Ridenfool

I used 3-in-! as a chain lube when I was a kid riding a Schwinn Typhoon, back in the 1960's. Over the years employing various spray lubes for "convenience" and always thought I was getting away with something until I finally realized that chain life could be improved by using a lube that wouldn't attract and hold the grit the tire slings on it. Now I listen to the chain by moving a long section back and forth sideways. If I hear it making grinding noises I'll take two or three minutes and do the Rock&Roll wash and rinse cycle until the noise goes away. Once I realized how "chain stretch" was actually the internal pins and rollers wearing down because of accumulated grit inside (rather than the plates stretching), it made perfect sense to do everything possible to prevent that deterioration. With a good nickel-plated chain I have gotten incredibly long life from the chain, and, this leads to longer life from the other drive train components. In the long run these type of cleaners/lubes that remain dry after application have saved me gobs of beer and bacon money. Literally, food for thought. 🥓🍺

Shake well. Apply wet. Pedal backwards while it cleans the chain. Wipe off thoroughly. Dry lubrication remains that won't attract crud. Lather, rinse, repeat periodically. With regular use this stuff will pay for itself by extending chain life significantly.

I'm scratching my head wondering how they filmed it. If that were a drone you would hear it as clearly as the bike noises. It if was a human, they were hauling ass too. I'm going with trail dog with camera mount and a background in cinematography.

The Subaru line is surprising capable on Jeep roads and worse. My experience with an Impreza and a Forester in trail building and maintenance at Rocky Hill amazed me time and again on the utility and off-pavement prowess of these vehicles. The fact that they can do all this and still make pretty good MPG is just icing on the cake. I'm very likely to get another Sube in the future to round out the fleet as I'm consistently missing the AWD and ground clearance while driving a Ford Focus.

When I saw this thread I considered mentioning it. Now that Antonio brought it up, here's the story. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I've owned Pickups and SUVs and for me this beats them hands down for overall utility. You won't win any awards for looks, but it is so nice having standing room and privacy to change clothes at the trail head. Plus, keeping the bike inside and out of sight with lots of room left over. I sold a Toyota Tundra and bought the Transit. It has three times the load capacity (will carry the weight of my other car, a Ford Focus, with 400 lbs left over), it hauls more stuff, gets the same fuel mileage as the Tundra (15.5 or so), and with the 3.5 EcoBoost twin-turbo engine it is a sleeper that offers 350 HP and 400 FtLb of Torque at low RPMs. After almost a year and a half I've nearly finished converting it from a used plumbing van to a dedicated MTB hauling and camping rig. It has a fridge, hot and cold water, 400 Watts of solar, 200Ah of battery and a 2000 Watt inverter for 120 VAC that powers the water heater, induction cook top and other stuff. Even after installing so much I was still able to move my wife's Esthetician business to a new office in one load. (Plus filling her car with boxes) Here's some pics at various stages of the build.

Isn't it easier just to think of Williamson County as set back in time? Wilco has remained the same since before the Armadillo opened. Is it true that they still burn witches there?

Yeah, but that is the problem with making rules. If simultaneously there is no budget set aside for enforcement, the rule is nothing more than letters on a page or on a sign. It has no power beyond what those who read it apply to themselves. People are the problem. People breaking the rules and volunteering to help are better people than those who break the rules and remain ignorant about how their actions affect others.

... without functioning anti-lock brakes. 🙄

Looking at the site rates, anybody know if the $30 camping fee includes day use, or is day use an additional $15 on top of camping?

Gotta hate it when the corporate hierarchy follows you into retirement. At least the company has a good benefit package. 🥓🚲🌮🍺

Really nice site and the first I've seen to include an "Ignore this Thread" game where you match the thread with the avatar of the OP, then press the button to WIN.

Sounds like a great day for a birthday party. Keeping fingers crossed on the weather and hoping that nobody suffers a bout of newbikitus between now and then.

So, it would be safe to say this probably wasn't the sort of place where 'Hayduke Lives' then?

Last time out I rode Geer the evening I got to Cortez. It was a flowy trail with enough elevation change to keep things interesting. Barren landscape, so not all that pretty. More than a 1/4 notch below Walnut for overall fun factor. If I lived there it would be an easy way to get in some quick miles without going out to Phil's World or up to Dolores. Osprey packs headquarters is a street or two over to the West of the main trailhead at the North end. There is another access point at the South end.

Locks are to prevent relatively honest people from succumbing to the temptation of easy pickings. Since the advent of cordless power tools with cutting wheels nearly every lock can be defeated in less than a minute by an industrious professional thief. With this fact firmly established, other methods of security, such as disassembly and storage inside the vehicle or taking it with you into a building are the only options remaining, short of hiring a security guard. Familiarity breeds contempt. Doing the same thing successfully over and over in no way changes the fact that bikes are easily freed from the various locks currently offered. Effective security will never be convenient. The people selling the locks are as guilty as the thieves in the way they sell "peace of mind" knowing full well that their product is only the slightest of deterrents.

Well, once you put it that way ... never mind. 😕

Pics, or it didn't happen.

Give it a few weeks and he'll likely sell you that one.

It is hard not to love a happy ending! 🥓 🚲 🍺

Is it not surprising to find someone who hails from a sketchy city up North boosting wheels in the ATX?

After a couple hours scrubbing, getting all the bugs off, all the little spots, removing the brake dust from the wheels, it was rewarding gazing upon my work. In fact, I parked it for the night, took pictures, and posted them in a van forum thread titled "What did you do to your van today." In retrospect, perhaps doing that was a mistake. 🙄 It was quite amazing how the van sat there clean as a whistle and as dry as a bone throughout the afternoon, overnight, and on through Saturday morning as if the clouds were ignoring it. ✨ Only after I started the engine and pulled around to exit the driveway did the first drops hit the crystal clear freshly cleaned windshield. 🌧️ By the time I got to Buck-ees in Bastrop the intermittant drizzle had increased. After a shopping spree in the mega-store that is Buck-ee's I was getting doused well walking back out to the pump where I left the van. Back on the road, traveling between Bastrop and Austin I heard several bits of sleet or hail hit the roof as traffic slowed almost to a stop when the deluge hit. 🌧️🌧️🌧️ How could I have ever known something like this would happen?

The van hadn't been washed in over a year. I, um, well, I washed it on Friday before heading out on Saturday afternoon to camp/volunteer at Pace Bend. For the race. The race that was cancelled. Because of the rain. I offer my apologies for any part I may have played in this.

Update?

Music and audiobooks played through the SENA make the miles melt away on MC trips. A lightweight MTB version might have some reasonable applications for couples, regular riding groups, audible turn by turn trail navigation, and such.

I'm not a talker, beyond shouted warnings, calling turns, and that sort of thing. Between trail noise, wind, and other factors (too many years riding motorcycles without ear plugs) I can never follow whatever folks are saying when they talk while riding. They'll have catch me up on the chatter at the next stop if actual conversation is desired.