To Embro, Or Not To Embro? That Is The Question.

Being I ride in the cold weather and race some of that cyclocross stuff I have been thinking about busting out some fine embrocations. So, being it was cold, and I was going for a ride, I decided to try out some for the first time. It was a brisk 26 degrees when we started our ride and all I had with me was my DZ Nuts InHeat High Heat Embrocation. No tights, no leg warmers, no DZ Nuts InHeat Medium or InHeat Low Heat Embrocation. And while my ride was excellent and my legs were very much happy the whole time. It did warm up to over 40 degrees and as things warmed up, so did my legs. We rode for about 2 hours, and afterwards I had nothing to clean the embro off, so on went the pants, and let me tell you. My legs were toasty. Super toasty. The shower when I got home. Hot. Legs like fire. The lesser llama would had slightly watery eyes. And for 30 minutes after the shower. Towel only, no pants. But after about 45 minutes, everything was back to normal.

Legs so warm I rolled up the knees on my knickers.

Here are some things I learned in the process.

1. Use gloves to apply the embro, and start with small amounts.
I did use gloves, but I did not use a small amount. It was a large blob, and it was too much.

2. Don't touch anything with embro but your legs. I must had wiped my nose while applying the embro cause it was cold and it was running. I know this because my nose was warm the whole ride. Warm and tingly.

3. Bring something to get the embrocation off. This stuff is made from what makes hot peppers hot, and washing it off with water does not work. Use something like dish soap. I almost tried milk during the shower. Either way, do your best to get it off before you put on pants. Trust me.

4. NEVER USE HIGH HEAT! Unless it is very, very cold, and you are riding for at least 2 hours.

DZ Nuts InHeat Embrocation. Fire it up!

We keep all 3 levels of DZ Nuts InHeat Embrocation in stock at our store. Or you can buy online through www.villagecycle.com.

No Hose? No Bucket? Dry Mud? Clean Your Bike!

As much as I preach keeping your bike and cleaning it after you use it. Sometimes you just don't have the chance and your bike ends up with dry, hard, mud all over it. After our ride at Palos Sunday found us stuck on a muddy ass trail. Our bikes were nasty. No water or rags available at the trail, and I came home to a frozen hose. Before our next muddy ride, I will have a hose cut down to 15-20 feet so I can drain it and bring it inside when it is below freezing. But for now, I have a very dirty bike.

My first step was to bring the bike to the shop.

That way, I didn't have the huge mess that is on my bike on my floor at home. I already had to wash my shoes off in the sink, so I figured, on down to Village Cycle Center on my day off to clean my bike.

 Second, I prepared my work area. Bike box on the floor with old rags to catch the large amount of bike clean it is going to take to do the nasty.

I also get all my cleaning jazz together. I use Pit Stop (until its gone, then it shall be Pedro's Green Fizz), Motorex Bike Clean, Clean Streak, Tri-Flow, ProGold ProLink, and a big ol' pile of rags.

 Knock off as much of the big chunks of mud as possible. Then it is time to start soaking down the dry mud and make it easier to remove.

Keep on spraying.
Then I wipe off the wheels. Rims, spokes, hubs and tires.

 To make cleaning the rest of the bike easier.
The wheels come off. And the dirty stuff is removed.

 Keep wiping and spraying as needed until most of the crud is gone.

 Get the big chucks out of the drive train area.

 You can remove your cable housing from the guides by using your hand to add slack to the cable system by pushing in your derailleurs. Removing the housing makes it easier to clean and allows for removal of debris that is stuck in the frame mounted cable stops.

 Don't forget the cable stops in on the back too!

 I remove some of the components to make cleaning easier as well as allow me to grease areas that need it. Pedals come of cranks, cranks are removed from bike.

More spraying, wiping, and cleaning.
Getting closer.
Once the frame is clean. Move on.

 Pile of parts awaiting cleaning. Clean them before installing them. Pedal systems also need love. Lube springs and grease axles.

 Brakes get a lot of use. And also need love. Remove brakes, clean them, and reinstall. Don't forget grease where it is needed.

 Wheels, brakes, and cranks back on.
Clean the wheels the rest of the way.

 Once I am done cleaning the wheels off. I use Clean Streak on the braking surfaces to remove any left over residue from cleaning the bike. Sometimes bike cleaners will cause contamination in your braking system. Vibration from sticky pads may result in noise. If your pads are contaminated. Sanding the braking surface can remedy them. If clean rims and clean pads do not help. You can replace the pads or toe in the brakes. Brakes that are toed in, make less noise, but have less stopping power.

 Viola! Clean bike. Ready for the next ride, or race. Which ever comes first.

Speaking of racing, if you like to, check out the team we sponsor.

Kinky Llama Racing
On Facebook
or on the internets

Big left over mess. I could leave it for Rus, but I am a courteous feller and cleaned up my own mess.

Bike Maintenance by Llama

Proper bicycle maintenance is essential to ensure the longevity of your bike as well as the safety of the rider. Some well placed lubricant and a general wipe down of your frame and components will save money on prematurely worn and/or rusty parts. The more you ride, the more love you need to show your bike. Especially if you ride/commute in wet or snowy weather. The winter months of commuting are some of the harshest on your bike. Salt soaked wet roads can destroy bikes and their parts.

Llama's Maintenance Tips


Before every ride:

Check air pressure in tires or shocks. - I got a pinch flat because I was too lazy to check my air pressure. Now I check it before every ride.

Check drive train, make sure chain is slick and clean. - If the chain is sticky and gritty, it does not like to shift very well. A drop of lube per link and a wipe down with a rag to remove excess lube and dirt will help keep you chain moving smoothly through out your ride.

Check wheels. - Are the quick releases on correctly? Are the hubs loose? - I would rather not learn about forgetting to check if my wheels are on tight the hard way. Anytime your front wheel comes off, you will get hurt. And if you ride on a loose hub, the hub will most likely be toasted when you are done. Please don't blame the wheel manufacture for building crappy wheels when it is more a seat-handlebar interface problem.

Other checks.  - Stem bolts tight? Any strange noises? (I will bounce my bike lightly and listen for loosed items that will buzz or vibrate) Flat repair kit all together? (CO2, tube, levers, $20 for a cab?)

Post ride maintenance:

Tend to mechanical issues that came up during the ride - If I notice a derailleur or brake that is out of adjustment during the ride, I will try and take care of it when I finish so the bike is ready to go for the next ride.

Wipe off bike - When it's wet or salty, this is very very important. Speaking of salty, sweating all over your bike can cause rust as well as nasty residue. Wipe it off as well. There are loads of different cleaners out there. I use a couple depending on the condition.

Lube! - After the cleaning and the wiping, more lube is required. Lube the chain, brake pivots, shifters, derailleurs, cables, pivot points, etc. Pretty much every part that is metal on metal and moves, needs lube. More information on lubrication here.

Now the bike is happy and ready for the next ride.


Here are some of the products I use and what I use them for.

Cleaners:
Pedro's Green Fizz - Cleaner of dirt and grime. Good cleaner with very little polishing effect.
Motorex Bike Clean - I use this on my better bikes. This stuff cleans well and also leaves the bike shiny.

Degreasers:
Clean Streak - Not Simple Green. Clean Streak is a strong alcohol based cleaner/degreaser. It evaporates off of parts after a wipe down. Simple Green can actually damage parts if not used correctly and most manufactures do not want Simple Green in contact of their parts.

Lubricants:
Pro-Gold ProLink - Excellent metal adhesion technology. Stays on the chain with a nice, thin film and works very well.
Tri-Flow Drip - I use this on dirtier parts or for lubrication of brake pivots, derailleurs, and what not. Tri-Flow has a penetrating agent, as well as Teflon.
White Lightning Wet Ride - Sticks to chain and metal parts very well through the nastiest of conditions. I only use this stuff in the winter. As well as protecting the chain well, it also gets dirty fast. I wipe off excess grime after almost every ride, but my chain and parts do not rust all winter.

Bike Polish:
Pedro's Bike Lust - Silicone based shininess for your ride. Pretty much Armor All for your bike. Be careful not to get this stuff on your brakes or braking surfaces. If you do, use Clean Streak to clean it off.

Grease:
Park Tool Poly Lube - The industry standard. The familiar green grease used for most bike applications. Like metal seat posts, bolt threads, and pedals.
Phil Wood Grease - Boom! Very water resistant. I use this for bottom brackets and hubs. Also if you have a loose ball bearing headset, there too.
Buzz's Slick Honey - A thinner grease than the Park or Phil Wood. I use this for cables and housings as well as shocks.
FSA Carbon Grease - You got carbon? You need carbon grease. Use on carbons seat posts, stems, handle bars. Not on carbon steer tubes where they are in contact with the headset.

Here are some tips:

Clean your chain often. The more you clean it, the easier it is. I will use Tri-Flow to clean my chain and ProLink for the final lube. I over apply the Tri-Flow and use a rag to remove it. Once clean and as much of the Tri-Flow has been removed, I apply ProLink. One drop per link. If you have your lazy pants on, you can spin the drive train while you drip it on the chain, but make sure it doesn't end up on your brakes or braking surface.

Grease your seat post. This gets overlooked often and if you have a steel frame or steel seat post, it only takes a couple months of wet weather to get that sucker seized in your frame. At least once a month, grease your seat post.

Bearings need love too. Bikes that get use in wet weather need more love. And the love they require includes having bearing points greased. Hubs get some of the most use of all the parts on your bike. My rule is that if you ride the bike all year round, get the hubs, headset and bottom bracket cleaned and re greased twice a year. Once before winter and once after. If you live somewhere without such an event. Do it in the Spring and the Fall.

Don't forget your locks and other accessories. Locks need lube too. The shackle and lock mechanism needs to be taken care of as well. Check with your lock manufacture to see what they recommend.


Here are some resources for you.

http://villagecycle.com/how-to/bicycle-lubrication-pg364.htm
http://villagecycle.com/how-to/bike-maintenance-chart-pg265.htm
http://villagecycle.com/how-to/how-to-clean-your-chain-and-drivetrain-pg163.htm

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Got a question? You can email us at info@villagecycle.com or give us a call at 312.751.2488.

First Snow Under My Wheels

Today was the first snow in Chicago that actually stuck. And I forgot how much I love it. I look forward to riding my bike through fresh snow and laying the first tracks down my alley in the mornings. Up until 3 years ago, I did not have such enthusiasm for the cold day rides. I call this time in my life pre-Gore. This was when I liked to ride my bike in the snow, but I would eventually get wet and freeze my ass off. Then along came Simon with his Gore Bike Wear. And for the first time ever, I looked forward to snow rides and was smiling while riding on the coldest days.
This time, is called Post-Gore. This time rocks. I won’t bash on the brands that didn’t cut it, if you are cold and unhappy while riding in the winter, you already know which ones they are. I highly recommend Gore-Tex and Windstopper products from GBW. A couple of my must haves for cold weather are: Tool Jacket, Vista Windstopper tights, Gore-Tex socks, Power Thermo jersey, Power Beany, and depending on your facial hair, either a Windstopper hat, or balaclava. When things get uber cold, or for the wet days prior to the cold ones, a Fusion Jacket and Fusion Pants are my go to coverings. You can check out my review on them here.

Today was 24 felt like 17. I had a delivery on the way in, so I had an extra layer over my tights of knickers. I also only was going a total of 6 miles. So I was a bit over dressed and rode slower than usual. I wore a Craft baselayer, Gore Bike Wear Power Thermo jersey and my Tool jacket. Bottom side held Xenon II Sonic bibs, Vista Windstopper tights, Sidi Diablo GTX, and a custom version of the City Overshoe I made into gaiters. On the head Winstopper Bike Headband and Merino wool cycling hat.

The ride was fun, cars were courteous, and the delivery customer was happy to see me.

If you are not sure what to wear, check out this handy guide. http://www.bicycling.com/whattowear

Cyclelogical Urban Gaiter - Keeping My Pant Legs Clean

I ride everyday. In all types of weather. Hot, cold, rainy, snowy, blustery (I love that term), windy, however the days comes. One of my favorite little pieces of gear is the Cyclelogical Urban Gaiter. It has a Velcro wrap closure, reflective sides, built in pocket, and is built tough. I dig this little feller, it provides me with a couple functions I like.
First one being it keeps the bottoms of my pants clean and salt free on the really wet or sloppy days. For those times I will use two, one for each leg. On the days when the roads are just wet, but the skies aren't doing the same, with fenders and the gaiters, everything stays clean and I don't need my rain pants.
Another is having the pocket. I can put my flat repair kit in it if I don't feel like carrying a bag. You could put your wallet or keys in it if you desire. Or, I will even hold a flask (Zym of course).

Trek Fisher X-Cal 29er

I decided to move from my tried and true 26 mtn bike to a 29er.  I had heard great things, did my research, and decided that Trek Fisher was the way to go on a 29er.  He pioneered them and has worked every year since to perfect them.  I wanted to get the Superfly carbon but it was a bit out of my price range for now.  I decided on the X-Caliber, solid AL frame, x7 parts, Rock Shox fork, and Avid hydralic disc brakes.  My first ride out I realized that all the hype was completely true, it was fast, smooth, and had a very confident feel.  It was like driving a monster truck on the trail, the big wheels just rolled over the small stuff that I used to feel on my 26er.  I put some Schwalbe Big Apples on their to cruise around the city and they are great.  Fast, grippy, and allow me to jump off stuff and not worry about any damage to the rims.  All in All I would recommend the X-cal or any Trek Fisher 29er hardtail out there.

Whose Nutz? DZ Nutz! Pro Chamois Cream

For years I was one of those late adopters. Last one to get a cell phone, last one to get clip-less pedals, etc. "I don't need all your fancy expensive novelty gadgets to get the job done!" I would proclaim. I took pride in enduring - even thriving - in less than ideal conditions. I even resisted padded shorts for a time when I first took up road biking 10 years ago (stupid stupid). Now, when it comes to road riding, I use the phrase "if you haven't done it you don't know what you're missing" a lot. Of course this applies to padded shorts and clip-less pedals, but now to DZ Nutz Pro Chamois Cream as well. I first noticed the smooth buttery feel upon application, then a scene from Revenge of the Nerds comes to mind - "you put liquid heat in their what?!" That was the menthol kicking in, proving a nice initial motivation to get in the saddle and hammer. Before long, it was I didn't notice that was most notable...the rubbing, scraping, and chafing associated with the endurance riding I like to do. Comfort is everything on the bike, and if you have any annoying distractions while in the saddle, you can't perform. There's a reason the pros do certain things, but you don't need to be a pro like David Zabriske to add a little comfort to your ride. Eliminate the irritation and rashes/sores on your next ride...Thanks to DZ Nuts Pro Chamois Cream.