Restoring Honesty in Cycling

You are Invited to an Event

RESTORING HONESTY IN CYCLING:
MY EXPERIENCES AROUND THE SECRECY OF DOPING

Speaker: Scott Mercier
Former US Cycling Team Member and USPS Professional Cyclist

May 2^nd, 2013, Thursday, 7:00 – 8:00 PM
Summit Hotel Conference Center (Marriott), Ogden, UT

Hosted by: Joel Lee, Financial Advisor, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management
Sponsored by: Mike Sutter, Regional Vice President, MainStay Investments

RSVP Jennifer at (801) 629-5018 or Jennifer.bowen@ml.com

Frank2Fred 2013

It looks like we have some interest in the Frand2Fred ride this September.

Tentatively we are planning to do the ride starting on Labor Day.

Please click on the Frank2Fred tab and check out the routes and comment on the plan.

Since we are in the early planning stages, we are still open to suggestions.

Biker's Edge Cinco de Mayo Century

Wheelmen,

This looks like a fun early season ride.  The best part is that it is free!

Put it on your calendar.

They limit it to 250 riders, so sign up now to reserve your spot.

Biker's Edge Cinco de Mayo Century

Google Communities

We are going to abandon the Google Group that we have been using to post rides.
There is a better way.
We started a private Google Community called Wasatch Wheelmen.
Please go over and join
Wasatch Wheelmen Google Community

Cache Valley Century 2012

This year's Cache Valley Century was another winner.  The weather was perfect.  It wasn't too hot, the sky was perfectly clear and the winds were light and variable.  I don't think you could ask for a better day.  The rest stops were excellent.  There was plenty of food with very nice people at the stops.   Also, the lunch at the end was catered by Cafe Sabor and was excellent.    

They had a new route this year.  It didn't go into Preston, but there was an out and back leg to Wellsville.  The overall vertical gain is only 2000', but that nasty climb at the end gets me every year. Still, this ride is my favorite century of all time.   

The really great news is they got rid of the cow on the t-shirt.  Now I'm the proud owner of a bright orange t-shirt with the new logo.  Perfect for hunting season :)

End of the Trail

Today  I decided to find the north end of the rail trail.  OK, so it isn't that hard to find, just get on the trail and ride north.  For those of you who are afraid to venture this far, I thought I would share a picture with you.  The road that goes over the trail in the picture below is Hinckley Drive in Ogden.   I'm not sure if Ogden City has plans to extend it further to the north, but for now, you can either turn around and go back or take a left at the end of the trail and ride a short trail over to the road.    Happy riding!

Single Speed Project Part 2

I finished my single speed project.  Here are some pictures and some lessons learned.

After:

I estimate that the entire project took me about 5 hours to complete.  I got bogged down a little bit on the rear hub and getting the rear cog on correctly.  The rest of the project went fairly smooth.  No real complications.

Here is a picture of the chain tensioner and the rear cog.

I debated for several days about what to do with the bars.  They were 22" long with bar ends on the original bike.  I made the rash decision to chop two inches off each end and make the bars 18 inches.  Before I cut them I check to see what the minimum length could be.  With the way the bars are bent, the brake mounts and the 5" hand grips, the shortest I could have gone was about 17 inches.   At first I thought they were a bit short and my kids commented the same.  However, when I rode it they felt just right.  They are about the width of a road bike handlebar.   Here is a picture:

I took the bike out for a ride and after a few minor adjustments I got in a short ride around the subdivision before dark.   The bike is quiet, smooth, and fun to ride.  The gear ratio seems about right, but I need to ride a bit longer before I make the final decision.   It's the kind of bike you can jump on and run a quick errand or ride down the bike path with the family.    It was kind of fun to learn how to put together the single speed and I really enjoyed "resurrecting" an old bike from the back of the garage.

My kids were kind of skeptical, but after a couple of them road it and I saw the expression on their faces,  I doubt I will have this bike for long.  I anticipate that it will disappear this fall when one of them goes off to college.   Actually, that is good news, because I'm already thinking about my next single speed bike project.