Texas Bicycling Daily News Roundup January 2nd
The Road to Ourselves: Cycling in the Texas Mountains
By Beth Nobles         BikeTexas.org
From the saddle, I whiz past mountains, yell “howdy†to ranch cattle, and glance up to see hawks circling a crisp perfectly blue sky. My saddle isn’t on a horse, but it doesn’t matter. I have the frontier to myself; the last car passed 30 minutes ago.
There’s something special about cycling the roads and trails of Far West Texas. Pick your speed; take things as slow or as fast as you want. Power yourself down mountain passes. Dawdle and you’ll spot the red blossoms of claret cup cactus. There’s time to look, think, sweat, imagine. You’re free, not confined to the metal box of a car…
Local gear swap/sale…
by In_Yo_Grill            forums.mtbr.com/texas
I’ve been riding for going on two years now. Like many of the guys on this site I’ve changed out parts on my bikes to find the sweet balance of comfort and trail effectiveness. Of course I’m sure I’ve given into some of the hype and marketing…lol
Anyways…let’s get down to the nitty gritty. I have many parts that I no longer use and want to see if we could get the guys together and see if we could help one another out. I guess we could just post up here and then try to organize a gathering of sorts.
Bike Recommendations for my son
by Marker 37Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â www.bikeforums.net
My son is almost 10 and I would like to buy a trail bike for his birthday. he is about 4’8″ and I am 6’2″. I grew a bunch after my sophomore year in high school, so I figure this bike will last him until he is driving. any suggestions on the size bike to buy and what type of gears, frame, etc, to look for. not looking to break the bank here but am comfortable with $500 on the high side. also would be interested in a used bike of the right kind. appreciate any help.
by DISCDS
I don’t know that it’s realistic to buy him a bike that will serve him well from age 10 to 16. In buying a bike, how it fits is the ultimate factor. (However, I have seen some pretty big kids riding really small BMX bikes and they don’t seem to care much that their knees are only millimeters from hitting the handlebars.)
My general recommendation is almost ALWAYS to go to a local bike shop (LBS) and be sure it fits before you buy. But, that advice is generally given with the thought that the bike is going to be used for quite some time. I don’t know that shelling out the price for new bike is the best way to go at his age. (But then again, I don’t understand parents dropping big money for Air Jordans for tiny kids that will outgrow them in a…
City Park Ride Pics – 1-1-13
by John                     AustinBike.com
What better way to start off the year than with a ride. Although it was cold and had rained for most of yesterday, the trails at City Park drain well, and by the afternoon they were perfect (unless you were running a small block 8 on the back.
Five of us headed out for two laps and Brian caught up with us and joined in on the riding even though he…
Replacing a Bottom Bracket
by John         AustinBike.com
The bottom bracket contains the bearings that help keep your crank spinning smoothly. Modern bottom brackets now have outboard bearings meaning that they sit outside of the shell, not inside like years ago. This makes them more durable and able to withstand more torque and pressure. However, especially in the case of Shimano, the bearings are not really…
Replacing Crank Rings
by John            AustinBike.com
If you have a Shimano crankset and need to replace the rings, the job is not that difficult if you have the right tools. I think the whole job took me under 30 minutes.
The first step in the process is to take off the chain. I highly recommend either SRAM chains or getting a SRAM removable link on a Shimano chain. This allows you to take a chain apart and put it back together without a…
Tuesday Ride at Walnut Creek – Intermediate ride level
The Austin Mountain Bikers Meetup Group
Tuesday, January 8, 2013Â Â Â Â Â Â 4:30 PM
Walnut Creek Park
12138 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX (map)
Getting dark earlier so starting this at 4:30 pm so we have time to get a full loop in.
Please be there and be ready to roll by 4:30 pm. We meet in the parking lot near the pool in the middle of the island.
Any question please call/text me at [masked]
Intermediate level ride with no drop.
Ride at your own risk and helmets are required!
Tuesday: Intermediate/Advanced Mountain Bike Ride at the Ant Hills
Houston Cycling Club
Tuesday, January 8, 2013Â Â Â Â Â Â 6:15 PM
15200 Memorial Dr, Houston, Te (map)
Look for group and ask if it’s us! call me, Jeff @ [masked] if you have any questions or are going to be late.
This will be a medium to fast pace ride through the Ant Hills of Hershey Park! Bring WATER, spare tube/tire, snacks, etc…Helmets required. Call if you are going to be late so we can wait for you. Wheels rolling by 6:30! See you there
Georgetown Cyclopaths January Rides
| RIDE SCHEDULE – January 2013 | Short Rides | Long Rides | |||||
| Day | Date | Time | Meet at | Miles | Map | Miles | Map |
| Saturday | 1/5/2013 | 9:00 AM | Dale’s Essenhaus Restaurant in Walburg | 32 miles | WA7 | 46 miles | WA8 |
| Sunday | 1/6/2014 | 12:00 PM | Berry Springs Park | 35 miles | B65 | ||
| Saturday | 1/12/2013 | 9:00 AM | Catholic Church in Andice | 35 miles | A12 | 48 miles | A14 |
| Sunday | 1/13/2013 | 1:30 PM | Berry Springs Park | 32 miles | B39 | ||
| Saturday | 1/19/2013 | 9:00 AM | Liberty Hill Elementary School | 32 miles | L12 | 45 miles | L1 |
| Sunday | 1/20/2013 | 1:30 PM | Berry Springs Park | 32 miles | B68 | ||
| Saturday | 1/26/2013 | 9:00 AM | Gravel Parking Lot in Weir | 27 miles | WE2 | 51 miles | WE8 |
| Sunday | 1/27/2013 | 1:30 PM | Berry Springs Park | 36 miles | B34 | ||
Somerset Big Bird Ride
Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club
Saturday, January 26th: Wheels down at 9:00. Meet at the Park and Ride across from Bill Miller’s at south loop 1604 and Hwy 16 South for a 30 mile ride over mostly flat terrain with some gentle hills. We will travel backroads between Somerset and Lytle and pass by an ostrich farm, where we hope to see Big Bird and his siblings. Several options for lunch: bar-b-q, Mexican, pizza.
The power of #bikeschool
by Darryl         lovingthebike.com
If you don’t already know about the absolute biggest and greatest online meeting place for cyclists, then you most definitely need to check out #bikeschool in 2013. If you don’t know the whole #bikeschool story and what it’s all about, have a quick read through our description of this weekly cycling Twitter chat.
#bikeschool really has taken on a life of its own, and we have the incredible online cycling community to thank for this. Although I was one of three people who first created and launched this fun-loving cycling chat, I’ve sort of stepped down from the weekly organizing and hosting. Our #bikeschool community is so…
Seeing the South from a bike seat
Written by Kevin Kirkpatrick      www.desmoinesregister.com
Avid bicyclist Roger Netsch is preparing for a new cycling challenge this spring.
The former Indianola High School educator has ridden more than 30 Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, three Ride the Rockies and several other state rides.
In March, Netsch and five of his cycling friends will bike across the southern part of the U.S. The 3,010-mile bicycle ride will start in San Diego on March 1 and end more than a month later in St. Augustine, Fla. The cyclists will pass through Phoenix; El Paso and Austin, Texas…
Have Yourself a Merry Little Bike Ride
by Ken            Texas Racing Life
I lead an alternative lifestyle, because every year between Thanksgiving and New Years, I lose weight. This is the heart of base training in cycling, and I believe can determine how your race season will go. But I find it to be the hardest time of year to train, with no light and terrible weather. In the end, you just have to get out there and ride.
Last year between Christmas and New Years, I did a whopping 18 hours on the bike, which was around 4 more hours than I had ever done in a 7 day stretch. This year, I wanted to do more. …
Tweets
Great ride with @jdreiss at #FlatRockRanch. Weather was chilly at the start but the Green Trail was awesome as was the campfire…
— STORM (@STORM_MTB) January 3, 2013
Todd Gray – otherwise known as Beaker (Todd's a science teacher) races for the adrenaline rush and really enjoys… http://t.co/Yu8Oea6y
— Corinth Cycling (@corinthcycling) January 2, 2013
https://twitter.com/COABikeProgram/status/286551761563561985
http://t.co/gjOLvFiR. The @biketexas kids cup spring schedule. See you there !!!
— Take it 2 the street (@2WheelExpress) January 2, 2013
This 7-yr-old from Austin loved our flow track. Do you like to ride mild or wild? http://t.co/PCBYLD2O
— Reveille Peak Ranch (@RPRTexas) January 2, 2013
Looking for a group ride in Austin? Check out @BSS_Austin. http://t.co/YR4TmFdL?
— David Wenger (@wengernation) January 2, 2013
MTB Frame Geometry Part 1: How It Fits | Singletracks Mountain Bike Blog http://t.co/A7ZTcJu1
— Texas MTB Trails (@TexasMTBtrails) January 2, 2013
Big Pig Racing and Sun & Ski are putting on an endurance "race" at Tyler State Park on 1/12. Proceeds go towards… http://t.co/2MGTjo7Z
— The Spinistry (@Spinistry) January 2, 2013
Bike simulator used to study child bike safety http://t.co/eqqPa2L3
— Justin Moore (@bikegeek) January 2, 2013
https://twitter.com/FtWMntBikers/status/286467201890934784
https://twitter.com/FtWMntBikers/status/286466776924033024
https://twitter.com/MitchellGSides/status/286332104445423617