, the paving stopped abruptly - I guess they haven't finished the work yet! And the snow and ice really precluded riding further.

Nevertheless, I'm glad I gave it a go, and once everything warms out and dries up, it'll be great - pavement or no!

Back in Palm Beach

Ah!

The holiday we've been looking forward to for ages. After the snowiest winter we've had since moving to Boston (and I guess it still isn't over - it's freezing rain all weekend, apparently), a few days in sunny Florida is just what we need!

Like during our last visit (almost 2 years ago!), I've rented a nice bike from Top Cycle in Palm Beach for the duration of the stay. I've got a Specialized S-Works very similar to the one I had last time.

I picked it up from Patrick this morning and it was just great. I rode all the way up to the Inlet and back through Palm Beach to Lantana. Just after coming through the center of Palm Beach, I met another cyclist and I commented on his cross bike - not something you'd expect to see around these parts (which is what I said). He was really friendly, and we got to chatting.

Turns out he's from Indiana, just here on a short vacation like me. He brought his cross bike to do some gravelly roads tomorrow - sounds like fun. We kept a pretty good pace going, probably 18ish mph. He told me that he knows of a titanium bike maker in Lantana called Habanero, and he was going to drop in and see what it's all about - so I decided to tag along. Of course, I figured that it was unlikely that there was a ti and carbon framebuilder actually building frames in Lanatana, and it was more likely an enterprising marketer importing frames from Asia and selling them here....

So when we turned down South Oak Street in Lantana and found it to be a residential neighborhood, I wasn't terribly surprised. Nevertheless, this Lantana dude must have some pretty good connections in Asia (and/or at the customs house!), because he's flogging titanium frames for less than $900. I do like titanium....

I'm riding the PMC!

It sure seems like Spring is around the corner with the nice weather we had this week. Just a week before, we were in the single digits (okay, we'll be there again soon, I'm sure) - but on Thursday the weather was so nice that we closed the office early and did a nice ride, followed by wine & snacks chez moi.

We all did pretty well considering that the incessant snow has kept most of us cooped up inside for weeks on end - I, in particular, am not in the best shape. But there's nothing like a good group ride to get the legs a-pedaling once again.

My latest news, though, is that I've signed up to ride the Pan Mass Challenge this year! I'll be doing the Sturbridge to Bourne route, 111 miles of hilly goodness, described as the organizers as the "most difficult" option. (I'm just doing one day; there are lots of other options, including two full days of riding.... maybe next year.)

I've committed to raise $3000, 100% of which will go to organizations dedicated to finding a cure to cancer. I've been thinking about doing the ride ever since moving to Massachusetts, but I'm finally doing it this year - and I'm inspired by my mom and my brother-in-law, both of whom beat cancer in 2010. I'm also riding in memory of our friend Nanette, who died this month after a long struggle.

Please help me reach my goal and contribute to finding a cure!

You can read about my fundraising and training progress or donate online here.

Nice chilly ride & strange tire issue

I went for a nice ride today for the first time in ages. Up the bike
path, to the narrow gauge trail to Fawn Lake, and back via Rt 4 & 225.
it was cold - mid 20s - so I was bundled up good and proper.

On the way back, my back wheel started bumping along and I discovered
that the tube was slowly eeking its way out of the bead, creating a
giant goiter that was threatening to explode at any time.

Of course, I'd neglected to bring a pump with me today (though I
rarely forget to do so). But luckily, a friendly dude rolled up and
loaned me his - he even insisted on doing the pumping. I'd hoped that
by re-seating the bead, it would pump up normally, but it soon popped
out again.

So I just carefully ride on home, and made it without further trouble.
I guess I'll have to get a new tire, which is annoying. Or maybe I
just stick to my bianchi until it's time to get carbide-studded snow
tires?

PS: facebook and twitter have ruined me for blogging. I vow to be better!

Three nice rides near Ellsworth Maine

Three nice rides around Ellsworth

Our visit to Patten Pond with extended family is always a highlight of the summer. Tons of reading, swimming, relaxing, and eating (mostly lobsters!). This year, I've also managed together some very nice rides in! Here's the lowdown.

1. Schoodic Peninsula

Here's a nice 30ish-miler around Acadia's lesser-known Schoodic Peninsula. No Thunder Hole or tea and popovers here, just beautiful views, tidepools, and smooth, quiet roads. I only experienced limited views because the a thick fog had descended on the area when I did the ride, lifting only as I was finishing up. Still, a great ride, and can't wait to do it under better conditions!

The road around the park is straightforward enough. But I followed the loop that begins on West Gouldsboro documented by the Maine DOT at http://www.exploremaine.org/bike/schoodic.html . There are lots of good tours documented there, though not as many as you'd expect.

2. Surry & Newbury Neck

Here's a ride that I haven't quite done all of, but seems to have great potential. Newbury Neck is another peninsula that extends down between Morgan Bay and Union River Bay. If you start in Surry at the intersection of 172 & 176, follow Newbury Neck Rd south, avoiding the main signposted routes to Blue Hill etc. the road goes all the way to the end of the peninsula with rolling hills and very little traffic. Views are mostly limited to trees and the odd glimpse of water, since almost all the roads leading to the shore are private - but the real selling point for this out-and-backer is the opportunity to put your head down and just go.

3. Happytown Road

This us one LOVELY out-and-back. Like ride mo 2 above, this might not be worth travelling from a distance to do (really because it starts at Route 1, which is just about as inhospitable a road as I'd ever care to bike on). But this turned out to be a great ride for mr because it starts practically across the street from our cabin.

There are two big things to note about this ride. There us no Happytown per se, as far as I know anyway. So don't turn down Happytown Road expecting it to lead you there. The other thing is that this 24-mile ride is about half unpaved hardpack gravel with some washboardy bits. Absolutely perfect for me and Thorny, but anyone on a carbon fiber trifle might run into trouble.

So, as long as you aren't expecting to arrive in Stepford or Shangri-la-di-da Valley, and you've got a sturdy ride with fatties fitted, then this a nice ride for you!

The way I did it today, it's about 12 miles out and 12 back. I rode out Happytown Road from Rt 1 until I got to the crossroads with Winkumpaugh Rd and turned right, following the sign to Annie's Pride general store (isn't that a great name, though? Who wouldn't take that turn?) the store is just across another main road - Rt 1A. I didn't go in, but know it's got a good rep.

There seem to be lots of alternatives, including continuing on Happytown Rd (maybe there is a Happytown at the end of it somewhere?) - I chose this route because I was intrigued by Annie and it fit the time I had for riding today precisely.

The route is gorgeous, with sweet little farms, woods, and great huge fields with typical Maine blueberry bushes and boulders, and a couple very old cemetaries. Another highlight along the route for another time is the New England Telephone Museum.

It's also probably worth mentioning that it's pretty hilly, but nothing too ridiculous.

PLUS

Here are a couple more rides in the area that I'll have to do another time....

4. Acadia's carriage roads

By next year, both of our girls should be able to pedal these with aplomb. I also want to ride Park Loop Road to the top of Cadillac Mountain.

5. The Downeast Sunrise Trail

Already partially complete, this is another rails-to-trails project employing crushed gravel surfaces and catering to ATVs in addition to walkers and cyclists (seems that's how it works round these parts...). See http://www.hcpcme.org/transportation/sunrise .

Biking the Kennebec Valley Trail

I love rail-trails. So when figured out that there's a 16-mile trail near where I'm staying with family in Maine, I decided to forgo my plan to do a 40-mile route and ride the Kennebec Valley Trail from North Anson to Bingham and back.

There wasn't much information out there, though, which was surprising. So in the end, I went to Google Maps and looked up bike routes between Madison and Bingham, and it seemed to indicate that the rail trail started around the North Anson Cemetery so that's where I went. It was already a reasonable distance from Skowhegan, so I decided to drive to the start and bike from there (that irks me - it seems a bit of a cop out!).

I found the trail with no trouble, but it wasn't actually clear that it was the start at that point. It seemed as good a point to start as any, though. There wasn't any parking so I parked around the corner at the North Anson Community School, though that might not have been an option if it wasn't a Sunday.

I knew it wasn't a typical rail trail from the get-go: the surface was variable, with gravel, sand, rocks, and washboard sections. I'm accustomed to hard-packed fine gravel, but this was a bit of a challenge. I really wouldn't recommend it for people with road bikes, and even mountain bikers should be sure to have good treads on their tires. I was riding my Thorn with 1.75-inch tires pumped up far too hard - but I preferred less traction to a puncture.

Turns out that the primary users of the trail aren't bikers or walkers at all - they're ATVs in the summer and snowmobiles in the winter. I came across a half dozen or so ATV riders today, and they were all pleasant enough (except one, who was going too fast and didn't give me much space). And for their use, I'm sure the trail would be perfectly fine. But I didn't see any other cyclists today.

The first half of the trail was pleasant (apart from the surface), but a bit monotonous: woods and the odd bit of cornfields.

At about halfway, I reached Solon and the big dam and bridge. It was a nice oasis there - a beautiful open space with views up up and down the Kennebec and even a picnic table. After that bridge, the path is more scenic, running right along the river. But with the views come more ATVs, and the road surface didn't really improve.

Finally, I reached the unceremonious end of the trail at a motel in Bingham - and popped out on busy 50+ mph Route 201. I asked in a little grocery store how to get back to North Anson and it turned out that all I had to do was cross a nearby bridge and head down Route 16 (201A). That was really nice - a wide, newly-paved road with some nice rolling hills. The only catch was that the road was officially closed just before North Anson, but since the road works weren't active on a Sunday, I was able to walk my bike the 100 feet through the mounds of dirt and diggers. And in a few minutes, I was back at the car and headed back.

So at the end of the day, I probably wouldn't do the trail again without different tires and even then, there are much more interesting places to go around here, I think. Very much looking forward to my ride around Acadia later this week!

Larz Anderson 14th Annual Bike Super Meet

Real nice time at Larz Anderson today! Here's a little video.

Goodbye, project bikes!

Over the past three years, I accumulated a dozen or so "project" bikes that I hoped to refurb, build up as a fixie, or do something else productive with. Needless to say, I'v had neither the skill nor the time to do anything except watch them collect lots of dust in the space under our porch.

So not too long ago, I met a guy who works for Bikes not Bombs who also happens to live around the corner from us. So we arranged to do a pickup today, and he left with a truckfull! Now I've got a lot more space under the porch (neighborhood raccoons rejoice!), and the bikes are off to good homes somewhere.

I kept a couple of the more interesting ones, though, so maybe I'll get to those projects yet....

Christiania much improved after service!

Just picked up the Christiania from Landry's on Comm Ave.

Initial impressions are very good - they gave it a general once-over, replaced the worn rear tire, and overhauled the hub.

Also a new chain and cog to make the hills easier.

For $150 all in, it certainly came in much cheaper than i'd expected!

One issue seems to have persisted: the noise from the coaster brake. I noticed it almost immediately andcalled the shop. They told me it should go away after a couple days . I hope so - neither the girls nor I could tolerate it!

Overall, though, Landry's was great to deal with; everyone in the service dept was really helpful and friendly - which is an unfortunate rarity.

When I picked it up, one mechanic piped up wih "that bike has captured the hearts and imaginations of everyone here!" Nice.

Exploratory surgery got Christiania

I've been using the Christiania a lit this summer - taking the girls
to camp, on excursions.... Last week we loaded it up with 4 folding
camp chairs, a cooler, and various picnic provisions for a jazz
concert at our local park.

Anyway, while I did get the front disc brakes replaced last year, it's
really time to get the hub looked at. The coaster brake screeches like
a banshee, and you can practically feel the shards of metal inside
when pedaling.

So on Saturday afternoon, I rode it to Landry's on Comm Ave and left
it. The'll have to open up the hub before deciding what yo do about
it. Repair or replace? We'll see. I spoke to a couple helpful and
knowledgeable dudes, and I'm confident that they'll do a good job with
it.

The really nice thing too was that they gave me a loaner bike! I would
gave been screwed without it. But as it was, I zipped right home in a
half hour! The question it left me with was: why does an older Globe
commuter bike shift better than my "racing" bike and feel much faster
than Thorny?

More fun in the Berkshires

Another week in the Berkshires is coming to a close already - sigh.

Due to various family comings & goings, this visit has been a bit
frenetic, but great fun nevertheless.

I've managed to get some great cycling in too. My Beartown Mtn ride
was wonderful, a big improvement on last year when I managed to get
turned around and lose the paved road (though that was fun too). The
interesting thing that struck me this year was that there's a ton of
climbing initially, but the downhill payoff doesn't really happen
until much later on the approach to Tyringham....

Last night, though, was a different affair all together. I met my
friend Simon at his house in Pittsfield and went for a quick ride of
30-something miles into NY State and back. He knows the roads around
here exceptionally well, so we had a great route. And while Pittsfield
itself isn't terribly picturesque, there are beautiful, quiet roads
all around.

So last night's route was gorgeous, and once you've crossed into NY,
everything seems much more peaceful & pastoral. And the hills - man!
Nothing terribly steep, but there's lots of em, and many do go on for
ages. Here, though, the descents almost seem more plentiful than the
climbs for some reason, and they're consistently smooth, sweeping
roads that make it easy to work up to 40mph+. Fun!

So it looks like this probably won't be the summer I conquer Mt.
Greylock. But we did go for a wonderful hike with llamas yeasterday
and do tons of other fun family stuff, and I wouldn't think of
trading any of that for an hour of uphill torture, no matter what
excitement the subsequent downhill would promise.

Good as new

I went to Wheelworks this morning to get Thorny repaired. Since my
unfortunate collision with the door of the Cambridge taxi a few weeks
back, I've been riding with only my rear brakes and no front light.

So today, they replaced the barrel of one brake lever and both sets of
cables, and I replaced my front light. (I'm still amazed that that's
all it needed! The taxi was in much worse shape!)

I was pleased that they could do it while I waited - a pleasant
surprise, especially on a summer Saturday morning!

What wasn't so pleasant was the bedside manner of my mechanic. He was
certainly competent enough, but not chatty at all. Didn't appreciate
Thorny either. That really bugs me. I'm almost over it, but it still
leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Still, I'm really lucky sustaining less than $100 in damage an no
bodily injury at all after an accident like that.

My interesting neighbor, the bike builder

I dashed off to Trader Joe's just before the girls' bedtime tonite and came across the most interesting fellow! He was riding what I thought was a Bakfiets cargo bike - but on closer inspection, turns out he built himself! I had a quick chat with him about it - this bike is version three, and he's been experimenting with angles to get it just right. I had a quick look and it seems very simple - an excellent trait! I plan to find out more soon, but here's a photo in the meantime. If you'd like more info, you can email him at fredsbikes at gmail.com.

Good-natured story provokes hateful comments

I spoke to a freelance reporter not too long ago about how I bike with my girls in our Cristiania trike. The article came out yesterday (with big inaccuracies, including where I live and the number of kids I have!). Here's the article. I read it yesterday and was more or less pleased, apart from the errors.

Then today, I had a look at the comments. Here's a sampling:

• Any parent who drives through traffic with a child in one of those little, flimsy trailers ought to have his / her head examined.
• I would suggest parents use and encourage their children to use this path rather than putting their safety at risk riding busy streets.
• Biking on busy streets, intersections, with children is not a great idea.
• Boy, you should have seen the Mom who rode against the light and all kinds of traffic with her adorable 2-ish little girl in the back today. I wanted to pull her over and smack her in the face
• $4500 for a big tricycle? L-O-L! Rule #1 for parents riding with their kids should be that the parents are required to know how to balance a bike themselves....
• If you want to be frugal, walk! This is so dangerous- I've even had to deal with one of these kooks traveling during a snow storm, kiddie cart swerving side by side the whole way
• These parents are selfish people. They don't want to give up their own enjoyment of riding a bike so they strap their kids in some little 2 wheel contraption behind the bike and tell everyone how great it is for the kid. You see that's the problem with these stupid green tree huggers. It's all about their needs and how they don't want to miss out on their enjoyment. When you raise children, their needs and safety come before your own.

This last one is my favorite. Geez. There were a few supportive comments there as well, but the narrow-mindedness of these people really horrifies me.

What a great trip!

So here we are on our interminable flight home to Boston from Florence via Paris. We had a GREAT time at the Fattoria degli Usignoli with the guides.

We did a lovely group ride on Friday, with some great hills and lots of twisty turnies. A bit too much traffic, but the nice smooth pavement just about made up for that.

On Sunday, we woke up to steady rain. We had been planning an early ride up to Loro Ciuffena, but it was snowing up there! So we carried on with our meetings in the morning then we shot some photos and videos when it cleared up a bit. I interviewed all the guides and I'll be putting together clips for YouTube later this week with any luck. Lauren got some nice shots of the group, and I did a little behind-the-scenes video:

Then, once the meeting was adjourned, the sun made an appearance and Lauren and I went for a nice leisurely ride to Via Setteponti - undoubtedly one of the most beautiful roads I've ever ridden! It's part of two of our tours - Tuscan Fantasy and Assaggio Toscana. Here's a short video I shot.

Then we met Paolo for dinner at the Fattoria's wonderful restaurant. The charming owners were at the next table, and I was sure to extend my compliments to them and let them know that I hope to be back with the girls later this summer!

For dinner, had pasta with sausage and olives, then wild boar with white beans. Mmm!

Tuscany day 1!

Or is it day 2? Very hard to tell. Lauren and I left Boston early Wednesday evening, now it is approaching 8pm on Thursday, 6 hrs ahead. The flights were uneventful, except for a slightly hair-raising dash across Charles de Gaul airport to the new terminal G2 for our connecting flight to Florence. But all was fine in the end. Of course, I didnt sleep one single wink, so I was already pretty tired.

After Davide picked us up and took us to the Ciclismo HQ in Montevarchi. We relaxed there for a bit, then the three of us plus Suzie headed out on a ride. And what a ride! We headed out to Radda in Chianti and then to Castellina before turning around and riding back. Davide and Suzie had some work to do back at the office, so Lauren and I sought out a lunch place in Radda. We wound up at a little bar, where we gorged ourselves on sandwiches, gelato (Lauren had two cups!), and coffee.

The ride itself was perfectly breathtaking. All typical Tuscan scenery, with beautiful rolling hills, villas, cypress trees, olive groves, and vineyards. Radda was also wonderful, and I recognized it as soon as we rolled in. I had already been there with Lauren, probably 15 years back.

Apart from the scenery and the company, the most remarkable aspect of the ride was the HILLS. From Montevarchi, there is a climb of about 10 miles, varying steepness, but not insubstantial by any means. There were more hills after that as we headed in and out of Radda, but this long one is quite different from the short, sharp climbs I am used to in New England. In any case, heading up was not too bad at all - but the ride home was nothing short of awesome! There is simply nothing like cruising through all those switchbacks!

The other remarkable thing is that I did all this using energy from who knows where - I still have not been to sleep!

Now we are off to dinner, then with any luck, I will have a normalish bedtime and be all aclimated for a great day tomorrow.