Community: Mid-Ohio Valley

Merry Christmas And Happy New Year

Club Meeting

Mark your calendar for Thursday December 11th and note the time of 6:30 PM. We will be gathering at the North End Tavern for our annual Christmas Party. There will be a short business meeting about 7 PM.

Christmas in City Park

The BBC has erecting a display in Parkersburg City Park for the Christmas Season. We have been asked to man the booth and donation buckets for three hours between 6 and 9 PM on Wednesday, December 17th. If you and maybe a buddy can man the booth for an hour that evening, please call John Pellegrin and volunteer.

“You don't stop bicycling when you get old; you get old when you stop bicycling!” Author unknown

Cycling shoes (From Wikipedia)

Cycling shoes are shoes designed for cycling. They come in a variety of designs depending on the type and intensity of the cycling for which they are intended. Key features include: rigidity, for more-efficient transfer of power from the cyclist to the pedals; weight; a method of attaching the shoe firmly to the pedal; and adaptability for use on and off the bicycle. Most shoes can be adjusted while in use, via quick-adjusting Velcro straps that have largely replaced laces.

There are two basic types of shoes for cycling, Road Shoes and Mountain Bike Shoes. The road shoes are much stiffer and difficult to walk in. If you get stranded along the road it would be difficult to walk any lengthy distance. Most have a ridge from the front to the back of the shoe that makes it difficult to keep your foot flat on solid ground. Mountain shoes are much more like tennis shoes with the clip recessed into the sole of the shoes and adjustable. They are much easier to walk in if the need arises.

Road Shoes have an extremely smooth, rigid and inflexible sole, bent slightly at the ball of the foot to allow power to be transferred and focused at that point. The quality of the shoe depends on the rigidity and durability of the sole, breathability, and overall weight of the shoe (the lighter the better). Road shoes normally have no treads, and a protruding cleat for attaching to the clipless pedal which makes them unsuitable for walking.

Mountain bike shoes have a recessed cleat and studs along the sole so that riders can negotiate difficult terrain off their bikes. Mountain-style cleats are generally smaller than road-specific cleats. Some mountain bike shoes have a little engineered flex in the toe area forward of the cleat mount. This assists in walking and in climbing obstacles while carrying the bike. More expensive shoes usually have less frontal flex.

More recently, another shoe has appeared on the market. Spinning shoes have been developed for use in fitness centers on stationary bikes. They are a hybrid of road and mountain bike shoes, with a firm sole and limited traction. The material of the spinning shoe is lighter and thinner, to maximize comfort, coolness and breathability.

Modern cycling shoes are designed to work as part of a clipless pedal system. Such systems directly attach the shoe to the pedal for maximal efficiency of power transfer, using a cleat on the bottom of each shoe and a matched fitting on the pedal. Several manufacturers produce these systems; consequently, modern shoes usually have threaded holes in the sole in various arrangements to attach cleats from different manufacturers.

An older system is the toe-clip and strap, which is a metal cage attached to the front of the pedal, into which the rider inserts the shoe. There are two methods for using pedals with toe clips. The first is a cycling shoe with a slotted shoe plate. Before the introduction of the clipless pedal most racing shoes had a hard leather or plastic sole to which a metal or plastic shoe plate or cleat was attached. This cleat had a slot that mated with the pedal. The cleat along with toe clip and strap keep the rider's feet firmly to the pedals. The drawback is that a rider had to reach down and loosen the toe strap by hand to take their foot out of the pedal, and for this reason toe clips have been made largely obsolete by clipless pedals. The second is to use a cycling shoe with a smooth sole or a non-cycling shoe. This had the disadvantage of the rider's feet not being firmly attached to the pedals but had the advantage of being able to release from the pedals without having to loosen the strap by hand, and also any shoe can be used.

Sole material and shoe quality

Soles for cycling shoes are usually divided into three categories. Inexpensive shoes mostly use an injection-molded plastic sole, which is economical but heavier and prone to flexing. Mid-range shoes may use a combination of plastic and carbon fiber, plastic and fiberglass, or an all carbon fiber sole. All manufacturers high end competition level shoes manufactured after 2002 use carbon fiber soles. The sole material and amount of tread used in a shoe affects its weight; an expensive pair of road shoes with carbon fiber soles can weigh 650 grams, while a budget-priced pair of mountain bike shoes might weigh 850 to 900 grams.

Overshoes

Overshoes are flexible waterproof shoe coverings for use in wet weather. They are typically made from rubber or a stretchy synthetic and have a zip on the inside of the ankle. The fabric continues under the sole but is not intended for walking on, which would wear it out quickly. Most overshoes have a hole in the sole for clipless pedals. Overshoes are not to be confused with cleat covers. Overshoes go on the top of the shoes, while cleat covers go on the bottom.

Shoe Tips

Almost all cycling shoes come in metric sizes. When you go to a bike shop and try them on, take the socks you expect to wear while using them. Put on both shoes and walk around the shop to get a feel for these shoes before you buy them. You may end up buying a shoe a little larger than your dress shoe.

If the cycling shoe you pick uses shoe laces be careful. Some of the shoe laces are long and you may end up with a long bow when you get them tied up. This long bow can get caught in a pedal or front crank. To avoid getting caught, pull the ends of the tied bows down through the laces and keep them from flapping around.

"You never have the wind with you - either it is against you or you're having a good day.” Daniel Behrman, The Man Who Loved Bicycles

Evening Rides

Daylight Savings Time has ended. That means evening darkness sets earlier making it harder to get in a ride after work and harder for you to be seen by motorist while out on a ride. This is unfortunately a period where more accidents occur simply because motorists have a hard time adjusting to the time change and the lighting change.

It is very important to be seen as you ride along. If you are going to ride in the twilight or evening hours, check out these headlamps and tail lights that help you light up the night and help you be seen.

Have you been out on a late afternoon ride when the sun is low in the sky, starting to set and found yourself riding into bright sunlight, having a hard time seeing where you are going? You even shade your eyes to help see ahead. Well then, remember drivers coming up behind you are having the same problem and will have a hard time seeing you out in front of them. You should choose a different route, avoid riding into the sunset and being run over.

Tight Fitting Tires

Did you ever have a hard time putting a tire back on the rim after fixing a flat? Installing a tight tire can kill your thumbs. You know the method well. You make sure the air is out of the tube and you push and push for all as hard as you can but those last six inches of rubber just will not go over the rim.

Before you resort to tire levers and risk pinching a hole in the new tube try this. Hold the section of the tire that will not go over the rim with one hand while using your other hand to go around wheel. Squeeze the tire together so its beads at the opposite side go to the rim's recessed center well. Carefully work up each side of the tire toward the stubborn area squeezing and pressing the tire toward the center of the rim. By squeezing and pressing the tire to the center of the rim you make the tire appear to be larger than the rim you are trying to slide it into. Now try that stubborn final section again. It might help to wrap your fingers over the top and slide the bead up with the heel of your hands. Presto! The tire is on the rim.

Mid-Ohio Valley Bicycle Council’s first critical mass ride! By Kim Broughton

On November 1, 2008, seventy-four cyclists of all ages rode through the streets of Parkersburg with a cycling police escort of three of the City of Parkersburg’s officers.

It was stellar. At one point when we were riding down Grand Central Avenue, a very busy 6-lane roadway, I glanced over at a motorist who was being blocked from turning because of the mass. I thought she might be upset but instead she was smiling from ear to ear, bouncing up and down in her seat, and applauding! It was an awesome and uplifting sight! It is the most memorable moment of the event for me.

The event was organized by the Mid-Ohio Valley Bicycle Council, an informal group of biking and alternate transportation advocate volunteers coordinated by Adventure Pursuit. Adventure Pursuit currently has grant funding to provide resources to help folks get more active in the streets of their own neighborhoods. The Council was formed to help address issues that may make riding bicycles in the neighborhoods uncomfortable.

The Council was formed in June of 2008 and has been focusing on developing a community riding program on Parkersburg’s south side. Local cycling volunteers have been riding with children in the Homecrest neighborhood. Those children were a part of the critical mass ride and their pride showed as they rode through their own streets with all those other bikers! Tammy, mother of two of the riders and repeat volunteer for the cause told me her children we very excited about the ride!

The Parkersburg Police were amazing! The coordination was phenomenal! When we left the Grand Central Mall, the Vienna Police had stopped traffic to allow the mass to enter the highway together. We were given a complete police escort through the entire event and there is no doubt it and the support and encouragement of the Parkersburg Police played a huge role in the phenomenal atmosphere of the event. I thanked Captain Keith every chance I got. His most memorable response to me was, “We love this.”

There were so many people who played a role in organizing the event. Ben Smith and Barry Backus, two AmeriCorps VISTA volunteers worked diligently coordinating and connecting volunteers. Greg Garrett, John Pelligran and James Coleman all played roles in planning the course. All area bike groups played a tremendous role in getting the word out and providing suggestions and support! Awareness material was created and donated by Stonewall Marketing. Grant funding provided by the Bernard McDonough Foundation, the Sisters of St. Joseph’s Charitable Fund and the West Virginia Cycling Foundation, providing funding for costs associated with the event and we are very grateful!

I want to thank Bill Robinson for bringing his son and driving up from Charleston to participate in the event. Bill is the Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator for the WVDOH, as well as State Trail Coordinator. Bill had this to say, “The WVDOH is committed to serving the needs of all of the users of the state highways system. We are working with the City and the MPO to try to secure funding for further work on the Little Kanawha Connector bicycle/pedestrian route through the city.”

Thanks to everyone involved and every courteous motorist! Many thanks to Drew Smithberger, iPlayOutside’s photographer. If you have a local event you would like to have covered by iPlayOutside, drop them an email. They do a fantastic job and there is no doubt Drew went above and beyond in covering the event.

This event was a shining example of what happens when a group of community volunteers pull together. I heard folks say everything from: • This was an event I am proud to have been associated with. • Awesome event! Good work! • When is the next one? We will keep you posted.

To check on other outdoor activities in the area check the following web links: http://www.iplayoutside.com/oPam/communities/1 or http://www.iplayoutside.com/

Race Across America 2009

In past years the annual RAAM has had a timing station set and manned up by local volunteers in Parkersburg. Jim Stouffer reports that the 2009 RAAM will follow Rt. 50 using the new bridge and bypass around Parkersburg. There will not be a time station set up in Parkersburg for the 2009 event. The two closest time stations in our area will be set up in Athens, OH and Ellenboro, WV.

RAAM is one of the most respected and longest running annual endurance events holding legendary stature the world over. The event so staggering that merely to finish is, for most, the accomplishment of a lifetime. The race is one stage, live to the very end. In RAAM, once the clock starts on the west coast, the clock doesn't stop until each racer reaches the finish line on the east coast. RAAM is 30% longer than the Tour de France and solo racers finish in half the time with no rest days. The race format is essentially a time trial, commonly called racing against the clock or the race of truth. Unlike the Tour de France, there is no drafting or taking shelter from the wind. It's an all out solo challenge.

The heart of the race is the Solo division. That is where the ultimate challenge lies. The race also has team categories of 2-Person, 4-Person, and 8-Person teams. With an 8-Person team, each person averages three hours a day on the bike.

The race starts in Oceanside, CA in mid June and ends in Annapolis, MD. The route is over 3000 miles, touching 14 states and climbing over 100,000 feet. Teams typically cross the country in 6 to 9 days, averaging 350 to over 500 miles per day. Solo racers finish in 9 to 12 days, averaging 250 to 350 miles per day. Teams have a relay format and race 24 hours a day. Solo racers have the challenge of balancing a few hours of sleep each night against race deadlines.

There are no club rides scheduled for December, January or February.