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Surge Tales from a friend


A customer/friend and silver Street Machine Gte-rider who lives in the Village wrote me about his experience during Tropical Storm Sandy.
Reprinted with permission.

Subject:   Surge Tales
From:   I—@aol.com
Date:   Sun, November 4, 2012 9:10 pm

11/4/12

Dear Friends:

I trust that those of you in the path of Sandy’s fury,  as well as your  family and friends, are all well and safe.

I’ve survived the week in relatively decent shape  – experiencing what many of us, especially those in the blackout zone below 26th  St. (on the West Side) have: the hurricane itself, followed by cold days  and dark nights, no hot water, electricity, light, TV, radio, internet, or  cellphones.  Of course sadly, many in and beyond the city, have suffered  far more grievous harm.

Monday afternoon, I decided to venture out and see the  roiling Hudson.  Everything seemed OK until, at Washington St. a  powerful gust more or less plastered me against the side of a  building. I thought better of it and headed home.

After a day, I packed a knapsack and hiked up to  midtown, in the illusory expectation that there were hotel rooms to be  had.  I soon realized there were none in all of Manhattan.  What I  did  however chance upon, was a coffee shop in the Westin Hotel at 43rd and  8th.  It offered all the basic necessities of life – espresso, central  heating, light, well-appointed restrooms, newspapers, and last but not  least, numerous outlets for charging my iPad and phone.  A number of other  downtown refugees also spent their days camped out at Bar 10 for the  duration.

Every evening I would hike back downtown, to check  in on a neighborhood friend, and to sleep as best I could in my  own cold, dark apartment. In the absence of light, I fell into a pattern of  going to sleep at around 9.  In the morning, I couldn’t wait to get out  when the sun rose at 7, and make my way back to my warm  midtown haven.

All in all, for me, a trying but ironically interesting  experience.  For too many others  a terrible tragedy.  The  modest light at my bedside never looked as good as when it  suddenly flickered on at around 6 Saturday
morning.

Warm regards to all,

Izzy

# # #

Stay well, all,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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10 Tips for Getting Warmer When the Heat Is Off

By Robert Matson, WFR
Illustration by Mike Clelland
To download this entry as a reprintable PDF, click here.

Do you lack heating in your home? These ten tips will help you stay warmer.

1. If you start feeling cold, get moving. Jump up and down or do jumping jacks every time you feel a chill. If you have trouble moving, voluntarily force yourself to shiver. You can also shake your arms, your legs, your head, and your hands. The more you move, the warmer you’ll get. Talking to others — and yourself! — will also help.

2. Wear dry clothes. If your clothes get damp, remove them, including underwear, and put on dry clothes.

3. Eat! When you feel cold, you can quickly generate warmth by eating sweet foods like candy bars, hot liquid Jell-o, and sweet breakfast cereal. Beverages like hot chocolate and milk with added sugar are good whether served hot or at room temperature. If you like coffee or tea, add sugar — real sugar and lots of it — to help you warm up. In addition, eat complete and nutritious meals throughout the day to maintain your energy and do not skip dessert. This is not the time to diet. Have a snack before going to bed.

4. Sit on a cushion. When you sit down, sit upon something that provides insulation between you and whatever you’re sitting on. These are good: a cushion, a pillow, a piece of foam, a towel, a spare piece of clothing, a yoga mat, or a blanket. Avoid sitting directly on cold, hard surfaces like metal or wood chairs or benches or floors.

5. Wear layers of clothing. On top, layer-up like this: first a t-shirt, then a long-sleeved t-shirt, then a baggy button-down shirt, then a hooded sweatshirt or sweater. On the bottom, layer-up like this: first underwear, then sweatpants, then jeans. Loosely-fitting stockings are also a good first layer.

6. Wear loose-fitting, baggy clothes. Avoid tight clothing, which may inhibit circulation to your extremities and which may, in turn, make you feel cold.

7. Wear a hat, and a scarf, and a hooded jacket. Instead of a scarf, you can also tie a dry towel or shirt or wrap a men’s tie loosely around your neck.

8. Wear two pairs of thick socks and a pair of extra large shoes. The socks should be thick, warm and non-constricting. Find shoes that are big and loose enough that you can comfortably wear them over your socks (you may look goofy, but you’ll feel warmer).

9. Cover all exposed skin, including hands, ears and neck. Wear mittens, gloves or thick socks on your hands. Button all buttons. Wear a hat that covers your ears. Pull up your pants.

10. Put on a thick, insulated winter jacket if you’re still cold during the day. If you’re still cold at night, wear all your layers to sleep and cover yourself with blankets.

Written by Robert Matson, Wilderness First Responder, 2012 (Brooklyn, NY) blog.nycrecumbentsupply.com

Illustration by Mike Clelland, 2012 (Driggs, ID) mikeclelland.com

Sources: Wilderness Medicine Newsletter and Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities, www.soloschools.com



Rights and Permission:
Permission is granted for reprints as long as: no fee is charged for those reprints, no changes are made without permission, and the writer and artist are credited as listed here.

Stay well,
Robert

————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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Hurricane Sandy


Our neighborhood was spared (assuming nothing more happens).  The electricity is on this morning and there wasn’t any flooding in our neighborhood which is in a high area of Brooklyn. When the wind dies down, I may go out and look around the neighborhood, but otherwise I plan to spend the day repairing and tuning bikes — my own bikes for a change — and doing things around home that I kept putting aside during the busy season.  That should be nice.  Feel very lucky.

Stay well,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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What I’m riding in town these days.

This is a Cruzbike Sofrider loaded with groceries, including kale and swiss chard.

For the past few months I’ve been riding a Cruzbike Sofrider around town as my city “beater.”  The Sofrider is a capable commuter and touring bike, but it’s not immediately obvious how properly to attach luggage.

 

Rack.
I’m using an Old Man Mountain Sherpa rack, here shown with standard Axiom rear panniers packed with groceries.  The Sherpa is a well-made, versatile and strong rack that you can install in the manner intended by the manufacturer, which is what we want to do for best results.  I’ve attached the rack’s vertical struts to threaded bolt holes just forward of the rear dropouts.  The forward “horizontal” supports attach to the rear caliper brake bolts.  This is a secure fitting and allows for a decent real world payload.  It is easier to install a seatpost-mounted rack, like the Topeak models, but their typical payload ratings of 20 lbs. isn’t enough for (my) grocery shopping.  For those concerned about weight, be aware that the 32-ounce Sherpa is not lightweight.  Also, note that the rack is rated for a payload of 40 lbs.  My belief is that the rack will support a heavier payload for a short time, but for a longer trip I’d stay below the 40 lbs. payload rating. (Errata: I had  originally written in this post that the luggage is fully suspended when using the Sherpa rack, but the luggage is not suspended since the rack is attached directly to the rear wheel.  If one were to use a seatpost-mounted rack, then the luggage would be suspended.)

Seatback bag.
I’m using a Radical Designs Solo Aero on the back of my seat.  You can buy it from New York City Recumbent Supply.  This is an excellent, well-made, capacious bag of 12 liters volume.  That’s about half a good-sized daypack.  It quickly slides down over the seatback and comes off just as fast.  With the carrying strap it’s easy to manage.  Reflective tape on the back.  Comes in five pretty colors.  I love it.

Wearing a lock.
Another detail that makes the Sofrider good for a city bike is that there is a hole in the frame where you can string a lock.  While riding, I loop a chain-style lock two-times through the frame and under the seat.  The lock hangs a bit loose and sometimes makes noise, but it hangs out of the way of the wheels and contributes its weight in a useful place — right under the seat.

Where are the fenders…
I haven’t gotten around to adding fenders and I’ve suffered for it.  I need to add them soon.  The last rain was cold and wet and dirty.

Sherpa installation.
On the Sofrider, I want to keep the weight forward of the rear wheel as much as possible so the front wheel doesn’t lose traction on the hills.  So, I’ve mounted the rack backwards, with the rear of the rack turned to the front, to bring the carrying rails as far forward as possible.  Then, I mounted the vertical supports such that the curve of the vertical adapter moves the rack forward of the rear axle.  I have also used the fender mounting holes in front of the axle.  This is not so much to move the rack forward as it is to allow me to use my front wheel Pitlocks on the non-drive (rear) wheel.  The installation would be stronger if I attached the vertical supports to an extra long quick release through the axle, but I much prefer to keep the wheel locked.  So, I guess I’m living on the edge a bit.  If I had done this for a customer, as opposed to for myself, I’d have used extra long Pitlock skewers through the axle and mounted the rack’s vertical supports on those extra long skewers, because that is really the right way to do it.  Notice that the mounting rails on the Sherpa come well forward of the rear axle.  It’s easy to load the panniers so the weight is forward of the rear axle.  When the rack is installed like this, the front drive wheel maintains a good grip on the street even with heavily loaded panniers.

Have fun and stay healthy,

Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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New Jersey Transit, recumbents on board

A customer wrote me:”Any knowledge about if New Jersey Transit will allow it [an HP Velotechnik Grasshopper fx] on the train?”

To summarize, as of now, standard frame bikes are permitted on NJT.  “Collapsible” bikes are permitted.  It appears that non-collapsible non-standard frame (recumbent?) bikes are not permitted.  It appears that a folded Grasshopper fx is permitted as would be a collapsed Cruzbike Quest, however individual conductors have discretion.  It appears that a Cruzbike is a thingamajig and not a bicycle.

NOTE: The rules may change over time. If you have expert knowledge or personal experience with NJ Transit that is at variance with what I’ve written here, please send me a comment with specifics, if possible, to help me keep this blog entry current.

Here are the current NJ Transit rules.  Also copied below.  Verify the current rules at the NJT website.  This blog page does not track the current rules in real time and may be out of date when you travel.

Before all else, what is a bike?

Here is NJ Transit’s definition of a bicycle, in case you weren’t sure if you were riding one:

39:4-14.5 Definition

“Bicycle” means any two wheeled vehicle having a rear drive which is solely human powered and having a seat height of 25 inches or greater when the seat is in the lowest adjustable position.

Source: http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/commuter/bike/regulations.shtm

 

Bicycles on Trains (as of May 22, 2013)

– Collapsible bicycles are permitted on all NJ TRANSIT trains at all times.

– Standard-frame bicycles are permitted on many NJ TRANSIT trains as described below:
. On weekdays – Bicycles are permitted on all weekday trains on all lines except inbound trains that end in Hoboken, Newark or New York between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. and outbound trains that originate in Hoboken, Newark or New York between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. These trains will be designated by a bicycle symbol in public timetables. Trains on which bicycles are permitted may accommodate up to 2 bicycles on each single-level rail car and up to 8 bicycles on each multilevel rail car subject to crowding or the accessibility needs of other customers.

. On weekends – Bicycles are permitted on all weekend Raritan Valley, Gladstone, Montclair-Boonton, Main, Bergen County, Pascack Valley, Port Jervis, and Atlantic City Line trains. These trains will be designated bike trains and will accommodate up to 12 bicycles per train. Larger groups may be accommodated with advance reservations by calling our Group Sales Department at 973-491-7220. Bicycles are also permitted on all Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and Morristown Line trains with the exception of trains ending in New York between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and trains originating in New York between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Trains on which bicycles are permitted may accommodate up to 2 bicycles on each single-level rail car and up to 8 bicycles on each multilevel rail car subject to crowding or the accessibility needs of other customers.

. On holidays and business days before holidays – Bicycles are not permitted on trains (with the exception of the Atlantic City Line) on New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, day after Thanksgiving, Sunday after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Bicycles are not permitted on the day before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but are permitted on the holidays themselves.

. Other times – Bicycles are not permitted on substitute bus service during rail service outages.

When I first wrote this entry, the published rules were unclear as it relates to recumbent bikes.  At that time, one conductor told me that recumbents are fine and another told me they were not.  Another told me that all bikes were prohibited on rush hour trains (I hadn’t realized I was on one) and that particular conductor said he’d have to “let me off” at the next station, about 70 miles from where I had intended to start my weekend bike camping trip.  (What?  Please say you don’t mean it!)  Fortunately, I had a Grasshopper fx folding recumbent and he let me proceed as long as I folded it and stowed it out of the way.

Neile Weissman, a NY Cycle Club ride leader and bent rider, has worked hard to make it possible for cyclists to take bikes on NJ Transit.  Still, individual conductors have a great deal of discretion.

The current rules clearly give conductors the right to bar ‘bent riders from taking their bikes on NJT.  You can not — and should not — argue with the conductors.  If you want to change the rules, then you need to actively advocate for better ‘bent access.

Go to Port Authority board meetings and speak during the public comment period for increased bicycle access. You can contact New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition if you would like assistance in preparing a statement or would like other advice on presenting at a Port Authority board meeting. Personal stories make very compelling testimony. (By the way, the people who attend these meetings can be quite interesting. It is time well spent.)
The schedule for the Port Authority’s board meetings is here:
http://www.panynj.gov/corporate-information/schedule-upcoming-board-meetings.html

General guidelines for taking your recumbent bike on any train in the region.

Make sure you have a bungie cord or rope to secure your bike.  Cover the chain ring.  If you must take transit, take a short wheelbase ‘bent.  Even better if it folds.  Do what the “nice” conductor says and always be cooperative and polite, even if he or she tells you to take your bike off the train.  It’s understandable if you don’t like it, but on-board is not the time or place to try and make a stand, and your issue isn’t with the conductor anyway.  Take it up with the people in the NJT office…politely.  Give them every reason to say “yes.”

Please try and remember that when you’re riding a ‘bent, you’re representing all bent riders.  If you’re polite and cooperative, you make us all look good and that may be one of the best pathways for us to gain better access on transit.  If you’re something other than polite, you’re ruining things for yourself and everyone else.

If you have a recent story about taking your ‘bent on NJT which may help others negotiate the system, please send it to me as a “comment” on this entry.

Have fun, stay healthy, and maybe get a folding bent,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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I like Schwalbe winter tires

I’m a long time user of Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires and ride all winter with them. I’ve also used, extensively, Schwalbe’s other studded tires that are designed for snow/trail. On the Marathon Winter, the studs are carbide steel — like a drill bit for drilling concete — and, as a result, they stick well to pavement or ice and wear down slowly.

The Mara. Winter stud pattern is such that the four rows of studs are mostly to the side of the contact patch when the tire is inflated to the max. PSI — so, the rider increases PSI on clear road days to minimize rolling resistance. On icy days, the rider drops the PSI to bring all four rows of studs into the contact patch. I put them on my commuting bike in early Nov. and leave them on till the snow is gone for good. I just alter the PSI to optimize them for the current conditions. They have high rolling resistance, esp. when I drop the PSI, but, partly as a result, I come out of winter strong.

Safety notes:

1) Always ride cautiously and within your capabilities, even with amazing cool new equipment.

2) Studded tires require skill and attention as does any tire under any condition. They’re not magical, though I wish they were. A studded tire will slide on deep slush; so will a crampon. Also, as with any piece of equipment, it takes practice to learn how to use them well.

3) Cars/trucks may move unpredictably and uncontrollably on icy and snowy days, sliding sideways, backwards and forwards and also may not be able to see well through fogged windshields and falling snow. With studded tires on an icy road, I may have more control than the nearby drivers and this creates a new hazard.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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Silvio. Wow, that was cool.

Today (yesterday, really) I finished building the shop’s new Cruzbike Silvio demo bike.  After my last demo appointment ended and I finally had time — after 10pm, after dark — I put on a pair of bright Busch and Mueller lights on the Silvio and took it for a 10-mile spin through Prospect Park and local streets.

Wow.  What a feeling.  I test a lot of cool bikes, but I haven’t had a speed-thrill like that since the first time I rode a (standard frame) time trial bike.  The current demo machine is the stock Silvio with SRAM Rival components and Cruzbike-brand aero wheels.  They’re nice components and nice wheels but nothing out of this world in terms of cost.  However, there is something very special about the frame and overall concept and design.  (And, of course, I did a wonderful job with the build.)

I look forward to putting in some real miles on this bike to see what it can do in the daylight, but, so far, it looks like a champion.

– – –

A couple weeks later: I’ve put in about 120 miles on the Silvio over three rides.  It’s fast, nuff said.  I’m able to stick pretty well with the kitted athletes in P. Park on the flats and rollers, keeping between 20-25 mph.  Maintaining 15 mph up the hill is not a problem.  This can not be attributed to my strength; the team cyclists are much better riders than I am.  I stay away from the pace line and in the wind so as not to cause problems for the others but I work to maintain a consistent distance to get the benefit of being paced.  Being in the wind as I am, my ability to keep up is meaningful.  I fall behind the faster riders when we hit the hill but I’m generally able to catch up once we crest.  The S. is proving to be a good bike for maintaining pacing with road cyclists, so definitely a great option for the rider who wants to move to a bent but doesn’t want to change friends.

The S’s front end (with SRAM Rival) is a lot lighter than the front on the Quest (and Sofrider), partly thanks to lighter drive-/front-end components.  Result is it doesn’t have as much of that “veering” quality that the less expensive CB’s have.  I miss the Quest’s e-ring though and the simple handlebars (I’m still a touring/commuting rider at heart).  I’m still trying to figure out a handlebar position that I like.  The Silvio accepts a Radical Design (RD) seatback bag and RD’s Banana Racer so it does in fact have some carrying capacity; that’s pretty cool.  (I have the RD bags for sale and in stock, by the way.)  There are braze-ons for a rear rack but I haven’t yet figured out (or heard) which one fits.  It feels odd to ride a “day tripper” with skinny tires, no fenders, no rack, no light system; I’ve grown accustomed to touring/commuting machines as my ride of choice.  But speed is fun, I must say, and there’s nothing like knocking out a quick 35 miles as a pre-breakfast ride.  Too bad the cold temps are closing in on us.  I’m just starting to have fun.

– – –

Stay healthy,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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Esbit or Bleuet? Weighing the lightweight solid fuel choices.

I just returned from a 12-day backpack trip (not a bike trip, sorry) hiking the 120-mile Northville-Placid Trail end-to-end through the Adirondacks.  Over the decades, I’ve used a variety of camping stoves and fuels.  This was the first long trip on which I used Esbit/Bleuet solid fuel tablets the whole time.  The reasons were many: difficulty in procuring denatured alcohol and propane/butane canister fuel, the fact I could ship Esbit/Bleuet in my food drop, the ability to burn wood along with Esbit/Bleuet to save fuel, the lighter weight of the solid fuel tablets, and the fact you can “recapture” any bits of unburnt fuel and use it for the next meal.  (By the way, instead of denatured alcohol, Heet was available at “Casey’s Corner,” the deli in Piseco near the NPT.)

Esbit-brand or Bleuet-brand?
I use a Caldera Cone from Trail Designs and, up till now, I’ve only used Esbit-brand tablets.  I found the only drawbacks of Esbit to be the price and the seemingly long time it took to boil a liter of water, compared to alcohol and canister stoves.  As the trip’s departure dated neared, I discovered I could acquire only half the number of Esbit tablets I wanted, so I bought Bleuet tablets for the mail drop — the second half of the trip — thinking they probably wouldn’t be as good.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the Bleuet-brand tablets boiled water more quickly than the Esbit tablets.  Though they smelled a lot worse when they burned, left behind ash after they were spent, and weighed a tiny bit more, I appreciated the faster boil times, which meant more hot tea in more scenic places along the trail.  The price difference between Esbit and Bleuet was negligible.  Going forward, I’ll probably buy Bleuet when I have the choice, though I’d recommend Esbit for those concerned about the very nasty smell of the Bleuet flame.

Have fun and stay healthy on the trail,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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Surprisingly fast bike. (Cruzbike Quest.)

Cruzbike.  Another update.

This morning I took a Cruzbike Quest 26″ out for a training ride, doing loops around Prospect Park.  I averaged 20.2 mph over 34 miles with a maximum speed of 33.2 mph.  This is a moderately hilly loop of about 3.56 miles.

To put this in context, the last time I did a triathlon, about 8 years ago, the bike portion was 24.8 miles (40k) on a flat course, and I remember averaging 19.5 mph.  I think that was my fastest ride for any substantial distance.

Given that I was riding at race pace in that previous instance, I’m rather pleased — to say the least — with my training pace this morning.  I wish I could say it’s all about me, and not about the bike, however I strongly suspect that it’s about the bike.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson

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New York State Interactive Bike Maps

Here’s a cool new interactive bike map for New York state.
https://www.dot.ny.gov/display/programs/bicycle/maps

Now, if we can just get more bike lanes established, it’ll be even cooler.

Have fun and stay healthy,
Robert
————
Robert Matson
New York City Recumbent Supply
The Innovation Works, Inc.
copyright 2012 Robert Matson