Author: Biking Viking

Seasonal Commuting

Summer is finally here (well, has been for a few weeks now). It was an unusually cold and bitter winter, not so much with the snow, but just darn cold and icy. It doesn’t seem that long ago when it seemed summer would never come. Being a commuter, I am finely tuned to the weather and noticing when the seasons change here in Colorado. For the past three years or so, we have have skipped right over spring and entered directly into summer. After a while, one can dial in their apparel needs down to a couple of degrees  in range. Is it a bootie day? Neoprene or fleece-lined? Big soccer-goalie gloves or liners and long finger cycling gloves? Bar Mitts (awesome)? (more…)

Ode to a cycling shoe

My first pair of clipless shoes was complete luck as far as fit and durability. Back when SuperGo was still around, these shoes were on sale from $229 to $79. I got two pair. Many shoes have been tested on my various rigs (all with Crank Bros. Candy pedals), and this shoe has won out every time, so it is with sorrow that I must retire the first pair after six seasons of service. Like most shoes, the heel cup fabric gets worn – the shoe love I have drove me to a cobbler for a repair that extended the life another two seasons.

The TIME High Track XX, with a stiff sole, not too aggressive tread, and speed lacing with a single velcro strap to cover the laces. It pains me to think I will soon be breaking in the last of an extinct breed. They are also darn good lookin’. Hall Of Fame shoe. (more…)

Villainy and Redemeption

Bring up LeBron James at the water cooler and you have yourself a conversation. In the time of a lengthy NFL lockout, a budding NBA lockout and the Cubs mired in 5th place, good news is hard to come by. LeBron James dug himself a pretty darn big hole with a large segment of NBA fandom with The Decision a year ago, but he continues to do good in his hometown. Some say he could do more, but let’s allow this to just be a good thing.

All I have to do is dream

beerFor the better part of 15 years, I spent a lot of my spare time in bars, watching hockey, playing cards and the like, and by the like, I mean Jager Bombs, pitchers of beer on Monday nights, various mixed drinks. My Mob Name was Bobby The Dumpster because I drank almost anything. This of course resulted in many, many hangovers which became more difficult to overcome every day after, say, 38. It has been 16 months now since my last drink, and I am here to tell you it feels freaking awesome. (more…)