Two Wheel Blogs

I had great hopes of getting out for a quick ride sometime today. As I walked out the door, rake in hand, it really felt like a great day for a ride. Temperatures never made it out of the mid 40's and we never saw the sun, but for some reason it did not feel very cold.

It didn't seem like it would take all that long to rake the leaves and haul them away. There were a lot more of them than I thought and my little 1 hour raking project ended up taking more than three. Thankfully I at least got to see my work finished before the sun set.

If you have a bit on your rig that is carbon fiber, or carbon fiber wrapped that has lost its luster, you can repair it easily. These instructions apply to non-structural carbon such as brake levers or bottle cages. The same instructions can be used on structural carbon also (such as frames, forks, seat posts, you name it), but I do not recommend it as you may be hiding damage that can wind up hurting you when it fails.

We have all probably seen carbon fiber brake levers. They look pretty, and they are pleasant to use (I like that they are not cold to the touch in winter). The problem is, you could probably scuff them up with a hard stare.

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Ever have it? You enter a turn and grab some brake to strip off a little speed and your fork starts pulsating like a jackhammer and you contemplate ditching for a drop-tuck-and-roll. It can be scary. The good news is you might find something in here that will fix it.

If you have no idea what I am talking about, set a book mark now so you can come back to this if/when you do experience it. It can be a very frustrating thing to deal with and fix. Some (perhaps all) of this stuff will seem basic to you, but if you follow these steps you should get closer to eliminating the problem.

I found myself saying something really strange the other day. I said something along the lines of, "I sure am happy to be riding the trainer" and I really meant it.

I have been without a bike for a couple weeks while I am recovering from a crash. I do not want to labor the point, but there was/is some confusion regarding the status of my hip and what corrective actions need to be taken to rectify whatever problems may exist. In light of these potential problems (I will keep you posted once I learn WTF is going on), I am seriously happy to report that I am able to ride my bike on a trainer again.

A few people have been asking, so I thought I might post up some info here.

Unfortunately, I can not tell you of any fun or inspiring rides yet. I am still out of commission waiting for my hip to heal (walking is still painful). Every day is a little better, and every day I can do a little more before I have to stop.

I hope to get most of my bike back today. I have not overly rushed any of the repairs as I have not really felt optimistic about trying to ride. I have a plan though.

May be it should be titled "life of carbon". The real question is when do you replace those expensive carbon bits on your bike that cost you a fortune?

There are several schools of thought that I have encountered over the years.

When forks for road bikes first were offered with carbon steerers, I recall a recommendation to replace said forks annually. Others recommend replacement of carbon structural parts (such as forks and handle bars) immediately after a crash. The last group I encountered (I am omitting a few) say replace when cracks are visible upon close inspection, or when a crunchy sound can be heard while flexing the part.