Archive-name: bicycles-faq/part4

[Note:  The complete FAQ is available via anonymous ftp from
draco.acs.uci.edu (128.200.34.12), in pub/rec.bicycles.]

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

Subject: 8.44  "Sealed" Bearings
From: Jobst Brandt <jbrandt@hpl.hp.com>

> Has anyone had any major problems with the Shimono XT "sealed" Bottom
> bracket besides me?

This subject comes up often and has been beat around a bit.  There is a
basic misconception about seals.  The seals commonly sold in the bicycle
business are not capable of sealing out water because they were never
designed for that purpose.  These seals are designed to prevent air from
being drawn through the bearing when used in, typically, electric motors
where the motor rotation pumps air that would centrifugally be drawn
through the bearing.  If this were permitted, the lubricant would act as
fly paper and capture all the dust that passes, rendering the lubricant
uselessly contaminated.

Seal practice requires a seal to leak if it is to work.  The seepage
lubricates the interface between shaft and seal and without this small
amount of weeping, the seal lip would burn and develop a gap.  In the
presence of water on the outside, the weeping oil emulsifies and
circulates back under the lip to introduce moisture into the bearing.
This is usually not fatal because it is only a small amount, but the
displaced grease on the lip dries out and leaves the lip unlubricated.

The next time water contacts the interface, it wicks into the gap by
capillary action and begins to fill the bearing.  This is an expected
result for seal manufacturers who live by the rule that no two fluids
can be effectively separated by a single seal lip.  Two oils, for
instance, must have separate seals with a ventilated air gap between
them.  If a seal is to work with only one lip the contained fluid must
be at a higher pressure so that the flow is biased to prevent
circulation.

None of the effective methods are used in the so called 'sealed'
bearings that Phil Wood introduced into bicycling years ago.  His
components failed at least as often as non sealed units and probably
more often because they make field repair difficult.  These are not
liquid seals but merely air dams.

jbrandt@hpl.hp.com

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

Subject: 8.45  Installing Cranks
From: Jobst Brandt <jbrandt@hpl.hp.com>

> My cranks get loose, quite quickly too; over about 10 miles or so
> from being solid to flopping about in the breeze. Any suggestions?
 
Your cranks are ruined!  Once ridden in the "floppy" mode, the square
taper in the crank can no longer be secured on the spindle.  Get some
new cranks and properly tighten them after lubricating the tapers.
Proper tightness can be guaranteed only by torque wrench or a skilled
mechanic.  The second of these is less expensive and you might be able
to get a demonstration of what is tight enough.

The admonition to not lubricate the tapers of the crank spindle seems
to find life only in bicycle cranks among all the machines I have ever
seen.  I have never heard a mechanical or metallurgical explanation
for this "dry assembly" instruction.  If it is metal to metal galling
to which the adherents of this method aspire, they should prescribe a
suitable degreaser to assure that it will occur.  Manual contact
(finger prints) alone, generally imparts enough grease to constitute
lubrication while specifically applying a lubricant guarantees that a
known kind and quantity of, rather than accidental grease is present.

Regardless, whether grease or no grease is used, in use, the spindle
and crank will make metal to metal contact and cause fretting
corrosion for all but the lightest riders.  The purpose of the
lubricant is to give a predictable press fit for a known torque.  If
the spindle is completely dry this cannot be said and for other
conditions, some galling may occur on installation.  Lubrication is
only used to guarantee a proper press without galling because it is
displaced in use.  That taper faces show erosion and rouge after
substantial use proves that the lubricant was displaced.

Only the press fit, not friction, transmits loads from crank to
spindle.  As any bicycle mechanic can tell you, crank bolts are often
'nearly loose' after use and the left one more so than the right.
This occurs because the left end of the spindle experiences torque and
bending simultaneously while the right end gets them one at a time.
The right pedal does not put any significant torque into the spindle.
Either way, the looseness occurs because loads make the crank squirm
on the spindle and the only direction it can move is up the taper.
The retaining bolt blocks the other direction.

"Dust caps" aren't just dust caps but retention for loose bolts.  It
is not that the bolt unscrews but that the crank moves up the taper.
However, once the screw is unloaded it can subsequently unscrew and
fall out if there is no cap.

The NO GREASE admonition is an old wive's tale that must have
propagated up from some bike shop.  It makes no sense whatsoever.  I
have yet to see a logical explanation other than so and so said so.  I
believe that some bike shops are concerned that they might strip out
retaining bolts as was the problem with low quality Campagnolo cranks.
In that effort they advised to re-tighten the screws after every ride
for a week.  This spells disaster because for strong and heavy riders
this can split the crank right down the middle.

Because cranks squirm farther up the taper when stressed highly, the
unwitting mechanic believes the screw got loose, rather than that the
crank got on tighter.  By pursuing the crank with its every move up
the spindle, an extremely high press fit results.  I have seen cranks
that were split by this procedure.  This may be is where the NO GREASE
fable was born.

Jobst Brandt      <jbrandt@hplabs.hp.com>

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

Subject: 8.46  Stress Relieving Spokes
From: Jobst Brandt <jbrandt@hpl.hp.com>

> I wonder if "stress-relieving" is entirely correct?  I see it as a
> yielding/hardening process, in which the yield load is increased by
> embedding the spoke elbow in the hub, bending the elbow to a different
> angle, etc.  When unloaded from a high load, this area of the spoke
> should be more or less elastic.
 
> So I think the term should be "overloading" or "hardening" -- any
> thoughts??

Yes.  I am certain that the concept of stress relieving is obscure to many
if not most people because after seeming to understand it, comments like
this one surface.

A spoke is cold formed from wire that is (at least DT) as hard and
work hardened as it will get.  The process after tensioning a wheel
does not further harden the spokes.  The wire is straightened by
running it through staggered rollers in X and Y directions.  The
rollers have, like a degausser, ever diminishing excursions.  This
gets rid of the natural curl left from being shipped in a coil.  If
the wire was not curled before winding it would be a dangerous weapon
on the spool because if the end got loose, all hell would break loose,
making a huge birds nest.

Anyway, the straightening process leaves the spoke with internal
stresses that are well balanced and relatively low.  I haven't given
this a lot of thought but it seems that if there were a large number
of rollers, the stress might approach zero.  After this process, the
spoke gets its head forged on is cut to length, threaded and, and
lastly its head is crudely but accurately knocked to one side to
produce the elbow.

The threads, head, and elbow, contain metal that went beyond yield as
well as metal that did not.  The metal in these zones is stressed one
part against another, one wanting to return to the condition before or
during forming, and the other to the formed shape.  On lacing the
spokes into a wheel, the elbow is additionally bent (brought to yield)
and upon tensioning this stress remains at or reaches the yield point
it if it wasn't already there.  The threads, that have locked in
stresses (all stresses are ultimately tension and compression) is
selectively stressed at the contact points with the nipple thread and
in tension in the core that already was in tension because thread
rolling stretches this portion of the spoke slightly.

The result is that a freshly built wheel has spokes locations where
stress is guaranteed to be at the yield point.  If used this way, the
cyclic load with each wheel revolution will cause spokes to fail in
fatigue at these high stress points.  The load on the wheel only
unloads spokes but because the spoke is operating up to the yield
point, it cannot withstand many stress cycles.  The greater the load
(unloading) the sooner it will fail because when operating close to
the yield stress a metal cannot survive.  Only the lightest riders who
ride smooth roads might not experience failures.

The purpose of stress relieving is to relax these high stress points
in the spokes.  The purpose is not to bed the spokes into the hub.
Bedding in has usually already occurred sufficiently for practical
purposes during tensioning.  By stretching each spoke with a strong
grasp, its tension can be temporarily increased by 50 to 100%.
Because a spoke operates at about 1/3 its yield stress, this operation
has little to no effect on the spoke as a whole.  Stress relieving
affects only the microscopic zones of the spoke that are at high
stress (near or at the yield stress).  By stretching these zones and
relaxing the load afterward, the margin to yield is as much as the
overload or more.

A whimpy grasp of the spokes during stress relieving is close to
worthless and dropping the wheel, bending it in a partially opened
drawer, pressing on the rim with the hub on the floor and the like is
as close to useless as you can get.  The only method that I have seen,
but do not recommend, is walking on the wheel while wearing tennis
shoes and carefully stepping on each pair of crossed spokes.  The problem
with this is that it bends the rim and it is difficult to be sure each
spoke gets a good stretch.

IT IS STRESS RELIEVING!  At least that's what I am referring to by the
term.

Jobst Brandt      <jbrandt@hplabs.hp.com>

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

Subject: 8.47  Traffic detector loops
From: Bob Shanteau <bob.shanteau@nitelog.com>

A traffic loop detects metal objects such as cars and bicycles based on
the change in inductance that they induce in the loop. The loop is an
inductor in an LC circuit that is tuned to resonate at a certain
frequency. A metal plate over the loop (like a car) causes the magnetic
flux to be shorted, reducing the inductance of the loop. This causes a
change in resonant frequency, which is detected and sent to the signal
controller. One of the ways of testing a loop is to create a loop about
2 feet in diameter with several turns of wire (connecting the ends) and
placing the test wire in the middle of the traffic loop. The test wire
should cause a dectection, if all is working.

The same effect is seen with a vertical piece of metal, such as a
bicycle, but is weaker. Because aluminum conducts electricity quite
well, aluminum rims help. Steel rims are OK. Non-metal rims cannot be
picked up at all. A bicycle with aluminum rims will cause about 1/100
the change in inductance of a car.

It is always possible to set a detector's sensitivity to pick up a
bicycle. The trade-off is in longer detection times and the possibility
of false detections from vehicles in adjacent lanes. Most people who set
signal detectors use the lowest sensitivity setting that will pick up
cars reliably.

I advocate using the highest setting that will avoid picking up vehicles
in adjacent lanes. Digital circuits used in modern detectors can use
high sensitivity settings without unacceptable increases in detection
times. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of old detectors out there,
and most people who work on signals use principles based on the
performance characteristics of old detectors.

In any case, bicyclists should, as a general rule, place their wheels
over one of the slots to maximize their chance of being detected. That
is where the magnetic field perpindicular to the wheels is strongest.
Bouncing the bike or moving it back and forth does no good. If you have
a metal frame, another tactic that may work is to lay the bicycle down
horizontally inside the loop until the light turns green.

Advancements are under way that may make traffic loops obsolete some
day. In particular, radar, infrared and sound detectors have been
introduced. Systems based on video cameras are especially promising.
Such systems can easily detect bicycles. Such a system may even be able
to detect pedestrians some day.

Bob Shanteau, PhD. PE
Registered Traffic Engineer

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

Subject: 8.48  Gluing Sew-up Tires
From: Roger Marquis <marquis@netcom.com>

 Davis criterium, it's hot, hot, hot.  The pace is fast and the
corners sharp.  Inevitably some riders are going to roll tires,
happens every year.  What can you do to insure that your sew-up
tires stay glued when the mercury rises?

There is no one cause of poor tire-rim adhesion so let's start at
the beginning, new rims and tires.  Most rims are shipped with a
coating of anti-corrosive substances that closely resemble grease.
This has to be thoroughly removed with solvent and a clean rag
before you can put down the first coat of glue.  Fast Tack is not
the best glue to use on a bare rim.  Instead try Clement, Wolber or
one of the other slower drying glues.  Put a thin coat of glue all
the way around and leave the wheel(s) to dry for at least 12 hours.

 While this glue is drying you might check your tires for any latex
that might be covering the base tape.  If there is any latex at all
give it a good roughing up with coarse sandpaper before coating it
with a thin layer of standard glue or Fast Tack.  This too should
be left to dry for a few hours.  If you're a light rider or don't
plan on doing any hard cornering on hot days you can usually leave
out this step but always roughen the latex on the base tape.

 After the base coat of glue has dried it's time for the adhesive
layer.  This should be thicker than the first layer but not so
thick that it can squeeze out from under the tire when you mount it
and get on the rim and sidewalls.  If you are using a traditional
style road glue let it dry for ten to fifteen minutes before
putting your tires on.  Tires should be mounted on Fast Tacked rims
immediately.

 New tires usually need a good stretching before they will go onto
the rim without tending to roll and get glue all over them.  I
usually stretch a tire by pulling it around my knees and feet for
a few seconds and then mounting it on an old rim for a while.  You
might want to try mounting the tire on a dry rim first to see just
how much stretching it will need.

 If you used traditional sew-up glue you should wait at least 12
hours before doing any serious cornering.  If you need to race
right away you can use Fast Tack and corner confidently within an
hour.  Be sure to spread the glue evenly over the surface of the
rim using your finger or a brush.  To get the last section of tire
onto the rim without making a mess grab the remaining 3 or 4 inches
and lift the tire away from and over the rim.  This can be
difficult if you forget to stretch it beforehand.

 Some glues work better than others in hot weather.  Fast Tack works
best followed by Wolber and Vittoria with Clement in the middle and
Tubasti at the bottom of the list.

 When buying Fast Tack be sure you get the real thing.  3-M sells
other trim adhesives in boxes nearly identical to Fast Tack.  These
trim adhesives do not work for bicycle tires!  Be careful that
whatever glue you do use has not separated in its tube.  If it has,
take a spoke and stir it up before you squeeze it out.  I have also
heard of mixing different glues before application.  This is a
dangerous shortcut that yields unpredictable results.  Fast Tack
and Clement are the most popular tire adhesives.  Even though Fast
Tack will dry out you can get a few tire changes between
replications if you have a good layer of traditional glue on the
rim underneath it.  Racing tires though, should be reglued each
time.  Base tapes can come apart from the tire in hot weather and
underinflation can cause tires to roll as well.  Check these things
as well as the tread for wear or cuts before every race and you'll
be able to descend and corner with confidence.

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

Subject: 8.49  Common Torque Values
From: Mike Iglesias <iglesias@draco.acs.uci.edu>

These torque values are from the Third Hand catalog.  All values are in
inch pounds (in lbs); to convert to foot pounds (ft lbs), divide by 12.

Stem binder bolt              100-120   Brake levers to handlebars    75-95
Handlebar binder              145-200   Brake cable binders           55-75
Controls to frame              35-45    Straddle nut (yoke)           50-70
Front shifter to frame         25-45    Brake pads to brake           45-75
Front shifter to cable binder  25-45    Brake dome nut                50-80
Rear shifter to frame         120-145   Crank bolt                   250-300
Rear shifter cable binder      25-45    Chainring bolts              100-120
Jockey wheel bolt              25-45    Nutted front hub               180
Seat binder bolt               35-55    Nutted rear hub                300
Caliper brakes to frame       100-120   Waterbottle cage              25-35
Cantilever brake to frame      45-60    Fender to frame bolts         50-60
Cantilever brake link wire     35-45    Toeclips to pedals            25-45
Kickstand                       60
 
------------------------------

Subject: 8.50  Measuring the circumference of a wheel
From: Jobst Brandt <jbrandt@hpl.hp.com>

For accuracy, the speedometer wants to know how far the bicycle
travels per wheel revolution (under normal load and inflation).
Therefore, that is what must be measured, and it is commonly called
the "rollout distance".  To make this measurement, sit on the bicycle
in typical riding position next to a wall for support, and roll
forward, starting with the valve stem exactly at the bottom at a mark
on the floor.  When the stem is again exactly at the bottom, measure
the distance traveled.  Typically this distance, for a 700-28 tire at
120 lbs pressure, can be as much as 30 mm shorter under load than
rolling the unloaded wheel for one revolution.

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

Subject: 8.51  Tubular Fables
From: Jobst Brandt <jbrandt@hpl.hp.com>

> Why is it better to deflate tubulars between rides or is this just a
> silly rumor?

Yes and no.  The "rumor" arises from a misunderstanding.  Track tires,
and these are most often still tubulars, are generally inflated to
more than 10 bar and are dangerous if they were to explode.  Good
track tires, unlike road tires, are often made of silk with fine and
thin strands that are not coated or otherwise protected.

I have seen these tires get touched by another rider's pedal and
explode, or even when carelessly laid on any angular object, they can
burst because only breaking a few cords is enough to start a burst.
For this reason track tires are best deflated to less than half their
running pressure when not in use.  I can still vividly hear the sound
of a tire exploding in an indoor track although I heard it only a few
times years ago.  It is not something you would like to have happen in
your car or room.

The reasons people give for deflating tubulars are generally false and
are given for lack of understanding.  This is what makes it sound like
an old wive's tale.  Most people do it just to be doing what they
think is "professional" when in fact the protected sidewalls and
pressure of road tubulars makes deflation as meaningless for them as
it is for clinchers.

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

Subject: 8.52  Folding a Tubular Tire

Although there are many arcane folds that people devise it boils down
to pragmatism.  Most spares are used tires because those who use
tubulars typically ride together and for a new rider someone offers a
spare that gets returned or not at a later circumstance that pops up.
The point is that to prevent the whole tire from getting goo all over
the tread and sidewalls, you flatten the tire against itself
lengthwise with the sticky base tape stuck to the sticky base tape.
Now you have about a 40 inch long flat tire that when folded in half
twice makes the typical wad that people have carried under their
saddles secured by a footstrap.

Footstraps being nearly extinct, I don't know what people use today,
but whatever it is, it must be tight and secure.  If not, the tire
will jiggle sufficiently to abrade the sidewalls and develop a
pre-packaged blowout to be installed when you get a flat on the road.
Don't do it.  Most spare bags sold today are not good places to put a
tubular tire because they are not secure.

It's bad news to ride alone with one spare anyway, so you ought to
ride with other tubular riders when you go any significant distance
from appropriate tire service.  It's not like carrying a tube and
patch kit that can go until you run out of patches (you can cut them
in half too).  The use of tubulars is so marginal that the weight you
save is better used for track and criterium racing where its minuscule
reduction in rotational inertia can at least be argued to have some
significance.

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

Subject: 9  Misc

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

Subject: 9.1  Books and Magazines

  Magazines/Newsletters
  ---------
  Bicycling Magazine, and Bicycling Magazine+Mountain Bike insert
  33 E Minor St
  Emmaus, PA 18098
  (215) 967-5171

  Bicycle Guide
  711 Boylston Street
  Boston MA 02116
  617-236-1885
 
  Mountain Biking
  7950 Deering Avenue
  Canoga Park CA 91304
  818-887-0550
 
  Mountain Bike Action
  Hi-Torque Publications, Inc.
  10600 Sepulveda Boulevard
  Mission Hills, CA 91345
  818-365-6831
 
  Velo News
  P.O. Box 53397
  Boulder, CO 80323-3397

  Cycling Science
  P.O. Box 1510
  Mount Shasta, California 96067
  (916) 938-4411

  Human Power (The Journal of the IHPVA*)
  (* IHPVA == International Human Powered Vehicle Association)
  IHPVA
  PO 51255
  Indianapolis, IN 46251-0255
  (317) 876-9478

  OnTour: The Newsletter for Bicycle Tourists
  OnTour Publications
  2113 Arborview
  Ann Arbor, MI 48103.
  Sample issues are only $1, a six-issue subscription only $6
 
  R.B.C.A./The Recumbent Cyclist
  17650-B6-140th Ave. SE, Suite 341
  Renton, WA 98058 USA

  Tandem Club of America
  Malcolm Boyd & Judy Allison
  19 Lakeside Drive NW
  Medford Lakes, NJ  08550
  Dues are currently $10/year

  Dirt Rag
  5742 Third St.
  Verona, PA
  (412) 795 - 7495
  FAX  (412) 795 - 7439

  CROSSWORDS -- The Hybrid/Cross Bike Enthusiast's Newsletter
  CROSSWORDS
  P.O. Box 3207
  Walnut Creek, CA  94598
  Published Quarterly; Single Issue: $2.50, Two Issues: $4.00
  (Make checks payable to 'Mark Chandler')
  Mail 'chandler@wc.novell.com' or 'Crosswords' (AOL) for more info

  Bike Culture Quarterly is an engaging magazine for "[people] who see
  cycling as a way of life rather than an occasional leisure activity".
  It has interviews with people building interesting bikes (Mike Burrows
  about the Obree bike), travel reports, discussions of bicycle
  advocacy, new equipment, and so on.  Its summer issue is the
  "Encycleopedia"  "a personal selection of unorthodox, thoughtful
  cycling products from around the world".
 
  Price is (British Pounds) 25/year.
 
  Order by phone  UK:  (0904) 654654   outside UK:  +44904 654654
 
  Post: Open Road
   4 New Street
   York  Y01 2RA,
   England
 
  They accept Visa, Access, Mastercard, and Eurocard.  Eurocheques are
  also accepted.  From the US, it's easiest to use a credit card.
 

  Books
  -----
  Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair
  Rodale Press
  ISBN 0-87857-895-1

  Effective Cycling by John Forester
  MIT Press
  ISBN 0-262-56026-7

  The Bicycle Wheel by Jobst Brandt
  Avocet
  ISBN 0-9607236-2-5
 
  Bicycle Maintenance Manual by Eugene A. Sloan
  (a Fireside book, pub. Simon & Schuster, Inc.)
  ISBN 0-671-42806-3

  Anybody's Bike Book by Tom Cuthbertson

  Bicycles and Tricycles
  An Elementary Treatise on Their Design and Construction
  by Archibald Sharp
  Reprint of the 1896 edition, with a foreword by David Gordon Wilson
  Anytime you hear of a "new" invention for bicycles, look it up in
  here, and you'll find it.
  MIT press  - I have a paperback edition labelled $14.95

  Bicyling Science
  by Frank Rowland Whitt and David Gordon Wilson
  A good book, and an excellent reference.
  Second Edition 1982, MIT press, paper $9.95

  Bicycle Road Racing by Edward Borysewicz

  The Woman Cycist by Elaine Mariolle
  Contemporary Books

  Touring on Two Wheels by Dennis Coello
  Lyons and Berrfard, New York

  The Bicyclist's Sourcebook by Michael Leccese and Arlene Plevin
  Subtitled: "The Ultimate Directory of Cycling Information"
  Woodbine House, Inc.  $16.95
  ISBN 0-933149-41-7

  Colorado Cycling Guide by Jean and Hartley Alley
  Pruett Publishing Company
  Boulder, Colorado

  The Canadian Rockies Bicycling Guide by Gail Helgason and John Dodd
  Lone Pine Publishing,Edmonton, Alberta

  A Women's Guide to Cycling by Susan Weaver

  Favorite Pedal Tours of Northern California by Naomi Bloom
  Fine Edge Productions, Route 2, Box 303, Bishop, CA  93514

  Mountain Biking Near Boston: A Guide to the Best 25 Places to Ride
  by Stuart A. Johnstone, Active Publications (1991), ISBN 0-9627990-4-1

  Mountain Bike: a manual of beginning to advanced technique
  by William Nealy, Menasha Ridge Press, 1992, ISBN 0-89732-114-6

  Greater Washington (DC) Area Bicycle Atlas
  American Youth Travel Shops, 1108 K St, NW  Wash, DC 20005 (202)783-4943
  $12.95

  Bicycle Parking by Ellen Fletcher
  Ellen Fletcher, 777-108 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303-4826
  Cost: $5.95, plus 43 cents tax, plus $3 postage/handling

  Richards' Ultimate Bicycle Book
  Richard Ballantine, Richard Grant (Dorling Kindersley, London, 1992)

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

Subject: 9.2  Mail Order Addresses

Here's the addresses/phone numbers of some popular cycling mail order
outfits (you can get directory assistance for 800 numbers at
1-800-555-1212 if you don't see the mail order outfit you're looking for
here):

Bicycle Posters and Prints
  P.O. Box 7164
  Hicksville, NY 11802-7164
  Sells bicycle posters and other stuff.
 

Branford Bike
  orders:  1-800-272-6367
  info:      203-488-0482
  fax:       203-483-0703
 

Colorado Cyclist
  orders:  1-800-688-8600
  info:    719 591-4040
  fax:     719 591-4041

  3970 Bijou Street
  Colorado Springs, CO  80909-9946
 

Cyclo-Pedia
  (800) 678-1021

  P.O. Box 884
  Adrian MI  49221
    Catalog $1 as of 4/91.
 

Excel Sports International
  orders:  1-800-627-6664
  info:      303-444-6737
  fax:       303-444-7043
 
  2045 32nd Street
  Boulder CO  80301

Loose Screws
  (503) 488-4800
  (503) 488-0080 FAX

  12225 HWY 66
  Ashland OR 97520
 

Nashbar
  orders:  1-800-627-4227  (1-800-NASHBAR)
             216-782-2244  Local and APO/FPO orders
  info:      216-788-6464  Tech. Support
  fax:       800-456-1223
 
  4111 Simon Road
  Youngstown, OH 44512-1343
 

Performance Bike Shop
  orders:  1-800-727-2453  (1-800-PBS-BIKE)
             919-933-9113  Foreign orders
  info:      800-727-2433  Customer Support
  fax:
 
  One Performance Way
  P.O. Box 2741
  Chapel Hill, NC 27514
 

Schwab Cycles
  orders:  1-800-343-5347
  info:      303-238-0243
  fax:       303-233-5273
 
  1565 Pierce St.
  Lakewood, CO  80214
 

Triathlete Zombies
  (800-999-2215)
 

The Womyn's Wheel, Inc.
  (Specializes in clothing and equipment for women)
  800-795-7433
  508-240-2437

  P.O. Box 2820
  Orleans MA 02653

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

Subject: 9.3  Road Gradient Units
From: Jeff Berton <jeff344@voodoo.lerc.nasa.gov>

The grade of an incline is its vertical rise, in feet, per every 100 horizontal
feet traversed.  (I say "feet" for clarity;  one could use any consistent
length measure.)  Or, if you will accept my picture below,

                                                 *
                                              d  |
                                          a      |
                                      o          | y
                                  R  Theta       |
                              *___)______________|
                                        x
then
      Grade = y/x        (Multiply by 100 to express as a percentage.)
and
      Theta = arctan(y/x)

So a grade of 100% is a 45 degree angle.  A cliff has an infinite grade.

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

Subject: 9.4  Helmets

The wearing of helmets is another highly emotional issue that has been
debated many times on rec.bicycles.  On one side, you have the cyclists
who feel that they can do without - the helmet is too hot, uncomfortable,
or they feel they just don't need it.  On the other side, you have
the cyclists who wouldn't be caught riding without a helmet - they like
their head (and brains) they way they are.

Statistics show that three-fourths of the more than 1000 bicycling
deaths each year are caused by head injuries.  Of those killed, half
are school age children.  According to one study, a helmet can reduce
the risk of head injury by 85%.

Consumer Reports did a review of bicycle helmets in the May 1990 issue.
While their report is not what one would see in a cycling magazine,
it does contain some useful and valuable information.  Their tests
showed that no-shell helmets work just as well as hard-shell helmets,
and in fact, the top 9 helmets in their ratings are no-shell models.

There is some controversy about whether no-shell helmets "grab" the
pavement instead of sliding on impact.  If the helmet grabbed, it
might lead to more serious neck or spinal injury.  This topic has
been hotly debated in rec.bicycles, and some studies are in progress
to see if this is true.

There are two standards systems for helmets - ANSI (American National
Standards Institute) and Snell (the Snell Memorial Foundation).  The
Snell tests are more demanding than ANSI, and a Snell-certified helmet
will have a green Snell sticker inside.  Some helmets claim they
pass Snell, but unless there's a sticker in the helmet, you can't
be sure.  Snell also tests samples of certified helmets to make sure
they still meet the standards.

According to Bell Helmets, the shelf life of their helmets is 8 years.

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

Subject: 9.5  Terminology
From: David Keppel <pardo@cs.washington.edu>,
      Charles Tryon  <bilbo@bisco.kodak.com>

Ashtabula Crank
 A one-piece crank -- the crank arm starts on one side of the
 bike, bends to go through the bottom bracket, and bends
 again on the other side to go down to the other pedal.
 Typically heavy, cheap, and robust.  See ``cottered crank''
 and ``cotterless crank''.  Ashtabula is the name of the
 original manufacturer, I think.

Biopace Chainring

 Chainrings that are more oval rather than round.  The idea was
 to redistribute the forces of pedaling to different points as your
 feet go around, due to the fact that there are "dead spots" in the
 stroke.  The concensus is pretty much that they work ok for
 novices, but get in the way for more experienced riders.

Cassette Freewheel

 A cassette freewheel is used with a freehub.  The part of
 a normal freewheel that contains the pawls that transfer
 chain motion to the wheel (or allows the wheel to spin
 while the chain doesn't move) is part of the wheel hub.
 The cassette is the cogs, usually held together with small
 screws.
 
Cleat

 A cleat attaches to the bottom of a cycling shoe.  Older style
 cleats have a slot that fits over the back of the pedal,
 and in conjunction with toe clips and straps, hold your foot
 on the pedal.  New "clipless" pedals have a specially designed
 cleat that locks into the pedal, sometimes with some ability
 to move side-to-side so as not to stress knees.

Cottered Crank
 A three-piece crank with two arms and an axle.  The arms
 each have a hole that fits over the end of the axle and a
 second hole that runs tangential to the first.  The crank
 axle has a tangential notch at each end.  A *cotter* is a
 tapered and rounded bar of metal that is inserted in the
 tangential hole in the crank arm and presses against the
 tangential notch in the crank axle.  The cotter is held in
 place by a nut screwed on at the thin end of the cotter.
 Ideally, the cotter is removed with a special tool.  Often,
 however, it is removed by banging on it with a hammer.  If
 you do the latter (gads!) be sure (a) to unscrew the nut
 until the end of the cotter is nearly flush, but leave it on
 so that it will straighten the threads when you unscrew it
 farther and (b) brace the other side of the crank with
 something very solid (the weight of the bike should be
 resting on that `something') so that the force of the
 banging is not transmitted through the bottom bracket
 bearings.

Cotterless Crank
 A three-piece crank with two arms and an axle.  Currently
 (1991) the most common kind of crank.  The crank axle has
 tapered square ends, the crank arms have mating tapered
 square ends.  The crank arm is pressed on and the taper
 ensures a snug fit.  The crank arm is drawn on and held in
 place with either nuts (low cost, ``nutted'' cotterless
 cranks) or with bolts.  A special tool is required to remove
 a cotterless crank.

Crank Axle
 The axle about which the crank arms and pedals revolve.  May
 be integrated with the cranks (Ashtabula) or a separate
 piece (cottered and cotterless).

Fender
 Also called a ``mudguard''.  Looked down upon by tweak
 cyclists, but used widely in the Pacific Northwest and many
 non-US parts of the world.  Helps keep the rider cleaner and
 drier.  Compare to ``rooster tail''.

Frame Table
 A big strong table that Will Not Flex and which has anchors
 at critical places -- dropouts, bottom bracket, seat, head.
 It also has places to attach accurate measuring instruments
 like dial gauges, scratch needles, etc.  The frame is clamped
 to the table and out-of-line parts are yielded into alignment.

High-Wheeler
 A bicycle with one large wheel and one small wheel.  The
 commonest are large front/small rear.  A small number are
 small front/large rear.  See ``ordinary'' or
 ``penny-farthing'' and contrast to ``safety''.

Hyperglide Freewheel

 Freewheel cogs with small "ramps" cut into the sides of the cogs
 which tend to pull the chain more quickly to the next larger cog
 when shifting.

Ordinary
 See ``penny-farthing''.

Penny-Farthing
 An old-fashioned ``high wheeler'' bicycle with a large
 (60", 150cm) front wheel and a much smaller rear wheel, the
 rider sits astride the front wheel and the pedals are
 connected directly to the front wheel like on many
 children's tricycles.  Also called ``ordinary'', and
 distinguished from either a small front/large rear high
 wheeler or a ``safety'' bicycle.

Rooster Tail
 A spray of water flung off the back wheel as the bicycle
 rolls through water.  Particularly pronounced on bikes
 without fenders.  See also ``fender''.

Safety
 Named after the ``Rover Safety'' bicycle, the contemporary
 layout of equal-sized wheels with rear chain drive.  Compare
 to ``ordinary''.

Spindle
 See ``crank axle''.

Three-Piece Crank
 A cottered or cotterless crank; compare to Ashtabula.

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

Subject: 9.6  Avoiding Dogs
From: Arnie Berger <arnie@hp-lsd.COL.HP.COM>

  There are varying degrees of defense against dogs.

  1- Shout "NO!" as loud and authoritatively as you can. That works more
     than half the time against most dogs that consider chasing you just
     good sport.

  2- Get away from their territory as fast as you can.

  3- A water bottle squirt sometimes startles them.

  4- If you're willing to sacifice your pump, whump'em on the head when they
     come in range.

  If they're waiting for you in the road and all you can see are teeth
  then you in a heap o' trouble. In those situations, I've turned around,
  slowly, not staring at the dog, and rode away. When I have been in a stand
  off situation, I keep the bike between me and the dog.

  "Halt" works pretty well, and I've used it at times. It's range is about 8
   feet.

   I bought a "DAZER", from Heathkit. Its a small ultrasonic sound generator
   that you point at the dog. My wife and I were tandeming on a back road and
   used it on a mildly aggressive German Shephard. It seemed to cause the
   dog to back off.

   By far, without a doubt, hands down winner, is a squirt bottle full of
   reagent grade ammonia, fresh out of the jug. The kind that fumes when
   you remove the cap. When I lived in Illinois I had a big, mean dog that
   put its cross-hairs on my leg whenever I went by. After talking to the
   owner (redneck), I bought a handebar mount for a water bottle and loaded
   it with a lab squirt bottle of the above mentioned fluid. Just as the
   dog came alongside, I squirted him on his nose, eyes and mouth. The dog
   stopped dead in his tracks and started to roll around in the street.
   Although I continued to see that dog on my way to and from work, he
   never bothered me again.

   Finally, you can usually intimidate the most aggressive dog if there are
   more than one of you. Stopping, getting off your bikes and moving towards
   it will often cause it to back off. ( But not always ). My bottom line
   is to alway ride routes that I'm not familiar with, with someone else.

   As last resort, a nice compact, snubbed nose .25 caliber pistol will fit
   comfortably in your jersey pocket. :-)

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

Subject: 9.7  Shaving Your Legs

 How to do it  (Garth Somerville  somerville@bae.ncsu.edu)

  Many riders shave their legs and have no problems other than
  a nick or two once in a while.  Maybe a duller blade would help.
  But some people (like me) need to be more careful to avoid
  rashes, infections (which can be serious), or just itchy legs that
  drive you to madness.  For those people, here is my
  leg shaving procedure:

  Each time you shave your legs...
  1) Wash your legs with soap and water, and a wash cloth. This
     removes dirt, oil, and dead skin cells.
  2) Use a good blade and a good razor. I prefer a blade that has
     a lubricating strip (e.g. Atra blades).  It is my personal
     experience that a used blade is better than a new one.  I
     discard the blade when the lubricating strip is used up.
  3) USE SHAVING CREAM. I prefer the gell type, and the kinds with
     aloe in them seem to be the best.  Shaving cream gives you a
     better shave with fewer cuts, and goes a long way towards
     preventing infection.
  4) Use *COLD* water.  Do not use hot water, do not use warm water,
     use the coldest water you can stand. Run the cold water over your
     legs before you start, and rinse the blade often in cold water.
  5) Be careful, and take your time. Behind the knees, and around the
     achilles  tendon are places to be extra careful.
  6) When finished, use a moisturizing lotion on your legs.
 

Why shave legs  (Jobst Brandt  jbrandt@hpl.hp.com)

Oh wow, after the initial responses to this subject I thought we could
skip the posturing.  The reason for shaving legs is the same for
women, weight lifters, body builders and others who have parts of
their bodies that they choose to display.  It is not true that General
Schwarzkopf had all the troops shave their legs and arms before going
into combat to prevent infectious hair from killing injured soldiers,
and I am sure it will never happen.

Not only the shaving but the rub-downs with all sorts of oils at the
bike track are for the same reason bodybuilders oil up.  It reflects
well from the muscle defo.  Of course there are others who claim you
can't get a massage without shaving.  There is no medical proof that
hair presents any hazard when crashing on a road with dirt that gets
into a wound.  It must all be thoroughly cleaned if it goes beyond
superficial road rash.

From my experience with cyclists from east block countries before
Glasnost, none of them shaved because it was not in their charter to
look beautiful but rather to win medals.

I think shaved legs look good and I don't mind saying so.  I just find
it silly that those who shave need to put it forth as a preparation
for crashing.  Is it necessary to find a reason other than vanity?  If
you believe these stories then you might consider the whole pile of
lore in bicycling that also has no foundation in fact but is often
retold.  But then some bicyclists and followers of other pursuits,
want to believe in the mysteries that are handed down by the elders
and must be taken on faith.  It forms proof of initiation for some.
 
------------------------------

Subject: 9.8  Contact Lenses and Cycling
From: Robert A. Novy <ra_novy@drl.mobil.com>

I received on the order of 50 replies to my general query about contact lenses
and bicycling.  Thank you!  To summarize, I have been wearing glasses for
nearly all of my 28 years, and taking up bicycling has at last made me weary of
them.

I visited an optometrist last week, and he confirmed what I had lightly feared:
 I am farsighted with some astigmatism, so gas-permeable hard lenses are the
ticket.  He has had about a 25% success rate with soft lenses in cases such as
mine.  I am now acclimating my eyes to the lenses, adding one hour of wear per
day.  In case these don't work out, I'll try two options.  First, bicycle
without prescription lenses (my sight is nearly 20-20 without any).  Second,
get a pair of prescription sport glasses.

I had a particular request for a summary, and this is likely a topic of great
interest, so here goes.  Please recognize the pruning that I must do to draw
generalizations from many opinions.  Some minority views might be overlooked.
There is one nearly unanimous point:  contact lenses are much more convenient
than eyeglasses.  I had to add the word "nearly" because I just saw one voice
of dissent.  Sandy A. (sandya@hpfcmdd.fc.hp.com) has found that prescription
glasses are better suited to mountain biking on dusty trails.

You can call me Doctor, but I have no medical degree.  This is only friendly
advice from a relatively ignorant user of the Internet.  See the first point
below!

IN GENERAL

+  Get a reputable optometrist or ophthalmologist.  Your eyes are precious.
[Paul Taira (pault@hpspd.spd.hp.com) even has an iterative check-and-balance
setup between his ophthalmologist and a contact lens professional.]

+  Wear sunglasses, preferably wrap-arounds, to keep debris out of eyes, to
keep them from tearing or drying out, and to shield them from ultraviolet rays,
which might or might NOT be on the rise.

+  Contacts are not more hazardous than glasses in accidents.

+  Contacts improve peripheral and low-light vision.

+  Extended-wear soft lenses are usually the best.  Next come regular soft
lenses and then gas-permeable hard lenses.  Of course, there are dissenting
opinions here.  I'm glad to see that some people report success with gas perms.

+  One's prescription can limit the types of lenses available.  And soft lenses
for correcting astigmatisms seem pesky, for they tend to rotate and thus
defocus the image.  This is true even for the new type that are weighted to
help prevent this.  Seems that near-sighted people have the most choices.

+  If one type or brand of lens gives discomfort, try another.  Don't suffer
with it, and don't give up on contact lenses altogether.

BEWARE

+  Some lenses will tend to blow off the eye.  Soft lenses are apparently the
least susceptible to this problem.

PARTICULAR SUGGESTIONS

+  Consider disposable lenses.  They may well be worth it.

+  Carry a tiny bottle of eye/lens reconditioner and a pair of eyeglasses just
in case.

A POSSIBLE AUTHORITY

From David Elfstrom (david.elfstrom@canrem.com):
  Hamano and Ruben, _Contact Lenses_, Prentice-Hall Canada, 1985, ISBN
0-13-169970-9.
I haven't laid hands on it, but it sounds relevant.

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

Subject: 9.9  How to deal with your clothes

When you commute by bike to work, you'd probably like to have clean
clothes that don't look like they've been at the bottom of your closet
for a couple of years.  Here are some suggestions for achieving this
goal:

  Take a week's worth of clothes to work ahead of time and leave them
  there.  You'll probably have to do this in a (gasp!) car.  This
  means that you'll need room in your office for the clothes.

  Carefully pack your clothes in a backpack/pannier and take them to
  work each day.  It has been suggested that rolling your clothes
  rather than folding them, with the least-likely to wrinkle on the
  inside.  This method may not work too well for the suit-and-tie
  crowd, but then I wouldn't know about that.  :-)

I use the second method, and I leave a pair of tennis shoes at work so
I don't have to carry them in.  This leaves room in my backpack for
a sweatshirt in case it's a cool day.

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

Subject: 9.10  Pete's Winter Cycling Tips
From: Pete Hickey <pete@panda1.uottowa.ca>

I am a commuter who cycles year round.  I have been doing it
for about twelve years.  Winters here in Ottawa are
relatively cold and snowy.  Ottawa is the second coldest
capital in the world.  The following comments are the
results my experiences.  I am not recommending them, only
telling you what works for me.  You may find it useful, or
you may find the stupid things that I do are humorous.

PRELUDE

Me:

I am not a real cyclist.  I just ride a bicycle.  I have
done a century, but that was still commuting.  There was a
networking conference 110 miles away, so I took my bicycle.
There and back. (does that make two centuries?)  I usually
do not ride a bicycle just for a ride.  Lots of things I say
may make real cyclists pull out their hair.  I have three
kids, and cannot *afford* to be a bike weenie.

People often ask me why I do it....  I don't know.  I might
say that it saves me money, but no.  Gasoline produces more
energy per dollar than food. (OK, I suppose if I would eat
only beans, rice and pasta with nothing on them.... I like
more variety) Do I do it for the environment?  Nah!  I never
take issues with anything.  I don't ride for health,
although as I get older, I appreciate the benefits.  I guess
I must do it because I like it.
 

Definitions

Since words like "very", "not too", etc. are very
subjective, I will use the following definitions:

 Cold : greater than  15 degrees F
 Very cold : 0 through 15 Degrees F
 Extreme cold : -15 through 0 degrees F
 Insane cold: below -15 degrees F
 

Basic philosophy

I have two:

 1) If its good, don't ruin it, if its junk you
    needn't worry.

 2) I use a brute force algorithm of cycling: Peddle
    long enough, and you'll get there.

Bicycle riding in snow and ice is a problem of friction:
Too much of the rolling type, and not enough of the sideways
type.
 

Road conditions:

More will be covered below, but now let it suffice to say
that a lot of salt is used on the roads here.  Water
splashed up tastes as salty as a cup of Lipton Chicken soup
to which an additional spool of salt has been added. Salt
eats metal.  Bicycles dissolve.

EQUIPMENT:

Bicycle:

Although I have a better bicycle which I ride in nice
weather, I buy my commuting bikes at garage sales for about
$25.00. They're disposable.  Once they start dissolving, I
remove any salvageable parts, then throw the rest away.

Right now, I'm riding a '10-speed' bike.  I used to ride
mountain bikes, but I'm back to the '10-speed'.  Here's why.
Mountain bikes cost $50.00 at the garage sales.  They're
more in demand around here. Since I've ridden both, I'll
comment on each one.

The Mountain bikes do have better handling, but they're a
tougher to ride through deep snow.  The 10-speed cuts
through the deep snow better.  I can ride in deeper snow
with it, and when the snow gets too deep to ride, its easier
to carry.

Fenders on the bike?  Sounds like it might be a good idea,
and someday I'll try it out.  I think, however, that
snow/ice will build up between the fender and the tire
causing it to be real tough to pedal.  I have a rack on the
back with a piece of plywood to prevent too much junk being
thrown on my back.

I would *like* to be able to maintain the bike, but its
tough to work outside in the winter.  My wife (maybe I
should write to Dear Abbey about this) will not let me bring
my slop covered bicycle through the house to get it in the
basement.  About once a month We have a warm enough day that
I am able to go out with a bucket of water, wash all of the
gunk off of the bike, let it dry and then bring it in.

I tear the thing down, clean it and put it together with
lots of grease.  I use some kind of grease made for farm
equipment that is supposed to be more resistant to the
elements.  When I put it together, I grease the threads,
then cover the nuts, screws, whatever with a layer of
grease.  This prevents them from rusting solidly in place
making it impossible to remove.  Protection against
corrosion is the primary purpose of the grease.  Lubrication
is secondary. remember to put a drop of oil on the threads
of each spoke, otherwise, the spokes rust solidly, and its
impossible to do any truing

Outside, I keep a plastic ketchup squirter, which I fill with
automotive oil (lately its been 90 weight standard
transmission oil).  Every two or three days, I use it to re-
oil my chain and derailleur, and brakes.  It drips all over
the snow beneath me when I do it, and gets onto my
'cuffs'(or whatever you call the bottom of those pants.
See, I told you I don't cycle for the environment.  I
probably end up dumping an ounce of heavy oil into the snow
run-off each year.
 

Clothing

Starting at the bottom, on my feet I wear Sorell Caribou
boots. These are huge ugly things, but they keep my feet
warm.  I have found that in extreme to insane cold, my toes
get cold otherwise. These boots do not make it easy to ride,
but they do keep me warm (see rule 2, brute force).  They do
not fit into any toe-clips that I have seen.  I used to wear
lighter things for less cold weather, but I found judging
the weather to be a pain.  If its not too cold, I ride with
them half unlaced.  The colder it gets, the more I lace
them, and finally, I'll tie them.

Fortunately, wet days are not too cold, and cold days are
not wet.  When its dry, I wear a pair of cycling shorts, and
one or two (depending on temp and wind) cotton sweat pants
covering that.  I know about lycra and polypro (and use them
for skiing), but these things are destroyed by road-dirt,
slush and mud.(see rule 1 above).  I save my good clothes
for x-country skiing.

An important clothing item in extreme to insane cold, is a
third sock.  You put it in your pants.  No, not to increase
the bulge to impress the girls, but for insulation.
Although several months after it happens it may be funny,
when it does  happens, frostbite on the penis is not funny.
I speak from experience!  Twice, no less!  I have no idea
of what to recommend to women in this section.

Next in line, I wear a polypro shirt, covered by a wool
sweater, covered by a 'ski-jacket' (a real ugly one with a
stripe up the back.  The ski jacket protects the rest of my
clothes, and I can regulate my temperature with the zipper
in front.

I usually take a scarf with me.  For years I have had a fear
that the scarf would get caught in the spokes, and I'd be
strangled in the middle of the street, but it has not yet
happened.  When the temp is extreme or colder, I like
keeping my neck warm.  I have one small problem.  Sometimes
the moisture in my breath will cause the scarf to freeze to
my beard.

On my hands, I wear wool mittens when its not too cold, and
when it gets really cold, I wear my cross-country skiing
gloves (swix) with wool mittens covering them.  Hands sweat
in certain areas (at least mine do), and I like watching the
frost form on the outside of the mittens.  By looking at the
frost, I can tell which muscles are working.  I am amused by
things like this.

On my head, I wear a toque (Ski-hat?) covered by a bicycle
helmet. I don't wear one of those full face masks because I
haven't yet been able to find one that fits well with eye
glasses.  In extreme to insane cold, my forehead will often
get quite cold, and I have to keep pulling my hat down.  The
bottoms of my ears sometimes stick out from my hat, and
they're always getting frostbitten. This year, I'm thinking
of trying my son's Lifa/polypro balaclava. Its thin enough
so that it won't bother me, and I only need a bit more
protection from frostbite.

I carry my clothes for the day in a knapsack.  Everything that
goes in the knapsack goes into a plastic bag.  Check the plastic
bag often for leaks.  A small hole near the top may let in water
which won't be able to get out.  The net result is that things
get more wet than would otherwise be expected.  The zippers will
eventually corrode.  Even the plastic ones become useless after
a few years.
 

RIDING:

In the winter, the road is narrower.  There are snow banks
on either side.  Cars do not expect to see bicycles.  There
are less hours of daylight, and the its harder to maintain
control of the bicycle. Be careful.

I don't worry about what legal rights I have on the road, I
simply worry about my life.  I'd rather crash into a snow
bank for sure rather than take a chance of crashing into a
car.  I haven't yet had a winter accident in 12 years.  I've
intentionally driven into many snow banks.

Sometimes, during a storm, I get into places where I just
can't ride.  It is sometimes necessary to carry the bicycle
across open fields.  When this happens, I appreciate my
boots.

It takes a lot more energy to pedal.  Grease gets thick, and
parts (the bicycle's and mine) don't seem to move as easily.
My traveling time increases about 30% in nice weather, and
can even double during a raging storm.

The wind seems to be always worse in winter.  It's not
uncommon to have to pedal to go down hills.

Be careful on slushy days.  Imagine an 8 inch snowfall
followed by rain.  This produces heavy slush.  If a car
rides quickly through deep slush, it may send a wave of the
slush at you. This stuff is heavy.  When it hits you, it
really throws you off balance.  Its roughly like getting a
10 lbs sack of rotten potatoes thrown at your back.  This
stuff could even knock over a pedestrian.

Freezing rain is the worst.  Oddly enough, I find it easier
to ride across a parking lot covered with wet smooth ice
than it is to walk across it.  The only problem is that
sometimes the bicycle simply slides sideways out from under
you.  I practice unicycle riding, and that may help my
balance.  (Maybe not, but its fun anyway)

Beware of bridges that have metal grating.  This stuff gets
real slippery when snow covered.  One time, I slid, hit an
expansion joint, went over the handle bars, over the railing
of the bridge.  I don't know how, but one arm reached out
and grabbed the railing.  Kind of like being MacGyver.
 

Stopping.

There are several ways of stopping.  The first one is to use
the brakes.  This does not always work.  Breaks can ice up,
a bit of water gets between the cable and its sheathing when
the warm afternoon sun shines on the bike. It freezes solid
after. Or the salt causes brake cables to break, etc.  I
have had brakes work on one corner, but stop working by the
time I get to the next.  I have several other means of
stopping.

The casual method.  For a stop when you have plenty of time.
Rest the ball of your foot on top of the front derailleur,
and *gradually* work your heel between the tire and the
frame. By varying the pressure, you can control your speed.
Be sure that you don't let your foot get wedged in there!

Faster method.  Get your pedals in the 6-12 O'clock
position. Stand up.  The 6 O'clock foot remains on the
pedal, while you place the other foot on the ground in front
of the pedal.  By varying your balance, you can apply more
or less pressure to your foot.  The pedal, wedged against
the back of your calf, forces your foot down more, providing
more friction.

Really fast!  Start with the fast method, but then dismount
while sliding the bicycle in front of you.  You will end up
sliding on your two feet, holding onto the bike in front for
balance.  If it gets *really* critical, throw the bike ahead
of you, and sit down and roll.  Do not do this on dry
pavement, your feet need to be able to slide.

In some conditions, running into a snow bank on the side
will stop you quickly, easily, and safely.  If you're going
too fast, you might want to dive off of the bicycle over the
side.  Only do this when the snow bank is soft.  Make sure
that there isn't a car hidden under that soft snow.  Don't
jump into fire hydrants either.
 

ETC.

Freezing locks.  I recommend carrying a BIC lighter.  Very
often the lock will get wet, and freeze solid.  Usually the
heat from my hands applied for a minute or so (a real minute
or so, not what seems like a minute) will melt it, but
sometimes it just needs more than that.

Eating Popsicles

Something I like doing in the winter is to buy a Popsicle
before I leave, and put it in my pocket.  It won't melt!  I
take it out and start eating it just as I arrive at the
University.  Its fun to watch peoples' expressions when they
see me, riding in the snow, eating a Popsicle.
 

You have to be careful with Popsicles in the winter.  I once
had a horrible experience.  You know how when you are a kid,
your parents told you never to put your tongue onto a metal
pole? In very cold weather, a Popsicle acts the same way.
If you are not careful, your upper lip, lower lip, and
tongue become cemented to the Popsicle.  Although this
sounds funny when I write about it, it was definitely not
funny when it happened.

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

Subject: 9.11  Nancy's Cold/Wet Cycling Tips
From: Nancy Piltch <piltch@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov>

Here are some clothing suggestions, mix and match as you wish:

Rain gear : I forked out the dollars for gore-tex when I did a week tour
  ... and I'm real glad I did. The stuff works reasonably as claimed,
  waterproof, and relatively breathable. (When the humidity is high, no
  fabric will work completely at letting sweat evaporate.) Unfortunately,
  typical prices are high. There are cheaper rainsuits, which I haven't tried.
  For short rides, or when the temperature is over about 50F, I don't
  usually wear the rain pants, as wet legs don't particularly bother me.

Waterproof shoe covers. When the weather gets icky, I give up on
  the cleats (I'm not riding for performance then, anyway) and put
  the old-style pedals back on. This is basically because of the
  shoe covers I have that work better with touring shoes. The ones
  I have are made by Burley, and are available from Adventure Cycling Association,
  though I got them at a local shop. They are just  the cover, no
  insulation. I continue to use them in winter since they are windproof,
  and get the insulation I need from warm socks. These aren't neoprene,
  but rather some high-tech waterproof fabric.
 
Gaiters that hikers and cross-country skiers wear can help keep road
  spray off your legs and feet.

Toe clip covers. I got them from Nashbar; they are insulated and fit
  over the toe clips ... another reason for  going back to those pedals.
  They help quite a bit when the temperature goes into the 30's and below;
  they are too warm above that.

  [Joshua Putnam <Joshua_Putnam@happy-man.com> reports:
   Nashbar has apparently discontinued its toe clip covers.
 
   Traditional toe clip covers, also called toe warmers, are still
   made by Kucharik Bicycle Clothing.  Kucharik's model is not
   insulated, just waterproof nylon cloth.  It may be hard to find
   a shop that carries them, but if you have a good relationship
   with your local shop, they might be interested in dealing with
   Kucharik, which also makes great wool jerseys and tights, arm and
   leg warmers, etc.
 
   The company is:
 
   Kucharik Clothing
   1745 W 182nd St
   Gardena, CA  90248
 
   Please remember that this is a manufacturer/distributor, not a
   mail order catalog.  ]
 
For temperatures in the 40's I usually find that a polypropylene shirt,
  lightweight sweater (mine is polypro) and wind shell work well; I use
  the gore-tex jacket, since I have it, but any light weight jacket
  is OK. I have a lightweight pair of nylon-lycra tights, suitable in
  the 50's, and maybe the 40's; a heavier pair of polypro tights, for
  40's, and a real warm pair of heavy, fleece-lined tights for colder
  weather. (I have been comfortable in them down to about 15-deg, which
  is about the minimum I will ride in.) My tights are several years
  old, and I think there are lots more variations on warm tights out now.
  I use thin polypro glove liners with my cycling gloves when it is a little
  cool; lightweight gloves  for a little bit cooler; gore-tex and thinsulate
  gloves for cold weather (with the glove liners in the really cold weather.)
  It is really my fingers that limit my cold weather riding, as anything
  any thicker than that limits my ability to work brake levers.
  (Note: this may change this year as I've just bought a mountain bike;
  the brake levers are much more accessible than on my road bike. It may
  be possible to ride with warm over-mitts over a wool or similar glove.)

When it gets down to the 20's, or if it's windy at warmer (!)  temperatures,
  I'll add the gore-tex pants from my rain suit, mostly as wind protection,
  rather than rain protection. Cheaper wind pants are available (either
  at bike shops or at sporting goods stores) that will work just as well
  for that use.

Warm socks. There are lots of choices; I use 1 pair of wool/polypropylene
  hiking socks (fairly thick). Then with the rain covers on my shoes to
  keep out wind, and (if necessary) the toe clip covers, I'm warm enough.
  There are also thin sock liners, like my glove liners, but I haven't
  needed them; there are also neoprene socks, which I've never tried,
  and neoprene shoe covers, which I've also never tried, and wool socks,
  and ski socks ...

I have a polypropylene balaclava which fits comfortably under my helmet;
  good to most of the temperatures I'm willing to ride in; a little too
  warm for temperatures above freezing, unless it's also windy. I also have
  an ear-warmer band, good for 40's and  useful with the balaclava for
  miserable weather. I also have a neoprene face mask; dorky looking, but
  it works. It is definitely too hot until the temperature (or wind) gets
  severe. I sometimes add ski goggles for the worst conditions, but they
  limit peripheral vision, so I only use   them if I'm desperate.

For temperatures in the 30's, and maybe 20's, I wear a polarfleece
  pullover thing under the outer shell. Combining that with or without
  polypro (lightweight) sweater or serious duty wool sweater gives a
  lot of options. Sometimes I add a down vest -- I prefer it *outside*
  my shell (contrary to usual wisdom) because I usually find it too
  warm once I start moving and want to unzip it, leaving the wind
  shell closed for wind protection. I only use the down vest when it's
  below about 15 F.

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

Subject: 9.12  Studded Tires
From: Nancy Piltch <piltch@ariel.lerc.nasa.gov>

[A summary on studded tires compiled by Nancy.  A complete copy of
the responses she received, including some that give directions for
making your own studded tires, is in the archive.]

Studded tires do help, especially on packed snow and ice. On fresh snow
and on water mixed with snow (i.e. slush) they're not significantly different
from unstudded knobbies.

On dry pavement they are noisy and heavy, but can be used; watch out for
cornering, which is degraded compared to unstudded tires.

Several people recommend a Mr. Tuffy or equivalent with them; one
respondent says he gets more flats with a liner than without.

In the U.S. the IRC Blizzard tires are commercially available. They
can also be made.

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

Subject: 9.13  Cycling Myths

Following are various myths about cycling and why they are/aren't true.
 

Myth: Wearing a helmet makes your head hotter than if you didn't wear one.

Actual measurements under hard riding conditions with ANSI standard
helmets show no consistent temperature difference from helmetless
riders.  Part of the reason is that helmets provide insulated
protection from the sun as well as some airflow around the head.
(Les Earnest  Les@cs.Stanford.edu)
 

Myth: You need to let the air out of your tires before shipping your bike
      on an airplane - if you don't, the tires will explode.

Assume your tire at sea level, pumped to 100 psi.  Air pressure at sea
level is (about) 15psi. Therefore, the highest pressure which can be
reached in the tire is 100+15=115psi.  Ergo: There is no need to
deflate bicycle tires prior to flight to avoid explosions.
(Giles Morris  gilesm@bird.uucp)
Addendum:  The cargo hold is pressurized to the same pressure as the
passenger compartment.
(Tom ?  tom@math.ufl.edu)
 

Myth: You can break a bike lock with liquid nitrogen or other liquified gases

Freon cannot cool the lock sufficiently to do any good.  Steel
conducts heat into the cooling zone faster than it can be removed by a
freeze bomb at the temperatures of interest.  Liquid nitrogen or other
gasses are so cumbersome to handle that a lock on a bike cannot be
immersed as it must be to be effective.  The most common and
inconspicuous way to break these locks is by using a 4 inch long 1
inch diameter commercial hydraulic jack attached to a hose and pump
unit.
(Jobst Brandt  jobst_brandt%01@hp1900.desk.hp.com)

[More myths welcome!]

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

Subject: 9.14  Descending I
From: Roger Marquis <marquis@well.sf.ca.us>

     Descending ability, like any other skill, is best improved
with practice. The more time you can spend on technical descents
the more confidence and speed you will be able to develop. A few
local hot shots I know practice on their motorcycles before races
with strategic descents. While frequent group rides are the only
way to develop real bike handling skills descending with others
will not necessarily help you descend faster alone.

     The most important aspect of fast descending is relaxation.
Too much anxiety can narrow your concentration and you will miss
important aspects of the road surface ahead. Pushing the speed to
the point of fear will not help develop descending skills. Work
on relaxation and smoothness (no sudden movements, braking or
turning) and the speed will follow.

     A fast descender will set up well in advance of the corner
on the outside, do whatever braking needs to be done before
beginning to turn, hit the apex at the inside edge of the road,
finally exiting again on the outside (always leaving some room
for error or unforeseen road hazard). The key is to _gradually_
get into position and _smoothly_ follow your line through the
corner. If you find yourself making _any_ quick, jerky movements
take them as a sign that you need to slow down and devote a
little more attention further up the road.

     Use your brakes only up to the beginning of a corner, NEVER
USE THE BRAKES IN A CORNER. At that point any traction used for
braking significantly reduces the traction available for
cornering. If you do have to brake after entering the curve
straighten out your line before applying the brakes. If the road
surface is good use primarily the front brake. If traction is
poor switch to the rear brake and begin breaking earlier. In auto
racing circles there are two schools of thought on braking
technique. One advocates gradually releasing the brakes upon
entering the corner, the other advises hard braking right up to
the beginning of the curve and abruptly releasing the brakes just
before entering the curve. A cyclists would probably combine the
techniques depending on the road surface, rim trueness, brake pad
hardness and the proximity of other riders.

     Motorcyclists and bicyclists lean their bikes very
differently in a corner. When riding fast motorcyclists keep
their bikes as upright as possible to avoid scraping the bike.
Bicyclists on the other hand lean their bikes into the corner and
keep the body upright. Both motorcyclists and bicyclists extend
the inside knee down to lower the center of gravity. To _pedal_
through the corners make like a motorcyclists and lean the bike
up when the inside pedal is down.

     One of the most difficult things about descending in a group
is passing. It is not always possible to begin the descent ahead
of anyone who may be descending slower. If you find yourself
behind someone taking it easy either hang out a safe distance
behind or pass very carefully. Passing on a descent is always
difficult and dangerous. By the same token, if you find yourself
ahead of someone who obviously wants to pass, let them by at the
earliest safe moment. It's never appropriate to impede someone's
progress on a training ride whether they are on a bicycle or in a
car. Always make plenty of room for anyone trying to pass no
matter what the speed limit may be. Be courteous and considerate
and you'll be forever happy.

     Remember that downhill racing is not what bicycle racing is
all about. There is no need to keep up with the Jones'. This is
what causes many a crash. Compete against yourself on the
descents. Belgians are notoriously slow descenders due to the
consistently rainy conditions there. Yet some of the best
cyclists in the world train on those rainy roads. Don't get
caught pushing it on some wet or unfamiliar descent. Be prepared
for a car or a patch of dirt or oil in the middle of your path
around _every_ blind corner no matter how many times you've been
on a particular road. Take it easy, relax, exercise your powers
of concentration and hammer again when you can turn the pedals.

     If you're interested in exploring this further the best book
on bike handling I've read is "Twist of The Wrist" by motorcycle
racer Keith Code. There is also data out there (Cycle Magazine)
on eye exercises designed to train depth perception adjustment,
peripheral vision and concentration. If you know where I can
find this information please send it to:

     NCNCA District Coaching Office
     Roger Marquis
     782 San Luis Rd.
     Berkeley, Ca 94707

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

Subject: 9.15  Descending II
From: Jobst Brandt <jbrandt@hpl.hp.com>

The Art of Descending  (an assessment)

Descending on a bicycle requires a combination of skills that are
more commonly used in motorcycling.  Only when descending does the
bicycle have the power and speed that the motorcycle encounters
regularly, not to say that criterium racing doesn't also challenge
these skills.  It requires a combination of lean angle and braking
while selecting an appropriate line through curves.  Unlike
motorcycle tires, bicycle tires have little margin and even a small
slip on pavement is usually unrecoverable.  Understanding the forces
involved and how to control them is more natural to some than
others.  For some these skills may have atrophied from disuse at an
early age and need to be regenerated.

How to Corner

Cornering is the skill of anticipating the appropriate lean angle
with respect to the ground before you get to the apex of the turn.
The angle is what counts and it is limited by traction.  This means
you must have an eye for traction.  For most pavement this is about
45 degrees in the absence of oil, water or other smooth and slick
spots.  So if the curve is banked 10 degrees, you could lean to 55
degrees from the vertical.  In contrast, a crowned road with no
banking, where the surface falls off about 10 degrees, would allow
only 35 degrees (at the limit).

Estimating the required lean angle for a curve is derived from the
apparent traction and what your speed will be in the apex of the
turn at the current rate of braking.  Anticipating the lean angle is
something humans, animals and birds do regularly in self propulsion.
When running you anticipate how fast and sharply you can turn on the
sidewalk, dirt track or lawn on which you run.  You estimate the
lean for the conditions and you control your speed to not exceed
that angle.  Although the consequences are more severe, the same is
true for the bicycle.

These are reflexes that are normal to most people in youth but some
have not exercised them in such a long time that they don't trust
their skills.  A single fall strongly reinforces this doubt.  For
this reason, it is best to improve and regenerate these abilities
gradually through practice.

Braking

Once the nuts and bolts of getting around a corner are in place the
big difference between being fast and being faster is another
problem entirely.  First it must be understood that braking is a
primary skill that is greatly misunderstood.  When traction is good,
the front brake should be used almost exclusively because, with it,
the bike can slow down so rapidly that the back wheel lifts off the
road.  When slowing down at this rate the rear brake is obviously
useless.  Once you enter the curve, more and more traction is used
by the lean angle but braking is still used to trim speed.