Trip Report-Lincoln,Penryn-11-30

The SEBC group at Dry Creek this morning chose not to do the loop to the west. Their concern was fog. My riding friend from Seattle and I decided to take a chance. We figured the fog was burning off as we spoke. Sure enough, as we descended into the flatlands we had a glorious sun drenched ride. Still fabulous fall colors and you could see all the way to the coast range. A little chilly but we had layers. Approaching Lincoln we picked up a tail wind which blew us through Lincoln and up the climbs towards Penryn. We stopped at Trails End for coffee and carbs. We ran into Adrian and Bill there. We were heading out, they coming in. Heading east on Taylor we encountered a little wind in gusts. As I'm still recovering from the massive torn ligaments in my left calf from a ladder fall last June, we chose to stay on Ophir to Auburn. This allowed us to avoid the steep climbs on the back roads. And, since our destination was the Ford Dealership on Luther and Hwy 49 where Bill had left his car for some maintenance, this shortened our ride. From Ophir we jumped onto the freeway for a couple hundred feet, exited quickly at Old Town, headed over to Nevada St and took it back to Hwy 49 just a !/2 mile from the dealership.

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Frank Pedrick
530-277-4702

Current Sierra Express Bicycle Club "President for Life"
Preceded by many others who are still living...

Sierra Express Bicycle Club web site:  http://www.sierraexpress.org/

Bicycle Chain Maintenance

Thanks to all for the chain maintenance info. As promised below are the 11
replies that I received. 

ONE

I clean my chain about every 200 miles. Remove chain from bike, soak in gas,
rinse, soak in gas, rinse, dry, reinstall.

I clean my chain rings, and freewheel with a thin gas damp cloth and wipe
dry before reinstalling chain.

I then lubricate chain installed wiping as much lubricant from chain as
possible, leaving lubricant only in roller areas as

best as possible. I bought the best chain money could buy at the time, about
$60.00, Sedis stainless steel. Over 10,000 miles on bike.

( one of the few blessings of a 12 speed bike is a beefy chain :)

>From what I have read Sedis is now Sram, but would look into the Campy
chains that go for about $80.00. Great reviews.

TWO

Here is what I do:

-wipe down chain with a rag, brush off grime from chainring and rear
cassette after every ride and apply a quality chain lube (5 min process).
The lube cleans the chain between rides. WD40 IS NOT LUBE!

- before changing into gear for next ride, wipe down chain and lube.
Immediately before riding, wipe off any excess lube. Excess lube only grabs
more grime

-buy a chain cleaner (Park Tool make a good one). Use a directed for a good
cleaning. I use dilute Simple Green for this process. I try to do this every
other week+/- depending on riding frequency. 

-buy a good brush set that will allow cleaning of the drivetrain. If you
clean your chain but not the cassette, chainings and derailing system you
will still have problems

-alternately try a dry lube. This require lots of prep and TLC. I've done
this a few times for MTB rides

-with regular TLC you should get more miles out of a good chain. You should
only need to replace the chain after a certain amount of stretch. Buy a
chain measuring tool if you want to do this at home. 

-A very expensive chain doesn't mean it will last longer. More expensive
chains correlate to weight reduction and tend to wear out faster

-if you find your riding conditions attract lots of grime consider a chain
with a masterlink(SRAM). This will allow you more easily remove your chair
for a deep clean/soak. not necessary, but something to think about. Shimano
requires a pin replacement if you remove the chain however I personally feel
the quality is a little better with shimano. Shimano ultegra recommended.
Performance bike has a sale on now. 

-also would recommend buying Zinn's book on road bike maintenance. It has a
great section on routine cleaning and maintenance. Sheldon Brown website
also good

THREE

I don't recommend using degreaser on your chain except during your deep
cleans or tunes of your bike because a little solevent stays in your chain
and breaks down your next lube. What I do and highly recommend doing is
thoroughly cleaning your chain with a rag after you lube and lube often! All
the lube you need wicks to the inner surfaces of the chain and all the stuff
on the outside just attracts more road grime that will increase your chain
wear.

As chains get narrower they are wearing out faster, you can spend a fortune
on a stainless steel chain that does last longer, but I recommend cleaning
your chain before you ride, I don't lube before every ride, almost, but I do
wipe my chain off before every ride. I also replace my chains when they are
at 80-90% worn. Some people are of the school of "lube it and run it" (you
know who you are) and will just run their drivetrain into the ground and
replace everything when the bike starts running poorly, this is more
expensive but happens less often, I only resort to this when I've waited to
long to replace my chain and the new chain skips on my test drive. I dont
like this option because if a part of your drivetrain breaks then you have
to replace everything and I like to know ahead of time when I'm going to
spend several hundred dollars on my bike.

FOUR

2. I have a Park chain cleaning device. Clip/hang on chain, fill w green
clean juice, crank n clean per directions. Bob.

3. Like k sez- no point in cleaning chain if ya don't clean cassette (rear
gears) and chainrings in front.

4. Good bike lube after yer done cleaning. 

5. Or u could do like me and play the trombone or euphonium all the time,
keep them lubed, stay off the bike. 

FIVE

Here is some feedback on your question. The late, great Sheldon Brown is the
first source for general info o all things cycling:

<http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html> http://sheldonbrown.com/chains.html

Personally, I like ProLink Gold lube. I use it every 50-100 miles of riding,
more in bad conditions. It is thin, and dries without a lot of greasy
residue. I drip it onto the chain while spinning the cranks backward with
the bike in a stand. Let it sit a few minutes to soak in, then wipe down the
chain thoroughly with a soft rag. Repeat if the chain is especially grungy.
This process cleans the chain as well as lubricating. I also 'floss' between
the cogs at the same time. A clean drivetrain will be quieter, shift more
smoothly and last much longer. 

Your riding style will also affect drivetrain life. Avoid cross-chaining
while riding, that is, avoid big ring/big cog or small ring/small cog
combos. These put added stress on the system. In general, if you're in the
big ring you shouldn't be beyond the 3rd largest cog, likewise if you're in
the smallest ring, you shouldn't be beyond the 3rd smallest cog. 

I generally get 1500-2000 or more miles from a chain. I lube and clean them
frequently and avoid cross-chaining. Remember to check for wear frequently
as a worn chain will quickly destroy your (expensive) cogset. 

SIX

I go by the Park chain wear gauge, and replace chains about every 3000 -
5000 miles on my road bike, and usually get two chains of wear before I have
to replace a cluster due to skipping. I might get greater cluster life if I
replaced the chain more often than my Park tool suggests, but that is
speculation. I strip new chains entirely of the factory grease (although
some say not to do this) because I hate how a sticky factory greased chain
will pick up grit and grime. If you ride in the rain frequently, you might
not want to do this.

I lube the chain with ProLink every couple of hundred miles in dry weather
(1-2 drops per chain roller) and wipe it clean with a rag. ProLink won't
attract grit and is an excellent lubricant. I clean my chains when they
appear dirty to my eye (perhaps 500 miles or so), which is to say far more
often than most people I ride with, if appearances tell. You can use a
chainbox type scrubber, even with ProLink as the cleaning agent for a 1 step
process to clean and lube, although I think that leaves too much lube on the
chain and may attract more dirt. Because my chains are never left to get
very dirty I've been using a system that is just an aerosal can of rapidly
evaporating cleaner with a minimalist cleaning box that clamps to it - super
easy, no mess, and works for me, (White Lightening Chain Cleaner).

This has been my system the past ten years, and I suspect no one gets better
wear than I. If I was willing to sacrifice cluster wear, I could probably go
8000 miles or more on one chain. I'm about 155 pounds. If you are heavier,
expect poorer mileage.

220 - 340 miles to wear out a chain boggles the mind - I'm thinking multiple
stream crosses on a mountain bike in sandy conditions and no lube to do
that.

SEVEN

See answers in CAPS below.

1. How often do you clean your chain, in terms of miles
ridden?

RARELY DO I CLEAN MY CHAIN. I DID IT FOR THE FIRST TIME
SINCE MY LAST TUNE UP, WHICH WAS PROBABLY SIX MONTHS AGO.

2. What do you use to clean the chain and what process?

I CLEAN THE CHAIN AND THE REAR COG WITH A DRY RAG. THEN I
LUBE THE CHAIN AND WIPE IT EXTENSIVELY TO GET AS MUCH LUBE OF AS POSSIBLE

3. How many miles does a chain normally last for you?

NEVER HAD TO REPLACE ONE.

4. And, I open to any other thoughts you have on chain
care, longevity, etc.

YOU MUST WONDER, DO I REALLY RIDE A BIKE??? ACTUALLY, THE
BIKE WAS A BIT "NOISY" IN THE DRIVETRAIN AND I LUBED THE CHAIN AND REAR COG
AND A WAY WENT THE NOISE. I DO USE A RAG TO CLEAN THE REAR COG AND I BELIEVE
THAT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH CHAIN DURABILITY.

EIGHT

I have a 2005 model Specialized Allez Elite that I have ridden on the AIDS
Lifecycle once and ride regularly. I have no idea what my total miles are --
perhaps 4000? I was advised to change my chain first about a year ago when
it would have hit 3000 or so, by TONC. I hadn't noticed that it really
needed to be changed -- it worked just fine as far as I was concerned. 

NINE

1. How often do you clean your chain, in terms of miles
ridden? - I USE PRO LINK AND WIPE OFF THE EXCESS BEFORE EVERY RIDE, THIS
LUBRICANT ALSO CLEANS THE CHAIN, SO I ONLY REPLACE THE CHAIN ABOUT ONCE A
YEAR ...ABOUT 5,00 MILES.
TO CLEAN, I USE SIMPLE GREEN AND PARK BRUSH. I ONLY NEED TO DO THIS ABOUT
ONCE A MONTH, BUT MAYBE MORE OFTEN IN THE WINTER

2. What do you use to clean the chain and what process? SIMPLE GREEN- SPRY
IT ON AND LET SOAK FOR 5 MINUTES, USE A BRUSH TO CLEAN AND REPEAT

3. How many miles does a chain normally last for you? ABOUT 5,000

4. And, I open to any other thoughts you have on chain
care, longevity, etc. 

TEN

I use the Park tool to measure chain wear and usually get 2000 - 3000 miles
out of a chain. On my current bike, I've had to replace the freewheel once
- at about 25,000 miles.

I know that I don't lube often enough (once a month or so - 400-500 miles;
I've recently promised myself to lube more often), so I could probably go
farther. Regarding chain cleaning - in the last few years, I wipe the chain
by running it through a rag a few turns - before each ride. I seldom clean
it between changing chains. In previous years, I never wiped down the chain
but took it off and cleaned it thoroughly 2 or 3 times during the life of
the chain. I don't think that either method had an advantage of extended
chain life. Wiping it before each ride sure makes for a nicer looking
drive-train.

I cannot imagine the short chain life you've experienced. Perhaps you
should talk to Duane at Tour of Nevada City. It sounds like you might have
a mechanical problem with the bike causing the extreme stretching.

Hope this helps. 

ELEVEN

I usually lube the chain before each ride. Often I wipe it down immediately
after lubing to keep the grime factor down.
As for replacing chains-- every couple of years but I don't ride like you
do.

I used some red s**t last summer when I was riding more. I'll look it up.
Worked fine- couldn't find it around here though.

Loma Rica - dodging the rain

Richard Drace and I decided to head down the hill to ride the Loma Rica loop yesterday.

In the morning, the outdoor temperature was 35 so I took a lot of layers with me. When we arrived at the start parking area, the temperature was 50ish, so I put on booties, my warmest gloves, leggings and a light windbreaker over my long sleeve jersey and thermal undershirt. Then the sun broke through and I felt too warm, just standing around... Hmmm?

I decided to wear everything and peel layers if I was too hot.

We rode at conversation pace most of the time, enjoying the late fall colors and light traffic.

We stopped for a coffee and treats at the Mennonite bakery near the Bangor intersection. It was my first stop there. I might ride with saddle bags next time so I can bring home a few loaves of bread, a pie and maybe a cake.

The wind picked up a little as we headed west, toward the Sutter Buttes. It was an opportunity to burn off the treats, I guess.

I was noticing that there are a lot of rusty farm implements  parked on land near the roads... my favorite is a "steam shovel" just down the road from Bangor. It reminds me of illustrations in books when I was kid.

 There was a lot of bird activity as we passed by the fields near the mid point of the ride.

We didn't stop in at the Mexican place in Loma Rica because we both had a chore list to get back to. The wind was still pretty steady, but seemed a little cooler - maybe the weather front was moving in?

Heading out of Loma Rica, there's a home that always has an incredible holiday yard display. The family was working on setting it up as we rode by, along with two pony sized Great Dane "puppies." They were very excited to see us and bounded along next to the fence as we passed - in a friendly, tail-wagging way. The real ponies were in the next field (and much more sedate).

There's a tree lined gravel road that boarders the Bald Mountain Nursery. The fall colors were spectacular!

We finished the ride around 1:30 - Richard had 39.22 miles, I had 39.24... I always try to get in extra mileage when I have chance!

Frank

Amgen out of NC for 2012

Subject: Amgen out of NC for 2012. Oh, well. There's always 2013.

Amgen 2012 not coming to NC –

You’ve all seen the ATOC route announcement Thursday, and/or been forced to stare at my mug on all of the Sac and Bay Area TV news channels the past two nights explaining why we were excluded (along with Lake Tahoe, Sac & many others – maybe even Chico) from the ATOC for 2012.

I’ve know about this outcome for several weeks but wouldn’t openly discuss it due to hand-shake “non-disclosure” agreements with AEG et. al. They’ve been a great partner the past two years so it’s only fair to play by the rules and let them make their announcement when they were ready.

Once I found out that the Tahoe region was axed, it became obvious that we had become a “start without a finish,” for lack of a better term. Just “demographically challenged,” nothing we did wrong or could have done differently.

Losing Tahoe’s participation has also potentially left Chico out (not realistic to head East/inland from Santa Rosa when stage-2 now starts in SF) in the cold after 4+ years of trying to land a stage and already having it announced this Summer that they were “set” as the stage-1 finish. Bummer! Sacramento is out this coming year also for the same reasons, even though they’ve pitched in millions to the ATOC the past several years to ensure stage participation. We were a piece of the puzzle that fit the past two years, but for 2012 we were a square peg that just didn’t fit into a round hole. Just reality, no hard feelings.

We’re already working towards 2013, but also realizing how amazing it was to have been included the past two years. With our financial limitations (Santa Rosa paid $580k to receive the 2012 Day-1 start, like we had in 2010 for about $60k), I never in my wildest dreams thought we would have had the chance to participate at all. We’re sure that Jim Birrell of Medalist has sentimental attachments to the “Coors Classic” route we were pushing for, and I’m confident that in future years we can find a way to convince AEG/Medalist that it’s not only viable to use within their event, but would provide one of the most epic and visually stunning stages ever for the ATOC – just like it did for the Coors Classic in the 80’s.

For those that keep making comments like, “Amgen owes us, we saved their butts this year” – I wholeheartedly disagree. I don’t believe that when you do a friend a favor, you expect anything in return. You help out because it’s the right thing to do, and that’s what we did for ATOC this Spring, and the sport of bicycle racing which helps expose cycling of all types to the general public. They needed help so we made it happen, and in return Nevada City received tremendous world-wide marketing exposure that we rely on to keep the store-fronts open that you all patronize and which make NC such a great place to live and visit.

Thanks again to everyone that stepped up this past May to “Save Amgen” and keep Nevada City on the map, a win-win proposition for Nevada City, ATOC and the sport of cycling for sure!

We’ll refocus on making the 2012 NC Classic a great national-level event, and I can enjoy training and racing this coming May instead of stressing on organizing another ATOC stage. Hopefully all of our local volunteers can catch their breath also, take the time to enjoy the 2012 ATOC as spectators (or volunteers @ stages in other great cities), and come back re-energized for 2013 if we’re fortunate enough to get them back up here again.

California is a BIG state with hundreds of qualified communities looking for the same opportunity we’ve received the past two years. We should be thankful for what we received, and happy to let other cycling communities around the state take their turns.

Regards, Duane & Connie

 

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