The right tool for the right job…

If you've ever changed a chainring on a crankset yourself, you'll know this can be an awkward task. You have to use an allen wrench plus a separate wrench for the slotted bolt on the opposite side. For tightening, while you can position the back wrench so it holds against one of the crank arms, it can be tricky since there's nothing to hold the back wrench in place against the slotted bolt. If you're not careful when tightening, you can easily cut yourself, especially if you try to tighten the allen key towards the chainring teeth. VAR in France used to make a tool for this that makes installing or removing chainrings easier…and with less bleeding, the VAR #352.



I recently acquired a vintage version of one of these. Though the way it's made may be slightly crude by today's standards, the VAR 352 is a cleverly designed tool, complete with a spring loaded arm that holds the built-in allen key in place.

Merci VAR

Bike commuting by CalTrain: Part 1

Since 2007 I have commuted to work by bicycle and/or a local SF Bay peninsula train known as CalTrain. In 2007 I rode a fantastic vintage Fuji S-12-S I rebuilt as a single speed and commuted to SOMA SF. Subsequently I've commuted to the southbay as well. Lately I've been doing this more and since the beginning of August, haven't driven to work.

Commuting by bike and train forces you to get your routine down, getting everything together, but the more you commute by bike, the easier it is. With bike commuting, I love the freedom of not having to deal with traffic or waiting forever at stoplights (well, you can wait, but if it's clear, it's an option). Having to get to the train involves a certain lower end form of riding similar to amateur stop-sign-interval training.

There are lots of kinds of people who ride CalTrain. There are usually one or sometimes two train cars that are designated specifically for bicycles. Since people are going different places it's often useful to tag your bike with your destination so other riders can know where you're going and can stack their bike next to a bike that is going either to the same stop or further down the line.

A few common bike commuting CalTrain annoyances:

Bikes with no desitination tag
Adding something to a bike to let others know where you're going is a simple thing to do. However some bike commuters are lazy or don't care.

Riders bringing unreasonably large bikes onboard.
It's often funny to watch bike commuters wrestle with large cruisers or heavy duty mountain bikes. These bikes take up more room and on a crowded train, this can matter. In this case, I appreciate single speed/fixie bikes.

Riders stacking bikes all pointed in the same direction.
It works better if you alternate bikes so they're stacked pointing in the opposite direction since they tend to fit better. CalTrain signs state this but are unreadable, if only they could be more graphic.

Passengers without bikes sitting in the bike car
Some passengers jump on the first car even though they don't have a bike even though there are 500 other seats on a train.

Cel phone talkers
Passengers who blather on and on while riding CalTrain should have their phones confiscated.

Otherwise biking and taking Caltrain is great and definitely better than driving.

Vintage MAFAC brake lever hack

Lately I've been working on (for some unexplainable reason) an ancient, precambrian Peugeot bike, a 70s "Record du Monde". Despite the name, this was a fairly low end production bike commonly sold in the US. These bikes are the antithesis of a lightweight race bike, what record they hold, besides weight, I'm not sure. They could be more aptly named "Record du Stovepipe". One redeeming feature on these however are the venerable MAFAC Racer centerpull brakes and original MAFAC levers. The levers have an older style demi rubber hood that just covers the top portion of where you rest your hand. Similar to this lever below.

The original hoods for these are now collectors items and either difficult to find and/or very expensive if you find them. The ones on this bike were complete toast from weathering, but the cable adjuster inserts, a nice feature still today—especially for centerpull or cantilever brakes—were good. I was able to fit a more modern conventional brake hood on the lever. To take up the gap around the adjuster, I took a wine cork, drilled it out, cut it lengthwise into two pieces and then sanded one end of each piece into a conical shape. I then used these as insert supports around the cable adjusters, filling in the space under the top of the hood. A good workaround if you can't find the original hoods for these MAFAC levers.

Tour de France - Coors Classic Flashback

Watching France 2's coverage of the 2010 Tour the France recently — on a much better level than what's been available from Eurosport and Versus here in the states — made me think of a moment I had in San Francisco during the 1986 Coors Classic.

At the time, I was racing as an amateur category 4 and doing club rides with the Berkeley Bicycle Club. I was also riding a 1964 BMW R60/2 motorcycle then. The day of the '86 Coors prologue that ran to Coit Tower in SF, I'd ridden my BMW over to watch and maybe make a few photos.

Riding around the Northbeach area before the race start, I recognized a BBC rider who I'd ridden with, riding a current K BMW and helping as an official motorcycle with the event. I said hello and asked if they needed any help. I mentioned "I'm insured!" He got an ok and I was allowed to participate in this race as a follow motorcycle.

During the event, I distinctly remember following Andy Hampsten and few other riders on the prologue up to Coit tower. A racers's team member rode on the back passenger seat of my BMW carrying a spare bike. The R60 BMW, with it's great handling and powerful low-end torque, rode perfectly up the hill even at slower speeds towards the top. With literally a front row seat, I'll never forget the experience of following these racers as support on my vintage BMW, the same motorcycle used by press and gendarmerie for many editions of the Tour de France.

The dynamic moto-cam and other excellent video footage of the TDF on France 2 made me think of this experience again. I regret that I never made any photos that day at the Coors Prologue, but being able to participate in a bicycle race like this was a rare experience that still resonates.

Under Pressure

From VeloTouriste

I took it easy this last 4th of July weekend, the pressure to get out town, be somewhere with just about everyone else on the road simply wasn't that appealing. Instead I took a couple of local 25 mile rides. It has warmed up more, but it was still breezy monday and...local roads weren't all that crowded. I usually tend to inflate my tires up past the recommended pressure. I don't know what it is, maybe that competitive urge that seems to get beat into our heads everytime you pick-up a bicycle magazine that covers racing.

This weekend I rode with my tires at around 100psi instead. I'm running Panaracer Pasela TG tires with gum walls, meant for touring, but they are especially good for sometimes rough pavement in the hills and out to the coast. Something about running these tires at slightly lower pressure seemed to make the bike a little more responsive — just that little bit of give, making the bike ride better and overall more comfortable. I would not want to run tires much lower on paved roads, but I will definitely try this more in the future, even with no cobblestones in sight.

Redwood Road/Canyon Ride

Today I did 30 mile ride with an old riding buddy on roads that used to be some of my regular rides when I lived in Oakland. Redwood Road extends along Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Chabot Lake in Castro Valley to the Oakland hills with a few roads that are springboards to Moraga and Contra Costa county. Not much has changed since I last rode here, the pavement is a little better and aside from a few weekend motorcyclists going too fast (who really should be riding at the track), not much traffic. The road meets with Pinehurst Canyon road that winds its way through cool shaded Redwood forested areas. This is spectacular ride with great terrain. I felt completely dialed in on these roads.


View Larger Map

On this ride it was very hot on a few sections and with a few pretty good climbs. Once reaching Skyline boulevard (the other Skyline blvd) we took a fast descent down Redwood Road, the road well paved and winding through the forest and retracing are steps after passing Pinehurst. The ride brought back many good memories of riding in this area. One thing I hadn't experienced though before, is that on this day there were thousands of lady bugs out, which was fine, becasue at first it seemed like they might be BEES! I only wish I could have taken a few home for my tomato plants.

Serious Riders

I ride fairly regularly and while on a recent camping/bike trip in the Sierras I did a couple of rides with my girlfriend where we encountered some typical racer type riders on current/new racing bikes. Racing bikes are an amazing example of what today's technology can produce for cycling. But, with few exceptions, most of these kinds of bikes are built for racing. I ride traditional chrome-moly steel lugged frame bikes some road, some touring. On this ride I took a Randonneur bike with fenders, a front rack and a handlebar bag. It's funny how riders on racing bikes respond, they are either very positive, or dismiss you and won't say anything.

Having ridden both mountain and road bikes I'm often reminded how different the vibe is on the trail on a mountain bike vs. riding on the road. Riders are generally more friendly off-road. I'm not quite sure why, but there generally seems to be a friendlier vibe with mountain bikers than road riders. Most road riders, always seem more serious. Like mountain bikers, many are ready to lend a hand if you're stopped or seem like you have a problem. "You ok? or "Have everything you need?" which is always cool, but otherwise many road cyclists seem less friendly I think because of the more competitive aspects of road cycling. The macho road racer thing. It's silly when you think about it. There are lots of riders out there and most of us are out there to have a good ride, train or get better at the kind of particular riding that we might do. Whenever I occasionally encounter road riders that seem arrogant, it bugs me, because it gives cyclists a bad name. Some club riders I've encountered can be this way, particularly when riding in large groups. Not all but enough to make me write this. When I encounter riders who are like this, I don't say anything and just keep riding.

Not everyone aspires to being Mark Cavendish, Levi Leipheimer, Lance or many of other of the great racers out there. Although I admire these racers, I'm am not one of these riders. With few exceptions, the bicycle industry seems to continue to perpetuate the myth that the only kind of cycling worth doing is racing and being like Lance Armstrong or other top riders, as showcased in manufacturer ads. This may contribute to the negative macho racer attitude factor seen on the road.

One of the best encounters I had last year while on the road, is when after a long ride, having overextended myself early in the season and ending up on Skyline boulevard completely bonked, a mountain biker just getting ready to ride getting out of his car, saw me stopped, said hello and after I mentioned my situation, generously offered me some water and energy bars. He said "hey, we're all cyclists and need to look after each other".

I was really surprised and thoroughly grateful when this happened. On rides, I now take extra energy bars and water to possibly pass the favor along to another rider in the future.

Cyclists who really love the sport, aren't trying to prove themselves by being rude or arrogant to other riders while on the road.