Wednesday, November 1, 2017

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:

A post shared by abc3d (@abc3d_) on


Still the greatest video of all time.

53 comments:

Unknown said...

A modicum of Podium!

old hipster said...

Nothing about the thing that happened?

Billy said...

I spent about two minutes trying to research this "butyl bladder system" before I realized you were describing a bicycle tube. Well played sir.

Anonymous said...

first?

Anonymous said...

one more lap?

Bill said...

Suck!

Anonymous said...

Po di o
Oooooum
Po di o

streepo said...

scranus

Anonymous said...

Top ten

Anonymous said...

First??

Mike in Dallas said...

Elegance is as elegance does. Gold for another reason than humor this time...

N/A said...

Despite the fact that you are laughing in death's face with your whole tire situation, I hope you don't die, Wildcat.



And you really shouldn't miss the opportunity to meet The Ultraromance, dude. He's the coolest hobo biker ever. At least that's what the Bros will have you believe.

Hee Haw the barista said...

ERRR HEAD

Piskian said...

If you are fit to kiss the besandalled feet of the Holy Benedict,blogeth it thus...

N/A said...

Something to consider for the Milwaukee Bike: Black wheels. Now that you're not running the skinwalls, you gots to go all black. Then you can ask yourself, "How much more black could this be?" And the answer is none. None more black.

wle said...

hovding . - air insta air helmet// Still the greatest video of all time. // I KNOW RIGHT? // BECAUSE THAT Totally Doesn't Look Dorky!

Samuel said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Spokey said...

woo hoo speed

Anonymous said...

Podium?

wle said...

? .. snobsplain .. ? .. how is a ""sort of a butyl bladder system to prevent burping"", not a "tube"?

"Well, (Stanley) here's a nice mess you've gotten me into." said...

Thanx for the fold off video. I didn't realize you have many Y-Tube videos. I watched the Vancouver Video, and I loved that you were so casual, with no helmet and mostly one handed, and yet had no issues with your riding partner who wore a helmet, etc. Mostly it was nice to see how civilized you were even in the "stunt" riding, unlike Brunelle and his thuggish knuckle scraping Bros. I wish they were face scraping......

Spokey said...

hmmm i own a micrometer

AND

i went to see that movie with anthony perkings & martin balsam & janet leigh & john anderson & well some others too.

AND

hmmmm that bladder thing sounds great. you ought to patent that.

AND

love that video every time you post it. wish we could see the nonplussed receptionist look better though.

Anonymous said...

Shocker, I thought I was the only one still running the butyl bladder system.

Anonymous said...

"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"

10/10

Anonymous said...

I'd rather experience an unintentional airbag helmet deployment in my pancreas than sit thru a presentation by Benedict "ultraromance" Wheeler

Serial Retrogrouch said...

...don't miss your chance to get your Benediction, Wildcat... and get your Bomie blessed by his beard, too. You won't regret it.

dancesonpedals said...

Yesterday Snob posted that the South County Connector opened in Elsmford. This morning I enjoyed riding on it, and skipping the dangerous passage on 9A. The fly n the ointment is a series of S turns with a poor view of the riverbank. Some Fred is bound to take a swim in the Sawmill.

Joe said...

"Our proprietary Butyl Bladder System (BBS) (COPYRIGHT) is a revolutionary advancement in blah blah blah". Just wait for it. Get your copyright and cash in, Snob.

blunchbelly said...

I have a plastic slide caliper (Vernier not digital) $2 from Harbor Freight and use it all the time. That ultraromance dude rides in beautiful places around the world and seems to have fun being the Antifred. Airbag head is the world’s best video, I just wish I could see if the woman walking in the door was as amused as the receptionist. Much delight from today’s post as always.

recumbent conspiracy theorist said...

While technically not a "micrometer" I do own several dial and vernier calipers. Like a micrometer the caliper can measure as fine as .001" (one-thousandth) inch increments.

A little OCD? maybe. Psychopathic, I doubt it.

Anonymous said...

I am a proud owner of a micrometer, but I have no answer to what kind of psychopath I am... at least I know I'm not a robot.

McFly said...

I have 5 micrometer's ranging from 1/2"to 4".

Yes, to answer the unasked question I can measure my Johnson.

Grump said...

I'm one of those psychopaths who owns a micrometer. I started using one to check out tires (or tyres if you are a foreign devil) back in the 80's when I bought my first set of Specialized "Turbo" tires. They were advertised as 700x25's but after mounting, I discovered that they were really only 20mm wide. Those rat bastards made them smaller so they could claim a lighter weight.

dnk said...

Thoughts and prayers everyone!

Anonymous said...

I too own a micrometer and yes, I too am a psychopath.

What kind of psychopath? Although I’ve never measured a tire width, I am the kind that will accost you and insistently berate you for your suboptimal performance.

And sorry, but Equifax already gave away your #whatpressureyourunning. What? You didn’t know they knew?

Stay-puffed-inflatable-helment-head said...

I wonder if the guy in the greatest-video-of-all-time lost his hearing after that white grim-reaper's hood inflated?

Anonymous said...

I agree, calipers don't really have the degree of precision required to adequately measure tires. Use the micrometer to measure them to the nearest thousandth of a millimeter.

Telegram Sam said...

:::TRIGGER/TOO SOON WARNING:::
I swear I expected to see NYPD Traffic Division (aka New York's Blindest) out this morning giving tickets in the bike lanes. Only because that's their usual response after cyclists are killed through no fault of their own.

BamaPhred said...

I must be an Electric Fred, as I use an Harbor Freight electronic digital micrometer. A cheap Electric Fred, anyway.

blunchbelly said...

Never ever ever have I measured a tire width and now that is all I can think about! Curse you Snob!

Schisthead said...

"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?"

Classic response:
I don't know, what other kinds are there?

P.S. I think they're cutting the Butyl with cheap filler.
I thought you'd want to know.

Dooth said...

Mounting tires will not raise an eyebrow here. We’re all bike lovers.

Serial Retrogrouch said...

...I'll add meself to the esteemed psychopath commenters in possession of micrometers. What kind of psychopath am I? I don't know if I can mention it on this blog's commentary section. But let's just use a euphemism: I needed to measure my bolt... to win a bet.

Lieutenant Oblivious said...

"Future models will be aimed at providing a product to performance based cyclists and children." Freds are much like children, the same product could satisfy both!

PS, Scranus!

Anonymous said...

You definitely should seek out Bene / Poppi / Ultraromance and hang with him a while in Philly. He’s a genuinely nice guy who has figured out how to make a living by being a bicycling celebrity, which is one thing you and he have in common. Also, he and his girlfriend recently went to Italy for l’Eroica, which he raves about. That’s something that went on his bucket list when *you* wrote about it for Old Man Brooks!

BikeSnobNYC said...

Anonymous 4:57pm,

Yes, I didn’t mean any offense to him, I was just being my flippant self. I do get a good vibe from what I know of him—though if he’s figured out how to make a living I wish he’d tell me how!

—Wildcat Etc.

bloodpuddle said...

Did anyone else’s airbag helmet deploy just at the thought of “risking certain death”?

Old Timer said...

Huh? What?

Coline said...

Micrometer, not seen it for years! Then again those itsy bitsy lines all go shaky and blurry with my old eyes...

I am surprised that the Michelin Bibendum prototype pedestrian airbag suit has not been fully developed and made compulsory for everyone leaving home, the plastic hat would just finish the ensemble...

Anonymous said...

https://bikeportland.org/2017/11/01/police-say-portlander-boyd-littell-fell-from-his-bike-then-died-in-colonel-summers-park-250863

What are your thoughts on this story?

bad boy of the south said...

#whatjawpressureareyouusing?

Anonymous said...

I think your HTML skills are lacking

Bunyip said...

You are a truly exemplary model bicycle enthusiast. Keep up the good work.