Saddle Fit: How Do You Measure Up?

Road cyclists can be very particular about gear. Sure, some folks truly can't tell you the range of their cassette, what kind of wheels they're are riding, or whether they have a compact crank, but most serious riders are very much in tune with their bike.That knowledge is often accompanied by strong preferences, and few of those preferences exceed those associated with the saddle. New riders usually just ride whatever is on the bike, but long hours in the wrong saddle will drive most folks to find a better fit.

We touch our bikes with our hands, feet, and seat, and for all of those contact points, comfort is important. While we can easily change or even do without gloves, tighten or loosen shoes, or select different socks, once we've selected a saddle, it becomes a part of the bike. Gloves and shoes have long-standing sizing standards that allow us to measure our hands or feet and come up with a pretty sure bet when buying gloves or shoes, and what feels right in the local bike shop will likely be OK out on the road. This has not been the case with saddles. Many shops had a few loaners or our buddies might have something laying around that we could borrow, but it has been a trial-and-error endeavor. With quality saddles often in the $100-350.00 price range, buying the wrong saddle can be an expensive experiment, but the right saddle is worth pretty much whatever it costs.

Now, saddle makers have stepped up their game with some methods that at least smack of a scientific approach. The first saddle fit tool I was aware of came from Specialized.

 

 

Specialized came up with a system in which you sat on a pad in order to make an impression of your sit bones.The resulting measurement gave you some direction as to which saddle would best  meet your needs.

 

Selle Italia has taken the process a step further with their idMatch saddle fit system. After hearing about this tool from a ride partner who had been saddle shopping, I dropped by Spokes to check it out.

 

After getting some basic information like height, weight and age, Burke Jolly of Spokes used these calipers to measure the my pelvic width.

 

After measuring the width of my pelvis, Burke got a little more personal as he measured the circumference of my thighs just below the hips. He then used a pelvic inclinometer (no, that term was not previously in my vocabulary) to get a measure of my degree of flexibility.

 

With the measuring done, Burke plugged my data into the software tool.

 

The results narrowed the range of my selections, though the process is still far from precise. The saddle that I have been riding for years, a Selle Italia Flite Genuine Gel, has the same width and similar dimensions some of the recommendations, so I have no doubt that it would have been on the list if it was still being offered.

 

 

No, I'm not going for the Lady Gel Flow, but the idFit tool serves to narrow the range of options within the Selle Italia line.

 

 

A key component of the Selle Italia idFit program is a demo kit so that after the fitting, cyclists can try out saddles within the recommended range before buying.

 

 Fizik, another popular high quality saddle maker, also has a fit system called the Spine Concept. They classify  riders as  "snake", "bull", or "chameleon" based in large part on their degree of flexibility. Peter Sagan and Team Cannondale ride Fizik saddles and I spent part of my summer wondering why those guys had adopted such critter names.

 

The most frustrating thing about buying saddles for me has been that after going through the process of finding a saddle that worked well for me, when I attempt to replace it or to buy one for another bike, I find that the favored model has been discontinued or "improved". I had that experience with Selle San Marco before I settled on the Flite and it was again the case with the Selle Italia Flite Genuine Gel. After wearing one out, went to buy another and found it to be discontinued, so I tried an updated version. I rode the new Flite for a month or so before I gave it up and started searching on-line for some "old new" stock, Fortunately, I found a couple of the discontinued models on sale at a SF Bay area shop. I bought them both and would have bought a couple of more if they'd had them.

 

 

Saddles are a very personal choice and any discussion with knowledgeable riders or bike shop folks will likely end with , "...but you've just got to try some." Systems like idMatch and Spine Concept can help narrow your choices but, well, you'll just have to try some.

 

 

 

Another Fall Milestone: Back To Camp Robinson

When I describe the level of my mountain biking experience, I borrow a line that I once heard from a less-than-confident kayaking friend who started boating about the same time that I did. At a put-in, he commented on my level of experience by saying, "You have 5 years of experience and I have 1 year of experience 5 times."
That pretty well sums up my mountain biking experience, though I'm now up to one year of experience 6 or 7 times.

Willie loves to see the mountain bike come out, as it often means a run in the woods of Camp Robinson for him.

I enjoy the change of pace that the mountain bike offers up to this road rider, but I'm a firm believer that riding in the woods of Arkansas is best reserved for the cooler months when the presence of chiggers, ticks, and poison ivy has somewhat abated. My mountain biking season started this year with a couple of rides at Burns Park and the Pfeifer Loop, both of which I enjoy, especially since the Burns Park trails were renovated a year or two ago. Those trails now flow nicely. What Burns Park lacks in my opinion is variety, and that is where the pull of Camp Robinson comes in. Where Burns Park offers Red, Yellow, White, and Green trails, Camp has more many more miles, more technical variety, more trail sections, and certainly more creative names. Here are some of the trails that Camp deals up:

Advanced Trig
Airport Loop
Ball of Nails
Buddha
Can of Corn
Center Road
Christmas Tree
Dead Elvis
Dogwood Trail
El Stupido
Elevator
Flatlands
Helter Skelter
Merlin
Outside Loop
Porta Potty
Shipwreck
Ten Bridges
Turn, Turn, Turn
Yucca Trail
Zig Zag

Level of difficulty ranges from beginner-friendly and accessible trails like Yucca, Airport, and Porta Potty to "damned if I've ever done it without putting a foot down" Advanced Trig and Helter Skelter, with a whole lot of in between stuff. Among my favorites are Buddha, Ball of Nails and Merlin, each of which challenges my 7 x 1 year skill level but that can usually be completed with few foot dabs or falls.

Buddha is a favorite. Willie is a front-running trail dog. His self-assigned job is to see that squirrels are off the trail and up the trees where they belong. The trails at Camp are in great shape.

Give thanks
For what had been given to you,
However little.
Be pure, never falter.
Buddha
Dhammapada.

Riding at Camp Robinson does require just a little planning, as riders are required to obtain a Sportsman Pass at the Visitor Center near the front gate. Passes cost $25.00, are good for a year, and may be had between the hours of  10:00AM and 6:00PM, Tuesday-Friday. It is a good idea to call ahead to verify that the clerk is on duty, as the job seems to entail fairly frequent absences, and the security folks on duty cannot issue the passes. Call 501-212-5100  and ask for the Visitor Center. You will need cash or a check, along with a driver's license, and auto registration and proof-of-insurance. The process takes 5-10 minutes. After obtaining a pass, you simply sign in and out at the Visitor Center and show your pass and ID at the gate.

Credit goes to C.A.R.P.

The trails at Camp Robinson came into being in the earliest days of mountain biking, back long before 9-11. Camp Robinson was historically pretty wide open and had long been popular with hunters, local dirt bike riders, wanderers of the woods, and partiers. As mountain biking caught on, riders gravitated to the trails they knew at Camp and they were soon making improvements and building new loops. 9-11 caused an increase in security and unfettered access became a thing of the past. Folks like Basil Hicks and Jim Holsted lobbied for access to Training Area 2 where the trail system was located. As a result Central Arkansas Recreational Pedalers, or C.A.R.P., was born to serve as a vehicle to regain access to the Camp Robinson trails. The bureaucracy that brought about that agreement has gone through some evolution, but the folks of CARP deserve ongoing credit for the quality mountain biking experience that is available to us.

With support from Camp Robinson, new directional signs are going up throughout the trail system. 

 

A logging project cleared some areas a couple of years ago destroyed some stretches of single track and seriously disrupted trail use, but time does indeed heal out in the woods and things are back to the "new normal". Adding to the hand of nature have been the hands of Basil Hicks, Jr. and III, Darin Webb, Mike and Jason McGhee, Bryan and Melissa Shipman, Rodney Small, Justin Ray, and others who regularly pack in saws, loppers, leaf blowers and weed eaters to maintain one of the best local trail systems that you likely never rode!

It's not a race, but...

Ride by the numbers: Game On!

 

Riding is always competitive to many folks. I had noticed some numbered hi-vis signs along the trail, then I checked out this challenge at the trailhead bulletin board. The best time posted as of  November 8 was 1:10:14 by Richard Macychek, followed closely by Daniel Halpain at 1:10:30.  Go get some if you want it, and good luck beating Richard.

 

Riders Needed

The thing that the trails of Camp Robinson needs the most is more riders! I'm glad to hear that ridership is up and steady, but there are a lot of trail miles out there and the best way to keep the single track in top shape is to ride it!

Fall Ritual: The Ceremonial Taping of the Shoes

One of my annual rituals is "The Taping Of the Shoes". Road cycling shoes are designed for maximum ventilation, with mesh panels and vent holes maximized to help prevent complaints of "hot foot". "Hot foot" is often followed by the dreaded "stink foot", so the copious venting is a very positive attribute, and is appreciated by riders and members of their households alike. This is especially true in climates like ours where summer days on the pavement can range from "jungle hot" to "volcano hot".
The benefits of breezy shoes hit the shitter at some point in time each fall, as toe covers or shoe covers become the norm, and the constant stream of air entering through the vents in carbon soles transitions from unnoticed to painful. That is when it is time for the Taping Of The Shoes.

Totems and 3M electrical tape assure a successful taping.

 

Last year's taping of the shoes came late, and coincided with the winter solstice. I'm sure that in ancient times, Druids marked the occasion by adding an extra strip of the skin of a stag to their primitive foot wrappings. Here in the 21st century, 3M electrical tape works best. Duct tape is favored by an unenlightened few, but it will leave a nasty residue when removed in the spring, so is to be avoided. These are, after all, road shoes. They are not to be subjected to cyclecross or muddy mountain biking, so keep it clean.

 

A note to you penny-pinchers: Yes, you can buy much cheaper tape, but unless you are an electrician, a roll of tape will likely last for a couple of years of shoe tapings and bar tape finishing. Buy the good stuff, and the good stuff is 3M.

 

JBar Cycling recieves no compensation from 3M for this endorsement, but if a case of tape shows up at the door, we will share with our friends. Really. I promise.

Day Is Done: Veterans' Remembrance On The River

On Monday evening, while taking advantage of the last day of warm weather for a while and of the last minutes of daylight, my ride companions and I heard the haunting strain of Taps as we rode from the parking lot near the USS Razorback. The Razorback is the WWII era submarine docked the the North Little Rock Maritime Museum. As we edged closer to the river, we saw a group of veterans standing at attention, saluting our flag, remembering their service and the service of others as the trumpeter marked the end of the day.

Gentlemen, thank you.

 

Judging by their age, I would guess that many of these vets were from the Vietnam era. That would mean that many of them were drafted, shipped out to fight, and then returned to a nation torn by controversy and questions over their mission. A moment of silence along the river may not be enough.

Small Steps Forward

 

Most of the items coming out of the various committees and work groups are incremental; no major new announcements, but progress on many fronts.

Here are a few bits:

The resurfacing/redesign of South Main in Little Rock is underway. As you will recall, the project will reduce the number of traffic lanes, add bike lanes, and enhance the safe use of the area for cyclists and pedestrians.

Traffic calming measures and better bike and pedestrian accommodations will make South Main a friendlier place to live and work.

North Little Rock Parks is working with IMBA to become a Destination Partner. After all, we have many miles of quality single-track right in town!

Ranger Ian Hope has brought a cyclist's insight to his job. Check out and like Explore The North Trails page on Facebook. Jeff Caplinger has done a very good job of keeping the community aware of issues affecting cyclist in the NLR Parks system. Ian carries that idea on and then some, as he is an active rider and regularly uses the trails.

A Park Ranger Ambassador program is being set up to recruit and train volunteers to inform and assist NLR Parks users.

A Levy Trail Planning Group has been formed for the Levy Spur Trail. A Neighborhood Group could be formed that could apply for grants and make suggestions on landscaping, security, maintenance, etc. The Levy Spur will eventually become a northern feeder to the River Trail.

North Little Rock continues to add bike racks at both public and private facilities around town. We've been taking advantage of one at Blue Yoga Nila on JFK. I'm primarily a recreational cyclist, but there is something especially rewarding about using the bike for transportation, and the City of NLR is helping to make cycling a practical alternative.

 

Diane Barton shared this photo of her bike locked to the rack at Blue Yoga Nyla on JFK. There's another rack at Andre's Coffee a few blocks south.

 

Willa Williams reported to the NLR Bike Friendly Community Committee that 11 new bike racks have been installed recently. They are distributed around the city, but there are two on JFK that we certainly will use.

Pulaski County is evaluating the possibility of extending bike lanes along Pinnacle Valley Road. Underground utilities would likely make this an expensive endeavor, but the fact that it is under study is progress. 

Let's get together
Drivers who use Pinnacle Valley Road and Highway 300 complain loud and long about cyclists on the roadway, often expressing themselves by way of rude and dangerous behavior out on the road. I think that their pressure on Pulaski County judge Buddy Villines has taken away some of his appetite for continued development of bike infrastructure in the area.

In my opinion, that is all the more reason to move forward with efforts to expand shoulders or add bike lanes or routes. Riders and local drivers both have an interest in providing cyclists with alternatives that will allow them to get out of the busy traffic lanes. Rather than expressing their hostility and wishing we'd just go away, those drivers should join with cyclists to pressure the county to help us both. And then we'll all join hands and sing Kumbaya. In the meantime, riders can help by being aware of when they are holding up traffic and moving to the right. Aggressive drivers can help by slowing down to something near the posted speed and by passing safely as prescribed by state law.

Along The Trail: Colorful Foliage and Runners, Plentiful Pups, Cornbread

Time To Relax
I've determined that it is time to relax and just enjoy my rides for a couple of months. Unfortunately, not all of my ride partners have received that memo, but I have nonetheless enjoyed some laid back rides accented by beautiful weather, fabulous fall colors, and interaction with a lot of folks out enjoying the Arkansas River Trail and its surrounds.
It seems that we ran across some heady scene or an event at every turn on a recent Saturday.
It may be the only good thing about poison ivy...

While riding through Burns Park at the end of a loop past Two Rivers Park, my buddy and I were struck by the colors in a stand of cottonwoods along the trail near the soccer fields.

There was nothing special about the leaves of the trees themselves, but the invasive poison ivy and Virginia creeper draped the trunks and limbs in spectacular reds and yellows.

The reds were compliments of the Virginia creeper, while the poison ivy contributed  yellow and orange.

The brilliant blue sky made a perfect backdrop.

 

 Painted (mostly) Ladies: Color Run 5K

 

For some reason, fall is also the season for some zany 5K's, including the recent Mud Run and last weekend's Color Run.

 

Tutus were the order of the day as runners were dowsed with powdered pigments at stations along the course. The result is a lot of human tie dye. You just never know what you'll see.....

 

Arkansas Times Cornbread Festival

 

Cornbread deserves to be celebrated and the Arkansas Times sponsored Cornbread festival saw a big turnout on South Main.

The lines were long to sample cornbread, but the weather was perfect and the music was good! I was on the outside looking in, so I didn't get to taste. 

 

Diane and I crossed wires on our plans to attend the cornbread festival together and she was a little put out with me; though she was still generous enough to allow that I still make the best cornbread! We decided that it would be hard for me to make enough 6" cast iron skillet sized batches to feed the masses, so I won't be competing anywhere but at our house, where I am the champion. I owe my cornbread making prowess to Adrian Ledbetter of Fordyce, Arkansas, who generously shared her never-fail recipe with me many years ago.

Since she was kind enough to share, I will be, too. This is pretty much word-for-word as it was related to me by Mrs. Ledbetter:

 

"Heat your oven to 400. Put a little grease in a cast iron skillet and put it in the oven.

Take a cup of cornmeal. Add a teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, a teaspoon of salt, and blend it together. Add enough milk to make a batter. Stir in an egg. Some people add a little flour. I don't*.

Pour the batter in the hot skillet (it should bubble around the edges) and put it back in the oven for about 20 minutes or until it starts to get a little brown on top."

 

*I will confess that I have taken to adding a little flour...just a couple of tablespoons, maybe. I felt a little guilty about it at first, but figured Adrian wouldn't have given me the option if it was a sin.

 

I didn't write that down for many years, taking it as a point of pride that I could whip out consistently good cornbread without a written recipe and with a couple of ingredients added by instinct and experience rather than by measure, like any good southern cook.

 

Puppy Up!

 

I ran across this event at about this time last year, as I came upon a huge mass of folks with their dogs strolling out onto the the River Trail near Victory Lake in Burns Park.

As a result, I was a little more in tune when I saw the "Puppy Up!" signs in the park over the weekend. The event is to raise funds and awareness of cancer as it afflicts both dogs and people.

 

From their website:

 

2 Million Dogs was formed on the belief that if 2 dogs can walk 2000 miles to bring awareness to cancer surely 2 million dogs can walk 2 miles. Through The Puppy Up! Walk, we are building the largest pet and people cancer community in the world; from business people to artists to scientists and humanitarians, a partnership forged with the singular purpose of ridding the world of its deadliest disease.
- See more at: http://2013puppyuplr.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=1073096#sthash.9gV7Uo7l.dpuf

 

 

Puppy Up!, I Say!

We are dog people, so I enjoyed mingling with this big pack of mixed mutts.

 

 

Fall is in the air, but it is still a very busy time along the trail. Slow down and enjoy it all!

 

The Times, They Are A-Changin'

As Daylight Savings Time comes to an end, the door on after work daylight rides will slam shut on many of us. Sunset this Sunday night will take place at 5:13PM, which really sucks. That statement may be indicative of a bad attitude toward inevitable changing of the seasons, but cycling has made me into a bit of a Grinch when it comes to winter. Now that I've got that off of my chest, I'll take a deep breath of mellow and move on.

I poached the title of this article from Bob Dyan, of course. Bob wasn't writing about cyclists approaching winter, but I figured that I could glean at least a couple of appropriate lines:

For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled

Truer words were never spoken. Unlike many of you multi-sports types, I am, for the most part, a single-faceted athlete. I ride bikes. Sure, I walk and do a little weight work, but I don't do enough to offset the loss of ride time that winter brings on. Some folks can deal with the roller coaster of major weight gain and loss, but I find it to be a depressing battle, so I'd rather fight small skirmishes against the incursion of fat. Whether you drone on the dreaded trainer or deal with the elements, winter riding is less fun but still much better than stalling out completely.


The slow one now
Will later be fast

That's right, Bob. Long, slow winter rides provide a good base for coming back strong in the spring and help to burn off the candy, cookies, pies, dressing and gravy, cheese dip and all of the other stuff that we gorge on as the nights grow long and the holidays roll around.

I need to add some dimension to my winter program in order to maintain my momentum. My mountain bike is back in rotation for my annual re-learning experience and I plan to diversify! I am not making any resolute promises, but I intend to run a few miles a couple of days per week, start a yoga practice, and perhaps learn to swim proficiently. By way of early progress, I've made a couple of morning jogs (still don't like it), have been to a couple of yoga classes ( like it!), and have only threatened the swimming pool.

Sunset yoga on Sugarloaf at Heber Springs last Saturday. Adding some strength and flexibility has got to be a good thing!

The hard core crowd has already started the cyclocross season, and winter still holds quality riding opportunities; many are just shorter and require more planning and gear in order to stay comfortable. Don't hang your bike up. Instead, head to the woods on the mountain bike, do some running, a little boating, or some hiking; all of which are better done in winter, in my opinion.

 Not done quite yet!

Riders were taking advantage of the last days of extended daylight on Tuesday night.

The warm weather was an added bonus!

 

Don't pet the animals!

 

I know they're lovable, but remember that they are still wild.

 

Riders were not the only critters out soaking up the late season warmth.

 

Share the trail! Uh, sure, I'll be glad to move on along! This skunk was out in broad daylight and not too concerned about being crowded. We speculated that he was sick.

 

Enjoy the next few late sunsets, then stiffen your resolve to ride through the winter as you can and to broaden your horizons when you can't.

PopUp 7th Street: Right Now

If you are reading this on Saturday, you can roll on down to PopUp 7th Street. My little ride group went by on our way back into town this morning and found a nice crowd with a very positive vibe....and the beer had not even started to freely flow!
Music was thunpin', the food trucks were serving a variety of fare, and riders were pouring in.

Women With Wrenches: Heels on Wheels cyclists Victoria Crumpton, Judy Lansky, and Willa Williams were manning (womaning?) a PopUp bike repair station.

 

In addition to helping anybody who came along, the riders from Heels on Wheels are conducting flat change clinics throughout the day. Many women are intimidated by the thought of working on their bikes, but basic bike maintenance is not a gender-specific activity, and at a minimum everyone should be able to change a flat.

There was more activity along several blocks of 7th Street than on a typical Saturday morning. David Williams was among the many riders who dropped by to check out the scene.

 

.

The creation of a bike and pedestrian friendly environment can revitalize urban areas. When people actually get out of their cars and walk, ride, and talk to each other, the word "community" takes on real meaning.

 

 



Big Rock and Week Old Event Reports: Joe Weber Arky100, Biketoberfest

Just before the storm.

 

 I was so taken by the light on a recent Saturday morning that I stopped to take this photo. Minutes later, a thunderstorm rolled through sending my ride partner and me, and likely these runners, scampering for cover.

 

Big Rock Quarry To Become Park Land In Swap

 

 

A view of the Big Rock Quarry from the BDB last Friday evening.

 

 It appears that the NLR City Council will move to bring Big Rock into the Burns Park system in exchange for park land to be used to develop a motel at the Burns Park I-40 exit. I'm less than excited about a motel in the park, but I encouraged the land swap over a year ago as plans to sell the quarry property were on the table.

The motel concept had already been approved at the time, and the city was looking for adjacent property to buy and add to Burns Park. That step was required due to the fact that the federal government had given the city land from Camp Pike for use as a park only. In order to use it for other purposes, the city had to obtain and add a like parcel.

 

Arkansas Bicycle Club Joe Weber Arky 100

 

I thought I was done with "event rides" for the season, but I was easily sucked in to ride the Arky when, A) Our weekend plans changed leaving me with an open day, and B) My weekend ride group declared they were riding the shorter 62 mile distance.

It was a good call, as the ride was a lot of fun and very well supported.

The ride begins and ends at the Sheridan Community Center. ABC provides some prime incentives other than just a quality ride, as instead of the usual cotton T-shirt, they provide a nice long-sleeve technical top, and after the ride, volunteers grill up cheeseburgers and hot dogs for participants.

 

The burgers proved to be very popular and the cooks struggled to keep up with the demand, but in the end everyone was satisfied.

 

Over 200 riders participated in the ride, as evidenced by sell-out and need to re-order shirts and by the intense pressure put on the burger cooks!

The Arkansas Bicycle Club remains a constant in our community, as demonstrated by the fact that this was the 42nd Arky100. Thanks, folks, good job!

 

 

 

 Biketoberfest

 

Sponsored by Chainwheel and the Little Rock River Market, Biketoberfest appears to have been a huge success. I got home from riding the Arky at Sheridan, grabbed a shower, put on fresh kit, and rode on down to check out the scene. I expected to get there just in time to see everyone leave as I arrived at about 2:45, but I found things in full roar.

These bikes were judged to be the best "Rat Rides".

 

The crowd was still fully engaged when I arrived at Biketoberfest. It is sometimes difficult to keep out unsavory types in search of light beer.

 

 

Having two very successful events on the same day, the Arky and Biketoberfest, is indicative of the fact the Central Arkansas metro area is indeed becoming "Bike Town".

 

Cycling continues to gather momentum and become a part of the fabric of our community. As is true of many things, as more people ride, the more people choose to ride!

 

Ride leaders:

Pat Hays, former NLR mayor, current BACA board member, and champion of the River Trail, will announce his run for the 2nd Congressional district seat currently held by Tim Griffin.

Barry Hyde, a general contractor, former state representitive, and a cyclist, will be running for county judge as Buddy Villines retires.

Election day is a long way off and choose your candidates as you will, but keep in mind that are our cycling infrastructure is largely the result of politics. Don't wait until election day to learn where candidates stand on the issues that are important to you.

 

 

 

 

 



Puttin' On The Bitz: Accessorizing For The Season

As I write this on a cool, bleak Saturday morning, I'm trying not to give in and declare myself to be tired of winter already. OK, I give up. I'm tired of winter already.

There's always some semblance of relief in the arrival of fall, in that many of us are feeling the fatigue that comes with riding almost every day, the big event rides are behind us, and the first cool mornings refresh the soul. For me, that lasts at least a couple of days until I realize that it is getting dark at 6:30, it gets cold when it gets dark, and I'm already missing the sweat soaked bibs, salt encrusted helmet straps, and nightly rides with my friends.
I'll tell readers the same thing that I have to tell myself: HTFU*

* From The Rules. See rule #5.

When following this edict, it is helpful to have a good collection of what I call bits. Those small cycling accessories that allow you to stay warm in the wide range of conditions that are typical of Arkansas winter riding. They add little soft and fuzzy barriers between you and weather related harshness where you need them the most.

Clockwise from bottom left: arm warmers, knee warmers, longer knee warmers, shoe covers, ear band, and toe covers.

Dress for flexibility

It is not unusual to start a winter ride in cold conditions, only to be riding in sunshine and glorious warmth within a couple of hours. Arm warmers, knee warmers, and an ear band can keep you comfortable early in the ride and can be easily stashed in a jersey pocket as the temperatures rise. Add a vest to the mix and you can easily leave home equipped for everything from the 40's to the 70's; not an unusual fall or early spring temperature range in our home state.
Full on frigid conditions call for tights and more robust layers, but a base layer and bits can get you through most of an Arkansas winter.

Veteran riders will have a drawer full of the stretchy, fleecy accessories. If you don't have a collection of bits, go visit your local bike shop and spend a few bucks to get started. Retail therapy is good for you and specialty retailers love folks who shop local. It's also not too early to start that Christmas wish list. If you're like most of us, you're damn hard to buy for, so do your family a favor and conveniently leave a list of your needs lying around so that they can surprise you with exactly what you want.

Two Rivers Park Bridge: Lights Out

I spend a lot of time along the River Trail and usually have early knowledge of any issue regarding infrastructure, but the long summer days apparently led me to miss a problem that is obvious to trail user and drivers on I-430 after dark. The lights on Two Rivers Bridge don't work.

Back in mid-September, I encountered John Burton, Pulaski County Surveyor and the project manager for the Two Rivers Bridge construction project, directing traffic at the bridge on a Friday evening. Folks from Koontz Electric, the lighting contractor for the LED lights at Two Rivers, the BDB, and the new projects downtown, were hard at work to fix problems with the lights. John praised Koontz at the time for continuing to tackle the issues. I've had some business experience with Koontz in the past and they enjoy a reputation as a very capable bunch, so I didn't give it a lot more thought and assumed the lights were soon back on line. I was wrong.

The bridge was dedicated with much fanfare in July of 2011, but by January 2012, problems with the lights had become apparent and the bridge had to be closed for a couple of days to facilitate repairs.

This November 2011view hasn't been duplicated lately.

 

Last Thursday, I mounted my headlight for the first time this fall and, after some hill drills at Fort Roots, went touring on the harvest moon night. My companion had never seen the bridges in their illuminated glory and darkness was just falling so we headed up river. The BDB lights were not yet on, so we headed up to the Two Rivers Bridge to check it out, only to find that it, too, was dark. By the time we headed back to the BDB, it was alight and I thought all was well.

I assumed there was still some minor glitch at Two Rivers and didn't realize that the lights were not working at all. A lunchtime conversation Friday led to contact with John and the word that the problem was not solved. I was then directed to a news item on KARK's site.
The project is two years old, as are the problems. It is unclear whether the issues are with the lighting product or with the installation, but the implication is that the lights and/or fixtures are not up to the duty. The news article said the county was prepared to "send the bond back" and that that would mean the contractor would have difficulty "getting work in the future".
Typically, contractors provide "payment and performance" bonds to assure project owners that suppliers and subcontractors will be paid and that the job will be completed in an acceptable manner. It is esssentially an insurance policy to provide protection from liens and shoddy or incomplete work. Contractors will go to great lengths to prevent a claim from being made against a bond, as it affects both their ability to obtain bonding and the rate that they pay for bonds. Like your auto insurance policy, claims against a bond raise rates and can lead to cancellation. If a contractor cannot bond a job, they are excluded from most major projects. For that reason, and the fact that it is just good business, I would expect Koontz to solve the problem. In the TV News segment, Pulaski County Director of Public Works Sherman Smith, said the lights should be back on by mid-November. In the meantime, the Two Rivers Bridge remains dark.

Meetings, meetings: People Are Working For You!

BACA

Goals: Close The Loop, Complete Streets
At BACA's recent general membership meeting, president Judy Lansky re-emphasized the organization's efforts to "close the loop" of the Arkansas River Trail in Little Rock. In addition to closing the loop, BACA has set as a priority the adoption of a "Complete Streets" policy by the City of Little Rock. The Little Rock Board of Directors has passed a resolution to implement such a policy, but it is not let on the books and will likely see resistance from developers to any substantive actions. Board member Mason Ellis delivered an extensive presentation of the features and benefits to the community of Complete Streets.

Mayor Mark Stodola made an appearance and spoke optimistically about the prospects of completion of the River Bluffs trail section to extend along the river behind the Dillard's corporate HQ on Cantrell Road. Projects have been approved that will extend the trail from both the east and west termini of the section, and Stodola stated that funding has been identified that could finance the project. One recent hitch came from the owner of the Riverside Marine property west of Dillard's. The property owner had previously agreed to donate a right-of-way, but has apparently reneged on the offer and has now set a price for the land needed for the trail extension.

Mayor Stodola addressed the recent general session of BACA.

 

Stodola indicated that he had had direct conversations with decision makers at Dillard's

and that a positive outcome for the River Bluffs project was likely. Concerns over construction activity and security were mentioned as some items to be overcome, but I consider simply engaging in discussions with Dillard's to be progress.

In addition to an agreement with Dillard's, the project will also require the support of the LR Board of Directors, and this is where Lansky is asking for support in contacting board members asking them to support the Mayor's efforts. Elected officials do respond to their constituents, and it is important to provide input long before such matters come to a vote. If there is one thing that I have learned in dealing with municipal governments over the last few years, it is that most decisions are made long before the vote is held. I have never seen the impassioned pleas of citizens during the public comments time sway a vote at a city council or board of directors meeting.  The work must be done long before the vote.

To this end, Little Rock supporters of the River Trail need to contact their directors and the at-large members of the board. Be positive about the impact of trail development and the opportunities that completion the River Trail represent for the City.

 

Edit:

http://www.littlerock.org/BoardOfDirectors/MemberBios/default.aspx

The link above will take you to a list of the LR Board of Directors by ward, a ward map, and contact information. Mayor Stodola emphasized that it would be helpful for them to hear from high profile individuals and from folks with connections outside of the cycling  community. Many cyclists are also business owners, bankers, doctors, lawyers, and Indian chiefs, so use those credentials when communicating! They need to know that cycling is mainstream.

 

Broadway Bridge Construction Reroutes

 

Rerouting the ART on both sides of the river during construction of the Broadway Bridge has been a topic of conversation among all of the bike advocacy groups in recent months.

 

Lawren Wilcox and Seth Yancy of the engineering firm Garver laid out likely alternatives for cyclists.

 

The construction of the new bridge will take about two years and trail traffic will be disrupted for most of that time. Construction contract stipulations will require the builder minimize impact on the trail, but that impact will still result in extended closures, beginning as equipment and materials are staged along the river before construction begins.

In North Little Rock, riders will be directed on to Riverfront Drive, which would be only a minor inconvenience were it not for the fact that most of the 18-20,000 cars that cross the Broadway Bridge daily will be clogging Riverfront as they attempt to reach the Main Street or I-30 bridges.

In Little Rock, 3rd Street is the designated alternative route, but, it too will likely see daily gridlock.

Folks, we are facing two years of traffic mayhem in which any minor fender bender or breakdown on the I-30 or Main Street bridges will cause massive back-ups. Though cyclists will face challenges, bike commuters will have an advantage due to their small footprint and their ability to jump to a sidewalk as required. Sidewalks are nominally off-limits to bikes, but any pavement will do in a pinch. If you don't believe me, look at the designated bike routes along Cantrell Road.

 

Little Rock Bike Friendly Community Committee

 

Jeremy Lewno, Little Rock Bike-Ped coordinator, chairs this committee. Jeremy reported that Little Rock's completed application for Bike Friendly Community status has been submitted to the League of American Bicyclists.

In other business, Jon Honeywell of Little Rock Public Works reported that the project to add sharrows to Kavanaugh Blvd has been completed, and that several street resurfacing projects are in the planning stages.

 

I spotted the new sharrows on Kavanaugh as I rode to the BACA meeting.

 

Among the streets slated for resurfacing are Louisiana St. and Overlook Drive. Plans are not firm for either project, and Overlook is is likely to draw the most interest of cyclists, as it serves as River Trail access for a great many riders. It is too narrow for two bike lanes, but it may accommodate a bike lane on the north side for the climb and sharrows on the south, where the descent allows bikes to travel at the speed of automobile traffic.

There was also a good deal of discussion about improving the safety of the several driveways that cross the multiuse trail along Rebsamen Park Road.

 

“The world is run by those who show up. Don’t under estimate the power of phone calls and short notes.”
Trek’s John Burke at the Wisconsin Bike Summit

 

 



Junction Bridge LED Lighting Project: Sneak Preview

My friend John Martin sent me a link and I poached this video from the Arkansas Times Arkansas Blog. The lighting of the downtown bridges will make the already dramatic setting of our City along the river into something that is nothing short of a spectacular nighttime scene!
I believe that many travelers passing through on I-30 will say to themselves, "Wow! I've got to come back and see what this city is all about."
Very cool stuff continues to happen here in Central Arkansas.

As food for thought, let me pose a question:
Would this investment/gift have happened if it were not for the Arkansas River Trail?

Many people have contributed to the decades long effort to get us to where we are today, with Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines and former North little Rock Mayor Pat Hays deserving much of the credit for their vision and tenacity. Perhaps Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola will be able to add his signature if he can bring about the completion of the River Bluffs trail section behind Dillard's HQ.

Many of you will recall "PopUp Main Street", the effort in which South Main was temporarily re-striped with bike lanes, a median, and other bike and pedestrian friendly amenities. The concept proved to be a winner as it was embraced by both the community and the city. The result is that So. Main is being rebuilt to include many of the traffic calming, people friendly features of the pop-up.

Now, the "PopUp" concept is coming to 7th Street!

 

The Facebook page is here.The Main Street event took on a festive atmosphere, so plan to ride or walk on over to 7th Street for this event.

 

What Will They Think Of Next? LED Gadgetry

There is a price to be paid for being my neighborhood bike shop, as the genial Dave Larson of Angry Dave's Wheels and Bikes has discovered. The shop at 3515 JFK in the North Little Rock's Park Hill is just a few blocks from our home, literally a minute or two away, and I'm the guy that shows up at closing time in need of a cable or cable ends, maybe some assembly paste, or, worse yet, advice on some bike project that I've embarked upon. Dave is always helpful usually has exactly what I need.

I do try to actually buy some stuff and I mentioned a Serfas tail light purchased from Dave in a recent article. I imposed on Dave this week for some technical assistance and as he bailed me out (he was really trying not to roll his eyes), I noticed that he was unpacking yet another cool light from Serfas.

This adaptable light goes both ways- headlight or tail light.

 

It is a small USB charging light that is selectable for red or white light in both flashing and steady modes. I stepped slowly away from the counter but I've got the feeling I'll need one of these. My bikes are all well light-equipped, but this is a cool gadget. I like the idea of having a white light incorporated in a tail light. I almost always have a tail light on my bike and having a tail light that can serve multiple duties, such as becoming a flashlight to change a flat or back-up headlight, seems handy. As a boy, I felt that you could always use another flashlight or pocket knife. Some things just don't change much.