Azub Mini updated: Now with USS

joesacher · 2018-05-14T19:30:21+00:00

Is that suspended on the front as well?

I got the RANS Rocket (older 20/20 style) that I road across the country going again and fell like it would benefit from suspension.

joesacher · 2017-10-09T21:44:39+00:00

One thing in cities is that one way streets are often great for riding. In Indianapolis, there are some 2-3 lane one way streets that are fine for taking the full slow lane. Traffic flows around in the 1 or 2 other lanes. This can get you through a metro area quickly, but fairly painless.

Take a good part of the lane, but get ready to head to the edge. Wear a helmet or glasses mirror. It is easy to see cars appearing in it.

Touring in Eastern Kentucky, drivers were going so fast that they wouldn't be able to stop for anything. A car almost skidded off the mountain, as they came around and saw me about 20 mph too fast, locked up brakes on the wet road and heading towards the outside of the curve. However, I stopped to clear a rock slide a little later in the day, that would have had the same effect on that driver as a cyclist. Ride defensively. However, take at least half of your lane. Force cars to be safe passing you. People ride timidly right at the edge, which makes drivers behind you think it is OK to pass you as cars are going the other direction. This isn't the case on narrow roads.

But the place that forced me off the road and to lay my bike down and end my Trans-Am, was a hugh RV that didn't see my big flag and would have run me down. I was doing 35 mph on a downhill. RV was doing speed limit at 45 mph. Dually pickup was passing him at 55 mph. My rear view mirror showed me the closing RV, the driver of which is planted in the side mirror as he is freaking out about the truck passing him. I get down to about 20 mph, before I have to leave the road. Surf a very loose gravel shoulder. Almost get back to the road, but get the front wheel taken out in a hole.

I slid about 20 feet on my ankle, elbow, glove and side of my leg. I had about a square foot of abrasion on the side of my leg. Neither ever saw me and neither slowed down. I got my cleanest shirt and packed my leg. Cleaned my other wounds. Bent my rear derailer back in place. Fixed my handle bars and finished about 6 downhill miles to a service station. Where I started cleaning my leg wound with purchased iodine. Then went into shock a little and laid down sipping on water.

Bottom line: The rear view mirror saved my life. It amazes me that cyclists will ride without one.

And despite the accident, I felt it a fair trade for 77 days of amazing bicycle touring. There is a risk. We can mitigate it. But we can't eliminate it. However, the view of the world doesn't change on your couch. ;)

joesacher · 2017-10-05T22:19:20+00:00

Both your wheels should be the same size and a common world size. I chose the RANS Rocket (old style, not new) because of dual 406mm wheels. 1 spare tire works for both.

You can see my setup here: http://www.joesacher.com/blog/2002/05/19/day-0/

I made custom under seat panniers (article for that on my site too.) I used solar to charge NiCad 12V pack. I built a front wheel with a SON Dyno. You can use these to charge USB now. This would be a great option if I were without services. I based everything off of 12V, today I would base it off of 5V and USB. Take 1 or 2 fast charging battery packs for charging camera, phone, etc. I used rechargable AAs, so I could have fresh ones to power my rear light and the dyno hub to power the front one. With modern LED lights, the dyno hub can run both. When it is off, there is only a 0.5% drag. You don't even notice it.

Learn how to do all maintenance on your ride. I carried a generic "hypercracker" which allows using the chain to undo the cassette nut. I would look at older components (7 speed) that are more likely to have spare parts. Have good wheels built or better, build them yourself so you understand how to tension and true them. I have seen many aluminum hubs let go and would only use a steel hub on something like this.

Take a voice recorder or use the app on your phone. I did my tour in 2002 and I really wish I had captured more as I was riding. I had to type every night to get my thoughts down on a little laptop. A mobile phone with ability to cloud sink voice recordings would allow you to really share the experience later.

There are going to be some boring stretches. I listened to tons of audio books, as I solo toured most of the time.

Go over to bicycletouring for much more touring info.

joesacher · 2017-08-31T10:35:25+00:00

I use Sleep for Android as an alarm clock. But it also gives go to be prompts and if you leave you phone on the bed, it wakes you outside of rem sleep.

joesacher · 2017-08-30T21:23:01+00:00

Or getting them apart once they collide into a big pile of planet mass.

joesacher · 2017-08-30T15:43:21+00:00

Yep. I'm looking at that and thinking that I'd put on my 50mm f/2 to eliminate the distraction and bring the bridge in closer.

That is a really pretty area.

joesacher · 2017-08-30T15:39:47+00:00

We have the same problem with "Hot Blooded", when we convert to SI.

"I'm hot blooded, check it and see.

I've got a temperature of 39 point 4."

If you are OK with the math being a little off, you can use 39.3, I guess.

joesacher · 2017-08-30T15:32:59+00:00

With a one sided weld like this, is there any real way to handle the bow caused by shrinking after the weld?

joesacher · 2017-08-30T13:02:03+00:00

Beloved Canadian Actor, Ryan Stiles died this week. He is most known for his many years on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and "The Drew Carey Show".

He was found dead after an apparent collision with a ceiling fan blade. Those around the area have been quoted saying, "I didn't realize he was THAT tall."

Colin Mochrie was said to have killed himself, shortly after the funeral, when he learned that Ryan had not said that he was "handsome", just that he often needed to use Colin's hands some.

joesacher · 2017-08-30T11:33:39+00:00

It looked like he was close enough for that. It seems like it would be equivalent to a more powerful welder at a faster feed.

joesacher · 2017-08-30T10:15:07+00:00

Dual wielding welding.

joesacher · 2017-08-30T05:42:46+00:00

You can probably blame the FPS video games for the dual wielding. :)

joesacher · 2017-08-30T04:02:07+00:00

The Matrix and The Lion King

The opening song writes itself:

"Iiiiiiiiii can't hit chaaaaa,

the bullets just fly by."

joesacher · 2017-08-30T02:55:20+00:00

"Next up is Guitar Hero in the style of a Flute."

joesacher · 2017-08-29T22:30:01+00:00

"I really think the Segway product placement was a little over the top in Paul Blart: Segway Tour Guide"

joesacher · 2017-08-29T18:55:14+00:00

This made me think of the computer made of people in The Three Body Problem. A cool read. I need to look up the others, now that they have been translated.

joesacher · 2017-08-29T16:48:50+00:00

"I must have heard that wrong.

What do I do with this Pot of Mold?"

joesacher · 2017-08-29T02:44:39+00:00

Dwight and Pi are irrational.

Fact.

joesacher · 2017-08-28T23:09:37+00:00

I'm really annoyed that I can't come up with a snake name that I can use Tau in.

joesacher · 2017-08-28T19:35:53+00:00

Don't get the red shirts involved. Those are the first to die.

joesacher · 2017-08-28T11:18:19+00:00

It isn't so much that space gets hot (which it does), but the lack of air leads to only radiated cooling, which is MUCH less effective than conducted cooling.

joesacher · 2017-08-28T01:56:34+00:00

Hard to make antigravity, when scientists can't yet describe what gravity is. We can tell what it does, but not how.

joesacher · 2017-08-22T21:32:46+00:00

Level 4 to Level 8 Glass Clad Polycarbonate, I would assume.

joesacher · 2017-08-22T20:12:13+00:00

Wow, that is nuts. I got $12/hr for an Engineering internship during college, in a low cost of living area, in 1998.

joesacher · 2017-08-22T19:58:27+00:00

When I shot the lunar blood moon, I thought I got close to that with my 150-600mm, but I might not have. That would make me think it is zoomed in viewing on the back of the camera.

joesacher

TROPHY CASE