Today’s Dilemma

So, the impetus for riding my bike sooner than I had anticipated, is that my car is in the shop and It’s going to be really expensive to fix it. The wonderful mechanics at Monte & Sons are working on it. Seriously if you don’t know these mechanic, you should.

Today, I was worried about how I was going to get to my personal training clients, these amazing women that I train, who have trusted me to get them, fit, healthy and plant strong!!  And make it to my spiritual direction (SD) appointment, all of this was back to back. What I did was I biked to the PhillyCarShare, the one closest to my house and put my bike in the back of the car, thank goodness it was a hatchback which made it incredible easy. After training my clients, I drove back to the PhillyCarShare spot, got my bike out and road to my SD appointment.

After that I road to local Co-op, Weaver’s Way Co-op had lunch and then biked to the gym and then home.

BTW the bike trail in the Wissahickon Valley park (Forbidden Drive) near Lincoln drive is still closed which sucks because that means I have to dismount and walk my bike along Lincoln Drive, this is better than the alternative of biking through trails that I think are made for mountain bikes.

Tonight’s ride

Tonight I biked to a late night class at LTSP, I learned a lesson and that lesson is that one should not bike on Germantown ave. There is no shoulder, abandon trolley car rails and oh and don’t forget the cobble stones.

New Day More Gear

I think I had forgotten how much it cost just to get the bike on the road. I remember when I started this blog I wrote about buying gear several times, here is one post. When I rode my bike on Friday I noticed that the chain seemed really tight and the bike was really hard to pedal so when I went to Human Zoom Bikes & Boards, I bought White Lightning Epic Lube, based on the store’s recommendation. I have never oiled the chain before, but like all things, when I need to know something I go to Youtube and found these great guys Shiftless Bastards and they have a great tutorial on on how to clean and lube a bike chain

This was so helpful and I will test out my bike later to see if it worked. I am definitely going to check out other videos on the Shiftless Bastards Youtube channel.

Mako 1 Watt Light

After my fiasco of getting home the other night (3 mile ride turned into an over 7 mile trek), I went to test out my headlight and It does not work even with new batteries. I shouldn’t be surprised since it sat around for about 2 1/2 years. So on my way home from work I made a trip to Keswick Cycle, a pretty cool place and bought a Mako headlight  and totally can’t wait to check it out. One thing that I love about the Mako light is how it just grips on to the handle bar. No tightening needed, no screws, Awesome!!

I’m back and yes it has been a while

Yes I am back the Jewish City Chick is back. Three years it’s been since I have blogged here and almost that long since I have ridden my bike. Actually the last time I rode my bike was August 2009. Now almost three years later, two cities a bad break up, I am back.

A few years ago I asked you all about Baltimore or Philly  most of you responded with Philadelphia and although I new you were right, my dumb butt moved to Baltimore. It’s a long story but it has a lot to do with that bad break up I mentioned earlier. The good news is that I am now in Philadelphia, starting my life over and I have to say, pretty happy. Also the Jewish City Chick is now a Rabbinical Student, and in the city she wanted to be in, in the first place.

Yesterday I took my single speed SE Lager out for a spin for the first time in almost three year. After checking the tires, and making sure that everything seemed to be working I was going to bike about 2.5 miles to my gym, Sweat Fitness. Since it had been a while I told me myself if I got there and could not workout then that would be okay and I would head home. There was only one problem that I did not for see and that is that my helmet was dead and time to get another one. I had to ride 2.5 miles without a helmet, something I do not advise, luckily there is a bike shop next to my gym called Human Zoom Bikes & Boards where I purchased a helmet.

The ride to the gym was great, a little on the chilly side but I was well layered. The ride to the gym is mostly down hill but the ride back is not so I found an alternate route using the Wissahickon Valley Park (Forbidden Drive). This route added about 1/2 a mile to the commute but I saw it as a better alternative to riding 2.5 miles all up hill.

Once I was on the trail the path was closed to get me back to Germantown. Not sure what to do I doubled back to see if there was another exit and found myself back where I had started so I went back on the trail and found myself on a not so bike friendly path. Anyway my 3 mile ride turned into 7.58 mile trek. After all of that it was still good to be on the bike and to start my bike commuting life in Philadelphia. So stay tuned.

Ann’s Surly Burly Girlie

This is my Surly, my burly girlie, the light of my two-wheeled life. The frame is a 2008 Surly Cross-Check, built up with an 18-speed drivetrain (compact double in front). She’s got 29er mountain bike wheels and Kevlar-belted tires for toughness, a Brooks saddle and swept-back handlebars for comfort, and I’ve rebuilt an army-surplus rucksack into a saddlebag for cargo. The whole shebang comes in at just under 25 pounds – outstanding for a rolling, bombproof easy chair. In our first year together we’ve put in more than 3,000 miles, which makes this a fine romance with some serious staying power. ––Ann Claycombe

Unsquished–Equipped KHS Urban-X

Unsquished Commuter – KHS Urban-X

Built like a tank, my KHS Urban-X is the ideal all-round commuter bike for the treacherous pot-holed streets of Atlanta. I think it cost me $375 in early 2007, and came fully kitted out with rack, fenders and a kickstand. Since then I’ve added campus pedals (clipless on one side, fine for regular shoes on the other), a Brooks saddle (the best saddle ever), new grips (but only because the last ones wore out) and, as you can see, an extremely dorky giant reflective triangle on the back of my rack pack. I use the rack pack for clothes and my Breezer ‘biz pannier’ for everything from books to papers to my laptop. I also go for dual front-light overkill and the world’s sturdiest (yet heavy and rattly) lock. I’ve taken the quick releases off of the wheels, replacing them with hex-key skewers, and the rather pricy saddle is also padlocked on with a wee lock. Not enough to deter the determined thief with a set of tools, but good enough to thwart opportunistic pilferers while the bike is locked up outside all day. In short, it ain’t light or even particularly pretty, but it takes me on my 15 mile daily commute with comfort, utility and baddassitude.   —Unsquished

SE Lager Protesting Rick Warren

Bike is protesting Rick Warren

The Smart Tube

I got flat tire this morning, my first.  I had to walk my bike 2.8 miles home, I’m just glad I wasn’t further away from home.  Today I installed the Smart Tube:  The Slime Self Healing Road Presta Tube by Slime.  It’s supposed to instantly seal punctures up to 1/8″ as you ride and work repeatedly.  The tubes come pre-loaded with SLIME Tire Sealant. Once installed the Smart tube are supposed to  work continuously and instantly seal most punctures in the tread up to 1/8″.  I’m really excited and the reviews look pretty.  We shall see how it works

Tonight’s Ride

I headed to the gym at about 4:20 it was about 40 degrees with wind chill making it feel like 39.  Hours later by the time I headed home from the Farmers Market the wind chill dropped down to about 35 or 34.

The First Ride of 2009

I should add it was wet and foggy but totally worth it.