Rumor has it the Fort Collins Bike Co-op will be celebrating our tenth anniversary somewhere in the second week of November at a well-known local brewery. Stay tuned for more info…
Around & About the Co-op…
One of our fine mechanics, Gil, working with Rachel on her newest project. Rachel came in and picked up an as-is bike…
…and is turning it into a sweet ride!
Doug and Justin stop by to check out Rachel’s handiwork.
Keep it safe riding in the rain!
The unusually wet weather lately has a lot of cyclists stumped about staying safe on the road…we’re just not used to this kind of moisture in Colorado! A couple of tips for riding in the rain:
-Nobody likes getting sprayed soaking wet while riding. Fenders are a great way to keep rain and road debris off of you while riding. They can help protect your frame from dings by road debris as well.
-Keep your bike’s performance in top shape by drying and lubricating your chain after riding in inclement weather.
-Consider your surroundings and your bike’s responsiveness. Your bike won’t respond as quickly in wet conditions as it normally would, so braking needs to be anticipated with adjusted expectations.
-Rain reduces visibility for everybody, so wearing reflective clothing or accessories (ankle straps, coat tags/pulls/details, Watch for Bikes! stickers…) and working lights and reflectors on your bike is a must -especially at night! Drivers are experiencing reduced visibility too: make yourself as highly visible as possible to reduce the opportunities for accidents.
As always, ride safely!
Bike Mechanics Class
The Winter Bike Mechanics Class kicked off two weeks ago with a packed house. Claire, Justin, and Ben are co-teaching this session of 14 students. Due to demand, we’ll be offering more of these courses in the future. Stay tuned for future offerings.
One Speed Open scheduled for December 9th
The One Speed Open is happening! Check out the One Speed Open blog for updates. The Bike Co-op has a history of supporting this event…just make sure you’re ready for 30-40 miles of winter gravel grinding at race pace. Rumor has it, there will also be a One Speed Open “Lite” option for those who don’t want to kill themselves trying to keep up with Dan Lionberg. Rafael always finds a great local non-profit to support and all of the $15 entry fee goes to charity.
http://onespeedopen.blogspot.com/
Quick n' Dirty Week 8 – Bike Fit
Most people view bike fitting as a scientific discipline, especially those who treat cycling as a sport. Why don’t you view the following images of several bike fitting professionals in action and then decide for yourself.
Do you want this bike fitting professional to massage your shoulders while you’re getting your bike fit?
We’ll, if you’re paying $175 and you’re already riding on a trainer without a shirt on, why not? It’s included in the package, right?
Maybe this is standard procedure. It appears that this second bike fitting professional is tickling the knee of this male cyclist, sporting the always classy, bibs only look.
“Knee, tell me which way I should move his saddle.”
And yes, ladies, bike fitting is for you too. You can pay these two gentleman $100 to inspect your buttocks and say things like “from the way you’re moving your pelvis, it’s clear that we need to go the custom route.”
Enough fun. Here’s the handout – QnD_Fit. There is some truth to Bontrager’s 3 basic measurements and KOPS, but the best way to figure out what fits you is to ride a lot on many different bikes.
Quick n' Dirty Week 7 – Brakes
It’s brakes, not breaks! Every cyclist should now how to adjust brakes because in most cases, YOU NEED them to finish a ride. I once witnessed Bike Co-op founder, Rafael, use a piece of bark in place of his brake pad when it mysteriously disappeared mid-ride. A lesser mechanic would have called it a day and walked back down the trail. Instead, Rafael rode that piece of bark all the way down Hewlett’s Gulch. The point of this story is that you should learn to work on your brakes! They won’t stay properly adjusted forever.
During class, we introduced the most common brake styles and discussed common brake issues with wear and adjustment. We also discussed some of the fundamentals of cable routing. Check out the handout – QnD_Brakes.
Quick n' Dirty – Week 6 Drivetrain Part 2
Week 6 was packed with useful information. What are those screws on the front and rear derailleurs? In what order should you make the various adjustments when installing a new derailleur? What shifters work with which derailleurs? What is needed to index a shifter and derailleur?
We answered all this during week 6! Check it out – QnD_Drivetrain2.
Quick n' Dirty – Week 5 Drivetrain Part 1
Are you having shifting problems? Is your chain slipping? There are a ton of compatibility issues to consider with drivetrains. Here’s some basic information to get you started.
Check out the handout! QnD_Drivetrain1
Quick n' Dirty Ed – Week 4 Wheel Work
Week 4 focused on wheel work. Working on wheels is one of the more difficult tasks mechanics face at the Bike Co-op. There’s a lot that can be done to fix a damaged wheel, but it’s just as important to know when to call it quits. Make sure to read the troubleshooting page! It has a lot of advice from Tim on how to prioritize wheel work to avoid working on wheel that has a fatal flaw.
Check out the handout! QnD_Wheels