A great looking bike, though this was a one time run by Electra for Jägermeister.

For many reasons music was needed for my riding style

1. Boredom – normally kicking in around 45 minutes to an hour and a half
2. Riding alone – see above
3. Motivation – Certain songs would kick me in 6th gear and I would be able to push it, be it for time or watts.. the music moved me.
4. That Go to Track – On days I would put a song on repeat for my 3 hour ride, it allowed me to focus and tune out the day of crap
5. Wind whistling pisses me off – the noise that the wind makes when it hits your helmet straps, or hair.
6. Feeling “PRO” – All the pro’s were wearing radios in their ears back to the team car, I’m sure their managers played some sort of music for them.  If they didn’t, they should start now.

At first I rode with one earphone in, leaving the left one that was closest to the road out.  Actually, I had a couple headphones that I cut off the left earphone so not to get in the way.  Time went by and I had theories, if the music was low enough I felt I could hear just as well as I did with the wind whistling in my ears.  I tested my theory for several rides and feeling confident enough, yes my hearing isn’t paired as long as the volume is kept low.

Mirrors are your friends

Often mirrors are even better than your ears.  You can SEE, you don’t have to turn your head and you are prepared.  By the time I hear a car coming up behind me, it might be too late to react.

iPod is not iDeath

one of the main issues of the headphones is not so much its removal of the individual’s ability to hear
it is more the combination of the inability to hear and the lack of focus
instead of being in tune to the surroundings the individual is focused on the music
letting the focus drift away from the variables around them
the same goes for mountainbiking… snowboarding… rollerbladding… whatever…
- Gwadzilla

Unfortunately, I’m going to have to disagree with my buddy, Gwadzilla. The main issue within congestion or lack of senses, are the bicycle riders and not the iPod.  As a cyclist for many years, all my senses are tuned in more than the average rider.

Now, I do find it hard to ride mountain bikes with both ears plugged in.  The hearing that Gwadz mentions above is very necessary while mountain biking.  Hearing how the bikes handing, the tires gripping and the gears shifting are all very important.

One Last Thing

Out of the few times there has been a run in with a car, my bicycle, and myself.. there was never ANY music playing in my ears.

Photo Credit : Gwadzilla

Initial Feel

The very first feeling of the saddle is the firm, yet padded support.  This is a good feeling as I don’t like a saddle that I sink into. If you sink too much into a saddle your sit bones are no longer holding you up and the soft tissues are left holding you up.  This saddle hasn’t seen more than an hour and a half of consistent ride time so we can only tell how the padded feeling holds up.

The “pressure relief channel” seems to work so far.  It isn’t a cut out so if I rock into the drops I can feel pressure on my soft tissue areas but to this point there has been no numbness or pain when this pressure happens for an extended amount of time.

Look & Design

The saddle is an eye catcher.  Subtle enough, but if someone walks close enough to see the top of your saddle they will stop and ask, “WHAT?!“  This exact story has happened to me with everyone that has seen the saddle.  My only worry about the eye catching colors are they will bleed over time into my white bib shorts.

Closing Thoughts

Sitting initially on this saddle I didn’t think “this is the one,” but that never has happened before with any of my favorite saddles. There are always fine tuning with the bike fit and trying different angles and fore/aft of the saddle.  BUT I didn’t sit on this saddle and feel horrible pain, nor did I feel pain after 25 miles.  The jury is still out on this saddle but I will check back with you as the fit is modified and more miles are logged.

Velo Orange has photos of their prototype mixte’s that will be available early 2010.

The Safe Routes to School Conference started today in Portland.  Follow BikePortland on twitter for more updates.

Chic Cyclist gives her impression of the bike share program in Paris called Velib.

There are many ways to separate computers, especially if you start getting in to a lot of data capturing.  For this article we will start basic, wired or wireless.

Wired Versions :

Entry Level :
Basic featured include speed, time and average speed.  Utilizing a cable that runs from your handlebars down to your front fork on the bike.  They range from $24-35 and many type or colors are available. The Trek 6i and Cateye Mity 8 are my picks in this category.  For this category, go down to your local bike shop and buy what they recommend.  This way they are familiar with set up if you need any help at all.

Intermediate Level :

There are a variation of computers between $40-80 depending on what features you need.  Some tell temperature, two wheel sizes if you have two bikes, others have a back light and larger numbers.   The Trek 9i and Cateye Enduro are top sellers.  The 9i tells temperature and the Enduro has a thicker wire for mountain biking.

Cadence :
Take all the features from above but take the cable and have the wire run down your bike to your rear wheel.  It also adds a second magnet to track how many times per minute your left pedal goes round.  This is called your cadence and can be very important in good riding technique or leg rehabilitation.  Also can be used on your trainer as they use rear wheel speed, not front.

Wireless Versions :

Each of the wireless computers come in different variations, the same as above.  Adding additional cost for the feature of being wireless, better looking and minimal looking.  For a long while these wireless computers got a bad wrap for excessive battery wear, and cross talk (picking up your friends data riding next to you.)

From Wired.com

Basic :
Starting out around $45-50 you can find a great variation of wireless computers. Check out the Cateye Strada or Knog N.E.R.D for stylish and simple.  The N.E.R.D is not the cheapest, but looks amazing on your bike and was recently featured on Wired.com.

Cadence :
From $80-120 these aren’t cheap, but to me are worth every penny.  No more wires running down your bike frame to your rear wheel.   They can be bumped and make sure they can’t spin in to your spokes if bumped.   Cateye Strada Double Wireless is by far my favorite. (Are you seeing a trend?)

FUN:

Lately more computers are coming out, like the Knog N.E.R.D that adds a little bit of fun or playfulness to the electronics on your bike.  My favorite is the Trek Time computers.  Available for children or adult bikes, and in standard computer features or as a basic analog clock you can accessorize any bike with all the colors they have out.  I used the analog version all last year so I wouldn’t miss my bus schedule.

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There are many other other computers out there.  Heart rate, GPS and so on.  We will touch on most of these sooner or later but if you have more immediate questions feel free to drop a comment or email my way!

Technical Shirts :

Many people are familiar with the brand Under Armour, or before that Adidas and Nike had a great following for “technical clothing.”  This was clothing that wicked away your sweat but breathed well.   There are some technical shirts geared towards riding which have a lower cut back for when you bend over so you aren’t exposing anything and built in basic pockets to hold a gel or key.  Budget between $35 – 70 for a good wicking shirt.  Be prepared that polyester is a key make up of these shirts and can trap stink.

A couple of my favorites include the Aurora T (pictured right) from Pearl Izumi for around $35.  Also, one that I plan on picking up for the fall is the Sugoi Crossroads Henley.  Perfect for fall riding, grocery trip hauling or mountain biking when it is chilly.

Shaped Sleeveless Jerseys or Tanks :

Not your basic cut off sleeve jersey because it is thought out for a lady!  You can go plan colors which will camouflage you into every day wear, or you can go crazy prints and add style to your wardrobe.  This could be the widest spectrum of ladies apparel being experimented with by various companies :  Technical, classy, tank top, gym wear, and the list continues!

My top three in this class is the Sombrio Crush Jersey, Pearl Izumi Elite SL Jersey and Skirt Sports SexyBack Tank. They range from $45-70 depending on fabric and company.

Skorts :

Take your riding to the next level and don’t worry about being restricted.  Skorts normally are based on two thoughts.
The first is a wrap type style that you can wrap around any of your existing shorts.
The second is a skirt and short duo that are purchased together.
The second option is hassle free, no thoughts involved as when you start to combine a skort and short that are different inseam lengths you can start having issues.  The downfalls of this option is the short that comes with the duo is normally a very basic short with very basic options.  The benefits of a wrap is you can use the shorts you already have at home, or purchase a higher end pair.

Here are a few to get your hunt started.  I really like the print on the SkirtSports Cruiser Girl and also like the function of the Shebeest Cycloskort.  Both are priced between $85-90.

Others :

There are also Capri’s, loose fitted shorts and more clothing I will get into in follow up articles.

Rambling Rose Winston-Salem, NC Triathlon : August 23, 2009
Ramblin’ Rose women-only triathlons are designed to celebrate the empowerment of women. In its fourth season, the Ramblin’ Rose Triathlon Tour is the perfect way to celebrate the triathlon experience! Join us in Winston-Salem, Charlotte, and/or the Triangle and experience the exhilaration of participating in a Ramblin’ Rose! All Ramblin’ Rose events benefit local Girls on the Run chapters. For more information, go to www.endurancemag.com/ramblinrose

Women’s Mountain Bike Weekend – Ellijay, GA http://mulberrygap.com Aug 21-23 in
Mountain biking, cabins, hot showers, hot tubs, and (lots of) excellent food! RSVP to diane@mulberrygap.com

Win for KC Women’s Tri –Kansas City, MO http://www.winforkctri.org/ August 1, 2009
WIN for KC has become one of the largest and most well-respected initiatives of its kind in the United States, engaging thousands of girls and women in sports and fitness activity and advocacy. It remains one of the largest community action programs affiliated with the Women’s Sports Foundation. To learn more about WIN for KC please visit our website at www.winforkc.org

Flirty 30 Alleycat Birmingham, AL August 15, 2009 http://bikeskirt.com/2009/07/16/flirty-30-alleycat-is-a-go-august-15/
Ok gals, it’s time to get your racing gear on!  Elisa is turning the big 3-0 next month, and to celebrate we’re having a GIRLS ONLY ALLEYCAT on August 15 here in Birmingham!!  I am so excited about this, and received our first race prizes in the mail today!  I’m bursting to tell you all about how amazingly adorable and awesome they are, but I’ve decided to keep everything a secret.  Believe me, you want this.