寻访小镇Merrickville

或许中长距离的骑行给人日后远行的信心， 周末一人去了６５公里开外的小镇Merrickville，也算是周末的休闲吧。

开车来到市郊西南的riverside， 然后跨上自行车， 沿着市郊river road, 伴随身边车来车往，很快来到了出城最后小镇--Manotick.

Manotick小镇依在Rideau河边， 桥上眺望---今天的旅程就将沿河蜿蜒而下。

Manotick太小， 上主街刚加速，就已穿城而过， 眼前豁然开朗的则是广阔田野,蓝天白云和无尽的乡村路。 

路上几乎没人，间或驶过一两辆小车， 剩下只有我的影子，和这辆破车.

独自在这一里路狂奔，每个上坡起身似乎摇动世界 踏板在这没完没了的乡村路上仿佛拉动地球－－大地在退后，偶遇的车队在退后,伴随我心飞翔；

行过Rideau Park的大桥后， 柳暗花明的是一片田园诗意。

 这段路程应是此行的目的之一吧？ 如同置身世外桃圆，一边是古树掩映下的老房子，一边是青纱帐； 我闻到花香，听到虫鸣，车轮翁翁脆响；

这样走过了一村又一村；... ...,经过 这一段令人留恋的Rideau heritage trail

看到标记牌后的两公里，古镇Merrickville就在眼前了。

这是有着两三百年历史，未受现代工商业冲击和污染的历史小镇。

这里有乡村工艺店。

这里有老教堂;

这里有古建筑,

这里繁花似锦;

这里有古色古香的石头房;

这里有人骑单车，

。... ... ??

这里曾有我。

Carp-T.A. Dolan loop -Sept 16

It was a typical fall morning, clear and chilly 5 Celsius. Jack was on his summer cycling outfit, short sleeve jersey and fingerless gloves while  I had my icebreaker on. We rode along Carling to Terry Fox and 2nd line, barely saw any cyclist . With only two in a paceline,  it was hard to keep 30+ all the time. Near  Carp , an elderly on his way to Almonte for his 2nd breakfast caught us, he was a strong rider, we drafted him for a few kilometers before T.A.Dolan.

Jack on Thomas A Dolan

Today we decided not to go beyond 6th line to the river, one of our cycling friends had a broken dérailleur  there last week. We took a detour to Pinhey's Point, just sit on the bench and enjoy the scenery and the sun.

Piney's Point

 We flew down the newly paved 6th line at 40+, that felt good, you know.

Our Cycling Practice

This Blog post records cycling best practice and experience. Please feel free to comment, modify and add. Experienced riders are welcome to specify each item, share knowledge and help us improve faster :)

We will keep on updating this post.

Our Routes:

Classics 1. Gatineau Park Bike Loop: 

Route: Gatineau Champlain Outlout

When: we usually do this loop in the summer

Where to meet: P3 

What to expect: Uphill+Downhill+Beautiful mountain view 

Duration: 1:30-2 hours/42 km

Classics 2.  West side Loop: 

Route: Kanata - 2nd line - cap rd - 6th line-...

When: we usually do this loop in the fall

Where to meet: corner of March and Terry Fox,  In front of Burger King

What to expect: Drafting+Scenic country side

Duration: 2 hours/40 - 50 KM

Classics 3.  West side extended Loop: 

Route: Kanata - 2nd line -... to Fitzroy provincial park

When: we usually do this loop in the fall or early spring and occasionally.

Where to meet: corner of March and Terry Fox,  In front of Burger King

What to expect: Drafting+Scenic country side

Duration: 3 hours/80 KM

Cycling Best Practices:

On the Road:

1. Safety is the first priority.

2. Trust the riders in front of  you in the pace line.

3. Pass the signals back to riders behind.

4. A squad moves faster than so much a single rider.

5. Get WIDER observation falling on ride, a rear-view helps When

peeling off from the lead.

6. In front of a stop sigh, Should not we rush. the leader need

observed to make safe the whole group safe then pass together.

7. When leader peels off, the one behind the shoulds keep pace, not

to accelerate right away.

8. When riding with traffic, Should not we switch the leader too

Often, it breads the rhythm, and can be dangerous. Lead a minute or

two shoulds be good enough, if you can keep the same pace, longer lead

as you wish.

9. Practice makes improvement.

.....

Food:

1. Eat well ride well. ....

Drafting Practices

I'm a casual rider. I enjoy going at my own pace, stopping to smell the roses once in a while as the saying goes. This past weekend, however, I practised drafting or riding in a peloton with a few friends. I learned a few things that I didn't know before.

Before starting, Yingbiao and Yang explained the hand signals. I knew most of the signals but always signalled with my left hand. It was awkward to signal with my right hand since I am most comfortable with right hand on my rear brake just in case. I am also not used to my vision being blocked.

Trusting the riders before you is definitely the 1st thing to learn. Without trust, fear takes over and that makes riding half-a-wheel behind riders before you impossible. I had chances to draft behind others before so this wasn't so tough for me. What's new was passing the signals back to riders behind me. I don't respond fast enough, especially the "obstacle ahead" signal.

A peloton moves so much faster than a single rider. I tried leading the pack for a bit but it was tough. I also felt uneasiness when peeling off from the lead since I couldn't be sure if there were cars coming from behind. Yiming suggested a rear-view mirror and I will definitely look into that. A couple of times, I missed the end of the peloton by just a few feet after peeling off from the lead. I couldn't catch up no matter how hard I tried. That shows the power of drafting. Yang explained that the new lead should keep pace instead of accelerating. With more practices, I am sure the transition will be smooth and seamless.

At times we were flying down the newly paved 6th line road at 40+ km/h. I've never ridden that fast before and enjoyed the speed. Most of all, I enjoyed the camaraderie of the group. It was such a beautiful morning.

满足，完美的今日之行

常常一次最平常的行动，因众人的热情变得满足与完美。今天的 Gatineau Park Champlain Outlook常规 42公里骑行就是这样的难忘之行。

如同往常，如不能成行特别的路程， 就约定来Gatineau park Champlain outlook做常规训练。头天陶勇竟然往组里发来回顾的Email, 还要带他的坦克车参加，作为他今夏的结束之行。他的热情也引来准备继续养伤的Ben的参加，Jack也自买来新车后，立马从后进变先进，次次不漏，所以这次共计6人参加了。

早8点多一点点， 一众人就顺利出发，短暂的热身后，相继换上行进档，飞奔起来。Yiming果然年轻体力过人，不太费力的跑在了前面一溜车里，一路聊天不知不觉快到Pink lake，一回头，后面一组拉远了些，意料之外的是陶勇竟然开着铁锚般的70年代Sekine的坦克车轻松的一直跟着组成快组，我们的在 Pink lake的一路攀爬，陶勇因车没法快速变速，才落后一些。

过了Pink lake的路有些平，Yiming能量源源不绝地持续快速行进，陶勇也越骑越勇的开着坦克冲到最前面， 想想我骑着陶勇眼里的“真家伙”（法国 la pierre x lite-400 赛车），应该抛下他才对，于是起身加速将他抛在后面，但刚坐回车座调整气息时，这家伙又哼哧哼哧的赶了上来，于是干脆跟着他后面休息得了。看看满路上的高端赛车，而这家伙却在坦克车上骑得如此神勇，猜想是不是跑来踢场子的？。。。 ：-）

第二个长坡爬得不算轻松，但这个路程骑得太多，就如去自家的后花园般闲庭漫步般的对付过去。然后到达顶峰，才一会儿，“慢组”跟了上来了，其实慢组不慢，只差一分多种，其中还有带伤的Ben.

在顶峰陶勇掏出手机留影时，又巧遇来同程骑行的刘浩，刘浩跟一老外混在一起，开始竟没认出来，接上头后，见我们照相，刘浩毫不见外地挤了进来，并笑得很灿烂。 ：-）  

如果说“小合影纪录幸福旅程”，见证"今日之行的满足与完美"，这并不包括孙扬的； 孙扬上坡虽然骑得哼哧哼哧，其满足与完美是在拍完照的下山路上 ；

如果拿个支点给阿基米德，他就去撬地球，那么拿个陡下坡给孙扬， 他则会厥起屁股猫起腰，一路见人过人见车超车地俯冲而下。每次下山时如猛虎下山般的风驰电掣, 这次也不例外，我也赶忙前移重心放低身段，躲身其后地贴地飞翔，才不至于眼睁睁地看他从眼前消失。

这样象风一样地冲下Pink lake段，发现陶勇的坦克也紧跟了下来， 是有那么一点神奇！

随孙扬陶勇心满意足地回来后，一分钟左右，大家也都陆陆续续地回到了出发地,回顾此行成绩不错，大家精神状态也不错，然后简单商议下次行程后就满意回家，到家打开电脑，就见到陶勇发来这“今日之行，满足，完美”的“纪录幸福旅程的小合影”。

                                                           （点击图片放大）

                                     

Insight the bike

This post is to keep the index of the bike knowledge from internet. and  keep updating 

(All the pictures and links are from internet )

=========================== bike hubs ==============================

Most of time, when people buy the first bike, more attention paid on the frame material and the level of the component, and take it for grain that all the wheel is the same, just rolls. Therefore, almost all the entry to "intermediate"  which cost $1000 to $2000 bike, equipped very basic wheelsets.  However , wheel sets, which only consist of hub, spoke and rim, plays an very importance role of performance of the bike. It's said for recent 40 years history of bike, the performance maily gains from the improvement of the wheel sets. The intermediate to high end wheel sets can easy priced more than $1000, even hubs itself can cost more than $200 each.

   What is the difference?  How a hub can enhance the performance through the material, structure and maintenance?  The 28 hub's review Hubs review give an insight of 28 popular high end hub.

How the things work

white industries front hub adjustment

white industries rear hub adjustment

========================== Frame material =============================

  What's really make a difference of the bikes?  Stiffness, Lightness and Riding quality.

  For a frame,  Better one can be stiffer so that transfers the power more efficient,  lighter for more responsive and easier to ascend, more importantly ,   more comfortable to ride with.  And of cause also aesthetic, cost and maintenance  etc. are other issues need to take into consideration.

 The steel , the traditional material,  considered better riding quality with a little weight penalty.  The lugged steel frame has traditional aesthetic. the cost can be low or bloody high based on what type of steel tube used and who built it.

The titanium is consider similar attribute with the steel and just better due to the lightness and stiffness. titanium usually exclusively build the high end bicycle.

Aluminium, now become the low cost material for the bike frame, it can be light, but not always, it;s considered not have the high riding quality.

Carbon fiber is a better material due to its stiffness, lightness and ride quality but expensive and not easy  to repair when damaged.

here is the basic knowledge to understand the bike frame material.

========================== wheel building ===============================

It's said, you wouldn't fundamentally understand the bike until you build the wheel by yourself.

 The resource how to build a wheel set.
 And the book           the art of wheelbuiding.
                                  The Bicycle Wheel
 Some popular race wheel sets review        best road wheel upgrade from bikeradar.com.

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crankset review   (Scotch-Weld™ DP-460)