Beer:30... Christian Moerlein Christkindl Winter Wamer.

When you think of Cincinnati, does beer come to mind? I would guess not, but in all actuality, it should. This city has a rich German heritage that fueled a massive beer industry in the 1800s. Sadly, most of the breweries did not survive prohibition. One of those breweries that died off but came back was the Christian Moerlein Brewing company.

Christian Moelein was a German immigrant who arrived in the area in 1841 after growing up in Bavaria. If you know anything about beer, you probably know that Bavaria is the place to be for a good brew. Reinheitsgebot anyone? Moerlein knew a thing or two about it, and started up his own brewery here in the area in 1853, which it ran until prohibition, and came back in 1981. The Moerlein company that we know of today came about in 2004. Since then, they have been putting themselves back on the craft beer map, and this beer is one of my favorites of the season. Enter the Christkindl Winter Warmer:

Winter beers are supposed to be a little spicy, and from the last few beer posts, you are probably getting that by now. This beer is heavier on the malts than the spices though, which is not a bad thing at all. The beer has a subtle sweetness, mixed with a mild carbonation, and a hint of spices, that makes this a Cincinnati classic. This is one of my favorite seasonal beers, not my favorite overall, but a solid brew. This is also not the heaviest of the Winter Warmers that I have tried, at only around 6.95% ABV, but this beer is very easy to drink. And by easy to drink you can put down a few before you realize it. Sometimes Moerlein can be hit or miss with me, but with this beer and their Saengerfest Maibock, they make me a believer in the brand.

Good things coming in the future for Moerlein. The Moerlein Lager House will be a brand new microbrewery and restaurant on the Ohio River. I read not long ago that they will have around 100 historic Cincinnati beer recipes at their disposal to experiment with to make your beer experience that much more exciting. It is supposed to open in 2012, which cannot come soon enough! I think Mr. Moerlein would be excited himself.

If you haven't already, check out their website.

Cheers!

Raleigh Furley...

Yesterday I picked up the latest edition of Bicycle Times and one ad in particular caught my eye. Inside the front cover was a picture of this:

Raleigh Furley

Beautiful disc brake only, single speed, steel frame cyclocross bicycle from Raleigh Bicycles. This bike is amazing. The bike has a decent set of components, some of the highlights:

-Shimano Alfine crank set.
-Eccentric bottom bracket for easy chain tension.
-Double wall rims.
-Kenda 'cross tires.

I love a single speed bike, but it is almost like this bike was built for an Alfine internal gear hub in mind. That would be an amazing upgrade to an already fantastic bike. 'Cross bikes are used now a days for more than just cyclocross. I would venture to guess that most end up in the streets for commuting duties, due to more comfortable geometry compared to a road bike. This bike with an Alfine IGH would be a perfect commuter.

Looks like this bike is in the $800 range, not too bad. Nicely done Raleigh!

Photo from Raleigh's website.

Ramble on...

Just Riding Along... Black Friday Ramble.

This year, for Black Friday, there was no agenda. No shopping trips for electronics, no standing in lines, just dinner in the afternoon. My only tasks on my list were to pick up trash bags, and entertain my daughter and nieces. Not a bad list for things to do. So I got up a little early, and headed out on the T500 to see how she fared on a mixed surface ride to the convenience store for trash bags.

I started the ride at our local nature preserve for a quick buzz through the little used trails. Mostly double track, with a tiny bit of single track, this little area was a nice shake down to see how the bike handled in the dirt. Not too bad if I do say, but I definitely think that some wider tires might be in the future. Lots of fog was out in the AM, so I then decided to double back into town to connect with the Little Miami bike path to spend some time on the flats.

The bike moved effortlessly, and that made my mind start to wander. It started with the Steve Jobs quote of "The computer is the bicycle of the mind." That quote is fantastic, and in turn made me admire at how great a tool the bicycle is. Sure it is a tool for transportation, but also for the mind as well. It is a tool to relax your mind. Once I had settled into a comfortable cadence, everything melted away. My mind did not have to think of what to do, it just did. Pedals up and down. My mind was elsewhere, dancing around in the fog, which was out in full force. It made me realize that from time to time, we all should take the long route to pick up our trash bags. I ended up doing around 12 miles for a trip that is only around a mile away. That is called piece of mind. That is what we all need from time to time.

Ramble on...

Beer:30... Mt. Carmel Winter Ale.

As I have stated before, I love winter beer season. It is the time of year where beers get darker, a little spice comes out to play, and the beers just warm the soul. I usually feel a little disappointment when the season is over, but how many of us would drink these darker specialties if they were available year round? I can't imagine drinking a winter ale in the heat of July. But that's me. This is a special time of year, so drink it up while it's still here!

That said, enter Mt. Carmel's Winter Ale:

This is, by far, my favorite winter/seasonal brew on the planet. Sure there are some tasty ones out there that I enjoy, but this beer is different.

For starters, just look at the label. While the mass majority of beers that hit the market have a plain label (ex. Bud, Miller, Yuengling, etc.) this beer has a beautiful winter scene gracing the bottle. It is simple, yet elegant. A nice winter scene depicting the brewery in the colder months. Their labels stand out nicely amongst the other random bottles. If you are familiar with their other seasonals, the brewery in the picture changes with the time of year. This is the only true way of telling time in my household. That's a lie, but you get the idea...

Next up, the flavor. This beer is what a winter beer should be. Best described from the label, "...Scents of Spruce and Ginger mingling with flavors of Orange Spiced bread..." You cannot argue with that description. The beer though pours nice and dark, the head has a stickiness to it, which in turn gives a creamy mouth feel. Reading that, it sounds a little dirty. But dirty this beer is not. The flavors do "mingle" nicely, giving you a taste of spice, a little hint of fruits, and the sweet malt taste that winter beers are known for. It is balanced so perfectly, you do not realize that the ABV is 8%. A true winter warmer.

Lastly, this beer is local. I really enjoy that fact. I know that the beer I am drinking is fresher than some of the others that are on the shelf/tap. This is also cutting down on my carbon footprint, just by supporting this local business. One of their shirt designs sums up this point quite nicely, "Keep your beer local, and make your conversations exotic." I like that.

If you have not checked out their site, click here to check it out.
Well done Mt. Carmel, this beer is a classic!

Cheers!

Beer:30... Sam Adams Double Bock.

Ever have one of those days that seems to drag on forever? Today was one of those days. With the upcoming feast of Thanksgiving in my mind, and also being my pseudo Friday, the clock seemed to stand still today. Luckily that is in the past, and in my present is a beer from the cellar: 2010 Sam Adams Double Bock.

Double Bocks (aka Doppelbock) are one of my favorite types of beer this time of year. I tend to judge all double bocks by one beer alone: Ayinger's Celebrator. That is the end all, be all of bock beers. But enough about that, let's get to the Sam Adams version.

This beer is part of their Imperial series of brews. Sold in four packs, and usually packing a little higher alcohol content. This beer weighs in at 9.5% ABV. The beer balances that high of an alcohol content with lots and lots of malt. According to their website, they use a half pound of malt per bottle. Yes, I said per bottle. This results in a sweet tasting beer, with a little alcohol taste, some light hop character, and a tiny bit of lager bitterness to finish it off. This is a delightful beer. This vintage, from 2010, has a little more alcohol taste to it, just from the aging process. Not overbearing, but just a little more kick than last year. This makes me happy that I finally have a place to store beer!

If you are wondering about the goat on the label, here is why: Almost all bock beers have a goat on the label. "Bock" in German means billy goat. There are many theories as to why they went with the term, but the one that I tend to agree with is that the beer has a kick like a goat. If being kicked by a goat is this awesome, then count me in.

On the topic of goats, I thought I would end this post with a funny goat video. The video posted below is not really funny, but absolutely amazing. Nature amazes me every day. That said, here is the bird tie in to this post, a Golden Eagle hunting mountain goats:



Nature is amazing.

Cheers!

Bird is the Word...Rockhopper penguin update.

Quick photo of the recent Rockhopper chick from today:

Now at adult size, the main difference is in the plumage. Notice the yellow crest feathers are missing on the head? These distinctive feathers will grow in during the bird's next molt, giving it the adult look. Click here to see how much it has grown!

Enjoy!

Just Riding Along... Bicycle shop?

For the past couple of months, and some time last year, I have been contemplating the home based small business. What type would that be? I will give you a couple guesses...

Correct! A used bicycle shop! Not the glitzy, high dollar, retail storefront type of shop that you might be thinking of, just something based on quality used bicycles that are sold out of my garage. Every time that I think about the idea, I get fully immersed in it. It sits in the forefront of my brain for such a long time that it starts to consume me. I think of all the bicycles that I could get under people for a quality price, positively impacting the planet with bicycle friendliness. I think of giving the consumer options on purchasing their next or first bicycle. Then I think too much on the topic, and start to second guess myself. Do I know enough? Can I do all of the maintenance that I think I can? What about the paperwork? What is an LLC? Then the topic fades to the backburner, but still lingers, slowly burning away at my psyche.

I feel that it is not the right time to start this project up. But then again, is there ever a "right time?"

This topic is starting to creep back into the light from the events of this week. It has been very productive on the topic of bikes, especially finding bicycles for people. It started with finding a road bicycle for my Brother-in-law. He has wanted to get into road biking for a little around a year now, but just recently gave me the green light to find him a bike. This week, that bike was found, in the form of a Cannondale R600. Sure it is an older model, but here are the highlights:

-Made in the states frame.
-Mavic rims matched to Shimano Dura Ace hubs.
-Shimano 105 component group.
-Chris King headset.

This bike is in great shape, and with the parts my Bro-in-law basically stole this bike from the seller. Amazing price, which will have a great re-sale if he decides to sell. It was a great way to start the day.

That afternoon, a friend called to see if I could check out the bike I had forwarded to him. The seller ended up delivering the bike, and selling it on the cheap for my friend's first mountain bike. It's details:

-Specialized Hardrock.
-Shimano drivetrain.
-Brand new Continental and Kenda tires.
-RST suspsension fork.

This bike amazed me with it's price. The seller not only delivered it, but basically gave it to my friend. This bike with a little work will be a solid entry into the mountain biking world. If it is not my friend's thing, then it will sell for WAY higher than he paid. After the sale, we celebrated with a flat Rivertown Roebling Porter.(Click here to read the recent review.) I have to admit, it was a great day for buying bicycles.

So that is the impetus for the bike shop revival. I even went out today and bought one of these to make bike maintenance a little easier. I had been using a bicycle stand from Harbor Freight, and it finally has bit the dust after around six months of use. It was super cheap, but I would not recommend it to anyone. The new stand seems really sturdy, and it was on sale. Double bonus.

Hopefully I can figure this all out in my head in the coming weeks. Like I stated earlier, is there ever really a right time? Only time will tell.

Ramble on...

Beer:30... Rivertown Brewing Roebling Imperial Robust Porter.

I do love history, and here in the Cincinnati area, there is lots of it. Case in point is the Roebling suspension bridge. Finished in 1866 connecting Covington Kentucky and Cincinnati Ohio, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. It is a distinctive landmark here in the Cincinnati area. Just look at a couple pictures of this historical landmark:

Image from 1870, from Wikipedia Commons.

Image from 2005, from Wikipedia Commons.

Enough with the bridge talk, lets get to the beer. Enter Rivertown Brewing Company's Roebling Imperial Robust Porter. Named after the very distinctive local landmark, this beer has big shoes to fill. Sadly, it does not fit the bill, or bridge, in this matter.

First off, I do like this beer. Nice notes of vanilla, chocolate, and coffee hit the taste buds in a pleasant manner. The flavors are very nice to the palate, but something is amiss. It is almost like the beer is flat. Not much carbonation going on with this one. Not that carbonation is a deal breaker, the mouth feel of this beer is not that interesting. It almost has a watery feel. The carbonation of this beer is the exact opposite of their Oatmeal Stout that I picked up last year. That beer had so much carbonation it tasted like a bad fountain soda. Another interesting aspect is that when poured, there is a very minimal head. What does bubble to the top is very thin, and bubbly it is. No lacing ended up on my glass after the thin head disappeared. Lastly, I would not call this an Imperial. That makes me think of big alcohol beers, and although I cannot find an ABV on this one, I doubt it is very high.

Hopefully, this is just a bad batch, or bad bottling. I really would like to try this on tap to see if there is any difference. Maybe it is the bad mojo of my Miller Lite San Diego Padres pint glass, since it is recommended that it is enjoyed out of a snifter? My next drink will be out of my snifter to compare. I feel that this beer has great potential, but just falls short of the huge historical shoes that it is trying to fill. I will keep trying Rivertown's products, hopefully I will find on that makes me happy.

Cheers!

Just Riding Along...Bicycle Shootout.

As of late, I have been selling off my childhood one piece at a time via eBay to fund my next bicycle purchase. Who would have thought that a bunch of toys and games from the 1980s would enable you to buy a bicycle? Fascinating. As in the poll to my right, here are the current contenders for my hard earned money:

Surly Troll

I really like the Troll, as you can check here and here. It is crazy versatile. Load it up with racks, fat tires, and hit the trail for an off road jaunt to the next county over. Or, put on some road shoes in the form of 26"x2.5" slicks and eat roadies for breakfast. It is nice, and it is orange, which is important this time of year in Ohio.
Complete price around $1300.
Pros:
Steel.
26" wheels. For me this is a pro due to the fact that I could use the same tube size that I already use for my HaroX.
Rack and fender mounts.
Clearance for large tires.
Solid component spec with durable, quality parts.
Cons:
Rigid. A rigid 26er does not sound like much fun in the woods, my old rigid 29er was pretty rough.

Salsa Fargo 2

Drop bar 29er with rack and fender mounts, built for heavy off road touring. Sweet bicycle, very similar to the Troll in my opinion, difference being 29" wheels as opposed to 26" and drop bars and road style shifters. I would call this an adventure bike.
Complete around $1600
Pros:
Steel.
Rack and fender mounts.
Enabler fork with anything cage braze-ons.
29" wheels. I do like bigger wheels for dirt duty.
Quality components.
Cons:
Might be overbuilt for what I am looking for. Especially if any time is spent on the road. Also might be overkill since I now have the T500.
Rigid. Can you tell I am not digging a rigid bicycle for off road duties? I must be getting old.
Price. One of the more expensive on the list.

Airborne Zeppelin Elite

This bike is pretty amazing in my opinion. Good, quality components. 5" of suspension travel. Nice, comfy trail bike, all in a budget price. I have wanted a dually for a while, I am sure it would be a different ride than the rigid 29ers that I have grown used to. Easier on the back for sure!
Complete, mail order for $699.
Pros:
Price! Seriously, 5" travel dual suspension for $700? That is amazing. Definitely in the budget, with room for upgrades immediately.
Good components spec, SRAM X7 and X9 drive train.
Company based out of Dayton. I think it is cool that a company is based out of this part of Ohio, I guess state loyalty runs deep!
Cons:
Suspension. I am not sold on the fork and shock for this bike. No pedal platform on the shock that I am aware of, so there has to be some sort of pedal induced bob.
Mountain bike only.

Surly Pugsley

The Surly Pugsley. What an amazing bike. I love the idea of fat tires. Just the idea of riding in the snow or on the beach, or basically any place that in inaccessible to most bicycles is tempting by itself.
Complete around $1600.
Pros:
Steel.
Big, fat, wide tires. Ride over most things. Extend the normal cycling season.
Quality components.
Rack mounts.
Cons:
Price. Along with the Fargo, one of the higher prices on the list.
Heavy. Big fat tires come with big heavy wheels.
Mountain bike only, unless you buy the new Black Floyd slick tire, which would make your fatbike a fat road bike.

Rivendell Hunqapillar

Step back in time with this bike. Rivendell makes some amazing bikes, but unfortunately they are a little out of my price range. Someday though, maybe for my 40th birthday, I will own one. That gives me ten years to save...
Frame only around $1500.
Pros:
Steel.
Quality construction.
Beautiful, mobile, work of art.
Not something that you see everyday. Or ever.
Cons:
Frame only. Unfortunately, I do not have the parts to do this frame justice, thus putting it out of my desired price range.
Road, gravel road bike only. No heavy mountain bike duties.
Price.

So there is the complete bicycle shootout. These are five very different, very nice bicycles. For me, the Troll and the Fargo are very similar. So similar in fact that I would go with the lower price of the Troll. The remaining three are very different bikes that each have a different personality. The go anywhere slowly but surely Pugs. The classy, gravel grinder in the Hunqapillar. And the wallet friendly, make you smile trail bike with the Airborne. Out of those three, as much as I lust for a fatbike, the Airborne has an edge. It is hard to compete with that price. That would leave some money left over to do some upgrades on the Zeppelin, and also the T500 and HaroX. So for the time being, the Airborne has the definite advantage.

I would like to hear your opinion about these bikes, or any others that you might think might compare to these. Also while you are here, do your duty to your country (or just this blog) and vote on which bike you would go with in the "Help me choose my next bike" poll.

All photos are from the brands' websites:
Airborne Bicycles
Rivendell Bicycle Works
Salsa Cycles
Surly

Stay tuned...

Bird is the Word... King penguin update.

This big boy or girl has now been taking supervised field trips to the exhibit to hang out with the other Kings. Still a youngster, but growing up so fast. Click HERE to see how quickly he/she did grow. Amazing animals!

Beer:30...Yuengling Lager.

When you think of a lager, what do you think of? Here in Southern Ohio, I would assume that you think of Budweiser. Hopefully, starting this month, you will now start to think about what Budweiser strives to be. Enter Yuengling:

Yuengling has roots. Deep, deep roots. The oldest brewery here in the USA, Yuengling has figured out how to brew a lager. Normally lagers do not get me all excited, but this beer is a little bit different.

For starters, you could not get it in Ohio. When I first tasted Yuengling, it was a rare treat from the East. Now, you can find it everywhere here in Ohio. At first this gave me some mixed feelings. I assumed that the quality would be less due to producing more to satisfy demand. But after having both canned and from the tap, I can assure you that this is the beer that you know of from other lands. As I stated above, this is the beer that Budweiser wishes it could make. And who knows, it probably was until they discovered rice.

For the taste of this beer, it is a classic lager. Nice colored amber beer, with a subtle sweetness to it, and a clean, nice smooth finish. This is what a lager should be. Since it is available here in Ohio now, this is my go to garage or summer time beer.

Anyway, welcome to Ohio Yuengling. Thanks for coming, and enjoy your stay!

Cheers!

Beer:30... Fireside Chat.

Days are getting shorter, and also colder, so that only means that the beer is getting darker. This time a year is a special time for beers, due to the fact that almost every single craft brewer throws out their special "Winter" seasonal brew. 21st Amendment Brewery is no exception to this rule, enter their Fireside Chat.

Winter ales are usually a tad heavier in general, but this beer is a pleasure to drink. I have to admit, what sold me on the beer itself was the packaging. On the six pack cardboard holder, and also the can (more on that later) is a nice artist rendition of F. D. Roosevelt sitting in a comfy chair, smoking a cigarrette, and doing his depression era radio addresses. This picture made me happy when I first laid eyes on it. Such a good image. The other thing that I found interesting on this beer is that it is in cans.

Cans just make sense for beer. Especially craft beer. With a can, you get lighter shipping loads, which makes it easier for smaller craft brewers to turn a profit. It also packs easily, for taking your beer along for the trip. For example, it worked pretty well in the Xtracycle freeloaders. Another perk is that when it goes empty, you crush the can, and have less bulk leftover to pack back out. That is nice, with no clanking around, the can keeps that horrible sound at bay. But, the biggest perk in my opinion when dealing with cans is that there is ZERO light pollution. In a can, you are probably not going to get the dreaded skunky beer that reaches this point from being exposed to too much sunlight during the shipping process. This essentially gets you, the consumer, the beer in the intended state that the brewer would prefer. Seriously, who likes skunky beer? Not I.

Lets get down to the beer itself. I have been nursing a sixer of this brew for around a week. Due to a current cold that I have been struggling with, I have had to take my sweet time just so I could get the full effect of this beer without a ruined sense of taste. I will admit, my first taste of this beer with a cold made me think I was drinking a Spice Girl. Let your mind ponder that for a second.

After my taste buds returned to normal, I have grown to appreciate this delicious beer. Here is the rundown: 7.9% alcohol, which there is not as much of an alcohol taste in this beer. I feel a larger alcohol after-burn would probably ruin it, but that's just an opinion. Lots of spice flavor going on in here, which when mixed with all of the various malts that are used, it keeps the spice in check. Maybe that was the issue with Anchor Steam's Christmas ale last year. That was the only beer that I poured out in 2010, it made me feel like I had done a line of ginger. Back to 21st though, the beer finishes nicely, and makes you head to the fridge for another.

Hats off to 21st for making this beer. Winter, spice driven ales are not my forte, but this one is definitely one that I will remember for next season. If you are intrigued, run fast to your local grocer due to the season for this beer goes from October to December.

I have a feeling that FDR himself would approve...

Cheers!

Poor Man's Rivendell...

After spending a little more time on the T500, I have already begun planning some changes to the final set up. I have decided that this bike is going to be my "poor man's Rivendell." Have you ever heard of Rivendell Bicycle Works? Basically, they make bikes that everyone should know about. I say should, because I doubt many people do. Their models have a retro feel, but at the same time is very classy and functional. And their frames are working pieces of art in my opinion. Take a look at some of their work:

Hunqapillar

Atlantis

Bombadil

These are just a few models to give you a feel for what they are all about. Basically, they make bicycles that will last long enough to will to your kids when you die. Before that happens though, you can ride them everywhere and back, probably while carrying enough gear to keep you comfortable. So, the changes to the T500 that I am pondering:

-First, a Brooks saddle.
-More cruiser type handlebars, or possible mustache bars.
-Tweed or canvas, older style bags for the front and rear.
-Front rack to support the handlebar bag.

I think with these minor changes, it will make a fine version of a "poor man's Rivendell." With these changes though, all of the parts would swap to a Rivendell frame, which start around $1000 and go up to $2000. Quite the price tag for just a frame, but factor in the fanciness, and the longevity, and that upfront price tag is not as bad as it seems. Not a bad price for a working piece of art.

Photos of Rivendell models are from their website, go check it!

Just riding along... Riding with the moon.

Last night was gorgeous. By gorgeous I mean temperatures close to fifty degrees, and a mostly clear sky with a full moon. A night like that calls for one thing: Bike ride. A couple friends were summoned, some "essentials" were loaded into the HaroX, and off we went down the trail.

All three of us had lights on our respective bikes, and also headlamps, but once on the trail, it was unnecessary. The moon was out in full effect, casting a gentle glow over the entire bike path, enabling us to let our eyes adjust and ride on without using any artificial light. This was not the longest or most extreme ride that I have done this year, but quite honestly it was one of my favorites. Around fifteen or so miles in around 2 hours, the pace was light, with a few stops and conversations. After the ride it was winter seasonal beer sampling time:

The beers on the agenda for the evening were two highly enjoyable brews, 21st Amendment Brewery's Fireside Chat, and Cincinnati's own, Rivertown Brewing Company's Winter Ale. Both beers were heavy on the spice, and both had a nice winter beer flavor. After a few of these, I didn't mind the cooler temperature.

I think that a ride like this should happen a little more regularly, maybe when the weather starts turning warmer again. Hopefully this was not the last of the nicer weather, but looking out the window today says otherwise...

Airborne Bicycles...

Not too long ago, I stumbled upon Airborne Bicycles. They are a relatively new bicycle company based out of nearby Dayton Ohio, that is pumping out quality bicycles at very reasonable prices. How they do it, I am not sure, but for certain I am seriously considering adding one to my current stable. Here are a few that strike my fancy:

Goblin 29er














This bicycle makes me happy. Big wheels from WTB. Front suspension in the form of a Rockshox Reba. Components from SRAM in the 2x10 variety. Elixir hydraulic disc brakes. All together for just $1149.95! That is pretty amazing. I love 29ers, having owned a couple different versions, and their MSRP was definitely higher. Great price on a great bike, which many different magazines are giving great reviews!

Zeppelin Elite














This is another bike that really intrigues me. I have been intrigued by a dual suspension for quite some time, but their prices have always been too steep for me. Plus, after my last MTB being a rigid steel single speed, that really made me start thinking about a dually. Anyway, parts: Rockshox front and rear suspension, SRAM X7 and X9 drive train and Tektro hydraulic discs. Nice parts, all for $699.95! This is the best deal of the bunch in my opinion. Try to find an equally spec'd dual suspension mountain bike for a similar price. I don't think it can be done. Bravo Airborne!

Delta cyclocross













Another great bike of a different variety. A well equipped disc only cyclocross bike. Their site says limited quantity, and after seeing this one I can see why. Great looking bike, makes me want to start 'cross racing. Great package at $999.95!


One thing that might be a deal breaker for some with this company is that they are mostly mail order. Myself, I do not find this to be an issue. I still support my local bike shop by buying the majority of my parts and having things fixed there as well. This type of bicycle sales is great for the consumer, giving us lots of options, which in this case are very affordable. These low prices with a little bit of maintenance knowledge will make for a very enjoyable ride.

These three are just half of the Airborne line up, just the ones that I really, really enjoy. Hopefully this brand sticks around for a while, and from the looks of the reviews, I would imagine so. It is nice to see a somewhat local company do well in the cycling business. Rock on Airborne...

All pictures from Airborne's website.

Ramble on...

Just riding along... Groceries...

It's funny how things change a bit once you start getting older. Granted, I am no old man by any means, but things are WAY different now at thirty than when I was twenty. My life has made a complete 180 degrees in those ten years. But I am starting to get off track, that is a totally different topic altogether.

Let's just think about bicycle time at thirty rather than twenty. Gone are the days of thirty mile epic mountain bike rides that last all afternoon. Gone are the road rides that last all morning from coffee shop to coffee shop. But in their place are new rides, that for me are just as exciting. Rides with my daughter to the playground, or just around the block are a couple new rides that I find absolutely amazing. Another interesting ride that I have been doing more and more of is the grocery ride:

Thanks to the Xtracycle, I am able to squeeze in a ride to our local grocery to pickup a weeks worth of "life supplies." Tonight was one of those nights, a nice little jaunt to pick up a few of the daily essentials that we so desperately needed. Not a long ride by any means, but fulfilling nonetheless. These are the types of rides that I am starting to enjoy more and more as I get older.

By doing this type of cycling though, you are spending more time on the bike, and that is what it is all about.

Every now and again I get to fit into my schedule an epic ride, but the grocery run has become a staple in our household.

Just some thoughts, just riding along...

Make time to ride...

Nice weather calls for being outside. Especially this time of year in SW Ohio. These nice past few days are probably some of the last of the nicer weather. Soon, the skies will be filled with the doom and gloom of winter. Not that I do not like winter, it brings a whole different aspect of outdoor endeavors. But that is another topic, this post is all about today.

Today was my first "official" ride on the newly revamped T500. Just a short 10 mile jaunt on the Little Miami bike path. Nothing special. This is a go to ride if I am short on time, or just short on daylight. Today was neither. Just out riding, enjoying the weather, and making sure that the T500 is road worthy. And without a doubt, it is. Just some minor adjustments to the shifting, and some minor adjustments to the brakes, and all will be well with the world.

This ride was all about taking it all in. The upright stance of the bike forces you to look around, and see what you have been missing while staring at the road. I have to admit, I really liked the way this bike rode. No camera with me, just a quick Evo picture over the Little Miami. Nothing fancy.

Hopefully the nice weather will stick around a bit, this has been one my best years of cycling in recent history. Maybe this winter, it will continue...

Hope you are getting some quality saddle time during this nice spell of fall.

Ramble on...

New take on handlebars...

While surfing the web for bicycle parts tonight, I stumbled onto this:

All in one, handlebar and front basket combo, all made out of one piece. It appears to be a comfortable riding position, and also two mounting points for the stem, to dial in the perfect handlebar height. That is pretty clever. I am sure it is pretty heavy as well. Could not find a weight or price on the bars, but I am sure they will be out in the near future. Props to Origin 8 for making something cargo related! Be sure to check out their site at the above link!

Photo from Origin 8's site.

Ramble on...

Cannondale T500... part 2...

After putting this project off for quite some time, today, with the nice weather, I decided that the Cannondale should finally be finished. The weather was just too nice to be inside so my daughter and I spent all day running around in it. First it was a long walk for me, and a wagon ride for her through the neighborhood. Next, it was off on the HaroX to hang out at the new playground. Once home from those adventures, it was time to finish up this long overdue project. So, without further ado, I give you the T500:

This bike has come a long way from when I first acquired it. (You can read about that here.) The big change is the riding position. Drop bars are gone, and replaced with a nice mountain riser bar. This gives you a nice upright stance, so you can take in your surroundings, and not stare at your front wheel or the road. These bars make you slow down a bit and enjoy your ride a little more.

Also gone with the drop bars are the road style shifter/brake levers, which were replaced with Avid FR-5's and an old Shimano friction shifter. I am completely excited with the shifter set up, having never used friction shifting before. All I can say is smooth. Still needs a little tweaking, but overall a very nice shifting feel. No front derailleur, only 8 cogs on the cassette. I have always liked the simplicity of a single speed, so this is a logical step in the direction of gears. Speaking of gears, they are being managed by an older Shimano Deore rear derailleur that I have had laying in my parts bin patiently waiting for action once again. Eventually this will probably be switched to a short cage derailleur, but for now, this is the bees' knees.

Other parts rounding out the bike are my well worn set of Shimano XTR pedals. These guys are rock solid and in my opinion, you can not find a better pedal. An oldie but goodie Blackburn rear rack, and an equally old Selle San Marco saddle make this budget bike stand out from the rest.

This bike came together better than I ever expected. And to top it off, it came together very cheaply. The only parts that I needed to purchase were the brake levers, a couple tubes, and a new chain. Not too bad in my opinion. This bike will serve my wife (and me!) for quite the years to come.

Now if only I could lock down my next bike purchase...

Ramble on.