First Time Fat Bike Ride

A few days ago, one of the things my wife and I did for our nine-year wedding anniversary was rent fat tire bikes at Lovers Key. We’d never ridden this type of bike before but after 2 hours and 10 miles we were hooked. They are an absolute blast. We rode them on the 5 mile easy nature trail at Lovers Key and that was fun but we probably could have ridden our Townies on that. Where the fatties really shined was on the beach. Of course these bikes roll on the hard sand at the shoreline but they also roll easily over the soft sand. Whenever I go to the beach I always wish I could explore up and down the length of the shore but it’s usually just too much for walking. With these bikes we were able to explore the entire length of Lovers Key beach and we attracted a lot of attention. We had people stopping us asking about the bikes and taking pictures. Everyone assumed that pedaling on the sand must be hard but really it wasn’t.

The bikes we rented were Fat Tire A/T Cruiser II’s. They’re simple, inexpensive, steel bikes with huge tires, coaster brakes, and Shimano Nexus 3-speed hubs. The Nexus was perfect for the riding we did. On the cement you’d shift to third gear, most of the trail riding and hard sand was in second gear, and hills and soft sand was first gear. The 3 speeds covered everything. I’d love to buy a fat bike but for now it will have to go on the wishlist because a mountain bike and new wheels for my road bike come first. 

lots of Gopher Tortoises at Lovers Key

perfect bikes for the beach

Topeak Mini 6 Long Body Multi-Tool - review

I have three different varieties of Topeak multi-tools and this one is my favorite. The Topeak Mini 6 Long Body multi-tool is lighter than the Mini 9 and it has everything a roadie needs. It’s a saddlebag necessity. It’s considerably bigger than the original Mini 6 which must have been too tiny for most people because they quit making it. It has 6 tools (hence the name): 2/3/4/5/6 mm allen wrenches and a #2 Phillips head screwdriver. It’s 2.57 oz. and 2.6”x 1.1” and it fits in even the smallest saddlebag. 

http://www.topeak.com/products/Mini-Tools/mini6_long

I'm a loner, Dottie. A rebel

I know I should do group rides more often and I do join them occasionally but for the most part I’m a lone wolf when it comes to riding. I think I need to make peace with that fact. I feel guilty about it but I have loads of excuses. For one I’d have to get up earlier since some rides leave a little early for me and I’d have to sacrifice my precious sleep. And for many group rides I’d have to drive my vehicle to get to the departure point which just seems silly. Also, I’d have to conform to the group. I’d have to do their route with their stops (or lack of). I’m the type of person who likes to mix things up and stop when and where I want to. I might want to take a silly picture or something. Lastly, most group rides don’t do the route I want to do. The exception is the Bike Bistro Sanibel ride, see my Allure of the Sanibel Causeway blog entry for more on that. That being said, I know group riding makes you a stronger rider. Every time I ride with at least one other person I push myself harder and get a better workout. They’re usually fun social events too. I guess what I’m trying to say is do as I say, not as I do. Get out there and do some group rides.

well this may not be a true group ride but at least I'm riding with a couple other people

November Rides

It’s that time of the year when there’s a charity ride almost every weekend pretty much for the  next six months and a lot of them are close to home. As they approach I’ll try and write about some of my favorites. Coming soon is:

Horrible Hundred, Sunday, November 16, 2014

http://horrible-hundred.com/

This ride is up in Clermont so you do have to travel a bit to get there but it’s worth it. Every Florida cyclist must do this event at least once. Holy hills! You WILL be challenged regardless what mileage you choose. I did this ride in 2012 when I was a rookie and my suffering was immense on the 70 mile route (called the Sucky 70). I hope to return someday and redeem myself.

big crowds

hills!

resting at base camp

Annual Turkey Leg Century, Friday November 28, 2014

http://www.caloosariders.org/

This informal ride starts at 8 a.m. in the Publix shopping center in Fort Myers at the corner of Six Mile Cypress Parkway and Daniels. Riders will then average about 18 mph and wind through a scenic route of Fort Myers Beach to Gordon’s Pass before stopping for lunch on beautiful Fifth Avenue in Naples. The ride is self-contained so bring a flat kit and money for lunch and two rest stops. For more information contact Jeff Brim at JeffBrim@yahoo.com. I’ve done this ride two years now and I always enjoy. It’s a nice bunch of people and you can cheat like I did and have your wife pick you after lunch.

lots of gorgeous views on the Turkey Leg Century

Tagalong Bikes

I’ve heard them called trail-a-bikes, tagalong bikes, trailer bikes, and tandem trailers. Whatever you call them, my daughter loves hers. One of our favorite activities is to hitch it up to one of my bikes and go to the park. Normally I connect it up to my Electra Townie 21D which is a perfect bike for that. But the other day my dad was using the Townie so I hooked it up to my Cannondale Synapse. Big mistake. We barely made it to the park as I struggled to stay upright. So now I know road bikes are definitely not made for this. So while I wholeheartedly recommend one of these things, make sure you hook it up to the proper type of bike.

bad idea

DZ Nuts Chamois Cream - review

more effective and lasts longer than others

When I first started cycling I didn’t use chamois cream but after a few months I started having some slight pain in the crotch/butt region so I bought a sample pack of this stuff and tried it on a 40 mile ride. I admit that I tried this brand because of the funny name and because one of my favorite pro cyclists is behind it (Dave Zabriskie) but I was sold on it before the ride was halfway over. It really works. My discomfort was greatly alleviated. The consistency of this cream is just right. It’s not too thick and not too light. It creates a slight tingly sensation but in a pleasant way, not a distracting way. I have since tried other creams but  DZ Nuts stays on longer and is more lubricating than others. Yes it’s more expensive than some but  In the end you might actually save money with the DZ Nuts since you don’t have to use as much. They also make a version for women which my wife swears by.

DIY Crosswalk

There’s a section on the MUP where I often ride where if you are heading West the path angles sharply to the right and down where you have to cross an intersection. You have to scrub a lot of speed and make a sharp turn to pick up the path or else you’ll go into the dirt/grass. I’ve had a couple of near wipeouts there. Well the other day I noticed that someone painted lines like a crosswalk across the intersection. This is great for two reasons. Riders can now follow the path across the intersection and maybe cars will see it and not block the intersection as they are apt to do. I don’t know about the legality of this but it’s a road marking that the county should have put there. Kudos to the unknown rider who did it.