Something Wicked Cool, That Might Just Come In Handy

OK, so I know that this is a week old, or so, but I have been playing around with this and just LOVE it! For those of you who might not have heard, might be living in a box, or are generally not on the internet or don't own a computer (wait... if you don't have a computer I guess you wouldn't be reading this). Anyway, recently the gods at Google updated their Google Maps program to include directions by bicycle. This includes the best routes from point A to point B by bicycle, as well and mapping out any of the transportation trails in the area. Like this:See all the cool green lines in the photo? That's where there are bike specific lanes, or bike paths in the area surrounding Cleveland. Pretty cool, eh?

You just go to Google Maps, and where there is the "more button" on the upper right corner of the map by the "Map", "Satellite", etc, buttons. Click the "More" button and check the "Bicycle" box. That simple!

OH! If someone from Google happens to be reading this; I just had a birthday and would love one of these
if you could please... and a fluid trainer, but that's another story.

Need To Fix The Mountain Weapon

So ever since I blew the chain off the mountain bike it has never shifted quite right. Mind you, it is coming up on a year now, I think I really should attempt to do something about it, and I have JUST the answer. OK, background. I am broke-ass right now. I have an LBS (Spin Bike Shop) that I L-O-V-E, LOVE! But being broke-ass I can't afford to go in and have it reworked right now. So, I've been riding 'er like she was a single speed. I have it in third up front and sixth in the back and I crush the cranks when I hit a hill. Very seldom do I shift anymore, on the MTB any way. I actually forgot I could shift the thing once or twice.

OK, so on to getting the thing fixed. With not having Spin as an option it hit me like a bolt of lightning. Bicycle Tutor! I saw the sight about a year or so ago, and have almost forgot about it. What is it, you ask? Bicycle Tutor is about do it yourself, simple repairs, on a budget. Everything from how to assemble a bike, to basic tune ups, to repacking bearings, to how to adjust derailleurs! HAHA! Go figure... Just what I need.

The best part? Alex Ramon, a wrench out of various bike shops over the years, has set up the videos for anyone to be able to check them out and do the repairs yourself. Even cooler, Alex made the videos available for download for $1.99 each, or $25 for ALL of them. Not just the 43 that he has available now though, oh no! The 43 that are out now PLUS what ever videos that he adds in the future will also be yours.

Now, I just need to scrounge up $25, down load these bad boys, and I should be well on my way to getting the mountain weapon nailed for some cool fall rides. After all, isn't fall the best time to be on a mtb?

More Cool Stuff From Specialized... Sort Of

Hey all. I apologize for taking a freakin' week to get something posted up here. It has been a crazy week full of way too much, nothing good, to get into here. So I stopped at Spin Bike Shop this weekend. As a quick aside, they JUST updated their website with a sweet, very easy to follow website at SpinBikeShop.com> Check it out, they've got info on what they're carrying now, events that are coming up, info on special things coming at the shop, shop rides, sale info & ebay auction info, and much much more. I could easily make an entire post about all the stuff they have going on with their website. OH! As a last note, Spin: Cross Your Heart And Hope To Die Willoughby Cyclocross Spectacular (SCYHAHTDWCS) is coming up October 17th! Check the site for more on that too!

On to the post... So, while I was at Spin I came across a "new" line of bikes that I really found myself getting into. The line is a kind of urban, metro, commuter, hipster line of bikes. The styling is awesome, the colors are subdued and very natural, and the accessories rock. Take, for example, the Live.It comes with a Shimano internal shift hub, standard or disc brakes, and a front rack with a wooden bottom for carrying up to 25k worth of what you need. Models come in $580-$1550.

Need more? How about the Haul?Similar idea as the Live, but this bad boy comes with a rear mount rack that can take 50k, and built in front and rear lights. The light power is generated as you ride, so while they won't throw a ton of light, you're sure to be seen on early and late commutes to and from wherever you need to be. At $660-$1,100 they'll pay for themselves in gas savings.

Less practicality, more hip you say? The Roll is for you!A flat bar, single speed, hipster/messenger style bike. I don't see your local bike messengers sucking these up, but for someone who wants a great single speed starter bike, this bad boy tops out at just over $800! $610-$830 to be exact. This might just have to be the next bike I add, when I get the cash to make it happen.

Two more round out the new line. The Carmel and Vienna are more straight forward
respectively. These are more typical hybrid bikes. Straight forward gearing, with just the basic bells and whistles to get around. Carmel will cost ya between $330-$550 for the base (26" wheels) or the Carmel 700 (700c wheels), and the Vienna goes from $400-$880.

These are still made by Specialized with all of the quality of Specialized, but are being marketed under a new name badge, Globe Bikes. Check 'em out at your local dealer that carries Specialized products. I can't wait to get on one of these and check 'em out. You ridden one yet? Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Team Fatty Update, Lean Look Challenge, And Some Cool T6 Stuff.

I feel as though I sound like a broken record, but I wanted to take a minute to throw some love to The Fat Cyclist, and Lance Armstrong Foundation. As You've no doubt read in the past, I will be riding in the Philadelphia leg of the LiveStrong Challenge. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated to my Livestrong Challenge fundraising efforts! I am still a long way off of my $2500 goal, $2070 off to be exact. If you’re reading this and you able to help by donating to LAF on behalf of my fundraising effort, you can go to my secure LIVESTRONG Challenge Page HERE, and make a secure donation. Anything that you are able or willing to donate will help, go to a great cause, fighting cancer, and be appreciated. I was thinking about things the other day and thought, "Hmmff, I have about 285 friends on facebook. At $5 a piece that's $1425." I'm sure almost all of the people I have as friends would pony up $5. Then I was thinking along similar lines with the blog. If I had only 10 unique viewers a day, and they were willing to donate $5 to my fundraising efforts that's $50 a day. Basically what I am saying is this; If you can spare anything at all, even a few bucks, you can be part of a rock star fundraising effort on behalf of my father, Fatty's wife, and so many more people. You can also track how I am doing, and there is a link to donate on the right hand sidebar of this blog. The next goal I have in mind is to have $1250 (50%) of my $2500 goal in by March 31, 2009. Thanks again in advance, WIN!, and let's fight cancer.

OK, the reason I am posting this for nine on Tuesday, and not midnight like usual is I am hoping I don't scoop Fatty. Today is an awesome day! Some time ago now, back in November, Fat Cyclist decided to start Team Fatty: Fighting For Susan. Now there are 368 people, and counting... daily that are joining in the fight. To the tune of nearly $130,000. There's still more than three months till the Seattle event, four until San Jose, five and change until Philly, and well over seven until Austin! Can you imagine the money that we can still raise!

Back to the point, Twin Six is an amazing cycling apparel and accessory company. They have been helping Fatty, Susan, Team Fatty, LAF and have been doing so much good for a couple of years now. Well, they're at it again. Now, starting today, you can get your official Team Fatty kits, and gear! So whether you're riding a leg of the LiveStrong Challenge, or just want to help a good cause get to their Fat Cyclist or Team Fatty pages and order some FC gear for your rides.

OK, now my numbers for the Lean Look! See, I didn't forget, I'm just doing Tuesday now... Remember?

Weight: 183.6
Waist: 36.5
Neck: 15.5
Body Fat % Calculation Estimate: 21

So long story short, I'm up three tenths of a pound for the week. I need to focus on doing intervals and core workouts again... I can't say the last time I did either. OK, it was Saturday, but I feel as though it's been forever. I can't wait till the weather breaks and I could get back out on the bike... OUT on the bike.

An Extremely Cool Topic To Leave You With For The Weekend

I want to start with a cool Phan Boy Update! (crap... now I have to add the 'Phan Boy' tag and re-update) Anyway, I'll give everyone one guess where I will be this weekend... Give up? OK, here:That's right, Spin Bike Shop has their yearly winter clearance sale. What's on sale? What do you mean? Click the picture above and see for yourself. Better yet get in your car and get out to the Willoughby, Ohio store at 4144 Erie Street in Downtown Willoughby, or if you're west get to the Lakewood, Ohio store at 14515 Madison Avenue in Lakewood. Everything is on sale anyway, so you might as well just go. Tell them I said hello, or maybe I'll see you there...

Now, for something to leave you with over the weekend. Consider it homework, but fun, er phun. While messing around in the world of the interweb, and looking around the www.com stuff I came across something extremely cool. Extremely cool, and mind numbing this is. Apparently there is this ridiculously cool family doing a ridiculously cool thing. I'll try and give you the gist of it without ruining the story, but you have to check it out for yourself.

The Vogel's are on a journey. They have take their two kids, a tandem, two single bikes, their packs and on heck of a journey and turned it into something special. You see, as a family, they will journey from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina via the Pan American Highway. A journey that will take them approximately 20,000 miles over thirty months (two and a half years).

The Vogel children will, upon completion of the ride, will go into the Guinness World Records as the youngest persons ever to complete the journey. But that's not all, far from it really. You see, they will learn valuable life lessons along the way, and through Reach The World they will be able to take their journey into classrooms. They will be able to provide amazing, firsthand, real life lessons to children as they travel.

I encourage you to check out their site, and follow their journey. They left Alaska on June 8, 2008 and are already in Mexico City! Seriously. They are leaving regular updates, some photos, some videos, and lessons we can all take from. God speed, Vogel's. Hope your having a heck of a ride!

The Greatest Stocking Stuffer Ever!

If you're like me, and you celebrate Christmas, you are probably about twelve days shy of finishing your Christmas shopping. With that in mind I would like to make a recommendation. Mr Smith, well Mike... but he 'is Mr Smith. That's to say he created, well, never mind. For the sake of this blog post, and to save my wind wandering any further, Mike is one cool guy!

Mike would like to extend a special offer to all of the Cycling Phun readers through the Holiday! What is the offer? how about 15% off your entire purchase! Yup, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, or even Ramahanukwanzmas he'll give you 15% off a Jimi wallet! Heck, why stop there? Get one for you, make you dad a wee bit more hip by getting one for his stocking, another for mom so she isn't jealous, what about the two guys at the local bike shop who never charge you to tweak out your bike (give 'em a six pack too, those guys love the suds, usually!), heck go mad and buy a case of these things! They're 15% OFF!

OK, so here's how to do this. Go to http://thejimi.com and look around for what you want from the Jimi Store. Throw it all into your basket and fill out all the necessary info like name, address, payment, etc. When you're filling it out, make sure you type "phun" as the coupon code on the payment page, and WHAMO! (I just wanted to use the word whamo), 15% off! It's just that easy!

So what are you waiting for?! Get over there and get your stuff ordered so you can have it in time for holiday gifts! Oh, and enjoy changing your life, and the lives of others, with Jimi!