Yesterday my older son volunteered at the New York Air Show, which took place at an airport about an hour and a half north of the city. It was an all-day commitment for him, which left me with two options: stand around a field eating corn dogs for eight hours, or take a bike with... Continue Reading →

Hello! Before we begin, I think there's a lesson here for all of us: Thanks to the reader who brought the manner of this vessel's construction to my attention. And now, I'm pleased to present you with a quiz. As always, study the item, think, and click on your answer. If you're right you'll know... Continue Reading →

There's only one type of person who's even more annoying than gravel racers who complain when gravel races are hard, and it's New Yorkers who complain about how New York City is annoying. "If you don't like it here then leave" is a knuckleheaded response when someone complains about a grave injustice, but it's perfectly... Continue Reading →

I admit I'm still thinking about Unbound Gravel and that controversial mud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijMSpLCk81E Maybe it would help to think of it as liquid gravel instead. As far as the question of whether or not it was "fair" of the organizers to leave it in, I can't help but relate it to my own experience--not with... Continue Reading →

I have been riding this bike a lot: That'll change, it always changes. I move from bike to bike like a mariachi band moving from table to table. But at the moment the bikes I'm riding the most are that one and this one: The Milwaukee is the "recreational" one and the Homer is the... Continue Reading →

Quite a few years ago I remember hearing about this event called "Dirty Kanza" from a bike media person who had participated in it. It was a 200-mile ride or race or something on unpaved roads in Kansas. I knew right away that this was something I'd never do--not because I have anything against Kansas,... Continue Reading →

Hello! It's Friday so I'm just gonna come right out and say it--I don't like SRAM, and I think they're ruining bikes: No, please! Remember when electronic shifting first came out? Remember how it was the most expensive, and it was designed for and marketed to the most competitive riders? We all understood that you... Continue Reading →

Further to yesterday's post, I don't want to make it seem like I'm anti-battery guy or some kind of luddite. I'm a thoroughly modern individual, and some of my favorite things run on batteries. My phone, my laptop, my transistor radio...I dare you to call me a "luddite" while I'm listening to the Brooklyn Dodgers... Continue Reading →

Mobility. The dictionary defines "mobility" as follows: I, however, define it thusly: Alas, the dignified nature of my conveyance is often in stark contrast to the city in which I pilot it. The streets are full of deadly pitfalls, and you may not even know it until you almost step into one. Consider: If you're... Continue Reading →

Of the many unfortunate aspects of this blog, one of the most unfortunate ones for you, the reader, is that you're forced to hear about whatever I'm obsessed with at the moment--which, for now, is the cosmetically-upgraded Milwaukee: Hey, you're lucky it's distracting me from the Softride: But it'll be back, you can be sure... Continue Reading →