Bike Mechanic Confidential- Money saving tips, mechanical advice and the inside scoop that the industry won't tell you

Thinking about a new upgrade to your bike? Not sure if you need the latest gadget? Thinking about replacing your 5 year old bike with a carbon fiber wonder? Have you already looked at next year's bike catalogs? If you answered yes to at least one of these questions, you are on the consumer end of the bike industry. The customer, the end user, the money tree that keeps on giving and keeping the bike shops, online retailers and the whole entourage afloat. Need a fat bike? Just rationalize the purchase by saying "why yes, I need a bike for the one week out of the year when it snows, or to go frolic on the beach". Bike shops love you and are eager to take your money to have the privilege of working on your Colnago, oogling the bike over because it's a bike that a $9/hour bike mechanic employee will never be able to save up for. You make it rain dollar bills like Lil' Wayne in a purple drank video...

Or do you? Are you getting tired of spending an arm and a leg every time you walk into a bike shop? Not an independently wealthy trust fund kid?  Wondering if some things are unnecessary, or are things you can do yourself? Then there is hope for you, my friend. Welcome to the club of bike aficionados of the non-corporate, non doctorate inclination. Welcome to the club of do-it-yourselfers. Let me share with you some insider tips that the industry doesn't want to share.

Never use the lockout on your suspension mountain bike:  

The first rule to proper mountain biking, to getting longevity out of your suspension and to not blow out your fork seals, is to NEVER under any circumstances ride with the lockout engaged while you ride off road. Some people may argue with this notion but I maintain that unless your first name is Nino and your last name is Shurter then you have no business trying to fiddle with your lockout mechanism on your mountain bike. Set sag, pre-load and have the right air pressure in the fork if the fork has an air chamber. Those things are more important than locking out the fork for climbs and forgetting to disengage it on the descents. No suspension fork, no matter how expensive, will stand up to that kind of abuse. A good fork should last a number of years if the lockout is never used. Forget 30 hour maintenance oil changes, forget overhauling the fork and having all of the internals replaced. No lockout, no worries. You will, however, need to do is if you are a remote lockout, trigger happy fool. My advice? Take that remote lockout straight off the handlebars and chuck that thing as far as you can throw it. This leads into another suspension related, money saving tip.

Your Suntour coil shocks work just fine:

I rode a set of Suntour XCM shocks hard for over 5 years before they finally died. They came on my first full suspension bike which went through some of the local hard trails in the area and even went off road in Georgia and North Carolina. The failure of my shocks was due to leaving them locked out and taking them through a technical descent. Otherwise I don't think I would have had any problems with them. I currently have another set of Suntour XCR 32's  on my full suspension 29er. These shocks are super value coil shocks with oil dampening rebound adjustment. True to their reputation they have given me excellent performance and have taken everything I have thrown at them so far, from technical rock gardens to 3 foot drops. The only upgrade that would make sense, if only to save a little weight and add a little stiffness, would be a set of Fox 32's.

Why the emphasis on Suntour? Rockshox seems to be leaving the coil suspension game to try to be a more premium brand the way Fox is. Rockshox at one time made some of the best coil forks that could be found on the market, such as the Judy, Tora, Dart and XC28 models. These had the ability to be self serviced and fine tuned depending on what kind of suspension coil they had. They seem to be exiting the entry level price point and their products are usually found on bikes starting at around a grand. So that leaves Suntour with the $400 to $800 market, the target which most beginners or new kids to the sport would be able to afford.

Was there anything wrong with coil shocks in the first place? No, in fact once the industry got it right and built a bombproof, indestructible coil shock like the Rockshox Judy, they realized that they weren't going to sell any more bikes, because the thing would just not break. They needed to find a graceful way to sell us another bike so they gave us longer travel options, tapered head tubes and a more affordable mid-range solo air option. Also counting on user error, they gave us the lockout feature on our forks, because that's how they guarantee repeat business.

The moral of this story? As we say in Texas, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Ride your bike to the ground and o-nly upgrade things to add comfort to your ride, like your grips and your saddle. Shocks are a part of the bike and represent about a third of it's overall value, so it's a big ticket item to upgrade just for the sake of upgradeditis. 

Unless you park your bike outside, never replace cable housing: 

Cable housing becomes damaged only if it is cut, severely bent or exposed to the elements and becomes rusted from the inside out. Ride a lot, but leave your bike stored indoors in a dry place? You will never have to change cable housing, no matter how many times a mechanic brings it up as part of a performance tune. Not necessary.

Dawn or Simple Green cleans better than that bike wash stuff they sell at the shops: 

Forget buying bike specific cleaning products. All you need is a bucket with water, a rag, a brush, some dish washing soap or an environmentally friendly cleaner like Simple Green to get the job done. It will cost less and give a better clean than the stuff the store sells.

Stop shaving, using chamois butt-r and slurping gels:

The pro's are the people you see on TV. They are not you and I. We are but mere mortals that have to work for a living and must carry on with dignity and self-respect. We will neither see or appreciate the aerodynamic gains of having our legs shaved or our rear ends slathered in chamois butt-r. Hair stubble hurts, no joke. Not even Peter Sagan shaves his legs anymore.

Emphasize needs and wants, and pick the right tool for the job: 

Looking for a new bike but already have 20 bikes in the garage? Let me stop you right there. You don't need a new bike. Maybe a kid in Malawi needs a new bike, but you certainly don't. Chances are that you already have the tool needed for the job required. With  a little modification, an old mountain bike can become a drop bar gravel grinder or a commuter with some street slicks. Don't have a road bike but want a road bike? Take a rigid mountain bike and put drop bars on it. That bike will hold you over until you are averaging 18-19mph with the fast guys in the club. Looking for your first bike? Think about all realistic scenarios that you will be riding your bike. These days there are many good options in the "one bike that does it all" category. They might be heavier, have knobby tires or made of steel, but one good bike can last a lifetime.

Mid-range is the best range: 

Not sure if your 9 speed Shimano Sora or Shimano Alivio groupset is up to par with that of your friend's Dura Ace or XTR groupsets? Have you found yourself being talked out of your triple chainring crankset to go to a 1x? Have a solid set of wheels but saving up for some carbon ENVE's? Do you find yourself blaming your bike more than your time off the bike for performance loses?

My go to road bikes for group rides lately are a 1988 Schwinn Tempo with downtube shifters, a 6 speed freewheel, 32 spoke count wheels and a steel frame. My other is a 2012 Cannondale Caad 8 with an aluminum frame and Shimano Tiagra shifting. I can average 20mph or more on the fast rides in my area and stay with the rest of the pack, on both bikes. My go to mountain bike is a Fuji Outland 29er full suspension mountain bike that I bought new. I have less than $1,400 invested between all three of these bikes. So while I'm not saying that my bikes are cheap by any means, all three of those bikes might equal the price of what the industry advertises as a "performance" or "race specific" bicycle. The difference between the bikes that I own and a $1,400 bike ends at the price tag. For $500-$800, or about half the price, the same kind of bike can be had. I don't mean a dumb down version of the $1,400 bike. I mean oftentimes, the same performance can be had out of a mid-range bike. The mid-range package might be less flashy, less desirable and less advertised. However, it might have parts that are more durable and have less proprietary technology on it that makes it easier to maintain. What if I told you that 9 speed groupsets were the sweet spot? 9 speed groupsets for road and mountain have the best price point, best durability, best functionality, best reliability and oftentimes the best design. There are also the staple groupsets of mid-range bikes. Something to consider whether you are a beginner cyclist or a seasoned rider eyeing their next bike purchase.

Don't be a poser: 

There are other cyclists besides Chris Froome. Don't be that guy that shows up to the club rides in full Team SKY jersey kit. Not only does that reek for noob behavior, but you will be on the wrong side of history later and will look back on how much of a tool you were for being such a bandwagon Team SKY fan-fan.

When in doubt, Youtube it: 

You can learn literally anything on Youtube, even bicycle repair. Don't want to learn? That's fine too. We in the bike industry appreciate your dollars. However, I will suggest at least learning how to do basic maintenance on your bike. Because when all of the shops in the area are a month out on repairs, you don't want to drop your bike off at the shop because of a flat tire. 

These are some insider tips that the bike industry isn't talking about. Hopefully this has been a helpful article for some of my readers out there. Till next time!

Johnny's Mobile Bicycle Repair

2016 Update: We just got our service vehicle for mobile repairs!

Check out my new website at www.johnnysbikes.com

Readers of my blog already know that I'm an experienced bike mechanic. For the past 6 years, I have been in and around bike shops building bicycles and doing everything from changing flat tires to advanced services like hydraulic disc brake bleeds. The truth is, I live, breathe even bleed bikes. Is that all I'm good at? Readers who follow my blog know the answer to that also. Although I have done photography as a business and have an affinity for drawing, repairing bicycles is the thing that I currently enjoy the most, the thing that I can focus my attention on. I have always been a hands-on kind of guy. I have had office jobs that I have hated and know myself well enough to say I rather work standing up and moving around than sitting down, fixated on a computer screen. That is where the idea of Johnny's Mobile Bike Repair came up.

I actually started brainstorming on this idea almost six months ago, debating the feasibility of working for myself as a home based but traveling bicycle mechanic. I realized that I already possessed most of the tools and the knowledge needed to put the idea into practice. I started advertising a couple of weeks ago and now I'm starting to gain a following on Facebook and from business referrals.

Back in Business! Mobile bike mechanic Servicing the north DFW area and Collin County

The concept is actually pretty simple, one most established bike shops wouldn't even dream of considering. What if the customer didn't have to go to the bike shop? What if the mechanic came to them, picked up their bicycle, fixed it and delivered it back to them within a reasonable amount of time? This is how Johnny's Mobile Bicycle Repair works. In addition, I do concessions for customers with large cargo bicycles to have them repaired on site. In other words, I will at times bring my tools and perform repairs at the customer's home, based on how I see fit. Because it is impossible to haul a garage full of tools everywhere I go, I can only do on site repairs on an as needed basis.  

My shop bench with the tools of the trade.

I have plenty of rack storage to handle a decent sized workload.

So far the reception has been positive and I have had a steady stream of work trickling in. Hopefully this business will grow as more people in the DFW area find out about me. Here are some of the services that I am currently offering.

-Tune ups starting at $50

-Brake bleed services

-Bicycle Restorations

-Parts replacement and install

-Bike builds and tear downs for travelers

-Frame powdercoating

-Rust removal*

-..and much more

I am a full service bicycle shop based in my garage. There is little that I can not do and no part that I can't order. Not having a commercial overhead or a retail business is what allows me to offer my services at competitive prices with a fast turnaround. I encourage all customers to have their parts purchased if they want to replace anything on the bicycle before making an appointment. I stock a variety of basic parts but do not stock bicycle components. I can order anything but that will delay the repair by one to two weeks. 

I have the ability to fix all kinds of bicycles, however my target audience is the adult bicycle market. The parts that I stock are mostly for road bikes and mountain bikes. I can fix cruisers, BMX bikes, recumbents and tandems, however I will have to order parts in to work on those bicycles. I say this to be as transparent as possible to anyone wishing to use my services. 

Find me on Facebook, email me or call me if...

-you love cycling and riding your bike

-you are tired of the turnaround times at your local bike shop

-you resent the overinflated prices being charged to you

-your club needs a wrench and the established shops are ignoring you

-you are an avid mountain biker

-you commute by bike
-you do triathlons

-you are a roadie, fixed geared hipster, old guy on a recumbent, vintage retro-grouch, all of the above, call me if you love to ride whatever bike it may be

If you are this kind of customer, I can definitely help you out. My goal is to grow my business within the dedicated community of cyclists, and give cyclists freedom of choice rather than forcing them to take their bicycles to a bike shop every time they need something fixed on it. No matter what the make and model is on your bicycle, I will not turn down anybody who loves cycling.


 There is a minimum onsite service fee of $50 that I charge every time I go out. This means that the customer must purchase $50 or more worth of services. If the customer purchases a tune-up and that is all they need, the service fee will also cover the cost of the tune-up. Additional gas fees may apply if living outside Collin County.  The turnaround for ordering parts and fixing a bicycle is about two weeks. If parts are not needed, it takes me approximately two hours to perform any extensive repair, about 30 minutes to an hour to perform a basic tune.

*I remove rust on chrome plated parts and components only.

Check out my Facebook page for more information at www.facebook.com/bicycledoctor

Stay tuned for more informative posts from A Bicycle's Point of View.

The Collin Classic 2015

The 2015 Collin Classic

That's me on the left in the 7up jersey. Ken on the right of me joined me on this ride.

I have been riding regularly for the past few months in preparation for the Collin Classic Bicycle Rally, held annually in Mckinney, Texas. The Collin Classic has three route choices including a metric century of about 64 miles. Being that I had to head out of town almost immediately after the ride, I opted for the 46 mile distance. I averaged 18.5 miles an hour for the whole ride, finishing in 2:42 and so far it is the fastest average speed that I have logged for the distance that I rode. This year I bought a new road bike from Bikes Direct to try to set a personal record for average speed over long distances. The Motobecane Super Strada is proving to be a wonderful ride with the latest technology that I was able to purchase for an even 1k, including taxes. There will be a future review coming up on that bike. 

My friend Ken joined me and rode the same distance as well. It proved to be the longest ride he had ever done. Here are a few photos of the ride.

The early bird gets the worm! We were the first people to show up at the starting line.

No bicycle rally can be complete without a legit blue bear mascot.

Next up is the Hotter N' Hell. I'm still on the fence on whether or not I will be doing it this year. I want to continue to improve my fitness and hopefully meet my goal of a 20mph average.  We'll see what happens.

Vintage Bikes of the future, 26 inch wheel mountain bikes?

Why you should start collecting 80's and 90's mountain bikes

They say 30 years makes a classic. So pretty much, judging by my time here on this earth, I'm pretty much a classic myself. Classics enjoy the respect of enthusiasts and turn heads when being showed off in a modern environment. The mountain bike as it originally was has also become a classic. 

Crested Butte, 1980. There was a repack mountain bike race that day-viewed the first generation of mountain bikes, a far cry from what we would consider to be a mountain bike today. Cantilever or drum brakes, bull moose bmx-style handlebars, and heavy frames with long rear triangles were on the forefront of technology back then. Many of these bikes have sadly not made it into collector's hands after decades of rigorous thrashings on the mountain bike trail. The ones that have made it will soon be as valuable as the most expensive vintage Italian road bikes.

With the recent popularity of vintage road bikes and fixies, old ten speeds have enjoyed a vast number of avenues for replacement parts and upgrades. Most tire manufacturers still make 27" tires, for example. 27" and 700c wheel replacements are still to be found for many of these bikes, even replacements for rear wheels that require a freewheel instead of a cassette. In fact, ever since 700c became the popular wheel size on road bikes, they have been able to co-exist with 27" bikes until this day. I'm guessing back then bicycle companies respected the consumer's wallet, that or 27" wheel touring bikes were seen as benign and not a threat to 700c wheel racing bikes. 

Never in all of bicycle history has there been an attempt so blatant to eradicate a wheel size option than what the bicycle industry is doing with regards to the 26 inch mountain bike. A year ago, I wrote an article saying this would happen, based on market trends and feedback from working at a bike shop. It seems that overnight, all of the good, mid-school wheels and components have either been bought up or priced up at a 300% inflation rate. This is an unexpected outcome to the 650b and 29er wheel craze of the last few years. I can't seem to find anyone who sells good 26" freewheel threaded wheels anymore, unless they are heavy bolt ons for cruisers. The only wheelsets I find available are cassette compatible and top end brands like Mavic. What ever happened to the Zac 19's?

I can only compare what is happening to the 26", unsuspended, steel mountain bike to what happened to film photography. All the powers that be in the photography industry got together , and in less than a decade, film photography was gone. I saw my first digital camera around 2001, a box-like object that used a floppy disc and could only take five pictures at a time. By 2004, 3 mega pixel cameras where starting to become common among most people. In 2009 when I took my film camera to Germany, I received a few impressed looks and one person even told me that they had forgotten what a film rewind sounded like. I had to take my film to a specialty camera store to get it developed, and that was 5 years ago. I still have my film cameras (good ones, at that) but seldom use them because I don't know where I'll develop the little film that I have left in my refrigerator. Were film cameras that much more inferior than digital cameras? No, in fact a 35mm camera with a really sharp lens could get the equivalent of 64 mega pixels in image resolution. My medium format camera could get an even much higher resolution still. So why did the industry have to force film into obsolescence?

For the same reason why the bike industry is forcing out the 26" wheeled mountain bike: to make money. By forcing everyone to upgrade across the board, the bicycle industry is forcing consumers to buy their product, because all other options have been eliminated. As much as I loved my film camera, once all of the one hour photo labs started closing down, I really could not use it anymore. So let's say I were to break a wheel or a 7 speed shifter on my mountain bike. There may soon come a time where that will mean the end of that bike's lifespan as a mountain bike. It will from that point forward have to become a beach cruiser, because those will be the only wheel and tire options that will come in 26 inches. As a desperate measure, I may just have to buy a Wally World bike or a Magna bike from Target with 26 inch wheels, just to swap parts onto my old mountain bike. 

As consumers, we can choose with our wallets whether or not we like what the bicycle industry is doing. When I say bicycle industry, I am not including bicycles found at department stores, many of which still come in 26 inches. I'm including The two big American owned companies in the industry and the one big but still emerging Taiwanese "giant" who are driving the change. "The Big Three" currently own most of the patents in the industry and are known to buy out other companies just for the sake of eliminating the competition. If we don't like what they're doing, then we don't need to buy their mountain bikes, it's that simple. When we start seeing more aftermarket parts available for our old-school rigs, then we can entertain the idea of buying their products again. 

In conclusion, forced obsolescence is never a good thing. Look what that did to letter writing, no one writes hand written letters anymore. Fewer people read the printed page, now you see people reading on their tablets and "eBooks". People don't invite other people over to look at their photo albums anymore, everything is shared online and invitations are kept to a minimum. When something becomes obsolete, our values and manners suffer. Some people will say that it's just a wheel size, that it's just a hobby and that truth be told all bikes were meant to be disposable anyway. But it's much more personal than that. Pricing out the consumer or forcing an expensive change on them is taking advantage of their long time integrity and the fact that they're cyclists. It's telling them that there's a cost of entry and a economical barrier to doing what they love to do. It's telling the consumer either pay up or quit riding a bike. It's an underhanded and indirect way of pre-qualifying people to do something that everyone should have the right to do; ride a bike. Straight up class warfare, if you ask me. 

Here's my answer to what the bicycle industry is doing. I'm going to start collecting vintage mountain bikes and components. I hope to accumulate enough parts to do my own maintenance without ever having to step foot in a boutique, hipster-owned bike shop. Once I can no longer do maintenance on my bikes, all future mountain bikes will come from Target. That's how I'm going to choose with my wallet and I'm sure others will follow suit. The modern bike boom is over, it's been over for about 3 years now. With this forced change the specialty bicycle market will not keep enjoying it's temporary run of sales for very long. Once the bicycle demands of the upper echelon of society are met, they will not derive any more profit from the rest of us. Until another Lance Armstrong comes along and gets people into Tour De France fever, most people will no longer see the need to buy an expensive bicycle again. 

End of rant.

Crits Vs. Rallies: Which one has more bang for the buck?

Criteriums Vs. Bicycle Rallies

Being an active cyclist, it's only natural to want to take the next step in proving one's fitness level and ability. Many new cyclists enter their first criterium race unprepared or unfit for the demands of competitive cycling. I thought I was a good cyclist until I raced my first criterium. I was lapped twice by guys averaging 21 miles an hour in a pack. I didn't know the principles of drafting and I wasn't expecting the sudden attacks and unpredictable nature of the riders participating. Being the new guy in the group didn't help either. I didn't receive any favors from the pack and the veteran riders made fun of me. After that first experience I nearly stopped riding my bike altogether, thinking I had no natural ability to be pursuing cycling. Then I remembered why I started riding in the first place, because I enjoyed it. I didn't buy my first bike thinking that I would end up riding around in circles like a NASCAR race for bicycles. I bought it because I wanted a long term fitness plan to keep me active through my 20's and beyond. 

This outlook has kept me riding for the last four years since my first criterium, however it wasn't enough to keep me satisfied with riding bikes long term. I needed fitness goals, milestones that I could reach and say that I did something meaningful as a cyclist, even though I never won a race. So this year I started participating in bicycle rallies, events that are usually non-competitive in nature that have varied participation and are usually 60 to 100 miles. My first bicycle rally was the Collin Classic in June of this year. I was over 10 pounds heavier than I am now when I participated, however I was able to complete 69 miles averaging over 17 miles an hour. Unlike criteriums where someone doesn't even get mentioned if they don't finish in the top ten, every rider at a bicycle rally gets some sort of recognition. I wasn't expecting a medal for finishing the hundred mile Hotter N' Hell this year, however a crowd of volunteers was waiting for me at the finish line to take off my helmet and put a medal around my neck. In addition the riders received a tracking chip that tracked their progress and overall time from start to finish. You could compare how well you rode against other riders in your age group, and also see your overall ranking. Bicycle rallies give away tee shirts, water bottles and coupons for restaurants for the same cost of entry as a criterium race. In a criterium race, you pay $35 to get whooped by a bunch guys with disposable income, most of them riding $10k carbon fiber bikes and most of them able to show up every week and pay the same fee to race. 

Are all the participants fat, slow, frumpy old guys on hybrids that do these bicycle rallies? Absolutely not. Furthermore a lot of older guys in their 60's and older participate in these rides, and can overtake guys half their age through the course of 50 to 60 miles. A lot of participants that do bicycle rallies are seasoned distance riders, with amazing fitness and endurance. There are also riders of all ages and all abilities that come to these events. There are even shorter routes for families to do, and you will see moms and dads pulling their kids behind them on bicycle trailers. 

All I can say is that I can't wait to do my next bicycle rally in October. I don't know if I'll do another criterium ride in the future, however I'm 100% sure that I would like to keep doing bicycle rallies. 

The 2014 Collin Classic Bike Rally

69 miles on the Woodrup, beautiful country ride.

Picture of the author. Photograph by Sugar & Spice Photography

On Saturday I finally got to participate in an event I had been spending a good part of the week preparing and training for. I put a hundred miles on my Woodrup bicycle on the days leading up to the Collin Classic Bike Rally, an event in Mckinney, Texas that benefits a children's charity called City House. I signed up for what had originally been a 64 mile bike route, but due to construction on some rural roads, detours had to be made and the route ended up being almost 70 miles. My goal was to make it through the ride in one piece and survive all 69 miles. Not only did I complete the ride, but I averaged 17.1 miles an hour, my fastest average speed yet for a distance that long. I took advantage of four out of eight rest stops they had on the ride to refuel on water, bananas, oranges and electrolytes. 

I have to say this is the most organized bicycle event that I have been to. The route was well marked and wound through some scenic country roads which made the ride that much more enjoyable. There was police presence directing traffic at all times through the route intervals and turns. The weather was beautiful considering this is Texas and temperatures can get to oven hot levels. The day was overcast enough to bear the high 80 degrees in Fahrenheit. 

Along the ride I met a 62 year old Chilean cyclist that was as enthusiastic about his vintage Peugeot as I was about my Woodrup. We rode the last nine miles of the ride together, and at 62 years young, I had to ask him to slow down and wait up for me a little bit as I was starting to cramp up on my back and unbeknown to me, had a rear wheel that had come off true and was rubbing on the brake pad.  He is in truly remarkable fitness for his age. I only hope I can do the things this guy does when I get to be his as old as him. 

This is the first time that I do a ride like this. I'm already pumped up about doing this ride next year, weather and all unforeseen occurrences permitting. I wish there were more spring and early summer rides like this were I live. While most of the country enjoys the July to September months, it gets dangerously hot here during that time. I can't ride during the middle of the day in the summertime, only in the early mornings or the evenings. Otherwise I put myself at risk for heat strokes and UV ray exposure. Therefore this will probably be the last event I see myself doing for the rest of the year. I really enjoyed it and it was a true test of my fitness level. However it did not leave me feeling defeated like some competitive events I had done in the past. 

Stay tuned for more updates from A Bicycle's Point Of View.

The Humble Schwinn Le Tour

The Schwinn Le Tour: The Original Touring Bike

Touring bicycles have been around long before the Schwinn Le Tour. The name "Le Tour" is a dead giveaway that this bike was inspired by it's predecessors from across the pond.  This bike however, was the first mass produced touring bicycle to enter the U.S market by a U.S owned company.

According to history, the mid 1970's oil crisis and a national interest in all things European at the time brought about the bike boom and most notably, the "touring" bicycle or ten speed as it was once called. Before then bicycles in the United States mainly consisted of cruiser-style single speed bikes with balloon tires, also known as paper boy bikes. These more common bicycles featured tanks, horns, fenders and many of them weighed in excess of fifty pounds. The concept of lightweight racing bicycles was a foreign one to most people at the time. This perception changed during the 70's, when a fuel shortage, a new environmentally conscious generation and an unpopular war paved the way for a bicycle revolution. Belgium and the Netherlands rolled with the movement and are now the most bicycle friendly countries in the world. The momentum in the U.S ended abruptly around the late 80's when the economy improved and technology rapidly advanced. From the 80's onward, bicycles have turned from a practical means of transportation to a form of exercise and recreation. Out of that bike boom era there arose a people's champion, a working man's fare, the Model T of touring bikes and a well made product forged in a Chicago factory. The humble but reliable Schwinn Le Tour.

Over the years I have owned several Schwinn Le Tours. The yellow Schwinn featured in the title heading of this bike blog was my first restoration. It has now left my possession as I have given it to my mom, who rides it regularly. Unlike their French counterparts at the time, these bicycles were all steel with metal shifters and derailleurs, making them reliable and durable. The strong metal used for the frames could take a sustained load without making the bicycle ride slower. The early Le Tours had almost all factory made components with all parts stamped "Schwinn Approved". Finding the date on an early Schwinn is as easy as looking at the head badge and hubs of the wheels.


The following two bikes are examples of an early Schwinn Le Tour model and one of the last Schwinn Le Tours that came out of the Chicago factory. Both have features of what was popular for bicycles at the time of their production. With a stronger focus on touring, comfort and practicality, the 1980 Schwinn Le Tour on the right was equipped with stem mounted shifters, steel rims, ergonomic handlebars with shallow drops and center pull brakes. The late 80's Schwinn on the left was made much more sportier, reflecting the shift from practical use to recreative use. The 1988 Schwinn features downtube shifters, side pull caliper brakes and alloy rims. Like the earlier model it came with a strong steel frame and eyelets for mounting racks on, heralding back to it's original purpose of touring. Both bikes can be equipped as touring bikes and in this regard no one bike is superior than the other. 

A 1980's Schwinn Logo

A 1980 Schwinn Le Tour with a logo design reminiscent of earlier models.

By the late 80's lighter steel such as true temper was being used for the Schwinn Le Tour

1020 Tubing is not light by modern day standards, however the bicycle rides like a lightweight bike due to it's road dampening qualities.

Early Schwinns featured stem mounted shifters, steel rims, "suicide" brake levers and lots of chrome

Although the later Schwinn model was designed to be faster than the earlier version, the early Schwinn can be a serious contender with alloy rims and some minor upgrades. As shown in this video, this bike is no wimp when it comes to speed. The video shows me whipping past carbon fiber roadies in their $3000 Wiliers and triathlon machines on my 79' yellow Schwinn.

These bikes can be found all day long on the online classifieds, at a good price too if someone is a shrewd buyer. The 1980 Schwinn cost me $40 and zero dollars in investment to get it in it's current condition. I bought the 88' Schwinn to help out a friend and it cost me twice as much.  These bikes can and do usually bring anywhere from $150 to $300 at resale. I personally have a hard time letting go of Schwinn Le Tours. They are such well built bikes and such a bargain for the money that I will usually hold onto them while usually getting rid of my more expensive bicycles. Having restored one from the ground up, I know firsthand the quality of their build and what this bicycle is capable of. For some reason unknown to me, these bicycles are usually passed up by collectors while inferior models like the Varsity and Stingray get all the attention. The Stingrays, Lemon Peelers and Fastbacks which sell in the thousands of dollars can barely be ridden by grown men while a good Schwinn Le Tour that is capable of beating the socks off of a modern day road bike doesn't even get an offer over $100 most of the time. 

One day when the Puerto Rican Schwinn club switches from vintage cruisers to vintage road bikes (I'm Puerto Rican, I can say that...) or when hipsters start to covet Schwinn bikes for their fixed gear fallacies, the collector's value on a Schwinn Le Tour will probably rise. When it does, just remember that I was riding Schwinn Le Tours before it was cool, before hipsters discovered it and before having knowledge of a Puerto Rican Schwinn club, of which I am probably now regarded as an honorary member. Even though my stable of bikes boasts the best of French, Italian and British imported vintage steel, I will always remember my roots and the bike that got me into restoring bikes in the first place. I can always make room for a humble Schwinn Le Tour.

Should I?

Is it time to sell the Raleigh?

My 2007 Raleigh Sport. My only modern road bike

I'm having a struggle coming to terms on whether or not I should sell my Raleigh Sport road bike. I have seen a couple of nice Italian "grail finds" listed on craigslist recently and I have been debating on getting them. That would mean I would have to sell my most modern road bike that I own in order to purchase another one. Should I sell my modern, STI equipped aluminum road bike for something that might have a full Campagnolo and Cinelli gruppo  and made of Reynolds 531 tubing? Should I break my six year relationship with this bicycle that reintroduced me to the world of cycling? 

This is a not so new thought that I have been having. I bought this bicycle off the shelf as a beginner's bicycle to get into cycling. I never upgraded anything on the bike, everything is stock except the tires and handlebar tape. I have pushed this 25 pound bike over 18mph average speed on 30 mile rides. I have ridden over 3,000 miles on this bike alone and have taken it over rolling hills in the countryside as well as around the DFW airport. Recently I got back on it after a while of riding my older, steel framed bicycles. The ride was jarring to say the least. I guess I have gotten accustomed to the flex the steel frames provide as well as the dampening effect of the thicker 27" tires. I averaged a slow 15.9 mph overall speed on a 22 mile ride (granted I was fighting against 24mph headwinds) the last time I rode it. Maybe I have let the older bikes make me seek too much comfort rather than speed, although I do not feel like I am going any slower on my old bikes.

I have always had the mentality of "If it's not broken don't fix it" when it comes to my bicycles. So far I have thrown everything I could at this Raleigh, and its still going strong. But I do want to go faster and am hard pressed not to at least upgrade this bike to make it a little lighter. Maybe replacing the chromoly fork with a carbon fork and the current wheelset with a low spoke count one. But if for the same price I can get me a custom made Italian bicycle I am almost persuaded to sell my bike for an old school "upgrade".

The other option is just to keep this bicycle and work at upgrading it's engine (that's me). Parenting duties, shorter days and bad weather have kept me off the saddle more than I would have wanted to this winter. In other words, compared to a few years ago I'm probably fat. In fact, if my cheap scale is telling the truth, I am 15 pounds heavier than I was last year. So the engine probably needs a sugar and carb free diet to get lean and mean again.

What do you think, keep it as is and upgrade the engine, upgrade components, or trade in for old Italian steel? Send me your opinion in the comment box below.

Passed a Roadie on my old vintage bike=feel good.

Why passing Roadies on expensive road bikes makes me feel good.

I ride at White Rock Lake trail a lot. White Rock Lake is a lake with a beautiful bicycle and pedestrian trail located in the nicer, upper echelon part of Dallas. It's  an almost ten mile loop around the lake, and can be a good workout if you lap the lake several times, as I do on my old, steel and vintage bicycles.

Today I was on the lake riding along when out of my peripheral vision I saw a Dura Ace crankset and a carbon fork come up next to me as the rider yelled "On your left!". My guess is he was expecting to fly by me and take control of my lane. Under normal circumstances, I abide to these rider's requests with no problem. There was nothing wrong in the way he engaged me, and I actually thought he was polite. But today I had a score to settle with the roadies on the lake. Maybe it's buildup from having so many of them pass me and scoff at me and my bike. Today my legs were good and they were well underneath me, my knees riding parallel to my frame, and I felt they could give a lot more. Today he would take the brunt of my frustrations with roadies.

So I said no to the rider's request. I didn't say no physically, I sped up and didn't let him in my lane. He wasn't going to have it his way today, not with me anyway. As I sped up so did he, and I finally offered him entrance into the lane. He denied, so I went into a full sprint. I didn't see him again until after I had arrived at my car, within 3 minutes of my arrival.  As I left him and he posse of carbon and spandex behind me, I was later told that words were being shouted and hand gestures were raised. That made me feel even better. Perhaps they weren't expecting the surprise that I gave them. Perhaps it was the way I blew them away on 30 pounds of 30 some odd years of steel. Perhaps its because I spent $20 on my bike and spent another $200 in the restoration cost, while they spent about $5,000 each on their "steeds". Today at least that group of roadies got a wake up call. They are not the fastest, most omnipotent things on the lake that can just weave in and out of their constituents without confrontation. 

I attempted a few bicycle races in the past without any success. Road bike racing season here in Texas occurs during the same time of year as the rest of the country, which is flawed reasoning if you ask me. Riding in 105 degree weather isn't my forte. Put me in 41 degree weather and sunny, now we are talking! My robust frame handles the cold much better than the heat. While it's funny to see the cold weather blowing roadies and carbon off the trail like a giant leaf blower, I am usually too anchored down by my old bike and riding with too much momentum to be slowed down by headwind.

Maybe I'm just hating. I don't own any fancy bicycles, and the bikes that I do own are cheap by comparison to these newer, high end bicycles. Having been raised up with little means, I took a disdain early on from the mockery proceeding of the preppy, the opulent, the football jocks, and the aristocratic. Although I have nothing to prove to these people, when I am out doing my sport, they are in my territory. It's safe to say that races can and will happen, whether intentioned of not. Sometimes they initiate, sometimes I do. Sometimes it's just getting behind them and drafting on them for a few minutes. Sometimes it's sprint intervals. Either way, these races are real, and for someone without the means to compete professionally, free of admission and registration. Finish lines aren't drawn, these races are simply to see who will crack first. Once the other guy can't respond to a sprint or an acceleration, you know you've won. You can be king of White Rock Lake for a day, leader of your own general classification. 

I ride all year long, sometimes putting up to 90 miles or more in a week when I am seriously "training" (for no reason as I don't compete). I have ridden on some of the hottest days and on a lot of the coldest ones. Just a few days ago it was snowing here in Texas. As the seasons change I adapt with them. Riding my bicycle is simply my routine. I don't log miles, average speeds or calories anymore. I just make sure that when I ride, I am putting my whole soul into it.  I do it because I want to, and since I have nothing to prove, I believe that makes me more formidable than someone who, say, likes to flaunt their wallet on their bike. 

Maybe one day, if I save up enough, I will get my Cannondale Super Six Hi Mod Team Liquidgas edition road bike, and I will join that special club of high end bicycle elitists known as "the Roadies". Maybe one day, even better, I'll just become a tough-as-nails old rider that can smoke anyone on an old, steel frame. I don't know, I haven't decided which way to go on this. Suggestions?

Coming full Circle- Being a well rounded cyclist

My Cycling Journey- And why its important to be balanced.

All my life I have been riding my bike. Since I was fifteen, I have always found a special passion for riding my bike as far as I could pedal it. During the evolution of my cycling I have gone through several different types of bicycles and now mainly ride road bikes and adult mountain bikes. Sometimes I would ride out of choice, other times out of necessity. 

Since I was a junior in high school, I have made different attempts at commuting by bicycle. Even though I graduated high school early and I could barely say I commuted at all, it set the precedent for my personal outlook as a cyclist today. In my early 20's, I was practically car-less for almost a year. I commuted from my shared apartment to a pharmacy I worked at by either walking or for when I had to arrive early, by bicycle. I used the same bicycle I had in high school. I was a "ghost" cyclist back then, meaning (A) cheap department store mountain bike (B) used the sidewalk instead of the road. This lasted until one morning when someone stole my bicycle from in front of my apartment.

About a year later I bought my first road bike. This was a big jump in quality from the Mongoose DH 2.5 I had previously owned. For the first time I knew how it felt to go over 20mph on a bike. I tackled hills and challenged myself riding longer distances every time I rode. Pretty soon I was well acquainted with the area I lived in by bicycle. I learned how to ride on the roads and share the lane with cars. My weekend rides consisted of 30 mile loops which I mostly rode solo. While other roadies were subscribing to the local group rides and buying into all the carbon fiber and Lycra, I mashed my toe clip pedals against headwinds on my aluminum Raleigh. This has given me the endurance I have today, even though I will now sometimes ride my bike with clip-less shoes and dawn on my spandex. But that is not how I started riding, and I think for that I am a much better rider today.

There is the one constant that has seldom changed since my early days of cycling. The solitude. When I was younger my twin brother, Dad and I would go on long bicycle rides. I have always enjoyed having others around to share in my passion. The challenge of cycling is usually enough to keep my mind occupied and forget that its an activity that I have little or nothing in common with my peers, friends and family members. Sometimes I will put the baby seat on the back of my old Schwinn and pack the family for a  trail ride. These trips are fun and I do take a lot of joy out of them. Being as I am a more advanced cyclist, I have to keep pace with the family where I would normally let the throttle loose on the concrete paths. This is the compromise, the price to pay for having other people who will want to ride their bikes with me.

Which leads me to second guessing myself sometimes. Am I being excessive in my cycling or are others just not riding enough? Then I think to myself "Oh yeah, my brother's in the Navy, Dad lives an hour away (by car) and is in his mid 50's. Mom always has some new illness to contend with". How about my friends from childhood? Nowhere to be seen. My best friend passed away from an aggressive brain tumor a few years ago. With no reference of my formative years, with nothing familiar or close to home to hold on to, I am left to brave this new and hostile world called adulthood. Like a Don Quixote of cycling, except without a portly Sancho Panza to keep me company. Sometimes I long for that little, fat, man-servant domestique figure to say "Here I am! Let's do a ride this week, I need to lose weight!".

Life is about finding that sweet spot, that perfect center, that zen. When you've found it along with some peace of mind it's like a fountain of wisdom. You've become a sage. It's about learning how to finally let go of those artificial ambitions, like, "I'm going to get sponsored by a bike shop and become an amateur racer!" Or, "I  gotta get that $10,000 bike. That will get me to the Tour De France for sure!". A well rounded cyclist just rides. There is a lot he or she may or may not have to contend with, but the answer is always the same, just ride. Having others to ride with helps, but if no one is around then stop calling yourself a freak for wanting to ride. Just ride. If you can't afford a Guru triathlon bike but have that Schwinn 10 speed getting dust in your garage, take the beater out for a spin. I promise you will feel a lot better afterwards. Don't have a cycling computer? Just ride. You don't need numbers to gauge how well you exercised. That's what sweat and tears are for. 

Balance priorities, family being number one no matter what the circumstances. Ride your bike everywhere in between. Nothing wrong with that as long as you have your bases covered.

Just Ride.

Book Review- My take on Bike Snob NYC

Afterthoughts on my latest Read: Bike Snob NYC

When not building or restoring bicycles, riding bicycles or ranting about any bicycle related topics, or when my toddler keeps me from venturing into the outdoors and I'm stuck at home with a case of severe cabin fever,  sometimes I read. Although not an active reader (the last book I read from cover to cover for purely recreational reasons was six years ago) I sometimes will indulge in this very fleeting and occasional hobby.

So let's discuss my latest read Bike Snob by self acclaimed bike snob, Eben Weiss.  This book is a must have and should be on every dedicated cyclist's bookshelf. It's a book that cyclists and non-cyclists alike can enjoy and take something out of. 

This book starts out with a timeline narrative of the introduction of cycling and it's rise to fame in the late 19th century. Eben Weiss attempts to follow a bike route recommended  by a newspaper from that era, only to find that the picturesque landscapes and finely paved country roads have been replaced by the hustle and bustle of a modern New York City. Weiss points out that even though the landscape has changed that New York still holds the frame of what it once was.

Bike Snob invites us to look inside ourselves as cyclists and characterizes the different groups of cyclists out there and why they like or distrust one another. For example, according to Bike Snob's classifications I'm somewhere between a righteous cyclist and a retro-grouch. That is to say that I care about the environment enough to ride my bike and like mostly vintage bicycles. Not that I take any extreme sides; I'm also a cross between a roadie, mountain biker and a lone wolf. Triathletes are triple agents who clandestinely go in and out the cycling world and ride their bikes without socks, seldom trusted in the cycling community, as Weiss cleverly points out. 

Bike Snob also relates his views on the way cycling is marketed and perceived by non-cyclists. Weiss shows the folly of upgrading your commuter bike just to have it stolen later. He recounts his own experience with bike theft, having his Cannondale road bike stolen as a bike messenger. He pimp slaps all those who obsessive compulsively clean every detail of their precious bicycles while neglecting their ride time, or being too afraid to ride their bikes in harsh environments (Still, I'll take riding my bike in the winter time in NYC than a hot 105 degree afternoon in Texas).

I found this book very informational and a useful tool to explain to others why I'm such a bike-obsessed freak. Rather than rationalizing with others about my views on cycling, I can just pull out this book and let them borrow it for a week as reference material (provided they return it and not peel off the bumper stickers on the back page). 

Stay tuned for more book reviews as I follow up with The Enlightened Cyclist, the sequel of Bike Snob and other cycling books.

Premium Rush- Movie Review

SPOILER ALERT!!! IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS MOVIE, DO NOT READ THIS ARTICLE. THANKS

If you do want to know what happened in the movie or already saw the movie, feel free to read right on ahead. I went into this movie with no expectations, and what I received in return was a genuinely good time. 

This movie's plot goes back and forth between different times of the day, and flashes back and then flashes forward. If you are not paying attention, it's easy to get lost in the plot. For those who pay attention the movie reveals clues as to what happens in succession. 

Wylie, a New York City bike messenger, picks up a package of little apparent value, but it's significance is worth a lot of money on the black market streets. Nima, a hard working grad student on a student visa from China, has made a deal with the Chinese mob to get her son from China into the US. The mob will grant her son gets passage into the U.S and gives Nima a "ticket" or a receipt with high value, that she will need to present as proof that she has paid the ransom price to get her son into the U.S.

This "ticket" is the cause for all the drama in this film. Wylie is assigned to deliver this ticket and runs into a corrupt cop who wishes to steal the ticket and exchange it for it's value on the streets. This dirty detective is into some money problems with the Chinese mafia and has the murder of one of their gang members on his hands. Hoping to steal the ticket to get out of his problems with the mob, this cop intercepts Wylie and a chase ensues. 

This movie accurately portrays the New York bike messenger community as well as the hipster subculture that is prevalent in the Northeast United States. It does make a point that being a messenger is a low paid job considering the high risks involved, and that those who do it are in it for more than the money. I really enjoyed the stunts in the movie, most which where not digitally modified. There was even a cameo appearance of Squid the bike messenger, a local legend that is said to the the best real life bike messenger in New York City.

It also brings into life rivalries that exist in real life among the cycling community. Manny, Wylie's rival in the movie, owns a high end carbon fiber road bike, and demeans Wylie for riding on his old, steel single speed bike with no brakes. Wylie proves to Manny that it's not about the bike more than it is the engine when he races Manny head to head in a race through Central Park. Wylie blows by a group of older cyclists in a cycling club that ride on their very expensive bicycles, acknowledging them as he passes by. Despite the bike snobbery at the beginning, this movie shows that cyclists of all types can come together and put their differences aside for the greater good.

Bike snobbery is a common issue that tends to divide the cycling community. If cyclists of all types, commuter and recreational, were to embrace each other on the road, this would facilitate a given area to become more bike friendly. Just a thought (ahem..Dallas politics), just sayin'. 

Although the plot line in this movie is very similar to Quicksilver, I enjoyed the plot more than the 80's Kevin Bacon acted film. Premium rush is a movie that captures urban cycling for what it is in the 21st century. The dangers and the high risk environment that the cyclists experience might be over-hyped, but there are also real life scenarios and subcultures that this movie brings to light. Check it out, go watch it if you haven't already, and make sure to let me know what you think afterwords.

Premium Rush- Good or Bad for the Cycling Community?

Premium Rush- How does this make us look?

Okay, okay, before anyone thinks I am going to do a negative preview about the only cycling movie in the last two decades, let me just start out stating that isn't the case. I am actually eager to see this movie when it does arrive in theaters. This movie gives us something to think about. There are cyclists of all types: recreational, commuter, and even bicycle messengers. Yet this is the only movie that has come out in a long time that will portray an image to the public about cyclists on the streets. Are they responsible, law abiding people that just choose an alternate mode of transportation? Or are they reckless, suicidal daredevils that will put their lives as well as other peoples lives at risk?

I'm all for a little bit of blockbuster action and scenes where the cyclist maneuvers themselves out of dangerous situations and shows expert bicycle handling skills being put to use. But in all honesty, that doesn't represent all cyclists, not even bike messengers. Some messengers take risks and they end up in hospitals or worse, that is a fact I hope they bring to light in this film.  Just like the Fast and Furious movies brought with them a cult following of souped up street racers, this might also have the same effect on young teenagers or adults just looking for the next big adrenaline rush.  It might raise the sales of single speed or fixed gear bikes with bull horns or tiny four inch handlebars. If people start to act on the reckless behavior of the messengers in this film, this might make things harder for regular vehicular cyclists just trying to get around on the road. Drivers might be more aggressive towards cyclists and cities will not want to support measures to make roads more bike friendly.

It might also have a positive effect. It might bring fresh blood into the cycling market and make cycling cool and attractive to a younger audience. It could raise awareness for cycling and increase ridership, even if it's out of a faddish, in the moment reasoning. Many dedicated cyclists have gotten into it because they thought it was cool. Many baby boomers started cycling in the 70's and 80's when movies like Breaking Away and American Flyers came out. Movies have the power to make something interesting and appealing to a lot of people. They also have the power to portray something negatively to a massive audience. There is much left to be seen, and I can't wait till it comes out in theaters.

Here's a short movie trailer for Premium Rush. 

There are many local cycling groups and organizations that will ride their bicycles to the screening of this film. I hope that the promoters are doing what's in the best interest of cycling and the cycling community. I would have liked to see a movie about bicycle racing or even bicycle touring, like The Motorcycle Diaries but on a bicycle. This is my two cents. Consider this another one of my bike rants.

What do you think about this movie? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

Introducing Johnny's Customs

Johnny's Customs- Introducing the Prototype

When I first started my "Transform your Klunker" column on my page, I did not know what direction I was going to go with it. It has given me the opportunity to explore making a few custom bicycles as well as restoring some bicycles to "like new" conditions. I finally have concluded that if I am going to continue doing this as a hobby and maybe as a future entrepreneurial venture I need to give this a name. So, henceforth, I am now Johnny's Customs.

The bicycle featured is a Mango cruiser that I recently wrote an article about.  I took this yard sale find and transformed it into something that you can only find in upscale bike shops in uptown. For those who live in uptown Dallas you know exactly what I am referring to. When I did research on some custom bicycle cruiser designs, I found that there were countless accessories to customize cruisers with. I had to order many of the parts put on this bike online because there is not a large enough demand for custom bicycle accessories where I live. I modeled this bike after cruisers you would typically see in California and Miami. Cruisers are coming back as a fashion statement in cycling. And although they may not offer much in the way of speed and utility, these bikes are fun and a joy to ride. Here's a few more shots of my first custom cruiser.

Cycling and the Environment

We all know cycling is good for the environment- here's why.

Nowadays around contemporary subcultures it is very common for people to do things because it is "the green thing to do".  Whether it is a faddish phase or a sincere commitment to protect the environment, there is a growing awareness that riding bikes instead of driving is the right thing to do. People may not be aware of all the benefits cycling infastructure like greenbelts can have on the local environment. Here's a few concrete reasons why riding your bike will benefit the environment, no pun intended.

It improves the local climate- I can use my own local area as an example of the current state the environment is in. Downtown Dallas is a twin city to the adjacent city of Fort Worth and the smaller cities surrounding it. On average, the daily temperature high in downtown is ten degrees higher than anywhere else in the surrounding area, even Fort Worth. In the last two or three years there has been a resurgence of highway construction projects in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, otherwise known to locals as the Metroplex. At the same token, last year was the hottest summer on record, with over 3 months of temperatures above 100 degrees. Coincidence or the result of deforestation and global warming? That is for the reader to decide. It is a proven fact that where there are no trees and only asphalt and concrete, the temperature is usually hotter than in places where there are parks and greenbelts. Right now downtown Dallas sits on a giant concrete slab. More trees should be planted and complete streets put into use.

Carbon emissions from vehicles is another example of why riding a bicycle is beneficial for the environment. With the deadlock Five O' Clock traffic and the dust in the air from the construction projects, it makes for a very polluted scene in Dallas. There is more of this to follow, as the city has approved yet another highway construction project that will redo all the arterial roads to Dallas, replacing them with new ones. Construction is said to take another four years to complete. All these carbon emissions go straight to the atmosphere. The carbon limit for a sustainable atmosphere is 350 parts per million. There are now places on Earth reaching above 400ppm. The destruction of the ozone layer has caused us to worry about things like the daily UV idex. Skin cancer and other forms of cancer are now more common than ever.  The environment, both locally and worldwide, as well as our health would greatly benefit from a reduced dependence on cars and car infastructure. Let's talk about how riding a bike can also help our overall health.

It improves our health- It's no secret that cycling improves our health and the results even show in our physiques. From reducing stress, improving circulation, alertness, and our emotional health; all these benefits can be attributed to cycling. It is also a great way to fight the obesity epidemic that is plaguing developed countries like the United States. Obesity is a disease that needs to be medicated with exercise, a proper diet and lifestyle. Cycling is a great way to get one of the three remedies to fight this disease. It needs to be complemented with other factors aforementioned, but it may be one of the most important steps in fighting obesity. 

In my own personal experience, cycling is yet to bring me to the peak of fitness or make me a spokesman for fitness in general. I'm still an average guy of average American build. That means, like most American men, I am slightly overweight by Body Mass Index standards with a soft mid section. Not fat, not idealistic, just common. I do realize, however with some adjustments in my diet cycling can get me where I need to be, but it is only a factor in the whole equation.

It improves the social environment- Communities that are accessible by bicycle are more united because of it. When neighborhoods become bike friendly, people interact with each other and they become more personable. In turn, the social environment improves dramatically. This may result in lower crime rates, higher quality of life, and increased entrepreneurship in areas where cycling is more accessible. There are other positive side effects to introducing cycling in a community. The need to close distances between home and the necessities of life will result in the creation of small markets for the community. Whether it's a local corner store or a farmer's market, people will begin to buy locally and grow their own local economy. 

Here's a few good reasons to continue on your journey to become more environmentally friendly through cycling. If you were looking for inspiration, this article may serve to motivate you to get up and going. Whatever the case may be, there are many good reasons to get into cycling.