Skip to main content


Personal growth is hard when you leave no room (time) for it.

Neil E. Hodges reshared this.


I originally thought I'd just use the stock pads until they were worn down, but they stopped just badly enough to convince me to put in Kool-Stop salmon pads. (It wasn't scary, but I wanted more confidence in my stopping.)

Always remember to sand your brake pads a little prior to installation. 👍

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter


Simple cable rim brakes saving my ass as always (at least until the front disc caliper is fixed on my other bike). :P

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

@tk@f.kawa-kun.com:

Today in tk's #seabikes adventures: descending from Phinney Ridge without a functioning front brake. 😱
(The bike has TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes. I took it to my LBS after and they said that it looks like the caliper might've sprung a leak and has been contaminating the rotor. I've had the brakes for several years now, so I'm not too bothered.)

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter



reshared this

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

and again if the bike's sat unused for a long time. I use a fine metal file.
in reply to Neil E. Hodges

I know everyone hates cantis, but there's something magical about having the modulation ("mushy") region in just the right place. :3

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter


Neil E. Hodges reshared this.


Simple cable rim brakes saving my ass as always (at least until the front disc caliper is fixed on my other bike). :P

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter


Today in tk's #seabikes adventures: descending from Phinney Ridge without a functioning front brake. 😱

(The bike has TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes. I took it to my LBS after and they said that it looks like the caliper might've sprung a leak and has been contaminating the rotor. I've had the brakes for several years now, so I'm not too bothered.)

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter


in reply to Neil E. Hodges

Yes, cantis. I like them. 🤷 They work well when set up correctly: straddle as low as you can get them to start, then raise little by little if you prefer. Having a lower cable hanger will additionally reduce system flex and improve stopping.

Even those dreaded Tektro "Oryx" 992A calipers. You need the straddle super low, but they work great that way. (That does also mean that they have limited tire clearance!)

(Oh, and this isn't a "rim versus disc" debate starter. If anything, it would be a "cantis suck" debate. :P )

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

This entry was edited (4 days ago)
in reply to 😀🚲

@enobacon U Brakes are once again resurrected as “braze on centerpulls”. I have some on my old Centurion ProTour.
Love the Tektro CR720 cantis, sadly discontinued it appears. Luckily I have a backstock.


Today in tk's #seabikes adventures: descending from Phinney Ridge without a functioning front brake. 😱

(The bike has TRP Hylex hydraulic disc brakes. I took it to my LBS after and they said that it looks like the caliper might've sprung a leak and has been contaminating the rotor. I've had the brakes for several years now, so I'm not too bothered.)

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter


in reply to Neil E. Hodges

@Thomas Bensler
Infrastructure sharing works wonderfully in Taiwan. Many streets here have neither bicycle lanes nor sidewalks. Drivers are more or less considerate of other road users. So do the many scooter riders. Usually, when cars or scooters overtake other road users from behind, the safety distance to the overtaken road user is often more than 20 cm. It hardly ever happens that a rearview mirror causes injuries.

And more and more newly planned and built roads even have footpaths and cycle paths. Which are actually not allowed to be parked on.

Well and then, should the cars are getting less, there will be no more need for dedicated food paths and bicycle lanes.

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

Here in #Ottawa we have many separate bike paths all over the city, but we also have a lot on on-road dedicated bike lanes. Of course you can also bike directly on the roads as well.



in reply to Neil E. Hodges

Mixed feelings on this. A good external bb setup is stiff, light, and doesn't require pressing off the arms for every bb service. Some even just use a single bolt to hold the whole thing together.
On the other hand, a cheap and defined toolset covers all types of square taper bb, while modern bb's seem to have 20 different tools needed and they all cost $30 or more.


At the moment, my #cycljng is mainly limited by my cardiovascular system and energy. All of that time sick from respiratory illness was not kind to my fitness. :'(

#bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter


Neil E. Hodges reshared this.


#BikeFit is to #cycling what #tuning is for #GearHeads . :3c #bicycle
This entry was edited (1 month ago)

Neil E. Hodges reshared this.


Learning how to ride motorcycles (and riding them frequently for a few years) has significantly improved my #bicycle handling skills. :3 #motorcycle #cycling

reshared this

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

My motorcycle riding has made me a more defensive driver as well.
in reply to murph :amigacheck: :fedora:

@murph
Absolutely!

Getting into bicycling and motorcycling gave me a whole new perspective on road travel. They made me acutely aware of how small vehicles use the roads and position themselves, and that significantly improved my car driving.




The last I'll ever see of this bike before it's converted into one with a custom frameset. :( #cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

Neil E. Hodges reshared this.


I like 1×, I like 2×, and I like 3×. I also like single-speed, fixed-gear, internally geared hubs, and bottom bracket gearboxes. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. :3

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter @biketooter group @mastobikes group

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

I also like rim brakes, disc brakes, and drum brakes. I've used all of them and they all have their quirks. :3

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

reshared this

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

I'm mostly over 3x (and my diy 4x) but nothing I've ridden in 1x gives me enough range for either road or mountain bikes. I would sure like a Pinion gearbox matched to a 10 speed cassette, though. Then I'd be satisfied.


10/11/12/13-speed chains last just as long as 7/8/9-speed chains because of the improved metallurgy.

Doesn't that mean that 7/8/9-speed chains could be made with the same "improved metallurgy" to last far longer than chains with more speeds? 🤔

#cycling #bicycle #biketooter #mastobikes

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

My totally amateur take of anecdata on that would be that 90% of the people only change their 7/8/9 speed because it's rusty from standing outside for years and at least 50% of people with 10+ speed actually replace them because of wear and tear.
Prices don't seem to be so different anymore, but I just did a very quick search for Shimano at one online shop. So maybe yes?


in reply to Neil E. Hodges

I also miss being able to eat my normal variety of food. 🤒
Unknown parent

Neil E. Hodges
Have a nasty cold, possibly COVID. Been stuck with it since last week. :(
This entry was edited (3 months ago)

Marty Cormack reshared this.


This is a very informative and helpful video, but it reeks how things are this way in the US when it comes to liability, cars, and healthcare. :/

So You Got Hit by a Car—Here's The Part Nobody Talks About


Hopefully none of you ever get hit by a car while riding your bicycle. Unfortunately, this happens to thousands of cyclists every year. While some people do recover physically from their accident, they often get slapped with thousands or even hundreds of thousands in medical bills that insurance won't cover. Today, we'll talk about the ways you can prevent that from happening, should you collide with a motor vehicle while riding your bike.

@biketooter group @mastobikes group #cycling #biketooter #mastobikes #bicycle

This entry was edited (3 months ago)
in reply to Neil E. Hodges

The video is full of good information. The basic point is treat it like any other car crash. Take pictures. Get a police report. Talk to witnesses. Exchange information with the other person. All the stuff you would normally do. Gather as much information at the time of the incident as you can. Maybe you won't need it but you can't go back in time when you realize you forgot something.


While I was riding my main #bicycle on gravel a couple days ago, I was able to easily rescue a front wheel slide.

And when I was riding it yesterday up a fairly steep bit of sandy gravel (for the city), I was able to get past wheelslip and just pedal slowly and softly in a low gear to get up the hill.

I've come a long way! :) #cycling #mastobikes #biketooter



Today's PM2.5 map. :'(

I went on a bicycle ride yesterday when it was in the 40 range and felt like I had a cold by the time I went to bed. Today with the windows open (no real choice), it feels like I’m having a bad allergy day. x.x #cycling #bicycle #seabikes #Seattle

Unknown parent

Neil E. Hodges
I've tried wearing a respirator mask with valves, etc., and I can't get enough oxygen for the rigorous riding I do. :(

Neil E. Hodges reshared this.


Carspiracy - You’ll Never See The World The Same Way Again

Our world is built up of roads and cars to get us to our destination! But what about cycling and even walking? Have we been brainwashed to think that the car is always king?

Si goes on a deep dive into just how we are convinced to think that modern car culture is acceptable in our lives!

@biketooter group @mastobikes group #cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

No joining the car culture for me - but I'm stuck living in the middle of it. ;-(


Introducing Rene Herse Headsets

For our anniversary run of Rene Herse bikes—and for the bikes we ride in long-distance events—we wanted a better solution: a reliable needle-bearing headset that is Rinko-compatible. This is another project that had a long gestation period: We made the first prototypes three years ago. We ran them in Unbound XL (twice), in Paris-Brest-Paris, Arkansas High Country Race, Dark Divide 300 and many other rides and adventures. Along the way, we fine-tuned many details, both aesthetic and functional. We decreased stack height, lowered weight, and increased clearances to make sure the headset works smoothly and quietly under the harshest conditions. We tested and re-tested, and now the headsets are ready.

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter



Had to use a pair of vice grips to remove the cover of my #Garmin power meter pedals because they were stuck enough that trying to use the hex socket to remove the cover just resulted in it stripping. (Yes, I'm using hex keys that are known to be good.) :'(

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter



How do #cycling folks feel about the Clik Valve?

The principle of the SCHWALBE CLIK VALVE, winner of the Eurobike Award 2024, is very simple: it works intuitively with a click. What does it need? The valve and the corresponding pump head or pump head adapter. With the Clik Valve, this can be clicked onto the bike valve with minimal force and removed again very easily after successful inflation.

It doesn't matter which valve and pump you currently have - thanks to conversion kits for all existing bicycle valves and most pumps. To change the bicycle valve, simply replace the valve insert (Sclaverand, Presta, Dunlop, tubeless valve), for the car valve there is an adapter that is screwed over the valve (and can be easily unscrewed again to be able to use petrol station pumps).

The pump head adapter can be integrated into the pump head of current pumps (by clamping or screwing in), even with hand pumps. The Schwalbe Clik Valve can also be inflated with normal SV (Presta) pumps - thanks to this reverse compatibility, you are never at a loss in any situation. And SKS will already be offering its own CLIK VALVE pump at Eurobike.

Schwalbe will soon be producing the first tubes with the Clik Valve.

#bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

Unknown parent

Neil E. Hodges
Those Fillmore valves do look cool. :3

Neil E. Hodges reshared this.


Found these cute old sheds (still in use!) in Woodland Park while exploring a new route with the knobby-ish gravel tires on my Soma Stanyan. (1)

Definitely getting better with the color calibration tool in #Darktable. Having the flexibility to pick any hue for the illuminant is very nice! :)

#photography #photog #photos #photo #mywork #Seattle #seabikes #cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

reshared this



If breaking the rules is safer than following them, it might be time to change the rules. :/

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

reshared this

in reply to Sam Levine

That's one good example.

I was mostly speaking in general.

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

I immediately thought of the Idaho Stop. WA implemented part of it, but we're still not allowed to treat red lights as stop signs. That should change, IMO.


Was rewarded for riding my #bicycle for the first time in over a week (due to illness and a mechanical) with a gnat in my windpipe. :( #cycilng #mastobikes #biketooter


in reply to Neil E. Hodges

Pretty sure they only made the beads so tight so that they'd form a more effective "seal" with the rim's well to make inflating with a compressor or similar easier. That results in two side-effects:

  • The tires are a bear to get on the rim!
  • As soon as pressure is lost, the beads want to migrate to the center of the rim's well.
in reply to Neil E. Hodges

The Schwalbe G-One Allround tires don’t roll noticeably slower than the GravelKings, but they do feel less “wobbly” at the same pressure and definitely bite well into gravel. #bicycle #cycling #biketooter #mastobikes

Sam Levine reshared this.


I've been running 38mm Panaracer GravelKing tires tubeless on my Soma Stanyan for years, but the front tire I just put on has enough wobble to rub in one spot on every rotation. (The wheel itself is true.)

Two shops told me that the tire wasn't seated right, but I checked and remounted multiple times and it's seating fine. Even used some rubbing alcohol to lubricate the tire where it seated, but it always mounts up perfectly fine. The tire is the problem.

The second shop gave the real answer after chatting with the folks there for a bit: I should go down a size. It's a real bummer, but even the Soma website says it can do up to 35mm. :(

The only other realistic alternative is a new frameset, or at least a new fork, but that will have to wait for a while. :(

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

This entry was edited (6 months ago)
in reply to Neil E. Hodges

Asking for help here sure feels like shouting into the void most of the time. :(

reshared this


in reply to Neil E. Hodges

your can buy replacement clamps. I had such a failure the other day. A few bucks for the clamp, new bar tape (needed it anyway) and about 30mins of effort and I was back on the road. https://mastodon.social/@lildude/112547022754772368


. @clover and I were riding down a hill and slowed to let a pedestrian cross at a marked crosswalk, and were "rewarded" with an angry honk and close pass from a Tesla that was behind us.

I guess some drivers either are in their own little world or don't care about people crossing the street. :/

#cycling #bicycle #seabikes #Seattle




The bike lane on NW 8th Avenue in #Seattle freaks me the fuck out. 😱 #cycling #bicycle #seabikes
This entry was edited (6 months ago)




Ben's Cycle sent me a 100mm quill stem when I ordered an 80mm (I checked the stock numbers). :'( #cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter


When @clover and I got to the bottom of a long hill while #cycling yesterday, I heard the tell-tale sign of a #tubeless leak in my front tire, a well-used #Panaracer #GravelKing. She even said it was smoking, but I knew it was just sealant blowing out.

Thankfully, it was at the end of our ride and I didn't have to deal with steering on a floppy tire. I did snap this picture, though.

I tried seating it again today and it just wouldn't hold air because of the same spot. That's when I noticed the bulge in the sidewall near the bead, so I decided to toss the tire and put on a fresh (identical) one I had in reserve. The new tire seated without issue, aside from how I had to do it twice because I put it on the wrong way the first time. :P

This isn't a knock on Panaracer tire quality, of course. The tire's been through a lot and there was only so much tread left anyway.

#bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter

RolandRides reshared this.

in reply to Neil E. Hodges

What advantage do you find with tubeless? I have never tried them.
@glitter
This entry was edited (7 months ago)




Broke a lace in my #motorcycle riding boots during the week and had to tie them up within the criss-cross lacing while I waited for some aramid laces to replace it to arrive. Reminds me of doing the same to a number of #cycling shoes I've had over the years! #bicycle

Sam Levine reshared this.


A randonneur-style handlebar bag with a lightweight metal basket frame that uses hinges instead of bends would hold its shape extremely well over the years. 🤔

#cycling #bicycle #mastobikes #biketooter @mastobikes group @biketooter group

reshared this