Tips & Tricks: Keep it Clean – Pre- & Post-Ride Rituals

Posted on February 5, 2015 by weliketobike

Bike maintenance doesn’t just happen when you take your bike to the shop, it’s what you do before and after every ride. To keep our bikes working their best all of the time, we have these pre- and post-ride rituals.

PRE-RIDE RITUAL

Because of our post-ride rituals, our pre-ride check takes only a few minutes. All that is required is to pump your tires to the desired pressure. We use 95 – 100 psi for normal rides, or 100 – 110 psi for races. Once the tires are pumped, we are ready to roll with the clean, bright and shiny frames!

POST-RIDE RITUAL

After a ride is when your bike needs the most care. Putting your bike away dirty is one of the ways to make your bike and components wear out more quickly. To keep your bike working better longer, our post-ride ritual requires lube, a couple of rags, a paper bag, steel wool and alcohol pads.

Start by lubing the chain with Rock-n-Roll lube. On days with dry roads, we use the red, Absolute Dry lube. When the roads are wet, or it’s foggy out, we use the Gold lube for a bit more waxiness to keep the chain from getting wet. There’s a third option which is great for your mountain bike, the blue Rock-n-Roll Extreme lube.

Set up the rags behind the the chain and apply the lube to the lower part of the chain behind the chain ring. Rotate the pedals ten times while applying the lube. Next apply the lube to both upper and lower rear derailleur sprockets. Then rotate the pedals another ten times.

With a clean rag, wipe the excess lube off the chain and derailleur sprockets. Start with the lower sprocket and then the upper sprocket. Then the chain where it meets the lower sprocket and repeat where the chain meets the upper sprocket.

Then wipe the excess lube off the top and bottom of the chain by gripping the top and bottom of the lower part of the chain with your thumb and forefingers and rotating the pedals twenty times. Then do the same for the sides of the chain an rotate the pedals thirty times. Finally, repeat wiping the top and bottom of the chain another ten rotations. When you are done, your clean rag will have much of the dirt, grime and excess lube from your chain.

After lubing the chain, we use an isopropyl alcohol pad to wipe off the aluminum breaking surfaces of the rims in order to remove any brake dust and ensure proper brake power.

If you have a nick or other surface imperfection in your braking surface, you can also use steel wool to smooth out the surface. We use copper, as it leaves less residue on the aluminum braking surfaces as your are smoothing it out.

Tips & Tricks: Keep it Clean – Wax On, Wax Off

Posted on February 5, 2015 by weliketobike

A wash is just the beginning of keeping your ride clean. In order to make it shine and keep it clean longer, it needs a coat of wax. This tip always raises an eyebrow. Most riders have never thought about applying wax to their bike. Waxing your car is one thing, but waxing your bike? Not only does the wax make your ride shine, it also protects the finish from the elements and helps keep dirt, dust and mud off the frame.

If you have a dark colored, glossy frame and have never waxed your bike, you may notice streaking or a cloudiness to the finish. Waxing your bike helps eliminate the streaking and cloudy finish.

Bikes typically come in two types of finishes, glossy and matte. The different types of finishes require the application of different protectant coatings.

GLOSSY COATINGS

Although most bikes are made from either aluminum or carbon fiber frames, the wax we use comes from the car detailing industry and our friends at Detailed Image. This same wax can be used on your steel or titanium frame as well.

What do you need? Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine; Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze M205 Ultra Finishing Polish; a Fine Polishing Pad to apply the polish; Meguiar’s Mirror Glaze M34 Final Inspection Spray; Blackfire Wet Diamond Paint Protector; and a separate application and removal cotton rags for each product.

Your first step is to apply the Optima No Rinse to the frame. you can do this either through a spray bottle or by applying the No Rinse onto a rag and using the rag to wipe down the frame, using enough to make the frame look wet. With a clean rag, dry the frame completely.

Next, apply the Meguiar’s M205 polish to the polishing pad. Dab a small amount of polish onto the various parts of the frame. Then use the pad to work the polish onto the entire frame. Use a circular motion to work the polish in. The polish is fully applied once you no longer see any obtuse coating or streaking from the application. The finish will feel a bit rough and waxy to the touch.

Now wipe off the polish with another clean cotton rag. Use circular motions again to remove the wax. You have removed all of the wax when the finish is smooth to the touch.

Although it seems repetitive, the next step is to use the Meguiar’s Final Inspection Spray to remove any missed wax. Again, you can either apply the spray directly to the frame or to a rag. Either way, use a clean rag to apply the Spray to the entire frame. Then wipe it down with another clean, dry rag.

The last step is to apply the Blackfire Wet Diamond to get the final shine and protection. Apply the Blackfire to another clean rag and wipe down the entire frame. Then use a second rag as a final way to remove any residue from the frame. Finally, use a microfiber cloth to wipe down the entire frame.

If you take a picture of your frame before and after the waxing, you’ll notice a huge difference in the shine of your bike. You’ll also notice your bike stays cleaner, longer as you continue to ride throughout the season.

MATTE FINISH

Having a bike with a matte finish requires different treatment than a gloss finish. Matte finishes scratch more easily and tend to trap dirt more readily. To keep your ride looking its best and get it ready to accept the matte wax, we recommend using Chemical Guys Meticulous Matte from our friends at Detailed Image.

Working with a matte finish requires the softest cloths to ensure you don’t scratch the finish as you clean, wax or dry your bike. Always use a microfiber cloth to dry or detail your bike.

After your bike is clean, or in-between washes, use Chemical Guy’s Meticulous Matte Detail Spray.

Spray the detail sealant onto a microfiber cloth and wipe the entire bike down. This gets any remaining dirt and grime off of your bike’s frame and gets it ready to accept the sealant.

Once you’ve wiped down the entire frame, its time to seal the finish. Sealing the finish keeps the mud and dust from collecting on the finish. To seal the finish, we recommend Chemical Guys Jetseal Matte.

Again, place a dab on a second microfiber cloth and work it into the finish. Let the wax sit for 20 minutes. Then use another microfiber cloth to wipe the wax off to finish.

That’s it, you’re done. It’s now time to get out there and get it dirty again!

WINTER STORAGE

This wash and wax is also a great final wash of the season if you are putting your bike away for winter. When you pull it back out in the spring, all you will need to do is wipe it of with the microfiber cloth and apply a new round of lube to the chain. The T-9 applied above does a great job at protecting your chain from rusting or seizing while in storage.

FINAL WORDS

Whether you just got a new bike, or have been riding the same steed for years, a good wash and wax can make your ride look brand new and sparkle in the sun!

Muir Beach / Muir Woods Closure Information – December 2014 – March 2015

Posted on January 26, 2015 by weliketobike

Rainstorms on December 11, 2014 caused a section of CA-1 (SR-1) to collapse between Muir Beach and Panoramic Drive.

This section of road is featured in our trail and video “The Three Amigos“.

As this route of return is no longer available, this closure affects the ride back to Sausalito from Muir Woods and Stinson Beach.

From Muir Woods, you have the option of climbing back up Muir Woods Road or heading to Stinson Beach and climbing back via Panoramic Highway, the opposite direction of our Dog Days trail.

Your other options are to continue North on CA-1 and 1) attempt the climb up Fairfax Bolinas Road to West Ridgecrest and return via the latter half of Alpine Damn Loop

Or 2) go toward Point Reyes and return via Sir Francis Drake Blvd to Fairfax.

Construction is expected to continue through March 2015. See 511.org for the most up-to-date information on the closure and construction.

At this time we do not advise going to Muir Woods or Stinson Beach unless you are a very strong climber or are prepared for a 60+ mile ride.

Tips & Tricks: Bike Rental on Vacation: Destination San Francisco

Posted on November 28, 2014 by weliketobike

Miko on Angel Island with her rental mountain bike.

Cycling runs deep in the San Francisco Bay Area culture. It has been in the blood of Bay Area residents since the 1960’s. The first mountain bikes were even designed and rode in Marin County, on Mt. Tam by Gary Fisher and other mountain bike pioneers in the 1970’s.

With all this cycling fever, it makes sense the first bicycle rentals for tourists have been available in San Francisco since the mid-80’s. However, it wasn’t until the closing of the Presidio Army Base and takeover of the land by the National Park Service in 1998 that tourist cycling took off.

Once the Presidio bike trails opened in 1998, riding across the Golden Gate Bridge by bike not only became easier, but accessible to almost anyone. Since then, biking has become an integral part of the San Francisco tourist experience.

Not everyone has a folding bike, or wants the hassle of bring their own when on vacation. We sympathize. We’ve brought a bike on the plane to various triathlons, we’ve rented bikes while on vacation, and even done the whole “borrow a bike” from a hotel. Some of these were good experiences, others, not much.

The only question is, which rental company do you choose?

That question is answered by determining what type of bike you want to rent: Hybrid comfort bike? Mountain bike? Road bike? Electric bike? City bike?

Miko’s rental hybrid bike on our first ride to Sausalito.

Hybrid Bike

The most popular option when renting is the hybrid comfort bike. These bikes typically have flat pedals, larger tires, larger saddles, flat handlebars, disk brakes and can even come with front shocks. The hybrid is your general purpose bike good for the road, paved trail or even a smooth dirt road. The bikes typically feature 27 gears with a triple chainring up front and a 9-speed cassette in the rear for maximum flexibility while one a ride. Shifting is done by rotating the handles forward or backwards.

One of the drawbacks of these bikes is their weight. Hybrid comfort bikes tend to be very heavy, weighing from 27 to 35 pounds. You will see people pushing hybrid comfort bikes up some of the hills on your way to Sausalito. As they are the most popular bikes, they are also the most used, so maintenance is not always the best. This can result in a bike where the gears do not change easily, the chain can come off the chainring while riding and squeaks in either the chain or frame can be heard.

An advantage of hybrid bikes is that they can be taken on any of the ferries back from Marin County, so no worries about having to pedal back to the city if you are tired by the time you reach Sausalito or Tiburon.

Hybrids are available from most of the bike rental companies in San Francisco. Typically, there will be at least one rental company with hybrid bikes available with a location close to where you are staying or wandering around the city. Just make sure you know what time you have to return the bike by and whether or not the company you rent from has a separate “after hours” return location.

Hybrid bikes range from $24 – $40 dollars per day to rent.

Miko’s rental mountain bike.

Mountain Bike

Mountain bikes are similar to hybrids in that they have wide tires, shocks and flat handlebars. Mountain bikes can either be “hard tails” or “dual suspension” bikes. A hard tail mountain bike has a front fork shock and a solid frame. Dual suspension mountain bikes have both a front fork shock and a rear shock which allows the seat tube and rear assembly to flex while riding.

Mountain bikes have either flat pedals or can be fitted with clips, disk brakes, thumb shifters and 16 to 20 gears. Rental mountain bikes have a double chainring up front with a medium size (~34 tooth) chainring and a smaller (~22 tooth) chainring for climbing. They also have an 8 to 10 speed cassette. Mountain bikes have tire sizes which range from the smaller 26-inch tires, to 27.5-inch to the big 29ers. These bikes are meant for use on unpaved trails, dirt roads and can even be used to climb Mt. Tam or go exploring on Angel Island.

While mountain bikes are not rented as often as hybrids, the nature of a mountain bike will lead to some of the same shifting and squeaking issues if the bikes are not constantly maintained.

Mountain bikes are available from many of the same companies that offer hybrid rentals, however, they are not available at every rental location. Mountain bikes are also ferry-friendly.

Mountain bikes range from $25/day for a low-end aluminum hard tail to $175/day for a dual suspension, carbon-fiber frame bike. There’s a lot of variety between these two extremes, so it’s best to check out all your options before renting.

Miko loved this rental road bike so much, she bought the exact same bike!

Road Bike

Road bikes are your skinny-tire, bent-handlebar, rim break, lever-shift Tour de France-style bikes. They are light, fast and can cost as much as a new car. A few of the bike rental companies are offering high-end aluminum and carbon fiber road and time trial bikes for rent. These bikes are meant for a specific market segment. These are renters which typically own, or are looking to own, their own road bike, but did not want to deal with bringing the bike with them on vacation. As a result, these bikes are the best-maintained rental bikes available. You can either get flat pedals or bring your own clips and shoes to use while riding. These bikes require some experience with skinny-tire bikes just for your own safety and comfort. The road bikes can be used on any road trail and are great for really exploring the Bay Area, from San Francisco to Paradise Loop, Marin Headlands, Muir Woods, Mt. Tam or Stinson Beach and beyond!

These bikes are also ferry-friendly and the friendliest on you when carrying them up the stairs when exiting the ferry.

Road bikes are not available at all rental locations and range from $40/day for an aluminum frame to $175/day for a carbon fiber frame. Again, there is a wide-range in the rental prices depending on the components and bikes available. Because road bikes are very size-dependent, it’s best to make sure you know your size, or go to a company with a large range of sizes for rent.

Electric Bike

Electric bikes are similar in design to hybrid bikes. The major difference is that the electric bikes have an electric motor which powers the rear hub. While these are not as powerful as a motor scooter, they will assist you in getting up hills and going along a flat path. The battery is an “assistance” to your pedaling. Pedaling is still required to make these bikes move and they have governor to limit their top speed.

The major drawback to electric bikes are that they are NOT ferry-friendly. The Golden Gate Ferry system does not allow these bikes on their boats. If you ride your electric bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll be riding back as well! However, the Blue & Gold Fleet will allow electric bikes on its ferries back to Pier 41 from Sausalito or Tiburon.

Electric bikes are also not available at all rental locations and range from $25/day to $88/day.

City Bike

City bikes are the latest development in bike rentals. Although these bikes were originally meant to be “shared” bikes for city residents, they are quickly becoming another popular rental options for tourists. The city bikes have frames which are able to be stepped through and a seven-speed internal rear hub. These bikes are heavy and best used for trips that are dead pan flat, although some people are able to make it across the Bridge.

These bikes are not electric, so they are allowed on the ferry.

City bike rentals require a membership, which starts at $9 for 24 hours and then a rental fee of $4 for the first hour and $7 per 1/2 hour thereafter.

Renting a Bike

If you are looking for a hybrid, city bike or electric bike, simply walking out of your hotel or a search of the internet will show you where to rent.

However, we’d like to concentrate on where you can rent high-end road and mountain bikes.

Bike Rental Companies

1. Blazing Saddles – San Francisco

Blazing Saddles is one of the oldest bike rental companies in San Francisco. It offers a wide variety of bikes and a number of locations throughout San Francisco including their high-end rental located at 1095 Columbus Avenue.

We have rented both high-end road bikes and high-end mountain bikes from the Columbus Street location. Don’t forget your pedals and shoes if you want something other than flat pedals.

2. Sports Basement – San Francisco

Sports Basement is not only a great place to buy sports equipment, clothing and bikes, it’s also a great place to rent a road bike. Bike rentals are only available at the Presidio location.

3. The Sausalito Bike Company – Sausalito

The Sausalito Bike Company is the sister store of A Bicycle Odyssey, and is located in downtown Sausalito at 1417 Bridgeway. It’s a ten minute walk or less from the Sausalito Ferry Terminal.

This company specializes in renting high-end road, mountain and time-trial/tri bikes.

Although they are located in Sausalito, when you make a reservation you can ask them about brining your bike to your hotel in San Francisco and giving you a top-notch bike fitting. Make sure to bring your own pedals shoes.

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