A kinder, gentler Devil Mountain Double

I love the mass starts on some of the doubles. There's a sense of excitement and anticipation in the group as 150 riders head out for a challenging day of riding. As we head up, the group spreads out, so there is a stream of tail lights ahead and occasional flashes of headlights in the rear view mirror.

This was my 4th DMD, so I knew what I was getting into (yes, I guess I'm a slow learner). In 2010, I rode it as part of the stage race and did pretty well, for me, at 15:31. Last year, I tackled it again, hoping to improve my time. Instead, I got my first ambulance ride, which was a whole lot slower. This year, I just wanted to ride, to enjoy the day and the challenge.

It was a beautiful day! The weather couldn't have been better. 

I found I really enjoyed riding along at a moderate pace, enjoying the day, the roads, the scenery and occasionally riding with others. I found that I had "hill amnesia." I'm pretty sure those hills were 2-3 miles shorter the last time I did the ride.  Yes, there were times when I wondered what in the world I was doing out there and a few times I wondered if I had enough pedal strokes left to crest a hill.

At the final rest stop I joined four others for the final stretch to the lasagne. It was fun, doing a "night ride," hanging out with a group that was finishing a challenging ride.

I took two hours longer this year to finish the ride. I had a great, fulfilling ride - other than sitting on the saddle for two more hours, that is! 

SEBC hat pics

SEBC has these 100% cotton hats embroidered with the club logo on sale for $20.

Russ

Solvang Double Century

It was my first "double" of the year, having taken a six week, unplanned "couch time" vacation last year... Hmmm. 

Anyway, my hope was to finish the ride and not feel like I'd been taken out behind the barn for good ass whoopin' when I finished. You know, have fun.

Jeanette Summers and I headed off into the darkness around 5:30. It was fun trying to catch the next blinking tail light down the road. When you catch that one, you look for the next one. Connect the dots. Then, connect the green jackets. Just trying to keep a good, steady pace and not get too "used up" in the first half of the ride... and, not stop too long at rest stops. By mile 100, I was under 6 hours total ride time with only 9 minutes paused, so I was feeling pretty optimistic about a 12 hour finish.

But, I hadn't found any good pace lines or people to work with since sunrise. As I headed to the lunch stop at mile 113, I spotted a tandem in my rearview mirror! Hallelujah! Rest break! It didn't last... the road tilted up, the tandem slowed... and I was solo again. Drat! (this is family rated, right?)

I ate a half sandwich at lunch, then jumped back on the bike because I saw a pretty good sized group leaving. As we started to head south and toward the ocean, the wind picked up and the group spread out. I rode the next 20 or so miles with a guy from Salt Lake City. He told me that last year he couldn't even see the ocean because the rain and fog were so bad. 

Still, the wind was picking up and we were 70 miles from the finish. I was starting to head for the back of the barn... the wind was relentless. Headwind, crosswind, gusts, sand and dust blowing horizontally across the road. I looked with longing at any road that gave any hope of heading down wind. But, noooooo.

At the last rest stop, around mile 140, the road finally turned inland so we had a crosswind as we headed for Foxen Canyon and Ballard roads to the finish.

My Garmin battery pooped out before I finished, so I just learned from an organizer e-mail that my time was 13:40 (with 40 minutes stopped). 

I didn't quite get my ass whooped by the ride. I really enjoyed riding in the Buellton / Solvang / Santa Maria / San Luis Obispo / Morro Bay / Pismo Beach area. It's a very beautiful part of our state!

I also got to eat dinner at the Mexican Place and Betty's (Training Camp favorites) for breakfast. What a way to work up an appetite.

Frank

training camp picture

fun in Buellton

Training camp photo

Most of the camp ground gang on 1st day.

 

The Ride Connection - information about a new web site

My name is Desi. I am a cyclist in Northern Virginia. I belong to several bike clubs, including the WABITS Tandem Club.

I realize that you are the contact for a Cycling Club. I am hoping that you will help me get the word out about "The Ride Connection" website. It just went live in November 2011.

The Ride Connection is located at http://www.therideconnection.com

So what does The Ride Connection offer you as a cyclist? Our mission is to match cyclists with other cyclists and riding opportunities. Although cycling is a great solitary sport we have a fundamental belief that cycling is more fun when enjoyed with others. We provide powerful search tools to connect you with other cyclists with similar goals and abilities.

Here are some of the website's cool features:
Automatic ride notifications by email based on your profile and preferences.
Sophisticated search for members, rides, ride groups and routes.
Google maps integration including feet of climbing.
Printable cue sheets in PDF, Word and Excel.
Anonymous email through the site until you get to know your future riding buddy.
Create favorite ride and favorite route lists. Be notified if your favorite rides change.
The ability to link your ride and route. Rides and routes can function separately as well.
Create and join ride groups. Just add a ride group to your favorites list. It's that simple.
Ride RSVP. Let the ride leader know if you will ride with them.
SSL encryption. Your connection is as secure as online banking.
These are just a few of The Ride Connection's many highlights. There will be many more features in the coming months and years.

What The Ride Connection is: The Ride Connection is about connecting cyclists with cycling resources. In particular other cyclists, rides and ride groups. Later versions of The Ride Connection will include a section for Bike Clubs, Bike Shops and Events. These sections are under development.

What The Ride Connection is not: Another "mapping" site like ridewithgps.com ormapmyride.com. Yes, there is mapping on The Ride Connection but mapping is only a piece of the pie.

Please check out the site and search for member "Milano". View profile by selecting the Detail link. This member gets the website's mission.

I encourage you to forward this email to all your cycling friends.

The website will not be useful unless people use it.

I hope the website enhances your cycling experience.

Have fun and ride safe.

Desi

FYI: The website is totally FREE!

PS: If you have any suggestions or questions, please let me know.

Jim Rogers 3rd Annual Memorial Ride - Empress Mine

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVt6jrZS45U

San Diego to Maine Bicycle Ride Book

Hello!

My name is Jeff Sambur, and I recently wrote a book that might be of interest to your members.

It is entitled "Destroying Demons on the Diagonal" (A Firefighter's San Diego to Maine Bicycle Ride into Retirement).

Here is a short description of the book.

Don't let the title or the cover scare you off; the book is a light-hearted account of my San Diego to Maine bicycle ride into retirement.

   Come along with me as we pedal to: The Salton Sea, the Colorado River, Route 66, the Continental Divide, the Santa Fe Trail, the Lewis and Clark Trail, the headwaters of the Mississippi, the five Great Lakes, the highest points in three states, and fifteen baseball stadiums.

   Along the way, we'll meet farmers, felons, friends (new and old ones), vagabonds and heaps of good-natured American folks. There's history, geography and a few of my musings and opinions. Heck! You might even learn a few fun factoids for the next Trivial Pursuit game.

 The book is now available online at Amazon.com.

  All you need to do is search my name. It is on sale even!



Thanks!

Please be safe out there,

Jeff M. Sambur

jeffsambur@gmail.com

Pics from Sutter Buttes

Jim & I had a great time riding with SEBC around the Sutter Buttes.  What a perfect cycling day!  Here are some fun photos from the back of the tandem.  Looking forward to riding with you again sometime.  

Jim Rogers Memorial Ride / flyer

Attached, hopefully, is the flyer with information on this year's Jim Rogers Memorial Ride.  Feb 11th at 11:00 starting at Tour of Nevada City Bike Shop.  Simple lunch of sandwiches to follow after ride (donation of at least $5 suggested).

 

For more info:  knwe@sbcglobal.net   or 478-1599   (Karen Wallack-Eisen)

The 3 Foot Law

3 states seek to join 19 that require 3-foot passing around cyclists
by Gene Bisbee at 11:48PM (PST) on January 19, 2012  |  Permanent Link  |  Cosmos
Updated Jan. 20, 2012 -- Bicycle advocates in Pennsylvania are pushing for a bill that would require drivers give cyclists 4 feet of clearance when they pass.

The legislation, HB 170, passed the Pennsylvania House last May, but got pigeon-holed in the Senate's Transportation committee. Supporters want to win Senate approval and the governor's signature this session.

If the bill is approved, Pennsylvania would be the 20th state to require that motorists give bicycle riders 3 or more feet of clearance when passing. The law also confirms a cyclist's right to the road and makes it illegal to right hook a bicycle rider.
California advocates also are seeking new 3-foot legislation this year after last year's veto, and a Nebraska legislator has introduced HB 1030 that requires a 3 feet when passing a bicyclist.

Three added to list

The number of states requiring a 3-foot gap grew by three in 2011.
Nevada became the 19th state with a 3-foot passing law on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, after Gov. Bryan Sandoval signed Senate Bill 248 in law on May 19.
Also in 2011, Kansas and Georgia became the 17th and 18th states requiring that motorists give bicyclists at least 3 feet of space when they pass. Those laws went into effect on July 1.
California stood to be the 20th state to enact a 3-foot passing law, but Gov. Brown vetoed SB 910 (see "California governor vetoes 3-foot passing bill"). Supporters vowed in January to reintroduce a 3-foot law in 2012 that addresses the governor's concerns.
Meanwhile, at least nine cities in Texas have ratified 3-foot passing bills recently. That follows Texas Gov. Rick Perry's veto in 2010 of a statewide 3-foot law that had gained legislature approval but faced opposition from special interests.

Rough Road
Maryland and Mississippi enacted 3-foot laws in 2010, but five other states failed to get a 3-foot passing law enacted that year. Multiple bills failed in Virginia, and measures were defeated in Wyoming and North Dakota. A state legislator in Washington withdrew his bill, as did a legislator in Rhode Island who sought to expand the passing gap from 2 feet to 3 feet.
A bill in Oklahoma that sought to strengthen penalties in the 3-foot law is locked in committee. It would raise the fine for a passing violation to $500, injury to not less than $1,000, and death to $10,000. The bill also made it illegal to throw objects at bicyclists from a passing vehicle.  

Given the track record of these bills in 2011, it appears that it might be more difficult to add more states to the list of 3-foot passing states in the future.

19 states
The 19 states with 3-foot laws are: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia (July 1), Illinois, Louisiana, Kansas (as of July 1, 2011), Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Wisconsin.  (Connecticut, New Hampshire enacted in 2008; Colorado and Louisiana in 2009; Maryland and Mississippi in 2010.)
Five recommend 3 feet in driver's manuals; four require a safe distance without specifications.
Here's the breakdown with links:
3-foot clearance states
Arizona: "When overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction, a person driving a motor vehicle shall exercise due care by leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet ..." Sets fines if violation causes death or injury. (Doesn't apply if bicyclist is not using an adjacent bike lane or bike path.) Enacted in 2000.
Arkansas: "... pass to the left at a safe distance of not less 3 feet..." Sets fines in case of death or injury. Enacted in 2007.
Colorado: The law requires motorists give bicycles at least 3 feet or risk a $110 fine. Also states anyone who throws an object at bicyclist be charged with class 2 misdemeanor, which carries a $250 to $1,000 fine and 3 to 12 month jail sentence. (Enacted in 2009; went into effect Aug. 5)
Connecticut: "... safe distance means not less than three feet when the driver of a vehicle overtakes and passes a person riding a bicycle." (Enacted 2008)
Florida: "... must pass the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet between the vehicle and the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle." See also Florida Bicycle Law guide published by the Florida Bicycle Association. Enacted 2006.
Georgia "... the term 'safe distance' means not less than three feet. ... the operator of a motor vehicle, when overtaking and passing a bicycle that is proceeding in the same direction on the roadway, shall leave a safe distance between such vehicle and the bicycle and shall maintain such clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle." House Bill 101 signed into law May 11; went into effect July 2011. See Georgia Bikes! press release. Enacted 2011.

Illinois: "... leave a safe distance, but not less than 3 feet..." Enacted 2007.
Kansas: "The driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a distance of not less than three feet ..." Passed by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Sam Brownback on April 15. [The bill also allows bicyclists and motorcyclists to pass through red lights they cannot trigger. See Kansas Cyclist for details.] Enacted 2011.

Louisiana: Motor vehicle operator "shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet and shall maintain such clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle." Also includes anti-harassment provision. See "Louisiana governor signs 3-foot rule"
Maine: "... exercise due care by leaving a distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than 3 feet ..." See also Bicycle Coalition of Maine: New Bicycle Laws. Enacted 2007.
Maryland: "...when overtaking a bicycle, .... pass safely at a distance of not less than 3 feet ..." Enacted 2010.
Mississippi: Requires 3 feet when passing, and forbids throwing objects at bicyclists from cars. Enacted 2010.
Minnesota: " ... shall leave a safe distance, but in no case less than three feet 
clearance, when passing the bicycle or individual ..." Enacted 2004.
Nevada: SB 248 requires motorists to pass safely by "passing to the left of the bicycle or electric bicycle at a distance of not less than 3 feet from the bicycle or electric bicycle. Passed by legislature and signed in law by Gov. Bryan Sandoval. Enacted 2011.

New Hampshire: "... the distance shall be deemed to be reasonable and prudent if it is at leat 3 feet when the vehicle is traveling at 30 mph or less, with one additional foot of clearance for every 10 mph above 30 mph." (Enacted 2008)
Oklahoma: "... exercise due care by leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three (3) feet until the motor vehicle is safely past the overtaken bicycle." Enacted 2006
Tennessee: Creates a subsection known as "Jeff Roth and Brian Brown Bicycle Protection Act of 2007 ... shall leave a safe distance between the motor vehicle and bicycle bof not less than three feet and shall maintain such clearance until safely past the overtaken bicycle." Enacted 2007
Utah: "An operator of a motor vehicle may not knowingly, intentionally, or recklessly operate a motor vehicle within three feet of a moving bicycle, unless the operator of the motor vehicle operates the motor vehicle within a reasonable and safe distance of the bicycle." Enacted 2006
Wisconsin: "... shall exercise due care, leaving a safe distance, but in no case less than 3 feet clearance when passing the bicycle or electric personal assistive mobility device..." Enacted 1973 (!). See also Safety and Consumer Protection: Motorist reminders... "Leave at least three feet when passing bicycles, more room at higher speeds."
Cities
Boise, Idaho:  City Council passes law requiring that cars leave 3 feet of space when passing a bicycle (also must yield to bicycles in intersections and cannot cut-off cyclists when turning) Also illegal to throw objects at bicyclists or otherwise harass them. (added Jan. 13, 2010) 

Mobile, Alabama: City Council requires motorists give bicycle riders a 3-foot gap when passing. (news reports Oct. 25, 2011)

Other cities with 3-foot laws include Oklahoma City and Edmond, Oklahoma, as well as Austin, Fort Worth, Edinburgh, Beaumont, El Paso, Helotes, New Braunfels, San Antonio, and Denton, in Texas.

Safe distance states
New York has Merrill's Law, which requires motorists to "keep a safe distance" when passing a bicyclist. Named for Merrill Cassell, 66, who was sideswiped by a bus and killed. Enacted in 2010.

Rhode Island enacted a law in 2010 that requires motorists pass at a safe distance, defined as a distance sufficient to prevent contact if the bicyclist were to fall into the driver's lane of traffic.
South Carolina enacted a law in 2008 that requires a "safe operating distance" (not 3 feet per se).
Michigan's motor vehicle code, section 257.636, says the driver of a vehicle overtaking a vehicle proceeding in the same director shall pass as a safe distance to the left of that vehicle. This applies to bicycles, as bikes are considered vehicles when they're on the road.
Drivers' manual states
Kentucky:  "Pass a cyclist only when it can be done safely, and give ample room (3 feet) between your car and the cyclist. ... Give the cyclist extra room if your vehicle has extended outside review mirrors." -- page 66
Washington: "Space for bicyclists: ... Allow three feet of space when overtaking or passing a bicyclist..." -- pages 78 and 79.
Kansas: "When passing a bicyclist use extreme caution and pass four feet to the left of the bicyclist." -- page 24.
Texas: Although there's no guidance for automobile, it is recommended that trucks and other large vehicles give six feet of clearance. "You should always allow at least six feet to the left of the two-wheeled vehicle when you are passing." -- page 15-20.
-- Both Safe Route Connection.org and Arizona Bike Law blog had information that I relied upon in creating this list. The Safe Route Connection website has a state-by-state list of vehicle passing laws related to bicycles.
 
Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes Perfect.  – Vince Lombardi

Coast Ride 2012 - the postponement...

Best laid plans don't always fall into place...

 

Trudy caught one of the colds that's been going around. Despite all her efforts to fend it off, cure it or "just get over it," by Friday night the cold won.

 

It just didn't make sense to ride 75 miles per day, with limited daylight, feeling "under the weather."

 

We decided to postpone the trip until another time... maybe Easter weekend? 

 

The plans are already in place. All we have to do is make a few phone calls to get the wheels turning again.

 

More later...

   
Frank

Coast Ride 2012 - the prelude

Last year, Ken Guy, Richard Drace and I "joined" a group of people for a ride down the coast, from the Golden Gate Bridge to Santa Barbara. "Joined" is a relative term - we used their maps and information and kind of planned our trip around theirs. The ride is about 125 miles per day. The group was a fit, late 20 to early 30ish age group of riders.

We "did our own thing." We took a car, so we could self-support. We took turns driving, so we each rode 1 full day and 2 half days. We all rode our carbon bikes, travelling light.

We had a great ride, with fantastic weather, then drove home after a restful afternoon and morning in Santa Barbara.

This year, my girlfriend Trudy and I wanted to try "lightly loaded" bike touring, in anticipation of "loaded" touring later this year.

The "Coast Ride" is a perfect opportunity. We talked about the route and decided to shorten it up a bit, to about 75 miles per day. We'll be riding slower, carrying some gear from hotel to hotel. A credit card tour...

Each of us has a back rack on our bikes to carry our stuff. She has a handlebar bag, too. I'm riding my commuter bike, an aluminum 'cross bike. It has a triple in front, mountain bike gearing in back and braze-ons for everything I could possibly want to bolt onto it. It has 700x32 tires. Pretty cushy. Trudy's riding a steel bike with similar gearing. She has regular 700x23 road tires, so she may have a little less rolling resistance, but the ride may be a little harsher.

We loaded the bikes with everything we thought we would need and went for a 25 mile test ride... not too bad... a few minor adjustments here and there.

The loaded bikes weigh about 40 pounds each.

We've spent a few hours making hotel and car rental reservations.

We plan to ride from SF to Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz to Big Sur, Big Sur to Cambria... then take the bus to San Luis Obispo to pick up the rental car for the ride home.

I'll let you know how it went when I get back - wish I had a "smart phone" for the trip!

Frank

Here's the "Packing List" from the Coast Tour, which gave us a pretty good starting point for getting our stuff together.

January Coast Ride – Packing List 

 

Prep:  Bike Tune Up (drive train, shifting, brakes, lube), New Tires, Tighten cleats into shoes

 

 

 

Packing List

Beloved Bicycle, Water bottles

Fenders  (rear fender is important to keep bottom dry)

Light, minimally-packed Backpack or rack / panniers

4 extra tubes, patch kit, 1 extra tire, Pump / CO2

Basic tools: allen keys & tire irons

Cycling shoes

Helmet

Bike jerseys (2)

Bike shorts (2)

Arm warmers (heavy)

Knee or Leg warmers 

Socks

Booties and/or over-socks

Gloves:  Full finger & reg. & over-mitts

Cycling cap / visor

Warm hat post ride

Sunglasses w/ various lenses

2 base layer tops

Rain Jacket

Wind Vest

Wallet Pouch:  Dr Lic, CC, ATM, Ins card, Cash

Nutrition  (gels and bars)

Hand warmers packets

Chamois butter

Sunscreen

Advil / salt tabs / vitamins / whatever you take!

 

 

Apres Bike stuff….

Down Jacket / Vest / fleece / sweater

T-shirt

Bathing suit (hello, hot tubs!)

Shorts / pants

Running shoes / Flip Flops

Sleeping outfit / PJs / Bday suit

Toiletries & personal items, (Ear Plugs!)

Phone & charger

Camera (& extra batteries / charger)

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.