Random Musings from a Random Day

At work I helped the AIDS ride riders (it just sounds better than "AIDS riders") prepare for tomorrow's flight. One guy had trouble installing his computer, so I fixed it. He wanted help with his front derailleur. It wouldn't shift into to largest ring. I told him it was the limit screw, but I don't touch derailleurs. It is seriously bad karma- for me and everyone involved. There isn't a single part on a fixed gear I won't touch- but I won't allow myself to work on my road bike's derailleurs. Either one. Of course it was the limit screw, and they fixed it in short order at Erik's. I told this guy to ditch his SAE hex wrenches. I cringed as he said they worked on his seat clamp. I told him all he needed was a metric set and a 15mm wrench for his pedals. I'll bet anything he uses a crescent wrench.

One of the women needed help packing her bike in a Performance hardshell bike case. I used the Trico Iron case before, but this was a bit different and a little weird. It had a hard plastic insert, rather than soft foam (or whatever the proper word is) to separate the wheels from the frame. I heard the case's owner wants to sell it. I might be interested, but it is a funky design.

The bike's drivetrain was a travesty, an affront to cleanliness here and abroad. I think they lubed her chain with 10W 40 motor oil, or tar. I was filthy as a sanitation worker as I disconnected the SRAM powerlink. I managed to grease my work clothing as well. The real irony is that I have the same chain on one of my fixed gears, and I STILL cannot disconnect the powerlink on that bike, despite numerous epithets in a variety of languages. The other fixed gear and the single speed have the gold connector, which is very easy to use. I could probably accidentally disconnect one of those.

I raise the filth issue because my commuter seems to require constant chain lubrication. I use dry lube on my road bike, and the drivetrain is clean enough to eat off. Of course, it doesn't see the kind of all-weather duty that the commuter bikes see. The question at hand is whether to use an oil based lube that won't wash away so easily. But at what price? I really don't want to cultivate a sludge collection. Yes, I know I wrote about this issue this morning, but I am seeing it in a different light after handling this bike. And, I am a man obsessed. My hands are still dirty.

My ride home was pure heaven. The wind was almost at my back- a rarity, since I ride west, and a bit south, but mostly west. I took a slightly different route to avoid the Ford Bridge. I still made it home within an hour and fifteen minutes. Best of all, I didn't feel beat, and I've had a lot of miles this week. Then again, I didn't fight a head wind the entire commute. I wonder how much faster I could ride if I had gears.

On the way home, I encountered an odd fellow on a road bike with a BMX helmet. He wasn't particularly young, either. It is a discomfiting sight, and it made me contemplate using a Vikings football helmet for my commutes. It might be a bit warm in this heat, but cars might think twice before trying anything stupid- especially if I carried a huge samurai sword on my back. Perhaps some lead pipe nun chucks strapped to the top tube as homage to Napoleon Dynamite? Actually, I had a very uneventful ride home, and motorists were very respectful. When I consider what I tiny percentage of my miles involves rude or aggressive drivers, it really is no big deal. I suffer more indignities in my car. Thank you, drivers of the Twin Cities! I shall sing your praises in states afar.

Finally, I cut my hair tonight... or rather had it cut at the Juut down the street. The salon is maybe a mile from here. I drove. I didn't want to be a sweaty mess. My car useage is backwards. I only seem to drive for the short trips. Edina's finest were out in full force for their after work speed trap. No wonder their property taxes are so low.