It's Wednesday!

Welcome to my bike blog!  Let's check right in at the tech desk, shall we?  As you'll recall, yesterday I mentioned I purchased new tires from a physical store and everything:

Well, being the hard-working bike blogger that I am, immediately after launching yesterday's post into the digital ether I mounted said tires (onto my bicycle wheels, I didn't literally mount the tires) and took off for a short test ride:

As a product tester it's important that I use Strava so I can conduct data-based analyses and draw objective conclusions.  For example, based on the fact that I managed only one (1) "achievement," I can safely conclude that I suck.

But I already knew that.

Then again, the greatest accomplishment of all is going for a ride in the middle of the day on a Tuesday, so I'm ahead no matter what.

Anyway, the ride was an abbreviated version of my usual mixed-terrain ramble and featured approximately 40% dirt:

Of course a ride of this duration does not warrant sweeping pronouncements, but here are some first impressions:

--The tires are ostensibly 35mm wide, but I did not measure them with a micrometer to confirm because what kind of psychopath owns a micrometer?  As for which rims I mounted them on, they were Mavic CXP33s, which are an ancient model from before gravel bikes were even invented--and yes, I realize that by using these tires on non-gravel-specific rims I am risking not only sub-optimal performance but also almost certain death;

--Once installed, there was still plenty of frame and brake clearance on my Milwaukee, because medium-reach brakes are awesome (though today's gravel tire tread patterns are optimized for disc brakes so be aware that in using them with rim brakes you risk not only sub-optimal performance but also certain death);

--I am running them tubeless, though instead of sealant I'm using sort of a butyl bladder system to prevent burping.  In the unlikely event of a puncture I can quickly patch or replace this bladder on the trail with no mess in a matter of minutes;

--I will not disclose #whatpressureyourunning because that's proprietary info of the highest order and I might as well give you my social security number at that point.  What I will say is that to arrive at that pressure I used my usual technique of inflating them 1psi at a time and then squeezing the tire between my teeth.  My highly calibrated jaw has not let me down yet, and I'm pleased to say my #whatpressureyourunning required nary an adjustment for the duration of the test period;

--They felt good on the dirt which was not surprising, and they also felt good on the pavement.  I mean maybe they didn't corner quite as smoothly as the Paselas due to the knobs, but I'm not exactly dragging a knee these days anyway so who cares?

--In all, they strike me as a very good "Leave 'em on and ride everything"-type tyre.

So there you go.  Maybe I'll try a "CX'y" ride at the Philly Bike Expo this weekend:

 Hey, at least I meet the tire width requirements:

Departing from the Italian Fountain behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art (see comments for a map) 8am 
- The route is TBD and weather-dependent - it it's a bit wet, we'll stick to gravel, if the weather is dry, expect some trails and singletrack. This is a cyclocross oriented ride, 32mm and larger tires with some tread for trail riding are advised. This is not a MTB ride, but MTB's are welcome to join!
- Distance TBD, expect 35-45 miles total. Pace will be moderate, probably 12-14 MPH Avg, but a technical degree of difficulty in a range of 6-8 out of 10.
- Helmet and repair kit/tubes required, Clipless pedals/foot retention recommended.
- No rider left behind, but the group will likely string out through the more technical sections.

Or maybe I'll just sleep in instead, which could also be rewarding.

Either way too bad I won't be in town early enough to unleash my inner fop on the Brompton Ride:

3rd ANNUAL BROMPTON BREAKFAST ROLL
Saturday, Nov. 4th. 8:44 AM Start: Amtrak 30th Street Station, 30th & Market Sts., gather at main info booth.

A ride just for Brompton Folder bike owners–includes free admission to the Philly Bike Expo. We’ll meet at 8:44 a.m. for a quick group photo, then ride at 9:01 SHARP. Easy-paced roll around Center City ends at the Philly Bike Expo right around opening bell, where our Brompton riding group will enjoy free admission AND secured valet bike parking inside the Convention Center. • Sponsored by Trophy Bikes. Reminder: this is a Brompton-only ride.

What, no fold-off?

And I don't know if I'll stay long enough to bask in the glory of this guy's beard:

Simple philosophy, complicated title.

Oh, and in other tech news, I've asked for a tracking number on the wood bike and have yet to receive one:

Assuming it's actually been sent, look forward to returning home to a door tag and eventually having to go pick up a box of matchsticks and splinters at the far-flung customer service center of whichever shipping company they used.

And finally, it had to happen:

World’s first airbag equipped bicycle helmet for commuters who want a safer option then the products currently on the market. Currently under development, Version 1 of HelmetWorX (Non Functioning Prototype seen in the pictures) aims to be the safest bicycle helmet in the world. HelmetWorX is aimed at the daily commuter who puts many miles on their bike riding too and from work. Future models will be aimed at providing a product to performance based cyclists and children. The helmet will protect the rider from harsh weather and serve as a secondary protection in case the airbag fails to operate. Bicycle helmets fundamentally haven’t changed over the last 15 years. This product aims to change that. HelmetWorX retains the original look of the helmet but offers superior protection to the current designs while maintaining the same size and weight.

If this leads to more unintentional deployment videos then I'm all for it:

AS IT HAPPENED #hovding #airbagged

A post shared by abc3d (@abc3d_) on May 19, 2015 at 5:39am PDT

Still the greatest video of all time.