Ambassador for Detours - Alternate Routes for Your Ride

Every now and again, a bicycle industry company seeks direct input from users through "ambassador" programs. Typical ambassador arrangements are structured so the cyclist receives some sample product(s) to use, and, in exchange, offers some sort of review or formal feedback on the product(s). A bicycle bag company, Detours out of Seattle, recently announced the launch of such a campaign. I applied. Not too long after, I received this in the mail:

Yes, this is a catalog. Along with the catalog, I received instructions for participating in their ambassador program. I was chosen! I am one of 13 ambassadors chosen to use the product and to document the goings on of my day-to-day cycling lifestyle on their website. I'm very excited, to say the least! Their bags display a unique understanding of the function required by lifestyle cyclists, while adding aesthetically-pleasing design into the mix. Not to mention that the guys at Detours are as good as it gets. I look forward to keeping you all updated!

Locally (to Madison, WI), it looks like Erik's and Williamson Bicycles are dealers for Detours. 

2012 Polar Plunge

Ice formation on the lakes around Madison has been quite subpar due to warmer-than-usual temperatures. Nevertheless, the water underneath any amount of ice is, well, COLD! Here is some proof, courtesy of ContourHD (not really courtesy of, since I paid for the camera & case...):

The preparation...

The Launch...

The Hover...

The Approach...

The Panic...

The air temperature at jump time was about 35ºF (1.5ºC) and sunny; reasonable, I thought. I remember feeling quite pleasant after last year's jump under similar conditions. That was not the case this time around. I'm short, and couldn't reach the lake bed while attempting to exit the water. Not awesome. I did try to belly flop and stay under the water for what felt like a decent amount of time. Murky, gross water met my face and shut down many of my body's functions...no need to elaborate. Even the "STD soup" hot tubs looked appealing this year and actually helped.

I enjoyed the jump, and our UW MBA team raised over $20k for the Special Olympics!

Jumping Into Lake Monona!

I'm jumping into Lake Monona again this year, perhaps in lycra, as a fundraiser for the Special Olympics. Click through the picture below to be taken to the donation page:

Yes, I am the cannonball with the Mexican wrestling mask. 

Lake Mendota is Frozen...Sort of

About this time last year, Lake Mendota was topped with a 10-12" layer of ice. Very rideable. This winter has been quite mild, and the lake has resisted freezing adequately for bicycle-based exploration. According to the ice fisherman site I follow, the ice thickness is currently 4-5". 

My daughter and I were on a little ride on a Saturday morning, and we stopped by the boat dock to see the ice. A few fisherman were out on the ice, so we ventured out about 100 feet or so. With the air temps at about 35F, the top layer of ice was incredibly slick, so we just walked out. Depending on how the rest of this winter goes, we will try to actually ride out on the lake together. 

Studded Tires Back On: Schwalbe Marathon Winter

I finally gave in to the terrible road/bike path conditions and installed my winter tires. My 700c tire of choice is the Schwalbe Marathon Winter (35). If I remember right, this is my third winter on this pair.

A couple observations:

1. The extremely durable tungsten-carbide core studs still have plenty of life left. The tread design lends itself to long stud life, as the center section of the tire tread is stud-free. On those sunny and mostly ice/snow free days, I can run the pressure at 80-85psi with a fairly respectable rolling resistance. In this scenario, the studs engage on cornering, which is when ice/snow riding gets sketchy (without studded tires) in my experience. When the snow and ice cover the roads and paths, I drop the pressure about 20psi and fully engage the studs. I have even ridden across a frozen lake with this setup:





Lake Mendota last winter.





2. In addition to having plenty of remaining stud life, I didn't notice any studs missing from the tread. A common occurrence is for a tire to lose a stud or two here and there (Schwalbe sells replacements in packs of 1 dozen). I believe Schwalbe recommends setting in the studs by riding with the new tires on dry pavement for a few dozen miles. Perhaps I did this? The Marathon Winter boasts 240 studs per tire, which is evident in the bulldozer-type feeling one has while churning through the ice and snow. I'm not talking about fatbike snow riding quality, but instead about the relative performance to a regular tire, or even a treaded tire. The Casseroll is transformed into a tank-like vehicle for a few months each year, only to be released into 28c Pasela bliss come springtime. 

Of course, some pics of the before and after:

This is with the Paselas installed.

Snow and ice build up like crazy around the brakes and clog up the fenders.

Even the mudflap packs on huge chunks of ice.

All the space in between the tire and fender is full of ice w/o studded or treaded tires. 

With the studded tires installed, the fender stays much cleaner. 

Notice the stud length.

I love winter riding, and with careful investment in well-designed gear makes it that much more enjoyable. 

Happy trails...

Rapha 500: The Vote

I am a finalist in the Rapha 500 Challenge! Click on the photo below to go the vote page on Facebook and click "like." Thank you for your support! 

Click through to Facebook and click "like." Thanks!

Rapha500 Video Summary

A brief compilation of helmet cam footage from the 2011 Rapha500. 

Tunes set by Xenia