I DIDN'T Ride My Bike Today, Cuzz....

I'm going to be off my bike for two weeks because I'm in Dublin on business. And no, I didn't bring my bike. It's supposed to be really cold (high of 5 celsius) on the weekend.

And yes, I did look to see if I could rent a bike down in the Wicklow mountains (where the Irish Enduro takes place) - which I can, but it is just going to be too cold and wet.

However, the next time I come here, hopefully it will be in the warmer months and I will bring my gear.
 
Cougar said:
And yes, I did look to see if I could rent a bike down in the Wicklow mountains (where the Irish Enduro takes place) - which I can, but it is just going to be too cold and wet.
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I still think you should do it, just so you can relate to British (and Irish) riders on a whole other level. So many British riders have dominated gravity races over the past ten years or more - you could go get first-hand experience as to why! Just think how good it will feel to stop, go inside, dry off and warm up!
 
herzalot said:
I still think you should do it, just so you can relate to British (and Irish) riders on a whole other level. So many British riders have dominated gravity races over the past ten years or more - you could go get first-hand experience as to why! Just think how good it will feel to stop, go inside, dry off and warm up!
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Nothing says Ireland in winter like Sean Kelly. Impervious to conditions. Truly hardcore.

Or you can just wait and ride with @mtnbikej, @Faust29 and more of the imtb hardmen when you get home. Did I mention @mike?
 
Cougar said:
I'm going to be off my bike for two weeks because I'm in Dublin on business. And no, I didn't bring my bike. It's supposed to be really cold (high of 5 celsius) on the weekend.

And yes, I did look to see if I could rent a bike down in the Wicklow mountains (where the Irish Enduro takes place) - which I can, but it is just going to be too cold and wet.

However, the next time I come here, hopefully it will be in the warmer months and I will bring my gear.
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Cold and wet is nice weather in Ireland.
 
Day 3 (and counting) of no riding while I take care of my son with his nasty cold (I know he has it worse than I do right now :(). The scary part is that I think I can feel myself starting to get it and his pediatrician was just telling me how much longer it takes for adults to get rid of the coughing with what's going around now. Must ... fight ... it ... off!!!:eek:

And I was feeling so good starting January with 3 rides in the first week. Then weather and life conspired to take me down to once a week since then. Can't wait to get back into a nice rhythm.
 
Before you know it he'll be teenager and you'll be lucky to see much of him at all.

Whatever you do stay away from the Kool aid and put down the disinfectant wipes. .:thumbsup: The more common bugs he's exposed to now (within reason of course - skip dysentery and meningitis :gag:) the stronger his immune system will be.
 
Yep, I'm enjoying my time with both kids as a recent stay-at-home dad. So glad I made the decision to stay home with them while they still enjoy my company.:)

Totally agree on building up the immune system and not overdoing it on disinfecting ... until one of them is sick, then we try in vain to keep it from spreading to everyone else in the house. Time for some more vitamin C!
 
The cough does linger. I got over the cold pretty quickly but the cough has hung on for a couple of weeks more. Thought it was starting to go away and then had a really bad jag this morning. Riding the hills seems to help! :)

I got the microfilaria worms in Samoa. Took the Hartz 30 day dewormer or whatever the Peace Corps nurse had for us and avoided elephantiasis. :eek:
 
I didn't ride yesterday or today.

Decided yesterday that my fork was in need of some TLC, so I went to take it off the bike for a service. Didn't slide out easily like normal. A few light taps with the mallet and it popped loose. Pulled the fork down and the lower bearing(cane Creek 110) was still attached to the steerer tube. Went to pull it off......NOPE!!!!! Partially corroded to the steerer. Tried to spin the bearing....NOPE!!!! Crunchy....not like the good peanut butter. A little bit of penetrating oil and about 15 mins and I was able to pop it loose. Yanked the seals off, flushed it and repacked it. Smoother, but still a bit notchy. CRAP!!! Now I gotta track down a new lower bearing. Hopped on Jenson and saw they had what I needed in Stainless Steel and it was on sale. Finished the fork rebuild and left the bike in pieces in the garage.

I'm guessing that all this wet weather riding played a factor in the bearing going bad...sucks, cause it was only 4 years old.

Today I decided to just drive out to Jenson...had to return a pair of shoes I bought that didn't fit. So I picked up my bearing and a few other little odds and ends that I needed. Also found out the had the right sized shoe I needed even though it was not listed on the website. Bonus.

Now getting everything back together and ready for tomorrow.
 
Ahhhhhh, the wet weather bearing carnage has begun.
After all this rain and my riding in and after it I've had some carnage of my own. The outboard bearings on my XT BB were shot on the non-drive side. All those stream crossings in the Arroyo probably shortened its life. Probably lasted a little over a year... I always keep an extra in the garage so it was not a real problem.

Check em before you wreck em!
 
I'm starting to recover from a nasty cold that has taken out my entire family one by one over the last week. And with both of my kids back at school, I thought I'd get a quick ride in this morning ... right after cleaning my drivetrain, seeing if my new chain was meshing any better with the old gears after the first ride, and getting rid of an annoying creak I started hearing on my last ride.

Next thing I knew, it was time to pick up the kids and I had spent the morning cleaning, re-greasing, and reassembling the rear axle, derailleuer and hanger, cranks, direct mount chainring, all suspension pivots and linkages, checked bottom bracket cup tightness, and put the old chain back on to ride it until it dies with the rest of the drivetrain. I'll save the new chain until then. Turns out it was the lower suspension pivots/linkage that was creaking this time.

So no ride today, but I now have a silent bike with a smooth (but old) drivetrain, ready to ride again in this wet, muddy winter we're having!:)
 
Runs with Scissors said:
I'm not yet willing to deal with the idiots driving home in the dark. But soon!!! If I remember correctly, in about two weeks it will stay light long enough and I can get back to the bike commute.:cool:

If the rain gods so decree, that is. I see you over there doing your rain dance. Screw the drought. Stop it!!;)
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I feel safer in the dark with my stupid bright ass blinky lights. That being said I make every attempt to avoid cars and stupid ass people by taking the way of Omaha.
 
Time to clean it instead of ride it. :gag: This may take a fire hose...

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