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Another Toronto winter is upon us and for those of us brave silly enough to endure the low temperatures, the wind, the sleet, the hail and the snow on two wheels; it’s time to get those bad weather beaters in fighting shape. Mine was pretty much ready to go a few weeks back but needed a new chain, some new pedals (I went with the Sylvan Road over the Sylvan Track pedals I normally use to accommodate bulkier shoes in the winter) and of course, new winter tires.

In the past I’ve ridden 28mm Touring tires, 30mm Cyclocross tires, 25mm Road tires with minimal tread and 23mm Road slicks with varying degrees of success. The two predominant schools of thought when it comes to choosing a winter tire are as follows;

1. Thinner, higher PSI tires will cut through the snow and slush giving you a better chance at making actual road contact but can be a little bit less reliable in icy conditions.

2. Wider, lower PSI tires get more surface contact making riding in icy conditions somewhat safer and more likely to roll atop the snow rather than cutting through which both can be good but the ride tends to be much slower.

It’s a tough trade off because slow & steady is the safest possible way to ride in the winter but when your extremities (boys, you know the ones I’m talking about) are half a second away from freezing off, you want to get where you’re going on the ASAP so I tend to choose a tire that offers me the best of both worlds; speed & traction.

Of course then there are the metal studded tires but that’s a whole other monster - in my opinion they all that ideal in Toronto unless you have dedicated wheels and/or like changing tires a lot as conditions change. For Ice Racing, however? All studs, all the time…

Based on Ben’s recommendation* I snagged myself a pair of Schwalbe Marathon tires for the winterbike as the Pizza Pizza tires on there right now just weren’t cutting it when the roads started to get slick.

They can be ridden with a higher PSI in dry conditions, decreasing area of surface contact with the road and giving you a nice, swift ride as you may experience with thinner tires but when when the conditions get sloppy you may drop the PSI allowing the the treads themselves to make contact and giving you a much more surefooted ride. Throw in some Kevlar for puncture protection and a 3M reflective strip for increased visibility and you’ve got yourself a pretty nice little tire.

As you might expect when mounting a larger tire with fenders on a frame that wasn’t really intended to carry them can be a bit of a headache - not as much as it was mounting cross tires last year (even though the Jamie Roy had better clearance than this frame) - but a headache none the less.

I just took a file to the brakebridge mount to give myself an extra 1mm on each side which was just enough to kill the major rubbing.

I could still hear the whizz of the little production nubs as the wheel rotated so I broke out the exacto (pliers worked better in the end) to cut them off.

We haven’t received any truly extreme weather as of yet so the Marathons have yet to prove themselves where it counts but based on my test ride with them (on an icy road) I have high hopes for a mostly vertical winter.

*Speaking of Ben, his beautiful Benotto is up for grabs and he’s asking a fair price for it so if you’re in the market for some classic Italian steel, don’t sleep!

**Speaking of Thien, he recently sold his beautiful red Bridgestone and has been unloading the components individually which means dirt cheap B123s for me.

I thought that I was the cat’s pajamas last year when I completed ‘through the fire and the flames‘ on expert while maintaining an average speed of 46km/h but I now realize how clearly outclassed I am after Wade sent me this here video…

The Cyclocross Provincials are coming to Toronto this weekend. If you’re free on Sunday and want to take in some great racing, bundle up and head on over to Riverdale Park East.

If you’re not necessarily into cross racing perhaps you’ll be lured in by the 30ft beer tent (which riders go through at speed), “100s” of vintage wool jerseys on sale, the $1 cowbells or the free Jetfuel coffee.

• 10:00 am start Master 3 men, Under 15 Men & women, Under 17 men & women.
• 11:30 am start is Master 2 Men, All Master Women and Elite Women
• 1:00 pm start is Master 1 Men, and Elite Men

More info at iBike.to and Cyclocross Ontario

Photo from Wes’ Flikr

I was awaken today at 8:30 by my phone ringing - I had to be at work for 9 so it’s probably just as well. See, every time there is an accident incident (I’m weary of calling these sorts of things accidents as they are so often entirely preventable and are more negligent than accidental) involving a cyclist it sends my poor mother into a panic because she wonders whether or not she’ll hear the angelic voice of her incredibly lovable (and extraordinarily handsome) son ever again - especially when the incident involves a fight with a cabbie because that wouldn’t be entirely uncharacteristic of me, unbecoming as it may be.

“A cyclist who lost his leg is clinging to life after an altercation with a cabbie that police say appears to be “a simple case of road rage.”

“Three hours later, we get a 911 call indicating that a cab driver was involved in some sort of altercation. He put himself at the scene.”

- Source

The details are sketchy as of yet but the way I interpret the story is as follows; Cabbie and cyclist get into an argument over how best to share the road, argument goes physical (or at least escalates beyond the usual exchange of ‘fuck you’s), cabbie goes apeshit and rams cyclist into pole before fleeing the scene, cyclist gets rushed to hospital where doctors unsuccessfully try to save his leg, cabbie calls the police 3 hours later to report an ‘attempted robbery’. Sure…

I know very little about it so the robbery story isn’t necessarily completely out of the question but based purely on my instincts and experiences as a cyclist in this city, I’ll tentatively call it ‘improbable’ until more details emerge. Would you not call the police immediately if you were robbed and assaulted so that they may apprehend the suspect? Of course you would - any reasonable person would.

Ok, so let’s assume that there was a physical fight between the two parties; charge the cyclist with assault and charge the cabbie with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and fleeing the scene of a crime and call the situation what it is - a sad inevitability in a city with so little infrastructure and/or protection for cyclists and an industry maintained by flagrant disregard for all others on the road and little enforcement to keep them from doing whatever they want/can to make a couple of extra bucks.

Part of me wants to say that the next time a cabbie puts your safety at risk you should drag him out of the car and hand out a serious ass whippin’ but I think we all know that’s not right. Outside of the obvious ‘guilty by association’ mentality which is flawed in it’s own respects; open season on cabbies = open season on cyclists, it’s not good for anyone and the cyclical nature of the conflict continues. 10 cabbies cut a cyclist off; the cyclist sees fit to dent the door panel of the 11th. 10 cyclists cut them off; they see fit to run the 11th down. We’re all just people trying to live our lives, cabbies and cyclists alike, and yet we get on the road and the simple division gives way to blind rage with little provocation on either side.

What are we supposed to do when neither vigilance nor diplomacy does anything to properly address or rectify the problem? They hate us, we hate them - now, how do you fix that?

Earlier reference: Moral Combat

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On a totally unrelated note; I wish the construction company working across from my house would clean up the roads when they are done tracking mud all over them - my street gets especially slick and this morning I went down like a ton of bricks while making a simple turn. Sheeeeeit.

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Update:

I’m not really all that up on the whole culture of collecting vinyl toys a la the Magic Pony set but when my friends do cool stuff, as they often do, I take notice. A few weeks ago, the brothers McCracken that form the design duo Doublenaut participated in Hero Design’s “This B.U.D.s For You” toy design show and I think the end result is pretty amazing. The fellas also posted some procedural shots if you’re a nerd like me and you like to see how things are made - check ‘em out.

I wish I had some extra cash because I’d love to have that little fella in my home, I don’t, but maybe you do so maybe you can buy it for your home? Maybe you could buy it for my home? While you’re at it, I’d love this Adam Swinbourne jobby as well. K. Thx. Bai!

Update: Check out the Doublenaut feature on GrainEdit.

Speaking of Dblnt; knowing that I’m a huge fan of anything and everything HWM related, yesterday Matty McC sent over the new Chris Wollard & The Ship Thieves record and it’s every bit as incredible as nearly everything else Wollard has been a part of. Sounds to me more like a mix of The Replacements, Dinosaur JR and a bunch of other stuff than it does like Hot Water Music or The Draft but god damn, it’s beautiful.

Download my two favorite tracks here:
In The Middle Of The Sea | Reason To My Rhyme

I’m aware that neither of these two tracks sound like either The Replacements or Dino JR, you’d need to listen to the full record to understand that particular comparison… I don’t really know what to compare these two tracks to, you tell me?

The record is available as a pre-release on iTunes right now and CD / Vinyl will be coming soon.

I can’t believe I didn’t recognize them sooner but tonight when I was sorting my CDs (many of which will be up for grabs as soon as I have a chance to rip ‘em) I happened upon one of my old favorites and was instantly reminded of where I knew those shoes from… Collabo alert!

In 1992, shortly after the release of White Men Can’t Jump with a Colnago cap perched atop Snipes’ melon and with a few years of a successful Mars Blackmon x Jordan campaign already in the bag, Wild Pitch Records decided that the urban market was ready for the next generation of cycling fashion and re-released 1991’s Fruits Of Nature with a limited run of Shimano clipless shoes.

Word on the street is that only 30 pairs were ever produced and I may own the only the only pair this side of the Pacific as most of them made their way to the Japanese market as biketights (please click this link) gave way to backwards baggies - they tried the biketights backwards for a while but abandoned all hope after a few backwards biketight related lawsuits and shipped everything overseas as a final concession in the defeat of cycling related hip-hop fashion. Consider the Shimano X UMCs shoes to be a valiant ‘last breath’ and a valuable piece of a rich and often overlooked period in our history as both bikesters and hiphopsters.

I really shouldn’t post on such little sleep - it might be worse than drunk dialing..

PS GetMooreTattoos.com - new site. I’d be lying if I said that I really liked the site, but Steve’s work is incredible and he’s one hell of a great guy - I’m very proud to wear some of his work every day.

When I was just a young pup while at Kate’s Joint in the East Village I had some ‘Disco Fries’ which I guess is what the Americans call Poutine (which were also incredible!) but when I went back a few years later, they’d stopped using a vegan cheese and had started using one with casein. Total horseshit, right?

After seeing Dan’s blog a short while ago I realized that it’s probably been 15 years since I had authentic Poutine and close to 10 since I had those Disco Fries I haven’t been able to get the thought of that hot gravy like a river of lava ebbing and flowing over a mountain of deep fried potatoes and greasy curds out of my head. Well, I’ve been working late a lot this week so I figured I’d make myself a little treat…

1st stop: Thuet for some way too expensive (but mighty fine) french fried ‘taters…

Thew on some mushroom gravy…

Busted out the Tofutti…

And had myself some Pouuuuuutine!

Now I hold no false illusions and I’m not going to pretend that my Poutine compares to any that the Poutineratti of the city are clammering over but I’ll be damned if it didn’t hit the spot tonight, boy!

The other day I went into the market for lunch at met up with the fellas at the shop when I saw a bikester’s worst nightmare - a beautiful bike completely gutted out front. I guess the owner had been in a bad accident and had taken the bike into the shop but when they weren’t able to help him out, he locked it out front and headed on to tend to his injuries.

They guys were all surprised when he hadn’t taken it the next morning and were equally as surprised when it remained out front for the next few days. After realizing it wasn’t going anywhere, Sean went out and put a bag over the Brooks hoping that it would go unnoticed but over the next couple of days, it would appear that the saddle was the least of this Sweet City’s concerns… The frame and the Level / Open Pro rear remained but they got the front, the fork, the stem / bars and the Campy Record Pista cranks that adorned this beautiful little bike.

I posted the photos on a few message boards hoping to track down the owner while there was still at least a frame and a wheel worth salvaging and it turns out that the bike belongs to a good friend of Cavern Keith’s (now at Cycle Solutions Parliament) who is apparently quite badly injured. After seeing the pics, Keith was kind enough to go over to pick up the remains…

As Ben pointed out while discussing this, if nothing else, this is a great advertisement for Kryptonite as the thief had foresight to bring a crank puller but didn’t see fit to try to chop the lock.

To me, it’s just a reminder that these motherfuckers will stop at nothing so you’ve got to be vigilant but it’s also a reminder that sometimes situations beyond our control prevent us from being able to do what we should to protect our stuff - in fact, it’s a reminder that sometimes situations beyond our control become more important than our ’stuff’.

Rob, I doubt you’ll read this but should this post cross your path, heal well, sorry about your bike.

For a long while now I’ve been looking at my living room and feeling underwhelmed… I mean, I’ve lived here for 3 years now and with the exception of a new couch / ottomans the place has stayed pretty much the same so I decided that it was time for a change.

First things first - my furnace room has been a bloody mess from day one but I just kind of put up with it, I’m not really sure why…

Fortunately, my better half thought better of it and decided to do something about it…

…and I’m glad she did!

Next up - new wall colour; we based it loosely on this little kitchen timer I picked up while I was in DC a few weeks ago and some plates that my lady picked up a short while ago as well… the similarity to Bianchi’s “Celeste” is not lost on me either; it’s a nice little bikester bonus.

The real Pièce de résistance, however, is the new bookcase / desk unit that Steph & I designed and are building together. All of my furniture is pretty dark so I wanted something to lighten the place up a little bit and I already have too many different woods in the place so white shelving was at the top of the list. I figured I’d just grab the same ones I had, except in white, but when the prospect of paying good money for white melamine really sunk in I just couldn’t go through with it… so I picked up some solid wood shelving and my partner in crime and I got down to business.

A few years ago you couldn’t have convinced me to paint wood, brick or anything like that but the times they are a changing; KFC has a vegan sandwich (review to come eventually) and I bought perfectly good solid wood cabinets with every intention of covering those pretty ladies in latex. Painting wood is no joke, though; you’ve got to take your time with it if you want it to hold up - lots of sanding to prepare the surface before anything touches it, 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint - lots of time and a light sanding with a fine grit sand paper in between each coat.

I think they turned out really nice* - this is one of those times when having a girlfriend that knows things and being a little on the handy side yourself comes in… well… handy.

All in all, putting in a little bit (ok, a good amount) of time and sweat can get you some really nice, fairly affordable furniture that doesn’t look like it was picked up that day at Ikea… even if it was.

*You’ll have to imagine the board in the middle as a desk / work table. Part 2 coming soon…

Last night was Keep A Breast fundraiser in Liberty Village and my good old friend Tami had a piece in the show & my boy Scotty Hammell was performing so the fellas and I headed over to lend our support… No pun intended.

I hadn’t seen Chris in way too long, he’s been out on tour, so it was great to catch up and cop a feel.

Budz

“Nov 16. We’re playing with Agnostic Front. Be there.”

Scotty Hammell, as most of us ever see him.

Jess Baumung, as most of us ever see him.

I’m gonna just go ahead and say it, I have good looking friends.

Totally sinister and like, whatever. Like, you know? Right? Like, whatever, right?

Hope you had a Happy Birthday, Cam.

Shout out to Ayalah who brought in UK borne gelatin free skittles for the 3 office vegans.

It’s been a good long while since I’d been out with the DSR crew for a ride - so glad to see the Wednesday Night Rides still going so strong!

Less than 150 years removed from emancipation, less than 50 years removed from the fall of Jim Crow, the wounds of institutionalized racism still apparent and the infection still wreaking havoc on the system; I’m proud to say that in my lifetime I have seen the election of the first black president of the United States of America. The fact that he has been elected is a great sign of progress but the fact that we’re even discussing it is a sure sign of how far we have yet to go.

I’ve got a great deal to say about the election of Barack Hussein Obama in regards to his apparent character, his policies and his dream for a country so deeply rooted in the promises of liberty, justice and the inherent contradictions contained within each of those tenets but I’ll save that for another day; for now I’ll congratulate my friends south of the border on a solid step in the right direction.

Yesterday I inherited an old set of Speedplay Frogs and a pair of Shimano clipless shoes / cleats - tonight, while waiting for Obama to take the stage, I took my first ride in about 8 years in clipless pedals. I think the last ones I rode (and very few times, at that) were SPDs and I wasn’t immediately used to the free float of the Frogs. It took me a few spins around the block to figure out how far my feet could ‘float’ before becoming disengaged but I think I’ve got the hang of it and have high hopes for my commute (if you wanna call it that) tomorrow morning.

If I have one complaint, right off the bat, it’s that there is no discernible ‘click’ when your feet are secured to the pedals (not especially comforting given the bike I’m riding) but I can tell already that the power transfer is far superior to that of clips and straps and I’m looking forward to riding more with them. I’m sure that in the end I’ll be riding clips and straps 90% of the time but it’s nice to have another option for the days when I want to just on my bike and make ‘er go.*

*See what I did, there?

Few things in life give me the kind of thrill that finding and swooping in on a good deal does - even when it’s not for me. When Sparky the Dragon told me some time ago that he was looking to help find a good city bike for our good friend Ben who recently moved here from Montreal via California I hit up all the usual suspects but nothing spectacular came up. When Ben’s beach cruiser began to shit the bed the search intensified and yesterday morning we struck gold, Jerry, gold.

Now, these bicycles (Miele, Bianchi, etc.) routinely show up on Craigslist for between $300-$500 (I don’t know what they sell for, though) but what did the owner want for this beauty? $50. Let’s also keep in mind that they normally come with Exage components and this came with a full 105 group, they normally come with ‘ok’ saddles and this came with a Turbo and most importantly, they are usually in ‘ok’ shape at best and this one was in incredible condition - the wheels rolling perfectly true, the gears shifting smoothly and the brakes stopping the bike on a dime. God, I love a good deal.

Now, I’m always happy to help a friend and don’t expect much of anything in return but it is always nice when the satisfaction of helping a brother or sister in need isn’t the only reward. Ben doesn’t have any use for the Speedplay Frog pedals (possibly even Ti spindled), the sweet Shimano clipless shoes (a size too small but whatever), or the Profile Design Tri Bars (does anyone have a use for these?) so my parts cupboard grows stronger still. God, I really love a good deal.

Note to self: When you tell yourself every morning that your shoelaces are too long and one day they’re going to get stuck in your drive train… get new shoelaces.

Fortunately they were so long that I was able to turn one into two. I’m so punk.

To my American friends - as if you didn’t need another reason to vote Obama.

No excuses, go out today and vote and kick t-rex to the curb.

I brought the old Rocky Mountain out of retirement for my first and last dirtride of the season with the fine fellas from Bikes On Wheels.

I must admit; I’m at least a little bit jealous of Ben’s new Dekerf which a few weeks ago looked like this…

…but with the aid of some good connections and an owner with good taste, it now been transformed from some old fella’s grocery getter to the fine trail machine it was intended to be.

Ok, very jealous.

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Update: Cam is the man!

My lady has good ideas and I have the good sense to go along with them.

Happy Halloween!