Chainwheel Chatter Newsletter Posts (effective Sep 2021)

BIKEPACKING

What is it and why should you care?

By Drew Ellison

Let’s start with a very abbreviated history of the bicycle.

In the beginning was The Road Bike, the most beautiful of all bicycles in design and style. Well, in fact there were other bicycles before the road bike (aka 10 speed) such as middleweights and path cycles and three speeds and such. But these earlier bikes were overshadowed by The Road Bike in gleam and speed to such an extent that those others ought not to have existed at all.

Then a couple of guys in California took some old 26” cruiser bikes and rode them on some mountain trails and, by doing so, invented the mountain bike. There was now a new type of bike in town which attracted much attention.

Since the beginning, The Road Bike was used for many purposes: transportation, exercise, competition, errands, and long distance touring. The mountain bike excelled at exercise and recreation and competition, but didn’t do so well with touring.

Then someone said “What if we take the most beautiful of all bicycles - The Road Bike - and modify the design of it so it could go on soft surface trails, like one of those mountain bike things?” Thus The Gravel Bike was created.

Sometime later, someone else said “What if we take The Gravel Bike, created from the most beautiful of all bicycles The Road Bike, and put bags on it and go touring with it on soft surface trails and in the mountains?” Backpacking was born.

You can think of bikepacking as going backpacking with your bicycle - hitting trails on a multi-day trip while carrying all your gear on your bike. You need to be self-sufficient with a bike designed to carry loads in the front, middle, and back of the bike. What’s also important is that your gear should be as close to the plane of the bike as possible. You don’t want wide panniers  or bags sticking out very far when you’re riding down narrow trails. It turns out that today’s gravel bikes, with lots of attaching points for bags and with geometries which provide a stable ride on challenging trails, make wonderful bikepacking bikes.

Why should you care about bikepacking? It’s another wonderful way in which way we can get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of the world, all the while enjoying riding a bike. And it doesn’t get much better than that.

Here’s a nice primer on bikepacking.

https://bikepacking.com/bikepacking-101/

 Now get out and enjoy the ride.

Big Event Ride

Rick Proctor

 

The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, and the birds were chirping as I parked my car at the Stanwood Middle School and unloaded my bike.  The temperature was 47°F and the weather forecast was good – all indicators pointed toward a great day for bike riding.  I got in line to check-in and get a rider number.  A sense of excitement was apparent as I chatted with other riders in line.  I teamed up with a friend, we pinned on our numbers, and we rolled out about 9 AM to ride the 65 mile Metric Century route of the 2022 McClinchy Mile – Camano Climb on Sunday, April 24^th.

We had a tail wind pedaling west out of Stanwood that helped us quickly get onto the island and off the busy SR 532.  As soon as we turned onto Good Rd, the drop in traffic and noise was appreciated.  Camano Island has many miles of quiet and scenic country roads with good pavement which had recently been swept.  Camano Island also has lots of scenic residential communities nestled along the coastline and our route would take us on a loop tour of most of them.  Views of the bays, other islands, and snow covered mountains are spectacular all the way around the island.  As we pedaled north, then west, then turned to the south we were sheltered by forests from most of the winds from the SE.

Cama Beach State Park was our first rest stop at mile 17.  There were plenty of snack options available and real rest rooms.  The day was warming enough to remove and stow my jacket sleeves and change to fingerless gloves.  Camano Island has lots of hill climbs on our route – this part of the ride is called the “Camano Climb” for a reason.  There are also some nice descents, and a good one is eastbound Mountain View Rd that is straight with good pavement.  I coasted faster than I could pedal.  An uphill section ended the coasting party and brought back the pedaling requirement near the Elger Bay Grocery & Deli. 

We turned right onto S Camano Dr for the southern end of the island route.  Riding south on the west side of Camano Island there are views of Whidbey Island across the waters of Saratoga Passage, with occasional views of the snowcapped Olympic Mountains in the distance.  Rounding the southern tip of the island, Hat Island is out there to the SSE with Everett’s skyline beyond.  The SE winds became a tail wind as we turned northward – nice!  At mile 31 the 2^nd rest stop at Hutchinson Park had snacks, water, a porta-potty, and a muddy parking lot.  At about mile 34 we missed a turn onto Nelson Avenue due to traffic distractions and bypassed a mile of the coastal community on the narrow, shady lane of Highland Drive.

The Beach Drive coastal community around mile 37 offered nice views east to the Cascade Mountains across the bay of Port Susan.  There is also a full size dinosaur skeleton across a small lake to our left.  At mile 44 we turned onto eastbound SR 532 for 1¼ miles then some more country roads before the final couple of miles on SR 532 back into Stanwood.

We took a short break at Stanwood Middle School then continued onto the 15 mile Stanwood Farms Loop.  The eastbound Pioneer Highway took us through an aromatic dairy farm and a one lane landslide detour traffic control.  Turning onto Norman Road at mile 56 we rode the flat valley near the Stillaguamish River then lots of farms and fields.  Miller Rd was our link back toward Stanwood.  The old bridge from Miller Rd up to Pioneer Highway is closed for motor vehicles, but a gap in the barricade allows bikes and pedestrians to pass.  Part of the old road between the highway and old bridge has slide away and the remaining section that is passable today has cracks.  We had a tail wind riding back into Stanwood to complete our 65 mile ride.

We proceeded straight to SAAL Brewing in Stanwood to park our bikes in the bike corral, found a table, then patiently waited quite a while for our tacos and fries.

Overall, this was a great day for bike riding and seeing lots of friends.  The McClinchy Mile has been the big event ride for our BIKES Club for 40 years and it has undergone plenty of changes.  We live in one of the most scenic areas on our planet and big event bike rides like this are great experiences.  Other local bike clubs and organizations offer similar big event rides:

• May 7, 2022:  Skagit Spring Classic
• July 23, 2022:  Tour de Whatcom
• August 20, 2022:  Tour de Whidbey

 

March	2022
Rider Miles
02/25 -03/24
Last Name	First Name	YTD Miles
Proctor	Rick	496
Heydron	Paul	467
Tweedy	Christine	360
Linari	Steve	345
Elmore	Brian	335
Paul	Bill	316
Young	Ken	315
Baldwin	Paul	287
Rivetti	Lou	270
Stewart	Jim	261
Kawamoto	Debbie	200
Walchli	Cheryl	188
Triaggiani	John	185
Norouzi	Fred	183
Proctor	Cindy	182
Nyberg	Bob	169
Biesiedzinski	Bob	166
Biesiedzinski	Viv	166
Bardin	Earl	140
Dorf	Adrienne	129
Pahlman	Bob	120
Whitehouse	John	119
Strickland	Leslie	106
Fenlin	Mike	105
Dermody	Richard	102
Wolhart	Jack	95
Stanhope	Lee	91
Scott	Dan	81
Thiem	Linda	78
Grant	Debby	75
Berliner	Karen	71
Labovitch	Dan	71
Logan	Paul	68
Andersen	Ron	63
Castor	Jeanne	61
Baum	Lawrence	50
Ellison	Drew	50
Pico	Mitch	50
Vermeulen	Paul	50
Brack	Bill	47
Biehl	Lisa	46
Haunreiter	Kurt	45
Haunreiter	Raquel	45
Dahlstrom	Mike	43
Stewart	Vicky	39
Hartley	Douglas	35
Elmore	Laura	34
Smith	Peter	34
Bachmann	Bob	33
Broussard	James	30
Philbin	Francis	30
Schwab	Bruce	30
Stonehocker	James	30
Kinnamon	Kristin	26
Smith	Hal	25
Williams	Brian	25
Bermet	Barry	23
Denino	John	23
Willis	Jack	23
Zander	Marietta	23
Garrett	Bob	20
Funkhouser	Cheryl	15
Bliss	John	1

Walkin’ Funny

Rick Proctor

 

Cyclists often have a walking gait that is different than non-cyclists when moving about off the bike.  Those motion differences can be entertaining to watch, and for those with an understanding of why, the funny walking can tell us something about the person.

Bike shoes commonly contribute to a different stride due to the stiff soles and cleats.  There are plenty of fashionable footgear configurations to choose from that are designed to optimize pedaling performance while walking must be a distant secondary consideration.  Bike shoes are responsible for strides with hobble, stumble, or waddle qualities. 

Chafing in the saddle contact area of the human anatomy is a problem most cyclists have experienced.  Chafing can contribute to a unique floundering stride while the victim attempts to minimize the discomfort.  It’s rare for a chafe victim to share the true reason for such a unique stride.  If asked why, an evasive answer is to be expected.  Most of us don’t want to know the details anyway, but the wry expression of an observing cyclist may indicate knowing from experience.  A caring observer may want to offer suggestions for anti-chafe products.  A cautious approach is suggested for such a sensitive topic.

Injuries can provide the cyclist with sufficient reason for a unique stride.  During a bike tour a few years ago, I was moving my bike around in a hotel room while barefoot.  I wanted to shift the chain to smaller gears to keep the chain away from furniture in the room.  I lifted the back end of the bike with one hand, and with the other hand I cranked a pedal around then reached for a shifter.  This was not my day for graceful moves.  I bumped a lamp in the room and in my excitement to catch the lamp I briefly lost track of where the rear wheel was, and the spinning tire contacted a bare toenail.  #@&%!  My previously odd stride was even more odd with a faltering limp for the rest of the tour and weeks afterwards while my toe healed. 

A confident, experienced bicyclist will add a touch of swagger to their stride, even when there are other influences involved.  The swagger is a sign of being healthy in body, mind, and spirit – all enhanced through cycling.  It is on the bike where the cyclist becomes a vision of style and skill in flight.  You may not know you have it, but non-cyclists may sense it and look upon you with awe as you walk your bike to a road, mount up and ride to the horizon and beyond.

SOME FUN CYCLING GOALS

By Drew Ellison

At our last BIKES Club meeting, we had a program about setting some cycling goals for the year. "But wait!", you say. “I don’t want to set any goals, I just want to have fun and enjoy riding my bike.” Wonderful! So maybe you want to set some goals around things that make riding your bike fun.

Here are some fun goals and some just-plain-fun things you could try.

• Stop at at least one new-to-you coffee shop every month.
• Try to spot at least 1 bird per mile of your ride. In a 20 mile ride, look for 20 birds.
• Ride one mile without going faster than 7 MPH. Easy? Then try 5 MPH. Then 3 MPH.
• Unclip one foot and see how far you can ride. Then try the other foot. It’s harder than it sounds.
• Take a sandwich and stop for lunch at a different lake every week during the summer months. And don’t repeat the sandwiches.
• Create some Strava art. If you don’t know what that is, just google Cycling Strava Art.

You get the idea. Be creative and set some fun cycling goals.

Rivendell Bicycle Works just published a piece on a fun metric - the Pedal:Hang ratio. Maybe you will want to start tracking this and see how you “improve your metric” throughout the year.

 A bike ride metric that's fun to think about

Whether you set goals or not, smile and wave at passing cyclists. That alone might just bring some fun others.

Keep on pedalin’,

Drew

Li’l Kids

Rick Proctor

 

When I go out for a bike ride, I try to make a friendly connection with other people if they are looking my way by giving a friendly wave, a nod, or a smile.  I might even say hi, g’day, or buon giorno.  Pedestrians, other cyclists, joggers, dog walkers, even car drivers when I can see through the tinted glass.  I believe it’s a good policy, in general, to get on the positive side of as many people as possible.  Most people seem to reciprocate the positive vibe.

Sometimes little kids in the toddler to pre-school age range will just stare at me in stunned silence, mouth hanging open, as though they have never seen someone riding a bike.  I suppose there’s a first time for everything and the li’l kid hasn’t been around very long.  Maybe I appear to be top heavy and unhuman with the strange bike stuff I’m wearing.  Waving, nodding, or smiling doesn’t work on them yet.  But if I ring the bell on my bike the kid may snap out it with a look of cheerful enthusiasm.  The ringing of a bell seems to stimulate young ears with a jolt to the li’l kid happy control center. 

Kids that are a bit older and know about bikes still like the bell.  A few years ago, on a mid-week club ride, a group of us rode past an elementary school playground where a teacher was trying to get something organized with a few dozen kids milling about.  I salute the efforts of schoolteachers who convey the values of a civilized world upon the next generation.  One of the kids saw us and several of us rang our bike bells.  All the kids rushed to the fence cheering and waving and made us old folks on bikes feel like rock stars!  Wow, what a great feeling to bring such happiness to a bunch of kids as we rolled onward and away from the scene of our late ray of fame.

All good things come to an end, and for bike bells, the enthusiasm in li’l kids sparked by a bell wanes in middle school.  Bike bells seem to trigger repulsion instead of enthusiasm before the 8^th grade is completed, perhaps due to becoming a teen-ager.

Some people never seem to lose the repulsion for a bike bell.  I know of a few experienced and mature bicyclists who do not like having a bell on their bike.  I believe a bike bell can be an effective warning device, attention getter, and something used to annoy the bell-haters when riding through tunnels.  For me, the bell earns its place on my handlebars by making li’l kids happy.   

February	2022
YTD Rider Miles
01/25 -02/24
Last Name	First Name	Miles
Proctor	Rick	321
Heydron	Paul	257
Linari	Steve	215
Tweedy	Christine	215
Triaggiani	John	185
Paul	Bill	182
Elmore	Brian	175
Baldwin	Paul	155
Proctor	Cindy	148
Rivetti	Lou	139
Biesiedzinski	Bob	132
Biesiedzinski	Viv	132
Stewart	Jim	130
Walchli	Cheryl	129
Norouzi	Fred	128
Kawamoto	Debbie	125
Whitehouse	John	119
Young	Ken	110
Dorf	Adrienne	105
Fenlin	Mike	105
Pahlman	Bob	96
Wolhart	Jack	95
Dermody	Richard	78
Grant	Debby	75
Labovitch	Dan	71
Logan	Paul	68
Andersen	Ron	63
Castor	Jeanne	61
Baum	Lawrence	50
Pico	Mitch	50
Strickland	Leslie	48
Berliner	Karen	47
Biehl	Lisa	46
Dahlstrom	Mike	43
Stewart	Vicky	39
Hartley	Douglas	35
Bachmann	Bob	33
Broussard	James	30
Haunreiter	Kurt	30
Haunreiter	Raquel	30
Philbin	Francis	30
Schwab	Bruce	30
Stonehocker	James	30
Nyberg	Bob	27
Kinnamon	Kristin	26
Smith	Hal	25
Williams	Brian	25
Bermet	Barry	23
Denino	John	23
Stanhope	Lee	23
Willis	Jack	23
Zander	Marietta	23
Garrett	Bob	20

·         WSDOT Safe System Approach Work Highlighted in FHWA Magazine

In 2000, inspired by examples from Sweden, the Netherlands, and Australia, Washington became the first state in the nation to set the aspirational goal of zero traffic deaths.  WSDOT's efforts to advance the Safe System Approach have recently highlighted in an article in the Winter 2022 edition of Public Roads, the FHWA magazine.

The article incorporates analysis from the new State Active Transportation Plan, particularly its emphasis on equity analysis, speed management, and crossing safety.

·         Washington's a Great Place to Recreate

The Recreation and Conservation Office is updating the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Plan and Statewide Trails Plan.  You're invited to share your favorite spots for recreation on an interactive map.  You can go to the map to share a story and a photo and learn more about the update process on the web page.

 

2022 Ride miles
December 25, 2021 - January 24, 2022
Last	First		YTD Miles
Proctor	Rick		127
Biesiedzinski	Bob		75
Biesiedzinski	Viv		75
Proctor	Cindy		75
Rivetti	Lou		66
Castor	Jeanne		61
Wolhart	Jack		56
Walchli	Cheryl		55
Norouzi	Fred		39
Hartley	Douglas		35
Labovitch	Dan		35
Baldwin	Paul		31
Logan	Paul		31
Stewart	Jim		31
Baum	Lawrence		30
Broussard	James		30
Dermody	Richard		30
Haunreiter	Kurt		30
Haunreiter	Raquel		30
Heydron	Paul		30
Stonehocker	James		30
Triaggiani	John		30
Dorf	Adrienne		25
Grant	Debby		25
Kawamoto	Debbie		25
Smith	Hal		25
Strickland	Leslie		25
Williams	Brian		25
Stanhope	Lee		23
Bermet	Barry		23
Denino	John		23
Pahlman	Bob		23
Willis	Jack		23
Andersen	Ron		20
Dahlstrom	Mike		20
Garrett	Bob		20

SO YOU WANT TO BUY A NEW BIKE?

By Drew Ellison

January, 2022 published in February 2022 BIKES Newsletter

 

You may be thinking it’s time to get a new bike. After all, it’s probably been a few years on your current bike and there have been some new developments in the design of bikes. 

 

Some high end road bikes are now going to 12 speeds in the rear. And the chainrings are getting smaller, so between the two, we have easier gears to get up those hills which our aging legs don’t do quite as easily anymore. Or maybe you’re intrigued by 1x (called One-By) drivetrains which have a single chainring up front. There’s only one shifter to work and no front derailleur to rub on the chain. Sounds kinda nice, eh? Maybe you’re aware that the trend to wider tires and built in suspension will do wonders for comfort on those rides over Skagit Valley chipseal (not to mention all the ruts in the Burke-Gilman trail). Oh, the thought of a little more comfort is enticing.

 

You are aware, of course, the bike industry has been dealing with supply chain interruption for the last couple of years and there just haven't been many bikes available for sale. You’ve heard rumors that there are getting to be lots of bikes in the stores again so maybe it IS time to get a new bike. 

 

So let’s go shopping! Wondering what you’ll find in the bike stores? Here are some things you will want to be prepared for.

 

1) Higher prices! Since bikes have started appearing in shops again the last few months, prices across the board have gone up 15-25%. That sweet $2,000 road bike you had your eye on a couple of years ago will now cost you around $2,500.

 

2) Even though the sales floor may be full of bikes for sale, they may not have what you’re looking for. Some brands, models, and component groups are nowhere to be seen. You had your eye on  that nice carbon Trek Domane before the pandemic hit? Better be prepared to wait another 12-18 months. But there sure are a lot of hybrid bikes on the sales floor if that’s what you’re looking for. 

 

3) A longer time waiting at the store for assistance. Like a lot of other business segments, bike shops are short staffed and are having trouble hiring knowledgeable employees. So the employee that assists you may not have all the answers to all your questions off the top of his/her head. Please be patient with your sales person.

 

SO WHAT’S A GOOD STRATEGY TO FINDING MY NEW BIKE!??!?

 

1) Do lots of your own online research. The manufacturer’s websites are an amazing (if not biased) source of information. They can help you decide which of their models are a best fit for the type of riding you want to do. (Of course, this assumes you know what kind of riding you want to do. If you don’t, then that’s another topic for another day.) And then there are lots of review sites and online forums where you can spend thousands of hours reading thousands of opinions about thousands of bikes. So here’s a time saving tip: you don’t have to read everything on the internet. 

 

2) Be prepared to look at brands you may not have considered. You may not be able to get that Specialized Diverge anytime soon - maybe Giant or Norco has an equivalent model available now.

 

3) Even if you don’t think you want a bike until later this Spring or Summer, start shopping now. Bike shops may or may not know what bikes are coming in the next few months. If they do have access to that kind of information, they may or may not be willing to take your name (and money) against a future delivery.

 

4) Be prepared for a changing supply chain. Sometimes the shops are told what’s coming in when, and then it all changes. This is usually not the fault of the shops. So please don’t get upset with the minimum wage bike salesperson (like me!) when we have to deliver some bad news about your new bike order being delayed a few months.

 

5) When you have decided on what bike you want and which shop you’re going to buy it from, ask the salesperson “What can I do to get my new bike as soon as possible? Can I put down a deposit? Should I order it directly from the manufacturer and have it shipped here? Can I put my name on a waiting list? Can I give you a big box of chocolates?”

 

6) Take notes on all the models you looked at or the salesperson talked to you about, and then go back to step 1 and start the process again.

 

7) Repeat until you get your new bike!

 

SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS!!!!

 

This is still an occurrence: a customer will walk into a shop, find a bike, test ride it, love it, and buy it. All on a Saturday afternoon, just like the old days! It happens and it could happen to you. But it doesn’t happen as much as it used to. So shop early and shop often, and it will increase your chances of getting that new dream bike sooner.

 

With perseverance and patience, you’ll get your new bike this year. Just remember to always smile when you ride and wave to your fellow cyclists.