Good Month / Bad Month: Home Bike Maintenance, Training Indoors, Videos, & Everything Else - March 2020
Home Bike / Workshop Maintainence
With quarantines and lockdowns in place, people are working on their home mechanic spaces and skills.
With quarantines and lockdowns in place, people are working on their home mechanic spaces and skills.
I wrote a poll a couple months back asking "How Mechanically Minded are You?" Not surprisingly, most responses fell into the category of "Home Mechanic" - being able to build up a bike correctly if the appropriate tools are available. Surprisingly, nearly four thousand people rated themselves as a mechanical "Wizard." I'd wager my toilet paper stockpile on the fact that most of those "Wizards" would have trouble bleeding a set of brakes or rebuilding a fork, but that's a different topic.
With many people also working from home, the welcome distraction of YouTube tutorials and the ability to mail-order whatever supplies are needed for a tune-up has caused plenty of people, myself included, to overhaul things on their bikes they didn't know needed it. Additionally, what better time to renovate your workspace at home, install some new bike hooks, and perfectly arrange all of your tools?
With many people also working from home, the welcome distraction of YouTube tutorials and the ability to mail-order whatever supplies are needed for a tune-up has caused plenty of people, myself included, to overhaul things on their bikes they didn't know needed it. Additionally, what better time to renovate your workspace at home, install some new bike hooks, and perfectly arrange all of your tools?
What else is there to do besides organize everything that is typically laying in a pile?
Training Indoors
Staying strong to come back in better shape than ever.
Staying strong to come back in better shape than ever.
Athletes aren't the only ones on the trainer right now. With many riders currently restricted to training at home, it's been a time to step back and focus on strengthening weaknesses and making the best of things with what you have. Zwift has group rides with thousands of people going and Trainer Road even has a new feature where riders can video chat with their friends to watch each other suffer, live and on screen.
Take the trainer out of the equation and there are endless amounts of bodyweight fitness routines along with the tutorials of how to do them pouring out online. Then, there's always the good 'ol fashioned push-up.
Take the trainer out of the equation and there are endless amounts of bodyweight fitness routines along with the tutorials of how to do them pouring out online. Then, there's always the good 'ol fashioned push-up.
Kate Courtney hasn't let things slow her down too much, she's just adapted to the current situation.
Videos
Shreddits, workouts, throwbacks, and features...they're all here.
Shreddits, workouts, throwbacks, and features...they're all here.
There has never been a better time to sit down and watch mountain bike or any other sort of video than the present. There have been a plethora of videos ranging from the random shreddit, to fitness tutorials, to full length feature films and throwbacks to videos you may have never even seen from the good 'ol days posted online recently, free of charge.
Personal recommendations? For racing, Earthed 3, then there's always The Collective, and Stripped...both classics. This paragraph took two hours just because I got sucked into the nostalgia on YouTube and watched all of those videos in their entirety while adding the links in.
Personal recommendations? For racing, Earthed 3, then there's always The Collective, and Stripped...both classics. This paragraph took two hours just because I got sucked into the nostalgia on YouTube and watched all of those videos in their entirety while adding the links in.
It's a perfect time to relive the glory days and focusing on getting fit for the future.
The World as We Knew It
CO-VID19 Pandemic Takes its Toll
CO-VID19 Pandemic Takes its Toll
Life as we know it has drastically changed in the last month. While there are many glimmers of hope, the fact is that a lot of people are in a really bad place right now, and what the future looks like is quite uncertain. While bikes can provide an outlet and keep us sane, staying safe and keeping others safe is more important than going on a mega group ride right or hitting that massive drop you've been eying up for the last few years.
As far as bikes go, races and events have been canceled for the foreseeable future and many trail systems have been closed. While it seems difficult to do so, it's now critical for everyone to stay nearby their home, wherever it may be, and sit tight, work on their bikes, do some push-ups, practice social-distancing, wash your hands, and look forward to when it's safe to commune and visit other destinations again.
As far as bikes go, races and events have been canceled for the foreseeable future and many trail systems have been closed. While it seems difficult to do so, it's now critical for everyone to stay nearby their home, wherever it may be, and sit tight, work on their bikes, do some push-ups, practice social-distancing, wash your hands, and look forward to when it's safe to commune and visit other destinations again.
During this time, it's critical for us all to think about others than ourselves. Check-in on neighbors and friends with a phone call, don't horde things you don't need and be nice to one another...even in the comments on the internet. Get out as much as you're safely and legally able to, encourage your homies, and remember that things will get better.
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Stop printing new bits of paper to replace the old pieces of paper that you have sent offshore. Stop printing new certificates to then be bought by the same entity to shore up the old certificates.
Billions and Billions (RIP Carl) are flooding into the K-12 system to support distance learning and the amazing and dedicated teachers who support our students. Medical staff are highly valued and being called back to duty. The entire financial system is configured to enrichen the tip of the iceberg while the rest of us are distracted by the fight over scaps of 'stimulus' .
Free reading about money:
cdn.mises.org/What%20Has%20Government%20Done%20to%20Our%20Money_3.pdf
As a recent immigrant with by no means all the facts, Canada seems to be doing a much better job of looking after its people and health, education, science and critical services are being extremely well respected right now (in BC at least). I'm pretty proud to be in a country that, from where I'm sitting, appears to be doing the right thing.
My condolences to you folks south of the border. Trump has a lot of blood on his hands.
The nation deserves its leaders!
I personally, will not be playing that game.
A chance for mirth though, I will not pass up.
Oh to have been a fly on the virtual video conferencing wall when that little agenda item came up..
Park: "So, what have we got left in the tank people? Come on, ideas people... don't be shy!!"
Kazimer: "There's the Grim Donut test"
Levy: "We're not done yet, I've only had 300 hours on it"
Park: "Well, throw them a bone at least Levy, knock up something to keep them interested. And for my sanity's sake, get more bottle bosses in it somewhere at least... I don't need to spend any more of my time sifting through acerbic comments from the mob."
Levy:"But..."
Park: "Levy! Don't interrupt! What have I told you..."
Levy: "Sorry Brian."
Park: "Brie, what you got?"
Brie "Ummmm.....well... we have that story about how $820 billion will be lost globally in the MTB tourism sector, and how cash flow problems in..."
Park: "We need them to STAY on the site Brie, not fall asleep at it... Jeez. Mitch?"
Mitch: "There's that story I've been working on about how all trail dogs resemble their owner's moustaches..."
Park: "(sigh)... Mitch, how many times Mitch... NO!"
Mitch: "Yes boss."
Aidan "Umm....I have an idea..."
Park: "Sorry AIdan, did you squeak?"
Aidan "Well, it's just that I....thought, you know, we might be able to get them to, you know, stay on the site by giving them some more polls to do.."
Park: ".....that, Aidan... is....brilliant!!! Did you hear that the rest of you? Here's someone who knows what this site is here for in reality. Aidan, you are a genius. Right, let's go the whole hog, I want you to throw every goddam poll we have ever run in the past five years at 'em. Big yellow tab screaming at them on the header bar. I want everyone on it, every user to do every poll"
Aidan: "What do you mean, everyone?"
Park: " www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRIr9MNmCwU "
Yours truly
Everyone.
In the meantime PB allows comments like the one below without any penalty.
"And it's some fit of delusion for some reason every orthopedic surgeon I work with had to cancel surgeries despite the fact there are five patients with this supposed flu in the entire County. We are now firing , staff sending employees home and putting them all on unemployment. Genius. I really hope a ton of people die from this to Simply make it worth it that would absolutely make the Democrats and socialists happy."
Well done PB, you should be proud.
Really a shame to see how people are wasting it on productive things and positivity
Downside I witnessed when I went inside for supplies - a Father/son combo (foreign - the father spoke poor English, son was translating) the fork on the son's bike wasn't working properly. The father wanted to either buy a new fork or an entire new bike right away because......the son had some sort of a bike camp in town the next day and had to ride.
Shame on any of the guides / coaches that are doing this type of thing during this global problem.
I really want to know cause it just might be my new catch phrase.
Bad month: We can't ride it.