Our Rides in Words, Photos & Videos

[Dallant]

View attachment 91200
Beautiful Whidbey ride this morning, once again on my La Free! Unfortunately, neither the Ride Control app nor Map My Ride picked it up . I'm giving myself 10 miles, since I ride this route often, but left off one of the loops I normally take that make the distance about 12.

Anyway...

Right off the bat, Ride Control wanted to update. It said it was complete, but was stuck at 99%. After trying, unsuccessfully, to back out a couple if times, just closed the app, reopened, and all was well - except it didn't log my ride. I'm sure it was "operator error", since neither of my options worked . I'll have to get that figured out for next time.

2 deer, 3 bald eagles, sunshine, mountains in the distance, sparkling blue water, great to be home!

What I liked about being back on the La Free: more upright position (may need to raise handlebars on the Flow when we return east), auto mode, "push-pull" shifter, placement of controls (will have to check out adjusting these on the Flow), more natural "bikey" feel.

Things I missed about the Flow: on board controller, brake light (I feel more secure believing I can be seen better), peppier start from stop, throttle (I'm so ashamed to admit this ).

It'll take another ride or two to become thoroughly familiar with the La Free again, but off to a FABulous start!

I want to see the video of you riding through that driftwood pile!

 

[Dallant]

I finally got back on my Allant+7 to do my normal workout route. It’s a very humid 95F day and it’s been hot enough that the trail concrete is buckling!

 

[PatriciaK]

I want to see the video of you riding through that driftwood pile!

Ha ! That's where we pulled off to have a snack on the beach... You do NOT want to see video of me scrambling over that driftwood to get there .

Even on base with almost zero traffic or pedestrians, I'm petrified to have the bike out of sight!

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

Still blocking the trail, grrrrrr I hate having to turn around. Of course there are no rangers around to tell them about this. It has been like this for over 10 days now!

I just might take this along with me next time hahaha, can't wait to start cutting things up

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

Congrats! Lefties are tres Cool!!

I've been patiently awaiting delivery of my own.

Helix - The New Standard in Folding Bikes. Big Wheels. Titanium Frame. Rides Better and Folds Smaller. Made in Canada.

Helix is the new standard in folding bikes. Helix is more compact, lighter, safer and easier to use than any other folding bike in the world. Helix has an all titanium frame and is made in Canada with a state of the art manufacturing process.

www.helix.ca

Wow, never heard about this one! Good thing I didn't know about it, I would have snatched that up real quick. Be sure to give us the full skinny when it comes in. Call me intrigued!!!!

 

[Dallant]

View attachment 91237
View attachment 91238
View attachment 91239
Still blocking the trail, grrrrrr I hate having to turn around. Of course there are no rangers around to tell them about this. It has been like this for over 10 days now!
View attachment 91240
I just might take this along with me next time hahaha, can't wait to start cutting things up

Sure, it might only take you a week or two, at least 3 machines per day and 4 packs of saw blades per day.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Wow, never heard about this one! Good thing I didn't know about it, I would have snatched that up real quick. Be sure to give us the full skinny when it comes in. Call me intrigued!!!!

You might have a better opportunity getting one now rather than having pre-ordered and purchased as I did several years ago. There are backers of the Kickstarter (ahead of me) who are still waiting on their bikes. Mind you, the cost of these bikes has increased significantly since I ordered mine at half the current price of a 10-speed version. A factory move, parts sourcing, Covid and most recently a steerer recall have delayed production significantly enough where initial backers/early purchasers have received refunds from the upstart company. I still have confidence that I’ll get my bike eventually but I will likely be in it for the long haul. Those who have taken delivery, for the most part, appear to be quite satisfied with Helix.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Still blocking the trail, grrrrrr I hate having to turn around. Of course there are no rangers around to tell them about this. It has been like this for over 10 days now!

Wow, I can see a delay of this magnitude occurring off road or along a MTB/hiking trail but within the confines of a modern day metropolis?!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

"The Life Is Short...", Or My Virgin Vado SL Ride

"The life is short; after so many disasters I have recently experienced, I'm painfully aware I might unexpectedly cease to exist even in near future. Money comes and goes. It is a sunny day now but it could be a thunderstorm on the coming Friday... Let's enjoy the life now!" Those and similar thoughts were bugging me on last Wednesday's afternoon just after a six-day online workshop I and my Hungarian colleague gave to a leading Polish oil company. "What you think Jacek if I went and bought the TurboSnail just today instead of Friday? -- I messaged my brother -- "Do you need a lift?" -- Jacek loves e-bikes and wanted to witness the purchase -- "Sure! Just let me give Specialized Warsaw a phone call to set up the bike" -- "Are you aware you'll be riding on your way home? The BMW I'm driving now is too small to transport a bike" -- He laughed -- "I've already told the salesman I intend to ride home so he'd better set the bike up properly!" -- I laughed back.

My TurboSnail, or 25 km/h Turbo Vado SL 4.0 EQ, size M as prepared for riding by the salesman at Specialized Warsaw Brand Store (which is the first Spesh Brand Store in this part of Europe, operating since May 2020). The EQ comes with fenders, rack, and kickstand; all Vado SL models for Europe are equipped with always-on lightning. The extras I bought were: the TCD display, Range Extender battery, RE Cable, and RE Y Charging Cable as well as two water-bottle cages. (The salesman threw in a Specialized Warsaw water-bottle for 1 zloty).

Mateusz Mielczarek is the leading salesman at the Warsaw SBS. A charismatic, polite, and well trained person actually made me return to the store for many times. Here, we discuss the misbehaviour of Mission Control (Jacek could connect to the bike with his iPhone while I could not with Android). I assured Mateusz that I -- as a seasoned Vado owner -- would be able to fix the app myself. (Indeed, it was enough to update Mission Control on my phone to make it work). If you are interested, the discounted price of my Vado SL was at the same level I paid for my 30% discounted Vado 5.0 in November 2019, and the total price was the same as for my discounted Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro bought in May 2020.

Besides, I will ride back to Specialized WAW in a week or two for the obligatory (and paid) first service. Specialized are applying a new rule since July this year: You have to register your e-bike on their website to qualify for the "lifetime" frame warranty. (Make no mistake: "lifetime" means "as long as the frame is still in the manufacturing and until the bike is not naturally worn out"; I do read warranties and contracts haha).
During the first service, I will also ask for updating the bike firmware.

I need to mention I asked for swapping the stock pedals with my Stamps (the stock pedals are VP-831 and are actually very nice). I also asked for setting the saddle at 72 cm height (measured from the bottom bracket to the top of the seat). I rode home half blind: no operable Mission Control and no rear-view mirror!

I chose riding a shortcut through the Kabacki Forest. Very nice part of the ride! Don't try, however, riding bumpy dirt roads with the EQ after it has rained: The clearance between mudguards and wheels is very tight, and dirt is accumulated there. If you really plan riding in unpleasant terrain, choose the non-EQ version and just use AssSavers (MTB detachable fenders). It was fascinating to me how well Vado SL felt in presence of bumps: it seems the tyres were absorbing vibrations perfectly, and light weight of the bike really helped.

The Specialized -> home route was familiar to me. I stopped at a grocery store in Łady for ice-cream. There, I updated Mission Control and could play with assistance levels. Bear in mind SL e-bikes provide you with much less of assistance than full power Turbo brethren do. My ride was upwind; I needed to ride in 60% Sport level to feel comfortable. The consumption of batteries was very low though.

As for a low speed Euro e-bike, the lighting turned out to be adequate (not sure how good it is for U.S. Class 3 or Canadian 32 km/h version).

I hear complaints on the motor and rear hub noise from SL users. I cannot understand these complaints at all! The SL 1.1 motor whirr is very soft and not annoying at all! Says who? Says I, the owner of a silent Vado 1.2s motor e-bike, and an owner of a very noisy Yamaha/Giant PW-X2 equipped e-MTB The freewheel ratchet is more noisy than the motor! (@rochrunner, haha) but it is as natural noise as it is for a traditional bike, I'm good with that! I love that ratchet noise!

My extended review of Vado SL 4.0 EQ

I misjudged a small railroad crossing and fell face down. No harm done! I even didn't notice I lost my glasses! (Retrieved soon).

 

[Alaskan]

On Wednesday, five of our regular riding group drove the 45 miles from Bellingham to Anacortes. There we boarded the 9:30 ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. We spent a sunny cool day going clockwise around the Island covering 41 miles and climbed a total of 3,300 feet. I was not riding strong, having just had another round of chemo last Friday. Thus I used more assist than normal and packed along an extra battery in the top tube bag.

We stopped in Roche Harbor for a leisurely lunch and then cycled back to Friday Harbor catching the 6:30 ferry back to the mainland. Although there were many scenic vistas of the Olympic mountain, across the Straits of Juan de Fuca, views of Victoria across Haro Straits and many lovely homes and farms along the route, we were riding and did not stop to take photos. I was able to get one photo looking across Haro Strait and another near Cattle point at the south end of San Juan Island. It was a great day of cycling.

 

[Dallant]

Have you ever been to the San Juan County Fair? The Sheep-To-Shawl competition is fun.

 

[Alaskan]

Have you ever been to the San Juan County Fair? The Sheep-To-Shawl competition is fun.

Never been to the fair. I have been spending my summers working in Alaska for over three decades. Being down here in the sweltering PNW during summer is a relatively recent thing for me.

 

[Dallant]

Never been to the fair. I have been spending my summers working in Alaska for over three decades. Being down here in the sweltering PNW during summer is a relatively recent thing for me.

So glad to see you’re out riding despite the heat and chemo! You da man!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Excellent ride, Richard!
I admire your passion against all handicaps!

 

[RabH]

is there a cycling version of “bagging a munro?!?”

(i think that’s the term. it’s been a while.)

My 2 brothers are the munro (mountains of 3000ft and over) baggers in my family, my oldest had to quit after he contracted ME which can be very debilitating! I'm sure he would have completed all 282 by now but it wasn't to be! As for a cyclists version, I never gave it a thought! If the cycling version is 3000ft of climbing I have completed all the munros many times over!

@Stefan Mikes Congrats on your new bike, it looks awesome! I hope you enjoy it and cover many kms in the coming months, keep it legal though!

 

[steve mercier]

So I thought Id see how low pressure I could ride my fattie tyres.
Sometimes the Universe just has it in for you.

All I can say is INCREDIBLE!

 

[Nashcruiser]

This is my favorite route and have rode it 4 times in the past 2 weeks. I go counter clockwise on the map riding from my house to our neighborhood greenway that gets me over the creek without having to go out to the major artery road. From there I’ve found a new route thanks to the COBI.Bike app. By choosing a point and quiet route the app has directed me through the next neighborhood on streets I wouldn’t have found on my own. The way I used to go was more direct down the center of the map and had more traffic but was flatter. This new way adds a mile and about 300 more feet in elevation change. With the assist from the battery it’s a nice warm up.

My destination is a pair of parks that are separated by a road and a greenway that is an out and back that runs along a river. It’s all on paved roads that are kind of rough but the tires on the Allant 8s smooths it out. There’s good shade from a nice tree canopy and a hilly terrain that provides a scenic ride.

I’ve gone from completing the route with just 30% battery left to 56% left. It’s a great workout and the new bike saves me from feeling beat up by the rode.

 

[PowerflyLee formerly known as CheetahLee]

My favorite bench

Hasta laVista baby!!!!

 

[Catalyzt]

On Wednesday, five of our regular riding group drove the 45 miles from Bellingham to Anacortes. There we boarded the 9:30 ferry to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. We spent a sunny cool day going clockwise around the Island covering 41 miles and climbed a total of 3,300 feet. I was not riding strong, having just had another round of chemo last Friday. Thus I used more assist than normal and packed along an extra battery in the top tube bag.

We stopped in Roche Harbor for a leisurely lunch and then cycled back to Friday Harbor catching the 6:30 ferry back to the mainland. Although there were many scenic vistas of the Olympic mountain, across the Straits of Juan de Fuca, views of Victoria across Haro Straits and many lovely homes and farms along the route, we were riding and did not stop to take photos. I was able to get one photo looking across Haro Strait and another near Cattle point at the south end of San Juan Island. It was a great day of cycling.

View attachment 91260

View attachment 91262


View attachment 91261

Incredible, Alaskan, and totally inspiring. I now feel pretty silly for feeling debilitated after Pfizer #1 and dialing my ride down to 7 miles and 900 feet or so! Obviously, not a contest, and we all have to know our limits, but your rides do make me want to ask myself, "Am I pushing too hard, or am I just more uncomfortable?" Probably the latter!

Always wanted to see the San Juan Islands! I don't know why I've never been north of Mendocino, I've lived in LA since '91.

 

[steve mercier]

Incredible, Alaskan, and totally inspiring. I now feel pretty silly for feeling debilitated after Pfizer #1 and dialing my ride down to 7 miles and 900 feet or so! Obviously, not a contest, and we all have to know our limits, but your rides do make me want to ask myself, "Am I pushing too hard, or am I just more uncomfortable?" Probably the latter!

Always wanted to see the San Juan Islands! I don't know why I've never been north of Mendocino, I've lived in LA since '91.

Do it !