Eddie Murphy, Rhianna, Jay Leno.... Oh My!

 I took to the Hollywood Hills this week to seduce the snake of a road that is Mulholland. I usually start at the East side off of the 101 and Cahuenga Blvd. Being a Monday, traffic was kind and I made my way up the horizon with downtown LA peaking out from behind the morning smog. I didn't have a plan on how far I was going to ride, but I did want to get my climbing legs fired up. Riding along Mulholland, I was passed by an oncoming Jay Leno in a retro drop top while I spun past the houses of Eddie Murphy and Rhianna. I'd post a picture of Rhianna's mailbox but that's not too exciting.

I rode out towards the 405 but dropped down Benedict Canyon which is a long winding descent surrounded by houses the size of small hotels. You'll never truly know what or who await behind the gated fences, just know it's someone far more famous than you.

Once I was at the base of Benedict Canyon, I made a quick left onto Sunset. Sunset can be busy on the slowest days, so I quickly started my way back up to Mulholland by heading up Clearwater Canyon. 

All and all it was a 43 km day on one of the most iconic highways in California. The temperature peaked 91 and the climbing was over 2,500 feet in less than 2 hours. I'm happy for that and glad I got to break free from my local bike paths, even if for only a day.

The Hell with Bowen Island - The Island of no Descents

    Although Christoph and I have never met, we have both died on Bowen Island, and our souls remain trapped on this hellish Island 20 minutes from Vancouver's mainland. Christoph is the mastermind behind Bowen Island Man, but let me first introduce you to the Island.

    I first organized a cycling trip with a bunch of friends to this Island. Never being there previously I felt the ride from Stanley Park to Horseshoe Bay's ferry terminal would be a nice change of pace. A quick 20 minute ferry ride and we were Island bound. No matter which left or right we took while on the island, we were faced with a gradient that rivaled the most seasoned climber. Soon we learned that the Island is alive and ever evolving. After every climb you'd think you'd be greeted with some leg recovery descents. That is simply not the case. After every climb you find yourself at the base of the next climb. I think we encountered 3 asthma attacks, and far more bee sawrmings. 

Although this was one of my favorite day trips with great company, we did lose a few good men on this day. This soul sucking Island doesn't turn boys into men, but rather it turns men into boys.

I stumbled upon a new @bowenislandman Instagram account and I was intrigued. Please see below as to what I found out.

Bowen Island Man is not a man. But it's Canada's worst ride. A ride for all riders tough enough to enjoy an awful day in the saddle. Right on Vancouver's doorstep. 

BOWEN ISLAND MAN: CANADA'S WORST RIDE

Bowen Island Man is not a man. But it's Canada's worst ride. Suffer like a dog and learn to hate cycling like never before. Put yourself on the leaderboard and brag to your wimpy friends.

This ride is for all riders deranged enough to enjoy an awful day in the saddle. It's Greater Vancouver's awful new classic.

 

The Route

Ride almost 130km and climb more than 4000m. That's half an Everest! Prepare to die a death by 1000 cuts. Steep cuts. Up to 28%, to be precise.

No rhythm, no shoulders, more potholes than you can count. Dangerous gravel patches, countless suicidal deer, and did we mention the steep ramps?

The worst pics: https://www.instagram.com/bowenislandman/

https://www.bowenislandman.com/

Strava Heat Maps? What Roads have I attacked in Cali since 2014?

As most of you know, Strava has added the "Heatmap" feature to its landing page. The more traveled roads you'll see red compared to blue. When I first started riding in 2008 with my trusted CCM Falcom mountain bike, I started off in Ontario Canada. I then moved to Vancouver, British Columbia the Summer of 2010. I stayed there until 2014 when I relocated to the Greater Los Angeles area.

Once moving to the USA, I had been blessed with great year round riding. I was able to travel and ride in Vegas, Palm Springs, and parts of Arizona. By no means am I satisfied with the tourist cycling I've undertook, but rather I am excited for the next adventure. Where it may be, who knows.

Lets focus on SoCal. Obviously my main city will hjave darker map lines, but I feel I've covered a lot of ground these last 6 years. I miss the days of my long 120km rides from SCV to LBC, but that just means new adventure is around the corner.

Have you ridden in my areas? If so, please leave a comment of your favorite route or coffee stop.

Till next time..... Shane

Blast from the Past!! Chuck Pontius Crit Fathers Day 2018

 It has been my first crit race jumping into the Cat 5 and I felt like I had something to prove, being Fathers Day and all. I found myself falling off the back 3/4 of the way through each lap, and burning my matches to catch back up. All and all it was a great experience and I had a very supportive fan base. Not really knowing what to expect, gaining confidence in a group at speed has been a developmental goal. I can attest to my riding style, but jumping into an all out race with riders from various backgrounds of riding styles can be daunting. Check out my video and let me know what you think. Maybe racing will resume once Covid disappears.

Team Sky Hydrodynamic Chain Lube

 For those that thought all chain lubes were created equal, think again. Muc-Off, in partnership with Team Sky, has designed a "go to" chain lube for those riders that know that their bike is more than just a bike and are willing to care for it as such. Proven effective at the World Tour level, Team Sky and Muc-Off have found "incremental gains" in a winning lubricant.

We all know that friction and wear and tear on components can be a costly situation; a good lube can protect only as well as it is applied. What Muc-Off has done is created a petroleum free, ultra-efficient, low-friction chain lube and paired it with a tool to help you make sure you've lubed up thoroughly. With the in-package ultra-violet light, you can meticulously inspect each link after applying the UV-dye infused lube to see if the main points on the chain have been penetrated.

I have been cleaning and lubing my bike chains for years and thought I had been doing a pretty decent job. This lube is easy to apply thanks to it being thicker out of the bottle and the pipette style nozzle. Well, I hit the torch and was blown away to see nearly half of my chain's contact points not glowing under the ray of ultra-violet light. It took a few more applications and verifications, then I wiped down and had my chain perfectly lubed.

After a few rides in varying conditions, I see the chain hadn't attracted any extra dirt or grime compared to other lubes I've used before. The chain runs smoothly over the chainring and cassette and the lube seems to be lasting longer.

Hydrodynamic lube is certainly pricier, and you do have to work more to get the most of it, including fully degreasing your chain before first use and planning for Muc-Off's suggestion to apply it four hours prior to a ride. Still, I recommend it to any enthusiast looking for a premium chain lube to prolong the life of their costly components and for a job well done.

Spin Class, To Clip or not to Clip? That is the question.

I’m taking my first Spin Class, Do I need new shoes?

The answer is no, well maybe, actually yes. All spin classes at any gym will come equipped with the option to use any running shoe on a flat pedal with a flexible toe cage, or the “Clipless” option. Don’t get me wrong, running shoes during spin class will be fine for someone just starting out with cycling as buying another pair of shoes and cleats will be an additional cost. You’ll get through the most intense call a spin instructor can throw at you, but you’ll find more comfort in a clipless shoe combo.

But why do they call them “Clipless” if you clip in?

Actually the term was adopted from the old toe clip or foot cage model which allowed a cyclist to generate more power on the upstroke. The new term of clipless refers to the toe of the shoe which actually overhangs from the pedal, were another form of clip would be fastened into the pedal from the base of the shoe.

How much will these shoes cost?

For the budget friendly cyclist, see if your gym has loaner or demo shoes that you can try. This will give you the best feel for what’s to come on your next spin adventure. If that’s not an option, you can find many affordable options at local bike shops or amazon. Research your gym’s facilities to see what pedal options they have. Most bikes will have a SPD setup while others will have a road bike clip option such as the Shimano lineup.

Will I notice a difference?

Absolutely yes you will. Being connected to the bike allows you get out of the saddle with ease and stability. It has also been proven that you can exert more power into the pedals while being connected. On average, since you are connected while pulling up through the pedal stroke, you are saving approximately 30% of expended power output.